Top Albums by Artists - Season 3
A thread for the new series.
Feel free to post your own lists under the main one if you wish ;)
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
Top Albums by Artists - Season 3
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» Top Albums by Artists - Season 3
Summary:
Ozzy, LA Guns, Teenage Bottlerocket, Judas Priest, Warrior Soul, PJ Harvey
| Votes | Ozzy Osbourne Solo Album |
|---|---|
| 93 | Blizzard of Ozz |
| 79 | Diary of a Madman |
| 48 | No More Tears |
| 44 | Bark at the Moon |
| 36 | The Ultimate Sin |
| 26 | No Rest for the Wicked |
| 14 | Ozzmosis |
| 13 | Ordinary Man |
| 12 | Down to Earth |
| 4 | Black Rain |
| 4 | Scream |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
Putting all my OZZY album CCs here for easy sorting.
| Ozzy Osbourne | 3 | No More Tears | Aug20. It could be the involvement of Lemmy in the writing process for several songs, but it surprised me how much better this album was than the one before. I love this album and as I am going through the discography, it still sits at the top at the moment. Great riffs and very catchy rock tunes open the album in Mr Tinkertrain and the cool I Don't Wanna Change the World. Mama, I'm Coming Home is his best slow song for ages - those just haven't worked on previous couple of albums. I am sure this would be considered an even bigger album if it did not come out in such a big year for rock. Desire is pretty good but could be cut a bit. No More Tears opens with the brilliant bass line (written by Mike Inez), has a brooding riff and just great dynamics all round. Hellraiser and Zombie Stomp are similar rolicking affairs. Time After Time is another good slow song, as is the closer, Road to Nowhere. I would have thought three slow songs would be too much here, but they are all very good. And nothing wrong with the songs I did not mention in between either. I enjoyed all of them on this run, with Desire and Won't Be Coming Home both caught my attention this play through. May not be as much guitar magic on here for the metal-heads, but just enjoy the songs here a whole lot more that other albums. 4.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 3 | Blizzard of Ozz | Aug20. I love the opening riffs of I Don't Know. I certainly was not expecting the mid-song slow section. A good opener to the album. Crazy Train is a brilliant song (and Top10 in my 1980H100). Goodbye To Friends is a decent slow track and sounds like one Ozzy had to write to 'move on' from Sabbath and Dee is a nice little acoustic interlude. I know Mr Crowley is a bit of a fan favourite, but it doesn't do a lot for me, especially the keyboards. It is Randy Rhoad's guitars that make the song. Is No Bone Movies about not watching porn anymore? Revelation is another slow (and rather boring) keyboard-driven track, until it gets to the amazing Rhoad's riffing to end it. Steal Away (The Night) picks up the pace and is a pretty cool song. It could easily have been a single, in fact - it sounds very accessible with a distinctive chorus. And another cracking solo. a good finish (to the original album), and if it wasn't for this, my score would be lower, as I was losing interest. Still, a brilliant track and a few other very good ones. 3.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 0 | Ordinary Man | Feb20. 1st listen (though I had heard a few pre-release tracks, which I really liked). One thing I did notice is this album has a very high (and clean) production level. This is not a 'let's make an album before it's too late' album either; this sounds like Ozzy at the top of his game. The songs are good, Ozzy sounds fine and there is some great playing on here. The first two songs (Straight to Hell and All My Life) are very good and the guitars in both are a highlight. For a slow track, the guitars wail in Goodbye too. Oh wow, and then the track kicks into a fast tempo about half way through. I love the theatrics and change-ups in Under the Graveyard. This is a belter of a song. Today is the End has a bloody catchy chorus. The rest of the song is has some great sounds. A nice contrast. It's a Raid is different… and full on. What a cool track. Love the driving riffs. I did not like the last track, which is not really an Ozzy track anyway. Not sure why it is on here. But in all, some of this has to rank up there with his best solo work. Wow, after writing this I just had a look at the players on this LP. Many of my favourites. Duff McKagan on most songs (as bass and writer). I see none of them were listed for the last track ;) Aug20. I am still enjoying this, but there a a few misses too. The varied writing rises it above last album, but I am reducing the score slightly, which puts it on par with some of his early stuff for me. 3.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osborne | 1 | Down to Earth | Aug20. Overall, this album sounds a little darker than the last couple. The first two tracks (Get Me Through and Facing Hell) are based on brooding Alice In Chains-like riffs and provide a good start to the album. I quite like Dreamer which reminds me a lot of John Lennon's Imagine. No Easy Way Out gets all grungey and sounds like it could have been on the Singles OST. It really channels some Soundgarden here. Which means I like it ;) That I Never Had is a cool mix of 90s and and some 80s sounds. Another good rocker. Junkie takes this to another level with a nice groove heavy riff. Running Out of Time is another good slow song. The last three tracks are the weakest. None are bad - just middle of the road, mid-paced rockers of which the last song is the best. I liked this album. It taps more into the sounds of rock that I enjoy. 3.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 6 | Diary of a Madman | Aug20. I love the chugging riff that drives Over the Mountain. It has a few little guitar flourishes throughout to keep it interesting too. A good start to the album. Flying High Again has a little too many 80s cliches, but it is a fun track and I love the rhythm of the song. You Can't Kill Rock and Roll goes a little too far towards the soft rock of the 80s for me. It is not a song that needed to go for 6 minutes, despite some great playing by Rhoads. How good is the bass behind Believer? A positive-message song over probably the darkest sounds on the album: interesting. Little Dolls has a similar pace and rythm. Tonight is the piano-driven ballad. I actually don't mind most Ozzy slow songs I have heard and this is up there too. Again, Rhoads shines. S.A.T.O starts to build into a finish to the album, but then the first half of the title track keeps you waiting, slowing right down, with only short moments of heaviness. Of course this all changes for the haunting build-up into the solo, then it finishes with a choir of vocals over the heavier guitars. Not bad, but not a song I would want on repeat. From the start, I was liking this more than the previous album, but it just doesn't build. Both albums fire their best shots early. I'm going with the same rating, as they are hard to split. 3.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 3 | Ultimate Sin | Aug20. The first (and title) track is not bad. It ends with some cool guitars, but not on par with previous opening or title tracks from Ozzy's first three albums. Secret Loser is okay, Never Know Why is bland, other than the guitars in parts. From there, after a few listens, several tracks grew on me. I'm not sure about the chorus, but Thank God for the Bomb sounds good and has a pretty cool groove. Although the songs are pretty similar in pace through the middle, they aren't bad. I found myself singing along to Lightning Strikes. Killer of Giants evokes a bit of old Black Sabbath with a pretty heavy riff, but also lighter moments that would not be out of place on a Led Zeppelin track. This one really grew on me. Fool Like You is a decent too and last song, but first single from the album, Shot in the Dark has some very accessible moments, like they were trying to write a hit, but ultimately is another good song. There are not really killer tracks like the previous three Ozzy albums, but this album seemed more consistently good. It didn't really have the weak moments either. It was missing a slow ballad - not surprising as the one on last album was no good. Hard to place, but overall, I preferred it over Bark at the Moon but just below the first two albums. 3/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 1 | Black Rain | Aug20. Okay, first couple of listens, and this is certainly different than the rest of the catalog I have just listened to. Not sure how to describe it, but it is certainly influenced by nu-metal, alt-rock and industrial rock. Not Going Away is not bad, but hard to describe. There are some Alice In Chains moments in the guitars, but they are accompanied by almost electronic rhythm section and lots of commercial rock tropes. I Don't Wanna Stop has a real stomping rhythm and semi-industrial vibe that reminds me of bands like Static-X. Black Rain takes the repetitive, industrial vibe even further, though it doesn't emerge from its mid-paced beat. I like the harmonica and tuned down change later in the song. Once I got over the surprise, these first three tracks actually grew on me. Lay Your World On Me is a forettable slow number and the boppy beat of The Almighty Dollar is jarring. The faster, punk like beat of 11 Silver is good and is also part anthemic rock, part Rammstein. I like Civilize the Universe - it reminds me of a band like Filter. Slow song Here for You falls a little flat, but is not terrible. The last two songs aren't bad rockers either. This is definitely different, but I quite enjoyed several songs. There is nothing here to elevate this to be among Ozzy's best, but overall, it is not bad. 3/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 2 | Bark at the Moon | Aug20. Once again Ozzy kicks off with a very good opening track. Here it is the title track - easily the best song on the album. Then it is a trip through middle of the road 80s rock with all of the cliches. Echoey vocals, keyboards, single floor tom hits. Not that anything is bad, it just doesn't stand above the crowd. After an organ intro, Centre of Eternity jumps into a solid riff and quicker pace. The slow So Tired sounds just that. Slow Down has a good chugging riff, but holy shit, those keyboards during the chorus: why? Waiting for Darkness threatens to be a brilliant end to the album, but does not quite get there. So, after leaving Black Sabbath in 1979, Ozzy put out 3 albums by the end of 1983. Each one with a great track and 2-3 good to very good tracks. I can't help but think what might have been one killer album with a bit of patience. Anyway, here we get another decent album. That's all. 3/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 0 | No Rest for the Wicked | Aug20. I played this through several times whilst working and writing, and after the first track, nothing leapt out at me at all. Everytime I started tapping away it was becasue the album had ended and jumped to other Ozzy tracks. Skipping through again to write about specific songs. I really like Miracle Man; it has a solid, thumping beat and the story behind it is great. Devil's Daughter is pretty good too, but a tad long. In fact the first five tracks are all decent and based on good riffs, but just seem to merge together. Fire in the Sky changes the pace a little at least. Not a bad slow song, but not one of Ozzy's best either. I did not like Tattooed Dancer at all. I probably would have if I listened to this at the time when I was a teenager, but it does nothing for me now. Hero has some very good shredding and a soaring chorus. It is my pick of a lacklustre second half that is closed out by the boring The Liar. 2.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 1 | Scream | Aug20. Yep, the huge rock production has gone through the roof on this one. On first play, it reminds me of the last album a bit. Let It Die is a pretty good rock song. It is a little long, but some cool dynamics in second half. Let Me Hear You Scream is a modern rock song that gets straight to the point. I quite like this one TBH; it packs a lot in to its 3 1/2 minutes. Soul Sucker has a coll down-tuned guitar in it that reminds me of guitars from Alice In Chains' Dinosaurs… album, but the main part of the song is a tad boring. Some cool riffing during the change-up late in the song though. Probably one I need more listens of before I decide. But I don't have time now - moving on. Again, it is not that this is a bad album, it just lacks a little imagination and grunt. Plenty of driving riffs and rhythms, so I should love this, but there just aren't the standout songs. The big, anthemic, chanted choruses lose their impact (see Fearless where the song is otherwise very good) and the slower songs just don't grab you. But, I like the overall sound, and with more time with the album, I am sure I will find more of the songs I love. But after a few plays, I have to move on. 2.5/5 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 1 | Ozzmosis | Aug20. Whilst I liked the songs on previous, No More Tears, I felt there was something in production holding the album back as a whole. That is even worse here. There is just something that seems to 'flatten' the sound, instead of letting the heavier bits chrunch and bite. It also doesn't help that all song lengths seem to have been pushed out. There is nothing here under 4 1/2 minutes. The album opens with a fan favourite, Perry Mason but like Mr Crowley, it just doesn't appear to me. There is a good riff there with some solid bass, but it just doesn't hit you. I Just Want You is close to terrible and should not be the second song here. I can't believe is was a single. Ozzy got the slow songs right on the previous album; here they fall flat - except for See You on the Other Side, which is a decent song with great chorus. But why put three slow songs in the first five of an album? The mid-paced rockers in middle of the album are pretty bland. Parts of My Little Man are okay. It is a boring couple more songs to finish. So, basically, one slow song from this in my H100. Not sure how No More Tears is my favourite Ozzy album so far but the albums either side, my least favourites. 2.5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
Ozzy is very good singer, but i prefer Black sabath…
| Votes | L.A Guns Album |
|---|---|
| 51 | L.A Guns |
| 50 | Cocked & Loaded |
| 32 | Hollywood Vampires |
| 16 | The Missing Peace |
| 15 | The Devil You Know |
| 15 | Man In The Moon |
| 13 | Tales from the Strip |
| 12 | Hollywood Forever |
| 10 | Waking the Dead |
| 9 | Vicious Circle |
| 4 | Shrinking Violet |
| 2 | Rips the Covers Off |
| 2 | American Hardcore |
| 1 | Cuts EP |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
Compiling all my L.A Guns album CCs here in one place.
