Adam's Ipod

King, Lance - "A Moment in Chiros"

2012-02-06T20:06:00.004-05:00

King, Lance - A Moment in Chiros
2011, Nightmare

111. A Sense of Urgency
222. Awakening
333. Manifest Destiny
444. A Given Choice
555. A Moment in Chiros
666. Dance of Power
777. Kibou
888. Infinity Divine
999. Joy Everlasting
10:10. Sacred Systems
11:11. Transformation

I'm sorry - everytime I look at the title for this album my brain says A Moment in Cheerios and I see Lance standing in front of a giant Cheerio. Anyways, like most of the CDs I got for Christmas this year A Moment in Chiros is a grower. It's sort of a concept album about searching for enlightenment and what not. It's a quite a solid, enjoyable album. Lance King's voice is a joy to listen to, as always. There's only two things I don't care for. First - while I appreciate (and agree with) the sentiment expressed in "Kibou," it's kind of slow and boring and doesn't really do anything for me. Second, your mileage may vary in regards to the spoken word parts. I usually don't like spoken word passages in anything and these seemed a little cheesy to me. Still, I quite enjoy A Moment in Cheerios... er... Chiros.

Useless Fact: "Kibou" is a song for those affected by the earthquake in Japan. Also, the liner notes indicate that this album was finished at 11:11 on 11/11/11. Pretty cool!

Megadeth - "Th1rt3en"

2012-02-03T20:07:00.004-05:00

Megadeth - Th1rt3en
2011, Roadrunner

1. Sudden Death
2. Public Enemy No. 1
3. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
4. We the People
5. Guns, Drugs, & Money
6. Never Dead
7. New World Order
8. Fast Lane
9. Black Swan
10. Wrecker
11. Millennium of the Blind
12. Deadly Nightshade
13. Th1rt3en

Ever since Megadeth's 2004 reboot, Dave & co. have managed to produce consistently good albums. I'm happy to say that the trend continues with Th1rt3en. It's in the same general vein as the past few discs though I think this one is a bit more melodic and accessible than 2009's Endgame. It's more Youthanasia than Rust in Peace. Some of Megadeth's best tunes are found here too in the form of "Public Enemy No. 1" and "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)." Longtime bassist and future seminary student, Dave Ellefson, returns to the fold for this album as well. While Th1rt3en is by no means an earth-shattering release, for fans like me it definitely hits the spot. I don't like the cover, however. It sort of looks like Vic Rattlehead is standing in front of a dingy bathroom stall.

Useless Fact: Several songs on this album aren't really "new" per se. "Sudden Death" was released on one of the Rock Band or Guitar Hero games, "New World Order" was on some other album back in the day, "Black Swan" was on a special edition of United Abominations, and "Millennium of the Blind" is an expansion of an extra track on the Youthanasia reissue. Also, there are some symbols in the liner notes that represent each of the band's albums.

3 - "Wake Pig"

2012-01-27T20:04:00.005-05:00

3 - Wake Pig
2005, Metal Blade

1. Alien Angel
2. Monster
3. Dregs
4. Wake Pig
5. Bramfatura
6. Trust
7. Dogs of War
8. Soul to Sell
9. One Way Town
10. Queen
11. Circus Without Clowns
12. Where's Max?
13. Amaze Disgrace

I've said this before but I often find that the albums that grow on me tend to end up being my favorites. So it is with 3's Wake Pig. It took a few listens for my mind to really grab on to what the guys are doing here. Eventually I was hooked! 3 sounds like a combination of Coheed & Cambria and PFR - like both bands got together and had a baby. Lead man Joey Eppard is a phenomenal guitar player and singer. Just listening to the acoustic "Bramfatura" makes me never want to touch the guitar again. I'm not even sure how he's even able to make those sounds. I'd list favorites but this is one of those rare albums where every single song is great.

Useless Fact: Joey's brother Josh Eppard left the band to play with Coheed & Cambria. This may explain why they sound similar.

Grave Robber - "Exhumed"

2012-01-19T19:51:00.002-05:00

Grave Robber - Exhumed
2010, Rottweiler

1. Army of the Dead
2. They Hate You
3. Altered States
4. Fill This Place With Blood
5. Lion of Judah
6. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
7. Reanimator (Demo)
8. Bloodbath (Demo)
9. I Wanna Kill You Over and Over Again (Demo)
10. Screams of the Voiceless (Demo)
11. I, Zombie (Demo)

The only problem I have with Exhumed is that I got it after You're All Gonna Die!. If you have all three of the band's studio albums, you've got everything here save three new tunes ("They Hate You," "Lion of Judah," and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"). Granted, there are some demo versions of Be Afraid material, but I don't think it's quite enough to sink the cash into the whole CD. However, if you're new to Grave Robber this is a good CD to start with as it has a good overview of what the band is about. Now I wholeheartedly recommend that you download the three exclusive tracks if you haven't done so already, but this disc is more for collectors I think. Finally, since I have the chance I'll just say this once more in case you haven't been paying attention: I LOVE Grave Robber!

Useless Fact: Exhumed is the first release on Rottweiler records. I think this was originally put out to give fans a taste of new GR to tide them over until the new album was ready.

Grave Robber - "You're All Gonna Die!"

2012-01-09T18:54:00.003-05:00

Grave Robber - You're All Gonna Die!
2011, Rotweiller

1. Flatliners
2. You're All Gonna Die!
3. Paranormal Activity
4. Invisible Man
5. Something Wicked This Way Comes
6. Nightbreed
7. Haunted House
8. Incredible Shrinking Woman
9. Last Man on Earth
10. Fill This Place With Blood
11. Curse of the Werewolf

Sometimes I wish the Christian music market was structured more like it was when I was a kid. Grave Robber is such an awesome band. I can only imagine what they could have done with the resources of Intense Records or some other Frontline outlet. But who am I kidding? The Christian market wasn't that good! Also, there would have been no way a band like Grave Robber (with its image) could've been signed and accepted by any of those old labels. It's just that they're such a great band and I'd really love to see what they could do with a big label's money!

Ever since I got Inner Sanctum a while back, Grave Robber has been one of my favorite bands. I've also liked just about everything else they've done since then (i.e. the various songs on various comps). I even went ahead and added You're All Gonna Die! to my list of picks for 2011 having not heard it yet. I'm happy to say that Wretched and company did not let me down as their newest effort totally smokes. The sound continues in the vein of the previous album - mixing punk and metal. Rarely have I heard a band who melds their influences with such finesse as Grave Robber. "Fill This Place With Blood" is probably the best example. It has a cool metal riff but has plenty of punk attitude as well. But there's so many awesome songs here. The title track, "Something Wicked This Way Comes," "Nightbreed," "Haunted House," "Curse of the Werewolf." This disc puts me in an instant good mood - just like the last one.

If there's one thing odd about this release, it's that "Incredible Shrinking Woman" is actually a live track with an extended introduction by Wretched. I'm not sure why but it's kind of weird to have it right smack dab in the middle of a new studio album.

In any event, You're All Gonna Die is definitely a step up from Inner Sanctum and proves that the band still has plenty of passion and, hopefully, they'll be around for a long time.

Useless Fact: The band had multiple problems getting this CD released. Not the least of which was a snafu with one of the movie samples. It wasn't public domain like they thought it was. Procuring the rights would have cost them an ungodly sum of money, so they just took the sample out. It delayed the manufacturing of the CD for quite a while!

Fair to Midland - "Arrows & Anchors"

2012-01-04T11:24:00.004-05:00

Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors
2011, One Music

1. Heavens to Murgatroyd
2. Whiskey & Ritalin
3. Musical Chairs
4. Uh-Oh
5. Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow
6. A Loophole in Limbo
7. Typhoid Mary Sends Her Best
8. Short-Haired Tornado
9. The Upset at Bailey Bridge
10. Rikki Tikki Tavi
11. Golden Parachutes
12. Bright Bulbs & Sharp Tools
13. Coppertank Island
14. Three Foolproof Ways to Buy the Farm
15. The Greener Grass

Arrows & Anchors reminds me a bit of Devin Townsend's Addicted. Not because they sound alike but because I haven't heard a record this...well... addicting since then. I find myself wanting to return to this album again and again. I scratches a musical itch I didn't even know I had. The guitars are thick and crunchy. The vocalist moves from soft whispers to growls to soaring clear notes - sometimes in the same song. The songs get stuck in your head for days. This will certainly make my "best of" 2012 list.

Useless Fact: "Rikki Tikki Tavi" is NOT about that cartoon with the mongoose that fights the cobra. I can't remember what the actual movie was called.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T17:04:00.004-05:00

Bless be, another year is upon us.

I am cautiously optimistic about this year for some reason - a change from last year. Last year at this time I just had this foreboding feeling. Like 2011 was not going to be a pleasant year. It turns out I was right as 2011 was tough for everybody, me included.

Now 2012 is here and I've been thinking about what kind of things I want to accomplish. Usually I don't have a lot of resolutions for the new year, but today I have a ton of them. Things like, be more grateful, believe in God despite my feelings, be a better husband and father - all on the list.

This doesn't really have anything to do with music other than it, as always, is my constant companion. I received a lot of good music for Christmas and, Lord willing, the year will be filled with more.

Here's hoping the year 2012 will be a blessed one.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T08:21:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone! I probably won't post on Christmas day but I just wanted to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Sherwood family!

Various Artists - "Fleas Naughty Dog, Vol. 1"

2011-12-19T08:33:00.004-05:00

Various Artists - Fleas Naughty Dog, Vol. 1
2010, Rottweiler

1. "O Holy Night" - Tim Bushong
2. "Silent Night" - Bridgeshadows
3. "Little Drummer Boy" - Blissed
4. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - True Liberty
5. "Anti-Santa's Coming to Town" - Eistein Savage
6. "What Child is This?" - Coriolis
7. "Angels We Have Heard On High" - Marty Warren
8. "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - Grave Robber
9. "Christmas For Real" - Harry Gore
10. "Jingle Bells" - Confessions of a Sinner
11. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" - Leper
12. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - False Idle
13. "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" - Fire Born
14. "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent" - Frost Like Ashes
15. "O Come All Ye Faithful" - Cryo-Mancer
16. "Holidays Suck" Desiring Dead Flesh

Fleas Naughty Dog, Vol 1 was a sampler put out by the fledgling Rottweiler Records last year. They were offering it for free, so of course I had to check it out given my love of both metal and Christmas music. The results are somewhat mixed but it's hard to complain about something that was free - so I'll just hit the highlights. Grave Robber's "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is naturally stellar. Sometimes I think these guys can do no wrong. Einstein Savage, a rock-a-billy type band, lends an original song, "Anti-Santa is Coming to Town." It's catchy and quite amusing - one of my favorites on the comp. Marty Warren's thrash take on "Angels We Have Heard on High" impresses as well. Coriolis turn in a techno version of "What Child is This?" that has successfully creeped out my wife. Speaking of which, remember on the Deliverance tribute CD where I said Leper sounded like Devo? Well, they don't sound like that here. They've provided one of the most tortured, angsty versions of a Christmas song I have ever heard. I'm not sure I like it, per se - but it is different. Confessions of a Sinner's thrashy "Jingle Bells" is a lot of fun. While there were some low points for me, there's enough cool material to make it worth the download.

Useless Fact: As I understand it, Rottweiler Records is prepping Fleas Naughty Dog, Vol. 2 for release soon. It will have some new artists on it as well as the tracks from Vol. 1. Head over to their homepage and check it out!

Slow Month....

2011-12-15T20:14:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone!

It's been a pretty slow month, musically speaking. Haven't gotten much at all this month because we've still been broke. However, I will be getting some good stuff for Christmas! In fact, I've been doing a lot of exploring on Itunes for new bands and I've heard some great stuff. The first being Fair to Midland - a crazy "progressive" metal band. I say "progressive" because they're not like Dream Theater or anything. They're much more modern - LOTS of great hooks. The other one is 3. Yes, 3. They kind of sound a bit like Coheed & Cambria. Lance King has also just released a solo album called "A Moment in Chiros." The samples I've heard sound awesome. Grave Robber's new album is also finally on its way to my house!

So, it'll be slow until the end of the month, then things will be better. Hope you're all having a good month!

Cole, Nat King - "Chestnuts Roastin'"

2011-12-05T10:15:00.004-05:00

Cole, Nat King - Chestnuts Roastin'
1991, Cema Special Markets

1. The Christmas Song
2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
3. O Little Town of Bethlehem
4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
5. Away in a Manger
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. O Holy Night
8. The First Noel
9. Silent Night
10. Caroling, Caroling

I bought this a many years back at a pawn shop in Ft. Wayne. It was cheap. It was probably cheap when it originally came out. In fact, I suspect this was bought as an impulse item at a grocery store. That's okay though because it's friggin' Nat King Cole. He's one of the "Big 3" for me in terms of Christmas music (the other two being Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra). While the quality of the packaging may be on the flimsy side, the music is not. After all, what bad can be said about Nat King Cole? I mean, really. Back in the day the man was probably singing in clubs that he wouldn't have even been allowed to enter normally. He's got a silky smooth voice and even his non-Christmas music is timeless. I feel compelled to inform you that if you'd like to add some Nat to your Christmas music library there are many, many collections out there. All of which I am sure are better than this one.

Useless Fact: Dave Chappell did a little skit about Nat King Cole and objectifying women. It was very, very vulgar. But also very funny!

The Glenn Miller Orchestra - "In the Christmas Mood"

2011-12-02T10:37:00.003-05:00

The Glenn Miller Orchestra - In the Christmas Mood
1991, Delta

1. Sleigh Ride
2. Yuletide Melody No. 1 (Oh Holy Night/Joy to the World/O Little Town of Bethlehem)
3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. Silver Bells
5. Jingle Bells
6. Frosty the Snowman
7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
8. Yuletide Melody No. 2 (O Christmas Tree/It Came Upon a Midnight Clear)
9. I'll Be Home For Christmas
10. Silent Night
11. In the Christmas Mood

This disc is excellent, even though I'm not a huge fan of big band music. Not to say I don't like it because - surprisingly enough, I do. However, I find that, for me at least, it's much more background music than something that really engages my soul. Of course, the fact that it's Christmas makes it instantly better and more listenable to me. Yeah, I know it's weird. The Glenn Miller Orchestra expertly delivers these timeless Christmas melodies with style. Style. Like suits and ties and fedoras style. The type of old tyme style we don't have now. In the Christmas Mood makes a great soundtrack to whatever holiday activities you're engaging in.

Useless Fact: Um... didn't Glenn Miller go missing or die in a plane crash or something? Yeah... you can tell how well-versed I am in Glenn Miller! Someone better informed can fill us in on his fate.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:20:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all having a great Thanksgiving!

A few times I have thought about writing a nice long post about everything I'm thankful for. However, I quickly realized that there are so many ways in which I am blessed that that post would be way too long. I am truly blessed beyond measure and for that I am thankful.

God bless you all!

She & Him - "A Very She & Him Christmas"

2011-11-19T07:22:00.002-05:00

She & Him - A Very She & Him Christmas
2011, Merge

1. The Christmas Waltz
2. Christmas Day
3. Have Yourself a Very Little Christmas
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
5. Christmas Wish
6. Sleigh Ride
7. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
8. Silver Bells
9. Baby, It's Cold Outside
10. Blue Christmas
11. Little Saint Nick
12. The Christmas Song

She & Him features actress Zooey Deschanel who starred in Elf, Failure To Launch, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and most recently the television sit-com New Girl. If you heard her singing in Elf you'll know what to expect here. Zooey has a unique voice that might not be to everyone's taste. I like it though. And while this little CD took a couple listens to grow on me I definitely enjoy it. Very stripped down sound... almost has a bit of a 70's vibe I think (I say that not having lived during the 70's...). In "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Zooey actually sings the guy's part. Definitely worth checking out.

Useless Fact: She & Him have several albums out. They are similar in style to this one only they're not Christmas music.

Iron Maiden - "Powerslave"

2011-11-14T10:44:00.005-05:00

Iron Maiden - Powerslave
1984/2002, Sanctuary

1. Aces High
2. 2 Minutes to Midnight
3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
4. Flash of the Blade
5. The Duelists
6. Back in the Village
7. Powerslave
8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Back in the day, when I was just a lad, there were certain people whose job it was to protect all of us Christian youth from the dangers of entertainment. They would sit safely ensconced in their Holy Batcaves monitoring movies, music, and television for anything that even looked remotely evil. These people would then write books on their findings. I still have Bob Larson's book on satanism. Most of these people, Bob Larson included, had indexes in the back of their books which listed bands you and your child should stay away from. Near the top of every list sat Iron Maiden. Why? Well, they have a song called "Number of the Beast!" Isn't that enough?! As a result I never listened to Iron Maiden or even knew what they were really about until just recently.

All I can say is... Bob Larson - you are a total jackass.

Seriously.

Iron Maiden's Powerslave is essentially a history lesson set to music. Instead of songs about Satan you get songs about the Royal Air Force during World War II ("Aces High") or a song about Egyptian myth ("Powerslave"). The, as if that weren't cool enough you get a 13-minute epic track, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which, near the end, tells us we should be thankful for everything God made. Granted, it's based off an 18th century poem, but still. Hardly the subversive satanism the band was often accused of. I'm a little sad that I didn't get into this stuff when it originally came out. After all, these guys are the ORIGINATORS of power metal. Heck, Christian bands like Barren Cross (which I also love) are a direct carbon copy of Iron Maiden. Everything here is top shelf metal. Galloping riffs, soaring vocals, fantastic bass lines all prove just how talented these guys are. Now if you'll excuse me I have to track down some more Iron Maiden.

Useless Fact: Sorry. While I am sure there are lots of obscure facts about Iron Maiden, I'm too new to the band to know any. Oh wait! Here's something, pulled from No Life Til Metal - apparently the stage show for this album was an enormous spectacle to behold. Head on over there to read a little more about it.

Favorite Albums of 2011

2011-11-09T11:51:00.001-05:00

Once again it’s time to revisit my favorite albums of this year. Remember, the picks here didn’t necessarily come out this year. It’s just stuff I discovered in 2011. The Choir and Star One are holdovers from last year because I got them so late.

The Choir, deplumed – Containing one song from each of The Choir’s albums, deplumed is a fantastic retrospective. The album is “unplugged” with just Steve and Derri. It really showcases just how good the band really is. Every song shines. I actually like this better than Burning Like the Midnight Sun.

Star One, Victims of the Modern Age – Victims stands head and shoulders above Star One’s debut in just about every way. Better songs, heavier guitars, awesome vocals (from all performers). It’s just an amazing album no matter how you slice it, especially for us lucky ducks with the deluxe media book.

The Mustard Seeds (all) – A friend introduced me to the Mustard Seeds this year and they’ve fast become one of my favorite bands. They’re sort of a heavier progressive version of PFR or a commercial, poppier version of King’s X. I’ve got all three of their albums and each one is filled with great four-part harmonies, downtuned riffs, and undeniable pop hooks. Do yourself a favor. Go to Amazon.com and type in “the mustard seeds,” then buy whichever album comes up. You will thank me later.

Gama Bomb, Citizen Brain – I suppose you could call this a guilty pleasure. It’s late 80’s/early 90’s thrash all about cool pop culture stuff from that time. It’s an album that puts me in a good mood instantly. How can I not cheer up hearing a thrash song about Final Fight or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Throw in blazing fast riffs and furious face-melting leads and you have one of my top picks!

Petra, Jekyll and Hyde – I’ve never been much of a Petra person. Sure I liked Beyond Belief – who didn’t? After that though…yeah… no so much. I heard through the grapevine that Jekyll and Hyde was supposed to be really heavy. It is. It’s heavy and catchy. If they had been doing this kind of stuff the whole time I probably would have been a lot more interested in them.

Weird Al Yankovic, Alpocalypse (and others) – I rediscovered my love for “Weird Al” this year. I bought his “Essentials” disc, then some of my past favorites, then his new release. Alpocalypse is awesome. It hits that sweet spot with great parodies, funny originals, and the general vibe of the times. Oh, and let it be said (yet again) that “Weird Al” and his band are some of the most underrated musicians ever.

Devin Townsend, Deconstruction/Ghost – Okay, confession time. These albums, being my most anticipated albums of the year, did not dethrone Addicted or Ziltoid as my favorite Devin discs. Of course, they’re still awesome and wonderful. They’re just a little bit more work to listen to. I’m finally getting to the point where I can really appreciate Deconstruction but it can be a hard road to hoe. A friend and I joked about needing naps halfway through.

Harmony, Chapter II: Aftermath – Harmony is a random band I found while looking for something interesting to get me through until fall. They’re a great progressive/power metal outfit that’s complicated enough to be interesting but remember to include plenty of hooks. Their singer reminds me a little of Michael Sweet (Stryper) which also helps. Great album!

Alice Cooper, Welcome 2 My Nightmare – I don’t have much experience with Alice Cooper and I picked this up on a whim, desperate for something a little different. Alice totally delivered with an eclectic album that’s memorable and creepy. Oddly enough it contains one of the best worship songs I’ve heard in awhile in the form of the lead-off track, “I Am Made of You.”

Grave Robber, You’re All Gonna Die! – As of this writing I have yet to receive my copy of Grave Robber’s newest album (and the instant download they sent didn’t work for me). I’m putting it here anyway because it’s friggin’ Grave Robber and they are awesome. I anticipate listening to this album many, many times during the holidays!

Evanescence, Evanescence – Amy Lee is back! This album is a bit more straight-forward than The Open Door. That’s okay though, I think this one’s got some cool radio hits on here once you can get past the LOUD production. It’s not perfect, but infectious nonetheless.

Was a Pick But I Hate it Now

Panic! At the Disco, Vices and Virtues – I really dug this when we first got it. So what happened? Well, it became my 18 month old daughter’s favorite album. She would fuss in the car, we play this (specifically the song “Ready to Go”) and she’d quiet right down. As a result I’ve heard this album at least a million times by now and I just can’t take anymore!

