Category: Classic Album Review

Reviews of older and classic albums

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Classic Album Review

Retro Review: Havok – Burn

Havok -Burn

I’m not even into metal, or thrash metal, or anything cool like that, but SHOUT OUT to Havok. Killing it since 2009 before I even knew what metal was. Burn has that classic metal sound that would probably disgust your mom and plays in the background of a movie scene where the protagonist goes on a rampage or does illegal things for the first time.

            If we’re analyzing an album from the start rather than hearing it single by single, the starting point is obvious – covert art, and this one’s a cutie. Who doesn’t love skulls and weird dead trees? The subtle yet timeless metal vibes are present with a unique twist. I honestly think the combination of a softer color palette and spooky archetypes like the skulls illustrate the feel of the album perfectly. Yes, it is intense as metal often is, but it has gentle moments similar to classic rock.

I have to say I was hesitant about this one as I rarely listen to metal. In all honesty I often find myself avoiding it – but I am a fan! I just like it. Burn is a good album and there’s no getting around it. You can hear the talent Havok has and how well they work together to create a cohesive sound. Metal often gets put into a box and I used to believe the stereotypes I heard about the genre. I’m happy to say I have been wrong for quite some time. This album is what you need to hear if you haven’t yet developed an appreciation for metal. The vocals aren’t super heavy, and the foundation is built by great musicians that rock hard enough for it to be metal but won’t scare a newbie like me. I recommend! Yay!  

xoxo 

your trusty music librarian 

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Classic Album Review

Retro Review: So Many Wizards – Heavy Vision

So Many Wizards - Heavy Vision

What a bummer. So Many Wizards is probably best known for a super popular track of theirs, and it saddens me to say that said track is the best thing they’ve put out. Lose Your Mind really is a great single, and I had high hopes for this earlier So Many Wizards album, but it’s really nothing to get excited about. As per usual, Kazerouni sounds great, as does the rest of the band, but all of the songs kind of blur together. It pains me to write this, but there’s just nothing special going on here. Heavy Vision gets a 5/10 from me. Sorry guys.

            At first glance, I was excited to maybe hear a little something darker from this group. The album cover they chose for Heavy Vision really had me convinced that I was gonna hear something a little gloomy from the group. We all love a dark album every now and then. This is not what we have here.

            Of course, one of the worst habits us listeners have is expecting every song by every band to sound like their hit single, if they have one. Even if we aren’t aware of it, it happens. One thing I can appreciate about So Many Wizards is their consistency. Their work sounds like them, through and through. They’re talented so they sound good, but there’s nothing that really reaches out and grabs the listener– kind of a letdown considering they had 12 songs worth of music to do so in Heavy Vision. Because all of the tracks in Heavy Vision sound so similar but are missing that pizzazz, the whole thing kind of runs together. So Many Wizards is talented, but it doesn’t shine through in this album.

xoxo

your trusty music librarian 

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Classic Album Review

Retro Review: Rock*A*Teens – Sixth House

           Okay. Here’s the thing. We can all appreciate something that sounds even a little bit different than what we usually get from Merge. This album is different. I like that. Sixth House isn’t whiny and sounds like real rock, a lot less moaning and fewer ‘recorded on a laptop next to my dead aloe vera plant’ vibes – a nice switch up in my opinion. It’s also nice to have an experienced band in your local mix, but the vibe of this album is almost too gentle. Rock*A*Teens has been around since the 90’s so of course their sound has changed some, but they rocked way harder in their earlier stuff.   

            Besides being kind of underwhelming, the sound is also kind of confusing. The cover screams indie and makes me think of someone with long hair singing about crying and then starting to cry while singing. I wasn’t expecting to hear a dad voice when I first popped in my headphones.

            Sixth House sounds kind of like if Tom Petty was backed by a younger band that started off in a garage but upgraded while still holding on to their grunge roots. It’s almost jammy. Or jammish. Laid back with little to no frill, Rock*A*Teens is a respectable group. But if I had it my way, they would have stuck to their original sound and gone a little harder on these newer tracks. Sorry! Try again next time!

