Wu-Tang Clan "Iron Flag" (2001)

 

Picking up a fever, delving into the leaked Demo Tape & ODB's Return To The 36 Chambers, I thought id wrap up my cravings with Iron Flag. Released hot of the heels of The W, its commercial decline gave it a dire reputation at the time. Subsequently, I'd never given it a fair go and maybe I should of left it that way. The talent of these rappers is not in question, however the Wu mastermind RZA himself might be.

Iron Flag's instrumental tone is a frequent bore. The production of these beats hinge on short repetitive loops from front to back. With little in the way of variations and nothing to offer with song structures, the record is a grind. RZA turns to tighter constructs with clearer samples, often 70s Soul, crisp drums and synthetic instruments. Its a departure from the gritty, low fidelity musk that once defined them. Radioactive manages to capture that spirit but its a lone track among many.

A few others put their hands on beat creation but Mathematics and other guests simply fall inline with RZA's vision. Its one of hard hitting percussion with moody sampling housing brief, stabbing melodies on loop. With a tone that lacked any excitement, it was tough to get into the rhymes. Despite competent flows, the topicality felt like a group on auto pilot pumping out another record that lacked depth.

Rating: 4/10

Sum 41 "All Killer, No Filler" (2001)

Talk about a blast from the past, my teenage days of lounging on the couch after school, watching MTV for hours on end have returned so vividly! As one of Pop Punk's best offerings, the four friends of Sum 41 rose to prominence off the back of two massive singles, In Too Deep and Fat Lip. Both songs still sound fantastic to this day. Banging out the warm bouncy riffs, fun light hearted raps and instantaneously catchy hooks, these songs are so hard not to like, which brings me to musical elitism.

I remember loving these songs, as well as Pain For Pleasure, immensely. I'm also positive I had this record and one other of theirs in my collection. I am guessing as my tastes turned darker and harder, my naive youthful elitist Metalhead mind purged this "pop music" from the archives. Now a couple decades on from those years, I'm quite fond of hearing Pop Punk of that 00s era whenever it happens to pass me by.

Either Green Day, The Offspring or Blink 182, which I supposedly hated at the time, I can't deny my love of their songs I'd heard on the Tony Hawks Pro Skater soundtracks over and over again. Spending time with All Killer No Filler hasn't exactly increased my appetite for the genre, in fact its the same as I remember but at least now I can enjoy the warm fuzzy feelings these guys extract for suburban teenage problems.

As the title suggests, the band blitz through their ideas on a string of briefer three minute songs. Its fast, lean and sharp, with mouthy attitudes shouting off. Its not aimed at anyone, or with any malice. The tone is bright, sunny and upbeat. Its vibes get interspersed with fast tempos, choppy riffs and fun aggression, a typical chemistry for the genre. Most these songs lyrics have the finger keenly on the pulse of ones own emotions, relationships and mental health. A term not in the vocabulary of the times.

Despite being keenly introspective, it all tends to be ankle deep and light hearted, straight forward expressions, often airing out grievances and frustrations over suburban teenage issues, all with a decent spirit. Strangely I didn't find much of the lyrics cringe or typically angsty, the sort you'd find in embarrassing reflections on youthful ignorance. Even the anti conformity lyrical chants of Fat Lip hold up.

Lastly, Sum 41 have a slightly metallic edge. It doesn't manifest often, one or two "heavy riffs" and blazing guitar solos nod to their other influence. They give a wonderful tribute to Judas Priest with the albums closer Pain For Pleasure. Its quite possibly one of the best executed imitations of Priest you'll ever hear. It gives credit to the musicianship of these individuals who step into a genre easy to emulate yet hard to rise to the top of, which they did if you count music sales and chart success as a measurement. I've always been curious about doing a dive into Pop Punk but my time with this record didn't connect deeply. Had I gravitated to it in my youth, I'm sure I'd consider this a classic!

Rating: 7/10

John Carpenter "Ghosts Of Mars" (2001)

From the eternal memories of youth still calls a siren. Blistering through the noise of a late night binge, after crashing in front of the television for early hours entertainment, the music caught me off guard. Initially impressed by the presence of Ice Cube, it wasn't long before my inebriated self was memorized by its mechanized Industrial Metal soundtrack. Within a few songs I realized I was here for the music, as it was clear the zombie Sci-Fi Horror show set on mars was one heck of a flawed beast.

Not John Carpenter's finest moment with the pen or camera but this was my introduction to his accompanying instrumentation. Legendary to all in the cinematic world but this is one rarely mentioned. Since I saved up to get my hands on the CD soundtrack, its called me back to every now and then. Today was one of those days and with the opportunity to ponder on what words I would share here, it became clear that the nostalgia of childhood games and Frank Klepacki's timeless soundtracks to Command & Conquer share an aesthetic and spiritual overlap in patches.

As the complimenting mood setter to a bizarre and dystopian movie, it has to frequently switch temperaments, from action sequence to calms for dialog. This means its 90s Industrial percussive pallet swings into passages of ambiguous, noisy instrumentation and sound design between the barrages of Metal guitar. It does kick off with a bang however! The title track, Love Siege and Fight Train providing thrilling fast paced action and romping guitars fit for the onscreen voilent zombie onslaught.

Its the variety that births some really unusual ideas with Carpenter's collaborators Scott Ian of Anthrax, Steve Vai and even Buckethead! Somehow a little classy cheesed up Saxophone playing is worked in too via Bruce Robb as his playing and lead guitar licks often act as a voice above the brooding bass guitars and rattling drums that make up the hostile landscape. It sways between band performances and electronic arrangements, forging a disjointed soundtrack to a bizarre movie.

