In Flames - Sense of Purpose (2008)

Frantic metal band In Flames can deliver a good melody around the militaristic, precision drumming of Daniel Svensson and the occasionally guttural yelps of frontman Anders Fridén. Whether it's a tight, polished effort like "The Mirror's Truth" with traces of classic metal like Iron Maiden or especially Judas Priest, In Flames definitely bring a sense of purpose to this record. From there, the group increase the Metallica ish franticness with "Disconnected" that relies on heavy guitar riffs but a far lighter, almost airy chorus and bridge. This is improved upon later on the album as "I'm the Highway" takes the record to another level. Probably the heaviest track is "Condemned," that again is driven by Svensson and the guitar tandem of Jesper Strömblad and Björn Gelotte. These less intense moments are rarities, though, as "Sleepless Again" almost contains slight "emo" characteristics throughout. The group truly strike gold with the deliberate but delectable "Alias" that brings to mind classic Led Zeppelin in the various twists and turns it takes. Following a beefy, brawn saturated "Move Through Me," In Flames save the crowning achievement for the lengthy, winding "The Chosen Pessimist," which opens like a reflective, introspective piece of music by Sigur Rós before finding its way effortlessly. In Flames continue to make their mark by being rooted in a strong metal or hard rock foundation but being musically and creatively inquisitive enough to seek out something more.

Band: In Flames
Album: Sense of Purpose
Genre: Death Metal/Progressive/Melodic
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: Apr 1, 2008
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

"Tracklist"

01. "The Mirror's Truth"
02. "Disconnected"
03. "Sleepless Again"
04. "Alias"
05. "I'm the Highway"
06. "Delight and Angers"
07. "Move Through Me"
08. "The Chosen Pessimist"
09. "Sober and Irrelevant"
10. "Condemned"
11. "Drenched in Fear"
12. "March to the Shore"

Sense of Purpose ♪♫

In Flames - Come Clarity (2006)

Band: In Flames
Album: Come Clarity
Genre: Death Metal/Progressive/Melodic
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: Feb 3, 2006
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Take This Life"
02. "Leeches"
03. "Reflect the Storm"
04. "Dead End"
05. "Scream"
06. "Come Clarity"
07. "Vacuum"
08. "Pacing Death's Trail"
09. "Crawl Through Knives"
10. "Versus Terminus"
11. "Our Infinite Struggle"
12. "Vanishing Light"
13. "Your Bedtime Story Is Scaring Everyone"

Come Clarity ♪♫

In Flames - Soundtrack to Your Escape (2004)

In Flames was certainly under the extreme metal microscope upon the release of Soundtrack to Your Escape and its predecessor, Reroute to Remain. The band had the potential to crack the metal underground wide to the mainstream, existing on the cusp of international stardom with its progressive extrapolations upon the Swedish metal genre they helped create. Fact is, Soundtrack to Your Escape exists to further polarize In Flames fan base "Touch of Red" and opening cut "Fiend [R]" are their heaviest riff monsters since Colony, which blatantly contrast "The Quiet Place," which is jammed with cascading guitar melodies and a thick, sticky chorus which, in a just world, would make for a rock radio smash. Anders Fridén is again using a myriad of vocal styles, including his mid-range death rasp (see "Dead Alone," with its old school Swedish riffs seamlessly morphing into melodic passages), an awkward clean croon ("Like You Better Dead," "My Sweet Shadow"), and an electronically enhanced warble, all of which are multi-tracked for many choruses proving that Fridén may be In Flames most powerful weapon now that the band trademark ornate guitar flights are used somewhat sparingly. Some may cry foul when confronted by a lush ballad like "Evil in a Closet" or the relatively straightforward riffing of "Dial 595-Escape," but old school whiners will be equally appeased with a barnburner like "In Search for I." Bottom line, In Flames are growing as songwriters with every passing release, and the debate over the style in which the tunes are conveyed really seems secondary when confronted with such a strong and cohesive album. Soundtrack to Your Escape will disappoint those looking to find fault with the leaders of the Swedish pack, while open minded purveyors of metal will revel in the album careful balance of credibility and accessibility.

Band: In Flames
Album: Soundtrack to Your Escape [Bonus Tracks]
Genre: Alternative Metal/Melodic
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: Apr 6, 2004
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Fiend [R]"
02. "The Quiet Place"
03. "Dead Alone"
04. "Touch of Red"
05. "Like You Better Dead"
06. "My Sweet Shadow"
07. "Evil in a Closet"
08. "In Search for I"
09. "Borders and Shading"
10. "Superhero of the Computer Rage"
11. "Dial 595-Escape"
12. "Bottled"
13. "Discover Me Like Emptiness"

Soundtrack to Your Escape ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Ramones (2007)

Punk rock parents with a hankering for offbeat nursery music might find what they're looking for in Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Ramones. An ethereal chorus of glockenspiels, toy pianos, sleigh bells, and synthesizers interpret songs like "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Pinhead," and "Teenage Lobotomy" to good (and at times hilarious) effect. There's nothing revelatory or particularly interesting about these renditions, but they do manage to unearth some surprisingly melodic elements of the Ramones' otherwise brash and stompy music. Other songs on this collection include "We're a Happy Family" and, yes, "Beat on the Brat."

