All metal fans have some sort of 'compromise' CDs in their collection, whether it be for their partner, parents, children, a combination, or just because they like them!
Australian rock is one of my 'weaknesses'
The Hoodoo Gurus were a great band that put out plenty of great singles, and this CD drags them altogether onto one compilation. You can't argue with the quality of the tracks here, unless you just aren't a fan.
Australian rock bands of the 80's generally grew out of the same swamp as those of the 70's, and all hold their place in music history. The Hoodoo's are one of the best of them, and this album showcases why.
Rating : A favourite from the 80's before metal took over. 4/5.
Friday, June 16, 2006
270. Stratovarius / Dreamspace. 1994. 3/5.
This is one of the guys' early albums, and I quite like the way their music was in the early days.
You can notice a distinct difference between the way this album was written and recorded to, say the two Elements albums sound. Whereas their latter albums are undeniably power metal, this would be a very early version of that genre at best. You know what they are aiming for, but this is perhaps a little more 80's heavy than 00's heavy.
Does anyone understand what I'm saying here? I'm not sure I do...
Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I can equate with this album better than, say, Destiny, as the sound is a little closer to my heart than some of their other stuff.
Best for me on the album include Chasing Shadows, Eyes Of The World, Magic Carpet Ride, Dreamspace and Reign Of Terror.
Rating : Not bad for the era. 3/5.
You can notice a distinct difference between the way this album was written and recorded to, say the two Elements albums sound. Whereas their latter albums are undeniably power metal, this would be a very early version of that genre at best. You know what they are aiming for, but this is perhaps a little more 80's heavy than 00's heavy.
Does anyone understand what I'm saying here? I'm not sure I do...
Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I can equate with this album better than, say, Destiny, as the sound is a little closer to my heart than some of their other stuff.
Best for me on the album include Chasing Shadows, Eyes Of The World, Magic Carpet Ride, Dreamspace and Reign Of Terror.
Rating : Not bad for the era. 3/5.
269. Stratovarius / Destiny. 1998. 2.5/5.
Let's get this straight from the start. The rating for this album is a bit harsh, and it doesn't really deserve to be ranked as low as this, but it just doesn't quite slip into the ranking above this, which sustains all of those albums that I could put on at a pinch and enjoy it thoroughly.
Stratovarius are another of the plethora of power metal bands that have sprung up out of Europe in the past two decades. A lot of them are on a very similar footing, whereas their music is quite similar, and their direction is quite similar. And unless you absolutely LOVE one of these particular bands, you may not appreciate their efforts.
Destiny is a good album in this genre. Their power metal songs are excellent, the list including Destiny, No Turning Back and Rebel. Their power ballads are also in this category – if it is something you love.
No, I do not.
I appreciate their quality, but do not like them. Too slow, too ballady. Mind you, the singer really pulls off a great Michael Kiske impersonation during Years Go By and 4000 Rainy Nights, the two songs of which I speak of here.
This is probably a better quality album than I have given, but this is my opinion of music, no one else's.
Rating : I thought it showed a lot of promise, and could have been better. 2.5/5.
Stratovarius are another of the plethora of power metal bands that have sprung up out of Europe in the past two decades. A lot of them are on a very similar footing, whereas their music is quite similar, and their direction is quite similar. And unless you absolutely LOVE one of these particular bands, you may not appreciate their efforts.
Destiny is a good album in this genre. Their power metal songs are excellent, the list including Destiny, No Turning Back and Rebel. Their power ballads are also in this category – if it is something you love.
No, I do not.
I appreciate their quality, but do not like them. Too slow, too ballady. Mind you, the singer really pulls off a great Michael Kiske impersonation during Years Go By and 4000 Rainy Nights, the two songs of which I speak of here.
This is probably a better quality album than I have given, but this is my opinion of music, no one else's.
Rating : I thought it showed a lot of promise, and could have been better. 2.5/5.
268. Eddie Ojeda / Axes 2 Axes. 2005. 3.5/5
This was a really interesting find one day on a music trawl, and an impulse acquisition that has not disappointed since.
This is a solo album by Eddie, better known as the guitarist for Twisted Sister. He has recruited some all-star vocalists to guest for him here, and it is interesting to note how they perform around the material. I'm not sure whether Eddie wrote each song with the vocalist in mind, or whether it was a coincidence, but each songs mood suit the music and vocals almost perfectly.
Ronnie James Dio is his usual brilliant self on Tonight. Cohort Dee Snider has a crack at Eleanor Rigby. Joe Lynn Turner on Livin' Free is great as usual, while Eddie himself sings on the other tracks, where he is a perfect match for Evil Does (What Evil Knows).
Eddie's instrumentals are also worth the price of admission. They lose nothing in comparison to the other songs on the album.
Overall, this is a pretty slick effort. Very much in the Twisted Sister type mainstream of hard rock and heavy metal, this showcases Eddie's guitaring extremely well, and is well worth grabbing a hold of and having a listen to.
Rating : Eddie Ojeda in his own forum to display his skills. 3.5/5.
This is a solo album by Eddie, better known as the guitarist for Twisted Sister. He has recruited some all-star vocalists to guest for him here, and it is interesting to note how they perform around the material. I'm not sure whether Eddie wrote each song with the vocalist in mind, or whether it was a coincidence, but each songs mood suit the music and vocals almost perfectly.
Ronnie James Dio is his usual brilliant self on Tonight. Cohort Dee Snider has a crack at Eleanor Rigby. Joe Lynn Turner on Livin' Free is great as usual, while Eddie himself sings on the other tracks, where he is a perfect match for Evil Does (What Evil Knows).
Eddie's instrumentals are also worth the price of admission. They lose nothing in comparison to the other songs on the album.
Overall, this is a pretty slick effort. Very much in the Twisted Sister type mainstream of hard rock and heavy metal, this showcases Eddie's guitaring extremely well, and is well worth grabbing a hold of and having a listen to.
Rating : Eddie Ojeda in his own forum to display his skills. 3.5/5.
267. Godsmack / Awake. 2000. 3.5/5
I have only just recently acquired the Godsmack catalogue, but god-damn it is impressive! Awake is just one of those.
This is an instantly enjoyable album. Awake is full of the trademark Godsmack riffage, the kind of growl you want in the guitaring if you are a metal fan. While this drives the album, Sully Erna's vocals are just sensational. These are the two aspects of their music that drew me to investigate them, and they are in fine form here.
OK, so maybe it isn't a perfect album. I find metal of this genre rarely do have the 'perfect' album, if only because the songs can get a little bit similar all through the list. But that does not take anything away from the artist or this album. I think both are great.
Best here in my opinion are Sick Of Life, Awake, Goin' Down and Trippin'
Rating : Lots to like about this album. 3.5/5.
This is an instantly enjoyable album. Awake is full of the trademark Godsmack riffage, the kind of growl you want in the guitaring if you are a metal fan. While this drives the album, Sully Erna's vocals are just sensational. These are the two aspects of their music that drew me to investigate them, and they are in fine form here.
OK, so maybe it isn't a perfect album. I find metal of this genre rarely do have the 'perfect' album, if only because the songs can get a little bit similar all through the list. But that does not take anything away from the artist or this album. I think both are great.
Best here in my opinion are Sick Of Life, Awake, Goin' Down and Trippin'
Rating : Lots to like about this album. 3.5/5.
266. Tool / 10,000 Days. 2006. 1.5/5.
I got this when it was their brand newie, hot off the presses, and though I am not a huge Tool fan I was quite interested to see what they had produced this time around. The lead-up on Blabbermouth and other such sites was very positive.
So the result? Well, for me as I said, it is frustrating. There is some really good rhythm to some of the songs, and even in the middle of some songs. "10,000 Days" and "The Pot", which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance, are two of the best examples of this. But the mood of many of the songs is just not my style. Sure, maybe the hardcore Tool fans love it, but as a bit of a Johnny-come-lately to their music, and just an average Joe in the fan stakes, I am not overawed at it. It is hardly what I would class as metal these days either. Perhaps they don't want to be labelled that way, and fair enough if that is the case.
This is very eclectic stuff. I can't fault the music itself, but can only express my disinterest in it on a personal level. If you are a fan of Tool, you should love this. I must admit to having trouble.
Friday, June 09, 2006
265. Iron Maiden / Edward The Great. 2002. 5/5.
You can't argue with the song selection, simply because they are all great songs. You have to give it top marks, because it is an album full of brilliant songs. But really – no one in the known universe needs this album. Haven't you all got every one of their albums anyway?!?
Rating : I just said it! 5/5.
264. Iron Maiden / Ed Hunter. 1999. 4/5.
It also had what proclaimed to be the fan's Top 20 favourite Iron Maiden songs of all time, in order, as voted by the fan's on websites and stuff. Now, if this is true, there are some weird fans out there. You cannot convince me of ANY Iron Maiden fans who think Iron Maiden the song is their best song ever! Anyway, I guess it is good for an argument.
And for argument's sake, here is a list of what I consider to be Maiden's Top 20 songs of all time, not in any particular order, and only up to the release of this compilation:
Remember Tomorrow
Phantom Of The Opera
Murders In The Rue Morgue
Killers
Children Of The Damned
The Prisoner
Where Eagles Dare
Revelations
The Trooper
To Tame A Land
Aces High
2 Minutes To Midnight
Powerslave
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Wasted Years
Heaven Can Wait
Alexander The Great
Infinite Dreams
Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter
The Clansman
Rating: Reasonable game and reasonable song selection. 4/5.
263. Sonata Arctica / Ecliptica. 1999. 3.5/5.
I have only recently discovered Sonata Arctica, and am still slowly trying to get my way through all of their albums for a decent listen, and also to be able to rank them with a fair hearing behind them.
Ecliptica is a difficult one to rate. Sonata Arctica are fully rooted in the European power metal scene, and power metal bands can sometimes get a little samey when it comes to their music.
For the most part, Ecliptica is a good album, and a very listener-friendly one. Songs such as Blank File, My Land and Replica are terrific, and have a great fast flowing pace about them. The closer Destruction Preventer is also a pearler.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, the 'sameness' comes in a little. I found that unless I was 100% concentrating on the music, I couldn't tell which song I was up to. That does happen with some bands, and I am certainly not lumping Sonata Arctica in with that lot, because it is the fact that they are several levels above most power metal bands that they can occasionally get away with that, and not lose the interest of the listener.
I am still not fully sure how I feel about this album, but I can assure you that it is the higher echelons rather than the basement when it comes to rankings and ratings.
Rating : More power metal for the masses. 3.5/5.
Ecliptica is a difficult one to rate. Sonata Arctica are fully rooted in the European power metal scene, and power metal bands can sometimes get a little samey when it comes to their music.
For the most part, Ecliptica is a good album, and a very listener-friendly one. Songs such as Blank File, My Land and Replica are terrific, and have a great fast flowing pace about them. The closer Destruction Preventer is also a pearler.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, the 'sameness' comes in a little. I found that unless I was 100% concentrating on the music, I couldn't tell which song I was up to. That does happen with some bands, and I am certainly not lumping Sonata Arctica in with that lot, because it is the fact that they are several levels above most power metal bands that they can occasionally get away with that, and not lose the interest of the listener.
I am still not fully sure how I feel about this album, but I can assure you that it is the higher echelons rather than the basement when it comes to rankings and ratings.
Rating : More power metal for the masses. 3.5/5.
262. Yngwie J. Malmsteen / Eclipse. 1990. 2/5.
This was the album that convinced me to stop listening to any new Yngwie material, until 18 months ago – a time lag of 15 years. Damn this album for that! His stuff since has been markedly better.
Joe Lynn Turner's brief (but brilliant) term in this band had been terminated before this album, and here we find Yngwie really going for the commercial, radio-friendly type of songs that he was lusting over.
The result is a rather disappointing album. Unlike the fire and excitement that was prevalent on this albums predecessor Odyssey, this is a relatively bland and boring selection and arrangement of songs, generally without passion or inspiration.
Why Yngwie felt the need to head down this path is anyone's guess, but it was always my assumption that if he had stayed true to what he had produced on the first four albums, and with better marketing, he would be a 'radio star' anyway!
Anyhow, this was so disappointing that it stopped me buying any new material from him for 15 years. I'll bet that wasn't his intention!
Memories : We got to see Yngwie on this tour at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, which was exciting in itself. It could have been better. Even though we were in the fourth row, we had to stand on our dodgy fold-up chairs all night to see over everyone standing in front of us. The new lead singer, Goran Edman, was extremely interested in himself, to the point that it looked as though he'd be happier being in a menage-a'one. And the setlist contained a thousands crappy songs off this album and left off a lot of his brilliant earlier releases. A real shame.
Rating : Never really cut it, I'm afraid. 2/5.
Joe Lynn Turner's brief (but brilliant) term in this band had been terminated before this album, and here we find Yngwie really going for the commercial, radio-friendly type of songs that he was lusting over.
The result is a rather disappointing album. Unlike the fire and excitement that was prevalent on this albums predecessor Odyssey, this is a relatively bland and boring selection and arrangement of songs, generally without passion or inspiration.
Why Yngwie felt the need to head down this path is anyone's guess, but it was always my assumption that if he had stayed true to what he had produced on the first four albums, and with better marketing, he would be a 'radio star' anyway!
