HIGH SPIRITS "You Are Here" LP (2014)

HIGH SPIRITS is just about one of the most unique heavy metal bands hitting it right now, in 2014. To say that they play 80s high energy rock would be a crass understatement, as you would probably say "bah! just another retro act! they come by the dozen". You couldn't be more wrong, as these Chicago swingers, commanded by the Mozart of headbangers, Prof. Chris Black (SUPERCHRIST, DAWNBRINGER, PHARAOH) manage to play no-fills all-chills heavy metal the way it was intended to be played and make it sound like it was played from the heart, not from the costume.

After a series of demos, there came the debut "Another Night" LP (2011), which was just about the best album released in 2011, back to back with swedes GRAVEYARD's "Hisingen Blues". It was the heavy metal dream come true, sounding out of this world all thanks to mastermind Chris B. 

"You Are Here", to put it simply, is just more of the same, but not necessarily in a bad way. It doesn't feel like HIGH SPIRITS are trying to top their own game, they just stick to the formula that made them what they are: harmonic guitars, the superb vocals and the melody in itself. The only thing that makes this album not be better than "Another Night" is that "Another Night" sounded very fresh to me when I first heard it, it had its own sound very well crafted. "You Are Here" is just like that, minus some memorable choruses and melodies, but it really lacks in the fact that it's all been heard before, it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. I really enjoy it but, again, it's more of the same.

I really wished for this album to blow me away like the first one did, but I can't complain, because it still is a very well crafted piece of music, yet it needs a couple of replays for it to get on your good side.

8/10

PERTURBATOR "Dangerous Days" LP (2014)

We here at TZEEEAC love the whole new wave of 80s retro-synth, and with PERTURBATOR having ridden this wave to orgasmic proportions in the past with the beautiful "Terror 404" and the darker "I Am The Night", we all knew that his third record was going to be something of serene beauty. He was even cool enough to answer our dumb questions a while back, so we got you pretty much covered on this subject.

"Dangerous Days" starts out smoothly, with the opening track "Welcome Back" setting the game for us. After that the fortunately titled "Perturbator's Theme" kicks you in the nuts all of the sudden, making sure you feel like you're sinking in your chair from the sheer intensity and perfect synth hooks. There's a couple of songs on this LP that have some relaxing vocals added on them for good measure. Now, I haven't enjoyed this sort of experimentation on PERTURBATOR's behalf in the past (some songs come to mind from "I Am The Night" that really didn't do it for me) but shit, man, the vocals here just bring "Dangerous Days" even closed to the top spot on what will be this year's best album list. They really tie the whole thing together, like mayonnaise on some golden shaworma.

This album really stands out on two levels: hooks and emotions, and I'm going to talk about the latter. The fact that the instrumentals on this album give you so much energy and emotion is just something that really can't be that easily achieved using decades-old keyboards and loopers. Then there's the tracks with the vocals on them that bring about 10% of what DAFT PUNK have been doing since forever with the whole "human/robot" deal, they sound like robots playing synths and vocals, but feel very human alltogether and emotion-y, and I find that really really good.

I've enjoyed PERTURBATOR's early albums so much because they sounded very retro and to a certain small degree, pretty cheesy (songs about Linnea Quigley and Josh Holmes.. you know what I'm talking about), but with "Dangerous Days" this is most certainly not the case. The whole LP is way darker and way more deep and mature compared to his other work (this shit sounds straight out of Pitchfork but it's as accurate as I can say it) and for that I hold this album very very high. The evolution that this artist has come through is about as good as it gets.

9.5/10

VIOLENCE ON VIOLENCE: Daniel's life-changing album

When you lay your seven year old eyes on such an album cover, you know your life will have be forever changed. Spellbinding artwork aside, the music contained in this magnum opus is the pure work of gods, heavy metal at its finest, and when it acted as a gateway album into metal to my virgin ears it was just magical. Had this album never existed, it would have never been the same for me.

Dual guitars like you've never heard before, a bass that tears through the music like a hot blade, Nicko smashing drums into oblivion and newbie Bruce Dickinson pulling the vocal strings on this LP, yet the songs themselves really don't sound humanly possible. Outtathisworld. I remember hearing my 5th grade religion teacher telling me how he got hold of an Iron Maiden album in the 80s and saying that their evil music sounded inhuman, mechanical, impossible.

As "Invader" jumpstarts the album into lightspeed riffs and solos you get a taste of things a-coming, "Children Of The Damned" is just about the greatest heavy metal song ever written. "The Prisoner", "22 Acacia Avenue" and eponymous track are living proof of Maiden's evolution from the Di'Anno years. "Run To The Hills" is the single definition of a hook that stays in your brain years on end, while tunes "Gangland" and "Total Eclipse" bring the NWOBHM groove thrashing down.

And then there's "Hallowed Be Thy Name", an overture for all ends. How to finish on a high note. How to bring home the bacon. How to make your mark on the mind of millions upon millions of young music enthusiasts that want to explore new horizons. Make way not for the greatest metal album of all time, but for one of the biggest musical achievements in history.

It goes without saying that if this LP had not been, it would mean the non-existance of so many heavy metal bands that took the flag further and bowed before The Beast.

He's walking like a small child 

But watch his eyes burn you away 

METALCHRIST "Nihil Sine Deo" (1994)

The Romanian metal scene is about as bland as a pound of sand. Just sand. But if you dig through it like a fucking maniac you're damn sure you're gonna find some hidden gems. The heavy metal kind. And NO, I do not like to take Iris, Holograf and early Compact as heavy metal, just like I do not like to think of Bon Jovi as heavy metal. They are just some hard rock aimed at the feminine public. I'm not saying they suck, but it's not what I'm looking for.

You see, in the 90s there was a TV show called "Intâlnirea de la Miezul Nopţii'' ("The Midnight Meeting") who invited metal acts to play on their stage. Some of the recordings of those bands leaked on youtube a couple of years ago and, when I saw the Metalchrist one, I remained speechless. For mid-90s Romania it was amazing to see fast and heavy riffs, powerful drumming, screeched-metallic vocals and double guitar solos, while all of the bandmates looked like some filthy 80s thrash outfit (pictured above).

The whole album resonates of very cool guitar harmonies, even to my utter amazement sone Mercyful Fate-like ones and very good vocals, though a little silent at times and even if they drift a little into 90s power metal, they really do the job surprisingly well. I can trully say this album is THE hidden gem for the entire Romanian metal scene.

Final Ratting: 8.5/10.