Newsletter 1 November 2025

Week Ending:
1 November 2025

Album Of The Week

TheBigBlack

Dissonance Theory

Coroner - Dissonance Theory (2025)

[Thrash Metal]

Making a comeback album is always going to be tough - but doing it 32 years after your last one adds extra layers of difficulty. Not only is the scrutiny intensified, but the 'classic era' of a band is even more revered the farther back in the past it is. In a time where reunion albums are turning up everywhere Coroner has shown that old dogs don't need to learn new tricks - they merely have to modernise their old ones. Starting with the moody instrumental intro 'Oxymoron', the track sounds like the band breathing new life into itself. 'Consequence' blasts into action, and the pristine production is immediately apparent. Every note is clean and clear, and the sound envelops. Within moments the bass drums are pummelling, and the vocals of Ron Broder cut through. It is still that same voice from the 80s, but it is older and weatherworn - like the years away have been hard. The chorus introduces unexpected electronic elements before heading into a lengthy subtle instrumental passage, and it is clear the band has not forgone the progressive elements they were always known for. It even leaves room for Tommy Vetterli to rip through a classic metal solo. Overall it is an amazing album opener that shows elements of everything they were once known for, and begs the question - Can the rest of the album match this level of perfection? Spoiler alert: 100%. 'Sacrificial Lamb' slows the album down, and instead of speeding along it lumbers. It is not without charm through, and before the vocals even start the perfect finessing skills of the band is on display. It has some great heavy moments and is perfectly placed. 'Crisium Bound' is pure Coroner, showcasing their odd timing and song structures, hallmarks they were always known for. The syncopation in the verses is particularly dazzling, and the song builds to a big finish. 'Symmetry', the album's centrepiece is beyond mere thrash metal. It is a masterclass in the metal riff, full of complex, but still hooky patterns. The second half of the album reveals itself a little slower than the first, as it is full of complexity that takes a few listens. The down-key changes in 'Transparent Eye' are unfathomable at first, sounding like a studio effect - but make no mistake, they are no tricks here. 'Renewal' is the fastest and heaviest song here, but Coroner have resisted the urge to creep into blast beats or similar, sticking to a distinctly vintage thrash style throughout. 'Prolonging' is the shortest track on the album, but closes it well - carefully placing an organ solo as the hero of the track. Yes, you did read that correctly. An organ solo. It is a perfect and unexpected end to an album where the songs are complex, but still somehow written in a way they makes them easy to digest and appreciate. Whilst repeat spins reveal more detail, you are hooked on Dissonance Theory from the first listen - in a way old school thrash once did. Coroner have not only captured the style perfectly, but also the spirit, and sometimes that is the most important part.

mindkiller8

The Unreal Never Lived

YOB - The Unreal Never Lived (2005)

[Doom Metal]

Not sure why, but this long-lost band for me popped into my head to review the other day, not having listened to it for a long time. In keeping with my Spotlight exercise on some so-called post-metal bands that I have really enjoyed listening to in the early 2000s. A period post thrash metal, grunge, nu-metal etc, it was refreshing to discover new bands and sounds. To date I have written reviews on ISIS, Neurosis and Pelican. Now we come to the final in the series - YOB, in particular focusing on 2005 effort The Unreal Never Lived. For me, out of the four bands, the one I have enjoyed the most, although ISIS is close for different reasons. Unreal ended up being their 4th release as a band in 4 years. Yes, the lads had lot of music in the bank. Unreal delivers the standard 50 plus minute release, via 4 songs, so does take some investment to let the songs grow on you. But give it time and you will see how smart the band is with a sound that is unique to them, yet is a little typical to the general at the time. The music is gritty, mid-paced anger, but in a strange way upbeat in parts, at times, particularly in later tracks leading into a drone of music that you either enjoy for what it is, or you allow it to disturb you. Hey, there are only 4 tracks, so I'll review each one. 'Quantum Mystic' starts with a burst of thunder sound, allowing that to drop into the background, before a swarm of sound begins, just waiting to be interrupted. And it sure is, via the gritty guitar interrupting a quiet tempo for a while before the guitar takes over. Not much vocal in this song, but it is not needed. Listening to the rhythm and tempo changes through the track feed the interest enough. 'Grasping Air' has a really cool rhythm to it. Slow paced complimented buy growling, desperate vocals. Very repetitive. However, similar in ways, they have a unique knack of changing things up without notice, which I really like. 'Kosmos' is track 3 and as expected you will simply delve into another flavour of music the band has to offer. All premised on a similar guitar sound, which take priority for the track, with some anguishing speckled in the track when necessary. I'll admit, this one is not as attractive as it does lack any change in tempo as they had invested time in for the previous tracks. Now for the 'The Mental Tyrant'. A 21 minute track which you do need to buckle yourself in for an uninterrupted listen. The track almost seems like it is trying to defeat you with the dirge sound, pummeling you into submission, giving the immersed listener little chance to come up for air. It really is a journey of bleak. Eventually you will awaken to a more aggressive track, essentially doing a 180, returning to their traditional sound delivered for most of the album. In summary, yes this release is not for everyone, however I continue to be attracted by the oddity of it. By that I mean not something you can't pigeon hole, rather something at the commencement drags you in, demands your attention, and commences the process of gaining your complete attention for the next 50 minutes.

