47 replies to this topic

[Nid]

Scope, on 4 Nov 2008, 22:50, said:

Really I found this album to be too far off from the usual linkin style. Half of the songs are sad ballads and the other half are mostly rap. Though a few do stand out like What I've done and No More sorrow. I preferred Meteora to be quite honest.

*Agrees fully*

Minutes to Midnight has nothing on Hybrid Theory, Meteora or Reanimation.

[E.V.E.]

"

Spoiler

Bass Erotica - Erotic Bass Delight

"

Yeah, you read the Name right.
After a friend of mine convinced me to listen to this, I must say that it wen't better than expected.
Most songs have a nice Rythm to them along with some good Bass wich sound realy good if you got a decent Subwoofer.

8 / 10

- E.V.E.

[RaiDK]

Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
Songs for the Deaf - Queens of the Stone Age
Frances the Mute - The Mars Volta

10/10

3 albums which are IMO the pinnacle of their respective genres, and 3 albums which have to be listened to in their entirety to reall appreciate fully. Daydream Nation is an album of consistant greatness, Songs for the Deaf is an album full of great songs by their own, but which really flow from one another on album. And Frances the Mute is prog greatness, with the final track going for half an hour on its own.

[RaiDK]

Tommy - The Who

10/10.

BRILLIANT! A great Rock Opera, moderately depressing when you know the story.

[Nid]

Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to paralyze

8/10
An album to follow Classic Queens of the Stone Age style. with a dark twist.
I find myself skipping very few songs from this album on my iPod when on the go.
The Album contains classics like "Little Sister", and "In My head", both brilliant tracks.

other songs like "Everybody knows that you're insane" "Burn the Witch" and "Someone's in the Wolf" offer a catchy song that will remain in your head, while "The Blood is Love" and " "You've got a killer scene there, man..." " give you something a little more downbeat and different.

Edited by Nidmeister, 08 January 2009 - 23:17.

[Vaughan]

Feist - The Reminder

The je ne sais quois. 10/10

~V.

[Libains]

Seal - Soul

Seal has always been one of my favourite artists - he mixes dance-like music with an intense voice, and creates something that I honestly haven't seen from another artist in a long time. His last album, System, was widely panned because it didn't fit with what the public wants nowadays, at least for the most part. It was, however, very true to his style of music, and a fascinating listen. His latest album, Soul, is not his own work. Instead, he covers some of the most well known songs of the last half-century, singing them in a way that makes you want to listen again and again, and yet detracs nothing from the originals - Seal has always has his own style and always will. Picks include Stand By Me, and I Can't Stand the Rain. For anyone that has ever heard Seal, and liked his voice, this is the album for you. However, it does not reflect the true nature of his work, and should not be judged as such. For what it is, it's great.



9.9/10

[CommanderJB]

Doctor Who Series 4 Original Television Soundtrack
Composed by Murray Gold
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Ben Foster

Infinite/10

Call me sad for being so obsessed with Doctor Who that I've got all the soundtracks, but I'm in too high a state of bliss induced by listening to them to care. Murray Gold is easily the most talented television composer I've ever heard. He's a musical chameleon; the styles shift, change, blend and still return to heartfelt, powerful themes which bring the whole album together as a sweeping celebration of all things Doctor Who. If you have even the slightest interest in Doctor Who (and probably even if you don't) you will not regret listening to it with a single neuron in your brain. Sit back, close your eyes, and luxuriate in the music which is both a perfect underpinning for the show, utterly encapsulating the subject in the soundscape alone, bringing it back every time you listen to it and a wonderful composition in its own right and I guarantee you'll find something new every time.
Simply masterful, organised and edited together as a cohesive whole, and squeezing all the greatest parts in to its always too-short running time (they had to cut it down out of eight hours of available music just for this series!). I'll have this one with me for a long time to come.


(Yes, it's a biased, not-very-critical-at-all, shameless plug. But it's true!)

