Here we are at the last Megadeth album. Better to hang it up than besmirch their legacy. I used to love these guys, but "Youthanasia" was the last album I got into. The opening track feels like they are pretty focused on the kind of thrash that works best for them. I think they are the epitome of a band who struggle to find themselves when the creative head of the band got sober. Let's face it, these guys are pretty much just the Dave Mustaine show. "I Don't Care" goes back to the more hook-focused accessible writing that defined "Countdown to Extinction." It works well enough here. Then things begin to take a turn.
"Hey, God' works as a song, but lyrically it's kind of dumb, but it seems brilliant compared to "Let There Be Shred," which is a display of stupidity so profound that it is the sort of thing that makes metal hard to be taken seriously when presented in this context. Even if you just like jerking off to shredding, it is done more tastefully at other points on this album. None of the songs on this album comes across as being dark, which is part of the problem, but at least "Puppet Parade" can be taken more seriously. His voice sounds better than some of the previous albums from the past 10 years here. There is still plenty of the 80s flowing through the veins of these songs, so much so that "Another Bad Day" could almsot be a Dokken song. But it works well enough for what the band does, and it feels like they are touching upon previous corners of their legacy.
The drummer gets to shine on "Made to Kill," which feels like it could have come from "So Far, So Good, So What' which is my favorite album by the band. This shows that everything can still click into place for the band when they stop fucking around. "Obey the Call" finds them continuing to fire off another banger at optimum function. I am ok with the 80s dripping from the riff that leads into "I am War" as the rest of the song is killer and what you want from this band. "The Last Note' also works well at upholding their legacy. Things come full circle with their take on "Ride the Lightning." I was expecting 'Fight Fire With Fire." The difference being Mustaine should have tracked these vocals in 1988, and it might have held up better against what James did, but I would not have been opposed to him releasing an album of all the Metallica songs he helped write jsut to hear the differences. "Let There Be Shred' is really the only sour moment on the album, and it is balanced out by the moments where they really knock it out of the park so I will round it up to a 9.5 and see how it grows on me.
The stomp of "Get's Me Through" kicks off Ozzy's 2001 album. Lyrically, it's pretty convincing as he apraises his reputation. Post the classic "Diary" line-up, this one featuring Wylde, Bordin, and Trujillo might be the strongest. "Facing Hell" packs an impressive punch. Three songs in feels a little soon for a ballad, but it worked on "Bark at the Moon" and "Dreamer" work for what Ozzy is doing. "No Easy Way Out" finds his vocals really well-produced. The chorus loses some momentum, but overall, it is a solid song that represents what he does well.
The first song that feels somewhat like filler to me is "That I Never Had". Perhaps a different guitar mix might give it more urgency and make it click for me, but it does not feel like it is on the level of the first three songs. "Junkie' works and feels like some inward glances are going on lyrically. "Running Out of Time" works, it's not a ballad, but a Beatles-influenced rock song with creepy undertones that his voice flows well over.
"Black Illusion" is darker and heavier, making it more than likely the best song on the album. "Alive" is pretty crushing for an Ozzy song, though there are some more melodic moments in the verse. "Can You Hear Them" closes the album with a thunderous metal tension. Even the melodic breakdown in the middle of the song works really well. I will give this album a 10; it might be his most underrated solo work.
When this concert was announced on the heels of a Rock N Roll Hall of Fame show, which found other singers struggling through solo Ozzy songs, while the self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness watched from his seat, I was skeptical. After all, I prefer to have the memories of my favorite artists, when they were closer to their prime, intact. I've always felt that the 1989 show on the "No Rest For the Wicked Tour " was The Oz-Man at his best. "Bark at the Moon" tour, something was off, and I was too young to know he was wasted, and my perspective at the time could not be trusted through my impressionable eyes when considered from the filter of nostalgia. Including the Black Sabbath reunion I saw in 1999. So what I would want is something that would respect his legacy. Sharon, of course, has other plans
A bunch of bands covering Ozzy all day, well most of the performances on the Nativity in Black albums were better, but let's consider what unfolded. It opened with Mastodon, who pulled out respectable Hinds-less versions of "Black Tongue" and "Blood and Thunder" before being joined onstage by Danny Carey, Eloy Casagrande, and Mario Duplantier for a cover of "Supernaut". Brann's mic was not working for his first verse, but when it came on for him to catch the second verse, he did an admirable job. Up next was Rival Sons, who are not my thing, and came across feeling like they should have waited for the Robert Plant farewell concert instead.
One thing that became apparent was just how good of a singer Ozzy once was, as the majority of the singers struggled to hit the notes even in lower tunings. The one singer who might have done the best was Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, when they played "Into the Void" granted it was nothing like back when they used to cover "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" but Anthrax put on one of the day's best performances.
