Cellar Darling :"the Spell"

Anna Murphy from Eluvietie returns with the sophomore album with this band that has more in common with Night Wish than your average folk metal band. She must have been holding back in Eluvietie, as she fucking belts it out here. I think what I like about this album is how it reminds me of The Gathering. This is a kinder and gentler form of metal, so if you are more on the blackened side of folk metal and not open minded this won't be for you. There are enough melancholy undertones despite the more soaring vocals on the epic minded choruses. They even head into a more progressive journey on the title track, with a heavier riff driving it and the folk instrumentation sticking it's bow in the water. "Burn" has a riff with a thick groove driving it, that they break down to a more tense palm muted section when the vocals come in. I don't think this song is on the same level of excellence as the first four, but it doesn't suck.

Things move in a more melodic direction on "Hang" . This makes the Gathering comparison carry even more weight. I am fine with this considering that the Gathering is not the same band that made "Night Time Birds"  Things get weird for "Sleep". They get experimental with things that sound like a theremin. It's not a very concrete song and more of an atmospheric interlude. Things get back to a heavier tone of "Insomnia" . The song goes in some different directions like a sax solo, The vocals go in a more interesting direction on "Freeze" than they do on "Insomnia" .  There are a great deal of vocal colors in her performance on this album, so have more layers of overdubs than others. There is an abundance of them with the choral section that goes into the kinder and gentler sway of "Fall". The ambiance of this song reminds me a little of the Cocteau Twins.At under a minute this is more of an interlude than a fully fleshed out song.

The albums less metal moments might even be some of the better ones. I think things are pretty interesting with the more experimental and atmospheric "Drown" that does constrict into something more metallic. There are some cool tempo changes on this one. The groove is almost Pantera like in it's sinew. Midway it breaks into a folk section that bridges the song into prog ambiance. "Love Part 2" is more like an alt-rock songs from the 90s. This is not a bad thing. The bass line is very fluid and the vocals work with it's groove. "Death Pt 2" is like if Kate Bush did a ballad for a Disney movie. I will round this up to a 9.5 as it's one of the best metal albums of this kind I have heard in a minute, though marginal to most if it is metal, if you like the Gathering you will like this. Released on Nuclear Blast



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Whitechapel : " the Valley"

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I have always thought of these guys as off shoots of Myspace metal. I know they get labelled metal core or death core, but they always have seemed just to be low tuned breakdown oriented death, which owes as much to nu-metal as nu-metal did hard core. Even more so when a song like "Hickory Creek" sounds like one of Slipknot's power ballads. Throw this against the song "Brimstone" which is pretty much just groove oriented death metal. This album is well produced. They are on the better side of decent when it comes to being guitarists. They are paying the rent doing this so the bar is held higher than your average Guitar Center weekend shredder.

Groove is clearly in the heart of most of these songs. The vocals are the most brutal aspect of a song like "Black Bear" which in this day and age just seems middle of the road. It's obviously metal, but more mainstream than not. At times it seems like they asked the producer to dial in Meshuggah's guitar tone. Though rather than play tricky time signature that have an angular groove , it's your run of the mill up tempo metal riff. Midway into the album the filler sets in. There the more cliche  break down tempos, but unlike the better hardcore lack the dynamic build, at times opting more for a nu-metal shift. The more I listen to these guys the more convinced I am that this is nu-metal. Perhaps the sub-genre has been that way all along.

There is more of a Slayer chug to "the Other Side". It's one of the album's better songs if not the best. We are slipping back into the knotty zone with "Third Depth" though if I am going be 100 percent spot on the clean vocals are more like the band Flaw. It's ok, nothing ground breaking. "Doom Woods" is more interesting than "Lovelace". It at least starts off with more of a throb , then just descending into what every other metal band is doing. This is well done so I will give it an 8, which is much higher than what I thought I would be giving these guys going into this. It is not Album of the Year material, but a more mature effort even if metal core is the new way to say nu-metal.

Low Dose : " s/t"

The guys from Fight Amp have formed a new band with singer , guitarist Itarya Rosenberg, that owes more to 90s alternative than pumped up noise rock. Not that some of the more pounding angular bit are not there, along with punk influences, but they have more in common with L7 thanks to Rosenberg. In some ways they are like a more sinewy and Jesus Lizard like version of Brutus, that I just reviewed. "For Sure" has a catchy grunge feel not unlike Hole, but with a dash punk. The thing they have most in common with Fight Amp is the burly bass sound.  Male vocals come in on the song "Otherwordly Motives", this gives them a more late 90s post- hard core sound.

"Sinking" finds the male and female vocals trading off. It works off of pre-established dynamics, we have heard , so nothing new is introduced here. I think these similar sounds are put ot better use on "Song 12" and done so in a more punchy fashion. The males vocals occupy more of the spot light on "Not Break Skin", when her vocals join in then it has stronger feel with them in unison. She is the stronger singer by far so it seems like a waste to not use her .

The album closes with "the Legendary Divorce" which was the name of her old band with her abusive alcoholic ex-husband which is the song about.  Itarya had a rough go of life while recording this album so I imagine the lyrics to most of these songs elude to that , though even here they are draped in metaphor  while there are some exceptions most of the story is not spelled out for you. "the Legendary Divorce" it is carried by a wandering bass line so it marries indie rock with grunge. I'll give this album an 9.5 , I really enjoyed it and think it will continue to grow on me. It is being released on Brutal Panda.

Magic Circle : "Departed Souls"

This band is referred to as true doom, but they are more of a stoner metal thing, leaning heavily on Black Sabbath influence. I can also hear some Trouble in what they do as well. They opener is more straight up mid tempo metal. There is no pervading sense of loss , despair or darkness so it is hard to call it doom. In fact it's rather upbeat. The singer's voice is decent. He has a throaty tenor. Not as smooth as say the singer of Pallbearer. They have more of a retro thing going than Pallbearer. "I've Found My Way to Die" proves that they own copies of "Vol. 4". There is a little more of a NWOBHM chug on the verse. I like when he goes into a slightly lower singing voice. on the chorus. "Valley of the Lepers" sounds like they are finding themselves rather than relying on their influences. It's more deliberate, and gives everyone the space to shine.

His voice sounds much better on "A Day Will Dawn Without Nightmares" . Though the song itself reminds me of Jake E Lee's old band Badlands. Perhaps there is a bluesy under current. It works better than the more upbeat tempo of "Nightland" , the song's more melodic second half proves stronger. The keyboards set up the more commanding tone of "Gone Again". The vocals sound great here and it finds the band, set in it's retro stoner sound , but making the most of it. There is a slight nod toward Dio in vocals . They continue to grow more soulful as the album progresses. I can hear how they are going for more of a Deep Purple direction here with the keyboard solos.

He takes on an almost AC/DC like grit to his voice going into "Hypnotized" . It does get more melodic as the song progresses . The layers of guitar help with this. These guys were better than expected and if you are into the retro/ proto metal sound, you will dig this. I am going to round it down to a 8.5 as I don't think I will get much in the way of repeat listens to this . 20 Buck Spin is releasing this.

London Calls it

Last night I had to correct London who was under the impression that everyone went to Live Aid to see Queen. I had to correct this by showing her clips of the Live Aid performances by Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. She like Ozzy and the boys best so has been on a tangent of wanting to see videos of Ozzy going crazy.  This morning I expanded upon it and took the opprotunity to play live videos of other bands to get her thoughts on it so here we go

Ozzy - "Mr Crowley"  from 83

London- "He kinda looks like you when you had long hair. He is not going crazy here"

Motley Crue - "Looks That Kill " from 87

London : "Eh, they are not as good as Ozzy"

Marilyn Manson- Live show from 96

London : "He has black hair like you used to. Why is he wearing booty shorts. He is having a fit. I don't even wear booty shorts. Who could have a crush on this guy?"

