Devin Townsend - Infinity: Christeen EP Review

Hey everybody!

Well, we’re just about finished with this music review tour. The crew is getting tired, and the band is ready for a break. Before we stop, we’ve got two final reviews, and they’re both dedicated to the Canadian lord of Progressive Metal, Devin Townsend. His brilliance has transcended time & space (How else did you think he encountered Zilltoid?), and there are few beings in the universe that haven’t heard of him. Today’s review is a side release from1998. So with that said, here a look at the Infinity EP.

Background
Taken from Devin Townsend’s website:

“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the 'Ass-Sordid' stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions. Some interesting stuff here, with the final song 'Love Load' causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”

Songs
Christeen (“***”): This is only one of two songs on this EP that have any bit of normality to it. Even with that said, Christeen sounds like something you’d listen to while you’re flying a ship through space. There a very futuristic vibe going on here, which is ironic given the instrumentation. As far as I can hear, there doesn’t appear to be any keyboard used in this. The only things used in this are drums & guitar, which are played very well. Devin’s singing comes across as very clean & clear, with only a small portion devoted to his patented yelling. A good start to a quick experience.

Om (Demo)(“***”): If listening to Christeen was a futuristic space adventure, then listening to Om is a religious experience. Everything in this song is very sweeping. From the lyrics, to the vocals, and to the instrumentation, it all seems like it was done so it could sweep you off your feet. This song also seems to have something of a bipolar issue going on: the first half of Om is very chaotic & disorganized, while the second half is very well paced, but still chaotic. A strange song, but a pleasant kind of strange.

Sit In The Mountain (Demo)(“***”): This is the other song I was talking about that had normality in it. In fact, this may be the most normal song that Devin Townsend made during the recording of Infinity. This also happens to be my favorite song in this EP, but that’s neither here nor there. Like Om, Sit In The Mountain has a sweeping vibe to it, but unlike the previously mentioned song, this song is not chaotic in the slightest. Everything within this tune is very planned out, very sturdy, and definitely not chaotic. Just the way I like my music sometimes.

Processional (Demo)(“***”): If Om was bipolar, then Processional has a severe case of Multiple Personality Disorder!

As with the previous two songs, there’s that sweeping vibe I’ve been talking about. Not only that, but Processional is the longest tune on here. Running at 11 minutes & 37 seconds, this sweeping feeling creates an epic atmosphere. However, this is where any commonality with the previous music ends. While the previous song were all organized (More or less), Processional is made up of 4 individual parts. While the transition between the parts is quick & clean, it’s the portions themselves that are different. Each one honestly sounds like their own song, and perhaps that’s what should have happened. With that said, Processional isn’t a bad song. The instrumentation in each piece is just wonderful, and Devin’s vocals are just as varied & unique as they were before. A nice listen to, if you ask me.

Love-Load (Demo)(“***”): Mr. Townsend wasn’t kidding when he said that this song distanced himself from some friends/band mates, not to mention the message of Infinity. There a nihilistic cloud hovering over this tune, almost like what was hovering over the music within Type O Negative’s 1999 release, World Coming Down (Cousins, maybe?). Things in Love-Load sound very pessimistic: from the instrumentation & keyboard, to the singing, and to the choice of lyrics, this all sounds like someone having a horrible state of mind. Listen to this if you don’t get freaked out easily.

Overall Impression & Rating
The Christeen EP is a quick & fun listen to. Christeen is a great song, and the other four aren’t slouches either. If there is anything wrong with the EP, it’s that it’s a little tricky to locate. Maybe if there was a special re-release of the Infinity album, and the EP was placed on as a bonus CD, or maybe included on the main disk itself. Anyways, this is a bite-sized piece of Canadian goodness you’ll enjoyed chewing on.

Christeen EP gets a 8.5 out of 10.

See you all next time, when we’ll be jumping off into the infinity (Subtle, isn’t it). Until then, stay Otaku!

Paradise Lost - Icon Review

Hey guys & gals!

Well, the music review tour is near it’s end. We’ve covered a lot of musicians during this time, from unknown hits, to some of the most popular musicians around. Today’s artist is no different, as I’ve covered them once before in February of last year. They’ve been one of the reigning champions of Gothic Metal, and they continue to blaze their own trail. Let’s setup an umbrella so the rain doesn’t beat us down, put on a little more black no. 1, and listen to Paradise Lost’s 1993 iconic release.....Icon (That was lame...I know!).

Background
Taken from Wikipedia & Kerrang:

“In 2008, speaking to Kerrang! about the album's music, Nick Holmes remembered:

We were pretty much the first band to coin the phrase 'gothic metal' so I don't have a problem with that label. We've actually done gothier albums than Icon, but if people want to say that it sums up something up that's fine with me. At the time there was also black metal, thrash metal and everyone wanted to describe what type of something was so we went 'Okay, we've got The Sisters of Mercy elements in our music, let's call it goth metal'. We were getting better as musicians as well and I was hopefully getting better as a vocalist. When that happens you want to fine-tune what you're doing. It's also about not wanting to get stuck or pigeonholed into one particular musical place. We've kept the whole gothic thing going right throughout our career, but we did want to do something a little different. With the vocals, a lot of it was kind of shouting in key as opposed to just shouting, its okay singing like Beelzebub, but your voice can get into trouble if you have a big tour.”

Songs
Embers Fire (“***”): The cello playing that starts off this song is a sign of things to come, not just in the song, but in the rest of the album. The instrumentation is slow & sludgy, but at the same time is paced very well, and never trips up. The singing is just laden with brooding darkness & loss, and is as well paced as the instrumentation. All in All, Embers Fire is a great piece of music, and a perfect way to start this album.

Remembrance (“***”): Things are definitely picking up now!