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Ramones
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Jan 30, 2007
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Rock 'N' Roll High School"
02. "I Wanna Be Sedated"
03. "Blitzkrieg Bop"
04. "I Just Wanna Have Something to Do"
05. "I Wanna Live"
06. "Pinhead"
07. "Teenage Lobotomy"
08. "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"
09. "Beat on the Brat"
10. "Judy Is a Punk"
11. "Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio?"
12. "We're a Happy Family"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Ramones ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Tool (2006)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Tool
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Sep 19, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "The Grudge"
02. "Sober"
03. "Opiate"
04. "Disposition"
05. "Schism"
06. "Parabol"
07. "Parabola"
08. "Sweat"
09. "Reflection"
10. "Lateralus"
11. "The Patient"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Tool ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Radiohead (2006)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Radiohead
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Aug 29, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "No Surprises"
02. "Let Down"
03. "Subterranean Homesick Alien"
04. "Airbag"
05. "Paranoid Android"
06. "Knives Out"
07. "Karma Police"
08. "There There"
09. "Everything in Its Right Place"
10. "2+2=5"
11. "Sail to the Moon"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Radiohead ♪♫

Fear Factory - Mechanize (2010)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Mechanize
Genre: Industrial Metal/Progressive Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 2010
Label: Candlelight Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Mechanize"
02. "Industrial Discipline"
03. "Fear Campaign"
04. "Powershifter"
05. "Christploitation"
06. "Oxidizer"
07. "Controlled Demolition"
08. "Designing the Enemy"
09. "Metallic Division"
10. "Final Exit"

MECHANIZE ♪♫

Soundtrack - Mischief Invasion (2004)

B-sides a serviceable remix of Archetype from Fear Factory 2004 album of the same name Mischief Invasion is largely instrumental populated by content that sounds cribbed from a stock music agency. Focusing on a vaguely aggressive electronic sound it's the sort of fourth tier big beat that a Spike TV producer would license for the backgrounds of a lowest common denominator reality show. Which is appropriate as this is the soundtrack to an DVD also called Mischief Invasion. It follows a gang of miscreant auto enthusiasts as they crash Europe annual Cannonball Run car rally. This isn't important science or even very entertaining for non gearheads. The rub: Jaguars are destroyed and farts are lit and crappy electronica is along for every ride

Band: Various Artists
Album: Mischief Invasion
Genre: Soundtrack/Nu Metal/Electronic/Heavy Metal
Country: United States
Year: 2004
Label: Liquid 8 Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Archetype"
02. "Snitches Are a Dying Breed"
03. "2 Hip"
04. "Put Out"
05. "Into the Light"
06. "Fly Away"
07. "Tech Gauge"
08. "Cruise"
09. "Flight"
10. "Heavy Loop"
11. "2 Late"
12. "My Rage"
13. "Wanna Relate"
14. "Mind Travel"
15. "Prey"
16. "Tweeker"

MISCHIEF INVASION ♪♫

Fear Factory - Archetype (2004)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Archetype
Genre: Nu Metal/Progressive Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 2004
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Slave Labor"
02. "Cyberwaste"
03. "Act of God"
04. "Drones"
05. "Archetype"
06. "Corporate Cloning"
07. "Bite the Hand That Bleeds"
08. "Undercurrent"
09. "Default Judgement"
10. "Bonescraper"
11. "Human Shields"
12. "Ascension"
13. "School"

ARCHETYPE ♪♫

Fear Factory - Concrete (2002)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Concrete
Genre: Death Metal/Indutrial Metal/Nu Metal/Progressive
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 2002
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Big God/Raped Souls"
02. "Arise Above Oppression"
03. "Concrete"
04. "Crisis"
05. "Escape Confusion"
06. "Sangre de Niños"
07. "Soulwomb"
08. "Echoes of Innocence"
09. "Dragged Down by the Weight of Existence"
10. "Deception"
11. "Desecrate"
12. "Suffer Age"
13. "Anxiety"
14. "Self Immolation"
15. "Piss Christ"
16. "Ulceration"

CONCRETE ♪♫

Fear Factory - Digimortal (2001)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Digimortal
Genre: Nu Metal/Industrial Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 2001
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "What Will Become?"
02. "Damaged"
03. "Digimortal"
04. "No One"
05. "Linchpin"
06. "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)"
07. "Acres of Skin"
08. "Back the Fuck Up"
09. "Byte Block"
10. "Hurt Conveyor"
11. "(Memory Imprints) Never End"
12. "Dead Man Walking"
13. "Strain vs. Resistance"
14. "Repentance"
15. "Full Metal Contact"

DIGIMORTAL ♪♫

Fear Factory - Obsolete (1998)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Obsolete
Genre: Nu Metal/Industrial Metal/Progressive Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 1998
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Shock"
02. "Edgecrusher"
03. "Smasher/Devourer"
04. "Securitron" (Police State 2000)
05. "Descent"
06. "Hi-Tech Hate"
07. "Freedom or fire"
08. "Obsolete"
09. "Resurrection"
10. "Timelessness"
11. "Cars"

OBSOLETE ♪♫

Fear Factory - Remanufacture (1997)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Remanufacture
Genre: Nu Metal/Death Metal/Industrial Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 1997
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Remanufacture"
02. "National Panel Beating"
03. "Genetic Blueprint"
04. "Faithless"
05. "Bionic Chronic"
06. "Cloning Technology"
07. "Burn"
08. "T-1000"
09. "Machines of Hate"
10. "21st Century Jesus"
11. "Bound for Forgiveness"
12. "Refinery"
13. "Remanufacture" (Edited Version)

REMANUFACTURE ♪♫

Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine (1992)

Band: Fear Factory
Album: Soul of a New Machine
Genre: Nu Metal/Death Metal/Industrial Metal
Country: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 1992
Label: Roadrunner Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Martyr"
02. "Leechmaster"
03. "Scapegoat"
04. "Crisis"
05. "Crash Test"
06. "Flesh Hold"
07. "Lifeblind"
08. "Scumgrief"
09. "Natividad"
10. "Big God/Raped Souls"
11. "Arise Above Oppression"
12. "Self Immolation"
13. "Suffer Age"
14. "Woe"
15. "Desecrate"
16. "Escape Confusion"
17. "Manipulation"

SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE ♪♫

In Means of Life - Creation EP (2010)

Hailing from Long Island, New York, In Means Of Life is a 5 piece band growing rapidly throughout the hardcore and metal scene. Formally known as “Tomorrow Never Came”, the band is making a fresh start with a new name, and a solidified line up with loyal, hardworking guys. While being unable to tour full time due to highschool, the band is making the effort to play as many out of state shows as possible. With a solid fan base on Long Island, there is no doubt that In Means Of Life will soon become the next big thing.