| L.A Guns | 0 | Hollywood Vampires | Jan13. Another from the end of the 'cock rock age'. This was quite an experimental album actually. I really liked it back then, but it got put on the shelf as my taste changed. Songs that still stand out: Over the Edge (4/5), Some Lie For Love (4/5 - not so much the chorus, but I like the verses), & Wild Obsession (4/5 what a groove). Includes the slow songs I Found You & It's Over Now (4/5) that I really like, but Crystal Eyes did not do it for me (2/5, a little long too). The rest includes a few bordering on 4/5 and are all good too, making this year a real hard one. Sept20. Oh man that build into Over the Edge is brilliant. There is a bit of Middle-Eastern mysticysm and a bit of Cinderella to it too. But what a cracking song. Some Lie 4 Love and Kiss My Love Goodbye are great stompers with some fantastic guitars. So much going on here in such simple sounding songs. Nothing wrong with Here It Comes either; a song I don't know as well as others here. Check out the change ups late in the song. Then comes the first of three ballads on here (Crystal Eyes) and they are all bloody good. The boogie stomp and anthemic Wild Obsession brings back the horn section that this band has tried on first three albums. This song just works and you can't not tap along to this. There is not a lot of sleaze-rock on this album, but Dirty Luv brings a little. Whilst it would have fit right in on their debut, it actually seems a little out of place here. My Koo Ka Choo brings back the horns. It is sappy, boppy and cliched and really should not work, but I love it. Hard to explain really, but it is a lot of fun. It's Over Now is as good a ballad as this scene pumped out. Lovely. Snake Eyes Boogie does everything it says on the cover. They are having a lot of fun making this album. Then comes the third cracking ballad: I Found you. I really loved this one back in the day. It's funny b/c I just did not like the slow songs from some bands, like Motley Crue and I would have thought the same of these guys after 1 album, but they really nailed them with Ballad of Jayne and the 3 on here. Then to continue the 'you never know what you're gonna get', we have a brooding and groove heavy and wild Big House. These guys really grew as a band over three albums in just over three years and hit their peak just as their scene was forgotten (like many others). A pity. They had a great thing going here and I love listening to this album again. 5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 1 | Cocked & Loaded | Sept20. I had L.A Guns first 3 CDs and I remember them getting better and more diverse with each listen. Then I stopped :(. I thought this one was the best rocker and listening now it still seems that way. Letting Go is a cool 1 minute intro into Slap In the Face, which is a stomper. In fact, I have all songs up to #8 already in my #1989H100, so this is a cracking first half. Rip and Tear thumps along and it surprises me songs like this were not as big as what the other half of this band became. Sleazy Come, Easy Go is good and yep, a fair sleaze-rock track. Never Enough if just brilliant; Lewis nails the vocals on this one. If this doesn't get you moving, you are dead inside. Malaria is a real rumbler where Tracii gets to show some chops. Then we hit one of the best ballads of the 80s, The Ballad of Jayne. How every other hair metal/sleaze rock/ L.A band went on to have sappy ballads all over the radio and TV and yet this one was not huge amazes me. (In a bit of trivia, it is about Jayne Mansfield, playboy and Hollywood star, who Siouxsie & Banshees also sang about and mother of actress Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order). Magdalaine is an interesting song with acousitc flourishes in a fast paced rocker, showing more signs of where the band would head on their next album. Give a Little and 17 Crash aren't as strong as the first half but bring a bit more of the sleaze-rock that sound like their first album and wouldn't be out of place on a Crue record. Showdown (Riot on Sunset) is similar, but adds a horn section which reminded me a little of how The Saints did it. This sounds like L.A Guns' Wild Side. Wheels of Fire has a cool riff and a song I have not paid as much attention to as I should have. This alsbum runs deeper than I previously gave it credit for. I Wanna be Your Man is a rock by numbers, fist in the air finisher. Okay, so almost every song in my H100 now. A cracking album. And all this in a year after their debut. Wow. Not sure what I rate the next one now, as it was my favourite in the day, but this is right up there. 4.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | Waking the Dead | Sept20. Nothing like diving right back in. Phil Lewis rejoins the band we they put out 2 albums in 2 years. Maybe that was too much too fast; Tracii Guns left the band after this album. A pity, as it sounds like they were just building towards something big again. The first couple of songs here rock. OK, Let's Roll is close to a punk song - that rumbling bass. What a start. The title track is okay - it certainly has Motley Crue stylings. Parts of Revolution sound familiar. (Did Tracii use this in Brides of Destruction?) In any case, this is a kickass start to the album. You just knew a ballad was coming to calm things down and here it is, track five called The Ballad. I love both bands, but I think L.A Guns have it over Motley Crue for slow songs. I never really gelled with Crue slow songs except Home Sweet Home as a concert closer. The Ballad is not up to previous namesakes, but it is still decent. Frequency is a bass-heavy rumbler, then Psychopathic Eyes pumps you up to Motorhead levels. Hellraiser's Ball has a cracking groove to it. Nothing wrong with the last couple here either. Thoroughly enjoyable album. 4/5 |
| L.A Guns | 1 | ST | Sept20. No Mercy is a kickass opening track. Such a fun beat, great chorus and Tracii gets to show off his guitars skills, all in under 3 minutes. This and One More Reason were already in my 1988H100. Sex Action is a good song too. Lyrics may be a bit daft, but what a driving riff. Electric Gypsy and Nothing to Lose continue the fun. Cry No More is a nice little acoustic interlude, that seems weird after what comes before it, but is a nice lead-in to the slower One Way Ticket. The lyrical content could do with some variety, but if you like songs about city life, sex and women, there is plenty here for you. Down in the City is a decent end, but overall, the second half here is quite weak. Still, they do the sleaze rock better than most. A solid first album. 3.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | Tales from the Strip | Sept20. Oh wow, It Don't Mean Nothing opens with a riff straight from a Nirvana song (well sounds like one anyway), but that doesn't last long before the song settles into a typical L.A Guns tale of city-life with a fun, driving beat. I really liked this one. Only second song in and we slow down for Electric Neon Sunset but it is not really a ballad - it reminds me of slow brooders like Over the Edge from Hollywood Vampires - so that is a good thing. Gypsy Soul is a typical L.A Guns song and another I enjoyed. Original Sin also reminds me of a Nirvana song at the start - particularly the drumming. But this is by no means a 'grunge' album. I just hear these little similarities. The band on the whole are definitely back to their sleaze-blues-influenced rock. Hollywood's Burning is a cool, anthemic rocker. Rox Baby Girl is also old-school L.A Guns fun. Skin and Shame show more modern rock leanings but are both decent songs and Reserrection is a good cross of the same and 70s rock, in an Aerosmith sort of way. The last two tracks are okay, but the album does feel a little long and a couple of tracks I did not mention could definitely have been culled. Probably a slight step back from last album, but overall, pretty good. 3.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | The Devil You Know | Sept20. Rage is a pretty kick-arse opener. It has a bit of a punk delivery. Stay Away is a solid rocker - nothing more. I preferred Loaded Bomb, even with the keyboards ;). It has some real 90s guitar moments in it too. Ending similar to Soundgarden circa Badmotorfinger. The title track has leanings towards their 80s sound. It is good, but not the best here. The cool rocking vibe of Needle to the Bone is a lot more fun. What a cool song. Going High has a cool groove and even soars in parts. Don't Need to Win in all ways old-school L.A Guns; the good and the bad. Down That Hole has some very cool guitars in it. The we have a slower song and a bonus rocker to finish. Neither are brilliant, but again, I did not mind them either. Overall, a pretty consistent album: song lengths a little too consistent. I also note the production is a little rougher here, in a good way. The last album just seemed a bit to 'polished'. The Guns guitars are defnitely back here and I enjoyed this one. 3.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | Hollywood Forever | Sept20. I remember listening to this album and liking several songs, just none of them enough to put into my strong #2012H100. (A lot of good albums this year for me). The title track opens the album and it is a good example. It is a really good rocker but just doesn't quite have enough for me to thumb for my H100 list. The mix just doesn't quite sound right either. It just lacks bite and the punch of the bass and drums. Second song is okay and the third is ordinary at best. Burn adds a bit of country-tinged rock that reminds me of Cinderella's Heartbreak Station album. Vine Street Shimmy is certainly back to their roots of sleaze-rock. It has a great swing to it. Dirty Black Night is similar. Underneath the Sun is a pretty boring slow song. A pity, as I really like a lot of L.A Guns' slow songs. Queenie is a cool, swaggering, dirty rock song in the style of old pub rock heroes like Rose Tattoo. Venus Bomb is pretty good and I Won't Pay immediately gets your attention with its simple chant for a chorus. It has some nice shredding too. Arana Negra has a great driving riff and is a cool song. I like most of this, there is just little to really leap out at me at this stage. Still, an enjoyable listen. 3.