EasterInTheBatcave
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Objectivity 86%

Last Active 06-08-18 8:10 pm
Joined 08-11-12

Review Comments 340

Average Rating: 2.77
Rating Variance: 1.38
Objectivity Score: 86%
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5.0 classic
Albert Ayler Spiritual Unity
Alexander von Schlippenbach Pakistani Pomade
Anathema Judgement
Annette Peacock I'm the One
Artur Rubinstein Chopin: The Nocturnes
Bjork Vespertine
Buckethead Electric Tears
Burzum Filosofem
Burzum Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica
Daughters You Won't Get What You Want
Deftones White Pony
Devin Townsend Ocean Machine: Biomech
Devin Townsend Terria
Diamanda Galas The Litanies of Satan
Diamanda Galas Plague Mass
DJ Shadow Endtroducing.....
Duke Ellington Masterpieces By Ellington
Edge of Sanity Crimson
Electric Masada At the Mountains of Madness
Fair to Midland Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True
Frank Sinatra In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra Ultimate Sinatra
Funkadelic Maggot Brain
Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
Godspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞
Jeff Buckley Grace
John Carpenter Halloween 20th Anniversary Edition
John Zorn Kristallnacht
One of the most important records in John Zorn's discography. Kristallnacht marks Zorn's first exploration into his Jewish roots (in his own words, it was "a whole lifetime of denying my Jewish heritage coming out in one piece") and thus laid the groundwork for his subsequent projects covering similar ground, like Masada. Kristallnacht is based on the 'Night of Broken Glass,' which occurred in November 1938 and saw Germans in Germany and Austria destroying Jewish-owned shops and murdering Jewish people. The 11-minute sound collage/noise piece "Never Again" represents the Night itself (it is also pretty much unlistenable, and even Zorn writes in the liner notes that he does not recommend listening to it often or loudly because the high frequencies on it can cause hearing damage). Opener "Shtetl (Ghetto Life)" represents the period before the attacks-- a traditional Klezmer melody is periodically interrupted by German speech throughout the track's runtime. "Gahelet (Embers)" comes after "Never Again" and represents walking through the destruction. The remaining tracks deal with the Jewish people rising again. Rating Kristallnacht is difficult-- it's extremely effective, but it's also, as aforementioned, unlistenable at points.
Kate Bush Hounds of Love
Kayo Dot Choirs of the Eye
Kelly Bailey Half-Life
Laurie Anderson Big Science
Merzbow Venereology
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Mr. Bungle California
Naked City Naked City
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree
Nina Simone Little Girl Blue
Ornette Coleman Science Fiction
Paysage d'Hiver Kerker
Peter Brotzmann Machine Gun
Pierre Henry Messe Pour Le Temps Présent et Musiques Concrètes
This four-part record is an early example of musique concrète (music designed by extracting the musicality from recorded sounds, rather than inputting the music into a traditional instrument). The first section is a score Henry wrote for a ballet, and consists of traditional rock music overlain with effects (interestingly, ?Psyche Rock? was later re-purposed for the Futurama theme). The second section is an intense hodgepodge of electronic effects, clanging, opera vocals, and other varietous noises. The third part is a collection of minimalist ambient tunes, and the last consists of short, sound-driven pieces featuring grinding, stuttering atonality. (?Fievre 1? is especially good.) This is a fantastic starting point for those interested in musique concrète, as it provides a sampling of the different forms the genre can take. It, also, is a fascinating listen in its own right.
Radiohead OK Computer
Ray Lynch Deep Breakfast
Serge Gainsbourg Histoire de Melody Nelson
Strapping Young Lad City
The Stooges Raw Power
Tom Waits Bone Machine
Ulver Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler
Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Yasunao Tone Solo For Wounded CD

4.5 superb
36 and Zake Stasis Sounds For Long​-​Distance...
Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain
Alice Coltrane Journey in Satchidananda
This is an incredible jazz record, featuring Pharoah Sanders on soprano sax and percussion. Inspired by Indian religious teacher Satchidananda Saraswati, it?s a blend of Eastern melody and avantgarde/modal jazz that is much more accessible than that combination suggests. ?Something About John Coltrane? is based on Alice?s husband?s themes; ?Isis and Osiris? is a live track, recorded in New York City in 1970. Entrancing and detailed, with superlative performances, Journey in Satchidananda is a must-listen.
American Football American Football
Andrew Hill Point of Departure
Excellent avantgarde jazz release. For the genre, it's accessible, and thus a good entry point for curious onlookers. Nice mix of the sorrowful ("Dedication") and upbeat ("Flight 19"). The record doesn't take it to a level of intensity that I enjoy most in avantgarde jazz, but I respect the elegant, impassioned performances.
Angelo Badalamenti Twin Peaks
Arcade Fire Funeral
The closest to a 21st century In the Aeroplane Over the Sea we've gotten so far. This really is a modern classic. It's gorgeous, layered, tragic, and hopeful, all at once. The songwriting is often ingenious, with scores of instruments flowing logically along an unpredictable yet cohesive path ("Crown of Love"). It's even catchy, too ("Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", "Rebellion (Lies)"). The only thing holding this back from a 5 are the lyrics, which are sometimes excellent, sometimes not.
Archie Shepp The Magic of Ju-Ju
Astor Piazzolla Tango: Zero Hour
Asturcon Asturcon
At the Drive-In Relationship of Command
Bar Kokhba Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10
Bjork Homogenic
Black Flag My War
Boredoms Vision Creation Newsun
Buckethead Colma
Written for his mother while she lay in a hospital bed, Colma is the first of Buckethead?s many soft outings. It?s also one of the strongest releases in his discography; nearly any song from this record can be counted among his best. The material ranges from acoustic rock (?For Mom?) to solo guitar (?Watching the Boats with My Dad?) to dark ambient (the title track). There are plenty of Buckethead?s idiosyncratic touches, too (the hip-hop flavoured ?Sanctum?, the spacey, delayed guitar-shredder ?Big Sur Moon?). This is a wonderful record.
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band Lick My Decals Off, Baby
The sound here is close to that of Trout Mask Replica, but the product is streamlined. Gone are the a capella poetry recitations and field recordings; instead, we have a comparatively straightforward 40-minute surrealist rock extravaganza. Another notable difference is the presence of just one guitar; guitar ?harmonization? is absent, then, contributing to this effort?s relative coherence. However, Beefheart is still gruff, his lyrics still delightfully abstract; the drums still rollick in idiosyncratic rhythm, hi-hat slurps and toms abound. Overall, Trout is better, but this is a superb follow-up, and really, stripping back the sound was the only route for Beefheart to take after Trout's utter expansiveness.
clipping. Visions of Bodies Being Burned
Cocteau Twins Treasure
Colin Stetson New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges
Fiercely experimental and technically masterful, Colin Stetson's New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is a masterpiece. The entire record was recorded live in single takes, with Stetson utilizing over twenty microphones-- placed in various positions in the studio-- to capture the numerous sounds emitted while playing his baritone sax. The precision and control displayed, and Stetson's utter mastery of circular breathing, is astounding. Laurie Anderson and Shara Worden appear on a few of the tracks here as well, and their contributions are fantastic. Gripping and atmospheric from beginning to end, New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is one of the best records of the decade.
Cryptopsy None So Vile
Darkspace Dark Space III
This, the third Dark Space full length, plays like a combination of the first two. The death metal-inspired riffs which were present on Dark Space I but missing from Dark Space II are back here, and the lengthy walls of sound prevalent on II are here as well. Indeed, this is, overall, the strongest Dark Space record: the atmosphere is as engrossing as ever, there are plenty of stand out moments and melodies, and the (slightly) improved production quality is welcome. The record's only flaw is that, at over 79 minutes, it's just too long. However, the atmosphere is so good that this can be forgiven somewhat, and that blemish doesn't stop Dark Space III from being one of my favourite black metal records.
Darkthrone Under a Funeral Moon
Fenriz thinks of this as Darkthrone's "only true black metal album," which is not a sentiment I agree with. However, it is a sickeningly effective outing. Decidedly simpler than A Blaze in the Northern Sky, with the instrumentation (particularly the drumming) stripped to the bare essentials, Under a Funeral Moon is entirely about atmosphere. That's why this record works as well as it does: it paints a blackened, disparate, and angry picture.
David Bowie Blackstar
David Bowie Low
Dead Can Dance Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Devin Townsend Infinity
Many claim that Infinity is a more 'song-oriented' record than its predecessor, Ocean Machine. However, while I do agree that the album's tracks work well separately, calling Infinity 'song-oriented' undermines its cohesiveness as a record. Though it jumps between moods and styles frequently, no track feels out of place or random. This is partly due to the incredibly good mix, which balances the sometimes near-suffocating layers of music perfectly. It's also due to the high quality of songwriting-- there's no filler here. Infinity is a challenging listen, but with repeated plays the genius behind it emerges. A truly exceptional record.
Devin Townsend Project Deconstruction
Since I first listened to it, Deconstruction has grown on me to the point where it's now among my favourite of Devin's albums. In fact, it is a near classic. The dense arrangements, jarring song structures, and atonal melodies-- especially in the latter half of the record-- may seem random and unlistenable upon the first few spins, however with time it all clicks. Devin sings "take your time" in the title track, and that is exactly what this record needs to make any semblance of sense: time.
Diamanda Galas Diamanda Galas
Somewhat akin to a Litanies of Satan pt. 2. Again, there are two tracks, the second of which is an avantgarde a capella extravaganza, and again the vibe is eerie, unsettling, and frightening. However, that's not to say you'd mistake one record for the other: while equally virtuosic, this one is less claustrophobic and (in its second track at least) more mournful. It also addresses different themes: "Panoptikon" is a rumination on isolation, imprisonment, and torture, whereas "Song from the Blood of Those Murdered" is a lamentation for the victims of Greece's junta regime.
Digable Planets Blowout Comb
Earth Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version
73 minutes of droning guitar and bass that is much more interesting than it sounds. Subtitled 'Special Low Frequency Version,' Earth 2 is an engrossing, foreboding record possessing a palpable and guttural atmosphere and simultaneous undercurrents of dread and recognition.
Faith No More Angel Dust
Falling Up Falling Up
Finch Say Hello to Sunshine
Glassjaw Worship and Tribute
Godflesh Streetcleaner
Streetcleaner is an ugly, grimy, claustrophobic listen. Crushing, heavy songs plod forward unrelentingly and project an oppressive atmosphere that is as compelling as it is uncomfortable. The drum machine is perfectly utilized, adding a mechanical undercurrent to the record that perfectly synthesizes with its soulless presence. Streetcleaner is one of the best metal albums ever recorded.
Gospel The Moon Is a Dead World
Herbie Hancock Head Hunters
Hildegard von Bingen Canticles of Ecstasy
Incapacitants As Loud as Possible
John Zorn Spillane
John Zorn Six Litanies for Heliogabalus
Six Litanies for Heliogabalus features six litanies-- or prayers-- for the infamous Roman emperor Elagabalus, or Heliogabalus. The emperor came to power at the young age of fourteen and, unfortunately, his rule was characterized by odd, cruel, deviant behaviour, which included him prostituting himself and raping a Vestal virgin. With this in mind, the music here is suitably chaotic, featuring a diverse range of styles. Patton's performance is extraordinary, notably his eight minute vocal solo "Litany IV". Pay no attention to those who say he just 'makes puke noises'; that song, and really this whole record, is a vocal masterclass. The other musicians are equally fantastic too. Not only the best Moonchild record, but one of the best in John Zorn's massive catalogue.
John Zorn The Classic Guide to Strategy
A compilation record featuring the first two volumes of "The Classic Guide to Strategy," which were two of Zorn's earliest records (released in 1983 and 1985, respectively). Both volumes are solo Zorn. He plays alto and soprano saxes, Bb and E-flat clarinets, and performs game calls, and he dunks his instruments in water, imitates ducks, and... okay, basically, he uses a lot of experimental techniques. The tracks aren't uninteresting, but at a combined time of seventy-seven minutes, they wear out their welcome. Live, this would be fascinating to witness. On a recording, though, the novelty of: "How is he doing that?" only goes so far.
John Zorn The Big Gundown
John Zorn takes nine Morricone tunes (there's one original track here too) and spins them on their heads, displaying a startling level of creativity in the process. The Big Gundown is varietous to the extreme, and features an incredible array of performers: Big John Patton, Arto Lindsay, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, Diamanda Galas, Vernon Reid (who would later become famous through Living Colour), Melvin Gibbs (Rollins Band), and more. This is at times a challenging listen (the title track, "Metamorfosi (La Classe Operaia Va In Paradiso)"), but it is never pretentious, and there are so many twists and turns that listen after listen proves enjoyable for the new discoveries ensued. The 2000 re-master contains six new tracks, including one with Mike Patton on vocals.
John Zorn Elegy
A tribute to French activist Jean Genet consisting of four chamber music file-card compositions. Very dark, atonal stuff, and not easy listening by any means. Features three members of Mr. Bungle (Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, and William Winnant), but if you're expecting this to sound anything like their material then prepare to be disappointed. "IV: Black" is the best track here. It's basically a dark ambient piece, but it's a very effective one. I dig "I: Blue" and "II: Yellow" also, though not as much. "III: Pink" is too self-indulgent to be entirely enjoyable. Overall, while no place for a Zorn beginner, Elegy is a worthwhile listen.
Kayo Dot Coffins on Io
Kayo Dot Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue
A less immediate record than Choirs of the Eye, but it's along similar lines: lots of genres blended together and experimented with in a mostly lengthy song format. Featured are death-defying vocal screaming excursions ("Gemini Becoming the Tripod"), abrupt lo-fi breakdowns ("Aura on an Asylum Wall"), and repetitious sludge metal ("___on Limpid Form"). This is a difficult, demanding album, but it opens up after multiple listens.
Lingua Ignota Caligula
Love Forever Changes
Masada Live at Tonic 2001
Two discs (each is a different live set) totaling two hours and twenty minutes of music, and this is essential listening. Masada is frighteningly amazing. The unity and synergy between these musicians is nothing short of phenomenal. Zorn and Douglas interlace sax and trumpet, respectively, with effortless wonder; Cohen's bass both grounds and extends the pieces; Baron's drumming is out-of-this-world (listen to the drum solo on "Shamor"... I mean what). Also, only one track is repeated across both sets, and it's "Acharei Mot," which is one of my favourite Masada tracks. This is fantastic real music. Listen and be amazed.
Max Roach We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite is a commentary on black civil rights. The civil rights movement was coming to a head in 1960, and this record functions as one of the most effective artistic statements concerning the issue. The album cover depicts a civil rights meeting, which had become common by this time. The record does a phenomenal job of embodying its concept: "Driva' Man" ingeniously utilizes a 5/4 time signature with a hit on the first beat to imitate a whip cracking, the Protest section of "Triptych" features screaming overtop a drum solo to depict anger, etc. The only flaw is "Out of Africa"-- it goes on far too long.
Merzbow 1930
Meshuggah Nothing (Re-Release)
Mr. Bungle Disco Volante
Disco Volante is an extremely difficult album, even going so far as to require outside research to fully understand it (the "Secret Song" at the end of "Carry Stress in the Jaw", "Merry Go Bye Bye"'s noisy ending, "Nothing"). The record is a completely different experience from its self-titled predecessor; where the former was a deranged circus metal extravaganza, this is an avant-garde mindbender. However, with that said, the two albums do share some qualities; namely, their ingenious melding of numerous, seemingly unrelated genres, and their superb performances. Disco Volante is not an easy listen, but it is a fantastic one. A bold, experimental tour de force. Founding member and saxophonist Theo Lengyel left the band after the release of this record, with Trevor Dunn attributing the parting to the man not growing with the rest of the band, and them running out of things for him to do.
Mr. Bungle Mr. Bungle
Easily one of the most off-the-wall, bizarre records ever released by a major label (indeed, the only reason Bungle was signed in the first place was due to vocalist Mike Patton's involvement in Faith No More, who were at the height of their popularity around this time). Mr. Bungle is an eclectic mish-mash of death metal, circus music, Captain Beefheart-esque sample work, and funk rock. This unexpected conglomeration works-- extremely well-- due to the spirited performances, intelligent if unconventional songwriting, and flawless production (by fellow musical gadfly John Zorn). The lyrics, too, are phenomenally, disgustingly brilliant ("Squeeze Me Macaroni"). One of the best records of the '90s.
Naked City Absinthe
This is an absolutely brilliant dark ambient/musique concrete/noise record from none other than Naked City, the band best known for chaotic, sub-one minute jazzcore compositions. Zorn and co. are masters of atmosphere. They even make the closer "...Rend Fou" interesting, when all it is self-admittedly "six minutes of Frisell and Frith running their guitar jacks over the inputs of their guitars." Best of all, none of these tracks go on too long. I question Zorn's somewhat out-of-place vocal part on "Verlaine: Part One," but aside from that, this is an utterly engrossing, phenomenal work. One of the best dark ambient records of all time.
Napalm Death Scum
On influence alone, Scum deserves a 5. This is the album that invented grindcore and popularized the blast beat, and without it the metal genre would look very different than it does today. Further testament to Scum's strength is that, despite being nearly twenty years old, its songs don't feel dated. Of course, the production is pretty bad, but that comes with the territory-- this album was recorded for almost nothing-- and, actually, the lo-fi-ness works for the vibe of the songs. (I wish the guitars were louder, though.) Scum is one of the most influential metal records of all time, and therefore a must-listen album.
Neurosis Through Silver in Blood
This is an absolutely devastating album, and I mean that in the best possible way. Through Silver in Blood is frighteningly, crushingly heavy. Sludgy, impenetrable, gradually escalating walls of sound pummel at every turn, yet this is hardly brainless. This is meticulously calculated post-metal of the highest order; a true triumph of its genre. The only letdown is the uneventful closing track.
Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is a perfectly paced, expertly constructed record. I didn't always think that, though-- the record took a while to grow on me. Initially, the off-tune vocals were an annoyance; but they, and the rest of the album, made perfect sense after multiple listens. The bottom line is that if you took any song-- or indeed, any moment of music-- off this record, then it would become less effective. Every second here is needed; there is not one wasted moment-- and that is the mark of a truly exceptional album.
Opeth Morningrise
Morningrise features the same lineup as Orchid (though De Farfalla had been promoted from hired hand to permanent member), and was once again produced by Dan Swano. It is also one of Opeth's best albums (if not their their very best). It contains five lengthy tunes which, like Orchid, progress logically from riff to riff, mood to mood, style to style, and never grow dull. "To Bid You Farewell" is a bold, 10-minute, all-clean singing track and one of the band's best works; the relative weak link is "Nectar," but even that one rocks hard. De Farfalla's bass playing is of particular note: unique and spectacularly original, and AUDIBLE! Far better than the cretinous root note-following of most metal bassists.
Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come
Listening today, The Shape of Jazz to Come is not particularly challenging. At the time of its release, though, it was a revolutionary and controversial record. Coleman broke several of jazz's established 'rules.' The record falls between the rigidity of bebop and the chaos of free jazz. The songs begin with a recitation of a theme, then there is a middle section of improvised soling, and then the theme repeats again. That is the bebop influence. The free jazz influence comes from the record's lack of chordal instruments (there is a bass, cornet, sax, and drumset) and Coleman's use of a plastic saxophone, which gives a shrill sound. The Shape of Jazz to Come also features "Lonely Woman," Coleman's only track that became a jazz standard. Ultimately, The Shape of Jazz to Come is a landmark record. It was instrumental in the creation of free jazz and showed the world that rules, even in jazz, were made to be broken.
Paysage d'Hiver Paysage d'Hiver
Chilling, atmospheric black metal. The violin on "Welt aus Eis" is astoundingly brilliant. There are three songs which range from sixteen to nineteen minutes, and quality-wise, it's (I can only imagine deliberately) very lo-fi. Tremolo-picking, blast beats, and shrieking vocals are abound; in that way, it's a typical black metal record. However, the wonderful atmosphere elevates the proceedings.
Paysage d'Hiver Kristall und Isa
Where Paysage's other records sometimes suffer from excessive length, Kristall und Isa is only 38 minutes long. The individual tracks are shorter, too-- at most, seven minutes. This is the punchiest, most aggressive, most immediate Paysage record, and a personal favourite of mine. "Isa" and "Ather" are particularly phenomenal, and the ambient work is on point, too, perfectly balanced with the heavier material.
Paysage d'Hiver Im Wald
Pharoah Sanders Karma
One half-hour long jazz odyssey that is both invigorating and admirable-- but is nonetheless a little too long-- and a shorter second track which serves as a highly accomplished addendum. Overall, this is an excellent blend of avantgarde and spiritual jazz. Sanders destroys his sax (figuratively) on "The Creator Has a Master Plan."
Pig Destroyer Terrifyer
Terrifyer is my favourite grindcore album ever recorded. The guitar riffs are astounding, the production is absolutely perfect, and best of all, there's real emotion in these songs-- you can feel the anger seething in every second. The sample work is fantastic too. The record's only flaw, and the reason it's a 4.5 and not a 5, is that the second half drags. Regardless, Terrifyer is a must-hear record for anyone remotely interested in grindcore, metal, or just emotional, angry music.
Ramleh Hole in the Heart
Suicide Suicide
Sunn O))) Monoliths and Dimensions
The Jesus Lizard Goat
Ulver Perdition City
Atmospherically, Perdition City is reminiscent of a great concrete city bathed in dark, with the occasional beam of moonlight shining through. Musically, it is a unique blend of electronica, trip-hop, avant-garde, jazz, and probably at least ten more genres that I don't know the names of. Needless to say, this is a very unique record; it is also Ulver's first non-black metal record that really satisfies (though it isn't flawless-- the last two tracks don't do much for me). Particularly, "The Future Sound of Music" and "Porn Piece or the Scars of Cold Kisses" are two of Ulver's best songs. Perdition City is a fantastic record.
Violent Femmes Hallowed Ground
Femmes' frontman Gordon Gano is-- it may come as a surprise to some-- a devout Christian. His two bandmates are not; as such, they initially refused to perform the man's overtly religious material. However, through some magic (black magic?) Gano convinced them, and thus we have Hallowed Ground, an underrated, experimental work (featuring John Zorn on track eight), which is miles better than the band's debut. Folk punk, alt rock, and eclectic instrumentation are combined in a distinctly intriguing sonic brew.
Wayne Shorter Speak No Evil
William Shatner Has Been
Let me tell you why Has Been is one of the best albums of the decade: brilliant arrangements that perfectly capitalize on Shatner's grandiose vocal style, a huge amount of variety that ensures the record never gets boring, a perfect balance of self-deprecating humour (the title track, "I Can't Get Behind That") and honest emotion ("That's Me Trying," "What Have You Done"), and the obvious, earnest emotion that went into the project. This record means something to Shatner, and in turn, it means something for listeners, too. The guest performances (Joe Jackson, Henry Rollins, etc.) are great as well. Has Been is phenomenal.
Xiu Xiu Girl with Basket of Fruit

4.0 excellent
Agalloch Marrow of the Spirit
There is a compelling atmosphere on here, and nice riffing ("Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires," "Into the Painted Grey"). (The section with wailed vocals in the middle of "Black Lake Nidstang" deserves special mention, as it is absolutely incredible.) However, closer "To Drown" doesn't really work-- it sounds like they tried for Godspeed-esque, but it's just uninteresting.
Ahmed Abdul-Malik East Meets West
Air Moon Safari
Among my favourite electronic records. Semi-ambient, entirely relaxing, and the songs don't drag on for twenty minutes. The vocals are fantastic, too, stopping the affair from growing tiresome ("All I Need," "You Make It Easy," "New Star in the Sky"). The instrumentals are varied and interesting ("Talisman," "Remember"), but the serene mood is consistent. A superb album.
Al Di Meola Elegant Gypsy
Wonderfully performed guitar-centric rock/jazz/acoustic. The production is absolutely perfect, the songwriting is glorious... it's maybe a bit short, but, seriously, just listen to this thing. "Race with Devil on Spanish Highway" is particularly phenomenal.
Al Green Call Me
Classic soul, groovy as a hardwood floor, with Green's vocals melting like butter atop the sizzling instrumentals. I wish Green belted more, though I suppose that would be inimical to the relaxed vibe. At any rate, this is a must-listen for any music fan (it's widely considered one of the best soul albums ever made).
Alice in Chains Dirt
Dark, intense, and introspective, Dirt is the best grunge album of all-time. Death, drugs, fights, and other personal topics are addressed, and the intense instrumentals, passionate performances, and excellent songwriting provide superlative vehicles for the weighty content. A truly fantastic rock record.
Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion
Annette Peacock X-Dreams
Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works Volume II
A definitive ambient record that, because of the variety present (dark ambient, ambient techno, electronic, and more) is an ideal starting point for ambient noobies. The production is excellent, and the compositions are atmospheric without growing boring. Moments of atonality and lots of intricate layering add exponentially to the experience. Alternately playful, chilling, eerie, and serene, Selected Ambient Works Volume II is a lengthy (156 minute) endeavor, but it's worth the time.
Aretha Franklin I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
Passionate, striking record. Yeah, everyone knows "Respect," but there's so much other great stuff here. There's a reason this is largely considered Aretha's best album.
Bethlehem Dictius Te Necare
A deranged, intense vocal performance combined with atmospheric yet varied instrumentation, good production (for the genre), and songs that never overstay their welcome. Don't let the over-the-top-, borderline parodical album title taint the record for you; this is very good, and, along with Gris' Il ?tait une for?t... and Nyktalgia's self-titled, among the best I've heard in the depressive black metal genre.
Bjork Post
Bjork Debut
Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks
Bob Ostertag Attention Span
The first twenty-six tracks (a section titled 'Slam Dunk') are short and chaotic sound collages featuring John Zorn's saxophone. The last six (titled 'Sleepless') are mostly longer and much slower sound collages featuring Fred Frith's guitar. I suppose the two parts represent day and night? At any rate, this is not a record for the faint of heart. 'Slam Dunk' is basically noise, and 'Sleepless,' while much calmer, is not easy to listen to either. There are some cool sounds here, but it's style over substance (so you can glue bits of sound together; can you use the technique to make something more meaningful?) Also, the Frith tracks have their moments, but are at points overly minimalistic. Overall though, enjoyable.
Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Buckethead In Search Of The - Volume 1: 'I'
The first volume of Buckethead's massive, 13-disc, hand-numbered set is, predictably I suppose, also the best one. It's a wonderful conglomeration of funk jam ("Pollywogs Dancing on a Quilt of Faces") and experimental rock ("Jengamoose", "Appenzel Pointed Hood Hen,") and it even features a 15-minute shredfest ("Sourced Autonomy") which is one Big B's wildest outings. If you only listen to one disc of ISOT, make it this one.
Buckethead Bucketheadland
Buckethead's early output possesses a visceral quality which makes it, to me, utterly engrossing. Bucketheadland is a smorgasboard of genres, effects, and moods, and it exhibits creativity, imagination, and an exploratory drive. Every time I listen to this album, I find myself enamored by the fiendishly original music, and Buckethead's sheer bravery in releasing such an off-the-wall work. I'm not convinced this needed a 2nd disc of dance remixes, and the production quality is somewhat poor, but those issues aside, Bucketheadland is a one-of-a-kind listen.
Buckethead Bucketheadland 2
Eleven years after the first Bucketheadland comes this sequel record, and it is distinctly different from its predecessor. While the original was an eclectic genre mish-mash, Bucketheadland 2 features three kinds of songs: heavy metal distorted guitar shred-athons, acoustic numbers with off-pitch vocals by 'Albert,' and spoken word park announcements. While the latter two categories inspire vitriol in many listeners, I love them-- they contextualize the theme park, and are darkly humorous. The metal songs feature some of Buckethead's best playing, too ("John Merrick - Elephant Man Bones Explosion," "Vladimir Pocket's Incredible Bloated Slunk Show"). Listeners who appreciate unbridled creativity would do well to check this gory wedge out.
Buckethead The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock
Easily one of Buckethead's best albums. Definitely the best of his rock records. The songwriting is top notch, it's consistent all the way through - save the unnecessary hidden track at the end of "Fizzy Lipton Drinks" - and the guitar work is as stellar as ever. Bootsy Collins even shows up for a space bass solo on the phenomenal "Bird with a Hole in the Stomach." The four-part "Lurker at the Threshold" is Buckethead's best 'epic' track ever. But, really, nearly any track from this record can be counted among Buckethead's best, and considering the number of albums he has, that is quite an accomplishment.
Buckethead Kaleidoscalp
A total blast of a record. I love the circuit bending, and there are a ton of fantastic riffs throughout the album that are... well... fantastic. Phenomenal production as well. Granted, "The Sticker on Hallucinogens" is one of Buckethead's worst songs, but it's under two minutes long, and when the rest of the album is as excellent as it is, its presence is just a minor blemish. The record's other flaw is that some of the songs get lost in the shuffle ("Breakfast Cyborg," "Rack Maintenance") but the whole album is so creative and unique that, again, this flaw can be forgiven somewhat.
Buckethead Pike 13
Pike #13 is something completely new for Buckethead. This is emobided in the record cover-- a photograph of the man himself, as a child, hugging his father. This is the first time that Big B has ever intentionally exposed himself to the public without his trademark mask and bucket, and thus before you even turn on the CD it feels like a watershed moment. And, once the music does begin, you'll find that it truly is, as out of your speakers will arise the most solemn and heartfelt material ever released by Buckethead (or, at least since Electric Tears). A gorgeous theme occurs throughout the disc and comprises the first and last tracks entirely; as such, I believe this is a CD meant to be heard in one sitting. This works to the album's advantage, though; it's not a long record, and I can safely say that the guitar playing is among the most expressive I've ever heard. Indeed, this album reads as a series of dirges for Buckethead's father, and gorgeous ones they are.
Buckethead 28 Days Til Halloween: The Insides of the Outsides
Buckethead 31 Days Til Halloween: Visitor From The Mirror
Buckethead 24 Days Til Halloween: Screaming Scalp
Buckethead 18 Days Til Halloween: Blue Squared
Buckethead 12 Days Til Halloween: Face Sling Shot
Buckethead 5 Days Til Halloween: Scrapbook Front
Burzum Burzum
Burzum's first record is an atmospheric masterpiece, captivating from beginning to end and undoubtedly one of the best black metal albums ever recorded. It's difficult to articulate just how this record achieves such an engrossing atmosphere, but through some combination of its lo-fi production, hypnotic but never boring instrumentation, and tortured vocals, it does. Countless black metal bands have adopted this formula and tried to obtain the same result; very few have succeeded. Burzum is a phenomenal record and absolutely essential listening for not just black metal fans, but music lovers in general.
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band Safe As Milk
Beefheart's debut is an angular, psychedelic blues rock record and one of his most straightforward pieces. It's slightly uneven, but some of the compositions are absolutely phenomenal ("Zig Zag Wanderer," "Call on Me," "Autumn's Child") and the originality and boldness of these tunes is admirable. Beefheart's vocals are excellent, too, growling and snarling, and even, on occasion, crooning ("I'm Glad"). The CD version features seven mostly lengthy bonus tracks which are fine, but not as good as the main album material.
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band Doc at the Radar Station
Casualties of Cool Casualties of Cool
Casualties of Cool is difficult to describe because it sounds unlike any other record I've ever heard. No, this is not Ki 2. Devin's description of the album as resembling "haunted Johnny Cash songs" is about as good a summation as can be. Even conceptually it is remarkably unique: it uses the country genre to tell the story of someone without a country-- someone who travels through time and space. Suffice it to say, this a record which you should hear as soon as you possibly can. It is the best album of 2014 and further establishes Devin Townsend as one of today's most accomplished, and ingenious, musicians.
clipping. CLPPNG
Noisy, experimental, and featuring some really great lyrics, CLPPNG is one of my favourite records of the year. I love the unorthodox instrumentation (the alarm clock on "Get Up," the metallic clangs and chainsaw samples on "Body & Blood," "Work Work"'s glassy, glitchy backing), the lyrics (as aforementioned), and the production. The noise track which closes the record ("Williams Mix") is really awesome too. Though there a couple of overlong or otherwise underwhelming songs, CLPPNG is still an excellent release.
clipping. There Existed an Addiction to Blood
Constance Demby Novus Magnificat: Through The Stargate
Cynic Traced in Air
I, on the one hand, applaud this album's brevity; on the other, I feel it needs another track or two. The material that is here is entirely compelling, though, with tight performances and wonderful production that accentuates the 'airy' (sorry, but it's the right word) arrangements. Traced in Air is a wondrously involving metal record, which refreshingly-- unlike so much else in the genre-- doesn't rely on overblown technicality or needlessly triggered double kick drums to get its point across.
Damien Dubrovnik Great Many Arrows
Dan Wentz Red Faction Soundtrack
Fantastic electronic rock/ambient soundtrack. I've got a lot of nostalgia attached to this one. "Imperious Consecution" and "Calm / Storm" are especially good. Fans of Kelly Bailey's Half-Life soundtrack, and Chris Jensen's soundtracks for Half-Life: Opposing Force and Half-Life: Blue Shift, will dig this.
Daniel Levin/Ingebrigt Haker Flaten/Chris Corsano Spinning Jenny
Danny Brown Atrocity Exhibition
Danny Brown XXX
Dark Tranquillity The Gallery
Darkspace Dark Space II
Dark Space I contained a few actual "riffs" (or parts which you could tap your foot to, anyway). Dark Space II tones this element down and instead takes the wall-of-sound concept even further than its predecessor. The length has been shortened for this release-- 54 minutes vs. the 76 of Dark Space I-- which is a good thing, and the atmosphere is still very absorbing. However, the record is overly repetitious at times, and the samples are very difficult to decipher, which is a disappointment. (Special mention to "Dark 2.10," though, which is an incredible track and one of my favourites from the band.)
Darkspace Dark Space III I
Dark Space III I continues the trend of better production values which has henceforth characterized the band's discography. However, it also sees the group experimenting with their established sound: namely, electronic influence in the drums, less vocals, and more abrupt changes from heavy to soft. While of the former two I possess mixed feelings, the latter works well; the sudden changes help distinguish between sections. The twenty-seven minute opener is a little overlong, but nonetheless Dark Space III I succeeds at creating a dark, cold atmosphere that I find myself more than willing to return to. More listens will determine whether this, or the band's previously assumed magnum opus, Dark Space III, is the superior record.
Darkspace Dark Space I
An album this dense and detailed would be tiring at half the length, and therein lies Dark Space I's biggest problem: it's too long for its own good. However, the atmosphere is really, really excellent (very dark and cold), the ambient passages are great, and the sample work is cool too. All in all, this is an excellent black metal record, marred only by an excessive runtime.
Darkthrone Transilvanian Hunger
Transilvanian Hunger is one of black metal's most seminal releases, often regarded by critics as among the genre's best. For the most part, this reputation is well-deserved: the production is lo-fi, but not overly so, the performances are solid, and the atmosphere is engrossing. It drags in the second half, though, and more variation from the rhythm section would have spiced things up. Nonetheless, Transilvanian Hunger is a fantastic release, and a must-hear for black metal fans.
Darkthrone A Blaze in the Northern Sky
Abandoning the death metal of Soulside Journey, Darkthrone dive full throttle into second wave black metal and in the process come to, at least partially, define that term. Some remnants of death metal influence remain-- chunky chugging riffs, heavy breakdowns-- but they are covered in a thick layer of fuzz and sandwiched between furious sections of buzzsaw tremolo picking, the likes of which should be familiar to black metal fans. This album is over-the-top in spots (the laughing vocal that kicks off "In the Shadow of the Horns"), but is nonetheless effectively cold and atmospheric.
David Garland Control Songs
In the liner notes, Garland calls these 'control songs' "songs about our need, avoidance, and manipulation of that sense of control which we all use to help us function." Musically, this is a varietous and unique listen featuring genres as diverse as noise, spoken word, avantgarde, and electronic. The lyrics are often brilliant ("Keep in Touch") and the production is interesting (the manipulated vocals on "I Am with You"). Overall, Control Songs is a fascinating album that will grow on you with every listen. I've never heard anything quite like it before.
Death Grips The Money Store
Death Grips Exmilitary
Angry, chaotic, noisy, and wholly original rap from one of the most exciting active bands today. The production is impeccable, balancing the borderline cacophonous sound layers with precision, and MC Ride's vocals are impassioned and unique.
Death Grips The Powers That B - Part I: Niggas on the Moon
Death Grips No Love Deep Web
Deftones Saturday Night Wrist
Depending on what day you ask me, I might call this superior to White Pony. It's certainly a more eclectic listen: the electronic "Pink Cellphone" and the shoegaze instrumental "U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, A, B, Select, Start" make that much clear. Beyond that, though, this is simply chalk full of phenomenal songs ("Hole in the Earth," "Beware," "Cherry Waves," "Xerces," "Rats! Rats! Rats!"), spot-on production, and inspired performances. This is a brave, engrossing listen from start to finish.
Devin Townsend Project Ghost
Ghost is another spectacularly realized vision from Devin. It's his softest album, and also one of his most beautiful. The production is absolutely incredible. Really, the album's only flaw is that it's a little too long. However, the wealth of amazing material here more than makes up for such an oversight. Indeed, the first half of the record in particular is incredibly strong, and with stunning tracks like "Dark Matters" and "Seams" in the second, that half is hardly poor either. Ghost is a truly wonderful record and yet another exceptional addition to Devin's discography.
Devin Townsend Project Addicted
One of my most-played Devin releases, Addicted is a blast from start-to-finish. Its songwriting and production, unlike some of Devin's later forays into the pop-metal genre, never go too over-the-top, Anneke is utilized perfectly on the record, and the whole thing flows very well (the end of "Awake" is one of my favourite send-offs of any album ever). The only flaw I can find with Addicted is the opening title track: I have never dug it as much as the other songs here. Nonetheless, Addicted is a near 5, and a record I know I can always turn too.
Diamanda Galas At Saint Thomas the Apostle Harlem
Diamanda Galas Saint of the Pit
Not as challenging as Diamanda's past work. The first track is an instrumental piece, and after that nothing gets really weird until the last song, which sounds like an audio recording of an exorcism. This record shows off the more 'normal' side of Diamanda's voice well, though ("Deliver Me," "Artemis"). Saint of the Pit isn't unenjoyable, and the atmosphere it conjures is effectively creepy. It's just, overall, less striking than some of Diamanda's other work.
Diamanda Galas You Must Be Certain of the Devil
You Must Be Certain of the Devil is an unremittingly dark record (save the over-the-top title track). It is also the most 'song-oriented' of Diamanda's albums. "Double-Barrel Prayer" sparked controversy for its music video, which was banned by MTV and named the most offensive video of the year (1988). Opener "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is an insanely virtuosic a capella piece, and closer "The Lord Is My Shepherd" is also a capella, albeit of a much creepier and understated nature. The songs in between are atmospheric and unsettling, with minimal instrumentation to allow Diamanda's voice space to operate. Fantastic.
Divination Ambient Dub Volume 1
Dog Fashion Disco Adultery
Adultery is a versatile chameleon of a record, and a blast from start to finish. Cross genre-pollination is abound: the record features morbid country laments ("Desert Grave"), Bungle-esque weirdo metal ("Moonlight City Drive"), spoken word atmospheric scene-setters ("Private Eye"), and more. I actually wish it was longer, though that's just because it's so good. A fantastic, underrated, blood-soaked gem.
Dog Fashion Disco Erotic Massage (Redux)
Doris Day Love Me or Leave Me
Electric Masada 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Four
Utterly fantastic music from this octet supergroup. 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Four is a fantastic place for rock fans looking to get into jazz to start, because it is essentially jazz mixed with a ton of other genres, including noise, ambient, and (yes) rock. Oh yeah, and it's all performed live, too (amazingly-- this is incredibly tight). The last three songs slow things down too much-- a heavier track would be appreciated in this stretch-- but nonetheless 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Four is a must hear.
Electric Wizard Dopethrone
This is is a noisy, layered, and aggressive record that is more ambitious then it lets on. Indeed, through its distorted, hazy production, sludgy downtuned riffage, and repetitious nature, it successfully encapsulates the stoner metal genre. Despite that repetition, it never gets boring, though - this is a superb example of using riffs to create an engrossing atmosphere rather than create bombast, in the tradition of the best black metal and post-rock. The vocals are excellent, too, alternately melodious and furious.
Envy The Fallen Crimson
Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch!
Erik Friedlander Volac: Book of Angels Volume 8
Erik Friedlander is a one man band on this, the eighth volume of John Zorn's Book of Angels series. More aggressive solo cello pieces are alternated with softer ones from track-to-track on here, and Friedlander is equally adept at both. I love how you can hear his breathing in the background of some of the songs. It drags slightly at points, but overall Volac is a fantastic record filled with wonderful performances of Zorn's compositions.
Estradasphere It's Understood
It's Understood is an ironic title. The record covers genres as diverse as jazz, chiptune, death metal, and bluegrass, and in that way tries hard to not be understood. The cover art supports this idea-- a young man who has willingly shaved the top of his head bald, thus adopting a hairstyle commonly thought undesirable. Most would not understand why he would do this. Anyway, the music on It's Understood is utterly fantastic. Wildly creative, diverse, and it never takes itself too seriously. The members of Estradasphere are all phenomenal musicians, as evidenced by their ability to play so many different styles of music so well. Not quite a 5-- the mixing of the metal parts isn't great, and the closing track drags a bit-- but a jaw-dropping listen nonetheless.
Estradasphere Palace Of Mirrors
Estradasphere's final record is also their best. Unlike the band's previous albums, Palace of Mirrors is an entirely instrumental affair. Thus, the band's stunning musicianship is on full display, and this is a good thing. Furthermore, the production is the best of any of their albums. Finally, the metal parts sound good! With Palace of Mirrors, Estradasphere has also matched their genre defying sound(s) with atmosphere. While the album covers a multitudinous number of genres (jazz, metal, orchestral, industrial, etc.), like all of their releases, each piece works in conjunction with the others. The whole thing feels like the score for a film. It drags slightly towards the end, but nonetheless Palace of Mirrors is a major triumph.
Eugene Chadbourne and John Zorn School
This, the first record that John Zorn ever appeared on (!), is free improv featuring not just Eugene Chadbourne, but a host of other musicians too (Henry Kaiser, Polly Bradfield, LaDonna Smith, etc.) It is a dual disc release: the first disc features improv pieces with Chadbourne on a variety of guitars, accompanied by one or more of the musicians; the second contains three takes of Zorn's game piece "Lacrosse." All of the music is decidedly abstract, relying on tone and texture rather than melody, and utilizing stark transitions. The "Lacrosse" takes use silence particularly effectively, dropping out entirely before roaring back with atonal effects and shrill saxophone squeals. This is no place for a Zorn beginner, but it's an enjoyable hour-and-a-half for the adventurous ear.
