PROG RELATED

Featuring all the hits you'd come to expect, such as 'One', 'Enter Sandman', 'Sad But True', 'Broken, Beat and Scarred', 'Battery' and a whole host of others, including some "bonus track" surprises, such as 'Turn the Page', 'Holier Than Thou' and 'Breadfan', this is a great DVD that may not stand out in the bands discography as much as previous releases 'Live Shit: Binge & Purge', 'Cunning Stunts' or 'S&M', but is still plenty worthwhile owning, and certainly enough to satisfy any Metallica fan.

"Queen Rocks" is a compilation album of Queen that was released in 1997. The remaining three members chose to record it as a bookend for the career of Queen. It was the last recording with Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor and the first one without Freddie Mercury. It was the last to feature Deacon, who subsequently retired from public life.

"Queen Rocks" has eighteen tracks. "We Will Rock You" is from "News Of The World". It's a great rock song that soon became one of the best known and most popular songs of Queen. This is a powerful short song that works well on that album. "Tie Your Mother Down" is from "A Day At The Races". It's a good hard rock guitar based song, where Brian May shines. It was a big success on the rock radios. This is the single's version. "I Want It All" is from "The Miracle". This is a great rock song full of mood changes and nice guitar solos. It's a classic Queen's hard rock song that satisfies almost all rock fans. This is a hybrid album/single's version. "Seven Seas Of Rye" is from "Queen II". It's the final track on the first two Queen's albums. On this album, the song is lengthier than the version on their debut, and it has vocals. This is a good song that closes well "Queen II". "I Can't Live Without You" is from "Innuendo". It's a happy rock song with a simple structure, different from many songs on that album. This is one of its less attractive songs, but it still is a good song. "Hammer To Fall" is from "The Works". The song harks back to Queen's old sound, built around a hard and muscular guitar riff. It became one of their live favourite songs. "Stone Cold Crazy" is from "Sheer Heart Attack". It's a heavy metal rock song with many and sudden changes and a great guitar work. This is a great rock song. "Now I'm Here" is from "Sheer Heart Attack". It's a song with great vocal harmonies. This is a powerful rock number with a great riff, heavy beat and some nice and catchy vocals. "Fat Bottomed Girls" is from "Jazz". It's a good rock song with an open tuning guitar riff based in blues and hard rock. It has also a great choral work. This is a great song with a slight country touch and excellent vocal harmonies. "Keep Yourself Alive" is from "Queen". It's an energetic rock piece that shows Brian May's distinct and typical guitar sound. We are in presence of a straight forward rock song with different and unexpected changes in tempo, with great guitar and a nice vocal work. "Tear It Up" is from "The Works". It's a hard song in the same vein of some of the old songs of the band. It's a typical Brian May's song. The final result is a nice and good rock song very pleasant to hear. "One Vision" is from "A Kind Of Magic". It's a well known song with mysterious distorted vocals in the beginning. This is an excellent pop rock song powerful and pleasant to hear. It's one of the best songs on that album. "Sheer Heart Attack" is from "News Of The World". It's a heavy punk rock song, probably the heaviest song that Queen ever wrote. It should have been the title track for "Sheer Heart Attack", but it seems they didn't finish it in time. I don't like very much of this song. "I'm In Love With My Car" is from "A Night At The Opera". It has its lyrics inspired and dedicated to one of the band's roadies, Jonathan Harris, whose car was the love of his life. This is a great rock song, simple and catchy, one of Roger Taylor's most famous songs in Queen's catalogue. This is a hybrid album/single's version. "Put Out The Fire" is from "Hot Space". This is a traditional Queen's song. It has lead vocals by Freddie Mercury with Brian May singing lead vocals in falsetto at the end of the verse. It has a nice guitar solo by Brian May. It isn't a bad song, but it's a bit repetitive and I don't like of the Bee Gees' vocal parts. "Headlong" is from "Innuendo". It's a fast rock song with great guitar solos and a nice vocal performance. This is one of the heaviest songs on that album that proves they were still capable to write some amazing new material. "It's Late" is from "News Of The World". It's one of the four best moments on "News Of The World". This is a classic rock Queen's song with excellent melody and great individual performances by all band's members. "No-One But You (Only The Good Dye Young)" isn't properly a Queen's song. It was recorded by the three remaining members in 1997 following the death of Freddie Mercury. Originally, this song began its life as a track for Bryan May's second studio album "Another World" released in 1998. Despite the song came after the death of Diana, it was dedicated to Mercury and to all those that died too soon.

