Hey there fellow music lovers! This week for releases, there seemed to be quite the diverse amount of tunes hitting shelves. Some of these album I have been eagerly waiting to take a listen to (coughtestamentcoughdewscented) and a few others that caught my attention this morning that I will have to go back and listen to. Anyways, show some love (like every Tuesday), head down to your local record store or online retailer and check out this week's latest and greatest.
"They have toned down the death metal flourishes to almost non-existent, brought back the ballads ('Cold Embrace'), and with Skolnick (guitarist) fully back into the fold by actually co-writing much of the record, it takes a nostalgic step back into past. This is truly a matter of taste. For those that like the heavier, more brutal-side of Testament, they will find much less to salivate over, except for a few songs, such as, 'True American Hate'. For the older fans, that miss the original sound of Testament, the old-school thrash, the 2 minute solos, there is plenty to chew on here.
But regardless of which side of the coin the listener falls on, the song writing feels tired, almost forced, and Chuck Billy's vocal melodies border on monotonous. On a positive note, the production is fierce, crisp, and holds up to the best of what is out there in metal today. Unfortunately, after a few spins, most of the songs are forgettable, and it seems more appealing to dig into their back catalog if in the mood for some Testament." -Sputnik Music
"As the album draws ever nearer to a close, the band presents a cover of Jeff Buckley’s Everybody Here Wants You. Fear not Buckley fans – Christian’s vocals do the song justice while at the same time providing the song with it’s own unique and distinctive feel. Christian’s vocals shine all throughout the song, and his brilliant vocal talents are especially able to be heard during the bridge of the song. The album draws to a close with Before I Start Dreaming. In this closing song, the album is brought to an appropriate close. The song presents some of the greatest and most intimate lyrics of the album, and the vocals are clearly impassioned. The instrumentation of the song complements the lyrics and vocals marvelously, adding further to the intimate feel of the song and it’s overall magnificence.
In conclusion, with its splendid arrangement of vocals, lyrics and instrumentation The Quiet Life is certainly one of the finest releases this year. Stephen Christian does not fail to meet expectations with this release, and will surely leave his audience wishing for more. Upon listening to the album one can easily hear how much the band has improved over the years. One can only wonder how much more the band can and surely will improve over time. The Quiet Life is undoubtedly a must-have album for Anchor & Braille fans, and will be an impressive surprise for music-lovers of all ages." -CCM Forum
"The band do two remakes, one works and one not so much. The winner is a cover of Dr. Hook’s 'Cover of the Rolling Stone,' complete with 'We Will Rock You' style drum beats and, of course, a chainsaw solo. The other, Run DMC’s 'It’s Tricky,' could have been left off the CD. Jesse may have first rapped on the song 'Dirty Little Mind' but going to this extreme was a mistake. It might make one smile at first listen, but one tires of it, quickly. Other tunes, however, make up for this flub. 'Favorite Sin' and 'Horns Up' must be played live as they are true blue rockers.
This one accomplishes what it set out to do, and that is rock loud and hard. Jackyl is back!" -Classic Rock Revisited
For anyone that ever wanted to know what it would sound like if you crossed Buckcherry with Cinderella, or Sister with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sins is as close as you're likely to get. If you're anything like me you'll cancel all your plans for the next few hours and put Sins on repeat. To sum it up in three words; aggressive, passionate and satisfying!" -Sleaze Roxx
"These tracks, along with the bass-propelled 'White Noise,' squish together worldly rage, profanity as precise as a cruise missile and sound as big as a controlled demolition. By adding ethereal backing vocals and sudden spasms of ambient Rhodes piano into the calmer breakdowns, the arrangements become edgy, air-tight journeys into reaches that few post-hardcore bands find.
'Illumination' busts up the blasts with a dreamy instrumental, which presages the hard-punching 'The Grateful Prey.' After that pummeling preparation, Symbiosis’ finest track, 'De(V)tails,' appears. It steadies the ship with maximum metalcore, pleases with little prize-in-the-box effects like auto-panning and short-delay reverb with mile-long tails while drawing upon dynamics that never get in the way. The performance from A Bullet For Pretty Boy is ambitious throughout Symbiosis, but that ambition is most rewarded on “De(V)tails.
The intelligent detail in the design of Symbiosis is enthralling from first track to last. Perhaps due to the album’ complexity as well as A Bullet For Pretty Boy’s willingness to take chances, Symbiosis might not be an instant revelation. For many, it will require several spins before it takes hold. Once it does though, Symbiosis may never let go." -About.com
"Musically bombastic with crude riffing and stellar soloing, the first strike is deadly; DEW-SCENTED is alive and well. 'Gleaming With Silver' and 'Reawakening' display guest appearances of Rob Ubrinati (SACRIFICE) and producer / artist Dan Swano (EDGE OF SANITY / ex-BLOODBATH). Without a doubt these two added another dimension to Jansen's passionate and brutish vocals on two amazing tracks of fury. ['The Fall Of Man']'s beats and bruises can be felt deep within, with a strong musical sense, thrashy as always, DEW-SCENTED put another stone on mankind's formulated tomb. Though the winds of change won't be entering DEW-SCENTED's spectrum in the form of music, they proved that their style still matters, it still ticks and kicks ass. Go ahead and run to purchase this one." -Metal Temple
"Some tracks stand out more than others; the bittersweet though catchy as Hell She’s Not the End of the World, the almost college rock bitter break up song I Know You Too Well to Like You Anymore, the standoffishly Summery I Dare You To Break My Heart, the essentially instrumental classic ska and two tone referencing Don’t Stop Skankin’ that sounds like Madness and signs off with a nod to The Specials and then the riff driven PS I Hate You.
