Album Review: Waldgeflüster's Unter Bronzenen Kronen

It’s hard not to feel down in recent years fellow Otaku & Metalheads. By the end of 2023, it’s not difficult to see why: Gaza & it’s people getting wiped off the map, further political tomfoolery here in the United States, and the dark theory that Donald J. Trump might actually get away with everything sends an absolute chill up a lot of our spines. It’s kind of the reason why I concluded last year’s top 5 albums list with some rather serious releases. I got 1 saved for November like I normally do, but in the meantime I have 2 others to take a look at, and both of them (Technically one of them) take a sledgehammer to the feels, and you’re left on the ground like a baby. So to start with, let’s take a quick trip back to Germany for this one!

Like I’ve said a few times throughout this blog’s existence, I’m not the biggest fan of Black Metal. From the lo-fi production that felt lazy to me, to musicianship that sometimes feels like people just banging on instruments, and to the vocal work that comes across like screeching & screaming (Even though it really isn’t). All of those factors kept me away from the genre for a really long time, until I began to expand my horizons back in 2015 when I began getting into Darkthrone (Read Here). Even with opening up my musical tastes in that direction, I still wasn’t giving it the chance that it deserved. It wasn’t until early 2019 when, by genuine accident, I clicked on a suggestion in my Youtube page that I really began to appreciate Black Metal more than I did.

As you can tell by the title of this review, that band in question was Waldgeflüster. Translated into Forest Whispers, the band has been around since 2006, and began to properly put out albums since 2009. Unlike a lot of groups in the style that leaned towards the Satanic side of things, these Germanic fellows were incredibly influenced by Nature & Heathendom as the subject matter of their music (With other subjects being supplementary), and it shows. The music is still incredibly brutal and heavy, but there’s plenty of times where it’s incredibly beautiful, and oddly peaceful as well if you can believe it. I first showed them off back in 2019 when I had them on my top 5 albums list of that year (Read Here), and that was where my love for them began. It’s only grown over the years since then, and in 2023 it became solid when Unter Bronzenen Kronen was released on the 29th of September.

Unter Bronzenen Kronen, or Under Bronze Crowns, is essential Waldgeflüster distilled into a bite-sized package. 4 tracks compose this little release, and each one is nothing short of fantastic. Each song is nothing short of beautiful, emotional, & heavy, and they all feel satisfying to listen to. All of the tracks conjure up images of Autumn, the forest, old memories, and spirits from bygone times. The experience is easy to describe, yet oddly difficult to describe as well. It really does feel like everyone will have their own experience with Unter Bronzenen Kronen, but they’ll all talk about it with people that haven’t listened to it.

Picking the best track off of here was easy, and that honor goes to The Pit. A cover of the Panopticon song of the same name (Listen Here), it trades that version’s Kentucky Bluegrass clothes, and fully embraces Waldgeflüster’s brand of Black Metal. It’s sweeping, epic, powerful, and unless I’m wrong, marks the very first time that the lyrics were sung in English. You really have your heartstrings pulled incredibly hard the first time you listen to the song, and it doesn’t really let up on subsequent hearings (Especially if you watch the video for it). I’ve kind of been in a rough place for months, and for some reason I’ve found that this track oddly fits how I’ve been feeling all this time so far. If you’re in the mood for a track that’ll put you on the edge of tears, you can’t get much better than The Pit.

The Pit

The Pit (Music Video)

So, with all of the positivity out of the way, you’re probably asking if there’s anything bad about this release? To be perfectly honest, there really isn’t anything to complain about. Unter Bronzenen Kronen from beginning to end is truly a perfect release, and really shows that Black Metal can easily break out of the stereotypical Satanic shell. That being said, the release is a bit on the short side. Playing for 28 minutes & 10 seconds, to be exact. It’s really funny that it goes on for just that amount of time, because the 4 songs on here don’t feel short. Again, they’re incredibly substantial, and will hit you hard every time you listen to them.

Unter Bronzenen Kronen gets a solid 10 out of 10. It might be on the short side of things, but it’s one of the most fulfilling releases of 2023, and more than deserves to be at the no. 1 spot. So, we’ve got one of my number 1 releases out of the way, and the second pays homage to one of Shock Rock’s most iconic figures. See you all next week!



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If you’d like to listen to this album, click on the link below:

Unter Bronzenen Kronen

Album Review: Devin Townsend's Infinity (Remaster)

Time for honorable mentions fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

That’s right, time to look at the albums of 2023 that didn’t quite make the cut. Like I’ve said numerous times on prior lists, just because an album made it to the honorable mentions section doesn’t mean that it’s bad or mediocre. Most if not all of the honorable mentions I’ve spoken about are genuinely quite good, and the subject of today’s review is no exception, and is from Devin Townsend, who I’ve spoken about many times in high regard. However, today’s review marks the first time that I will be throwing some criticism at a release of his. Some pretty big criticism, to be exact. So, without further delay, here’s my review of the remaster of 1998's Infinity. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Devin’s website about the original Infinity:

“I remember once I had finished Ocean Machine and City, the idea of duality became a big thing for me. I began to find myself fascinated by the concepts of ‘this and that’ and ‘yin and yang’ (or whatever metaphors supported that idea). I realized that the things that were motivating me were (in hindsight) a relatively common ‘coming-of-age’ type of artistic view. I found myself engaging in drugs and relationships that were unhealthy, yet playing into the whole metaphoric nature of that period to the point where my whole world resonated with a very deluded sense of self importance that ultimately had much invested in the music itself.

I felt a very arrogantly gratifying sense of martyrdom in ‘sleeping on the studio floor’, feeling ‘persecuted’, and ultimately winding myself up to believe that what I was doing was of some sort of great significance. At the time it was very romantic, but in hindsight, it was very obviously engagement in chemicals and drugs that I was unfamiliar with. These experiences threw me into a psychological tailspin that resulted in a chaotic, dense, (at times glorious), but mostly very confused statement.

It was done on ADAT in my friends basement, and the recording was unfortunately a self-imposed hellish mess. Again, hindsight is 20/20 and currently it’s much easier to recognize what is legitimate drama from artistic gratification. At the time, I believed it was the last record I would ever make. Strangely, I feel that about most records I’ve done. Ultimately, Infinity is one of the most important records I feel I’ve been involved with, and it was a rewarding time for my process.”

Taken from Devin’s website about the original Christeen EP + 4 Demos:

“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the ‘Ass-Sordid’ stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions.

Some interesting stuff here, with the final song ‘Love Load’ causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”

Taken from Metal Injection in September of 2023 about the reissue/remaster:

“As I move into a new phase of my work, (one that requires the next two years to be spent writing and recording), I reflect on the Infinity album and the period it all happened in many ways. This was my first attempt at engineering and mixing an album, and without it, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am now on a technical level. It was like going to college at the time, and although it is primitive in many ways, it also reminded me of the amount of passion it takes to reach a new level.

The whole process during the making of this album was fraught with learning, turmoil, growth, and psychological development. In fact: I didn’t think at the time that I would even get through it, (let alone be here 25 years later writing and working with the hard-won experience that came as a direct result of making Infinity).

I realize now how pivotal this period of expression was for me, and how it was a testament to tenacity in the long run. As such, I’m proud that we’ve decided to re-release the record with all the bonus tracks and personal artwork from that period in one place. I was even asked to do an updated version of the naked cover album cover (!!!) so in the name of authenticity… I did that too.

I believe this to be the quintessential version of the record. It was a statement then as it is now. And for those who were there during that period as well as those who are perhaps interested in how it all began, I present to you ‘Infinity’ in an updated fashion. I’m grateful for the opportunity to release it in this light and thank you all for the support all these years. Please wish me luck as I delve into this next phase, and being able to reflect on Infinity during the start of this process has proven to be very useful.”

Basic Description
Welcome yet Disappointing.

Let’s get this out of the way: Infinity is not a bad album, and the Christeen EP + 4 Demos release is not bad either. Having the two on one record (Split among 2 CDs) is a great way to re-introduce classics to a new generation that might not have heard of it, while at the same time giving longtime listeners a huge nostalgia blast. That being said......it’s not a great remaster. If anything, this is one of the most incredibly subtle remasters I’ve ever heard of. Just to check to see if I was having auditory hallucinations, I went back & listened to the original release to listen for anything different from them & this record, and if there’s any difference between the originals and the remasters, it’s an exceedingly small difference. Which is a crying shame, as again I find the original music to be great, and this re-release of it is great for bringing in old & new fans alike, but the lack of remastering signs really hurts it.

Best Track
Like I said in my review for the original Infinity (Read Here), I was a big fan of both Christeen & Noisy Pink Bubbles. They were the most normal sound & feeling tracks of the album, and I still stand by that. However, I can’t deny that even on these two songs, there’s still at least a little bit of weirdness (Especially on Noisy Pink Bubbles) to be felt, which I guess is a good thing.