Anyhow, this was so disappointing that it stopped me buying any new material from him for 15 years. I'll bet that wasn't his intention!
Memories : We got to see Yngwie on this tour at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, which was exciting in itself. It could have been better. Even though we were in the fourth row, we had to stand on our dodgy fold-up chairs all night to see over everyone standing in front of us. The new lead singer, Goran Edman, was extremely interested in himself, to the point that it looked as though he'd be happier being in a menage-a'one. And the setlist contained a thousands crappy songs off this album and left off a lot of his brilliant earlier releases. A real shame.
Rating : Never really cut it, I'm afraid. 2/5.
261. Echobrain / Echobrain. 2002. 0/5.
Where do I start with this piece of shite?
Jason Newsted created a major stir in music circles when he quit Metallica back in 2000, essentially so that he could find an outlet for his own creative juices, which he was apparently being denied in Metallica. At the time, there was a groundswell of support for him,that he should be allowed to create his own music aside from his duties in Metallica where, let's face it, he barely got a look in when it came to writing and creating the music. At the time, there was also the appearance that the once-great Metallica was self-destructing. This band, and album, was Jason's first port of call once the dust had settled on his severance from Metallica.
It is a stink-fest.
Seriously – if this is what is the result of Jason's creative juices, he really should have stayed with Metallica and kept getting paid a billion dollars to play their hits, because this is vile. It is boring. It is unoriginal. It is liking chewing on cow manure while bathing in diarrhea. It is almost impossible to believe that Jason could believe that this is a good thing. I know it is a band effort, but these guys were always going to have the weight of expectation upon them given the circumstances of their formation. They failed.
It was torture making myself listen to this album again in order to write this review. I shouldn't have bothered. I knew what I was going to say. But I promised myself I was going to do this properly, and that meant ensuring that what I initially felt about this album was still the case. It is.
If you ever watch Metallica's "Some Kind Of Monster" documentary, you will see when Lars, Kirk and Bob go to see Echobrain live. At the end Lars utters his famous quote, “Metallica are the past, Jason is the future!” Despite Metallica not having done much for me over the past decade or so, I still laugh at this comment.
This is one of the greatest disservices to music ever recorded. I refuse to ever listen to it again.
260. David Lee Roth / Eat 'Em And Smile. 1986. 3/5.
This was DLR's first solo album after his split with Van Halen, having already tested the waters with his single releases of I Ain't Got Nobody and California Girls.
While the album itself is not a disappointment, I know that at the time of its release I was expecting something completely different, and as we know that is a dangerous thing to do NEVER go into a new album expecting ANYTHING!!!
So it is true, this wasn't the style of album that I was expecting. But it grows on you, and soon enough I found that I enjoyed it without ever becoming a huge fan of it like others that were listening to it in high school. The songs are enjoyable, and Dave always has a bright mood about his music which is transferred here.
Rating : As long as you aren't expecting Van Halen here, you will get off on the right foot. 3/5.
While the album itself is not a disappointment, I know that at the time of its release I was expecting something completely different, and as we know that is a dangerous thing to do NEVER go into a new album expecting ANYTHING!!!
So it is true, this wasn't the style of album that I was expecting. But it grows on you, and soon enough I found that I enjoyed it without ever becoming a huge fan of it like others that were listening to it in high school. The songs are enjoyable, and Dave always has a bright mood about his music which is transferred here.
Rating : As long as you aren't expecting Van Halen here, you will get off on the right foot. 3/5.
259. Alice Cooper / Easy Action. 1970. 2/5
This is very early, 4am-type Alice Cooper, and is still very much in the hippy-class of musical style. While the album retains the mood that Alice was building for his big time releases during the 70's, the songs don't hold the same kind of weight.
In the same way that the early Deep Purple albums are OK but not super, so is this from Alice. I can appreciate it for what it is, and from the time period it came from, and what it led to, but I'm not going to be ecstatic about putting it on my stereo at regular intervals to listen to it.
Still worth a listen to anyone who is interested in the way the Alice Cooper Band built its way up into what it became over the coming few years.
Rating : Historical significance is the best I can offer. 2/5.
In the same way that the early Deep Purple albums are OK but not super, so is this from Alice. I can appreciate it for what it is, and from the time period it came from, and what it led to, but I'm not going to be ecstatic about putting it on my stereo at regular intervals to listen to it.
Still worth a listen to anyone who is interested in the way the Alice Cooper Band built its way up into what it became over the coming few years.
Rating : Historical significance is the best I can offer. 2/5.
258. Y&T / Earthshaker. 1981. 3/5
More of the same from one of the bands in the 1980's who knew how to do it well.
This is one of their earliest releases, and while it is a good solid album, it resembles so many of this band's albums in that it has some good songs on it, but overall it can't quite climb out of the 'good' album rating to the 'great' album category.
I've said it all before about these guys, and it all remains the same. Great songs, like Hurricane, Squeeze, Young And Tough and Knock You Out just can't pull this album out of the normal, average and everyday. And there is nothing wrong with that. This is still a good album and a joy to put on and listen to. But when you compare it to other albums throughout history, it can't be considered above them.
Rating : Good and solid. 3/5.
This is one of their earliest releases, and while it is a good solid album, it resembles so many of this band's albums in that it has some good songs on it, but overall it can't quite climb out of the 'good' album rating to the 'great' album category.
I've said it all before about these guys, and it all remains the same. Great songs, like Hurricane, Squeeze, Young And Tough and Knock You Out just can't pull this album out of the normal, average and everyday. And there is nothing wrong with that. This is still a good album and a joy to put on and listen to. But when you compare it to other albums throughout history, it can't be considered above them.
Rating : Good and solid. 3/5.
257. Dokken / Dysfunctional. 1995. 1/5.
After eight years since their previous album, and a long break-up in between, Dokken were back with this album. But that is about all that is the same.
Over the period that they had disbanded, the Dokken sound had obviously been forgotten, or they just decided to go in a new direction. Dokken at their peak were once of the finest hair metal bands going around. This album has none of those qualities. It is a slow, more introspective and instrumentally kind of album, that really struggles to get out of first gear.
Perhaps they were going for a more updated sound and image, being in the mid-90's and all. Maybe they just thought this was a good idea. I feel they have made a huge error.
Rating : A really disappointing return from a band that had once been a winner. 1/5.
Over the period that they had disbanded, the Dokken sound had obviously been forgotten, or they just decided to go in a new direction. Dokken at their peak were once of the finest hair metal bands going around. This album has none of those qualities. It is a slow, more introspective and instrumentally kind of album, that really struggles to get out of first gear.
Perhaps they were going for a more updated sound and image, being in the mid-90's and all. Maybe they just thought this was a good idea. I feel they have made a huge error.
Rating : A really disappointing return from a band that had once been a winner. 1/5.
256. KISS / Dynasty. 1979. 2/5.
Ahhhh... the disco album. Heh heh. How much did they cop for this album, despite its success? I think it's pretty amusing looking back on it, and the stir it must have created.
Is it a great album? Weeeeeeellllllllll... not to my metal-trained ears. It is a very different KISS album, and though they obviously made a conscious decision to go in the direction that they did, they lost a lot of people with this, and then subsequent releases.
It is a fairly average kind of album, even given the hits they had off it.
Memories : The line in the movie Detroit Rock City, when the guys have picked up the disco chick, and she says “Who knows? Maybe one day KISS will record a disco album!” and of course all they guys go “No way would they ever do that!!”
Also, and perhaps more embarrassingly, at the end of the school year in 5th Class, we were all forced to endure mixed dancing – the worst part of course being that the males had to choose a female to dance with. The lovely Stephanie Hill was my choice. As it turned out, at the end there was a dancing competition to the song I Was Made For Loving You, which Stef and I won, much to her embarrassment and regret. I'm afraid being seen with me, even at age 11, killed her social status for years to come.
Rating : Just really bland for the most part. 2/5.
Is it a great album? Weeeeeeellllllllll... not to my metal-trained ears. It is a very different KISS album, and though they obviously made a conscious decision to go in the direction that they did, they lost a lot of people with this, and then subsequent releases.
It is a fairly average kind of album, even given the hits they had off it.
Memories : The line in the movie Detroit Rock City, when the guys have picked up the disco chick, and she says “Who knows? Maybe one day KISS will record a disco album!” and of course all they guys go “No way would they ever do that!!”
Also, and perhaps more embarrassingly, at the end of the school year in 5th Class, we were all forced to endure mixed dancing – the worst part of course being that the males had to choose a female to dance with. The lovely Stephanie Hill was my choice. As it turned out, at the end there was a dancing competition to the song I Was Made For Loving You, which Stef and I won, much to her embarrassment and regret. I'm afraid being seen with me, even at age 11, killed her social status for years to come.
Rating : Just really bland for the most part. 2/5.
Friday, June 02, 2006
255. W.A.S.P. / Dying For The World. 2002. 4/5.
Blackie Lawless was one pissed off man when he wrote this album, being a native of New York following the events of September 11, 2001.
No doubt a lot of passion went into this album, and though I have always liked it and enjoyed it, I have also always thought that it was missing something – like it wasn't really a W.A.S.P. album, it was a Blackie Lawless album. It was missing the underlying tongue-in-cheek quality that W.A.S.P. possessed at their peak. I certainly can't see the trademark Blackie Lawless head-wobble going as I listen to this album!
Also – Hallowed Ground is almost a carbon copy of The Idol off The Crimson Idol album. Everytime I hear this track, I think of that album. That concerns me a bit.
Apart from all of this, and the fact that I cannot agree with Blackie's extremist thoughts that he explains in the linear notes in the album booklet, this is another better than average release from W.A.S.P. I do believe it has dated a little since its release, and that some of the songs don't work as well as they could have – but then, what would I know?
Rating : Not in the traditional W.A.S.P. style, but it is effective enough to enjoy. 4/5.
No doubt a lot of passion went into this album, and though I have always liked it and enjoyed it, I have also always thought that it was missing something – like it wasn't really a W.A.S.P. album, it was a Blackie Lawless album. It was missing the underlying tongue-in-cheek quality that W.A.S.P. possessed at their peak. I certainly can't see the trademark Blackie Lawless head-wobble going as I listen to this album!
Also – Hallowed Ground is almost a carbon copy of The Idol off The Crimson Idol album. Everytime I hear this track, I think of that album. That concerns me a bit.
Apart from all of this, and the fact that I cannot agree with Blackie's extremist thoughts that he explains in the linear notes in the album booklet, this is another better than average release from W.A.S.P. I do believe it has dated a little since its release, and that some of the songs don't work as well as they could have – but then, what would I know?
Rating : Not in the traditional W.A.S.P. style, but it is effective enough to enjoy. 4/5.
254. KISS / Dressed To Kill. 1975. 4.5/5
This album is almost amusing to listen to now, but maybe that is what is so good about it.
This was probably one of the first Kiss albums I heard, when my elder cousin played it at a million decibels at my grandmothers house when he was living there.
It is a real old fashioned 1970's rock record. You can't help but bop your head along, and even start dancing around to it. This is where the classic KISS sound was – the 4/4 drum beat, Gene's bass bubbling along and Ace and Paul's guitars not doing anything fancy, but just playing the tune.
This really has dated, but the songs are still great. You can't help but pick it as a 70's album, but there is nothing wrong with that either. Its charm is still evident, and that is tribute to the songwriting and recording process that the band went on.
It is now 30 years since this album came out. If I was managing KISS, I would have got the band in the studio for two days, and re-recorded this album, given the songs and sound a modern punch without mucking about with the format, and re-released it. I reckon it could have done big business.
For favourites, see entire song list, but if pushed try Room Service, Rock Bottom, C'mon And Love Me, She, and of course Rock And Roll All Nite.
Rating : Classic KISS. 4.5/5
This was probably one of the first Kiss albums I heard, when my elder cousin played it at a million decibels at my grandmothers house when he was living there.
It is a real old fashioned 1970's rock record. You can't help but bop your head along, and even start dancing around to it. This is where the classic KISS sound was – the 4/4 drum beat, Gene's bass bubbling along and Ace and Paul's guitars not doing anything fancy, but just playing the tune.
This really has dated, but the songs are still great. You can't help but pick it as a 70's album, but there is nothing wrong with that either. Its charm is still evident, and that is tribute to the songwriting and recording process that the band went on.
It is now 30 years since this album came out. If I was managing KISS, I would have got the band in the studio for two days, and re-recorded this album, given the songs and sound a modern punch without mucking about with the format, and re-released it. I reckon it could have done big business.
For favourites, see entire song list, but if pushed try Room Service, Rock Bottom, C'mon And Love Me, She, and of course Rock And Roll All Nite.
Rating : Classic KISS. 4.5/5
253. Michael Schenker Group / Dreams And Expressions. 2001. 4/5.
Another completely instrumental album from one of the best guitarists going around.
Though on the album, each song has been designated a letter of the album title rather than a name, you wouldn't know when you are listening to the album. Each 'song' ranges from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and as they all flow into the other, it just sounds like a 43 minute instrumental piece.
It is all very rocky and guitary, and extremely listenable. My description will not be able to express to you how enjoyable this album is. Think of Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien, but with Michael Schenker.
Rating : A surprisingly terrific instrumental album from one of the masters. 4/5.
