Annihilator Ballistic, Sadistic Album Review

Annihilator - Ballistic, Sadistic (2020)

Factoid:

Annihilator has released 17 studio albums and has undergone many line-up changes. Waters is the only remaining original member left in the band, and usually assembles touring musicians to perform with him. Annihilator's first two studio albums—Alice in Hell (1989) and Never, Neverland (1990)—are considered to be influential Canadian heavy metal records. Many of their later albums also received high praise from critics, and enjoyed some success in Europe and Japan. Their 17th studio album, Ballistic, Sadistic, was released in 2020.

The Review:

Canadian thrash pioneer(s) Annihilator, in other words, Jeff Waters & Co. are back with what reportedly Jeff considers to be the band’s best album since Schizo Deluxe (2005); At least in the top 3 of their entire catalog. Quite an ambitious statement, coming from the mastermind behind classic records such as Alice In Hell (1989), Never Neverland (1990), and Set The World On Fire (1993), which many consider being their best albums. Furthermore, this is a record that is meant to hark back to those earlier classic records that are beloved by so many of their fans, including me. Today I’ll sink my teeth into whether or not I feel this statement can be backed and, as a fan, can either agree or disagree....Let's Do This!!!

First things first, this is the second album recorded with the line-up of Jeff on guitars and vocals, Rich Hinks on bass, Aaron Homma on Guitars, and Fabio Alessandrini on Drums. This is a tremendous feat for the band, considering that the line-up changes in the Annihilator’s history are quite vast. However, I will say that this current line-up is potent, and one that I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to if it ends up being the line-up for a good while. Jeff took back the role of lead vocals on 2015’s Suicide Society after longtime vocalist/guitarist Dave Padden’s departure and has manned the position ever since. While I do enjoy his vocals, especially on older records like King of the Kill (1994) and Refresh the Demon (1996), I do happen to miss Dave Padden’s versatility and ability to give Annihilator the modern edge they needed at the time he joined in 2003. That being said, on Ballistic, Sadistic, I find that Jeff has really stepped up his vocal game. I certainly admire his determination to get better and better, and it definitely shows he’s been putting in the time and hard work to improve. For instance, on leading single “Psycho Ward,” he’s stretching his ability and singing more melodic than his usual Mustaine/Hetfield combo snarl and gruff that he’s known for, specifically the bridge section.

Aside from the obvious vocal observation here, musically, I can say that Jeff is right in the sense that the guitar riffing is very reminiscent of some of the earlier records in terms of technicality and precision. It’s a huge part of what truly makes Jeff Waters one of the best guitarists in the genre. His ability to interweave between dissonance and melodicism is quite impressive, and one that I’ve always admired. This is best represented on songs such as “Out with the Garbage,” “The End of the Lie,” and “Dressed Up For Evil,” whereas songs like the opener “Armed to the Teeth,” and “I Am Warfare” are the band’s attempt to bring in even heavier and more extreme influences.

While I can dig the throwback vibes that are laced throughout the record, there’s one thing that I miss. The main thing that really sets Annihilator apart from a lot of other thrash metal bands is their undeniable versatility.  That aspect of the band has somewhat taken a back seat to having a collection of songs that, after a while, start to sound the same and lack variation. Some riffs in certain songs feel like they could be interchanged with each other, and even on previous albums. On top of the blatant recycling of songs like on “Psycho Ward” which sounds like a re-imagined “Stonewall” and also “Lip Service,” which is a clear revised version of “Knight Jumps Queen.”

This record has a lot of shining moments. It showcases some of Jeff’s most ambitious riffing since arguably 2001’s Carnival Diablos (a criminally underrated album!), and the personnel are delivering some really impressive work. What draws back Ballistic, Sadistic, is that some of the arrangements are a bit disjointed and schizophrenic. I suppose that’s somewhat the point and not too uncommon with the band’s earlier works, but they tend to lose focus every so often and then eventually come back to at least one more verse and chorus to complete the song. In other words, I feel like the constant changing of riffing styles without too much room for flow in the music comes off as the band simply trying too hard. I could’ve done without the obvious rehashing of beloved classics as well, and would much rather Jeff & Co. try to come up with something new and refreshing. While there’s a little bit of that ambition here with some of the more modern and extreme influences on a few tracks, I hope that on future records, they explore that a bit more while also letting the songwriting come more naturally. Moreover, the versatility that they’re known for is missing here, and an aspect of their sound that I feel really would have brought the record full circle. A good record overall, and most definitely a few steps above For the Demented (2017) and in the right direction, but I wouldn’t necessarily put it among the band’s best.

Score: 4.5/5

Onslaught Power From Hell Album Review

Onslaught - Power from Hell (1985)

Members:

Paul Mahoney – vocals

Nige Rockett – guitar

Jase Stallard – bass

Steve Grice – drums

Factoid:

Power from Hell is the debut studio album by English thrash metal band Onslaught, released in February 1985. Apparently confusion has arisen as to who coined the term Death Metal, as it was Onslaught who wrote their song 'Death Metal' in early 1984 and recorded the album version later in the same year, Possessed who recorded their song entitled "Death Metal" on their 1984 demo tape of the same name.  "Power from Hell" was reissued in 1996 by Powerage Records, again in 2005 by Blackend Records and received a full remaster by Jacob Hansen for the 2012 release on AFM Records; the 2012 release rectifies the track listing problem encountered on previous releases and has revamped artwork with liner notes by Steve Grice.

The Review:

It is normally almost impossible, but already the first official label output of Onslaught presented the band's first stylistic change. But definitely not their last. Anyway, let's speak about "Power from Hell". I just stumbled on this one around 1988 or so when I was looking for some new things to head bang to, and the cover caught my eye. When I went home with my bounty of new tunes and finally put this one in the cassette player I really didn't know what to make of it at first, it was so dirty sounding, kinda like a punk album, but it wasn't punk, it was thrash...I was compelled to dig a bit deeper into this album and into this band and what I discovered has made this one of my goto bands over the years, but let's just get into the slime and gunk that is, Power from Hell.... 

