KK's Priest - The Arcada, St. Charles, Illinois, March 15, 2024 (words and images by Mark Kadzielawa)

 

There was a lot of anticipation with the first ever KK’s Priest show in the Chicago area.  The band released two records, but haven’t really been touring yet.  This was the first time the band faced a live audience, and completely floored everyone from start to finish!

Burning Witches from Switzerland were the opening act.  This all-female group brought a lot of excitement onto the stage from the moment they walked on.  Their songs were heavy, melodic, and carried a lot of punch.  The crowd was instantly into them, and it appeared they already had a faithful audience prior to this show.  Burning Witches were excellent, and were able to create some magic during their short stay on stage.  There is definitely more to come from this rocking camp for sure.

L.A. Guns were initially not supposed to play this show, but somehow they made it happen.  They represented the more sleazy side of hard rock.  Their show was slick, to the point, and spiked with many popular tunes.  While admitting not being in the best disposition, vocalist, Phil Lewis, delivered the songs with conviction and finesse.  Guitarist, Tracii Guns, was firing on all cylinders, twisting and shoving his guitar, as if it was a protective shield.  L.A. Guns relied on experience, clearly had fun on stage, and delivered a very solid show.

KK’s Priest took the stage, and started to unleash the fury with each note.  Opening with Hellfire Thunderbolt, they were very heavy, extremely tight, and visually entertaining.  One More Shot at Glory followed, and it assured everyone on the other side of the stage that this will be a night to remember.  The band was moving fast like a runaway train crushing everything in its path. 

K.K. Downing was very energetic, unleashing heavy riffs, and shattering solos.  He clearly was the star of the concert, but this felt more like a unit rather than a one man show.  Vocalist, Tim Ripper Owens, sounded perfect.  He was nailing every note with precision, and often managed to stretch his vocals to add that special live feel.  No song, old or new, was a challenge for him.  In many ways, Owens is singing at his absolute best right now.  Despite how he was looked upon while fronting Judas Priest in the past.  One thing is clear, he is K.K. Downing’s secret weapon!  Guitarist, A.J. Mills was a great match for K.K. Downing.  Mills is obviously a very skilled player in his own right, and his dialog with K.K. Downing was very impressive.  Drummer, Sean Elg, and bassist, Tony Newton, formed a very strong and dependable rhythm section.  They made the band sound big!

The set list consisted of many new tracks from The Sinner Rides Again album, and those songs sounded heavy and powerful when played live.  There were also several tracks from Downing’s time with Judas Priest.  Tracks like The Ripper, Beyond the Realms of Death (video available,) or Victim of Changes brought back the classic Judas Priest sound, and very delivered perfectly.  Burn in Hell reminded the audience of Owens’ time in Judas Priest, and it was great to hear a track like that.  All of those songs sounded heavier, yet not losing any of their original feel. 

As it is with such band members split situations, the big question is which Priest is better?  You could compare, argue this or that, but at the end of the day this review was written to celebrate the music, and not to stir bad emotions or cause problems.  So why not like both?  It’s a double win for the fans.  One thing however stands out, Judas Priest appears to be going up against their classic catalog while K.K. Downing embraces the essence of Judas Priest, and moves forward with his new project.  This makes both of the recent releases extremely enjoyable for different reasons.

KK’s Priest surprised everyone with the intensity of their performance.  It was flawless, and extremely well executed.  The production of the concert was also quite impressive too.  Lots of smoke and lasers, and some cool animation to go with that.  All of that was good, but the bulk of the audience was more concerned whether K.K. Downing can still deliver the goods?  That question was instantly answered after the first two tracks.  K.K. and his band crushed everything that was crushable.  The band encored with Strike of the Viper, and Raise Your Fist, and called a night, and what a night it was!

Mark Kadzielawa

GALLERY

BURNING WITCHES

L.A. GUNS

KK's PRIEST

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (Epic)

 

Judas Priest returns with what could possibly be their last album, and if it is, what a way to put the icing on the cake!  Invincible Shield destroys from start to finish.  Back in 2018, the band released Firepower which was hailed as a serious return to form.  Great album, no doubt.  Now that Invincible Shield is a fact, Firepower feels like an album that laid foundations for what was to come.

