Album Of The Week
15 September 2023TheBigBlack
Burzum - Burzum [Darkness] (1992)
Appreciation of art is a very personal thing, and by extension what is even considered art at all will vary between individuals. Music of course is a form of art, and a lot of art is extreme because it is often created not to purge emotion - but to incite it. The second wave of black metal introduced a new abrasive style of metal, that even today is a difficult listen for the uninitiated, and the first Burzum album led the charge of this new metal style. The music isn't an easy pill to swallow, and in 1992 even seasoned metalheads used to listening to Exodus and Slayer may have found the vocals and lo-fi production of this one-man-band to border on the side of too extreme. The riffs are deliberately cyclic and repetitive, taking an almost hypnotic form, and along with the grating treble-heavy production the album grinds on the nerves as each note is played. The tortured vocals are still to this day like no other human voice ever recorded, as they leap from the songs more as wrath-like banshee cries than vocals. All of this comes together to bring a coldness and agony to metal that had never been heard before, and decades later is still relatively unmatched. mindkiller8
Metallica - 72 Seasons (2023)
I have thought of a number of ways to address this review. Loving, accepting, scathing? I'm in the middle of the latter 2. There is very little I like about this release and a lot I don't like. 'Lux Eterna' is a killer track and deserves a place on any record from them up until now. Additionally, across most songs, A-plus rating to Kirk and his solos. The best as a collective I have heard for a long time. What I don't like - why was Rob not given an opportunity to shine, present an intro or something like he has in the past? Very disappointing. As for Lars, apart from 'Lux Eterna', he's hardly asked to move out of second gear. Useful I suppose if they play into their 80's. He'll have no trouble. Finally I read about the maturity and sincerity of James' lyrics and how personal they are. I have never listened like a Rhodes scholar into the meaning of his lyrics. That's not the reason I listen to music for. His singing of the chorus on a number of songs is cringe worthy. The title song is sloppy with his singing of Wrath of man in the chorus. He has never sung like that!! Finally a 11 minute song at the end when we are already 66 mins in. And it's not your typical Metallica last track. Slow paced and boring (apart from Kirk which as I said is the star of this record). Quality over quantity please. I've come to accept that I loved Hardwired .To Self Destruct so much, particularly it's variety per song, that this record is a step down and for the most part is a rock back playing stock music. Never thought I'd say that. 9 September 2023TheBigBlack
Possessed - Revelations Of Oblivion (2019)
30+ years is a long time between drinks, but from the instant the razor blade guitar of 'No More Room In Hell' kicks in there could be no other band but Possessed that could make these sounds. Picking up where a band left off in 1987 would not be an easy thing to do for any musicians, and sole remaining member Jeff Becerra toured this new line up for a number of years before writing and recording to ensure the DNA of the early songs were imprinted on the new ones. It certainly paid off, with the spirit of those original albums shining through on every note. Arguably the world's first death metal band, those 80s albums were (and still are) hugely important to future generations of metal artists, and unlike many other reunions the new music has expanded and enhanced their legacy rather than diminish it. The riffs on 'Abandoned' and 'Omen' and straight from 1985, whilst other songs like 'The Word' seamlessly integrate more modern feeling influences. Possessed has shown than age doesn't necessarily mean you need to slow down, so let's hope the next new music takes less than 33 years to reach our ears. 2 September 2023TheBigBlack
D.A.D. (Disneyland After Dark) - No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims (1989)
In the late 1980's if you had long blond hair, an unbuttoned shirt, and played hard rock music - you were guaranteed to have a hit record. Often talent wasn't even particularly important, but a few bands - Disneyland After Dark being one of them - actually managed to release an album that was worthy of its successes. It wasn't the band's first album (and certainly wasn't their last), but it was the album where everything worked - and the inclusion of the baritone guitar lead lines through many of the songs gave it an extra edge that no one had ever heard before. They'd done similar on previous albums, but nailed it on this one. 'Sleeping My Day Away' was the perfect radio friendly first single to introduce the world to Denmark's best kept rock secret, and follow up singles like 'Girl Nation' and 'Jihad' really drove home their commercial, yet still edgy style - with infectious choruses that couldn't be ignored and the occasional barnstormer to get you bouncing around the room. Much like any bands of this style at the time, their quality didn't drop, but their audience did, and the band was mostly unheard of again, although they have continued to churn out albums of reasonable quality. mindkiller8
Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged (1996)
On reflection, while this is one of the last times we would hear Layne sing and I hate that we never heard his unique voice on a recording again, have to be incredibly thankful that this evening eventuated. I don't have much to say apart from that. Songs picked were perfect for an unplugged session. Some not that all familiar and I understand they wanted to play more, but ran out of time. So cool to hear Layne interact with the audience in his cheeky way (LL Cool Jay video's? will now play for the rest of the concert - ha ha). Jerry is just a gem and his support vocals are spot-on. He is such a rock for that band. Big callout to Sean on drums and what an unplugged session can uncover in terms of the complexity of the sound he contributes to the session. I'll leave you with the absolute need to listen to 'Sludge Factory'. This is Layne at his best! 25 August 2023TheBigBlack
Probot - Probot (2004)
Over his lengthy career Dave Grohl has time and again proven himself to be full of surprises, but none probably turned heads more than Probot. At a time when the Foo Fighters were heading into their most consumable and radio friendly music yet, Grohl decided to record a metal album. Originally for fun, but later growing into a full project, Probot as a concept was simple - Grohl would write the songs, and invite his favourite metal vocalists from the 80s to feature on them. What takes the album to the next level is Grohl's ability to perfectly mimic the styles of music the guest vocalist are known for. 'Shake Your Blood' featuring Lemmy on vocals is the song Motorhead should have recorded, whilst 'Red War' sounds so Max Cavalera in style that it is uncanny. 'Sweet Dreams' featuring King Diamond is an 80s metal masterpiece that never was. The album was hyped upon release, but quickly disappeared to no more than a foot note in Grohl's repertoire - but that is unsurprising considering his audience were probably scratching their heads at voices like Cronos of Venom and Snake of VoiVod. One song has seemed to endure though - a hidden track called 'I Am The Warlock' with Jack Black front-and-centre explaining how he is going to destroy the listener's life, in the way only Jack Black can. mindkiller8
Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine (1992)
In some of my reviews I start with understanding why a band and their release became so popular in the years to come. 1992 was a tough year for any band to release something that would catch the attention of anyone listening to Rock, Metal and now Grunge. RATM doesn't fit into any of these so how/why? I challenge anyone likely to be in their teens or early 20's to identify that RATM is essentially a protest band. I certainly didn't. It wasn't about the lyrics back then, it was the infectious, uniqueness of Morello and how he massaged his guitar to make some sounds that are quite obscure but captivating. Encourage anyone to look up some vids on how he plays. Then you have the angry man Zack. And he is angry. He can play the peaceful, sorrowful, worrying, merciful vox. Next he has built up the rage, anger, spite, revenge type vox. If you read the lyrics, their protest is real - Zack a descendant of those involved in the Mexican revolution and Morello with a Kenyan father that was involved in their uprising in the 1950's and ended up being Kenya's first ambassador to the UN. Anger is a Gift. In any case if there is a poll on best first releases for a band, you have Pearl Jam (Ten) up there and RATM wouldn't be far down the list in my view. 18 August 2023TheBigBlack
Sepultura - Beneath The Remains (1989)
Although the term didn't really exist at the time, the first handful of Sepultura albums were deeply rooted in death metal, and were hugely influential to later bands in the genre. But 1989's 'Beneath The Remains' the band were largely ensconced in a genre that had been named - thrash. Much like the rest of the Brazilian metal scene at the time the band still made their metal with intensity, rather than melody, and straight out the gate (after a short acoustic interlude to introduce the album) the track 'Beneath The Remains' bulldozers its way through the listener's eardrums. 'Inner Self', with its great double time chorus, has slowly become a no-holds barred 80s metal classic, and it is followed by another strong track in 'Stronger Than Hate' straight after. Although thrash by nature the album is still extreme, and at times the pummelling riffwork and drums are unrelenting on tracks like 'Slave Of Pain'. The band's follow up album 'Arise' is arguably a better album, but 'Beneath The Remains' keeps just enough of the primitive early sound of the band in place against the backdrop of better production to make this a truly unique and satisfying album that will be known as a classic of the genre. mindkiller8
