Album Reviews

[TFM_Dale]

Tracer – El Pistolero (2013)

Finally: a hard-rocking Australian band that doesn’t shamelessly emulate ‘DC or Rose Tattoo. Three-piece Tracer certainly have all the hallmarks of classic rock, but they’ve got their ears tuned firmly into more modern sounds too. Queens Of The Stone Age get more than a few passing references, as does Detroit garage rock and Audioslave. There are no histrionics here, no slavish Zeppelin hedonism or ‘80s xeroxes. Rather, what Tracer serve up is dry, sun-scorched tones and tunes that reek of hunger. And it kicks like a mule on steroids.

The title-track is dirty, filthy classic rock injected with lashing of bass heavy stoner buzz and bite. ‘Lady Killer’ is a punky bruiser; whilst ‘Dirty Little Secret’ is rock with lots of roll and swing to it – music that engages the ass as much as it does the ears. The band are certainly confident. ‘Dead Garden’ sees them exploring sounds and jamming, whilst ‘Scream In Silence’ takes on a similar updated classic rock sound to Audioslave and demonstrates the sort of control that young bands so rarely possess. In places, you will adore this record: it’s fun, it mostly avoids cliches (‘Wolf In Cheep Clothes Aside’) and it balances fun with depth with considerable aplomb.

It’s certainly not all excellent, however. At 13 tunes it’s a little over-long, and the likes of ‘There’s A Man’ and ‘Santa Cecilia’ are still unconvincingly rough around the edges. But with a band as raw as this, perhaps that’s to be expected. Tracer are a band to whom the idea of polishing hard rock is anathema, and if they’re prepared to leave the nuts and bolts showing, that means that oodles of dirt and groove can seep through. If trading a cool vibe for perfect tunes is the deal, Tracer have chosen wisely, for ‘El Pistolero’ is the sort of record that will make you want to kiss the sun.

Sounds pretty interesting, I will have to check it out.

[binnie]

Rough and ready in places, but a blinding little rock record if you look past the warts 'n' all approach.

I'd recommend you check out Rival Sons if you haven't already, too.

[Dave's Bitch]

Hey Binnie

Will we be getting a Super Collider review this week?

[binnie]

Hey Binnie

Will we be getting a Super Collider review this week?

Yup, that's the plan (assuming my copy turns up tomorrow I should be able to fast-track it and get it done by the end of the week).

[binnie]

From the vaults: Pentagram – Day Of Reckoning (1987)

Pentagram are a band who divide opinion. For doom devotees, their early albums are treated with a reverence akin to a gift from God handed down from Mount Sinai; a reverence which the band’s detractors greet with a very simple question – why not just listen to the first 4 Black Sabbath albums? It would be foolish – and churlish – to deny that Pentagram’s brand of doom is anything other than straight out of the Sabbath songbook. Slow, punchy and with thick lashes of swing – a crucial element which so many Sabbath-clones miss – this is classic music served up with a bare-bones simplicity which somehow makes it more magical. And when the ingredients to songs are so few, the result is that each one – each riff, each bassline, each melody – has to be golden to work. Pentagram’s capacity to serve up such ingredients – and with them classic songs – deserves greater recognition.

The title-track is a doom classic. Surprisingly up-tempo there is a freedom to the performance that makes it rawk like a porn starlet on overtime. ‘Evil Seed’ practically seeps weed out of the speakers and is possessed of a floating, vapor-like evil blues; and ‘Wartime’ has a choppy riff which commands you to bang your head. But this is not just heavy – the variety is what makes Pentagram special. ‘When The Screams Comes’ sounds like the sky is crying; whilst the dope-fiend brilliance of ‘Burning Savior’ – 8 minutes of slow-building spirals of doom falling from the heavens. It’s crushing and ethereal; uplifting and lamenting, in equal measure. But what makes it really special is how sparse everything is. Victor Griffin under plays the guitar with dazzling beauty and serves up riff after crisp riff. And whilst Bobby Liebling doesn’t sound much like Ozzy, he has the same capacity to make up what his voice lacks with an infectious charisma in the delivery.

Pentagram have certainly made records with more abandon (see their debut) and with more weight (see ‘Be Forewarned’) but perhaps never one with such consistently brilliant songs. The production is woeful (the drums are tinny and rigid) and robs the songs of their power, but it just doesn’t matter. Some albums have something beyond the ingredients, something beyond the component parts that no-one else can quite emulate. Perhaps it was the context in which the album was recorded, perhaps it was the moment in time which it captured, or perhaps it was the drugs that they were smoking. Either way, it is an ethereal presence which makes the music magical. Pentragram’s early records have that special something and whatever their indebtedness to Sabbath, surely even the band’s detractors cannot deny them that.

