Gene Simmons: The '78 Solo Album

Kiss: Gene Simmons

I've never made it a secret about how I feel about Gene Simmons' '78 solo album. I've spent most of my life just not enjoying it. This time around, however, I found myself enjoying more of it than I was expecting to. I still find it to be my least favorite of the four solo albums, but I was picking out some really great moments, and tunes that I just kind of ignored previously. Of course, "Radioactive" is still a great tune (I've always thought that), but I find that I really enjoyed "Burning Up With Fever" (there are some great bass licks here). 

"See You Tonite" was always a great tune as well, but I found more to enjoy this time. It's a very melodic tune that sounded great during the unplugged performance, and it sounds great here as well. "Tunnel of Love" is a very Kiss sounding tune, with some great guitar work, as well as a pretty damned good bass/vocal performance. If it weren't for the chorus, I'd really enjoy this one. "Always Near You / Nowhere To Hide" is a decent tune (at least the first part), with bits that sound like they could have been used later during the "Elder" sessions. "Man of 1,000 Faces" is a classic tune, and one I've always loved. It's very symphonic, and what I wish more of the album had been.  

"Mr. Make Believe" is a decent tune, which could have been a fantastic Kiss song, with Peter Criss taking over the lead vocals. That's not to say it's not good with Gene singing, but I feel it could have been huge for Peter. "See You In Your Dreams" is a great tune, and was even better on the "Rock And Roll Over" album. I'm still not sure why it was even on this album. There are some additions that really don't add anything to the track, but it's still a fun tune. 

Perhaps it's because I'm getting older that I'm finding a new appreciation for parts of this album, even if I still find it grossly over-produced. This album could have been great if Gene had just pulled back the ego a bit, and just wrote an album of good songs. To be honest, I'm surprised that I find myself enjoying more of it. Who knows, in a few years I may like the entire disc (except that last track, which I won't name because... I have nothing nice to say).

Dream Theater: Train of Thought

Autographed by Portnoy, & Petrucci

Released in 2003, Dream Theater's seventh full length album, "Train of Thought" still holds the title of the band's heaviest album by far. This album saw Dream Theater move away from the multi-part suites, and the more melodically driven tunes, for a lot of crunch, and heavy riffs. And for me, I think it works, as I have always loved this album. From start to finish, it's a wild ride, and one that I like to take fairly often.

The album kicks off with "As I Am", which is possibly the heaviest tune in Dream Theater's discography. From absolutely blistering guitar riffs, and a rhythm section playing their hearts out, to the heavy keyboard riffs, this metal masterpiece is an all out rocker from start to finish. It even calls images of Metallica to mind. And from there into the next track, "This Dying Soul" (the second song in the 12-Step saga) rocks just as hard, with some of the best riffs from both keyboards, and guitars on the album (especially that guitar solo!). Vocally, this one is also very exciting, and James sings the tune to perfection. Some really cool vocal melodies on this tune. It's not quite as all out metal as the previous track, with some breathers placed throughout the track, but it's a definite metal classic.

"Endless Sacrifice" is part melodic rocker, and part metal anthem. The vocal melodies really sell me on this one, but there are enough killer riffs from Petrucci, and Rudess to please even the biggest fan of Dream Theater's heavier songs. There are even moments of pure beauty here. The instrumental section is such a masterclass at music writing, that it still gives me goosebumps to this day. This song could have been at home on any of the band's albums, but it's a nice sort of breather here, before kicking back into high gear with "Honor Thy Father".

"Honor Thy Father" kicks off with face-melting drums, and some of the sickest guitar/keyboard riffs on the album. Right from the start you can tell that the band were going for the jugular on this one. And though there are some moments of melodic beauty, for the most part this song grabs on tight, and doesn't let go. And if you think the music sounds angry, those lyrics about an awful step-father really drive home just how angry this track is. I think this may be one of James LaBrie's shining moments on the disc. And even Myung really gets to play his ass off here, as that bass work on this song is phenomenal. 

