Accept - Metal Heart Review

Continuing the revisited artist portion of the tour, I’ve decided to meet up with the band Accept once again. Their previous album I’ve reviewed, Balls to the Wall (Click “***” to read it), is universally accepted as a Heavy Metal classic. Today’s album marks a shift in the band, but I’ll talk about that more in the songs to come. With that said, lets look at Accept’s 1985 album, Metal Heart, and see if it still beats properly.

Background
Taken from the Wikipedia page:

“Wolf Hoffmann explained the concept behind the album: "We had read an article that someone was working on an artificial heart and that one day everybody is going to have a computerized heart. It talked, in general terms, about how more and more of humanity gets sucked out of the daily life and more and more replaced by machine. It's not a new thing now, but then it was new. Humans versus machine, was the general vibe of the record." The original cover concept was for a hologram of a metal heart, until budget considerations resulted in a traditional cover. But fittingly for the futuristic theme of the album, Metal Heart was the first Accept album to be digitally recorded.

Hoffmann recalls Dieter Dierks as a very demanding producer: "We would do some pieces several dozen times trying to capture what he had in his mind for a specific section," adding: "Each song we tried different combinations of guitars, mic'ing and even strings!"

The song "Metal Heart" is well known for containing the cover of two famous classical themes: Tchaikovsky's "Slavonic March" (in the intro) and Beethoven's "Für Elise" in the main riff and solo. This song was covered in 1998 by Norwegian black metal band Dimmu Borgir for their album Godless Savage Garden. "I had no idea it would become as popular as it did," Hoffmann remembers of his contribution to the song.

"Midnight Mover", about a drug dealer, is one of the more commercial songs on the album and was selected for a memorable music video that anticipates the bullet time filming technique by a full decade. "Just ahead of our time again!" jests Hoffmann.

Despite the more commercially appealing sound of the album, it fell short of the sales figures of its predecessor Balls to the Wall in America. Udo remembers the Breaker through Metal Heart era as the time when the band got along best together. Thus this would turn out to be the last album of Accept's golden era, as cracks were soon to appear in the band's solidarity.”

Songs
Metal Heart (“***”): The first thing I like about this song is that the first 1 of it has a slow buildup to everything else. It’s creepy, and feels sorta like a heart beginning to beat for it’s first time. After the beginning minute, the meat of the song is given to you. In true Accept fashion, it’s loud, bombastic, metal, and induces head banging very easily.

Midnight Mover (“***”): As it states in the “Background section above”, Midnight Mover tells the story about a drug dealer, and it shows. The song is dirty, and flits from shadow to shadow so it doesn’t get seen by cops. The instrumentation feels very much like something you’d expect to hear from a typical Accept album of the time, only this one feels a little safe. Not like a sell-out kind of safe, but more like something that doesn’t try to break the mold of other songs, metal or otherwise. It is easy to see why this was a commercial hit: it makes for easy listening, it’s got a catchy beat, and was even used in a great video.

Up to the Limit (“***”): I didn’t want to say this at first. Hell, I didn’t even want to think about it! Sadly, I’m just gonna go with it.....Metal Heart is Accept’s version of Turbo. Yep, this what would happen if accept made Turbo first. That doesn’t necessarily make it bad: The instrumentation is good, and the singing is on par with Accept albums that were put out before hand. Sadly, it feels like they went with a more commercial appeal with this album, and Up to the Limit sounds like the start of it (Ironic, give that Midnight Mover was one of the more popular & commercial songs off of Metal Heart).

Wrong is Right (“***”): Wait, did I just step into a Udo album!?

This song doesn’t sound like it belongs here. Wrong is Right is far too fast-paced when compared to everything else on here. Though it varies from song to song, just about all of the other tunes are slower in pace. With that said, I love the energy in this song! It feels like an out of control power plant, and that a simple accident could make it explode, releasing it’s metal energy all over the place.

Screaming for a Love-Bite (“***”): Coming back to this album’s normalcy, Screaming for a Love-Bite dials things back in terms of speed & pace. It’s not quite as slows as some of the other songs on here, as it retains some of Wrong is Right’s incredibly fast pace. With that said, this feels to be the safest of the songs on Metal Heart. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying something new, it try to break from the pack, etc. There’s still a little value with this song, but otherwise I’d say skip it.

Too High to Get it Right (“***”): So now I’m listening to an AC/DC album!?

That’s actually a little unfair to say. This is still Accept, and this is their song. With that said, there is something off. Maybe it because the singing sound somewhat similar to Brain Johnson’s, or that the instrumentations sounds a little like a typical AC/DC song of the 80s, I’m not exactly sure. The point is that this song has two personalities, and doesn’t know which one to stick with. Catchy as hell, though!

Dogs on Leads (“***”): About as dirty as Midnight Mover was, Dogs on Leads goes for more of a sensual/sinister tone. The guitar remain low in volume for the most part, but you can definitely hear the beat very easily. The drumming has a very steady pace, and it doesn’t skip when it changes how low loud it is. The singing is pretty much the same as the drumming: the pace is steady, and doesn’t trip up when they change the volume. A good song to listen to when the lights are low, and a member of the opposite sex isn’t far away.

Teach Us to Survive (“***”): When the hell did the jazz come in!? Apparently, it came in here.

Now I’m not saying that Teach Us to Survive is a Jazz song. What I am saying is that there are jazz elements. You got drums in places that come across as jazzy, guitars that sound more James Bond than actual jazz, and the singing that has more of a heavy blues metal than jazz. Man, and I thought Too High to Get it Right was bipolar! Luckily, this one still has a catchy beat!

Living for Tonite (“***”): Now this sounds more like Accept!

Not that there wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with the previous songs. However, I didn’t feel that there were completely the band’s own music. With Living for Tonite (Yes, that’s how they spelled it), it feels like something that’s completely their’s. It’s got Accept’s instrumentation, it’s got their singing style, and it’s got their “Fuck You” metal attitude that’s still famous today. If you didn’t like how some of the previous tunes were wishy-washy, you’ll be happy with this one.

