The Almighty, Crank

The Almighty, Crank (1994-Chrysalis)

For any rocks fans who read this you may have well heard this band. More likely you have heard of them as in the early 90s they were very popular.

Based in Glasgow, Scotland they were one of many bands to come from Glasgow in many years. But unlike the others the music was simply and strictly in the rock category. No stranger to the studio or even the charts this is album number four, but at the time it was released rock music was not in. Britpop had taken over and every record label was signing anything with three chords and a cheeky smile.

The album came out to mixed reviews more so from the fans as it was more aggressive and louder. More akin to a punk band than the classy intros and ballads of a rock band. The cover for me was simply stunning, done by Jamie Reid simply an angel throwing a Molotov cocktail at Earth. The album backs up the cover.

First track "Ultraviolent" is the start I was expecting and thankfully it has it all. Loud and bold, the band hammer out the bass and drums big time. This is not for radio one on a Monday morning at 9am! The bands sound really is not a million miles away from before but the attitude is. Only two singles were released from the album and they are like chalk and cheese in the tempo department but both strangely sound right. "Wrench" is the slower song, big drum sound intro at the start and the song builds up, it is like a Ramones song slowed down. Anyone could play along with this a few chords and great lyrics. "Jonestown Mind" is way faster, I mean way, way faster. A breakneck start to the song and you feel like you are being piledriven by a wrestler. First line is "You're the Jesus that didn't get nailed, Everyone loves a righteous cause" So no daytime radio for this then.

The album is here as I think it deserves more attention and also cause there is no filler there at all. "The Unreal Thing" is another cracker of a song. The same big sound throughout the album and I think a great single. But were the kids ready for this after blasting Oasis? It really does not sound like it fits in 1994 at all. Even the metal world was struggling. But the production to me is not far from Nirvana and the Nevermind album. Nothing wrong with having a great sounding album.

The album keeps it going "Move Right In" and "Crank And Deceit" are all out rockers and intent on making you jump about like a loon. "United State Of Apathy" is a tribute to Bill Hicks and for me one of the highlights of the album. Great Bill inspired lyrics with "Sit up straight eat your Jesus flakes" up there as my favorite on the album. Great chorus in "Welcome To Defiance" if they took of the big drum sound and calmed it down a bit there may have been a hit. But fuck that let it rock out.

Back in 1995 I really can't remember any press on this album and I sort of fell into it by accident. The Wildhearts were to play T in the Park put pulled out. The Almighty were asked to take the place. Back then as I say all festivals were a wash with britpop and this band stood out big time. The new material for me was great, loud and for me being in my teens what I wanted.

The sound on the album may well be familiar to you as it was mixed by Chris Sheldon, who would go on to do albums by the Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro. Who knows if britpop had not have started, if the record company pushed them more in America with a nice big promo video. But fuck it it is all done now, give it a listen and the next time you hear Monkey Wrench you can give this album a pat on the back.

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Pain, Rebirth

Pain, Rebirth (Stockholm-1999)

Remember Napster? This album for quite some time was only available in Sweden and the reason I got this was due to Napster. Back then you could talk to the people you shared music with. Got chatting to a death metal fan from Sweden who recommended this to me. So downloaded it (Well it was free).

A bit of background here as it is important. Peter Tägtgren was at the time well known within metal fans as the leader of death metal band Hypocrisy he was also used many times by bands as a producer. His own studio was used for many classic metal albums, his own band were still going but his desire to make other music was so strong this album came about. Well it is his second under the name Pain. All writing/instruments are by his so it really is as solo as you can ever get. It was nothing but a side project but the album had a two hit singles in Sweden. Not sure if that was ever expected as the deal was simply kept to Sweden, this is where Napster came in to a music fans help. Import copies were very expensive back then. So I only ever had this on MP3 till a few years ago. 

The hit singles in "On and On" and "End of the Line" are so much fun and a real mix of styles. industrial and rock are mixed well but the ending sound is very surprising, strangely it feels more like pop music. Not so far away than what could be in the dance clubs. It can get you dancing much like "On and On" as the music is very repetitive but the vocals are all clean. As I say Peter was a death metal vocalist so a real change of style for him. But it all works. "End of The Line" has some nice loops and guitar samples that really show how good he is in the studio. Again the vocals help keep a tune and the ears are interested.

One of the songs I always loved was "Crashed" an all out rock track but it has keyboards as the lead tune at the intro but still feels very rocking. The guitars on this album are there but with little distortion it helps the overall sound balance out and I think that is why many fans of dance music took notice. "Suicide Machine" is another song I like, a little bit heavier again but the electronic side is obvious, more mixing of the guitars and samples. It really should not work but you find yourself singing along with it.