I’m being only somewhat sarcastic with that last statement. It’s true, the instrumentation & vocals have indeed picked up some speed. The guitars & drums had some energy injected into them, and the speed dial on the singing got turned up a little also. However, I feel that when they change their speed, it seems a little more abrupt & sudden, and there’s moments where I swear they trip up (But only slightly). With that said, they still keep the gothic tones within Remembrance, although I think they might have scaled it back very, very, very slightly.

Forging Sympathy (“***”): When I first listened to Forging Sympathy, I swore that I was listening to one of Paradise Lost’s first three albums. You see, before they went down the Gothic Metal route, the band was actually a Death/Doom Metal group. Their earliest music was slower, sludgier, and a bit on the brutal side of things. This song is a bridge between the Death/Doom Metal of their first three albums, and the Gothic Metal of most of their later releases. You have the instrumentation, which leans heavily towards their earliest work. It’s slow, loud, and very menacing. The vocals seem to be a mix of both sides: it’s very dark during the slower portions, but swifter when things are faster. Despite stratling between 2/3 genre, Forging Sympathy is a strong song on this album.

Joys of the Emptiness (“***”): Joys of the Emptiness is as bleak as they come. As you listen to it, you can see the skies darken, lightning dart through the clouds, and rain coming down like a swarm of locusts. The instrumentation in this goes back to what Embers Fire established: slow, sinister, and full of menace. The singing also goes back to the first song on this album, except just a little slower. The one cool thing I like about the vocals in this is that there are two portions where they distort the voice, and it sounds like it’s coming from radio speaker. The end result is that it sounds like echoing white noise, and it just adds more to the atmosphere. Another hit!

Dying Freedom (“***”): Just like Forging Sympathy. Next!

Okay, that’s a little unfair. While it’s true that the instrumentation in this sounds somewhat like that from the previously mention song, there are some differences. For one thing, the guitars & drums are played more quickly hear than in Forging Sympathy, almost to the point where some of the gothic tones actually dissipate. Luckily, there are certain beats played, not to mention some cellos playing at the beginning, that plug up any holes before things leak out too much. The singing seems to be leaning more towards this album’s tone than the previous two, but there’s times where the singer goes back over. A decent song, but one that has some identity issues.

Widow (“***”): If you’re a woman that just recently had their husband pass away, then this might not be for you!

Not that I’m saying the song is bad, mind you. It’s got great instrumentation that plays at a fast & steady pace (The drums sound like they’re galloping sometimes), and the singing is pretty top notch to boot (It’s as fast as the instruments, but there’s more of a chaotic element put in). However, this is the bleakest song on the album. Widow is very mired in depressive tones, and mixed with potentially suicidal lyrical choices. It’s really creepy, but if you can get past this, then you have something nice to listen too.

Colossal Rains (“***”): Just like Joys of the Emptiness. Next! (Not being sarcastic this time)

Weeping Words (“***”): This is another song that made me think I was listening to Paradise Lost’s earlier work. The instrumentation immediately made me think I was listening to something off of one of their first three albums. A little bit faster, but still very sludgy. The singing mirrors this also, including the slightly faster pace. Other than that, I can’t really think of anything else to say. Definitely the weakest song on the list.

Poison (“***”): Okay, I sort of lied when I said that Weeping Words was the weakest song on Icon.

The first few seconds of the song definitely had some promise. It was very gothic, but it’s faster pace made it a sound on it’s own. With that said, there doesn’t quite seem to be as much effort in the instrumentation (Apart from the guitars, which sound fine), and thus coming across as a little weak sometimes. The singing isn’t much better, but there’s at least a little more effort put in the vocals. Again, nothing else to really say.

True Belief (“***”): At first I was going to say that True Belief was the same as Joys of the Emptiness & Colossal Rains, but I’m reluctantly deciding not to. True, this has the same vibe that the previously mentioned songs have, but what makes this song different is the instrumentation. It’s not in what’s being played, it’s how they are played. While Joys of the Emptiness & Colossal Rains are played slowly, True Belief is a strange mix of slow & fast. As the song plays on, it feels as if it’s being played at both speeds simultaneously, which in turn creates an eerie but fascinating atmosphere. Nice comeback!

Shallow Seasons (“***”): Like Poison, only with stronger instrumentation. Next! (Again, no sarcasm)

Christendom (“***”): If there was a song that you can’t avoid on this album, it would be Christendom. In a change of pace from practically everything else, there are female vocals used in this song. They aren’t used constantly, but when they’re used during the softer portions, there’s kind of a odd, gothic comfort to them. The male vocals aren’t that much different, although they get louder at certain parts when they need to. The instrumentation is pretty great hear as well, as they’re played slow, but not so slow that it feels like a turtle is crawling across the road. A great ending song, but it’s not the ending song.

Deus Misereatur (“***”): We end Icon with......an instrumental piece?

Yep, Deus Misereatur is a instrumental piece. Here, you have ponderous guitars, steady drumming, and piano playing that goes all over the place. I’m not say that this is bad, cause it isn’t. What I am saying is that it’s not the right song to end Icon. While great in it’s own right, it really should have served as a gateway song to Christendom, instead of being a rather swift end to such a ponderous album. Still nice to listen to, though.

Overall Impression & Rating
Although Draconian Times continued their journey & mastery of Gothic Metal, it was Icon that started & established themselves in the music style. Despite it’s age, this album has everything you’d expect to feel & hear in the genre. It’s dark, brooding, moody, and rainstorm inducing. Icon deserves every bit of praise that comes it’s way.

Icon gets a 8.5 to 9 out of 10

See you all next time, when this review tour stares at the edge of infinity. Until then, stay Otaku!



***
Sorry for the later than normal post. Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and I was helping out my Mom with a bunch of stuff. Not only that, but I had a bunch of work I was doing today, and I just got to this a couple hours ago. Again, my apologies.

My Top 10 Wrestlers

Hey everybody!

Even though I’m still on my music review tour, it never hurts to take a small break to clear your mind. Not too long ago, I bought myself the Ultimate Warrior DVD Collection, and mid last week I finished it (With tears included). Seeing an opportunity, I’ve decided to put up two special wrestling posts during the end of this tour & 3-year celebration of my blog. With that said, here are my top 10 favorite wrestlers. Enjoy!