I find Scott Ian's contributions to be the best. Big noisy slabs of meaty distortion riffs having the Thrasher work a little out of his comfort zone to birth a couple booming syncopated riffs at the apt time. Its often what everything leads too as we pass through barren landscapes of mechanized percussion and ambiguous synth arrangements. Steve and Buckethead are like ghosts in the wind, alien voices drifting in and out on the way to the next action sequence, where Ian arrives, hitting hard.

As much as I love the experience, I have to be critical, the record is odd and jarring, things sound a little stiff and forced at times as its lead instruments try to meld that classic shred guitar flavor on top of its unearthly electro-industrial fusion. Many of the tracks lack structure and just serve as texture of the on screen tension. For some reason though, none of this bothers me. I think it slipped right into a space of curiosity in my musical journey at a time when I was ready to hear more of a sound I've now explored deeper. I also love the movie, its an odd one that tries to be tongue in cheek. A young Jason Statham is present doing his thing and a then legendary Pam Grier too! This movie tried to be a lot and It didn't resonate with many people. I'm glad to have stumbled onto, its another oddity in my collection that I'm happy to share!

Rating: 8/10

The Crystal Method "Tweekend" (2001)

Four years on from their debut record Vegas, The Crystal Method return during the decline of Big Beat's popularity with a sound somewhat on a similar trajectory to that of Fatboy Slim. Tweekend strides towards the Electronic music scenes of the time with an emphasis on virtual instruments and rock grooves above the bombast of big drum samples, which still have an edge. With plenty of lengthy cuts over six minutes and nothing to ambitious in the way of progressive songwriting, the record serves as a decent mood setter, lively and energetic but not demanding too much of the listener.

Each track tends to have a through line, a backbone that is always present as the arrangements shuffle around the complimenting sounds. There is a lot of them too, these songs are dense and layered with electronic instruments, percussive sounds and synths woven around the beat. The attention to detail holds up. These highly repetitive songs get fleshed out as its drum loops drone on with many instruments and samples taking focus as the lead, jumping back and forth from the limelight. 

Its best songs come with crunchy rock guitar hooks worked in, dropping steady grooves to drive the music onwards. It can often be a noisy affair with its calmer synth sounds being bombarded by all sorts of noises, most common of which seems to be the "off the era" DJ scratches. They kick off vocal samples and slip in lively vinyl sounds similar to that of Limp Bizkit, who would of been on top of the world around this time of this record. Its an element I enjoyed a lot, this album has so much going for it that fits snugly into this era, even though I didn't enjoy at that time.

All in all its no work of art but a competent execution of ideas reflecting the changing times in Electronic music. With lots of spins it has dulled. I fun one to check out but only a couple of numbers demand a return on occasion. I was going to call it quits here but reading up on their next effort, Legion Of Boom, I may have to check it out for the inclusion of Wes Borland and his guitar playing on three or so songs!

Rating: 6/10

Bathory "Destroyer Of Worlds" (2001)

With a notable five year break between records, Bathory returns to the new millenium with Quorthon as the sole performer of all instruments. It had always been his band, his music but from here on out he is without company. Destroyer Of Worlds is a record that stagnates on former glories and failures too. Attempting to unite the Viking Metal and Thrash Metal sounds of the 90s, it ends up being a mash up with one or two songs making the crossover and the rest standing in stark contrast to one another.

It is the Thrash sound that makes up the bulk of this lengthy sixty five minute slog. Lake Of Fire opens things up with memorable anthemic glory. Reverb soaked drums, heathen choral chants and Quorthon's authentic yet tarnished singing. Ode and the closing Day Of Wrath sustains the atmospheric Viking sound. The albums title track handles the crossover well, a chugging guitar and bass rumble offering up a dirty driving march for its gloomy tone. Pestilence offers up chunky groove riffs that only pivot to the Viking identity with punched in choral chants and acoustic guitar overlays.

The rest resides strictly in the Thrash realm. In doing so, the production value takes a hit. The insistence on a stark temperament rattles the composure with many of the songs feeling like a big step back to Requiem and Octagon territory. Semi social-political themes and anti-war topics manifest into hollow lyrics again, offering little to ponder over. Most of the riffs and compositions reek of creatively challenged mediocrity, nothing in the way of a memorable impression is achieved at all.

Jumping between a couple of tracks, one can hear what seems like multiple sessions brought together, with different aesthetics at play. Overall it feels like a hashed up attempt to unite two different sets of songs, maybe leftovers from the years gone by. One thing that is for certain, Quorthon knows how to do the Viking Metal sound he pioneered best. Its pretty fantastic and up to scratch in two or three of the songs here, the rest simply drags the record down.

Rating: 4/10

Mushroomhead "XX" (2001)

With a new album released, I though I'd hear the group out and see where they are at these days. I've always been fond of Mushroomhead but mainly for this record alone. XX is their major label debut but also a collection of remastered songs from their first three independently released albums. As another masked Metal band emerging in the Nu Metal era, they are often unfairly cited as a Slipknot clone or rip off, despite being musically different and predating them on both record and in dress.

Often lumped into Metals most contentious category, Mushroomhead are actually more unique than credited for. Industrial, Alternative and Groove strains of Metal influence their dystopian sound with strong syncopation elements being the closest resemblance to Nu Metal, yet they carry none of the tropes. Best of all their keyboards deploy classic tones, bright beaming pianos and symphonic strings are a prominent and contrasting feature, often joining in the syncopation. More often than not they are the touche delivering the memorable and quirky melodies that set these songs aside.