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (1991)
Back in the day, living country South Australia, anything outside Top 40 didn't hit the local record shop. Thank God for ABC RAGE, that did make local TV - and you know where I am heading here - 'Jesus Christ Pose'. It was played every week as I was finishing Year 12. Blew me away. I can safely say, outside of thrash metal music, this was the first record I purchased (via a trip to Adelaide), loved, and turned into a huge fan. There are two simple but valuable elements to this record - the gritty, nasty, and in parts ear piercing, guitar sound form Thayil and Cornell, and then of course the brilliance of Cornell's vox. Incredible! He is rated with his peers at the time, with Eddie Vedder being a worthy comparison. Different sounds but equally brilliant. I'd put Cornell at the top. He had amazing range - listen to 'Slaves & Bulldozers' as an example. Oh, the other thing to mention is the lyrics - he wrote or had a hand in most of the tracks on the record. Shout out to Matt Cameron on his drum work. His timing to cover the different tempos in this is amazing. Just realised in re-reading I used past tense for Cornell - continue to R.I.P., my friend. 11 August 2023TheBigBlack
My Dying Bride - A Line Of Deathless Kings (2006)
MDB is band that is hard to describe, but the term 'brutally beautiful' comes to mind. The band's music is both elegant and harmonious at the same time as being extreme and discordant. Generally their albums contain large sections of pure gothic misanthropy, but 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' took the band in the opposite direction. This album is still firmly planted in the destitute graveyard of doom metal, but gone are the long passages of sorrowful yawl - instead replaced with death metal intensity that is unusual for the band post their early demos. From the onset of the opener 'A Line Of Deathless Kings' it is clear this is a heavier album than usual, and even tracks like the tale of forlorn love 'L'amour Decruit' still have a massive doom sound rather than the soft passages the band is known for. In fact there is very little on the album that doesn't hammer its way into the listeners ears, and ending on the massive double hit of 'Deeper Down' and 'The Blood, The Wine, The Roses' is one of the best album closers of the era, or any era really. mindkiller8
Beatallica - Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band (2007)
This review is aimed to be fun. A parody review of a Beatles vs Metallica mash-up band that take lyrics and music from both bands. It is incredibly impressive. These guys - Jaymez Lenninfield, Ringo Lars, Kliff McBurtney and Greg Hammeston are great musicians in their own right. From the very open of track 1, the title song, I gotta say they have pulled it off with Hetfield's sound. Brilliant. Of course you need to be familiar with both bands to appreciate this. Highlights for me are 'Blackened In The U.S.S.R.' - which starts with the 'Blackened' intro from Metallica and then shifts into the Beatles sound for their classic song. 'Sandman' where there again is a typical intro except for the bass, you know that is going to turn into something else 'Cashman'. There is a playoff with lyrics between to the two songs which is very smart. Also lyrics not related to each band such as 'For Horseman' where Larz needs to get more beers. They even include a mash of Cliff Burtons classic Anesthesia , with then turns into 'Birthday'. The highlight has to be 'Hey Dude' which talks about starting to be a shredder and to avoid posers, with callouts to Kip Winger and Diamond Header. Brilliant! Add a few more Lenninfield Yeehaahh's and this is a release you will have you grinning from ear to ear. 4 August 2023TheBigBlack
Pearl Jam - Vs. (1993)
Pearl Jam's debut 'Ten' was a landmark album that still stands up today as one of the greatest debut albums of time. Following an album like would never be easy, and the obvious route to take is to make something similar for your sophomore. Pearl Jam, true to their style, did the opposite. Putting themselves in unfamiliar surroundings with half-finished songs and a deadline that was tight, they reproduced nature - making a diamond under great pressure. Whilst the debut was polished and focused and had a strong grounding in classic rock, 'Vs.' instead was intentionally jarring and felt more like the songs were organic. 'Go' leapt out the gate, shaking off the last of the band's comparisons to dinosaur rock of the 70's, instead looking to The Sonics and Fugazi for inspiration, and although songs like 'Daughter' and 'Dissident' have gone on to become radio standards, these songs were like nothing else at the time. On 'Animal' and 'Blood' Eddie Vedder pours out venom, with social commentary at the fore, yet the same voice of the 90's then penned the lyrics to a touching masterpiece like 'Elderly Woman'. Never a band to be satisfied, Pearl Jam morphed into something different again on their next album, freeze-drying 'Vs.' as a perfect snap-shot of the state of alternative rock in 1993, and 30 years on it still goes head to head against anything released by any band today. and easily wins. mindkiller8
Pearl Jam - Vs. (1993)
Let me guess - anyone in their right mind that experienced 'Ten', 2 years earlier, were chomping at the bit on what these twenty-something, raw behind the ears misfits were going to trump us with next. Their answer is emphatic and a one-up on their debut. Possibly the best sophomore release I have ever heard. 'Go' is simply a perfect intro to pick up from where they left off with 'Ten'. Fast-paced and challenging you to not only listen, but keep up with the tempo. The next set of songs simply drag you into their lair with 'Animal' and 'Glorified G' bookending a classic in 'Daughter'. 'Dissident' brings you back to that 'Animal' type tempo - desperate, cry calling lyrics. And we are only at the halfway point. The remainder has quirky songs in the fast paced 'Blood' (c'mon keep up!!!) and 'Rats'. In the middle is the mid-tempo classic 'Rearviewmirror'. I'll finish with acknowledging 'Elderly Woman' - how Eddie can write such classics as 'Go', and put his head into a space where he can write the ballad 'Elderly Woman' I have no idea. The man is a genius with the world at his feet at this point. 30 years old this October, this puts current rock/alt bands to shame. Such an amazing release. Is it better than 'Ten'? Let the debate begin. 29 July 2023TheBigBlack
Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
For 10 minutes in the 90's Oasis were without a doubt the biggest rock band in the world. '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' is a perfect example of why. Often known for their offstage antics, the brothers Gallagher were not the most likeable characters at the time (and still aren't), but it would have been interesting to see how much bigger the band could have become if they had treated their fans (and each other) a bit better. Many of these songs have gone on to reach rock classic status, and deservingly so. 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' are effortless in their balladry, whilst rockier songs like 'Roll With It' and 'Morning Glory' are loud and raucous, but still keep a radio friendly edge. The band were often compared with The Beatles, and although there is no direct connection - there is a hint of Lennon/McCartney buried deep, especially in the perfect way the songs are structured to hook. In fact there is nothing really new here at all - this is just straight up rock played with a mischievous swagger - but the songs are so damn good they can't be ignored. Try to find anyone anywhere that has not been in a late night sing-along of 'Wonderwall', even if they don't like the band. 22 July 2023TheBigBlack
3rd Secret - 3rd Secret (2022)
The term 'supergroup' is often overused in music, but often when a bunch of big name musicians get together it is hard to describe them as anything less. Throwing Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Soundgarden / Pearl Jam's Matt Cameron, Nirvana's Kurt Novaselic together with a few other lesser knowns promised an interesting experiment, and the first album doesn't fail to intrigue. Most of the music is actually pretty mellow, and the twin harmonised female voices are not what is expected, but the songs are consistently catchy. The album opens acoustically with 'Rhythm Of The Ride', setting the scene for the sprinkling of acoustic tunes throughout, with 'Winter Solstice' being a stand out. Moments of Soundgarden shine through on the louder tracks, with Thayil's distinct guitar tone and playing style evident, especially on tracks like 'I Choose Me'. The pop sensibilities on many of the songs leave the listener with a feeling of 'do I know this song?', and overall this is really pleasant and easy listen. You won't hear any Nirvana or Soundgarden heaviness here, but there are flashes of the grunge noise that made all these guys famous. 15 July 2023TheBigBlack
Slayer - World Painted Blood (2009)