Christeen

Noisy Pink Bubbles

And then there’s Sit In The Mountain. If the two previously mentioned tracks are the most normal on Infinity, then the middle track of the Christeen EP is the most normal for that release (Read Here). A groovy little number, it’s simultaneously peaceful, while still providing quite a bit of heaviness to the listener. Definitely a nice mix!

Sit In The Mountain

Finally, there are the 3 bonus track included, which I suspect are the only pieces of music that actually had the remastering work done on. They include an acoustic version of Sister & Hide Nowhere off of his prior album Ocean Machine, as well as a demo for the song Man, which I have no idea what that one was going to be on. Regardless, these little musical nuggets do round out this reissue rather nicely, and add a little extra meat onto what is already a beastly dish.

Sister (Live Acoustic)

Hide Nowhere (Live Acoustic)

Man (1996 Demo)

Worst Track
Again, this remaster’s only fault is that it’s so incredibly difficult to tell that it’s actually been remastered. Like I said above, I listened to the original versions then this one to see if there’s a difference, and if there was, it’s so small it might as well not be a remaster in the first place.

(The Acoustic tracks & Demo track are exempt from this, as they’re new material which, as far as I know, weren’t on the original Infinity release or anything after it.)

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Infinity: Remaster

Overall Impression & Rating
Infinity: Remaster is a baffling one for me. On the one hand, as a remaster it stumbles somewhat. The way it was redone makes it difficult to tell that anything has changed in any meaningful way. On the other hand, it’s great that HevyDevy still recognizes Infinity & it’s EP as important steps in his career, as he is more than willing to put it back out for the public to listen to. If you’re buying this as a remaster, you’ll be incredibly disappointed. If you’re buying it for the general level of quality however, then you won’t be upset in the slightest!

Infinity: Remaster gets a 10 out of 10 for overall quality, but a 5 out of 10 for the remastering.

And that was my look at the remaster for Devin Townsend’s 1998 classic, Infinity, as well as it’s EP. The quality might be fantastic, but it still feels the same as it was over 25 years ago.....for better or for worse. Well, I’ll save the other honorable mention for November later on this year, but in the meantime we’ve reached number 1, and I’m starting things off with quite the emotional colossus. See you next week!



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If you’re curious about the original Infinity & Christeen EP releases, click on the links below to give them a listen to:

Infinity

Christeen EP + 4 Demos

Album Review: U.D.O.'s Touchdown

Closer to no. 1 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’re not that far away from the highest spot of last year’s albums. 2023 had some surprising choices at the number one spot, but before we see what’s there, we gotta finish up here at no. 2. Last week I took a look at Firestar, which was Iron Savior’s newest release. However, those fellows were not alone, as another Germanic Metal titan stood alongside them! Since 2018, I’ve spoken about the legends U.D.O., and the wonderful material they’ve release since I’ve been paying attention to them for close to over a decade since I accidentally discovered them. Last year, they put out a monster of an album, so let’s not waste anymore time! Here’s my review for 2023's Touchdown. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“In September 2022, bassist Tilen Hudrap got injured in Munich while playing a show during the Game Over world tour. Former Accept bassist Peter Baltes would step in as the temporary member. Hudrap announced his departure from the band soon after. In April 2023, Baltes was announced as the band's new bassist. The eighteenth studio album Touchdown was released on 25 August 2023.”

Taken from Metal Invader:

“After touring Australia and Japan as well as kicking off this year’s festival season by introducing new bassist Peter Baltes last month, U.D.O. – the iconic heavy metal five-piece led by legendary vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (official) – let the next cat out of the bag today: In between various live activities throughout the year, the band have been very productive having recorded a massive, 13-track album at various locations. Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany), Touchdown is scheduled to land in the end zone of the heavy metal world on August 25th, 2023 through Atomic Fire Records. Artwork & photos were provided by Martin Häusler.”

Basic Description
Balls To The Wall.

Hehe, I couldn’t help but put in that little Accept reference. Even with that said, this album definitely comes across like the U.D.O. of old at times. There’s no frills, there’s no added features, no bells, and no whistles. Touchdown at the end of the day is classic Heavy Metal from the 1980s, but given a bit of spit & shine thanks to modern recording and production techniques. Not only that, but the record does manage to somewhat eclipse the equally excellent Game Over from 2021 by having a bit more energy than the previously mentioned release. Not enough to equal that of the phenomenal We Are One from the start of this decade, but definitely enough to put it in view of that release.

Best Track
I think for any first time listener of this album, they’ll definitely fall in love with the title track. Curiously found at the very end of the record, it’s a wonderful & intense song that keeps it’s energy going throughout the entire thing. The football imagery not withstanding, Touchdown is classic U.D.O. brought into the 2020s with fists raised high and can do attitude front & center. Possibly the most interesting part about the track is the brief few second of what comes across like violin playing towards the end of the song, and while it’s not bad in any way (If anything, it’s interesting), it is something of a double take for that brief period of time.

Touchdown

Worst Track
Kinda like Firestar from last week, Touchdown’s only fault is that there isn’t a ballad anywhere to be heard. The band always manages to have at least one power ballad on their albums, so it’s weird to not find one on this record. Unlike Firestar, there isn’t one as a bonus track on the Japanese edition, which makes that edition pointless unless you’re a diehard collector of that country’s releases of Western albums.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Touchdown

Overall Impression & Rating
Touchdown is damn good. Lack of a ballad not withstanding, U.D.O. continue to prove after nearly 40 years that they still have talent & relevancy here in the early parts of the 2020s. I may hold We Are One from 2020 in higher regard than this record (And Game Over from 2021 to a lesser extent), but Touchdown isn’t that far off. Definitely a release to not pass on!

Touchdown gets a 9.5 to out of 10.

And that was my review of Touchdown. Further proof that the old-schoolers of Heavy Metal still have weight in the 2020s, it's a testament to the overall quality & entertainment factor that this record stands so tall. So, we’ve reached the honorable mentions of 2023, and to say the releases I picked that year are.....odd to say the least. So, I’ll see you all next time, when we’ll look at a re-release that’s simultaneously delightful, yet oddly disappointing. Until then, take care!

Album Review: Iron Savior's Firestar

Now we’re at no. 2 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s not much longer before we get to the no. 1 spot of 2023, and that year’s honorable mentions by an extent. The no. 2 spot of 2023 definitely had perhaps the most upbeat & optimistic release of that time, and the first of the two I’m looking at I once spoke of back in 2020. Much like that previously mention album, this record was a much needed boost of positivity to help us get out of the disease-ridden mire of the beginning of this decade. I’m speaking of course.....of Iron Savior. For almost 30 years, this German band has crafted some of the Power Metal genre’s finest in Science Fiction record, but never forgetting to add just a little bit of Fantasy to even it out. So, without further delay, here’s a look at Iron Savior’s 2023 release, Firestar. Let’s begin!

Background
As I seem to be saying a lot lately.....2020 was an absolute crapshoot. I don’t need to go into detail like I been doing when bringing up this year, but it stands to reason that not a lot of good was going on. For Iron Savior, they didn’t let a once-a-century plague stop them from making music, and by the end of that year they had released the excellent Skycrest (Which I’ve talked about here). However, that wasn’t the end of their work, as by November the 19th of 2021 they would release a 10th Anniversary Edition of The Landing, which was completely re-recorded & including the Japanese bonus tracks (Which was a huge treat for those outside the Land of the Rising Sun). However, it wouldn’t be until 2023 that all new material would reach listeners, and on 6th of October that year, Firestar was released.

Basic Description
Sci-Fi Power Metal Fun.

This has pretty much been the band’s M.O. since they began releasing music back in 1997: a band firmly within the realm of Power Metal musically, but more often than not utilizes Science Fiction rather than the style’s signature take on the Fantasy genre (Though they do keep a little of that genre in their music.). It’s definitely makes fans of Power Metal who like the style more on the traditional side to do a double take, but more often than not they adapt to it very fast. As for Firestar itself, I say it’s fantastic! There is one weird fault with the album (More on that in a bit), but that weird fault doesn’t ruin the experience that this record provides. Firestar was definitely an album that was needed to help listeners continue to get out of the mire that was 2020. The upbeat energy, mixed with the heaviness of the instrumentation, and topped with the Sci-Fi syrup, just makes the whole listening experience a great time. Nuff said!

Best Track
It’s hard not to love the title track of the album, and for good reason. Everything about the song is infectious: from the pacing, to the instrumentation, and to Piet Sielck’s signature vocal work, it’s hard to not have this track at least be partially stuck in your brain. But as usual, it’s Iron Savior own brand of Sci-Fi Power Metal optimism that really shines on this tune, and Firestar as a whole to be honest. My only complaint is that this song isn’t the opener, and that’s it!

Firestar

Worst Track
In an absolute bizarre move, Firestar doesn’t have a single power ballad that’s pretty much been typical of Iron Savior since the beginning of their career. The European edition doesn’t have a ballad, and the American version (Which I have) doesn’t have one either. It’s only on the Japanese Edition that Firestar gets a ballad, and it’s a lovely little tune by the name of When The Tanks Are Rolling. Sadly, there isn’t a link to the song on Youtube, but I can say that it’s definitely within the ballad territory. Maybe not as sappy as something like Ease Your Pain off of their last album, but it definitely does have that Iron Savior ballad-grade emotional weight on it’s shoulders. If you by any chance grab/download the Japanese release, it’s definitely not a track to skip!  