Judas Priest - "Heading out to the High way " live mid 8os. 

London-" He is not singing like an old lady hear , so that is better, I like it"

Slipknot-"Live From 99" 


London- "I don't think they sing as good in the masks , the sound is too low, I don't like them"

Gwar - Live from 90

London- "He doesn't sing very well, why is he more famous than you, you think better than he does, so does King Diamond. "

King Diamond - "Deadly Omens" live from 89

London- "I can tell be the singing that this is King Diamond, so of course it's good"

Ghost- Live from 2018

London- " This is crap, if they want to be King Diamond they have to sing better than that"

Lita Ford " Kiss Me Deadly" 

London- "This is not metal, how can this be metal"

In This Moment -Live 2018

London- "Are they going to just dance or sing" singing starts "I guess this is ok for a girl"

Chelsea Wolfe- "Live 2016" 

London- "This is a little better than the last one, rather see Ozzy"

Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train Live 83"

London- "I think I can go crazier than him, I think I could crush faces if I had to"

Inter Arma : "Sulphur English "

This is one of two album I was actually looking forward to hearing from Brooklyn Vegan's most recent list of the so called metal albums hipsters are waiting on this year. It opens with a darker and more abrasive tone than what they did on their last album that saw the band going in more melodic direction, This one has a denser sludge grit against a more death metal feel. They have shed any comparisons to Neurosis and are now churning out a more aggressive for of unrelenting dark thanks to  the drumming which is more focused on  a rawer double bass attack. Many band's will say they are going to get heavier this time around, but it is happening here. There vocals shift from a death growl to a nastier snarl in the latter half of " A Waxen Sea". 

"Citadel" has a much more Morbid Angel feel . They are good at this brand of death metal but it is like the old meme that says "Always be yourself , unless you can be Batman than always be Bat man" . With a song like "Howling Lands" that is much more interesting than coping Morbid Angel, they should just be themselves. "Howling Lands" is aided by a higher more disgusted sounding snarl to the vocals , as well as sung vocals. Then things get darkly melodic, almost like Swans. Which if you know my tastes you know I am going to like this. It build from the neo-folk into something with a more sludge like heaviness, while retaining the sung vocals .The 12 minute "Atavist's Meridian" is the most sprawling song. Oddly angular grind that winds around into a mix of atmosphere and sonic density. The they are back on a more Swans like vibe with "Blood on the Lupines". I like how it is the more melodic moments of this album that are the darkest.

A steady flow of double bass returns on the title track. The vocals dip back down into a more guttural death metal growl. I can appreciate the increased intensity they are playing with, but don't think they are really bringing fresh blood to this death metal formula that could very well be Ulcerate, even with the more atmospheric touches that haunt the edges of the song. I do think this album is a success, but it is clear the more death metal direction is not where it's true strength lies. I will give it an 8.5 because it is so well done and the melodic moments really rise to the occasion. When they are aligned with their true selves this is unstoppable and when they are not , it's still well done , just misses the mark of true inspiration.

Brutus : "Nest"

This Belgian band is getting a fair amount of buzz in regards to the release of their sophomore album. Is it hype? ...This is a question any discerning music fan might ask. It is impressive that as a trio they are kicking up this amount of noise and their singer Stefanie is also playing the drums. She has a pretty good voice that at times makes me imagine that this is how Bjork might sound if she decided to play punk. I guess this is post-punk, but not in the sense that they want to be Siouxsie and the Banshees.It's more like dashes of post-rock atmosphere are thrown against taunt punk temper tantrums. The only draw back is that while they are really good at what they do it tends to vary in speed and intensity, yet is created using similar colors.

They can pack more of a pounding sound on songs like "Cemetery" . It would be interesting to see live how here voice holds up when she is locked in on the drums. The guitars are more sonic than punk, not unlike A Place to Bury Strangers in this regard. They have a great bass tone.  The drumming is the weakest link as it is very basic.They make it work, but if we are being truthful that is what's going on. I know it's saying the emperor wears no clothes to give any thing less than a glowing review of anything like is spreading diversity , like a woman behind the drum kit.She is by no means a terrible drummer. She serves the song rather than bringing a thundering intensity. All the songs are fairly concise.I like how the vocals  sit atop the tense guitar riffs of "Carry".

I would say this is not hard core as it's not angry enough. The punk can be felt in the reckless energy in which they throw themselves into the songs. "War" finds the guitar more melodically. When she goes into a more focused singing voice, there are echoes of many female 90s alternative singers. I think if she focused on singing and they got a more dynamic drummer this band would totally kill it. As it is they do a pretty decent job though at times fall into the most obvious places punk would land. "Blind" finds the formula perhaps not as fresh as it was earlier in the album. "Distance" works off atmosphere and intensity in equal parts. Keeping this kind of a balance is essential to create anything with dynamics.

They are not devoid of all mainstream sensibility. Though song like "Space"never really locks into anything with hooks, until perhaps the more indie rock like riff at the end. They are capable of some pretty intense sonic swells . There is more of a metallic attack to "Horde V" before it breaks down into the verse. Her vocals return to a more Bjork like cadence. At under 8 minutes "Sugar Dragon" is the longest song on the album. I had to listen to a couple of times for it to begin to click. It is similar to Russian Circles slower moments, but with less intricate drumming. So I suppose  with that as an example Explosionsinthesky might be a closer zip code. The vocals are given a great deal of room and there is a loud to soft dynamic with the entire feel of the song. I will give this album a 9. It's good while not the most original sound in the world , it does have enough of their own spin on it to  feel like it is not as derived from the 90s as it is. I will see how it grows on me , but it is easy to listen to on repeat so that says something.this is being released on Sargent House
 

Devin Townsend : "Empath"

The 18th album from Heavy Devy, who claims to have sunk $ 170,000 of his own money into this album and claims if it tanks he will have to quit. So is this worth him hanging it up for ? this is over the top. I think I can handle it better than Dream Theater. It's over the top in more of a Meatloaf way than being a shred fest. There are big choral sections. Countless layers of vocals that make it feel like I am listening to a musical rather than a rock album. The drummer from Decrepit Birth might play on this album, but so far it seems like a waste as there is nothing really demanding in a metal way on the first two songs. The second song is a little too happy for me. There is a marginally heavier feel at times to "Evermore". It sounds like the new age version of contemporary christian music.  When I hear stuff like this it reminds me there needs to be a balance for the dangers of over production can be heard here.


 "Sprite" is like the Disney version of a rock opera. There is a little more quirk to it. Like a great deal of progressive rock, the songs are long and winding , with plenty of excess fat to be trimmed."Hear Me" has more metallic drumming. I would not say even with the blast tempo in play that is meaner , until Devin comes in with a more screamed vocal. This song is a mess. There are death metal growls, but it doesn't feel heavy because so much circus music is going on around it. "Why" is totally like something from a musical. So far the most interesting song is "Borderlands". It's oddly progressive. Not that heavy, it just flows well as a song even with all of the quirk it carries.

