Motörhead - The Wörld Is Yours (2010)

For any other band, reaching the milestone of 20 full length records is quite an impressive feat, but for Motörhead, it was kind of expected. With a front man that only seems to stop when he drops dead (which he did, RIP), there was no surprise at all to see this band present their 20th release in only 35 years, while still maintaining the quality of course. And with a title like "The Wörld Is Yours", it is evident that their self esteem is as high as ever.

This is one of the band's albums that I am most familiar with, mostly thanks to the fact that it was released when my interest for metal started to rev up towards full speed, so I am gonna try to see this beyond my nostalgia goggles, but it is hard to look past it. Even though, I can still see that this album has some weaknesses, that the drop from top to bottom is a little steep and that the instrumentation is not the best that we have seen from the band, but to me, the strong points of the album sticks out even more.

The biggest strength of this record is without a doubt that more than half of these songs are really memorable, just containing their own special groove that makes you remember them for quite some time. Sure, we get tons of familiar songs that are just typical Motörhead products, but they are not simply "Ace of Spades" clones, they have personalities to really make this album a varied experience.

It is especially at the later half of the album where Motörhead start to flex their muscles, especially with the "Orgasmatron" oozing "Brotherhood of Man", a slow and heavy stead fast tune with a Lemmy who summons his darkest of vocals, creating this mysterious mood that hits just right in the gut. That one is followed up by the speedier "Outlaw" where Mikkey Dee and his drums takes the charge, dominating the verse with some fine technical work and blasts on through in both chorus and solo, creating a simple burner. We also get the really fun side of the band in the finisher "Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye". The title itself is just fantastic, but it is the ultra rapid rock n roll swing that sells the cake, making every listener rock their head in a frenetic manor, screaming those infectious words.

The first half has its gems to, even if they are more of the standard that we have come to expect from the band. The first single "Get Back In Line" is about waiting, but somehow, Lemmy just turns it into a groovy and simple song that is easy to like, even with an underwhelming chorus. Opening track "Born To Lose" is a little more complex in its riffs and beat, and it is a nice start to the album, also displaying one of the best build ups to a chorus I have heard from the band. These two tracks are not super special or anything, but they do their work just how you would want it, so you cannot really complain.

But as stated before, the drop from the best songs to the worst are a tad bit too high. Songs like "Rock 'N' Roll Music" and "Waiting For The Snake" have some charm, but does not hold up for multiple listens. So this makes "The Wörld Is Yours" a little divided, coming off as half great, half meh. Still, I do enjoy this album a hell of a lot, and it has a flow that just works really well throughout its run time, mostly thanks to the really strong finish. It is far from the finest work the band has done, but it deserves more credit, it delivers some great metal that builds the Motörhead legacy even stronger, and while it might not be enough to take over the world, it is enough to conquer the Wörld.

Songs worthy of recognition: Brotherhood of Man, Born To Lose, Outlaw, Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye

Rating: 7,5/10 Devils In My Head

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More reviews of Motörhead
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Game console review: Nintendo Switch

I would not consider myself as a true gamer, and that is mostly because of a number of things, like not having the time, patience, money, and hard ware to really get into it. While I am not playing such epic games like "Dark Souls", "Horizon: Zero Dawn", and "I Am Bread", I still take some time to play games that you can get in and out quickly, like "Rocket League". Needless to say, I was more of a gamer when I was younger, worshiping legends like Mario and Crash Bandicoot, while also improving my plastic instrumental skills in various Guitar Hero and Rock Band installments.

But after not owning a console for some time, I thought it was time to get back in the groove again, and when Nintendo announced their new console known as the Switch, I was instantly intrigued. Not that I am a Nintendo fanboy or anything like that (I have owned at least one console from all the major console makers), but I have always admired their desire for taking gaming to the next level. I absolutely loved the Wii and played it almost to death, and after the failure that is the Wii U (or as I call it, Wii plus tablet), the Switch seems like the right way to go.

