| Full Review | Ratings (403) |
Give your Rating |
1.0 awful | Ossacip Olbap | December 1st 21 | a far too long collection of incredibly boring rock songs and a highly unnecessary piano closer fuck off van halen
Bump |
1.5 very poor | wings1again | March 20th 18 | The most obvious and glaring issue is....NONE of these songs have any continuity or any memorable hooks that make you want to sing along. Whether it was Dave or Sammy, most of the songs had that. Not here. Nowhere to be found.
This album sounds like someone just hit record and the band proceeded to screw around, trying to add lyrics to unmatching music. This one fails - sorry. Material was obviously written for Hagar and Cherone sounds like a guy brought in during the final hour to try and save it. He doesn't. Eddie is all over the map on this album, the closest he comes to sounding anything like rift-driven Van Halen is on "Fire In The Hole". Everything else sounds much too scattered. Alex is an afterthought here and Michael is totally non existent. " How Many Say I" is embarrassing, it sounds like two drunk guys on the piano at closing time. The real laugh here is that this album - easily their worst - is the one they decided to dedicate to their fans. Yikes!
Bump |
1.5 very poor | KManoc1 | January 10th 18 | Hard Rock albums don't get any more boring than this.
Bump |
2.5 average | hedunadan | April 3rd 12 | This is, indeed, most hated VH album. Why? Mainly, because VH fans are divided in three groups: Lee Roth hard cores, Van Hagar followers and the whole VH music fans. The first group hate Cherone because he seems to imitate Hagar. The second group also hate Cherone for the same reason, and the third group doesn´t like this album because is so different from the rest of the catalogue.
But, are they right? Mi guess: yes and no.
Van Halen III cannot compete with Van Halen best albums and music, but i think is not that bad album they say it is. It is actually pretty good! Very diverse, some experimental, a little uninspired but technically almost perfect. It has dull moments, but some superb moments. Song by song:
Neworld. A good instrumental. Whoever says this is awful, i´ts just prejudice. Nice tunes, and it sets the mood for the rest, interrupted cleverly by the power of track two.
Without you. Like i wrote, it breaks the mellow mood Neworld sets. I find this track powerful, funny, great riff, annoying vocals, and specially great guitar work and solos.
One i Want. I actually like the mood of the song, it´s a fun song again, but it´s a little bit longer that it should and the lyrics are pretty cheesy.
From Afar. Another overlong good tune. Its slow pace really challenges your patience, but you can enjoy Eddie´s great technique.
Dirty Water Dog. Oh men this is so funny. great rhythm, excellent work by Alex on this track.
Once. You can love it or hate it. For me, is a low point in the album. A little boring and too different from VH style.
Fire on the Hole. It is a great song until you realize Eddie repeated himself. It is virtually the same riff of Cabo Wabo.
Josephina. Too dull and long for my taste. I can´t wait for this song to end because i´m waiting next track.
A Year to the Day. For me, the peak of the album, and one of my favorite VH songs. Has great feeling, great lyrics, great structure, bluesy style on his crying solo. This song pays the whole album. The bass line, the lyric notes, the screaming, the drum works, and of course, the virtuoso guitar part just works very intense.
Primary. Good instrumental, but a forgettable one.
Ballot or the Bullet. Some Led Zeppelin deja vu on some notes. Is, if you ask me, another low point.
How many say i. Man this song is great. no guitar? what the hell! you may think. But it´s a brilliant song conceived by a great mind. It has the best lyrics of the album (sung by Eddie himself).
I still did not rank 2012 VH album. So, from the 11 albums, for me, this is not the worst. I would put Van Halen III in 10th place.
Bump |
2.0 poor | Fernando Alves STAFF | February 2nd 12 | Van Halen's most uninspired album. What happened Eddie?
Bump |
1.0 awful | CleanUpBeforeSheComes | December 16th 11 | I honestly think it's great that the reviewer and some other people on here like this album. However, the review seems to spend as much time insulting people who don't like the album as it does actually reviewing the album. I have listened to Van Halen III all the way thorugh. I went in with an open mind and I think this album is Van Halen's worst album. I'm glad that some people enjoy it and I respect their opinions. Personally, I just think the songs on the album weren't as well written as the songs on other Van Halen albums and I don't think that Gary's voice worked with the band.
Bump |
1.0 awful | mav69 | August 25th 11 | What where you thinking Eddie? Of all people, Gary Cherone of extreme
Bump |
4.5 superb | mosanty | February 19th 11 | I really don't think that most people gave this a fair listen with clear ears. To be honest (as a performing musician myself) this entire album is written so well that it goes over most listeners heads.
First of all - the production is what kills the average Van Halen fanboys. Mike Post created the darkest sounding record since "Fair Warning" (which in retrospect - received about the same reviews), and lost the pop glaze over the Van-Hagar period.
