Rock/Metal Album Reviews | 1 Year Challenge

[rayword45]

Dopesmoker - Sleep
69 Love Songs - The Magnetic Fields (Some of these songs are rockish)
Zen Arcade - Husker Du
Double Nickels On The Dime - Minutemen
The Pod - Ween
Goat - The Jesus Lizard (Deliberate outlier)
The Glow Pt 2 - The Microphones
I Am The Cosmos - Chris Bell (Also somewhat an outlier)
Sebadoh - III
I'm Not a Fan, But the Kids Like It! - BrokenCYDE (I'm sorry, I'm sorry)

[Nick Skyline]

sup ymia i've got some horrible music here
April 29th
* Chicago - Chicago (1970)
* Chicago - Chicago III (1971)
* Tool - AEnima
* Five Finger Death Punch - The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell: Volume 1
* Five Finger Death Punch - The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell: Volume 2
* Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
* Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
* Linkin Park - Meteora
* Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill
* Chimaira - Crown of Phantoms

[rushyrulz]

transplant from EzE thread

1. Delain - April Rain
2. Winger - Karma (one of my favorite albums of all time)
3. Boston - Boston
4. Firehouse - Firehouse
5. Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
6. Whitesnake - Greatest Hits
7. Kiss - Sonicboom
8. Halestorm - The Strange Case Of...
If you can find them: (These are really good)
9. James Durbin - Memories of a Beautiful Disaster
10. Saigon Kick - The Lizard

July 23rd

[yo man im awesome]

Fuck my initial start date I'm starting reviews today! My reviews will done in Stream of Consciousness, so I'll be writing the review as I'm listening.

ALBUM #1 (Suggested by EzExZeRo7497)

The Luna Sequence - They Follow You Home


Tracklist:

(Bolded Song is the Favorite of the Album)

1. I Eat Your Heart
2. The Famine
3. Hope on Black Wings
4. My Love Undone
5. Lure the Vultures
6. Scattered
7. The Path to Abandonment
8. Borderline
9. Lotus Descending
10. The Collective Voice
11. Ocean Under Light

An interesting instrumental album that utilizes electronic in it's songs often, quite well, too. The electronic usage is found almost immediately with the start of the album on I Eat Your Heart , and continues into The Famine. I'm beginning to believe that the album is actually more electronic with rock/metal influence, not vice versa. I enjoyed the rhythms, but overall, the first two tracks sounded pretty similar overall. The Famine had a buildup I very much enjoyed later in the song, however.

Hope on Black Wings is where I first really noticed why Eze suggested this. The song begins with some dark tones played at moderate speed on a guitar, then some heavy electric (guitar and literal electronic) kick in. The switching between calm and heavy in this song was really nice. My Love Undone has some great bass usage, throughout the song, however the synth melody I wasn't a fan of, that felt a little bland. Again, this song was pretty electronic. Lure the Vultures and Scattered were nothing special for the album, really. Sounded more or less identical to the first two tracks.

The Path to Abandonment and The Collective were more songs that the influence of Rock/Metal was heard, blending it with the electronic. These were most likely my second and third favorite songs. The remaining songs go back to being more generic electronic, nothing interesting.

Overall, the album was pretty unexciting to me. Hearing the first song (before hearing the others, obviously) was pretty cool, but after that it just felt like the same thing over and over again to me, nothing to dramatic changed. Also it was a bit closer to electronic than Rock/Metal, I'd say. Not necessarily bad, but not my cup of tea either. I wish it was a bit less electronic, really.

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 5 - Decent


--

My next review(s) will likely follow the same structure, with more or less detail depending on the genre and/or my knowledge of the given situation.

[dAnceguy117]

Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
Crime in Stereo - I Was Trying To Describe You to Someone
Foals - Holy Fire
Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder...
Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
Priestess - Prior to the Fire
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Rise Against - The Sufferer & the Witness
Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
Thursday - No Devolución

birthday is oct 21 ! embrace your journey, awesome man

[cedolad]

Incubus - Enjoy Incubus EP
King Crimson - In the Court of King Crimson
King Crimson - Three of a Perfect Pair
Pink Floyd - Animals
Pink Floyd - Division Bell
Rush - Moving Pictures
The Contortionist - Exoplanet
The Dear Hunter - Act 1: The Lake South The River North
The Dear Hunter - Color Spectrum (Nine 4-song EPs, so gonna make it count as two )