Though on the album, each song has been designated a letter of the album title rather than a name, you wouldn't know when you are listening to the album. Each 'song' ranges from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and as they all flow into the other, it just sounds like a 43 minute instrumental piece.
It is all very rocky and guitary, and extremely listenable. My description will not be able to express to you how enjoyable this album is. Think of Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien, but with Michael Schenker.
Rating : A surprisingly terrific instrumental album from one of the masters. 4/5.
252. Dio / Dream Evil. 1987. 4.5/5.
After three brilliant albums, guitarist Vivian Campbell moved on from the band, and Craig Goldy took his position on board for this album.
What came out was a slightly different sound and mood, but still a brilliant album.
Goldy's guitar sound made itself very evident from the start of the album with Night People and Dream Evil, and it was instantly likable. Ronnie as always sounded fantastic, and the album suited his usual themes.
Ronnie even brought in a boys choir to back him in All The Fools Sailed Away, which added to the whole mood of the album.
The first four tracks – those three mentioned as well as Sunset Superman – are top shelf Dio tracks. The second half of the album doesn't quite match that. In fact, the first single from the album, I Could Have Been A Dreamer, was an extremely strange choice. To say that these five tracks are weak would be far too harsh and unfair, but I have always had that nagging feeling that, unlike their first three albums, this one just doesn't quite hold the quality through to the final minutes.
Memories : Coffs Harbour, October 8, 1987. My 18th birthday. I wake up, and immediately put this album on, and basically play it all day with stopping. Then getting a 48 hour virus that wipes me out totally. Also a couple of weeks later, on Year 12 muck-up night in the school hall, playing the first side of this album, singing it at the top of my voice along with Kearo, Dale and Lewis.
Rating : Only a slight drop in brilliance in the second half of the album grates me. 4.5/5.
What came out was a slightly different sound and mood, but still a brilliant album.
Goldy's guitar sound made itself very evident from the start of the album with Night People and Dream Evil, and it was instantly likable. Ronnie as always sounded fantastic, and the album suited his usual themes.
Ronnie even brought in a boys choir to back him in All The Fools Sailed Away, which added to the whole mood of the album.
The first four tracks – those three mentioned as well as Sunset Superman – are top shelf Dio tracks. The second half of the album doesn't quite match that. In fact, the first single from the album, I Could Have Been A Dreamer, was an extremely strange choice. To say that these five tracks are weak would be far too harsh and unfair, but I have always had that nagging feeling that, unlike their first three albums, this one just doesn't quite hold the quality through to the final minutes.
Memories : Coffs Harbour, October 8, 1987. My 18th birthday. I wake up, and immediately put this album on, and basically play it all day with stopping. Then getting a 48 hour virus that wipes me out totally. Also a couple of weeks later, on Year 12 muck-up night in the school hall, playing the first side of this album, singing it at the top of my voice along with Kearo, Dale and Lewis.
Rating : Only a slight drop in brilliance in the second half of the album grates me. 4.5/5.
251. Alice Cooper / Dragontown. 2001. 3/5.
Following on from Brutal Planet, Alice continues his journey along the new musical style he has built for himself in the new decade. This is also a continuation of the story that Brutal Planet forged.
Once again, this took some getting used to, but not as much as I found with Brutal Planet. Alice's voice continues to be the driving force behind his albums, taking centre stage and changing the mood of each song with his subtle vocal changes.
It's Much Too Late is supposed to be for John Lennon. "I'm sending you all to hell / I'm tired and I'm wired here”. The Sentinel is some creature of the devil out there harvesting souls - possibly the souls of dead rock & rollers. The ode to Elvis Presley is a bit closer to the mark - Disgraceland is metal rockabilly with blazing guitars - "Went to the pearly gates / Said I'm uh here to sing / And Peter said, 'Well son, you see we already got ourselves a king'”.
The more you listen to the album, and get the most out of Alice's lyrics, the more you enjoy the album. Alice always did try to make you think when it came to his music, and he does so again here.
Rating : More Alice Cooper stuff to digest. 3/5.
Once again, this took some getting used to, but not as much as I found with Brutal Planet. Alice's voice continues to be the driving force behind his albums, taking centre stage and changing the mood of each song with his subtle vocal changes.
It's Much Too Late is supposed to be for John Lennon. "I'm sending you all to hell / I'm tired and I'm wired here”. The Sentinel is some creature of the devil out there harvesting souls - possibly the souls of dead rock & rollers. The ode to Elvis Presley is a bit closer to the mark - Disgraceland is metal rockabilly with blazing guitars - "Went to the pearly gates / Said I'm uh here to sing / And Peter said, 'Well son, you see we already got ourselves a king'”.
The more you listen to the album, and get the most out of Alice's lyrics, the more you enjoy the album. Alice always did try to make you think when it came to his music, and he does so again here.
Rating : More Alice Cooper stuff to digest. 3/5.
250. Motley Crue / Dr Feelgood. 1989. 5/5.
Whoa Nellie!! What a rush this caused when it was first released!!
The Crue had shown what they were capable of throughout the 80's, especially on Shout At The Devil and Girls Girls Girls, but one could only imagine what was to come when this album came out.
And when it did, it really exploded. Certainly the reaction from those I listened to music with was monumental.
Though a lot of the album carries the usual Motley Crue type of songs – such as Sticky Sweet, Without You and She Goes Down, there are also the balltearers that just blow you away.
You know the ones. Dr Feelgood – what an opening track, just sensational. Same Ol' Situation – a real mood lifter. Kickstart My Heart – still a classic even to this day.
This album was paydirt for the Crue, taking the best of everything they had done in the lead up albums, and put together correctly on Dr Feelgood. A classic. I'm not a fan of the slower ballad type songs, but those on this album fit so well you barely even notice.
Memories : We all saw Motley Crue on this tour in 1990 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, one of three gigs in three weeks (Alice Cooper and Skid Row being the others). The best of the best that they ever wrote. Just a sensational evening of music.
Rating : Their finest hour. 5/5.
The Crue had shown what they were capable of throughout the 80's, especially on Shout At The Devil and Girls Girls Girls, but one could only imagine what was to come when this album came out.
And when it did, it really exploded. Certainly the reaction from those I listened to music with was monumental.
Though a lot of the album carries the usual Motley Crue type of songs – such as Sticky Sweet, Without You and She Goes Down, there are also the balltearers that just blow you away.
You know the ones. Dr Feelgood – what an opening track, just sensational. Same Ol' Situation – a real mood lifter. Kickstart My Heart – still a classic even to this day.
This album was paydirt for the Crue, taking the best of everything they had done in the lead up albums, and put together correctly on Dr Feelgood. A classic. I'm not a fan of the slower ballad type songs, but those on this album fit so well you barely even notice.
Memories : We all saw Motley Crue on this tour in 1990 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, one of three gigs in three weeks (Alice Cooper and Skid Row being the others). The best of the best that they ever wrote. Just a sensational evening of music.
Rating : Their finest hour. 5/5.
249. Rainbow / Down To Earth. 1979. 4.5/5.
Following the split with Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet was hired to take on the vocalist duties with Rainbow, and it works to spectacular success. In my eyes, anyway.
With such legendary albums to try and live up to, it must have been a somewhat daunting task that faced the new line-up. But they came out and put together this brilliant album, containing some Rainbow classics.
Bonnet's vocals, which are also up there in the list of most prominent and recognisable in metal music, combined with Blackmore's distinctive guitar, blend together here in perfect harmony.
Not only is it hard to believe that this album is so maligned in Rainbow's history, it is a real shame that Bonnet did not make more albums as Rainbow's vocalist. He had a history of being unable to stay in bands which given his talent is a crying shame.
Best here on this album include All Night Long, Eyes Of The World, Since You Been Gone, Danger Zone and Lost In Hollywood.
Rating : What Rainbow lost with Dio they then lost with Bonnet. 4.5/5.
With such legendary albums to try and live up to, it must have been a somewhat daunting task that faced the new line-up. But they came out and put together this brilliant album, containing some Rainbow classics.
Bonnet's vocals, which are also up there in the list of most prominent and recognisable in metal music, combined with Blackmore's distinctive guitar, blend together here in perfect harmony.
Not only is it hard to believe that this album is so maligned in Rainbow's history, it is a real shame that Bonnet did not make more albums as Rainbow's vocalist. He had a history of being unable to stay in bands which given his talent is a crying shame.
Best here on this album include All Night Long, Eyes Of The World, Since You Been Gone, Danger Zone and Lost In Hollywood.
Rating : What Rainbow lost with Dio they then lost with Bonnet. 4.5/5.
248. Ozzy Osbourne / Down To Earth. 2001. 3/5.
Anyway, the album arrived, I put it on, and after those first few listens I become aware of a few little things that have changed in the Osbourne music empire. The first was that Zakk Wylde was not involved in the writing of the album due to being away on tour with his other band Black Label Society. That immediately felt like a loss. Secondly, there was a vast array of co-writers of all the tracks, something that always makes me feel that the album itself will not meld together because of the difference of styles and thoughts on songs to write. That isn’t always the way (Alice Cooper’s Hey Stoopid) is a perfect example of this working to perfection) and Ozzy had done this before with success... but I didn’t really know these writers, so I went in with trepidation. And thirdly, well... did Ozzy still have what he needed to produce a great album?
The start of the album comes at you with “Gets Me Through” which while it has a similar energy in the song as other opening tracks on Ozzy albums, it does not have the same speed or momentum as those. It is a sign of things to come, but probably wasn’t unexpected given the way that has begun to be wound back in plenty of American metal music of this vintage. Settling in alongside Mike Bordin’s drumbeat rather than flying over the top of it, it creates the kind of heavy slog paced song that has become the norm for metal bands. It isn’t unpleasant and indeed works well in songs like “Gets Me Through” and “Facing Hell” and “That I Never Had” and “Junkie”, but while giving us a heavy sound it has traded off the faster tempo of earlier albums. Which again, is great when the song works, such as the three I’ve just mentioned, but it makes it harder to enjoy if that combination doesn’t come good. Picky much? Yes, I can admit it certainly is.
Now there are areas where some of the songs don’t work – for me. “Dreamer” is the album’s attempt to find Ozzy’s perfect ballad, and Ozzy can definitely perform them as he has on most of his albums through his career. As per my other reviews, they rarely win me over just because they are not my preferred kind of song. Ozzy sounds great on this song but it isn’t my cup of tea. “No Easy Way Out” is on a similar plane, and is another of the songs that has gone for a keyboard/synth base rather than the guitar strength. Whether this is by the design of the song collaborators or the fact that Zakk wasn’t involved in the writing process, I don’t know. Add in “You Know... (Part 1)” which is really just a filler between two other songs for me. “Running Out of Time” dips into ballad territory again, and finishes with the keys and backing sighs dominating again, in a very 1970’s progressive style. “Black Illusion” doesn’t do anything for me at all, and with the chorused vocals and sludgy tempo and guitar it actually feels as though it would have been a better Black Label Society song if Zakk had taken over the writing of it. “Alive” is very similar, just too darn nu-metal in pace if not musically. And as a closer, “Can You Hear Them?” doesn’t inspire much except some relief that the album has in fact come to an end.
When this came out I was sitting with a couple of friends listening to the whole album a couple of times, drinking beer under the clear skies. All of us came to the same conclusion, which was “What the hell is Ozzy coming to?” It wasn’t as if we hated the album, but it was so very different from what we had loved from him and his various bands in the past that this album was difficult to collate. That feeling hasn’t changed over the years, and I doubt it ever will. There are some very listenable songs on this album but some other pieces that are from another planet, another Ozzy. I have no doubt that the writing of the album was influenced by the kind of bands Ozzy had been playing with at Ozzfest, and that he was trying to incorporate that into his own music. There’s no problem with trying to do that, and maybe the younger fans enjoyed the change. But for those of us who have been around a while, I guess what we wanted was to hear what he usually gave us, and we didn’t get that. Ozzy released his Live at Budokan album from this tour, and to be fair the three songs off this album that he performed live on that all sounded better live.
But overall, I feel as though this was turning point for Ozzy. The past was in the rearview mirror and it felt much different from what the present held, and maybe what the future had in store. Ozzy sounds great here, as do Zakk, Mike and Rob Trujillo. But the songs... well... there is a conflict there.
Best Songs: “Gets Me Through”, “Facing Hell”, “That I Never Had”, “Junkie”.
Rating: “Is it god that sits there waiting or will the darkness suck me in.” 3/5
247. Soundgarden / Down On The Upside. 1996. 3.5/5.
This was unfortunately the final album for Soundgarden, who split following this tour. Their break-up signalled the beginning of the end for the Seattle scene as it had been for the past six or seven years.
Their final album is a mixture of brilliant and average. I've always thought that the first seven songs of this album represent the band's greatest work, while most of their hardcore fans see it as too commercialised and a sell-out.
I think Pretty Noose, Blow Up The Outside World, Burden In My Hand and Ty Cobb are just great songs, and the equal of anything else they released.
Take that with the second half of the album, which fails to excite me at any point. They are average songs without any fire. Did they run out of inspiration? Maybe. Perhaps that's why they went their separate ways. It is as if they only had enough for seven songs, so they put those at the front of the album, and put all the filler in the back half.