Fantomas Delìrium Còrdia
First of all, this is not your typical album. It's one song that is almost one and a quarter hours long. Immediately all hope of this album ever being accepted into the mainstream or played on the radio is smashed. So, what's left? Well, this album is intended to be the audio equivalent of surgery without anesthesia-- an interesting idea. The record is a combination of ambient, metal, noise, and many other genres. Patton doesn't "sing" in the traditional sense-- there are no lyrics, but rather moans of pain, humming, yelps, and assorted freak-outs. The other instruments aren't as upfront as they are on the other Fantomas albums, with the exception of maybe the drums (at 30:30 there is a drum solo). The big problem with this album is replayability. I rarely find myself coming back to it, partly due to the length, and partly because of its weirdness. Also, the fact that the final nineteen minutes are the same repetitive tracking noise over and over again is very annoying. Delirium Cordia is unlike anything you'll ever hear, in both good and bad ways.
Fantomas Fantômas
Highly imaginative avant-garde metal from Mike Patton. He wrote all of the music, then recruited Trevor Dunn from Mr. Bungle, Buzz from the Melvins, and Dave Lombardo from Slayer to help him realize his vision. Thirty (mostly) short songs, no lyrics (vocals are treated as another instrument), quick changes, lots of samples and metal riffage. It all blurs together save a few moments, and subsequent Fantomas releases are better, but nonetheless the self-titled record is a worthwhile listen.
Frank Zappa Hot Rats
The aural equivalent of walking into a strip club at 10:30 PM, when the sky is purple and vascular and the clouds are orange, rapidly disappearing. A musclebound bouncer takes your red leather trenchcoat and you remove your bright yellow aviators and observe the bouncing, bodacious boobies and drunken sailors screaming slurred obscenities. The floor is filthy, the walls are sweating, everybody's skin looks pale blue beneath the cheap lights... yeah, that's what this album is like. You should listen to it.
Full of Hell and Merzbow Full of Hell and Merzbow
Gezan ç‹‚(KLUE)
God Possession
Possession crushes listeners beneath pounding, repetitive rhythms comprised of mountainous drums, thick guitars, and ? idiosyncratically ? jazzy alto saxophone courtesy of John Zorn. The record?s bludgeoning, soulless attack is reminiscent of Godflesh, though the experimental underpinnings distinguish it. ?Black Jesus?, a noisy, haunting atmospheric piece, exemplifies this, as do the assorted free jazz influences.
Goldie Timeless
Gris Il Était Une Forêt...
A stunningly effective depressive black metal record. The production is suitably lo-fi, the vocals are phenomenally emotive, and the melodies are perfectly forlorn. The songwriting is nuanced-- there are acoustic melodies often centered between the walls of distortion, and the tracks build to heart-wrenching climaxes.
Gustav Holst The Planets, Op. 32
Helen Merrill Helen Merrill
Incapacitants Survival of the Laziest
Infectious Organisms Human Experience
The lyrics are both thought-provoking and rhythmically-inclined, the instrumentals are deliberate and measured, and the songs are sufficiently differentiated so as to sound neither disparate or clone-like; yes, Human Experience is an excellent hip-hop record. Great for night-time listening, or for whenever you're in the mood for some jazzy, laid back grooves.
ISIS Panopticon
Post-metal of the highest order. The cover art is a perfect summation of the vibe: overarching, epic, and naturalistic. Vocals are used sparingly, and long instrumental passages embody vast, damp plains and barren tundras. This is an involved listen, but it's a highly accomplished one too.
Jimmy Eat World Clarity
A huge step up from Static Prevails. Clarity is a wonderfully constructed record, varietous enough to hold attention but maintaining a consistent theme and flow. The production is fantastic, the strings are integrated excellently, and the performances are great (particularly Jim Adkins, who has taken over all of the lead vocal duties [besides the up-tempo "Blister"]). The record isn't all excellent-- "Goodbye Sky Harbor" goes on for way too long, "Table for Glasses" doesn't do much for me, and "Lucky Denver Mint" is mostly uninteresting-- but Clarity is nonetheless a masterful work, which I highly recommend.
John Carpenter Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998
John Zorn Locus Solus
Four different parts, each played by a different trio, make up Locus Solus-- a record comprised entirely of no-wave improvisational compositions. Zorn is the only constant, though the record isn't as fragmented as would be expected from that fact. The album is also surprisingly engaging. It is a difficult, atonal listen, but manages to stay interesting for over an hour. Zorn himself, looking back on this record (it is one of his first) called it 'weird,' and if the man himself says that, you know it's really, really weird.
John Zorn 50th Birthday Celebration, Volume 9
John Zorn Astronome
Astronome consists of three very long songs, each of which contain multiple 'scenes'-- though it's impossible to tell when one scene ends and the next begins. Musically, this is similar to the other Moonchild recordings; it is fiercely experimental, and combines metal, free jazz, classical, and numerous other genres into one demented, noisy brew. Because of the track lengths, this is likely the most inaccessible of the Moonchild recordings, however it is musically sound and mostly holds my attention. Furthermore, the performances from Patton, Dunn, and Baron are predictably top notch.
John Zorn Rimbaud
Four diverse tracks, each a sonic representation of a different work by 19th century French poet Arthur Rimbaud. "Illuminations" is an interesting (if overlong) track: the piano part is fully notated, whereas the rhythm section is improvised. "Conneries" is one of Zorn's infamous file card pieces-- it features the French actor/director Mathieu Almaric yelling/speaking Rimbaud's words over Zorn's eclectic instrumentation. "A Season in Hell" is a noise track, and "Bateau ivre" is a fascinating, endlessly shifting modern classical piece. Overall, Rimbaud is excellent.
John Zorn Duras: Duchamp
Fascinating material: two long tracks, the first of which is a mostly relaxed, though somewhat uneasy, modern classical piece, and the second of which is a sporadic avantgarde number made up of 69 "paroxysms," or small parts. Static, beeping, water slurps, and more are interposed with passages of silence. Excellent release.
John Zorn Bar Khokba
One of Zorn's most seminal records, Bar Kokhba is a double-disc release featuring chamber music and solo renditions of a selection of Zorn's Masada tracks. Though it doesn't all work-- "Mochin" is a dreary thirteen minute guitar excursion-- there is remarkable musicianship and variety to the proceedings. The genres present are modern classical, jazz, and avantgarde-- but it's all very listenable, with none of the screeching noise prevalent on many of Zorn's other projects (which will undoubtedly be a disappointment to some). The Zorn-led Bar Kokhba Sextet derived their name from this record.
John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Rob Burger, Bill Laswell, Mike Patt The Stone: Issue One
Free improv doesn't get much better than this. A veritable supergroup (Zorn, Laswell, Patton, Douglas, Burger, and Perowsky) performed at Zorn's New York music space 'The Stone' in 2006, and this was the result. The 48-minute record is really one long track split into parts,; it ranges from beautiful and serene ("Introduction," "Postlude") to chaotic and noisy ("Interlude 1," "Part Two"). The performance is not dominated by any one member; aspects of each player (Zorn's sax, Laswell's dub influence) are audible in good proportion (though I would have liked to hear more of Patton). It also manages to mostly avoid the meandering and/or self-involved nature that free improv often suffers from. An excellent release.
Karlheinz Stockhausen Hymnen
Stockhausen began collecting recordings of the national anthems in 1964, and in 1969 released Hymnen (German for anthems). Hymnen consists of four pieces (or 'regions') in which Stockhausen manipulates the anthems electronically. They are sped up, slowed down, rearranged, remodulated; essentially, morphed beyond recognition. Stockhausen wrote Hymnen to "accentuate the subjectivity of peoples in a time when uniformity is all too often mistaken for universality" and also to enlighten the public as to the, in the 1960's, new world of electronic music. Listeners' familiarity with the anthems provides them easy access into the world, and thus appreciation for the techniques utilized. In Stockhausen's words, "the more self-evident the What, the more attentive one becomes to the How." Other sounds Stockhausen recorded, such as public events, crowd noises, and conversations, are utilized as well. Hymnen is therefore an early example of musique concrete. Consider also the time period in which Stockhausen was writing. World War II was still fresh in the minds of those alive in the 1960's, and as one of the foremost German artists of the time, Stockhausen was looked to to make a statement about it-- about the rebuilding of Germany after the devastation, economically and morally, the war had caused. Hymnen is nearly two hours long and is a fairly difficult listen. It is also one of the most revered works of the 20th century. For a complete guide to the work, check out: http://home.earthlink.net/~almoritz/hymnenguide.htm .
Katatonia Brave Murder Day
A heavy, sorrowful atmosphere permeates every second of Brave Murder Day. Featuring the vocals of Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt, this is phenomenal death doom metal with fantastic texture ("Rainroom") and haunting vibes ("Day").
Katy Carr Screwing Lies
This is an absurdly underrated release. Carr?s voice is clear, powerful, and expressive; the instrumentation is superb (?Ramble My Rose?, ?Marmalade Duke?); and the record possesses a unique atmosphere, akin to slinking around a cobweb-ridden house. The title track, too, is a masterful tune, at once trepidatious, wishful, and earnest.
Kayo Dot Blue Lambency Downward
Ken Nordine Colors
Kjjjjjjjjj Centro De Dispersión
Kronos Quartet Winter Was Hard
Lawrence Butch Morris Current Trends in Racism in Modern America
Frank Lowe and John Zorn are amongst the lineup for this 1986 free improv release, conducted by Butch Morris. Morris uses his 'conduction' method here, which he writes is: "conducted improvisation" signifying the "the physical aspect of communication and heat." Essentially, this means the conductor does not dictate the musicians, but is, rather, a component of the improv. The musical result of this arrangement is a jump-cut-laden hodgepodge of saxophone squawks, vocal gymnastics, and even a hip-hop interlude. Hardly easy listening, but worthwhile for the adventurous ear.
Lingua Ignota ALL BITCHES DIE
Lingua Ignota Let the Evil of His Own Lips Cover Him
London Philharmonic Orchestra The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music
Fifty excellent classical selections performed predictably well by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. If you're looking to get into classical music, then look no further: you'll undoubtedly recognize at least some of these pieces, and those that you don't will enthrall too. It's nigh impossible for a collection like this to be completely incisive, but The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music does an admirable job.
Lou Reed Transformer
Lovage Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By
I love this record. Fantastic production, consistent flow, and Patton and Charles' vocals are both phenomenal. Charles is so good, in fact, that she almost steals the show. "Sex (I'm A)" and "Strangers on a Train" prominently feature her seductive, mellifluous voice, and man, are they ever good. Patton likewise shines on "Anger Management." My one complaint are the interludes-- they don't add much. Nonetheless, Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is an atmospheric, engaging listen.
Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier Malphas: Book of Angels Volume 3
Book of Angels Volume 3 features eleven violin and piano duets. It is the strongest Book of Angels so far. The performances are fantastic, the production is impeccable, and there is a good mix between melodious and chaotic material. Some of the longer tracks lose a little steam, but this is an excellent record with some truly great material (opener "Azriel," "Rigal," "Sammael").
Mark Mancina Twister
Masada 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Seven
Masada come alive on this one-- bursting with energy, creativity, and sheer musical joy, this seventh volume of John Zorn's 50th Birthday Celebration is among the collection's finest. Lest anyone forgot Zorn's prodigious saxophone abilities, they are here on full, glorious display. The rhythm section-- Joey Baron on drums, Greg Cohen on bass-- get well-deserved spotlight time, too. The formula is the same as other Masada compositions-- a Masada theme, followed by improvisation, followed by the theme again-- but the wildly passionate performances set this disc apart.
Masada String Trio Haborym: Book of Angels Volume 16
This is the Masada String Trio's second entry in the Book of Angels series, and it is another excellent addition to it. Indeed, it is a stronger record than Azazel, their first entry-- in particular, "Tycharaga," "Bat Qol," and "Raamiel" are some of the trio's finest songs. And those swelling strings in the middle of "Gamrial" are so fantastic. There's not much more to say about Haborym-- if you liked Azazel, or really any of the other Books of Angels, you'll like this one too.
maudlin of the Well Bath
Elegantly composed, original, and engaging, Bath is one of the best prog metal records that I've ever heard. It combines multiple genres, moods, and instruments in a fluid, breathtaking way. It is refreshingly confident, too, not rushing riffs and sections, but rather taking time to build suspense (the 7-minute opener). This is a wonderful album that any progressive music fan should not be without.
Melvins A Walk With Love And Death
Love is an awesomely entertaining disc of noise, sound collage, and musique concrete, replete with enthralling textures and moments of levity ("Scooba"). Death is a more straightforward collection of rock tunes, but it's equally engaging. The adventurous ear will find a lot to like here; the opposite will be the poorer.
Melvins Houdini
Merzbow Music for Bondage Performance
Merzbow/Hexa Achromatic
Meshuggah Destroy Erase Improve
Destroy Erase Improve is often regarded as both the first 'true' Meshuggah album and Meshuggah's defining record. This is because, while the thrash metal of Contradictions Collapse is still present, that style is blended with the djent-style the band created and is known for today. Really, Destroy Erase Improve is a transitional album. It's not as cold and mechanical as its follow-up, Chaosphere, but it is certainly moreso than its predecessor. Overall, this is a consistently enjoyable record. It manages to hold listener attention for most of its duration (tracks eight and nine are the exceptions), and conceptually it is strong as well. The title refers to the band breaking down their sound and redefining themselves. There's even some dark humour in the "Acrid Placidity" song title-- it being the only clean track on the record.
Meshuggah Chaosphere
"Corridor of Chameleons" and "Sane" both use the same fake fade out trick, "New Millennium Cyanide Christ" ends on a long fadeout, and the end of "Elastic" is just noise and then all the songs from the album played overtop of each other for the last fourteen minutes. Coupled with album's already short running time, those facts lead to Chaosphere feeling a little lazy. Still, there are some fantastic tracks ("Concatenation," "The Mouth Licking What You've Bled") and the band is as technically impressive as ever. Plus, the mechanical, soul-crushing atmosphere is effective.
Michael Gordon Trance
Miles Davis On the Corner
Miles Davis In a Silent Way
Milford Graves and John Zorn 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Two
Killer live free jazz. Just drums and sax, aside from some rhythmic, probably un-mic'd vocals that appear periodically ("Deep Within"). The energy is palpable-- you can visualize Zorn's veins bursting and sweat flying off Graves as the pair rattle and thrash their way through these chaotic, improvised compositions. This thing has got one speed: go. It's even manic in its comparatively quiet moments ("Smooth Interaction").
Morente Omega
Nails Unsilent Death
Naked City Torture Garden
Torture Garden is actually a compilation CD containing all of the 'hardcore miniatures' from Naked City's self-titled record and their subsequent release Grand Guignol. Thus, if you own those two albums, there's no point in having this one as well-- there's no new content here. However, if you have never heard Naked City, or if you don't own one of the two aforementioned records, then Torture Garden is certainly worthy of your time. It's a 22-minute blast of combined jazz and grindcore that is wholly entertaining for the entirety of its short runtime.
Naked City Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e: or, death by 1,000 cuts. The ancient Chinese torture method, only outlawed as recently as 1905. That is what this record attempts to capture, sonically, and it's hard to imagine an album doing a better job. Leng Tch'e is a disturbing, heavy listen, consisting of one thirty-one minute avant-garde sludge metal song; essentially, the exact opposite of the genre-hopping that characterized the band's earlier work. While the song starts off with only guitar feedback and other background sounds, it develops into a slow, oppressively dark riff, and then Yamatsuka Eye is screaming and John Zorn's sax is squealing, and then... it's over. Leng Tch'e is an extremely difficult listen, but that is because of how well it captures its concept. Not a record to listen to every day, but one that accomplishes its mission.
Nero di Marte Immoto
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds The Good Son
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Let Love In
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Tender Prey
Niechec Niechec
Nightwish Oceanborn
No Use for a Name The Daily Grind
Nyktalgia Nyktalgia
Don't let the over-the-top cover art fool you. Nyktalgia is a superb black metal record, replete with quality guitar work and a compelling atmosphere. The vocal work is excellent-- very Burzum-esque. "Lamento Larmoyant" is my favourite track, but all four are good, and most impressively, the album never gets boring despite the heavy repetition.
Opeth Still Life
Still Life was recorded in a rushed manner. Songs were constructed in the studio, there was minimal rehearsal time; it's remarkable how, given this circumstance, Opeth managed to craft one of the best metal records of all time. Opener "The Moor" is among the best tracks in their catalogue, featuring a series of superlative guitar riffs and beautiful clean passages; "Benighted" and "Face of Melinda" are utterly phenomenal clean-centric ballads; "Serenity Painted Death" is an unrelentingly heavy, masterfully constructed headbanger. The concept is woven expertly into the music, too, perfectly supported by the instrumentation and discernible all the way through-- these are Akerfeldt's strongest lyrics. Closer "White Cluster" is the only letdown; it's just not as interesting as the rest of the songs.
Opeth Orchid
Opeth's debut is perennially underrated. Yes, the songs are basically riff parades, but they are thoughtful riff parades; the songs progress logically, with feeling, and the riffs themselves are of an incredibly high-caliber ("In the Mist She Was Standing"). The other excursions work too (piano solo "Silhouette," performed by drummer Anders Nordin, who reportedly recorded it in but a few takes due to time constraints). The production, courtesy of Dan Swano, is rougher than the band's usual, but this semi-black metal aesthetic provides welcome grit to the proceedings. The performances would become tighter on subsequent releases, but there is creativity and boldness here which provide Orchid a majestic, engaging air.
Opeth Blackwater Park
Orchid Chaos is Me
OSI Blood
Criminally underrated progressive rock record. Kevin Moore's dry vocal delivery, the delicate synthwork, and Gavin Harrison's remarkable drum performance combine for an atmospheric near-masterpiece. There's great variety on Blood, from catchy metal ("The Escape Artist"), to synth-driven mood pieces ("Terminal,") to mind-bending effect twisters ("Microburst Alert").
Otoboke Beaver Itekoma Hits
Oxbow Thin Black Duke
PainKiller Execution Ground
Pharoah Sanders Tauhid
The opener takes nine minutes to really begin, and while I can easily see some being put off by the length of this introduction, I enjoy it. It's a long, uncertain storm, and at nine minutes the clouds part and a beautiful melody enters. Great stuff. "Japan," the second track, is only three-and-a-half minutes; as has been noted by others, it comes from the right place, but it's ultimately pretty useless. The closer gets things back on track, though. It's a three-part odyssey, and the most energetic piece here. Ultimately, this is a short and flawed, but nonetheless enjoyable, jazz record.
Pig Destroyer Prowler in the Yard
Lacks the pristine production of the band's later work, but the ferocity and startlingly effective lyrics are intact. The closing quartet, while still heavy, breaks from the short grindcore bursts of songs previous, including an almost catchy riff-fest ("Hyperviolet") and a lengthy ambient outro ("Piss Angel"). A grindcore staple, and with good reason. Perhaps one of the eeriest, most disturbing records ever.
Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet
Fear of a Blank Planet is a truly outstanding record. It flows incredibly well, is produced brilliantly, and contains a host of phenomenal performances-- most notably Gavin Harrison, who gives potentially my favourite drum performance of any record ever. The lyrics are relevant, memorable, and delivered with just the right combination of passion and apathy by Steven Wilson. It's also exactly the right length for the material. Overall, Fear of a Blank Planet is one of the best records of the 2000's.
Praxis Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)
A creative genre bender. The songs here switch genres, Naked City-esque, at the drop of a hat ("Blast/War Machine Dub," which transitions from shreddy thrash metal to dub). Wonderfully performed and filled with exciting compositions ("Crash Victim/Black Science Navigator," "The Interworld and the New Innocence") and Buckethead performs some jaw-dropping guitar work ("Seven Laws of Woo"). The only misfire is "After Shock (Chaos Never Died)," which contains a monotonous 12-minute organ solo.
Prurient Casablanca Flamethrower
Punky Bruster Cooked on Phonics
Radiohead A Moon Shaped Pool
With time, this may become one of Radiohead's beloved upper pantheon. It's a grower, that much is clear; in the four months since its release my appreciation for it has only increased. It's a measured, melancholic record, featuring the phenomenal production and lyrics-- and cerebral songwriting-- expected of the band. It's at once tense and hopeful, a coiled mouse in a corner at sunrise, the impending Sol to soon reveal an absence of traps and a plethora of cheese cubes. It's an excellent record.
Radiohead Kid A
If you haven't heard this record, you've surely heard about this record. Significant numbers of trees have died for all that has been written of its accomplishments; Dasani, Aquafina, and other water companies have surely amassed small fortunes as a result of the H20 consumed by pundits speaking of its beauty, becoming dry in the mouth for the verve of their speech and the sweat pouring from their red and impassioned foreheads and armpits. In lieu of a review, I will advise you to seek any of the innumerable resources aforementioned and, if you haven't already, listen to the album.
Refused The Shape Of Punk To Come
Ambitious, massive, unique, pretentious... all of these words, and more, describe Refused's landmark record The Shape of Punk to Come. Despite the title, this isn't really a punk record-- it's more post-hardcore, albeit post-hardcore of a very dense, imaginative, experimental variety. The songwriting is great, the excursions into techno/jazz and sample work are fantastic, and the production is phenomenal. It doesn't all work ("Summerholiday vs. Punkroutine" is dull, "Protest Song '68" is too repetitive) but overall, this is a superbly creative listen.
Ryoji Ikeda +/-
Senses Fail Pull the Thorns from Your Heart
Septicflesh The Great Mass
Orchestral death metal which isn't overblown, pretentious, cringeworthy cheeseball crap? Yes, it exists. The Great Mass succeeds on the strength of its songwriting ("Oceans of Grey," "Apocalypse") and its balance-- the orchestra and the band are never competing, but rather playing together. Moreover, it doesn't hammer you over the head with blast beats and bland distorted chords (I'm looking at you, Fleshgod Apocalypse).
Shabaka and the Ancestors We Are Sent Here By History
Sigur Ros ( )
Slayer Reign in Blood
Begins and ends with two of the best metal songs ever, but their excellence renders the other eight songs just varying degrees of filler. Still, though, I can't deny it's fun filler (even though it all sounds basically the same). Ultimately, the importance of Reign in Blood cannot be denied, but that importance rests primarily on two of its ten songs.
Soundtrack (Film) Kill Bill Vol. 1 Original Soundtrack
Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas Flood
The gold standard of blues guitar records. Vaughan is among music's most skilled guitarists; his combination of raw talent and genuine feel is awe-inspiring. He's tasteful, too, never devolving into out-of-place wankery or pointless shredwork. Oh, and he's a fearsome vocalist: a raspy yet tuneful, soulful voice. Any music fan's collection is incomplete without this album.
Strapping Young Lad Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
An extremely raw, brutal, and heavy album. The production is rougher than Devin's usual, but still has his trademark layering. This is probably the most "industrial" of all the Strapping Young Lad albums, due in large part to the drum production, which gives the album a mechanical feel. The record loses some steam in the latter half but is, for the most part, engaging and interesting all the way through. Even though Devin himself has largely dismissed this album since its release, I think it's an absolutely superb record.
Sublime Sublime
Sublime's self-titled record succeeds due to three factors: its versatility, its performances, and its energy. The band expertly mix musicianship and accessibility on here, and maintain a consistent flow throughout despite cycling through genres as diverse as punk, hip hop, and reggae. And, while all of the performances are excellent, Brad Nowell deserves special mention: his vocals especially are a big part of why this is such an effective record. The album's only flaw is its containing a few unnecessary tracks (including the reprise of "What I Got"). However, Sublime is nonetheless a hugely influential and highly enjoyable listen.
Sun Ra Lanquidity
Swans The Seer
It reportedly took thirty years to make, but now it is finally here. A massive, monolithic double disc release spanning nearly two hours, Swans' The Seer is anything but an easy listen; songs will repeat the same two note progression for minutes before abruptly turning into avant-garde campfire sing-a-longs or bagpipe solos. Additionally, any form of traditional song structure is pretty much disregarded, with two tracks hovering around twenty minutes and one even topping thirty (!) Indeed, the album feels more like a long trek than anything, and the discordant atmosphere throughout only adds to this sensibility. Some listeners may be turned off by the record's deliberate pace and lengthy repetitious stretches, but these are all part of that aforementioned trek- one that is just as rewarding as it is challenging. The Seer is a masterfully crafted, painstakingly detailed album and the best of the year so far. It may have been thirty years in the making, but it was thirty years well spent.
Swans To Be Kind
While The Seer succeeded atmospherically, To Be Kind is more diverse and-- dare I say, straightforward? Songs like "A Little God in My Hands" and "Oxygen" are the most direct I've ever this band, but they are also supremely enjoyable, meticulously crafted and expertly produced. Indeed, though it's two hours long, To Be Kind mostly avoids the trap which The Seer fell victim to-- that of being just too much. (The overlong "Bring the Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture" is the only misstep in this regard.)
System of a Down System of a Down
System of a Down's self-titled record focuses less on accessibility and more on mood than the band's subsequent releases. It is also one of the best metal albums ever recorded, due in large part to that aforementioned mood focus, as well as the phenomenal songwriting and production job, and Serj's vocals. He gives it all he's got here, and what results is an eclectic and unforgettable performance. System of a Down is the strongest record in the band's discography, containing almost all of their best songs.
The Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating Infinity
Calculating Infinity is largely responsible for today's technical metal crop. Upon its release in 1999, metal with this degree of technicality had never been recorded before. A whole scene was created in response to this record-- and rightfully so, as Calculating Infinity gets a lot right. The songwriting is tight, there is no filler, the tracks sequencing is bang on, and the performances are superb. Menakakis' vocals are mostly yelled, but they are effective due to the passion behind them. Indeed, the passion in all of the performances is what separates this record from most of the records subsequently released in its genre: whereas emotion is often superseded by technicality on those albums, Calculating Infinity balances both. Overall, while a demanding listen, Calculating Infinity is worth the effort.
The Dillinger Escape Plan One of Us Is the Killer
Dillinger's best album. The songs are cohesive without sacrificing energy or unpredictability, Greg Puciato's vocals are better than ever, and the production is the best in their catalogue. The hooks are catchy ("Nothing's Funny", "Paranoia Shields"), the heavy parts are gut-wrenching and headbangable ("Prancer," "When I Lost My Bet"), and, while it's to a degree business as usual for the band, they have never sounded so refined.
The Gerogerigegege Moenai Hai
The first song is an engrossing musique concrete piece, the second a lengthy, noisy shoegaze epic, the third an overlong dark ambient number, and the last a combination of harsh noise and a calming lullaby melody. Overall, this is a fantastic listen. It embodies a sense of loneliness, which is especially effective in the opening and closing tracks. I love the second song, too-- it's a difficult one, but amazingly atmospheric.
The Mars Volta De-Loused in the Comatorium
A dense, fulfilling record. Extremely ambitious, at over an hour in length with several lengthy songs, this is technical/'progressive' rock done right. To be fair, the album is a bit overwrought ("Cicatriz ESP"'s lengthy ambient section), but on the whole it succeeds. The production is of note: perfectly balanced. Regarding the controversial lyrics: this record exemplifies the notion of the sound of the lyrics as carrying just as much validity as the meaning. Approach the vocals as another instrument, the words as conduits for a meaning on a sonic, rather than literary, level.
Thrice Vheissu
A contender for best rock album of the 2000's. Vheissu is a sophisticated, thoughtful endeavor which displays both versatility and creativity. Odd time signatures are abound ("The Earth Will Shake"), the production is perfectly balanced ("Atlantic"), and the lyrics are a big step up from past releases ("Red Sky").
Uboa The Origin Of My Depression
Ulver Nattens Madrigal
An excellent record featuring some of the best black metal songwriting ever put to record. Ulver are, with the incredibly noisy production, on the borderline of going overboard with the black metal aesthetic (well, either that or they, as per legend, recorded this in a forest and spent the record company advance on cars and drugs), but nonetheless, the fuzziness works in the record's favour, contributing to the heavy atmosphere.
Ulver ATGCLVLSSCAP
Ulver delivers yet again. This time, the music is sourced from a series of live free improv shows the band performed, and enhanced in the studio. There are lots of shoutouts to previous records (most obviously is "Glamour Box (Ostinati)"'s reinterpretation, "Glammer Hammer"). There is jam rock ("Cromagnosis"), ambient ("D-Day Drone"), and more, and while the record is long, it's engaging.
Ulver Blood Inside
Blood Inside is an unusual conglomeration of moods, styles, and textures; alarms blare, orchestras crash, Garm's baritone vocals croon. This idiosyncrasy, paired with consistently engaging songwriting and a meticulous attention to detail, result in one of Ulver's strongest works. Blood Inside touches on elements of the ghastly, the goofy, and the grim, and the end result is utterly engrossing.
Valentina Ponomareva Fortune-Teller
Fans of Diamanda Galas would do well to check out this eerie avantgarde/vocal jazz release from the Russian-born Valentina Ponomareva. It's a fairly quick listen, but the atmosphere is uniquely off-kilter and the vocals are excellent.
Vangelis Blade Runner Soundtrack
Wadada Leo Smith Lake Biwa

3.5 great
Aaron Goldberg Worlds
Wonderful jazz record. Fantastic performances ("OAM's Blues") and great melodies ("Kianda's Song"). Some of the songs get lost in the shuffle ("Salvador"), but on the whole this album is excellent.
Agalloch Pale Folklore
Agalloch's debut is an atmospheric blend of folk and black metal that showcases a lot of potential but doesn't always live up to it. Tempo and dynamic changes aren't handled well; they're a little sloppy, a little primitive. The production is underwhelming. The record is somewhat drawn out, too: "She Painted Fire Across the Skyline," a disappointing multi-parter, falls victim to this. However, there are some seriously great moments ("The Melancholy Spirit"), and Agalloch, even on this release, prove masters of atmosphere.
Agalloch The Mantle
Miasmic, sprawling, atmospheric, and one of the best albums of the 2000s. The Mantle is an utterly engrossing work, combining post-rock, folk, and black metal into a lengthy, but compelling, record. Reportedly, the band wrote the record "thinking in images and how sound might express those images," and that approach is evident in the album's cinematic quality. Crystal clear production (much improved from Pale Folklore) helps, too.
Agalloch Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
Another EP from Agalloch. This time, we have a mix of their traditional folk black metal styling (the title track), acoustic ("Haunting Birds,") and more experimental stuff (the other songs). This is an engaging, varied clutch of material, strong all the way through.
Agalloch The White
Agalloch remove their metal components and go entirely folk! (This is sort of their Damnation, I suppose.) This is mostly acoustic, and it's mostly good, too ("Birch Black," "Sowilo Rune"), though some components don't work (the half-hearted vocals on "Birch White"). Much more fulfilling than The Grey EP.
Alcest Les Voyages De L'Âme
A wonderful "blackgaze" album, featuring luscious production, beautiful melodies, and great performances. The record's combination of melancholy and hope is at once arresting and inspiring.
Ambitious Lovers Greed
A really enjoyable-- and decidedly '80s-- new wave record. If songs like "Copy Me," "Privacy" (which features John Zorn), and "King" don't get you nodding your head or tapping your foot, then... I don't know. "Too Far" is an experimental dissonant track, and one of the best on the album. However, the record's second half, besides the avant-garde "Steel Wool," is sort of a let down compared to the first. Still recommended, though.
Anathema A Natural Disaster
There are a host of good tracks ("Closer," "Are You There?", "Pulled Under...", the title track) but as a whole, the album lacks the unity and energy that made Judgement so effective. That isn't to say it's bad-- it's wonderfully atmospheric, and if pressed, I would call this Anathema's second best record-- but it isn't quite at the level of Judgement.
Animals As Leaders Animals as Leaders
This furiously shredtastic guitar virtuoso record transcends its relatively shabby production thanks to a fantastic performance from Tosin Abasi and numerous memorable moments (the space-tinged bridge on "Tempting Time," the Meshuggah-esque chugging of "CAFO"). The songwriting is a bit loose/overblown in spots, but on the whole this is among the best instrumental metal albums of the 2000's. Animals as Leaders' best release.
At the Drive-In In/Casino/Out
Good energy, though less interesting songwriting than Relationship of Command. This is a simpler, more straightforward listen than its predecessor, possessing only one earnest excursion into non-punk territory ("Hourglass"). Otherwise, this is enjoyable punk rock of a higher caliber than most bands in the genre, though not at the heights this band would be later reach. "Napoleon Solo" is an album highlight, as are the lightning speed "Pickpocket" and groovy "Chanbara." There appears to be a space theme in some of the song titles ("Alpha Centauri") and the cover. I'll have to look into that...
At the Gates Slaughter of the Soul
This is a remarkably consistent and solid, and occasionally brilliant ("Cold"), metal record. It runs together a little in the second half, but it's always listenable (and headbangable) and the closer is fantastic ("The Flames of the End"). Excellent musicianship, too.
Authority Zero Rhythm and Booze
I love this record. Really fun live acoustic album containing most of my favourite songs by the band. The compositions are brimming with energy and most of the tracks work really well acoustically. Some funny on-stage banter only adds to the experience. Highly recommended for Authority Zero fans.
Bad Astronaut Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment
Baroness Purple
Excellent melding of psychedelic, sludge, and progressive metal with suitably thick production and great performances. I don't get the 17-second closer, and the vocals are sometimes too quiet in the mix, but overall this is a fantastic release.
Bernard Parmegiani Sonare
In beginning with a sample of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Sonare casts itself, from the outset, as goofy. This is something of a disservice to the rest of the record, which is an intriguing, colourful slice of Musique concrète. "Mouvement 5" features a repeated, manipulated sample of what sounds like a Star Trek transporter; "Mouvement 4" is a largely serene journey, akin to floating through a watery tunnel.
Bernard Parmegiani De natura sonorum
Big John Patton Minor Swing
Opens with the utterly fantastic 12-minute solo-fest "The Way I Feel," and remains mostly solid throughout. "The Rock" is another highlight. "Along Came John" and "B Men Thel" are dull, but the rest of the material is great. Nothing game-changing here, but it's a fun album. John Zorn gives a wonderful saxophone performance.
Bjork Vulnicura
Black Flag Damaged
I appreciate the influence and significance of this record, however I particularly don't enjoy it. Most of it is boring, though I will say that the vocal performance from Henry Rollins makes things more interesting (especially on "Damaged I"). I just wish that there was more variation between the songs. While Damaged is no doubt a seminal record in the history of punk rock, it's more enjoyable as a historical piece than an album proper.
blink-182 Blink-182
This isn't even a pop punk album, really. It's a wonderfully diverse alt/pop rock work with a welcome layer of experimentation. Easily blink-182's most accomplished release; the songs are simple, but performed with precision and clarity, and each has its own identity. The hooks are infectious ("Always") but the more adventurous numbers are where the record really shines ("Violence," "Stockholm Syndrome"). A worthwhile listen even for those who are not fans of the band.
Borknagar Borknagar
Brand New Deja Entendu
Deja Entendu retains some of the pop-punk sensibilities of Your Favourite Weapon, but is more broody, mature, and sophisticated. It can get a little too downtrodden at times ("Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis") but all in all, this is a fantastic record. Some truly great songwriting is on display here ("Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades," "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows," "Good to Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I Have to Do Is Die").
Buckethead 22 Days Til Halloween: I Got This Costume From...
Buckethead Day of the Robot
Buckethead's perennially underrated third record features his shred-tastic playing atop synth bass-heavy, jungle drum-laden techno beats. It's a far cry from his previous two outings of abusement park extravaganza, but The Day of the Robot's unique combination of metal shred guitar and drum 'n' bass backing (courtesy of the UK-based DJ Ninj) really works. Produced by Bill Laswell.
Buckethead Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse
A dark, peculiar journey into electronica and guitar shredding, not unlike Big B's 1996 effort The Day of the Robot. Opens with a twisted rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and from there winds its way through catchy synth lines ("Pin Bones and Polutry"), blaring heavy metal chords ("Help Me"), and lightning speed solos ("You Like Headcheese?"). Some of the songs are way too long ("Day of the Ulcer") and others bore ("Wires and Clips"), but nonetheless this is an underrated, uniquely atmospheric endeavor.
Buckethead Population Override
Blues jam record featuring Buckethead, Travis Dickerson, and Pinchface. It's one of Big B's strongest offerings: "Unrestrained Growth" is a funky toe-tapper, "Cruel Reality of Nature" is a beautiful ambient piece, and "Too Many Humans," a melancholic blues jam, is one of the best songs in his catalogue. Excellent production and restrained performances add to the record's power.
Buckethead The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell
Big B's heaviest offering, and also one of his best records. Each song contains a bevy of bludgeoning riffs, the production is stellar, and the songwriting is ingenious, twisting and turning without ever losing focus. With a record such as this, it's almost inevitable that some of the material gets lost in the shuffle, but nonetheless, this is a remarkably consistent album and a must-listen for Buckethead fans.
Buckethead Inbred Mountain
Despite an overlong closer and second track, Inbred Mountain is one of Buckethead's better records. The album contains some of the best material in Big B's discography ("Flock of Slunks," "In Search of Inbred Mountain") and the soloing is fantastic throughout ("Plastination Station"). Also of note: "Lotus Island" is an overrated but not unpleasant rock number, and "Advance to the Summit" is a bizarre genre mish-mash track (including some vocals!) that is actually really cool.
Buckethead Crime Slunk Scene
A record of two halves, with the much-lauded epic "Soothsayer" square in the middle. The first half is more conventional hard rock (including a re-make of "Gorey Head Stump" off Bucketheadland), and the second half contains heavier, weirder material a la Island of Lost Minds and The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell. This is one of Buckethead's most consistent, enjoyable efforts, with nary a dud to be had.
Buckethead In Search Of The - Volume 2: 'N'
This is not quite as strong as Volume I, but it's still very good. After a rather bland intro track, we are treated to a ten-minute funk jam with lots of wah ("Flying Finger Fury (In the Coop)") which is good, but the fun really starts with the next series of tracks: a dark ambient piece ("Hanged Man's Lament"); a scintillating, speedy head-bobber ("Robot Foot Pursuit"); a 16-minute mellow jam number which is absolutely fantastic, the best track on the disc ("Blue Marbles Moon"); and a quick-change experimental tune ("Droid Factory Conveyor Belt Ambush"). The CD ends with two more solid experimental songs, too. This is the second best disc in the set.
Buckethead Pepper's Ghost
Among the better of Buckethead's riff-oriented rock records. The title track, "Goblin Shark," and "Brewer in the Air" are some of his best pieces. There isn't enough soloing, sections on occasion are stretched too long, and I would love real instead of programmed drumming, but overall this is a good record by Big B, and it should please most of his fans.
Buckethead Bucketheadland Blueprints
A Buckethead demo tape from 1991 which was released for public consumption in 2007. It contains a bunch of songs which were later re-recorded for Bucketheadland, and some never before heard material too ("Chicken for Lunch," "Guts & Eyeballs"). The recording quality is pretty poor, and only serious Buckethead fans need apply. For said fans, though, there is some interesting stuff here.
Buckethead A Real Diamond In The Rough
A mostly mellow release. Nice textures ("Squid Ink"), plenty of tender moments ("Big D's Touch"), and one of Buckethead's best rock tracks ("Separate Sky"). There are too many interludes and the second half could use another uptempo track (before the closer), but A Real Diamond In The Rough is one of Buckethead's better post-ISOT releases.
Buckethead The Shores of Molokai
This is a fantastic album, and Buckethead's best since It's Alive. The riffs on here are jaw-droppingly good, and the electronic drumbeats-- when utilized-- add a lot of personality to the ordeal. I didn't care for some of the blatant Dubstep-influenced stuff ("Smile Without a Face") and the album felt a little bit short overall, but it's still an excellent slab with a lot of killer moments, great flow, and no filler at all. Highly recommended.
Buckethead 29 Days Til Halloween: Blurmwood
Buckethead 20 Days Til Halloween: Forgotten Experiment
Buckethead 25 Days Til Halloween: Window Fragment
Buckethead Happy Halloween: Silver Shamrock
Buckethead 3 Days Til Halloween: Crow Hedge
Buckethead 6 Days Til Halloween: Underlair
Buckethead 8 Days Til Halloween: Flare Up
Buckethead Fourneau Cosmique
Burial Untrue
Atmospheric electronic with brilliantly implemented vocal samples. Sonically, this embodies a lonely, late night walk home, with its dark minimalist ambience. There is excellent stuff here ("Archangel"), but some tracks are overlong ("Etched Headplate"). The record loses steam at "Shell of Light," but it regains momentum with the interesting "Homeless."
Burzum Aske
"Stemmen fra tarnet" is awesome. I love the abrupt ending. It also happens to one of Burzum's few 'catchy' songs. "Dominus Sathanas" follows, and is a drumless affair, too short to leave much impact. It feels more like an interlude than anything. The EP ends with "A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit" (a different version than the one on the self-titled record, but nothing is radically different between the two besides the production-- this one is a little clearer) and it's just as good as ever.
Burzum Det Som Engang Var
Camel Mirage
clipping. Splendor and Misery
Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld Never Were The Way She Was
Excellent modern classical with post-rock influence. Stetson isn't as prominent as his solo records (which is expected due to this being a collaborative effort) but rather his playing weaves into the dreamy, soaring fabric. I wasn't familiar with Neufeld before this, but she is fantastic too. Beautiful melodies are repeated but never to the point of boredom, and the songs are organic, reminiscent of birds in flight. The title track is weak and the record ends too suddenly, but overall Never Were the Way She Was is exceptional. "The sun roars into view" is one of the best songs of the year.
Converge Jane Doe
Noisy, chaotic, angry, impeccably produced, and one of the best metalcore albums of all time. No, you can't understand the lyrics, but that's the point - Jane Doe speaks to the difficulty of articulating one's thoughts while amidst the furious, painful throngs of a fracturing relationship.
Converge Axe to Fall
Cop Shoot Cop Ask Questions Later
This is industrial rock with a political bent. The record opens with two phenomenal tracks, then never reaches the same heights again, though there is some other good stuff ("Cut to the Chase," "Got No Soul," "Everybody Loves You"). The recording quality is a little muffled, but it adds charm.
Dan Swano Moontower
Death growls have never been so catchy. Moontower accomplishes the seemingly insurmountable feat of blending progressive death metal with pop sensibility (and prominent synthesizers) without becoming cheesy. The songwriting is first class ("Sun of the Night," "Uncreation," "Add Reality") and the musicianship is fantastic; which is even more impressive when it is considered that Swano played every instrument. Fans of Opeth would do well to check this out.