Disappointments of 2011

Believer, Transhuman – I was really looking forward to this one. I don’t even care that the band isn’t really thrash anymore. However, I DO care that they’re not writing memorable songs. There’s a point at which you can be too experimental and that’s the problem here. Nothing sticks. Nothing. It’s boring on top of that. C’mon guys, I know you hate to “sell out” but how ‘bout giving us another good old fashioned thrash disc. Just for old time’s sake.

Lady Gaga, Born this Way – Ugh! What happened here? I liked Lady Gaga a lot better when she was just some club kid writing dirty pop songs. What happened to the quirky electronica? The big production of Born This Way gets in the way of the songs. It’s not nearly as memorable as The Fame as a result. Oh, and “Born This Way” is just Madonna’s “Express Yourself” slightly rewritten. I like one single song off of this (“Government Hooker” if you’re curious) and that’s about it.

Breakup of D, no Annuls – I was a little sad that Deliverance broke up once again, for what is probably the final time. On the one hand I understand, as Jimmy has reportedly said, “Deliverance had its day.” However, this also means their upcoming album, The Annuls of Subterfuge will not be released! Aww, c’mon guys! *pouty sad face*

Still no new Sixpence – As of this writing there is still no news as to when Sixpence’s new album, Strange Conversation will see the light of day. What’s really sad is that this album has been done for awhile. Here’s hoping 2012 will see its release.

Metallica and Lou Reed – Oh my word. Just… wow… this stuff is terrible. They were showing so much promise with Death Magnetic, then they go and do something like this. There aren’t even words to describe how much I don’t care about this.

Megadeth - "Killing is My Business... And Business is Good!"

2011-11-06T07:55:00.004-05:00

Megadeth - Killing is My Business... And Business is Good!
1985/2002, Loud

1. Last Rites/Loved to Death
2. Killing is My Business... And Business is Good
3. The Skull Beneath the Skin
4. Rattlehead
5. Chosen Ones
6. Looking Down the Cross
7. Mechanix
8. These Boots
Bonus Tracks
9. Last Rites/Loved to Death (Demo)
10. Mechanix (Demo)
11. The Skull Beneath the Skin (Demo)

Killing is My Business is probably one of those albums I would have loved if I would have heard it back in '85. Now, however? Well, everyone knows the Megadeth story. After Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica he started Megadeth with the intent on being the fastest, most dangerous band around. Killing perfectly captures this attitude as the songs are fast and furious. Unfortunately to someone who's been used to Rust in Peace and on, it also sounds sloppy and frantic. Even in the opening number, "Last Rites/Loved to Death" it's kind of hard to get a bead on the rhythm at first. There's not too much in the way of hooks either. It's literally Dave and co. just thrashing through the songs as hard as they can. I will say that I prefer "Mechanix" over "The Four Horseman" (It's the same song, by the way, only Megadeth's is pervy). There's also a cover of "These Boots" but for some reason they decided to bleep out any swearing Dave added to the song...which is a LOT. Which means half of the song is beeps - very annoying. This is a reissue so it's been remastered. Having never heard the original I can't say how this improves the sound but I'm sure that it does. There's also some bonus tracks that I never listened to because I don't generally care about demos. While it's good to hear how this band (which remains one of my favorites) got its start, I don't think I will be going back to this album as much as their later stuff.

Useless Fact: According to the liner notes the cover pictured is the one they really wanted at first. They were really disappointed with the original cover.

On Vacation!

2011-10-24T11:16:00.002-04:00

Hey folks!

As of 5:09 PM yesterday I have been on vacation. Officially. It's quite a wonderful feeling really. If you haven't already guessed by some of my updates I've been pretty burnt out lately. My wife, Lexi, and I are travelling to my old stomping grounds of upstate NY - where I was born and raised. I won't be updating while I'm away, BUT when I come back I should have some new music! I'm already anxiously awaiting my Grave Robber pack but being in NY gives me the opportunity to visit some second-hand shops that sometimes have really cool gems just laying around. Here's hoping I find some.

I'm also going to do my "Favorite Albums of 2011" closer to November/December instead of October like I usually do. I've been compiling the list and it's actually pretty long. Longer than I thought it would be for being broke for several months out of the year.

Anyway, hope everything is going well with all of you. God bless.

Evanescence - "Evanescence"

2011-10-16T19:36:00.005-04:00

Evanescence - Evanescence
2011, Wind-Up

1. What You Want
2. Made of Stone
3. The Change
4. My Heart is Broken
5. The Other Side
6. Erase This
7. Lost in Paradise
8. Sick
9. End of the Dream
10. Oceans
11. Never Go Back
12. Swimming Home
Bonus Tracks
13. New Way to Bleed
14. Say You Will
15. Disappear
16. Secret Door

I guess Amy Lee has some rule about releasing new albums less than five years apart, 'cause dang. She sure does take her sweet time, doesn't she? Well, no matter. The new Evanescence is here and... it's a grower. Not bad, just a grower. There are a couple reasons for this. For one, some of the textures of the earlier albums have been replaced with a giant wall of distortion that runs through most of the album. The guitars are really up front in the mix and LOUD! I love chunky guitars and the riffs here are cool. The problem is that they get in the way. It feels like you have to listen to the song around the guitars instead of them being a part. This would be great if Evanescence was a shoe-gazer band, but alas. Second, during the first listen or two Amy Lee's vocal melodies tend to sound too similar from track to track. I grew to appreciate them after awhile but the combo of the guitars and vocals make a lot of the songs sound the same. Thankfully, after a few listens I began to pick out the songs, enjoying them more.

I also think this album is more commercial than the artsy The Open Door. "What You Want," "Sick," and "Oceans" are all cool hard rockers designed for radio airplay. My favorite songs are probably "Swimming Home," an ethereal ballad and "Say You Will" - a hook filled bonus track from the deluxe edition. Seriously, people, what's with leaving some of the best tracks as bonuses? If I had my way I would have swapped out "My Heart is Broken" and "Lost in Paradise" for "Say You Will" and "Disappear." Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Evanescence but it's definitely not breaking any new ground.

Now let's talk lyrics for a second, shall we? Amy Lee is married, rich, and famous. Just how tortured can she really be? I mean, I know that celebrities can have problems but the angst in these lyrics seems rather manufactured to me. As my wife mocked, "My heart is broken... from being so rich and famous!" At one point Amy Lee sings, "I now know what it's like to be lost" or something like that. Really? It just feels fake to me, especially hearing about how recording this album was so much fun for her. I would rather she just write happy lyrics. That's okay, y'know!

Useless Fact: There were several pre-order packages offered and we, of course, got the deluxe edition with four extra tracks and a DVD. Haven't watched the DVD yet though.

Not Dead, Just Busy...and Broke

2011-10-14T06:43:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone.

I've been breaking my "At Least 5 Updates a Month" rule. I is a sorry. It's been really busy around here lately and I've felt pretty burnt out. On the plus side I've got some good music coming up. We got Evanescence's new album in the mail the other day and I've given that a few spins. In short: it's a grower. Also, Grave Robber's new album is coming out the seventh of next month and I'm really excited about that one! Also, Megadeth's Thirteen will be out on Nov. 1st. So there's some good stuff coming but the rest of November and December will be pretty sparse again. I wish it weren't so, but it is. Hopefully the new year will hold some promise. Thank you to everyone who visits!

Cooper, Alice - "Welcome 2 My Nightmare"

2011-10-01T08:56:00.003-04:00

Cooper, Alice - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
2011, Universal

1. I Am Made of You
2. Caffeine
3. The Nightmare Returns
4. A Runaway Train
5. Last Man on Earth
6. The Congregation
7. I'll Bite Your Face Off
8. Disco Boogie Bloodbath Fever
9. Ghouls Gone Wild
10. Something to Remember Me By
11. When Hell Comes Home
12. What Baby Wants
13. I Gotta Get Outta Here
14. The Underture

I've been complaining a lot lately about not having any new and interesting music. Well, the other day at Walmart I saw this, Welcome 2 My Nightmare. I don't have much experience with Ol' Black Eyes. I've owned both The Last Temptation and Brutal Planet and they never did much for me. I've never heard the original Welcome to My Nightmare either. I know I'm probably making Alice fans cringe right now! Anyway, on a lark I decided to get this because it looked different and interesting. All in all I'm really glad I did.

"I Am Made of You" is a phenomenal worship song and one of the main reasons I picked this up (I'd heard samples on Itunes). Alice uses auto-tune for the verses but I think it gives the song a very ethereal effect. It's a slower paced song and kind of an odd way to kick off the sequel to one of Alice's most popular albums but I can't argue with the results - I love this song. "Caffeine" treads in what I assume would be normal Alice territory. It's peppy and catchy and I like it too. Some of my other favorites are the country flavored "A Runaway Train," the bizarre "Last Man on Earth," the club anthem "Disco Boogie Bloodbath Fever." Alice kind of raps on it, which apparently annoys some long-time fans. However, in context of the song I think it makes sense as the character is mocking club culture anyway. There are some weak moments here though. I'm not too crazy about "Something to Remember Me By." It's a love song. It's not bad or anything but it just kind of sits on the disc around all these fun, creepy songs. I don't skip it, but it's definitely not a highlight. Oh, this album also features Kesha. You know... friggin' Ke$ha. I was surprised that the song featuring her ("What Baby Wants") is actually one of my favorites. Weird huh? "The Underture" features pieces of songs from both Nightmare albums. It's okay but it really just makes me want to get the original Nightmare disc.

Useless Fact: I've heard that Alice was planning on continuing the story from his last album, Along Came a Spider, when he decided to to a sequel to Welcome to My Nightmare instead.

Galactic Cowboys - "At the End of the Day"

2011-09-21T21:29:00.004-04:00

Galactic Cowboys - At the End of the Day
1998, Metal Blade

1. Nothing to Say
2. Ants
3. Just Like Me
4. a. Where Do I Say?
5. b. Bright Horizons
6. c. Puppet Show
7. d. Mr. Magnet
8. e. Never Understand
9. f. Ranch On Mars, Part 2 (Set Me Free)
10. g. How Does it Feel?
11. Young Man's Dream
12. Shine
13. The Shape
14. It's Not Over
15. Through
16. At the End of the Day

So what should I find in my CD collection but Galactic Cowboy's At the End of the Day! I didn't even know I still HAD a copy of this album. I found it looking for something different to listen to. Unfortunately, after putting it on my ipod and giving it a spin I found out why I forgot about it. It's not that great. The things I always loved about the Cowboys were a) Ben Huggins' vocals b) great harmonies and c) cool thrash riffs. By this time though Ben was singing lead on fewer and fewer of the songs and the cool metal stuff had fallen by the wayside (for the most part). As a result I don't think their later albums were as original or distinctive as the Sam Taylor era (and Machine Fish) albums and that includes this one. There are a few cool tunes on here, like "Nothing to Say" and "Young Man's Dream" but most of it just slides off my brain like slime on a wall. Sam Taylor may have been a total jackalope, but he did know how to produce a great record.

Useless Fact: Tracks 4-10 are called "The Machine Fish Suite" and detail the band's feelings about their experiences in the music business.

The Mustard Seeds - "Red"

2011-09-17T08:54:00.004-04:00

The Mustard Seeds - Red
1998, Radio Mafia

1. Sylvia Beams
2. Coming Up Roses
3. Can't Take Me Down
4. Dying
5. Farewell To Andre
6. I'm Okay
7. Alabama Sings
8. Queen of Misery
9. Way of the World
10. Blind
11. Quicksand (Acoustic)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it - just be more awesome. That's probably the thinking that went into making Red. It's exactly what I expect from the album between the self-titled and III. While it's mostly similar to the debut in terms of sound and style you can hear a little bit of the commercial sounds that were present in III. This is not a bad thing. Oh, and I LOVE the acoustic version of "Quicksand." I hope someday the boys do an acoustic "de-plumed" type album because that would be awesome. Honestly, I don't think these guys could make a bad album if they tried. I will say that this disc needs some remastering as it sounds to me like the vocals are pushed back in the mix - a shame for sure. Also, the cover art doesn't do much for me. Minor complaints though, The Mustard Seeds remain one of my new favorite bands and their albums are definitely the top picks for this year.

Useless Fact: There are actually two versions of this album. One with the cover I have and another that has a butterfly on the cover. I think that cover looks better than the one I have. It also has a different end track, called "Hollywood."

Behold the Kingdom - "The Eyes of the Wicked Will Fail"

2011-09-10T08:27:00.004-04:00

Behold the Kingdom - The Eyes of the Wicked Will Fail
2011, Rottweiler

1. We Are Zion (Prayer of the Messiah)
2. Restoration
3. Sown in Dishonor
4. Living Hope
5. El Shaddai
6. The Suffering Servant
7. Cut You Down
8. Prideful Demise
9. Fall of the Philistines
10. The Valley of Elah

I got an email by the head of Rottweiler records want to know if I reviewed CDs. He gave me a digital copy of Behold the Kingdom's The Eyes of the Wicked Will Fail. I'm always nervous when people want to give me CDs to review. The albums on this website are usually things I know I like or have something to say about. I really hate to have to give a bad review for something that somebody's trying to promote. Luckily, I don't have to do that here - but not for the reason you think.

I've never been a fan of deathcore/metalcore. That's what Behold the Kingdom is: hard, heavy, brutal deathcore. I'm still not really a fan so I can't give this album the fair review it deserves. I like the thick, heavy guitars and I do appreciate the bold Christian stance the band takes. However, all the "core" trappings are there, namely disjointed song structure. I NEED to have some coherent structure in my music. It's one of the reason why I don't like bands like Dream Theater that are big on technical wankery but low on hooks. It just seems like "core" bands just bash through a song and don't leave me anything to hang on to. I think my problem is that I'm old. I'm an old man and I just need some good old fashioned verse/chorus/bridge like gramma used to make. Now I realize there are lots of people out there who love this style. If so, you'll probably be amazed at just how heavy Behold the Kingdom is. So yeah - if you're into "core"-type music (or insanely heavy music in general) definitely check these guys out.

Useless Fact: I think these guys are from Ft. Wayne - along with one of my top favorite bands, Grave Robber.

Harmony - "Chapter II: Aftermath"

2011-09-05T11:58:00.005-04:00

Harmony - Chapter II: Aftermath
2008, Ulterium/Nightmare

1. Prevail
2. Aftermath
3. Rain
4. Don't Turn Away
5. Kingdom
6. Silently We Fade
7. Inner Peace
8. Weak
9. I Run
10. Hollow Faces
11. End of My Road

I've been selling some of my old video game strategy guides lately and that allowed me to scrape together enough money to buy some new music. Harmony is a band I've heard samples of for awhile now and I've really enjoyed them. I'm pleased to report the album itself is absolutely killer. Harmony play a style of progressive euro-power metal not unlike bands like Balance of Power. I think what struck me first about this band is the vocalist. He reminds me a little of Lance King (from Balance of Power - surprise, surprise) and Stryper's own Michael Sweet. It's been awhile since I've heard vocals of this type executed so well. The other thing I like about this disc is that the keyboards are shoved into the background. Sometimes in this particular genre the keyboards are too "up front." They overpower the riffs rob the songs of their heaviness. Not here, though. Here the keys are just what they should be - garnish. They add a little atmospheric gothic flair to the music allowing the album to showcase its awesome, heavy riffage. Also, hooks galore here. Really good catchy hooks that keep me coming back. In fact, I can't think of anything negative about this disc. It's a great way to kick off the start of the fall season!

Useless Fact: While the album title is "Chapter II," I don't think the bands albums follow any kind of story. That and I don't really know enough about this band to provide a really interesting fact.

Music Musings: The Weather

2011-08-29T11:47:00.002-04:00

The hot weather makes me enjoy music less.

Seriously.

I don't know why but being sopping wet with sweat every single minute of every single day makes me cranky and tired. It also makes music impossible to enjoy. I suppose it's a good thing this summer has been pretty lacking in new music. Partly that's because we're broke and can't get any new music but the other part is because since Devin Townsend's albums there's been NOTHING all summer I've been interested in.

I was able to get a CD the other day by selling off some game guides I had. I actually considered postponing listening to it until the weather got cooler.

So that's why there's isn't as much action here lately. Now that I think of it I think I already told you all of this before. Oh well. The heat has finally fried my brain I think.

Nina - "No Shadow of Turning"

2011-08-22T08:18:00.003-04:00

Nina - No Shadow of Turning
1991, REX

1. Calm Before the Storm
2. Emergency 2
3. In a Little While
4. Mirror Image
5. Where Are You Now?
6. Separate Yourself
7. Anyway, I Think It's Over
8. You Hold Your Heart in Your Hands
9. You Better Run Away
10. I'd Like to See the Way It Fits
11. Reality of Love
12. Daughter of Jerusalem
13. Turn, Turn, Turn

Here's a little obscure piece of Christian music history. No Shadow of Turning was a solo album from Nina Llopis of the hardcore/thrash/punk band The Lead. Her debut isn't thrash though, far from it. It's alternative rock and it's interesting. "I'd Like to See the Way it Fits" is Nina's attempt to do a pop song. It's kind of funny because there's all this earnest alt-rock then all of a sudden it's Kim Boyce or Lisa Beville for a song, then back to the rock. I also really enjoy her version of "Turn, Turn, Turn." Probably the biggest mark against No Shadow of Turning is the production which seems really thin and tinny to me. The album is way out of print and dirt cheap as well as available for download. If you're a connoissuer of early 90's Christian music you should definitely check this out.

Useless Fact: Nina thanks the boys of the Lead in her liner notes for putting up with her "non thrash" mode. These days I think Nina is doing worship seminars. She used to have a website but I can't find it anymore.

U2 - "The Joshua Tree"

2011-08-17T11:20:00.004-04:00

U2 - The Joshua Tree
1987, Island

1. Where the Streets Have No Name
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. With or Without You
4. Bullet the Blue Sky
5. Running to Stand Still
6. Red Hill Mining Town
7. In God's Country
8. One Tree Hill
9. Exit
10. Mothers of the Disappeared

I know I'm about to commit some sort of musical blasphemy here but... I don't really like The Joshua Tree that much. I remember liking the first three tracks a lot when I was young because they played them on MTV endlessly. I bought the tape through Columbia record club (wow! remember record clubs?!) and begged mom to play it in the car. I also begged her to rewind the tape after "With or Without You" was over because those first three tracks were the only ones I liked. I'm proud to say I pretty much drove her crazy with those three songs over and over and over again. Of course, I'm getting mine now because I've seen the Backyardigans' "Tale of the Mighty Knights" at least 70 times. But anyway, back to U2. I still don't really care for this album that much but I couldn't tell you why. Aside from those three childhood favorites I find the rest of the album to be rather boring. I know it's a classic and I know how influential it is... but I just can't get into it. Frequent readers of this blog shouldn't be surprised though - they know I'm weird.

Useless Fact: Christian metal band Bride did a cover of "Bullet the Blue Sky" for one of their videos.

Music Musings: Gear Shift! - Adventures in Shuffle

2011-08-04T19:12:00.002-04:00

Good grief...

This has been the hottest, longest summer I've ever suffered through. We've had temps down here in southern Georgia of over 100 for weeks at a time. Ugh! Also, since Decon and Ghost there's not much music coming out until October when Megadeth and Evanescence release their new albums. Bummer. So, I've done something I usually never do - put my Ipod on shuffle.

See, I'm an album person. I listen to albums - in their entirety. I consider all the songs, the order of the songs, etc. My wife is the opposite as she listens to single songs, not albums. So in this musical drought I decided to switch it up a bit and let fate decide what songs I listen to.

My friend and I had an idea for a radio show called "Gear Shift." The idea was that we would play something really heavy then play something really mellow just to mess with people. My shuffled Ipod is pretty much the very definition of that. It'll play Sixpence None the Richer, Mortification, Steve Taylor, Ayreon, The Choir, etc. What's funny is that sometimes the transitions are really good. Occasionally you'll get this totally mellow track then some heavy song will come on but it totally works. It's been fun.

It's also interesting to note just how "random" random actually is. Sometimes it will favor a particular artist or album. One time I got a lot of songs from Steve Taylor's On The Fritz. Other times it will pick a theme - like early 90's Christian metal, or straight up pop songs. It's like my Ipod actually has moods of its own. Weird.

So anyway, not much of an update - for which I apologize. I've got a few albums for the next couple of months but it's going to be a little sparse. At least until new albums come out or I can get some money that I'm not spending on games for my PSP.

The Devin Townsend Project - "Ghost"

2011-08-02T09:40:00.004-04:00

The Devin Townsend Project - Ghost
2011, Inside Out

1. Fly
2. Heart Baby
3. Feather
4. Kawaii
5. Ghost
6. Blackberry
7. Monsoon
8. Dark Matters
9. Texada
10. Seams
11. Infinite Ocean
12. As You Were

Ghost is truly an achievement. It's simple, melodic, peaceful, and beautiful. It's just as challenging as Deconstruction but I think the rewards for diving into this one are far greater. Some songs, like "Heart Baby," seem to have more in common with Enya than anything Devin has done previously. The album also takes a slight industrial/trance detour with "Dark Matters" and "Texada." Surprisingly, it fits the flow of the album very well. While Deconstruction seemed to be a "greatest hits" compilation of all Devin's usual tricks (bumped up to 11, of course), Ghost stands by itself - truly unique. It's a great way to end this four album cycle.

Oh, I also wanted to point out that the cover and booklet art are absolutely gorgeous!

Useless Fact: Those who pre-ordered the album got access to four tracks on Ghost II. I'm not sure if the four tracks, "Drench," "Fall," "Mend," and "Watch You" are supposed to actually be Ghost II or whether they're just a preview.

Devin Townsend Project - "Deconstruction"

2011-07-25T20:40:00.005-04:00

Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction
2011, Inside Out

1. Praise the Lowered
2. Stand
3. Juular
4. Planet of the Apes
5. Sumeria
6. The Mighty Masturbator
7. Pandemic
8. Deconstruction
9. Poltergeist

Being the third album in the Devin Townsend Project four album series, Deconstruction is the heaviest, most dense, most progressive entry. It's demanding and uncompromising. Is it good? I honestly don't know. I was absolutely overwhelmed the first few times I listened to this - especially during the longer songs. There were times during "Planet of the Apes" and "The Mighty Masturbator" where my brain literally could not keep track of the song. I was totally lost. It gets easier with more listens but the fact remains - this disc is a challenge. You literally have to plan a day to listen to it. The concept invovles a cheeseburger, the devil, and the meaning of life, but I couldn't really tell you how it all fits together.