10) John Cena (Sample: “***”)

When I first began watching WWE on-and-off in 2003, I came across John Cena back when he was knee-deep in his Gangsta gimmick (Gag me for even using that word), and I was impressed. He was gimmicky enough that it felt cheesy, but at the same time there was a certain amount of believability to him that it seemed real. Fast forward to 2014, and his bite has been taken away (Apart from the Hustle, Loyalty, Respect line, which I think has some charm), not to mention that he is promoted in just about anything & everything, including children’s cereal. These two factors alone would probably turn someone away, and on a couple times I’ve almost been turned away. Yet, I can’t seem to actually walk away from him, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s his charm, maybe it’s is wrestling skill (He’s a lot better than his detractors say), I’m not sure. All I can say is that John Cena is still cool in my book, even if he’s lost some of his edge.

9) The Hurricane & I.R.S. (Samples: “***” & “***”)

I had to include two uber-gimmicky wrestlers, which is ironic given some of the other people on this list, and in my opinion, these guys are the most gimmicky of the gimmicky. In all honesty, I can’t really say much, because the characters speak for themselves. For starters, you have The Hurricane: a caped superhero fighting for what is right, and flying in the ring like Superman! Then, there’s Irwin R. Schyster, or more well known for his shortened name, I.R.S.: an angry, bitter tax collector that’ll get his money by legal means, or by beating his opponent within an inch of his life. Again, these two are some of the most out-there characters, and I love them for that! 

8) The Shield (Sample: “***”)

What’s so funny about The Shield is that I didn’t like these guys when they first showed up. When they first arrived, they were these three guys that messed with people, and were later revealed to be the hired help of Paul Heyman. After they split from him, they continued to attack other wrestlers, and were again revealed to be hired help, this time under the command of Triple H & his wife (Known commonly as the authority). It wasn’t until recent months where they began to chaff under the Authority’s control, and became a team of brutal fighters.

You’ve got Roman Reigns, the tank of the group. There’s Dean Ambrose, who’s like the brains of The Shield, and the glue that keeps them together. Finally, there’s Seth Rollins, who’s kind of the loose cannon. On their own they’re alright, but when they act together, they become one of WWE’s hottest commodity group. If you don’t believe in The Shield, you might want to start. 

7) Rey Mysterio  (Sample: “***”)

It’s a shame that WWE doesn’t promote anymore Latino wrestlers than it already does, because there are some great Latin superstars that know how to perform. Rey Mysterio is one of those superstars.

If you’ve ever been curious about Lucha Libre, then you’ll want to watch Rey Mysterio (Sin Cara is a good second), as he’s the closest audiences outside of Mexico will ever see of the art. He’s like a kid that’s had too much sugar: he hops around, he bounces off of the ropes like Gumby bouncing off the walls, and when he performs the 619, he could lop off heads if he put more force into it. To complement his style of wrestling, he comes out wearing a mask that many Licha Libre artists don when they’re in the ring. A Latino wrestler with a personality is always something to watch. Speaking of personality...

6) Eddie Guerrero (Sample: “***”)

March 2, 2005. It was the first time I had ever gone to a wrestling event. My parents had paid for the tickets as a early Birthday gift (I was going to Disney in Florida over a month later), so it was me, my Father (Mom would rather shoot herself), and my at the time best friend Trevor. We got to the at-the-time Pepsi Arena, and Smackdown came to Albany. We got through halfway of the show, when all of a sudden, we heard this roar from behind where the wrestlers came out of (Our seats were on the bottom floor, on the left side of where they came out. Yeah, we were almost deaf by the time the show was done). All of a sudden this lowrider came out, it’s occupants being Rey Mysterio and the driver in question, Eddie Guerrero. The two of them had been tag-team champions for some time at the show (I forgot how long), and it was one of the greatest spectacles I had ever seen.

Now, I had seen Eddie before this show. In fact, he was one of the first wrestlers I saw when I got back into it (The very first was John Cena, ironically enough). What drew me too him was his character, his energy, etc. He knew how to be as energetic and fun as Rey Mysterio was, but he also knew how to be serious, and had a hell of a sense of humor to boot. Yes indeed, Eddie Guerrero was one of the best. However, he was not the cherry on my Smackdown sundae.

5) The Undertaker (Sample: “***”)

On the same night, John Cena had been the Intercontinental Championship for some time (Like Rey & Eddie, I didn’t know how long he had the title), and at the end of the show he was set to defend it against Orlando Jordan (Who was J.B.L.’s partner/handler when he was still a wrestler). Right around the end of the match, J.B.L. cost Cena the title, and now Orlando Jordan held the title. He & J.B.L. were making their way to the entrance, laughing & bragging along the way. Then, without warning, all the lights went out, and a familiar “Ding” noise echoed throughout the arena. That was when my Dad, Trevor, and I knew who arrived.

While I had known about The Undertaker, I hadn’t seen him before this show, mainly because I was watching Raw when I started back up. My Dad was telling me stories about the guy (I sorta forgot about him when I was younger), like how he was large, yet had the ability to tightrope walk using the top rope of the ring (The other wrestler was used as a counter-weight). While he teamed-up with John Cena to take on Orlando Jordan & J.B.L., and Cena was fun in the match (Funny Thing: as Cena was about to haul off on O.J., he shouted out “I have the power! I’m gonna kick his ass!”), the real star was Undertaker. Everything my Dad told me about him was true, and then some. The guy was large, surprisingly agile, and was one of the most sinister sights I ever saw. Loved it. Just friggen loved it!

I would have put The Undertaker a little lower on this list, but due to his recent loss at Wrestlemania this year, I couldn’t do it. If anything, I thought that breaking his streak was nothing more than a slap to the face of Undertaker and his fans, not to mention practically killing the character’s mystique. However, I honestly could not leave him off this list, due to my first memory of him, not to mention when WWE respected the guy. I still smile when I think of that night.....those were the days!

