Breezy's Top 5 of 2014!!

OK, the worlds worst blogger is back.  Been busy, haven't been on the blog for a bit and it's time to finish up my Top 15 of the year, because I know you're all waiting with baited breath...sigh. ;)  I'm gonna do this quick, so I can wrap it up and continue on with my fave records and lost classics of all time. So the fact that I'm doing this quick does not mean these records are not important...I spun the crap out of them last year and into the new year. Good music is good music.  I'll try to get better with the blogging, and in the meantime, here is my Top 5 of 2014:

5. Califonia Breed - S/T

Glenn Hughes came back last year after the demise of Black Country Communion with more proof that he is one of the greatest voices of all time. Wow, dude can sing lol.  Along for the ride are Jason Bonham on drums and newcomer Andrew Watt on guitar. Pure rock done in a retro style.  Amazing stuff, and only to find out the band has officially disbanded.  Oh well, I'll blast this for a while.





4. Iced Earth - Plagues Of Babylon

Iced Earth are one of the greatest metal bands today. I've been a fan for years, but started to drop off after Horror Show.  Fellow Canadian Stu Block brought me back big time with 2011's Dystopia.  He has brought a new energy to the band, and can sing and perform his butt off.  Caught them live on this tour and they were fantastic.  Plagues has all the classic elements of Iced Earth, ripping guitar, great melodies, and cool themes.  Cthulhu is one of the best tracks they've ever done. Throw in a cover of Highwayman (yeah, the country tune) and you have a great record. Already waiting for the next one boys.


3. Primal Fear - Delivering The Black

 Like Iced Earth, I've been a fan of Primal Fear for years.  Kind of lost touch the past couple of records and now I'm back with Delivering The Black. Ralph Scheepers, Mat Sinner and company came back in 2014 with a great platter of metal.  Lots of interesting vibes here, with Death Comes Knocking leading the way. Killer guitar and vocals.  The comparisons to Judas Priest are obvious, but I've always felt they have their own thing going on, and it's great. For fans of classic metal, go buy this.




2. H.E.A.T. - Tearing Down the Walls

Man, did this one surprise me. This is a band from Sweden, who much like countrymen Eclipse and Crashdiet, know a thing or two about writing a good tune. This album makes classic melodic hard rock acts like Def Leppard and Bon Jovi want to throw in the towel. So good.  Brilliant songwriting and performances abound.  Not a bad track on the album and I'm looking forward to their live album.  Their last album, Address The Nation, was good, but this one should be all over radio and in the hands of fellow hard rockers. Only one record got more spins than this one this year. Amazing.


1. Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls

Make no mistake, Judas Priest are one of my Top 5 bands of all time. Did I think at this point in their career that they would put out something as good as this? Wow. Totally classic Priest. Rob Halford at 63 continues to shine, along with bandmates Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill, Scott Travis, and newcomer Richie Faulkner (the secret weapon here).  This is the best Priest record since Defenders Of The Faith (yes, better than Painkiller...and I never thought I'd say that).  so many great tracks, and full on classics like Halls of Valhalla and the title track prove that not only are The Priest back...but they have never gone away.  Buy it.

8. Overkill - White Devil Armory

It amazes me how some of the older thrash acts still can put out a solid album every single time. Overkill returned in 2014 with another brilliant piece of metal entitled White Devil Armory.  Consistency is the name of the game here, and here we have a collection of songs that not only rock hard, but stand alongside anything the band has ever done. Lead off single and vid, Bitter Pill shows the bands groovy side, and tunes like Pig, and the uber thrash of Wheres There's Smoke show Overkill have lots left in the tank.  Blitz still delivers the goods vocally, and Verni's bass sounds fantastic. Great production overall, White Devil Armory throws the gauntlet down to the Big 4.  Let's see them come up with an album like this next. Great stuff.

7.  Midnight - No Mercy For Mayhem

Probably this years biggest surprise for me, in that I stumbled across this album while snooping on youtube one night. From Cleveland, Midnight is kind of a one man project who has obviously listened to a lot of early Venom, Bathory, Motorhead and Celtic Frost.  Throw in some punk elements, old school production and blackened grooviness, and you'll hear where Midnight is coming from.  The mid paced stuff like Prowling Leather and Woman Of Flame really set these guys apart. I've been researching the band to find out they've been releasing music since 2003. Looks like more stuff to check out! Another band that borrows heavily from the past, but adds an energy and vibe that all hard rockers can get into.  Check out Degradation.

