Annihilator - Alice In Hell

When I stumbled across this album I had to have it. I loved the Bag Of Tricks album, that Drew introduced me to. Then when you factor in that Alice In Hell is supposed to be this group's masterpiece album, it was a no brainer for me to have to pick up. The album opens with the Instrumental Crystal Ann, which is this totally amazing Classically inspired guitar piece. It's sweet. I mean it's mental stimulation of the highly enjoyable kind.

Then it's on to the albums title track. I've covered this song before, and when I go back to read it I find that what I said pretty much covers the song. But that was based on a slightly different version of the song. So What I'll say here is that I find this song well written, arranged and performed. I find it sounds a bit dated, and to me it feels like a period piece. But considering the album was produced by guitarist Jeff Waters, which is pretty much to Annihilator what Steve Harris is to Iron Maiden, and it was released in 1990, you can't get too fussy.

One of the things I've always liked about W.T.Y.D. is the mix of musical sound. One minute it sounds all cliche with the vocalist screaming about death, during these rapid machine gun firing riffs, then it goes and gets all fancy, just to screw with you, before going back to the angry screaming. This is a fun song when you're in the mood for it.

Everything about Wicked Mystic is very typically Metal, in all the negative stereo types. But it's still a great song. I really wish Jeff's solo had been pushed further ahead in the mix.

Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade would have been right at home with the Trash Metal bands if Annihilator could have busted out of the stigma of being a Canadian band. That's great if you want global success, but sucks if you were hoping to spend any time at home. Especially prior to Avril, Sum 41, and some of those other Pop acts opening the doors for other Canadian artists. Also Nickelback, before they went all Rock cliche.

Word Salad is one of those songs I was never big on when it came to Annihilator. I can understand why some people would dig on it, and when it get's to the all mellow instrumental section I find it enjoyable, but then it get's a bit predictable when the solo starts up. It's fucking awesome, and better than anything I would ever think of being able to do, but still predictable. Schizos (Are Never Alone) Parts I & II is a bit on the sad side. Some of the soloing lends it some redeeming qualities, but for the most part, not really that impressive.

After the last song Ligeia comes across as a continuation of a bunch of "noise" as the old people would call it. I find it really repetitive though, and would rather not have to listen to the two songs back to back.

I've alwaysed liked Human Insecticide. My only complaint about the song is the drumming. It's so basic and straight foward, that I find hurts the song. Other than that I find this song totally bitchin'. "Psychotic tendencies have put me here for life / Dreams of smashing little things before they ruin my life / Find means capable of smothering a flea / Extermination is their end, escaping not from me / Retaliate / Decapitate--I love to see them bleed / Annihilate / I am human insecticide / Creepy black mass, I see one down below / Prepare to strike, act quickly now, strike the fatal blow / Extinguishing the menace, they will know my name / Destroying these, the lives of waste, delivered now to pain / Retaliate / Decapitate--I love to see them bleed / Annihilate / I am human insecticide / Asphyxiate the flame of life / From hatred they will die / Power kept in my control / Their souls are caged with mine / Expelled from life, they cannot hide, I will find them out / Their game's lost, I hunt them down, their end without a doubt / Psychotic tendencies, my dreams are coming true / My plans are set without repent, I'm tightening the screw / Retaliate / Decapitate--I love to see them bleed / Annihilate / I am human insecticide". I really believe if the drums were changed out for some better work, and the general mix was tweaked a bit, this song would be killer.

I would say that to me this album is the prime example of why you don't let one specific musician produce the record by themself. It's not bad, but it could have been better. For starters the drums could have been more exciting, but a guitarist isn't going to think of that. Although the bass wasn't lost in the mix, I would have liked to have heard more low end in the album. The vocals are pretty much perfect for the style that the band tends to use. However, we all know it's the guitar work that's best portrayed on this album. I really think that if this album had been produced by an outsider it would have more appeal, and would sounds less dated.

7/10 - content

6/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias

Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage

Over the years I have owned three separate Frank Zappa CD releases, which equal five different vinyl releases. The first one I ever picked up was Sheik Yerbouti, after that came Apostrophe (') / Over-Nite Sensation, and then finally I picked up Joe's Garage for myself during Christmas that just past (2012). I would have bought more, but until recently Zappa CD's had a habit of running on the more costly side.

The first two compact discs were lost when I lent them to my friend Matt (and if he's reading this I would still like them back please). I replaced Sheik Yerbouti since then, but that's another story for that review. As for Joe's Garage that has it's own fun story.

