| current play list | |
Opeth – Ghost Reveries (HDCD)
Hmmm, not sure about this. Let's say that Opeth's approach to metal doesn't suit my palette. The songs are beautifully played by these gothic metal veterans, and the production job on the disc itself is superb, thanks to the extra care taken to deliver this HDCD pressing. I can't decode HDCD, but it sounds great even on a standard CD player. Ghost Reveries haunted several top ten lists in 2005, and comes recommended to fans of Nightwish and Tristania. The male vocals switch between death growls and clean, text book singing. Guitar melodies and drum rhythms tend to be locked together tight. |
 
prog metal 2005 |
| Ministry – Rantology
This remix compilation is largely redundant because, with some exceptions of course, Ministry's songs are released in perfect form on their albums. Furthermore, most of the tracks here sound very similar to their LP counterparts, almost making it play like a best-of CD. The standout cuts include a cleaner version of the brilliant 'Warp City', and the meandering industrial soundscape called 'Bloodlines', composed for a computer game of the same name. I suppose even Grandpa Jourgensen has bills to pay. |
industrial rock 2005 |
| Ministry – Rio Grande Blood
2004's Houses of the Molé was a welcome return to Ministry's brand of industrial thrash metal, circa Psalm 69. Here we get more of the same, though lacking the sheer exuberance of the previous album. There's also a strong metalcore edge that turns me off a bit. If I want to hear metal, I'll grab Anthrax or Gorgoroth. That said, it's all well executed, with Al Jorgensen's usual electro embellishments and distinctive vocals scattered generously throughout. It's a pity the Australian tour was cancelled. We can always put on the Sphinctour live DVD again... Which reminds me, there's no sign yet of In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up or Revolting Cocks live on DVD. Must. Be. Patient. |
industrial rock 2006 |
| Nightwish – Century Child
I like Nightwish, but I don't love them like many metal fans do, even those into extreme metal. To me this album is not quite as good as Wishmaster (2000), mainly because the songs are straighter, with fewer progressive rock touches. Century Child does stand up on its own, however – the winning Nightwish formula makes this album a joy to listen to non-critically. Lately it gets played most often during the 'getting ready for work' morning slot. I'll pick up the earlier Oceanborn album and their must-have first concert DVD From Wishes to Eternity, then review my Nightwish commitment. |
operatic metal 2002 |
| John Digweed – MMII
Perhaps the Digweed sound is not to my taste. Either that, or this album of mixed club tracks is just a pile of inept, boring shit. Lucky it only cost me $1.60 at a JB Hifi sale. Give me Nick Warren on the turntables any day. |
trance 2002 |
| Gorgoroth – Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Norwegian black metal outfit Gorgoroth have received positive reviews for this, their latest oblation to Lucifer. With vocalist Ghaal currently rotting in jail on kidnap and assault charges, Gorgoroth join the ranks of local stable mates who have done – or are still doing – time for misconduct. Before the shit hit the proverbial, they managed to unload this cacophony of unholy speed metal upon the world, and what an enjoyable album it is. Satyricon's ace drummer Frost returned to the studio for the third time. He doesn't do blast beats, exactly. It's deliberately slower than that, but sounds intense all the same. Chuck in simple yet catchy riffing by co-founder Infernus plus clean production (generally frowned upon in black metal circles) and you have the winning formula that has sustained Gorgoroth over the years. Best track is the opener 'Wound Upon Wound'. Exhilarating sonic junk food. |
black metal 2006 |
| Gorgoroth – Antichrist
More easy listening 'church burner' music. Here's an earlier Gorgoroth album that also features the maniacally intense Frost as the session drummer, but with Pest and Hat trading Satanic screams instead of Ghaal. This recording was remastered for its 2005 reissue by the Season of Mist label. Forget the childish title – this black metal opus rips through six tracks in 30 minutes. As with their latest CD, the opener on Antichrist 'En Stram Lukt av kristent Blod' is the best song (I can't read Norgese, but I can guess that Christians probably don't come off too well). However, the rest of the songs easily hold your darkling attention. One quirk of this pressing is the placement of gaps between tracks that interrupt what one assumes is a continuous thread of moody bad weather sound effects. A minor quibble. |
black metal 1996 |
| Slayer – Christ Illusion
Their first album in five years sees the return of Dave Lombardo on drums after an absence of how long...12 years? (Paul Bostaph joined Exodus.) As such, Christ Illusion picks up where the mighty Seasons in the Abyss left off. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because there's plenty of no-bullshit thrash on this release. Bad because the last few Slayer titles seem to have drained the main song writers King and Hanneman of killer riffs. Old age and constant boozing couldn't have helped, either. So when the initial excitement wears off, you're left with a solid album of consistently good metal songs, but with only fleeting highlights and no new classics. Christ Illusion still gets regular air time in the Toxic Waste Listening Lounge of Doom, so it may sink its hooks in yet. |