4) “Macho Man” Randy Savage (Sample: “***”)

The only reason that the Macho Man isn’t any higher is that I find him to be too similar to my number 3. He seems to move, wrestle, and act too much like my 3rd choice. With that said, I can’t hate on Randy Savage (Although WWE still seems to). The man sure knew how to come out with a lot of lights & flash, he knew how to be one of the best wrestlers of yesteryear, and he also knew how to talk on the microphone. Accompanied to the ring by Miss Elizabeth, and later by "Sensational" Sherri, and you have one of the most stylish wrestlers of all time (The most stylish, of course, was Nature Boy Ric Flair, who’s another good superstar).

3) Hulk Hogan (Sample: “***”)

From here on, my numbers 3 to 1 are what I consider to be my “Big 3” of favorite wrestlers, and what better way to start off the Big 3 than with one of the biggest of all time!

Many fans consider “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan to be one of the most iconic superstars of all time, and they’re generally right. Granted, he’s done & said some stupid crap over the years, one can’t deny that Hogan is the pinnacle example of the word spectacle! His matches over the decades are legendary, especially with some of the biggest guys on the roster. Hell, some of his best matches were against many of the superstars on this list, and everytime he went up against somebody, he always gave it his all. From his entrance theme, to his antics in and out of the ring, to even some of his time in TNA (Ugg, shoot me for even talking about those guys), Hulk Hogan is an old-school guy that deserves whatever respect comes his way.

2) Jake “The Snake” Roberts (Samples: “***” & "***")

Here’s a cute little story: back when I was watching in the early 90s with my Dad, one of the first wrestlers I saw was Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who is one of the most sinister guys back in the day. He choices of words sent chills down your spine, his mannerisms in & out of the ring were creepy, and when he laid out the snake on his opponent, you knew that their fate was sealed. Anyways, when I tried to say his name, I always said “Jick the Snick” instead of Jake the Snake. My parents were charmed by this, and to this day they still bring that up when I talk about him. It was only by a few inches that Jake missed my number one spot. With that said, here’s number 1.

1) The Ultimate Warrior (Samples: “***” & "***")

If Hogan was about spectacle, and Roberts was about the dark side, then The Ultimate Warrior was all about energy & intensity. Some of you might say that it’s cheap of me to put The Ultimate Warrior at my number 1 because of his recent death, and to a certain degree it’s true. However, when this man died, he died during a high-note: he & WWE finally cleared up past grudges, other superstars he had a problem with in the past made up, and he even managed to get rehired back by WWE (There was to be a whole bunch of new Ultimate Warrior themed goods produced for the fans & such. A new DVD collection was released as recently as on the first of April).

I wasn’t kidding when I said that The Ultimate Warrior was all about energy & intensity. From his out-there personality (He makes just about everybody else on this list look like kittens), to his roaring charge to the ring, and to his nigh unstoppable force inside the ring, Warrior was a wrestler that few during his time could be compared to, and cannot be compared to in this modern age of wrestling. We all have the warrior spirit within us. Unleash it when you can!!!

So these were my top 10 wrestlers. Hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll see you in a week or two from now with another wrestling post. Until then, stay Otaku!

Vintersorg - Till Fjälls Review

Hey everybody!

We’re into spring now, but that doesn’t mean that the cold is gone. It’s been pretty dreary around where I live, as it’s still a little cold & wet. The rain has been on & off, and the wind still carries with it a bit of a bite. Only in the last day or so has the sun tried to come out, bringing about with it a welcome change. In memory of the recently dethroned chill, today’s review takes us to the loftiest mountains tops, to the ancient forests of old, and to the divine realms above. So, let’s look at Vintersorg’s first full-length album, Till Fjälls, and become one with the ancients.

Background
Taken from the Wikipedia page:

“Till Fjälls ("To the Mountains") is the first full-length album by Swedish folk metal band Vintersorg. Stylistically this continued in the same musical vein as the previous album, Hedniskhjärtad, with black metal-style riffs, harsh vocals and blast beats interspersed with folk-ish melodies, acoustics, and atmospherics.”

That’s really are there is to it. At it’s core, Till Fjälls is an extension of Hedniskhjärtad, but I’ll talk about that later on.

Songs
Rundans (Rune Dance)(“***”): A pretty easy song to start out with. The big focus in Rundans is the drumming: it’s very simplistic, not over the top, and really brings out a lot of that folk vibe that Vintersorg is known for. If there was anything that I thought disrupted the pacing, it would be the guitar. At the beginning & end of this song, there’s some soft guitar work that actually complements the drums quite nicely. About the 30 second mark, the guitars pick up in volume, and the singing begins. Now I don’t mind the vocals so much (They’re loud, but not terribly so), but the louder guitars disrupt the pacing to an extent to where I feel it is very out of place. Apart from that, Rundans is a good song to start this album with.

För Kung och Fosterland (For King and Motherland)(“***”): This song doesn’t pull any punches, that’s for sure!!

Immediately, your ears are bombasted by a loud & furious combination of instrumentation & vocals, both of which fly by at very high speeds. It never lets up with the speed, as the whole song stays consistently fast. What really impressed me is that nobody skips a beat during this song: everybody manages to execute their role in the song without skipping a beat or tripping up somehow. Hell, even during the portion where they play a little of Hall of the Mountain King, they still keep it together. Again, I’m impressed.

Vildmarkens Förtrollande Stämmor (The Enchanting Tunes of the Wastelands)(“***”): For a song called The Enchanting Tunes of the Wastelands, the name doesn’t match the music. If anything, I picture this song being played amongst a group of warriors as they travel a snow-covered forest, on their way to kill a troll that was hiding in the mountains. Sorry, I’m getting off course. How’s the song itself?

