First things first, I have been a faithful Red Hot Chili Peppers fan since my youth and own all their studio records plus a few compilations and live cuts and there isn't one single record I find just average or even boring. I'm a sucker for the band's drug-influenced mixture of funk, punk rock and rap with a few metal elements on records like ''Freaky Styley'', ''Blood Sugar Sex Magik'' and ''One Hot Minute'' but even the more recent, intellectual and mature outputs had a certain charm and especially the creative, diversified and emotional last output ''I'm With You'' and its extra tracks released on vinyl were truly impressive. If you read this type of introduction, you might already see it coming. I'm having a lot of trouble appreciating the band's new output ''The Getaway''. I wouldn't be as harsh to say that this record sucks but it's definitely the band's worst studio record so far. It's painfully average and at times really boring which is probably even worse than a failed experiment for a band that rose to fame by putting socks on their penises on stage. To give you a more precise idea about this new record, imagine a less inspired version of ''By the Way'' minus its few more rocking tunes.

I guess new producer Danger Mouse is to blame for the final result. The band had worked with Rick Rubin for more than two decades and released six highly influential albums before they decided they needed a change of routine and a new collaborator who would push them to try out new things. In theory, this sounds like a good idea for a band that represents the term ''crossover'' better than any other band around the world. The band had already a whole new record ready to record but their new producer challenged them to make a completely different album with him. Danger Mouse is more than just a producer on this album since he has numerous song writing credits and performs Mellotron, organ and synthesizers on more than half of the songs. Radiohead collaborator Nigel Godrich mixed the album which includes string sections, female background singers and choirs and it barely sounds like a rock album. I wasn't expecting a heavy metal record but I wasn't expecting a grown-old soft rock compilation which is almost entirely composed of mid-tempo half-ballads. Gone are the ferocious hard rocking solos. Gone are the vivid rhythm sections. Gone are the wild vocals mixing hysteric screams with angry rap parts. What we have hear is a harmonious, peaceful and ultimately boring record that might please female teenagers who have fallen in love with a sunny boy during their summer vacation but not those who are expecting some rock 'n roll.

On the positive side, this record definitely has a special vibe and soul and a clear guiding line. The band doesn't repeat itself and tries out something new which is always positive in my book. The guitar work sounds like a mixture of soft psychedelic rock of the seventies with a few Hawaiian folk sound inspirations. The bass guitar adds some light and sometimes danceable funk sounds while the drum play isn't doing anything more than adding relaxing beats in the background. This peaceful structure is enriched with soft string parts, a few Mellotron, piano and synthesizer sounds and inoffensive female background vocals and occasional choirs to fill the emptiness. The main vocals always sound the same and are exclusively based upon melodic and calm mid-tempo patterns. As always, the predictable lyrics are either about personal relationships or praise the state of California as it has been the case since ''Californication'' where the band already started to lose some of its unique energy. Maybe the Red Hot Chili Peppers have become so smooth, old and calm that they should call themselves the Pale Fluffy Bubble Teas now. At least the band's current live performances are as poignant as ever.

The mixture described above works well for a handful of songs. Title track and opener ''The Getaway'' has a peacefully hypnotizing and numbing sound and works well as an airy and dreamy lullaby inspired by pop music of the eighties. First single ''Dark Necessities'' has a really positive vibe and a few catchy vocal lines transmitting a healthy dose of lust for life despite a melancholic undertone. After these two songs, one expects a change, an experiment or at least a more vivid tune but none of the above ever happens. Some songs are barely saved by a few inspired guitar solos towards the very end like ''Goodbye Angels''. The most boring song on here is probably the mellow ''Encore'' which rather sounds like a sonic farewell that has no redeeming song writing qualities whatsoever. ''The Hunter'' is only slightly better thanks to a harmonious combination of psychedelic slow-motion guitar riffs and melancholic piano and string sounds but the track goes nowhere at all while the bassist and drummer must have been mentally absent during the recording of this tune. I guess the hunter in this story fell asleep and didn't shoot any animals. ''The Longest Wave'' isn't much better and sounds so streamlined that it is the sonic antithesis of an actual wave. 

Aside of the charming lead single and the acceptable title track, only two songs are worth to be mentioned as positive elements on this repetitive output. The entertaining ''Go Robot'' reminds of a commercially flavored funk rock tune of the eighties with some spacey synthesizer sounds of the seventies that surprises with some absurd and amusing lyrics. ''This Ticonderoga'' has a few vivid genre changes and features some heavier riffs that meet psychedelic guitar sounds and even the vocals vary slightly and include minimal spoken word parts and a liberating shout at the end. All these songs would have been the calmest on a Red Hot Chili Peppers record twenty years ago but today they almost feel like nostalgic outbursts of emotions.