Dec 7th, if you could, save one of the Pink Floyd albums haha

[T-Force]

Billy Talent - II
Blood Stain Child - Epsilon
Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3
A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You
Eluveitie - Slania
Hail the Villain - Population: Declining
*Marionette - Nerve
Russian Circles - Memorial
The Unguided - Hell Frost
Volbeat - Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood


November 13th

* Swapped this in because Volition is already on the list

[Hateandhatred]

Sinergy - Suicide by my side
Necrophagist - Epitaph
IneartheD - Shining
Anal Cunt - I Like It When You Die
Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
Iniquity - Five Across The Eyes
Obscura - Cosmogenesis
Marduk - Opus Nocturne
Marduk - Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
Nitro - O.F.R.
Stam1na - SLK
Annihilator - Annihilator
Jungle Rot - What Horrors Await

[Kibblre]

Parkway Drive - Atlas

[Plan_Bsk81127]

Been awhile since I've listened though and enjoyed a full album, but here are some that I enjoyed listening to the full albums. Prob going to use this thread to find some new music for myself as well.

Artist - Album

Bring Me the Horizon - Sempiternal
Crown the Empire - The Fallout
The Devil Wears Prada - Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord
The Devil Wears Prada - Plagues
For Today - Immortal
Motionless in White - Creatures
System of a Down - Hypnotize
System of a Down - Mezmerize
The Word Alive - Life Cycles

[koga939]

Cage the Elephant - Melophobia
Rise Against - Revolutions per Minute
Serj Tankian - Harakiri
Rammstein - Liebe ist für alle da
Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Hollywood Undead - American Tragedy
Beck - Odelay
Mindless Self Indulgence - if
Arctic Monkeys - AM

i need to listen to more stuff


Would love the Rise Against review on December 30, my birthday. c:

[EtienneSM]

Rings of Saturn- Dingir
Aborted- Global Flatline
Cattle Decapitation- Monlith of Inhumanity
Lorde- Pure Heroin
Upon a Burning Body- Red. White. Green.
Glorryhammer- Tales From the Kingdom of Fife
Manic Bloom - In Loving Memory
Pathfinder- Fifth Element
Polarity- Decrepit Birth
Periphery- This Time, it's Personal.

[yo man im awesome]

EDIT: HateandHatred, could you please choose 10 albums? You currently have like 12, and in the interest of fairness everyone gets a maximum of 10.

Originally Posted by EtienneSM

Lorde- Pure Heroin

what lol

isn't that the person who made Royals? I don't remember that being rock or metal at all lol

[yo man im awesome]

DOUBLE REVIEW TIME MOTHER FUCKERS BECAUSE THESE ALBUMS GO TOGETHER

Album #2

System of a Down - Hypnotize (Suggested by Plan_Bsk81127)


Tracklist:

1. Attack
2. Dreaming
3. Kill Rock 'n Roll
4. Hypnotize
5. Stealing Society
6. Tentative
7. U-Fig
8. Holy Mountains
9. Vicinity of Obscenity
10. She's Like Heroin
11. Lonely Day
12. Soldier Side

Hypnotize comes out of the quick with some erratic volume and speed changes with Attack, my favorite song on the album. My favorite part of this song is the breakdown at the end (i.e "Attack all the homes and villages//Attack all the schools and hospitals, etc.), too good. Dreaming, a good, but not very memorable track. The instrumental and vocal work on this song is fantastic, it just didn't seem to stick with me. Kill Rock 'n Roll is the first signs of SOAD's trademark sarcasm, although it's minimal with this song, with lines like "Felt like the biggest asshole", and "Eat all the grass that you want; Accidents Happen". Hypnotize, the title track, is amazing. The lyrics (pertaining to Tianamen Square) are both clearly audible and powerful. Serj and Daron's vocals come together wonderfully.

Stealing Society is the weakest song on the album for me. It's just not really memorable at all. Again, it's very good, it just pales in comparison to the others. Tentative has the kind of transitions from intense to slow/relaxed and back that I love. "Where do you expect us to go when the bombs fall" that section is so powerful and expertly done. Not a big fan of U-Fig's Vocal work, personally. I can really get down to SOAD's silly songs, but this one which kind of blends silly and serious (normally good) doesn't sit too well with me, unfortunately.

