- Nov 24, 2002
- 14,144
- 176
- 63
- 58
Prologue: the days of metal gospel
Several years ago a guy named Kurdt Vanderhoof put in scene a band called Metal Church, fronted by a vocalist with a high tendency to wail horribly the band rapidly achieved notoriety and a cult status after only two albums. Curiously after the second slab Kurdt dropped the guitar slot but continued to compose and drive the band to three astounding albums (IMO) with Mike Howe on vocals and a guy called John Marshall covering the guitar slot (the rest being the usual supects Ericsson, Arrington and Wells).
Suddenly MC dissapeared from the radar and was left for dead until it reappeared with the original singer and Marshal instead of Wells, being th surprise the return of Vanderhoof to the playing arena.
The album passed without much glory and at the same time Vanderhoof started a solo career under his moniker. Eventually Kurdt tried to revive MC but only Arrington hanged along, and frankly to me after a carefully hearing didn't clock as MC as much as Vanderhoof (which I don't dig either) and dismiss the album.
Present day: enters the ballet
Considering the musical trajectory of Kurdt any project under him would have thought to be either spedd/thrash or heavier modern rock, so the sound of Presto Ballet can be nothing but a surprise...in a sense. After all Kurdt grew up with the same music he is playing now: 70's rock. Yeah indeed if a band can be marked as old school has to be PB, the use of Hammond organ, the structure of the songs, the guitar work is pure reminescence of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and many of the prog bands from the golden era.
Most reviews called PB prog rock, I won't go that far but undoubtedly sounds retro without being retro (do I make sense?).
Maybe it's not a great album, maybe not even worhty of being in the top list, but the effort and the quality puts PB directly on the scope of any true old schooler.
Future tense: the shape of things to come?
I wonder if PB will endure, I wonder if more bands or projects will dare to walk the same path. As and old schooler I cannot more than pleased, some may accuse me of being squared of trying to live in the past and deny change and/or evolution. In anycase I know the guys in PB know that like me many more long for this type of music, and they know that if they are there for us, will be there for them.
NP: Black Knight - 'Fire In Your Eyes'
Several years ago a guy named Kurdt Vanderhoof put in scene a band called Metal Church, fronted by a vocalist with a high tendency to wail horribly the band rapidly achieved notoriety and a cult status after only two albums. Curiously after the second slab Kurdt dropped the guitar slot but continued to compose and drive the band to three astounding albums (IMO) with Mike Howe on vocals and a guy called John Marshall covering the guitar slot (the rest being the usual supects Ericsson, Arrington and Wells).
Suddenly MC dissapeared from the radar and was left for dead until it reappeared with the original singer and Marshal instead of Wells, being th surprise the return of Vanderhoof to the playing arena.
The album passed without much glory and at the same time Vanderhoof started a solo career under his moniker. Eventually Kurdt tried to revive MC but only Arrington hanged along, and frankly to me after a carefully hearing didn't clock as MC as much as Vanderhoof (which I don't dig either) and dismiss the album.
Present day: enters the ballet
Considering the musical trajectory of Kurdt any project under him would have thought to be either spedd/thrash or heavier modern rock, so the sound of Presto Ballet can be nothing but a surprise...in a sense. After all Kurdt grew up with the same music he is playing now: 70's rock. Yeah indeed if a band can be marked as old school has to be PB, the use of Hammond organ, the structure of the songs, the guitar work is pure reminescence of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and many of the prog bands from the golden era.
Most reviews called PB prog rock, I won't go that far but undoubtedly sounds retro without being retro (do I make sense?).
Maybe it's not a great album, maybe not even worhty of being in the top list, but the effort and the quality puts PB directly on the scope of any true old schooler.
Future tense: the shape of things to come?
I wonder if PB will endure, I wonder if more bands or projects will dare to walk the same path. As and old schooler I cannot more than pleased, some may accuse me of being squared of trying to live in the past and deny change and/or evolution. In anycase I know the guys in PB know that like me many more long for this type of music, and they know that if they are there for us, will be there for them.
NP: Black Knight - 'Fire In Your Eyes'
