The Top 5 Albums of 2019

December marches on fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I have to laugh at this list. Unlike what I did for 2018's album ranking, this year was actually pretty damn easy! In fact, some of the records on this list were actually announced the year before, and automatically made their way onto here. A couple others throughout 2019 also arrived onto this list, and it made my work much simpler this time around. About the only amount of work I needed to do was figuring out how to order them. So with that said, here are my top 5 albums of 2019. Enjoy!

5) Musmahhu - Reign of the Odius (Song) & Waldgeflüster - Mondscheinsonaten (Song)

We start off this list with a pretty new Death Metal monster. Despite actually being just one guy, the melodic Musmahhu put out an EP last year (Which you can listen to here), and then the real first course came out literally at the start of the year (The 11th of January, if I’m correct). From the first few notes of the beginning track, I knew I was in for a ride.....and a ride I got! It’s always great to hear solo artists come up with great music, and Musmahhu definitely does. The more I discover people/bands who know what the hell they’re doing, I’m liking Death Metal & Black Metal more and more. Speaking of which......

There’s also Waldgeflüster, another band I’m glad I discovered! Taking the normally ugly & heavy style of Black Metal, and somehow making it beautiful, these Germanic wizards continue to surprise any who listen. Their release this past April is no exception: though their previous release was the first I sat down & listened to, the first single off of this album got stuck in my brain, and in turn convinced me to pursue this release. Upon my first listen, it helped me realize that Black Metal can be a little more versatile than I once thought. It’s amazing at how emotional Mondscheinsonaten was, and I recommend it to anyone who wants something more with their Black Metal.

4) Korn - The Nothing (Song)

The most relatively recent album on this list (It came out near mid September on the 13th), I had actually forgotten about it for a bit, till 2 weeks after the release of the album’s first single. I loved the hell out of it, and then the 2nd single came out, and that was pretty damn good too. Finally, the album came out, and I can say that it was worth the wait. In a way, The Nothing is perhaps the rawest & most personal record of Korn’s career, what with the agony of frontman Johnathan Davis seeping into every single track. This isn’t a record that’ll help you find your happy place, although to be fair none of the band’s releases are. Still, this is one time that the number 13 isn’t bad luck, and The Nothing easily kills that myth.

3) Devin Townsend - Empath (Song A/Song B)

At this point, categorizing Devin Townsend into a single musical style seems silly. Though his roots will always sprout from the Progressive Metal tree, he has seemingly branched out into just about everything one can think of. Transcendence from 2016 was certainly spectacular & one of the best releases that year, but Empath might have actually managed to surpass it. The first time in ages he released a record under his own name, Empath can be best described as a musical & emotional rainbow. So many different styles, and so many ways to feel while you listen. If you want you metal more on the awe-inspring/third-eye opening/illuminating side of things, then you need to get this!

2) Beast In Black - From Hell With Love (Song) & Sabaton - The Great War (Song) & Everfrost - Winterider (Song) & Hammerfall - Dominion (Song)

This year, we got 3 significant Power Metal releases. Battle Beast’s 5th CD (Despite it’s issues), Sabaton’s 9th, and relative new comers Beast In Black with their 2nd smash success, From Hell With Love. Taking the title of cheesiest Power Metal band away from his former compatriots, Anton Kabanen assembled a band that proved to be even stronger, even more beastly, even more 80s, and even more geeky than his prior group. Berserker proved to be a fantastic starting record, but it’s From Hell With Love that completely gives them the title of “Beast”! From the opening notes of Cry For A Hero, and to the concluding beats of No Surrender (Not to mention the two fantastic bonus cover tracks on the special edition), it’s obvious that this new band is what BB should still be. This was one of the albums I was considering to be no. 1, but there was one that absolutely floored everybody on here. Regardless, From Hell With Love is a massively happy treat, and it’s one you should indulge in!

And then of course there’s the Sabaton release, The Great War. Being announced the day after April Fools, fans thought it was a belated joke....then it turned out it wasn’t. The previews/singles then showed up, and they got people pumped. Finally the album came out this past July, and.....as usual, Sabaton delivered! Despite it’s considerably darker nature, this is one of the best albums of the year. As usual they continue to try new things with their music, and the end result is nothing but genius. Like Beast In Black’s second offering, I was considering having The Great War be the number one album of 2019, but as with From Hell With Love......something else managed to get past it.

