The Glorius CD Pimping Thread

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Ok, I figure there's a ton of different tastes on this board, ranging from death metal to indie rock to techno to rap to ska, so feel free to pimp your personal favorites here. You might even see something that looks pretty interesting while you're at it, that might be worth picking up, or at least downloading or something. Basically, put down something good that people really should listen to. Here are my current picks:

 

Acid Bath-When The Kite String Pops

 

 

I've been singing the praises of this album for a couple months now, and for good reason, it's absolutely great. A total masterpiece of heavy metal that incorporates several different sounds and influences, and still manages to tie everything together to make it sound relevant. Here's a track listing:

 

1. The Blue

2. Tranquilized

3. Cheap Vodka

4. Finger Paintings of The Insane

5. Jezebel

6. Scream of the Butterfly

7. Dr. Seuss is Dead

8. Dope Fiend

9. Toubabo Koomi

10. God Machine

11. Mortician's Flame

12. What Color is Death?

13. Bones of Baby Dolls

14. Cassie Eats Cockroaches.

 

Every song on this album is very good-excellent, with tracks 9 and 14 being it's weaker moments. 5, 6, 7, 12, and 13 are all absolutely essential, must-hear material for anyone that gets into anything heavy. It has lyrics you can actually understand that are not only interesting, but fit the music perfectly, influenced heavily by a lot of psychedelic material.

 

The first two tracks incorporate a little bit of a blues element in a Sabbath sort of way, starting relatively mellow, considering what follows. Cheap Vodka is a fast hateful track about being drunk and pissed off, Finger Paintings... and Toubabo Koomi both rely heavily on Dax Riggs' (lead vocals) psychedelic lyrics, combined with trance-inducing riffs.

 

Jezebel, and God Machine are just evil as hell, and probably my two favorite songs on the album with sick-fast riffs and lyrics that make baby jesus cry. Scream of the Butterfly and Bones of Baby Dolls are the albums' two slow tracks, showing AWESOME acoustic guitar work from guitarists Sammy Pierre Duet and Mike Sanchez.

 

Dr. Seuss is Dead, Dope Fiend, and Mortician's Flame are gritty and ugly with extremely tough riffs that aren't anything overly technical. What Color is Death? and the final track are probably the two most friendly tracks on the CD, showing some good speed, but not quite as mean as the rest of the album. The last track in particular is sample-laden and a good end to an incredible cd. It's more towards the rough and gritty end of things moreso than technicality. If you're looking for two minute solos and songs about elves and orcs, look elsewhere.

 

Phew. And that's just the first one.

 

Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath

 

 

Arguably my favorite album ever, taking a core blues rock element and turning it into a prototype for heavy metal. Awesome guitar work all the way through from Tony Iommi, backed up Geezer Butler's fantastic bass lines and drummer Bill Ward. Oh yeah, Ozzy's on vocals (back when he could really sing). Track list:

 

1. Black Sabbath

2. The Wizard

3. Wasp

Behind the Wall of Sleep

Bassically

NIB

4. Wicked World

5. A Bit of Finger

Sleeping Villiage

Warning

 

This one doesn't have the stand out tracks like Paranoid, but fits together better as a whole, IMO. Iommi's talent really shows on the first and final tracks especially, with great blues influenced solos. This is one of those albums that needs to be listened to beginning to end, and is something that literally anyone can listen to, even if you're not a die-hard metalhead. Puts the "Classic" in Classic Rock. It's definitely one of the most influential albums I've ever heard. Great lyrics, and great music all the way through.

 

 

 

EDIT: Hey, can a mod or someone fix the spelling error of Glorious in the thread title? I'm retarded.

[Guest goodhelmet]

i'll throw a cd into the mix...

 

casey scott- creep city

[Guest Nevermortal]

 

Cradle of Filth - Dusk...and Her Embrace

 

1 Humana Inspired to Nightmare

2 Heaven Torn Asunder

3 Funeral in Carpathia

4 A Gothic Romance (Red Roses for the Devil's Whore)

5 Malice Through the Looking Glass

6 Dusk and Her Embrace

7 The Graveyard By Moonlight

8 Beauty Slept In Sodom

9 Haunted Shores

 

If you've been on the board for an extended period of time, you'll know I pimp this album as if it were going out of style, but guess what? I'll continue to pimp it, goddammit!