6. Grave Digger - Return Of The Reaper

Return of the Reaper, indeed.  German veterans came back in 2014 with another great record, that like Overkill, show how the big boys do it.  Full on classic metal that has elements of their early albums and their latest albums.  Plus, no bagpipes or Scottish history this time around ;)
Probably my favorite guitar tone this year (courtesy of Axel Ritt) it just rips.  Chris Boltendahl's vocals may be an aquired taste for some, but they are really what set Grave Digger apart.  Can't name a fave track (they are all good), although War God and the closing ballad Nothing Left To Believe stand out.  Personally after all these years, I'd love to see GD on a North American tour with Priest or Maiden, they'd gain a bunch more fans on this side of the pond.

More to come, as I wrap up my list.  Remember, if you like any of these bands, support them by purchasing their music and checking out their shows. Until next time...

Breezy's Top 15 Of 2014!! Pt.2

Here is the next collection of great music from the past year! Some lesser know acts, but awesome nonetheless. Still trying to wrap up by New Years Day :)

#11. Bullet - Storm Of Blades

One of my fave bands from the past few years.  Unashamedly classic, unabashedly retro, and yet still fresh and new.  Bullet's past three records have all been fantastic, and have been on previous year end lists of mine. Storm Of Blades continues in their tradition of classic metal riffs and AC/DC-esque stompers. Hell Hofer's vocals lead the way again.  Tracks like Tornado, Hawk Eyes (do I hear Anvil?) and the title track will surely satisfy any fan of good old fashioned hard rock and metal. All held together with the amazing twin leads of Hampus Klang and Alexander Lyrbo, Storm Of Blades grabs you balls and doesn't let go.  Do you like AC/DC? Accept? Krokus?  Go get this record.

10. The Treatment - Running With the Dogs

The Treatment are a band that should be ruling the rock world.  Yeah, they're that good.  Young and cocky, and can write a great tune.  One of those bands that if they had come out in the mid 80's, they would have been massive.  Their last record, This Might Hurt kicked my butt, and this one continues the tradition.  Loads of overdriven guitar riffs and straight up drums recall classic AC/DC and Aerosmith.  If you don't like lead off track I Bleed Rock and Roll, you may as well stop listening to rock music. A true classic.  I've noticed a bit of a change in image over the past few years, but whatever. Keep the tunes coming.  These dudes were good enough for KISS and Motley to take them out on tour a while back.  Keep it up boys!

9. Skull Fist - Chasing The Dream

Canadian metal gods came back this year with the mighty Chasing The Dream.  Following in the wake of Head Of The Pack, Skull Fist has recorded another great record. Like Bullet, these guys keep things pretty true and make no apologies for their love of classic metal and hard rock.  They brilliantly combine the melodies of Dokken and Black n' Blue with the speed of classic thrash.  Zach Slaughter (wasn't it Jackie?) is a guitar god in waiting.  His solos are always the highlight of a Skull Fist record.  Bad For Good shows their melodic side, Call Of The Wild is pure NWOBHM, and Hour To Live shows them at their speediest.  One of Canada's hidden treasures.  I love that they stick to their guns and keep it real.  Bring on the next one!

See you all soon with my next batch of fave records from 2014!  Until next time...

Breezy's Top 15 of 2014! Pt.1

Hello all!  The world's worst blogger is back!  It's been a while since I've done a post in the Quarry, but thought I'd better get around to doing my Top 15 of the year.  I was going to try to blog more this past year, but life gets in the way.  At any rate, there was a lot of great music in 2014, and here is my Top 15.  Starting at the bottom...

#15. Night By Night - NXN

Young English upstarts Night By Night arrive on the scene this year with a brilliant album that harkens back to the rocking 80's.  There are a lot of comparisons to Def Leppard, but I hear a bit more an American sound in them ala classic Stryper and Dokken. Regardless, I love that there are bands that still carry the torch and do it with sincerity.  NXN is full of melodic hard rock and big choruses.  Fave tracks include Holding Onto Holding On, Can't Walk Away, and lead off video, A Thousand Lies.  These guys have the chops and talent to run with the big boys, and hopefully they can land a nice opening slot on a tour to bring their brand of melodic hard rock to the masses.  Def Leppard's Canadian tour might be a good place to start ;)  Great stuff.