The sprawling "Singularity which is comprised of five songs that make it up ends the albums. It also features some of the album's heaviest moments on "There Be Monsters" , though I think the song before it is actually better. The ethereal choirs return for the fluffy cloud of sound that is "Curious Gods" . It gets to a Zappa lite level of prog. So more like Porcupine Tree. Things get even more proggy for "Silicon Scientists". The guitars get ridiculous. There is a robot voice where the vocals would be. I think we have had more than enough vocals at this point , so I am fine with it. When vocals come in they are like a synth pad of sound. The closer "Here Comes the Sun!" has a smoother vocal flow and get's kinda djenty, but it's well done . At this point in the album there are no more surprises, aside from a guitar solo that is tasteful in it's acrobatics.  I'll round this up to an 8, though don't feel like I need to listen to it again. It might be a good time for him to cash out and it it on a grandiose note. He should consider himself lucky that he had 170 grand to blow on this . It seems if he dialed back the choirs he could have saved a few bucks and it might have been a better album if he spent half that.

Pale Misery : "Black Candles and Gutter Scum"

While I often proclaim the music I like in broad strokes of sub-genres, like funeral doom or depressive black metal, that is not to say I won't like other genres with qualities I don't normally like . It just depends on how it's handled . This band from Louisiana is and exception to many rule. They had a blown out production sound. They are not particularly melodic. They are almost as punk as they are metal. But they are dark and miserable. The low production value here adds to the charm of their sonic snarl. The vocals are like a thrash band with rabies. The black metal side of what they do is often and undercurrent to the more crust punk aggression that fuels them. They do have some memorable riffs. Like Motorhead and a great deal of punk rock, it's the energy of their music more than the notes they are playing which at times become repetitive song a like "The Only Cure" .

Their sound is a buzz of guitars that create a furious wall of speeding chaos. I think the use of effects on the vocals is an interesting choice against the other wise dry organic mix. It makes sense if you think about the vocals here as just another layer of sound. More of an abrasive instrument than serving a melodic purpose. "Quiet" is a soundscape , of a sample with synths set against it . It's cool as an interlude, but with only six songs on this album, I would have preferred this to have been worked into an actual song. I guess when it comes to crust I like more of a neo-crust sound, as it can create something more sludgey when played straight forward. This is the case on "Hope is a Mistake". When they slow down, it not only gives the album more dynamics, but seems to be something they do with almost greater power and authority.

I think this album works best when embracing more of the crusty metallic side of what they do and less of the punk side. The black metal side of this band is sparse and more of a passing influence than something that defines their sound. I'll round this one up to a 8.5. I like what these guys are doing . The question is how much will I actually listen to this? I am not sure, though I have enjoyed the handful of spins I have given this one. I think for me, when I want to hear this type of thing I lean more toward Fistula. This makes sense given my tastes , as Fistula is more metal and less punk than these guys. So if you want something more on the punk side of the equation these guys are for you.

Looking Back In Anger at Motley Crue's "Too Fast For Love"

We have already looked at two of the less glorious albums of the 80s . Now here is their debut full length. I am listening to the remastered version. If you know this album then you know it opens with one of the best songs ever written...which is "Live Wire". "Come On and Dance" is lyrically silly when it gets to the chorus. There is more cowbell. Riff wise it is cooler than "Public Enemy" that doesn't feel like it has held up over the years as well as well "Live Wire". Even though it's there first power ballad in "Merry Go Round".  "Take me to the Top" has the early punk attitude with enough of Mick's mean flashy guitar style and the verse riff is pretty ass kicking. Vince hit's some great falsetto accent notes through out this record this being one of the song's that stand out. However I think it is the guitar that makes this one.

"Piece of Your Action" highlights the fact that this is a very sex driven album. I like when Vince goes into a lower register on the verses. It gives the song more dynamics. Another song that drips with sex is "Starry Eyes" , I think this one is under rated and stands shoulder to shoulder with "Live Wire". The bass has more of a presence on this song. I think it is weird how on the original mix of the album the bass is buried amid the drums and the bass player was the main song writer, The title track is also a classic but doesn't make the bar set by the opener like "Starry Eyes" does, which I would put in my top 10 Motley Crue songs. I think what holds the title track back a little back is at times the vocals come across a little silly. T

The album ends with another power ballad, which I like better than say "Home Sweet Home" due to that fact it's a darker and feels more street wise. I'll round this album up to a 9.5 as I sure the hell played it endlessly as a kid so some of the songs I might be burned out on. There is a juvenile feel to some of the songs, but I think that is the point. Plus they were pretty young when they made this so it's still stands taller than 90 percent of other glam metal albums .

October Tide : "In Splendor Below "

This Swedish band features two members of Katatonia, the Norrman brothers holding down a twin guitar attack for the band's 6th album. It starts off as melodic death metal not far removed from say Bloodbath, taking on a more original sound that holds more in common with earlier Katatonia on the second song. They are generally a pretty straight forward affair. Not relying on speed, but heavy on the double bass. The album sounds good and the guitars are well layered. There is obvious thought put in the construction of the songs/ Granted with the growled vocals they are more reliant on the guitars providing the melodies . This is done adequately , though far from ground breaking.   Despite this the songs do grow on me with each listen . I see this as a sign of good song writing.

There is a touch of blackness to the snarl of the vocals. Katatonia had some doom tendencies early go and they resurface here.This is felt on "Our Famine". This leans them in the direction of being death doom. This song also has more feeling to it , or at least the illusion of that persists since the lyrics are also more discernible. At times the drums have a more accessible hard rock sound. The growled vocals are the main thing that gives it an edge. They are darker and more deliberate than Dark Tranquility. "Seconds" shows how they have not forgotten how to write an actual song even with growling replacing the vocals.

On the last song it feels like they are going to the well too many times with the same formula. The power chords are very deliberate. This keeps them firmly planted in a more melodic version of death doom. It does end with a pretty cool riff, but the rule around here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. I will give this album a 8.5, despite many of the songs having a similar feel, it's catchy song writing which is more than the bulk of death metal you hear these days and I suspect this album will continue to grow on me . If you are already a fan of this project then it will not let you down. I never given these guys that solid of a listen, but I am impressed at how well done this is.

Looking Back in Anger at Motley Crue's "Dr Feelgood"

It was three songs into this album I began to consider the fact that this album might in fact be worse than "Theater of Pain". In 1989 the hair metal thing had hit it's ceiling. They needed to take heed of Guns N Roses, and find away to stand out from the pack. The title track made a decent stab of that even if the chorus was too happy. Going into the rest of the album, over production was one of this album's most glaring problems. "Slice of Your Pie" and "Rattle Snake Shake' are so stupid it's silly, the latter has too many horns and keyboards . Another problem with this album is how they seemed to pile on layers of sounds that did not add to the songs. They redeem themselves with the other break out single from the album "Kick Start My Heart". it shows their song writing skills were not totally flushed down the toilet.

Then come the power ballads. A trade mark selling point for these bands at this point in time. Vince's voice does sound good and as far as these kind of things goes, it might take too many cues from Aerosmith, but is not totally worthless. "Same ol' Situation" might work for strip clubs , but is no "Girls, Girls, Girls" which they are trying to replicate here. The chorus is like Poison and too happy. They had given up all aspirations of being metal at this point and are just making rock n roll. For some dope shooters I can't imagine shooting dope to something this happy. Perhaps they tenuous sobriety had thrown off their creative spark.  "She Goes Down" is a better song than "Sticky Sweet". I think at this point you can just bank on the chorus to every song sucking.