When I was sixteen I spent the summer at my grandparents (mom's parents) house. During that time I got into my Uncle Greg's record collection and schooled myself on some great classic rock, and other albums. However, I didn't get to listen to too many of the albums because there was only one record player in the house that I felt safe playing most of them on, and that was the one in the dining room. My grandparents were open minded, but not open minded enough to let me listen to the likes of Zappa, and especially not Joe's Garage. At least not when they were around. So, I had to pick and choose which albums I listened to very wisely.

Well as I was getting ready to leave at the end of the summer, I asked my grandma if I could grab some of my uncle's albums. She didn't see a problem with it because he had left them down there for the last fifteen years or so, and it seemed he was never coming back for them. Joe's Garage was one of the albums I grabbed.

When I got home, my mom saw what my grandma had allowed me to do, and promptly called my uncle to see if it was okay. He freaked out, and I lost out on a bunch of killer albums I planned on bagging and mounting on my wall for all to enjoy visually. I had no intention of playing them until I bought a quality turn table. These albums needed proper respect. Something he clearly didn't think I was capable of giving.

Now I'll skip ahead eighteen years. I'm in Dr. Disc, drooling over the Zappa section and all the new remastered rereleases, and I finally grab Joe's Garage because it wasn't stupidly expensive. I can't remember exactly how much it was, but it had come down at least ten dollars. It was time to finally pick it up. I wish I had years before, because it has quickly become one of my favourite albums. Much to my editor's dismay. It hasn't left the CD player since Christmas, and won't be coming out anytime in the near future if I have my way.

I can understand why she has some issues with the album. Some of the lyrics come across as juvenile, crude, obscene, indecent, and down right silly. The entire Rock Opera's content would seem that way to most people, unless you actually sit down and listen to the album. I'm also sure Andria's not impressed that our thirteen year old can sing every lyric spot on at this point either. However, that's about how old I was when my dad first introduced me to Frank, so to me that's okay.

There are two major points I want to get out there before I get into the meat of this album. The first is that this album was originally released in two separate parts. Act I came out in September of 1979, and Acts II & III in November of 1979. The latter two Acts were released together as a double vinyl.

The second point that you need to know about this album is its use of xenochrony. This is basically a recording technique that uses guitar solos from older live recordings and overdubs them onto new studio recordings. According to internet sources all of the guitar solos on the album are xenochronous except for "Crew Slut" (one of my favourite fun tracks on this album) and "Watermelon in Easter Hay" (one of the best damn solos I have ever heard, and even Andria digs this song.)

Other points to know about this album come from the liner notes, and those mainly boil down to explaining the overall theme and concept behind this album. Namely that it's supposed to be done like it was being performed in a high school musical. Not your typical one, and it would fly even less as a high school production today than it would have when it originally came out in 1979.

Now let's get into this beast of a triple album, which is put together on two CDs thanks to modern convenience.

Act I

The Central Scrutinizer is the narrator for the Rock Opera that is Joe's Garage. You need to listen to this track with head phones or when you don't have a teenaged daughter rambling a bunch of verbal diarrhea. Mean while in the background you are hearing this really cool and funk track that you can totally get your groove on to.

Next is the introdcution to Joe and his garage. It's a fantastic little ditty that makes for a happy garage band that sounds much bigger than they really are. But the song is just awesome. If you pay attention to the lyrics it tells you the entire story of the band, and how Joe remember's "things". However, the music in this album is amazingly fun, that works so well for the pretentious elite that are just looking for a gimic, or a hook, while totally blasting them at the same time. Frank was always great at giving the world the middle finger with well chosen words.

Catholic Girls is one of the first songs that Frank rubs the idea of these stuck up snobs noses into what they are really like. He's showing the dirty underbelly that anyone that's dealt with these types of girls understands. All the while the music is crazy and off the hook. I find the beauty of Zappa is his use of xenochrony. He builds these amazing songs around these solos that had been previously recorded live and then essentially creates a whole new piece of art.

Crew Slut is totally bad ass sounding. This is a song about the pornagraphic side of being a rock star, and mainly focusing on how they are tired of these all American good boys. They want a band with a world full of bad girl fantasy. But the music is this total bad ass Country sounding track. This is total ass kicking Country that would make every Hard Rock fan stand up and recognize. This track has more balls in it's music than Rock has had in a long time. It's funny that when the middle music break kicks in both my daughter and my Editor stop talking, almost instantly, and then when the chorus kicks back in they start chatting again. The music is that awesome.

It's still what the Religious Hypocrits would call obscene when it comes to Wet T-Shirt Nite, and they may be right. However, I don't mind. I see it for what it is. This album is musically for the mind. Actually I have to say that I would love to have seen an animated movie done to specifically match the way the album is described to be. Maybe live action if Terry Gilliam was directing, possibly even Rob Zombie.

