On disc: Blaze Bayley

 
 The Man Who Would Not Die
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Promise And Terror
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Promise And Terror
 
- Umberto Mino -
 
 


 
 Promise And Terror
 
- Mike Thompson -
 
 

Promise And Terror

(Blaze Bayley Recordings - 2010)



 
 

 

Blaze Bayley is the physical definition of all that metal stands for – doing your own thing, going your own way, sticking to what you love and letting no-one and nothing stand in your way. The very name is enough to divide the metal world into those who respect a man who has withstood all that has been thrown at him on one side and blinkered Iron Maiden 'fans' who hold him responsible for the slump in that band's popularity during the nineties on the other.

Promise And Terror is Blaze's second studio album with the current Blaze Bayley band (fifth of his solo career overall), following the amazing 2008 offering The Man Who Would Not Die. Hopefully this album will further the work started on The Man Who Would Not Die and allow this band to take their rightful positions as one of the best heavy metal bands to come out of the UK since the heady days of the NWOBHM.

Blaze himself delivers a fine vocal performance on this album, as ever really. One of the best is on track eight, Surrounded By Sadness, a mostly acoustic song with a real melancholy air. I think this song really suits the deep resonance of Blaze's voice and is one of the few acoustic songs I've ever heard that I would actually say I'm hoping to hear live. In total contrast the repeated mantra 'Fight. Kill. Fuck. Eat' from Letting Go Of The World is almost snarled out with such venom that it sticks in your mind long after the song has finished!

The other musicians in the Blaze Bayley band - Dave and Nico Bermudez, Jay Walsh and Larry Paterson – all shine on this record as a tight knit group who understand each other and are comfortable playing together. It appears that after years of bad luck and false starts that Blaze has finally found his perfect solo band.

I think a special mention must go to Dave Bermudez who gives a fine performance on bass, particularly on 1633 which is a track kicked off by a great little bass riff before the crunching guitars creep in. This guy must be one of the best bassists in the scene at the moment. Yes, I can praise a bass player on a studio recording because you can actually hear the damn instrument. I really had forgotten how great it is to hear a good galloping bass line.

This is a fine piece of modern day British metal at its best. Its probably not quite as good as The Man Who Would Not Die, but that was one of those rare, almost perfect albums that is next to impossible to live up to. Promise And Terror is still an excellent album that should bring many new fans into the Blaze Bayley fold. I certainly hope it brings these five talented musicians the domestic and international success they truly deserve.
 
 










Mike Thompson


  
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Promise And Terror

(Blaze Bayley Recordings - 2010)



 
 

 

Blaze is back among us after his personal tragedy, the death of his wife. He's a strong man, and this new album Promise And Terror show the signs of his personal struggle. I always think that he was not right for Iron Maiden, because they don't write the right music for his voice and also this new album proofs me right. Blaze sing like a lion out of his cage, rage and fury, melody and good catchy chorus mark his performance on this new CD. Blaze this time want separate the CD in two parts: The first part heavy and furious, and the second part (last four songs) more melodic and if you read these titles Surrounded By Sadness, The Trace Of Things That Have No Words, Letting Go Of The World, Comfortable In Darkness you can understand which was his inspiration. The first part offer us very good tracks like Madness And Sorrow, also the band gave us a very good performance, the sound really kick ass and personally I don't expected that Blaze can offer a nice performance like this.... I'm really impressed.

This record give us back a band and a singer fully loaded for great live performances. I'm so happy that my opinion on Blaze is very positive now, but now he deserve also the help of you all people! Buy or die!!!!!! This is an order!!!
 
 










Umberto Mino


  
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Promise And Terror

(Blaze Bayley Recordings - 2010)



 
 

 

Since 2007 Mr. Bayley's band is called Blaze Bayley and with Promise And Terror he and his band present their 2nd studio album. After The Man That Would Not Die they toured a lot and did a live CD / DVD called The Night That Will Not Die.

The opener is called Watching The Night Sky and is a fast rocker which should fulfill the expectations of his fans. Soon you'll realize that even if the songs have the trademarks of Blaze Bayley songs, they have some more to offer. At Madness And Sorrow you'll find some new elements and so it seems that it's more a band effort then it was in the past... Slowly they kick off 1633 with a bass line and heavy riffs, then the song becomes a heavy, riff-based tune. As soon as Blaze joins in the tune becomes a real heavy metal anthem! Guitarists Jay Walsh and Nick Bermudez have space to shine while drummer Larry Paterson and bassist Dave Bermudez deliver the rhythmic playground. City Of Bones starts with drums, then the guitars join in and so they show some variety. The song is 6.25 minutes long and so gives lead guitarist Nick Bermudez time to show his skills. After the epic City Of Bones they speed up, the guitar-driven Faceless is next. After the hymnic Time To Dare they slow down and acoustic guitar leads you into Surrounded By Sadness, an emotional tune. Very touching. Then the song explodes and becomes a heavy melancholy rocker. The follower The Trace of Things That Have No Words is surprising the listener with twist and turns. The closer Comfortable In Darkness is one of my favorites. A heavy emotional tune which gets more intense and heavy soon. A good closer which will make you spin the album again!

Resume: I hope that this line-up is lasting, coz this album offers a heavier and darker sound, more variety and still has all the trademarks of Blaze Bayley's songs. The album is convincing right from the start, but also a grower, so give it time to grow on you! Well done!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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www.planetblaze.com












The Man Who Would Not Die

(Blaze Bayley Recordings - 2008)



 
 

 

Some know Blaze Bayley from his time with Wolfsbane, but more will know him from his days with Iron Maiden. In the year 2000 he presented the Blaze debut Silicon Messiah and then released 2 more studio albums and a live CD in the following year. Blaze toured extensively, but suffered from line-up changes. Soon after Blaze disbanded he started again, but now as Blaze Bayley and this is the first work of the new band. But musically Mr. Bayley sticks to his roots, it's more or less what he did with Blaze.

Straight ahead they start with heavy riffing into the title track - The Man Who Would Not Die. Again Blaze Bayley managed to combine great hooks and thundering riffs. He's still alive and kicking! It seems that this one is about himself, coz he never gives up. Always fights and keeps going. The fast one is showing him very strong and even if he added some new elements its typically Blaze. They ease up a bit for Blackmailer, but still this one has power and some fast riffs. A bit more epic and with staccato riffing... The wall of guitars is created by Jay Walsh and Nick Bermudez. When you listen to Smile Back At Death it seems he got more mature... The song has partly a melancholy touch, but other passages are aggressive. It shows more variety and is perhaps one of the most complex, demanding songs so far. One of the highlights on The Man Who Would Not Die! The references to Iron Maiden are most obvious at Samurai, but its Blaze's past. The tune sounds very fresh and soon will haunt you! On A Crack In The System he uses different elements, e.g. some distorted spoken word parts. But a bit repetitive... Another fast one is Robot. Slowly starts At The End Of The Day, a bit dragging... And melancholy, but they add some heaviness for awhile... The track has some passages which could be described as powerful balladesque... Just great! And with Waiting For My Life To Begin they deliver a fast, catchy metal anthem! One spin and you won't forget the hookline! One of the best songs of Mr. Bayley so far - in my opinion. The following Voices From The Past is showing elements which aren't typical, but woven into some quite typical song structure. The fast Serpent Hearted Man is the closer. Well done!

This is another great piece of heavy metal, perhaps you will miss a bit the catchy hooks off Silicon Messiah, but the album has great tunes which offer variety and shows again that Blaze Bayley is a great singer! And still hungry! If you liked Blaze in the past, this one won't disappoint you!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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