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Avenged Sevenfold “Nightmare” Album Review

February 21, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Nightmare The Halloween-esque xylophones are the perfect soft lead-in for the barrage of guitars and mach 5-speed bursts of drumming (placeholder drummer just so happens to be Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy — R.I.P. Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan). The verses set the pace splendidly and the halfway mark of the verse sees a great, aggressive chug from the guitars for a nice change-up. The chorus is extremely melodic and extremely catchy. The cymbal play of Portnoy during the chorus is fantastic, hitting the ride cymbal at all the right times over his pummeling double pedaling. The bridge is akin to Metallica in terms of its chest-thumpin’ chugfests, but it’s an excellent change of pace. Gates’ guitar solo is thematically perfect and the long running time of six minutes is barely noticeable since “Nightmare” is such a great song — just ignore the cheesy “it’s your fucking nightmare” line.

Grade: 94

02. Welcome to the Family Mike Portnoy wastes no time showing his ability to execute some impressively quick drum fills, kicking the song off with just that. The guitars come with a clean, aggressive groove under Shadows’ demanding vocals. The vocal melodies are catchy and move along at a pleasing pace, the whispering lead-in to the absolutely splintering guitar solo being a highlight. Unfortunately the song kind of sputters out but that’s just being nit-picky.

Grade: 79

 03. Danger Line Militaristic snare work and a matching guitar lead pave the way for some great palm-muted verses. The chorus sees Shadows singing higher in the chorus than the verses over a quick drum pattern, creating a weird dissonance, seeing as Shadows’ vocals lead you to believe “Danger Line” is a mid-tempo song but in actuality, the instruments are just blazing a path. Things come to a halt later in the song with Shadows giving a more tender performance over a militaristic snare pattern and some great, sporadic horns playing in spurts. Gates’ solo excellently adds to the somber tone of a soldier saying his goodbyes, perfectly ending with a whistling pattern.

Grade: 88

 04. Buried Alive Avenged Sevenfold show that a ballad can actually host some chest-thumping “oomph!” power. “Buried Alive” may start off slow but if Shadows’ dominant vocals in the powerful chorus doesn’t grab you by the throat, then the latter chug-fest breakdown, voluntarily or not, will have you banging your head. Shadows sounds powerful as he yells for people to get their “fucking hands off me”. The solos are technically great but don’t add as much to the tone, especially when compared to the prior song’s solo, despite its lesser technicality.

Grade: 81

 05. Natural Born Killer Not sure if the drum pattern was an ode to The Rev’s insane drum pattern in “Almost Easy” from the band’s self-title effort and if it is, it’s a pretty damn cool tribute to hear that pattern again. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t quite add up to something amazing but it’s still a damn good song. The blistering pace is great in its relentlessness and who won’t love the guitar solos here? There’s just something missing here (perhaps it’s the vocal melodies) that keeps “Natural Born Killer” from being one of the album’s best but make no mistake, it’s not one of the bottom-feeder tracks, either.

Grade: 76

 

06. So Far Away Guitarist Synyster Gates writes this beautiful song in memory of the late Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan and holy Hell, if you’ve been a fan of the band or even just respect The Rev’s indisputable drumming capabilities, it’s hard not to respect the material here. While not an excellent song in terms of music complexity, it is excellent in the aforementioned context, ultimately rising to be the album’s best ballad. An acoustic guitar’s strummed chords provide the backbone for the piece as Shadows’ deftly sings the lyrics in a soothing matter. The solos here are on par with “Seize the Day” in terms of how much they add to the song. It’s one of the album’s strongest, hair-raising moments when Gates’ solo explodes and Shadows’ erupts into a heartfelt yearning for a lost friend — truly touching stuff.

Grade: 93

 

07. God Hates Us If “So Far Away” is the emotional and heartfelt sendoff for The Rev, then “God Hates Us All” is the pissed-off, brutal search for someone to blame for the drummer’s premature death. The softly picked guitars in the beginning are deceptive as the song erupts into an absolutely killer, neck-breaking affair sure to be the reason for many-a-bruises in foreseeable mosh pits.The guitars are lethal in their execution and the drums menacing in its aggression and what’s even greater is that we get to hear some Waking the Fallen-era screaming from Shadows, further enhancing the pure rage found on here. Once again, Gates murders a solo and leaves its corpse as a dare for other guitarist t0 match his ability to execute on both a technical and melodic level.

Grade: 91

 

08. Victim I guess the seemingly endless streak of phenomenal songs had to end soon, right? “Victim” is by no means terrible, it just absolutely pales in comparison to some of Nightmare’s better slow jams. Don’t let the neat bell and soulful female vocalizations fool you in the beginning, “Victim” is a dull song, even with its tempo change in the half-way mark. The verses are decent enough but it feels like Shadows going through the motion. The chorus is a letdown as is the bridge, making for a track that has no payoff. “Victim”, at a length of seven and a half minutes, is just too long and uninteresting for its own good.

Grade: 55

 

09. Tonight the World Dies Man, Shadows has an undeniably powerful voice and it couldn’t be any more evident than in the chorus of “Tonight the World Dies”. The haunting “ooh’s” over the dark, looming, and Western-inspired guitars create an effective tone and is a perfect juxtaposition for the absolutely explosive chorus. Shadows commands your attention during the hook and the bridge is a great escalation into another chorus that, despite Gates’ solo being the only difference from the prior choruses, feels more powerful somehow. This is a ballad that’s tender yet isn’t afraid to kick some ass.

Grade: 82

 

10. Fiction Despite the pianos doing a commendable job at doing so, they’re not the most eerie thing about this somber track. And no, neither are the subtle vocalizations or violin work — it’s the fact that this song features the late The Rev’s voice in a spine-chilling closing note on the chorus. It’s a hauntingly beautiful build-up to the note, with the piano changing its pattern and Shadows perfectly segueing into The Rev’s perfect, high-rasp delivery. Without this context, “Fiction” is still a great experiment for the band, featuring no guitars whatsoever. The vocal melodies are among the best on the album, if not the best. The gentle female vocals lead into the at-first-awkwardly-nasal soft vocals of Shadows, ultimately ending on a somber and oddly hopeful ending. “Fiction” is eerily gorgeous and an ultimate homage to a lost band mate and I couldn’t even imagine how hard this song was to record for the guys.

Grade: 97

11. Save Me The crew really should have let “Fiction” close Nightmare out, as it was a perfect summation of the tone, message, and tribute that Nightmare ultimately is. “Save Me” is absolutely excellent in its variety, each instrument playing intricately throughout. At almost eleven minutes, it’s a lengthy son of  bitch and while it’s good with some moments of greatness, it might drag on a little too long for its own benefit, but hot damn is it still a doozy of a closer. Shadows is, again, impressive, sustaining some long, raspy notes over Portnoy’s pummeling double-bass drumming. Gates and Vengeance are constantly switching things up, creating an unpredictable listen. “Save Me” never settle into one pattern for too long, being the songs greatest strength and while I believe “Fiction” and “Save Me” should’ve been switched around, it’s still a high note they leave on, showcasing their vast improvement as they blend the sting structures and outstanding musicianship form “City of Evil” and the chugging grooves from their self-titled album.

 Grade: 88

Avenged Sevenfold’s “Nightmare” is a tricky album to review. Do I give it a high score as a gentle gesture of my respect the highly-regarded drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan? Or do I look at it strictly on its music, context be damned? Well, with The Rev dead or not, “Nightmare” is one hell of a metal album, finding a perfect mix of powerful grooves and intricate musicianship. Signing The Rev’s drum idol, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, as the drummer couldn’t have been a more perfect move as he plays perfectly throughout the entire album, helping A7X fans believe that their band can still put out some killer tracks. It’s easily their darkest album in both tone and lyrics and makes a strong case against “City of Evil”for the title. Thankfully, the guys are able to execute an outstanding album, an absolute feat knowing the emotional hardships they went through and the perfect way to pay their respects to their late best friend.

 Report Card

Instruments: 95
Production: 90
Lyrics: 77
Vocals: 92

Overall
91


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Enter Shikari “A Flash Flood of Colour” Album Review

February 21, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

 

British post-hardcore, electronica, and dubstep band Enter Shikari has released their third album A Flash Flood of Colour. Growing up from their albums such as Take to the Skies and the most recent Common Dreads, Enter Shikari’s new album is fused with the same heavy break downs, great synths, clean and screaming vocals, and most importantly their message to the human race that’s fused through their entire sound.

