Monster Magnet:Last Patrol

     Released this year, veteran "stoner rock" (what a dumb genre title) band Monster Magnet comes back for a ninth album. After a moderate amount of commercial success during the mid-90s and early 2000s, the band has certainly seen dwindling attention. However, the album has been heralded as a return to form for the New Jersey band, and with good reason.

   The album opens with "I Live Behind the Clouds". A single guitar note is played hypnotically, before crashing guitars and some killer screams from singer Dave Wyndorf really kick off the album. Wyndorf definitely sounds a little ragged after all his years of intense singing, but his voice still has tons of power, one of the most unsung singers in modern rock. Guitars trade off leads, and the band makes a tremendous racket. The song gets quite trippy when a buzzing guitar plays constantly. I like the tune, a classic Monster Magnet track that could have easily come off the superb "Dopes To Infinity" album. "Last Patrol" takes us on another trip through the cosmos, this time sounding more like something off the incredibly underrated but commercially successful "Powertrip" album. Think the Fantastic Four going up against Galactus in musical form. If you don't get what that means, let me simplify: f**king power. Massive power chords play over Wyndorf's spacy and powerful vocals. Some great leads from Garrett Sweeney round out a great song. A return to form indeed.

   The album continues with  a cover of Donovan's "Three Kingfishers". You may think that the song is too mellow for Magnet to cover, but think again. The band add some pretty heavy riffs to the track. Wyndorf sounds great, as do the sitars from Sweeney, a great trip. "Paradise" is next. Opening with repetitive note-playing like "I Live Behind the Clouds", it's equally as much of a slow-burner of a song. Monster Magnet is all about build-up, and this song has it in spades. Hendrix-like leads increase the psychedelic feel of the song, very retro. Unfortunately, the song builds, but never reaches the "climax" musically speaking. I felt the song could have been heavier in the middle, but it's still a decent song. "Hallelujah" bears no relation to the Leonard Cohen classic. Instead, we get a song that sounds like Steppenwolf meets Hendrix. Bluesy, from a vocal standpoint, Wyndorf supplies some great vocals and lyrics. But the song is a bit boring to be honest, it sits on the same notes for a long, long time, never feeling like it is going anywhere musically speaking. An average Magnet track.

   "Mindless Ones" is another song very influenced by the 1960s. The psychedelic lyrics and copious amount of flanger are very typical of the band, and it does feel very familiar. Longtime fans of the band will enjoy the return to the classic Magnet sound, and it's hard to disagree with that. The song is a bit too loud in terms of production for me, and while the album sounds vintage and raw, at times it suffers from being too distorted. Drummer Bob Pantella is a highlight of the track, and his drumming is solid and powerful throughout the album. "The Duke (Of Supernature)" is the albums' answer to massive hit "Spacelord". Mellotron strings add a great vintage vibe, as do the percussion jangly acoustics. The song never reaches the heights of "Spacelord", but does get heavy near the end, with a great solo and groove, as well as some nice slide guitar. This album will certainly please guitar players, as the band has three guitarists including Wyndorf. One of the best songs on the album by far.

   "End of Time" is one of the few fast songs on the album. Think the Rolling Stones on speed. After the last tune, the song really picks you up. The lyrics are the most druggy on the album, despite Wyndorf supposedly being sober, the song is certainly a trip. Good stuff, and classic form for the band. "Stay Tuned" borders on progressive rock, and again features Mellotron. Desolate and paranoid, the song is apocalyptic in feel, sounding like the tale of the last man alive on Earth. Wyndorf delivers some cryptic lyrics about not trusting those in power. I like the "Planet Caravan" laid-back feel the song, a great song to chill out to. The guitar leads at the end of the song are superb, and only increase to isolation of the track.

   The deluxe edition of the album contains two bonus tracks. "Strobe Light Beatdown" is the closest in feel to 2000s Monster Magnet. Very bright sounding, the song should have been included on the album proper in my opinion. Easily one of the best songs by the band in years, it's straight up rock and roll to the core. A great song. "One Dead Moon" is another bonus track. Acoustic through the first half, it comes in with a heavy riff that sounds great. Again, I don't know why this song was not included on the album, a great heavy song that builds tension in all the right ways. Listen for yourself.