Holy Mountains is one of my favorites on the album. Everything flows together so well, and I personally love the guitar work by Daron in this one. Vicinity of Obscenity and She's Like Heroin are hilarious, pretty much all there is to say. Heroin's "Selling, ass!" sections get me every time. Finally, the album slows down with two slow, serious, powerful, and well known songs, Lonely Day and Soldier Side. The lyrics to these songs are well written, and the instrumental work done to create the tone is flawless. Soldier Side is another favorite on the album for me, and is also where I got my custom usertitle.

Overall, a fantastic album by a great band, one of my favorite SOAD albums.

★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 - Excellent

------------------------

Album #3

System of a Down - Mezmerize (Suggested by Plan_Bsk81127


Tracklist:

1. Soldier Side - Intro
2. B.Y.O.B
3. Revenga
4. Cigaro
5. Radio/Video
6. This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song
7. Violent Pornography
8. Question!
9. Sad Statue
10. Old School Hollywood
11. Lost In Hollywood

This album is full of great songs. It starts off nice and relaxed with an altered, slower intro of Soldier Side (intro), which uses the final lyrics in the original version. The album immediately shifts gears, letting out crazy fast riffs in B.Y.O.B. and Revenga. These two feature more erratic speed shifting, expertly done. Revenga is one of my top three on the album for it's lyrics and, specifically, it's slow section and Serj/Daron's harmony. It was very difficult to decide a favorite from my top three. Cigaro brings in the hilarious side of SOAD, with the first line of the song being none other than "My cock is much bigger than yours".

Radio/Video features some great duet work by Daron and Serj. This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song and Violent Pornography has brutally fast lyrics from Serj, and has some pretty funny spots in it. Really enjoyed the drums in these. Question! is my favorite song on the album, and is one my all time favorites of theirs. Everything comes together perfectly for me. Specifically, Shavo's bass playing is amazing here, he's a fantastic bass player. The choruses are flawless to me. Sad Statue is my other song in the top 3 for this album. The lyrics, backed by some crazy instrumental work are so great. Old School Hollywood has one of my favorite guitar riffs. Lost in Hollywood is a great finisher to the album, slowing the pace down with some great lyricism and really some great dynamics.

This is my favorite System of a Down album. It just has so many great things about it, there isn't a single song I'm disappointed with on it. Could listen to it on repeat quite a bit without getting bored or tired of it. Truly a great album.

★★★★★★★★★☆ 9 - Amazing

[dAnceguy117]

I prefer mesmerize over hypnotize as well o/

[koga939]

Hell yeah, someone who agrees that Question! and Mezmerize as a whole are basically sex.

[yo man im awesome]

Album #4

A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You (Suggested by T-Force)



Tracklist:

1. Sticks & Bricks
2. All I Want
3. It's Complicated
4. This Is the House That Doubt Built
5. 2nd Sucks
6. Better Off This Way
7. All Signs Point to Lauderdale
8. You Be Tails, I'll Be Sonic
9. Out of Time
10. If I Leave

Heavy Pop-Punk time.

Album starts of strong with a massive fucking breakdown in Sticks & Bricks. Lead singer's yells (not quite growls or screams) are pretty good. Very heavy instrumental. Jeremy's vocals turn more to singing than yelling in All I Want, barring the end, where the transition to the yell was pretty well done. Classic Pop-Punk heard in It's Complicated with the upbeat instrumental/vocal combo.

This Is The House That Doubt Built is my favorite song on the album. It's a much more serious sounding pop-counting song, with the harmonies working so well together, along with the insertion of a quick little breakdown. Starting songs with breakdowns? I think so. See: 2nd Sucks The whole song is more or less a breakdown, pretty decent. Pop-Punk prevails again with Better Off This Way. The same applies to All Signs Point yo Lauderdale. And now back to the heavy side, with some good yelling/singing combos from Jeremy again and good guitarwork in You Be Tails, I'll Be Sonic. That song also probably had the most legit breakdown on the album as well. Some more upbeat instrumental/vocal work in Out of Time, nothing special. Same deal for If I Leave; the end of the album wasn't nearly as strong as the start. Not necessarily bad though.