[Dave's Bitch]

Yup, that's the plan (assuming my copy turns up tomorrow I should be able to fast-track it and get it done by the end of the week).

Isn't it Tuesday it comes out?.Either way I look forward to reading it.Have you heard the preview of "Don't Turn Your Back"?.Exactly the kind of song i have been wanting

[binnie]

From the vaults: Mad Capsule Markets – Cistm KonFliqt (2004)

Normally if a band is described as ‘unique’ it is a synonym for ‘impenetrable’, music which is clever but often challenging to listen to. In the case of Japan’s Mad Capsule Markets, however, distinctiveness was not coupled with difficulty. Welding together industrial, a bit of prog, lots of trance and layers of punk and metal, this was heavy music that you could hold a rave too – here was a heavy band engaging with dance music long, long before Korn ever heard of Skrillex, or Pendulum had hair on their nut-sacks. As discordant as it is danceable, influences like Ministry, Slipknot and Fear Factory are notable, but all of this is channeled through a heavy dose of The Ramones – simple structures, infectious energy, choruses you can sing. Influences aside, however, this was not a band who shamelessly emulated American sounds – Mad Capsule Markets had a distinct approach to heavy music, one which was undoubtedly influenced by their culture.

‘Cistm KonFliqt’ was the band’s 11th record, but perhaps only the second to make a splash outside of Japan (following the equally brilliant ‘Osc-Dis’). Opener ‘Retalk’ is music to mosh too, tribal rhythms and heavy nu metal edged guitars make things bounce with a demented stomp; ‘Bomb Idea’ is The Dead Kennedy’s with keyboards and hooks that kill; whilst ‘Scary’ could be played on mainstream rock radio – sounding a little like The Wildhearts at their most bombastic, it has a punk hook so sticky it sticks to your mind like shit to a blanket. ‘Cracker’ sees the band’s dance elements taken to the fore – imagine Aphex Twin jamming with early Pitchshifter – whilst ‘Grim Monster’ sound like Rob Zombie would if he could still write songs. There’s certainly variety – ‘She Loves It’ is trippy Californian surfer music; whilst ‘Let It Rip’ is the heavier end of Korn – but it is all absorbed into a unique aesthetic, and never feels clumsy. Quite what label we might put on that aesthetic – quirky, eccentric, demented? – is beside the point: this is a fuck of a lot of fun, the sort of music that scream FTW whilst smiling.

[binnie]

Megadeth – Super Collider (2013)

Megadeth face the same problem as Motorhead: a legendary band shackled by the myopia of music critics and fans, both of whom – blinded by nostalgia for a golden age – chronically overlook the fact that the music the band have put out in recent years equals (if not, in the case of Motorhead, surpasses) their ‘classic’ albums. In the case of Megadeth, the form that Mustaine and co. have been on since 2007’s ‘United Abominations’ (as sensational as it was heavy) has been the most consistent of their career and has added a series of classic songs, epic riffs, and great moments to an already illustrious catalogue. If ‘Endgame’ (2009) was a continuation of ‘United’s thrashier side of Megadeth, ‘Thirteen’ (2011) saw the band explore the more melodic, mid-paced aspect of their sound. ‘Super Collider’ continues where ‘Thirteen’ left off, but with two crucial differences: 1) it is more consistently brilliant; and 2) the range of sounds, tones and styles explored is far, far wider, resulting in a slicker, warmer album.

This will not, of course, be to everyone’s taste. If you’re only prepared to allow Megadeth to be gun-metal grey, then you may be disappointed by ‘Super Collider’. But it will be your loss. Although 1985-1992 is often seen as the band’s golden ‘thrash’ heyday, it is easy to forget that between 1992-2000 Megadeth were as much ‘rock’ as they were ‘metal’, and that – the woeful ‘Risk’ (1999) aside – they were bloody good at it (see ‘Youthanasia’ and ‘Cryptic Writings’). Album number 14 does not tread down the ‘rock’ path as much as those mid-90s records, but there is certainly a warmer feel, a more mid-paced tempo and – believe it or not – an upbeat mood (well, in places – we are talking about Dave Mustaine, after all!) ‘Forget To Remember’ is a damn fine, classically-hewn metal tune strong on melody, simple dynamics and hooks; and the title-track – about a conversion experience – is barely metal at all. The latter is easily the weakest track here. The loose, vocal first performance exposes Mustaine’s limitations as a singer, but if you play it loud enough it is a hell of a blast of rock ‘n’ roll (even if it is hard to reconcile with the image of the snarling Mustaine so many of us remember). After 30 years it is hard to surprise your fans, but how many of us ever thought that we’d hear a fiddle on a Megadeth record? Fewer still could have imagined that the tune in which it (and other traditional Irish instruments) features – ‘The Blackest Crow’ – is crushing: it may not be the evil thrash of ‘Black Friday’, but it is proof that Mustaine is still more than capable of penning dark little ditties in his sixth decade. Emotive, mature and masterful.