No matter. Though we were not to know that it was their final opus, the door certainly closed on a great band.
Rating : 1st half of the album 4.5/5. 2nd half of the album 3/5. Total 3.5/5.
Their final album is a mixture of brilliant and average. I've always thought that the first seven songs of this album represent the band's greatest work, while most of their hardcore fans see it as too commercialised and a sell-out.
I think Pretty Noose, Blow Up The Outside World, Burden In My Hand and Ty Cobb are just great songs, and the equal of anything else they released.
Take that with the second half of the album, which fails to excite me at any point. They are average songs without any fire. Did they run out of inspiration? Maybe. Perhaps that's why they went their separate ways. It is as if they only had enough for seven songs, so they put those at the front of the album, and put all the filler in the back half.
No matter. Though we were not to know that it was their final opus, the door certainly closed on a great band.
Rating : 1st half of the album 4.5/5. 2nd half of the album 3/5. Total 3.5/5.
246. Y&T / Down For The Count. 1985. 3.5/5.
More of what you know from the Y&T stable.
This is another great rockin' album. Every song keeps the tempo up and moving. Dave Meniketti's vocals are one of the most recognisable in the heavy metal industry, a great signature for a band to have.
OK, it's a Y&T album, and as with most of their albums in the 1980's it is very similar to its predecessors. Most of the time this can be a hinderance for a band, as it eventually became for these guys. Still, what I like about Y&T is that when you put on one of their albums, you generally know what to expect. Meniketti really is one of my favourites of all time, mainly for his vocals, but also his guitaring and song-writing.
What is with the cover of Your Mama Don't Dance though? I find it OK, but just unexpected.
Favourites on this disc for me include Face Like An Angel, In The Name Of Rock, Looks Like Trouble and Don't Tell Me What To Wear.
Rating : Y&T still rockin' in the '80's. :) 3.5/5.
This is another great rockin' album. Every song keeps the tempo up and moving. Dave Meniketti's vocals are one of the most recognisable in the heavy metal industry, a great signature for a band to have.
OK, it's a Y&T album, and as with most of their albums in the 1980's it is very similar to its predecessors. Most of the time this can be a hinderance for a band, as it eventually became for these guys. Still, what I like about Y&T is that when you put on one of their albums, you generally know what to expect. Meniketti really is one of my favourites of all time, mainly for his vocals, but also his guitaring and song-writing.
What is with the cover of Your Mama Don't Dance though? I find it OK, but just unexpected.
Favourites on this disc for me include Face Like An Angel, In The Name Of Rock, Looks Like Trouble and Don't Tell Me What To Wear.
Rating : Y&T still rockin' in the '80's. :) 3.5/5.
245. KISS / Double Platinum. 1978. 5/5
This is the definitive best-of collection of KISS pre-1978, which many call their Golden Age. Whether or not you believe that, this album holds the best that they produced
No need to go any further really. Best-of. If you want it, get it!
Rating : Couldn't do better than this for the era. 5/5.
No need to go any further really. Best-of. If you want it, get it!
Rating : Couldn't do better than this for the era. 5/5.
244. W.A.S.P. / Double Live Assassins. 1998. 5/5.
Hot on the heels of the return of Chris Holmes and the rising of W.A.S.P. from the ashes came this double live album, recorded on the K.F.D tour through 1997.
Double Live Assassins brilliantly captures the band live and in their element. The album, while containing quite a few songs from the latest album, still covers material covering the band's entire career, and while it is not a definitive song list, it does justice to W.A.S.P.'s greatness.
I have always been slightly suspicious of the vocal quality on this album – has there been any overdubbing? I have found no evidence either way to suggest they have or haven't. I am also not as taken with the songs from K.F.D, but you can't have everything, can you?!
I'll give you this though – this sounds bloody superb, especially at 200 decibels at 10.30pm in a deserted BP service station!!
Rating : As good a live album as you could wish to hear. 5/5.
Double Live Assassins brilliantly captures the band live and in their element. The album, while containing quite a few songs from the latest album, still covers material covering the band's entire career, and while it is not a definitive song list, it does justice to W.A.S.P.'s greatness.
I have always been slightly suspicious of the vocal quality on this album – has there been any overdubbing? I have found no evidence either way to suggest they have or haven't. I am also not as taken with the songs from K.F.D, but you can't have everything, can you?!
I'll give you this though – this sounds bloody superb, especially at 200 decibels at 10.30pm in a deserted BP service station!!
Rating : As good a live album as you could wish to hear. 5/5.
243. The Mutton Birds / Don't Fear The Reaper [Single]. 1998. 2.5/5.
This was the single off the soundtrack to The Frighteners. I've always like the song (the original of course by the Blue Oyster Cult), and bought this on a whim in Newtown one day.
The single of course is good. Not a bad remake at all. The other two songs are ordinary.
Rating: Meh. 2.5/5.
The single of course is good. Not a bad remake at all. The other two songs are ordinary.
Rating: Meh. 2.5/5.
242. Andi Deris / Done By Mirrors. 2000. 3/5.
This is pretty standard stuff from Andi, doing his own stuff away from what he is better known as these days, which is a part of Helloween.
He doesn't set any records for originality, but it seems that this album is really serving as the opportunity for Andi to get his other influences out of his system that he doesn't with his band.
And in a lot of ways, that is a good thing. Like I said, there is nothing too special about this release. It is middle-of-the-road hard rock kinda stuff, non-threatening and easy enough to listen to. But it doesn't inflame the desire or capture the imagination either.
Best on the album for me include Let Your Love Fly Free, Free and Back Again.
Rating : Not for the true heavy metal fan, but worth listening to if you are a hard rock connoisseur. 3/5.
He doesn't set any records for originality, but it seems that this album is really serving as the opportunity for Andi to get his other influences out of his system that he doesn't with his band.
And in a lot of ways, that is a good thing. Like I said, there is nothing too special about this release. It is middle-of-the-road hard rock kinda stuff, non-threatening and easy enough to listen to. But it doesn't inflame the desire or capture the imagination either.
Best on the album for me include Let Your Love Fly Free, Free and Back Again.
Rating : Not for the true heavy metal fan, but worth listening to if you are a hard rock connoisseur. 3/5.
241. Symphony X / The Divine Wings Of Tragedy. 1997. 4/5.
I didn't discover Symphony X until their Odyssey album, and then backtracked to pick up their back catalogue.
This album reminds me a lot of Yngwie Malmsteen's best stuff – great vocals, great guitaring, prominent keyboards and terrific drumming. Though from this popint of their careers they go more in the Dream Theater vein musically, this is very much in the 80's Malmsteen tradition. This is especially so on the first three tracks of the album – Of Sins And Shadows, Sea Of Lies and Out Of The Ashes.
The song The Divine Wings Of Tragedy is certainly a marathon, and doesn't quite hold itself all the way through. Unlike those songs listed above, and Pharoah and The Eyes Of Medusa, it just doesn't maintain the album for me. I think they could have done it better. That of course is just my opinion.
Rating : A great album with a great sound. 4/5.
This album reminds me a lot of Yngwie Malmsteen's best stuff – great vocals, great guitaring, prominent keyboards and terrific drumming. Though from this popint of their careers they go more in the Dream Theater vein musically, this is very much in the 80's Malmsteen tradition. This is especially so on the first three tracks of the album – Of Sins And Shadows, Sea Of Lies and Out Of The Ashes.
The song The Divine Wings Of Tragedy is certainly a marathon, and doesn't quite hold itself all the way through. Unlike those songs listed above, and Pharoah and The Eyes Of Medusa, it just doesn't maintain the album for me. I think they could have done it better. That of course is just my opinion.
Rating : A great album with a great sound. 4/5.
240. Slayer / Divine Intervention. 1994. 4.5/5.
The departure of Dave Lombardo meant that Slayer recorded an album without the original line up for the first time. Paul Bostaph was drafted in to replace him, and Divine Intervention became the result.
Subtle changes from their previous recordings? Perhaps. Perhaps it is just my ears. Tom's vocals on Serenity In Murder certainly throw you the first time you hear them. Overall of course, it is business as usual for the band that still reigns at the top of the thrash tree.
By not following their exact blueprint with each album, Slayer are able to continue to provide brilliant albums without repetition. Divine Intervention is a great follow up to Seasons In The Abyss.
Favourites from the album for me include Fictional Reality, Dittohead, Circle Of Beliefs, SS-3, Serenity In Murder and Mind Control.
Memories : I was lined up to see Slayer on this tour, but an unfortunate separation between myself and Helen had me doing a lot of crazy things, including missing this. Looking back now, why?!?! Surely Slayer would have been the best antidote to having the crap kicked out of you?!?
Rating : Another superb piece of album-ship from the masters of their craft. 4.5/5
Subtle changes from their previous recordings? Perhaps. Perhaps it is just my ears. Tom's vocals on Serenity In Murder certainly throw you the first time you hear them. Overall of course, it is business as usual for the band that still reigns at the top of the thrash tree.
By not following their exact blueprint with each album, Slayer are able to continue to provide brilliant albums without repetition. Divine Intervention is a great follow up to Seasons In The Abyss.
Favourites from the album for me include Fictional Reality, Dittohead, Circle Of Beliefs, SS-3, Serenity In Murder and Mind Control.
Memories : I was lined up to see Slayer on this tour, but an unfortunate separation between myself and Helen had me doing a lot of crazy things, including missing this. Looking back now, why?!?! Surely Slayer would have been the best antidote to having the crap kicked out of you?!?
Rating : Another superb piece of album-ship from the masters of their craft. 4.5/5
239. Van Halen / Diver Down. 1982. 0.5/5.
Seriously. Come on. Someone. Tell me what they were thinking when they released this!?!! I still can't comprehend it, and it's been 20 years!!
This is Van Halen, right? One of the innovators, one of those bands that set trends and made being in a band look easy? Then what is this TRIPE!!!
I am sorry to all of those people out there that like this album, but really...
Let's do a couple of songs at the start that are fairly tame, but at least make you think that something good must be coming up.
No. We have two cover songs – seriously! Cover songs! Pretty Woman and Dancing In The Street! WHY!!!? Had they run out of ideas? Did they have no talent for writing songs?
Well... listening to the rest of the album, you could easily lead me to believe that it was true.
This is completely forgettable. It is one of those albums that I should never have purchased.
Rating : Oh. My. God. 0.5/5
This is Van Halen, right? One of the innovators, one of those bands that set trends and made being in a band look easy? Then what is this TRIPE!!!
I am sorry to all of those people out there that like this album, but really...
Let's do a couple of songs at the start that are fairly tame, but at least make you think that something good must be coming up.
No. We have two cover songs – seriously! Cover songs! Pretty Woman and Dancing In The Street! WHY!!!? Had they run out of ideas? Did they have no talent for writing songs?
Well... listening to the rest of the album, you could easily lead me to believe that it was true.
This is completely forgettable. It is one of those albums that I should never have purchased.
Rating : Oh. My. God. 0.5/5
238. Live / The Distance To Here. 1999. 3.5/5
This is more a return to form for Live after their inconsistent previous release Secret Samadhi. For the most part of this album, it is a return to their real rock sound, with their alternative roots.
Live is a band that I have very high peaks and troughs with, not because of the music generally, but because of my mood swings in regards to the likability of other forms of music other than heavy metal. Live have always fallen into that category.
Here though they put together an album that keeps the beat flowing through most of the album. There are what I would term a few flat spots on the second half of the disc. But overall it is a good album.
Favourites for me include The Dolphin's Cry, The Distance, Run To The Water and Feel The Quiet River Rage.
Rating : A pretty good effort. 3.5/5.
Live is a band that I have very high peaks and troughs with, not because of the music generally, but because of my mood swings in regards to the likability of other forms of music other than heavy metal. Live have always fallen into that category.
Here though they put together an album that keeps the beat flowing through most of the album. There are what I would term a few flat spots on the second half of the disc. But overall it is a good album.
Favourites for me include The Dolphin's Cry, The Distance, Run To The Water and Feel The Quiet River Rage.
Rating : A pretty good effort. 3.5/5.
237. Alice Cooper / Dirty Diamonds. 2005. 4/5.
Alice Cooper just keeps on keeping on, and has another great album here.
What you will notice about this album is that it is a real throwback to his early work. It is a real danger to compare albums, especially to bonafide great ones, but Dirty Diamonds reminds me a lot of the way Billion Dollar Babies and Welcome To My Nightmare were written and arranged. There is plenty of fast and heavier material, then slow and retrospective material. The guitaring on this album is different from just about anything else Alice has ever done, and it gives the album a modern feel that agrees completely with the style and arrangement.
This is an Alice album for the new millenium. It is an impressive advancement once again. Alice has already shown his ability to adapt from the 70's to the 80's and 90's, and here he had made the slight adjustment that he needed from Brutal Planet and Dragontown to find the right balance.
My favourites from the album include Woman Of Mass Distraction, You Make Me Wanna, Dirty Diamonds, Steal That Car, Your Own Worst Enemy and Stand.
Rating : A great entry into the Alice Cooper discography. 4/5.
What you will notice about this album is that it is a real throwback to his early work. It is a real danger to compare albums, especially to bonafide great ones, but Dirty Diamonds reminds me a lot of the way Billion Dollar Babies and Welcome To My Nightmare were written and arranged. There is plenty of fast and heavier material, then slow and retrospective material. The guitaring on this album is different from just about anything else Alice has ever done, and it gives the album a modern feel that agrees completely with the style and arrangement.