   "Last Patrol" has moments of greatness. The band's glory days are possibly behind them, but this album is their best effort in years. If you at all like the band, give the album a shot, especially if you liked their mid-90's output as it more closely resembles "Dopes To Infinity" and "Superjudge" than "Powertrip".

Rating-7.5/10
  

Blood Ceremony: The Eldritch Dark

   One of my favorite hometown bands, Toronto's Blood Ceremony have been cooking up their particular brand of occult rock for more than a few years now. Released this year, their third album "The Eldritch Dark" has already been on many lists as one of the best metal albums of the year, the band also supported the mighty Ghost on their recent North American tour. Let's see if the praise for this album is warranted.

   The appropriately titled "Witchwood" opens the album. The song tells the tale of what seems to be a pretty dark and haunted place. Singer/organist/flutist Alia O'Brian sounds great, and it is no surprise that the band has risen to the top of the heap of occult rock bands that seem pop up everyday. Blood Ceremony are relative veterans of the movement, and it shows. Guitarist Sean Kennedy plays as if he were Hendrix possessed by Tony Iommi, a great combination of blues and metal influences. The band's rhythm section is also quite solid. The song is very complex musically speaking, it goes through multiple sections and changes before dueling guitar and flute solos come into play. I actually quite like the flute played by O' Brian, I think it adds an interesting dimension to the music, much like it did to Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull. A great opener. "Goodbye Gemini" opens with bass/flute instrumental, before pounding drums and garage-like guitars penetrate the song. The song is very rooted in 1960's bands such as Shocking Blue and Coven, but obviously heavier in many respects, combining elements from proto-metal bands such as Blue Cheer and of course the omnipresent Black Sabbath. The lyrics, like many of the songs by the band, concern pagan rituals and rites and mysticism. A great track, epic to say the least. The band's songs can be pretty long, but always take you on a musical adventure, often very complex.

   "Lord Summerisle" opens with a hauntingly beautiful electric guitar instrumental, a la Tony Iommi. Speaking of Iommi, the song is obviously influenced Sabbath "Solitude". The sombre and lonely flute is the highlight of the track, one word, gorgeous. The song also features dual lead vocals from O' Brien and bassist Lukas Gadke. The tale seems to concern spirits, pagan rituals, and the heaviness of life. A short track, but my pick for the best song on the album. You need to hear this song. "Ballad of the Weird Sisters" tells the tale of siblings who encounter what seems to be witches and demonic possession, spooky stuff. The fiddle playing is an interesting element to the track, and brings it into the folk realm more than metal. I liked the song, especially the storytelling element to the song. The song does get heavy at the end, with some pretty crushing and doomy guitars over O'Brian's flute.

   The title-track comes next. "The Eldritch Dark" is one of the heaviest songs on the album. A sludgy assault of vintage Gibson guitar dominates the song. The most doom metal-like track on the album, it concerns witchcraft and what seems to be the sacrifice of witches. The song is both lyrically and musically heavy, with pretty good results. There is a tad too much flute on the track for me, but it doesn't really take away anything from the track, a damn fine song. "Drawing Down the Moon" again concerns occult rituals, especially of the lunar variety. Musically speaking, Coven would be a reference point here, obviously a massive influence on the band. I love O' Brian's organ playing on the track, an incredibly talented and multifaceted musician. Drummer Michael Carrillo delivers a great performance on the track, pounding the sticks with "Wardian" fervor. The song closes with Kennedy's fantastic guitar leads atop flutes, organ, and crashing drums, a wonderful cacophony of rock goodness.  

  "Faunus" is the only instrumental song on the album. Flute again dominates the track. With O'Brien's attention full devoted to the flute, she delivers some great playing. Not bad at all, but I actually think the song is begging for vocals. The album closes with "The Magician". A Sabbath like jazz/metal sound dominates the song. The track tells the tale of dark entity named Haddo, who has come to take the soul of the nameless victim in the track. Dark stuff indeed. I like the main riff, it certainly has a nice groove to it. Drumming is again a highlight, very jazzy with a great swing. A classically-tinged organ solo straight out of a Vincent Price movie closes the album in spectacular fashion, before being joined by some great guitar leads, chanting, and some of the crispest drumming you have ever heard. A great close.

   "The Eldritch Dark" is very good. I think the band have yet to produce their magnum opus, but are certainly on the right track. Dark, heavy, gentle, sombre, creepy, are all words I would use to describe this album. Fans of bands such as Ghost, Uncle Acid, Purson, and even Electric Wizard will certainly find a lot to like here.