Conclusion: Like ZowieZiggy wrote, this is also, for me, exactly the same type of compilations that appeal to me. It has all the exact ingredients that a compilation must have. The album is a selection of songs from Queen's heavier side that revisit practically all Queen's studio albums with Freddie Mercury still alive. From those all albums, only three were left out, but in reality only "The Game" was forgotten because "Flash Gordon" and "Made In Heaven" are two very special albums in Queen's discography. "Flash Gordon" is a soundtrack album and "Made In Heaven" was released after Freddie's dead. Of course, many of the songs on this compilation aren't properly progressive songs. However, this compilation has the merit of not being properly focused on the more known and more commercial side of the band. Concluding, "Queen Rocks" is a great compilation album of Queen and is strongly recommended to all hard rock fans.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

And the results here, as expected, are pretty mixed. The actual movie aspect doesn't make much sense. With a daft storyline interspersed with the concert footage, and at times tying into the show itself. Sometimes with the band actually even doing little choreographed bits on stage, this all comes across as a bit awkward at times, and is probably more of a detriment than anything.

However, the concert footage itself is absolutely gorgeous! The visuals are fantastic and the high-definition video really gives it a crystal-clear picture, with some very cool camera angles and some awesome close-ups. Along with all the usual Metallica pyrotechnics and on-stage stunts and props, this is like 'Cunning Stunts' on steroids.

But sadly, that's pretty much the only highlight. There's a whole hoard of extras, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, Q&A sessions, trailers, music videos, and a whole bunch more, but it's mostly all pretty bland and generic, with the only saving grace being that live footage. I wish they'd just done an entire concert DVD recorded like this, because that part, really is THAT damn good!

From their impetuous opening section with the warlike and corrosive "Aces High", "2 Minutes to Midnight", and "The Tropper", the pieces flow revitalised by the adrenaline that the band transmits live, intensifying even more with the mythological and epic "Revelations", "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (impeccable Steve Harris with his attacking bass and the galloping guitars of the Dave Murray/Adrian Smith duo), "Powerslave", and "Phantom of the Opera" (again unbeatable Murray and Smith in a huge guitar duel giving a new life to the ghostly theme of their debut album), the demonic and controversial "The Number of the Beast", the damning "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (one of the best songs of the metal genre) and "Children of the Damned". And the powerful and operatic voice of Bruce Dickinson, as a colophon, proposes to participate to a subdued audience that accompanies euphorically in the direct "Iron Maiden" and the participative "Running Free".

"Live After Death", one of the best live albums in heavy metal, if not the best, marks a turning point in the band's career, after which they would begin a period with new textures and nuances added from the unthinkable contribution of synthesizers.

4/4.5 stars

The album overall is not as progressive metal as its preview suggests as it has the edgy and hard to even shocking lyrical choices that are typical of what became the modern hard edged mature content orientated sound. The album puts the parental advisory for mature content long before there were labels which makes it controversial to the mainstay of musical listening experiences and to as of which as time progresses can still be viewed as an album that sets the pace into providing the first shocking lyrics even by today's modern standards but once again can be viewed as a musical direction entirely lacking. The album cover is one- of -a kind Artistry and in this regard collectors worthy reflecting the modern shift. The album is an influence towards the inclined musician not the casual listener as even an enthusiast would have a hard time to discern why they are actually listening to it voluntarily.

