Key

listen to an album of they are's fully. yeah, you're right. that makes way more sense.

Key

Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
Release Date: March 25, 2016

I'm giving Amon Amarth's most recent release a listen. Why? Because I happen to enjoy some Amon Amarth from time to time, and I feel it's only fair to give their most recent album a listen as it was released this year, plus there's been some talk about it here and there, so I figured I'd give my two cents.

Upon the first listen, I have to give them credit for making a much more accessible and dare I say, catchy album. Through the years, I have grown a little bit bored of the deep heavy vocals that Amon Amarth are known for, but when it's done so in a pretty decent way, it makes for a good if not great listening experience. Unfortunately, when it comes to making something new, Amon Amarth are shy in that regard. There's nothing breathtakingly great about this album, there's really nothing new to the table as well, but it is damn catchy and I found myself tapping my feet to a couple tracks. The album does stay strong throughout though, which is nice. Again, more due to the fact that it is very catchy, so it's not hard to be entertained by it.

Amon Amarth are a weird band for me because sometimes I really like them, then other times I really hate them. But it really depends on the mood. I can certainly see why people like this album, and I'm not saying I hate it. There are a lot of great tracks on it. The intro track "First Kill" is a fantastic way to start the album. As the album progresses through "Wanderer", "On a Sea of Blood" and so on, you still get a taste of those catchy guitar riffs and well fitting deep vocals. But again, and I've mentioned this a few times, it's just nothing new. It's a lot of recycled riffs and vocals and lyrics that have been used to make another 11 tracks. I give them credit though, because they're obviously trying to stay relevant, and they've never really changed their sound to meet the standards of the metal community. On top of that, their album artwork is always a lot of fun to look at, and this one is certainly no exception.

Now, for the fun part. What and where would I rate this album? Well, in terms of this years releases, it falls short. There's been a lot of great music this year, some offering something new, and some just continuing to show the greatness of certain acts. This one just sits in that awkward spot where the album deserves to be on this list, but I could easily take the album off my favorite albums list in a second. In terms of where I'd rate it for their releases? Well, it's definitely one of their best. Wouldn't say best, because I don't really know which album I would consider their best. This one like I said is probably the most accessible, so they certainly played it safe, and it works. But, I will always have a soft spot for the With Oden On Our Side / Twilight Of The Thunder God era. Would I recommend this album? Absolutely. If you're looking for an overall fun metal album to listen to, I'd say give it a shot.

Key

Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser
Release Date: April 29, 2016

I have to admit, 2016 is turning out to be a very strange year for music, for me personally. I mean, I'm listening to albums by artists that I don't really like, and I'm enjoying it. Then i'm listening to albums by artists I do like, and I'm hating them. Not to mention there is quite a bit of music coming out in the first place, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get to all of it before the year is over. There's still some albums I'm looking forward to, and some i'm still discovering. Rob Zombie's recent release of The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser is one of those albums that I didn't even know existed, until recently.

Here's the thing. I generally don't have any expectations for Rob Zombie albums because from what I've noticed, you either really hate his work, or you love. And I'm of the opinion that he can be a pretty solid musician if done correctly. When Educated Horses was released back in 2006, I was all over it. When Hellbilly Deluxe 2 came out in 2010, I wasn't too thrilled with the whole album, but it had some shining moments. Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor in 2013 and that one was rough at the start, but then I grew to really like it. Now, we get onto The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser which was released this year in April. First of all, can i just say what the **** is up with the ridiculous album title? I mean, at first I thought it was a bit creative, but now it's really annoying, especially when I'm writing this review and I have to mention the album title multiple times. So, here's the thing. This is probably the first time I've listened to a Rob Zombie for the first time and instantly I said "what the **** happened?" I actually said that a few times while I listened to the album, because that's literally the only thought I could put together while listening to it. Seriously, Rob, what the **** happened? This album is a mess. And I don't use that word lightly. When I listen to an album regardless, I do like the album to flow nicely, or at least flow a little bit, but this...this is just a mess. It's as if he said "**** it" and put a bunch of **** in a garbage can and called it an album. Honestly, that's what it feels like. Did I mention it's only a half hour long? Yeah, it's 31 minutes long. So don't expect any of the tracks to extend past 2 or 3 minutes. The issue with that of course is that the album seems rushed, especially when there are 12 tracks on it. Do the math.

So, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser, I'm sorry, but you'll probably be one of my most disappointing albums of 2016, because I was really expecting something a little bit more. Not something like this. Luckily, we still have Educated Horses and the like, but man...way to be a sellout Rob. This album sounds like it belongs on the radio, and that's not a good thing. There's really not a lot more to say, because I didn't really like any of the tracks on the album. I forced myself to listen to them because I wanted to be fair, but I wasn't going to waste anymore time with it.

