Reviews roundup – Raven vs. Lila Rose vs. Overloud vs. Jeff Jensen

Reviews roundup – Raven vs. Lila Rose vs. Overloud vs. Jeff Jensen

RAVEN
ExtermiNation
Steamhammer / SPV

Back when I was running a highly illegal blog called Godshatmyipod, who should pop in to comment on a conversation about Raven but John Gallagher. Yes, the John Gallagher from Raven.  See, I mix with the top people, so a wee bit more respect wouldn’t go amiss.

That was back when “Walk Through Fire” was released, five or so years ago.  And here is another one, a mere forty one years since the Gallagher brothers decided to don sweatbands and perform athletic rock for the masses.  Sometimes.  See, even though last year Raven opened for Metalllica in Sao Paolo in front of 70,000 fans (thirty years after Metallica opened for Raven on a US tour), it wasn’t always like that.  As I recall here.

But none of that matters because when Raven are good, they are very good.  And this is good Raven, not “The Pack Is Back” Raven.  Granted, the bonus track is called ‘Malice In Geordieland’, but we’ll let that one slide, as pound for pound this is a cracking metal romp.  It’s been the same lineup since 1987 when Joe Hasselvander replaced Rob “Wacko” Hunter on drums, and they really know how to serve up a good time on songs like ‘Battle March/Tank Treads (The Blood Runs Red)’, ‘Thunder Down Under’ and ‘It`s Not What You Got’.

They’re still faster than the speed of light and if you want to pay tribute to the forefather of speed metal, then bow down here.

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LILA ROSE
We. Animals
independent

And now for something completely different.  See, this is the kind of hippy shit that normally makes me choke on a bacon butty.  After all, this is someone who sought the services of a clairvoyant, seeking the answer to whether it was time to bring this album to life.

Strange to relate, the clairvoyant said yes, and so we have “We. Animals”.  It’s basically downtempo electro-pop, but at its heart are some really good songs.  They are songs, however, which are distant and remote, something probably due to her aversion to loud and brash music, brought on by her hyperacusis.  And if you don’t know what that is, then lucky you, as Mrs H suffers from it, and it’s a bugger.

The best song is ‘World On Fire’ which throbs away into your consciousness in a rather ominous way.  There are brushes with industrial music, all offset by her excellent vocals.  It’s pop, Jim, bu not as we know it.

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OVERLOUD
Altered Ego
Rock CD

Not to be confused with the Indonesian thrash metal band, this Overloud are from Donostia in the Basque country.  They’ve been on the go since 2007 and after an early demo, they released an album in 2011 called “Past Has Gone…” “Today Is Done”.   They’ve done the usual battle of the bands thing, and also supported / opened for the likes of The Poodles, Freedom Call and Crazy Lixx.

And if you like your metal to be rooted in the eighties with some nods to the Priest and their ilk, then this could be right up your street.  Add in a soupcon of sleaze rock and some good tunes, and Overloud are quite an engaging proposition. The guitars sound great, there are some good solos, and given half a chance, you’ll be riffing away to numbers like ‘Swallow My Love’ (yes, really) and ‘Devil In Me’.

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JEFF JENSEN
Morose Elephant
Swingsuit Records

Well that elephant certainly lives up to its name.  Unlike the music which is exact opposite.  Basically, Jeff Jensen is a blues performer, but he adds in lots of other references to his arrangements, which push the songs in new and interesting directions.

There are some really, really good songs here, which lift the spirits, with ‘Make It Through’ and Get Along’ real highlights, which get the album off to a fantastic start.  Over on side two, you get another gem in the shape of What’s The Matter With The Mill’, although picking highlights isn’t easy when there are so many to choose from.

It’s been ten years since he put his first solo band and that, along with his stint in the Brandon Santini band, shines through in his performing and writing craft.  A real treat of an album for blues fans.

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