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This album, from 1976, contains many classic songs. Just listen to the title track.....This is pure Rock n´Roll (as the rest of the AC/DC albums....). Listen to Bon Scott´s childish voice! This have never before been done, and I must say that few bands tried to copy the sound of AC/DC......they just dont dare to do it!
Ranking: 7 / 10
AC/DC
Let there be Rock
I believe this is the ONE......With songs like "Whole lotta Rosie", "Let there be Rock" and "Overdose" this simply can not fail. The best rock album ever. And the video to "Let there be Rock" is great....with Scott as a priest and Angus as a angel.....great!
Ranking: 10 / 10
AC/DC
Dirty Deeds done Dirt Cheap
Everyone around the world have probablly heard "Dirty Deeds....",
the title song. No words are necessary!
But there is some not that great songs on this one. It sounds very much like
"High Voltage", but it doesn´t reach up to that level......
Ranking: 6 / 10
AC/DC
Powerage
One of the coolest covers.....And it contains one of the best songs: "Sin City". "Powerage" is a bit faster and more raw than the other albums, with songs like "Kicked in the teeth", "Gimme Bullet" etc. Simply a must have!
Ranking: 8 / 10
AC/DC
If You want Blood - You got it
This isn´t a studio album, but a live album. Recorded live at the 1978 world tour. The sound is great, and the choice of songs are also great! Just listen to the audience screaming: "Angus, Angus, Angus" after every song...
All the classic songs are here....eveyone!
Ranking: 10 / 10
AC/DC
Highway to Hell
The last album with Bon Scott before he died. And when people thinking about AC/DC, they probablly have "Highway to Hell" in their minds.....Another great album from the Gods of Rock n´Roll. One will never get tiered of this one!
Ranking: 10 / 10
AC/DC
Back in Black
Just a year after Bon died, Brian Johnson took the microphone and screamed "Cause
I´m back..." with his whiskey voice. Some liked it, and some not.
But this was a perfect start for the "new" AC/DC. "Hells Bells"
and "Back in Black" are just a few of all the wonderful songs on this
masterpiece. It´s not only the vocalist who changed; the music is different,
and so are the sound. It's heavier and slower. The "catchy" sound
and the rock n' roll feeling is gone, but this sort of sound fits Brians voice
better I think......
Ranking: 10 / 10
AC/DC
For Those About to Rock
A year after "Back in Black" they return again, after pumping out records almost every year since 1976. But this one isn´t good. Only the title song are AC/DC standard. The rest just passes by....
Ranking: 3 / 10
AC/DC
Flick of the Switch
A very underestimated album, but not in the same class as "Back in Black", It´s an album thats just extists, if you know what I mean. There are no greater peaks, and there are no downfalls either. Not boring but...well, I dont know. Listen and judge for your self.
Ranking: 5 / 10
AC/DC
Fly on the Wall
If "Flick of the Switch" was underestimated, this one is overestimated. However, a nice cover though. There are just a few great songs here: "Fly on the Wall" and "Shake your Foundations". It reminds me a bit of the previous album: No peaks, no downfalls.
Ranking: 5 / 10
AC/DC
Who made Who
This album is the soundtrack to Stephen King's movie "Maximum Overdrive", in which you can listen to "Who made Who". There are some new instrumental songs but the rest are just old stuff. It's almost a Greatest Hits album.
Ranking: 5 / 10
AC/DC
Blow up your Video
After a couple of not so good albums, they released "Blow up your Video". And this is what they should have done before! A great album all through, with some wonderful songs: "This means War", "Two´s up" and more. I was 10-11 years old when "Blow up your video" hit the earth, and the first song I heard was "This means War". I was born again!
Ranking: 9 / 10
AC/DC
The Razors Edge
Another classic and this album marks the end for AC/DC, as I know it. The opening track "Thunderstruck" is amazing. The intro takes you to another dimension...The rest of the album contains some good songs ("The Razor´s Edge", "Mistress for Christmas" etc.), but this one does not reach up to the previous album.