 

7 tracks of crushing symphonic brutality with 2 creepy synth instrumentals. Make no mistake, this is my favorite album of all time, without any question. If you like any sort of heavy metal, you owe it to yourself to listen to this album at least once. Its just that fucking good. Even if you don't like the singer's voice (it gets annoying to a first time Cradle of Filth listener), you'll love the superb musicianship from the EVER-REVOLVING CRADLE OF FILTH LINEUP OF DOOM~!

 

Rating: *****, pretty much the only disc I'd give it to. I'm a fucking mark, I know.

 

Bottom Line: Their best work since 1996's V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein. Get it now. Now. Now. Now. I command you.

 

Song Highlights for the Downloaders: "Haunted Shores" and "Malice Through the Looking Glass".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger Army (Self Titled)

 

1. Prelude: Nightfall

2. Nocturnal

3. Fog Surrounds

4. True Romance

5. Devil Girl

6. Never Die

7. Moonlite Dreams

8. Trance

9. Twenty Flight Rock

10. WereCat

11. Outlaw Heart

12. Neobamboom

13. Last Night

 

Late last year, a fellow AFI fan told me that I should check out a band called Tiger Army, a combination of hardcore punk, rockabilly, and country music.

 

I fucken laughed in their face.

 

Until I downloaded "Nocturnal".

 

Then, I stopped laughing, and started singing along. And I did so for nearly a week. The band I had once scoffed at was now turning into one of my all time favorites simply due to one song. So, one by one, I indulged in their entire first CD, loving almost each and every song, until I listened to Outlaw Heart.

 

What was wrong with me? Why was I loving a glorified COUNTRY song so much? I thought real long and hard, and said "Fuck it". I didn't care what genre it was from, it was a fucking great song, and I was proud to like it. And so, I put the songs on CD, carried it with me pretty much wherever I went, hijacked stereos to play it, etc. And I turned a few more people onto this strange band.

 

The moral of this story is that you should never judge a book by its cover, because the book might just contain an experience (or an album) that you love and cherish. And fuck yeah, I love this album.

 

Rating: ****1/2 (Because they'd go on to top it with II: Power of Moonlite)

 

Bottom Line: If you like fast paced, energetic, catchy punk, with a totally new sound, then you should get this album. Its terriffic.

 

Song Highlights for the Downloaders: "Nocturnal" and "Outlaw Heart".

[Guest hardyz1]

I don't feel like typing a long description. so I'll just say:

 

Queens of the Stone Age: "Songs for the Deaf"

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

I actually like Acid Bath, believe it or not.

 

Anyways, get Bunkha by Paul Oakenfold. It's good stuff.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest Kibagami]

Suicide Machines.

 

"Destruction by Definition".

 

S.

[Guest ElectricRaccoon]

Giant Robot and, to a lesser degree, Day of the Robot, by Buckethead.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

You know I actually like Colma Mr. Racoon. "Machete" is easily the best rock instrumental I have ever heard. I don't know how he does it but he brings a really odd rhythm and just screams out a solo that I can't even begin to describe over it. It almost sounds like someone crying for help. JUst insane musicianship on that track. The album really isn't for everybody though.

 

Let me just pimp my favourite album of all time everyone is probably sick of since they've listened to it for years and years. But my pick has really got to be Ten via the not-so-great Pearl Jam. Every song on the album just makes me shit my pants with jealousy. I only wish I could get my shit together to write songs as good as Eddie Vedder, and on top of that think os such fucking wierd vocal melodies! I dunno if there are alot of vocalists who are as fucking sweet as Vedder was on this record either. As far as I can tell the vocals are goddamn perfect and then some.

 

Gossard and McCready, plainly, put on the best lead/rhythm synergies I could possibly imagine. Maybe it wouldn't have killed them to let McCready some more but I don't think they really held back at all, so I don't count it against them. The lead on "Alive" is so much ownage in one place I can't describe it, but that is saved for the next portion of my little essay thing...

 

...The songs fucking rule everything ever.

