2001 - The Sun Sets Forever Over Blackwater Park

In the late 1990's metal started its resurgence. By 2001, there were so many bands, in so many sub-genres that there were dozens of good metal albums. Many of the 2001 albums that were barely on my radar would have been easy top 10's during the 1990's.

The funny thing is that because of my taste and preference for certain musicians we see a lot of related bands in the below top 10. As such it is no surprise that the top 10 consists of 5 Power Metal albums.

10. Angra - Rebirth

This is a little too "flowery" for my normal taste, but the symphonic and keyboard elements are muted enough to provide accent rather that distraction. As such this album stands out enough from the crowd to surpass other good albums from 2001 to take the number 10 spot. Angra hails from Brazil, and this is my favorite of all their albums, and the most commercially successful.

9. Primal Fear - Nuclear Fire

Primal Fear is three for three in making the top 10. Nuclear Fire is slightly more evolved than their first two albums, but there is room for improvement, as will be seen on later albums. But as far as Germanic Power Metal, these guys do it well, but there are two bands that do it better, one of those is….

8. Gamma Ray - No World Order

This is the last great Gamma Ray album and a step back from their greatness in the 1990's. Still, this is a great album. This album has all the qualities of a classic metal record, but it may be a bit too classic. Maybe Hansen tried to return to more of a Helloween sound from the "Keeper" days, but this is just a bit less polished than Powerplant or Land of the Free.

7. Into Eternity - Dead or Dreaming

I guess you would describe Into Eternity as Canada's most progressive melodic death metal band. Vocal shift from clean to harsh and the music can sound technical progressive to thrash. Really you need to be on your toes here as there are many different styles and sounds. Sometimes this approach does not work, but here it comes off very well. I think I liked this record more when it first came out, but it is still a top choice for 2001.

6. Children of Bodom - Follow the Reaper

Again, a variety of styles are present here. There are a lot of keyboards and some terrific guitar work from Alexi Laiho. The song Hate Me! is one of my favorites. I wish it existed when I was an angry teenager. Now I have to settle for it as an angry quadragenarian.

5. Ensiferum - Ensiferum

This band calls themselves "heroic folk metal". I always thought if that really as a Viking Metal type genre. Labels aside, I just really like this album. They use a good mix of harsh and clean vocals. Very cool intros and very ethnic sounds complete the album. Good stuff.

4. Edguy - Mandrake

More German Power Metal. One of the things I like about Edguy, is they do not take themselves too seriously. Mandrake is possibly my favorite Edguy album. This also could be their heaviest album as I cannot recall any annoying whinny ballads.

3. Iron Savior - Dark Assault

This is such a great album, that three seems like an under-rate, but 2001 was a phenomenal year. For some reason, Iron Savior is underappreciated by most metal fans. I really do not know why Gamma Ray is treated differently, to me Iron Savior is better (at least Iron Savior's best moments are).

2. ARK - Burn the Sun

If any other year, this would probably be number one. I think this album is pretty well respected in underground circles and covers many different sub-genres from power to progressive to even more bizarre styles. I really like the guitar player here (Tore Ostby). It is a shame he has been relatively inactive since this record came out, as unfortunately, ARK only recorded two records.

1. Opeth - Blackwater Park

Best. Album. Ever. Well, not quite, but top 5 all time easily. I have written an entire blog entry dedicated to this album, and I like it more now that I did then. Really, this is the perfect album. At times it rages, brutal and heavy and is followed by long acoustic passages. Some parts sound like traditional metal, and other parts are very progressive, and I don't mean Dream Theater progressive, I mean Van der Graaf Generator progressive. Brilliant album, just brilliant.

Interlude

Not a lot going on right now. Things are very busy. I am still not close to ready for a 2001 list. Nothing too interesting in the political front. No new inspiring albums.

My Life in Music

Perhaps it is the fact that I am 40 that has caused me to reflect on my life. I thought it would be interesting to do a playlist (in the old days we would do a compilation) of songs that would chronicle my life in music. I would start with my introduction to rock (probably Springsteen) and pass through various phases. Some good, some not so good. There will be plenty of cheese along the way, but I think overall it will be an interesting experiment.

2000 - The Dark Ride

By the turn of the century, metal was truly back and this decade has provided more great metal than ever before. In 2000 solid albums like Starfire by Jorn Lande or We Are Motorhead can't crack the top 10, when they may have been Top 5 in some of the years in the 1990s.

10. HammerFall - Renegade

This was the last of the good HammerFall records. Clearly the ideas were drying up by now, but this album is well executed and worthy of inclusion with the first two releases.

9. In Flames - Clayman

Again, the last good release by this band as well. Solid Gothenburg style here, nothing really derivative from the genre this band helped define. After this record In Flames tried to be NWOAHM and abandoned their sound.

8. Persuader - The Hunter

The third Swedish band of the countdown. Persuader is a good power metal band. They may have over achieved here based on their later work, but this is a sold debut.

7. Iron Maiden - Brave New World

A more important album than it is a good album. The return of Bruce and Adrian saved Maiden and their later efforts are certainly great albums. This one is more like Virtual XII. Really I would define this as a shit sandwich. The first song and the last song are great, but the material in the middle is questionable by Maiden's standards. Still, overall a good effort.

6. Running Wild - Victory

Solid album for one of the most consistent bands in the genre. Nothing really ground breaking, but very proficient.

5. Enslaved - Mardum - Beyond the Within

A surprising pick here. Enslaved is generally heavier and less melodic that the music I typically like. Also, I rarely like Black Metal, though I think that label does not fit this record. There are several brutal sections here, but they are well placed and never ramble on endlessly, like so many albums of this genre do. Whatever you want to call it, this is a standout album from a good band.

4. Halford - Resurrection

After years of nonsense like Fight and Two, Rob Halford decided it was time to make a metal album again. He brought in a competent, but not brilliant band. He wrote some really good songs, and brought in a top producer in Roy Z. The result is a really good album and like Bruce Dickinson who made solo albums better than his former band, he forced the hand of his former band to fire their inferior singer and reunite.

3. Blaze - Silicon Messiah

Speaking of inferior singers….Really I don't get it. Blaze was bordering on incompetent with Maiden, especially live. However, despite this, he managed to create an album better than Maiden's. I still don't get it, but this album is really great, and that is all that counts.

2. Tad Morose - Undead

This is smokin'. Urban Breed is one of those singers that makes an average band extraordinary.

1. Helloween - The Dark Ride

Every now and then, an album comes from out of nowhere to knock your socks off. This album is better every time I hear it. This is probably the best Helloween album ever, and that counts all of the Kiske/Hansen efforts. I don't know why they never reached this level before, and never did again, but everything lined up right for this album.

Eat your heart out Mr. Rall

WGAF has hired a political cartoonist!

The Spiral Architect

There have been several news stories lately that have me thinking about politics. Of course there is the "Stimulus" package (aka Obama paying back his supporters). Then there is the continuous stories of celebrities touting the virtues of limousine liberalism from their ivory towers. It got me thinking:

Watching eyes of celluloid tell you how to live
Metaphoric motor replay give, give, give

Of course the last line in the Black Sabbath classic is for President Obama and his predecessor, the traitor George Bush:

Spiral city architect, I build you pay.

Presidents basically rape their constituents to give money to their political allies and supporters. Bush did it and now Obama is doing it.

Is this change, as Obama promised? Hardly. The only change is that Hollywood and the media love Obama and detest Bush. Quite honestly, in terms of economic policy, I really see little difference between the two men.