'World Painted Blood' had something of a messy birth, and it reflects throughout the album. The band admitted they weren't prepared to record (and even wrote in the studio), and they parted ways with long term producer Rick Rubin soon after. The proceedings start off with a slow burn in the same way 'South Of Heaven' did 20+ years earlier, and builds into some massive riffs. 'Hate Worldwide' and 'Psychopathy Red' are classic vintage Slayer, whilst other tracks such as 'Human Strain' and 'Americon' sound more like the band we heard in the late 90s. If any complaints can be made about the album it is mostly in the production. The guitar tones are thin, and rubber band like in places instead of the thick rich wall of guitar Slayer is known for, leaving the album feeling somewhat underdeveloped at times. The drum sound luckily carries the album, and this was the last album to feature the recently returned Dave Lombardo. Also worth noting, it was the last album to feature guitarist Jeff Hanneman before his death in 2013. 'World Painted Blood' is far from being a Slayer masterpiece, but it does have personality and charm to boot, and this tends to carry it through the patches of mediocrity it occasionally touches on. All in all it is a great listen, but just not a 'Reign In Blood' for the new millennium that reunion album 'Christ Illusion' from 3 years earlier hinted it was capable of possibly aiming for. mindkiller8
Tool - Undertow (1993)
I won't dwell on the metal/alt music scene of the early 90's. You've all had the history lesson. During this time it was a challenge for non-alt/grunge music to stand out. I introduce to you Tool from LA., who with little fan-fare and a small following put together an E.P. in 1992 and fast tracked to their first full length, Undertow, a year later. Again, in the myriad of other music filling the scene and such genre's as thrash metal being challenged, a young Maynard J Keenan and his band very much kept metal music relevant. In a different way however with a very dark, moody approach. The majority of the songs having a large focus on the back-stop of the band. In particular Paul and his bass work introducing a number of tracks, backed by Dana and his complex drum work. Married with Maynard's desperate-like vocals and you have a heck of a first release. Two years later, their sophomore release Anima would elevate the band even higher in popularity and again keep that metal flame alive. Indulge me some lyrics. brilliant! "I am a worthless liar / I am just an imbecile / I will only complicate you / Trust in me and fall as well / I will find a centre in you / I will chew it up and leave / I will work to elevate you / Just enough to bring you down" 8 July 2023TheBigBlack
Rainbow - Rainbow Rising (1976)
Richie Blackmore, having been the axeman for Deep Purple for close to a decade, had already cemented himself as a rock legend when he formed Rainbow. His vocalist on the other hand, a fresh-faced American named Ronnie James Dio, hadn't yet broken the big time. Whilst 1975's debut album showed promise, this is the album where both vocalist and guitarist really locked together to bring out each other's best. With proto-metal in abundance here, songs like 'Tarot Woman' and 'Starstruck' really shine, and Blackmore's solos feel like he really is invested in this music. The vinyl side B opened with the orchestrated monster 'Stargazer', setting alight the minds of heavy music fans everywhere, and showcasing Dio's amazing soulfully powerful vocals like no other track. Rainbow slowly became most 'commercial' after this release, with Dio unfortunately only hanging around for one more album, but there was little chance of them ever besting this masterpiece anyway. mindkiller8
Opeth - Damnation (2003)
Firstly I have to stop myself from writing an essay on this release. It IS brilliant. Opeth released Deliverance and Damnation 5 months apart. It seemed a deliberate attempt to highlight to fans that future releases will not be full of heavy death metal vocals and that Mikael will truly embrace is love of Prog. Nothing wrong with that - we knew that would eventuate. This is an amazing piece of work from Mikael. For some reason, from first listen I loved it. His vocals perfectly match the music composition, which itself doesn't deviate to far from song to song. I do have to point my favourite song 'Closure' which has that middle eastern sound from the middle. Listening today still brings back the same memories from my first listen. Incredibly bold release, and it worked for the band, given the acclaim it has received. 1 July 2023TheBigBlack
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are (2023)
It probably goes without saying, but this is an album about loss. The death of Taylor Hawkins in March 2022 would have left a large hole in the band, but this isn't the first time Dave Grohl has had to work through grief with music - He had to do the exact same thing almost 30 years prior. He is an older (and arguably wiser) man now, and the songs target his thoughts, but often not through an open outpouring of emotion. Many lyrics are veiled references disguised as odes to lost loves or losing direction. An album highlight, 'Hearing Voices', is more direct in its messaging whereas something like the brilliant opener 'Rescued' is more alluding to the pain of needing to be supported through chaos. Musically the album suffers from a bit of a slump in the middle, but overall this is the best album the band has produced since its early days, and playing it alongside the classic 'The Colour And The Shape' reveals a lot of stylistic similarities between them. The album closes on a sombre note with 'Rest', really nailing home the dark themes overall, and musically using passages from the album opener. Powerful stuff. mindkiller8
Sodom - Better Off Dead (1990)
German band playing black metal turned to a thrash metal band in the late 80's and gave us a landmark effort in Agent Orange in 1989. However this review focuses on the next effort Better Off Dead. I have no idea how I found this band to listen to, however listening to this today, I still love the true German thrash metal that it is. If you had Millie from Kreator singing then you would hardly notice the difference. Now that is not to suggest that Tom isn't a killer singer. More-so the respect this band should have in German thrash metal. And of course no other band could write arguably the most evil song known in 'The Saw Is The Law'. Some might say a cheesy name, but the lyrics depict a great story. If this doesn't get you up and singing your lungs out to each word, then you aren't alive. What I mostly like listening back to this effort is the album carries your interest all the way through. 'Bloodtrails', the title track, through to the last track 'Stalinorgel' which is a brilliant ending. A couple of covers respectfully executed well and we have a great release. Should have got more credit than they did in such a thrash laden period for metal music. 24 June 2023TheBigBlack
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier (2010)
Considering the number of years they had behind them Iron Maiden continued to prove they had more to offer when in 2010 they released 'The Final Frontier'. The three previous albums ('Brave New World', 'Dance Of Death, and 'A Matter Of Life And Death') set the benchmark incredibly high, and the band managed to keep the quality and consistency - but still add a whole bunch of new techniques to their arsenal. The lengthy 'Satellite 15.' opener builds tension with a moody sci-fi soundscape before the arena-chorused 'The Final Frontier' bursts out in typical IM opener style. Obvious singles 'El Dorado' and 'Coming Home' drive the album, and open up some space to allow a bit more room to stretch out and experiment on tracks like 'Isle Of Avalon' and 'The Man Who Would Be King'. Little did we know at the time that these longer tracks, where the band really spread their wings, would actually become the norm on future albums. mindkiller8
Volbeat - The Strength, The Sounds, The Songs (2005)
Back in the heyday of TheBigBlack crew searching for something new to listen to, we discovered Volbeat. At a time where metal wasn't offering anything new, these young guns from Denmark hit our ears and instantly struck a chord (or two) with us. Lead singer Poulson at the time was marked as the 'Elvis of Metal'. He does have a unique voice and very much contributes to the overall sound of the album. Apart from that the music itself is hard to capture - kinda a Rock/Metal rockabilly that has you banging your head with a little jump in your step. The chainsaw guitar is very cutting in each song. This lifted the band to global acknowledgement and from here they have gone on to be a big band on large festivals in Europe. 17 June 2023TheBigBlack
The Offspring - Smash (1994)
By the late-90s bands like Green Day and Blink-182 would help the new generation of pop-punk explode onto the charts and take the music to the masses, but in 1994 punk was still less than mainstream. With labels now looking for the next 'grunge', bands like Bad Religion and Pennywise were starting to cause a swell, and The Offspring were lucky enough that someone at Epitaph Records (founded by Bad Religion's guitarist) decided they were worth pushing. 'Smash' was an album made for the time, overflowing with angsty lyrics and crunchy guitars, but with just enough commercial appeal that every 15 year old got a copy on CD from their grandparents for their birthday that year. Songs like 'Nitro (Youth Energy)' and 'Genocide' exhibited old-school punk chops and credibility alongside the more modern sounding 'Come Out And Play (Keep 'm Separated)' and 'Gotta Get Away'. There was cross-over appeal also, with alternative and metal audiences hearing something in here that they could relate to. Although The Offspring have had a number of good albums over the years (ignoring the last couple), 'Smash' will likely always be seen as their greatest musical statement. mindkiller8
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990)
