This is the follow-up Halford Resurrection should have been!
cd-heaven | ROCK CITY | 04/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"WOW! If you love Halford's Resurrection effort but were slightly dissapointed with the follow-up Crucible (like me, I was let down, it's a good effort but just does not have the drive like Resurrection had when you first heard it.) And I say that because, John West has basically employed the [...]members of Rod Halford's band that was responsible for Resurrection to play on and write Earth Maker. Joining John are Metal Mike on lead guitar, and Bobby Jarzombek on drums from Halford. Their contributions both performance and songwriting, are massive and make this whole CD one metal masterpiece. Also joining in are Savatage guitarist Chris Caffery as another lead guitarist, and bass player Kevin Choon and keyboard player Lonnie Park. Among the songwriting credits, Metal Mike co-writes 3 tunes with John, Chris Caffery co-writes 3 tunes, and Lonnie Park co-wrotes 4 tunes as well as produces the album. I swear to God, this album sounds like it was produced by Roy Z who produced the metal mesterpieces Halford Resurrection, Bruce Dickinson A Chemical Wedding amd Helloween The Dark Ride. This album is write up with all of those, and is better than the Helloween album. The album is based on a story, so for it being a concept album, and a metal concept album at that, this is truly a landmark album that cannot be ignored by metal fans.
The story is about an Native Ameican Indian named Shenandoah, and his journeys through time and lives, as he embarks on his "Vision Quest" to meet the Earth Maker (hence the title of the album). There is also an awesome insert to this CD with lyrics, and a complete story revolving around all the lyrics and etc. Every song on here rocks, and each one is better than the last. If I had to pick 5 Metal albums over the years from 1997-2002, they would be Halford Resurrection, Dickinson's Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding, Helloween's A Dark Ride and this masterpiece, John West's Earth Maker. Also, anyone who has his last 2 solo albums, Minds Journey or Permanent Mark, haven't heard anything yet!! This CD is AWESOME!! Metal fans, I promise you, this is worth [$$$] new!!! You will not be let down!!"
Earth Maker has it all: melody, conviction, depth, emotion
Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 02/18/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"John West is one of the best vocalists in today's metal music. He sang in many bands as a guest vocalist and has been part of a number of bands including the Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt and Artension featuring keyboard virtuoso Vitalij Kuprij. Feinstein is another project he's been involved in as of late. As all these mentioned bands suggest, John West has a very multi-dimensional voice that fits each and every one of them.Then there are his solo albums. The albums that feel like "his" the most. It's these albums that give him the room and opportunity to explore with his own ideas and musical endeavours which he cannot utilise in other bands. On his first two solo releases, West focused his powerful songwriting and vocal abilities on his 80's roots with a modern touch. The music was his way of expressing himself in a relatively more subtle way without having to get too over the top. With Earth Maker, however, he seamlessly blends all of his influences and the outcome is a hybrid of everything that's been a part of his career: from Artension to Savatage to Halford to Royal Hunt. The music is complemented by a moving concept theme about a Native American myth called Shenandoah and depicts his journeys in search of the "Earth Maker". It's a deeply touching story that ties in with a perfect ending. Earth Maker is my favourite John West disc and one of the best solo albums to come out in the last 6-7 years. I fully believe that West's collaboration with long-time friend Chris Caffery from Savatage and Halford members Mike Chlasciak and Bobby Jarzombek has given him the opportunity to expand his vision regarding songwriting and brought out the best from him. Chris Caffery helped West with some of the tracks and Chlasciak covered the rest. With a drum god Jarzombek and guest musicians from West's bands Royal Hunt and Artension, he serves the purpose of this solo album perfectly. Vitalij Kuprij's sparse keyboard and piano playing is awesome as is the nicely done production. Everyone on this disc gives each song what it needs therefore producing a fantastic record.Although West is primarily a great prog metal singer, he's also deeply rooted in the 80's rock singers world. The depth of the music is unbelievable. On one hand, there are straight-up melodic metal songs like "Soul of the Beast", "When Worlds Collide" and the title song "Earth Maker"; on the other hand there are tracks displaying West's remarkable vocal abilities. "Stand Sentinel" is a perfect example for it. Its unconventional structure, epic length, and sublime keyboard playing is pushed to unfathomable heights as John West delivers the lyrics with tons of emotion. His high end screams and lower register vocals in it prove his stunning gift. What's more is he pulls it all off effortlessly. "Life" is another song that deserves a mention. The vocal harmonies West comes up with here is out of this world. Chlasciak and Jarzombek, being long-time duos from Halford, play cohesive rhythm lines giving the music its final shape.Chris Caffery has announced that he will be working with West again on his forthcoming album and I already look forward to it. Both the new Artension and Royal Hunt CDs are great, but I don't know if I'll play them over and over as I've played this one--for the last 2 years. This is music that refuses to get old. And that's how it should be."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1