Rating-8.5/10

 
 

   

  

Purson: The Circle and the Blue Door

   In a very short amount of time, London's Purson have gone from being relative unknowns to the darlings of the burgeoning "occult rock" movement that is sweeping metal and hard rock in the wake of Ghost's massive level of success. Combining folk, doom metal, and psychedelic rock, the band are an interesting mix of those sounds and styles. Let's examine their 2013 debut album in more detail.

   The album opens with the short instrumental "Wake Up Sleepy Head". A short acoustic-based tune, it features some haunting Mellotron as well as some great vocals from singer Rosalie Cunningham. A short, but very atmospheric opening that sets the tone for the album quite nicely. The song segues into "The Contract". A hypnotic swirl of bass and Mellotron lays the psych on heavy. Cunningham's vocals remind me of the critically underrated Shocking Blue and their sadly-departed singer Mariska Veres. A great voice in rock, a star among the many similar sounding female-fronted rising occult rock bands. A great song, with some creepy lyrics about what seems to be the fate of your soul.

   "Spiderwood Farm" opens with some Bill Ward-like jazz drumming from great talent, drummer Jack Hobbs. A heavy Sabbath-like riff then comes in, with hints of Iron Butterfly. Cunningham's voice is simply jaw-dropping, one of the more hauntingly gorgeous voices I have ever heard. The folky verses provide a nice balance between the very heavy choruses. The lyrics seem to concern a group of ghouls haunting the premise of said farm. The song is one of the heavier on the album, and one of the more memorable. "Sailor's Wife's Lament" is the band's take on the classic sea songs of yore. Shocking Blue would again be the reference point here, you could easily mistake this song for a Shocking Blue tune, but I'm certainly not complaining about that. I like the sounds of the sea playing the background, as well as the creepy keyboards, which sound like Tom Waits "vibes" at certain points.

   "Leaning On a Bear" is another straight-up psychedelic romp. One of the songs that has helped break the band, I like Deep Purple-like instrumental combined with Cunningham's stellar vocal performance. Like Deep Purple, multiple members get to solo on the track. Keyboardist Samuel Shove provides a great example of the long lost art of the keyboard solo, only to be soon taken over by guitarist George Hudson, who provides a Ritchie Blackmore-esque solo. A great tine about what appears to be an occult meeting, one of the best songs on the album. "Tempest and Tide" brings us back to the folk influence. Pastoral acoustic guitars pluck over sombre strings. Fans of 1960's psychedelic folk will certainly love the track. The ethereal lyrics, delicate instrumentation, and great vocals make for a killer track.  Detractors criticize the band and the genre very much for trying to emulate the past, but with music this beautiful I don't care how old they are (Purson are pretty young) or who they take influence from. In any case, a great track, and my pick for best song on the album.

   "Mavericks and Mystics" shows why some have compared the band to the almighty Jefferson Airplane. Think Black Sabbath meets Jefferson Airplane and you get how this track sounds. Bluesy at points, but also quite heavy, the song picks up the pace nicely from the last, sleepy track. I love the bouncing bass-lines of Barnaby Maddick on the track, and the band has a great rhythm section. A great solo rounds out a smokin song. "Well Spoiled Machine" is a love song, of sorts. The gyrating, distorted bass drives the song along with the jazzy drumming of Hobbs. Hudson injects some pretty heavy and sludgy guitars, a great sound, very clear compared to so many occult/doom bands that try to make their guitars as distorted as possible. The Mellotron is laid on thick, and provides a very full sound. Progressive elements enter the song, and some sections change key multiple times, a very interesting song structurally speaking. But the highlight is again the brilliant vocals and lyrics of Cunningham,  I cannot praise her performance on the album enough.

  "Sapphire Ward" is another trip down the proverbial "rabbit hole". The heaviest song on the album, you'll love the crashing drums, huge riffs, and strangely calming chorus. Cunningham's vocals have a bit too many effects on them in my opinion, but that's one of the few faults I could find with this album. A great track again, it's shaping up to be a pretty damn good album. "Rocking Horse" is a slower, Airplane-like tune. One of the weaker songs in my opinion. There's nothing wrong with it, I just find it a bit slow and plodding. The song actually reminds of the Beatles at certain points, specifically the sound honed on Abbey Road. "Tragic Catastrophe" takes us back to where we left off. "Coven" would obviously be an influence here, and I need to mention said band's influence on the movement, which is huge (just check the eBay prices for anything "Coven"). A slow-burner, the song grows on you, and you'll find yourself humming the song days later. The song seems to concern a tragic figure of sorts, a rocker looking to make his way in a world that has passed him by. I think the song references the feelings of being born at the wrong time, clearly something that Ghost, Purson, and many other bands can attest to, with their vintage brands of rock and metal. A beautiful tale, Purson are great storytellers, and their lyrics are a treat compared to the exclusively demonic lyrics of many of these occult rock bands.