This is an Alice album for the new millenium. It is an impressive advancement once again. Alice has already shown his ability to adapt from the 70's to the 80's and 90's, and here he had made the slight adjustment that he needed from Brutal Planet and Dragontown to find the right balance.
My favourites from the album include Woman Of Mass Distraction, You Make Me Wanna, Dirty Diamonds, Steal That Car, Your Own Worst Enemy and Stand.
Rating : A great entry into the Alice Cooper discography. 4/5.
Friday, May 26, 2006
236. AC/DC / Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap [Australian Version]. 1976. 3.5/5.
Following up on the huge success of T.N.T., this album again contains some of the band's best known, most loved and most played songs. Everyone in the world knows the song (and most likely the film clip) for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". It's a terrific song with a great riff, memorable lyrics and the perfect sing-along song. "Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire)" is a slow burn, and probably takes to long to get wound up and going, sitting on the same riff and pace for the first half of the song. "There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'" harks back to the start of rock n' roll, a blues based rock song that incorporates a lot of repeated vocals with a blues solo from Angus along the way. It's a bit too repetitive and anodised for my liking. The energy returns with "Problem Child", a song much more like the AC/DC we know and a more suitable solo break from Angus. "Squealer" and "Big Balls" for me are very average songs. I like both to a certain degree, but there just isn't enough in either song to make me say "Yes! Let's play these songs on my random tracks tonight!" "R.I.P. (Rock In Peace)" is the second full-on blues number on the album, and for me fulfils the same thoughts. The blues are fine for blues bands, and I understand that the influences that these guys would have had would have been some of the blues legends, but apart from certain selections the blues bores me to tears. "Ride On" is a great song, a standout on the album more for the reason of its mellow tendencies, a quiet, reflectful tune that does seem to be out of place, and yet fits in perfectly within the album framework. It's not a song you would choose to play if you are in an AC/DC rocking mood, but its place in the folklore is set.
After a long tough road, we finally get to the closing number, which is another of those classic, legendary songs, "Jailbreak". Again, everyone knows the song, and everyone knows the film clip. It is a great hard rock song, that closes the album on a positive note. When I first bought this album on cassette, I could play the first track, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", and when it had finished flip it over, and it coincided almost perfectly with the start of "Jailbreak", which I would then play. And then the cycle would repeat. To be honest, I think this sort of sums up my thoughts on this album perfectly.
In comparing this album with T.N.T., there really is no comparison. taken away the first and last tracks and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap would be classed as a very average album by anyone except hardcore, die hard fans of the band. I can add probably three other songs here that I would be able to put high up in the AC/DC catalogue, but the rest would remain in the middle selection.
Rating: All in the name of liberty 3.5/5
235. AC/DC / Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap [International Version]. 1976. 3.5/5
Following up on the huge success of High Voltage, this album contains a couple of the band's best known, most loved and most played songs. Everyone in the world knows the song (and most likely the film clip) for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". It's a terrific song with a great riff, memorable lyrics and the perfect sing-along song. "Love at First Feel" is a great follow up, with a terrific groove and led by Bon's smooth vocals and Angus' guitar riff. "Big Balls" for me is a rather average song. It is likeable to a certain degree, but in the long run there isn't enough to really entrance me. "Rocker" is much like its title, a real back-to-roots rock 'n roll song, such that it could have been a 1950's cover version. The energy continues with "Problem Child", a song much more like the AC/DC we know and a more suitable solo break from Angus. This is followed by "There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'", which harks back to the start of rock n' roll, a blues based rock song that incorporates a lot of repeated vocals with a blues solo from Angus along the way. It's a bit too repetitive and anodised for my liking. "Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire)" is a slow burn, and probably takes too long to get wound up and going, sitting on the same riff and pace for the first half of the song. "Ride On" is a great song, a standout on the album more for the reason of its mellow tendencies, a quiet, reflectful tune that does seem to be out of place, and yet fits in perfectly within the album framework. It's not a song you would choose to play if you are in an AC/DC rocking mood, but its place in the folklore is set. The album ends with "Squealer", which for me is a lot like "Big Balls" earlier in the album.
There are some good songs here, those being "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Love at First Feel" and "Problem Child", but there are some others that don't really do the job for me musically. No doubt the hard core fans will see it differently, but apart from the fact that you can still enjoy material that isn't quite at the top of the tree, this has a few misses.
Rating: She keeps nagging at your night and day, enough to drive you nuts. 3.5/5
234. Alice In Chains / Dirt. 1992. 5/5.
Following on from their brilliant debut album Facelift, Alice In Chains came back with this follow-up, and stunned the alternative music world. Few thought that they could match the kind of anger that they produced on that first release, but they were wrong.
From the opening guitar in Dam That River it was obvious that Alice In Chains had taken themselves to another level. Layne's angst-ridden aggression-filled virtuoso's. Jerry's perfectly crafted 'killing-me-softly' lyrical sledgehammers. Their unbelievable harmonies, the blending of two voices that makes Alice In Chains who they are.
Choosing favourites is a bit unfair on an album such as this, but take Down In A Hole, Rooster, Rain When I Die, Angry Chair and Would? and you would have a pretty good list.
Memories : I saw Alice In Chains live on this tour at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, supported by, of all bands, Suicidal Tendencies! It really was an unbelievable gig, and even though Layne was not 100% (a flu he told us, though you had to wonder) he was still superb. I bought this album from the record club I was in at the time, and the day it arrived I was at home alone. I put it in my CD player – and it didn't leave it for weeks.
Rating : Just a sensational album for that period in music history. 5/5.
From the opening guitar in Dam That River it was obvious that Alice In Chains had taken themselves to another level. Layne's angst-ridden aggression-filled virtuoso's. Jerry's perfectly crafted 'killing-me-softly' lyrical sledgehammers. Their unbelievable harmonies, the blending of two voices that makes Alice In Chains who they are.
Choosing favourites is a bit unfair on an album such as this, but take Down In A Hole, Rooster, Rain When I Die, Angry Chair and Would? and you would have a pretty good list.
Memories : I saw Alice In Chains live on this tour at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, supported by, of all bands, Suicidal Tendencies! It really was an unbelievable gig, and even though Layne was not 100% (a flu he told us, though you had to wonder) he was still superb. I bought this album from the record club I was in at the time, and the day it arrived I was at home alone. I put it in my CD player – and it didn't leave it for weeks.
Rating : Just a sensational album for that period in music history. 5/5.
233. Rainbow / Difficult To Cure. 1981. 3.5/5
Graham Bonnet lasted one album as lead singer of Rainbow. Following his departure, a replacement was found in Joe Lynn Turner, and another beautiful partnership began.
The album itself is a mixture. While it gets off to a rollicking start with I Surrender and Spotlight Kid, it does lose momentum in the middle, especially with Ritchie's instrumental. The back half of the album recovers ground, but it is slightly disappointing after the great start.
JLT makes a solid beginning to his Rainbow career. The combination of Turner's vocals, Blackmore's guitaring, Roger Glover's excellent bass lines and the drumming of Bobby Rondinelli lay the foundations of a solid album. One does wonder in hindsight though where Rainbow's audience was coming from at this time in the early 80's.
My favourites from the album include I Surrender, Spotlight Kid, Magic, Can't Happen Here and Difficult To Cure.
Rating : The good is very very good, and the rest is pretty boring. 3.5/5.
The album itself is a mixture. While it gets off to a rollicking start with I Surrender and Spotlight Kid, it does lose momentum in the middle, especially with Ritchie's instrumental. The back half of the album recovers ground, but it is slightly disappointing after the great start.
JLT makes a solid beginning to his Rainbow career. The combination of Turner's vocals, Blackmore's guitaring, Roger Glover's excellent bass lines and the drumming of Bobby Rondinelli lay the foundations of a solid album. One does wonder in hindsight though where Rainbow's audience was coming from at this time in the early 80's.
My favourites from the album include I Surrender, Spotlight Kid, Magic, Can't Happen Here and Difficult To Cure.
Rating : The good is very very good, and the rest is pretty boring. 3.5/5.
232. Metallica / Die, Die My Darling [Single]. 1998. 5/5.
This was one of the singles released off the double disc Garage Inc. compilation, which comprised completely of cover songs from over the years. The single, Die Die My Darling is a cover of a Misfits song.
The other two songs were recorded live on their short tour to play the best of these tracks live. The first is Sabbra Cadabra by Black Sabbath, which incorporates A National Acrobat as well. The second is a medley entitled Mercyful Fate, which contains the Mercyful fate songs Satan's Fall, Curse Of The Pharaohs, A Corpse Without Soul, Into The Coven and Evil.
These were my favourite three songs off the 'new' section of Garage Inc., and they are all brilliant. Mercyful Fate live is sensational.
Rating : This is as good as a single release can get. Absolutely sensational. 5/5.
The other two songs were recorded live on their short tour to play the best of these tracks live. The first is Sabbra Cadabra by Black Sabbath, which incorporates A National Acrobat as well. The second is a medley entitled Mercyful Fate, which contains the Mercyful fate songs Satan's Fall, Curse Of The Pharaohs, A Corpse Without Soul, Into The Coven and Evil.
These were my favourite three songs off the 'new' section of Garage Inc., and they are all brilliant. Mercyful Fate live is sensational.
Rating : This is as good as a single release can get. Absolutely sensational. 5/5.
231. Ozzy Osbourne / Diary Of A Madman. 1981. 5/5.
Ozzy Osbourne’s story through the 1970’s with Black Sabbath is one of outrageous success, incomprehensible drug and alcohol consumption, and a messy break up that left him on his own and bereft of opportunity. The story of his redemption, of coming together with another successful band that recorded and released an album - Blizzard of Ozz - that helped put his name back in lights in the music business, is also worthy of his tale. What is more interesting is what has come to light in recent years about how and who recorded those first two albums, and the cut-throat way that several people involved were treated. It’s not a particularly happy tale. For anyone who is truly interested in what happened with the band, which initially was meant to be called The Blizzard of Ozz rather than have the album of the same name credited solely to Ozzy Osbourne as a solo release, and how things began to fall apart due to the single minded attitude of Sharon Arden, soon to be Sharon Osbourne, then you should most definitely read Bob Daisley’s wonderful autobiography “For Facts Sake...” which gives an in depth and detailed version of the events surrounding this time.
Beyond this though, the same line up that recorded the first album, Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake, again wrote and recorded all the material for the sophomore release, Diary of a Madman. Given the success of that album and the breakthrough performance of previously unknown guitar prodigy Randy Rhoads on it, the chance to follow that up with even more diversified songs and put their stamp on the metal music world as it was at the time would have been uppermost in their minds. Ozzy’s former band Black Sabbath had had a major hit with their Heaven and Hell release at the same time that Blizzard of Ozz came out, and their follow up to that, Mob Rules, was released just three days prior to the release of Diary of a Madman. No matter what was being said around both bands, you can be sure all of the members would have been intensely interested in the success of the other.
Much like the preceding album, this album has a mixture of the true heavy metal songs as well as those that tend toward the side of the rock ballad style. The difference between these songs and normal rock ballads are the musicians involved, because with Randy being trained in classical guitar, as well of the beautiful off beat bass lines of Bob and then Ozzy’s terrific vocals, these songs are not mere rock ballad type songs.
Diary of a Madman kicks off with the brilliant “Over the Mountain”, with Lee Kerslake’s wonderful rolling drum intro bursting into Randy’s guitar riff to get the album off to a great start. This is such a terrific opening track, filled with everything that made this version of the band so good, that it is hard to believe that it has been played live so little. It remains one of my favourite Ozzy songs. “Flying High Again” and “Believer” were both played on the tour that followed this album, before the album had even been released in many areas. The live album Tribute has them as part of its track list, and both are highlighted by Randy’s guitar riffs and soloing. “Flying High Again” feels as though it could have been aimed at the commercial market but without losing its distinct metal features, though sales did not back up that assertion. “Believer” has a much heavier sound and finishes off the first side of the album in style. Between these two songs came “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll”, one of the rock songs that moves into that softer territory, until you reach the solo of course, where Randy really turns the dial up. The melodic guitar throughout sets the mood of the song perfectly, and it sits in a great place. When I first got this album I used to play this song over and over and just bathe in its excellence, because it is an anthem without the fist pumping, it just says its piece matter of factly, and neither the message of the music take anything away from the other. It is still a wonderful song.
The second side of the album is a different mix altogether, with “Little Dolls” and “Tonight” both the kind of songs that you would never ever consider when you think of the Ozzy Osbourne catalogue. They aren’t obscure as such, but they are ones that pale against the great songs that surround them and so aren’t always front and centre in your mind. Both are great in their own way, “Little Dolls” through the hard driving rhythm of the bass and drums in particular, and “Tonight” as the ballad where Bob’s bass in prominent in being the centre of the song before Randy’s solo in particular steals the show. Ozzy’s vocals here too, as with most of his songs of this style, are at their peak, and are a major reason why Ozzy makes these kind of songs so enjoyable.
