| Angel Witch Angel Witch | 3.5 |
| Art Blakey Moanin' | 3.0 |
| Atheist Elements | 4.0 |
| Baroness Red Album | 4.5 |
| Black Mountain Black Mountain | 3.0 |
| Black Mountain In the Future | 3.5 |
| Blackfield Blackfield | 3.5 |
| Blackfield Blackfield II | 4.0 |
| Blonde Redhead 23 | 3.0 |
| Blotted Science The Machinations of Dementia | 4.0 |
This disc is beyond brilliant. It's definitely not something you would envision as product of the average human mind. At least, not a normally functioning human mind. The brain of an 'Idiot Savant' gave rise to this music, no doubt. This is all 'outside-the-box' thinking. And, it will get the listener thinking in different categories as these all-instrumental pieces unfold for you at break-neck speed. The members of this group come from many of the big names in Avant-Garde and Technical Metal. Bands like Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Behold...The Arctopus and Lamb of God. If you get off on the music of the bands listed, you'll be diggin' hard on this sixteen track collection of technical and cerebral insanity.
|
| Cactus Cactology : The Cactus Collection | 3.5 |
| Candlemass King of the Grey Islands | 4.5 |
| Cathedral Forest of Equilibrium | 2.0 |
| Cathedral The Ethereal Mirror | 4.0 |
| Chick Corea and Return To Forever Light as a Feather | 3.5 |
| Chris Cornell Carry On | 3.5 |
| Cynic Focus | 4.5 |
| Exodus Bonded by Blood | 3.5 |
| Exodus Tempo of the Damned | 3.5 |
| Exodus Shovel Headed Kill Machine | 4.0 |
| Exodus The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A | 4.0 |
| Fiona Apple When the Pawn... | 3.0 |
| Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine | 3.5 |
| Fiona Apple Tidal | 4.0 |
| Genesis ...And Then There Were Three... | 2.0 |
| Genesis Genesis | 2.0 |
| Genesis Invisible Touch | 2.0 |
| Genesis Trespass | 3.0 |
| Genesis Nursery Cryme | 3.0 |
| Genesis A Trick of the Tail | 3.5 |
| Genesis Wind & Wuthering | 3.5 |
| Genesis Duke | 3.5 |
| Genesis Abacab | 3.5 |
| Genesis Foxtrot | 4.0 |
| Genesis Selling England by the Pound | 4.0 |
| Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway | 4.5 |
| Giant Squid Metridium Fields | 4.5 |
| It's difficult to accurately describe what's going on here except to say that if you like Mastodon and Baroness, there's a pretty good chance that you'll like Giant Squid as well. Their music is doom-laden, yet highly progressive. The guitars of Squid display a distinct enough tone to seperate them from the two aformentioned bands, but not so much that you couldn't picture all three of these groups on the same bill. I don't know if there's already been a music journalist who's christened this sub-genre with a name yet, but it wouldn't be too far from the mark to describe this stuff as 'Art-Metl'. Can't call it Progressive Metal because that term conjures up thoughts of groups like Dream Theater and Symphony-X. And, these three bands are pretty far removed from that direction anyway. But, while the songs are, on average, much shorter than the material evidenced on the typical 'DT' recording, Squid's music is still highly progressive, extremely artistic and instantly recognizable as a new and original direction. The songs are accesible and melodic, yet there's also a controlled use of dissonance permeating much of their work. There's some sparse layering, a heavy reliance on atmospherics and periodic tinges of keyboard and horn accompaniment scattered throughout the album, that, when all taken together, gives this band a very deep, multidimensional sound. This dynamic is furthered by the decison to pair up a male and female voice on many of the vocal parts. If you demand a level of cerebral sophistication from your Hard Rock/Metal, then Giant Squid's Metridium Fields is probably for you. |
| Grateful Dead Reckoning | 2.0 |
| Grateful Dead Wake of the Flood | 2.5 |
| Grateful Dead Shakedown Street | 3.5 |
| Grateful Dead Terrapin Station | 3.5 |
| Grateful Dead Workingman's Dead | 4.0 |
| Grateful Dead Blues for Allah | 4.5 |
| Grateful Dead American Beauty | 5.0 |
| Herbie Hancock Thrust | 4.0 |
| Herbie Hancock Head Hunters | 4.5 |
| Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage | 5.0 |
| Horace Silver Song For My Father | 5.0 |
| Iced Earth Overture of the Wicked | 3.5 |
| Iced Earth Framing Armageddon | 3.5 |
| Iced Earth The Glorious Burden | 4.0 |
| Iced Earth The Blessed and the Damned | 4.5 |
| ISIS In the Absence of Truth | 4.0 |
| Jethro Tull This Was | 2.5 |
| Jethro Tull Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die! | 2.5 |
| Jethro Tull Under Wraps | 2.5 |
| Jethro Tull War Child | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull Songs from the Wood | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull Heavy Horses | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull A | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull The Broadsword and the Beast | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull Crest of a Knave | 3.0 |
| Jethro Tull Stormwatch | 3.5 |
| Jethro Tull Stand Up | 4.0 |
| Jethro Tull A Passion Play | 4.0 |
| Jethro Tull Aqualung | 4.5 |
| Jethro Tull Benefit | 4.5 |
| Jethro Tull Minstrel in the Gallery | 4.5 |
| Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick | 5.0 |
| John Coltrane Interstellar Space | 2.0 |
| John Coltrane Ascension | 2.0 |
| John Coltrane Stellar Regions | 2.5 |
| John Coltrane Live At Birdland | 3.5 |