   "Purson" is about as good a debut as a band could hope for. Fans of late 1960's heavy psychedelic folk/rock will certainly enjoy the band. Some might be turned off by the folk elements, but the songs contain more than a few killer metal riffs. I look forward to what the young band has to offer, and I recommend that you check out their debut if you are into the whole retro thing going down in the music industry right now.

Rating-9/10

Clutch: Earth Rocker

  Maryland's Clutch is one of the biggest cult bands in rock. A small, but dedicated group of followers have kept the band afloat since the 1990s. Their tenth full-length "Earth Rocker" gained great reviews earlier this year, so let's take a little closer look beyond the awesome album cover.

   The album opens with the title-track, "Earth Rocker". Singer Neil Fallon sounds like a mix between Phil Anselmo and Danko Jones. A pretty modern sounding band, but with hints of 60's and 70's progressive rock. A pretty heavy song, with some great drumming from the heavy-handed Jean-Paul Gaster. A great start to the album. "Crucial Velocity" is a more metal-sounding song. The Megadeth-esque cryptic lyrics might not be for everybody, but match the song quite well for me. Think Monster Magnet meets Megadeth and you understand where this song is coming from, a great mix of stoner rock and thrash elements. A great cruising song, it will certainly please fans of the bands' previous work. Off to a great start.

  "Mr. Freedom" offers us a tasty groove. "Funk metal" would be the term to describe the tune. Some great bass playing from Dan Maines is solid, especially when combined with the stellar drumming of Gaster. The gruff and ragged vocals from Fallon match the music quite well. A good tune with a nice groove. Hendrix-like guitars round out a nice sound and some great leads from guitarist Tim Sult. "D.C. Sound Attack" brings in a little blues, albeit more modern and crunchy-sounding. Fallon sounds great, his voice aging quite well. Think Hendrix playing for Pantera as a reference point, a very heavy, modern blues tune about American politics.

   "Unto The Breach" is a fast-paced song with hints of D.C. Hardcore bands such as Minor Threat. Clutch's musical influence are varied and complex, and they are one of the most versatile bands that I have ever heard, perhaps too versatile and "all over the place" at times. In any case, not a bad tune, one foot in hardcore, the other in classic hard rock, an odd mix that works somewhat for the song. "Gone Cold" brings in some jazzy playing. Very slow and trippy, the song is a bold experiment. The band's Southern Rock influence comes in here. Smoky, desolate, I like the vibe of the tune. Sparse at best, but a nice break from the fast pace of the previous song.

   "The Face" opens with a big metal riff. The verses build the tension by drawing attention to Fallon's deep and rich voice and anti-establishment Queensryche-like lyrics over some restrained drumming and punchy and short guitar jabs. A big chorus seals the deal for the song. Earth-shakingly heavy and soulful, the tension built during the verses is released in a fury of musical greatness, a great track to say the least. At this point, I am beginning to understand what all the fuss is about. "Book, Saddle, And Go" sounds like thousands of horses running through a canyon. A very muscular song, I like the outlaw, Jesse James-style lyrics. Pantera would be the closest band in sound to this tune, and certainly the band were contemporaries during the 1990s. A nice heavy tune.

   The curiously titled "Cyborg Bette" is kind of a filler song. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics tell the tale of what seems to be a robot lover. A rapid-firing blues number, the music is decent and heavy, but not one of the stronger songs on the album in this author's opinion. "Oh, Isabella" is another dull tune. The song again reminded me of Pantera, with a little more pop sentiment. Not terrible, but just kind of boring. The song seems to middle about, not really going anywhere at all. However, the track has some great bass and drum work, as well as some interesting lyrics. The album closes with "The Wolf Man Kindly Requests". A pretty throaty vocal from Fallon, with some nice bluesy lyrics. The song morphs into a metal tune half-way through, and gets pretty heavy. One of the albums best solos happens in this track, a welcome addition after an album sparse in terms of soloing. A pretty good closer, it even reminded me of Faith No More at certain points.