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 1 | Man in the Moon | Sept20. So, Jizzy steps up to the plate, but is ousted by the returning original singer in Phil Lewis for this album. (Same thing happened to Jizzy when he sang for RATT too by the sounds of it). I know I have listened to this album, but not enough to comment on without having another listen. Man in the Moon has a pretty cool groove and is a decent song without being a brilliant opener. Wow. Beautiful starts just like a Grinspoon song. A nice little song. Spider's Web sounds like it could have been from Hollywood Vampires sessions, so that is a good thing. Don't Call Me Crazy is a little too close to Ballad of Jayne in the verses, so it is a nice slow song. Hypnotized starts all ACDC-like and is a pretty cool mid-album rocker. Fast Talkin' Dream Dealer has a real 80s groove and feel to it. It rumbles along at a fun pace with plenty of moments for Tracii to show his licks. Out of Sight is a bluesy number and the get a bit Zeppelin-like in the music to the slower Turn It Around. Scream is another ode to life in the city and a good rocker to finish here. I listened to this several times and enjoyed it. I just had trouble picking standouts. Spider's Web was probably my favourite, but this was just consistently good. 3.5/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | Shrinking Violet | Sept20. Alright, another vocalist. This time it is Jizzy Pearl. I liked his work in Love/Hate and he surely suits the L.A Guns sleaze rock sound better, so lets hope this is a return to their roots after completely losing their way over last two albums. yep, from the opening chords of Girl, You Turn Me On they are mostly back to their roots, even in the lyrics. There are some really cool parts to this song. The title track has some good guitars, but is not a strong song overall. Man, Jizzy does the slow songs very well. That is good, because writing slow songs was a strength of L.A Guns on their peak albums. Dreamtime is not quite back to their best, but a decent slow number here (and features Gilby Clarke on guitar). Not sure I would have backed it with another slow song (Barbed Wire), especially one that is almost 6 minutes. I'll Be There has a stomping start but doesn't really go anywhere. California is a pretty cool song and has a chorus very similar to a song Slash later put out. That is interesting. The last three songs all vary completely in style and feel like they were added to fill out the album. Weird. This would have made a really good EP. Anyway, not bad and a lot better that last two. 3/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | The Missing Peace | Sept20. Man, modern production does not really suit these sleaze-rockers. This seems even 'flatter' than on Hollywood Forever. So, Lewis and Guns reunited for this, but left long time members behind. Gotta feel for drummer Riley especially. I also think a bit of the magic is missing. On their last album together, they sounded like they were really building to something for a second time. Maybe the third run at it will take time too. It's All the Same to Me makes me feel exactly as the title expresses. Speed has a decent riff and pace, but just does not do it for me, especially as the only single here. A Drop of Bleach and Sticky Fingers have some good moments. The ballad here is Christine - it is pretty standard affair. Baby Gotta Fever has a good old school beat to it (but some lame lyrics). Don't Bring a Knife Gun Fight is a decent modern rock song, but not so sure on the backing vocals. It has a cool, rumbling beat and some nice shredding, but again, is good, not great. From there there are decent songs, mostly slow songs, to the end of the album. The title track has some decent dynamics to it. It seems to me the return of Tracii was not the smoking gun… sorry. I will see myself out. In all, a decent album, but nothing here really grabs me to include in my H100 list. I am sure they will build with their next album back together like they did last time they reunited. 3/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | Vicious Circle | Sept20. Okay, so here is where the rift occurs. A pity after such an awesome album in Hollywood Vampires. This kicks off with Face Down which is menat to be a fist pumping rocker, but falls flat, and to be honest, I reckon I prefer every song on the last album to this. Long Time Dead has some almost industrial rhythms and it was clear the direction of the music was in debate. Killing Machine takes the industrial vibe further from their own sound that they had just discovered. Fade Away is an acoustic, country-tinged slower song. It is okay, but Cinderella did this sound better years before. The horns return for Nothing Better to Do, but so does the Ministry-lite driving rhythm. Still, this is the best so far. This could have been a cool sleaze-rock belter with its cracking chorus, but it just sounds like they have completely lost their way. There is something off about Chasing the Dragon too (the electric part), but there are some cool parts too. It's not a terible ride to the end, but it ain't grand either. Wow, I am really surprised in the difference between this and previous album. 2/5 |
| L.A Guns | 0 | American Hardcore | Sept. Okay, so after the turmoil and disaster that was last album Vicious Circle, singer Phil Lewis is gone and then bassist Nickels (though he still has writing credits for most of the album). The cover of the album alone is enough to make you worried. Looks like something Suicidal Tendencies would have. That in itself is not a worry - I like Suicidal - but L.A Guns' attempt to change sound went badly before and I am worried what is going on here. Well, okay, less industrial rhythm and more 'let's sound like Pantera'. Wow. After a few songs in, the Pantera influence is obvious and they also remind me a bit of Australian band Mantissa here. This could be a bonus for some, but it is really odd when listening to the band's discography in order. And I don't think they do this sound well. It does not sound natural at all. Not only that, some of this is terrible! Take Pissed and Kevorkian for example. Oh and it just gets worse with Hugs & Needles. Despite probably the best riff I have heard so far, some absolute horrible songwriting here. I like to try and have a few listens of each album. I will force myself to at least have a second here. Nope. I couldn't do it! 1/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Votes | Teenage Bottlerocket Album |
|---|---|
| 30 | Freak Out! |
| 29 | Tales from Wyoming |
| 23 | They Came From The Shadows |
| 14 | Total |
| 11 | Warning Device |
| 11 | Another Way |
| 8 | Stay Rad! |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 1 | Freak Out! | Dec12. Has one of my favourite songs of the year in Headbanger! (A song originally recorded by the guys when they were called Sack. In fact, I only really know that song and the title one that kicks the album off. I like the chorus (inc the riff) in Cruising For Chicks. Done With Love and Never Gonna Tell You are very good. The 2nd half is definitely weaker, though Summertime near the end stood out. Overall, an album of solid punk tunes with 1 real standout. Jul18. Solid LP with a few of their best tracks. Inc their best song, the re-recorded Sack song, Headbanger. Also love Cruising for Chicks, Never Gonna Tell You, & Summertime. Sept20. Well obvioulsy this album just keeps growing on me, as 7 songs before this listen are in my 2012 H100. I have already spoken about by favourites here. Necrocomicon is one of their oddball songs about a comic book of the dead. A lot of fun. Done with Love has also rocketed up my 2012 H100 too. The obligatory horror song is here in Punk House of Horror. These aren't usually my favourites and this one is not either, but still a good mid album song. If the catchiness of Never Gonna Tell You doesn't get you to move something in response, you are dead inside. In the Pit just went up my list of cool songs. Expresses my feelings exactly about fucking jocks in the pit thinking it is cool hurting others. Odd lyrics aside, Mutilate Me is their biting guitar and class rhythm at its finest. Who Killed Sensei is flat-out punk rock. I enjoy the second half a lot more than I did on those early listens, obviously. Summertime is often my go-to song when people ask to post songs about Summer. Love it. Don't Go with the Flow was the highlight this time through for me. A very cool song I have overlooked in the past and a very good finish to a fine album. 4.5/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 1 | Tales from Wyoming | Sept20. In My Head kicks off with Ramones-like reckless riffing. Then we have a couple of briliant pop-punk love songs als in a way only the Ramones could have gotten away with. But Teenage Bottlerocket are getting brilliant at them to. I Found the One is good, but Nothing Else Matters (When I'm with You) is brilliant. Only these guys could cram in so many Metallica references into one song. It is close to the best pop-punk love song of all time and even the metalheads should melt to this one. It reminds me of Nerf Herder's Pantera Fans in Love. Not sure how, but they manage to even go one better on the next song. They Call Me Steve is another love song, but this time told from the perspective of 'Steve', the character from Minecraft. This was a hit with my kids back in 2015. All the references are fun, but the song itself is up there with their best. My son especially liked Cockroach Strikes Again which was weird as it is about a serial killer. I was a little worried :P It is a strangely catchy song though. Been Too Long really stood out this play through. I know some of these songs so well, then others like this, hardly at all. Haunted House had a fair run in the car too. It's aged a little more than the others here for me. Bullshit has some cracking riffing. Actually, I am loving this song now. Like Freak Out I had this album pegged as having a much weaker second half, but enjoying a lot of the songs on there this time around. TV Set is pretty cool and whilst these guys do a lot of poppy songs about love, I really did not expect an acoustic and cello song on their albums. What a really mellow and cool way to finish the album. Nice. 4.5/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 2 | They Came from the Shadows | Sep20. The band really hit their stride on this album. I already have a couple of early tracks and later tracks in my 2009 H100. What a cracking opening with Skate or Die, a short ode to skating I am sure most punks know. I Don't Want To Go is another of their repeat the main lyric for a chorus songs. It is a cracker though. Then we hit the brilliant Bigger Than Kiss that I am sure all rock lovers of some kind can get something out of. I love it. Some of the guitar work is very cool too. Do What? really grew on me. It is a song I did not really know and liked it these run-throughs. That distinctive ringing guitar sound is back for Not OK, another very good song as the opening run continues. We have a ride of good, but not great, songs through the middle, the hihglight being the Bad Religion-like riffs in Fatso Goes Nutzoid. The thumping Be With You is where things pick back up again. Jerk is pretty cool and then the cracking title track with its fun-as rhythm. Todayo is a pretty good finisher too. Definitely my favourite of their albums so far ;) 4/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 0 | Total | Sept20. Wow, these is a cool jump up from the debut. The band just seems to gel so much better and having the sceond vocalist works so well. This is a cracking start to an an album too. Loved Radio and So Cool and I already have the fantastic Stupid Games in my 2005 H100. Fall for You continues the fun