Seltzer

Nice reviews. I haven't had a chance to listen to Watershed yet because I've been away from home, but I'll probably give it a spin today. And I've been meaning to check out Cor Scorpii.

__________________

Rainard Jalen

I like the reviews, but feel 9.5 for Watershed is, well, let's just say...not entirely accurate.

Comus

The much awaited new album from Opeth leaked tonight when I was at work, and it will most certainly be living up to expectations. Coil starts off with clean guitar and singing, a trademark for bits of the newer Opeth albums, and I must say it's done masterfully. Mike's singing has changed a bit but I certainly can't say that it's bad. It also introduces soem beautiful female vocals that are done very effectively at the end of Coil. I wasn't expecting the first track to be completely clean, but Opeth immediately deliver at the end of it, with some awesome guitars at the beginning of Heir Apparent. Again with the trademark heavy/clean interludes this is unmistakeably Opeth, yet there's something so awesomely different.

The album feels more organic than their earlier efforts and there's so much life in this, the guitars sound absolutely stunning and much better than they have on earlier releases. At times the ambience created will completely blow you away, and the soft interludes fit perfectly in. Mike's growls are even better than ever, and they add more of a natural harsh feel to the music, Bloodbath was a good testament to his vocal abilities, but this just blows them out of the water. The progressive influences can be heard so much clearer here than on for example Ghost Reveries and it really adds a new, greater dimension to the album.

The Lotus Eater brings another dimension to Mike's vocal expertise, with both the growls and clean vocals outshining even Heir Apparant. The guitars are incredibly catchy and memorable, and you can really see Opeth have matured from their earlier material, if such a thing was even possible. The drumming is constructed brilliantly, and it stays away from many of the downfalls of metal drumming, it keeps everything together brilliantly without being overboard. The guitar solo in Lotus Eater is even better than Heir Apparent and it's great to see some well played solos as I've never really found that to be Opeth's strong point. Quiet bits continue to impress as Lotus Eater reaches the halfway point with some incredibly ambient pieces, that despite their generally slower approach never completely lose the momentum of the song.

Burden starts out with a slow piano and ambient effects that sets an incredibly dense atmosphere, which just keeps building as drums and vocals are added. The instrumentals on Burden are some of the most stong and progressive that Opeth has ever done, and it's a joy to behold the band maturing in such a way. The guitars are brilliant, and the same can be said for everything else within the song. It's the second song completely devoid of metal and it's great to hear such progression.

The album progresses further with some lovely acoustic guitars on Porcelain Heart, the lyrics are an obvious downfall but then again they are basically just an afterthought for Mike. The dual guitars work perfectly, and in places such as Porcelain Heart are simply glorious, there is so much depth here, on just the first listen that I can feel this being even more of a grower, definitely with a very high replay value.

Hessian Peel is a very heavy listen despite the acoustic/clean instrumentals, there's something primal about it, and this works so effectively within the album. There are some incredibly 70's styled riffs filtered through the song, and it's starting to become clear that there's a lot of nostalgia throughout the whole effort. This is certainly delivering and has been well worth the wait since 2005's Ghost Reveries. There are a lot of influences that only become apparant if you really look for them, but it is certainly well worth the investigation. There are some incredibly psychedelic parts to Hessian Peel and it's definitely the best layered song on the album.

Some of the more quiet parts of the album are, to me, very reminiscent of Ulver's Shadows of the Sun, yet it's so brilliantly balanced with the heavier metal parts. Although there are some death metal vocals, it never even borders on the genre, this is pure progressive metal/rock and I'm incredibly pleased Opeth have decided to go even further in this direction. The whole album just simply sounds more fun and experimental than the earlier work, and it's clear it's got a lot less pretentia in the production.

Overall the album was incredibly refreshing and certainly didn't dissapoint, actually I don't think much of it dissapointed at all. It's certainly one of the top three releases of this year so far and the score I give will be deserving of such a place. Brilliant from start to finish, with great production, incredible intro's and outro's. The progressive element has been taken up to a whole new step, however it feels a bit more like immitation than their own progression, but that really doesn't take away from the enjoyment. Brilliant album.