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Firestar

Overall Impression & Rating
Firestar was an absolute blast! Sure, there wasn’t a ballad to be heard for the most part, but everything else is a nice slice of Power Metal cheesecake that just so tasty. Yet another example of an album that pulled many of us out of the disease-ridden depths of the first few years of this decade, it’ll be around for us whenever we need a big emotional pick-me-up!

Firestar gets a 9.5 to 9.9 out of 10.

Album Review: E Nomine's Die Prophezeiung

Happy Easter fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s that time of year again. Where those of us with faith celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and those of us who are casual or don’t have a religion none the less sit down to a nice meal with family, and the crown of the day is a nice basket with candy. That’s definitely what happens in my household, but for me this is one of the few times of the year that the more.....religious music in my collection comes out. Now, for the past few years I’ve taken looks at E Nomine, and I’ve definitely had fun reviewing their discography. A Techno/Electronica group that uses religious iconography for their lyrics & their music’s atmosphere, they have quite the following in Europe, and have something of a cult status here in the United States. Last time I reviewed something from these guys, is was their ode to horror movies & the occult in their 2nd release, Finsternis. Today’s review sees them go back to their roots, but with a darker twist. So, make sure your basement is stocked for the end of the world, have some chocolate, and sit down for my review of E Nomine’s third album, Die Prophezeiung. Let’s begin!

Background
As I said in my last review, finding information on E Nomine’s career is exceptionally difficult. Wikipedia is really the only reliable source on the group, and even then the amount of info is minimal at best. What little on the site that can be found is that literarily 1 year later, E Nomine released Die Prophezeiung on the 14th of April, 2003. It was a return to form for them, as they left the Occult & Horror Movie themes of Finsternis behind, and returned to the more biblical themes of Das Testament. More specifically, they went with the subjects of apocalyptic prophecies about, the struggle between light and dark, death, and the afterlife. It wouldn’t be as high on the German charts as last time (Finsternis was at no. 3), but it would still sit at a comfortable level for quite some time (No. 12 on the chart).

Basic Description
A return to form.

For anyone that wasn’t a fan of the topic shift on their second album (Though I don’t know why anyone would not like it), this was a welcome return to E Nomine’s first release thanks to bringing back the biblical subject matter. Things are a bit darker this time around, as like I said above, the group decided to explore the Book of Revelations, not to mention apocalyptic prophecies & the other subjects I mentioned above. The end result is what might very well be E Nomine’s darkest release in their career: a record rooted in their patented take on Techno/Electronica with Gothic & Industrial undertones, but with a bleaker atmosphere that what they did before. Unique like everything they’ve done!

Best Track
Schwarze Sonne is not only the best song of Die Prophezeiung, but it also happens to be the tune that I discovered by accident nearly 4 years ago that led me down the E Nomine rabbit hole. I loved the atmosphere of the track quite a bit, but it’s the English version that I especially enjoy. Though the play time is shorter (It’s officially 3-ish minutes on the original release, 7-something minutes on a later re-release, and 5-something minutes for the English version), it’s nice to hear the song in my home language, and some of the beats & rhythms have been re-arranged to change things up. At the end of the day though, both versions are nice to listen to, and aren’t time wasters in any way.

Schwarze Sonne (Original Album Edition)

Schwarze Sonne (Re-Release With Translations)

Schwarze Sonne (Pure English Version)

Worst Track
I normally would complain about an album’s bleakness, but this is one of the few exceptions where I feel that it actually works in Die Prophezeiung’s favor. My only real complaint is the pacing, and I will say that this record is their slowest. There is a track or two that is faster than others, but for the most part this release has rather slow pacing. This results in an album that may be a slog for some, and because of that I had to give this record it's lowest score out of the 3 (More on that in a moment).

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Die Prophezeiung

Overall Impression & Rating
Die Prophezeiung is a great album, and a wonderful return to the subject matter that got them so popular in the first place. It might be their slowest release for some, but it still manages to be atmospheric and groovy. If by some chance this record comes your way, give it a listen to. I don’t think you’ll be board at all!

Die Prophezeiung gets a 7 to 7.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at E Nomine’s 3rd release, Die Prophezeiung. Though there is technically a 4th record, for all intent & purpose this is my last look at the group, though I might consider it for next year if I can find it. I hope you all have a nice rest of the day, and I’ll see you next Friday for my look at one of my no. 2 albums of 2023. Take care!



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If you’re curious about their prior 2 records, click on the links below to see them:

Das Testament (First Review)

Finsternis (Second Review)

Also, if you’d like to look at the brief history of the band, click on the link below:

E Nomine (Wikipedia)

Album Review: Anthem's Crimson & Jet Black

Fellow Otaku & Metalheads.....welcome back to Japan!

It’s been some time since we’ve come to the Land of the Rising Sun. Not since the summer of 2021 have we ventured into the nation of samurai & sake, but a nice surprise came out last year in the form of Anthem’s 19th studio release. For almost 40 years since their very first record, the band have shown that not just fluffy & cutesy (Even though I like some of it) songs can come from Japan. Heavy Metal can come from there as well. Some damn good Heavy Metal, as a matter of fact! So, sit back, relax, and enjoy my review for Crimson & Jet Black. Let’s begin!

Background
With Nucleus finally getting Anthem their foot in the door in Europe, and in the United States for a 2nd time, the band managed to gain footholds that had long alluded them. From there, the played at Keep It True festival in Europe, and they ultimately stole the show despite having a cult status in the nation. From there, we enter 2020, and I don’t need to say what happened in that year. However, even a plague that isolated everyone on the world didn’t keep these guys down! In that year (Around the end of December to be exact), the band released Explosive -Studio Jam-, which was mostly a compilation of covers, and it saw the return of Graham Bonnet a little after 20 years. Then, on the 21st of April, 2023, Crimson & Jet Black was released!

Basic Description
Nucleus 2.0.

Okay, maybe that’s not an exact description. Yes, the vocal work by Yukio Morikawa is completely done in English, and the recording/production of Crimson & Jet Black is just as crisp and clean as the previously mentioned album, but this record is not composed of prior material. For the first time in nearly 7 years (As of 2023), the crew of Anthem have produced all original songs, and they’re absolutely killer! They still continue the tradition of performing classic Heavy Metal, but it’s that touch of Power Metal that they’ve been using since the 2000s that’s fleshed out their music that really expanded their musical identity. It’s a testament that almost 4 decades after they came onto the scene, they still manage to stay relevant thanks to the quality of their work, and I respect them for that!

Best Track
Blood Brothers is the living embodiment of wholesome & badass. On the initial surface you might mistake this for a cover of the Iron Maiden song of the same name, but that’s not what this song is. This track is incredibly energetic & fast, but like all of Anthem’s tracks in this style, they never veer off the tracks. The lyrics, while aggressive & anarchistic (In a good way), are also uplifting and exceptionally energetic. As we continue to move past the beginning of this decade, it’s songs like Blood Brothers that’ll keep us going until we’re in the clear, and even then we’ll probably still be listening to it.

Blood Brothers

Worst Track
To be perfectly honest, Crimson & Jet Black is about as perfect of a modern day Anthem album as one can get. Coming in on nearly 40 years since their first release, everybody in the band still continue to be amazing in their respective role! If I had one small gripe, it would be with Yukio Morikawa’s vocals. Like on Nucleus & as I said above, he is singing completely in English, and he kills it! That being said, I can’t help but hear tiny cracks when he sings at the higher notes. They don’t impede the overall experience, but if you’re someone that knows about this kind of stuff, you might spot it easily.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Crimson & Jet Black

Overall Impression & Rating
Crimson & Jet Black was a lovely metallic tsunami. There was the small issue with the higher end vocal work, but that doesn’t take away the overall amazing quality the album provides. Coming in on almost 40 years since their self-titled debut was release, Anthem continue to show the worth that they can still crank out amazing music after all this time. A modern release from the band you definitely don’t want to miss!

Crimson & Jet Black gets a 9 to 9.5 out of 10.

So that was Crimson & Jet Black. Nearly 40 years after their very first album, Anthem continue to prove that they’re a force to be reckoned, and show that Japan can be just as much of a source of Heavy Metal as just about anywhere else. Well everybody, we’re leaving the Land of the Rising Sun & the number 3 spot, and making our way to no. 2. There, we’ll be in the nation of Germany taking a look at some iconic titans. See you next week!

Album Review: Avaland's The Legend Of The Storyteller

Welcome to no. 3 of 2023 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’ve just left Finland, and now we make our way to the mystical kingdom of Avaland. It wasn’t too long ago that we were here, as I reviewed Theater Of Sorcery back in November of 2022. I spoke pretty highly of the album, with the only spot on what was otherwise a perfect record being the numerous guest vocalists that were featured. Now it’s a few years later from their first release, and have they evolved in any big way since? Let’s not waste anymore time, and sit down to witness the Legend Of The Storyteller. Let’s begin!

