Ronnie James Dio-This Is Your Life (Tribute 2014)

Post #318

When Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with cancer in 2010, the world of heavy metal mourned the loss of one if its most iconic vocalists of all time.

As far as tributes go, it is hard to top this one. The roster of artists performing on this tribute CD are all practically legends themselves. Killswitch Engage, Scorpions, Corey Taylor (of Slipknot and Stone Sour), Halestorm, Anthrax, Tenacious D, and even the mighty Metallica have all included a song on this collection. That should show you the significance of Dio's influence alone, but do yourself a favor and listen to this collection of songs, penned by one of the greatest vocalists metal has ever known.


Recommended tracks:
-Neon Knights (Anthrax)
-The Last In Line (Tenacious D)
-Rainbow In The Dark (Corey Taylor and others)
-The Temple of the King (Scorpions)
-Straight Through The Heart (Halestorm)
-Ronnie Rising Medley (a blend of 4 tracks from Ronnie's material by Rainbow-arranges and performed by Metallica)
-This is Your Life (Dio- this one is a Dio original, and one I hadn't paid close attention to before. It is from his album Angry Machines. The lyrics make it a very fitting inclusion here.)


Do not forget that 100% of the proceeds from sales of this tribute album benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund

Avenged Sevenfold-Hail to the King (2013)

Post #287
Avenged Sevenfold seem to always draw a lot of criticism for being 'sell-outs' in recent years in heavy metal circles. I think this partially stems from the fact that much of metal's underground fandom clings to a belief that metal is not supposed to be mainstream or popular. Metallica are sometimes viewed the same way by metal critics ever since their commercial success of their self-titled 'black' album. In many ways, Hail to the King is Avenged Sevenfold's 'black' album. It is their biggest shift to a slower-tempo, more accessible sound as they have displayed yet in their career. So their critics are making as much noise as ever over their legitimacy as a metal band. On the flip-side, Avenged Sevenfold's latest release still debuted at #1, and they continue to draw sell-out crowds on headlining tours and massive metal festivals and tours around the globe, so in all likelihood they will continue to do what they've been doing as far as their direction is concerned, and let all criticisms go in one ear and out the other.

After a first listen this album sounds like Avenged Sevenfold is sputtering at half throttle. There are teases of potential neck-breaking tempos like they've delivered on previous releases, but not a single song reaches that point. Long-time fans may wonder if their new drummer Arin Ilejay is not living up to the standards of the late Rev, or if the band is simply losing their aggressive drive. They also seem to draw inspiration from some long-standing greats of heavy metal on this album. In some cases they emulate these legends so much that critics are challenging their originality. These are some of the obvious criticisms of Hail to the King, but now that I've stated the obvious I can move on and look at the many aspects of this album that are truly worthy of praise.

First let me come out and say that Hail to the King is still a METAL album. I get annoyed by the tendency of music to be called 'hard rock' simply because it is not as fast or as aggressive or hardcore as some more extreme styles of metal. Avenged Sevenfold have always been metal, and always will be, no matter how much the press continues to try to label them as 'Hard Rock'. In truth, these labels are arbitrary, and always have been. There is always a degree of interchangability between subgenres, and there will always be room for debate. Let's not let it stop us from appreciating quality music when we hear it!

This album continues to grow on me the more I play it. Once I got over the lack of faster-tempo song on this album I was able to just listen and enjoy the songs for what they were. 'Shepherd of Fire' starts off the album with a slow and haunting mood. It is another similarity to the 'black' album to be noted- it reminds me of 'Enter Sandman' in terms of it's overall feel, mood, structure and style. The bass guitar is prominent throughout, and drums and rhythm guitar keep the song marching along with it's dark mood.

The title track is quite reminiscent of AC/DC's classic 'Thunderstruck', as it features a lead-guitar melody that plays non-stop throughout the entire song with minimal variation. This is where I keep expecting a tempo change, but in the end the song stays the same throughout. All in all, I was hoping for more intensity from A7X, but the song is not bad. This may be evidence of the band adopting a stricter discipline in holding to a more moderate, accessible sound.

There are a couple ballads on Hail to the King. 'Crimson Day' and 'Acid Rain' remind us that Avenged Sevenfold still have that softer side, and keep the album balanced. 'Acid Rain' is also a primarily piano-driven number. Avenged Sevenfold have always included a song or two that show their softer side in the songwriting department. This album is no different. 'Acid Rain' is my favorite of the two.

Before I leave you with my recommended tracks, I'll point out another observation I have about Hail to the King. It seems that perhaps there is a second, no-so-cryptic meaning behind the album's title: "Hail to the King", as it is like A7X are hailing their own personal kings of metal. I choose to view all of the instances of stylistic emulation as a form of paying tribute and honoring their heroes. Every band has influences, and sometimes they take a minute to make those influences known. Whether you choose to criticize them for it, or give them a thumbs-up is totally up to you.

Recommended tracks:
-Shepherd of Fire
-Hail to the King
-This Means War (This is a tricky one to recommend. Though I like it in spite of it's slower tempo, it should be pointed out that it is shockingly similar to Metallica's 'Sad But True'. The drum beat, guitar riff, even the several second pause at the beginning... They copied the song format and structure so closely that the song's inspiration is obvious. Perhaps too much so? You be the judge...)
-Coming Home
-Planets (My favorite song on the whole album, and my TOP pick! Very heavy, though still with the slower tempo they utilize a great deal on this album. M. Shadows' vocals are as intense as he gets on this album too!)
-Acid Rain

http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/

Black Sabbath 13 (2013)

Post #270
Exactly 2 years ago, the original line-up of Black Sabbath gathered to announce they were reuniting and would record a new album and plan a world tour. Legendary producer Rick Rubin, who had recently managed the recording of Metallica's return-to-form album Death Magnetic, was also revealed to be their producer. It was the biggest news for heavy metal music of the millennium. The press conference instantly stoked high expectations among the most loyal metal fans around the world.