In the end, this record is interesting for three types of fans or situations. This record offers some smooth background music while relaxing with your girlfriend in front of a campfire on a Californian beach at night during on a road trip. Nostalgic soft rock aficionados with a weakness for the hippie spirit might also enjoy this release. Die-hard fans and collectors of anything the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released might also find a few redeemable features after multiple spins. Since I won't do a road trip to California and don't want to be a hippie, I guess the last category is the one that represents me best. Well, at least the cover artwork is really inspiring. To be completely honest and serious though, ''The Getaway'' is probably one of this year's most disappointing releases for me. Now I'm going to wash my ears with a few spins of ''Mother's Milk''.

Final verdict: 60%

"The Present World is a Dream ~25th Anniversary Commemoration Best-Of Album~" is another compilation record of the productive Japanese trio Ningen-Isu that celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of its first release on this greatest hits album. Aside of being highly recommendable to those who want to get introduced to this legendary band that mixes swaggering rock 'n roll, sweating hard rock, tight heavy metal, brooding doom metal and occasional speed metal with fascinating lyrics about Japanese traditions, mythology and literature, this compilation is also recommendable for those who are already slightly familiar with the band.

First of all, if compared to previous compilations, this record focuses a lot on the band's first EP which has been out of print for many years and the band's first full length record which is also rather hard to find. Especially the first disc introduces the listener to the first steps of the band that already had a natural flow and tight chemistry back in those days. The energizing and fast ''Mountain of Needles'' with its punk vibes and the catchy retro rock anthem ''Neurotic I LOVE YOU'' that invites to dance represent the large spectrum of musical inspiration that already characterized this open-minded band two and a half decades earlier. The rest of the first disc is composed of the band's greatest tracks from the early and middle years such as the gloomy and hypnotizing ''Ghost Train'' with its dominating bass sound and numbing vocals or the constantly shifting yet perfectly floating ''Shinagawa Lover's Suicide'' which doesn't only summarize the band's incredible song writing qualities but which might be the singular best song the band has ever written.

The second disc focuses on the band's more recent material. Between the last compilation released five years prior to this one which I reviewed before the band finally got some well-deserved international praise and this ambitious release, the hard-working Japanese trio released four highly recommendable new studio albums that are represented with many songs here. As if this wasn't enough, the last four tunes of the second disc are brand new and exclusive to this release. ''A Written Invitation to Hell'' is one of the band's fastest and most aggressive tracks with a vibe somewhere between thrash and speed metal with a hard rocking vibe that recalls a mixture of Anthrax and Motorhead. This outstanding tune will tear your head off. ''The Glory of Vice'' showcases a completely different side of the band and is a psychedelic doom metal monster with gloomy riffs and highly emotional and versatile vocals. It's a typical song for the band but for those who aren't familiar with Ningen-Isu, this track might be compared to Black Sabbath at its peak in the mid-seventies. Yes, this song is that great. ''The Sad Librarian'' is a more rhythm-orientated heavy metal track that develops a great flow based on a simple yet addicting main riff, a diversified performance by both vocalist and a playfully extended hard rocking guitar solo. This song also recalls Black Sabbath and Motorhead but beats anything these bands have released recently. Finally, ''The Colour Out of Space'' which also got an official video clip and can be seen as the lead single of this record, is the most atmospheric of the four new tunes. It mixes eerie and almost spacey sounds with heavy riffs, a tight bass guitar sound and precise drumming. This track sounds like a gothic version of a Black Sabbath song with some King Crimson influences. It takes some time for this track to grow but it ends up being an absolute highlight on a consistent high-quality release. All four new songs are absolutely outstanding and rate this compilation up.

To keep it short, this release is both essential for new and old fans of the band. It mostly focuses on the band's forgotten early records and rocking roots and on the trio's most recent releases including four great new tracks. Obviously, it also includes some of the most important hits of the group. The colourful artwork, the extended booklet and the quality of the material including the jewel case itself are carefully crafted and rate this product up. This isn't a cheap greatest hits efforts compiling a few singles but a product where the band was obviously involved and put its heart and soul into it. Anybody who calls himself a metal fan should own an album of this band and this greatest hits effort is a highly recommendable choice. If you still mourn the loss of Motorhead and fear the nearing end of Black Sabbath, rejoice and listen to some Ningen-Isu.

Final verdict: 95%

Hillward is a Canadian progressive metal band with a depressive rock note that sounds similar to contemporary Anathema or Katatonia. The band consists of members of the great progressive metal band Southern Cross that included more power metal elements in their sound. That band is currently on hold but a new record should come out next year. The album cover of the band's debut full length release ''Flies in Amber Stones'' already gives you a perfect idea of the sound of this album that has a very clear guide line. All ten tracks have a somewhat psychedelic, numbing and depressive feeling and are rather slow or played at mid-tempo. Dreamy guitar riffs are supported by a mostly smooth rhythm section, appeasingly melodic vocals and electronic lounge sounds here and there. This is the kind of record that should be listened to as a whole because it takes the listener on an epic journey. On the other side, this type of music isn't always easy to digest due to its particular atmosphere and should only be enjoyed in small doses.