Next is the instrumental Toad-O Line, which is some awesome Jazz inspired guitar kick assery. I can't stress enough how the music tells the story as much as the music does. You can just let your mind drift as the music takes you away. It's so, so, sweet.

People might ask why I would let my child listen to a song like Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? First off this song is a warning, and I use it to explain that this is why you should always where a condom. Also when I was thirteen I was listening to Guns N' Roses' Get In The Ring, and this song uses nothing but perfectly acceptable PG, maybe a soft PG-13 set of lyrics. Not a single bad word, "my balls feel like a pair of maracas" is about the worst line in the entire song. However, it's an amazing piece of orchestrated music. Although not played with an orchestra.

Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up is a sweet piece in a way. It's a man's heart breaking for a woman that he never should have fallen for.

I should mention that all through out the story the Central Scrutinizer is telling the subliminal story, that's hidden in plain sight.

Also it needs to be mentioned that there are multiple vocalists playing various parts. Joe is always done by Ike Willis, and he sounds amazing. Dale Bozzio is always Mary, the Catholic girl. Frank does a few different parts, including the Central Scrutinizer, and various others do different Borgs. Yes they are called Borgs, and this album was released over ten years before Star Tek: TNG was. Although this man and machine assimulation is a little more kinky.

This ends Act I, or the first vinyl disc, from back in the day.

Act II begins with A Token of My Extreme which I think would have been on there, because it's still on the first disc of the CD and sounds like a perfect album closer. However, it would have been the starting track, and as that it starts a little slow. Alright, there had to be one twisted, but obscenely profane song on the album. Stick It Out is totally and blatantly obvious. But you can totally dance to it, if you have any sense of rhythm. It mocks so perfectly.

Sy Borg finishes off the first CD, and does it with a really cool and mellow groove. This is a total love track, but of a sexy seduction type. It's the sensual side of man and machine loving. It was about having sex with a toaster, before having sex with a toaster meant one of the modern BSG skinjobs. I will say that the lyrical content on this track is a little more PG-13. Some would say obscene and that's because they need a good shag. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't sensor it to some extent. Also how shorting out that toaster from really twisted sex can lead to imprisonment, because those robots have rights too. The next few tracks, which I'm pretty sure made up the entire first side of the second disc ,pretty much make up a Gay Porn set in a prison.

Dong Work for Yuda is naughty, and the modern upity Gay community might have issues with this one. If they have or are willing to have a slightly dirty sense of humour they would love this one. Imagine Oz the prison show mixed with Grease, and you get an idea.

Keep It Greasey is totally prison rape raunchy wrapped up in musical delight. It's a genius of writing. This album was way beyond it's time. Although I think today it would have a larger fight because of how censorship has only gotten worse. Outside Now is the last track in Act II. It's a really good transition piece and sets up the coming part of the album beautifully. How does a musician survive in the world after being on the inside. Especially when that world has made music illegal. This is your typical singing the monologuefor the sake of making it a musical type of song, but since I have mentioned it in a while. The music is totally astounding, and instrumentally interesting.

On top of Frank Zappa's lead guitar, there's Warren Cuccurullo's rhythm guitar, Denny Walley's slide guitar, each also contributing vocals as well as Ike Willis' lead vocals, Peter Wolf and Tommy Mars' keyboard's, Arthur Barrow's bass and vocals, Ed Mann's percussion, Vinnie Colaiuta's drums and combustible vapors (as listed in the album note's), Jeff (like Sting or Madonna) on tenor sax, baritone sax suplied Marginal Chagrin, and bass sax by Stumuk, with other vocals by Dale Bozzio and Al Malkin, and the harmonica by Craig Steward. At least that's for the first act.

The second and third acts use Frank, Warren, Denny, Ike, Wolf, Barrow and Ed, doing all the same things as on the first act. However, now there's Patrick O'Hearn on bass for the song Outside Now, and Vinnie is doing drums and optomentric abandon.

He Used to Cut the Grass is the reflective piece that opens Act III. This is one of those pieces that is meant to give a bit of a story recap, and allow time for a set up for the continuing of the story. But you get it with some really wild freeform Jazz inspired styling. At least that's the way I see it.

Packard Goose is one of the biggest middle finger's I have ever heard anyone give to the record companies. This song was written from the heart, and I find it funny as hell as I'm writing a review for it. According to the song I would be the worst kind of sleeze. How, the government have pretty much taken over the music industry with regulations in order to keep the people stupid. This track also contains an old wiseman's vision, like Obi-Wan doing his blue ghost talk to Luke on Degobah. However, it's the voice of Mary. This also has the distinct privilege of being the longest song on the album.