One track that mixes the guitars into what I could only say is a beat is "Parallel to Ecstasy" it is very interesting as the riff side of the guitar sound feels like it is made faster and looped to feel like a dance beat but it is a distorted guitar. Great stuff, I could see this all being released in the UK as a white label promo (white label is where no info is on the disc making DJ/radio listen) and getting many people interested.

I really do wonder what would have happened if this was put out with a big label as at the time Stockholm Records was not as big as it was. More so outside of Sweden. Perfect label would have been Deconstruction. Give this a go it was listed at the time as industrial/electronic rock but it really is more than that. Very catchy I remember friends into dance music asking me for a copy of this in 99. Always loved how they were enjoying it so much but always adamant they don't like rock music.

Now easily available it has had many reprints so the cover may well be different.

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Frank Black and the Catholics, Frank Black and the Catholics

Frank Black and the Catholics, Frank Black and the Catholics (SpinART-1998)

Here is the worlds first album to be made available on the MP3 format. And fitting in that the low fi quality of the format fits so well with this album. Rumored to have been recorded on a two track and all played live. The record company at the time refused to release something so unpolished.

But Black Francis is not the sort of person to sit about and wait, he went on and done other work. This was almost slipped out to the public with no real fanfare. Shame as it is a really catchy album with amazing songs. It is simply a rock album, nothing fancy and with some nice slower acoustic numbers to help balance it all out. Where the Pixies could be for some a little to alt rock this is quite easy for all to like. More of a punk feel in some of the guitar work but that is due to the way it was recorded.

"All My Ghosts" kicks in with a great pop punk attitude, catchy lyrics that you instantly remember and sing along to. Some of the count ins are left in on the record 1, 2, 3, 4, "Back To Rome" shows how great at lyrics he can be. Keeping the music simple and the melody the main aspect in all songs it is one great tune after another. His voice suits it all perfectly. "Do You Feel Bad About It?" is my personal favorite, so easy to play and sing to. Even this crappy guitar player/none singer can have fun with this.

"Dog Gone" could have been a big hit if the record company had it there way. No need for a big producer and a 128 track machine. Few harmonies and an acoustic and the track sounds like five grand better than most pop acts.

The band are happy to indulge in other styles and "Sis Sixty-six" has a nice country feel to it. You could be fooled into tapping that foot. "Steak 'n' Sabre" has some nice slide sounding guitar work, the band love to play. There are plenty of great tracks on this album and all get you as bigger and better than most albums that cost £100,000 to make.

You really do not notice the album was recorded in such a raw way and that is testament to the songwriting and the skills of the band. Music like this now would be massive as so many of the big popular rock bands on Radio 1 are missing that catchy tune or as we have here tunes. Black Francis really never sat still after the Pixies and many fans of the former band have missed this one.

The record company made a big balls up here, missing out on one amazing album, many bands that came and went during the britpop era could only dream of making music this fast and easy. If the album was out in 95 I may not have needed to put it here. The album was held back by the company hoping something would happen in the mainstream to fit this in. But the album is timeless. Some press and live TV could have made this sell a truck load. Failing that plenty of church goers may have got it as a mistake. And there reward is a great rock n roll album.

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Anathema, Judgement

Anathema, Judgement (Music for Nations-1999)

This band established a very good following from the previous years Alternative 4 album. New record label and album number five is todays entry for an album missed.

Sadly this band have never really been taken up in anywhere but the metal press. More so in the UK where the press are so obsessed with giving everything a title. This was classed as a metal band and much of that time was put into a similar area as extreme metal.

Sadly with press like that you will never get a chance and they did deserve it as the previous album was a fantastic offering. With the band changing style some what it was considered by fans as experimental. That is out the window on this so called second experimental album.

Album opener is a great introduction to what is going on here "Deep" has all the elements that will follow in later songs. A catchy intro, nice melodic guitars and a full on orchestral sound. The band really do mix classical music and rock music so well. There has to be one thing that makes two things come together. Much like the lost 5th Irish province of Meath it has been placed into the history books and ignored by all the people now.

But this is not much of a relic and 1999 was many years after the rock bands done it in the 70s. Track two "Pitiless" helps show the new ideas the band have. A much louder track and bringing with it distorted guitars and a full on drum sound. But as always the great voice of Vincent Cavanagh echoing out the song slows down and outros with acoustic guitars.

