Precious Death - "Precious Death"

Precious Death - Precious Death

1996, Metro One

1. All We Have is Now

2. I Was Free

3. (What's the Name of) This Song

4. Another Form of Slavery

5. The Ocean

6. Did You Know

7. New Music For a Quiet Revolution

8. When the Rain Comes

9. One and One and One

10. Psalm

This is another one of those albums that I actually own but you'll probably never find it on my Ipod. At this point in the band's lifespan most of the original members were gone. If I didn't know any better I'd say that this album was only made because the band needed to fulfill a three album contract. It doesn't sound anything like the unique metal/funk fusion of the past two albums. It's a shame too because that stuff was really awesome and this stuff is just mediocre alternative that sounds almost exactly like Chris Scott's other band Blackball. Why they didn't just change their name I'll never know.

Useless Fact: The band released one more album, a "Greatest Hits" comp. I don't think it had any new songs on it. Thus a great band faded into the night...

Precious Death - "If You Must"

Precious Death - If You Must

1994, Metro One

1. You Can't Break Me

2. You're Gone, I'm Here

3. If You Must

4. All Over Now

5. Blindside

6. Oscillating Fullwave Bridge Rectifiers

7. Some New Song

8. E

9. Death Trap

10. Outside My Window

11. I Remember

12. So Far Away

13. Moments

The band jettisons most of their groove elements and focuses more on heaviness and experimentation. Check out the novelty track "Oscillating Fullwave Bridge Rectifiers" or the um... "unique" album closer "Moments" (the odd stop/start rhythm is a tad jarring as well as the strange downtuned chord). Still this disc is still pretty good but can't overcome the sheer awesomosity of the debut, unfortunately. I like it alright but it's far from a timeless classic.

Useless Fact: After this disc all the original members left the band leaving Chris Scott by himself. He proceeded to turn Precious Death into an alt-rock suckfest and, unlike Blackball, I have no happy, fuzzy memories to make that steaming pile seem better than it actually was.

Precious Death - "Southpaw"

Precious Death - Southpaw

1993, Metro One

1. Southpaw

2. Shine

3. Hello

4. No-Can-Do

5. Strange To Me

6. Talk About the Weather

7. King of Siam

8. Force Fed

9. One Day to Live

Precious Death was a unique metal experience. At once crushingly heavy yet melodic and full of groove these guys were unlike any metal band out there. I was sold the moment the guitars kicked in with that crunch riff in "Southpaw." Not to mention just a pinch of funk that the band injected into their sound on songs like "Shine" and "Strange to Me." Part of that has to do with the awesome, spine-warping and prominent bass guitar. Chris Scott has an awesome voice that, yes, while a little reminiscent of Cher, was also completely unique in the metal scene. You're just going to have to track some down to see what I mean.

Useless Fact: On "Shine" Chris Scott sings lines from "Fall On Me" by King's X.