The debut offers a fine dose of death metal after their punk-orientated demos. Only "Thermonuclear Devastation", the opener of their first demo, holds the flag of punk-influenced metal high. The vast majority of the pieces can be allocated to the lethal sub genre. Yet one has to keep in mind that Onslaught deliver a very early form of death metal. Roughly 25 years after its release, the German magazine RockHard listed the album as one of 250 thrash metal albums that everyone should know. (But even the powerless "In Search of Sanity" showed up in this pretty questionable list.) From my present point of view, "Power from Hell" is a hybrid of black, thrash and death metal. But the British dudes called the sixth track "Death Metal" and therefore I do not see a basis for further discussions. I would just like to comment that the guitar lines and the verses of "The Devil's Legion" lie in close proximity to those of Exciter's "Saxons of the Fire", but only intimidated posers would classify this Canadian classic as death metal. Apart from this alarming similarity, "The Devil's Legion" belongs to the best tracks of "Power from Hell". Don't be fooled by its playful guitars at the beginning, this piece delivers pure, fast and dark heavy metal.

Although the above mentioned punk track does not square with the mega-satanic intro, Onslaught attempt to offer a stylistic mish-mash, but it doesn't always pan out. "Power from Hell" is not the most coherent album of the heavy metal history, but its relatively occult aura is more or less consistent. Of greater relevance is the fact that the band shows its talent for catchy compositions. The choruses of the title track, "Death Metal" or "Angels of Death" are very infectious earworms and will stick in your mind immediately. These tracks withstand the fairly adverse conditions. I freely admit that the full-length is not equipped with an excellent production. A small budget, a deaf producer or both? However, despite its certain dullness here and there, the guitars achieve an adequate level of vehemence. All in all, the sound is acceptable, at least for a debut.

Leaving the minor stylistic twists and turns out of consideration, Onslaught do not surprise with experiments. The song patterns avoid complications and the riffs don't flirt with non-metallic types of music. The carefree debutants do their job and they unveil their affinity for malignant sounds in a clever manner. The fact that the guys also present a certain degree of variety adds the finishing touch.

Is it authentic to modify the style at this early stage of development? I don't know. Perhaps it was an act of survival, because punk died a slow death and metal was in full bloom. But I do not want to speculate about the reasons of the new orientation, quite apart from the fact that the distance between punk and metal is not extremely great. Anyway, "Power from Hell" marked the first step of a remarkable career. The band was seemingly never free from inner conflicts, but this is exactly what makes it so exciting. Besides that, we may not forget that the majority of Onslaught's albums increased the reputation of the British metal scene in a significant way.

Score: 4/5

Top 10 albums of 2019

Well everyone has been putting their list out there for this so why should I be different? Here's the my list that nobody really asked for but you're getting it anyway....

MY TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2019...

1) Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind (August 9)

I was expecting a good one from this band but what I got was far better than what I expected. This is far and away a masterpiece that so few have achieved. The territory this album goes into sets an overall mood that must be heard to be believed.

2) Babymetal - Metal Galaxy (October 11)

What can you say about this divisive group, every release gets better. A broader mix of genres than the last one, plus a slew of guests. This is one fun listen, plus SuMetal(Suzuka Nakamoto) proves she has got the goods to hang with the best of the genre's top voices.

3) Rammstein - RAMMSTEIN (May 17th)

Til and the boys delivered the goods on this much long awaited album. Plenty of familiar tropes as well as a few new ones, from the first note to the last, this one will grab you by the balls and not let go....but it does tease it from time to time.

4) Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion (May 10)

Much hyped over the years but never arrived until this year and oh boy is this one worth it. As aggressive as ever and clearly not losing a single sonic step from its 3 predecessors (which we're all 80's albums). This is a truly vicious album, the only thing that really holds it back is the fact it doesn't really try anything new.

5) Tool - Fear Inoculum (August 30)

13 years of waiting came to a screeching halt this year, did it live up to all the hype 13 years built....no. But what arrived is a great and varied piece of audio art that only tool can make, and on that it was worth the wait.

6) Darkthrone - Old Star (May 31st)

Well, this was a stunner. Guess Fenriz got tired of writing the same old boring crust influenced crap black metal. This is more in line with Hate Them as an album as far as feel goes but it does try things that actually work like slowing the riffs down from time to time to create a feeling with the atmosphere which the later albums really lacked, and that is a good thing.

7) Overkill - The Wings Of War (February 22nd)

A band doing yet another 180 into what I see as a step back in the right direction after 2 fairly phoned in releases. This one is actually a good listen with some creative choices in songwriting that truly elevate the whole record.

8) Gloryhammer - Legends from Beyond the Galactic TerrorVortex (May 31st)

A relatively by the numbers power metal album on the surface, however once you start sifting through the layers here, there is an extremely good album laying in wait for you.

9) Sammy Hagar & The Circle - Space Between (May 10)

This is Sammy Hagar....this is going to be good regardless. Sammy created yet another collection of great music here that only ads to his legacy. Not much else can be said except, if you like anything Sammy has been involved with, you'll most likely dig this too.

10) Whitechapel - The Valley (March 27th)

Finally a Deathcore band that actually gets it, this band has showed potential but never really put in the time to reach that next level...finally they have, and it really shows. An album ripe with great ideas and good presentation which displays emotion for days, a choice that really elevates this album from more of the same up to excellent.

Vio-Lence Eternal Nightmare Album Review

Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare (1988)

Band Members:

Sean Killian - Vocals

Phil Demmel - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Robb Flynn - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Deen Dell - Bass, Backing Vocals

Perry Strickland - Drums

Factoid:

Eternal Nightmare is the debut album by the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Vio-lence. It was released originally in 1988 on MCA Records' Mechanix sublabel. A limited 10" promo single was released, with two tracks 'Eternal Nightmare' and 'Phobophobia'; the release was quite unique, as it came in a sealed plastic cover, containing (fake) vomit.[3] Shortly after, thrash metal innovators Slayer released a single in a similar format, but with fake blood and alternative rock band The Revolting Cocks released a single with fake semen.

The Review:

Dear friends,

- climb in your car or get your bicycle,

- drive to the next record store,

- see a Repka artwork,

- buy the album in a matter of seconds,

- drive home on the shortest way,

- do not say hello to your parents,

- put the vinyl on your turntable immediately and

- start to listen, bang your head and play air guitar.

You guessed it, this is how the eighties worked. One of these albums was the debut of Vio-lence, I picked this one up in '88 based on the cover alone, there was no internet, no streaming, very little radio airplay for this kinda stuff, you pretty much bought stuff based on what it looked like, and the song titles. However back in those days, 9 times out of 10 you would most likely find something to like about an album. But let's move onto the review proper now...

