Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-Powell-Payne, Helloween, JJ Pinestone, Cats In Space, & Delain

Index

Formed in 2022, Frontiers Records artists Powell-Payne have released a real gem of an album. If you were a fan of Airrace you might already be familiar with Adam Payne. The style of this new album is mostly AOR or melodic rock if you like. That doesn't stop the band from turning the intensity up a bit from time to time however. Take a listen to tracks like 'Voices' or 'Staring At The Sun' and you'll get an idea of where the band goes in terms of intensity. The album as a whole if filled with melody whether it's the ballads of which there are a few, and the heavier tracks. It doesn't get bone crunching heavy, but definitely kicks things up a notch. I have spent some decent time with this album to this point and absolutely love what is offered here. Due to this, I am hoping we get plenty more from these guys. Absolutely essential for melodic hard rock fans!

Release Date: December 6, 2024

After an amazing self titled studio album that featured both vocalists, Michael Kiske and Andi Deris, we get a live show from the legendary Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan. So much to like with this release. I thought the track selection was top notch. You did get some recent material, but the show was filled with many Helloween classics like 'Eagle Fly Free', 'Save Us', 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys', and 'Future World'. All crowd favorites. Also, I absolutely loved 'Kai's Medley' allowing him to show off some of the earlier stuff which should always be a part of a Helloween show as well. The crowd was amazing. The interaction was fun to listen to and I thought the band's performances were great. I am only reviewing the audio portion of this package. I have the blu-ray ordered but it still shows a release of January 31st. Will be anticipating that arriving for sure!

Release Date: December 13, 2024

As a bit of information on JJ Pinestone, He is Finnish and part of the Thrash Metal band Takalaiton. For this new solo release, Pinestone goes for a fairly nostalgic 80's sound which he does equally as well. Think the big bands of the 80's such as Ratt, Mötley Crüe, or even Guns 'N Roses and you'll have an idea of where the album lands sonically. There is in my opinion a slight modern feel, maybe moreso in the vocals as it gets fairly aggressive in this area of the music, but I thought it mixed well and gave some uniqueness to the band's sound overall. Songs were quite good and brought great energy overall. The album would be considered an EP. I'm guessing due to number of tracks and length, but it gets to the point and feels complete when all is said and done. I thought this was a great listen and gets better each time you go back. Keep an eye on this musician!

Release Date: December 13, 2024

It's been some time since we took in some Cats In Space. Not really sure how these guys slipped by the radar, but glad we caught up with this new release. Bands tend to release very good debut albums and Cats In Space were no exception. 'Too Many Gods' was and still is one of my very favorite classic rock themed albums. 'Time Machine' still leans in this direction. 70's styled classic rock with some cool progressions and excellent performances by the band overall. Does it live up to the same standard as 'Too Many Gods'? Well, maybe not, but the standard with this band is high and this is still top quality stuff. I really dig so many tracks. 'This Velvet Rush' is so smooth and melodic with a great vibe overall. I liked the ghost mix that was included as well. Just a really good batch of songs. It can be work to secure physical copies from this band, but worth the effort!

Release Date: October 25, 2024

This album is what you would call a super EP. There are 15 tracks total which most would consider a full album, but it's the content that pushes this into more of an EP Category. You get unreleased material, live songs, and different versions. I've been on a bit of a tear recently with the female fronted symphonic bands and this new release fit that bill perfectly. As far as the live stuff goes, track selection is great and the band sounds good. Diana Leah handles the classic Delain stuff very well. When listening to the alternate versions and unreleased material. It's all enjoyable and fits the Delain model very well. With the many changes that happened with the band a few years ago, it's really cool that Martijn Westerholt was able to bring things together with new members and keep moving forward. A nice goodie bag of an EP!

Release Date: November 8, 2024