Quick plays: REDLINE MESSIAH, OPERATION: MINDCRIME, SEVENTH WONDER

October 5th, 2016 by jason

REDLINE MESSIAH
Buzzbomd Records

Redline Messiah hail from the Mid-West and are made up from a melting pot of Chicago and California punk and metal veterans. Having formed only last year, the band’s debut album is a punk laced melodic slab of sleazy rock and it sounds great.

Like a dirty AC/DC with a hint of Motorhead, The Cult and even, at times, echoes of Michael Monroe’s recent output- this 11 track album is heads down rock n roll from start to finish. Albeit with the odd dubious song title- a prime example being ‘Topless Nazi’ which, despite the name is one of the albums many highlights.

‘Age of Us’, ‘Big Lowdown’, ‘Sweet Scrape’, ‘Beg To Waste’ and ‘War Machine’ are all recommended listening and the album on a whole is well worth checking out. A pounding rhythm section, alongside superb dual guitars courtesy of Dan Nelson and Kai Rosenkrantz with the vocals of Holland Shaf being the perfect fit that brings it all together, if the band produce a debut this strong after just a year together then you can only imagine how good the next one is going to be. ****

Review by Nikk Gunns

OPERATION: MINDCRIME Resurrection
Frontiers [Release date 23.09.16]

Geoff Tate and his Opertation:Mindcrime return with the second part of a trilogy, which started with last year’s ‘The Key’ album. The same personal helping out on this album, including his former Queensryche band mate Kelly Gray, who also helped mix and master the album.

Tate’s vocals are out to great effect on the slower numbers like ‘Miles Away’, released as the lead song of the album, and ‘The Fight’. An album highlight sees Tate joined by ‘Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens and Blaze Bayley on ‘Taking On The World’, one of the heaviest songs on the album. The three vocal styles match well and they have been touring together in the US.

Overall not a bad album, however most of the music is one paced and even in a day and age when people often don’t listen to an album from start to finish, four instrumentals/interludes at the start are a bit much. If you enjoyed ‘The Key’, than this album builds on this, however it is unlikely to win over new fans or those Queensryche fans hankering after that band’s sound. ***

Review by Jason Ritchie

SEVENTH WONDER Welcome To Atlanta Live 2014
Frontiers [Release date 23.09.16]

Seventh Wonder recorded this set at 2014′s Prog Power USA. The band’s original idea was to perform their ‘Mercy Falls’ in its entirety and as they had two slots booked, play the second night as any that needed re-recording from the ‘Mercy Falls’ set and some songs of other albums. Given how professional the band are they nailed the first set and could use the second night to perform a whole set of songs not on the ‘Mercy Falls’ album – a real treat for the fans in attendance and of course now a wider audience thanks to this CD/DVD package.

The music is of a high standard as you’d expect and the live sound is spot on. Interestingly watching the DVD the band rely solely on their music to wow the crowd, as the lights/visuals are kept to a bare minimum and with all the band dressed in white shirts they certainly are not using visual characters to distract from the music! Vocalist Tommy Karevik (also in Kamelot) sings with passion throughout the set and along with the amazing bass runs of Abdrea Blomqvist, a real treat to hear/see.

Fans will enjoy the encore ‘Inner Enemy’, which is a new song of their upcoming album due next year, and the band’s switch to acoustic mode on ‘Seventh Wonder Odyssey (Acoustic Medley)’.

A real treat for fans and tides them nicely over to the next album. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

CHAIN WALLET

Jansen Plateproduksjon [Release date 07.10.16]

Self-titled debut release from this Norwegian three piece band consisting of Frode Bakken, Stain Iversen and Christian Line. The album was recorded over a couple of years and it is an enjoyable piece of indie pop. There are definite hints of New Order in the guitar parts at times, like on ‘Running On Dreams’ and the bands love of synths makes this sound as though it is a long lost relic from the 80′s. It isn’t of course and the production alone gives it away as a modern recording.

Not an instant hit by any means, but worth persevering with as the synths on ‘Muted Colours’ or the jangly pop of ‘Shade’ deserve a wide audience. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
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