Perhaps the best song on the album is “S.A.T.O”, a bombastic hard core fast paced song driven by all three instruments rifling along with great power. I love everything about this song – Lee's drumming is perfect for the feel, Bob’s bass rumbling along the bottom end but still jumping up the strings and the fretboard to have its own unique part of the song, Randy chugging along on guitar before unleashing yet another brilliant solo that steals the show, while Ozzy’s vocals are top shelf. Another of my favourite all time Ozzy songs. And the album ends with the title track which mixes heavy metal with acoustic and the gothic to create an amazing epic song that completes the album in perfection.
I have always had some trouble determining which album of Ozzy’s I have loved best – Blizzard of Ozz or Diary of a Madman, not because they are similar but because each has their positive strengths and their very very slight weaknesses. Back in that magical year of 1986 when I was beginning to discover the dark arts of 1970 and 1980’s heavy metal, I had both albums in a gatefold double album, and I never listened to one without then listening to the other. They are both such extraordinary albums, and I can still see myself sitting in my parents' lounge room in front of the stereo listening to them.
Because that first album introduced me to this foursome, I always think that Diary of a Madman is a triumph because they came back not long after this album’s recording and release, having done the first part of what became a two-part tour, and then wrote and recorded this album. And everything about it seems better. Lee’s drumming is better, more rounded, more settled in the music written, given on this album he was a much bigger part of it rather than coming in late to just perform it as he was on Blizzard of Ozz. Bob’s bass guitar just perforates through each song once again, and it is the little things he throws in that can sometimes make the song, rather than just sitting in the same easy bass riff that WOULD have suited the song, but because he adds bits it makes them even better. And Randy’s playing has grown again, and it isn’t only the solos in the songs that create his standout performance, but the slower and more technical riffs and runs that come across, certainly in the slower songs, where you hear just the kind of guitar player he was becoming. And of course there is Ozzy, who despite the alcohol and drugs and the other distractions that were going on in his life, still managed to sing these songs in a most amazing way, clear, distinct, at a level that is at times astounding.
I listen to this album, and still wonder just what this foursome could have achieved beyond this is if they had been allowed to grow at their own speed and look to take on the world. Because when I listen to it I can still try to imagine what album would have come next, what songs they would have produced, and where that might have taken them. Of course, this was not to be. Bob and Lee were fired from the band after the recording of the album while on holidays, and were replaced on the tour that followed by Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge. It seemed they had asked for too much in the eyes of one Sharon Arden and were moved along pretty quickly. And of course even more tragically was the death of Randy in a light plane crash on that tour. The band that had created these classics was no more. Bob was to come back several times over the years and either write or record or both with Ozzy, but that was never the same. And the albums that came after this were fantastic with their own stories to tell. But there is always a lingering moment where what could have come from a third album by Rhoads, Daisley, Kerslake and Osbourne still fascinates me.
230. Slayer / Diabolus In Musica. 1998. 3.5/5.
Four years between albums was a long wait for Slayer fans for new material – something they would have to get used to...
This album is immensely popular amongst Slayer fans, with quite a few (on the forums I go to anyway) ranking it as high as 2nd all time.
I'm actually not so sold on it as that. I've always enjoyed the album – certainly when it was released it got a hammering having waited so long for a follow-up to Divine Intervention – but there is something that I find is not as enjoyable as so many of their other albums. I am however unable to put my finger on what that is, but I guess it is that to me the songs just don't quite click together like a good Slayer album does.
When I mention this, I usually get torn to shreds...
So I guess I am in the minority, but that happens a lot.
My favourites from the album include Stain Of Mind, Overt Enemy, Love To Hate and In The Name Of God.
Rating : Either the album is missing something... or I am... 3.5/5.
This album is immensely popular amongst Slayer fans, with quite a few (on the forums I go to anyway) ranking it as high as 2nd all time.
I'm actually not so sold on it as that. I've always enjoyed the album – certainly when it was released it got a hammering having waited so long for a follow-up to Divine Intervention – but there is something that I find is not as enjoyable as so many of their other albums. I am however unable to put my finger on what that is, but I guess it is that to me the songs just don't quite click together like a good Slayer album does.
When I mention this, I usually get torn to shreds...
So I guess I am in the minority, but that happens a lot.
My favourites from the album include Stain Of Mind, Overt Enemy, Love To Hate and In The Name Of God.
Rating : Either the album is missing something... or I am... 3.5/5.
229. Primal Fear / Devil's Ground. 2003. 4.5/5.
The next in the Primal Fear collection, and this takes an even greater leap into the upper echelons of modern metal greatness.
The stage is set as Ralf Scheepers screams out “METAL IS FOREVER!!” as the first thing you hear on the album, and from there it only gets better.
Though everything this band has done has been metal, this is another leap forward. This is really fast, and really heavy, in a heavy metal way. On this album, Primal Fear have taken all of the best aspects from power metal, heavy metal, thrash metal and speed metal, and fused them into an absolutely brilliant and exciting album.
So why is it that this band has almost no exposure outside of Europe? I still find it amazing. If this had been marketed and promoted in the right way, every fan of heavy metal in the world would have become a fan of this album and band, I am sure of it. The musicianship is just fantastic, and Ralf's vocals have lost nothing over the years. They are a terrific package.
Choosing my favourites here is like listing the entire contents of the album. If forced to do so, I would choose Metal Is Forever, Suicide And Mania, Visions Of Fate, The Healer, Soulchaser and Heart Of A Brave.
Rating : One of the very good surprises I received in 2003. Magnificent. 4.5/5
The stage is set as Ralf Scheepers screams out “METAL IS FOREVER!!” as the first thing you hear on the album, and from there it only gets better.
Though everything this band has done has been metal, this is another leap forward. This is really fast, and really heavy, in a heavy metal way. On this album, Primal Fear have taken all of the best aspects from power metal, heavy metal, thrash metal and speed metal, and fused them into an absolutely brilliant and exciting album.
So why is it that this band has almost no exposure outside of Europe? I still find it amazing. If this had been marketed and promoted in the right way, every fan of heavy metal in the world would have become a fan of this album and band, I am sure of it. The musicianship is just fantastic, and Ralf's vocals have lost nothing over the years. They are a terrific package.
Choosing my favourites here is like listing the entire contents of the album. If forced to do so, I would choose Metal Is Forever, Suicide And Mania, Visions Of Fate, The Healer, Soulchaser and Heart Of A Brave.
Rating : One of the very good surprises I received in 2003. Magnificent. 4.5/5
228. Ratt / Detonator. 1990. 3.5/5
More of the same from the boys, who head into the new decade with the same formula that has got them through the 80's.
This is a catchy album, in a repetitive kind of way. You can put it on, as I did at work tonight, and tap away to it, or bop your head, or whatever it is you tend to do when an album with a beat comes on. And that is all fine and well. I use this as a technique to decide if I can listen to an album. So it works on that level.
But it doesn't really offer anything new, and this was the problem for me when I first got it. I put it on and enjoyed it for what it offered. But it had nothing that makes me keep wanting to come back to it! Whereas Out Of The Cellar and Invasion Of Your Privacy have that magical quality that lead you to putting on the disc time and again, this really doesn't have that. I like the album and I enjoy listening to it... but that indefinable quality is missing.
Favourites for me on the album include Shame Shame Shame, Hard Time, Heads I Win Tails You Lose, Can't Wait On Love and All Or Nothing.
Rating : I may appear to be bagging this album a bit, but I'm trying not to. It is a good album and easily listened to, with Ratt's distinctive style. 3.5/5.
This is a catchy album, in a repetitive kind of way. You can put it on, as I did at work tonight, and tap away to it, or bop your head, or whatever it is you tend to do when an album with a beat comes on. And that is all fine and well. I use this as a technique to decide if I can listen to an album. So it works on that level.
But it doesn't really offer anything new, and this was the problem for me when I first got it. I put it on and enjoyed it for what it offered. But it had nothing that makes me keep wanting to come back to it! Whereas Out Of The Cellar and Invasion Of Your Privacy have that magical quality that lead you to putting on the disc time and again, this really doesn't have that. I like the album and I enjoy listening to it... but that indefinable quality is missing.
Favourites for me on the album include Shame Shame Shame, Hard Time, Heads I Win Tails You Lose, Can't Wait On Love and All Or Nothing.
Rating : I may appear to be bagging this album a bit, but I'm trying not to. It is a good album and easily listened to, with Ratt's distinctive style. 3.5/5.
227. KISS / Destroyer. 1976. 5/5.
One of the most beloved albums of all time by all music lovers, and it's no wonder.
There are some albums that, in retrospect, you could not have packed any more hits into. That the pedigree of most of the songs on the album are so great that the band must have sometimes wondered why they either didn't spread them over two albums, or how they wrote that kind of quality song so frequently at that stage of their career.
OK, maybe that is a bit extreme. But the great songs on this album – and I'm talking Detroit Rock City, King Of The Night Time World, God Of Thunder, Do You Love Me and Shout It Out Loud – are some of the best KISS ever wrote, and they all appear here. Along with that, the remainder of the album contains no songs that could be called filler, they are all good songs in their own respect.
Beth, of course, is considered by many fans as one of their greats. It's far too wimpy for me, but I can't let that drag down my opinion of the album as a whole.
This is a killer album, one of the best you can get your hands on. This is KISS at the peak of their powers, doing what they do best.
Rating : Do yourself a favour. This is one of the best all-genre albums you can hope to find. 5/5.
There are some albums that, in retrospect, you could not have packed any more hits into. That the pedigree of most of the songs on the album are so great that the band must have sometimes wondered why they either didn't spread them over two albums, or how they wrote that kind of quality song so frequently at that stage of their career.
OK, maybe that is a bit extreme. But the great songs on this album – and I'm talking Detroit Rock City, King Of The Night Time World, God Of Thunder, Do You Love Me and Shout It Out Loud – are some of the best KISS ever wrote, and they all appear here. Along with that, the remainder of the album contains no songs that could be called filler, they are all good songs in their own respect.
Beth, of course, is considered by many fans as one of their greats. It's far too wimpy for me, but I can't let that drag down my opinion of the album as a whole.
This is a killer album, one of the best you can get your hands on. This is KISS at the peak of their powers, doing what they do best.
Rating : Do yourself a favour. This is one of the best all-genre albums you can hope to find. 5/5.
226. Demons & Wizards / Demons & Wizards. 1999. 3.5/5.
This is the side project of Blind Guardian lead singer Hansi Kürsch and Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer, and a bloody impressive effort it is too. Is it a crime to say that I like it more than I like Blind Guardian? Possibly. But I do believe it is true.
This is definitive power metal, and for a side project is very well done. The album flows nicely, each song complementing the next Those that are familiar with the two 'parent' bands work will know what to expect here, a nice blending of their styles. The generally fast pace of the songs is also well complemented by the quiet acoustic passages.
My favourites from the album include Heaven's Denied, Poor Man's Crusade, Blood On My Hands and Tear Down The Wall.
Rating : You will have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy this – it is not for all tastes that is for sure. 3.5/5.
This is definitive power metal, and for a side project is very well done. The album flows nicely, each song complementing the next Those that are familiar with the two 'parent' bands work will know what to expect here, a nice blending of their styles. The generally fast pace of the songs is also well complemented by the quiet acoustic passages.
My favourites from the album include Heaven's Denied, Poor Man's Crusade, Blood On My Hands and Tear Down The Wall.
Rating : You will have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy this – it is not for all tastes that is for sure. 3.5/5.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
225. Testament / Demonic. 1997. 3/5.
The boys went pretty hard on this release, looking to emulate what they had produced beforehand, and also looking for new horizons in front of them.
Does it really work though? I mean, I like the album, don't get me wrong, and there is some good stuff on here. But I wonder whether they really thought through the writing process. Most of the songs on here exhibit the same characteristics, and while that isn't always a bad thing, with Testament's sound, it can get a little repetitive.
Aside from that, Demonic is another solid album. Best for me include The Burning Times, Together As One, Hatreds Rise and Murky Waters.
Rating : More preaching from the Testament. 3/5.
Does it really work though? I mean, I like the album, don't get me wrong, and there is some good stuff on here. But I wonder whether they really thought through the writing process. Most of the songs on here exhibit the same characteristics, and while that isn't always a bad thing, with Testament's sound, it can get a little repetitive.
Aside from that, Demonic is another solid album. Best for me include The Burning Times, Together As One, Hatreds Rise and Murky Waters.
Rating : More preaching from the Testament. 3/5.
224. Judas Priest / Demolition. 2001. 2.5/5.
Halford’s Resurrection hit the shelves the previous year from this being released while Priest were on a World Tour with Ripper on vocals, and it was almost like the Priest album that should have followed Painkiller, It was fast, it was furious, it was powerful, it had heavy guitars, fast drums, and Halford’s trademark screaming vocals. It was exciting, it was heart-thumping, it was Judas Priest metal. Like he had done for Bruce Dickinson before, Roy Z had taken an icon and brought him back from the edge. By now Dickinson had returned to his band Iron Maiden, and many now started hoping for the same reunion for Halford and Priest.
On the back of this, Judas Priest could have easily come up with a back-to-the-roots album, revived the halcyon days of the band, allowed Ripper full range in his vocals to exploit what he could do, and they could have challenged the perception that without Halford they were nothing. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that. Whether it was simply because the writers were happy with the material they were writing, or whether they decided that they needed to remain on the track they were on so as not to be compared to what Halford had released, or whether out of stubborn pride or jealousy they insisted on sticking to their guns and staying in the industrial metal like atmosphere they had created rather than admit that perhaps what they needed to do was move back in the direction their former vocalist had taken – I don’t know. All I know is at the time that this was released I thought they had missed a trick. It didn’t stop me from listening to the album dozens of time in an effort to glean as much from it as I could, but nagging at the back of my mind was the memory of Halford’s scream to start his album, and the opening riff, and how that had grabbed me from the outset, while this didn’t have any of that.
“Machine Man” opens up the album well enough and with enough pace to drag in the faithful for a hopeful renaissance. “One on One” holds the interest because Ripper is able to give it enough attitude and pump to make what is a fairly standard sounding track a bit of bite in the vocals, even given the sometimes dire lyrics. “Devil Digger” is one of the better songs here, while “Bloodsuckers” is the one song that feels as though it has the spirit of the band at its heart. This is the one song where all parts of Ripper’s range are utilised and it is all the better for it. Just three or four more songs like this would have made all the difference in the long run. “Feed on Me”, “Subterfuge” and “Cyberface” all have their moments as well.
On the other hand there are songs such as “Hell is Home” which is a death march, slow sombre and downright dull musically and lyrically. “Close to You” is an abomination, an attempt at a power ballad of sorts but it really misses the mark badly. The rest is not terribly bad but it is also not terribly good either. It doesn’t grab you or excite you.
Still despite all that is said, it is not a completely bad album. I can still put it on and like a lot of it, especially those songs that I mentioned. At 70 minutes it is overlong and could really have been improved by being cut back to about 50 minutes and having four songs cut off completely. Perhaps the producer and the band just weren’t harsh enough on the material they had and thought that more equals better. That is not the case in this instance.
This was the conclusion of the short reign of Tim “Ripper” Owens in Judas Priest and while his live performances kept the band relevant, the material from the two albums he was a part of doesn’t really do him or the band justice. There are sparkles here and there in places on Demolition but this just doesn’t sound like Judas Priest musically which is what hurts it most of all.
Rating: “I am your darkest hour, I am your fall from power”. 2.5/5
223. Fear Factory / Demanufacture. 1995. 3/5.
When Demanufacture was first released, there was a small uprising in the metal community in Sydney, where I was living at the time. Suddenly, in the music stores, in the pubs, in the music media, it was believed that Fear Factory were the biggest thing around, and were certain to be for some time.
Fear Factory were a band that I took a long time to warm to. When this album came out I was in a different area musically, and this didn't excite me. It was a new wave of metal, and at the time I think I was trying to fight that.
Now? Well, as I'm sure I have said before, I can appreciate it for what it is, and enjoy it for that. It's nice to be a bit older and not concerned about the elitism I used to put on what music was 'cool' and what was 'not'.
My favourites from Demanufacture include Self Bias Resistor, Piss Christ, Flashpoint and Zero Signal. I do NOT know what they were thinking with A Therapy For pain. That just seems painful.
Rating : Middle of the road. 3/5.
Fear Factory were a band that I took a long time to warm to. When this album came out I was in a different area musically, and this didn't excite me. It was a new wave of metal, and at the time I think I was trying to fight that.
Now? Well, as I'm sure I have said before, I can appreciate it for what it is, and enjoy it for that. It's nice to be a bit older and not concerned about the elitism I used to put on what music was 'cool' and what was 'not'.
My favourites from Demanufacture include Self Bias Resistor, Piss Christ, Flashpoint and Zero Signal. I do NOT know what they were thinking with A Therapy For pain. That just seems painful.
Rating : Middle of the road. 3/5.
222. Black Sabbath / Dehumanizer. 1992. 4.5/5.
The reformation of the Mark II line-up, restoring Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice to the band with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler was an announcement that surprised most of us. Of course, Sabbath had come off the back of three albums with Tony Martin fronting vocals, to critical if not popular acclaim, while Dio had come off Lock Up The Wolves, which had received little acclaim anywhere.
The result was Dehumanizer, and is a brilliant 'comeback' in anyone's terms. This is an angrier album than one would have imagined, Ronnie spitting lyrics out throughout the album with more gusto than he perhaps ever has. The growling guitars of Tony and Geezer set the Sabbath mood beautifully, and the songwriting, as always with these three, is superb.
Though the whole album is great, my personal favourites include Computer God, After All (The Dead), Master Of Insanity and I.
The fact that this partnership dissolved after only one release, due to the infamous Reunion gig of the original Sabbath with Ozzy and Bill Ward at one of Ozzy's concerts on his “Farewell” Tour (proven wrong a thousand times over in the past 14 years), is a real shame. This album shows what this quartet could produce, and more examples of their work together would have been interesting to listen to.
Memories : The first music I heard off this album was Time Machine. It is the song that plays in the movie Wayne's World, just as the motorcycle cop pulls over Wayne when he is on his way to pledge his love for Cassandra.
Rating : Just short of the best that there is. Would another release have been better? Or less? 4.5/5.
The result was Dehumanizer, and is a brilliant 'comeback' in anyone's terms. This is an angrier album than one would have imagined, Ronnie spitting lyrics out throughout the album with more gusto than he perhaps ever has. The growling guitars of Tony and Geezer set the Sabbath mood beautifully, and the songwriting, as always with these three, is superb.
Though the whole album is great, my personal favourites include Computer God, After All (The Dead), Master Of Insanity and I.
The fact that this partnership dissolved after only one release, due to the infamous Reunion gig of the original Sabbath with Ozzy and Bill Ward at one of Ozzy's concerts on his “Farewell” Tour (proven wrong a thousand times over in the past 14 years), is a real shame. This album shows what this quartet could produce, and more examples of their work together would have been interesting to listen to.
Memories : The first music I heard off this album was Time Machine. It is the song that plays in the movie Wayne's World, just as the motorcycle cop pulls over Wayne when he is on his way to pledge his love for Cassandra.
Rating : Just short of the best that there is. Would another release have been better? Or less? 4.5/5.
221. Jerry Cantrell / Degradation Trip. 2002. 3/5.
This is Jerry's second solo album, released following the tragic death of Layne Staley effectively halted any plans for further Alice In Chains releases.
Jerry follows up his first release, Boggy Depot, with an album that is filled with songs with a bit more edge to them. One difference I noticed immediately with this was that Jerry doubles up on the vocals in most songs – to compensate for Layne's absence? I know that on Boggy Depot, this was what I missed most. Here, Jerry does a good job of utilising the harmony vocals that he and Layne shared so successfully by double-tracking them on himself.
OK, it doesn't grab me like the first two Alice In Chains albums did. That was a different era, and I guess I have moved on from that as well. But it is a good album, and Jerry is a great songwriter.
Favourites for me include Psychotic Break, Anger Rising, Angel Eyes and Hellbound.
Rating : Another solid release from Jerry. But has the Seattle sound finally left the building? 3/5.
Jerry follows up his first release, Boggy Depot, with an album that is filled with songs with a bit more edge to them. One difference I noticed immediately with this was that Jerry doubles up on the vocals in most songs – to compensate for Layne's absence? I know that on Boggy Depot, this was what I missed most. Here, Jerry does a good job of utilising the harmony vocals that he and Layne shared so successfully by double-tracking them on himself.
OK, it doesn't grab me like the first two Alice In Chains albums did. That was a different era, and I guess I have moved on from that as well. But it is a good album, and Jerry is a great songwriter.
Favourites for me include Psychotic Break, Anger Rising, Angel Eyes and Hellbound.
Rating : Another solid release from Jerry. But has the Seattle sound finally left the building? 3/5.
Friday, May 19, 2006
220. Judas Priest / Defenders Of The Faith. 1984. 5/5.
Not everyone agrees with this assessment of course. Many prefer the excellence of Screaming for Vengeance for instance and suggest that this album is just a continuation in the same direction that the previous album started. Others believe the pinnacle was the albums of the 1970’s. There is an argument that their best was yet to come, something with which I agree, but I think this album is one of the best that Priest ever released (so far). But what I like about this album is that all of the pieces fit together, and the album flows from one song to the next effortlessly and seamlessly. While there are the great songs that become the highlights of the album, the peaks are not so defined that they can be picked out easily.
The album opens with the brilliantly amazing “Freewheel Burning”, which has been one of my favourites since it was released. I spent an endless amount of time in those years in the mid-1980’s watching, dissecting and head banging along to the music video that was released for this song, fascinated by the studded armbands and belts, of Rob Halford’s amazing vocal range and of the dual guitars of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton blazing away. It was a teenagers dream, and the speed and ferocity of the track has never left me. The heavy start to the album continues into “Jawbreaker” which continues to dial in the guitars and Halford’s vocals hitting the high places again. Don’t for a second think that it is a coincidence that the energy of this album is defined by the way Rob brings in all the starring qualities of his voice. He drives these first two songs vocally, and as wonderful as the band is behind him he literally drags you into this album with his vocals. The slightly reduced tempo of “Rock Hard, Ride Free” does not bring this song down in any way. Utilising a typical hard rock tempo and rhythm this is a great follow up to the opening two tracks with a great chanting chorus that invites you to join in.
As brilliant and fantastic as I still believe “Freewheel Burning” to be, my absolute favourite song from the album is “The Sentinel” which is a hallmark of the greatest Judas Priest songs. It has everything that makes this band great. The speed and energy of the track is emphasised by the great rhythm section of Dave Holland’s drums and Ian Hill’s bassline running along in charging fashion. Paste onto this the undercurrent guitar riff and then solo pieces of Downing and Tipton who squeak and squeal in perfect transition, while Halford then pulverises the lyrics in perfect symphony, emoting every nuance from every word. It is a cacophony of excellence and still gives me shivers down my spine every time I hear it. A gem. It closes out one of the finest first halves of any album, ever.
While some believe the second half of the album lets down the first, I choose to consider that it is an almost impossible task to follow it, and as such the songs complement rather than detract from it. “Love Bites” is a slower tempo than what has come before it but still has some surprises to keep the listener interested. This is followed by “Eat Me Alive”, whose greatest claim to fame is that it became one of the songs that landed on the P.M.R.C’s “Filthy 15” song list that they believed should be banned for various reasons to do with sexual innuendo or violence. While the lyrics mightn’t be exceptional the songs itself is still entertaining. Following on from this is another Bob Halligan Jr. song, “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll”. This is a better song that the one Priest recorded for their previous album, which a much more anthemic feel to it. “Night Comes Down” reverts to a much slower and moodier pace, allowing Rob to again dominate the track with his amazing vocals. The album concludes with the AC/DC like “Heavy Duty” which segues nicely into the title track of “Defenders of the Faith” to complete a terrific album.
While the band has always sounded great, they have everything in order on this album. The guitars riffing and switching between solo licks from guitarist to guitarist is as impressive here as it had been to that point, and as mentioned earlier Halford’s vocals are in peak form, moving between pitches with ease.
This remains one of my favourite Judas Priest albums. It not only has the star attractions such as “Freewheel Burning” and “The Sentinel”, but the remaining tracks aren’t just filling up the cracks, they are players in themselves. Though one Priest album tops them all, this is very close to the top of the tree.
Rating: “Sworn to avenge, condemned to hell, tempt not the blade, all fear the Sentinel!” 5/5
219. Deep Purple / Deepest Purple. 1980. 4.5/5.
When the band had finally fallen on its sword, and the dust had finally settled, this best-of came to remind everyone how great they had been. Or to make a bucketload of cash. Yeah, probably the second one.
You can't argue about the material that is on this album. They are all genuine classics. And as this was released on vinyl originally, there are only so many tracks you can put on. And I don't want to get into an argument as to what should have made this final cut. So I won't.
Rating : For the same reason as I have had before, you can't get full marks if it isn't a PERFECT best-of! 4.5/5.
You can't argue about the material that is on this album. They are all genuine classics. And as this was released on vinyl originally, there are only so many tracks you can put on. And I don't want to get into an argument as to what should have made this final cut. So I won't.
Rating : For the same reason as I have had before, you can't get full marks if it isn't a PERFECT best-of! 4.5/5.
218. Deep Purple / Deep Purple. 1969. 2.5/5
This was Purps third album, and the final album that contained their first line-up.
From the time this was completed, it was obvious that a change in musical direction was necessary, or certainly prevalent.
Deep Purple as an album is very much based around the keyboards of John Lord, with Ritchie Blackmore's distinctive guitaring also in the mix, but certainly not at the forefront of the music. Even for the 1960's this music is quite bland. It is very flower-power-ish, without a great deal to get excited about. I can certainly appreciate it for what it is and from the time it comes from, but it is not what excites me about Deep Purple.
Rating : An interesting page in Deep Purple history. 2.5/5.
From the time this was completed, it was obvious that a change in musical direction was necessary, or certainly prevalent.
Deep Purple as an album is very much based around the keyboards of John Lord, with Ritchie Blackmore's distinctive guitaring also in the mix, but certainly not at the forefront of the music. Even for the 1960's this music is quite bland. It is very flower-power-ish, without a great deal to get excited about. I can certainly appreciate it for what it is and from the time it comes from, but it is not what excites me about Deep Purple.
