Reviews!
Okay, so I've had time to listen to all of my new music (except for the Allen/Lande album, which I haven't gotten yet). So here are some reviews of the new musics! >D
Kamelot - "The Black Halo" - This is easily one of the best new albums in the set. Wonderful music, fantastic poetry. And Khan's voice is so effing enchanting. He's actually managing to sway Robin away from her loyalties to Sonata Arctica! XD I'm definitely going to get more from this group. The music ranges nicely, and there isn't a bad song in the bunch. The album is put together as a work all its own. And I have reason to suspect that it is similar to Symphony X's "Paradise Lost", in that it focuses on a piece of literature. Namely Goethe's "Faust". I highly recommend this album.
9.5/10
Ayreon - "01011001" - Okay, so Kyle was right. This is a bad Ayreon album. The funny thing about that is that it still carries itself decently; it's not a bad album, overall - just bad for Ayreon standards. The music doesn't suck. The storytelling is just a little weaker, especially on Disc Y. But it still offers great vocals and instrumentals. It still provides a bit of scorching commentary on society. It's still good literature.
7/10
Dream Theater - "Greatest Hit (And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" - For this album, it comes down to song selection, and DT did a fairly good job with it. Several songs were edited or remixed, but not to the point where they're entirely different. Just improved. "Misunderstood", for instance, had the excess guitar adlibbing removed from the end, so that it doesn't go on for three minutes and threaten your sanity after a perfectly wonderful song. More importantly, it doesn't annoy the people you're trying to convince to like the band/song. Several songs I hadn't heard before, and they're all good, and classic examples of what Dream Theater is known for, and capable of. Still, I'm looking forward to their next NEW album.
9/10
Iced Earth - "Crucible of Man" - As good a job as Owens did, I must say, it's very, VERY good to hear Barlow again. I've only played the disc through twice, so there's still some stuff I haven't caught, but Schaffer's composition and story-telling is as great as ever. Wonderful album thus far. Although, I've sense a bit more of a Power Metal (in a Blind Guardian sense) influence, like Kursch and Olbrich snuck into Schaffer's room one night while he slept and altered a few chords. Overall, great album.
9/10
Metallica - "Death Magnetic" - Okay, so it isn't the Black Album. But it's fairly good. I was disappointed slightly to not hear similar chords in "Unforgiven III" from I or II. But there's still plenty of good music. I love the album cover - it portrays a message all its own, perhaps better than the music, itself. But I didn't enjoy every moment, unlike with Iced Earth or Kamelot.
7.5/10
Porcupine Tree - "Fear of a Blank Planet" - I've had all but one song for this album for a while. It's awesome. Get it.
8.5/10
Shinedown - "The Sound of Madness" - So, perhaps the third time is truly a charm for Shinedown. The newest album, in my opinion, beats out both of their previous albums. And while "45" will be forever their ultimate song, at least one-third of the new album comes close to dislodging it from its place. Every song is strong, and I adore this album.
9.5/10
Vienna Teng - "Dreaming Through the Noise" - Vienna's newest album still exhibits her marvelously angelic voice. We already had about half of the songs from this album, but the new ones are good. And her poetry is still deliciously wonderful. It's not rock, but pleasing in its own way.
8/10
Seether - "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces" - So, Seether is more Robin's band than mine. But I'm addicted to their newest single, "Rise Above This". If you haven't seen the video to it, watch it. The video paints the meaning of the song out perfectly. And it's something I feel rather strongly about. As for the rest of the album, there are several good songs, and Seether actually has an effing amazing vocabulary. It makes me happy. But I'm not fond of EVERY song.
7/10
That's it for now. Got to get ready for class. XD
Kamelot - "The Black Halo" - This is easily one of the best new albums in the set. Wonderful music, fantastic poetry. And Khan's voice is so effing enchanting. He's actually managing to sway Robin away from her loyalties to Sonata Arctica! XD I'm definitely going to get more from this group. The music ranges nicely, and there isn't a bad song in the bunch. The album is put together as a work all its own. And I have reason to suspect that it is similar to Symphony X's "Paradise Lost", in that it focuses on a piece of literature. Namely Goethe's "Faust". I highly recommend this album.
9.5/10
Ayreon - "01011001" - Okay, so Kyle was right. This is a bad Ayreon album. The funny thing about that is that it still carries itself decently; it's not a bad album, overall - just bad for Ayreon standards. The music doesn't suck. The storytelling is just a little weaker, especially on Disc Y. But it still offers great vocals and instrumentals. It still provides a bit of scorching commentary on society. It's still good literature.
7/10
Dream Theater - "Greatest Hit (And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" - For this album, it comes down to song selection, and DT did a fairly good job with it. Several songs were edited or remixed, but not to the point where they're entirely different. Just improved. "Misunderstood", for instance, had the excess guitar adlibbing removed from the end, so that it doesn't go on for three minutes and threaten your sanity after a perfectly wonderful song. More importantly, it doesn't annoy the people you're trying to convince to like the band/song. Several songs I hadn't heard before, and they're all good, and classic examples of what Dream Theater is known for, and capable of. Still, I'm looking forward to their next NEW album.
9/10
Iced Earth - "Crucible of Man" - As good a job as Owens did, I must say, it's very, VERY good to hear Barlow again. I've only played the disc through twice, so there's still some stuff I haven't caught, but Schaffer's composition and story-telling is as great as ever. Wonderful album thus far. Although, I've sense a bit more of a Power Metal (in a Blind Guardian sense) influence, like Kursch and Olbrich snuck into Schaffer's room one night while he slept and altered a few chords. Overall, great album.
9/10
Metallica - "Death Magnetic" - Okay, so it isn't the Black Album. But it's fairly good. I was disappointed slightly to not hear similar chords in "Unforgiven III" from I or II. But there's still plenty of good music. I love the album cover - it portrays a message all its own, perhaps better than the music, itself. But I didn't enjoy every moment, unlike with Iced Earth or Kamelot.
7.5/10
Porcupine Tree - "Fear of a Blank Planet" - I've had all but one song for this album for a while. It's awesome. Get it.
8.5/10
Shinedown - "The Sound of Madness" - So, perhaps the third time is truly a charm for Shinedown. The newest album, in my opinion, beats out both of their previous albums. And while "45" will be forever their ultimate song, at least one-third of the new album comes close to dislodging it from its place. Every song is strong, and I adore this album.
9.5/10
Vienna Teng - "Dreaming Through the Noise" - Vienna's newest album still exhibits her marvelously angelic voice. We already had about half of the songs from this album, but the new ones are good. And her poetry is still deliciously wonderful. It's not rock, but pleasing in its own way.
8/10
Seether - "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces" - So, Seether is more Robin's band than mine. But I'm addicted to their newest single, "Rise Above This". If you haven't seen the video to it, watch it. The video paints the meaning of the song out perfectly. And it's something I feel rather strongly about. As for the rest of the album, there are several good songs, and Seether actually has an effing amazing vocabulary. It makes me happy. But I'm not fond of EVERY song.
7/10
That's it for now. Got to get ready for class. XD