Whoa! (AKA: A PQ Fan's Return)

[Captain Rob]

(Warning to Steve: Contains honest, less-than-favourable views about MoI. Sorry!)

Hello!

I was gonna post a big, long history of my experience with the band, but you don't wanna hear that. Just wanna say, I 'was' (hold on) a huge fan of PQ. Saw 'em loads of times, got shirts, discs, other merch, talked Steve's ear off and tried his patience at more than a few gigs.

Then Master of Illusion was released. I was pumped for it, especially after the promises of more and heavier guitar work, but for some reason I just didn't dig it. I still try it now and then, but personally, I think it's a bittoo keyboardy, and that really tells on tracks like Cemetary Gates, which would be awesome but for the main keyboard riff taking out much of the poignancy - the overuse (in my view) of keyboards overall makes the album sound a bit "videogamey" I reckon. and I think some bits of the songs felt a bit "stuck together" (the pre-chorus in CG doesn't really fit, in my opinion). But then everyone left, so I figured, maybe it was because of that, people knew they were leaving, or other behind-the-scenes stuff, none of my business.

I never stopped being a fan, I just fell out of the loop after the release of MoI, you know. I heard about the lineup changes and was hesitant, to tell you the truth, that PQ was moing away from an area I preferred and into another that I personally wasn't so keen on.

Then I saw the artwork. "Hey, that's cool. Ooh, modern setting".

And now I just heard the clips.

FUCKING HELL!!! :zombie:

They just blew my tits off! A big muhfuckin' wall of heavy, ballsy guitars, and the keyboards are back to the mentality of WoF/NW, but better, with the orientation around strings and pads, with some really, really 80's stuff here and there. They're only clips, but from what I can tell, the songwriting and production have skyrocketed - this is already easily the best-produced PQ album, I reckon. Not only that, but the songs 'fit' the theme of the album cover, creating an overall picture or feel for the finished work.

In a nutshell, if Power Quest 2001-2009 was a TV series, Blood Alliance is PQ The Movie.

So aye! Sorry about my view on MoI, please take me back for BA!

 

[Symphony]

Welcome back Captain!

Of course we'll have ya back man!

MOI was a controversial album amongst the fans I think in a lot of ways......and there were a few reasons as to why it turned out how it did, the irony being that we set out to make it less keyboardy! lol!

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, especially a well argued one like you have put forward there mate. I'm way too long in the tooth to get upset over that sort of thing haha!

Great to hear you have been hooked by the new clips though........there are a few suprises here and there amongst the songs but it sounds like we've hit the right spot for you mate!

Once the album is out I'll reveal some of the insider stuff around this album as I think some of it will probably be of interest to a lot of fans!

Welcome back brother!

 

[Gibbon]

well Captain, we seem to agree on one thing:

Blood alliance is already easily the best-produced PQ album...i'm so excited!

 

[1928]

I have to agree that Master of Illusion is my least favorite PQ album; it doesn't sound "metal" or powerful enough and to me Alessio's vocals sound almost strained at points, but I think it's because it just has a different sound than Magic Never Dies. That's not to say it's a bad album, though! Cemetery Gates, Human Machine, Master of Illusion... killer songs, among others! I just missed all the 80s wave effects and strings from the keyboards

Sounds like that part of the music has returned in some ways for Blood Alliance though, so I'm very eager to here it. Welcome back, Cap'n!

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

It's a good thing that you've come around even more to PQ, very cool to hear that. Have to say though I disagree with some of your points about Master of Illusion. I'm with you and a few fans that it's not necessarily my favourite of the 4 albums at the time but then again it's very hard to stand them next to each other because MoI was different and went in a different, but no less enjoyable, direction. In part I found that was due to a focus on heavier guitar work (heavier than BA seems to me right now) not an overuse of keyboards. I thought the keyboards were actually fairly balanced allowing for a really awesome interplay between them and the guitars - a signature PQ sound. Speaking as a big video game music fan, the only video game-y sound I got from the album was Cemetery Gates to be fair but I certainly don't think that characterises the album as a whole. Even if it did in fact I'd be loving that! The song structure is a touch more complex on MoI and it isn't without it's proggy moments for me, but "stuck together" implies a lack of cohesion which I just don't perceive for the album. One of the things I remarked upon it's release was just how well the songs flow whilst maintaining internal consistency.

Of course people listen to music differently so I respect your take on it, it's interesting. I certainly share your enthusiasm for the BA samples though! Just wow! There is some ballsy guitars work and yeah the keyboards do have that older sound. Way too early to judge production and song-writing on such low-quality, short samples just yet but my confidence levels have sky-rocketed with yours!