 

01. System Their first song on the album opens up with a synth beat that’s catchy almost immediately and an orchestra comes in later to add to the landscape of the song. Rory’s voice comes over in a reading style, the over all lyrics being a poem Rory wrote about a house on a cliff and it was a metaphor for the government’s system. The drums (played by Rob Rolfe) are heavy and the bass makes your head rock. The end of the song melds perfectly to the next one, perfectly building up to it.

Grade: 95

02. Meltdown  A continuation of System that’s host to one of the heaviest break downs I’ve ever heard. The two songs really can’t be played without each other, even the names go together (System Meltdown). The lyrics are one of promise and hope, that we can turn this world and government around if we stand up. “It’s not too late” is the clear message, that we still can do something to help. The controversial rant Rory has of “fuck all borders, and fuck all boundaries. Fuck all flags and fuck nationalities.” goes along with Common Dreads theme of we’re all part of the human species and that it’s ridiculous for the 21st century to still act this way — no one’s different;we’re all humans that should help each other.

Grade: 100

03. Sssnakepit: A more techno beat then the first two opens this song up, then throws you into a foray of metal. It’s more of a party anthem, telling everyone to let lose. “Come and join the party, leave all anxieties beyond. When the world is pushing down, just push right back”. An uplifting speech and good to listen if you’re down on your luck. I didn’t know whether to laugh or go as hard as I could when I heard the line, “We’re all nice guys . . . until we aren’t!”. Simple to understand and kind of silly, but the way he screams it followed by the breakdown, it’s hard to not thrash yourself around the room and become a danger to all living things.

Grade: 90

 04. Search Party: A slower start allows the head some time to heal. Rory’s words are a call again to humanity and his ‘foresight’ of humanity. “I know that we’re going to repeat history, unless we sort this out”. The chorus is catchy with Rou’s beautiful angel voice coming in to sing along with Rory’s. “I know that we’ve got to find something new.” Another call to England to understand that they have to find something new, that they need to sort out the problems and the corruption to the government. It’s a message easily applicable to America as well, if not more so. The song ends on a faster pace, still letting you get your breakdown on. Probably one of my favourite tracks on this album.

Grade: 100

05. Arguing with Thermometers: This song opens up with a heavy guitar rift and crashing drums. More typical of Enter Shikari when they were more ‘metal’ then they’ve been recently. The overall message of this song is the fact society is addicted to a drug — that drug being class structures, as in middle upper class. He says it’s all bullshit. After all, their upside down triangle on the cover of their album and new logo is about flipping societies hierarchy upside down, so the most people are rich and the fewest people are poor. A great message if I do say so myself. The song is heavy with it’s typically fused dubstep and overall catchy beat. If you’re familiar with Enter Shikari, this song isn’t out of place for these boys. This is easily the best song to hear live. CLEAR THE PIT.

Grade: 90

06. Stalemate: A slower song, with Rory singing as well as playing on his acoustic. It’s another message about how the rich make tomorrow’s wars, fueling generations of hate. Rory can’t seem to agree that we’re civilized. They mistake treating this Earth like it will last forever, and all we generate are stalemates. Rory talks about running away (much of Take to the Skies theme of leaving this corrupt world),”money is made when bombs are dropping in Afghanistan and when phosphorus falls in Palestine. Hauling weapons out of reprobates, harming anyone who wants a taste, of disgrace.” The song is ‘slow’, as slow as Enter Shikari can take it outside of “adieu” from Take to the Skies. Overall, the simplistic tone and music during the lyrics is for the listener to focus on what Rory’s saying. And in the end, when they’re repeating what they feel over and over again, the music takes up more and gives you something quite very pleasant to listen to. Ends with Rory on the piano singing. Easily a great track.

Grade: 90

07. Ghandi Mate, Ghandi: A rant by Rory of everything that he believes in. Techno beat plays while he just seems to freestyle everything wrong he finds with the British Government and the whole world. “I dont think how much military equipment we are selling to other countries, how many hydrocarbons we’re burning, how much money is being printed and exchanged, is a good measure of how healthy our society is.” Chris, Rory and Rou and probably Rolfe all scream “we’re sick of this shit!” before the beat drops and dubstep takes over and the mashing destroys your ear drums (in a good way). Rory’s lyrics in this album are a little less subdued this time around. The band is truly sick of the shit going on about them, and they’re no longer covering their message with clever metaphors. They’re just coming out and saying everything and it’s great.

Grade: 85

08. Warm Smiles Do Not Make You Welcome Here: The song that their album’s name came from. The song opens with a beat track laid down by Rob Rolfe and a surprisingly clean guitar by Chris. This track has a little more of melody to Rory and Rou’s vocals. It’s a step away from what they’re used to but fits right in with the album and is completely Enter Shikari. The drum’s off-beats add to the techno and the catchy guitar rift. The singing goes perfectly with it and I find myself listening to this track more and more, repeatedly coming back to it. Something about it is just…good. And if the music scene wasn’t plagued with Lil Wayne, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this song on the radio.

Grade: 90

09. Pack of Thieves: A haunting techno bells opens up this track. All composed by Rory, the lead singer and acoustic guitar player as well as strings. This song takes a bit more deciphering then the rest of Rory’s lyrics, but still carry the same message. “Behind those eyes, we reach through their callous disguise. Into fortresses where they fabricate whitewash and lies, we’re all fooled into living, with a small pack of thieves, that distort the world.” It’s not a mystery that the pack of thieves is the government. The song is catchy and has an anthem-like feel with the techno film played over the guitar and the great drum track performed by Rolfe.

Grade: 90

10. Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide: The main message of this song, despite the quirky lyrics and title, is the fact that the governments problems have been going on for so long that even the T-rex has experienced the same problems. So why can’t we fix it? The melody is good for this track, not my favourite song, but fits with the album and doesn’t feel like it would’ve been better without it.

Grade: 80

11. Constellations: Easily their most melodic song, most relaxed and calm intro to their last song on the album. Much like “Adieu” this song seems to be about a girl. Surprisingly. “You’re the constellation that guides me home”. It’s a surprisingly good song, and almost a tear jerker. For me it feels like i’ve been through so much with these boys, and then through this album they go through so much maturity. It’s nice to know these boys still have that one they are doing this all for — that one girl. There are still the last fading reminders that we need to fix this world, fix it for each other, fix it for the ones we love. We owe it to each other. This song ties up the album so nicely that you want to immediately go through the entire song just to come to the conclusion again and have that same feeling of a journey with Enter Shikari.

Grade: 100

 Report Card

Instruments: 100
Production: 100
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 90

Overall
100

 

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Childish Gambino “Camp” Album Review

February 6, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

Donald Glover is a guy that does it all. He writes for 30 Rock, plays Troy on Community, and does stand-up comedy but rapping?

1. Outside – This song you see him thinking about his problems going through life. He raps about how he used to be in the hood but his parents left so he wouldn’t be a part of that. The instrumental track in the song is really great and I like how it sounds like he has a whole cast of people singing the chorus. Lyrically this song is truly amazing –”There’s a world we can visit if we go outside”.

Grade: 85

2. Fire Fly – This song is a total spin-around from the first song. It starts out all upbeat, driven by a decent beat as he raps about the fame he gained. People coming up to him asking to help them with their mixtape and how people always want pictures when they see him. The beat is alright, it’s an average hip hop beat at best. The lyrics tell a story but not as good of a story as the first song “Outside” but more of a fame story and what it’s like to be him and how he feels.

Grade: 70

3. Bonfire – This one is starts with a siren, and the way I look at it, it’s a warning that this song is gonna be sick! “Bonfire” has a nice snare and bass beat going. It’s unique. This song is just him rhyming really fast and letting his anger out. He says in the song “Why doe every black actor have to rap some? I don’t know but I’m the best one” — I am gonna have to agree. This is another great rap and is easily better then the first track.

Grade: 93

4. All The Shine – “What the point of rapping if you can’t be yourself”, he asks over a real nice bass-driven beat. This song has to be the best track on the album. It’s true to him as he raps about his feelings, proving to be a really deep song. The chorus is a stone-cold stunner.

