Overkill – Scorched (Nuclear Blast Records)

 

Overkill is a band that you can’t keep down!  The deliver another killer album, and pretty much show everyone else where it’s at.  They could easily do away with making new albums, but this band is simply too ambitious to let go of their artistic integrity.

Scorched is very solid, and packs a very solid punch.  It’s a very well-structured album.  It seems like the down time during the pandemic allowed bands like Overkill to find a new focus in how they approach their music.  While, this sounds as powerful as any Overkill album should, it has an underlying quality that sets it off from the rest. 

Then there is Blitz, and he’s a machine of a frontman.  His voice still retains that specific color, and he twists and turns it in every direction possible.  Bobby Ellsworth is working hard here, and he’s truly pushing himself beyond the limits.  It’s great to see a singer, who is already respected and established, still searching for new ways to utilize his voice and combine it with the music.  Fever is a track where his performance is specifically impressive, and touches upon some new ways of expression.

There are some very cool orchestrations on this record that are very enriching to the overall sound.  Also, the leads have a very fresh feel to them, and they come across really thought out.  The sense of melody is memorable and evident.  The combination of drummer, Jason Bittner, and bass player, DD Verni, is very powerful.  A rhythm section like that can move mountains!

Scorched is a great listen, and has a number of instrumental and vocal surprises that await to be discovered.  While Overkill reached the level of perfection many moons ago, they continue to push, and end up with great results.  Scorched indicates that Overkill is still punching hard with a crippling speed!

Mark Kadzielawa

Aggression – From Hell with Hate (Xtreem Music)

 

Aggression is back with punches and screams, and when you think you've had enough, you get punched again!  This is a ripping album delivered at a break neck speed with no excuses, and no compromises.  Aggression created an instant hell here with flames and all.

The best aspect of this album is the musicality of it.  Despite going 200 miles per hour, it is a very audible record.  You hear every little sound directly.  Normally albums like that are blurry, and they often cover up a musicianship that is still developing.  It’s not the case here.  All members of Aggression are top notch players, and they give it to you straight.  It’s actually incredible that album this fast can be sounding so clear and vital.  Also, the use of operatic female vocals here and there add a very special mood to the songs.

Lyrically, as the title suggests, it’s all of those things your parents warned you about, but of course you didn’t listen!  Once again, Aggression takes no punches here and goes for the jugular, choking you until submission.  From Hell with Hate is truly an underground release, and it stays true to the roots Aggression is known for.

Denis Barthe and Dave Watson have an incredible guitar connection.  Their sound is heavy and not easy to penetrate.  Great tone, and very memorable leads.  Drummer, Ryan, Idris, is a very versatile player.  He can play superfast, blast, but has the ability to slow things down when needed.  Idris along with bass player, Kyle Hagen, give Aggression to ammunition it needs to blast anything in its sight.  Denis of course towers over it all with his psychotic vocals.

From Hell with Hate is an album with a serious attitude!  It’s a wild ride from song to song, and the stop varies each time you get through this album.  This music is charged, and it holds you against the wall powerless.  Aggression is brutality at its best!

Mark Kadzielawa

Century – The Conquest of Time (Electric Assault Records)

 

Century is a nee sensational heavy metal band from Sweden.  It consists of only two members, but nowadays, that’s enough to do a serious damage.  The band employs a full line up for a live presentation. 

The Conquest of Time is a debut album, and it sounds very grown up.  This band has a clear understanding of what traditional heavy metal should sound like.  There are strong NWOBHM influences, mixed with traditional Scandinavian hard rock and metal.  There are several bands that come to mind, but it’s difficult to pin point anything specific, which means Century knows how to balance things out.

The album is catchy, well written, and driven by emotions.  Century is very sensitive to melodies, and they code them really well without sounding overly happy.  This is the type of album that would come out in the early 80s, and no one would know what to make of it.  Only to fall in love with it a decade later or so.  Century won’t have deal with that decade delay, this will catch on instantly.  Having seen the band live, the size of the crowd is a proof of that.

