August 2014 Musical Review
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 11:22 am
Back again for August (and partially July). I have no July play list, mostly because I didn't have a PC for most of it. Here goes:
Aphrodite's Child - 666 70s(?) Prog rock album I got on a What.cd freeleech. Not bad. 7/10
Dog Fashion Disco - Sweet Nothings Apparently this is a reunion album that was kickstarted or some shit. Probably about as good as any of their other albums ie. good but not amazing. 6/10
Goat - Commune I have no recollection of ever listening or downloading this. Will add to my September playlist.
Graves At Sea/Sourvein Split Sludge/Stoner metal/rock bands both of em. Was ok, needs further listening. 6/10
Midnight - No Mercy For Mayhem Modern thrash type stuff.Not sure of the history of this band but I suspect they might be old. 5/10
Monarch - Sabbracadaver Doomy droney stuff. I didn't find it especially interesting but you may if you have an interest in the genre. 4/10
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - 13 Above The Night Another freeleech pickup. I'm aware of this band but never listened to an album of theirs before (I think they may have been on The Crow soundtrack or something?). Maybe this isn't their best, but I see no need to investigate further. 4/10
Origin - Omnipresent Tech Death masters with one of the best drummers going around. Sadly that doesn't translate to anything amazing, but this album was better than their last one. 6/10
Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls I expected the worst, and for the first half I got it. The second half wasn't too shabby though. 6/10
Secret Band - Secret Band Post-punk mathcore-y type stuff. Well done and quite listenable, but doesn't really bring anything to the genre. 7/10
Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit Not sure what to make of this band (they're a British punk type band with some dude rambling lyrics over the top). I dug parts of it, and musically it's good but other parts left me scratching my head. Vocals get a bit tiresome at times, an acquired taste I expect. 7/10
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead Decided grabbing this would be a better idea than downloading the new Morrissey album. It wasn't bad, but not as interesting as I was expecting. 6/10
United Nations - The Next Four Years More post-punk mathcore-y stuff, though this one leans more towards power violence. Enjoyed it, but not really crusty enough for my liking. 6/10
'Weird Al' Yankovic - Mandatory Fun I think you guys all know what Wierd Al is about. I found tracks on this album pretty catchy for the most part, which should be no surprise considering the source material I guess. 7/10
Wolvhammer - Clawing Into Black Sun Shitty black metal. 3/10
Demdike Stare - Testpressing#006 Experimental electronic outfit that keep on delivering. Only two tracks but both are great. 8/10
Various Artists - Dallas Buyers Club (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture) I remember the music in the movie being better than this. 4/10
Coffin Birth - Necrotic Liquefaction Brisbane(?) grind outfit. As good as any grind album I've heard this year, which is surprisingly few sadly. 8/10
Nachtmystium - The World We Left Behind More black metal, not quite a shitty this time. Not great either. 5/10
Red Kunz - Teeth, Hair & Skin EP I think this is somde Red Fang side-project with some other dudes I've never heard of. Fuzzy stoner rock (as to be expected) but with a bit more of a psych and math-rock slant. Deserves a few more listens. 7/10
Shihad - FVEY I imagine Califum hates this band, but I thought the General Electric was a decent album. This one doesn't really touch it though. 6/10
Columns - Please Explode Deathgrind from North Carolina. Pretty good actually. Need to listen to this more. 8/10
Yob - Clearing The Path To Ascend Already reviewed this elsewhere. 8/10
Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden Only listened to this once, so consider this a very premature review and the score could go either way. Musically sounds good, vocalist rubs me the wrong way. 7/10
'68 - In Humour And Sadness Pete loves this band, but I don't hear anything special about them, aside from a 90s recording aesthetic. 6/10
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power & Far Beyond Driven I've never been a Pantera fan as many of you know, and haven't listened to these in some time. There's nothing here to really convert me, but both have some solid moments. 6/10
Blood God - Blood Is My Trademark Sounds like a 80s thrash throwback band, but with an AC/DC guitar sound. Bizzarely comes with a second set of all tracks with alternate, and slightly more death metal sounding vocals. Not sure what's up with that, but it doesn't save the album. 4/10
Ty Segall - Manipulator This guy isn't bad, though his songs get a bit samey. I like his voice and the way he goes about it though. Fuzzy indie rock, but not as fuzzy as his Fuzz side project. 7/10
Opeth - Pale Communion As pointed out in the Opeth thread, I have expectations of this being another shitty Opeth album. Instead it sounds more like 70s prog, which surprisingly works for me. 8/10
Code Orange - I Am King I think these guys used to be called Code Orange Kids. They're no longer kids any more, and sound like the kind of punk you expect from Converge and such. I like Converge so I like this album. 8/10
Sadly most albums this month haven't had the time devoted to them they should, so the ratings are all subject to change, etc. I've got a number I have in the list but have no memory of, so will try and review them a little better next month. They include DJ Shadow's EP, Trans Am, This Will Destroy You, Karma to Burn, Interpol, Earth, The War On Drugs, Belphegor, He Is Legend and Eyvind Kang Book of Angels vol. 21
Aphrodite's Child - 666 70s(?) Prog rock album I got on a What.cd freeleech. Not bad. 7/10
Dog Fashion Disco - Sweet Nothings Apparently this is a reunion album that was kickstarted or some shit. Probably about as good as any of their other albums ie. good but not amazing. 6/10
Goat - Commune I have no recollection of ever listening or downloading this. Will add to my September playlist.