So what is so revolutionizing about this piece of electronic? The Nintendo Switch is the first home console that also work as a portable console, which gives us the opportunity to play it wherever and whenever we want. At home on the TV, or on the train, there is no stopping. The console itself is a fairly small screen with open sides to attach the two joycon controllers, and it can also be docked into a stand that connects to your TV. Now, it does not hold the same capacity as the competition, but it still looks really nice, especially in the handheld mode where the colors and sharpness is simply astonishing.

Then we have the controller, which also can be used in multiple ways. It consists of two small joycons that could be easily described as two smaller versions of the Wiimote, which means they have motion control built in them as well. You can use them individually or both at the same time without any additional attachments, but I would not really recommend it because they are so small and light, which might work good for children, but not for adults. My preferred choice is instead in the handheld mode, where the joy cons are attached to the screen, turning it into a humongous version of the PSP, but it still feels nice to hold, and not too heavy as well. Another way is an additional piece that together with the joycons turns into a regular game controller, and it works too even if it is a little clunky. There is also a pro controller available, but it does not come cheap, so it might or might not be worth the trouble, depending on how you wanna play.

Now, there are some down sides with the Switch that I have found, but none of them are really that big. I have already talked about the small joy cons, but the main issue I have is that the Switch is simply just a gaming console. You cannot go web browsing, or watch Netflix, or anything like that, which is sort of a shame, at least give us the opportunity to stream the game live through the console. Also, the online feature is free for now, but a fee will be introduced in 2018, and while it is not that bad of a price (20 bucks for 12 months), I really do not like the fact that you have to pay additional money to play online.

Why can't they just get along...

But ultimately, what would a console be without its games? The library in the Eshop is pretty broad, with several small titles and some old games that make their debut on the console, like "Shovel Knight". Personally, I only have three games right now, but I definitely think all three is worth the price. "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" is the best kart game in the series, with tons of great vehicle options, lots of cool tracks, and a nice and easy online mode. Some characters in here are unnecessary though (Pink Gold Peach? Tanooki Mario? All the baby characters?), but it is tons of fun for hours on end. Also, 200cc mode is down right insane, wilder than any "Fast & Furious" movie.

Then we have the post apocalyptic adventure where humans have become horribly mutated creatures that fights an eternal war against each other. I am of course talking about "Splatoon 2", which is a really nice follow up to the surprise hit from the Wii U. It is fast paced action with lots of depth and several nice modes. The single player campaign is also beefed up from the first game, and it works perfectly for those who need to fine tune their skills in the game. Needless to say, it is Nintendo at its finest. Finally, I also played "Sonic Mania", which is the ultimate game for retro Sonic fans, going in the same spirit as the first three games with fast 2D action with timeless characters. It is the game a lot of Sonic fans have begged and screamed for, and it is available for 20 bucks, easily worth the money.

You guys are probably already screaming "Why haven't you gotten the new Zelda yet?", and I think I explained it in my first sentence of this review. Any Zelda game requires a lot of time and dedication, and I simply do not have it. I will probably get it eventually, but not right now, maybe when the price goes down. I also do not have "ARMS", because I am not a huge fighting game fan, and while the game looks unique, it just does not appeal to me, and neither does the mini game collection "1, 2, Switch", a game I hoped would be this system's "Wii Sports", coming free with the console. But nope, it did not, so I will most likely not get it.

Why play as Mario when you can play as TYRANNOSAURUS MARIO!

There are however several games in the future I will get, because the line up of games scheduled for release is impressive, with the biggest one obviously being "Super Mario Odyssey", but there are other titles to look forward to, including the switch versions of "Rocket League", "Skyrim", "Super Meat Boy" and more, the upcoming "Metroid" games, "Sonic Forces", games from our favourite cute guys Kirby and Yoshi, and a whole new Pokemon adventure. Yes, the Switch seems destined to deliver tons of great games from various different genres.

Ultimately, I just cannot stop loving my new little favourite toy. It may not be as strong as the PS4 or the Xbone, but it brings a whole new dimension to gaming that makes it that much more versatile. It is definitely not a perfect console by any means, and only time will tell if it will be as fondly remembered as the SNES, the Nintendo 64, and the Wii, but it is a charming little toy that works perfectly for the whole family... and of course the bachelors too. Now, if you excuse me, I am gonna go and fling some red shells at the 11 drivers ahead of me, COMING THROUGH!