A lot of Mushroomhead's music is not immediately gratifying, they have the mosh friendly stomping tracks with big grooves but often their songs are about atmosphere and tension. Steadily unfolding moods are birthed from chugging guitars of industrial weight and intention, while drawn out guitar chords and subtle synths set a slow and moody tone for the two singers to exchange on the stage. Not always looking for a crescendo or conclusion these numbers make for a great slow burn experience.

When they do ramp up the intensity in a metallic direction, the dystopian mix of clean synths and dirty, gritty aggression is a persuading one. These tend to be the more memorable songs for obvious reasons. XX is a record I've enjoyed for decades and Is worth a listen for its unique chemistry alone. This band where never able to capture my interest with anything else they did but I've got their newest record to give a try but almost twenty years on I'm not sure much of this era will remain.

Favorite Tracks: Before I Die, Solitaire Unraveling, Xeroxed, The Wrist, The New Cult King, Born Of Desire, 43, Bwomp 2

Rating: 8/10

Tool "Lateralus" (2001)

My journey through the records of Progressive Metal behemoth Tool hits an elongated fumble as we arrive at one of their most talked about records. Its been over a month since Ænima and with that time Ive sunk my teeth into this meaty eighty minutes of progressive epics many times. I have found myself at the same conclusion many times, Lateralus is slow to get going and its best moments are spun from lengthy build ups that dispel the tension and immediacy yet its best stirrings of musical gusto lurk from these meanderings like a switch that changes nothing. My favorite moments seem to stem from apex of these unending tangents as a final piece of the puzzle falls into place. Its been a fascinating listening experience but as I turn my thoughts into words, the semblance of their meanings feels like a key starting to turn the lock.

Dissecting the musics continual unwinding, one can see the markings of mathematics and music theory manifesting in its song structures and riffs. A lot of the guitar works repeats with obvious cycled counts and poly measures. Its song structures play out linear paths of slow methodical builds in atmosphere and intensity. The guitars often play out pivoting on this principle as slabs of slicing distortions grind through the timely measures with a repetition that always deceives itself, a niche touch. Danny Carey and his presence on the drums are as powerful as ever. He finds himself with one heck of a task to take that big and busying drumming style and play it out through unending passageways. His ability to hold the music together through massive segments should not be understated, its an essential performance.

Lateralus as a whole encapsulates the tone Tool built so far but channels it rather directly into these deeper atmospheric tunnelings that take out the raw emotions. Maybe it is to be found in Keenan's words but with most of that passing me by his performance plays more like another instrument with occasional outbursts of raw screams and energy in the musics peaking moments. The record really gets going with Parabola, a song that perhaps most sounds akin to their previous work. It opens with a groovy crowd bouncing riff that flows into big, engulfing lead guitar notes in the upper range, immediately gratifying. It mostly manages to avoid the number shuffling riffs and compositions while still sounding keenly progressive.

After this track it feels like almost every song is illuminated in its crowning moments with riveting moments of electricity. With that in mind the meandering in between is far more enjoyable as its droning quality suddenly swallows you whole in these moments of brilliance. Lateralus, at eighty minutes, seems to be a deep cut but even after a whole month of devouring it I came to a point where I felt as if the album was too big for itself. Then in the listens leading up to writing this post its as if the magic finally started to click. Its almost like I am only now just starting to actually hear it. Although 10,000 Days is next I will undoubtedly keep this one spinning from time to time.

Favorite Tracks: Parabola, Ticks & Leaches, Reflection

Rating: 7/10

American Head Charge "The War Of Art" (2001)

Released amidst the peak of Nu Metal's popularity and over-saturation, American Head Charge's sophomore album and major label debut exists in a small bubble of records that haven't aged poorly from the short lived, controversial wave of Metal music. With the backing of industry giants, bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn helped thrust the music into the mainstream where it died and vanished swiftly. The War Of Art is actually a record Id never heard of until recently and given my curiosity with the music of my youth I was rather astonished to hear a really solid album considering the amount of band wagon hoping garbage that came out around the time.

American Head Charge were at the time a seven piece outfit from Minnesota who got signed to Rick Ruben's American Recordings label, subsequently recording with Ruben in his Houdini Mansion, the same place Slipknot recorded their Volume 3 album. The War Of Art rumbles out the gates growling, establishing its mean tone swiftly. Big bombastic riffs bump back and forth loaded with palm muting and harmonic squeals. Singer Heacock arms the onslaught with angry, violent screams and fantastic breaks into harmonious vocals, carrying a note yet still feeling grounded and gritty, full of the mood. A string of songs keep the anger soaked, fist pumping adrenaline going before changing pace.

With two musicians credited for electronics and sampling, the record is tinged with an Industrial flavor as the already noisy guitars are stacked with decorative samples, the sounds of sirens, synths and vinyl scratches creep into what little space is left around the guitars. Every song is loaded with subtle nuances to spot, more obviously emerging as complimentary noises in the guitar breakdowns but very rarely making itself the focal point. It doesn't feel dense, deep or overloaded but the two add a texture that is there for the attentive ear, otherwise it slips into the experience.

Despite the tropes of the time making for much forgettable music, AMC's typically Nu Metal riffage finds itself coming of better with strong influences from Groove Metal, mainly Machine Head, landing many riffs in solid territory. Tight choppy grooves and big bouncing dropped power chords are formed into decent songs that Heacock can bring to life with his clean vocals. The slamming drums of Chris Emery holds it all together for a cohesive sound that powers through with a steady intensity.