Band: In Means of Life
Album: Creations
Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Country: Long Island, New York, United States
Year: 2010
Label: Last Resort Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Shapeless Sea"
02. "Visions"
03. "I, the Redeemer"
04. "Follow Your Kings"

CREATION ♪♫

Dark Tranquillity - We Are the Void (2010)

Band: Dark Tranquillity
Album: We Are the Void
Genre: Death Metal/Heavy Metal
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Year: 2010
Label; Century Media Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Shadow In Our Blood"
02. "Dream Oblivion"
03. "The Fatalist"
04. "In My Absence"
05. "The Grandest Accusation"
06. "At the Point of Ignition"
07. "Her Silent Language"
08. "Arkhangelsk"
09. "I Am the Void"
10. "Surface the Infinite"
11. "Iridium"

WE ARE THE VOID ♪♫

The Beatles - Rubber Soul (2009)

While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds. The group and George Martin were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the rock group, using a sitar on "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," Greek like guitar lines on "Michelle" and "Girl," fuzz bass on "Think for Yourself," and a piano made to sound like a harpsichord on the instrumental break of "In My Life." While John and Paul were beginning to carve separate songwriting identities at this point, the album is full of great tunes, from "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" and "Michelle" to "Girl," "I'm Looking Through You," "You Won't See Me," "Drive My Car," and "Nowhere Man" (the last of which was the first Beatle song to move beyond romantic themes entirely). George Harrison was also developing into a fine songwriter with his two contributions, "Think for Yourself" and the Byrds-ish "If I Needed Someone."

Band: The Beatles
Album: Rubber Soul
Genre: Rock & Roll/Classic Rock
Country: Liverpool, England
Original Data Release: Dec 3, 1965
Label: Capitol Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Drive My Car"
02. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"
03. "You Won't See Me"
04. "Nowhere Man"
05. "Think for Yourself"
06. "The Word"
07. "Michelle"
08. "What Goes On"
09. "Girl"
10. "I'm Looking Through You"
11. "In My Life"
12. "Wait"
13. "If I Needed Someone
14: "Run for Your Life"

Rubberl Soul ♪♫

The Beatles - Help! (2009)

Considering that Help! functions as the Beatles' fifth album and as the soundtrack to their second film, while filming, they continued to release non LP singles on a regular basis, it's not entirely surprising that it still has some of the weariness of Beatles for Sale. Again, they pad the album with covers, but the Bakersfield bounce of "Act Naturally" adds new flavor (along with an ideal showcase for Ringo amiable vocals) and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" gives John an opportunity to flex his rock & roll muscle. George is writing again and if his two contributions don't touch Lennon and McCartney originals, they hold their own against much of their British pop peers. Since Lennon wrote a third more songs than McCartney, it's easy to forgive a pair of minor numbers ("It's Only Love," "Tell Me What You See"), especially since they're overshadowed by four great songs. His Dylan infatuation holds strong, particularly on the plaintive "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and the title track, where the brash arrangement disguises Lennon desperation. Driven by an indelible 12 string guitar, "Ticket to Ride" is another masterpiece and "You're Going to Lose That Girl" is the kind of song McCartney effortlessly tosses off, which he does with the jaunty "The Night Before" and "Another Girl," two very fine tunes that simply update his melodic signature. He did much better with "I've Just Seen a Face," an irresistible folk-rock gem, and "Yesterday," a simple, beautiful ballad whose arrangement, an acoustic guitar supported by a string quartet, and composition suggested much more sophisticated and adventurous musical territory, which the group immediately began exploring with Rubber Soul.

Band: The Beatles
Album: Help!
Genre: Rock & Roll/Classic Rock
Country: Liverpool, England
Original Release Date: Aug 6, 1965
Label: Capitol Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Help!"
02. "The Night Before"
03. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
04. "I Need You"
05. "Another Girl"
06. "You're Going to Lose That Girl"
07. "Ticket to Ride"
08. "Act Naturally"
09. "It's Only Love"
10. "You Like Me Too Much"
11. "Tell Me What You See"
12. "I've Just Seen a Face"
13. "Yesterday"
14. "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"

Help! ♪♫

Greeley Estates - No Rain, No Rainbow (2010)

Band: Greeley Estates
Album: No Rain, No Rainbow
Genre: Screamo/Post-Hardcore/Alternative
Country: Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Year: 2010
Label: Tragic Hero Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Seven Hours"
02. "I Shot the Maid"
03. "Loyal.Com"
04. "Frieds Are Friends For Never"
05. "They Won't Stay Dead"
06. "Jealousy Breeds Killing Sprees"
07. "Lying Through Your Teeth Doesn't Count As Flossing"
08. "Swim For Your Lives"
09. "You'll Never Leave Vegas Alive"
10. "Wolves Make Great Actors"
11. "The Offer"

NO RAIN, NO RAINBOW ♪♫

Alesana - The Emptiness (2010)