Since then there have been a few set backs. First there was a contract dispute between the band's management and drummer Bill Ward, which unfortunately could not be resolved. To fill the void at the drum spot Brad Wilk (from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) was brought in. His previous work under Rubin's production with Audioslave was a plus. Just when things seemed to be back on track, guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer affecting white blood cells. The recording process went immediately on hold as Iommi began treatment.

However, in spite of the obstacles, the band members pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and the album was completed. Black Sabbath. 13. A collection of songs that surprised me in spite of my skepticism. I had always thought the vibe of the original Black Sabbath albums would be forever lost in the '70's. The diligence and determination of the band members along with Rubin's goal-driven guiding hand on the production board have truly and thoroughly proven me wrong.

Rubin has succeeded with recapturing the band's original sound on 13 as much as he did with Metallica's Death Magnetic, if not more! The opening track, 'End of the Beginning', starts with a simple chord progression in tones that immediately recall the early-Sabbath sound. After a few measures the song transitions to a slow and haunting series of notes from Iommi's lead guitar, and can you hear the fabled diminished 3rd, or "Devil's 3rd", in that riff? I must say yes! Finally Ozzy's voice joins the mix, a long anticipated moment, and the magic of what Black Sabbath should be has been restored. It's almost as if they tried to recreate the song 'Black Sabbath' on purpose, yet there are also parts that sound similar to 'Breaking Into Heaven' (from the last Heaven and Hell album, The Devil You Know.) In any case, by this point any reservations I had held about this reunion have been dispelled.

For the next couple songs, 'God is Dead?' and 'Loner', they continue in the same vein with reestablishing the classic Sabbath sound. The guitar tones remain reminiscent of their works from their debut album through Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. With Ozzy's voice, Geezer and Iommi on bass and guitar, and Brad Wilk doing an impressive job of playing an 'old-school-Sabbath' drumming style this album is living up to expectations, if not exceeding them. Lyrics are challenging conventional religion, and tackling social and political issues left and right. Struggles between good and evil, Satan and God, heaven and hell are omnipresent throughout 13.

Another personal highlight is the track 'Zeitgeist'. It does a better job of recreating the vibe of 'Planet Caravan' than anything else. Eerie reverb effects on Ozzy's vocals, lyrics centering around the esoteric concept of space and time, the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar, and even the soft bongo-style percussion; it is arguably better than the first 'Planet Caravan'!

The final track on the album, 'Dear Father', is another classic of Sabbath style, with the heavy, low-end guitar tonality, lyrics that beg the elusive higher-power of God for reasons of our existence, and a minor-key chord pregression to add just the right amount of doom and gloom. But then, after the music fades, there is a last little surprise for the old-school Sabbath fan in all of us: the original thunderstorm sounds effect from the intro of the very first Black Sabbath album. A bold statement to incoporate such parallells with their past, but in this case, appropriate!

Recommended tracks from 13:
-End of the Beginning (A great song to start the album. Immediately comparable with their early classics!)
-God is Dead? (Perhaps the most modern-sounding song on the album, but still indisputably classic Sabbath!)
-Loner
-Zeitgeist (Amazing as many of the previous songs have been with recapturing the original Black Sabbath sound, this one takes the cake, as it recreates the mood, vibe, and effect of the classic Sabbath song, 'Planet Caravan')
-Damaged Soul (This song incorporates a little harmonica, bringing back memories of 'The Wizard'...)
-Dear Father (Another great song with the throw-back Sabbath sound, but the finishing touch is when the song closes you're left with a sound effect of a thunderstorm and a tolling bell in the background... Sound familiar, perhaps?)

Killswitch Engage-Disarm the Descent (2013)

Post #268
In 2013 Killswitch Engage surprised their long-time fan-base by reintroducing Jesse Leach as their lead vocalist. Leach had previously been the band's singer for their first two albums from 1999-2002. His replacement, Howard Jones, left the band in early 2012, and a short search for a replacement ended when Leach expressed interest in returning to the band.

With their reunion with Leach now solidified Killswitch proceeded to complete their latest full-length album Disarm the Descent. To what degree the direction of this album was influenced by the events involving their change in lead singers I can't be sure. Regardless, this album sounds like the band has made an honest effort to recapture the intensity of their early days while maintaining just enough of their melodic side to retain the classic Killswitch Engage sound.

This album is packed with memorable riffs and a killer intensity. While their last album with Jones might have had an overall push for a more mainstream sound, this album veers back into the waters of hardcore a little bit. Long-time KsE fans will be pleasantly surprised by Leach's familiar voice, but he has honed the melodic side of his voice over the years as well. Songs like 'A Tribute to the Fallen' and 'Always' have prominent melodic elements that the Howard Jones-era fans will still appreciate. Meanwhile songs like 'All We Have' and 'The Call' are perhaps the heaviest songs they've written since Leach's last album with the band, Alive or Just Breathing.

Overall I find Disarm the Descent to be a huge success. The band sounds like they've never missed a beat with Leach. This album is heavy, but the songs are so enjoyable I rank it right up with The End of Heartache or As Daylight Dies as far as personal favorites go. At what is probably a key stage in this band's career, they could not have put forth a more solid effort than this. Add this album to your collection. It's worth every penny!