Artists: New Additions

These are new artists added this week.

Click on any images below to see artist details.

Die Spitz

Alternative Rock

Labels: New Additions

These are new labels added this week.

Click on any images below to see labels details.

A&M Records

A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and functions as a branch of Interscope-Geffen-A&M. Established in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the label initially operated independently. It rapidly gained recognition in the music industry, becoming a major-independent label until its acquisition by PolyGram in 1989. After this acquisition, A&M continued to operate as a self-managed frontline label within the PolyGram framework.

CNR Records International

CNR is a Dutch audio and video label. It was founded in 1937 as CNR Records by Cornelis Nicolaas Rood, who made his fortune as a producer of lampshades and other lighting materials. Rood regarded his record label merely as a hobby, but things changed for the better in the early 1950s when CNR bought distribution and marketing rights for several foreign pop and classical record companies. He also signed up several local artists.

EMI Records

EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its acquisition by Universal Music in 2012, it was the fourth largest business group and record label conglomerate in the music industry, and was one of the 'Big Four' record companies. Its labels included EMI Records, Parlophone, Virgin Records, and Capitol Records, which are now referenced under Universal Music due to their acquisition with the exception of Parlophone, as it is now owned by Warner Music. EMI Music Publishing is now owned by Sony Music Publishing, the music publishing division of Sony Music which bought another 70% stake in EMI Music Publishing.

Hydra

Hydra is a boutique label created by Paul McCartney to release his ambient and electronic recordings.

Koch Records / MNRK Records

MNRK Music Group (pronounced 'monarch'), formerly known as Koch Records and Entertainment One (eOne) Music/Records, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City, New Yor, U.S.A. It was formed in 1987 as a music division of Koch Entertainment, which was acquired by and absorbed into Entertainment One (or eOne for short) in 2004.

MCA Records

MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the U.K. from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other record labels, from ABC to Motown to Geffen. MCA Inc. became Universal Studios, Inc., in 1996, and the MCA record label was folded into Universal Music Group's Geffen Records in 2003, but Universal's MCA Nashville continues to use the moniker.

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe)

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) is a catalog and special markets entity for Universal Music Group (UMG) created in October 1999 to market the Universal and newly acquired PolyGram catalogues.

Verve Records

Verve Records was originally the product of the vision of jazz impresario Norman Granz (1918-2001). He formed the label in 1956 and moved all of the recordings released on his earlier Norgran Records and Clef Records labels to create the new Verve catalog. The first releases were in February of that year. In December 1960, Granz sold the label to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., becoming a subsidiary of MGM Records in the process. With the 1999 merger of PolyGram with Vivendi Universal creating the Universal Music Group, Verve Records became the hub of the The Verve Music Group, which also encompasses the influential GRP, Impulse! and Blue Thumb Records labels as well as overseeing the jazz catalog holdings of a number of UMG-owned labels, including Commodore, Chess, Brunswick (pre-1958), Argo, Cadet Records, Dot Records, Coral, Decca, ABC-Paramount, A&M Records, Mercury, Philips and Polydor.

Core Discographies: New Additions

These are new releases available in the Core Discographies this week.

