This was taken from the church of San Michele in Bosco looking out over Bologna. The tower you can see there is the Asinelli tower - it was built sometime between 1109-1119.
Other important information about this area is that I saw a bat and it was very cute.
I had the pleasure of catching Savage Master live during January’s Heavy Mountain Music Festival. Eight straight hours of killer music, with no duds across the entire bill, played a key role in rekindling my lust for live music after the hurricane tried—and failed—to wash away my spirit. For their part, the Kentucky occult/heavy metal quintet were one of the best acts of the night, brimming with classic crowd-rousing energy and sparkling stage chemistry. However, their reputation for variedreception by our Ape ov Steel on this blog precedes them. Can they recover some devilish grace with upcoming fifth record, Dark & Dangerous?
Citing such reference points as Cirith Ungol, Bitch, and even Saxon, not much about Savage Master’s BDSM-based, Satan-seducing approach to heavy metal changed since With Whips and Chains and Myths, Magic & Steel. Guitar and vocal forward, Dark & Dangerous doubles down on catchy riffs, shreddy solos, infectious verses, and sticky choruses delivered with the same occult swagger I love about acts like Saturday Night Satan and Avatarium‘s bouncier material. Challenging the status quo of heavy metal at large isn’t on Savage Master’s agenda, but rollicking tracks like “The Edge of Evil” suck you into a hellish party vibe that doesn’t want to let you go until it has your body and soul for itself for all eternity. In other words, Dark & Dangerous is oodles of fun, and it gives the impression that Savage Master has as much, if not more, fun than you.
Despite Stacey Savage’s sultry, powerhouse delivery, it is Julian Fried’s and Larry Myer’s dueling axe antics that lock the devil’s seal on Dark & Dangerous. Much to my great joy, their shimmery leads and emphatic solos on record match the sensually charged aura they exuded on stage. Standout tracks in the middle of these tight 38 minutes, “The Edge of Evil,” “Devil’s Child,” and later highlight “When the Twilight Meets the Dawn” showcase their enthusiastic fretwork best. In these, bright and ebullient melodies twist their forked tongues against the scalding flesh of heated solos and trotting riffs such that my attention never wavers from such carnal debauchery. Yet, Savage’s venomous wails and full-bodied belts still ring out with clarity, solidifying her role as the troupe’s merciless dominatrix (“The Edge of Evil,” “Never Ending Fire,” “I Never Wanna Fall in Love”). Adam Neal’s bass guitar offers fun bounce to that low-end counterpoint that juggles rhythmic duties with drummer John W. Littlejohn’s youthful gallops on the kit, maintaining ample momentum to keep Dark & Dangerous from losing any steam (“Never Ending Fire,” “When the Twilight Meets the Dawn”).
While it is evident that Savage Master clearly have a ton of fun writing and playing this well-worn variety of heavy metal, as many individual cuts on Dark & Dangerous fade out of memory as those which brand the gray matter for all time. Where bar-crawling rockers “Devil Rock” and “I Never Wanna Fall in Love” maximize the sweet and sticky hooks of 80s hair and glam, solidifying their eternal presence in my mind, other cuts like “Warrior’s Call,” “Black Rider,” and “Screams from the Cellar” fail to make any impression at all. These tracks follow a similar formula as stronger options like “The Edge of Evil,” but distinguishing characteristics or cleverly packaged writing come at a steep premium, squandering any chance of being remembered. Overblown ballad closer “Cold Hearted Death” attempts a slower and more somber number, but it, too, falls flat outside of its powerhouse chorus and satisfying final-third solo.
Perhaps most damning of all, at the core, Dark & Dangerous is an extremely simple, by-the-numbers affair. As fun as this record can be in the moment, it’s hard to argue that it competes well against standout contemporaries like Tower or Saturday Night Satan in this competitive field. Several cuts off Dark & Dangerous are a shoo-in for any quality heavy metal playlist, but as an album, it’s but another point in the pentagram. Still, Savage Master’s fifth is worth a spin or two for a good time. And if you ever get the chance to see them live, don’t miss!
Heather, pylons and stones! - can you see the more pointed one in the background? Bwlch y Ddeufaen Standing Stones in #Conwy, #Wales (and yes It's a #tower really) #AllMetalMonday More...