When listening to Vio-Lence's “Eternal Nightmare,” it seems almost as if the band took a giant blender the size of Mount Olympus, packed in as many crazed riffs and shredding solos as it will physically allow, and you, the listener, happened to be dragged in for the ride. While this silly and cheap hyperbole can be applied to a multitude of albums, here it really sticks – because rarely will you hear such a spastic, unabashed riff-fest of a thrash album. Many bands come close, but sometimes they often seem too preoccupied with injecting unnecessary ballads, slow atmospheric parts, catchy vocals, and sing-along choruses into the mix. Unlike some of their more well-known Bay Area thrash compatriots, Vio-Lence never lose sight of what is important.

What should be this album's objective weakness is really its true strength – in that it is really isn't much more but a large pile of riffs; quality riffs that take what came before and build off the next, creating a patchwork of an unrelenting sense of hyperactive chaos and urgency throughout. Although they offer virtually nothing innovative, and do not try to, the band surely does what they do better than most, and their sound is unmistakable. Vio-Lence take the pre-established, gleaming thrash aesthetic of Bay Area bands like Testament and Exodus, inject much more of the raw, hardcore punk influences of the East Coast thrash fair of the likes of Anthrax, Nuclear Assault and Overkill, and slather it with much of the gritty intensity and blinding speed and aggression of Slayer or Dark Angel; though Vio-Lence is arguably as thrashy, heavy, unhinged, riff-dense and interesting as the sum of those bands combined.

Especially for a Bay Area-release, “Eternal Nightmare” stands as a pretty damn heavy album, with much of its heaviness being derived from its pure punk-fueled rage and rather crunchy guitar tone. The album has hit that rare jackpot in which the production seems to fit in that nice valley between unabashed raw authenticity and studio cleanliness, leaning more on the gritty side of things. It can conjure up an aesthetic of what Exodus, Testament, and The Big Four were doing in the mid-late eighties without much of the glitter and polish, though I feel most comparable would be a much heavier version of Anthrax's “Among the Living.” The guitars pack a trebly crunch, though in very few instances I do wish the production were as thick as it is on their follow up album, it would make the more nimble, higher register riffs such as the opening of “Phobophobia” and “Kill on Command” a little more imposing. Dean Dell's bass is perfectly audible and pungent, and drummer Perry Strickland's crazed and gimmick-less bass-snare assault is really fucking loud in the mix, which completely adds to the album's signature sound, and for that I am truly thankful. Some may call it sloppy, I call it amazing. Vocalist Sean Killian's hyper-rapid, punk-injected, syllable-spewing bark fits the music absolutely perfectly, and the lyrics which he re-wrote for the album are especially twisted – some of the lyrics deal with people who are particularly good at what they do, namely themes of sadistic dictators, prolific serial killers, professional government-employed hitmen, and the talents of a gifted coroner on the tracks “Bodies on Bodies,” “Serial Killer,” “Kill on Command,” and “Calling in the Coroner” respectively. None of the songs have sing-along choruses, rather the refrains are often accompanied by hefty gang-shouts by the rest of the band.

Though not overtly technical or progressive, the guitar-work here is fairly complex – primary songwriter Phil Demmel and relative newcomer Robb Flynn employ a fairly wide array of thrash rhythms and styles, often within the same riff or section, ranging from blunt tremolo patterns to more rhetorical hooks, to complicated, rapid shredded styled fretboard riffing gymnastics. The riffs are so excellently put together that most of them are highly distinct and memorable despite their sheer velocity and relative intricacy. Rather than routinely cycling through strict verse-chorus structures with ad nauseam repetition between a limited number of riffs, some parts undergo compulsory rhythmic and textural variations, rapidly shuffling back and forth between a set of riffs within their vast and unpredictable pallet of material, creating a blurred sense of rushing tension and organized disarray. This is best heard within the 'start, stop, then throw your spine out-of-order' nature of the iconic title track, whose opening material takes the simple introductory power chord progression and gradually transforms it into a battering riff array throughout, as well as the band's hyperintense, gang-shouting-clad flagship song – “Kill on Command.”

“Serial Killer” and “Bodies on Bodies” are the more meat and potatoes thrashers of the album, while the band's sheer lunacy is epitomized within the crack-cocaine-infused madness that is the 220+ BPM “T.D.S. (Take it as you Will),” especially with its frenetic, Darkness Descends-esque trilled opening riff and tremolo-picked riff mongering. While the band will on minute occasion slow down with some more mid-paced, muscular guitar-work, the album still, by-and-large, smacks you around with a crazed array of manic speedball riffage. The more down-tempo tracks include “Calling in the Coroner” (which was penned by Flynn during his tenure in Forbidden), and part of the first half of “Phobophobia;” the former showcasing the most heavy, churning grooves on the album as well as gnarly gang-shouts near the end; the later boasting an epic middle section as well as the most spiraling and memorable performance from Killian's fucking glorious, Timmy from South Park on crack styled vocals.

This one is for fans looking for a beefed-up, hardcore tinged, million-riff mayhem ventured within the leagues of 80's Sepultura or Demolition Hammer, with the animated and fun-loving ethos of Exodus or even Anthrax. “Eternal Nightmare” is pure riff candy – a rollercoaster of shredding guitar genius, and it's really hard to believe that the same guitarists who brought you the chugga-chug bro-core you hear on the albums “Supercharger” and “The Burning Red” were once the skilled thrash craftsmen you see here.

Kill! On Command! Kill! On Command!

Why the hell did the eighties come to an end?

Score: 4.5/5

Anthrax Among the Living Album Review

Anthrax - Among the Living (1987)

Band members:

Joey Belladonna – lead vocals

Dan Spitz – lead guitar, backing vocals

Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Frank Bello – bass, backing vocals

Charlie Benante – drums

Production:

Eddie Kramer — producer, engineer

Chris Rutherford — engineer

Francis McSweeney, Chip Schane — assistant engineers

George Marino — mastering at Sterling Sound, New York

Jon Zazula — executive producer

Factoids:

Among the Living is the third studio album by American thrash metal band, Anthrax. It was released on March 22, 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island, and was certified gold by the RIAA on July 31, 1990.The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favorite Anthrax album". Drummer and principal songwriter Charlie Benante has referred to Among the Living as Anthrax's "signature album". The album was dedicated to the late Cliff Burton of Metallica who died in a bus accident six months before its release.