Ranking: 7 / 10
AC/DC
Ballbreaker
The new AC/DC. After about 6 years they return again, and I surely believed
that AC/DC was forever gone. Playing for 25 years now...they are getting old.
The album is okay, but not much more.
Ranking: 5 / 10
AC/DC
Stiff Upper Lip
Year 2000 AC/DC returns....in style. With a classic cover, and with some classic songs. This is great. But they could have skipped some songs; the album is too long. The sound is a bit old school, and the riffs are slower. AC have found them self's again! For the last time.....???
Ranking: 8 / 10
AETERNUS
Burning the Shroud EP
A mini CD from the Norway based black/dark metal band. I have always liked their music which is best described as: folksong inspired with doom and death influences. And I really wish that I could sing/scream like Ares do.....Hell-deep voice!
This minialbum contains some new songs and some older ones, plus a few catchy live tracks. If you love this band, the CD will fit in your stereo, but if you want some "real" stuff, buy one of the earlier albums instead.
Ranking: 5 / 10
This was the first Anathema album I heard. I didn´t know what I was expecting
to hear, but I was very surprised about this English group.
As many English bands, Anathema listend to My Dying Bride in their early days
(at least I think so), cause the sound and the mood och this album are depressed,
filled with sorrow but at the same time with at lot of beauty.
The album are strong all the way through, with no extra ordinary songs: they are all pretty slow (but not doom), with keyboards, acoustic guitars etc. And the top thing is the voice of Vincent Cavanagh. What a voice; clean and filled with pain!
So if you are looking for beautiful music with well-played instruments and a nice voice: this is what you should buy.
Ranking: 7 / 10
ANATHEMA
Alternative 4
More complex songs on this album (1998) than the previous one. The sorrow and empty love are still there, but the songs are more varied this time. So I dont think one should compare this with the "Eternity" album. Just listen to "Empty": a pop/rock song with a catchy chorus. But I dont think this is a bad thing, no, I like this album as well. Well played, well produced. Nothing to complain about!
Ranking: 7 / 10
ANATHEMA
Judgement
This is a step back to the earlier sound. Maybe because of some member changes. It´s a mix between "Eternity" and "Alternative 4". So obviously this is a great album! They even put some female voices in, and I always like that. I look forward to the next Anathema release!
Ranking 7 / 10
Primitive, boring black metal from 1994. Creators of this disaster are Aphazel and Grimm (all familiar names in the Black Metal scene). This is nothing that I will remember. Maybe it was a nice album back in 1994, but today it sounds like shit.
Ranking: 2 / 10
ANCIENT
The Cainian Chronicle
This is much better. The production is better, the guitars are better, the songs are better! Since Grimm left the band, Aphazel recruited new members (Kaiaphas from Grand Belials Key - vocals, Kimberly Goss (no need for a presentation) - vocals and synth, and Kejtil (never heard of him before) - drums). So with new blood in the band they created a chronicle about Cain and his deeds. The story itself does not really interests me, but the songs are nice.
The songs are mid-paced, with keyboards and nice sweeping riffs. Sometimes Kimberly sings with her beautiful voice, and that voice give this album a little higher mark than it deserves. And I must say that Kaiaphas voice is great as well.
Ranking: 6 / 10
ANCIENT
Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends
Pretty much in the same vein as "Cainian...", but this is even better!!! One of the best black metal releases in 1997. Only Aphazel and Kaiaphas are left from the previous album, and a new girl (Erichte) and bass player (Jesus Christ!) are recruited.
The album have a excellent sound and Kaiaphas voices/screams/laughs are making this album to a creepy horror show. And Aphazel know how to make grim riffs on his guitar. The songs are mid-paced, but sometimes it´s goes a bit faster.
The love song "Willowthewisp" are a great one; a duet between Kaiaphas and Erichte. A creepy but beautiful one!
