January Metal Highlights

We are, unbelievably, already a whole month into 2020 and I've (obviously) decided to resurrect my blog. The main driving force behind this decision was the sheer number of great albums released in 2019 that I would have liked to share with you fine people and as we know Facebook just isn't the place to do this. I mean, how often do YOU click on a link shared by somebody on your friends list? I know I don't do it often. Another reason for the blog squeaking back into life is that I have an overwhelming passion for music and I enjoy writing about it and sharing great new music with people who share said passion / interest. It is a labour of love for me and if some of you get something out of then that's a bonus.

Right, that's the introduction out of the way. Onto my first blog post of 2020, which is, as I'm sure you garnered from the heading, a round-up of January's best Metal releases. I will be aiming to do a weekly round-up going forward as well as the occasional review, opinion piece and some "best of" lists...you know the drill by now.

Annihilator - Ballistic, Sadistic

If I'm being honest, I've always found Canadian Thrashers, Annihilator to be hugely over-rated. I can't say their "classic" material ever did much for me and in my opinion, they haven't released anything of real note since 1994's King of the Kill. That said, prior to the release of new album, Ballistic, Sadistic, I was seeing a lot of websites / media types raving about how good it was and that it is their best album in many years. I remained cynical and refused to get swept along with the hype. It was a pleasant surprise then to click on the play button on Spotify and to hear the familiar and instantly recognisable Annihilator sound coming at me, but for the first time in aeons, it was really rather good, great even. It goes without saying (but I will anyway), that anyone expecting a modern Metal tour de force will be left wanting. No, this is an old old-school Thrash record, delivered at breakneck speed by Jeff Waters and his band mates, who are clearly having a blast. Ballistic, Sadistic actually IS the best Annihilator record for decades and moreover, it is just a good Metal record full stop.

British Lion - The Burning

Steve Harris steps away from his day job for the second time to vent his passion for good old-fashioned classic rock, but with a modern twist. The most noticeable difference between this album and the band's 2012 self-titled debut is that is a vastly improved and far more cohesive collection of songs and therefore feels like the product of an actual band as opposed to a side-project. The musicianship, as you might expect is flawless and the production gives the songs real life and energy. I wanted to avoid any Iron Maiden comparisons, but to my ears, vocalist Richard Taylor is more than a little reminiscent of  mid-late 90's Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley which sometimes makes The Burning sound distinctly Maiden-esque...if Maiden were a classic rock band, of course.

KirK Windstein - Dream in Motion

After his many years playing in the likes of Crowbar, Down and Kingdom of Sorrow, you could be forgiven for expecting more of the same from Kirk Windstein, but on his first solo outing, he has really stepped out of his comfort zone and has instead crafted something far more interesting. Of course, that isn't to say that Dream in Motion is an upbeat record. It is, as you might expect, a slow to mid-paced affair with some ethereal vocals and beautiful groove-laden hooks.