 

"Once" is just goddamn barrage of ass kickingness, and I would honestly say it is the best intro song ever for a CD that I've beared witness to. Besides it has my favourite verse ever I HAVE A SIXTEEN GAUGE BURIED UNDER MY CLOTHES. Oh yes I do. Oh yes. "Even Flow" and "Alive" kick ass sort of stadium rock style, with big verses and great choruses that really get stuck in your head. And in beautiful eddition, both have wonderful lead parts."Why Go" reaches back to "Once" and is really pained and in your face and it's definatley a highlight of the CD full of highlights. "Black" is just beautiful, though it's not one of my favourites. In the song, Vedder really did something with the vocals that grips you even through this rather uneventful song. "Jeremy" is next, and probably the worst track on the record, sounding a little like a watered-down version of "Even Flow". "Oceans goes back to the beauty of "Black", just not quite as beautifully. "Porch" is pretty cool, but the record really starts to get murky at this point, not being so friendly. "Garden" owns everyone and everyone should bow down gracefully. Gotta love a gutterrock song that can still rip ass. The last two songs are kind of similar, both solid and "Release" is a great outro.

 

Anyway I probably could have skipped talking about each song, but here is the tracklisting for your enjoyment.

 

Master/Slave

1. Once (****)

2. Even Flow (***3/4)

3. Alive (****1/2)

4. Why Go (***3/4)

5. Black (***1/2)

6. Jeremy (***)

7.Oceans (***1/4)

8. Porch (***1/2)

9. Garden (***3/4)

10. Deep (***1/2)

11. Release (***/12)

Master/Slave

 

But it's really not any of that stuff that makes the album as great as it is. The band together combined with the order of the tracks and a little bit of luck seem to have made the album greater than the sum of its parts. *****.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

If only I could find URLs for the album cover...!

 

Agent, I downloaded one Acid Bath song, "13 Fingers," and I fucking LOVE it. I'm going to buy some Acid Bath after X-Mas. Should I start with When The Kite String Pops or not?

 

My pimping...

 

SHADOWS FALL - THE ART OF BALANCE

 

As far as I'm concerned, The Art of Balance is THE album of 2002. It is, from start to finish, a great all-around metal album. Here's the track listing, with their respective time lengths:

1. "Idle Hands" (3:34)

2. "Thoughts Without Words" (4:31)

3. "Destroyer Of Senses" (2:55)

4. "Casting Shade" (2:09)

5. "Stepping Outside The Cirlce" (5:25)

6. "The Art Of Balance" (4:46)

7. "Mystery Of One Spirit" (5:10)

8. "The Idiot Box" (4:30)

9. "Prelude To Disaster" 1:49)

10. "A Fire In Babylon" (7:30)

11. "Welcome To The Machine" (5:05)

 

Yes, that's right. A death/thrash metal band has covered a Pink Floyd classic. And you know what? It's damn good. The haunting singing by Brian Fair is excellent in that song, and is a major turn-around compared to his usual vocals (mostly death growls and hardcore screams with some occasional singing).

 

Each song on this album is great in and of itself, but one can't help but feel a LITTLE let down after the brilliance of 2000's Of One Blood. This album seems to be a step back to their strict death metal/hardcore roots, and the guitars sound decent as opposed to the greatness of Of One Blood.

 

All-in-all, album rating:

****

 

HIGHLIGHTED TRACKS FOR DOWNLOAD:

"Thoughts Without Words"

"Stepping Outside The Circle"

"Welcome To The Machine"

[Guest Nevermortal]

I saw a Shadow's Fall video the other day on Much Music's Uranium. Good stuff, but with the dreadlocks that the lead singer's got going on, I thought it was a PoD/Ill Nino/Soulfly video at first.

[Guest ElectricRaccoon]

You know I actually like Colma Mr. Racoon. "Machete" is easily the best rock instrumental I have ever heard. I don't know how he does it but he brings a really odd rhythm and just screams out a solo that I can't even begin to describe over it. It almost sounds like someone crying for help. JUst insane musicianship on that track. The album really isn't for everybody though.

Three words - magic space guitar.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Hmm, I will go against what other people are saying and provide something a little more mellow, and also something that only people in Canada have heard: David Usher - Little Songs.

 

Great pop album, and much better than his sophomore follow-up, Morning Orbit. You may or may not know him as the frontman of Moist, but this album pretty much owns anything Moist has ever done. You may or may not like it, but it's just something to check out.