Rating : An interesting page in Deep Purple history. 2.5/5.
217. Motley Crue / Decade Of Decadence. 1991. 4.5/5.
Another band that reached the ten year anniversary in 1991 was Motley Crue, and to celebrate they produced this best-of album.
Containing most of their greatest hits, a few of them remixed, and a couple of new tracks, this album is a pretty good compilation of their first ten years on the music scene. The fact that they haven't been able to produce anything to match it since is perhaps a little disconcerting.
Once again, however, I must have my objection noted on some of the track choices. Seriously – where is Too Young To Fall In Love? One of their greatest tracks, and it isn't here? Why couldn't the rather horrible version of the Sex Pistol's Anarchy In The U.K. have been left off? It would have improved this release a lot! Did the band choose these tracks, or the record company? That is just one of the disappointments. The live version of Kickstart My Heart? Why not just the studio version?
Despite that, this is a good release. Someone who wanted to know what Motley Crue are about could start here and be satisfied. But come on guys – get this best-of scenario RIGHT!! :)
Rating : At least they didn't CALL it a best-of! 4.5/5.
Containing most of their greatest hits, a few of them remixed, and a couple of new tracks, this album is a pretty good compilation of their first ten years on the music scene. The fact that they haven't been able to produce anything to match it since is perhaps a little disconcerting.
Once again, however, I must have my objection noted on some of the track choices. Seriously – where is Too Young To Fall In Love? One of their greatest tracks, and it isn't here? Why couldn't the rather horrible version of the Sex Pistol's Anarchy In The U.K. have been left off? It would have improved this release a lot! Did the band choose these tracks, or the record company? That is just one of the disappointments. The live version of Kickstart My Heart? Why not just the studio version?
Despite that, this is a good release. Someone who wanted to know what Motley Crue are about could start here and be satisfied. But come on guys – get this best-of scenario RIGHT!! :)
Rating : At least they didn't CALL it a best-of! 4.5/5.
216. Slayer / Decade Of Aggression. 1991. 5/5.
Though Slayer had released a live album before this came along, it was not anywhere near the sheer magnitude that this comes across on.
Decade Of Aggression was released as a celebration of ten years of Slayer, and was recorded on the Seasons In The Abyss tour. There could be no better time to record a live album for Slayer. They were on a high, their albums were selling through the roof, and they were bloody heavy.
This is a spectacular analysis of the band live. They are powerful and fast, with barely a break between songs to catch breath. Dave just goes off on the drums, Kerry and Jeff's guitars are blinding, while Tommy stands at the front and belts out his vocals while banging away on the bass.
What impresses me the most about this release is that there are no overdubs. What you hear is what was played on stage. And you know that, because Tom stuffs up the lyrics in War Ensemble, and the band just keeps on going. Perhaps overdubs on live albums have their place, but you buy a live album to hear how the band really sounds, not how they sound in a studio.
Memories : The day I bought this, Bono was in the market for a stereo, so he had Kearo, Anthony, Shane, Holzy and me following him around to different stores as he tried to find a bargain. When it came to trying them out, he hadn't bought a CD that day – so it was Decade Of Aggression, pumping through the departments in David Jones, much to the chagrin of most of the customers on that Saturday afternoon.
Rating : One of the best three live albums ever released. A must have. 5/5.
Decade Of Aggression was released as a celebration of ten years of Slayer, and was recorded on the Seasons In The Abyss tour. There could be no better time to record a live album for Slayer. They were on a high, their albums were selling through the roof, and they were bloody heavy.
This is a spectacular analysis of the band live. They are powerful and fast, with barely a break between songs to catch breath. Dave just goes off on the drums, Kerry and Jeff's guitars are blinding, while Tommy stands at the front and belts out his vocals while banging away on the bass.
What impresses me the most about this release is that there are no overdubs. What you hear is what was played on stage. And you know that, because Tom stuffs up the lyrics in War Ensemble, and the band just keeps on going. Perhaps overdubs on live albums have their place, but you buy a live album to hear how the band really sounds, not how they sound in a studio.
Memories : The day I bought this, Bono was in the market for a stereo, so he had Kearo, Anthony, Shane, Holzy and me following him around to different stores as he tried to find a bargain. When it came to trying them out, he hadn't bought a CD that day – so it was Decade Of Aggression, pumping through the departments in David Jones, much to the chagrin of most of the customers on that Saturday afternoon.
Rating : One of the best three live albums ever released. A must have. 5/5.
215. Iron Maiden / Death On The Road. 2005. 5/5.
Yes, I am bitter about it. Surely the band is not short of cash. Surely they can afford a couple of shows at huge venues in Australia.
Anyway, I digress. Here is another Iron Maiden live album, and the quality is what you expect from Iron Maiden – fantastic. Recorded on the Dance Of Death tour, it contains numerous songs from that album – "Wildest Dreams", "Dance Of Death", "Rainmaker", "Paschendale", "No More Lies" and "Journeyman". While the album didn't always grab me, I must say that the songs do sound much better live, especially "Wildest Dreams", which I have always felt is rather weak.
OK – now the beef. Some of these songs surely need retiring from the live set. Only "Lord Of The Flies" remains from the Blaze era. If I was living in Europe, and seeing them every year (bastards!) I'd be sick to death of "Fear Of The Dark" and "Iron Maiden" and "Run To The Hills" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" – and perhaps even "The Trooper"! Come on guys, inject some new blood into the setlist!
Anyway, get over it Bill! This is another great Maiden live album, showcasing their amazing skills and talents. They are still the best around, the band that everyone must look up to as the greatest of all time.
Rating: Another brilliant encapsulation of a live performance of this magnificent band. 5/5.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
214. Scorpions / Deadly Sting : The Mercury Years. 1997. 4/5.
This is a 2 disc best-of compilation put out by Mercury after the Scorpions had move onto better pasture at another record company.
Best-of is such a subjective term, and for me, it doesn't really hold total water here. Though most of the songs on these two discs are great songs, there are some that have been left off, for whatever reasons that may be, and for that reason, it cannot be given full marks.
However, it is a worthy listen. Just not an ultimate greatest hits package, if that is what you are looking for.
Rating : Some of the best the Scorpions have released. 4/5.
Best-of is such a subjective term, and for me, it doesn't really hold total water here. Though most of the songs on these two discs are great songs, there are some that have been left off, for whatever reasons that may be, and for that reason, it cannot be given full marks.
However, it is a worthy listen. Just not an ultimate greatest hits package, if that is what you are looking for.
Rating : Some of the best the Scorpions have released. 4/5.
213. Deep Purple / Days May Come And Days May Go : The 1975 California Rehearsals. 2000. 3/5.
A series of songs recorded during Deep Purple's rehearsals for the big California shows they put on in 1975 (the album of which has been reviewed earlier)
This to me is of historical significance only. I'm not a big fan of the long jam sessions some of these artists went on with. I'm not saying they aren't clever or intricate. They just bore me as a whole.
This is the kind of album you may listen to once or twice, and only ever bring it out again to reflect on with friends or new recruits. That's pretty much what I'll be doing.
Rating : Historical. 3/5.
This to me is of historical significance only. I'm not a big fan of the long jam sessions some of these artists went on with. I'm not saying they aren't clever or intricate. They just bore me as a whole.
This is the kind of album you may listen to once or twice, and only ever bring it out again to reflect on with friends or new recruits. That's pretty much what I'll be doing.
Rating : Historical. 3/5.
212. Night Ranger / Dawn Patrol. 1982. 4/5.
Burned into my brain.This album is.
Night Ranger received so little exposure, certainly in Australia, that it is by pure luck that you can come across them. Moments in life are like that.
This is a gem of an album, the band's debut opus, containing everything that is right about this band, and what is so quintissential about them. Their sound is unashamedly 80's hair metal, so you would have to be a fan of the genre to like them. This is one of the best examples of the sound though.
The lineup is timeless, and the songs are too. Don't Tell Me You Love Me, At Night She Sleeps, Can't Find Me A Thrill, Penny and Night Ranger are classic examples of what this band could do. The 80's keyboards are just a cheesy reminder of what we listened to in the day, and took for granted. Gold.
Sure, this is another album that ranks highly because it was one that was ingrained during my high school years. But that will happen with most albums that grow on you in your formative years. This is well worth the time to listen to.
Rating : Hair metal heaven. 4/5.
Night Ranger received so little exposure, certainly in Australia, that it is by pure luck that you can come across them. Moments in life are like that.
This is a gem of an album, the band's debut opus, containing everything that is right about this band, and what is so quintissential about them. Their sound is unashamedly 80's hair metal, so you would have to be a fan of the genre to like them. This is one of the best examples of the sound though.
The lineup is timeless, and the songs are too. Don't Tell Me You Love Me, At Night She Sleeps, Can't Find Me A Thrill, Penny and Night Ranger are classic examples of what this band could do. The 80's keyboards are just a cheesy reminder of what we listened to in the day, and took for granted. Gold.
Sure, this is another album that ranks highly because it was one that was ingrained during my high school years. But that will happen with most albums that grow on you in your formative years. This is well worth the time to listen to.
Rating : Hair metal heaven. 4/5.
211. Pink Floyd / The Dark Side Of The Moon. 1973. 1.5/5.
For as long as I can remember – and that goes back almost to the release of this album – Dark Side Of The Moon has been praised as one of the greatest works in music, an album that everyone must own, an album that everyone will appreciate.
Wrong.
I may not be the biggest Pink Floyd fan in the world, and certainly psychadelic music is not at the top of my most loved list, but I would certainly be able to appreciate an album that considered one of the best of all time. If this is it, then I am an incredibly bad judge.
I seriously do not care. This just doesn't cut it for me. To be honest, I don't know many people that do like it. Is it my generation? Or the musical choices of those who agree to hang around with me occasionally? There are many famously popular songs here, such as Money and Brain Damage, but they fail to save an average release.
No offense meant to all those out there who love this album, but for me... no.
Rating : Not anywhere near great. 1.5/5.
Wrong.
I may not be the biggest Pink Floyd fan in the world, and certainly psychadelic music is not at the top of my most loved list, but I would certainly be able to appreciate an album that considered one of the best of all time. If this is it, then I am an incredibly bad judge.
I seriously do not care. This just doesn't cut it for me. To be honest, I don't know many people that do like it. Is it my generation? Or the musical choices of those who agree to hang around with me occasionally? There are many famously popular songs here, such as Money and Brain Damage, but they fail to save an average release.
No offense meant to all those out there who love this album, but for me... no.
Rating : Not anywhere near great. 1.5/5.
210. Helloween / The Dark Ride. 2000. 5/5.
This was a release that I was so amped up for, especially having heard a taste of what was coming from the internet. I was so amped, that when I finally got to Utopia to buy it, and they had sold out – except for the Collectors Box that had it for the price of $79.95, I bought that.
Was it worth it? Oh yes. Even WITHOUT the Zippo Helloween lighter it came with! :)
Finally, six albums after the legendary Keeper albums, Helloween had climbed the pinnacle once again. This is a return to the things that made Helloween great – heavy, melodic, great vocals, blistering drumming and guitaring.
Certainly, it was a turn towards the 'dark side'. The songs took on a darker edge than had been the case in recent efforts, and were overall heavier as well. It was an exciting time.
To listen to songs such as Mr Torture, Escalation 666, If I Could Fly, The Departed (Sun Is Going Down), I Live For Your Pain and The Dark Ride is to have your dreams answered. Sure, the last few albums had been good following the breakdown with Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon, but this was it, the reason why we had kept the faith in Helloween. For this album. Its strength and pure metalness.
Perhaps, on listening today, it is beginning to date a little. I guess it will always be stuck in this period of metal the way it is recorded, but this doesn't detract from its greatness.
What one can't understand is why Uli Kusch and Roland Grapow – two of the major contributors to the album – were sacked following this tour, allegedly because they were writing material that was too heavy for the band's direction. They went on to form the magnificent Masterplan, and Helloween recorded Rabbit Don't Come Easy. Two other tales to be told...
Rating : No collection is complete without this album. 5/5.
Was it worth it? Oh yes. Even WITHOUT the Zippo Helloween lighter it came with! :)
Finally, six albums after the legendary Keeper albums, Helloween had climbed the pinnacle once again. This is a return to the things that made Helloween great – heavy, melodic, great vocals, blistering drumming and guitaring.
Certainly, it was a turn towards the 'dark side'. The songs took on a darker edge than had been the case in recent efforts, and were overall heavier as well. It was an exciting time.
To listen to songs such as Mr Torture, Escalation 666, If I Could Fly, The Departed (Sun Is Going Down), I Live For Your Pain and The Dark Ride is to have your dreams answered. Sure, the last few albums had been good following the breakdown with Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon, but this was it, the reason why we had kept the faith in Helloween. For this album. Its strength and pure metalness.
Perhaps, on listening today, it is beginning to date a little. I guess it will always be stuck in this period of metal the way it is recorded, but this doesn't detract from its greatness.
What one can't understand is why Uli Kusch and Roland Grapow – two of the major contributors to the album – were sacked following this tour, allegedly because they were writing material that was too heavy for the band's direction. They went on to form the magnificent Masterplan, and Helloween recorded Rabbit Don't Come Easy. Two other tales to be told...
Rating : No collection is complete without this album. 5/5.
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