A few notes
'Demolition' is the bands second studio effort featuring new frontman Tim 'Ripper' Owens. The band has penned some tunes that are a bit more ear friendly then previous effort 'Jugulator' which was fairly brutal in nature not to mention disliked by a lot of the fans. What does one expect from the new disc after the recent powerhouse efforts from former frontman Rob Halford?? That is where it gets a bit interesting.
The Tracks
The first thing that came to mind upon my first listen is how the music was muchmore accessible than 'Jugulator'. Not necessarily a return to the sound that made the band a legend, but definitely a better listen than 'Jugulator'. Lyrically, this album is more of the same. Not one of it's better traits. Fairly weak content in my opinion. Musically it's not that bad of a disc. 'Machine Man' is a bit different than classic Priest, but does display some classic sound to the guitars. Also in that vein is 'Bloodsuckers'. This tune is pretty jacked up and heavy. Very dark with some interesting useage of effects. This track also utilizes those 'Turbo Lover' type synths as background enhancement and are used sparingly. 'Bloodsuckers' is my favorite. In some other areas the band utilizes a bit more modern influences. Take for instance the fuzzed guitars on 'One on one', 'Feed on me', and 'Subterfuge'. All of these tracks are pretty cool, but may make the die hard fans scratch their head a bit. I like most of the tracks, but didn't get much into 'Lost and found' which is lighter and the strange rap-rock mix on 'Metal Messiah'. Kind of a bad attempt if that is what they had in mind.
Overall
I am one of the die hards that I mentioned earlier. This is the way I look at it. There have been some less than favorable reviews to this point on this disc. Go into this album with your own mind. Forget about what Halford is doing or what Priest did in the past. This album has it's own identity and will stand on it's own if the fans let it. It is leaps better than 'Jugulator' but will still disappoint some fans. I actually found it to be enjoyable. If you give it an honest listen with an open mind, you will probably find it has some great music to offer.
A few notes
'Warmth in he wilderness' is an amazing benefit package dedicated to one of the guitar worlds talented musicians, Jason Becker. The proceeds from this album are contributed to Becker's family making this a very worthwhile cause. For those who don't know, Jason Becker was diagnosed with Lou Gherig's disease and has been going through treatmentsince. The music was done free by the artists as a donation to a fellow musician.
The Tracks
This package is a 2 cd set and is loaded with tunes. There are 31 to be exact. Some of the tracks are covered from the 'Speed Metal Symphony' days in which Jason played with former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman. There are also some tunes taken from the 'A little ain't enough' album from David Lee Roth in which Jason was the guitarist. Naturally there are also tracks covered from his solo material. Another interesting angle is that there were some tunes written in dedication to Jason by some of the contributing artists. Another real positive is some of the shredders involved in this project. On 'A jam for Jason' you have Jeff Kollman, Vinnie Moore, Chris Poland, Jeff Watson, and Steve Morse. Hows that for having an enormous amount of talent on one track?? The artists were tripping over each other in order to get a chance to be a part. A very special project indeed. There is not much detail here, but I do want to mention that all of the music is top notch and there are vocals in some of the tracks for those who are not into straight instrumentals.
Overall
My hat is off to all of the artists involved in this project. You definitely restore my faith in humanity. Also to Nicky Baldrian for the idea. Wouldn't want to forget the mighty Lion Music for putting it together and being one of the best labels for putting others ahead in times of need. Last, but not least by any means, Jason Becker. You define courage and might of spirit! You are an inspiration to many and hold a special place in the hearts of music fans worldwide. We're all pulling for you! I recommend this release highly for 2 reasons. First, It is a top notch release and second because it's a way o be a part of the whole thing. Don't miss this one! It can be picked up by clicking here or by checking with your music retailer or importer.
