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TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10 |
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Puscifer
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Alter Bridge
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Foo Fighters
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Paul McCartney
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The Black Crowes
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The second album by the newly reformed (and reconfigured) Black Crowes doesn't stay far from the sound fans would expect from the band. Their tenth album overall, it feels somewhat 'safe' in comparison to the 2024 comeback album Happiness Bastards, but it is still brimming with the swagger and charm that brought the band to limelight in the 90s. 'Profound Prophecy', the opener, rips out the speakers with Rich Robinson's signature slide guitar taking the front of the stage. The song powers along nicely, and will be a favourite of fans for years to come. 'Cruel Streak' slows down to a mid-tempo, and although it stars out a little bland, the chorus saves it - a trademark of many a great Crowes track. A short solo from Rich feels like it could have been extended, but otherwise the song morphs into an essential track by its close. 'Pharmacy Chronicles' give the listener the first ballad of the album, and it is great, but nothing new really cuts through here. It's an auto-pilot softie, and slows the album too early. 'Do The Parasite!' slaps you awake, and some southern-style blues rock reminds you why this band was once the bees knees. The organ swells throughout and Rich's licks dominate until that divine chorus hits. 'It's Like that' is almost so paint-by-numbers it is annoying, but it doesn't matter - because it is so damn good, with that exquisite slide guitar again getting a workout. You can't hear the chorus without imagining Chris Robinson doing his Mick Jagger inspired strut, mike stand in hand, pouting a plenty. 'Blood Red Regrets' is a new sound for the band, and sounds like a sermon from the mount, with Chris preaching his lyrics over the most Led Zeppelin sounding riffs you will hear in 2026. It works beautifully, and is a great song to keep the album lifted in the second half where many others slump. 'You Call This A Good Time?' is The Black Crowes circa 1990, but could be an outtake from any of the early albums. It's a great throwback to the band's beginnings. 'Eros Blues' is probably the least interesting song on the album, both in tempo and style, and is the closest any song comes to filler. It does get a bit of punch towards the end, but is still the album's low point. It all finishes up with the dirge-like 'Doomsday Doggerel', a song that feels out of place, but works perfectly as an album closer. Chris snarls the chorus with venom, and this is the furthest the band has ever sounded from their beginnings. It is moody and at times even sparse, and ends the album with a quiet fade rather than the expected explosion. It's a welcome ending and keeps things fresh. It has to be said that it isn't quite as good as the previous album, but it certainly still stands on its own. Some of it has the feeling of being rehashed, but only enough that the songs sound familiar. It isn't a bad thing, as it helps the album sink in fast, and once it does that feeling certainly disappears. Rich's solos seem somewhat restrained throughout, and in many songs it feels like he is just about to break free - but then doesn't. Often when bands 'reform' they burst out the gate with that one good album then fade away quickly as the excitement dissipates. The great thing about album number 2 from The Black Crowes 2.0 certainly gives hope that these guys will still be around for a long time to come. |
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TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10 |
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Venom
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Vreid
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Soen
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Black Label Society
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Hellripper
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At The Gates
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Megadeth
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In what was obviously a major metal event Megadeth announced their retirement and released their final album. After 40 years and a large (and sometimes uneven) discography, the band left a legacy for fans that will be discussed and argued over for decades to come. This album will probably be one of the hot topics of debate. The two previous albums, Dystopia (2016) and The Sick, The Dying, And The Dead (2022) were both heralded by fans as some of the band's best work in years, so anticipation for the final self-titled album was obviously high. Opener (and first single) 'Tipping Point' feels like a rally to war, a portent to the music to come. It is fast and aggressive and undoubtably a signature product of no one but frontman Dave Mustaine. It opens the album perfectly, and the listener straps in tighter for the ride ahead. 'I Don't Care' is up next. It's a punky tune that is punchy, and a little bit dumb in its subject matter - but it sells easily that it doesn't want to be taken seriously. It gets the head nodding, but certainly doesn't nominate as a contender for Song Of The Year. The quality begins to take a dip at this point as 'Dead God?!' presents as the first very generic sounding track of the album. The lyrics are poignant, but nothing special, and even the short guitar solo is bland and average. 