Background ***
Taken from the band’s website:

“AVALAND is an Epic and Symphonic Metal Opera, written and composed by Adrien G. Gzagg, born in 1998 in Grenoble, France.

Inspired by fantasy, alchemy, legends and
History, Adrien have thought about 10 stories in different timelines, telling 10 important chapters of the magical place he baptized Avaland.

Adrien’s musical influences started very young with Alan Parsons Project. As a teenager, he discovered in his father’s vinyls Yes, Deep Purple, Genesis, Journey… His curiosity brought him step by step to hard rock and heavy metal, and of course to his today main influences : Avantasia, Ayreon, Savatage…”

Basic Description
Theater Of Sorcery turned up a notch.

Now, that doesn’t mean Theater Of Sorcery was awful by any means. If you recall from my review of TOS, I spoke really highly of it. I loved the storytelling, the instrumentation & vocals were spot on, and the overall production was great for a first time release. There was the issue with the guest vocals I had, but that one personal fault doesn’t impact what is an otherwise great experience! Legend Of The Storyteller takes everything that made the prior album great, and amps all of it up. The story is grander (And a little darker in places), the instrumentation is stronger, the vocal work is more operatic, and the recording & production is better! Even the cheese from the prior record has returned in abundance, yet it’s also more evenly placed to allow better musical flow. A victory for Avaland if you ask me!

Best Track
The album opener (Right after the intro) Crimson Tyranny was definitely a nice way to start things off. The track really shows off what this album was going for: immense instrumentation, epic vocal work, powerful presentation & storytelling, and just enough cheese to keep everything glued together. You would think that the cheese factor would be a bit too much, but it actually acts as a balancing agent in addition to being a glue. I wouldn’t pick any other track on this release to open things up for the listener!

Crimson Tyranny

Worst Track
Much like in my Theater Of Sorcery review from 2022 (Read here), the only issue I have that too many guest singers were brought on board this album! 7 guests, as a matter of fact, with the biggest name out of them being former Savatage vocalist Zak Stevens. Again, everybody puts in a lot of effort, and not a single one feels like a waste, but once again the amount of guest singers on Legend Of The Storyteller takes away some of the identity from Avaland. When the band gets to album no. 3, I hope they have just 1 or 2 guest vocalists (Maybe 3), and that’s it!

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

The Legend Of The Storyteller

Overall Impression & Rating
The Legend Of The Storyteller was definitely a big step in Avaland’s evolutionary cycle. Sure, the amount of guest vocalists brought in might be annoying for some, but the overall advancement of recording, production, instrumentation, vocal work, and storytelling more than makes up for that fault. If you were a big fan of Theater Of Sorcery, but wanted it’s best points turned up a bit more, then you’ll not want to miss this!

The Legend Of The Storyteller gets a 8.5 to 9 out of 10.

And that was Legend Of The Storyteller everyone. A great improvement over Theater Of Sorcery, let it doesn’t lose sight of what the band’s first release was trying to be. Well everyone, we must leaving this mystical land, and travel over to Japan next week. There’s an old friend over there I’d like to say hi to. See you then!



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I’m repeating this information from my Theater Of Sorcery review, as finding newer info is rather difficult.

Album Review: Turmion Kätilöt’s Omen X

We’re still in Finland fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Last week, I looked at Screem Writers Guild from Lordi. It was spooky, hokey, and definitely badass. The band I’m looking at today is no stranger to my little corner of the internet, and has plenty of Finnish badassery. Like the title says, I’m taking a look at Turmion Kätilöt’s most recent release, Omen X. It’s funny: these S&M warriors have shown up on plenty of my lists, but I think that this marks the first time I’ve reviewed these guys in the near decade that this blog has been up. So, let’s not waste anymore time, and dive right into my review for Turmion Kätilöt’s 2023 release, Omen X. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“Omen X is the tenth studio album by Finnish industrial metal band Turmion Kätilöt and was released on January 13, 2023 on the label Nuclear Blast. The songs "Isä Meidän", "Sormenjälki", and "Kuolettavia Vammoja" have been released as singles from the album, each of which have also been filmed in music videos directed by Rauli Ylitalo.”

Basic Description
Past in the present.

That sounds like an odd way to describe Omen X, but hear me out. When I talked about Shadow’s first at the start of this month, I said that the band was both old & new in terms of style and production. In this album’s case, it’s definitely modern in terms of recording & production, but where the past aspect comes into play is purely stylistic. Omen X is very reminiscent of the band’s releases prior to 2013, as the releases before that year were more metallic than Metal & Dance (Though there were a few song exceptions). It’s definitely welcome for anyone that liked their older output, but it might be a little jarring for some (More on that below).

Best Track
Thought it wasn’t the first single, I was a big sucker for Sormenjälki when it came out. Though there is still a dance-groove element within the beats & rhythms (The pacing is fairly fast), it still manages to be a pretty brutal track. What was surprising about this tune wasn’t necessarily the music, but the music video if you can believe it. Considering how odd and strange their collection of music videos is, it was surprising to watch one of their videos that was mostly normal. I say mostly, because there’s still some weirdness in some places. No spoilers though!

Sormenjälki (Fingerprint)

Worst Track
The only fault that Omen X has, and even then it’s more of a nitpick, would be it’s musical shift. Like I said above, the music on this album is more along the lines of their releases before Technodiktator (aka more metallic that dance-like), and as such there’s a weird nostalgic vibe for their older work. There’s a few exceptions on this record, but a giant majority of the tracks are Industrial Metal, but without the dance-like aspect that Turmion Kätilöt would become known for in 2013 & beyond. Again, this is more of a nitpick for fans who like the group’s older work more than their newer material.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Omen X

Overall Impression
Omen X, like practically all of Turmion Kätilöt’s discography, is just brutal fun wearing some S&M gear. The shift in style may be odd at first for fans of their work from the start of this decade & the 2010s, but that doesn’t stop this record from being a damn good time whenever it’s listened to. If you’re down for an awesome time, Omen X is a good choice for this!

Omen X gets a out 8.5 to 9 out of 10.

And that was my review of Omen X. Again, apologies for putting up something of a downer at the beginning of this week, but I felt that it was necessary to do first, and then get this review out. Well, with that out of the way, we’re onto number 3, and our first is from a rising star I discovered back in 2021 & their musical evolution in 2023. See you next Friday!

Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 32 : Akira Toriyama R.I.P.

So.....I didn’t expect this.

As of the 1st of March, famed manga artist Akira Toriyama passed away at the age of 68. The cause of death was Acute Subdural Hematoma, and for anyone who doesn’t know what that is, it is when blood collects between the skull and brain, and in small or symptonless cases it merely needs to be watched over. For more extreme cases, surgery is required. An A.S.H. is usually caused by a head injury strong enough to burst blood vessels, which in turn can cause pooled blood to push on the brain. Things that can increase the risk include age, blood-thinning drugs, and alcohol abuse. Symptoms of an Acute Subdural Hematoma include headaches, confusion, vomiting, slurred speech, or even a coma may appear immediately or weeks after a head injury, and in some cases an A.S.H. doesn’t even cause symptoms. Only thing that wasn’t said was where Mr. Toriyama died, but that is not my place to know.

However, I’m typing this up (As of this past Friday) as a way to show my respect for a legend, yet ironically enough I never had the biggest connection to his work. Kinda like when I talked about Kentaro Miura’s passing back in 2021 (Read here for my thoughts on that), I never got into things like Dragonball & all it’s spinoffs (Though I have watched a sprinkle of episodes here & there), or the various games in which his artstyle was used, but it wasn’t cause of some philosophical difference. For me, I wasn’t a massive fan because they simply didn’t click for. Dragonball & the various sub-series are not bad by any means, but they never connected in the right way for me. And yet.....

I feel a giant hole in my spirit. A guy, who’s work I never interacted with in any meaningful way, is now gone, and I feel like something is missing in my life now. I feel like there’s a little less light coming from the sun, or from the moon and stars at night. Casual anime fans may not understand, but Mr. Toriyama crafted not just a world with Dragonball, but the basis for the entire Shonen genre that’s still going strong today. Toriyama’s work has been a massive inspiration for the creators of One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach to name just a few. He didn’t just inspire those series, but for any otaku/weeb, cosplayer, or vtuber that continues to put out content to this very day. Mr. Toriyama’s message for life was very simple: if you’re able to be your foes, then there’s a chance you’ll stand tall & be stronger for it.

And that’s my thoughts on the passing of Akira Toriyama. Again, I may not have been a massive fan of his work, but I can’t deny the sheer influence he had, and perhaps I might begin to get into his library of material now that he’s gone. In any case, I hope we’re all still hanging in there, and I’ll get back to my scheduled program this Friday. In the meantime.....

IT’S OVER 9000!!!!