[Guest La Parka Es Mi Papa]

I might as well:

 

Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

 

Track Description

1. Welcome To The Jungle: A perfect introduction to GNR, possibly one of the most rocking songs of all time. 10/10

2. It's So Easy: Another great one, a little bit of a change of pace, with Axl singing in a deeper voice. 8/10

3. Nightrain: I always thought this song sounded like something Iggy Pop might write. It's great, of course. 9/10

4. Out Ta Get Me: Another awesome song. I'm running out of ways to describe these songs, but this is quite possibly the best song on the album. 10/10

5. Mr. Brownstone: This song has one fucking killer groove. 9/10

6. Paradise City: A nice little arena rock sounding anthem, but kinda weak. 7/10

7. My Michelle: One of the songs I'm not too fond of, but it's still damn good. 7/10

8. Think About You: Another great one. 9/10

9. Sweet Child O' Mine: What more can you say? This song is a fucking classic, and Slash's solo just smokes. 10/10

10. You're Crazy: One of my favorite sing along songs of all time. One of the faster songs on the album. 9/10

11. Anything Goes: Another good song. 9/10

12. Rocket Queen: The second longest song on the album besides Paradise City. And it's pretty damn good, as expected. 9/10

 

Overall Score: 10/10

 

An absolute classic, and a must buy for anyone with even the slightest interest in rock music.

[Guest La Parka Es Mi Papa]

Wow, that was fun. I shall do it again.

 

The Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK

 

Track Ratings

1. Holidays In The Sun: My first exposure to the Pistols, this is made me fall in love with them. 10/10

2. Bodies: Ehh, not great, but not too bad. You gotta love the sarcastic lyrics, too. 6/10

3. No Feelings: Another rocker. Man, listening to this has made me remember how much I loved this album. 8/10

4. Liar: All these songs kinda blend together after a while. 7/10

5. Problems: Another good one, this album has mainly four or five great songs and a lot of filler. 10/10

6. God Save The Queen: Arguably THE punk rock classic of all time. 10/10

7. Seventeen: I really don't like this song much, but it's okay. 5/10

8. Anarchy In The UK: This song falls under the category of "instant classic". The Megadeth cover is pretty badss too. 10/10

9. Sub-Mission: The worst song on the album, it's just kinda there. 5/10

10. Pretty Vacant: My personal theme song for a long time. Malcom McLauren challenged the band to write their own version of Richard Hell's Blank Generation, and this is the result. 10/10

11. New York: Average, at best. 6/10

12. EMI: Surprisingly good. 8/10

 

Overall Score: 8/10

 

The album itself technically isn't that great, but it started a revolution, and while the mediocre tracks are just that, the great tracks are GREAT.

[Guest goodhelmet]

This one doesn't have the stand out tracks like Paranoid, but fits together better as a whole, IMO.

I disagree. I think N.I.B. and the Wizard are too of the best sabbath songs ever recorded. Man, when i saw Sabbath a couple of years back, i nearly wet my pants when they played The Wizard!!!

[Guest Sandman9000]

Right now, the album I'll pimp is Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers.

[Guest treble charged]

Hmmmm, I wonder who I'm gonna pimp??

 

treble charger - Maybe It's Me

 

 

1. Friend Of Mine

2. How She Died

3. Stupid Thing To Say

4. Kareen

5. Red

6. Fade

7. Ever She Flows

8. Forever Knowing

9. Mercury Smile

10. Christ Is On The Lawn

11. Scaterbrain

12. Takes Me Down

13. Left Feeling Odd

 

Now, in *my* opinion, there's not a weak track on there, whereas all their their other CDs have a track or two that I might skip over. Just one man's opinion, though.

[Guest redbaron51]

Here is my little input:

 

Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast

 

 

 

This has to be one of the best albums ever released in the 80's and a definite in a metal head collection.

 

Invaders: A short little track at the beginning, and shows Bruce his powerful vocals. Not the best song on the album 7/10.

 

Children of the Damn: The first few minutes is pretty mellow, but after the 3:00 minute mark, Murray just rips into his guitar and the up beat galloping now known as power-metal is finally introduced. 10/10.

 

The Prisoner: A weak intro I find, but it all makes up at the end of the song. 9/10.

 

Charollet the Harlot: A song that was written by Adrian Smith. This is the second best song on the album. The galloping bass beats, Clive Drumming, Bruce singing, the guitars.....10/10.

 

Number of the Beast: Classic. Great solo: 10/10.

 

Run to the Hills: Not that great, but Bruce really nails that vocal range. 9/10.

 

Gangland: The underrated song on the album. Clive is amazing at the drums in the beginning. The song is one of maiden's best. 9/10.

 

Total Eclipse: Not originally on the CD but in 2000 this song became on the album instead of a B-side. It should stay as a B-Side. 6/10.