There are many people that would argue that Watermelon in Easter Hay contains Frank Zappa's best solo. His son Dweezil would be one of them. This solo is surrounded only by two pieces of commentary by Central Scrutinizer. The commentary pretty much is meant to warn you about the dangers of music and to quote "MUSIC can get you pretty fucked up." Once again though I can't stress the music part enough. This is the perfect closing track to the instrumental side of the album. It's so mystical and beautiful. As for the solo itself, it is amazing, as I'm currently listening to my son simulate the notes in the way that we teenage boys do. You don't even notice how long it is. You just float away on a beautiful cloud of guitar notes.

A Little Green Rosetta is that big end of the song chorus piece, where the background repeats over and over, and while some would say what would be considered the closing remarks for the night. I picture Steve Martin saying some zany lines at the end of Saturday Night Live, or Kermit dealing with crap durign The Muppet Show, for the Jim Henson days. It's the perfect closing piece.

This is an album that you have to totally pay attention to, or you'll miss the point. This is a concept album, to totally fuck with your mind, by daring to say the word fuck, at the right time, in the right way.

I love the clarity and the sound textures of this music. This album was using what could best be describe as sampling, before sampling was sampling, and it was doing it to make silly repeating loops. This was imagination and musical invention. This is one of those albums I will be listening to for years.

10/10 - content

10/10 - production

10/10 - personal bias

Black Label Society - Stronger Than Death

I start this review by expressing the joy I get from Black Label Society, and how much I love Zakk Wylde's ability to deliver some kick ass Hard Rock.

I haven't been able to pick up too many B.L.S. albums, being unemployed for a couple of years really hurt the music budget. So, my good buddy Drew hooked me up with some burns. Like the way we use to make album tapes as teens.

Stronger Than Death is one of the four albums he burnt for me, and I'm glad he did. At least I know it's an album worth buying, and where to put it on that list of CDs to pick up. Let's say it's on the list, but not high up, unless I find it second hand for the right price.

The album opens with All For You which is a really strong start, and a great way to kick off the album. However, it sets the mood for the album really quickly. Which leads to the album sounding either a little stockish, or like a bunch of over extend jam riffs, mixed with some cool lead guitar work.

I love the way Phone, Smiles & Fake Hellos opens up. It's different and unique, and then leads into a song that I find a bit stockish by the end. Totally bad ass, but not exactly special in the grand picture of B.L.S.

I went back to see what I had written about 13 Years Of Grief when I covered it on Skullage. The song didn't seem to impress me all that much then, and it still doesn't now. It rocks hard, and will have you want to bang even harder, but it's nothing overly special. It's just really fucking awesome hard riffing rock.

If I'm going to have an issue with anything with Zakk Wylde, it'll be the fact that his vocals are a little Grunge sounding. They have that drone that have me thinking of Alice In Chains. Hell, I think Alice In Chains fans would really dig on Black Label Society if they opened their minds. I notice this while Rust plays on by, but then a solo starts up, and it's beautiful. Saying so much while not overplaying it on the notes. It was a true Rock solo. If this song had come out in the height of grunge some might have accused Zakk of being a sell out. I think it's a nice change on this album.

Superterrorizer brings the album back to it's beastly nature. This is one of those songs for the Metalheads. It's big, and brash and all kinds of foot stompin, fist pumping rage. The music fits the song well. That's one thing I like about Zakk, he understands how to make a song feel. Every song he does, is as heavy as a storm on the river Styx, especially with Zakk playing the ferry man, trying to collect early. However, they don't all sound the same. There are traits that remind you of many other songs he's done, but in an AC/DC kind of way. Just really heavy.

Counterfiet God oddly sounds like the production was pulled back for no reason, but in a good way. It gives it more of a Rock sound, and a little less Mass Distotion Metal. I do find that the main riff gets a bit annoying after a bit. It's that same droning noise I mentioned earlier. It's awesome mixed in with other CDs. Not so great just on it's own.

I could have seen Ain't Life Grand being an Ozzy tune. In fact, part of me thinks that this song would have been done better with Ozzy performing the vocals. I would have also liked to have heard the lead guitar pushed a little further ahead in the mix. I love the way Zakk sounds on slower songs like Just Killing Time. During the parts when his voice isn't being pulled back in the production, because you notice how much more thought goes into his words. They aren't just lost in the mix. Also this song is a totally beautiful Southern Rock ballad. This is taken right out of a Lynyrd Skynyrd play book. "I sit reflecting / I feel the end has begun / It seems my days now mirror the setting sun / So many places that I have been / This ride that was long seems so short in terms of now and then / For All that has been / And All that is / All that's to be / Lord, I'm just killing time / And time's killing me / Dead man breathing, just taking up space / Calloused and weathered like the lines on one's face / Dead man breathing, my conscience is bare / The lining of my soul is torn yet I no longer care / For All that has been / And All that is / All that's to be / Lord, I'm just killing time / And time's killing me". Then there's the guitar solo and I'm all wet. I mean this is the type of guitar playing that makes Zakk the man. No one plays like that anymore, at least no one that I'm hearing.