'Let There Be Shred' lifts the pace again, and although the lyrics are an ode to the guitar, they borderline on just too cheesy this time. Musically it is one of the fastest tracks, and as you would expect based on the title, has some of the best guitar work of the album. 'Puppet Parade' is mid-paced but not a bad track in comparison to some others. 'Another Bad Day' for example could have been called 'Another Bad Song'. The lyrics are childish and the song is about as bland as anything the band has ever released, not to mention how it drags on. 'Made To Kill' kicks off with a speedy riff, but before too long reveals itself to be another fairly average track. The pace is great, but tempo alone doesn't make a good song. 'Obey The Call' has one purpose - to compete with 'Another Bad Day' as the most uninteresting song on the album. The last minute actually ups the pace and saves the song from total mediocrity, but far too late for it to be particularly memorable. 'I Am War' is another paint-by-numbers sing-along plodder that is better left on the cutting room floor, than added to an album. 'The Last Note' has the honour of being the last official Megadeth album closer, and although it feels like it is building - it doesn't. Another mid paced song, it rolls along with not much to make it memorable beyond a line here or there that evokes slight emotion until it fades from the speakers. With even the guitarwork sounding average, the album - and with it the band's career - goes out with a disappointing whimper. It is worth mentioning most versions of the album contain the highly anticipated cover of Metallica's 'Ride The Lightning' as a bonus track. Not much can be said about this beyond it being a competent cover. It isn't bad, but certainly doesn't shine either. Even the soloing is note-for-note the original, leaving it feeling pretty pointless overall. That is in a nutshell what most of the album feels like - pretty pointless overall. It is all well recorded, with the entire thing feeling somewhat '90s' Megadeth for some reason - possibly due to the guitar tone - and many of the faster moments feel like they could have appeared on albums like Countdown To Extinction (1992) or Cryptic Writings (1997). It leans more toward a 'modern metal' album than the signature thrash the band is known for. To be fair - it has some good moments, and fans will certainly not be completely disappointed - but the high points are so much better than the low that the contrast jumps out. Even the guitar leads, which are sometimes exceptional, are also sometimes very dull. The lyrics are even lacking in the depth Mustaine is usually known for. Bands should never be afraid to try something new, and this was the band that even named an album Risk for that reason in 1999. This however doesn't feel like anything new, but in fact something old, and quite tired at that. No fan wanted to hear it was time to retire the band, but after hearing this it actually sounds like the right time to do so. Beyond a handful of riffs the album doesn't beg you to press play again the moment it finishes like a good album should. |
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Mayhem
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Kreator
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As much as we all love classic bands, they do need a break occasionally to recharge the batteries and (hopefully) come up with some new ideas. Kreator is great example of this. From 2001 to 2017 they released five great modern thrash albums, but by 2022's Hate Uber Alles it was all starting to sound a bit stale. The four years between that album and Krushers Of The World isn't a particularly long time by today's music standards - but it has obviously been a long enough break for the band to somewhat recharge it's batteries. Krushers Of The World is far from being a classic Kreator album, but it is grower, with some memorable moments along the way. The album opens with the riveting 'Seven Serpents', with a riff so heavy it will melt your brain. It is by far the best song on the album if a big thrash headbanger is what you are looking for. Next up, 'Satanic Anarchy', is a great representation of the rest of the album. Good, but never great. The issue with the track is that when hitting the chorus the band has chosen to break the heavy thrash and move into a melodic sing-along style. The majority of the album then follows the template - a huge thrash riff that peels the skin from your face, but then the moment is restrained by a melodic chorus. The title track slows things down to a heavy chug and is a great track. The melodic approach to the chorus works, as it fits the steady tone of the rest of the song. The solo is wonderful, and is quite intense even though the song isn't particularly fast. Death metal vocalist Britta Gortz guests on 'Tranenpalast', and it feels a bit flat and unnecessary, bringing nothing the song. The song is rather paint-by-numbers anyway, sounding like the sort of riff frontman Mille Petrozza could write in his sleep. 'Barbarian' puts the train back on the rails, with a verse riff that is very reminiscent of an 80s Kreator, until that melody again kicks in for the chorus. By this point it is so predictable that the choruses to all songs sound like the same music with different lyrics. 