The rules are loose: it doesn't matter whether the album/EP you're reviewing was released the other day or fifty years ago, which genre or band it is (except Linkin Park, because there is an entire subforum dedicated to their music). It's simple: just review an album.
Elvis Costello & The Roots - Wise Up Ghost Just picked this one up from the library yesterday. Though it seemed like an odd collaboration, I've heard nothing but good things about it. While nothing groundbreaking or anything, it's a very fun listen, contaning a very relaxing take on Funk and what I like to call Coffee-House Rock. A definite recommendation if enjoy either artist. Just don't go into this expecting the very serious side of The Roots. 7/10
Devin Townsend- Ghost: Live at Union Chapel This is such a gorgeous performance. That flute intro to the first song gives me chills every damn time. Devin gets such a nice a tone out of that guitar as well. If you're into that kind of new age bullshit this one is a must lol 10/10
Fight The Fade - Second Horizon 2 years after the release of their debut album What We Know, Fight The Fade has released their second album with the appropriate title Second Horizon. This album strays away from What We Know's christian rock feel and experiments with some electronics is many songs (which is right up my alley). I really enjoyed this album, it was such a step up from their last album. Best Tracks: Second Horizon, Desolate/Lost, Rise, Cut Me Off (You Can't) Favorite Track: Breathe Album Rating: 8.5/10
I just posted this in the RA thread but if it is alright I will also put it here: "The Black Market" is an example of what happens when a band is trying new things but still don't want to alienate their fans. This album turns out to be 50% of Rise Against on autopilot and 50% of Rise Against trying "new" things. What do I mean with new things you might ask. How about starting the album out with violins slowly building up into a pure punk rock anthem? "The Great Die-Off" is one of the albums highlights and sets the bar high for the rest of the album - unfortunately it can't reach the heights of the opening track for the most of the album. The next song "I Don't Want To Be Here Anymore" was the first single for the album and starts out with a jam that really sounds very much like the RA we all know. While I find the lyrics on this song and the overall generic feeling it left me with to be a let down, I still can't really dislike this song too much. I personally love the bridge and breakdown where the guitar and bass shows up to play some cool riffs/licks. "Tragedy+Time" feels like a more genuine and personal song written by Tim Mcilrath - On that note it is worth to say that this album have much less focus on politics than any of their older albums(maybe expect their first) T+T works because it is very catchy and the lyrics being very relate able while not sounding like a cliche. The title track reminds me a bit of "Broken Glass" from Endgame - and it feels less like a RA song than some of the other tracks which is a good thing. This lyrics on this song is really well written. Again a very personal song about "searching for a remedy" - which stays a bit away from the familiar structure. "The Eco-Terrorist In Me" is a fast aggressive firecracker that you will love for a little while and then it will burn out. This song contains most of the few "screams" from Tim on this record. "Sudden Life" is an example of RA on autopilot with only few stand out moments like the fast strumming palm muted guitar riff in the verses and the little melodic build up "Walking away from the light." Other songs like "A Beautiful Indifference" and "Methadone" also lacks something to make them standout from the rest of the RA catalog. ABI being one of the few political songs on the album while M being the classic ballad. Things shake up with one of the albums' best songs: "Zero Visibility" It is hard to describe the song but I will say that any fan of their old records or heavier songs should check this out. The only thing disappointing about this track is the chorus which just doesn't do the rest of the song justice. The solo on the song is a huge highlight for the album. "Awake Too Long" is a very interesting song lyrically. It's about the negative things that follows with being "aware and awake" of all the horrible things going on in the world we live in. The song sadly fails to stand out because of the generic RA instrumentation and structure. Now "People Live Here" is the song I have been waiting for. It's a slow acoustic and orchestrated song reminiscent of songs like "Roadside" and "Swing Life Away." It stands out as one of the best songs the band has written in a long time - and it makes people like me want a solo record from Tim more than anything else. The last song "Bridges" is a generic RA song... Not much to say unfortunately. Nothing makes this song really stand out from the record but it is decent. Overall the album feels a bit safe and like something you would expect from RA while still having some amazing songs. I might be a little harsh about some of the songs because of the facts that to me it feels like songs I have heard before(this is coming from a huge fan of the band) The album is inspired by artists like Touche Amore which gives the album more personal and meta communicative lyrics than what we heard on "Endgame" and "Appeal To Reason." I just wish they would had learned a little more from being on tour with TA. 7/10 Songs you need to listen to: The Great Die-Off Zero Visibility People Live Here Personal highlight: The bass on this album is killer. Personal let down: Not many standout guitar moments unlike Endgame which was full of them --> Overall feels like a downgrade from Endgame and Appeal To Reason.
