S
Salty Dog
Lurker
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
S
So Sumi
Lurker
I can't say enough about Arcade Fire's album 'Reflektor.'
IMO it's far and away the album of the year.
IMO it's far and away the album of the year.
M
mark1178
Lurker
Lady Gaga, Bad Romance...shut up I like her first album
K
KingInTheWest
Lurker
A few months ago, I realized I was slacking in making sure I really gave the new CDs I bought an actual listen before adding them to the giant hard drive of songs I like to play at random. I made it official policy to keep a special stack of the new CDs so each one would make a stop in my car and get at least two plays before it goes back inside to get burned onto the hard drive. If I really like the CD, it tends to get a third play. If I really, really like it, four plays.
Then I figured I may as well give very brief reviews of what goes through my car CD player, because who doesn't want to see grades assigned to obscure European metal bands? I'll start with two bands people may have actually heard of, though, the two bands that led me to my favorite styles of music. Both bands are pioneers and titans of their genre, and I have been finding their recent efforts lacking, but they both just came out with a new CD...
Dream Theater - Dream Theater
The last few Dream Theater CDs have had way too many songs that either rambled or tried to be heavier than they were and turned into a boring sludge, sometimes both. Even if I firmly believe that only a first album should be allowed to be named after the band, this one is a step in the right direction. James LaBrie's vocals are much improved over the last few CDs and John Petrucci's guitar comes through perfectly when it should, no longer buried at times by overly aggressive vocals or rhythm parts. As amazing a drummer as Mike Portnoy is, I'm just going to be glad that his songwriting and vocal appearances are gone, and I like what I've heard from his current new band (The Winery Dogs), so win-win. My biggest complaint is actually that vocals could stand to be less mellow all the time. The rambling is relatively restrained - only two songs are over seven minutes long - one at 7:41 and then the 22 minute closer, which at one point turns into a film score (that sounds great) for a while, but I'll allow it.
Dream Theater is a very good step in the right direction. I was going to give it a low B- (my music grades may be tougher than my movie grades), but I liked it even more listening to a bit of it as I burned it (fewer distractions are probably good for complicated music), so I am giving it a low B.
Fates Warning - Darkness In A Different Light
I have had the opposite problem with Fates Warning in that they just haven't been aggressive enough. There are plenty of progressive metal bands that make nice pretty complex music that just happens to lack energy and puts me to sleep. Fates has never taken it quite to that level, but their last few CDs have not been very memorable for me. Here, though, there is a lot more power in the guitar and drums. I really am liking the solo in Firefly, the song attached. Ray Alder's vocals are good, but I would like to see him belt it out more like he did back on Parallels and Perfect Symmetry. A live version of Life In Still Water (from Parallels), included on an abbreviated bonus disc and the best thing in the whole package, hammers that point home for me.
Another solid album and significant improvement, but once more not quite a return to exceptional. B-, but listening to Into The Black right now, I may also bump Darkness In A Different Light up to a B. Fantastic solo, and Alder has some nice power going in the vocals.
Then I figured I may as well give very brief reviews of what goes through my car CD player, because who doesn't want to see grades assigned to obscure European metal bands? I'll start with two bands people may have actually heard of, though, the two bands that led me to my favorite styles of music. Both bands are pioneers and titans of their genre, and I have been finding their recent efforts lacking, but they both just came out with a new CD...
Dream Theater - Dream Theater
The last few Dream Theater CDs have had way too many songs that either rambled or tried to be heavier than they were and turned into a boring sludge, sometimes both. Even if I firmly believe that only a first album should be allowed to be named after the band, this one is a step in the right direction. James LaBrie's vocals are much improved over the last few CDs and John Petrucci's guitar comes through perfectly when it should, no longer buried at times by overly aggressive vocals or rhythm parts. As amazing a drummer as Mike Portnoy is, I'm just going to be glad that his songwriting and vocal appearances are gone, and I like what I've heard from his current new band (The Winery Dogs), so win-win. My biggest complaint is actually that vocals could stand to be less mellow all the time. The rambling is relatively restrained - only two songs are over seven minutes long - one at 7:41 and then the 22 minute closer, which at one point turns into a film score (that sounds great) for a while, but I'll allow it.
