Symphony X - Iconoclast [2011]

Symphony X is one of those hot or cold bands for me. I either love their albums or couldn't care less about them. The band's first three releases were all killer as far as I'm concerned, but everything since then has seen very few listens from me. My disinterest peaked with Paradise Lost, an album which I never managed to listen to all the way through a single time. Well, I might have to change my philosophies, because I've got this Iconoclast CD here that, while not being a significant departure from its predecessor, absolutely kills. Hell, Iconoclast has enough badass riffs to satisfy even thrash fans who can deal with the super melodic and catchy nature of its contents. Not too many chances sre taken here, but with a product as overwhemingly "metal" as this, who could really complain?

Iconoclast is packed to the gills with awesome songs that are relentless in their power. This is one of the heavier albums I've seen in this entire genre, ever. I dare you to sit still during the frenzy of footstompers like "Dehumanized," "Heretic," and the ultimate highlight: the opening title track, a ten minute display of unprecedented force. Russel Allen growls convincingly for the full duration, delivering perhaps his best performance yet. Iconoclast's choruses are the most memorable this band has ever delivered, and the Romeo-Allen squadron fires on every bloodstained cylinder. The band has also had a penchant for creating lighter pieces that never fail to arrest, and Iconoclast is no exception; just look to "When All Is Lost" for your epic ballad needs, or the chorus of "Children of a Faceless God," a wonderful display of the band's ability to portray vivid emotion.

What's most amazing about Symphony X's latest is that it just never gets old. Having joyfully listened to it 15-20 times already, I'm always shocked after each experience that I still want to hear it again. There's just this perfect flow to Iconoclast that begs you to enjoy its blissful euphony time and time again. All the songs are somewhat samey, with similar traditional structures, but that just adds to the ease of surrender you'll have to the music. There may be a couple songs that lag just a smidgeon behind the others ("Bastards of the Machine" for example), but really, there's just not a lot here that I could possibly complain about. This, along with Pagan's Mind's sublime effort this year, are sure to be viable power metal outlets for a long time to come. This is potential realized. Savor it, and don't miss out.

   Overall: 9/10 (Outstanding - through the gates of hell)

Evergrey - Glorious Collision [2011]

For playing music in such a forgivingly positive genre, Evergrey seems to take on a strange number of naysayers, a legion of nemeses who hate the band's work with every fabric of their beings; and although I may not be a radical in this anti-Evergrey movement, I will say that the majority of Evergrey's output is weak and unnecessary power metal. The only difference now is that they aren't even power metal anymore. Glorious Collision is a mess of an album that resembles modern rock more than it resembles anything the band has done before. With the inferior quality that has been perpetuated by this band for years, one must surely think that a little change might be just what the doctor ordered. However, with the interminable session of mediocrity that this album spews forth, it might be best to pull the plug here and now.

When I say "modern rock," I don't mean that it follows the current flow of worthless, upbeat, radio-friendly bands like Nickelback. No, this has more in common with the slower, understated genre, i.e. the one that won't make you regurgitate your guts on the floor while listening to it. Evergrey certainly doesn't impress anywhere on this disc, but I guess it could have been worse. These are simplistic, rather slow pieces built with whiny guitar and a heavy reliance on choruses. Unfortunately, the choruses often falter, and some are just bad (see: "Wrong," "Restoring the Loss"). Tom Englund is the most controversial part of the band and an interesting vocalist in his own right. He's not bad, but he lacks range and power, sounding more like an American Idol winner than a real metal vocalist. "You" is definite proof of this, a worthless commercial number lacking any point but to make a quick buck. Considering who they are and what they play, why did they think this would work?

If you're desperate to find highlights, I suppose opener "Leave It Behind Us" is a pretty decent arena anthem, and the semi-balladic "The Phantom Letters" creates a pretty good atmosphere. This may seem like a sparse writeup, but that directly reflects Evergrey's latest effort: there simply isn't much here to warrant its gratuitous length. Who would want this many tracks from a band with so little imagination? Despite the change of style, Glorious Collision is directly on par with its predecessors. You'd think the band would either get better or worse with this release. Go figure. To conclude, this isn't the most worthless, phoned-in album I've heard this year, but even if you like this watered down style of music, you could do much better. Only for the most loyal fans of Evergrey and hard rock.

   Overall: 5.25/10 (Mediocre)

Queensrÿche - Dedicated to Chaos [2011]

Okay, so we all know the 'Ryche stopped playing music at least fifteen years ago. They suck so bad now that even the most die hard fans come prepared for a shitacular flow of raw sewage each decrepit day these braindead "musicians" decide to disease society further with a new release. But quite frankly, this is just getting ridiculous now. Dedicated to Chaos takes modern rock to a new level of worthlessness, a new nadir of utmost stupidity and apathy. Queensryche's got everything you need right here: groove boogie tracks, psychodelic tunes, quiet understated songs, and pop cockrock anthems. If that sounds appealing to you, then oh boy, do you have a hefty bounty of S&M pleasure comin' your way! What could be worse than a new Queensryche album? A really freaking long Queensryche album. Sixteen tracks and 70 minutes await you here. Who needs waterboarding? The US will be unstoppable with this in our grasp!

I'm not sure how to describe this since I'm used to reviewing music. Warning: Contents may be fatal. Imagine a mix of worthless Green Day impersonations, a rap-rock feel, U2/Coldplay elements, spacey hippie rock (the most common substance), and lyrics that encompass highly substantial issues like using a fucking cell phone. I'm serious. Look no further than "Hot Spot Junkie" for thought-provoking prose like "I'm addicted to the wifi way, I'm addicted to the wifi way" and "Retail Therapy," a song filled through and through with inspirational lines including, but not limited to, this entire verse:

"Tryin' to find a bargain on a new cell phone
Gotta talk to somethin'
Can't stand the feelin' of bein' alone too long
Without feelin' like I'm gonna come unglued
I text and I text my every thought
But I'm gettin' nothing back
I've got sixty-two apps to keep me happy"

At least those aps can replace all the fans he undoubtedly lost with this piece of crap. Wait a minute, "gotta talk to somethin'?" So wait, he has no one to communicate with so he has to talk to the phone instead? Pfft. Whatever. Back to what's important. The album is essentally comprised of three acts. It starts off as pop rock, suddenly shifts to a calm setting, and then reprises its modern pop rock origins. Needless to say, all three are equally deprived of value. Geoff Tate has the last speck of talent remaining in this band, but he's wasting his time here. His vocals come effortlessly, and they obviously hold some charm and likability, but that doesn't really matter since everything else barely resembles the Queensryche we all used to know and love. He doesn't try very hard either, but they could still put something of value around his distinctive sound. Now we just get stuff like "Wot We Do," which is, get ready for this one, a rap song. Don't believe me? Okay, just listen to it. You'll see.

