Archive for the Music Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Mini-Review: Module – Imagineering: I Like…

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Reviews with tags , on June 17, 2012 by slateman

Module: Imagineering

I listened to the new offering from Module and had to have the record. Then I got it and didn’t like it. The next spin started out great, but got real boring for most of the middle tracks. The next session was wonderful and I loved it again.

This strange love/hate relationship with this record doesn’t make much sense to me. I can’t quite figure out what I think about it. The first few tracks are great. The last few as well. The middle is the selling point. As background listening, it’s wonderful. However, since I cannot possibly write this without referencing the Shatter soundtrack, I desired something more than background music. Got plenty of it already, thanks.

So, what’s wrong with this record, you might ask. Well, nothing. That’s why I’m so confused. On the one hand, it’s precisely what I want. Perhaps mood has something to do with it. The songs aren’t too long, usually have some catchy pull to them, and remind me of Module’s other releases. I think the flow of the songs isn’t quite so grand. Several could be skipped. Perhaps several should be skipped to craft a better-flowing LP. With some filler songs removed, the best of the best could shine. Ultimately, I like this album. Not all of it, sadly. Fortunately, the good is rather good and it might be something I go back to, culling my favorite tracks into a longer EP. Or, I’ll just say, “Fuck it,” and turn on Shatter. We’ll see how that battle turns out!

Leave A Comment »

Bathory: So Good!!!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Video on June 13, 2012 by slateman

I haven’t listened to this in several years. On the way to work yesterday, something from Nordland II came on and I had vivid memories of driving out east on Long Island. It was a bright spring day and everything was just beginning to come to life. It was an interesting time of my life, for certain, but I remember how much I loved these two Nordland records (the second more than the first). On the way to work this morning, another Bathory song came on. Another flood of memories and utter fascination. This stuff rocks! (The production, of course, does not). Anyway, here is the song that came on this morning. So good!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATW3bx6yEQA

Leave A Comment »

King Diamond Is Back! Sweden Setlist

Posted in Blog, Music with tags , , on June 10, 2012 by slateman

I’ll never forget the first time I heard King Diamond. A friend lent me “Them” and informed me I needed to listen to it all in one sitting. He told said it was a frightening experience and so I was excited. Of course, over the next 20+ years, I’ve been a huge fan of King and have just about everything he’s put out. Seeing the bands reunite to record songs for Guitar Hero: Metallica and then play with Metallica live in December, I was thoroughly excited to see King back. Two European shows are scheduled and man, the setlist for the first looks friggin’ incredible! Look at this stuff! (Info from Metal Shock)

  1. The Candle
  2. Welcome Home
  3. Matt Thompson drum solo
  4. Voodoo
  5. At The Graves
  6. Up From The Grave
  7. Let It Be Done
  8. Dreams
  9. Sleepless Nights
  10. La Rocque plus Mike Wead solo
  11. Shapes Of Black
  12. Come To The Sabbath (with Hank Shermann and Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen)
  13. Eye Of The Witch
  14. E: The Family Ghost
  15. Halloween (with Michael Denner and Mikkey Dee!!!)
  16. Black Horsemen

One of the coolest sets I’ve seen!

Leave A Comment »

Jesu: ST Original Picture Disc Mix

Posted in Blog, Godflesh, Music on June 2, 2012 by slateman

Jesu’s debut LP is the soundtrack to my utter despair. It was the autumn of 2003 and my life was crumbling before my eyes. I listened to this album a lot. It was horrible.

I see another alternate mix of this has come out. I can’t say I’m certain I want to revisit this time…but it’s an interesting journey and ultimately a must for my collection.

Leave A Comment »

R.I.P. – Adam Yauch

Posted in Blog, Music, Reflection on May 5, 2012 by slateman

R.I.P. - MCA

Have you ever seen a film and identified with a character? Have you watched something and strangely felt that you were that character? This happens in videogames, sure, but even in movies or books, you may really connect with someone as though the tale were being told through your eyes.