#14. Gamma Ray - Empire Of The Undead

I've been a fan of Gamma Ray for a long time, but have lost track of them the past few years. I picked up the Master Of Confusion Ep leading up to this record, and was blown away.  I knew Gamma Ray had a monster on their hands.  Empire Of The Undead is classic Gamma Ray: tons of melody, ripping guitar solos, and all the majesty you'd expect.  This record sounds a bit more stripped down than past efforts, and that's a good thing. Check out epic opener, Avalon, the groovy Born To Fly, and the speedy title track. Also of note, the two covers on the Ep are fantastic (Sweet's Lost Angels and Holocaust's Death Or Glory), maybe will be added as bonus tracks on this record at some point. For fans of classic power metal, check this out.

#13. Buzzcocks - The Way

I've always enjoyed a wide variety of music, as long as it is guitar driven, and has some passion and power behind it.  Buzzcocks are one of the original punk bands from the UK in the 70's.  Albums like Another Music In a Different Kitchen and Singles Going Steady have always been in my collection, but I had no idea they were still going. This was my surprise of the year.  Still led by Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle, The Way is an amazing rock record. Tracks like Chasing Rainbows/Modern Times and Keep On Believing wave the punk flag high with great melodies and energy.  Lots of variety in that In The Back has a hint of Bowie, and Virtually Real has a great sci-fi vibe.  A great album, I'm glad I stumbled across it.

#12. Ace Frehley - Space Invader

The mighty Ace Frehley has returned. Finally.  My fave guitarist of all time has released his first record in five years.  I'll be honest, the clips I heard before the album was released didn't really impress me, but after picking up the album and giving it multiple spins, Ace has released his best record since the first Frehley's Comet album. This album is full of Ace's signature guitar riffage, and his spacey vocals.  What Every Girl Wants and I Wanna Hold You (both of which show how important his sound was in the original KISS lineup) are two of the best tracks he has ever written. Ace stays true to his roots, and shows a bit of variety in tracks like Change and a cover of Steve Miller's The Joker. There's talk of another record coming soon, and I'm already looking forward to it! Ack!

 There's my opening batch of fave records from this year!  Lots more to come, and I will do my best to have them all up by the end of the year.  I'd like to promise that I'll blog more in the coming year, but I've said that before!  Enjoy the music, and remember to support the artists and buy their albums!
 

My All Time Fave Albums #27

The early to mid 1980's was an amazing time to be a fan of hard rock and heavy metal.  So many great bands making quality music across the world. Los Angeles was a hotbed for sure, with the likes of Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken and W.A.S.P. all releasing seminal albums by 1984.  There were also some bands from that era and time that released some excellent music, but may not have reached the heights of some of their peers.  One of those bands moved from Portland, Oregon to L.A. to achieve success, and in the process recorded a brilliant debut.  That band was Black n' Blue.

This record was something that I remember seeing somewhere in a copy of Hit Parader, a new band with a new album, something I had to check out.  As with a quite a few of my purchases from back in the day, this was a blind buy.  The first time I listened to it, I was hooked.  They were labeled as America's answer to Def Leppard, but I didn't hear that.  Black n' Blue's S/T album is full of hooky hard rock ,with a bit of edge, and not overpolished.  Every track is a winner, from speedster Autoblast, to a great cover of Sweet's Action. Hold On To 18 is my fave track on the album, and has become a bit of a rally for myself and friends who are now all older than 18.  Deep cut Chains Around Heaven is a classic, and has recently been covered by Cauldron.

Black n' Blue's S/T is steeped more in the tradition of 70's acts like KISS, Starz, and Sweet, rather than the full on metal of Judas Priest. The real key with this record aside from great performances all around, is the songs, and the songwriting.  Perfectly crafted chunks of catchy hard rock.  The band did gain momentum after this record, and have some other gems in their catalog as well, but this record is still my fave.  Sometimes with older stuff, there is a lot of nostalgia involved, but listening to this record again today is a reminder that it's just damn good music.