Halestorm on the other hand, was almost unwatchable. Lzzy Hale screeched her way into running "Perry Mason", but fared better when she joined one of the all-star bands for "Ultimate Sin". She was not the day's worst vocal performance. "Randy of Lamb of God, who came across like a Temu version of Pantera, struggled with "Children of the Grave" until he just barked his way through it.
The drum off between Travis Barker, Chad Smith, and Danny Carey was jammed over an instrumental version of 'Symptom of the Universe' that Tom Morello and Rudy Sarzo. Compared to what Carey normally plays, this was just straightforward rock, so the other two kept up. Smith is not known for being a bombastic player, but he has done session work with Ozzy. I am not sure why anyone thought it was a good idea for Billy Corgan and KK Downing to come onstage and play " Breaking the Law" after this, but this is what happened. On a day filled with generally terrible vocals, this one was exceptionally bad, in fact, the worst of the day. Most of these all-star things were unnecessary. However, David Draiman of Disturbed hit notes required of him much better than more popular singers, who struggled to even stay in key. William Duvall of Alice in Chains was also one ofthe better singers of this show, though "Fairies Wear Boots" is one of the easier Sabbath songs.
Gojira sounded rough; their cover of "Under the Sun" also has problems in the vocal department. The band that now calls itself Pantera, renewed my confidence in not spending the money to go see cash grab tours that are on, as it fell short of the memories I have from the half dozen times I saw the actual Pantera with Dimebag and Vinnie, one of those being on an Ozzfest. Tool's cover of "Hand of Doom" worked Maynard sounded better than the time he rode the struggle bus trying to sing ''Crazy Train" and to think he used to nail a cover of "Diary of a Madman" back in the early A Perfect Circle days thseir own songs felt rather dialed in. .
Slayer was one of the day's better acts, though "South of Heaven" sounded rough. I like their approach to "Wicked World." They have been past their prime for 10 years now, but are such a great band, it's hard for them to do wrong. I am surprised that Guns N' Roses played as many Sabbath songs as they did, and while Rose is another singer not in peak form due to age, he was in key more often than not. James Hetfield, on the other hand, had no business singing "Hole in the Sky," the kind of leaned into the blues boogie side of like they were covering a Thin Lizzy song instead, but James sounded great on their own songs and "Johnny Blade," which was unexpected.
We knew Ozzy would be in the chair. He sounded fine for "I Don't Know", despite not fully engaging his diaphragm by sitting when he sang. In fact, I was surprised by how convincing he was, but it was a mixed bag as "Iron Man' did not sound that great, and the crowd singing along to "War Pigs" certainly helped. He still has 70 percent of his charisma which is more than most. The set lists were not surprising; if you heard an Ozzy or Sabbath song on the radio, it was one of the ones they played. "N.I.B.." is the most challenging of the Sabbath songs he chose to tackle. He could sleepwalk through "Paranoid: at this point. I am sure Sharon encouraged Ozzy as this is the kind of farewell he needed to give himself. And it worked for what it was. I personally would have been fine with my memories, but if it made the world realize how great he is, then I can live with that.
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This was the first album by the band that I did not buy. I was working at a Record store when it was released, so I heard some of it and was appalled by all the singles, so I never sat down and gave it an objective listen. With the remastered re-release this week, the time for that listen is now. The opening track is stompy rock n roll and certainly not what I was considering metal 96. James sounds pretty good, and this is a blatant sound of selling out to ensure their footing on the radio. I don't hate the vocals, song is too middle of the road overall, but not the worst thing I have ever heard.
Bob Rock was certainly not helping things, though it feels like there is a rawer production quality than the Black Album. " 2x4" is a pretty terrible song, so perhaps my first impressions were not that off. There is a more metal feel going into "The House that Jack Built". It is moodier and more melodic, so it works better than the first two songs, which were more aligned with the commercial rock radio was heading at the time. I never hated "Until It Sleeps"; is a well-written song that works for me. No more metal than Alice In Chains.
"King Nothing" feels like they were trying to work off the formula they wrote "Enter Sandman" with, but it's less bombastic. The country flavored 'Hero of the Day' wants to be Thin Lizzy, before I got into Thin Lizzy, I can appreciate it, but it still does not rock my socks off, but more passable than it was."Bleeding Me" finds them in a sticky situation as it's a good song, but not a good Metallica. Though I am not sure they were sure what a good Metallica song was at this point and Bob Rock was likely getting kick backs from the record label to blow smoke up their ass, as they wanted another "Black Album" not a "Ride the Lightning". Lars even sounds good on this one.
"Cure" finds them wanting to be both AC/DC and Danzig, but not really wanting to be Metallica. It's boring. "Poor Twisted Me" finds them trying harder at the Blues. This one is also boring; it feels like they were just jamming around as they had to write some more songs. They originally were going to release a double album, but I am beginning to think between this and 'Re-load" there might be one solid album out of both put together, and the fat like this trimmed.