– Music Librarian 

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Classic Album Review

Retro Review: Pie Face Girls – First

Pie Face Girls - First

It’s time to talk local. It’s time to talk classics. It’s time to talk local classics. Basically, it’s time to talk Pie Face Girls, Raleigh legends. The trio has pumped out newer tracks and continues to absolutely crush the game, but this is a retro review after all, so we’re gonna get as retro as we can with these local celebrities. 2014.

            The geniuses of PFG gifted us with First in early 2014. Hard to believe this album is almost 6 years old, and even harder to believe that these lovely folks have stuck around oak city for all that time! We’ve been riding this rollercoaster of jams ever since this initial release, and although the group just keeps getting better, their debut is nothing to stick your nose up at.

            First screams Pie Face Girls. It’s just so them. The cover is essentially looking at you and asking you what you’re staring at. It’s not anything other than what Pie Face Girls really is. We get the message without any frill. If you check out this album online, you’ll also see that it contains four songs, none of which are child friendly per se. Three out of the four titles could not be spoken in full on air and I’m pretty sure all of them violate FCC regulations – but what a perfect illustration of PFG this is. They rock and they know it. Each of these sweet tunes has the essentials: Klay, Dani, and Tiffany rocking our worlds with earth shattering beats and perfectly yelled vocals telling us what we need to hear. The shortest track, F*** You I’m Pretty…? Sheesh what a tune. First of all, gold star for that title. We love to see it. Second of all, hello perfectly performed grungy drum moments. Hi scary bass riffs that prepare me for battle. NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU. This song makes you wanna jump up and down in ugly pants and fight to destroy oppressors. Same goes for the whole album, honestly. This energy is what Pie Face Girls does best. They kill it every time and this first album is no exception. LONG LIVE PFG!!!

xoxo

your trusty music librarian 

Categories
Classic Album Review

Retro review: The Zephyr Bones – Secret Place

Um hello, if the Secret Place is an actual place then it’s a place I wanna be! This Zephyr Bones album is only two years old, but it definitely has that classic indie sound that can be hard to come by these days. This is a great album that will absolutely stand the test of time for several reasons; perhaps I shall make a list:

  1. That cover art. Sheesh. Wowza. What a cotton candy dream. Of course the album cover doesn’t affect sound quality but it’s what caught my eye in the music library and helped The Zephyr Bones stand out against thousands of other artists we have music from at KNC. If you aren’t looking for a specific artist’s work when you’re shopping around for some new music – then what will catch your eye? That cover babie! Before you even hear it, you see it, and the artwork for Secret Place is the perfect illustration. You can’t tell what it is. The landscape drawn out appears strange and feels hidden, as a secret place should.
  2. Lets hear it for the boys! Indie rock has always gotta be rooted in ‘rock.’ I know it. You know it. The skater kids know it. Fortunately, Secret Place fits the bill! It’s definitely on the right shelf in the music library. The foursome combine all the right elements in just the right way, making a mellow, beachy sound that isn’t missing any of the great parts of rock we all love. These guys seriously know what they’re doing.
  3. I’ll take those tunes with a twist – a modern twist. A great album sets out to do something different, which is not an easy task when so much music already exists. The Zephyr Bones do a great job of showcasing their individuality in Secret Place. Psychedelic soundscapes back up their already solid foundation and gentle vocals bring everything together in a way that just works.

If you’re looking for some indie rock to set a relaxing mood that isn’t lacking in genuine talent, this is the album for you.

 xoxo

your trusty music librarian

Categories
Classic Album Review

Album Highlight: Highway to Hell – AC/DC

image

The title track to this record is a rock-‘n’-roll / hard rock anthem! It’s opening riff is recognizable instantly! And stadiums, arenas, and ballparks around the world play this great song! Highway to Hell, unlike AC/DC’s previous five albums (and one LP), was produced by “Mutt” Lang, a legendary producer even at this early stage in his career. It was recorded at Chalk Farm, North London in March 1979, and released July 27, 1979. Mutt and the band changed just about everything the band was doing up to that point. AC/DC had been touring all over Australia and Europe by this time, but their evolution (even Bon Scott’s vocals) transformed into something they had never even thought about. Imagine, Mutt giving Scott vocal lessons!! Or Angus (Young) guitar lessons! Yet, that’s what happened, and it formed one of the greatest records of all time. Atlantic Records hated the album name, and the album cover released in Australia (the worldwide released cover, with addition of flames and a bass guitar neck) was no different (see Australian album cover above)!

