Marty’s Musical Meltdown: Circus Diablo, Manitou, Metalmania, Peter Pan Speedrock, Turbo and Voices of Rock
Its an eclectic lot that is for sure but without a complete turd in the bunch.

Marty’s Musical Meltdown: Iced Earth, Ozzy, Tesla, NEO, Pendragon, Andromeda and Rick Wakeman
This week Marty has more CDs and music DVDs than you can bang your head at.

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Marty’s Musical Meltdown: Blueganu, Megadeth, Vader, and More
More heavy metal and hard driving reviews.

Plus this week a bonus from Marty.

Interview: Band Of The Week - Circus
This is a band that should be huge, very soon.

Now this is one I can get behind. There is move afloat to get Steve Harris, Hammers fan and Iron Maiden bass genius, a knighthood from the Queen. The e-petition is worthy of your support as you all can think of far less worthy people recieiving a tap on the shoulder from Her Majesty. Support Sir Harry and up the Irons!

In the end it was much less vs and far more a class of styles. In the end Saxon and Harvey Goldstein got on rather well and respected each other. If you are able you can see Get Your Actor Together on 4 On Demand for the next week. Its makes for some amusing television. The post-game show on E4 was a bit of let-down, with the only bit argy via a lame comment from some Metal Hammer act, I spotted a few metal industry types I know in the audience. It was interesting to contrast Biff & Co with the diva who Harvey tried to help in the first show. Despite all the swearing, the football half-time cock-up, Saxon and Goldstein actually worked well together.

I am not sure how much Harvey had to with the new album but as you can read in Marty’s review its a cracker and by far their best since the 80s. The single tweaked by Harvey’s team ain’t bad either.

As you might know from reading my columns, or rather my alter ego Marty’s, I have a wee bit of penchant for female-fronted/vocals metal. After hearing several fairly rubbish attempts over the years there seems to be a huge outbreak of pretty amazing stuff. Here are a few of my favourites concentrating on female-fronted bands rather than lots of bands like Therion, Kamelot et al who have co-leads.

Illumination: Limited Edition

Alright we always knew that this lot was damn good but Illumination is their Once or even Ghost Reveries an album that completely sums up what the band is about. It’s a stunning goth symphonic metal tour de force that just gets better and better with every listen. While not as accessible as Nightwish, it rewards those that give it a chance.

This is one of those few amazing albums that is a bugger to review because it’s just that good. There is not a turkey on this puppy, even though the music ranges from almost Evanescence pop “Destination Departure” to heavy bleak near-death metal “In the Wake” (the bonus track). The band even drafted in Vorph when Osten’s vocals were not extreme enough.

If you are at all interested in female-led goth metal then you could do far worse than pick up this excellent CD. This will keep the goth and the metallers both happy in the clubs. Unlike many CDs I review, this one will stay on the iPod for quite a while. Within Temptation has had the gauntlet thrown down to them by these feisty Norwegians. This album deserves to be bloody huge!

Karmacode

This was predicted to be LC’s breakout album and what an album it is to breakout with. Now not just the secret of metallers with a tender side, they are getting loads of mainstream attention. It has to be said they deserve every moment of it. This is quite a good album with lots passion and feeling from all involved.

The edition of the CD I have comes with photos, a couple of videos, and a tour diary. Normally I am not too keen on covers but their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” is simply a pleasure to hear. There is not a duff one in the other twelve either. Their excellent use of male and female voices means that Lacuna Coil is the band to take Evanescence fans to the next level. Just check out “Our Truth” if you don’t believe me. This is a stunning album and will feature on many people’s best of list at the end of the year.

Highest Hopes: the Best of Nightwish/+DVD

Now all of you know that I rather like Nighwish and fear for their future now that they have parted with their lead singer, Tara. This “best of” is a fitting tribute to the end of the era of a great symphonic goth power metal band with songs from all phases of their career. There is even a cover on here of Gary Moore’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” that I would argue is better than the original recording from the ’80s.