__________________
last.fm

Comus

Room are a wonderful twin-guitar band that produced a catchy, proggy and generally awesome album in 1970 and with a female vocalist more metal than man it's a huge wonder they never made it big. The title track features several forays into jazz and prog with some lush densly layered segments, this is an incredibly satisfying and powerful song. The guitar solos are very appropriate and jazzy at times however they never lose sight of the song, and can seem very controlled at times. Room are very good at building mood and setting a strong thick atmosphere utilising every instrument to its full potential. Despite being nearly 9 minutes long the title track will leave you wanting more after a very quaint ending. Where Did I Go Wrong delivers this and more, starting off with a lovely guitar solo and soft yet agressive drumming. The vocals might remind you of early Black Sabbath only female instead of whatever Ozzy Osbourne is.

The guitars are what you'll be listening for here on the second track, which generally reflects the whole theme of the album, it features some incredibly wonderful solo work and memorable riffs and licks. The drumming is also a high point of the album sounding very clear and appropriate. Where Did I Go Wrong can seem quite bluesy at times, something which is built on as the album progresses. No Warmth in My Life builds on this blues theme however also remaining quite jazzy at times. The guitars again don't fail to impress with some powerfull riffs, however proto-metal fans will be left feeling a bit dissapointed wanting something a bit more heavy to complement the vocals. My personal feeling however is that the album never needed to rely on heavy riffs to make it great and the band must have felt the same way.

The guitar solos remind me a lot of Capability Brown at times, a band I'm reviewing in the very near future. Big John Blues continues the blue feeling with a track very similar to Wishbone Ash's Vas Dis with the vocalist scat singing the notes of the guitar. Lovely guitar solos run throught the whole song cementing it as a truly great guitar album, just the way I like it. At times the vocalist may seem quite awkward like at the start of Andromeda, however this is wholly redeemed immediately after, the quirky yet incredibly catchy song features some of the best vocals of the album. Not exactly lyrically however and this counts a bit against it, musically it's one of the albums most intense songs because of the bassline. It feels almost depressive with each beat feeling like a drain on your mind.

Musically proficient solos complement most of the songs very well however it most certainly wouldn't be a stretch to say Andromeda's guitar solo does it perfectly, all different sections of the song complement each other very well and it's hard to find songs that sound so tight while still seeming very free. Andromeda is certainly one of the big highlights of the albums and it's heartwrenching to think how unnapreciated this album truly is. War follows on the high set by Andromeda and is the true highlight, the vocals alone make this the heaviest song on the album, and the opening riff is very reminiscent of Black Sabbath's debut album with less distortion. The whole song is very reminiscent of Sabbath's early albums without being truly metal. This is certainly not a downside but if you are wanting something heavy it would be better to listen to something else.

While being in some ways similar to the early metal movement the sound is far more deeply rooted in the early 70's prog movement, however without the spacey self importance of some of the bigger groups. The album is incredibly earnest and lacking in almost any pretentia, sure they have the guts to make 8 minute songs but they're not doing it for the sake of long songs. As we come to the last song I can certainly say that this is a true obscure prog gem. And the final track makes the album oh so much more deserving of such a title. The instrumental Cemetery Junction showcases the true talents of the brilliant musicians involved in the pre-flight project. Lush synths, brilliant bass lines and cutting guitars are scattered throughout being very well supported throughout with brilliant tight drumming. Also present are some wind and string instruments that complete the package.

Being the proggiest work on the album it's definitely appropriate as an album finisher as it will definitely leave you pumped up and thirsting for more, it would certainly not be unexpected to immediately want to spin the album once more immediately afterwards. As a whole the album is immensely satisfying and there are very few drawbacks, I may not enjoy this as much as Leaf Hound however it is fundamentally bettern and my score will have to reflect this. The lush atmospheres here feature some inspirational and beautiful string and wind sections that will either lift your spirit or break your heart. It's a truly epic feeling, and it leaves you with an empty heart once it's abruptly cut out by a catchy bassline. The final song is truly a journey of emotions, worthy of the name Cemetery Junction.