Black n' Blue still carries on today, minus two original members (one of which is Tommy Thayer, currently rocking lead guitar in KISS).  Lots of great tunes, here's the video for Hold On To 18.  Lets do exactly that. Cheers!

My All Time Fave Albums #26

There are always those albums that you discover a few years after their release, and you wonder why you missed it the first time around.  Those records sometimes become some of the most important music in your life. This is one such album. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood

I discovered Marillion in High School with their live EP, Real to Reel. It was a more progressive approach to the music I was listening to at the time, but the lyrics and guitar work had me returning to it often. Misplaced Childhood was released in the summer of 1985, and was getting a bit of press in mags like Kerrang.  For whatever reason, I did not pick this album up until probably a dozen years later when I found the two disc set for a good price.  I would say this record is a desert island for me, with it's great concept, Fish's outstanding and touching poetry, Steve Rothery's tasteful playing, and it's fresh take on bands like Genesis and Floyd without ripping them off.  I've introduced a few friends to it, and nobody is ever disappointed.

Misplaced Childhood is a concept album, where all of the tracks run together seamlessly. The lyrics touch on loneliness, sadness, lost love, and losing the innocence of childhood.  Sounds a little depressing, doesn't it? It's done in a very moving way and the album ends on a positive and triumphant note with White Feather.  When an album is this good,it's hard to pick fave tracks.  From the brilliant prog pop of single Kayleigh, through the stellar Bitter Suite/Heart of Lothian and masterpiece Blind Curve, this is a record for people who love good music, and good music is ALWAYS a great discovery.

Although Marillion has forged on all these years (minus Fish) and still making quality music, nothing has caught lightning in a bottle like they did in 1985.  Here is the video for Kayleigh. Enjoy!

Breezy's Top 15 of 2013!! The Top 3!

Hey, two weeks into January and I'm just finishing up my list.  Better late than never!  Here we go, my Top 3 for 2013.

3. Satan - Life Sentence 

Finally the band that brought us 1983's legendary album Court In The Act, have finally returned with it's true follow up albeit 30 years later.  Funny thing is, not much has changed other than the band members have gotten older, and they have possibly recorded an album that is better than their incredible debut. Razor sharp guitars blast over top of Brian Ross' vocals, Satan show they have truly caught lightning in a bottle.  Opening duo of Time To Die and Twenty Twenty Five blow anything away off the debut, with their duel guitars in full force and melody everywhere. The thrashy, Maiden-esque Testimony, also shows that there might be more life left with this band.  A great return to form.  If you love NWOBHM, go get this now.

2. James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance

I'm a huge fan of James' main band, Dream Theater, but his solo stuff just keeps getting better than ever.  I played this one far more than his main gigs new album, and it's a beauty.  Again, he has assembled an amazing group of musicians, including drummer Peter Wildoer and keyboardist Matt Guillory, and has made an album full of hard rock, melodic death and pop. Every tune is a winner from the hard rocking, Agony, to the poppish I Got You to the ballad, Say You're Still Mine.  I've always been a fan of James' vocals, but the songwriting on this proves he could be doing more in Dream Theater.  A great record that will continue to get plays and praise from me.

1. Audrey Horne - Youngblood

 I've been a fan of Audrey Horne for a few years, but I didn't see this coming at all.  They've dropped the alt-rock leanings and come up with an absolute barnstormer of a hard rock record.  Every song from top to bottom has killer choruses, beautiful vocals, and twin guitar melodies.  The album carries a bit of a classic 70's rock vibe, hints of KISS and Lizzy, but not really sounding like anyone.  The title track is a standout, and The Open Sea is a stunner. I'm hoping the band has finally hit their stide and discovered that playing to their influences has produced the best music of their career.  I'm looking forward to your next album guys, and how about a Canadian tour?  Two vids for you to enjoy below.  Amazing.

I also want to mention a quick note about two more records from 2013 that I didn't really get until the end of the year, but should be on this list as well...Motorhead's Aftershock, and David Bowie's return in The Next Day.  I'll be posting again soon, and hopefully a bit more often than I did in 2013.  More classics from my past, fave albums,  Top 5 and 10 lists, etc.  Thanks for reading my Blog, and enjoying the rambling.  MUYA!