Average Rating: 4.20 Rating Variance: 0.16 Objectivity Score: 45% (Poorly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicSay Anything Say Anythinggreat stuff (their best album imo) and they back it up on stage. stole the show from AVA in columbus this spring4.5 superbAmia Venera Landscape The Long ProcessionSomething that Trey mentioned in the review early on really stuck out to me when I finally bought this album. It's sound can only be described as huge, sprawling, epic, and beautifully dystopian. To get what I'm saying, try this: listen to Marianas Trench by August Burns Red or the Sound of Truth by AILD, or at least the opening. Then listen to Empire or New Aurora. the difference is mind blowing, not because ABR suck as musicians (they don't) but because there is so much more going on underneath the main thrust in the case of AVL. The subdivided, off-beat, lightning speed snare riffs are incredibly fun, as is the military precision double-bass, and the way the two play into one another. But listen to the underlying guitar bits, the way the sound shift doesn't feel the slightest bit forced, even when it goes from hell-bent anvil crushing to piano. I'm usually a verse-chorus, melody-heavy kinda rock/punk fan. but this... these guys are doing what Underoath wishes they could do. Maybe a good way to describe this is Periphery but better and without making the studio effects the primary means of delivery. I dunno. But what i do know is that I thought I was growing out of my metal phase. I wasn't. I was just tired of the same boring, forced shit and hadn't heard this. Bad Religion The Empire Strikes FirstEasily my favorite BR album (at least right now) for two reasons: they unleashed Brookes Wackerman's full attack (see the jackhammer pounding of Sinister Rouge) and they somehow made their music even more catchy without losing their sound. Bad Religion The Dissent of ManGreat mix of Process of Belief and the Empire Strikes First. Love these guys. 4.0 excellentAmon Amarth With Oden on Our SideBeing more of a mainstream Western metal guy-meaning that I like Killswitch, All That Remains, etc. and NOT Crunkcore or any of the devil wears prada/ bring me the horizon or that nonsensical dissonant crap, I was at first a little skeptical of the viking themes. But that was before I heard the opening riff of Valhall Awaits Me and got hooked. What makes these guys so incredible is the way in which they clearly articulate RIDICULOUSLY catchy melody within a set song structure, thus completely avoiding one of the most annoying things about Warped Tour attempts at death metal: the lack of any recognizable motiff. Furthermore, their sheer level of musicianship makes these articulations all the more tasty. I came into this album thinking singing was completely necessary to foster a sense of melody, but Hegg and co. proved me wrong through their guitar work, which, quite simply, is elite in its effectiveness. It also helps that the lyrics themselves aren't too corny and defer to the music to create balance. If you like In Flames or Killswitch, you will love this album. Goo Goo Dolls Something for the Rest of UsComparable to Gutter Flower, caught me quicker than LLI, overall a really solid effort for GooRise Against EndgameIf Sufferer is a 4.5/5, then this is at least a 4, no questions asked. I'm a fan of Appeal (i personally find it to be better than Siren Song, but that's just me and I tend to forgive the use of production), but this is just creatively fresh in ways that Appeal wasn't. I can see where people would say Help is on the Way- a ridiculously infectious track btw- sounds like a B-side to Appeal, but it's hardly representative of the entire album. The very rhythm/ syncopation with which Tim articulates the lyrics feels different in just the right ways to positively distinguish the album (see chorus of Satellite). My only complaint so far is Midnight Hands (the riff just brings back bad memories of Nickelback). In general, these guys have followed a trajectory similar to Bad Religion. When BR added more mid-tempo tracks into their lineup (see Recipe for Hate), people freaked. I think the key thing to remember here is that BR made those tracks shine- with a few exceptions (cough-New America). The same observation holds for RA and Endgame. Social Distortion Sex, Love and Rock 'n' RollSocial Distortion Hard Times and Nursery RhymesI think what everyone attributing to a loss of cajones can be traced in production choices. Among other things, the guitars aren't quite as dirty. That's not to say it's bad. Its just a slight variation from what Social D has previously done. All in all, HTaNR ranks right up there with Sex, Love, and Rock N'Roll imo. They are similar both in production, tightness, and general feel. Yes there isn't quite the same punch but that's not a bad thing because there is still a punch there that works really well. From where I'm sitting, the first 5 tracks are a strong argument, especially Diamond in the Rough and Machine Gun Blues. 3.5 greatAvenged Sevenfold NightmareDefinitely an improvement over the self-titled. Catchier, even on the heavier tracks. Portnoy is a treat to hear on this album, really fills in beautifully for the Rev.
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