Grade: 95

5. Letter Home – This song is more of him singing to a girl and how he is looking for her. There’s some orchestra going and really no beats at all. Short song and more of an intermission.

Grade: 40

6. Heartbeat – Amazing right from the get-go, he starts singing and then boom! A sick beat starts going and the song evolves from solid to fantastic. Fans of electronica or dubstep might like this track. His lyrics are mostly about a girl he broke up with and how he is with someone else, it’s not really great but it’s way better then other rappers songs you hear now a days. Mostly, this song just has a sick beat and hook.

Grade: 80

7. Backpackers – Another great track on the album. He raps again about how his life and how people try to try to insult him for sounding white and wearing short shorts. Great rhymes in this track, proving to be a lyrical genius in my opinion (he’s no Eminem or Nas, though). The beat is solid as well.

Grade: 93

8. L.E.S. – Great instrumentals going in this song but the chorus is pretty terrible. The lyrics are good except for the chorus. The lyrics make sense and I can listen to this song and like it but when it comes down to it, it really isn’t too great.

Grade: 60

9. Hold You Down – He begins this song singing and by now he’s shown he’s not a terrible singer at all. This is another story track and I really don’t get tired of them. Story tracks have lyrics that are deep and, to some degree, relatable. He sings about how people are holding him back. Great chorus, great beat.

Grade: 85

10. Kids (Keep Up) – Way different song then any other track on the album so far. This song is pretty chill compared to them. The chorus, instrumentals and beat are very good. The lyrics are great and fit with the beat. Unique track but not the best song on the album.

Grade: 75

11. You See Me – This is a song that sounds like a Kanye West tune in the beginning. It’s a song about Asian girls and apparently he loves them. He also raps about his ego. He has to throw in a Illuminati reference in the song too. “You See Me” hosts a great beat but it does’t amount to a great song.

Grade: 65

12. Sunrise – Great beat at the start and pretty good lyrics and delivery but what makes this song great is the chorus. The chorus just feels powerful and basically makes the song. “Sunrise” is really just an excellent track through-and-through.

Grade: 85

13. That Power – The last song on the album and the longest song on the album. Whenever a song goes past 7 minutes then it better to be good. Usually songs that are this long are drawn out at the beginning and this one at first doesn’t seem like it’s drawn out but then at about 3:11 the actual song ends and he is reading a story about a girl who basically embarrasses him on a bus and how that moment changed his life. He is reading this story for, like, 4 and a half minutes and it’s interesting the first time but you won’t want to hear it again.

Grade: 50

“Camp” is a great album. Childish Gambino sounds kind of like Tyler the Creator in some of his songs and in some he actually can sing. Lyrically, this guy is brilliant. I don’t think I’ve seen someone this talented in a while and the main reason I say that is because he writes for TV shows, acts on a TV show and raps at an exceptional level. A majority of the album is actually enjoyable to listen to but a couple you just want to skip (especially the last one). I have to admit that this is really one of the best rap albums to release in 2011 and I do recommend people to go pick it up.

 Report Card

Instruments: 85
Production: 80
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 80

Overall
88

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Avenged Sevenfold “Avenged Sevenfold” Album Review

February 5, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Critical Acclaim It’s evident now that Avenged Sevenfold know how to kick you in the face with their album openers, as “Critical Acclaim” is another doozy of a headbanging opener. Shadows’ explosive scream over the rapid drums and explosive guitars make for a nice contrast for the Metallica-esque, organ-centric intro. The verses are chugfests that have a nice change-up for the second halves of the verses and it’s hard not to launch that fist in the air when Shadows’ dominantly sings “like me, motherfucker!”. However, it’s the chorus that’s the real standout. The Rev’s voice is in a higher register, adding diversity to the vocals on “Critical Acclaim”. The dueling format that the guitar solo is set in is fantastic but the bridge before it is a bore.

Grade: 90

02. Almost Easy Piano’s, huh? Well, the keys aren’t greatly used, they just add another layer for the song during certain parts, ultimately adding nothing to the listening experience. The highlight of the song are easily the segments where The Rev rapidly hits the double bass and multiple cymbals simultaneously. The solo is also a treat, with Zacky’s rhythm work sounding nice and furious under Synyster’s quick lead work. The chorus, while definitely catchy, isn’t all that great. “Almost Easy” is a good track that misses on a couple of marks to make it a great song.

Grade: 75

03. Scream If there is a song that the term “metal swag” can be applied to, it’s “Scream”. The grooves of the drums and the added bass bombs create an alluring atmosphere for Shadows’ catchy vocals. Three songs in and you can already tell that Avenged Sevenfold have gotten much better at creating catchier and more melodic hooks, making for better concert tracks. Another thing evident is the simplification of the musicianship. The blazing guitar solo is an exception to this, but it’s clear that the boys wanted to make a more stadium-friendly album rather than stroking their music boners for seven minutes each song. “Scream” is a good midtempo song and you got to love The Rev’s intricate drumming patterns, but the song seems to lack the special “oomph!” to make it a remarkable listen.

Grade: 78

04. Afterlife Perhaps the greatest song off of “Avenged Sevenfold”, “Afterlife” is perfect in its pacing. Every element, from the stirring intro violins to the neck-breaking riff of the verses, this song is a showcase for A7X, proving they can inject some astounding technical moments in a standard-structure song (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, etc.). The chorus is melodic excellence and guitar rif from the verses very memorable. The only lull in the song is the bridge, but that’d be nitpicking. The Rev’s hair-raising scream that leads into one of Gates’ best solos in his career is a hallmark A7X moment.

Grade: 93

05. Gunslinger The soft, Southern-tinged acoustic guitar and Shadows’ softer vocals during the beginning are probably the best part of this overwhelmingly mediocre song. When the rest of the band comes roaring in, it’s a somewhat dull affair, no matter how solid Shadows sounds. Everyone seems so tame during this song, even The Rev’s and Gates’ usually impressive technicality is watered down here. Thankfully, the vocal melody is just barely catchy enough for a listen or two and the solo, while incredibly simple in terms of Synyster’s abilities, is decent.

Grade: 52

06. Unbound (The Wild Ride) Escalating pianos layer the uninteresting verses and the chorus amounts to a forgettable tune. The lead guitar is solid but it’s nowhere near as good as it is in “Afterlife”. I would have loved this song much more if The Rev had more rolls or more change-ups but at least he had a decent tricky beat during the beginning of the bridge, which is easily the best portion of the song, especially with the brief appearances of a choir. I also dig the slowed down portion that sees an unnamed female vocalist sing some lines but, as is the case with the rest of the song, it’s ultimately forgettable.

Grade: 50

07. Brompton Cocktail Don’t you hate it when a song starts off promising and then just never adds upon the great intro? Shadows’ vocals are sometime saturated in some kind electronic vocoder, coming off as an unnecessary experiment. The sporadic violins are a great addition, but this song seems so lazily written overall. There’s no solo or riff worth mentioning here and the bridge, while it mixes the proceedings up, kind of sucks. Just another lengthy, dull, and sloppy track.

Grade: 50

08. Lost The overlapping guitars make for a fantastic intro, ending the dreadful slump of mediocrity. “Lost” isn’t a fantastic song, but it’s so good to hear a, well, good song after a surprisingly long drought. The chorus sees both Shadows and The Rev autotuned up but instead of sounding out of place, it actually makes for a more interesting listen, especially during the electronically-drenched bridge. The whole vibe of the song is more upbeat thanks to Gates’ lead work. It isn’t one of the album’s stronger songs, but it’s a solid entry.

Grade: 77

09. A Little Piece of Heaven While the guitars take a backseat on this track, they’re still an effective layer among the many layers present here. You have violins, trumpets, choirs, a female vocalist, and the best thing? They all add up to a wonderful experiment gone just right. Did I mention that the lyrics deal with a guy who kills his girlfriend so he can sex with her corpse whenever and then said corpse becomes zombified and kills him back…then they agree to kill everyone else? It’s a tongue-in-cheek song and the vocal melodies throughout are very, very catchy, the standout being The Rev singing one of the several hooks present. His higher registered voice offsets Shadows’ lower voice to great effect. “A Little Piece of Heaven” is dark, silly, and an ultimately fun and bouncy song.

Grade: 91

10. Dear God While I know there are many who won’t be fond of this song, I personally enjoyed the hell out of it. The sweet, country-esque acoustic guitars are the perfect backdrop to Shadows’ soothing vocals. His stronger delivery during the chorus is wholly convincing of the lyrics, truly portraying a man asking God to watch over the one he loves while he’s away. The song sort of sputters out and probably would have benefitted from a shorter run time, but Shadows’ captivating performance more than makes up for it. I also love the female vocalizations made in the later portions of the song. While “A Little Piece of Heaven” might have been a better closer for others, I think “Dear God” is more than perfect for the job.

Grade: 88

Avenged Sevenfold’s self-titled album is a complete disappointment, especially when putting it side-by-side to the astounding “City of Evil”. Now, saying it’s disappointing doesn’t mean it’s terrible, it just feels like their direction towards a more commercial sound has dumbed down things in terms of musical technicality. Yes, Gates’ has a couple of remarkable moments at lead, but those moments were present on almost every “City of Evil” song, sometimes multiple times in one song! There’s more of the typical metal, drop-D chugging here, creating a more accessible sound, but again, it’s hard not to miss those magical moments like the endings of “Sidewinder” or “Blinded In Chains”. Was the tradeoff of more catchy choruses worth losing those jaw-dropping moments?

Report Card
Instruments: 78
Production: 80
Lyrics: 65
Vocals: 86

Overall
77

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Avenged Sevenfold “City of Evil” Album Review

February 3, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Beast and the Harlot Hot damn – and I mean damn — could an opening track be any more perfect? Every pound of the double bass drums, the Zeus- lightning-quick guitaring, and the dominating vocals of Shadows all create such a relentless, bulldozer of a track. “Beast and the Harlot” is a stone-cold stunner and an absolute kick-ass number to kick off City of Evil.The way the guitars erupt in the intro over Shadows’ falsetto-like scream will send chills down your spine and adrenaline to your neck because yeah, you’re going to want to headbang like a veteran porn star giving a blowjob. The verses are fast and full of testosterone while the choruses get in touch with A7X’s melodic side, showcasing an improvement in song writing right off the bat (especially the key change in the last chorus). The drum solo and the absolutely blazing guitar solo is top notch and calling them “impressive” would be a disservice. “Beast and the Harlot” is as perfect as melodic metal can possibly get and it’s up for debate as to whether it’s the best song on the album — that should say enough about the quality of this album.

Grade: 100

02. Burn It Down To be fair, I’m not sure how you’re supposed to follow up “Beast and the Harlot”, but “Burn It Down” unfortunately goes down the forgettable route. It starts off great but it sputters out past the halfway mark. The screeching guitars and hectic drum rolls that bleed into the melodic, upbeat guitar harmonies in the intro are great. The verses are aggressive enough and the choruses are greatly layered and built up to perfectly. Shadows’ voice might grate on your ears during the bridge, depending on your tolerance for his not-so-great vocal moments, as he can get nasally quite frequently. “Burn It Down” is an okay song with some decent moments scattered throughout, but I just don’t see myself coming back to it too often.

Grade: 55

03. Blinded In Chains Much like the prior track, “Blinded In Chains” opens up with snare rolls and harmonic guitars but in a much, much more effective manner. The verses are dark and aggressive and the double-pedaling is a great addition to the second half of the verses. The chorus is brief and great in its delivery and build up. Every instrument tears it up, having moments to shine and all culminating to one hell of an outro that sees the song having a complete tonal shift and for the better. The atmosphere and dark mood bolster the fantastic outro, with its intricate drumming, perfectly strummed guitars, and Shadows’ eerie vocalizations. It’s worth sitting through the rest of “Blinded In Chains” (not like that’s a bad thing anyways) just for the jaw-dropping ending that comes out of nowhere that will have you on a testosterone high.

Grade: 88

04. Bat Country Ah, another home run from the boys! As you’ve noticed by now, Shadows has significantly decreased the use of his screams (a creative decision, not because of surgery as many are lead to believe) and it’s nice to hear it every now and then, no matter its brevity. The verses, thanks to the tremolo picking of Gates and Vengeance, move along at a fantastically brisk pace while the chorus switches things up, going for a more melodic structure rather than plowing through like in the verses. An eye-widening guitar solo is unleashed after the first chorus, showing the A7X men know how to keep their song structures mostly unpredictable. To add another layer to their lead single is a slowed down, incredibly catchy and hypnotic post-chorus section — a great addition.

Grade: 94

05. Trashed and Scattered This is a weird song to review because it has all the elements of a bloody good metal song I love, but the elements just don’t quite reach the “greater than the sum of their parts” status. The verses are lightning-quick with the guitarists shredding up a storm throughout and the choruses slows things down a tad with some rolling, toe-tapping bass. The Rev is absolutely clinical in his drumming aggression and cymbal finesse, making the track a much stronger one. Shadows’ hits some great, raspy high notes near the end. Maybe if the song was tighter and less meaty, it’d be better, but it’ll have to settle for just “good”.

Grade : 75


06. Seize the Day The first slow (and only) ballad of the album, you can leave it to the boys to make sure their chest-thumping bravado can still be felt in a softer song. Acoustic guitars lead the way over Shadows’ most soothing vocal performance on the album. The verses and chorus are extremely melodic, making it a fun song to sing along to. The raw emotion of possibly not seeing your significant half is greatly bolstered in the second chorus, bridge, and outro as The Rev (who sings the hair-raising high background vocals) and Shadows hit some chills-inducing notes that leave a lasting impression. The guitar solo is more on the simple side but with A7X, that’s not a bad thing because Gates works his magic in the melodic solo that amplifies the song, as does the beat change-up during the solo. This is one of City of Evil’s greatest songs and an A7X classic.

Grade: 96

07. Sidewinder Gates’ lead guitar over the chugs of Zacky combine to make a formidable intro and verses. The chorus is a good slowing of pace with The Rev playing around with cymbals. The number starts to lose some steam around the bridge but it’s a brief moments as, once again, The Rev’s cymbal play saves the day. The unquestionable standout of “Sidewinder” is, hands down, the Spanish-influenced acoustic outro segment that comes out of nowhere and hot damn doe it sound sexy. Gates and his father team up for a knockout of a blistering acoustic solo over another acoustic guitar. Shadows’ vocals sound great throughout the lengthy outro as does The Rev’s great adaptive drumming and congo play. It’s the best ending segment of any song on the album. Don’t let their tattooed punk-boy imagery fool you, these guys have a passion for music as it clearly, clearly shows in this beautiful segment.

Grade: 93

08. The Wicked End Christ finally gets a solo moment in the beginning over the eerie guitars of Gates and Vengeance. The verses are just as fast as any other song on here and when it comes to the chorus, the midtempo change-up is great as Shadows perfectly leads the way into it with his perfectly raspy delivery. Remember when I said the guys are music aficionados? Well, they show it again with the haunting and absolutely epic orchestral and choir bridge that comes after the sweeping guitar solo. It’s a quiet build-up that slowly erupts into Shadows hitting some of the highest notes he’s ever hit, creating this boner-inducing hell of a time. Gates has a brief solo after and the following verse after is a brutal affair. It’s incredible how diverse this album is and how many colors of music they’re willing to blend, hitting one home run after another.

Grade: 92

09. Strength of the World The intro is no doubt inspired by old school Western sensibilities with the plucked acoustic guitar providing the foundation for the beautiful orchestra segment before Gates and the boys come rocking in. While not as strong as the two prior tracks, it’s still another showcase for Avenged Sevenfold’s diversity and willingness to change things up, never settling for monotony. The differentiating factor here is the great blend of the cheesy (but in a good way) melodic guitar solo over the swelling symphony. The verses have the signature chugs and the chorus is good enough, adding in gang vocals to shout “strength of the world!” as Shadows sings a somewhat catchy melody over them.

Grade: 85

10. Betrayed Well, shit, guess it was too good to last, huh? “Betrayed” is easily the weakest song on the album and, in many ways, it’s pretty terrible. When held against the great songs on City of Evil, it just comes off as lazy and safe. I know the message is about the murder of a metal legend, but you would think that would motivate them to make it a greater track, right? The verses are decent but the hook comes off as incredibly mediocre. The only actual good part for me was a small segment where the guitars overlap each other in a pleasant way over The Rev’s hi-hats. While the actual musicianship isn’t terrible, it’s the way they don’t add up that sticks with you (not to mention it’s unnecessary length of six minutes), making for a boring and forgettable listen.