Not really a standout album for ADTR. There are a couple great songs on it, but this I wouldn't call this one of their more defining albums. Not too bad.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6 - Good

[yo man im awesome]

ALBUM #5

Protest The Hero - Fortress (Suggested by Xelnya)


Tracklist:

1. Bloodmeat
2. The Dissentience
3. Bone Marrow
4. Sequoia Throne
5. Palms Read
6. Limb From Limb
7. Spoils
8. Wretch
9. Goddess Bound
10. Goddess Gagged

One of, if not my favorite mathcore band currently, Protest The Hero. There are rarely songs I genuinely don't like, and this album is no exception. With the brutal start to the album in Bloodmeat, you can't go wrong. Rody's screams are on point. Next on the list is The Dissentience, another good song. Not as memorable in comparison as other songs, but great nonetheless. I particularly enjoy the second half of the song. Bone Marrow is just amazing, flat out. The expertly done bassline, the relentless drumming, and Rody's erratic switches between screaming and singing is too good. And the best part of the song is unquestionably when "The Royalty must die!" comes in. Currently my all time 3rd favorite Protest the Hero song. Sequoia Throne is another better song off the album, with the intense guitar/bass-work almost forcing you to move your head to the beat.

I love the intro and end to Palms Read, so fucking legit. Limb From Limb is the least memorable song on the album for me. Not bad at all, just pales in comparison to the others. With this one, I'm more a fan of the vocals than the instruments. Spoils has a entertaining guitar part. This, like Bone Marrow, has a nice little piano transition into the next song. Wretch is a song I don't listen to often, but I really should. I really like the harmonies by the guitars and the vocals. Goddess Bound and Goddess Gagged are two great finishers to the album, finishing out strong with an abrupt, but really powerful ending: "And the music is STOPPED."

Overall a fantastic album from Protest The Hero (like all of theirs of course) with some of my favorite tracks by them like Bone Marrow and Sequoia Throne, you can't go wrong.

★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 - Excellent

[Gradiant]

Would like to add:
Weezer - Make Believe
Mastodon - Remission
After the Burial - Rareform
Scale the Summit - The Collective

[yo man im awesome]

IM BACK IM SORRY I HAVENT DONE ANYTHING, IVE BEEN BUSY WITH AP TESTS BUT NOW IM DONE SO THESE SHOULD HAPPEN MORE REGULARLY STARTING HOPEFULLY THIS SATURDAY

Album #6

Meshuggah - ObZen (Suggested by Gradiant)


Tracklist:

1. Combustion
2. Electric Red
3. Bleed
4. Lethargica
5. ObZen
6. This Spiteful Snake
7. Pineal Gland Optics
8. Pravus
9. Dancers To A Discordant System

Talk about metal. Meshuggah is fucking awesome. The level of technicality, the headbangable rhythm, and brutal vocal work, the ridiculously downtuned instruments, it's just too strong.

The album starts out strong with Combustion, which has, as I mentioned earlier, a great rhythm to headbang/windmill to. Aside from that however, the song does great transitioning between loud and heavy, and soft and tense. Electric Red has some nasty rhythms done by the instruments. The yelling/growling, powerful as always, are prominent in this one. Ahhh, Bleed, easy their most well known song, and rightfully so. Bleed's rhythms are fucking difficult as all shit, but are sooooo good. I literally can't help myself to at least nodding my head and tapping me feet. The intensity pushed out by Bleed puts it up as my favorite of the album.

Lethargica has a lot more energy than the name suggests. It's considerably slower than the preceding song, but in no way is it relaxed. It's at a great speed for shit to go down, especially at a concert. The vocals just add to the intensity. The mid-song slow down was a nice surprise, calming the song down while using dissident pitches to create an eerie tension until the heavy guitar and bass drum kick back in. The title track, ObZen, is another of my favorites from the album, with another great and extremely tricky rhythm, intense yelling, and overall great work from the instruments.

The vocals are the highlight of This Spiteful Snake, both in being the main focus of the song and the best part. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Same applies to Pineal Gland Optics. I particularly liked the drums in PGO. The pace quickens with Pravus, bringing some high intensity drums and vocals to keep it going. The breakdown towards the end is fantastic. Finally, Dancers To A Discordant System starts out oddly quiet, proceeding into what seemed initially as random, unrelated notes (likely to add to the effect of the "Discordant System"), only finally come with the heavy instrumentation. While the song isn't one of my favorites, it was definitely a good way to end the album.

Meshuggah is fucking awesome. If you listen to some really heavy shit, and you don't know who Meshuggah is, you are seriously missing out. These guys are fucking metal. I intend on listening to this album a few more times on top of some of their others.

★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 - Excellent