Reviews
Giants & Monsters
(Reigning Phoenix Music)
When Teutonic Power Metal pioneers Helloween ousted vocalist Michael Kiske circa 1993, I initially found myself less-than-enthused. A-lthough the drastic ‘stylistic changes’ and subsequent poor commercial performance(s) of Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) and Chameleon (1993) and the ensuing label–related turmoil undoubtedly left the group with few options, the end of their origin story left me disillusio-ned. Even the inescapable presence of the mighty Andi Deris era (Master Of The Rings remains a bona fide Power Metal classic) failed t-o consistently pique my interest. Accordingly, when the group announced their arguably long-overdue intention to reunite with Kiske a-nd founding guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen in 2016, they quickly found themselves at the epicenter of intense renewed interest (including a brief mention of the Keeper Of The Seven Keys series in the novel Ready Player Two). Now, with the highly-anticipated release of their latest high-octane auditory offering Giants & Monsters, they’ve at long last ‘unleashed’ what we have all been so impatiently waiting for.
Interviews
(Bill Leverty)
As a proverbial ‘child of the ’80’s’, Richmond, Virginia-born Hard Rock stalwarts Firehouse served as a much-welcomed change of pace. Issuing their self-titled debut in 1990, few outside the industry could have anticipated the level of success they’d soon achieve. Returni-ng in 1992 with the oddly-underrated Hold Your Fire (and the corresponding hit single ‘When I Look Into Your Eyes‘) as well as it’s equal-ly underrated successor 3, the group would become a perennial favorite on the Summer tour circuits. After the untimely passing of fou-nding frontman C.J. Snare, the group chose (with Snare‘s blessing and support) to bravely soldier onward, ultimately discovering former American Idol Season 21 contestant Nate Peck, initially as an emergency substitute, before recording the fiery all-new track ‘Mighty Fine Lady‘ to unanimous praise. Recently, guitarist Bill Leverty, always a man of many words and interesting stories, was kind enough to spe-ak with us regarding, among many other items, Flood The Engine and the highs and sleep-deprived lows of playing 50+ shows per year.
Galleries
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