Recommended tracks from Disarm the Descent:
-The Hell in Me
-Beyond The Flames
-The New Awakening (Great guitar solo on this song. I always wish Killswitch would play more lead guitar solos.)
-In Due Time
-You Don't Bleed for Me
-The Call
-Always (The softest song on this otherwise heavy album. Perhaps their best ballad since 'My Curse')

The Heavy Metal Box

Post #258
When it comes to compilation/mix collections I'm usually skeptical, and it takes a well planned and efficiently executed collection of music to truly gain my interest. One such collection that I believe successfully achieved its goal, if not exceeded it, is The Heavy Metal Box.

Covering the history of heavy metal music from its primordial age in the late 60's up until the twilight of metal's golden era at the dawn of the 1990's (before grunge and alternative rock threatened the fan-base of metal), this 4-disc box set is a thorough representation of the first 20-25 years of the heavy metal phenomenon. I was able to check this collection out at my local library, and I am so glad that I did. True there were many bands here I was very familiar with, like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. However there were also many bands included that I never had a chance to listen to before, like Hawkwind, Angel Witch, Rose Tattoo, Tygers of Pan Tang, Venom, and Metal Church. My perspective on the evolution of heavy metal is all the better because I checked out this collection. You should at least take a listen to any of these songs you are unfamiliar with...

Disc 1 (1967-1980)

Iron Butterfly-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Blue Cheer-Summertime Blues

Uriah Heep-Easy Livin'

Deep Purple-Highway Star
Alice Cooper-Billion Dollar Babies
Hawkwind-Lost Johnny
Montrose-Bad Motor Scooter
Rush-Working Man
Rainbow-Man on the Silver Mountain
Kiss-Detroit Rock City
Judas Priest-The Ripper
Ted Nugent-Cat Scratch Fever
UFO-Lights Out
Blue Oyster Cult-Godzilla
Girlschool-Demolition Boys
Angel Witch-White Witch
Iron Maiden-The Phantom of the Opera
Black Sabbath-Neon Knights

Disc 2 (1980-1983)
Motorhead-Ace of Spades
Diamond Head-Am I Evil?
Rose Tattoo-Nice Boys
Michael Schenker Group-Attack of the Mad Axeman
Saxon-Denim and Leather
Blitzkrieg-Blitzkrieg
Tygers of Pan Tang-Gangland
Venom-Witching Hour
Judas Priest-You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Iron Maiden-The Number of the Beast
Raven-Star War
Fastway-Say What You Will
Mercyful Fate-Black Funeral
W.A.S.P.-Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)
Y&T-Mean Streak
Dio-Holy Diver
Queensryche-Queen of the Reich
Metallica-Whiplash

Disc 3 (1984-1986)
Scorpions-Rock You Like a Hurricane
Quiet Riot-Metal Health
Dokken-Into the Fire
Accept-Balls to the Wall
Ratt-Round and Round
Twisted Sister-I Wanna Rock
Hanoi Rocks-The Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Spinal Tap-Big Bottom
Krokus-Midnite Maniac
Yngwie Malmsteen-I'll See the Light, Tonight
Loudness-Crazy Nights
Cinderella-Shake Me
Metal Church-Watch the Children Pray
Stryper-To Hell With The Devil
Helloween-A Little Time
Overkill-Wrecking Crew
Anthrax-Caught in a Mosh
Megadeth-Peace Sells

Disc 4 (1987-1991)
Whitesnake-Still of the Night
Great White-Rock Me
Faster Pussycat-Bathroom Wall
Lita Ford-Kiss Me Deadly
Manowar-Hail and Kill
Testament-Trial By Fire
King Diamond-Welcome Home
Slayer-South Of Heaven
Metallica-One
Living Colour-Cult of Personality
Skid Row-Youth Gone Wild
Pantera-Cowboys from Hell
Prong-Beg to Differ
Sepultura-Dead Embryonic Cells

You can see there is quite a bit of diversity in this collection. Although it is sequenced in chronological order, the diversity becomes most apparent towards the end (discs 3 and 4). You can literally hear the progression, solidification, and diversification of heavy metal from a single genre of music at its inception to a multi-headed monster at the dawn of the 90's. During the 80's metal branched in 2 distinct directions: mainstream radio-friendly 'glam' or 'hair' metal, and the more underground 'thrash' or 'speed' metal. The former focused on higher-pitched vocals, and catchy, lighter melodies; the latter focused on power, aggression, and heavier darker moods.

In the end it is all still METAL! If you are a new fan of heavy metal music, do yourself a favor and listen to this collection to see, hear, and understand where metal came from!

Metallica-Beyond Magnetic

Post #233

In the aftermath of Metallica's Death Magnetic album and tour, they released an EP titled Beyond Magnetic. This was a collection of 4 songs from the Death Magnetic sessions, and an essential addition to the collection of any die-hard Metallica fan!

I first listened to this EP after finding it in my library's audio-visual collection. I'm so glad I checked it out... I didn't know what I was missing! In a similar vein as they did on Death Magnetic, Metallica deliver more of their classic formula of contrasting heavy thrash riffs with clean, minor-key melodic passages. Don't let the fact that it's only 4 tracks fool you, though. This EP is still a good half-hour's worth of classic thrash metal. Every song is at least 7 minutes long! Let me break them down for you...