I really like some of the shorter songs "Juular," "Sumeria," and "Poltergeist." It honestly makes me wish Devin would do a really heavy Addicted-type album. It's weird because I usually like Devin's sprawling epic songs but there's usually something to latch onto or a hook that keeps me coming back. Here, though, there's just too much going on. It doesn't seem as cohesive or connected. Of course, I think that's kind of the point but it doesn't make for a frequent player for me. I like all the songs under 8 minutes long. I don't hate the others, though. I hope that as time goes on I can foster more of an appreciation for what's going on here but right now it's work to listen to. Wonderful and strange work, but work nonetheless.

Useless Fact: The album boasts a bevy of guest vocalists including the guy from Opeth (forgot his name) and Floor Jansen who's frequently seen in Ayreon and Star One.

Crash Test Dummies - "God Shuffled His Feet"

2011-07-21T16:16:00.004-04:00

Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet
1993, Arista

1. God Shuffled His Feet
2. Afternoons and Coffeespoons
3. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
4. In the Days of the Caveman
5. Swimming In Your Ocean
6. Here I Stand Before Me
7. I Think I'll Disappear Now
8. How Does a Duck Know?
9. When I Go Out With Artists
10. The Psychic
11. Two Knights and Maidens
12. Crash Course

Have you ever bought a used CD and wondered just how it ended up in the store? How many hands it passed through? Was it liked? Ignored? I only bring this up because I bought this CD at Goodwill for $1.50 and by the looks of it I'm pretty sure it's made the rounds of every pawn shop and Goodwill in whatever cities it's been in. I got this album for three songs: "Afternoons and Coffeespoons," "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm," and "When I Go Out With Artists." The rest of the album is decent but I love those three songs for some reason. These guys are generally considered a one-hit wonder in the states due to the popularity of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm."

I looked up the meaning to "God Shuffled His Feet" because I was really curious about the lyrics. I didn't find anything definitive (i.e. from the band themselves) but those who claim to be in the know say this song is about there not being a God at all. I guess the video would back that up as it's about a crowd of people entering a theater to see God only to have Him be a puppet controlled by a man behind a curtain. Before I read that I thought the song was about how God doesn't have to prove himself to us or answer our stupid, asinine questions. Oh well... like I said, I only bought this for three songs and the title track wasn't one of them.

Useless Fact: Weird Al did a parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" called "Headline News" in which he sang about various news items of the time (Tonya Harding was one, if I recall).

Scaterd Few - "Jawboneofanass"

2011-07-15T19:16:00.004-04:00

Scaterd Few - Jawboneofanass
1994, Faceless Gen

1. Witchcraft
2. Dreams
3. Sinking in Sorrow
4. Sheets
5. Stretch
6. Once Upon
7. Oom Pah Pah
8. Reel Not Real
9. Holding Stare
10. Dame
11. Ransom
12. Pinnacle

Back in the day I was really miffed that I never got to hear Jawboneofanass. Sin Disease ranks as one of my favorite albums of all time so I always wanted to hear the follow up. Sadly, no Christian book store anywhere near me carried it so I went without. I was sad. However, the band has recently released their entire back catalogue online! Now you can get everything. I quickly bought Jawbone and sadly, was disappointed. This album is far more melodic and mellow than the previous one. Where the first one was filled with short, punchy songs, this one is filled with longer, sprawling compositions that didn't really grab me. It makes me a little sad inside. I'm hoping that this will grow on me over time but right now I can't say it does much for me.

Useless Fact: Rumor has it Jawboneofanass was recorded three times before it was finally released. That may be some of the reason this doesn't quite jibe with me.

Jughead - "Jughead"

2011-07-08T19:27:00.003-04:00

Jughead - Jughead
2004, Inside Out

1. Halfway Home to Elvis
2. C'mon
3. Snow in Tahiti
4. Promise
5. Bullet Train
6. Waiting on the Son
7. Yesterday I Found Myself
8. Be Like You
9. Flowers
10. Shame On the Butterfly
11. Paging Willie Mays

My good friend Uvulapie suggested Jughead to me as we are both fans of the Mustard Seeds. I've learned that when Uvulapie suggests a band, you should just go out and get it without asking questions. So was he right? Sure was! Considering Jughead consists of Ty Tabor (King's X) along with members of the Mustard Seeds it's, like, mathematically impossible for this album to suck. In fact, it's a great combination of Ty's style with the accessibility and catchy hooks of a Mustard Seeds album. The album closer "Paging Willie Mays" manages to somehow be both laid back and totally epic at the same time. Quite an enjoyable little album. Too bad they only made one.

Useless Fact: Ty only sings on two songs, "Promise" and "Shame on the Butterfly."

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Alpocalypse"

2011-07-02T08:17:00.004-04:00

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Alpocalypse
2011, Volcano

1. Perform This Way
2. CNR
3. TMZ
4. Skipper Dan
5. Polka Face
6. Craigslist
7. Party in the C.I.A.
8. Ringtone
9. Another Tattoo
10. If That Isn't Love
11. Whatever You Like
12. Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me

There's just something comforting about listening to one of Weird Al's polka medleys of today's hits. I suppose it's because in the ever-changing world of pop music there's one person we can always rely on to make fun of it: Weird Al. I'm happy to say that after countless albums and nearly 30 years in the music industry Al's still got it. He can still make me smile. That's quite an accomplishment if you ask me. This album is a bit different for me in that I like the originals and the parodies equally. That's not to say the originals aren't as good - I'm saying the parodies are better. Though some of my favorites are originals. Take "CNR" for example, a guitar-driven take on the White Stripes with lyrics about the amazing feats of one Charles Nelson Riley. I also like the somewhat melancholy "Skipper Dan." I don't think I've ever had an emotional connection with a Weird Al song but I guess I can relate to the subject matter. The Hanson-esque "If That Isn't Love" is another highlight as well. Probably the only songs on here that I don't like are "Ringtone" and "Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me." The former is a Queen style parody which seems to be all over the place and the style the song is in actually annoys me(but I don't really like Queen anyway so there's that). The latter is a piano ballad about hating forwards. I started hating forwards in 1999 so this song is nearly 11 years too late. It's not bad, I just don't find it as amusing and not a great way to end an album (at least for me). Aside from that I think Alpocalypse is a strong album and I'm happy to welcome Al back to the spotlight for another fifteen minutes.

Useless Fact: Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek actually plays on the Doors homage "Craigslist." Also, there is a video for every single one of the songs on the album. "Perform This Way" and "CNR" are particularly funny.

Vengeance Rising - "Destruction Comes"

2011-06-23T19:34:00.003-04:00

Vengeance Rising - Destruction Comes
1991/2011, Intense Millennium

1. You Can't Stop It
2. The Rising
3. Before the Time
4. Bring the Sword
5. He Don't Own Nothing
6. Countless Corpses
7. Thanatos
8. You Will Bow
9. Hyde Under Pressure
10. Raegoul

I was a little harsh on this disc in my first review. I actually hesitated getting this reissue because it didn't end up being as good as I remember. However, I think I might have been too quick to judge. I don't know if it's quite as bad as I said. Not every song has only two riffs - there's a little bit more to them than that. While it's not nearly as amazing as the two previous albums I found myself liking this album again after the repeated listens. I remember when it originally came out I got it along with The Crucified's The Pillars of Humanity. I actually liked Destruction Comes more. There are still some cool thrash songs on here - "Before The Time" remains awesome. I also like "He Don't Own Nothing" (despite the fact that grammatically the lyric indicates he does own something) and "You Will Bow." Though I think my favorite remains the absolutely bizarre "Raegoul." After reading the lyrics again I think this song is actually about the dude on the cover. Somebody better informed should feel free to enlighten me.

Since this is an Intense Millennium album we need to discuss the cover art for a moment. It's great! No banners, no photoshop clip art, no redesigned logos - just the original cover in all its gory glory! See, guys, was that so hard? My CD came with a sticker of "Raegoul" that you can put over the cover in case your grandma might see it. It also came with a guitar pick and the first track of the CD is the "Before the Time" video shot for Hot Metal 4.

Useless Fact: I was right! Ramald Domkus did, in fact, do the background vocals on "Raegoul." Of course, "Ramald Domkus" is wrongly cited as Jimmy P. Brown (Deliverance) in the liner notes when it's actually Allen Aguirre of Scaterd Few.

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Off the Deep End"

2011-06-20T08:27:00.002-04:00

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Off the Deep End
1992, Volcano

1. Smells Like Nirvana
2. Trigger Happy
3. I Can't Watch This
4. Polka Your Eyes Out
5. I Was Only Kidding
6. The White Stuff
7. When I Was Your Age
8. Taco Grande
9. Airline Amy
10. The Plumbing Song
11. You Don't Love Me Anymore

I don't like Nirvana. I never have. I'm not one of those who think Kurt Cobain was some genius. They were just the right band at the right time. Nirvana (and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden) did change the musical landscape but I don't necessarily think it was for the better. Naturally, I loved "Smells Like Nirvana" because it poked fun at a band who took themselves way too seriously. So, anyway, rant aside Off the Deep End is one of my favorite Al platters. "Trigger Happy" is similar to old Beach Boys songs where the band would go on and on about the specs of their hot rod except in "Trigger Happy" the singer is running down the specs on his AK-47. "When I Was Your Age" is a my favorite song on the album and probably a contender for most favorite Al song ever. Probably because I feel like an old man myself and I have to restrain myself from telling all the young whipper-snappers out there how good they have it. Off the Deep End is just full of good, silly music. Go getcha one!

Useless Fact: While "You Don't Love Me Anymore" is an original song, the video was a parody of Extreme's "More Than Words."

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T07:15:00.004-04:00

Well lookee there! This is the second year that I'm an actual father on Father's Day. Today that will mean breakfast at Cracker Barrel and some time in Renaissance Italy assassinating Templar agents. Also, Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there that are doing a good jobs. To the fathers that aren't...um... poop on you!

Here's a picture of my dad with Lexi.

Now I can't say dad and I are the Gilmore Girls (er...boys, I guess) or anything, but he did the best he could with what he had. I never went hungry. We always had electric. We went on vacations. Christmases were awesome. Most importantly, dad's allowance always kept me in CDs. Thanks dad! I appreciate all you do!

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "Alapalooza"

2011-06-15T20:11:00.004-04:00

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - Alapalooza
1993, Volcano

1. Jurassic Park
2. Young, Dumb & Ugly
3. Bedrock Anthem
4. Frank's 2000" TV
5. Achy Breaky Song
6. Traffic Jam
7. Talk Soup
8. Livin' in the Fridge
9. She Never Told Me She Was a Mime
10. Harvey the Wonder Hamster
11. Waffle King
12. Bohemian Polka

...and so begins my quest to add some "Weird Al" to my collection!

Mr. Yankovic's albums tend to be the most popular when there's a huge pop culture thing going on. Unfortunately, Alapalooza didn't really have a big parody. It also didn't help that what could've been considered the "big" parody wasn't one of his best ("Bedrock Anthem" - I agree with Flea - it's just not his best). However, as is usually the case, despite the fact that it's not one of the popular ones, I love this album. I think "Jurassic Park" is probably one of Al's best parodies in general. Had the general public been more familiar with the original "MacArthur Park" I think this parody would have carried the album farther because it's really funny. "And I think those things will harm me/ 'Cause they sure don't act like Barney/ And they think that I'm their dinner/ Not their friend, Oh no!" Great stuff. I smile every time I hear that line. This album is full of wonderful and funny songs though. I like the glam rock kick of "Young, Dumb & Ugly." I also really dig "Talk Soup" and "Waffle King" both emulating So/Us era Peter Gabriel. I had a girlfriend a long time ago and we loved the short, simple "Harvey the Wonder Hamster." Her, her sister, and I used to sing this song as loud as we could when I would hang out at her house. Finally, this album doesn't feature the traditional polka medley but instead contains a polka rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody." Cool cover art as well.

Useless Fact: "Waffle King" was actually the B-side of the "Smells Like Nirvana" single. I know this because I actually owned the single in question.

Deliverance - "What a Joke"

2011-06-11T08:13:00.004-04:00

Deliverance - What a Joke
1991/2011, Intense Millennium

1. Introduction
2. Prophet of Idiocy
3. Pseudo Intellectual
4. Cheeseburger Maker Du
5. What a Joke
6. Chipped Beef
7. After Forever
8. It's the Beat
9. Product of Society
10. Happy Star
11. J.P.D.
12. Pray
13. Silent Night
14. J.I.G.
15. Purgatory Sandwich With Mustard
16. Attack
Bonus Track
17. Strings of Sorrow

I've always liked What a Joke. In fact, I go back to it a lot more than you might think. It's not my favorite D album but even with the filler and the joke songs I still think it's a pretty awesome thrash album. I didn't plan on it originally but I finally broke down and got this reissue from Intense Millennium largely because it has a previously unreleased track, "Strings of Sorrow." Unfortunately, it's only a minute and a half long, it's a ballad, and it doesn't fit with the thrash material on this record. Granted, it's still cool to have it on CD - it's just not what I was expecting. I can say that the remaster is spectacular! It cleans up the production considerably making every thing cleaner and brighter. As a result the guitars sound a little heavier - you might even hear some things you never heard on the original! Seriously, the sound quality here is leaps and bounds above the original. Even if you have the original I would seriously recommend getting this one too.

And now the bad...

I'm really disappointed that I have to say this but... the cover art. Really?! Really, guys?! There wasn't a better idea than this? This cover art looks like it was made by somebody who a) hates What a Joke and/or b) is a HUGE fan of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Controversy erupted over at the Christian Metal Realm because Jimmy P. Brown himself expressed his disgust for the cover, considering it an insult to both him and the band. I'm sorry but I cannot imagine how this cover was ever approved. They do include the original cover art but it is dark and blurry - kind of like a middle finger to anyone who doesn't like their new art. I'm glad Intense Millennium is releasing classics like What a Joke but dang...

Useless Fact: My version came with a guitar pick with the cover art on it. I think that was supposed to be the pre-order goodie but I got it too. Also, the new cover is limited to the first 1000 printings. The rest will have the original art.

Uthanda - "Believe"

2011-06-07T09:32:00.003-04:00

Uthanda - Believe
1992, ERG

1. Shadowplay
2. Love Child
3. Did You
4. My Addiction
5. Fear
6. Midnight Jasmine
7. Sunrise
8. Wrapped Around Your Heart
9. Citizen
10. Cool Water
11. You and Me
12. Cars
13. Heroes

I remember when my cousin first let me borrow this on tape because she had just gotten it and wanted me to hear it. We both loved Uthanda's first album, Groove, so I thought I would like this to. I was at my grandmother's at the time and she had this enormous stereo set-up with a big old radio, a tape player, and a record player stacked together in a little glass cabinet. All of that sound could be funnelled through those enormous earphones that look like Princess Leia buns. So anyway, I listened and rocked in my grandma's chair and wasn't too terribly impressed. I didn't hate it, but it really didn't strike a chord with me like the debut did. The band experiments a little with their sound. "Sunrise" and "Cool Water" sound like they could have been on Groove. The other tunes are a little bit more experimental but still solid alternative rock (they've ditched the "hippy" look too). After hearing this again years later I enjoy it a little bit more than before. I especially like the "Cars" cover. It's definitely worth checking out but I don't think it will ever have a place in my heart like Groove does.

Useless Fact: There was a contest where one could win a chance to bowl with the band. I'd love to know if anyone won the contest and if they actually got to bowl with Uthanda.

Lady Gaga - "Born This Way"

2011-06-01T19:32:00.003-04:00

Lady Gaga - Born This Way
2011, Interscope

1. Marry the Night
2. Born This Way
3. Government Hooker
4. Judas
5. Americano
6. Hair
7. ScheiBe
8. Bloody Mary
9. Bad Kids
10. Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)
11. Heavy Metal Lover
12. Electric Chapel
13. You & I
14. The Edge of Glory

*sigh*

Well... it was nice while it lasted. At least Born This Way was only $1. I loved The Fame. In fact, it was one of my top picks for last year. I don't usually buy pop albums, but Lady Gaga's quirky pop songs were pretty infectious. Sadly, when "Born This Way" came out I didn't like it at all. After all, it's just Madonna's "Express Yourself" with different lyrics. The biggest problem with Born This Way the album is that a majority of the songs here sound just like "Born This Way." What happened to the syncopated beats? The little catchy raps? The simple dirty songs about sex? The cool electronica? Ugh...most everything here is grand and over-produced and, worst of all, not very fun to listen to. The braying in "Americano" is particularly annoying. My favorite songs tend to be the ones that don't sound like "Born This Way" - namely "Government Hooker" (my favorite on the album), "Bloody Mary," and "You & I." That last one there almost sounds like a techno-country song.

I also find the lyrical themes rather tiresome. I get it - we should all love ourselves. You should just be you - whether you're a good person or a total jackass... YOU WERE BORN THAT WAY, BABY! You don't need to change! You don't need to try and be a better person or do any self reflection! Ugh (have I said that already?)! Oh, and let's not forget "Hair" in which Gaga actually sings about her hair. No, really. Her hair and about how free it is. I miss the days when she would just sing about Disco Sticks and dancing. She's also mixing some good ol' Catholicism in with all this self love. Okaaaay... but didn't Madonna do that like decades ago? Suffice to say, I'm not impressed with Born This Way.

Ooh... look... she's a motorcycle!(?)

Useless Fact: There's a few bonus tracks that I missed because I got the $1 download version. Those songs are, "Black Jesus + Amen Fashion," "Fashion of His Love," and "The Queen." Unlike with Panic! at the Disco - I couldn't care less if I have these songs.

Mad at the World - "Flowers in the Rain"

2011-05-26T19:28:00.003-04:00

Mad at the World - Flowers in the Rain
1988, Frontline

1. Fearfully & Wonderfully
2. Flowers in the Rain
3. Why?
4. Puppet Strings
5. No Mistakes
6. Wait
7. I Don't Wanna Go There
8. Faith is a Perfect Road
9. In My Dream
10. Love Light in the Midnight
11. This Lie
12. Dancing On Your Grave

Since I first got into Mad at the World with Boomerang I never listened to Flowers in the Rain...until now! Actually I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. The band starts to add some more hard rock elements to their sound on this record previewing what would happen with Seasons of Love. It seems like for the first half of the album they do a techno-pop song, then do a rock song, then back to a pop song. On the second half of the album they seem to combine both approaches and these are the songs that I find more compelling. I love tracks like "In My Dream" and "This Lie." It almost makes me wish they would have experimented a little bit more with this type of techno/rock fusion - it was quite interesting. There are some cheesy lyrics here and there but nothing that turned me off the music. Probably the biggest problem with this disc is the wafer thin production. The sound of the guitars is so thin they're barely audible. Also, it sounds like there's almost no bass to speak of. This kind of electronic music needs a little more bass I say. Glad I finally checked this out!

Useless Fact: It looks like Rose brother Ray is actually featured as a member on this album. That makes three Rose brothers on an MATW disc - a record, I believe.

Haven - "Your Dying Day"

2011-05-21T09:38:00.005-04:00

Haven - Your Dying Day
1990, REX

1. On Judgement Day
2. Deliver Me
3. Murder
4. Below the Grave
5. The Calling
6. America
7. Escape
8. Help Me Follow
9. I Found Love
10. Your Dying Day

For some reason or another I never really cared for Haven's debut. I can't put a finger on exactly why, I just know that it didn't really hold my interest. I think part of the reason is the production which makes the music seem "far away" - if that makes any sense. My mind wanders and before long I'm writing stories in my head and not really listening to the music. Speaking of which it's power metal. It's not bad either though tracks like "Deliver Me" and "Murder" just reek of early Queensryche - especially in vocalist Kevin Ayers' lower register. I like it okay but I definitely prefer Age of Darkness to this one. As you can guess by the CD cover the theme of this album is: YOU ARE GOING TO HELL!!! Okay, there's a more to it than that but the old Christian metal scare tactics are in full-force here. Though it's because of this album that I still remember certain passages in Revelation. In fact, most of the Scripture I remember to this day were lyrics to Christian metal songs. This album was re-issued by M8 way back in the day and included extra tracks and what not. I believe it was titled Straight From the Cutting Room Floor. Also, as I understand it the mastering was WORSE than it was on the original. Thankfully Retroactive is due to rerelease this one with superior mastering. Yay for Retroactive!

I had a friend who saw this tape in the Christian bookstore and begged his mom to get it for him. She didn't because she didn't like the cover or didn't like the idea of metal or whatever. Later, when my friend had a little more independence he got into Nirvana and Pearl Jam and all that. He won't touch Christian music with a ten foot pole now. What's funny is that this same mother relents that her son doesn't want to listen to any Christian music. Way to go mom! I'm so thankful to my mom for always supporting my music tastes.

Useless Fact: Be careful when searching for Haven CDs online. There's a British pop band by the same name that's released several albums.

Music Musings: My Dream Project

2011-05-12T15:38:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone!

Today I'm going to let you inside my head for a bit. Scary, I know. This may surprise you but I do a lot of thinking about music. I often rewrite songs in my head, assign new projects to vocalists, and dream up concept albums. Since today is a rather slow day and I don't have anything else to do I'll let you in on one of my "dream projects."

Concept Album about Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection.

I'm aware that this has actually been done before. A bunch of people got together and did Hero which I believe was a rock opera featuring Christian music's best and brightest. Michael Tait (DC Talk) played the part of Jesus. Mine would be a lot different. First, it would be a LOT heavier but progressive - like an Ayreon CD but with more heavy. Secondly, it would feature both Christian and non-Christian talent. I don't have a set cast list but here's what I've been thinking.

Mary - Hayley Williams (Paramore): I picked Hayley for Mary because she's young and has proven to me that she can tackle a wider range of styles and emotions than "angsty." Though to be honest having to birth the Son of God might make anyone angsty so there's another point for her.