When it comes to being the worst of 2011, Illud Divinum Insanus might have been a complete failure, but at least it was an interesting one. Dedicated to Chaos doesn't even manage to do that. Queensryche should now hold the distinction for somehow making a sixteen song album in which not a single track is good. Or decent. Or even passably mediocre. This has all the creative quality of a thirteen-year old's garage mallcore band, except that it sounds like mainstream garbage. Heres what really pisses on my hushpuppies: If Queensryche just admitted their complete departure from the realm of metal, we could go our separate ways and I would never have to mention or think about them ever again; but no, they're in some strange denial that this is still metallically relevant. Geoff and the boys somehow compare Dedicated to Chaos to Rage for Order and Empire. It's twenty years too late, guys, just let it go. I'll end this review with a passionate plea: please, for the love of god, please stop playing music, Queensryche. Let us enjoy what you used to do without tarnishing it further.

   Overall: 1/10 (Abysmal - just die already)

Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece [2011]

Abyss Masterpiece is an album that immediately reminds me of Septicflesh's 2011 release The Great Mass, not only because of its recent freshness in my mind, but because of its similar integration of orchestra sections with death metal elements. Many factors differ between the two, however. For one, Heavenwood falls in the gothic doom genre with only hints of death, most of which being inspired by vocals alone. There is a lot of variety here, which is a characteristic that many of Heavenwood's similar contemporaries lack. It's an important one on Abyss Masterpiece, too, considering that the album runs for twelve full tracks and just about an hour of music overall. Though each and every song may not quite match up with the rest, this is a remarkably conisistent and entertaining piece of work.

The material fluctuates between heavy, dark symphonic pieces and more catchy, accessable songs. This is a formula that often leads to weak filler tracks when used by a mediocre band, but Heavenwood does it so well that any discriminating gothic metal fans should enjoy the lighter parts as much as the night-shrouded ones. Take for example the opening one-two punch of "The Arcadia Order" and "Morning Glory Clouds." The former is a cinematic showing not unlike "The Vampire from Nazareth" while the latter opts for a highly listenable melodic death single approach; it's a perfect way to foreshadow the styles to come. This structure also opens the way for a multitude of different vocals. A bludgeoning but not too unintelligible growl is present for most of the duration, but it's additionally accompanied by full clean vocals and a sludgy 50-50 style somehow appropriate for the occasion. The female vocals in "Leonor" make it a pleasent surprise and one of the more memorable showpieces here.

To be honest, I prefered the cleaner cuts from Abyss Masterpiece, an aspect of Heavenwood they should take with great pride. Few do these types of songs better. Tracks like "Once a Burden" and "Like Yesterday" are great enough already, but when "A Poem for Matilde" plays, it brings with it an emotion power I've only seldom heard elsewhere. This is a beauty of a track, a sweet, moving display of genuine passion. As with the rest of the album, the lyrics show an adept knowledge of longing and promise.

"Blessed and divine, my world your eyes
I'm distinguished
I'll never let you down
Your hand in mine, we'll rule the time
Autumn or Winter
I'll never let you down"

For haters of symphonic or orchestral utilization in their metal, all I can say is that Abyss Masterpiece is less of a full symphony than The Great Mass and that you shouldn't let a rather unimportant qualm get in the way of a great album. Heavenwood knows when to use additional instruments and when to keep them quiet and play with sheer simplistic feel. The final result plays like a highlight reel of gothic metal's best aspects. This may not be the heaviest nor most stylish pig in the excellent 2011 litter, but it certainly isn't the runt, or even close, for that matter. It has enough meat on its bones to feed your ears for many listens, probably en route to winning "best in show" accolades for its genre. So, that about does it: an epic metaphor for an epic album.

   Overall: 8/10 (Great - I adore a soul that doesn't feel)

Septicflesh - The Great Mass [2011]

Septicflesh was one of the first Greek death metal bands to rise in the early nineties, and they've been steadily cranking out well-received albums ever since. From what I understand, they've slowly been adding more symphonic elements with each subsequent full-length, only fully exploding into orchestral accompaniment after their reunion with the release of Communion in 2008. The Great Mass is my first experience with Septicflesh, and it strongly makes me regret not listening to them earlier; because let me tell you, this is one of the best albums I've heard in quite a while and the greatest entry of the year so far. Some parts are startlingly beautiful, some are undeniably catchy, and some are intensely heavy, but when all's said and done, The Great Mass bleeds quality through and through.

This certainly isn't your typical death metal release. The emphasis here is less on riff power and more on orchestral composition. Nonetheless, I never get the feeling that The Great Mass lacks metallic direction. This is helped by the deep bellows of Vayenas and a crushing modern guitar tone. There isn't a second that comes off as too light, and although the orchestration plays as loud and as often as the riffs, neither ever overshadows the other. In fact, these elements are most successful when used in harmony. The result of their strong fusion can most notably be seen in album highlight "Oceans of Grey;" when the chorus comes in with those haunting female vocals and the orchestra begins to play, the chills come creeping down my spine as well. The most surprising aspect of The Great Mass, however, is the way it opens up as it goes on.