Grade: 50

11. M.I.A. This is it, the album closer! Shadows’ sleepy voice over the softly plucked guitar lead the song off before Shadows shows off his vocal might during the first verse. His voice can be spotty, sounding great in some parts and iffy in others but one thing’s for sure, it’s a unique voice. Gates’ solo is dizzying over The Rev’s horse-gallop-double-pedal pattern, showing us why he’s one of this generations truly greatest. The chorus is forgettable and if it weren’t for Shadows’ vocals, they’d be even more so. “M.I.A.” isn’t as strong as most of the other songs on here, but as a closer, it’s decent enough to get the job done.

Grade: 74

City of Evil is easily one of the best rock albums released since the turn of the century. There are an absurd amount of jaw-dropping, head-fucking-banging moments of pure testosterone-injected musicianship. Gates truly, truly stuns with his thunderous sweep picks and blistering solos as does The Rev with his absolutely earth-shattering drumming. His rolls, cymbal finesse, and knack for always changing things up assures that each song will be a treat for drummers. Shadows’ vocals are hit or miss, but thankfully it’s a lot more hit than miss here. A lot of A7X fans might dread the fact he ditched the screaming, but I for one was never all that impressed by his screams and much prefer his raspy vocals and occasional screams. City of Evil is a crowning achievement of metal musicianship, bringing a remarkably impressive diverse and eclectic listen. If you are at all interested in hearing how great metal musicians operate at their finest, look absolutely no further than City of Evil.

Report Card
Instruments: 100
Production: 88
Lyrics: 88
Vocals: 88

Overall
96   

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The Story So Far “Under Soil And Dirt” Album Review

February 1, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. States and Mind – This is a short 51 second intro with just guitars, drums and little vocals that open up the the next song. Very nice beat going and a sample of what’s to come next.

Grade: 80

02. Roam – This song goes off the beat of the intro and it has a sick beat. Drums and guitar clash together with the vocals to make something that is perfect! This song’s lyrics easy to follow and make sense unlike other music now a days. Great first actual song.

Grade: 90

03. Quicksand – Fast paced song with lots of yelling/singing that is actually not bad! It’s makes me feel alive! This is one of the best songs on this album with amazing drumming and singing. Nice tempo going and all around awesome song!

Grade: 96

04. Swords and Pens – This song is a little more off then the other songs but somehow stays in the same line of beats and tone. Just isn’t as superb as the other. Still, this song is a great punk song and it’s very nice compared to any other punk song out today.

Grade: 87

05. High Regard – This one is slow starting out with soft guitar play but then when it picks up you find that this song it totally different then the first 4 songs. It’s a calm song compared to the others. I think that it shows that they can change it up a bit while keeping the same vocals going.

Grade: 75

06. Daughters – Back to the same style again. Starting out singing like a beast again. This song has some of the best drumming in the album. It’s very cool to just chill and listen to the background drumming on blast.

Grade: 85

07. Mt. Diablo – Beastly drumming beats at the beginning make the opening to this song very great but as you get through through the song you are greeted with a new kind of singing that will massage your mind but this song is definitely not the best song on the album.

Grade: 76

08. Four Years – This song is average and not really as enjoyable as the other songs but I mean I still can’t turn it off when it starts so they are doing something right. Although, it is pretty short.

Grade: 70

09. Rally Cap – Another short song but this one starts off fast, has good lyrics and great vocals. I can see myself singing this when I’m bored. It’s already stuck in my head… Great track on this album.

Grade: 88

10. Placeholder – Ok, This one is very good. It’s different but it’s good. It’s very chill and has less drumming in it. It shows a different style of singing and shows that he can vary his vocals. Great great song!

Grade: 94

11. Closure – This is the last song on the album (as you can see by the name). This one is pretty damn good and you can definitely hear more vocals from other band members in it and it really has a great drumming part in it. This song puts them back on track with where the album started out and it’s once again amazing!

Grade: 90


Overall, this is the best album to come out in 2011 or at least the best rock/punk album to come out in 2011. With songs like “Quicksand”, “Roam” and “Closure” , it’s hard not to like this new band. This is a great, no, amazing debut album and it will be hard to beat. This band might be one of the best up and coming bands of this decade!

Report Card
Instruments: 95
Production: 93
Lyrics: 78
Vocals: 85

Overall
90   

 

 

 

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Avenged Sevenfold “Waking the Fallen” Album Review

January 27, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music


01. Waking the Fallen Despite its brevity, ambience and mood are what make this a very listenable opener. Right off the bat, you can already tell the production is miles above and beyond prior effort, “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet”. Of course, this just means it sounds like any rock album should sound — no self-produced, cringe-inducing face-palms here! Shadows’ vocals are the star of this show, sounding great with background screams and a strong clean vocal over simple but effective instruments.

Grade: 75

02. Unholy Confessions One of Avenged Sevenfold’s more recognizable songs, “Unholy Confessions” perfectly embodied the sound of A7X up to that point in 2003. The hammer-on/pull-off guitar intro is distinct (well, it was back then) and the power slides bring a decent, if not a little underwhelming, variety to the mix. The drumming is nothing awe-inspiring, but its very tight and hosts a tricky double-bass pattern near the end. The vocals on this song alone are so much more enjoyable than “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” was altogether. Shadows does a good job of alternating between his signature scream and his, well, signature clean vocals. The chorus is catchy and the harmonies enjoyable. There’s not much to question when wondering why this was A7X’s first somewhat big hit.

Grade: 88

03. Chapter Four The Rev steals the show with his constantly busy drum work. Gates and Vengeance are more than serviceable with their drop-D chugs and Shadows presence is strong throughout with his screams being layered over his clean vocals. The verses are on the quicker side while the two part hook has a slower, operatic first half and then it’s back to the fast pacing for a good kick in the teeth. “Chapter Four” is constantly changing up its landscape, never letting you drive down one road for too long, allowing for a varied trip. I love the quick choir-like lead-in for the decent breakdown and the brief harmonic solo that’s reminiscent of those 80′s/90′s metal bands we love.

Grade: 91

04. Remenissions M. Shadows lets loose a guttural growl over the reliably pummeled drums over the frisky guitars before slowing just a tad bit down for a great, thick verse. The standout of “Remenissions” are the perfectly-placed double pedal bursts and the ever-changing guitar work by Gates and Vengeance. It’s hard for repetition to set in if most musical segments, if you will, never last longer than 30 seconds and thank God Avenged  Sevenfold knows how to mix things up. The song slows down to midtempo chugs then bursts into punk-rock-paced onslaughts that soar from one height to another. It’s a fantstically varied listen and you have to tip your hat off to the musicianship present here. Special shout out to the Hispanic-tinged segment of the track, a great mixture to the proceedings.

Grade: 93

05. Desecrate Through Reverence The intro is deceptively bland because hot damn the verses are fantastic, featuring one of Shadows more higher screams — not to mention the great drum roll that leads into the verses. The chorus doesn’t quite match the verses in terms of quality, but hey, it’s not that bad of a chorus, no matter how forgettable it is. The harmony layered solo is simple and not memorable, but again, it provides a nice layer of variety. “Desecrate” burns out around the halfway mark until the climactic ending; had it kept the pace up, it could have been another home run, but sometimes a double is good enough, right?

Grade: 75

06. Eternal Rest No build up here — it’s an attack on your hearing senses right from the get-go, courtesy of Gates impressive fret work. Shadows screams through the punk-style-drummed verses before another another chug fest is slammed down upon us to great effect. The aggression during the slowed-down chorus is strong and the build up back to the more punk style is natural but you just can’t wait for those thick guitars to come buzzing back again — it’s hard not to nod your head along to these parts, no matter how simple the strumming of the guitars are. The clean bridge kind of comes out of nowhere and isn’t  written to as good as it can be. Other than that small gripe, “Eternal Rest” is a mosher’s delight.

Grade: 85

The guitar work of these two lends a lot to the greatness of "Waking the Fallen"

07.  Second Heartbeat Ah, it was too good to be true for the greatness to continue, huh? By no means do I mean is this song terrible by saying that, it’s just not quite as impressive as the prior tracks. It’s still a good number but I can’t help but feel like nothing separates it from the rest of the pack, sounding like a weird, sometimes mundane potluck of all the other songs on the album. It has some cool moments that include some tremolo picking, but they’re far and few in between. The long six-minute running time doesn’t help it, either, as it just starts to sputter out despite some of The Rev’s great fills. At least Gates and co. have an absolutely killer, Megadeth-like closing moment, with Synyster absolutely lighting up that guitar neck.

Grade: 73

08. Radiant Eclipse I’m not really a fan of the whole “haunted guitar” intro, but I do dig the Arabic-like second half of the intro before burst into some more of that chugging I oh-so can’t get enough of. There are parts in the verses where The Rev plays with the ride cymbals offbeat to great effect. The chorus is a great listen as Shadows’ gruff clean vocals soar, showing that these guys can write some really good choruses.

Grade: 90

09. I Won’t See You Tonight (Part 1) Ah, nothing like the sweet, sweet sounds of a pleasing piano to ease you into a near nine minute track and a bombastic opening that sees Gates fulfilling the lead well. Christ can actually be heard on the bass on the verses on the track and the guitars during the chorus are nice and thick in their simple chord progression.  There’s a simple but good in a moody kind of way solo around the 3 and a half minute mark that adds some variety to the song. The last portion of the song is led by a soft piano that builds up to a rather disappointing “explosion”, that is, until Shadows comes soaring in. “See You Tonight” is good considering its long running time, but I can’t help but feel that not enough was done to make me want to come back to this song, no matter how great the atmosphere is — there’s just something missing.

Grade: 64

10. I Won’t See You Tonight (Part 2) Talk about a chaotic opening, screeching feedback and all. So the second part of the decent “I Won’t See You Tonight” pair is definitely less brooding and more in your face. Shadows undoubtedly sounds great when he yells “IIIIIIIIII!” in certain parts, providing a chest-thumping bravado to the mix because, despite the quicker pace, I found some parts of the song to be more dull than the first part of the pair. The second half of the guitar solo sees a much needed boost of distorted guitars before going back downhill with a bland bridge. The only real good thing about this song is the cool descending factor of the choruses and the latter half of the solo. Other than that, there’s not much here worth listening to.

Grade: 53

11. Clairvoyant Disease A7X slows things back down to a midtempo halt, with an interesting intro and a musically calming verse. Had it not been for Shadows transition from clean to rough vocals in the chorus, I would have written it off as a forgettable one, but his scream injects a necessary dose of testosterone to the hook. “Clairvoyant Disease” is host to multiple solos, the first sounding decent and being technically sound, the second being less technical but it better amplifies the song. The bridge is a bland stretch that goes on for too long and I’d go as far to say to cut it out and just leave the second guitar solo there. At least the brief, clean outro is a pleasant way to end the song.

Grade:  51

12. And All Things Will End Once again, the soft leads to the harder pastures of distortion in “And All Things Will End”. For a good portion of the song, it’s a slugfest of chug-a-chugs and while it keeps the momentum going, it’s startin to get tiring hearing it when it’s not executed as well as it could be (i.e., not as varied as it is in their other songs). The slower parts of the song considerably damage the song as I found myself running out of patience — nothing about the instruments or vocals spoke to me during this near two minute segment. Thankfully, the gear is shift back up to 6, well, more like 3 or 4 because the transition back into the quicker pace falls flat. “And All Things Will End” has too many filler segments that drag the song down and had they decided to cut the fat or at least add more flavor to these segments, then perhaps it’s 8 minute length could have been forgiven, but with its too many dull moments, it’s kept from being something worth coming back to — sorry Gates’ closing solo, but that was one hell of a clunky and boring closer to end on.

Grade:  40

“Waking the Fallen” is, without contention, an undeniably vast improvement over debut album “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet”, which was a horrible album in retrospect. Literally every aspect of Avenged Sevenfold’s metal game has been injected with steroids and put through the “300″ workout. The two standouts are drummer, The Rev, and vocalist, M.Shadows. The Rev is constantly providing a soundcape chock-full of variety and impressive technicality and, while Shadows’ voice can be nasally and occasionally grating, when he soars, it’s hard to think of an equal. Vengeance is as solid as a rhythm guitarist can get an Gates has several moments where he shines but he doesn’t quite show here why he’s one of today’s best guitarists. “Waking the Fallen” has an absolutely stellar first half that’s a good ass-kicking of a listen while the last quarter of the album sputters out and ultimately ends in a disappointing whimper.

Report Card
Instruments: 89
Production: 81
Lyrics: 75
Vocals: 85

Overall
77    

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The Weeknd “Echoes of Silence” Mixtape Review

January 18, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

1.D.D The Canadian-native lead singer of The Weeknd, Abel Tesfaye, known for his sensual and unique voice, beginning with a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”. It can be said that most Michael Jackson songs covered or sampled are painful but in this case he intensifies the song with what seems to be only his voice, drums and a synthesizer. The song is edgy and bold and hard not to sing along to passionately. This is easily the best song on the entire tape. It’s extremely memorable with it’s unique dark twist and is a perfect opener.

Grade: 93

02.Montreal This track opens with Tesfaye speaking in french to the soft notes of a piano. The first thirty seconds of the track lead you to believe some amazing musical number is about to follow, however, the song falls short of interesting due to a standard, three-note pattern beat and cliché background singers. The lyrics aren’t memorable and there’s hardly a change from verse to chorus. The song would have stood out if he actually broke the pattern, but it ends up quickly becoming reminiscent of a church hymn.

Grade: 65

03.Outside It’s extremely frustrating to listen to this song because, like the others, it entices you with with a bizarre but unforgettable beat but the singing is so drab. All the songs have almost the same beat, lyrics, and atmospheres. The song has so much potential but its overly strong focus on the beat robs it of said potential. “Outside”  may be better off as an instrumental and have a million more uses because one of them is not “good song”. It isn’t like the lyrics are bad and are actually heavy, it’s just the delivery makes them come off as insincere. 

Grade: 53

04.XO/ The Host  Finally things pick back up if you managed to stay awake to the fourth song. The trippy beat and electric guitar make this song. It sounds like an R&B cover of what could be an awesome Jimi Hendrix song but with a drunken twist since the lyrics are a recollection of any party-goers night, stressing drugs, alcohol, sex, and remorse; I guess it’s the 70′s in a short story. Just when you think about changing the song, a xylophone interrupts the song, giving the beat a colorful range of tones, making the song more varied but drowning out the singer. When you think the track is over, “The Host” comes on and it turns out it’s a completely necessary outro.

Grade: 80

05.Initiation When I first listened to this track I honestly thought my stereo was broken or I was unknowingly drugged because strange does not even begin to describe “Initiation”. In an attempt to be unique, Tesfaye tweaked his voice to different speeds, making his voice sound unnaturally high or deep. I’m not sure what he was going for but I personally felt like I was being serenaded by Sloth from 1985 classic, The Goonies and a creepy chipmunk. This makes it hard to hear the lyrics or focus on anything else so it’s a complete waste of four minutes. Also, why is this song four minutes?    

Grade: 25

 06.Same Old Song The irony of this song title kills me. I shouldn’t even have to say it but this song has no characteristics to distinguish itself, which is sad because Tesfaye has such a unique voice that has so much potential. I suppose the goal of the track was to be mellow and for those bedroom activities but the only thing you’ll manage to focus on is wishing this song would end. If you can memorize the song after listening to it twice, it isn’t always a good thing. Sad.

Grade: 67

07.The Fall This track is five minutes of Tesfaye telling the world a story about I don’t even know what because he tells it in chant form. The beat doesn’t actually drop until the middle and his voice is hard to hear over the obnoxiously simple but loud drum. The most disappointing part is the build-up is like some epic musical bang  set to blow your mind but he can’t seem to get out of the box and capitalize on the build. Simply using unique instruments won’t make the song suddenly interesting. 

Grade: 48

08.Next Somehow things pick back up at this point with a resonant piano riff and an erratic beat to accompany it. The lyrics are catchy, make sense, and are personable. Rather than droning on about alcohol and night lights, Tesfaye breaks down and shows some emotion other than apathy. Unfortunately, I think the only thing that makes this song good is that it’s unlike the other songs on the tape but it’s still really not all that great.

Grade: 75

09. Echoes of Silence This being the closing track of the mix-tape, I’d expect something that would leave a positive impression on me to help disregard the rest of the album…it’s an average slow song that falls short. The song is four notes on a piano with five notes singing along about lost love but he could honestly be singing about gardening and you wouldn’t notice because the words slur together. It’s not terrible, but it’s not good either. This would have made a better opening track but the mix-tape as a whole would have been better off as an instrumental and played in a strip club. This being only their third mix-tape, they’ve got a lot more to develop on.

Grade: 83

Report Card

Instruments: 87
Production: 68
Lyrics: 74
Vocals: 50

Overall

74

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Avenged Sevenfold “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” Album Review

December 21, 2011 in Album RealViews, Music

01. To End the Rapture Ambient rain and gentle piano open Avenged Sevenfold’s debut album and the result is ho-hum. Singer M. Shadows’ vocals take some getting used to because of his highly-nasal quality, which could turn off some listeners. However, it is unique and it bizarrely adds to the tone of the opening melody that is somewhat catchy, but not exactly memorable since it’s barely over a minute long.

Grade: 64

02. Turn the Other Way Now for the real introduction of Avenged Sevenfold’s sound. A thick scream soars over chugging riffs and sporadic drumming — a bombastic opening, to say the least. Said bombastic opening, however, is the only hair-raising aspect of the song. The rest is generic metal with some odd screaming that isn’t really thick but not thin, either. It’s all one-note screaming, though, and at least it’s unique enough to distinguish them in the overcrowded genre, regardless of your feelings towards his vocals. There are quite a few instances where the instruments are out of sync since A7X produced the album before being professionally trained to do so, leading to quite a number of rather embarrassing sloppy moments throughout the album. The dragging running time considered, “Turn the Other Way” does is just serviceable as the albums headbanging opener.

Grade: 66

03. Darkness Surrounding Man, the opening was pretty cringe-inducing. It’s really evident that drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan played some crazy fast beat while the guitarist tried to keep up with him (they’ve actually said as much in a Revolver interview), neglecting a click to play along to. That being said, the drumming is impressive in its technicality, but rather rushed and forced in most spots. With a little more polish, the intro could’ve been great, but it just ends up being groan-worthy right off the bat — a damn shame, really. The screams start to get monotonous due to there being no variation in Shadows’ screaming pyramid, opting to stay in the middle rather than going low or scratching the roof with some highs. The clean vocals are lazily written and the beat change-up fails to excite or vary the song in any meaningful way.

Grade: 38

04. The Art of Subconscious Illusion Think of this as a metal-covered punk song. Actually, think of this as a metal-tinged punk song gone wrong. There’s a pretty horrific bridge that grates ear more than cheese and it almost made me skip the track. Again, the drums shine in some spots, but it’s also the drumming that shines the spotlight on the sloppiness of the composition. At least we get to hear Shadows’ higher screams, proving to be pretty satisfying. There’s a part here where he asks “who the fuck are you?” and it’s atrocious. Man, they were rough back then, huh?

Grade: 46

05. We Come Out at Night Okay, so this one isn’t bad, it’s just not as bad as the two prior tracks. The x-factor that keeps this from being dark green diarrhea — and it’s sad, really —  is the fact that there are no glaring moments of production amateurism. Everything sounds on-beat…every…mundane…note. Well, that’s not being entirely fair, as there is a decent bridge with a nifty growl from Shadows. The ending is soft and actually melodic, something of a rarity on “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet”, with its soft piano akin to the opener.

Grade: 55

06. Lips of Deceit I’m not a huge fan of vocalizations in intros and this song definitely does not change that. They just come off as cheesy and grating (I’m looking at you, Disturbed) if they’re not properly implemented. The guitars are good but cliché and the drums are just as solid (with a couple of hiccups sprinkled here and there). Shadows doesn’t do anything distinguishable from the other tracks, just more of his signature, same-y pipe work. Not a terrible or even mediocre song, it’s just a serviceable rock number that does neither harm or good.

Grade: 60

07. Warmness on the Soul If you’re not accustomed to Shadows’ clean vocals by now, then this is going to be “SAW” for your ears because that’s all your getting. However, if you’ve acquired the taste, then you’re treated to a rather solid and surprisingly tender melody via a love song from the soft spots of Avenged Sevenfold’s very angry hearts. The instruments kick in with just the amount of force, never over-powering the sing’s focus on Shadows’ vocals. His pipes here actually impressed me here and the fittingly cheesy, Faith No More-esque solo works just right in. Easily –and I mean easily – one of the album’s brighter spots.

Grade: 78

08. An Epic of Time Wasted Ah, shit, it’s about time we got some groove in our metal. The intro is a bit misleading in that “Aw, crap, here’s another bland intro” kind of way, but it quickly turns into a headbanger of an intro thanks to the hi-hat/cymbals work of The Rev. “An Epic of Time Wasted” is actually an enjoyable fast-paced number, unlike the rockin’ tracks before it. It’s nothing spectacular, mind you, it just stands out amongst the midst of pretty terrible songs on this album. It has its fair shares of generic breakdowns, but at least they don’t sound as lazy as the other tracks.

Grade: 70

09. Breaking Their Hold Shadows’ scream leads the charge over an escalating guitar progression that’s sure to have your toe tapping. It’s hard to tell that this is Synyster and Zacky as their material up to this point has been completely generic without a melodic solo in sight. But for a quick 71-second interlude, it’s not bad when taken into that context. It ends with the drums swelling up and Shadows’ doing the very tiresome scream by now, but again, it’s a quick listen so it’s not that bad.

Grade: 50

10. Forgotten Faces The Rev does some of his best work on the album here with some thunderously quick tom-tom rolls litered throughout, providing a very fun and varied listen. Shadows is forgettable here as it’s the instruments that get the spotlight on “Forgotten Faces”. The guitars, while never at a nightmare-level for tabbers, compliment the drummer’s work. The ending also sees a good adrenaline fix that ends the song on a high note.

Grade: 71

11. Thick and Thin And cue the strum one chord intro that each metal album is obligated to. It’s an aggressive song with some neat variations, but it never comes into proper fruition. The drumming, again, is the highlight of the song, with the guitars being its great backup singers. “Thick and Thin” is some good thrash, but with a little more polish, it could’ve been a real doozy…ah, how that’s the running theme of this album.

Grade: 70

12. Streets Iron Maiden takes the cake as the main influence on “Streets”. The guitar work isn’t quite as intricate as the metal gods that are Iron Maiden, but the foundation and essential are all there. I actually prefer Shadows to use his clean vocals but that’s probably because his scream can become so goddamn monotonous. The bassist and the drums go out of sync every once in a while, but it’s not a major offense.

Grade: 75

13. Shattered by Broken Dreams The acoustic guitar isn’t exactly a prominent instrument on “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet”, so it’s nice to hear A7X flex their creativity. Shadows’ clean vocals are back, but they’re iffy, especially when he wants to hold on to some notes. His screams are also present here, but they’re welcome because they’re just another layer rather than being the dominant force it is. While the harder moments aren’t memorable, they’re more tightly composed than most the songs here, automatically making it a better song than most of this album’s numbers. However, it’s sitting at an unwelcome, meaty 7-minute running time. I don’t even know if this song is a good closer because when I reflect back on the album, not many tracks distinguish themselves.

Grade: 60

“Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” was released back in 2001 and even taking this release date into context, I can’t imagine this being a standout metal album back then with some more distinguished bands all fighting for your neck. The production, as mentioned many times before, is embarrassingly sloppy but you can’t help but give these guys props for actually being able to throw this album together themselves without playing to a click (a time signature) — a feat in its own right. Based purely off the music, I don’t see how A7X made it onto the scene the way they did, but I can see how their image did so.

Not every song on “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” is terrible, but its over-bearing mediocrity and too frequently bad, forgettable songs makes the album come off as the opposite of an enjoyable listening experience. I say only check this out if you’re a current Avenged Sevenfold fan to see their roots and its that novelty that makes it worth (“worth” is debatable) a listen to anybody. The only standout moment for me was “Warmness on the Soul”, the others you can just carry on your merry way without ever listening to them.

