Greetings! Here’s another double dose of reviews for you. First off, the San Antonio, Texas quartet Thunder Horse will release their first live album via the mighty Ripple Music on July 14th titled Dead Alive in TX. They’re going the classic route KISS and other ‘70s rock bands took of putting out a live album after three studio LPs. I must say, I wholeheartedly endorse this wonderful initiative. Over the last couple of years, Thunder Horse has become one of my top three favourite bands from the Ripple Music roster. Dead Alive in TX features songs from their self-titled debut from 2018, their now-classic sophomore effort, Chosen One, from 2021, and of course, their masterpiece from last summer, After the Fall, which I reviewed exactly a year ago today, strangely enough.
Man, what a kick-ass record this
is! This album sounds crisp and crystal clear from beginning to end and there
isn’t a dull moment to be found. Stephen Bishop’s vocals boom over each song
while Todd Connally’s blistering guitar, and the thundering rhythm section of Dave
Crow on bass & Johnny Lightning on drums unleash crushing doom goodness on
our senses. From the heavy and doomy “Let Them Bleed” to the anthemic “New
Normal”, the entrancing “Song for the Ferryman”, to a reinvigorated “Chosen One”,
closing the set with a breakneck rendition of the Motorhead signature song “Ace
of Spades” that would make Lemmy proud, Dead
Alive is nothing short of perfection in terms of a live album. My only
gripe is that I wish it would’ve been longer, with three or four more songs. Was
this recorded at a festival where they performed a shorter set or is this an
abbreviated show for the purpose of fitting it all on a single vinyl? In any
case, I’d love to have a full, one-hour plus live album from Thunder Horse the
next time around.
A perfect gateway to the band for
newcomers, Dead Alive in TX is a
riff-loaded “Best Of” of the band’s greatest tunes as well as a testament to
just how powerful they sound in a live performance. I hope they’ll continue the
tradition and release another live LP in about five or six years once they’ve
put out album number six. Pre-order/add this one to your Wishlist on Bandcamp ASAP—it’s
required listening for all fans of doom/heavy psych/classic rock.
Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for Thunder Horse: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/dead-alive-in-tx
Next up, hailing from Gothenburg,
Sweden, heavy metal band Dream Evil will be making a comeback with their first
album in seven years. The legendary Swedish metal group celebrates their twenty-fifth
anniversary this year and their latest LP, Metal
Gods, will see the light of day on July 26th via Century Media
Records. The quintet has put together a stellar album perfectly tailored to
their long-time fans and devotees of old school metal in general.
It’s a record chock-full of
highlights, with the anthemic opening title track and first single—an homage to
the gods of metal like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. “Chosen Force” with its
catchy chorus and harmonious synths. “The Tyrant Dies at Dawn”, a battle song
with superb guitar playing. “Lightning Strikes” is a melodic gem while “Fight
in the Night” is a kick-ass tune with heavy riffage. The slower-paced,
bass-driven “Masters of Arms” is a beauty, and “Born in Hell”, a song that
feels like the spiritual twin of “Metal Gods”, is equally great and Priest-like
in execution.
Dream Evil are back in a major
way. Metal Gods is a breath of fresh
air and shows that the quintet hasn’t lost a beat after all these years. If
anything, they sound rejuvenated here. Masters at crafting melodic metal hooks,
riffs, and guitar solos with pop sensibilities, they deliver hands-down one of
the best metal LPs of the year with Metal
Gods. Whether you’re new to the band or have been following them for the
past twenty plus years, there’s plenty to love on Metal Gods. Join the celebration and pre-order this collection of
gems at your earliest convenience.
Century Media Records’ Bandcamp page for Dream Evil: https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/metal-gods-24-bit-hd-audio
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