[Libains]

Would you believe I bought that about 20minutes ago from iTunes? Damn good album, great composer, been wanting it for ages and now have a late Xmas present in form of iTunes giftcard.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

Chase & Status - More Than Alot



9/10

Finally got around to buying this album . A great selection of music of varying styles. Would be 10/10 but there is one song (Against all odds) that I have heard far too much on radio 1 and it's got to the point where it kinda irritates me. D:

Edited by Bob, 14 February 2009 - 16:18.

[Admiral Wesley]

CRANK DAT (SOULJA BOY)

0/10

A review is not necessary. This album is just too unspeakably terrible for even God to comprehend.

Oh, and by the way, I also listened to one of Soulja's other albums, simply entitled, "Yahhhh!" It was just as bad. I'm sorry, but I can not bear three minutes of some coked-up teenage lightwieght african-america guy repeatedly yelling "Ya Trick Ya! Ya Trick Ya! Ya! Ya! Ya! Ya! Ya! BUGGULAH BUGGULAH BAH! YAAHH!" At least it's a good song to do homework to, I guess.

Oh, yeah, and by the way, I DO NOT know how to Crank Dat, nor do I want to know.

[RaiDK]

Who remembers this thread? Pinning this one, since books and movies are pinned.

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum - Kasabian
8/10

Not as dancey as their previous releases, but still a great listen nonetheless. Where Has All the Love Gone is probably the best track, regardless of its cheesy name.

Edited by RaiDK, 21 June 2009 - 20:10.

[BeefJeRKy]

deadmau5 - Random Album Title - 9/10

Superawesome progressive electro music at its finest IMO. I've been listening to it for a while and I am not surprised at why this DJ has shot up to the 13th global spot in more or less a year and half since his career debut. If you're a fan of Sasha or John Digweed or just generally like electro I HIGHLY recommend this. Oh and Slip has to quite the best track on it.

[Slightly Wonky Robob]

Scope, on 21 Jun 2009, 14:12, said:

deadmau5 - Random Album Title - 9/10

Superawesome progressive electro music at its finest IMO. I've been listening to it for a while and I am not surprised at why this DJ has shot up to the 13th global spot in more or less a year and half since his career debut. If you're a fan of Sasha or John Digweed or just generally like electro I HIGHLY recommend this. Oh and Slip has to quite the best track on it.

Seconded.

High Contract - Confidential 9/10

A best of album from High Contrast, on disk 1 a selection of top quality drum and bass originals, on disk 2 some of HC's brilliant DnB remixes. If you like drum and bass, you can't not have this album!

[Ion Cannon!]

Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings.

Got this today and i'm impressed. The ending of the 12 step-suite is very good, including motifs to earlier songs in the suite. This album also has some seriously heavy riffs as well as the trademark blazing solo's. But fear not, it also has some softer songs such as wither. Also getting an honorable mention is "The Count of Tuscany" The ending is simply epic, mindblowing stuff.

In short, I fucking love this album 10/10.

[deltaepsilon]

Sehnsucht - Rammstein

10/10.

Every single song on that album is awesome.

[Admiral Wesley]

Boston- Boston

10/10

The definitive album for kicking ass.

[Jok3r]

Rise Against: Revolutions Per Minute, Siren Song of the Counter Culture, The Sufferer and the Witness, and Appeal to Reason

I really like these guys- I've got everything they've released aside from The Unraveling, because I haven't managed to find a CD copy and I don't have any credit left on my iTunes account. Their sound is somewhere between hard rock and punk, with elements from everything from metal to electronic coming in at times. I'll go through these on by one- a review and stand out tracks. But I'd like to say first, that every album they've done is worth purchasing. They're excellent.

Revolutions Per Minute (8/10)
Released in 2003, RPM was Rise Against's first major production, though still before they signed with Geffen (a subsidiary of Universal). The sound is rougher than most of there more recent stuff, and on the whole definitely heavier than Sufferer or Reason. All the same, it's got some great beats, and very energetic all the way through. The single's off of it were "Heaven Knows" and "Like the Angel". Personally, I'd have to say the best tracks were "Voices Off Camera", "Last Chance Blueprint", and "Broken English", though "Torches" and "Amber Changing" are also both excellent, and the cover they did of Journey's "Anyway You Want It" is also right on top (not included because it's not an original song). The theme of the album is very much socio-political (seen especially in "Black Masks and Gasoline" and "Blood Red, White, and Blue"), but you can't have a rock album without a couple relationship-type songs, and RPM is no exception.