Key

I'm doing something in this journal that is a little bit out of my comfort zone, but at the same time, I'm excited to do it. I'm going to be diving into Grateful Dead's discography. I've never listened to any of their albums, and I've been making claims about their music without actually listening to them. I don't think that's fair, especially since I like to base my opinions on music on a "need to listen first" basis. So, that's what I'm going to do. Grateful Dead is a band i've been a little afraid to dive into because I know there are some hardcore fans of the band, so I don't want to do any injustice to them. However, I can't guarantee I'm going to enjoy every album, but while I'm doing this, i'm opening my mind to something I've not really listened to before, which in itself is very exciting. Don't worry, my album reviews for the year are still going to be here, but this will be an extra thing I can talk about. Keep in mind, I'm going to do my best to give them the most in depth reviews I can, but I'm not the greatest at doing so. Whether they'll go over well or not is one thing, but it's more for personal gain, and that's exciting as well. Plus, since they've apparently got the progressive rock / blues / country rock tag to them, that's an even more reason to give them a first listen. So, strap yourselves in, this'll be quite the ride. I'll be doing the album reviews as I listen to them, and I plan to listen to them in order of release, so I'll be starting with the first, and going to the last.

If I can do this, I plan to do this for more artists that I really didn't give my time to, or artists that I feel deserve a second chance. We'll see how this goes, but I plan to finish it. I'm not going to leave albums out.

Grateful Dead Reviewed
The Grateful Dead (1967)
Anthem of the Sun (1968)
Aoxomoxoa (1969)
Live/Dead (1969)
Workingman's Dead (1970)
American Beauty (1970)
Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (1971)
Europe '72 (1972)
History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) (1973)
Wake of the Flood (1973)
From the Mars Hotel (1974)
Blues for Allah (1975)
Steal Your Face (1976)
Terrapin Station (1977)
Shakedown Street (1978)
Go to Heaven (1980)
Reckoning (1981)
Dead Set (1981)
In the Dark (1987)
Dylan & the Dead (1989)
Built to Last (1989)
Without a Net (1990)

Key

Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead (1967) Debut

So this starts my official listening venture into Grateful Dead, which I'm sure you already knew, considering I'm doing my reviews in the order of release, and this is their debut. This album was released back in 1967 and it is the debut release for Grateful Dead, again, you probably already knew that. I guess we can get into the review.

First off, it doesn't waste any time does it? The first track just goes right into the music and gives you an idea of what to expect with this band. It's really nice. Of course, it's not only the first track that does this. As I'm listening to the rest of the albums, each track feels like it's own, which simultaneously keeping me entertained and creating a beautifully structured atmosphere of what I'd like to classify as country rock. That would certainly make sense as that's what I was expecting to hear when I got into this album to begin with, but it's done so in such a nice and easy listening way. I feel like this album especially does give the listener a good idea of what you can expect from this band, and it's certainly got the vibe that was pretty evident during that time. But can I also mention the production value? It's really good. I suppose that's the benefit of releasing an album through the Warner Bros. label. I mean, honestly...the production quality does not match the year, but that's more complimenting it than negating it. It sounds like this album could easily be released in the last couple years and still be considered good.

Musically, and vocally, it's all fantastic. This is the first time I've heard Grateful Dead and I really like the vocals, a lot. With those type of vocals and the country rock vibe that this album brings, I can certainly understand why this band has done so well for themselves for as long as they have. Especially in that day. I mean, I've listened to a lot of artists that were big back then, but like I mentioned a few times, I just felt like Grateful Dead were so vast that I couldn't do them justice with reviews or whatever, but I was damn wrong. Maybe that opinion will change as I continue through their work, but for a first time listen with their first review, I can definitely see why they did so well.

It terms of the tracks themselves, I've already found myself going back and listening to tracks that stuck out to me. There's a lot of catchy ones, and that's really nice considering a lot of the tracks are very short. Unlike the recent Rob Zombie review I did, these short tracks get everything done quickly, but in a way that doesn't feel rushed or overbearing. Basically, each track that has a length below 3 minutes are below 3 minutes rightfully. The one track that I really enjoyed however would have to be "Cold Rain and Snow". It's got everything I love, or can enjoy about the country rock genre, and again, with those vocals, it just makes for a very nice listening experience.

Well...can't say i'm disappointed. I thought I was going to be. I was creating the assumption that this was going to be very difficult to get into, but it really wasn't. It's a fantastic debut album, and I'm excited to see where this venture goes.

Key

Grateful Dead - Anthem of the Sun (1968)

I told you this wasn't going to be a waste. I'm currently giving the second album of Grateful Dead a listen and I want to throw out my thoughts about it.

So yes, Anthem of the Sun is the second Grateful Dead in their discography released in 1968. While I was very positive about listening to their debut, this one definitely has a bit more to offer, and considering it's only 5 tracks long, it's pretty impressive that they've been able to get as much into the tracks that they did. Each track is pretty fantastic, however the opening track is something you'd hear out of a prog album. Yes, I did mention prog while talking about Grateful Dead. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are. Originally I claimed to know about Grateful Dead and how they don't have a single proggy bone in their body, but the opening track That's It For The Other One reminds me of Yes's Close To The Edge. I don't mean that as an offense to that either because Close To The Edge is one of my all time favorite albums. Certainly in my top 20 for sure.

