JUSTIN CASE METAL REVIEWS W/C 1/3/10

AIRBOURNE / NO GUTS, NO GLORY

Lets face it, comparisons between Airbourne and another Australian band beginning with A, are inevitable but if your going to be compared to any other band it might as well be a mega successful one and giving your new album the same title as a Molly Hatchet album cant be bad either.

The other good thing about being compare to another band is that the Metal fan knows what to expect before they even hear a note, which leave no uncertainty, you know that tracks like “No Way But The Hard Way” are going to be high voltage rock and roll at its best and that “Blonde, Bad And Beautiful” is guaranteed to shake your foundations.  Humours quips aside this is a very good album and the band should be proud at least their influences are upfront and honest and you can tell its not just a ploy because they play with such passion and conviction that’s its impossible not to like them, when the opening track “Born To Kill” launches you know what that you are in for some first class Metal that the Australian band beginning with A would be proud to have had on their last album.

Over all this is a very strong follow up to their debut and if you like the other Australian band beginning with A, its damned certain you will warm to Airbourne, so go and buy it and if the other Australian band beginning with A are smart they will get them on as support, how cool would that be, also listen out for: “White Line Fever” (not a Motorhead cover), “Get Busy Livin’”, ”Bottom Of The Well”, “Armed And Dangerous” (not an Anthrax cover) and “Raise The Flag”.  Easily album of the week despite their tendency to borrow titles, buy the special edition as it has extra tracks.

WEBSITE      http://www.airbournerock.com & http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 47 mins + 13 TRACKS

DARK TRANQUILLITY / WE ARE THE VOID

Dark Tranquillity have been going for 18 years this year (2010) and are one of the leading light of the Gothenburg sound along side Hypocrisy and In Flames.

The bands hook laden Melodic Death Metal is a fine mix of brutal, hard edged guitar riffs are counterbalanced by the  delicate melodies from the keyboard flurries, just listen to the majesty of “At The Point Of Ignition” and the glorious ”Her Silent Language” the latter of which could easily be a massive hit if given half the chance as the hook is so memorable that I sticks in your brain and wont go away, I don’t see how anyone can hear this track and not be totally blown away.  If you want something harder edged then check out, “The Fatalist”, “The Shadow Of Our Blood” or the mighty “Dream Oblivion”.

I have been a fan of Dark Tranquillity since their 1997 album “The Mind’s I” and all their albums since then have been consistent and well worth checking out, just like this new one.  If you get the limited edition you get 2 extra tracks and a DVD, listen out for: “In My Absence”, “I Am The Void”, “Surface The Infinite” and “Iridium”.    

WEBSITE      http://www.darktranquillity.com & http://www.centurymedia.com

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 48 mins + 11 TRACKS