Daniel's Forum Threads
Eric Clapton - "Unplugged" (1992)
My father picked this live album up on cassette when I was 16 or 17 years old & played the absolute shit out of it in the car & around the house so it was interesting to discover just how well I know the songs this week. It was also interesting to find that, despite his imposing legacy as a guitarist, Clapton's smooth voice is the main source of appeal with this MTV unplugged session. There aren't all that many genuine highlight tracks but there are only a couple of duds amongst the fourteen tracks included too (see "Alberta" & "San Francisco Bay Blues") so I've come away feeling fairly positive overall. The acoustic rock of "Lonely Stranger" & the stripped back acoustic blues of "Walkin' Blues" are my clear picks of the bunch. It's quite a nice release but isn't something that I connect with enough to see me returning again in the future. I think it's a little too unintimidating & vanilla for that to be honest.
For fans of Joe Bonamassa, John Mayer & JJ Cale.
3.5/5
Mortician - "Hacked Up for Barbecue" (1996)
I'm a minor fan of the early 90's releases from New York's Mortician which led me to pick up their 1996 debut album through the tape trading scene as soon as it was released. "Hacked Up for Barbecue" sees the duo continuing on with the drum machine-driven sound they'd adopted for 1995's "House by the Cemetery" E.P. which upped the brutality on their early 7" singles (i.e. 1990's disappointing "Brutally Mutilated" & the entertaining "Mortal Massacre" from 1992) & gave Mortician more of a unique edge. The vocals of bass player Will Rahmer (Incantation) are ultra-deep & highly effective while his powerful & overly distorted bass sound combines beautifully with Roger J. Beaujard's (Malignancy) deep, down-tuned guitar tone to give Mortician a thick yet strangely accessible graveyard atmosphere that's complimented beautifully by the often unnerving horror movie samples. Most of the material from those early singles has been re-recorded for this release which is really quite long for such an extreme release at over 50 minutes in duration. I'd suggest that we'll be best served by utilizing a dual brutal death metal/goregrind tag here as it's hard to overlook the influence of early Carcass. I think this is a better record than Mortician's slightly more well-known sophomore album "Chainsaw Dismemberment" but there's not a lot in it. If pushed though, I think I still favour the "Mortal Massacre" single over both, however it's worth noting that these releases are all more fun than they are essential if I'm being completely honest.
For fans of Fluids, Torsofuck & Impetigo.
3.5/5
Delerium - "Morpheus" (1989)
The second full-length from these Canadians saw them returning with a slightly different sound to that of their classic 1988 debut album "Faces, Forms & Illusions" which represented my introduction to the duo & saw me falling for their wonderful mix of IDM & ambient music in no uncertain terms. "Morpheus" is more of a blend of electro-industrial, conventional industrial & dark ambient music with the former being the main protagonist. The tracklisting is less consistent than that of "Faces, Forms & Illusions" although there are just as many truly wonderful moments on offer. The deeper inclusions are where you'll find the true gems though with the dark ambient of the title track (my personal favourite) & closer "Fragment of Fear" & the high-quality electro-industrial of "Faith" & "Allurance" all qualifying as genuine classics in my world. Some of the less significant industrial material tends to feel a little more middling with "Coup de tat" failing to capture me at all. When viewed holistically though, "Morpheus" is another horribly overlooked & underrated early Delerium release that has left me walking away feeling both rewarded & satisfied. I've even bumped my score up by a half star from my initial rating from more than fifteen years ago now.
For fans of In Slaughter Natives, Guillaume David & Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' "Watchmen, Vol. 2" soundtrack.
4/5
The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Miss Machine" (2004)
This was my first time with the New Jersey mathcore legends' sophomore album & I have to admit that I've found "Miss Machine" to be a bit of a step down from the other Dillinger material I'm familiar with. I think it's just lacking those couple of genuine classics to encourage me to reach for my higher ratings & the inclusion of the fairly weak & more accessible "Unretrofied" hasn't helped the situation either. The rest of the tracklisting is invariably engaging but the sound isn't that different to what we'd heard from them on "Calculating Infinity" so the material does tend to feel like a very talented band going through the motions at times. Still... who the fuck can play like this anyway!? It's pretty phenomenal that they can pull it all together amidst while attempting such chaotic song structures.
