I'm not keen on the cover art, perhaps it'd be ok if they left out the beastie stomach muncher. A title like "Abattoir de la Mort" is slightly overkill
A while ago a friend actually gave me the DLP of "Voyager" as he never plays it, and after giving it some listens I think I'll end up selling it as there's no reason to ever put it on :/
Are you the tyrant, who cast them to the sea?
One day you'll be among the dead.
Seriously, Atlantis Rising and Spiral Castle rule. Voyager also rules, the haggard vocals and rumbling stomp was just killer. Also, "Tree of Life" is one of their best songs ever.
"Gates of Fire" had really silly sounding vocals and had a MUCH bigger problem with song lengths considering they were all anchored on like 4 or 5 riffs. Although based on the preview of this new album and the respective song lengths, hellroadie's vocals are improving on record and it all doesn't seem so drawn out.
I don't care for the cover art but I'm not going to bother about that. Some cliches are cliches because they are so true; it's the music that counts.
I'm sure Manilla Road have another great one coming. I like Voyager, it's a bit long winded and Shark's voice is a bit lacking in places. But on the whole the album is still pretty great, though not quite up to the standard of the masterpiece Gates of Fire, which to me is their third best album ever.
I don't mind if the Shark does the occasional grunt or growl. He's an angry old man anyway, ha-ha. The new one has Hellroadie back on co-vocals which I think will be great. Love Hellroadie, his vocals on songs like "When Giants Fall" and "The Fall of Iliam" are insanely good.
I'm a little surprised with the direction of this album. It's quite possibly the "heaviest" Manilla Road album ever, as in "focus on heaviness". It has no up tempo songs and no really epic moments which is it's biggest setbacks along with the somewhat similar vocal lines throughout the album. However, now with 10+ listens I feel it is a great grower. Some of these grinding doom-ladden riffs are really captivating and the Shark is quite possibly doing his best lead axe work ever.
This album is certainly worth the investment, and I concur with Mordred's valuation of the guitarplaying. It's not a classic, but it has it's moments so to any fan of MR, it should be enjoyable enough.
I know I ain't doing much,
doing nothing means a lot to me.
Just got this recently, and it's taken time to grow on me, but there are some great songs on this CD. My only complaint is the production - I've always hated albums where the majority of the guitars are panned to one side and the bass is on the other. It doesn't sound clearer, just weak and lifeless. Shit, I remember hating that concept with old Van Halen albumss. At least record 2 rhythm tracks and pan them right and left or whatever.
Other than that, I like the material a lot. I just wish the production was more balanced.
I like it a lot. Definitely hard rockier than the other post-2000 albums which is right up my alley. And as much I would have loved the vocals sounding like in 1985 that's not going to happen. What I feel could have been better is the drum production (again!). Fantastic drumming though.
GJ wrote:I like it a lot. Definitely hard rockier than the other post-2000 albums which is right up my alley. And as much I would have loved the vocals sounding like in 1985 that's not going to happen. What I feel could have been better is the drum production (again!). Fantastic drumming though.
I actually feel the drums are sounding fine,I always liked how hard they used to pound in the past whereas the guitars sound a bit "weak"!Anyhow,there is an obvious production failure,at least the vinyl sounds like that.