The New Boss - Not the Same as the Old Boss

My reader knows that I am a metal fan. That being said, the reader is also aware of my fandom for certain artists of the non metal variety. Probably the most derivative and most prominent in my collection of these is Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen has always been a left wing nut, and generally I do not like when artists put their politics on display. However, while we all knew his political stance for many years, it was not always so prevalent in his music and in your face at his concerts until this decade. Bruce sung about the struggles of his characters. He may have blamed Reagan for these struggles, but never really came out and said it. Since his 1999 reunion tour, Bruce has released several inferior records, including a new one that came out last week. I will not purchase it, based on the crap from Devils and Dust, The Seger Sessions and Magic. The Rising was barely tolerable in itself.

Anyway, the reason for this post is not to bash the Boss, but to further provide anectodal evidence that I just don't get it. As with Buffett, I refuse to drink the Springsteen Kool-Aid, but I never really did. Even before this recent stint of poor records, I never saw eye to eye with the common Bruce fan. I am in a very small minority who feel that Human Touch and Lucky Town are superior albums to Born in the USA and The River.

I will never forget the 1999 Reunion Tour, for it was a celebration of Bruce the way I liked it. No Glory Days, no Rosilita, no Born in the USA. His show on August 11, 1999 is still one of the best concerts I have ever attended. Look up the set list and you will see why.

I was browsing through a book store recently and came upon a book called the Top 100 Bruce Springsteen songs. I skimmed through the book and not surprisingly, thought this list would be completely dissimilar to mine. Perhaps in a later post, I will provide a reconciliation.

Checking In

Really, checking in with no one, but still....Anyway, saw some clips of the inaguration. Yawn. I really do not understand what President Obama has done in his career that so many people have such high hopes for him. It just does not make any sense.

Enough Sour Grapes - for now

I need to face it, Barack Obama will be our new president come January 20. I intend to support him as much as I can. I will disagree with many of his policies; however, there is no need for sour grapes and anger. He won, the people have spoken. Let's move on.

If he governs as the centrist he claimed to be during the campaign, we could recover. However, this is no time for big tax increases and cuts in defense spending. What we need is better intelligence (that is guaranteed with Bush gone). Really, we need operatives who can speak Arabic and Chinese. Brave people who can infiltrate the ranks of the enemy abroad, and give us solid data on which to act. The intelligence failure leading up to the Iraq war was unforgivable. Heads should have rolled.

Domestically, Mr. Obama says he can balance the budget, prove it. I hope he can. That would be a good step to restoring the value of the dollar. Bush's economic policies were a disaster. Once Sept 11 hit, he needed to change gears. He didn't. He kept tax revenues down, while increasing spending. He has destroyed the political party I once believed in.

Looking forward, I have little hope for recovery under Obama. I think McCain would have made the necessary changes, without being radical. We'll see. I think all children should have health insurance, but once you are an adult, get off your ass and get it yourself. If the President is going to create a welfare state to make "Peggy the Moocher" happy, we are all in trouble.

This is the last political post I plan to have for some time. It is time to move on with my life and interests.

The top 10 Metal albums of 2000 are coming soon. Perhaps it is an appropriate time for this list as we hope for an economic Resurrection as we enter a Brave New World. Let's hope it is not The Dark Ride I fear it will be.

"So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause."

The country wants change, and we will get it. Perhaps Bush's legacy will be that he was perceived to be so bad, that we elected the most extreme political candidate in our history. President elect Obama campaigned as a centrist, but his record is clear, he is no centrist. His voting record is extreme left, and despite his promises and pledges, he will move us in that direction.

Last night, he said the rest of the world was watching. They were, and they were pleased. They love him because whatever will make our nation weak will make them strong. They were rejoicing in the caves of Pakistan, in the halls of the Kremlin and in the palace in Venezuela. His party's record on defense and national security is quite clear. The multiple terror attacks during the Clinton administration should be a clear indicator as to how that party deals with our enemies. Perhaps President Bush kept us too safe. We forgot the real threat of Islamofacism is still there. They never give up, and they are still plotting today.

So, what is the summary? That President Obama will be to the left of Bill Clinton? He will release the terrorists in Gitmo? We will have higher taxes, and perhaps another small terrorist attack or two? We can overcome, right? After all, we have a Congress, we have courts, we have term-limits. It will be bad for sure, but it will end eventually, right?

It can be much worse.

In my book, the Presidency is too important a position to elect someone about whom we know so little. All we really know is that he is a charismatic man, who won his presidency on the emotions of a nation who was tired of an administration they have been told was a failure. While the signs of Bush's administration being a bad one are clear (Harriet Mires for the Supreme Court, a poor economy, an illegal war, fractured alliances, etc.) it is not as bad as the media have portrayed it, and certainly no worse than Jimmy Carter's.

So, in addition to his charisma, and emotional support from a weary nation, he has blind support from the media, and we know how important a fair and free press is. The press is currently free (at least until the Fairness Doctrine comes back), but certainly not fair. In addition, he will have a willing and able Congress to implement any policy. Do we really need "The Fairness Doctrine"? No, but it will be step one in stamping out those who oppose his regime.

I just read the other day that he wants to have a citizen army. It kind of reminds me of the brownshirts. If anyone reading this does not know who the brownshirts are - shame on you. Those ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it. There are many other stories and dystopias like this on the Internet, and I am sure many of them are probably exaggerations; these combined with the above factors are too frightening to ignore.

Remember Hitler, Pol Pot and many other despots were socialists and leftists, and not right-wingers like the media and your teachers would have you believe. I recommend that we study their rises to power. I only have a cursory knowledge of these histories, but so far the similarities with Obama's rise to power are interesting. I plan to learn more history, I plan to watch for the signs, and I plan to buy a gun before it becomes illegal.

We made our choice, and it was the wrong one. There were many celebrations that I watched on TV last night. It reminded me of Natalie Portman's great line in one of the Star Wars movies. She said "so this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause."

I have three young children, and I am very sad for them. They may not grow up in the free society I did. I hope I am wrong. I fear I am not.

Question of the Day

OK here it is. Why is a CEO who makes $13,750,000 per year considered greedy, yet a talk show host who makes 20 times ($275,000,000) that is loved and revered?

1999 - Kiss me coldly and drain this life from my lips

I last did my top 10 on February 12, 2008. The baseball card project failed (too much commitment) and writing about real life is depressing (Obama, the economy, etc.) So, this is a great time to do the top 10 metal CDs of 1999.

10. Primal Fear - Jaws of Death

9. Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder

8. Zanister - Symphonica Millennia

7. Into Eternity - Into Eternity

6. Sculptured - Apollo Ends

5. Opeth - Still Life

4. Iron Savior - Unification

3. Gamma Ray - Powerplant

2. Ark - Ark

1. Agalloch - Pale Folklore

Obviously, I did not post comments after each entry. It's funny, I considered 48 albums for this list. That is more than any year previously. So even though I considered 38 others that did not make the list, my top 10 (top 6 really) includes 2 Kai Hansen albums, and Sculptured and Agalloch are basically the same guys.

So, I guess I like what I like and my lists show a lack of diversity. Too f-ing bad. Limbonic Art and Kovenant can go eat poop, I stand by my list.

636

Very neat card.

#638 & 637

More dull cards from the 1971 high series. Boring!

#639

Back to dull again. Boy - there were a lot of dull cards in the 1970's! I like this because it looks like it was shot at Ridell High. I expect to see Travolta prancing around in the background with that guy from Taxi.