Bound to Fail (“***”): A nice way to end this album, Bound to Fail comes back to the standard Accept formula like Living for Tonite did. The title of this tune is a little cryptic: as it says above, Metal Heart was the last album of the band’s golden years, but at the same time this song doesn’t sound bad or pessimistic. In fact, it has something of a triumphant tone to it, which is heavily reflected in the instrumentation (Especially towards the end of the song). The singing has been scaled back a bit to make room for the instruments, but that doesn’t mean the singing is weak.

Overall Impression & Rating
It’s easy to see why Metal Heart is looked down upon by some. The production doesn’t feel like it was completely in the band’s domain, the songs don’t sound like they were completely made by the band, and overall sounds more like Accept just helped make this album for someone else. With that said, there are moments in certain songs, and a tiny few songs themselves, where it’s apparent that the band held sway. If you’re a fan of Accept, you’ll definitely come across this album eventually.

Metal Heart gets a 6.5 to 7.5 out of 10

See you all next time, when we’ll be dead again. Until then, stay Otaku!



***
Sorry for the late posting. I got half of this review done last night, then forgot to finish it until a couple minutes ago.

My Top 5 Iconic Wresling Controversies

Hello guys. Well, Wrestlemania 30 has aired not too long ago. While a fair show in it’s own right (I didn’t watch it. This is coming on what I’ve heard), it definitely shocked the world thanks to a certain match. After hearing about this, I’ve thought about controversies past & present, and how they’ve they impacted the world of World Wrestling Entertainment. In perhaps a entertaining & informative post (As well as a surprise bonus post), I wanted to show you what I consider to be my top 5 iconic wrestling controversies. Enjoy!

5) The Montreal Screwjob

For any old-school wrestling fan, the incident known as the Montreal Screwjob is very well known, and probably ranks as the number one wrestling controversy of all time. The reason why it’s not my number 1 is because by the time this happened, I had been out of wrestling for about 4 years (I basically watched WWF when my Dad did. Once he was done with wrestling, I effectively stopped watching as well). I guess I put the Montreal Screwjob on here out of respect for the old-school fans. Hope you like the shoutout!

So what is the Montreal Screwjob? Well, in 1997, Survivor Series was hosted in Montreal (Hence the name), and the big event of that show was a match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels for the WWF/E Championship (Take your pick). Bret Hart was actually supposed to drop the title on Raw after Survivor Series, since he was about ready to leave the company at the time. The ending of the match was supposed to be in a “schmoz” style. However, Vince McMahon had called for the bell, and Bret was trapped in his own move, allowing for Shawn Michaels to win the title. This eventually caused Bret Hart to leave the company, and there have been bad feelings between him and Vince ever since (Despite a lot of healing between Bret and the WWF/E since then).

Ironically, there were two positives that came from this. For starters, this allowed Vince to create the “Mr. McMahon” character that’s still going today. Secondly, the Montreal Screwjob was the origin of a new style of booking where the line between reality & fantasy was heavily blurred. Rather bittersweet, if you ask me.

4) Eddie Guerrero Becoming Heel

Ironically, this might not be a controversy for a lot of you. Hell, this might not even be a blip on the radar. For me, this one was a little personal, and let me explain why.

By early 2005, I had become a full-fledged wrestling fan once again. 2003 was the start, and 2004 was the buildup. When 2005 came around, I was watching Raw & Smackdown regularly. One of the first wrestlers I saw when I got back in was Eddie Guerrero. Now, I don’t know about his time in WCW, so I’m going solely on his time in the WWF/E. My first live event was a Smackdown taping in Albany, and one of the matches was a tag team between The Bashum Brothers (I think that’s who it was) against Rey Mysterio & Eddie. The match was particularly special for me was because he still used the low-rider, not to mention the hydraulics. His performance was great, and really complemented Rey Mysterio’s similar usage of speed and the ring ropes. Then he became heel, and boy oh boy was that some whiplash!

I’ll give WWF/E some credit in this regard. Before the heel turn, there was actually a little bit of buildup to it. It started out as small disagreements, and then one night it just exploded, and Eddie Guerrero became a full-fledged heel. It was actually kinda cool: he was creepy, he was sinister, and he even screwed around with Rey Mysterio & his family. He was a damn good heel, and yet, at the same time, I didn’t like him being a heel.

For starters, I thought that the heel turn was rather sudden, despite the buildup before hand. It seemed as though they needed to put it in somewhere, but they didn’t quite know how to. Secondly, there was a point where Eddie got perhaps a little too villainous. It was right about the time when they brought Mysterio’s son into the mix, and made a part of his heel period centered on the kid (There was even a match between Eddie & Ray for custody of the son...WOW!!!). Lastly, a couple months before his tragic death, they put Eddie back into the role of babyface. I was glad to see this happen: I always thought that Eddie was at his best when he was smiling, laughing, and being a skillful fighter/clown. However, I thought that the turn back to babyface seemed a little too late. The turn had to pickup some steam before he became a good guy again, and by the time he was good again, it was only a couple weeks I think before he died. It seemed like when he was good again, they had plans, but I was never really sure what those plans were. I guess we’ll never know.

3) Owen Hart Dies During Entrance at WWE Over the Edge & The Show Continued To Air

Another incident in which I wasn’t watching wrestling, the death of Owen Hart was a shocker to any wrestling fan. One of the great ironies about Owen Hart’s death was that he was a clean wrestler: meaning that he never took steroids, or any other drugs for that matter (Performance enhancing or otherwise). I digress, however.

Working his Blue Blazer gimmick, Owen was supposed to wrestle The Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship. The way that Owen was supposed to enter the ring was by repelling down from arena rafters, giving it a superhero vibe. However, he got released from the harness line early in a equipment malfunction, causing him to fall more than 70 feet into the ring, killing him instantly. While this is definitely tragic, what happened afterwards made the situation worse.

After Owen’s body was carted off, WWF/E continued the event, despite what just happened. This resulted in the Hart Family sued WWF/E (Which WWF/E settled out of, paying them 18 million), Martha Hart distancing herself from the company, future Over the Edge events were cancelled (Over the Edge 1999 was never released on video or DVD, but recently was put on the WWE Network, minus Owen’s death), and Owen Hart’s very well deserved spot in the WWE Hall of Fame has never been filled (Perhaps because of the possible legal ramifications from the Hart Family).

