The Illuminati - self titled
Liquor and Poker
I love good heavy music with a rowdy, Hillbilly feel to it and The Illuminati certainly have joined that crowd.
This album keeps a good, fun pace going and one can't help but get the head bobbing and feet tapping along with the music. (maybe even a little ass shaking as well)
There are only six songs here and the album seems to go by in a flash, but it's well worth a listen for any fans of Corrosion Of Conformity, Fireball Ministry, Molly Hatchet, Black Label Society etc. Put those all in a blender and you'll get a taste of The Illuminati.
I really hope to hear more out of these guys soon and think they could have a good run.
Keep an eye out for these guys!
The track listing:
1) Lemmy Know
2) Salon Kitty
3) Wingspan
4) On My Way Back Home... Again
5) All The Time In The World
6) Absinthe Makes The Heart
At All Cost -- It's Time To Decide
Combat
This is one that I fell in love with the moment I put it on. I received it along with the Look What I Did and Horse The Band albums as Combat Records' three new finds.
Just like I drunkenly stated in the Look What I Did review, it's also totally chaotic as far as the various blending of styles, speeds and wierd shit going on throughout many of the songs. But also like I said before, I found that to be refreshing and pretty damn fun.
Beginning with the first song, Death To Distraction, it's in-your-face screaming and crunch that makes you crank the volume and drool on your shoes. About the time that you settle in to enjoy it, they suddenly throw some techno sounding mumbo-jumbo at you right in the middle of the song! (maybe that's where the song title comes in, huh?) Odd shit like this happens frequently during the course of the album, but adds some character in my opinion.
The majority of the album, however, is a delightful blend of growls, screams and crunching music that we all love.
No real guitar solos, though.
I guess it could be considered the new style, as far as some scream / clean vocal mixes and steady thudding tones, but still sets itself apart in many ways.
I've read a few bad reviews out there, but I like it and play it often. Some of those other people just need to loosen up.
The track listing:
1) Death to Distraction
2) The Formula
3) Human Now
4) Polish The Nightmare
5) Right Now
6) Fabricated
7) Noches Desperadas
8) The Irony
9) This Pen
10) The Hook
11) It Burns Black
12) The Return
13) What Is Left To Inspire?
Dir En Grey -- Withering To Death
Warcon
There's been plenty of bands that I've heard and had to embarassingly admit to some die-hard fans that I really couldn't understand a fucking thing the singer said. This is usually due to a deep gutteral growl or loud screaming delivery. But alot of the time it's simply because I'm enjoying the music and really don't care.
At least this time I have a good excuse.... it's all in Japanese! No matter, it's a very enjoyable album and these guys are talented.
Some people take offense to my often misunderstood description of "background music", which I alluded to when I said I enjoy the music so I don't really care what the guy is saying anyway.
Brace yourselves when I say this.... I'm not someone dressed all in black, huddled against a speaker with an album sleeve opened up to the lyrics and "living through the words of a brilliant writer". I'm over 16 for crying out loud. Sure I appreciate talent, but I LOVE music!
At any rate, that brings me back to the topic at hand, Dir En Grey. Sure, you won't know what he's saying unless you happen to understand Japanese, but it can still be an enjoyable listen if you get the chance to hear it. It's aggressive as Hell in spots while also adding a power metal feel. Sort of like Nevermore, basically, but with some screaming on the intense parts. Fans of Nevermore as well as fans of bands like Shadows Fall, Children Of Bodom etc. should enjoy this one.
Dir En Grey is really excited about a chance to invade the U.S. and I'll be keeping an eye and ear open to find out how it all goes.
Best of luck!
The track listing:
1) Merciless Cult
2) C
3) Saku
4) Kodoku Ni Shisu, Yeuni Kodoku
5) Itoshisa Ha Fuhai Nitsuki
6) Jesus Christ R'N R
7) Garbage
8) Machiavellism
9) Dead Tree
10) The Final
11) Beautiful Dirt
12) Spilled Milk
13) Higeki Ha Mabuta Wo Oroshita Yasashika Utsu
14) Kodou
