Kiiii's Music Hall
 

Welcome to Ki's Music Hall where you will find various endeavors like album reviews, music talk, and pretty much everything else you can imagine. The year is 2017, and that means bands far and wide will be releasing album after album, and it is my job to report on them. Members at this forum will also be releasing albums, so you'll probably see that in here as well.

Anyway, here's what you'll find in this journal:

Album Reviews (Non-2017):
Short Reviews: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Hyrule Symphone & The Marcus Hedges Trend Orchestra - Ocarina of Time Symphony

Album Reviews (Released In 2017):

Member Album Reviews / Discussion / Highlights:

Member Recommendations:

Anything Else:
Nostalgia Trip (Runescape and other stuff)
Travis Scott - Pray 4 Love (Song)
Reasons Why I Love Travis Scott

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So, first up, we're going to talk about an album I listened to today.

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Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts (2016)

I'm weird when it comes to Katatonia. I'm a fan of their music, but I really don't listen to them as much as I should. This album is definitely a bit different than what I'm used to hearing with them, specifically because they went with more of a progressive rock route in this album. It works though. They have such a crisp sound that even adding a different type of genre other than metal seems to work for them really well. I'd be more than happy to listen to this album every day, and feel the satisfaction of great music each time.

Standout track:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been a band that I have known about, but never really appreciated the type of music they made. Until recently, I hadn't really given them the light of day, even though I knew of their strongest albums. They released an album this year titled "The Getaway" which has been getting a lot of mixed reviews from their large fanbase.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway (2016)

When it comes to music, I'm pretty easy to please. If the music sounds good, then i'll like it. If everything seems to fit together nicely and the entire album seems to flow really well, then i'll most likely put it on my favorite albums list. This album is certainly no exception. There's a lot to say about what's missing from the album, or how it sounds much different than what long time fans are used to, but for me, i'm enjoying the album for what it is. It's nowhere close to what they're known for, musically, but it's still up there in being one of the catchiest albums i've heard this year.

Standout track:

Anthony Kiedis needs to sew his mouth shut.

There are a lot of bands out there that I would consider more than worthy to see live. Some bands that I have seen live are actually far better in concert than they are in the studio. I'm speaking of Anathema right now, however.

Recently, I've been really into their Weather Systems album, which is much different than their earlier albums if you aren't familiar with the album yet. But it's nowhere near as bad as a lot of people would say it is. Some people just don't like change, but for some bands, change is a good thing, and in terms of this album, change has definitely been a good thing. They continued the sound they went with in Weather Systems to their follow up album Distant Satellites, and of course, it is such a fantastic listening experience that it's almost depressing that everyone hasn't heard it.

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Anathema - Distant Satellites (2014)

I have derailed a little bit, since I've come here to post about this live performance of Untouchable Part I and Part II which are both featured on the Weather Systems album:



I was already in love with these two tracks when the album was released, but when I found this performance, I fell in love with the songs even more, which resulted in respecting the sound they went into a lot more. Definitely a great performance by a great band.

I like his voice.

You ever get really excited about an album that you know is coming in a few months, then once it's released, you give it about two full listens only to find out how disappointed you are with the album? Well, Dream Theater have managed to do just that...

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Dream Theater - The Astonishing (2016)

I'm a pretty easy going fan when it comes to Dream Theater. They're a band I have been listening to for years, and I did have the chance to see them perform live, and they definitely know how to put on a good show. The last couple albums have been hit and miss, especially with some changes in lineup, but they still managed to make the album sound good, at least that was the case until their release this year. The Astonishing was said to be something different than their previous albums, something along the lines of a rock-opera of sorts. I'm thinking to myself, "hell yeah, that sounds awesome." Unfortunately, the album did not deliver. Y'know, when I hear a band is going to do a rock opera, you'd expect to hear more than just some slow songs with vocals in them, but that's what we got with this album. I think there's really only three tracks in this entire album that actually made me want to listen to them again. As the album kept going from track to track, I felt like each album dragged on longer than the last, dismissing of course the few tracks that actually did grab me. I'd also like to mention that this album is split up into two acts, for a total of 24 tracks. That brings the entire album to a wopping 130 minutes. That's a ridiculous amount of time to be listening to an album, especially one that really doesn't grab me as much as I hoped it would upon the release of the concept it was going for. It's a shame, really. They've had a good track record of coming out of a dark place of releasing a bad album, but still making the album at least decent enough to listen to, but I don't think I will be looking to listen to this album again. Unfortunate really, was hoping for something jaw droppingly brilliant in the form of a rock-opera, but it didn't even come close.

Standout track:

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Anathema - Distant Satellites (2014)

Of course, once I started talking about Anathema in the previous post, I had to listen to the album that I was talking briefly about. Distant Satellites follows the same kind of formula they started going with in Weather Systems, and it really works for them. People are probably missing the days of Alternative 4, etc, but I really like the direction the band went in. Especially since the vocals seem to fit the style of music really really well. After listening to Weather Systems and Distant Satellites collectively 100+ times, I can safely conclude that Vincent Cavanagh is becoming one of my top 5 favorite vocalists. His voice is perfect for the type of music that they've gone for in these two albums, and I really hope they continue to do these types of albums, because like I mentioned probably a few times already, it fits the band really well.