and the guitars for Crashing are very cool; the vocals, not so much. I imagine Cody penned Lost In Space. His other band, The Lillingtons cover different and weird topics like this. It's a pretty damn good song too. Blood Bath at Burger King is also Lillington-like creepy fun. Veronica and the dual vocals of Repeat Offender are pretty cool. We have the cool A-Bomb on here too (I reviewed it on an EP) and then finish with So Far Away. The band are on their way. A couple of quirky songs, but they don't quite stand out like on later albums. Everything here is still a little samey. There are advances in songwriting and I like what is here. It's hard to rate when you know what is to come ;) Same score, but I'd place slightly above previous album, Another Way. 3.5/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 0 | Warning Device | Sept20. Their Bottlerocket track serves more as a quick introduction to the album here. In the Basement is a brilliant pop-punk song, with that cool ringing guitar sound. Gave You More Heart has more of a slower but riff-driven beat and ups the catchiness. I love the little lead break in this one too. She's Not the One is one of their repeated lyrics songs that they do, but I still get hooked. I love the guitars in this one. Pacemaker was not an early favourite but really grew on me - more of a straight ahead rocker. Another that really grabbed me this run through was Social Life. Perhaps b/c it just really resonated with our current situation of isolation and not having a social life. Welcome to the Nuthouse is one of their quirky numbers that has always been a heap of fun. Not sure why this one was not already in my 2008 H100. After that we have some sappy, but still very enjoyable, songs about love and then lost love in the title track. In fact, I was quite surprised to find this is the theme behind most songs on the record, limiting its scope a little and making tracks like In the Basement and Welcome to the Nuthouse stand out even more. Was heading towards a 4, but sticking with the same as first two albums. 3.5/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 0 | Another Way | Sept20. I don't really know the songs from this one. It sounds quite samey, but after a few spins some favourites emerged. I love the overall sound, but think they got better when Cody joined. Sharing vocals helps. I had to look up what Go Stag meant. It is a cool start to the album. Then we have some good songs, but repeating 'go-go' in two of four songs to go with the repeated 'whoah-whoahs' I know will be too much for some. It is going to take a few more listens for favourites to stand out through the middle of this album. Go-Go and Mini Skirt are probably my picks at this early stage. I like the finish to the (actual) album with the slower Rathead where they really get their Ramones on and the final, title track is the best here. What awesome guitars and driving riffs. Something about the rhythm of this songs really stands out. 3.5/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 0 | Stay Rad! | Sept20 Okay, so have enjoyed Teenage Bottlerocket's humour and I have several of the jokey songs favourited here too, but I just felt some of them fell flat in this album. For example, I Wanna be Your Dog and Wild Hair just don't do it for me. On the flipside (ironically), my favourite song on here is Stupid Song. I can so relate to that, when you just want to chill and not have to listen for amazing drum fills, shredding guitar, arpeggios, and intellectual lyrics. Sometimes, it just takes a stupid/simple song to put you in a good mood. This is one of those, whislt being an ode to all stupid songs. Opener You Don't Get the Joke is a lot of fun too. Creature from the Black Metal Lagoon is their horror-themed with stupidity song. It's a pretty good song, but it's not going to be a favourite. I don't mind Death Kart, Everything to Me and I Never Knew but overall, I felt there is a lot of filler here. 3/5 |
| Teenage Bottlerocket | 0 | A-Bomb EP | Sept20. A-Bomb has a cool sense of ugency about it and is a good start. Teenwolf sets into a very cool groove and riff, and then some cool bass later on, but I am not a fan of the vocals here. Going Slow is much the same. Job On Me changes things up with some shouted vocals right at the start. Ray's vocals are a bit harsher than later albums. I know people that don't listen to this stauff might say it all sounds the same, and unfortuantely here, it is a bit too samey. I think this is a good start, but I know so much better is to come. Still, I liked averything here. 3/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Votes | Judas Priest Album |
|---|---|
| 45 | British Steel |
| 39 | Painkiller |
| 37 | Screaming for Vengeance |
| 26 | Defenders of the Faith |
| 17 | Killing Machine (aka Hellbent for Leather) |
| 12 | Stained Class |
| 10 | Firepower |
| 10 | Angel of Retribution |
| 8 | Turbo |
| 8 | Sad Wings of Destiny |
| 4 | Nostradamus |
| 4 | Sin After Sin |
| 4 | Redeemer of Souls |
| 3 | Point of Entry |
| 2 | Ram it Down |
| 1 | Jugulator |
| 1 | Demolition |
| 1 | Rocka Rolla |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Judas Priest | 3 | British Steel | Sept20. Being influenced by ACDC on a tour before this album can only be a good thing and first song, Rapid Fire is a good start. Breaking the Law is a cool song - the riffs rumble along so well (and I can't help singing with Beavis & Butthead voices in my head). Metal Gods and Grinder both settle into slower riffs and grooves. I liked the solo on Grinder in particular. United is another attempt at a stadium, fist-pumping anthem, and whilst I don't hate it, it falls a little flat. You Don't Have to be Old to be Wise has a cool ACDC-like feel to it. I love Living After Midnight. The Rage is just okay, but The Steeler is a cool finish to the album (not counting bonus tracks). Like the last album, Rob does not over-do the vocals, so I am going to agree with the fans on this one. This is a very good album, especially for early 80s material. 4/5 |
| Judas Priest | 1 | Angel of Retribution | Oct20. Yep, back with Rob and the sound goes right back to where they left off Painkiller. The first 2 songs, Judas Rising and Deal With the Devil sound like they are sequels to that album. Revolution shows a very different change of pace and style. It could be the name that triggered it, but this reminded me of Brides of Destruction. There are some downrght dirty guitars one here, so yeah, a bit of street/sleaze rock here. Nice. Oh wow, Worth Fighting For kicks of with a bluesy but ballsy, ACDC-like riff. Rob's slower vocal style is brilliant here. So in the first 4 songs, he's showed off about 5 different singing styles. The big riffs they mastered whilst Rob was away return for Demonizer, but their is enough old-school Priest sound to it too. Cracking song. Oh, and there is that cool groove they also developed in the 90s on Wheels of Fire. Rob's vocals on this are what I like. Alice in Chains would be happy with a song like this. There's the obligatory slow song in Angel which does its job. Hellrider builds into an amazing riff riding the frenetic kick drums. It's a bit long, but the guitars keep it interesting. Eulogy is an interesting, short, and haunting number that would have served as a moody end to album. Instead we get the 13 minute Lochness. Not sure why. It has its moments, but it feels like the band climbed its way back to the top of the hill and then tripped over the edge when they get there. Still, everything else here is gold and I did not picture myself enjoying Judas Priest or the return of Rob as much as this. Apparently a lot of songs on here reference earlier Judas Priest songs. I don't know the songs (let alone lyrics) well enough to pick up on these references, but having them is awesome for fans. I love when bands do this. 4/5 |
| Judas Priest | 2 | Redeemer of Souls | Oct20. From the first notes of the first song I am back in. (Their last double concept album lost me). Looking back, these guys have come up with some silly names fro creatures and creations for some of their songs, haven't they? I do like Dragonaut as a song though. The title track is back to standard/good Judas Priest. I wish I also had the time to study lyrics when doing these discography runs, especially when there are songs like Halls of Valhalla and Sword of Damocles, as I have an interest in history and mythology and these sounded like very good songs. The straight ahead, old-school metal continues for most of the first half of the album. Down in Flames, and, after a slow start, Hell & Back are built around cool riffs and the latter has a great groove. If there is anything wrong with this album, it is that it is just so consistently very good. It's just lacking a shorter balltearer or two. At the same time, there is no filler here. Some songs could have been a little shorter. I loved the themes and lyrics that I did pick up on. Some of the bonus tracks actually hit the mark for what I was after and really add to the album. Snakebite sounds like peak Alice Cooper. Even the slow songs here are very good. This album is just certainly named well after that last album. With or without the bonus tracks, this album rocks. 4/5 |
| Judas Priest | 4 | Screaming for Vengeance | Aug20. I had this playing in the background all day. At first, nothing really stood out, but after a few more listens songs started to distinguish themselves. Devil's Child (near the end) was the first I picked up on. But back to the start. Electric Eye has a cool driving riff, though I go to sing /Breakin' the Law' on that pause into the chorus. ;) Riding on the Wind is very cool, even with its momentary 80s cliches. Even though I had no idea what he was saying in the chorus until I looked at the song name, Bloodstone really grew on me. The weaker tracks are in the middle, then things pick up again with the title track into the made for radio You've Got Another Thing Coming. Things slow down for the average Fever before the best song, Devil's Child bring this to a satisfying conclusion. Overall, it seems a pretty consistent album. I just found several songs for my lean year of 1982 too. :) Again, I think I am with the fans on this one. 4/5 |