Motörhead - Motörizer (2008)

After so many albums of more or less the same style of music, there comes a time when you just ask yourself when Motörhead is just gonna run out of ideas and start putting out pure gibberish. Well, "Motörizer" might have been the start of that, especially when you take a look at the lyrics for the opening track "Runaround Man" (hey, Lemmy himself said it is "nonsense set to an infectious beat"). It got some clever lines like "We're out of cokes, clean out of smokes/It's not funny 'cos we run out of jokes", but this song is just dumb fun with no sense what so ever.

Then again, that can work in small doses as long as the humour is there, and you can be sure that Motörhead is not clogging up this album with their high jinks. The only other song that is simply silly is, coincidentally, one of the best songs in "Rock Out", a fast paced 2 minute steam roller that goes by way too fast, but gives us all an important tip to end our measly singles lives with the line "Rock out, rock out, with your cock out/Impress your lady friends". Doing the double helicopter never fails.

Jokes aside, "Motörizer" is still serious business most of the time, with "Motörizer" being more of a groovy record than its closest predecessors. Sure, we got some more stead fast songs in here that does not make you swing your head, but it is pretty obvious what songs are the stars in this album. "(Teach You How To) Sing The Blues" is probably the grooviest song in the whole Motörhead discography (and that is saying something), with its fast tempo and frantic yet smooth riffing it captures your attention and gives it Stockholm Syndrome. And yes, we get yet another great one liner here ("If you wanna get your hands on a beautiful girl, you gotta use a Mastercard"), something this album is certainly not lacking of. And the grooves keeps on coming in several other songs here and there.

This definitely makes "Motörizer" one of the funnest albums the band has made, this despite some songs that drags the mood down a notch or two. "One Short Life" and "English Rose" are just two of these songs, and while they are decent, they just does not seem to fit in all that well. I could say the same about "Heroes", but this one is more well structured and just better all around. Besides, cannot blame it all too much, because the lyrics here are really nice and emotional. So yeah, this album sure has variety, even if it is for both better and worse.

Otherwise, there is not really much more to say about "Motörizer. The performances are spot on, production is sleek, and the album art is really nice too, with each part of the shield representing a band member (including Snaggletooth). It is a very enjoyable record that has several memorable and strong songs, but maybe it would have benefited with a more clear direction in its personality. Oh well, "Motörizer" delivers a lot of goods that are really good, Motörhead is once again Motörizing your life with rock 'n' roll.

Songs worthy of recognition: (Teach You How To) Sing The Blues, Rock Out, Buried Alive, Heroes

Rating: 8/10 Runaround Men

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twitter.com/myMotorhead

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Unleash The Archers - Apex (2017)

Power metal can be tricky sometimes. A lot of bands are balancing on the edge  with their music, trying to keep it fun, while also staying focused and professional, not ending up being too cheesy. Reading on various other reviews and such, it seems like the Canadians in Unleash The Archers have had a hard time finding the balance in the full decade they have been active. While having an interesting sound with a good female vocalist in Brittney Slayes, and blending in some death metal elements too, they have had the pieces to succeed, but it seems like it is not until now they have fulfilled those expectations.

"Apex" is album number 4 for the band, and it is a record that is jam packed with pure quality. It does not take long until you get stricken by the grand production that perfectly captures the "Lord of The Ring" esque album cover, but it never goes all the way over the top, staying epic in just the right level. It certainly lifts the band up quite a lot, and they really deliver with some great performances. Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley delivers a wide range of great riffs and solos, while Slayes is just killing it with her vocals, reaching those high notes cleanly and building up the tension even further. Drummer Scott Buchanan and bassist Nikko Whitworth (his first album as a member) both do a great job as well, keeping the rhythm in check.

But it is the setlist that truly makes "Apex" stand tall, a wide variety of epic tunes that are both slow and fast, light and heavy, memorable and memorable. Even if not all of the songs hits you right in the gut, they are all bringing something to this album to make it great. The standard in here is incredibly high, never letting you go without giving you a good shake and goosebumps.

