New review: The Berzerker's "The Reawakening"

You can find the new, and long overdue, review for The Berzerker's "The Reawakening" album at my new "DNS" site.

Distored_NoteS

New Website... updated!

www.obscurehaven.com/distorted_notes

That's going to be the new home for "Distorted_Notes." So far, I've transferred all my previous posts and I'm going to start work on my new reviews for albums from The Berzerker, The Haunted, Amon Amarth, and a few opinions on the pros and cons of purchasing cds in an mp3 age and maybe a few thoughts on where music business is going in today's economic depression. So stay tuned, I'll continue to update this page until all the bugs and widgets have been loaded to the new "DN."

- j

new site coming soon

Slowly, but surely, I'm transfering "DN" to my new hosting and site. It will be an extension of my personal site so I'll transfer every post over and make improvements here and there. For the time being keep coming here for more posts but soon it will be at www.obscurehaven.com.

- j

Metallica - Death Magnetic

Before I begin with my review of Metallica's newest album, "Death Magnetic", let just get all the nasty, ill-willed statements out of the way so you can continue to read my review with a clear mind. So first off we know the following about the album:

1) The cover is really a cover up for one huge gaping vagina.
2) This could be St(.)Anger part duex.
3) James is now a pussy and doesn't believe in drinking, drugs, or multiple amounts of hot pussy (this according to the last video I saw where they depicted a man in his prime drinking and ending up with nameless women and feeling bad for that).
4) Lars can not drum worth a shit and is still a cocksucker.
... and lastly
5) Why the monkey crawling bassist?

O.k. now that you had a few chuckles, hehehe monkey bassist, I'll start set up for this review of what has been a highly awaited release; not because its another release by Metallica but because of the morbid curiosity to see if they could sink any lower than "St. Anger." I remembered reviewing "St. Anger" for the Ultimate Metal forums and I pretty much bashed it, not because I hated the drum sound or because the lyrics where about the most kindergarden-esc thing I've ever heard but because the album was... well... horrible on all accounts and more so. So when word came down that Metallica was recording a new album with Rick Ruben, not many people found hope in that combo, in fact the bashing began as the word "Metallica" was printed.

But, "Death Magnetic" is a different story... it is actually the complete opposite of what "St. Anger" was from a production stand point, lyrically, and from a musicianship's stand point as well. What we hear on this album is actually a "REAL" band playing, unlike in "St. Anger" where it was really just a singer/guitarist and drummer trying to find a place in the wave of current metal trends. The album actually has a VERY, and I'm not using the word lightly, power beginning with the song "That Was Your Life." The opening track is actually the "grooviest" thing I have heard from Metallica in years, maybe dating back to "Reload" or even "The Black Album." The following tracks are nothing less than Metallica covering their late 80's selves, which to some is a bad thing but to others is a good thing, where you stand is completely up to you.

What surprised me to see on the track list was "Unforgiven III", which apparently I thought was a joke but is actually a decent track. This version of the "Unforgiven" saga is probably the best predecessor to the original because of its emotional highs and lows and is probably the most "beautiful" song on the album because of its emotional honesty that the piano, strings arrangements, and structure bring. After "Unforgiven III", its full speed again, well... mid paced speed, and one thing that I noticed that note many will mention is that each song is no shorter than 7 minutes. This album is really not "radio friendly" in terms of length and I this is in part to the massive amounts of guitar solos and solo riffing sections, "The Judas Kiss" being a great example of riffing madness.

Overall, I actually enjoyed the album and this is coming from someone that was so against "St. Anger" that I completely wrote off Metallica as a band period. I can honestly say that listening to "Death Magnetic" reminds me A LOT of "... and justice and for all", something in the guitar tone or song structure was recaptured but whatever the case I can say that "Death Magnetic" is the 180 degree turn from "St. Anger" towards a good/rejuvenated band with actual spirit and lust for playing music.

So that is my point of view so love it or hate it, music is music and if it doesn't appeal to you the so be it; the beauty of music is its subjectivity.

Jack has a podcast!

Well, I decided to try making a real podcast of stuff that I've been digging on for a while. So, while I'm still new at it, I'm gonna try and do some more podcasts of all different types of generes to really get this blog itchin. Also, I'm going to switch this, in due to, over to obscurehaven.com but for the mean time just groove on the tunes and the reviews.

Detritus - Fractured

As many can see, and according to older posts, I am a metalhead turned dubhead or dubstepper whathaveyou. So I'm always on a look out for interesting, moving, exciting electronica or dubstep. So when I found this album, "Fractured" by Detritus, I didn't know what to expect. The caption for the review said that it was a "Downtempo, ambient, and cinematic" but when I upon hearing the album, I can honestly say those tags are just a short hand for what really goes on in the album.

The album starts off very powerful with the opening song, "Desolate (5-HTP Mix)" with its almost break beat style drumming and Arabic vocals leading the song forward. The song its self is very energetic and soothing in some aspects. The following track is more industrial sounding with raging guitars, epic synths, and breakcore drumming. Now not all of the album is "breakcore-ish", tracks such as "Lethe", "Interrupted", and "Dancing on Moonbeams" are the albums most beautiful works of art. Those songs are the chillest, warmest, relaxing songs you could ever hear.

The album is concluded with two remixes, one from DJ Hidden and the other from Keef Baker, that fit very well and do their respected songs justice. This is one seriously well done album that every electronica lover needs to have in their IPOD, car, stereo, PC, whatever device that regenerates sound. This is surely a classic in the mists.

Venom - Hell

“Lay down your soul to the gods of Rock N’ Roll!” Those are the words EVERY single person remembers when hearing the title track to Venom’s sophomore release “Black Metal.” Those words have always been kind of true in terms of Venom because of them coining the now infamous term, “Black Metal.” But, when you talk about Venom you cannot help but get into the whole discussion of who started “Black Metal” whether it was Bathory, Pentagram, or even Black Sabbath (I’ve heard people use the Black Sabbath argument).

But after so many “Black Metal” bands such as Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, and so on and so on, Venom as a band kind of faded away leaving the term, the image, and the attitude for the newer bands to take and make their own. Slowly, but surely, Venom had tried to stay revelant to the metal world, not the “Black Metal” world, with albums such as “Cast in Stone”, “Metal Black”, and now “Hell.” While Venom no longer really consists of the original members, Cronos being the sole leader and foundation, they have still have not let up or changed much of the ideologies that they began with.

“Hell” is very much a heavy album with very moody overtones, which at times, taps into a more “Doom Metal” emotion. At times, the album reminds me of Slayer’s “Diabolus In Musica” with the slow, droning riffs, heavy and prominent bass, and double bass drumming. The lyrics still hold true to their Ideology of doom, Armageddon, death, and anti-Christianity. In reality, very little has changed in the bands style, maybe a modernizing of playing, but this album actually fits pretty well within todays “Metal” world.