The last song on the album in having long drawn out instrumentals returns to the progressive metal founding aspect of the album which suggests it would and should continue into this avenue of progressive metal instrumentals to on purposely create songs with instrumentals and without many vocals on purposely towards providing a listening experience but far and between as it actually turns out. Presently speaking since albeit they are not dead yet or returned into the spirit but have willingly departed from the progressive founding elements of their progressive metal on very many occasions. Iron Maiden decidedly went into the direction of becoming a performance giant in the making from a following where large audiences are more than welcome towards the modern entertainment into the sort of large arena's where people cheer throughout and in this regard losing the ways of traditional/classical music with its expected conduct and responsibility.

Taking place prior to all the drama at the turn of the century (do some research if you're unsure what I'm referring to), the band are on top form here. James Hetfield's vocals sounded absolutely fantastic around this time, and the band play phenomenally. Great sound, great picture (considering the technology of the day), lots of great camera angles and especially great performances, including Lars! This whole show was spot-on.

With Michael Kamen and co. backing them, Metallica's music just seems so much more vibrant and alive, evident on so many classics such as 'Master of Puppets', 'Battery', 'Enter Sandman', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' (which sounds incredible), and 'One', which is given a whole new sense of rising tension and dread thanks to the orchestra.

Chuck in two new tracks, both of which are absolute bangers, a 40-minute documentary, and the ability to hear the concert back isolating just the band or the orchestra, this is an incredible DVD, that holds up well today and belongs in the collection of every Metallica fan.

Jon & Vangelis was a musical project formed by the lead singer of Yes Jon Anderson and the famous Greek electronic pioneer musician Vangelis, in the 80's. But this wasn't the first time the two had worked together. The first meeting between them took place in London, in the 70's. Vangelis was to be the natural replacement for Rick Wakeman on keyboards, on Yes, when Rick left the band after the release of their sixth studio album "Tales From Topographic Oceans". It would never happen especially due to personal reasons of Vangelis. However, the role went to the second choice, the Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz. Still, Jon Anderson has participated already, in the role of vocalist, on albums of Vangelis like "Heaven And Hell", "See You Latter", and played harp on the album "Opera Sauvage", too.

The pair worked together from 1979 to 1991, producing four original studio albums, "Short Stories" in 1980, "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" in 1981, "Private Collection" in 1983 and "Page Of Life" in 1991.

So, "Short Stories" is the debut studio album by Jon & Vangelis and that was released in 1980. Jon Anderson was the author of the lyrics and performed all vocals and the music was all composed by Vangelis which performed all instruments, keyboards, synthesizers, piano and electronics. Beyond them, "Short Stories" had also the participation of Raphael Preston on acoustic guitars with some small contributions as a guest musician.

Originally, the vinyl version had ten tracks, but the CD version has only eight tracks. I have both versions but I'll review the eight tracks version. The first track comprises the first song "Curious Electric". It's a superb and brilliant opener for the album. This song begins to create the perfect musical atmosphere along the entire album created by Jon and Vangelis. On this track Vangelis is simply brilliant and this song is, in my humble opinion, one of the best compositions ever written by him. The second track comprises the second and third songs, "Each And Everyday" and "Bird Song". These are two beautiful love songs which are performed together such as a single one. These are two completely different songs from the previous one because here we have the music of Vangelis providing the musical ambient to Jon Anderson's voice, while on "Curious Electric" is the opposite. In other words, Jon Anderson provides the vocal ambient to Vangelis' music. The third track comprises the fourth song "I Hear You Now" which was also released as a single. It's another love song, very beautiful and melodic and it's also very delicate and vibrant at the same time. This song represents the perfect harmony between the two musicians which is, in my point of view, the main hallmark of this album. The fourth track comprises the fifth song "The Road" which is the only track to feature an additional musician Raphael Preston, who contributes with acoustic guitars. The song is very pleasant and contributes for one of the best and most beautiful musical moments on the album. The fifth track comprises the sixth song "Far Away In Baagad" and the seventh song "Love Is". Despite being performed together, these are two completely different songs. "Far Away In Baagad" always reminded me strongly the debut solo studio album Of Jon Anderson "Olias Of Sunhillow". It's an incredible song with beautiful and mysterious melodies and also with a great keyboard work. "Love Is" is the opposite. It's a nice and mellow love song but it's also at the same time to much sentimental and bore. This song represents for me the lower point on the album. The sixth track comprises the eighth song "One More Time". It's a very simple song with very beautiful and charming atmosphere created by Jon Anderson's voice. It's the type of the song that in the future would be adopted by the duo. The seventh track comprises the ninth song "Thunder". Despite be the shortest song on the album it has some beautiful and interesting musical moments. It's very short but very nice. The eighth and last track comprises the tenth song "A Play Within A Play". This is a sublime and dreamy song that represents with "Curious Electric" and "Far Away In Baagad" the three highest moments on the album. It's a song that starts slowly, it grows until reaches the climax and in the end it returns and dissipate slowly again. This is a great ending for the album.