The record had a less than serious theme: Love Hungry Man, Girls Got Rhythm, Beating Around the Bush, Touch Too Much, Walk All Over You, Get It Hot, and Shot Down In Flames are all metaphors (or otherwise insinuating) sex. The three remaining songs are stand alone themes: Highway to Hell, believe it or not, is about the band’s life on the road. If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) is a titled borrowed from the band’s previous live record and it speaks to the fact that AC/DC will always give you everything that they have when they play live. And Night Prowler became quite controversial quickly! The serial killer, Richard Ramirez, nick-named “The Night Stalker,” was a huge AC/DC fan, and the song and the maniac will forever be intertwined. The band says that this song, too, is about sex, but that doesn’t explain the lyric, “…And you don’t feel the steel till it’s hanging out your back!”

The record was certified 7X platinum by RIAA in 2006. Tracks from this album are featured in eight movies, as a soundtrack for a video game, and as a theme song for the WWE SummerSlam (1998). The record peaked at #17 on the US Too 100. And it is the second highest selling AC/DC album of all time (right behind Back In Black, released a year later).

Within months of the release of Highway to Hell, Bon Scott literally drank himself to death, dying of alcohol poisoning on Feb. 18/19, 1980. AC/DC remained Angus Young – lead guitar; Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals; Phil Rudd – drums; and Cliff Williams – Bass guitar, backing vocals with the addition of Brian Johnson taking up vocals soon after the tragedy.

Favorite songs: Highway to Hell; Girls Got Rhythm; Beating Around the Bush

Rating: 10/10!!!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW 

Categories
Classic Album Review

Album of the Week: Metal Church – Metal Church

Metal Church shot out of the gate with their self-titled debut, Metal Church! Although this record is from the early `80s, squarely in the upswing of Glam / Big Hair Rock, it sets the pace for what Thrash Metal would become. Originally released on independent label, Ground Zero, in 1984, the album sold so well that Elektra Records signed the band and reissued Metal Church in 1985. It was recorded in `84 at Steve Lawson Productions in Seattle Washington. The record weighs in at 42:00 minutes long, exactly. And there is never a dull moment!

David Wayne, inspired by the likes of Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and inspiring folks like James Hetfield (Metallica), does a masterful job on every song (with the exception of the lone instrumental, of course). With a powerful voice, Wayne is an excellent frontman for the powerhouse musicians behind him. Kurt Vanderhoof is the founder of Metal Church, writing all lyrics on this record, except the instrumental and the cover song, and he is menacing as he shreds through riffs on this record. Craig Wells plays opposite Vanderhoof and is a great compliment. Duke Erickson rounds out the strings, nicely, and Kirk Arrington shows his skills on the drums.  

The track listing (as mentioned above) includes a cover of Deep Purples Highway Star, which the band handles with ease. The instrumental is aptly named, Merciless Onslaught(written by Vanderhoof).Beyond the Black, the title track, Metal Church, Merciless Onslaught,and God’s of Wrathconstitute side one; while Hitman, In the Blood, (My Favorite) Nightmare, Battalions, and Highway Star rap up the record with side two. I’m telling you, there is not a moment of rest on this whole album!

Favorite Songs: I literally love every single song! But Metal Churchwill always be my favorite!

Rating: 10/10!!

*Special note: David Wayne died on May 10, 2005 from complications due to a car wreck.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW 

Categories
Classic Album Review

Album of the Week: Melissa – Mercyful Fate

Melissa is the first studio album by the Danish band, Mercyful Fate. The record was recorded July 18-29, 1983 at Easy Sound Recordings in Copenhagen, Denmark and released October 30, 1983, by Roadrunner in Europe (the record company’s first release), Music for nations in the UK, and Mega Force in the USA.