| Judas Priest | 3 | Killing Machine | Sept20. I recognised Delivering the Goods and I like this song; a good hard rocker. I quite liked the very accessible Evening Star and Hell Bent for Leather is a tad cliche, but still pretty good. Take on the World takes the cliche too far in its aim to be an arena rock chant. In Running Wild, Rob has an almost punk sneer for some of his delivery - I liked that. The ballad Before the Dawn ain't bad either. They do a very good Fleetwood Mac cover and then the bluesy Killing Machine is pretty cool and not what I expected. Evil Fantasies starts off with a little Led Zeppelin feel and Rob uses a deep, bluesy voice. Overall, I quite like this album with nothing blowing me away. It is certainly a more accessible sound and Rob holds back on the wailing. Again, I have to commend him for the different vocal tones/sounds he can pull off. Impressed. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 0 | Demolition | Oct20. After the last album, expectations were not high for this one, but I really liked opener, Machine Man and the groove/riff of One on One is awesome. Hell is Home is Cowboys from Hell Pantera in parts. Another pretty cool song. There's a bit of Alice In Chains to Jekyll & Hyde in the slower parts. The next couple are slower, grove-based songs. Did not do a lot for me, but okay. In Between even reminded me a little of Sytem of a Down at the start and Feed on Me Rammstein. That is a huge, dirty riff in Subterfuge too. A cool track that also channels some Rammstein and just a bit of Korn on the side. Lost and Found ain't a bad slow song, though a tad long (as most tend to be to my ears). Metal Messiah channels a little of Dave Mustaine in the vocal department. Not a bad last track. I can see why long time Judas Priest fans might not like this as much, but for me, this has huge riffs that I like and the vocals are not drawn-out wails. I really like this album. If I had heard it without knowing it was Judas Priest I would not have guessed correctly. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 0 | Rocka Rolla | Sept20. Okay, nice start. Love the bluesy riffs One for the Road and the vocals are laid back. I can deal with this. The title track has some funky and groovy moments but I don't really like the KISS chorus. Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat had me with its sludgy Black Sabbath-like guitars. Gotta say, Rob even sounds a bit like Ozzy here. The middle part, just fucking around on the guitars, and later soft rock, could have been cut. Loved Cheater. Just a cool rock 'n' roll song. Never Satisfied has a cool rumble to it. Run of the Mill is like a long jam session that did little for me… and here start the drawn-out wails I am expecting more of on later albums :(. Dying to Meet You takes that slow build approach, but when it gets there it is good. The guitars are awesome here. I don't really care about the low production. I think it works for most of the stuff here actually. We're off to a pretty good start. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 4 | Painkiller | Oct20. Well, the double kick drums of the new drummer certainly get a workout from the get-go. What a massive start with the title track. Certainly an advance on the previous sound, and the guitars are shredding it. I was going to disagree with the fans on this album. I just felt the style and especially the vocals, were not my thing here. But again, after repeated listens, I started to enjoy a lot of moments here. Things certainly sound more 'metal' on this one. But that does not elevate it above others for me. I still want some songs to stand out. The next three songs all fly by with fast-passed riffs and metal mahem, and then the song lengths expand and the wailing vocals really kick in. I can get why metalheads would love a song like Metal Meltdown though. Nightcrawler slows the pace a little. A decent song, but did not need to go so long. Cracking beat to Between the Hammer & the Anvil. This sounds like Iron Maiden. I love the opening riff of One Shot of Glory. In fact, the whole song is pretty good. This is certainly a band at the top of their game here; it's just a lot of the vocals have moved to that stage that I don't really like. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 3 | Firepower | Oct20. I can see why the metal fans were back on board with this one. Right from the get-go we get the massive double kick drums, shredding guitars and Rob has his metal wail back. His wails were nowhere to be found on Redeemer of Souls and I liked that. They are not too over the top here though, but it's still enough to put me off songs like Lightning Strike. At least the shorter, hard-hitting tracks are back. I quite like the riffs and verses of Evil Never Dies and this is my favourite song here. The heavier riff of Never the Heroes is also very cool. Is that Alice Cooper on Spectre or just Rob doing more different vocals? There is a lot of classic metal all through the middle of this album. Being more a fan of the rock tracks, No Surrender was my favourite after the brilliant start to album. I also liked that it was short. It made going into the last two tracks over 5 minutes a little easier. Of those, Lone Wolf is a cracking song with another thick riff behind it and Sea of Red is a very good song to finish with as it builds as it goes. Overall, a very satistying album. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 4 | Defenders Of The Faith | Aug20. Freewheel Burning is a cracking start to the album. It is almost thrash-like in its rapid excecution. One of the best Judas Priest songs I have heard in going through their discography. The next few songs aren't bad and keep the upbeat pace for most of it. I did not overly enjoy the chorus of Love Bites but it does build into a pretty cool song. Not much really grabbed me from there until the slow title track at the end. Still, another good album in the run. Whilst I did not pick as many highlights, I still tended towards liking every song over disliking them. 3.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 1 | Point of Entry | Oct20. After a few listens, there is not much I disliked about this album. It is good hard rock and Rob reigns in the vocals to suit. There is some good riffing scattered throughout. On the otherhand, not a lot really stood out either, and it lacks an overall heaviness to it. I liked the opening track and the only other track to get my attention and look up was Thunder Road on initial listens. I like Desert Plains too, but it was the bonus live version that drew my attention to it. Solar Angels has a decent brooding sort of beat. Troubleshooter reminds me of a slower ACDC track. In all, pretty good, just not the great songs to elevate it above other albums. 3/5 |
| Judas Priest | 5 | Stained Glass | Sept20. Whoah, the production has certainly jumped a knotch. Kick drums and bass sounds cool here. Exciter is a cool rumbling opener, but could have done without the attempted climatic finish. I fear these vocals are going to get more prominent as I move into the favoured albums, which is going to put me against most fans' views. I am getting more of an Iron Maiden feel on the rhythms on this album. Ultimately, I like how songs start, but then lose interest as they go on. The increasing song lengths are not helping here either. The cover Better By You, Better By Me could well be the best song on here. Invader was solid and I would have liked Saints In Hell a lot more if Rob toned the vocals back a fraction. Cool music. Some cracking playing in Beyond the Realms of Death too. 3/5 |
| Judas Priest | 4 | Sad Wings of Destiny | Sept20. 1st listen. Firstly, cool album cover. I am sure fans love the journey Victim of Changes takes you on, but it sounded confusing to me. I liked the deep, Sabbath-like riffs that kick it off, not so much the slow parts or the high-pitched wailing. The Ripper is pretty cool. Dreamer Deceiver is droney, long and boring. The shorter Deceiver is much better. I liked its dynamics. Tyrant rumbles along very well and Rob doesn't over-do the vocals. Genocide is fun rock with a cool groove in the style of Deep Purple. Epitaph seemed totally unecessary - not sure why they included that. But Island of Domination is a decent finish, especially the guitars. I had a feeling that I was going to be re-stating my displeasure of Rob's vocals on my CCs, but I have to say, his vocals on here are crazy. It sounds like there at least three different vocalists. So that was cool, as I liked some of his vocal styles here. In all, a mixed bag for me. 3/5 |
| Judas Priest | 2 | Sin After Sin | Sept20. 1st listen. Opener Sinner doesn't do a lot for me with the singing style I don't like, but the vocals over the cool KISS-like rhythm of Diamonds & Rust are cool. Star Breaker opens with an almost disco-like drum beat that reminded me of Train in Vain by The Clash. I quite liked this one. Let Us Prey / Call the Priest was cool. Rumbled along like a Motorhead song then busted into some very likeable guitar shredding. Rob's voice is cool on this track too. Even the high pitched wails later on are in moderation and not used to finish each line (which I hate). Raw Deal is all dirty and bluesy. It sounds like an early Alice Cooper track actually. Dissident Aggresssor sounds like the classic sound I associate with Judas Priest, and whilst that I am sure is the sound the fans love, this is the sort of song and especially vocals that has put me off this band. I know I am against the fans, but I like the ones without the high-pitched wails and drawing out of words. Just not my thing. Race with the Devil starts with same, but then Rob switches to the vocals I like and this has a cool rumbling riff with a real catchy hook too. I just read this one is a cover and a bonus track. A pity, as it would have been a good finish to the album. 2.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 0 | Ram It Down | Oct20. Off to a flyer on here. The guitarists are certainly smashing it on the opening Ram It Down. Wow, the production level on Heavy Metal is up there; sounds like a cross of Ozzy Osbourne, some Motley Crue and still a little of their old 70s sound surviving. This track grew on me. Wow, this is really influenced by clean American metal/glam of the time isn't it? A lot of Van Halen to this album. Really lacking a little bite, especially those electric drums - which I just read were mostly a drum machine :(. Not that the songs here are bad. They certainly match it with other 80s artists of the day. There just is not the standout few singles. Hard as Iron has some great guitars but the rest of the song is as cheesy as its name. The electrical presence is front and center in the long Blood Red Skies. It has its moments, but too much rubbish to go with them. I actually like a lot of the songwriting for this album - but the songs themselves would sound better without the theatrics and I'd like to hear stripped back versions. I bet a lot of these are actually good live. Yeah, this just became bleh listening to all album. Second half did nothing for me, even the Johnny B Goode is pretty meh. After a solid start I just tuned out. Final song is close to crap actually. It is a pitty as the guitars are actually pretty good on the album. 2.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 1 | Turbo | Aug20. Okay, so the band discovered synthesizers and went for a more commercial 80s sound on this one. Not good. Opening title track is cliche. I really like the rhythm of Locker In but it doesn't really go anywhere. Private Property is cringeworthy. Parental Guidance - a crack at Tipper Gore and her cronies is a pretty good song. It's chorus is pretty catchy. Rock You All Around the World has its moments, as did Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days. Wow, they really tried to emulate the LA scene on songs likeeven pronouncing 'action' as 'ak, shuuuun'. The last couple of tracks do not finish the album strongly. I hated parts of this album, but there was some okay moments too. 2.5/5 |