The Conquest of Time has plenty of great tunes.  The opening, The Fighting Eagle, sounds already like a classic.  Victim in Chains has that great cool mid-tempo drive that gets you in the groove.  The title track is a perfect example of what heavy metal song should be like.  The album as a whole is a great listen, and provides the maximum punch.  This is a great start for a band that will create many surprises in years to come.

Mark Kadzielawa

Paradoxx – Brauer House, Lombard, Illinois 4/7/23 (images and words by Mark Kadzielawa)

 

Paradoxx is a legendary Chicago area heavy metal band from the 1980s.  While the band had everything going for them back in the day, the  big time success eluded them.  The group left behind the Plan of Attak EP released back in 1985 before breaking up in 1988.  They reformed in 2010, lost vocalist, Glen Dobbs, to cancer in 2016, and continued with guitarist, John Dobbs, assuming majority of vocal duties.  Currently, John Dobbs resides in Arizona, but shows up in the Chicago area to play occasional shows with Paradoxx, and his other band Cover Dogs.  During their time away from the spotlight, Paradoxx, became an international metal sensation, as many fans around the globe discovered their EP, and simply loved what they heard.

Many fans gathered at the Brauer House, in Lombard to see and hear Paradoxx again.  There was a very positive feeling in the air tonight.  Even before the show, it was great to hear many of the fans catching up, exchanging their stories about seeing the band at The Thirsty Whale, and other now historic locations.  The anticipation was great, and the band finally took the stage.

From the opening sounds of Black Siren,  to the closing notes of Forever, Paradoxx sounded great, and kept the momentum going.  John Dobbs was complaining about some voice trouble due to a cold, but he pulled it off very nicely.  He rose to the occasion, and did his best to deliver a quality show.  The band included all original members who performed on the legendary EP back in 1985.  They were having fun on stage, and you could see the enjoyment in their eyes.  The band was happy to be able to do this in 2023, and often spoke from the stage how much they appreciate their fans.  Some of the audience included the members of other local metal bands from the 1980s, who came out to support their peers.  Majority however, were the fans who remembered the feel of the scene, and wanted to re-live the experience, or simply wanted to be back in that teenage state of mind.  Whatever it was they were looking for, Paradoxx, was happy to deliver.  It felt great to be part of such cool community of rockers, and to re-live the experience as well.

Paradoxx performed tracks from their infamous EP, and included several covers.  It was a fair mix of original, and cover material.  There were covers from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Krokus, and Riot to name a few.  Many of these songs were clearly influential in what Paradoxx later became.  Guitarist, Gary Vermette, sang few of the covers, and he sounded great.

The rhythm section, consisting of drummer, Jerry Wiener, and bassist, Frank Rotondo, was extremely effective tonight.  You could feel a great chemistry between those two players, who truly gave their best.  Such great bottom end, allowed John Dobbs, and Gary Vermette to move around in any direction they wanted.  Both guitarists had a very impressive dialog on stage.  There was a natural fit among those four players, and nothing was accidental here.  It was also a great way to honor the memory of the fallen vocalist, Glen Dobbs. 

The purists may argue about a glitch here and there, but that’s a senseless argument.  The spirit of the music was there that night, and that’s all everyone really cared about.  Paradoxx played a great show, and revived something special in the minds of everyone present.  They are already promising another such show next year, so don’t miss your chance.  Great job guys, much respect!

Mark Kadzielawa

GALLERY:

Jade Warrior – Wind Borne -The Island Years 1974-1978 (Esoteric Recordings)

Jade Warrior were a progressive rock band from the 1970’s.  This box consists of four album the band recorded for Island Records.  The records in question are Floating World, Waves, Kites, and Way of The Sun.  Many of these albums were difficult to find, and this boxset sums it all up in one place. 

Jade Warrior were rather an experimental band with a lot of ethnic influences.  They were not a typical progressive band either.  One has to have a very specific taste in order to fully understand Jade Warrior.  Don’t expect Genesis or Yes here, but rather a band that reaches a bit more into the music, and tries to locate its deepest secrets.

The music on those four records sometimes comes across sounding very minimalistic.  This band loves a lot of space and their sounds can be scarce at times, but extremely colorful.  The use of flute makes the music feel very delicate, and mysterious.  Each album, has slightly a different twist and approach, and it is actually a plus that all four are included here. 