Hate Train- This song is a straight forward thrasher for the verses, and changes things up with melodic bridges featuring some clean guitars (no real chorus). Metallica get creative with some riff progressions towards the end of the song. One of the main riffs of this song strongly reminds me of the primary riff from 'Fuel'.

Just a Bullet Away- A chugging, mid-tempo, heavy song... until the clean breakdown segment emerges at about the 5 minute mark. From there it builds back up again, eventually returning to the original heavy riff.

Hell and Back- Starts off with a clean and haunting intro. Moves on to a faster, heavy riff that is reminiscent of 'Broken, Beat and Scarred'. I wonder if this similarity is perhaps the reason if was left off of Death Magnetic? Throughout this song the band goes back and forth between these clean and heavy elements. Oh, and some great guitar soloing from Kirk Hammett can be heard here also!

Rebel of Babylon- Another song with a clean intro... soon to be subjugated by another thrashy, heavy riff. At this point, it becomes the most intense song on this EP. When the chorus hits you, you get a very catchy hook that satisfies the fans from the 'Black Album' era. The lyrics are full of religious symbolism, as James Hetfield sings about the Stigmata, the crucifixion and redemption. However, this song would not be complete without another killer guitar solo from Kirk. This is my favorite track on this EP. I seriously wonder why it didn't make the Death Magnetic cut. It would have made an already great album even better!

Van Halen- A Different Kind Of Truth (2012)

Post #199
Earlier this year the legendary Van Halen released their first full-length album since 1998. This looong awaited album also sees the return of original vocalist David Lee Roth, and the debut of Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie's son) on bass guitar. I noticed that it had arrived in my local library's AV section, so I checked it out to hear for myself what Van Halen had been working on for 14 years...

A Different Kind Of Truth has been so long in the making, that I almost think of it as another 'Chinese Democracy', as in how can it possibly live up to the growing expectations that have built up over the years? Weather you consider VH's last album with Roth (1984), Hagar (Balance), or even their '98 album with Gary Cherone (3), they all leave a high standard to live up to. (OK, maybe I'm the only one who thinks highly of the '3' album, but still...)

So, how did my expectations hold up? Actually, not too bad! This album may not be the best ever from VH, but it was not the terrible let-down I had feared. Honestly, I owe most of those fears to the first single, 'Tattoo'. That song did nothing for me- I found it to be the pinnacle of mediocrity. However, the rest of the album picks up quite a bit as you let it play...

The 2nd track, 'She's the Woman', is a bit better, but where Van Halen really grabbed me was on the 3rd track, 'You and Your Blues'. This song finally displayed one of those intricate riff-structures, and crisp tonality that I could believe came from Eddie Van Halen. This is also one of several tracks that almost seem surreal to me as I listen to it, for the guitar tone sounds like Hagar-era material, but with Dave on vocals it almost catches me off-guard. This subtle, new combination of previous elements is a big reason I find A Different Kind of Truth to be such a redeeming listening experience.

There are times when the vibe on this album can't help but be compared to the 'classic' Roth-era material, and rightly so! Sometimes it really does feel like the good-ole days of Van Halen again. However, it's not usually a good thing for any band to stagnate in their own past for too long, and there are enough instances of new and modern sounding passages on this album for me to finally have faith in Van Halen once again. I just hope their next album will not take another 14 years to make.

And now I'll leave you with my recommended tracks:
-You and Your Blues (This is the song that I think is the best example of Van Halen living in the now.)
-China Town (One of the faster-tempo numbers on this album...)
-Blood and Fire (There's some part of this song that I think sounds like White Lion's 'Going Home Tonight', but check it out and decide for yourself...)
-As Is (Drum intro for this one, followed by heavy guitars, which quickly give way to some much faster fretwork that is evidence of Eddie Van Halen living up to his name...)
-Outta Space
-Stay Frosty (This one seems at times like it's trying to imitate the vibe from 'Ice Cream Man', and it comes pretty close. A type of song we've not heard from Van Halen for a long time...)

Cook Library Jam and Jive (2-3-12)

POST #183
There aren't many times when you have a chance to see a mosh-pit at your local library, but on the evening of February 3rd, I got that special opportunity at Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville, IL. It was all part of an almost 6-hour celebration of local music, as some veteran performers from Chicago's local scene bestowed their words of wisdom to the aspiring, younger generation of up-and-coming musicians from local communities in Chicago's northern suburbs.

It all began with an open panel discussion with a Q&A follow-up. The panel featured independent musicians from the surrounding area, hand-picked by yours truly. Petra Sith, formerly of Losing Scarlet, joined JP Soule, Kryssie Ridolfi, and Josh Barker from DEADMANSWAKE, along with Ryan Reilly of Sutured Psyche, as they all shared their personal stories of their music and misadventures in life on the local scene. Persistence and positive attitudes were the universal themes throughout the discussions, although plenty of laughs were had between the panel and audience.

After a very entertaining and inspiring discussion, the party moved upstairs where some of the high school musicians and bands performed some of their own music, mixed with cover songs, in some cases playing in front of a live audience for the first time!

First performer was Sharon Li, who gave us a great performance with her acoustic guitar as she sang several ballads. Next, things got seriously heavy, as Monolith (a band from Antioch, IL) hit the library crowd with their own style of hard-core death metal (complete with a cover of Slayer's 'Angel of Death'!). They were followed by Libertyville's Penguin Flight School, who gave a mix of some original songs and covers of well-known pop-punk hits. My favorite part of their set was probably their cover of Radiohead's 'Creep'. The last band, Chains Unbroken, win my 'THE SHOW MUST GO ON' award, as they made the most of their set time in spite of being without their lead singer. Perhaps heeding some words of wisdom from the earlier panel, they got up there and gave their all, with their guitarist doing his best to sing the vocals, though he was not accustomed to performing both roles. Towards the end, a couple of the panelists and members of other bands gave them a hand and sang the vocals for a few Metallica covers to bring the evening to a close.