The cover art, by illustrator and painter Don Brautigam, has been the subject of discussion. It was long believed to depict the character Rev. Henry Kane, antagonist from the film Poltergeist II: The Other Side, while others believed it depicted Randall Flagg, the subject of the album's title track and the antagonist from the Stephen King novel The Stand. Drummer Charlie Benante, who conceived the concept for the cover, explained: "It was just about how much evil there is amongst us. I wanted to show just the same type of person on the cover. The same type of people and then, the one person that was sticking out kind of giving you a wave, like a 'hi!'".

The Review:

"Disease! Disease! Spreading the disease!" The opening lines of Anthrax' third studio full length record aren't only a reference to the vivid predecessor, they also indicate the addicting strength of this thrash metal milestone. On its third output, the band has finally found its very own style. The East Coast quintet has moved away from its original New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound, several classic rock influences and even most of their hardcore punk touch inspirations. "Among the Living" is the band's rawest, fastest and angriest release and it defines the thrash metal genre better than any other album has ever done.

Over the next fifty minutes of playtime, Anthrax is offering nine pitiless tracks filled with fast riffs and unchained guitar solos, angrily pumping bass guitar licks, ferocious yet versatile high-speed drumming and breathless yet powerful vocals that are emotionally over the top but manage to remain catchy and melodic as they are constantly supported by energizing and angry gang shouts. The lyrics vary between angry yet intelligent social criticism and unchained fun anthems inspired by popular culture. The more serious lyrics are related to contemporary issues back in the days such as the outrageous fate of Native Americans, an ongoing Cold War despite a desire for peace and unity from younger generations and a warning that the horrors of war shouldn't be downplayed, forgotten or neglected. The more carefree texts feature ironic statements about complicated interpersonal relationships, unbound lust for life or are simply inspired by fictitious characters from different art media such as Judge Dredd, Randall Flagg or Reverend Henry Kane. Lyrically, this release is an incredibly authentic time document from the mid-eighties but I can still relate to most of the texts three decades later due to their timeless and youthful spirit.

This mixture of mature and juvenile lyrics would become a trademark for the band that was also a guiding line for the next three studio albums. Even though the band found its own musical style on this release, the quintet opted for less urgent variations of that style on the next three records. Anthrax have never been that poignant again as on "Among the Living". Some of their other albums might be more courageous, diversified or intellectual but this release is probably their best due to its emotions, energy and honesty. In my opinion, this is one of the best thrash metal albums of all time.

Apart of one or two less intense minutes in "A.D.I. / Horror of It All" that sounds alien to this release due to its calmer and sluggish approach and an almost epic length of nearly eight minutes, every track on here is an instant hit and still relevant over thirty years later. Just like a disease, this album makes you sing along, raise your fists in the air and get crazy in a mosh pit. If you want to see what this kind of music can do to an adrenalized crowd, go watch the first thirty minutes of the incredible live release "Chile on Hell" where the band plays the five opening tracks of this milestone in a row more than thirty one years later. From the first epic and melodic seconds of the atmospheric, pace-shifting and pitiless opener "Among the Living" to the angry message against media creation of plastic people in the album closer "Imitation of Life" that ends this milestone with heavy and low bass play, brutal mid-tempo riffs and some dystopian distortion, the intensity of this album is indeed spreading like a disease. If you like metal music, no matter what genre might be your favourite, this is an absolutely essential record to add to your collection or to quote singer Joey Belladonna: "Among the living - follow me or die!"

Score: 5/5

Metal History...Vengeance Rising

Vengeance Rising is a thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California in the United States. The band formed in 1985 as Sacrifice but changed their name to Vengeance the same year, until 1987. The band was formed by Doug Thieme and Roger Dale Martin. They would hire Larry Farkas soon after. The band is known for their amazing albums, as well as the controversy that followed in 1992 when Roger Martinez became an "Atheistic Satanist".

History:

This band's history has been said to be the most bizarre in metal history, I would call that a small overstatement but it is a history filled with very weird occurrences and confusing situations...so here you go, the history of Vengeance Rising.

In 1985, the band began as Sacrifice, with the lineup of Doug Thieme (Guitars) and Roger Dale Martin (Bass). The band would then hire Drummer Steve Bertram. However, Bertram did not last in the band long and would be replaced by Michael "Mike" Betts of Neon Cross. The band's name would change their name to Vengeance, due to the already preexisting death metal band Sacrifice.

The band was known for its fascination with violent themes, as reflected lyrically in their first two albums. Their first two albums, before the split into Die Happy, are considered their best. Their debut Human Sacrifice was called "the most radical Christian album ever released" by HM Magazine editor Doug Van Pelt. Their penchant for violence extended to the stage, and the band would graphically portray the crucifixion of Christ at their shows. Extreme graphics also appeared in the cover art of the band's albums. Both Human Sacrifice and Once Dead were censored by Christian bookstores at least partially because of their violent graphical content. Copies of their third release. Destruction Comes, had a censorship sticker covering the male figure, dubbed "Raegoul", exposing half of his body without skin...but I am getting a bit ahead of myself here.

After the name change, in 1986, the band hired Sharon to perform vocals. The band, now consisting on Sharon, Thieme, Betts, and Martin would perform for an additional year until they changed their name to Vengeance Rising, also hiring Larry Farkas on Lead Guitars (ex-Deliverance), Glen Mancaruso on Drums, and Glenn Rogers on Rhythm Guitars (Deliverance). Mancaruso agreed to perform drums temporarily until they were able to find and hire a new drummer. Soon thereafter, they would hire Roger Martinez on Vocals and everything fell into place.

Two weeks later, Rogers would depart from the band, after writing several songs structures.

The band, with the new lineup, signed to Intense Records. The band then recorded and released their debut album, Human Sacrifice. The band toured on the album with the lineup. The same year, the band would release a demo titled Vengeance. In 1989, the band was featured on a split album, featuring Sacred Warrior, Deliverance, Bloodgood, Shout and David Zaffiro. The album was released through Frontline Records.