"Wasting My Hate" is an improvement over the previous two songs. But that is a low bar. Though much better than the even more country "Mama Said", I am not sure why the label did not say Wait, this is a far cry from 'The Unforgiven'". "Thorn Within " starts off more like a Dokken song. It goes into a more grunge-laden chug. James makes some good choices when it comes to the harmonies, but is trying to hard most of the time, and overthinking things. This is one of the album's better songs. This one also has a jammy section in the middle, but it works better. The Southern rock of "Ronnie" is another misstep. 'The Outlaw Torn' closes the album. It's the longest song at almost ten minutes. There is almost a "Stranglehold" feeling to how they jam it out. I'll round this down to an 8, as some strong songs are not great Metallica songs, then there are also a couple of songs hard to sit through, so the fact that they are who they are and very talented means that they can pull off great things even when lost for inspiration. But compared to "Master of Puppets" it is hard to believe it's the same band.
These days, I no longer take LSD, but I used to do it all the time and unlike kids these day never listened to electronic music or hippy shit, when I did, as light and love is not really my thing. Here are the songs that were my soundtrack for those days. If you are celebrating Albert Hoffman's bicycle ride today, then here are some songs that set the mood for my many meetings with demons, Aliens, and keepers of cosmic planes. Give these tunes a shot to tape into a heftier vibrational frequency that is more aggressive than passive. Perhaps a little darker, but you gotta get in touch with your shadow side somehow, so here are the top 10 metal songs to trip to.
10- Marilyn Manson- "Cake and Sodomy"
There was an entire summer where I listened to this song at the onset of every trip, and dropped acid on an almost daily basis that summer.
9- Metallica- "Orion"
This was always a good one to transition from a lucid state into the onset of altered consciousness.
8-Sugartooth- "Black Queen"
Despite the double bass sections, this was a staple of my tripping sessions.
7- Morbid Angel- "Where the Slive Live"
One of the few death metal songs that sounds great tripping. If you want to scare hippies, crank this one while you are peaking.
6-Tiamat- "Whatever That Hurts"
An underrated band, I tripped to the "Wildhoney" album many a night. Almost like a metal version of Psychic TV.
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5-Voivod- "Astronomy Domine"
You can't have a list about tripping without one Pink Floyd cover on it, and it might as well be the best.
4-Type O Negative- "Green Man"
Pink Floyd covers aside, this song comes the closest to the kind of hippy vibes I am not normally about, but the dusky shadows underlying this forest stroll are what work.
3-Neurosis - "Souls at Zero"
I had some major altered experiences that the song "Locust Star' played heavily into; this song set an overall better mood.
2-Monster Magnet -"Ego the Living Planet"
Most of my friends know the story about my most intense trip that involved this song and my Ouija Board. I talk to planets, baby
1-Black Sabbath- "Megalomania"
Ozzy has stated that Black Sabbath were not a rock band that dabbled in drugs, but a drug band that dabbled in rock, and none of the other bands on this list would exist without them, so they take the top song.
Forty years later, it's time to take a look and honestly assess what were the ten greatest metal albums from 1984. This is not being weighed on album sales, as some of these did not fare that well upon their release but gained ground over time. All of these have stood the test of time, but some are better than others, which is why the number one album is where it sits, and number ten is where it is. The ranking is based on two main factors I was listening to them back when they were released, the impact they had when I heard them, and how well they have stood the test of time for the past forty years. Unlike lists I make today where it;s based more on how much I listened to them over the year, the results here are more cumulative, though the album I listened to the most in 1984 is on here.
10-Judas Priest - "Defenders of the Faith"
When this came out it benefited from the momentum of "Screaming for Vengence" which achieved the perfect balance of great songwriting but being accessible enough to pack stadiums. Songs like "Rock Hard Ride Free" just did not age as well as "You've Got Another Thing Comin". When I was a kid and id not know any better I enjoyed it as this was the era that found Priest still on top of the world, but when I want to dig back and listen to a Priest album this is not the first one I reach for. However, it's good enough to belong here and beat out both Scorpion's "Love at First Sting' and Ratt's "Out of the Cellar' for its place here.
9-W.A.S.P- "S/T"
This band found the sweet that was missing in music at the time to fall between what Motley Crue was doing on "Shout at the Devil" and what heavier bands like Priest and Saxon were cranking while adding a darker more theatrical element Kiss traded into blend-in with the hair metal scene. Sleazy anthem with the bite of Lawless' saw blade codpiece. It rocks with more earnestness than Priest had on the more contrived number ten ranking album.
8-Slayer - "Haunting the Chapel"
There was a college radio station I listened to as Kid that has a metal night on the weekends, that played "Aggressive Perfector' which was the first Slayer song I ever hear, It sounded like Venom to me at the time, and it was not until I heard the song "Die By The Sword" on the "Live Undead' album that Slayer really clicked for me, though I was aware Kerry King played on the "Liscenced to Ill " album. These songs aged well.