This record has everything there is to pull from a composer's old trick bag: Theatrics, odd time signatures, and the absolute best rhythm section that could be offered. Alex & Eddie / Michael pull off things arena rock would not even try. (Example: Dirty Water Dog)
My suggestion; listen to some Tool, Genesis, or Yes and set your EQ to your liking THEN try Van Halen III. If that's not enough to change your mind, then you're just not listening.
Four of five stars: Loosing one star for Mike Post's terrible vision of what could have been Eddie's crowning achievement.
Bump |
0.0 | ConorMichaelJoseph | February 11th 09 | Van Halen's worst album (though not even close to being as bad as some would make it out to be) is pretty much disregarded by the band themselves. Pity, it has some great tunes.
Bump |
2.0 poor | MT76 | July 3rd 23 |
1.0 awful | s0nicx | June 29th 23 |
3.0 good | pabcel | April 29th 23 |
2.0 poor | random | January 3rd 23 |
1.5 very poor | Djokoll | September 14th 22 |
1.5 very poor | Mitch | June 18th 22 |
2.5 average | ztetter | December 2nd 21 |
2.5 average | Jero | October 29th 21 |
1.5 very poor | Wj2006 | September 27th 20 |
2.5 average | Rick64 | April 20th 20 |
1.0 awful | igi78 | February 25th 20 |
1.0 awful | mEyck07 | November 16th 19 |
2.5 average | wrax | March 10th 19 |
1.0 awful | Elynna | October 7th 17 |
1.0 awful | solrage | September 12th 17 |
1.5 very poor | nerilos | January 11th 17 |
1.5 very poor | mask | December 15th 16 |
1.5 very poor | chape | December 3rd 16 |
1.5 very poor | colen | November 20th 16 |
1.5 very poor | amhc | November 15th 16 |
2.0 poor | Xurxo | November 8th 16 |
2.0 poor | natbar | October 29th 16 |
4.0 excellent | Ggg777 | October 27th 16 |
1.5 very poor | cahz | October 12th 16 |
1.5 very poor | ladyevil | September 17th 16 |
1.5 very poor | rockit79 | September 11th 16 |
1.5 very poor | DaveD | August 18th 16 |
1.5 very poor | SB129 | May 16th 16 |
1.0 awful | Fozzie | August 8th 15 |
1.5 very poor | Abraxas | March 15th 15 |
1.5 very poor | DrDom | October 23rd 14 |
1.0 awful | Curse. | March 27th 14 |
3.0 good | Me2 | October 31st 13 |
4.0 excellent | Sulphur | September 26th 13 |
1.5 very poor | Kalhur | August 11th 13 |
1.5 very poor | denislg | July 17th 13 |
1.5 very poor | Zantera | March 1st 13 |
1.5 very poor | carcajou | February 15th 13 |
1.0 awful | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
2.5 average | kwill15 | August 15th 12 |
1.0 awful | Denhez | March 24th 12 |
2.5 average | lz41 | March 9th 12 |
2.0 poor | DaveyBoy EMERITUS | February 2nd 12 |
1.5 very poor | nhpest | January 22nd 12 |
1.0 awful | Lebren | January 15th 12 |
1.5 very poor | mandan | January 14th 12 |
1.0 awful | Coast | December 26th 11 |
1.5 very poor | narpet | December 25th 11 |
1.5 very poor | Kris/KJ | December 7th 11 |
1.0 awful | Splint | November 28th 11 |
1.0 awful | KILL | November 28th 11 |
1.0 awful | true | August 14th 11 |
1.0 awful | Phaze | July 8th 11 |
2.5 average | orrt21 | June 27th 11 |
1.0 awful | OFace | June 6th 11 |
3.0 good | Pluto | April 19th 11 |
1.0 awful | Pilgrim | February 22nd 11 |
2.0 poor | iemona | December 27th 10 |
1.5 very poor | asw92090 | November 12th 10 |
1.5 very poor | mcdaid | November 1st 10 |
1.0 awful | noisy | September 12th 10 |
1.0 awful | Zoso4 | July 31st 10 |
1.0 awful | mppwns | June 11th 10 |
1.5 very poor | Smevin | April 27th 10 |
1.5 very poor | KJAnsia | January 19th 10 |
1.0 awful | BigHans | December 31st 09 |
3.5 great | gawd69 | December 31st 09 |
1.5 very poor | Enotron | December 13th 09 |
2.5 average | biakaba | October 22nd 09 |
1.5 very poor | snowii | October 17th 09 |
1.5 very poor | Jumaos | October 9th 09 |
2.5 average | lglag | April 4th 09 |
1.0 awful | yugioh | November 16th 08 |
2.0 poor | kv22 | August 12th 08 |
2.0 poor | cpd38 | September 5th 07 |
| |
Give Your Opinion on Van Halen III
|