Ex-Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden vocalist gone solo.
SILICON MESSIAH (2000) SPV/STEAMHAMMER
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Line-up: Blaze Bayley - Vocals Steve Wray - Guitar John Slater - Guitar Jeff Singer - Drums Rob Naylor - Bass |
After his demise from Iron Maiden, Blaze went on to form his own band. Seeing that I never quite found the man to be all that good in Maiden, or Wolfsbane, I didn't have high hopes towards this either. But I was dead wrong to assume anything at all. The man delivers an excellent heavy metal album, chock full of killer songs. He even sings good! I guess it all boils down to 2 factors; 1. This album is written by and for the mans voice, and 2. Andy Sneap has brought out the best of him and his band, and giving the album a powerful sound. I'm tempted to say that Blaze sounds more true to metal than Maiden have done in years! Just listen to the title track and songs such as "The Hunger". Everyone claiming to like pure heavy metal needs to check this album out.
Killer tracks: Ghost In The Machine, Silicon Messiah, Born As A Stranger, The Hunger
BLOOD & BELIEF (2004) SPV/STEAMHAMMER
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Line-up:
Blaze Bayley - Vocals Steve Wray - Guitar John Slater - Guitar Wayne Banks - Bass Jason Bowld - Drums |
Blaze plunders on with their 3rd, and so far, last album. And it is really a shame that Mr. Bayley's solo efforts seem to have passed by virtually unnoticed by the metal masses. His past in Iron Maiden alone should be enough to keep many a metalhead more then interested in his work. I think this only shows that the average Iron Maiden fan are not necessarily metal fans in general. Because what Blaze delivers solo is even more relevant in today's metal scene. I wouldn't call the music modern, but it has some influences from the so-called power metal, or Euro-metal, scene of today. Maybe this is mostly heard in the production, but I also find it in the playing. Thus Blaze the band comes across as a much heavier outfit than Blaze the mans previous outlets. The music is also written to fit the mans voice, which isn't at all as limited as we all thought when he was in Iron Maiden. I'm not sure what bands I would compare Blaze to, and that might be a good thing. The album is nicely put together, with a balance between the heavy as stink songs, the mid-tempo stuff, and even some mellower stuff. "Ten Seconds" might be the mans, and the bands, finest moment. This is also the most personal album from Blaze Bayley, lyrics dealing with many of the low points in the mans life, such as alcoholism and depression. 'Blood & Belief' might end in the "best-albums-you've-never-heard" category.
Killer tracks: Ten Seconds, Blood And Belief, Life And Death, Regret, Soundtrack Of My Life
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