It’s pretty good. The pacing of it has been scaled back from For King and Motherland, but it still doesn’t let up. It feels like the band is holding on the reins this time around, as the instrumentation is slower than in the previously mentioned song, and it feels more controlled as well. With that said, I like how the drums & guitar feel perfectly in sync, and I also like how the vocals match up with it also.  

Till Fjälls (To the Mountains)(“***”): Long before I had even heard of this band, Till Fjälls caught my attention in the weirdest way possible. I was surfing on youtube one day, when I came across a video named Swedish Chef Heavy Metal 2 (Click “***” to enjoy), and a portion of the song was used to comedic effect. As for the song itself, it’s pretty good. It’s a lot like The Enchanting Tunes of the Wastelands as far as the instrumentation & vocals are concerned, so I can’t say much else (Although when the guitars are played more folk-like, it’s a pleasant change).

Urberget, Äldst av Troner (The Ancient Mountain, Eldest of Thrones)(“***”): Now this sounds like a song to listen to while you’re on the mountains...during a raging storm...with thunder & lightning high in the sky!!!

I should point out that this marks the second song on the album that has piano used in it. The first time you actually hear piano is in Till Fjälls, although in that song it’s more obvious. Apart from the piano, we’ve got another well-paced song here. The instrumentation is never hyper fast, and the singing for the most part is a balance between soft & harsh. I say “most of the time”, because there are times where the singing becomes this harsh growl, and it’s hard to understand what he’s saying (This is more difficult for me because I don’t understand Swedish). Despite this hiccup, this is another great song.

Hednad i Ulvermånens Tecken (Turned Pagan under the Sign of the Wolf Moon)(“***”): If Till Fjälls wasn’t my first favorite song from this band, I’m sure as hell that this one would be said favorite!

This is easily the most simplistic song on this album. For the entirely of the tune, there is nothing but piano, some sound effects (I think it’s wind that they use), and vocals. The piano is absolutely beautiful, and almost got me to shed a tear because it was so lovely. They basically play the same beat over and over (Apart from a couple second about midway), but it’s done so well I can’t complain. The singing is equally beautiful: it’s never loud, but you can feel the emotion, power, and mysticism. A perfect song to play during a Pagan wedding, who when there’s a gorgeous moon high in the sky.

Jökeln (The Glacier)(“***”): Whiplash again!!

Like För Kung och Fosterland, you’re immediately assaulted by growling vocals, and fast instrumentation. I don’t like the combination this time around, but at the same time I don’t necessarily think that this song is bad. While the instrumentation is as good in previous songs (Especially the guitars), I feel like there wasn’t quite as much effort put into them. At several points, the drums just sound like directionless banging, and there wasn’t as much intensity in the guitars as there normally was. With that said, the intensity doesn’t let up during the song. Even during the slower portion, The Glacier could still kick your ass if you aren’t paying attention!

Isjungfrun (The Icemaid)(“***”): A very appropriate song title.

For one thing, we have female vocals appear on here (The same female vocals that were on Stilla from Hedniskhjärtad, to be exact). They’re light & airy, but they have a strength to them that can’t quite be explained. Secondly, the male vocals complement the female vocals, as they’re strong & furious, but can tone things down when the need is necessary. Finally, the instrumentation is a great middle ground between the lyrics, as they’re both heavenly yet brutal. Any aspiring valkyrie might want to put this on their mp3 player.

Asatider (Time of the Gods)(“***”): I have to give Asatider credit in one regard. As much as I appreciate the growling-like vocals that compose a majority of the songs on here, it’s nice to listen to something that isn’t quite so brutal. Not to say that this song isn’t brutal, oh no. Sure the vocals have been scaled back a little, but the instrumentation has remained pretty much untouched. You still have moments where it comes at you fast & furious, but there are still times where it calms down so you can get back into it’s groove. Great song all around.

Fångad utav Nordens Själ (Caught By the Soul of the North)(“***”): We conclude Till Fjälls with this bone-chilling ditty. You’d sweat that this is the kind of song you’d hear during a raging blizzard, and you’d be right. We have the female vocals from Isjungfrun come back in this tune, but they’re considerably scaled back, and only appear in two parts. This is a song that’s much more geared towards the male vocals, as they are incredibly loud & powerful. The instrumentation reflects this sentiment, as they carry with them a great weight & strength, even during the fast parts. A great way to end such a frost-covered journey!!!

Overall Impression & Rating
Till Fjälls is a damn impressive album. While I rated Hedniskhjärtad pretty high, at the same time I found that it’s shortness was it’s greatest detriment. It went by so quickly, it really doesn’t leave a big impact. With this album, it’s increased length, couple with the passion of the music, makes for a better listening experience. If you want metal with a twist, then this is a good place to start.

Till Fjälls get a 9 to 9.5 out of 10

See you all soon. Until then, stay Otaku!

3-Year Anniversary & Announcement

Hello ladies & gentlemen!

As you can tell by the title, today marks the 3-year anniversary of this blog. If you thought I was amazed by the 1 & 2 year anniversaries, nothing compares to 2014. This year will be a little different compared to the previous two: I still have some reviews for the other half of my music review tour, but I might sneak something in from time to time. The album reviews take up a little more time than the anime reviews, since both the album & it's individuals songs need to be looked at and evaluated. Because of that, the reviews will be the focus for the anniversary celebration this year.

I also have an announcement, and it's a pretty big one. In about 1 to 3 months, I will be creating a new blog. It'll be more focused than this was was/is, and it will eventually be the primary place that I post things. I can't reveal what is going to be put up on the new place, but suffice it to say, you might know what those things will be if you looked at what's here. I'm really excited about this new venture, and I'm hoping that it will become more successful than this part of the internet was!

Well, that's all I have for today. I'll see you in a couple days, when I'll have up another viking-fueled review. Until then, stay Otaku!

Korn - Issues Review

We’re nearing the end of my music review your folks!

