This CD is great. Blue is about a drug overdose. Most of the CD is about drugs, 13th step is supposed to represent a relapse. I'm not a fan of Lullabye or Crimes though, and I'm pretty sure its Maynard son humming "Lullabye..". Buy this CD if you havent already.

With exception of "A Stranger" I find this album 'weak and powerless'.

[QUOTE=OrbDragon]With exception of "A Stranger" I find this album 'weak and powerless'.[/QUOTE]

Haha, nice use of titles there.

I love this album. Everything about it is great, but for some reason "Crimes" and "Lullabye" strike me as time-fillers. While the album is still a favorite of mine, it receives an 8/10.

Great review though.

[QUOTE=3074326]
I love this album. Everything about it is great, but for some reason "Crimes" and "Lullabye" strike me as time-fillers.[/QUOTE]

Probably because they are.

OrbDragon - did you like Mer De Noms?

[QUOTE=Bartender]Probably because they are.[/QUOTE]

Yes, and I hate time-fillers.

I'm going to see APC on the 12th...can't wait...yeah, this doesn't really have much to do with the CD, but I loved 13th Step quite a bit after listening to it a few times...so I think it promises to be a good show

I can't believe how both of you rated the Nurse who Loved Me! That song is twenty times better than anything else on this cd (not that the rest of the songs are bad, just that the Nurse Who Loved Me rules so much).

^^^ It is awesome. It still doesn't beat The Noose though.

[QUOTE=3074326]Yes, and I hate time-fillers.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but I don't think the album should be marked down for them. I'm not sure if "time-fillers" is really an appropriate name for them, as the album would have been a good enough length without them, and I think it's a very good album, as I gather you do, ignoring Crimes and Lullaby.

JoZ - enjoy it, I thought they were really good live. Opened with Vanishing, and hearing it live made me like it a lot more than I used to. Same with The Package.

[QUOTE]I'm going to see APC on the 12th...can't wait...[/QUOTE]

I saw them in November..It was freakin awesome.

What bands would you suggest to APC fans? I'd say Tool and Radiohead.

Blue and the Noose are probably my two favorites off this album. Blue has that loving sound but the lyrics suggest otherwise, a nice ironic song. The Noose has a very melancholy feel to it without being emofied.

[QUOTE]What bands would you suggest to APC fans? I'd say Tool and Radiohead.[/QUOTE]

Radiohead? I dont think so at all. APC and Tool are two of my favorite bands, but I hate Radiohead.

Although I'm not too familiar with them..Maybe NIN would be a good suggestion?

GREAT review man! :thumb:
I've got this album but it doesn't do too much for me. The Noose is probably my favourite song.

<i>Thirteenth Step</i> is a very good CD. i personally like it more than <i>Mer De Noms</i>. Maynard has one of the greatest voices out there and it really shows on this album. All of the songs are great, especially <i>The Package</i>, the intro is purely mind blowing. it starts off slow and quiet, and the bass roaring through the speakers and progressively gets harder and harder until it "explodes" for lack of a better term. great CD. go buy it. 9/10

[QUOTE=Cambodia]Radiohead? I dont think so at all. APC and Tool are two of my favorite bands, but I hate Radiohead.

Although I'm not too familiar with them..Maybe NIN would be a good suggestion?[/QUOTE]

i'm not sure what to say. radiohead is great, i really like them, but i'm not sure i would reccommend them to all APC fans. they're a lot different than APC and Tool. i'd say NIN is a pretty good reccommendation.

[QUOTE=youcomebeforeyou]i'm not sure what to say. radiohead is great, i really like them, but i'm not sure i would reccommend them to all APC fans. they're a lot different than APC and Tool. i'd say NIN is a pretty good reccommendation.[/QUOTE]

And I'd say NIN suck.

[QUOTE=Theo]And I'd say NIN suck.[/QUOTE]

If this is the general content of your posts, you'll get banned pretty soon. Go careful.

[QUOTE=Bartender]If this is the general content of your posts, you'll get banned pretty soon. Go careful.[/QUOTE]

This is my general response when NIN are mentioned. But I will take your advice.

[QUOTE=Theo]This is my general response when NIN are mentioned. But I will take your advice.[/QUOTE]

It's not a problem if you don't like them, just give reasons if you're going to give your opinion at all. I had a quick look at your other posts though, and so far you're not a troll. So, welcome!

I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.

[QUOTE=Fast Fingers]I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.[/QUOTE]

I don't mind the production. And yeah, I like "Closer" and "Hurt". But overall nothing special, especially compared to APC.
I'd recommend Tori Amos and Bjork. :) and maybe Massive Attack.

I disagree with you on most of the content of your review. "The Noose" really shows off Maynard's very unique and talented vocals. "Weak and Powerless," though, has a good bass line to it, but even APC admitted they were 'weak and powerless' on their first single. Good review, though. I'd give it a 10/10, it's a very good album fillers included.

I agree with your review especially on the songs Pet, Gravity and The Outsider but I for one really enjoy Weak and Powerless (it really isnt as repettitive as you make it out to be). Overall i would say that Mer de Noms is a better album mainly because I miss the Christian bashing rage rock (the song Judith comes to mind) that is usually a big part of Maynard's message. Gravity is my favorite song on the album as well because it is so relaxing, almost like a drug. If you put that on late at night it is very intoxicating.


Keep writing good reviews, it is good to hear from someone who has a passion for good music.

Christonastick, it wasn't christian 'bashing'. Its about Maynards mother and how she kept her faith through terminal illness. Plus, Mer De Noms is far from 'Rage Rock'.

Also, 'A Stranger' is believed by many to be about christ.

[QUOTE=Fast Fingers]I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.[/QUOTE]

I think a bigger problem with NIN are his lyrics. He writes awful lyrics imo, I really don;t like his repetive angst. His music makes up for it, because it's awesome, as are his vocals.

[QUOTE=br3ad_man]I think a bigger problem with NIN are his lyrics. He writes awful lyrics imo, I really don;t like his repetive angst. His music makes up for it, because it's awesome, as are his vocals.[/QUOTE]

Well, "Hurt" has some pretty good lyrics, but please don't ask me to find another song with good lyrics. I also think Johnny Cash did a better job at it.

I dissagree with most of that review (except for the high ratings of the songs :)) The tracks are in this order (best to worst)
The Noose
Gravity
Weak and Powerless
Pet
The Package
The Outsider
Blue
Vanishing
The Nurse Who Loved Me
Crimes
A Stranger
Lullaby

I hate putting Crimes and A Stranger so low (because they're great songs) but they are not as good as the rest of the album. A million dollars is always better than 999,999 dollars. *nod*

a great album, and two accurate reviews.

i know i know, everyones opinion is different, but i would still rate Weak and Powerless a little higher. i do find myself at times, changing to The Noose, because i just can't be bothered with it at times, but on other times, i really love it. A Stranger, Pet and Gravity are the best songs on the album for me, the vocals on The Noose and A Stranger are near perfection.

i can't wait to hear the new Tool stuff, i'm sure it will amaze us all.

I second that. Penned for early 2005, isn't it?

yeah, or the summer of 2005 i heard aswell.

hopefully, they will then tour the UK, and i will finally get a chance to go see them live.