Conclusion: I know this album since it was released and I always loved it. Of the four albums of them, this is the best, the most progressive and the only one where the communion between the incredible voice of Jon Anderson and the beautiful music of Vangelis is almost perfect. I'm one of those who think that the voice of Jon Anderson and the music of Vangelis make a perfect wedding. I don't share the idea that Anderson doesn't seem an integral part of the duo because on this album he only sings about the rules of Vangelis. I don't care if the music was composed by Vangelis and Anderson only sings his lyrics. In my humble opinion, here we can clearly see the both worlds and the perfection between them. "Short Stories" is a very beautiful album, well balanced, uniform and cohesive. In the end we may say this is almost a perfect music work. So, I've no doubt in saying this is a great addition to any progressive collection.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Back in the '80s, we were inseparable. I was 17 when we met, just trying to survive high school. He was two years older and in college pursuing physics. We had the most intense friendship, the kind where young men bond and surf the wave between adolescence and adulthood. We did it all: learned how to party, chase girls, build hot rods. We started a band. We spent many summer nights on the roof of his parents' house smoking and discussing weighty topics. We trusted each other with our fears. We became experts at the art of keeping 'adult considerations' at bay as long as possible. If maturity was sunlight, we were vampires. If you've read about Anthony Kiedis and Flea back in their youth, you'll have the picture, although we didn't achieve their level of mastery at music, partying, or girls. While our shared love of hard rock and metal was fierce, our mutual old faves were likely Heart and Zeppelin. The Song Remains the Same was my holy grail for certain, both the album and movie. It was the 1970s in one perfect symbolic artifact, and we were two young men who lamented missing that boat. We were trapped in the middle 1980s, hating that culture and wishing we were at Madison Square in '73 instead. (I'm more appreciative of the '80s music scene now, having far more expertise, but at the time and at that tender age, we were two proud, purist '70s freaks, two "throwbacks" as his sister called us.) More on us later.

Song Remains is Zeppelin's finest hour(s) captured, their live peak despite what they've said about being tired that night or what the blowhard critics think of it. Nonsense. The '73 tour was the band in perfect possession of their full rock powers. They had acquired and mastered the experience from the earlier tours, yet they had not lost an ounce of their edge to the factors that would begin to dog them with each tour thereafter. I can watch them in '75, '77, and '79 and see the slippage immediately in all of them except perhaps Jonesy. Age, substance use, vocal damage. Different factors affected the other three. Not horribly, necessarily. They could often do just fine on later tours, but it's still noticeable to my keen Zep eye. My only point is that '73 was the perfect crystalized moment where they could...do...no...wrong. Even the mistakes and missteps that did occur felt acceptable here, more charming than cringe. My favorite stuff here is the Houses of the Holy material which was the new stuff at the time. It's fresh and powerful, but most especially "SRTS/Rain Song, and Over the Hills and Far Away," all of which are have so much extra spark running through them as compared to the album versions.