'Blood Of Our Blood' stands out as something different, and is a better track for it. It is still within the catchy-chorus formula, but stays fast and heavy throughout, giving it a an edge other tracks lack. As track after track plays through it is hard to find a truly memorable hook, as so many songs sound very similar at that special spot in the song where it should catch you. 'Psychotic Imperator' somehow escapes the melody chorus and is one of the best tracks on the album, regardless of being hidden away deep into the second half. 'Loyal To The Grave' closes the album with a mid-paced track, but it has very few teeth to bite with and is largely forgettable. It is hard to say a band like Kreator needs to try something new when they were a band that in the 1990s strayed so far away from their fanbase with innovation that they almost ceased to exist. Having said that though, they do need to slightly broaden the boundaries they have set for themselves on recent albums by trying not to use such a predicable template for their songwriting. The choruses are so similar it feels like you could copy / paste them between tracks and no one would even know. As already noted, the album isn't bad by any means, and most bands would be proud to produce something of this quality - bit it just doesn't leave a feeling of being excited by what you just heard. The musicianship, as always with Kreator, is world class. The guitarwork is faultless, and some of the solos are insanely good - but there are moments when it feels like an 'elder statemen' band like Kreator could push themselves just a little harder to create a genuinely unique and compelling album. |
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Exodus
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Album number 13 from Exodus, their first in 5 years, feels genuine and emotional. Goliath's biggest strength is variation - whilst most recent Exodus albums had a collection of songs at a similar tempo and style, the album opens itself up to some variations. It has some songs that reach back into earlier Exodus albums for inspiration, and some others that are a totally new direction for the band. It is more accessible than most of their recent output, and not due to the heaviness, but moreso due to a balanced production that does pit every instrument against the others in a battle of who can sound loudest. Production was handled by the band themselves, instead of the much over-used Andy 'wall of sound' Sneap. Make no mistake though, many of these tracks will still cause brain damage when listened to over long periods of time at high volume. It is also great to see that some of the songs were penned by second guitarist Lee Altus, instead of this being a 100% Gary Holt led album. It adds to the variation, and Altus has been involved with the band for long enough now to understand the Exodus DNA. Rob Dukes is back on vocals for the first time since 2014, and his voice hasn't changed much, although his vocals are a lot more restrained here - not using so much of the hardcore 'bark' he was known for, but instead attempting some variations to his vocals in a number of places. This also helps to expose the songs as individual entities that live in their own worlds, rather than blending into the album as a whole. '3111' is an odd opener, not for its subject matter (with 3,111 being the number of recorded Mexican drug cartel murders), but due to it not really having a chorus or hook. It builds slowly, and when it hits its stride it holds interest, but then trails off into a lengthy segue to the next song. It does work, but feels a little unfinished (or maybe 'unresolved' is a better word?). 'Hostis Humani Generis' feels like the first 'proper' song of the album, and with its crazy fast riffing it takes the prize for the most maniacal song on the album. The chorus has an old-school feel, but the rest of the track is a nod to the Shovel Headed Kill Machine era, with its reckless energy. 'The Changing Me' opens in a very un-Exodus way, and as the song unfurls it has a very euro-metal feel - even the chorus is very different to anything the band has done before and the breakdown prior to the solo almost sounds like In Flames or similar. Swedish death metal icon Peter Tagtgren adds a death metal growl to the chorus, which also revels something new in band's bag of tricks - a melody line behind the main riff that is very common with younger bands. Any old school fan will notice 'Promise You This' amongst the others within moments of it starting. The style is very much Exodus of the Fabulous Disaster era, with a great riff ratcheting away behind a chord line. Everything from the tempo to the style of solo drips a time in the past, and whether intentionally or not Holt has channeled a younger version of himself here. The solo in fact deserves a second mention, as it will raise many an air guitar from metal heads everywhere. The chorus is so catchy you will actually sing (growl?) along to it. Remember The Toxic Waltz? This is what it would sound like if written today. The title track is a lumbering monster, and Goliath is not only its name but also a great way to describe it. Moving at a doom metal pace, the chorus has a soaring guitar lead that sounds like Skwisgaar Skwigelf from Dethklok have been called in to assist. Buried in the mix (and probably too low) is violinist Katie Jacoby adding some flavour to the sound. 