***
Here are some lighthearted videos that were inspired by Mr. Toriyama’s works. Click on the links, and enjoy:

Super Deluxe Meat Course from Dragon Ball Z (Arcade with Alvin)

Bucket Ramen from Dragon Ball Super (Anime with Alvin)

Dragon Balls from Dragon Ball Z (Anime with Alvin)

DBZ Drinks for kids who got old (How to Drink)

Album Review: Lordi's Screem Writers Guild

Time for some silly horror fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

For number 4 on my list last year, I made an annual trip to Finland like I typically do for some of my lists. That land of beauty & nature has always been a reliable producer of some of the finest metal bands, whether they be old-school or the new guard. Today’s review is from the fun horror titans Lordi, who are no strangers to the Heavy Metal Otaku blog. For a little over 2 decades, these Finnish fiends have been crawling all over the world, spreading their love of spooks & music. They’ve already made a killing so far this decade, with the fictional compilation album Killection back in 2020, and the mega compilation Lordiversity in 2021. 2023 is no exception, and they crafted quite the release for that year. So, let’s get into our finest suit or dress, head over to the nearby film academy, and enjoy 2023's Screem Writers Guild awards. Let’s begin!

Background
The early years of this decade have become highly recorded, not to mention being highly plague ridden. COVID affected everybody, and Lordi were no exception. Though they had released Killection at the beginning of 2020, they didn’t really have the time to go on tour to promote it for rather obvious reasons. Yet, even in a time of great disease, the monsters from Finland didn’t rest in their lairs, as over the course of 2020 they managed to record seven albums, and would release them all together in one package in 2021 as the monstrous Lordiversity (Which I’m surprised I didn’t cover then or up until now). By the time 2023 came about, the fears of the years before didn’t quite seem so insurmountable, and the world was more open than it had been for some time.

Lordi had already been revving up to go back on tour a little bit beforehand, but not without one bump in the road. On the 5th of May in 2022, longtime guitarist Amen had left the band, and a day later Mr. Lordi would put out a statement about the situation. In it, he said that he had asked Amen to leave at the end of February 2022 due to growing tensions, and at one point it was really personal. Luckily, Lordi managed to find a new guitarist on the 30th of May in the form of Kone, and from there things were all set. The monsters of the band then crept into the studio to begin work on their next release towards the end of 2022, and once it reached the 31st of March in 2023, Screem Writers Guild was released. An ode to the classic monsters of cinema (Universal specifically), it was a breath of fresh air to take in after what the start of this decade was.

Basic Description
Hokey Horror Fun.

Lordi have always been a band that knew how to have fun, but also how to send a few chills up or down your spine. Outside of one or two exceptions that do get a little real-world, Mr. Lordi & the rest of the monsters of the band always manage to bring a smile to their fan’s face, and Screem Writers Guild is perhaps their most upbeat release so far this decade. Like I said above, the inspiration for the music on this record was that of the old Universal movie monsters, and those were always fun to watch. It’s not just the music that carries this inspiration, but the costumes as well: from the Creature From The Black Lagoon, to Dracula, and to Frankenstein, the band wear the inspiration on their sleeve, & they aren’t ashamed of it in the least!

Best Track
Dead Again Jayne was a damn good third single for this record! A speedy song with plenty of creep factor that never goes away, it tells the tale of a dead movie starlet (Inspired somewhat by Jane Mansfield) being brought back to life by a weirdo, all in an effort to try & see if said starlet would be his girlfriend. The instrumentation is fun, but it doesn’t forget to be a conveyor for some scares, and Mr. Lordi knows how to be BOTH when he’s singing!

Dead Again Jayne

Another good track that shows off the quality of Screem Writers Guild would be the ode to creepy circus freaks with Thing In The Cage. A slower-paced tune in comparison to the one above, but makes up for that by being a bit more sinister. The instrumentation just creeps & crawls all over, and Mr. Lordi’s vocals just slither around you until it worms it’s way into your head, where it won’t leave until it wants to. Like anything in the freakshow, Thing In The Cage is creepy and gross, but entertaining at the same time!

Thing In The Cage

Worst Track
Screem Writers Guild is almost a perfect Lordi album. Much like Killection & Lordiversity, the band have make some fun and freaky with this release, but I say it’s almost perfect because of some minor tracklisting. Simply put: the 2nd track should have been the first in order to keep the story flowing just right. On top of that. Both Dead Again Jayne & Thing In The Cage have odd 1-something minute intros, and then the songs plays. The tracks themselves are great, but those introductions feel like timewasters to me!

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Screem Writers Guild

Overall Impression & Rating
Screem Writers Guild is just a lot of fun. It is a little jumbled right at the beginning, but otherwise the music on here is great! Lordi know when to be scary, but they also know when to have a great time, and that’s what this album excels at! If you’re looking for some scares that don’t deal with the real world & isn’t soul-crushing, this release is what you’re looking for!

Screem Writers Guild gets a 9 out of 10.

At that was my look at Screem Writers Guild. A small hiccup at the beginning, and there’s a tiny bit of time wasted, but the overall experience just brings a smile to my face. In a world where it’s horrors are too frequent nowadays, it’s nice to know that there are monsters that like to have fun on stage. So, see you all next week, when we’ll stay in Finland to look at a band that’s all too familiar on this blog. See you soon! ***




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This was written before Akira Toryama’s death, so expect to see something about that before the next review.

Album Review: Shadows's Out For Blood

It’s that time once again fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s time to look back at the music of the year before, and see if it still earned it’s recognition & rightful place on my top 5 albums of 20XX list. 2023 had a damn good selection of records from across a lot of styles, and from bands both old and new. The only records that aren’t getting a review are the ones I leave out for their own examinations in November....and the one’s I’ve selected are definitely going to be interesting. In any case, let’s take a trip over to Chile, and take a look at a band that’s pretty new to the metal scene, yet has a lot of potential to be something amazing later on down the line. Let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at the first full-length album from the group Shadows. Let’s begin!

(Starting a month early this year, since I didn’t do any research on Irish Metal Bands, and wasn’t thinking of green MTG cards for some reason)

Background
Taken from Bandcamp:

“After the pure magic and fire of the "Into the Nightmare" precursor demo tape, we're thrilled to bring you its full-scale successor and evolution: the unrivaled debut album by Chilean heavy metal cult Shadows. Packing in 30 minutes of legendary songwriting and visionary revivalism "Out for Blood" takes us back to a time, somewhere in the early 80's, when acts like Mercyful Fate, Satan, Death SS, Judas Priest, and Alice Cooper were laying the unforgettable foundations of what would soon become a generational, industry-changing phenomenon: the defining of heavy metal as we know it. A raging and undying fire of searing leads, thundering drums, spooky operatic vocals, ripping guitars, unforgettable hooks and outrageous transgression. With no hesitation or limits to its deathless imagination, Shadows has conceived a classic metal crucible of unparalleled wizardry and dominance, using familiar concepts borrowed from dark b-movies, old comic strips, occultism and esotericism to take the listener down a dark, left-hand path of cinematic storytelling, thrilling fantasy, dark impulses and transgressive paranoia. The ten tracks of "Out for Blood" display a breadth of tricks and expertise rarely seen at such an accomplished level in contemporary NWOTHM and classic metal acts, and this should come as no surprise knowing that Shadows mastermind and main songwriter John Shades (a pseudonym of Cristian Silva of Apostasy fame), has been shaping the pillars of true and untamed underground South American heavy metal for at least three decades. Using a mist of dark, keyboard-laden atmospheres, vorticose melodies and a dominating, dual attack of criss-crossing, blazing razor-sharp solos, Shades and his co-conspirators have unfolded a half-hour of absolute, boundless imagination, covering almost fifty years of heavy metal evolution and transformation, and delving deep into the primordial fabric of the genre's most defining traits, those of technical extremism, frantic intensity, and adrenaline-pumping darkness. A full-frontal assault on the senses where the limitless imagination of epic storytelling and of rare musicianship have converged in creating the ultimate homage, heirloom and celebration to the undying, sacred and eternal flame of heavy metal.”

Basic Description
Past & Present in all the right ways.

Shadows are, in my opinion, one of the metal bands that not only capture the letter of 80s metal nostalgia, but also it’s spirit. Whereas many bands in the “New Wave Of Heavy Metal” movement can only capture either the letter or spirit of the decade, these guys manage to grab both at the exact same time. A lot of the grooves & rhythm’s feel like they were taken straight from the 1980s, and the sound seemingly feels like it comes from that decade as well. In particular, a lot of the scare factor in my view comes across like what King Diamond would use. A little hokey in places (More on that below), but definitely can send a small chill up the spine at times.

Where the more modern (Present) parts come in are with it’s recording & production, as well as another band I think Shadows may have been inspired by. Soundwise, Out For Blood is crisp and clean, yet the modern recording techniques don’t take the 80s nostalgia away. As for who I think inspired them in the more modern sense, I have the sneaking suspicion that it may have been Ghost. I say it’s Ghost, because there are some hooks & rhythms that come straight from records like Infestissumam and Meliora. It could just be me, but I swear that the catchiness I hear and feel was inspired by Papa Emeritus & his Nameless Ghouls at least partially.