 

Hallowed Be Thy Name: Dark Eerie beginning. "I'm wasting, in my cold cell...when the bells begin to chime. Reflecting on my past life, and it doesn't have much time. 'Cause at five o'clock, they take me to the Gallows pole.....The sands of time, are fading...low....."

[Guest The Metal Maniac]

<Uber-Maiden Smark mode on>

 

Actually, the line is "Waiting", not wasting, but whatever.

 

<Mode off>

 

Anyway, time to do something completely unexpected, and pimp an album that's NOT by Iron Maiden....

 

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the Suicidal Tendencies' Lights...Camera...Revolution

 

For those who've never heard ST, they're a metal band, or they were when they did this album, at least. These days, they're some kinda funk-metal or something, but when they started, they were more punk, so whatever. Their songs tend to be about how depressed Mike Muir, the bands singer and core, is, but somehow he manages to do such an excellent job that I don't get sick of it. Excellent lyrics overall, and some guitar awesomeness at the hands of Rocky George.

 

Anyway, the track listing, and a brief overview of the songs (No stars. I hate stars.)

 

1. You Can't Bring Me Down - Pretty speedy opener, with a mid-song rant so awesome I'm gonna put it in my sig. One of the album's best.

 

2. Lost Again - Meh. It's not a bad song, but really doesn't stand out to me. I never grab the album to listen to it.

 

3. Alone - A new level of awesome. The only song on the album with a really slow part, and the first one to hit on Muir being a depressed fuck. Probbaly the best on the album.

 

4. Lovely - A nice little sarcastic song, jabbing at the various people who complain about ST's depressing lyrics and such. About medium tempo, and some kinda funky bass bits, mere shades of what's to come.

 

5. Give it Revolution - Another awesome song. Again, not very fast, but still good.

 

6. Get Whacked - Meh; Again, nothing wrong with the song, but it doesn't really "hit" me, per say.

 

7. Send Me Your Money - I suppose you could almost call this tune rap metal, as there's not really much singing - more just talking, pretty well. Some more bass funkiness, and overall very good.

 

8. Emotion Number 13 - The only other song on the album directly dealing with being depressed. I swear, there's usually more - They have entire CD's of the stuff. Anyway, the bottom line is, this song is tres awesome.

 

9. Disco's Out, Murder's In - I'm not a huge fan of the music, but the lyrics are beyond awesome. Pretty intelligent stuff for a band with a name like this.

 

10. Go'n Breakdown - Like Send Me Your Money, it's pretty well rap metal, but not in a bad way. Muir just kinda does a rap over a classy riff. Another excellent song.

 

All in all, very good CD. Don't ask why I picked this and not "How Will I Laugh Tommorrow". I just did.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

First off, I've recovered from my heart attack after seeing Kotz say that he liked Acid Bath. It was a long and arduous process, but I'm once again back behind the computer. We just might turn you to the dark side yet.

 

Corey-I'd definitely go with When the Kite String Pops first, since it was their first one and all. It's a lot more diverse than their second album Paegan Terrorism Tactics, which is more focused and a little heavier, IMO. More focused is only in the sense of the music, though, since Dax's lyrics are REALLY off the wall on that release, which isn't too surprising considering the amount of drugs he was on at that point.

 

They're both phenomenal cds, though, so get 'em both. If you REALLY dig the vocals, check out Agents of Oblivion (my namesake) it's Dax's side project, and is good stuff but way WAY more mellow while still being pretty dark. If you dig the guitar work, check out Goatwhore, which is Sammy Pierre Duet's (lead guitar) side project. They're pretty sick, as the name depicts. He's also currently in Crowbar, if you're interested in them at all.

 

It's a real shame that their bass player, Audie Pietre died in a car wreck in 97, (hence all the side-projects) they were really phenomenal.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

This one doesn't have the stand out tracks like Paranoid, but fits together better as a whole, IMO.

I disagree. I think N.I.B. and the Wizard are too of the best sabbath songs ever recorded. Man, when i saw Sabbath a couple of years back, i nearly wet my pants when they played The Wizard!!!

Hey, I agree that they're both 2 of the band's best tracks 100%, I just think they're way better when taken in context with the rest of the album.

 

With Paranoid, it's possible to just listen to one or two tracks off of it at a time. I can't do that with the s/t.