But don’t think that ‘Super Collider’ strays too far from the fold. There is metal here. Big, skull-crushing, ‘stick this riff up yer ass’ metal. Opener ‘Kingmaker’ – a take on addiction – is furious, a crunching riff, neck-bracing drum pattern ushering in that quintessential Mustaine menace; ‘Built For War’ is off-the-scale heavy and the sort of technical powerhouse that few contemporary bands could match – it is odd that the most ‘Megadeth’ song here is the one in which Mustaine himself had the least involvement in writing (the plaudits go to Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover); and ‘Begging For Sorrow’ is savage, cynical and harrowing in equal measure. But perhaps most surprising – and pleasing – of all is ‘Dance In The Rain’, which features Disturbed frontman (and renowned dick-head) David Drainman on co-lead vocals. Take a deep breath……………..IT FUCKING RULES!!! Damn it is heavy, and as strong as anything this band has recorded in the last 15 years. The twisted power of Mustaine’s cynicism is alive, kicking, and pounding here those slabs on sinewy riffs and warped time-changes we’ve come to expect. In the face of such a metallic treat, we can perhaps over-look the rather pointless inclusion of a cover of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Cold Sweat’ (as good as it is).

It is odd that thrash’s most unpredictable character has also been its most dependable servant. Whilst Anthrax have been floundering around trying to jump-start their career since the mid-90s, Slayer have done little more than repeat themselves, and Metallica lurch from drama to procrastination, Megadeth have delivered the goods time and time again. Consequently, it goes without saying the ‘Super Collider’ is packed full of shredding solos, epic riffs, and world class musicianship; or that it will take your damn head off if you play it loud enough. But sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. What people overlook about Mustaine is that he is a hell of a songwriter. Every song here is finally honed, crisp and drips in quality hooks – even if you don’t like the less-manic side of Megadeth, you would have to respect it. And if you’re waiting for that heavier (or rather, ‘heaviest’) side of the band, you probably won’t have to wait long – album number 15 will be along in less than two years, and who’s to say it won’t be a face melter? Until then, ‘Super Collider’ will keep your Ipod warm – it may not be vintage Megadeth, but it is a hell of a record nonetheless.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Nice review Bin. I just picked up Super Collider and had a lot of the same thoughts as you. I thought that closing the album with a raucus cover of the Thin Lizzy classic, "Cold Sweat" was cool as hell!

Disagree about Anthrax...their last album was kickass.

[Dave's Bitch]

I liked this album well enough the first play through but it took a second to really appreciate it.Awesome review Binnie.One tiny little thing,Dave is 51 so he is more than capable of penning dark little ditties in his fifth decade

[binnie]

I liked this album well enough the first play through but it took a second to really appreciate it.Awesome review Binnie.One tiny little thing,Dave is 51 so he is more than capable of penning dark little ditties in his fifth decade

Sixth decade: 0-10 (1); 10-19 (2); 20-29 (3); 30-39 (4); 40-49 (5); 50 + the beginning to the sixth. Just a note from pedant's corner.

[binnie]

Disagree about Anthrax...their last album was kickass.

Glad you liked the review.

Yes, Anthrax's last record was awesome (as I said in my review here). My point about Anthrax, however, is that every time they try and do someting (since about 1995) something has kicked them in the ass, or they've squandered their own momentum. It was 8 years between 'We Have Come For You All' and 'Worship Music'.

[Dave's Bitch]

Sixth decade: 0-10 (1); 10-19 (2); 20-29 (3); 30-39 (4); 40-49 (5); 50 + the beginning to the sixth. Just a note from pedant's corner.

Ok I'll give you that one.Great review

[binnie]

Black Sabbath – 13 (2013)

Is it any good? That’s all you want to know really, isn’t it? And the answer is a resounding ‘yes, but…….’. Because whatever you say about the positives of ‘13’ – the ‘reunion’ album from Ozzy-era Sabbath – there’s something that’s just not quite satisfying about it. Maybe it’s because it feels like a con: this is 75% of Black Sabbath, and although 75% of the original is better than 0 (and, in all likelihood, all we’re ever going to see now that these guys are in their winter years), it’s still not 100%. Maybe it’s because the songs are over-long, would have benefitted from a further directorial hand (adding to the conviction that Rick Rubin has long been trading on the fumes of his ‘legendary’ producer status) – all of the faff and procrastination in some of the tunes here only throws the potential of what they could have been into relief. Or maybe it’s the fact that in 2013 many of Sabbath’s imitators now do Sabbath a lot better than Sabbath do themselves. Whatever the case, ‘13’ is good but very far from great.