Best Track
Nightstalker was definitely the most appropriate track to preview this album to potential listeners, and embodies the combination of styles I mentioned above. You’ve got that Ghost-style hooks, the King Diamond-like creepiness, and the 80s metal vibes. I will say that the creepiness ever so slightly bends towards the cheesy side, but overall the mix is perfectly balanced, and is more than worthy of being the opening song. Don’t you dare skip this tune!

Nightstalker

Worst Track
Like I said when I did my top 5 album list for 2023, Out For Blood is a short album. 32 minutes & 50 seconds to be exact. However, if you cut out the two instrumental tracks (Dream Paralysis & Fullmoon), it plays for 30 minutes & 9 seconds, which definitely is shorter. Whether you skip those two songs or not, you gotta listen to this record a bunch of times to get it stuck in your head. I will say though, it’s definitely worth it!

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Out For Blood

Overall Impression & Rating
Out For Blood was a nice surprise. Sure, it’s on the short side, but it’s compensated by having some incredibly catchy songs with a simple creep factor that draws you in. Their EP before this album planted the seed for future success, and OFB was the plant that came from that seed. If Shadows can put on an album or two that has as much quality as this one did, I got a feeling that the plant might have some nice blossoms later on down the line.

Out For Blood gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my review of Out For Blood, and the start of my look at the best albums of 2023. We’ve got quite a bit of ground to cover, so join me next week as we get to the first of my no. 4 albums. It’s gonna be really spooky, so see you then!


***
If you’d like to visit the band’s Bandcamp page, click on the link below:

Shadows (Bandcamp)

Convention Review: Katsucon 2024

Katsucon 2024 is in the books fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It was wonderful to come back down to the Metro DC/Maryland area, and celebrate all things anime with some of the coolest people here in the United States. I’ve been having a hard time these past few months, so it was mentally & spiritually refreshing to come back to my new otaku home away from home. So, let me not waste anymore time, and show off my review of Katsucon 2024. Let’s begin!

Good Points
To start the positives off on a weird note, I found it was unusually quicker to get down to the Gaylord than in the prior years I’ve visited. I left from a friend’s house a little after 9, and got down there around 4:15, which was pretty faster when compared to previous years. Going home was oddly fast as well: me & the friends I was with left just after 9, and got back to the driver’s residence around 6:40 if I recall correctly. Getting back to my house was about the normal length (35 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic), so I never really factor that in. Definitely a plus that might happen in the future!

Next positive is the Gaylord itself, and let me just say that I love this place! Outside of one fault I had this year (More on that later), I am always in awe of how massive the hotel is. It really does feel like a miniature city when it becomes populated with so many people: from the fountain, to the restaurants, and to the lobby, it’s an incredible sight to see! It also fills me with wonder as I look at all of the outside doors to the hotel rooms, and it just makes me think that most if not all of them could be filled with con-goers. Definitely something that’ll never leave me!

Speaking of the con-goers, let me just say that the cosplay that everyone brings will always be insane to me! From low end comical/meme cosplay, all the way to elaborate costumes with props that are exquisite. Genericon (When it was around) had some nice costume work, and Connecticon definitely turns the knob up a bit, but in my opinion it’s Katsucon that’s the pinnacle of cosplay on the East Coast!

Next up are the merchants/artists & panels, and as usual they’re great also. I did have one hiccup when it came to a potential purchase (More on that later), and the amount of dealers ever so slightly slips when it comes to who showed up, but as usual I was able to get a usual amount of booty, and the artists as usual are always on point when it comes to how good their work is. I want to support all of them, but then I’ll be poor & living in a dumpster. As for the panels, I can only say that the variety always impresses. From big events like the annual idol show & AMV contest, to smaller things like Greg Ayres’s panel on mental health and a 18+ comedy panel about tentacle hentai, there is always something to see and experience! Even if you don’t go to a lot of panels like me, it’s always nice just to sit down & watch everybody that passes by. I know I definitely did that at some points.

This last good point is a bit of a weird one, and it would be that the mask mandate. If you recall last year, you might recall me talking about how the staff last year enforced it pretty poorly, and whether it was because of that poor enforcement or lessening COVID restrictions, the mandate was lifted, and people didn’t need to wear a mask or provide medical information. On the one hand this was refreshing, as it felt a little like before the plague took over the world. On the other hand.....

Okay Points
The lack of mask mandate did give me some heeby jeebies! I caught COVID for the 2nd time in November last year, and even though I was wearing a mask most of the time, I was still worried that I would catch the plague again & bring it home. Thankfully, I did see at least a couple people wearing masks, and fortunately nobody that was wearing one was picked on by those kind of people. If I’ll feel this or not in 2025, I don’t know.

Bad Points
Ironically enough, I only got 2 bad things to talk about. One is kind minor, and the other was frustrating to me. The minor thing is the lack of T-Shirts for sale, and this was something I’ve encountered before. Back in 2022 I wasn’t able to get that con’s shirt, only to get it & 2023's at the same time. 2024 is no different: the table where they would have been didn’t know if they’d be getting them, and they sounded confused when I ask them if they had any available. If anyone has answers as to why, please let me know.

Secondly, and this isn’t a knock to the convention itself, but towards the Gaylord itself. I don’t know who’s idea it was to switch from cash, to Credit/Debit Card & Gift Card is out of their damn mind! I heard from one of the people at the Potomac area that apparently they changed the policy the week of the con itself, but I may have misheard things when she was talking to me about it. Even if I didn’t hear things wrong, it’s still insane that they’re going forward with this, and I hope it doesn’t cause issue at future Katsucon events

Final Thoughts & Rating
Katsucon 2024 was definitely a step up from last year. Yeah, it did have a blemish or two, but I definitely had a bit more fun in 2024 than last year. Felt a lot more lively, a weight was taken off it’s shoulders, and everybody there just seemed to have a bit more spring in their step. I definitely felt a big weight taken off of me once I stepped foot into the Gaylord, and as I’m typing this I still have some feeling of happiness & love from being around so many amazing geeks, nerds, and otaku of all kinds. All I can say, is good on you Katsucon!

Katsucon 2024 gets an 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my review of Katsucon 2024. Definitely better than last year, and if they can work out the kinks by 2025, it might just be perfect. Well everyone, this was my last post for February. So, join me next month for a look back at my favorite albums of 2023, and until then take care.



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If you’d like to read my review of last year’s Katsucon, click on the link below:

Katsucon 2023

Metal Overview: Sanctuary

The first metal overview of 2024 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

At the beginning of this month, I made my first ever Music Overview, taking a look at the 90s relic Scatman John. I hope it was a big hit, and maybe I’ll do more of them in the future. However, we have to get to the metal, and the band in today’s overview is rather unique. The first time that my friend Al actually got one over on me, what he didn’t know was that a seed was planted that day, and the resulting plant that grew from the ground is one I continue to water to this day. They might not have been a metallic titan, they none the less were a respectful force when they first emerged, and still manages to have a sizable fanbase to this day! So everyone, let’s dive into the discography of the Thrash/Power Metal band Sanctuary, and see what they’re all about. Let’s begin!  

Refuge Denied (1988)

Our story begins in 1985. Guitarists Lenny Rutledge & Sean Blosl, bassist Jim Sheppard, drummer Dave Budbill, and legendary vocalist Warrel Dane all got together to record a demo. Not long after the demo, Lenny had actually managed to get in contact with singer and guitarist Dave Mustaine after a Megadeth show. Dave expressed interest in the demo, and also expressed interest in being the band’s producer. Dave’s manager, Keith Rawls, financed the recording of their next release, and finally became Sanctuary's manager. After a few talks with some record labels, they would ultimately sign up with Epic Records, and on the 26th of April in 1988, Refuge Denied was released.  

Sales for Refuge Denied were exceptionally low upon it’s release, as it initially sold just 7,000 vinyl records. By June of 2011 however , it would go on to have sold over 200,000 copies. The record in 2010 would be re-release alongside it’s 1990 successor (More on that in a bit) by the reissue label IronBird (via Cherry Red), and in 2016 the track Battle Angels was featured in the 4th episode of the Netflix series The OA.

Best Track? White Rabbit was the song that my friend Al got the one up on me with, and by extent opened the door for me to get into this band. A cover of the classic Grace Slick song, this version is considerably darker in nature, and scraps most of the “High” feelings for something more akin to that of a nightmare. Warren Dane’s voice is exceptionally creepy in this track, as it comes across like something crawling all over your body, or that of a banshee when he gets really loud. The instrumentation just adds to this overall dark feeling, yet it doesn’t go soft, and thus the intensity stays strong.

White Rabbit

Worst Track? Nothing! Refuge Denied from top to bottom is a lovely piece of Thrash Metal Cheesecake, and one that’s still spoken about to this day. Despite not selling a ton upon it’s initial release back in 88, it was a damn fine way to emerge onto the Heavy Metal scene. At a time where the genre was moving out of the commercial spotlight, it was nice to see the end of the decade go down swinging. Next album!