Stronger Than Death sounds exactly like a song with that title should. So, its loud brash, and everything that good Metal needs.

The album finishes with Love Reign Down. It's a solid finish. You could say that the song is multi-parted. I can say that when you hit the halfway point of the song, I find it gets a lot more interesting. If not for that, the song would be more stock sounding.

The biggest problem with this album is how structurally ridged it is. It's a lot more Metal in that regard, and I find I like Zakk better when he's playing a loose Rock. I get why the Metalheads would love this album. I also think the Grunge people out there, could really get behind this album. As a Rock guy this album is decent, but I like it in a mix. Not as one consecutive listen.

7/10 - content

7/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias

Coheed And Cambria - The Second Stage Turbine Blade

So, there's a small story behind my reviewing this album. My friend Birkner specifically requested the review, and I didn't own a copy of the CD. Coheed And Cambria are just one of those bands that I haven't gotten around to buying anything from. Therefore, in order to actually write this review I had to borrow the CD from Drew, and it seems he liked this album so much he had burnt out his original copy, and had to burn himself a backup disc. This totally annoys me, because none of the computer information comes up, except for the track length. This means I have to pay a little more attention to the packaging than I want to.

Now, I've enjoyed Coheed And Cambria's music since I first heard/came across one of their music videos. I'm not sure what song it was, or even what the video looked like, but I recognized the talent of this band right away. However, based on the time in which I saw the video, I'm going to guess it was Devil In Jersey City. Which was the only video from The Second Stage Turbine Blade album.

I'm going to start this review with everything negative I can think of with this album. First off it's a Prog Rock band, with a really high pitched male vocalist, and there's more to this story than one simple album. With a little research I discovered that Second Stage is actually the second part of a five-part pentalogy, telling the story of The Amory Wars. But, it's the first album from the band. Right away this is going to be too complex for many people, and even I'm a little annoyed by this. I hate starting a story in the middle.

Which takes me back to the vocalist issue. Claudio Sanchez, which is the primary vocalist, as well as guitarist, sounds like a woman. He's not high pitched like Geddy Lee, I mean I mistook his voice for that of one of the female Pop tarts more than once. This shouldn't be an issue and normally wouldn't, except that I find I have to pay more attention to the written words (read the lyrics) than just listening to the album, especially because of the story complexity. Which annoys the hell out of me. It's like buying an audio book, so you can read along with your paperback copy. It doesn't help I find the vocals disappear into the mix a lot as well.

The opening track is really creepy in that classic horror movie kind of sound. This is also the title track. I like that it sounds like it was even recorded back in the fifties or sixties for a movie. But it's really more of a short soundscape that sets a great mood.

Time Consumer follows that up. Musically this has a great soundtrack. Which takes you on a journey all on it's own. You can hear experimentation, and exploration, for the sake of adding rich flavour to the song.

I do feel bad that I don't care for the vocalist, because they do remind me a lot of Rush, but then again I don't care for all Rush songs either. However, I can listen to just the music and let it take me away.

After that comes Devil In Jersey City, which is a fast paced head bopper. It's layered with a bunch of layers and textures and I would say that it's like listening to an Emo version of Metallica's ...And Justice For All. There's a shit load of killer riffs thrown together, with detailed lyircs interwoven in the music. To the casual listener, it's easy to miss the point. As a fan this is the birth of a religion. There's even some customary screaming.

I enjoy the addition of simple sound effects to help add effects to a song. It adds more to the audio table for me. Everything Evil really gives off a vibe that the title would imply.

Delirium Trigger has a bit of Funk to it. It has a creepy, yet some how sexy, feel going on. The best way I know how to describe listening to this album is like listening to a Rammstein album. I know words are being said, and they sound cool in the music, but I don't know what they are. However, mixed with the music it sounds awesome. It would be like going to an Opera for me.

Heartshot Kid Disaster starts off with some screaming, and makes me think of My Chemical Romance. Another band where I love the overall sound, but find myself unable to pay attention to most of the lyrics. I think that would be a great description. But I all I hear is a lot of Rush in this song. The bass has a total Geddy Lee like tone, and there is some beautiful tempo changes, but it has more screaming than I like in my music.

When 33 kicks off my attention is caught once again. This song fires off like a shot, and it moves like a foot chase in the middle of the night.

I will say that I notice the passage of time, or how it seems to go a little slower while listening to these songs. I get it, and why it's done. It's just not my thing.