Dream Theater is a very good step in the right direction. I was going to give it a low B- (my music grades may be tougher than my movie grades), but I liked it even more listening to a bit of it as I burned it (fewer distractions are probably good for complicated music), so I am giving it a low B.
Fates Warning - Darkness In A Different Light
I have had the opposite problem with Fates Warning in that they just haven't been aggressive enough. There are plenty of progressive metal bands that make nice pretty complex music that just happens to lack energy and puts me to sleep. Fates has never taken it quite to that level, but their last few CDs have not been very memorable for me. Here, though, there is a lot more power in the guitar and drums. I really am liking the solo in Firefly, the song attached. Ray Alder's vocals are good, but I would like to see him belt it out more like he did back on Parallels and Perfect Symmetry. A live version of Life In Still Water (from Parallels), included on an abbreviated bonus disc and the best thing in the whole package, hammers that point home for me.
Another solid album and significant improvement, but once more not quite a return to exceptional. B-, but listening to Into The Black right now, I may also bump Darkness In A Different Light up to a B. Fantastic solo, and Alder has some nice power going in the vocals.
bitesizednerd
Prospect
I'm obsessed with Bastille lately. Their debut album, Bad Blood, is one of my fave releases this yea, and I love the haunting quality of lots of their songs.
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
Had a couple by these madmen, did an Amazon search and found there were a few I DIDN'T have. Well done punkROCK with some rockabilly/surf thrown in. FunFunFun.
K
KingInTheWest
Lurker
A few months ago, I went to an intimate three-day concert in the wilds of Germany. Many of the bands I saw I was already well-acquainted with, but there were a few groups I was unfamiliar with that I had heard good things about, and two of them inspired me to buy their CDs when I got back home.
Powerwolf - Preachers Of The Night
Powerwolf has one of the most generic power metal names possible, they wear facepaint and some of them dress in black versions of various Catholic clergy uniforms, three of the members have made-up names, all their songs seem to be about wolves, werewolves, blood, religion (plenty of Latin in song titles), or some combination thereof, and I loved their CD so much I listened to it four times instead of the usual two and it is still in my car. The religious bent also makes an appearance in the tone of the keyboards (a tinge of church organ) and the vocals (slightly operatic), which makes Powerwolf stand out from other bands in its genre. That part is very pronounced and perhaps as over-the-top as the band's visuals in the intro of the song Amen & Attack above, before settling down to a more typical level for the rest of the song. The guitars are fantastic (the speedy riffs after the vocal intro and then the solo are just glorious), but the vocals are the real standout - driving power with that operatic flavor here and there.
From what I have read, Powerwolf has been sticking to a formula, but their fifth album is my first, so I can't penalize them for that. I may be overrating the CD because of how great the first four songs are and listening to those tracks several extra times, but right now I am giving Preachers Of The Night and all its grand guignol glory an A.
Hey look, over to the left in the back, there I am!
Tristania - Darkest White
Tristania is a female-fronted symphonic metal band that also has an element that allows them to stand out from the pack. Most bands in their genre focus very heavily on the vocalist, but Tristania has a strong guitar sound, which I noticed from the start when I saw them perform in Germany. What I somehow overlooked (or was heavily minimized in concert) was the bits of growly male vocals, which are in at least half the songs on the album. I am very anti-growl, unless it is just an accent backing up the singing. I chose a song without growls here, and with the female vocalist coming in second, but it does feature the pronounced guitars and a different type of contrasting vocals that work much better for me. Overall, though, I didn't find any songs that jumped out at me demanding extra plays and there is just too much growling for me to go any higher than a C+.