#640

July 24, 1976. Mickey Rivers bunted and Randolph scored on the play. This is a shot of that incident. This is my all time favorite Carlton Fisk card (he has been in some good ones). This may be the best card from 1977. The Spencer (648) was good, and there are a few other neat ones, but this is probably the best.

#641

Orioles hat, Tigers uniform. A head. Skip it.

#642

Jose (Coco) Laboy is somewhat of a novelty. Many fans of the late sixties remember him. He was a rookie of the year contender, then he faded away. Kind of like Joe Charboneau. I think he hit the first HR in Expos history on opening day in 1969 against the Mets. Anyway, to me he was one of those players who was already retired when I got into baseball, but I always remember this was one of the many neat cards that my brother had in his collection.

644 & 643

Back to dullsville. This project makes it clear that a neat card back in the day was something special. Now, most of the cards are action shots, but they are cropped so close that you could see the boogers in the player's nose.

Here Bradley's shades are what made me chose 644 (reminiscent of Lowell Palmer). as for 643, Gibson reminds me of someone who could have been Kevin Costner's stand in when he was shooting Bull Durham.

#645

April 15, 1972. That appears to be the date of this shot. Again, another paint over job. I love the ridiculously disproportionately large "C" on Bobby Brooks' shirt in the background. I think the batter here is Cesar Tovar, but I cannot be sure.

#647 & #646

A couple of heads. I hate heads, the only thing worse is a no-hat (see 1975 Bruce Ellingsen). Anyway, these heads win because both of these cards look like guys from the Gramercy Riffs. Especially Floyd.

#648

This is a pretty neat card, and one of the better ones from the 1977 set. The White Sox uniforms of the day were horrible. The picture was take on Sunday, May 30, 1976. How do I know? Well, I know the picture was taken in Oakland on a Sunday, most likely in 1976. Chicago was at Oakland on that day. Also, the box score shows that Bill North ran wild that day. He stole a base and was caught stealing.

Bill North was on the all time "cool" team so having him in the shot is a definite bonus.

#649

I like this shot of Lyle is a Sox uniform. This is about a year before he was traded to the Yankees for Danny Cater. Another reminder of the good old days.

#650

OK - I know this is a controversial pick, because there are a couple of neat 650's, but there is something special about this card. Dick Allen spent little time with the Dodgers, so that in itself is cool. I also like the background of an empty Dodger Stadium. The really cool thing about this card can be found at the bottom left corner. I think that is the photographer's leg! I guess Topps had some real Kwal-i-T photographers in those days. No Felix Unger for sure!

652 & 651

These are a couple of dull cards, but they win their numbers. The backgrounds look so bucolic. I don't think today's cards ever look like they are taken in an open field.

#653

1974 Bob Stinson. A journeyman catcher. I always preferred his 1975 card for some reason, but this is the best 653. Be forewarned, the 652 and 651 are not so great either.

#654

I like this card. It reminds me of my childhood. In 1977, I had a soft spot for the Indians. They were lovable losers, but had a lot of cool young players like Rick Manning. Duane Kuiper and Ron Pruitt. Unfortunately for the tribe, other than Eckersley who they gave to the Red Sox for a pack of goons, they had zero pitching. The other thing about this card is it looks like it was taken with a great (for the time) zoom lens. Good stuff.

#655

Another neat card for sure. I wish I had this one when I was a kid because I would have used it in my teams, but I didn't really have access to the 1973 high numbers. I probably had to use the 75. Not a terrible card, but kind of dull.

You see, the only way to collect cards is the traded way and not the say way. I remember looking through the newspaper for the transactions and every spring training buying a magazine with rosters. Ahhh - the good old days. Now, current rosters are available on the Internet, but in the 70's, rosters were printed once a year.

#656

Finally, a neat card. This is a famous Topps paint over. When I was a kid, I hated these, but now I like it. It is great that there is no letters on his uniform at all. It would have looked cheesy if they did (look at the 1973 Graig Nettles). The 1973 set gets a fair amount of criticism from the hobby. What I think makes a good card is not what Dr. Beckett and his minions think makes a good card.

This is one of the only cards I can think of that shows a player arguing with an umpire. A very cool card indeed.

#657

Since many of these higher number cards are not neat, it is difficult to choose certain cards. Here is another strange card. Again, look at the background. I see people sitting in little league style bleachers, and some guy that looks like Huggy Bear walking in front. They are all behind a chain fence like the one in my backyard.

Where did the Expos have their spring training, at a local high school? Personally, I like it. I guess today's ball player requires a modern facility like the Yankees have in Tampa today. God forbid they had to train this close to spectators!

#658

Again, a card chosen more for its background than for the card itself. My apologies to Steve Dunning fans. This is a great shot of the Old Yankee Stadium, where you could see the old façade and the left field bleachers. As I look through old cards, I notice that so many were shot at Yankee stadium. In the coming days, we will see some of these great shots.

It is reminiscent of an era gone by in world of baseball and the hobby of card collecting.

#659

This card looks strange doesn't it? It is like a strange perspective piece. Where is he looking anyway?

I chose this one for two reasons. First, there was no better 659 and second to go on a rant. This card is what is known in the hobby as a short print. You see, back in the days when card collecting was actually supposed to be fun and not profitable, Topps printed the cards on a huge sheet, and then cut them to put in the packs. Since the sheet was a big rectangle, only so many cards could be on a sheet, so sometimes to make the numbers work, a particular card would be on the same sheet twice. This was known as a double printing because there were twice as many of these cards.

However, in certain years, instead of double printing, they would print some cards only on every other sheet, so there were half as many of these cards printed. These are known as short prints. They did it because they had to, not because they wanted to artificially inflate the value of certain cards like the cretin who buy and sell cards today.

Today, in the Wall Street climate of card collecting, card companies no longer need to print big sheets and cut them. So, there is no need for short prints right? Wrong.

Now, they do it on purpose. They purposely short print rookies and other desired cards, so that collectors need to buy more of what they don't want to get what they want. Due to this forced scarcity, the value of the cards on the secondary market is higher (which is what most collectors want anyway). However, the card manufacturers have to be laughing at these idiots who fork over $2.99 per pack at a chance to get an Evan Longoria short print, only to get their fourth Chone Figgins.

My New Project - The Ultimate 660 - #660

OK - I stole this idea from another blog, but here goes. I will be posting pictures and commentary on the best 660 of the 1970s baseball cards. Here is how I will do it, I will look at one card number and pick the best card that bears that number from 1970-1979. So which is the best #660 from the 1970's? For me it is the 1970 Johnny Bench. Now let me add that I am not all about card value, and what it is worth, etc. But, card 660 was not that great during the 1970s. (Just look at the horrible 1978 Jason Thompson if you don't believe me). Anyway, the best thing about this card is the background. It looks like the Reds used to train on a farm or near a barn. Ahh - the good old days.

I Hate Always Being Right - Part 2

I hate always being right. I mean, it is really difficult to watch stupid people do stupid things and know I am powerless to do anything about it.

--

Case in point, the 2000 Presidential Election. I had always been a loyal Republican voter. I voted for Bush Sr. twice, though I never really liked him (I guess I liked him in 1988, but by the time 1992 came around I was not too sure). In 1996, I voted for Dole, even though I didn't think he was that great. However, in 2000, I could not submit to the GOP and vote for their candidate.

--

Why you ask?

--

Because I knew.

--

I knew he was not qualified to be president, and I was right. Now I did not vote for Gore either, but looking back, I think we may have been better off if Gore won. I think in the post 9/11 world (yes, it would have happened despite what Michael Moore and Charlie Sheen think) the liberal agenda would have been exposed and Gore would have been defeated in 2004, by someone other than W.

