01. 8118 (instrumental)
02. Soul on Fire
03. I'm Still Alive
04. Go for Broke
05. Until I See the Light
06. The Voice
07. Massive Tornado
08. Kama Sutra (instrumental)
09. Rise to Glory
10. Why and For Whom
11. No Limits
12. Rain
13. Let's All Rock (Bonus Track)
02. Soul on Fire
03. I'm Still Alive
04. Go for Broke
05. Until I See the Light
06. The Voice
07. Massive Tornado
08. Kama Sutra (instrumental)
09. Rise to Glory
10. Why and For Whom
11. No Limits
12. Rain
13. Let's All Rock (Bonus Track)
I'd seen a few adverts online for this album over the last few weeks, and curiosity got the better of me so I thought I'd check it out. I have to be honest, I'd never heard of Loudness before. I did a bit of reading up on them, and it appears that they were quite big in the mid-80s, in America anyway. They're a Japanese Metal band, and seem to be very popular in their home country. Popular enough for them to still be around after all these years, and in a position to release this, their 28th studio album!
This year, I've reviewed the 22nd album from Saxon (read here), the 20th from Inkubus Sukkubus (read here) and the 20th from Magnum too (read here), and now I'm reviewing a band with a phenomenal 28 albums! In a way, it's quite cool to discover a band at album 28, as I'm hearing Loudness with fresh ears, and I'm not comparing their latest release to any former glories.
This year, I've reviewed the 22nd album from Saxon (read here), the 20th from Inkubus Sukkubus (read here) and the 20th from Magnum too (read here), and now I'm reviewing a band with a phenomenal 28 albums! In a way, it's quite cool to discover a band at album 28, as I'm hearing Loudness with fresh ears, and I'm not comparing their latest release to any former glories.
Loudness is very much a Traditional Heavy Metal band, and this new record reminds me of early Accept with a bit of 80's Glam thrown in, amongst bursts of Speed Metal. It's worth noting that this album is in English, as a few albums in their repertoire have been sung in Japanese.
For me, Rise To Glory is quite hit and miss. Go For Broke is one of it's stronger moments, with it's mid-paced badass Metal riff that's reminiscent of Accept's classic Balls To The Wall, and a melodic driving chorus that brings to mind Scorpions and Dokken.
Until I See The Light is a decent power ballad with some great riffing and a glorious guitar solo, courtesy of lead guitarist/song writer/main-man Akira Takasaki. The Voice is also a competent power ballad showing off the band's melodic side in a different way. In contrast, it is followed by the fast thrashing Massive Tornado, which is a style that I feel suits Loudness a little more than the softer material.
The title track is a belter, and is the kind of Traditional Heavy Metal track that Saxon would be proud of. The same can be said for the impressive No Limits. Another highlight for me is the slower, darker, Rain, which reminds me of Black Sabbath.
Rise To Glory won't change the world, but it is a cool Heavy Metal album. There's nothing on here that I don't feel I've heard many times before, but if it's a no-bullshit fix of Traditional Metal that you're seeking, this album may hit the spot. Remember, if you like it, they have 27 other records for you to check out to keep you occupied for a very long time.
For me, Rise To Glory is quite hit and miss. Go For Broke is one of it's stronger moments, with it's mid-paced badass Metal riff that's reminiscent of Accept's classic Balls To The Wall, and a melodic driving chorus that brings to mind Scorpions and Dokken.
Until I See The Light is a decent power ballad with some great riffing and a glorious guitar solo, courtesy of lead guitarist/song writer/main-man Akira Takasaki. The Voice is also a competent power ballad showing off the band's melodic side in a different way. In contrast, it is followed by the fast thrashing Massive Tornado, which is a style that I feel suits Loudness a little more than the softer material.
The title track is a belter, and is the kind of Traditional Heavy Metal track that Saxon would be proud of. The same can be said for the impressive No Limits. Another highlight for me is the slower, darker, Rain, which reminds me of Black Sabbath.
Rise To Glory won't change the world, but it is a cool Heavy Metal album. There's nothing on here that I don't feel I've heard many times before, but if it's a no-bullshit fix of Traditional Metal that you're seeking, this album may hit the spot. Remember, if you like it, they have 27 other records for you to check out to keep you occupied for a very long time.
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