The most outstanding track is probably the brilliant opener and title track ''Flies in Amber Stones''. From the first second on, it has the band's charismatic dreamy, depressive and epic atmosphere including numbing melodies, appeasing lead vocals and floating backing vocals but it comes around with the heaviest riff on the album and a few vivid electronic elements including tribal drum sounds. This is probably the band's most accessible track for progressive metal fans.

''Entropy'' and ''Quantify the Abstract'' are two great instrumental tunes. The former has a focus on electronic elements with a hypnotizing vibe while the latter is much heavier and focuses on a diversified guitar performance and a greater role of the rhythm section.

The longest tune on the album is also the most epic one in form of the diversified ''When It All Comes True'' that almost has an old-school space rock vibe from the seventies that invites the listeners to relax and dream themselves far away. 

A last track to point out would be ''Walls of Apathy''. Among many introspective tunes, this track can still be described as the ballad of the album. Just as the title suggests, it has an apathic instrumental work but still manages to grab you emotionally in the second half when soothing male vocals meet charismatic and dreamy female guest vocals. The two singers have a really great chemistry and I would definitely like to hear more collaborations between the two. This track is a true hidden gem on a very unique, soulful and profound album.

In the end, this overlooked French Canadian progressive rock or metal act created a very beautiful first output with a lot of depth, emotions and intellectuality. It even sounds as if it came from a more experienced band that knew precisely what it was doing here. Fans of rock music with a calmer, spacier and more depressive note will really dig this record and should encourage the band by buying this output on its Bandcamp presence.

Final verdict: 8/10

Christian heavy metal band Stryper has been spreading its message of salvation for far over three decades and continues to do so with its solid tenth full length studio record ''Fallen''. Just a look at the cover artwork, the song titles and the legacy of the band reveal that this entire album deals with Christian beliefs. Even though I'm not a deeply religious person, I have no problem with a band spreading its positive message of hope and peace. Despite the band's particular and somewhat limited lyrics, this album is also extremely enjoyable for any fan of traditional heavy metal and hard rock who simply wants to hear liberating and majestic music.

''Yahweh'' is not only a perfect opener but also the best song on the record. It's epic and majestic from start to finish. The song opens with heavenly choirs before powerful and unchained vocals kick in that still sound fresh and juvenile after so many years. The track features mid-paced traditional heavy metal riffs but also a few faster parts that recall early power metal elements. The guitar melodies are harmonious and uplifting while the vivid rhythm section is really groovy and tight. Bands like Manowar wish they could write this type of epic heavy metal anthem nowadays.

The album features some more outstanding heavy metal tracks. The mid-paced heavy metal title track ''Fallen'' recalls the works of Dio and Jorn with tight verses and an uplifting chorus with high-pitched vocals. The guitar solos also have an old school vibe and underline the fact that this is Stryper's heaviest record in a long time. 

Album closer ''King of Kings'' is not a far call from traditional Judas Priest and a great heavy metal tune with a plodding yet memorable larger-than-life chorus. This song ends a really great record on a strong note and Stryper manages to open and close its output with two of its greatest tunes ever written.

The other songs are not as heavy but still really solid tunes somewhere between hard rock and heavy metal in the key of the eighties without sounding too conservative. Many tracks recall bands such as Def Leppard, Dokken or Whitesnake to give you a more precise idea. What really stands out about most songs are the inredibly catchy choruses and the juvenile spirit in songs like the addicting ''Big Screen Lies''. 

The only song that has a softer sound is the acoustic rock track ''All Over Again'' that has a slight country ballad touch. It's the kind of song to be played and sung around a campfire and makes me think of a band like Mr. Big. It's not exactly my type of song but it's well executed and offers a pleasant change of sound in the context of this hard rocking record.

Another song that really stands out is the absolutely stunning cover of Black Sabbath's classic ''After Forever'' that also features religiously inspired lyrics. I'm a fan of this legendary heavy metal band and adore the original tune but this version is an improvement over an already inspiring track. First of all, the heavy guitar riffs and the tight drumming are even heavier than the original thanks to gifted musicianship and a crystal clear production. The vocals are even more liberating and passionate than the charismatic original performance and even add a few powerful screams here and there. The track is also slightly longer than the original and expands a few instrumental parts in an epic way without any unnecessary lengths. This song stands exemplary for Stryper's reborn passion for heavy metal.

In the end, this is the first full length album of the band I bought after hearing several promising snippets and this release immediately made me a fan of Stryper's passionate musicianship and positive message even though religion isn't an essential part of my life. Anybody who is looking for an energizing traditional heavy metal record should buy this album.

Final rating: 8,5/10