And then we get to "Vacant", and "Stream of Consciousness". "Vacant" may be the prettiest song in the band's catalog. At least, it certainly sits up there with "Disappear", and "Wait For Sleep". And though it is very pretty, it has this sort of creepy vibe that I just love, and it sets up the absolutely epic instrumental track that follows. "Stream of Consciousness" is far and away my favorite instrumental tune from Dream Theater. Yes, even better than "The Dance of Eternity". To me, this track is melodic, it's blistering, it's an exercise in true self-indulgence, and with all of its twists and turns, it's everything that I look for in an absolutely life altering bit of brilliance, and genius. The fact that this song came from these minds just further cements their absolutely incredible musicianship. 

If the first six songs weren't enough, Dream Theater have definitely saved the best for last here, at least in my opinion. "In the Name of God" is one of those songs that have me wondering how it ever got dropped from the setlist, as I think it may be one of the best songs that the band have ever written. It's a heavy metal, melodic masterpiece. It's an epic work of art in every sense of the word. From the blistering, killer music, to the masterfully delivered vocals, this is without a doubt Dream Theater at their finest. Lyrically, it's about the fucking nut bag that was David Koresh, and his insanity fueled religious compound. At over fourteen minutes long, it's the longest track on the album, and one that I find myself wishing it would go on another ten minutes. It's such a fucking beast of a song, and should be essential listening to any fan of progressive metal.

While this is easily the heaviest album in the band's catalog, that doesn't mean that there aren't some moments of pure beauty. And I think that's part of the charm of "Train of Thought". It may be a progressive metal fan's dream come true, but it's also a very melodic disc. I can only hope that with Mike Portnoy back in the band that we get to see this chemistry at work again, because these five guys together are absolutely brilliant.

Dream Theater: Images And Words... And Beyond - Live In Japan, 2017

Today, I'm going to be a sweetheart, and deliver two reviews in one. Despite the fact that they were released as two separate discs, I'm going to review them as one, as they were damn near the entire show. Now, the thing that you have to remember about these "Lost Not Forgotten" releases is that they weren't quite as nicely packaged as the "YtseJam Records" releases. Still, we are getting a lot of great music thanks to this series. And the first disc issues was the second set of Dream Theater's Japan show, in 2017. 

The second half of the show was released as the first "Lost Not Forgotten" released, but we're going to review the "...And Beyond" disc, as it featured the first half of the show. The first half was a sprinkling of songs from the bands vast, and impressive discography, and it's one hell of a great setlist. The show kicks off with "The Dark Eternal Night" from their "Systematic Chaos", which I wouldn't have picked as a set opener, but it really works here. The entire band sound great on this track, as well the rest of the show. "The Bigger Picture" from the self-titled album came after the metal-crowd pleaser. And though we didn't necessarily need a breather already, I think the tune works great where they put it. From there we get "Hell's Kitchen" from the "Falling Into Infinity album, and then a couple tracks from "The Astonishing" ("the Gift of Music", and the wonderfully melodic "Our New World").

The disc (and the first set) end with a bass solo from John Myung (a cover of the Jaco Pastorius song "Portrait of Tracy), and a couple fantastic renditions of "As I Am" (the balls to the wall, metal rocker from 2003's "Train of Thought" album, with a decent sized bit of "Enter Sandman" squeezed in, for maximum fun, and metal!), and the melodically amazing "Breaking All Illusions" from "A Dramatic Turn of Events", one of my absolute favorite Dream Theater songs (I sincerely hope that this one ends up in an MP setlist). Both songs are played with such incredible passion, and precision, that you just can't help but be impressed by the chops of this progressive-rock giant of a band. 

Throughout this first set, I can't help but be impressed by the way that Mike Mangini was able to take the Portnoy material, and not only make it his own, but somehow please even the biggest Portnoy diehards (myself included). I also can't help but notice that, although the vocal phrasing is changed up a bit here and there, James sounds fantastically vocally. I think that he's really grown into the fact that he can't sing the same as he did in '92, but he has learned to compensate for it. I honestly enjoy his voice more here, than I did on the DVD from the "Images & Words" tour. Speaking of "Images & Words"...

