Nerds in the Metal universe is not at all uncommon, especially thanks to today's generation. So, when you step back and consider the basis for the Power Metal instrumental group Powerglove, a band that was composed of putting original video game music from the days of our youth to a Power Metal template, it's no wonder that this group has quickly come out of nowhere. With two albums that went unnoticed, the group recently signed with Entertainment One Music (E1) for the release of their third full-length effort, Saturday Morning Apocalypse. We all remember those Saturday morning cartoons that, when we look back at them, consider how they would sound in a Metal format. Clearly we're not the only ones since this is the premise of Powerglove's latest venture. However, not all of these themes should have made the transition to Metal, or at least in their hands, which is very sad indeed. Well, either that, or should never have been here anyhow given the overall theme of the album!
First of all, given the band's musical content on previous albums, and the title of the release being Saturday Morning Apocalypse, finding songs such as "Gotta Catch 'Em All", which is the theme to the famous tv and video game franchise Pokemon, as well as "Transformers" and "Inspector Gadget", would come as absolutely no shock at all. While the band does well to maintain the whole theme being children's cartoon programs that typically air on Saturday mornings, there's a few here that escape the premise of the album entirely. "Batman" has been a cartoon series, as well as a live action television show in the past, but this is actually the theme from the Tim Burton vision of the comic series, which is a little out of place. While one could let it slide by due to those previous television incarnations, "The Simpsons" clashes with the theme, considering this actually never aired on a Saturday morning children's block. But, sure, it's still a cartoon many children grew up watching, though it greatly stretches the fabric of the album's concept. However, there's no real excuse for "This is Halloween", a cover of the song from the Tim Burton musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, which, as far as anyone knows, has never made an appearance as a Saturday morning broadcast.
Aside some oversight in the song line-up for the album, there's also the simple fact that not all of the songs on this album actually sound good or are as half as entertaining or magical as the original version. Of the three out of place songs, "This is Halloween" is an enjoyable remake, but sadly does not have the same magic as the original version at all and quickly becomes listless and dull after a while, even drawn out on the first spin. Sadly, practically the exact same thing can be said for "The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest". "The Simpsons", however, captures the original song perfectly and will leave the listener picturing scenes from the show for the tacked on original moments of the song, as well as segments from the opening theme that correspond perfectly with the flow of the song, even when it repeats. "Batman", also winds up being a fantastic song that does the original a great amount of justice, though the original was fantastic just the way it was. The atmosphere of the original is still engrained in this cover, but the only issue with the song is that it can feel a little drawn out, especially after repeat listens.
However, there are still some good songs on here. "X-Men" is a great start to the album, keeping the original powerful atmosphere of the original song, but just doesn't quite capture the same magic and epic aura that the original had. This seems to be a problem with a couple of the songs, even though these renditions are still great versions. "Transformers" is fantastic from start to finish and really becomes one of the shining tracks on the album that will bring listeners back for repeat spins, and "Inspector Gadget" just makes for one bad-ass Power Metal song, period. Even the added guitar solo to this is just intense and perfectly suits the original music that is reworked for this track. At this point, it becomes clear to the listener that the middle of this album is where the material really shines, as even "Heffalumps and Woozles (Winnie the Pooh)" sounds great, keeping to a traditional, hard hitting Power Metal approach to the song that is insanely addicting. The same can also be said for "Gotta catch 'Em All", which becomes a light hearted Power Metal romp that was clearly added just for fun, and it does it's job well.
What makes this album stand out and be rather special when looking at Powerglove's discography is the contributions from Tony Kakko. To some, this name may be unfamiliar, but to many Power Metal fans, this will stand out, as he is the vocalist/keyboardist of Power Metal act Sonata Arcitca. His contributions come during "The Simpsons", which finds Tony adding keyboards to the song to make it sound as close to the original theme as possible, and does it nicely, as well as vocals and keyboards for "Gotta Catch 'Em All", the latter version that closes out the album. However, while this version stands out better then the original Powerglove-only version that started the song off, it's just the simple fact that this one is on here twice. While the song is catchy the first time, it's just one of those songs that, when you hear it once, there's no need to hear it a second time, especially when the second version sounds better with the added keyboards and vocals, but at the same time just sounds even more childish in the long run. Though, it is rather humorous to hear Tony sing this song with as much power as he did.
Saturday Morning Apocalypse isn't all that bad an album, but in the end there's no denying that it's just not that strong album. While these television shows (or movies) may not all be favorites for each listener, many of these are done nicely and pay great respects to the originals. However, there is no denying that some songs are just better then others, and some just don't really have the same impact or magic that the originals have. If you happen to feel like hoping back in the Way Back Machine and paying a visit to your past, give this one a spin. While the material on here could have been a little more solid, and some themes utilized may leave the listener feeling a little hollow inside, there's still some great tracks that make the leave into metal flawlessly.
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