Musings: Blaze Bayley - Circle of Stone

We nearly lost Blaze Bayley last year following a heart attack in March. He underwent a quadruple bypass surgery and is now fully recovered. I, for one, am very grateful that he’s still among us and continues to make awesome metal. His latest album, Circle of Stone, was completed just before his heart attack. The former Iron Maiden frontman shows no signs of slowing down with his latest album. It’s been almost three years since his last record, the excellent War Within Me. Once again, Blaze is backed by melodic metal band Absolva and also gets a hand from an eclectic mix of collaborators. So, how does his latest opus fare? Read on to find out!

Circle of Stone makes perfect usage of the two sides of a record. Side A features six unconnected songs touching upon various themes, while Side B is more of a mini concept album of six songs, focusing on a forgotten tribe and a search for the truth in the heart of the circle of stones. “Mind Reader” blows the doors open with a bang, giving us a short, catchy tune. The Blade Runner-inspired “Tears in Rain” features a cool riff worthy of Blaze’s best songs. “Rage”, the second single, draws inspiration from Welsh folklore. A powerful song about the consequences of impulsive rage. “The Year Beyond This Year” is a terrific song about resilience and is one of my favourites. “Ghost in the Bottle” is a gem of a song about making the best of what you have and pushing forward. “The Broken Man” is an introspective tune featuring a softer side of Blaze with superb guitars. Side B begins with “The Call of the Ancestors”, a magnificent instrumental with bag pipes. The title track and first single follows, and it’s one of the very best songs of the album. A classic Blaze tune with guest vocals from Swedish metal band Wolf’s singer Niklas Stalvind. “Absence” is a kick-ass track with fiery guitars. “A Day of Reckoning”, a song about reclaiming what’s yours, and “The Path of the Righteous Man” form a duo of standout tracks that continues the tribe’s journey. The final song of the set, “Until We Meet Again”, is a gorgeous acoustic love song and my favourite track. It features the lovely Tammy-Rae Bois who duets with Blaze.

Blaze Bayley has really outdone himself with Circle of Stone. It’s another example of a singer who keeps reaching peaks we weren’t expecting when he should well be past his prime by now. Blaze ages like a fine wine and his vocals sound better than ever—to hear him sing those ‘90s-era Maiden songs live is quite the experience as he performs them even better than in his heyday. He’s just on another level here, sounding rejuvenated and delivering a profound album that may very well be the finest of his entire career. Whether you’re a fan of Blaze from his tenure as frontman in Maiden, have followed his prolific solo career, or simply an old school metalhead, Circle of Stone hits all the right notes. Another strong contender for the Album of the Year list.

Blaze Bayley’s Official Website: https://www.blazebayley.net

Musings: Ace Frehley - 10,000 Volts

The spaceman is back! Legendary former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley returns with his eighth studio album, 10,000 Volts, delivering plenty of catchy choruses and his signature guitar solos. Followers of the blog know my love of all things KISS and Ace was always my favourite KISS member back in the day. He’s certainly been the most successful of the original four when it comes to solo careers. I’ve been eagerly waiting for 10,000 Volts to come out with much glee, but also much trepidation. His solo records since his big comeback of 2009 have been pretty great, and this is his first LP of original songs since 2018’s awesome Spaceman. Is it the masterpiece we’ve been promised? Read on to find out, spaceheads!

The title track, also the first single, is an instant classic that cracks open the record with great fanfare. It’s vintage Ace through and through and a hell of an earworm. The second track, and second single, “Walkin’ on the Moon”, is in my opinion the weakest song on the album. When I first heard it, I became skeptical of what the rest of the LP would sound like, the two first singles being so different from one another. I must admit that I’ve warmed up to it since its release; it’s not a bad song per se, rather just an average rock tune. Track number three is “Cosmic Heart” and it’s a fantastic song! It may very well be my favourite song here, with its ominous vibe, featuring Ace in rare form on the axe. Next up is the third single, “Cherry Medicine”, and I could breathe easy once I heard it in anticipation of the full album. It’s an infectious tune and a definite highlight of the LP. “Back into My Arms Again” is a terrific old school rock ballad, one of Ace’s all-time best. “Fightin’ for Life” is a street song about the average Joe. It’s got cool licks and riffs with a catchy chorus and hooks. “Blinded” and “Constantly Cute” are fun, head-bobbing tunes. A little cheesy in an Ace sort of way, but it’s part of the charm of these songs. “Life of a Stranger” is a superb ballad, very melodic and reminiscent of Ozzy’s ‘90s ballads at times. “Up in the Sky” is a banger and deals with Ace’s fascination with outer space. The tradition of closing his albums with an instrumental continues here with “Stratosphere”, albeit a shorter track than usual for Ace. Nonetheless, it’s brilliant and is the perfect way to end 10,000 Volts.

After a handful of spins, I can say that I believe 10,000 Volts to be Ace’s strongest outing since his phenomenal 1978 debut LP. Yep, a bold statement, I know, but it’s that great. It’s astonishing that the man can still create such inspired, melodic, catchy, and all-around high-quality records after fifty years of ups and downs. If you’re a KISS fan or a fan of Ace’s, it’s a no-brainer, this LP belongs in your collection. If you dig hard rock, metal or simply love albums chock-full of great melodies, you’ll be pleased with the space Ace’s latest collection of tunes. This is a record that will undeniably have a spot in my Top Five Albums of the Year when 2024 comes to a close.

Ace Frehley on Bandcamp: https://acefrehley.bandcamp.com/album/10000-volts 

Double Shot of Reviews: Goat Major & I Am The Intimidator

Greetings! Here’s a double shot of reviews for you since I’m not gonna be very active on the blog this month. I’m moving out of town, a three-hour drive away, at the end of the month and I have a hectic schedule until then. You’ll see two more reviews on the weekend of the 24^th and 25^th for Musings on Ace Frehley’s 10,000 Volts and Blaze Bayley’s Circle of Stone, two of my most anticipated albums of 2024. I’ll return sometime in the first week of March once I’m fully settled into my new condo. My girlfriend and I can’t wait to start our new life there! Alright, on to the music. Both records will be out March 8^th.

The first one is from Welsh occult doom trio Goat Major. Their debut album, Ritual, will be released through the mighty Ripple Music label. This 8-track album grew on me with every spin and I found myself loving it by the third listen. It’s got many sonic layers that you don’t necessarily hear until you sit down and focus on the songs, and then it hits you. The highlights for me are “Turn to Dust”, a song reminiscent of stoner giants Sleep with cool occult vibes thrown in for good measure; “Light of The End” with its relentless riffs and clobbering percussion; “Mountains of Madness”, an epic 8-minute tune where each band member gets to show off his craftsmanship; and my favourite track, “Evil Eye”, which was the catchy first single loaded with killer doomy atmosphere. Ritual is a solid album from top to bottom and fans of doom, heavy rock, and stoner rock will especially dig this talented band’s sinister musical offerings.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Goat Major: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/ritual

The second release is a 6-song EP from Portland, Oregon native Andrew Stromstad with his brainchild I Am The Intimidator with a self-titled release via Oregon boutique label Miserable Pyre. I Am The Intimidator is a very unique concept of NASCAR-themed metal. Yes, you’ve read right! Stromstad decided to combine his love of NASCAR racing driver Dale Earnhardt with fantasy to deliver a full-throttle, high-speed thrash metal offering. The results are surprisingly quite great. Stromstad sings, plays guitar, bass, and drums and does a bang-up job of it. Highlights for me include “Gasoline”, the fast and furious first single with its super catchy chorus; “I Am the Intimidator”, a speedy metal blast with terrific guitar work that’s old school metal to the bone; and “Crying from the Abyss”, my favourite song, an all-around stellar track with a ferocious guitar and bass attack. I Am The Intimidator, the band and the EP, are well-worth your time and money if you’re into metal and classic rock.

Miserable Pyre’s Bandcamp Page for I Am The Intimidator: https://iamtheintimidator.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-intimidator 

Short Story Time: Silently It Creeps

It's the first Saturday of February, so it's time for a FREE short story! This one’s very short and nasty, and has only been published online back in the spring of 2006 (the second story I ever got published). It’s a creepy little tale about the monster under the bed. I give you “Silently It Creeps”. You can download the free PDF right here.

In case you missed the previous entries in Short Story Time, you can download them at the links below. Enjoy and drop me a line to let me know what you think of them!

“The Chilling Hour” is a tale about Nick Kubrick, a horror DJ who investigates and debunks supernatural myths in his spare time in the foggy city of Bitternest, Louisiana. He would go on to star in his own novel, Nocturnal Offerings, a few years later.

“The Errand” is a tale about a man who goes through the woods of Bitternest to run an errand and will see the course of his life altered forever.

“Hershell’s Motel” is a strange tale about an unusual motel where, you guessed it, bizarre things happen.

“The Rattling Man” is a coming of age Halloween tale. Do you believe in the bogeyman? Do you believe in the Rattling Man? Find out who or what he is!

“Crimson Nightmares” is my take on the “Halloween” movie series. Written and initially published digitally back in 2011, this 106-page novella picks up 33 years after the events of the second "Halloween" film from 1981, the night when Michael Myers terrorized Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and the residents of Haddonfield, Illinois. It follows little Lindsey Wallace, the little girl Laurie Strode babysat in the first “Halloween” (1978) film, who is all grown-up now and bears the scars of that terrible night to this day. She has moved to my fictitious town of Bitternest, Louisiana to get away from her past and has been leading a quiet life, that is until something inside Michael Myers snaps and he comes looking for her on Halloween. Add to that a killer clown with an agenda of his own and it’s a Halloween you won’t soon forget. It’ll be a showdown for the ages when Michael Myers comes to the eerie city of Bitternest.

“The Bypassed Mind”, a romantic suspense/fantasy story with some hypnosis thrown in for good measure that was directly inspired by the late, great Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return also adapted as the film "Somewhere in Time".

“Breaking and Entering”, the story of a man who enters people’s homes just for kicks, never stealing anything, just to see what goes on behind close doors. One day he’ll stumble upon something that will change his life forever…

“Scapegoat”, a tale about the Curse of the Cubs, the love of baseball, some time travel, and a whole lot of nostalgia. Even if you're not into baseball, this fantasy tale filled with mystery is sure to entertain you.

Last but not least, fans of Conan and Dungeons & Dragons can also download a PDF of the first two tales of the ongoing adventures of my Sword & Sorcery character AMOK right here. 

February Welcomes the First Bandcamp Friday of 2024!

It’s the first Bandcamp Friday of the year! For the occasion, I’m doubling the number of albums I’ll shine a light on. It’s also because I’m moving out of town at the end of the month and will not have time to do a BCF roundup for March, so you get a double dose this month. By now you all know the drill: Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels for a full 24 hours. The year is just beginning and it’s already stacked in terms of new releases. So, without further ado, here are my ten picks to help you find some great songs and albums for February.

First off, Kontact, a heavy metal/space rock quartet out of Calgary, Alberta released their first LP, Full Contact, on January 19^th following their 2022 debut EP, First Contact. This band has a great sound harking back to the heydays of heavy metal with some prog rock thrown in for good measure to deliver an awesome album full of sci-fi tales. You can pick it up here.

Second, the mighty Ripple Music released a surprise compilation on January 25^th titled Planet Desert Rock IV to celebrate the heavy rock underground show of the same name in Las Vegas for three nights of incredible music. A “Name Your Price” release featuring 16 tracks from Ripple’s talented roster, the likes of Freedom Hawk, The Obsessed, Wo Fat, Steak, Salem’s Bend and many others. Get yours right here.

Third, doom supergroup Slower released their self-titled debut LP via Heavy Psych Sounds Records on January 26^th, paying homage to the music of thrash metal legends Slayer. It’s a fantastic album that’s sure to please fans and non-fans of Slayer alike. You can read my thoughts on it here and get your copy over here.

Fourth, sludge metal one-man army Titanosaur returns with a fresh new single to kick off the year: “Let Me Go” was released on January 26^th. It’s another earth-stomping tune that’s sure to get your juices flowing. You can grab the song right here.

Fifth, another Calgary, Alberta heavy metal band, Traveler, released their third album, Prequel to Madness, also on January 26^th. A superb set of nine kick-ass songs for lovers of traditional metal and NWOBHM. Traveler has become a very reliable band when it comes to old school metal with a modern edge. You can buy Prequel to Madness over here.

Sixth, a great find for me, Ember Belladonna with her debut album titled The Grove will be out on February 9^th. It’s a wonderful folk metal album with the flute as its lead instrument that’s cinematic and hypnotic all at once. You can read my thoughts on it here and pre-order your copy here.

Seventh, legendary doom band The Obsessed return with their fifth LP, Gilded Sorrow, on February 16^th via Ripple Music. It’s been seven years since Sacred, their last album, came out and Scott “Wino” Weinrich and company release what might just be their best record yet! You can read what I had to say about it here and pre-order your copy right here.

Eighth, direct from Spain, heavy metallers Iron Curtain are back with their fifth LP (with also a bunch of EPs under their belts), Savage Dawn, via metal boutique label Dying Victims Productions. The album will be out on February 23^rd and it’s a sledgehammer of a record! Fans of old school metal and speed metal will dig it a lot. You can pre-order it over here.

Ninth, what is definitely one of my Top Three most anticipated releases of the year, former KISS guitarist and legend Ace Frehley will return to our galaxy with his eighth solo album, 10,000 Volts, on February 23^rd. The spaceman seems to be in rare form judging by the first single and title track of the record. I can’t wait to spin the full thing and you can be sure I’ll do a Musings column on it once I’ve had a chance to give it a couple of listens. You can pre-order 10,000 Volts right here.

Tenth and final, on March 1^st, former Ozzy axeman Zakk Wylde along with bassist Blasko and drummer Joey Castillo will be back as Zakk Sabbath, their Black Sabbath tribute band. The trio released a phenomenal first album titled Vertigo back in 2020 covering Sabbath’s debut LP in its entirety. This time around, Doomed Forever Forever Doomed, will be a double album covering Sabbath records number 2 and 3: Paranoid and Master of Reality. Please take note that the album will only be available on vinyl and CD; just as was the case with Vertigo, there won’t be a digital release (a bad practice and annoying as all hell in my opinion!). If that’s alright with you, you can pre-order it over here.

There you go! Show your love to all those hard-working bands and labels. I’m sure 2024 will prove to be another terrific year for metal and Bandcamp Friday is a great way to share the love of music. Next edition of BCF is on March 1^st, but I’ll see you for the one after that, on April 5^th. In the meantime, be sure to drop by the blog often as I’ll have lots of goodies for you until then.