7-Dio - "The Last in Line"
As a kid when this came out, I was reluctant to give this album a shot, as I only knew Dio from the two Sabbath albums he sang on, which I was surprisingly ok with given that I was such an Ozzy fan at the time. So "Holy Diver" was the first solo Dio album I bought, and then I went back to check this one out. The title track which he had a video for, I liked, but the album as a whole had to grow on me, and once I discovered Rainbow, then the more it all clicked into place for me.
6-Queensryche - 'The Warning"
If this album came out today it would be called power metal. I like "Rage For Order' so much that I forget how great this album is. They brought all the elements of what we now think of as traditional metal into play in a manner that had both grace and balls to the songwriting, and Tate established himself as one of the best vocalists in metal at the time.
5-Twisted Sister- "Stay Hungry"
The anthemic classics that everyone knows are not why this album ranks so high, but songs like "Burn in Hell" and "Captain Howdy" that are darker and carry more grit to separate them from the rest of the rising hair metal bands at the time,as they have more in common with Accept and Judas Priest. Great songwriting wins the day, they were not shredders but entertainers.
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4-Kiss- "Animalize"
This is the most underrated album on the list, the opening track alone rocks harder than most of their peers at the time. If this was a list of the albums I listened to the most in 1984 this would be at the top of the list. The guitar attack on most of these songs should silence questions regarding if this is in fact a metal album. I would say "Asylum" that came out after this would be the turning point from metal. This is the best of the post-make-up years, and their last great album, as none of the other releases after this would ever measure up. Paul Stanley sounds great here.
3-Metallica - "Rider the Lightning"
This might be the band's best album as it runs neck and neck against "Master of Puppets". I think the effects of touring and substance abuse were beginning to weigh on them when they made "Master of Puppets" and I might prefer this one as it's a darker album, and more refined than "Kill'em All" there is the perfect middle ground of thrashing and melody here. This album grew on me over the years as when this came out, I was not as into Metallica, as when I became more willing to give this one a more solid listen after getting hooked in by Puppets.
2-Iron Maiden- "Powerslave"
I am not saying this is Maiden's best album, it's not. I am saying this album is better than the eight previous albums mentioned here they are all great in their own right. Any arguments against this fact can simply refer to "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which is better than mosts band's entire careers .
1-Mercyful Fate- "Don't Break the Oath''
As a child, I did not have the musical vocabulary to explain what I wanted when I went into music stores, so when a tall skinny adult with long hair and a chain wallet started working at the record store my grandparents took me to, I did not know what I wanted to ask was 'What's the darkest metal album you have?" so instead I asked "What's the scariest metal album you have ?". The answers in 1984 would have likely been the same as he handed me this cassette. It blew me away, and scared me a bit, while I was more into Kiss and Ozzy IN 1984, I grew into this album, and it might be not only the best album of 1984 but the best metal album of all time.
Mainstream Metal is defined here as the middle of the road that does not lean too far in the direction of other genres that have their own lists. Power Metal and Thrash are the two most common sub-genres and are considered just renaming this the top 10 Power Metal and Thrash albums, but who knows what the future will bring so left it as is. These are not the coolest albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say, After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Mainstream Metal albums of 2023.
10-Overkill -"Scorched"
. Bobby Ellsworth's voice is still intact at 63, so that is half the equation for success. He and D.D Verni are the remaining founder members of the band, but D.D. is writing the bulk of the songs, their sound is pretty much intact. The new-ish guitarists provide enough fretboard pyrotechnics to satisfy the average thrash fan.I am pleased with this album, and the risks they do take pay off though they mainly deliver what you want from them with well-aged grace,
More of the band's lineup is intact than most bands whose careers reach back to the 70s. Greg Lindstrom and Robert Garven formed the band back in 1971. With vocalist Tim Baker joining them for their first album. Baker's snarl still works really well. Does he still have the Rob Halford-like wail that he carried for "Frost and Fire"? No, he is 66 years old. Rob Halford does not sound like Rob Halford did in 1981. I think the weathered pipes of Baker sound more metal now. These guys have gotten a helluva a lot heavier if you compare this to their earlier work. More importantly to my ears, they also sound darker. There is a less proto-doom sound and more of a crushing thrashed-out power metal feel.
When I first heard "Beg to Differ" it was clear these guys were taking music in another direction as their staccato stomp was outside of where thrash was. Their new album does not take anything in a new direction, it does highlight what they did. The vocals find Tommy Victor's voice sounding as urgent as ever with little wear and tear over the years. it is way better than expected, they do not have to try very hard to blend into the current metal landscape
There is something about this band's sound that hits a nostalgic place for the weird bridge certain bands made during the late 80s as music began to transition away from where metal was at the time. There was commonly more of a punk influence to these bands like Snake Nation, Angkor Wat, and Die Kreuzen . The odd blend of sonic colors they make use of compensates in a way that works for me. I look forward to what the future brings for these guys and hope it finds them moving in this darker direction the songs are pulled toward. It's lots of fun and takes me back to a welcome place.