Standout tracks:

That's what you get for being excited about a Dream Theater album.

I'm starting to realize that about them. They try to do something different because they've always tried to be different, but unfortunately, it didn't work in their favor this time. Hopefully they can crawl themselves out of this one, but I don't have high hopes.

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Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)

Sometimes when I completely dismiss a band, I miss out on something that could potentially be a change in my opinion of the band as a whole. I woke up this morning and for whatever reason, I felt an urge to listen to A Moon Shaped Pool, and i'm glad I did.

People at this forum already know that i'll do whatever I can to insult Radiohead, and although I enjoy doing that, at some point it does get old. I even dismissed this album before I heard it because I was trying to be funny, but in all seriousness, I really should have given this album a fair listen when it was released, because I actually enjoy it quite a bit. The thing that seems to stick out in this album as opposed to their other albums is that it seems like Thom Yorke has finally found a way to use his voice in a way that is actually listenable, in the sort of U2-esque/Pineapple Thief-esque sort of way. It works. There's also a bit of Killers influence throughout the album, and I think there's more of that than anything else. It's a very catchy album, and I can't really say that about a lot of the albums they've put out over the years.

I don't know what this means for me in terms of how I think of Radiohead, but if this album is any look into what their future looks like, well I hope they continue to go with it, because this is the kind of sound I like to hear with a band like this. Thom Yorke sounds great throughout the entire album, and I can see myself listening to this album over and over again and enjoying the heck out of it. It really is good, and coming from someone that completely dismissed the band, that's saying a lot.

Standout tracks:



Definitely a rewarding experience listening to this album.

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Katatonia - Dead End Kings (2012)

Ever since I listened to The Fall of Hearts earlier this week, i've been on a Katatonia listening binge. I've listened to all their albums before, a few times even, but it seems like every single time I listen to them, it feels new every time. They create a sound that I have come to really love over time. Bands like Porcupine Tree, Opeth, and Tool have all done that as well. It's a sound that is super easy to listen to, but it has it's own complexities within, and with Dead End Kings, you can hear how mature the band has gotten to the point that this album was released.

Every single track on this album is fantastic, and it has the added benefit of allowing each track to flow right into the next, making you hear how each track compliments each other. It flows really well, and makes for a very nice listening experience, which Katatonia has managed to do with each album they release, at least with my experience.

Dead End Kings also has the added benefit of being the first Katatonia album I ever heard. I believe it was recommended at this site by another member, and I loved the artwork right away, so I felt like I needed to hear it, and thank god I did, because it opened the doors to a band that I wouldn't have listened to otherwise.

Standout track:



I didn't realize it until right now but this song reminds me of a song by Riverside titled "After". I think it's just the intro in Katatonia's song that made me think of it.

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Gojira - Magma (2016)

Full disclosure: I have never listened to Gojira until I listened to their new album, so my opinions on this album are from a first ever listen of the album and of the band altogether.

I've seen the name Gojira being thrown around at this forum and on various other sites and people always praise them for their sound, and my god I can see why. Like I mentioned in my disclosure, I've never listened to Gojira before. I've been on a strange kick of bands that sound like Tool or Katatonia or Riverside and the like. The doom/alternative/heavy rock sound, and Gojira fits the bill as well. This album, Magma, is really good. Every track is fantastic and fits the bill for what sound i'm looking for when I listen to bands like this. I don't know where I would rate it in terms of albums that have come out this year, because let's be honest, the new Katatonia album may be my album of the year, I've listened to it plenty of times anyway. But this album could potentially be in my top 10. I really like the vocals as they have that gritty feel to them that really compliments the rest of the band really well. I don't really know what I was expecting when I started listening to this album, but I know now that I should have been listening to this band long before this album came out. Luckily, their discography doesn't seem to be too large, seeing as this is only their sixth album they've released, so I do have some homework to do in terms of listening to the rest of the discography. I can only hope that their earlier work isn't underwhelming because so far, I'm enjoying what i'm hearing.

Standout track:

Magma is my least favourite of their releases, but I still enjoy it a ton. Their other albums are a lot more groove/death metal based than Magma is, but they're also a lot more impactful and creative imo.

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Blink 182 - California (2016)

Is it really 2016? Blink 182 released a new album this month, and Pokemon is popular again amongst millions of people. It feels like the 90's again, and you know what? I'm enjoying the **** out of it. History may be repeating itself, and it's repeating the best part of what made the 90's great. But let's get into the album.

So, it's Blink 182, there's really not much to expect in terms of what you think the album will sound like. But at the same time, it's weird to say "Blink 182 new album". I'm not really used to it yet, but it feels great to say. But the album is good. I've enjoyed my first listen with it, and i'm sure i'll enjoy each album afterwards. It's definitely got the classic Blink-182 sound that you've probably come to enjoy, or hate, whichever. It's a nice sound to hear again though. It's been a while. Not a whole lot more I can really say about it other than the fact that I love that they've come out with it, because it's good.

Standout track:



Two thumbs up from this guy.

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Metallica - Death Magnetic (2008)

It's been a very long time since i've given Metallica a listen. On top of that, it's been a few years since I gave this album a listen. It was very back and forth with me in terms of whether or not I liked it. Upon it's release, I was all over it, but then it kind of died down, and eventually I completely forgot about it. I decided to give it a listen again recently and I have to say, I actually enjoy it quite a bit. Obviously, it's nowhere near what you'd expect from a classic Metallica album such as Ride The Lighting, or Metallica, but it's certainly got a couple of really good tracks that make the album worthwile.