thrash metal 2006 |
| Lamb of God – Sacrament
Sony BMG major label metal means big production, big distribution, and big 90 minute DVDs included with the album as a gift for eager punters. I'd never heard Lamb of God before slipping this title into the CD player. I took a risk with Sacrament on the strength of numerous positive reviews, and it does deliver the goods. This bearded quintet from America (the ZZ-Top of metal?) have wrought a rich and varied – though utterly orthodox – metal album that overflows with excellent riffs, decent solos, and fine drumming. Lyrically, it's the usual fare. Speed-wise, it's not death, so as with Nevermore, I had to shift down a few gears and adjust expectations. There's a mixture of rock tempo and thrash, with a bias toward the former. You really need to ponder the lyrics and absorb each track individually to get the most out of Lamb of God. While it may ultimately prove to be too much of a good thing, Sacrament should keep most headbangers in power chord heaven. This band recently supported Slayer in the US. The Making of Sacrament (DVD)
This 90 minute documentary is an excellent bonus feature that comes with the CD. Anyone who enjoys watching both the creative process and also peering into the personal lives of the musicians will eat this DVD up. Even running to an hour and a half, it was still too short for my liking. Also included are two versions of the video clip for 'Redneck', and some additional documentary footage. |
metalcore 2006 |
| Rogue Traders – Here Come the Drums
Hmmm. It is squarely pop and Rogue Traders make no apologies for it. The best singles, and they are superb pop tracks, are 'Voodoo Child' and 'Watching Me Watching You', which features a riff stolen from 'My Shorona'. Natalie Bassingthwaite's vocals and the sheer spunk with which she delivers them hold the album together when it gets ugly. But with Australia lapping up this mediocrity to saturation point, it's hard to avoid RT whenever you turn on the TV or radio. For say $15 or less it might be worth buying. I think of it in the same terms as owning Return of the Living Dead on DVD. It's not up to Romero or Fulci's calibre of zombie film – it's a bit embarrassing, really – but you still need to have it, anyway. |
rock 2005 |
| Coldplay – X&Y
Despite some good singles, for example 'Speed of Sound' and 'Talk', this is not the classic album that A Rush of Blood to the Head is. Much of it harks back to their simpering debut release, especially with Martin hitting those girly high notes. Mega-cringe. The band was good live, and it'll be interesting to see how they tackle the next album. Most bands only have one Rush of Blood in them. |
rock 2006 |
| Ministry of Sound – 2006 Annual
Obviously, the quality of these two-disc compilations depend on what was released during the year. It follows that 2006 was not as fine as 2005, and this annual shows it. Luckily there's just enough good tracks to play each CD all the way through. The 2006 Annual also anticipated several top-10 chart hits and includes enjoyable remixes of 'Voodoo Child' (Rogue Traders) and 'Dare' (Gorillaz). The arrangements, mixing and CD mastering is once again up to Ministry of Sound's high standards – these releases always offer excellent demo tracks for good stereo systems. The same can't be said for the So Fresh or Pepsi More Music compilations. |
dance 2006 |
| Lily Allen – Alright, Still...
The ABC music show JTV introduced me to Lily Allen's fantastic single 'Smile'. It only took a few weeks for commercial radio (well, Nova FM) to start playing it, and then commercial TV stations showed ads for the album. I was afraid there'd be too much indie regge rock inside the album to make it palatable, but it's done tastefully (regge is one of the few forms of music I just can't stomach for very long). Paying only $12 for it at Redeye Secondhand in Sydney made it worth the risk, too. Get it for the bitchy lyrics. |
indie rock 2006 |
| Lamb of God – Ashes to the Wake
Review pending. |
metalcore 2004 |
| Chalice – Chronicles of Dysphoria
Review pending. |
prog metal 2000 |
| Dimmu Borgir – Stormblast redux
Review pending. |
black metal 2005 |
| BT – ESCM
Review pending. |
electronica 1997 |
| B(if)fek – 2020
Review pending. |
electronica 2006 |
| QuintetAvant – En Concert à la Salle Des Fêtes
Review pending. |
noise 2006 |
| Merzbow – Rarrus rarrus
Review pending. |
noise 2005 |
| Teknosadist – Elemental Mirages
Review pending. |
experimental 2006 |
| Squarepusher – Burningn 'n Tree
Review pending. |
electronica 1995 |
| Various – Jazzflora II
Review pending. |
nu-jazz 2005 |
| NOFX – Wolves in Wolves Clothing
Review pending. |
emo punk 2006 |
| Nine Inch Nails – With Teeth
Review pending. |
industrial 2006 |
| Aborted – Goremageddon: The Saw and the Carnage Done
Review pending. |
death metal |
| Municipal Waste – Hazardous Mutation
Review pending. |
thrash metal 2005 |
| Ramones – Anthology
Review pending. |
rock |
| System of a Down – Hypnotize
Review pending. |
metal 2006 |
| Athiest – Elements
Review pending. |
prog metal 2006 |
| Deicide – When London Burns (DVD)
Review pending. |
death metal 2006 |
| Cradle of Filth – Nymphetamine
Review pending. |
death metal |
| Moloko – 11,000 Clicks (DVD)
Review pending. |
funk |
| Goa Trance 2005-2006
Review pending. |
trance 2005-2006 |
| Symphonix – Singles
Review pending. |
trance 2006 |
| Behemoth – Demigod
Review pending. |
extreme metal 2005 |
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