CD review thread.

[KT]

Doesn't it suck that everyone hasn't heard of your favourite CD? Well, tell everyone about it!

Make a structured review though, at least two paragraphs of decent information and not simply "IT ROX". If you could, include a genre, and a score out of 10 at the end of it.

Hopefully this'll encourage people to try new things, and share music amongst the clan.


Please don't post anything but CD reviews in this thread.

[KT]

Title: "In the Nightside Eclipse"

Artist: Emperor

Genre: Black Metal


Rarely do you see a release that portrays such subtle majesty. An oxymoron I hear you cry? Not in this case!

Written in the winter months when Ihsahn was barely 16 and Samoth was reaching the age of 18, they managed to create a masterpiece that shook the black metal world to it's very foundations, a release that still to this day is heralded as one of the most influential metal releases of all time.

Subtle yet technical guitar work hidden under the bombastic blast of keyboard melodies with thundering drums blasting away in the background gives a "wall of sound" approach to music. Rather than one specific element standing out, a cumulation of all brings together to create a perfect whole.

The guitars are buzzsaws that occasionally dip from franetic tremelo picking to a slower and more "normal" method of play while keyboards belt out their bombastic melodies. Thankfully the guitars don't sucumb to the all too common "SOLOSOLOSOLO" formula which would ruin the whole ambience of the music. Instead they fit into the perfectly honed sound which this CD manages to create. The bass is totally indistinguishable from the mass of sound, nor too is the double kick bass drum, however, I can assure you that they are there due to my excessively loud listening of this CD.

This scrappy production, mired with the atmosphere that this music creates, manages to hit home to a plethora of emotions indeed spanning the entire spectrum of human emotion! Moving you to tears, yet giving you hope; envoking rage, yet then kindling pity.

If there is someone who appreciates metal and has yet to hear the genius of this release, I insist that you speak to me immediately so I can throw some MP3's in your direction.

Stand out tracks: "Into the Infinity of Thought", "I am the black Wizards and "Inno a Satana"

My Rating: 10 out of 10

[-(aaK)- Deltz]

Title: Take A Break.

Artist: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

Genre: Covers with style.

I can't begin to describe how good this band is. Its like a super group. You've got Fat mike from NOFX, Joey from Lagwagon, Chris Shiflet from Foo Fighters, Spike from Swingin' Utters, and "just Dave" the drummer.

This is the fourth album they've made, when they get time from their regular band jobs. Must be fun is all i'm gonna say. They have managed to create a style all of their own even while stickin as close to the original song as possible. Baring in mind that in my opinion i wouldn't listen to the originals to save my life, I can't get enough of the covers.

Whitney Houston's ballad 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' kicks off the album in style.
'Hello' by Lionel Ritchie is given a boot up the arse.
Boys II Men's tear-jerker 'End Of The Road' follows close behind. With a great opening by Spike on vocals.
Then 'Aint no sunshine' with the longest "I know, I know" you've ever heard.
Straight after you've got Sinead O' Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U. Class is all i'm gonna say.
Next up 'Crazy' originally by Seal. Sounds even better this fast.
Next you've got love song 'Isn't she lovely'.
Closely followed by R Kelly's 'I Believe I Can Fly', has to be one of the best covers ever.
'Oh Girl' folows close behind, believe me you'd know it if you heard it.
To make it quick you've got 'I'll be there', 'Mona Lisa', And 'Save the best for last' coming after that.
Finishing the album, you've got 'Natural Women'. This is so good i was crying with laughter.
If you want to be cheered up, get hold of anything by the Gimme Gimmes. You can't help but smile.
If you can't afford it, just bloody download it, thats what the net is for.
I'd give this album a 9 out of 10. The three before are even better.

[KT]

Title: "Worlds Beyond The Veil"

Artist: Mithras

Genre: Death Metal


It isn't very often you come across a band that manages to be quite as weird as Mithras, and yet, nor would you want to. Mithras do write INCREDIBLY strange songs, and yet, the sutble nuances which marry together with the other elements of the songs make them a "new listen" each time.

The music is incredibly complex, I'd almost go as far as to say it is the most complex music I've ever heard, with complex time changes, absolutely out of this world guitaring and songwriting skills that overshadow anyone else within this genre.

The guitar work is needless to say beyond comprehension. Mithras have adopted a "wall of sound" approach that is coined by bands such as Emperor and Morbid Angel, and they've taken it to another plain of existance. There is absolutely no way in which you can hear every element of a song upon the first listen, it is all so intertwined to produce a mesmorising sound that trying to discern inderivdual elements becomes quite a chore.

The drumming, though heavily triggered, is rather impressive, it blasts away in the background giving support to the absolutely incredible guitar work. As a side note, the drummer is the guitarist too, not only that but he wrote all of the music. We are talking about an incredibly advanced musician.

Throughout the CD there are moments of total ambience whereby surreal sound effects are produced, either by keyboard or a guitar, which help to counteract the crushing brutality demonstrated by their songs.

As a side note, I'm also proud to say that this band comes from very close to me. Leon quite often e-mails me with updates and tells me about how the new songwriting is progressing. They're not only decent musicians, but great guys!

I need not say anything more with regards to this CD, for it to be comprehended, it must be listened to.


Stand out tracks: "The Caller and the Listener", "Psyrens" and "Words beyond the Veil"

Total: 9.5 out of 10

[KyWish]

Just picked up "Anthems of Rebellion" (i think thats the title, dun have it in front of me) by Arch Emeny...review it when I get back, but its good

[KT]

/|\-(aaK)- said:

Just picked up "Anthems of Rebellion" (i think thats the title, dun have it in front of me) by Arch Emeny...review it when I get back, but its good

ACK. I bought that CD and have only listened to it once because it bored me so much! x.x Their earlier stuff is far better. =P

[KyWish]

Lol, I can agree to an extent on that. None of the songs on this album have really struck me as really good.

[Vlad]

Title:"Reign in Blood"

Artist:Slayer

Genre:Thrash/Heavy Metal/Death Metal

Reign in Blood is the most extreme thrash album and considered the pinnacle of speed metal.Although it only runs 29 minutes,RiB is Slayer's best,most influential album,that inspired the entire death metal genre(at least in USA).Dropping the complex sound structures of "Hell Awaits",Reign in Blood is great through sheer speed and force of sound.Everything seems rushed,and only 2 songs of 10(12 if you count the bonus tracks)are over 3-4 minutes.The short bursts of aggression in between seem so disjointed that make a barely controllable visceral effect.The lyrics are vile,with sickening graphic violence,accompanied by twisted soloings of Jeff Hanneman that often immitate the screams of the victims in the song.Usually containing a bloody,satanic message,Reign in Blood was heavily criticised for songs like "Jesus Saves" or "Reborn".Although the riffs sound very similar,that only adds to the omogen and unified album sound.It was the most violent and bold album of its time,a classical of the heavy/death metal genre,and it remains strong even today.

Standout tracks:"Angel of Death","Jesus Saves","Reborn","Raining Blood".

Overall:10/10.Not only is it one of the best thrash albums,but it remains one of the most aggressive and deeply disturbing metal productions of all time.