I'm taking a leap of faith by talking about this album on this forum because I know the hate surrounding this album at this forum is up to par with how much hate Nickelback gets in general, forum or not, but i'm allowing myself to give my own personal opinion on an album that I quite like, and people's opinions on it won't change my mind. Hell, there may even be some closet Death Magnetic fans around here, but who knows.

I remember hearing a couple of tracks from this album at the concert I went to a few years back and they really knew how to play them, and play them well. Sort of made me love the album even more because it wasn't just the sound on the album that made them great, they can perform it well.

If I were to rate this album anywhere, I'd probably put it as my 3rd or 4th favorite Metallica album because even though a lot of their earlier albums are great, I don't find a few of them really that listenable. I'm more into the catchy-poppy Metallica more than a lot of people, and this album definitely has that going for it. Some traditionally memorable riffs going on in this album as well, especially the end of The Day That Never Comes which to this day remains to be my favorite track on the album. Of course, that's a close one especially with how good The Unforgiven III is. Hell, even the opening track is great. Like I said, I like quite a few of the tracks on this album. Not all of them, but most are good.

Standout track:

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Kanto Symphony - Music from Pokemon Red and Blue

Ohmygod/10

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Hoenn Summer

Oh.My.God/10

These are exactly what you think they are. Pokemon music played by an orchestra. And it's amazing. You'll **** your pants with excitement.

I think nerd pride and nerd shame are the same thing, and I feel them both.

We are in the second half of the year, which means it's time to start going through this years albums and deciding which ones deserve to get praised, and which ones deserve to get thrown out. There's been a lot of great music this year, some even took me by surprise, and at the same time, there's also been a fair share of duds. I have a good idea of which album will take my album of year, and I'm basing that solely on the fact of how much I have listened to the album, and that's not to say any other album of the year doesn't deserve to take the spot. It's just that I like to be surprised by an album, and to find such an album that I've enjoyed as much as I have is good enough for me to consider it my album of the year, even though we're in this time of the year.

And yes, I know that there are a few other albums that I'm anticipating this year, but the chances of those taking the place of the album of the year is highly unlikely. I'm not going to say which album that is just yet, but instead, i'm going to do a countdown of which albums I've really enjoyed. I suppose you can consider this a top 10 or top 15 of sorts, but I'm basically just going to review (or attempt to) the albums that I've found some sort of enjoyment out of this year. Obviously, this isn't set in stone as the year hasn't ended yet, but that's why it's nice to have the freedom of reviewing whatever albums I want.

Anyway, we'll get started as soon as possible.

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Steven Wilson - 4 1/2
Release date: January 22nd, 2016

I've not listened to a Steven Wilson solo album in quite some time, and it was convenient that he had released one this year, because I was curious to see what he had plans for in terms of what the future looks like to him. I read that this album is actually a mini album that is supposed to keep listeners happy while he works on his next solo album that would come next in line after Hand. Cannot. Erase. Even if this album is a compilation of work that has been previously done, it's still nice to listen to a Steven Wilson album that was released this year, because lord only knows when we'll get another Porcupine Tree album, or if we'll ever get one again. Hell, if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to disappoint my listeners with a mediocre attempt at another Porcupine Tree album, because of how good Deadwing and Fear of a Blank Planet are, but I digress.

It just seems that no matter what Steven Wilson does, he does it perfectly. He's up there in being one of my favorite prog artists right next to Devin Townsend. Honestly, it's hard to say that one of them is better than the other, because they are each masters of their craft regardless of which way they decide to take their music, and 4 1/2 is a damn fine example of it. Granted, the album doesn't give the man as much credit as it would if it were a full on new release, but it can easily be used as an idea of what you can expect to hear when you listen to a solo album of his. Not to say they all sound the same, but if you find this mini album to be to your liking, and you think he sounds amazing in it, well...definitely look into giving his full releases a listen, because I guarantee you will love them as much if not more than this one.

I'm not very good with reviewing EP releases because it's always hard to talk about the same songs that will probably be released again at a later time, but I admit that it is nice to hear a new version of Don't Hate Me, which you probably remember from his Porcupine Tree days. It's such a Devin Townsend thing to do as well, because Devin Townsend even re-released a track on two separate album, and each sounded completely different. So I guess me relating Steven Wilson and Devin Townsend isn't the worst thing I could do, in fact, both should take it as a compliment.

Anyway, definitely do give the album a listen. Even if it's just 6 tracks. They are 6 tracks that will leave you wanting more, which is convenient, because he has other work under his sleeve before this album was released, and again, they are all good.

I clicked this thread, based on the proverbial credit line of (what will inevitably prove to be short-lived) respect that you've earned lately, due to (1) Valtari and (2) The Cat and the Hat.

After briefly scanning your (thank-God-there's-finally-a-short-one-on-this-mother-****ing-website) journal, this album held the most draw, and therefore I have chosen to give it a listen, as I'm more of an "album cover-to-cover" kinda girl than one of those track-hopping whores.