The album seems to have a set routine vocally at first, but as it gets into the second half, more and more clean vocals are utilized. These unique low-range parts make tracks like "The Undead Keep Dreaming" and the fascinatingly strange closer "Therianthropry" that much more interesting, and even go as far as to make the simplistic "Rising" sound like a minimalistic power metal song. They're not completely absent on the album's first half, either; the great repeated clean part at the end of "The Vampire of Nazareth" makes an otherwise tame opener sound brilliant. Those opposed to a great amount of these kinds of vocals in their music shouldn't panic, however; I'm only describing specific parts. This is definitely a death dominated release: just see classics like "Pyramid God," "Five-Pointed Star," and the panicked "Mad Architect" to see evidence of that. "Apocalypse" also deserves mention for having an amazing chorus that blows me away every time.

There's no filler or even slightly inadequate track here. Okay, so maybe "The Vampire of Nazareth" is a mere snack compared to the feast that is the rest of the album, but I prefer to look at it as an appetizer for the deliciousness to come. It's a consistent, versatile symphony of cosmic proportions. This is a CD with high replay value, and it's been in my rotation consistently since its release. It can be argued that The Great Mass is somewhat short, but that's how I like 'em. There's less of a chance to be bored or have needless tracks that way, and pulling off ten winners in a row is a good achievement already. If you have not yet succumbed to Septicflesh's awesomeness, you better do so now, because I doubt there's ever been a better time to do so.

   Overall: 9.75/10 (Incredible)

Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand [2011]

The buzz for Primordial's new effort was high, and that's for a little reason called "To the Nameless Dead," one of the best-received albums of the last decade. I'd dare say it was as bit overrated, but it was still great, and "Empire Falls" is basically the greatest song ever this side of "Crimson." A strong argument could be made for their originality and talent in creating heartfelt music. Their use of feeling and emotional power over songwriting is not one I particularly find mesmerizing, however, and Redemption at the Puritan's Hand features the band's greatest amount of this sentiment yet. The first time I heard it, I was very underwhelmed and shocked at how ineffectual it was. Not a single song was memorable and I basically hated it; but as others have noted, this album is a grower. It just takes some listens to properly appreciate, and though I still don't like it very much, I must admit that it's a fairly decent release that should please fans of the band.

Primordial specializes in creating an enveloping sound of blackened celtic metal. They draw you in with music that speaks with glorious pride for their nation and grab your attention with Alan Averill's emotive vocals. He's probaby the most controversial element in the band, which is ironic considering that I don't love Primordial and he's my favorite part. He passionately and painfully puts himself into every powerful groan, growl, and scream. He never goes beyond the range you'd expect, but his more extreme aspects will surprise you with their proficient depth. The rest of the band finds their role to be one of simplicity, which is all that is necessary for them. Their goal is to make a thick inferno of metal for Alan's tortured delivery to bounce safely on top of. All of it is very intense and might overwhelm those expecting an easy listen.

I just wish the band had a better songwriting template than the one they continually insist on using. Sure, I'm not expecting upbeat choruses everywhere I look, but they could add some parts to capture my interest every once in a while. As it stands, I can hardly remember a thing about any of the songs. The length of each track certainly irks me, as well. I have no idea why almost all of therm have to be eight minutes or longer when barely have any repeating parts. There are a couple on here that I couldn't go as far to even call a song, like "The Black Hundred;" they're more like a collection of random loose bits and pieces. It also certainly doesn't help that the droning atmosphere of the thing is putting me to sleep before I reach track six. A little Primordial goes a long, long way. I prefer to hear them in smaller doses, not an hour+ album.

I'm not sure whether Redemption at the Puritan's Hand is just a flawed release, or that it's just not in my best interests. I strongly suspect the former, however, since I still at least enjoyed To the Nameless Dead for a good amount of time. This is an album that I feel forced to come back and listen to, since it gives me no natural urge to do so myself. It's a real shame, too, since I want to like Primordial so much and there is a lot to like about them; but until they radically alter their song structures, I doubt I ever will. I did like a few songs, such as "No Grave Deep Enough," "Lain with the Wolf," and "Death of the Gods," but not enough to keep me coming back. I'm aware that I'm in the minority here, so maybe it's too much to ask. Let people listen to what they enjoy, I suppose.

   Overall: 6.25/10 (Fair)

Before the Dawn - Deathstar Rising [2011]

Before the Dawn has been pumping out releases consistently for a few years now, but from what I can tell, very little changes between them. Their style isn't exactly a distinct one; it's derivitive of what Amorphis has been doing for years now. If you particularly love their material, I'd encourage you to stop reading and pick this up, because I can almost guarantee that you'll favor this. I'm on the fence about it, personally, but I can see the attraction of this type of music. Mixing some middling death growls and smooth clean vocals over a brown toned musical din is a combination that rarely goes sour. The main issue is that it slowly degrades into a predictable, repetitive set of fixed ideas.

Just about every song proceeds in the same way: a droning melodic death riff plays, a verse of death metal vocals is laid on top of it, and it all leads to a commercially capable chorus of mid-range clean vocals. One more verse, two more choruses, plus three more minutes and you've got your typical Before the Dawn song. Of course, they throw in a couple tracks that break the mold (like "Judgement") to throw you off the scent, but the changes are never major enough to matter. As a result, I'm always feeling Deathstar Rising for the first half but quickly grow bored before it even ends. What makes that particularly sad is the fact that it isn't very long in the first place. I know these musicians could make a more compelling album if they'd put more effort into it. Great songs like "Deathstar," "Remembrance," and "Sanctuary" are evidence of that.

Deathstar Rising certainly isn't a bad album, but it's all too apparent that Before the Dawn could have added some variety to enhance the overall package. There isn't a pathetic song here, just a few pointless and mediocre ones (like closer "Wreith" for example). The production is beyond clear, but that's no shocker for modern melodeth. At least it isn't a poppy, keyboard-laden mess like a lot of bands are reverting to these days. To conclude, this is a band with some potential, but the word poential is double edge sword; its use means that the subject isn't living up to what it could be.

   Overall: 6.75/10 (Fair)

Havok - Time Is Up [2011]

Havok is riding high in the new wave of thrash metal, and their latest album Time Is Up has recieved quite a bit of attention. Essentially coming from the much maligned "no innovation necessary, just asskicking" classic thrash genre, it features all the components of the 80's thrash giants, only slightly modified with modern production. Bands like Havok obviously don't focus on originality, but when the output is this strong, that isn't much of an issue. Apart from a couple fillers and the qualms I have with modern thrash, Time Is Up is a non stop display of strong riffs, memorable choruses, and some fun lyrics, too.

