Russel Allen / Jorne Lande "Battle" album?

[SoundMaster]

Hi All,

I'm currently on a Jorn Lande kick, having discovered the utter greatness of his vocal abilities through the landmark Ark (Burn the Sun) and Masterplan (debut) albums.

I see that he's also done a record with X's Russ Allen, but I've read a lot of unfavorable reviews of it....citing 'dull songwriting'. The 30 second samples sound good to my ears, but short samples can be misleading.

Does anyone own this record? Is it as 'dull' as so many of the reviews claim?

 

[TheWhisper]

I've not yet sprung for this one. I've heard some negative things about it, as well. Two of my favorite singers, so I'll probably get it eventually.

 

[Wyvern]

Does anyone own this record? Is it as 'dull' as so many of the reviews claim?

I wouldn't call it dull but it's not as energetic as Jorn solo stuff or Masterplan. Dull is very relative I don't find it boring but it's not an album that makes me headbang or sing along much. Actually I can't talk bad of the album since I'm very biased towards it, not only Jorn in in it but also Magnus Karlsson and Jaime Salazar (ex-The Flower Kings, The Tangent) from Midnight Sun playing in it.

Since Magnus composed the whole thing I was expecting something more in the MS vein, so I was very surrised/pleased with a melodic hard rock album instead. And songs like Hunter's Night and Where Have The Angels Gone are so good that worth the entire album.

If you like Jorn and you tend to be a completist I definitively recommend this one too, but I will advise to have a complete pre-listening if you can, after all nothing irritates me as much as a bad blind purchase, so I guess that can happens to you too.

NP: Azrael - 'En La Otra Dimension'

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I had this album on my wish list (and would have bought it, had it been in stock at local record stores) but it has since fallen off. While waiting to find it readily available in a brick and morter store, I kept reading reviews and such to see if I needed to bump it up on my list (possibly to just buying online). But the reviews were so lackluster that it has taken a back burner for me. There's too much other Jorn albums that take higher priority for me. Like the first Masterplan and Ark.

Styx - II

 

[Fangface]

I think it's a good record if you're into AOR and don't expect power/prog metal, nothing groundbreaking or mandatory though. But well done.

The only problem IMO, besides the corny lyrics, is that Magnus Karlsson (the mainman behind this project) has released another melodic metal album lately that is better and more original : Starbreaker! Featuring Tony Harnell of TNT fame on vocals and John Macaluso from ARK on drums. I love it

http://www.starbreakerband.com/
http://www.starbreakerband.com/audio.htm
+ the video clip for "Lies" : http://www.starbreakerband.com/media.htm

 

[TheWhisper]

The Starbreaker album was one of my faves from '05...really great album.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Oddly enough, Starbreaker was only three cds down from Allen/Lande on my wishlist when I first entered a record store back in October. The Battle is gone, but the Starbreaker remains. The reviews have been good, if not great, and TNT will always hold a special place for me with their Knights of New Thunder album, which was a mainstay of my crowd back in the 80s. Harnell is a kick ass singer.

Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter