Yo everybody, 'zup? It's been a while, since last year actually oh HA HA... I suck at this.
... Anyway, I'm in quite some Ozzy period right now. Ozzy Osbourne is the Godfather of heavy metal. Everybody knows that for a fact. What people don't know is that he's kind of my Godfather as well. See, it was Ozzy who got me into metal. It was back in 2002 when I heard a couple of tracks that I really fell in love with his music. The two songs in particular that caught my attention was "Bark at the Moon" and "Hellraiser" (especially). Believe it or not, but "Crazy Train" was a song I actually was never too fond of. I always thought of it as highly overrated, you know? I never liked the poppy gallop-y verse riff. It's grown on me over the 13 years that I've listened to Ozzy, but I still roll my eyes a little bit every time I hear its verse. The chorus is cool, though!
I'm not gonna count compilations, singles, EPs, live albums or the cover album "Under Cover" on this list. Official studio albums only. Anyway, let's list this (good) shite!
10. Down To Earth (2001)
On tenth and last place is this sucker. This is very much not the Ozzman's (or Zakk Wylde's, for that matter) best effort to date. Actually, I think this is the opposite. It's by no means a bad album, but it's just somewhat dull and weak compared to Ozzy's other albums. Especially the older ones. What really makes this album one of his weaker is the repetitive and occasionally uninspired-like material, accompanied with a very muddy, stiff and boring production. It just sounds lifeless and none of the band members really get to shine here. There are, however, a few cool tunes here like "Gets Me Through", "No Easy Way Out", "That I Never Had" and "Alive". Of course "Dreamer" is quite nice, too. I don't listen to it very often, though. I also dig the B-side "Black Skies" from this album. That one should've replaced any of the unmentioned tracks, because the remaining album sounds very much like filler material.
09. Scream (2010)
Well, it wasn't too long ago since this came out. Or, yeah, it's almost five years so I guess it's quite some time, but I remember it like a month ago. Zakk Wylde had been let-go of and replacing him was the supposed power metal guru Gus G. (I never heard any of his other work). Ozzy wanted to change his sound away from Zakk's own band Black Label Society, and I can respect that. However, fans all over the world were quite disappointed with the result of this album - there's pretty much no musical difference to this album or any of the more recent Ozzy albums with Zakk (or BLS). This sounds like it's written by/with Zakk, and played by him as well apart from the many missing squeals. However, that was not the only disappointment with this album - the fans also thought it was pretty bad. I for one actually kinda like(d) this album a lot. It's certainly not bad, but once again not nearly Ozzy's best album. It's got a flow going, no fillers, no particular killers either, but a fine line of average to good quality tunes (for Ozzy's standard) throughout. One still standing disappointed for me, however, is Gus G. - I expected more from him after all the fuzz and Ozzy's wishes to change the sound. He's the most boring and characterless of Ozzy's guitarists to appear on an Ozzy album. Ozzy should've gotten Jake E. Lee back, or just as well kept Zakkie.
08. Black Rain (2007)
And here it is: the most perfect example of how unnecessary the trade from Zakk to Gus G. actually was. This album and Scream pretty much sound like brothers to me, musically. I guess I would say that this is somewhat darker and more swinging due to Zakk's squeals and overall more aggressive guitar playing. I think these songs are also slightly better then those on Scream, but to be quite honest: it was hard chosing which one of them to get this spot - they're pretty much at the exact same rate. What this album has most in its favor is its B-sides. The B-sides from this album are the best, in my opinion, from any Ozzy album. The song "Nightmare" is simply amazing and should've been on the regular version, no doubt. I don't know why it isn't, but it's one of my absolute favorite modern-era Ozzy tracks. This album has got some neat rockers overall, and the "fillers" are actually quite overlooked tunes by fans if you ask me. This is a good album. Ozzy looks awful on the album cover, though, but I like the title and concept of it.
07. Ozzmosis (1995)
I know what y'all probably thinking right now. Something like, "yeah, of course...", and yeah, maybe you're right. I'm the typical Ozzy fan, favoring all of his old albums before his newer stuff. I let the music speak for itself there. This album, however, is a real fan-base splitter. Some people tend to really (almost hate this and) place it last of all Ozzy albums, while some enjoy it a whole lot more, maybe even holding it rather close to their hearts. I'm somewhere in the middle. I don't think Ozzy has succeeded this album with any of his albums since Ozzmosis, but it's his worst up album until that point. It's also been a grower on me, for sure. What's perhaps hard about embracing this album, today, is it's very dated 90's feel and sound. Apparently this was a record company-controlled album in many ways where they wanted Ozzy to sound like Soundgarden at the time, while Ozzy had started off with this album as more of a "continuation" of No More Tears. That was a bad but ultimately interesting idea by the RC, I think. This is unarguably Ozzy's most experimental work and it's kind of interesting in that way, but it falls a bit short on delivering the real goods. My faves are "Thunder Underground", "See You On The Other Side" and "Tomorrow".
06. Bark At The Moon (1983)
This is perhaps Ozzy's most overrated albums ever. I will leave that up to debate with the next album on this list, but they together are his most overrated albums, no doubt. Anyway, this album is still a classic and important piece of 80's heavy ... metal, and a bunch of other stuff. Yes, that is the problem here - this album hasn't really got a red thread holding the material together. This album is not really experimental in that sense, but it's "all over" the place. I mean, we have some true heavy metal thunderstrucks like the classic title track and "Rock 'n' Roll Rebel", while we've got some weird attempts at keyboard-oriented gothic 80's metal in the otherwise cool and overlooked track "Waiting For Darkness". "Slow Down" is somewhere towards an AOR sound with it's silly-sounding chorus and, well... I don't know. It's all over the place. It goes into ballad territory as well, of course, with the excellent "You're No Different" and the instead awful grandma-loves-this-tune "So Tired". It's not a bad album, just not very solid either. There is one great thing about this album, though - the then-new guitarist Jake E. Lee, whose work with Ozzy I really like. Underrated and overlooked guy that not too many people, sadly, seem to remember or talk about.
05. Blizzard Of Ozz (1980)
Maybe this is more likely to be Ozzy's most overrated album, or maybe it isn't at all. I know many people love it and praise it, and so do I in many ways as well, particularly the talent of Randy Rhoads. The reason that this album isn't really my favorite, however, is the musical quality delivered here. What I can never understand with the praising of this album is how people tend to completely forget rather bland tracks like especially "No Bone Movies" and pretty much "Steal Away (The Night)", too. Those two tracks certainly don't help this album become a flawless masterpiece, even less Ozzy's best moment. Apart from that, there isn't much to discuss about this album. It's got Ozzy's most recognized tune "Crazy Train" and the fan favorite "Mr. Crowley", which is my favorite off this album as well. Randy Rhoads guitar work also stands the test of time - I love his playing - his tone, squeals, solos, classical overtones, and riffs. This is a very good album, without a doubt.
04. No More Tears (1991)
Times were a-changin' in the early 90's within the Ozzcamp, but maybe not really that different? This album is one of those critically acclaimed and fan favorited Ozzy albums, and I do see why. It was most likely very fresh in its time and packed with great tunes. It was the second album where Zakk Wylde handled the guitar duties and my guess is that he had more (of southern rock) input this time around. It's a very dynamic record, going from rockers to ballad-esque tracks to real heavy metal. What I really dig about this record is its variety and how it manages to still sound like an 80's Ozzy album, but with that early 90's attitude, feel and touch to it. Think maybe Ozzy's early solo stuff combined with early Alice in Chains and stuff. It was a winning concept nonetheless, as Ozzy was the only one, together with Metallica and (the) Red Hot Chili Peppers, amongst the 80's artists/bands who managed to remain successful and go multi-platinum in the new decade. But at the end of the day, I still miss something in this album. It hasn't got that special mystique that some of Ozzy's older albums have, or material quite up-to-par. Whatever this album has and hasn't got, it still is a quite unique Ozzy album as none of of his other stuff sounds like this one. And what else can I say? No other than Lemmy co-wrote four songs on this album, and like the best ones at that. This is an album that ages very nicely, and some of my absolute fave Ozzy tunes is on here: the title track, "Hellraiser", "Desire" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home". A very balanced, perfect all-around sounding middle-era album that combines the best of two worlds: what Ozzy did in the 80's and what he would later do up till this day.
03. The Ultimate Sin (1986)
One of Ozzy's more complicated albums, The Ultimate Sin has ever since it came out in '86 divided fans opinions all over the place, I believe. There seems to be a constant debate about where this album actually lies quality-wise. I wouldn't go on to call it underrated, overrated or misunderstood really, because most people seem to have given it a listen at some point at least. What I can feel about it, however, is that it's perhaps "wrongly accused". Some people bash this for being a sell-out album by Ozzy, which I can understand in one perspective - as it being a glam metal album released in the heydays of glam metal, but in any other perspectives, I cannot understand it. Ultimately I don't think it is an overly commercial album. I think it's still a bit too heavy compared to Mötley Crüe or Ratt, which were big glam acts at the time, and I still think it has more metal elements than those bands. It also sold "only" two million copies in the US, not really a too large amount compared to other glam metal bands. Some people also tend to think the material on this is simply weak, with no actual hits or memorable tunes present. I oppose them all. I think these songs are all great, even the ones generally considered "filler" (for instance - "Fool Like You", "Never") which are among my very favorites. It also spawns a few fan favorites, besides the obvious hit and classic "Shot In The Dark", which are the great "Secret Loser" and "Killer Of Giants". But what I think I dig the most about this album is the guitar playing by Jake E. Lee. The album cover is also my favorite one among Ozzy's albums.
02. No Rest For The Wicked (1988)
"What album did you say?", yes? This is like a mighty pearl thrown to the swines - a forgotten, totally underrated and overlooked heavy metal album. This truly is the one and only Ozzy album I can truly considered underrated and overlooked. Despite selling two million copies in the US alone, people seem to have genuinely forgot all about this one. Perhaps it's because it totally lacks anything called a "hit single", but perhaps it's just peoples ignorance as well. What this album is probably most (and sadly, only) remembered for is that it was the first album featuring a very young Zakk Wylde, and you can immediately recognize him and his style. This is very much a pure heavy metal album - a very dark and heavy one at that. I mean, in my opinion, this is without a doubt Ozzy's heaviest and darkest album ever. There is an eerie and sinister feeling throughout the album, with Zakk Wylde-ified Black Sabbath-y riffing and pentatonic scales all over. He just plays with an intense hunger and energy, and he sure had got the chops already at that early age. Ozzy's drummer at the time, the late Randy Castillo, also really shines on this one. To me, this album is the best Ozzalbum drum-wise. I really appreciate this album as a whole without really trying to pick any favorites, but I would totally call "Breakin' All The Rules", "Miracle Man", "Bloodbath In Paradise" and the epic ballad-esque track "Fire In The Sky" classics in Ozzy's catalogue. The Japanese bonus track "The Liar" is also when of Ozzy's better (piano) ballads to my ears.
01. Diary Of A Madman (1981)
Maybe this was a bit foreseen and obvious of a choice, but one cannot deny the greatness and epicness of this true masterpiece. This album is totally something purely outstanding that Ozzy had never done before, or would do again. It's just something that was done right at the perfect time. This album has been closest to my heart out of all albums featuring Ozzy (inc. the Sabbath catalogue).
There is something dark and strange going on behind the musical curtains that you cannot quite see or understand, you can only hear it being present through these tracks. I don't know much about the recording of this album, but I wouldn't be surprised if they recorded parts of it, or at least composed/rehearsed these tracks, in a haunted or possessed place. The album's magnificence is largely because of the guitar work by the late, great Randy Rhoads. I just truly believe Ozzy did find the ultimate musician in him, because his playing rules this album, and you do understand the fuzz and legend about him when you hear this album.
I don't think you can compare this and Blizzard Of Ozz. It's two similar records but yet so different from each other. That one is really more of a "basic" album made of album tracks and hits, I'd say, while this is very epic and more complex. This is where Randy really pushed his creative boundaries, which is most notable in the amazing title track, which ends this masterpiece just perfectly.
Believe me, I cannot express in words what this album is for me. It's like a journey you have to join yourself in order to understand, but that is certainly something that can't quite be said about any of the other Ozzy albums. This is one the one, the magnum opus, the flawless masterpiece.
onsdag 18 februari 2015
torsdag 18 december 2014
My Top-10 Black Metal Albums Of All Time
It's time for my top-10 list of black metal albums. I just have to confess a few things: it wasn't a long time ago since I really got into black metal. It was like in the summer of 2013 that I really started listening to the genre. I have listened to a few bands, mostly (the true) Mayhem since 2007 and Bathory since 2006. I am also fully aware of the metal elitism in black metal, with people seriously being trve and all that. I'm pretty sure I am not. I am open-minded. I also listen to more modern black metal rather than old, which I suppose is "gay" and all that as well. What I do dig the most with black metal is it's primitive music and lyrical content. As a Luciferian, critic and opposer to religion, I find much relevance in black metal's common lyrical content. Anyway, here is my list:
#10: Ondskapt - Arisen From The Ashes (2010)
Ondskapt is a Swedish black metal band that I guess have some ties with Watain. They record their stuff in the same studio (Necromorbus) and the sound is therefore pretty similar, both musically and sonically. I don't really have much to say about this album to sum it up rightfully, but I have listened to it a lot because I really dig the Necromorbus sound. With that said, this is not to be taken as a Watain clone, they're not. They are a similar band, and a very good band at that.
#9: Immortal - All Shall Fall (2009)
The only Norwegian black metal band that made my list. I don't dislike their black, they're were responsible for pretty much all the classic black metal in the 90's, but I just find myself more rooted in the Swedish, more melodic stuff. But if there is one, apart from Darkthrone, that should've had battled for this list, it's Immortal. What I really like about them is this album. How they after so many years and albums just put out this one, and it's so damn good. I think they're the Norwegian black metal equivalent to the Swedish death metallers Unleased - they just get better as they age. Most of the Norwegian band also lost much of their original black metal sound - Darkthrone is essentially a viking metal band today, Mayhem is too experimental, and Satyricon blows today. Immortal still sounds black metal in my ears, and some damn good black metal at that.
#8: Chaos Invocation - Black Mirror Hours (2013)
This band is quite unknown I think. They're a German band that play a great style of black metal with lots of almost gothic guitar harmonies and stuff. While maybe not anything groundbreaking, this album really is a very solid listen. There's a certain evil within this record, especially in the vocals, that really makes for a hateful atmosphere when you need it. I would probably describe this album as: what the album cover shows you, stylistically, is what you will hear. It's great!
#7: Valkyrja - Contamination (2010)
Another Swedish band that records in the infamous Necromorbus studios like so many modern death metal bands. Valkyrja to me seems to be a band that is getting ignored by many people for sounding too much like fellow Swedish black metal masters Watain. I can hear why that is, and at times it's possibly even a little too obvious, but at the same time they're more progressive to my ears. While Watain sounds very much like a 80's black metal band, Valkyrja strike me as more laid to complex rhythms and time-signatures, that kind of stuff. They have lots of cool drumming and riffing going on, and the production is fucking sweet.
#6: Inferno - Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness (2013)
I don't know much about this band or their music, really. This album is not quite the regular black metal album. This one is...experimental, I guess you could say, in some ways. It's got lengthy tunes with lots of black metal-progressive parts and fills. Don't let this scare you away, though. This album has got a very nice melancholic, depressing and evil sound-scape going on throughout. It's not the kind of album that I would put on whenever, but really when I'm in the mood for some really atmospheric stuff. I really like this album a lot.
#5: Raise Hell - Holy Target (1998)
A late 90's band from Sweden that went by pretty unnoticed, I believe? I could imagine why as well. After this album they changed their sound to more of a straight, simple and quite boring thrash sound (Swedes can't do good thrash. Death metal is our excellency!). This album, however, is very much a black metal album very much in the same vein as fellow, by then split-up, Swedes Dissection. Now this can come off as a second-rate "rip-off" of Dissection, and maybe it is, but it still some fucking neat second-rate shit in any case. What I particularly like about this album is its sweet riffs and melancholic melodies. I guess that this album, if you haven't heard it, would sure please fans of Dissection, Unanimated and Watain.
#4: Samael - Ceremony Of Opposites (1994)
This album is the first on any of my lists made so far that really isn't my favorite album by the band, since Samael so drastically changed their musical style after this album, I cannot really choose my favorite album of theirs. That'll have to wait for the industrial metal top-10 list. But still album, Samael's last pure full-length black metal album, is a classic of the genre. I'm not a too big fan of Samael's early doom-y, Celtic Frost influenced black metal albums, but it was with this one that they really got their own thing going. A dark, sinister metal album with quite a unique metal sound, as Samael always have been - a unique band, and Vorph's evil vocals just makes the band perfect. I imagine this album would probably please most of the black metal fans out there. It's a great album!
#3: Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark (1986)
Most likely, without a question, the most trve black metal album on this list. I see most fans of the mighty Bathory either favoring the debut, "Blood, Fire, Death", or the viking metal-era. I for one really favor this album. It's very raw, primitive, dark, brutal and with an amazing set of tunes. It's simply a classic metal album. What's also to keep in mind about this album is when it was released, which was in 1986. That was the year when thrash classics like Slayer's "Reign In Blood" and Kreator's "Pleasure To Kill" came out, and everyone thought it was the most bad-ass, brutal albums ever. They apparently didn't hear this one that year, or had heard any of the older Bathory material for that matter. For the time being released, this album is very much a truly extreme metal album. It would only take a fool to deny that.
#2: Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane (1995)
Sweden's Dissection is one of the most appreciated black metal bands of all time. Maybe that is because they're just as accepted with the (melodic, particularly) death metal fans as well. After releasing their excellent debut "The Somberlain", which honestly could've been their best as well, Dissection released this legendary album. Sounding heavily influenced by my all-time favorite death metal band Dismember, this stuff is bound to catch my attention. The have majestic melodies, sinister riffs, and blasting drums of hell that just perfectly creates this evil, Satanic, melancholic, cold atmosphere that I just love about black metal. Trve perfection.
#1: Watain - Lawless Darkness (2010)
And the King on the hill, the Lords of the lawless darkness - Watain. Not the first black metal band that I discovered, but the one that really got me into it. What I really dig about this album, and the band as a whole, is their creativity and quality music. I truly find very record of theirs to be a masterpiece, and everyone is also different from each other. I also like how they do not only sound raw, brutal and primitive, but with a great sence of melancholic, 80's heavy metal inspired melody. They sound like a mix of first-gen black metal like Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost and particularly Bathory, combined with with the classic 90's stuff like Dissection and Darkthrone. Watain is more than just simple black metal - it's a whole universe of dark entities, black magic, evil and death.
#10: Ondskapt - Arisen From The Ashes (2010)
Ondskapt is a Swedish black metal band that I guess have some ties with Watain. They record their stuff in the same studio (Necromorbus) and the sound is therefore pretty similar, both musically and sonically. I don't really have much to say about this album to sum it up rightfully, but I have listened to it a lot because I really dig the Necromorbus sound. With that said, this is not to be taken as a Watain clone, they're not. They are a similar band, and a very good band at that.
#9: Immortal - All Shall Fall (2009)
The only Norwegian black metal band that made my list. I don't dislike their black, they're were responsible for pretty much all the classic black metal in the 90's, but I just find myself more rooted in the Swedish, more melodic stuff. But if there is one, apart from Darkthrone, that should've had battled for this list, it's Immortal. What I really like about them is this album. How they after so many years and albums just put out this one, and it's so damn good. I think they're the Norwegian black metal equivalent to the Swedish death metallers Unleased - they just get better as they age. Most of the Norwegian band also lost much of their original black metal sound - Darkthrone is essentially a viking metal band today, Mayhem is too experimental, and Satyricon blows today. Immortal still sounds black metal in my ears, and some damn good black metal at that.
#8: Chaos Invocation - Black Mirror Hours (2013)
This band is quite unknown I think. They're a German band that play a great style of black metal with lots of almost gothic guitar harmonies and stuff. While maybe not anything groundbreaking, this album really is a very solid listen. There's a certain evil within this record, especially in the vocals, that really makes for a hateful atmosphere when you need it. I would probably describe this album as: what the album cover shows you, stylistically, is what you will hear. It's great!
#7: Valkyrja - Contamination (2010)
Another Swedish band that records in the infamous Necromorbus studios like so many modern death metal bands. Valkyrja to me seems to be a band that is getting ignored by many people for sounding too much like fellow Swedish black metal masters Watain. I can hear why that is, and at times it's possibly even a little too obvious, but at the same time they're more progressive to my ears. While Watain sounds very much like a 80's black metal band, Valkyrja strike me as more laid to complex rhythms and time-signatures, that kind of stuff. They have lots of cool drumming and riffing going on, and the production is fucking sweet.
#6: Inferno - Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness (2013)
I don't know much about this band or their music, really. This album is not quite the regular black metal album. This one is...experimental, I guess you could say, in some ways. It's got lengthy tunes with lots of black metal-progressive parts and fills. Don't let this scare you away, though. This album has got a very nice melancholic, depressing and evil sound-scape going on throughout. It's not the kind of album that I would put on whenever, but really when I'm in the mood for some really atmospheric stuff. I really like this album a lot.
#5: Raise Hell - Holy Target (1998)
A late 90's band from Sweden that went by pretty unnoticed, I believe? I could imagine why as well. After this album they changed their sound to more of a straight, simple and quite boring thrash sound (Swedes can't do good thrash. Death metal is our excellency!). This album, however, is very much a black metal album very much in the same vein as fellow, by then split-up, Swedes Dissection. Now this can come off as a second-rate "rip-off" of Dissection, and maybe it is, but it still some fucking neat second-rate shit in any case. What I particularly like about this album is its sweet riffs and melancholic melodies. I guess that this album, if you haven't heard it, would sure please fans of Dissection, Unanimated and Watain.
#4: Samael - Ceremony Of Opposites (1994)
This album is the first on any of my lists made so far that really isn't my favorite album by the band, since Samael so drastically changed their musical style after this album, I cannot really choose my favorite album of theirs. That'll have to wait for the industrial metal top-10 list. But still album, Samael's last pure full-length black metal album, is a classic of the genre. I'm not a too big fan of Samael's early doom-y, Celtic Frost influenced black metal albums, but it was with this one that they really got their own thing going. A dark, sinister metal album with quite a unique metal sound, as Samael always have been - a unique band, and Vorph's evil vocals just makes the band perfect. I imagine this album would probably please most of the black metal fans out there. It's a great album!
#3: Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark (1986)
Most likely, without a question, the most trve black metal album on this list. I see most fans of the mighty Bathory either favoring the debut, "Blood, Fire, Death", or the viking metal-era. I for one really favor this album. It's very raw, primitive, dark, brutal and with an amazing set of tunes. It's simply a classic metal album. What's also to keep in mind about this album is when it was released, which was in 1986. That was the year when thrash classics like Slayer's "Reign In Blood" and Kreator's "Pleasure To Kill" came out, and everyone thought it was the most bad-ass, brutal albums ever. They apparently didn't hear this one that year, or had heard any of the older Bathory material for that matter. For the time being released, this album is very much a truly extreme metal album. It would only take a fool to deny that.
#2: Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane (1995)
Sweden's Dissection is one of the most appreciated black metal bands of all time. Maybe that is because they're just as accepted with the (melodic, particularly) death metal fans as well. After releasing their excellent debut "The Somberlain", which honestly could've been their best as well, Dissection released this legendary album. Sounding heavily influenced by my all-time favorite death metal band Dismember, this stuff is bound to catch my attention. The have majestic melodies, sinister riffs, and blasting drums of hell that just perfectly creates this evil, Satanic, melancholic, cold atmosphere that I just love about black metal. Trve perfection.
#1: Watain - Lawless Darkness (2010)
And the King on the hill, the Lords of the lawless darkness - Watain. Not the first black metal band that I discovered, but the one that really got me into it. What I really dig about this album, and the band as a whole, is their creativity and quality music. I truly find very record of theirs to be a masterpiece, and everyone is also different from each other. I also like how they do not only sound raw, brutal and primitive, but with a great sence of melancholic, 80's heavy metal inspired melody. They sound like a mix of first-gen black metal like Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost and particularly Bathory, combined with with the classic 90's stuff like Dissection and Darkthrone. Watain is more than just simple black metal - it's a whole universe of dark entities, black magic, evil and death.
onsdag 17 december 2014
My Top-10 Groove Metal Albums Of All Time
This is my next top-10 list, this time rating groove metal albums and bands. As usual there is one record per band that gets to represent them as a whole, as good as it's possible. This particular genre was quite a challenge to put a list for. I love groove metal, which mostly reigned in the mid-90's, but this metal genre is probably the hardest genre to find good bands within. Believe me, I've listened to almost every single groove metal band that you can find out about, especially from the 90's, and it's really no wonder that most of them went by (totally) unnoticed - because most of them suck. But anyway, I manged to make a top-10 while even naming a few honorable candidates. Here it is:
#10: Farmer Boys - Countrified (1995)
My last spot was the most difficult to place, as usual. There are several album that are pretty equal to battle for this position, but I ultimately went with this one. This is a band whose name and lyrical themes aren't to be taken too seriously, obviously. Despite the shitty band name, the music on this debut of theirs is solid. It's kind of a gothic groove metal album. Think if The Gathering played groove metal, and you should quite nail it, I believe. That's why I gave this one the last spot on my list - because it's more unique than it's last-spot opponents.
#9: Hate Squad - I.Q. Zero (1995)
This album might be wrongfully placed on this to some metal purists, as it's a very hardcore-thrashing album, but I am not that conservative. I still think this album, and the band, fits in the groove folder. This is quite an intense album with lots of groovy hardcore-influenced thrash-riffing, a little like "Cowboys From Hell"-era Pantera. This album has got many solid tunes that gets me moshing and banging my head. The opening track is a neat underground 90's classic called "Not My God", which has later been covered by some modern, shit 'core band.
#8: Lamb of God - Wrath (2009)
One of the few modern bands that carry on today with what Pantera reigned with in the 90's. Again, some purists might not agree with the inclusion of LoG on this list. Many people consider them metalcore, but really. I've discussed this matter a number of times with my buds and we all agree on that Lamb of God is a groove metal band, not a metalcore one. Why? Well, metalcore to me is shit like Devildriver, All That Remains and whatever they're called - shit that I genuinely don't like. I don't think, at least I don't hear it, that LoG sound like them other metalcore bands. LoG is groove, and this album blew me away when it dropped in early 2009. I remember the day I bought it, like in the first week after its release. Good times, and groovy times as well.
#7: Fear Factory - Demanufacture (1995)
Here we've got a real 90's classic. This album was a pretty big success back in the mid-90's and one of Roadrunner Records' best-selling bands at the time, I believe. FF is categorized as industrial metal and they have a lot of those sound effects and atmospheres, but they're essentially a groove metal band musically. Focusing a lot on fast, machine-like and groovy drum rhythms, accompanied with great rhythm riffs and angry as well as clean vocals, FF is a good start of what would really influence the metalcore bands of the last ten years and more. But this was still the real deal back in the day. It's a damn good record. Unfortunately, FF didn't really keep up with any quality releases like this in the future, but this is enough of a great legacy, I guess. Their debut before this album is good as well, with more of a death metal sound.
#6: Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve (1995)
Sweden's Meshuggah, my kinsmen, is a truly unique band. Playing a groovy thrash/death kind of metal style with a lot of weird time signatures that I can't even discuss details about (because I know nothing about that stuff), they take their sound a make it sound huge. This album is a perfect record that stands the test of time. I was very modern and groundbreaking back in its day, but it's still just as fresh today. This album is one heavy motherfucker, and I suggest you put this on when you're fucking pissed off. You won't be disappointed!
#5: Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power (1992)
My favorite Pantera record for many years now, VDOP took the sound they introduced on the mighty "Cowboys From Hell", dropped the power metal influences and made it all more brutal and heavy oriented. The result is a perfection of groove metal. This is probably one of the, if not the most, obvious choice you can go with if you wanna discover the groove metal genre. Featuring classics like "Walk", "This Love", "Fucking Hostile" and "Mouth For War" that I take for granted that you all are familiar with, says enough. I don't need to give this album any boost. You should already know it.
#4: Coroner - Grin (1993)
One of my favorite bands, especially in the thrash metal folder, Coroner ended their full-length album span with this one. While their earlier releases were technical thrash, this one is certainly more groove oriented. However, they do not take a cheap shot at playing Pantera wanna-be's, but rather do it their own way with their unique sound and style. The result is great, and while many of their fans consider this album to be their least good, I can't agree with that. It's not their best, but not their least good either. It is, however, probably their most interesting record musically, as it's the most different album of their career. They would release a compilation album in 1995 with a few new tunes, which sound very much like the material on this masterpiece, if you're interested.
#3: Exhorder - Slaughter In The Vatican (1990)
Exhorder is a band that I give a lot of rightful credit to. Most metalheads haven't heard about them. What's sad about this great band is that they're more famous for being inventors of the style that Pantera got their breakthrough with. Many people including myself have researched within this matter, and Exhorder's late 80's demos clearly shows that Pantera must've "stolen" their sound, and simply got their stuff out first. Pantera became huge, Exhorder went by unnoticed. Such a shame, because this fucking album is of some crushing quality metal that Pantera never even were able to touch. This album is a groovy thrash classic like nothing else!
#2: Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)
This is one of the genre's definite classics. To my ears, I've always thought that Machine Head sounded like a more hardcore-influenced, and maybe even groovier, version of Pantera. With drums inspired of jazz, funk and hip-hop, they get a kind of groove going that no other band here really has. With heavy riffing, angry vocals, and great compositions, Machine Head made their best record already from the start. I know some people might disagree with me on this, while many will agree as well, but I really prefer the sound they had going here than later on in their career. This is nothing less but a must-have for all metal fans. It's just that good. A classic.
#1: Face Down - Mindfield (1995)
My winner of this genre. This is an album I've reviewed here before as I like this band very much. Coming from my homeland Sweden, Face Down is something of a Swedish Machine Head (they were even called Machine God until "Burn My Eyes" was released in 1994), clearly drawing influences from them, Sepultura, Pantera and Slayer. The difference between Face Down and Machine Head, and the other bands of the genre as well, is that FD has a lot of that sweet Swedish death metal ingredient in their music. This, in my opinion, makes their music even heavier than the others. Essentially this is a groovy thrash/death album, also sporting some obvious industrial influences with its samples and keyboards, and the result is crushing! I simply love this damn album. It's awesome.
Honorable mentions:
Grip Inc. - Power Of Inner Strength
Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000
#10: Farmer Boys - Countrified (1995)
My last spot was the most difficult to place, as usual. There are several album that are pretty equal to battle for this position, but I ultimately went with this one. This is a band whose name and lyrical themes aren't to be taken too seriously, obviously. Despite the shitty band name, the music on this debut of theirs is solid. It's kind of a gothic groove metal album. Think if The Gathering played groove metal, and you should quite nail it, I believe. That's why I gave this one the last spot on my list - because it's more unique than it's last-spot opponents.
#9: Hate Squad - I.Q. Zero (1995)
This album might be wrongfully placed on this to some metal purists, as it's a very hardcore-thrashing album, but I am not that conservative. I still think this album, and the band, fits in the groove folder. This is quite an intense album with lots of groovy hardcore-influenced thrash-riffing, a little like "Cowboys From Hell"-era Pantera. This album has got many solid tunes that gets me moshing and banging my head. The opening track is a neat underground 90's classic called "Not My God", which has later been covered by some modern, shit 'core band.
#8: Lamb of God - Wrath (2009)
One of the few modern bands that carry on today with what Pantera reigned with in the 90's. Again, some purists might not agree with the inclusion of LoG on this list. Many people consider them metalcore, but really. I've discussed this matter a number of times with my buds and we all agree on that Lamb of God is a groove metal band, not a metalcore one. Why? Well, metalcore to me is shit like Devildriver, All That Remains and whatever they're called - shit that I genuinely don't like. I don't think, at least I don't hear it, that LoG sound like them other metalcore bands. LoG is groove, and this album blew me away when it dropped in early 2009. I remember the day I bought it, like in the first week after its release. Good times, and groovy times as well.
#7: Fear Factory - Demanufacture (1995)
Here we've got a real 90's classic. This album was a pretty big success back in the mid-90's and one of Roadrunner Records' best-selling bands at the time, I believe. FF is categorized as industrial metal and they have a lot of those sound effects and atmospheres, but they're essentially a groove metal band musically. Focusing a lot on fast, machine-like and groovy drum rhythms, accompanied with great rhythm riffs and angry as well as clean vocals, FF is a good start of what would really influence the metalcore bands of the last ten years and more. But this was still the real deal back in the day. It's a damn good record. Unfortunately, FF didn't really keep up with any quality releases like this in the future, but this is enough of a great legacy, I guess. Their debut before this album is good as well, with more of a death metal sound.
#6: Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve (1995)
Sweden's Meshuggah, my kinsmen, is a truly unique band. Playing a groovy thrash/death kind of metal style with a lot of weird time signatures that I can't even discuss details about (because I know nothing about that stuff), they take their sound a make it sound huge. This album is a perfect record that stands the test of time. I was very modern and groundbreaking back in its day, but it's still just as fresh today. This album is one heavy motherfucker, and I suggest you put this on when you're fucking pissed off. You won't be disappointed!
#5: Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power (1992)
My favorite Pantera record for many years now, VDOP took the sound they introduced on the mighty "Cowboys From Hell", dropped the power metal influences and made it all more brutal and heavy oriented. The result is a perfection of groove metal. This is probably one of the, if not the most, obvious choice you can go with if you wanna discover the groove metal genre. Featuring classics like "Walk", "This Love", "Fucking Hostile" and "Mouth For War" that I take for granted that you all are familiar with, says enough. I don't need to give this album any boost. You should already know it.
#4: Coroner - Grin (1993)
One of my favorite bands, especially in the thrash metal folder, Coroner ended their full-length album span with this one. While their earlier releases were technical thrash, this one is certainly more groove oriented. However, they do not take a cheap shot at playing Pantera wanna-be's, but rather do it their own way with their unique sound and style. The result is great, and while many of their fans consider this album to be their least good, I can't agree with that. It's not their best, but not their least good either. It is, however, probably their most interesting record musically, as it's the most different album of their career. They would release a compilation album in 1995 with a few new tunes, which sound very much like the material on this masterpiece, if you're interested.
#3: Exhorder - Slaughter In The Vatican (1990)
Exhorder is a band that I give a lot of rightful credit to. Most metalheads haven't heard about them. What's sad about this great band is that they're more famous for being inventors of the style that Pantera got their breakthrough with. Many people including myself have researched within this matter, and Exhorder's late 80's demos clearly shows that Pantera must've "stolen" their sound, and simply got their stuff out first. Pantera became huge, Exhorder went by unnoticed. Such a shame, because this fucking album is of some crushing quality metal that Pantera never even were able to touch. This album is a groovy thrash classic like nothing else!
#2: Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)
This is one of the genre's definite classics. To my ears, I've always thought that Machine Head sounded like a more hardcore-influenced, and maybe even groovier, version of Pantera. With drums inspired of jazz, funk and hip-hop, they get a kind of groove going that no other band here really has. With heavy riffing, angry vocals, and great compositions, Machine Head made their best record already from the start. I know some people might disagree with me on this, while many will agree as well, but I really prefer the sound they had going here than later on in their career. This is nothing less but a must-have for all metal fans. It's just that good. A classic.
#1: Face Down - Mindfield (1995)
My winner of this genre. This is an album I've reviewed here before as I like this band very much. Coming from my homeland Sweden, Face Down is something of a Swedish Machine Head (they were even called Machine God until "Burn My Eyes" was released in 1994), clearly drawing influences from them, Sepultura, Pantera and Slayer. The difference between Face Down and Machine Head, and the other bands of the genre as well, is that FD has a lot of that sweet Swedish death metal ingredient in their music. This, in my opinion, makes their music even heavier than the others. Essentially this is a groovy thrash/death album, also sporting some obvious industrial influences with its samples and keyboards, and the result is crushing! I simply love this damn album. It's awesome.
Honorable mentions:
Grip Inc. - Power Of Inner Strength
Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000
tisdag 16 december 2014
My Top-10 Death Metal Albums Of All Time
It's time to my top-10 list of my personal favorite death metal albums ever! Just like the other two lists before this one, I'm just gonna choose one record for each band that will represent the best of that band specifically. Here goes...
#10: Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade (1992)
Bolt Thrower will start off this list with the last spot. There were many bands and albums battling for this spot, but I guess BT just had a great artillery at the end of the day. I really dig their made-for-combat death metal sound, even though it tends to get somewhat repetitive, but I just couldn't deny them a spot on this list. Choosing a favorite album of theirs was no easy task either. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that this one is one of their more varied albums, including some doom-y influences to make their sound even more heavy. Think like if Black Sabbath made death metal. Well, that's kind of it, I think. This album is just shit-heavy fucking death metal perfect for fighting!
#9: Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God (2008)
One of the "newer" (still old, actually, just a late bloomer) Swedish DM bands that has really become one of Sweden's biggest bands of the past ten years, Amon Amarth is a very nice and heavy answer on Sweden's Gothenburg death metal sound. While I never was quite a fan of Gothenburg bands like At The Gates or Dark Tranquility, AA really is something else. It's like they combine the Gothenburg melodies with the heavy approach of the Stockholm scene, which I really like. There is no other record in their discography that I think does this better than this one. This is an almost flawless metal album with many great songs that surely will get you headbanging. The band also manages something on this album, that I probably have to admit that no other death metal band ever has managed, and that is the inclusion of the closing-track "Embrace Of The Endless Ocean". I truly believe that it might be the most epic and amazing death metal song ever recorded.
#8: Carnage - Dark Recollections (1990)
Pretty much a hybrid record combining the sound of early Dismember and of what Carcass would become very soon. Featuring three members of Dismember as well as band founder and future Carcass and Arch Enemy, guitarist Mike Amott, this album is essentially a Dismember record with a strong Carcass '89-'91 era influence. Many of the songs even are old Dismember tunes that appeared on their demo-tapes back in the late 80's, and the sound is very obvious. This album also makes use of the legendary buzz-saw guitar sound that Dismember had used, but as Entombed had just put out "Left Hand Path" short before this one, that one got all the credit. Carnage eventually went on pretty unnoticed, as the band had already split-up by this album's release, due to Mike Amott joining Carcass (well fitting, though). The other guys quickly reformed Dismember and the rest is (great) history. But this album still is here, having caught the attention of death metal enthusiasts like me, and it's a damn good record. While the band splitting up paved the way for two of the best outcomes ever, it would've been fun to hear what else they could've put out.
#7: Unleashed - Odalheim (2012)
These Swedes were the first and true death metal vikings. Any fan of Amon Amarth should really give these guys some fucking cred - they're the old school, real deal kind of band. This is also really the only death metal band, at least in Sweden, that really manages to put out even greater records nowadays, than they did back in the death metal heydays. That's saying a lot. The only other band could possibly be Grave, but I'm not sure. At least no other Swedish DM band manages it. Unleashed has just gotten better with each album released in the last, like, twenty years. This album is my favorite of theirs, and their most recent one! That is not a bad achievement!
#6: Benediction - Transcend The Rubicon (1993)
A band whose sound is pretty similar to Bolt Thrower, but with more variety (though BT has made more records of great quality than Benediction has), this album is a raw, high-energy output. It's got some great riffing that fucking rips you apart. They do kind of a melodic yet raw approach to their riffing style, with some pissed-off drumming accompanied to it. The bass is also audible, even if not really as forthcoming as the other instruments. It's a well-balanced album and the songs are essentially very riff-oriented. I usually put this one on when I feel like doing some angry death metal air guitar.
#5: Carcass - Heartwork (1993)
Without a doubt Carcass' most melodic release, to my ears at least. This might come as an obvious choice, but hey, it's a fucking great record. This is very the band truly hit the spot-on button in the studio. I really like how this album is like death metal discretely flirting with stoner metal, really bringing forth a heavy-oriented side while maintaining the brutality and melody from their earlier death metal albums. I also really dig the production on this album. It's so clear yet raw and heavy, just a perfect balance and every instrument is audible and clear - rare for a death metal record. Just a masterpiece, nothing less.
#4: Entombed - Left Hand Path (1990)
My introduction to death metal. I remember putting this record on and instantly being blown-away during the opening. It was just so crushing and brutal, so spot-on what I needed to discover at the time. This is the first official release with the legendary Swedish buzz-saw guitar sound, and damn if I didn't cum my pants when I first heard it. Just is just some pure, hardcore-punky death metal that will crush your spine and neck because you will headbang too hard. It was a perfect introduction to the genre.
#3: Nocturnus - The Key (1990)
This is one of the most interesting metal records ever made, as well as pioneering. From what I've heard, this album, or band at least, is the first death metal band to make heavy use of keyboards in their music, and the result is phenomenal! This is very much a typical Tampa death style, very Morbid Angel (even containing former MA drummer/vocalist Mike Browning), records with great, atmospheric keyboard intros and supports throughout. The songs are great as a whole, too. The only thing really lacking with this album would be the somewhat primitive drumming. The bass drumming is rarely real solid, but I guess that's because they recorded it all live on tape, with Mike Browning being a little distracted while singing at the same time as drumming. I don't know. But nonetheless, this album is fucking killer! The best out of the American Tampa scene.
#2: Septic Flesh - Mystic Places Of Dawn (1994)
This is an album that I discovered many years after I first ventured into death metal, but I'd be damned if it didn't struck me down with its huge, epic, melodic, and Gothic atmospheric sound. It's 99.9 % perfection here, the only slight miss being the use of a drum-machine. But it's one of the best-working (most acceptable) ones I've heard accompanied to the music it's serving. These Greek guys really know what they're doing on this album. An overseen masterpiece!
#1: Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
This one is the true one, my one true love of death metal. No other record of the genre, and not many other records in music overall, have meant as much to me as this one does. This one is like one sexy chick - it's got that fat, Swedish Sunlight Studios production, with them fat buzz-saw guitars (my favorite guitar sound ever), live-like drumming, and neat fucking riffs. On top of that is some creamy, melodic guitar soloing, which I just love. The album cover really suits the music perfectly as well. It's just as sexy as the music it's containing is. An immortal classic. One of my most precious records in my collection.
#10: Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade (1992)
Bolt Thrower will start off this list with the last spot. There were many bands and albums battling for this spot, but I guess BT just had a great artillery at the end of the day. I really dig their made-for-combat death metal sound, even though it tends to get somewhat repetitive, but I just couldn't deny them a spot on this list. Choosing a favorite album of theirs was no easy task either. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that this one is one of their more varied albums, including some doom-y influences to make their sound even more heavy. Think like if Black Sabbath made death metal. Well, that's kind of it, I think. This album is just shit-heavy fucking death metal perfect for fighting!
#9: Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God (2008)
One of the "newer" (still old, actually, just a late bloomer) Swedish DM bands that has really become one of Sweden's biggest bands of the past ten years, Amon Amarth is a very nice and heavy answer on Sweden's Gothenburg death metal sound. While I never was quite a fan of Gothenburg bands like At The Gates or Dark Tranquility, AA really is something else. It's like they combine the Gothenburg melodies with the heavy approach of the Stockholm scene, which I really like. There is no other record in their discography that I think does this better than this one. This is an almost flawless metal album with many great songs that surely will get you headbanging. The band also manages something on this album, that I probably have to admit that no other death metal band ever has managed, and that is the inclusion of the closing-track "Embrace Of The Endless Ocean". I truly believe that it might be the most epic and amazing death metal song ever recorded.
#8: Carnage - Dark Recollections (1990)
Pretty much a hybrid record combining the sound of early Dismember and of what Carcass would become very soon. Featuring three members of Dismember as well as band founder and future Carcass and Arch Enemy, guitarist Mike Amott, this album is essentially a Dismember record with a strong Carcass '89-'91 era influence. Many of the songs even are old Dismember tunes that appeared on their demo-tapes back in the late 80's, and the sound is very obvious. This album also makes use of the legendary buzz-saw guitar sound that Dismember had used, but as Entombed had just put out "Left Hand Path" short before this one, that one got all the credit. Carnage eventually went on pretty unnoticed, as the band had already split-up by this album's release, due to Mike Amott joining Carcass (well fitting, though). The other guys quickly reformed Dismember and the rest is (great) history. But this album still is here, having caught the attention of death metal enthusiasts like me, and it's a damn good record. While the band splitting up paved the way for two of the best outcomes ever, it would've been fun to hear what else they could've put out.
#7: Unleashed - Odalheim (2012)
These Swedes were the first and true death metal vikings. Any fan of Amon Amarth should really give these guys some fucking cred - they're the old school, real deal kind of band. This is also really the only death metal band, at least in Sweden, that really manages to put out even greater records nowadays, than they did back in the death metal heydays. That's saying a lot. The only other band could possibly be Grave, but I'm not sure. At least no other Swedish DM band manages it. Unleashed has just gotten better with each album released in the last, like, twenty years. This album is my favorite of theirs, and their most recent one! That is not a bad achievement!
#6: Benediction - Transcend The Rubicon (1993)
A band whose sound is pretty similar to Bolt Thrower, but with more variety (though BT has made more records of great quality than Benediction has), this album is a raw, high-energy output. It's got some great riffing that fucking rips you apart. They do kind of a melodic yet raw approach to their riffing style, with some pissed-off drumming accompanied to it. The bass is also audible, even if not really as forthcoming as the other instruments. It's a well-balanced album and the songs are essentially very riff-oriented. I usually put this one on when I feel like doing some angry death metal air guitar.
#5: Carcass - Heartwork (1993)
Without a doubt Carcass' most melodic release, to my ears at least. This might come as an obvious choice, but hey, it's a fucking great record. This is very the band truly hit the spot-on button in the studio. I really like how this album is like death metal discretely flirting with stoner metal, really bringing forth a heavy-oriented side while maintaining the brutality and melody from their earlier death metal albums. I also really dig the production on this album. It's so clear yet raw and heavy, just a perfect balance and every instrument is audible and clear - rare for a death metal record. Just a masterpiece, nothing less.
#4: Entombed - Left Hand Path (1990)
My introduction to death metal. I remember putting this record on and instantly being blown-away during the opening. It was just so crushing and brutal, so spot-on what I needed to discover at the time. This is the first official release with the legendary Swedish buzz-saw guitar sound, and damn if I didn't cum my pants when I first heard it. Just is just some pure, hardcore-punky death metal that will crush your spine and neck because you will headbang too hard. It was a perfect introduction to the genre.
#3: Nocturnus - The Key (1990)
This is one of the most interesting metal records ever made, as well as pioneering. From what I've heard, this album, or band at least, is the first death metal band to make heavy use of keyboards in their music, and the result is phenomenal! This is very much a typical Tampa death style, very Morbid Angel (even containing former MA drummer/vocalist Mike Browning), records with great, atmospheric keyboard intros and supports throughout. The songs are great as a whole, too. The only thing really lacking with this album would be the somewhat primitive drumming. The bass drumming is rarely real solid, but I guess that's because they recorded it all live on tape, with Mike Browning being a little distracted while singing at the same time as drumming. I don't know. But nonetheless, this album is fucking killer! The best out of the American Tampa scene.
#2: Septic Flesh - Mystic Places Of Dawn (1994)
This is an album that I discovered many years after I first ventured into death metal, but I'd be damned if it didn't struck me down with its huge, epic, melodic, and Gothic atmospheric sound. It's 99.9 % perfection here, the only slight miss being the use of a drum-machine. But it's one of the best-working (most acceptable) ones I've heard accompanied to the music it's serving. These Greek guys really know what they're doing on this album. An overseen masterpiece!
#1: Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
This one is the true one, my one true love of death metal. No other record of the genre, and not many other records in music overall, have meant as much to me as this one does. This one is like one sexy chick - it's got that fat, Swedish Sunlight Studios production, with them fat buzz-saw guitars (my favorite guitar sound ever), live-like drumming, and neat fucking riffs. On top of that is some creamy, melodic guitar soloing, which I just love. The album cover really suits the music perfectly as well. It's just as sexy as the music it's containing is. An immortal classic. One of my most precious records in my collection.
lördag 13 december 2014
My Top-10 Heavy Metal Albums Of All Time
I did a top-10 list of my personal favorite thrash metal albums ever, with one album per band representing their style and musical peak, to my ears. I thought that I'd do the same, but with my top-10 heavy metal albums. The same rule applies for this list - one album per band, their finest moment in my opinion, will represent the band as a whole.
#10: Warlock - Burning The Witches (1984)
The best metal ever made with a female singer. At least that is my ears' opinion. Back when I discovered this at 14, I couldn't stop listening to it. It's some raw German heavy/speed metal with Doro Pesch. While I can admit that her vocal performance here, her as well as the band's debut, is not the best of her career, the album as a whole is. This is satanic-themed heavy metal, totally '84-like metal cliché, but nothing but great and headbang-addictive. The riffing here is especially great.
#9: Madison - Diamond Mistress (1984)
A pretty unknown old band from Sweden sounding like some Priest wanna-be's. This was the first band of singer Göran Edman who would later become known for his work with guitarists John Norum and Yngwie Malmsteen's solo work respectively. This is some great, high-energy heavy metal somewhere in between 80's Priest and Maiden's '81-'82 era. This is one of those true "forgotten" heavy metal gems out there. Hunt this one down!
#8: Steelwing - Zone Of Alienation (2012)
A fun surprise! It was my dear love who introduced me into these guys back before we actually got together. I listened non-stop to this album after that. It's some great, young heavy/speed metal primarily influenced by Judas Priest, but also Iron Maiden and the others, of course (which band is not?). It sounds true to the genres origin, sounding like a product of the 80's that could've as well been released back in the day. It's got some great fucking tunes on it, I promise you!
#7: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time (1986)
My very favorite Maiden album. This is where they started to explore wider areas and got more interesting, while maintaining their usual quality heavy metal sound. Everybody shines on this album, especially Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain. Smith is my favorite songwriter in Maiden, and this is pretty much "his" album, so it's just amazing to my ears. "Stranger In A Strange Land" is one my personal, as well as my dad's, favorite Maiden tracks ever. That solo is the greatest thing ever in a Maiden song!
#6: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath (1984)
Evil and like it was forged in hell itself. This album has got a neat fucking guitar tone that just shreds you into pieces. The best album ever featuring King Diamond at the mic stand. This album is nothing but a sinister heavy metal, or first wave black metal if you prefer, masterpiece that every headbanger must have in his/her collection. You don't break the oath!
#5: Enforcer - Death By Fire (2013)
This might come as a surprise to many, places so high and all, but when a band like Enforcer puts out records, they fucking do it right and truthfully - even more so than most of the bands that actually were around back in the day. Along with Watain, I probably have to say that Enforcer is my favorite young/modern heavy metal band. They play the best speed metal I've ever fucking heard, and their albums even sound like they were released back in '83. This album is fucking killer, which is why I changed my Iron Maiden - Live After Death backpatch to Enforcer's "Total Metal" backpatch! Oh, and I won tickets to a show with Enforcer and Skull Fist earlier this year. That was fucking intense!
#4: Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith (1984)
It was either this one or "Screaming For Vengeance", which has got a better production, but this one's got the slightly better songs. Classics like "The Sentinel", "Freewheel Burning", "Jawbreaker", and my personal favorite "Rock Hard, Ride Free", never lose my attention or energy. I think this album, maybe apart from it's shitty drum-sound, stands the test of time the best out of all Priest records.
#3: Accept - Balls To The Wall (1983)
There's one word that describes this album as a whole: Perfection. It's heavy, both musically and production/sound-wise. Sweet riffs and vocal melodies. The drums are loud and heavy, the best put on record since Kiss' "Creatures Of The Night" album. It's a pure classic from the start till the end. I have listened to this album countless times since I was a fat, short-haired fucking twelve year old wanker. It never gets old!
#2: Dio - The Last In Line (1984)
This is probably the hardest choice. I love Dio's solo work, and I mean like almost every album. Obviously the best era of his I believe was 1983-1994, with all records released in between there being simply great! But I have to choose one, so I chose this one. It's got great tunes on it, apart from maybe "Mystery" which I'm not too fond of, too poppy even for Dio's standards. Vivian Campbell was also the greatest guitarist Dio ever had, and he fucking nails every single note on this album. I'm also weak for the album's closer, "Egypt (The Chains Are On)". Amazing album.
#1: Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest For The Wicked (1988)
Ozzy Osbourne - the Godfather of heavy metal. MY Godfather of heavy metal. He was the one who made me love (heavy) metal music, my ticket into this world of amazing music. My idol. I have been going back and forth for years whether this one or "Diary Of A Madman" is my favorite album of his, but at the moment this one feels like the one. It's a pretty dark and heavy album coming from him, and the debut of Zakk Wylde. I for one actually dig Zakk and he's fucking great on this album. There are almost only songs that I love on this one - "Breakin' All The Rules", "Miracle Man", "Fire In The Sky", "Crazy Babies", and "Bloodbath In Paradise", and the others. It's full of great and thick riffing, sweet soloing and some of the Ozzman's greatest vocal melodies ever! I'll love this album to death!
#10: Warlock - Burning The Witches (1984)
The best metal ever made with a female singer. At least that is my ears' opinion. Back when I discovered this at 14, I couldn't stop listening to it. It's some raw German heavy/speed metal with Doro Pesch. While I can admit that her vocal performance here, her as well as the band's debut, is not the best of her career, the album as a whole is. This is satanic-themed heavy metal, totally '84-like metal cliché, but nothing but great and headbang-addictive. The riffing here is especially great.
#9: Madison - Diamond Mistress (1984)
A pretty unknown old band from Sweden sounding like some Priest wanna-be's. This was the first band of singer Göran Edman who would later become known for his work with guitarists John Norum and Yngwie Malmsteen's solo work respectively. This is some great, high-energy heavy metal somewhere in between 80's Priest and Maiden's '81-'82 era. This is one of those true "forgotten" heavy metal gems out there. Hunt this one down!
