Mani and crew brew up a sizzling musical spice combining the muscle of their early Hendrix-metal w/a jazz fusion flavor. the playing is brilliant and organic...they add their touch of humor and positive vibes to the album as well. highlight for me: title track & the grooving "The Girl From Hirschhorn
What's great about it: German band 30 yrs ahead of the 'jam band' thing
What's not so great: North American FM & satellite radio afraid to play these guys
this underrated band boasts violinist Simon House (Hawkwind) and guitarist Tony Hill. their sound is a mournful swirl of rock, doomy blues, and classical coloring via the violin work of Mr. House. brings to mind Steamhammer, Atomic Rooster, early Tull....
saw these guys in Montreal...as tight live as on CD. what you have here is a smoldering piece of metal history that soars to the breathtaking conclusion of 2 powerhouse emotional tracks: "The Essence" and "Where Do We Go From Here?".......find their new CD as well--"The Premonition"...comparisons could be Malmsteen, Savatage, Caffery, Sonata, Helloween....any band who can play, write songs, and deliver metal w/a touch of class!
What's great about it: flawless Euro-metal...how it should be done
Director John Boorman (Deliverance, Point Blank, Hope and Glory) examines his own Shangri-La in this highly unusual cult film. The disc presents it in widescreen anamorphic (aspect ratio of 2.35:1) with audio choices of English in Dolby Digital 3.0 and French in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. Unfortunately, for some scenes a slight tunneling effect can be heard. There are subtitles in English and Spanish. The film was shot by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth (Cabaret, 2001: A Space Odyssey), who perfected a technique that was intentionally soft; thus the images shouldn't be confused with the traits of a faulty digital transfer. That said, the transfer isn't perfect by any means, but it is quite presentable. One of the special features of the disc is a screen-specific audio commentary by the director. Though there are many pauses and it is not truly "screen-specific," Boorman does offer many insights, including the admission that perhaps the film suffers from having too many ideas. Also included is a theatrical trailer of the film, as well as trailers for Alien Nation, Aliens, Enemy Mine, Independence Day, and The Abyss. A "Still Gallery" has nine production photos and concept art pieces, ten lobby cards and publicity photos, and five images of one sheets and press books. The disc is rounded off by six radio spots. All in all, this is a solid presentation of this science fiction oddity.
Customer Rating
4
Take a ride in the Stone Head
on January 13, 2009
Posted by: Rush2112
from Massena, NY
strange but beautiful movie here...made in a pure 1970s sci-fi style. the plot is secondary to the brilliant and often breath-taking imagery and that's where the fans of this movie break from the 'movie critics' looking for the linear and 'easy' viewing. Zardoz takes a more artistic direction closer to 2001 than Star Wars. anyhow, watch w/an open mind and climb in the Stone Head for a couple hours.
What's great about it: Boorman, Connery, Rampling, etc
Blue Underground's DVD of Shock Waves presents this cult fave in a nicely assembled edition guaranteed to please both novices and the film's old fans. The video transfer isn't the best it could be because it was done using one of the few existing prints (the negative disappeared long ago), but still delivers a sharp, frequently colorful image despite minor print damage and a few poorly color-timed night shots. The mono audio lacks the frills of a stereo mix but sounds nice and sharp, especially during the moments featuring Richard Einhorn's shivery synthesizer score. This disc also delivers plenty of extras, the most interesting one being a commentary track featuring writer/director Ken Wiederhorn, makeup man Alan Ormsby, and the set photographer (and B-movie mogul) Fred Olen Ray. All three men offer the wisdom and grizzled wit of true genre veterans as they reveal all the complications of shooting a film with a heavy amount of aquatic locations on a low budget and share plenty of fun anecdotes about the amusing eccentricities of their beloved star, Peter Cushing (he was apparently obsessed with the idea of going to the International House of Pancakes to have "buckwheat cakes"). This disc also throws in a nice eight-minute interview with Luke Halpin that features him discussing his fellow cast members fondly and presenting a few insightful thoughts on how the acting profession has changed over the years. The extras area is rounded out by a pair of trailers, a nifty gallery of stills and promotional art (including a great ad that pairs the film with Tentacles), and two amusingly hyperactive radio ads. In short, this edition of Shock Waves is the ideal edition of this film and a great way for curious film fans to get acquainted with it.
Customer Rating
5
Late-era Cushing perfect for Late Nights
on January 7, 2009
Posted by: Rush2112
from Massena, NY
this film is the lower-budget type that is best seen after dark for max effect. one can see it's influence on the zombie genre, especially the under water scene in Fulci's "Zombie." some good actors keep this one afloat till the lurid finale
What's great about it: eerie atmosphere & creepy settings
filmed shortly before the death of Keith Moon you can now see the band tear thru some gems w/a punk-like fury as they sneer at the upstarts bantering about them. the tunes from the 60s era are blasted forth w/a dangerous edge and the 70s tracks impress despite some tense onstage moments. it's a unique vision to see the roller coaster ride of Townsend as he rips roadies, equipment, and the audience yet pulls thru w/a blasting performance of vital tracks. this is the band that made rock and roll dangerous and here's the proof.
excellent example of Sonata at their live peak. seen them 3x live in Canada and they don't disappoint. they have the uncanny ability to swirl sweet melodies into layers of speedy progressive metal....
early, early WA finally seeing the light of day--hence the title. there are some takes of stuff that'd be on their 1st LP but this purchase is make vital by the track "Roads of Day to Day." the band may be embryonic @ this point but the sprouts of WA were taking firm root as proven on First Light.
What's great about it: Powell, Turner, Turner, Upton
I was skeptical before I heard this due to Christmas music overkill and some weak attempts made thru the years to rock up holiday tunes. I figured only Savatage/TSO were the only ones who could do it right. Well, I am glad to say this CD is excellent and the arrangements are refreshing. Highlights would be DIO giving "God Rest..." a gothic turn and Alice Cooper and Dug Pinnick's remakes. one sour note is why Chuck Billy murders "Silent Night"??!! come on, Chuck. I love Testament but this sounds like comical stuff puked out by Morbid Angel, Vader,etc etc
What's great about it: finally a Christmas CD that is listenable
What's not so great: one clunker: the 'death' metal version of "Silent Night"
stunning heavy, spacey fusion from 1973--recorded live. what a lineup! bands like this just aren't found these days...the 20 minute track "Dream" is just that & closes the album on a moody note that spirals into a shredding of all that's sane and logical. hail!
What's great about it: McLaughlin, Hammer, Goodman, Laird, Cobham