Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy Review

This is for my dear friend and fellow metalhead Koreel.

There was a time when Guns N' Roses were the biggest rock band on the planet(some might even say the biggest in all of music), and deservedly so. From the angst ridden brazen hard rock of Appetite for Destruction(the best rock/metal debut ever..period) to the mature long players in Use Your Illusion I and II, there was nothing these guys could do wrong, musically atleast. Then, they went ahead and broke up, the stupid egoistic rascals!

It seems only yesterday when I was listening to November Rain on my tape deck. We couldn't afford CDs with our pocket money at that time, the best we could do was get 'cobalt' tape versions for our beloved albums. Times have changed, we have CDs, iPods and digital music now...and the honest piano notes and violins of November Rain, the savage opening riff of Welcome to The Jungle and the eternal opening lick of Sweet Child O Mine have paved way for the Pro-Tools-ted arrangements of Chinese Democracy. Was that criticism right there? One might ask..and the answer is both yes and no.

The problem with reviewing Chinese Democracy is one's own knowledge of the fact that it took 15 years to make. 15 long years and God knows how much money to produce one effing! album. To ignore or not to ignore this fact, is the question. Anyway, before going any further, let me tell you this--to be able to enjoy even a minute of Chinese Democracy you gotta have a decent system with quality speakers, or if you're a "A kaant liv widout ma iPod" types then get a decent set of headphones..INR 1500 and above(in-ear would serve you much better).

Let's get the obvious out of the way first--yes, Axl has not lost any bit of his range or screaming prowess....but...that's about the only thing that sounds Gn'R here. It's an entirely new enterprise, so to speak. His self indulgent alter ego(or is it the real Axl?) is still very much evident as it always was on November Rain, Estranged or Coma. This self indulgence however, seems more of a conscious effort this time around, and that is what irked me just a tad. By now you must be thinking what the hell am I talking about. What about the songs? Which ones are good? Well, I'm not gonna give you a song by song review here and I'm definitely not going to give you my "verdict". Honestly, this is one of those polarising albums which come out rarely. Having said that, yes, this is a good comeback album and Axl showcases some of his best vocal performances ever. I can't really pick a favourite tune here, but Street of Dreams, the title track and IRS get two thumbs up from me. Rest of the songs range from good to average to outright boring.

I still don't know my reaction to Chinese Democracy. I think it all started with huge expectations about 2 years ago when the news reached it's pinnacle, then it went down a bit and then it completely nosedived untill the album actually came and bit me in my face. Is it a good rock album? Certainly yes. Is it a great rock album? I really can't say...need much more time for that. As of now, I can only tell you that..except for the straight ahead rockers and the beautiful Street of Dreams, the album sounds like it is trying to do everything that has been done in all of music. Funk, punk, pianos, orchestral arrangements, rap, hip hop....everything stuffed in at every moment possible. I for one, don't quite like that approach, and if you're still wondering why it hasn't been mentioned yet....yes, I would take a Slash with only his left hand and two fingers over Buckethead anyday :). To sum up, I can't say I'm disappointed, because I don't know if I am, but for what it's worth I WILL tell you that this is THE ONLY non-metal album that has managed to hold my attention for more than 5 minutes in many many! years (the last being Throwing Copper by Live in 1994). Not that Chinese Democracy needs my approval ;), but I still thought I'd share this fact.

So that was Chinese Democracy for you; a good album with a couple of astonishing songs and, yes, some filler stuff. The production is razor sharp! I tell you, probably the most "produced album"(if that's even a term) I have heard in a long time. It's a both a pro and a con. For me, rock and metal still mean RAW, or atleast a hint of it. But, to each his own, I'm just saying what I PREFER and this is definitely not a general negative for Chinese Democracy in any way. I'll even go to the extent of saying that it is a MUST buy for every fan of rock/hard rock....but the '15 years in making' tag just doesn't quite justify what I AM hearing (see, I really couldn't resist).

Metallica-Death Magnetic Review

After more than 15 years of personal problems, musical bankruptcy, substance abuse and some mediocre to below average studio albums to their credit...hold on...umm..err...well....Metallica are back!

Read on my fellow metalheads :)
Clocking in at a mammoth 75 minutes, this album's structure is quite reminiscent of the masterful And Justice for All. Album opener That Was Just Your Life starts with a hearbeat (literally) and pretty soon you get the message. Metallica make it loud and clear....'We are back to thrashing boys, and we mean it'. When Kirk's solo hits around the 5 minute mark, you realize how vital it is to the "Metallica" sound and only a fool would have thought of a Metallica album without solos, a fool the world knows as Bob Rock. This one's a great thrasher to start off the album with.

Next up is The End of The Line, a technical thrasher with some epic soling from Kirk. Following this one comes Broken,Beat and Scarred which is an out and out balls to the walls headbanger. The three glorious thrashers pave way for lead single The Day That Never Comes, which slows the tempo for the first time. It's a semi ballad of sorts and home to some excuisite guitar work. This is one of those songs which grow on you after repeated listens.
Next up is my favourite song off the album, All Nightmare Long. Hold on to your socks for this one fellas, this is Metallica at what they f'in do best. Hyper speed shredding, immaculate soloing...one hell of an exciting nightmare this is. A mosher of moshers from the lords of mosh themselves.
Cyanide keeps things rocking and rolling at a medium pace and could very well have been on the Load/Reload albums. we're not complaining though, coz we're still under the spell of the preceeding thrashers, and a little variety never hurts.
The Unforgiven III follows Cyanide, a slow, piano infested ballad which might very well be the lowest point of the whole album. And even if the song was any good, there's this one thing you realize...Metallica have, and will always do what they want. So you can just shove whatever true metal crap that's in your head and deal with it. It's criminal to ignore Metallica for the mere hatred of one or two songs or your own stupid ass beliefs.
The Judas Kiss sounds more like a heavy rock n' roll jam session with a decent solo. Just when you start to think the downward spiral will continue, Metallica ramp up their game again with Suicide and Redemption, a moody, atmospheric instrumental which tries to recreate the glory of The Call of Ktulu and Orion, it doesn't quite, but it's a good song nonetheless and features some great twin guitar work by James and Kirk.
A riff infested monster thrasher called My Apocalypse brings things to end on a very very high note.
So, that was Death Magnetic for you. Let me say though, except for a couple of songs, this is not really the Metallica of the eighties. As much as this album reminds you of And Justice..., Master.., or Ride The Lighting..it reminds you of Load, Reload and St. Anger as well. It's still music from a band that is trying to get back in form, to get back to its roots, to get back to whatever it was that made this band the biggest metal band ever. We also need to understand that you just cannot expect a band to keep churning out the same stuff over and over again. They are creative people, they'll go insane if they do not progress. What's good about this album is that the Metal in Metal-lica seems to back, well, for the most part...and that in itself is a great deal. All Nightmare Long in itself is evidence enough that all hope is not lost. Yes, there are some things which might annoy some people..e.g. James' emo like singing in some songs, southern rock influences in some songs a la Load etc etc, but there's still enough material here to bang your head to and shout out loud. Death Magnetic is clearly not another Master...,And Justice.. or Ride The Lightning. It may not even be as punchy as The Black album, but it is clearly heads and shoulders above anything they have done in the past decade and a half, and miles ahead of most crap masquerading as metal these days.
EDIT: After repeated listens I have changed my mind, Suicide and Redemption may!! actually reach the status of Orion or ..Ktulu...the song absolutely rocks!!! Man!...what musicianship...absolutely mindblowing.

Rating: 8.5/10

Death Angel - Killing Season: Review

Death Angel need no introduction, well, not to the Thrash fan atleast. Their 1987 album, The Ultra Violence is a bonafide classic of Thrash Metal. After The Ultra Violence though, they haven't been able to impress me very much, except for Act III which was a good album. Their last offering, The Art of Dying was very! disappointing. So what have these old school metallers done with the latest offering. Ummm...ok..to be honest, and quite over the top actually..I would say that with this album Death Angel have achieved the perfect balance between old school and new school. While Slayer, Exodus, Testament, Overkill are still putting out great material, the music always divides the users into two distinct can't look eye to eye groups. This album is brutal, it's got a modern sensibility, it has melody, it has groove, it has everything for everybody. Not since Kreator's Enemy of God in 2005 have I heard an album which mixes the old and the new with such dexterity.

Coming on to the music; with the acoustic intro of opener Lord of Hate Death Angel grab your attention, and before you can spell W O W, they bombard you with a barrage of riffs! The truth is; this album does not have a single filler. Every song in here is simply brilliant, and not just when Death Angel are going sonic with their monstrous riffs, but also in the breakdowns and the slow melodious pieces and interludes. The second track, Sonic Breakdown is a monster thrasher again and following it is personal favourite and possibly the album's best song, Dethroned. Acoutic parts, soaring solos, immaculate riffing; this song goes from slow to fast to slow again to hyperspeed again, and has one of the most catchy choruses I've heard in a long long time. Carnival Justice and Buried Alive provide some more vintage old school madness and groove. Then comes Soulless, another song which reminds you how good Metal used to sound in the eighties and early nineties; it has a very rock n' roll feel to it too(trust me, it's good!!). Noose follows with some more Thrash n' Roll madness, as does When Worlds Collide, which could have very well been on Anthrax's Spreading the Disease(again!!, I mean this in a good way). Then comes God Vs. God, which serves as the perfect example of how you can win over a Korn fanatic, but still Thrash!! I mean, this is absolutely mindblowing!! What the hell were these guys on while recording this? Oh! and check out the weirdly orgasmatic solo on this one....aah!, brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Steal the Crown brings things back to the old school Thrash n Roll way again; the bluesy main riff on this one is amazing! Closing the album is Resurrection Machine, which is my second most fav song in here.

So, do yourself a favour and get this album ASAP! It's catchy, it's melodious, it's got the riffs, it's got the solos...oh! and did I mention it's heavy as hell. Anyway, I've just wasted many precious minutes away from it and boring you guys....lemme go back and listen to it some more :)

Rating: 9.5/10

Atrophy: Violent By Nature

Sorry for the long break. I'm out of country for a month on an official trip, so haven't been getting the time to put up new posts. Anyway, last night I listened to this album after a long long time and it's only befitting that I review it here under the Undiscovered Gems of Thrash Metal category.

The music of Atrophy can be described as a crazy mix of Megadeth, Artillery, Anthrax style riffing with the ferocity of the likes of Nuclear Assault, Razor and the ilk. This is not to say that their music is generic or bland by any means, no!

So, as the album title says, this is really violent! by nature. Savage, bone crunching riffing,hyper speed picking, brutal vocals...you know the works. And it's not just the ferocity which stands out, the music is technically perfect too. Album opener Puppies and Friends bursts out of the speakers traveling at the speed of light and has a great solo to back it up. Next up is the title track which has a very Megadeth-ish feel to it, but it's a good song nonetheless and boasts of a very good solo again. In Their Eyes slows things down to a mid tempo but picks up things around the 1:10 mark and goes on to provide some great riffing and vocal moments. Around the 2:30 mark this song changes gears very abruptly and we get a scorching solo again. After the 3:30 mark, this song is just madness!!, pure Heavy Metal bliss.....solos galore, double bass ecstasy...aah! it seems like I'll only talk about this one song. Trust me though, In Your Eyes is one of the most compelling and boombastic listens in all of Speed/Thrash Metal, yes!!...I'm not exaggerating here. Next up is Too Late for Change which could very well have been on one of those Metallica demo tapes. I guess this was an old recording put on this album just for the heck of it. The musicianship is there of course, but it's nothing great. Atrophy come back to form with the next track Slipped Through The Cracks; another riff fest which will have you headbanging all over the place. At the 3:05 mark, Atrophy go for the abrupt change again and show you that they could have been as big as some of the well known names in Thrash if they had a slick sounding band name and charismatic/hunky musicians. Forgotten but Not Gone follows in much the same vein; more riffs!..riffs and riffs galore!! and they do the unthinkable again at around the 2:40 mark...ooh! absolutely beautiful soloing. Process of Elimination starts off great but loses some grip during the slow singing parts. But it picks up again around the 2:30 mark to provide more Thrash bliss. Right to Die is your typical 'bread and butter' Thrash song which has everything going for it...more riffs! and impeccable drumming. Things Change is a worthy album closer with great breakdowns and time changes; the solo at the 2:08 mark is again.....uh..GODLY!

So that was Violent by Nature for you. It's not another Reign in Blood, Rust in Peace or Ride The Lightning which you absolutely MUST! have. But, if you're a fan of Thrash, or you just love great riffing and guitar work in general, then you will not be disappointed with this...that I can assure you.

Rating: 8.5/10

Bullet for My Valentine--Scream, Aim, Fire: Review

Tracklist
1. Scream, Aim, Fire
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Hearts Burst Into Fire
4. Waking the Demon
5. Disappear
6. Deliver Us From Evil
7. Take it Out on Me
8. Say Goodbye
9. End of Days
10. Last to Know
11. Forever and Always





The UK(native) metallers are back with their second full length album in Scream, Aim, Fire. At the risk of spoiling this review in the beginning itself, I'll say that they scream, they aim, but they don't exactly fire(this doesn't mean it's not good though). One thing that deserves credit is that the overall tempo of this album is faster than their previous effort in The Poison(2005), which was way too screamo and syrupy at times. Now I know that The Poison was a relatively successful album and also had a couple of Top 20 singles in the US Rock charts, but I still wasn't impressed. Anyway, let's get on with reviewing the product at hand..

The album opener and title track is as good as Metalcore gets these days. Thrashy and fast paced riffing with double bass fills..this one has got it all; the perfect choice for opening the album. The rest of the album follows the tried and tested Metalcore formula for most of it's length; savage riffing for some parts, crunchy breakdowns and melodic choruses. The album also contains a ballad in Say Goodbye, which is almost hair/glam metal sounding. The song is good, that I have to admit; I'm not so sure about its repeat/recall value though. These are perhaps the only two outstanding tracks on the album, and the rest, as I've said, follow the same Metalcore formula which countless bands have been following since circa 2000-2001. Some bands like Killswitch Engage, As I lay Dying, Trivium and All That Remains(I might have missed a few, please don't scoff) manage to stand out while the others get lost in the crowd. In my opinion, Bullet For My Valentine, clearly belong in the latter group. I say this not because I think they are not talented, no, I say this because neither do they have a distinct sound nor do they have extraordinary music to their credit. This is where the likes of Killswitch Engage or Lamb of God have scored over the others, even Trivium to a lesser extent.

To sum up, if you're a sucker for above average Metalcore, then you'll most probably like this. It has everything you can ask for in a satisfying Metalcore album. Thrashy riffs, melodic breakdowns, plenty of hooks, double bass frenzy and soulful/melodic singing in some parts. It all boils down to your specific tastes actually; lovers of the Avenged Sevenfold, All That Remains kind of sound will lap this up immediately, and there's no reason not to. For people who like their Metal the old school way, there's always the new Warbringer CD.

Rating: 7.5/10

Dismember--Dismember, 2008: Review

Dismember are back with their new self titled album. To be honest with you, I haven't been impressed by any Dismember offering since Indecent and Obscene, and sadly, the new album hasn't been able to change that. The music is still typical Dismember; brutal Death Metal with a hint of melody and some Gothenburg influences, specially in the solos. Anyway, the music contained within this album is mediocre at best, for most of the songs. The good thing, if you really HAVE to see a silver lining, is the tempo of the album. Most songs here are faster than what you heard on Massive Killing Capacity or The God That Never Was, and the groovy element has been done away with for the better part of the album.

A track by track review is not necessary here; the music is painfully generic. You can't really differentiate between the songs, except for Tide of Blood, which is the best track on this album IMO. To conclude, there is absolutely nothing outstanding on this album, generic riffs, utterly forgettable solos, and the worst part is that Dismember have done something weird with their guitar tone. It's fuzzy and almost dirty sounding, some sort of a muddy phaser effect it seems. This, clearly, does not go well with the Death Metal sound. A very very average album, which you could definitely stay away from, unless you're a Dismember fanatic of course.

Listenable tracks: Death Conquers All, Tide of Blood

Rating: 5/10

Meshuggah--obZen: Review

The Swedish Mathcore metallers are back, well, not yet. This album is sceduled to release on the 28th of Feb, 2008. I, fortunately got my hands on a promo copy, and here I am, reviewing it.

So what does obZen have in store for you?

To make things clear at the offset,let me say this is nothing in the vein of Destroy Erase Improve or Chaosphere. Meshuggah have opted for a more streamlined sound here; in fact some of the songs could be simply categorised as modern Thrash. The unusual time signatures, the chaotic rhythm and sounds have all been done away with, well, for most of the songs that is. Does it mean that the music has suffered?Well..yes and no.

If you liked Meshuggah for their unique blend of agression and technicality, if you liked Meshuggah for their unique sound...then you'll be a tad disappointed...yes. The music on this album, however, is nothing you could call mediocre. The vocals are as harsh as ever, and the chaos is still there, albeit with a lot of restraint....as I said earlier...more streamlined. The weird/chaotic solos are still there. Album opener Combustion clearly demonstrates the skills of all band members. This one is a worthy headbanging opener and would have gelled quite well with the tracks in Chaosphere. The second track Electric Red, after the 20 sec mark, starts sounding like the first track, which is a big turn off! The third track, and possibly the best on the album, Bleed, is the Meshuggah we all know and love....it's madness! Lethargica follows the Destroy Erase Improve pattern with a weird sounding rhythm and crunching atonal riffs..just about average stuff though. The title rack obZen starts off in a very Metalcor-ish manner...uhh!, but comes back to form for some more mid tempo thrashiness. The next couple of songs are not worth mentioning, they just follow a simple done to death modern thrash formula. The last song is Meshuggah's attempt at the Epic! Clocking more than 9 minutes, this is also another song where you get to hear the virtuosity of every Meshugaah member.This song grows on you after a couple of listens.

So, overall, not really great... but a commmendable effort from Meshuggah.

Rating: 6.5/10

War Without End--Warbringer: Review

Only yesterday I was talking about how there is a fine line between being influenced and plagiarism in my Feel The Blade review. And Warbringer seem to know exactly what I was talking about....yay!

Warbringer are a Thrash Metal band from California, USA and this is their first official release...God bless Century Media:). Not very well known in the Metal circles, but that's going to change pretty soon!!! yeah..you better believe me on this. The album opener Total War grips you by the throat and proclaims loud and clear 'HEY! A NEW BAND CAN THRASH TOO!! YOU KNOW'. This is absolutely mind boggling, I'm actually at a loss of words here. While Lamb of God, The Haunted, Legion of The Damned etc. have been providing considerable doses of the "Thrashy" element in their music, it always leaves you a little short of satisfied. Even Municipal Waste, who are quite arguably the only "real" new Thrash band mix elements of Hardcore and Punk..Crossover so to say. But!! what Warbringer have achived here is pure genius!, I mean what the hell were these guys on? A track by track review is totally unnecessary as each and every song here is nothing short of a Thrasher's delight, not one filler!. Even the instrumental album closer A Dead Current has brilliant written all over it. Killer riffs played at amazing speeds, scorching solos, montrous drumming...everything!...this is what great Thrash albums are made of. And you know what, not one riff or one solo sounds lifted...the Tom Araya-esque vocals aside, this album definitely has it to become a classic of modern Thrash Metal. An outstanding debut, it has everything you could ask for in a great Thrash album. Municipla Waste have some serious competition at hand now. Bring on the WAR!!

Rating: 9/10

Feel the Blade--Legion of The Damned: Review

Their last album, Sons of The Jackal was a decent offering of Death/Thrash. Feel the Blade is not actually a new album; this is a recording from the days when Legion of The Damned were still known as Occult. They've just added three new songs to that EP. Anyway, coming on to the music; what Legion of The Damned have done here is combine 80's style Thrash with Death Metal influences. The production is also very good here. The thrashy opener Nuclear Torment gives you a clear picture of what Legion of The Damned are upto! Thundering double bass, hyperspeed riffing and tormenting vocals...it's all there. The rest of the songs are more or less in the same vein, with a bit of variance in the speed. The last three songs(new recordings) boast of better production sound and some guitar solos too! Overall, a decent offering again; though this band is capable of much more. This album might sound like a monster! to someone who's not really into 80's Thrash, but I rate this as 'decent' because each and every song on this album smells of Slayer, Destruction, Sodom, Kreator at some point or the other. All bands have their influences, and there's nothing bad in it, but when a band consciously creates similar sounding riffs, similar sounding drum beats and even inserts breakdowns! in the same vein, then it has to be criticized. To sum up...Feel the Blade is a good album to headbang to and has some killer moments to its credit. If you're someone who has grown up with the works of Slayer,Sodom,Destruction,Kreator etc., you might not think too higly of it.

Rating: 6/10

Exodus-The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A

Exodus are back!, and back with a bang! they are. For the uninitiated; Exodus are one of the most influential Thrash bands ever and their album Bonded by Blood is easily one of the Top 10 Thrash albums ever. Their last two releases, Tempo of The Damned and Shovel Headed Kill Machine, though praised by the critics and fans alike left me unsatisfied. They were more 'groove' than 'thrash' for me. With The Atrocity Exhibition however, they have hit a home run. It's all in the guitars they say, and Gary Holt and Lee Altus leave no stone unturned to rattle your brains crazy with their uber heavy and pulverizing riffs. This album has that quintessential aggression that was missing in the two previous releases.

Right after the minute and a half soothing intro of 'A Call to Arms', they bombard you with the bludgeoning 'Riot Act' and you know that Exodus mean business this time. Relentless riffing coupled with double bass mayhem make this a headbanger's delight, the solo here is just boombastic!! Next up is 'Funeral Hymn', an 8 and a half minute epic with it's thunderous and crunchy! riffs--a good song overall but it tends to get monotonous and a tad tedious. The solo here is again magnificent! Exodus follow it up with another 8 minute+ player in 'Children of A Worthless God'--the main riff is excellent! here and the guitars are exceedingly sharp. It does have an almost Arch Enemy-esque sound though. Next up is 'As it Was, As it Soon Shall Be', which is reminiscent of their work in Tempo of The Damned..crunchy and groovy mid-paced riffing. This song is nothig great but still leagues ahead of the Staind,KoRN,Disturbed,Godsmack crap masquerading as Metal out there. Things move on to the 10 minute+ epic Title song--which is a strange mix of Thrash as well as the Dillinger Escape Plan and Meshuggah sounds. You have to give this one some time, it grows on you! and really turns into a monster around the 5 minute mark...and the last 4 minutes are absolute Thrash bliss!..ummm. Oh, there's another exquisite solo in here. Next up is what is arguably the best song of this album..'Iconoclasm', when Rob Dukes screams I am the chosen one!!! you'll feel the adrenaline rushing to your head. The main riff is superb, and the breakdown around the 3 minute mark is simply mindblowing! Terrific solo once again!(man!! what were these guys on?). 'Garden of Bleeding' starts off in a very doom-ish way but comes into full feldged thrash frenzy in under a minute. This is also one of those songs which can be an acquired taste(yeah, even for the metalhead). It has a certain avante garde feel to it, and the riffs are heavier than your normal Thrash. I love! it though :) ..the last 1 and a half minutes of this song are pure mayhem! The last song 'Bedlam 123' is the most experimental song here. Starting with off beats and a Primus like bass line, this song gets into hyper speed destruction mode. Time changes coupled with blast beats and galloping double bass throughout, this is a worthy closer to the album.

Finally, what Exodus have achieved here is an excellent example of classic brutality and speed coupled with modern finesse,variations, and production sound. I say hats off!

Killer Tracks--Riot Act, Iconoclasm, Garden of Bleeding, Bedlam 123

Rating: 8.5/10

Essential Thrash/Speed Metal Listening

On the lines of my POST on Essential Power Metal Listening I bring you Thrash/Speed now. The list will comprise of albums which "Thrash" from start to finish, albums which give you riff after riff mercilessly...typical old school speed, blistering solos and menacing vocals. Don't go pulling your hair if you don't find a Master Of Puppets, Ride The Lightning or Rust In Peace here. Timeless classics as these albums might be, they are not the speed/riff attacks from start to finish as the labums which are to follow in this list. This is hardcore thrash mayhem, and for those of you whose thrash world ends with Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax are advised to take this slowly...it's an acquired taste. Those who can headbang to the occassional Testament and Kreator...have fun:). I won't be reviewing these albums, instead I'll just include names of some killer tracks from them. Note: The list is in no particular order. It really!!! is very hard to rank them:), except for the number 1 of course, Reign In Blood!!!!

Reign In Blood--Slayer(1986)

Killer Tracks: All of them!!!!

(2) Forbidden Evil--Forbidden(1988)

Killer Tracks: Chalice of Blood, Through Eyes of Glass, Forbidden Evil, March Into Fire,Feel No Pain

(3) Beneath The Remains--Sepultura(1989)

Killer Tracks: Beneath The Remains, Inner Self, Mass Hypnosis, Slaves of Pain, Hungry

(4) Bonded By Blood--Exodus(1985)

Killer Tracks: Bonded by Blood, Piranha, And Then There Was None, A Lesson In Violence, Strike of the Beast

(5) Darkness Descends--Dark Angel(1986)

Killer Tracks: Darkness Descends, Merciless Death, Black Prophecies, The Burning of Sodom

(6) Extreme Aggression--Kreator(1989)

Killer Tracks: Extreme Aggression, Betrayer, Bringer of Torture, Some Pain Will Last

(7) Terror Squad--Artillery(1987)

Killer Tracks: The Challenge, Terror Squad, At War With Science, Decapitation of Deviants

(8) Eternal Nightmare--Vio-lence(1988)

Killer Tracks: Calling in The Coroner, Kill on Command, Serial Killer, Eternal Nightmare

(9) The Years Of Decay--Overkill(1989)

Killer Tracks: Time To Kill, E.vil N.ever D.ies, Eliminate, The Years of Decay

(10) The Legacy--Testament(1987)

Tracks: Over The Wall, Alone In The Dark, Burnt Offerings, First Strike Is Deadly

(11) The Ultra-Violence--Death Angel(1987)

Killer Tracks: Final Death, Mistress Of Pain, Kill As One, The Ultra-Violence

(12) Pleasure To Kill--Kreator(1986)

Killer Tracks: Riot of Violence, Command of the Blade, Ripping Corpse, Under The Guillotine

(13) Arise--Sepultura(1990)

Killer Tracks: Dead Embryonic Cells, Murdered, Altered State, Under Siege(Regnum Irae)

(14) Twisted Into Form--Forbidden(1990)

Killer Tracks: Infinite, Step by Step, Twisted Into Form, Tossed Away

(15) Enemy Of God--Kreator(2005??, yes, it's that good)

Killer Tracks: Enemy of God, Murder Fantasies, Impossible Brutality, The Ancient Plague

(16) Surf Nicaragua(EP)--Sacred Reich(1988)

Killer Tracks: Surf Nicaragua, Death Squad, Draining You of Life, War Pigs(Sabbath cover)

(17) Persecution Mania--Sodom(1987)

Killer Tracks: Bombenhagel, Conjuration, Nuclear Winter, Outbreak Of Evil

(18) Horrorscope--Overkill(1990)

Killer Tracks: Thanx for Nothin, Coma, Nice Day for A Funeral, Bare Bones

(19) Eternal Devastation--Destruction(1986)

Killer Tracks: Curse The Gods, United By Hatred, Upcoming Devastation

(20) Agent Orange--Sodom(1989)

Killer Tracks: Agent Orange, Remember The Fallen, Ausgebombt, Magic Dragon

Also Recommended: Dreamweaver--Sabbat(1988, pagan imagery but midblowing music)

Killer Tracks: The Clerical Conspiracy, The Best Of Enemies, How The Mighty Have Fallen

UNSUNG CLASSIC: Beneath The Remains--Sepultura

Fans of Sepultura or fans of thrash metal in general know that Sepultura are as important if not more than some of the biggest names in the genre. As all of you might know, in the mid/late eighties there was a term called the 'Big Four of Thrash', which included Metallica(of course, they started this genre), Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. While there can't be any arguments on the first three names..Anthrax never really did it for me, they never sounded real thrash to me ...poppish thrashish heavyish metal at best. For me, Sepultura are the biggest contenders for the fourth spot in the 'Big Four of Thrash', Kreator and Testament also come close though.

Anyway....most people believe the multi-platinum Chaos A.D. to be Sepultura's best album, and new metalheads might even swear by Roots(crap!!!) but none of these can even come close to the straight up thrashtastic in your face savage riffage of Beneath The Remains. The riffs on this one are so insane that it is sometimes also labelled as Reign In Blood II by metalheads. While this is a great compliment, I think it doesn't do justice to this album and Sepultura. If you talk of the number of different riffs used in a single album, this album is second only to Rust In Peace...I think..?? It's just a plain and simple monstrous riff fest which will leave you gasping for breath when it's done. It's one of the TOP 5 Extreme Thrash Albums of all time, IMO. There are absolutely no fillers here but the highlights include the title track, the classic Inner Self, Mass Hypnosis, Slaves of Pain and Hungry. This album along with Schizophrenia and Arise forms the deadly trinity of Sepultura albums...skip all the rest(Chaos A.D. was a decent album though).

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Rating: 9.5/10

UNSUNG CLASSIC: Darkness Descends by Dark Angel

The year was 1986; Metallica had unleashed upon mankind a monster known as Master of Puppets(MOP), now widely acclaimed as the greatest metal album of all time. Slayer had come out with Reign In Blood(RIB), which was so extreme!! that it devoured anything in it's way(it still does!), running at the speed of light. Megadeth had released Peace Sells..But Who's Buying?(PSBWB) which catapulted them into metal stratosphere. And then there was this little band called Dark Angel with the release of their second album Darkness Descends. Being overshadowed by MOP is understandable to me; I mean c'mon, it was Metallica, riding on the lightning success of their previous album(pun intended) and MOP had musicianship that still has to be bettered by any band(that's including Metallica), but why this album doesn't get even half as much attention or acclaim as RIB or PSBWB is beyond me. Even Kreator's Pleasure To Kill(PTK) received more acclaim than this one...huh.(I'm not saying PTK was bad, it was a great thrash album).

Anyway...let's talk about Darkness Descends now--First of all, it's way heavier!! than any of the albums mentioned above, heck..it's heavier than most late 80s and early 90s death metal.. Death,Obituary,Morbid Angel et al. The riffing on this album is just savage, brutally fast, falling just a little short of Slayer's RIB, barely!! The bass is much more prominent than RIB and I know I'm leaning towards blasphemy again, but I like the drumming on this album better than Slayer's RIB. So you noticed that I'm only comparing Darkness Descends with RIB and not with MOP or PSBWB eh? Well..as I said...MOP is godly, no comparison, and PSBWB was not even half as extreme as Darkness Descends, RIB or Kreator's PTK...that's why...ok?

This album does not have a single filler, all the songs are great. Even MOP had a filler...anybody remember The Thing That Should Not Be? If you want a slab of ultra heavy technical thrash metal, then this album is for you...listen to the 8 n a half minute epic Black Prophecies to know how it even challenges the musicianship of MOP sometimes...listen to Darkness Descends and Perish In Flames to know how this album runs neck to neck with RIB....if that doesn't satisfy you, listen to the whole album to know what it's like to listen to one of the greatest thrash albums of all time.
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Rating: 9.5/10

Three Big ONES

Come May/June and we are about to witness three big rock/metal releases; Minutes To Midnight--Linkin Park(May 15th), United Abominations--Megadeth(May 15th) and Paradise Lost--Symphony X(June 1st). I have had the good fortune of listening to the promo CDs of all three,the United Abominations disc however, only had 7 demo songs. Anyway, what I'm about to do here is give you a glimpse of what these albums have to offer and help you in spending your money wisely.

Minutes To Midnight

Probably the biggest and most anticipated of the three for most, it was at no.3 on my 'looking forward to'(LFT) list...I'm not gonna explain why. Anyway, the music here is what some might call evolution or some utter crap, I'm with the latter breed. Hybrid Theory and Meteora, though not very innovative and technically groundbreaking did have solid rocking numbers, and were actually fun to listen to. With this album, you feel as if Linkin Park are trying to be the next U2 or something, what's up with the endless number of ballads guys??? Did you forget how to ROCK??? One word review--YUKKKKK!!

United Abominations

Megadeth being my 2nd most favourite band ever, it might come as a surprise to you when I say that it was no.2 on my LFT list. The System Has Failed had not actually quenched my thirst for vintage Megadeth thrash. The album was above average by any standards but it just wasn't good enough to be Megadeth. Anyway, let's get on to the album in question. I dunno what the rest of the 4 songs on the album sound like, but even if they sound crap, the demos of the seven that I've already listened to make this album good Megadeth stuff, not excellent but very good. The opener Sleepwalker is such a hard hitting song with such an infectious riff...the rest of them are good too. One word review--Buy It

Paradise Lost

Now this is what I was waiting for, much more than the Megadeth album. Let me explain why. Megadeth gave their last excellent album in 1992(countdown to extinction)..the albums that followed ranged from above average(Youthanasia) to crap(Risk). Symphony X however, with the exception of their debut album, have given albums ranging from very good(twilight in olympus,odyssey) to excellent(the divine wings of tragedy, v-the new mythology suite) through the ninetines. With Paradise Lost, Symphony X do not disappoint at all. It's a very well structured album with trademark Symphony X riffing, harmonising, dobule bass mayhem, keyboard madness and the immaculate Michael Romeo solos. It doesn't quite have the variety of The Divine Wings Of Tragedy but it's still an excellent album and more grandiose than most of their other efforts, with the exception of V-A New Mythology Suite. All tracks are bludgeoning headbangers, and the title track is a ballad...(they have one on every album). What can I say...it's definitely the best metal ballad I've heard in a long long loooooooooooooooooong time. One word review---If you don't buy it, you're going to hell.

P.S.--If Dream Theater don't salvage themselves from the ordinariness of Train Of Thought or the debacle of Octavarium pretty soon, I'm giving their spot of my favourtie progressive metal band to Symphony X.

UNSUNG CLASSIC: Abigail--King Diamond

Sorry, was on a 5 day holiday with my wife, but here I am, back again with another unsung classic.

Call it an offshoot or the significant other of Merciful Fate; the fact of the matter is, King Diamond, in his solo career, gave more memorable music than Merciful Fate could ever dream of. I know, blasphemy!! but that is my honest opinion. I don't deny the fact that Melissa and Don't Break The Oath are responsible for pioneering and revolutionising black metal, along with Venom's aptly titled Black Metal, but when I listen to them today...they sound dated. One could argue that they were released way back in 81,83,84...and it's also partially true. What do you have to say to Ride The Lightning(84) or Back In Black(80) or even Slayer's Show No Mercy(83)though. Do these sound dated at all?....no way. Neway..getting back to the point..King Diamond, in his prolific solo career of 13 albums,has given the metal world much to cherish..Fatal Portrait,Abigail,Them,Conspiracy,House Of God & Puppet Master. But it is Abigail that stands hands and shoulders above the rest of them. The music on this album, or any other KG album for that matter, is not strictly black metal. I like to call it as Heavy Horror Metal:). KG albums almost always have a story behind them, horror stories!! Abigail also has a story; The story of Abigail Williams, the little girl(supposedly evil!!) who was killed in her mother's womb and then buried in the house. How she's resurrected, and then killed again by the black horsemen is what the story is all about. I just gave you the jist of it, if you're intrigued, you must listen to the album and read the booklet that comes with it:). As with any other concept album, Abigail can be enjoyed best when you listen to it through and through; each song has something to add to the story and the atmosphere. King Diamond's vocals can be an acquired taste...as for me..I just love them...those falsettos are to die for..right up there with Rob Halford..maybe even better. the guitar work on this album is simply AMAZING...I would say this album has one of the 10 best rhythm/solo performances in rock/metal history(released in 1987, now that's saying a lot...isn't it). The dual guitar attack ranks right up there with Iron Maiden. Some Maiden and Priest influences can be found in the music...but it has a very special identity of its own nonetheless..and its definitely thrashier than anything Maiden or Priest have recorded. The overall atmosphere of the album is very dark, and you can feel it right from the chilling opener in Funeral. Although there really are no standout tracks...as each track is as classy as heavy metal can get, but for the sake of checkout tips, I'm gonna say..listen to A Mansion In The Darkness,Omens,The 7th Day of July 1777,,,,,,...you know what screw it!!...I really think you should listen to all of 'em;). Each song is a masterpiece on it's own. Word Of Caution: If you only listen to nu-metal and metalcore, a la Unearth,Killswitch Engage,Linkin Park,Disturbed,KoRN,StaticX etc. you might find it hard to like this. Before giving this a try get into Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Accept, Helloween etc. This is not music with groovy hooks and catchy 2 and a half note riffs, but metal technicality and virtuosity at it's very best.

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Rating: 9.5/10

Year Zero--Nine Inch Nails

A friend of mine, an NIN follower and a Trent Reznor fanatic, recently asked me to put up a review for this album. Before I begin, I'll be honest with you and tell you that I've never really warmed upto NIN's music, or any sort of Industrial music for that matter, save for some early works of Fear Factory. I do, as many of you would, enjoy a couple of their songs like 'closer' and 'hurt' though. In fact, I have never listened to any NIN album through and through--they BORE me quite frankly. Well...that has changed now....and as per the request of my friend, I have finally heard an NIN album in its entirety...much to my dismay though...lol...just kiddin...read on!!
I don't know much about NIN's history, except for the fact that 'The Downward Spiral' is considered as a seminal release in Industrial Music; so I won't/can't compare Year Zero to their earlier works or even The Downward Spiral. So what I'll do is give you an unbiased(I'll try my best) opinion on the album's music. Did I just say music???Apparently, it's not music--now before you go judging me on how I also listen to death/grind and talk about "music", please have patience..and read further. If you(except NIN followers) are to perceive this as a piece of music, then you're in for a big big disappointment, coz it's not. What it should be seen as is a piece of art, a piece of art coming straight from the heart of an artist; his angst, his depressions, the misery. I, however, had a tough time putting the pieces together to find the hidden art:). It's very noisy with all sorts of sounds haphazardly thrown in throughout the album--now for some, this may be innovation. Of course, innnovation it is, but then again --what the hell were Pink Floyd doing on The Dark Side Of The Moon?? Didn't all the clicking watches, the tinkering coins, the laughing men and women seem to complement the music there??The answer is a resounding YES. But with Year Zero--it's a no, with a capital n and capital o. That's not to say that the entire album is rubbish though; it does have it's fair share of radio friendly tunes and then some interesting ones. There's Survivalism which has a very catchy chorus, it gets into your head actually; Capital G has a catchy beat and a very pumped up chorus; Meet Your Master has some groovy bass lines and Trent delivers some really great vocals on In This Twilight.
Anyway, the fact is that it's a concept album--something to do with the year 2022 when the world ends or something, and it has some political lyrics(I'm sorry I didn;t go deep into them). As I've said before, I listen to music to listen to music. The message, the social impact, the blah blah can go to hell, if I wanted some intellectual stimulation I'd sit down and have a political debate with my wife or friends:). So, as always, I was not very impressed with what NIN have to offer, some of the songs could get a replay once in a blue moon though; but then they'll be lost in oblivion for me for sure. As for die hard NIN fans, I'm not sure--but I'll still say that you'll most probably love it. And the goth inspired 15 year kids will also add to the 'star power' of Mr. Reznor. To sum it up, if you're one of those who find what goes around in the making of an album, the experiences(read pretensions) of the artists, the self proclaimed junkie/goth status more stimulating than the music itself then you'll love it(Disclaimer: I'm not judging you) coz as they say..to each his own. As for me, I find this a poser effort. And Trent, you're no Roger Waters and never will be.Oh! and stop the silly goth/junkie act and go find a dustbin to live...lol...I just couldn't help myself...sorry:)

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Rating: 6.0/10

UNSUNG CLASSIC: Heartwork--Carcass

Carcass, along with Napalm Death are reponsible for giving the world what we call grind/grindcore/ or death-grind or whatever you wish to call it. Now that's that, but there's more to Carcass....read on!! When we talk of revolutionary/influential bands in metal, bands that have released albums that started/defined or epitomized a particular genre, names like Black Sabbath, Venom, Metallica, Death, Slayer,Queensryche,KoRN, Helloween,Iron Maiden,Dream Theater come to mind. How many can boast of doing this more than once in their careers?? Maybe Metallica....so this might come as a surprise to you that Carcass, in fact, have done so twice in their short career of 5 albums.With their debut album, they invented grind and with Heartwork they invented Melodic Death Metal. Yes!! you read that right, not At The Gates, not In Flames, not Dark Tranquillity, but it was 1993 when Carcass released this gem of their's that MDM was born!!Coming on to the music--the album has elements of traditional death metal, grind,groove and classic hard rock!!!!!Yes, yes, yes, listen to all the solos, they might very well have been on all the great Kiss,Motley Crue,Whitesnake,Poison songs. The music is beautiful from start to finish...tracks are mostly mid to fast paced....original/unique riffs(for it's time) and blistering yet melodious solos. I won't get into the deep track by track review as each song here is great, with the possible exception of No Love Lost, which just seems out of place in this otherwise perfect album. Highlights include the title track, This Mortal Coil, Buried Dreams, Arbeit Macht Fleisch, Doctrinal Expletives and the masterful Death Certificate,which might very well be the best death metal song ever!!! Get your hands on this revolutionary album now, you won't be disappointed.

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Rating: 9.5/10

UNSUNG CLASSIC: The Jester Race--In Flames

In Flames are the pioneers of a style known as Melodic Death Metal along with the likes of Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates etc. This is the first full length album from these lords of Gothenburg. If it wasn't for Metallica's Black album and Megadeth's Rust In Peace, I would go as far as to say that this is perhaps the best metal album of the nineties!!! Harmonising guitars..pulverizing riffs...insane drumming..immaculate solos. Never has the amalgamation of so many different types of music sounded so good. For the death metal fan there are the blast beats and the cookie monster vocals....for the classic hard rock listener there are sweet solos and melodious rhythms...for the power metal fan there are harmonising guitars played at breakneck speed.It has everything for everybody. Listen to the opener Moonshield and you'll know what I mean...it starts off with a folksy acoustic intro and then goes on to bombard the listener with progressive/death/melodious bliss. Straight up rockers like Artifacts of the Black Rain,Lord Hypnos and Dead Eternity will provide instant gratification to any riff-monger out there. The Jester's Dance is an instrumental which could have very well been on Master of Puppets!! Even after all this, if you thought they are just another band who just know how to riff..listen to the solo on December Flower. It's soooo emotionally melodious you'll feel like crying(and that says a lot for a death metal band..so what if it's melodious death metal)..definitely one of the top 5 metal solos ever..in my opinion. The Jester Race might very well be the greatest metal album not to reach the platinum status. So do yourself a favor and get it now. Even if you don't like the growling death metal vocals..listen to it for the sheer beauty of the instruments(it's an acquired taste actually and might grow on you)

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Rating: 10/10

Octavarium:Dream Theater's First Mistake

Octavarium, progressive metals' gods' latest offering is here.The
recent spells of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes all over the globe
tells us that even God makes mistakes(maybe intentionally) and even
DT have finally made their final mistake!Don't let these opening lines
be a spoiler for you.I'm calling it a mistake only because of the
presuure DT have put on themselves by giving us classic music right
from Images & Words to Train of Thought.Who can help but not compare
whatever they come out with to 6'o Clock, Silent Man,Caught In A web, Lie,
Scarred,Pull Me under,Another Day,Metropolis,Surrounded,Change Of Seasons,
Peruvian Skies, Endless Sacrifice.Unfortunately, Octavarium does not
boast of one! number which can even come close to the aforementioned ones.
Any way, as i said in my Disturbed review, this is not gonna stop any
DT worshipper, it didnt stop me.But my job is to criticize.......
After years of playing interludes and covers from metallica at live shows
DT have finally paid tribute to one of their favourite bands, Metallica,
with their opening track 'The Root Of All Evil'.It sounds almost like Battery rehashed
with of course DT like moving-riffing interludes.In all fairness though,
despite the resemblance it doesnt sound so bad.'The Answer Lies Within"
sounds like DT were asked by the producers to put one syrupy ballad just
for the heck of it, and DT failed badly.The third song, 'These Walls' is a good
number, typical Dt stuff thoughit has elements which can put it into
any trance dj's playlist.'I Walk Beside You' isnt even worth mentioning
(oops,i just did).'Panic Attack' is perhaps the only song which reminds
you what DT are capable of, best song of tyhe album hands down.'Sacrificed Sons'
, a good song in its own right with some excellent guitar work by Petrucci gives
you the feeling you are listening to a heavier version of George Michael
from his Faith days.The title song 'Octavarium' ends up things on the album with a 24 minute long haul of this n that n this n that.People everywhere ahve given it rave reviews with ratings of 4..5 i duuno what to say to them, maybe i am wrong but this comes from my heart and im probably DT's biggest fan on this planet.It
has a nice riffing pattern and catchy(again trance like) intro.Even in this song though
you cannot help but feel you're listening to a heavier Backstreet Boys!

Verdict: DT is inarguably the most talented metal band in the world today.
Guys!! take some time out..maybe churning out albums every year isnt the best thing to do.
And remember..you still rule..one Octavarium will not make me dethrone you
as my favourite Metal band of the 90s.

Pros: the Dream Theater tag!!
Cons:Almost Everything

Disturbed:Ten Thousand Fists

Ok..since im a metalhead myself..the first post had to be about music.Its been in the stores for over a month now.Maybe its been reviewed before..but im guessing most Indian metalheads havent heard it..so here it goes.

Disturbed have been the torch bearers of Nu-Metal for the past 4-5 years along with the likes of Mudvayne, Godsmack, Linkin Park etc. The only difference being Davey Dramain, whose voice, the spine chilling sprees of yells and screams makes us wonder if theres a distortion unit! in his larynx.Any way..we are here to "criticize" the latest offering by disturbed and so shall we do.
For starters, who haven't heard of Disturbed or atleast not their music, Ten Thousand Fists is a good place to start.The album, not revolutionary or "excellent" by any standards does have its fair share of highs making it worthy for any metal/nu-metal enthusiasts CD collection.

The album starts with the title song 10,000 Fists, which reminds you a lot of The Sickness..?But its a good opening track all the same with the sonorous double bass and screeching guitars,trademark of Disturbed.The first half of the album is not very exciting with the exception of 'Guarded', a fast paced song with a continuous backdrop of mosh-riffs which comes accross as a groovy head shaking(if not banging number). Oops!! i Forgot 'Stricken'(song no.5) is Disturbed's first foray into guitar solos!! yes! check it out..don't expect anything Metallica/Megadeth..issshhh but it's still very well done and the song would have been the show stealer of the album if it hadn't been for 'Sons Of Plunder' which is inarguably Disturbed's best song to date(Ok..Ok..i hear people crying out loud for Stupify and The Game), but guys..listen to it..the perfect mixing of danceable riffing and groovy melody, this song grows on you like hell. One song most Disturbed loyalists will be happy about is 'Sacred Lie', totally Disturbed fare, energetic vocals, cool riffs, tight drums..you name it its there..and whats more it sounds good too.There are other songs too! on the abum but im not talking about them here coz these are the songs you might wanna buy the CD for.

To sum up things..ardent Disturbed fans..well there are some who will go out and buy it no matter what anyone says..neat!!! do that..its not a classic but its not a dissapointment either.For those starting their journey in the Nu-Metal land..go out today!!! and buy it.For discerners like me..get hold of a friend who has the CD..or someone who has it on an I-pod..listen to it..like it ..buy it...i did!
Good Job Disturbed
Pros:Melody driven..Dramain's Vocals & Solos..Finally!!
Cons:Repetitive

Rating: 7/10