Ranking: 9 / 10
ANCIENT
The Halls of Eternity
Ancient: The band with come-and-go members! Kaiaphas are gone this time, so Aphazel are making all the voices, together with a little girl that calls her self Deadly Kristin (I am getting pretty tiered of all these black metal names....).
The sound are a real hit this time, but a good sound does not make a good record, 'cause the album sucks and no sound in the world could save this disaster! The songs are uninteresting: boring riffs, boring lyrics (you know, the standard evil lyics...uhhhh).
I surely hopes that Aphazel are putting things together the next time, because I used to like his works!
Ranking 2 / 10
ANCIENT
Proxima Centauri
With no hope at all I put the CD in my stereo. Pushed play. Listened. No, my mind was crying. They did it again!
Well, it isn't that bad. Actually, this album is a milestone better then the
previous one, but still not good enough. Some songs sounds very good, specially
"Eyes of the Dead", which have a mind-blowing chorus, and thats almost
the only light of this release....
The rest of the songs just passing by and makes no impression on me. Just like
the previous album. But I get the feeling that Ancient put more work behind
this release than the last album, and one can hear that in all that songs. But
still something is missing. The lack of making good songs simply....
Ancient is not what they used to be.
Ranking 4 / 10
ANCIENT WISDOM
For Snow Covered the Northland
A Swedish black metal band thats plays a soft and easy listening metal, with landscape inspired lyrics (you know: snow, trees, mountains...). Nothing special at all. But if you dislike the aggressive and fast metal, you probably will love this one. It´s well played and well produced. The man behind this is Marcus Norman from Bewitched.
Ranking: 5 / 10
I have held my eyes on this Finnish group for a while now. The first time I heard them was 1998 with a song which sounded just like ordinary black metal ("Som öppna böcker"). Nothing special at all. It was Swedish lyrics, and I dont like that.....
This album, there third one, is totally different. There are some ass kicking techno beats here and there. Not the usual keyboard carpets that we are used to in the black metal scene nowadays. No, this is different. The music, besides the keyboards, are pretty normal, and so are the vocals: screaming. Some songs reminds me of the latest Samael album ("Eternal"), with some vocals far away in the background, and with a catchy chorus. Some songs are more faster, sounding like standard, fast, keyboardish black metal. But I like this album, even if it´s pretty hard to get through (if you dont listen to Samael and Dødheimsgard all the time). The last song is a 100% technobeat....So, after buying this one, I must check ...And Oceans second album out, or at least listen to it before buying it. These guys are into the experimental way of life, so there might be a risk buying something from them...
Ranking: 8 / 10
...AND OCEANS
Cypher
The latest release (2002) from this techno/black metal band from Finland. The last album was a surprise for me, specially the way they combined metal with electronic music/techno melodies. So I had some hope that they would go further and break new ground with this album. But ...And Oceans continue to play almost the same kind of music as on "A.M.G.O.D", so I am not really disappointed, but I was hoping for a new dimension of metal. Well, well, one cannot hope for too much nowadays....
The only ground breaking things on this album are the song titles....yes....they are very long. Song name such "Picturesque: Cataclysm Savour: And The Little Things That Make Us Smile". But when it comes to ...And Oceans it's not the song title or the lyrics that are important. It's the music. But this album are maybe too much of the good. They might have tried to make it a little bit shorter, cause after five, six songs I did have my dose of metal/techno. And most of the songs are just "okay"...not more. But here and there I found some really great songs, like "Silhouette: In White Rooms: Vacant Bodies" and "Angelina: Chthonian Earth: Her Face Forms Worms". And it's in those songs they let the keyboard lose in the most strange ways....
Ranking: 5 / 10
The last time I heard Annihilator was...let´s see...more than 10 years ago. The album was, ofcourse, "Alice in Hell". A great album by the way.
So, does Annihilator sounds great the year 2002? In fact they do. We all know
about bands that have been forgotten since the stoneage, who makes a comeback
with lots of promotion and promises of "old-school". 99% of the times
it fails.....