Let's summarise quickly - A band nobody really cared about for the previous 4 releases. Change from a glam band into a heavy band. No record company wants to invest, except for 1. It's 1990 with a wave of other big band releases happening or due soon, and some-the-fuck-how these guys manage to open their shoulders and walk their way into the room and demand we better take a listen. And so we have Cowboys From Hell, a new version of the band that metalheads will come to love over the next decade. Dimebag showing us just what he is capable of executing with his guitar (there would be a better superlative but I can't think of one to describe Dimebag). He goes onto bigger and better magical efforts on future releases. This is just a taste. Vinny being the solid back-stop with his drumming. Rex solid with his bass. However for me, as much as this an arrival for the band, it is Phil on vocals bringing the aggression that had people scared to join the circle pit in the years to come. Imagine the riot 'Primal Concrete Sledge' would deliver to the pit. Then have everyone pull out their lighters for the start of 'Cemetery Gates'. This is a band for the fans. In the early 90's we had the short demise of Metal in general. We had the uplift of Grunge and Alternative and then we had Pantera. Enough said! 10 June 2023TheBigBlack
Iggy And The Stooges - Raw Power (1973)
Like him or not, no one can deny Iggy Pop is a legend of the music industry. This album is one of the reasons why. It was pretty much Iggy with a hired backing band at this point as the original Stooges had parted ways, and the man was out to make a statement. Raw Power is aggressive proto-punk with all the hallmarks of the style long before the Sex Pistols or even Ramones. The production is terrible (produced by David Bowie, who stated he was given a twenty-four track tape with everything recorded on only two of the tracks), the overblown mix red-lines its way through the 8 powerhouses, rarely giving the listener a moment to take a breath. 'Search And Destroy' opens, and is a letter of intent to the listener, warning them to stay low or be pummelled - and although the album immediately changes gears with the acoustic driven 'Gimme Danger', the aggressive mix still makes this a moment of nervous energy and explosive power. Side B opens with the title track, and it is every bit as brain shaking as side A. Everything about this album was ahead of its time, and it isn't hard to hear why so many list it as an influence - even if you will likely be deaf after only a couple of listens. One thing of note, if you do find the mix challenging - check out the remix made in 1997 (apparently from the actual multitrack masters). It does a good job of keeping the urgency of the music, whilst removing the treble heavy toxic noise of the original. mindkiller8
Suicidal Tendencies - The Art Of Rebellion (1992)
''Down my stomach. Here come Banana''. Track 3 opener. Take note of the razor guitar sound, before the bass line kicks in (credit to the great Rob Trujillo who plays bass on the album) and off the song goes. Now what you will notice is 'Cyco' Mike trying to sing a melody. A what?? I'm a huge fan of the likes of 1987 release 'Join The Army' - 'Possessed To Skate' being legendary and picked up by any self-respecting Red Bull skating promotion. But this release is very different. Is that a good thing? The response is mixed. It is often referenced as their 'experimental' record. However 5 records in (over 7 years, mind you) they've decided to make a change to the punk/metal fusion saturated songs and put together a mature set of songs that do still offer the punk side of them ('Capt'n Stupid', 'Which Way To Free'), but some very mature songs such as 'Monopoly On Sorrow' and 'I Hate You Better'. Funnily enough they quickly returned to their punk roots which I don't mind with 'Freedumb' in 1999 being a classic (for another review perhaps). 3 June 2023TheBigBlack
Jimi Hendrix - First Rays Of The New Rising Sun (1997)
Compiling an album posthumously will always be a tricky endeavour, as who knows what the artist's final vision may have been? A number of attempts have been made over the years to compile Jimi's final recordings into the album he was working toward. The first (and best known) was 'The Cry Of Love' in 1971, and although it is an amazing album in its own right, greed ensured it was not the double album that was planned, with key tracks held off for future releases. Another well-known version was the 'Voodoo Soup' album from 1995, but to most this came out feeling more like an interpretation or reimagining. To my ears. I think this is by far best possible representation, constructed from multiple hand written notes from the man himself. The sound quality is amazing, and the song writing is light-years beyond 'Electric Ladyland'. In the two years since the recording of that album there is no doubt from these recordings that Hendrix was now at his best in a studio - laying carefully constructed overdubs over overdubs. Songs like 'Night Bird Flying' reveal where his mind and soul were taking the music, sounding more like a guitar orchestra than one man with a Fender Stratocaster. There is rock a-plenty here with songs like 'Izabella' and ' Ezy Rider' grooving along, and some funk and soul also buried in the mix with songs like 'Freedom' and 'Earth Blues'. Although some feel the soul of the music is a little lacking here due to the studio gimmicky, the songs themselves - and the immense talent of the man - still can't be denied. mindkiller8
Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (1990)
Charlie drum intro on the first track. Frankie kicking in with that bass. It's 'thick' once you bring in Scott and Dan before you have Joey introduce himself on point with the tempo. You only need to indulge in the first 30 seconds of the first song to realise that, within 2 years, they have matured immensely from the 'State Of Euphoria' era. This band means business and they take every opportunity, in just over an hour of music, to make this point. No 'Not Man' or any other comic suggestions. No kicking out the jams and SK8'er references or behaviour. These guys had something to say to the world in the early 90's and did a hell of a job doing so. Highlights for me are the lead track 'Time', 'In My World', 'Gridlock', 'H8 Red', 'One Man Stands'. The last 2 being at the end of the album which says a lot to the quality of the music on this record. This recording is easily in my all-time Top 5. 27 May 2023TheBigBlack
Danzig - Danzig (1988)
From the moment 'Twist Of Cain' starts to play my head starts to bob, and there is nothing on this album that stops it. Debut albums are an interesting beast. Bands aren't burdened with expectation of fans and record companies, and therefore they can just be whatever they want to be, and have fun along the way. Sure, Glenn Danzig already had the legacy of the Misfits and Samhain behind him (although they weren't really 'legendary' yet), but this was still like a whole new start for him - and it shows. The music isn't particularly up tempo, and it certainly isn't technical, but it moves along with a swagger that most bands would never ever get close to. Every word that drips from Glenn's mouth feels like it is sung with a mischievous smile, and on tracks like 'She Rides' and 'Am I Demon' he really opens up, and let's not forget to mention the greatest track in the Danzig repertoire - 'Mother'. I think the thing that constantly draws me back is that on the surface it all feels a bit. tongue in cheek, and yet you still feel some underlying menace. I bit like discovering your kind old next door neighbour is possibly a genocidal war criminal in hiding. mindkiller8
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms (1985)
Indulge with me for a moment. Growing up in country S.A. in the 80's we had the privilege of two American journalists exposing to us the greater world at the time. Warner Wolf on sports and Casey Kasem on music. Casey's Top 40 was broadcast on the local AM channel on Saturday afternoons, where myself and the family would have the show loud on the radio in the backyard. I started to listen in 1985 when this guitar sound in Money For Nothing was simply mesmerising at the time. I bought the tape without knowing much more about them. As it turns out this single, which rewarded them with millions, is not the pick of the album. Don't expect this to be a rock album based on this single. It is very much a contemporary recording which you need to heavily invest in the lyrics sung. I think most would have heard Walk Of Life and So Far Away, however the songwriting maturity of the last half of the record is outstanding, including the last track Brothers In Arms, having a very poignant subject behind it. 20 May 2023TheBigBlack
Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde (1966)
In his own words, Blonde On Blonde is the 'thin wild mercury music' Dylan heard in his head in the mid-1960s. It is a proclaimed masterpiece by many music fans, and whilst it isn't my favourite album of his from the period, I can't deny the scope and depth. Dylan effortlessly switches between rock, folk, blues, ballads, and even Dixieland jazz on this eclectic double album - in fact the first double album ever released in popular music - and his third released in a year. Songs like the soppy 'Just Like A Woman' and the up-tempo 'I Want You' would be become radio standards of the 60s, but I don't think anything on this album reached the heights of his previous album opener 'Like A Rolling Stone'. 'Visions Of Johanna' does come close though, and 'Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again' is a great representation of his music from the period. All in all a great listen. mindkiller8
Grinspoon - Guide To Better Living (1997)
Aussie alternative scene was now huge mid-90's. So much so that Government funded broadcaster JJJ put together the 'Unearthed' concept, where the 'weekend warriors'/'garage bands' had the opportunity to submit an original song with potential stardom awaiting. The very first one in 1995 saw Lismore locals Grinspoon win the competition. Some cash and a recording contract. The side note to this competition is arguably they were the best product of this competition over the years. A couple of E.P.'s later and we have Guide in 1997. Fist pumping, neck snapping, in your face not so much heavy rock. It's more than that. They get called post-grunge. Reality is it's 16 tracks in 42 minutes of thick/crunchy guitar, with some tasty solo's, heavy-handed drumming and then there is Phil's sometimes deranged singing style, covering all the important topics such as DCx3 (Dead Cat x 3) and of course Sickfest, that won them 'Unearthed'. In 1998 they signed to a record label in the States and off they went. Heck of a ride in under 4 years of existence. I think Kylie Minogue is still trying to make it in the States. 13 May 2023TheBigBlack