I'm on "Ariel" right now, and so far it hasn't been a disappointment. Perfect for cranking up during a nature documentary in which the British narration has grown tiresome. Bonus points for helping my kiddo doze off finally.

I'm very happy to see that you're enjoying Distant Satellites. It's been getting a lot of play from me lately as well, and you quoting my post made me want to go listen to it again, and of course, I love listening to it.

Happy to see you checked out this journal as well, there'll be lots more content to come! :thumb:

We shall see. A true lady never tells whether or not she has subscribed.

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Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
Release Date: May 27, 2016

Honestly, I didn't even know this album existed until a few days ago. And since it was released this year, that gives me the option to give it both my review overall and the impressions I had on it through my first (and probably only) listen. But before we do that, let's get a little bit of background for those that aren't too familiar with this band. Hell, if you're not familiar with them by now, you must be living under a rock.

Anyway, people know Thrice for their albums such as The Illusion of Safety and The Artist in the Ambulance. I know them however from their Vheissu album and onward. I've given the other albums a listen, obviously. I find them rather enjoyable and would listen to them any day of the week, however, Vheissu and even The Alchemy Index albums are both phenomenal in terms of the band getting themselves to do something different and doing it properly. I would listen to those albums any day of the week at any time and never be disappointed. However, with any band, there has to be a point where the music becomes a bit too much to bare and to a point, it gets to feel unimpressive and lacking of any sort of creativity, and unfortunately, that's where the most recent album sits for me. I purposely left out Beggars and Major / Minor because I haven't given them a fair listen to really judge them, so I'm staying away from those until I find the time to listen to them. Lots of albums, not a lot of time, know what I mean?

It's a shame really, but yes, the album left me not only disappointed, but left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. I've come to know Thrice for their usage of being able to be heavy, and a little soft simultaneously. Obviously if you listen to Vheissu and The Alchemy Index albums, you'll know what I mean. This one however felt like it was directly influenced by old school Blink 182, which to some isn't really a bad thing, but for me, it's not the Thrice i've come to really get enjoyment out of. The vocals seem to be lacking as well, and it's not easy to listen to a song the whole way through if you can't stand the vocals. It really doesn't sound like typical Thrice and that's a problem for me, being a fan of theirs since the Vheissu years.

By all means, feel free to give the album a listen, to at least give it it's fair shot at either being your liking or not. I don't know, there's just been so many good releases this year, and for a band like this to not be up to par with a lot of the other great releases brought out this year is just disappointing. Hopefully they make up for it in the next album that is or isn't yet to come. We'll see, but for now, I plan to just stick to what I know and enjoy Vheissu and The Alchemy Index albums.

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Killswitch Engage - Incarnate
Release Date: March 11 2016

Holy ****, talk about coming back stronger than ever. I swear, every single time Killswitch Engage releases an album, it's better than their last, and yes, that includes everything they've ever done. Incarnate is their most recent album with Disarm The Descent being the one released before back in 2013 when Howard Jones departed and Jesse Leach returned to sing for them, and man, what a fantastic replacement. They could not have gone with a better decision on that, and i'm sure there would have been other great choices, but i'm glad they went with a vocalist that people already knew, which to me, made it a much easier transition to get used to. But anyway, enough about that, let's talk about the album.

Back in 2013 when Disarm The Descent was released, as I mentioned, it was the first album post Howard Jones, so I was a little hesitant because I wasn't too familiar with Jesse Leach as most Killswitch Engage fans were, but I was keeping an open mind, and god damn, they delivered. Every song on Disarm The Descent was fantastic, and I listened to that album over and over again, and it never grew old. Then when I found out that Incarnate was to be released this year, I was even more excited because I had grown to really love the new-ish sound they have, and I waited patiently for it's release, and once I finally heard it, I have got to say that this makes Disarm The Descent look like a little baby album, and that's tough to do. This album has perfection written all over it, and for me, when all the songs are catchy and heavy and just full of that raw Killswitch Engage sound that I've come to love, it automatically makes me enjoy the album that much more, and this album has got it.

With so far only having one listen under my belt, I can't say which song I like the most, mostly because all the songs have their own feel to them, and they're all fantastic in their own way, so as much as I hesitate to say it, I do have to admit that each song is phenomenal, and that's at the current moment, it's impossible for me to choose which song is the best. Just like many other albums I've heard this year, this one does it's job by making each song better than the last, and it's made for such a wonderful listening experience, which of course means I'm going to listen to this album over and over and over again until I grow tired of it.

NOTE: No longer album of the year. Disregard it being mentioned in this review.

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Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)

I know what you're thinking, "it's only August 1st, how can you have an album of the year already?" I'll tell you. I don't think i've been this surprised by an album in a long time. I've been talking about this album more this year than I have been talking about any other album that's been released so far, and there's a lot of albums that I absolutely love and I would talk about them as much as well, but god damn, I really cannot stop talking about this album.