In 1990, the band released their sophomore album, titled Once Dead. A review of Once Dead in CCM found that the cover of that albums depiction of "resurrection from spiritual death" was "grisly". Musically, the album showed an influence of speed metal, with thrash arrangements on some songs, like the cover of Deep Purple's Space Truckin', and "Out of the Will", which reminded one reviewer of One Bad Pig. While the vocals often sounded "like someone gargling with razor blades", the lyrics were found to be "very Bible based," and matched with the scriptural references from which they were drawn. However the band members began to feel a disconnect with Martinez, as he would not tour with the band in the van. After the Once Dead Tour, the members met with Martinez and arranged a way for him to keep control of all debts that the band had, with Martinez agreeing to the terms. The band members would, however, later on be accused by Martinez of thievery and leaving him to handle all of the band's debts. These claims were not true.

In 1991, Martinez hired Lead Guitarist Derek Sean (ex-Mortification) and Drummer Chris Hyde (ex-Deliverance, ex-Holy Soldier) to perform on the new upcoming album, titled Destruction Comes. The album is generally considered to be a failing album, as the first two albums were considered the best. However some fans appreciate it more than others. The album also featured additional guitars and bass by Jimmy P. Brown II (Deliverance), Victor Macias (Tourniquet) and Jaime Mitchel (Scaterd Few).

After the album was released, Hyde and Sean departed from the band. Martinez only hired Johnny Vasquez officially for drums, while the rest of the musical section he filled with live musicians. Martinez and Vasquez recorded their newest album, Released Upon the Earth. The live band, consisting of Guitarists George Ochoa (Deliverance, ex-Recon) and Daniel Cordova (Shades of Crimson) as well as Michael "Mike" Wagel on Bass. After the album released, the band split up. The band released a compilation album titled Anthology.

Roger Martinez had previously been a part of the Pentecostal Foursquare Church and was baptized there. He eventually joined a church near Hollywood, where he became a pastor. However, by the release of Released Upon the Earth, he had left his pastor position to perform music full-time. While there, he began looking into faith healing, which found to be a fraud. In the mid 1990s, Martinez departed from the Christian faith, telling HM Magazine he was a committed atheist in 1997. There was some speculation that he was never a Christian and he just put on a performance. According to friends of Martinez, Scott Waters (Ultimatum) and Steve Rowe (Mortification), Martinez began to record music that counteracted his Christian career. Martinez then began making death threats towards individuals he claimed "stabbed him in the back", including Steve Rowe, whose band, Mortification, Martinez assisted in getting a record contract.

At this point, he began working on a non-Christian album under the name Vengeance Rising, however, with much luck the venture never saw the light of day and Martinez disappeared for a brief time. The band at the time had several musicians formerly of the Christian metal scene, who had lost their faith.

In 2004, the founding members, Thieme and Martin, alongside Farkas and Mancaruso reformed the band with Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters to play a reunion show at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. However, since the band gave Martinez the rights to the debts, he claimed that he owned the name of the band as well. He threatened to sue the band so the concert could not happen. The band changed their name to Once Dead, so they could play the show. The band became it's own project, rather than continued on the Vengeance name and legacy.

In 2017, the band, with the help of Roxx Records, re-released Human Sacrifice on vinyl for it's 30th anniversary. On August 9, 2017, it was reported that Vengeance Rising would reunite at the So Cal Metal Fest 2, with the original lineup of Thieme, Martin, Farkas and Macarsuo, with Jim Settle of Hand of Fire performing vocals for the show. The band performed the show with no incident. The band is currently signed to unspecified label and is working on new music. Despite being known as Vengeance Rising, the band is changing their name to something else. The band returned to the moniker of Once Dead, with the change of Roger Sampson of Precious Death on Drums.

All in all a turbulent history and a really bizarre story as well. However with all its ups and downs one really can't deny the impact this band made on metal music as a whole. I know musicians in all types of metal bands, from traditional, to thrash, to death, to black, even the most guttural of grind bands who have sited at least the debut album as an influence. It was an amazing band who's legacy goes far beyond the controversies and the conflicts, and exists as a beacon of metal mastery that all interested bands can aspire to.

Crimson Glory Transcendence Album Review

Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)

Members:

Midnight - lead vocals

Jon Drenning - lead guitar

Ben Jackson - rhythm guitar

Jeff Lords - bass guitar

Dana Burnell - drums

Factoids:

Transcendence is the second studio album by Florida heavy metal group Crimson Glory, released in 1988 via Roadracer Records (now Roadrunner Records) in Europe and MCA Records in United States. It is considered by many to be their finest work. It was recorded at Morrisound Studios.

The artwork was made by Japanese artist Takashi Terada for the Japanese poster art for the 1985 science fiction film Lifeforce, the artwork was also used on an issue of the popular science magazine OMNI.

The Review:

Ah the sequel album if you will. Just like movies, they can be tricky. Sky high expectations (only to come crashing down) are the main reason for people saying that they can’t hold a candle to the original movie or debut album (which would happen with Crimson Glory’s later albums, but we're not here to talk about that now. But having said all that let me assure you that they absolutely meet all expectations and in some instances I dare say they surpass them. One hell of an iconic heavy metal release right up there with all the Maiden and Priest classics. Think of this album as the debut on steroids as far as sheer intensity and power is concerned, though both albums are pretty much cut from the same cloth. Of course both the debut and Transcendence are classics and I’m sure that no one with a pair of functional ears would even try and argue with that. The cover art is bizarrely questionable but let’s not get into that for the time being.

These guys sure as hell realize the importance of a killer opening track and honestly what better choice can there be other than the fist-pumping epic “Lady Of Winter”. The way he screeches “LAAAAADYYY OF WINTAAAAAAR, TUUUURNING TO RAAAAIN!!” plus the catchy-as-hell opening guitar lick of the song itself makes it an instant winner right from the very first listen itself. It has to be noted that this stuff is addictive. Yeah don’t worry, I’m still talking about the song here folks. If you're looking for the more straight-up heavy metal cuts on this album, "Where Dragons Rule" (with an amazing catchy chorus riff), "Red Sharks" (with some super-awesome high pitched vocals) plus the killer riffage of "Eternal World" will suit you just fine not to mention prime cuts like "In Dark Places" (ignore the slightly cheesy lyrics) and "Masque Of The Red Death" have a mid-paced/doomier and more varied twist on the usual template of heavy metal that really makes these guys stand out from the pack. Plus the epic title track has an almost oriental intro with the clean picking and acoustic rhythms. Very interesting indeed and one heck of a grower after the first couple of listens. The riffs are pure gold with sublime lead harmonies, reminiscent of what makes the genre of heavy metal so amazing. Just like Queensryche and Judas Priest, these guys can also rip it on the ballads with absolute class and finesse without sounding cheesy or overbearing in the least. Kindly listen to "Painted Skies" and "Lonely" (A sublime melancholic touch with an inferno of a solo to boot) to see what I'm talking about. The latter ballad actually reminds me of Queensryche's epic "I Don't Believe In Love"(ironically released the same year). The thing that really set this band apart from other bands was their obviously endless talent and of that talent their singer Midnight (John Patrick McDonald), a vocalist who was so gifted and poetically esoteric that it made his vocal phrasing seem  effortless and emotionally charged, he was the anchor of this bands very unique sound. Sadly with Priest, Maiden and Queensryche mainly leading the charge in the 80s, these guys seem to have fallen through the cracks, which is a bit of a shame really, because in later years as this album has been discovered, it has really influenced a whole legion of power metal bands all over the world trying to capture that lighting again.

If you read the last sentence of the previous stanza properly, you clearly need to remedy the situation and get this album if you haven't already. A heavy metal classic with amazing diversity and absolutely mandatory for every fan of metal across the board. It's just as simple as that.

Score: 5/5

Tourniquet Stop the Bleeding Album Review

Tourniquet - Stop the Bleeding (1990)

Members:

Ted Kirkpatrick – drums, bass

Guy Ritter – vocals

Gary Lenaire – guitars, vocals, bass

Mark Lewis – lead guitars

Factoid:

Stop the Bleeding is Christian metal band Tourniquet's debut album, released originally in 1990 on Intense Records and remastered/re-released independently in 2001 on Pathogenic Records. The re-release includes new artwork, an expanded booklet, and several bonus tracks including demos and live versions featuring then-lead vocalist Luke Easter.

The Review:

After 2+ decades of delivering punishing metal to rabid fans, Tourniquet's first release, Stop the Bleeding, is often dismissed as merely being a spring board for their later efforts. It' uniqueness is commonly overlooked, and is implied by some as being a bit outdated. Though it is quite true that a lot has changed in metal since 1990 (not all for the better), this is still an album that offers more sonic intricacies than most - past and present. It is also bone crushingly heavy!

The band recorded Stop the Bleeding at Mixing Lab A & B studio in Garden Grove, California. The band's line-up consisted of Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter, and Gary Lenaire. Session musician Mark Lewis played nearly half of the album's lead guitar solos.

Prior to the album's recording, during an "Artists vs. Label" softball game, a label executive accidentally ran over drummer Ted Kirkpatrick's foot (his main kick foot) while rounding second base, requiring Kirkpatrick to record the album under a great deal of pain. The band faced other recording obstacles as well, such a power failure that forced the producer to mix the songs over again.

Musically, the album was said to be "unlike anything else on the market at the time" and incorporates classical music to 1980s-inspired speed and thrash metal riffs. Guy Ritter's vocals on the album, which he said were inspired by glam metal vocalists, shift between low-baritone and high-falsetto vocals, although they were performed higher on the demo versions.

A common grievance though is the shrilling falsettos of Guy Ritter. This style of singing was more commonplace during this era and comparisons were usually made between him and King Diamond. For some, this may depreciate the originality. But set against the blistering background, these vocals create a musical ambience akin to no one else. His unrelenting shrieks on "Ready or Not," for example, resemble the howls of a frail yet hideous creature crawling out of a tomb.

Though there was no official bassist (they were essentially a trio), the work that was laid down in this respect is crunchy and more than functional. The bass work on "Harlot Widow and the Virgin Bride" is particularly prevalent and works well in this fashion. The guitar work is pristine and hints at the technical progressions that will emerge on later albums. Needless to say the drumming is extraordinary as Ted Kirkpatrick introduced his signature beats. One can literally be transfixed into the drum work alone.

This album shines ten metallic gems that don't let up. Highlights are the melodic "Test for Leprosy" containing one the coolest bridges ever, the epic "Tears of Korah" that successfully conjures the setting of the subject matter, "Arc of Suffering" which delivers merciless riffs along side lyrics about the mistreatment of animals, and the infectious whirlwind that is "Swarming Spirits."

In conclusion, Stop the Bleeding is worth any metal fan's time - be it to reminisce or to ponder Tourniquet's timeless musical innovations.

Score: 5/5

Morbid Angel Blessed are the Sick Album Review

Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick (1991)

Members:

David Vincent – bass, vocals

Trey Azagthoth – guitars, keyboards

Richard Brunelle – guitars, acoustic guitar

Pete Sandoval – drums

Tom Morris - engineering, mixing

Factoid:

Blessed Are the Sick is the second studio album from death metal band Morbid Angel. It features an overall slower musical sound, although containing very fast riffs, and reveals another side of the band, with classical music undertones (main composer Trey Azagthoth would dedicate this album to Mozart). Tracks 9, 10 and 12 are re-recorded songs from the 1986 demo Abominations of Desolation. The cover painting is "Les Trésors de Satan" by Jean Delville.

The Review:

I grew up in the Tampa Bay area having moved there as a child in 1981 and staying there until 2007 when I moved to California. I was there in the infancy of the Death Metal scene and I was playing in my own band at the time as well as helping the others in the scene as we all did back in the day. As one of death metal’s earliest practitioners, Morbid Angel always appeared larger than the hell-spawned genre they helped create. They just always possessed a more profound understanding of what death metal could become – even if the initial vision wasn’t theirs, through the eyes of Trey Azagthoth and his cohorts Morbid Angel demonstrated the difference between taking a genre to its limits and playing as if the limitations didn’t exist. An unconventional band in an unconventional genre, Morbid Angel’s inherent weirdness was not only the means that separated them from the growing boom of death metal in the early 90’s, but it was also why they led it. Simply put, Morbid Angel was and always will be a cornerstone band for extreme metal, an awe-inspiring institution of how perseverance, practice and vision can see you doing the supposed impossible.

A hardworking band when it came to every aspect of their early years together (changing their own bus tires on tour, non-stop rehearsing, etc..), the members of Morbid Angel approached everyday life with the some vicious intent as they did music, very much living a “death metal” lifestyle. With these blue-collar ethics in hand, the progression between the band’s first album, Altars of Madness and their sophomore record Blessed Are The Sick is absolutely immense, a progression in every sense of the word. As intense and forward thinking as it was, Altars of Madness was still very much shackled to the thrashy-bounds Morbid Angel was founded on; Blessed Are The Sick forcefully discards these restraints, freeing the band and paving the way for Azagthoth’s bizarre genius to finally take fruition, pushing death metal in the abyss beyond reach forever.

