Trollheart

A few points before I begin, and I'm not meaning to get at anyone here, but there's a little confusion taking place, so I think I should clarify.

Question 5 refers to music, not instrumentals. What I'm saying here is, take out the vocals, listen to the music in each track, did you like it? I'm not talking about tracks with music only. You could relate it to musical passages in songs, but it's not meant to refer to instrumentals only. So if you liked the vocals but didn't like the music the vocalist was singing over, the answer to this woud be no (and then you could say why).

Question 8 on the other hand refers to ONLY instrumental TRACKS. So if an album has no fully instrumental tracks then this should be ignored. This does not cover long instrumental passages in a song which ends up having vocals; that's addressed in question 5.

Question 15. For some reason Unknown Soldier put n/a. This is one of the first albums we've had recently which is a debut, so the question is definitely /A! The other parts of the question should really be struck out, as this question was compiled originally to refer to debut and debut albums ONLY. If the album is NOT a debut, it's N/A, otherwise it can be answered.

Sorry to be so pedantic, but I'm just trying to clear up the confusion that these questions seem to have caused. And now, my thoughts.

One other thing before I begin: I was struck by how similar the album sleeve is to that of the one by Gandalf's Fist, from 2011. See?



Anyway, that aside, this album has nothing else in common with that very derivative and disappointing album. So on we go...

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Having been advised that Damian Wilson was the vocalist I was waiting to hear him, and my original thought was "pity they made the opener an instrumental". Of course, I soon found I was mistaken: it's not an instrumental, just a song with a long musical introduction, and once "Stalled armageddon" gets going it's a great start to an album that really doesn't flag once, though some tracks definitely stand out.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
As I mentioned, I was a little nonplussed with the intro to the opener but once it got going I really liked it, and this only got better with the wonderful "Fall of America" and then followed by the tender, heartbreaking "Soldier."

3. What did you think of the later tracks?
Don't think there was one I didn't like, though there is a lot of noodling in some of them. Not that there's anything wrong with that --- Wilson does describe Headspace as progressive metal after all --- but some of them do meander a little,. Still, there's still nothing I would skip.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
I absolutely love Damian Wilson, in the least gay way possible. Ever since I first heard him singing on the very first Threshold album I bought, "Subsurface", I've been a fan of his vocal style. It's very distinctive and very emotional, and he can whisper a ballad or roar a punchy rocker with ease, but everything he does commands your attention. I'm actually in awe of the guy: Threshold only released their latest album last year, and in that same year he's worked on and released Headspace's first album, with (according to the Wiki oracle) a new one due this year! How does the guy find time to sleep?

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
The music was fantastic. Mind you, with a keyboard player from the Wakeman family, what do you expect? The rest of the band punch above their weight too. Top marks all round.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Started well, got better as it went along.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
The lyrics are typically obscure for a prog band, but seem to focus on the idea of a world war that may destroy, or have destroyed the planet, and the aftermath of such.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
No instrumentals on this album.

9. What did you think of the production?
Very high quality, quite cinematic in places.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Until Big Ears recommended them I knew nothing of this band, but with both Wakeman and Wilson involved I was instantly interested.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Progressive metal. Damian says so, and you can't argue with the vocalist, can you?

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
Much more. It's getting better every time I listen to it.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
Hard to say. If I had to pick, it would be between "Fall of America", "Soldier" and "The big day". The lines in "Soldier", When I return and it's all over, /I...I hope you'll carry me upon your shoulder/ and walk up the hill beneath the cannon,/and lay my body down with...with my companions together with Adam Wakeman's mournful piano and the tolling of church bells always makes me tear up like a schoolgirl...

14. And the one you liked least?
Not on this album, baby!

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Despite the musical pedigree involved, this is still a stunning debut, and I can't wait to hear what they come up with next.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
See above. Actually, having heard the album I was all ready to buy the rest of their material, until I found out there was only this one, so far. D'oh!

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
There are indications it's a concept album loosely based around the idea of a world-spanning war which may or may not have destroyed the planet. Within that, I think there's a lot of the idea of man's choices, faith, duty and responsibility, with the belief that every person must contribute to the world and make their mark, so that nobody can say the title represents them.

18. Did the album end well?
The album ended fantastically. I love "The big day", and am still working out if it is (as I think it is) about 9/11, but I love the acoustic ending and the just pure passion and power that's in the song. Brilliant closer. Love it.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
Not really. Pretty perfect as it is I feel. The only quibble I'd have is that some of the songs end too abruptly. I'm not a fan of abrupt endings to songs, as a general rule.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
Hung together very well, the concept works great and mostly you can follow the story.

Ratiing:9 out of 10

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018