Even with the roar of their throaty vocals, these guys are more melodic than you might expect. They bring in dynamic changes to offer everything you might want from the genre without devolving into drinking songs. I would say there is less theatrics than what Amon Amarth does. There is also a little less thrash to suggest they might be more influenced by both Manowar and Bathory depending on where you are at in the song what they do not do is wander off into folk atmosphere or throw themselves into black metal passages, instead sticking to a very deliberate manner of songwriting that still maintains a great deal of drive. This works for me as there are already many extremes in metal out today so to find a balance that lends itself to melody always works in my book.
The Dutch metal band's 7th album finds some lineup changes in place, with Mat van Baest added as a lead guitarist and Awakening Sun Drummer Kevin van den Heiligenberg. Former Conorach vocalist Jacco de Wijs returns for his second album with the band. This makes the bass player the only original member. Their third album is my favorite, and it feels like this album is going to follow a similar path of applying traditional metal values and almost power metal-like hooks to the epic odes to Vikings. Being that they are south of the Baltic, I will not call them Viking metal as that is a term reserved for Scandinavian bands, no matter who liberal scholars might seek to revise history for their narrative. I appreciate where they are coming from and the Germanic myths seem to be sung with sincerity, so this is not total LARPing.They have taken what they do and perfected it while doing metal proud by sticking to the truest form.
Norway's most rocking punks are back. It's the same line-up that busted out "Splid'. At times things go off in a more jammy metallic direction, that spans sonically from an almost Blue Oyster Cult feel to very driven metal chugs. They do what they do without recycling ideas, and not selling out, and the band continues to evolve in all the best ways
As someone who bought "Master of Puppets" on cassette when it came out 38 years ago, you might think my expectations are high for their 11th album. This album grew on me despite some recycling and clock-punching, to keep it from being perfect, if you are a Metallica fan and wish the "Black Album' was more metal and free of power ballads then this album is for you.
It's been five years since the Irish pagan metallers released "Exile Amongst the Ruins". Their newest album finds them in the same saddle galloping toward an even grimmer horizon. In fact, the end of the world is the theme of their newest effort, which should be no surprise given the title. The album is in the mega epic vein you might associate with this band. With Nemtheanga's vocals soaring while still full of commanding grit.
As the Doomsday Clock races, time speeds up, finding 2023 already at it's midpoint. These lists serve as a decent snap shot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my in-box, so they are really going to need to bring it in order to compete with the top five albums on this list. Rock is being defined here as basically anything that is not metal, pop, or goth. It might be a little darker or heavier than what you listen to , so we are going by my definition since yours's can't be trusted.
"But wait that is M....,"
Shut up... in 2023 if you are not bringing it at least as hard as Pantera , it's not metal .We are in a darker and heavier world so the soundtrack even when it is only rock n roll, should still fit the times. I have included links to full review if you want to check these out and with all that said here are the top 10 Rock albums of 2023 so far.
10- LA Guns - "Black Diamonds"
As long as both Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns are on board then I am fine with LA Guns. This album finds them continuing to kick ass while their arena packing peers are fat floundering fools. If these guys can still do it with dignity then we should be expecting the same from the Motley Crues of the world. They open this album with a more Zeppelin like groove. At 66 Phil Lewis sounds incredible. They stay true to the era they are from, while not sounding dated .
This album is very impressive and not too prog for its own good. These guys remember that they are songwriters first and foremost. They are also songwriters with something to say that goes a long way with me. More speculation than shredding is a lesson todays prog bands could learn from.
This trio from England plays a glammed out style of rock that feels like a darker , more androgynous take on what Muse does. This is displayed on the title track opens the album. A trickle of angle guitar cascades of the groove, as the vocals coo over it all. They work more of tense groove rather than feeling the need to glitter bomb everything with grandiose choruses
Now this band coats their songs with the glaze of shoegaze . The vocals are more introspective. The title track has a harder syncopated jangle, as they remind you, they did not leave their distortion pedals at home. The vocal lines pack a hookier punch hookier, as their song writing has been sharpened this time around. They use a similar formula, but with more dynamic ebb and flow
6- Queens of the Stone Age - "In New Times Roman..."
The band does what they to well, though upon a casual listen all the key elements are in place , though perhaps due to the almost too pristine production, they sit weird together. Homme's vocals are in his normal cadence, but the highly compressed guitars have odd effects on them. Though not a huge departure for the band, it perhaps does not rely on grooves as heavily as "Villains" .