The album was out pretty much at the wrong time for any real chart success as the likes of Evanescence hitting worldwide success in 2003 the band were and still are leaps above that band. They were more of a gimmick to me and I feel this album is just way more serious. You can feel the hard work on the album and not just in the performance, the whole album sound utterly fantastic and if you have a nice sound set up this will be a real treat for those speakers.

Every track has amazing passages of music or you could call them thumbnails as the really have been scaled down to fit on a CD. It is like a 5 hour performance in a theater. "One Last Goodbye" even contains an all out ballad with that well known sound that Bon Jovi fans love so much. A very much simple track with acoustic guitars but without the cheese. This band make music sound £500 better.

Lee Douglas comes in to "Parisienne Moonlight" the song for me that steals the show. When you think of rock/metal bands that do the female to male vocals you think of Lacuna Coil, get that out of your head now. This is nothing but 110% performance. The build up on this song is astronomical, you will be on the edge of your seat.

Music for Nations does not exist and for the band it was over, but they have still plugged away and have completed many a European tour. They seem to go down well in many of those countries. All I can say is they must have taste. But there is also the fact the UK and America has to put all music in its own category. If you have a CD collection like that you may need a new category, call it the one that is never cool to love.


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Public Image LTD, First Issue

Public Image LTD, First Issue (Virgin-1978)

Many people including myself love the Sex Pistols. I even have them in this blog as I think they should have sold way more albums. History seemed to repeat itself here as the Pistols split up in America while on tour and this album was never released in America till last year. So if you are an American who has had this album on import then well done you.

As Lydon was on tour he would always write new material and some of it he simply could never take to the rest of the band. Listen to this album to find out why. One of my highlights is "Religion I" and "Religion II". The first is simply Mr Lydon reading out loud the lyrics to what is a full song with backing band on the second. His lyrics were taken to the band and instantly dismissed. The song was deemed to extreme for the Sex Pistols. I love the track and it makes me ask questions on many things, not just religion. The whole sound for the album is one that is pretty much as far away from the charts as you can get. For us now getting into the music from that era it is called Post Punk but I feel it is just rock n roll with more spite.

What I love about PIL and also this album is how slow the music is, many people take music that has some big statement or when it contains anything aggressive to be fast and loud and there for unalienable. Not here, nice slow thought out passages of music. "Theme" shows this with the very much simple but fun bass lines. Keith Levene's guitar work sounds complex but it is simply notes with some distortion and FX. As John Lydon comes in on vocals you know this will not be on BBC2.

The whole punk movement was built on showing that anyone can take to a stage and this album keeps it going. So what you can't sing like ABBA or play keyboards like Rick Wakeman. None of that matters and single "Public Image" shows this. It was quite catchy and the only real radio song here. The bass is simply an open E string on the intro and a few chords. Later Lydon explained the song is about how he was viewed in his past band.

"Low Life" has been talked about in being about the ex manager of the Pistols, Malcolm McLaren. The lyrics and the title track show you his thoughts. The song does have some nice melodic feel to it and can even be danced to with the nice bass lines and drumming.

Low Life

Low Life

Ego-maniac traitor

You never did understand

You fell in love with your ego

It did not fit into plan

The last track is one that stands out for me "Fodderstompf" seems like a piss take to me. The band were running out of time in the studio and had to get it done. I also think this song is what prompted the American label to want the album to be re recorded. As I said the album was never released in the US due to the label there saying the album was too uncommercial to go out. That was the point no? They missed it big time. Never less some re recording was done and still a strict no from the label. It is as if "Fodderstompf" was a song to see into the future. They were right.

Still the album sold well in the UK gaining Silver (60,000) award and a top 10 single in "Public Image". I wonder if America got this album what would have happened, imagine a promo of Religion going to stations? Fuck me! It would have made what the Pistols done look like an episode of Sesame Street.

Now available in the US via Light in the Attic Records and all over the world.

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F-Minus, F Minus

F-Minus, F-Minus (Hellcat, 1999)

I really do not know much on this band at all, coming from California and this being there debut album. At the time punk was sort of coming back in a real way. Green Day and other pop/punk bands kind of re ignited many younger people into the style. But this is for many fans of that music a little bit of a progression. Out with the pop part and well simply a real punk band.

Well it is more of a crossover in a way, I am happy to add them to the hardcore  bands from the time and I think live they could be as solid as many who were about in the late 90s. But anyhow I am not debating what/why they are but why you should get this album.

Again it is not all sing along but it is shout along stuff. The first track is a whopping 35 seconds long. This gives you an idea of what is on offer. But it is done very thoughtfully as many of the tracks really do gel into each other very well. "Slave Labor" is a title that may not get it listed on radio one but for me it gets my ears interested. The 90s were all about pop punk and then into skate punk. I really didn't give two fucks about those bands. Where I grew up if you went about dressed like that you were looked on as a rich kid. And most likely would get mugged.