Released in 1992, Dream Theater's biggest commercial success was an album called "Images And Words", and the second disc of this (backwards released) set is a celebration of the album's 25th birthday. The first thing that you're going to notice is that the band are playing their biggest hit in a drop tuning, obviously to accommodate James, who as a vocalist, just can't perform the way he once did. For me, this does not detract from the show. I personally think he pulls it off very damned well 25 years after the albums original release. And though "Images" has never been my favorite Dream Theater album, there is no denying that it is an absolute progressive rock classic.

There will be some people who think that the drop tuning, and the vocal performance will detract from the magic of this classic album performed from start to finish, but I am not one of them. Sure James plays it safe quite often, but I really feel that it works. Musically, the band are definitely on fire. In fact, this may be one of the best performances of "Pull Me Under" that I've heard since Mangini joined the band. There's a new keyboard solo in "Another Day" that shows just how amazing Jordan is on the keys. It sounds phenomenal. "Take the Time" is another great example of just how great the musicians in this band are, even as they stretch their legs for a fantastic bit of improv. And even though James seems to struggle, as this tune was always a highlight of his versatile vocals, it's still a damned good performance.

The rest of the performance is just as good to my ears. From the fantastically melodic performance of one of my personal favorite songs from the album, "Surrounded", to a fiery rendition of "Metropolis, pt. 1: The Miracle And the Sleeper" (complete with a Mike Mangini drum solo, and a crazy bit of playing coming out of it), it's clear that the band and the audience are having a blast reliving this milestone in the band's illustrious career. 

Though it's never been my favorite Dream Theater song, "Under A Glass Moon" is played to near perfection here. The guitar solo is just insane, and never ceases to amaze me. However, it's the next two tracks that I enjoy the most from this performance. "Wait For Sleep" gets a beautiful piano intro from the Wizard, Mr. Jordan Rudess. It's absolutely beautiful, as are James' vocals on this one. And that brings us to the album closer (yes, the album closer, not the show closer... I'll get to that in a minute). "Learning To Live" to me, is one of the greatest progressive metal songs ever written. Every moment of this track is a moment lived at the edge of your seat. From the crunchy guitar, to the skillfully played (and written!) keyboard parts, to the jaw-dropping rhythm section, this song is essential prog, played her to damned near perfection. Even James sounds better here than he has the rest of the show (and as I've said, I've loved his vocals the entire show). And that's it. That's the end of the disc.

But wait, you ask me, "Rob, where's "A Change of Seasons? I know that it was played." Well, there's my only gripe with this show (other than releasing the second half of the show first, and the first half of the show second). Why was "A Change of Seasons" not included on the disc? There would have been time for it, had the album just been released as a 2-disc set. That would have fixed both of my complaints from this nearly perfect set. I don't get why it wasn't included here. Maybe we'll get a fix some day, but I somehow doubt it.

With Mike Portnoy back in the band, I'm hoping that not only will we get more archival Dream Theater releases (and please don't stop the Mangini era releases, as I would LOVE a live performance of "The Astonishing" on disc!), but hopefully the presentation will be better. We need liner notes, and pics, and any little goodies that Portnoy was always sure to include in these sets. Not only would I love to have the music in my library, I would love to have the visually fantastic releases that MP worked so hard to give us fans, back when this series was the "YtseJam Records" powerhouse that it was!

Neal Morse: Sola Scriptura

 

Neal Morse: Sola Scriptura

By 2007, Neal Morse was no stranger to concept albums, having already released one with Spock's Beard ("Snow"), and three as a solo artist ("Testimony", "One", "?"). So when it was announced that the next album would be a concept album, I remember being excited, but not really surprised.

The story behind the making of this one goes that a friend of Neal's suggested a concept album about reformist Martin Luther, and his ambition to translate the bible into the words that his people could read. Neal wasn't immediately keen on the idea, but after some prayers, and reflection, he decided that he would make the album. I for one am glad that he did, as it has long been one of my favorite Neal Morse released. One of the things that drew me in to the album was the fact that it clocks in at 76 minutes, and only have four tracks. That means that there are some epic length tunes here. I mean there has to be!