That being said, it’s waaaaaay better than many had feared. Let’s be clear: all of the songs here beat the living shit out of the two abominations they recorded for the live reunion record in 1998; and, despite his detractors, Ozzy’s voice sound remarkably healthy – no-more the Kermit-the-Frog autotuneisms of recent years. Indeed, Ozzy’s melodies are persistently strong throughout this record and lead to tunes which are memorable, captivating even. And, even though Bill Ward is not here, Brad Wilk does a sterling job, adding groove and underplaying throughout. So: three potential banana skins, 3 successful dodges. We must also judge it for what it is rather than what it could never be – it is not 1971 one any more, and these guys are no longer 22. Rather than trying to recapture their past – an approach which always leads to pastiche and self-parody – Sabbath here have approach music in 2013 in the same manner that they did in 1970. Take quality ingredients – riffs, melodies, concepts – and don’t over-dress or over-cook them. The result is a record that a) doesn’t feel like a crash grab; b) isn’t a gushing nostalgia trip; and c) feels very organic and genuine.

And the songs are good, too. Low-key opener ‘End Of The Beginning’ kicks in with BOOM! BOOM as Iommi and Butler level dinosaur-paced riffs in unison, ushering in a track borne of traditional Sabbath eeriness before culminating in frantic up-tempo section built upon a slithering riff – this is a celebration of ‘Black Sabbath’ to ‘Sabotage’ in 8 minutes. ‘Age Of Reason’ – easily the best tune here – is epic, crunchingly heavy and built around some juddering riffs and wonderful Ozzy melodies; whilst closer ‘Dear Father’ – a heavy, swaggering behemoth of a song – conjures up all of the jet-black darknesss that you’ve been yearning for from Sabbath. If the relatively punchy ‘Loner’ (think the caveman-riffing of ‘Vol. 4) is short, sweet and (perhaps) a little obvious; the trippy, floaty psychedelia of ‘Zeitgeist’ a very warm surprise – restrained, melodic and beautiful, the band here reminds us that they did beauty as well as they did beast. In the space of such quality, we can perhaps forgive ‘God Is Dead?’ – a 4 minutes song padded out to 8 minutes which creeps along at glacial pace – and ‘Damaged Soul’ – a loose, bluesy jam which, despite some demonic playing at the close, would have been far more effective in edited form. It’s great to hear Ozzy honking that harmonic, however.

That the whole record signs off with rainfall and a tolling bell is a beautiful piece of symmetry for Black Sabbath’s career – a recognition, perhaps, that this is the last metal we’ll ever hear from the band who started it all. And in making the record they wanted to make – rather than one which tried to emulate former glories – Sabbath have reminded us that honesty and integrity remain their hallmarks. Organic, very heavy, and – crucially – blues based, this was the Sabbath we loved and one which throws into relief how far metal has evolved in the 45 years since its inception. ‘13’ is a record which will both relieve those who feared these old dogs would come a cropper, AND one which can be enjoyed alongside the band’s original records. A worthy – and worthwhile – addition, if you will. So yes, it is good – but with a little more direction and focus it could have been so much more.

[ELVIS]

I wanted the so much more...

Nice review...

[binnie]

Cheers Elvis.

I'm still sure what it IS that's missing. All the features of the Sabbath landscape are there, but it's just not quite right in terms of feel (even allowing for their age and the 40 year gap between 2013 and the original concept of their music). It's certainly not a disaster - indeed, it's pretty worthwhile - but they feel very human, rather than God-like.

As I said in the review, an edit button would have been helpful. 8 mintues songs need to be really, really good to work. Otherwise they're glorified jams...........

[ELVIS]

"Slayer have done little more than repeat themselves..."

C'mon dude, no way is that true...

But other than that, awesome Megadeth review...

I'm certainly not expecting Sabbath to even come close to this album...

My wife picked this up for me on Friday and I really like it...

Built for War (as well as quite a few others) kicks serious ass...

Mustane's overly effected vocals aren't his best, but not bad at all...

[ELVIS]

an edit button would have been helpful.

I thought that's what that $400 million dollar retard was for...

[binnie]

C'mon dude, no way is that true...

But other than that, awesome Megadeth review...

I'm certainly not expecting Sabbath to even come close to this album...

My wife picked this up for me on Friday and I really like it...

Built for War (as well as quite a few others) kicks serious ass...