Darkthrone Panzerfaust
An extremely mixed bag. We have two of the best songs in Darkthrone's catalogue ("En vind av sorg," "Hans siste vinter"), a doom metal-esque track with Varg Vikernes-penned lyrics (!) ("Quintessence"), two death metal-ish songs with laughably bad vocals ("Triumphant Gleam," "Beholding the Throne of Might"), and a (too) short ambient spoken word closer. Besides inconsistency, the other issue with Panzerfaust is the mixing. The vocals are way too loud; they drown out the other instruments. It's counter-intuitive to complain about bad mixing on a black metal record, but this is just so glaring a problem that it can't be ignored. Still, the great tracks are absolutely phenomenal, and the atmosphere is still palpable.
David Krakauer Pruflas: Book of Angels Volume 18
An underappreciated volume. Jazz-rock with electronics, and there are even glossolalia vocals (courtesy of bassist Jerome Harris) and a John Zorn alto sax appearance on "Tandal." Some tracks are funky ("Egion,") some jazzy ("Kasbeel,") but it's all performed admirably. Closer "Monadel" is a letdown, but besides that Pruflas is a wildly fun ride. "Neriah-Mahariel" is especially fantastic.
David Moss Dense Band
Full House featured David Moss and an array of other experimental musicians attempting to create avantgarde pop tunes through utilizing free improvisation for pop song-lengths. While a reasonably entertaining record, it did not accomplish that mission: instead of avantgarde pop, the pieces felt like brief, often minimalist, experimental sketches. Dense Band, the follow-up to that record, features the same approach as Full House, but it is much more successful. Perhaps this is due to Fred Frith's co-composing the tracks here. At any rate, Moss utilizes more steady rhythms on this one than Full House, allowing the other musicians (including John Zorn, Arto Lindsay, and Wayne Horvitz) room to improvise, and as a result the 'avantgarde pop' sound striven for is more fully realized. The fact that more than two musicians are on each track means the songs are denser and more interesting, too (hence the title). Opener "Stride," featuring Moss' off-the-wall vocal style, is a great example of how avantgarde and pop collide on this release.
Dead Can Dance The Serpent's Egg
I appreciate how The Serpent's Egg doesn't overstay its welcome, however it's a little too brief. Another track or two would be nice. What is here is excellent, though, namely opener "The Host of Seraphim," "In the Kingdom of the Blind the One-Eyed Are Kings," and "Ulysses." In the end, although the record is a little short, I would easily take a briefer album of quality tracks over a longer one stuffed with filler.
Death Symbolic
Death Cube K Tunnel
This plays like one of the best 30 Days Til Halloween discs. Haunting, abrasive, and unsettling, Tunnel lurches through eleven songs with surprising nuance and feeling; the title track, for example, uses a simple three-note melody to perfection. This is a highly underrated record in the massive Buckethead canon.
Death Grips Bottomless Pit
This is Death Grips' most straightforward release since Government Plates, and that isn't a bad thing. Bottomless Pit is never too challenging, but there's a lot of variety. "Giving Bad People Good Ideas" and the title track are two of the most blistering songs in the band's catalog; "Spikes" is just plain catchy; "Hot Head" is part groovy rap, part synth-arpeggiated assault.
Deftones Around the Fur
A huge improvement on the poorly-produced, lackluster Adrenaline. Around the Fur is replete with fierce energy and furious, unbridled performances. Chino's vocals are outstanding, ranging from serene crooning ("Mascara") to deathly screams ("Lhabia"). The songwriting is fantastic, too ("My Own Summer (Shove It)"). Easily the best nu-metal record I've ever heard, and well-deserving of its acclaimed status.
Deftones Diamond Eyes
Deftones return to more simplistic territory following the layered, expansive, shoegaze-inspired Saturday Night Wrist. And while Diamond Eyes is very strong (the title track, "Royal," "Prince," "This Place Is Death") it's not quite at the level of that record, or White Pony. Still, the production is spot-on, the performances are solid, and almost all of the songs are great. Overall, Diamond Eyes is fantastic.
Deftones Koi No Yokan
Superlative atmosphere and some incredible riffs ("Poltergeist," "Goon Squad"). "Leathers" is also one of the band's best songs. The choruses are on occasion unsatisfying, though (again, "Poltergeist") and the ambient stuff feels tacked on in spots. Overall, however, this is an excellent release.
Depeche Mode Violator
Derek Bailey, John Zorn & William Parker Harras
Rckin' free improv with a guitar, sax, and bass. "Noon Harras" is particularly effective, as it builds across its nine minutes into a climactic sax squealing attack. "Evening Harras" is by far the longest cut here, and it's good, if self-indulgent. Self-indulgence often comes with free improv-- indeed, it's, to a degree, part of the territory-- so that's to be expected. Harras is a good record, but yes, it's free improv, so expect it to be noodly and somewhat long-winded.
Diablo Swing Orchestra Pandora's Pinata
Flat out fun from beginning to end. An upbeat, varied, unabashedly unique listen. "Justice for Saint Mary" is a brilliant mixture of acoustic balladry, violin, metal, and glitchy electronic music and is one of the best songs of the decade so far. Elsewhere, "Aurora" is an atmospheric operatic piece, "Honey Trap Aftermath" is a catchy jazz-rock number, and "Black Box Messiah" is over-the-top cartoon metal. Fans of Estradasphere, Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, and the like should enjoy.
Diamanda Galas All the Way
Diamanda Galas The Divine Punishment
Less abrasive than The Litanies of Satan, but it's still by no means an easy listen. This is a record regarding how the Catholic Church treats AIDS victims (AIDS being a prevalent theme throughout Diamanda's work, as her brother died from the disease). Musically, it sounds like someone going through an exorcism. It's very dark and very unsettling. The arrangements range from minimal to incredibly layered, and there are some fantastic a capella moments too. Not for the faint of heart.
Diamanda Galas La Serpenta Canta
A double-disc live record. Just Diamanda at the piano. Not much screaming, but it pops up here and there ("Dead Cat on the Line"). The live rendition of The Sporting Life's "At the Dark End of the Street" is a treat. Not Diamanda's greatest work, but it's a solid addition to her discography. Her voice is just as haunting as ever, though at this point it is raspier with age.
Diamanda Galas Malediction And Prayer
The cover may look like a Celine Dion album, but don't be fooled. While Malediction and Prayer is not as abrasive as much of Galas' work-- it is a live record of cover tunes, featuring only piano and vocals-- it is still a heavy, emotionally weighty listen. Track two, "The Thrill Is Gone," is one of the few tracks to feature Galas' signature shrieking, but the songs don't need the shrieking to be impactful: see "My World Is Empty Without You" and "Gloomy Sunday." Though the last half drags, but Malediction and Prayer is overall an effective demonstration of Galas' musical versatility.
Diamanda Galas The Singer
The best place for those unfamiliar with Diamanda to start. The Singer sees her reinterpret classic blues songs on piano and vocals with mostly successful results. The record is extremely dark. Her versions of "Gloomy Sunday," "I Put a Spell on You," "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?," and "Reap What You Sow" are particularly deathly and effective. Along with The Sporting Life (her collaboration with John Paul Jones), The Singer is the most straightforward of Diamanda's records-- that doesn't mean it's straightforward, though.
Dionne Warwick The Windows of the World
Dream Theater Images and Words
I'm not a Dream Theater fan, but this record has good qualities. The songwriting is actually very good for the most part ("Another Day," "Metropolis, Pt.1," "Under a Glass Moon," my favourite song by the band), it's not too long, and the palpable pretension on the band's later material is nowhere to be found. However, it's a really cheesy listen. LaBrie's vocal delivery and some of the lyrics are just so over-the-top. On the plus side, the distinctly '80s production (though this came out in the '90s) actually compliments that cheesiness well. Anyway, provided you aren't lactose intolerant, Images and Words should satisfy.
Ellen McIlwaine We the People
Excellent folk release. McIlwaine's vocals are phenomenal ("All to You," "Underground River"). Absurdly underrated. The record ends with a live track that's just as good as the studio stuff.
Elvis Costello My Aim Is True
Enslaved Frost
Enslaved Axioma Ethica Odini
It's grown off me since I first heard it, but regardless Axioma Ethica Odini is a massive achievement. It features some of the best production I've ever heard on a metal record, it is solid from beginning to end, and the performances are inspired. Furthermore, the forays into more experimental territory (the intermezzo "Axioma", "Giants," "Night Sight") are executed superlatively. Axioma Ethica Odini is Enslaved's best record.
Estradasphere The Pegasus Vault EP
Anyone who knows Estradasphere knows they are eclectic, and this collection of scraps and outtakes from the "Palace of Mirrors" sessions perfectly demonstrates this. Jazz, noise, parody rock, remixes, a cool live version of "The Return," etc. etc. The quality of the songs is all over the place, though. I'm not big on the Cymbalom Mix of "Smuggled Mutation," and "Faceoff: Advocate Vs. Accuser" and "Circuit Malfunction" are basically Merzbow-lite. However, there is some hilarious stuff ('80s machismo America parody "Star Slyderz,") and some legitimately awesome stuff too ("Neither Hide Nor Hair," which I wish was longer, and "Rendezvous"). Overall, while it is inconsistent, The Pegasus Vault EP is an entertaining listen, especially for fans of the band.
Estradasphere The Silent Elk of Yesterday
At 75 minutes, this is perhaps the longest EP ever released. The Silent Elk of Yesterday contains three studio-recorded tracks ("The Silent Elk of Yesterday", "Crag Lake," and "The Dapper Bandits") that would later appear on Buck Fever, and fifteen live songs that I assume are all from the same show. The studio tracks are great, and the live tracks are too. Estradasphere is comprised of phenomenal musicians, and the live tracks prove it. They are tight and performed impeccably, and the sound quality is pretty good too. Additionally, many of the live songs have never been released in studio form, so that's all the more reason to pick this up. An excellent release.
Estradasphere Passion For Life
I don't have the DVD, but the CD portion of this release is just so much fun. It's an Estradasphere live show mixed with some chiptune, electronic stuff ("Dissatisfactual Contraband," "Bat Cave," etc.) The band is in great form, and the recording quality is pretty good. The last track features a massive troll, which I won't ruin... I'll just say it might make you jump.
Ex Eye Ex Eye
Fair to Midland Inter.Funda.Stifle
Pre-major label, Fair to Midland released Inter.Funda.Stifle, which features several tracks that were later re-recorded for Fables From a Mayfly. The muddy production, loose performances, and adventurous songwriting make for a raw, urgent listen. It's not as good as Fables, but fans will undoubtedly be interested in this. Note that most of the non-Fables tracks are weaker than their transplanted counterparts ("Orphan Anthem '86" and "Granny Niblo" are the exceptions).
Fair to Midland Arrows and Anchors
Fair to Midland have a fresh, unique sound, reminiscent of a pastoral Faith No More. Vocalist Darroh Sudderth is incredibly talented, with a phenomenal clean voice, impressive range, and growling ability too. The songs are well-constructed and cohesive without running together. However, the track sequencing isn't good, and there are too many interludes. Overall though, Arrows and Anchors is a fantastic achievement. It's a shame this band broke up, because their next record could have been the masterpiece that this one hints at it.
Fantomas Suspended Animation
In many ways, this is like a better version of the debut record: short, chaotic metal songs with the vocals serving as another instrument. There's some sort of concept here, where each song represents a day in the month of April (as per the song titles), that I don't totally get. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable outing. Of course, some material gets lost in the shuffle, but it's still a blast.
Fantomas The Director's Cut
Fields of the Nephilim Elizium
Fightstar One Day Son This Will All Be Yours
There are some superlative tracks on here ("We Apologise for Nothing," "Floods," "Deathcar") and a lot of excellent instrumentation (particularly the drums and vocals). However, the record is fairly top-heavy, and the production is mildly muddy. Despite these minor issues, though, this is an excellent modern rock record which I recommend to anyone.
Fightstar Grand Unification
It gets a little repetitive in the middle, but this is a solid, enjoyable post-hardcore/alt rock effort. Great vocals from Charlie Simpson, and some catchy melodies too ("Waste a Moment," "Build an Army"). The band gets more varied/experimental on future releases, but this is a great start.
Fightstar Behind the Devil's Back
A confident, solid rock record. I wish the choruses had more bite ("Sink with the Snakes") and some of the more overtly poppy moments lose me ("Overdrive"). Nonetheless, tracks like "Sharp Tongue," "More Human Than Human," and "Dive" are fantastic, and Charlie Simpson's vocals are as good as ever.
Fightstar Never Change [EP]
Two renditions of "Never Change" which I prefer to the album version, followed by two fantastic, totally out-of-the-box tracks for Fightstar: a classical piano piece which evolves into screaming metal, and a folk cover. A must-hear for fans of the band. Excellent EP.
Fiona Apple When the Pawn...
Frank London Scientist at Work
Released on the Tzadik label and featuring guest John Zorn and Jennifer Charles appearances, Scientist at Work is a fascinating, varied release. All of the compositions are rooted in klezmer, but explore territories within that framework as diverse as funky exotica ("Fela"), church music ("Shabbos Bride"), and avantgarde jazz ("Imanu Malkheteynu"). A consistently engaging and always unique record, Scientist at Work is fantastic.
Gary Lucas Busy Being Born
Gary Lucas is an idiosyncratic guitarist-- his style is oxymoronic; loose yet precise. On Busy Being Born, his combination of the humourous (John Zorn's sax squealing on "Sandman," channeling Buckethead for "Abie the Fishman") and remarkably earnest ("Sunrise, Sunset," "Hinay Ma Tov") results in a consistently engaging, largely light-hearted, eccentric whizbang of a listen. This is a unique and wonderful record.
Gaza No Absolutes in Human Suffering
Mixture of metalcore and sludge metal that is a lot better than that combination would imply. Fantastic production, and relentless heaviness. Some interesting songwriting, too (the sudden outro in "When They Beg"). It runs together towards the end, and the title track is a letdown, but overall, if you're looking for a heavy fix, No Absolutes in Human Suffering is a solid choice.
Giant Robot Giant Robot (NTT)
This is considered by many fans to be the holy grail of all Buckethead albums, and with good reason. It encompasses everything from lightning fast guitar shredding to Jimi Hendrix-esque funk breakdowns to country jamborees, and does all well. Also prevalent are expertly utilized voice samples from movies such as 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and 'A Clockwork Orange.' The only disappointment is "Idle Hands", a pointless nothing of a track that barely tops the one minute mark. The other pieces are great, though, particularly the funky "Scraps", the beautiful "Mrs. Beasley," and the epic Hendrix-esque closer "Chicken Boy." If you are a Buckethead fan, or even just a fan of good music, then you have no excuse to not check this out-- especially considering you can download it for free (and legally) online.
Glassjaw Coloring Book
While mostly lacking the visceral energy of Worship and Tribute, Coloring Book boasts a unique atmosphere, good songwriting, and some great clean vocals from Daryl Palumbo. It's really catchy in spots, too ("Vanilla Poltergeist Snake").
God Is My Co-Pilot Speed Yr Trip
This is a record that was well ahead of its time, addressing the arbitrary gender binary in 1992 and dismantling the co-opted ?punk? ethos via dizzying, unconventional song structures and arrangements. There?s a little Captain Beefheart in the proceedings, as Sharon Topper shouts atop the whirlwind instrumentation. While flawed ? there?s not enough variation to keep the songs consistently interesting ? Speed Yr. Trip understands what ?punk? really is and, to that end, presents an uncompromising vision.
Godflesh Post Self
Godspeed You! Black Emperor 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
Two wonderful tracks in the traditional GY!BE vein, and two drone pieces. 'Alleljuah! isn't as consistently engaging as the band's masterworks, and it's smaller in scope and less unified too, but it's still excellent. A welcome return for one of underground music's best and boldest bands.
Gojira From Mars to Sirius
This is an accomplished record clearly created by talented musicians with taste and passion, however it collapses, somewhat, under the weight of its own ambition. It's simply too long for its own good, given the density and heaviness of the content. Tracks eight and nine compound this problem: both are overlong, and that's the exact point in the album we're looking for some relief, or something drastically stylistically different to variate the audio palate. The other problem is the rather monotonous vocals, which bring to mind James Hetfield and/or Machine Head (that's not a good thing). Great production and a few solid headbangers, though ("Ocean Planet," "Backbone," "From the Sky").
Gojira The Way of All Flesh
An absolutely excellent metal record that, like its predecessor, suffers only from excessive length. The last four songs are solid, but it's a lot of the (relative) same. The album also has a completely pointless hidden track at the end of the title song (when will bands stop doing that?) At any rate, there are tons of memorable riffs ("Oroborus," "Toxic Garbage Island," "Adoration for None"), and only one real dud ("A Sight to Behold"). Highly recommended.
Gordian Knot Emergent
Jazzy instrumental prog metal featuring members of Cynic, Genesis, and other big prog bands. Wondrously performed, with catchy grooves ("Muttersprache") and a deft combination of soft ("Grace") and heavy ("A Shaman's Whisper"). A mildly melancholic vibe is present throughout. Emergent never overplays its hand or devolves into senseless wankery, like so many supergroups' records. Instead, it's a measured, well thought-out release.
Gorguts Colored Sands
I want to talk about the production. This is how you do death metal production. The drums aren't triggered to oblivion, the volume isn't cranked unnecessarily, the instruments are leveled flawlessly-- wonderful. The music itself is mostly convincing, featuring great writing ("Le Toit du Monde"). It all runs together towards the end, though.
Ground Zero Ground Zero
Like Naked City? You'll like this. (It's even got Zorn and Eye on it.) This is the debut record from the group that brought now-infamous Japanese experimenter Otomo Yoshihide to prominence; it's a whirlwind of noise blasts, hardcore, jazz, screams, and sound effects. It's willfully convention-defying, with an eclectic twenty track offering that should keep even the most distractible listeners engaged. It's not as refined as Naked City, but it's a lot of fun.
GRVD Guilt
Guthrie Govan Erotic Cakes
Any fan of guitar virtuoso or otherwise guitar-centric music should hear this. Erotic Cakes is a spectacular listen. Great songwriting, varied but cohesive, and it never devolves into mindless wank like so many guitarists' records do. The drums and bass get spotlight time as well, which is great (the title track, "Ner Ner"). "Slidey Boy" and "Hangover" drag, but the rest is fantastic. "Waves," "Sevens," and "Eric" are the three strongest tracks.
Haunt (USA-CA) Mind Freeze
Hemophiliac 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 6
Dynamic, textural, sometimes spastic live free improv from Hemophiliac: Mike Patton (voice), Ikue Mori (electronics), and John Zorn (saxophone). Patton uses his voice for effects, leaving Zorn's sax to take front and centre (save the first half of the comparatively calm "< >"). Fans of Zorn's more violent work will enjoy; this is far from the languidity of his Dreamers material, but it is worthwhile as representative of the other end of his musical spectrum. It is also demonstrative of his, and Patton's and Mori's, extraordinary musical quickness. The trio's ability to cohesively improvise with this level of sophistication is impressive. The song titles are great, too ("/////////////," "[]=[]=[]=[]").
Igorrr Savage Sinusoid
Ikue Mori Hex Kitchen
Ikue Mori creates some intriguing avantgarde music by utilizing samples and drum loops and creating fragmentary beats and melodies that vary from relaxed to chaotic. Most impressively is the way she harnesses this technique to create listenable songs. Indeed, Hex Kitchen is actually relatively accessible. Vocals appear periodically through the record, their simplicity juxtaposing nicely with the instrumentals. John Zorn was the executive producer of this record, and also played clarinet on it.
Insomnium Winter's Gate
This is the closest to Crimson III we're probably ever going to get, so perk up, Edge of Sanity fans. Indeed, this Dan Swano-produced (!!!), 40-minute, single track progressive death metal album (sound familiar yet?) is actually pretty good. The production is great, there is lots of impressive guitarwork, and there are some wonderful melodic moments (the 'chorus' in part 2). It blurs together somewhat, though, as certain sections are less memorable than others, and I wish there was more experimentation within the massive song. This is pretty satisfying on the whole, though.
Ithaca The Language of Injury
James Horner Commando
Totally over-the-top, but what else would work for Commando? Steel drums, layers upon layers of instruments, big snares, reverb, horn blasts-- it's all here. Don't get me wrong, though: the music itself is really good. Indeed, the distinctive melody in the intro and outro tracks is one of my favourite melodies of all time. Don't come here for subtlety, come for unabashed machismo and bold '80s style.
Jean Derome Résistances
Jimmy Eat World Futures
The first album that I ever bought. I heard "Pain" in 'Tony Hawk's Underground 2' and it rapidly became my favourite song in the game, so I got the album. I loved the uptempo stuff, but was disappointed by all of the slower material. And indeed, about half of Futures is slow burners. But I'm ten years older now and can appreciate those tracks a lot more. The songwriting is fantastic on not only those songs, but the whole album, and the production is fantastic. Despite a couple of relatively weaker tracks ("Drugs or Me," "Nothingwrong"), Futures is on par with Clarity for the title of Jimmy Eat World's best record.
Joe McPhee Six Situations
The lengthier tracks on Six Situations fall victim to the aimless wandering that plagues so many an improvised record. However, the shorter ones are punchy, performed with enthusiasm and ears for detail. "The Blood of a Martyr" is thrilling, and the best showcase for this trio's improvisational talents.
John Coltrane A Love Supreme
It's impossible to go into an album like A Love Supreme-- an album that has amassed such a legendary status-- completely unbiased. Its critical appraisal means that, if you don't like it, the tendency is to think something must be wrong with you, and not the album-- a reaction generally not afforded albums devoid of epic reputations. With that disclaimer in mind, I can report that A Love Supreme is, well, a supreme record, and that its status is well-deserved. Each member of the quartet performs impeccably, and the compositions are engaging and bold ("A Love Supreme, Pt. 3: Pursuance," which features an opening drum solo and a closing 3-minute bass solo). A truly wonderful record.
John Coltrane My Favorite Things
John Murphy 28 Days Later Soundtrack
One of my favourite film soundtracks. "In the House - In a Heartbeat" is the obvious highlight, but all of the other tracks and themes are incredible as well, and in the context of the movie, fit the action on screen to a T. "East Hastings" is sorely missed, but what is here is amazing. This is worth listening to even if you've never seen the film (which you should, because it's also amazing).
John Zorn IAO
Seven songs, each in a distinct genre, yet all united by a common theme: the occult. On here there is a dark ambient piece, a 13-minute tribal drum solo, an a capella vocal number, an extremely chaotic metal song with Mike Patton on vocals, and more. While it initially left me cold (the second track, the 13-minuter, felt especially long), the record grew on me as it played out, and by the end I was convinced: this is one of Zorn's most interesting releases.
John Zorn The Book of Heads
A solo guitar record composed by Zorn and performed by Fred Frith. On here are thirty-five mostly short songs (referred to as 'heads') that utilize 'extended techniques,' such as playing the guitar with balloons until the balloons pop, wrapping pipe cleaners around strings, using pencils as extra bridges, playing with rice, holding talking dolls up to the microphone, and pulling strings out of the bridge. I would love to see this performed live, to determine how exactly these techniques are executed. On record, though, it's less satisfying, and just sounds like nonsense more than anything.
John Zorn New Traditions in East Asian Bar Bands
Asian female spoken word atop mostly sparse instrumental arrangements. Despite the fact that I have no idea what's being said, I find this enjoyable: it's meditative and mollifying; easy to get lost in. The track times are long (there are three songs ranging from sixteen minutes to half an hour), but the only one that drags (and even then, it only drags a little) is the closer. Try it: you'll be surprised how much you like it.
John Zorn Spy vs. Spy: The Music of Ornette Coleman
One of the most chaotic albums I have ever heard. It consists of two saxophonists, two drummers, and a bassist playing Orenette Coleman tracks at blistering speeds, blurring the line between jazz and hardcore. The musicianship is stellar throughout, and I dig the boomy production style. That said, the track sequencing is wrong: the first two-thirds of the record consist of twelve turbulent, nearly impossible to follow numbers, and the final third (comparatively) slows things down, with more accessible tunes. The flow of the album is thus compromised-- a more even distribution of accessible amongst inaccessible would render both parties more distinct. As it stands, the songs blur together, especially in the first half. Nonetheless, I recommend Spy vs. Spy as it is an extremely unique take on jazz-- pushing the genre to some of its most extreme points-- and I admire its tenacity. The origins of Naked City, an album Zorn would release soon after this, are audible in the proceedings here.
John Zorn Xu Feng: John Zorn's Game Pieces Volume 1
John Zorn and Fred Frith 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Five
Live free improv from Zorn and Frith, and much of this is what you'd expect from the pair; namely, noisy, stuttering, playful, and abstract compositions ("Eumenides Outside the Window"). What sets the record apart from many other free improv release, though, are the contemplative sections ("Four Corners"), which provide a welcome respite from the otherwise difficult content.
Johnny Cash Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar
Kayo Dot Gamma Knife
Kayo Dot go black metal (in their own way), but sadly, this album doesn't live up to the awesomeness that statement implies. The production on the three middle songs is horrible, and, even worse, the songs themselves are boring. I do like opener "Lethe", though, and the closing track is interesting.
Kayo Dot Hubardo
Hubardo is a 2-hour jazz-metal extravaganza, and Kayo Dot's best record since Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue. Dense, intricate arrangements, perfectly tuned production, and remarkable performances combine for an exhausting, but accomplished, album. Admittedly, the album's concept is somewhat lost amidst the instrumental chaos, but the lyrics are fantastic, replete with vivid imagery and unique wordplay. It's a lot to handle in one sitting, but Hubardo is excellent.
Kazumoto Endo While You Were Out
KISS KISS
KISS Hotter Than Hell
Koby Israelite Orobas: Book of Angels Vol. 4
Certainly the most diverse of the Book of Angels so far. Orobas mixes jazz, klezmer, metal, and about ten other genres together. Koby Israelite is an insanely impressive musician. He plays eight instruments on here, including guitar, drums, accordian, flute, and bass. It doesn't come together as the best genre-hopping records do, but Orobas is still a really fun listen.
Locus Solus 50th Birthday Celebration, Volume 3
Live free improv from John Zorn, Anton Fier, and Arto Lindsay. A partial reunion of the musicians on one of Zorn's first records, which was titled Locus Solus. The music here is somewhat reminiscent of that endeavor, though without the turntables, as there is only sax, drums, guitar, and Lindsay's vocals. This is spastic stuff and certainly not for every day listening, but the communication between this trio is stupefying. Grunts, squeaks, noise blasts, and bangs are perfectly synchronized.
Louise Bock Sketch for Winter VII - Abyss: For Cello
Lycus Chasms
Gloomy funeral doom with some awkwardly placed black metal-inspired blast beat sections. The production is great and, aside from the first seven minutes of the closing track, the record isn't boring. Only four songs, but they are all quite long. Some nice cello, too.
Lydia Lunch 13.13
Lydia Lunch Marchesa
Marc Ribot Asmodeus: Book of Angels Volume 7
Asmodeus is a chaotic combination of free jazz and noise rock. Marc Ribot plays guitar, Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk) bass, and G. Calvin Weston (who has played with Ornette Coleman) is on drums. The record runs together a bit, but the playing is spirited and technically astounding. There are a host of phenomenal tracks, too ("Kalmiya," "Dagiel," "Sensenya"), that alleviate the issue. Asmodeus is a whirlwind of a record, and one of the best Book of Angels installments yet.
Mariam the Believer Blood Donation
An astounding and unique record. Blood Donation is almost Bjork-esque, and is made up of dark, avant-garde 'pop' songs. Mariam's voice is incredible and she pulls off everything she goes for, and the other instrumentation is excellent as well. "Hole Patterns" is too short, though, and a couple of the other tracks don't stack up against the rest. Still, this is an excellent record and one of the best of the year. Check it out.
Mastodon Crack the Skye
Mastodon Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain is mostly effective. Once again, where Mastodon succeed is in capturing their desired atmosphere-- whereas on Leviathan that was water, here it is earth, and the thick sludgy riffs, dry production, and progressive songwriting style all evoke the feeling of traversing a massive mountain. Furthermore, the performances are excellent, including some well-handled guest spots. Overall though, this is a weaker record than Leviathan, due to some rather unexciting tracks (clustered in the second half of the record), and the ridiculously long silent gap on "Pendulous Skin," which hurts replayability.
maudlin of the Well Leaving Your Body Map
Darker than its sister album, Bath. Overall, it is a weaker listen, due to some drawn out parts ("Bizarre Flowers / A Violent Mist," "The Curve That to an Angle Turn'D"), but it is still a phenomenal record. The production is fantastic, the interlude tracks are both superb, and Bath's uniquely captivating atmosphere is present here too, albeit in an aforementioned darker form. Also, Driver's vocals are better on this release than on Bath.
Megadeth Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
A thrash metal staple, and with good reason. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? features incredible guitar work and a wealth of fast, technical, well-written songs. It's close to a 5/5, but the production is a bit lacklustre and "I Ain't Superstitious" doesn't gel with the rest of the album (though it's a good cover in its own right). "Peace Sells" is one of my favourite songs ever, though, and "Wake Up Dead" and "Good Mourning / Black Friday" are among the best tracks in the genre.
Megadeth Endgame
Megadeth's best album since Rust in Peace. A blast from start to finish. Endgame is superbly paced, contains no filler, and features many of the best songs in the band's discography ("This Day We Fight!," "44 Minutes," "Head Crusher"). The guitar work is stellar, and the other instruments hold their own as well. A must-hear metal record.
Meshuggah I
I is, fittingly, a one track EP. The song is 21-minutes long. It is one of Meshuggah's best songs. The riffs are superlative throughout, it doesn't get boring (like so many of their songs that are but a quarter of this length), and, best of all, it doesn't pull any punches. A minute-and-a-half guitar and tom build-up tightens the tension like a coil, and once it ends, all Hell breaks loose. Meshuggah's best release-- the short length ensures it can be listened to in full without boredom setting in.
Mike Patton Adult Themes for Voice
On here, Mike Patton manipulates his voice in numerous unexpected ways and we get to hear the results. This is what I call a 'curiosity' record. It's not for regular listening and it exists on the fringe of musicality, but if you're interested in the limits of the human voice, give it a shot.
Mike Patton Pranzo Oltranzista
Mike Patton Mondo Cane
Classic Italian pop covers with Mike Patton on vocals, backed by an orchestra. It's pretty much as epic as it sounds. The version of "Urlo Negro" on here is inferior to many live versions, but besides that there's not much to complain about. A blast to listen to, and one of my favourite records of 2010.
Muse Absolution
A superb record on some levels, and awful on others. Muse are at their best when they drop the pretensions and just rock ("Apocalypse Please," "Time Is Running Out," "Stockholm Syndrome," "Hysteria"). Hell, even some of the experimentation works (the piano solo in "Butterflies and Hurricanes"). Unfortunately, there is a cocky, gaudy atmosphere to some of the proceedings, and there are too many ballads.
Naked City Grand Guignol
We have on the one hand chaotic grindcore-jazz, with howling vocals from Yamatsuka Eye. These songs constantly change direction, sometimes featuring keyboard breaks, upbeat swing vibes, bass solos, and saxophone shredding-- all in the same twenty-second song. (These tracks were all re-released on Torture Garden.) Then there are several classical covers (of Debussy, Scriabin, Ives, De Lassus, and Messiaen) and the nearly 18-minute title track, which is ostensibly a dark ambient piece. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more interesting, or disarming, album than Grand Guignol.
Neurosis Fires Within Fires
With Fires Within Fires, Neurosis have released an excellent 41-minute slice of their traditional post/sludge metal styling. Putting out a relatively short record was a great move; the album never drags, but the length is sufficient for the development of a compelling atmosphere. That atmosphere is dark and aggressive, with less ambient excursions than perhaps expected. Such directness works in its favour-- it results in a punchy, consistently compelling work.
Nevermore Dead Heart in a Dead World
A good, solid metal record, with wonderful performances from all the band, especially Warrel Dane on vocals and Jeff Loomis on seven-string guitar. "We Disintegrate" is especially fantastic. There are some bad lyrics ("Inside Four Walls"), and there are a couple of over-the-top corny numbers ("Insignificant", "Believe in Nothing")-- and "Engines of Hate" goes on too long-- but those are the only major flaws with the record. The production is great, there are some amazing guitar solos ("The River Dragon Has Come," the aforementioned "We Disintegrate"), and it is a mostly consistent listen.
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Henry's Dream
NOFX 45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough
This is one of the best punk records ever released, and it's ostensibly a collection of B-sides. Pretty ironic. But because there are zero inhibitions behind the music, it embodies the punk aesthetic perfectly. It's a hilarious listen that never gets dull throughout its two discs and 47 tracks. This is due to its varietous nature (the electronica-tinged "Pods and Gods," the dub mix of "Eat the Meek," the complete ridiculousness of "I Gotta Pee") and childish but hysterical lyrics. The booklet has some of the best liner notes I've ever read, too. 45 of 46 Songs is fantastic. Don't come for tastefulness or class or technicality, come for crass, unadulterated awesomeness.
Om Advaitic Songs
"Addis" opens the record well, and "State of Non-Return" is an excellent track marred only by its dull vocals (more should have been done with them). "Gethsemane" follows and is a good, if overlong, atmospheric cut. After that, the record produces two pleasant but meandering tracks that don't do much for me, and ends.
Opeth My Arms, Your Hearse
Drummer Anders Nordin moved to Brazil following the release of Morningrise and left the band, and, subsequently, frontman Mikael Akerfeldt fired bassist Johan De Farfalla over musical differences (reportedly, Akerfeldt wanted a more traditional 'metal' bass player). A distraught Akerfeldt was left with only fellow guitarist Peter Lindgren; however, he posted ads around town, and soon Martin Lopez was hired on drums and Martin Mendez on bass. My Arms, Your Hearse features this lineup, sans Mendez, who had insufficient time to learn the required material (so Akerfeldt performed the bass). It is Akerfeldt's favourite Opeth record, and with good reason: compared to the band's previous work, the songs are shorter, chunkier, and there is far less emphasis on guitar harmonization. Akerfeldt's vocals are better, too. This is where Opeth's most popular sound-- cerebral, atmospheric progressive death metal-- came into being. My Arms, Your Hearse is flawed only mildly in some of the metal riffs, which grow stale. Overall, it's an outstanding work.
PainKiller Guts of a Virgin
Great sax playing, and the vocals are awesome too. A nice atmosphere is also present on some of the tracks ("Portent"). However, too much of this record just feels like abrasive randomness, or jam sessions, with little replay value. Maybe I just don't completely 'get it.' Overall, Guts of a Virgin has less variety and is slightly weaker than Buried Secrets, but fans will probably enjoy it nonetheless.
Paul Gilbert Silence Followed By A Deafening Roar
Paul Wardingham Assimilate Regenerate
From the masterful songwriting and playing, to the atmosphere, to the replayability, to the great production, Assimilate Regenerate is a phenomenal guitar virtuoso record. Other than a couple of uninteresting numbers ("Brain Interactive Construct," "Black Hole Device"), this album is extremely solid from beginning to end, and is one of the best records of the year.
Poison the Well The Opposite of December
While unfortunately (partly) responsible for legions of pale imitators, The Opposite of December is nonetheless a landmark post-hardcore record in its own right. There is a furious, melancholic energy to the proceedings, the emotion is palpable, and the songwriting is good. However, at a mere twenty-eight minutes, it's too short.
Porcupine Tree In Absentia
Lots of great material ("Blackest Eyes," "Trains," "The Creator Has a Mastertape") with an impeccable mix and superb performances. I just wish it kept the energy up more consistently; the record drags in spots. Still, this is an essential listen for prog rock fans.
Puce Mary The Drought
Radiohead The Bends
Rollins Band The End of Silence
Fierce vocals with adequate musicianship and production. The highlights are plentiful ("Low Self Opinion," "Blues Jam," "Another Life") though some of the material is relatively unmemorable ("Obscene"). Overall, worth the price of admission, mostly for Rollins' performance.
Russian Circles Empros
Excellent (mostly) instrumental metal release. The production is nicely gritty which suits the music well. The first four songs are fantastic-- well-constructed, with a plethora of engaging riffs and melodies. "Batu" loses me somewhat-- it's not as interesting as the tracks before it-- and closer "Praise Be Man", while nice, doesn't totally satisfy. Still, this is an absolutely excellent record.
Ryoji Ikeda Time and Space
Secret Chiefs 3 Book of Souls: Folio A
Absolutely fantastic genre-bending release from Secret Chiefs 3 + the host of satellite bands. It's all-instrumental, save "La Chanson de Jacky", which features Mike Patton on vox (his first collaboration with Trey Spruance since Mr. Bungle's split). The detail and precision across this album is evident and admirable; the production is perfectly balanced, and the songs do a great job of remaining layered, but never going overboard with instrumentation. It loses a little steam in spots, but overall, Book of Souls: Folio A is fantastic (especially "Personae: Halloween," which is one of the best covers of all time).
Senses Fail Renacer
I appreciate any band that isn't afraid of change or progression, and these New Jersey natives proved they are doing just that-- progressing-- with this release. Renacer is Senses Fail's heaviest record yet. It is also consistent, well-performed, and all around excellent. Furthermore, it contains some of the catchiest tracks of the year, and Buddy's vocals have really improved.
Sleepwalker (JPN) 一期一会
Soundtrack (Film) Nightmare Before Christmas: 2-Disc Special Edition
Soundtrack: 5/5 - Bonus disc: 1.5/5 - Total: 3.5/5
Sunny Day Real Estate Diary
Passionate performances, good production, and great lyrics. However, some of the songs drag; tracks 4-6 are especially egregious in this regard. A seminal emo record, and I recommend it, but better material has been released in the genre since this album's release.
System of a Down Toxicity
Toxicity is one of the strangest albums to break on to the mainstream MTV circuit, but such strangeness works in its favour. Most of the tracks are well-written, well-performed, and unique. Serj Tankian is in great form, though I miss some of his crazier vocal techniques from the self-titled. Also, some of the songs are throwaway ("X"). Overall though, Toxicity is an extremely consistent album, and well worth listening to.
The 3rd and the Mortal Tears Laid in Earth
Haunting doom with fantastic female vocals and a healthy dose of dark atmosphere. Songs alternate between clean and distorted passages but the tempo is always quite slow and there is a consistent sense of beauty in the proceedings.
The Comet Is Coming Trust in the Lifeforce of Deep Mystery
The Cracow Klezmer Band Sanatorium: Under The Sign of The Hour Glass
Wonderful klezmer record. A tribute to author Bruno Schulz, the Cracow Klezmer Band perform songs written by John Zorn, and this material is some of the man's strongest. The album highlight is track three, "Tirzah," a gorgeous slow-burner featuring vocals by Grazyna Auguscik. The outro to "Demai" is equally beautiful; a perfectly measured piece of blissful melancholy. Then there are playful pieces, like "Pagiel" and "Meholalot," which provide welcome contrast to those more contemplative numbers. An excellent release.
The Devin Townsend Band Accelerated Evolution
Accelerated Evolution is the most straightforward of Townsend's solo records, with almost every song on the album being entirely distorted and falling into the realm of hard rock/progressive metal. While this lack of dynamic and stylistic shifts is a bit disappointing, the album is by no means bad. Indeed, it contains some of Devin's best vocal work ("Storm," "Deadhead") and guitar solos ("Away," "Sunday Afternoon") ever recorded. The mix is superb as well-- the record sounds absolutely enormous, and this is perfect for the stadium-rock-esque vibe. Though the underwhelming drumming, aforementioned lack of dynamics, and a comparatively weak track in "Traveller" hold Accelerated Evolution back somewhat, it is nonetheless a very good record, and well worth hearing.
The Dillinger Escape Plan Ire Works
A fun listen, but comes off somewhat half-baked. Namely, the interludes (tracks 4-7): they're cool, but I wish they'd been developed into longer songs. Also, "Mouth of Ghosts" doesn't really satisfy. "Fix Your Face," "Lurch," "Milk Lizard," and "Dead As History" are fantastic, though.
The Frank Lowe Orchestra Lowe & Behold
Live free jazz featuring a young Eugene Chadbourne and John Zorn (this is Zorn's earliest appearance on record, besides the Twins version of "Lacrosse" in the Parachute Years box set). Great performances from the eleven total musicians. Opener "Heart in Hand or (How Vain I Am)" is especially good, featuring a wonderful theme. It's chaotic and not an easy listen, but it's free jazz... what did you expect? For detailed liner notes, check out: gemsofjazz.blogspot.ca/2012/03/lowe-and-behold.html
The Maine Forever Halloween
Catchy, but at the same time dark and brooding, Forever Halloween is a uniquely atmospheric rock record with fantastic production and a host of great songs ("Love & Drugs," "Run," "Kennedy Curse").
The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed
The Ocean Pelagial
Instrumentally proficient progressive metal. The album loses its way towards the end, and the vocals are, on occasion, underwhelming ("Mesopelagic: Into the Uncanny"), but this is atmospheric, well-orchestrated music that deserves to be heard by metal and non-metal fans alike.
Thomas Chapin Trio Menagerie Dreams
Don't be dismayed by the avantgarde jazz denotation - aside from a few moments (the first thirty seconds of the opener), this is actually a relatively easy, super fun listen. The performances are astounding, John Zorn appears on two cuts, and there's even a song with vocals ("Put Your Quarter in and Watch the Chicken Dance"). Track three ("Raise Four") is a raucous live recording, while "Poignant Dream" and the title track are tender, slower tunes - all three are must-listens.
Thrice The Artist in the Ambulance
This record is the culmination of Thrice's first 'era'-- their post-hardcore era, comprising their first three albums. The compositions are remarkably solid ("Under a Killing Moon," "The Melting Point of Wax," "Don't Tell and We Won't Ask"), the production is nice and raw, and Dustin's vocals are superb. The band would reach their zenith on subsequent releases, but The Artist in the Ambulance is one of the best no-nonsense, straightforward post-hardcore records ever released.
Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II
The first part of Thrice's ambitious series of concept records. The band released 4 EPs, each themed after one of the four elements (fire, water, earth, and air), and then released two full lengths with two EPs on each. The series is Thrice's masterwork; this, the first two volumes, are phenomenal collections of versatile songwriting. The fire half features odd-time signatured rock tunes, and the water half ambient, electronic, mellow tracks. Highlights include the anger and aggression of "The Flame Deluge," and the beautiful melodies in "Lost Continent" and "The Whaler." This is a brave, and superb, collection of music.
Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV
The Air and Earth discs see Thrice continue their experimentation from the fire and water discs. The Air disc is full of lush, airy soundscapes, glockenspiels and synths. It also contains "Daedalus" and the absolutely gorgeous (but too short) "Silver Wings," which are both amazing. The Earth disc is the biggest departure for Thrice from their traditional sound, and sees them utilizing acoustic instruments and jazzy melodies ("Digging My Own Grave," "The Lion and the Wolf"). Overall, The Alchemy Index is a wildly successful endeavor.
