A Musical 2014

2014 was a great year for my music collection. Several old favourite bands released new albums and I also explored a relatively new genre more extensively, discovering two new bands on the journey.

A couple of years ago, I discovered a new band called Within Temptation, a Dutch symphonic metal band, fronted by the wonderful Sharon den Adel. This year I decided to explore symphonic metal just to see if there were any other similar bands.

I discovered two absolute gems.

The first is Nightwish, a Finnish band who has been around for years and have produced some fantastic music. Ultimately I ended up buying six of their albums – and they are all fantastic. The first few albums are fronted by a woman with the most incredible voice in rock music. You will almost certainly never have heard of her but she is a legend in the genre. Her name is Tarja Turunen and her operatic voice, in my view, defines exactly what symphonic metal is – a mixture of classical music and heavy metal.

Nightwish with Tarja

Here are two of my favourite examples featuring Tarja:

Tarja has since left Nightwish and her replacement, Anette Olzen, although she has a different style of voice, added a new element to the band. In particular, the last album they produced, called Imaginaerium, explores other styles of music. 

Nightwish with Anette

Here are a couple of songs that illustrate this:

The great news is that in 2015, Nightwish are back with a new album.

Also, this year, Within Temptation released their follow up to the brilliant The Unforgiving, my album of the year in 2011.

Within Temptation

The new album is called Hydra and, once more, is a masterpiece. It features a few guest artists including Tarja Turunen. Here is a beautiful song from the album:

I went to see Within Temptation at the Manchester Apollo earlier this year and discovered the second symphonic metal band I mentioned. Within Temptation were supported by another Dutch band called Delain, again fronted by a woman with a fantastic voice. As a result of their 45 minute set, I bought three of their albums and saw them on their own headline tour towards the end of the year.

Delain

Here is a great song by the band:

Other old favourites released new albums. First, I was delighted that Judas Priest are still producing new music. Their previous album, Nostradamus, seemed to get mixed reviews, although I have to say that I loved it. This year, they got back to basics with Redeemer of Souls, which will definitely keep their hard core fans happy. This is heavy metal at its best. Here’s my favourite song on the album:

Last month, the Foo Fighters returned with their new album Sonic Highways. I’ve always loved this band and I think Dave Grohl is one of the world’s great rock stars. The first single from the album is brilliant and sums up exactly why I love the band. Here is Something From Nothing, a song which builds up from a mellow beginning into a great rock song. It includes a couple of swear words, if you are easily offended:

Finally, one of my favourite bands released their eleventh album this year; the problem is that you won’t have heard of them, unless you have read this blog before. The band is called Ten and they are a melodic rock band from Manchester who have produced some truly magnificent songs in their eighteen year history. 

The new album is called Albion and is a real return to form, Here is a song from the album:

I would like to mention one final album I acquired this year. I have been writing this blog now since 2008 and one of the people who has read and commented on my blog in the past is an American lady known as Bingkee, originally from the Philippines, who is married to a guitar player. This year he released his first album and Bingkee was kind enough to send me a copy all the way across the pond from the US.

It is an instrumental guitar album in the style of Joe Satriani and it is really rather good.

Here is a live performance of one of the songs I found on You Tube.

I hope you enjoyed the songs.

Happy New Year to one and all and see you in 2015.

Top Ten Rock Bands

As you can see, I survived the first Christmas party – and jolly good it was too. Before the next one, tonight, I thought I would deviate from my usual inane drivel.

Every now and then I stumble across a blog post that lists the author’s favourite things and I find myself drawn in out of curiosity. I’ve read about favourite books, movies, bands, songs, cars – all sorts of things. In some cases I have actually investigated further by taking the time to see a movie because somebody recommended it in a Top Ten List.

I thought I would have a go myself and being a curious person (by that I mean a person who is curious not somebody who is weird – although I am weird – so maybe really am curious in more than one sense of the word – I’m rambling now so I’ll shut up), I thought I might give people an insight into the things that appeal to me and, hopefully, open doors for your curiosity to wander in and explore.

