Jump to content

salmonellapancake

Members
  • Posts

    1,335
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    37

Everything posted by salmonellapancake

  1. It's hard to believe that Iron Maiden could put out an even better effort than "Iron Maiden" and "Killers", but they did that and much more with "The Number of the Beast", creating a classic album which would be praised for years to come. With their first two albums, Iron Maiden developed a sound that took over the world of heavy metal, but, to make matters worse for competitors, they further developed and mastered their sound with this album. They kept mostly the same group from their previous album, but they did replace Paul D'ianno with Bruce Dickinson, a much more operatic singer with (in my opinion) a better vocal range than his predecessor. Little did they know, but Bruce would become the distinct voice of Iron Maiden for the rest of their career, and this album would be a major help in that process. Iron Maiden's heavy, harmonious guitars were ever-present throughout this album, playing as technically advanced as ever before. Steve Harris's galloping, forceful bass was also a major component of this record, showing his ability as a profound musician. Clive Burr's drumming was improved and as complex as ever. And, finally, the addition of Bruce Dickinson's singing made the biggest band in heavy metal at the time that much more powerful, giving an impressive amount of dynamics to each song. To add on to the impressive list of attributes of this album, it also possessed some of the first songs that would expose Iron Maiden as quite the history buffs, including "Invaders", which spoke of Vikings, and "Run to the Hills", which likely spoke of the genocidal acts of violence against Native Americans. Even more, tracks like "Prisoner", "The Number of the Beast", "Gangland", and "Hallowed be thy Name" showed that Iron Maiden were not afraid to write about death, morbid visions, and even Satan, himself, pushing the boundaries in terms of subject matter for metal and causing much controversy. Perhaps what is most important about this album is the vast improvement in their song structure and complexity, as opposed to their first two albums. One can easily see this in songs like "22 Acacia Avenue", a heavy and lengthy piece which continues the saga of 'Charlotte the Harlot', and "Hallowed be thy Name", a thrilling tale of a man who is to be executed. To sum up, I would call this a mandatory album for anyone with an interest in metal of any kind. It will change the way you think of music, as a whole.
  2. This is where it all started; countless people have tried to imitate this sound throughout the years (including myself). It goes without saying that this is one of the most influential metal albums of all time. Steve Harris (bassist) wrote most of the music and lyrics on this album, with the help of Paul D'ianno (lead vocalist) at times. And I have to say, this album is quite a musical achievement. Showing influences from groups like Jethro Tull and Uriah Heep, this album is quite heavy with strong progressive influences, and it helped Iron Maiden explode onto the heavy metal scene and become the behemoth they are today. One of the most impressive attributes of this album is the complementary work of Dennis Stratton (guitar), Dave Murray (guitar), and Steve Harris. The two guitarists worked very well together, often executing beautiful harmonies, like in the songs "Phantom of the Opera" and "Transylvania". To put it all together, Steve Harris's bass was very present, either keeping up with the guitars in a heavy gallop or playing parts contrasting to the guitars to highlight a different sound. As far as lyrical content goes, there's quite a bit to hear and analyze, ranging from the nitty-gritty pieces "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot" to deep, progressive lyrics in "remember tomorrow" and "strange world" to liberating, destructive anthems like "running free" and "iron maiden". And the deliverer of these lyrics, Paul D'ianno, does a great job all throughout, using an impressive vocal range and diversified style depending on the song. There is so much to say about the album, and it has changed how I approach all kinds of music and how I play the guitar and bass. This is, plainly and simply, an album that will always be relevant.
  3. It is a beautiful thing when a band begins to find its own identity, and that is exactly what happened with this record. While Slayer's previous effort, Show no Mercy, had obvious influence from contemporary metal bands, especially Iron Maiden and Venom, Haunting the Chapel was the beginning of the distinct Slayer sound that so many know and love today. The guitar riffs were heavier and and darker and even a bit atonal, the bass was less present and was now contributing to the percussive rhythm section rather than being its own entity, the vocals were much more harsh, and the drums were more complex and extreme, showing Dave Lombardo's capabilities. This record is very heavy, but to merely describe it as that would be an injustice. This was a time when Slayer became a lot more technical, writing riffs and solos that were (and still are) mesmerizing and brutally fast. Also, the lyrics became much more dark, displaying Slayer's ever-present desire to push societal norms and exploit taboos. All in all, this record is where Slayer became Slayer-- a band that can produce innovatively heavy sounds and make anyone want to bang their heads. Also, as I mentioned in my introduction, I am a big slayer fan, and this album is so important to me that I got it on clear vinyl with red splatter and listen to it almost every morning. It always makes me pick up my guitar and bust out a Slayer-esque riff. [Edit] I tried to attach a picture of the record for anyone who wants to see, but it keeps saying that the file is too big.