For fans of Converge, Botch & Car Bomb.
3.5/5
Also, coming tomorrow, January 9th is the brand new album from Ruins of Beverast, the first for 5 years, entitled Tempelschlaf.
A couple of tracks are up for preview on Bandcamp:
Let Me Dream - "My Dear Succubus" (1995)
This relatively unknown debut album from obscure Finnish band Let Me Dream is one of the rare releases that I bought completely blind during the mid-90's. My purchase of the CD was based purely on a rapturous review I'd read in Terrorizer magazine which made this record sound like it would be right up my alley. I was sorely disappointed though as "My Dear Succubus" is generally pretty amateurish & lacking in any sort of class, despite possessing a noticeably underground cult vibe that would no doubt have pleased the purists out there. I'd describe Let Me Dream's sound as being blackened gothic doom metal which isn't a description you see too often & they admittedly have a pretty original sound that's highlighted by the regular use of cheap synthesizers playing simply single-note accompaniments. My main issue is with the clean male vocals though as they are completely incompetent & take a great deal away from the blackened snarls that make up more of the run time. The instrumentation is very basic too although the guitar tone will no doubt draw comparisons to Celtic Frost's early works. At the end of the day there are metal releases that simply aren't worth exploring & this is definitely one of them. Where do I claim my hard-earned $30 back?
For fans of Cultus Sanguine, Moonspell & Celtic Frost.
2.5/5
Ashra - "New Age of Earth" (1977)
I picked up a CD copy of this debut album from Berlin-based progressive electronic act Ashra after discovering Manuel Göttsching's classic 1975 "Ash Ra Tempel VI: Inventions for Electric Guitar" debut album in the early 2000's & have always loved it since. Göttsching is once again the musical mastermind here with Ashra's sound sitting right in the middle between progressive electronic & space ambient. It's the ambient parts that are the most brilliant with the epic 22-minute closer "Nightdust" being one of the most significant space ambient works of all time in my opinion & single-handedly carrying the album to an elite score. "New Age of Earth" should be considered to be essential listening for fans of either subgenre.
For fans of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze & Steve Roach.
4.5/5
Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop (1973)
Genres: Prog Soul, Soul-Funk, Funk Rock, Psych Soul
So if that genre-tagging wasn't boner-inducing enough, we're dealing with Funkadelic in general. This is during that understated period where the psych aspects of their rock side have transitioned to the soul side, allowing for a much more spiritual side to the band, one that remains as catchy and spirited as ever. This is obviously the step forward into evolving into a p-funk band, one that bases itself on the raw trippiness of the psychedelic age. Honestly, the third track, March to the Witch's Castle, relaxed every fiber of my body, putting my subconscious into a total state of euphoria. It's a real shame that this side of the band wasn't explored very much during the late 70's, focusing mostly on the p-funk side we're familiar with on albums like Mothership Connection. This is probably their most soulful album.
96
Dead Can Dance - "Garden of the Arcane Delights" E.P. (1984)
This four-song E.P. was recorded during the same sessions as Dead Can Dance's self-titled debut album from earlier in 1984 &, thankfully, the quality is just as good as the full-length although the E.P. represents somewhat of a transition release between the Melbournites' early gothic rock sound & their later darkwave one with two songs from each category included. "In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated" is an all-time favourite of mine & may be the peak for the entire goth rock genre actually. I used to play & sing it at parties back when I first met my wife. Closer "Flowers of the Sea" is a stunning example of Lisa Gerrard's otherworldly talents too. I can't tell you how much I adore this artist but, if pushed, I slightly favour "Dead Can Dance" over the E.P. which isn't the general consensus these days.
For fans of Lycia, Drab Majesty & Trance to the Sun.
4.5/5
In Flames - "Colony" (1999)
Another classic Swedish melodeath record & another release that I can't connect with. I wasn't a fan of widely praised albums like "Jester Race", "Whoracle" or "Clayman" so it's no real surprise that I've struggled with this revisit of In Flames' 1999 fourth full-length "Colony" either because it's pretty much on the same level as those three. If pushed I'd probably put "Whoracle" at the top of that list with "Jester Race" & "Colony" rounding out the top three. I have to admit that Anders Fridén's vocals are really good & so are the production & performances, particularly the guitar work of Björn Gelotte & Jesper Strömblad. The song-writing is just too accessible for me with those folky melodies not offering me much of substance though.
For fans of Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates & Soilwork.
3/5
Dream Theater - "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" (2002)
It's kinda strange that I hadn't given Dream Theater's sixth full-length studio album (a double album in fact) a run before now when you consider how highly I regarded Boston's progressive metal masters during the late 1990's but that's the way that things have fallen so I decided to fill that gap over the last few days. "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is generally considered to be a solid release that fails to reach the lofty heights that Dream Theater had previously scaled yet does nothing to take anything away from their legacy either & I've found myself agreeing with that sentiment this week. These two records rarely see the quality dipping below an acceptable level with only the cheesy symphonic piece "i. Overture" failing to offer me any enjoyment. I will suggest that the tracklisting is fairly top heavy though as most of the gold can be found on the first disk with the lengthy title track being more mildly enjoyable than it is essential. "The Great Debate" is an absolute masterclass in progressive metal while the more stripped back balladry that takes place early on is also very impressive. Guitarist John Petrucci (my favourite guitarist ever) is once again the standout performer with his solos invariably seeing me picking my jaw up off the floor. In terms of the overall package, I think 2003's "Train of Thought" is of a similar standard to this release but neither come close to matching earlier classics like "When Dream and Day Unite", "Images & Words" or "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory". They do compare well with 1994's "Awake" though & I'd take any of those three over 2005's "Octavarium" which saw the band taking a further step down in my opinion.
For fans of Symphony X, Rush & Liquid Tension Experiment.
4/5
Steeleye Span - Parcel of Rogues (1973)
Genres: British Folk... Rrrroooock-k-k?
I spent a good portion of the album waiting for it to actually be a rock album as RYM said, as I was in the mood for the British Folk Rock genre. There's barely on it, so I'll judge it as a folk album. Now you can tell pretty easily that the group was trying to expand and experiment, trying out a bunch of tricks and sounds. And mostly, they work beautifully. This is an exceptionally eclectic and unpredictable folk album that maintains its old-timey folk spirit with very few wavers. As expected from a Steeleye Span album, it feels like they've summoned the spirits of ancient minstrels to perform, and some of these compositions are gorgeous while others are simply fun. One issue with the experimentation is that the melodies in the early songs are a bit quirky, and the quirkiness gets in the way of the catchiness the band is attempting, as if they were struggling to rewrite folk so as to ensure they don't recycle melodies from previous albums. Nevertheless, its ability to shift from sparsechantings to violin-central pseudo-hymns to near-psychedelic electric guitar is wonderful. It's a journey right through the medieval ages. But I'm calling this prog folk, not folk rock.
94
Scott Kelly & The Road Home - "The Forgiven Ghost in Me" (2012)
The third solo album from Neurosis front man Kelly sees him collaborating with band mates Noah Landis, Jason Roeder & Josh Graham as well as guitarist Greg Dale which gives his very sparce & stripped-back music a little more weight. I really dig all three of Scott's records but I think this one is the best of them. Kelly's music can be a little monotonous at times but the added textures & colours contributed by The Road Home help to accentuate the song-writing a little here so I've really enjoyed this week's trip through Kelly's vulnerable storylines.
For fans of Steve Von Till, Wino & Townes Van Zandt.