The female vocalizing on it is just stunning. The CD starts with the awesome “Wish I had an Angel” and ends with frankly stunning male-lead “High Hopes,” recorded live with serious Floyd influences. If you have never heard this band before, this collection is well worth checking out. It is, unlike many greatest hits, very much their best of… so far. Oh yes, and there is special DVD with three live tracks none of which are on the CD. This is an excellent package from an amazing band that hopefully will rise again soon.

Vinland Saga

Yes, I know I am a bit behind the times reviewing this set. But, at least, I have the pleasure of the enhanced version with its bonus track ‘Amelie’ (new version) & ‘Heal’ plus a video (Viking Wuthering Heights) for the cracking track ‘Elergy’ , an interview and a making of clip. The Viking theme and Mrs Krull’s lovely ethereal voice make for quite a pleasant heavy ride. They are set to have a new album out soon, one has to wonder how they are going to top this rather impressive CD. This is the sensitive, but not too much, side of the whole Viking metal genre. I found it the perfect accompaniment for reading Beowulf which I reviewed last week.

No not the sequel to Four Weddings and a Funeral but the new album from Sirenia a bloody impressive nine song collection of goth rock that sounds to me like Evanescence done properly with someone who can really sing. The only fault I have with this CD is that “the bonus” with the special edition is a bleeding poster and the radio edit of the track ‘My Mind’s Eye’ and video for said song.

Saying that the singer of this band does work well with the name of the band with her clear siren vocal qualities. This is a bit lighter than say Leaves Eyes or Tristania but it certainly has enough of an edge to make it of interest to goths and metallers. Well worth seeking out.

The Forgotten Goddess

This is a bunch of Americans trying to do the female fronted progressive goth thing and beat the Europeans at their own game. The band really works quite well on this disc, but there is really nothing that jumps out at you and blows you away. “Voices in a Dream” and “Expressions of Hesh” are a couple of tracks that do seem to stick after a few plays. Musically it’s rather modern riffing metal with touches of Dream Theater and the added twist of a sweet voiced songstress. Some of the European purveyors of the same music seem to work better with female vocals than this lot; their vocals can seem to be a bit too lush and fluffy, without enough oomph behind ‘em.

This is a decent album, just not yet to the level of some of the similar style coming out of Scandinavia and Italy. One thing that can be said about this lot though is that they are not by any means Evanescence-clones preferring a goth metal, as opposed to pop edge, with plenty of blast beat drumming. The album is just missing that something I can’t quite put my finger on, which is a shame.

The Heart of Everything

Readers of this column will know I rather liked this lot’s last album and was worried they would have a hard time matching it. I needn’t have. If anything this album matches it for quality and there is a song on here that makes “Angel” seem a bit week. “What Have You Done,” which features Keith Caputo just stuns from the first listen. It’s goth-pop pomp at its absolute best. As if that was not enough, there is the absolutely blinding “Our Solemn Hour.”

There is absolutely nothing on the last Evanescence album which comes anywhere near close, and some have speculated that this song is WT laying the gauntlet down. Never mind the fact that Sharon Den Adel has probably the best voice in female goth metal completely eclipsing the vocals of Ms Lee. The vocalist can do sweet but also has enough grunt behind it to get out some wicked power. The band is providing music for the new RPG Spellborn as well as releasing a strong candidate for album of the year.

There is not one duff track on this CD, a powerhouse of the genre from start to finish. I will be amazed if there is anything this good for quite a while. Simply stunning stuff and essential if you like quality symphonic goth tinged metal.

Battlelore: Evernight

With a name like Battlelore, you would be expecting Dragonforce clones right? Well in this case you would be wrong. They do straight ahead heads-down metal with touches of power metal but with a female lead singer twist. For once, the person hitting those high notes should actually be doing it. The band base a lot of their lyrics on Lord of the Rings and Viking Metal, however unlike, say, Rhapsody, it never tips over into farce. “Summon the Wolves” is just great metal with its keyboards/guitars. Battlelore use male death metal growls as a clever counter to the lovely voice of their lead singer.

Just when you thought you were in a mellow bit, heavy vocals come along to kick yer arse. It adds up to something quite special and is a great addition to the female fronted metal brigade.