Band: Alesana
Album: The Emptiness
Genre: Screamo/Post-Hardcore/Alternative
Country: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Year: 2010
Label: Fearless Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Curse of the Virgin Canvas"
02. "The Artist"
03. "A Lunatic’s Lament"
04. "The Murderer"
05. "Hymn for the Shameless"
06. "The Thespian"
07. "Heavy Hangs the Albatross"
08. "The Lover"
09. "In Her Tomb By the Sounding Sea"
10. "To Be Scared By An Owl"
11. "Annabel"

The Emptiness ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of AC/DC (2008)

Amazingly enough, AC/DC songs actually do make very pretty lullabies when done up on Mellotron and bells with all the rough edges soothed away, but there's something decidedly sinister about sending one's child to sleep listening to "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" or "Highway to Hell," no matter how lovely they might sound after being put through the sanitizing blender. AC/DC proudly proclaimed that "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution." These versions, so perversely sweet, just might be.

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby!: Lullaby Renditions of AC/DC
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Mar 4, 2008
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
02. "Highway to Hell"
03. "Who Made Who"
04. "You Shook Me All Night Long"
05. "Back in Black"
06. "Thunderstruck"
07. "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock 'N' Roll)"
08. "Hells Bells"
09. "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)"
10. "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of AC/DC ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay (2006)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Aug 29, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "In My Place"
02. "Clocks"
03. "Yellow"
04. "The Scientist"
05. "Don't Panic"
06. "Trouble"
07. "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face"
08. "Daylight"
09. "Politik"
10. "Everything's Not Lost"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles (2007)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Jan 2, 2007
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Yesterday"
02. "Across the Universe"
03. "Michelle"
04. "Strawberry Fields Forever"
05. "I'm Only Sleeping"
06. "Hey Jude"
07. "Something"
08. "Yellow Submarine"
09. "Here There and Everywhere"
10. "Here Comes the Sun"
11. "And I Love Her"
12. "If I Fell"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of No Doubt (2007)

The Rockabye Baby series of CD's takes the songs of popular artists across all genres and rearranges the tunes as lullabies. Keyboard approximations of celeste, vibraphone, chimes and other suitably dreamy instruments replace the original instrumentation, lending each song a music box-like quality. The atmosphere is light, ethereal and sleepy, never rising above background music levels, perfectly in keeping with the goal of these discs. The No Doubt edition includes versions of "Don't Speak," "New" and "Suspension Without Suspense."

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of No Doubt
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Jan 23, 2007
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Hey Baby" [Instrumental]
02. "Simple Kind of Life" [Instrumental]
03. "Don't Speak" [Instrumental]
04. "Running" [Instrumental]
05. "Sunday Morning" [Instrumental]
06. "New" [Instrumental]
07. "Magic's in the Make Up" [Instrumental]
08. "Underneath It All" [Instrumental]
09. "Suspension Without Suspense" [Instrumental]
10. "Too Late" [Instrumental]
11. "Rock Steady" [Instrumental]

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of No Doubt ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Smashing Pumpkins (2007)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Smashing Pumpkins
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Feb 20, 2007
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Today"
02. "Tonight, Tonight"
03. "Cherub Rock"
04. "Galapogos"
05. "1979"
06. "Disarm"
07. "Blank Page"
08. "Try, Try, Try"
09. "Soma"
10. "By Starlight"
11. "Farewell and Goodnight"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Smashing Pumpkins ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Queens of the Stone Age (2006)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Queens of the Stone Age
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Nov 21, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "This Lullaby"
02. "Avon"
03. "Better Living Through Chemistry"
04. "The Sky Is Fallin'"
05. "In the Fade"
06. "Someone's in the Wolf"
07. "You Can't Quit Me Baby"
08. "Song for the Deaf"
09. "Mosquito Song"
10. "Long Slow Goodbye"
11. "I Think I Lost My Headache"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Queens of the Stone Age ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin (2006)

Each release in the Rockabye Baby! series takes the best known songs of a particular artist and places them in a lullaby processor that involves chimes, bells, and vibraphones, renditions that are slightly more involved than the music that comes out of the average baby mobile. Whether the original versions are heavy and aggressive or light and subdued, these lullaby versions are uniformly appropriate for their purpose. And, in some cases, they even happen to tease out an unlikely amount of melodicism not apparent in the originals. The Led Zeppelin volume features versions of "Over the Hills and Far Away," "Going to California," "Dazed and Confused," "Kashmir," "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You," and "Thank You."

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Oct 31, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Stairway to Heaven"
02. "Over the Hills and Far Away"
03. "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You"
04. "Thank You"
05. "D'Yer Mak'er"
06. "Ten Years Gone"
07. "Kashmir"
08. "Dazed and Confused"
09. "Going to California"
10. "No Quarter"
11. "The Rain Song"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Nirvana (2006)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Nirvana
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Oct 10, 2006
Label: Baby Rock

"Tracklist"

01. "In Bloom"
02. "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
03. "Lithium"
04. "Something in the Way"
05. "About a Girl"
06. "On a Plain"
07. "Heart Shaped Box"
08. "All Apologies"
09. "Serve the Servants"
10. "Come as You Are"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Nirvana ♪♫

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica (2006)

Apologies for not updating these days, but this last week was full of pleasant and very good news, among the most outstanding is the birth of my first nephew, a situation which catch my attention completely, and with that event, I found the perfect reason to publish these excellent albums pooling major issues as the legacy left by these bands and are reflected in lullabies, if you're so fond of music as I am will understand that I speak, because my idea is to connect this beautiful baby into good music and leave a legacy, the first thing he hear is the best of the best, may be Right, may be Wrong, but the only thing that interests me is so grow up happy, and if I collaborated on it, much better, I can only say more than welcome to this family I love you Frank!