As said, there are more than a few intentional or unintentional nods to the past, the faint whiff of familiarity, some songs just don’t hit home and there’s a concern these boys are consciously trying sound like and relive their first two albums. In other genres that could be a real problem, but whether it’s the case or not here doesn’t matter.
This isn’t the deepest meaning of genres, no, what it is though is fun. It’s that party animal you love to invite barbecues, because they just get better when they’re around. That’s what ska-punk is, and for that this album does its job. It’s fun, and what more could you ask for? So quit bitching, pull on your board shorts, grab a beer and get outside. It’s Summer." -What Culture
"Joss Stone's 2003 debut, The Soul Sessions, made her an international star and multimillionaire at the age of 16. Almost a decade on, having spent almost all of her fortune buying herself out of her record contract, and having being victim of an attempted kidnap, she is older and presumably wiser. She's certainly returned to her debut's soul covers format in more mature and superb voice. Stone has always been a tremendous shouter, but has acquired a vulnerability and ability to truly inhabit emotional songs such as Eddie Floyd's I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You and the Dells' The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind). More surprisingly, Broken Bells' 2010 hit The High Road is given a startling, spirited remodel. Presumably now with the freedom to record whatever she wants, songs from the likes of the Chi-Lites and Womack & Womack suggest an aficionado of soul. After some so-so self-penned albums, Stone could use some original material anything like as good, but this is a powerful, heartfelt and classy comeback." -The Guardian
DVDs:
"Overall this is a package that can’t be faulted. Everything from the video content to the animated menus have been meticulously constructed whilst a welcome addition to the set is the CD which features the bulk of the band’s live show on a twelve-track, sixty-five minute disc. The poster is also cool, and a decent size, and a handy booklet provides the song-writing credits and DVD info. In short, what you have is a package that will have Gojira fans weeping with delight, beautifully presented and available on both DVD and BluRay for those who want the best quality possible.
With ‘The way of all flesh’ Gojira thrust themselves into the limelight. A remarkable album, it is no surprise that it featured in many end of year polls as a top album and what this DVD makes abundantly clear is that Gojira have the live presence, the passion and the commitment to back up that furious statement of intent. As blistering a reminder as you could wish to have should you have been to a live show, and all the encouragement you should ever require to go and see them the next time they hit town, on the strength of this DVD Gojira should be well on their way to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world by now." -Sonic Abuse
"The ensemble performances in this DVD highlight the diversity of Irish music and song, from the sweet nostalgia of Song For The Mira to the upbeat fan favorites Place In The Choir and Ireland s Call and the raucous Irish Party song, Seven Drunken Nights. VOYAGE II features great duet and solo performances also, Keith and Neil face off on guitars in Whiskey In The Jar, while guest artist 13 year old Daniel Furlong joins with Keith to perform a tongue in cheek version of the Disney classic You ve Got A Friend In Me. The audience claps along to lively solo performances such as Emmet Cahill s My Irish Molly-O, and Ryan Kelly s take on the Garth Brook hit Friends In Low Places. George Donaldson delivers a great version of the much-loved ballad Cat s In The Cradle, a tribute to his music idol, Harry Chapin." -Amazon
"The film's most impactful and intense pieces are the stripped moments though, whether it's Jordison drumming in a room inside a circle of candles or the band huddle before they hit stage. One scene rivals any 'Academy' contenders this year. Before Slipknot gathers for that huddle, Taylor asks, 'Where's Paul?'
In his mask and jumpsuit, Gray stands a few feet behind the band on his cell phone talking to his wife. The camera zooms in and Gray goes, 'I love you baby, and I'll call you after the show.'
This resounds louder than any riff because it shows the humanity inherent in Gray and his bandmates. Each one of these guys is part of a family with a bond that's deeper than blood or anything else—hence perfect film closer 'Till We Die'—and even though he's about to decimate a crowd, Gray's maintaining those connections to the world. That's why he's so missed.
No one will ever really know what it's like to be in Slipknot other than the nine that made the band so majestic and legendary, but (sic)nesses gives the rest a damn good idea.
Then there are the extras, including the 'Making of 'Snuff,' which gives a peek behind the scenes of the band's short film for 'Snuff.' Malcolm McDowell puts it best when talking about Slipknot, 'You have to have lived, you have to have suffered, you have to have soul.'
Alex DeLarge knows his shit, but Clown puts it in even simpler terms. 'It's an extreme gift to be able to give the world your pain.'
That's what Slipknot did every night and on each song, and this DVD is blood-splattered proof.
R.I.P. Paul Gray, this is a fitting tribute from your brothers…" -Artist Direct
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