It all starts with "Awakening", a late morning sleeper that takes its time to rev up, but bursts out into classic power metal grounds once it gets going. A great start that gets even better with "Shadow Guide" and its great main riff and sing along friendly chorus. And the awesome songs just keeps on hitting you one by one. The epic "The Matriarch", the chugging "Cleanse The Bloodlines", and the melodic "The Coward's Way" all close out the first half in a remarkable way, completing one of the strongest openings of this year.

The second half is not half bad either, even if the two least good songs are here ("False Walls" and "Earth And Ashes"). I really love the simplicity of "Ten Thousand Against One", with its great build up and different style it captures you and makes your head bang along to the slow, heavy beat. It might be the cheesiest songs in the album, but it still kicks ass. The final two songs should not be forgotten either, with the title track closing the album nicely with a more complex structure, and "Call Me Immortal" bringing out a Holy Grail like sound that at least hits my nerves just right.

All in all, "Apex" is just an incredible power metal record with tons of depth and energy. The band just hits everything out of the park here, from the song writing and performance to the production and tone, it all fits neatly into place. It definitely feels like the band has finally found their groove, and that this might just be the beginning of a series of great albums being released by these guys. Power metal lovers, this is a must listen for you, and the rest of you should give it a chance too, because the archers are truly unleashed.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Coward's Way, Shadow Guide, The Matriarch, Ten Thousand Against One, Call Me Immortal

Rating: 9/10 False Walls

unleashthearchers.com/
twitter.com/UnleashArchers

Motörhead - Kiss of Death (2006)

So we are into album number 18 out of 22, and I gotta be honest, I am struggling to find things to say in the beginning of these reviews now, simply because it is Motörhead, what you hear is what you get. It might also be because the albums are starting to blend into each other, missing some distinct personalities. It is something I expected going into this band's discography, but I gotta say, there are surprisingly a lot of variety still in these albums, even if these later records are more... faceless (or in other words, as grey as that poster).

Not to say that "Kiss of Death" lacks any personality or distinct feature, it just does its job and continues on the slightly heavier path that "Inferno" started. The only difference between them is the quality of the songs, a department where "Inferno" really shined. "Kiss of Death" definitely have some quality songs in here, but they are not as great or memorable, which does confirm a statement I made in a previous review, that the quality of a Motörhead album ultimately rests on the impact of the songs.

That obviously does not mean that the songs on "Kiss of Death" are pure trash, most of them are just not too memorable. But there are several really enjoyable songs in here that entertain in classic Motörhead manner. "Sucker" is just another great opening track by the band, a ripper that gets things going quickly, while "Devil I Know" is pretty standard, but has some fantastic one liners that are so typical Lemmy in its humour, like "I might be a dog/but honey, you're a bitch". Lemmy's serious side gets to shine too in the song "God Was Never On Your Side", a well paced ballad that is a nice change of pace in the middle of the record. Definitely one of their stronger ballads. We also get a return of Doctor Rock, who first appeared in "Orgasmatron", in the adrenaline filled "Going Down", a strong finisher (unless you listen to the version that has a remade cover of "R.A.M.O.N.E.S").

But as said before, there are not too many songs in here that are too memorable, being lesser versions of other Motörhead songs. They are all enjoyable songs, for sure, but it is not easy to remember them, even after several listens. I think the most memorable of the bunch is "Kingdom of The Worm", just because of its strange lyrics and very, very heavy style. It is an interesting tune, but it is kind of confusing as well. I am also confused on how one song from one of the Tony Hawk games sneaked its way into the setlist, and called itself "Trigger". It is fun and all, but Motörhead playing skate punk? Just weird.

So this album does have a lot of stuff going for it, several different songs that contribute different things, from speed and heaviness to fragile ballads, but it does not really come together in the end. It is a bunch of songs that are fairly decent, but the inconsistent quality is hurting the album pretty bad. Still, I like "Kiss of Death", and even if none of the songs might be worthy of any top ratings or so, they are still fine. A harmless album that fills the silent void in your soul for a little while, until you find a record with a little more meat.