I'm sure there's a bit of confusion as well considering I'm pretty renowned for being one of the biggest haters of Radiohead. Seriously, I tend to go out of my way to **** on their music, and tell the people that listen to them that they have no taste. But to be fair, the fanbase surrounding Radiohead is pretty poisonous, so it pretty much calls for someone like me to say the things that I do, but I digress. I wasn't initially interested in A Moon Shaped Pool, but as I do for albums that are released by artists that I have tried to listen to, or just don't like, I do give them their fair shot to possibly change my mind about the band, and although I wouldn't say A Moon Shaped Pool completely changes my opinion on Radiohead, I do have to admit that they've put out a killer album. And the neat thing about finding enjoyment out of this album is that I've given their previous albums another chance, and although I still hold the opinion that Thom Yorke can't sing his way out of a paper bag, I'm more accepting of that and I have been enjoying some of their older music now. Nowhere near the enjoyment I've been getting out of A Moon Shaped Pool, but I definitely don't hate their earlier work as much as I used to. Still, not saying I'm definitely on board with Radiohead just yet, because unfortunately for me, one great album can't change my opinion about a band altogether, because you don't know if that's the route they're going to continue on with or they'll change their sound completely again.

A Moon Shaped Pool has a lot of what I like about music, and again, I was just as surprised as most people probably are that I'm choosing this as my album of the year, but hell, it deserves it. The album creates an emotion story driven atmosphere while at the same time, taking the atmospheric notion and using it to their advantage. While doing that, Thom Yorke finally doesn't try to strain his voice or do things with his voice that he can't do. He finds a happy medium and he uses it along with the atmopspheric tones throughout the music that makes for a really easy listening and easy going experience as a whole. It's interesting for me to say that I find every single track on this album to be beyond fantastic, mostly because whenever I listen to this album now, I don't skip a single song. In fact, once the album ends, I almost feel like starting it over and listening through it again. It's one of those albums that you can put on in the background, and let your mind wander while at the same time, knowing that you're enjoying the music.

Usually when I'm curious about what other people think about an album, its for albums that I consider to be perfect. I've actually found myself reading other people's reviews on other sites on A Moon Shaped Pool and finding a lot of differing opinions. I do have to say that it's not necessarily surprising given the bands reputation. To me, I've always noticed that there's two sides to reviewing a Radiohead album. You either think the album is a god given gift, or you think it's the worst thing ever written. There's the people that consider this album the best they've released, then there's people that will go so far as to rate it in terms of where they think it lies in relation to their other work. I've seen people consider The King of Limbs better than A Moon Shaped Pool, and I've given The King of Limbs it's fair listen, and I respectfully disagree. The King of Limbs still has the issue of having Thom Yorke feel as though he needs to strain his voice in order to make the music interesting, which if you listen to A Moon Shaped Pool, he discards that completely. If he can continue to just use his voice in a nice calming way, it'd be great for the future of his music.

So let's talk about tracks now. I have a few tracks that I consider to be stand out tracks, but again, like I mentioned before, all the tracks work off of each other in such a way that it's nearly impossible to choose just one track that is the be all end all. If I were to choose a few however, I would choose Ful Stop, Daydreaming, and Desert Island Disk. Again, I choose those songs strictly on the fact that I just enjoy them a little bit more than the rest of the tracks, but still, I could switch that list with any other 3 tracks on the album and be just as happy with it. Though, I probably wouldn't take Ful Stop off the list as I'm finding that it is my all time favorite track off the album. I get excited to hear it each time it comes up in the album, and I often times have to hit repeat just to hear it again. The build up at the beginning really compliments the song well, and it keeps going into a wonderfully presented track that makes the whole album complimentary.

If you're a Radiohead fan and you've been hesitant about listening to this album because you're basing your opinion solely on the opinions of other Radiohead fans, take this recommendation from someone that isn't a Radiohead fan at all, listen to this album at least once before you make your judgement, because if you just dismiss this album based solely on other hardcore Radiohead fans reviews, you're seriously missing out on one of the best releases of this year. I don't mean to exaggerate either, but given the nature of albums that's been released this year, I'd be hard pressed if I was to be forced to switch my album of the year with anything else. I do seriously feel like this album has been everything that I wanted to hear out of this band, while simultaneously somehow not making me a fan of the band just yet. Though, I suppose that can change if and when they release another album. If they do release another one though, I hope it's as good if not better than this album. If they switch it up and return to what they did with their previous work, I won't say i'd be disappointed, but it would be disappointed in a way.

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Deftones - Gore (2016)

I don't really know what my problem is. I'm supposed to like a band like Deftones, but every time I've tried to give them a listen, I can't really find much enjoyment out of them. Deftones get a lot of respect in the community of heavy rock / alternative whatever, so naturally I felt it was my duty to give the band a shot, and this was back when White Pony was released. Even then though, I knew they had a unique sound, but I couldn't quite understand why so many people liked them. I suppose it's that Radiohead curse that seems to happen where a lot of people like it, but for whatever reason, I don't like it. Gore is really no exception to that rule. I got a few tracks into it before I realized that I was just listening to another typical Deftones album, nothing really spectacular or mind blowing showed up, so I just turned it off and went somewhere else.

I really want to like Deftones, honestly, I do. But if they want to convince me that they're a good band, they need to go out of their way and make something creative. They need to go beyond what they're used to and do something memorable for a change. Every album I've listened to by them, I hear the same distorted guitar riffs along with the vocals that don't really belong. I feel the band could do so much more if they switched the vocals to be something a bit heavier, maybe then they'd be able to pass themselves off as perhaps a heavier grunge-esque stoner band, and not just your run of the mill alternative band.

