Virgin Steele - Hymns To Victory + Books Of Burning
Noise Records - 2001
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Noise Records website.
This review has taken it's time to get here, for several reasons. Firstly, due toa lack of promotional material sent along with these CDs (e.g. none) it took a while for me to realise that these releases were 'Best Of's of sorts, both CDs consisting half of new, unreleased tracks, and half of old favourites re-mastered, remixed or played in a different way. Secondly, I've had a lot of CDs come through to me recently, and when you're in the middle of revising for A-levels, it gets difficult to keep up. And thirdly... err... well... I just can't get into them.
I know Virgin Steele have a huge following, and I know their epic, bombastic power metal is immensely popular. I know they've been going nearly twenty years, and I know they're well respected. But I'm afraid I just don't like them. I never have. Nonetheless, I've really tried to get into these releases. And I almost managed it.
The first track on 'Hymns To Victory', a remixed 'Flames Of Thy Power' contains all the typical Virgin Steele elements - piano/symphony instrumental elements, pure trad metal riffs, soaring power metal vocals, a driving rhythm and a long running time. The chorus is quite catchy too. But then 'Through The Ring Of Fire' began, and little changed. In my interview with Virgin Steele (which, interestingly, was never sent back to me from the band) I asked if perhaps they were going to run out of ideas soon seeing as they'd written hundreds of songs. It seems that they already have, and quite some time ago.
Generally, these albums sound dated despite the fresh mastering, the alternate mixes and acoustic versions can't hide the fact that the songs are desperately repetitive in themselves, and the over-long songs dragged and sapped at my patience 'till I couldn't listen to the albums anymore.
However, I'm sure Virgin Steele's ardent fanbase will love both of these releases, regardless of my personal opinion on the band. Old 'classics' brought up to date with modern production and your favourite songs given a tweak and spin? Lovely.
So, these CDs are essential if you're a fan, and eminently avoidable if, like me, you're not.
3/10 personally, but fans can stick another five points on.
Noise Records - 2001
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Noise Records website.
This review has taken it's time to get here, for several reasons. Firstly, due toa lack of promotional material sent along with these CDs (e.g. none) it took a while for me to realise that these releases were 'Best Of's of sorts, both CDs consisting half of new, unreleased tracks, and half of old favourites re-mastered, remixed or played in a different way. Secondly, I've had a lot of CDs come through to me recently, and when you're in the middle of revising for A-levels, it gets difficult to keep up. And thirdly... err... well... I just can't get into them.
I know Virgin Steele have a huge following, and I know their epic, bombastic power metal is immensely popular. I know they've been going nearly twenty years, and I know they're well respected. But I'm afraid I just don't like them. I never have. Nonetheless, I've really tried to get into these releases. And I almost managed it.
The first track on 'Hymns To Victory', a remixed 'Flames Of Thy Power' contains all the typical Virgin Steele elements - piano/symphony instrumental elements, pure trad metal riffs, soaring power metal vocals, a driving rhythm and a long running time. The chorus is quite catchy too. But then 'Through The Ring Of Fire' began, and little changed. In my interview with Virgin Steele (which, interestingly, was never sent back to me from the band) I asked if perhaps they were going to run out of ideas soon seeing as they'd written hundreds of songs. It seems that they already have, and quite some time ago.
Generally, these albums sound dated despite the fresh mastering, the alternate mixes and acoustic versions can't hide the fact that the songs are desperately repetitive in themselves, and the over-long songs dragged and sapped at my patience 'till I couldn't listen to the albums anymore.
However, I'm sure Virgin Steele's ardent fanbase will love both of these releases, regardless of my personal opinion on the band. Old 'classics' brought up to date with modern production and your favourite songs given a tweak and spin? Lovely.
So, these CDs are essential if you're a fan, and eminently avoidable if, like me, you're not.
3/10 personally, but fans can stick another five points on.