 

[MetalCodd]

"A bit too keyboardy"?! PQ have always been keyboard-heavy. MoI has no more keyboards than the other 3 albums. The songs are written by the keyboard player and I don't think he fancies standing around doing nothing when they're played live. Okay, maybe the keyboard tone in CG needs rethinking, but the riff itself fits perfectly, along with the pre-chorus, which doesn't sound remotely "tacked-on". In fact, as Dom says, the songs flow very well together (to my ears, anyway).

Of course MoI isn't without it's problems. The backing vocals on Human Machine sounded very Fred Durst-esque. And Hearts and Voices belongs in the "What Were They Thinking?" bin, along with that stupid voice-over at the beginning of Power Quest Pt. 1 on WoF. But while MoI isn't remotely original, it does sound like PQ have actually developed their sound beyond the standard speedy melodic power metal of their 1st 3 albums (while a certain other band that Steve used to be associated with today sound stagnant and lost). I love WoF, NW and MND, but they sound like PQ started off as a Rhapsody clone and developed into a Stratovarius clone.

It seems to me that Master of Illusion might end up becoming the "odd-one-out" of the PQ catalogue, the same way that Deep Space 9 is...different to the other Star Trek series.

Oh and about the new songs, Battle Stations sounds like The Lost and Damned by Kamelot, but generally sounding good. The keyboards sound big and atmospheric, and though Chity's voice will take a bit of getting used to, he sounds OK.

 

[Indestructible]

I asked Steve a while back on email and he said that he wrote ALL the songs on MOI

That album has definitely a different direction than the previous ones....that's the same case with Blood Alliance too(from my experience after hearing the samples). I mean PQ have always remained PQ and never took away their traditional sound and never disappointed any fans that way too.

There's a unique theme to every PQ album I think and that's a great thing I think

 

[Shredlamode]

I'm personally a fan of MOI for many reasons, it was definitely a bold move for the band at the time but there's some great songs on that album. However, I think Blood Alliance will surprise anyone who was disappointed with MOI in many respects - as Steve has already said it's probably least comparable to MOI in terms of the arrangements and songwriting. I'd say BA is probably the most guitar heavy album to date in the PQ back catalogue which certainly brings some balls back to the fold!

Anyway - Glad you're digging the sound clips Rob and welcome to the forum dude, don't be a stranger!

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

maybe the keyboard tone in CG needs rethinking

It does? Sounds awesome to me. I'm not sure why people don't like that?

The backing vocals on Human Machine sounded very Fred Durst-esque.

I admit the first time I heard the preview for this, me and my gf both looked at each other and gave each other a "erm ok" look but after a few spins it grows on you and you can't imagine the track without them. The comparison to Fred Durst...well... that certainly didn't strike me.

And Hearts and Voices belongs in the "What Were They Thinking?" bin, along with that stupid voice-over at the beginning of Power Quest Pt. 1 on WoF.

It's your personal opinion of course but Hearts and Voices didn't stand out as a particularly odd track. The shout-along chorus is what makes it and it'd be great playing to a live audience. Then you go off on a tangent and criticism the "stupid voice-over" from Power Quest Pt. 1 which is all of 13 seconds of an epic 7.5 min track.

But while MoI isn't remotely original

Eh? Didn't you just go on about how different and odd most of it was?

I love WoF, NW and MND, but they sound like PQ started off as a Rhapsody clone and developed into a Stratovarius clone.

I'm not sure if you've ever heard much Rhapsody or Stratovarius but to compare any of them to PQ...well, it just doesn't work they all sound so incredibly different from each other. I can only think you meant very generally - like PQ started out sounding more epic and symphonic and then turned to a more keyboard based sound. But even then that's very simplistic.

Ok but I can totally agree with you on the Star Trek analogy. I think that's a good one But of course it makes DS9 no less enjoyable it's just different. Sorry for analysing your post I'm just very interested in how people hear music.

 

[Kingface]

Welcome Captain Rob! Yours is an interesting story and it's awesome that the samples of Blood Alliance have gotten you excited about Power Quest again!

As for Master of Illusion, it has been a while since I've listened to it, but I certainly generally feel from my experiences of listening to it and the other PQ albums that although it's quite good, it doesn't match the incredibly high standards set by the first three albums, nor the high standards of it's album cover art, which is still the best in the PQ catologue in my opinion.