"Don't Go Away Mad" is almost too much like "Sweet Child of Mine". The strummed guitars are kinda going for a Cheap Trick thing and I like the vocal harmonies on the verses. This song is better written than most on this album. "Time for Change" and a shitty way to end an album. I will round this one down to a 6. So yes it is worse than "Theater Of Pain". This sounds like a totally different band than the guys who made "Shout at the Devil"

6.4

Looking Back In Anger at Motley Crue's "Theater of Pain"

I thought about reviewing "Shout at the Devil" and perhaps I might, but I am sure that is a flawless album without having to listen. This album faced the impossible task of following that one up. In fact at 7 years old I was faced with what a band selling looked like. At 7 I knew in my gut something was wrong here and they seemed more like Aerosmith. Giving this listen this a listen as an adult is this album as bad as I thought it was. "City Boy Blues" does have a good sleazy groove to it. It is not as heavy as anything on 'Shout at the Devil" and as far a my memory recalls going into this only one song on here is. It noted that Vince's voice is ragged out her probably from drinking and touring, as he can not go into the higher falsetto to hit the yodeling notes. At 7 "Smokin In the Boys Room " felt kinda cool, though I did not know it was a cover and originally written by the Brownsville Station in 1973. They did a decent job with it and it feels like Motley Crue.

"Louder Than Hell" is the only song that sounds like the band that wrote "Shout at the Devil". It fucking rocks, even though the guitars have more of a melodic touch to them . Vince also hits the note on the word loud coming out of the chorus, which I like just as much as an adult as I did at 7. What stayed the same when this albums is more rock n roll where there previous work in metal is they still retain a sense of danger. This can be felt on the verses of " Keep Your Eye On the Money". The lyrics are stupid and the chorus is full of cheese.  The piano line to "Home Sweet Home" is memorable. Vince's vocal line makes the song memorable, but I still hold to the fact this would be a great song for Journey and some pussy ass shit from Motley Crue. The only redeeming factor is Mick Mars' guitar solo, which is one of his best.

I forgot they get heavier again on "Tonight ( We Need a Lover) . You can hear Nikki Sixx's bass better on this song, though I am listening to the 2003 remaster of this album, so that might have helped. I like this song. They speed up for "Use it or Lose It" . This song is stupider than I remember. I do like the bridge going into the chorus. From this point on the album begins to go down hill. "Save Our Souls" might be better than the previous song, but doesn't measure up to what they are capable of. The acoustic guitar on "Raise Your Hands to Rock" took things in a more Mellancamp direction. The chorus is awkward coming out of this part. "Fight For Your Rights" finds the lyrics getting stupider. The synths going into the chorus are the kind of 80s cheese ball shit that made them loose their way. This might be the worst song on the album.

I will round this album down to a 7. Which going from a 10 to a 7 certainly makes this a let down. The cup half full thought would be 70 percent of this album works. It's the other 30 percent that finds them beginning to fall from grace. While they would try to excuse this in the movie by the band being fucked up, I think being fucked up should equate pretty quality stuff think about "Physical Graffiti" . I am pretty sure "Girls , Girls , Girls " was better than this. " Dr. Feelgood" might be on par, I guess there is one way to find out.

Film Review : "the Dirt"

Makes sense that this went to Netflix rather than theaters. Not as trans-formative for the actors as "Bohemian Rhapsody ". The movie measures up pretty much like Motley Crue measures up against Queen. Don't get me wrong Motley Crue was my favorite band after Kiss. But by the time I got to high school I was pretty much over them , and then the rest of my admiration for them got squeezed out by the over produced "Dr Feelgood" To this day still find them entertaining, and have gone to see them as recent as 13 years ago or so. This movie was based off the book of the same name. The book is written from the perspective of all four members of the band, with Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx dominating the narrative.You would have thought Nikki already got most of this off his chest in the "Heroin Diaries" which touches on a great deal of the addiction subject matter. Nikki is the center figure of this story and it is his band.

Of the core membership all but Vince Neil felt pretty dead on with Mick Mars being the most convincing followed by Tommy Lee. The guy who plays Ozzy was ok unless you were looking at him dead on them the resemblance faltered. The biggest cast member missing would have been Pamela Anderson, though no Vanity either. David Lee Roth and Slash caricatures were involved, there could been more cross over with Quiet Riot. While some of the "Too Fast For Love" album is featured in songs being written or performed if you went into this knowing nothing you would assume "Shout at the Devil" was their first album. If these band movies keep getting pumped out  then the formula of this is how we started the band, here is where things got rough to we have reunited and everything is great.

Having grown up watching the rise of this band, I have a different perspective on hos the time shifts occurred The theme is sex, drugs and rock n roll.. If you are doing a film about a rock band I think that those things are a must . It was entertaining enough for me to watch it all the way through in one night.  How good of a movie is it lines up with how how good of a band are Motley Crue. Mick Mars in this movie is the best acted . In real life he was  the most talented member of the band . I don't think this movie is going to win over any new fans, but it's fun.

Vaura : " Sables"

Up to this point I have always like what I have caught from this band. It had a dark density and combined post-punk moods with post-metal sounds . Here they are going in different direction. It is more lo fi. Drum machines taking the place of the bottom end their sound used to have. If you are moving in a more 80s new direction and it's not fully connecting with me their is a problem. The vocals are a little higher to create more of a Depeche Mode like sound. The guitar parts and weird and angular, with re-verb replacing distortion. It's sounds like if Bella Morta or Cruxshadows tried to become a progressive rock band. There are some redeeming aspects of what is happening here, most of those fall on the guitar playing. I think it comes across as not as dark due to the production quality and the shift in guitar tone, which works for what the guitar is doing , but perhaps not where it fall in the bigger picture they are trying to paint here. So the strength and the weakness are different sides of the same coin.

The refrain of  "The Ruins" works pretty wall, but overall the song doesn't measure up fully to what I have heard from these guys before. There is more of a Cure vibe to " No Gaurdians" , which should make this an instant winner in my book, but I feel the vocals are uncomfortable and trying to sing higher than what this guy is best at. So five songs in and I can say I am beginning to feel disappointed. "Eidolon" might be the best song so far. If I went into this not having heard this band before then I think I might be more impressed with it. There is a more Pink Floyd like guitar melody.  The parts of songs like "Basilisk" I am sure sounded great when they were tracking them, but how they all fit together in the mix is the problem. So part of the problem might lay in hos this album was produced.

The title track the album ends with is very sparse and atmospheric . They let to much sit on the shoulders of the vocals, which I am sure sounded just fine in vocal booth, but when left to sit naked atop very minimal backing , not so much. I will give this album a 7, because there are good sounds and ideas abounding. It is more of a progressive rock album than what we have heard from them in the past. So much so this might have been better served being released under the guise of a solo project under another name as the difference is as wide as the difference between the last A Perfect Circle album and "Undertow".

Metal Hammer's Judas Priest Tribute Album.

Judas Priest was one of my favorite bands growing up. I might not listen to them as much as I used to, but it always brings a smile to my face when I hear them, so I am not only very familiar with their body of work , but have a deep respect for it. Metal Hammer complied this album of previously recorded covers. Covering Judas Priest first and foremost in my mind requires a solid vocal performance. You don't have to hit all the notes Rob Halford does as there not not a ton of singers who can do that. But you need to convey where he was going with it and tell the same story. So I know this is going to be problematic.  This album  opens with Arch Enemy's cover of "Breaking the Law" . This gets a more "Painkiller" treatment. The verse riff is so iconic that trying to add extra chugs in it is self defeating. Here the problem with the vocals that I predicted wastes no time coming true. Just growling through not matter how nuanced the growl is only works on the chorus of this song. There are still enough trademark to recognize it. A power metal band like Sabaton, certainly seems more capable of handling "All Guns Blazing" . There higher register vocals, they are more of a choked AC/DC nature, but at least they are trying. Power Wolf's cover of "Night Crawler" even with the help of sung vocals comes across a little stiff .