With this album specifically, I didn't even bother finishing it, because I got bored of it and had to turn it off, like I mentioned. But i'm curious to know if there's something I'm missing. Again, this band gets a lot of love from a lot of people in the heavy rock and metal community, so i'm obviously missing something with them. In terms of tracks that I liked? Well, again...I didn't even finish the album, so I can't really say whether any song is good or not. I listened to the first two tracks and decided it wasn't worth it. Maybe i'll go back and listen to it when i'm in the right mood, but for the time begin, to me, it just felt like a clutter filled run of the mill Deftones album with nothing new to bring to the table. Hell, if that's what gets them their success, by all means, keep doing it. Just know that I won't be listening.

Deftones makes interesting music for very very boring people.

That's kind of what i'm thinking. I've never been able to listen to an album of there's fully. I suppose i'm just looking for something more, and they definitely don't have it.

*They're's

listen to an album of they are's fully. yeah, you're right. that makes way more sense.

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Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
Release Date: March 25, 2016

I'm giving Amon Amarth's most recent release a listen. Why? Because I happen to enjoy some Amon Amarth from time to time, and I feel it's only fair to give their most recent album a listen as it was released this year, plus there's been some talk about it here and there, so I figured I'd give my two cents.

Upon the first listen, I have to give them credit for making a much more accessible and dare I say, catchy album. Through the years, I have grown a little bit bored of the deep heavy vocals that Amon Amarth are known for, but when it's done so in a pretty decent way, it makes for a good if not great listening experience. Unfortunately, when it comes to making something new, Amon Amarth are shy in that regard. There's nothing breathtakingly great about this album, there's really nothing new to the table as well, but it is damn catchy and I found myself tapping my feet to a couple tracks. The album does stay strong throughout though, which is nice. Again, more due to the fact that it is very catchy, so it's not hard to be entertained by it.

Amon Amarth are a weird band for me because sometimes I really like them, then other times I really hate them. But it really depends on the mood. I can certainly see why people like this album, and I'm not saying I hate it. There are a lot of great tracks on it. The intro track "First Kill" is a fantastic way to start the album. As the album progresses through "Wanderer", "On a Sea of Blood" and so on, you still get a taste of those catchy guitar riffs and well fitting deep vocals. But again, and I've mentioned this a few times, it's just nothing new. It's a lot of recycled riffs and vocals and lyrics that have been used to make another 11 tracks. I give them credit though, because they're obviously trying to stay relevant, and they've never really changed their sound to meet the standards of the metal community. On top of that, their album artwork is always a lot of fun to look at, and this one is certainly no exception.

Now, for the fun part. What and where would I rate this album? Well, in terms of this years releases, it falls short. There's been a lot of great music this year, some offering something new, and some just continuing to show the greatness of certain acts. This one just sits in that awkward spot where the album deserves to be on this list, but I could easily take the album off my favorite albums list in a second. In terms of where I'd rate it for their releases? Well, it's definitely one of their best. Wouldn't say best, because I don't really know which album I would consider their best. This one like I said is probably the most accessible, so they certainly played it safe, and it works. But, I will always have a soft spot for the With Oden On Our Side / Twilight Of The Thunder God era. Would I recommend this album? Absolutely. If you're looking for an overall fun metal album to listen to, I'd say give it a shot.

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Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser
Release Date: April 29, 2016

I have to admit, 2016 is turning out to be a very strange year for music, for me personally. I mean, I'm listening to albums by artists that I don't really like, and I'm enjoying it. Then i'm listening to albums by artists I do like, and I'm hating them. Not to mention there is quite a bit of music coming out in the first place, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get to all of it before the year is over. There's still some albums I'm looking forward to, and some i'm still discovering. Rob Zombie's recent release of The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser is one of those albums that I didn't even know existed, until recently.

Here's the thing. I generally don't have any expectations for Rob Zombie albums because from what I've noticed, you either really hate his work, or you love. And I'm of the opinion that he can be a pretty solid musician if done correctly. When Educated Horses was released back in 2006, I was all over it. When Hellbilly Deluxe 2 came out in 2010, I wasn't too thrilled with the whole album, but it had some shining moments. Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor in 2013 and that one was rough at the start, but then I grew to really like it. Now, we get onto The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser which was released this year in April. First of all, can i just say what the **** is up with the ridiculous album title? I mean, at first I thought it was a bit creative, but now it's really annoying, especially when I'm writing this review and I have to mention the album title multiple times. So, here's the thing. This is probably the first time I've listened to a Rob Zombie for the first time and instantly I said "what the **** happened?" I actually said that a few times while I listened to the album, because that's literally the only thought I could put together while listening to it. Seriously, Rob, what the **** happened? This album is a mess. And I don't use that word lightly. When I listen to an album regardless, I do like the album to flow nicely, or at least flow a little bit, but this...this is just a mess. It's as if he said "**** it" and put a bunch of **** in a garbage can and called it an album. Honestly, that's what it feels like. Did I mention it's only a half hour long? Yeah, it's 31 minutes long. So don't expect any of the tracks to extend past 2 or 3 minutes. The issue with that of course is that the album seems rushed, especially when there are 12 tracks on it. Do the math.

So, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser, I'm sorry, but you'll probably be one of my most disappointing albums of 2016, because I was really expecting something a little bit more. Not something like this. Luckily, we still have Educated Horses and the like, but man...way to be a sellout Rob. This album sounds like it belongs on the radio, and that's not a good thing. There's really not a lot more to say, because I didn't really like any of the tracks on the album. I forced myself to listen to them because I wanted to be fair, but I wasn't going to waste anymore time with it.

I'm doing something in this journal that is a little bit out of my comfort zone, but at the same time, I'm excited to do it. I'm going to be diving into Grateful Dead's discography. I've never listened to any of their albums, and I've been making claims about their music without actually listening to them. I don't think that's fair, especially since I like to base my opinions on music on a "need to listen first" basis. So, that's what I'm going to do. Grateful Dead is a band i've been a little afraid to dive into because I know there are some hardcore fans of the band, so I don't want to do any injustice to them. However, I can't guarantee I'm going to enjoy every album, but while I'm doing this, i'm opening my mind to something I've not really listened to before, which in itself is very exciting. Don't worry, my album reviews for the year are still going to be here, but this will be an extra thing I can talk about. Keep in mind, I'm going to do my best to give them the most in depth reviews I can, but I'm not the greatest at doing so. Whether they'll go over well or not is one thing, but it's more for personal gain, and that's exciting as well. Plus, since they've apparently got the progressive rock / blues / country rock tag to them, that's an even more reason to give them a first listen. So, strap yourselves in, this'll be quite the ride. I'll be doing the album reviews as I listen to them, and I plan to listen to them in order of release, so I'll be starting with the first, and going to the last.

If I can do this, I plan to do this for more artists that I really didn't give my time to, or artists that I feel deserve a second chance. We'll see how this goes, but I plan to finish it. I'm not going to leave albums out.

Grateful Dead Reviewed
The Grateful Dead (1967)
Anthem of the Sun (1968)
Aoxomoxoa (1969)
Live/Dead (1969)
Workingman's Dead (1970)
American Beauty (1970)
Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (1971)
Europe '72 (1972)
History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) (1973)
Wake of the Flood (1973)
From the Mars Hotel (1974)
Blues for Allah (1975)
Steal Your Face (1976)
Terrapin Station (1977)
Shakedown Street (1978)
Go to Heaven (1980)
Reckoning (1981)
Dead Set (1981)
In the Dark (1987)
Dylan & the Dead (1989)
Built to Last (1989)
Without a Net (1990)

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Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead (1967) Debut

So this starts my official listening venture into Grateful Dead, which I'm sure you already knew, considering I'm doing my reviews in the order of release, and this is their debut. This album was released back in 1967 and it is the debut release for Grateful Dead, again, you probably already knew that. I guess we can get into the review.

First off, it doesn't waste any time does it? The first track just goes right into the music and gives you an idea of what to expect with this band. It's really nice. Of course, it's not only the first track that does this. As I'm listening to the rest of the albums, each track feels like it's own, which simultaneously keeping me entertained and creating a beautifully structured atmosphere of what I'd like to classify as country rock. That would certainly make sense as that's what I was expecting to hear when I got into this album to begin with, but it's done so in such a nice and easy listening way. I feel like this album especially does give the listener a good idea of what you can expect from this band, and it's certainly got the vibe that was pretty evident during that time. But can I also mention the production value? It's really good. I suppose that's the benefit of releasing an album through the Warner Bros. label. I mean, honestly...the production quality does not match the year, but that's more complimenting it than negating it. It sounds like this album could easily be released in the last couple years and still be considered good.

Musically, and vocally, it's all fantastic. This is the first time I've heard Grateful Dead and I really like the vocals, a lot. With those type of vocals and the country rock vibe that this album brings, I can certainly understand why this band has done so well for themselves for as long as they have. Especially in that day. I mean, I've listened to a lot of artists that were big back then, but like I mentioned a few times, I just felt like Grateful Dead were so vast that I couldn't do them justice with reviews or whatever, but I was damn wrong. Maybe that opinion will change as I continue through their work, but for a first time listen with their first review, I can definitely see why they did so well.

It terms of the tracks themselves, I've already found myself going back and listening to tracks that stuck out to me. There's a lot of catchy ones, and that's really nice considering a lot of the tracks are very short. Unlike the recent Rob Zombie review I did, these short tracks get everything done quickly, but in a way that doesn't feel rushed or overbearing. Basically, each track that has a length below 3 minutes are below 3 minutes rightfully. The one track that I really enjoyed however would have to be "Cold Rain and Snow". It's got everything I love, or can enjoy about the country rock genre, and again, with those vocals, it just makes for a very nice listening experience.

Well...can't say i'm disappointed. I thought I was going to be. I was creating the assumption that this was going to be very difficult to get into, but it really wasn't. It's a fantastic debut album, and I'm excited to see where this venture goes.

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Grateful Dead - Anthem of the Sun (1968)

I told you this wasn't going to be a waste. I'm currently giving the second album of Grateful Dead a listen and I want to throw out my thoughts about it.

So yes, Anthem of the Sun is the second Grateful Dead in their discography released in 1968. While I was very positive about listening to their debut, this one definitely has a bit more to offer, and considering it's only 5 tracks long, it's pretty impressive that they've been able to get as much into the tracks that they did. Each track is pretty fantastic, however the opening track is something you'd hear out of a prog album. Yes, I did mention prog while talking about Grateful Dead. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are. Originally I claimed to know about Grateful Dead and how they don't have a single proggy bone in their body, but the opening track That's It For The Other One reminds me of Yes's Close To The Edge. I don't mean that as an offense to that either because Close To The Edge is one of my all time favorite albums. Certainly in my top 20 for sure.