John the Baptist - Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian): I love Hansi's voice and think he would be perfect to play the voice in the wilderness.

Zechariah - Terry Scott Taylor (DA, Swirling Eddies, Lost Dogs): Our friend Terry would have one good song, namely, "Benedictus." It would be soft, acoustic, moving, and beautiful all at the same time. It would perfectly capture the mood of someone able to die feeling fulfilled.

Herod - Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine): We need somebody nice and bombastic for Herod. I think Eric fits the bill nicely.

Jesus - Jimmy P. Brown, II (Deliverance, Jupiter VI): As a huge fan of the D I'm convinced that Jimmy has the passion and pathos to voice the Savior.

Peter - Damien Wilson (ex-Threshold, Star One): Damien's voice is another one of those that just gives me chills every time I hear it. I think he's got the gusto to match Peter's strong emotions yet the ability to also reflect Peter's regrets.

John - Dug Pinnick (King's X): Because we need some soul up in this joint.

Judas - Roger Rose (ex-Mad at the World): I was going to pick Randy Rose for this spot but I thought that might be a little too predictable. Randy's Morrison-esque voice would be too obvious. I think Roger's more sensitive vocal style would be a little more interesting also, let's be honest here, Roger can handle hard rock vocals just fine.

Mary Magdalene - Anneke Van Giersbergen (Various Ayreons): Anneke could provide a sensitive and quiet counterpoint to Jimmy's emotion, but she can also belt it out when the time is right.

Pontius Pilate - Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria): Claudio the vocalist spends most of his time question his place in the world as Claudio the character. Who better to as the question "What is truth?"

Satan - Devin Townsend (Devin Townsend Project) and Steve Rowe (Mortification): Do I really need to go into why these two would be perfect for the part? Satan's voice would be layered with Devin handling the higher register and Steve's old school death metal growl handling the lower register.

The Magi - Joey Belladonna (ex-Anthrax), James Hetfield (Metallica), and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth): I admit this one's a little silly but I find the idea of three of the "Big Four" lending their voices to the Magi to be too awesome not to consider. Heck, if he's up for it we can throw in Tom Araya (Slayer) too.

That's all the vocalists I have spots for in my head. As for musicians we'll have Rex Carroll (ex- Whitecross) for the facemelters because he's the MAN. We'll also have John Scheaffer (Iced Earth) on tap for some of those super-fast thrash riffs. Oh yeah, we'll need Derri Daugherty (The Choir) for the ambient stuff. We'll have Ryan Van Pooderuyan (or however you spell it) on the drums. Tim Chandler will be providing the bass on the more melodic parts and we'll go ahead and let Steve Rowe handle the bass on the heavier parts. We'll need a keyboard guy too but since I don't really have a favorite you'll have to think up your own.

There you have it. Feel free to post your own suggestions if you have any!

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - "The Essential 'Weird Al' Yankovic"

2011-05-09T08:00:00.004-04:00

Yankovic, "Weird Al" - The Essential "Weird Al" Yankovic
2009, Sony

Disc One:
1. Another One Rides the Bus
2. Polkas on 45
3. Eat It
4. I Lost on Jeopardy
5. Yoda
6. One More Minute
7. Like a Surgeon
8. Dare to be Stupid
9. Dog Eat Dog
10. Lasagna
11. Melanie
12. Fat
13. UHF
14. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
15. Trigger Happy
16. Smells Like Nirvana
17. You Don't Love Me Anymore
18. Bedrock Anthem
19. Frank's 2000" TV
20. Jurassic Park

Disc Two:
1. Since You've Been Gone
2. Amish Paradise
3. Gump
4. Everything You Know is Wrong
5. The Night Santa Went Crazy
6. Your Horoscope For Today
7. It's All About the Pentiums
8. The Saga Begins
9. Albuquerque
10. Ebay
11. Bob
12. Hardware Store
13. I'll Sue Ya
14. Canadian Idiot
15. Pancreas
16. Don't Download This Song
17. White & Nerdy
18. Trapped in the Drive-Thru

So the other day I was listening to the new "Weird Al" song, "Perform This Way" (a parody of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way), and I had a startling revalation. I said to myself, "Self, we have no 'Weird Al' in our collection!" to which my self replied, "By golly gosh darn, we don't! We should remedy that, post haste." Thusly I went to Walmart and got this, the "Essential" "Weird Al." I've always been a big fan of "Weird Al" and I think he's a lot more talented an artist than he's really given credit for. This collection has most of his more famous parodies like "Fat," "Eat It," "Amish Paradise" and the like. It's also got some of his originals - it's a good balance between the two I think.

The liner notes suggest that when "Weird Al" is at his best when not doing a parody and I have to agree. Some of my favorite songs on here are originals. "Trigger Happy," "Melanie," "You Don't Love Me Anymore," and "Everything You Know is Wrong" are all songs I love. I like a lot of these more than the parodies. Just listen to a complicated song like "Hardware Store" and try to tell me Al isn't a genius. Listening to this collection actually makes me want to go out and get some of these albums that I had when I was younger because I really remember enjoying them.

Useless Fact: The same four guys have been in Al's band since the 80's. That's longer than most bands out there now.

Whitecross - "Hammer and Nail"

2011-05-03T19:16:00.003-04:00

Whitecross - Hammer and Nail
1988, Pure Metal

1. Living on the Edge
2. When the Walls Tumble Down
3. The Hammer and the Nail
4. Take it to the Limit
5. Walk With Me
6. Because of Jesus
7. When the Clock Strikes
8. Resist Him
9. Living in a Lost World
10. Top of the World

Ah, yes... Whitecross. I sure do loves me some classic Whitecross. When fans talk about their favorite Whitecross album they usually mention Triumphant Return or this one. While I generally prefer the former I can't blame anyone for loving Hammer and Nail. This is pure, slick LA Glam metal that totally rocks the house. Rex Carroll's guitar is a delight to the ears no matter how you cut it. Most of the songs have a mid-groove swagger about them. I admit that "Walk With Me" is not my favorite ballad from these guys, but hey, can't win 'em all, right? This disc is out of print and pretty hard to find these days. I scored mine at a little used CD shop while on vacation in my hometown.

Useless Fact: I have no fact for this record.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T15:21:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter!

Thank you Jesus for giving death a good swift kick in the testicles!

Believer - "Transhuman"

2011-04-22T19:25:00.004-04:00

Believer - Transhuman
2011, Metal Blade

1. Lie Awake
2. G.U.T.
3. Multiverse
4. End of Infinity
5. Transfection
6. Clean Room
7. Currents
8. Traveler
9. Ego Machine
10. Being No One
11. Entanglement
12. Mindsteps

Sometimes it's possible to be too experimental. Case in point, Believer's new album Transhuman. I think there's a lot of interesting things going on here but I also think that most people won't give this disc the time it would take to really appreciate it. It similar in style to the last album, though it sounds a bit more "down to earth" if that makes sense. Aside from the ultra-modern "Lie Awake" (which I like, along with "G.U.T.") a lot of this music is challenging and dense. It's also short on hooks and I still have trouble keeping my mind on the music while listening to it. Most traces of the band's thrash roots have disappeared except in "Clean Room" and "Ego Machine" (two of my favorite tracks). "Ego Machine" even features Kurt Bachman's old-school growl. "Currents" is an techno-industrial instrumental and I think it's a nice interlude. However, there's also tracks like "Multiverse" and "Mindsteps" which aside from a riff here and there are pretty dang boring. The internet is pretty divided in regards to this album. Half love it, half hate it, some are in the middle. That's me... in the middle. You really have to just listen to some samples and decide whether its something you want to invest in. Honestly, it makes really good background music but I don't know if I'll go back to it again and again.

Now I'd like to discuss the lyrics for a second. Supposedly they're based on Transhumanist philosophy. That philosophy is (and I'm paraphrasing) about using technology to improve the human condition as well as what it means to be human. Okay... I'm down with that. Can't really think of anyone that's against using technology to improve the human condition. Problem is the lyrics don't make any damn sense. I'm okay with exploring other philosophies and what not but at the end of this disc you won't know anything more about Transhumanism than you did when you went in. Is the band supporting it? Rejecting it? What are they saying about it? I don't know. The band acts like this is really important to them... it's a shame I can't tell why. I don't care if they're Christian anymore or not I just wish I knew what they were trying to say! Rant mode: OFF.

Useless Fact: Like Gabriel before it, Transhuman's artwork features a model, body paint, and photography. That's it. I kind of like the similar theme.

The Mustard Seeds - "The Mustard Seeds"

2011-04-18T10:55:00.003-04:00

The Mustard Seeds - The Mustard Seeds
1996, Entourage

1. Mr. Green
2. Last Man on Earth
3. Cats and Dogs
4. Bulldozer
5. Mother May I
6. Red Mountain
7. Ordinary Man
8. Fool For You
9. Life Goes On
10. Quicksand
11. King Kong

Boy I sure do loves me some Mustard Seeds. After getting their latest album awhile back I went ahead and got their debut too. It was cheap. It's also wonderful. It's a little less commercial and the harmonies are more up-front, I think. The King's X type down-tuned riffs shine through as well. I think I like this one a little bit more than their latest - mainly because of the less commercial thing. Either one is fantastic though. *sigh* If I were in charge this band would have been huge.

Useless Fact: The band has another album called Red which is inexplicabley more expensive than the debut. Why? Hmmm... Anyway, I'll have to track that one down as well.

Panic! At the Disco - "Vices & Virtues"

2011-04-08T17:47:00.003-04:00

Panic! At the Disco - Vices & Virtues
2011, Fueled By Ramen

1. The Ballad of Mona Lisa
2. Let's Kill Tonight
3. Hurricane
4. Memories
5. Trade Mistakes
6. Ready To Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
7. Always
8. The Calender
9. Sarah Smiles
10. Nearly Witches (Every Since We Met)
Bonus Tracks
11. Stall Me
12. Oh Glory
13. I Wanna Be Free
14. Turn Off the Light

When I first heard "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" I was pretty excited for the album that would follow. While I liked Pretty.Odd. alright I never really found myself going back to it as much as the debut. The first single from Vices & Virtues finds the band returning to their more modern emo/pop roots. "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" is an incredible song with an incredible hook but the rest of the album? It's a bit of a grower. I was a little disappointed at first until my wife and I were driving around in the car half-listening to it - and then it clicked. I started appreciating more and more songs. The peppy "Let's Kill Tonight" and the slightly disco-esque "Hurricane" are two of my favorites. I will say the middle tracks are not quite as entrancing. "Memories," "Trade Mistakes," and "Ready to Go" are not bad tunes at all - they just don't quite hold my interest. "Ready to Go" sounds pretty 80's... I first thought this track almost sounds like The Killers instead of Panic. Things pick up again with a gentle ballad "Always." "Sarah Smiles" is the most reminiscent of Pretty.Odd. As a plus, the guys finish strong with the epic "Nearly Witches."

That's when the real fun begins. My deluxe edition contains four tracks not found on normal editions of the album. These four tracks are really awesome. So awesome that I am confounded as to why they didn't show up on the album proper. It's not like Panic has ever shied away from cramming upwards of 15 songs on a disc, so what gives? If I would have gotten the normal version of this album I would have been disappointed. With the extra tracks I feel like I'm actually getting the whole package. Seriously, if you have the normal edition you're missing out. I guess I'm saying I like my edition of Vices & Virtues but I probably wouldn't like the one at Walmart. How's that for an official review?

Useless Fact: Not only is the ! back in Panic! At the Disco, the band now only includes vocalist Brendan Urie and the drummer. Urie also wrote most of the songs on the album. "Sarah Smiles" is about his girlfriend.

Request from the Friends of Terry S. Taylor

2011-04-04T11:56:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone! I just received a very sad update on Facebook having to do with Terry Taylor (Daniel Amos/Swirling Eddies/Lost Dogs) and his family. Here's the actual announcement:

"To any and all who been blessed by the life and gifts of Terry Talor, It is with much regret that I come to you with a desperate prayer. Our dear friend and brother, Terry Taylor, is experiencing one of the direst personal struggles of his life. Since the cancellation of Catscratch, his financial situation has been dismal to say the least. His wife and daughter both teach at a pre-school to help make ends meet week to week but it hasn't been enough and two years ago they lost their home in foreclosure. As many of you know, Terry, who is uninsured, has had ongoing medical problems for the past five years, with last year being particularly troublesome and expensive. The bills have mounted steadily and the late fees continue to add more misery. Last month their little apartment was burglarized and items of great sentiment were stolen. As an unwanted culmination to one of the toughest years in the life of his family, this past weekend his daughter Noelle was rushed to the hospital and had to have emergency surgery to remove her gall bladder. He hasn't wanted us to share his story and burden his fans and we've been trying some creative new ideas to raise Terry's income but this last blow has broken the camel's back and nearly broken Terry's spirit. I know many of you would want to help our brother in this time of personal crisis. If we all gave $10 or $20 it would go a long toward relieving this burden for their family. Some of you may be able to give more; some less. Anything would help right now."

I can honestly say that Terry's music has influenced me for the better part of my life. Let's all go over to Daniel Amos' website and donate a little something. Sometimes I feel closer to Terry (through his music) than some of my own family. Our little family is chugging along okay but only because we've had so much help. I don't usually do this sort of thing, but as I said, Terry is close to my heart.

Lord bless Terry and his family. Amen.

UPDATE! 4/6/11 - I just got a message on Facebook saying that the response to the family's request was phenomenal. They raised over $25,000 in three days. THREE DAYS! Wow! There's only one thing to say to that: Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Crashdog - "The Pursuit of Happiness!"

2011-04-02T08:27:00.018-04:00

Crashdog- The Pursuit of Happiness!

1992, Grrr

1. Election Year
2. The Pursuit of Happiness
3. It's a Boy's Life
4. Foreign Policy
5. Life to Right
6. Dream So Vain
7. Mommy's Little Anarchist
8. Stop and Think
9. Who?
10. Kirsten
11. See the Unseen
12. 3 is a Magic Number
13. Untitled

I somehow missed The Pursuit of Happiness when it first came out. I had the debut and then later got Mud Angels but never showed any interest in getting this one. I have no idea why. I had a friend that owned a copy but I never listened to it. It's along the same lines as Human Society - old school punk with a serious message and serious music. I'm not sure I dig this one as much as the other two though. I don't think the guitar work is quite as dynamic here. They may have been going for a more old school vibe but I miss the leads and stuff. There are a few here and there, but not as many. What I do like is the fact that the band can take time off from being serious to pen songs like "It's a Boy's Life" which just about being a kid. I also really dig the cover of "3 is a Magic Number." The other thing I like about this album is Spike Nard. Once he left the band didn't hold my attention as much. If you like Crashdog, you'll like this, but it's definitely the weakest of the Nard discs. Awesome, comic-inspired cover art, I might add.

Oh... one thing I need to also applaud them for is the song "Life to Right." It's an abortion song with a little spin. It stresses the need for Christians to care about the mothers and the children so that they have a reason to have the child instead of abort. If you're against abortion, the best thing you can do is help a pregnant girl who is lost and scared. Give her support and love so that abortion won't be such an attractive option.

Useless Fact: In the liner notes the band included a plea for listeners to get involved in their government.

Trendy Monolith Appears in Mailbox! Family Stunned!

2011-03-23T19:29:00.007-04:00

So yeah... today I came home and my wife told me there was some huge package in the mail. I wasn't expecting anything huge - yet there it was. It was this...

For those who don't know, this is the deluxe edition of Panic! At the Disco's new album Vices & Virtues. Panic! is one of those few bands that both my wife and I really enjoy so we went all out for the new album and picked up this monstrosity (special thanks to Uncle Sam). I will not mince words... this thing is HUGE. I took a picture next to some other albums for comparison.

Here you see Ayreon's Timeline - one of the bigger deluxe editions and Crashdog's The Pursuit of Happiness! (review soon!). The Panic! album dwarfs them both. It's about an inch and a half thick as well. It opens up with two compartments, one named "Vices" which houses the album (with bonus tracks) several photo cards and a poster. The "Virtues" side holds a DVD, more photo cards, and the lyric book/liner notes. Overall a really nice package for the money.

Oh... and I'm sure Spike Nard and Andrew Mandell would be just thrilled to see one of their albums beside Panic! At the Disco. Sorry, guys, it was the first CD I grabbed off the shelf.

Petra - "Jekyll & Hyde"

2011-03-21T16:45:00.002-04:00

Petra - Jekyll & Hyde
2003, Inpop

1. Jekyll & Hyde
2. It's All About Who You Know
3. Stand
4. Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda
5. Perfect World
6. Test of Time
7. I Will Seek You
8. Life As We Know It
9. 'Til Everything I Do
10. Sacred Trust

I've never been much of a Petra person. I liked Beyond Belief and Wake-Up Call okay. I had that Beyond Belief video about the kid that goes on a mission trip and it's OMIGOSHTHEBESTSUMMEREVER!!!!!11! As the years wore on I pretty much forgot about Petra, until Jekyll & Hyde. If you'll forgive my profanity - Petra is whooping some major ass here. In fact, I would say this is the heaviest I've ever heard. It's a lot less...um... keyboardy too. There's a lot of tasty riffs and big hooks. Along with Jon Schlitt's powerhouse vocals make this one of the band's finest albums. The songs are short and tight without any flowery brik-a-brak or church-friendly ballads. I've heard this was the band's last official studio album. If that's the case then way to end on a high note guys! Great album!

Useless Fact: Jon Schlitt and Bob Hartman are the only remaining members of the band. No Louie Weaver makes me a little sad inside.

Hindalong, Steve - "Skinny"

2011-03-15T20:52:00.004-04:00

Hindalong, Steve - Skinny

1998, Cadence

1. Color Wheel

2. To the Wind

3. Candy

4. Winnipesaukee

5. Away With Me

6. Diggin' Your Style

7. Woe is Skinny

8. Skin is Smooth

9. Seven Colors

10. Hey Killer

11. To Be a Blessing

12. Eclipse

13. Love Sanctifies

I've always wondered what this album sounded like. I've seen it in stores before (usually on clearance) but have never been quite curious enough. I listened to samples on Itunes and kinda liked what I heard so I gave it a chance. For the most part I like it when Steve sings on Choir songs even though his voice is, to put it politely, not as good as Derri's. There are some rough spots here vocally, I won't lie, but I still like the songs. I especially like the oddball "Hey Killer" and the groove of "Color Wheel." Some songs are acoustic jams and some are fuzzed up a bit courtesy of Chrissy Colbert. Tim Chandler plays bass as well. I'm surprised Derri is nowhere to be found - not on one single song. All in all - your mileage may very here depending on how much you can deal with Steve's voice. As long as you can give him a little grace in the vocal department you'll probably find something to like on Skinny.

Useless Fact: This album is filled with references to other Choir tunes. "Like a Cloud" is the most noticeable as a lot of the lyrics from that song show up in "Seven Colors."

The Mustard Seeds - "III"

2011-03-06T18:56:00.003-05:00

The Mustard Seeds - III

2008, Independant

1. Lost in Flight

2. Complicated World

3. Die to Meet You

4. Dorian Gray

5. Oxygen

6. Hunting With Cheney

7. Move On

8. Maybe Next Year

9. Man Overboard

10. Billy Buckner

11. Love Takes You Home

12. Outer Space

The Mustard Seeds are quickly becoming one of my new favorite bands. They fuse soaring harmonies, Drop D riffs, and pop hooks into an album that is infectious and catchy. Upon first listen one might think of Sam Taylor-era King's X. Indeed, the band is kind of a pop version of King's X or maybe a heavier, progressive version of PFR. Either way the harmonies here are amazing and the songs themselves are immediately likeable. From the opening acapella tune, "Lost in Flight" you know you're going to hear some compelling music. When I was finished I wanted to start right over again so as to digest everything that's going on here. I admit that "Move On" and "Maybe Next Year" are a little too Jars-of-Clay-Christian-radio for me, but I still don't skip these tracks. They're not bad... they just sound like radio songs. Still an awesome album despite my personal quirks. Thanks Uvulapie for suggesting them!

Useless Fact: "Hunting With Cheney" name drops Hillary Clinton, Obama, and McCain. It's an interesting political song without the tired cliches.

Flyleaf - "Remember to Live"

2011-03-01T10:41:00.003-05:00

Flyleaf - Remember To Live
2010, Octone

1. Justice & Mercy (Violent Love Version)
2. Okay
3. Amy Says
4. Dear My Closest Friend
5. Light in Your Eyes
6. Believe in Dreams
7. Arise (Ben Moody Mix)

Well, well, well... what do we have here? My wife and I were getting groceries at Walmart and I saw this little EP that had apparently been released without telling anybody. New songs too! Well... old songs actually. From what I hear a majority of these tunes were from the band's catalogue back when they were known as Passerby. I was surprised at how mellow this is. It's nowhere near as intense as Memento Mori. Also, I hate to say it, but it's kind of boring. I like "Justice & Mercy," "Okay," and "Amy Says." I also dig the techno-industrial pop version of "Arise" that Ben Moody did. The other three tracks just lack spark for me. They also sound very similar so they kind of run together. I don't necessarily regret buying it, but it's definitely for hardcore fans only. I would suggest casual fans download the tracks they like.

Useless Fact: The liner notes feature the musings of the daughter of the commander whose notes were in Memento Mori. No lyrics either. My wife and I would like to have both please.

Various Artists - "Never Say Dinosaur (A Tribute to Petra)"

2011-02-25T19:12:00.002-05:00

Various Artists - Never Say Dinosaur (A Tribute to Petra)

1996, Starsong

1. "Taste and See" - Audio Adrenaline

2. "Judas' Kiss" - Walter Eugenes

3. "Not of this World" - Galactic Cowboys

4. "Yahweh Love" - Sarah Jahn

5. "I Can Be Friends With You" - MxPx

6. "Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows" - Jars of Clay

7. "Louie's Solo" - Passafist feat. Kevin Smith

8. "Road to Zion" - Sixpence None the Richer

9. "Pied Piper" - The Stand

10. "Wake Up" - Grammatrain

11. "The Coloring Song" - Capril and My Sister's Garden

12. "All the King's Horses" - Plank Eye

Not sure how I missed this tribute the first time around. I got it years ago when a friend gave me an enormous cache of CDs and this was one of them. I don't think it's quite the total package that I Predict a Clone is. There are some standout cuts though. Galactic Cowboys' rendition of "Not of this World" is stellar - probably the best track on here. Its also good to hear another Passafist song (even though it's not really a cover). It makes me wish Kevin Smith and Passafist would have teamed up for a full album! "The Coloring Song" is another one of my favorites because of the lead singer's pixie vocals. The rest of the songs are okay. Sadly this disc hosts my least favorite Sixpence None the Richer song. Their cover is pretty underwhelming... whodathunkit? Oh, and One Bad Pig's version of "Judas' Kiss" is the ONLY version of that song as far as I'm concerned.