The song "Just So You Know" strikes me as a track that summarizes the album best, its got that teenage angst, moody self indulgence vibe so cliche of the times. Its guitars drop out for sad and downcast links between the riffs yet even being a blueprint for disaster the musicians pull it through to a memorable place. At eighty minutes the album is unnecessarily bloated. Although it doesn't have any stinkers its best songs could be refined into a shorter, to the point record as it tends to outpace the listener, or at least my appetite. Great record! A curios retroactive listen given I never heard of AMC or this release at the time.

Rating: 6/10

Favortie Tracks: A Violent Reaction, Pushing The Envelope, Never Get Caught, Just So You Know,

Timothy Steven Clarke "Tribes 2" (2001)

Following up on the Starsiege soundtrack we have another title from the same universe of mechanized PC games published by Sierra around the millennium. Its the only other piece of work Timothy has had published under his name. Tribes 2 is rather similar beast, fusing Industrial noise with metallic guitar licks and a whole host of bombarding samples for a dense and weighty soundtrack.

This time around the experience is a toned down and tied together for a less abrasive, unsurprising listen, in favor of a more consistent and metallic experience. The distortion guitars are notably more present, louder and driving, sometimes offering big mechanical chunks of groove with clunky, robotic power chords or occasionally drifting into the distance, behind the other sounds to provide a layer of depth. A few quirky lead licks, soaked in flange, reminded me of Korn, a possible influence, however the direction is far more Industrial Metal with a distinct lack of a focal melody. These songs lay down sizeable industrial foundations to parry away any obvious sense of tune. Armed up with fast percussive loops and endless samples and whirling synths, dense blocks of sound pave the way for, distorted, manipulated cultural singing samples to rise to the top, becoming the focal point of a cybernetic noise storm.

The record consists of seven tracks, which appear to be themed around levels or arenas in the game, all roughly four and a half minutes. It is obviously designed with the game in mind and so the records and songs themselves start and stop with not much story or progression, probably as they were designed to be looped during game play. An exception to "Badlands" however, the guitar takes on a form of its own as the song builds tension, devolving into a riff fest that expands into somewhat of a solo, quite a nice touch. Either way it fits right into that quirky era where Industrial Metal's popularity crossed over into game soundtracks. I'd like to hear more of this if I can find some.

 Favorite Tracks: Desert, Ice, Starwolf

Rating: 5/10

DMX "The Great Depression" (2001)

The Great Depression is DMX's fourth full length and the one I was most looking forward too. Why? A touch of nostalgia, I remember seeing it in the local record store all those years ago, the cover stuck in my mind. Unfortunately Its been a tad disappointing. X has an exuberant energy as he spits, a rock steady flow but the lyrics have been steadily on the decline and their is no signs of change here. An over reliance on cursing and vulgarity had my interest slipping. The occasional track like "Shorty Was Da Bomb" starts to border distasteful, flaunting takes stage over topics that require a serious measure of empathy and understanding, yet X plays up his self centered life style. This becomes increasingly frustrating on his glorified conversations with God, which seems to be an enabling mechanism to justify his actions. Of course some lyrics are fictitious but X has a reputation and jail time to prove it cant all be for show.

The albums production is handled by a few names, mostly sticking to Swizz Beatz's blueprint sound. He throws together a few songs too however they are the weaker in the track listing. Dame Grease produces the albums best songs "We Right Here" and "Who We Be", the second of which X raps over with two word lines, "The [insert rhyme here]", reminiscent of Juvenile's "Ha". "Bloodline Anthem" is a breath of fresh air, a track played by a live band, possibly. It has a tanned distortion guitar ripping a steady power chord drive as a synth hook plays a catchy melody over the top between Dia singing the chorus. "Damien III" marks the return of the evil voice in X's mind, revealed to be the devil himself this time, the dynamic is still strong and dark. Its followed by "When I'm Nothing", a summer breeze, sun soaked feel good track that sounds so out of place in this record, X is to thuggish for the vibes. Personally I adore the beat, reminds me of "Mo Money Mo Problems" by Notorious B.I.G, the difference is he made his style suit the Disco influenced number.

After a reasonable start the record fizzles out with a weaker selection of beats. X's lyricism doesn't do a lot for me on this record. The same themes are turned over again and it feels like he is stagnating at this point. He doesn't quite have the same wild card feeling with the spontaneous barking growling and these things just added up. The beats held this one over but I'm not hopeful anything better is going to come of the rapper who clearly has an incredible flow but the content is really lacking.

Favorite Tracks: Who We Be, Bloodline Anthem, When I'm Nothing

Rating: 4/10

Emperor "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire And Demise" (2001)

I was never too keen on Emperor's fourth and final full length album "Prometheus" but now that Ive given it a proper listen in recent weeks I have certainty grown an appreciation and fondness for it. Its not quite the calamity I remembered it as, in fact its a rock solid album but one where we hear the character of the band stretched further from its initial identity. Its not to surprising that the group split after its release, the bar had been set so high in the past they could easily go through the motions releasing albums, never reaching that same caliber again. "IX Equilibrium" held onto that original direction but maybe at a cost with the second half lacking. This album however makes to attempt to keep that original spirit intact.