If Bonded by Blood came out in 2011, this is essentially what it would sound like. Of course, this is dropping the charming raw production necessary and a couple of killer tracks Havok just aren't capable of, so no, I'm not calling it an equal album. I mean only to say that this is pretty much the 1985 Exodus style verbatim: a focus on slower, melodic riffing rather than speedy savagery, a similar style of angered snarling, and even a knack for going for the catchy chorus all make this very comparable. It doesn't match up track for track, though. "The Cleric" and "Out of My Way" are clearly fillers only here to run the playing time up a bit. Any thrash fan would want to hear the highlights, though. "Killing Tendencies" and "Scumbag in Disguise" take no prisoners, but my ultimate favorite is "Fatal Intervention," a badass number with one the best choruses I've ever heard in thrash metal. It all strongly reminds me of the glory of "A Lesson in Violence":

"This is fatal intervention
Violence rages throughout
Thrashing with the intention
Of never letting it stop"

Lyrically, the album isn't exactly breaking philosophical boundaries, but that just goes along with the 80's motif. It has to be about "thrashing," being awesome, and chanting generic cool-sounding phrases or it doesn't truly capture the essence of what it used to be all about. I understand the arguments that these retro bands are a complete waste of space and that they bring nothing new to the table, I really do; but let's face it, the genre started repeating itself a long time ago, and I'd rather hear these fresh bands having fun than the same old ones crashing and burning with each subsequent release. If you can manage to look past these preconceptions you may just find a nice release to fill out your thrash library.

   Overall: 7.5/10 (Good - and then you die!)

Symfonia - In Paradisum [2011]

Well, first things first, the cover is one of the "happiest" (ahem) things I've ever seen in my life. I know that has no predetermined bearing on the music enclosed, but I thought it was worth mentioning, since it really does give one an accurate prediction of how this one plays out. This is some of the cheesiest, most repetitive, least imaginitive power metal I've ever heard compiled on a single compact disc. It's albums like this that cause terms such as "flower metal" to live on. Don't be fooled by the band name; this is Stratovarius, and these songs are the ones that couldn't even make it on their worst albums. In Paradisum is basically Infine pt. 2, except even worse this time around. All the same riffs, choruses, rhythms, and vocal patterns that polluted Stratovarius's weakest material are present here. There's not a shred of originality to be seen.

In Paradisum is an album that suffers from a little disorder I like to call "Two Minute Skip Syndrome;" after two minutes of each song, you're guarunteed to have heard all it will have to offer and you might as well just skip the rest of it. After all, why waste precious moments to hear the same poppy, upbeat chorus repeated ad nauseum? At least with ten identical songs at two minutes a piece, you're only wasting twenty minutes of your life and not the sadistic fifty included. This is the verse/chorus/verse/chorus/repeat chorus formula crammed down our throats repeatedly. It isn't heavy enough to be a headbanging good time, and it doesn't contain enough balladic beauty to be interesting, either. In Paradisum is the act of aging musicians stuck in the past, never finding the inspiration to do anything beyond the same release time and time again. Now that the carbon copies are elevating into double digit territory, I don't know whether to feel anger or pity.

Biggest embarrassments include the obligatory "epic" title track and "I Walk in Neon," a cheap replica of "Hunting High and Low." You'd figure Timo and his group of savages would want to stop wasting their lives doing this; you sorta only get one, you know. I actually like the helium-fueled chords of former Angra vocalist Andre Matos, so hearing him dying here is only more depressing; and he's still hitting the notes, too, making cliched straight-shooters like "Rhapsody in Black" actually sound somewhat decent. But one man can't save a band, and if there's ever been evidence of that fact, it's right here with Symfonia. This is a hollow shell of a band with no soul beneath its cotton candy exterior. No heart is beating under it's mechanized, emotionless skin, composed only of faulty spare parts that wouldn't fit its previous equally inferior models. Obvious metaphors aside, it just really fucking sucks.

   Overall: 3.5/10 (Bad)

X Japan - Dahlia [1996]

I love this music. This is perhaps one if the greatest non-metal albums I've ever heard. Naturally, a statement like that takes a lot of backing up for two primary reasons. The first objection: "X Japan? Not metal? That speed demon of shredding insanity isn't metal?!" The second objection: "One of the best? Really? What could make something that's essentially the sell-out of a band the best?" Well, those are some valid points that will take some time and space to tackle. This might be a long one, folks. It certainly isn't for everyone, but I'm positive that most people could enjoy it if they'd give it a chance. So hang in there, and you may very well find out what makes Dahlia such a special album.

The style of music played here is highly debatable; I'm pretty sure no one answer is right. I'd liken it to Blue Blood, an album in which X Japan switched genres per song. Dahlia plays out in a similar way, but with an entirely different ensemble of sounds; Blue Blood featured elements of speed/power metal, progressive metal, glam, and even symphonic. Of all those types, I'd say that only the symphonic elments have been retained to an extent worth mentioning. There's orchestra and piano all over this disc, but I'll save the specific details for later. To complement this most prominent aspect, we also get J-pop, industrial rock, atmospheric rock, and some minute traces of the metal once played before. If that doesn't sound like a metalhead's nightmare, then I don't know what does. Upon learning this, people usually dart away in fear, but don't jump to any conclusions.

There can be no proper estimation for how well this mix works. The most prevalent factor holding back other X Japan albums is their lack of a constant flow; on all of Dahlia's predecessors, the band always makes some mistake, no matter how small, that detracts from the listener's enjoyment. For me, at least, this just doesn't happen here. Each and every song is perfect, and they're all in the perfect place. There's no hitch, there's no catch. The band knows when to be emotional, when to get serious, and when to go upbeat. This makes it easier to trust the band to take you to the places you need to go. Let X Japan be your tour guide, and they'll show you sights you never thought you'd see, the beauty of the second world hidden within music. They own acres of property in this realm, and that's all because of this album.

