Queensryche

Retro-spective Review: Lizzy Borden – Master of Disquise

By Steel Druhm on April 10, 2014 in American Metal, Metal Blade, Retro Reviews, 15 comments

“Lizzy Borden was the charming tyke famous for chopping up her folks with an axe (allegedly). Lizzy Borden the band (and the man) are much less famous, and that’s why I’m casting the attention nets back through time to land their magnum opus for your consideration. As part of the wave of slightly glamy hair metal acts that spewed from L.A. in the 80s, Lizzy and W.A.S.P. were basically cut from the same animal print cloth. They wanted to be metal, but sought to incorporate lots of radio friendly hooks and glam, sleaze n’ trash theatrics.” Ready for a hair metal rock opera? Wait, come back, it’s really good!

Brainstorm – Firesoul Review

By Steel Druhm on March 21, 2014 in 2014, AFM Records, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“Ever since hearing the Ivanhoe albums way back in the late 90s, I’ve been a huge fan of Andy B. Franck’s vocals. He has pipes that could only be destined for a life fronting a metal band, though he possesses the range to do virtually any kind of music. His slightly proggy, but hyper-accessible albums with Symphorce are always in rotation at Casa de la Druhm, as are his many releases with traditional metal act Brainstorm. The latter are especially tasty, blending Judas Priest’s Painkiller era with the punch and crunch of American power metal like Iced Earth and Pantera, then layering in a plethora of earwormy vocal hooks and monumental, anthemic choruses that cannot be forgotten. Albums like Mentus Mortis, Soul Temptation and Liquid Monster are nearly perfect examples of pure heavy metal and whenever I spin them for someone unacquainted, they wonder how they could have missed the boat.” Intrigued yet?

Fisting Andrew Golota’s Top Ten(ish) of 2013

By Dr. Fisting on December 30, 2013 in Blog Posts, 29 comments

“I don’t really have any clever observations about the past year in metal. A few of my AMG cohorts have griped that 2013’s release schedule was somewhat lacking, but I didn’t have that problem at all. There may have been fewer good albums quantity-wise (I wasn’t counting), but the ones that were good were REALLY fucking good.” Always the optimist, Mr. Fisting found the good in 2013 and tells you where it was hidden. He’s like Mr. Silver Linings!

Things You Might Have Missed 2013: Masters of Disguise – Back With a Vengeance

By Steel Druhm on December 13, 2013 in 2013, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Limb Music, Things You Might Have Missed 2013, Heavy Metal, 7 comments

“As a wise man named Mr. Fisting Himself once observed, the latest trend in metal is finding the most obscure acts from the past and repackaging them as underground, cult and cool, or to quote the man Himself, embarking on “the slow journey up it’s own ass.” Taking part in this mining mission to Uranus, Masters of Disguise is a band wholly created to pay homage to the extremely under known mid 80s speed metal act Savage Grace. Whom, you ask? Exactly.” Talk about wallowing in obscurity! These guys are so far up metal’s ass they may never be seen again, but I thought the same thing about their progenitor too.

Retro-Spective Review: Barren Cross – Atomic Arena

By Steel Druhm on November 12, 2013 in Blog Posts, Heavy Metal, Retro Reviews, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 13 comments

“We don’t get much “white metal” around these here parts. Not that we’re opposed (well, Madam X and Noctus are), but there isn’t much of it out there and even less that’s actually notable. There was a time where it was more in vogue though, and acts like Stryper crafted an entire identity around being good Christian soldiers under God’s righteous command. While I never cared much for those preachy yellow jackets, I did enjoy one release by a band standing in their pious shadow. Barren Cross was a Christian act hailing from Los Angeles of all places and though they were preachy too, they backed it up with far more metal than Stryper ever did.” It’s time for some good, old fashioned God Metal here at AMG. Wait, come back!! It’s hardly Godly at all, you wicked biscuits!