4/5
Temple of the Dog - "Temple of the Dog" (1991)
I still give his old grunge record a spin every now & then & it's held up really well. I first discovered Temple of the Dog through album highlight "Hunger Strike" shortly after release but my interest in the group was expanded upon significantly during my first real relationship in 1993/94 as my ex-girlfriend was a grunge fanatic. Temple of the Dog was somewhat of a super-group comprised of members of Soundgarden, Audioslave, Green River, Mad Season, Pearl Jam, Skin Yard, Queens of the Stone Age, etc. so it was always going to amount to something high-quality, particularly given it was fronted by Chris Cornell i.e. my all-time favourite make vocalist. Other than the incredible "Hunger Strike" (which features a stunning collaboration between Cornell & Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder), I don't think that there are any other genuine classics here though & the quality level does dip a touch through tracks 7-9. Still... I really enjoy "Temple of the Dog" & think it makes for a worthy tribute to the late Andrew Wood (the former Mother Love Bone front man who died of a heroin overdose the previous year). If you ever wondered what it would have sounded like if Chris Cornell sung for Pearl Jam then here's your chance to find out because it sounds very much like that.
In terms of the early grunge movement, I'd place "Temple of the Dog" touch behind Soundgarden's "Louder Than Love" & Nirvana's "Bleach" but comfortably ahead of Mudhoney's "Superfuzz Bigmuff".
For fans of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden & Mother Love Bone.
4/5
Burzum - Hvis lyset tar oss (1994)
Genres: Atmo-Black Metal
Looking at old reviews for albums is a good way to see just how much you've changed. In this instance, it's one of Burzum's crowning gems, the one he wrote right before his legendary (tho overrated IMO) Filosofem. The name is Hvis lyset tar oss, which is Norwegian for "If the Light Takes Us." At this point in time, much like Filosofem, I can't say I like this one as much as I used to. I even knocked off a whole star from my Filosofem rating when I heard it. But I don't think I'll go quite that far. Back then, I liked Filosofem more, by a 2/100 edge (92 vs. 90). This time, I'd say I like this much more than Filosofem, which only had a 93.
In my old review, I mentioned that Burzum expressed his anger perfectly. I really don't think so anymore. Hearing so many professional and even frightening shrikes and growls in my time as a metal fan, now Burzum's voice sounds unpolished and even a little dorky, like he's trying either too hard or not hard enough. Otherwise, the music itself is pretty good. I got it right in my older review when I said that Burzum delivers on the basics of atmo-black well enough. This album is cold and treacherous, much like an actual blizzard. There are synths in the back but they're typically faint and not forced, working just well enough to add a little spice to these four epics. But the thing about these epics is that they largely have a one-track mind, so once again, it's more about the atmosphere than the music. Still, it's a careful, though not too experimental, blend of atmo, depressive and traditional black metal with a little dungeon synth on the side.
So I would say in my current state as a music buff that Burzum's album right before Filosofem has the edge. I didn't really expect to like it more than Filosofem at first, but I'd say that this one feels more like an actual music album, and it doesn't have an overdone 25-minute ambient track at the end, but rather a synth track which feels like something out of a Tangerine Dream album (it has a 14-minute one, which is still overdone but easier on more melodic ears and actually showing clever shifts in gear).
76
Colin Newman - "A-Z" (1980)
The debut solo album from Wire/Githead frontman Newman which offers a diverse array of dark & creative post-punk. While there is some high-quality material to be found here though, the tracklisting is noticeably jerky & inconsistent & doesn't include anything that I'd suggest reaches classic status so I've struggled a little bit with this one.
For fans of Wire, Cocteau Twins & Siouxsie & the Banshees.
3/5
Slipknot - "We Are Not Your Kind" (2019)
Yet again I find myself enjoying a Slipknot record without ever feeling like it'll be something that I'll return to in the future. In fact, I've scored all five of the Slipknot albums I've rated a respectable 3.5 stars but I can never seem to quite make the leap over to my more desirable scores. I will suggest that "We Are Not Your Kind" is one of the more underrated of the Iowa alternative metal legends' back catalogue though as I place it behind only 2001's "Iowa" in my Slipknot pecking order. It's a much more diverse record that sees the band flexing their creative muscles more than I can remember them doing in the past. There are a few dud tracks amongst the fourteen on offer but the majority of this release is really pretty decent.
For fans of Mushroomhead, Code Orange & Korn.
3.5/5