Thrice Major/Minor
This is sophisticated, cerebral garage rock. Major/Minor is cohesive without being repetitive, performed exceptionally well, and produced excellently. There are a host of wonderful tracks, too ("Promises," "Blinded," "Blur," "Anthology"). Some of the material is lost in the shuffle, though ("Treading Paper," "Listen Through Me").
Tony Sly 12 Song Program
Trophy Scars Never Born, Never Dead
Excellent EP, combining post-hardcore sensibilities with blues guitarwork and gruff vocals. The sample work is phenomenal ("Angels"), the performances are first-class ("Messengers"), and the conglomeration of these styles is decidedly original.
Type O Negative Bloody Kisses
Type O Negative is unique for me in that I love the aesthetic, the ideas, the vocals... pretty much everything except the songwriting. On this CD, the songs are unanimously too long. The drumming is quite dull too.
Type O Negative October Rust
Ulver The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Love it. This is super fun, and easily the most straightforward record Ulver have ever released. Among their discography, it's most akin to Blood Inside, but this is less dense and more unabashedly pop-flavoured. Indeed, there are incredibly catchy moments (the chorus on opener "Nemoralia" is the best example), though Ulver don't entirely sacrifice their idiosyncrasies or experimental nature (the outro on "Rolling Stone"). Genre-wise, this is synth-heavy, well, synthpop. Ulver have once again hit it out of the park.
Ulver Lyckantropen Themes OST
It's difficult to say this is a 'fair' rating, as I've not seen the film itself. However, I will say that in terms of an ambient record this is pretty interesting. It's repetitive, but the instrumentation and sounds used throughout are sufficiently engaging to keep things from getting dull (more often than not).
Ulver 1993-2003: 1st Decade In The Machines
A bunch of artists you've never heard of take small pieces of Ulver songs and 'remix' them. The majority of these tracks are completely unrecognizable from the originals. A large number are noise songs, but there is some ambient and electronic stuff too (there's even a chiptune track!) Ulver contributes one new song, the opener, and unexpectedly it's one of the weakest here. There's more good than bad, though ("A Little Wiser Than the Monkey, Much Wiser Than Seven Men," "Der Alte," "I Love You, But I Prefer Trondheim (Parts 1-4)," Merzbow's "Vow Me Ibrzu," which remixes "Capitel IV" from Bergtatt in one of the few distinguishable source sections) and the diversity is admirable.
Ulver Shadows of the Sun
A beautifully minimalist release from Ulver. "Eos" and "All the Love" are two of my favourite songs of all time. Gorgeous production, excellent vocals from Garm, and even the Black Sabbath cover works. The last two tracks could have used more oomph, though.
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes
I came to this after hearing the astounding Hallowed Ground. By comparison, this is dull and dreary. Limp and at times outright annoying acoustic fare.
Weyes Blood Titanic Rising
Wintersun Wintersun
Fantastic metal record, combining elements of many sub-genres into one cohesive listen. Some of the tracks are overlong and a little more variation among them would be welcome, but the whole thing is so well-performed and produced that it scarcely matters. "Death and the Healing" has one of my favourite guitar solos ever.
Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of "Twin Peaks"
I'm not familiar with Twin Peaks, but this music is making me want to be. This is an awesome record. It's wide-ranging, covering genres as diverse as ambient, jazz, and rock, and it never loses steam across its hour-plus runtime. Indeed, even the quiet moments are engrossing ("Sycamore Tree," "Harold's Theme"). Also, I love the noisy production. I would have liked some more vocals, but this is still highly recommended.
Yves Tumor Heaven To A Tortured Mind

3.0 good
3 (USA) The Ghost You Gave To Me
Super poppy rock record with minor progressive elements. I love Joey Eppard's voice, and there are some really catchy tracks here ("React," the title track, "Afterglow"). It's sort of one-dimensional though, and "One with the Sun" and "The Barrier" are both underwhelming. Overall, The Ghost You Gave to Me is a fun listen, but not a particularly deep or rewarding one.
A Lot Like Birds No Place
A well-produced scene-y post-hardcore effort. Very Dance Gavin Dance-esque, albeit with better songwriting. The harsh vocals are largely terrible, but there are some great riffs ("Next to Ungodliness") and some heartfelt lyrics ("No Nurture").
Abnormality 2007 Demo
Abnormality is a female-fronted death metal outfit best known for their appearance in the Rock Band video game. Their 2007 demo is a solid release, featuring three intricately structured tracks and a lot of energy.
Abstract Void Into the Blue
Absu Absu
A reasonably entertaining black/death/thrash/whatever metal album. Aside from having some of the best song titles in recent memory ("Of the Dead Who Never Rest in Their Tombs Are the Attendance of Familiar Spirits," "Magick Square Cipher," "In the Name of Auebothiabaithobeuee") this record contains some wild riffing and fantastic instrumentation. There isn't a bad track per se, however many of them sound similar to each other, so at times you think, "Didn't I just listen to this song?"
Absu Abzu
Super-fast thrash/black/death/prog metal. "Earth Ripper" starts things on a strange note with a falsetto cry, but procedure returns to normal for the rest of the record. It's basically what you'd expect from an Absu record, barring the last track, which is very long, but feels more like multiple tracks stuck together.
Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill
It goes on too long and misses the mark sometimes ("Hand in My Pocket," "Ironic"), but there are some great songs ("You Oughta Know," "Forgiven") and you have to admire Morissette's tenacity, boldness, and intestinal fortitude.
Albert Ayler Bells
I love the combative leads of the Ayler brothers and Charles Tyler, but Worrell's bass and Murray's drums are buried so far in the mix as to be almost inaudible. For that reason, I have to bring the score down - lower than I would like. I know it's a live recording, but still. What little I can make out from the rhythm section is great, but that's the thing: it's only a little. I still recommend Bells for free jazz fans, but be aware of that glaring production error.
Alcest Kodama
This record hearkens back to the Ecailles de Lune/Les Voyages de L'Ame sound; that is, highly melodic, beauteous black metal. While this results in a better release than Shelter, it also feels like a retread in some respects-- which is appropriate since, essentially, it is. The production is excellent, though, the melodies are wonderful, and, though the song structures can wind a little too much for their own good (the title track), overall this a successful release.
Alcest Écailles De Lune
Alkaline Trio Damnesia
Fun acoustic re-works of some of the Alkaline Trio's most beloved tracks. The instrumentation is tasteful, the performances are wonderful, and the production is never overblown. This music is, for the most part, very simple, and it doesn't all hit the mark, but there's lots of great stuff ("This Could Be Love," "Private Eye," "You've Got So Far to Go").
American Football American Football (LP2)
It's fine, but it's not as moving or engaging as the original. The trumpet is absent, the guitar intertwining is less inventive, and though Kinsella's vocals have improved in pitch, they aren't as endearing (I suppose that was unavoidable, though). Overall, the new American Football is expectedly pleasant, though somewhat lukewarm. I suppose we should be thankful it exists at all, though.
Anal Cunt I Like It When You Die
The best Anal Cunt album. The music is still mostly terrible, but it's the funniest listen in their catalogue.
Anathema A Fine Day to Exit
There are some effective songs ("Pressure," "Underworld," the title track), but overall A Fine Day to Exit is too uneventful to leave significant impact. By the way, what is up with the last ten minutes of "Temporary Peace?" It's like the band took too much acid one day in the studio.
Anathema Serenades
Anathema's debut sounds nothing like their later work. Aside from the soft, female-vocal driven "J'ai Fait Une Promesse," the interlude "Scars of the Old Stream," and the 23-minute ending ambient piece "Dreaming: The Romance," Serenades consists of crushing death doom metal with a distinctly hopeless atmosphere. There are wonderful passages (the end of "They Will Always Die") but some of the tracks don't go anywhere (opener "Lovelorn Rhapsody"). Still, it's not bad, and it shows that even in their beginning stage, Anathema knew how to conjure an atmosphere.
Anathema Pentecost III
Definitely more interesting than The Crestfallen EP. "We, the Gods" is, in particular, a great track. However, the murky production results in a very heavy atmosphere which, while effective, causes the songs to blend together more than a cleaner mix would have. The band's last recording with original singer Darren White-- he left before this was released.
Anathema We're Here Because We're Here
One of Anathema's better records, and worth the seven year wait, though the second half (aside from the incredible climax to "Universal") is weaker than the first. "Angels Walk Among Us" is one of the most heartbreaking songs I've ever heard.
Atari Teenage Riot 1995
Highly energetic and fast-paced debut record from this German digital hardcore group. The inclusion of two live tracks is an interesting move, but they feel out of place. Some of the guitar riffs are generic too. Nonetheless, the great sample work and production, as well as the aforementioned high energy level, elevate this record's quality.
August Burns Red Sleddin' Hill
A regular in my Christmas rotation. "Carol of the Bells," "Oh Holy Night," "Sleigh Ride" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel" are especially fantastic. The drum production is poor, though: it is way too triggered, and the loud snare drum severely detracts from the quieter portions of the record. That's the audiophile in me talking, though; on the whole, this album is a total blast.
Authority Zero Andiamo
Authority Zero's reggae influence is still alive on Andiamo, and the songs which feature it are the record's most successful ("Retreat!," "A Thousand Years of War," "Solitude," "PCH-82"). The pop-punk stuff is pretty generic, with Jason DeVore's voice being the only point of interest (and he's too frequently reciting cliche lyrics)-- in a bad move, Andiamo stacks five of these bland tunes at the start. The record suffers as a result. The good stuff is good, though, and the interludes/hidden track are fun.
Bad Rabbits American Love
Great record with phenomenal performances, especially Fredua Boakye on vocals. Man, that guy can sing. The album would benefit from some more variety and experimentation, but as it stands it is still an extremely catchy and enjoyable ride. The short runtime was wise considering the sameness of the material. American Love is a great first step for Bad Rabbits, and I hope they continue to expand their sound on their next release.
BADBADNOTGOOD III
While occasionally too meandering ("Eyes Closed," "Sustain"), overall III is an impressive record. The standout tracks ("Can't Leave the Night", "Hedron") are fantastic, and the sheer amount of variety-- from hip-hop beats on "Triangle" and "CS60" to the lounge jazz of "Differently, Still" to the infectiously appealing circus-esque pulse of "Since You Asked Kindly"-- is admirable.
Behemoth The Satanist
An excellent record. The Satanist shows that Behemoth have not slowed down despite their nearly five year hiatus. They are just as heavy, fast, and aggressive as ever, as songs like "Messe Noire," "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer," and the title track demonstrate, and the songwriting is fantastic throughout the record. This great songwriting is emphasized by equally great performances, especially from Nergal, who is in better vocal form here than I've ever heard him. My only complaint is that some of the tracks run together-- more experimentation, like the guitar solo on the aforementioned "Messe Noire" and the ambient/soft parts on the ironically titled "In the Absence ov Light," would help this issue. Regardless, The Satanist is a stellar record, and well worth checking out.
Between the Buried and Me Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me's self-titled debut is rough around the edges, to be sure. But it is also one of my favourite records by the band; and, indeed, I find myself returning to it more than any of their other material. (In particular, the opening and closing tracks.) Sure, some songs drag ("What We Have Become," "Fire for a Dry Mouth") and "Use of a Weapon" is a total dud, but the raw talent on display is astounding, and there's none of the pretension or wankery present which plagues some of their later releases. Plus, I like the growls a lot on this one.
Bill Frisell Before We Were Born
Eclectic post-bop featuring notables Arto Lindsay and Joey Baron (Naked City)."Hard Plains Drifter" is a 13-minute jump-cut number arranged by John Zorn; the "Some Song and Dance" suite cycles through several jazz styles; "Steady, Girl" is a contemplative tune with Lindsay performing vocals. Some of this material goes on too long ("The Lone Ranger") but this is a fun album nonetheless.
Bing Crosby Christmas with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby's sonorous baritone is basically the sonic embodiment of Christmas, and this disc is a necessity for anyone in need of a little holiday cheer.
Bomb the Music Industry! Vacation
Great energy and fun songwriting ("Campaign for a Better Weekend," "Vocal Coach"). The production is subpar, though, and I get that the vocals are supposed to be raw, but a vocal coach is what this singer needs. He goes off-key constantly.
Borah Bergman Trio Luminescence
80-year old pianist Borah Bergman is joined by Greg Cohen on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums for six jazz pieces. Bergman's piano is melodic, often counterpointing the comparatively frantic backing band ("Scattering"). I don't love this record-- it's quite one-note-- but it's pleasant enough. Bergman's final record before his death in 2012.
Boris Heavy Rocks (2011)
Brand New Daisy
Daisy is a messy, noisy listen with perfectly tuned production and a keen sense of atmosphere. What hampers it are some poor lyrics and a comparatively weak second half. Daisy gets so much right, though, that it can hardly be considered a disappointment. It also shows Brand New progressing, and it is admirable that the band continues to evolve their sound with each release.
Brothers Moving Brothers Moving
Spirited acoustic rock with fantastic, gruff vocals ("Sorte Sigojner," "No News"). It's also extremely catchy in spots ("You"). At 31 minutes, it's too short, but this is an extremely promising debut. I hope this band releases another record soon.
Buckethead 14 Days Til Halloween: Voice From The Dead Forest
Buckethead 27 Days Til Halloween: Cavern Guide
Buckethead 16 Days Til Halloween: Cellar
Buckethead 13 Days Til Halloween: Maple Syrup
Buckethead 19 Days Til Halloween: Light in Window
Buckethead KFC Skin Piles
This is an EP designed to be remixed and scratched by DJs; as such, it is quite jumpy, and there aren't really any 'songs.' The samples are fantastic, though.
Buckethead 23 Days Til Halloween: Wax
Buckethead 11 Days Til Halloween: Reflection
Buckethead Giant Robot
A classic in Buckethead's canon, Giant Robot features several hallmarks of Buckethead lore: the Bucketheadland theme park, bizarre voice samples, movie themes, and genres performed as diverse as heavy metal, funk, and acoustic balladry. This is by no means a perfect record-- namely, some songs go on way too long ("I Come in Peace," "Buckethead's Toy Store")-- but there is such creativity here, and the performances are great.
Buckethead Monsters & Robots
Monsters & Robots is Buckethead's best-selling record, and features one of his few songs that got a music video ("The Ballad of Buckethead," which features Les Claypool on vocals overtop distinctly non-Ballad instrumentation). A couple of tracks from Giant Robot NTT have been re-recorded here, too, sans their 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' voice clips ("Jowls," "Scapula"). Elsewhere, there are blistering guitar solos ("Jump Man," "Nun Chuka Kata") and funky numbers ("The Shape Vs Buckethead," "Stun Operator"). "Who Me?" features a gorgeous acoustic riff, but it is interspersed with groaning, moaning noises and only lasts two minutes. A good place for Buckethead beginners to start, as there is a wide variety of material and it's mostly solid, but the majority of his most incisive material is to be found elsewhere.
Buckethead Bermuda Triangle
A largely electronic record, with lots of solid tracks. "Sea of Expanding Shapes" is one of Big B's best ballads; "Jabbar on Alcatraz Avenue" is a fantastic electro-shred number; "Flight 19" and "Mausoleum Door" are energetic rock tunes. There are duds, though, including "The Triangle, Pt. 1: Extrakd," a useless, annoying, clanging noise interlude. Overall, a strong record.
Buckethead Island of Lost Minds
Overlong collection of trudging, blocky, down-tuned metal riffs clumsily organized into so-called 'songs.' There are a few good tunes ("Mud of the Gutter," "Viravax," "Lobotomizer"), but overall this is one of Buckethead's weaker offerings. If you're looking for a Big B metal fix, you're better off with The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell or Bucketheadland 2.
Buckethead Acoustic Shards
Imagine Buckethead sitting down on a couch next to you, picking up an acoustic guitar, and jamming for almost an hour. That's exactly what this is a recording of (Jas Obrecht was the listener). It was recorded in 1991, before Bucket's first solo release, and the sound quality is predictably raw. You can even hear who I assume is Bucket in the background in spots (the "Oops" on "Little Gracie"). This is improvised stuff, so it can be meandering, but it's fascinating to hear early versions of "For Mom" and "Who Me?"
Buckethead From The Coop
The earliest Buckethead recordings, released as a fan service. Even on these early demos, Buckethead's songwriting abilities are obvious ("Disembodied, Part 2," "Scraps"), and his playing is versatile and creative ("Space Mountain"). Curious fans will enjoy.
Buckethead Captain Eo's Voyage
A mellow record, a la Colma or Shadows Between the Sky, Captain EO'S Voyage is remarkably solid, and Buckethead performs with remarkable tenderness and subtlety. He seems to have put more thought into this one than many of his recent Pikes records-- the album flows well, each song has a purpose, and the atmosphere is palpable throughout, perfectly aligning with the cover art. Overall, this is one Buckethead's better records.
Buckethead It's Alive
A strong start to the Pikes series. A mix of riff smorgasbords ("The Hatch," "Picking the Feathers") and Buckethead's traditional post-'06 rock styling ("Lebrontron," "Tonka"). While there's nothing especially new on offer, Buckethead's covered basically every genre on the planet at this point... so, really, what's he supposed to do? A good addition to Big B's elephantine discography.
Buckethead Empty Space
A good, but unmemorable, addition to the Pikes series. There's nothing terrible on here, but nothing outstanding either. Fans won't be disappointed, and completionists will of course want this, but Buckethead has much better records. Stylistically, this is the weirded-out, effect-laden instrumental rock we're familiar with by now.
Buckethead Balloon Cement
One long song separated into sections. Also, Buckethead's most chaotic record in a while. There are lots of short tracks ("Transport Void," "Bridge to Borg") and tons of guitar shredding. It's all over the place and more demanding than many Bucket records, but it's one of the most fun Pikes ("Red Water Colors," "Alligator Eye Viewer").
Buckethead Forgotten Library
Buckethead Teeter Slaughter
Buckethead throws everything but the kitchen sink at this release, and because of that it becomes one his most interesting albums in a while. However, the sprawling nature of the entire record, combined with the lack of track titles, means everything runs together a bit. I also wish that some parts were expanded on (for example, the acoustic guitar and double bass at the end of "Track 3") because they are awesome, but over too quickly.
Buckethead Hold Me Forever (In memory of my mom)
A fantastic pike that manages to transmit a feeling of grief despite the rather upbeat and energetic nature of the composition(s) (this is six songs that connect to make one). The last half is essentially one long guitar solo, and Buckethead goes all out; and, while the thirteen-minute shredfest does a get a bit tiresome, it is nonetheless impressive. Hold Me Forever is an excellent release.
Buckethead 30 Days Til Halloween: Swollen Glasses
Buckethead Chicken Noodles II
This is still instrumental jamwork akin to the first Chicken Noodles, but the track times are shorter and the compositions are more energetic. It's doesn't all hit (the limp "Oyster Crackers") but there is good stuff ("The Chicken or the Egg"), and Big B and Travis have great musical chemistry ("Chicken Nostrils").
Buckethead Chicken Noodles
Underappreciated record of lengthy ambient jams between Buckethead and Travis Dickerson. There is a relaxed vibe throughout, and this is great background material (that isn't an insult). "Loss from a Distance" is especially effective; "Sorrow of Discord" and "False Directions" are less so, but still mildly entertaining.
Buckethead Spiral Trackway
Buckethead Sphere Facade
Buckethead 4 Days Til Halloween: Silent Photo
Buckethead 9 Days Til Halloween: Eye on Spiral
Burzum Hlidskjalf
Busdriver Temporary Forever
Cannibal Corpse Hammer Smashed Face
Car Bomb Mordial
Cecil Taylor Unit Structures
Great free jazz, though it meanders sometimes, taking too long to get to the good stuff ("Unit Structure / As of a Now / Section"). When it does get there, though, it's excellent. Top-caliber performances, too.
Chelsea Wolfe Apokalypsis
Dark ethereal soundscapes with lots of effects. Variety-- "Demons" is essentially a rock song, where "The Wasteland" is haunting electronic ambience and "Moses" is a heartwrenching ballad. The length is just right for the material. Excellent.
Clown Core Clown Core
One of the most oddly compelling albums I've ever heard. It's absolutely hilarious, and musically these guys are obviously very talented. All in all, this is a really fun listen. I just wish it was longer.
Cobra Strike 13th Scroll
Cobra Strike is another of Buckethead's innumerable side projects. This one features Brain, Pinchface, and DJ Disk; stylistically, it's electronic-tinged shred metal. There are bright spots: the absurdly catchy main riff on the title track; "Braingate," one of Big B's most beloved, all-out shred guitar pieces; the unexpectedly heartfelt, underrated "Inferno." However, the back half of the record falters, including a blah sub-one minute funk number ("Silent Scream"), a retread of the "Braingate" main riff ("Black Sea River"), and an unnecessary redux of the title track.
Colin Stetson New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light
I have mixed feelings about Justin Vernon's vocals on here- they don't always fit and they, overall, aren't as impressive as Laurie Anderson and Shara Worden's work on Vol. 2. However, he does have his moments, and luckily Colin Stetson's playing on here is just as amazing as ever. Indeed, "Hunted" is an instrumental and one of the best songs on the record-- it wouldn't have felt out of place on Vol. 2-- and the title track is a fifteen-minute, epic journey. All in all, this record is not as good as Vol. 2-- due partly to the aforementioned vocals, and also to a few less interesting numbers-- but it's still worth hearing.
Crosses Crosses
Though Crosses is too long and some of its lyrics are hackneyed, overall it is a good listen. It's catchy, well-produced, and Chino's vocals are extraordinary. I wish there was more screaming on the record, though (like the end of "Bitches Brew").
Cryptopsy Blasphemy Made Flesh
Grimy, dank, gory death metal record. Though the lo-fi production drowns the guitars too much, it adds an amateur, unclean air to the proceedings which is effective, adding to the disturbing nature of the lyrics and music.
Daniel Zamir Children of Israel
David Shea Hsi-Yu Chi
Based on a 16th-century allegorical text chronicling Taoist priest Hsuan-Tsang's trek from India to China, Hsi-Yu Chi is a sprawling record which features genres as diverse as country, jazz, rock, and Oriental music. The record flows as one long piece, and while it's all well-orchestrated, it, on occasion, collapses under the weight of its own ambition. Many songs run too long, and the transitions are sometimes too abrupt (note the number of slashes in the track listing). Features John Zorn and Marc Ribot.
Dead Letter Circus This Is The Warning
Fair to Midland meets "Minority Report"? The sound here is a delay and reverb-drenched alternative rock, with lots of electronics and a talented if occasionally melodramatic vocalist. The songs that work best are the catchiest ones ("One Step"); every track here is quite similar to the last, though, so the record runs together a bit. Impeccable production and great performances, but more variety would be welcome.
Death Human
Death Grips The Powers That B - Part II: Jenny Death
Death Grips' best record since The Money Store. Jenny Death is the band's most aggressive work yet; really, this thing borders on hardcore punk. The production is chaotic but clear, MC Ride is in great vocal form, and the lyrics are fantastic. The song structures are not as sporadic as Niggas on the Moon, though they are decidedly less straightforward than The Money Store. Is Jenny Death the last we'll hear from Death Grips? Doubtful. If it is, though, this is a good way to go out.
Deathspell Omega The Synarchy of Molten Bones
Dense, chaotic, whirlwind black/death/mildly orchestral metal. This is relatively atmospheric, the vocals are nicely varied, and it doesn't overstay its welcome (though 29 minutes is a bit too short). Excellent production, too. Ultimately, though this LP could use more variation and a longer runtime, it's a great, and awesomely heavy, listen.
Deicide Deicide
Old school death metal of a high order. Booming production, ferocious vocals, lots of double kick drum; when you think of death metal, this is probably close to what you imagine. There isn't much variation between the songs, but at just over a half hour, Deicide doesn't overstay its welcome.
Devin Townsend Ass-Sordid Demos I
NOTE: My version of this album has a different tracklisting than the one here. There are some fantastic songs on this release, namely "Ocean Machines" and "Red Tomorrow." "Roadkill" is also good for a laugh. Some of the tracks are too long, though ("I Am," "Ascent to the Summit of Black Mountain"). A good listen for hardcore Devin fans who are interested in his early work, however, these being demos, they are (mostly) not of the same quality as his later, more polished material.
Devin Townsend Official Bootleg
Hard to find live recording of a 2000 Tokyo show with the Strapping Young Lad lineup playing material from Ocean Machine and Infinity ("Detox" off SYL's City and "Fake Punk" off the Punky Bruster record are featured too, as are three Devin-only acoustic versions of Ocean Machine songs). The tracklisting is excellent (until 2015's Ziltoid Live DVD, this was the only release on which live versions of some of these tracks could be heard), but the recording quality isn't-- to be expected, I suppose, since this wasn't originally intended for release. Nonetheless, fans would do well to scope this out. Live Ocean Machine tracks are always good.
Devin Townsend Physicist
Though it has some great tracks ("Namaste," "Material," "Kingdom"), overall Physicist isn't close to the level of either Infinity or Ocean Machine: Biomech, Devin's two previous solo releases. Firstly, handing over the mixing duties to Mike Plotnikoff was a mistake-- the album sounds muddy and compressed. It's not unlistenably bad, but the production does not suit Devin's extremely layered style. Second of all, the songs this time around are all pretty straightforward and relatively similar to each other, which results in some ("Death," which is notable only for the atrocious vocal effects) getting lost in the shuffle. With that said, though, Physicist isn't all bad-- the aforementioned great tracks are indeed great, and it's overall worth listening to-- but it's one of Devin's weakest solo releases.
Devin Townsend Devlab
Devin Townsend Project Ki
Ki is at its weakest during the metal sections which, compared to the mellow sections, are nowhere near as engrossing. Also, "Demon League" is an unnecessary inclusion-- "Quiet Riot" would have been the perfect end to the album (with the sample of Devin leaving the studio from "Demon League" put on to the end). Despite these complaints though, Ki is overall a masterful record. The production is superlative, as are the performances, and the atmosphere is captivating. The "tense" feel Devin went for is perfectly captured. Ki isn't flawless, but it is still an exceptional record. It speaks to Townsend's incredible discography that an album this good is not even in his top five records.
Diamanda Galas Schrei X
A series of a capella pieces. The first half of the CD is the songs performed live, the second half is the studio versions. Effects are added to the solo voice, creating blistering, intense, and frightening atmospheres. The words are by Galas, but include excerpts from the Book of Job and St. Thomas Aquinas. Reportedly, the theme of the work is torture; and indeed, Galas' desperate, frantic performance, consisting of much screeching and screaming, reflects this theme. Schrei X was designed as a performance art piece, so when listening to the record the visual qualities are absent. Presumably, these visuals are a large part of the work, and thus in missing them Schrei X, the record, doesn't totally satisfy. Nonetheless, it remains a display of Galas' incredible vocal prowess. (Though it will likely, due to its abrasive nature, send the majority of listeners scrambling for the stop button.)
Dog Fashion Disco Committed to a Bright Future
Dog Fashion Disco Sweet Nothings
Sweet Nothings is marred by muddy guitar and flat drum sounds and a poor mixing job. One way that poor mix manifests itself is in the vocals. They are way too quiet in spots ("Tastes So Sweet"). It's a shame, because these are great songs for the most part-- the production hampers them. Ultimately, Sweet Nothings is not a bad record; it's just a shame that the mix is so poor. Were the sound clearer, this album would be infinitely more enjoyable. The muddy production casts a shadow over the entire affair, not rendering the record unlistenable but detracting from its overall presentation. Luckily, some of these songs are so good that they transcend this damper ("Doctor's Orders," "Envy the Vultures," "We Aren't the World," the title track).
Don Salsa Koolaide Moustache in Jonestown
Don Salsa was the first band of future Estradasphere members Jason Schimmel and Tim Smolens. They only released one album, Koolaide Moustache in Jonestown, a post-modern smorgasbord of genre-defying music with song lengths ranging from thirty-one minutes to four seconds. The album is obscure. Only one pressing was ever made. Luckily though, it can now be heard in full online. Reportedly, some consider it "the most extreme album ever made." I'm not sure I would go that far, but indeed, these rapid, mind-twisting pieces certainly constitute extremity. Think an even more eclectic Naked City or Mr. Bungle. On the record you will hear jazz, metal, opera, noise, waltz, funk, video game music... and I'm only talking about track six. Koolaide Moustache in Jonestown might be too multifarious for its own good (the songs can, paradoxically, lose listener attention by being overly sporadic) but the startling level of creativity, ambition, and talent on it is undeniable.
Drudkh Eternal Turn of the Wheel
This is pretty much as mainstream as black metal can get, but I love the atmosphere, and the vocals are a nice change from the usual wailing associated with the genre. The record is also nice and short, not overstaying its welcome. Eternal Turn of the Wheel is overall a little safe, but not unenjoyable.
Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I
Edge of Sanity Until Eternity Ends
The first two songs on here are much more melodic, and even outright catchy, than anything the band has released before. It's not surprising they didn't feel these fit on Purgatory Afterglow. On the other hand, there's "Bleed," which has some of the most tortured vocals I've ever heard from Swano. The EP closes with "Invisible Sun," a Police cover, and while I can't say I enjoy it that much, it's well-performed, and I appreciate the band attempting something completely out of left field. NOTE: The beginning of "Until Eternity Ends" has a hidden message at the very beginning that you need to turn your speakers up to hear. It says: "This is a warning. In 4 seconds we will blow your speakers straight to fuckin' hell."
Edge of Sanity Crimson II
Like most sequels, Crimson II is inferior to the original. However, it is still a great release. Indeed, I would even go so far as to call it my second favourite album from the band-- though calling Edge of Sanity a "band" at this point is fatuous, as Dan Swano is the only one who did anything on this record apart from vocal and guitar guest spots. Crimson II is more synth-driven than its predecessor and features longer stretches of full out death metal which, unfortunately, grow stale in spots. With that said, though, there are plenty of excellent riffs and sections and some motifs from the original Crimson are re-purposed brilliantly, and it is these parts which render Crimson II a great album, if not a classic like the original.
Eidola To Speak, to Listen
El Stew The Rehersal
A very raw recording featuring Buckethead, Brain, Extrakd, SP808, and DJ Eddie Def. Supposedly, the whole thing was recorded with one microphone and then transferred straight to CD. Some of the compositions here are actually really good ("01," "02"), though the jam tracks can go on for too long ("06," "12"). "07" is a shorter, DJ-ified version of "Night of the Slunk." Overall, The Rehearsal is a fun listen, especially for Buckethead fans-- and best of all, it's free! http://www.buckethead-coop.com/downloads.html
Enslaved Vertebrae
Enslaved The Sleeping Gods
Estradasphere Buck Fever
This album covers nearly every genre on the planet, from jazz to death metal to video game music (and everything in between). It's overlong, but for the most part this an extremely interesting and enjoyable release. Not a flawless record, but a very unique one which I recommend you check out.
Estradasphere Quadropus
With Quadropus, Estradasphere decided to deconstruct their sound. Rather than meld genres, as on past releases, each track on Quadropus represents one aspect of the band's eclectic musical palette. There is jazz ("Hardball,") surf ("Crystal Blue,") metal ("Jungle Warfare,") acapella ("Dubway,") experimental ("A Car Ride in Idealistic Ethiopia (Part 1)"), parody rock ("Bodyslam"), and more. This results in the most uneven Estradasphere record, but one that is nonetheless just as fun as their previous work. Metal is still the band's weak link, though.
Evanescence Evanescence
Evergrey The Atlantic
Explosions in the Sky How Strange, Innocence
Explosions in the Sky The Wilderness
Explosions in the Sky have never been a particularly original outfit; rather, their success has been based upon a deft execution of established post-rock tropes. The Wilderness sees the band extending their reach somewhat, going for shorter songs with more electronic influence. The results are good ("Disintegration Anxiety", "Logic of a Dream") more often than not, but more risk-taking would be welcome.
Explosions in the Sky The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
Faith No More Live at the Brixton Academy
Good live record. The sound quality isn't great, but the performances are spirited (Patton is particularly fun, and Jim Martin's guitarwork is another highlight). The tracklist is okay, but a bit short. The last two songs are leftovers from The Real Thing recording session: "The Grade," a banjo-only track by Jim Martin, and "The Cowboy Song," which is better than at least half of the main record's cuts.
Faith No More King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
Inner band turmoil-- including the loss of longtime guitarist Jim Martin, a car crash, and the death of Roddy Bottum's father-- led to a three year gap between this record and Angel Dust. The latter managed to display genre eclecticism while maintaining flow; King for a Day doesn't, really. The two other big problems with the record are the production, which is dry and thankless (unlike Angel Dust's phenomenal sound), and the guitar playing-- it's rather boring and uninspired, which is surprising, considering Mr. Bungle's Trey Spruance was the player here (though he claims there was general confusion as to what direction the band wanted, and that, as well as his admitted lack of enthusiasm for most of the material, likely led to the issue). Still, there are plenty of great tracks ("The Gentle Art of Making Enemies," "Star A.D.," "Cuckoo for Caca") and Mike Patton's performance is phenomenal.
Frank Zappa Apostrophe
Frank Zappa's most commercially successful record. The first three tracks are humorous and tell a story, and are backed by some good music too. From then on the record gets more serious (until the closer). I can't tell if this is a concept record or not; I can tell it's an enjoyable listen, though. Not too long, a nice mix of sounds and moods, and good production. It's silly, but in a refreshing way.
Friction Replicant Walk
Japanese no wave with John Zorn showing up on sax for a few tracks. Replicant Walk is not always compelling, but the big production and vocal performance are fun. There are some good grooves, too ("Burn Don"). For no wave, it's pretty commercial-- sort of a grittier Ambitious Lovers. Overall, Replicant Walk is an enjoyable effort.
Funeral for a Friend Welcome Home Armageddon
Accused by many fans of regressing since their debut Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation, Funeral for a Friend generated some buzz last year with their well-received EP The Young And Defenseless. Since two of the tracks from that EP appear on this album, it would be pretty safe to assume that they share similar styles; and they do. This is a solid post-hardcore record, replete with quality guitar-work ("Medicated," "Broken Foundation") and good production.
Funeral for a Friend Conduit
A great, stripped down record. Most of the songs on Conduit are pretty short, and the sound is raw and in your face. There is a nice amount of aggression, the instrumental performances are strong, and most of the tracks are different enough from one another that the record never runs together or gets boring. Some of the songs are too short, though, and at times the vocals feel strained and/or off key ("Nails.") While not as strong as Welcome Home Armageddon, Conduit is solid, if somewhat one-note.
Ghost (SWE) Infestissumam
Well-performed and produced retro satanic metal record with modern twists. The last two tracks are the album's weakest, but everything else is very good. I really dig the raw snare sound. Infestissumam is a catchy, fun listen and can be considered mostly successful.
Ghost (SWE) Meliora
As someone who enjoyed Infestissumam, I am pleased to report that Meliora is every bit as good. It contains some of Ghost's best songs ever ("From the Pinnacle to the Pit," "Cirice") and excellent production and performances. Ghost have proven with this record that their unique take on heavy metal has staying power.
Giant Robot Siren 19
There is widespread confusion as to what this actually is. It was never 'released' by the band; rather, fans somehow got ahold of it and now it's available at various places online. I did some digging and found the following explanation, from fuzzface over on the TDRSmusic forums: "This is not an ALBUM. These songs are part of a musical cues set (Siren 19 "Tweens") that is comprised of music one can license for use in films, commercials, etc... Pete and Brain have done a LOT of work on this type of stuff. The 2 of them + Buckethead = Giant Robot. hey have recorded a few things (these included) that have been on several of these types of "cues" sets including a wedge that made into the Borat movie." So, there you have it. At any rate, this is great music. It's instrumental (save some vocals on "World's End") and very well-produced.
Glassjaw Material Control
Glassjaw El Mark
If you liked Worship and Tribute (which, if you have good taste, you should have), get this. It's three b-sides from that record, and they're all good. "El Mark" is a furious burst of energy a la "Tip Your Bartender"/"Stuck Pig," while the other two songs are softer, but just as engaging. I wish there were more tunes here, but what is here is great.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor Yanqui U.X.O.
The weakest GY!BE record. On this one, the band eschewed samples, creating a purely instrumental work that, while often gorgeous and produced wonderfully, lacks the atmosphere of F# and Lift Your Skinny Fists. It's not that the record goes on too long, exactly, but that the lack of samples, or other additional instrumentation, causes it to feel empty in spots. The climaxes aren't as satisfying, either. Overall, I suppose it's a feeling of "I've heard this before" that permeates Yanqui U.X.O. and leaves it less engaging than the band's previous works. This is barring closer "Motherfucker=Redeemer (Part 2)," though. That song is the closest GY!BE have ever come to traditional song structure, and it is also one of the best songs in their catalogue. It is an engrossing, atmospheric, intense ten minutes with a perfect ending.
Gojira Magma
"Silvera" is cool, but besides that one (somewhat) high point, this is just such a snoozer. Gojira go for shorter, marginally less aggressive tracks here, and it sounds like, well, watered down Gojira. Aside from these lukewarm metal efforts, "Yellow Stone" is a bizarre, underdeveloped "Dawn Patrol"-esque instrumental interlude, and "Liberation," the closer, is a pleasant but also rather empty and one-dimensional instrumental.
Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I
One of my favourite power metal albums ever. Some of the lyrics are pretty bad ("Future World") and certain sections are too cheesy for me, but on the whole this is excellent. The record is paced well, there is great instrumental and vocal work throughout, and the production, while rough around the edges, works well for the sound. Special mention to "A Little Time" and "Halloween"-- both superlative tracks, with the latter being possibly my favourite power metal song of all time.
Hikashu Live
Fun collection of live tracks from this Japanese 'avant-pop' band. I would never have stumbled across this were it not for John Zorn's involvement. Off-kilter noodling ("Red and White Plum Running Water View," "Bullshit Finger") is interspersed around upbeat, catchy tunes ("Morning Water"). The lyrics are in Japanese, so I have no idea what's being said, but the musicianship is good. Sadly, the recording quality isn't great.
Hoppy Kamiyama Ongaku-o 2: Welcome to Forbidden Paradise
A bizarre album. It is a dense listen with lots of sound effects and features '80s style new wave, metal, ambient and new age interludes-- and oh yeah, the closer is a 16-minute instrumental featuring John Zorn and Marc Ribot and the album cover is a topless woman with a chain nipple piercing. Some of the songs go on too long ("My Dear Sight," the aforementioned closer), but the variety is commendable. I'm not sure I've fully grasped this one, and I don't know if I ever will.
Ihsahn Eremita
Eremita features a cerebral, measured vibe and good songwriting ("The Grave," "Recollection"). It's solid all the way through-- the performances are strong (Ihsahn is as capable a singer as he is a black metal screamer), and it never drags. Prog metal fans will enjoy.
In Flames Clayman
ISIS Oceanic
This is a little long-winded; Isis would refine their approach with the full-up, Panopticon. However, this is still a great listen, highly atmospheric with good performances ("Weight"). It's like being carried by the waves through storms and calm alike.
Jesse Cook The Rumba Foundation
Enjoyable flamenco guitar record. Cook is remarkably adept at his instrument, and the production quality is top notch. Some of the stuff ("Manolo's Lament") edges too close to hotel background music, but this is still quite good.
Joe Bonamassa Blues of Desperation
Hokey at times ("This Train," "The Valley Runs Low"), but there are some legitimately great songs ("Mountain Climbing," "No Good Place for the Lonely") and the playing is impeccable. Though I gravitate towards forward-thinking music and not retro material, and this album falls into the latter category, the record's charm and verve are impressive enough for me to recommend it.
John Lennon Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins
John Zorn Magick
Another atonal modern classical record by Zorn. This one is performed admirably by the Crowley Quartet. It's not one of Zorn's best-- it's too short and it fails to hold my attention consistently-- but it's still quite good. Fans of George Crumb or Krzysztof Penderecki will enjoy.
John Zorn Ipos: Book of Angels Volume 14
Ipos is by The Dreamers, so you pretty much know what you're going to get: jazzy surf/exotica music. The performances are fantastic and it's pleasant enough to listen to, but it's all so light and airy. Ipos isn't a bad album by any means, but I can't say it's one I want to listen to very often. "Zavebe," "Qalbam," and closer "Kutiel" are my favourites here.
John Zorn The Gift
This isn't actually a Dreamers' record (it's the third in Zorn's Music Romance series), but it certainly sounds like a Dreamers' record; and I keep giving them rather middling ratings because, while there's nothing wrong with them, they fade into the background too often for any sort of regular listening. There are a few exceptions to this rule on The Gift: "Mao's Moon" is absolutely gorgeous, "La Flor del Barrio" is excellent, and "Train to Thiensan" possesses some really cool sound effects. Also notable is the strong surf vibe on much of on this material here which, while present on some other Dreamers' tracks, is much more prevalent here. "Bridge to the Beyond" features some background vocals by Mike Patton.
John Zorn Filmworks: 1986-1990
The first of John Zorn's Filmworks series contains four distinct sections. Section one, tracks 1-6, is the soundtrack to Rob Schwebber's short film "White and Lazy." It is my favourite of the bunch, with the tracks variating between ambient, country, and jazz. Section two, tracks 7-17, is the soundtrack to Raul Ruiz's 1990 film "The Golden Boat." To mirror the film's low budget, Zorn recorded all of the music for the soundtrack in one day, then edited the results. Section three is track 18, which is a rendition of Morricone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" theme that Zorn was contracted to write for a Camel cigarette advertising campaign. Section four is tracks 19-32 and is the soundtrack to Sheila McLaughlin's 1986 film "She Must Be Seeing Things." There is a lot of great music on this CD, and it is enjoyable whether or not you have seen the works for which they were written (which you probably haven't).
John Zorn The Crucible
The most eclectic Moonchild record. "9x9" is a Led Zeppelin inspired off-kilter rock track; the only way to tell it is a Moonchild song is Mike Patton's incredible, discordant screaming. "Almadel," the album opener, sounds like a Moonchild take on Masada, and features some interesting harmonized saxophone and vocal melodies. And then there are, of course, the jazzy grindcore tracks, like "Shapeshifting" and "Hobgoblin," which are just as heavy as ever. Overall, The Crucible is a slightly uneven, but nonetheless enjoyable, trip into the mad world of Moonchild.
John Zorn O'o
In the same vein as The Dreamers, which makes sense, because after the release of that album Zorn formed a band called The Dreamers (named after the album) and released this record. O'o (the title refers to the extinct bird species) is a more focused effort than The Dreamers, though as aforementioned, the styles are similar: easy-listening jazz. The album drifts into the background at times, but stand-outs like "Little Bittern" and "Kakawahie" are engaging, and the record is never poor-- just occasionally uneventful.