 

And yes, they are a religious experience live.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Don't be THAT surprised. "What Color is Death?" was the track for a DBZ music video someone made, and I liked it, so I downloaded it. Then I checked out a lot of the other songs from the same album. It's good stuff, to be sure.

 

When I say I listen to everything on the spectrum, I MEAN IT.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Acid Bath was involved with Dragonball Z? I hate that show. It gives me seizures, and nothing ever gets resolved. They just prepare for the FINAL BATTLE over and over again until someone changes colors and kills the bad guy. Then I'm just left sitting there with dilated pupils, foaming at the mouth, wondering what will happen.

 

Anyway, yeah, that song's the shit.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Where he hits that really pained sounding scream to signal the REAL speeding up of the song is where Goku goes Super Saiya-jin against Frieza. It's worth the download just for the awesome job they did with the song and video synching, even if you hate the show. The video would be called "Fall of a Tyrant."

 

But, other than them, I've yet to really explore any metal bands.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Heh...you should check out Mortician, and crank up the bass on your stereo, it'll cave your skull in.

[Guest Espalda]

35 Classic Hip-Hop Albums:

 

1985:

L.L. Cool J.-- Radio

 

1986:

Run-DMC-- Raising Hell

 

1987:

Eric B. & Rakim-- Paid In Full

Boogie Down Productions-- Criminal Minded

 

1988:

Ultramagnetic MC's-- Critical Beatdown

Public Enemy-- It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Slick Rick-- The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick

Big Daddy Kane-- Love Live The Kane

EPMD-- Strictly Business

Jungle Brothers-- Straight Out The Jungle

N.W.A.-- Straight Outta Compton

 

1989:

De La Soul-- 3 Feet High And Rising

The Beastie Boys-- Paul's Boutique

The D.O.C.-- No One Can Do It Better

 

1990:

Ice Cube-- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Brand Nubian-- One For All

 

1991:

Cypress Hill-- Cypress Hill

Main Source-- Breaking Atoms

A Tribe Called Quest-- The Low End Theory

 

1992:

The Pharcyde-- Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

Gang Starr-- Daily Operation

Redman-- Whut? Thee Album

Dr. Dre-- The Chronic

 

1993:

Black Moon-- Enta Da Stage

Wu-Tang Clan-- Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

 

1994:

Nas-- Illmatic

The Notorious B.I.G.-- Ready To Die

Jeru The Damaja-- The Sun Rises In The East

Organized Konfusion-- Stress: The Extinction Agenda

 

1995:

Raekwon-- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

2Pac-- Me Against The World

 

1996:

Jay-Z-- Reasonable Doubt

 

1998:

Black Star-- Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star

OutKast-- Aquemini

 

1999:

The Roots-- Things Fall Apart

 

NOTE: I only chose only one record per artist. "Run-DMC," "Follow The Leader," "By All Means Necessary," "Done By The Forces Of Nature," "Fear Of A Black Planet," "Death Certificate," "Organized Konfusion," "Midnight Marauders," "Buhloone Mindstate," "Hard To Earn," "Do You Want More?!!!??!," "ATLiens," etc., could have easily been included if the list was greatly expanded. Additionally, excellent albums like "Lyte As A Rock," "In Full Gear," "Road To The Riches," "Future Without A Past," "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing," "Mecca And The Soul Brother," "Runaway Slave," "Stunts, Blunts, And Hip Hop," "Inner City Griots," "Return Of The Boom Bap," "No Need For Alarm," "93 'Til Infinity," "21 & Over," "Resurrection," "Word...Life," "Beatnuts," "Liquid Swords," "The Infamous," "Dah Shinin'," "Soul Food," "Soul On Ice," "At The Speed Of Life," "New World Order," "Dr. Octagon," "Black On Both Sides," etc., were left off in favor of the albums on my Top 35.

[Guest notJames]

Sense Field - Building

 

Great indie rock that for some reason or another gets pigeon-holed into the emo genre (probably because they were on the Revelation label). Very soulful lyrics and tight musicianship, but definitely not one-dimensional, weepy, or formulaic.

 

Shades Apart - Seeing Things or Save It

 

Awesome post-punk from NJ (E-9, bay-bee). Their stuff is really toned down and ultra-poppy lately, but these two albums kick major arse. They do the hands-down best cover of "Tainted Love" on Save It, but Seeing Things is probably a better overall album.

 

Juliana Hatfield - Beautiful Creature

 

The original Riot Grrrl made a big mistake signing with Atlantic in the early 90s, but her last three indie releases completely eliminate the stigma of "My Sister" and "Spin the Bottle" (although to be fair, I think all her albums rock harder than all other wannabe girl rockers). Beautiful Creature retains her uncomplicated writing style, expert guitar-playing, and catchy pop hooks with this album of mostly slower, soulful songs. "Hotels" and "Cry In The Dark" are notable tracks and deftly illustrate why she's my all-time fave femme rocker.

[Guest Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye]

As far as extreme metal goes I'd have to recommend Emperor's "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" To anyone who wants to know what black metal perfection truly is.

 

AL SVARTR (THE OATH)

YE ENTRANCEMPERIUM

THUS SPAKE THE NIGHTSPIRIT

ENCORCELLED BY KHAOS

THE LOSS & CURSE OF REVERENCE

ACCLAMATION OF BONDS

WITH STRENGTH I BURN

THE WANDERER (instrumental)

 

This is the kind of album you have to give yourself to while listening to truly feel the full effect of the music. With production that makes you feel like you are trapped both inside a small cell while at the same time floating in the vast expanse of the universe within the mind. Ever swirling around you, freeing subconscious thought, you begin to leave yourself and travel to a place inhabited only by the eternal power of "I".

 

"With Strength I Burn" is arguably the greatest Heavy Metal song ever, and if I was to give a number rating to this album it is easily a 10/10.

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The second I'll post on is my favorite album of all time, bar none.

 

Anathema - Judgement

 

1. Deep

2. Pitiless

3. Forgotten Hopes

4. Destiny Is Dead

5. One Last Goodbye

6. Make It Right (F.F.S.)

7. Parisienne Moonlight

8. Don't Look too Far

9. Emotional Winter

10. Wings of God

11. Judgement

12. Anyone, Anywhere

13. 2000 & Gone

 

This album starts with (IMO) the most startlingly beautiful and emotional song ever created. I mean, nothing could possibly touch this song for sheer impact directly on the soul. This whole album is truly amazing, I don't know how else to describe it to you. Whereas "Deep" is the beautiful and whilting song, "One Last Goodbye" is the audio essence of the worst loss many people experience. This is the saddest and most pain-wrought song I've ever heard. By this point it hurts but I can't stop listening...

 

Every song on this album is beautiful and painfull and perfect and I recommend to anyone with a need for total emotional release that they buy this cd. It will break you if you let it. 10/10 isnt enough for this so I only say, This is the greatest cd ever created.

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Thats my foray into music review.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Type O Negative-Origin of the Feces

 

 

Talk about a great idea for a concept...A fake live album. Why bother going through the trouble of actually making a real one when studio magic can do the same thing, and they can pocket the cash a live album would create? The best part is, most bands trying to do this would mix in cheers from the crowd, they threw in chants of "You suck!" A fake bomb threat, boos, fans throwing shit at them, and other fun things like that. The album was first done in 93, with a really vulgar cover that can be seen here, but was re-released in 96 with the more shop-friendly cover shown above. Here's the track list:

 

1. I know you're fucking someone else.

2. Are you afraid?

3. Gravity

4. Pain

5. Kill you tonight.

6. Hey Pete

7. Kill you tonight (Reprise)

8. Paranoid

 

I don't think the band ever really took themselves that seriously, and the genius of it is that so many trendy types instantly latched onto their music. They even dedicated a song to them that most people have heard: Black Number One, off of the Bloody Kisses cd. Taken seriously or not, they're good musicians, and every album they've released has been mastered and mixed absolutely perfectly. This cd is no exception. A really fun album that's must-own for any of their fans, and definitely worth checking out for anyone who isn't. I don't especially care for the cover of Paranoid too much, or their rendition of Hey Joe in Hey Pete, but it's still worth a listen. Cool riffs abound all over the cd, which clashes perfectly with the total joke nature of the album.

[Guest Kinetic]

I always recommend Spoon's A Series of Sneaks whenever a thread like this comes up. This thread will be no exception. It's an endearingly tossed-off indie rock classic that, in my opinion, rivals anything Pavement's ever done. They haven't made anything nearly as good since (although I would definitely suggest downloading the tremendous song "Everything Hits At Once" from Girls Can Tell") but this one album has reserved for them a place very close to my heart. Like in my lungs, metaphorically speaking.