Production wise, I can definitely say with certainty that this one has that late 60's feel to it, as opposed to their debut which sounded a lot more polished. I'm sure there's reason for that, and I'm not saying I hate it either, it's still a joy to listen to, mostly because the vocals are still so nice to listen to and lyrically, it's all fantastic. Again though, it does sound like Close To The Edge in terms of production value, and again, I don't mean that as an offense. There's a bit of Floyd in there as well, but I would be reaching if I said that for certainty.

Overall, just as well as the debut album, I'm enjoying this quite a bit. Admittedly a little bit more than I expected. But I'm hearing a lot of Floyd/Yes/Beatles-esque influence in this album, especially. And this album only being 5 tracks, it's very accessible for someone looking to get into the band. Track wise, I can't really say which is my favorite, because although they're all pretty great for their own reasons, none of them really stuck out as being "holy ****, great" but that's more due to my bias of classic rock. Often times, I can't really differentiate one band from the other, but Grateful Dead certainly have their own unique sound which can separate them from the pack in it's own way. But again, no tracks really stuck out to me, on this album at least. Still worth a listen though.

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Anthrax - For All Kings
Release Date: February 26, 2016

Anthrax is one of those bands where I feel I should have listened to them a while ago, but never really had the motivation to do so, or I just didn't know enough about them to get into them. I do know for a fact that they are a part of the "big four of thrash" and from what i've seen through the years, Anthrax is one of those bands that doesn't get the attention they deserve. But that's probably more due to the fact that Metallica and Megadeth took a lot of the spotlight, but honestly, every time I've listened to Anthrax, and it's not much, I have found them more enjoyable than most of Megadeth and Metallica's discography. Not saying they are superior in any means, hell I don't know which of the big four are better than the others, but for Anthrax to get the sort of back seat while the other three get all the attention isn't entirely fair. Upon further investigation, Anthrax have actually released a total of eleven studio albums. Looks like I've got some work to do.

For All Kings if you aren't aware is the most recent album released by Anthrax. It was released back in February. How I missed this release is beyond me, but hey, better late than never. So again, I want to stress that I've never really been the type to be super into this band, but after listening to this album, I may have to change that right away. This album is fantastic. Every track is catchy. Every track is fun to listen to. In a way, I'd say it's a cleaner form of thrash but done so in a way that it doesn't feel stripped of thrash at all, especially with the heavy riffs and vocal styles. You definitely won't be hearing Metallica and Megadeth with this music is what I'm trying to say, and honestly, maybe that's a good thing. It's sort of a breath of fresh air to hear thrash done in this way. I grow tired of the heavy / gritty vocals after a while, though I do love Megadeth's most recent release. Anyway, while I'm trying to get through a lot of the new releases this year, the new albums just keep coming up, and I'm enjoying them for the most part.

Overall, I've certainly got some homework to do in terms of Anthrax, because I've heard that if I like this album, I'm going to love some of their older albums. I've been told that this isn't even near their best work, so if this is what it sounds like when they aren't putting their best foot forward, I'd be curious to hear how their best albums sound like. Very nice way to get into their music though. Certainly a good release for this release, and it's nice to go to a good new release after being super disappointed with Rob Zombie's most recent album, which I talked about in this journal already.

The acclaimed classic.




The supposedly lesser classic that's my fav.




The cheesy, dated, but wildly entertaining debut with a different vocalist.




The underrated modern album with another different vocalist.

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The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness (2016)

People should really know by now that I'm a big fan of The Pineapple Thief. In recent years, they've had a couple flops, at least for my taste. Don't get me wrong, All The Wars, and Magnolia are both great albums, but they really didn't take me away like their older albums did, especially Variations on a Dream. Now, with Your Wilderness, it seems they've gone all out and "fixed" what they found didn't work with the two previous albums, and let me tell you, this album has exceeded the expectation that I have with this band.

Surprisingly, I didn't even know about this album until today, and it was released this month, so you can forgive me for that, but god damn, it's such a nice feeling when you find an album by an artist that you like that you didn't know was being released, and the album turns out to be amazing. Chiodos did the same thing, even though the album I listened to recently with them was released back in 2012, but the same rule applies.
The only thing I can say that doesn't work for this album is that it is way too short, but maybe that's for the better, because with the tracks that they do have, they put their all into it, and especially considering they feature a nearly 10 minute track on this album kind of makes up for that. And again, that's where they shine as well. They turn a 10 minute track into an experience, not just a long irritating song. The Pineapple Thief are known to do that though, as is evident with their previous releases. They attempt to take each album they release, and not only turn it into something special, but into a work of art. Your Wilderness is a must listen if you're into this band, and if you weren't a fan of their other recent releases, throw those opinions out the window when you listen to this.

For the first time since Anathema, this journal has piqued my interest. Will listen in about an hour when I get the chance. If it doesn't deliver, I'm going to catch the first flight out of here and show that pretty little kitty of yours how a REAL cat-person shnuggles.