"Prometheus" scales back on the immersive qualities associated with the band and transforms into a frontal beast of forward aggression and direct guitar work which makes for a thick and versatile rhythm section. The drums no longer aesthetic as a wall of cascading noise and more so the structured backbone for the guitar work to mingle its way between. Gone is the power chord shredding and simple progressions that defined their first record, the dexterous intertwined guitar work on "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" is at full tilt here with practically every riff revolving around carefully worked overlapping guitars playing of one another. In the low end a lot of chug heavy and grooving picking rhythms define the albums crunchier side. Counter to that most riffs dance their way around the fret board with fast, noted leads and a lot of pinch harmonics, usually left to ring out over the next lick as the twin guitars work off one another in a back and forth manor. its chaotic, fast and wild but in a structured and expressive manor.

Around this aggressive whirl wind of lively guitars, varying degrees of symphonic synths jump in and out of the composition. They sound high fidelity, emulating real instruments rather genuinely. Like with the guitars they become an upfront part of the music, involved in and adding splashes of color and melody between the ever active guitars. Ihsahn's screams are decent, not much to marvel but have a decent tone to them, his clean vocals are particularly illuminating to the songs they grace, occasionally elevating to the King Diamond style seen on the last record.

It all adds up to a solid, memorable record with no particular stand out moments but a consistent adventure through the twists and turns in its fifty one minutes. The last track "Thorns On My Grave" is a step down production wise with awfully over compressed instruments playing at full intensity and continually peaking them mic. Clearly some sort of unnecessary demo track with an unlistenable quality blasting the music beneath into oblivion. A solid farewell from the band.

Favorite Songs: Depraved, Empty

Rating: 7/10

Dimmu Borgir "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" (2001)

With a recent revitalization and hunger for the music of my favorite band we come to the third in a string of records, Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, Spiritual Black Dimensions, at the bands creative peak. Playing on the three word album titles, PEM is another unique experience that takes Black Metal to a blistering, hate fueled peak of orchestral symphony and octane instrumentation firing on all cylinders. Its an anti-humanity hate vehicle on a mission to dissect and dismantle the human condition, exposing the worst of our traits that still manifest into the power structures of our 21st century modern society. As always with loud, aggressive, heavy music it is that exposure of evil that brings the strengths of inspiration to create intense and wonderful music.

Stylistically PEM defines itself in the absence of low fidelity, traditional values, focuses on highly energetic and pristine instruments. The keyboards push into new territories with ever a truer sounding symphony comprising of a fuller range of orchestral instruments composed by Mustiis. Of course the band would later go on to record with a live orchestra. With a personal change the band acquire long time fan Galder from Old Mans Child, his band who have followed a similar journey in sound to that of Borgir. With his arrival comes fiercely sharp guitars and heavy chugging riffs syncopated to the machine gun firing pedals of drummer Nick Barker's, formally of Cradle Of Filth. The album is once again blessed by the voice of bassist ICS Vortex who gives and infectious dose of clean, manly vocals into one of the latter tracks.

The records chemistry is ferocious, continually pummeling the listener with an onslaught of rip roaring instrumentation. Behind its aesthetic charm, calculated, yet adventurous music takes the listener through inspired melodic leads, head banging riffage and evil symphonies that do more than compliment the guitars but become fully involved in a songs direction, queuing the shifts in tone and occasionally taking the lead. "Architecture Of A Genocidal Nature" plunges into an mysterious astral soundscape with deep warping synths that break into bells playing eerie melodies with the sound of glimmering stars. The slow, brooding breakdown at the end of "Absolute Sole Right" also forging atmospheres of the cosmic nebular. Its counterpart, a more expected orchestral sound, can be heard throughout but is so brilliantly executed on the records opener "Fear And Wonder" which so immaculately glides through a gorgeous, glorious ride between the opposing forces of good and evil. A true symphony to paint a picture.

It ends where "Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny" opens up, throwing us into the pits of hell with a blazing blast beat and menacing guitars riffs to set the bar high for this record that doesn't disappoint. From song to song so many identities are formed for songs that take this genius sound to the many corners of hell. Beyond its musical veneer, Shagrath solidifies the albums theme with his remarkable use of the English language. As a Norwegian his construction of words can seem blunt, or unrefined for a non-native speaker. At the same time his extensive vocabulary and imagination for the language may just be a stroke of genius. There are many deep and extensive lyrics regarding many aspects of human behavior, especially in group dynamics and power systems. Of course the church finds itself under constant criticism. "Inconceivable moral priest, hides in preferable dress, invite to another pleasured feast, the concealment of joyful laughter". The record is smothered with cryptic musings to ponder and may take a while to get your head around, or perhaps find your own meaning within. "Peace means a reloading your guns" comes to mind as one of the lyrics less poetic, yet most striking and meaningful lines on the record.

The record might find a weak spot where the flow disrupts for a dropped tuning, short and more "accessible" track "Puritania". Its a great track but definitely operates with a different energy. The production is at its finest, all instruments sound crisp and clear, with lots of volume and punch, finding a stunning balance where they don't crowd each other. It has less of an immersive or atmospheric quality compared to the previous direction however Dimmu really home in on something sharp and tangible here that suits the listener who needs to get fired up, or let of some steam. Along with the other two these are my three favorite records by the band and I'm keen to talk about more in the future.

Rating: 10/10

Shabba Ranks "Greatest Hits" (2001)

Who is Shabba Ranks? For me he is the definitive voice of reggae music, said from a perspective of ignorance. Reggae is a genre Ive never dabbled with much but of what its name conjures is this mans voice. Deep, rugged and slick his steady flow swoons smoothly through a thick textural dialect of slang and lingo in his strong Jamaican accent. I wonder if he is actually the artist that populates my mind from where Ive heard this music before, either way the story of how i found him is mildly amusing for a music nerd like myself. Its from A$AP Ferg's "Trap Lord" "Shabba", "Two gold rings like I'm sha-shabba ranks, sha-sha-shabba ranks" and listening to my favorite A Tribe Called Quest record and a few others I caught wind that Shabba Ranks was not some trendy slang but a person. So I proceeded to youtube for a pleasant surprise and before long picked up this collection of his best songs.

