ERIC WAGNER - Highdeas Vol. 1

February 16, 2016, 8 years ago

(Independent)

Greg Pratt

Rating: 8.5

review heavy metal eric wagner

ERIC WAGNER - Highdeas Vol. 1

Cool idea here, this disc being just Eric Wagner (he of the mighty pipes of Trouble, Blackfinger, and The Skull) toying around in the studio with an acoustic guitar, playing songs that would later end up as full band versions on The Skull and Blackfinger albums (both of which are very good and worth getting to know, in case you haven't already). Every one of these ten tunes is powerful and moving, but “Here Comes The Rain” (which went on to be a Blackfinger song) hits Wagner's sweet spot just right: Beatles melodies without being annoying, a fun sense of drama that brings to mind classic overblown-stadium-era Guns N' Roses, and, of course, the overriding doom melancholy and despair we've come to expect from the man. 

Wagner's voice is one of the best in the biz, and while it sounds even better soaring over top of heavy tunes, it works great here as well, songs like “Yellowood” (another Blackfinger tune) showing just how much strength he has in those pipes. Maybe as the years go on he'll release more of these albums, which would be kinda nice: Wagner has given us enough booming power with his rock bands over the years, and it's sort of comforting imagining his voice being the soundtrack to all us old coots cackling and barking about metal bands down at the old folks' home as we sneak whiskey into our coffee and let Wagner's voice soothe away our worries, as it always has.



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