 I love Katatonia, so was eager to hear how they did  "Night Comes Down".  This one is off of "Defenders of the Faith" not one of their strongest songs, it's more of a power ballad so it works for these guys. Granted his range doesn't reach beyond what Jonas normally does. Huntress does just fine with "Running Wild" which is a safer picker than "Beyond the Realms of Death" which Blind Guardian takes on. I guess I have never given these guys a fair shot as he does a great job with the more baritone croon. The higher notes at the chorus are more snarled like Ice Earth or even Blackie Lawless.  Kreator does a much better job with "Grinder" than I expected. They should the kind of restraint and served the song like Arch Enemy could have stood to have done a better job of.

Death's cover of "Painkiller" is taken from their 1998 album "the Sound of Perseverance" . I am pretty impressed with Chuck's vocals. Even though it's a scratchier tone he hits the notes. It also has him singing in clean voice on parts. Drummer Richard Christy who also played with Iced Earth nails his parts to the wall. Primal Fear covering "Metal Gods" is pretty much a no-brainer cus they are almost a Judas Priest cover band. I'll give this album a 8.5 . Granted these bands all benefited from having excellent source material to work off of.

Report to the Dance Floor - The Faint's "Egowerk'

The bar is high for these guys  since they have made some of my favorite albums. ,the first thing that strikes me is how this sounds less like a rock band playing electronic instruments and more like an EDM records. A more aggressive beat drops midway into the song. It almost sounds more like something my girl friend would listen to rather than the band who made "Danse Macabre" and "Wet From Birth".  Once called electro punk, now the punk is out of the equation. The vocals are not a central part of the song either. When it comes to electronic music I like it better than most of the MGMTS out there , but I was beginning to think this drastic change was phasing out song structure altogether . This is cleared up on "Chameleon Nights". The vocals conform to the fact that these guys are making songs. There is a futuristic plastic to their sound that is more pronounced here.

The more biting social commentary that I have always liked about their lyrics surfaces on "Life's A Joke". "Alien Angel" is much more in line with what you expect when you think of this band. The beat is more of a robotic funk on the title track. It works and makes the song  coldly angular. The subtle chorus is a nice touch. "Own My Eyes" is one of the album's best songs as it is a little darker and more sardonic lyrically.  "Source of the Sun " is coolly detached, but all the moving pieces create a groove well. I like the effects on his vocals on "Another World" . "Quench the Flame" moves into a more upbeat direction. The vocals still keep things centered. The layered synths here don't have the same sense of ugency as when the album is firing on all cylinders. A case of where it is by no means a bad song it just doesn't have then same sense of urgency.

The title "Young & Realistic" makes me think the irony is coming on thick. It is more of a disco pulse moving the song. It's a well made mockery of that sound.  Though while smooth and efficient it doesn't have the bite they used to. Everything after "Wet From Birth" has owed a great deal more to Gary Numan. "Automaton" highlights like facts, in the synths even more than the vocals . I'll round this one up to a 9. Despite the stylistic shift into a more electronic direction , they key ingredients still make these guys more than worthwhile.

The Foreign Resort : "Outnumbered"

This post- punk band from Denmark are not Joy Division rip offs as they have a fair amount of electronic interactions to create the grooves that open the first song. The vocals have more in common with Robert Smith than Ian Curtis. The first song really impressed me to the bar is set high for the rest of the album. It's a fair comparison to say these guys sound like if Depeche Mode was jamming with the Cure. Perhaps he is not as expressive as Robert Smith, but who is? The synth sound is certainly more Depeche Mode and then on a song like "Summer" they go even past that with the ambiance. Though as songs go it's more of a interlude than it's own song. There are serious dance floor sensibilities with "She is Lost". It works of a a grooving pulse.  While it has Cure like guitar its more new wave.

"Clouds" is more Gary Numan meets 90s alternative. The bass tone is pretty cool. These guys are great at going beyond the realms of your average post-punk band and creating a smoother sonic landscape. "Obsessing" has more drive to it before they smooth out into atmospheric new wave pop of "Hearts Fade Out". "Hot Summers" has a classic 80s new wave synth line and from there follows the cute past kind of dance pop of Flock of Seagulls or Pet Shop Boys, but with more guitars. "Send Your Heart to the Riot" has a "Hanging Garden" like bass line that doesn't let the song as a whole wallow in the Cure influence as I can also hear some Roxy Music.

There is more aggressive beat to the title track that lines up with what I think of as post-punk. The song does not have a wide of a musical range , but works more of the tension. Granted said tension is coated in a great deal of atmosphere. I will round this one up to a 9.5 as the song that did not connect with me as solidly on the first listen will grow on me in time. If you are a fan of post-punk or new wave then this album is worth checking out. Artoffact is releasing this Apirl 15th.

the Brian Jonestown Massacre : "s/t"

If you don't know who these guys are then this is Anton Newcombe from the Dandy Warhols. There is a moody almost post-rock feel to the strummed opener like a less goth version of the Cure. Anton makes up for what he lacks in vocal prowess with attitude. The arrangements are fairly simplistic rock n roll, darker than the Rolling Stones, but also less dangerous. Mick Jagger is never this depressed. Rather than go on any long winding roads the songs jam off a singular vibe. At times there is more of a 90s alternative vibe, which the Dandy Warhols certainly sprang out of.  Female vocals take over on the second song. This gives things a more dreamy feel. The bass player stay in motion while holding things down. "My Mind is Filled With Stuff" is a jammy instrumental that drones more than goes anywhere.

Th acoustic strum of guitar leads into the weird wonder of "A Word" which gets the whole 60s psychedelic vibe better than most bands. There is a drugged sluggishness to it despite the fact Newcombe no longer gets high. "We Never Had a Chance" falls on the more down trodden side of Brit pop. Lyrically things are bitter and bleak. "To Sad To Tell You" continues to explore the band's =more depressive side . As they rain on your parade there is some tasteful guitar and a great tone on every instrument . I prefer this to their more straight ahead rock n roll side that they indulge on " Remember Me This".

It's back to a more garage rock style strum on "What Can I Say". I suppose if the Monkees had hung out with Charles Manson, instead of the Beach Boys , they might have made this kind of music. I'll round this up to a 9 as it taps into the hazy kind of thing that the Stone Roses used to do , which I liked to get stoned to in high school.

Haunt : "If Icarus Could Fly"

I like Beastmaker, but I also grew up in the 80s when this kind of metal was big. So I have a mixed relationship with this sort of thing as I was already listening to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden in 1983. The first song starts off a little heavy on the guitar solos. The chorus is a little happy. Church's vocal is more in the Diamond Head range, perhaps a little lower and more laid back. The guitar harmonies feel more Priest than Maiden to me. His voice is not aggressive, so it gives a mellow vibe atop this. If you are smoking a bunch of pot you may not even notice. There is no shortage of guitar solos on the album. The speed picks up to a proto-thrash on "Cosmic Kiss". Even then things are beginning to take on a uniform sound. It's almost like a more upbeat version of In Solitude. This is even more apparent on "Ghosts". Though there is more of a melodic nuance on this one.

"Clarion" drifts into a more cut and paste metal homage. Thanks to the smooth vocal  this steers clear of being power metal. There is a more epic gallop feel to "Winds of Destiny". The vocals are super layered on the chorus. It's like the Scorpions heavier moments. All the songs are under the four and a half minute mark. The guitar solos keep multiplying. The title track benefits from a strong vocal melody to balance the reoccurring guitar harmonies and solos that are all now running together.