The Beatles - Live At The BBC (1994)
It's hard to believe, but in the 1970s The Beatles were old tired news, and apart from a couple of blips on the radar in the form of average reissues and live albums, there wasn't much interest. By the 1980s however, with the advent of the compact disc, fans started asking when The Fab Four were going to be released on the format. This happened in 1987 (unfortunately to mixed results), and a slow revival began. EMI realised by the early 1990s that anything they didn't release on CD some bootlegger would, and the first thing to do was to stop the steady stream of BBC bootlegs by getting an official release out. For Beatles tragics (like myself), the double CD 'Live At The BBC' album was earth shattering. Not only did it give us over 60 unreleased tracks (in mostly top quality - mainly due to one woman who recorded close to every one of the hundreds of broadcasts on her home tape machine), but the majority of the songs were new songs never before released by the band. The reason for this was simple: with only a handful of their own songs released at the time (mainly 1962-1964), and sometimes doing two (or more) BBC shows a week, they had to revert back to covers of songs they played in their early days in Hamburg and the Cavern Club. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, The Everly Brothers, and Elvis Presley (amongst many others) get a work out, and the small interludes of conversations between the boys and the hosts transport the listener all the way back the 60's. An amazing piece of musical history. 6 May 2023TheBigBlack
Public Image Ltd. (PiL) - Public Image (First Issue) (1978)
Going solo (or at least creating a new band identity for yourself) after being in a ground breaking genre-defining band is always going to be tough. People like Paul McCartney and Robert Plant realised this, and struggled to find a new norm amongst their established audience. Johnny Rotten knew that post Sex Pistols his fans wanted to see him become more Rotten than ever, which is why he did the opposite - he became himself. Re-emerging as John Lydon, he introduced the world to PiL, a post-punk art-rock anomaly, that many fans were left confused and alienated by. There are shades of his former band buried here, but more in attitude than style. There are acerbic buzzsaw guitars, but they create atmosphere rather that riffs, and the spoken word poetry of Religion was likely too much for most mohawked glue-sniffers in 1978. There are still some 'real' songs here, with tracks like Annalisa and Public Image pumping out rock greatness, but for the most part this is an album (and band) designed to make you think, rather than pogo. mindkiller8
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Prior to this release, Peppers had been around since mid-80's producing 4 records that no-one ever really cared about. It was this release in 1991 that landed just at the right time when the rock scene was on the move. These guys are California natives (L.A.) and were very aware of what was happening just under a couple of thousand KM's to the north in Seattle. The mastermind producer Rick Rubin decided to finally take them on board, convinced the drug issues had mostly faded away. What was released in September 1991 is nothing short of a masterpiece from the band. I say that only because I am a fan of that rock/punk fusion mixed with a traditional rock ballad or two in the mix, which became chart toppers. On that there are some very mature songs like 'Under The Bridge' and 'Breaking The Girl'. You then have the classics such as 'Give It Away' and 'Suck My Kiss', to the bizarre 'Apache Rose Peacock' and 'Sir Psycho Sexy'. If I was to point to one song that will give you an overall view of this record, it is 'Funky Munks'. Take note of the change in pace and direction once the guitar solo kicks in. Over 17 tracks and 73 minutes of play time, there is a lot to enjoy over repeated listens. This release certainly escalated the band to the upper echelon of influencers in the budding music industry as it was in 1991. 29 April 2023TheBigBlack
Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (2023)
Speed metal with just a touch of black has been getting quite a following across Europe in the last few years. Hellripper is a one man unit out of Scotland that leans a little more on the black side than most, rasping away though these blazing songs like a demon on a motorcycle. The guitar tones are tasty, with a 80s feel (but a modern sounding production), and the whole album makes you want to throw your horns up in the air and shout the dark lord's name. There is plenty of vintage Slayer and Megadeth here, but it also drips with a dark swagger that only bands like Darkthrone can usually pull off. It isn't just old-school worship though as so many other more recent bands like Warbringer also come to mind. The solos shred and are reminiscent of the leads on faster Maiden, and if this doesn't get your metalhead ass out of the chair leaping around the room - nothing else will. mindkiller8
Metallica - Load (1996)
It's the 90's and it's Hammer Time! It also begins an incredible decade in music history with the emergence of Grunge, Oz Alternative and Metallica, commented as 'making it big', with the Black album in 1991. It is however their mid-90's releases that are the topic of review. In particular 'Load'. I pick this one over 'ReLoad' as it again presents a different direction from the band. 'Justice' to 'Black' to 'Load'. They were not interested in the rinse/repeat from the Black album as successful as that was. 'Load' gave us another side in the Metallica Rubix cube. At almost 80 mins long (their longest), we have 14 tracks full of blues and country rock. You can imagine Het with a sprig of straw in his mouth singing most of these songs. In short it is another statement from the band that they won't be tagged as a heavy metal band and that they have the intestinal fortitude to write something left of centre for them and actually pull it off. Faves for me include 2x4, Until It Sleeps, Hero Of The Day, and Cure is devilish singing from Het that I love. Both albums are under-rated I think at a period in time where metal was being challenged for listening time by the Seattle scene for example. 22 April 2023TheBigBlack
Metallica - 72 Seasons (2023)
With band members all around 60 years old a band could be forgiven if they decided to start taking it easy. Metallica have many roads available to them when they create music these days, and it felt like they had settled into a nice comfy pattern of 'not too heavy, not too light' with Hardwired To Self-Destruct. Turns out they still have a surprise or two in them yet, as 72 Seasons is the heaviest and most unrelenting album they have ever created. This is a dark album, and as each song rolls by you appreciate the many layers of texture this band have become the masters of laying down. For the most part it is pedal-to-the-floor fast, with little room for air between the songs and riffs, leaving a feeling of suffocation or even claustrophobia that Metallica don't normal conjure. There isn't a ballad or even a clear guitar, but did we need one? Slayer or Exodus never looked back and wished they had written 'Nothing Else Matters', because sometimes you just want intensity when the subject matter calls for it. Standouts for me are '72 Seasons', 'Crown Of Barbed Wire', and 'Room Of Mirrors'. There are riffs everywhere, and the only low points here are a couple of repetitions too many on the slower songs. This will probably not be the album some people wanted or expected, including me - but now that it is in my ears I couldn't imagine anything else I'd want more from Metallica circa 2023. mindkiller8
Silverchair - Diorama (2002)
The fans who were there for Frogstomp, celebrated a tasty sophomore release in Freakshow, then progressed to Neon Ballroom where 'the kids aren't alright' (mostly Johns) started to build the nerves of a band that within 4 years was on the verge of self-destruction, we land 3 years later with Diorama. Now that is a fans view. The experts paid to review releases, saw it as a continuing step in maturity for the band. For some reason adding a trumpet or strings into what used to be a Grunge band is a sign of maturation. At the time, I invested a lot of time in listening to this wanting to know it. I appreciate fans will be put off by the first track. Following that, there are 4 songs that would fit in with Neon Ballroom. Others are a little more complex and not your standard menu item for a Silverchair release. If you do block that out however, they are songs to enjoy. However the writing is on the wall here and we know what happens from this point. 15 April 2023TheBigBlack
Bush - Sixteen Stone (1994)
In 1994 Bush took a lot of unnecessary criticism for apparently being a Nirvana clone. To be fair, in 1994 - every band was Nirvana clone. With Sixteen Stone they took the angst of grunge and wrapped it up in a big ball of English optimism, and made a dirty distorted sound that was very much their own. Whereas Kurt Cobain was all about telling us how shit his world was, Gavin Rossdale wrote more positive lyrics, and their big hooky choruses left you feeling good about things. Songs like 'Everything Zen' and 'Little Things' had a alt-rock crunch, but they were still radio friendly enough to get plenty of airplay, and how could 'Glycerine' not become a classic ballad of the 90s (even though no one has any idea what it is about)?. It isn't a perfect album by any means, and there a couple of low spots ('Bomb' is a mess), but for the most part this is one of the best debuts of the post-grunge 90s. It's a shame Bush never made an album this good again. 8 April 2023TheBigBlack