Useless Fact: Not a fact, a question. Why is it called "Never Say Dinosaur?" I know "Never Say Never" was either a song or an album but why dinosaur?

Music Musings: Fighting Depression

2011-02-17T19:26:00.002-05:00

It might surprise you to know this, but I often struggle with depression. Okay... maybe struggle isn't quite the word because sometimes I like it. Not on days like today though. Is there music that makes you depressed? I have some albums that I listen to when I'm depressed, but there are some that actually make me depressed. Like... take me from a happy or medium mood to depression. That's not good.

I actually noticed that when some friends and I took a week and only listened to worship music, just to see if we noticed a difference in ourselves. We were trying to do worship music for some thing or another and we really wanted to see if it would help us get into the anointing faster. I don't know if it really helped us at all, but I think God did point out some albums to me. I think it was God anyway. That's not really the point, though.

I say, "God said" but it's really more of a feeling. Like God put a sign on those albums in my heart that says, "You shouldn't listen to this." A few of them were King's X albums. Dogman, Ear Candy, Tape Head, Mr. Bulbous, and Manic Moonlight. That's why you don't see them on this site. All of these have some songs that just drag my mood right down. On Dogman it's "Cigarettes" and "Pillow" for example. Now I'm not saying that YOU can't enjoy these albums and songs, I'm just saying I have to stay away from them because they just make me depressed - and I don't need any help in that area.

There are a few albums that actually make me feel better no matter what mood I'm in. Grave Robber's Inner Sanctum, Devin Townsend's Addicted, and lately Gama Bomb. I mean seriously, how can you not feel better after listening to a song about Final Fight?

Wow... got a little personal there. Sorry, I'll try not to let it happen again.

Gama Bomb - "Citizen Brain"

2011-02-12T19:10:00.004-05:00

Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain

Earache, 2008

1. Zombie Blood Nightmare

2. Evil Voices

3. Final Fight

4. Time Crime

5. Global Warning

6. OCP

7. Hammer Slammer

8. Sentenced To Thrash

9. Zombi Brew

10. Hell Trucker

11. Return of the Technodrome

12. Thrashoholic

13. In the Court of General Zod

14. Space Invaders

15. Bullet Belt

Special thanks has to go to Scott Waters and his website, No Life Til Metal. The other day I was checking his site (as I often do) and saw an entry about a band called Gama Bomb. He said they were straight up 80's thrash so I had to check them out. A quick trip to Itunes was all I needed. I immediately ordered Citizen Brain. Gama Bomb seems to be about two things: thrash and nostalgia. They are a speedy brand of thrash that some say sounds like Nuclear Assault or D.R.I. I can't really say having never heard those bands. It actually reminds me a little of The Crucified's first album. The lyrics are pure fun though. It seems like they've picked through all the cool stuff of the late 80's/early 90's. There's a song about the arcade game Final Fight, one about Robocop, one about Superman II, there's even one about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While the lyrics can be crude at times I think everything is done very tongue-in-cheek, and thus, very entertaining. I suppose if I had one criticism it would be that most of the songs have the same tempo: furious. Of course that's part of the point as they eschew any "progressive dross" as they call it in favor of full throttle thrash. So... I don't know if I'd want album after album of this (unless they start writing good hooks as Mr. Waters suggests) but as it stands Citizen Brain is a fun trip to the 80's. Strap on your Bullet Belt!

Useless Fact: In the liner notes they've got actual screen shots of Nintendo games. Castlevania III is one of them. The album ends up being pretty appropriate for the project I'm doing over at my other blog: 30 Days of Nintendo. Check it out!

2011-02-08T15:12:00.005-05:00

Ransom - Ransom (20th Anniversary Edition)
1991/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Lasting Love
2. Rumors
3. Memories of You
4. Fool That I Am
5. Break Into Darkness
6. Tonight
7. Etched in Stone
8. Fallen Angel
9. Your Broken Heart
10. I'll Never Leave You
11. When I Die
Bonus Tracks

12. Sin Killer (Demo)

13. Sticks and Stones (Demo)

14. To Be Like You (Demo)

15. All My Heart (Demo)

I remember when Intense Records put out their Hot Metal 4 video. Ransom's "Lasting Love" was one of the tunes on there and my cousin and I watched that tape over and over that entire summer. Ransom play slick, LA/Glam metal backed by Lisa Faxom. Her powerhouse voice is definitely up to the challenge of fronting a metal band. She can really belt it out on the rocking songs then tone it down for the ballads with a sweater, more melodic sound. I'm not sure I would call this a "classic" in the same vein as some of the other IM releases, but as it stands this one is definitely a good album and worth checking out.

Intense Millennium has seen fit to reissue this classic album. They've remastered it which, naturally, improves the sound quality immensely. They've also added the band's Once and For All demo as bonus tracks. Sadly, they've also added an ugly M8-style banner to the cover. *Sigh* Someday, guys, someday. Also, why no special liner notes? Was the band unavailable? Kind of a missed opportunity, but not that big a deal.

Useless Fact: The band played a ton of clubs back in the day. The Roxy being the most notable. They were one of the bands that played in bars or wherever they could.

Ayreon - "Timeline"

2011-02-02T12:48:00.002-05:00

Ayreon - Timeline
2008, Inside Out

Disc One:
1. Prologue
2. The Awareness
3. Eyes of Time
4. The Accusation
5. Sail Away to Avalon
6. Listen to the Waves
7. Actual Fantasy
8. Abbey of Synn
9. Computer Eyes
10. Back on Planet Earth
11. Isis and Osiris
12. Amazing Flight

Disc Two
1. The Garden of Emotion
2. The Castle Hall
3. The Mirror Maze
4. The Two Gates
5. The Shooting Company of Captain Frans B. Cocq
6. Dawn of a Million Souls
7. And the Druids Turned to Stone
8. Into the Black Hole
9. The First Man on Earth
10. Day Two: Isolation

Disc Three
1. Day Three: Pain
2. Day Six: Childhood
3. Day Twelve: Trauma
4. Day Sixteen: Loser
5. Day Seventeen: Accident?
6. Age of Shadows
7. Ride the Comet
8. The Fifth Extinction
9. Waking Dreams
10. The Sixth Extinction
11. Epilogue: The Memory Remains

Special thanks go out to my friend Uvulapie who sent me this collection. We had a conversation in which Ayreon came up and he said he had this box set and I could have it if I wanted it. Well, of course I said "yes!" A few days later Timeline appeared in the mail! Class act, that Uvulapie. So anyway, Timeline is essentially an Ayreon retrospective with songs culled from all six releases. There's a decent amount of songs from each album. I can't really complain about the track choices because I don't think I've ever listened to an Ayreon album with a "bad" song on it. Though with this collection an attempt was made to give the listener an overview of the Ayreon story arc and I don't think they did too bad a job. The set also comes with a nice full color booklet with lyrics, liner notes, and other assorted tidbits. There's a poster with the cover art on the front and the story arc timeline on the back. Then there's the DVD which is a collection of Ayreon, Star One, and Stream of Passion videos. It's fun to watch for sure.

There's only one complaint: as awesome as this package is, an avid fan will have just about everything on here. The only new song is "Epilogue: The Memory Remains" (featuring the vocalist for Arjen's Guilt Machine project) and I don't actually like it that much. Some of the videos also appear on Star One's Live From Earth DVD and Stream of Passion's Live in the Real World. There are some other exclusive videos but the bulk of this set is stuff a fan would probably already have. So, as a free gift from a friend Timeline is an awesome package and well worth having in my collection. However, I don't quite know if it's worth the thirty or forty bucks it would cost to have it new.

Useless Fact: Ayreon.... Arjen.... Ayreon... Arjen... OH... they do sound awfully similar don't they? How did I not pick up on that earlier?

Mortification - "Break the Curse 1990 (2010 20th Anniversary Gold Edition)"

2011-01-20T08:09:00.005-05:00

Mortification - Break the Curse 1990 (2010 20th Anniversary Gold Edition)

2010, Roxx Productions

1. Blood Sacrifice

2. Brutal Warfare

3. Impulsation

4. Turn

5. New Beginnings

6. Break the Curse

7. Illusion of Life

8. Your Last Breath

9. Journey of Reconciliation

10. The Majestic Infiltration of Order

Bonus Tracks
11. Time Crusaders (Studio Version)

12. Eyes of Destruction (1987 Lightforce Recording)

13. Envision a Beginning/Buried Into Obscurity

14. Steve Talks/Noah Was a Knower

15. Interview With Steve

I've never heard Steve Rowe's original band, Lightforce. I saw Mystical Thieves in a Christian bookstore a long time ago but I never bought it. Therefore, I can't really talk about the differences between Lightforce and Mortification. I have always wanted to hear Break the Curse though. It's the album that they put out before the official debut on Intense Records. The band's not quite as tight as they would become on the debut. They're more thrashy and Steve's vocals haven't quite found the sweet spot yet. They're growly, but he hasn't added the baritone/guttural aspect so they end up a little shrill. It doesn't bother me though. It's also fun to hear some old favorites like "Brutal Warfare" and "Journey of Reconciliation" as straight forward metal tunes. I'm also surprised that cool cuts like "Illusion of Life" and "Your Last Breath" never made it onto the debut. I would to have loved to hear beefed up death versions of them. This disc also comes with a studio version of "Time Crusaders" (it's not as good as the live version), an old Lightforce recording, and the Noah Sat Down and Listened to the Mortification Live E.P. While Having A Coffee. In addition to an interview. And if that wasn't enough the package includes a DVD of Mortification's first concert ever. While I can't say I like Break the Curse more than the debut it's a great listen and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

Useless Fact: Steve Rowe once penned a novel called Minstrel. I can't remember what album it was advertised with but I've always wondered if it was any good. If anyone has read it and has more information on it, leave a comment!

The Swirling Eddies - "Let's Spin!"

2011-01-13T08:19:00.003-05:00

The Swirling Eddies - Let's Spin!
1988, Alarma

1. Let's Spin!
2. Catch That Angel
3. The Unsuccessful Dutch Missionary
4. The Big Guns
5. Rodeo Drive
6. Ed Takes a Vacation (A Suite)
7. Snowball
8. I've Got an Idea
9. Don't Ask Me How I Feel
10. Ed Again
11. What a World, What a World

The prices on Let's Spin have come down a bit in the past few months allowing me to actually get one for Christmas. I honestly had no idea what I was going to hear when I put this on as the Eddies have changed with each successive album. So what did I discover? Well, it actually has more in common with The Midget, The Speck and The Molecule than any other album (or, rather, the other way around). It's a lot more commercial and a lot more straight forward than I expected. It's not nearly as silly as Outdoor Elvis or nearly as dour as Zoom Daddy. I also have to admit that this is the first Eddies disc that I didn't love immediately upon hearing. I'm not sure why. The songs took me some getting used to for some reason. Though I do love "I've Got an Idea" and it's my absolute favorite song on this disc and one of my favorite Eddies songs overall. I also like the ethereal "Snowball" and "The Big Guns." I find myself wanting to listen to the album more even though it hasn't done for me as much as I thought it would. I have a feeling it will take a while for this to grow on me and when it does it will be one of my favorite albums of all time.

Useless Fact: The band made a video for "I've Got an Idea." It's pretty interesting... or disturbing depending on how you look at it.

Bloodgood - "Bloodgood"

2011-01-11T08:40:00.003-05:00

Bloodgood - Bloodgood

1986/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Accept the Lamb

2. Stand in the Light

3. Demon on the Run

4. Anguish and Pain

5. Awake

6. Soldier of Peace

7. You Lose

8. What's Following the Grave

9. Killing the Beast

10. Black Snake

Bonus Track

11. Awake (alternate mix)

12. Black Snake (extended version)

How the heck did I ever miss this the first time? HOW?! Oh wait... I remember, I was seven. Thankfully great music doesn't die so I am able to hear Bloodgood's debut album with virgin ears. Every time I listen to a Bloodgood disc I just sit back and marvel at just how good it is. How much passion there is in these songs. You'll notice I use the word "passion" when describing Bloodgood a lot. It's here in spades. You should have this in your collection - not just because it's a piece of Christian metal history, but because you'll have a blast listening to it. Great songs, great hooks... great album!

The cover art on this release is actually pretty decent. Of course, I still have the old one displayed because I'm a crotchety old man and that's how I roll.

I would also like to say that this is my 400th post! Thank you to all who have visited!

Useless Fact: According to the liner notes vocalist Les Carlson actually auditioned for Bloodgood some time before actually joining the band and nothing came of it until he met up with the rest of the band a little later.

Vengeance Rising - "Human Sacrifice"

2011-01-06T10:12:00.005-05:00

Vengeance Rising - Human Sacrifice

1989/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Human Sacrifice

2. Burn

3. Mulligan Stew

4. Receive Him

5. I Love Hating Evil

6. Fatal Delay

7. White Throne

8. Salvation

9. From the Dead

10. Ascension

11. He Is God

12. Fill This Place With Blood

13. Beheaded

Bonus Tracks

14. Prodigal Son (Live)

15. Human Sacrifice (Live)

16. Salvation (Live)

Human Sacrifice is a thrash classic - no two ways about it. What else needs to be said? Go buy one!

One quick comment: Intense Millennium has again changed the cover art. While it doesn't hold a candle to the original iconic cover, it's at least in the ballpark of being good. Thankfully the reproduction of the original is nice and crisp you can display that one if you want.

Now for a completely random story...

At one point before the demise of the band I sent Roger Martinez a letter. I had to be about thirteen at the time. I was just trying to encourage him and tell him that I was there for him if he ever wanted to talk. I even gave him my phone number. Flash forward to 2004. I'm driving home from my construction job and I get a call on my cell phone. It's Roger Martinez. He told me that I wrote a letter a long time ago and he was calling to see if I was interested in reading the first chapter in a book he wrote. He said he felt like he wasn't really helping people like he thought he was and he wanted to do something to help. He emailed me the first chapter of his book (about real estate) and it was like data overload. I never did talk to him again (even though he called a few times after that). That was one weird day I tell ya! From what I heard later, he was trying to get in touch with a lot of people that may have sent him letters back in the day.

Useless Fact: The hand on the original cover was none other than Sanctuary Mastermind Pastor Bob Beeman!

Vengeance Rising - "Once Dead"

2011-01-04T13:18:00.004-05:00

Vengeance Rising - Once Dead
1990/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Warfare
2. Can't Get Out
3. Cut Into Pieces
4. Frontal Lobotomy
5. Herod's Violent Death
6. The Whipping Post
7. Arise
8. Space Truckin'
9. Out of the Will
10. The Wrath to Come
11. Into the Abyss
12. Among the Dead
13. Interruption
Bonus Tracks
14. Interview: Introduction
15. Interview: What happened
16. Interview: It's Gonna Be a Good Show
17. Interview: Closing

Once Dead was definitely a grower. It took me awhile to get past Roger's growly vocal style which I'd never heard on any record until then. It wasn't look until the hooks got me, the sheer heaviness of the riffs, the bluesy leads. It all just clicks. This will be the third time I've owned a copy of this album. Am I complaining? Heck no. This version's remaster removes some of the ear-splitting qualities of the original release without sacrificing the heavy. As a result the album as a whole is even more enjoyable than it was previously. It's too bad things went down they way they did because a third Vengeance album with the original line-up would have been absolutely killer.

Okay... let's talk cover art again. Intense Millennium has been changing the cover art to all of their reissues. Sometimes it's okay, sometimes, like on this disc, it's terrible. The original cover was fun and cheesy and there was really no need to change it. But if you're going to change it - make it better. This cover is terrible - by far my least favorite of the new covers. Why so much empty black space? Why the giant hands? Not only does it not fit the theme of the album, it looks like a cheap Photoshop job. I've heard there was some original artwork that was supposed to be used but wasn't. Why not use that instead? Ugh! I will say the liner notes are good (and legible) though and the artwork inside is cool.

Useless Fact: Not a fact really... Back in the day when my youth group went to Kingdom Bound in upstate NY, Roger Martinez was always there selling Vengeance merch. I must have had six or seven VR shirts. I loved those dang things. I had a girlfriend once who took my "Into the Abyss" shirt and wore it at school practically non-stop - to the point where her friends were telling her she had to wash it. To be fair, those old VR shirts had some cool artwork!

Bloodgood - "Detonation"

2011-01-03T15:25:00.005-05:00

Bloodgood - Detonation

1987/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Battle of the Flesh

2. Vagrant People

3. Self-Destruction

4. Alone in Suicide

5. Heartbeat (of the City)

6. Eat the Flesh

7. Holy Fire

8. Crucify

9. The Messiah

10. Live Wire

Bonus Tracks

11. Crucify (live)

12. The Messiah (live)

In my original review of this album I lamented the fact that I was distressingly late to the Bloodgood party. I downloaded it just to check them out - turns out they're awesome. Turns out Detonation is a metal classic and I was a moron.... A MORON for not having this in my collection. Now I am proud to say I have a shiny new Detonation in my collection, special thanks to Intense Millennium. The remastering is superb and does help the album sound a bit better even though I don't think it was recorded properly in the first place. Every song it just a pleasure to hear. If you're a fan of Christian metal go to Divine Metal Distro and buy a copy. Don't download it - you don't need to. You will be pleased. Just trust me.

I am thankfully that this disc's artwork is much better and befitting what one would expect for a reissue of this magnitude. The liner notes are clear and easy to read and there's new artwork as well. I'm not a big fan of it but the original artwork is sharply recreated so you can use that if you want to (I know I do). If this is indicative of the quality of future Intense Millennium albums then the future looks bright indeed.

Quick tip - if you import the CD using Itunes it will mark "Self-Destruction" as "Alone in Suicide" giving you two "Alone in Suicides." It's the correct song, just the incorrect name. Be sure to change it before importing.

Useless Fact: According to the liner notes vocalist Les Carlson was in a production of the musical Hair. Isn't that the one where everyone gets naked at the end? Eww. I'm sure Mr. Carlson was not in that scene.

Mortification - "Brain Cleaner"

2011-01-02T08:56:00.004-05:00

Mortification - Brain Cleaner

2004, Rowe Productions

1. Boaconstrictor

2. Too Much Pain

3. Purest Intent

4. Free As a Bird

5. Brain Cleaner

6. I'm Not Your Commodity

7. The Flu Virus

8. Livin' Like a Zombie

9. 12 Men

10. Louder Than the Devil

11. E.D.

"Brain cleaner! Yeah, brain cleaner!" I heard the title song's chorus on Itunes and I smiled. It's silly, but still kind of cool. Though I confess after having heard this album in its entirity sometimes I don't know whether Steve Rowe wants me to take Mortification seriously or not. On the one hand you have the return of blast beats, furious riffs, and the deep growls of the old albums. On the other hand you have some more of the simplistic song structure and downright silly lyrics of the newer discs. Steve's got a couple songs like "Purest Intent" and "I'm Not Your Commodity" in which he defends his art but it's hard to take him seriously when he writes lyrics which are, and I am not making these up, "I like the grind and I like death metal/I like the thrash crossover that's simple/I like the power metal extremes/I like the doom and shouting out Jesus!" Good heavens... lyrics like these are just lazy in my opinion. If you want to make art... then MAKE ART, don't just yell at me about how you don't care what I think! Then there's "The Flu Virus" - I have no idea what this song is about. Is the flu shot like salvation? Is he saying everyone gets the flu? I don't know. On the plus side, I do like "Livin' Like a Zombie" and its autobiographical lyrics about how busy he is and I think that the title song, "Brain Cleaner" strikes the perfect balance between decent message, toungue-in-cheek humor, and metal. I wish the whole album was like that song. So yeah... despite the return to their thrashier roots, I'm still not a later-era Morty believer just yet. This is way better than Hammer of God though.

I would also like to point out that in the liner notes "Boaconstricter" and "I'm Not Your Commodity" are misspelled.

Useless Fact: The cover art is, I suspect, a parody of Harry Potter. The little boy on the cover is Steve's son, I think.

Sacred Warrior - "Rebellion"

2010-12-28T16:29:00.006-05:00

Sacred Warrior - Rebellion

1988/2010, Intense Millennium

1. Black Metal

2. Mad, Mad World

3. Stay Away From Evil

4. He Died

5. Children of the Light

6. Rebellion

7. Day of the Lord

8. Heaven's Are Calling

9. Famine

10. Master of Lies

11. Sword of Victory

Bonus Tracks:

12. Day by Day

13. Prince of Peace

In my review of the original I said that I didn't really care for this one as much as the others. For some reason they didn't just resonate with me like Master's Command or Wicked Generation. My edition was also the pooptastic KMG edition with no liner notes or anything. Thankfully Intense Millennium is busily reissuing classic after classic and I was more than happy to plunk down some coin for this edition. All the tracks have been remastered and I have to say that I could definitely tell the difference and it really increased my enjoyment of the album as a whole. It seems just a bit more vibrant, more alive. Granted, I still don't care for "Famine" or "Master of Lies," but the album closer "Sword of Victory" is just phenomenal - as is the rest of the album. The two bonus tracks originally appeared on the Live at Cornerstone 2001 disc but it's nice to actually hear them here. They're not really metal - "Day by Day" is more hard rock and "Prince of Peace" is a ballad. Still good though... and I'm still hoping the band puts something new out soon.