Powerwolf - Preachers Of The Night
Powerwolf has one of the most generic power metal names possible, they wear facepaint and some of them dress in black versions of various Catholic clergy uniforms, three of the members have made-up names, all their songs seem to be about wolves, werewolves, blood, religion (plenty of Latin in song titles), or some combination thereof, and I loved their CD so much I listened to it four times instead of the usual two and it is still in my car. The religious bent also makes an appearance in the tone of the keyboards (a tinge of church organ) and the vocals (slightly operatic), which makes Powerwolf stand out from other bands in its genre. That part is very pronounced and perhaps as over-the-top as the band's visuals in the intro of the song Amen & Attack above, before settling down to a more typical level for the rest of the song. The guitars are fantastic (the speedy riffs after the vocal intro and then the solo are just glorious), but the vocals are the real standout - driving power with that operatic flavor here and there.
From what I have read, Powerwolf has been sticking to a formula, but their fifth album is my first, so I can't penalize them for that. I may be overrating the CD because of how great the first four songs are and listening to those tracks several extra times, but right now I am giving Preachers Of The Night and all its grand guignol glory an A.
Hey look, over to the left in the back, there I am!
Tristania - Darkest White
Tristania is a female-fronted symphonic metal band that also has an element that allows them to stand out from the pack. Most bands in their genre focus very heavily on the vocalist, but Tristania has a strong guitar sound, which I noticed from the start when I saw them perform in Germany. What I somehow overlooked (or was heavily minimized in concert) was the bits of growly male vocals, which are in at least half the songs on the album. I am very anti-growl, unless it is just an accent backing up the singing. I chose a song without growls here, and with the female vocalist coming in second, but it does feature the pronounced guitars and a different type of contrasting vocals that work much better for me. Overall, though, I didn't find any songs that jumped out at me demanding extra plays and there is just too much growling for me to go any higher than a C+.
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
F'n Brilliant! Besides the usuals it has Lippy the Lion and Hardy-Har-Har, Hong Kong Phooey...and the friggin Hair Bear Bunch!!!!!! Catnip for my inner child!
K
KingInTheWest
Lurker
Wacky Races were the best.
S
Salty Dog
Lurker
This is what Rocket did/does better than anyone. Playing rock 'n' roll!
Rocket from the Crypt - In League With Satan
Rocket from the Crypt - In League With Satan
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
S
Salty Dog
Lurker
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
Disco Belgian Queens of the Stone Age...that sums it up. Total earworm and one of my top 5 of the year!
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
NONE more metal!!!!
K
KingInTheWest
Lurker
I seem to have a lot of live albums lately, including all five that are currently in my car. Ideally a live album should have additional energy with a minimal loss of clarity. I like some improvisation, but not so much that it takes away from a song. I want to see a good song choice, maybe with something special thrown in. If the crowd is really into it to the point you can hear them, that is a definite bonus, as are some audible effects in appropriate spots. And unless there is a good reason not to, if a band has the material, every disc better have close to 78 minutes of music on it.
Metallica - Through The Never
The two discs of this album average 50 minutes each, but it is the concert portion of the recent movie of the same name, so I'll allow that. However, there is a part during the end of Enter Sandman where James Hetfield reacts to some incident that is part of the story of the movie. That is highly distracting and probably could have been expunged. Hetfield's voice has lost a step or two (or three), but he can still tear into the lyrics. The song selection is very good, spanning their career and completely ignoring St. Anger. Metallica purists will be happy to see that 9 of the 15 tracks (not counting the intro track) are from the first four albums, including a great rendition of Master Of Puppets with the audience shouting along, powerful playing on the (relatively) slow part, and a nice little guitar solo. The improvisations are pretty good, especially on the first disc, but on the other hand you should not mess with is perfection, and they messed with the intro of For Whom The Bell Tolls. There are a couple moments where some very powerful stage explosions can be heard, which really help sell the experience. I won't penalize the album for the annoying packaging that folds out in multiple directions, but they called the thing Through The Never and didn't put the actual song Through The Never on it. Also, more separation from the Binge And Purge live album, which features Hetfield and Lars Ulrich with 20 fewer years on them at the height of Metallica's career playing a lot of the same songs, could have been had by tacking on some extra tracks after the movie concert. Solid overall, but nothing extraordinary. B.