John Zorn Templars-In Sacred Blood
The sixth album from John Zorn's "Moonchild" project. This one features Mike Patton, John Medeski, Trevor Dunn, and Joey Baron. The record is about the Knights Templar, an enigmatic warrior cult established in 1128 and excommunicated in 1312 for heresy. While I can't explain how specifically the songs relate to this theme, I can tell you that this album is a total blast from start to finish. Full of tempo and genre switches, and Mike Patton's nearly inhuman vocals, Templars: In Sacred Blood is a consistently enjoyable record that keeps you guessing at every turn. It's not as extreme as the band's previous releases, though (there are actual lyrics!)
John Zorn Simulacrum
Simulacrum is the closest John Zorn has ever come to traditional metal. It is still Zorn, though, so you won't mistake it for Metallica. It's an all-instrumental work featuring Kenny Grohowski (Abraxas) on drums, Matt Hollenberg (Cleric) on guitar, and John Medeski (yes, of Medeski, Martin, and Wood) on organ. This unusual lineup plays music composed by Zorn. (Imagine a more coherent Behold... the Arctopus with an organ.) There are some fantastic riffs, and the production is very good. However, the songs run together, and the closing track is too long.
John Zorn The Song Project: Live at LPR
The recording quality isn't great, and these songs were performed better on the live DVD (watchable on YouTube), but this is still a supremely fun listen. It's amazing how well Zorn's compositions work with these more traditional vocal rock/pop arrangements. There's lots of variety, from jazz to rock to exotica -- even two Naked City tracks ("Batman" and "Osaka Bondage") get reworked, with Patton on vox for both.
Kaada / Patton Romances
Interesting textures; Patton's vocals are used as an instrument, creating eerie, ethereal soundscapes. Romances is mostly slow and, in spots, it's an arduous listen. Some of this material is unsatisfying in that it doesn't really go anywhere. However, if you're in an adventuresome mood, Romances is a worthwhile endeavor.
Katatonia The Great Cold Distance
The Great Cold Distance is a solid record with fantastic production. It's not grand enough in scope to earn a higher rating, but it tackles one sound-- dark, depressive progressive/alternative rock-- very well. Some more risk taking and sonic diversity would be welcome on future endeavors.
Katatonia Dead End Kings
Katatonia Tonight's Decision
Kayo Dot Blasphemy
Lo-Pan Salvador
Marissa Nadler July
Great album concept, and the atmosphere matches it extremely well. Marissa's guitar playing is nicely emotive, and the extra instrumentation-- particularly on the record's first two tracks-- is superlative. The production is excellent, with just the right amount of reverb on Marissa's voice and a good amount of space for everything to breathe. However, some of the songs are dull, and after the fantastic first two tracks the same heights are never reached for the album's remainder. Still, the strength of the performances and production and sheer earnestness of July are enough to warrant a recommendation.
Masada First Live 1993
This is a recording of either the first, or one of the first, times Masada ever performed live (hence the title). It's remarkably adept, though not their most essential work. Fans and collectors will enjoy, but beginners should look elsewhere. Stylistically it's nothing deviant from their other releases.
Masada Alef
I don't really know much about Klezmer music-- this is my first experience with the genre. That said, I found this pretty enjoyable. Masada's debut record is a nice mix of slower and more frantic material. Oftentimes, two instruments (the saxophone and trumpet) will solo at the same time, making for some wild moments. What's especially impressive about Alef is that it is one of four albums recorded in one day (!!!) It drags in spots, but overall this is a great record.
Masada String Trio Azazel: Book of Angels Volume 2
The Masada String Trio (violin, cello, bass) are the performers on the second record in the Book of Angels series. Besides the atonal, sporadic stylings of "Mibi," "Gurid," and "Rssasiel," this is pretty accessible classical stuff. It's by no means bad, but my attention wanders throughout the album's duration. Thankfully, the three songs aforementioned, as well as "Garzanal," inject some interest into the proceedings. Overall, Azazel is a good album, but it's too monotonous for me to enjoy in full.
Mastodon Leviathan
Granted I've never heard Remission, but given what most others have said about it, I think I'm safe in calling Leviathan Mastodon's most accomplished record from front-to-back. The production is stellar, allowing every note audibility and evoking the 'wet' sound necessary for the water vibe of the record's concept. The performances are equally accomplished-- especially Brann Dailor on drums. Leviathan's only misfire is "Hearts Alive"-- it's just too long and aimless. Regardless, Leviathan is an essential metal record, and the best of the band's discography.
Megadeth Countdown to Extinction
Despite great cuts like "Symphony of Destruction" and "Architecture of Aggression" and some of Mustaine's best vocals ever, overall Countdown to Extinction falls flat. It's still worth hearing, but a lot of the tracks lack 'oomph,' especially compared to some of Megadeth's previous releases. Oh yeah, and "Sweating Bullets" is terrible.
Megasus Megasus
Merzbow Aodron
Merzbow Flare Gun
Parts 1 and 2 are merely appetizers for the closer, a 20-minute behemoth that's among the best tracks in Merzbow's labyrinthine catalogue. Indeed, Flare Gun is too short, clocking in under a half hour, but that last song is so brutal that it's a must-hear for noise fans and/or masochists (or are those the same thing?)
Meshuggah None
The first Meshuggah release where they start sounding like, well, Meshuggah. The chugging rhythms, barked vocals, and chunky production are all here, albeit in less concentrated form than subsequent releases. "Ritual" actually has clean vocals (the only song in Meshuggah's entire catalogue to do so), and "Gods of Rapture" has a legitimate jazz fusion guitar solo. Overall, None is a good EP. It was a stepping stone towards Destroy Erase Improve and thus the Meshuggah of today.
Meshuggah The True Human Design
A shortened version of "Sane" from the Chaosphere album, and five different versions of "Future Breed Machine" from Destroy Erase Improve. The first is an excellent live version, the second is a ruthlessly heavy industrial mix, the third is a joking campfire version, and the fourth and fifth are off-the-wall electronic remixes. Altogether, The True Human Design is the most un-Meshuggah Meshuggah release, and that makes it one their most interesting, and albeit inconsistent, too. The remixes may be from the same song, but they all sound very different.
Mike Patton A Perfect Place
Mogwai Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Music Revelation Ensemble Cross Fire
Enjoyable jazz featuring guests Pharoah Sanders and John Zorn. Bombastic name aside, the Music Revelation Ensemble turns in solid performances, presenting eight rather avantgarde numbers with energy and colour. The melodies are unique, often dark, yet retaining a playful sense of self-awareness. Overall, while it's hardly a musical revelation, Cross Fire is a convivial experience which jazz fans should enjoy.
My Bloody Valentine Loveless
Atmospherically entrancing, but too meandering at times ("To Here Knows When," "What You Want"). When the record displays energy ("Only Shallow", "When You Sleep") it is at its best. The cover art is a perfect representation of the sound: pink, cloudy, dream-like. Was Loveless worth nearly bankrupting the record label that released it? No. But is it an accomplished listen worth your time? Yes.
Nada Surf The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
One of the best album titles of the last twenty years. The music though is enjoyable, but not always noteworthy. Overall, I do like the record, but it is all a bit samey. However, "When I Was Young" is a fantastic song, and "Teenage Dreams" is fun. Fans of alt rock with a strong indie twinge will like this one.
Napalm Death Utilitarian
Utilitarian is a fast, heavy, relentless listen-- and that's not all. Indeed, there are moments of experimental brilliance here, such as John Zorn's saxophone on "Everyday Pox" (also perhaps my favourite Napalm Death track ever), the choir on "Blank Look About Face", and the epic layering of intro "Circumspect." Of course, there is also the usual heavy riffage and aggression one expects from a Napalm Death release, but that aforementioned experimentation is welcome. Indeed, more of it would make this record even better. Overall, Utilitarian is a good release, despite some songs falling through the cracks.
Ne Obliviscaris Portal of I
This is how you do modern prog metal. Well, really, this is a conglomeration of black, folk, death, and progressive metal, but it's remarkably effective. The performances are extraordinary, particularly the drums and violin. The metal sections are on occasion too long, packing too much in-- however, the individual riffs are so good that this can be excused somewhat. Ultimately, though it's the clean sections (and the transitions out of those clean sections) where this record really shines.
Neko Case The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight...
Seriously, people like "Nearly Midnight, Honolulu?" It makes me cringe. Other than that, and a couple of other tracks which get lost in the shuffle, this album is decent. The first three songs (as well as "Where Did I Leave That Fire") are enjoyable, and the record does a good job of mixing things up enough to where it doesn't get boring, but not mixing them up so much that it becomes incoherent.
Nicolas Collins 100 of the World's Most Beautiful Melodies
The title is ironic. There are only forty-two tracks, and none of them are particularly beautiful. Rather, these are largely atonal, largely short solo improvisations performed by a variety of musicians on a variety of instruments. We get John Zorn on alto sax, Robert Poss on electric guitar, Christian Marclay on record players, Shelley Hirsch on voice, and many, many more. This is not for any sort of regular listening, but the improvisations are mostly short enough so as to avoid growing boring, and their eclectic nature helps in this regard, too. More info on this record is available here: http://www.nicolascollins.com/pictures/100melodiescover.pdf
No Use for a Name All The Best Songs
You get a bunch of No Use's best/most popular songs on here, and two previously unreleased tracks too. Pretty much as good as a Greatest Hits record can be.
OLD Lo Flux Tube
Spacey industrial rock hampered by poor production. With music this dense and detailed, a good mix creates a much more immersive experience. The thin guitar tone, and overall unintelligibly of the production, detracts here. There are great melodies though, and there's no denying the record's combination of black metal vocals, space rock, and industrial metal rhythms is unique.
Opeth Damnation
Orange Tulip Conspiracy Orange Tulip Conspiracy
This is a blast. Jazz, rock, metal, and more are here, and the performances are great. It's all instrumental, and the brainchild of Jason Schimmel (ex-Estradasphere). If you don't enjoy at least a track or two off this thing, I feel sorry for you.
Otomo Yoshihide We Insist?
An assortment of genres are interpreted, in a Zorn-esque quick-cut manner. Aside from noise blasts ("Hardcore Chinese Opera") and sludge metal ("Last Words"), there is some legitimately beautiful stuff (the two parts of "Blackbird," "Boundary") and some political commentary, too ("Cash Dispenser," clearly a commentary on commodification of art, with loud cash register noises disrupting a subtle, beauteous piano melody). It's uneven and seems to question even itself (hence the question mark in the album title), but nonetheless there is some worthwhile material in this smorgasbord.
Outworld Outworld
PainKiller Buried Secrets
A lot of this record is noisy "jazzcore," but there is also a dub track, and some harsh, slower stuff as well. Great saxophone playing, as usual from John Zorn, though it is almost overly abrasive at times, and distracts from the other instruments. Also, "Black Chamber" reuses the same dub part from "Blackhole Dub," which seems kind of lazy. There is some cool stuff on here, but it's not all good.
Pat Metheny Tap: Book of Angels Volume 20
A varietous listen featuring a bevy of instruments (sitar, tiple, flugelhorn, bandoneon) and genres (avantgarde jazz, guitar jazz, jazz fusion). The compositions are mostly excellent, too. "Sariel" is overlong, however the rest is fantastic, particularly the gorgeous "Phanuel" and the Blade Runner-esque "Tharsis." While not the best of the Book of Angels series, Tap is a fantastic addition to it.
Paul Brody's Sadawi For the Moment
Eclectic jazz record. The opening track embodies this eclecticism-- it begins as a mournful horn piece, but morphs into a klezmer trade-off section and then a thrash metal guitar solo. Elsewhere, the title track is a total riot featuring a John Zorn alto sax solo, "Good-Bye for Jetzt" and "Pure As a Teardrop" are slower, contemplative pieces (the latter includes vocals), and "Sit Down" is jazz-rock with an abrasive, atonal guitar solo. The closer, "Guitar," is the only letdown. The rest of the songs work, and the record doesn't overstay its welcome. For the Moment is a fantastic album.
Paul Gilbert Get Out of My Yard
Fun, eclectic instrumental record that includes pure shred (the title track), brilliantly-written rock tunes ("The Curse of Castle Dragon"), a classical cover ("Haydn Symphony No. 88 Finale"), and more. It's a little long, though, and it doesn't all work (the dull "Full Tank," the overlong "The Echo Song"). Gilbert's instrumental prowess cannot be denied, though. Recommended for fans of guitar-centric music.
Pharmakon Bestial Burden
Pig Destroyer Phantom Limb
It's hard to imagine fans being disappointed with Phantom Limb-- I'm certainly not. The production is impeccable (again), the performances are furious, and the lyrics (though indecipherable) are the poetry of a gorily-minded wordsmith. There is also an eerie seven-and-a-half minute ambient closer that is a fitting, if frightening, end. This record doesn't drag in the second half, like Terrifyer did, though Terrifyer reaches greater heights.
Porcupine Tree Deadwing
Praxis Metatron
Praxis' debut effort, Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis), is one of the greatest experimental albums of all-time. Here, the material is even more varietous. Opening with a fantastic acoustic ballad featuring something that sounds like a recorder ("Wake the Dead"), it quickly goes into the effect-laden heavy metal outing "Skull Crack (We Are Not Sick Men)" (featuring voice samples from Bruce Lee's 'The Chinese Connection'), and then into the Buckethead classic "Meta-Matic". From then, the album gets very avant-garde (the ambient "Cathedral Space (Soft Hail of Electrons)" and the chilling "Double Vision" are two examples that come to mind). "Turbine" features a heavy metal riff that was made for headbanging, and "Warcraft (Bruce Lee's Black Hour of Chaos)" contains some insanely fast shredding, courtesy of Buckethead. There is also a light sprinkling of funk with "Cannibal (Heart Shape of the Iron Blade)", though it's more dark and experimental than the funk featured on Transmutation.
Praxis Sacrifist
I first heard this record several years ago during my Buckethead-crazed faze. I had loved Praxis' previous effort Transmutation, and when I heard this-- well, I didn't know what to make of it. It sounded like a different band-- which makes sense, because it kind of is. The musicians from Transmutation are all here, but added are Mick Harris (Napalm Death, Scorn) and Yamatsuka Eye (Naked City, Boredoms) who handle vocal duties, John Zorn on saxophone, and the band Blind Idiot God. Sacrifist is very dark and mostly aggressive. It is different from Transmutation in that its main focus is not genre mixing and matching (besides track two, "Cold Rolled/Iron Dub"), but heavy, intense metallic passages with screaming. "Deathstar" and "Crossing" are exceptions. Those two tracks are slower, extended showcases for Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell, respectively (that both go on too long). Overall, Sacrifist is far from perfect, and those uninitiated to the world of avant-garde should stay away, but it is an enjoyable listen.
Primordial Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
Prototype Continuum
Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf
Queens of the Stone Age ...Like Clockwork
Ramleh The Great Unlearning
Ray Lynch No Blue Thing
Ray Lynch Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening
Roy Hart ...And Man Had a Voice
Satlah Satlah
Enjoyable klezmer jazz outing from the Daniel Zamir-led trio Satlah. A nice variety of energetic ("The Theme & Poem 16," "Poem 29") and quiet ("Poem 12b") material. Nothing groundbreaking, but this is a lot of fun. John Zorn guests on three songs.
Scale the Summit The Collective
Impeccable performances, great production, and some truly stellar songs ("Whales," "The Levitated"). It gets tiresome, though, for the lack of variation. The musicianship is just so great; I'd love to see more experimentation/genre play.
Secret Chiefs 3 Xaphan: Book of Angels Volume 9
Mixed feelings on this one. I feel as though I should like it a lot more than I do. Not only is Trey Spruance here, but also four former members of Estradasphere-- one of my favourite bands-- and they're playing songs written by John Zorn! The ingredients are all there. Unfortunately, despite that, Xaphan doesn't totally do it for me. Too many of these songs drag on ("Akramachamarei," "Shoel") and feel emotionless and dry. It is produced impeccably, though, and there are some excellent tracks ("Bezriel," "Kemuel," closer "Hamaya"). Overall, Xaphan is a good record, but disappointing considering the personnel involved.
Senses Fail Still Searching
An improvement on Let It Enfold You in every category. It's great to see Senses Fail include some experimentation and not simply rehash their previous record. The closing trio of "All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues," "Negative Space," and "The Priest and the Matador" is the best part of the record, but it's a solid listen from start to finish.
Septicflesh Communion
Solid orchestral death metal with fantastic production and smart songwriting. While the quality dips after the first four songs (closer "Narcissus" is especially lackluster, being far too poppy for an appropriate finish, and "Sunlight/Moonlight" is cloying), the album is still quite solid.
serpentwithfeet blisters
Shade Empire Omega Arcane
Shai Hulud Reach Beyond the Sun
Silencer (SWE) Death - Pierce Me
I have very mixed feelings about this album. Musically, it's excellent, with the engaging guitar playing creating an effectively dark atmosphere and the drumming keeping up admirably (the title track). However, the vocals are so over-the-top that they often devolve into unintentional comedy (the troll-like ranting in the middle of "Sterile Nails and Thunderbowels"). I give points for the musicianship, but the vocals tarnish an otherwise largely successful black metal record.
Snooze Actually, Extremely
Steve Beresford Signals for Tea
Vocal jazz featuring Steve Beresford on piano and vocals, backed by Masada (with Kenny Wollesen subbing in for Joey Baron on drums). Beresford sings the quirky lyrics ("Let's Get Cynical," "Elephants") in a conversationalist tone that pairs well with the mostly relaxed instrumental work. The record is a little drawn out, but it's never bad, and the performances are strong.
Steven Wilson Grace for Drowning
A lengthy dual-disc release, with lots of those throwback nods to old-timey prog rock that I often hate. However, the strength of the songwriting ("Deform to Form a Star," "No Part of Me," "Index") overcomes that aesthetic annoyance. I rarely come back to this one, as it's an involved listen, but when I do, I find myself enjoying it.
Strapping Young Lad Alien
Townsend knew that to make a Strapping Young Lad album worthy of the first two, which the self-titled release was not, he would have to return to the dark place inside himself he so feared. To that end, he stopped taking his bipolar medication, and Alien was the result. Though the songs sometimes get held up by stale riffing ("Skeksis"), "Two Weeks" is out of place, and "Possessions" doesn't do anything for me, Alien is ultimately a good album because the stronger tracks are among the band's best ("Shitstorm," "Shine") and the performances are outstanding. Ironically, Alien, despite widespread acclaim, is the reason that Strapping was finished after The New Black, because Townsend knew he could not do what he did to himself again.
Symphony X The Divine Wings of Tragedy
Thanatopsis Axiology
Wonderful jazz fusion release. Something totally different for Buckethead, further proving he is a master of all genres. However, Travis Dickerson and Ramy Antoun deserve equal credit. What incredible playing all around. A couple of tracks ("Vicious Circle", "Gnash") aren't as engaging as the others, however Axiology is still a relatively consistent, enjoyable record.
Thanatopsis Thanatopsis
Thanatopsis is a deftly original instrumental record which fuses and experiments with genre (the classical and rock conglomeration of "Final Reparation," the heavy metal and synth effects on "Worm Hole"). The distorted guitar tone is too muddy for my taste, but the creativity of the compositions is respectable.
Thanatopsis Anatomize
Where Axiology was reasonably melancholic, Anatomize is the opposite. It is an upbeat, charismatic listen. There is emphasis on keyboard and guitar trade-offs, and plenty of energy ("Break Even Point"). Some songs overstay their welcome ("Vitreous Humor"), but there is more good than bad ("Simper," the record's strongest track). Overall, Anatomize is a well-performed, light-hearted jam rock album.
That Handsome Devil A City Dressed in Dynamite
Super fun record which mashes together such disparate genres as hip-hop, rock, funk, jazz, and psychobilly in a fluid way. Vocalist Godforbid is excellent, too, his deep, drawling voice sardonically intoning impressive lyrics atop the idiosyncratic instrumentation. Admittedly, however, the record wears thin after a few listens, as there isn't a lot of substance to this material.
The Cracow Klezmer Band Balan: Book of Angels Volume 5
You would be forgiven going into Balan expecting typical klezmer music-- after all, look at the band name. And indeed, some of the songs here are fairly traditional. However, there are also a number of pleasant surprises (the glossolalia vocals that occasionally appear, most notably on "Suria;" the chaotic "Kadosh") which prevent the album from becoming monotonous. There are a couple of duds ("Dirael" is boring, and "Jehoel" drags) but overall Balan is one of the better Book of Angels volumes.
The Deserts of Traun Part III: The Lilac Moon
The Dillinger Escape Plan Under the Running Board
The Dillinger Escape Plan's second EP is a closer stylistic precursor to Calculating Infinity than their first. There are only three songs and the total length is around seven and a half minutes, but the material is so dense that it feels like three times that. Ultimately, Under the Running Board is not a very satisfying listen because the songs are merely inferior versions of their Calculating Infinity counterparts.
The Dillinger Escape Plan Option Paralysis
The Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape Plan
Not the most interesting EP-- the songs sound relatively similar to one another, aside from occasional moments-- but it isn't a bad listen and it, being Dillinger's first release, is important for fans.
The Dillinger Escape Plan Miss Machine
The Dillinger Escape Plan Dissociation
Dillinger bows out with their most eclectic record yet. Aside from their traditional spastic mathcore ("Low Feels Blvd"), we get spoken word sections ("Wanting Not So Much to As To"), electronic ("Fugue"), orchestral stuff ("Nothing to Forget"), and more. A wholly entertaining, intense listen. Also, Greg's best vocal performance ever ("Limerent Death" is remarkable).
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything
The lo-fi production grew on me as the record played out, and I love the violins and female vocals. The male vocals are a bit much at times ("What We Loved Was Not Enough") but on the whole, they work for me. There are some fantastic songs here-- "Take Away These Early Grave Blues" is the album highlight. "Little Ones Run" is excellent as well. I don't care much for "Austerity Blues," though-- it feels stretched out-- and it's the longest track here. On the whole, however, this is a very successful release.
Thrice To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
The most straightforward record Thrice has ever released, but it's solid ("Black Honey," "Stay with Me"). It leans even further in a mainstream rock direction than Major/Minor, but the results aren't bad, though the record as a whole lacks the creativity of their best work. A satisfying comeback for Thrice, but I hope their next record is more daring.
Ulver Themes From William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
You can't fault Ulver for lack of ambition. This, their fourth album, was their first foray into electronic music, a world which the band, to this day, hasn't fully exited from. Really though, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is genreless. Across its 101-minute runtime it dabbles in metal, folk, spoken word, industrial, ambient, and more, combining and deconstructing these genres at the drop of a hat. Lyrically and conceptually, the record is the entirety of William's Blake's infamous literary work (also called 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell') set to music. Having never read it, I cannot comment on the validity of the musical interpretation Ulver applies. However, I can say that this record is a truly unique experience-- one that is probably too ambitious for its own good, as it runs very long (the twenty minutes of silence in the last song does not help). Ultimately, this is a determinedly difficult album to penetrate, and it is hardly flawless, but it is worth the effort.
Ulver Kveldssanger
Bergtatt blended black metal and folk. Kveldssanger is pure folk. It is exclusively clean and acoustic, with layered choral vocals and beautiful melodies throughout. Ultimately, it is a highly effective record, though the songs are all quite similar to one another and many, in the second half especially, blend together.
Unida Coping With The Urban Coyote
Vessel of Iniquity Void of Infinite Horror
Wiegedood De Doden Hebben Het Goed III
Windir 1184
1184 is a fantastic album. It is best described as black metal with elements of power and progressive metal. The production is clear, contrary to most black metal, and the songs are never repetitive, also contrary to most black metal. The vocals are strong and piercing and the songwriting is excellent ("Dance of Mortal Lust," "Journey to the End"). Unfortunately, this was Windir's penultimate album. The band dissolved after frontman Valfar's tragic but extremely black metal death: he died from hypothermia while walking through a snowstorm in a forest.
Wintersun Time I
I love the dense arrangements and detail on the tracks, and there are some excellent melodies and performances as well. The atmosphere is fantastic too, being superbly epic all the way through. Unfortunately, with only three non-interlude tracks, this feels like half an album (which, to be fair, it is... but it doesn't feel complete when listened to as a standalone piece). The lack of guitar solos is also disappointing, considering the debut record had some incredible ones. Lastly, the production falters at times, with stuff dropping out too quickly and, as a result, the mix sounding choppy.
Wormrot Dirge
An 18-minute grindcore assault that's fun, aggressive, and well-performed. It features fairly raw production and great vocals. Recommended for fans of the genre.
Yasunao Tone AI Deviation #1, #2
Yellowcard Southern Air
Yellowcard's strongest record. The only real misfire is the saccharine "Here I Am Alive"; the rest is solid. "Always Summer," "A Vicious Kind," and "Rivertown Blues" are three of the band's best songs; "Ten" is an earnest, effective acoustic endeavor. It's still pop rock with lots of emphasis on the pop, but if you're in the market for something in that genre, you could do a lot worse than this.
ZERØ 色

2.5 average
Aerosmith Devil's Got A New Disguise
It's another Aerosmith greatest hits collection... what do you expect from their ninth time running? You've probably heard these songs before, and they're basically good.
AFI Decemberunderground
Absurdly catchy, pop hook-heavy rock record. Lots of fun tracks ("Summer Shudder," "Love Like Winter," "37mm"), but that's about all this is, really - catchy, well-produced, and a bit brainless. I think there's some sort of narrative attempting to be weaved, but it doesn't really work. Recommended for a jaunt, but listeners intent on intellectual stimulation should look elsewhere.
Agalloch From Which of This Oak
An early Agalloch demo which displays their promising beginning. The metal parts are sloppily performed ("The Wilderness"), but the clean sections are wonderful ("Foliorum Viridum"), and the band's songwriting abilities are good, even at this early stage. The aforementioned sloppiness stops it from a higher rating, but, as early demos go, From Which of This Oak is above average.
Alcest Shelter
Shelter sees Alcest dropping the black metal entirely from their sound and this results in a pleasant and enjoyable release, but one which is more one-dimensional than their previous work. It's got some absolutely fantastic songs ("Voix Sereines," "Delivrance") but it also has some underwhelming tracks, including one total dud ("Away"), and that aforementioned one-dimensionality is disconcerting.
Ambitious Lovers Lust
Similar to Greed on a number of levels, though this one is even poppier. The closest to experimental this gets is penultimate track "More Light;" there's no "Steel Wool"-equivalent weirdo song this time around. Moreover, this record suffers from a weak second half ("Villain" is just okay; "Slippery" and "Make It Easy" are super cheesy). However, it's still tons of fun (the title track, "Half Out of It") and Lindsay gives a great vocal performance.
An Endless Sporadic Ameliorate
Ameliorate is the debut EP of that band everyone loved in Guitar Hero III, and thankfully "Impulse" isn't the only great song here. All four of these songs are engaging and entertaining genre-jumping romps. Granted, the production's not very good, but the songwriting is. It's short-- this is an EP, remember-- but there is more creativity in this 17 minutes than many bands have on their full lengths.
Anathema Weather Systems
Weather Systems feels contrived at times, and there are too many tracks which follow the same formula (basically, all of them besides "The Storm Before the Calm"). Lee Douglas also oscillates too fast in spots; it's unnecessary and distracting to me. However, with all that said, this is a beautiful album; both parts of "Untouchable," "Sunlight," "The Lost Child"... really, the whole thing. The problem is that some of this beauty seems borne of style rather than substance. I still recommend Weather Systems, but it, in spots, lacks the emotional resonance of Anathema's best work.
Anathema Distant Satellites
The electronic drumming in the second half of the record doesn't totally work for me, and the record isn't as consistent as their best work, but overall Distant Satellites is another good release from Anathema. The three parts of "The Lost Song" and the band-title track "Anathema" (which features some of Vincent's most impressive vocal work ever) are the highlights. The mix is very good too. Overall, Distant Satellites isn't at the top of Anathema's discography, but it's far from the bottom, and is a mostly worthwhile listen.
Anneke van Giersbergen Everything Is Changing
Atheist Jupiter
Solid metal record. It's more straightforward than Atheist's old records, with shorter songs and less jazz influence. The instrumentation is great. The vocals are a bit one-dimensional, but they work. It isn't groundbreaking, but this is recommended for anyone in need of a metal fix.
Autopsy Macabre Eternal
Way too long and all of the songs sound similar, but there are definite highlights. Opener "Hand of Darkness" is great, and the 11-minute "Sadistic Gratification" is the best song I've heard by this band. It's completely over-the-top, but in an enjoyable, self-effacing way.
Behemoth Demigod
Big John Patton Blue Planet Man
One of organist John Patton's 1990's 'comeback' records. Blue Planet Man is a decent, if unremarkable, soul jazz effort. John Zorn is on alto sax, and his additions are always fun ("Congo Chant"). Elsewhere, "What's Your Name" is a nice change of pace, featuring vocals from Rorie Nichols.
Born of Osiris The Discovery
Sure, it's too long, and sure, it doesn't come together as it should, but The Discovery is nonetheless a good record. It has a sense of ambition that I appreciate-- it aspires to be more than your typical deathcore record, and succeeds more often than not. Furthermore, the performances are excellent across the board, the production is really good, and there are tons of headbangable moments. The ambient tracks are especially fantastic.
Brötzmann Clarinet Project Berlin Djungle
An improvised live recording from 1984. Six clarinets, trumpet, bass, drums, saxophone, trombone, tarogato, and mouthpieces make appearances here. On one of the six clarinets is John Zorn (!) The record is divided into two parts but that decision seems arbitrary-- there seem to be more songs than that, if audience applause are anything to judge by. Lots of cacophonous noise and, conversely, stretches of minimalism. This is by no means easy listening, and the recording quality isn't very good (nowhere near enough drums), but it's fun.
Breaking Wheel Breaking Wheel
Murky production, but a couple of great songs ("Tyrants of the Frozen Spider," "Shoulder to the Plow") display a lot of potential. The "One for the Road" here is inferior to the Guitar Hero II version. "Beasts of the Earth" closes with six minutes of pointless silence; "Troy" features a generic main riff.
Buckethead 17 Days Til Halloween: 1079
Buckethead Funnel Weaver
49 super-short tracks. This is essentially a grabbag of riffs and ideas, and it's a fun listen. The production is poor, though, there are too many drum intros, and it starts to drag around "The Hills Have Eyes." There are lots of hidden gems ("Azzim's Lectures," "Atlantis Found," "Operation Gateway"), but digesting the whole thing is one sitting inevitably results in tedium.
Buckethead Propellar
Buckethead The Boiling Pond
A limp, lazy riff-fest from Buckethead. I won't say that he's forgotten how to write music, but I will say he's forgotten that what made his great albums great was the songwriting, not only his astounding technical ability.
Buckethead Enter the Chicken
Buckethead Shadows Between The Sky
In the vein of Colma, Shadows Between the Sky is an all-clean record which features beautiful melodies ("Cookies for Santa") and technically astounding playing (the title track). Some of the material gets lost in the shuffle ("Centrum"), but there is some truly great stuff here which Buckethead fan and non-fan alike should be able to appreciate.
Buckethead 10 Days Til Halloween: Residue
Burzum Belus
Poor vocals and mostly uninteresting songs. The production is off-putting, too-- not lo-fi in the traditional sense but also not particularly clear. Burzum's worst black metal record.
Chelsea Wolfe Pain Is Beauty
Darkly atmospheric. Chelsea Wolfe's vocals are phenomenal. Some of the material is too repetitive, but it's more good than bad.
Colin Stetson All This I Do For Glory
Converge All We Love We Leave Behind
Crowbar Sever The Wicked Hand
On here, Crowbar don't do anything drastically different from what they have before. The production has improved, but the songwriting is pretty much the same as it has always been. It's sludge metal without frills. Take it or leave it.
Cryptopsy None So Live
It's a decent live record. The production isn't bad, and the performances aren't either. The only Cryptopsy release to feature Martin Lacroix on vocals, and he does a pretty good job. The songs are played more quickly than their recorded conterparts, and the highlight is Flo Mounier's lightning-speed drumming.
David Moss Full House
A series of improvised pieces. Each features David Moss and one other musician (including Arto Lindsay, John Zorn, and Bill Laswell). Moss is primarily a drummer, but he also has does strange vocalizations (the title track opener, "Possible Fruit"). Genres range from atonal clatters and effects ("Hand Tech") to funk ("The Man with the Rain-Colored Legs"), though most of the songs belong to the first category. I'm generally not big on improvised music-- I prefer listening to music that has been crafted and refined-- but some of the stuff on here is interesting. This record was spawned from the same idea as Zorn's Locus Solus, released one year previously. That idea was, supposedly, to record avant-garde pop music. No one would ever mistake this for pop music, but as avant-garde it is somewhat engaging. It's more fun if you are aware of the personnel involved, as with all improvised music.
Dead Can Dance Dionysus
Dead Cross Dead Cross
Deafheaven Roads to Judah
Love the first two tracks. I must shout out "Language Games" specifically-- man, I love that song. The record loses some steam in the second half, though it's never bad. Also, an addendum: black metal purists who diss this band because they aren't 'pure black metal' are idiots. It's called progression.
Death Individual Thought Patterns
This is more technically accomplished than most old-school death metal, and though it suffers from dated production, the guttural energy and musicianship shine through. The vocals are a little monotonous, but they are passionate. Nice to hear bass, too. An excellent record.
Death Grips Government Plates
Deftones Gore
Poor production, a couple of duds ("Geometric Headdress," "Pittura Infamante"), and there's not much new here, but this is a solid record and an acceptable addition to the Deftones' discography. "Doomed User," "Hearts/Wires," the title track, and "Phantom Bride" are the highlights.
Diablo Swing Orchestra Sing-Along Songs for the Damned & Delirious
Dog Fashion Disco Ad Nauseam
DFD's most focused record. There are no country songs or elevator music interludes or string-backed avant-garde spoken word pieces here; rather, every song falls pretty neatly into the rock/metal category, albeit with a distinctly dark atmosphere and Todd Smith's Patton-esque vocals. "Last Night Never Happened," "Golden Mirage," and "Starving Artist" are the highlights, but there isn't a weak song in the bunch. While I miss the eclecticism that characterized the band's previous works, Ad Nauseum is ultimately a great record-- if narrower in scope than DFD's other albums.
Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
Edge of Sanity The Spectral Sorrows
Edge of Sanity continue to get more progressive with The Spectral Sorrows, the third full-length in their discography. While this development is welcome, it's- as it was with Unorthodox- the death metal stuff that gets in the way and brings the album down. The Spectral Sorrows is at its best when its most outside the box ("Darkday," "The Masque," the ending of "Jesus Cries," "Sacrificed", the intro and outro tracks) and at its worst with the straight up metal (most everything else).
Exotic Animal Petting Zoo Tree of Tongues
An incongruous record that never comes together despite having all the right ingredients. It's like spilled orange soda-- the soda is delicious, but you can't drink it when it's not held together in the bottle.
Explosions in the Sky Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Faith No More Sol Invictus
What's missing from Sol Invictus-- and indeed, what has been missing from all of Faith No More's records post-Angel Dust-- is atmosphere. Angel Dust had a clear sense of purpose. The title, track order, artwork, and music itself all aligned with it. From that sense, the atmosphere was derived. Sol Invictus feels like simply a collection of songs, rather than an utterly cohesive musical statement. This is not to say Sol Invictus is a bad record, only that it lacks the atmosphere that characterized the band's best record and thus is not propelled into the stratosphere like that one was. Sol Invictus is also too short. Another two or three tracks would have been appreciated. And indeed, even some of the songs that are here are too short ("Sunny Side Up," "Motherfucker"). However, most of these songs are excellent, and the performances are fantastic. Sol Invictus is not as good as Angel Dust, but it is a satisfying comeback
Finch Epilogue
What a shame the remainder of the World of Violence demos will never see the light of day. The two here are more interesting than pretty much everything on the sadly derivative Back to Oblivion. As it stands, Epilogue is a bittersweet release: sweet, because we get two good Finch tracks, and bitter, because we get only two good Finch tracks.
Funeral for a Friend Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation
Fun listen. Emo/post-hardcore combination that is undoubtedly a product of its time, but it's well-made. There are a few great tracks ("Bullet Theory," "Juneau," "Red Is the New Black"), and though some of the material falls through the cracks ("Moments Forever Faded," "Waking Up") there is a nice dose of variety with an acoustic ballad ("Your Revolution Is a Joke") and an extended build-up ("Novella").
Gojira L'Enfant Sauvage
Good, but not great. Certainly weaker than From Mars to Sirius and The Way of All Flesh. The title track and "Liquid Fire" are excellent, but the second half of the record is pretty dull. And the album sounds, in many respects - unfortunately - like a retread for the band. Not much new happens, unless you count the more frequent uses of shout-singing and conventional song structures. By no means a bad record, but not stellar, either.
Haken The Mountain
Hijokaidan Destroy Noise Symphony
Igorrr Hallelujah
Immolation Majesty and Decay
In Vain (NO) Aenigma
AEnigma isn't unenjoyable, and indeed has some very good tracks ("Image of Time," "Hymne Til Havet," "Floating on the Murmuring Tide" - the latter one of my favourite songs of the year). Unfortunately, some of the time it's simply okay, or passable. This renders sections of the disc a little boring. The band doesn't have a terribly original sound, though they have a knack for cool flourishes (the saxophone on the aforementioned "Floating on the Murmuring Tide") and are clearly skilled instrumentalists. Ultimately, AEnigma doesn't totally satisfy, but it's enjoyable enough to warrant a listen.
Incubus (USA-CA) Morning View
It's not bad by any means, but this is just radio rock with a greater than average focus on mood (in this case, the mood is morning). That mood focus elevates the album to a degree, but the typical chord progressions and predictability dull the proceedings. Boyd's vocals are great and the production is good too, but Morning View is overall too generic to be wholly enjoyable. Admittedly though, there are some good tracks ("Nice to Know You," "Warning," closer "Aqueous Transmission").
Intergalactic Maiden Ballet Square Dance
A one-dimensional but really fun jazz-funk record. John Zorn shows up on three tracks playing saxophone, which is always good. "Ballad of Deception" is the only change of pace here from upbeat stuff, and it's one of the best on the record. Increased variety would make this a more well-rounded effort, but Square Dance is nonetheless worth hearing. These guys should collaborate with Diablo Swing Orchestra.
Jimmy Buffett Songs You Know By Heart
John Lennon Imagine
John Zorn The Dreamers
An easy listen, especially by Zorn's standard. The material combines jazz, surf, easy listening, and a bunch of other genres, but as aforementioned, it never gets loud (the closest it does is with the comparatively hectic "Toys"). While a pleasant listen, The Dreamers occasionally bores (the overlong "Anulikwutsayl" and "Exodus") and it isn't really much more than just that... pleasant. Still, it is mostly a fun record, and there's a lot worse stuff you could be listening to. Recommended, albeit mildly.
John Zorn Alhambra Love Songs
A rather languid collection of straightforward jazz tunes, performed well by a trio of Rob Burger, Greg Cohen, and Ben Perowsky. Each track is a tribute to a different San Francisco Bay-area artist (Mike Patton, Vince Guaraldi, Clint Eastwood, David Lynch, etc.) It's always listenable and it's consistently charming, however it is by no means Zorn's most incisive or essential work.
Kayo Dot/Bloody Panda Don't Touch Dead Animals
Two overlong doom metal tracks from Bloody Panda, and a dark, avantgarde 11-minute exploration from Kayo Dot. The spoken word parts on Kayo Dot's song are quite pretentious, and detract from the music, which is, mostly, interesting. (Part Two of the song is a wild, noisy rock number.) The Bloody Panda songs are too long. (Kayo Dot's track: 3.5/5. Bloody Panda's tracks: 2.5/5, 1.5/5.)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans Nights
A fun, cheery listen (as per most dixieland). I wish Louis had more vocals, though. He's a great trumpeter, yes, but his voice is, for me, the main reason I listen to his material. Overall, New Orleans Nights is a pleasant record, but not much more than that. The exception is the drum solo in closer "Bugle Call Rag," which is seriously impressive. 3.2
Ludicra Fex Urbis Lex Orbis
A short record, heavy on the black metal and light on the progressive metal. The production is clean, but it works, and the vocals are great. The record doesn't have enough songs, though-- the songs that are here are pretty good (particularly "Dead City" and "Only a Moment") but the album is too short. Furthermore, the drumming, while spirited, can be sloppy ("Collapse").
Masada Quintet Featuring Joe Lovano Stolas: Book of Angels Volume 12
Stolas is... okay. It's competent jazz/klezmer music that sounds a lot like the original Masada (which makes sense, considering more than one of the members of that band play on here). The problem is that it lacks the excitement of many of the other Book of Angels releases. It's certainly not a bad listen, but it's not distinctive either. Zorn plays sax on "Rahtiel," though, which is nice (and that song is also one of the best here).
Material Improvised Music New York 1981
There are moments of interest, mostly from Zorn, who gets bizarre, inbrass sounds out of his saxophone (tracks four and six). However, there are also stretches of relative nothingness which bore rather than enthrall. Thus, like most albums of improvised music, Improvised Music New York 1981 is a mixed bag, worth hearing for fans of the musicians and genre but unlikely to interest anyone else. Sidenote: this record was performed by Material, but for some legal reason the band name couldn't appear on the cover.
Megadeth Youthanasia
The production is great, and Mustaine is in good form vocally, but much of Youthanasia is by the book and formulaic. Particularly, the middle of the record is boring. However, the record is redeemed somewhat thanks to a trio of great tracks: "Reckoning Day," "A Tout le Monde," and "Black Curtains."
Megadeth The World Needs a Hero
I like the title track, and the solos on opener "Disconnect" are great as well. However, the majority of the record possesses a curiously uncertain vibe, as though Mustaine was trying to please both fans of Megadeth's 'old' and 'new' sounds. Ultimately, this record is a diagonal step into the middle ground between old and new, never reaching the highs of either but never being horribly bad either (aside from closer "When").
Merzbow Merzbeat
Metallica ...And Justice for All
This is one of Metallica's stronger offerings. "Blackened" is a solid thrasher, "One" is... well, everyone knows it, and the instrumental "To Live Is to Die" is actually quite good too. A couple of dull tunes ("Eye of the Beholder," "The Shortest Straw") and nigh inaudible bass bring the score down.
Metallica Master of Puppets
Michael Angelo Batio Holiday Strings
A collection of rather blase Christmas tunes. There's nothing "wrong" with this CD, but there's nothing very interesting about it either. Just a note: there's no shredding, but rather it's all acoustic, with cheap-sounding symphonic backing tracks.