Graves At Sea/Sourvein Split Sludge/Stoner metal/rock bands both of em. Was ok, needs further listening. 6/10
Midnight - No Mercy For Mayhem Modern thrash type stuff.Not sure of the history of this band but I suspect they might be old. 5/10
Monarch - Sabbracadaver Doomy droney stuff. I didn't find it especially interesting but you may if you have an interest in the genre. 4/10
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - 13 Above The Night Another freeleech pickup. I'm aware of this band but never listened to an album of theirs before (I think they may have been on The Crow soundtrack or something?). Maybe this isn't their best, but I see no need to investigate further. 4/10
Origin - Omnipresent Tech Death masters with one of the best drummers going around. Sadly that doesn't translate to anything amazing, but this album was better than their last one. 6/10
Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls I expected the worst, and for the first half I got it. The second half wasn't too shabby though. 6/10
Secret Band - Secret Band Post-punk mathcore-y type stuff. Well done and quite listenable, but doesn't really bring anything to the genre. 7/10
Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit Not sure what to make of this band (they're a British punk type band with some dude rambling lyrics over the top). I dug parts of it, and musically it's good but other parts left me scratching my head. Vocals get a bit tiresome at times, an acquired taste I expect. 7/10
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead Decided grabbing this would be a better idea than downloading the new Morrissey album. It wasn't bad, but not as interesting as I was expecting. 6/10
United Nations - The Next Four Years More post-punk mathcore-y stuff, though this one leans more towards power violence. Enjoyed it, but not really crusty enough for my liking. 6/10
'Weird Al' Yankovic - Mandatory Fun I think you guys all know what Wierd Al is about. I found tracks on this album pretty catchy for the most part, which should be no surprise considering the source material I guess. 7/10
Wolvhammer - Clawing Into Black Sun Shitty black metal. 3/10
Demdike Stare - Testpressing#006 Experimental electronic outfit that keep on delivering. Only two tracks but both are great. 8/10
Various Artists - Dallas Buyers Club (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture) I remember the music in the movie being better than this. 4/10
Coffin Birth - Necrotic Liquefaction Brisbane(?) grind outfit. As good as any grind album I've heard this year, which is surprisingly few sadly. 8/10
Nachtmystium - The World We Left Behind More black metal, not quite a shitty this time. Not great either. 5/10
Red Kunz - Teeth, Hair & Skin EP I think this is somde Red Fang side-project with some other dudes I've never heard of. Fuzzy stoner rock (as to be expected) but with a bit more of a psych and math-rock slant. Deserves a few more listens. 7/10
Shihad - FVEY I imagine Califum hates this band, but I thought the General Electric was a decent album. This one doesn't really touch it though. 6/10
Columns - Please Explode Deathgrind from North Carolina. Pretty good actually. Need to listen to this more. 8/10
Yob - Clearing The Path To Ascend Already reviewed this elsewhere. 8/10
Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden Only listened to this once, so consider this a very premature review and the score could go either way. Musically sounds good, vocalist rubs me the wrong way. 7/10
'68 - In Humour And Sadness Pete loves this band, but I don't hear anything special about them, aside from a 90s recording aesthetic. 6/10
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power & Far Beyond Driven I've never been a Pantera fan as many of you know, and haven't listened to these in some time. There's nothing here to really convert me, but both have some solid moments. 6/10
Blood God - Blood Is My Trademark Sounds like a 80s thrash throwback band, but with an AC/DC guitar sound. Bizzarely comes with a second set of all tracks with alternate, and slightly more death metal sounding vocals. Not sure what's up with that, but it doesn't save the album. 4/10
Ty Segall - Manipulator This guy isn't bad, though his songs get a bit samey. I like his voice and the way he goes about it though. Fuzzy indie rock, but not as fuzzy as his Fuzz side project. 7/10
Opeth - Pale Communion As pointed out in the Opeth thread, I have expectations of this being another shitty Opeth album. Instead it sounds more like 70s prog, which surprisingly works for me. 8/10
Code Orange - I Am King I think these guys used to be called Code Orange Kids. They're no longer kids any more, and sound like the kind of punk you expect from Converge and such. I like Converge so I like this album. 8/10
Sadly most albums this month haven't had the time devoted to them they should, so the ratings are all subject to change, etc. I've got a number I have in the list but have no memory of, so will try and review them a little better next month. They include DJ Shadow's EP, Trans Am, This Will Destroy You, Karma to Burn, Interpol, Earth, The War On Drugs, Belphegor, He Is Legend and Eyvind Kang Book of Angels vol. 21