Type O Negative, October Rust

Type O Negative, October Rust (Roadrunner-1996)

I really think this band are so overlooked. I know so as I did the same. I did buy this in the late 90s but never really liked it as much as I do now. Could be my age but I don't know why it took so long to love this band so much.

The album before was a big hit going platinum in America and cementing the band into the gothic style. But they really are just a rock band. As always all music has to be put into a sub genre. Call it metal if you like but it is still just rock n roll.

The dry humor here is what I love starting with a joke track then onto the music. "Love You to Death" is such a catchy song, nice keyboards and sample added with Peter Steele's utterly unique voice opens the album up well. Same goes for his bass playing and "Be My Druidess" shows how to make a sound with a bass guitar in a way that you have to have a go. The down tuned style is at times so un inspiring for many people but there are so many positives here as the songs are very catchy, you will be sing along at times and again it is listed in the metal section.

The big song "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" will guarantee smiles and it is such a great song, it should have been number one, could have been in the 80s but would they take it a seriously back then? The album is so well made that I was shocked to read that all drums were programed and you really can barley notice. I think they have made such a nice little sound unique to themselves you really do not notice much of the technical side of the music.

This album was not received as well as the other albums they done and a reason was for it being more ballad like music. But it is done so well and with such a great song writer in Steele they even cover a Neil Young song (Cinnamon Girl) and do it so well in there own style of music. It may seem to be a serious album and it is as the album deals with loneliness and death but the humor is so important here as it is so hard to write funny music. Here we have a funny, serious, heavy metal pop album. Has anyone ever done that ever since?

The album is easily available but the box set is great value as all the other albums are really good.

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Nevermore, This Godless Endeavor

Nevermore, This Godless Endeavor (Century Media-2005)

Looking over past albums I have chosen you can see I like heavy metal. But much of the metal world to most people can sound and also, be quite boring. If you can't get into say Slayer and Metallica you may think you don't like that style of music. It may sound to old for you as they have been about for years. Or you just want a more modern sound, something big where you can hear the hard work in the music...

Why not give it one more go. Nevermore are an American band who have been about from the mid 90s. They have done some great albums but this is a real stand out album. Not so much as a good set of tunes but good everything. Production, sound, engineering, musicianship and of course some great riffs. The band have always done a kind of old school thrash sound that has modernized with the black metal sound.

Best way to get an idea is to listen and first track "Born" is all you have to listen to for an idea on the sound here. At times metal does sound better when underproduction helps to give that raw edge. But this band seem to be on another planet here and every single thing that they play you can hear as crystal clear as possible.

DRUMS! man I wish I could hit one drum that sounded as good as this album. Pure utter gold, amazing playing from Van Williams, you think he is just hitting everything all the time but as the album progresses "My Acid Words" shows this man knows exactly what he is doing. Slowing down and barley playing to the music and evolving the album sound from one genre to another in a few drum fills. Amazing.

"Sentient 6" is the first time this album take a ballad feel and even then it is done so well, some nice keyboards and the normal slow timing to make the song feel more emotional but the riffs are here don't worry.

And in the middle a nice instrumental "The Holocaust Of Thought" it is more of a solo lasting 90 seconds, bit odd but if there was no track list you really would not have noticed. Again this album feels so right and it all fits well. "Sell My Heart For Stones" returns to the piano and acoustic sound of before but with some real emotional lyrics. The harmonies help build up what the song is about.

The band up to this point had quite a few albums out and I think they may have got an idea it was the time to make it bigger and "The Psalm Of Lydia" shows just what they can do. Dissecting the song there are 1000 ideas here. You need to listen so close and thankfully the next track is more like a classic metal song, solos and great mountains of noise.

Last track "This Godless Endeavour" titles the album and I see why. Again including many fantastic acoustic passages and that great voice. The bass and drums work so well here and at the start supply a great riff between them. The song is a little like a reprise of the whole album, brave thing to do as I have heard this done many times before and it never really works. But it does here. It could also be a teaser for the next album.

The band and the producer Andy Sneap could not have done anything else to make this better, no tweaks to any dial could have made a single riff or snare drum sound any better. All the planets were in alignment for this one. The press did not miss this one as well, I did see 10/10 in one and all were full of praise. Tours supporting the big bands must have been on the cards.