We’ve traveled all over the music spectrum. From Europe to the United States, we’ve heard all sorts of songs. Today’s review is a revisit to Korn, one of the more iconic nu-metal bands out there. The album in question for this review marks an interesting point in their career, not to mention an album to end the 90s with. Without delaying it any further, here’s a review for Korn’s last album of the 90s, Issues.

Background
Taken from the Wikipedia page:

“During one of the band's recording sessions, journalist Chris Connelly asked about how the recording was coming along, to which drummer David Silveria responded that it "Sounds like the music is a little more simplified and heavier. Kind of heavier grooves, more than the last couple. So kind of more similar to the beginning, except Jon is a much better singer now, so it's all coming together."

In October 1999, Korn posted "Falling Away from Me" on their website as a free MP3 download, although it was against the advice of its attorneys. A statement on the band's site relates: "We're so psyched about [the new album] that we wanted to give all you guys, the true Korn fans — a gift from us. "Korn Offers Free MP3 Of New Single". MTV. Also at this time, the band attempted to start an online chain email, by posting the letter online and asking fans to email the letter to 10 other people and to then sign the "I Downloaded the Korn Single For Free" guestbook on the band's site. For each person who signed, Korn donated 25 cents to the charities Childhelp USA and Children Of The Night. It raised over $250,000.

On November 15, 1999, Korn played at the Apollo Theater in New York City where they played Issues in its entirety. They performed with a choir as well as the pipes and drums of the New York City Police Department. The crowd was mainly radio contest winners. The band claimed that there was a limited number of tickets sold for the concert.

The album featured four different covers each designed by Korn fans as part of an MTV contest (the winning cover was designed by Alfredo Carlos; another album cover for special limited edition of the album features a cartoonish half-caricature for the band). There was also a fifth cover selected for the limited tour edition of the album.”

“Although the album received mixed reviews upon release, it became a commercial success. According to the band in the booklet that comes with Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 album, they did not want to be part of a popular trend and wanted to do their own thing. Thus the hip hop elements of Follow the Leader were removed, moving the band to an alternative metal sound rather than nu metal. The band admits that with Brendan O'Brien working alongside them, he kept them more focused during recording so far as to not letting them just fool around and party, and that there was a lot less drinking this time around.”


Songs
Dead (“***”): We begin Issues with the first of the mini-songs, and I gotta say, I think they’re not really needed on this album. In Dead’s case, it’s just a repetitive playing of guitars, drums, and some pretty cool bagpipes. Jonathan Davis’s singing is good, but it’s kinda hard to hear’s what he’s saying. Dead is a nice little diversion, with a big emphasis on the word little. A “Meh” way to start the album.

Falling Away From Me (“***”): A little story for you: it was about either 1999 or 2000, and me & my folks were coming back home from a trip to Albany. On the way home, Falling Away From Me starts playing on the radio. It was nothing I had ever heard of before: at that point in my life, all I was allowed to listen to was 80s pop songs, and anything my Mom listened to and approved of. Suffice it to say, she wasn’t a fan of Korn (She still isn’t for the most part).

As for the song, it definitely does sound like it’s more of a normal metal song than the Nu Metal that Korn was/is known for. There’s more tradition play of the drums & guitar, although small hip-hop noises & riffs show up once in a while. The singing is probably retains the most of the hip-hop influence, but said influence has been scaled back slightly so it sounds more like a standard metal song of the time. This is what really should have started Issues off!

Trash (“***”): Korn has always been know for songs that creep people out, but Trash my take the creepy factor up to 11. For a majority of the song, the guitars are played in a very distorted manner, often to the point where they sound incredibly alien. The drumming remain normal throughout the whole tune, as it sounds the least unaltered. The singing is a mix of both altered & unaltered: at least for half of the song Jonathan Davis sings in a whisper-like voice that’s untouched, but when he raises his voice, they warp the sound a little to where it sounds like it’s coming from another dimension. As for the subject matter.....yeah, I’ll let you discover that on your own!

4 U (“***”): This is probably the best out of the mini songs. For one thing, it sounds like you’re floating through space as the song plays. The sounds that they use really convey a ethereal vibe, and the instruments keeps things a little bit on the creepy side of things. The singing this time around is both understandable & confusing, thanks to the distortion effects used. Again, the best of the mini songs.

Beg for Me (“***”): The opening for this song is kinda funky. You’re given what sounds like a marching drum band for a little bit, then the sound effects & guitars start kicking in. The sounds used in this song are actually very minimal, with only some electronic effects & voice distortion applied during the softer/quieter sequences. Jonathan Davis doesn’t sound like he wailing at the louder points in the song, and when he sings more quietly, it’s like Trash all over again. Another decent piece.

Make Me Bad (“***”): A theme I’ve noticed on Issues so far is the relatively even mix between soft & loud singing. Jonathan Davis sounds like he has a lot of control in terms of his voice, and this is no different in Make Me Bad. The instrumentation in this song is relatively different this time around: while the songs before hand has smaller bits of rap/hip-hop, Make Me Bad sound more like the Alternative Metal groove they were going for when making Issues. Everything feels a little distorted, a little alien, and perhaps a little unknown. This is easily the most strangest song on the album.

It’s Gonna Go Away (“***”): Just imagine 4 U, but minus the “floating through space” aspect, and more emphasis on the creepy. Next!

Wake Up (“***”): Delving a little into the psychedelic realm of music, Wake Up is a song that’s perfect for a fight. The psychedelic parts are somewhat obvious during the softer parts of the song, where the singing is lower in volume, and the instruments are played in kind of a surreal style. Outside of these moments, it comes back into the typical backyard of Korn. The guitars are fast, the drums are heavy, and the singing is intense!

Am I Going Crazy (“***”): A very goosebumbs inducing mini-song. Am I Going Crazy relies heavily on sound effects, as you can hardly hear any instrumentation, with the exception of some drum work. The singing is much like what was in 4 U, only somehow with more clarity & distortion. If you didn’t listen to 4 U, then it would hurt to listen to this one.

Hey Daddy (“***”): Okay, time for a funny story!