Back in the Year of Our Plague 2021, New York City’s own Tower came out of nowhere and delivered a massive sucker punch to an unsuspecting Steely with their appropriately titled sophomore opus Shock to the System. It was a powerhouse ode to classic 80s metal full of sizzling guitar work and the massive vocals of Sarabeth Linden. It mixed the best elements of early US metal and NWoBHM, touching on nostalgia acts like Riot City and Enforcer along with classic units like Chastain and Oz and it hit significantly above its weight. 2025 brings the sequel, Let There Be Dark, and it’s business as usual at the Tower of Power as they dig deep into the 80s metal crypts for retro gold. But can they catch lightning in a hobo wine bottle twice? Pray for retro mojo.
The recipe that worked so well last time is still in use, but Tower try out some softer shades now too. Opener “Under the Chapel” is a barn scorcher full of dazzling riffwork leveraging the raucous, punky edge of NWoBHM, but rather than coming in at 12 and staying there, Sarabeth opts for seductive croons over brute force at times, using her enchanting siren song to create a more diverse experience. The aggressive music pairs very well with Sarabeth’s shifting tones and the song sticks in the grey matter immediately. The title track is another in-your-face rocker leaning on 80s speed metal, providing Sarabeth the perfect foundation to roar and soar. The chorus is a simple but elegant fist-pumper and their rowdy retro magic shines brightly. The high point arrives with “Holy Water,” which is just a lean, mean metal tune full of pugnacious attitude, ripping guitar work, and mammoth vocals. Sarabeth goes all in here, showing all phases of her range as she destroys the universe like an Infinity Gauntlet set to “Pulpify.” This woman has the Kovorka!
Elsewhere, “Book of the Hidden” scores another big win for Tower, finding an epic level in their sound that marries well with the straightforward, no-nonsense riff hooliganism, making the whole thing reek of 1983. To change things up, they deliver a seething power ballad called “And I Cry” where Sarabeth wallows in emotional tumult. Sarabeth shines, forcing your rapt attention despite the maudlin mechanics. Better still is “Don’t You Say” where they borrow a lot from the classic Judas Priest brooder “Night Comes Down.” While Let There Be Dark is a wild, entertaining ride, it’s not without a few minor issues. Both “And I Cry” and the very Mötörhead-esque “Iron Clad” are good but not quite next level, and closer “The Hammer” is a badass song that runs a bit too long at nearly 7 minutes. The presence of 2 short interludes on an album running just 39 minutes also seems unnecessary. The overall writing level is very good but a bit less righteous than on Shock to the System. Still, when this thing smokes, you get burned by trveness.
Sararbeth Linden is the vibrant core of the band, with her vocals doing much of the heavy lifting. She has the rough-hewn rasp of Janis Joplin and the breathy power of a young Cher and I continue to be awed by the size and scope of her voice. The lady sounds massive at all volumes and she’s exceptionally versatile. She can blow the doors off with a leather-lunged roar and beguile with a soft lilt. It occurs to me that what Tower and Nite do musically isn’t that far apart, but boy, what a difference a talented vocalist makes. Imagine Sarabeth dropping into the middle of a Nite track? BOOM goes the dynamite! Speaking of explosives, James Danzo and Zak Penley use their wanton guitar heroics to fight Sarabeth for your attention. Their playing reminds me a lot of Satan’s Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey as they rip off flaming riffs, hooky harmonies, and face-melting solos. They capture the early 80s metal sound and dabble in punk and speed elements to spice things up. Together with bassist Phillip Arman and new kit killer Keith Mikus, they lay out a wonderful soundscape for Sarabeth to chew on, and chew she certainly does.
Let There Be Dark is another notch in the win column for the little New York City band that could. It’s not as rabid as Shock to the System but it isn’t far off the bite mark. Tower are the band to watch in the retro metal space now and they have the talent to do anything they want. Climb this Tower to the tippy-top and hurl yourself into the retroverse.
It is one of the oldest religious buildings in Elbląg and one of the highest temples in Poland. The tower itself is 97 m high, and the viewing terrace is located at about 70 m. To get to the terrace, you have to climb 365 stairs. However the beautiful views at the top, along with the panorama of Elbląg and the surrounding area, compensate for all the effort! :)
The water tower and old buildings of Stobhill Hospital in the Springburn area of Glasgow. Designed by Thomson and Sandilands, and opened in 1904, Stobhill Hospital is one of the few remaining large complexes built as a Poor Law Hospital to care for those who could not afford to pay for treatment before the creation of the National Health Service.
Fujifilm 400