5-healthyliving- "Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief"
Bringing together musicians from Scotland , Germany and Spain, this trio kicks up an impressive melancholic brand of driving rock that borders on metal. This keen sense of dynamics is what I listen for in music from all genres. The stark alto of Amaya is expressive. While she is not a Siouxsie clone, you can hear traces of that influence. She proves to be a powerful singer capable of belting it out as needed.
This album is darker than their previous once ,as the band firmly adheres to creating astounding layers of sounds, but still serving the songs with them. They combine the 60s pop ballad feel with their more psychedelic pondering creates something closer to Siouxsie and the Banshees than you might expect.
It's been seven years since their last album and the band went through some personal shit before returning reconfigured with drummer Adam Diprima back in the fold. They can not be accused of doing more of the same and the lengthy break brought a fresh coat of sonic musing to the table.
Sure there is is some recycling and clock punching, to keep it from being perfect, but if you are a Metallica fan and wish the "Black Album' was more metal and power ballad free then this album is for you. It's fun which has earned it repeat listens .
This trio's sound has continued to evolve, as it not places them some where between the shoe gazing side of post-hardcore and sludge. This album gets better with each listen, and the shadows of it's mood seep into your head.
As someone who bought "Master of Puppets" on cassette when it came out 38 years ago, you might think my expectations are high for their 11th album. The truth is I am pretty indifferent. It would be nice if they put out an album that kicked ass, but I am not about to get my hopes up for that as I have had to endure 5 albums that were disappointments. This puts them at 5 to 5 in terms of albums that rocked vs albums that range from Luke-warm to outright sucked so this is a tiebreaker. The opening track seemed like they were trying to dial their sound back in so I gave it another listen with headphones, and this is the best they have sounded in some time. To you average Joe who listens to rock radio, Metallica seems like metal, after all they have metal in their name. To an avid metalhead, not so much, the last album I reviewed was Cattle Decapitation if you need a point of reference. The title track that opens the album is metal. It has aggression to it even if it lacks the fire it had in 1986, is at least going at it as hard as they did on the "Black Album". In fact, consciously try harder to remember who they were, which I can respect.
By the punches leading into the second song, I am beginning to think this will be an album that pleases the average Metallica fan. If they are a hard-core fan of the band who likes all ten of their last album's that is also going to be a very low bar. They emulate their past pretty hard, but it still works. "Screaming Suicide" feels more like up-tempo rock than metal to my ears but is a decent enough song. They remember who they were to the point of recycling as "Sleepwalk My Life Away" feels almost too much like "Enter Sandman" . Lyrically they are even similar. The chorus to the song pretty much saves it from being a carbon copy. The more deliberate stomp to "You Must Burn!" works well even if the lyrics feel dialed in. "Lux Aeturna" did not wow me when it first came out and I am not any more impressed with it now. It feels more like Motley Crue riff wise. "Crown of Barbed Wire' is pound for pound a better song, even though it is not the band at their most inspired.
"Chasing Light' works for me and feels like a good balance of what I want from the band in 2023. The guitar solos on this album are not game changing or going to blow anyone's mind, but they work. "If Darkness Had a Son" is about the most Metallica sounding thing they have done since "the Black Album" but it is also very "Sad But True" . "Too Far Gone" is not the first time it has felt weird for these guys to crank out a riff that sounds like Megadeth, it might have been the last album where I heard it and it was weird then too. I think they feel this sounds more like "Kill'em All". What would sound more like old Metallica is if the bass was more present in the mix. "Room of Mirrors" feels both too rock n roll and in terms of tempo rushed. Trying to thrash , rather than it being the natural flow of the song. If that is the worst offense, the we have heard these guys do plenty worse.
The last song is a sprawling 11 minutes. It moves at a slower more powerful pace. Not as dark as "the Thing That Should Not Be", but a mood I can relate to more than some of these jock jams. James' voice has come a long way and at almost 60 has held up pretty well. Getting sober helped, I am sure. Five minutes in things get jammy. They get props for skipping the power ballads, so, understandably, things get more melodic in a Tool-like breakdown. Though at 11 minutes they do not go into any Iron Maiden-like prog aside from a few guitar harmonies here and there. Overall this is better than I expected going into it, but I gotta round it down to a 9, as some recycling and clock are punching, to keep it from being perfect, if you are a Metallica fan and wish the "Black Album' was more metal and power ballad free then this album is for you.
Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre, while placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors are being considered here, lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers.
The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut.Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.
120-Sammy Hagar
Replacing a singer with greater charisma pushed Hagar to become an even better singer. While Van Halen themselves might not have released their best work with him, Sammy gave the best performances of his career.
119-James Hetfield
His commanding roar might have shaped the direction metal would go, but it is when he backs away from that and gets more introspective that you can really hear what his voice is made of.
118-Corey Taylor
The versatility of Taylor's voice what has allowed Slipknot to have extended their career past the point of nu-metal's expiration date. He augments his actual singing voice with a wide array of snarls and screams.