It’s 2005. I’m in 12th grade, and it’s also the final year that I was in my church’s youth group. The pastor told us one day to bring in a cd, play a song, and explain to everyone why we liked it. At this point, I only had Issues for I believe a couple weeks, so I thought that it was the right candidate. I brought it to the church, he took a look at the case, and sarcastically said “Hey, what song are you gonna play? Hey Daddy?”. In all seriousness, I thought that it was the right song. By the time we were done listening to it, he was like “What is this!? This is almost satanic!?”.

Who could blame him for that reaction? The song is very dark & dingy, with the instruments being played in a very sinister manner. Jonathan Davis goes pretty hardcore in this song, as his voice goes between whisper, squealing, and shouting/yelling at the drop of a hat. Coupled with some depressing lyrics, and it’s easy to see why some people would react this way.

Somebody Someone (“***”): It had to get simple at some point.

I’m not necessarily saying that in a bad way. Given that Korn was going down an Alternative Metal path, it’s nice to hear them do something simple. The instrumentation keeps things to a minimum: the drums are never over the top, and while the guitar work can be a little heavy sometimes, they’re kept in place so they don’t go overboard. Jonathan Davis’s singing seems to be carrying the most weight in this song, as he keeps things pretty loud for the most part. A nice song to listen to if you don’t want anything too heavy.

No Way (“***”): Here we have another simplistic song.

I won’t go too long with this one, since some of what I talked about was in the previous song. The instrumentation goes along very simplistically, and while it does play loudly at parts, it’s actually quite tame. Any sounds that are used are very few, and really only used during the somewhat loud portions. The singing itself is rather low key, as Jonathan Davis only yells at about 2 to 3 parts (I can’t figure out which). Another good song if you don’t want something terribly heavy.

Let’s Get This Party Started (“***”): With a title like Let’s Get This Party Started, you assume that it’s right for a party, and you’d be right!

You’ve got all the right things: fist-pumping instruments, body-moving riffs & beats, and vocals that can get you to groove with the whole thing. There’s really nothing else for me to say....other than to crank this up at your next get-together!!

Wish You Could Be Me (“***”): We conclude the mini-songs with this little ditty. Using some of the rap/hip-hop influence that the band hasn’t used much on Issues, there’s a record-scratching effect that being played alongside the instruments. There other sounds used also, and they make the rap/hip-hop elements a little more obvious. Finally, this mini-song has the clearest singing. There isn’t any heavy distortion used hear, and you can pretty much hear what Jonathan Davis is singing. An okay song: nothing hideous, but nothing memorable either.

Counting (“***”): Sounds like if Falling Away From Me had a second half. Next!

Dirty (“***”): We end Issues with perhaps it’s most bizarre song on the table. For starters, the song is 7 minutes & 50 seconds in length, but there’s only 3 minutes & 43 seconds of any actual music. The rest of it is just nothing more than static. But what about the musical portion, you may be asking?

I say it’s a good way to end the album. Everything that the band does before the static show is very steady, there’s never a moment where you think they’ll trip up, and has a even mix between soft and loud. Again, a good way to end the album.

Overall Impressions & Rating
Issues seems to mark a change for the band. While Untouchables was facing some serious identity problems, this album seems to have it’s head on it’s shoulders. There’s a relatively clear personality with Issues, and while the rap/hip-hop aren’t on here much, the metal aspects are still going full & strong. A must buy for any fans of the band.

Issues get a 8.5 out of 10.

See you next time. Until then, stay Otaku!

Type-O Negative - Dead Again Review

Hey everybody!

Once again, we’re taking a look through the library of Type-O Negative during our revisit portion of the music review tour. Tragically, we’re examining the last release that the band even produced. It is an album that has cleared out a lot of Pete Steele’s inner demons, yet it still has enough of the anguish & pain that fans of the band are familiar with. With that said, let’s look at the final release of Type-O Negative, known simply as Dead Again.

2007 Original Release

2008 Special Edition Re-Release

Background
The sad tragedy of Dead Again is that it wasn’t supposed to be Type-O Negative’s last album. Pete Steele was supposed to begin creating new songs in May of 2010. Unfortunately, he passed away one month before he was to start writing new lyrics. What you see & hear in this album is the final piece of material that the band made.

Despite this being the last album, there are three major things that rise above the tragedy. For starters, Pete had been off of drugs & alcohol for a while, making his mind more clear for the creation of music (He also made peace with his atheism, and became a Roman Catholic......go figure). Secondly, actual drumming was used on this album instead of a drum machine, which were played by Johnny Kelly (He was only “Credited” as the drummer on the previous 3 albums. The only other time where there was actual drum playing was on Bloody Kisses, their 3rd album). The last thing about Dead Again that rises above the tears is it’s placement on the Billboard 200. For the longest time, their albums were placed all over the charts, with their 3rd album being at number 166. Dead Again was placed at number 27, the highest position that their music has ever reached. 

Songs
Dead Again (“***”): I should say that the buildup in this song is intense!

For just over a minute (1 minutes & 17 seconds, to be specific), the guitars & drums are played very slowly, almost as if they were crawling through a marsh, and the muck was slowing them down. After they get out of the marsh, that’s when the speed picks up. After it reaches past the 1 minute & 17 seconds, Dead Again immediately gains an enormous boost in speed, with the drums & guitar being played more swiftly than during the buildup. Pete Steele’s singing in this tune is equally as fast as the instrumentation, but what makes his voice so great in Dead Again is that, like the instruments, they don’t skip a beat because of the pacing. A damn good start!

Tripping a Blind Man (“***”): Once again, we’re given some great buildup at the beginning of this song. The guitar & drums are just as slow as they were in Dead Again, only this time there’s a hint of a 60s vibe going on, thanks to a twang-like sound being used. What makes Tripping a Blind Man different is that it doesn’t go full-blown fast on the listener. Instead, you’re given more of a mix between slower & faster. The slow portion feel very methodical & planned out, but when it reaches the fast part, it becomes a little more random & chaotic, but never too chaotic that it trips up a lot. Loving this album so far!