| Judas Priest | 0 | Jugulator | Oct20. Okay, so after a ripping metal album where I am sure metalheads would have said these guys were smashing it, they… split? Then got together 6 years later with a new singer. The new singer has the deeper metal voice but also wails - way too much for my liking. Opening title track has some cracking guitars as usual, but overall does not do a lot for me. The riffing has certainly got a 90s vibe to it on this album. I hear some Pantera and Sepultura sounds for sure. I'm surprised this one doesn't get more love from the metal lovers. The song titles and lyrical content certainly got a lot bleaker too. I was not really into the next couple of songs, but I actually liked the crazy nature of Death Row. Doomy metal one minute, 80s glam the next, silly spoken word, etc. It had a straight ahead catchy chorus too; no high-pitched wailing, so that was good. Decapitate was pretty ordinary. I got a bit tired of the long slow introductions to songs too. Just get to the good bits ;) Some songs I just had to skip, or skip into. The plodding riffs became a bit repetitive (or just pummeled me into submission, I am not sure). The good parts of Cathedral Spires were very good, but like the whole album, there were parts I did not ejoy too. 2/5 |
| Judas Priest | 1 | Nostradamus | Oct20. So, 16 albums into the discography and Judas Priest bust out a double concept album. Nooo! I was doing so well. And then I started listening and things got worse. The synthesizers are back and not used well at all. Old crappy cliches and 'operatic' sounds. Then echoed and over-emphasized vocals that sound terrible. See the song Death for some of the latter. And we get the random sounds: clanging, bells, heart beats, etc. Why? I'm already struggling with the 'concept' of this album, but what the hell is with songs like Lost Love? It is bloody terrible. Exiled & Hope are close to torturous and I feel like the guy flying the plane in Flying High trying to get to the end of this album. A few good riffs here and there and the cool, heavy part of title track, saved this album from me giving it a donut. 15 minutes for the last two albums really drew out the finishing line. Rob has an amazing range in style of vocals but he mostly relied on the styles that don't gel with me here and came up with more I did not like. Isn't this the exact sort of album Spinal Tap mocked? I am sure there were parts/songs I liked, but I just don't have it in me to give this another spin. 1/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Votes | Warrior Soul Album |
|---|---|
| 20 | Drugs, God and the New Republic |
| 19 | Salutations from the Ghetto Nation |
| 14 | Destroy the War Machine (aka Chinese Democracy or …And We Rock & Roll) |
| 13 | Last Decade, Dead Century |
| 11 | The Space Age Playboys |
| 7 | Fucker (aka Odds & Ends) |
| 6 | Chill Pill |
| 5 | Rock n Roll Disease |
| 2 | Stiff Middle Finger |
| 1 | Back on the Lash |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Warrior Soul | 1 | Salutations from the Ghetto Nation | Oct12. Just like Dirt, this album starts with a couple of corkers and ends with one of the best songs. Too many good songs and great riffs here. To me right now, as I am listening to the album, this is edging out Dirt. Oct20. From the opening notes of Love Destruction I am hooked. Then when the drums kick in this is bloody brilliant. Kory's vehemence at the rich and priveleged sounds like he wrote this and other songs here yesterday. The guitars in this song are awesome and what great vocals here. The slow but cutting groove of Blown is probably how the band came to be known as 'acid punk'. There is massive riffs, a little metal in the vocals and again, those lyrics. Shine Like It has an ethereal quality to it that has you riding along with it. Another amazing riff. Dimension is delivered in an almost faux glam sneer. The music continues with the ethereal theme and the solo shreds. Then, just as you're feeling a little spaced out, Punk & Belligerent kicks you right in the head and brings you back to your senses. An unsubtle song about the rock star excesses. Ass Kickin' continues the theme and high-paced energy. If you don't move the the rhythm of this song, check your pulse. The Party has a cool drum beat over a stoner-rock-like groove. This is about the Republican Party… and yeah, wow. Then things slow right down as you float off to The Golden Shore. Trip Rider brings back the heaviness and fair dose of whah-whah pedal. We get another slower, but no less heavy, song just before the amazing finish of Ghetto Nation. There's Motley Crue's Wild Side, Gunners Welcome to the Jungle and this! Fucking brilliant album that sounds as fresh today as when it was written. 5+/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 1 | Destroy the War Machine | July13. What amazing riffs and grating vocals. I have been all over this band again of late and this surprised me how good it is (given I had no idea Kory was still making music). Standouts: Pigs, She's Glaswegian, Knocking Them Down in the City. Damn Fine: Motor City, Bad news (Rock and Roll Boyfriend), Burning Bridges. There are only 2 other songs and they are quite good too. Oct20. I have played this a lot since discovering they were back in business. The riffing and abrassiveness on this album is awesome. Opening track Pigs is still good, but I'm not as into the chant of 'Fuck the pigs!' Still, cracking riff. Kory sounds like his old self in The Fourth Reich. Motor City is a straight ahead rock song about moving on from his home town. I like it still. Don't Believe is the only song here I don't love ome part of. The songs are a little simpler too. I think this continues with future albums and the lyrics start to slide. She's Glasweigan sure falls into this category, but I still love the song; it has a real Motorhead stomp to it. Knocking 'Em Down (In the City) is one of those covers I live more than the original and what Igg's original may have sounded like if he did this one with The Stooges. Yeah, still feeling it for this album. 5/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | The Space Age Playboys | Mar18. Wow, seems I have been listening to a lot of extra '94 LPs lately. Pity I had not listened to this more earlier (esp given my love of these guys). This album is bloody good and may well have made my Top10 at least. Oct20. I had not idea this even existed until years later. I lost a bit of interest in Warrior Soul after Chill Pill and Fucker, having no idea this album came in between. I pity, because I have given this a lot of spins many years later, and am having trouble faulting it. The new guitarist's sound is more buzz-saw than deep Stooge riffs, which ups the abrassiveness a little and really goes with Kory's acidic vocals. Kory tried some lyrics here that are more personal. Some lines are a little cringeworthy, but overall is social commentary is amazingly accurate living in th e world he predicted. The wah-wah of opener Rocket Engines will let you know if you like what you are in for here… and I am all in. The Drug has some pretty bad lyrics and a bit of 80s swagger, but somehow works. Let's Get Wasted is full-throttle fun, even though it is not about fun. No No No is one of the few songs here not in my 1994 H100 and yet, there is not much wroing with it either. Television through to Look At You is a 6 song epic run on the excesses of society and the shitty things we seem to value. Wow. The last three songs don't really let up either. Generation Graveyard and Fightin' the War certainly take me back to their earlier albums and songs like The Wasteland. Upping the score and I am very close to a 5/5. I love a new song every time I play this. 4.5/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Drugs, God and the New Republic | Oct20. In a massive year for rock, somehow this got left behind. Kory's commentary on society was filled with just as much angst as Kurt's, only he took a more direct approach with his lyrics. It is scary how many of them could be describing the world today, 30 years on. Intro warms you up as it builds into the chant of 'We are the governmnent!' and then the awesome riff of Interzone rips your face off. These are the sort of riffs, stoner rock bands would kill for. This song also has an odd double vocal approach. A second singer (that sounds a little like Nick Cave) sings different lines or echoes Kory. The title track is what the band does best. Absolute soaring lyrics, big riffs, but all with a certain atmosphere that makes you sit up and take notice. Why do I love every song called The Answer? This one has the ringing guitar tone Warrior Soul do so well. It is in parts of Rocket 88 too, but so are the fast, heavier riffs. I love the built into the chorus. Things slow down for the sarcastic tones of Jump for Joy and hit pulls no punches in the lyrics. (Well, none of them here do, to be truthful). I did not really know the songs through the middle very well. They are pretty good, but not the highlights. Man Must Live as One gives us some hope and a shredding solo. The slower Hero just sets you up for the thumping The Wasteland. I love the speed and the delivery of the lyrics here. If you only listen to one Warrior Soul song make it this one. You could swear it was written yesterday, not 30 years ago - it even references Trump! This song is Top10 in my very tight 1991 Hotterest 100 list. Then we finish with the majestic Children of the Winter. Another powerful song. Holy shit, how did this band not conquer the world with such anthems. They should be anthems of today! 'Children of the Winter, walk into the Spring time.' Leaves with a sense that the world is worth fighting for. 4.5/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Last Decade Dead Century | Oct20. After a bit of on introduction, I See the Ruins touches on the decline of civilisation. A topic they spend a lot of time on. 