Production wise, I can definitely say with certainty that this one has that late 60's feel to it, as opposed to their debut which sounded a lot more polished. I'm sure there's reason for that, and I'm not saying I hate it either, it's still a joy to listen to, mostly because the vocals are still so nice to listen to and lyrically, it's all fantastic. Again though, it does sound like Close To The Edge in terms of production value, and again, I don't mean that as an offense. There's a bit of Floyd in there as well, but I would be reaching if I said that for certainty.

Overall, just as well as the debut album, I'm enjoying this quite a bit. Admittedly a little bit more than I expected. But I'm hearing a lot of Floyd/Yes/Beatles-esque influence in this album, especially. And this album only being 5 tracks, it's very accessible for someone looking to get into the band. Track wise, I can't really say which is my favorite, because although they're all pretty great for their own reasons, none of them really stuck out as being "holy ****, great" but that's more due to my bias of classic rock. Often times, I can't really differentiate one band from the other, but Grateful Dead certainly have their own unique sound which can separate them from the pack in it's own way. But again, no tracks really stuck out to me, on this album at least. Still worth a listen though.

Key

Anthrax - For All Kings
Release Date: February 26, 2016

Anthrax is one of those bands where I feel I should have listened to them a while ago, but never really had the motivation to do so, or I just didn't know enough about them to get into them. I do know for a fact that they are a part of the "big four of thrash" and from what i've seen through the years, Anthrax is one of those bands that doesn't get the attention they deserve. But that's probably more due to the fact that Metallica and Megadeth took a lot of the spotlight, but honestly, every time I've listened to Anthrax, and it's not much, I have found them more enjoyable than most of Megadeth and Metallica's discography. Not saying they are superior in any means, hell I don't know which of the big four are better than the others, but for Anthrax to get the sort of back seat while the other three get all the attention isn't entirely fair. Upon further investigation, Anthrax have actually released a total of eleven studio albums. Looks like I've got some work to do.

For All Kings if you aren't aware is the most recent album released by Anthrax. It was released back in February. How I missed this release is beyond me, but hey, better late than never. So again, I want to stress that I've never really been the type to be super into this band, but after listening to this album, I may have to change that right away. This album is fantastic. Every track is catchy. Every track is fun to listen to. In a way, I'd say it's a cleaner form of thrash but done so in a way that it doesn't feel stripped of thrash at all, especially with the heavy riffs and vocal styles. You definitely won't be hearing Metallica and Megadeth with this music is what I'm trying to say, and honestly, maybe that's a good thing. It's sort of a breath of fresh air to hear thrash done in this way. I grow tired of the heavy / gritty vocals after a while, though I do love Megadeth's most recent release. Anyway, while I'm trying to get through a lot of the new releases this year, the new albums just keep coming up, and I'm enjoying them for the most part.

Overall, I've certainly got some homework to do in terms of Anthrax, because I've heard that if I like this album, I'm going to love some of their older albums. I've been told that this isn't even near their best work, so if this is what it sounds like when they aren't putting their best foot forward, I'd be curious to hear how their best albums sound like. Very nice way to get into their music though. Certainly a good release for this release, and it's nice to go to a good new release after being super disappointed with Rob Zombie's most recent album, which I talked about in this journal already.

The Batlord

The acclaimed classic.




The supposedly lesser classic that's my fav.




The cheesy, dated, but wildly entertaining debut with a different vocalist.




The underrated modern album with another different vocalist.

__________________

Key

The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness (2016)

People should really know by now that I'm a big fan of The Pineapple Thief. In recent years, they've had a couple flops, at least for my taste. Don't get me wrong, All The Wars, and Magnolia are both great albums, but they really didn't take me away like their older albums did, especially Variations on a Dream. Now, with Your Wilderness, it seems they've gone all out and "fixed" what they found didn't work with the two previous albums, and let me tell you, this album has exceeded the expectation that I have with this band.

Surprisingly, I didn't even know about this album until today, and it was released this month, so you can forgive me for that, but god damn, it's such a nice feeling when you find an album by an artist that you like that you didn't know was being released, and the album turns out to be amazing. Chiodos did the same thing, even though the album I listened to recently with them was released back in 2012, but the same rule applies.
The only thing I can say that doesn't work for this album is that it is way too short, but maybe that's for the better, because with the tracks that they do have, they put their all into it, and especially considering they feature a nearly 10 minute track on this album kind of makes up for that. And again, that's where they shine as well. They turn a 10 minute track into an experience, not just a long irritating song. The Pineapple Thief are known to do that though, as is evident with their previous releases. They attempt to take each album they release, and not only turn it into something special, but into a work of art. Your Wilderness is a must listen if you're into this band, and if you weren't a fan of their other recent releases, throw those opinions out the window when you listen to this.

ChelseaDagger

For the first time since Anathema, this journal has piqued my interest. Will listen in about an hour when I get the chance. If it doesn't deliver, I'm going to catch the first flight out of here and show that pretty little kitty of yours how a REAL cat-person shnuggles.