Songs worthy of recognition: Going Down, God Was Never On Your Side, Kingdom of The Worm

Rating: 7/10 Suckers

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twitter.com/myMotorhead

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Pentakill - Grasp of The Undying (2017)

The thought of a fictional band sounds kind of wacky, maybe even outright dumb, but it is a phenomenon that is not too uncommon these days. Hell, the first record I ever bought was a fictional band, the self titled debut record of Gorillaz (still a fantastic record and band). For us metalheads, we have a couple of these types of bands. The most well known is definitely Dethklok from the animated series "Metalocalypse", but we also have a little band known as L70ETC (Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain), a band created in the realms of the video game "World of Warcraft", and they had some decent hits like "Rogues Do It From Behind" and "I Am Murloc" (a song that made it in as DLC to "Guitar Hero III").

Now, we can add another video game inspired band to the mix. From the ever so popular MOBA game "League of Legends" comes Pentakill, a six piece band... wait, why are they called Pentakill if they are 6 members? Shouldn't they be called Hexakill instead? Screw it, all of them are taken from the video game, and have some pretty fun back stories too, all of which you can read on in their homepage. However, they do not mention who is behind the characters, doing all of the real work, but believe me, there are some impressive musicians behind this.

Just the vocal roster is pretty impressive. We got Per Johansson from what I think is Ureas and Thrid Eye (not sure though, the information is not easy to find, correct me if I am wrong please), Noora Louhimo from Battle Beast (doing a lot of clean vocal work for a change, instead of screaming her lungs out), and the all mighty Jørn Lande, who not surprisingly steals most of the show. It is not only that this is weird to hear a guy like him in a project like this, but also the fact that the music Pentakill plays seems to fit Jørn's vocals better than his own stuff, just because he gets to release more power. He just owns all of the five songs he performs in.

But there are a lot of other people behind this album, almost far too many to mention in a sentence or two. Just the fact that a symphonic orchestra from Macedonia is involved in this is awesome. Actually, there is a lot of orchestration in this album, making it extremely grand and powerful, elevating the music to new levels. Add a guitar that creates a lot of awesome solos and memorable riffs (that main riff on "Mortal Reminder" is so infectious), and you get a band that goes full force in its effort to dominate the battlefield.

While there obviously is a lot of passion and energy in the band, they seem to have these moments of trying to build up a mood, ending in songs that stomps without progressing any further. Seriously, why is a song like "The Hex Core M 2" doing here? Not only does the title not make any sense (unless it has something to do with LoL, but it is still dumb), the song itself is a slow Rob Zombie and 2wo hybrid that is murdering the momentum in one of the most efficient ways imaginable. It stands out for all the wrong reasons, and while there are other songs in "Grasp of The Undying" that does not seem to have a purpose, this one is just an ear sore.

Fortunately, there is a lot of awesome stuff in here to quickly forget the bad times. The energetic power the band produces is at times astounding, even down right mesmerizing. There is a lot of passion behind this project, and all of the people that stands behind should really feel proud of their accomplishments. So even if I never will understand why the game League of Legends is as big as it is, I sense greatness in this band that originates from its universe. It is far from a perfect effort, but it certainly leaves a well lasting mark in your ear drums.

Songs worthy of recognition: Mortal Reminder, Cull, Frozen Heart, Rapid Firecannon

Rating: 7,5/10 Bloodthirsters

http://pentakill.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/

Accept - The Rise of Chaos (2017)

We are now into the fourth album of the Accept rebirth, and it definitely feels like the band is not gonna let go of the grip of your interest any time soon. The three previous records have all been stellar outings, delivering tons of great riffs and nice sing along moments, so there is no real surprise that "The Rise of Chaos" offers more of the same, even if the title might have hinted otherwise.

The only thing that actually is different from the other three records ("Blood of The Nations", "Stalingrad", and "Blind Rage") is the line-up. We got two newcomers in drummer Christopher Williams and guitarist Uwe Lulis, and they both do a solid days of work here. It is still Wolf Hoffmann who runs the show though, with his endless supply of magnificent riffs and kick ass solos. Almost fifty year into his career, and he still delivers such quality, it is god damn impressive.