2) Undertaker Losing At Wrestlemania 30

You all knew this one was coming. Hell, the beginning sentences kinda revealed that this one would be here. The Undertaker. The Phenom. The Deadman, and The Streak. They’ve all finally been struck down. People at the arena or at home were practically stunned by what happened in the ring. It may have only been a couple days ago, but there has since been a buzz of information & controversy coming out of Wrestlemania 30 about this match. You might be wondering why. Why did he lose? Why did it have to be a rather standard opponent? After hearing that a damn good chunk of you said the match sucked, and looking up some info, I’ve narrowed it down to 4 points. They are:

1: Brock Lesnar
- Now I won’t quite bitch about this as much, since it was recently revealed that Undertaker picked him. Okay, fine, I’ll go with that. Still doesn’t mean I won’t bitch!
- I will say this: Brock Lesnar is a tank. He can run over anybody with those legs of his, and his fists can practically punch holes in people. His finishing move, the F5, is one of the most devastating finishers in wrestling history. He’s definitely a presence in WWF/E, and his place in the company is deserved (Although many will argue he doesn’t need to be around, and I agree to a tiny respect), but there’s really nothing to him. He’s almost like all of the other tank-style heels in the WWF/E, in that he’s just a mix of muscle & douchebag. I say he’s almost like the other tank-style heels, because he’s being managed by Paul Heyman, and Heyman’s smarmy, slimy attitude complemented Brock Lesnar’s more simplistic, brutish personality.
- Even though taker picked Lesnar as his opponent, Lesnar really wasn’t the right choice. Say what you will about CM Punk from last year, at least he had some kind of depth, some kind of personality (Yeah, he was with Paul Heyman at the time, but he still effectively had his own character), and at least the buildup between Punk & Undertaker had some kind of bite to it. True, a lot of it was clumsily done, but there was something with CM Punk. Brock is kinda boring, kinda stale, and really doesn’t have any personality outside of being a brutish thug.
 
2: The Buildup
- I remember before their match the months of buildup, and it was very lackluster. There was a lot of stalling, a lot of delaying, and it didn’t quite have as much of a zing as previous Undertaker matchups at Wrestlemania. Not only that, but for a good majority of the buildup, it was Undertaker having the upper hand against Brock Lesnar. It really wasn’t until the week of Wrestlemania where Brock Lesnar managed to get an edge in, thanks in part to giving the Undertaker an F5 on Raw of said week (I didn’t see Smackdown on Wrestlemania week, so I don’t know what happened there). The one thing I’ll give WWF/E credit in this regard is that it was the first time that they’ve ever brought Undertaker’s age into question, and into the storyline. It was a couple weeks prior to Wrestlemania where the Undertaker turned 49 years old, which is pretty significant in any wrestler’s career. So they played up on Undertaker finally becoming older, and maybe a little weaker. Kudos on that!

3: The Match
- Given that I didn’t watch this year’s Wrestlemania, I’m only going of what’s been seen & told about the match. Forgive me on this.
- The thing I’ve heard & read the most about this was that it was really just another ordinary Undertaker Streak matchup, and thinking about it, I’m not surprised. A match for the streak has a very set formula to it: Undertaker would do a couple of his moves, his opponent would do a couple of his moves, they both would kick out, then Undertaker would win. Given the stakes (Considering they’ve finally factored in Undertaker’s age), you would expect that there would be something to spice things up, apart from the obvious.

4: The Mystique Is Gone
- When the referee hit the 3-count, the entire arena, and just about everybody at home, probably had a heart attack. Nobody could believe that The Streak, which has been untouchable & pristine for just over 2 decades, was finally struck down in a moment that nobody saw coming, much less believe could happen. While the loss was undeniably shocking, it’s really gonna be the fallout that cause harm. What I mean is that because of this defeat, the mystique of the Undertaker is effectively gone. He’s not quite so threatening, he not so scary, and when (Really more like if) he comes back to Wrestlemania, people will only know him for his broken streak. It’s tragic, really.

1) The murder/suicide of Chris Benoit & his family

One could argue that there have been disturbing incidents before this, and you’d be right. One could that there were incidents since then, and you’d also be right. What makes this my number 1 moment of wrestling controversy is just how shocking, sick, and downright terrifying this incident was. Even how I found out was a little tragic.

My friend at the time, Dennis, called me up out of the blue, and in a panicked voice told me to switch the channel to Monday Right Raw. When I asked why, he said “You’ll see”. I switch the channel, and what I saw was shocking. Vince McMahon was in the ring (Ironic, given that he faked his death in a running storyline at the time), and was talking about Chris Benoit. Between his segments, there were some of his old matches playing, along with segments from the Chris Benoit DVD that was out at the time. It was strange, however, that there weren’t any details being released on the show (Another ironic twist: When Eddie Guerrero died in 2005, details got released not long after). Unfortunately, when the details began coming out, people were horrified by what they saw & heard.

It turns out that before he died, he had killed his wife & 7-year old son, before he killed himself through the use of a weight machine (He did it by hanging, if I remember correctly). As if that wasn’t horrible enough, it turns out that he had multiple drugs in his system (Including steroids), and had severe brain damage (He had some form of dementia, and his brain resembled that of a 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient according to the surgeon). It was apparent that some knew of the brain problems, and it was rumored that WWF/E knew about it as well.

This incident sent shockwaves throughout the WWF/E. Soon after this, any merchandise related to Chris Benoit was taken off of the shop, wrestlers & announcers no longer spoke about him, and the company backed away from him completely. The great irony of this is that all of his matches, both on Raw & Smackdown, not to mention any specials he was on, are airing once again on the WWE Network. Before each episode with Chris Benoit in them, a warning is issued. While I find this to be a little silly, in hindsight I completely understand why WWF/E would do this.