Into The Mirror Black (1990)

After the tour for Refuge Denied ended, Sanctuary went right back into the studio to record their next album, and on the 27th of February, 1990, Into The Mirror Black. A video for the album’s opener Future Tense was made, and actually got some airtime on Headbanger’s Ball. While they were touring for the record alongside bands like Fates Warning & Morbid Angel, guitarist Sean Blosl left the band, and he would be replaced by Jeff Loomis.

Into The Mirror Black had a bit more success when compared to Refuge Denied, selling 34,000 copies worldwide for it’s first week. On the 9th of October in 2020, Century Media Records re-released the album for it’s 30th anniversary. This edition has three additional studio demos, as well as a live album that was originally released in pieces on the promotional EP Into The Mirror Live / Black Reflections.

Best Track? One More Murder was a surprise to me. When I first saw the track title, I expected it to be a bloody & gory tune about a serial killer stalking one last target, but instead it turns into an incredibly poignant political commentary song. There’s a reference to the Gulf War, death by drugs, and what I can only assume is dying in the street due to said drugs alongside gang violence. It’s pretty potent subject matter, with some of it still being unfortunately relevant here in 2024.  

One More Murder

Worst Track? Kind of like Zeit from Rammstein, there’s just something off about Into The Mirror Black.....but I don’t know what it is. Just when I think I located the problem, it goes away into another part of the record, but runs away again when I zero in on it. It’s incredibly frustrating to try & figure out what’s up, yet it doesn’t impact the listening experience as much as I’m making it out to.

Into The Mirror Black. Not in the spotlight as much as Refuge Denied, and something about the record is wrong, but it still happens to be fantastic to listen to. Next album!

The Year The Sun Died (2014)

I find it rather ironic that in 2024, with every awful thing that’s happened so far, I’m listening to an album named The Year The Sun Died. Released on the 6th of October, 2014, the release would come after the band was disbanded for nearly 20 years! After the tour for Into The Mirror Black, there was incredible pressure from Epic Records to try and being more like the newly emerging Seattle Grunge scene, which caused disagreements between band members regarding how the band should move forward, and in 1992 they decided to split. Ironically enough from around this time, Epic Records was to release Into The Mirror Live, which was a live recording of Sanctuary’s final tour, but only a limited amount of a promo version ever saw the light of day, and is an interesting story in it’s own right.

However, all was not lost. In 1992, Warrel Dane, Jim Sheppard and Jeff Loomis would form the band Nevermore, and former Sanctuary guitarist Lenny Rutledge would be the band’s producer (He had his own studio). Fast forward to 2010, and Warrel Dane, Jim Sheppard, Lenny Rutledge and Dave Budbill got back together for a few select reunion performances. At first the reunion shows were all they wanted to do, but a mix of the on-stage chemistry & response from fans was so immense that they decided to go back into the studio on February the 2nd to record, and the rest is history.

Best Track? The Year The Sun Died the song is an incredibly apocalyptic track. Placed at the very end of the album, and perhaps because of it’s position on the record, there’s this buildup throughout everything before, and when you get to this tune everything just explodes. Ironic, since it’s slower-paced, but the quality is just fantastic. Not only that, but Warrel Dane’s richer voice really shines here, and when he’s been nothing but a great singer across this whole release that’s saying something!

The Year The Sun Died

Worst Track? Like the last 2 releases, there’s not a single track on this album that sucks. Sanctuary has always been a consistent level when it comes to quality, but if there was one thing that surprised me, it would be that The Year The Sun Died is surprisingly dark in nature. Not on the level like Obsidian from Paradise Lost & Tapping The Vein from Sodom, but in it’s own right is oddly depressing in places. Sanctuary aren’t a warm & fuzzy band by any means, but this release does make Refuge Denied & Into The Mirror Black look like a picnic on a warm summer day.

The Year The Sun Died. Darker when compared to their last 2 records, it still manages to be a well-made and powerful release, and it never loses the entertainment value. If you like this band back in the day but wanted them to be more modern when it came to recording & production, then you’ll easily love this. Next album!

Inception (2017)

Taken from Wikipedia:

“Inception is a compilation album by American heavy metal band Sanctuary, released on February 24, 2017, through Century Media. A prequel to the band's 1988 debut album Refuge Denied, the album contains remixed and remastered lost studio recordings from 1986. This is Sanctuary's final release with vocalist Warrel Dane, who died of a heart attack on December 13, 2017”

Olivier Badin of Terrorizer magazine rated Inception moderately positive, writing, "Zeuss' careful remastering job here has leased a new sense of life to these early versions. And even with a then 25-year-old Warrel Dane in pure Rob Halford mode and a very mid-'80s power/thrash style, this doesn't sound dated at all and even actually has a sense of urgency its second version lacked." He concluded his review with, "With 'Refuge Denied' hard to get these days, it's a win-win situation."

Best Track? The demo version of White Rabbit is just absolutely creepy if you ask me! A little bit shorter than the final version (2 minutes & 36 seconds compared to 3 minutes & 10 seconds), it still manages to have a “Nightmare” vibe. Maybe even more so here, thanks to the rougher audio quality of it’s demo nature. Don’t skip this track!

White Rabbit (Demo)

Worst Track? Even as a collection of demos, Inception doesn’t have a single bad song! That being said, these are demos, and as such their sound quality can be rough in places. If there was one issue I could say about the nature of the demos, and maybe it was just me hearing things incorrectly, but I could have sworn that some of the songs sounded a little more remastered than others. Again, it might have just been my imagination, but I could swear that a couple tracks sounded better than the rest.

Inception. A great relic of the band’s past, but maybe it needed just a little extra polish before it came out. Still, it was nice that Sanctuary was able to release one final album with everybody together, as on the 13th of December in 2017, Warrel Dane died of a heart attack while he was in  São Paulo, Brazil recording his second solo album. Still, this vision of the past was quite the welcome one, and as a way for the classic lineup to reluctantly bow out on, it was a good one.

And that was my look at Sanctuary. A band that sadly was all too brief in the metal world, yet the fans that loved them still linger to this day. So, I’m taking a break for a little bit, but I’ll come back in a week or two for my annual Katsucon review. See you then!


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If you’re curious about listening to these albums, click on the links below:

Refuge Denied

Into The Mirror Black

The Year The Sun Died

Inception

Music Overview: Scatman John

Welcome fellow Otaku & Metalheads.....to my first every Music Overview!

That’s right, for the first time ever I’m handing the format I’ve been using since 2015 over to music that isn’t the genre I love with all of my heart. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about doing something like this for years, but never really thought about the right kind of artist. Well, with my dear friend Al’s birthday being this month, I figured now was as good a time as any to see if this experiment will work, and I picked quite the musician to try this with. Though he was a relic of the 1990s, this classically trained individual got a shot later in his life, and in turn became a recognizable figure not just in the world of Jazz, but of European Techno if you can believe it (Even managed to get a foothold in Japan for a brief period if you can believe it). So, get on your finest suit, walk on over to the nearest Jazz Club or Dance Hall, and enjoy my look at the iconic Scatman John. Let’s begin!

John Larkin (1986)

It was in March the 13th in the year of our lord, 1942, that John Larkin was born in the town of El Monte, California. By the time he learned how to speak, he found out that a severe stutter, and this led to an exceptionally traumatic childhood (He almost killed some bullies in a fit of rage, but was saved by his Dad). By the time he was 12, he was learning to play the Piano, and when he was 14, he was introduced to the art of Scat Singing by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong records, as well as a few others. The piano playing was particularly important to him, as Mr. Larkin said that it was a way to hide his voice, and he “Hid behind the piano because he was scared to speak”.

Fast forward to 1981, and the future Scatman first musical performance would be on the album Animal Sounds by Sam Phipps, who would be a future member of the iconic New Wave group Oingo Boingo. In 1986, he would release a self-titled Jazz album on the Transition record label, with the record itself being recorded by both him & his wife (Marcia Larkin). The release also featured the saxaphone playing of Joe Farrell, who I believe died after this album came out.

Best Track? I don’t know why, but Mr. Larkin’s tribute to Jazz legend John Coltrain stood out to me. There’s nothing in the way of instrumentation, save for piano playing that’s dramatic & loud in places, and Mr. Larkin’s singing has a big crooner sound and feel to it, even during the scat singing parts. The piano work can be a little intense upon listening to it for the first time, but once you get into it.....it’s quite the experience.

John Coltrain

Worst Track? Kinda like when I looked at the Rock Against Bush albums from last month, your enjoyment of this release will all depend on whether or not you like Jazz. If you like the style, then this record is essential, but you’ll definitely ignore it if you don’t like the style. Simple as that!

John Larkin. A nice & simple Jazz LP that has plenty of that old-school vibes, but it wouldn’t be until nearly a decade later that he really would gain ground in the music world, and would cement him in internet meme history a few decades afterwards. Next album!

