2Pac "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" (1997)

 

Decades have passed since I last enjoyed one of 2Pac's many posthumous records. I barely remember this double album, loaded with a hundred minutes of the iconic rapper going at it alone. Released thirteen months past his death, it reeks of a rushed release. A lack of vision or focus swiftly becomes evident, Pac's raps arrive from different eras on top of demo level beats that loop at a bare minimum. Even basic techniques like dropping instruments in and out to add some variety seem missing.

Disc one houses more of his 95 era flows. Fresh outta jail on a mission to record as many raps before his impending demise, these lively verses recycle so many of the tempos, tropes and topics of his All Eyez On Me double album. More thuggish, less thoughtful, many of them recorded in one take, Pac's motto at the time. Among them, cuts like Open Fire and Nothing To Loose from my favorite era, Strictly, are a delight.

 Disc two, my favored, mostly houses outtakes from then to Me Against The World. The instrumentals seem like the demo's from that era too. Hearing his pitch shifted raps return makes it clear why those takes didn't make the original cut. Do For Love and Nothin But Love hit hard, as do some of his verses heard elsewhere among a weighty catalog of posthumous material. The original verses of Changes are here too.

Its hard to acknowledge this as much more than a collection of demos. Without Pac's creative input, it feels hands off, the producers aiming to preserve original vibes. R U Still Down does have an eerie foreshadowing of his tragic fate lingering within the lyrics, not unusual given that perspective lurched in his prior records. Besides familiar bars used elsewhere, a few novelties emerged. Beats similar to Snoop's Gzs & Hustlers and Black Moon's Buck Em Down. Given all were released in 93, I wonder if these were instrumentals Pac passed up. Credits suggest coincidence.

Rating: 6/10

Mase "Harlem World" (1997)

 

A long overdue followup on No Way Out, I've finally picked up Harlem World, Mase's solo debut. He'd made a soft impression, a voice fit for variety in the mix but unsurprisingly tame on his own. The casual carefree laid back spoken raps didn't amount to much across a lengthy CD filling record. Although it went multi platinum, its legacy feels like a byproduct of the era. Mase runs through the typical themes apprising his status, playing himself as a ladies man and taking shots at his haters.

His cadence is smooth, easy on the ears but rarely does his words muster up the energy to really grab your attention with standout rhymes. Harlem World mostly rolls by a pleasant ride on average beats spliced with goofy interludes. Stated as such in a lyric, the albums best tracks are simply recycled hits from the past decade. That and many of its instrumentals highlight this Bad Boy Records formula candidly.

With typical features from Puff, DMX, Jay-Z, The Lox and many more, the album gets by on a run of the mill routine. The later, however, elevates! 24 Hours To Live lays down a firm concept, asking a question and letting everyone run through their answers verse by verse. Its a great setup for visual raps that The LOX dominate! The following I Need To Be sinks to a low with very questionable topicality that seems to just slip under the radar of controversy when it comes up in Hip Hop music.

The closing Jealous Guy is an amusing piss take. A tongue in cheek jab at "the haters". These rappers drop some ruthless off key singing over top of the smooth R&B singers beneath. Fun once but an earache after the third spin. Overall, this album felt very average, with little memorable to take away. It feels like the hype and promise of the record label made this one a success. Not bad but firmly average at best.

Rating: 4/10

Helmet "Aftertaste" (1997)

 

Lured to Betty by Spotify's auto-play, I thought a follow up on Helmets final output before a later reunion was due. By fans and critics alike, Aftertaste wasn't well received at the time. Its a mild affair but personally I've enjoyed this one. Harking back to their roots, Helmet pump out a rather stripped down, straightforward rendition of syncopated Drop D riffs alternating on shimmering shoe-gazing chords.

Effective and simple drum grooves build an easy framework for each song to deliver a handful of riffs that rarely venture beyond a few bars. Shuffling back and forth with monotone vocals overhead, It gets repetitious fast. Their songwriting finds little in the way of "special" or ambition, its just simplistic structures playing out their basic ideas.

Its all about aesthetic, If the mold matches your taste, then its worth a spin or two. Beyond that, I'm not sure much else can be found. Occasional compositions resonate well, poking its head above the mediocrity on display. For example, the opening riff of Broadcast Emotion melds a grooving riff with hazy texture wonderfully! On the other hand, its crass guitar solo not on the same level. This record is really for fans of Helmet, beyond serving that crowd, there is little to be said about the music.

Rating: 6/10

The Gathering "Nighttime Birds" (1997)

 

Shrouded by the swift abrupt judgements of youth, my initial contact deemed Nighttime Birds unfit for consumption. Supposedly not cut from the cloth as Mandylion, one of my all time favorite albums, it has sat snugly in the shadows, patiently awaiting me all these years. Like a broken record, past judgements have failed me once again. At this point, it might just be worth conducting a list of all prior dismissals...

Nighttime Birds is the broody matured brother of a band once ripe with color and youth two years prior. With a touch of restraint and a seclusion of craft, the band withdraw their eternal melodic delight to initiate songs with darker morose tones. Heavier guitars lean in shadowy chromatic, luring Anneke's sublime, luminous voice to a weighty pensive reflection. The duality explores a beautiful and burdensome contrast. Its a measured friction that compliments, coming to fruition with increased exposure.

Where its synths once adventured with bold punctuation, the keyboards now withdraw to a subtle, powerful role. Lurching behind steely distortion guitars, they await a turn to chime, often guiding the music from its beautiful gloom, soaring to blossom its hidden hues. Each song journeys to blushes of sequestered warmth. Familiar simplistic lead melodies gush from guitar and keys with their classic, distinctive personality.

Comprised of mostly lengthier tracks above five minutes, the album locks in a mood and explores it in beautiful increments, each exploring this darker chemistry. A union of thick power chords and cold acoustic guitars is explored early on. The May Song introduces a powerful, emotive organ tone to set off one of Anneke's most delightful performances. She wails sublimely, ascending with spirit much like that of Leaves. In fact, I'd go as far as to say its this albums equivalent, given the familiar guitar solo.

The following songs invoke soft computerized effects expertly, characterizing synths with subtlety. Later on a soft violin can be heard too. Each song finds subtle shifts to define them. The band fire on all cylinders. The shuffling contributions from its instruments explore so many ideas within a snug sound. Even moments of heavy metallic groove emerge in climatic beat downs and sluggish power chord brooding.

Nighttime Birds promptly made itself apparent as a lost classic from my youth, one I would have adored. However, I persisted. With my love of its saddened tone growing, I couldn't put it down. Weeks turned into months and that emotional evocative magic kept oozing. I feel so fortunate to have discovered it now. The Gathering's spell is truly eternal with me. Although a fraction behind the charm of Mandylion, this record has a clear sense of maturity and direction locked in by a fruitful yet cold concept.

Rating: 10/10

Old Man's Child "The Pagan Prosperity" (1997)

 

The Pagan Prosperity signifies a departure from Born Of The Flickering that came before it. Although holding over darkly Medieval themes laced with magic and combat, the musical style shifts, as do its aesthetics. Clearly to of come under the influence of his friends at Dimmu Borgir, Galder aims to follow the emboldened direction of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant released earlier that same year. Lacking in ample production budget, armed with songs not quite akin to that intensity, his sophomore album is a haphazard progression that does yield some magic after its misgivings.

Over bloated with melody embellished by tacky synth tones, thees songs ride a rather thin production where its instruments stand bare and subsequently stark if too focus to closely on its harsh snare for example. This mostly comes around where keyboard sections are lacking. When dropping out, Galders grindy guitar riffs chug away ruthlessly with a dulled texture. Its all a bit hit and miss. Sometimes the synths come in to strong, other times they are absent. It seems to lack a little nuance and "glue".

At the midpoint, after a series of mediocre tracks, My Demonic Figures trades off another grinding riff against some beautiful, uplifting melody. Then suddenly past two minutes the song shifts gears into a riveting drive of groove flush with majestic synths. The song rides out its keen lead tune into a string of songs. Doommaker & My Kingdom Will Come rectify the mood. Flush with guitar solos, which are always fantastic throughout, and these big groovy synth "breakdowns", Galder hits a stride.

Despite the albums clunky nature, his song writing pulls together extremely well for these songs, making for some head bopping riffs. They are made fun and carefree by the garish but lively synths that infuse a cheesy taste of evil. His screams too embody this lack of seriousness. They howl away, often double tracked with reverbs and echos layering on his snaky, rasping throaty shouts. The Pagan Prosperity is not his best, somewhat of a learning curb. You can put it on, have fun but under scrutiny it has visible flaws.

Rating: 6/10

Secret Stairways "Enchantment Of The Ring" (1997)

 

Following on from the now unearthed demo Drifting..., we have another eight track cassette. Released two years on, Enchantment Of The Ring does little in terms of evolution but gives us another insight into the imagination of this lone musician operating outside of any scene. Conjuring the music of moonlit slumbers and fantastical daydreams, Mathew Davis delivers a string of gentle journeys that peer into the crevasses of alternate realms. Led by mystery evoking tones, his keyboard arrangements tend to linger on steadily looped, calming melodies, slowly brooding into big symphonic swells of lush, cloud swept atmosphere.

Within this context notable tracks emerge, Amongst The Waterlillies fondly reminds me of Adrian Von Ziegler with the music being accompanied by the persistent sound of bird and cricket chirps in the background. Not as lush but an interesting idea to hear earlier on. Before it, Finvarra's Chessboard musters up a militant percussive drive led by bright pianos and gleaming strings. Its thematic resonance reminding me of Lord Lovidicus on the Daulu Bûrz-Ishi record.

With a begrudged, crawling bass and snare kick alternation, its opening track rips right into Ethereal and Doom Metal territory with gloomy funeral synths and a hazy distortion guitar weeping its sorrows in the backdrop. Its deeply captivating, with an engulfing sense of impending melancholy. Quite the different vibe from the rest of the songs but shows a remarkable talent perusing their inspiration in multiple directions.

Its final closing song, Onward, To Hy Breasail, peaks my interest as a link between the records opening and songs in the middle. Returning with livened percussion and another gloomy atmosphere, that fantasy magic spirit is woven into the mix as its lead melody glistens a little fairy dust over the despaired mood lingering below it. The bass synth wobbles on with a mesmerizing quality and the whole thing is captivating.

As a record, or demo, its blemishes are in its dilution. Its most fantastical musical moments sway from the path laid out and thus makes shadows for its main theme to reside in, however with these divergent being start end, it does feel like an adventure but its clear the whole thing didn't land consistently with the best musical ideas. Either way, its a wonderful demo to check out from a musician who would of struggled to find an audience for this at the time. RIP Mathew!

Rating: 6/10

Carpe Tenebrum "Majestic Nothingness" (1997)

 

Following up on Mirrored Hate Painting I decided to checkout Astennu's debut under the same moniker. On Majestic Nothingness he is the lone musician handling all aspects of the music. Sadly the magic of his enigmatic lead guitar voice that lured me to this project is yet to blossom. It can be briefly heard in an infantile stage but what the record offers in tone is rather different given the lack of influence that his future band mates Dimmu Borgir would endow him with.

As a Symphonic Black Metal project from the other side of the globe, Carpe Tenebrum is a very competent record for the times. It sets out to achieve its vision of a darkly realm through song writing and the atypical shifts in momentum that draw charm from the emergence of complimenting synths. The aesthetic is a little dim and stiff with dainty distortion guitars and its reasonably disguised drum machine that pounds out blast beats without too much mechanical intrusion.

 The most detracting element is Astennu's vocals. His scowling shouts and groans are laid bare leaving him thin, naked and without oomph or power. Essentially its an underwhelming presence, brittle and raspy. His texture doesn't packing enough punch for power or darkness. When stepping into the "clean" territory of burly singing its a little off note to be charming but nothing truly terrible. With more bass and some reverb this could of easily been a few shades better.

When its on, one adjusts to its aesthetics, capable yet lacking in vibrancy. The album goes through the motions, with all the tropes, shifts in pace, alternations of blast beats and half placings that I love. Its a typical record of the genre but doesn't leave an impression with any of its moments sticking. I don't think the record ever plays itself up with much bombast as the framework is generic and the guitars all to muzzled to dazzle. If I had found this in my youth however... I could of possible devoured it alive! Its just like that, I have heard everything on offer here before already.

Rating: 5/10

Covenant "In Times Before The Light" (1997)

 

Following up on From The Storm Of Shadows, we arrive three years later with a debut record cast from the mold of an emerging Symphonic Black Metal scene. Unlike the stylistic evolution an of Enthrone Darkness Triumph, the duo stuck with a primordial Norwegian sound paired against its bold and cheesy Casio synth tones. Effective in execution but cornering the music to its niche, one which I happen to enjoy greatly.

Firstly, all three demo songs make it across to the album. The production is a clear step up too, everything audible but also a charming mess of gritty distant guitar tones and bold, punchy drums and keys entering a somewhat forced relation that carves its atmosphere with varying effect. Over it all shriek cries and howling raspy screams offer less immersion and more concept born of genre conventions.

Ultimately its aesthetic works and achieves an entertaining darkness fostered by antiquated medieval and fantasy themes articulated through its simple, often singular synth lines. A few tremolo guitar riffs perk the ears beyond the usual rigmarole of darkly power chord arrangements and plunges into blast beats that comes with the territory. Its with a varied outcome that the bands songwriting fumbles for a few tracks.

The stiff nature of its keys, punching through the mix with a lot of power, often accentuates a different character, one to become evolve greatly on the galactic leap forward that is Nexus Polaris. It gives many of the songs passageways that dispel magic purely on tone and nature of the melody. At the same time it also houses some fantastic chemistry, although a little limited give the lack of layering tones or melodies.

Monarch Of The Mighty Darkness a keen example, its opening doomly gloom a memorable one. Late in the song its medieval leaning arrangements forge an uneasy awkwardness alongside the shrill throaty howls of Nagash. The Dark Conquest has a similar problem, slow and menacing in its brooding opening yet meanders from the path has the keys differ with vibrant flute tones. All in all its a flawed record that has enough charm to carry it along. Will be fascinating to explore it again through the lens of its re-recording.

Rating: 6/10

The Crystal Method "Vegas" (1997)

 

Early on this year I had a mini nostalgia trip into the late nineties sound of Big Beat. Led by some good old Fatboy Slim, I decided to pick up a few notable records of the genre and chuck them on my phone to enjoy at a later date. Well once again the power of shuffle and unaware listening had another "whats this?" moment as the music in the background unsuspectingly revealed its secrets. Since then this platinum selling album has been on constant rotation! Vegas is the debut record by this American duo, hailed as being pioneers of the then emerging Big Beat sound.

One thing that really sets itself in stone is the deep club vibes that emerge in its repetitions. A dense arrangements of percussion and electronic futurism sounds oscillate with a perpetual drive one can move too. Its twelve songs motion through indulgence, droning with power as its loud drum grooves fuse a night life journey atmosphere. At around six minutes each, every song feels strangely monotonous yet engaging as the core identity rarely shifts. Instead the many layers of jilted percussion, cyber synths and theme building sampling swap their groupings, never seeming to repeat a string of arrangements. These are well interwoven songs.

Vegas has a small stake in many of the electronic genres, one can hear anything from Industrial to Rave in fractions. It has the hallmarks of the nineteens Dance sounds. Drop outs, ramped back up by fastening snare rolls a notable cliche not overplayed here. The perpetual unraveling of its moog synths give me an unusual familiarity to that of Carbon Based Lifeforms. A possible influence on the duo? A stand out track is the closing Trip Like I Do remix with Industrial Rock outfit Filler. The thick wall of crunchy distortion guitars slip in well to dial up the temperament. Richard Patrick's audible shouts resonate a lot like Trent of Nine Inch Nails.

This record is so succinctly late nineties you could pair it with many cultural artifacts of the time. As a Big Beat record it feels like that's just an aspect of its sound. The drums are ever present, bold and loud with a snappy tightness but don't end up the sole focal point. Its arsenal of buzz saws and oscillated synth tones are nostalgic, many designs of which Ive heard on other records back when the technology was more contained. Its just been one of those albums to slip right into a cozy place. I will no doubt return to it often in the years to come, its vibe is just right for me!

Rating: 7/10

Strapping Young Lad "City" (1997)

With their first step a machination of musical extremity was haphazardly birthed and with the next it was mastered. Strapping Young Lad's and Devin's debut album Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing was an embryonic folly, glowing in the light of retrospection and with this next stride Devin Townsend recruits old time band mates Jed Simon and Byron Stroud alongside Metal veteran, beastly drummer and essential component of the SYL chaos, Gene Hoglan. Their first effort as a cohesive unit was defined as "the heaviest record of all time". Despite many bands attempts to further extremify Metal aesthetics, none have brought with it the pure ecstasy of a truly emphatic emotional experience. In my opinion, the heaviest album claim still holds up to this day.

Opening with Velvet Kevorkian and All Hail The New Flesh, City quickly establishes its grandiose sense of self exaggeration and drastic emotional need. With the wobbling of dense electronic noises between Dev screams of intent, the thick wall of sound aesthetic makes itself known before the song kicks in with an absolutely punishing flurry of sound that Dev emerges from with a triumphant roar. Gleams of colorful light burst and tidal grooves erupt from guitars, crushing riffs through punishing distortions. The song elevates these aspects with Devin soaring his stunning voice high above as the music peaks into the heavens before collapsing from above into more over the top sonic guitar grooves. Its all stunning but the pure emotion in the voice of our Canadian genius is something never to be forgotten.

"Well gentlemen, a great amount of money has been invested into this project and we can't allow it fail". We have heard soaring melodic beauty dancing through duality with the primitive powers of groove and with Oh My Fucking God we descend into the madness of the latter. Dev takes all the extreme ideas of Death, Thrash Metal and Grindcore and throws them in the trash can, unleashing his trump card. Led by spurts of maniacal, schizophrenic screaming over hyperactive fretwork we are swiftly led to the mid track mania of over bloated industrial noise dispensing itself into every crevasse of space as all the instruments ramp up into a tornado of utter madness. Through the insanity Dev's nutty, deranged "la la lala" singing just peaks the madness with a cherry on top of this frothing cake of non-directional fury.

The madness isn't over yet! Detox returns to the opening formula of vocally led melodic soaring as Dev cries for his wishes of sleep. Bouncing back and forth with jugular grooves the song hides a trick up its sleeve as when you think it can't get any better he unleashes a rip roaring, pop sensible power chord riff that peaks another sense of emotional purity emanating through the vocal chords. Its a gracious moment. Home Nucleonics sounds like a race of a cliff. More berserk guitar riffs rival up against the unrelenting feet of the beast Hoglan. The song fires through its arsenal of neck snapping riffs like a drill, whilst smothered itself willingly in industrial dissonance.

With its finest of extremities unleashed, the rest of the runtime gets to mature in various directions. AAA dials back the over the top nature, teasing it with its build up of suspense, letting the band show the building blocks of their sound. Great riffs, stunning screams, still with a dense web of electronic noise and powerful drumming, it draws that line it the sand to prove both the music and aesthetic at play is brilliance. Underneath The Waves has a more traditional metallic tone at first but Dev once again fires up the sparks with his neurotic, demented singing that swiftly ramps up the musical energy to the SYL elevation. The synths get more involved in the wall of sound here, a fitting tone to passionate screams from a tiring soul.

Room 429 is the track to make a separation from all heard before. A theatrical approach is taken by the group to create a circus of distant dread that lets some less exhausting ideas flourish. It does sound like the perfect stage for Dev to unleash his humor but fortunately he steers from any cheese. City closes with Spirituality, a slow morphing of atmosphere that sounds like a Post-Metal approach to the wielding density of this Industrial soundscape. Slow chugging stomps of guitars march through apocalyptic soundscapes of warfare as electronic synths let off like missile strikes. A couple of minutes in the song attempts to turn pace with vocals and sludgy grooves. It slowly builds, unable to unleash as the steady march confines it to being a sign off song. Its a really fantastic note to end a remarkable record on.

My passion and enthusiasm for this record is obvious. I only hope a reader could find this connection too. Of the best of the best, City has held up over the years as an unending source of adrenaline release and deep emotional resonance. Its such a dense sounding record that its masterful manipulation of sound waves has me forever engaged with that textural space between all the obvious. There is so much going on it can sound fresh with every listen. Devin Townsend is an utter genius and even under the guise of over the top Metal extremity can he make it truly meaningful. All that's left to be said is Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus!

Rating: 10/10

Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra "Midnight Fullmoon" (1997)

Continuing our journey through the nostalgic realms of Dungeon Synth, I cast my mind far back as memories reach commands. Into my mind popped this strange cassette I obtained well over a decade ago. My memory of how and why I got Midnight Fullmoon are vague but I remember finding the band name somewhat hilarious. The music itself didn't captivate me since I only listened to it once, at the time I had no knowledge of DS or if that term had been coined yet. It was just a strange and peculiar piece of music from the early days of a now evolved and blossomed sound.

Its opening track wains in a balance between harsh, cheesed synths and whirling, spell bounding wave forms in the background. They relish the low fidelity setting and start to conjure the dark and indulging atmospheres one might expect. The following track nails this, a primitive composition pined by a beating heart as the sound of rain drops lowers the tone and thunder strike reinforce a lonely, gloomy setting steeped and an eerie, mystic vibe driven by its subtle synth lines. Track three is one I remember, or more so its familiarity to a well known melody which I couldn't pin down. The music is fine but the aesthetics are just to bold and punchy, it stands in contrast to what came before it.

At this point a direction, arching theme or sense of place fails to define itself. A swampy song is clustered with a selection of sounds including trumpets that seem to pull it in multiple directions, only to be followed by a dizzying six minute experiment with techno synths and buried electronica drums. It too suffers from an arsenal of contrasting sounds that fail to gel. A brief uplift from the short The Last Rays Of A Dying Sun is a brief glimmer as the following track plays around with bells and reoccurring theme of unsuited instruments chiming in with one another in an unmusical fashion of gap filling.

Its easy to point out flaws and focus on negatives. If I were to rid myself of the focus a charm does emerge, one of mysticism and distant voices of despairing figures. Its dark allure has a safe distance and a couple of passages ways do strike something of memorability, especially that ever present heartbeat. Another consideration is how primitive this was. I have no idea as to how these ideas spread beyond tape trading and its relation to the Black Metal scene. Although records like Depressive Silence had far more to offer at its time, this could be seen as a jewel if isolated in its inception. There are interesting and intentfull ideas at play here, they are just far behind the then curb.

Favorite Tracks: Raining Darkness Of The Forestland Midnight, The Last Rays Of A Dying Sun

Rating: 4/10

Eminem "The Slim Shady EP" (1997)

My recent dive back into the roots of Rap titan Eminem has left me with one other rare release to talk about beyond this character defining EP. Its an understatement to say it was a flop, shifting only 250 copies it was another step backwards from the failed Infinite album. Thank goodness this found its way to Dr.Dre at Interscope, how this release didn't make waves in the Detroit scene seems absurd retrospectively. The tone of this record indicates it may have been his last attempt at making it in the rap game too, who would of known this struggle would take him so far!

The record name is a direct link to the Slim Shady LP, Eminem fully defining the character that would inhabit his major label debut here on this EP. One cut is identical and two others would have the instrumentals remixed for the LP. With two skits and a pair of radio edits you'll find three songs that didn't make it to the album, "No Ones Iller" a lyrical mic passing, the D12 group upping each other with dark, gritty, offensive lyrics set to shock anyone in sight. "Murder, Murder" a gloomy, downtrodden storytelling Eminem walks us through a crazed loot and murder spree with a tragic tone and vivid, violent lyricism that's got an utterly oozing flow.

And then there's "Low Down Dirty" which could essentially be the Slim Shady anthem, Em loading his smartest self depreciating lyrics and rhymes, talking of self inflicted gun wounds, molesting himself and getting convicted, his split personality having an identity crisis and the classic line, "Murder murder, red rum, brain size of a bread crumb, which drug will I end up dead from?". Its a brilliant string of rhymes with a cheeky lifted hook, Em instructs to smack anyone who sounds like him, and question the origin of the raps, precisely as Redman did with the same words. Its a brilliant song and it, like the other two, could sweetly fit into the LPs track list.

That brings us on to the production. Working with DJ Head, DJ Rec and the Bass Brothers, Em has the same tone and vibe we would here on the LP, despite being self funded and released on a small indie label there is very little between this and the breakout that would sell millions of records. Everything is essentially fully formed here, the surviving songs would get some polish and reworking on the LP but all of Em's rhymes stay intact, even the recordings are the from the same session I believe. One thing it has over that record is the birth of the Slim Shady character on the cinematic intro, an evil voice birthed into the mind of Eminem who has to confront himself in the mirror, Its a real treat, as is the whole EP.

Favorite Tracks: Low Down Dirty, Just Dont Give A Fuck, Just The Two Of Us, Murder Murder

Rating: 8/10

Wu-Tang Clan "Wu-Tang Forever" (1997)

Four years passed and following up on their uncompromising classic debut Enter The Wu-Tang 36 Chambers, the nine rapper clan from Staten Island dropped an ambitious sophomore double LP intent of solidifying their place in Hip Hop's legacy. Clocking in at nearly two hours of music the group give their all for a lengthy record that perhaps suffers from its own ambitions as mediocrity in the beats and rhymes fill the gaps between strokes of sheer brilliance. There is undoubtedly a 36 Chambers worth of gold in here but drowned by a lack of filter the record suffocates itself with.

 

  I'm guilty of letting this record pass me by in the past, obviously "Triumph" is a timeless classic but beyond a couple of spins many years ago I never got into the rest. It wasn't until a recent discussion with a friend that I was encouraged to give it a proper try and so over the past few months Ive taken select moments to run through the two hour experience. What I leaned quickly is the best is loaded on the first disc and the second half unfortunately drifts. If that's listening fatigue, who knows? One things for sure, Ive missed out on some classic, banging Wu-Tang tracks all these years!

Forever is a measured step from its predecessor, not ready to leave the dirty, gritty beats behind it finds itself with a sharper, keen production, with a clarity the band steer clear of exploiting with a dirty, bold production from the RZA who keeps his beats rugged and raw, deploying similar production ideas from before and even some echoed drum loops and hooks heard on 36 Chambers. Raw sampling and forced chemistries illuminate the rhymes as the vocal fidelity stands a front, with each of the nine and guests like Cappadonna given a spotlight to shine as the beats spin on loop.

And shine brightly do they, Forever's most impressive moments come from the dexterous words of the nine and their free association style, in flourishing form, flipping rhymes, metaphors and meanings melded in the wordplay soup that spills with a splash to wet your apatite. When the Wu-Tang go off on one they have you in the palm of their hand, throwing flows like blows one can barely stay on their feet as fists fly by ears, your left trying to keep up. Props have to be given to Inspectah Deck who drops the albums... maybe the groups bests verses on "For Havens Sake" and "Triumph". Get your books and scalpel, dissection is required! "I bomb atomically, Socrates philosophies and hypotheses can't define how I be dropping these mockeries." The Wu-Tang need no accolades, their talent speaks volumes and the two discs are loaded with dense rhymes and flows to chew upon.

The instrumentals are perhaps out shun by the rhymes as their role is best served in forging the atmosphere and tone for the lyrics. It never feels like they overtake focus from whoever is on the mic. Studying the sample arrangement and drum beats exposes a lot of repetition that's again serving whoever is rhyming. The chemistry is right and it feels ironic that the best beats, "Severe Punishment", "Triumph" again, are where the best rhymes end up. RZA's gritty, raw style makes for many sinister, street atmospheres mixed in among socially conscious emotional tracks with a helping of sorrowful pianos, soulful samples and of course the sounds of martial arts, kung-fu flicks reinforcing the theme.

With a wealth of good material the album looses itself mostly on the second disc as the mediocrity becomes majority. If this where a single record it would be all killer no filler, possibly a classic but as the album draws on too many half baked ideas and lack of moderation let reasonable songs drown out the classic material. There are also themes of Wu-Tang education surfacing in the second half which don't tie up conceptually and tend to dissolve into rants. The ODB also drops some disgusting lyrics on "Dog Shit", usually a wild eccentric accent to the rhyming shenanigans of his group this solo performance feels like exactly that comparing its tone to the rest of the record. In 97 Wu-Tang struck back hard with a lot of ambition and I feel like they met that ambition, just not in the volume of a double record.

Favorite Tracks: For Havens Sake, Severe Punishment, A Better Tomorrow, Triumph, The City, Hellz Wind Staff

Rating: 8/10

Metallica "Reload" (1997)

 Written in same period as its counterpart, Metallica split the bulk of their material into two halves and recorded them in separate sessions, returning to the studio after a brief touring period to promote the first, Load. Of this era I once dismissed I do remember being significantly fonder of Reload yet today It seems like the more varied of the two, a variety that has significant peaks and valleys. The openers "Fuel" and "The Memory Remains" are the most likely of all these songs, from both records, to make a set list.

 Followed by "Devil's Dance" we are treated to atmospheric brilliance as Metallica's creative juices yield stomping, crawling grooves and heat soaked shady leads from Kirk who drops in a marvelous solo, leaving his comfort zone and shredding wild screeches that revel in noise play. The vocal hooks are massive as James shows his harmonious range between monstrous "Yeah!" shouts. Laden with occasional effect drenched background vocal lines it oozes with charm from a band pushing their own boundaries. That high is followed by a low "The Unforgiven II", a sequel song that doesn't hit a mark, lurking in the shadow of the original its borrowed riffs and adjustments feel like a rearrangement rather than a second chapter, its all made unbearably worse by the "you're unforgiven too" pun, not a favorable lyric!

Too my ears this record definitely sounds like the second of a pair. If Load got all the first picks it explains its consistency and flow in comparison. Reload goes down a few different avenues, some yielding duller tracks like "Prince Charming" and "Attitude" which seem to lack a spark between sets of reasonable riffs. On the bright side it has some real wild cards like "Where The Wild Things Are", a song that narrows its metallic groove and surrounds it with sweet melodies, mostly from Hetfield who really shows a soft side of his voice. A big shout to "That's Not Metal" for noticing the similarity between this song and Ghost. You can definitely hear it as a precursor to their style.

Metallica get some stick for this era yet there's a lot about it that has contributed to the trajectory of Metal to come, especially the ditching of the strict "all black" metal-head uniform. The production, aesthetics and attitude of this record are much the same of what I said on my Load blog. I remember perhaps being critical of Kirk who felt a bit quite on that release yet here there are a fair few moments where he becomes a big focal point, especially when turning to big, steady atmospheric leads playing of reverb and slow bends like on the remarkable closer "Fixxer". Its hard to pick a favorite of the two, Load is the better album yet Reload has my favorite songs. Ultimately I'm now gasping for more of this era too many fans have dismissed! This era is a fantastic evolution for the band, unfortunately its the end of Metallica at the top of their game.

Favorite Tracks: Devil's Dance, Better Than You, Silther, Carpe Diem Baby Where The Wild Things Are, Fixxxer

Rating: 9/10

Puff Daddy "No Way Out" (1997)

I have a vivid memory of a brief moment in my childhood back when my record collection was just starting. I recall the busy wintry high street, the sizeable store, the layout of the sanitized shelves and myself picking this record up and staring at it for ages. I vaguely recognized the name Puff Daddy but had no idea who his family were, or that the Notorious B.I.G was one of them. This was back when every record on display was a mystery, something of interest. I had permission from my parents to buy one album and after contemplating for sometime I believe I settled on something I knew, Micheal Jackson if I recall correctly. It occurred to me a while back that their is nothing stopping me from ordering myself a copy. Its a strange sort of nostalgia, hearing something for the first time yet knowing this would of been "that" album to bring me into the wonderful world of Hip Hop.

No Way Out is Puff's debut as a solo artist, one that unsurprisingly incorporates many of the artists from his Bad Boy records who huddle together to make one heck of a statement. Its a marvel of the 90s sound but finds itself having a unique angle, the death of Biggie Smalls who was assassinated during the recording stage, he appears on three of the tracks delivering his usual brilliance, it has a strange contrast when Puff's lyrical direction is reflecting on death and people around him dying. Its saddening and captures a very dark moment in Hip Hop history direct from one of Biggies closest friends.

The music is on point, a classy production that brings out the best in the scenes transition into less sample orientation with programmed drums and instruments. There is however a lot of interpolation and snippets loaded between the beats. As the lyrics lead, the instrumentals reflects on a healthy variety of vibes. Summery, uplifting tales of wealth and success with bold jiving grooves can then swing to the shadows as they dive into the gangster oriented braggadocio with shades of Mafioso Rap and the horrifying sounds of gun splatter. Two sides of a coin that find a path as the record flows smoothly between its luscious Disco, R&B influenced tracks and its gritty, tragic side.

Production is Puff's strength but as a rapper he does nothing wrong. Such an easy flow and tone of voice amends his lack of lyrical gymnastics or tenacious wordplay that other rappers use to dazzle. Smooth and steady his very direct use of language goes down a treat, engaging us in his thoughts, narratives and stories at a steady pace. This of course resonates with the moment this record resides within, immortalized by the tragedy that looms over tracks like "Pain" and "Is This The End", where Puff picks up the pace and holds his own with some tighter flows in brief moments.

The features across this record are great, everyone brings their best and The LOX turn up again, I keep hearing them dropping slick verses, featured on many records. Their debut, released a year later, hasn't particularly aged well with me, perhaps they save their best for other peoples records. Black Rob really impressed me with his rhymes on "I Love You Baby" and Faith Evans on "I'll Be Missing You" gives so much soul on a fitting tribute to the death of Biggie. Ive always adored that song, I fondly remember watching it on MTV as a kid, perhaps that's were I knew the name Puff Daddy from, all those years ago.

No album is perfect and as stunning as this one is it has a couple of duller tracks as it draws on. An icky skit at the end of "Friend" we could of done without and the final track, a remix of "The Message" just doesn't hold up, its a bonus track but the rhymes and tone of Puffy and Mase just don't gel with the beat. Other than that its a pretty stellar record that Ill be enjoying for years to come. Should of brought it! But hey maybe I wouldn't of appreciated it in the same way back then.

Favorite Songs: Victory, Been Around The World, What Are You Going To Do, Don't Stop What Your Doing, If I Should Die Tonight, Do You Know, I Love You Baby, It's All About The Benjamins, Pain, I'll Be Missing You

Rating: 9/10

Thorns Of The Carrion "The Scarlet Tapestry" (1997)

My interest in Doom Metal was recently peaked with Candlemass's "Nightfall" and at the whim of youtubes algorithms was suggested this unheard of video with next to no views. It was this forgotten and obscure bands second album and hooked in by the striking record cover I listened to the opening tracks which where certainly interesting. Thorns Of The Carrion are from Ohio, USA and may have been a somewhat of a local scene band in the 90s with a string of demos and two independent released records of which this is the second. Only active for ten years they have little reputation in the Metal world.

Far from terrible but lacking in charm, "The Scarlet Tapestry" suffers the fate of its own doom and gloom themes as the mood and atmosphere created in this sorrowful record often drift into a lull of morbid guitar drones and soft airy key lines dragging through unhurried tempos. Demonic guttural growls grimace with a lack of oomph and interchange with screams similar to Dani Filth. Clean vocals are also delivered in a deep and teary tone which gets a little to much with moans of "Why Am I So Alone" over and over. This record dives into love and heartache with melancholy and a touch of gothic romanticism which doesn't manifest well in lyrical form but the instrumentals do have a cohesion to define a unique blend of depressive, wistful and slightly morbid music fit for a foggy, human form of darkness.

Bar the introduction track the album opens up with a fair stir of energy and tempo as thunderous horns scale up and down reminiscent of Graveland's "Prawo Stali". It transitions into a begrudgingly sluggish dragging of guitars and much of the record follows this theme of slowness with moments of energy and life splashed in unexpectedly. If not in one of these sporadic bursts of life and movement the records next best output comes from the timid and lonely flute melodies, occasional pianos and thick gothic organs. Other than that the record feels lengthy and unfocused with minimal ideas being draw out of proportion and its atmosphere isn't immersive enough to make that sluggish pace meaningful. Enjoyable to hear something different but far to flawed to return to again after a handful of listens.

Rating: 3/10

Emperor "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" (1997)

Riding the trail of illuminated stardust we descend from the cosmos into the deep majestic, endless forests of eternal darkness and enchanted beasts on the journey of our mortal souls. If ever the wonders of imagination evoked by natural beauty at night had a home, it is this. An inspired and truly astonishing feet of work that took Emperor's sound established on "In The Nightside Eclipse" to new heights. Epic, if ever truer a definition, its compass and wonder is its nature, one can only marvel in the shadow of music that so elegantly takes the extremities to the cutting edge of vision and composition. Skirmishing drums, razor blade guitars, devilish screams and shadowy symphonies meet on the battlefield to capture us with their imposing presence as we fill mercy to their persuasion.

"Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" is Emporer's second full length and a hard one to follow with considering the widespread acclaim of their debut. With their drummer jailed and a bassist short Ihsahn and Samoth rejoined to write what is undoubtedly a masterful record that plays like a symphony, full of movements, progressions and climaxes. Every moment inspired and visionary the instruments fire on all cylinders as two guitars, drums, bass, vocals and multiple key lines show there prowess and technicality. At almost every point playing a unique lead, melody, tune, whatever you want to call the notation its a complex and genius arrangement of harmonization, uniting the instruments with the sparks of a darkest magic. It breathes and burgeons with a ferocious energy, barely containing its magic. The wall of sound bursting at the seams, every measurable noise ready to burst with light.

The mysterious record cover says a lot for the music. An amalgamation of dark castle spires deep in the forest, Gustave Dore's "Paradise Lost" angels sounding their trumpets for battle and the majestic shades of green, natures color. The fantasy, wonder and depths of the imagination this image might conjure is purely an extension of the musics inclination to that realm of fantasy. One which most likely takes a certain type of person to connect with.

So the record starts with a calming and soothing piece, steadily growing in intensity, always with a dark, mysterious undercurrent. One by one instruments chime and Ihsahn lures us in with ghostly whispers. They grow into shouts and bring us to an empiric horn section as if the dawn of battle has begun and in a swift track switch we are plunged in to the whirlwind of chaos and rattling blast beats and the almighty guitar riffage hits us with this full intensity. From here the pandemonium unravels itself with a frenzy of blazing fast paced guitars and rich symphonic bliss as this track and many others worm there way through the dark and black while lavishing us in melodic wonder through it thick sound. Its swiftness is intoxicating, a momentous weight of motion is unleashed as soaring riffs revel in their moment. Almost every song has its calm in the storm, a break to let the guitars and listener breath while the keys can drop in to take charge of a moment, replacing the aggression with awe.

The albums production clearly plays an important role in why this record works. Stepping away from the low-fidelity principles of their debut, Emperor exploit clarity to execute a denser complexity. The synths no longer an atmospheric accompaniment but a full partner in the musics direction. Within the expanded dimension Emperor cram all their musical might and it is pummeled together with a monstrously noisy drum kit which I think conjures a low-fi charm. I once thought the drums were poorly mixed, the pedals slap at high speeds and the ride cymbal cuts through the instruments. Over time I released the frantic energy the drums exude gives many of the albums moments its intensity.

The eight tracks make their mark, all of them offering a unique, captivating experience that peers deeper into the wonder. For the average listener a whirl of noise, for the seasoned Metal fan the atmosphere is as vivid and indulgent as it gets. Every time I revisit this record I find my catharsis again. It is so powerful and riveting it gives me goosebumps and refuels my energy for extreme music. Emperor undoubtedly solidified there status as Black Metal's greatest with this one but I think it is truly underappreciated in comparison. This is probably my second favorite record to grace my ears so far.

Favorite Songs: Ensorcelled By Khaos, The Loss And Curse Of Reverence, The Acclamation Of Bonds, With Strength I Burn

Rating: 10/10

Dimmu Borgir "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" (1997)

Norwegian Symphonic Black Metal outfit Dimmu Borgir have been my absolute favorite band for many a year but with a recent inspired lust for their music I am reminded as to how remarkably well I know the ins and outs of this record and how much pleasure and joy can come from the depths of familiarity. Their music is my catharsis, an escape from any burden, a spiritual experience and the bands following record, "Spiritual Black Dimensions" is the greatest of musics to ever grace my ears. Of course music is subjective and personal and it is my personal experience that has solidified my love for them as waves of memories and nostalgia hit me with intensity listening to this one again. At a time when music sharing over the internet was in its infancy, songs like "Morning Palace" took me by storm with a flood of exhilarating noise that rocked my perceptions of music forever.

EDT is the bands most important record, taking a definitive step away from the low fidelity, traditional style of 96's "Stormblast", into the lush and lavish world of fine tuned, ear melting production that would bring their ambitious musical ideas to life in a new dimension. Refining their approach to songwriting and taking full advantage of a gorgeous production sound the band forge a masterful chemistry between guitar and symphony. Soaked in majesty, blasphemy and wonder these hellish dark anthems are engrossed in inspired melodies and harmonies that tunefully wist us into riveting musical worlds to paint the mind with an endless depth of emotion. Its significance and influence on the direction of the growing European metal scene is their to be seen. Taking Black Metal to a more accessible place, while expanding the possibilities with intelligent and thoughtful musicianship.

As mentioned, the chemistry of symphony and guitar is a key component in this records brilliance. The synths are thick, bold and shapely, carving distinct signatures that define the atmosphere. Beside them dense, burgeoning distortion guitars are tightly performed, oozing and melting into a shimmering harmonized wall of sound with the synths, and standing vibrantly on their own feet when commanded too. Behind them whirling blast beats and dizzying drums rattle away with precision force, joining the barrage into the glorious wall of sound. The bass is the think underlining to fill the dimension with a low warm boldness that has a few moments to inflect its own lines, but mostly acts as the dense undergrowth.

Leading the charge is vocalist Shagrath, who's praises I will sing from the highest mountain. His voice and scream is one so familiar the nuances are all known to me. Its in the finer scrutiny of his tone, snarl and delivery that a true charm can be heard through passionate delivery that has a fair few moments on this record where the words and meaning move through him. "Relinquishment Of Spirit And Flesh" for example, the growls and guttural screams through the songs mid section bellow, roar and howl with dimensions other screamers just can't reach. Its a moment of true inspiration and his voice surpasses the mortal realm, lunging us deeper into these devilish songs of eternal darkness.

The records theme, as you might of guessed, is of evil and darkness, however its forged through bright and intelligent melodies that make for memorable hooks and endless unforgettable riffs, harmonies and moments. The song structuring is smart, mixing the basic elements with some unraveling passages that make for continually exciting and easy to comprehend music. It can be a little rigid with section repetitions but not to a flaw. If this record does have a criticism it might just be the track "Entrance" which despite being a damn good song is overly simplistic in structure and feels somewhat like a rehash of "In Death Embrace" echoing a similar vibe between guitar and bright pianos.

Ive listened to this record well over a couple hundred times. Its an insatiable and riveting experience ripe with luxurious synths, rocking aggression from the guitars and that pummeling swell of darkness from Shagrath's evil screams and the menacing blast beats that have plenty a moment. The vivid atmospheres conjured have been endlessly inspiring and just hit me on that indescribable level. Its been an absolute pleasure to have enjoyed this music for so many years and I will continue to do so for the rest of my time!

Rating: 10/10

Notorious B.I.G "Life After Death" (1997)

I can't recall how or why, but from an early age it got stuck in my mind that Biggie was a rapper I didn't like. About nine years ago a colleague turned me onto "Ready To Die" and I wouldn't denied that I really enjoyed it, despite still being a little skeptical of the New York rapper. Over time my preconceptions subsided and I grew a lot of respect for one of Hip Hops finest rappers. "Life After Death" is the first posthumous from Biggie who's fatality came two weeks before this record release. Upon recently discovering this I had to give it a listen, I had been under the impression all these years that this one was like "Born Again", a collection of outtakes thrown together without his input, but the album was completed before his death. Its almost eerie to see the cover now, the hearse, the title predicting his mortality and behind it all an absolute gem I've missed out on all these years.

Life After Death quickly makes its mark, your eight tracks deep and realizing every track is a classic. The bold formidable attitude of Biggie's raps gravitates with sleek, crisp gangster beats creating fleshed out immersible themes that dive into Mafioso Rap thanks to excellent production from Puff and a wide array of collaborators who brew a consistent, flowing record thats flexes between mob threats, to Biggie rapping over oldskool classics (Schooly D) and jumping into disco party numbers and back again with a natural flow within the diversity. Theres 110 minutes of fine Hip Hop full of beefs, drama and digs, classic verses and anthemic beats that take a leading step into the money and success bling era of Hip Hop. 

Across the record Biggie brings in a fantastic selection of features that bring their own style to his, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony bring their tuneful gangster melodics to "Notorious Thugs", Jay-Z with his champaign sipping "I Love the Dough" produced by Easy Mo Be sounding like a "Reasonable Doubt" outtake. R Kelly crafts a seductive, alpha male, 90s RnB track "Fuck You Tonight" that works despite being the most polarizing track on the record. The Lox join Biggie on "Last Day" for an East Coast gangster track reminiscent of Mobb Deep. It was a refreshing approach to collaborations and really stood out as a strength for this record, keeping the flow varied and oozing with variety as Biggie lends the spotlight to his guests to make some classic collaborations.

The production on this record is the finest Ive heard in a while, you can hear its relavence to bringing the bling era to the mainstream with sleek stylish sampling and drum programming taking a step away from the rawer, bombastic early 90s sound. Its forward thinking in the record their are some dazzling moments. "I Got A Story To Tell" rattles a sleek groove between snare claps over a guitar sample for the entire song, and its repetition is perfect for Biggie to flow a fantastic story over. "Last Day" features a slick emphasis as a rolling bass drum kick grooves under the tracks best lines. Easy Mo Bee also grabbed my attention with some fantastically crafted numbers, including "I'm Going Back To Cali" which plays of the aesthetics of  Dr.Dre's "California Love", including the memorable vocoder effects.

Biggie's raps speak for them-selfs, smooth flow, engaging and his flustered tone is easy on the ears, but trying to analyze a little deeper has always been a little difficult, hes got a charm thats hard to put your finger on, but this record has me believing its the lyrical creativity, obviously, but how its delivered through flows where Biggie drops rhymes to his own grooves thats not strictly in line with the beat. The splitting of words to match his groove is also a finesse touch, and I love his singing voice on "Playa Hater", a crude cover of "The Delfonics". Its unapologetic, humorous and enjoyable. Life After Death is a classic I can't help but love, and will be one I turn to often. My only qualms with this record is Puff throwing himself into the background of a lot of tracks, laughing and being unnecessary, its an annoyance. The second disc also has a couple of track not quite at the level of the first, but they are still great songs. Terrific record, very glad i found my way to it.

Rating: 9/10

Master P "Ghetto D" (1997)

Taking another dive into the Southern Hip Hop scene I picked up "Ghetto D" based on a recommendation from a friend. Hailed as a classic, it's Master P's sixth album, a rapper who's name I've heard often and is cited as the most successful from the South, maybe more so for his entrepreneurial business endeavors than his rapping. This is P's second best selling recording released on his own record label "No Limit Records" that stars a whole array of guest rappers who span all but one track on this lengthy record. 

My initial impressions were not so pleasing, the opening track's crack production tutorial set the tone for an unapologetic attitude that initially was hard get into. The souths boisterous, aggressive delivery style took some getting used to. Shouty, jittery delivers from some of the albums guests served as a style over substance that grew on me greatly. The use of subtle echos and reverbs add a lot to raps, especially when the focus is flow and texture, more so than the lyrical content. Through it all Master P is solid as an anchor, his low-toned, deep voice and competent flow delivers consistently, engaging us in socially conscious and drug-related topics with no shortage of boasting provado. His style is his own, but there are some big 2Pac influences at work on this record, ranging from the beats to rapping which includes quite a few reiterated lines and statements for Pac's songs, the track "Tryin 2 Do Something", a rework of "Bury Me A G", or the original "For the Love of You" by The Isley Brothers, depending how you look at it. And of course I have to mention the UGH. P's loud, forceful ugh shout which caught my attention with a touch of amusement, a primal expression that was so simple and catchy that by the end of the record had me saying UGH too. 

The beat production of this record is solid, timeless. The style is focused on drum machines and electronic instruments that create a crisp, solid and punchy sound from all instruments that play our some grooving arrangements. Theres room for the occasional sample, but in general its a progressive step away from the sample oriented sound of the early 90s. Warm simulated baselines, colorful keys and electronic leads decorate these tracks with energy. The hi-hats also caught my attention, with a recent introduction to Trap and its fast rhythmic notation I heard an early incarnation of appreciation for the hi-hats that had them inflecting rhythms instead of keeping count. The variety and quality in this record is substantial, the 19 tracks range all sorts of classic Hip Hop themes and vibes and through the 80 minutes it never tires. Although I prefer shorter records, this one just didn't let the foot of the gas, there was only one or two "stand out" tracks, but none that felt unworthy of my attention. Great record, I feel this one will help me step into the Southern scene as I seek out some more artists to listen to.

Favorite Tracks: Ghetto D, We Riders, Plan B, Weed & Money, Captin Kirk, Stop Hatin, Make Em Say UGH, Going Through Some Thangs, Come And Get Some

Rating: 7/10