Maybe that’s absurd, but hear me out. Back in ’86 when I was in elementary school, a friend lent me License To Ill. An impressionable youth, I loved the attitude and lyrical nonsense of the album. It is the soundtrack of 5th and 6th grade, really. As the years passed, the band grew stronger, and their musicianship stood out on Check Your Head and particularly on Ill Communication. Just listen to M.C.A.’s bass on Futterman’s Rule. They were no longer just rappers; Beastie Boys matured into something so much more. Their efforts outside the studio and stage reflect this. And of the three members, I felt a strange ‘camaraderie’ with MCA. That probably makes no sense, but as I listened to the Beastie Boys, I was MCA, rapping alongside Ad-Rock and Mike D. Now, this is no stalker strangeness…it’s no different than reading a book and feeling like YOU are Frodo or Lestat or Katniss. I just identified with his words more, his style more.

Just a few weeks ago I busted out those two albums and listened on the way to work. I remember every word of Get It Together even after almost 20 years. It had been a while since I listened to those discs. And after Ill Communication I lost interest. Hello Nasty didn’t feel like a progression to me, rather the opposite. Now, 15 years after that album, I haven’t followed them in quite some time. However, as they were a big part of both my elementary school years as well as my college years, it truly saddens me to lose such an instrumental member of my memories. To his family, friends, fans and supporters, you will be missed.

R.I.P. MCA…Your shit be cookin’.

Leave A Comment »

Mini-Review: JK Flesh – Posthuman – I Like!

Posted in Godflesh, Music, Reviews on April 14, 2012 by slateman

Posthuman

JK Flesh – Posthuman

I remember the day Pure came out back in April of 1992 and my fascination only grew from there. Through the two decades since, I’ve covered so many diverse projects on this site. If you’re reading this, I probably don’t need to list them. As I tore into the package containing Justin’s first solo record, it hit me; I have no clue what I expect this album to be like. Most of us know expectation is everything and can make or break any experience. Unsurprisingly, Posthuman didn’t fit my expectation.

I think I was expecting to be crushed. I was not. Perhaps I looked for the sequel to beautiful and haunting Skinner’s Black Laboratories tracks. This is nothing like that at all either. As the first tracks passed, I was greeted with so many familiar sounds. The noise-laden guitars from Grey Machine. Loud interludes a la early/mid-Techno Animal. D&B from the highly-prolific late-90s. There’s clearly Godflesh in here. But none of it sounds generic or redundant.

What we have here is pure Justin Broadrick and any fan of his varied catalog should recognize this instantly. The mostly-instrumental record truly covers his sprawling career by combining so many familiar sounds. When his voice is used, it is precisely what you expected it to be.

As mentioned earlier, it is not a crushing album; I think Justin is saving that for the impending Godflesh LP. It is also not very melodic, as we have that already in some Final material and a lot of what Jesu has turned out to be. There are some small but very unique portions of this album that expand on what Justin can do, but let’s face it, no one ever really thought there was a barrier. Any fan who stuck around through the Streetcleaner – Slavestate – Pure – Selfless years knows better. And however varied I’m making this sound, Posthuman is indeed one vision, one LP. It sounds so much like what you know but yet modern and new. It is not Justin’s best work, but then again, very few of us can agree on even a top-five list anyway.

This is a heavy record. It is noisy and it is powerful. It is dark and moody. Essentially it is why I gained interest in JKB more than 20 years ago and why I continue still.

[written for Crumbling Flesh]

Leave A Comment »

Tuesday Rumblings

Posted in Blog, Cubing, Games, Music, Yankees on April 10, 2012 by slateman

I hate Tuesdays. They are the worst day of the week. The novelty feel of Monday has worn off. It’s not yet Wednesday. Hello Tuesday; I hate you.

OK, Today’s rumblings. First off, the Yankees won last night. It was nice seeing them string hits together and having that feel of certain victory. I don’t care that it came against the (3-0!) Baltimore Orioles. It’s a W. We started off 1998 0-3 as well.