'Wasted' seems to be one of Kory's favourite words. They tapped into an anger and resentment that Nirvana channeled to greater success. We Cry Out brings the big Stooges-like riffs that got me into later albums. I have trouble describing The Losers; it has slow and high vocals that turn harsh for the chorus and a strange, almost haunting melody. Downtown is a cool bass-driven song that probably shows a little of the glam/sleeze side to the band. Tripping on Ecstacy has that 'acid punk' beat Kory has described the band as being. Superpower Dreamland has a driving riff carrying it. Kory's lyrics are scathing and insightful here. Charlie's Out of Prison is a song that I have not paid attention to in the past, but it is another song with a cool riff and machine-like drumming. Blown Away is a scathing take on US society that is just as relevant today as when it was written 30 years ago! And what a cracking, spacey, solo. Lullaby is heavy in its own slow, hard-hitting and haunting way. In Conclusion certainly does what it says on the label. It has a bit of all elements on display throughout this album: churning riffs, scathing lyrics, rumbling bass. Man, this is one cracking debut. I've always thought the first two albums were building to Ghetto Nation, but this is bloody good in it's own right. Other than the spoken word and song after it in the middle, this album doesn't miss a beat. It probably lacks a couple of real standouts, but man, I love this mesh of sounds from different eras. 4/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Chill Pill | Oct20. I remember being quite disappointed in this album when I bought it back in the day. At the time, Salutations from the Ghetto Nation was my favourite album, but this follow-up just did not live up to that, so it was no surprise to me to find out later on that the record was done with little care to get out of a Geffen record contract. (Kind of understandable too: Geffen focussed on some other big bands at the time and gave this band very little promotion, despite 3 very good albums). This album just did not seem complete. The first two songs (Mars & Cargoes of Doom) highlight this. Both start out with some solid riffs and ideas but fizzle out and don't seem to have been finished. Song in Your Mind slows things down, but lacks the impact of previous slow songs. It is still a decent number though and builds into the best song on the album, the punky Shock 'Em Down, where the heavier Stooge-like riffs return. Let Me Go is taking up space. Ha Ha Ha has some moments of brilliance and sections where they just sounded like they were dragging it out. Speaking of dragging things out; not sure the album needed to finish with 3 of the last four songs being over 6 minutes. The shorter and punchier I Want Some breaks them up at least, but even it lacks the full sound of previous albums. Soft is the worst song for dragging things out and not even the boogie and harminica of High Road saves the long finish to this album. I have come to like parts of this album, but overall it just sounds unfinished. Still, not bad for a 'botched' album, I guess. 3/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Fucker | Oct20. At the time I purchased this, I had no idea Space Age Playboys had been released between it and Chill Pill. Being a collection of b-sides, demos and rarities, this was not a strong album. But it has grown on me with recent listens. It opens well with NYC Girl and Punk Rock 'N' Roll; two songs worthy of being on any record. There are stull some very good riffs throughout, such as on Turn On and Ways to the Gutter. Raised on Riots is just a solid rock song that doesn't hit any real heights but the bass really rumbles along. American sounds like fucking around in the studio and reminds me of Revolver-era The Beatles. There's not much of interest in the songs that follow until Last Decade, Dead Century, the song that goave its name to their debut album but was not on it. I wonder why. Like other songs (that I am sure are demos) on here, it suffers from low production, but could easily have made a good song with its chant-like chorus. As it is, it kind of fizzles out at the end and sounds unfinished. Then we have some of Kory's spoken word that I don't think needed to be here. 3/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Back on the Lash | Oct20. So, as time goes on, Warrior Soul sound more like the 80s sleaze/street band they got lumped with when they were not that band. Weird. American Idol comes across as an opening rant. I Get Fucked Up is quite obvious. It opens with a pretty cool ACDC-like riff. I like it, but gone are the massive riffs of past albums. Back on the Lash has some pretty lame lyrics about, yep, drinking, but I still love the groove, rhythm of this song. These last two are the only songs I had 'thumbed' going into this and whilst a bit of fun are not great songs. But is is a better start than the last album. A run of Thrill Seeker, Goin' Broke, Gettin' High, Black Out and I Got the Rock are all about, yep, getting smashed. The middle to have a decent groove, but I am really missing Kory's intelligent takes on the degredation of society, now replaced with cliched getting wasted. Further Decay has some observations about society, but is more pointed at a particular (unknown) person and is not a great song, though it does have a small The Who like moment in the middle. That's How We Roll does not need much explaining, but it does have a rather annoying chant of 'hey, hey, hey'. Yeah, if you like some of L.A Guns' dirtier songs you will find something here. And many of the songs are okay, it's just the subject matter becomes an eyeroll and it just sounds like Kory has really lost his way to me. He finishes with, 'You can't save rock 'n' roll', and it really sounds like he has given into the belief. 2.5/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Stiff Middle Finger | Oct20. I loved the comeback album Destroy the War Machine, but this album just did not hold up to that. I haven't listened to it a lot and the time of this spin I only had second song, Planetary Revolution, thumbed for my H100 list. It has the really cool guitar tones. It follows the relatively tame opener Occupy which reminds me a little of The Cult. Kory's lyrics were much better when he was writing about the degredation of society, but I guess that gets too familiar after a while. Lyrics start to turn to drinking, girls and partying as we go on - almost like he has done his career in reverse. Junky Stripper and a A Drink to All My Friends show this change and they are far from highlights here. Wall Street has some cool wha-wha guitars, but that's about it. 2012 is spoken word-like over a bass beat and grating background guitars. Not good and the repeated, 'It's 2012', is a tad annoying. Some scathing verses that would have made better lyrics over a rocking track. Rubicon also gives me The Cult vibes with its guitars. It's an okay song at best, but still better that the 3 preceeding songs. We return to taking swipes at those in power and talk of rebellion in Light Your Bonfires, but again, Kory has put his old-school, scathing lyrics over a slow strumming tune and delivered them as spoken word. I kept waiting for this final track to take off like some of their early, epic final songs, but it does not. It just drones on and fizzles out to a rather disappointing end to the album. Not sure who the guitarist was on this one, but really lacking the power of previous albums. Kory's lyrics are all over the place too. Again, after a brilliant album, Warrior Soul let me down. Even their 'bothced' album and odds & ends album was better than this. 2/5 |
| Warrior Soul | 0 | Rock 'n' Roll Disease | Oct20. 1st listen. What the fuck has happened to Kory? His amazing observations on society are near gone and not it is all about boasting about getting wasted and high. This reminds me of Fat Mike's boasting of drugs over a couple albums late in his career… and that did not turn out well. The albums after all this crap were better. So surprising and disappointing to hear Kory head this way when the band avoided this narrow perspective on early albums, when people were trying to lump them with the sleaze rock party scene. More songs about 'chicks' really does not help either. Haven't we moved on? Destroy the War Machine was such a good, hard-hitting comeback, and then everything since has degenerated into this. At least the first few have some good, heavy riffs back. Rock On has a decent groove, but again, shit lyrics. Kory - get off the drugs and go back to putting some thought into your lyrics. This is just really disappointing for a band I love. I'm not going for a second listen right now. This only gets some votes as at least some riffs are decent. 2/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Votes | PJ Harvey Album |
|---|---|
| 21 | To Bring You My Love |
| 19 | Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea |
| 11 | Is This Desire? |
| 11 | Dry |
| 9 | Rid of Me |
| 7 | Let England Shake |
| 3 | Uh-Huh Her |
| 1 | The Hope Six Demolition Project |
| 1 | White Chalk |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| PJ Harvey | 0 | Dry | Oct20. So, I have never really listened to PJ Harvey a lot. I've heard some of her stuff. Nothing has stood out and I am sure I have confused her with Patti Smith over the years. I am just not a fan of the vocal theatrics and some of them remind me of what I don't like about Nick Cave. That said, some of the better parts of this album reminded me of what I like about Magic Dirt. O Stella has some cool moments, especially the drums. Dress is a real bass drum rumbler and not a bad song at all. Victory is a slow alternative number that someone like Veruca Salt might attempt. The bass also a prominant driver of this one. Sheela-Na-Gig is a good little, upbeat alt-rock number. Hair has some shitty moments. has anyone noticed 'hair' is mentioned in at least three songs in a row here? Joe is actually a pretty cool fast-paced number. Plants & Rags is a very quiet acoustic number. Not bad. Fountain is a droney number that does little for me and neither does last song Water. In all, I liked this more than I anticipated, but it is not something that I love and would listen on its own. 3/5 |
| PJ Harvey | 1 | Rid of Me | Oct 20. Not much appealing to me here at the start of the album. The vocals do very little for me and on songs like Legs and the end of Rid of Me, they are downright painful. Even the music is irritating on songs like Man-Size Sextet. 50ft Queenie was the only song I knew going into this and it was the only one that I liked here. Dry was my next favourite song. I did enjoy the second half of the album more than the first half though. Thankfully, the songs are not long. There is some good guitar feedback in some tracks. This grew on me a little. 2.5/5 |
| PJ Harvey | 5 | To Bring You My Love | Oct20. This just rumbles along in the background without really doing anything for me. I don't understand why this is so popular to be honest. The acoustic strumming of C'mon Billy is okay. Then a song like Teclo comes on and only gets my attention because it is grating. At least the next song, Long Snake Moan is better and has some good guitars, but could have ended 2 minutes earlier. Like Nick Cave, I find a lot of the vocals annoying, but the lyrics intriguing. But it would take a lot more listens to really get the subtleties, and just like Nick Cave, there is not enough here in the music to entice me back to do that, given all the music I want to listen to. I can see why Down By the Water was popular, but is just another indie track to me. Not sure what the drum track with mumbled lyrics even is. 1.5/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
I could definitely hear similarities to Veruca Salt, Magic Dirt and even to The Go-Go's, who may have been an influence as well.