Now with all the gushing out of the way, I do have some complaints. First, the cover. It's gorgeous, it really is, but it doesn't fit the music at all. I held the CD up to my wife and asked, "What kind of music do you think this is?" "Goth," she said. It looks like something Evanescence or a band like H.I.M. would dream up. Not to mention the song isn't about Lucifer's rebellion, which is kind of what the cover implies. Second, while I LOVE having all the liner notes (which include stories from Pastor Bob Beeman and the guys themselves) and lyrics, they are REALLY, REALLY hard to read. The small, faded white letters on the dark background makes them very blurry. The liner notes really need to be a lot brighter and clearer - especially for us old folks. Finally, if for some reason you prefer the original cover art (which admittedly wasn't fantastic) it is very poorly replicated.

I know a lot of love went into this reissue and it does show. It also did its job of making me love this album. Hopefully the art direction can tighten up a little for future releases!

Useless Fact: There have been whispers for years about the band getting back together but so far nothing has come of it yet except the two bonus tracks on this CD.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:26:00.003-05:00

Hark, the herald angels sing! Glory to the newborn king! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa Claus (i.e. my parents) were very good to us this year. Little Lexi didn't really know what was going on, but she got a baby doll, a stroller, a kitchen, and several books. Lindy got a new diaper bag, shoes, earrings, and some other stuff. I got a total of 12 CDs (along with a Star Trek book and a Nintendo DS game)! It won't be too long and I'll be posting them here.

Here's my haul:

Bloodgood - Bloodgood (Intense Millennium reissue, first time owning)
Bloodgood - Detonation (Intense Millennium reissue, first time actually owning)
Vengeance Rising - Human Sacrifice (Intense Millennium reissue, second time owning)
Vengeance Rising - Once Dead (Intense Millennium reissue, third time owning)
Sacred Warrior - Rebellion (Intense Millennium reissue, third time owning)

I'm going to post completely new reviews of these discs, mainly so I can talk about how the reissue is. I also got:

The Swirling Eddies - Let's Spin
The Swirling Eddies - Outdoor Elvis
Mortification - Break the Curse 20th Anniversary Gold Edition
Mortification - Brain Cleaner
Seventh Angel - The Torment (Metal Mind reissue)
Seventh Angel - Lament for the Weary (Metal Mind reissue)

I opened Star One early, and a good friend (Thanks Uvalapie!) sent me Ayreon's Timeline.

It was a very musical Christmas...

God bless all of you out there!

Star One - "Victims of the Modern Age"

2010-12-21T20:49:00.006-05:00

Star One - Victims of the Modern Age

2010, InsideOut

Disc One:

1. Down the Rabbit Hole

2. Digital Rain (The Matrix)

3. Earth That Was (Firefly/Serenity)

4. Victim of the Modern Age (A Clockwork Orange)

5. Human See, Human Do (Planet of the Apes)

6. 24 Hours (Escape From New York)

7. Cassandra Complex (12 Monkeys)

8. It's Alive, She's Alive, We're Alive (Children of Men)

9. It All Ends Here (Blade Runner)

Disc Two:

1. As the Crow Dies (The Road)

2. Two Plus Two Equals Five (1984)

3. Last Day (Logan's Run)

4. Closer to the Stars (Gattaca)

5. Knife Edge

I got to open a Christmas present early a few days ago. As you can see, that present was the mediabook edition of Star One's new album Victims of the Modern Age. It hasn't been too long since I listened to the first one and I liked it even if I thought it was a tad samey in parts. However, I can say that Victims is much better than Space Metal. The first thing I noticed, aside from how amazingly heavy it is, is that the hooks are much more apparent here. All of the same vocalists from the first disc return - no complaint there. Dan Swano has a much more prominent role in here and even gets to growl on a couple tracks. Another thing that made me smile was that this doesn't just sound like slightly beefed-up Ayreon tracks either. Despite Arjen's ever present Hammonds and synths, I didn't feel like I was hearing more of the same. I think there's a vitality and excitement here that may have not been present on Ayreon's latest CD. Some parts reminded me of Devin Townsend's Physicist and other parts King's X. I will say that I prefer "Starchild" to "It All Ends Here" in terms of epic closing songs. I'd also like to praise Ed Warby's drumming here. He's always been fantastic, but I actually agree with Arjen that this is one of his best performances.

The theme for Victims is post-apocalyptic movies - I've listed which one go with which songs for your convenience. Finally, if you're going to get this, splurge and get the mediabook edition. It contains an extra disc with five extra songs and a half-hour "making of" documentary. Of the five, four are awesome and I really think that they should have included them on the disc proper. On "Last Day" Arjen takes his downtuned riffs and plays them acoustically, leading to an interesting Days of the New-type sound. I didn't care for "Closer to the Stars" because it sounded like an Ayreon cast-off to me. The documentary is fun to watch - you'll know what to expect if you've seen most of the Ayreon ones.

When I listened to "Digital Rain" for the first time I didn't think I would like this as much as I do. Definitely worth the dough!

Useless Fact: Arjen said that this album was sort of a reaction to his previous Guilt Machine project that was more melodic and atmospheric.

The Choir: Live in Dan's Living Room

2010-12-15T17:59:00.004-05:00

Out here where I live (in the sticks) we don't get a lot of cool bands. Scratch that, we get no cool bands. Occasionally around Savannah area a band will come around but usually Atlanta is the place for a music scene. Imagine my delight when The Choir announced a free online concert to be put on December 14th. I took the day off for this. There was no way I was going to miss it.

I actually logged on a full two hours ahead of time just to be sure everything would be in working order before the concert. Several other people had the same idea and we all hung out, shooting the breeze for two hours. It was a lot of fun. It must be what it's like for my wife and her fellow Twilight-tards when they camp out for the newest Twilight movie. The concert started more or less on time though they abruptly started right int he middle of the first song. The complete setlist was as follows:

1. 15 Doors
2. Black Cloud
3. Clouds
4. To Cover You
5. A Sentimental Song
6. Beautiful Scandalous Night
7. Wicked Guns (w/ Steve on vocals)
8. Love Your Mind
9. Spring
10. Leprechaun
11. Mercy Lives Here
12. Hey Gene
13. Enough to Love
14. Between Bare Trees
15. Midnight Sun
16. About Love

The show ran about two hours and the band answered fan questions between songs as well as told stories and fooled around. It was a mellow, intimate, and informal vibe - only Steve and Derri with occasional performances with Dan. The band played in Dan Micheal's living room in front of the fireplace where Dan's family's stockings were hung. Steve had strung Christmas lights over his drums as well. Sometimes it was hard to hear certain band members at certain times but for the most part the audio was pretty good.

As far as the performances - they were all a treat. Aside from a few extras here and there the band pretty much stuck to the songs on de-plumed which wasn't a problem for me because I love that disc. Derri played "Love Your Mind" completely solo and it was absolutely stunning for me. I think I like the acoustic version of that song more than the normal version. I was surprised that they decided to play "Wicked Guns" (off Lost Dogs' Old Angel) and even more surprised that Steve sung on it. It gave that song a different spin and Steve sounded pretty good. He also broke out a lasso and showed off his rope skillz that he acquired on Route 66. I requested "Goodbye Winslow" but to no avail.

It was cool to see all of Steve's weird percussion toys in action. He used a wine glass (with wine in it) on "Enough to Love" and a couple songs featured a "spring drum" I think it's called. The guys shared odd tales from the road like their weirdest gigs and how weird it is to room with Mike Roe, who apparently really likes to be naked. All in all it was a great show and a really fun night and I'm so glad I got to be a part of it. Hopefully they'll do it again soon!

The Choir Concert Tonight!

2010-12-14T09:22:00.003-05:00

For those who may not know, The Choir is putting on a special concert tonight at 9 p.m. EST. The concert will be available to view at Ustream.com. We'll be able to interact with the band, request songs, etc. So make sure you get involved. This will probably be the only time I'll ever be able to see them live.

Now I don't know the exact details of how to get logged on but you should probably go to Ustream.com and set up an account. Then check The Choir's website frequently today for updates.

I'm pretty excited. I'll probably take notes and give you some reflections sometime afterward.

DeGrazio, John - "Stronghold"

2010-12-11T11:35:00.006-05:00

DeGrazio, John - Stronghold

2010, Watersound

1. Stronghold

2. I Did Fly

3. Tomorrow Is Here

4. New Life

5. So Much Stronger Now

6. Heaven Sent

7. Fragile

8. At All Cost

9. Shine So Bright

10. Down I Go

11. Lord of Sacred Light

12. What Has Been

13. The Kingdom

Over on one of my other blogs I got a message from Bridegroom & Bitney saying they wanted to send me a copy of John Degrazio's new CD, Stronghold. I informed them that this blog was not even close to professional and basically a temple for my own nostalgia, but they insisted. So I said okay. There's this saying people have about books and covers and not judging and stuff. Though I confess, as soon as I saw the cover for this album I knew what to expect. You know what? I was right. Look at that cover. What does it say to you? If you guessed "Christian pop in the vein of Casting Crowns, etc." you're correct! Though to be fair, this isn't a bad disc. In fact, I really liked "Stronghold," a powerful piano ballad that immediately grabbed my attention. It actually reminded me a little bit of Serj Tankian's (System of a Down) solo material - if you can believe that. I also liked "Fragile" (pronounced frah-jee-lay... I think it's Italian...) - basically I liked the songs with minor chords. Unfortunately this just isn't really my thing. I don't like modern Christian radio and so anything that remotely sounds like it should be on modern Christian radio makes my stomach turn. Though honestly, John writes a good hook and the songs aren't bad at all so if you dig the Casting Crowns-type stuff, definitely give John DeGrazio a listen.

Useless Fact: The liner notes include a lot of Scripture verses for each song. Reminded me of the old days when an album from Tourniquet or Vengeance Rising could be turned into Bible studies - extra points for that!

The Choir - "de-plumed"

2010-12-06T19:03:00.005-05:00

The Choir - de-plumed. laid bare; exposed; featherless

2010, Galaxy 21

1. Dreams

2. 15 Doors

3. Black Cloud

4. Clouds

5. To Bid Farewell

6. A Sentimental Song

7. Love Your Mind

8. Spring

9. Leprechaun

10. Hey Gene

11. Enough to Love

12. A Friend So Kind

So one day I was checking the Choir's website (as I often do, being the total Choir fantard that I am) and I see that they had a new album out. This isn't an album of new material, but a collection of "unplugged" versions of album tunes - one from each album. I listened to the samples online and my brain screamed at me: you must buy this! And buy this I did. I think the greatest thing about this disc is that it really showcases the songs themselves and just how good they really are. It's nice to hear these tunes without all the psychedelic brik-a-brak that the band is usually known for. I think it makes them sweeter and more poignant - more sentimental if that's even possible! I actually preferred this version of "Enough to Love" to the album version. I'm also glad they did a couple Youth Choir songs because I think "15 Doors" is my favorite track and another one that I like better here than on the actual album. That being said, this isn't going to replace the albums but it's a real treat for fans.

There's only two things I have to complain about. First, "A Friend So Kind" was my least favorite track on Burning Like the Midnight Sun. I would have much rather heard an acoustic version of "That Melancholy Ghost," "It Should Have Been Obvious," or "Invisible." Second, the disc costs $15.99 plus shipping. It's kind of a steep price for what's essentially a CDR in a cardboard sleeve. I think they offer a cheaper online version but for those who like to have the CD it's a bit much. Though I did buy it and I do like it a lot so I guess I should shut up, eh?

Useless Fact: Matt Slocum from Sixpence None the Richer is on hand to play cello for several cuts.

Guaraldi, Vince - "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

2010-12-04T11:13:00.006-05:00

Guaraldi, Vince - A Charlie Brown Christmas

1965/2006, Fantasy

1. O Tannenbaum

2. What Child is This?

3. My Little Drum

4. Linus & Lucy

5. Christmastime Is Here (Instrumental)

6. Christmastime Is Here (Vocal)

7. Skating

8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

9. Christmas is Coming

10. Fur Elise

11. The Christmas Song

12. Greensleeves

Bonus Tracks

13. Christmas is Coming (Alternate Take 1)

14. The Christmas Song (Alternate Take 3)

15. Greensleeves (Alternate Take 6)

16. Christmastime Is Here (Alternate Vocal Take 5)

So I was having a conversation with some coworkers yesterday about Christmas music. I informed them that I had just picked up the Charlie Brown soundtrack before coming to work. Their response? "OHMYGOSH YOU HAVE CHARLIE BROWN?! YOU MUST PUT IT IN NOW!!!!" In it went - and you know what? We were all instantly happier. That's saying a lot considering how hard it is to make us happy at work. I don't think there was one single soul working with me that day that didn't have a little more spring in their step. Such is the power of Vince Guaraldi and his timeless soundtrack to an equally timeless Christmas special. This is one of those albums you put on, like Bing Crosby's White Christmas, and just sit back and enjoy. There's no flash, no over-the-top antics, simple production, and only three instruments. Yet somehow it has a way of communicating so much. I can't believe it's taken me this long to actually buy this album. Truly a holiday staple if there ever was one.

I feel I need to point out something very important - in all the pictures included with the liner notes, Vince is totally rockin' the handlebar mustache. Yeah... you don't mess with Charlie Brown and you don't mess with the sweet Guaraldi 'stache.

Useless Fact: Vince Guaraldi composed the music for some 14 or 15 Christmas specials and died before his music became a Christmas time favorite.

Various Artists - "The Broken Christmas"

2010-11-27T09:48:00.004-05:00

Various Artists - The Broken Christmas

1988, Broken

1. "The First Noel" - Riki Michelle

2. "O Come All Ye Faithful" - Undercover

3. "Born in a Stable" - Level Heads

4. "Rudy Red" - J.C. & the Boyz
5. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" - Ojo

6. "What Child is This?" - 4*1*1*

7. "Angels We Have Heard On High" - Adam Again

8. "O Holy Night" - The Reign

9. "Silent Night" - The Holidays

10. "Follow the Star" - House Party

11. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" - Gene Eugene, Riki Michelle, Ojo

Uvulapie's comment about The Broken Christmas reminded me that I do actually have this! Granted, I don't have the actual CD, sadly, because they're about $100 on amazon and I'm just not going to pay that much for a CD (someone reissue this will ya?!). Anyway, I heard that this had some Adam Again Christmas songs on it so that's why I checked it out. Both the tunes featuring Gene are really cool. Definitely a different spin on those holiday classics. I'm kind of ambivalent about the rest of the songs though. I'm sure if I had heard 4*1*1*, Level Heads, The Reign, etc. I might be more excited but when this CD came out I had just gotten into Christian metal and my fondness for alt rock wouldn't develop for another five years or so. Still, I do like the album and it's definitely different from anything you would hear anywhere else. Ojo's take on "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" almost reminds me of Mannheim Steamroller. "Rudy Red" is no "Christmas in Hollis" but it's fairly amusing - kind of bizarre in the fact that it makes Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer a strung out junkie that finds Jesus. I think one of the sites on my link list has this available for download. Don't feel too bad... it's long out of print and I don't think anyone plans to rerelease it anytime soon.

Useless Fact: Not a fact, a request. The cover art looks like a Mike Knott creation. Can anyone confirm?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T08:34:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Turkey Day. Hopefully you'll be reading this just seconds before digging into yummy turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

MMMMMMM....gravy....*drool*

Anyway, I'm going to take some time to jot down some things I'm thankful for:

1. My wife who loves me even though I sometimes forget to flush the toilet - God bless you dear.
2. My daughter who is the most beautiful, perfect thing that God has created so far.
3. My friends and co-workers at Bear Creek Ranch - your friendship and kindness have been invaluable. Thank you for taking me in!
4. My parents for their continued support of my family in whatever the hell we think we want to do each day.
5. The fact that I do have a job, even if it's not my favorite, and the fact that at least MOST of the bills get paid.
6. Music! It animates my life and provides frames for my memories. Without it life would be colorless and drab.
7. My blog - this past year has been the most fun I've had on any blog I've done. If you're a regular visitor, thank you! Don't be afraid to leave comments!
8. Little Ceasars... seriously... you guys are the bomb.
9. I'm thankful to Dann Gunn for visiting my little corner of the Internet and being so honest and open about the old 'Pede days.
10. Also a thank you to Bridegroom and Bentley who sent me a free CD to review. Don't worry it'll get up here next month.
11. Finally, I am thankful for God, who remains the same no matter where I am or what I'm doing. The One who keeps the flame alive in my heart even when I'd sometimes rather punch Him in the face. All my faith I owe to You.

God bless everyone this Thanksgiving!

Various Artists - "Happy Christmas Vol. 2"

2010-11-20T08:05:00.006-05:00

Various Artists - Happy Christmas, Vol. 2

1999, BEC

1. MxPx - "Christmas Day"

2. Sixpence None the Richer - "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"

3. All Star United - "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"

4. Plankeye - "Jesu Bambino (The Infant Child)"

5. Hangnail - "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

6. Joy Electric - "Lollipop Parade (On Christmas Morn)"

7. Flight 180 - "O Come All Ye Faithful"

8. Starflyer 59 - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

9. Viva Voce - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

10. The Normals - "Peace Child (O Come Emmanuel)"

11. Fanmail - "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

12. Norway - "White Christmas"

13. Element - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

14. The Deluxtone Rockets - "Santa Claus is Back in Town"

15. House of Wires - "Caroling, Caroling"

16. Lost Dogs - "The Chipmunk Song"

I got this CD for two reasons and two reasons only. First, I wanted a legal copy of Sixpence's "Mr. Grinch" on CD, second I wanted to hear the Lost Dogs version of "The Chipmunk Song" without shelling out $15 for their Christmas disc (which I've heard isn't very good). As a bonus I get a bunch of songs by a bunch of bands I've never really heard of (except MxPx and Starflyer 59) because by the time 1999 rolled around I wasn't really into the music scene much. The disc was only 75 cents so it's not like I was going to be disappointed if all the other songs stunk. Imagine my genuine surprise when I found that the rest of the songs didn't suck. Not only do they not suck, the CD as a whole is pretty enjoyable. Of course, pop-punk can be a pretty fun genre anyway so marrying that with Christmas tunes seems like a no-brainer. I like MxPx's offering as well as Flight 180's ska version of "O Come All Ye Faithful." Awww... remember ska? Viva Voce's shoegazery take on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is a highlight as well. I've got a Viva Voce disc laying around the house somewhere, I guess I'll have to go check it out because their version has become one of my top favorites of that song. Joy Electric, Norway, and House of Wires provide some electronica, though I think Joy Electric's tune is the best out of the three. Their music has always sounded to me like it came from a video game. I was slightly disappointed by Starflyer's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" but I'm betting it will grow on me. I also don't like the Deluxtone Rockets though I think that's because I've never really liked the song they cover.

Naturally I would do a disservice to the Dogs if I didn't mention their entertaining cover of "The Chipmunk Song" with Gene Eugene (gosh, it's good to hear him again) playing the adult and the other three dogs playing the Chipmunks (Mike Roe is Alvin). It's funny and they sound great. I especially appreciate the use of "Virtual Derri." What's that you ask? You'll just have to get the CD and listen. I'm sure this CD will become essential in the coming years and I'm really glad I picked it up!

Useless Fact: "The Chipmunk Song" also appears on the Lost Dogs Christmas album, We Like to Have Christmas. As I've said, I've heard that it's kind of mediocre. Maybe someone out there with the CD can chime in and change my mind.

Deliverance - "A Decade Of..."

2010-11-16T14:47:00.004-05:00

Deliverance - A Decade Of...

1995, Intense

1. Victory

2. No Time

3. The Call

4. Flesh & Blood

5. This Present Darkness

6. Rescue

7. After Forever

8. Prophet of Idiocy

9. Words to the...

10. Ramming Speed

11. Stay of Execution

12. Learn

13. Desperate Cries

14. Sanctuary

While I don't need this on my ipod anymore (since I have all the songs already) I thought I would include it anyway. A Decade Of... is an interesting little retrospective on the big D's career. I listened to it a lot when I first got it - mainly because of "Rescue" which is a smokin' awesome track that never made it onto Weapons of Our Warfare. Another highlight of this disc is the short liner notes written by Jimmy P. Brown himself. They're rather informative and enjoyable. I will say that it's kind of odd that tracks like "Weapons of our Warfare" and "What a Joke" didn't make it on this comp, but I never really cared. It's kind of nice to have a comp where the absolute most popular songs aren't tread out again. I wonder if Jimmy got to pick the track list?

Useless Fact: "Rescue" was eventually added as a bonus track on Retroactive's Weapons reissue. There's also a mistake on the back of the CD case where the title doesn't match the album artwork above it. I can't remember which ones are wrong though.

Dr. Octoroc - "8-Bit Jesus"

2010-11-09T19:47:00.005-05:00

Dr. Octoroc - 8-Bit Jesus

2008, Independent

1. We Three Konami

2. Ryu the Red Nosed Ninja

3. Silent Knight Man

4. Carol of the Belmonts

5. Joy to Commando

6. Deck the Kremlin

7. Little Drummer Nemo

8. The Legend of Noel

9. Super Jingle Bros.

...and now for something completely different. I stumbled upon this little Christmas oddity while doing an article for a local paper on Christmas music. The good Dr. Octoroc specializes in what are called "chip-tunes." For the uninitiated "chip-tunes" are songs that sound like they came straight from the ol' Nintendo. The original 8-bit Nintendo. Dr. Octoroc produces Christmas tunes as though they came from your favorite classic games. "Ryu the Red Nosed Ninja" is "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" as done in the style of the game Ninja Gaiden. "Silent Knight Man" is "Silent Night" as done in the style of Mega Man. It's quite an interesting combination, especially if you grew up with the old Nintendo like I did. I will admit that it's hard to pick out the actual melody of the Christmas tune in question in songs like "The Legend of Noel" and "Little Drummer Nemo." Then there's songs like "Carol of the Belmonts" and "We Three Konami" that are really fun - you can pick out the melody pretty easy. The edition of this album on my ipod is the free 9-song download that Dr. Octoroc offered on his website. You can find it here. The actual album itself has 18 tracks. I decided not to buy the whole album because while it's a lot of fun for me, my wife doesn't like it at all. Also, it's not really something I'll listen to while driving in the car or anything - money's tight and I've gotta save for stuff I know I'm going to listen to a lot. That being said, I've totally been digging these a lot more the past few days so who knows? You can order the full album here. If you're a Christmas lunatic with a deep abiding love for the old grey box, check out Dr. Octoroc.