Elis: Griefshire

Great German female-led metal with a tragic twist that has nothing to do with the name. Sabine Dunser, lead vocalist, who has the voice to propel them to the heights of Within Temptation and Nightwish, died recently of sudden illness. The album is dedicated to her memory and is a fitting memorial to the talent that was Sabine. This is a quality goth female-led power metal to rival the above mentioned bands. To demonstrate the full breath of her and the band’s talent the bonus track is a cracking cover of “Heaven and Hell” by Dio-era Black Sabbath.

Some of the tracks on here are in German, which almost adds to the nuance and mystery of the music on offer. The cover looks ominous and some of the music has a sense of foreboding. It is a great shame Sabine has died and she is a great loss to metal in general and female-voiced specifically. “Pheonix from the Ashes” is quite powerful, it has to be said, followed by the excellent “How Long.” This is a great disc from a talented band who has suffered a great loss.

You would think with Evanescence’s popularity there would be a huge rush of piss-poor imitators instead we fine there were a large group of bands doing a similar thing which never really got the push. Seeing the bar raised the have all released their best CDs of late blowing away the latest CD from the Amy Lee band.

More metal & hard rock reviews in this week’s Marty’s Music Meltdown.

If you like women in metal take a look at this festival found via the great site Metal Maidens.

Update: Rumour has it that Nightwish’s new singer is none other than the recently departed chanteuse of Tristania. Thinking vocally this would seem to be a logical move.

Those of you that are regulars to this blog or have read my columns for Blogcritics probably are fairly aware that I bloody loath rap-metal. This is probably due to the fact that I suffered through listening to lots of clones of the successful purveyors of it when it was hot. Well Stuck Mojo, featuring members of Chris Jericho’s band Fozzy and The Duke, have released a cracking new video that is rather unusual. Instead of ranting against the West like those wankers RATM, the song is a middle-fingered salute to those Jihadists that would kills us all. Incidentally the rest of their new album is available for free at Stuck Mojo Media expect a review in Marty’s Musical Meltdown now. I have now listened to the whole album. If Laurence had a metal band…this is sort of what it would sound like. Sort of Kid Rock is he thought with his brain instead of his penis or BLS if they did rap-metal instead of country-metal.

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96.3 Rock Radio has gone on air in West Scotland (Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire), billing itself as Scotland’s first Classic Rock station (though if I remember rightly the original Scot FM was a bit of a classic rock station also). The Guardian Media Group owned station launched with a guest appearance from Scottish rockers Nazareth and a best wishes message from Rod Stewart.

CMU has the report that Scotland now has one classic rock station equal to that of Maine a state with a population of 1.3 million. It is good to see that Scots will be able to hear all the classic rock their nation and Britain have produced over the years. Too bad those of us in England still have to face the crap choices whenever we get into the car. Needless to say I cover this sort of stuff in my pamphlet for the ERC.

While many of you recovered from over-indulging on New Year’s eve I have been catching up with some of my reviewing over at Blogcritics.org or rather Marty has done so. First of all I have done a review of Londonistan by Melenie Philips which I consider to be a bit of a curate’s egg. On less controversial ground I review the latest Iron Maiden tour, Benedictum and Joe Bonamassa in my latest column.

Colby Cosh has uncovered a rather amusing film from YouTube (where else?) of Black Sabbath performing on a trailer at a parade in San Francisco surrounded by drag queens vogueing like they never heard of Madonna. It was filmed, alas with no sound and badly, but it well worth a view both for humourous qualities and its aspect of cultural history. Can you just imagine Ozzy’s reaction…

First of all in my guise as Marty I have reviewed the book How to Label a Goat by Ross Clark which has a good ole’ bash at Red Tape. One of my 100 word tales appears over at the Storyblogging Carnival which has a healthy number this fortnight. If you like a bit of short fiction its a good collection. One of Laurence’s tales read by my betrothed Kim Benson and produced by me is up over at Podcast Pickle, please give us a listen and a vote if possible.

And finally back that music pamphlet; there was an interesting piece on it over at the American Enterprise Institute entitled Creative Destruction the Musical. CB Music has also covered the piece. Oh it wasn’t mentioned in the COTV this week but I was.

While not my writing it does worry me to see Christopher Booker being censored by the Sunday Telegraph. The bits left out can be found here.