   "Earth Rocker" will please hard rock fans with eclectic taste in rock. Elements of metal, hard rock, southern rock, stoner rock, and funk are fused together to create the Clutch sound. This album is a mature culmination of many years of forging that sound, and Clutch certainly have a unique sound, despite being comprised of so many diverse elements. I like the band, and I believe that "Earth Rocker" is one of their best musical statements to date. Give it a shot.

Rating-8/10
 

 

Ghost-Infestissumam

  
  The fiendish band of Swedish devil-worshipers (are they really? who knows) released their second album earlier this year to great fanfare. While I didn't immediately "get" the band, I have come to appreciate Ghost and their particular mixture of pop and metal. With a cover like that, this album begs further exploration. Let's take a look at what evil lies within.

   The title track "Infestissumam" opens the album and sets the tone of the album nicely. A choir of ghouls chant Latin-sounding lyrics over a fairly clean and clear rock beat accompanied by classically-tinged electric leads. Hauntingly beautiful, a great intro. "Papa Aspera Ad Infini" sings about the band's favorite topic, the supposed coming of Satan. Fans of metal will surely not be squeamish about the demonic lyrics, but this album is certainly not for your church-going friends.  I try to separate music from any religious message, but the band has certainly done enough to piss off many detractors. In any case, I really like "Papa". Pretty heavy in the verses, but amazingly catchy and calming in the chorus, the combination of the dark lyrics with the pop-like hooks are part of what makes the band so interesting. An organ solo is a great addition, and I have previously expressed a great liking of the organ on Ghost's records. Keyboards take on a more important role on this album, to the dismay of some listeners. A great opening track, haunting, ethereal and catchy as hell (pun intended). 

   "Secular Haze" sounds like a demonic carnival ride. Singer Papa Emeritus II sounds great, a wonderfully pop-like voice. The song is not great however. A little dull compared to the band's earlier singles, it lacks the impact that most of the songs on 2010's "Opus Eponymous" made. The drumming is great, as is are the swirling organs, but I fail to get excited about the track. Not bad.The curiously titled  "Jigolo Har Meggido" barely resembles metal in terms of music, and contains some pretty pop-like sounds. Harmonies, swirling organs, and big hooks all make for a song that will certainly detract some fans of the band's first album. A keyboard solo further brings the album into pop territory, but I don't think any of these elements make the band any softer. The devilish lyrics contrast sharply to the music, and Ghost present a very unique contrast. A fairly decent track, but again, not as fresh or interesting as anything from "Opus".

   "Ghuleh/Zombie Queen" is the best song on the album, and the most majestic song the band have recorded to date. As if ABBA were possessed by demons, it's a piece of pure Swedish pop wrapped in black metal clothing. The Eno-like fragile piano chords combine with the sombre lyrics and vocals to create a beautiful song. Suddenly, the song turns into something approximating "psychobilly". Great drumming, a massive chorus, and awesome organ will convince even the most ardent detractors of the band of their merit. A masterpiece of a song. "Year Zero" opens with demonic chanting amid a pretty heavy riff. The heaviest song on the album, it will certainly please those who feel that the band have lost their edge. The disco-like beat drives the verses along, before opening into a massive chorus, literally sounding like the gates of hell itself opening. Horrifyingly unsettling, but a song that commands attention, much like the band itself. Spooky stuff, but a great song.

  "Body And Blood" is another slice of Scandinavian pop.  The song is a blasphemous take on Christianity, and will surely offend some. As a song, it's a decently catchy song, but somewhat bland. The solo is a highlight, and Ghost's lead guitarist(s) is excellent, a true highlight of the band's sound.  "Idolatrine" contains some of the band's most cryptic lyrics. A tough song to understand, it shows that the band's lyrics are really open to interpretation. The music itself is quite catchy,  a big and almost jazzy song with some great organ and bass work. A strong song.

   "Depth Of Satan's Eyes" tells of the lure of the most unholy one. The song sounds "new wave" at some points, and shows the growing focus on keyboards. However, at other points, the song is quite heavy, one of the more metal-like tracks on the album. An interesting song musically. "Monstrance Clock" closes out the album in spectacular fashion. Epic, would describe the song most aptly. Basically telling of the birth of the Anti-Christ, it's the musical equivalent of the film "Rosemary's Baby". Dark stuff indeed, but a fantastically catchy and remarkable song, one of the band's best to date.