Useless Fact: Dr. Octoroc has also produced chip-tunes based on Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog.

Music Musings: 5 Christmas Songs That Need Updating

2010-11-06T12:42:00.001-04:00

Even though it’s only November I’ve pretty much said, “Screw it, I’m doing Christmas now.” So in my head it’s Christmastime and will be until January 2nd. That being said, I’ve been thinking about Christmas music and which songs should be updated. There are some more obscure songs that I think need a fresh coat of paint. Likewise, there are some songs that should be remade, yet remain “original.”. Quick note: just because a song is on this list doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with the original.

1. “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” by Gayla Peevey – I first heard this song a couple years ago on the radio. Up until then I’d never heard of it. I had no idea that a song about wanting a hippo for Christmas would make me giggle like a school-girl, but it did. There’s also something about Gayla’s Shirley Temple-esque vocals that appeal to me as well. I think it’s about time for a fun pop-punk version of this song. A band like Paramore could probably pull it off. Anyone know Paramore’s phone number?

2. “Snoopy’s Christmas (Snoopy vs. the Red Baron)” by the Royal Guardsmen – When I was little (and I mean little, like 4 or 5) I had this record with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang. It was a Christmas record and I remember listening to it over and over. “Snoopy’s Christmas” was one of the songs and my personal favorite. I heard it a year or two ago on the radio and thought that it was time someone did a good cover of this tune. I’m not sure what direction you could go but I think this is a song that deserves some more airplay. After all, it does have some basis in fact – during WWI Allied and German soldiers would call a temporary truce on Christmas Day. Sometimes they even exchanged gifts! So the story of Snoopy’s one-day truce with his nemesis, the Red Baron, is a holiday story that deserves more exposure than it currently has. Also, if anyone knows what record I’m talking about, please let me know because I can’t find any information on it.

3. “Last Christmas” by Wham! – I have included this song not because it’s one of my favorites, but because it is one of the most over-played songs of the holiday season. You’ll hear it at Walmart, Walgreens, the radio on your car, the elevator, the doctor’s office, any restaurant with music. Doesn’t matter where you might find yourself during the season you will hear this song. It is inevitable. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!! Um… so anyway, it’s time to update the synth-tastic original. Also, George Michael’s whispery vocals annoy me for some reason. I propose a nice acoustic guitar version with a decent singer that’s NOT Jon Mayer.

4. “Same Auld Lang Sine” by Dan Fogelburg – Here’s another song that’s didn’t make this list because it’s a favorite. In fact, I hate this song. If this song were a person I would probably punch them right in the throat. If you read my “5 Worst Christmas Songs” list from last year I think this was number 2. This song’s presence on my list is a request. I’m calling on a metal band to do a full on metal cover of this turgid holiday turd. I want fast down-tuned riffs, death “cookie monster” growls, blast beats, and a few face-melting leads. That would be the ultimate salvation for what is one of the worst Christmas songs ever.

5. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” traditional – I know what you’re thinking. “But Adam,” you say, “there’s, like, a zillion versions of this song! Why does it need updating?” Well, gentle reader, I will tell you why - because among that zillion there is not one version that I like. Not. Even. One. I don’t know what it is about this song, whether it’s the repetitive nature of the lyrics or the fact that no one has really done anything spectacular with it but we need a “definitive” version of this song.

Favorite Albums of 2010

2010-11-01T08:22:00.002-04:00

It’s that time again… time to run down my top picks for this year. Remember as with last year, the albums on this list didn’t necessarily come out this year but are just stuff that I’ve found this year.

Lost Dogs, Old Angel – The Lost Dogs have truly engineered a triumph with their newest album. I have gone back to this again and again. While not my favorite Dogs disc it’s easily the second. I love the sense of collaboration here. I like that they dialed down the country a little bit. Oh, and I LOVE “Dead End Diner.” Amazing song.

Grave Robber, Inner Sanctum – I never would have thought that a Christian horror punk band would produce one of my top picks of the year, let alone become one of my favorite bands. Their brand of punk/metal is so upbeat, positive, and catchy that I can’t help but love them. Whenever I want to get myself pump (spiritually or otherwise) I give Inner Sanctum a spin. They also get bonus points for doing a cool version of “Awake” for the Deliverance tribute album.

Lady Gaga, The Fame/The Fame Monster – Seriously, I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I like Lady Gaga. She writes good pop songs and can actually sing. Lady Gaga pretty much dominated the late spring this year. As a bonus, some of the best songs aren’t even the singles!

The Choir, Burning Like the Midnight Sun – So I think my initial blush of love has worn off on the Choir’s latest. While I don’t know if it’s quite the best thing they’ve ever done, it’s certainly good enough to make my “top picks” list.

Swirling Eddies, (all) The Midget, The Speck, and the Molecule – This year was a good year in that I was properly introduced to the Swirling Eddies. I downloaded Outdoor Elivs and was in love with it from the very first note. Several purchases followed and I love them all. I put the latest up as the pick of the year but they’re all my picks. Outdoor Elvis, Zoom Daddy, and The Midget. All good. Now if we can just get Let’s Spin and Outdoor Elvis re-released so I can complete my collection.

Sixpence None the Richer, My Dear Machine EP - I found this almost by accident early this year. Apparently they’d released it for free on some obscure website but I missed it originally as it came out in 2008. Like I said in my review, this is just enough new Sixpence to piss me off. The four songs on this EP are some of the best that Sixpence have laid down and I hope, nay, I DEMAND that they finish their new album!

Knott, Michael, Alternative Worship: Prayer, Petitions, and Praise – I’ve found that albums that I never liked when I was younger I love now that I’m older. So is the case with this “worship” album. I didn’t really care for it for various reasons but now that I’ve got a few more years on me I think I can appreciate the heart of this album. “Call on You” has quickly become on of my favorite songs of all time.

Various Artists, Temporary Insanity: A Salute to Deliverance – The big D have remained one of my favorite bands since I was a teenager. It took some warming up but this two-disc collection of D covers is probably the best way to cap off this year. Out of 30 tracks there’s only a handful that don’t cut the mustard, but there’s so much that’s good. Josh Kramer from Saint singing “If We Faint Not,” Scott Waters singing an ultra-heavy version of “What a Joke,” Whisper From Heaven’s epic take on “Anymore.” Oh… and “Hunger and the Thirst” finally on CD, a remixed and powered-up version of “In-U” by the D themselves. I could gush forever. This was worth every penny I spent.

Disappointments of 2010:

Coheed & Cambria, Year of the Black Rainbow – I usually count Coheed as one of my favorite bands but was sorely disappointed by this year’s release. The hooks just aren’t there, the cool riffs just aren’t there, and I never find myself really wanting to go back to it. I wouldn’t say it was terrible, but it’s definitely a disappointment.

Jet Circus, Look at Death Now – You know what I miss here? Terry Haw. I just don’t think the band is the same. It’s also not nearly as much fun. Aside from “Lizzard Love” there aren’t any songs that really stick out. It makes me sad because Step On It remains one of my favorite albums.

Weezer, Raditude – I think I’m just about done with Weezer. I’ve never been one that expects them to do another Blue Album or Pinkerton but I’d at least like something with a little more depth than Raditude. This album is pure sugar with little to hold my interest past the occasional listen. I’ve heard the samples from Hurley and it doesn’t seem like anything I’m going to like either.

No new D, no new Sixpence - *sigh* Both Deliverance and Sixpence are supposedly working on new albums that were supposed to be released this year but they’ve yet to appear. I’ve heard no news on release dates or nothin’. It makes me sad.

No Deconstruction or Ghost – This really isn’t anyone’s fault but my own. I was under the impression that the last two discs in The Devin Townsend Project would be out this year, but they won’t be out until 2011. That means no new Devin this year and that’s never a good thing.

One Year Anniversary!

2010-10-31T08:29:00.005-04:00

Holy cannoly! Has it really been a whole year since I started this blog? I've been having a lot of fun with this blog, much to the consternation of my other blogs that sit there un-updated. So... question for those who may be regular readers (if I actually have any!)...

Is there anything you'd like to see? I've pretty much been doing whatever I feel like but I'd be open to suggestions. Probably the only thing I won't do is put whole albums for download - so don't ask. I don't know how and a lot of stuff is being reissued anyway. Also, blogspot tends to frown on that sort of thing and I've worked too much on this blog to have it shut down.

So... other than that... anything else?

Special thanks to my wife Lindy for giving up the computer for a few minutes to let me write reviews. Also special thanks to little Lexi.... the best little girl in the whole wide world!

Yes. It's Halloween. Yes... that's Lexi in a Christmas dress.

P.S. Taking suggestions for good Christmas albums. Which ones are your favorites?

Knott, Michael - "Alternative Worship: Prayer, Petitions, and Praise"

2010-10-29T20:47:00.006-04:00

Knott, Michael - Alternative Worship: Prayer, Petitions, and Praise

1994, Alarma

1. On My Feet Again

2. Windows

3. River of Love

4. Simple Man

5. Everything For Stormie

6. Shine

7. Call on You

8. Never Forsaken

9. Lamb of God

10. Holy, Holy, Holy

11. Within

Rule of Acquisition #239 states, "Never be afraid to mislabel a product." So it is with Alternative Worship. An album that was originally billed as a worship album by Terry Taylor, Gene Eugene, and Michael Knott. However, what it really is is a Michael Knott solo album with Terry and Gene singing a song or two. I think that's why I originally didn't like this CD. I was expecting sort of a "Lost Dogs" type fusion and it wasn't that. It also dies down a bit toward the end with quiet, acoustic songs. That being said, this is going to end up being one of my top picks of the year. Strictly speaking it's not worship, per se - if we used the narrowest definition (the one I prefer is "being consumed with who God is"). It's more like... songs from a prayer closet. Honest and open, holding nothing back. Usually the phrase "Giving it all to God" is so cliche and trite but it certainly applies here especially in a song like "Call on You" where Michael sings, "But for now I call on you/For help with cash for bills overdue/ And strength to influence right/ The little one I hold so tight." Pretty much anything about little girls or parenting makes me cry these days. Can't help it, I'm a big softee. It's good to hear Gene again on the poignant "Windows" which is one of the most beautiful songs he's performed on. Then there's "Holy, Holy, Holy" - a very simple song but it captures something that the modern worship blitz with it's multi-million dollar production setups misses.... actual worship. I've never been a huge L.S.U./Michael Knott fan but this disc went from being a curiosity (because I didn't like it when I was a teenager) to an essential.

Useless Fact: I believe "Everything for Stormie" is about Michael's daughter. I know, I know, anyone with half a brain would pick up on that but I didn't have any tidbits for this one. I'm as disappointed as you are.

Various Artists - "Temporary Insanity: A Salute to Deliverance"

2010-10-20T17:23:00.006-04:00

Various Artists - Temporary Insanity: A Salute to Deliverance

2010, Roxx Productions

Disc One:

1. Deliverance - "Flesh and Blood (25th Anniversary Recording)"

2. Deliverance - "In-U (25th Anniversary Recording)"

3. Oil - "Attack"

4. Applehead/Fasedown - "Belltown"

5. Lambs Among Wolves - "Greetings of Death"

6. Stricken - "No Time"

7. FaseUltified - "What a Joke"

8. Grave Robber - "Awake"

9. Ghostemple - "If We Faint Not"

10. Faith Factor - "Weapons of Our Warfare"

11. Whisper From Heaven - "Anymore"

12. Venia - "Desperate Cries"

13. Days of Affliction - "River Disturbance"

14. Grave Forsaken - "Bought By Blood"

15. Eternal Decision - "Belltown"

Disc Two:

1. Deliverance - "The Hunger and the Thirst"

2. Oil - "Screaming"

3. The Sacrificed - "Slay the Wicked"

4. Coriolis - "What a Joke"

5. Krig - "Weapons of Our Warfare"

6. Leper - "The Call"

7. Unforsaken - "Stay of Execution"

8. Crucible Divine - "Ramming Speed"

9. Walk on Water - "Learn"

10. Visions of Reality - "Blood of the Covenant"

11. Saint Spirit - "Prophets of Idiocy"

12. Bloodpaid - "Words to the..."

13. Bi-Polar Echo - "The Call"

14. Incarnate - "Victory"

15. Pastor Brad - "A Space Called You"

This year marks the twenty-five year anniversary of the formation of Deliverance. I can't believe it's been that long. I'm only 31 as of this writing. That means the band formed when I was six... SIX! Deliverance is one of my favorite bands of all time. I get in moods where I'm in the mood for this band or that band but Deliverance is one of the handful of bands that has always stood at the top of the heap. For whatever reason Jimmy P. Brown's songwriting just resonates with me in a way that few artists do. I have every D disc and love pretty much all of them to varying degrees.

About a year ago or so the posters from the Christian Metal Realm decided to contribute songs for a Deliverance tribute. I think it was originally supposed to be an EP. So many people responded that it became a 2-disc mega project and now we can finally reap the benefits of everyone's labor. I wasn't initially going to get this but when I looked at the track list and saw the artists involved my opinion changed. Deliverance themselves contribute three tracks along with Greg Minier (Applehead/The Crucified), Grave Robber, Josh Kramer (Saint) and Scott Waters (Ultimatum) to name just a few. Seeing some of those names... dang... the decision pretty much made itself. I love when that happens.

The question is... how is it? Honestly... pretty dang good. Well worth the fifteen bucks. No matter the recording quality of the track you can tell that everyone on here has put their heart and soul into these songs. It's truly a labor of love and that passion oozes through the speakers and is almost contagious. Instead of doing a track by track thing I'll just give you some highlights...

Disc one is the best of the two and contains the most well known talent. The D rerecordings of "Flesh and Blood" and "In-U" are awesome... especially "In-U." That's been a favorite of mine for a long time and it's great to hear it get an upgrade. It's great to see Greg Minier back in action with a great rendition of "Belltown" (which includes members of Fasedown). Hey Greg... when are we gonna see a new Applehead? Please, pretty please! Also... thank you Grave Robber for "Awake." I love you guys. Finally, I don't know who Whisper From Heaven is but their rendition of "Anymore" is stunning. They took the somber and minimalistic Camelot track (which I already liked in the first place) and turned it into something epic. Now just because I didn't mention the other tracks that doesn't mean they're bad, far from it. Probably the only track I didn't like on disc one was "River Disturbance." Mainly because the vocal performance is not really that great. It sounds like the singer is flat a lot of the time.

I don't think disc two is quite as strong but it does have some really cool moments. I've always liked "Hunger and the Thirst." Jimmy posted it on the old D website a long time and I never downloaded it so it's great to finally have it on CD. It's a little bit different in that it's along the lines of the Assimilation material or This Sad Veil of Tears. I dig the industrial covers of "What a Joke" (by Coriolis) and "The Call" (by Leper). "The Call" almost sounds like Deliverance as filtered through Devo! There are a few tracks on disc two that aren't that good - like it's Amatuer Hour at Deliverance Tavern, but the fact that I still listen to most of them is a testimony to the songwriting prowess of Jimmy and the guys. In fact throughout the course of this two-disc extravaganza you'll hear two "Belltowns," two "What a Jokes," two "The Calls," and two "Weapons of Our Warfares." I was surprised that even with the repeats I was still groovin.

If you're a long-time fan of the D - get this. Just get it. You won't be sorry. Out of the 30 tracks on here I'd say 24 of them are really good. Still well worth the money in my book.

Useless Fact: I find it odd that on a tribute called Temporary Insanity no one felt the need to cover "Temporary Insanity."

System of a Down - "Steal This Album!"

2010-10-19T09:22:00.004-04:00

System of a Down - Steal This Album!

2002, Columbia

1. Chic 'n' Stu

2. Innervision

3. Bubbles

4. Boom!

5. Nuguns

6. A.D.D.

7. Mr. Jack

8. I-E-A-I-A-I-O

9. 36

10. Pictures

11. Highway Song

12. F**k the System

13. Ego Brain

14. Theatwaves

15. Roulette

16. Streamline

I've heard that most of Steal this Album! is tracks that were left off of Toxicity. Honestly, that's exactly what it sounds like - tracks not good enough to be on Toxicity. Granted, there's a few good tracks on here like "Innervision" and "Chic 'n' Stu" but for the most part the songs here just aren't as catchy or as heavy. I only paid a dollar for this because I got it as a trade on Music Boomerang and I'm glad because there's just not much here that grabs me.

Useless Fact: There's no actual cover art for this disc. They shipped it out intentionally to look like a bootleg. Different discs have different art on the disc itself. So yeah... no lyrics, no liner notes... no nothin'.

My Little Dog China - "The Velvis Carnival"

2010-10-10T22:03:00.005-04:00

My Little Dog China - The Velvis Carnival

1994, Alarma

1. Listen

2. Her Machining

3. Puppets & Fools

4. See the Man Fall

5. Entanglement (The Web)

6. Iconland

7. Why?

8. Eggshells

9. Salvadori

10. Nothing

11. Swirl

It's I M P O R T A N T ! It's D E E P! It's E A R N E S T! It's..... COLLEGE ALTERANTIVE ROCK!!!!!! All joking aside My Little Dog China came out at a time when Christian music was sloughing off it's glam rock/metal skin and morphing into the pale alternative grunge clone that only the Christian music industry could produce. Um... anyway... where was I? Oh yeah, this is very fuzzy, feedbacky cacophony of sound with lyrics about being yourself, being miserable, and raging against the "machine" (no pun intended). You know what though? I like it. There's some cool melodic parts and lots of bass which I did not expect. It's probably not something that I'll listen to a lot, but it's fun to spin when I need something different. Or when I want to wear flannel.

Useless Fact: My Little Dog China came out with one more, more commercial album called Game Face and then no more was heard from them.

The Moshketeers - "The Downward Spiral"

2010-10-05T21:24:00.004-04:00

The Moshketeers - The Downward Spiral

2010, Roxx Productions

1. Sin

2. The Downward Spiral

3. Locked in Chains

4. Ye!

5. The Myth

6. Self Extinction

7. Epicurus

8. Posers of Deceit

9. Grease the Duck

10. Nightmares

11. The Life of Emptiness

BONUS TRACKS

12. Return (1997 Demo)

13. Death or Life (1997 Demo)

14. Thelo Angolia (1997 Demo)

15. Take My Life (1997 Demo)

16. Ye! (1989 Demo)

The Moshketeers were a band that were a little bit like unicorns - a mystical entity that I had only heard about third hand through rumors and other band's liner notes. I had some friends that said they were awesome and the rumor mill seemed to indicate that they were awesome. Unfortunately, we never had much of a metal "scene" in my town so the band remained a mystery. Roxx Productions has reissued the bands one and only album so now I finally get a chance to hear these guys. They were exactly as I expected - plain ol' American thrash. Decent thrash too. I can't say I was completely "wowed" or anything but there's a lot here to like. The disc has been remastered which gives the guitars a nice thick "CHUG-CHUG-CHUG" and the bass is mixed in well which makes things sound nice and heavy. The band experiments with some different sounds going from a stoner/doom type metal in "Self Extinction" to more of a groove-type sound on "Grease the Duck" (a personal favorite). The vocalist sounds a like a cross between Kurt Bachman (Believer) and Joey Belladonna (ex-Anthrax). I'm sure if this band had been signed and released albums they would have taken their place among Deliverance, Tourniquet, etc. as a legendary band. While it isn't quite the awe-inspiring collection of songs that the rumors promised, it's still a really fun listen and I'm glad I bought it.

Useless Fact: When the band started out they were originally known as Rapture. I think The Moshketeers is a way cooler name.

Ethereal Scourge - "Judgement and Restoration"

2010-10-01T11:10:00.004-04:00

Ethereal Scourge - Judgement and Restoration

1997, Rowe Productions

1. Through the Waters

2. Warcry

3. Refuge

4. Estranged From the Womb

5. Shroud of Mist

6. Earthshaker

7. Hecatombs

8. Restoration

9. Quiet Surround

10. Subconcious

11. Giver of Life

Based on the strength of "Death of Hades" and "Tombthroat," both of which appeared on the Hard and Heavy From Down Under compilation, I excitedly bought Ethereal Scourge's debut disc. Originally I was bored to tears with it. I'm not sure why exactly but I think at the time the songs seemed boring to me. I recently bought it to see if it was as boring the second time around. Good news... it's not. I really dig it now. Ethereal Scourge's brand of melodic death metal is powerful. They manage to weave textures together with clean guitar tones, acoustic guitar passages, and plain ol' thrash metal riffs. They use a lot of harmonics as well which I think adds a little spice. There are even some clean vocal lines like in "Warcry." "Giver of Life" has some groove in it too and was probably the only song I liked originally. The album definitely has more meat, both musically and lyrically, than your average death metal disc. Speaking of lyrics, these are some of the most beautiful, reverent, and worshipful (worshipful? is that a word?) lyrics I've heard on any Christian disc. I've always thought that metal could be worshipful but I hadn't seen anything that comes close until listening to this on the way to work. Pretty much everyone uses the word "majestic" to describe the band's sound but I can't think of any other word that fits. I guess I just had to be a little older to appreciate what was going on here.

Useless Fact: This is the band's one and only CD. Though according to Scott Waters at Nolifetilmetal the band is still together.

Apple, Fiona - "Tidal"

2010-09-17T10:19:00.002-04:00

Apple, Fiona - Tidal
1996, Sony

1. Sleep to Dream
2. Sullen Girl
3. Shadowboxer
4. Criminal
5. Slow Like Honey
6. The First Taste
7. Never is a Promise
8. The Child is Gone
9. Pale September
10. Carrion

Not a huge fan of Fiona Apple. I never cared for her when she first came out and looked like an underage, slutty, heroin addict for her "Criminal" video. Though I do like that song. I like "Sleep to Dream" too and that's about it. It's not that this disc is bad, it's not. Fiona can sing. I like the husky, sultry jazz voice she's got going on. I just wish the rest of the songs on the disc were more like "Criminal" and "Sleep to Dream." Why? Because the rest of the album, filled with piano ballads, only makes me sleepy and that's not good for driving. My wife likes it though, so here it is on my Ipod... and blog.