117-Don Dokken
He is one of the more technically textbook perfect singers I can listen to. Don adds enough of who he is to his performance. He might not be able to take shoulder to shoulder with the greatest singers of this metal are, but he does deserve his spot here.
116-David Coverdale
Of all the pretenders to Robert Plant's throne, this guy injected more of himself into the role. This was aided by his time in Deep Purple, where he showed the importance of letting soul flow through your pipes.
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115- Neil Diamond
If this was a list of songwriters, He would be in the top ten, but we are just judging pipes here. There is a mellow warmth to his baritone that pulls you into to his songs, even if his style of music is your cup of tea or not. He can belt it when he needs to but always serves the songs first.
114-Robert Lowe
The soulful wail from this powerhouse is always heartfelt. His best work was with Solitude Aeturnus , but has also taken over the mic for Candlemass. He is not an Ozzy impersonator like most doom singer, though he does barrow a bit from Dio in his belting style.
113-Damien Rice
The Irish singer/ songwriter only has three albums under his belt, but he puts all of his emotions in each note he urgently sings. Many folk singers are great at the hushed nuance, but few can belt it out like Rice who has an impressive range.
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112-Tarja Turunen
The former Nightwish frontwoman helped set the bar for how to sing symphonic metal with her colorful operatic voice. What those who followed her footsteps lacked was their own personality which Tarja has m and is often more important than the notes she sings.
111- Chuck Billy
The most impressive thing about the longtime Testament vocalist is how aggressive he can get and still manage to actually sing. This is what makes his band's songs so catchy and makes Chuck stand out as one of the best metal singers from the thrash scene.
The new tribute to the Black Album called the Metallica Blacklist, is a collection of artists each covering a song from the band's biggest selling work. To review this as a whole would havebeen a daunting task since there are 5 to 6 artists covering each. so I broke it down into installments. There was more fat that meat on the bones of it ,so here is the best version of each song. Sometimes on some of the deeper cuts it was the best of two choices or with the last song the only version. Still if it had been narrowed down to the best as heard here it would have been better than what we got while still embracing a range of different styles. You can find the full reviews as they are for the tracks , if you need my thoughts on them, which just takes a few clicks .
"Enter Sandman" - Weezer
"Sad But True" - White Reaper
"Holier Than Thou " -Biffy Clyro
"The Unforgiven" - Vishal Dadlani
"Whereever I May Roam" - Jon Pardi
"Don't Tread On Me" - Volbeat
"Through the Never" - Tomi Owo
"Nothing Else Matters"- Miley Ray Cyrus
"Of Wolf and Man" - Goodnight Texas
The God that Failed - Imelda May
"My Friend of Misery"- Izia
"Struggle Within " - Rodrigo y Gambriela
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The new tribute to the Black Album called the Metallica Blacklist, is a collection of artists each covering a song from the band's biggest selling work. To review this as a whole would be a daunting task since there are 5 to 6 artists covering each. So I broke this down by song, So you are getting an installment of this review for each song. Though when we get to some of the deeper cuts there are only a couple versions and in this installment we are covering those. This is the final break down of the songs, the last part 8 I will compile the best of each songs to present what would have been a better tribute album, but for now here we are with "Of Wolf and Man". The one shot it gets is taken by a folk country project called Goodnight Texas, I would have preferred a darker rock take on this Katatonia would have been a good choice. Instead we are getting their truck stop hippie version, which is nice, but it is a song about where wolves and does not need nice, Murder By Death would have been better.
Idles who are not normally a bad band, though a punk band which means they can be sloppy try some kind of version of "the God That Failed" and it sucks pretty bad. Irish singer Imelda May, does a much better with her bluesy poppy groove , it comes closer to being at least a rock song.
"My Friend of Misery" is first take on by Cherry Glazerr, who is a band I normally appreciate , but their cover is a a little disjointed , the chorus is about all that is there the verses are a wreck. Slothrust would at least have been able to rock it out when needed. French singer Izia's more pop take on it is closer in terms of having a more driving beat and a melody that captures the song. The jazz version by Kamasi Washington, makes less since than what Cherry Glazerr did .
It is a shame the "Struggle Within" did not get a heavier version though Rodrigo y Gabriela are god at their style of Spanish guitar. They have a grasp of metal without playing it, but there are many bands that could have done better.
There are 12 covers of this song, that is ridiculous. That is an entire album of people covering this. There are four really strong versions, the other eight are pointless. The first solid one is from Phoebe Bridgers. If you are regular reader of this blog then you know I am a fan, there are a couple people who also cover this that I am a bigger fan of, but she is one of the four best on here, even if it is not the most powerful vocal version. The version that follows is going to be the most recognized and get the most airplay it is also one of the best. It is from Miley Cyrus. Sure she shows her ass a lot, it is a nice enough ass, so i appreciate that but she can sing her fucking pantiles off, so should not be judged by how she carries herself in the public eye. She almost has an unfair advantage as Miley has been doing this song live for over a year. Se I told you , don't judge her. This might be the best version though one other version is neck to neck with her, we will get to it soon enough.