Oh wait.....there’s one more! Out of everything that came out this year (Or for that matter, maybe even this decade), nothing has surprised me much like this release. On the cover it looks like it’ll just be some highly weeby music, said weebiness hides what it actually some incredible Power Metal. Yes, the album has lots of anime & manga inspiration, but it works on Winterider incredibly well. This isn’t an album that you can just listen to once: you actually got to get a few sessions with it to understand how incredible it genuinely is. It might get a bit heavy towards the end emotionally, but it somehow earns that emotional gut punch. To be genuinely honest I almost considered dethroning my no. 1 spot with Winterider, but in a weird way I couldn’t. Still, this second masterpiece of weeby (In a good way) Power Metal from one of Finland’s newest stars is one I would recommend to any Otaku who wants to get into metal!

I think that’s.......crap, we got one last one, and for real this time! I had the privilege of going to one of the final shows of Sabaton’s tour here in the United States. Coming along for the ride were the equally iconic Hammerfall, who I actually didn’t fallow beforehand (Despite being a huge Power Metal fan). That all changed once I got my hands on their 11 album, Dominion.....and I’m sure glad I did! From top to bottom this album is Power Metal of the highest degree, but with a nice dose of Hard Rock thrown into the mix, and the end result might be one of the rawest records within the genre. I’m definitely a fan of Hammerfall now, and it’s all thanks to number 11.

Now before I talk about my number one album of 2019, I wanted to briefly speak about some honorable mentions. The two releases that have taken these spots this year couldn’t be further apart in terms of quality & style, but they still stood out enough that they deserved to at least be commented on. So let’s see the honorable mentions of 2019!

HM1) A Pale Horse Named Death - When The World Becomes Undone (Song)

I didn’t want to put this album here. I really didn’t. When I found out that the spiritual successor to Type-O Negative was finally getting a 3rd album out close to 6 years after the last one, I jumped out of my seat! Then the album finally came out, and kind of like Paradise Lost’s 2017 album Medusa, I sort of got what I wanted. A Pale Horse Named Death definitely called upon the gothic energies of one of the greatest bands in the world with their first two records, but When The World Becomes Undone doesn’t use said energy quite as much. This release almost feels like a Grunge band experimenting with Gothic Metal, rather than a full-blown GM band. In theory this isn’t a bad thing, but APHND are Gothic first & foremost. Regardless, When The World Becomes Undone is most definitely enjoyable, but it’s not as strong as what the band’s first 2 releases were.

HM2) Battle Beast - No More Hollywood Endings (Song)

If I didn’t want to put the above mentioned album in my honorable mentions section, then there was no other place for this record but here. I stated it back when I updated the overview in March (Which you can read here), and I’m stating it here: Battle Beast finally sold out. There’s hardly any drive, any punch, any power, and most certainly, there really isn’t any beast on this record (Said beast has now been claimed by their more recent superiors). All that hope & excitement built up, only to almost immediately be demolished. That said, the few remnants of their older selves are most certainly the highpoints, and for that reason alone No More Hollywood Endings barely makes it onto this list.

1) Rammstein - Rammstein (Song)

There were plenty of albums in 2019 that were really anticipated. Empath, The Great War, you name it. However, I don’t think there was an album in 2019 that was quite as hyped up as Rammstein’s long awaited 7th studio album. Having waited for nearly a decade since their last record, you can be sure that fans were expecting Industrial Metal of the highest quality, and Rammstein easily delivered! Having 2+ decades of experience under their belt, the band created what is mostly likely to be their swan song, but it’s a powerful, loud, and Industrial swan song! I stated it in the update to my overview of the band (Which you can read here), but every damn track is top notch, and it felt like meeting an old friend after years of not seeing & hearing from them. If there was one album that deserved to take the no. 1 spot, it’s definitely this one.

And those were my top 5 albums of 2019. Again, this list was pretty easy to make in comparison to what I did in 2018.....Maybe more so than the lists from 2017 & before. Every album on here (With maybe the exception of No More Hollywood Endings) is worth listening to at the very least, or buying if you’re really into their singles. So with that said, It’s time to post up some holiday goodies, so I’ll see you all soon!



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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best albums were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Albums of 2018

The Top 5 Movies of 2019

Welcome back fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

With my games of the year list released a few days ago, you know what time it is. It’s time to talk about what I think the best movies of 2019 are, and this year is strange indeed. No, it’s not going to be like my top 5 albums list from last year, but the choices I’ve picked are.....surprising to a certain degree. Some you’re not going to be surprised at, while others definitely will be. With that out of the way, here are my top 5 movies of 2019!