#8: Steelwing - Zone Of Alienation (2012)
A fun surprise! It was my dear love who introduced me into these guys back before we actually got together. I listened non-stop to this album after that. It's some great, young heavy/speed metal primarily influenced by Judas Priest, but also Iron Maiden and the others, of course (which band is not?). It sounds true to the genres origin, sounding like a product of the 80's that could've as well been released back in the day. It's got some great fucking tunes on it, I promise you!
#7: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time (1986)
My very favorite Maiden album. This is where they started to explore wider areas and got more interesting, while maintaining their usual quality heavy metal sound. Everybody shines on this album, especially Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain. Smith is my favorite songwriter in Maiden, and this is pretty much "his" album, so it's just amazing to my ears. "Stranger In A Strange Land" is one my personal, as well as my dad's, favorite Maiden tracks ever. That solo is the greatest thing ever in a Maiden song!
#6: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath (1984)
Evil and like it was forged in hell itself. This album has got a neat fucking guitar tone that just shreds you into pieces. The best album ever featuring King Diamond at the mic stand. This album is nothing but a sinister heavy metal, or first wave black metal if you prefer, masterpiece that every headbanger must have in his/her collection. You don't break the oath!
#5: Enforcer - Death By Fire (2013)
This might come as a surprise to many, places so high and all, but when a band like Enforcer puts out records, they fucking do it right and truthfully - even more so than most of the bands that actually were around back in the day. Along with Watain, I probably have to say that Enforcer is my favorite young/modern heavy metal band. They play the best speed metal I've ever fucking heard, and their albums even sound like they were released back in '83. This album is fucking killer, which is why I changed my Iron Maiden - Live After Death backpatch to Enforcer's "Total Metal" backpatch! Oh, and I won tickets to a show with Enforcer and Skull Fist earlier this year. That was fucking intense!
#4: Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith (1984)
It was either this one or "Screaming For Vengeance", which has got a better production, but this one's got the slightly better songs. Classics like "The Sentinel", "Freewheel Burning", "Jawbreaker", and my personal favorite "Rock Hard, Ride Free", never lose my attention or energy. I think this album, maybe apart from it's shitty drum-sound, stands the test of time the best out of all Priest records.
#3: Accept - Balls To The Wall (1983)
There's one word that describes this album as a whole: Perfection. It's heavy, both musically and production/sound-wise. Sweet riffs and vocal melodies. The drums are loud and heavy, the best put on record since Kiss' "Creatures Of The Night" album. It's a pure classic from the start till the end. I have listened to this album countless times since I was a fat, short-haired fucking twelve year old wanker. It never gets old!
#2: Dio - The Last In Line (1984)
This is probably the hardest choice. I love Dio's solo work, and I mean like almost every album. Obviously the best era of his I believe was 1983-1994, with all records released in between there being simply great! But I have to choose one, so I chose this one. It's got great tunes on it, apart from maybe "Mystery" which I'm not too fond of, too poppy even for Dio's standards. Vivian Campbell was also the greatest guitarist Dio ever had, and he fucking nails every single note on this album. I'm also weak for the album's closer, "Egypt (The Chains Are On)". Amazing album.
#1: Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest For The Wicked (1988)
Ozzy Osbourne - the Godfather of heavy metal. MY Godfather of heavy metal. He was the one who made me love (heavy) metal music, my ticket into this world of amazing music. My idol. I have been going back and forth for years whether this one or "Diary Of A Madman" is my favorite album of his, but at the moment this one feels like the one. It's a pretty dark and heavy album coming from him, and the debut of Zakk Wylde. I for one actually dig Zakk and he's fucking great on this album. There are almost only songs that I love on this one - "Breakin' All The Rules", "Miracle Man", "Fire In The Sky", "Crazy Babies", and "Bloodbath In Paradise", and the others. It's full of great and thick riffing, sweet soloing and some of the Ozzman's greatest vocal melodies ever! I'll love this album to death!
onsdag 3 december 2014
My Top-10 Thrash Metal Albums Of All Time
Hello, it's been a while! I've been a little busy for the last few months. It was my birthday back in October, and pretty much everyone else I know has got their birthdays during fall as well. My music has changed yet again, too. Right now it's some thrash nostalgia roaring out of my speakers on a daily basis. Back in 2006 I used to be a hardcore 80's thrash fan - not just the big 4, but everybody else too. I used to listen so much to all those old classics, known as obscure, and I thought it would be fun to actually list like my ten favorite thrash records of all time, so I'm gonna give it a try even though it'll be fucking hard... I will also only choose one album per band that will represent them the best from my personal taste.
Oh well, here goes:
#10: Mordred - In This Life (1991)
I was unsure about including this one. It's one of my all-time favorite records, but as much as it's thrash, it's equally as much funk and rap metal. This album is kind of a Faith No More and (the) Red Hot Chili Peppers meet Bay Area-thrash sounding product, which alienated many closed-minded thrash fans back in the day. I love it though, but I leave it here at the last spot to focus on the more "pure" thrash masterpieces further down.
#9: Metallica - Ride The Lightning (1984)
Yeah, I tried avoiding Metallica to not appear as "too obvious", but let's be real here: I can't deny the fact that they actually were fucking awesome back in the day. They, along with Megadeth and Slayer, were basically the soundtrack of my life during 2004-2006. This was always my favorite album of theirs, even though I later fell in total love with "...And Justice For All". This was the perfect middle-step between to other awesome albums, bringing the best of what was on "Kill 'em All", and the best of what was yet to come on "Master Of Puppets". I always thought James sounded best vocally on this one as well.
#8: Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (1986)
This is like my old girlfriend of 2006. I listened to this non-stop after discovering it and the band as a whole. Back then I'd most likely place this as my number one record of all time, and I think I even did that everywhere back then. However, as the years went one I broke-up with it to try on other metal genres and bands, but I still listen to it now and then. Even though it's not really what it used to be for me, it's undeniably an immortal classic that I will have in my thrash heart forever, and if nothing else, it will also be the ultimate album associated with the memories of the 15-16-year-old me.
#7: Overkill - Horrorscope (1991)
With many awesome classics before this one, and many great fucking albums after this one, it's hard to choose one, but this is the one. This was my first Overkill record and I bought it spontaneously. That turned out to be a great call for me! This album is as perfect as it gets with Overkill, I suppose. The tunes are all great with intense energy and thrashiness. It always gets me going. I also totally dig what they did with many tunes here, some examples being "Bare Bones" with it's haunting piano intro building into an epic kick-ass opening to the song itself, the slow and heavy title-track with some neat fucking bass guitar, and the ballad-esque "Soulitude" which is just amazing. An album perfect for moshing!
#6: Sepultura - Beneath The Remains (1989)
Back in late 2006 and early 2007, Sepultura was one of my absolute favorite bands (they still are). I bought their albums in the same order as they came out, starting with "Morbid Visions" and the "Bestail Devastation" EP. It was good and all, but when I heard "Schizophrenia" I was sold! I did not think it could get any better after that, and then I bought this one. Damn. This album is a pure Brazilian thrash assault that I used as a major influence in my drum practicing. Igor Cavalera just got better and better with each album, and this album was to much help for me back then. Now after all these years, with some of them favoring "Arise", I have gone back to this one which is my favorite Sep-album. I love everything about it - the riffs, drums, vocals, energy, sound/production, album cover - everything!
#5: Cro-Mags - Best Wishes (1989)
Originally a NYC hardcore band, Cro-Mags evolved into a thrashy band on their second album. Think a little like an east-coast version of Suicidal Tendencies - darker, dirtier, angrier, more hardcore. This album in particular of theirs is a very cool mix of that New York City hardcore punk mixed with traditional NWoBHM, essentially resulting in a thrash metal album. This album is very much "alive" in its sound, with that raw hardcore-punk energy certainly being present at all times, which gives this album a real good punch-y thrash sound. I also love the guitar and drum sound on this one. It's fat and heavy. Very good album that every thrash fan should have.
#4: Coroner - No More Color (1989)
One of the few well-noticed European thrash bands back in the day, Coroner from Switzerland was what most thrashers called "technical thrash metal", or "tech thrash". I love what they did with their sound, which certainly is unique compared to most other thrash acts. All of their five albums are masterpieces in their own right to my ears, but this one is my most favorite one. The songs here are just perfect in both sound and style, with great riffing, shredding and composing. This album always works perfectly for me when the Bay Area-sound comes in too much at once.
#3: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends (1986)
I don't think that there is a thrash album out there that I've given more rightful credit than this one. Released in the golden thrash year of 1986, this is the real "Reign In Blood", or rather what that album has been wrongfully acclaimed for. In my opinion, this album takes the same concept (extremely fast thrash songs) but just does it so many times better. This album is very fast, at times even faster than RIB, but with full-length tunes, and actually more than two good ones. This one even has got an eight-minute epic called "Black Prophecies" with some great drum fills by my favorite drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan. This album is pure speed-thrash, if I may call it that, in true perfection!
#2: Testament - The New Order (1988)
Testament, my overall favorite thrash band, has made a lot of great records during their career, so it's hard choosing an album of theirs as the definite favorite. This has to be it, though. The first song I ever heard with Testament was "Trial By Fire", my favorite Testament tune since then, and the whole album is heavy, thrashing and hauntingly dark in its atmosphere. I just find it an extremely solid metal masterpiece. I was totally sold on their stuff after hearing this album in its full, and still I find it the most relevant record song-wise when I listen to several of my favorite Testa-tunes in one run.
#1: Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (1990)
I had a hard time actually choosing between this one and "Spreading The Disease", which pretty much is equal in quality to me. I ultimately chose this one because it's more technical and musically interesting, and I'm more influenced by this as a musician than I am by STD. This one also shows that Anthrax was very capable of making long and (more) complex tunes, without losing any energy and quality. Songs like "In My World", "Time", "Belly Of The Beast", and "Discharge" have been played a lot of times throughout the years at my place. I just never get tired of this masterpiece album! Oh, and they also recorded their cover of "Bring The Noize" during this album's recording sessions, which shows even more that they had evolved so much through the 80's.
Oh well, here goes:
#10: Mordred - In This Life (1991)
I was unsure about including this one. It's one of my all-time favorite records, but as much as it's thrash, it's equally as much funk and rap metal. This album is kind of a Faith No More and (the) Red Hot Chili Peppers meet Bay Area-thrash sounding product, which alienated many closed-minded thrash fans back in the day. I love it though, but I leave it here at the last spot to focus on the more "pure" thrash masterpieces further down.
#9: Metallica - Ride The Lightning (1984)
Yeah, I tried avoiding Metallica to not appear as "too obvious", but let's be real here: I can't deny the fact that they actually were fucking awesome back in the day. They, along with Megadeth and Slayer, were basically the soundtrack of my life during 2004-2006. This was always my favorite album of theirs, even though I later fell in total love with "...And Justice For All". This was the perfect middle-step between to other awesome albums, bringing the best of what was on "Kill 'em All", and the best of what was yet to come on "Master Of Puppets". I always thought James sounded best vocally on this one as well.
#8: Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (1986)
This is like my old girlfriend of 2006. I listened to this non-stop after discovering it and the band as a whole. Back then I'd most likely place this as my number one record of all time, and I think I even did that everywhere back then. However, as the years went one I broke-up with it to try on other metal genres and bands, but I still listen to it now and then. Even though it's not really what it used to be for me, it's undeniably an immortal classic that I will have in my thrash heart forever, and if nothing else, it will also be the ultimate album associated with the memories of the 15-16-year-old me.
#7: Overkill - Horrorscope (1991)
With many awesome classics before this one, and many great fucking albums after this one, it's hard to choose one, but this is the one. This was my first Overkill record and I bought it spontaneously. That turned out to be a great call for me! This album is as perfect as it gets with Overkill, I suppose. The tunes are all great with intense energy and thrashiness. It always gets me going. I also totally dig what they did with many tunes here, some examples being "Bare Bones" with it's haunting piano intro building into an epic kick-ass opening to the song itself, the slow and heavy title-track with some neat fucking bass guitar, and the ballad-esque "Soulitude" which is just amazing. An album perfect for moshing!
#6: Sepultura - Beneath The Remains (1989)
Back in late 2006 and early 2007, Sepultura was one of my absolute favorite bands (they still are). I bought their albums in the same order as they came out, starting with "Morbid Visions" and the "Bestail Devastation" EP. It was good and all, but when I heard "Schizophrenia" I was sold! I did not think it could get any better after that, and then I bought this one. Damn. This album is a pure Brazilian thrash assault that I used as a major influence in my drum practicing. Igor Cavalera just got better and better with each album, and this album was to much help for me back then. Now after all these years, with some of them favoring "Arise", I have gone back to this one which is my favorite Sep-album. I love everything about it - the riffs, drums, vocals, energy, sound/production, album cover - everything!
#5: Cro-Mags - Best Wishes (1989)
Originally a NYC hardcore band, Cro-Mags evolved into a thrashy band on their second album. Think a little like an east-coast version of Suicidal Tendencies - darker, dirtier, angrier, more hardcore. This album in particular of theirs is a very cool mix of that New York City hardcore punk mixed with traditional NWoBHM, essentially resulting in a thrash metal album. This album is very much "alive" in its sound, with that raw hardcore-punk energy certainly being present at all times, which gives this album a real good punch-y thrash sound. I also love the guitar and drum sound on this one. It's fat and heavy. Very good album that every thrash fan should have.
#4: Coroner - No More Color (1989)
One of the few well-noticed European thrash bands back in the day, Coroner from Switzerland was what most thrashers called "technical thrash metal", or "tech thrash". I love what they did with their sound, which certainly is unique compared to most other thrash acts. All of their five albums are masterpieces in their own right to my ears, but this one is my most favorite one. The songs here are just perfect in both sound and style, with great riffing, shredding and composing. This album always works perfectly for me when the Bay Area-sound comes in too much at once.
#3: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends (1986)
I don't think that there is a thrash album out there that I've given more rightful credit than this one. Released in the golden thrash year of 1986, this is the real "Reign In Blood", or rather what that album has been wrongfully acclaimed for. In my opinion, this album takes the same concept (extremely fast thrash songs) but just does it so many times better. This album is very fast, at times even faster than RIB, but with full-length tunes, and actually more than two good ones. This one even has got an eight-minute epic called "Black Prophecies" with some great drum fills by my favorite drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan. This album is pure speed-thrash, if I may call it that, in true perfection!
#2: Testament - The New Order (1988)
Testament, my overall favorite thrash band, has made a lot of great records during their career, so it's hard choosing an album of theirs as the definite favorite. This has to be it, though. The first song I ever heard with Testament was "Trial By Fire", my favorite Testament tune since then, and the whole album is heavy, thrashing and hauntingly dark in its atmosphere. I just find it an extremely solid metal masterpiece. I was totally sold on their stuff after hearing this album in its full, and still I find it the most relevant record song-wise when I listen to several of my favorite Testa-tunes in one run.
#1: Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (1990)
I had a hard time actually choosing between this one and "Spreading The Disease", which pretty much is equal in quality to me. I ultimately chose this one because it's more technical and musically interesting, and I'm more influenced by this as a musician than I am by STD. This one also shows that Anthrax was very capable of making long and (more) complex tunes, without losing any energy and quality. Songs like "In My World", "Time", "Belly Of The Beast", and "Discharge" have been played a lot of times throughout the years at my place. I just never get tired of this masterpiece album! Oh, and they also recorded their cover of "Bring The Noize" during this album's recording sessions, which shows even more that they had evolved so much through the 80's.
fredag 19 september 2014
Review: Face Down - The Twisted Rule The Wicked (1998)
Two years after the smashing debut album "Mindfield" was released via Roadrunner Records, Swedish post-thrash/death metal act Face Down released its second album in early 1998, entitled "The Twisted Rule The Wicked". Some things had changed during those two years - a few line-up changes, a label change, and probably a whole lot more. We get to understand this as my first expression is that these guys seemed to be really pissed off during this period - at probably pretty much everything and everyone.
While "Mindfield" was rooted in a slower kind of pissed off 90's metal, like bands such as early Machine Head, Pantera, Fear Factory, or fellow swedes B-Thong and Misery Loves Company, this one has certainly geared up a few levels. It's overall more brutal in terms of speed, aggression and riffing, coming closer to the death metal aggression of bands such as Dismember and Entombed rather than Machine Head. The album's production also proves this, as it's an overall rawer and dirtier sound this time around.
The album was originally recorded with Thomas Skogsberg who did all the legendary Swedish death metal albums in the 90's, but the band's new label Nuclear Blast apparently didn't approve of the final product. The band therefore re-recorded almost the whole album with "Mindfield" producer Daniel Bergstrand instead. There are still three tunes recorded with Skogsberg present here, and you can clearly hear in the industrial "Top Of The World" that it has a sound similar to Dismember's "Death Metal" album, which was released the previous year, whilst the other tracks sound groovier and cleaner.
The album's twelve songs still have the same kind of arrangements and patterns that Face Down presented on their debut, with no guitar solos present apart from in "Cleansweep". Although the album also is different in some ways to "Mindfield", the songs still feel very much like Face Down. The lyrical themes deal with the same kind of subjects as well.
The line-up changes have improved, however, with then new drummer Peter Stjärnvind (who would soon leave to replace Nicke Andersson in Entombed) definitely being a step up. Compared to the band's old drummer Richard Bång, Peter plays in a similar style but with more intensity and aggression, while he also plays very precisely. Henrik Blomquist who did "audio warfare" (simply just sampling) is gone, but we still get some movie samples this time around as well. The band also had some guest musician doing keyboards on "Mindfield", but those are long gone on this record. It's clear that the band aimed for an angrier and rawer sound, which to my disappointment leaves out much of the atmosphere and musical depth Face Down got into their music before. There are no tunes that sound like "Hatred" or "Holy Rage" from the debut here, and I really dug that shit.
My conclusion is that this album ultimately is a somewhat stripped-down, angrier and more brutal album than its predecessor. It's a really solid collection of headbangers, moshers and fighting themes present here, but it tends to get somewhat repetitive in the long run. I really miss the variety in songs and track-list layout of "Mindfield" here, as it's a much more dynamic listening experience than this one. However, if you are really pissed off, fighting some douchebag, or if your girlfriend left you and your reaction is anger rather than depression and Type O Negative, then this album is very much suitable for you.
Stand-outs: Self-Appointed God, Waste, Bed Of Roaches, Cleansweep.
Rating: 78/100
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