--

In the eight years since he took office, Bush has been the worst President ever. He increased the size of government during his first term, not once vetoing any pork filled bill the idiots in Congress sent him. Now as his term draws to a close, we find ourselves in the middle of a war that was unnecessary, and possibly criminal. Our economy is choking, gasoline is almost $5 per gallon, and the dollar has no value in the rest of the world. He and the rest of his goons (sorry Condi, but you hitched your wagon to the wrong star) have ruined the Republican Party. Now in 2008, the presidential choices are between an America hating, far left wing liberal nut, and an America loving, far left wing liberal nut. Sorry, but no matter what the mainstream media tell you, McCain is a liberal.

--

So now, our only hope is that Obama takes office and the liberal agenda get exposed for the smoke and mirrors it really is. We can hope that the Democrats are exposed as the Power hungry nut cases that want to control our lives, and after four more miserable years, a Republican candidate can come along and restore the party to the Reagan era.

--

However, too many things have to happen for this reality to be realized. The first is that the people need to wake up and see that the liberal agenda is a farce. There is no such thing as man made global warming. Also, no one should be allowed to vote unless they know who Neville Chamberlain is. If they do, and they still believe in Obama, they are mentally disturbed or grossly uninformed.

--

The next thing is that the Republican Party needs to move its platform back to conservative ideals. Dump the religious right. They are all rich hypocrites. We need to return to a constructionist policy and follow the Constitution. We need to expose the wacko environmentalists. The "War on Terror" is a bunch of nonsense, throw it out, it does not work. The war is on Islamofacisim. Call it what it is.

--

Finally, find candidates who can communicate to the American people and foreign leaders. Someone who can speak and think at a high level, yet do it clearly and concisely and can be simple to understand.

--

I don't know if we will ever find another Reagan, but we need to do better than George W. Bush. The only good news is it can't get any worse.

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Can it?

I can't help it, I am all sci-fi and stuff

So there is this horrible story of this college student who got shot in North Carolina. She was a beautiful young girl, she was brilliant (Phi Beta Kappa, etc.), she was well liked. So other than the obvious (loser boyfriend) why would she be shot? The CNN article claims it was a "random act of violence". Well the sci-fi fan in me says otherwise. Again, not to make light of a terrible tragedy, the first thing that came into my mind was that time travellers killed this girl.

She obviously became somebody famous and powerful, and the opposition forces travelled back in time and wiped her out.

The only thing that concerns me is, who were these killers? Have the forces of evil struck a blow that will lead to our demise?

I guess time will tell.

Quote of the Day

I'm a man of respect around here. They love me around here. I'm a swell guy. You're a lying sack of shit and everybody knows it.

Tr00 Metal is Finally Back - NOT!

Well, it's official. Metal is cool again. The Rods have reunited. When bands that went nowhere the first time decide to reunite, that is a sign the genre has truly arrived.

Way back when Walter Mondale was still presidential timber, The Rods were described (by their manager probably) as New York's version of Motorhead. Puhleeze. The Rods couldn't carry Lemmy's jock. These guys were a joke 25 years ago, I can only imagine how they will look and sound today.

Motley Crue Tour - WGAF

I read today that Motley Crue was going to tour this year. A world tour. The question is, does anybody care? I am curious to see what venues they will be playing, and how many people they will be playing in front of. If my suspicion is correct, their numbers will be far less than the numbers for Iron Maiden's tour, which only proves, that eventually, quality does count for something, even to American audiences. Well, at least over a prolonged period of time.

Yngwie officially jumps the shark

Really, I have not heard anything from Yngwie since 2000's War to End All Wars, but by hiring the Ted McGinley of metal (aka Ripper Owens) he has sealed his fate as a has been.

1998 - Meadows of frosted sweetness

In the world of metal, 1998 saw the dawn of a new day. Finally, after several years of mediocre thrash and stale, uninspired performances, the metal world was once again ripe with great music. I could have easily done a Top 20 for 1998, as there was many albums worth of discussion. However, in keeping with the theme of my other posts, I have cut it to a Top 10.

10. Death - The Sound of Perseverance

The vocals on this album really bring it down. They are very annoying, but the music is so awesome, that I can overlook even the worst vocals. I think of it as Watchtower on steroids. Great guitar solos and pounding riffs. I cannot recall an album that could sound so heavy, yet so technically competent at the same time.


9. Hammerfall - Legacy of Kings

In 1998, power metal was dominating my CD player, and Hammerfall was one of the big acts doing pure power metal, and doing it quite well. Let the Hammer Fall is one of the best tracks in the history of the genre, and it was not the only great song here. Admittedly, this album is not as consistent as their debut, but it is still an awesome power metal record.


8. Primal Fear - Primal Fear

Well, they do not get any points for originality. When a friend of mine first heard this band, he said that the singer [Ralf Scheepers] sounds more like Halford than Halford. It is true, but in 1998, Primal Fear was better at being Judas Priest than Judas Priest was. In fact many people say that Priest should have hired Scheepers instead of Ted McGinley, and I agree. Anyway, the debut from Primal Fear is a nice mix of power metal and German speed metal, and is a really great sounding album.


7. Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth

I have never read a Tolkien novel. Maybe that is why I feel that this record is overrated. Still for me it is an awesome album and deserves its spot in the Top 10, though many feel it is the best power metal album of all time. This concept album based on the writings of the aforementioned author is full of short spoken passages and instrumentals. I personally like these interludes, even if they make little sense to me. They add an atmospheric effect, not found on too many power metal albums. The music itself is great, and I really dig this album. This is probably my favorite Blind Guardian album.


6. Running Wild - The Rivalry

Many critics feel that by this time Running Wild had run out of gas. I disagree, for me this album is a return to form. Certainly, it is not as good as Pile of Skulls, but it is an improvement over the competent but certainly unspectacular Masquerade.


5. Falkenbach - …Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri…

Vratyas Vakyas' second full length album leaves off where the first one ended. This one is a bit more polished. It has less of a black metal feel, and really explores the Norse folk elements. This is pure Viking metal at its best. The Heathenish Foray is one of the most infectious songs ever, and it fits right in to this classic release.


4. Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse

This Opeth album is the bridge between their early material, and the brilliant releases that would follow. I love the mood changes and contrast between the quiet parts and the heavy parts. These changes and transitions would be smoother on subsequent releases, but they still work great here. For those unfamiliar with Opeth, this, to me, is the logical place to start.


3. Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes

The high water mark for Iced Earth is here. Singer Matt Barlow sounds great, and the production is top notch. But more important than the production, the songs are terrific; especially the "Something Wicked" trilogy that closes the album. If not for some real turkeys (Watching Over Me and Blessed Are You), this album may have scored higher. Other than their brilliant live album, Alive in Athens, that followed, Iced Earth would digress into a parody of themselves, and lose most of the respect they garnered. Of course, the hiring of Ted McGinley as their lead vocalist was a major part of that downfall.


2. Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding

Many regard this as Bruce's finest solo album, and the album responsible for the Iron Maiden reunion. Sure it is a great album, and completely blows away Maiden's Virtual XI, but I really think it is a small step backwards from the brilliant Accident of Birth. Really, I am splitting hairs because both albums are great, and I am glad that Adrian Smith hooked up with Bruce for these two terrific records.


1. Sculptured - The Spear of the Lily is Aureoled

The debut from Washington State's Sculptured is nothing short of remarkable. An eclectic mix of styles is present here, creating an avant-garde sound. Jazz influences are woven with death metal vocals. Spoken passages give a cinematic feel to many of the tracks. Soft piano interludes with dark lyrics to create a wonderfully somber mood. This is really fantastic album, from an unheralded band who deserve far more attention and accolade than they receive.