Junesong Provision sounds like a high paced version of the last couple songs. At this point it feels like the album is becoming one of those albums that complain about with Prog, until the odd vocals kick in, and change the dynamic in a much needed way. The tone it comes back with also adds a bit of punch. Then the song kind of starts to remind me of a Screamo version of Pink Floyd. Then somewhere around the three and a half marker I think it changes to a new song but it's still the same one.

Neverender starts up with another one of those classic Horror soundtrack soundscapes again, before kicking into a song that seems very similar to the rest of the album at this point. I get why some people love them, I just don't care for them. As for this song I just find it boring. I am sorry, it's a vocals thing. I get that it sucks, but I have a buddy that doesn't care for Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden's vocals, which is why he can't get into Maiden.

God Send Conspirator finishes up the official album, which is a bit of Latin Flavoured Jazz Funk. It's a pretty cool sounding number. By the point this song hits three minutes I notice it seems a little long. This reminds me of Rush's mid Eighties work, but with guitars instead of keyboards.

Then there's three demo tracks. Well there's supposed to be. The copy Drew included in here only has two of the demos, and I'm okay with that. So I can only talk about Elf Tower New Mexico, and Everything Evil.

The first track opens up with one of those classic soundtrack sounds I've already mentioned, before going into a song that has everything except for the drums pushed forward. This is a demo, so I won't bitch. I think it's good for what it is

The demo for Eveything Evil is long. The version on the album is just shy of six minutes. The demo is over thirteen. I do enjoy the music aspect to it, it takes you somewhere. On what one may call an astral ride. This song feels totally cosmic to me. Even if it's a space battle. I do like the trippy instrumental around the four minute marker. It's different, and has a cool effect.

Also it seems that the other reason this track is so long, is due to a hidden bonus track. IRO-bot starts at 7:25. This is an accoustic track, that's really creepy in a Jefferson Airplane kind of way. This is some totally freaky stuff. There does come a point when I would like the music to have more variation and I find it a bit repetitive, but it serves a larger purpose.

I understand why Birkner and Drew love this album so much. It's only my personal bias that keeps me from totally digging on it.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias

Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe2

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I like Rob Zombie better than White Zombie. The main reason, is less Thrash and more Hard Rock.

I'm also going on record with I like Hellbilly Deluxe 2 better than the first Hellbilly deluxe.

The album opens with Jesus Frankenstein, which is a great opening track. It totally kicks off the album perfectly. It gets the body pumping, and the heart pounding. It's that awesome horror story of B cinema, or European insanity, pouring out through music artistry. That being said I'm not actually that big of a fan of the song.

That's followed up with Sick Bubblegum, which is the perfect blend of classic tongue-in-cheek dirty lyrics, mixed with a song that makes you wanna, "Rock mother fucker / Rock mother fucker". This song screams a whole lot of hell yeah, without actually saying it.

What? to me is total stream on consciousness writing, set to a blisteringly awesome Surfer Rock beat. This is just pure darkly artistic fun. "Alright! / My human duplicators with a / prehistoric women and Jack the Ripper / said WHAT? / She married a monster on the very / last day and the she turned around / and said WHAT? / I was a teenage a something or other / with a Judge Five man [WHAT?] / Vampire Lovers in a wild bikini / say uh-huh, uh-uh,uh-huh / Cannibal man and a jungle girl / say uh-huh,uh-huh,uh-huh / Here we go! / Like a son of Kong, like a Fu Manchu / They do not know what to do WHAT? / I got a vulture with a rabid eye and a killer bee screaming WHAT? / A real mastermind , a genius of some kind but I do not understand WHAT? / Vampire Lovers in a wild bikini / say uh-huh, uh-uh,uh-huh / Cannibal man and a jungle girl / say uh-huh,uh-huh,uh-huh / Midnight offerings in a mini skirts and / Mr. Rock N Roll / Satan's Cheerleaders / Bouncing Pom Poms / Bouncing Pom Poms / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / [Here we go] / Vampire Lovers in a wild bikini / say uh-huh, uh-uh,uh-huh / Cannibal man and a jungle girl / say uh-huh,uh-huh,uh-huh / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / Aww and the oh yeah! / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / Rave on with me / Awww and the ohhh yeah!"

I love the Southern Cowboy theme that opens Mars Needs Women. You'd almost think Black Label Society had been a part of making this album. Instead it's another group of guys that understand that everything makes great Hard Rock. Oh yeah, then this song turns into a giant, Earth stomping, ground thundering, monster of blasting sonics. Oh yeah, it's also totally hardcore Sci-Fi, baby!

Werewolf, Baby is more of that classic B-Movie Horror movie mixed with awesome Rock riffin', but with a total Southern flair. I mean this is the type of music that gets me off. Although this is a song that I don't feel a need to listen to on my own. I'm not a fan of Virgin Witch. I know some people will love this big nasty monster of beastliness, I just think it's stock. No harm, no foul, every album can have a little stock like this.