Annihilator did release a album not to long ago (2000?), but that one I haven't
heard (mail me a review if you want). But Annihilator do not promote thier albums
like, lets say Manowar, Metallica. No, Annihilator just want to thrash....and
make good music!
If you haven´t heard them before, shortly, they perform thrash/heavy metal in a pretty brutal way. And the vocals makes the music more brutal. Great voice! And listen to those guitars.....I have never heard such a strange guitar sound before....insane....
The opening song, "Ultra Motion", will for sure blow your brains out. A perfect opening of this fury. Then pace slows down a bit with the ballad :) "Torn". But after that one the madness is over you again with this albums best song, "Lunatic Asylum".
But....yes, allways a but....Annihilator doesn't reach all the way out. No, the second half is rather boring with no smash hit songs. But Annihilator should have lots of cred for making this album. It´s quite strong to make a album like this. Meaning: They have not looked back at thier previous albums and trying to repeat that winning formula.
Ranking: 7 / 10
AMORPHIS
Tales from the Thousand Lakes
I have always liked Amorphis, even if I only own one album (when writing this), but I must say that the newer albums are even more greater, but that is another story.
"Tales..." are as some of you might figure out, inspired from their home country Finland. The lyrics are translations of old Finnish texts/folkmusic lyrics. The songs are often slow and heavy, with dark riffs and with a dark, deep voice....Amorphis trademark!
This is clearly an over average death metal album with a great production.
Ranking: 6 / 10
AMORPHIS
Am Universum
Amorphis is band that totally changed their style: from doom/death metal to progressive rock. I am not a huge fan of the early Amorphis album, except "Tales...", but when the Finnish band released "Elegy" for a couple of years ago I became very intresting in this group. That album gave a taste for what to come.
I if you like early Amorphis you probablly dont like this "soft music" that Amorphis performs nowadays: Metal/pop with 70`s influences. Very hard to compare with other bands, so I suggest you check this album out if you like soft metal with strong melodies. And do I have to say that the vocalist sings with a clean voice, and not the "straight-from-the-underworld-voice" as the former vocalist did?
I almost dare to say that this album is one of 2001 best releases, at least when it comes to soft rock....
Ranking: 9 / 10
AMORPHIS
Far From the Sun
Must be hard to repeat such a sucssess like "Am Universum". Now, the year 2003, the Finnish band Amorphis are back again, and it's always inresting to hear something new from this refreshing, new-way-of-thinking group, which NOT sounds like HIM (thier homeland mates). I had some thoughts before I heard this album that they would continue develop thier prog/rock style more and I was afraid that the lust for expriments was too strong. But when I heard the first song on "Far From the Sun" I lost my breath: "Day of your beliefs" starts with a soft, medevil acustic intro, and after a while the distorted guitars kicks off in the same melody. A melody which will be in your head for at least three hours. It's a melody that is not far from (the sun) what we heard on "Tales from the Thousand Lakes". Not as heavy though.
After "Day of your beliefs" I wait....and wait....for another song at the same level. The wait is in vain... Amorphis burn there best song in the beginning of the album. And "Day of your beliefs" are, not hard to figure out, Amorphis first single release. "Planetary Misfortune", the second song on the album are real low level song, with a corny sounding chorus. "Evil inside" comes next, and that one are not good either. At this point I am ready to give Amorphis up, but they truly saves this album with the second half of the album, specially with the title song with its medevil melody, not as intensive as "Day of your beliefs" though. A soft and beautiful song. The next up-tempo song are "Killing Goodness" which reminds me of Uriah Heep and Amorphis show their 60/70's veins for the first time on "Far from the Sun". At the end of the album Amorphis are back as they started: with some great songs. But I am still annoyed by those two songs that sounds like something they recorded as fillers.... Thats why this album are far from "Am Universum" (he he). Well not so far.... This is actually a great album, except from some mistakes, but Amorphis are still one of the best rock bands in the world today.