Mustane's overly effected vocals aren't his best, but not bad at all...

I'd say it's true that Slayer have largely repeated themselves. Even Kerry King jokes that they're 'the AC/DC of thrash'. My comment was certainly not in relation to the quality of Slayer's music - they've rarely put a foot wrong - more towards the fact that you lnow exactly what a new record will sound like. Slayer would EASILY by in my top 10 favourite bands (read the 'Hell Awaits' review on the previous page).

But, yes, the Megadeth record is very good (title-track aside). I'll always prefer their more aggressive records, but Mustaine all writes killer tunes regardless of the style they adopt on a given record. We could argue all day about which of the 'Big 4' bands has put out the best/most important music, but there's no argument whatsover that in the autumn of their careers Megadeth have been the most consistently strong in delivering the goods.........

[binnie]

I thought that's what that $400 million dollar retard was for...

I think Rubin is more about vibe/feel that the technicalities of production. He's the anti-Bob Rock.

Sure, he's produced some killer records, but in the last 10 years he's underperformed and I often think that records would sound much better without him. 'Death Magnetic', for instance, was very good - but in the hands of a really good producer (Andy Sneap, Colin Richardson, Nick Rasculeick) it could have been brilliant. Same goes for the record he made with Slipknot.

I'd say that Rubin's last great metal record was the first System Of A Down album (1998)

[DLR Bridge]

He produced the third CD of a band I like called Ours. It was their worst produced CD which is unfortunate, considering the great body of songs that had been written. It just sounded over done.

[Zing!]

And Rubin produced the last two of one of my favorite bands: The Avett Brothers - both of which were too slick, too polished, and lacking the honesty and rawness of their small label predecessors. It's like he's convinced them that every tune has to be a radio friendly hit, which goes against everything they've built their career around. Blah...

[ELVIS]

I tried to listen to the entire Sabbath album last night...

It's not possible...

You were too nice, Binnie...

[chefcraig]

I think Rubin is more about vibe/feel that the technicalities of production. He's the anti-Bob Rock.

Sure, he's produced some killer records, but in the last 10 years he's underperformed and I often think that records would sound much better without him. 'Death Magnetic', for instance, was very good - but in the hands of a really good producer (Andy Sneap, Colin Richardson, Nick Rasculeick) it could have been brilliant. Same goes for the record he made with Slipknot.

I'd say that Rubin's last great metal record was the first System Of A Down album (1998)

To my ears, Rick Rubin should only be allowed to record demos, issued on cassette-only mail order releases. This guy's idea of high fidelity rates somewhat behind a 1950s AM radio broadcast of a Yankees game, listened to in a taxi parked under a bridge.

And ELVIS is spot on here. I attempted to listen to this turd-fest the other evening, and made it through about two tracks before playing internet golf and searching the tv listings. Nope, won't be purchasing this one, even if you get a second cd and a tee shirt at Best Buy for the low, low price of thirty bucks American.

Yech...

[Von Halen]

In my opinion, which nobody gives a fuck about, everything is over produced these days.

The spontanious rawness is gone from recorded music these days. The computer has made it too easy to try to perfect what may have already been perfection.

[chefcraig]

In my opinion, which nobody gives a fuck about, everything is over produced these days.

The spontanious rawness is gone from recorded music these days. The computer has made it too easy to try to perfect what may have already been perfection.

Exactly. I miss those albums where Ron Wood would be playing out of tune, where Johnny Winter's bass player wasn't quite sure of the time signature and the singer wouldn't know or even have thought up some lyrics, yet everyone plowed forth anyway and all the producer had to do was flip the record button. Shit, the best rock and roll sides from the 1950s sounded like they were recorded in somebody's living room or garage, with all of the in laws and neighbors chatting away and falling down drunk in the background.

Auto-tune, my ass. If you can't play it or sing it, you got no business being in the room in the first fucking place.

[binnie]

To my ears, Rick Rubin should only be allowed to record demos, issued on cassette-only mail order releases. This guy's idea of high fidelity rates somewhat behind a 1950s AM radio broadcast of a Yankees game, listened to in a taxi parked under a bridge.

And ELVIS is spot on here. I attempted to listen to this turd-fest the other evening, and made it through about two tracks before playing internet golf and searching the tv listings. Nope, won't be purchasing this one, even if you get a second cd and a tee shirt at Best Buy for the low, low price of thirty bucks American.

Yech...

I'd persevere with the Sabbath record. It opens in a low-key manner (to say the least) and the second tune - 'God Is Dead?' - is easily the weakest. The second half of the record has some merit to it, and it grows a little. It's certainly worth 50 minutes of your life.