Tool - Fear Inoculum (2019)
Tool's 'Aenima' is still one of my favourite rock albums of all time, and each subsequent album released since has had moments that I have enjoyed, but ultimately I have been disappointed overall. They lacked the fire the first couple of albums did, instead replacing it with mood. 'Fear Inoculum' was the album that finally broke through for me. 13 years in the coming, this album is everything a grown up version of Tool is known for, but the moodiness and soundscapes are far beyond anything the band has done before. It is a slow burner, with all but one track between 10 and 15 minutes long, but every song slowly unfurls like the petals of a new flower, and the band finally does what it says on the packaging - it transcends and eclipses all previous albums with very little effort. It twists and turns, and you are brought along for the journey more as a witness than a listener. Will it ever be my favourite of theirs? Probably not. Do I think it is their best album? Possibly so. mindkiller8
Kreator - Terrible Certainty (1987)
Let's provide some perspective here. At the time of releasing this record, band lead and vocalist Millie was 19. Ventor, long stay in the band as drummer was 20. Up to this point they had already released 2 albums! So excuse me if I spend a moment to say I am blown away with how influential this band already was in the Thrash Metal mid 80's movement, importantly a German influence on the genre, at such a young age. I absolutely love Millie's rough German tinged English vocals. His singing is captivating which contributes heavily to the sound of the record. Apart from Ventor lending vocals to Riot of Violence which is equally amusing with the German accent. There isn't much more to say apart from again re-iterating their age in producing such a mature album. The stage is set for fans at his point to indulge in their releases to come over the next 5 or so years, which are equally captivating. 1 April 2023TheBigBlack
Iron Maiden - Senjutsu (2021)
Iron Maiden have never been a band known for shock value. They stand solid like a British institution, unwavering and unchanging. Sure, they have had a couple of vocalist changes and sometimes we see an unexpected twist or two in their music, but for the most part - you always know what you are going to get. And therein lies both the strength and weakness of most late period Maiden albums. The predictability level is always quite high (there will be multiple epics, with the slow bass introduction, building to the soaring chorus), and on first listen I tend to feel disappointment that this all sounds a bit too familiar - yet something still draws me back for more. Once it all sinks in you see there are still some brilliant songs on display here. On disc 1 the title track opener broods and builds to a massive war epic, and 'Stratego' and 'Days Of Future Past' harken back to the 80s. 'The Writing On The Wall' has a western flavour, and 'The Time Machine' sounds like something from the 90s era. Disc 2 heads into more of the epic territory with only 4 songs, but there are some surprising moments hidden in there. Even at close to 50 the band still has the magic, but there is certainly some bloat that could be removed. Not every song needs to be an epic after all - but which ones would I possibly trim.? mindkiller8
Uncle Slam - Say Uncle (1988)
Think 1988. Think all the happenings and maturation of the Heavy Metal Scene at that stage - Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Kreator etc. In addition, if you are not pinned to the ground with heavy metal, you were starting to experience the likes of Suicidal Tendencies which is more the modern punk scene. I mention ST as they formed half of the thrash band that became Uncle Slam. Now the title of their debut says it all in terms of North American slang, being a call to a contestant in a fight to submit. Well I wasn't ready to until I listened to all 35 minutes of this debut record. There is plenty of fast riffing, fast lyrics that are hard to decipher in parts and a bunch of songs that focus on topics that are questionable at best - 'Weirdo Man' and 'Ugly Dude' for example that lead off the record. All these years later, I still listen to this regularly when you're after something not so serious - just great thrash metal. 25 March 2023TheBigBlack
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! (The Final Kill) (2018)
Dave Mustaine was on a mission with Megadeth's 1985 debut album - to crush Metallica. They were already two albums in at this point, and were already forging the way ahead for the burgeoning thrash metal scene, so he know he'd have to aim high. The original version of Killing Is My Business is arguably one of the better debuts from any of the thrash greats, and could have been up there with Metallica's album - but what it lacked was punch. We all know the stories of what the production money was spent on (so no need to recap that here) but clearly Megadave has never really felt at peace with the album, as The Final Kill is the second remix of it. 2002's attempt was not bad, and did bring out some highs that were otherwise buried, but The Final Kill really is the definitive version of the album. This isn't a new mix to reinvent anything, so there is nothing here that detracts from the original album - it is more like lifting the carboard box that was sitting over the speakers off. It is crisp and sharp, and the separation on every instrument is clean. The guitars have a bucket-load more punch, and instead of snapping like a piranha, they now bite like a shark. 35 years on, and this is the album we all knew was always in there somewhere. We are unfortunately stuck with a 're-recorded vocals' version of 'These Boots' due to legal reasons, and a bunch of average sounding live tracks from each song on the album give a bit more context to the songs - but are particularly necessary. Lastly, we get yet another remaster of the original 'Last Rites' demo from 1984, which serves a perfect ending to the album, and a perfect ending to this chapter of the band. 18 March 2023TheBigBlack
Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusions [Super Deluxe Edition] (2022)
1987's 'Appetite For Destruction' set the rock world on fire, and reminded as us that rock 'n' roll could still be dangerous, long after The Rolling Stones had been measured up for wheel chairs. It was a fierce, in your face musical assault - but if one (very small) complaint can be made, it would be the lack of variation. It must be one of the most famous rock albums in history - and yet doesn't contain the diversity of any ballads or acoustic moments. We now know that was by design, and a few months later they showed us another side with the 'GNR Lies' E.P., but it still in no way prepared us for the epic size of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums 3 years later. These albums didn't reinvent rock, but they certainly reinvented Guns n' Roses, allowing them the room to produce 2 albums worth (4 album in the old school vinyl days) of every variety of rock ever performed - and with a massive budget to allow them to stretch their wings in new and different ways. The hard hitting songs were still here, some of them written pre Appetite even, but alongside them were sprawly ballads bigger than anyone had ever attempted before. The 30th anniversary remaster is crisp and clear, but to honest - did the original need any tweaking? A new mix has been made of November Rain (introducing a real orchestra rather than synth), but that didn't mean anything to me - as it is the only song I never really cared for. There are two entire live concerts included, and they are a great listen. Axl is firing on all cylinders, and Duff and Slash play pretty loose (as they were probably quite drunk.). The shows still aren't the band in the absolute late 80s prime before the bloat of fame and insane mind of Axl had started to corrode them from within, but they still show the greatness of the band just before they came unstack and headed into autopilot. Is it a shame this was the last original material the classic line-up ever released, or was there no better way to drop the mic and walk away? mindkiller8
Edge Of Sanity - Crimson (1996)
When is a song too long in length? Do you start to wain at Metallica's early year songs hitting 8 or 9 minutes? Likewise when Opeth who would hit the 14 minutes mark with some of their early masterpieces? How about one that clocks in around the 40 minute mark? One song! This effort by EOS continues to blow me away to this day with the journey it takes the listener on. The underlying story for the song where barren earth can no longer re-produce, is well told through the various stages of the song. Starting in an aggressive tone and dark vocals, the listener is sent through a journey of soft interludes, rising again to thumping death riffs, fast picking and soft melodies. The vocals following the way and in places we soft quiet vocals and even chanting, all before the music and singing returns to the starting tempo, loudness and brutality (rebellion against the Queen). I've never heard anything like this. Each time I listen it feels like I am listening to it for the first time. Each listen reveals something new. 11 March 2023TheBigBlack
Opeth - Deliverance & Damnation [Reissue] (2015)