1997 - Kick the Sand in Satan's Face

1997 was a really good year for heavy music. In fact, it was probably the best year in a long time, and things would only get better. For the first time in several years, there are some pretty good albums that did not crack the top 10.

Power metal was experiencing a renaissance and that is evident in this list that includes several bands of this sub-genre.

10. Children of Bodom – Something Wild

The original album only clocked in at a touch over 30 minutes. This album is at number 10 without the additional bonus tracks, and would be even higher if I included those. Anyway, Children of Bodom provided an original and fresh sound with terrific guitars and keyboards unlike anything I have heard before. A good start for a really good band.


9. Saxon – Unleash the Beast

Saxon’s career has been very up and down and Unleash the Beast is definitely on the upside. This album is fast and heavy and a real return to form. Certainly, it is not at their 1981 level, but this is the best Saxon album since Power and the Glory, and a welcome come back for Biff and the boys.


8. Tad Morose – A Mended Rhyme

The first Urban Breed album from Tad Morose is a real jump from their earlier albums. It isn’t just the vocals though that makes this album so much better. Basically, it is heavier. More guitars and bigger guitars. Less ballads and more power metal. More good things were to come from this band.


7. Jag Panzer – The Fourth Judgment

Colorado’s Jag Panzer had been a pretty average traditional metal band until this point. They released a record in 1984 that was pretty dull, and then 10 years later came out with an even worse record. So, unexpectedly, this 1997 release is stellar. This is real power metal, with superb vocals and guitars. Jag Panzer helped prove that metal was not dead in the USA.


6. In Flames – Whoracle

Like the Jester Race before it, Whoracle is terrific release from Gothenburg’s In Flames. I like Jester Race a little more, but both albums are really good, and probably represent the best pieces of In Flames’ catalog.


5. HamerFall – Glory to the Brave

HammerFall’s first album is one that defines the power metal genre. Speed and power are evident here. Flashy guitar solos and proficient vocals. HammerFall’s star would burn out quickly, but their first couple of records is great.


4. Psycho Motel – Welcome to the World

Fanboy alert. Adrian Smith’s Psycho Motel released two albums. This is by far the better of the two. This record proved what a great songwriter Adrian is, and really the only unfortunate thing about Adrian re-joining Iron Maiden is that Psycho Motel never got to release a follow up to this great album. As a side note, the guitar solo with Dave Murray did show us what had been missing in Iron Maiden’s music since Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.


3. Iron Savior – Iron Savior

This may be a debut from Germany’s Iron Savior, but these guys are not rookies. Really, this was supposed to be a side project, but it seems that Piet and the rest of the band decided they were happy with the results and decided to continue the project. A much underrated band that is often panned by fans and critics, but I will never understand why.


2. Gamma Ray – Somewhere Out in Space

The original power metal band, Gamma Ray was in the middle of a great three album stretch with Somewhere Out in Space. It is difficult to describe this album. Really look at the commentary for the power metal bands above, and multiply their proficiency. Gamma Ray, to me, is the original ad the best power metal band, and this record is further evidence of that.


1. Bruce Dickinson – Accident of Birth

I do not think I can be accused of being a fanboy here. Some people say this is the album that brought traditional metal back. I don’t know if I would go that far, but the reunion of two legends, Dickinson and Smith, along with another great player in Roy Z is remarkable. Skunkworks was a great album, but Bruce reached the top of the mountain with this record.

1996 - Fission Fusion Fission Makes Good Sense

1996 was a pretty cool year in metal. Things were definitely changing for the better as the sub-genres expanded. Glam was dead as disco, and everyone's fascination with bland American thrash faded. That said, better years were ahead, as the amount of quality albums would continue to increase. Really many of these albums listed below are not that great, but it was still a good year nevertheless.

One special note here, I considered including the debut from The Lord Weird Slough Feg, but because the CD that is in print now is really more of a demo with extra tracks, I decided it really was not proper to include here.

10. Iced Earth - The Dark Saga

After Burnt offerings, this was a bit of a let down, but it is still a really good album. I think there is a lot of filler (I hate that term, but here I think it is appropriate) here, and this album could have been better. On the flip side, The Hunter is one of Iced Earth's best and Violate, Slave to the Dark and the title track are all stand outs. Of course Barlow's vocals are great, and the riffage is top notch.


9. Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia

Arcturus' debut can hardly be called black metal, so I am unsure why it is considered in that genre. They are labeled as "atmospheric" black metal, but really black metal is more of an influence here than a description. It is like calling Trivium NWOBHM because they were influenced by Iron Maiden. This is not my typical music, as it is has a ton of keyboards, but it is well done, and quite enjoyable.


8. Opeth - Morningrise

Opeth - love 'em or loathe 'em. I think this album is overrated in their catalog. Black Rose Immortal is a cool song and all, but at twenty minutes, it is a bit of an earful. Still, their second album lays the foundation for the better albums that would follow, and this itself is worthy of inclusion here.


7. Orphaned Land - El Norra Alila

This is the second album from the kings of Israeli metal. I really enjoy the Middle Eastern elements in Orphaned Land's music. I think it is original, and adds a really cool groove.


6. Motörhead - Overnight Sensation

Really, this is a mid grade 1990's Motörhead album. Not as good as Bastards, but not as bad as March or Die. To me, the change back to one guitar from two meant very little, since Motörhead has never been a guitar band. However, the songs are a bit slower, and do have a tad more of a Bomber feel that its predecessor. Still, there is not much more to add, if you like Motörhead you will like this, if not, Overnight Sensation will not convert you.


5. Falkenbach - …En Their Medh Riki Fara…

The debut from Vratyas Vakyas' Falkenbach is a great start to an interesting "band". Since he is the only member, I do not know if I can call Falkenbach a band, but I digress. Anyway, this album is what I consider the original Viking metal album (his demos date back to the late 1980's so; I think that makes him first - close enough for this reviewer). This album is powerful and melodic, taking the best elements from black metal and Nordic folk.


4. Moonspell - Irreligious

I really do not care for Moonspell, as gothic metal really does not float my boat. I have heard most of their catalog, and this is really the only one of their albums I like a lot. Maybe because the song Opium is one of my all time favorite songs ever, but that is not the only good track here. All of the tracks have their own appeal or hook, keeping the album interesting and fresh. This is a dark record for sure, one I like more now than I did when I first heard it.


3. Rush - Test for Echo

T4E is a step up from Counterparts. To me it is more Rushlike. That said, it is not without its flaws. Virtuality is as dated as old milk, and Dog Years is trite crap. The rest of the album is really good though and despite the two aforementioned clunker, this is probably the best Rush album of the 1990's (I think there were three, and it is not really saying much).


2. In Flames - The Jester Race

I guess any album that defines a genre is worthy of inclusion in a top ten list. It was not the first of its kind, but it was clearly the best, and it has aged quite well, and is not at all dated. It would be easy to digress into how crappy this band is today, so I won’t do that and I will say that The Jester Race really did define the melodic death metal sound, and is the top album of that sub genre.


1. Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks

Perhaps placing this at number one is proof positive that I am the ultimate Maiden fanboy. Sue me. Bottom line is, that while 1996 had a great blend of albums from old-timers like Rush and Motörhead and from newcomers like Falkenbach and Arcturus, I cannot deny the best singer in metal history. Skunkworks was not praised by the critics; many felt Dickinson was trying to cash in on the Seattle sound so popular in the USA. Horse hockey. There is nothing grunge about Innerspace and Solar Confinement. Besides, this album is all sci-fi and stuff, which is very ungrunge. So, it is not the most metal of Dickinson's solo albums, but it is one of the better ones.