Yet again I think that I am not going to love much of anything, but I am not going to outright hate anything either. I've now listened to the first two albums a couple of times and nothing has reached out and grabbed me and made me think, "Damn why have I not been listening to this for years"
Dry: 2.5/5
Rid of Me: 3.5/5
Chaotic Good: Governments should be afraid of their people.
| Votes | Suicidal Tendencies Album |
|---|---|
| 37 | Lights…Camera…Revolution! |
| 33 | Suicidal Tendencies |
| 31 | How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today |
| 25 | Join the Army |
| 24 | The Art Of Rebellion |
| 15 | Freedumb |
| 11 | Suicidal for Life |
| 10 | World Gone Mad |
| 1 | 13 |
| 1 | Get Your Fight On |
| 1 | Album |
| 1 | Album |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | Freedumb | Nov20. The title track opens with a heavy-hitting riff. It is another 'chant' style song, but does its job of kickstarting proceedings. I love that the first few tracks are all short and to the point. They rock too. Ain't Gonna Take It also has a massive riff. Scream Out manages to have a standout funk bass depite flying along. then things slow down for the ska-like start to the bouncy Halfway Up My Head. I love this song. It was the first to standout on these listens. The band reference songs here are the only ones I knew before listening. Cyco Vision & We are Family both fly along with some of their best punk rock fury since their debut. I Ain't Like You sounds like a cross between Quicksand and CIV and has a great mix of slow and fast. Naked is catchy as all hell. In fact, several of these songs in the middle and second half, remind me a lot of The Bouncing Souls. What a cool album that brought back a lot of the punk urgency. Despite the loss of Trujilo, there is still some funky bass too. Even the Red Hot Chili Pepper-like Heaven seems an appropriate way to finish this. The songs are just consistently good here and none overstay their welcome. I've just found my new favourite Suicidal Tendencies album. 4.5/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 5 | ST | Nov20. I am quite surprised this is a 1983 album. I am only familiar with Istitutionalized - a song as crazy as its name suggests it is, but always brings a smile to your face. The opening double track is very good with its dueling vocals. I love the fast riffing of Possessed; the bass, in particular, sounds cool. The slower riff of Subliminal is pretty cool, including when it shirts to flat out. The bass intro (and the whole song actually) to Won't Fall in Love Today reminds me of what Pennywise love to do. I bet they loved this song. There must be a story behind I Saw Your Mommy…. If someone explains it to me I might be able to listen to the whole song without skipping. I Want More really sets you up with its slow intro. You just know it is going to go off at some stage, but it waits to the point where you start to wonder if you are going to get a whole slow song, and at that moments it takes off. We get lots of changes of pace within songs. The vocals are sometimes part spoken word, but not in an annoying way. The are like a recital in a way as Mike takes on the personas of the characters in the songs. This has the punk energy of early hardcore but sounds like more fun as Mike's lyrics go from serious to humourous, and always intriguing. There are metal moments too, supporting the idea these guys were pioneers of thrash. I was deciding between a 3 or a 3.5, knowing that with further listens this would go up and giving me to room with the rest of Suicidal's discography, but with only a couple more listens, I am already at a… 4/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | Suicidal for Life | Nov20. This starts off with more pissed-off spoken word and just as I was about to skip I tuned in and then the cool riff for Don't Give a Fuck kicks in and my attention returned. I love everything about No Fuck'n Problem; such as cool riff and fun groove to it. This is actually a very catchy song. With a run of four songs with 'fuck' in the title, I was hoping this wasn't going to be too ranty/angro, but we got off to a good start. It does head that way after the first couple. Suicyco Muthafucka is there 'band chant' they seem to have to have on every album and it just doesn't work for me. Fucked Up Just Right has some okay moments (the parts where I think this is what the Beastie Boys would sound like if they tried metal). No Bullshit could be easily written off, but that fuzzed guitar riff and the drumming really make this song rip.What Else Could I Do? is a lot of fun when the pace picks up, but a tad drearly during the lengthy slow parts. But the transition between the two is very cool and there is some of the best bass playing I have heard when this hits its straps. What You Need's A Friend is pretty cool for the most part. It's a hard one to describe, but has a bit of alt-metal feel to it. I Wouldn't Mind has another cool riff driving the song along and it is another where the drums stand out too. The jam session and solo in the second half actually remind me of I Mother Earth on their album Dig. Depression and Anguish and Evil has their moments two. I am really digging the guitar tone on this album. Almost Alice in Chains like. Love is Lonliness is a long end to the album. Not bad though with a great bass and riff in middle. Still, I was surprised to see the singles released for this album. Feelings are right now, that this is my favourite ST album since their debut. 4/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 1 | Join the Army | Nov20. So, once again, I go into a Sudicidal album only really knowing one song. It is quite obvious that one song is Possessed to Skate. I saw that one many times on RAGE and it ia a cool song with a cool video. I listened through to this album a few times. It was playing in the background whilst I was writing and nothing really stood out. Then I gave it one more spin just focusing on the songs, and like the first album, several songs started to worm their way into my head. I tended to enjoy most of this, without much really blowing me away. Suicidal Maniac is a frenetic start, then Join the Army slows things down with some cool bass. But of course this does not last; halfway through the song it takes off with thrash bombast, before finishing with almost grunge-like chugging. The Prisoner is similar. War Inside My Head has a cool chant that the live audience can participate in. I Feel Your Pain has some of the flat-out vocals that you have no hope of keeping up with. There is nothing wrong with the last four songs either, without any of them really standing out. Overall, I liked this, but more listens still needed to distinguish some songs. Probably just behind their debut at this stage. 3.5/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 1 | Lights… Camera… Revolution | Nov20. The fourth Suicidal album straight where I have one song 'thumbed' (meaning it is in my H100 song list for that year). This time is is the first track, You Can't Bring Me Down. I love its punk-like chant and driving rhythm. The slow part of the song could have been cut, but it is cool to see Mike's cool, conversational vocals back. Lost Again goes full metal, especially in the second half, but there just seems to be more to songs like this that make them better than the thrash of last album. Maybe it is the funky bass of Trujillo; maybe they just wrote better songs. There is certainly more appeal here than on the last album. Still, there were not a lot of individual songs that really leapt out at me. Get Whacked maybe? Send Me Your Money has good lyrics. Two of the last three songs did little for me. On first play, Alone and Lovely passed me by without getting my attention. I saw they were singles, so went and gave them another listen. Alone is almost aweful for its first half; not bad when the pace picks up. Lovely has some cool funk moments, but some shitty vocals too. Still, overall, a sound I liked more than last album. 3.5/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | World Gone Mad | Nov20. So, this album is noteworthy because Dave Lombardo joined on drums, though I loved the last drummer (who I saw live with Infectious Grooves). Lombardo does seem to bring a heavier style, as overall this seems like a return to more metal influences, with ripping solos and longer songs. The opener, Slap Like Ozzy is fast and furious with some cool slap bass. The New Generation has a meaty riff. Living for Life speeds up proceedings. These first three took a few listens, but I enjoyed them. Get Your Fight On! settles into such a cool groove and was the first song that stood out to me. The bouncy title track is interesting and I like the different vocals on it. The Struggle Is Real is a throwback to their faster, punkier songs, which is juxtaposed with the slow and brooding STill Dying to Live. Despite being long, this song takes off in the second half and really grew on me. I love the guitar in the slower parts. They did not next the next slow song after this one to end. I detected a guitar tone not unlike Vernon Reid's of Living Colour in parts throughout the album. I can't state exactly where now, but that was something I noticed as the album was playing in the background. The album certainly got better with more listens. 3.5/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 1 | How Will I Laugh Tomorrow, When I Can’t Even Smile Today? | Nov20. Okay, three albums into the long discography and I am losing a little interest. I go in again with only one songs I know, and it is not as good as the previous only songs I knew. That is opener, Trip to the Brain. Hearing Voices has a pretty good riff. One thing I have noticed is Mike seems a little self-obsessed with the band title. So many songs reference 'suicidal' and it doesn't get any plainer than on Pledge Your Allegiance and Suicyco Mania. I know this is a bit of a hardcore thing, but one song an album would be plenty. The title track has its moments, but not really a song that needs to be near 7 minutes long. The punk sound I liked on debut is close to gone here. We are into more metal sounds, longer songs and solos. I didn't dislike this, but I am getting a little bored with the subject matter and there just wasn't any songs that really stood out. 3/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | 13 | Nov20. So, Suicial Tendencies seem to always include a song where they 'promote' themselves. This time it is the opening track, Shake It Out, and I have to admit, it is pretty good. Less funk than previous album and back to more metal, but this just motors along and is a bit of fun to kickstart proceedings. Smash It! has some great, fast riffing, and cool drum fills. God Only Knows is a pretty good modern rock song. Cyco STyle did not do it for me. I can only take so many 'band chants'. ;) The music is tight though. Slam City starts with a down-tuned riff that would not sound out of place on an Alice In Chains album, then hits a pretty cool groove, though the vocals don't do a lot for me on this one. Not much else stood out and the album seemed the same tempo for most, but overall, the quality was pretty good. Had a pretty clean production sound too. 3/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | Free Your Soul and Save My Mind | Nov20. Once again going into a ST album with one song already thumbed. People probably hate it, but I love Pop Songs. Also stocked to see the legendary Brooks Wackerman played on this album. First play through and this album did not appeal to me as much as previous couple. They went full funk mode here, but some of it just doesn't seem to suit the harsh vocals. Also a bit ranty. I do not like the spoken word stuff. The whole track in the middle really jarred me out of the listening. Self Destruct has some good sounds, but most of the vocals are ordinary. The chorus os No More, No Less is okay. The bass on the title track is awesome, but parts of the songs are jarring. Start Your Brain is okay, with its punk intensity and Bouncing Souls-like vocals. The heavy funk works on Public Dissension. charlie Munroe was starting to grow on me. Home is a long and rather boring end to the album. Obviously, I would need more listens to become familiar with other songs, but there just is not enough on here to entice me to do that, despite having one of my favourite ST tracks. 2.5/5 |
| Suicidal Tendencies | 0 | The Art of Rebellion | Nov20. Hmmm, maybe if I had not listened to all previous albums, Can't Stop may have appealed to me more. As it is, I'm kind of a little over this material and some of the vocal styles I probably loved on earlier albums… and as the opening song, it goes way too long. I like the vocals even less on next song, Accept My Sacrifice. I gave this whole album several spins in the background whilst I was doing other things. The quirky guitars on Monopoly on Sorrow were pretty good. Parts of this songs actually sound like Red Hot Chili Peppers. We Call This Mutha Revenge and Gotta Kill Captain Stupid pound along at a decent pace with some solid riffing. Which Way to be Free is all Chili Peppers sounding and obviously indicating where these guys would go with Infectious Grooves material. Parts of Where's the Truth sound catchy and this might be my favourite track on here. Whilst there are some okay songs here, there is not a single song I considered for my 1992 H100. At this stage of the discography, my interest is waning. 2/5 |
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
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