Reviews Archiv 525

Victor Smolski, I truly bow my head in front of you.... Yeah well, that would be actually enough said to this show of Rage tonight in Munich. But okay, first of all - you all out there don't know why, and 2) it would be a little too short for a live review wouldn't it.
And one more thing ahead, this gig here is the very first one of the new tour supporting the band's new album 'Sting To A Web'.
Fortunately my fears, that the place would be left half empty didn't come true. Here are more then 400 people. Indeed it seems even more crowded as that, because of the overdimensional big merchandise booth. Holy christ... This fan article shop takes almost a quarter of the space in our living room here and seems like the one of AC/DC... yeah weill maybe not quite as bit, but Respect, - you truly can't dismiss this supermarket here.

We are a little nervous before the church service in the new dress, as we say so.. and also both animators have to find their way to fit in this first...

Take off comes from ‚Seven’. – Who? –

Exactly, as no tired cloth mott does know this band who are up there right now, playing their butts off. One of our Die Hard fans here spontaniously comments, that up there the recarnation of Tom Arays is playing the guitar and also the one of your journalist collegue is behind the vocal micropphone, - but in a 20 years younger version. No rubbish - there ain't no ghosts existiing, but the science of evolution has alwas told us, that mankind evolved from only one ape. So who the fuck knows, how the dna has grown and developed in whatsoever way. .
Our cool Nr. Seven has right been exported from Czech Republic and has... yep... seven CDs out now. In the past this lot has already toured, supporting other well known groups and artists of the Metal section. Though the name Seven ain't that known yet over here in our country. so I guess, it's about time that Araya and Schöwe in spe' beat the feathers of their napkins to swim to a save shore. Their teacher in some ways is certainly none other than Rage guitarist Victor Smolski, wha apparently has taken care, that this czech kids get another chance to show fans, that they are not just a number but a band. The rest has to be provided by themselves, and that's most of all seven deadyl sins. Yes seriously , that's what their current release is entitled. And shortly Seven will release their very first DVD.
Let's put it that way...

Seven are doing pretty weill, although it's nothing new or exeptionall what's up to classic hardrock. It's like - everything heard before... But these kids are full of this certain enthusiasm. And this could be an advantage for them in the near future. I say conciously - could... the question is: will they really use the cance. And of course some luck is needed, like always in showbusiness. Time will tell.....

http://www.sevencz.com

Well now we're getting to a chapter, who did pick up some not so good reputation lately because of some sort of tour differences with other artists.

Whatever has happened, its not from interest here at this point, but as we say so - there is this infamous light leaving sort of questionable shades on them. Well on the other side it' taking care for some interest as well. However Promotion is promotion, no matter if good or bad. Well we leave that and rather concentrate on the appearance of Jaded Heart right now, who is a true swedish-german cooperation. And although their newest CD 'Perfect Insanity' has already been released about 6 months ago, this here is actually the promotion trip for this product. But as I mentioned before, the first try went down the drain, for whatever reasons.
I have to be carefull no, as I do have some problems with this kind of rockmusic, which contains a lot of melody and most of all too much bombast for my taste. Melodic Rock is a stylistic, which has seen it's haydays quite a few years back. Right now this kinda rock ain't trendy at all. Let's put it that way: Rock is Rock, and this fine tuning of different styles and draws sometimes is pretty overdriven. It's a fact, that the best horses in the cabin of music circus are either brutally hard, trendsetter or classic evergreens. Everything inbetween including Melodic Rock is flowing somewhere anywhere. And Jaded Heart do belong to those last mentioned one's. This band has got a name no doubt about that, but they never hit it really big and probably never will do.
And one more thing mentioned , you can think about the singer Johan Fahlberg whatever you want. But you truly can't compare him with Michael Bormann.

What's up to today's debut appearance on this tour, it's not only me, thinking - no boys this is not your day today. And believe me, that has absolutely nothing to do with my personal tastes. The only excuse is - beeing nervous because of the 1. gig, and therefore a lack of self confidence and routine. Mind me, last one's Jaded Heart should actually have after so many years.

However, but also the guitar smashing at the end of the show doesn't impress anybody anymore. What a shame about the instrument!!! And be honest: things like that - that was once upon a time in the past - sixties and seventies. And if one artist could still allow themselves including devotion of fans ,then it's only one band. - Who? Yes exactly..
In that sense... maybe the average condition does increase during this tour a bit, because - we don't give in, do we?

http://www.jadedheart.de/

WHO’s next….?
Yes of course, there's only one still missing, and that's our the kings of the Road. –

And so the circle closes itselves, with what I was praying in the beginning of this review - the knee fall - you know?
However, Rage are actually the best example, that also a threesome is able to produce a full sound and shoot out as much energy as a 5 men band does.
Now I get to this god damn pre justice about german bands, who all sound somehow the same, mainly because of this typical double beat.- And there we are at the big advantage Rage do enjoy, at least since Victor Smolski is in the band. Not only, that he is a world class musician, but he also manages, that this band does not sound german at all, yeah well apart maybe from the slight german accent in Peavy Wagner's voice,.

I do confess, that my expectations in the beginning weren't that hight. But it now is really enjoyable, what's going on up there now. And just to mention it, Rage have always been a little to hard for beeing one of these usual true german metalbands. On the other hand, their music still has got a clear structur and good rhythm. As known now for quite a while, it's not Mike Terrana anymore sitting behind the drumkit but Andre' Hilgers, who own, according to Peavy, at least the same talent like Mike before. He now is in the band for 3 years.

Well, Terrana is still the bigger showman. And that can be quite entertaining, but it is not nessacery to provide a good show.
Peavy himself has slimmed down quite a bit, and this surely ain't a disadvantage. He shows himself pretty selfconfident, though he said, he's not, before this show. But nobody realizes anything.... howsoever...

Somehow I have the impression the intellectual goal has increased within the band, at least since Victor Smolski joined in in 1999. And I can only repeat myself, what a genius he is...

Just let's hope, he doesn't waste himself within his second hobby, which is much more risky than music - car racing Russian imput takes care to give Rage this international touch, the one, many local heroes do miss. And the just mentioned intellectual touch can quickly be recognized within the new record. Just to mention one brilliant track 'Empty Hollow'. A little longer than 15 minutes the live version does last, and not a single second bordom.