Scatman’s World (1995)

In 1990, John Larkin moved to Berlin, Germany to advance his music career. When he got there, he discovered that the city really appreciated Jazz Culture, and began playing a few gigs once he got settled in. It was during these gigs that he decided to take a giant step from his speaking issues and incorporated singing into his act for the very first time, and was met with a standing ovation for a performance at the Cafe Moscow in Berlin. It was around then that his agent from Iceberg Records in Denmark (Manfred Zähringer) got the idea to combine scat singing with modern dance music and hip hop effects. John wasn’t on board at first, as he was terrified of being laughed at criticized again, but BMG Hamburg was open to the concept.

Mr. Larkin was worried that listeners would realize the stuttering, but his wife Judy suggested that he sang about it on the album, and that’s what he did. Working with dance producers Tony Catania and Ingo Kays, John would record his first single (More on that below), and after it became a big success, the persona of Scatman John was born!

As for the album itself, the release known as Scatman’s World would be released on July the 10th, 1995. Based loosely around the imaginary Utopian society known simply as "Scatland", the record would go on to be highly popular worldwide. In particular, Scatman’s World would become incredibly successful in Japan, where it would reach no. 2 on their music charts and stay there for 40 weeks, selling more than 1,560,000 copies, and ranked among the top twenty best-selling records of all time in the country recorded by a non-Japanese artist. Ironically, the title track would have a resurgence in recent years due to becoming an internet meme, but anyway that the Scatman can be discovered is a-okay in my book!

Best Track? I think anyone from my generation that got into Scatman John more that likely found him through the song simply titled Scatman. The beats & rhythms from the dance music and the hip hop effects are incredibly catchy, and the Scatman’s singing, while a little rough in some small spots, actually meshes with the music really well! Even the message within the track can really connect with some people.....hokey as it is.

Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)

Worst Track? Look, I love Scatman’s World from top to bottom. Like a few other albums I’ve come across, this release is an example of two musical styles that should absolutely NOT mix together at all, yet the end result is nothing short of a pleasant surprise. Possibly the only hindrance potential fans might have would be the lyrical content, and let me just say that the Scatman goes full-blown Mr. Rogers when it comes to what he’s singing about. Peace, love, bridging racial divides, our just about any other stereo-typically hippish belief, and yet I don’t hold it against him at all! Mr. Larkin is incredibly sincere with the message he’s trying to convey with his music, and even the most cold-hearted in individuals out there will feel.....something.

Scatman’s World. A meeting of two music genres that should not be able to get along, but end up becoming surprisingly close friends, complete with a vocalist that’s giving it his all. The lyrical content might be sickeningly sweet most of the time, but if you take an insulin shot you’ll be fine. Next album!

Everybody Jam (1996)

Released on November the 25th, 1996, the second release on a major label (3rd release overall) was a little bit of a backpedal when compared to the scorching hot first release. Everybody Jam’s singles didn’t have as much of a success as the ones that came before in Europe (It would be No. 45 in Switzerland), gaining him the title of a two-hit wonder. Meanwhile in Japan, Mr. Larkin would continue to achieve more success than practically anywhere else in the world, with the album reaching no. 17 on the country’s music charts, and it would stay there for 9 weeks. Not only that, but the Japanese exclusive singles Pripri Scat and Su Su Su Super Ki Re i charted really well.

Best Track? The title track to this album quickly qualifies as the best track for me. A tribute to the legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong, Everybody Jam is just a happy little tune. Filled with Techno-enhanced trumpet playing, it’s a wonderful complement to the Scatman’s singing, and the whole thing really captures that New Orleans style of Jazz, as the track was also a tribute to that area’s take on the style. If you’re not dancing or even smiling just a little bit, then this song just won’t work for you!

Everybody Jam

Worst Track? Just like Scatman’s World, the music on Everybody Jam is incredibly likeable, and continues to show off how Jazz/Scat-Singing & European Techno work as well as they do. Once again, the only theoretic fault this album would have is how diabetes inducing the lyrics can be. Pretty much any subject matter that the Scatman covered on his first album comes back in spades, and you better be ready for the blood in your veins to turn into red-colored syrup!

Everybody Jam. If you loved Scatman’s World, then you’ll love this record. However, the good times were sadly not meant to last for the Scatman, and it just a few short years some bad times would be coming in. Next album.

Take Your Time (1999)

By 1998, it seemed that the time of the Scatman was mostly done. Outside of Japan, where he managed to maintain a grip on that country’s zeitgeist with his music, his popularity took a hit. However, perhaps the biggest hit would come during one of his concerts, where he collapsed on stage. At first people thought it was part of the act, but that immediately changed when he was taken out of the arena. Not long after that, it was discovered that he had been singing & performing with Lung Cancer. This was a pretty big blow to Mr. Larkin, but he managed to pull himself up hard, and went back into the studio to record what would ultimately become his final output.

Released on the 1st of June, 1999 (6 months before he died, btw), Take Your Time did not have any music videos made, on account of his deteriorating health. TYT would go on to have 4 singles: Scatmambo was used in the German film Love Scenes from Planet Earth, Japan would get the double A side single of The Chickadee Song & the title track, and Take Your Time the tune would be released in multiple European countries (A six track version, then a four track version with a memorial caption on the cover after his passing). Finally, Ichi Ni San....Go! was released as a three track single in Europe, proving to be popular in Germany.

Best Track? Dream Again is something of an oddity on this album. Where as a majority of the tracks before it have a faster pace, this one has a laid-back & relaxed attitude to it. The instrumentation has a beach thing going for it, what with the simplistic drums & sound of the ocean waves and seagulls coming in at certain times. Even the Scatman’s singing is scaled back, as he sings at an equally relaxed pace when put alongside the drumming. Perhaps more than anything from his prior 2 albums, Dream Again is the most peaceful song that John Larkin ever sang in his entire career.

Dream Again

Worst Track? Even if he didn’t get Lung Cancer & die from it, there’s just this vibe on Take Your Time that scream out the word “Final”. From beginning to end, there is this feeling that the dream that was Scatman John is coming to an end. That maybe, just maybe, there was something in the back of the Scatman’s mind that was telling him the stagelight was going to turn off for the final time, and he was to end it all in style.....and end it in style he did.

A second fault would be the accompanying female vocalist, and it’s not because she’s bad. I can’t recall her name as I’m typing this, but she actually does a really good job on a massive majority of Take Your Time’s songs. The fault with her is that he presence takes away from Mr. Larkin’s singing, and in turn unintentionally takes some of the spotlight away from him. To play Devil’s Advocate, I suspect that she was brought on to help the Scatman with singing duty, which isn’t a surprise since he was suffering from lung cancer for a few months by this point. If that was the case, then I can’t hold it against the Scatman at all, as he probably needed the help.

Take Your Time. All good things must come to an end, but for the Scatman he managed to end it all on a damn good note. If you wanted Scatman John to have a streak of black in the mix, then you’ll get a kick out of this release. However, even when the Scatman left for the big Jazz café in the sky, there was one final message he would send to the citizens of Scatland. Next album!

Listen to the Scatman (2001/1990)

Released on the 11 of December, 2001, Listen To The Scatman was a collection of Jazz recordings that John Larkin had recorded all the way back in 1990, which in turn makes this release the “Lost” album of his discography. It’s actually pretty difficult to find information on this record, as this was probably put out to capitalize on the then still fairly recent passing of the Scatman’s death, but maybe that’s just my personal take.

Best Track? I have to give it up to the title track of this album, which oddly ends this release. Listen To The Scatman comes across like a prototype of what would appear on future albums: you have the Scatman’s patented singing style, complete with plenty of techno beats & rhythms, and strangely enough there’s also some disco-like guitars accompanying everything. At first it feels like a confusing mess, but after a few seconds it all congeals into a weird but pleasant whole.

Listen To The Scatman

Worst Track? To be perfectly honest, Listen To The Scatman doesn’t have a bad song on it. Like everything that came before it, there was a lot of love & care put into the music, and it shows! If there was one thing to complain about, I would say that the production quality wasn’t enhanced upon it’s release, and as such has a dated feel to it. Over 20 years since it’s release, and the dated feel has only gotten worst on certain tracks.

Listen To The Scatman. Like Made In Heaven from the iconic Queen, it was nice to hear Scatman John’s voice one final time, even if the words came from before his fame & fortune. Definitely a curious record to listen to if you’re curious.

And that was my look at Scatman John, as well as the conclusion to my first ever Music Overview. In a time where life is clearly going down the tanker, I think the message of a Scat singer with a stutter is needed now more than ever, and with the passing of Judy Larkin at the beginning of 2023, the two are reunited once again. Now, for those of you who are of the metallic persuasion, I got a mini Metal Overview coming in a few days, and it’s of a band that my friend Al actually got the one up on me with. See you soon!


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If you’re curious about listening to these albums, then click on the links below:

John Larkin

Scatman’s World

Everybody Jam

Take Your Time

Listen To The Scatman

Also, if you’d like to learn about Mr. Larkin’s history with stuttering, as well as an interview with him, check out the link below:

The Stammer Of Success (Tedium)

Scatman John - Interview with MTV Europe (Unaired footage, 1995)