Band: Various Artists
Album: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica
Genre: Child/Lullabie
Country: United States
Release Date: Aug 29, 2006
Label: Baby Rock Records

"Tracklist"

01. "One"
02. "Wherever I May Roam"
03. "Enter Sandman"
04. "Fade to Black"
05. "Nothing Else Matters"
06. "Battery"
07. "The Unforgiven"
08. "Master of Puppets"
09. "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
10. "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth"
11. "...And Justice for All"

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica ♪♫

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (2009)

A Hard Day's Night was the first Beatles album of all original material, and the first to feature George Harrison playing his Rickenbacker electric 12 string guitar (on the opening chord of "A Hard Day's Night," for instance). The distinctive sound of the 12 string inspired countless guitarists including Roger McGuinn and David Crosby of the Byrds. The film from which these songs hail remains a classic combination of happy 60's naiveté and nascent hipster wit. Many of the most important rock bands to emerge in the latter half of the 60's came into being because of A Hard Day's Night's irresistible vibrancy. The tunes flow like the finest red wine, as the title track leads to the glorious harmonica of "I Should Have Known Better" and the powerfully poignant "If I Fell."

Band: The Beatles
Album: A Hard Day´s Night
Genre: Rock Classic/Rock & Roll
Country: Liverpool, England
Original Date Release: Jul 10, 1964
Label: Capitol/Apple Records

"Tracklist"

01. "A Hard Day's Night [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
02. "I Should Have Known Better [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
03. "If I Fell [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
04. "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
05. "And I Love Her [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
06. "Tell Me Why [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
07. "Can't Buy Me Love [from the Film "A Hard Day's Night"]"
08. "Any Time at All"
09. "I'll Cry Instead"
10. "Things We Said Today"
11. "When I Get Home"
12. "You Can't Do That"
13. "I'll Be Back"

A Hard Day´s Night ♪♫

In Flames - Clayman (2000)

The production value on Clayman is instantly apparent; the album initial sounds jump right out and pull the listener in, conveying a power and excitement that lasts the duration of the disc. The songs on Clayman are what ultimately sell In Flames, though. With some of their best writing yet, they continue to tighten up a sound that could please fans of everyone from Queensrÿche to Arch Enemy to maybe even Satyricon. With their blend of speed, melody, and pensive aggression, In Flames is indeed hard to pin down. Clayman at its core, though, is invigorating, well executed metal that, dare it be said, is a fun listen; this probably isn't far from what the band intends.

Band: In Flames
Album: Clayman
Genre: Death Metal/Melodic/Progressive
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: Jul 25, 2000
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Bullet Ride"
02. "Pinball Map"
03. "Only for the Weak"
04. "...As the Future Repeats Today"
05. "Square Nothing"
06. "Clay Man"
07. "Satellites and Astronauts"
08. "Brush the Dust Away"
09. "Swim"
10. "Suburban Me"
11. "Another Day in Quicksand"

Clayman ♪♫

In Flames - Whoracle (1997)

A master of progressive death metal or the "Gothenberg sound" practiced by many a Swedish band, In Flames delivers one of its best efforts with 1997 "Whoracle". One extremely heavy number after another flows continuously from this record track list, including standouts like the mind bending "Gyroscope" and "Morphing Into Primal," just two of the original and extremely well executed songs offered on this release. Indeed, some tracks are much better than others on Whoracle. Softer numbers like "Jester Script Transfigured," with its half acoustic Metallica ballad vibe, could probably have been left off this otherwise powerful recording. There are also some rather unnecessary vocal histrionics, most notably on "Worlds Within the Margin," but this kind of overcooked "singing" really comes with the death metal territory. None of these sour notes manages to damage Whoracle, and the record has ultimately become accepted in the highly factional underground metal community as an important release not only for In Flames, but for the entire melodic death metal movement.

Band: In Flames
Album: Whoracle
Genre: Death Metal/Melodic/Progressive
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: Nov 18, 1997
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Jotun"
02. "Food for the Gods"
03. "Gyroscope"
04. "Dialogue With the Stars"
05. "The Hive"
06. "Jester Script Transfigured"
07. "Morphing Into Primal"
08. "Worlds Within the Margin"
09. "Episode 666"
10. "Everything Counts"
11. "Whoracle"

Whoracle ♪♫

In Flames

After leaving Ceremonial Oath to form In Flames, founding member and guitarist Jesper Strömblad saw this project as a way of expressing his songwriting creativity rather than being stuck in the background. With the added influences of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, along with his own touch of aggressive metal that overwhelmed his home country of Sweden, Wrong Again Records took notice and released In Flames 1993 debut, Lunar Strain. In the tradition of many other Swedish metal acts, In Flames also had a revolving lineup that changed year after year, not that this was going to stop them from releasing their next album, Subterranean (1994), before signing to Nuclear Blast Records in 1996.

After putting out The Jester Race album later that year, followed by 1997 Whoracle, In Flames lineup was finally settled with Björn Gelotte (drums), Anders Fridén (vocals), Peter Iwers (bass), and Daniel Svensson (drums) in addition to Strömblad. To celebrate, the band released its sixth album, Colony, in 1999. Clayman followed in the same vein the next year, and the band even managed to keep the same lineup for this release. The live Tokyo Showdown was released to promote their tour in 2001. Reroute to Remain arrived in 2002, followed by Soundtrack to Your Escape in 2004 and Come Clarity in 2006.

Lunar Strain

Band: In Flames
Album: Lunar Strain [Bonus Tracks]
Genre: Death Metal/Melodic/Progressive
Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
Release Date: 1994
Label: Regain Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Behind Space"
02. "Lunar Strain"
03. "Starforsaken"
04. "Dreamscape"
05. "Everlost, Pt. 1"
06. "Everlost, Pt. 2"
07. "Hårgalåten"
08. "In Flames"
09. "Upon an Oaken Throne"
10. "Clad in Shadows"
11. "In Flames [1993 Promo Version][Demo Version]"
12. "Upon an Oaken Throne [1993 Promo Version][Demo Version]"
13. "Acoustic Piece [#][from Promo 1993]"
14. "Clad in Shadows [1993 Promo Version][Demo Version]"

Lunar Strain [Bonus Tracks] ♪♫

Ungrace - Hostile Revival (2010)

Band: Ungrace
Album: Hostile Revival
Genre: Deathcore/Groove Metal/Industrial Metal
Country: Ukraine
Year: 2010
Label: DFMO

"Tracklist"

01. "Before the End"
02. "Humanity Dethroned"
03. "Insane & Paranoid"
04. "Rampant Disease"
05. "It's Hostile"
06. "Waiting"
07. "Make Me!"
08. "Rape This Night"
09. "Zero Logic"
10. "After the End"

HOSTILE REVIVAL ♪♫

Another Rise - Another Rise [EP] (2010)

Band: Another Rise
Album: Another Rise
Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore
Country: Brazil
Year: 2010
Label: Cheder records

"Tracklist"

01. "Malleus Maleficarum"
02. "Influenza A"
03. "This is a Serious Song"
04. "Error 404, Server Not Found"
05. "There's No Space For a Coke"
06. "Vulnera Non Dantur Ad Mensuram"

ANOTHER RISE EP ♪♫

The Beatles - With the Beatles (2009)

With the Beatles is a sequel of the highest order, one that betters the original by developing its own tone and adding depth. While it may share several similarities with its predecessor, there is an equal ratio of covers to originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune that interrupts the flow of the album. With the Beatles is a better record that not only rocks harder, it's considerably more sophisticated. They could deliver rock & roll straight ("I Wanna Be Your Man") or twist it around with a little Latin lilt ("Little Child," one of their most underrated early rockers); Lennon and McCartney wrote sweet ballads (the achingly gorgeous "All I've Got to Do") and sprightly pop/rockers ("All My Loving") with equal aplomb; and the propulsive rockers ("It Won't Be Long") were as richly melodic as slower songs ("Not a Second Time"). Even George Harrison first recorded song, "Don't Bother Me," is a standout, with its wonderfully foreboding minor key melody. Since the Beatles covered so much ground with their originals, their covers pale slightly in comparison, particularly since they rely on familiar hits (only "Devil in Her Heart" qualifies as a forgotten gem). But for every "Roll Over Beethoven," a surprisingly stiff reading of the Chuck Berry standard, there is a sublime moment, such as Lennon soaring interpretation of "You Really Got a Hold on Me," and the group always turns in thoroughly enjoyable performances. Still, the heart of With the Beatles lies not in the covers, but the originals, where it was clear that, even at this early stage, the Beatles were rapidly maturing and changing, turning into expert craftsmen and musical innovators.

Band: The Beatles
Album: With the Beatles
Genre: Rock & Roll/Classic Rock
Country: Liverpool, England
Original Date Release: Nov 22, 1963
Label: Capitol/Apple

"Tracklist"

01. "It Won't Be Long"
02. "All I've Got to Do"
03. "All My Loving"
04. "Don't Bother Me"
05. "Little Child"
06. "Till There Was You"
07. "Please Mister Postman"
08. "Roll Over Beethoven"
09. "Hold Me Tight"
10. "You Really Got a Hold on Me"
11. "I Wanna Be Your Man"
12. "Devil in Her Heart"
13. "Not a Second Time"
14. "Money (That's What I Want)"

With the Beatles ♪♫

The Beatles - Please Please Me (2009)

Once "Please Please Me" rocketed to number one, the Beatles rushed to deliver a debut album, bashing out Please Please Me in a day. Decades after its release, the album still sounds fresh, precisely because of its intense origins. As the songs rush past, it's easy to get wrapped up in the sound of the record itself without realizing how the album effectively summarizes the band eclectic influences. Naturally, the influences shine through their covers, all of which are unconventional and illustrate the group superior taste. There's a love of girl groups, vocal harmonies, sophisticated popcraft, schmaltz, R&B, and hard driving rock & roll, which is enough to make Please Please Me impressive, but what makes it astonishing is how these elements converge in the originals. "I Saw Here Standing There" is one of their best rockers, yet it has surprising harmonies and melodic progressions. "Misery" and "There's a Place" grow out of the girl group tradition without being tied to it. A few of their originals, such as "Do You Want to Know a Secret" and the pleasantly light "P.S. I Love You," have dated slightly, but endearingly so, since they're infused with cheerful innocence and enthusiasm. And there is an innocence to Please Please Me. The Beatles may have played notoriously rough dives in Hamburg, but the only way you could tell that on their first album was how the constant gigging turned the group into a tight, professional band that could run through their set list at the drop of a hat with boundless energy. It's no surprise that Lennon had shouted himself hoarse by the end of the session, barely getting through "Twist and Shout," the most famous single take in rock history. He simply got caught up in the music, just like generations of listeners did.

Band: The Beatles
Album: Please Please Me
Genre: Rock & Roll/Classic Rock
Country: Liverpool, England
Original Data Release: Mar 22, 1963
Label: Capitol/Apple

"Tracklist"

01. "I Saw Her Standing There"
02. "Misery"
03. "Anna (Go to Him)"
04. "Chains"
05. "Boys"
06. "Ask Me Why"
07. "Please Please Me"
08. "Love Me Do"
09. "P.S. I Love You"
10. "Baby It's You"
11. "Do You Want to Know a Secret"
12. "A Tast of Honey"
13. "There's a Place"
14. "Twist and Shout"

Please Please Me ♪♫

The Beatles: Stereo Box Set (2009)

The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a self evident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers from the Byrds to the Who have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a long overdue revamping of the band entire catalog into the stores on 9-9-09. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day. Naturally, it's possible to quibble about some details of the presentation, particularly the decision to split the reissue into two separate box sets, one covering the stereo mixes and one the mono mixes, with only the stereo mixes available as individual discs (it's still possible to complain that the albums do not add era-specific singles or outtakes, but such expansions were never really in the cards), but both boxes still constitute the best Beatles by far. Crucially, it's also inarguably the best sounding Beatles music ever released, robust and rich even on the earliest rock & roll. None of the albums have been remixed, Although Help! and Rubber Soul retain Martin 1987 mixes, the original stereo mixes are bonuses on the mono set, so this doesn't shock the way the Yellow Submarine soundtrack did with its reimagined stereo mixes. Nevertheless, these remasters surely do surprise with their clarity and depth, with each album feeling bigger and fuller than the previous CD incarnation, but not artificially so. It's not that these are pumped up on digital steroids; it's that the veil has been lifted, so everything seems full and fresh. Appropriately, there's more to savor from Help! onward, as the Beatles' productions grew ambitious, but Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and A Hard Day's Night all have a strong punch, while Beatles for Sale is warmer than the previous disc.

As a package, the stereo box is slightly unwieldy, it's a large, vertical set with two stacks of discs in slick cardboard sleeves piled on top of each other. No extra book is included with the set, but each disc has its own booklet with dry, straightforward liner notes detailing the recording process instead of analyzing the music. If anything about the set could be called disappointing, it's the mini documentaries attached to each disc as Quicktime files and collected on a DVD bonus for the box. "Mini documentary" may even be stretching what these are: they're three to five infomercials about the albums, not much more informative than the notes themselves. Nevertheless, these do offer annotation, something sorely lacking from the first CDs, and they do replicate the original notes, in the case of Magical Mystery Tour, including the entire storybook; in the case of Pepper, all the 20th anniversary annotation is added, finally bringing the Beatles to the same standard for reissues that every other major (and most minor) bands have had for years now. And the story, at least for the stereo box, is not the packaging, it's the glorious sound that makes this such a treat. There's also no question that those who waited 22 years to hear a better version of the Beatles will not be disappointed (although they may still wonder why it took so long for the Fabs to be treated as they deserve).

Band: The Beatles
Album: The Beatles: Stereo Box Set
Country: Liverpool, England
Genre: Classic Rock
Release Date: Sep 9, 2009
Label: Capitol Records

"Albums"

01. "Please Please Me" (1963)
02. "With the Beatles" (1963)
03. "A Hard Day's Night" (1964)
04. "Beatles for Sale" (1964)
05. "Help!" (1965)
06. "Rubber Soul" (1965)
07. "Revolver"
08. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
09. "Magical Mystery Tour"
10. "The Beatles [White Album]"
11. "Yellow Submarine"
12. "Abbey Road"
13. "Let It Be"
14. "Past Masters"

Carnifex - The Diseased and the Poisoned (2008)

Band: Carnifex
Album: The Diseased and the Poisoned
Genre: Deathcore
Country: San Diego, California, United States
Year: 2008
Label: Victory Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Suffering"
02. "In Coalesce with Filth and Faith"
03. "The Nature of Depravity"
04. "Adornment of the Sickened"
05. "Innocence Died Screaming"
06. "The Diseased and the Poisoned"
07. "To My Dead and Dark Dreams"
08. "Sadistic Embrace"
09. "Answers in Mourning"
10. "Aortic Dissection"
11. "Among Grim Shadows"
12. "Enthroned in Isolation"

THE DISEASED AND THE POISONED ♪♫

Dana Walker - A Ghost Among Us (2008)

Band: Dana Walker
Album: A Ghost Among Us
Genre: Metalcore/Heavy Metal
Country: Kilmarnock, Scotland
Year: 2008
Label: None

"Tracklist"

01. "Run Gun Guru"
02. "Violence"
03. "Infection"
04. "Break The Silence"
05. "Forte"
06. "I Am Waves"
07. "The Real Bette Midler Showdown"
08. "We Die Alone"

A GHOST AMONG US ♪♫

Wintersun - Time (One Song) (2010)

Band: Wintersun
from the album: Time
Genre: Melodic Metal/Progressive/Folk
Country: Finland
Year: 2010
Label: Nuclear Blast

"Tracklist"

01. "Time"

Download

Light This City - Stormchaser (2008)