The last  song sound more like solo. Obviously Ozzy's knack for vocal lines is a few tiers higher, but these guys are making a pretty decent stab at it. The solos are more Jake E Lee, than Randy Rhodes. I like more than the first album, or at least of what I remember of the first album. Prefer Beastmaker , since they are darker and a form of metal I lean into more as an adult. This is shit that I listened to more as a kid. Though Iron Maiden does stay in regular rotation. I'll give this a 9, it's very well done and the album sounds great. This comes out on Shadow Kingdom Records May 17th.

Louise Lemon : "A Broken Heart is an Open Heart"

Have had a pretty varied month so far, so it makes sense to check this album out. I am not sure how this is called doom pop, as it is not any darker than Zola Jesus. It does have a more soulful pop vocal performance as she packs a good deal of power when she belts it out. Musically it has a big Vegas lounge feel. It is not until "Blurry Vision" that things take on a more distinct sound. Then it's back in Adelle's zip code for "Swimming In Sadness" . At this point I begin to get bored. I like Taylor Swift and other pop music, so when I hear doom pop then that should be in my wheel house. It is not until "Susceptible Soul" that I hear any traces of anything that could be thought of as doom. There is a darker bluesy tone to this song and some great guitar playing.

"Cross" has a very soulful 70s sound, which is not dark, but it is a good song. Nothing doom here and at this point I have almost gotten that out of my head. "Honest Heart" is pretty steamy and the album seems to be improving the deeper I get into it. Is it the most original thing I have heard? No , but it works for her voice. I like when she doubles her self. I think some harmony parts could have been interesting. It's a silly song title , but "Almond Milk" gets better as it goes. At first I did not pay as much attention to it , because her voice begins to take a uniform approach to these songs. There is more gospel than blues as the Hammond organ purrs under the swell of the song . It almost goes into more a Pink Floyd sound.

The album ends with the title track. It is a stripped down piano ballad. There are echoes of guitar in the corners. The vocal melody is rather loose and she seems to just be vocalizing rather than really giving anything to latch onto. Sure she has a good voice, but it is about where you put your voice against the other instrumentation. I'll round this one down to a 7.5. It has some strong moments, but it leaves me kinda lukewarm.

80s vs 90s

Inspired by a Facebook debate. I decided to weigh them in pound for pound to see who really had the better music of the two . The first dozen are pitting artists against their own work. Then the next dozen are artist vs artist.


 1988 Jane's Addiction - "Nothing's Shocking"  Vs 1990 "Ritual  de lo Habitual"

So we are not looking for what was a better hit, as most radio songs are shit since they are packaged for masses which is the lowest common denominator. We are looking for which album is better. Hand's down "Nothings Shocking" wins this one. Sure there is "Three Days" for it to contend with, but "Ted, Just Admit it" and "Mountain Song" slam this one home. 

80s -1
90s- 0

1989 Nirvana- "Bleach" vs 1991 "Nevermind"

Sure "Nevermind" took grunge to the masses, meaning the songs were user friendly enough for widespread radio consumption. "Bleach" has more emotion behind it and songs like "Love Buzz" , "Floyd the Barber" and "About a Girl" beat out "Smells Like Teen Spirit". They are more brooding and have more balls.

80s- 2

90s-0

1989 Soundgarden -"Louder Than Love"  vs 1991 "Badmotorfinger"

We have already covered the fact we do not care about hits, so that takes  "Rusty Cage" out of the equation, but even then there are 5 good songs on it. "Louder Than Love" is darker and has a more sensual throb to it . "Jesus Christ Pose" you say?  "Gun" is a better song.

80s- 3

90s-0


1989 Faith No More- "the Real Thing" vs 1992 "Angel Dust"

This was tough as there are some great songs on "the Real Thing". "Angel Dust" found the band giving mainstream a middle finger and went harder and darker , so " Angel Dust" wins out.

80s- 3

90s- 1

1989 Nine Inch Nails - "Pretty Hate Machine"  vs  1994 "the Downward Spiral"

"Pretty Hate Machine" is a great album though in more of a Depeche Mode direction. "Downward Spiral" has a more emotional heaviness to it , along with vastly better production quality and guitar sound so it wins

80s3

90s- 2

1986 Metallica - "Master of Puppets" vs  1991 "the Black Album"

Are you fucking kidding me ? This is not even close. There is no need to even explain this. If you don't get it , then you don't know shit about metal.

80s-4

90s- 2

1987 Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction vs 1991 "Use Your Illusion pt 1 & 2"

Another one that needs little explanation. Add all the good songs on their 1991 double album and they won't be able to touch "Appetite"

80s-5

90s-2

1987 R.E.M "Document"  vs 1992 "Automatic For The People"

This is a tough one as the 1992 album is full of raw emotion and is one of  Stipe's best performances. "Document" wins this one as it finds the band working at the peak of their power being an actual rock band rather than dripping with ballads .

80s- 6

90s-2

1987 U2 "the Joshua Tree"  vs 1991 "Achtung Baby"

The 87 has a ton of hits on the front end , but the b-side tanks . Their 1991 album thus proves superior.

80s -6 

90s-3

 1985 the Smiths "Meat is Murder"  vs 1991 Morrissey "Kill Uncle"

I love Moz's solo work, but the Smiths made some of the best albums ever

80s-7

90s-3

1986 Slayer "Reign in Blood" vs 1990 "Seasons in the Abyss"

Closer to call than "Master of Puppets " and " the Black Album". "Reign In Blood" is more of what Slayer is .

80s-8

90s-3

1980 Black Sabbath "Heaven & Hell"  vs  1991 Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears"

While most 70s  Ozzy Sabbath albums would win this one, Dio Sabbath dominates 90s solo Ozzy, even 80s Ozzy consistently beats out "No More Tears". 

80s-9

90s-3

ok now artist vs artist - we are looking at the artists of note for their respected decades and pitting them against artists from a similar genre.

Iron Maiden  vs Tool 

The battle of prog metal. Tool was once one of my favorite bands since their inception in 1990, but Iron Maiden who if we are just counting the Bruce years have stood the test of time since 1982. I sometimes get the urge to revisit Tool , they waned 4 albums in where Maiden was kicking ass well past that .

80s 10

90s 3

The Cure  vs Smashing Pumpkins

Moody rock for pasty white kids. Smashing Pumpkins really only had 2 solid albums under their belt, neither of which can hold a candle to "Pornography" much less "Disintegration"

80s 11

90s 3


Kate Bush vs Tori Amos

 Kate might have had 2 albums out by the time the 80s rolled around, but the bulk of her work is from the 80s. Tori Amos owes her entire sound to Kate Bush...end of story.

80s 12

90s 3

Tears For Fears vs Radiohead 

After "Ok Computer" Radiohead gave the record label the middle finger and got darker and more experimental. However if we look at who has the better songs, Tears For Fears beats out the bulk of Thom Yorke's introspective whining.

80s 13

90s 3

Siouxsie and the Banshees vs Bjork 

This one is a close call so it boils down to the prolific body consistent work and Bjork only had 3 albums that would be overwhelmed by the 7 Siouxsie put out.

80s 14

90s-3

The Cult vs Pearl Jam 

Battling for the throne left vacant by Jim Morrison . It comes down to "Electric" and "Sonic Temple"  against "Ten " and "Vs" so Eddie Veddar and friends are going to walk away the winners here.

80s 14

90s-4

Motley Crue vs Stone Temple Pilots 

Drugged out arena rockers clash . This boils down to the fact the first 2 Crue albums crush anything STP  put out .

80s 15

90s 4

Prince vs Lenny Kravitz 

Lets not even get into who is the better singer and guitarist, that's a no brainer. Has Kravitz ever dreamed of touching "Purple Rain"...hell no.