I do need to emphasize that the distinct X sound is still very present; it's just that it's wrapped around a sleeker, more accessable shell than before. Take for example the opening title track. The song is veiled in slight heaviness at first, but once it really gets going, it reveals itself to be a masterful J-pop song filled with airy verses and an upbeat chorus made for store shelves. Things get trickier on track two, "Scars." The song remains commercially capable, but there's a glimmer of electronic and industrial elements as well. All in all, it's the least notable of the tracks, but still good enough not to be a distraction. "Rusty Nail" is more of a straight out J-pop song even though it does retain some rock tendencies. It was a big commercial success, and for good reason; this song is fun and ludicrously catchy. "White Poem I" follows, one of the most interesting and grabbing three minute pieces I've ever heard. It's a highly atmospheric slow song brought to the next level by Toshi's most beautiful singing yet, and repetition serves only to enhance the mood.

The last of the even slightly heavy songs are represented by "Wriggle" and "Drain." The former is just an intro for the latter, and both make one track. This song absolutely rules. It is the most uncharacteristic tune X Japan pulls off on the album, mixing heavy industrial with groovin' rhythms, but they still pull it off. About half the album, or even more, is filled with grandly orchestrated ballads. These are the best displays of the band's talent and emotive chops. Aside from "Crucify My Love," each one runs at least seven minutes and upwards to ten. And they don't get boring. Ever. The first is my personal favorite X Japan song, the unbelievablly moving "Longing." The greatest ballad ever. It's hard to describe what makes these types of X songs so good; all I know is that I can feel this music and that's all that matters. "Tears" and "Forever Love" follow and take your breath away in the same fashion.

The production enhances it with its crystal clear tone. This could have come out this year and it would sound up to date. I can understand the level of openmindedness you'd have to possess to like this CD if you're neither an X Japan fan or a listener of Japanese music. In fact, I probably wouldn't recommend Dahlia to someone who doesn't fall into either of those camps, but I don't have the heart not to; it's just so good that it deserves to be heard. No other X Japan album (or even J-pop, J-metal, whatever) comes close to this level of consistency or listenability. It's one of those releases that shouldn't be as good as it is, yet I have no doubt in my mind that it's superlative. If you're an X Japan fan still holding out because you don't think it's heavy enough, snatch this up immediately, because you're missing one of the better albums of the last 20 years... and so is everyone else.

   Overall: 9.5/10 (Incredible - Thank you and good night)

X Japan - Art of Life [1993]

So, what was the logical next move for a band slowly devolving into commercial tendencies? Apparently, they thought that coming out with a 29-minute song that would limit marketablilty and eradicate the chance of a popular single would be the way to go. Against all odds, the "album," Art of Life, was both a commercial success in Japan and a high quality piece of material. Unlike the American bands who seemed to degrade even further, X Japan realized that popular metal was dead and just decided to do this ambitious escapade on a whim. It certainly isn't the most accessable thing in the world; in fact, I'd say it's one of the hardest things to listen to while still managing to be so good, a factor influenced not only by its length, but also a couple of parts that make it a bumpier ride than it needs to be. It's a flawed masterpiece.

The structure is somewhat like (Edge of Sanity's) Crimson, if Crimson was shorter, had fewer choruses to repeat, and had a little less thought to it's composition. The song begins slowly with a balladic introduction. Although this is one of the few efforts on which the heavier parts outstage the balladry, the intro is rather nice. The first two things to notice are the pristine production and how good Toshi sounds this time around. He's sings extremely clean all the time here, and shows off how good his pure voice is. Once the guitar kicks in, we're introduced to the what the bulk of the song is made up of. All of the metal parts plain kill. If they dropped about ten minutes from Art of Life, we'd be left with one of the finest, most epic speed/power metal songs in history. The riffs are fire-powered, Toshi's singing his ass off, and when one of the finest choruses ever written comes, time seems to stand still.

"Through my eyes
Time goes by like tears
My emotion's losing the color of life
Kill my heart
Release all my pain
I'm shouting out loud
Insanity takes hold over me"

A spoken sample seems to separate the different parts from the first half, providing some of the darkest lyrical themes. This is a concept album, but it's more of an idea than it is an actual story. Things slow down for a magical postchorus, and it doesn't stop here. We get about eight more minutes of progressive metal wonder, a couple repeated parts for added enjoyment, and some nice orchestral elements before all fades but two pianos. For any fan of X Japan, this isn't a cause for concern, as some of their finest work has been accompanied by piano. All's well until about the eighteen minute mark, when a two minute chaotic cacophany of keys drowns everything and punctures your previously comfortable eardrums. I couldn't imagine a worse way to harsh a mood.  Luckily, the actual song reprises for the last six minutes and we get to hear the end of that awesome speed metal song again. I don't know why they ever left it.

You've no doubt noticed that I've been strongly hesitant to call Art of Life an album, and that's probably its biggest obstacle. It feels more like a really long song than an actual full-length. Granted, it's a brilliant really long song, but that doesn't change what it is. It's no Crimson, but you know what? This came before Crimson. It was the longest song ever in metal at the time, so it has to gain some style points just for ambition and originality. Some parts could be tightened up (especially the vile piano "solo"), but you get what you get, and we still got a wealth of superb songwriting with this release. This is just the slightly violent calm before the storm.

   Overall: 8/10 (Great)

X Japan - Symphonic Silent Jealousy [1992]

First of all, the title of this release is prone to cause confusion: the album from which this material comes from is titled Jealousy, yet it's title sans the "Symphonic" is Silent Jealousy, which was a song on the aforementioned Jealousy album. Bleh, wrap your head around that. Anyhow, on with the review. I sort of expected the charm to wear off after already hearing Symphonic Blue Blood, but I may actually like this rendition more. For people not familiar with that release let me give you a recap. This is a full orchestra version of most songs from Jealousy in a seemingly random order. It's masterfully performed and written, portraying the material in ways you wouldn't expect. It is neither an exact emulation nor a liberal reworking.