Jade Warrior might be considered strange or unusual, but their madness makes a lot of sense.  This band was very unconventional, they took a lot of chances, and probably risked a lot of label support.  What is left behind is an uncompromising musical trip into the unknown.  Old fans will certainly know what they are getting, but any potential new fans of progressive rock are in for a pleasant surprise.

Mark Kadzielawa

The Church – Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois 3/26/23 (images and words by Mark Kadzielawa)

The Church made history in Chicago playing songs from their new album, The Hypnogogue, and plenty of classic tracks from their 40 year-old career.  In fact, it was probably hard to narrow down a set list that would make everyone happy.  The Church provided a very nice breakdown, and a great show.

This was also the first introduction of the new line up to the Chicago audience.  The three-guitar blend provided an unbelievable sonic mix of sounds that elevated the songs to a new level.  It was absolutely amazing to see this band deliver track after track with so much attention to detail, and still having fun with little improvised parts here and there.  The new songs were absolutely brilliant live, and the old tracks got a new lease on life with this combination of players.  It was a great experience all the way through.

Vocalist/bassist, Steve Kilbey, looked happy and completely content with how things turned out for his band.  He was having fun on stage, even improvising his own version of Hey Joe in honor of the band’s tour bus driver, whose name you can only guess.  Great guitar interaction between Ian Haug and Ashely Naylor.  What a great understanding these two guitar players managed to develop in such a short amount of time.  Add, multi-instrumentalist, Jeffrey Cain, into the mix, and true magic begins to take place.  Drummer, Tim Powles was forced to sit out this tour due to visa problem.  Nicholas Meredith was handpicked and schooled by Powles.  Meredith was absolutely marvelous behind the kit.  He provided great feel for the songs, and will continue to be part of The Church family alongside Powles.  Great songs, outstanding musicianship, and blinding creativity!

Much has to be said about the new music from The Hypnogogue.  Those songs were received enthusiastically.  As good as the classic material is, it was obvious how much more the new tracks stood out from the rest.  The Church could’ve easily played the new album in its entirety, and that would’ve been fully justified.  This could be the defining moment for the group, despite its 40-year history.  The musical leap forward is evident here!

This concert, like many other shows from The Church, was once again a spiritual experience.  At one point you realize this band is playing these songs just for you, despite the number of people in the audience.  The beauty of it is that it’s a shared experience that appeals to everyone's individual senses.  There were a lot of surprises the band prepared for the fans, but what was most attractive thing was the actual delivery, and how they did it.  Notice, no songs titles were given in this review for that reason alone.  Add some creative lights, and the charm of a place like Thalia Hall, and you’re in for an evening you won’t forget anytime soon.

Mark Kadzielawa

PHOTO GALLERY

Arrows – The Complete Collection (Cherry Red)

 

Arrows were a British glam band from the mid 70s.  This trio released one album, and several singles before calling it a day.  Their big claim to fame is I Love Rock N Roll single.  Yes, it’s the same single that was heard by Joan Jett.  Jett of course played around with the tempo, applied a new level of aggression, and made a huge hit.  Arrows however were a very cool band with places to go.

First Hit was the only album Arrows released.  It’s a good record, but you can clearly see a band that is trying to find an identity.  The songs vary in styles.  There is rock, pop, glam, and even a bit of gospel.  It’s actually quite amazing how spread-out Arrows were, but at this point there really isn’t one common denominator that unites these tracks with a certain style.

The album and the singles are still a rewarding listen, and things can get very nostalgic at times.  For this writer, 1970s happened to be childhood years, and the radio played a lot of music like Arrows.  Good memories were attached to those times, and while some songs were hard to remember, the sounds quickly signal the vibe.  Having such background makes appreciating Arrows very easy.  This is fun record from a very special time in rock music that will never repeat.

The Complete Collection is a beautifully put together set.  The sounds on both discs are great, there are plenty of bonus tracks, and a great booklet with photos and memorabilia.  The booklet is very informative, and there is some surprising information, but giving it all away here wouldn’t be fair.  This set has a very special charm, and will grow with each listen.

Mark Kadzielawa