Interestingly, the album (and the band) are, obviously listed in the Heavy Metal genre, but also the Black Metal genre. Like Slayer (listed as Heavy Metal / Death Metal), from the same era, it is not the lyrical delivery that determined the category, but the lyrical content. Mercyful Fate (and Melissa) are renown for the occult – demonology, witchcraft, and Satanist – subject matter.

The (now) legendary King Diamond, with his operatic vocals (notably, his usage of falsetto) and death mask face paint, wrote and performs all lyrics. The band is solidly rounded-out by the awesome Hank Sherman (guitar; composer of all songs), Michael Denner (guitar), Timi Hansen (base), and Kim Ruzz (drums). Melissa clocks in at 40:09 long, while containing seven tracks.

It was planned to be an eight song record, with a cover of, “The Immigrant Song” (Led Zepplin), but the band decided it did not fit well with the theme and feel of the rest of the record. Included in the seven track selection, clocking 11:23, is the epic, “Satan’s Fall.” The song, according to the band, contains 16 different riffs, and took “forever" to learn because Sherman kept adding parts! It was the band’s longest song for many years. One single was released for the record, “Black Funeral,” with a B-side, “Black Masses" (a song recorded during Melissa, but not making the final cut).

In 1985, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) cited “Into the Coven" among their Filthy Fifteen (their list of objectionable songs) because of its occult content. In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Melissa at 17th on their list of ‘The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time’.

1983 Track Listing:

  1. Evil
  2. Curse of the Pharaohs
  3. Into the Coven
  4. At the Sound of the Demon Bell
  5. Black Funeral
  6. Satan’s Fall
  7. Melissa

Favorite Songs: Melissa; Curse of the Pharaohs; Satan’s Fall

Rating: Definitely a solid 10/10!!

Melissa is simply one of the best Metal albums on the market and a MUST HAVE for the serious metalhead! BTW, Mercyful Fate have reunited and are touring during the 2019 season! Catch them if you get the opportunity!

Stay Metal, 

THE SAW 

Categories
Classic Album Review

Album of the Week: Heartwork – Carcass

What a melodic metal masterpiece! The fourth studio album from Carcass, Heartwork was recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool on May 18 – June 21, 1993, and released by Earache Records on October 18th, 1993.

Old school fans of Carcass, at least initially, were not too pleased with the band’s departure from the format and sound of their first three records, but the song structure – a pure dissection and reanimating of traditional structure – is nothing short of genius. And vocalist/bassist Jeff Walker continues sprinkling his trademark lyrics taken straight from a medical dictionary. Michael Amott (Arche Enemy) and Bill Steer (Napalm Death) are incredible as they tear through some of the greatest riffs and leads ever intertwined into metal melodies. Ken Owen (Blackstar) is not outshined by the duo with his speed and groove on drums, while Walker’s base playing rounds out the sound wonderfully. Every track is blazingly fast, with break-neck tempo changes of melody and harmony. Walker uses a drier, harsher voice (than the over-modulated sound of earlier albums) which bring a borderline thrash, grindcore, death metal sound to every song.

In May of 2013, Heartwork was inducted into the Decibel Magazine Hall of Fame, the 100th album inducted (and the 2nd album to be inducted for Carcass – Necroticism). In 2017, Rolling Stone listed Heartwork at #51 of ‘The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time’.

It is difficult to name favorite songs from this record because, literally, all 10 songs are awesome! But, if I’m forced to pick a few at the top, for me:

Favorite Songs: Heartwork; Buried Dreams; No Love Lost

Rating: 10/10!!!