Tim Armstrong (Rancid) produces this album and I think he done a great job, simply play. The drums at times sound bad and very much un professional but that gives this album its real spite. The constant kick on the bass drum that sounds like it is 25 years old and so far out off tune it would make the big name producers cry. By the way this band were later produced my Steve Albini so there sound really was catching peoples attention.

The songs do have at times some nice melodic parts, mostly in the vocals. Feel free to raise a fist and shout along as that is what it is all about. Many bands were making it and I think F-Minus were given much respect but the sales were not there. Later moving to Epitaph who have many times sold a shed load for punk bands. I have no idea why this band didn't make it as many hardcore band don't entice the punks to listen and this band did easily cross the border of the two styles. I had friends into punk liking them as much as UKHC (UK hardcore) fans.

If you like early Black Flag and much of the music on the Dischord label early days this album will slot right in and make that hellish bus ride to work on a Monday just a little bit easier. I makes me want to accidentally whack my guitar out of tune and make a hell of a racket. Job done!

Very easy to get this via Amazon indi sellers here

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Ulver, Bergtatt

Ulver, Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler (Head Not Found-1995)

This is an odd one for this blog, as the cover shows that it is black metal in it's content so commercial success really was never going to happen. But as many bands from that genre have now went on to headline big festivals and even start to sell very well I feel this can now be placed here. Many kids now seem to be right into the sound that was black metal from back in the 90s. But it really was back then underground. No radio station would play it and with all the stupid church burnings and silly corps paint the mainstream ran a mile.

Some of the music from many of the bands was pretty crap. But a few bands really did make it all work and with each album move on the style. This band moved it on with the very first album. Forget all the harsh vocals and screaming lyrics about religion here was a well made album that really has you enjoying it's content.

The album has the classic guitar, drum and bass content but the whole construction is quite different as it adds a lot of Norwegian Folk music to the mix. So much so the genre could be easily mistaken. But the elements of black metal are still there but used in more of an atmospheric way, helping to enlighten you to some sort of story. The title in English is "Taken into the Mountain - A fairy tale in 5 Chapters".

Back then you could not get this album very easily and I had to get it mail order. Not only that there was no internet shops so I had to phone a shop in Germany and ask how to get this. Then I had to get German Deutsch marks and send it in an envelope. People now would never ever bother with all the trouble but is how we did it back then kids. Two weeks later I got this (and others). The CD copy I have is all in Norwigen and has no English at all so it was all a nice mystery to me.

First listen is a real eye opener, the album it starts with some fast drums and guitar but nothing faster than a normal rock album. The first vocals are more of a chanting, and the music is quite confusing. You really do not expect any harmonies and melodic music in this album. It is different but it is there. At the time I had never heard such repetitive music not so much the same note but the same melodic tone repeated. A great little guitar solo played in a riff style accompanies the music. At the time I am sure I looked at the CD to make sure it is the right one.

The whole album has the Folk style there and is mixed with the classic down tuned black metal style but it is done in a way it feels right. The drums can be played very franticly and this is evident on track two where even that starts with a passage of acoustic picking style much like the folk music mentioned. Flute and piano are also welcomed into the music and again all mixed up in that metal style so many feel is to heavy. But this album is so refreshing and my best comparison is to opera. Not so much in musical content but in performance.

The album really was big news back then as it shocked so many hardened fans. Some disliked it most took it as a new start and from now on the style changed every year. This band did not tour live or even have photos or interviews helping to keep some sort of mystery about the band and the album. Who were there inspirations? what's the album based on? what is next? do you burn churches? all questions never asked as there were no one to answer them.

The repetitiveness of the music really trained my ears and got me into some other bands including many other styles of metal music that pushed the boundaries. Ulver to this day are still one of my favorite bands/artists and even now the music they make is for me utterly compelling. Later albums like "Shadows Of The Sun" again got me into even more bands and artists. Bands like Merzbow, Nurse with Wound and Thorr's Hammer were welcomed to my ears now.

The production is spot on here, not too polished but enough engineering so it can all be recorded right as the performances by the artists are simply stunning. The band went on to record more music under the black metal style but by album four they switched to a more Avant-garde metal style. And later ambient/electronic styles were explored, but the link to BM is always there and this album is one of the best even to this day 19 years later so many have tried to copy it and failed badly.

If you only hear one black metal album ever make it this one. And to the kids into Watain and Nachtmystium this is why they exist.

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