Listening to an artist wildly different from my norms was a lot of fun and I picked up on a few stylish distinctions about Shabba's music. On the instrumental front the songs vary in degrees between Reggea and Dancehall but on occasions come with a Hip Hop production style of sampled beats or even a 90s Dance track in "Mr. Loverman". Although not a proper record it helped to keep the record moving and feeling fresh while showcasing the appeal of his vocal presence which could easily extend further than these styles alone. "Ting-A-Ling" was a shiner, a big spacious track with minimal sounds alongside an already bare percussive backbone that shuffles snare and hi-hat between deep base kicks that sparingly kick to emphases the the undying flow of Shabba's indecipherable word play. He notably won a Grammy for the record this lead single was from.

So who would I be kidding if I were to talk about the lyrical content? No one. It will take a fair amount of time before I learn to decode Mr. Ranks's lingual annunciations but in the mean time I am enjoying the persuasive nature of his sizable verbal presence. The shifts in delivery, pace tone don't come to often but as long as I don't leave it on repeat I can enjoy his voice and the instrumentals for the seventy minutes that make up an impressive highlight of his career in music, of which he's been silent with since.

Favorite Tracks: Mr. Loverman, Ting-A-Ling, Rough Life, Roots & Culture, Shine Eye Gal, Twice My Age

Rating: 6/10

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions "Bavarian Fruit Bread" (2001)

Following up on Mazzy Starr's "Among My Swan" and subsequent hiatus, this Hope Sandoval record is mistakable for her main band. With the help of "The Warm Intentions", Hope continues on a similar path with a collection of dreamy and mysterious folk numbers that induce a laid back trance as Hope's seductive voice soothes the soul with her soft and dreamy singing voice. Whats different between the two projects is subtle, the trademark bells and harmonicas feature as if the same, but the hazy distortion tones and darker leaning of the sound are gone.

"Bavarian Fruit Bread" is a lighter incarnation that has the same breezy, dreamy nature. It gives a lot more light to Hope's voice in a complimenting manor. The instrumentals can be a touch sparse at times with the drum kit being a rare feature in many of these songs and its very much a case of hit and miss. When in full swing like "On The Low" everything is just right, mellow and rural, charming and delicate. Indulging, at other times the lone guitar and Hope get's a little to baron to spark the magic, but its also a case of mood. Sometimes I could drift right in, but not often.

Its a terrific sounding record with sparkling acoustic guitars and dreamy echos. There is a couple of more striking songs than on the previous record but its coupled with plenty of tiresome songs that get a little lost with the wind. Hope's voice is beautiful throughout but it doesn't come together as a full length, great in the perfect mood but often a bit of a drab. As much as I wanted to like this album its flaws were all to apparent.

Favorite Songs: Suzane, On The Low

Rating: 4/10

Jay-Z "The Blueprint" (2001)

American rapper Jay-Z needs no introduction, a household name around the world he dominated Hip Hop in the naughties as an artist and a business man who's built a substantial amount of wealth. A true rags to riches story of a young man who went from drug dealer to international rap star. I've never found myself drawn to his music, however I adore the Mafioso Rap debut "Reasonable Doubt" he dropped in 96. Watching the movie "Dope" the lead character referred to this record as the end and "exclamation point" of the 90s era I love so much. Of course I promptly picked this one up and found a couple of familiar songs, "Izzo" I remembered from MTV in my youth and "Renegades", a menacing and dark duet with Eminem who drops a classic verse from the prime of his defining style.

So "The Blueprint" is hailed as a classic, and picking up a record like this its hard to avoid the acclaim and ratings the record received. It certainly set the bar high, but didn't get my blood pumping around the clock. That being said its a mighty fine record illuminated by production from Just Blaze and Kanye West who both make their breakthroughs with a fine set of instrumentals that was the highlight for me. It steps away from the radio rap of "Volume 3" and brings a soulful vibe to snappy beats with a variety of kits and themes to keep the track running fresh. The track "Girls, Girls, Girls" is a blinding moment on the record, Just Blaze sampling Tom Brock to perfection, a true example of what the art of sampling is about. Legends Q-Tip and Biz Markie dropping in with the hook borrowed from the oldskool Crash Crew while Jay-Z talks about his promiscuous lifestyle.

The record opens up with Jay-Z making his return statement before dropping into a diss track aimed at Nas and Mobb Deep, I know Nas's response "Ether" and "Takeover" pales in comparison but to give Jay-Z credit the raps are tight and creative but again the magic comes from the beat with its rumpus baseline and baron atmosphere characterized by samples between the kick snare and bass groove. Jay-Z's raps are alright, hes straightforward, easy to follow and light on the ears, but quite honestly he rarely does much to grab my attention. Sometimes a rapper just can't do it for you and its hard to put my finger on why. He did drop a couple of great lines though "I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell, I am a hustler baby, I sell water to a well" is one that's stuck in my mind as well as his tragic mathematics on the diss track, somehow calculating four records in ten years is a two in ten average.

The only other times Jay was grabbing my attention was dropping references or recycling classic rap lines. The best rap came from Eminem on renegade, also with a fantastic hook chorus. I walk away from this record dazzled by the production, desiring more from the lyrical substance and understanding its reputation. Surprised I didn't find this one sooner but there is an ocean of music out there and the size of a name is rarely a hook to pull me in.

Favorite Tracks: Girls Girls Girls, U Don't Know, Holla' Hovita, Heart Of The City, Renegades

Rating: 8/10

Graveland "Raise Your Sword!" (2001)

Taking a little nostalgia trip back to "Prawo Stali" my research led me to this Graveland record which consists of three tracks from the same recording session. It's labeled as an "EP" and clocks in at thirty minutes, not far from what could be considered a full record however these songs were left off the record for a reason and despite being such, they make for an enjoyable listen.

"Till The Final Death" marches to the same warlike anthems of the full length, parading battle horns and war crys under the focus of tempered guitars that don't have quite the same groove and momentum, but bare a colder vision with riffs that lurk into higher octaves, rattling and fuzzing away at the mercy of the low fidelity distortion. Between these moments the familiar shifting riffs chime away with the symphonic elements and make for a solid song.

"Temple Of My Hatred" dives into darker regions with a relatively similar style of track, utilizing the same lengthy song structures and compositional choices, but homing in on a darker tone through a memorable lead rift that once again comes through a wash of fuzz and rattle as the distortion's higher end struggles to contain. A selection of moodier riffs give this one a different twist but its a very familiar feel.

"W Objecia Simerci" is the records most distinctive song with a different mix that has the snare snapping through the mix and more space between the guitars and synth. The composition is a little more sparse too with plenty of passages for just the guitars, or for them to drop behind the synth which has some brilliant choir tones singing out booming chants in their moments. Overall its really enjoyable, but a definite mark behind the full length which had the pick of the sessions best songs.

Favorite Track: Temple Of My Hatred

Rating: 6/10

Graveland "Prawo Stali" (2001)

 

 It was back in the early days of my minecraft adventures that I discovered this record and a little nostalgia for the game always brings back fond memories of caving adventures and building for the first time while listening to this record on repeat. Rob Darken's "Graveland" holds a formidable reputation in the Black Metal scene. Emerging out of Poland in 92, before the scene flourished with exposure and controversy in Norway, Rob has been consistent releasing records, over 20 in total, since the inception. The quality is somewhat inconsistent, but on "Prawo Stali" he strikes a nerve with a glorious and immersive record defined by its unique theme of viking warfare, paganism and mythology as well as executing some of Black Metals most standardized principles in a unique and memorable fashion.

The beauty of this record is both in its aesthetic and writing, both of which excel, creating a rich, atmospheric record of dense mystic black which rolls over the ears with fuzzy high end guitars chiming with deep horns and a buried base line. Rob's vocal's are usually a little to shrill for my ears, but on this record he gets the balance right and utilizes the wordless screams with thick, echoing reverbs that create haunting chills, amplifying the intensity as the screams cry out from under the other instruments. The drums are a tad stiff and lifeless, but they hold a solid beat for the other instruments and never make much of an attempt to gain your focus. The key here is in the chemistry between the guitars and symphonic elements which continually create the best moments and drive home the strong sense of theme this record has.

There's a warlike feel coursing through these songs, set in mythic times one can envision the glory of conquest as the symphonics gleam victorious sounds of horns blaring the signals of attack across the battle field. The drums clash and pound like the rhythm of warfare while Rob delivers his battlecrys that echo and resonate under the thunderous noise. The progressions and notation used between the guitars and horns helps glue the record together with each ten minute epic feeling right at home with one another, yet each finding their own niche and mood to carve a different setting. The albums only flaw is perhaps its production and the drumming which could of been polished better, but its always a point of debate that the lack of fidelity falls inline perfectly with the records ancient and mythic feel which does an incredible job of uniting such strong themes together under the Black Metal banner.

Favorite Song: Tyrani Okrucienstwa

Rating: 9/10

Dusted "When We Were Young" (2001)

Dusted is an English duo consisting of producers Mark Bates and Rollo Armstrong of Faithless. I was turned onto this, their debut record, by a friend and was originally under the impression this was a soundtrack, due to a movie of the same name. I now know that its unrelated but this record actually played out like a soundtrack with many slow, chilled out, carefully crafted numbers that can shift moods and grow into big moments. It all came together like the setting for a tale to unravel and if anything, is the soundtrack to imagination and the power of music that is of the craft and subtitles this record posses in great quantity.

The opening track here sets a bright and warm tone for a record that in its chilled out nature will invoke good vibes and set a pleasant atmosphere of positivity and relaxation. With a traveling baseline groove and plucked melodic guitar strings the gentle, downtempo drum loops guide us into a warmth of sweeping strings and random electronic noises as the pace thickens like a rising sun, its rays of warm light arriving for the first time. With a memorable start the record it makes no strives to pick up the pace or jump into anything advantagous as it strolls through track after track, delivering chilled out, relaxed numbers that each deliver their own moment in between lush orchestration of layered sounds. Theres plenty of variety beyond the soothing electronics and steady drums, "Time Takes Time" introduces some graceful lead vocals and "Always Remember To Respect Your Mother" builds around stunning youthful choir leads that inspire greatly.

The album shifts gears with "The Biggest Fool In The World" as the tempo perks up with a big clap in the loop for a grooving moment in an otherwise chilled out record. As things progress we dive deeper into the Dusted world, continually exploring new territory with each step before climaxing with a dazzling piano number that ends the record with a lasting impression as the pianos descend into a wall of reverb. Overall its a breezy, carefree ride through chilled out music of craft and design, a concept played out brilliantly that unravels like the soundtrack to your imagination and inspiration.