'Beyond The Event Horizon' is more of a typical modern sounding Exodus barnstormer, and is probably the track that would most easily fit onto any other recent Exodus album. Having said that though, it is still carried by a great lead riff that was often missing from other recent efforts. If any track on the album was to be called filler, it would be '2 Minutes Hate'. It isn't all forgettable though, with a solo that is excellent. 'Violence Works' is a slower grinder that starts off feeling a bit like a retread over older material, but although it never reaches close to some of the best songs on the album it does have some unexpected twists and turns. The chorus also allows Dukes a chance to sing in a higher register, and you realise that the vocal variations he makes throughout the album are as integral to its success as some of the changes Holt has made to his writing style. The album's longest song (and arguably unnecessarily so) is 'Summon Of The God Unknown', which is another slow chugger. It does somehow stay interesting though, moving through a number of riffs sooner rather than later. Just when the listener expects to be settling in for something predicable, it does keep you on your toes more than anticipated. About half way the song unexpectedly changes gears and almost turns into a different animal altogether, making this more like two songs than one. It has a massive closing chug that feels absolute at its resolve. Although it feels like a natural ending the album does have one more surprise in the wings. The riff-fest that is 'The Dirtiest Of The Dozen' closes, and this is an Exodus fan's wet dream. It is exactly the sort of track that has been missing from a lot of their recent work, giving not just endless riffing, but hooks that draw you in and have you hum along. The solos are sublime, and have a backing that has a groove that allows them to shine - so much so that we even get a bass solo from Jack Gibson. It's a great track to end the album with as it leaves you wanting more. At just under an hour, the album is just long enough that it doesn't outstay its welcome, and it has enough flavour that going back for another listen is actually quite enticing. The soloing is amazing and memorable, but that isn't surprising with the pedigree of the two men creating them. The best thing about the album is that it feels like a band that is 'now' - A band that is living in this very moment. The last couple of album felt like the band was trying to be something for its audience. This album feels like they are just making music because they enjoy doing it, and that is always where the best albums come from. |
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TheBigBlack's Metal Honourable Mentions |
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Slayer
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There are those that believe Metal Blade Records is a company that reissues albums to preserve the early history of metal, and others that believe they are always looking for a quick way to grab more cash from their early catalogue. Regardless of their motivations, fans are better for it, as this reissue proves. Actually released 41 years after the original album (but remastered back in February 2025), the triple album set contains the Hell Awaits album remastered packaged with a previously unavailable concert recorded Germany in June 1985. The original album was mastered by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman, but it was never going to be listed as one of his greatest efforts. It lacked punch and was totally lifeless. Over the years many have defended the sound, calling it dark and ominous, but it was lacklustre at best. This new mastering breathes life into the album and gives it a unexpected boost that remastering usually doesn't. The drums (always the weakest part of the original) have more clarity and actual power, rather than the tiny sound on the original, and the bass guitar is a lot more audible. Often the difference between the original and a remaster is so minuscule that there is little value in comparison, but this isn't the case here. The new mastering is without a doubt the best sounding version of the album ever made available. Regardless, a remix still would have been an even better option, but after 40 years it is likely the original tapes are long lost. As good as the remastering is though, the full concert recorded a couple of months after the release of the original album, is the jewel in the crown of the collection. This is far from a perfect listing experience, sounding more like an 'official bootleg', but it is priceless as a document of the era. Listening through headphones is a brutal experience, with the drums thundering over everything else, turning the guitars into a muddy mess of noise. Tom Araya's vocals are loud and bright and cut through with such volume they are jarring. Using speakers to listen is a better option, and although the sound is still rough, it hides many of the inconsistencies of the recording. Thankfully, the sound quality does get better as the concert progresses. By a few songs in the mix improves noticeably, likely as a result of the mixing desk adjusting the levels on the night. Regardless, it is still a low quality affair - but in some ways that is better than a polished recording anyway, as what this shows is band that is full of piss and vinegar, ready to take on the world one venue at a time. Tonally the guitars occupy a similar space, so the faster parts tend to blur as the two guitarists try to keep a similar tempo. The slower parts, like the break down mid-way through 'At Dawn They Sleep' cut through clearer, and the guitar tone screams classic thrash when it is clear. Jeff Hanneman tends to stick closer to his recorded solos (usually with subtle melody), whereas Kerry King's frantic chaotic style tends to be mostly consumed by the white noise. The vocals are ragged in places, most notably when Araya tries to put in a big scream like the ending of 'Fight Till Death', and his between song banter is often so cringe inducing it is actually embarrassing (his introduction to 'Necrophiliac' being a perfect example), but for the most part his voice holds up well. He doesn't so much sing as 'bark' many of the lyrics, but that has always been a trademark of his style. With the drums of Dave Lomardo coming through louder than anything else, it is easy to hear his playing clearly, and he proves (even this early into his career) that he is worthy of every accolade he receives. His drum work is tight and smooth, and he is the star of the recording in many ways. The song selection is superb, with a concert of decent length allowing the band to play the two full-length albums almost in entirety and still have room to slip in rarities like 'Aggressive Perfector'. The only faux par was closing with 'Praise Of Death' instead of placing 'Chemical Warfare' in the encore final spot. Otherwise, any fan would agree it is a perfect setlist for Slayer in the mid-80s. The recording isn't going to win the band any awards for sound quality, but that isn't the point. This is the closest anyone will ever come to boarding a time machine and heading back to 1985 to see the emerging thrash scene in full flight. |
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TheBigBlack's Metal Dishonourable Mentions |
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Six Feet Under
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Six Feet Under frontman Chris Barnes has a long history in the death metal scene, and no one can take away the fact that he was the original vocalist of Cannibal Corpse, potentially the most well know death metal band of all time. All that aside though, if you continue to play the game, you have to keep scoring goals - and any musician's legacy can be eroded if they keep making bad or mediocre music long enough. Barnes is proof of this, with each Six Feet Under album sounding just a little less engaging than the last, to where we are today with Next To Die. 'Approach Your Grave' starts the album out fine. It is slow, but suits Barnes' garbled vocal style well. It doesn't show much variation, and almost sounds like an early Obituary outtake. It isn't a particularly exciting song, and when the opener of most albums showcases what is to come, it isn't an inspiring portent. Track 2, the speedy 'Destroyed Remains' immediately proves itself to be a better song, but there is still nothing mind-blowing to be heard. 'Mister Blood And Guts' is next, and is the lyrics are so childish it sounds like it was written by a child, with the song title repeated over and over throughout. 'Mutilated Corpse In The Woods' is one of the best songs here, but is let down by Barnes' mumbled vocals. In fact, that can be said of the entire album. Although the music isn't breaking any new ground, it is competent old school death metal - but the vocals are just dull and uninspired, and anything unique about Barnes' vocal style back in his glory days is now long gone. There is a feeling here that he sees himself as a death metal 'elder statesman' that has the ability to lay down incredible vocals with little effort, but this album is evidence that the truth is far from it. He mumbles and grunts his way from song to song with little passion, and seemingly little interest. By 'Mind Hell' this is all starting to sound the same, but 'Naked And Dismembered' does a good job of trying to salvage something appealing from the uninspired mess it is part of. 'Grasped From Beyond' sounds the closest to early Six Feet Under the album has, and it is one of the better tracks, but like the rest of the album the muddy guitar tone sucks the life from the recording. The title track leads nicely into the final track, 'Ill Wishes' which although not heavy throughout, is easily the best track on the album. With clean moments it helps to snap the listener back to attention, something the other songs seldom do. It is actually a song begging itself worthy of a relisten, something the rest of the album doesn't tend to do. Even the whispered vocals is welcome break from the constant low growls that are throughout ever other song. If a single word could be used to describe the album, it would be 'dull'. There is nothing particularly bad or even incompetent here, but the whole thing feels like a band fulfilling a contractual obligation, like no one is enjoying themselves and they are doing this because they have to. The difference for the listener is, they aren't obligated to listen, so probably won't. |
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mk's Metal Top 10 |
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Megadeth
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This review will take a different tact to other reviews I write. C'mon, we are talking Megadeth here. One of the huge pioneers of the thrash metal scene. They were the landscape of my youth and I will always forever thank them for such classic sounding, drum roles, bass lines and shredding guitar solos that cannot be beaten and deserve the upmost respect. This review will not delve into the history of the band. The ups and downs and challenges they met along the way. The fact that they have influenced metalheads for 40 plus years is something worth acknowledging. So this review will be a break-down of each song on their self-titled finale. O.K., strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. The opening track 'Tipping Point' I find a brilliant rendition of their classic sound. Dave with his angry voice and equally angry riffs. To this day he has never lost the ability to put a solo together. The breakdown toward the end is epic and the pick up to close the opener is simply awesome. It sets the pathway for a classic album to proceed. It is in the mould of their 'modern sound' which is Countdown To Extinction onwards in my view, and that's not necessarily a bad thing really. 'I Don't Care' reminds me of the 'Sweating Bullets' song. It's a very simple but catchy song. 'Hey God' - it's confessional time in the house of Mustaine. Is this a 360 from 'The Conjuring' days? Interesting topic, but again all the standard elements of a modern day Megadeth are there. Just nothing outstanding. 'Let There Be Shred' starts off fast paced it doesn't stop. The song name can be considered a little corny, but looking into it, this is what Dave has been all about, and this is a great example of his best work. It's the first time I notice his voice is on point and the aging doesn't show, so settle in for the best of Dave, with the band supporting him perfectly. 'Puppet Parade' shows again the highlight here is Mustaine's angry spoken vocal. He is putting in his best effort, however, the song itself fails to really ignite any excitement in a snapping of necks kinda way. 'Another Bad Day' has me saying not much on this one. I'd be repeating myself. Not anything to remember. 'Made To Kill' opens with a nice drum solo for nothing different, before Mustaine takes over with his magic. A pretty straight forward in and out from this point onwards which doesn't anything different to what we have already heard. 'Obey The Call' provides a great example of it becoming a little too obvious by now that we are hearing a similar but different song, with none of it being something you'd return to for years to come. The music is tight as always, and again the riffs can't be faulted, but now it has become predictable which is unfortunate. 'I Am War' is a mid-tempo song which is the last thing you want to hear. as the second-to-last original song they will ever release. We should be at fireworks point right now, pulling out the best you ever can Dave to an ultimate crescendo to the final song, but alas. 'The Last Note' should be an explosion of reflection of their best work, both early and modern. Giving this a close listen, you only need to get past the 5 or 10 seconds of spoken word before disappointment sets in. Even the 'I came, I ruled, now I disappear' really doesn't pull at the heart strings. Dude, Mustaine, is this what the band have come to after this 40+ year legacy? It is embarrassing to be honest. I dunno - I really was hoping for a return to their best. Not note for note, but an acknowledgement of what they have written over the years. It is sad for me to say that this album will struggle to make my Top 10 releases of all time for them. It shouldn't be that way. I'll give them a favourable review in respect of the magnificent legacy they have provided to the fans, bit this is really a sad ending to a man who is bigger that he really knows I think in the legacy of thrash metal altogether. Otherwise he would have written a for the fans record, rather than a self-reflection of his own importance. I think that is what it comes down to for me. |
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mk's Metal Dishonourable Mentions |
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Six Feet Under
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Mindkiller HQ will focus at times on new releases and review with 1 or 2 listens under their wing. These will be known as 'One Listen Slingshot' reviews. Six Feet Under's latest is just 1 week old. We're a fan, so let's not muck around and just provide an initial review. Firstly, looking back, it has been approximately 30 years since lead vocalist Chris Barnes left Cannibal Corpse. Vocalist for so many of their earlier tracks' classic albums. That period (91-94) were brilliant records. I have been a casual fan of Six Feet Under and it has been a while since I have listened to them, so let's give their latest a review. Firstly, the opening track has a tone you expect to hear as the last track. It even includes fade out. Regardless it's good to hear that mellow death and roll sound slightly down tempo and Barnes vocals doing what they do so well. Track two sees the tempo increased, but there seems to be something missing. It's a very 'paint by numbers' track for a death metal song. Nothing really standing out. All members could easily fill their role in their sleep is the impression. There is a solo, or should I say solos, but made up nothing really. Listening to the remainder of the album it really does bring my review to a quick end. This release by the band is nothing and very 'stock' as Lars would say. I'd really like to know the reason the producers and the record company thinks that this is a record worth us investing in. That might sound harsh, but it is exactly what it is. Stock music. Stock vocals. We don't even get the tracks with Barnes adding his signature squeal in. A very sad start to the One Listen Slingshot set of reviews but at least I know there won't be further listens. |
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