The Profit of Doom (“***”): With a name like The Profit of Doom, you’d expect this to be a song about the proliferation of wealth during a time of crisis. Well, you’d be wrong. Instead, this song is a mix of two subjects: space & faith.

This is the first time in the album where you hear some of Pete Steele’s faith-based lyrics. You’d expect them to be incredibly preachy, but you’d be wrong once again. The lyrics actually fit the song quite well, and the complement the well-paced instrumentation. They’re never too holier-than-thou, but the choice of what was used has a surprising amount of impact to them. The space aspect of The Profit of Doom comes from a subject that we’ve covered once before a while back in my Rage review (Click “***”), and that would be the asteroid known simply as 99942 Apophis. Many of the other lyrical choices refer to this apocalyptical object from the beyond, and that it will possibly impact the Earth on Friday the 13th in April 2029. Coupled with yet again some great buildup at the beginning, and you have a deep yet still very metal song.  

September Sun (“***”): You wouldn’t expect to find a piano in a Type-O Negative album, but then again, Dead Again has been full or surprises so far. In fact, a lot of things about September Sun are surprising. Just take a look at this wikipedia excerpt:

“Peter Steele dreamt about what would happen if he was haunted in bright sunshine, so he proposed the song titled "September Sun." He began writing this song featuring melancholy lyrics about the dead, doom, and sadness, beginning the first line of lyrics with the song title. The song and the lyrics give inspiration about being depressed without being dark, which gives way to hope and reminisce, like experiencing the first sunset after sorrow or bereavement.”

With the way this song is structured in terms of lyrical choices, vocals, instrumentation, and beats, this is easily one of Type-O Negative’s most optimistic songs ever made. There’s a light & warmth that you really can’t find in any of their other albums (Though not necessarily in any of their other songs), but September Sun still has that signature heaviness that only Type-O Negative can provide.

Halloween in Heaven (“***”): In a turn from what we’ve been listening to so far on Dead Again, the song known as Halloween in Heaven harkens back to Pete Steele’s days in Carnivore, the band he made before Type-O Negative came along. You can tell that this song has more in common with the previously mention band than Type-O, simply because of the instrumentation. This has more of a punk-rock vibe than anything Type-O Negative did, although there’s still that band’s signature style at certain points. The singing is also more in line with Carnivore’s attitude & style than Type-O, but once again Type-O’s style shows up from time to time. A really great party song, and a fun tune in general.

These Three Things (“***”): The most epic song on the list, These Three Things is also the longest song on the album. Playing for 14 minutes and 21 seconds, it is a incredible experience. The tune feels very operatic in a sense: all of the instruments sound very sweeping, the singing is incredibly powerful, and as you’re listening to this, you feel as if you’re going on a journey. A spiritual journey, to be exact.

While The Profit of Doom definitely touched upon religion, These Three Things bring it out into the open. While some would argue that a heavy metal musician embracing faith would be bad (Dave Mustaine is a good example), I don’t think it’s bad in the case of Pete Steele. In fact, his newfound look on spirituality has given him new outlets for lyrics. The way he strung religious litany & imagery onto the band’s signature gothic metal style is nothing short of brilliant. If you listen to These Three Things and have some kind of divine experience, then I guess that it was meant to happen.

She Burned Me Down (“***”): For a man that embraced the light, a song like She Burned Me Down doesn’t reflect that. Instead, this feels like a song that would be more at home on World Coming Down than this album. The lyrical choices rely heavily on death, love, fire, and possibly suicide. With that said, She Burned Me Down isn’t a bad song. Pete Steele singing voice is very low throughout a majority of this tune, with only a moment or two where he raises his tone. The instrumentation is great as always, but it’s especially wonderful where it sounds like a military procession at one point. Another solid piece!

Some Stupid Tomorrow (“***”): At first I was gonna say that Some Stupid Tomorrow was a near-copy of the opening song on this album, but I ultimately decided not to. Sure, it has a slow & sludgy buildup at the beginning like the opening song did, and it becomes a more fast-paced song after the buildup just like in the beginning tune, but it’s the tone that changes things: whereas Dead Again felt & sounded a little more comedic, Some Stupid Tomorrow feels much more serious than the previously mention piece of music. This isn’t one of my big favorites off of this album, but I wouldn’t necessarily skip it once I got to it.

An Ode To Locksmiths (“No song available”): To me, An Ode To Locksmiths is like a 3-layer cake. The first layer is the beginning: It’s fast but not incredibly slow, and it sort of has a lighthearted quality to it. The second layer is the middle: the instrumentation & singing slow down to a more steady pace, and Pete Steele’s religious lyrics come forth for a last hurrah. The last layer is the end: the speed picks back up until it’s halfway between the previous two portions, and it takes on a slight humorous bent, but not like what was at the beginning. An Ode To Locksmiths is an interesting song, played & put together in a equally interesting manner.

Hail and Farewell to Britain (“***”): To conclude this offering from one of Brooklyn’s best, we have Hail and Farewell to Britain. This is a slow & sludgy song, with the guitars taking center stage (This is something that I haven’t heard in a song for some time, metal or otherwise). They have an incredibly steady quality to them in this song, and at one point twang as if they’re being played in a 60s/70s style. While they aren’t in the spotlight as much, the drumming really complements the strings that are being plucked, and continue the 60s/70s English rock vibe. A nice way to end a great album.

Overall Impression & Rating
It’s a damn shame that Dead Again is Type-O Negative’s final offering. The band is really giving it their all in this album: from the drumming, guitars, sound effects, to the singing, the production on this album is some of their best. Even if you aren’t a Type-O Negative fan, or a fan of Heavy Metal, then this may be a gateway into a realm of music you’ve never experienced before.

Dead Again gets a 9 out of 10.

See you all next time. Stay Otaku!



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Sorry for the last post again.