Siren Song of the Counter Culture (8/10)
Put out in '04, Siren Song was RA's big label debut. A little bit smoother, and a tiny bit softer, Siren Song stuck closely to the formula of RPM, with a couple slower songs (such as it's biggest seller and main single, "Swing Life Away") and what sounds like a little more technical work. It's a little bit less energetic at times than RPM, but has the same solid beat, and Tim McIlrath's voice is very strong all the way through. Standout tracks include "Swing Life Away", "Paper Wings", "Dancing for Rain" and "Give it All". It's another excellent album, and really worth picking up if you're looking for a solid punk rock album. The theme remains political, but has a little bit more of a personal feel to it.

The Sufferer and the Witness (9/10)
In 2006, Rise Against was brought to the big time by Sufferer, and it's lead single, "Prayer of the Refugee". The album has all the energy of RPM, with thoughtful lyrics, excellent instrumentals, and great vocals. The song "The Approaching Curve" features a little more electronic sound, while "Drones" keeps everything that's made Rise Against great in other albums- energy, speed, a great beat, and lyrics that really say something. This is probably my favorite album by RA, with pretty much all the tracks being excellent. "Drones", "The Approaching Curve", "The Good Left Undone", "Roadside", "Bricks", and "Behind Closed Doors" all stand out, but really, it's worthwhile to just buy the album. RA actually moved a little back towards their political stance here, with more punk styled songs than love songs, but they stayed personal, and it really just sounds great.

Appeal To Reason (8.5/10)
Out in 2008, Appeal to Reason is RA's biggest album to date. It's main single, "Re-Education (Through Labor)" was featured all over the place, particularly in TV ad's. Again, sticking to a very political theme, the song "Hero of War" protests the Iraq war, while "Audience of One" speaks of politicians the world over. It's got all the anger of any of their other albums, with a very accessible, attractive, sound. The production is slick, the chorus' catchy, and it's generally a fairly radio friendly album. The anger and energy are more subtle, but very much still there. The songs "Hero of War", "Re-Education (Through Labor)", "Kotov Syndrome", "The Dirt Whispered", and the UK Bonus Track, "Historia Calamitatus" all stand out as excellent, but again, it's worth getting the whole album.

[Erik]

Saxon-Into the labyrinth (10/10) [Rock\Metal]
Absolutely epic album that i discovered recently. Every single song on it is epic to no limits. I features songs that represent almost every rock-genre there is, from very hard and speedy songs like 'hellcat' to the 'slow lane blues' which is exactly what it says on the tin( and also extremely funny ). Perfect album for headbanging and airguitarring or all round rockage.
My favorite song on it is "Valley of the kings", the refrain is kinda mediocre but the parts around the incredible instrumental part gives me the chills like nothing else, if it doesnt for you check your pulse, you may be dead then :o.
A must have for everyone who likes metal (the real good old kind that still features singing and melody) or rock in general.

[Ion Cannon!]

Scar Symmetry - Dark Matter Dimensions.

Scar Symmetry's vocalist left after they released their previous album. This left a gaping hole, he did both the clean vocals and the growls and excelled at both. This had me worried, and after hearing a preview track of the new album with the two new vocalists this worry increased. However I am happy to say Dark Matter Dimensions is a good album, the preview track I heard was the worst by far. It sounds pretty much like their other albums, but makes use of voice masks / other voice effects which I think are terrible and just sound out of place. Thankfully these are not widely used and most tracks contain untampered vocals.

I don't rate Dark Matter Dimensions as highly as their previous albums, but this may just be because I have grown acustomed to their sound.

Still, if you enjoyed their previous offerings I recommend at least listening to some of the new tracks, but give - The Conciousness Eaters - a miss.

Heres the first song from the album - The Iconoclast


Overall album rating - 8/10

[Ion Cannon!]