Ranking: 7 / 10
The first release from this Swedish one-man band. The music is best described as trollish with lots of forests.....Yes, thats right. He (Shamaatae) is dressed like a troll on the cover and the lyrics are about the mystic and the power of the forest. Maybe it sounds weird, corny and stupid, but I like this kind of music, and this is quite original in fact. The lyrics are written in ancient Swedish, so sometimes it´s a little hard to follow the lines. The album title means "From the Forest", and thats what it is! But the sound is too well produced to come from the forest, and Shamaatae said that the next album should be more primitive. I agree: The sound is too clean, and the reason spells: The Abyss studio......
The songs are sometimes fast, and sometimes slow, overall a very varied album. The vocals are high, screaming. A standard Black Metal album.....
Ranking: 6 / 10
ARCKANUM
Kostogher
This is the second album of totally three in Arckanums concept series. The lyrics and the songs are almost the same as the debut, but this time the sound is more primitive, with a cold and chilly atmosphere. Cold winds are blowing, trolls (or whatever it is) are making noises in the background, and together with Shamaataes voice it makes a perfect atmosphere throughout the album. There are sometimes a female song and a violin here and there, making a little break in strom...thats always nice!
This is a album that I always will love, due to its speciall feeling it gives me. Shamaatae have managed to catch a perfect atmosphere to this album. Even if the music are speeding away sometimes, I still can lie in my bed and fly away....
Ranking: 9 / 10
ARCKANUM
Kampen
The final opus from the one-man band Arckanum. I looked forward to this when it was released (1998), but I was a little disappointed. It contains the same feeling and atmosphere as "Kostogher", but there is something missing. The songs aren´t good enough simply.
Another bad thing is that you cant switch to the next song on the album. They are all linked together, and I hate things like that. So when I want to listen to a song at the end of the album I have press the forward button for an hour.....(not that long, but...)
The album contains two CD´s, each one with different stories, if anyone cares about that.
Ranking: 5 / 10
ARCTURUS
La Masquerade Infernale
When this Norwegian all-star band hit the earth in 1997, it was a shock. Few
bands were playing like this at that time. Listen to it today and you will probably
not get surprised. Arcturus has it´s roots in the Black Metal scene (Hellhammer
and Sverd are names that probably rings a bell). Simen Hestnæs who sings,
do it with a clean voice, and sometimes it´s distorted and some electronic
influences are pushed in here and there. (Simen Hestnæs are now singing
in Dimmu Borgir and before that in Borknagar).
I must admit that I had trouble to swallow this album the first time I heard
it, but in time it grew and became a masterpiece!
The music it self are slow and somewhat wierd, but at the same time beautiful. Sometimes the music explodes, but not so often. As I nearly said, it is overall very technical and well done. A nice album!
Ranking: 7 / 10
ARCTURUS
The Sham Mirrors
It was a while since we heard from Arcturus. Last time they hit the earth I
was surprised. It took me a few rounds to understand their music. Nowadays I
am used to this kind of music, 'cause hundreds of bands tried to copy Arcturus
way to play technical, electronic and epic black/goth/synth(?) metal. Some did
it okay, others not.
So, what about Arcturus new album? Will they shock the world once more? No,
not this time. Actually, it's a kind of soft hanging-in-the-bar music....well,
at least the first song. But don't stop reading now, no, the album is nice,
but it didn't have the impact and effect on me as the last album. Still the
music is weird sometimes, beautiful sometimes, aggressive sometimes but it doesn't
give me anything. When I first listened to it I thought: "Okay, a nice
album", then I pressed eject and forgot it....
But there are some highlights (it is Arcturus, they are professional). The first
song "Kinetic" are great and "Star-crossed" opens up with
a magnificent piano intro. The rest of the songs are not bad, but not the best
I've ever heard either (yeah, the this is a perfect show in great review writing...).