80s 16

90s 4

Cocteau Twins vs Cranberries 

"Every Body is Doing it So Why Don't We" is a great album and got more airplay, but it's not "Blue Bell Knoll"

80s 17

90s 4

Def Leppard vs Foo-fighters 

Ok both are cheesy radio rock. Def Leppard's songs stick with me better.

80s 18

90s 4

Celtic Frost vs Korn 

Korn did inspire a generation of glue sniffers to tune down to b. Celtic Frost's music was ahead of it's time and continues to influence black metal . Less daddy issues and more thoughtful

80s 19

90s 4

the Misfits vs Green Day

Is this even up for debate ?

80s 20

90s 4


final score it's a massacre 20 to 4

Fallujah : "Undying Light"

The opener doesn't break much in the way of new ground. All the elements of their sound are in play. The vocals sound more hard-core and less death metal this time around. There is more of an angry scream to them rather than a growl. The lyrics are easier to make out this time. The vocals are also doubled up with a more forcefully shouted vocal. I think the guitar melody to "Last Light" is more memorable. The drums also back off and give things more room to breathe in places. I am hearing the difference on this album being more restraint. There are not guitar solos coming at you from every angle. The atmosphere coming from the guitars is more streamlined. There is more of a metal core sound, than death metal. The more stellar guitar playing that was on there previous albums surfaces midway into third song. There are some stomping djent like grooves that build up. I guess that is fair since I would say Meshuggah also uses the guitar in a similar atmospheric sense.

The riff leading into "Dopamine" is much more melodic. The hard core comparisons would once again arise as the verses progress. I will give it to them that things flow and we are not getting just a bunch of riffs for the sake of riff. The first sung vocal, that has a Deftones like coo pops up.  "the Ocean Above" works off some tricky time signatures, but as a song it is ok, nothing that really grabs me. There is a similar formula at play on "Hollow" . This formula begins to get broken up s they have an almost Swedish melo-death sound with the thrashing speed of "Sanctuary". "Eyes Like the Sun" finds them on a more predictable course. There is some great guitar playing, but it's beginning to sound more along the lines of Thy Art is Murder. The atmosphere is more welcome than just straight up technical death core, but nothing ground breaking despite the whispered sung vocals .

If you are a regular reader then you could have guessed I would like the darker and more melodic direction they go on the Deftones like purr of  "Distant and Cold".  There is more double bass to drive "Departure" that closes the album. This gives it more death metal like muscle. Midway into it the groove switches, but the overall feel doesn't stray from what is expected of metal of their ilk. When it comes to modern metal, I appreciate the layers of atmosphere and more melodic moments. I will round it down to an 8 as I feel this one kinda plays it safe, but if you are into a more metal core sound then you will dig it. Either way the great guitar work can not be denied.

Indestructible Noise Command : "Terrible Things"

These guys are a band whose name I remember from the 80s , but don't recall every actually hearing them. They are very high energy like a more hard-core version of Testament. They use a catchy yet repetitive formula most of the time . "Indentifier" reminds me in places of D.R.I. The lyrics are pretty clever . By the time we get to the title track they begin to get mired into more of a set formula. This does not detract from the fact that they are good at what they do. The singer has a Overkill like spit fire aggression to his aggression, going into higher notes that are more screamed than sung. Though there are a few notes sung on choruses here and there. The drummer is insane , but with thrash that kind of comes with the job description. "Legions Rise" seems to fall out of the previous song with more shredding but little else to distinguish it .


"Unscathed" has some taunt chugging, but shows how if left unchecked thrash can all begin to sound the same. This could be said for a few other metal sub-genres. It was separates the greats from the masses to have a stamp on their own sound. Another reason these guys are not mentioned in the same breath as even bands like Voivod and Vio-lence. "Bonesaw Ballet" marries modern metal to the days of thrash they came from pretty effectively.  "Salmonella" is an odd topic for a song. Even odder that is one of the album's darker songs as it opens with doomy riff before speeding up. The lyrics seem to be more about politics. The main riff is very Judas Priest . The vocals are the most varied on this song as well, almost in a more Pantera direction. "Nemesis" is more typical of late 80s thrash, think Testament meets Nuclear Assault. So not the album's most original moment.

I'll round this up to an 8, due to the fact that while this was never cutting edge in terms or originality the energy and precision they put into these songs is impressive. For some reason I used to always thing these guys had more in common with Brutal Truth back in the day, though I listened to more than my fair share of Testament so it's not like I did not already have this sort of thing filled . If you like thrash then this is worth checking out for sure .

LA Guns : "the Devil You Know"

12 albums later the band survived the 90s so they are not going to be giving up any time soon. I think the fact that they had more of a metal edge than their peers all along helps with this.  The opener sounds like they are clocking in on their heavier , where "Stay Away", does a better job of that . The vocals are way up front in the mix , while Phil sounds great for his age, I could use more guitar. The bass is lost and the drums patter in the background. It is clear these guys are aware it's 2019 and the world has moved past hair metal and now needs something heavier. They stay true to who they are and deliver this on the title track.It's not that they are trying to be Five Finger Death Punch in an attempt to do this. It still sounds like LA Guns.  Their is more of a Guns and Roses feel to "Needle to the Bone". I could also hear this song on the first Motley Crue album, though it's less metal and has more of a bluesy sleaze.

There is more of the metallic great that the title track had on "Going High" . There is more of a rock swagger to "Gone Honey".  Warmer and more organic, it's certainly not the most interesting song they have written , in fact it sounds like warmed over Cult with Lewis singing. The more uptempo "Don't Need to Win" is pretty much color by numbers middle of the road rock not unlike the previous song, though Lewis' voice carried more of a sharp barb to it making it very AC/DC. Despite the fact that it's a good song, "Down That Hole " reminds me of Stone Temple Pilots more middle of the road moments. The best song on every level is " Another Season In Hell". The guitar playing is great. Phil sounds at his peak. There is a ton of emotion and sonic layers. It's also one of the album's darker moments which I am sure sways me to some extent. I like the intensity the guitars are strummed with on the chorus. I suppose in some ways this is a power ballad.

The album ends on a playful almost punk note with "Boom". Punk has always been an influence on the dirtier side of glam rock. It's not the best song on the album. The way the gang vocals chime in might be a little too heavy handed, however over all the song works with what these guys do. I'll give this album an 8.5, it's pretty fun and easy to listen to. I liked "the Missing Peace" a little better , but this works as well and proves these guys are holding up better...musically than the bulk of their peers from these time. Yeah some of the guys in Skid Row or Motley Crue might look better, but these guys might have made their heaviest album yet, which is more than you can say for those bands.

Lost Dog Street Band : "Weight of a Trigger"

I like country music it is just dark to know where to look to find the kind that is dark enough for me. After all this darker sub-set of it is not flourishing. It only takes up on dark corner of the genre. So whenever I see something labelled as dark country I jump on it. This is the act's 5th album. The first song comes across as convincing, though I would say there is a lurking melancholy more than this is dark. Not to say that doesn't come as the album progresses . The first song is upbeat. Lyrically the story telling does invoke images for yearning redemption like saying " forward my mail to hell or worse". So there is the doomed feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. The average listener might find that dark, but here at Abysmal Hymns he have built up a high tolerance for darkness, so I need more than that .

Country music might be what these songs come from, but there is a more folk element that makes me think of the Decemberists. These guys are not telling a story with the same sense of theatrics are pulling from as many places as the Decemberists do , but I think they are in the same zip code as say 'the King is Dead" album. His voice is more plaintive than  Colin Melroy. There is more of a blue grass twang going into "Bring Back Someday". Speaking of twang that is what I need to keep this out of the Decemberists backyard. This is strange due to the fact that these guys are from Nashville where there should be no shortage of real country music to draw influence from. There is more of a conventional country feel to "Without a Doubt". It has a swift jig in its step, while it might not be the most original song on the album it is well done.