Report Card

Instruments: 68
Production: 39
Lyrics: 58
Vocals: 62

Overall

43

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Dia Frampton “Red” Album Review

December 18, 2011 in Album RealViews, Music, Thoughts

Dia Frampton's "Red"

01. Don’t Kick The Chair (feat. Kid Cudi) – Yeah, you read that right.  Featuring Kid Cudi—a very interesting pick, to say the least.  After seeing the track listing for “Red”, I was intrigued by this one the most.  Would this be a good combination, or a sad attempt at adding diversity to the pop rock world, by adding rap?  Anyways, to make this simple, I FREAKING LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH, my go-to song off Dia’s album.  This track is all about you, meaning a song that you and I can both relate to, because let’s face it, everyone has had one of those days where we question why we even bother anymore.  The beat, the tone, the bass, the guitars…the drops and flow are all just so perfect to me, going along flawlessly with the dark undertone of the song itself.  Kid Cudi comes in with his own verse and sticks out like a sore thumb, but it does the job.  His verse is still overall iffy to me—sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t—but it doesn’t matter because Ms. Frampton’s wonderful — a soothing voice is what gets to me the most.  This song was a very good way to start off, displaying the variety to come, and makes the rest of the album seem very promising. Oh and hey, turns out this is the second single off the album. Success.

Grade:  90 

02. Isabella – The track opens up with an upbeat acoustic guitar riff, a pounding drum beat, and Dia’s voice jumping right in, really putting you in the mood that’ll make you just want to go out and do something—which is the mood I imagine this track is trying to put you in, because well, that’s what this song is all about.  Dia both serenades, and gives us advice, reminding ourselves that even in the lowest of the lows, we can’t stay there—we have to get up and do something, stop being afraid, and just take life by the handles.

Grade: 83 

03. The Broken Ones –  So what if I cried to this song? JUDGE ME GO AHEAD AND DO IT.  Just kidding, I didn’t actually cry (because I don’t cry, fuck that, I’m a thug), but I mean, I would be lying if I said this ballad didn’t touch my heart. The first single off of “Red” is backed up by a slow serene beat that gradually builds up to a fast-paced bridge—tastefully done and not disappointing at any degree.  You would expect this ballad to be somewhat of a love song about a boy she lost, and how she is healing (think Taylor Swift), but it’s not like that at all, which is one of the things I enjoy most about this song. Dia expresses her love for, well, the “broken” ones, giving us a sense that there is always someone that cares for us out there, even through all the bullshit we may have gone through. This is the kind of tone I would expect from Dia Frampton, reflecting off of her band’s first not-coffee-shop-only album, Meg & Dia’s “Something Real”.  So pretty much, a good reminder of why I fell in love with the Frampton sisters in the first place.

Grade: 87 

04. Good Boy – Jumping from the prior song’s deepish-emotional nature, we are led into a very upbeat story of a young innocent boy, and him growing up—breaking out of his cage built around him, and becoming a typical rebellious youngin.  Another “good-feelings” song from the album ends up being very reminiscent of “Isabella”, although Dia’s voice is much more flowing and bustling.  This melody is strong in its imagery, making it simple to play a little made-up music video in your head as you listen to the beats.  This is me being just a little nit-picky, because I’m sure it’s just an artistic touch or something of the manner, but, Charlie’s such a good boy, if you didn’t get it.

Grade: 75 

05. I Will (Feat. Blake Shelton) – Dia Frampton is accompanied in this track by her The Voice coach, Blake Shelton—a duet of some sort, I suppose.  These two musical geniuses join together to remind you yet again that someone is going to be there for you, always, even if you think you’re all alone.  First time around, it reminded me Lady Antebellum?  Yeah, I don’t really listen to Lady Antebellum so don’t take my word on that.  Anyways, it’s the album’s more “country”-ish song, which I guess, should be expected since it is featuring country star, Blake Shelton.  I, myself, am not a very big fan of country music, so of course, I skip it.  But hey, if you’re into that kind, by all means, listen to it.  I just found the entire track generic, to me atleast.

Grade: 68

Dia Frampton's "The Broken Ones"

A screencap from Dia Frampton's music video for "The Broken Ones"

06. Billy The Kid – First run with this song, I got a “Foster The People” feeling—it reminded me a lot of “Pumped Up Kicks” for some reason, and what do you know?  Turns out this track was co-written by Mark Foster of that very same band.  Finally, a different experience from this album—enough with the upbeat, and more of Dia’s raw voice paired with the dark indie tones!  Definitely a good song to just sit around and chill out to when you’re kicking it with some buddies.  Very much like “Pumped Up Kicks”, this is a story about a tough messed up kid (named Billy, DUH), except in this version, Billy has a bounty on his head and is being searched for, yet no one will give him up, because Billy fucks shit up to the fullest (well, I call it how I see it).  Proving to be very infectious, this tune has no problem with getting at least one element of the song stuck in your head, whether it be the beat or the chorus.

Grade: 82 

07. Daniel – Another taste of Dia’s diversity in her voice, this harmony throws away all electronic tweaks and artificial upbringing, and is replaced with the unrefined, but still beautiful styling of Ms. Frampton, with acoustic guitars as her only companion.  This simple acoustic melody is about regret of throwing away a past love, musing over the past, and wishing things went differently, perhaps a harder fight when things were going to end.  Regardless of the simplicity in this song, it is still poignant, and by no means a generic Taylor Swift-esque song.  It does a damn good job of relaxing very bone of your body, and can easily put you to sleep—and I mean that in a sense that it’s very serene and calming (don’t twist my words, maaaan).

Grade: 84 

08. Walk Away – I’ll be honest, as I was listening to this song to review it, I got a Facebook IM and I ended up tuning out the entire song—in other words, it just didn’t stand out to me that much.  It was kind of bland, actually.  It’s not a bad song…but it’s not a very good one either.  I’m not even motivated enough by this song to read the lyrics and try to decipher what it’s about exactly—not that it matter’s because if anything, all I do is listen to the whistling in the song, and not pay attention to the lyrics at all.  I guess every album has to have a not-so-good song.

Grade: 57 

09. Bullseye – This song had the same effect as the prior song did, to me.  I was going to review it…I was going to listen to it, and read the lyrics and say what it was about, but instead, I got really bored of the song, paused it, and listened to this acoustic version of Metro Station’s “Kelsey”.  Yep.  This song was another miss to me.  Dia Frampton and Isabelle Summers of Florence + The Machine join forces to bring this song together, and I was easily disappointed, thinking that these two alike artists would conceive a magical songbaby, which instead turned out to be shitty (I was going to make some kind of mutation joke but I didn’t want to offend anyone LOLOL).  Yet again, Frampton recycles a taciturn acoustic beat and a prominent pounding drum, to tell us, YET AGAIN, to run away (like in Isabella, except this is much more low-key).

Grade: 55

10. Trapeze – Easily my favorite track off of the album, easily the best song off of the album, easily the best pick to end this album on a good note after back-to-back let downs.  This track speaks to me, man, and I’m sure you will also find it somewhat relatable.    A acoustic riff and Dia’s haunting voice offers us the ability to be able to feel every single emotion being released as this song was written.  The ballad is beautifully written, lyrically explaining the thoughts of someone guarded—someone that doesn’t want to royally fuck up what they have by talking about their past, but reassures that even though this world is crazy—even though “this world is a whirlwind”, they are going to hold on, and they don’t want to lose what they have.  Relaxing my mind, and reminding me that people feel this way too, I fall asleep with ease to this song, usually keeping it on repeat.  Once again, Dia uses this song with retrospect, to revive my memory for why I fell in love with her music in the first place.

Grade: 95

Dia Frampton is freaking BEAUTIFUL

Aforementioned, Dia Frampton is a part of the indie-gone-pop-rock band, Meg & Dia, who then became apart of the reality show The Voice, ended as a semi-finalist, and has now released this solo album.  When I heard about it, I was really excited to see what work she would be able to come up with as a solo artist.  I love this entire album as a whole—I could honestly listen to it for hours on end (and I have), but there are, of course, the misses of every album.  Dia’s constant theme in this album is to keep calm, and carry on (see what I did there?), and that there is always someone that cares about you and will be on your side—a theme that I have always liked from the Frampton’s, because it’s not your typical lovey-dovey bullshit that most mainstream music revolves around.  If you fancy the indie-acoustic-feel of music and you’re looking for some diversity to that genre, go for this album.  It fits hand and hand with your tastes.  Ugh, I freaking LOOOVE this album.

 

Report Card

Instruments: 83
Production: 87
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 93

Overall

90

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