Useless Fact: At the time of this album's release Fiona had kind of a reputation for being mouthy. She went on some rant at MTV's VMA's one year about being yourself and what not.

Gunn, Dann - "Easy"

2010-09-17T09:56:00.003-04:00

Gunn, Dann - Easy
2010, Independent

1. Unwinding
2. Closer
3. Easy
4. Moon Song
5. All For You
6. Still Smiling

I'll start by saying this - if you liked the old Velocipede CD even a little bit then you'll LOVE this. This is, essentially, Velocipede done right. Granted it's not exactly like ...Sane but the big, crunchy guitars, the catchy tunes, the passionate vocals - those elements are here. Dann is evolving his sound somewhat to include industrial elements which I think is a good fit with the thick guitar tone. Though I confess my favorite track is actually the acoustic tune "Moon Song." It really showcases Dann's vocals and is truly a beautiful song. My only complaint is that occasionally it sounds like Dann is holding back vocally on a couple tracks ("All For You" springs to mind). It just feels like he's holding back to me. He's got a clean, powerful style so he doesn't really need to. When I listen to it I'm expecting him to attack the song more. It could just be me. Still, Easy is a great little EP and I hope this signals more from the Gunn camp.

Useless Fact: If there's still something about Dann that you don't already know by now you'll just have to track him down yourself and ask him!

Chattin' With...Dann Gunn

2010-09-10T07:55:00.005-04:00

Hello everybody! This is the start of what may be a new section of the blog. Recently I reviewed the album ...Sane by Velocipede. I tried doing some searches on it and found nothing. It's not surprising really. The band was fairly obscure. However, Velocipede main man Dann Gunn found my website with my review and was kind enough to leave some comments about the album. I asked him if he'd like to do an informal interview thing and he agreed. There isn't very much info about the band so I hope this interview is enlightening. Dann Gunn is still making cool music too so make sure when you're done reading you check out the links. Now let's get started!

When and how did Velocipede get its start (and why the name Velocipede)?

I was in a band called the Square back in the early 90s...just the singer (and songwriter), didn't play anything. Although I enjoyed the band, I had lots of ideas outside of what we were trying to do. I also wanted to play guitar. I bought a guitar and learned to play, sort of...ha. I did what came naturally...power chords and such. Noisy.

During this time I saw a band called Flat Duo Jets, a two-man rockabilly band. Just guitar and drums. It was probably the loudest show I've ever seen, at a club in Nashville called the Exit/In. The guitar was a glorious blur, and the drums were so loud. It was astounding that two guys were making so much noise. Their recorded material was quite different than the live show. It was just so..big. A true wall of sound. Probably one of the most intense concert experiences I'd had. The guitarist was just crazy. I think he had a nervous breakdown on stage that night. It was the 'punkest' thing I'd ever seen.

I began to think how cool it would be to do a two-man band that was very hard rock. And I talked with the Square's drummer about it, who was my best friend. He also thought it was a cool idea, and we started to work on it. I had bought an amazingly loud Ampeg half-stack, and we'd spend hours attempting to sound 'big'. My playing style sort of evolved around the concept. Huge low end and tons of distortion. I started to write songs, and it became my most important creative outlet. When the Square broke up, me and Mark just kept going, the two of us.

Somewhere along the way, I had seen the word 'Velocipede', which is what a certain style of very old bicycle was called. I just thought it was a cool sounding word...and sounded like a band name. Mark liked it, and that's what we became. We always referred to ourselves as 'the Pede'.

Who were (and are) your musical influences?

Sex Pistols, Social Distortion and Killing Joke were probably my three biggest musical influences during that time. I like (and still like) very distinctive rock bands. I liked a lot of the riffs and rhythm of metal guitars, but pretty much couldn't take metal bands seriously (early 90s). I was into bands like Midnight Oil, the Godfathers, and Sugar. I was also a fan of several Christian rock bands, like Undercover, Daniel Amos, and the Altar Boys. I am still a big fan of Steve Scott, as well. Brilliant stuff.

My vocals evolved from trying to rant like Johnny Rotten to actually singing. I realized I could actually sing pretty well, and had a lot of power. I developed a very straightforward singing style (as opposed to vocal 'riffing' that is quite common in rock), trying to imitate Michael Been of the Call, and Sim Wilson from Undercover.

As far as songwriting and lyrics, I took my cues from Michael Been. He was definitely my favorite songwriter. I wanted to talk about the 'inner life' as he described it. I began to write songs that were very introspective, and wanted to project passion and intelligence in my words.
My singing style did not match my music, according to a lot of people...ha. To me, it seemed natural. I wanted to sing like Michael Been and play guitar like Geordie Walker (Killing Joke). The 'Pede happened in a time where people were pretty obsessed with labeling music, and I think that worked against us.

These days, I’m a huge Filter fan, and love Gargabe, Curve and obscure things like Suzanne Vega and Michael Penn. I love modern rock…from the Cure to Girls Against Boys. Not really fond of the most of the stuff this decade, overall…it all sounds like Creed and Pearl Jam crammed into a blender, then pooped against a wall.

And yes, I am a huge Morrissey fan. No apologies. Ha.

How did you get hooked up with REX and Neverland?

I had known Tyler Bacon, REX's A&R guy since college. He had always seemed to like the music I did, to a degree, but always made suggestions for improvement which I dismissed. His tastes were more polished, I guess you could say. I contributed a song to the Demolition album, and he called and said he wanted to do a complete record. I did some demos at a friend's house on his four track, and sent it in. Tyler liked it.

During this time, I had moved to Knoxville, and changed drummers. Mike Santrock, who was an old friend, and an amazing drummer, really pushed me musically. I 'drilled' with him for months, and my guitar playing really stepped up. It became second nature to me to play and sing. I never practiced with a microphone...I would face the drummer and sing as loud as I could. It really helped me build power. Mike didn't play the drums as just a beat...he played parts. Very specific things at specific points during the song. This was a huge difference for me, and really changed things.

Anyway...
These days, the White Stripes and the Black Keys do fine, as two-piece bands. Back then, it was a struggle to make people 'understand' the concept. I didn't have anything against the bass, I just thought the idea of two guys just 'going for it' was really cool. When we played live, people would say, 'Where's the rest of your band?' Thirty seconds into the first song, they'd say, 'Oh, nevermind.'

Tyler didn't get it. He was worried about production, and worried how the record would be perceived. He went to Neverland, which had just moved to Nashville, to talk to Chris Colbert, because Chris was known as the king of punk, and he knew how to make a record CHEAP. The studio was booked, and we had a week to make a record.

Chris recorded us as we were...raw and crazy. Stacking the guitar tracks in fours or more, sounded huge, but turned things into a dizzy mess. Mike's drums didn't sound very good, and his cymbals were utter crap. It frustrated me at the end of recording to find out that the studio had many good cymbals we could have used...just sitting in the closet. Chris was pleased with the way it sounded...it was a big, glorious pile of sludge. 'That's what you sound like', he said. Although I had to agree, I wanted a more polished sound, and wish I had known more about production. I kind of felt like a bystander during the process. No one's intent or fault. There was no producer listed on the project. Chris explained to me why he didn't claim to be producer. 'My job as a producer is to **ck an artist up. You were already **cked up.'

Tyler said he did not like the way the record sounded. Chris offered to remix it. Tyler said not to bother, it didn't matter. I later found out through a friend that a couple of songs actually charted on the 'Hard Charts'. REX never bothered to tell me, and never offered any support other than to say they were unhappy, but not to bother remixing. They were obsessed with Fleming and John and Sixpence None The Richer at the time, and everyone else was a bit of a nuisance, I think. I really think we could have done something with the record, if it sounded better, and if REX even pretended to care.

I sent in some demos for a new record, but they were rejected because John Armand Petrie, Tyler's favorite producer, said they sounded silly. He said it sounded like it was done with a bad drum machine. I was very frustrated and just gave up, thinking no one cared, and having no sense of the 'Pede having any fans of any kind. I asked to be released from my contract. No, that's not true. I angrily demanded it. REX didn't even give any free product to their bands. I got a check for about seventy bucks from SESAC...that's all I ever got out of the deal. The REX concept for their heavy music, overall, was to just sell records to the same 4,000 kids every time. The money earned from each project, paid for the next one, by a different band. There wasn't a commitment of any kind to help develop artists...just criticize them and dismiss them. I know that may sound bitter, but it's the way it was. I had another friend who worked there, and he confirmed my feelings.

I felt I had a lot of potential as an artist, and was sad to see it all get flushed away so quickly. At least that's how it felt at the time.

I was quite amazed, years later, to find references online, and especially the lyrics to 'This Way'. It was touching to realize that that song had meant something to someone other than me.

What was it like working with Chris Colbert and Steve Hindalong?

Both guys expressed a lot of appreciation for me, and were very gracious. Chris ended up becoming a close friend for a while.
I loved the studio...it was in an old building on 4th Ave., the older, more industrial part of downtown. They had a Studer two inch tape machine, and a vintage sound board that had been bought from the BBC in London. And an entire closet full of guitar effects pedals, which I loved. I think we used every one of them...ha.

Chris was great to work with, because he got it. He thought a two-man rock band was a cool idea, and he was a true noise merchant. He was relieved because I could play the guitar in time, sing well, and didn't have a giant ego that needed to be nursed constantly, unlike a lot of his other projects. According to him, half of producing a record was dealing with explosive egos and difficult people who could barely sing or play. I was just so honored to be there, and be making a REAL record, that I would have done anything they asked.

Chris liked my random, weird guitar ideas, and encouraged them. He was great as an engineer, and has plenty of work to prove that, regardless of how '..sane' came out.

Chris has a great sense of humor, and we got along well. He's one of the smartest, deepest people I've ever met, and I feel honored to have been his friend for a while. He meant a lot to me. Talked to him briefly a couple of years ago, and he is doing well. He was running live sound for a band called the Walkmen, and living in the Pacific Northwest...not sure what he is doing now.
Steve? I didn't get to know Steve very well. He was going through a tough time in his life, and that was obvious. But so was I, honestly. Who wasn't? Steve brought out some harmonies that I would never have thought of, or tried, and he was great at communicating what he wanted. I don't think I did a single retake because I wanted to. I trusted him, and I think he got a good vocal performance out of me. If I had a project in the works, and need a great vocal producer, I'd probably call Steve, sure. He is also an amazing percussionist, and had a closet full of the most amazing hand drums and shakers imaginable.

Are there any funny/interesting stories from that time?

Oh sure, too many to remember...and some I couldn't repeat...ha. I remember random things, like Chris, myself, and Skye (2nd engineer) passing a guitar around in a circle, making crazy noise, and keeping it all on the track. I remember Mike, the drummer, eating day-old pizza covered with cat hair. I remember putting the old 70's Peavey logo on the wall in the main mixing room, and that it pissed of Derri. I remember trying to play a Bazuki. I just loved the feeling of being involved in something that felt important. I was 27 at the time.

After the album was recorded, I moved back to Nashville, and ended up hanging out at Neverland a bit. I actually gave Chris an old car in exchange for recording a song for me. The recording never happened, but I heard lots of stories about the car. Can’t remember what it was…an old Nova? My wife at the time had bought it from a friend, and when we moved, we didn’t need it. I gave it to Chris. Apparently the universal joint wore out, and it would stay in drive, no matter what…heard some funny stories from him and Steve about that…the car ramming into a building while they were flooring the brakes. I think there’s a line about that car in a Fluffy song, actually.

I was called to be an additional male vocalist on the second ‘Foot of the Cross’ album, and was then politely asked to leave after several takes, because I was so much louder than the other guys. Didn’t’ mean to be…

Velocipede and Fluffy played a joint show at the Strand in Marietta, GA, once. Nathan, Fluffy’s singer, was in town working on the last Fluffy record (Sugar Pistol), which was later rereleased as a Duraluxe record. We all drove to GA together, and after the ‘Pede set, I unplugged the guitar, plugged in a bass, and became Fluffy’s bassist for a night. I still remember playing the intro to ‘Guns, Guitars and Girls’ over and over, while crazy kids rushed the stage and started to mosh. Chris had bought a thrift store guitar that day, planning to trash it on stage. He did so, gloriously. At the end of the set, as he demolished it against the floor, a bunch of kids ran onstage to grab guitar parts. Chris yelled out, ‘The pickups are mine! Take anything else!”

Chris moved to New York for a while and ran sound for MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’ show, and several of their live events. He had lots of great stories about that time, including running sound for an outdoor Kiss concert. He told me that Ace Frehley was so messed up that he was wearing an in-ear monitor so someone offstage could coach him through the performance. Tell him what chord was next, etc. Pretty funny stuff.

What are you working on now?

I decided after the ‘Pede that I was a solo artist. I did another record with Chris, funded by myself, in 1997, called ‘…losing steam’

I am intensely proud of that record. It was recorded at a tiny studio Chris owned in west Nashville. It was not a very heavy record, guitar-wise, even though it is a guitar record. I wanted to prove that I could do more than create a wall of sludge. I played guitar, bass and did all the vocals, and my good friend Jeff Bradshaw played drums. It was a very personal project for me, and it’s nowhere close to perfect, but I still listen to it and enjoy it. ‘My Ghost’, the opening track is probably the one track people seem to latch onto more than anything I’ve written.

Anyone who wants it can download it here: http://danngunn.com/losing_steam.zip

I recorded another indie project in 1999 called ‘Floating, Spinning “Upside-Down”, and have played sporadic gigs over the years. My heart has always been in making music, but I was never a part of any ‘scene’, or ever felt I had any real fans, beyond a friend or two.

Last year, I recorded a batch of songs I am extremely proud of, and I am working to get them on Jango.com and iTunes. I am also working on new recordings soon. The newer songs have a decidedly ‘industrial’ feel to them, and I like that. I have gotten into drum programming, and like it. I will always use a live drummer on stage, of course. Two different things.

You can listen to these songs at: http://danngunn.com/ I am in the process of completely overhauling that site. The songs will be available for download soon.

I am hitting age 44, and I feel like I still have a lot to say. Many years ago, at a frustrated time in my life, I promised God that if He allowed me to continue making music, I would respect the honor, and that I would only create beautiful things. I would never do anything that was angry for the sake of being angry. I would attempt to be redemptive in my thoughts and words. I still honor that promise, and hope that the songs I have made have some impact, and gives someone a little more strength, and reminds someone that they need more love in their life. I will always want to do something that matters, and talk about things that make my heart shake and keep me awake at night, with a brain on fire…for me, music is all about catharsis.

Again, special thanks to Dann Gunn for taking the time to answer my questions. Definitely check out his new album, Easy, available on Itunes now! I'll probably post a review soon.

Various Artists - "Hard & Heavy From Down Under"

2010-09-06T09:53:00.004-04:00

Various Artists - Hard & Heavy From Down Under
1996, Rugged

1. Mortification - "Peace in the Galaxy"
2. Cry Mercy - "Time To Go"
3. Cry Mercy - "D.A.M."
4. Metanoia - "Accute Obliteration"
5. Metanoia - "Dimensions of Life"
6. Screams of Chaos - "Fighting For Breath"
7. Screams of Chaos - "The New World"
8. Screams of Chaos - "Destroy the Plague"
9. Embodiment - "Loophole"
10. Embodiment - "Incorporate Body"
11. Callous - "Hate"
12. Callous - "The Mind That Rots"
13. Ethereal Scourge - "Death of Hades"
14. Ethereal Scourge - "Tombthroat"

This is a pretty decent compilation of Austrialian Christian Metal bands. I really liked it when it first came out. In fact this disc is the reason why I bought Metanoia's debut, even though I didn't end up liking it as much as I thought I would. Cry Mercy is a straight forward hard rock band with good riffs but the singer is really, really nasally. Like... almost sounds like Cartman from South Park nasally. They also rap in "D.A.M." and it's the whitest rap I've ever heard. The two Metanoia tracks are amazing, sizzling slices of thrash/death metal. Screams of Chaos are an interesting hybrid of industrial, death metal, and thrash. Their songs aren't really catchy and the music just serves as a vehicle for the story told in the lyrics - but it's interesting nonetheless. Embodiment are a plain ol' death metal band that I never cared for. They're technical and stuff but they don't really hold my interest. Callous is a hardcore/thrash outfit headed by ex-Mortification drummer Phil Gibson. I dig them... they're probably one of my favorite bands on here. Ethereal Scourge ends the disc in style with death metal that is quite breath-taking and amazing. Definitely a highlight. They eventually recorded an album that I was disappointed with originally but now I kind of want to hear it again to see if my opinion would change.

Useless Fact: According to Scott Waters (Ultimatum) the comp was a collaboration between Rowe Productions (who didn't have any distribution in the states) and Rugged Records.

Jet Circus - "Look at Death Now"

2010-09-06T09:40:00.003-04:00

Jet Circus - Look at Death Now

2005, Hypersonic

1. One Dime Scape Goat

2. Man Rules

3. Godless Happiness

4. Look at Death Now

5. Lizzard Love

6. The Way You Bless Me

7. Shooting Star

8. Skull of the Poet

9. Fears of Tomorrow

I have really mixed feelings about this one. This isn't actually Jet Circus' second album. The actual second album was called No Mercy For the Living Dead and was supposed to be released about the time this one was. Look at Death Now was to be Ez Gomer's solo album. Well, all of a sudden vocalist Terry Haw left the band, Look at Death Now became the new Jet Circus album, and No Mercy faded away into obscurity. Most of the reviews of this disc are pretty positive but I have to confess that I'm just not that into it right now. Ez Gomer does a good approximation of Terry Haw but I don't think he quite gets there. The fuzz is still there and the album does rock pretty hard but it just doesn't feel as much fun as the debut did. In fact there are only two songs where I felt like I was listening to Jet Circus - namely "Lizzard Love" and "Look at Death Now." Additionally, I just don't think the hooks are there. I hope this one grows on me, but time will tell....

Hopefully someday we'll get No Mercy...

Useless Fact: I suspect that this album was supposed to be a sort of concept album based on a comic written by Ez. I only say that because back when this was his solo album he had a lot of comic book art on his website and I think the album was supposed to tie into that. I don't know for sure so maybe someone can enlighten us. Also... someone please tell us as to how Wonderland could neglect to publish No Mercy!

Guardian - "Buzz"

2010-09-02T12:42:00.003-04:00

Guardian - Buzz
1995, Myrrh

1. This Old Man
2. Lead the Way
3. State of Mine
4. The Lion's Den
5. Are You Gonna Keep Your Word?
6. One Thing Left To Do
7. Hand of the Father
8. Psychedelic Runaway
9. Even It Out
10. Lift Me Up
11. Shorty
12. Lullaby
13. Them Nails

SELLOUT! Well... I don't know. A lot of people were disappointed by Buzz because of the new alternative sound. When I first got it I wasn't put off a bit. Maybe because Guardian were really commercial and trendy to begin with so it's not really a surprise that they'd move in a more alternative direction. To tell you the truth... I never thought it was that bad and I still don't. There are some great songs on here. Some of my favorites being "Lead the Way," "The Lion's Den," and "One Thing Left To Do." There are some duds here though. I don't care for "Are You Gonna Keep Your Word?" or "Lullaby" and while I like the groove, I hate the lyrics of "Them Nails." One disappointing thing about Buzz is Jaime's vocals. He sings in a lower register and kind of moans his way through most of the disc. You spend the whole time waiting for Jaime to let it rip but he never does. It should be illegal for awesome vocalists to not use their full potential. Illegal I tell you! Steve Taylor produced the CD and a lot of people think that some of the clever lyrics came from him but I read an interview once with Steve where he said that most of the lyrics were from Jaime Rowe. Whether it was Steve's coaching or not, I do like most of the lyrics here (except "Them Nails"). I can't say I'm an enormous Guardian fan but this is an all right disc to whip out on occasion.

Useless Fact: There are actually four covers of this disc depending on how you fold the CD insert. I've only got the bees up there because, let's be honest here, that is clearly and UNARGUABLY the coolest one.

Rose - "Intense Live Series Volume 3"

2010-08-24T17:45:00.002-04:00

Rose - Intense Live Series Volume 3

1993, Intense

1. Oppression

2. On My Knees

3. Demons

4. Hide

5. D.O.P.

6. You Gotta Move

I think Rose's edition (along with Deliverance's) of the Intense Live Series are my favorites. The band puts together some rockin' version of album tunes. I really enjoy the speedy version of "Oppression" and the electric doom version of "On My Knees." "Hide" is a new track that kind of mixes the stoner rock style of the band with blues. I also have to give the guys kudos because I've never liked the song "You Gotta Move" but I even enjoy that too.

Useless Fact: According to the liner notes Randy invited his whole family to the recording studio and a few of the helped out on some of the tracks.

Die Happy - "Intense Live Series Volume 4"

2010-08-21T22:14:00.003-04:00

Die Happy - Intense Live Series Volume 4

1993, Intense

1. Justified

2. In Studio

3. Painted Truth

4. In Studio

5. Temple Of Soul

6. In Studio

7. Celebration

8. In Studio

9. Endless Time

10. All Over Me

If I remember correctly the Intense Live Series got a lot of flak from critics but I always thought they were pretty fun. Die Happy's installment was the only one I didn't get on tape back in the day. I don't know why... I just missed it somehow. Well now I finally have it and it's pretty much what I expected - a fun "live" disc with decent versions of album material. It really showcases how great a vocalist Kyle Basuri is and how great a bassist Greg Chassion is. The band also does a little bit more acoustic stuff than some of the other discs in the series. "Temple Of Soul" is pretty cool as an "unplugged" tune but I think I could do without Greg Chassion shouting the chorus at me in the second half of the song. "Endless Time" is a new ballad and "All Over Me" is a Petra cover - both rock.

Useless Fact: Terry Taylor (DA, Swirling Eddies, Lost Dogs) was the executive producer for this whole series. I have a hard time seeing him with the likes of Tourniquet, Rose, and Die Happy.