Remember, Core Discographies accepts Requests. Click HERE to request your favourite album to be included.

Click on any links below to see release details.

MP3

FLAC

Various Artists
The People Speak (Documentary Soundtrack)

[Album; Compilation; Soundtrack]
8 December 2009
-Various-

'The People Speak (Documentary Soundtrack)' is a soundtrack to the documentary film of the same name.

Performer(s):

Bob Dylan - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Eddie Vedder - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Label(s):

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) (Region: U.S.A.)

Verve Records (Region: U.S.A.)

MP3

FLAC

Ringo Starr
Choose Love

[Album]
7 June 2005
Classic Rock

'Choose Love' is the fourteenth studio album by Ringo Starr.

Sir Richard Starkey MBE (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, usually for one song on each album. Starr's playing style, which emphasised feel over technical virtuosity, influenced many drummers to reconsider their playing from a compositional perspective. He also influenced various modern drumming techniques, such as the matched grip, tuning the drums lower, and using muffling devices on tonal rings. In 2011, Rolling Stone readers named him the fifth-greatest drummer of all time. He was inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, as a Beatle in 1988 and as a solo artist in 2015, and appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to music.

Performer(s):

Ringo Starr - Vocals / Drums [Member]

Label(s):

Koch Records / MNRK Records (Region: U.S.A.)

CNR Records International (Region: Europe)

MP3

FLAC

The Fireman
Rushes

[Album]
21 September 1998
Classic Rock

'Rushes' is the second studio album by The Fireman, an alter-ego of Paul McCartney. The title, when combined with the band name, references a lyric from the McCartney-penned Beatles song 'Penny Lane' - 'And then the fireman rushes in / From the pouring rain / Very strange.' It is distinguished by not relying on McCartney's previously released recordings, unlike the band's previous album 'Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest' (1993).

Sir James Paul McCartney [CH MBE] (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with The Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile and wide tenor vocal range, and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre-rock and roll pop to classical, ballads, and electronica. His songwriting partnership with Lennon is the most successful in modern music history. McCartney has had sales of 25.5 million RIAA-certified units in the U.S. His honours include an appointment as a Member Of The Order Of The British Empire in 1965, and a knighthood in 1997 for services to music. As of 2020, he is one of the wealthiest musicians in the world, with an estimated fortune of ?800 million.

Performer(s):

Paul McCartney - Vocals / Guitar / Bass Guitar / Keyboard / Drums [Member]

Paul McCartney - Production [Producer]

Label(s):

Hydra (Region: International)

EMI Records (Region: International)

MP3

FLAC

Various Artists
Woodstock 94

[Album; Live]
8 November 1994
-Various-

'Woodstock 94' is a live compilation album documenting the Woodstock 1994 festival. It was released during November 1994, nearly three months after the event took place. It features 27 performing artists, with one song per artist. The album was certified Platinum by the Music Canada in 1994 and the Recording Industry Association of America in 1995.

Performer(s):

James Hetfield - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Kirk Hammett - Guitar [Guest]

Jason Newsted - Bass Guitar [Guest]

Lars Ulrich - Drums [Guest]

Bob Dylan - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Label(s):

A&M Records (Region: International)

Location(s):

The Record Plant (Sausalito) / The Plant Studios Mixing

MP3

FLAC

Jimi Hendrix
Blues

[Album; Compilation]
26 April 1994
Classic Rock

'Blues' is a compilation album of blues songs recorded by Jimi Hendrix. Compiled by interim Hendrix producer Alan Douglas, the album contains eleven songs recorded by Hendrix between 1966 and 1970, six of which were previously unreleased. Hendrix wrote seven of the pieces; other writers include Muddy Waters, Booker T. Jones, and Elmore James. Most are demos, jams, and live recordings, which Hendrix may or may not have completed for release. Upon its release, it was met with favorable reviews and chart successes, selling over 500,000 copies in its first two years of release.

James Marshall 'Jimi' Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, songwriter and singer. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as the greatest and one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."

Performer(s):

Jimi Hendrix - Vocals / Guitar [Member]

Noel Redding - Bass Guitar [Member]

Mitch Mitchell - Drums [Member]

Label(s):

Polydor Records (Region: Europe / Australia)

MCA Records (Region: U.S.A.)