Michael Angelo Batio No Boundaries
The first three and last three tracks of this album are some Batio's best ever. "No Boundaries" in particular is a modern shred classic, and a must-hear for anyone interested in the genre. The middle of this record drags, though, and is nowhere near as strong as its start and end.
Modern Baseball Holy Ghost
Simple emo/indie rock. At 28 minutes, it's far too short, but what is here is consistently listenable. Some good lyrics, an earnest vocal performance, and a boomy but clear production style all elevate the record.
Moonsorrow Jumalten aika
Five lengthy symphonic black metal tracks. Well-produced, unlike much of black metal, but that is good due to the density of this material. A lo-fi production job would have obscured much of the detail. It's overly repetitious in spots, but it's a good record.
Napalm Death Smear Campaign
This is basically Napalm Death doing Napalm Death again, but there are legitimately great tunes ("Fatalist," "When All Is Said and Done"). You've gotta give it to them: these guys are consistent.
Napalm Death Apex Predator - Easy Meat
Apex Predator is, simply, another Napalm Death record. It's exactly what you'd expect from the band. There is some mild experimentation (the title track, "Hierarchies"), but for the most part this is the same heavy, relentless deathgrind as their last several records. Some of the material gets lost in the shuffle, but overall Apex Predator is an acceptable addition to the Napalm Death catalogue. More experimentation and risk-taking would benefit future records.
Necrophagist Epitaph
It's instrumentally phenomenal; it's also completely soulless. In other words, it's a fun listen, but its own flippantness bars it from anything more. This is, like most of the music in this genre (tech death), an entirely, well, technical exercise. Lots of jaw-dropping playing, but that's all. It's like a popcorn movie; I recommended this as an enjoyable but mindless endeavor.
Nightwish Imaginaerum
No Use for a Name Keep Them Confused
This is one of my "nostalgic" records-- I listened to it a lot when I was younger. Thus, maybe I'm being too lenient with it... but oh well. I still think this is a really underrated album. Some fantastic lyrics ("For Fiona," "There Will Be Revenge"), great riffs/melodies ("It's Tragic," "Part Two"), and good performances, especially from Tony Sly. Sure, "Failing Is Easier (Part Three)" is kind of random, the mix is dry, and some of the auxiliary stuff (voice samples) is clunkily added in, but Keep Them Confused is overall a very enjoyable listen.
NOFX The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us)
Opeth Deliverance
Opeth Ghost Reveries
Pelican Forever Becoming
Forever Becoming is an enjoyable instrumental release. It's well-performed, and the production is excellent, however it is at times overly repetitious. Some more lead guitar work, or even some vocals, would be welcome during these stretches.
Poison the Well Tear From the Red
Like The Opposite of December, this is very short-- it barely cracks the half-hour mark. The metal parts are sort of boring this time around, too; staler and less engaging. However, Jeffrey Moreira is in terrific vocal form, and there are a couple of great tracks ("Botchla," "Pieces of You in Me"). Also, I admire the experimentation ("Horns and Tails"). A mixed bag, but overall it warrants a mild recommendation.
Prelapse Prelapse
Do you like Naked City? Good. Prelapse is basically another Naked City. John Zorn even plays sax on a bunch of these tracks, and he wrote a few too. The majority of the 23 songs are chaotic jazzcore, though there are slower, more ambient tracks as well ("Lachrym," "Fat Neck, No Neck"). The "Message for Alex" tracks are funny, and there are standouts ("Blood Sucking Freaks," "Screwball"). The vocals are underused, though, and the longer jazzcore tracks don't work well. Overall, Prelapse is a fun listen, but it's basically a less interesting Naked City.
Rollins Band Get Some Go Again
Scale the Summit The Migration
Scale the Summit as per usual. Nothing new here. The musicianship is stunning, it's produced well... but we've heard this before. The songwriting is stale at this point. Nothing offensively bad here, but it's getting rather tired.
Seigen Ono Comme Des Garcons: Volume Two
About on a par with Volume One, though a little more stylistically varied. "If Only You Knew," "Galope," and "Roman Marching Band" are the highlights. "Finale" is enjoyable, too: a raucous, pounding, tribal drum-led number.
Stratovarius Elysium
A mildly enjoyable but rather unremarkable power metal album. The instrumentation is great throughout-- particularly the guitar and keyboard-- but most of the tracks are derivative. The ambitious 18-minute title track which closes the album is excellent, however, as is opener "Darkest Hours."
Swain Howl
Bland hardcore music that is never intense enough. This is an oversaturated genre and these guys unfortunately blend into the very large crowd.
TesseracT Altered State
There's a lot to love about Altered State, from the experimentation (clean guitars underneath distorted, saxophone solos), to the grooves (when they don't get boringly repetitive), to the excellent production, to the consistency, to the great performances. However, some of the tracks drag ("Of Reality - Eclipse" and "Of Energy - Singularity") and more of that aforementioned experimentation would be welcome. Altered State borders on excellent, and some of the songs ("Of Matter - Resist") reach that benchmark, but the record as a whole needs more of a push to get there.
The Mars Volta Amputechture
Willfully difficult, and even a little snottily so - like the record is shoving it in your face (watch us lull you into a false sense of security before getting noisy with a guitar solo ["Asilos Magdalena"] or ending the record abruptly ["El Ciervo Vulnerado"]). Still, though, The Mars Volta are talented, and they know it: "Vermicide" is absurdly catchy, "Tetragrammaton" is a sprawling epic, and "Day of the Baphomets" is one of the greatest tracks in their discography. It's a bit too self-involved for its own good (see the lengthy ambient passages), but at least it's ambitious.
The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation Anthropomorphic
Tomahawk Mit Gas
More direct and less self-indulgent than the self-titled debut, Mit Gas is an excellent experimental rock record. Tracks like "Rape This Day" and "Mayday" flat-out rock, and elsewhere overt experimentation is abound ("Aktion 13F14"). "Capt Midnight" contains the best section of music this band has ever released, during its middle (when it hits, you'll know what part I'm talking about). Mit Gas still isn't perfect-- some sections are drawn out, not all the songs work, and it feels a little rushed-- but it's great fun.
Various Artists (Metal) Metal Swim
Witherscape The Inheritance
It isn't at the same level as Moontower or Crimson, but The Inheritance is still a worthwhile listen. Dan Swano's growls are just as formidable as ever, and his drumming, singing, and synth work are great as well. The other member of the band, Ragnar Widerberg, does a fantastic job too. He plays some truly epic guitar solos (almost as epic as his moustache). The problem with this album is that it lacks the fantastic sense of unity, and also the consistently exciting songwriting, of Moontower or Crimson. The second half is comparatively dull, and the record ends on a solo piano track that, while nice, is only around a minute long and doesn't help that aforementioned lack of unity. Overall, The Inheritance leaves something to be desired.
Wolves in the Throne Room Diadem of 12 Stars

2.0 poor
+44 When Your Heart Stops Beating
Fun, simplistic pop rock record. If the whole thing was as brilliant as the penultimate electro-pop mashup "Make You Smile" this would receive a much higher rating; as it stands, the songs are consistently catchy but hardly original.
Alien Ant Farm ANThology
Spotty mixing and poor lyrics hurt ANThology, however the energetic vocal performance and a number of fun pieces ("Wish," "Whisper," "Stranded," the "Smooth Criminal" cover that everyone knows) redeem it somewhat. Overall, ANThology is a fun, brainless endeavor.
Alter Bridge Blackbird
Anal Trump Make America Say Merry Christmas Again!
Anathema The Optimist
Anathema The Silent Enigma
A drawn out doom metal record. Its ambition is greater than its execution, resulting in it being ultimately weaker than its predecessor, Serenades. Vincent Cavanagh does an admirable job replacing Darren White on vocals, though.
And So I Watch You From Afar Gangs
Anneke van Giersbergen Drive
Anneke sounds as good as ever, and I like the aggression in her voice ("We Live On," "The Best Is Yet to Come"). "Mental Jungle" is also worth noting - a very interesting mashup of metal and Eastern melodies recalling "Pixillate" off frequent collaborator Devin Townsend's record Synchestra. Some tracks are by-the-numbers, though ("Treat Me Like a Lady," the title track, "Shooting for the Stars") and the verses tend to be weak compared to the chourses. This doesn't fully live up to Anneke's potential.
Anthrax Worship Music
A respectable release, but it's awfully typical and, as a result, forgettable. The cover of "New Noise" is unexpected, and not really any good.
Arsis We Are the Nightmare
Fun in small doses, but the problem is that each track sounds similar to the last, making it hard to distinguish individual songs from one another. The production is fantastic and the musicianship is impeccable, but that songwriting flaw is semi-crippling.
At the Drive-In in•ter a•li•a
Atari Teenage Riot 60 Second Wipeout
Atheist Unquestionable Presence
More admirable than enjoyable. The musicianship is phenomenal, however the songs themselves don't excite me. Part of the reason is Kelly Shaefer's vocals, which, while competent, rarely divert from a scream-shout. Another is that while many of the sections are good, they are over too quickly. This results in everything blurring together, to a degree. Ultimately, this is a musician's album. There are plenty of guitar solos ("Your Life's Retribution," "The Formative Years") and the bass gets well-deserved spotlight time ("An Incarnation's Dream"). Get it and admire the instrumental skill, but don't expect to play it often.
Augury Fragmentary Evidence
Excellent musicians. However, as is so often the problem with tech death, the songwriting is sidelined in favour of overblown technical exhibition. When Augury restrain themselves, the results are breathtaking ("Skyless"); and, compared with other acts in the genre, they do a decent job of this ("Simian Cattle"). However, the band should remember that a song needs always to work as a unit, not just as a ramshackle collection of exhibitionist shred-pieces. If they can sustain this mindset for an album's duration, they have the potential to release some genre-defining stuff.
Austrian Death Machine Total Brutal
A parody metal band based around Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds like it could be a huge disaster; however, there are some surprisingly good songs on here. Tracks like "I Am A Cybernetic Organism, Living Tissue Over (Metal) Endoskeleton" with its great chorus, "You Have Just Been Erased" and its shreddy lead guitar line, and "It's Not A Tumor" (whose subject matter should be obvious) are all fun-filled metal romps with hard-hitting riffs and solid drumming. The problem with this album is that the songs start blurring together towards the end, and even the skits start getting less funny. Also, the disappointing "Not So Hidden Track" (which leads nowhere) is an anti-climatic ending to the album. Nonetheless, this is worth checking out, especially if you're an Arnie fan.
Autopsy The Tomb Within
I'd enjoy this a lot more if it wasn't for the vocals, which are way too high in the mix. At times they even sound comical. However, the instrumentation is solid: opener "The Tomb Within" contains Slayer-esque guitar solos and great verses. A decent death metal outing.
Behold... The Arctopus Skullgrid
We have one legitimately fantastic song ("Canada") and then a bunch of good parts scattered throughout the rest. At any rate, this is a fun album-- the songwriting won't win any awards, but the musicians' technical skill is top notch, and their energy in the recording is palpable. Don't be dismayed by the atrocious introductory opener; you'll have fun with the rest.
Between the Buried and Me Alaska
The problem with Alaska is the metal parts: they blur together. Thus, the entire record flies by in a tasteless blend of hyperspeed riffage, separated only by occasional breaks into slower material that I wish were more frequent and expounded upon. I also wish Tommy Rogers used more clean vocals-- that would certainly help render the metal sections more distinctive. Nonetheless, there are some awesome tracks here: "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" (the best song in the band's catalogue), the title track, and "Backwards Marathon"-- and there are more great parts scattered throughout. If BTBAM savoured their riffs instead of doubting the listener's patience and cycling through an incredible number too quickly, rendering each nearly impossible to appreciate, this would be a better record.
Beyond Creation The Aura
Undoubtedly, many will propose that my criticisms against this record are criticisms of entrenched aspects of its genre and that, as such, my mentioning them as negative is unfair. However, I in turn propose that, if the qualities I bring up are of the album-- that is, regardless of whether or not they are typical of the genre-- then they, as this is a review of that album, should be addressed, in spite of any typicality. Now, with that said, The Aura is in someways an atypical technical death metal release; namely, its use of fretless bass, which is outstanding. There are also some very good clean moments that occasionally appear (a latter section of "Coexisted" and the short "Elevation Path"). However, the monotonous vocals (which are mixed quite high) and, indeed, the monotony of the nonstop technicality, render it an overall boring affair when heard in full. The production and performances (besides the vocals) are excellent, but ultimately The Aura is unsatisfying as a whole because it does not maintain my interest for its runtime. Some great tracks ("Omnipresent Perception") and the aforementioned good qualities, though, award it points.
Billy Talent Billy Talent
"River Below" is great, but the majority of this record is, instrumentally, blase alt rock. Ben Kowalewicz's vocals are an acquired taste-- I like them, but I can see others being turned off by the Mickey Mouse-on-speed shrieking. If the instrumentals were as unique and punchy as the vocals, this would be great. As it stands, it's just okay.
blink-182 Greatest Hits
Brand New Your Favorite Weapon
A good pop-punk record, with some cool flairs and more intricacies than typically seen in the genre. It runs together a little, but does have stand-out tracks ("Jude Law and a Semester Abroad," the ridiculously catchy "Mix Tape," "The No Seatbelt Song," "Seventy Times 7," fantastic closer "Soco Amaretto Lime"). Most importantly, though, the whole thing is really, really relatable, thanks to the fantastic lyrics throughout. Anyone who is, or has been, a teenager should find at least a few tracks on here that strike a chord with them.
Buckethead Pumpkin
A noisy ambient release featuring eighteen short songs that all sound the same. The banjo from Spinal Clock appears on some of the tracks in a mostly annoying capacity. Ultimately, Pumpkin is mildly enjoyable in small bursts, but repetitive in its entirety.
Buckethead The Mark Of Davis
Another cobbled together, lazy Pikes release possessing no qualities to recommend it over Buckethead's other material.
Buckethead Bucketheadland 5 13 10 31
Buckethead 26 Days Til Halloween: Bogwitch
Buckethead 3 Foot Clearance
Originally released as a track title-less "Happy Holidays from Buckethead" online giveaway record, 3 Foot Clearance is basically Buckethead doing Buckethead, again. Speedy rock riffs ("Griffin's Spike"), atonal weirdness ("Critical Leg Assignment"), funk ("Droid Hunt"), hyperspeed shredding ("Rammellzee: Hero of the Abyss"), and more are displayed here... but we've heard it all before. It's never bad-- and, in fact, is often good (acoustic shred weirdo "Siamese Butterfly")-- but there's nothing groundbreaking here.
Buckethead Electric Sea
Electric Tears is one of Buckethead's masterpieces; Electric Sea is not. It is far from bad, though; indeed, there is some great material ("Beyond the Knowing," "The Homing Beacon"). The cover excursions are fun ("Bachethead") too. It lacks the consistent emotional resonance of Tears, though, and is overall a less focused endeavor.
Buckethead Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot
Buckethead The Silent Picture Book
Buckethead Slug Cartilage
Buckethead 2 Days Til Halloween: Cold Frost
Burzum Daudi Baldrs
Recorded on a synthesizer by necessity-- Varg wasn't allowed access to instruments while in prison-- Daudi Baldrs contains nothing more than synthetic, chintzy Medieval-inspired music. It's not terrible, but it's barebones.
Burzum Fallen
Cannibal Corpse Torture
Torture has some good songs and is bolstered by Alex Lifeson's incredible bass playing ("Encased in Concrete," "The Strangulation Chair"). It's too long, though, and the second half drags.
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band The Spotlight Kid
Tired of living off welfare and magnanimous parental donations, Beefheart released the decidedly commercial The Spotlight Kid. It's hated by all the band members; they cite the boring, simplistic compositions and Beefheart's dictatorial attitude. Ultimately, it's not a terrible album, but it's nowhere near the brilliance of Trout Mask or Lick My Decals; it's pretty dull, yes, and while Beefheart gives it his best shot, the band sounds uninspired. "Alice in Blunderland" and "There Ain't No Santa Claus on the Evenin' Stage" are the best cuts.
Carcass Surgical Steel
Cloudkicker Fade
Coheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Cryptopsy Whisper Supremacy
Vocalist Lord Worm left after None So Vile because he was butting heads with the rest of the band over the 'experimental' direction they were interested in heading (he also desired to pursue a teaching career). Mike DiSalvo was recruited to take his place, and the choice is a puzzling one. While not a bad vocalist, DiSalvo's style is more suited to hardcore music than technical death metal. When he does venture into death metal styling, the results are not unique. Making matters worse, the mix strongly emphasizes his vocals. As a result, Whisper Supremacy is an unsatisfying listen. The songwriting, too, is not as great as None So Vile, with riffs too often feeling pasted in. Luckily, the musicianship (particularly Flo Mounier's drumming) is fantastic, and there are some great moments (the end of "Loathe").
Cyro Baptista Vira Loucos
Competent Brazilian-flavoured jazz/folk/experimental. It's well-performed, if largely dry. Aside from a few stand-out pieces ("Dansa," "Choros Number 8," "Dansa do Indio Branco") this is never less than listenable, but never outstanding, either.
Darkthrone Soulside Journey
Darkthrone's debut is not black metal; rather, it is death metal with thick production, mild synthwork, and lots of alt-picked riffs which abruptly change mid-song. It's filled with wonderful individual moments (the closing bass solo on "Sempiternal Sepulchrality," the synth openings of "Cromlech" and "Grave with a View"), but it ultimately grows old far before the finish line because the songs' sound incredibly similar to one another. The band never stick with one part long enough for it to leave any impact, so the whole record runs together in a sludgy pool (save those aforementioned moments). There is some sloppiness in the performances too, though they are mostly good.
Darkthrone The Underground Resistance
A partly comedic metal throwback record which has some great riffs but doesn't entirely work. Overall it's a fun listen, but some of the vocals are bad and it doesn't all grab me.
Daughters Hell Songs
Deftones (Like) Linus
A Deftones demo tape, recorded before Adrenaline, which demonstrates the band's remarkable skill, even at this early stage. In fact, I prefer this to Adrenaline, despite the poor production quality-- the songs are more varied. The title track, presented in two versions, is the strongest track. Early versions of some of the Adrenaline songs are present, too ("Engine No.9," "7 Words").
Deftones Deftones
Deftones is a dreary, dingy, boring listen. The record is especially disappointing because it comes off the heels of White Pony. The performances are great, but the production has an unbecoming scratchy, unfinished tone. There are a large number of uneventful tracks, too ("Battle-Axe," "Lucky You," "Moana") though, to be fair, some of it is good ("Minerva," "Deathblow"). The band wasn't happy with this record when it came out, and it's clear why. Their weakest since the debut.
Derek Bailey, John Zorn & George Lewis Yankees
Free improv with guitar, sax, and trombone. A clarinet appears, too. This isn't abrasive, really, it's just... odd: surging, squealing, lurching, bumpy music with a somewhat minimalist aura. The lack of percussion contributes to its untethered vibe. At any rate, this is certainly original, though not entirely engaging.
Devin Townsend Project Transcendence
Transcendence is best described as a combination of Accelerated Evolution and Epicloud. It's bombastic, choirs and reverb are abound, and the songs are, barring the "Truth" re-record and the title track, structured as pop tunes. In that regard, the inventiveness and daring of something like Terria's "Mountain" or "Deep Peace" or Ocean Machine's "The Death of Music" is absent. However, it's got a few of Devin's best non-Casualties tunes since Ghost ("Stormbending," "Failure," the title track) and the production (particularly the drums) is superb. I also like the return of closing track ambience connecting the songs (a la Terria). Also of note: there is a higher guitar solo quota on here than any of Devin's other releases, besides Terria. There are some dud tracks (the bland "Secret Sciences," the cheesy "Stars"), but this is certainly the DTP's best since Ghost.
Dog Fashion Disco Committed to a Bright Future 2019
Edge of Sanity Unorthodox
A big improvement from Nothing but Death Remains, Unorthodox is the first Edge of Sanity record where the band would start establishing their own unique sound. There are cool progressive touches all across the album, and though some of the death metal parts get a bit boring-- particularly in the latter half of the record-- these touches make sitting through some of them worth it. Also, Dan Swano's growls are fantastic (as per usual), and though the production is a bit muddy, it actually helps give the album an old school vibe which suits the music very well. Overall, while the death metal stuff gets a bit tiresome after a while, the unique (and dare I say, unorthodox) flourishes running through the record help make it a worthwhile listen.
Edge of Sanity Purgatory Afterglow
Emperor In the Nightside Eclipse
Overrated. It's well-performed, yes, and Ihsahn's vocals are replete with bile-spitting hatred, but the songs themselves bore me, apart from a riff here or there ("Beyond the Great Vast Forest").
Enslaved Thorn
This EP came out of nowhere-- no hype, no announcement. It's only two songs, totaling eleven minutes. The production quality is grainy and the atmosphere is uncertain and weird but, at the same time, interesting. This is probably the most 'black metal' Enslaved have sounded in over ten years. Thorn is too short, but it's a fascinating peek into a different side of Enslaved.
Enslaved RIITIIR
Fair to Midland The Carbon Copy Silver Lining
Definitely a rougher, more amateur feel to this than the band's later work. It's heavier, with lots of harsh vocals, though still quirky, and it's got some fun tracks ("Gaining One," "An Occurrence During the Restoration Process"). Some nice acoustic stuff, too ("Informative Timeline"). The production isn't good, though; the guitars are too murky.
Faith No More Fool's Small Victory: B-Sides and Rarities '90-'95
This contains five different versions of "A Small Victory," some hard-to-find tracks, and a poorly recorded live set. Collectors and hardcore fans are the only ones who need apply here. For all others, this is pretty much pointless.
Faith No More Album of the Year
With Trey Spruance's departure following the recording of King for a Day, another guitarist was needed to fill the position. Jon Hudson, a former roommate of bassist Billy Gould, was selected. Unfortunately, his performance here is totally devoid of any personality; the solo on "Ashes to Ashes" is great, granted, but it would be so much better were there any passion behind it. The same can be said for the rest of the guitarwork, and indeed, much of the instrumentation in general. That is the problem with Album of the Year (the title is ironic-- the band members themselves were unhappy with the record): it's obvious the band was not as engrossed in the music as before, and thus the final product suffers. Luckily, Mike Patton manages to save some of the proceedings with his fantastic vocal work, and a couple of the songs ("Mouth to Mouth," the aforementioned "Ashes to Ashes") are worthwhile. Unsurprisingly, the band broke up following this album. (However, they reformed several years later.)
Faith No More The Real Thing
Patton's first Faith No More record. He sings in an uncharacteristic nasally whine, but he's still recognizable through his remarkable energy and versatility ("Surprise! You're Dead!"). The material is, for the most part, much poppier than what the band would produce later ("Falling to Pieces"), but this is still a fun listen with occasional forays into the unexpected ("Edge of the World").
Fightstar Be Human
Fightstar's poppiest release. Simple song structures and catchy choruses are abound; however, the addition of a symphony adds a welcome layer of nuance and bombast to the proceedings. I wish the band had taken more risks with the songwriting, but as it stands this is an enjoyable record, if coming off as somewhat of a missed opportunity. (Also, what the Hell is up with that album art? Horrible.)
Godflesh A World Lit Only by Fire
A record full of migraine-inducing drumbeats and dull, sludgy songwriting. Nowhere near the level of the band's masterpiece, Streetcleaner, and, even further, nowhere near much modern metal.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor Luciferian Towers
Ihsahn Arktis.
Enjoyable listen. The electronic experimentation ("South Winds," "Frail") is refreshing, Ihsahn's voice is as good as ever, and there are some flat out glorious moments ("Mass Darkness," "Celestial Violence"). The '80s rock-homage "Until I Too Dissolve" is a lot fun, too. I'm not getting an arctic vibe from this though, really, so I don't get the album title. Also, some of the tracks ("Disassembled," "My Heart Is of the North") are lost amongst the more adventurous lot.
In Flames Come Clarity
A bit of an awkward, same-y, overproduced listen, but it's fun. The title track manages to just avoid melodrama and become in the process the best song on the record, "Leeches" is a headbanger with some unnecessary synths and an absurdly catchy chorus, and the guitarwork is excellent throughout. Other highlights are "Reflect the Storm" and "Our Infinite Struggle". The rest is passable-- the only song that doesn't work is the closer, which builds an intriguing atmosphere, only to be awkwardly interrupted by blaring heavy stuff for a minute before ending.
In Flames Whoracle
In Flames' third effort is a very solid melodic death metal excursion, supposedly a concept record about a hypothetical future Earth, abound with moments of genuine majesty ("Jotun," "Gyroscope," "Episode 666," the title track). It runs together a bit, but there are enough great riffs (and assorted guitar wizardry) that the issue never becomes too egregious. A stalwart effort, much better than their later, more watered-down works.
Jeff Loomis Zero Order Phase
Guitar virtuoso music that's occasionally brilliant ("Miles of Machines") but often derivative. Loomis' playing is so good that it saves the record, to a degree.
Jimmy Eat World Static Prevails
A raw and darkly-tinged record that is less generic and more indicative of the emo scene than the band's debut. The vocals on this one are split between Jim Atkins and Tom Linton. There is one fantastic song ("Claire") and a couple of pretty good ones ("Thinking, That's All", "Episode IV"), but mostly the material ranges from average to poor.
John 5 Requiem
There are two types of song on this album: metal shred-fests and bluegrass/country interludes. The former is pretty much what you'd expect: John 5 is a supremely talented guitarist, and his shredding is unique and tasteful. The second category is fun, but barely represented-- there are just a couple of quick interludes showcasing this country banjo twang. Requiem is a decent outing, but doesn't break new ground.
John Zorn Filmworks III: 1990-1995
Three film soundtracks followed by thirty-two extremely short pieces Zorn composed for advertisements. There is some great stuff here, including the smoky jazz of the "Hollywood Hotel" soundtrack and the "Thieves Quartet" work performed by the group who would later become Masada. However, many of the songs-- particularly the advertisement ones-- are far too short to add up to anything sans the visuals they were written to accompany.
John Zorn Taboo and Exile
A cobbled together and mostly uninteresting Zorn record. Mike Patton shows up for vocals on the quick hardcore blast "Bulls-Eye," and "The Possessed" is an extremely atonal saxophone showcase. Otherwise, this is not worth checking out.
John Zorn Moonchild
The first Moonchild release is also their most bare-bones: no musicians apart from the trio of Patton, Dunn, and Baron; less vocals than later releases; and a much smaller focus. The compositions are not as engaging or intricate as the band's best work, occasionally going on too long (the nearly seven-minute band title track), and the heavy, oppressive atmosphere grows dull long before the finish line. Still, great moments (Baron's cymbal work in the middle of "Ghosts of Thelema," the ending of "Abraxas," the chaotic breaks in "616") redeem the record somewhat.
John Zorn Ipsissimus
Ipsissimus was one of twelve records John Zorn released in 2010. His goal was to put out one record a month for the whole year. As such, parts of this album feel rushed-- namely, the three improvised tracks ("Apparitions" I, II, and III). I'm all for improvisation, but these tracks are just pointless musical babbling. Ipsissimus also stumbles on some of the non-improvised tracks: basically, everything is underwhelming besides the first two songs and "Warlock." "Warlock" is utterly fantastic, though; one of my favourite Moonchild songs. Overall, Ipsissimus isn't merit-less, but it is one of the weakest Moonchild records.
John Zorn Nosferatu
Zorn's musical take on Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' tale is a wonderful listen. It features a number of genres: sax-shred ("The Battle of Good and Evil"), soft jazz ("Lucy"), and dub ("Stalker Dub") among them. Some of the music doesn't fit the story's narrative (a relaxing jazz piece for Renfield?) but this is nonetheless a strong effort.
Katatonia The Fall of Hearts
Competent performances and production, but this is-- I hate to say it-- boring. Mostly boring, anyway. There are some fantastic sections ("Takeover," "The Night Subscriber," "Passer") but the songwriting is unsatisfying, and it's all rather lukewarm, due largely to Jonas Renske's one-dimensional vocals. He has a great voice, but he hardly pushes himself here. Overall, The Fall of Hearts is a disappointingly incongruous and meek listen.
Kayo Dot Plastic House on Base of Sky
Takes Coffins on Io's synth-driven sound in a more abstract direction. The drums are rollicking in odd times, the vocals are back in the mix, and the song structures are decidedly variegated. Whereas Coffins was, for the most part, accessible, this is a willfully difficult album, transplanting Coffins' '80s vibe to a surreal realm of muted blues and floating keys. Plastic House on Base of Sky is an idiosyncratic work, peculiar and effective.
Kayo Dot Coyote
Kayo Dot's weakest album. Most of these songs paddle around, directionless, and end without having gone anywhere. Opener "Calonyction Girl" is the exception-- it has some cool riffs, and though the violin is a little nauseating at times, overall the song works.
Kayo Dot Stained Glass
This 20-minute song starts off promisingly, but then it veers into a lengthy glockenspiel-heavy ambient section that doesn't go anywhere... and then it ends.
Klaxons Surfing the Void
Light Bearer Lapsus
Machine Head The Blackening
There are lots of riffs on this album, but unfortunately even most of the good ones are repeated ad nauseam. Robb Flynn's bark-like vocals also get grating and irritating after a while; he should do more clean work. With all that said, though, the instrumental performances are excellent (especially the guitars) and the tracks that don't drag on forever ("Aesthetics of Hate," "Now I Lay Thee Down") are pretty good. It's just a shame that most of this album is, despite all the heaviness and energy, boring.
Mahavishnu Orchestra The Inner Mounting Flame
Mastodon The Hunter
The Hunter is Mastodon's most accessible and also least interesting record. It's not a bad album-- tracks such as "Black Tongue," "Blasteroid," "Stargasm," and "Bedazzled Fingernails" are all possessing of some merit-- but it lacks the atmosphere of the band's previous releases. At least this transition to radio-friendly territory doesn't feel disingenuous; however, it isn't particularly exciting either, and makes for the weakest record of Mastodon's discography.
Mastodon Once More 'Round the Sun
Once More 'Round the Sun improves upon the more commercial formula that The Hunter went for by, ironically, being less commercial. Don't get me wrong: this is still a record with plenty of catchy, poppy moments, however there is more depth to these songs and they are (mostly) more interesting. Is this Mastodon's best work? No. Some of the production choices are questionable-- the bass is too loud and the vocals too quiet-- and some of the tracks ("Feast Your Eyes", "High Road," opener "Tread Lightly," closer "Diamond in the Witch House") are underwhelming. However, is Once More 'Round the Sun worth hearing? Overall, yes.
Megadeth Hidden Treasures
A collection of mostly average Megadeth tracks ("Go to Hell" is kind of fun, though) and a few, well, mostly average covers. The end of "Paranoid" is hilarious, though.
Megadeth Dystopia
Surprisingly good. Megadeth's best record since Endgame. There are some legitimately great songs on here, including the title track and the instrumental "Conquer...or die!" This is also Mustaine's best vocal performance ever. However, the lyrics are often horrible ("Post-American World," "The Emperor") and, really, this doesn't break any new ground for the band.
Megadeth Rust in Peace
This is a bonafide metal classic, and considered by most to be Megadeth's best record. I cannot dispute its classic status, but I can dispute the latter claim. Peace Sells is Megadeth's finest hour; this is still a great album, but not their best. "Holy Wars" has some great parts, "Hangar 18" is easily one of their best songs, the "Tornado of Souls" solo is phenomenal; however, Dave's voice is often grating, and some of the lyrics are subpar. It's instrumentally virtuous, but Rust in Peace suffers in those departments.
Meshuggah Catch Thirtythree
Catch Thirtythree is one forty-seven minute song, and thus must be listened to in its entirety to have impact. Basically, it's the same idea as the I EP, except stretched to LP length. Catch Thirtythree is nowhere near as good as I, though. Firstly, where I was literally one track, Catch is split arbitrarily into 13 sections, many of which are under two minutes and should have been connected to the preceding or following track, or both. Secondly, the fact that the record must be heard in full diminishes its replayability significantly. Thirdly, there two major ambient sections tacked on to the end of the longest songs here, and they are dull and uninteresting. Lastly, I have mixed feelings about the programmed drums-- on the one hand, they make sense, tying into the mechanical atmosphere Meshuggah have always set. On the other, it feels like a cop out.
Meshuggah The Violent Sleep Of Reason
On paper, this should be excellent. Namely, this was recorded live in the studio... yes. However, the songs just don't do much for me. My opinion might change with subsequent listens, as is wont to happen with this band, but for now, I just can't get as into this album as I would like. Every track blurs together in a sea of chugging, and the grooves themselves aren't really, well, groovy. Great production, though.
Michael Buble Let It Snow!
As a whole, this EP is a little sleepy for me-- four of the five numbers on here are quite slow (not counting the live track)-- but Buble's voice is so good that you can't help but listen when he's singing, and as a result Let It Snow! is elevated in quality.
Morbid Angel Altars of Madness
Hugely influential death metal record which sort of holds up today. By that I mean that while it doesn't sound particularly original now, due to the large number of bands who mimicked this style, it's still an enjoyable listen. The booming '80s production is slightly dated, but the songwriting holds up well; and the vocals, while one-dimensional and too loud in the mix, are serviceable. The drumming is excellent too. The songs are quite similar to one another, so it runs together a bit.
Mr. Bungle The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny
Some cool stuff ("Grizzly Adams," the guitar solo on "Sudden Death") marred by bad production (it is only a demo, but still... the production is bad). If you're a fan of Mr. Bungle then this is worth checking out, but it's not exactly groundbreaking (like their later work).
Mycale Mycale: Book of Angels Volume 13
It's a capella music, and it's lovely. It also gets dull after two or three tracks. Some more variety in the techniques used would benefit this record. There's nothing inherently boring about a capella records, but when all of the songs sound relatively similar-- that's boring. Listening to a track or two (or three) off this is nice in between other songs, but the entire album doesn't hold my attention.
Naked City Radio
For their final album, Naked City return to their roots; that is, playing every genre under the sun. Where Radio differs from the self-titled record is its structure: the first nine songs are more accessible fare, mainly in the realm of jazz, while the last nine are ferocious hardcore slabs with Yamatsuka Eye screaming overtop (a la Torture Garden). The nineteenth and final song, "American Psycho," combines everything into one six-minute track that, while often lauded by fans, is, in my opinion, overrated. In fact, Radio as a whole is quite disappointing;a record returning to the style of the self-titled, my favourite from the band, should sound much more exciting than this. Part of the problem is with that aforementioned structure, which robs the record of some unpredictability. The compositions themselves, too, are not as fun, likely because it's all been heard before. The hardcore miniatures, in particular, feel forced this time around. Still, there are highlights: "The Vault" is great, "Sunset Surfer" is enjoyable, and "The Bitter and the Sweet" is a nice reflective track. Ultimately, it is these numbers which redeem Radio, though not to the point of being near the level of the self-titled record it is attempting to emulate.
Ne Obliviscaris Citadel
Citadel addresses the main problem with Portal of I: length. This is a more focused, tighter, and less intimating record than its predecessor, and I applaud NeO for their restraint. Furthermore, "Painters of the Tempest" is the best song they've ever done. I suppose my own waning interest in progressive metal is partly to blame for why I don't enjoy this more-- Citadel is a strong record, but I have simply heard so much progressive metal over the last few years that I have exhausted myself of much interest of the genre. Many of the metal parts on here just bore me.
Necrophagist Onset of Putrefaction
Neurosis Honor Found in Decay
While it has its moments ("My Heart for Deliverance," the end of "At the Well," "Bleeding the Pigs") overall Honor Found in Decay doesn't do much for me. The last three tracks in particular are pretty boring. I admire the atmosphere and instrumentation (the strings are awesome throughout) but the record just doesn't maintain my interest for its runtime.
Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Unfortunately, Nightwish as of late seem to confuse epicness with bloatedness. Endless Forms Most Beautiful tries very hard to be big and epic. It ends up always listenable, but hardly ever interesting. It treads familiar ground for the band, only it does so in an oft corny and overwrought manner akin to their last record. And the familiar pop melodies smattered across the record's 86-minute (!) runtime don't help those aforementioned senses of familiarity and boredom. On the plus side, Floor has a phenomenal voice, and she is a perfect fit for the band. Hopefully on the next album she is given more room to stretch her chops, and the band stretches their own more, too.
Ninjaspy Pi Nature
Underrated record by three brothers from Vancouver, BC. Pi Nature mixes metal, reggae, and ska in a unique and consistently entertaining manner. Joel Parent's vocals are wildly engaging, moving between excellent cleans, low growls, high screams, lightning speed talking, and more. The two other brothers, Tim and Adam, are proficient on bass and drums, too. A large reason why this band never took off as much as they should have is likely the complete lack of seriousness in the song lyrics and titles. Pi Nature is flawlessly executed-- the production and performances are spot on-- but the ridiculousness inherent in the songs here turns the record into something of a self-aware novelty item. This is the band's only full-length, and it came out in 2007.
None More Black File Under Black
Poppy, melodic punk. Jason Shevchuk's gravelly voice is what separates this band from a sea of similar artists. "Ice Cream with the Enemy" and "Zero Tolerance Drum Policy" are head and shoulders above the rest of the songs; the former is a roaring ride through melodic punk goodness, the latter an unexpectedly heavy gut punch. "Dinner's for Suckers" is fun, too. Other than that, this is passable-- never terrible, never outstanding.
Opeth Apostle in Triumph
For Opeth fans, it's fascinating to hear the band's first recorded material. It hints at what they would later become. However, this release is a mere three-and-a-half minutes, the recording quality is terrible, and the material isn't full songs-- just snippets of songs.
Opeth Watershed
OSI Office of Strategic Influence
OSI Fire Make Thunder
Paul Gilbert Vibrato
Paul Wardingham The Human Affliction
Paul Wardingham's sophomore record is in many ways a typical sequel: it's bigger and flashier, the production values are higher, yet it retains the same core style as its predecessor. Unfortunately, however, it's not as effective as Assimilate Regenerate: the songwriting, while grander and featuring extra production polish, is less inspired, with blase melodies (some of which, like "Simulated Reality," sound recycled from Assimilate) and a disconcerting reliance on low-string chugging. The tracks are too long, too. For example, both "Digital Apocalypse" and "Earth 2.0" appear to end, only to return unnecessarily, 'Return of the King'-esque. In its ambition to be big and epic, The Human Affliction leans too far to that side, becoming overblown in the process. The lack of a strong ballad, like "Fields of Utopia," doesn't help, either; rather, it contributes to the record running together. The playing is as good as ever, but The Human Affliction is a less satisfying endeavor than its predecessor.
Paysage d'Hiver Nacht
The weakest Paysage d'Hiver album I've heard so far. Though it has some great atmospheric sections, and I commend Wintherr for trying something new with this one (it's themed after night instead of winter), it doesn't grab me like his other records. This is mostly due to the material here being way too repetitive. "Finsternis, Tod und Einsamkeit" is the worst offender, consisting of one guitar riff played over and over again for sixteen minutes with little else going on. "Des Lichtes Sterben - Part II" is really good, though, and the atmosphere can be too-- it's just a shame that some of these songs are dragged on for too long, causing the listener to lose interest and, as a result, that aforementioned atmosphere to dissipate.
Peeping Tom Peeping Tom
Great vocal work-- as always from Mike Patton-- and there are some cool, catchy tracks here, mainly at the beginning and end of the record ("Five Seconds," "Mojo," "Getaway," "We're Not Alone (Remix)"). Parts of the album are self-indulgent, though, and some of the lyrics are horrible ('We're drivin' Lamborghini's and we're sippin' on martinis'). The middle of the record is also significantly weaker than the aforementioned beginning and end.
Peter Holmgren Exotic Island EP
Bought this album because I saw this guy on YouTube and was impressed by his skills. These are three decent guitar virtuoso tunes. It's obviously a self-produced effort on a budget (look at that cover), but you could do a lot worse.
Pieces I Need 5 Minutes Alone
Pig Destroyer Book Burner
A lackluster deathgrind effort. It's technically proficient, but also dry, lifeless, and recycled. None of the riffs are memorable, the samples (aside from the openings of "Sis" and "The Bug") add nothing to the album, and it is oftentimes just flat out boring. The second half is slightly better than the first, but still nowhere near the level of the band's best work, Terrifyer. The production is okay too (a little more guitar would have been nice), but that's it-- just okay. Terrifyer had a basically perfect production job.
Poison the Well Versions
Poison the Well are a band who never reached the massive potential they hinted at. Versions epitomizes this: there are innumerable good ideas here ("Letter Thing," "Riverside"), lots of nifty production and layering, but the songwriting needs refinement. It's too noisy and suffocating, even in the quiet parts. And Jeffrey Moreira's yelling doesn't fit the more nuanced sound the band has adopted. Take "You Will Not Be Welcomed:" it has an epic, soaring ending, but then there's just... yelling over it. Doesn't work. And it ends too abruptly, too (there's that songwriting problem).
Propagandhi Failed States
Puscifer "V" Is For Vagina
Concept album about a relationship between a boy and a girl with mainly spoken vocals by Maynard Keenan of Tool fame. The music is trip hop with some industrial and rock influence, and very good production. "Momma Sed" is a truly fantastic track-- one of my favourite songs of all time-- but nothing else on the record is at the same level. It's ashame the title, band name, and album art are so terrible, because they overshadow the music.
Queensryche Queensryche EP
Over-the-top rock music with those gaudy '80s vocals that I can't stand.
Queensryche The Warning
Impressive instrumental and vocal work, but the cheesiness, coupled with the subpar production and lack of standout moments, bring the score down for me.
Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime
Okay, I like the concept, ambition, and there are some good melodies/tracks here ("Spreading the Disease," "Suite Sister Mary," "I Don't Believe in Love"). The problem with Operation: Mindcrime is that a lot of it feels dated, especially the over-the-top vocals (which are well-performed, but too much at times) and drum production. I can believe this was a game-changing album when it was first released, but, musically, it hasn't aged very well, bearing many hallmarks-- both negative and positive-- of the '80s.
Radiohead The King of Limbs
The production is great and the atmosphere is compelling on some of the tracks ("Morning Mr Bagpie", "Feral"). It's hard not to be underwhelmed by this record, though. It took four years to make and is shorter than all of Radiohead's previous LPs; most of the songs are extremely repetitive, in some cases to the point of boredom; and it feels half-hearted in spots. The King of Limbs isn't a bad album, but it's not a great one either, and for a band as established as Radiohead, that is disappointing.
Rishloo Eidolon
I like this more than Tool, and Tool are clearly an influence on these guys. This is a more eccentric, more varied, more interesting experience than Tool, marred only by bad production. Seriously, this production is so misguided that I can't ignore it. The vocals are way too loud, the guitars are so whining as to hurt my ears at points, the drums are buried... these songs often sound like demos. It's a shame, because there is greatness here; the production just stops it from being realized.