I’ll start off with a subject that is close to my heart – rock music.

Listed below are my ten favourite rock bands with a simple explanation about why I love them

Please feel free to comment on your favourites – my curiosity has a sense of adventure and I’m always willing to move into previously unexplored areas of rock music; I am the Starship Enterprise travelling through a universe of unexplored rock bands – willing to go where no plastic person has gone before.

For those willing to explore my strange world, here are my top ten rock bands:

(1) Rush – In my opinion, this band are the undisputed kings of progressive rock. I’ve praised this Canadian trio before so I won’t bore you too much with my sycophantic gushing. I have grown up with this band and their music never ceases to amaze me. Here is a song from the very first album I bought:

Subdivisions - from the album Signals

(2) Dream Theater – I’ve only recently discovered this band. They have been around for almost two decades and I am kicking myself that I only started listening to them this year. I bought “Images And Words” and haven’t looked back. Thanks to Spotify, I have heard their entire catalogue and I will have it in my possession by mid-2010. Here’s probably their most popular song:

Pull Me Under from the album Images and Words

(3) Nine Inch Nails – I am a huge fan of 80’s electronic pop music, particularly bands like Depeche Mode. Nine Inch Nails take that style of music and integrate rock and metal into it thus providing me with a style of music that fills the gap between pop and rock. I think Trent Reznor is a genius and the man can do no wrong in my eyes. Here’s a recent chart single:

The Hand That Feeds from the album With Teeth

(4) Rammstein – This bunch of German nutters are a joy to behold. I was converted when I saw them in the opening scenes of the film “XXX” performing “Feuer Frei” complete with flame throwers and other pyrotechnic mayhem. They are very controversial in their native Germany and a couple of Germans I have spoken to regard them with nothing but contempt. Having translated the lyrics I can see why. That said, however, they are incredible live and I am off to see them for the second time in February next year. Here is the song that started it all for me:

Feuer Frei from the album Mutter

(5) Deep Purple – Deep Purple are one of the key bands that made me fall in love with rock music. The legendary Mark II line up is still my favourite and songs like “Highway Star” still send shivers down my spine. The bad are still going strong after forty years – they must be doing something right.

Perfect Strangers from the album Perfect Strangers

(6) Foo Fighters – David Grohl is another musical hero of mine. I loved Nirvana but The Foo Fighters are superior and I’m still amazed at the sheer talent and charisma of the guy. If you haven’t already seen them live, I highly recommend it.

All My Life from the album One By One

(7) Judas Priest – There aren’t many famous people from my home town of Walsall but Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, is one of them. They are the godfathers of heavy metal and, although they have courted controversy, I still love them. Again they are still going strong and their latest concept album, Nostradamus, is one of the best heavy metal albums of this decade.

Nostradamus from the album Nostradamus

(8) The Wildhearts – Ginger, the singer and main songwriter of the Wildhearts, is another unsung hero of mine. Believe it or not this band has been around since the early nineties and, despite self-destructing on a number of occasions, they are (incredibly) still around and producing some of their best music at the moment. If you like punky rock music with incredibly catchy tunes you will love this band.

The New Flesh from the album The Wildhearts

(9) Metallica – It wasn’t until “Enter Sandman” that I realised just how good Metallica are. For me that was the song that changed my perception of this incredible band. For those of you that are sceptical, just listen to the album “Master of Puppets”. If you are still not convinced, listen to their most reason masterpiece, “Death Magnetic”. These are two of the best heavy metal albums of all time.

The Day That Never Comes from the album Death Magnetic

(10) Ten – Yes, I’ve mentioned this melodic rock band before and I know that you will have never heard of them. It is an absolute crime that this band never reached the heights of inferior bands like Bon Jovi. Gary Hughes, the man behind the band, is a superb songwriter. If you like melodic rock, you will love this band.

Fear The Force from the album Spellbound

Do have a listen and let me know what you think. Even better, please let me know your favourite rock bands and I will investigate. Have fun.