Musically, there is no revolution here, it is just classic German heavy metal at its finest. It is straight forward, and simple in its approach, but still very easily likeable, even if you have heard it a hundred times before. It is hard to explain why this still works, but one reason could be the quality behind it, both in production and execution. I have already talked about the guitars, but Mark Tornillo and his fantastic vocals deserves a shout out too, just because of his unique delivery. There simply is no one like him, and to be honest, I could not imagine the band without him now.

The album feels almost a little too perfect, like it is too nice to get gritty. We do not get any true mauler in this album, a "Hung, Drawn And Quartered" or "Stampede" that picks up the pace and rattles your bones. Even the opener "Die By The Sword" is surprisingly calm and collected, and while it is a really great track, it is not the start that I would like. And once again, with a title like "The Rise of Chaos", you would almost expect some real chaos in here (to be fair, the title track does have the most adrenaline). Instead, we get more light hearted songs with more comedic meanings, like who in their right mind would think that "Koolaid" would be a good serious title? The comedy is not all bad though, like in "Analog Man" (or the alternative title "We Are Old"), a song that might have my favourite lyric line of the year in "My cellphone is smarter than me".

Ultimately, I do not find many wrongs with "The Rise of Chaos". It is good heavy metal, just what we would expect from the seasoned veterans. The production is great, the riffs are many and of high quality, and close to all songs are enjoyable. However, I do not get a spark with this album, it is a little too monotone for its own good. The band does not really play it safe or anything like that, but it is such a solid creation that its density is its own weakness. Out of all the four albums of the new Accept era, "The Rise of Chaos" is definitely the weakest of the bunch, but it is still a very good record that has some to offer. Simply put, it is Accept, you know it is good.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Rise of Chaos, Die By The Sword, Analog Man, Race To Extinction

Rating: 7/10 Koolaids

http://acceptworldwide.com/
https://twitter.com/accepttheband

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Blind Rage

Motörhead - Inferno (2004)

Many of us probably consider Motörhead as a heavy metal band, being one of the founders and main forces of the British heavy metal movement. However, the band itself (especially Lemmy) only saw Motörhead as a straight up rock 'n' roll band, not being any heavy in particular. Judging by their music, they do have some points. Most of it is after all based on country, blues, and definitely rock 'n' roll, but there is no denying that Motörhead has created a lot of heavy stuff over the years that sets itself apart from the influences, and stands on its own legs.

"Inferno" is to me a pretty good example of that Motörhead is not simply a rock 'n' roll band. This album is arguably one of the band's heaviest in their whole discography, while still maintaining a lot of different elements from different genres. Once again, the album was made just like any Motörhead album, quickly and efficiently, with the ideas and emotions running hot from thought to recording. So why is this record heavier than the average Motörhead record? Could be because the producer Cameron Webb wanted to make a really heavy record with them, and pushed them a little further than usual. Nonetheless, the final product is certainly exquisite.

We get a really blazing start with "Terminal Show", with a beat that is certainly familiar and welcome, but the fury that the band presents in riffs and attitude is almost unheard of. Together with the calmer, but still high flying "Killers" and the ultra groovy "In The Name of Tragedy", "Inferno" has an impressive starting trio that just kills anything in its path. It is possibly one of the strongest starts on any Motörhead record

And the strong songs keeps on coming, time and time again. "Life's A Bitch" is just as the title suggest, it is a fun fast paced song that tells the hard truth, that life is hard and it is gonna screw you over sooner or later. Then we have "Smiling Like A Killer", the soundtrack to Freddy Krueger, The Joker, and every other psychotic killer out there, a straight up roller with that nice old school vibe. I will also mention "Fight" that just mows everything down with its speed and turned up bass.

While the heavy pieces of "Inferno" steals the show, the album is a lot more diverse than you might expect. There are a lot of different moods and tempos here to really make this album dynamic and intriguing. And to top it off, each band member grabs a chair, picks up an acoustic guitar, and delivers a true blues track (with harmonica and all) called "Whorehouse Blues". It is not my type of music, but I think it works well because it stands out, being a big contrast against the rest of the tracks. A soft little tune that ends "Inferno" nicely.