Even more ironic was the scandal that happened afterwards. After discovering that Benoit got his drugs & steroids from a Florida pharmacy, an investigation began. The end results of said investigation determined that multiple wrestlers had actually gotten their stuff from the pharmacy as well, including Kurt Angle, John Morrison, Batista, Edge and Booker T. The scandal & subsequent investigation also resulted in Booker T leaving the company in 2007, though he would eventually return a couple years later.

Since his death, Chris Benoit has become something of a boogeyman in the WWF/E. He’s never talked about, past footage & pictures of him haven’t been shown on WWF/E’s website or other sources, and all-in-all, has become persona-non-Grata in wrestling.

Well, these were my top 5 iconic wrestling controversies. I hope you’ve found it interesting, and maybe caused a little controversy in the process. Until next time, stay Otaku!

James Brian Hellwig: R.I.P. (June 16, 1959 - April 8, 2014)

Once again ladies & gentlemen, another wrestling legend has fallen. James Brian Hellwig, better known by fans as The Ultimate Warrior, tragically passed away at the age of 54. Details about his death are incredibly few, although it has been stated that at 5:50 P.M. yesterday, he collapsed on the way to his car, and was pronounced when his body arrived at the hospital.

Back when I watched wrestling with my father in the early 90s, there were definitely individuals that I remembered. The Ultimate Warrior was right at the top for me, with Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Hulk Hogan, and Macho Man Randy Savage not that far behind. The Warrior had an intensity, an energy, and such a shocking charisma, that to this day no-one has ever been able to even replicate a fraction of that power. Wrestling would not be where it is today, thanks in part to people like The Ultimate Warrior.

Before I go, I wanted to share WWE's official statement on James's passing, along with his final appearance on RAW, as well as a heartfelt video from Noah "The Spoony One" Antwiler.

http://www.wwe.com/inside/ultimate-warrior-passes-away-26223975

http://www.wwe.com/videos/2014-wwe-hall-of-famer-ultimate-warrior-speaks-raw-april-7-2014-26222865

http://spoonyexperiment.com/wrestle-wrestle-2/memories-of-the-ultimate-warrior/

I hope you all have a nice day. Until next week, stay Otaku!

Suicide Commando - Critical Stage Review

Welcome back to the review tour!

To change things up a little, this second half will focus on musicians & singers that I’ve already talked about, whether recently or a while ago. Today’s subject is Suicide Commando’s first album, Critical Stage. I’ve already covered Suicide Commando a couple months back with his 2000 release Mindstrip (Click “***” to read that review), which was a interesting mix between older sounds & newer technology (New at the time, at least). This release is interesting as well, but for different reasons. With that said, let’s look at Critical Stage, and see why Suicide Commando made a career from this release.

Background
Taken from the Suicide Commando website:

“Suicide Commando is signed to the German OFF BEAT label and releases its first full length CD "Critical Stage", including clubhits like "Traumatize", "Necrophilia".... and featuring Dirk Ivens (Dive) as guest vocalist on one track ("Where Do We Go From Here ?"). Several other tracks (including the club hit "Save Me") are released on different compilations during ´94 and ´95.”

Songs
Critical Stage (“***”): Sounding like it comes from a nuclear disaster sci-fi movie, the opening track to this album is a herald to the things that come. Johan Van Roy makes heavy usage of eerie & sinister sounds, and puts them together to create a calling card for toxic mutants. Be careful when you listen to this at night, or else something might slither up and turn you into it’s next victim!

Sheer Horror (“***”): Coming off of the opening tune, Sheer Horror continues with the “Sinister” theme. It also is the first song to feature Johan Van Roy’s vocals. They’re rather basic, and rarely to they change in tone. Because of how things were put together, it sounds like they almost never change in volume. As for the lyrics themselves, they’re also easy to get.

“Schizophrenic
eternal visions
locked up
let me out of here
get a grip
of your endless fear
sheer horror
hell is real
sheer horror

the devil inside of me
is taking control of me

(Repeats for a 2nd time)”

H.I.V. (“***”): Taking a more spiteful approach, H.I.V. almost seems like an attack against people with said sickness. Just take a look at the lyrics!

“Spreading diseases
Body decay
God's reprisal
You must pay
Your body's infected
Death is nearby
Your body's collapsing
Human decline

Disease, disease
Disease, disease

(Repeats for a 2nd time)”

It’s really bloodthirsty, and actually makes me a little uncomfortable. The instrumentation doesn’t help matters either. The sounds come across as if you’re getting infected with the virus. It worms itself into your system, and chances are you won’t be able to get it out of you. Maybe that’s why it’s on my mp3 player?

Traumatize (“***”): Another disturbing song, Traumatize makes me think that perhaps mister Van Roy has a problem. With that said, this doesn’t have as much of a spiteful nature as H.I.V. did. It starts out with a girl screaming in what I believe is a combination of English & German, but I’m not certain. Van Roy’s singing is present in this as well, but all he really sings/says is the word Traumatize. The effects in this are rather simplistic: once it gets into the core of the song, the beat becomes steady & repetitive, but at the same time makes for some great dance music.

So Many Questions (“***”): A common theme you might be noticing so far in Critical Stage is that the vocals really aren’t that special. Johan Van Roy keeps the volume at the same pitch throughout the whole time he’s singing, with only perhaps a second or two to change things. Lyrically, he repeats lines when new once should be introduced. With that said, things change slightly in So Many Questions. For example, here’s what he sings:

“Impressions of death
the last seconds of your life
tell me what do you feel
tell me what do you see do you see
the light the light of eternity
or is it just darkness
purgatory in hell Is there
a heaven Or is it just the hell
Is there a god to believe in
Or is it just the devil
So many questions
stay without an answer
So many doors
stay without an entrance

So many questions
stay without an answer
So many doors
stay without an entrance

(Repeats everything for a 2nd time)”

True, he’s still repetitive here, but the lyrics in question feel a little more substantial. The instrumentation, however, is still rather repetitive, and stays almost consistent in it’s repetitiveness. With that said, there’s kind of a dark beat to it, and you can actually into it’s sinister groove.