MP3

FLAC

Aerosmith
Rocks

[Album]
3 May 1976
Rock

'Rocks' is the fourth studio album by Aerosmith. It was ranked number 366 on the updated Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. It has influenced many hard rock and heavy metal artists, including Guns n' Roses, Metallica, and Nirvana. The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was one of the first to ship platinum when it was released, and has since gone quadruple platinum.

Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums), and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has also incorporated elements of pop rock, heavy metal, glam metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists. Aerosmith is sometimes referred to as 'America's Greatest Rock And Roll Band'. The primary songwriting team of Tyler and Perry is sometimes referred to as 'The Toxic Twins'. The band is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 85 million records in the United States. With 25 gold, 18 platinum, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most total certifications by an American group and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American group. They have achieved twenty-one Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards.

Label(s):

CBS Records (Region: Europe)

Columbia Records (Region: U.S.A.)

Core Discographies: This Year's Releases Coming Soon

These are new releases coming to Core Discographies soon.

All new releases are available.

Digital Library: Tagged Releases

These are new releases completed in the Digital Library this week.

Digital Library Links: Digital Library

Click on any links below to see release details.

MP3

FLAC

Various Artists
The People Speak (Documentary Soundtrack)

[Album; Compilation; Soundtrack]
8 December 2009
-Various-

'The People Speak (Documentary Soundtrack)' is a soundtrack to the documentary film of the same name.

Performer(s):

Bob Dylan - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Eddie Vedder - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Label(s):

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) (Region: U.S.A.)

Verve Records (Region: U.S.A.)

MP3

FLAC

Ringo Starr
Choose Love

[Album]
7 June 2005
Classic Rock

'Choose Love' is the fourteenth studio album by Ringo Starr.

Performer(s):

Ringo Starr - Vocals / Drums [Member]

Label(s):

Koch Records / MNRK Records (Region: U.S.A.)

CNR Records International (Region: Europe)

MP3

FLAC

The Fireman
Rushes

[Album]
21 September 1998
Classic Rock

Performer(s):

Paul McCartney - Vocals / Guitar / Bass Guitar / Keyboard / Drums [Member]

Paul McCartney - Production [Producer]

Label(s):

Hydra (Region: International)

EMI Records (Region: International)

MP3

FLAC

Various Artists
Woodstock 94

[Album; Live]
8 November 1994
-Various-

Performer(s):

James Hetfield - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Kirk Hammett - Guitar [Guest]

Jason Newsted - Bass Guitar [Guest]

Lars Ulrich - Drums [Guest]

Bob Dylan - Vocals / Guitar [Guest]

Label(s):

A&M Records (Region: International)

Location(s):

The Record Plant (Sausalito) / The Plant Studios Mixing

Digital Library: New Additions

These are new releases added in the Digital Library this week. These will be tagged at a future date.

Digital Library Links: Digital Library

Click on any links below to see release details.

David Gilmour
The Luck And Strange Concerts

[Album]
2025
Rock

David Gilmour
The Luck And Strange Concerts [HD Version]

[Album]
2025
Rock

Die Spitz
Something To Consume

[Album]
12 September 2025
Alternative Rock

'Something To Consume' is the debut album by Die Spitz.

Label(s):

Third Man Records (Region: U.S.A.)

William Shatner
Where Will The Animals? Sleep Songs For Kids And Other Living Things

[Album]
2024
Alternative

William Shatner
So Fragile, So Blue

[Album]
2024
Alternative

Aftermath
Don't Cheer Me Up [Reissue]

[Album]
2022
Thrash Metal

Truth Corroded
Bloodlands

[Album]
2019
Metal

Hatesphere
Reduced To Flesh

[Album]
2018
Death Metal

Verni
Barricade

[Album]
2018
Thrash Metal

Death Angel
The Bay Calls For Blood (Live In San Francisco)

[Album; Video; Live]
25 July 20215
Thrash Metal

'The Bay Calls For Blood (Live In San Francisco)' is a live album by Death angel.

Performer(s):

Mark Osegueda - Vocals [Member]

Label(s):

Nuclear Blast Records (Region: International)

Havok
Point Of No Return

[E.P.]
2012
Thrash Metal