| John Coltrane Africa/Brass | 3.5 |
| John Coltrane Giant Steps | 4.0 |
| John Coltrane Blue Train | 4.0 |
| John Coltrane A Love Supreme | 5.0 |
| Judas Priest Point of Entry | 3.0 |
| Judas Priest British Steel | 3.5 |
| Judas Priest Angel of Retribution | 3.5 |
| Judas Priest Sad Wings of Destiny | 3.5 |
| Judas Priest Killing Machine | 3.5 |
| Judas Priest Nostradamus | 3.5 |
| Judas Priest Sin After Sin | 4.0 |
| Judas Priest Stained Class | 4.5 |
| King Crimson Lizard | 2.0 |
| King Crimson Larks' Tongues in Aspic | 3.0 |
| King Crimson Starless and Bible Black | 3.0 |
| King Crimson The Power to Believe | 3.5 |
| King Crimson Discipline | 4.0 |
| King Crimson Beat | 4.0 |
| King Crimson Red | 4.0 |
| King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King | 4.5 |
| Lamb of God Ashes of the Wake | 3.5 |
| Lamb of God Sacrament | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Coda | 2.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Presence | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin The Song Remains the Same | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV | 3.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II | 3.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin [DVD] | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti | 4.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy | 4.5 |
| Mahavishnu Orchestra The Inner Mounting Flame | 4.0 |
| Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds of Fire | 5.0 |
| Mastodon Leviathan | 3.5 |
| Mastodon Blood Mountain | 4.0 |
| Megadeth Risk | 2.5 |
| Megadeth Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? | 3.5 |
| Megadeth The System Has Failed | 3.5 |
| Megadeth Cryptic Writings | 3.5 |
| Megadeth United Abominations | 3.5 |
| Megadeth Youthanasia | 4.0 |
| Megadeth The World Needs a Hero | 4.0 |
| Megadeth Rust in Peace | 4.5 |
| Megadeth Countdown to Extinction | 4.5 |
| Menomena Friend And Foe | 3.5 |
| Metallica Metallica | 3.5 |
| Metallica Kill 'Em All | 4.0 |
| Metallica Master of Puppets | 4.5 |
| Metallica Ride the Lightning | 4.5 |
| Metallica ...And Justice for All | 5.0 |
| Miles Davis On the Corner | 1.5 |
| Miles Davis Get Up with It | 2.0 |
| Miles Davis Big Fun | 2.5 |
| Miles Davis Miles Smiles | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis Bitches Brew | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis In a Silent Way | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis Agharta | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis Nefertiti | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis Seven Steps to Heaven | 3.0 |
| Miles Davis Jack Johnson | 3.5 |
| Miles Davis Someday My Prince Will Come | 3.5 |
| Miles Davis 'Round About Midnight | 3.5 |
| Miles Davis Sketches of Spain | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis E.S.P | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Sorcerer | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Miles in the Sky | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Filles de Kilimanjaro | 4.5 |
| Miles Davis Kind of Blue | 5.0 |
| Opeth Watershed | 4.0 |
| Pig Destroyer Prowler in the Yard | 2.0 |
| Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother | 2.0 |
| Pink Floyd Ummagumma | 2.0 |
| Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets | 2.5 |
| Pink Floyd Meddle | 3.0 |
| Pink Floyd Obscured by Clouds | 3.0 |
| Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason | 3.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn | 3.5 |
| Pink Floyd The Division Bell | 3.5 |
| Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here | 4.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Final Cut | 4.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon | 5.0 |
| Pink Floyd Animals | 5.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Wall | 5.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Stupid Dream | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Deadwing | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree In Absentia | 4.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Signify | 4.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Arriving Somewhere... | 4.5 |
| Queensryche The Warning | 2.5 |
| Queensryche Hear in the Now Frontier | 2.5 |
| Queensryche Operation: Livecrime | 3.5 |
| Queensryche Promised Land | 3.5 |
| Queensryche Greatest Hits | 3.5 |
| Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime II | 3.5 |
| Queensryche Empire | 4.0 |
| Queensryche Queensryche EP | 4.0 |
| Queensryche Rage for Order | 4.5 |
| Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime | 5.0 |
| Regina Spektor Begin To Hope | 3.0 |
| Return to Forever Romantic Warrior | 4.5 |
| Return to Forever Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy | 4.5 |
| Rush Presto | 2.0 |
| Rush Hold Your Fire | 2.5 |
| Rush Power Windows | 2.5 |
| Rush Caress of Steel | 3.0 |
| Rush Grace Under Pressure | 3.0 |
| Rush Test for Echo | 3.0 |
| Rush Vapor Trails | 3.5 |
| Rush Signals | 3.5 |
| Rush Snakes & Arrows | 3.5 |
| Rush A Farewell to Kings | 4.0 |
| Rush Fly by Night | 4.0 |
| Rush Counterparts | 4.0 |
| Rush Moving Pictures | 4.5 |
| Rush Permanent Waves | 4.5 |
| Rush 2112 | 5.0 |
| Rush Hemispheres | 5.0 |
| Skeletonwitch Beyond the Permafrost | 4.0 |
| Spheric Universe Experience Mental Torments | 3.0 |
Among the countless hordes of Prog-Metal outifts, the compositional skills of these Franks stand out.