I am so in love with Death And Destiny Inside The Dream Factory. I love hearing Rob Zombie deliver the lyrics, with a song that chugs along at break neck speed. "Free your mind and feel the passion, baby / Death and suntan, still in fashion, baby / Hollywood, In Hollywood / Yeah, Crush your idols, they can afford it, baby / Permanently vile and fascinating / Hollywood, in Hollywood / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Inside the mind fucking, meat grinding, unwinding, soul sucking factory of all your dreams / Cinema regressing at you, baby / Charge it to production, will ya baby ? / Hollywood, in Hollywood / Yeah, Somewhere in a canyon, death is waiting / Hippie freaks and convicts congregating / Hollywood, in Hollywood / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Inside the mind fucking, meat grinding, unwinding, soul sucking factory of all your dreams / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Break it down / Please stop calling / I'm so sick / I think i'm falling / Inside the mind fucking, meat grinding, unwinding, soul sucking factory of all your dreams".

I'm not a fan of Burn, but I do really like the "papa oom mow mow". Totally appeals to the kid in me that loved The Beach Boys and Alice Cooper equally, up until I was twelve or thirteen.

I dig Cease To Exist as a total art piece. It's so very well done, and has a great music score, which is the best way to describe it.

I don't know if Werewolf Women Of The SS was inspired for the fake movie trailor for the Grind House Double Feature, of the same name, or the trailor was created from the concept of this song. Either way I want to see the movie. Also, I totally love the Surfer Rock in this song. Johnny 5's guitar playing is amazing. The man is brilliant.

The album finishes with The Man Who Laughs which is a total performance piece. Even the drum solo, which helps extend this song to the 9:44 marker, is totally performance, and not just rhythmic hitting.

This album is a must have. It's heavy, it's hard, it's sexy, it's itelligent, it is Rock for the mind. This is artistry, for people willing to express a free mind, and understands why monsters are cool.

8/10 - content

10/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias

Hole - Celebrity Skin

I've been a Hole fan from the moment I first saw the video to Violet. This album, however, takes a slightly different path. This is from the time period when Courtney Love decided to clean up her act to a small degree and go Hollywood. So, she cleaned up her image for Tinsel Town, while she was acting and this album reflects that as well.

This album has seven different writers. Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Patty Schemel (which make up the band), as well as Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame, Charlotte Caffey from the Go-Go's, and Jordon Zadorozny, fellow Canadian and former band mate to Auf Der Maur. Love writes all the lyrics herself, but the music is written by any of the seven listed above. Although Eric is the only one to write on every song's music, and even Love can't say that.

The album kicks of with the title track, which shows off the Grunge Queen's more polished and styled music. It's a prime example of Courtney and group growing as musicians and discovering real production. I instantly fell in love with this song the first time I heard it, and I still love it now.

After that comes Awful, which is almost a step removed from the Grunge scene. I'd almost go as far as to say it's Power Pop, or maybe a hybrid of the two, that has a really polished sound. What I enjoy the most is the melody of the song.

Hit So Hard is a nice song, but a bit mellow for my liking. However, I do often find myself singing along with this song, especially the chorus. "Put me up above the boy / The one I love I should destroy / My sweet tooth has burned a hole / Forget about it all / He hit so hard / I saw stars / He hit so hard / I saw God / He's cold give me my candy coat / He can't swim but he can float / One by one they all fall down / I look at him and drown / He hit so hard / I saw stars / He hit so hard / I saw God / He's so candy my downfall / Melts in my mouth till he's nothing at all / This keeps me I can't sleep / He rages to be true / He hit so hard / I saw stars / He hit so hard / I saw God / Oh, man he hit so hard / I saw stars / He hit so hard / I saw God". My only real complaint about this song is that it's the second song in a row that moves into a slight downtrodden vibe for a few seconds, before going back into the actual music that is part of the song.

Malibu was one of the singles for this album, and for me it was always a bit of an over hyped song. To me it basically sounds like nice girls doing Alice In Chains, with the exception of having more of the classic Courtney Love voice. The grated, rough, and raspy sound that made the vocalist famous.

Reasons To Be Beautiful is more like Hole from Live Through This, but one of the mellower tracks. This song's music was also written by five out of the seven writers on this album. With the exception of Corgan and Schemel.