It was a great opportunity to see so much talent gathered together, in an unlikely venue, to show the potential of home-grown music. I remind and encourage you all to get out there and support local music in your home-town! Every aspiring musician has a passion for music that starts from within, but in the end, the music they create is meant to be heard. So get out there and hear them! They just might be your next 'favorite band'...

Here's some pics from this event:

Monolith

Penguin Flight School

Chains Unbroken

Chains Unbroken featuring JP Soule of DEADMANSWAKE

Chains Unbroken featuring Kryssie Ridolfi of DEADMANSWAKE

Staind (2011)

Post #182

In 2011, Staind released their newest album, and perhaps regarding the decision to make one of their heaviest albums yet, they chose to simply call it 'Staind'. I was plesantly surprised to see that this item was on-hand at my local library during one of my recent visits there. I checked it out, listened to it, and was truly impressed!

Years from now I may look back at 2011 as the year Staind remembered how to be heavy. Choosing to make this album their self-titled release might beg the question if it's hard enough to compare to their early works like Dysfunction ('99) and Break the Cycle ('01). If you'd ask me, I give a resounding 'yes'! The album opens with the chugging bass guitar from Johnny April, establishing a heavy and dark tone. Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushock join after a couple measures with heavy, drop-tuned guitars, and for the old-school Staind fan, a trip down nostalgia lane is already underway...

Aside from the instruments being hard and heavy, Aaron's vocals are likewise very much hardcore. Granted, in true Staind fashion, he does mix it up with melodic singing (as he always has), but the ratio favors the hardcore style to a surprising degree. Newer fans who may be accustomed to Staind's softer tone of their recent works; 14 Shades of Grey ('03), Chapter V ('05), or The Illusion of Progress ('08), may be shocked to hear the band sounding so harsh, but it may be the album some of the older fans have been waiting for!

My favorite songs from Staind's latest:
-Eyes Wide Open
-Not Again (This one might trick you, as it opens with some clean guitar melody, but The heavily distorted power chords bash you in the head mere seconds later. From there the song does slip back into melodic passages periodically, but the choruses are heavy!)
-Failing (Now this is classic Staind! Minor key, dark, despairing mood. Vocals that truly emote frustration and melancholy.)
-Throw It All Away (This song is maybe closer to the 50/50 clean-to-heavy guitar tone that may please those fans waiting for Staind to show their soft side, however the mood is still dark and downing.)
-Paper Wings
-Something To Remind You (The last track actually IS a softer, acoustic number. Perhaps it's here to remind us that, yes, this is still the band that brought us songs like "Epiphany" and "Everything Changes")

A Bargain Hunter's Finds (Part 2, Creeping Death EP, Etc...)

Post #105
I'll take a moment here to re-focus on my primary means of reviewing so much essential heavy music: bargain hunting! I've said before that if it were not for inexpensive means of hearing music (online sampling via band-websites & online radio, redeeming coupons at major retailers, 2nd-hand music acquisitions like garage sales & used music retailers, and of course visiting the Audio-Visual section of my local library), I would not have the chance to hear much of the music I've already shared with you.

Now let me document a few of my recent finds, beginning with one that is a rare find indeed, for it is no longer in print: Metallica's early EP, 'Creeping Death' (which includes the original 'Garage Days Revisited' and the single for 'Jump In The Fire'). [$7.98 (+10% off) $7.18 final price]
What an excellent find this was! It is probably the only time I've ever even seen this recording in CD format, and now I'm lucky enough to own it. This item was found at one of the Half Price Books locations I frequent, as well as the next item...

Dream Theater-Greatest Hit (...and 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs) [2-disc compilation: $7.98 (+10% off) $7.18 final price]
This one I had already checked out from my library a couple times before I found it at Half Price Books. I was in no hurry to buy it right away, since I have all of Dream Theater's albums from which the songs are selected. However I should point out that 3 of the tracks are remixes (the 3 taken from the Images and Words album), and I wanted to have these alternate versions in my personal collection. Was it necessary for Dream Theater to remix these songs? That is perhaps up to the listener to decide. I, for one, appreciate the new mixes. They sound more crisp than the originals.

From Best Buy: Apocalyptica-7th Symphony [Special Edition w/ Live DVD, 2010] $14.99 + portion of $10 Reward Zone certificate: $6.65 final price!
With Apocalyptica, I've been a fan since their first CD, 'Plays Metallica by Four Cellos'. I've tried to keep up with each release over the years, so naturally I was looking to get this one as well. Having $10 worth of Best Buy Reward Zone coupons burning a hole in my email helped make it an easy decision.