This is what I intended with that "What album did you just listen to?" thread, but this is probably going to be much more straight-forward than that thread. --- Nine Inch Nails - Broken EP 4/5 Love this EP. Rough and raw NIN. You can definitely tell it's in between PHM and TDS.
[video=youtube;dZAKk3kxI1o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZAKk3kxI1o[/video] 9.5/10: This album blows my mind everytime. Between Townsend and Hoglan you have 2 guys who are top 5 at what they do. The first 4 tracks are just like standing infront of boxer and letting him hit you in the fucking face over and over. You want to skip back to All Hail the New Flesh, but then Oh My Fucking God comes on. Then you want to skip back to that but Detox comes on and you're just like "Fuck!" It's just fucking incessant. This album bashes your fucking brains. It just doesn't let up. There aren't too many bands that actually fit the profile of "Extreme Metal." This album defines it. It's fucking insane and schizophrenic in best possible way. You even get a track that has Korn-ish sound, only they do Korn better than korn. These guys just do metal better than most metal.
[video=youtube;aC_-JZkDr0U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC_-JZkDr0U[/video] Goatwhore- Constricting Rage of the Merciless 8.5/10: Jesus Fucking Christ, let me tell you limey cunts about this fucking album. This is how you do fucking Black Metal. It's not good enough if you're not headbanging in line at subway! Which I was! Bared Teeth for Revolt is the fucking filthiest track I've ever heard from these guys. It's like Venom, if they knew how to play their fucking instruments. I smiled end to end, this could make those 'satanists don't smile" guys smile. The riffage is beast, of course I would expect nothing less from Sammy Duet ( Not mention Erik Ruton from Hate Eterenal, who produced the album). Sick fucking shit man. FUCKED BY SATAN
Lmao but nobody posting and I like this thread lol Somebody has to keep you guys up to date on this stuff!
Bring me the horizon- Sempiternal 2/10: So I actually fucking tortured myself with these piece of shit and holy fuck, these scenie little fucks ought to be ashamed of themselves. I barely made it past the first track with glitch effects and God awful sample. Oh, and maybe if the kid didn't wear such tight fucking pants he could do some real vocals. Seriously, has he even hit fucking puberty yet? And the fucking lyrics. I think my angsty 13 year old niece wrote this album. I think I'm going to hurl just reading them. I'll the give the devil his due for a couple pieces of cool sounds. Other than that, probably the worst thing I've forced myself to listen to end to end. I'm going to take my Goatwhore and drink myself under the table.
Lmao i thought to myself "Who do I hate more than anyone? Bring Me the Horizon! Oh, Filip won't be happy... Eh, fuck it." Pidgeon don't pander to nobody!
Opeth - Still Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWVwuGwttMg If you were to walk up to a bunch of random Opeth fans, and asked them what their best album is, you probably would get a universal answer of Blackwater Park. I would have to disagree. As you can probably guess, I believe their best to be Still Life. While Blackwater Park is a fantastic classic of Modern Metal, it lacks the quality that makes Still Life so damn special, that quality being a concept album. It tells a story of a former priest who is out to retrieve his long lost love Melinda from the village from which he was cast out. As you can probably imagine, the album travels through a wide array of strong emotions, in which it does. This album is thoroughly laced with feelings of Love, Longing, Lust, Fear, and absolute Rage, sometimes all within the same song. The album is a beautiful, downright evil masterpiece. If anyone where to jump into Opeth's discography, THIS, is the place to start. Highlights: The Moor Godhead's Lament Serenity Painted Death Rating: 10/10 Classic.
Yeah I'm not very happy either. You could have at least reviewed all the other albums I don't like, but noooo, you just had to shit on Sempiternal.