Categories
Classic Album Review

CLASSIC REVIEW: SCRATCH ACID- Berserker

CLASSIC REVIEW: SCRATCH ACID- Berserker 

 Mary Had a Little Drug Problem, For Crying Out Loud, This Is Bliss

I may be going out on a limb here when making the grand proclamation that music is a particularly potent form of communicating emotion, an expulsion of abstract human experience into material and social reality.  These emotions aren’t necessarily the basic happy, sad, mad, etc., but are more closely reminiscent of attitudes that reflect an environment which the musician can interpret and which is relevant to their audience.  For example, the first wave of the British Invasion was centered around teenage angst and generally pubescent themes, which spoke to a world of youth who were incredibly frustrated and confused. Punk was a fit of anger at systemic injustice, whether this is political or highly personal; and bands like the Smiths or The Cure tackled robust melodrama.  Of course, these are just a few examples in an infinite pool of artists and movements, which are by no means rigidly separated in their capacity to feel and create. I bring up this fundamental requirement of music, though, to emphasize both the genius and eccentricity of Scratch Acid. As stated above, the relationship between music and its audience demands communication, however abstract. It implies a shared connection between the two.  With this in mind, it makes sense that Scratch Acid has simultaneously remained critically important while missing from the canon of classic American acts. And what’s the feeling that they so effectively make digestible for their audience? Pure discomfort: the sensation akin to the shell of your skin being constantly irritated by the red goop moving beneath it. They sing of constant anxiety which permeates every facet of a being whose existence is an inherent offense.  With their EP, Berserker, Scratch Acid melds young noise experimentation with punk’s insistence on efficacy. Rather than using noise to experiment with everything that could be made, Scratch Acid limits themselves to only what is necessary to explore a life filled with a pressing, constant discomfort. I don’t want to act as if I understand Scratch Acid, or that the pain I have felt in my life has been particularly bad by any means. I have a really difficult time listening to Scratch Acid.  Rather, I want to emphasize that their goal as musicians is to deliver a message which is drastically different from most any other band.  

Scratch Acid was formed in the Austin, Texas of 1982.  They consisted of Steve Anderson (vocals), David Sims (guitar), Brett Bradford (guitar), David Yow (bass), and Rey Washam (drums).  Before recording their first album, Anderson was kicked out while Yow took over mouth duties. There is little information out there about the band’s career (beyond their status as a precursor to noise legends Jesus Lizard) other than their notoriety for highly chaotic performances.  Thrashing loosely on a stage clad in aggravatingly unassuming street clothes, Scratch Acid forwarded a movement focused on transferring the spirit of punk’s alternative bluntness into a new direction. Noise experimentation replaced disciplined hardcore, and punk’s natural decadence became a pragmatic nihilism.  Through lyrical subject matter centering around unstable emotional fits and sludged bursts of screeching feedback, the band affirmed libertine attitudes of romantic validity while also remaining grounded in harsh, modern realities. Their 1987 EP Berserker is caustic mayhem which is as brief as it is intense. It stands at only 16 minutes long with pounding headaches of songs which thud against the front of the head in agonizing marches. Yow’s voice is frighteningly clear in a disturbing showcase of guttural pain; Scratch Acid does not sacrifice recording quality for aestheticism.  Berserker’s quarter-hour is determined to massage every crevice of an incredibly detailed offense. 

“Mary Had a Little Drug Problem” is, I guess, the poppiest song off the EP.  Yes, it does feature compressed chunks of dissonance bouncing between Yow’s strained and extended syllables, but the song ultimately falls into a semi-accessible groove.  It’s with the second track, “For Crying Out Loud” that Scratch Acid fully employ their talent of sonically describing discomfort. A grimy and uneven chord progression disorients a listener who is, at the same time, bombarded with a drum solo interspersed with unnaturally long bleats held by Yow. He sounds as if he’s writing on glass as his voice slithers unbroken over his band’s succinct bedlam.  “Moron’s Moron” finds no natural center in its tottering bassline which Yow stumbles over in a quasi-spoken word delivery. “Skin Drips” adopts a rockabilly uneasiness which mocks the camp of The Cramps with deeply disturbing imagery and commotion, while “This is Bliss” contrives descending guitar and bass riffs with a meandering shred of Yow’s throat. It often sounds incredibly unpleasant. Getting through this EP might be the longest 16 minutes of your life. But Scratch Acid know what they’re doing.  It’s a construction relying on complex, often unspoken truths about the disgusting reality of everyday life.

Scratch Acid was always destined to provide a link between alternativism and exploration of more nuanced emotions.  By shifting focus from simple anger and alienation to more abstract concepts of constant disgust or suffering, the band validated and manifested the human experience in ways unique to only them.  Berserker is most representative of their work.

 -Cliff Jenkins