The material here is all really great, and there are no unnecessary repeats like "Eternal Rain" in Symphonic Blue Blood. "Say Anything" is as all-encompassing and emotionally versatile as I've ever heard instrumental music. If I made a movie, this song would be playing over the final credits. Two of the brief instrumental pieces ("White Wind from Mr. Martin" and "Es Dur No Piano-sen") and from Jealousy have been expanded into full-fledged five minute songs, which seems questionable, but they actually became a couple of the best songs on the CD. "Joker" is so faithful to the original, it's dirty glam undertones actually sound amusing in an orchestral setting. "Stab Me in the Back" is as chaotic as before, but in a more subtle way. There's a feeling that something could strike at any moment. It all ends with the epic closer "Silent Jealousy," a ten minute finale that covers all necessary ground.

The song not included? "Desperate Angel" was mercifully left out of the fold, but so was "Voiceless Sreaming." C'mon, guys! I could understand the "Week End" situation because of the wide expanse of material available to cover, but this is ridiculous. Okay, so maybe it's not that bad and I'm just getting nitpicky. This really is another dazzling display of orchestral music that could live on its own without the X Japan name. I'm not sure the word "kickass" applies here, but I'm using it anyway; this is a kickass album that's pretty much just as good as the source material, if not technically better. Once again, it's only for a few select groups of music fans (instrumental/orchestra/X Japan), but its truly pro execution should go a long way. I wish more bands had stuff like this.

   Overall: 7.5/10 (Cool, But Be Wary)

X Japan - Jealousy [1991]

Jealousy is a somewhat bewildering album. Like its predecessor, Blue Blood, it lies just below the next level of greatness. Being that so much of it is vintage X Japan, it should be a classic of the highest order. Unfortunately, even though it's still a really good release, that's just not the case. I think that has most to do with the intangiables and not the actual material. The album lacks (for the most part) the energy and intensity of its predecessors. I can take things a shade lighter, but that's not really the issue here; it's more of a feeling the band gives off. Every time you think Jealousy is getting on a hot streak, a sour part takes you right out of it. The song "Desperate Angel" certainly doesn't help, either. It's a pathetic glam song that reeks of American money-grubbing, and the only X Japan song I'd dare call bad. Just press skip.

Don't dwell on it, though; the rest of this release is crawling with great tracks. After a cool piano intro, "Silent Jealousy" rocks on with a trademark X opener: speed, a soaring vocal performance from Toshi, and a surgically striking rhythm. Next we get one of the best heavy songs the band has ever done: "Miscast." It's a simple stereo rocker set on destroying everything; and I know I always make a generic comment about how great their choruses are, but words truly can't describe them. What follows up these two brilliant tracks? That abysmal one we discussed earlier. Just take the advice I gave at the end of the previous paragraph. "White Wind from Mr. Martin" follows, which is basically a filler acoustic instrumental. At least it isn't too long.

Now we arrive at the heart of the matter. "Voiceless Screams" is the first of two masterful ballads included on this release. It's strange how all of X Japan's ballads share close similarities but each one ends up sounding so fresh and enjoyable. They don't get old, and I'd swear they have an endless supply of these things. All of a sudden, "Stab Me in the Back" takes a turn for the heavy. The thrashiest song X Japan has ever written, it's also just a fun romp. "Love Replica" is like "Give Me the Pleasure" from Vanishing Vision; a zany instrumental with some spoken word samples underneath. It's an aquired taste, that's for sure, but I like it nonetheless. "Joker" is sort of a lesser track, relying too much on its glam sensibilities. Some quality hooks make it decent overall, though, and it never approaches being bad. X Japan saved the best for last, however. "Say Anything" (great movie, by the way) is a ballad made beautiful by its moving orchestration. This could have been on Dahlia.

The production values have taken a drastic leap forward. There's nothing raw or dry about X Japan's sound here, improving Jealousy's ease of use. I've certainly heard far worse efforts from 80's bands moving into the bleak musical landscape of the nineties (Crimson Glory's Strange and Beautiful from the same year, for example). Jealousy never really disappoints; it just regresses on a small scale. It's a testament to how stellar your band's discography must be when this is your worst album. My recommendation for Blue Blood still applies: fans of any style of 80's metal can find something to like here, even though it's their least consistent effort. Just chalk it up as a closer victory than we might have liked; it's no blowout, but a win is a win.

   Overall: 7.25/10 (Good)

X Japan - Symphonic Blue Blood [1991]

X Japan released this rarity in succession with their third full-length, Jealousy. For the time, it was rather unheard of for metal bands to produce orchestral instrumental albums such as this, so consider it an innovation. Symphonic Blue Blood is exactly what you think it is: several selections from X Japan's 1989 sophomore release given the full orchestra treatment. What you might not expect is how amazingly it all comes together. This is a painstakingly performed symphony of beautiful stature. It's not a simply a carbon copy of the source material, as several parts have been refined, added, or cut entirely, but it is also a not a great departure from the music the band itself wrote. Therefore, there are enough similarities to connect to and enough new things to notice. I honestly wasn't bored once while listening to it.

Some of these versions best their official counterparts. "Rose of Pain," the opener this time around, shows the most improvement. It's been cut from eleven minutes down to nine, a wise move the band should have taken in the first place. There's this feeling of massive scale the entire time, drawing you into it's epic passages that both haunt and excite for the full duration. The verses of "Eternal Rain No. 1" are strangely ominous, but the chorus is so well-executed, who could care? "Eternal Rain No. 2" plays it closer to the original mood of the song. I'm not sure how, but they made some of the heaviest outings (such as "Orgasm" and "X") sound like the ideal companions to a romantic film. That may seem like an insult to some fans, but I can't get over how great it sounds. Then there's some tracks like "Easy Fight Rambling" where you'd have no idea it came from an X Japan song unless you'd just heard it. "Kurenai" is barely recognisable beyond that familiar rhythm. "Unfinished" is given its third different incarnation here, and the tune still doesn't sound used up. Of all of them, "Blue Blood" is most reminiscent of it's source song.

If I have one disappointment about Symphonic Blue Blood, it's the snubbing of "Week End," my favorite song from the original album; but considering the quality of the material given and the other great choices, that doesn't seem like too big of a deal. I guaruntee that you could let someone listen to this who has never heard X Japan and they would reasonably believe this is an original piece of classical music, or at least a modern movie soundtrack. Obviously, you must understand what it is to properly enjoy it. This is strictly for (open-minded) fans of X Japan, fans of orchestral/classical compositions, and lovers of instrumental music. No one else would get it. I belong only to the first camp and was surprised by how much I got out of it. This is truly worthy of the X Japan brand.

