I missed this whole series of posts!
Soon as I get it I'll let you know!
EDIT: SO, I finally heard the record. Hmmm. I LOVE the Temple of Rock records, I really really like the two Fest records... this isn't that good. In Search Of... is by FAR the best track on the record.
Tim, what's your question? I listened to it keeping my ears out for something that sounds like "Kiss", but didn't get it the first time through.
When I listen to Come On Over, other then the Schenker opening, it feels like a (80's?)KISS song. I can totally picture Paul Stanley singing it . "Have you heard about a ruuuuumeeeerrr?" When I listen to it, I imagine Paul Stanley. I can't unhear it, actually.
Fuck, I hate to say this, but I'm up to Queen of Thorns and Roses and I actually think so far this album is pretty shit. I'm disappointed. The songs just seem so safe, bland and uninteresting.
Might need to come back to it.
This album needs Doogie.
Sangria is nice too, even though the verse riff he's ripped himself off directly, just can't pick it. Peace of Mind is a nice closer. I'd just listened to this after the amazing new Tribulation, so I'll listen again later or tomorrow and see how it goes second time through.
Well considering that Tribulation is AOTY material....
Fuck, I hate to say this, but I'm up to Queen of Thorns and Roses and I actually think so far this album is pretty shit. I'm disappointed. The songs just seem so safe, bland and uninteresting.
Might need to come back to it.
This album needs Doogie.
Okay, Come on Over is more like it. That's old school MSG. Thorns would be killer if it didn't have Voss on it, he fucking sucks.
Thorns is a great song and it has really grown on me. So much so, that I'm beginning to get past Voss. But yes he fucking blows.
That's it for me; it's the vocalists. Even Ronnie Romero sounds generic on this. Love 'em or hate 'em, but when Gary, Graham, Robin and Dougie sing, you KNOW it's them.
OK...
Love the posts here. If I am looking strictly at the songs... these are right in line with the two MS Fest albums. In fact, I think it's actually stronger as a whole. I like the slightly extended solos and Michael's playing is as good as ever.
That said, listening to music for me always comes down to the vocals. It's a huge deal. I'm not a Ralf fan to begin with so there's that. I was interested in JLT, but they went and gave him one of the worst songs on the albums (Don't Die On me). Voss....puleeze YOU SUCK! A hell of a producer but please don't sing. I even wince at the backing vocals of him that they left.
If you replaced ..
Ralf with Bonnet
JLT with Barden
Romero with Robin, you'd have a good album here, or..
Let Doogie sing the whole fucking thing!
Not for anything, but Barden SUCKED on the two MS Fest albums. He is fucking spent.
The only two songs I don't think are very good are After The Rain and Don't Die On Me. I actually like every other song. To me, the only flaws these songs have are the vocalists.
Remember the original plan was to have Romero do the whole album. I think he's good, but I don't love him. When he lets the song come to him, like in Sail The Darkness, he's excellent. But there's no need to oversing.
I love the vocal lines in Ralf's songs, but holy shit are the lyrics in Devil's Daughter shiite.
@ Stadler, check this song out..
Kade and I were PM'ing and I sent this to him. To further the conversation on the effect of vocalists....
Here's a track from 1999's Unforgiven. It's a great tune, but it features Kelly Keeling on vocals. He fucking blows too. But imagine Doogie singing this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMzFAigsI3E