But the band had some back luck, illness in the band made the tours impossible. No record company can promote a band who can't tour. As they want to build up to the next album. So this album fell under the radar in a way. Well not now, give it a go. This album is my tester album to any new electrical equipment I get. Richer Sounds should give this away with all new amplifiers.

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Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets

Neurosis, A Sun That Never Sets (2001-Relapse Records)

So you think this is a metal album right? Well ok it could be to most people but it really is not metal. This band really started as a punk band. Over time the albums came out and the style changed. That is what a band should do so now album number seven is here.

The start of this album can be considered quite mellow or slow. But the contents are far from that, very well thought out and also constructed with amazing direction to consider pace and dynamics.

Big shout out to Steve Von Till on the vocals here. Amazing work and on track two "The Tide" he shows how it can be done. Nice slow speaking parts but with his voice showing the story. Acoustic guitars and violin build this into a stunning wall of noise. it is so easy to get lost in the first few tracks and even consider this album to being linked to heavy metal. You really do not notice the guitars here like on a typical metal outfit. That is why the album is chosen to be here. The textures and guitar sound are less than riffs but more harmonics. Amazing stuff, I don't know if it is just trained ears that hear this but it is a real treat to my ear drums.

At the time of the albums release the band were on a high commercially with the previous albums Through Silver and Blood and Times of Grace gaining positive reviews across the music industry and opening the band up to so many other fans (like me). So the next album could be expected to be the same but not so and this reviewer can still remember the day he got this on CD. One of those rare album where you go right back in for a listen. When on the bus I was not bothered about the congestion when I had this in the cd player. "From the Hill" has all the contents of the more noisy dynamics from the first track but slowed down. Nothing is rushed here and it again shows how good the band are at feeling what they want to do.

The title track helps give some melodic feel into the longest track here "Falling Unknown" reminds me of very early Cheap Trick mixed with an evil Thin Lizzy helping King Crimson tune up. A kind of rock start to the song thunders into more sound scape that build and build up. You never really care if it gets to the top and could be considered a little to long, but a band in this good shape has to be recorded.

The album has been listed in a folk metal category for the elements it contains. Very unusual to have violins and viola on a metal album but this really does help this album out in making it bigger. Also this was the first album the band made that had clean vocals, with the vocals rarely moving from the slow spoken style.

From this album on the Sludge metal seem to evolve into a very large part of metal music. Neurosis may not have ever wanted to be on MTV but some bands after them were very much helped by the contents of this album. This shows you do not need to sell out by becoming more pop or more radio friendly. Why not use popular art instead.

A Sun That Never Sets is available easily via Neurot Recordings

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Cheap Trick, Rockford

Cheap Trick, Rockford (Big3 Records-2006)

Album number 15 for this "Rockford" based band. Yeah it is named after the bands home town and why not. A band that always had there feet on the ground and from the early 90s were pretty much self managed. With the record company poking there nose in much of the time as soon as the deal was over it was time to move on. 1997 the released a self titled album that was for me a cracking return to form and a new start.

Here is an album that I think was not given any real mainstream coverage as people more likely assume the band is passed it or worse still just listen to the first few albums. Well you need to add this to the collection as it is fantastic. A proper all out rock album that pulls many a punch. It is like a mix of old and new with the catchy vocals we have all heard before.

Every track here is a great one and the album opens with "Welcome to the World" it feels like the band are having just as much fun as the listener. "Perfect Stranger" shows a band who can still play so well together. I know this is not just studio production as I have seen the band live a few times now and the are still amazing to see. Rick Nielsen may not run about the stage as much or as fast but hell they can play.

If this was the mid 80s this album would have sold bucket loads but 2006 and on there own label it really did not stand a chance. But I don't think the band care as long as the fans like it.

Any younger person reading this may remember the That 70s Show theme tune? That was this band! Think of that show intro but faster and more fun and you have the first half of this album.

I could review each track on its own but why bother as all have the same sound and it is great. A band that people can't rip off as all bands after them agree they were the most fun.

Those few of you who read this and get this album then you are in for a real treat and if you have never listened to a Cheap Trick album before then here is where to start. It has been well documented the band help influence the likes of Nirvana, the Pixies, Pearl Jam, Weezer, the Ramones and countless others.