If I asked you what is the most important piece of music in heavy music history, you are probably going to say the opening bars of Sepultura's 'Roots', or the solo in Black Sabbath's 'Heaven & Hell', or maybe even the moment the wall of guitars crash in at the start of Metallica's 'Battery' or when Tom Araya lets out his blood curdling scream on Slayer's 'Reign In Blood'. They are all good tries, but you are wrong on every count. The correct answer is (of course) the last four minutes of Opeth's 'Deliverance'. Every wonderful moment of those four minutes sums up everything early Opeth and these two albums were about. Both amazingly beautiful and damagingly heavy at the same time, and perfectly executed in syncopated progressive glory. It is debatable whether these albums needed to be remixed for this package (especially the lighter touches of Damnation), but Deliverance is certainly presented here with more punch and clarity, and packaging them as a singular album as originally intended is great. This is Opeth in their prime - able to switch from brutality to whimsey within moments, and Akerfeldt's voice is just sublime, whether singing or growling. The musicianship and song writing are exceptional as always, and it could be argued that they were never this heavy (or wonderful) ever again. mindkiller8
Opeth - Damnation (2003)
The fans were told there would be 2 successive releases in a short space of time. One in the vein we all expected from their most recent release of Blackwater Park (in my mind their Mt Everest - their peak), with a second album less than 6 months later which would show a different side. Understanding the band and where they are now 20 years later, this was the start of the 'transition'. And oh what a way to commence that shift in their career. I can't understand why exactly, but for some reason, I was ready for what the change might present. As you will know Damnation detaches itself from the guitar laden darkness and death vocals we had known for almost 10 years prior, into an amazingly beautiful and peaceful soundscape that is the last thing you would expect from the band at was really after Blackwater, their high-point in popularity. Incredibly gutsy move. But Akerfeldt has never bowed to the fans and just does what he wants to do. I've become less of a fan over the years, but this record I still see as a significant highpoint in their career. Bold, mature, gentle, inventive. 4 March 2023TheBigBlack
Blackbraid - Blackbraid I (2022)
There isn't a broad range of things you can do within the context of traditional black metal, yet some musicians are still able to do something quite amazing with a style that has seemingly close guardrails. Blackbraid (actually just one man named Sgah'gahsowah) is a native American influenced black metal project that has taken the template to places fresh and new. Not only does if feature lush acoustic passages played with traditional native American instruments spread throughout the otherwise raw metal chaos, but the lyrical themes follow historical events relative to the history of the native American people. Many modern black metal albums whisk by, not really enveloping the listener from start to finish, but instead grabbing attention with circular riffs amongst the over-produced wall of sound. This album on the other hand is one of the rare breed that captivates from start to finish. mindkiller8
Powderfinger - Double Allergic (1996)
A band that exploded on the Aussie alt/rock scene mid 90's after the Grunge period had started to settle, Double Allergic is their Sophomore release after Parables. It had considerable radio play on Triple J and produced classics such as D.A.F, Pick You Up, Living Type. When new Oz rock was at its peak at this time (The Living End being the most notable), these guys stood above the pack with their clever song-writing, not to mention a hell of a front man with a voice you fall in love with. They went onto make some memorable releases, but this release is a genuine watermark in their career. They nailed it and come the spoils for another 5 releases over the next 13 years. The fact that in 2023 there are still calls for them to reunite speaks volumes about their legacy. 25 February 2023TheBigBlack
Mortal Sin - Mayhemic Destruction (1986)
As great of a time as it was in 1986 to be a fan of thrash metal, it always felt slightly untouchable. The titans of the genre like Metallica and Slayer were well established and were playing music that seemed otherworldly - because they were just so far from me geographically. Mortal Sin brought that feeling of isolation to a sudden halt when 'Mayhemic Destruction' started filtering through the underground. Sure, the production was pretty flat (apparently the album was recorded as a demo, but got released to save money) - but this was thrash that was as dark as Slayer and as well-crafted as Metallica, and it was right out of the land down under. Songs like Liar and Lebanon thundered along, the dull lifelessness of the drums actually propelling the songs further into darkness, and Blood Death Hatred and Into The Fire were as good as any U.S. or German act were putting out. And do I smell a whiff of early Death Metal in the title track? mindkiller8
Anthrax - Attack Of The Killer B's (1991)
One thing I really miss from the early times was E.P.'s/compilations from the early years of Anthrax. We had the Armed And Dangerous E.P. which I could write another review on. Then we had early 90's where the full length Persistence Of Time was released a year earlier. B's was released without any fanfare, but along with some offsprings from Persistence, it contained some darn brilliant covers from the likes of S.O.D., Public Enemy (with no other than Chuck D himself 'bringing the noise'), Kiss, Discharge and Trust. And a new track to not appear anywhere from the boys themselves in 'Starting Up A Posse' (can we call Scott a bona fied lead singer?). Anyway, in summary this release is a heck of a lot of fun, particularly the return to I'm The Man, with new lyrics 5 guys in shorts, who gives a shit YEEEEAAARR!!!! 18 February 2023TheBigBlack
Sodom - In The Sign Of Evil (1985)
The influence on the second wave of black metal (mostly out of Norway) is often documented to include three bands in particular - early Venom, early Bathory, and the period of time when Hellhammer morphed themselves into Celtic Frost. One band that is often only mentioned as a side note is Sodom. Early recordings such as their demos and the 'In The Sign Of Evil' mini-album were hugely important to the development of the style, but possibly due to the band's later correlation with the big 4 of German thrash their unholy black metal beginnings are generally overlooked. Aggressive and dripping with evil, both in the lyrics and production, this a lo-fi masterpiece of early extreme metal, and the band never really returned to this style in later years once the thrash craze really took hold. The young musicians aren't the most advanced, with Witchhunter sounding like he could completely lose the drum beat at any moment, but Angelripper's voice already has that unique quality that would always set Sodom apart. mindkiller8
Korn - Untouchables (2002)
Arguably the band that was responsible for the term 'Nu-Metal' in the mid to late 90's. Heavily down-tuned and singing about personal sufferings and some songs being outright childish, they divided the metal community with their early releases. When I bought 'Untouchables' on day one, I thought I was listening to a different band. The lead song Here To Stay' seems to be a very deliberate response to the metal community that, despite the haters, they aren't going anywhere. Four albums in they were ready to grow up and be more experimental, and perhaps more precise in their song structures. The soundscape is very much made all that better by Davis's equally soulful/hateful singing. You can't help but be captured by his emotion. I love their first four releases but I'd argue that this is their best effort, considering the steps they took. They turned around with another album just over 12 months later before things went pear shaped and the original line-up split. I do think future releases since 'Untouchables' in some way tie back to the song writing on this record. 11 February 2023TheBigBlack
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990)
A change in decade often causes the collective 'us' to think about the future, and to start forgetting the past. Metal certainly did this in 1990, with many of the thrash titans of the 80s starting to look like dinosaurs to the new generation, and let's not even think about the stinking carcass glam rock had left for us to move to the cemetery. 'Cowboys From Hell' (both the album and the song), hit the metal world hard (kinda like a Primal Concrete Sledge). It was loud, in your face, and technical - but still really listenable - and sounded like nothing else before it. Smiling in photos, these four boys from Texas looked like fun fellas, unless you crossed them - then they would likely kill you. another angle metal had not seen before. We would of course find out later that it took Pantera four albums (now long forgotten) prior to this one to find and hone this unique sound and image, but that is largely irrelevant anyway. This album (and band) quickly became the poster child of the next generation of metal, and Cowboys From Hell still stands up today as a standout of the period, and a benchmark in guitar playing. mindkiller8
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness (1995)
How the hell 4 misfits from Illinois who had just broken through into mainstream grunge with Siamese Dream in 93, would two years later have the balls to put together a 28 song double album masterpiece is mind-blowing. And they did it with rave reviews. Billy (William) Corgan confirmed for many of us that he is a master (somewhat query) songwriter. I'll counter that comment for now with a very brief highlight on 'We Only Come Out At night' which is a quite horrible example of when Billy waning himself through a song, would send rats down a sewer hole. I'm being harsh in picking out one song out of the 28 that grates. The experience before and after should still keep a smile on your face. We have classics of 'Tonight, Tonight' Which includes all the orchestra loadings possible, down to 2 tracks later we have a dark, heavy song like 'Zero'. I could go on. I return to my first couple of sentences - we have seen a maturity of a band we were hoping to take that next step. I just wasn't expecting a masterpiece such as this at the time. 2 February 2023TheBigBlack
Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series Vol. 17, Fragments (Time Out Mind Sessions 1996-1997) [Deluxe Edition] (2023)
1997's 'Time Out Of Mind' is often labelled as the great Dylan comeback album. With a number of years passed since his last (mediocre) albums of originals many fans had low expectations, but were pleasantly surprised when he unveiled the late career masterpiece. This Bootleg Series instalment focuses solely on the album (for its 25th anniversary), and has a few great surprises. A complete new remix of the original album removes the swampy and atmospheric production of Daniel Lanois that has divided critics and fans alike for over two decades, and in its place we get a fresh clean sounding version of the album revealing many highlights I'd otherwise missed in the murky mix. There are also three discs of demos and outtakes (although one whole disc is made up of tracks from previous Bootleg Series entries). My only complaint is the quality of the disc of live tracks from the era - Sounds good in principle, but the recordings are reasonably poor unfortunately. mindkiller8
Metallica - Metallica (1991)
Ahh, 1991. The year I finished attending high-school, and time to grow up. Here I come real world. It can be argued that with this album, Metallica did the same thing. They grew up and introduced themselves to the real world on a record that divided the fans. Slower tempo, polished production, do they even swear anymore? Did someone say Top 40? You get the picture. It can't be denied that still today, over 30 years on, it is still their best-selling album. We learnt that Pappa Het can sing (Unforgiven, Nothing Else). We learnt that the band finally accepted Newsted as a member and gave him co-writing efforts on Misery. We learnt they still have that 18 year old attitude in small parts with Struggle. We learnt eventually that it was a master stroke to make this shift from your head-banging, long-haired, 7 plus minute songs, to a band that can still give you balls out heaviness in 4-5 minute songs (Sad But True) with lots of versatility and smarts. At the time, question was 'What next?' would they 'Fade To Black'? Would they 'Self-Destruct'? Or would they 'Load' up and get angry? 28 January 2023TheBigBlack
Discharge - Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing (1982)
I recently re-read the excellent 'Choosing Death - The Improbable History Of Death Metal & Grindcore' by Albert Mudrian and was reminded of what a hugely influential album this was to thrash and death metal. It is raw and abrasive, and demands your attention in ways only hardcore can - but it is (unintentionally) bordering on bursting from the hardcore label into early speed metal. It is dripping with the typical D.I.Y. low-fi sound, and the barked lyrics are simplistic. In many ways the fast-paced riffs are also - but they are so well crafted that they grab you and don't let go until the 28 minute ride is over. Oddly the band went from hardcore punk to a glam metal style for their next album, so apart from a handful of E.P.s this is all we have of the original band. I'll note that many many metal bands have covered songs from this album, including Anthrax, Napalm Death, Machine Head, Metallica, Arch Enemy, Brutal Truth, Soulfly, Prong, and Neurosis. That lists speaks for itself in terms of influence. mindkiller8
Fear Factory - Aggression Continuum (2021)
My first decent listen to a FF record in 10 years. I'm a huge fan of their earlier work and haven't given them a fair listen for about 10 years. Considering this is the final record with Burt in charge of vocals, it deserves a good listen. I'll be honest in saying I have only given it a few listens. My first opinion is that it is very 'mechanical' with the music, which has been their footprint since the start, but song after song is not the norm. Timings, breakdowns etc. This is very much Dino though, so I shouldn't be surprised. Burt's clean voice is as it sounded 30 years ago, which I do like. I note they have added a keyboard into the mix, which is very evident in places. Not a fan of that. I'll keep listening, but not a classic in their catalogue. ILYOSBTYNS! Is all I can say, which won't come as a surprise. 21 January 2023TheBigBlack
Obituary - Dying Of Everything (2023)
How could I possibly not name this as my album of the week the same week it is released? As always, Obituary grinds out their death metal with sludgy determination as JT growls and gurgles his way through some of their best songs in years. The production is top notch and the songs are infectious as hell. This is the sort of album you throw at a 15 year old at an Whitechapel concert who thinks 'old guy bands should retire'. This will destroy any album by any band half their age. mindkiller8
Silverchair - Diorama (2002)
It was well known at this point in Silverchair's history that Daniel Johns was no longer interested in punching out classic songs that we all loved on Frogstomp and Freak Show. Neon Ballroom in 1999 started to give a hint on this. I actually loved this record for its diversity. When we get to Diorama, the next step away from being a hard rock band has been completed. I will point out that Johns is a brilliant song writer and that will always remain. He clearly shows he is the leader of the band at this point and has moved away from the 3-piece band that we knew when they were all teenagers. So, why am I reviewing this record? I actually am a fan, despite it being different. If you invest the time and ignore in part what they have released previously, it is a very considered and mature release that very much is focused on John's struggles/challenges of being a 'star' and the reclusive being he is. I admire him for finding the strength to put this album out. It's certainly not for everyone that is an early fan. If you forget that however, you will find a record that for the most part is enjoyable. 14 January 2023TheBigBlack
An Abstract Illusion - Woe (2022)
With 30+ years of history behind it Death Metal rarely offers anything new these days, but somehow An Abstract Illusion has given it a facelift. The album is full of brutal unrelenting machine-like drumming and guitar artistry alongside beautiful passages of orchestration, piano, and voice. The musicianship on offer is unmatched. For some this may be stretching the definition of Death Metal too far, but I think we need bands like this to push the style in new directions. mindkiller8
Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying. And The Dead! (2022)
This edition looks at a new release from a band I have loved since a teenager. We have had our differences along the way with releases. Now is time to review their latest offering. I am still only a month and a dozen listens into this one. So it's not like I am reviewing Rust in any way, so here we are with my first impressions. Overall, the best release they have delivered for a long time, and I'm talking over 15 years ago. My main concern is Dave relies a lot on spoken word instead of his usual singing tone. For example in middle part of 'Life In Hell'. Mind you this is a killer guitar riff happening at the same time. A favourite track. 'Night Stalkers' with Ice-T's influence makes you stand up and listen, as always with Ice. Him returning the favour from Mustaine's involvement with last Bodycount release I expect. Oh and that bass line toward the end - I'm in love. Another great track. Some great guitar work follows in tracks such as 'Sacrifice' and 'Soldier On'. 'Psychopathy' is the only track I can see is a waste. Ticking in at just over a minute I don't see the point. It ain't no 'Dawn Patrol'. And a very close pass for 'Mission To Mars'. Dave, they are some lame lyrics right there. Likely the best track on the record is the last track 'We'll Be Back'. Damn this is fast and catchy. Love it. I can't say for sure but it is interesting that this release marks the longest they have had between records for a long time (6 years in fact). I would love the quality over quantity into the future Dave. 7 January 2023TheBigBlack
Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying. And The Dead! (2022)
Continuing on their winning streak from Dystopia, this is an amazing album from Megadeth. If has plenty of old-school style thrashing (which is what we want, of course), and the production is perfect. Dave Mustaine's voice is in fine form (although the snarl of old seems to be all but a memory), and the solos from him and Kiko Loureiro are amazing. It isn't all smiles, as there are more than a couple of cringy-worthy lyrics (I'm looking at you in particular 'Mission To Mars'), but for the most part it is excellent. mindkiller8
The Screaming Jets - All For One (1991)
The first edition of Gravelling's provides a brief review on one of the most important debut records from an Aussie rock band that has become an institution in Australian rock history. I can't recall how I heard of the band when this record came out in 1991. Triple Y in Whyalla must have played some songs. That's the only way I would have heard the music before I went to the local record store and it had it there for sale. First track 'C'Mon' blew me away. 'Better' is the single that is still played on rotation today and for that reason it has become a song I don't like so much. If you have a close listen to the record, there are some gems in addition to those two tracks. 'Starting out' is a catchy track. 'Blue Sashes' buried in the second half of the record is a real call to arms, and I absolutely love this track. But is has to be 'Shine On' that is the true measure of how a ballsy pub rock band can put together a 'ballad' if you want to call it that (a slow song). It is catchy and a great song to sing. A great Aussie band that went onto smack out some more records that back up their first full-length. |
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