The album starts off quite heavily, the instrumental introduction to the "The Door". The guitars are heavy, the drums are pounding, the bass is full of energy, and the keyboards are among some of the best played on any Neal Morse led album. As with any NM intro piece, a lot of the albums themes are touched on here, before we hit the second part of the song, and the vocals come in. "In the Name of God" keeps the same heavy sound and momentum as the intro, and sets up this 29 minute tune (and the rest of the disc) perfectly. All I Ask For" takes things down quite a few notches, and is a beautifully melodic piece, with wonderful vocal melodies. "Mercy For Sale" is a sort of melodically heavy part, with some cool guitar work, and some of the best vocals on the album. "Keep Silent" is a bit of a slower part, with killer guitar riffs, and again, some great vocal melodies. The closing section "Upon the Door" is among my favorite parts of the album. There are beautiful, and melodic moments, there's an absolutely face-melting guitar solo (I think this is played by Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big), and the conclusion is some of Neal's best writing.

"The Conflict" is the second track, and is a shorter song, at only 25 minutes. Once again, this one starts heavy, with some crunchy riffs, and some aggressive sounding vocals. As with "The Door", this tune goes through several mood changes, from the heavy "Do You Know My Name", "Two Down, One To Go" (preceded by a fantastic acoustic guitar piece), and "The Vineyard", to the wonderfully melodic "Party To the Lie", "Underground", and "Already Home" (with my favorite vocal performance of this suite. It's so melodically beautiful), this song is a progressive rock masterpiece. The keyboards play a major role here, as with any good progressive rock epic, and Neal is one of the greats on the keys, even if he isn't as often namechecked as such. In fact, the entire band is tight, and playing fantastically on this track (as well as the rest of the album, of course).

"Heaven In My Heart" is the shortest track on the album, by far. At just over five minutes, this is just a beautiful ballad, and the only place to really stop and catch our breath on this album. With some wonderfully melodic vocals, and beautiful piano, this one is a sing-along for sure. Such a beautiful piece of music. Neal sings this one with such heart, and soul, it feels like it's the real cornerstone of the album.

And now we finally come to "The Conclusion", and as always, Neal knows how to finish an album. This track is a 16+ minute beast, kicking off with "Randy's Jam", a bit of the song set aside for Randy George to show everyone how a real musician plays the bass. Similar to "Ladies And Gentlemen, Mr. Ryo Okumoto On the Keyboards", this piece doesn't add to the story, but it's one hell of a cool way to showcase a brilliant musician. And while spotlighting Randy, there's also some amazing drum, and keyboard work. Elsewhere on this track, there are some amazing vocal melodies, some musical passages recalling earlier parts of the song, and two of my favorite pieces of the album, "Come Out of Her", and the beautifully melodic "Clothed With the Sun". As I've said, Neal knows how to write a great ending to an epic, and this one is no exception.

In 202, Neal would follow this album up with a disc called "Sola Gratia", and while the story follows someone else, the two are very much connected. Still, if I had to pick a favorite of the two, it would be "Scriptura". To me, this may be one of the finest concept albums that Neal has ever been a part of. And I am so thankful that he decided to take on the challenge of telling this story, because he did it with such style, and grace. I've always been a firm believer that Neal can do no wrong when it comes to writing a good progressive rock concept album, and this album is no exception. Brilliant from start to finish!

The Flower Kings: Look At You Now

The Flower Kings: Look At You Now

When I first heard the newest album from The Flower Kings, "Look At  You Now", in 2023, I knew that it was going to finish high in my top ten of the year. Turns out that not only did it finish high, it finished at the top. The Flower Kings has long been a favorite band of mine, and I've loved their recent output, but this album is something special. I think it might be my favorite album from them since "Unfold the Future". This thing is a progressive rock masterpiece, and one that I have come back to many times since pushing play that very first time.

The album kicks off in that typical Flower Kings fashion, with some great keyboard runs, Roine's instantly recognizable guitar, and of course his distinctive vocals. If I had to sequence this album, I would have chosen the same opener. This is a great way to open the album, and it segues to only my favorite song on the disc, but quite possibly one of my very favorite TFK tunes, "The Dream". This song is such a beautiful, and melodic track, with some of the best vocal melodies I've heard in a very long time, with Roine and Hasse. This song is absolutely breathtaking, from the vocals, to the almost ethereal guitar work, and those keyboards are just perfect. 