I certainly find it easier to listen to any of the first three albums over MOI and that's reflected in how many times I've listened to the first three in comparison to MOI.

 

[MetalCodd]

It does? Sounds awesome to me. I'm not sure why people don't like that?

I did say maybe. Don't get me wrong, I love the actual keyboard riff, but sometimes it sounds great and other times I think maybe a different sound could have been used. I don't know whether it was the first choice or if Steve tried different sounds, but I remain undecided about it.

I admit the first time I heard the preview for this, me and my gf both looked at each other and gave each other a "erm ok" look but after a few spins it grows on you and you can't imagine the track without them. The comparison to Fred Durst...well... that certainly didn't strike me.

I did get used to the rapping after a few listens, and I agree that it is difficult to imagine what to replace them with, but it still reminds me of a genre of music I despise passionately. Still, the rapping only forms one part of what is a generally brilliant song, and still isn't as bad as 2 other things I will be getting on to in a moment...

It's your personal opinion of course but Hearts and Voices didn't stand out as a particularly odd track.

I don't think it was odd, I just thought it was bad.

The shout-along chorus is what makes it and it'd be great playing to a live audience.

The shout-along chorus makes me cringe. I can count myself lucky that it's never been played live (not when I was there anyway).

Then you go off on a tangent and criticism the "stupid voice-over" from Power Quest Pt. 1

It's one of those things I've always wanted to say, but never had the opportunity (how long has it been since Wings of Forever was actually discussed on this forum?).

which is all of 13 seconds of an epic 7.5 min track.

13 long, horrible, nausea-inducing seconds.

Eh? Didn't you just go on about how different and odd most of it was?

Er...no. I said that PQ were doing something different to what they normally do but wasn't original compared to what other bands have done.

I'm not sure if you've ever heard much Rhapsody or Stratovarius but to compare any of them to PQ...well, it just doesn't work they all sound so incredibly different from each other. I can only think you meant very generally - like PQ started out sounding more epic and symphonic and then turned to a more keyboard based sound. But even then that's very simplistic.

The only differences I can hear between WoF and Rhapsody are that WoF has more faster songs and it doesn't have so many of the widdly-widdly neo-classical bits that Rhapsody has. The only differences I can hear between MND and Stratovarius are that MND has the '80s pop-rock songs and doesn't have so many of the widdly-widdly neo-classical bits that Stratovarius has. Also MND sounds more Italian (even though most of the songs are written by a Welshman).

Ok but I can totally agree with you on the Star Trek analogy. I think that's a good one But of course it makes DS9 no less enjoyable it's just different.

Nice to see we agree on something .

Sorry for analysing your post I'm just very interested in how people hear music.

When discussing music, all too often all one side can say is "I think this is brilliant.", while all the other can really say in reply is "I think it sucks." Understanding why a piece of music (or anything, really) resonates with one person but not the other sounds like something that can only be understood by someone with a degree in psychology. But it won't stop us trying.

 

[1928]

I'd only like to express my confusion at the comment of rapping - in Power Quest? wat

 

[MetalCodd]

When I mention rapping I'm talking about the backing vocals in Human Machine - in the verses Alessio sings the line and then raps it.

 

[1928]

That's not really rapping, that's just.. I don't know, simple, quiet backing vocals. I don't think I've ever found anything wrong with them. Interesting!

NP: Human Machine, for the first time in ages

 

[MetalCodd]

It always sounded like rapping to me. While I normally dislike rapping the more I listen and think about this song the more I think that the rapping doesn't really sound all that bad, it's just me being reminded of music I really do not like. I probably need to just get over it.

 

[1928]

Nothing wrong with that, man, to each his own No worries!

 

[Indestructible]

Nothing wrong with thinking it's rapping my friend, but it really isn't, just a different method of singing in that particular part of the song or whatever.

 

[dreamchaser]

Welcome back captain

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

Interesting stuff. I guess that's true at the end of the day it can only boil down to "to each his own".

Rapping in metal...well personally there's something that just shouldn't mix but what the hey some people like that. I mean, I used to like stuff (used to like some nu metal *shudder*) like that and RATM can be a pretty good listen.

 

[Symphony]

Now that's what I like to see.....healthy discussion and debate! Awesome!

Can't say I view those Human Machine BV's as rapping either...certainly doesn't feel like I'm rapping when we do that song live...LOL!

it was interesting with MOI how most journalists/reviewers whose first language wasn't English really didn't "get" what I was on about with a lot of the lyrics. One quote I remember was......"typical fantasy lyrics"! WTF????? Where exactly? LOL!!!!