Whereas Altars of Madness was crafted during a time when death metal was still all about achieving an undeterred terminal velocity by 1991 and the release of Blessed Are The Sick that air had cleared, allowing for a major growth to take place within the still fledgling genre. Far from a straightforward affair, Blessed Are The Sick finally started to display the hidden glut of Azagthoth’s influences, allowing elements of psychedelic and classical to permeate the album’s unwaveringly dense infrastructure. Finally implementing the “trippy” sound he really always desired, Blessed… is noticeably slower than its predecessor, but is in return more dynamic, exploring the contrasts between faster and slower sections and truly unorthodox song structures.

An apocalyptic wasteland decimated by the gargantuan riffs of Lords Azagthoth and Brunelle, Blessed… fully unearths the wizardry of these guitar sorcerers, showing the two summoning more and more hellfire-tinged riffs and solos as the album progresses. A Musician’s musician within a musician’s musicians community, Trey’s guitar style (first truly seen here) is one of Morbid Angel’s most distinguishing traits; the man invoked pure chaos, skewing conventional guitar arrangements to create a nightmarish glimpse of the many boundaries death metal had still yet to break. While thrash undeniably resonates from time to time (which can mostly be attributed several rerecorded songs originally from Abominations of Desolation) Azagthoth’s compositions are frightening looks into the past and present; vestiges of thrash will always remain in death metal music, but now they are contorted and deformed, a true display of just how far death metal’s ambitious spirit has pushed heavy metal into hideous extremity.

Adopting a doomy, slower groove-based edge, there are very few moments on this album where you won’t be compelled to bang your head; improving greatly on the tinny production of previous records, Blessed Are The Sick’s ball-sagging heavy sound provides the rhythm sections tormented playing greater weight, a true asset when it comes to having ambitions of being the heaviest band out there. Perhaps to match the growing heaviness of the music, David Vincent’s once raspy bark has been replaced by thick, pronounced gutturals, decipherable but still malevolent enough to ensure your little sister WILL NOT be picking this up for a casual listen anytime soon. It’s almost hard to believe that when Pete Sandoval first joined Morbid Angel in 1988 he was unable to perform double bass beats - by 1991 he was not only one of the most technically proficient, but also creative drummers in death metal. Whether he knew it or not at the time though, that was his fate since his decision to join the band; with off the wall guitar-playing like Azagthoth’s, Sandoval’s evolution was undoubtedly forced upon him, in a do-or-die situation of keep up or get left behind.

Of the first David Vincent era of the band only Domination gets overlooked more than Blessed are the Sick. Their aforementioned debut and their third release, Covenant, constantly garner great attention for different reasons; the debut for its no holds barred approach and the latter for their ability to change speeds on a dime. Blessed toes the line between albums quite well, much like Slayer’s South of Heaven bridges the gap between Reign In Blood and Seasons In The Abyss. The band experiments with slowed tempos on the album’s first track “Fall From Grace,” also shifting gears without a moment’s notice.

Flashes of Altars enter into the fray on “Abominations;” Trey Azagthoth skewers all comers with his fretboard flourish, delivering the fastest song on the entire album. Vincent’s vocals imbue much more of a guttural style than in the past, and this sound continues to develop and become more fully fledged on Covenant.

Tracks like “Doomsday Celebration” feel like a leftover from a King Diamond album; a classically themed interlude that also could double as Castlevania or Super Metroid music from Super Nintendo. Morbid Angel experimented with these bumper tracks on Blessed and made them more fleshed out on Covenant. Seeing as this kind of in-between track would likely be played by a live orchestra these days, it shows just how poorly the synthesized sounds have aged over time.

Often remembered as one of the group’s best efforts, it’s in an album like Blessed Are The Sick that the extreme metal world has gained an undying respect for; pushing the limits during Its time, Morbid Angel’s second record was a groundbreaking release for death metal, giving it a clear dynamic perspective that few had yet to give it credit for. Released during one of death metal’s most successful periods, if 1991 was the year of memorable death metal albums, Blessed Are The Sick is just a bit more memorable than most

Score: 5/5

Metallica Double Album Review

Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984)

Members:

James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar

Kirk Hammett – lead guitar, production

Cliff Burton – bass, production

Lars Ulrich – drums, production

Factoid:

Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at the Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King's novel The Stand. Although rooted in the thrash metal genre, the album showcased the band's musical growth and lyrical sophistication. This was partly because bassist Cliff Burton introduced the basics of music theory to the rest of the band and had more input in the songwriting. Instead of relying heavily on fast tempos as on its debut Kill 'Em All, Metallica broadened its approach by employing acoustic guitars, extended instrumentals, and more complex harmonies. The overall recording costs were paid by Metallica's European label Music for Nations because Megaforce was unable to cover it. It was the last album to feature songwriting contributions from former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, and the first to feature contributions from his replacement, Kirk Hammett.

The Review:

Released in 1984, Ride the Lightning is Metallica's second studio effort. Often sandwiched between the mighty Kill Em' All and Master Of Puppets, I feel that the album is the proverbial "middle child" of the Metallica discography, slightly ignored and somewhat under-valued compared to its siblings.

    The album opens with the beautiful classical guitar introduction of "Fight Fire with Fire". After about forty seconds, the band unleashes an all-out metal attack. Like "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath, the song is a very "gloom and doom" look at the military-industrial complex that hangs over us in the modern world, very apocalyptic. A classic Metallica song to say the least, with fantastic drumming from Lars, one of his best drum parts in my opinion. The title track "Ride the Lightning" shows Metallica moving away from the break-neck speeds of Kill Em' All and more to a focus on developing melody. A strong condemnation of capital punishment, the song shows Metallica at their most political. Kirk Hammett is a revelation on the song, and you can start to see his solos moving towards a very melodic playing style, more refined than the "in your face" guitar attack on Kill Em' All. The song is one of the first "epic" Metallica songs, preparing us for what will come on the next album. Not as technically complex as the song "Master of Puppets", but a progressive step in that direction. In any case, a fantastic song.