Quite simply, these powerhouse live selections have become definitive versions of some of their best material, fleshed out and expanded with glorious interplay and personal prowess. I have nothing against the studio versions of these songs which are masterful in their own way, but these live versions are so on fire: there are songs within songs hatched of improvisation, much cool embellishment, and just sheer bravado on high. For me it is Jimmy I most connect with, the sheer beauty in his playing, especially the added luster and emotion of "Rain Song," the "golden" Les Paul hue to his sound, and the complete confidence he had on the harder rocking tracks. His playing is full of adrenalin and sensuality, masculine and feminine, the "light and dark" that he has often asserted were so important to the Zep canon. I understand the criticism some have of Page as "stumblefingers," and he is guilty of it sometimes, but he so transcends it. His runs, bends, his feel for the emotion, his service to the songs are ample reason so many consider him among the best. Pagey was certainly our hero for this album alone, and we tried to play like him in our band. My friend got way closer than I ever did. He could play anybody.

Our legendary friendship lasted into our early 20s before we took different paths and never reconnected, leaving all of that fire where it burned hottest, in our past. It was a beautiful thing that had to be short-lived because it was so fiercely a youth thing. I've been pretty cavalier about the lifestyle we used to lead, that partying is no big deal, that it never hurt us. But I can see now how it did take down some pretty cool people I've known, far too prematurely. Today I would tell young people to avoid abusing themselves and embrace healthier fun. But my dear friend who left us at age 57 was unrepentant to the end. He told me back in our youth, "There's an old saying that 'youth is wasted on the young.' They're never gonna be able to say that about me." And he was right. He hit the ground at 90 mph and never did slow down.

I loved him. Still do. After he died, they gave me his guitar which, as you can imagine, is an unreal emotional experience for me to play now. I strap it on only occasionally, and I swear I'm able to play better on his axe than I can on my own. I think that's his doing, and I can see him smile at the trick. The Song Remains the Same (along with Bebe Le Strange and Little Queen in particular) remains the soundtrack to every crazy night in our beloved suburban past, our youth pressed to a slab of vinyl. It remains a masterpiece to me. Similar to Yessongs and The Grateful Dead Movie, The Song Remains the Same is simply an absolute gift to fans, complete live shows captured in their prime so that people who were too young may experience them. It's a shame that the Floyd didn't have the foresight to do something this bold on the Dark Side or Wish tours. I don't really have the time of day for criticism of these documents as I feel privileged that they took the time to do them for us younger kids who couldn't be there in person. Cheers, mate. We'll jam again one day.

Still, it's a great DVD, and the band is on top form, with boundless energy and enthusiasm, we even see quite a few songs that hadn't been played live in a long time! And with a few added extras (interviews, extra footage etc), this makes for a worthy addition to any Metallica fans collection.

From the surrealist cover where a disintegrated Eddie from the waist down holds an encapsulated baby (or something like that.... ) in an aseptic and icy setting, "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" thematically recreates the eternal dispute between Good and Evil with the seer and chosen 'Alvin Maker' as the protagonist, starting from his birth and the course of his life, fighting against evil powers and his own inner demons in a story inspired by the fantasy novel "Seventh Son" (1987) by the American playwright Orson Scott Card.

And even though the tone and power of the guitars drop a few decibels in "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", the band does not renounce to them in songs of great effect like "Can I Play with Madness" and its catchy chorus, the energetic "The Evil That Men Do", or the galloping "The Clairvoyant", intertwining them with songs of greater structural complexity like "Moonchild" and its initial acoustic guitars and meandering keyboards decorating the flowing instrumental base, "Infinity Dreams" with Bruce Dickinson's powerful vocal register and stupendous middle section, and what is surely one of Iron Maiden's greatest intersections with progressive rock, "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", a mixture of guitar riffs and solos from the Dave Murray/Adrian Smith tandem, middle sections and shifting time signatures from Steve Harris' incredible bass and Nicko McBrian's percussion, and atmospheric synthesizers. Finally, "Only the Good Die Young' rounds off the conceptual character of the album with the same acoustic sonorities of its beginning.

"Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" was the pinnacle of the Englishmen's experimentation, and moved the band's central axis a few degrees, not to get out of their seminal genre, but to extend its limits.

Excellent.

4/4.5 stars