Not to get too caught up with the atmosphere of it all it's score time, as I said this is better than Growers of Mushroom, it might not be as catchy or heavy but there's just something about it which makes it just in a totally different league and, well I'll just let my score do the talking.

__________________
last.fm

Comus

Note to all: review corner postponed due to broken arm.

__________________
last.fm

Comus

Since I'm now at uni, and doing reviews would be like slacking off doing nothing while not at uni. Reviews is the new lazy. I'm gonna start doing my "10 Albums that Have, Will and Should Influence the Progression of Music" reviews ASAP, expect one over the weekend.

__________________
last.fm

Comus

END OF REVIEW

Arizona reminds me of something but I can't quite put my finger on it, I've heard the melodies before but that doesn't really detract from the song. This is a beautiful closing track, aptly placed, it will make you feel sad and that's exactly what makes you listen again, and I have to say it's pretty effective. The main guitar theme is incredibly reminiscent to a lot of the more polished end of 70's early 80's bands that had to give a good contrast to the punk scene in order to remain relevant. It's unexpected from KoL but in the end it works brilliantly, even if it feels awfully cheesy. The solo here does have some soul, if only given to it by the context of the song. When I hear a good solo I always feel a sense of warmth within me, Matthew captures this warmth, but only for a few seconds, which makes the relative shortness of their solos more of a strength than a weakness. The final fade leaves you with expectations of more good things to come, in retrospect it certainly didn't come from their next album.


How this album SHOULD have influenced music is once again painfully obvious to me, the swagger, the rhythm everything is just done so well here. It feels raw at times which is also very good. The fact that the band is willing to experiment, to expand on their formula is incredibly good. The true influence of the album is yet to be seen, but I hope some bands adopt and expand on this formula, because Kings of Leon certainly didn't much to their detriment musically albeit not financially, which simply highlights the problem with music today. This album proves that you don't need all that much talent to make good music.

__________________
last.fm

Comus

And some review stats:

By year:
1969: 1
1970: 2
1971: 2
1972: 2
1975: 1
2007: 1
2008: 4

Average Score:
Modern: 8.16
Classic: 8.89
Total: 8.61

The high average current average scores can be explained by the fact that so far I have reviewed a very small number of new releases and most of them have been very good, also considering the fact that the classic albums I so far have reviewed have been some of my favourites, with Lizard and Argus both increasing the average significantly within the past few days.

__________________
last.fm

Seltzer

Nice review - I own the reissued version of Argus.

I agree that Argus is a complete prog classic, even if it isn't that proggy and more hard rockish. And yeah, the rhythm section is actually more prominent on other albums, although it's decent on Argus too. But overall, it's their best album.

My favourite bit of the album is the dual leads in the second half of Throw Down the Sword - absolutely musicgasmic.

__________________

Comus

Just before I start the review I would like to say that I'm thrilled to see so many other journals about now.


The shadows started off in life as Cliff Richards backing band, but ended up being so much more, this maturity was already seen here in their debut album. Before I elaborate I'd like to thank the shadows for inspiring my hero Andy Powell to pick up the guitar.

The album starts off strongly and launches you straight back to the 60's, being a mostly instrumental album means there has to be some brilliant instrumental work. And there is, no doubt about it. Shadoogie would not be out of place as the backing track on a Beach Boys album, but instead of harmonised vocals here there is some fine guitar and drum work to keep the interest strong. And when I say fine, it truly is fine work. The groove is catchy and the tune is just as it should be. There's a huge sense of innocence here and it is sad that rock music had to lose that to evolve, but it adds a very sombre feel to the album in retrospect.

Blue Star is led by a mournful guitar eloping across a gentle sonic landscape like a river through rolling plains. The beauty of this track should never be lost on the listener because it is indeed stunning in its simplicity and construction. You just want to sit back and relax, close your eyes and think, this is another example of the innocence this record portrays painfully short is reminds me of Wishbone Ash's latest instrumentals "Northern Lights" from Power of Eternity.