   "Infestissumam" is a very good album. The band are great musicians, and their brand of demonic pop-metal will forever be remembered. Combined with their theatrics, the band cannot be ignored. While a few songs lack the impact of Opus Eponymous, some of these tracks are among the best any metal band period have ever written. The moments of genius outshine the average tracks, and I look forward to what the band have to offer in the future. If you aren't easily offended by dark and demonic lyrics, give this album a spin, it's worth it.

Rating-8.5/10

 
  

   

Killer Dwarfs: Dirty Weapons

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   Currently living in Oshawa, it's a shame that I haven't done a review of the band that put my hometown Oshawa, Ontario on the map in terms of metal. Released in 1990, it was one of the band's bigger albums, coming in the wake of opening for a string of dates for Iron Maiden the same year. Let's jump in and see what the local boys got.

   "Dirty Weapons" was one of the biggest songs for the band and can occasionally be heard on classic rock radio today. I've always liked the song, a great example of late-period glam/hair metal, much bluesier and fuller than a lot of the crap released by bands such as Britny Fox and Nitro during the late 1980s. The band never really fit totally into the glam scene, and were more in the vein of Skid Row and the edgier hard rock acts of the late 80s and early 90s. A great track, with some great vocals from singer Russ Dwarf(Graham) and some great solos from Mike Dwarf (Hall). The adoption of Dwarf as a surname of each band member is perhaps one the most remembered aspects of the band, which is still a pretty funny idea today. Anyways, "Nothin' Gets Nothin'" shows the band moving towards more commercial territory compared to the band's early sound. A big song sonically speaking, you can see the band's sound moving more towards a stadium-rock sound. I like the song, and the band's rhythm section is especially of note, very powerful drumming from Darrell Dwarf (Millar). A pretty good tune, but a bit less raw than earlier albums, much more slickly produced.

   "All That We Dream" sounds like a mix between Tesla and Iron Maiden, which is pretty much how I would describe the band's sound. I mean this is the best possible way, as the band combine both American metal influences while still maintaining elements of  the NWOBHM sound. The bass work is especially of note on the track,a great sound. I like the song quite a bit, and it's nice to see a band move a little away from the sleazy subject-matter that dominated metal at the time. Oshawa's a town full of heart and soul, and these Canadian boys had that in spades. "Doesn't Matter" reminds me very much of Tesla, a country-tinged rock song that isn't very metal at all, but is pretty uplifting and catchy. I like the acoustics, and great backing vocals. A Dwarfs classic with a very nice solo from Hall.

    "Last Laugh" is the most traditional 80's metal tune on the album. Dokken would be the reference point here, a little darker and heavier. I like the song, one of my favorite on the album. Hall's leads are solid throughout the album, and the song features some of his best with the band. Another solid song about what seems to be getting revenge in a relationship gone wrong. A tad short, as are most songs on the album. "Comin' Through" takes us back into Ratt territory, full of swagger and bravado. I like the edge to the song, more rough and tumble than some of the more commercial-sounding tracks. Good stuff.

   "One Way Out" shows the growing incorporation of a bluesy/pop sound among many glam/hair bands during the late 1980s. Not crazy about the chorus, but I love the heavy drumming from Millar, a very powerful sound. Not bad, but not one of my highlights. "Appeal" reminds me of Winger for some reason. Very powerful vocals from Graham show off the song. Unfortunately, the vocals are a little low in the mix. However, it's nice to hear the bass come to front as well.  A solid rocker, with another great solo.

  "Not Foolin" is the bluesiest track on the album. I like the rawness of the track, a very live-sounding recording. The song reminds me of a Cinderella song, without the sometimes grating vocals of Tom Keifer. The best track on the album, pure bluesy rock and roll at its best. The album closes with "Want It Bad". The opening riff is pretty heavy, and in a sense, musical complex for their genre. I like the effect-laden verses, pretty trippy and atmospheric. The chorus picks up the tempo, with some memorable lead guitar and great vocals. A great song.