Saul Williams Volcanic Sunlight
This never left much of an impression on me. It's very dance-able (which some might consider a good thing), and Williams is a talented lyricist, but the songwriting is just dull. Dance-pop fans may enjoy, I guess.
Seigen Ono Comme Des Garcons: Volume One
Runway music composed for the "Comme Des Garcons" fashion show by Seigen Ono, who hired a bunch of renowned downtown New York avantgarde musicians (Arto Lindsay, John Zorn, etc.) to perform it. Volume One, this one, consists of entirely Ono's compositions; on Volume Two, his compositions are mixed with those of his collaborators. This one features one fantastic track ("All Men Are Heels") but the rest, while never bad, is somewhat throwaway.
Septicflesh Titan
The Great Mass was one of my favourite records of 2011, so naturally my expectations for Titan were pretty high. Unfortunately, in case you couldn't tell from my rating, the record did not live up to them. The problem isn't with the performances, which are (aside from a couple of subpar vocal moments) spot on, or the production, which is once again excellent. No: the issue is the songwriting. Most of the songs are directionless and lack anything distinctive, which causes the whole album to run together. There is no "Pyramid God" or "Oceans of Grey" this time around. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to point out any stand-out moments, because the only moments that stood out were those aforementioned vocal hiccups (such as the chanting on "Burn"). The almost total lack of clean vocals hurts the album too. Disappointing.
Silverstein Discovering the Waterfront
Well-produced emo/post-hardcore (emocore?) record. I actually think some of the best parts on the album are the clean sections (the break in "Smile in Your Sleep") though Silverstein know how to bring the heavy as well (the outro of "Already Dead"). I also really enjoy the title track; it's a song that could have easily gone corny, but Silverstein play it just right. Parts of the album get lost in the shuffle, and some of the vocals are a bit much (the repeated 'When you's!' in the aforementioned "Already Dead") but Discovering the Waterfront is, while quite derivative, enjoyable in spurts.
Slipknot Slipknot
Strapping Young Lad C:enter:###
The title track is an okay instrumental (Strapping is at its best with Devin's manic vocals, though). Then we get two live tracks ("In the Rainy Season" and "Underneath the Waves") which are good, if slightly subpar in recording quality. The release ends with the Melvins cover, "Zodiac," which is available on the European release of The New Black as a bonus track. In summation, this release is only necessary for Strapping completionists/die hard fans.
System of a Down Steal This Album!
For a collection of, ostensibly, b-sides, Steal This Album! is pretty good. However, it is also below the standard set by the self-titled record and Toxicity. While it has some worthwhile tracks ("Innervision," "Bubbles," "Fuck the System," "Streamline") almost none of it hits as hard as any song off their two previous releases. But hey-- that's why they were b-sides in the first place.
TesseracT One
The Devin Townsend Band Synchestra
The Killers Hot Fuss
The first five tracks are indie-tinged pop rock excellence. At track six, the album declines sharply in quality, and until track ten we are subjected to derivative, boring drivel. The last song is fantastic, though. So six of the songs are fantastic, and five are bad. Hot Fuss is one of the most top-heavy albums I've ever heard (save the closer). Listen to tracks 1-5 and 11 and forget the rest.
Thrice The Illusion of Safety
Though I do not personally harbour the feelings of nostalgia that so many others do with this record, I can still appreciate it. Indeed, it isn't hard to see why The Illusion of Safety was such an influential record: the heavy but catchy instrumentation, passionately delivered vocals, and raw production conglomerate to create an emotionally resonant, powerful record. In terms of technicality, tightness, and variety, Thrice would get legions better on subsequent releases, however if you're looking for a raw blast of emotive energy, The Illusion of Safety is probably right up your alley.
Tool Lateralus
I listened to Lateralus, the critical darling, the metal messiah, the musical godsend, and I wanted to like it, I really did. I just don't. These are phenomenal musicians, but the songwriting... the songwriting. These songs are either too long ("The Grudge") or too short (the two interludes which barely top one minute). They present a series of odd-timed riffs with lots of tom-heavy drumming, and end. Meh. I'm sorry, but I don't get anything out of this aside from the sense that these musicians think they are a lot cleverer than they really are.
Trophy Scars Holy Vacants
Bad drum production (way too plastic) and, due to their loose structures, a lot of the songs run together, like melted ice cream-- it's still delicious, but it's hard to eat and better if it's solid. However, the uniqueness of the band's sound and the fantastic musicianship are huge pluses, and I love the strings.
Ulver Metamorphosis
Electronica and ambient combine for an eclectic Ulver release. It's not very interesting musically, aside from a couple of sections (opener "Of Wolves & Vibrancy," the soft guitar on "Gnosis"). This was the band's first release after their 'folk/black metal' phase-- imagine being a fan of those records, and then picking this up.
Ulver Wars of the Roses
Yamataka Eye and John Zorn 50th Birthday Celebration, Volume 10
Yellowcard When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes
Yellowcard Yellowcard
Yellowcard's so-called final record is a sleek, pop rock affair. Gone are all niggling traces of 'punk'; this is a ballad-heavy, somewhat weepy record, but endearing and heartfelt all the same. Namely, "A Place We Set Afire" is one of the band's best songs, up there with the likes of "Way Away" and "A Vicious Kind". Unfortunately, the rest of the record is a little bland; for the most part, the upbeat songs aren't as catchy or interesting as the band's finest work, and Ryan & co. misfire with the oversaturation of ballads.

1.5 very poor
A Million Dead Birds Laughing Xen
A bewilderingly mismatched vocal performance hampers the instrumental energy of Xen, rendering it a disappointing effort.
Abigail Williams Becoming
Becoming has all the superficial qualities of a black metal record: fuzzy production, wailed vocals, and long songs full of tremolo picking. It even has some great passages, and nice touches. However, the indeterminate atmosphere and lack of emotional urgency casts the entire affair in a disingenuous shadow, as if the band listened to a bunch of black metal records and then made their own without really grasping what the genre is all about.
Abysmal Dawn Leveling the Plane of Existence
An extremely generic metal record in which all of the songs the same, save the out-of-place tribal drumming interlude "Our Primitive Nature." Not as poor as the worst metal (Waking the Cadaver, Capture the Crown), but not much better either.
AFI Sing the Sorrow
Some catchy choruses ("Silver and Cold," "Girl's Not Grey"), but I can't totally get into this record. I'm clamoring for more instrumental excitement, and I'm not big on these screams. The dark atmosphere is effective, though, and I like the unexpected touches (the end of "Death of Seasons").
Agalloch Tomorrow Will Never Come
Track one is a remix that sounds the same as the version on The Mantle, and track two is a mediocre acoustic number with a rambling, bizarre sample overtop. This EP came about due to guitarist Don Anderson's fascination with schizophrenia (hence the sample on the second song). Pretty pointless listen, though, and hardly necessary for Agalloch fans.
All That Remains The Fall of Ideals
This is a competent metalcore record. "Six" is a great track. As a whole, though, the record is too sanitized for my taste. The ultra-clean production is uninspired, and the poppier moments are boring.
Allan Holdsworth Atavachron
I became aware of this record through its Star Trek connection (the cover art, album title, and title of the last song are all related to the show). As a Star Trek fan, I immediately downloaded the album. It's instrumental-- save the last track-- jazz fusion that makes heavy use of the synthaxe, a guitar-shaped MIDI controller that hasn't been produced since the '80s. While the synthaxe's presence undeniably dates Atavachron-- as does the production-- the record is still a fun listen. Holdsworth is a phenomenal guitarist, and the backing band holds their own.
Anal Cunt Fuckin' A
Fuckin' A is funny for a song or two, but an entire album is overkill. And, honestly, is an '80s rock parody album really relevant in 2011?
And So I Watch You From Afar All Hail Bright Futures
It's somewhat one-dimensional and not as good as Gangs, but All Hail Bright Futures is a well-performed, well-produced, and fun record. The quirkiness is annoying at times, though.
Animals As Leaders The Joy of Motion
So much great instrumental work, so few great songs. In fact, I wouldn't call any of the tracks on The Joy of Motion great. I love the production, the detail, and, as aforementioned, the performances, but the songwriting is just unsatisfying to me. The tracks seem to go in different directions without ever attributing to anything. As a result, the numerous fantastic sections are wasted in a hodgepodge of go nowhere riffage.
Animals As Leaders Weightless
Bad songwriting and a disconcerting, lazy reliance on generic low-string chugging condemn Weightless. The good news is that the production is much better here than the debut.
Anti-Flag For Blood and Empire
On-the-nose political punk that's largely average. There are a few decent tracks ("The Press Corpse," "The Project for a New American Century," "Depleted Uranium Is a War Crime") but this is by-and-large quite dull. The semi-incoherent political ideology presented, which amounts to little more than far-left talking points, doesn't help.
Arsonists Get All the Girls The Game Of Life
Bombastic, semi-serious metalcore record. Interesting experimental touches throughout. It's brainless, but it isn't bad.
August Burns Red Messengers
Authority Zero The Tipping Point
There are nice touches throughout, such as the acoustic guitar and awesomely heavy outro on "Shakedown in Juarez," the horns in "Today We Heard the News," and the cool ska track "Struggle." The great vocal and bass (yes, you can hear it!) performances from Jason DeVore and Mike Spero, respectively, are also pluses. Ultimately though, The Tipping Point is a pretty generic record that doesn't live up to the band's previous work. However, it isn't unlistenable and has some good songs-- such as those aforementioned, and "Undivided."
Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold
An eclectic mess. It's not all awful-- "Almost Easy" is catchy and "Scream" has a good guitar solo-- but most of it is. Particularly, "A Little Piece of Heaven" is one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
Avenged Sevenfold Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
BATS Red In Tooth and Claw
Horrible vocals ruin an otherwise competent post-hardcore record. The science-themed lyrics are fun, though.
Behold... The Arctopus Horrorscension
Unlistenably bad technical wankery with no redeeming qualities. Sure, these guys are great at their instruments, but when the songs are this cobbled together and pointless, what does that amount to aside from wasted talent?
Benighted Asylum Cave
A fun listen. I mean, this thing starts off with a Bugs Bunny sample. You can't take it entirely seriously. "Let the Blood Spill Between My Broken Teeth," "Hostile," and "A Quiet Day" are great tracks, but there is also crap like "The Cold Remains" and "Swallow." The songwriting isn't always strong, either-- riffs transition awkwardly. Asylum Cave is overall an enjoyable record, but a flawed one too.
Between the Buried and Me The Silent Circus
The Silent Circus has "Mordecai"-- one of Between the Buried and Me's best songs ever-- and... what else? An ambient interlude ("Reaction"), a corny ballad ("(Shevanel, Take 2)"), and seven metal songs that never reach the sum of their parts. There are great moments scattered throughout those seven songs, but none of them do it for me as whole pieces (besides "The Need for Repetition"... but that one has an annoying amount of silence before the hidden track stuck at its end). Also, the drum production is really bad. The bass drum hits are ridiculously synthetic.
Between the Buried and Me The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
This EP marks the point where Between the Buried and Me stopped writing good music. These songs are little better than Sleep Terror-esque faux-progressive riff quiltworks.
Between the Buried and Me The Great Misdirect
Here is where Between the Buried and Me began losing their way. There are great sections throughout this record, but none of the songs is wholly satisfying (aside from perhaps "Desert of Song") because the chaotic structures strip the potential power from the individual chunks. Impressive stuff flies by, but none of it amounts to anything.
Between the Buried and Me The Anatomy Of
"Bicycle Race" and "Three of a Perfect Pair" are fun, but the rest of these covers are curiously uninspired. It sounds like the band had a lot more fun making them than anyone could listening to them.
Bjork Biophilia
Bjork has a great voice, yes, but a lot of this is self-indulgent and/or boring. Further instrumentation (like the end of "Crystalline") would have spiced this up.
Bloodbath The Fathomless Mastery
Acceptable death metal, but for a supergroup, it's underwhelming. Flat production and similar-sounding songs; I get this is a tribute of sorts, but that isn't an excuse for lacking originality.
Boris Attention Please
Noise Pop and Shoegaze effort that drags more than enthralls. It's never bad-- indeed, "Hope" is a strong track-- but there's little excitement to the proceedings. The groping record title is indicative of the album's inability to hold attention.
Borknagar Urd
An overblown, gaudy metal record. The production is of a glossy variety miles away from the band's early black metal work.
Borknagar Winter Thrice
Moreso than the synthetic overproduction and somewhat aimless songwriting, what bothers me about this album, and others like it, is the lack of balance. Everything-- and I mean everything-- is multi-tracked within an inch of its life with would-be-epic intentions, and as such the whole record is overzealous and one-note. It all runs together. Restraint and indulgence must play equal parts, and Borknagar, on this album, rely entirely on the latter.
Box Car Racer Box Car Racer
This is is essentially a darker, but similarly simplistic, blink-182. There are catchy tracks ("I Feel So," "The End with You"), the production is good, and it is an earnestly honest endeavor. However, the music is often derivative and there are also far too many drum intros. This is about 5x better than Angels and Airwaves, though.
Brown Brigade In the Mouth of Badd(d)ness
Amateurish heavy metal featuring the ex-guitarist from Sum 41. There's no real reason to listen to this-- it's not offensively bad, it's just utterly unremarkable.
Buckethead 15 Days Til Halloween: Grotesques
Buckethead Slaughterhouse on the Prairie
Buckethead's first of many releases from 2009, and it is a decent one by the eclectic guitarist. It starts with two previously free-to-download songs from his website, titled "Lebron" and "Lebron's Hammer," respectively. From then on, the album descends into traditional Buckethead stuff: fast riffing, heavy use of the killswitch and other effects, and, of course, incredible guitar soloing. What's wrong with the record is that at times, particularly towards its end, it feels as though Buckethead is just going through the motions, especially on tracks like "Goat Host." There is some great stuff- "Don't Use Roosts if You Raise Broilers," "Premonition"- however, this feels largely by-the-numbers.
Buckethead The Astrodome
Buckethead Racks
Buckethead 21 Days Til Halloween: Cement Decay
Buckethead Glacier
Buckethead Look Up There
Two long jams from Buckethead, somewhat reminiscent of tracks from his infamous In Search Of The... collection. The guitar work is phenomenal; the riffing is excellent, and the solos are top notch. The problem with this release is that it doesn't really feel like an "album"-- more like two cool jams Buckethead decided to release. Which is fine (I would rather see a release like this than one with a bunch of unnecessary filler tracks), it just makes for a somewhat fragmented listening experience.
Buckethead View Master
Buckethead March of the Slunks
Bland entry to the Pikes series with little to differentiate it from other releases. "Satellite Invaders" is a cool funky number; "Ghost Coop" is a slow burner with some heroic soloing on top. The rest is rather blase; never bad, but never particularly noteworthy.
Buckethead Underground Chamber
Buckethead tries again at an ultra long song (his previous effort being In Search of The - Volume 13) and while this one is better than that one, it's still not any good. It doesn't go anywhere. Almost all of the other material in his massive discography is better than this.
Buckethead Spinal Clock
Buckethead's first-- and as of this writing, only-- banjo-centric release. Unfortunately, the premise is more exciting than the result. The first seven tracks are sparse, minimalistic, boring soundscapes. The last two songs are great, though, so check those out.
Buckethead Albino Slug
Buckethead Thaw
Buckethead 7 Days Til Halloween: Cavernous
Burzum Sol austan, Mani vestan
Yet another dark ambient record from Burzum. Luckily, this one isn't offensively bad like Umskiptar; rather, it's just boring. He has far better material in this style.
Cloudkicker ]]][[[
"%" is not only my favourite Cloudkicker song, but also one of my favourite instrumentals ever. It's an incredible track. "#" and "$", the other two cuts off this EP, aren't as strong, but feature some good riffs. All in all, I recommend this EP, but especially "%"-- it is a must hear.
Cloudkicker Beacons
Some of the melodies and riffs on here are repeated too many times, and as a result Beacons drags. However, it also contains some truly exceptional parts, and the concept is highly effective (when the riffs aren't repeated ad nauseam). Interestingly, the slower tracks are some of the best (check out the one-two punch of "I admit it now. I was scared." and "We were all scared."). Overall, Beacons is an effective instrumental concept record, but some of its sections are a chore to slog through.
Clown Core Toilet
Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: Ascension
Pop-flavoured pseudo-progressive rock. It's got some decent melodies, but it's very inoffensive and quite wimpy.
Cynic Kindly Bent to Free Us
A pleasant record that leaves absolutely no impression on the listener. Cynic have produced an airy, unremarkable, wafer-thin disappointment.
Darkthrone Total Death
Don't let the excellent cover art fool you: this is a black metal record absent of majesty, atmosphere, and interest. Shocking that it comes from Darkthrone, one of the genre's second wave progenitors. The ridiculously loud vocals of Panzerfaust have been fixed, at least; beyond that, this is disappointing in every department. The riffs are stale, the... you know what, the whole thing is stale. Thankfully, it's only 35 minutes.
Deafheaven Sunbather
Deftones Back to School (Mini Maggit)
On here, you get studio and live versions of the much-derided record label-mandated "Back to School (Mini Maggit)" (even Chino himself hates this song), three more live tracks (including an unreleased song, "Teething"), an acoustic version of "Change," and "Pink Maggit." Though a lot of people dislike "Back to School (Mini Maggit)," I dig it. The live tracks are okay, but the recording quality isn't great. The acoustic version of "Change" is awesome, and "Pink Maggit" is epic... but if you have White Pony, you have that song anyway. Overall, this is a nice EP for fans, but not essential listening.
Deftones B-Sides and Rarities
Besides the acoustic versions of "Change" and "Be Quiet and Drive," which are just as good as the originals, there is nothing of note here. Most of these covers were later re-released on their Covers EP.
Deftones Adrenaline
Bad production and very little variation between songs. Easily the weakest album in the Deftones' discography.
Deftones Covers
Covers is mostly disappointing. The Cars and Sade covers are good, but the rest is pretty throwaway. Ultimately, none of the covers are as good as 90% of the Deftones' originals.
Dethklok The Dethalbum
DevilDriver The Last Kind Words
Okay but unoriginal metal. Crystal clear production, triggered drums, accessible riffing. This approach works for some tracks ("Clouds over California") but often sounds watered down. There is very little dynamic variation-- most everything is loud and distorted-- and the vocals are similarly one-sided, consisting of all screams. Overall, The Last Kind Words is a generic metal record, likely appealing to metal noobies but not anyone else.
Devin Townsend Ziltoid the Omniscient
There is nothing inherently poor about Ziltoid's concept; rather, the problem is that this is the least interesting music of Townsend's career. There are a couple of bright spots-- "The Greys," the anthemic "Hyperdrive"-- but overall this album is a laborious and mostly unfunny listen.
Devin Townsend Project Epicloud
Epicloud is fun, but it lacks the depth of Devin's best work. Ultimately, this record personifies style over substance. The best song is the "Kingdom" re-record, because, being written for Physicist, it avoids this trap.
Diamanda Galas with John Paul Jones The Sporting Life
Diamanda collaborates with John Paul Jones (the Led Zeppelin bassist) here, and the result is, unsurprisingly, the most accessible of her records. It's still got shrieking and screaming, but for the most part it's nowhere near as abrasive as her other work. The problem here is not this accessible approach-- it's that most of the songs are simply templates for Diamanda to vocalize over. The best track on the album is "Dark End of the Street," because it is an actual song-- it is more than just a backing track with Diamanda singing over it. Overall, a fun listen, but nowhere near what it could have been.
Dog Fashion Disco Anarchists of Good Taste
Dropkick Murphys Blackout
Some great, fun stuff ("Time to Go"), but most of this is unexciting, poppy celtic rock. The production is good, though, and fans won't be disappointed-- unless those fans desire evolution.
Edge of Sanity Infernal
A wildly inconsistent listen, which is unsurprising considering its production. Tired of Swano's progressive predilections-- which had culminated in the band's previous record, metal classic Crimson-- the rest of Edge of Sanity demanded a return to their traditional death metal roots. Unable to agree, the two sides wrote half the record each and, after it was released, Swano left the band.
Enslaved In Times
In Times sees Enslaved going through the motions, and producing a record far inferior to their previous few. "Daylight" is decent, but the rest is very poor.
Evanescence Fallen
Aside from the hit single "Bring Me to Life," this is a boring ballad-heavy alt metal record redeemed only by Amy Lee's stellar vocals.
Every Time I Die Ex Lives
Try as I might, I can't get into this band. On this album the energy is there, but unlike fellow anger-laden speedy metalcore records like Jane Doe or No Absolutes in Human Suffering, this one does virtually nothing for me.
Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree
This certainly has catchy moments ("Sugar, We're Goin' Down") but ultimately it's just a vapid, brainless pop 'punk' album. Indeed, Fall Out Boy's current state-- a gutless, wimpy radio pop outfit-- demonstrate how disingenuous a band they are, and colours this record as a mere popularity leech rather than an honest endeavor.
Finch Steel, Wood and Whiskey
Yeah, it's free, but still, I can't help but be disappointed in this. It only features two tracks from Sunshine, and one of them ("Bitemarks") is totally screwed up. The songs that work best acoustically are actually the ones from Back to Oblivion ("Anywhere but Here," the title track, "Murder Me"). The What It Is to Burn tracks are as cringeworthy as ever.
Fleshgod Apocalypse Agony
Way. Too. Much. Blast beating. The technical ability is astounding, but this record is an absolute assault on the ears. Dynamics are desperately needed. I want to like this, but its single-minded hammering means I can't.
Funeral for a Friend Hours
Pretty bland overall. "Monsters" is head and shoulders above the rest of the songs. "Streetcar" is pretty good too, I guess, but it doesn't blow me away. A couple of cheesy but endearing ballads are present, too ("History," "Drive"). You could do a lot worse than Hours, but I'm not going to provide it a ringing endorsement. Note there are almost no screams here -- the band is going in a poppier direction (that's not an indictment, but an observation).
Glassjaw Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence
Much has been written of Palumbo's borderline-misogynistic lyrics, so I'll focus on instead on the instruments. They're not as sophisticated as they would be on the follow-up Worship and Tribute, but they're well-performed nonetheless, and provide sufficient, energetic backing for Palumbo's vocal acrobatics. Overall, this is certainly a more juvenile listen than subsequent material from the band, but it's still a furious bout of energy.
Gob Foot In Mouth Disease
While somewhat enjoyable on a visceral level, there is ultimately very little to recommend Foot in Mouth Disease. It's got catchy songs and the production is excellent, but there is very little substance to any of the material.
Green Day American Idiot
Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy
Far from the trainwreck is could have been. Buckethead's playing is incredible ("Better," "Riad N' the Bedouins"), Axl's vocals are unique and engaging and his high notes are remarkable ("I.R.S."), and songs like "Shackler's Revenge," "Sorry," and the aforementioned "Riad N' the Bedouins" are fantastic. It may not live up to the impossible expectations constructed from its ten year production term, and not all of the songs are good, but Chinese Democracy is overall a worthwhile listen. The truly exceptional guitar work is the star of the album.
In Flames Sounds of a Playground Fading
A surprisingly simplistic record-- it borders on radio metal-- from a band once renowned for their technical abilities. This is a safe, predictable, lukewarm metal album and can be safely skipped.
Intervals A Voice Within
This album falls into the trap that a lot of modern prog metal does: it jams a bunch of not unpleasant but similar heavy riffs together song after song and does not differentiate enough between them, save small eclectic moments and touches which are forgotten about after the record ends. Furthermore, the album's marriage between djent and pop doesn't work for me- every time I try to hook on to the poppy melodies, the slow drumbeats and chugging guitars strip the energy away. Good production and performances, but the songwriting leaves a lot to be desired.
Jimmy Eat World Chase This Light
Jimmy Eat World's poppiest release post-Bleed American. Glitzy and polished, bordering on synthetic, with some super catchy melodies ("Let It Happen," "Always Be") as well as, unfortunately, some annoying, generic drivel ("Here It Goes"). It's sickly sweet and nowhere near the depth of Clarity or Futures, but pop fans will find some worth here. "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" is excellent; undoubtedly the most interesting song here.
Jimmy Eat World Damage
Jimmy Eat World Bleed American
A decidedly simplistic record. Bleed American sees Jimmy Eat World intentionally playing below their capabilities to appeal to a mainstream audience, and the result is a boring, insipid album.
Kip Hanrahan Desire Develops an Edge
Mostly dull batch of jazz tracks, largely percussion-heavy. Interestingly, Hanrahan doesn't perform here; rather, he, like a film director, gathers talent and has them perform. Some of the material is worthwhile ("Nocturnal Heart (Coracao Noturno)"), but the endless percussion explorations (the title track) are the aural equivalent of watching paint dry.
Lagwagon Blaze
Blaze sees Lagwagon rely strongly on pop punk/punk rock styling while injecting a little bit of other influence into the songs. "E Dagger" features female vocals and soothing, Beach Boys-esque harmonies, "Lullaby" a noisy breakdown, "Burn" a speed metal guitar solo, etc. It loses steam towards the end and it's never got enough grit for me, but Blaze is better than many pop punk records-- which, I suppose, isn't really saying much.
Light Bearer Silver Tongue
Opener "Beautiful Is This Burden" is absolutely fantastic, but after it ends the album delves into dull, unmemorable, plodding numbers for most of its remaining runtime. Silver Tongue is thus a dragged out, uneventful listen.
Machine Head Unto The Locust
Unto the Locust is basically a less self-indulgent version of The Blackening. Granted, some of these songs could still stand a two minute shaving, but the album isn't quite as boring as its predecessor. The songwriting styles are very similar on both, so if you liked The Blackening you'll like this. Overall, Unto the Locust has great instrumental work and is an improvement on The Blackening, but it's still overly long, overly cheesy, and overly pretentious.
Mayhem De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
MD.45 The Craving
"Designer Behaviour" is great, and the bonus track "Chutney" is too. Unfortunately, most every other song is boring and generic. Mustaine was trying to combine punk and metal with this release, and I suppose the lesson here is that combining genres isn't interesting in and of itself. The Craving is chalk full of predictable, dull songs.
Megadeth Cryptic Writings
There are three songs worth hearing on this record: "Trust," "She-Wolf," and "A Secret Place." The rest are either boring, bad, or both. "FFF" is probably the most out-of-place closer I've ever heard.
Megadeth United Abominations
Despite great guitar work and a couple of hits in "Sleepwalker" and "Washington is Next!," United Abominations falls flat. It drags incredibly, particularly in the middle.
Megadeth The System Has Failed
The System Has Failed is a respectable, if unremarkable, release from Megadeth. Considering the string of relative clunkers which preceded it, though, this is pretty good. There is a nice amount of bite, and a lot of superb guitar work. Nothing revolutionary, and nowhere near their best work, but worthwhile for fans.
Megadeth Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!
(I have the re-issue.) There's a lot to like about this disc, from its sheer speed and ferocity to the technicality of the guitar parts to Mustaine's angry vocal delivery. However, some sections are blase, the production isn't very good, and "These Boots" is rendered almost unlistenable by the bleeping of Mustaine's lyrics.
Megadeth Th1rt3en
Th1rt3en isn't terrible, and considering the amount of re-recorded songs/songs written for video games/old riffs reused, it doesn't feel nearly as cobbled together as it could have. It has some great guitar work as well, and some fun tracks (the first two, "Never Dead"). It's not as engaging or well-paced as Endgame, though, and there a couple of boring/flat out bad tracks ("Fast Lane," "Deadly Nightshade") which drag the album down overall. When all is said and done, this is an above average record, but disappointing riding on the heels of the fantastic Endgame.
Meshuggah Koloss
Koloss is the most watered-down release in Meshuggah's discography. It mostly lacks the complex, hypnotic rhythms of past releases, and instead goes for straightforward, bludgeoning chug attacks ("Demiurge"). Thus, Koloss may please Meshuggah newbies, but hardened fans will be disappointed by this taciturn, rather unadventurous effort. The good news, though: Jens Kidman sounds as good as ever ("The Demon's Name Is Surveillance") and it isn't all bad ("Swarm" is unabashedly headbangable).
Meshuggah obZen
Tomas Haake is back behind the drumkit, which is good. Aside from that, there is very little difference between this record and Catch Thirtythree, though. There's less ambience, and the songs aren't combined into one track, but really, this is Meshuggah doing Meshuggah... again. Meshuggah does the low-tuned, mechanical, groovy chugging thing so well that this is okay, but obZen isn't groundbreaking. The vocals aren't as variated as past releases, either, contributing to a sense of monotony. Listening to a song or two from obZen interspersed with other bands is a more effective listening experience than hearing the entire album front-to-back, as when doing the latter boredom inevitably sets in.
Michael Angelo Batio Hands Without Shadows
Both the title track and "Dream On" are superb. The rest of the album isn't as strong; a lot of the tracks here are simply too long, and as is typical on Batio's albums, the hyperspeed guitar shredding loses its lustre after a few songs. At least he put his own spin on the covers here, though, unlike Holiday Strings.
Michael Angelo Batio Tradition
This album has some cool tracks on it, such as "China," "I Can't Take it No More," and "Voices of the Distant Past." The sheer speed and virtuosity of Batio's playing is also incredibly admirable. However, the whole affair (bajillion notes a second, every second) gets tiring quickly, and almost half of the record is made up of previous songs with the lead lines taken out (to play over, I suppose... but good luck with that).
Michael Angelo Batio Planet Gemini
This record begins with the typical hyperspeed shredding one expects in an MAB release, but the last six tracks are just all over the place. There is space-y ambience, a Doom-sounding videogame part, two tracks with vocals that come out of nowhere, and even a country section. Of course, this all adds up to one of the more interesting records put out by Batio, though it doesn't all work.
Michael Romeo The Dark Chapter
Midtown Living Well is the Best Revenge
Very poppy pop-punk. Gabe Saporta's fantastic voice renders the generic instrumental work and songwriting listenable, but never intriguing.
Muse Origin of Symmetry
The rare album that actually gets better as it goes along. The first two songs are generic, limp riff swirls, but from "Space Dementia" onward the record gets significantly more enjoyable. "Plug In Baby" and "Micro Cuts" are especially good. Origin of Symmetry is bombastic, and just a little bit pompous, but it's also admirably ambitious. (And one thing's for sure: it's better than the crap Muse is releasing now.)
My Bloody Valentine m b v
Overly repetitive dreamy shoegaze record. Has some nice effects, and its atmospheric, though.
My Chemical Romance Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
A bit of a guilty pleasure record for me. It's a shame Gerard Way's image overshadowed his talent, because he really is a great vocalist. There's not much substance to this album, and the second half is nowhere near as good as the first, but-- for the first half at least-- this is a fun, brainless ride.
Naked City Heretic
The majority of these improvisations are uninteresting, go nowhere atonal noise fests. Occasionally there is an interesting cut ("Slaughterhouse/Chase Sequence," "Fire and Ice (Club Scene)") but, with the record clocking in at over 56 minutes, they are few and far between.
NOFX Coaster
There are a couple of great tracks-- "Eddie, Bruce, and Paul," which is one of the best songs I've heard by the band, and "I Am an Alcoholic," a fun, chilled-out number with some fantastic female vocals and an equally fantastic trumpet solo-- but by-and-large Coaster ranges from mediocre to bad. The aforementioned great songs save this record from the scrap heap, as does the good production.
NOFX Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
A lot of underdeveloped ideas on this one, some of which could have been awesome songs if expanded on ("One Celled Creature," "Cantado En Espanol"). The lyrics are clever, though, and there a few great tracks ("Leaving Jesusland," "USA-holes," "60%").
Opeth Heritage
Opeth Pale Communion
While I admire Opeth's bravery in totally changing their sound and direction, the change isn't to my taste. This is a very retro progressive rock album, harkening back to the 1970's, and I prefer forward rather than backward-thinking music. With that said, though, the production is great (I like the drum sound especially-- they are not triggered or overproduced), the performances are good (though Mikael's vocals are occasionally unfitting), and there are some awesome moments (the acoustic guitar, spooky middle, and catchy ending of "Moon Above, Sun Below;" the strings, when they appear; all of "Faith in Others"). Overall, Pale Communion is better than Heritage, but there is little point in comparing it to the band's other records as they are completely different stylistically.
Peste Noire L'Ordure a l'etat Pur
I have mixed feelings on this one. Have you ever wanted black metal mixed with waltz rhythms, chicken coop sound effects, and electronic drumming? You've come to the right place. It doesn't all work, but I have to admire the bold experimentation. This is an inconsistent and oftentimes baffling release, but while the former may be a reason to pass on it, the later is, in a way, all the more reason you should hear it.
Poison the Well You Come Before You
The double-whammy of "The Opinionated Are So Opinionated" and "Apathy Is a Cold Body" is great. Still, too much of this record is juvenile, blaring, cymbal-crashing metalcore ("Loved Ones," "Crystal Lake"). To be truly effective, this album needs more dynamic contrast, beyond insignificant addenda. I was a fan of Poison the Well's early output, and I can appreciate the growth they are making, but yelling over chords is only interesting for so long. Other highlights include "For a Bandaged Iris" and "Zombies Are Good For Your Health," which are fun.
Porcupine Tree The Incident
A bloated, lukewarm effort from one of the most talented bands in progressive rock. Nothing noteworthy here aside from the production-- the songwriting is boring and the heavier parts don't work.
Protest the Hero Kezia
Fails as a full-length album due to the boredom induced by repetitive drumbeats and an insufficient number of slower or otherwise more dynamic parts. The band is instrumentally talented, but that talent is not applied into a series of satisfying songs. "Blindfolds Aside" is the best track.
Queensryche Hear in the Now Frontier
A departure from Queensryche's previous work. Hear in the Now Frontier is more hard/alternative rock than progressive metal, and this change is not for the better. Though there are some good sections, it's overall a generic listen lacking in both energy and excitement.
Queensryche Empire
Honestly, what spoils this record is Geoff Tate. I've never been one for '80s-esque over-the-top vocal antics, and Empire is chalk full of them. The production further mars the record, with the gated snare and "Silent Lucidity's" overloud vocal sample the biggest offenders. Empire is, due to those factors, a very dated record, and as someone who harbours no nostalgia for the bygone age which it hearkens to it is thus an unsatisfying listen. However, it is not entirely without worth: the title track, "Jet City Woman," and "Della Brown" are all good songs.
Richard Pinhas Reverse
Senses Fail Let It Enfold You (Deluxe Edition)
A host of catchy tracks and good production, but overall Let It Enfold You is a fairly immature and underwhelming debut record. It's a nostalgic album for me, though, and so it gets points for that. Ironically, the bonus tracks are two of my favourites.
Soen Cognitive
Mildly Tool-influenced prog metal/rock. It's just boring, more than anything. "Delenda" has a decent groove; the rest I can hardly remember.
Soundtrack (Film) Twister
Steven Wilson The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)
Impeccable musicianship and production wasted on overlong, retro prog-worship tracks that offer nothing new or exciting. The only exception is the opener "Luminol," which is a fun, largely instrumental romp.
Storm Corrosion Storm Corrosion
One of the more disappointing records in recent memory. A long awaited collaboration between Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson and Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt, it is an occasionally clumsy, often maudlin, and overall half-baked effort. It's mostly slow, and while individual sections are sometimes worthwhile (the noise-to-acoustic interruption in the title track), the songs are poorly constructed.
Stormtroopers of Death Speak English or Die
Amusing parody lyrics and skits all the way through this thrash metal record. It's musically repetitive, though it is less than a half hour long. Highlights are "What's That Noise," "Milk," and "Pussy Whipped."
Strapping Young Lad The New Black
Revives the obvious tongue-in-cheek element present on Heavy Is a Really Heavy Thing, but the songwriting is uninspired and it's evident Devin's heart isn't in SYL at this point. It's not really heavy, it's not really funny, it's just sort of... there.
Strapping Young Lad Strapping Young Lad
After City, Strapping Young Lad did not release another album for seven years. This was due to Devin Townsend's pre-Infinity mental breakdown leaving him afraid to traverse the internal territory necessary for Strapping's music. Eventually he relented, however he was not really interested in the recording of this album (The Devin Townsend Band's Accelerated Evolution, which he was recording at the same time, took most of his attention) and, aside from certain moments ("Bring On the Young"), self-admittedly based the lyrics around "tough guy posturing" and not what he was really feeling. This results in a disconnected and disappointing album which does not live up to its predecessors.
Streetlight Manifesto The Hands That Thieve
A boring ska record. It's energetic, but the songwriting is uninspired and the performances are nothing special.
Sum 41 Chuck
Sum 41's most polished record. The production is good and "We Are All to Blame" is easily their most ambitious, and best, song to date. However, the record leans on pop music cliches as a crutch ("Some Say," "Pieces"), and the latter half is just bad.
Sum 41 Half Hour Of Power
A crude and messy record. It oozes potential ("Machine Gun") but is quite clearly the product of a young band still finding their voice.
Sylosis Edge of the Earth
A modern thrash metal record that isn't terrible, but goes on far too long and has too little variation between songs. Great performances, but the songwriting is one-note.
System of a Down Mezmerize
A step down from their previous releases. Mezmerize sees System of a Down crafting a relatively straightforward record with plenty of vocals from Darren (this is not a good thing) and a lot (too much) repetition. Unlike the self-titled record, and even Toxicity to an extent, most of Mezmerize wears off very quickly. The bass has all but disappeared too, perhaps symptomatic of the increasingly uninspired direction.
T.R.A.M. Lingua Franca
That Handsome Devil The Heart Goes to Heaven, The Head Goes to Hell
Some good tunes ("The U & I in Suicide," "Charlie's Inferno," "Bored," "Party's Dead"), but it's a bit uneventful on the whole. It's too mellow for its own good. A City Dressed in Dynamite was more energetic and, consequently, more engaging. The band hasn't lost any of their uniqueness - Godforbid's vocals are still a lot of fun - but they don't sound as lively here as on previous releases.
The Ataris So Long, Astoria
The "Boys of Summer" cover is brilliant. The rest will put you to sleep. Generic, heavily poppy pop-punk. Download "The Boys of Summer" and forget about the rest.
The Beatles With the Beatles
Limp, inoffensive pop rock. Songs like "Please Mister Postman" are unlistenable for the trite melodies and brainless lyrics. Some of the material is fun ("It Won't Be Long"), and the vocals are good, but, listening today, this is bland, banal pablum.
The Blood Brothers Young Machetes
Initially I downloaded this album, listened to it once or twice, hated the vocals, gave it a 2.5, and didn't play it again for several months. However, after those several months, I was driving home one night and decided to scroll through my iPod without looking, picking an album at random. This is what came on. "Well," I thought. "I haven't listened to it in a while. Let's see what happens." A lot happened. The first two songs played and the vocals, which I had not liked previously, suddenly worked for me. Yes, they were very grating and high-pitched, but they were effective. Then I got to the third track, "Lazer Life," which is absolutely terrible, and that old feeling returned. I also realized that the album is too long, and the decision to stick four short songs together near the end was a mistake. Well, the first two songs were really good-- but they can't make up for the rest of the album's errors. The 2.5 remains.
The Contortionist Intrinsic
This is one of the most frustrating albums I've ever heard. There are many great ideas in play, but they're all thrown together haphazardly and there is no flow whatsoever to the album. Furthermore, the production is thin and the harsh vocals are, for the most part, underwhelming. Intrinsic shows a ton of potential, but is nowhere near the sum of its parts.
The Great Kat Worship Me or Die!
A deliberately over-the-top record which should be taken as a parody of the metal genre. The production isn't great, and the songs themselves aren't really either, but the key to enjoying, or at least understanding, Worship Me or Die! is to not take it too seriously. With that said, the joke gets old after the first few songs, and since the songs aren't very good it's difficult to enjoy the record as a whole. While it isn't the masterpiece that Kat (jokingly) claims all of her material to be, Worship Me or Die! is far from the bottom of the barrel the other ratings on here would imply. In fact, I'd call this one of her best releases (for what that's worth).
The Great Kat Beethoven On Speed
Probably Kat's most accomplished record. Beethoven on Speed is less parodical than Worship Me or Die! and features better production and songwriting as well. A couple of the originals ("Gripping Obsession," "Total Tyrant") are actually decent, and the interspersing of classical covers throughout makes for a more interesting listen than the debut. As a guitarist, I find Kat overrated-- she's a little sloppy and I don't care for her tone. However, you won't find her in better form anywhere than Beethoven on Speed, so if you're inclined to check out her material, start here.
The Maine Lovely Little Lonely
Thrice Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis shows hints of what Thrice would later become (interlude "The Next Day," the end of "Ultra Blue") but is overall a pretty derivative, albeit not unlistenable, record. The production is decent, though the bass is overpowering in spots, and the performances are sloppier than future releases. Overall, Identity Crisis isn't merit-less, but it is nowhere the level of Thrice's later work.
Tindersticks The Waiting Room
It's not unlistenable, but it's very dreary, very slow, and quite boring. There are some nice melodies, but they are stretched far beyond their point of interest. This is a record which revels in its beautiful lethargy. "The Waiting Room" is an appropriate title. "We Are Dreamers!" is my favourite track, because something actually happens on that one.
Toby Driver Madonnawhore
Tomahawk Tomahawk
Only one great song ("God Hates a Coward"). The rest have fantastic moments, but are ultimately unsatisfying in that they don't go anywhere ("Laredo," "Malocchio"). Lots of good ideas, but mostly unfulfilling songs. The band's follow-up, Mit Gas, was much better.
Trivium In Waves
A spectacularly limp radio metal album. In Waves shows that Trivium have become one of the many faux-metal outfits-- a la Bullet for My Valentine and Slipknot-- that sanitizes metal to the point of losing the entire genre's purpose.
Ulver Vargnatt
Similar to Rehearsal in that the production quality is terrible and that the only people interested in it are fans eager for a peak at the band's beginnings. Sidenote: "Her Begynner Mine Arr..." has some of the worst, most hilarious vocals I've ever heard. You'll know what I'm talking about when you hear them.
Unexpect Fables of the Sleepless Empire
Vintersorg Jordpuls
Xiu Xiu Forget
Yellowcard Ocean Avenue
The first five tracks are fantastic, but the album trails off into derivative pop territory after that. An extremely top-heavy listen.
Yes Relayer
NOTE: I have the 2014 remix by Steven Wilson, which comes with single edits of "Soon" and "Sound Chaser." Some great stuff (the intro and instrumental breaks in "Sound Chaser," the end of "The Gates of Delirium"), but this is just so dated. The vocals, in particular, reek of '70s panache. Also, the closer drags.

1.0 awful
Abide No Coming Back (EP)
An insipid, formulaic metal EP. Like so much modern metal, this band substitutes excessive breakdowns for actual songwriting. An utterly pointless recording.