The next song is really pretty. Dying is written by Corgan and Erlandson, at least the music is, while Love wrote the lyrics. "You see the cripple dance / Pay your money, baby / Now's your chance / Eyes like cyanide / I am so dumb / Just beam me up / I've had it all forever / I've had enough / Remember, you promised me / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / I want to, I need to be / Under your skin / Our love is quicksand / So easy to drown / They steal the gravity, yeah / From moving ground / Remember, you promised me / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / I want to, I need to be / Under your skin / And now I understand / You leave with everything / You leave with everything I am / Withering / And now I know that love is dead / You've come to bury me / There's nothing left here to pretend / Anything / Remember, you promised me / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / I want to, I need to be / Under your skin / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / I'm dying, I'm dying, please / Under your skin / Under your skin".

Use Once & Destroy is one of the only songs on the album I really don't care about. It does nothing for me. But, I don't dislike it either.

Northern Star is the only song on the album I'll say that I don't like. It's too accoustic, for the way Courtney delivers her most hard core thrashy vocals to this point on the album. To me this track sounds more like it should have been a b-side. Boy On The Radio is pretty decent. It's nothing overly special, but it's enjoyable.

Heaven Tonight is oddly one of my favourite tracks on the album. I don't have a rational explanation, but it makes me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, and I like that.

I really love the Eastern feel added to Playing Your Song, especially since this song sounds like that harsh Live Through This kind of Hole. It makes for a great complimentary contrast sound that's totally enjoyable.

To this day I still don't know if I like or dislike Petals. I do know that I think this track should have been switched with Playing Your Song as the last track on the album. I think this was a weak closer, but it is a strong song, just not closer strong.

To this day I have yet to listen to the Nobody's Daughter album, the follow up album that was released over a decade after this one, nor the Pretty On The Inside which came out before Live Through This. Which means I can only compare this album to Live Through this, and I do like this one better. Although most of that comes from the production, which is better on this album. I do enjoy the overall content a bit better as well, but not that much.

It's the mix of pretty and polished, along with rough, and harsh that makes this album pretty damn good. It's a shame that Love couldn't keep it together and instead deteriorated back into her self destructive ways, because this could have really changed her music career drastically.

7/10 - content

7/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

AC/DC - Let There Be Rock

There is only one Bon Scott era AC/DC album I don't care for and it's Let There Be Rock. I've owned this album for a decade or so at this point, and have only listened to it a hand full of times. I find it to be a filler album, that only has a few good tracks on it.

To me this album comes across as a left over album, which is to say that it's made up from tracks that weren't good enough to make it onto any album that came out prior to this one. It could also be that many of these songs sounded too much like other tracks from their previous albums, so that it was best to leave them off.

Take the lead off track Go Down, for example. This track reminds me way too much of Can I Sit Next To You Girl from the High Voltage album. Right down to the thin sounding Bluesy vibe. Also a weak start to the album. I think it should have been switched with the next song instead.

Dog Eat Dog, sounds like T.N.T. meets Dirty Deeds, which makes it a stronger track that the album should have started with, but for the most part it sounds to me like this song was a bit uninspired, at least with Bon's vocal delivery. It's almost like his heart wasn't into it, and he was running on autopilot as he performed the lyrics.

Actually I like the term autopilot, because I find that's the perfect description for how the entire album sounds. The title track is next up. Let There Be Rock is a good song, and I do actually prefer this version compared to the over extended live version I'm more used to hearing, but over all I'm just not a fan of this song. I don't have a good reason, it's just personal taste.

I'm totally neutral about the song Bad Boy Boogie. I understand why people like it, but it barely gets my foot tapping. There is some great guitar work on it, which is what saves my opinion about this song.

Now for some reason, that can't be logically explained, Atlantic Records opted to remove Crabsody Blue's from the album after the initial international vinyl release, and jammed in a slightly shorter version of Problem Child from Dirty Deeds Done Dirty Cheap, and it stuck that way ever since. It would seem that record companies really have an issue with songs about STD's. As for the replacement track, you can visit my review for it on the Dirty Deeds review.

Which brings me to the question of, songs about overdosing are okay, but songs about having crabs aren't? Both are warnings if you ask me. However the next track, Overdose, is not a song I've ever paid attention to. This is another track that sounds thin, and like a left over from another one of the older albums.

To me the best two tracks on this album are the last two. The first of those is Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be, which is a song format that would later be used on other albums with Brian Johnson, I'm thinking specifically For Those About To Rock, but at the time this album came out it would have been a little more original sounding.

Then the album closes with the classic Whole Lotta Rosie. The first time I heard this song I wasn't fond of it. However, over the years it's grown into one of those songs that I can't help but love. Although, I will say I do prefer this song in its live version. It seems more wild and unconstrained.

If you want to be a hardcore AC/DC fan you must own this album, but if you just want to enjoy the good stuff just listening to the songs that can also be found on live albums or video's will be more than sufficient.

5/10 - content

6/10 - production

5/10 - personal bias