A lot of the songs show melodies that would be prominent in little snippets of progressive rock as parts of instrumentals or even vocal work. Nivram is very much such a song, listen to this track and you cannot deny the influence of the guitar work on the progressive rock guitarists that came about almost a decade later. Nivram is a perfect example of all the parts working together to create a beautiful dream. A cool bass part here, some sound drumming and some brilliant guitar play there and you have a brilliant song. The bass solo drives the song forward and it's incredibly funky for its time.

Baby My Heart is the first vocal song, and far more upbeat than the first three instrumentals, here you can see the influence this band had on the surf rock genre. Again it would not be out of place on a beach boys album, but overall it is far more mature than the beach boys, and the instrumental work is a lot tighter. See you in my sorrows continues where Nivram left off, the basic melodies and progressions that are put down here can be found time and time again in progressive rock and in other forms of rock throughout the sixties and definitely at the start of the 70's.

Despite the many instrumental tracks there is never a moment where the album gets dull like some instrumental sogns tend to do. The short and sweet song format is very much of its time. This being said the songs have been perfectly created for the short length and I can't say that it would be any better if the songs were longer. The songs have been perfectly crafted to fit the era, despite this it is very much ahead of its time. All My Sorrows is another vocal track done very well, with the bass work shining here in perfect compliment to the vocals.

Despite very simple lyrics it is very well conveyed and even if it doesn't fit altogether brilliantly in the album I can't say that it detracts from it in any way. Because of the great bass work it is a brilliantly powerful track when listened with a good sound system or very good headphones, and I fear that may be lost on some people. Perfectly out of place the next song is a total departure from the sombre feel of All My Sorrows, Stand up and Say That is incredibly confident and upbeat. Some great piano work here keeps the piece together at times and the guitar work is as always totally brilliant.

Very jazzy here it is as always a good avenue to show off some talent and the track does it well, but contrary to most of the other songs, this one is painfully short for what it is. Gonzales true to its name is very much a country song, if you close your eyes and listen to this, you can see a bunch of indians on horseback rolling through the desert with rifles. The guitar work here is absolutely brilliantly done and convincing, it keeps you going through the track and leaves you wanting more. Find Me a Golden Street almost picks up where Gonzales left off, there is a very good interplay between the two instrumental tracks and the atmosphere created is just as it should be.

The Shadows do something that for the time would be incredibly difficult, they manage to set mood with solos and melodies instead of vocals and simple rhythm. The rhythm section throughout the whole album sets itself apart from the work of the era, the drummer and bassist are very much at the forefront at times and again that didn't happen again until some of the more progressive or heavy artists. All the songs of the album are very much straight to the point, due to the short nature of the songs they waste no time with lengthy intros and don't do much to set the tone of the song. While regrettable I don't see this as that much of a setback, since they manage to set the mood so well with the meat of the songs that it almost doesn't detract at all.

Theme from a Filleted Place is for me a weakpoint to the album, seems they just really wanted that melody on the album and didn't care if it fit or not. Followed by That's My Desire which is very much an aquired taste it brings a few weaker songs together. By no means bad That's My Desire is another vocal song, but it doesn't have the same strength that All My Sorrows displays. My Resistance is Low is the shortest song on the album, however I feel that it puts the album straight back on track, full of tempered energy like much of the album it plays a strong guitar melody with a few surprises that keep it interesting.

Sleepwalk is a Santo & Johnny cover, played very well here and it does add to the orignal, this cover is much more subdued but it feels just as genuine. Many other artists have covered the song but I still prefer the Shadows Version over even some of the more modern examples. Big Boy ends the album on an upbeat tone, the song is a fitting end to a very very good album.


This album has been incredibly influential, inspiring many guitarists prominent in the late 60's early 70's. The melodies alone gives an indication to how influential this album is, while much of it is shamelessly copied from other places their success make it probable that their version of some of these songs will be the most known. Especially at the time. The album went to number 1 on the UK Charts, being the first British band to do so and that alone speaks volumes.

__________________
last.fm