Evanescence - "Origin"

Evanescence - Origin
2000, BigWig

1. Origin
2. Whisper
3. Imaginary
4. My Immortal
5. Where Will You Go?
6. Field of Innocence
7. Even in Death
8. Anywhere
9. Lies
10. Away From Me
11. Eternal

This was Evanescence's demo album that was independently released. It's far more industrial and Gothic than their major label debut. It's alright but I mainly sought it out because my wife is a big Evanescence fan. I don't really listen to it much as I prefer the newer ones.

Useless Fact: The first few tracks appeared on Fallen.

Europe - "The Final Countdown"

Europe - The Final Countdown

1986/2001, Sony

1. The Final Countdown

2. Rock the Night

3. Carrie

4. Danger On the Track

5. Ninja

6. Cherokee

7. Time Has Come

8. Heart of Stone

9. On the Loose

10. Love Chaser

Bonus Tracks:

11. The Final Countdown (live)

12. Danger on the Track (live)

13. Carrie (live)

A lot of people don't know this but Europe was actually genetically engineered in lab (located in Area 51) specifically designed to make money for record companies. Their songs were assembled by a team of highly trained engineers to stay in your head for days. I think the actual songs are meant to be audible viruses that brainwash you into buying the album. Well... when I was little I succumbed to the virus and here is the CD in my collection. It's pretty much everything that was bad about 80's rock in the day. The songs are really cheesy too. I still like to spin it every once in awhile because I'm all nostalgic like that. I should mention that the live tracks are nothing special.

Useless Fact: The lab that built Europe also built such popular bands as New Kids on the Block, N*Sync, and Backstreet Boys.

Deliverance - "As Above - So Below"

Deliverance - As Above - So Below
2007, Retroactive

1. Legum Servi Sumus Ut Liberi Esse Possiumus (Intro)
2. Cause & Effect
3. Return to Form
4. As Above - So Below
5. Screaming
6. Should We Cross Paths
7. Contempt
8. Thistles
9. My Love
10. Enlightened

This disc is a good meld of the past D heaviness with the more melodic tendencies of the later albums. Mike Phillips returns to fold for this one. It's full of chunky riffs and even some tracks that border on the old speed metal days like "Should We Cross Paths." But I don't know... I listen to this whole album and something seems... I don't know... off. It's good though. The songs are good and heavy - probably the heaviest thing they've done in a long while. I know I'll probably get a lot of crap for this but I'm going to go out on a limb and say this doesn't really sound like Deliverance. I can't put my finger on it though. I used to play this a lot when I first got it but not so much anymore.

Useless Fact: Jimmy got a lot of heat for using the phrase "As Above - So Below" because of its pagan connotations. It's actually more Jewish in origin though. Nolifetilmetal.com has a good discussion of the issue straight from the horse's mouth. Also: does anyone know what the heck the intro means? Sure would like to know...

Deliverance - "Assimilation"

Deliverance - Assimilation
2001/2007, Retroactive

1. The Limitless Light
2. From the Beginning
3. Assimilation
4. The Circle
5. Sell Your Soul...
6. The Search
7. The Learned Man
8. Between 2 Worlds
9. Impressions
10. Save Me From...

I was so happy when I heard that D was recording new material I just couldn't contain myself! I immediately ordered it from Indie Dream as soon as I could and waited weeks and weeks until it came in the mail. It did... I ripped that baby open and was in D heaven! It was almost like they'd never broken up in the first place! Assimilation was an attempt by Jimmy to meld the industrial/electronica of his other band Fearful Symmetry with the D heaviness. I think he did a great job. It's heavy with little hints of industrial but not really a stretch from Camelot at all. Over the years I haven't gone back to this one as much as the others. I think some of the tracks aren't quite as strong, especially "The Search" and "Save Me From...".

The Retroactive reissue comes with a second disc full of demos. I confess I haven't listened to it because I'm usually not a huge demo-type person. I hear they the first tracks that Jimmy recorded using ProTools.

This one is also "Christmas music." A lot of D is "Christmas music" for me.

Useless Fact: I wonder what happened to Indie Dream? They sure disappeared fast! Also... I think there was supposed to be a letter from Pastor Ahyh of yhwh.com printed in the liner notes but got taken out. I wonder why?

Deliverance - "Greetings of Death, Etc."

Deliverance - Greetings of Death, Etc.

2001, M8

1. Victory

2. Greetings of Death

3. No Time

4. J.I.G.

5. Speckled Bird

6. Awake

7. Attack

8. A Space Called You

9. Weapons of Our Warfare

10. This Present Darkness

11. Greetings of Death

12. Rescue

13. Slay the Wicked

14. Solitude

15. 23

16. Radio Interview 1992

I've never been a big fan of demos. I can never get past the sound quality to actually enjoy the music. Granted, this disc is leaps and bounds better than Back in the Day. I did enjoy hearing the Greetings of Death demo that started it all. I was surprised that "Speckled Bird" is a goofy country song, though! This disc also has "Attack" and "A Space Called You" as well as a bunch of Weapons demos. Most of these are instrumentals. I don't ever listen to this at all. Pretty much just have it to say I have all the D discs. Not bad, but not something the casual fan has to have.

Useless Fact: Retroactive rereleased this disc with the exact same cover art except that the D logo is now on it.

Deliverance - "Live at Cornerstone, 2001"

Deliverance - Live at Cornerstone, 2001
2001, M8

1. Intro
2. Stay of Execution
3. Introductions
4. No Time
5. Learn
6. What a Joke
7. Belltown
8. 23
9. Weapons of Our Warfare
10. Thanks
11. Victory
12. Words to the...
13. Sanctuary

As big a fan of Deliverance as I am I'm ashamed to admit I never saw the guys in concert. Thankfully this disc is the next best thing. The band is tight and they play a good selection of songs from all eras of the big D. Jimmy can't quite hit the high notes like he used to, but still puts in a good vocal performance. Makes me wish I was there... I have a set list signed by all the band members that was given to me by a friend at college. Thanks Mac! I've still got it!

Useless Fact: I've heard that the band was upset by the "80's Metal Retro Night" stamped on the disc. I can understand why. This concert was supposed to be something new as the band was just about to release Assimilation. Not to mention that only one or two of these songs were actually written in the 80's.

Deliverance - "Back in the Day: The First Four Years"

Deliverance - Back in the Day: The First Four Years

2000, M8

1. Narration

2. Who Will Save the Children?

3. Stand Up and Fight

4. Narration

5. No Time

6. Narration

7. Talk from the Stage

8. Fortress

9. Deliverance

10. Narration

11. Attack

12. A Space Called You

13. Narration

14. Hold On Tightly

15. J.I.G.

16. Temporary Insanity

It's no secret that I'm a big Deliverance fan. A big fan. So much so that I almost wet myself when I saw this in a store. I thought I was really going to hear some great early D stuff. Keep in mind it had been forever since a new record came out. Unfortunately the sound quality on these tracks is so bad it's unlistenable. Jimmy narrates the story of the first four years of D which is nice for a big fan, but it's not something you'll ever listen to again. Heck, you might not even finish it - the sound is that bad.

Useless Fact: This disc has been released twice with two different covers. I have the first cover. I think I actually like the second better.