Time (“***”): Time has instrumentation that both repetitive yet different. There is what sounds like drums playing the same sound over & over again throughout the entire song. However, there is also a second set of electronics that accompanies the drum-like sound, along with what sounds like monks humming/moaning (I can’t tell). This makes for what I believe the most versatile song on Critical Stage, due to it’s sounds alone. Sadly, the lyrics revert back to the most basic form seen earlier.

“Time is running so fast
how long will it last
it could be an hour
it could be a day
we won't survive the time
we'll die anyway
time

(Repeats for a 2nd time)”

The one positive thing I will say about the singing is that at the end of the second portion, Johan Van Roy does change his volume, but only for a few moments.

Fate (“***”): Remember from a moment ago when I said that So Many Questions had more substantial lyrics than anything else....well, I lied. Feast your eyes on this!

“They coming to get you
You’d better hide
They looking for you
You can’t get out
They getting closer
You gotta run
They gonna get you
The end is done

Death is coming,
Coming your way
Death is coming
To take you away

They blow your head off
You won’t survive
The serial killer
Dead or alive
The scream of panic
The fear in your eyes
The scream of pain
Cut in your vein

Death is coming
Coming your way
Death is coming
To take you away

Death is coming
Coming your way”

Yeah the chorus is repetitive (Makes sense), but in the end he did make other lyrics, rather than repeating earlier choices. Sadly, the instrumentation in Fate is by far the most repetitive on Critical Stage. It never really changes, and overtime it can get rather boring. In my opinion, this is easily the weakest song on the album, despite the improved lyrical choices & usage.

Necrophilia (“***”): With a name like Necrophilia, you’d expect this to be a disturbing song, and you’d be right. Just look at the lyrics!

“I want to get your body
I want to get inside
your ice cold body
covered in shrouds
I want to taste your body
I want to taste your smile
you make me feel so horny
you're making me go wild
necrophilia

I penetrate your body
I'm getting inside
your eyes wide open
staring at the sky
I'm taking of your clothes
you're looking so livid
to hell with religion
you're dead, I'm living
necrophilia”

The lyrics alone are enough to make an average joe faint. However, with the way the instrumentation was done, it comes out looking like a song off of a dark comedy album. Yeah the lyrics are disgusting, but the instrumentation comes across as a combination of sick & silly. It’s really hard to find one solid theme, yet I think that’s not what Johan Van Roy wanted.

Revenge (“***”): Taking the possible comedic aspects and throwing them out the window, Revenge goes to back to the sinister/evil vibe that’s been very consistent throughout this album. Tragically, any lyrical improvements that were present in Necrophilia aren’t in this song as much. Take a look.

“Ashes to ashes
dust to dust
reincarnation
in god we trust
face to face
and eye to eye
facing relation
seeing you die

Ashes to ashes
dust to dust
reincarnation
in god we trust
face to face
and eye to eye
facing relation
seeing you die

die
die

god's revenge
god's revenge
god's revenge”

As you can see, Johan Van Roy repeats the main portion once again. Luckily, the small bit at the end is different, despite it getting repeated. Instrumentation wise, Revenge seems to have more going for it in terms. Things seem to change more, and there also seems to be a little more variety. Only 3 songs left. Lets hope this holds!

Where Do We Go From Here? (“***”): We have another great instrumentation piece. It is the most varied on Critical Stage, with different beats & sounds being used all over, creating a dark mood. Ironically, there is singing in this, despite being a instrumental piece (More on this in a sec). Here are the lyrics.

“Highways full of spirits
a red light stops it all
emotions full of tension
rising to your empty soul
where do we go from here ?
the sky so grey and dark
the future's disappearing
feeding like a spark

where do we go from here?”

For starters, it feels this was just a portion of a song that was to be used. Not that it’s bad or anything (The lyrical choices feel very appropriate for a Suicide Commando album), but it seems like there’s something missing. On top of that, it feels like the singing is very shoe-horned into the song, making it very out of place.

Under God’s Eye (“***”): I swear to god that when I first listened to this, I thought that it was a forgotten song from The Terminator soundtrack. It has that movie’s techno-industrial vibe, along with the mechanical production style seen in The Terminator’s musical choices. Ironically, my complaint of simplistic & repeated lyrics that was used in just about every other song, actually works in Under God’s Eye’s favor. Here they are!

“Under god's eye
Under god's eye
Under god's sky
We must believe
We must believe
Under god's eye
Under god's eye
We're under god's
Under god's eye”

As you can see, it’s the incredibly basic lyrics that have been present in just about all the other tunes, but it complements the Terminator feel that the instrumentation seems to provide.

The Dreamhouse (Mental Version)(“***”): Critical Stage concludes with The Dreamhouse, an instrumentation piece that has somewhat of a metaphysical aspect to it. There are certain sounds that invoke the feeling of the mind, of dreams, and of the beyond. It comes across as something that could put you to sleep, and conjure up all sorts of energy.

Overall Impression & Rating
Though Critical Stage sounds & feels incredibly archaic, it’s this simplistic approach to Industrial Metal that gives the album it’s charm. Done at a time where the technology was still a little primitive, the music on here shows that even when you don’t have much, you can still pump out great music. Simply put: Critical Stage is a classic!

Critical Stage gets a 8.5 out of 10.

See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!

My Top 10 Anime (Revised)

Hey everyone!

As time moves on, our tastes change. Whether it’s food, movie, or beverages, our favorites shift with the changing winds. The same thing can be applied to anime: when we’re younger, fans tend to like more childish shows, but as they get older, more mature shows get thrown into the mix. Since I posted my original Top 10 Anime list last year (Click on “***”), I’ve had some new anime come my way, and some of my favorites have changed since then. With tomorrow being the start of the second leg of my music review tour, I thought that it was time for another anime post. With that said, here is my revised post on my top 10 anime.

10) Mad Bull 34

If you remember my review of this show, you’ll recall that I gave this show a brutal slap to the face. I basically said that it was the ugliest, racist, most sterotypical, and most sexist anime I’ve ever seen. Here’s the thing.....I like this show!!!