The songs are great, full of energy, melodic hooks, and incredible lead breaks.  Halford sings as if he was in his 20s all over again.  Perfect performances from everyone involved.  The songs are credited to Tipton, Halford, and Faulkner.  While Tipton/Halford formula was already well established, it’s Faulkner’s contributions that bring his youthful thunder into the equation.  Even if you can’t pinpoint what he’s specifically written, you know it’s there.  The album is very well balanced.  Also, there are moments where that sensitive side of Priest comes out, and it's absolutely great to experience that once again.

There are lot of songs that echo the past, yet they are clearly grounded in the present day.  Judas Priest has a lot to compete with, namely its own classic catalogue.  Invincible Shield shows a strong sense of belonging into that catalogue, can clearly be considered a late career classic.  Invincible Shield, elevates (once again) Judas Priest into the heavy metal elite.  It’s an explosive album filled with tracks that have classics written all over them. 

Mark Kadzielawa

Morta Skuld – Creation Undone (Peaceville)

 

Morta Skuld are the unsung heroes of the death metal underground.  While never reaching the heights of let’s say Cannibal Corpse or Obituary, they continuously made great records, and kept their fan base satisfied.  Creation Undone is another such great record, that simply leaves you breathless.  No tricks, no compromise, just a killer old school style death metal.

The band is a brain child of vocalist/guitarist, David Gregor, who is the only original member remaining in the band.  Gregor put together a deadly line up, and continues to create hell on the records and on stage.  Having recently seen Morta Skuld in action on two different occasions, this writer can assure you these guys deliver and they mean business.

Creation Undone moves quite quickly.  It’s a very fast paced album, before you know it you want to play it again.  And it’s not necessarily that the songs are super-fast, and many are.  It’s how the album is structured, and how the songs flow.  Sometimes the track order can change the face of the record completely.  Morta Skuld must’ve spent some time putting all of the pieces of the puzzle in the right places.  Which is very consistent with the overall attention to the smallest detail.  Nothing is accidental here upon the first glance, or the first couple of glances.

The ten tracks on the album stand out individually, but there is this untold force that unites them as one.  It gives the album that extra something, and makes it great from start to finish.  Instrumentally, each member delivers a flawless and inspired performance.  As far as the world of super heavy goes, Creation Undone, is easily one of the finest albums of 2024!

Mark Kadzielawa

Fermentor – Mind Meld (self release)

 

Fermentor offers a true alternative in the world of metal or death metal.  They are an instrumental duo, and what they do is very unique.  This band is a labor of love, Dylan Marks (drums) and Adam Wollach (guitar) are having a blast playing this type of music.  They are not seeking any kind of wider recognition, and if anything happens they won't mind.  It’s just two friends having a blast!

Mind Meld is a very multi-dimensional record, and that’s very creative for only two guys banging it away.  There is a lot of thought put into this music, and as you listen to it, it makes you focus on completely different aspects sound, riffing, rhythms, or drum patterns.  The absence of vocals highlights other factors which often stay in the background.

The two players in question are very skilled and creative.  They present a different mood with each track, which keeps the album entertaining and engaging.  What you hear on Mind Meld, you don’t always hear on other records where similar instrumental patterns are being explored. There is a level of complicated simplicity in which those two players operate, and the more you listen to it, the more it becomes obvious. 

Fermentor certainly made a record with a lasting impression.  Just like that jars filled with secret substances that you see on the cover; each one hides its own distinctive taste.  Mind Meld will be processing you in no time, just start spinning it.

Mark Kadzielawa

Vandenberg - The Arcada, St. Charles, Illinois, 2/17/24

 

Adrian Vandenberg makes his first visit to United States since his time in Whitesnake.  It was an evening filled with Whitesnake classics, and Vandenberg originals.  Adrian put together a very proficient band, and they were able to carry out any song they wished to play.  The audience consisted of seasoned crowd who grew up with Vandenberg, and witnessed Whitesnake’s domination in the late 80s and the early 90s.  The audience was clearly pleased with the song selection, and the effective delivery.

Adrian Vandenberg, now 70 years old, but still playing with a heart of twenty-something rocker.  He was just as energetic on stage as he was when he played with Whitesnake back in 1990.  It’s inspiring to see that type of energy!  Vandenberg’s delivery was flawless, his leads still possess a lot of feel and color.  He’s still the world class player he always was.  David Coverdale knew what he was doing when he pursued Adrian to be in his band.