Firewind - Apotheosis Live 2012
I can't seem to find video of the exact version of Head Up High on the album, and the versions I played on YouTube don't come close to the audio on the CD, so you will have to play it off this German website: RockHard: Firewind - Head Up High
Ozzy Osbourne's #1 talent, or perhaps his handlers' #1 talent, really lies in choosing guitar players. Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde, and currently Gus G. Gus G may have the misfortune of playing with Ozzy at a point where the man's voice is essentially shot (no idea how Ozzy sounds so much better in 2013 with Sabbath), but he has his own band, Firewind, where his ridiculous guitar playing can be appreciated in a much better setting. Ironically enough, I am not a big fan of Firewind's since-departed vocalist Apollo Papathanasio, who has this small bit of scratchiness in his voice that is just enough to be distracting without being distinctive.
The great thing that Gus G does with Firewind is show off some seriously impressive guitar work without allowing it to overwhelm the songs themselves. What I want in a Firewind live album is to hear him take it further, and in that he definitely delivers, shredding his way here and there but never overdoing it, saving that last gear for the guitar solo track and the instrumental it leads into. The single disc has 17 songs, including a cover of Maniac (yes, that Maniac), which was just ridiculous enough of an idea to be awesome (and has a sweet guitar solo that I am going to guess was not featured in the original). The best songs are fantastic, but some of the others are just average. The band's live performance elevates it to a B+ (Head Up High on its own earning an A or better).
Metallica - Through The Never
The two discs of this album average 50 minutes each, but it is the concert portion of the recent movie of the same name, so I'll allow that. However, there is a part during the end of Enter Sandman where James Hetfield reacts to some incident that is part of the story of the movie. That is highly distracting and probably could have been expunged. Hetfield's voice has lost a step or two (or three), but he can still tear into the lyrics. The song selection is very good, spanning their career and completely ignoring St. Anger. Metallica purists will be happy to see that 9 of the 15 tracks (not counting the intro track) are from the first four albums, including a great rendition of Master Of Puppets with the audience shouting along, powerful playing on the (relatively) slow part, and a nice little guitar solo. The improvisations are pretty good, especially on the first disc, but on the other hand you should not mess with is perfection, and they messed with the intro of For Whom The Bell Tolls. There are a couple moments where some very powerful stage explosions can be heard, which really help sell the experience. I won't penalize the album for the annoying packaging that folds out in multiple directions, but they called the thing Through The Never and didn't put the actual song Through The Never on it. Also, more separation from the Binge And Purge live album, which features Hetfield and Lars Ulrich with 20 fewer years on them at the height of Metallica's career playing a lot of the same songs, could have been had by tacking on some extra tracks after the movie concert. Solid overall, but nothing extraordinary. B.
Firewind - Apotheosis Live 2012
I can't seem to find video of the exact version of Head Up High on the album, and the versions I played on YouTube don't come close to the audio on the CD, so you will have to play it off this German website: RockHard: Firewind - Head Up High
Ozzy Osbourne's #1 talent, or perhaps his handlers' #1 talent, really lies in choosing guitar players. Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde, and currently Gus G. Gus G may have the misfortune of playing with Ozzy at a point where the man's voice is essentially shot (no idea how Ozzy sounds so much better in 2013 with Sabbath), but he has his own band, Firewind, where his ridiculous guitar playing can be appreciated in a much better setting. Ironically enough, I am not a big fan of Firewind's since-departed vocalist Apollo Papathanasio, who has this small bit of scratchiness in his voice that is just enough to be distracting without being distinctive.
The great thing that Gus G does with Firewind is show off some seriously impressive guitar work without allowing it to overwhelm the songs themselves. What I want in a Firewind live album is to hear him take it further, and in that he definitely delivers, shredding his way here and there but never overdoing it, saving that last gear for the guitar solo track and the instrumental it leads into. The single disc has 17 songs, including a cover of Maniac (yes, that Maniac), which was just ridiculous enough of an idea to be awesome (and has a sweet guitar solo that I am going to guess was not featured in the original). The best songs are fantastic, but some of the others are just average. The band's live performance elevates it to a B+ (Head Up High on its own earning an A or better).