Windmill Cube Solved! OK, that’s not news, but doing so without a guide is! I was using my
notes and algorithms but with so little to remember, I was kinda proud of getting it done myself. It’s a fun cube!

JKB’s Posthuman comes out soon and I hope to have a promo shortly. Definitely looking forward to this one. More over at Crumbling Flesh when it does arrive.

Leave A Comment »

Skyrim Music Video: So Awesome!

Posted in Games, Music, Skyrim, Video on April 5, 2012 by slateman

Apparently this could be considered cheesy. I don’t know how, it’s dripping with awesome sauce. So fantastic. Enjoy this Skyrim music video!



Leave A Comment »

Best Soundtracks Ever!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music, Reviews on April 5, 2012 by slateman

A movie score can really help solidify a film’s power and overall epicness. I’ll collect movie soundtracks from time to time. These aren’t the bands featured in the movie, of course. I thought I’d share some of my favorite soundtracks and why they’re so phenomenal.

Passion


Passion
I can’t say precisely when I heard this album first, likely my freshman year of college. Peter Gabriel is a very talented musician, that’s simple, but stepping out of his normal role to put this out is an amazing achievement. Sweeping soundscapes from another world (to an American, at least), this soundtrack is an emotional journey. However cheesy that might sound, it is true. Though I saw this movie once an age ago, it is so powerful even without the film to guide it. The title track is amazing, a super example of how deep and compelling this style of music can be.

What Is Best In Life?


Conan The Barbarian
As a young boy, this type of movie is what made me love swords and sorcery. Arnold was the man. This defines my youth to an extent and to this day I love this movie and its accompanying soundtrack. It is powerful but has slower, softer parts as well. From the beginning “In the time when the oceans drank Atlantis…” to the peaceful Orphans Of Doom outro, it’s a marvelous journey of sword and steel. Riddle Of Steel/Riders Of Doom is what it’s all about. Horns, chants, booming drums. Fuck Yeah!!! Then, try if you will, try to listen to The Orgy and not hum that tune all day long. It’s not an emotional record like the other two entries on this list are, but it is the most powerful, just as a movie with Arnold and swords should be. \m/

HoFD


House Of Flying Daggers
For a while, I watched all the big movies coming out of China. There was simply nothing like it in the U.S. and the cultural difference shows in both the cinematography and the storytelling. This film is not my favorite of the bunch; it is more a love story after all. However, of all those films, this movie’s soundtrack is by far the best, and just very well be the best movie soundtrack of all time. I can listen to this at any time, whether I’m looking for an upbeat, strong drive or an emotionally powerful experience. The Lovers Theme is repeated in several forms and each is as amazing as the prior, culminating in the Mei And Jin version…it gives me chills it’s that good. Even the English version grew on me. Farewell No. 2 – Oh, so phenomenal. Listening to it as I write this solidifies my opinion…the best soundtrack ever.

Leave A Comment »

Mini-Review: Borknagar – Urd: I Like!

Posted in Best / Worst, Music, Reviews on April 3, 2012 by slateman

Urd!

I first heard Borknagar back when their debut launched along with Sacramentum in ’96. It was a good time for European metal and while I liked it, I never got into the band. Fast Forward to when Vintersorg joined the band and my interest was rekindled. My love for Vintersorg’s solo material waned once Cosmic Genesis was released (though now I like the record) so I had a fleeting curiosity. I LOVED The Genuine Pulse. I liked other material. For some reason, I looked forward to Urd.

During my first spin, I liked it. The Earthling was a particularly catchy tune, the melodic instrumental that followed a great tune. It was during my second playthrough that it really caught me. The last few tracks were catchy and and memorable. The Winter Eclipse is classic, fast, aggressive, double bass with raspy vocals. Again, this is what made me love European metal music. The middle section is classic Vintersorg, it’s almost unbelievable. While the album has less black metal vocals, I enjoy the mix of Vintersorg’s folk-sounding approach and the traditional Borknagar sound. This album may not be for everyone, as the band has really progressed in its long career. I find it a great album and would recommend it!

Leave A Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »