The Poseur Cave

Isbjørn · 01-01-2015, 07:31 AM

Devil's Dancefloor

Artist: Iron Maiden
Album: Iron Maiden
Year: 1980
Genre: NWOBHM

Justin announced in his journal that he would kick this off with Iron Maiden's debut, which I'm totally okay with. Maiden is one of my favourite metal bands, and the first one I actually got into, so for me this is a great album to start with. It's from Maiden's NWOBHM period, and is regarded as one of the best examples of the style. The album is, however, a bit different from the work the band is most famous for, since it's rawer and a bit more punky, and Bruce Dickinson had yet to join the band.

“Prowler” kicks off the album and sets the theme. It's a simple song, but gets the job done. Alright opening track. “Sanctuary” is the most punky song on the album, on which Iron Maiden proves that they know how to play energetically. A standout track for sure. On the next track, they lay off the speed almost completely (almost, there's always a place for rippin' guitar solos). “Remember Tomorrow” is a ballad, with a psychedelic tinge reminding me of Black Sabbath's space rock songs (“Planet Caravan” and “Solitude”). A standout, if only for the variety it provides. After “Running Free”, a filler-ish song in the general style of the first track, we get to “Phantom of the Opera”, the standout, probably a huge influence on progressive metal bands, and some of Iron Maiden's best work overall. The next one is an instrumental, “Transilvania”, and a good one for sure. Iron Maiden doesn't need vocals, guitars are enough. Then we are treated to another ballad, this one more ballady than the previous one, as it doesn't enter full speed metal mode halfway through. “Charlotte the Harlot” comes on, and we're back to raw metal again. This is the first song in the “Charlotte Saga”, about the lifes and times of a prostitute named Charlotte. Instead of objectifying women, as many other metal bands did and would keep doing, Maiden focused on the dangers and downsides of prostitution (this is better displayed on the song “22 Acacia Avenue”), helping Iron Maiden gain their reputation as a “thinking man's metal band” (I'm pretty sure Trollheart said something similar once). The last song on the album is named “Iron Maiden”, and it's a killer closing track. I once saw a bull**** internet slideshow featuring “wisdom in Iron Maiden lyrics” or something, and one of the entries was “Iron Maiden's gonna get you no matter how far”. Heh, that was pretty stupid. Anyway, it's a good song.

This album is a classic. It's not Iron Maiden's best work, though. Paul Di'Anno might be a badass, but Bruce Dickinson is a better vocalist, hands down. Actually, “hands down” isn't necessary, since I'm pretty sure just about everyone agrees. Still, great album etc.

4/5

Isbjørn · 01-03-2015, 12:51 PM

Devil's Dancefloor

Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Year: 1970
Genre: Heavy metal, blues rock

This album was not on the top 10 list The Batlord compiled, so I don't think Justin is going to feature it*, but goddammit, I couldn't leave it out. A Black Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell, was included, but this is the band's first album, and my personal favourite.

I can't imagine what it must've been like for kids in the seventies hearing this for the first time. They must have all pissed themselves. With the simple tritone riff on “Black Sabbath”, the band created a sinister, brooding atmosphere many later bands struggled (and still struggle) to recreate. That song is the ultimate soundtrack to the apocalypse, and with it they became the first band to play not just heavy metal, but also doom metal, a style they would be the sole practitioners of until nearly ten years later. Unfortunately, the other tracks don't follow in the same vein, but that doesn't mean they're not great as well. “The Wizard” is totally groovy, and “N.I.B.” is one of my favourite songs ever. They kind of fade in comparison to the title track, though. Oh, well.

4.5/5

*Justin did feature it

Isbjørn · 01-08-2015, 10:23 AM

Devil's Dancefloor

Artist: Judas Priest
Album: Screaming for Vengeance
Year: 1982
Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock

You all know Judas Priest. Those who don't, shame on you. After Black Sabbath created metal, Judas Priest made sure to render it a distinct style from regular hard rock. Regardless of whether you like them or not, you should know and respect them. But you really should like them, too.

Four years prior to this release, Judas Priest released Killing Machine, and entered full pop metal mode. This pissed many people off, but by making metal a more accessible style, Priest helped many get into the genre for the first time, and who knows how many good metal bands wouldn't have formed if it weren't for this? Anyway, on Screaming for Vengeance, Judas Priest continued in the same, poppy path they had been going for some years already, but the band did in no way lay off the heaviness. On the contrary, with songs like “Electric Eye” and “Screaming for Vengeance”, the band helped lay the foundations of speed metal, and proved that they could make you sing along as well as rock your socks off. Standout tracks include “Electric Eye”, “Riding on the Wind”, “Screaming for Vengeance” and “You've Got Another Thing Comin'”.

4.5/5

Isbjørn · 01-08-2015, 10:34 AM

Haiku reviews

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Hipsters have dubbed this
The greatest album ever
And yeah, it is good

4/5

Sonic Youth - Goo

Pretty good album
First five tracks are amazing
The rest is okay

3.5/5

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

So, this is shoegaze
Might have to look into that
Instantly loved this

4.5/5

Nirvana - Unplugged in New York

Listened with my dad
He literally thanked me
Not hard to see why

4/5

Thelonious Monkey · 01-08-2015, 11:27 AM

I'll post the Judas Priest album review tomorrow. Wasn't much a fan of it.

Isbjørn · 01-08-2015, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustinJJustin

I'll post the Judas Priest album review tomorrow. Wasn't much a fan of it.

Damn. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on it.

Josef K · 01-08-2015, 11:54 AM

Those are some good albums - or, ITAOTS and Loveless are. I could take or leave the other two, although I basically agree with you on Goo - our favorite tracks are different, but basically it's got a couple really good songs, but uses up all its tricks by the end and is mostly pretty boring.

Isbjørn · 01-08-2015, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josef K

Those are some good albums - or, ITAOTS and Loveless are. I could take or leave the other two, although I basically agree with you on Goo - our favorite tracks are different, but basically it's got a couple really good songs, but uses up all its tricks by the end and is mostly pretty boring.

Actually, all of the five first songs are great, I forgot about "Kool Thing" and "Mote". This is how I'd rank my favourites from the album:

"Dirty Boots"
"Tunic (Song for Karen)"
"Mote"
"Kool Thing"
"Mary-Christ"

I'm having mixed thoughts about "My Friend Goo", and the last tracks are pretty uninteresting.

Josef K · 01-08-2015, 12:15 PM

Yeah, "Dirty Boots" and "Mote" are my favorites by a distance. But those other ones are pretty good as well - you're right that it's really frontloaded.

Isbjørn · 01-08-2015, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josef K

Yeah, "Dirty Boots" and "Mote" are my favorites by a distance. But those other ones are pretty good as well - you're right that it's really frontloaded.

Imagine if they released only the A-side as an EP. That'd be the hell of an EP...

01-01-2015, 07:31 AM	#321 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Devil's Dancefloor Artist: Iron Maiden Album: Iron Maiden Year: 1980 Genre: NWOBHM Justin announced in his journal that he would kick this off with Iron Maiden's debut, which I'm totally okay with. Maiden is one of my favourite metal bands, and the first one I actually got into, so for me this is a great album to start with. It's from Maiden's NWOBHM period, and is regarded as one of the best examples of the style. The album is, however, a bit different from the work the band is most famous for, since it's rawer and a bit more punky, and Bruce Dickinson had yet to join the band. “Prowler” kicks off the album and sets the theme. It's a simple song, but gets the job done. Alright opening track. “Sanctuary” is the most punky song on the album, on which Iron Maiden proves that they know how to play energetically. A standout track for sure. On the next track, they lay off the speed almost completely (almost, there's always a place for rippin' guitar solos). “Remember Tomorrow” is a ballad, with a psychedelic tinge reminding me of Black Sabbath's space rock songs (“Planet Caravan” and “Solitude”). A standout, if only for the variety it provides. After “Running Free”, a filler-ish song in the general style of the first track, we get to “Phantom of the Opera”, the standout, probably a huge influence on progressive metal bands, and some of Iron Maiden's best work overall. The next one is an instrumental, “Transilvania”, and a good one for sure. Iron Maiden doesn't need vocals, guitars are enough. Then we are treated to another ballad, this one more ballady than the previous one, as it doesn't enter full speed metal mode halfway through. “Charlotte the Harlot” comes on, and we're back to raw metal again. This is the first song in the “Charlotte Saga”, about the lifes and times of a prostitute named Charlotte. Instead of objectifying women, as many other metal bands did and would keep doing, Maiden focused on the dangers and downsides of prostitution (this is better displayed on the song “22 Acacia Avenue”), helping Iron Maiden gain their reputation as a “thinking man's metal band” (I'm pretty sure Trollheart said something similar once). The last song on the album is named “Iron Maiden”, and it's a killer closing track. I once saw a bull** internet slideshow featuring “wisdom in Iron Maiden lyrics” or something, and one of the entries was “Iron Maiden's gonna get you no matter how far”. Heh, that was pretty stupid. Anyway, it's a good song. This album is a classic. It's not Iron Maiden's best work, though. Paul Di'Anno might be a badass, but Bruce Dickinson is a better vocalist, hands down. Actually, “hands down” isn't necessary, since I'm pretty sure just about everyone agrees. Still, great album etc. 4/5** __________________ fast(ml) Hear me play the guitar Look, mom! I got a journal

01-03-2015, 12:51 PM	#322 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Devil's Dancefloor Artist: Black Sabbath Album: Black Sabbath Year: 1970 Genre: Heavy metal, blues rock This album was not on the top 10 list The Batlord compiled, so I don't think Justin is going to feature it, but goddammit, I couldn't leave it out. A Black Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell, was included, but this is the band's first album, and my personal favourite. I can't imagine what it must've been like for kids in the seventies hearing this for the first time. They must have all pissed themselves. With the simple tritone riff on “Black Sabbath”, the band created a sinister, brooding atmosphere many later bands struggled (and still struggle) to recreate. That song is the ultimate soundtrack to the apocalypse, and with it they became the first band to play not just heavy metal, but also doom metal, a style they would be the sole practitioners of until nearly ten years later. Unfortunately, the other tracks don't follow in the same vein, but that doesn't mean they're not great as well. “The Wizard” is totally groovy, and “N.I.B.” is one of my favourite songs ever. They kind of fade in comparison to the title track, though. Oh, well. 4.5/5* *Justin did feature it __________________ fast(ml) Hear me play the guitar Look, mom! I got a journal

01-08-2015, 10:23 AM	#323 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Devil's Dancefloor Artist: Judas Priest Album: Screaming for Vengeance Year: 1982 Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock You all know Judas Priest. Those who don't, shame on you. After Black Sabbath created metal, Judas Priest made sure to render it a distinct style from regular hard rock. Regardless of whether you like them or not, you should know and respect them. But you really should like them, too. Four years prior to this release, Judas Priest released Killing Machine, and entered full pop metal mode. This pissed many people off, but by making metal a more accessible style, Priest helped many get into the genre for the first time, and who knows how many good metal bands wouldn't have formed if it weren't for this? Anyway, on Screaming for Vengeance, Judas Priest continued in the same, poppy path they had been going for some years already, but the band did in no way lay off the heaviness. On the contrary, with songs like “Electric Eye” and “Screaming for Vengeance”, the band helped lay the foundations of speed metal, and proved that they could make you sing along as well as rock your socks off. Standout tracks include “Electric Eye”, “Riding on the Wind”, “Screaming for Vengeance” and “You've Got Another Thing Comin'”. 4.5/5 __________________ fast(ml) Hear me play the guitar Look, mom! I got a journal

01-08-2015, 10:34 AM	#324 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Haiku reviews Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Hipsters have dubbed this The greatest album ever And yeah, it is good 4/5 Sonic Youth - Goo Pretty good album First five tracks are amazing The rest is okay 3.5/5 My Bloody Valentine - Loveless So, this is shoegaze Might have to look into that Instantly loved this 4.5/5 Nirvana - Unplugged in New York Listened with my dad He literally thanked me Not hard to see why 4/5 __________________ fast(ml) Hear me play the guitar Look, mom! I got a journal Last edited by Isbjørn; 01-08-2015 at 12:05 PM.

01-08-2015, 11:27 AM	#325 (permalink)
Thelonious Monkey Caesar is home. Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	I'll post the Judas Priest album review tomorrow. Wasn't much a fan of it.

01-08-2015, 11:54 AM	#327 (permalink)
Josef K A Jew on a motorbike! Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 800	Those are some good albums - or, ITAOTS and Loveless are. I could take or leave the other two, although I basically agree with you on Goo - our favorite tracks are different, but basically it's got a couple really good songs, but uses up all its tricks by the end and is mostly pretty boring.

01-08-2015, 12:15 PM	#329 (permalink)
Josef K A Jew on a motorbike! Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 800	Yeah, "Dirty Boots" and "Mote" are my favorites by a distance. But those other ones are pretty good as well - you're right that it's really frontloaded.