Retro-spective Review: Wicked Maraya – Cycles

By Steel Druhm on August 6, 2013 in American Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Retro Reviews, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, 6 comments

“When I do these little retro-reviews, I try to find albums that really had a lot to offer, but somehow never caught the public’s attention. Be it bad marketing, poor timing or short band life, there’s always a reason why a high-quality album slips through the cracks into oblivion. Perhaps no better example exists than Wicked Maraya and their debut album Cycles. Steel Druhm’s clinical diagnosis here is one of terminally poor timing. While Cycles sported a winning and catchy-as-fuck traditional heavy metal sound that strikes me as a darker, edgier, more proggy Queensryche mixed with Crimson Glory and Nevermore, it arrived at the very height of the Seattle grudge explosion where everything metal was forced back underground after a decade of prominence and popularity.” More goodies from the vault? Steel Druhm is in a giving mode to be sure. Ignore the terrible band name and awful album cover and let’s all focus on what counts: the music!

Record(s) o’ the Month – June 2013

By Angry Metal Guy on July 15, 2013 in Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 60 comments

I’ll admit it: June was better than much of the year before it. I mean that as in: June produced more records I really like than the entire month before it in almost its entirety. It gave us great releases from Amon Amarth, Autopsy, Summoning, Locrian, Author & Punisher, Svart Crown, Queensrÿche, Black Sabbath, White Wizzard (no accounting for taste, as they say), and last (but certainly not least) The Black Dahlia Murder. That’s a list not to be trifled with. So let’s cut through the bullshit and hand out the award for Record o’ the Month!

Queensrÿche – Queensrÿche Review

By Dr. Fisting on June 13, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Century Media, Rating, Uncategorized, 18 comments

“There is so much back story behind Queensrÿche’s new self-titled record that I can’t even scratch the surface in this review. I suggest reading this first. In a nutshell, there are currently two bands bearing the name Queensrÿche — one made up of ex-singer/asshole Geoff Tate and some hired help, and the other consisting of most of QR’s original lineup and new vocalist Todd LaTorre (ex-Crimson Glöry). This review refers to the latter version of the band.” Mr. Fisting is our resident QR/Geoff Tate gossip columnist and overall fanboy and he’s been waiting a long time for this bad boy. Can it resurrect the glory of this once proud band? Can we avoid mocking Mr. Tate? Only the needle knows….

Ghost – Infestissumam Review

By Steel Druhm on April 24, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Heavy Metal, Loma Vista Recordings, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 54 comments

“Like many others in the metalverse, Steel Druhm got caught up in the hype surrounding the strangely addictive pope-isms of mysterious cult rockers Ghost and their stellar debut Opus Eponymous. They had a wicked sound, a cool, throwback charm and the tunes were as catchy as athlete’s foot. While there was a nagging worry they might be a one-off novelty act and would fold up shop like a fly-by-night carnival, I was anxious to get my hands on the not so long-awaited followup, Infestissumam. After some time with the album and after giving this serious thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that Opus Eponymous was their version of The Warning, and Infestissumam is their attempt at a Rage for Order. While Queensryche was able to make the jump from a straight-forward metal album to a more cerebral, progressive sound due to elbow grease, spit (courtesy of Mr. Tate) and sheer talent, Ghost is not quite so lucky.” Ghost blew away the metal world with their debut, but Steel Druhm thinks they may be haunted by their own early success. Join him as he goes Ghostbusting.

Queensrÿche vs. Queensrÿche: Trial of the Century

By Dr. Fisting on March 27, 2013 in Blog Posts, 19 comments

During the past year or so, I’ve found myself in a situation where I work from home, and generally don’t venture out much. Typically, people like this are called “housewives” and watch daytime television to keep them from focusing on their own miserable lives. Unfortunately, I don’t fit that description, and I demand a little more from my daily distractions. You see, I have a need within me to see good things happen to good people, and more importantly, to see really bad things happen to people who are assholes. And the thing that’s been getting me through the day for the past 10 months is the endless drama of Queensryche vs. Geoff Tate.” Join Mr. Fisting as he runs you through the drama, the diva and the saliva. Basically, it’s like the whole O.J. Simpson thing, but with more guyliner.