The reason why I have such a bad show on this list is because of a simple belief: there always needs to be a couple bad anime in someone’s library. To me, this show is so batshit, apeshit, friggen insane, it’s actually hard to not like. Yes, the show is sexist, yes there’s racism & stereotypes, and yes, the show sometimes looks god-awful and has some equally god-awful voice acting. For some odd reason, it’s these exact same flaws that endear me to the show. Every negative aspect associated with cops shows can be found within Mad Bull 34, and I let out small chuckle every time I watch an episode.

9) XXXHolic

XXXHolic is one of those series that Otaku either love or hate. The people that hate the show will probably state that it’s a little too artsy, doesn’t follow the manga, and all in all is just too weird to comprehend. At the same time, it’s these qualities that make XXXHolic a good show to watch.

For starters, XXXHolic is one of the most beautiful series that the all-female group CLAMP has ever created, standing along side series such as Cardcaptor Sakura, X (Nobody talks about X), and Tsubasa. It is indeed an artsy show, mixing the mysterious & unique with an interesting usage of color, creating some very vivid imagery. As for not following the manga, I’m actually okay with that. I find that by not connecting with Tsubasa (Anybody who’s read the XXXHolic manga, you’ll know what I’m talking about) you have a stronger main story instead of a weaker one. As for the weirdness...well, I can understand why anime fans who don’t like this show because of this. There are plenty of moments where you’ll go “huh!?”, but there’s also moments where you’ll go “what!?”, and there’s usually something that will make you understand what happened right around the corner.

8) Chobits

The best way I can describe Chobits is through the following phrase: The Thinking Man’s Cute.

Make no mistake, Chobits is cute. Insanely cute. It’s the kind of cute that will more than likely cause you to have spasms if you aren’t prepared. It’s the kind of cute that’ll cause you to bash your head against a brick wall if you don’t like cute things (In which case, why are you watching Chobits in the first place?). At the same time however, Chobits has depth to it. It explores man’s fascinations with technology, and it also questions man’s increasing obsession with machinery, as well as our desire to become closer with technology. Although the manga does this a little better than the anime (Not by much), the anime still holds onto this theme enough that it’s still fascinating & entertaining.

It also doesn’t help the fact that the main character, Chi, is adorable as all hell.....CHI!!!

7) Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Princess Knight

I couldn’t put each of these shows in their own spots, as they’re all very legendary series. Drawn & edited by the iconic Osamu Tezuka, these three shows delighted and entertained kids of the previous generation, and their magic continues to delight the anime generation of today. Perhaps the factor that ties these shows together is that they aren’t like the kids shows of today. Created at a time when we didn’t try to hide things from our children & didn’t talk down at them, they all are a great mix between sweet, truthful, lesson-learning, and even some of the darker aspects of life. If shows now were like this, I guarantee that our kids will become badass once again!

6) Tenchi Muyo OVA & Outlaw Star

When these show aired on Toonami back in the day, I could hardly watch them. My workload at school at the time was something of a back-breaker, so I didn’t have much free time. It really wasn’t until recent memory that I finally had the chance to sit down both shows, and I’m punching myself in the face for having waited for so long to get to these series.

I really don’t have much to say about Tenchi Muyo & Outlaw Star, since what I have to say pretty much covers both shows. They both have great stories, interesting characters, and overall are just fun to watch. There are aspects that separate the shows & put them in their respective niches, but Tenchi Muyo & Outlaw Star have a lot more in common than you think.

BTW, I’ll get my Outlaw Star review up in a couple months. Hope you don’t mind the wait. 

5) Pokemon

First off, I’m not talking about the newer seasons. I despise the newer seasons, simply because the magic that made the original seasons is gone (At least for me). It also doesn’t help the fact that the voice acting in the newer seasons is downright awful, and it seems less smart & clever (Enough to the point where it kinda treats it’s audience like idiots), but I will give it credit in one regard, and that’s the animation quality. The quality in the newer seasons look & move smoother, and has a fresher feel, but I digress.

When I watched Pokemon back in the day, I had never seen anything like it. It was the cooliest thing I ever saw: a kid around my age, wandering the world with friends, capturing a menagerie of creatures to fight other people who possibly had the same creatures. This was something my young mind thought about from time to time (Yeah, I was a little weird back then. I’m still a little weird). I loved the original series so much, I worked my ass off to earn enough money to buy a game boy color & Pokemon: Red Edition. I still have the red edition, along with the blue, yellow, gold, and silver editions, not to mention a big collection of the trading cards & plushies, and I’ll never get rid of any of them!

4) My Neighbor Totoro

Now, I’ve seen a lot of Studio Ghibli films. From Grave of the Fireflies, to Porco Rosco, I’ve seen most of what they have to offer. Then, I came across My Neighbor Totoro, and I was pleasantly surprised.

What makes me put this film on the list is that it is considerably less serious than the other films. True, most of Studio Ghibli’s films have a happy vibe & ending (With the notable exception of Grave of the Fireflies and a few others), but My Neighbor Totoro has the distinction of having little in the way of serious elements. I won’t say what they are, so just wait until the impending review. What I will say is that is that this film is a happy-go-lucky, heart warming film that’ll leave you (And your family if they’re watching) with a big smile on your face.

3) Plastic Little

Back when I reviewed this in late 2011 (December 2011, to be specific), the first good thing I said about Plastic Little was that Satoshi Urushihara was behind the animation. He sincerely knows how to draw the female figure in such a way that the word beauty cannot describe them. They are so gorgeous, it hard to believe that this film was released back in 1994. Even the men (Well, some of the men) have a unearthly look & feel to them. The world itself is also unique, as it takes place on a island floating among the clouds, with ships flying all over the place.

Even if the show didn’t look great, Plastic Little is a fun sci-fi OVA. You got sci-fi (Obviously), comedy, action, drama, and even some ecchi in one scene. They all come together in a 50-minute package that’s well worth your time...even if you’re just borrowing it from somebody.