The best song on the album is "War Inside of Me" . Not because it's the darkest or the best sung. But it feels like the most honest and the lyrics strike me in a way that I can really relate to them. It is one of those song where if someone told me to pick the theme song to the soundtrack to my life I could use that one easy. "Diane" is more storytelling of a deal gone wrong with a hooker. When the vocals come in on the title track the rest of the arrangement tries to give the vocals room to breathe, but end up letting them carrying the weight of the song when his voice is not braced for it. "Lazy Moonshiner"  goes back into more of an Appalachian feel. It feels pretty honest which goes a long way with this style of music. The album ends with a bitter sweet ballad, that is good for what it is. Like most of the songs on this album it grows on me.  I'll give this album a 9 for what it lack it shadows it makes up for in heart and songwriting.

Ataraxie : "Résignés"

Almost more on the death doom side of funeral doom. This French band works best when allowing things room to breathe in the despair. I am in a little bit of a low swing myself as I am listening to this album so not sure how that will influence my ears. I know I am not the biggest fan of opening an album with a 21 minute song. But I have not been counting the clock to see how much fat could have been trimmed so I suppose that is a good sign. It's eleven and a half minutes into it before I start looking at the time, which also plays into their favor. The entire album is long songs, so it's not going to get a ton of plays from me . The title track that follows the opener is almost 18 minutes. The vocals are low roar with fair amount of torment behind them. It is at times more blackened doom, than pure doom as the pace picks up. It slow back down and is dense and heavy but just doesn't feel as inspired as the first song.

The clean guitar tones going into "Coronation of the Leeches " is more interesting in the wake of the distortion on pounding volume you hit you with leading up to this. About three and a half minutes in the heavy returns , but with some traces of the more melodic moments they just touched on. In 19 minutes they have plenty of time to cover plenty of ground and get blasty and doomy all in the same song with a cool punchy riff that stomps your head in between the two. The song also could have stopped at the 16 minute mark and I do not think any one would have noticed. Of course for the last song they have to have one that is even longer so they go for a 25 minute marathon. I understand that for doom when you are playing slower it takes more time to get to the finish line. Kinda like fucking an old man, but I have heard plenty of bands do more in a more compressed amount of time. Even doom bands.

I have shit to do, so I break it up into 3 to 5 minutes chunks of listening to this one. I can review an entire album from another band in the same time it takes to make it through this song. At the four minute mark it seems the drummer wants to speed up while everyone else is content at the current speed. They do get on board with building momentum in a more blackened direction. When it slows down and gets more atmospheric , things take on a more convincing emotional current.There are many moments of sonic heaviness coated in shadow, but it's the 12 minute mark before things really moved past sludged out  walls of distortion and become interesting musically. The question then becomes is it interesting enough to keep my attention for 25 minutes. Not really. Though overall the death doom sounds they conjure lean enough toward doom to work for me.  I will round this down to a 7.5 , as the lengthy songs get tiresome, but some people are into that sort of thing.

Looking Back in Anger at Nine Inch Nails' "The Downward Spiral"

This album turns 25 today. I was working at a Record store when it came out. So it was interesting to watch an industrial album go mainstream, though MTV was pointing them in that direction with the videos from "Broken". It starts off with the hammering "Mr. Self Destruct" that I have seen them open with live a few times. I think one of this album's strengths is the lyrics and all the tortured honesty Treznor put into them. Then things simmer down into a sultry groove for "Piggy" which works off of a slinky bass and the refrain of "nothing can stop me now, because I don't care anymore". It pretty much sums up the slacker pathos of Gen X. In many ways this album helped define the 90s as much as "Nevermind" in fact I'll say it's a better album than Nirvana's hit factory which might have gotten more radio play as it opened the doors to grunge pop fodder. This album is more complex and layered. It is more importantly for us here at Abysmal Hymns...darker.

It funny going back to listen to this album, I can almost review it from memory. The synth groove to "Hersey" looks back toward the feeling of the first album. The only difference is the heavier pulse to the chorus of "if god is dead...".  "March of the Pigs" hit's you head on with a blitz.  I think it works better in the smoother groove it breaks down at the minute mark before he asks "doesn't it make you feel better". I however don't think it's as good as the first three songs. "Closer" is pretty much the "Iron Man" of this album. It's an iconic pop song for sure, but I can go the rest of my life without hearing it now. In fact I think "Ruiner" is a better song. I think the groove is better . It gets more chaotic and noisy before the anthemic refrain. If we are talking about songs better than "Closer" , then "Becoming" also goes on that list. Lyrically it rings more true. The chanted refrain of "it won't give it , it wants me dead, god damn this noise inside my head" is one of the albums best moments.

The beat to "I Do Not Want This" is fractured beyond groove. The vocals have to hold the song together, until the more metallic guitar comes in. "Big Man With a Gun" has a more 80s synth groove and almost feels more like a Ministry song.  "A Warm Place" is more of an interlude than a song. Though they make you wait for it the greatest moment of the album are the drums Tommy Lee of Motley Crue played to kick into "Eraser" . This is my favorite song on the album, with the song after that in the number two spot. The vocals are sedate at first but still have a great deal of emotion before things get big and explosive."Reptile" might be the album's darkest song. Lyrically it might be the best on the album.

Oddly the title track is an interlude rather than a song on this album. It ends with "Hurt" which if you are reading this I hope you know, if not go hurt yourself to see if you still feel. If you heard the Johnny Cash cover first then follow those same instructions. This took the power ballad out of the hands of Guns and Roses to show it could be done with half the hair spray. On our rating scale of 1 to 10, this is one of the rare albums that cracks the ceiling to earn an 11. The same volume you should listen to it at.

Subway to Sally : "Hey !"

When folk metal is paired up with industrial the results are better than it might sound on paper. It counter balances the normally too happy results of most bands that delve into this. Sometimes this works better than others. While the opener is great, the second song doesn't fire as brilliantly on the same cylinders. "Konigin der kafer" is a little darker and brings them back a few steps closer to the sound I first liked. There are more electronic elements. "Messias" balances the more anthem like qualities against a simmering darker under current. The song that follows this one has more organic instrumentation, but is hopefully brooding. It paints in lighter shades of gray, while the chug of the guitar adds the tension.There is a bit of a groove to it as well. It is a little more dynamic than the other songs which might explain how it won me over..

I think this band's strength is all of the different places they can take you. When they do this with a darker touch then it is sonic magic. I think keeping the happy out is the one thing they need to focus on. This is their 13th album so they have a pretty solid formula they follow, it just doesn't adhere to what other band's use as a formula so that is why it works so well. Midway into the albums the first less than perfect moments surface and to me they are due to the fact it sounds like Ukrainian nu-metal. These are however balanced out by I guess what other bands might find more experimental , but are common place for these guys . "Alles was das Herz will" is one of their more straight forward rock moments. I guess referring to these guys as metal really depends upon how you define meta. I think regular readers here would find them to be more hard rock. This point in the album it finds them settling into more straight up rock. When it is done with a darker tone it works better for me, but the folk elements are falling by the wayside.

At just two minutes the album ends with the peppy title track. Some of the previous songs were more interesting. I think this album gets off to a good start and when they are engaging their more folk side then the songs stand out  I will round this album down to a 9, while there are some incredible songs it loses a little bit of creative steam when it settles into more middle of the road rock. But overall, it is a refreshing take on folk meeting rock.