Strange how little this gets used, ah well.

Star One - Victims of the Modern Age

Star One is a side project of one of my favourite metal composers, Arjen A. Lucassen, better known for Ayreon.

This is the second full length released as Star One, the first was an interesting if slightly underwhelming effort so I didn't really pay much attention to the development of the new album, but then I heard this..



It's pretty shit youtube quality, but you can get an apprecciation for the soundset. This was rather different to the previous release, for one it had a darker, deeper sound and those crushing heavy drums, my god - long story short from then on I couldn't wait for this album.

Each song is based on a popular sci-fi franchise, such as the Matrix or Firefly. The vocals are primarily handled by Symphony X vocalist Russell Allen (Who has an amazing voice) although the album contains vocals from several other artists to. The album is a much heavier affair than It's predeccessor and all the better for it, the riffs are varied interesting and dark, the drums crushing and heavy - just as it should be. The songwriting is superb and this is a treat for the ears - If you like this kind of thing that is.

(I've actually had this since it came out, but felt the urge to review it now)

10/10

Edited by Ion Cannon!, 11 April 2011 - 21:09.

[Nid]

Original Sin - Grow Your Wings.

I bought this album a few months ago, and am never not in the mood to listen to it.
The most interesting about it is the levels of emotion and connection I can have with this album. Drum & Bass, on a whole, as much as I love it, is quite emotionless music. It serves its purpose, to thrill the listener, to make them dance or hype them up. Grow your wings however, includes an array of emotions, going from heavier, angrier and louder songs, to calmer, more soothing, more laid back songs. You can almost hear original sin explaining aspects of his life, or the lives around him in the music he produces.
Take the song Therapy for example. The opening track to this album. It sways between calmer, more theraputic sounds, to angrier and louder sounds. Imagine a person going through therapy, the great swings of emotion they feel, the madness, the anger, the pain, the happiness. It's all here, if you just listen to it.


Towards the end of the album you find 3000 miles, a track almost like a love ballad, soft pianos and strings open this song, and while it maintains a drum & bass tempo and velocity, the song feels a lot lighter, and very heartfelt, especially with the sample repeating itself almost hauntingly, "3000 miles away, I gave my heart to you"


The music itself isn't the best drum and bass I've ever heard, though still good, but the emotions this album conveys, and sends the listener to experience is fantastic for one of it's genre, and it is a truly fantastically constructed album for this. From me it gets a 7/10

Edited by Nid, 14 July 2011 - 13:19.

[Ion Cannon!]

I actually listened to the first track and I understand what you mean, however the repetitive drum and bass backsound is what bores me to death, which is just a part of drum and bass itself, not my thing but I thought I would give it a listen anyway.

Devin Townsend - Deconstruction

Holy fuck is this one hard album to swallow and packed to the seams with layers upon layers upon layers of sound. Frequently you will have the frontal load of music in his trademark wall of sound production, backed up by huge sweeping orchestral joined by a choir and then some synths just to fuck with your head even more. So make no mistake, this is not casual listening, this is not easy to get into, and thats intended, it's supposed to be deliberately obtuse.

The album itself is a concept album, though very loosely. The lyrics can be absolutely insane, the title track Deconstruction in particular. Others can have very simple lyrics, such as Poltergeist. As already stated this is not an album for the faint hearted and honestly I can't recommend it until you have heard some of his previous work, and you should also understand the mindset (somewhat) that this was written in.

Technically the album is a masterpiece, musically it's insane, but is it good to listen to? I would say that with the exception of the title track, yes. Though everytime I listen to it I hear new things.

And just to put this into perspective the album is concept within a concept. Deconstruction was released at the same time as another Devin Townsend album - Ghost. Which is the most mellow calming thing you will ever hear. These 2 albums are part of a quartet called "The Devin Townsend Project" which each album loosely representing a facet of Devin Townsend's psyche.

Rating 8.5/10

Heres the comparison.

Deconstruction = Crazy headfuck


Ghost = Calming lullabye

Edited by Ion Cannon!, 25 July 2011 - 14:14.