|
| Spiral Architect A Sceptic's Universe | 4.5 |
| Stanley Clarke School Days | 3.5 |
| Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke | 4.5 |
| Testament Low | 2.5 |
| Testament Demonic | 3.5 |
| Testament The Formation of Damnation | 4.0 |
I really think that this new offering is among the band's very finest. In fact, I think it's between this one and 'The Gathering' for the top spot. Every single element of the classic Testament sound comes together here and the production is fantastic. Plus, all the songs are memorable after a few spins....I don't know what's been going on in 'Modern Thrash' over the past few years, but me likey. A lot. This effort by Testament, the last two from Exodus, and the last two from Iced Earth have ALL far exceeded expectations. Not only is the writing on these albums far better than the average, but the production quality is literally THE best I've heard on any crop of metal albums from any era. Unbelievably good stuff.
|
| Testament The Gathering | 4.5 |
| The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots | 3.5 |
| The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin | 3.5 |
| The Flaming Lips At War with the Mystics | 4.0 |
| The Mars Volta Amputechture | 2.5 |
| The Mars Volta Frances the Mute | 3.5 |
| The Mars Volta De-Loused in the Comatorium | 4.0 |
| The Mars Volta The Bedlam in Goliath | 4.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Dirty Work | 1.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Exile on Main St. | 2.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Black and Blue | 2.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request | 2.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Goats Head Soup | 2.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Some Girls | 2.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon | 3.0 |
| The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang | 3.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers | 4.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet | 4.0 |
| The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed | 4.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Tattoo You | 4.5 |
| The Who Face Dances | 2.5 |
| The Who The Who Sell Out | 3.0 |
| The Who It's Hard | 3.0 |
| The Who Endless Wire | 3.0 |
| The Who The Who by Numbers | 3.5 |
| The Who Tommy | 4.0 |
| The Who Quadrophenia Live | 4.0 |
| The Who Who Are You | 4.5 |
| The Who Quadrophenia | 5.0 |
| The Who Who's Next | 5.0 |
| Thought Chamber Angular Perceptions | 4.0 |
This record has received some much needed attention, but it's still nowhere near the admiration this band is due. These guys got chops. But, isn't that a 'given' in the realm of Prog-Metal? Everyone in the genre got chops. Musicianship is the name of the game here. You need a sharply honed craft just to earn yourself a place at the table. But, once your seated, it's all about one's compositional skills. It's 'F' or walk, buddy. And, this Texas band walks.....hard. They walk hard. lol. For all of that great musicianship in Prog-Metal, most of the discs are boring as schitt. Repetitive, uninspired, unoriginal drivel, the vast majority of 'em. But, Thought Chamber's music keeps you pinned to those speakers for a nice long bout of compelling musical passages and instantly recognizable melody lines. Along with a few other new Prog outfits like Redemption and Magic Pie, Thought Chamber is the band to be watching.
|
| Tori Amos Scarlet's Walk | 3.5 |
| Tori Amos The Beekeeper | 3.5 |
| Tori Amos American Doll Posse | 3.5 |
| Trouble Manic Frustration | 4.0 |
| Trouble Simple Mind Condition | 4.0 |
| Voivod Dimension Hatröss | 3.5 |
| Voivod Phobos | 3.5 |
| Voivod Nothingface | 4.0 |
| Voivod The Outer Limits | 4.0 |
| Wayne Shorter Night Dreamer | 4.5 |
| Wayne Shorter Speak No Evil | 4.5 |
| Weather Report Mysterious Traveller | 3.5 |
| Weather Report Heavy Weather | 4.0 |
| Weather Report Black Market | 4.5 |
| Wishbone Ash Argus | 4.0 |
| Witchcraft Witchcraft | 2.5 |
| Witchcraft The Alchemist | 3.5 |
| Yes The Ladder | 2.5 |
| Yes Going for the One | 3.0 |
| Yes Yes | 3.0 |
| Yes Time and a Word | 3.0 |
| Yes Union | 3.0 |
| Yes Talk | 3.0 |
| Yes Open Your Eyes | 3.0 |
| Yes Tormato | 3.0 |
| Yes Keystudio | 3.0 |
| Yes Tales from Topographic Oceans | 3.5 |
| Yes Drama | 3.5 |
| Yes Big Generator | 3.5 |
| Yes Magnification | 3.5 |
| Yes 90125 | 4.0 |
| Yes The Yes Album | 4.5 |
| Yes Fragile | 4.5 |
| Yes Relayer | 5.0 |
| Yes Close to the Edge | 5.0 |