2) Comic Party Revolution

Long before I began assembling my collection, I discovered the joys of the ADV Films website, long before it closed. Coincidentally, this was during the first few months I was in college (I went in the fall of 2005), but that’s somewhat not the point. One of the first trailers I saw on the website was for Comic Party Revolution, and as strange as this may sound, it was something I haven’t seen before. It was bright, colorful, and had what looked liked a good cast of characters. It was also goofy, silly, funny, and it was even a little bit dirty at times. Sadly, I didn’t buy any of the DVDs until January/February of 2008 (I can’t remember which), when I bought the first volume. Immediately, I was hooked to the show, and I got the complete series on Christmas of that year. If I had a time capsule, and it could only hold five Anime DVDs, then the complete series would be immediately put in.

As for the show itself, it’s one of the few slice-of-life series that I enjoy. True, there are plenty of moments where things get really silly, and certain episodes are goofier than others (They got at least two sports-themed episodes), but Comic Party Revolution is rather grounded in reality. The various characters all feel like individuals that you’d meet in real life, and the world feels like something from everyday life. If you’d like a show that celebrates the Otaku lifestyle in a more positive circumstance, then watch Comic Party Revolution.

1) Kekko Kamen

Much like the number 2 spot, I first saw the trailer for this show when the ADV Films website was still up, What puts Kekko Kamen at this spot can be explained in two reasons:

1) I saw the trailer first (Click “***” to watch it)
2) What I saw in the trailer got stuck in my mind more that CPR’s trailer

Even if I didn’t see the trailer, the DVD cover of the show would have drawn me in immediately. Much like Mad Bull 34, Kekko Kamen is politically incorrect. What separates this show from that one is the fact that Kekko Kamen is considerably more lighthearted, and the main bad guys get what coming to them in ways that would make normal people shudder. It also doesn’t help the fact that Kekko Kamen is all kinds of weird & goofy, and for some reason it always brings a smile to my face.

See you all next week, when it’s time to go back on tour. Until then, stay Otaku!




***
Just got the collector’s edition of Reaper of Souls yesterday. The crusader is stupid fun!!!!!

Dave Brockie: R.I.P. (August 30, 1963 - March 23, 2014)

Heavy Metal fans, another titan has fallen. On March 23, 2014, Dave Brockie, better known as his character Oderus Urungus from the infamous band GWAR, passed away. Details are incredibly slim, however police do not suspect foul play, drugs or suicide, but they will await a medical examiner's report before confirming the cause of death.

When you have the time, have a sear somewhere quiet, put in your earbuds, and crank up some GWAR. Brockie, I might not have liked your music, but you sure as hell know how top put on a show. To Oderus, I'm glad you no longer have to suffer on This Toilet Earth (Get the reference?), and now you can fight the universe unhindered by a fleshy shell. In any case, give this guy a round of applause, and let's enjoy what made him special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWRKlNlRsgI

See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!

My Top 10 Movies

Well, I got my top 10 TV shows up, and my long-promised review of Deadliest Warrior: Season 2. Now it’s time for my top 10 movies, and I think you’ll be quite surprised. Enjoy!

10) Hellraiser (Sample Clip: “***”)

Funny fact about me: I’m not much of a horror fan.

You might pick on me, but I’ve never really been able to get into the genre. I have a really overactive imagination, enough to the point where I can sometimes feel the pain when people get hurt or killed (I can’t watch Alien without getting chest pains). Even horror anime I can’t get into, but as with horror in anime, there are a few scary films I actually like, and Hellraiser is one of them. Clive Barker knows how to make a scary film, mixing the physical with surreal sights & sensations, not to mention having a interesting story, and characters that are both likable & unlikable. Coupled with an iconic horror monster played by a damn good actor (Doug Bradley), some great one-liners, and some surprising intellectual value, you have an entertaining movie.

9) A Christmas Story (Sample Clip: “***”)

The sad thing is...Scrooged is a movie I enjoy more than this, but only just. The premise behind it is familiar, but somehow new at the same time. It also helps that Bill Murray headlines the movie (Hell, his face is plastered on the front of the DVD case), and his performance is just awesome. So you’re asking yourself “If you liked Scrooged more, why are you putting A Christmas Story on this list instead?” Well.....

I’m putting A Christmas Story on this list because I can relate to it more. I can remember being as young as the main character during the holidays. I can remember how strange things could get during that time, and I can remember the wonder (And occasional horror) when I came down the stairs to gaze upon the sparkling tree with the presents underneath. It’s those kind of memories that ring in my mind, and I would put this in a film ark in a minute because of that!

8) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Sample Clip: “***”)

If you grew up during the 90s, chances are you’ve heard of the Power Rangers. If you were one of said kids of that liked the Power Rangers, chances are you’ve watched the Power Rangers movie. Despite problems during production, and mixed reactions from movie critics, the film has gained a considerable cult following, and actually managed to be a financial success overall. While I despise the modern interpretations of the rangers, my childhood nostalgia still has fond memories of the older crew, and this movie is a part of that nostalgia. It’s cheesiness has aged considerably since it’s release (Whether it’s cheesiness is good or bad is a matter of the individual in question), but I still smile once in a while when I watch clips on youtube.

7) Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sample Clip: “***”)

Like the genre of horror, I’m not a fan of musicals. Unlike horror, I have a greater distaste for musicals. Most of them take themselves too seriously, and those that try to do something even a tiny bit original seem to go back to being too serious. However, there are two musicals that come to my mind when I think of musicals that actually do something original: Repo the Genetic Opera, and my number 7 choice, Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky Horror Picture Show does a bunch of things that separate it from the pack. For starters, it’s a rock n’ roll musical. Most musicals go for a big band kind of sound or operatic sounds, so basing a musical around rock n’ roll is a bit of a risk taker. Secondly, there are plenty of comedic & wacky moments that propel the story along. A cheesy wedding, meeting Tim Curry in drag for the first time, and seeing a undead Meatloaf ride around on a Harley are just some of the mindwarping moments you’ll watch over the course of this movie. Third & finally, and most importantly, this movie in general is balls to the wall insane, and doesn’t care what other people think about it. It’s that kind of attitude that can make a musical, movie, video game, music album, or anime pretty damn successful, even if critics don’t necessarily like. Rocky Horror Picture Show easily falls into that category, and if you’re a fan of unconventional movies, you’ll enjoy this immediately.

