Reviews roundup – Nightwish vs. Axel Rudi Pell vs. Electric Light Orchestra

Reviews roundup – Nightwish vs. Axel Rudi Pell vs. Electric Light Orchestra

NIGHTWISH
Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Nuclear Blast

Oh.  Was that it.  Shame.  See, I’ve been a huge Nightwish fan for a long, long time now, and I’ve watched them steadily progress into one of the finest bands around, regardless of genre.  I was amazed by “Imaginaerum”, which showed that post-Tarja they could still dish out another masterpiece.  But four years down the line, and with vocalist number 3 in the ranks, this has to count as a large step backwards.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good album.  But I’m used to getting great from Nightwish and this isn’t that.  A few fanboys and girls have been claiming “it’s a grower”, but the last time I thought that about a Nightwish record was probably “Oceanborn”.  Now some of that is down to the fact that Floor Jansen is an extraordinarily average vocalist, something that makes the lesser material sound like A N Other symphonic metal band.  Which means it’s the instrumental passages that come off best.  Thankfully, there are plenty of those, and that’s what saves the album.

Although even then, there is a feeling of treading water.  It’s only when things get less bombastic and you can hear the work of Troy Donockley, that the music really takes hold.  So lucky for them that ‘Elan’ was chosen as the first single.  The big ballad, ‘Our Decades in the Sun’ is another treat, and best of all is ‘My Walden’, where the Scotchman in me can thrill to the sound of a bagpipe.

It’s no “Imaginaerum”, it’s not even a “Music Inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge”.

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AXEL RUDI PELL
Magic Moments – 25th Anniversary Special Show
Steamhammer / SPV

This, however, is how you do it.  I’m only a couple of years away from my 25th Anniversary, but I may as well cancel the party now, because there is no way it can top this.  Three CDs chock full of marvellous metal, with an array of special guests.

Of all things, it kicks of with a four song Steeler reunion, before Rob Rock and Jeff Scott Soto arrive, then it’s off into a series of ARP classics, with the one misstep arriving in the shape a dreadful version of a dreadful song – Neil Youngs ‘Hey Hey My My’.  But when you’ve got tunes like ‘The Masquerade Ball’ and ‘Into The Storm’ up your sleeve you’re allowed one slip.

Now, it’s no secret that ARP is a Ritchie Blackmore fan, so it’s no surprise that a version of ‘Black Night’ appears with vocals from Pretty Maids frontman Ronnie Atkins.  It was a surprise that former Uriah Heep man John Lawton turned up for a Heep tune and a ZZ Top cover!  That followed a drumming masterclass from Vinnie Appice and Bobby Rondinelli, and was due to Joe Lynn Turners unavailability.  But then the Purple Rainbow connection kicked in fully with Tony Carey on keyboards for ‘Mistreated’“, alongside Doogie White and Johnny Gioeli.   Graham Bonnet then arrived for a romp through ‘Since You Been Gone’ and ‘Long Live Rock´n´Roll’.

Three hours down the line, everyone piled on stage for ‘Smoke On The Water’, bringing a fantastic celebration to a close.  An amazing show that is also out on DVD.

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ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Out Of The Blue – Live At Wembley
Eagle Vision

Now this show has been out before on video and DVD, but as part of the Blu-Ray issue programme, it’s been with uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound.

Which means nothing to me, but I assume it means that this is as good as it gets visually and aurally.  It’s certainly the most expansive ELO live experience you’re likely to get as the bonus material includes 4 tracks recorded Live At Brunel University in 1973, 8 tracks from a Rockpalast show in 1974, as well as the corresponding interview and another 2 live shows from 1976 and 1978.

So that’s three hours of live Electric Light Orchestra.  Granted, you may not watch all the bonus material more than once, but when it comes to value for money, this takes the biscuit.  Back on the main event, it’s the well-known spaceship stage design filmed at London s Wembley Arena in 1978. Anyone who likes ELO will have seen this countless times, but it does seem to have a certain sheen that was missing before.  You certainly can’t argue with the music with the hits like ‘Telephone Line’, ‘Rockaria!’, ‘Wild West Hero’ and ‘Sweet Talkin Woman’ all present and correct.  A definite must have for ELO fans.

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