I've been listening to this one again recently. Definitely one of the most talented and worthwhile bands in Teutonic thrash, especially given the development that led to this album. It's impressive that they went from their more fiery, speed-laden beginnings to this more cerebral and downright chilling display of technicality and songwriting prowess in only three short years. Definitely among the best of 1987, that's for sure.
From the pounding metal heart of Rising Force, Deja Vu and the dragon slaying Bite The Bullet/Riot In The Dungeon to the more commercial Crystal Ball and Heaven' Tonight...Odyssey is a perfect album IMO from the writing, playing, vocals and a killer mix.
I reviewed that one early on in this thread. Good album! The "Official" All Purpose Heavy Metal and Hard Rock Thread Here it is.
His last couple of albums have him singing on them. Definitely not great, but not horrible. Passable is the best compliment I can give him.
Pungent Stench fans: the band is finally reissuing most if not all their catalog on vinyl. I think everything's due out at the beginning of May. Pre-orders are up on Amazon, and they aren't cheap!
Boston - unbelievable from a technical standpoint(recording, mixing, etc.) and very strong songwriting and playing. Not something I'd listen to often but certainly a reference level recording. Foreigner - An impressive debut...Long, Long Way From Home still gets regular play from me. I don't get the love of Starrider and why they play it still.
I have no problem with either of those opinions. In fact, I agree. “Starrider” is, like, their “proggy” side so they play for musician cred.
I liked Yngwie’s Tribute album. He ripped it up on “Sails of Charon”. Other albums besides that one? Meh.
Gates of Babylon, In The Dead of Night and Child In Time are pretty spectacular too. PS - Inspiration
Classic rock radio overplay had put quite a damper on my enjoyment of either album for the longest time.
That debut record transcends everything; whilst 'More Than A Feeling' is, indeed, borderline unlistenable to, nowadays, the rest is little less than a still, joyously fresh energy transfer. 'Foreplay/Long Time' still raises hairs; the tragically late Delp's vocal is phenomenal. (I quite like 'Love On The Telephone' by Foreigner which is a proto-JLT Rainbow-esque rocker from a record with a 70s UFO aping cover. Not 'Gates Of Babylon,' of course but as a mainstreamy antidote to today's pap, it's like Paganini rushing Sheeran's stage to conduct a richly overdue lynching.)
I've been seeing this band and this album on many "essential" lists for a few years now. I found it at my LRS. Safe to say it lives up to the hype. So good. Definitely will play this quite a bit and pick up part 2 soon. \m/\m/
Like so much of that period's material, the Helloween production quality seemed to lack a seasoned dose of balls but musically, this, plus its successor (and not forgetting the excellent Walls Of Jericho EP thingy) are/were huge fun, indeed. Despite the jokey injections throughout, the musicianship hails very far from up fjord. I distinctly recall being so grateful for this mob's contribution to The Creed at the time, ravaged as it was by the imagery for which it has now been seemingly, eternally associated.
I still find myself listening to Boston's S/T album a fair amount to this day. As you mentioned, because of the airplay that many, if not all of the songs received, it's something you need to listen to as an album rather then cherry picking a few select tracks. I always thought 1978's Don't Look Back was a fine album as well. Then again, I went to a REO Speedwagon concert a few weeks back I really enjoyed it.
Opps, I mis-typed. REO Speed Wagon opened for Styx. I really enjoyed the Styx show. Cronin's voice is shot.
Always a sucker for a cover I was listening to the CD 'A Tribute to the Legendary Twisted Sister' today and was reminded of Overkill's awesome cover of 'Under the Blade'.
I've been listening to this album lately. Italy's Labyrinth is a progressive power metal band that is very much in the vein of Conception and Elegy and made some of the best work in the genre with Return to Heaven Denied arguably being their peak. Everything from the expressive and technically impressive guitarwork, the superb composition, the active and well-developed rhythm section, excellent orchestration and fantastic vocals work together in tandem to conjure a powerful and sometimes sorrowful atmosphere in this unsung classic.