   "Dirty Weapons" doesn't contain one bad song. Despite a few less-than-killer tunes and the band becoming a little more polished, it, and their other early albums remain some of metal's best kept secrets. A very solid band, they eschewed the brainless subject-matter of many peers, and produced some interesting music, Give them a shot.

Rating-8/10

  

   

  

Black Sabbath: Gathered In Their Masses (Audio CD)

   After their massive 2012/2013 reunion tour, Black Sabbath has decided to release their Melbourne, Australia show on Blu-Ray, DVD, and CD in time for the holiday season. I will be reviewing the live album that comes packaged with the concert video. Let's take a look.

   "War Pigs" opens the set, and what is there really to say about the song that has not been said already. Certainly not the best rendition of the song on record, but not bad at all for a band that has been active for more than forty years in some capacity. Ozzy's interjections make the song enjoyable, but the song does sound a little sloppy in places. The sound of an aging Sabbath is still powerful and massive, but one does notice a big difference in quality between this version and the definitive version off the "Reunion" album. One positive is that you really feel in the crowd here, much more so than the slightly sterile "Reunion" album. "Loner" was my pick for the best track off 2012's "13". The studio version is certainly better, but it is nice to hear a new Sabbath track played live. Bassist Geezer Butler and touring drummer Tommy Clufetos have a nice rapport going on, and they form a mighty rhythm section. Iommi and Ozzy have moments of brilliance, but the once bright lights of these aging rock gods are definitely dimming. Ozzy seems to forget some of the lyrics, and Iommi's playing is not nearly as tight as it used to be. But who gives a crap really, these guys have nothing to prove at all.

   "Black Sabbath" sounds as ominous as ever. A good version of the track that forged the sound of metal, Ozzy sounds surprisingly clear and powerful on this version, proving the Prince of Darkness still has some fire in him.  I was glad that Sabbath included the new songs on this album. "Methademic" was included on the deluxe version of "13", and is a very underrated track. I love the massive riff and rapid-fire drumming from Clufetos, one of the highlights of the album. The new songs are really the best part of this album, as the band seems more into playing some new and fresh stuff than the old tunes. A great song, and a pretty good live version of it, despite Ozzy's vocals being fairly low in the mix."N.I.B." comes in next. I love how Geezer's bass solo changes ever time it's played, and this version is pretty good. A classic song to say the least, this version is more than adequate, but again not quite as good as the much younger Sabbath playing it on "Reunion".

   "Iron Man" is a song that man Sabbath die-hards (like moi) actually don't really care for. I'm pretty much indifferent to the song at this point. It's nice to hear the crowd get fired up for the track, but I can honestly say that I don't listen to the song often. That being said, this version is quite good, especially due to Clufetos' brilliant drumming, which I was lucky to see in the flesh at the epic Lollapalooza 2012 show. "End of the Beginning" comes next. A underrated track from "13", it's a slow-burner of a song. This version is quite good, despite Ozzy having some timing issues. It was one of my favorite tracks from 13, and it's great to hear it played live. I was happy to hear the song played live at the Toronto show in August 2013, despite the lukewarm reaction of the crowd to the song.

   "Fairies Wear Boots" is a timeless metal anthem, and the song needs little introduction. While Bill Ward is sorely missed, Clufetos' drumming is definitely the highlight of this version, a great drummer. Geezer also sounds great, having evolved his bass playing and sound over the years, adding a more modern element to the track. A pretty good version, I would actually say this version is better than "Reunion", more raw and jammy. "God Is Dead" was met with a mixed reaction from the public and press. The song has grown on me over the last year. This version is pretty good, and is the closest of the new tracks to studio-like quality.

   "Paranoid" comes in to close off the album. But first, we are treated to a teasing of the introduction to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Sadly, the song is no longer played completely, due to it being far out of Ozzy's current vocal range. Not much to say about "Paranoid", easily one of the most played and important rock tracks of the 20th century, so sit back and listen. A great closer, especially Iommi's solos and Geezer's killer bass playing.

   Black Sabbath might not make another go of it. But if so, "Gathered In Their Masses" is a fitting testament to the godfathers of metal. While they may be aging, the songs are still quite good facsimiles of the recordings that they have done. The inclusion of four new songs makes it worth it alone. When combined with the excellent and longer concert video, fans of Sabbath will certainly enjoy the package. Pick it up this holiday for your dad, brother, heck even yourself. Long live Sabbath. 

Rating-7.5/10 (Audio CD)

8.5/10 (Complete Package)