Most of the album's thirteen tracks clock in at under the six minute mark, so I believe this may be the most concise Flower Kings album in that respect. The closest we get to an epic track is the closing track, which also happens to be the title-track, clocking in at just under twelve minutes. Maybe it was a conscious effort to make a more easily accessible album, or maybe it was just coincidence, and they were just trying to serve the song. Whatever the reason, at nearly 70 minutes long, I do find this album very easy to digest. 

There's some great stuff on this album. "Hollow Man" is a fun tune, with some great melodies, and an almost creepy sort of vibe in the verses (reminds me a bit of the first disc of "Stardust We Are". At least, I think it could sit nicely on that album). The instrumentation here is very typical of the Flower Kings, which makes it feel almost like an old friend. "Dr. Ribedeaux" is another song that could easily sit on any number of the band's sixteen albums. A melodically driven instrumental, this one is a short, but beautifully written tune. 

"Mother Earth" showcases the amazing vocals of Michael Stolt. He has a deeper voice than Hasse and Roine, but I really enjoy his tune. I'm not sure the other guys would have sounded quite right with this tune, and I think it elevates it to something pretty special. Musically, it's very typical of that Flower Kings sound, and ends up being one of my faves on the album. Some would say the sound is a bit formulaic of the band, but I find nothing wrong with that at all. Their sound is what made me love The Flower Kings in the first place. "The Queen" is a bit of a stand out track here, kicking off with some mandolin, this one has a classical feel that I really like. There's also a killer guitar solo here. This track almost feels like it's setting you up to take you through an entire Disney movie. This little instrumental tune, with a whole lot of melody, was wonderfully written.

"The Light In Your Eyes" is another fantastic piece, with some fantastically performed bass, the guitar and keyboards working together to hold a beautiful melody, and a vocal performance that somehow steals the entire show. This one is another great song, and another highlight of the album, with it's focus on vocals, it's a melodic masterpiece. "Seasons End" is quite a bit different from the previous track, kicking off with some organ work, before the guitar takes over for a bit, leading us into the first verse of the song. This is another song with some great melodies, both musically and vocally. "Scars" has a blues-y sort of feel, with some guitar work that would impress even the highest of guitar Gods. Add some expertly played orangs, and powerfully delivered vocals, and you have the recipe for another highlight on an album full of highlights. 

"Stronghold" brings images of the prog rock of yesterday, but with a bit more edge. Its epic feel, delivered with guitars and keyboards, puts the Flower Kings inside any master-class of progressive rock's 70's heyday. There's crunch here, there's melody, there's even one hell of a fantastically performed instrumental section. It's everything I like in a well-written progressive rock song. Roine's vocals sound just amazing here. I swear the guy sounds better every year. And even though the track is under seven minutes, it has an epic feel, and I find myself wishing it could go on another ten minutes or so.

Next up are a couple shorter, more concise tunes. "Father Sky" is a fast paced, progressive-rock tune, with some great keyboard work, and of course some great guitar playing, as is to be expected by the Flower Kings. There's some great vocal harmonies on this one, even if there aren't a lot in the way of lyrics, the lyrics that are here are sung just beautifully. "Day For Peace" comes in with an almost march style drum pattern, and sparse instrumentation in the background, before Roine comes in with a beautiful vocal performance. There's even a guest female vocalist that really helps fill in the vocals of this very melodic, and hauntingly beautiful track. There's no crunch here, just an epic feel, and a fantastic melody. 

The album closes with the longest song on the disc, "Look At You Now", clocking in at 12 minutes isn't long in the grand scheme of the band's catalog, but here it is by far the longest track. And even though it may not have the length of some of the longer Flower Kings songs, it's not any less epic. In fact, it still manages to go through plenty of mood changes, and is a fine example of just how great this band are at not only performing music, but writing it as well. In addition to some very Flower King's sounding moments musically, the vocals are also that beautiful style that TFK are certainly known for. There are quieter moments, faster and heavier moments, and through it all, it's a melodic beauty.

Since The Flower Kings came "out of retirement" in 2019, they have managed to record and release four albums, and each one is just fantastic, proving that there is not shortage of talent among this band of musicians. This album is so good, I can't wait to see what they come up with next. But for now, I'm happy to have this wonderful album to tide me over.