   "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is an absolute beast of a song. I have always loved the lead bass guitar introduction, delivered by arguably one of the best bass players of all time, Cliff Burton. The lyrics are based on the Hemingway novel of the same name, and concern the experience of war, and all of its horrors from the perspective of a soldier. Lars keeps a solid and pounding beat throughout, and Hetfield delivers his best vocal on the album, and one of the best of his career in all honesty. But the highlight for me is the lyrics and bass-work of the very missed Cliff Burton, the heart of Metallica. A great song, and one of my favorites on the album."Fade to Black" is likely the most famous song on the album, and has largely survived in the modern Metallica set-list. Gorgeously classical, the song is a very heart-wrenching tale of hopelessness and suicide. The riffs are crushing and bear the mark of Black Sabbath, very heavy for the band, but somehow softer due to the acoustics throughout. A great song, one of Metallica's best.

     "Trapped Under Ice" is a fan-favorite, a deep album cut. More like something off Kill Em' All, it is the fastest song on the album. I really like the song, but I would not say it's a perfect song, just more thematically and musically in line with their first album, a bit of a "refugee" on this album. Lars' drumming is an obvious highlight, and the lyrics are pretty stark and bleak, but not a classic "Tallica" song for a lot of fans. "Escape" is another deep cut. A classic metal tale of not following the rules, the song feels a bit hollow lyrically, an all-too common theme explored during 80s metal. I honestly don't completely care for the song, sounding positively slow motion compared to most tracks off Kill Em' All. The whole song feel anti-climatic, like a demo fleshed out to fill the length requirements of the album, which in a lot of ways that matter, it really was.

    "Creeping Death" is an obvious favorite of many on the album. Like a cold shower, the song wakes us from the coma that "Escape" put us in. The best song ever written about a plague, I love everything about this song, it is the sound of Metallica beginning to approach their creative peak that would culminate on the next album, part of the symbolism in this track is biblical in nature and references the following [Exodus 12:22 - And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip [it] in the blood that [is] in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that [is] in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.]. Lars is like a freight train running down the tracks, and I can't understand why he has some many detractors, he's a solid drummer. One just need listen to this song to hear his talent. Hammett and Hetfield both deliver killer guitars, one of the best Metallica riffs to ever exist, absolutely punishing. The album closes with the Cliff Burton track "The Call of Ktulu". Inspired by the H.P. Lovecraft story, I like the song, and I especially love the bass leads of Cliff Burton, bringing back the bass sound he explored on "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)" from Kill Em' All. Hammett's leads will make you green with envy, and will make you ask the question, how can someone be so proficient in their early 20s? A true showcase of his talent, as well as all of the other members of the band.

   "Ride the Lightning" is a very good album. I prefer the much-lauded "Master of Puppets", but consider this album a close second for my pic of best Metallica album. Despite a couple filler songs, most songs are metal classics, songs that many bands only wish they could write. The sound of a band hitting their stride, ascending to the top of the rock world, and what a sound they made on their way up.

Score: 4/5

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

Members:

James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar, solo on "Master of Puppets" and "Orion"

Kirk Hammett – lead guitar

Cliff Burton – bass

Lars Ulrich – drums

Factoid:

Master of Puppets is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on March 3, 1986 by Elektra Records. Recorded at the Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the first Metallica album released on a major record label. Master of Puppets was the band's last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album's promotional tour. The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and became the first thrash metal album to be certified platinum. It was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2003 for shipping six million copies in the United States. The album was eventually certified 6× platinum by Music Canada and gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The Review:

What is there to say about this album that has not already been said? Metallica's highly-praised third album is often considered to be the greatest album ever released. Do I agree? Let's take a look...

    Released in 1986, "Master of Puppets" was released during the golden age of metal. Stepping away from the satanic and demonic lyrics of most metal bands of the day, on Master of Puppets, Metallica showed that metal had something much bigger to say. Basically a sort-of concept album, "Master" concerns the military-industrial complex that churns out soldiers only to see them thrown away like trash after wars are over, if they survive at all. Countless imitators would follow over the years but none have come close, and this album basically set the scene for thrash metal for the next 20+ years.

    The album begins with "Battery". Anyone doubting the drum-pounding skills of Lars "Napster" Ulrich, needs only to listen to this song. An absolutely manic song, it was with Battery that thrash metal perfectly blended speed and melody. Classic song. Next is the titular "Master Of Puppets". What can I say about this monster. The most epic metal song of all time, "Master" is a great majority of Metallic fans favorite song. I have nothing other to say than if you have not heard this song, listen NOW!. "The Thing That Should Not Be" comes next. Never one of my absolute favorite songs but it's not a bad track either, the riff is ultra-heavy and the drums kill, but it lacks the epic progressiveness and time changes of most of the other songs on the album. Next is "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". One of the best "Tallica" songs ever, it is similar in structure and lyrically content to the more famous "One" from "And Justice For All". I love the solos on this song, and Kirk Hammet lays down easily his best guitar work in my opinion. Bonafide classic.

      "Disposable Heroes" continues the theme of the album. About soldiers heading into the slaughter, the song is brutal and raw.  Much more straightforward musically than other songs on the album, it lacks some of the progressive complexity that most of Master has. Certainly not a bad song, but not a real standout track for me. 

   "Leper Messiah" is a hardcore fan favorite. I find the verse somewhat repetitive and hard to distinguish musically from any other Metallic song. But, the instrumental break-down of the song is what keeps me coming back. Lars is a beast on this song, and I love his "double-bass" drum work at the end of the song. Very good, but not a classic in my opinion, but hey...it is a great way to use a David Bowie lyric as a title.

   Next is one of my favorite Metallica songs. "Orion" is a gem, and showcases not only the band's talent, but the talent of the late "four-string mother-fuc***", Cliff Burton. Instrumental, I believe the lack of lyrics only adds to the greatness of the song. Ominous, brutal, skull-crushing, are just a few of the words I would use to describe this song. Anyone who plays rock bass has surely taken something from this song, even just one note. Amazing. Last up is "Damage, Inc". I have always loved the keyboard sounding intro, very different sounding. After chilling you out, Metallica takes a proverbial baton to your head with a super-tight riff that echoes military marching bands turned up to 11. Insanely fast, manic, and drilling, the song is a perfect closer to Master. Great song.

    "Master of Puppets" is a great album. There is no doubting its genius and impact. But, is it the greatest metal album of all time, I don't think so. A close contender and definitely up there with the greats, but I can think of a list of several of albums that exceed this moderately overrated album. Great, but not the greatest album with the word "Master" in its title.

Score: 4.5/5