[binnie]

Suffocation – Pinnacle Of Bedlam (2013)

There is a certain type of joy which only emerges when you hear a classic band on classic form. New York Death Metal legends Suffocation have long been one of extreme metals most influential and, errrrm, extreme bands, but ‘Pinnacle Of Bedlam’ displays them at the very height of their powers. Where most modern Death Metal is a clinical, pro-tooled-to-hell display of technical wizardy lacking any real soul, here the sound is rawer, gnarly and crushingly powerful. That power is heightened by the crystal clear production of Joe Cincotta and superb mix by Zeuss, in which every drum beat and mangled riff hit you with a somatic force. Short, sharp bursts of pummeling music are Suffocation’s calling-card, and the songs here lurch from one hulking riff to another via time-changes of otherworldly precision. ‘Purgatorial Punishment’ demonstrates that trying to out-brutal this band is a pointless endeavour; whilst the warp-factor ‘Eminent Wrath’ is a true neck-snapper which welds muscular riff into muscular riff with savagely punishing stamina. But what staggers you is the fact that amidst music this heavy and this abrasive, Suffocation manage to be catchy and memorable – ‘Cycles Of Suffering’ (a seething pot of blackened groove) and ‘My Demise’ (grotesque and grinding power) really are a testament to their abilities as song-writers.

With songs existing on the razor’s edge balance between musical dexterity and maniacal focus, by rights this should be lauded as one of 2013’s top metal records. Like watching someone being mangled, ‘Pinnacle Of Bedlam’ is at one brutal and captivating.

[binnie]

From the vaults: Masters Of Reality – Masters Of Reality (1989)

It’s odd that despite their name, Master Of Reality sounded fuck all like Black Sabbath. Their’s was a sound of laid-back, slacker fuelled rock ‘n’ roll crafted around cooler-than-cool tones and bourbon stained licks. And at the tail of the ‘80s they were like no-one else. Grunge before anyone had heard of grunge, and Southern Fried hard rock before anyone gave a rat’s ass about The Black Crowes, this was music with songs, depth and feel first. Hard rockin’ certainly, but the range of references here was so much wider: jazz, blues, funk, even ragtime, creep in to what was ultimately a warm, charismatic blast of joyous rock ‘n’ roll shot through with magical moments from the jam room floor and captured perfectly by Rick Rubin’s lo-fi production. If you were to compile a list of the best rock records of the past 25 years, this would be near the top. It is THAT good.

Opener ‘The Candy Song’ has a groove smoother than melted chocolate, whilst ‘The Domino’ has bite, gristle and riff to end all riffs – Kyuss were surely listening? ‘Kill The King’ is swinging blues rock soundtracking the coolest of badass villains in a Tarrantino flick; and ‘John Brown’ is outlaw swamp blues, awash with slide geetar and alligator menace. Masters Of Reality flat-out rawked. But there was so much more to these songs. In an era where heavy music was either ultra-extreme, or glitz and glamour hedonism, this batch of lazy summertime ditties was almost unthinkable – but when a band manage to find a sound which is like no-one before or since, AND pen songs which instantly feel like old friends, you know that they were truly special.

MOR never came close to replicating the magic of their debut. And in some circles, the band remained misunderstood. It’s certainly true that Chris Goss has since become the stoner rock uber-producer (Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age, everyone else……) but if MOR had similar component parts to these bands, their vibe was very different: less of the colossal Sabbath heaviness and more of the classic soul-fuelled hooks, this was a band like no other. New Wave, punk, blues and funk all in one sound? No wonder no-one knew what to do with ‘em. But at a distance of almost 25 years, the strength of this record sparkles. Re-issued in a lavish package complete with a live bonus disc, a beautiful poster and mystical artwork, this feels like a celebration. And I can think of few bands who deserve to be celebrated more.

Sometimes even superlatives are not enough. Just listen.

[binnie]

From the vaults: Onslaught – Killing Peace (2007)

Given its central importance to the birth and evolution of metal in all its forms, it is an oddity that Britain has never given the world a truly great thrash band. Onslaught certainly came closest to doing so – their ‘The Force’ (1986) and ‘Search For Sanity’ (1989) albums being very impressive indeed – and ‘Killing Peace’ (their reunion record) certainly deserves to be more widely heralded. Put simply, where so many thrash bands make the mistake of playing at full pelt for 60 minutes (thus lessening the impact of their music by turning it into one hyper-speed stream of gun-metal grey), or engage in tedious tech-metal workouts, ‘Killing Peace’ is packed full with songs of impressive quality. Built around quality riffs, melodies and dynamics, the result is music that is memorable rather than just (very) heavy. ‘Shock ‘n’ Awe’ proves that Onslaught can thrash with the best of ‘em; ‘Burn’ is as furious as it is anthemic; the title-track is awash with punkish fury and propelled by a series of hooks and rhythmic quirks which make a serious impact; and ‘Pain’ injects the thrash template with elements of Prong and Corrosion of Conformity crunchiness – the sort of crunchy metal with deserves to be heard more widely. Lyrically it’s what you’d expect: anti-religion, death and destruction. But Sy Keeler’s vocal lines and raucous delivery adds tones and textures that your average metal growler simply cannot. Nige Rockett and Alan Jordan serve up impressive levels of riffage, the power of which is amplified by Andy Sneap’s uncluttered production. Raw, refreshingly uncomplicated, and full of mighty metallic tunes, Onslaught served up another impressive record of blue-collar metal that comes out swinging.

[Terry]

In my opinion, which nobody gives a fuck about, everything is over produced these days.

The spontanious rawness is gone from recorded music these days. The computer has made it too easy to try to perfect what may have already been perfection.

It's true.

There's just no swing and groove in contemporary recorded popular music anymore, and it's not just in the hard rock arena, either.

Seemingly everything new I hear just feels too overcalculated, overprocessed and overlabored to the point where it sounds uninspired, dead and disposable.

[ELVIS]

Megadeth – Super Collider (2013)

This album is really really good...

Every fucking song is good...

Even the ones I thought I hated at first...

I like that Mustane isn't afraid to do whatever he wants...

Killer album with awesome hooks and killer guitar work...

It even has some "spontaneous rawness" that Von can't find or spell...

[ELVIS]

I totally hated this cheesy 80's sounding song at first, but now I think it's pretty cool...

[ELVIS]

This is a fucking RIFF!!!



Take notes jfail...

[DLR Bridge]

I heard Super Collider on the radio the other night. Sounded super pedestrian to me.

[binnie]

I heard Super Collider on the radio the other night. Sounded super pedestrian to me.

The title track is the worst song on it, but the rest of the disc is very good. Not as strong as 'United Abominations' or 'Endgame', but still a very, very good record.

[binnie]

From the vaults: Ihsahn – After (2010)

Recent years have seen ex-Emperor man Ihsahn become one of metal’s most inspiring artists. Whilst the likes of Steve Wilson, Opeth or the demented genius that is Devin Townsend might get more press and plaudits, in truth none of those men is making music which welds together the delicate and the powerful quite so majestically as Ihsahn. The black metal roots are still present in ‘After’, but they are one element in a rich composition which takes in everything from classic rock to extreme metal. Epic arrangements, jazz elements and huge swathes of prog creates a soundscape rich in textures a lavish in its warmth. Even the saxophone is integrated into the sound where you would expect it to stand out like a nun in a brothel.

‘The Barren Lands’ opens with luscious guitar before giving way to some beautiful doom. ‘A Grace Inversed’ shows the depths of Ihsahn’s talent, welding blast-beats with jazz and saxophone – it should sound like a mess, but it is captivatingly effective; and the title-track spans quiescent ‘70s prog to crushingly heavy doom in an incredibly moving take on the afterlife which sees Ihsahn showcasing how strong his clean vocals are. ‘Undercurrent’ is awash with propulsive rhythms and jet-black heaviness injected with staggering sonic landscapes whilst, in stark contrast, ‘Austere’ evokes Katatonia, delicate and somber metal in which organs and hushed tones give way to a hard rock epic of Zeppelin proportions. It’s dazzling, effortlessly powerful stuff – but unlike the Devin Townsend’s or Steve Wilson’s of the world, it’s never knowingly clever and resists the urge to berate you with its brilliance.

There is a lot of music to take in here. But it is a credit to Ihsahn’s skill as a songwriter that it never teeters over into overwhelming or self-indulgent. Alongside ‘angl’ and ‘Eremita’ what we have here is perhaps the greatest trilogy of albums in the modern age of heavy music and one which deserves to be spoken of in hallowed, Floydian tones.

[binnie]

I will get round to reviewing the new Alice In Chains album in the next couple of weeks.

Airbourne's new disc will also be reviewed soon.

Apologies for being a bit slow out of the blocks on both.

