Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-Ozzy Osbourne, Tyrant, Taboo, Allen/Olzon, & Mantic Ritual

Index

With the recent struggles that Ozzy has had to endure, it was a pleasant surprise that another studio album was coming. What is equally impressive is the guest musician list for this album. There is no shortage of veteran talent joining Ozzy in creating a really good album. Some of the music on this album fits in with the style and approach of the last few albums. Other tracks have a bit more vintage feel, maybe back to the Black Sabbath days with a bit more updated sound. There is some decent atmosphere with this latest record. It never really gets overly flashy as some of his earlier records had an abundance of. Sure, you get some impressive playing, but the sound in ways is a bit more melodic with the songs carrying the day as a whole. I feel that this is a decent album that comes late in his career. Songs are good and Ozzy sounds really good on his vocals.

Release Date: September 9, 2022

Always great to see young talent embracing the sounds I have carried with me for decades. Tyrant is about to release a very cool metal record that draws from some pretty classic metal influences. I feel that the band has a pretty good power metal sound. Riffing is heavy and the band has a good thick sound. The intensity of the band does lean towards thrash in spots. 'The Lowest Level' is the band's second studio full length album. Early on they released some ep's with a full length studio album titled 'The Pact' in 2018. The band has also been able to open for some decent metal acts like Metal Church and Diamond Head. The hard work should pay off, especially with more exposure. Get this band out in front of other well known bands and they should impress new fans. If you like it old school and heavy, Tyrant is bringing a lot of energy!

Release Date: September 30, 2022

Really digging this new release that features founding Pretty Maids guitarist Ken Hammer and vocalist Christoffer Stjerne who also fronts the band H.E.R.O. The sound and style of this record is a bit more modern than what fans have come to expect from Ken Hammer. It leans more towards the sound of H.E.R.O., not totally, but you'll hear similarities. Hammer's guitar work really thickens the sound up a lot. Even with that being said, this record has a lot of melody to it. Songs are quite mainstream and have an excellent feel to each one. I felt the album was pretty catchy and does have the ability to draw in fans from both camps. The record has a pretty consistent feel to it. I think the reception to it should be positive. Another very good collaboration from Frontiers. Definitely an easy album to recommend!

Release Date: September 9, 2022

'Army Of Dreamers is the second release from Anette Olzon and Russell Allen. If you are familiar with their first collaboration 'Worlds Apart', you'll have a general idea of what to expect here. There is some very good songwriting and songs can be quite infectious. The vocal work displays a very good compliment of both singers whether they are going back and forth or taking the lead. It just works well and while the music does depend on this part of the structure, the songs are also able to stand out due to the melodies and musicianship. Adding to the already great chemistry is Magnus Karlsson. He is proven through the years as a musician and songwriter and adds quite a bit to this album as well. If you are not familiar with this project, do yourself a favor and look into it. Music is well written and songs are memorable!

Release Date: September 9, 2022

Been taking in quite a bit of thrash recently. Was always a fan of the genre and some of the output recently has been good. Pennsylvania's Mantic Ritual offer up a smoking six track ep that features three original tracks and three cover songs. The sound of the original songs is pretty old school. Speed riffing with a low end to match. I'd say the riffing is my favorite element of this record. As far as the cover tracks the band draw from the likes of G.B.H., Razor and Mercyful Fate. I thought the band covered these tracks quite well. They fit in well with what the band does with their originals. Apparently the ep will have a CD release as well as a cassette version. It's fitting as a lot of the music I listened to back in the day of this genre was on cassette. Makes it feel even more vintage. This will definitely wet the appetite for fans of the genre until a new studio record!

Release Date: September 2, 2022