AFI Answer That and Stay Fashionable
Yawnworthy punk debut from future pop-glam-gothers AFI. Nothing to see here; it's at best mildly interesting. The interspersed voice samples are the best part.
Agalloch The Grey
The dismantled version of "The Lodge" is an extremely repetitive vocal-less rock track that ends with some vaguely interesting noisy feedback. The Nothing Remix of "Odal" sounds absolutely nothing like the original, and is just droning ambient. Pretty poor EP.
Agalloch The Serpent and the Sphere
The first, and hopefully only, big disappointment of 2014. The Serpent and the Sphere is a tedious and mostly uneventful listen whose moments of occasional excellence only serve to highlight how good the record could have been had the band not surrounded them with such boring ones. The album is confusing structurally, and the lack of clean vocals is disappointing, as it robs the record of much dynamic potential. I suppose the three dull instrumental guitar cuts were meant to appease this, but that's just it: they're dull. The production is subpar too: the exclusively harsh vocals are hard to decipher. An enormous letdown.
Aiden Disguises
The only album I've heard from this much-maligned band, and, unless subjected to any more of their material against my will, it will stay that way. This is terrible stuff.
Alestorm Captain Morgan's Revenge
This is the best Alestorm album, but it still wears out its welcome long before completion. The band's one-dimensionality is unsuitable for an album-length duration.
Alestorm Back Through Time
Back Through Time is Alestorm's weakest effort yet. The title track is fun, but all of the other songs are indistinguishable from not only each other, but songs from previous albums. Alestorm still haven't figured out how to craft a compelling album.
Alestorm Black Sails at Midnight
More boring, gimmicky 'pirate metal' that's indistinguishable from their other records. "Keelhauled" is fun, I guess, but a whole album of this stuff is the musical equivalent to pouring sugar in your mouth.
Alkaline Trio My Shame Is True
Yawn-inducing pop-punk. Not terrible, but unanimously uninteresting. This band is capable of crafting much better material.
Anal Cunt Picnic of Love
Anal Cunt Top 40 Hits
Some of these songs are covers of actual Top 40 Hits ("American Woman"), but the results aren't as funny as you would expect. Really, nothing on here is any good. The recording quality is bad and Seth Putnam's vomitorium vocals get annoying fast. The best part is the song titles ("Living Colour Is My Favorite Black Metal Band").
Anal Cunt 5643 Song
Hilarious concept, but ultimately it amounts to nothing. The idea behind the EP (5,643 microsongs piled on top of each other) is much funnier than the actual result, which-- somewhat predictably, I suppose-- is incoherent nonsense that wears out its welcome after about fifteen seconds.
Anal Cunt Morbid Florist
The first release from Anal Cunt. It's not particularly funny, and the music is atrocious. Frankly, it borders on unlistenable. The recording quality, which is poor on most of the band's work, is especially bad here.
Andrea Centazzo USA Concerts East
Boring free improv. "Sextet Improvisation" (the only track featuring John Zorn) is the one worthwhile cut here. The rest is dull, often so minimal as to hardly be there.
Angels and Airwaves We Don't Need to Whisper
A pretentious, vapid album. The entire thing is an exercise in masturbatory songwriting, from the two-minute plus ambient introductory sections to the excessive effect work to the over-the-top lyrics.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Total Body Workout
With Total Body Workout, Arnold turns you into a Running Man-- a Predator capable of enduring the Red Heat of Pumping Iron. Total Body Workout takes an Eraser to your Expendable fat without causing Collateral Damage to your muscle mass. By the 6th Day, you'll be so proud of your progress that you'll start perpetually going Commando and looking for any excuse to drop your pants. Total Body Workout is no Raw Deal. Take out your change and Jingle All the Way to your nearest record store. You won't regret it.
Arsonists Get All the Girls Motherland
Arsonists Get All the Girls Listen to the Color
Arsonists Get All the Girls have always had a sense of humour-- as their band name indicates-- but none of their releases demonstrate this sense more freely than this one. That doesn't mean it's a good album, though. Indeed, while it has moments ("Balloon Battle") it ultimately, due to an over-reliance on boring metal riffage and an appalling second vocalist, fails.
As Blood Runs Black Instinct
An awful record made even worse by the lengthy break between it and its predecessor-- which, really, wasn't any good either. Instinct is just another in a long line of breakdown-centric, lazily-written metal albums, none of which are worthwhile.
As Blood Runs Black Allegiance
At least this is self-aware deathcore (the "Chug Chug" song title). Granted, it's still mostly terrible (though "Hester Prynne" is fun), but that sort of levity is appreciated in a genre that almost unanimously takes itself way too seriously.
Atreyu Lead Sails Paper Anchor
An atrocious rock album. It is mystifying why Atreyu thought genero-rock was the right route for them to take. The cover of Faith No More's "Epic" is especially bad, but the whole thing is a poorly executed misfire.
Austrian Death Machine A Very Brutal Christmas
A ridiculous metal cover of "Jingle Bells," and two other songs, including a Judas Priest cover. You'll probably laugh.
Austrian Death Machine Double Brutal
The Arnold-metal shtick is tired at this point, and Double Brutal's dual-disc length ensures it will stay that way for a long time to come. The songs aren't as inspired this time around, either.
Authority Zero 12:34
Authority Zero abandon the ska and reggae-influence which provided such spark on their previous records, and instead try their hand at a straightforward punk album. In that way, 12:34 was ill-conceived, and therefore it's unfortunately unsurprising that the record is a dull, underwhelming effort not worth hearing.
Avantasia Ghostlights
Overblown, gaudy power metal. Completely not my cup of tea. Fans of the genre may enjoy-- the performances are fine-- but I find this record garish, synthetic, and wholly uninteresting. It is utterly over-the-top and lacks any distinctive edges.
Avenged Sevenfold Hail to the King
An amazingly poor 'throwback' album. The whole affair is tired and uninspiring. Even the cover art is just a zoomed in version of Waking the Fallen.
Between the Buried and Me The Parallax II: Future Sequence
All the same flaws as the first Parallax EP-- but this is three times as long. An unpleasantly exhausting listen for the jarring, cobbled together arrangements and lack of tasteful restraint.
Black Label Society Stronger Than Death
Blind Witness Nightmare on Providence Street
blink-182 Dude Ranch
Boring, antiquated, somewhat amateurish pop-punk from a band whose subsequent releases were all better. The vocals are poor, and it goes on way too long.
blink-182 Neighborhoods
blink-182 returns with an, overall, disappointing effort. It has a few good songs (the first two, the bonus track "Fighting the Gravity"), but the dominance of Tom's vocals is upsetting, and there is a disconnected feel throughout (which makes sense, considering that the band recorded this largely through sharing e-mail files).
Borealis Fall From Grace
Average, unremarkable power metal. You'd be hard-pressed to remember anything about it after it ends.
brokeNCYDE BC 13
This is among the worst music I've ever heard. The whole EP is laughably bad. It features half-assed electronic beats, atrocious screamed vocals, and embarrassing lyrics. Avoid at all costs.
Buckethead Needle In A Slunk Stack
Forensic Follies, part two. Once again, Buckethead takes bits of his old songs and mashes them together/reworks them to create new tunes. And just like Forensic Follies, the issue is not the approach, but the execution. These songs are just collections of garbled together riffs that don't flow or go anywhere. The only value in both this album and its predecessor is for die-hard fans, to pick apart the pieces and ascertain their sources.
Buckethead Celery
One twenty-nine minute jam track that has its moments, but is ultimately too drawn-out and repetitive to be wholly interesting. Buckethead sticks to his traditional post-2006 rock styling here.
Buckethead Cyborg Slunks
One of Buckethead's worst records. There are only five songs, and two of them are 10-plus minute bizarro noisefests. "Aunt Suzie" is an okay clean track with some improv-d soloing on top; the rest is throwaway.
Buckethead The Spirit Winds
Buckethead Forensic Follies
An unsatisfying exercise in xenochrony. Buckethead takes sections of songs from his extensive back catalogue and crafts all new tracks from the fragments. Not a bad idea, but the problem is the result: aimless, unexciting, atonal smorgasbords.
Buckethead In Search Of The - Volume 13: 'E'
While a lengthy song with an unchanging beat isn't an inherently bad idea, Buckethead chose the single most annoying drumbeat of all time to carry a 45-minute tune. Furthermore, he clearly put no real thought into this-- it's an improvisation, but not a very good one. It sounds as though he played the beat, half-heartedly jammed over it with one eye on the clock, stopped at the 45-minute mark, and released the song without listening back.
Burzum The Ways of Yore
Another dull Burzum record. This is more boring dark ambient that he's done better in the past. Furthermore, it ends with two re-records of songs from his previous albums, one of which was released on Fallen only three years prior to this one. Very lazy.
Burzum Umskiptar
An incredibly boring record. Lengthy, uninteresting spoken word pieces overtop uninspiring instrumentation. Useful as a narcoleptic; otherwise, avoid.
Burzum From the Depths of Darkness
When Burzum announced that he would be re-recording a bunch of songs from his first two albums, people were skeptical. And, unfortunately, with good reason. From the Depths of Darkness leaves the listener upset, but probably not in the way Burzum intended. Unfortunately, these new versions don't so much revitalize as they do deaden. The combination of new, more flaccid vocals, a (comparatively) clean production job, and a lack of much change anyway make the entire album feel unnecessary and somewhat pointless. Which it, sadly, is.
Carbonized Gnawing Mandible Harvested and Disposed
Completely inept metal music from someone who I can only hope is trolling. On the plus side, the mix is incredibly muffled, so the badness is masked somewhat.
CHON Newborn Sun
Some great instrumental work, however the songs feel empty, due partly to the lack of vocals. The interlude tracks are disappointing as well, being too short to leave much impact. Instrumentally proficient, but it's all flash and no substance.
Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: Descension
A saccharine, middling pop rock record. "Number City" is fun, but the rest is predictable and boredom-inducing. The second half is especially bad.
Coheed and Cambria Vaxis I: The Unheavenly Creatures
Company 91 Volume 1
Corey Feldman Angelic 2 The Core
An utterly baffling dual disc release from '80s child actor phenom Corey Feldman. This is bad in every sense of the word; one of the very few albums I've heard where nothing it attempts works. It's largely Michael Jackson-ripoff pop, but there's also hilariously awful vocal jazz ("We Wanted Change"), bizarre nu-metal distorted guitar overtop hip-hop beats and wah funk ("Negativity"), and... well, a lot more awful crap you should listen to only listen to if you want a hearty laugh.
Cryptopsy And Then You'll Beg
Horrendous vocals from Mike DiSalvo (who left after this release) and cut-and-paste-riff songwriting condemn And Then You'll Beg to near the bottom of Cryptopsy's discography. Some of the individual riffs are cool, but good luck remembering any of them after the record ends.
Dance Gavin Dance Instant Gratification
Gaudy, obnoxious bubblegum pop music attempting to disguise itself as something more through screamed vocals (which are terrible) and 'progressive' song structures (which, here, are just bad writing).
Dance Gavin Dance Acceptance Speech
Like their other records, but even worse. This is the band's most obnoxious, overblown release yet. Furthermore, these are some of the worst vocals I've ever heard.
Dance Gavin Dance Downtown Battle Mountain II
The guitar work is impressive and the production is good, but I find this band incredibly obnoxious in both their faux-progressive song structures and glossy sonic styling. The vocals are annoying, too.
DevilDriver Beast
Another boring DevilDriver record that sounds like all of their other material. This band is the musical equivalent of a Cepheid variable star: predictable.
Devin Townsend Project Z2
Much like the first Ziltoid, Dark Matters sacrifices thoughtful music for stale metal riffs and unfunny dialogue. Sky Blue is the poppiest thing Devin's ever released, and suffers from the same core problem as the similarly-styled Epicloud: shallowness.
DoomThrone Skeleton Veiled in Flesh
So bad it's funny. The best unintentional doom metal parody ever. The vocals are some of the worst ever committed to record. Sounds like a frog croaking.
Down With Webster Time To Win Vol. I
Incredibly obnoxious pop music with pathetic lyrics and terrible everything else. Pop music doesn't have to be this brainless and wimpy. Down with Webster are one of the worst bands I've ever heard.
DragonForce Ultra Beatdown
This band is the biggest joke in metal. Ultra Beatdown features lyrics which sound copy-pasted from the band's last album, more overblown guitar solos they can't play live, and a disturbingly low level of variety. An embarrassingly bad record.
Dream Theater A Dramatic Turn of Events
A hilarious release, because a huge deal was made of the search for and ultimate hiring of Dream Theater's new drummer, and on the album featuring him (this one) you can hardly hear his parts! Furthermore, there are too many sappy ballads, and even the non-ballad tracks are bland; as a result, the album falls completely flat.
Dropkick Murphys Going Out In Style
The one-dimensional shtick of the Dropkick Murphys has gotten old at this point. This band needs to evolve and do something different. Going Out in Style sounds like everything else they've ever done; in other words, energetic but brainless celtic punk.
Drudkh Blood In Our Wells
Edge of Sanity Nothing But Death Remains
A short, uninteresting death metal album with what sounds like a screwed up production job (the volume lowers in spots for no good reason). The worst Edge of Sanity record.
Edge of Sanity Cryptic
Dan Swano left Edge of Sanity after Infernal, so the new bandleader, guitarist Andreas Axelsson, hired a new vocalist and quickly released Cryptic. It's an utterly generic and unremarkable album with nothing to distinguish it from thousands of other similar death metal offerings.
Emmure Speaker Of The Dead
A small step in the right direction for Emmure. This is still an abysmal album, but it's not as laughably horrendous as Felony.
Eugene Chadbourne Boogie with the Hook
Free improv duets between Chadbourne and others (including Derek Bailey and John Zorn). The sound quality is horrible, and most of this is, to put it simply, boring ("In Search of Carl la Fong"). "Red Lightning, Pt. 1," the lone duet with Zorn, is somewhat reminiscent of Zorn's Classic Guide to Strategy, featuring bizarre noises-- including squawks and a motor starting-- interspersed with silence. It's the strongest track here, if only because of the curiosity in what strange sound will pop out at you next.
Every Time I Die From Parts Unknown
This is a band that I cannot get into. In theory, I should like them-- their energy is top-notch-- but in practise, their songs run together, their riffs are bland, and, ultimately, their music just bores me. From Parts Unknown, like everything else I've heard from Every Time I Die, suffers from these problems.
Evile Enter the Grave
This record starts out well-- opener "Enter The Grave" is fantastic, and the second track, "Thrasher" (of Rock Band 2 fame), is great too. Both songs feature fast and precise guitar playing, yelled vocals, and breakneck drumming, all of which continue for the rest of the album. And continue for the rest of the album. And continue for the rest of the album. Every song is played in the same key, and aside from the clean intro to "We Who Are About to Die," there is virtually no variation in the songs.
Exoskeleton Plutonian Herd
Probably the worst album ever recorded. Not only are the songs repetitive and horrible, but the guitars are out of tune, the vocals are abominably bad, and the atrocious production renders the whole affair completely unlistenable.
Finch What It Is to Burn
Essentially, this is power pop with screaming. What It Is to Burn is over-the-top and hasn't aged well, sounding firmly rooted in the burgeoning early 2000's scream-sing scene.
Finch Back to Oblivion
Underwhelming '90s-esque rock. Finch have played it safe with their comeback record, which is a huge mistake. Say Hello to Sunshine is finally beginning to be rightly appreciated, and a new record in that vein, or a similarly experimental one, would confirm the band as creative rock juggernauts. On here, Finch sound neutered, and worn out, like a subpar Deftones. It's not all bad-- I'm being overdramatic-- but it's very vanilla.
Foo Fighters Wasting Light
Generic radio rock. Foo Fighters have always produced glossy, mainstream music-- this album attempts to be grittier, with garage rock-esque production and arrangements. Underneath this aesthetic approach, though, are the same dull songs they've always written.
Gavin Harrison and 05ric Circles
Circles is a dizzying, messily written album with horrible vocals and abysmal songwriting. However, Gavin Harrison's performance single-handedly saves this overblown, would-be-technical mess from the bottom dredges of progressive rock.
Green Day 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
Boring, blase, unremarkable punk music. Not as terrible as some of the band's subsequent work (Insomniac), but it isn't any good either.
Green Day Insomniac
Insomniac is a lazy, uninspiring record. Not even the band liked it when it came out. The whole thing is half-assed and boring and I can't think of a single reason to listen to it-- unless you've never picked up a guitar before and want to learn. In that case, check out "Brain Stew." You'll be able to learn it and play it in under two minutes.
Green Day Bullet In A Bible
Greta Van Fleet Anthem of the Peaceful Army
Grumblecunt I Piss Shit
It's utterly stupid, but you probably already figured that out from looking at the title. Check it out for a quick laugh.
Happy Days A World of Pain
What Skeleton Veiled in Flesh is to doom metal, this is to black metal. Through its complete and utter ineptness it serves as a hilarious, unintentional parody of its genre. The worst black metal record I've ever heard.
Hoobastank The Reason
Completely boring save the title track, which I enjoy. Download that one song and forget the rest of this trite, tedious effort.
Impaled Northern Moonforest Impaled Northern Moonforest
Ingested Surpassing the Boundaries of Human Suffering
A completely ridiculous and stupid 'brutal slam death metal' album-- though, to be fair, with a genre name like that it's hard to imagine any music that falls under it not being ridiculous and stupid. The album consists of entirely hyper-triggered drumming, inaudible bass, and unintelligible vocals-- with songs titles like "Intercranial Semen Injection," though, that might be a good thing.
Jacob Sartorius Last Text
I am convinced that there exists a laboratory, somewhere close to the Earth's core, wherein every few years diabolical scientists manufacture pubescent, quasi-heartthrob vocalists to infest airwaves across the country with sterile, sonic pablum. With Justin Bieber approaching the ripe old age of 23, legacy sullied by numerous juvenile hi-jinks, and the Jonas Brothers but a distant image on the horizon of jejunity, it appears the scientists have been back at work. From the ashes of those once-mighty pop warriors has arisen a phoenix of similarly infantile proportions. Hair quiffed with airbrush-like perfection, Thrasher skateboard T-shirt at the ready, glasses big enough to encompass all hipsterdom, Jacob Sartorius has appeared, a picture of childlike innocence poised to be tragically destroyed by the vicious machine that is the popular music industry, and its equally soulless constituents.
Jad Fair & Kramer Roll Out the Barrel
The point of this album is completely lost on me. It's not very funny and the music isn't any good. John Zorn guests on saxophone here, but he's barely present. Don't bother with this.
Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World
An earnest but utterly forgettable effort. Most of the vocals are performed by rhythm guitarist Tom Linton, not Jim Adkins as on the band's later records-- but you can't make out most of what he's saying anyway.
John Zorn A Dreamers Christmas
A combination of exotica and Christmas music which brings to mind the disparate combination of Hawaiian beaches and snow-covered treetops. As with the other Dreamers records, this is well-performed, well-produced material, if not as idiosyncratic as Zorn's other work. It's all instrumental, save the last song, which features Mike Patton on vocals. Overall, A Dreamers Christmas is a listenable but unessential addition to the Zorn discography.
John Zorn Enigmata
Twelve horrendous improvisations between Marc Ribot, who sticks entirely to distorted guitar, and bassist Trevor Dunn. There are moments of interest across these twelve nameless tunes, but they are few and far between; all of this material runs together in a noisy, atonal blur. Most perplexing of all are the conditions of the record's release: so Zorn gets two guys to improvise in a studio, then releases it under his own name and calls himself the 'composer?' That maneuver is empty-headed at best, malicious at worst.
Justin Bieber My World 2.0
The title is certainly appropriate, if lazy. This is another awful record from Justin Bieber. There is nothing redeeming to be found in this generic, overprocessed drivel.
Justin Bieber My World
Don't believe the contrarians who think that rating this above a 1 validates their other ratings by demonstrating their 'diversity.' This is complete garbage. Bieber even breathily recites the name of the production company on two of the tracks. That's the equivalent to a movie character randomly whispering "20th Century Fox" in the middle of a scene.
Karnivool Asymmetry
While not all bad-- "The Last Few" and "We Are" are good songs-- the production is poor and the interludes are, across the board, useless. Overall, Asymmetry shows potential, but rarely lives up to it.
Kendrick Lamar DAMN. Collector's Edition
Knuckle Puck Shapeshifter
Leonard Nimoy Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space
Lou Reed and Metallica Lulu
A stupendously bad outing. It sounds as though Metallica recorded a bunch of half-assed demos and then an Alzheimer's-ridden grandpa stumbled into the recording booth and mumbled nonsense over them.
Megadeth Super Collider
A horrible, phoned in effort that sees Megadeth lose all momentum they obtained from the remarkable Endgame. This is a hollow, limp shell of a record and is not worth listening to.
Megadeth Risk
I commend Megadeth's attempt to change their sound up, but unfortunately the change ended up for the worse, not the better. Risk is full of abysmal lyrics and boring songwriting, and not much else.
Megadeth So Far, So Good... So What!
Home to both a horrendous cover of "Anarchy in the U.K." and some of Mustaine's worst vocals ever ("Hook in Mouth"), So Far, So Good... So What! is nowhere near Megadeth's best, though it does admittedly contain a couple of good tracks (the first two).
Meshuggah Selfcaged
A precursor EP to Destroy Erase Improve. It contains three songs that appear on that album, and a live version of "Gods of Rapture" from the None EP. That live track isn't special enough to warrant buying this over the full Destroy Erase Improve album, though. Don't bother with this.
Meshuggah Psykisk Testbild
Imagine Metallica with more chugging and way worse vocals (seriously, Jens would improve leaps and bounds on subsequent releases). Nothing worth hearing here except for curious fans.
Metallica St. Anger
Some of the worst creative decisions a major band has ever made are present here. This is Metallica's attempt to ingratiate themselves with fans of modern metal, so they eschew guitar solos, downtune their instruments, and, for some reason, Lars turns his snares off. Add a horrendous production job from Bob Rock and you have a groping, plodding turd of a record.
Metallica Reload
"Fuel" is fun, but the rest is just tedious, unremarkable hard rock. The second worst Metallica album.
Michael Angelo Batio Intermezzo
For an album containing some of today's best shredders (Rusty Cooley, Guthrie Govan, Joe Stump, and of course MAB himself, among others) Intermezzo is incredibly boring. The problem is the songwriting-- there's no variation. Every song is chalk full of mindless, overblown guitar shredding, and these guys are capable of so much more.
Michael Angelo Batio Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity
Midtown The Sacrifice Of Life EP
Badly produced, bland pop rock. Absolutely no reason for anyone to bother with this-- not even fans of the band. For them, hearing this will just result in heightened disappointment.
Millionaires Bling Bling Bling!
Everything about this release is reprehensible. Awful lyrics, awful GarageBand instrumentation, awful performances. Easily one of the worst records I've ever heard.
Morbid Angel Illud Divinum Insanus
A complete disaster. I suppose with song titles like "Too Extreme!" and "Radikult" I should have known. A bizarre combination of techno beats and stale metal riffage that, needless to say, doesn't work.
Muse The 2nd Law
An awful album. The 'political commentary' is cringeworthy and the songs are horrific. The dubstep stuff is especially bad.
Mystic Fugu Orchestra Zohar
A trolling attempt from John Zorn and Yamatsuka Eye which, while funny in concept, is completely pointless to actually listen to. It's 23 minutes of nearly indecipherable faux-'ancient' music.
Nevermore Dreaming Neon Black
New Found Glory Makes Me Sick
New Found Glory Catalyst
Whiny vocals that sound like a seal sneezing, but nonetheless some of the songs are catchy and enjoyable in a guilty pleasure sort of-way. It's nowhere near a masterpiece, but pop punk-enthusiasts may enjoy.
Nickelback The Best of Nickelback Volume 1
Nickelback are much maligned, and with good reason. They are the torchbearers of lazy, repetitive cock rock radio garbage. This 'best of' collection (the first of at least two, the title implies) is, just like everything else they've released, bad.
Nickelback Dark Horse
The only reason this gets a 1.5 and not a 1 is because of the song "Just to Get High." I have to admit that this song is great, especially by Nickelback's standards-- the good ambient guitar intro combined with a semi-shred guitar solo (!) make this by far one of the best songs done by the band. The rest of the album, unfortunately, is the same generic garbage that Nickelback seems to fill every one of their albums with. Add in some truly abhorrent lyrics about sex (see "S.E.X") and you get this album. Download "Just to Get High", to hear a decent Nickelback song for a change, and forget about the rest of the album-- unless for some perverse reason you want to hear Chad Kroeger sing "Sex is always the answer." I know I don't.
Nightingale Retribution
Generic and cheesy gothic rock record. Couple those qualities with predictable song structures and a bevy of really corny moments and you have a record not worth your time.
Nitro O.F.R.
One of the most egregious examples of '80s musical excess, O.F.R. is a nightmare, combining the shrieking, tasteless vocals of Jim Gillette with the pointless, equally tasteless guitar shredding of Michael Angelo Batio. It's occasionally fun-- the incredibly long vocal note in "Machine Gunn Eddie"-- but most of it is excruciatingly bad.
Nitro Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.
This is even worse than the first Nitro record. "Crazy Love" is an enjoyable stereotypical '80s romp, but the rest is absolutely awful.
None More Black This Is Satire
Frontman Jason Shevchuk makes this band. His gravelly, tuneful voice is unique and interesting. However, the music, while fun (save the draggy "I See London" and half-assed "10 Ton Jiggawatts"), is, really, pretty bland. "Yo! It's Not Rerun" is the album's best song-- the whole band puts actual power into it-- and the enjoyable "With the Transit Coat On" and "You Suck! But Your Peanut Butter's OK," are, well, enjoyable-- but beyond those tracks, This Is Satire is rather tedious.
Norma Jean Redeemer
One-dimensional abrasive hardcore. Possesses no qualities to recommend it over legions of better, similar records.
Omphalectoicxanthopsia Spread for a Particular Amount of Hedonism
Opeth Sorceress
Yet more retro-throwback prog rock from Opeth. A review I read on RYM sums it up nicely: to paraphrase, I don't mind that Opeth is focusing on soft material now (after all, look at how great Damnation is), but I do mind that they aren't doing anything original, instead just recycling '70s prog rock tropes. I can't say this is a bad album, because it's well-performed, well-produced, and the songwriting is pretty good too. It's just quite dull.
Panic! at the Disco A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
Awful, gaudy pop music. The pretentious haiku-length song titles, horrendous, cringe-inducing lyrics, and overwrought instrumentation combine for an atrocious affair.
Paramore Riot!
I hate this band. They aren't fun, they aren't clever, they aren't talented, and Hayley Williams isn't hot. This is just bad pop-punk music with almost all pop and no punk.
Pennywise Pennywise
Boring punk music. All of the songs sound the same and, ultimately, there is nothing unique about this record.
Pennywise All or Nothing
Meh. There's nothing wrong with this disc, but there's nothing noteworthy about it either. The new singer is decent, I guess. As with most punk, the instrumentation is bland, so the vocalist was the only real distinguishing feature of this band-- so this sounds like an entirely new group. If you're looking for a punk kick, you could do worse (and better).
Peter Criss Peter Criss
Phillip Phillips The World from the Side of the Moon
Blase and watered down poppy folk rock, but what else is to be expected from a product churned out of the soulless gears that comprise the American Idol winners machine? Phillips has a good voice, but he is trapped in a timorous, unadventurous, sanitized musical environment dictated by artistically-devoid business executives.
Plain White T's Every Second Counts
"Hey There Delilah" is one of the sappiest, most cringeworthy ballads in recent memory. The rest of this record is completely throwaway. The band name is accurate-- this is vanilla rock of the most generic order.
Protest the Hero Scurrilous
Horrendous lyrics and lots of technical skill wasted on bad songwriting. I group this record in the Dance Gavin Dance-school of obnoxious, overblown 'progressive' preposterousness.
Puscifer Cuntry Boner
An intentionally stupid couple of tracks, but the musicianship is actually very good, and so is the production.
Refused Freedom
Relient K Mmhmm
Good lyrics, but much of the instrumentation is generic, and the ballads are boring and kill the momentum of the record (especially the double whammy of "Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?"'s outro and "Let It All Out" right in the middle of the record).
Rings of Saturn Dingir
Look, it's pretty bad-- ridiculously overproduced, one-dimensional technical death metal-- but it's also sort of fun. Its semi-parodical nature is refreshing in a genre as trite and unjustly stone-faced as tech death.
Rise Against Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Simplistic punk/hardcore/rock/pop music. The production is great, the performances are good, but it's very typical. Vocalist Tim McIlrath is the only unique, original component of this group, and his voice grates after extended listening.
Ruins Early Works: Live & Unreleased Tracks
A combination of live and studio tracks which both suffer from a number of problems. First, the recording quality, which is unanimously poor. Second, the songs themselves: Ruins is a two-man band, bass + a drummer/vocalist, but these compositions are, apart from certain moments, more headache-inducing than engaging. John Zorn shows up on sax for a couple of tracks, and his presence adds noisy chaos to the mix, but it isn't enough to save this disc. The best tracks are the ones with some sort of discernible groove ("Tropic," "Dry Lungs"). The rest of the time, the bad recording quality plus chaotic songs results in a fuzzy haze.
Scale the Summit In a World of Fear
Independent of the band drama surrounding it, this is still hideously underwhelming. There are some great moments, to be sure, but it's largely dull, and the production is a serious step down from previous efforts. The songwriting is jittery, too often relying on abrupt transitions, and the guest spots don't amount to much, either.
Senses Fail If There Is Light, It Will Find You
Serj Tankian Harakiri
Awful, hockey stick-to-the-head lyrics overtop largely generic rock music backdrops. It's not unlistenably bad, rather largely disappointing for its lazy approach to its weighty subject matter.
Shining (SWE) X - Varg Utan Flock
Watered-down, crystal-clear depressive black metal record that completely misses the point of the genre. This comes off disingenuous; a misguided, perhaps nefarious, attempt to commercialize a genre that has no business being distorted as such.
Silverstein Rescue
An incredibly bland record. Vaguely poppy post-hardcore with zero merit. Ignore-- if you listen to it, you won't remember it the next day anyway.
Simple Plan No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls
One of the worst albums ever released on a major label. From Pierre Bouvier's whiny vocals, to the brainless lyrics, to the cut-and-paste instrumentation, this record is an utter embarrassment from beginning to end.
Sleep Terror Probing Tranquillity
A mildly improved Paraphile. The production is slightly better and there are moments of promise. However, the core problem with this band-- they don't know how to write songs-- remains. As a result, none of the compositions work. Randomly jamming riffs together with no thought put into it is not progressive, nor is it good in any way.
Sleep Terror Paraphile
A horribly produced 'progressive' metal EP. Progressive is in quotation marks because I don't consider randomly throwing together death metal riffs, guitar shredding, and jazz sections progressive; but, apparently, this band does. A complete waste of time.
Solefald Black For Death: An Icelandic Odyssey Part 2
Terrible production, laughably bad troll-like harsh vocals, and a complete lack of focus-- note the random jazz instrumentals and foreign language spoken word segments with no connection to anything else.
Speak the Truth... Even if Your Voice Shakes Everyone You Love Will Slip Away From You
Pop-punk can never be good, because what is innate in the genre is bad in and of itself. Trying to make a good pop-punk album is like trying to build a working clock from faulty blueprints. Everyone You Love Will Slip Away from You (I just winced from typing that), featuring Senses Fail's Buddy Nielsen and three guys from Finch, is another in a long series of bad pop-punk records. The more I think about this album, the more I hate it. I can only imagine the thought behind it: hey guys, let's play sonic refuse that sounds like it was recorded ten years ago - and it wasn't even good then! The butt-clenchingly bad band name and album title compound the atrocity, as do Nielsen's preachy, whiny 'lyrics' that I can only assume were compiled from entries in his third grade diary.
Suicide Silence The Cleansing
Yet another atrocious breakdown-obsessed metal band with awful vocals, bad songwriting, and zero variety. Will likely appeal to high school students with giant holes in their ears, but no one else.
Suicide Silence Suicide Silence
I've got no problem with Suicide Silence experimenting with their style. After all, they've always been, like most deathcore bands, absolutely terrible - change would be welcome. However, though this record is stylistically different than their previous efforts, it's just as bad. It attempts to combine nu-metal and deathcore, but falls flat on its face with subpar performances, awful songwriting, and bad lyrics. It's, in a way, oddly compelling to hear a band so obviously intruding upon an area they have no business being in - like Metallica with St. Anger. Lots of unintentional hilarity abounds as Eddie laughs and falsettos his way through globby, murky guitar passages. This is a mess tonally, too. What were they going for the whistling at the end? Why the random interspersed band dialogue? Why the ten-second wah solo to open the disc before the heavy verse in "Doris?"
Sum 41 Does This Look Infected?
Very boring pop-punk album. It's catchy, but there is absolutely no substance. As such, it will appeal to elementary school students, and no one else. Great cover art, though.
Sum 41 Screaming Bloody Murder
Sum 41 attempt a darker, brooding record, and end up with a wimpy, pathetic stinker. An utter waste of time.
Symphony X Iconoclast
Watching paint dry is more entertaining. This is an incredibly boring metal record. The only thing 'progressive' thing about it is that the longer it goes on, your desire to smash your speakers with a crowbar will get progressively stronger.
System of a Down Hypnotize
System of a Down continue their downward spiral, releasing their worst album yet. This badness is due mostly to the overabundance of Darren's vocals-- he's only bearable in small doses, and the tracks where he takes centre stage (such as "She's Like Heroin" and "Kill Rock N' Roll," which are also the two worst songs in System's discography) are absolutely atrocious. Why, when you have a frontman as accomplished as Serj Tankian, would you relegate him to a background role? The answer: ego. No wonder Serj isn't anxious to make another System record.
Testament Dark Roots of Earth
Incredibly tedious and unremarkable metal. Not laughably bad, like the worst metal (Waking the Cadaver, Capture the Crown), but there's nothing commendatory about it either.
The All-American Rejects Move Along
The Black Dahlia Murder Deflorate
Boring, repetitive death metal from a band with a lot of promise. Every song sounds the same on this album, and while none are outright bad, they blend together in a sea of blast beats, shrieking vocals, and distorted guitar runs.
The Gerogerigegege Showa
The Japanese national anthem plays for a minute, and then follows an almost forty minute sex scene. Get it? Mixing the national anthem with sex? How provocative!
The Great Kat Bloody Vivaldi
Kat's cover of "The Four Seasons" is not only her best classical cover ever, but also her best song ever, period. Though the mix could use some work, it's actually a really good track. However, the rest of the EP doesn't live up to it. "Torture Chamber" is good for a laugh-- it's basically the sounds of Kat acting as a dominatrix over some guy screaming, with music as a backdrop. Next is "Blood," a short, pointless exercise in noisy spam. The last track is a cover of Sarasate's "Carmen Fantasy," and it is not as as successful as "The Four Seasons," mainly because the guitar and violin don't blend well and it is, again, badly mixed. Thus, the track becomes more annoying than enjoyable. The best of Kat's EPs.
The Great Kat Guitar Goddess
Two atrocious classical covers and two even worse originals. Note the tacky tribal drumming on "Feast of the Dead." The recording quality is especially bad on this one.
The Great Kat Digital Beethoven on Cyberspeed
A terrible 5-minute dominatrix anthem to start things off, then four awful songs under two minutes. The Great Kat is a terrible adapter, and an even worse songwriter. I get her shtick, but the shtick has to be supported by good music to be effective.
The Great Kat Rossini's Rape
"Sodomize" and "Castration" are two of the worst Kat originals ever, distinguishable from one another only because of the latter's random, frantic keyboard playing. The classical covers are also, as usual, awful.
The Great Kat Wagner's War
More horrible Kat originals and more sloppy, unengaging classical covers. Like most of her work, this should be avoided.
The Kindred Ms. Mary Mallon
Protest the Hero with death metal influence. It's all a little gaudy and over-the-top and I don't like this brand of songwriting.
The Sound of Animals Fighting Lover, the Lord Has Left Us...
Pretentious garbage. Lots of spoken word and annoying electronic beats which amount to nothing. This sounds like a bunch of musicians listened to an avantgarde record or two and thought "I can do that!" without realizing they were completely out of their depth... which, I guess is exactly what it is.
The Used In Love and Death
An album chalk full of bad lyrics and boring, predictable arrangements. The vocalist has talent, but the aforementioned awful lyrics hamper his performance.
The Used Imaginary Enemy
An amazingly disingenuous attempt at radio pop. The plethora of former pop-rock and metal bands jumping on the electro-radio bandwagon is disconcerting, to say the least. "Generation Throwaway" is the worst song of 2014.
Thomas Giles Pulse
A total mixed bag: some good ("Scared"), some awful ("Hamilton Anxiety Scale"), and a bunch in between. You'll probably find a track or two you like, but you'll also find a couple you don't. Proceed with caution.
Three Days Grace One-X
Vocal-centric radio rock which is mostly lazy and generic. The vocalist has a great voice, so it's not completely meritless, but it's ultimately a boring record and, with so much other great music out there, not worth listening to.
Tomahawk Oddfellows
A record full of underdeveloped songs that either don't go anywhere or end too abruptly. Some of the lyrics are bad too. There are a lot of great ideas in play, but no great songs.
Transplants Transplants
"Diamonds and Guns" is, of course, the song that everyone's heard, and also the best one on the album, but there are some other enjoyable tracks too. Many of the lyrics are dumb, and the record's flow isn't great (the last four songs are all pretty mellow; a heavy track or two would be welcome in this stretch) but overall, the Transplants' debut record is an enjoyable genre-mashing endeavor.
Twilight Fauna Fire of the Spirit
Fire of the Spirit is a peculiar and unorthodox record, not entirely ineffective, but moreso that than that trait's more desirable opposite. Skip the skippable voice samples, and ignore the ones embedded beneath the instrumentals, and it's suited to lonely walks through autumnal forests, I suppose-- or perhaps even walks with company. However, given that this is a one-man project (Paul Ravenwood, responsible for all instruments, mixing, and mastering) I suspect it's designed with the lone traveler in mind. I suggest that there are more worthwhile journeys for such travelers to embark upon.
Tyler, the Creator Goblin
An overlong, tedious hip-hop album full of uninteresting spoken word segments, dull beats, and stupid lyrics.
Ulcerate Vermis
Suffers from the same problem as The Destroyers of All: it's one long and unvaried heavy, dissonant assault. Some might see this as a positive, but for me it's too much. Some space would be welcome either in between or during these 7 minute death metal onslaughts. Vermis has its moments, but you'd be hard-pressed to remember any after the record ends because it all blends together.
Ulcerate The Destroyers of All
It all sounds the same: crushing, dense, nigh impenetrable heaviness. There's no variation, which makes for an extremely boring and thereby ineffectual listen.
Ulver Rehearsal
An extremely muffled, and thereby almost unlistenable, black metal demo from a band who would later accomplish greatness. While interesting for fans to hear some of the first material from the band, there's no reason for anyone else to listen to this.
Unexpect In a Flesh Aquarium
Various Artists Rock Against Bush Vol 2
It's not all bad-- in fact, some ("Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair," "State of Fear") is actually good-- but most of these songs are either half-baked or available on other records. There are better compilations out there. Pre-teen and/or mentally pre-teen political activists will enjoy. For all others: look elsewhere.
Various Artists Short Music For Short People
Most of these bands don't know how to write short songs, so what we get are snippets that go nowhere. As a result, this compilation is mostly throwaway.
Waking The Cadaver Perverse Recollections Of A Necromangler
This is the worst record in one of the worst genres of music: deathcore. The vocals are absolutely awful-- consisting almost entirely of pig squeals-- the musicianship is sloppy, and the production is bad. The only thing that makes this utter garbage worth listening to is the entertainment in trying to decipher the lyrics ("I LIKE TO COLOUR PAINT").
Waking The Cadaver Real-Life Death
It's better than their debut, but then again, so is seppuku. Real-Life Death (which is one of the dumbest album titles I've ever heard) represents a small step forward for Waking the Cadaver, though they are still, at the moment, among the worst active metal bands.
Weezer Raditude
The incredibly bad album cover and title, combined with the Lil' Wayne feature, make me want to believe this is some sort of ironic commentary on the current popular music scene. Unfortunately, even if it is, the joke gets old fast. This is a stupendously horrendous record.
Weird Little Boy Weird Little Boy
An all-star line up of John Zorn, Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, William Winant, and Chris Cochrane create this... an utter lump of shit. No wonder this has been, since its release, disavowed by everyone who was involved in it. It's just boring, pointless music. Patton is barely present, the songs don't go anywhere; it's a complete waste of time.
Whitechapel This Is Exile
This Is Exile is an album full of the traditional deathcore stuff: drop-C guitar chugging, blast beats, ineligible vocals, and breakdown after breakdown after breakdown. Granted, Whitechapel doesn't overuse the breakdown quite as much as some other bands in their genre, but honestly: what is the point of starting a song with a breakdown? Oh, and while on the point of things which have no point, the bassist might as well have stayed home during the recording of this record, seeing as you can't hear him anyway. Moving on... there are two instrumental tracks here. The first, "Death Becomes Him," is a pointless chugging exercise, but the second "Of Legions" actually features some cool sound effects-- it's just a shame that there is so much repetitive chugging on top (I wouldn't mind it if there was some variation). Closer "Messiahbolical" is one of the highlights, though they are few and far between. Don't bother with this.
William Hung Inspiration
William Hung is either a marketing genius or an honest Samaritan who truly believes he can sing. Either way, he has released a record full of the worst pop covers I've ever heard, and either way, it's a 1.
William Shatner The Transformed Man
Absolutely terrible, but has some value as a comedic piece. Shatner's vocals are unanimously over-the-top and thereby unintentionally hilarious.
Xardas Chapter I
A guy jamming on a guitar for fifteen minutes while a Lebanese TV show plays in the background. In other words, this is completely pointless. The worst part about it, though, is that the title implies a Chapter II.
XXXTENTACION Skins
Yellowcard Lights and Sounds
Catchy, but ultimately unfulfilling album. It goes for more of a pop-rock vibe than the pop-punk of Ocean Avenue, and there seems to be a sort of concept running throughout with the symphonic opening track and the 'Holly' character. However, neither of these elements are particularly well-executed. The violin is underused, too.
Yngwie Malmsteen World On Fire
Atrociously produced self-indulgent tripe from Yngwie "I've forgotten how to write songs" Malmsteen. Three of the songs feature his wailing '80s vocals, which are thankfully buried in the mix, but even the instrumentals are nigh unlistenable due to the messy, sloppy, incredibly bad production job.
Zebrahead Waste of Mind
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