6) UHF (Sample Clip: “***”)

It’s really such a shame that this movie was slammed back in the day, because I thought that the film was Weird Al at his best. He was consistently funny throughout the entire film, and the supporting cast (Which included the guy that played Kramer, as well Fran Drescher from The Nanny) added a lot of personality to it. What also makes this film fun, at least for me, was the wackiness of the scenes (More like skits, but I’ll save that for the eventual review), and trust me when I say that some of these scenes/skits are some of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen.

You have Weird Al’s daydream sequences (The first one is a spoof on the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a later sequence he’s imagining himself as Rambo rescuing Kramer from Seinfeld), karate students getting thrown through walls and out of windows, the Wheel of Fish, and a host of other scenes/skits that I can’t really explain. This is an example where watching the movie will make far more sense than me trying to explain it.

5) Die Hard I (Sample Clip: “***”)

Considering how much I love guns, explosions, and one-liners, I found it to be a disservice to my action movie cred for never watching Die Hard in it’s entirety. I’ve always managed to catch pieces of it on TV, but it was usually censored, and there may have been something taken out. About mid-October last year, I finally managed to catch it right at the beginning, and holy hell was it fun!

There’s not that many movies out there where I smile the entire time, but this was one where that, once the shit hit the fan, I found myself smiling immediately, and my grin couldn’t fade away. Dare I say it, but I find that Die Hard is considerably more cheesy then the Power Rangers movie, and has considerably more staying power in pop culture. The only way for the cheese factor to reach diabetes level, would be to have Die Hard crossed with Power Rangers. Power Rangers Die Hard?

4) The Thing: 1982 Edition (Sample Clip: “***”)

Like I was talking about during my number 10 spot, I don’t like horror films much. Most of them are far too creepy for me, and I sometimes feel the pain the victims are experiencing a little too much. Hellraiser was one of the first, and while I liked that movie, I enjoyed The Thing. From what I’ve heard about the prequel movie from 2011, it’s slaps the original movie’s face, so I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.

With that out of the way, The Thing still holds up today. The practical effects still look fantastic, the atmosphere is just perfect, the acting, while a little campy nowadays, is well done, and overall is a perfectly constructed horror movie. It knows when to be scary & suspenseful, it knows when to have character development, and it even knows when & how to be funny. Not a lot of horror movies do this nowadays, so go watch this one instead!

3) Blazing Saddles (Sample Clip: “***”)

Easily the most politically incorrect movie I’ve ever watched, Blazing Saddles also has the distinction of being one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. If there’s anything wrong with the film, it’s that another film like it will never be made again, simply because the politically correct environment we live in right now won’t let it be made. It’s really sad that so many people get upset by what’s in the film, cause it’s a really great satirical comedy.

If you remember my review from July last year about the film (Click “***” to read it), I said that some of the most racial & sexual humor I’ve ever witnessed. Words like “Nigger” & “Chink” are thrown around (But not constantly, and at the right time), and jokes about breasts and other body parts appear sometimes at random. Despite the subject matter of the humor, the underlying message of Blazing Saddles is just how ridiculous racism & sexism is, and that we should get along regardless of race or gender. It’s a great message that needs to be spread all over the world, and perhaps there won’t be as much bloodshed.

2) The Mummy (1999 Edition) (Sample Clip: “***”) & Mystery Men (Sample Clip: “***”)

Right around 1999 to 2000, I was beginning to get more into movies, the first two films I got addicted to was The Mummy & Mystery Men. I really can’t separate these two films, simply because I enjoy them that much.

Now, I’ve never seen the original 1932 edition of The Mummy (At least not completely), so I really can’t compare it to this one (Unlike The Thing). When I saw this movie for the first time, I was awed by what I saw. Before The Mummy, the movies I saw were relatively tame, mostly because my mother was cautious about what I saw. I had turned 13 around 1999/2000, and this was the first movie I saw when she loosened up a bit.

What I can say is that this version of the Mummy is very different than it’s predecessor. Whereas the original movie was focused mainly on horror & suspense, the 1999 edition was a mix of action, horror, suspense, and it also managed to sneak in a couple comedic moments. The cast was also a plus for the movie, with Brendan Fraser as the lead good guy, and Arnold Vosloo as the main bad guy. There were plenty of other good actors that graced the movie, such as Rachel Weisz, John David Hannah, and Kevin J. O'Connor. The setting of a mid 20s Egypt brings a mystical & early modern wonder to the movie, making for a great flick to watch when the lights are dim.

Like The Mummy, I watched Mystery Men in that 1999-2000 period of my life, when I was getting a better grasp & understanding of movies. Also like the previous movie, I watched the hell out of the VHS copy I have, probably to the point of making the tape fragile. What makes Mystery Men a fun film for me, is that it takes a standard film trope (In this case the Superhero genre) and turns it on it’s head. In the movie, the bay guy is fairly obvious, the obvious good guy turns out to be a douchebag, and the real good guys are the underdogs that save the day in the end.

Even if the movie wasn’t a goofy superhero/sci-fi comedy, it’s the cast of characters that endears me to the movie. For the good guys, there’s William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, and Wes Studi as various lesser-known superheroes. With the bad guys, Geoffrey Rush is the lead villain, and Eddie Izzard as one of his second-in-command. This cast is quite an ensemble of A-list and B-list actors & comedians, and somehow, through some mysterious way, all of these people meld together, and create a truly memorable experience.

1) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Sample Clip: “***”)

Now, I love all of the movies in the Indiana Jones series (Including Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), but the first movie I saw in this series was Last Crusade. There’s been plenty of older action movies I’ve seen that still hold up today, but this old-schooler is right at the top in terms of being well-aged (If it’s not at the top, it’s on the step before). Great story, great characters, great effects, great action sequences, It’s got it all. Even the acting, while a little hammy at times, is still great! I’ve met young people that love Last Crusade, and I’ve met older people that love Last Crusade. It’s that kind of power that makes it a movie that last for all time, allowing for individuals of all ages to enjoy.
                               
See you all next week, when we’ll look at one last revision. Until then, stay Otaku!