Ultimately, "Inferno" is a heavy album with way more to it than meets the ear. It is a diverse album that shows Motörhead at their best state, delivering great music from different corners of the musical spectre, and bringing it all together in a surprisingly cohesive album. It comes in blazing hot and does not really cool down until the bitter end, making you all warm inside that cold heart of yours. It may be a heavy album, but the band is not heavy, they are way more than that.

Songs worthy of recognition: Life's A Bitch, Terminal Show, In The Name of Tragedy, Fight

Rating: 8,5/10 Keys To The Kingdom

imotorhead.com/
twitter.com/myMotorhead

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Rage - Seasons of The Black (2017)

In one way, I admire the work that the Germans in Rage has put out in their career. They are one of those bands that keeps on trucking, never releasing anything ground breaking or worthy of a top spot on the year end lists, but always giving it their all to produce some good old fashioned heavy metal. Rage is a working man's metal band, and they have been working hard, releasing over 20 albums in just over 30 years. An impressive pace for sure, even if it comes with the cost of some quality being dropped.

There really must be a lot of creative juice flowing through the veins of Peavy, because he keeps spitting out albums left and right. Last year we had "The Devil Strikes Again" (an okay album, although a little bland), and now we have "Seasons of The Black", which has almost the same album cover to be honest, with the only difference being the title and skull. It could be seen as a sign that the two albums are pretty similar to one another, and that assumption would be more or less correct, but only because Rage rarely changes that much.

In honesty, I feel like there is more passion behind this album than its predecessor. It could be because the song material is slightly more memorable, songs that are catchier and more energetic. It could also be because the band has had another year under their belt together, solidifying a chemistry that is still in its early stages. No matter how you see it, "Seasons of The Black" feels solid in a lot of ways.

Another thing that this album has in common with its predecessor is that it comes with 6 bonus tracks, this time 6 originals instead of 3 originals and 3 covers. Some of these songs are pretty decent, but put them together with the already existing 11 songs, and you get a 1 hour and 16 minute behemoth that will leave you exhausted. It could be seen as a nice little addition to the album, but why so many? Couldn't you have left out like 3 or 4 of the songs for the next album? It also feels kind of strange when listening throughout the entire record, because "Farewell" is such a fitting ending, but then another 6 songs comes in. Eh, maybe I am just too petty.

As for the true eleven songs in the album, it is kind of a mixed bag, both in quality and styles. Close to all of it is classic Rage stuff, like the opening title track, a song with nice riffs, good pace, and a nice technical solo to top it off, but then we have the odd ones that does not really fit in, like "Time Will Tell", a very bland song with several cringe worthy moments that hampers it badly. But there are more good than bad songs here, so it is fairly easy to find enjoyment in "Seasons of The Black".

I also have to mention the last four songs that are all a part of "The Tragedy of Man", a mini concept within the album. It is interesting and all, especially since every song has its own touch. "Gaia" is just a short acoustic instrumental, while "Justify" is very poppy in its approach, giving out a very happy feeling. "Bloodshed In Paradise" is both the heaviest and the darkest song of the quartet (and also the best), and "Farewell" is, as explained before, a very fitting end, with a lot of sadness surrounding it. A neat little idea, that unfortunately does not really add as much to the record as one would have hoped.

Yeah, "Seasons of The Black" is far from an uninspired effort, but it is pretty much as grey (or pale brown) as the album cover. The songs stick a little longer this time, but I think the chances for any of these tracks becoming future classics are pretty slim, even if they are pretty much Rage to the core. Fans will most likely swallow this record with pride, and I can truly say that I enjoy this one slightly more than "The Devil Strikes Again", but there are better and memorable Rage albums out there, and the only thing I will most likely remember from this album in the future is just how strange that skull looks, and how in the hell those teeth works together without permanently shutting the jaws together.

Songs worthy of recognition: Season of The Black, Walk Among The Dead, All We Know Is Not

Rating: 7/10 Septic Bites

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The Devil Strikes Again