Vocalist, Mats Leven, was the undisputed star of the show.  Due to the nature of the songs performed, Leven, was the focal point.  He quickly won the audience over with his easy-going manner, and great delivery.  Trying to sing Whitesnake was never an easy task, David Coverdale is certainly one of the greatest vocalists of all time.  Leven was able to contain Coverdale’s mannerisms, while applying his own voice to the process.  This made his singing very authentic and original.  Whitesnake songs came across very believable, and well received by the audience.

The show stopper was definitely Sailing Ships, a Whitesnake song later also covered live by MoonKings, Vandenberg’s other project.  It was delivered acoustically, only by Vandenberg and Leven, and certainly took the audience by surprise.  It was followed by Hit the Ground Running, a hard rocker from his latest album Sin.  The band encored with Burning Heart, perhaps the most known Vandenberg track from the early 80s, only to climax with Still of the Night, and Here I Go Again.  Just as the band said their final goodbyes, they were brought back for another encore.  This time they ended for good with Love Ain’t No Stranger.

It truly was a great show, entertaining, and well put together.  There were some complaints that too many Whitesnake songs were being played, but the show was billed as such.  When looking around, everyone was having a great time.  The few purists who only wanted Vandenberg’s solo material were in the minority.  Adrian gave the audience exactly what they came for.  And if it was Whitesnake heavy, so be it.  Those songs are timeless, and it’s very unlikely they will be performed by anyone else live at this point.  Enjoy the moment, and performers like Adrian Vandenberg because their time is slowly running out.

Mark Kadzielawa

Lillian Axe – The Box: Volume One – Resurrection (Global Rock Records)

 

Lilian Axe had been rocking the masses for 40 years now.  The band formed back in 1983, but did not put out a record until 1988.  Over the last four decades, Lilian Axe built up a very impressive catalog.  This particular box covers the band’s adventures from 1992 to 2004.  Some could call them the grunge times, where being a band like Lillian Axe was not easy.  This group persevered, they never took their eyes off the prize, and are still with us to this day.

The 7CD instalment, covers a lot of ground, and there are plenty of gems to be experienced here.  First of all, many of these records are hard to find these days, some are of the out of print, and some only available on limited basis, which also drives their prices up to the sky.  This box has it all for you in one place.

The albums highlighted here are:  Poetic Justice, Psychoschizophrenia, Live 2002, Waters Rising, and Sad Day on Planet Earth.  As a special treat, Steve Blaze’s solo album, Random Acts of Blindness is also included.  All of it very nicely packaged, and neatly stored in a CD-sized box.  Since this is only a volume one, there’s definitely another box in the works.

Lilian Axe was always a band that never made it to the first leagues, although their first albums for MCA, showed a lot of potential.  They were always a very solid band, who wrote catchy songs, and entertained audiences on stage.  They were definitely visible, and often on the road when many other hair bands would take a break from being active.  Their brand of hard rock always had a certain style, and even with some personnel changes here and there, they were able to maintain that style.  This box is certainly a great testament to Lillian Axe’s commitment to rock.  So glad to see these albums properly resurrected, and there’s certainly more to come.

Mark Kadzielawa

Baker Gurvitz Army – Live 1975 (Esoteric Recordings)

 

Baker Gurvitz Army was an amazing power rock band from the 1970s.  Consisting of Cream’s, Ginger Baker, and the Gurvitz brothers who already made their name in Gun, plus Peter Lemer on keyboards, and Mr. Snips on lead vocals.  This was an explosive combination of talent, as it can be heard on this very record.  The recordings come from Reading University, and some supplemental tracks from London’s Victoria Theatre.  Nearly 80 minutes in all, this will rock you hard!

Baker Gurvitz Army was a very dangerous band!  On stage, they appear unpredictable, and are not afraid to jam and improvise.  There is a lot of potential here, and the players feel each other well.  At times, they get funky, and stretch it here and there.  You feel the atmosphere, and the very loose approach the band takes.  Yes, there is some crazy soloing, and drumming, and the bass gets wild too when it needs to. 

Live 1975 is now a living document as to how the rock music was presented nearly 50 years ago.  It was a very special time that will never be repeated.  A lot of lessons were learned since, but the newer bands still struggle trying to top or even get close to that level.  This simple fact makes releases like this amazing.  Live 1975 is a timeless capture of a band firing up on all cylinders!

Mark Kadzielawa