   Overall: 7.5/10 (Cool, But Be Wary)
 

X Japan - Blue Blood [1989]

Just a year after the full-on speed onslaught of Vanishing Vision, X Japan released Blue Blood, their breakthrough album. FInally signed by a major label and recieving mainstream success, X Japan were focused to make an album that lived up to their debut while avoiding the all-too-often occuring "signing slump;" and for the most part, they triumphantly succeed. Blue Blood is the band's first attempt at creating an amalgam of styles, and although it's not their best, there are certainly far more hits than misses. We get the speed style portrayed on Vanishing Vision, some glorious ballads, progressive epics, and even a couple top-notch glam tunes (yes, you heard me right.) Basically, if you like 80's metal of any sort, there's something here for you.

First of all, production values have immensely changed. Gone is the raw, noisy tin of the debut, replaced by a clearer dry sound. I can't say this is much of an improvement, however; it makes the heavier songs sound a bit too forceless, and it certainly doesn't do any favors for the vocals. Toshi sounds a bit more strained here. I think it's because he's still trying to do the Kai Hansen-esque vocal style of the original (which worked for that album's style and production) when he should be opting for something a little cleaner. Hide's virtuoso playing seems to have been back, as well. All in all, neither matter too much. One thing that's unrestrained is the insane bass playing; Taiji's off the wall, technical insanity remains unhampered.

There are too many songs to cover them all, so I'm ony covering highlights. That's another thing: the 65 minute runtime will either excite you or test your patience. Probably the most significant factor of Blue Blood is that we get X Japan's first true ballads. "Endless Rain" is a superb act of beauty that showcases Toshi's finest singing of the album and another brilliant, emotional chorus. Finally we get some hints of the majesty to come on Dahlia. A reworking (or rather, lengthening) of Vanishing Love's "Unfinished." This is another highlight, complete with really catchy lyrics. It's just a great way to conclude the album.

"Oh! I'm looking at you
Can't control myself
Nothing, but pain for me
Wipe your tears from your eyes
Just leave and forget me
No need to be hurt anymore"

On the heavier front, we get a few excellent songs. The title track is a speed metal romp that blows the doors wide open, and Hide's charging rythms lead the way. "Orgasm" is short but sweet, representing both the album's heaviest and most energetic display. This is the piece most similar to Vanishing Vision, which makes sense considering that the song had been in the band's back catalogue since at least the mid 80's. "Rose of Pain" is an eleven minute epic that switches from lighter elements to a thundering power anthem. It fails to hold my intersest all the way through, leading me to believe it could have been cut by at least 2-3 minutes. "X" is a kickass song, and "Xclamation" has an atmosphere full of wonder. Thankfully the glam elements are held to a minimum, which makes them not only bearable, but enjoyable, too. "Easy Fight Rambling" is the best of these songs, leaving just enough of that distinctive X flavor in for our pleasure. Interestingly enough, my favorite on ther album is a track that mixes both the heavy and commercial aspects of the band: "Week End," an opus of great rhythms and, of course, another astounding chorus that'll find a home in your head for days.

There's certainly a lot of charm to X Japan's sound, and the most diverse panorama of that charm can be found in Blue Blood. I'd recommend the most first timers to either this release or Vanishing Vision, as they are more accessable to metal fans than the albums to come. It's neither their best or their most consistent, but if you've yet to start, you should probably start fom here. As always, it's highly recommended to fans of X Japan. This band really never does wrong. Even Jealousy has strong merits, despite taking a few ideas found here a bit too far; the party ain't over yet.

   Overall: 8.25/10 (Great)

X Japan - Vanishing Vision [1988]

X Japan, one of the founding fathers of J-metal, also happens to be one of the better bands to ever play heavy metal. They mix styles to a degree of success most bands will never know. Throughout the years, the squad has morphed into and meddled in everything from speed and power to industrial and alternative elements; one thing has stayed constant, though, and that's X Japan's tendency to create material of the utmost quality. Even early on, their debut Vanishing Vision finds the band ruling in every category and at every position. This is a debut release that deserves to be among the ranks of Crimson Glory, The Warning, and Walls of Jericho. If those titles mean nothing to you, then you've either been living under a rock all these years or this simply isn't for you.

This is speed metal (nearly) at its best. Sure, there are elements of Euro power metal, straight traditional and some homeland eccentricity, but speed makes the bulk of it. Fast, over-the-top riffs and rhythms build up to some of the catchiest choruses ever crafted. All the while a very raw, perhaps apocalyptic mood hangs on it, thanks in no small part to its unpolished production. It's all very reminiscent of early Helloween, particularly the aforementioned Walls of Jericho. The leads blaze with a similar melodic intensity and Toshi sounds like a Japanese Kai Hansen, except with a slight touch more of clarity. His lyrics are understandably botched, however, leading to some rather embarrassing lines due to translation mistakes. This is a facet of the band that would improve as they gained a greater grasp of the English language.

Not a single track misses the mark. The album begins with intro Dear Loser, an awesome foreshadowing to the greatness to come. Vanishing Love wastes no time, getting to the point quickly with energy to spare. Simple savagery done right, but the best is yet to come.  "Phantom of Guilt" is slower, allowing for some more melodic elements. Hide's creative guitar playing really shines through and creates one of the best songs here. But my favorite comes next in the surprisingly inventive "Sadistic Desire." The bass parts are technical and varied, eventually bursting into one of the best choruses I've ever heard. Pure genius. X Japan then stuns you with the bizarre "Give Me the Pleasure," which is basically a groovy bass-driven instrumental with some strange spoken-word parts buried beneath the mix. The track shows some jazzy technical proficiency and somehow fits in with the rest. "I'll Kill You" is a heavy, direct headbanger loaded with Hide's most impressive fret smokin' yet. "Alive" is a power ballad of sorts, with a little more "power" than "ballad." It's a good song, but it doesn't quite rival their later awe-inspiring ballads for which the band would become known. The album is rounded out with the speedy "Kurenai" (notable for being covered by Shaman recently) and the first variation of "Unfinished," a cool piano outro.

