Metal Reviews

THANK YOU. Seriously, that's probably my favorite album of the year 2006, by far my most played one in any case. I very rarely enjoy any metalcore, but BFMV seriously rules ass.



Yeah, I mean each to his own, but how anyone could take s/t over any other Strato album just baffles me.

My pick too, I like every song on Dehumanizer.

kamelot - ghost opera
exodus - shovel headed killmachine

I actually come from the same small town as those guys.

Every other Stratovarius album have weak tracks IMO. Examples:

4th Dimension: 030366, Nightfall
Visions: Forever Free, Before the Winter, Coming Home
Infinite: Millenium, Mother Gaia, Freedom
Elements 1 & 2: Find your own voice, Fantasia, I'm still alive, Season's faith perfection, Know the difference, Luminous

As for the self-titled, the only song I can't stand is Maniac Dance. I can understand that long-time fans of the band were pissed since it's not a "power-metal" record. But, it's one hell of an heavy metal record.

The lyrics are powerful (especially on Just Carry On and Fight), the drumming is awesome, it's original (like the opera voice on Back to Madness) and it's nothing like what they ever did before.

I can understand that everybody has their own tastes, but it still is my favourite Strato record.

I certainly won't dispute the fact that every other Stratovarius album has weak tracks on them, but on s/t the weak tracks are clearly in domination. Fight!!!, Just Carry On and Back to Madness are all fairly solid (aside from that opera thing you mentioned, I think it's utterly stupid and out of place myself), but the other ones...Maniac Dance I guess we all can agree on sucks, Zenith of Power makes the stuff on Virtual XI sound decently non-repetitive in comparison and Leave the Tribe and United just have no real energy to them. The lyrics aren't bad though and I do prefer personal/inner struggles type of lyrics to fantasy stuff, but lyrics don't do much for me if the music is bad. The drumming is certainly awesome, but that has been the case ever since Jörg Michael joined the band.

My problem with this album is not at all the fact that the album is less power metal, I mean by that point Stratovarius had been recycling their own stuff rather blatantly and thus I have to applaud them for trying something new. But overall, s/t is pretty much their answer to St. Anger, being made by similarly emotionally struggling musicians (okay, only Timo Tolkii in this case, and he definitely seemed more fucked up than anyone in Metallica had ever been at that point, but still), which shows in the overall lack of quality.

The only one I can think of off hand is

In Flames - Reroute to Remain

Other ones I can think of...

Fear Factory - Digimortal (okay so it's no Demanufacture, but if you can get past the fact that the songwriting is far more simple, nu-metal oriented and commercial, it's quite a fun trip)

Judas Priest - Point of Entry (certainly more toned-down than what came before and after, but I think I prefer it to both those albums actually. Has a great smooth, laid-back, rock 'n' roll-ish feel and the songwriting isn't nearly as inconsistent as on Screaming for Vengeance. Turbo is also awesome, but that's a given considering my tastes in general)

Chimaira - Chimaira

They bucked the nu-metal stuff, and produced this awsome metalcore/neo-thrash album. But too many seem to hold grudges.....

DevilDriver - DevilDriver and The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand

I think they are awsome. I am pretty sure no one else on this forum likes them

I think they're alright, to be honest. They're a step up from Coal Chamber at least.

I like Chimaira.

Ditto. Loved the s/t, must get the new one with the long tracks and Tool-y bits on it.

Yep, that works for me too- Tony Martin Sabbath=Awesome.

Iron Maiden's The X Factor, though judging by the responses to the review, a lot more people like it than I had thought.

Judas Priest's Ram It Down- seems to be unfairly slagged. A few weak tracks... But then there's Ram it Down! Hard as Iron! Blood Red Skies! Amazing stuff on this album.

Shadows Fall- The Art of Balance. Say what you will about metalcore, this is one album that gets it completely right by being completely diverse- the thrash, metalcore, and Iron Maiden style melodies are all in balanced (puntastic!) proportion.

I don't care for Chimaira or Devil Driver. :/

But I'll say this:

Evanescence -- Fallen

This CD has some really good tunes on it. Really. I don't "love" it, but it's a good Goth Rock album.

Slipknot -- Slipknot

It's the perfect musical incarnation of teenage angst.

Mudvayne -- L.D. 50

As far as Nu-Metal goes, this is some pretty complex/Proggy shit. The bass playing is phenomenal.

I still like Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil.


Great tunes, perfect musicianship, bad image (I don't care).

You know, I have to agree on this one. I forgot to add this one to my list. I agree that musically these guys are great. I can't get into the singers whining voice at all though. The image I could care less about. Its all about the music for me.

In Flames - Soundtrack To Your Escape

I are teh In Flames fanboy The only thing I see wrong with this album is the last track (Bottled).

I think I'd agree with Legacy on the first Slipknot album. Some really great tracks on it.

YES, I forgot about that one. I like "The End of All Things To Come " as well, but L.D. 50 did and does still sound really good to me. Ryan Martinie steals the show with his bass work.