From Half Price Books (during the 20% off Everything Labor Day Weekend sale)
Bloomingdale, IL location: Killswitch Engage-As Daylight Dies (Special Edition w/ bonus tracks and DVD w/ 3 videos & 'making of' documentaries, '07) [$9.98 -20% off = $7.98 final price]
Shadows Fall-Threads of Life ('07) [$7.98 -20% off = $6.38 final price]
Geoff Tate (Self-titled solo recording from lead singer of Queensryche, '02) [$5.98 -20% off = $4.78 final price]
Nevermore-dreaming Neon black ('99) [$5.98-20% off = $4.78 final price]

Palatine, IL location: Soundgarden-Louder Than Love ('89) [$5.98-20% off = $4.78 final price]
Unearth-Our Days of Eulogy ('04 w/ bonus disc of 9 other Eulogy Records recording artists) [$2.00 clearance -20% off = $1.60 final price]
Mushroomhead-Savior Sorrow ('06) [$2.00 clearance -20% off = $1.60 final price]
Machine Head-The Burning Red ('99) [$2.00 clearance -20% off = $1.60 final price]
Flyleaf (Self-titled debut '07) [$2.00 clearance -20% off = $1.60 final price]

To summarize this successful scavenging expedition, over the course of 2 weekends;
Total CD count: 13 (plus 1 bonus CD and 2 bonus DVDs)
Grand total: $56.11
Average cost per CD: $4.32

These are the kinds of deals I'm accustomed to finding. I admit that occasionally there is an essential new release that I will sometimes bring myself to spend $12-$15 on, so that I can have it to enjoy right away. However these cases are relatively few and far between for me. Over the course of the last couple years of reading other music-lovers' blogs, I've found a few who like to document their collection-building shopping sprees in a similar fashion as I just did. Often times, the amount of money they spend makes my budget-conscious mind cringe. Perhaps this will open their eyes to the kinds of bargains that are out there to be had.

For these purchases I didn't even need to utilize the internet, where great prices on music are often found from people selling their CDs second-hand. I simply browsed my local used-music retailers, and even there I'm always sure to peruse the clearance section. Also, I took advantage of rewards programs available at primary retailers. It's fun being rewarded for being a frequent shopper.

So go out there and find yourself some great heavy metal music, but also keep in mind that these kinds of bargains are probably easier to find than you think. It just takes a little dillegence and sometimes a bit of patience.

http://www.halfpricebooks.com/
http://www.bestbuy.com/

Five Finger Death Punch-War Is The Answer

Post #97
Here's a newer band I recently discovered thanks to my local library: Five Finger Death Punch. I had heard of this band before, from one or two songs on the radio, but never bothered to check out one of their albums until now. I think I may have shied away from them before because they have 'Death' in their name and I thought 'death-metal'. But I had heard their cover of Pantera's 'A New Level' on a free CD from Metal Hammer magazine and liked it, so when I was browsing through my library's AV section and saw their album, War Is The Answer, I decided to give it a listen. I am sure glad that I did!

These guys are a great metal band! The influence from Pantera is evident in their sound. At their most intense moments they could be categorized as 'hard-core' metal, but they incorporate a number of melodic elements, both in vocals and guitar-tone, enough that some of their songs could fit comfortably in the 'alternative' genre. War Is The Answer is this band's second album, and it proves to be a great headbanger's listening experience.

As soon as the first track began to play the immediate comparison I made in my mind was to Stone Sour. The guitar tones, bass drums, deep-growled vocals. Trust me, if you've enjoyed Stone Sour from one of my older posts, then you'll want to check out Five Finger Death Punch. Also in similar fashion to Stone Sour, 5FDP quickly throw in some clean melodies as the album plays on.

Their debut single, 'Hard to See', which I think I had heard once or twice on my local rock radio station, is a perfect example of the current hard rock/metal mainstream trend. Primarily melodic vocals are supported by a heavy groove maintained by the rhythm section, and a great tone is brought to the song by way of the lead guitar interspersed throughout.

This band is no one-trick-pony, as the styles of songs present on this album cover a wide spectrum from post-grunge acoustic ballad, to heavy instrumental, to heavy groove-metal thrasher. Not to be overlooked, they also include another cover song, Bad Company's namesake song, which they manage to make their own without much tampering of the song's original arrangement.

My top picks from Five Finger Death Punch's War Is The Answer (2009):
-Dying Breed
-Hard to See
-No One Gets Left Behind (perhaps the best anti-war metal song since Black Sabbath's War Pigs!)
-Far From Home (a surprisingly soft song for this band: acoustic guitar and strings arrangements give this one a very full sound)
-Canto 34 (an instrumental track, several good lead guitar solos and a melodic break at the end as it fades out)
-Bad Company (cover of the classic rock hit by the band of the same name, probably the biggest 'must-hear' on this album!)

Visit their website:
http://www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com/

or hear some samples on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/ffdp

Silverchair: Contrasting 'Young Modern' to 'Frogstomp'

Post #94
A while back, I checked out Silverchair's newest CD, Young Modern, from my local library. I was curious to hear what this band was up to these days, and I had heard a new single from them for the first time in a long while. The song was "Straight Lines".

"Straight Lines" really had me scratching my head. I thought I was hearing Coldplay, or someone similar. It was musically uplifting, and very much piano-driven. Could this really be the same band that delivered the late-grunge era Frogstomp album? So I brought it home from my library & gave it a listen...

The first track, 'Young Modern Station', had a few traces of their old hard rock sound, but pretty much the rest of the album is a much more laid-back experience. Silverchair seemed to have embraced the direction of modern mainstream rock, emulating such artists as Coldplay or Five For Fighting. Taken by itself it would probably be quite enjoyable for those who are seeking out a mellow rock album, packed with keyboard & strings passages throughout. However, for those who pick up this album having Frogstomp in mind, they may be disappointed.

Looking back at Frogstomp, if you've just discovered Silverchair via the Young Modern album, would be equally disturbing. Back when their debut album put them on the map, the grunge scene was in its prime. Considering they were only 15 when they recorded it, you can't begrudge their reflecting the influence of the music of the times.

Their debut album produced several hit singles, and they were instantly regarded as a band with high potential. Of course, in their early days it was seen as potential within the grunge/alternative genre. However, as their career evolved, it has become evident they had the potential to completely shed their early expectations for the sake of pursuing their own musical vision.

Personally, I prefer heavier music, so I'd recommend Frogstomp over Young Modern. To hear for yourself the contrast between Silverchair, then and now, check out these tunes:

From Frogstomp ('95):

-Israel's Son

-Pure Massacre

-Shade

-Leave Me Out (Some of the riffs in this song seem influenced by Black Sabbath's 'Sweet Leaf')

-Suicidal Dream

-Findaway

From Young Modern ('07):

-Young Modern Station
-Straight Lines

-Those Theiving Birds (pt.1)/Strange Behaviour/Those Theiving Birds (pt.2)

-Waiting All Day

For more information on Sliverchair visit their website:

http://www.chairpage.com/news/

Remembering The Rev... Avenged Sevenfold Live in the LBC

Post #82
Avenged Sevenfold have been one of the bands from the modern era of heavy metal that have exceded my expectations in songwriting, technique, and performance. Blending a melodic hard rock vocal style with hard-core punk screams, and fluidly incorporating two excellent lead guitars into some intricate guitar riffs, they've been a perfect metal band in my opinion. Not to be overshadowed, they also had one of the best heavy metal drummers of this generation.

On December 28th, 2009, drummer Jimmy Sullivan "The Rev", was found dead at his home. The world of metal will not be quite the same without The Rev's inspired and talented drumming behind Avenged Sevenfold's music. Even beyond his drumming talents, The Rev was also a major contributer in song composition for this band, as well as providing a unique voice for backing vocals. On a few songs on their later albums he even shared some lead vocals.

Saddened by this sudden loss of a key member of one of the best young heavy metal bands, I feel it's best to honor The Rev by reviewing more of his band's music. Since I learned of his passing I've been revisiting A7X's music. I've particularly enjoyed watching thier concert DVD, "Live in the LBC".

Avenged Sevenfold filmed their performance at the Long Beach Colliseum on their recent tour, for this DVD. It's a great show in front of a home-town crowd, as the band itself is from southern California. Throughout the show you can see how vital The Rev was to their live performances. Particularly on songs like "Critical Acclaim" & "A Little Piece of Heaven", where The Rev sings some key lines, you can really tell exactly what was lost from the world of heavy music on December 28th- not just an excellent drummer, but a truly talented musician.

My recommendations from Avenged Sevenfold's live DVD:

Critical Acclaim

Second Heartbeat

Beast & The Harlot

Bat Country

Almost Easy

Gunslinger

A Little Piece of Heaven

Rest in peace, Rev...

(images from http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/)

New Label Added- "At Your Library"

Post #75
Hello readers! Just wanted to update you on one of my secret methods of keeping up and up on so much new music. Especially in these times, where money is tight for so many, finding great bargains is essential to people like myself who live on a budget. However, sometimes even a great sale isn't enough to make all the music I'd like to buy affordable.

For times like this, I utilize my local library. You may be surprised how quickly libraries add new titles to their audio-visual sections. Ever since I started this blog, I've periodically reviewed titles that I checked out from my library. In some cases I've added these titles to my collection since the time I borrowed them from the library, but not always. I've added the label "At Your Library" to all the posts where I first hear the music on a CD I checked out from my library. So pay attention when you see this label at the bottom of a post, and let it be a reminder to yourself that there is probably some cool new music waiting for you at your own library.

Lordi-Deadache

Post #74
Lordi! The monster-mask wearing 80's-style metal enthusiasts from Finland follow-up their "Arockalypse" album with another monster & horror inspired album; "Deadache". This album does a good job of covering all the basic elements from their previous album. Although they don't seem to try anything new or experimental with this album, they do stick to their tried & true formula very well.

They sart off "Deadache" with another SCG-intro, but I don't find it as creative as SCG3 from "The Arockalypse". The rest of the music, however, rocks just as hard as before. Monsters, ghouls, and tales of hauntings lace every musical nook & cranny of "Deadache". Mr. Lordi sings as enthusiastic as ever with his incredibly raspy voice. Catchy guitar riffs and lead guitar melodies show off this band's genre of inspiration- 80's hair-metal. Eerie, mood-setting keyboards provide the essential nightmare-ish vibe that Lordi thrive on.

Feast your ears on this album for Halloween this year, or should I say, let it feast upon your ears?
Here are my recommended tracks:
-Girls Go Chopping
-Man Skin Boots
-The Ghosts of the Heceta Head
-Deadache
-The Devil Hides Behind Her Smile (This song pays tribute to another haunting story, as the keyboards play a musical theme from the musical "Phantom of the Opera")
-Missing Miss Charlene (Why is he missing Miss Charlene? Because a monster stole dear Charlene, of course...)

Alice Cooper-Along Came A Spider

Post #54
The original Shock-Rocker returns with a creepy concept-album!

Along Came a Spider is Alice Cooper's 25th studio album (I think), and this time Cooper fleshes out a concise story of a spider-themed serial killer. You get to hear much of the story from the psychopath's perspective, and it creeps you out like old-school Alice used to do.

Stylistically, the music follows Cooper's recent trend of retro-rock as he continues to stick to a more stripped-down, classic rock feel like he utilized on The Eyes of Alice Cooper & Dirty Diamonds. This fits Alice well, although part of me misses his heavier sound he employed on the Brutal Planet & Dragontown albums. For the most part, much of this album sounds right at home with some of his mid-70's material.


As for Along Came A Spider, this is a pretty cool concept album. There's a clear plot, and the songs develop it well. There's also a prologue and epilogue that sort of set the context of the story, so there are no loose threads, or strands of silk if you'd rather... Long time fans of Alice may also recognize the main character of Steven from some of Alice Cooper's previous material. Basically, if you enjoyed either of Alice Cooper's last 2 albums, you should like this one too. Just be prepared for a twisted and haunting tale!

Here are my recommended tracks:
-Vengeance Is Mine
-Catch Me If You Can (this track contains a lot of the story's plot development)
-Killed By Love (this is the token ballad on this album, but again it fits in with the album's theme- although it may sound pretty, if you catch the lyrics you'll find it just as dark & twisted as the rest of the album)
-I Am The Spider/Epilogue

Motley Crue: Saints of Los Angeles

Post #51
There seem to be many 80's heavy metal bands that are making a comeback in the last few years. Sometimes these efforts aren't all they're anticipated to be, but with Saints of Los Angeles, Motley Crue prove that some reunions are worth the effort. This album is a pleasant surprise for a previously dormant Crue-fan like myself.

The biggest positive about this album is of course the fact that it features the original line-up of the band: Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, and Tommy Lee. What's more is the fact that they have recaptured their classic sound & style in their music. The songs on this album sound like they'd fit right in along with classics like "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Kickstart My Heart", or "Shout at the Devil". Enough time has passed for the Crue, that rather than being criticized for reclaiming their 'old-school' sound they're being praised for it- and deservedly so.


The themes and subject material for this album also return to familiar territory. The fast-paced & reckless life-style of rock'n'rollers indulging in their excess & their fame are depicted in a semi-biographical context. As Nikki Sixx said upon the album's release, the band tried to write an album "loosely based on The Dirt", the band's juicy, detailed biography. The album plays like an 80's Glam-band's roller-coaster career.


For my picks from this great, return-to-form album from Motley Crue, try listening to:
-Face Down in the Dirt
-Saints of Los Angeles
-Animal in Me (For not having as many ballads as some of the late 80's Crue albums, this is probably the closest to a ballad you'll find on this album.)
-Just Another Psycho (This one really got stuck in my head while I had this CD checked out from my library!)

Check out the band's website: http://www.motley.com/

Avenged Sevenfold

Post #18
What better way to kick off the 7th month of my blog than by reviewing Avenged Sevenfold?

I first discovered Avenged Sevenfold when their single for "Bat Country" hit the radio like a hurricane. All I needed to hear was Synyster Gates' guitar solo and I was instantly hooked. I craved hearing this song on the radio on a daily basis, often sitting in my parked car for a few extra minutes to see if it would be the next song they played. I thought to myself, "I finally found a new band with a phenomenal lead guitarist!" I instantly regarded Gates as the best lead guitarist of the current generation of Metal. (I should note that this was mere months before I would discover another band called Dragonforce, who would quickly overtake this title. More on them later...)

When Spring came around I received Ozzfest tickets for my birthday, and A7X were on the bill. I had already found their City of Evil CD, and now made a point to go collect Waking the Fallen as well. I gave both these CDs plenty of listens before attending Ozzfest, and must admit I like City of Evil much better. At Ozzfest, this was the album they played the most songs from, and their stage show was very cool also. Their logo (a skull with bat-wings) was set as the backdrop with red glowing eyes. During their final number, the wings began to flap and the skull rose high in the air, spewing smoke from the mouth.

Recently, A7X have released their 4th full-length album, simply titled "Avenged Sevenfold". I've been able to check this out from my library (twice now), and it lives up to the standard of their previous work, and then some. It is by far the most versatile sounding album by this band, as they incorporate more keyboards, and music styles. I have only high hopes for Avenged Sevenfold as their career develops. I have some good recommendations from the 3 albums I've mentioned in this post...

From Waking the Fallen:
-Chapter Four (my personal favorite from this album)
-I Won't See You Tonight (Parts I & II) (A versatile piece of work that somewhat foreshadows the direction the band's music would take)
-Clairvoyant Disease
-And All Things Will End

From City of Evil:
-Beast & The Harlot
-Bat Country
-Burn It Down
-Betrayed

From Avenged Sevenfold:
-Critical Acclaim (A7X tackle some political commentary in the lyrics of this song)
-Almost Easy
-A Little Piece of Heaven (This is a very head-trippy song. It sounds like a song that could have been co-written by Dream Theater & Edgar Allen Poe)
-Unbound (The Wild Ride)
-Dear God (A7X bring elements of country into this song, and the result is a whole new beast of a song!)

Lordi

Post #2
Lordi, the Monsters of Rock (literally!) from Finland. I wanted to get this post up in time for Halloween. These guys are for the current generation what Kiss were for the teens of the late 70's, or at least they should be. I've checked out their newest CD, "The Arockalypse", from my local library twice already. They're a great breath of fresh Rock N' Roll-infused Metal, something there's not enough of in today's music. When I saw these guys at Ozzfest this summer it felt like I was discovering KISS all over again. I'm looking forward to adding their albums to my CD collection very soon. Want a monster themed Halloween party this year? Then go get "The Arockalypse" by Lordi!
My recommendations from The Arockalypse:
-Bringing Back the Balls to Rock
-Hard Rock Hallelujah
-The Kids Who Want to Play With the Dead
-It Snows in Hell
-They Only Come Out at Night

(image from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lordi)
Check out: http://www.lordi.com/