There's something decidedly anticlimactic about an album whose creators have already parted ways by the time it arrives on record store shelves, and this turned out to be the case for Light This City "Stormchaser" their fourth long player and, as it turned out, also their last. At least the San Francisco melodic deathsters made their swan song count, though, by concocting a very solid new batch of reliably violent, yet surprisingly catchy headbangers like the evocative title track, the fleet fingered neo-thrasher, "The Anhedonia Epidemic" (reminiscent of At the Gates), and the particularly memorable "A Desperate Resolution" (boasting even more guitar licks to die for). Light This City also have an amazing knack for sweeping guitar harmonies, a quality they share with Sweden Arch Enemy, along with having that all too rare female frontwoman (Laura Nichol) capable of roaring as fearsomely as any man, and they're not afraid to use it, as displayed on additional standouts like "Beginning with Release" and "Sand and Snow." Obviously, much like Light This City previous albums, Stormchaser music menu isn't all that unique, per se, and certainly anything but cutting edge, but in a genre often ruled by brawn instead of brains, their focus on writing songs one can generally remember after five minutes is not to be underestimated. And in order to mark their final farewell with a few special treats, the group brought in "Testament" legend Chuck Billy to trade vocals with Nichol on the pulverizing thrasher "Firehaven," and the Funeral Pyre John Strachan for "Collector Part 2: Donor." With all this going for it, it's no wonder that Prosthetic Records chose to release, rather than shelve Stormchaser forever, when Light This City decided to call it a career; a career to which it can now provide a very respectable epitaph.

Band: Light This City
Album: Stormchaser
Genre: Death Metal/Thrash/Speed Metal
Country: San Francisco, California, United States
Release Date: Nov 11, 2008
Label: Prosthetic Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Stormchaser"
02. "Fragile Heroes"
03. "The Anhedonia Epidemic"
04. "Beginning with Release"
05. "Firehaven"
06. "The Collector, Pt. 1: Muse"
07. "The Collector, Pt. 2: Donor"
08. "A Desperate Resolution"
09. "Wake Me at Sunset"
10. "Bridge to Cross"
11. "Sand and Snow"
12. "Self Portrait"

Stormchaser ♪♫

Light This City - Facing the Thousand (2006)

Facing the Thousand is the third album from San Francisco outfit Light This City and the group second for Prosthetic Records, which is quickly seeing its faith and investment repaid by bandmembers whose rate of improvement nearly matches the pace of their playing. After a majestic orchestrated synthesizer intro, the title track opens proceedings at a characteristically ferocious clip, democratically representing the so called New Wave of American Heavy Metal with elements of death, thrash, metalcore, and even a little black metal, if you listen closely enough. Outstanding vocalist Laura Nichol is largely responsible for the latter, in fact, as she spit rasps lyrical venom betwixt her more guttural deathly growls throughout the ensuing mayhem. All the while, her bandmates seek to shine a little light amidst the suffocating darkness via some Gothenburg-flavored harmonies that elevate the likes of "Cradle for a King," "The Unwelcome Savior," "Maddening Storm," and "City of Snares" (reminiscent of Sweden the Crown) to highlight status. On others, such as "Exile" (borderline power metal, minus the clean vocals, and featuring a rare, deliberate finale), "The Eagle," and "Tracks of Decay" (both of them copycats of In Flames and At the Gates), that same melodic insistence respectively becomes almost too distracting and rather derivative, so there's obviously a limit for everything. Also, the slightest hint of repetition does set in after about half a dozen of these, mostly full-throttle blast beaters, even though, pound for pound, they're still far more distinctive and engaging than the inexplicably more popular Black Dahlia Murder, whose vocalist, Trevor Strnad, actually guests on the (you guessed it) savagely one dimensional "Fear of Heights." All things considered, by the time Facing the Thousand thrashes to a finish on the furious blastbeats of "Like Every Songs Our Last," it's apparent that Light This City could still do with a little more consistency and originality, but they clearly have a head start on most of their direct competition this side of the Atlantic, whether consumers have realized it or not.

Band: Light This City
Album: Facing the Thousand
Genre: Death Metal/Thrash/Speed Metal
Country: San Francisco, California, United States
Release Date: Sep 19, 2006
Label: Prosthetic Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Facing the Thousand"
02. "Cradle for a King"
03. "The Unwelcome Savior"
04. "Exile"
05. "Maddening Swarm"
06. "City of the Snares"
07. "The Eagle"
08. "Fear of Heights"
09. "Tracks of Decay"
10. "Like Every Song's Our Last"

Facing the Thousand ♪♫

Light This City - Remains of the Gods (2005)

Light This City arguably came into their own with this release, which, coincidentally, was also their first album for Prosthetic Records, by striking upon the two pronged formula that would characterize their particular mix of melodic death metal henceforth: velocity and bombast. The first permeates every song so completely and compulsively (as indeed it would on every one of the band albums) that their inexorable intensity would simply overpower the senses without the second timely punctuations, which really help to give shape and temper emotions during standouts like the opening title cut, the excellent midsection riffs of "Obituary," and the brilliant Gothenburg-style staccato picking of "The Hunt." Kudos, too, to vocalist Laura Nichol, who compensates for her relatively indistinct (though always impassioned) death growl with thoughtful lyrics like those of "Letter to My Abuser" and "Your Devoted Victim," which address matters of mental and physical cruelty from a refreshingly female point of view, at least in the macho world of heavy metal. But a distinctly weaker second half, marked by more of the same über thrashers and an unimpressive instrumental conclusion unwisely named "The Last Catastrophe," proves that Light This City still needed a little more experience and maturation to make their inspiration match the boundless energy and physical stamina displayed from start to finish on albums such as this.

Band: Light This City
Album: Remains of the Gods
Genre: Death Metal/Speed Metal/Heavy Metal
Country: San Francisco, California, United States
Release Date: May 17, 2005
Label: Prosthetic Records

"Tracklist"

01. "Remains of the Gods"
02. "Obituary"
03. "A Guardian in a Passerby"
04. "The Hunt"
05. "Letter to My Abuser"
06. "Fractured by the Fall"
07. "The Static Masses"
08. "Guiding the North Star"
09. "Your Devoted Victim"
10. "The Last Catastrophe"

Remains of the Gods ♪♫