Well, another news is that the Trickster G are the lead singer now, and I must say that I prefer his voice more than Simen Hestnæs, the previous singer. Sverd are still with us and, yes he appears on every Norwegian metal album, Hellhammer are beating the drums. On one song, "Radical Cut", Ihsahn (Emperor) screams.
Ranking: 6 / 10
The first release from this Gothenburg group. I am not impressed of this one. It's nothing special at all, and it's not sounding like At the Gates do on their later album. Tomas Lindberg's screams are not good at all, but the guitar melodies are quite good in fact. But thats not enough...
But this is a real classic, so I cant dislike this album all the way...
Ranking: 3 / 10
AT THE GATES
The Red in the Sky is Ours
The year after "Gardens of Grief" At The Gates returns again. The sound and the screaming are pretty much the same as the debut, but this time the songs are better and stronger. But still there are something missing and I dont know what, but I really dont like Lindberg's way of screaming. The music is, as on the previous record, great.
Another thing: The album is worth buying just because of one song: "The Scar", which is 2:00 minutes long and actually not a real song, but Lindberg talks in a cool voice through out the song together with a nice guitar and keyboard rhythm in the background.
Ranking: 5 / 10
AT THE GATES
With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness
This was the first album I heard from At the Gates. Released in 1993, and I was amazed by the music. I had never heard something like this before back then. To compare this with today's music and you will hear that many bands have ripped At the Gates off. At The Gates contributed alot to the thrash/death scene, that's for sure.
What about the music? Well, great. Lindberg are screaming miles better than before, and the music are wonderful! This is pure death/thrash metal art!
Ranking: 7 / 10
AT THE GATES
Terminal Spirit Disease
The first album of the "new" and modern At the Gates, as I see it. This is a mindblower right from the start. The opening song "The Swarm" starts the album with a nice cello which ends up in a guitar inferno, and when Lindberg's voice hits you; you are gone! One the metal scenes greatest voice? I say no more, but no one can scream out his pain as Mr. Tomas Lindberg! His voice has for sure developed nicely through out the years. Almost like a fine red wine...
Well, the album is, as many of you have understood by now; a must have! Comparing this one with the earlier albums, one off course notice the development of Lindberg's voice, but one also notice the difference in making music. "Terminal..." are more technical and well produced than the rest. There are also more effects. But even if the sound is more clean and sharp, you get a dirty feeling listen to this...and that's a good sign.
Ranking: 9 / 10
AT THE GATES
Slaughter of the Soul
What is there to be said about this album? If you have any connection with metal you have probably heard this one. I don't think no one dislike this album. Maybe the most celebrated album in the thrash/death metal history.
Okay, buy this one right now! If you want to know how it sounds: read the "Terminal..." review above, but this one is better, rawer, stronger, faster, uglier, dirtier.....etc, etc, etc.
Ranking 10 / 10
The story is pretty long behind the name Audioslave (stupid name by the way), and probably most of you out there knows the story. Well, Audioslave are what's left of Rage Against The Machine, without the singer Zack de la Rocha. The remaining members recruited Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) as the new lead singer. To show the world that this is not a new R.A.T.M they changed the bandname to Audioslave.
The first time I listened to the opening track "Cochise" I just thought it was an okay rock/grunge (or whatever you want to call it) song. Now, a half year later, I understand this album and I like very much. The album grew after every listening. Unfortunately the album doesn't reach me all through. The first half are great with a couple of strong songs ("Cochise", "Like a Stone", "Show Me How to Live"). After that strong beginning, Audioslave disappoints me. Some songs aren't good enough. But what saves these songs are Mr. Cornell's wonderful voice. Well, I'm maybe too hard now, but it feels stupid to put the best songs in the beginning. My tip is to spread these songs all over the album. The listener gets a better overall feeling of the album...
But... Finally I am very glad that I let this album grew a couple of months, because, after all those bad words, it's really worth it.
And what about R.A.T.M? Does Audioslave sound like them? Yes, sometimes. But this is much better!
Ranking 6 / 10