By the way album 16 if fantastic as well, still on tour and going strong Cheap Trick, 1973–present

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Classic Album Review, Carcass, Swansong

Carcass, Swansong (Earache-1996)

Up till a few days ago this was the bands last album. Reforming in 2007 for some live shows the band took a while in deciding to enter the studio. It was worth it was the new album is a cracking album all of it's own.

But this band back in the early 90s were a big influence to so many metal fans. But back then metal fans were really just people who liked Metallica and Iron Maiden. This music was really considered to many to be unlistenable even in the metal world. I remember a college friend who wore a denim jacket that had band patches on it like Slayer and others hated this style of music. But the band have up to this album done five quite different sounding albums. This was supposed to me a major label debut with Columbia who were trying to capture some guaranteed money in a band who were going places.

Guess what? The major asked to change the music and the band did in a way. But they were going to do so anyhow. Carcass have been described differently with each album. Death, grind, goregrind and many more. They have if you like invented more genres than studio albums out. This one is called and labeled as the first melodic death metal album. Or death and roll (No joke).

"Keep on Rotting in the Free World" opens the album in a great way. More of a joke song at the time it can if you like have some link to many political problems in the planet. Still the big drum sound from Colin Richardson and the blastbeat drums are fantastic. You get the melodic feel right away, still the sound is just so much more than a metal album.

Next song "Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody" has my favorite riff of the album, the whole intro is just fantastic. Melodic and heavy in such a catchy riff. You feel like you have heard it before but then you realize it has never been done like that. Again nice blastbeat drums carry the song well. Into "Black Star" and I really do not get peoples negativity and labels of being sellouts back in 96. A slower song and still full of riffs and that voice just cuts the speakers open. Jeff Walker has never sounded so good (or bad) his voice is like nothing I have heard before. Heavy but nothing like you can get in this area of metal. His sound is not just a scream or even a grunt as you can clearly hear all the words, it is as if there is some digital trickery but all fans know he can sing like that.

More of the same and a great formula "Cross My Heart" has a great classic rock n roll feel to it. You could almost dance to it. "Room 101" has a little bit of a alt metal feel to it. Little bit less melodic but repetitive to fit well into the album. Later songs like "Firm Hand" and "Go to Hell" are less melodic more so in the vocal area. But still a great sound. The band seem to work very well later on and take over the album. I see why the death roll tag came about "Firm Hand" even has a little acoustic guitar.

"Don't Believe a Word" sounds very negative and it could be linked to the bands fortunes at the time. The album was released after the band split and the title was also given as they knew it was all over. No tour or big goodbye for the fans. Just one last album that at the time was not taken very well by many fans.

But this band on every album made and lost many fans. Those are not the sort of fans a band wants. And as ever time is the judge. They were right, this album is fantastic and a great starter for someone looking into the metal area that may have scared them or if you are just simply ignorant and find all music outside of the classic metal bands just not up to the classic stuff. Now the band have a new album, headlining tours and a legacy that showed so many how to play and also more importantly you can play like this. Some metal fans then would have crossed the street if they were walking down the street. Now they headline the Barrowlands in Glasgow.

Easily available but the 2008 re masters are great value with an added DVD.

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Classic Album Review, Ramones, It's Alive

Ramones It's Alive (1979-Sire)

And a first for my blog. Well more than one first. The first band/artist to be in it more than once. The first live album and the first double album.

I can't do my usual and go thorough the album dissecting songs and trying to give you (or convince) a description of the content. I also will not insult anyones intelligence as if you read what I type you have an idea.

The band were on the road for years and due to this the time is right for a live album. Three albums in for most bands would seem a little bit quick. Not quick enough for this band. MC5 had the balls to make the first album they done a live album so nothing remarkable in having one three albums in. But for the casual fan the live record is a bit of a best of and for kids with little pocket money a chance to get em all.

The band fire though 28 songs pretty much the whole catalog the band have.  No bullshit solos, fake chit chat and all that is not here. As Joe Strummer said "people have things to do" in direction at how fast the bad were and agreeing that get it done now as we have other things to do.

Classic song after song is here all sound better and the band sound fantastic. Faster and angrier the LPs they done were fantastic but still after the first album they had to hold back in the studio. For many fans a live show was never going to happen, too far away or what ever. This is as good as a replacement you can have.

The band were recording four gigs in total with the idea releasing the best one. Before listening to the music recorded this was chosen as the fans ripped up ten rows of seats at the Rainbow theater and threw them at the band.