[binnie]

Airbourne – Black Dog Barking (2013)

Airbourne are to subtlety what a tribe of pygmies are to the triple jump. This bunch of Australian hard rockers – surprise, surprise, they sound an awful lot like (1980’s) AC/DC and Rose Tattoo – employ the ‘three bs’ approach to subject matter (birds, booze and brawls) with abandon and over the course of three albums have crafted out a begrudging respect amongst the metal community. Live, they are unstoppable. But on record, many have muted, their branch of nostalgic hard rock is somewhat unsatisfying: why not just listen to the originals? ‘Black Dog Barking’ – album number 3 – will do little to satiate those doubters. Little has changed in a fundamental sense, but that’s not to say that there’s no development here. Album number 2 – ‘No Guts, No Glory’ (2010) – was a rushed affair. This time out, however, both the crafting of the songs and the quality (or, rather, polish) of the production has increased dramatically. They’ve mentioned a respect for Mutt Lange in interviews, and whilst ‘Black Dog Barking’ certainly displays signs of the Swedes’ production (multi-layered vocal harmonies and a HUGE sound), the added sheen may have dulled the bite that made Airbourne’s debut so captivating. The preening nature of the production is certainly a mile away from the bands ferocious live sets.

There’s certainly much to like, however. ‘Ready To Rock’ has all the hallmarks of a set opener, and is propelled by sizzling hooks and lusty chorus. ‘Animalize’ announces this records poppier intentions, and squeezes Def Leppard hooks into ‘DC quake; whilst the title-track is a rock ‘n’ roll anthem awash with all of the menace of a slugger on the prowl. In truth, Airbourne emulate their influences very well indeed. Whether you like the oh-so-Sunset sound of ‘Back in the Game’ or the po-faced take on Steel Panther that is ‘No One Fits Me (Better Than You)’ will ultimately be a matter of where you stand on a) nostalgia and b) crash sexism. But even their biggest critic would have to grant that Airbourne are a helluva lot of fun. How much longer that fun can last for a band this derivative is a separate question. Heck, the opening of ‘Live It Up’ is a complete pastiche of ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ – but after two spins, you’ll be singing it anyway.

They may be the band least likely to make a concept album based on the works of Leo Tolstoy and featuring a 3 minute obo solo, but Airbourne certainly have their merits.

[binnie]

Black Star Riders – All Hell Breaks Lose (2013)

Black Star Riders are a confused band. Built from the remnants of the band which toured as ‘Thin Lizzy’ (original Lizzy drummer Brian Downey stepped aside and is replaced here by journeyman Jimmy Degrasso), they announced their intention to continue making music with that legendary moniker, before bottling it half-way through making this record upon realizing that the negative press that would ensue would be counter-productive. Or, perhaps they realized that without Phil Lynott these songs fuck all like Thin Lizzy. Either way, dropping the moniker is not a bad thing in its self. What is a bad thing, however, is not knowing who or what you are. For this is the sound of a band that existed as ‘Thin Lizzy’ trying not to sound like Thin Lizzy whilst performing songs originally written with Thin Lizzy in mind. Me either…………

In truth, this is a decent enough rock band featuring some experienced hands and – in the presence of Lizzy axeman Scott Gorham – one legend. But legends are not always excellent songwriters, and Gorham does not do much of the pen-work here. That task is left to fellow guitar player Damon Johnson and ex-Almighty man Ricky Warwick. The latter has the un-enviable task of filling Lynott’s shadow. In the live arena, it must be said, he has done this exceptionally well and with considerable respect (noting that he ‘stands beside Phil’s shoes’ is a nice touch). Here, he often drops into parody by copying Lynott’s turn of phrase and vocal nuances. Whilst those moments are rare, they’re enough to be unconvincing – added into to that that Warwick’s voice is much better suited to more aggressive and heavy music and the whole feels a little contrived. But perhaps the bigger problem is the relative subdued nature of the performance. Johnson does not play well off Gorham, and often these songs scream for guitar histrionics. When the patented Lizzy harmonies do emerge, they also feel somewhat forced.

That’s not to say that there aren’t moments here. ‘Hey Judas’ has a great Warwick hook and is a punchy little anthem; the title-track is peppered with piss ‘n’ vinegar; the Gaelic fury of ‘Kingdom Of the Lost’ smashes punk into folk with venomous results (although it sounds an awful lot like Warwick’s solo work); and ‘Bloodshot’, which features some tasty Gorham licks, is the sort of rock ‘n’ roll we were hoping for. It’s just a shame that the record is marred with mediocrity – surely everyone involved with this project is better than characterless, cliché-driven drivel of ‘Someday Salvation’, ‘Kissin’ the Ground’ and ‘Hoodoo Voodoo’? Maybe a dirtier production – Kevin Shirely’s work is remarkably polite here – would have helped.

But you know what, despite the cliches, despite the rather restrained performances, and despite the myriad of other problems, I can’t help but quite like ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’. Maybe it’s because I wanted to. But you have to ask this: if a band without the legacy involved here performed these songs to an A&R man, would they get signed? On the evidence here, you’d have to assume it would be no sure thing…………..