I love Depeche Mode, but Dave Gahan's version of the song sucks. There is no emotion or shit to it. Mickey Guyton, who is a big deal because she is a black country singer, offers up something that is like a sound track for a CW show or at least the dramatic conclusion, she doesn't come close to Mliey as is very generic. Speaking of generic Dermot Kennedy , goes through the motions in what might have worked on a show like the Voice, as he sings the right notes , perhaps too right with little balls. Chilean singer proves she is better at getting naked to shock people than covering Metallica. What works for Miley only works when you do it right. Russian pianist Igor Levit, is talented and does a good job with what does which is a solo piano version , but did we need another ?
My Morning Jacket's version works as they retain a firm hold on what they do, but you can tell what song this is , other artists tried to give their spin on these songs and it just did not work as well, they are also better song writers than those artists too, so there is that. Until the wimpy male vocals come in PG Roxettes version almost works. Darius Rucker's version is well Darius Rucker, who has been pumping out stale from the box radio trash since the 90s, so he has that in common with Metallica I guess.
Chris Stapleton is the only artist who rivals Miley's version, in both passion and vocal power. I wish he put this kinda feel into his more recent material. He simply kills this , this is only the second time I have felt it has been a tie. Oh yeah some lame bastard called Tresor sucks a dick while trying to do the song.
The new tribute to the Black Album called the Metallica Blacklist, is a collection of artists each covering a song from the band's biggest selling work. To review this as a whole would be a daunting task since there are 5 to 6 artists covering each. So I broke this down by song, So you are getting an installment of this review for each song. Though when we get to some of the deeper cuts there are only a couple versions and in this installment we are covering those.
First up is "Whereever I May Roam" . J Balvin has proved himself as garbage for just using the opening riff and rapping over it. Why is this even on here? What makes things worse is this exact form of utter bullshit takes place on the track right after thanks to " Chase & Status, who are an equally shitty hip hop project. Then the Neptunes just do a dance remix of it which is easier to digest and I can actually listen to. Country artist Jon Pardi, saves the day and does a pretty impressive job, by picking up real instruments and learning how to play the god damn song. When I wonder why country music is so popular now, this experience is answering that question.
Next- "Don't Tread on Me" , first there is a bullshit mash up of 'Don't Tread and nothing else matters". Skipping over that to Portugal the Man who finds their balls in every way but the vocals. When they do try to give the vocals more heft on the chorus it is multiple voices in a chant. . Really with Volbeat after then there is no real reason for them to show up as they dominate this. I think we could have had one really great tribute album if we took the best cover of each song and stripped the rest of the fat. Volbeat is not a band I am into as they are too radio friendly, but I normally like what I need to cut them some slack.
Through the Never"- Ok here is the thing, the Hu are a lot of hype and work of the novelty of what they do, they are not legit metal. I think this cover shines light on that fact.It is weak. But when the only other person covering this song is a female pop singer, then I guess it makes more sense, if that is the best they can do, though I can name 20 metal bands I would rather here cover this song... Machine Head, Life of Agony, Watain, Megadeth, Flotsam 7Jetsam, Down, I can keep going all day
The new tribute to the Black Album called the Metallica Blacklist, is a collection of artists each covering a song from the band's biggest selling work. To review this as a whole would be a daunting task since there are 5 to 6 artists covering each. So I broke this down by song, So you are getting an installment of this review for each song. Though when we get to some of the deeper cuts there are only a couple versions so we will double up when we get to that point in the album.
I know not to expect anything from Cage the Elephant as they are the kind of band I automatically want to turn the dial on when I hear them on the radio. They live up to this expectation, though moodier than just being frat boy drinking music. I appreciate what Vishal Dadlani does with his voice he goes from a lower Nick Cave croon, to more of a pop belt with a great deal of soul. I am not sure the arrangement does the song justice , but he can sing.
So far Diet Cig does the best job, even though they are a very alt poppy 90s homage They are more of a indie rock band with sugary female vocals so stylistically at odds , but head and shoulders over the terrible track by Flatbush Zombies, where they sample they song then go off in another direction that has nothing to do with the original and is just another hip hop track, which really has not place here. I first thought Latin pop duo Ha Ash, was a country singer. They work off the ballad side with little in the way of power to it, though more power than the whiney ass singers that come after them.
The singer from the Mexican band Panda tries to whine his way through the song and the results are lacking at best. The eunuch Moses Sumney warbles into the song with suck little support to his voice it is pathetic. Not sure what the instruments he is singing over are even doing. He whispers as much as he sings and sounds like Prince without balls. So given how badly things go I guess Diet Cig or Vishal is a good as it gets.
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