Favorite Tracks: Childhood, Always Remember To Respect Your Mother, Oh How Sweet, Under The Sun

Rating: 7/10

Slayer "God Hates Us All" (2001)

The beast that is Slayer has been blowing us away since the 80s with their devilish aggression and pummeling brutality, an undeniable force of sound that has shaped the generations of metal to come. Slayer are gods, their legacy is pioneering and there character, the soul of their music is pure enthralling chaos. Songs like "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven" never fail to get the goosebumps and adrenaline flowing. They are anthems of darkness, the celebration of the evil in ourselves. Slayer paint the ugly truth in our reflection for all to see and question. To listen to Slayer is to clench your jaw and fists, bang your head until your neck hurts as the music bleeds out all your hate and aggression. In the 80s the group released a string of iconic records that stood aside from anything else at the time, and even now no one has been able to step up their sound. "God Hates Us All" was the Slayer record of my generation and one that received a mixed reception. The record got a lot of hate for incorporating ideas from the Nu Metal scene and stirred huge controversy when it was released on September 11th 2001, 10 year after the controversy with "Seasons In Abyss" being filmed in Egypt before the Gulf War.

 "God Hates Us All" is a record that deserves more credit than it gets, after the general disappointment of "Diabolus in Musica" Slayer come back with a record so violent, angry and spiteful its a dose of everything a fan could want. Departing from there traditional songwriting style Slayer reinvent them-selfs with a deafening guitar tone that bludgeons and pummels the listener with tight grooving palm mutes, slamming dropped guitar riffs and throttling thrashing riffs entwined with those haunting melodies and demonic, chaotic solos the band definitively call their own. Somehow holding the relentless pace together is Paul Bostaph's sticks and kicks crashing through the fold with booming bass kicks, a sharp, clinical snare and thunderous tom rolls. Araya's vocals are as on point as ever, possibly the greatest Metal vocalist ever, his forceful shouts are decipherable in a rage of anger and hate. They capture all the scream has to offer, but somehow he finds a stunning balance to get the words across to those less a custom with shouts and screams.

The title alone sets a vivid tone for this record. If you were to take the old testament God literally, it would be a fitting statement. Slayer see religion as a problem, and make God their enemy in a record that asks many questions of hypocritical practices in society carried out by church and government. It address those who are alienated by biblical beliefs and mocks religion and money for its apparent incompetence to solve the worlds problems. At times its clever, but mostly its not here to change your opinion, this is release of frustration and hatred best displayed on "Exile", a song that rips through curses and intense violent imagery aimed at anyone in Araya's way. His audible delivery makes for an engaging listen that will have you screaming along in anger.

Slayer do a lot right on this record. Musically they nail the influences from the trending Nu Metal scene, the guitar tone is massive, the bombastic chord riffs are executed to perfection, and at no point do they compromise their identifiable sound. From start to end "God Hates Us All" rips through track after track of aggressive hate fueled fire that burns bright. My only quarrel with this record is a lack of stand out melodic leads and unique riffs, almost everything here is working around chord driven ideas and thats fine, but Slayers best moments come from the songs that extend their theme through unforgeable leads and crazy unpredictable riffs, ie "Raining Blood". As the record draws on its hard to remember which moments stood out the most, the constant whirlwind aggression pummels on without break for a anthemic lead or riff it so dearly needed. Bloodline comes close with its breakout sing along chorus, but it doesn't come close to the classics.

Favorite Songs: Disciple, New Faith, Cast Down, Exile, Bloodline, Deviance, Here Comes The Pain, 

Rating: 8/10

Kittie "Oracle" (2001)

Born in the prime of the Nu Metal scene, Canadian metallers Kittie gained a lot of attention with their debut album "Spit" and subsequent touring on the Ozzfest festival. Unfortunately the group never continued their commercial success, record sales declined as the interest in Nu Metal faded into the 00s. This, their sophomore release, is a humble record that I like to turn to from time to time. It may not be quite the something "Spit" was, but this record offers some decent Nu Metal with dark aesthetics and that classic dropped guitar sound so characteristic of the genre.

Oracle is a simple, straight forward record that at times borders mediocrity as the group play out some elementary tracks that are flared up by aggressive drumming, engaging vocals and a fair few riffage moments. Morgan Lander's screams are snarly, forcefull, borderline brutal and fulled with anger, she contrasts them with some warm, magnetic clean leads that add a welcome layer of color into what is a pretty black and gray sound. A warm crunchy bass marks its territory underneath distorted guitars that have the classic down tuned and dropped sound that doesn't have much going in the way of characteristics, its a pretty generic sound but its executed well. Holding it together is Mercedes's drumming which doesn't stray to far from comfortable territory but has great chemistry with the guitars and provides another aggressive outlet to their sound. When all these elements combine and Kittie hit the mark, musically its a pleasure, the aesthetics are spot on and Landers voice gives it all a definable flavor and character that keeps me coming back.

Simplicity is a core element here, this isn't music thats trying to do anything grand and bold, its down to earth, fun and unapologetic. The guitars are entry level, offering very little more than dropped single finger power chords and the occasional lead utilizing a few notes that may resemble a melody. Its something Ive seen them criticized for, yet I think it misses this point. A lot can be achieved even if simple in nature, it also serves as great entry level guitar to play along to if you like Metal and want to play it. Good album, great in places, theres also a Pink Floyd cover which fits right in (with an interesting guitar solo), despite not resembling the original much.

Favorite Tracks: In Winter, Severed, Pain, What I Always Wanted, No Name

Rating: 5/10