  4. This was the first Cannibal Corpse album I ever purchased. On the back side of the booklet, there are two intensely grotesque quotes-- one from Gilles de Rais, and one from Albert Fish (both are extensively violent serial killers). The horror of these quotes made the hair on the back of my neck raise, and they gave me a proper introduction to the gory and vile atmosphere which surrounds this album. "Meathook Sodomy" is my personal favorite from the album, and it is a great opener. It starts off the album with heavily distorted guitars making various sounds and deep growls from vocalist, Chris Barnes. Soon after, the main riff kicks in, the blast beat is going, and Chris is delivering massive growls. The song follows a serial killer who (as seen in the title) sodomizes his victims with meathooks. The guitarists, Jack Owen and Bob Rusay, as well as the bassist, Alex Webster (who's bass presence is heavy and dynamic enough to be considered as another rhythm guitar), use rapid (and sometimes atonal) riffs to propel the brutal song into the mind of a psychopath possessing the need to kill. The tone of the guitars is so heavy and distorted that it feels as if the sound is oozing out of the speakers (and I mean that in the best way possible). And behind it all, drummer, Paul Mazurkiewiscz, absolutely attacks his snare drum all throughout the song, producing a very violent sound. As I said before, "Meathook Sodomy", really showcases the talent of early cannibal corpse and encapsulates the feel of this album. Listening to this album is like watching a horror movie-- it will get your heart pumping and bring your mind to places it has never been. So give this album a chance if you're into death metal and/or cannibal corpse. It'll give you plenty of adrenaline, technical riffs to analyze, and well thought-out lyrics to ponder over.
  5. Yeah I'm not a big fan of deathcore as a genre, but i can definitely enjoy a few bands under that label. Like I said before, though, I think the word "deathcore" doesn't totally capture abiotic's brand of music.
  6. My name is Thomas and I mainly listen to death metal and some thrash metal, but I am open to all types of metal and music in general. My favorite bands are cannibal corpse, slayer, iron maiden, metallica, vomitory, incantation, immolation, suffocation, brain drill, morbid angel, dying fetus, aborted, and vital remains.
  7. I read your review and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't agree more. And yeah, I got the cd, and the case and booklet are both awesome. Btw sorry to ask but i'm new to the site: if one clicks "horns up" on a comment, then is that considered to be the equivalent of a "like"
  8. This was one of the first death metal albums I ever listened to, and rightfully so. There is no band quite like vital remains, and they took death metal to a place it had never been with "let us pray". Most of the songs are very lengthy, with a progressively heavy vibe to them, winding solos, powerful growls, and deadly riffs. But there's only so much you can say about an album so great that it speaks for itself, and there is no wonder as to why this record is praised as one of the staples in death metal history.
  9. For any death metal fan who hasn't listened to autopsy, I suggest doing it right now. Chris Reifert (drums and vocals) wrote must of the music and lyrics on this album, and he put together several pieces of brutal, unforgiving death metal, with a slight inclination towards death/doom. This is a VERY heavy album musically, and a VERY morbidly gory and creative album lyrically. I find it easy to listen to again and again, whether you're just relaxing or really analyzing the music.
  10. Abiotic is often labeled as melodic/technical deathcore. I have to admit, I'm not all too familiar with the genre of deathcore, as a whole, but I do know that this album is much more than deathcore. Abiotic have their own brand of extreme music which is inimitable. They are extremely technical, and their two vocalists exchange lines fluently and dynamically. If you're not familiar with abiotic, then I would suggest checking out the songs "reanimated destruction", "cast into the depths", "absence of purity", and "drain. deface. abolish."
  11. Gorguts is known for never writing the same album twice, and Luc Lemay and his crew sure did give us something new to listen to over and over again in wonder. The album is remarkably bold in every way possible, a masterpiece of organized chaos which transcends all that death metal has to offer, technically and progressively. I highly suggest purchasing a physical copy of this record because it is something you will find yourself listening to again and again, always finding something new in the process.
×
×
  • Create New...