I wrote about the bands last album before as I feel it was a great album overlooked. This album is loved by fans but overlooked by press and even fans outside the UK as it was a UK release. There have been reissues on cheap CDs over the years but the original LP sounds amazing so if you see it in a shop for a few quid get it.

The album for me is a benchmark for live albums. The sound and all out balls on this is amazing. 30+ years later I have never heard a live album like it. Look at all the punk bands now, they rarely do live albums and this is the reason why. Don't bother it has been covered and with extras.

The concert was filmed for VHS but the tapes came out too grainy on VHS as the lighting was too poor. But the DVD format changed that and the Live DVD of the same name has this concert in glorious Technicolor. But only half the concert is present. This band were that good you can't film them.

I could go on for ever but it is a great album, sounds fantastic with an amazing track listing. Punk was said to have died in 78 this came out in 79 and the band had another fantastic album in Road to Ruin out the year between the albums recording and release. So buy Road to Ruin and this and you are covered.

It's Alive is available from Amazon and E Bay but the vinyl LP for me sounds the best.

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Classic Album Review, Roger Taylor, Man on Fire

Roger Taylor, Man on Fire (EMI-1984)

It is not often a band gets that famous the drummer is a household celebrity. Well even in my house my mum would say "oh it's that drummer from Queen" so that is very famous to me. But many people don't know Roger Taylor has to date made four solo albums and another three under a band name The Cross.

This was his second and made at a time where the band were not sure if they would continue. After the shambles of the crap disco album Hot Space the band went on a break. Members went on and made some other music and this was his own hobby. 

The album is to me is simply a fun album, all instruments are played by Taylor. So even he was treating this as fun as if you wanted a serious rock album you would get in the proper deal in a real band. So he could then have some fun in the lyrics as well. 

"Strange Frontier" kick the album of in a great style, very 80s and a sound that fits nicely in 84. Nothing wrong with keyboards and drum machines if done well and with a catchy song. It was a single but the lack of promotion and the hope a Queen album was out soon the record company kept money for promotion. But many people did hear it and got it (Creeping into number 98).

Track two "Beautiful Dreams" was a single in Portugal and I think rightly so, could be the only place this album got some sort of respect. It is a slow number and a nice song of dreaming of finding a cure for something. Track three is another single in the UK anyhow (No 66) "Man on Fire" takes it back to the classic rock feel and again it is well done. The song is full of anger, lyrics depicting someone not working with no money but I think some could have been due to the mistakes that were made in Queen. Decisions that were out of his hands. This song shows his nice production job, not so much a shiny as the big bands but done to his taste. For such a great drummer to walk away from a kit and use a machine it shows how skilled he is in the studio. 

Next two songs are covers, "Racing In The Street" by Bruce Springsteen and "Masters Of War" by Bob Dylan. Both have been done very well with the first making me tap my foot. I all of a sudden want a Telecaster. 

The album feels so well done that as a side project it is a shame it was missed by even the biggest Queen fans. "Killing Time" really shows his alt rock side, some nice lyrics very much science fiction orientated. Some guests are invited to play on this album "Abandonfire" has help from producer David Richards who helps make the song into a real synth free for all but as you would expect in the 80s. "It's an Illusion" welcomes Rick Parfitt" and his classic six sting abilities on board. 

Roger has a fantastic voice but it works best in a rock style and with Parfitt here to help and rock is what you will get. Nice little guitar riffs and that good old sound we all know. Last song "I Cry For You (Love, Hope And Confusion)" leaves you with the hope of another album soon (the next was not for ten years) it ends with a big sound and some lyrics that really show that it may well be a long time to the next album. Not sure what the idea was at the time as after this album Queen went big again after the Live Aid performance and Magic Tour of 86 Platinum albums were on the cards again. Roger decided after Queen were not touring to form the Cross who did have success in Germany for many years. 

The album seems to be called dated upon its re-release and given a low score, I think many of the reviewers really did not listen. It has been out of print for a while but copies are out there. Again the blog is here to show you the albums I feel many people miss out on and this is one that could easily be in many peoples collection. Try putting it on with friend round and having them guess who or what it is. I see a few quid being made here ha ha. 

I hate reviewing album that are out of print and more so not available on download But this can be bought in many second hand stores and e bay for a few quid. If you see it available as MP3 let me know and I will update. 

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