Even in the monstrous year of metal that was 1988, Vanishing Vision holds its own. This is superb album that's as artistically sharp-edged as it is a fun metal romp. There certainly wasn't a better speed album that year; it even bests Scanner's similar Hypertrace by a clean mile. If you seek metal in the vein of early Helloween, you couldn't find a better substitute than this, and I strongly recommend that any fan of fast melodic metal seek this album, however difficult a task that may be. For fans it's obviously a must-have, even if some of the band's signature balladry is missing at this point. What's best is that this is just a taste of the X Japan yet to to come. Enjoy, my friends.

   Overall: 8.5/10 (Great - sexy madness)

Single Detour #1: X Japan's "Jade" [2011]

X Japan's 1996 album Dahlia (and their last to date) is an act of sublime balance, a perfect mix of modern metal, beautiful ballads, and elegant commercialism. I'm happy to say that "Jade" wouldn't have felt far out of place on that release. It would seem that X Japan has lost nothing in the past fifteen years as, if six minutes can be a proper indication, the song absolutely rules. One of the oldest J-metal squads around is still bringing their best. Toshi's singing is still top notch, always knowing when to go for the higher notes and when to tone it down and roll with his emotive chords. I think the whole attraction with X Japan has been their consistent display of emotional finesse. There's something about their songs, especially those of the softer variety, that never fails the listener, and for that reason "Jade" is another rousing success.

This is basically a power ballad of epic proportions. The single version comes in with a heavy, modern-sounding riff only to change into a minimalistic verse accompanied by bass, acoustic guitar, and Toshi's reserved vocals. All seems safe until it bursts into the genius chorus, which somehow finds the middle ground between upbeat catchiness and a subtle melancholy vibe that flows like sweet, aged wine. Despite suffering from a few English issues, the lyrics still shine through, also fitting the song perfectly. Love is portrayed beautifully and with no small amount of sadness, too.

"‘Cause you are beautiful, your scars are beautiful, like the jade
You’ll still shine, when you sink into the sea
When all the bleeding scarlet jealousy goes away with me"

Basically everything about this song is flawless. I don't think it quite reaches the tear-inducing level of emotional intensity like some of X Japan's best (ala "Longing"), but its songwriting perfection is undeniable. I might have liked more piano elements, but I'm sure as hell not complaining after listening to it a dozen times at least. In fact, this has me praying for a new full-length release. I must admit, however, that it might be an acquired taste. Anyone opposed to J-metal or "poppy" elements in their music had best stay away from "Jade;" but if I can leave you with one attempt at persuasion, it's this: no one does this genre better. Absolutely no one. (P.S.: And, yes, the single artwork is indeed beautiful.)

   Overall: Awesome

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus [2011]

Okay, so everyone already knows the "hype" surrounding Morbid Angel's first album since Heretic, which was released way back in 2003. Titles such as "worst album ever," "pathetic crap pile," and "electonic abomination" have been flung at it faster than any other release in recent memory. But hey, maybe that's just the fanboys, right? Maybe that's just all the anticipation and expectation talking. Well, I decided to conduct a little experiment. I, a completely unbiased spectator of Morbid Angel, neither fan nor foe, and not a listener of any of their previous efforts, tried my hand at reviewing Illud Divinum Insanus; and I can confirm, undoubtedly, that it sucks. Absolutely, intolerably sucks in just about every way imaginable.

That's right: even judged purely on its own merits, it's that bad. It's almost like an intricately woven tapestry of suckage whose purpose is only to make us cringe at every putrid, cringe-inducing note. Its (few) highs are entirely mediocre and its (many) lows are offensive enough to affront all cultures that treasure any kind of quality. I apologize for the broad generalities, but I just can't get over how any band, big or not, could possibly think this was an acceptable final product. This music, if it can be called such, is free from any purpose or emotion apart than apathy. I can think of no other word to better describe the sentiment this album overtly reeks from.

The songs? Well, first we get the already infamous "Too Extreme!" I can pretty much assume the titles and lyrics of Illud Divinum Insanus were a sick joke, but this is one of three notable offenders. Most bands strive to impress and grab your attention with their openers, but I can only venture to guess that Morbid Angel instead opts to lower the bar to a point where further regression would be impossible. After a pointless intro, listeners are assaulted with bad industrial grooves and uninspired vocal lines. The lifeless mechanical drumming and soft, modern guitar tone take the song from awkward to downright embarrassing. Just imagine a hybrid of Rob Zombie and Static X, with Steel Panther's lyrics just to spice the toxic entre up another abysmal notch, and that's what you get. Unfortunately, that's not as funny as it sounds. The arguably even worse "Radikult" and "Destructos vs. the Earth" are practically identical.

It seems that some confusion has risen in thinking that every song plays out in this way, a belief that's fortunately false. Don't assume, however, that the other tracks are automatically so much better. The rest (barring the awful, obscure closer "Profundis-Mea Cupla") are by-the-numbers, all frills, no surprises death metal of the most mundaine sort. Sure, technically unbroken songs like "Blades for Baal," "Nevermore," and "10 More Dead" may sound passable upon first contact, but it doesn't take long for them to reveal themselves as the tired, derivitive efforts they are. At least the vocals and the admittedly decent production values strive for something more on these pieces. Everything else happens as you would expect.

The ultimate lowlights: the hilarious and no doubt unintentional similarity to "Smooth Criminal" in the underlying main riff of "Existo Vulgoré," the techno "kill a cop, kill a cop, cop" phrasing of "Radikult," and the ironic soccer stadium chant to introduce "I Am Morbid." Illud Divinum Insanus is one of those albums when the lowest points provide the most entertainment value from sheer comic relief. There's nothing at all entertaining about the rest. Finally, for those non-fans and wary-to-participate folks, I can only tell you this: Morbid Angel's latest is as bad as people say it is. Don't listen to it to fulfill your curiosity, don't listen to it for a laugh, and above all,  just don't listen to it. And now, back to X Japan!

   Overall: 2/10 (Abysmal)