Year : 2018 (Japan Edition)
Style : Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 140 mb
Bio:
Guild Of Ages' roots extend all the way back to 1989. The band was named Caught In The Act (CITA) and they played every battle of the bands, benefit show or backyard party they could. The band quickly rose among the ranks of the most popular bands on the Denver rock scene. After winning a number of Battle of the Bands competitions, CITA started gaining attention from agents, management companies and A&R people. The early 90s brought about a significant change in the music scene away from hard rock, metal and melodic rock. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam became popular. CITA seemed to press on, despite the unpopularity of their music and it paid off. The band was noticed by former Axe & Blackfoot vocalist and guitarist Bobby Barth. Barth lived in Los Angeles and brought the band out for a recording session in the summer of 1992. The trip changed the landscape for the band significantly. After a drummer replacement, CITA sent a number of demo recordings to various record labels in Europe, Japan and the US. The melodic rock scene was still very much alive in Europe and Japan. The Scandinavian record label Empire Records offered the band a recording and distribution deal in 1993 and CITA began recording "Act 1: Relapse Of Reason", which was well received in both Europe and Japan. The boys began recording their follow-up almost immediately after the release of their first effort, despite turmoil. Two line-up changes happened after the release of "Relapse", but core members Antz Trujillo (guitar) and Danny Martinez (vocals) remained. Bassist Jim Lostetter and drummer Steve Stuntz joined in 1994. The band recorded and released "Heat Of Emotion" and was subsequently signed to MTM Music in Europe and Toshiba EMI in Japan. "Heat Of Emotion" received critical acclaim and served as a fantastic follow-up to their first release. The band was in demand and secured their first European tour as an opening act on the Pink Cream 69 - 1997 summer tour. CITA was sued shortly thereafter by a Scandinavian boy band with the same name. Despite using the acronym CITA, the band was issued a cease and desist order and forced to change the name after nearly a decade. Guild Of Ages was reborn in 1998, toured Europe that year with Axe, released 3 more studio CDs ("One", "Vox Dominatas" & "Citadel") and 1 live CD ("Live Over Germany"). The band parted ways in 2002 ... In August 2014, GOA was asked to reunite and play at Firefest in Nottingham, England: The Final Fling! The band agreed to play the show. The band had a number of ‘warm-up’ shows lined up to help get back into the groove known as Guild Of Ages. It was evident that the band still had chemistry and sounded as if they had never split. During these warm-up gigs, they decided to reunite Guild Of Ages not only for Firefest, but for years to come. The band travelled to England knowing that they planned on putting the band back together, but they had no idea the fan base was so strong, even after all those years. The band finished recording 12 new tracks in December 2017. A chance inquiry from Khalil Turk of Escape Music happened in early January 2018. Escape Music was very interested to secure a deal to release the long-awaited new Guild Of Ages album. "Rise" is coming on June 29, 2018.All previous albums from CITA and Guild Of Ages will be remastered and repackaged and will be available on Escape Music in the near future as well.
Album:
First, some history. American band Guild Of Ages began as Caught In The Act, rising during the tumultuous times of the American grunge movement, but they weren't a grunge band. Oops. Noticed by the insightful ears of Axe/Blackfoot vocalist and guitarist Bobby Barth, the band persevered to release their music in Europe and Japan, where the folks aren't so musically fickle.Things were rolling along just fine in the Nineties, including a tour with Pink Cream 69, when some pussy boy band sued them over their name. Despite changing to simply CITA, that same boy band got their Garanimal undies in a bunch and sought a cease and desist order. Having survived the grunge pandemic, CITA could certainly survive an acne-riddled boy band, and so they reinvented themselves as Guild Of Ages and carried on.They released three more studio albums (One, Vox Dominatas, Citadel) and one Live CD (Live Over Germany), before disbanding in 2002. A light speed jump to 2014 and we find Guild Of Ages called upon to reunite and play at the 2014 Firefest: The Final Fling!. They were a smashing success, and with the new found enthusiasm, GOA decided to carry on once more. Now the band returns with a new studio Rise for UK's Escape Music.Well, if you muddled through that historical introduction, then we should get to the music. First to say, thanks to the state of musical affairs in America in the Nineties, I never heard of Caught In The Act or Guild Of Ages. So this is my first experience with the band, and it's fine one. Simply and essentially, Guild Of Ages plays melodic hard rock with a notable metal edge and then neatly packaged in an AOR wrapper.Unwrapping (no pun intended) that description a little more, the GOA hard rock angle comes simply from the strong presence of beat, rhythm, and groove found in the amalgamation of guitar, bass, and drums working together. The twin guitar presence is significant with strong and sharp riffs uniting with song melody and harmony, and then the bristling solos fly like soaring bottle rockets. Adding to this, the vocal arrangements also add to the song melody and harmony for a clean, melodic, and smooth presence. After these things, Guild Of Ages simply has the skill and knack to write some catchy tunes with hooks everywhere, from a melody to a piano line to a sweet refrain.As for the songs, there's much to enjoy within Rise and so here's some highlights. With All Fall Down, at the start you get a sweet piano line before the song turns into some fine melodic metal rock with a fine groove and tasty melody. Similar is Deep In Heaven, where the piano is joined by symphonic synths at the start before turning into, again, more melodic metal rock. For that aforementioned rhythm and groove combined in guitar, bass, and drums look to Awaken or Around The Sun, somewhat heavier numbers. GOA drops a savory arena anthem with Every Road Leads Me Home, turning largely on the vocal and guitar line. Powerful drums drive the fast paced I Will Keep Burnin. A true ballad arrives with the more gentle Hearts Collide which features voice over acoustic guitar, yet still rising to a fine electric guitar solo as all AOR ballads should.Suffice to say, if you made it through all those words, Guild Of Ages' Rise is fine return to form for the band, a genuinely satisfying and entertaining album of AOR melodic hard rock with some metal edge. Easily recommended.
Line Up:
Danny Martinez Jr (lv, g)
Anthony Trujillo (g, k, v)
James Lostetter (b)
Steve Stuntz (d, v)
+
JC Cernan (pi on tr. 6)
Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Deep In Heaven
03. Around The Sun
04. Addicted
05. Every Road Leads Me Home
06. All Fall Down
07. Awaken
08. Love Rules All
09. I’ll Keep Burnin’
10. Rise Another Day
11. Hearts Collide
12. Outro
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