Anybody but Suckabee

Ahh...presidential politics, everyone's favorite topic. The one candidate I really hate is Mike Huckabee. He is a typical neo-con, the likes of W. He is a holy roller, big government stooge. I really see no difference policy-wise between him and Clintobama other than this guy thinks he talks to Jesus. (Hillary talks to Jesus too, be she tells him what to do.)

I gotta tell ya.

If Huckabee gets the nomination, I will boycott the Republicans for the third consecutive presidential election. Only if Gus Hall were still around.....

Guns don't kill people, Ryan Seacrest kills people

So by now you have all read the story about the 19 year old asshole who shot up a mall somewhere in Nebraska. The story from the Associated Press or some other left leaning think tank uses the following paragraph:

It was the latest in a series of mass killings that have shocked the United States, where gun ownership is widespread and the right to possess arms is a fiercely contested constitutional issue currently on the agenda of the Supreme Court.

Automatically, Michael Moore will swoop down and claim we are nothing but a bunch of uneducated gun toting morons who love W. Hey Mikey - I am educated, I do not own a gun, and W is a boob. Now go have another cheeseburger.

It is not guns that are the problem. Malls and guns have co existed since Twin Pines Mall (or Lone Pine Mall) opened somewhere off of John F. Kennedy Boulevard (Who the Hell is John F. Kennedy?). It is amazing how stupid people are, and cannot see causal relationships.

So then, if malls and guns can co-exist, as I have shown above, what has triggered (bad pun, I know) this sudden violence in our streets and shops?

The paragraph in the story that really identifies the issue is:

"I'm a piece of shit," said a suicide note he left behind "but I'm going to be famous now," the newspaper said.

The problem is, everybody today under the age of 25 wants to be the next American Idol. These misguided fools would rather die than live a life of anonymity. I mean have you ever seen the auditions for American Idol? It is like a train wreck, you just cannot look away. This obsession of fame and fortune by our nation's youth is another thing that is going to lead to the demise of the USA. But before that, let's hope Brian Dunkleman doesn't grab a shot gun and head to the mall.

Is there a River Phlegethon? Find out for $29.95

How many times have we heard that it is the end of the world? All kinds of kooks, religious and otherwise have made claims that the end is nigh (what is nigh anyway?). I was wondering what is this fascination with the end of humanity.

Well, I have no answers, other than as humans, we have this annoying desire to know everything, and really, if you know the ultimate fate of humanity, then as Lar$ says, Nothing else matters.

Also, especially with the religious kooks, humans have the need to be right. So the born again freaks in this country are wishing for the end of the world so that everyone can be damned and their righteous asses can go to heaven. Well, my Catholic senses tell me otherwise, but that is neither here nor there.

One particular Born Again Christian web site has a page dedicated to hell. This is what I wish to discuss, because these zealots are not only nosy, but they always need to be right, at any cost.

http://www.av1611.org/hell.html

There are several ridiculous claims here, like the one about the guys who drilled into Hell and the claim of under the ocean or the worms. In the truth about Hell, we see many interesting points, but here is where I would like to point out the contradiction.

They claim Hell is inside the Earth, and that there is plenty of room there. I didn't take out my tape measure, but for now I trust them. They also say, Hell is forever. Well, we know that the physical Earth cannot exist forever. Eventually, the Sun will go red giant and possibly incinerate the Earth. Even if Earth survives this incineration, it surely will not last forever. The ultimate fate of the universe theorized that all matter will be destroyed one way or another. So, while incarceration in Hell inside the Earth for 5,000,000 years may feel as long as sitting through an episode of Sally Field's Brothers and Sisters, it is not forever as these kooks claim.

So what is the point? The point is that when the mood strikes me, I will pass on a little judgment of our warped culture, one freaky sub culture at a time, especially here in the USA. It seems to me as if the end of humanity is not as near as Kirk Cameron wishes it to be; however, I will say that the human race will be here long beyond the existence of the USA as we know it.

The ancient civilization of Rome stood for centuries. The USA is only about two and a third centuries old. I bet we don’t even last as long as the Romans did.

More analysis to come.

Maybe I'm going all Emo and stuff

I have not posted in a while, so I thought I would drop some notes and observations. I really think next year, I am going to try and post more, but I really do not have much to say. I mean a Top 250 albums would be cool, but kind of boring at the same time. So here are some headings, and related thoughts:

Music:

I have kind of lost interest in keeping up with music this year. I have some new albums (Kamelot & Slough Feg), but really have not even listened to them yet. As such, it is hard for me to justify buying the new albums from Winds, DoomSword, and Saxon if I haven't really listened to the two newer ones I have.

TV, DVD, etc:

I can't be bothered with reality TV anymore. I lost interest in Survivor after All Stars, and Amazing Race got boring after a couple of seasons as well. Network TV is OK, but really it is just something to vege out to after a long day.

There are some DVD's I want to get, but who the hell has time to watch them anyway? I am looking forward to completing The Odd Couple series, and of course the Live After Death DVD from Iron Maiden is a top priority, but do I really need Season 3 of Sanford and Son on DVD?

Sports:

Always an interest of mine, but sort of fading as time passes. The Patriots have ruined football. I mean it is kind of silly when you know the Super Bowl winner before Thanksgiving. As far as baseball, The Yankees have hired Bobby Meacham as their third base coach. Need I say more?

The Presidential Election:

Really I do not care. More and more I believe that we are fucked no matter who is running the show. Clinton, Giuliani, what is the difference. Unless we get some real tough ass right winger in there, we will continue down the route of our demise. I really do not feel like getting into it, but with things like the depressed dollar internationally, and continued unrest in the Middle East, I feel our downfall is imminent. I just hope my children are resourceful and intelligent enough to make a good life for themselves when they grow up.

So - Happy Freakin' Holidays America. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate Looks at Billions

Last night at Madison Square Garden, my brother and law and I felt like we were the only ones who did not drink the Kool-Aid. To tell the truth, it was Kool-Aid I could do without. During Brown Eyed Girl (which at one time was a cool cover of a Van Morrison tune, but has devolved into a dance party for guys dressed like lettuce) I looked up at the crowd, and there were 20,000 posers singing and dancing, and having the time of their lives. It was surreal.

Buffett churned out hit after hit, throwing in the occasional new material, but unfortunately, the new material isn't nearly as good as the material from what I call phase 2 of Buffett's career (1986-1996, aka Before the Billions). This period was grossly under represented in the set list (actually, I do not recall any songs from Last Mango through Fruitcakes). Look, obviously Buffett knows what he is doing, as his net worth continues to grow exponentially, and the guy dressed like a tomato was in a state of bliss. Still, I think Buffet has lost something, but that something is very intangible, and certainly beyond the vision of the guy dressed like a bottle of ketchup. Besides, we got to see some young sluts flashing their tits on the big screens! I guess glittering prizes and endless compromises do in fact shatter the illusion of integrity.

I first saw Jimmy Buffett in June of 1988. I do not recall any people dressed up as French fries, or any frat boys wearing grass skirts, or any middle aged house fraus wearing cheeseburger hats. It was just a good crowd of people, enjoying the music of a great story teller. In 1988, Buffett was touring for Hot Water (that is one of his better albums, despite the fact that they guy dressed as a pickle never heard Smart Woman in a Real Short Skirt) that summer, and his set list was a combination of his usual hits and some new material, with some lesser known songs mixed in.

As Archie and Edith would have said, "those were the days."

Today's Buffet crowd is a sub culture of yuppies, frat boys, sorority sluts, with a few old timers mixed in. Jimmy Buffett is the Gene Simmons of mainstream culture. This guy will sell anything. He even sells shrimp! Who is he Forrest Gump? I am just waiting for parrot head condoms, with wrappers that look like shark fins (the guy dressed as a cold draft beer would be the first in line for those).

Last night, our tickets were way up in the "blues", but we never got there. We decided to sneak down into the lower sections and wound up a few rows behind the mixing board. There were several empty seats in the area (I guess a bunch of Investment Bankers were called out of town - so there was one less guys dressed like a cheeseburger bun). I suppose that is the one good thing about pop culture's discovery of Jimmy, the corporate seats are empty sometimes.

I am sure I was the only one at MSG last night who looked at the stage, and thought, next time I am here I will be staring at pyramids and listening to the great Winston Churchill. We shall go on to the end….

1995 - Rebellion is Here

1995 was probably the best metal year since 1990, with more variety that ever before. Some pretty good albums did not make the cut here (Psycho Motel - State of Mind and Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side immediately come to mind).

In any case, the sub genres are exploding, as black metal adds atmospheric black metal and death metal adds progressive death metal, etc.

To summarize, as Frank said, it was a very good year.

10. Motörhead - Sacrifice

This is not my favorite Motörhead record, and in my book it is a significant step below 1993's Bastards. They have not regressed down to March or Die, which was horrific, but a step down for sure. Despite this, there is some good riffage here, and some definite signature Motörhead moments.

9. Death - Symbolic

Symbolic is probably my favorite Death album, as there is the right blend of death metal and melodic passages. Schuldiner was a great musician, and always kept the music relevant and fresh.

8. In the Woods - Heart of the Ages

Basically, this is a black metal album, but definitely more like progressive or atmospheric black metal. There are many elements of traditional black metal here (the more annoying moments on the CD) but there are other elements and layers that make this a very interesting and enjoyable listen. Not really driving or hanging-out music, it is more appropriate to listen to when you are just listening to music.

7. Kamelot - Eternity

Oh that awful singer! This album would easily be in the top 2 or 3 if they had a better singer. This guy (I cannot recall his name, but he never got another singing job after Kamelot) is horrible. He is kind of like a poor man's John Patrick McDonald who is a poor man's Geoff Tate. Anyway, you get the picture. This album is full of cool riffs, melodies and solos and despite the singing is a real good debut album from a band who would eventually deliver big time.

6. Running Wild - Masquerade

The wheels are coming off just a little, and Rockin' Rolf's well of ideas may be running a tad dry. In any case Masquerade is a solid but not remarkable album from Running Wild. Really it is only a notch below their last couple. Good stuff.

5. Iron Maiden - The X Factor

I could write volumes on this record. Easily the most underrated album in Maiden's catalog, and probably one of the ten most underrated in metal history. Blaze Bayley is not a good singer, but on this album, a good singer is not necessary. The album is dark and brooding and is perfect for Bayley's voice. A very different approach for Maiden, and here it works quite well.

4. Opeth - Orchid

So it begins, the brilliant career of Opeth. In the early days, Opeth was reaching new heights with every release, and this was the beginning. Really a very good album, considering it is a debut, and while it does not have that perfect ebb and flow like subsequent releases, there are some terrific passages on this record. This album is not recommended for those new to Opeth, but only after one can appreciate their greatness.

3. Conception - In Your Multitude

Easily, this Conception's best to date. It is much more focused and powerful that the first two albums, yet still maintains all the hallmarks of great progressive metal. If you have not heard this band - start here. They were a great band.

2. Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings

Matt Barlow was the missing piece of the puzzle for Iced Earth. The band reaches new heights here, and their crowning achievement, the epic Dante's Inferno is featured on this record. That song alone puts Burnt Offerings in the top 10, but there are a few other stand out tracks here as well.

1. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free

I think most people would agree that Ralf Scheepers is a better singer than Kai Hansen. He is. However, for some reason dumping Scheepers was the best thing to ever happen to Gamma Ray. Land of the Free is a breakthrough album for this band, and for the next half decade, they were the gold standard for power metal. Infectious riffs and powerful melodies lead the charge as Gamma Ray takes it to the next level.

1994 - For Mathis Lovers

The early 1990's were not a terrific period in metal, but by 1994, there was some light at the end of the tunnel. Quite honestly, my picks for 6-10 are only average albums, but because this was another bad year, they cracked the top 10.

For some sub-genres (Black Metal in particular) this was a decent year, but since I am not a BM fan, Burzum and Emperor, despite critically acclaimed releases in 1994 did not make my list.

10. Axel Rudi Pell - Between the Walls

Flying the banner of 80's metal well into the 90's, Axel Rudi Pell gave us a solid release here. Again, it is nothing all that memorable or different, but real solid nevertheless.

9. Stratovarius - Dreamspace

It is a good album. A lot of speedy stuff and some cool melodies. This was probably the high point for this group, as subsequent releases were too watered down, and not as heavy.

8. Amorphis - Tales From the Thousand Lakes

Kind of Progressive Death Metal-ish, I guess. This is a really cool album, but unlike Opeth, whose debut is still a year away, the songs here do not stay with you long after you listen to the album.

7. Mercyful Fate - Time

The second post reunion album. Not as good as In the Shadows, but better than subsequent releases. Mercyful Fate didn't jump the shark, they slowly climbed over it, and while this is still a good album, this is probably where they should have stopped.

6. Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes

This was really the last gasp for Sabbath. Geezer Butler returned and the result is a competent but not really brilliant post Dio era Sabbath record. A couple of really cool songs bring up the album as a whole which is sadly mostly filler.

5. Orphaned Land - Sahara

OK - here is where it gets good. The debut from Israel's Orphaned Land is a really good album. Even here you can tell they have not begun to realize their potential (they still have not, but I digress). This is a great band with some really cool ideas.

4. Running Wild - Black Hand Inn

This is another in a string of good albums by Running Wild, who were one of the only bands to consistently make sold metal records in the early 1990's. Black Hand Inn is perhaps a notch below Pile of Skulls, but still one of their best.

3. Fates Warning - Inside Out

This is my personal favorite Fates Warning album. It is consistent, with flashes of brilliance. They balance the progressive with the heavy, and keep it interesting and flowing.

2. Dream Theater - Awake

Awake was a big disappointment coming off of Images and Words, but still a really good album. I like it more now than I did when it first came out (mostly because my expectations were so high). Unfortunately, things would continue to decline for Dream Theater.

1. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple

This is really a cool album. Maybe a tad dated now as it reeks of the grunge era, but it is easily one of the best if not the best grunge album of all time. 12 Gracious Melodies. What else is there to say?

....Maybe not...

OK - Top 100. Bad idea. I may consider doing a Top 250, but not right now. So, now I am thinking...I woke up this morning tasting Jim Beam......

My Top 100 Albums

OK - I have decided to try and post a top 100 albums list. Since the annual top 10's became too much of a project, I thought this may be interesting.

Minor Ramblings

I have not updated for a while, with work and family commitments keeping me busy. Anyway, here are some random thoughts and observations:

1. Critics claim the Topps 1973 baseball cards are no good, but that is nonsense. This was one of Topps coolest releases. Who cares if you can't see Johnny Bench's face. The action cards in that set were great.

2. While Rush's new album is disappointing, they were great live. Rush caters their sets to their fans, unlike some bands who cater their sets to the person seeing them for the first time.

3. The Star Wars prequel trilogy was good, except that it really diminishes the Darth Vader character. In the original movies, he is a real bad ass, but we find out that he is really a whiny bitch.

4. The 2008 Presidential election is really frightening. I mean the best candidate is a TV DA.

5. I am really behind in getting new music. I can't believe I have not even picked up the new Slough Feg album. Shame on me.

Well, that cover the major topics.

Rush - Sankes & Arrows - A Far Cry From a Good Rush Album

Neal Peart has serious issues. The man should be in therapy. His self loathing and guilt is evident on this record in so many places, I wouldn't be surprised is every shrink within a 100 kilometer radius of Toronto was calling Rush's management to try and procure the disturbed drummer as their next deep pocketed patient.

Now Neil's issues are certainly understandable, with the untimely deaths of his wife and daughter a few years back, his anger and guilt are expected. But when do Geddy and Alex say "enough is enough"; how about another theme on a Rush song besides the evil of religion and the unfairness of fate. Hey Neil, read a sci-fi novel or something!

Other than the distinguished Far Cry and the very commendable three instrumentals (where we do not have to be preached at by a bitter anti-American atheist), the remaining nine songs are a tirade on misery and the sad state of the world, and it hints that evangelical Christianity is to blame. Now I am no Bible Thumper, but to me the Christian Right is nothing more than an annoyance. They do not drive car bombs into flea markets and kill thirty people, but I digress, this is not a political statement, but a commentary on this poor record that says Rush on it.

After Far Cry, we are greeted by "Armor and Sword" where Peart's message is not crystal clear, but he is clearly griping about a problem with religion. Although it is only certain religions that still believe the line, "no one gets to their heaven without a fight".

"The Larger Bowl" is "Roll the Bones" part deux. Same exact theme, as such, I am unsure why the song even exists other than it gives Peart another chance to vent as to how guilty he is that he is filthy rich and that there are billions of people trapped in poverty, slavery, etc. This song is a total throw away.

"Spindrift" asks, "Who cares what a fool believes?" Normally, I wouldn't read too much into this, but as we continue on, the message seems obvious.

"The Way the Wind Blows" is a complete diatribe that I need not elaborate on here, as it has a similar message to "Armor and Sword" but is far more obvious. We see more of the same in "Faithless" though "The Way the Wind Blows" is macro-moralizing whilst "Faithless" is micro-moralizing. Either way, I do not care to be hit over the head with the same message 100 times in a record.

The remaining songs, save the instrumental, are more of the same philosophical bullshit Rush fans have had to put up with for the first 40 minutes of this record, but said a little differently.

I agree with Steve Harris when he quipped in "For the Greater Good of God" that "religion has a lot to answer for", but Iron Maiden is far more relevant today than Neil Peart is. Snakes & Arrows makes me long for another Geddy Lee solo album, because let's face it. My Favorite Headache is a far cry better than Snakes & Arrows.

1993 - A Razor Right Up Your Spine

1993 was another relatively bad year for hard rock and metal for me. The Thrash and Death sub genres were the flavor of the day, and for me that makes for a bad crop of metal albums. However, I did find about 20 decent albums that came out in 1993, but the operative word here is decent. In general it was a better year than 1992 (except for the brilliant Images and Words by Dream Theater) but really not one of these albums would be considered a must have classic.

10. Rage - The Missing Link

Rage was churning out albums in the 1990's like no one else, and to make that even more impressive, the albums were pretty good. As far as Germanic Speed Metal, these guys are good (I prefer Running Wild, but Rage is still a good band). This is perhaps a slightly better effort than 1992's Trapped!, and Rage continues to make competent metal to this day.

9. Pearl Jam - Vs.

Pearl Jam's sophomore effort was a bit of a let down, failing to capture the energy of their first album. I think they tried to evolve, but most of it ends up flat, a couple of really good songs (i.e. Rearviewmirror, Rats, Dissident, etc.) save this record from the really bad songs (WMA, Blood, etc.).

8. Death - Individual Though Patterns

As I stated above, Death Metal is not one of my favorite sub-genres, but these guys did it so well, that one had to appreciate it. Musically, it reminded me more of technical progressive metal (think Watchtower) in some parts. Kind Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque adds to the mix to make this one of Death's best albums.

7. Conception - Parallel Minds

Conception always had the right mix of Prog and Power, though the epic track Soliloquy is all prog for sure. Khan and Ostby's second album is certainly an improvement from their debut (1991's The Last Sunset) as it is more focused and concise. Still finding their way, Parallel Minds is merely a stand out album in a weak field. Better things were in the future for Khan and Ostby.

6. Skyclad - Jonah's Ark

Kind of folksy, Skyclad is an interesting band. The use of violin is very different (especially for 1993) and it really works here. I guess this is where the band turned the corner and let more of the folk influences creep into their sound. Guitarist Steve Ramsey and bassist Graeme English were both in the NWOBHM group Satan (one of my personal favorites from that movement) and the influences of that band can certainly be heard here.

5. Mercyful Fate - In the Shadows

The big reunion album from Mercyful Fate, and it did not fail to impress. Essentially the follow up to Don't Break the Oath, this record really picks up where Fate left off when they originally disbanded in the 80's. No new ground is broken here, but it is a return to form for both King and the band, and a good release.

4. Savatage - Edge of Thorns

Finally we have an album that features the playing of Criss Oliva without the crappy vocals of his hack brother. Zak Stevens is the singer here, and he is miles ahead of Jon Oliva. The music here is great, Criss Oliva is less flashy that normal, but the riffs, hooks and melodies are great. It is unfortunate that this is the only album to feature the playing of Criss Oliva without a horrendous singer.

3. Gamma Ray - Insanity and Genius

Scheepers is the insanity and Hansen is the genius. Actually I like Ralf Scheepers' voice, but always felt Gamma Ray was better without him. This is no exception, but in a year where no album really stands out, this Gamma Ray release is very impressive indeed.

2. Rush - Counterparts

The irony of this album is, I don't think it would make a Rush top ten, yet here it is, second best album of 1993. Relatively keyboardless, this album kind of follows the stripped down trend in music of the early nineties. It is a good album, but after many listens, tracks like Alien Shore and Double Agent become obscure and are very "filler"-ish.

1. Motörhead - Bastards

A big big improvement from March or Die. Lemmy steered the ship in the right direction with this record. There are a lot of different sounds on this record, and MOST of them work great. Gone are the Ted Nugent covers and Ozzy Osbourne influences, and all that is left is Lemmy et al rocking out like they are supposed to. This is clearly not the greatest Motörhead album ever, but for 1993, it is the best.

Checking In

While I am working on a 1993 top ten, and still mulling over the top 10 of 2006, I decided to post a couple of random thoughts:

1. A few years ago, the prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency terrified me. Now I am merely scared.

2. The new Rush album is pretty good. Better than Vapor Trails, but still not as good as I think they are capable of doing.

3. If the Rangers win Game 5 in Buffalo, I really believe they have a shot at the Cup.

4. Iron Maiden's set list for this leg of their tour blows.

5. American Idol is the worst example of watered down homogeneous music meant to dull the mind and kill the spirit.

6. George Bush is as dumb as the liberals said he was.

7. The liberals are as bad as Ann Coulter says they are.

8. I really do not care for Moonsorrow's new album.

9. The History Channel's documentary on The Dark Ages was good.

10. Al Gore's documentary on Global Warming was good, and well done, but I have a problem trusting politicians.