5) Aquaman (Trailer) & Bumblebee (Trailer)

Kinda like Dusk from my games list of this year, I’m starting off with two films that came out in 2018, and watched last year (Technically, I watched one last year, and the other in January this year). Both were an absolute blast to see. In the case of Aquaman, we got another one of the terribly few live action DC movies that was fun from beginning to end. Jason Momoa chewed up scenery in every single moment he was given, the rest of the cast was great, and unlike the forced morally grey Superman movies, this one knew how to be both fun & serious.

In Bumblebee’s case, we got what is perhaps the best of the Transformer movies. With Michael Bay nowhere near this movie, and Steven Spielberg instead taking the reigns as Executive Producer, not to mention a new director & writer. There is not a single trace of what plagued the previous 5 movies (Even though I apologize for some of them), and in place is a surprising amount of heart. The explosions were still there, the scenes that had them were earned.

In the end, it was great seeing the both of these, and if you haven’t for any reason....check them out!

4) Spiderman: Far From Home (Trailer)

I had an absolute blast of a time watching this movie! If the 1st after-credit scene didn’t bug me (Along with something else I can’t remember), I might have actually placed Tom Holland’s second time as Peter Parker a little higher on this list. Despite that little dent in the armor, Far From Home might actually have been better than Homecoming from 2017. The scale seemed grander, the emotions a little stronger, and even the acting seemed to have a little more oomph behind it. It’s a shame that we might not be getting any more good Spiderman movies due to Sony & Disney’s issues, but at least we got this one to fill the void.

3) The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (Trailer)

There was, for a brief time, that The Lego Movie 2 was going to be at the no 1 spot. I loved the original film, Lego Batman was hilarious, and Ninjago was weak but still entertaining. With the Second Part, there were a couple things I didn’t think were as good. Some of the jokes weren’t as strong, things were a little more predictable, and there were musical parts.....I’m not fond of musicals. It’s a genuine shame that I’m putting this movie here, as I love the original Lego Movie just as much! For as flawed as it can be, The Second Part has far more good than bad. It still feels like my Lego collection came to life, I still laughed at lot, the characters are still engaging, and overall I didn’t feel like my time was wasted. If the movie at the number 1 spot showed up later in the year, The Second Part may have very well taken it. However, due to it’s issues, not to mention how massive the next film is, The Second Piece gets set here.

2) Avengers: Endgame (Trailer)

For basically a decade, my generation (Along with prior & newer generations) has grown up alongside the films of the Marvel Universe. For a decade, we’ve grown up alongside Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and embraced them as pop culture icons & heroes we wish were real. Endgame brings together past, present, and future in one film. Everything I didn’t like about Infinity War (Which was little but major) was completely gone, and for 3 hours I was getting hit in the head with the nostalgia hammer in all the right ways. Hell, I even cried a little cause of how hard the film was tugging at the heart strings. If there was one movie in 2019 you shouldn’t skip, it is without a doubt Endgame.....although there was one other that managed to take the number one spot....and you won’t be surprised by what it was.

Now before I talk about my number one movie of 2019, I wanted to briefly speak about some honorable mentions. The two titles that have taken these spots this year couldn’t be more different. One’s a movie, and the other isn’t. They’re both flawed in some ways, but I don’t think they’re abominations. With that out of the way, here are my honorable mentions of 2019.

HM1) Men In Black: International (Trailer)

“Meh” is the best word to describe this movie. When I first saw the trailer, I was simultaneously glad to see that we’d be returning to the world of Men In Black, but at the same time I didn’t feel compelled to go see it. Come Father’s Day this year, and we took my Dad to see it, and me & my folks basically all had the same reaction. It wasn’t offensive by any stretch, as some of the jokes got us to chuckle, and the more recognizable cast members certainly did a nice job. On the other hand, I don’t have an urge to ever see it again (Unless it eventually comes to TV), and it’s nowhere near as stuck in my head as the prior 3 film are. Certainly not an offensive movie, but it’s a rental at the very least.

HM2) Wrestlemania 35 (Video)

Kinda like Evolution from last year (See my review here), plenty of fans were surprised by Wrestlemania 35. Despite it’s numerous issues, there was plenty to enjoy. The spectacle was big as usual, the wrestling was great for the most part, and the right people won in a majority of the matches. Though the issues it had were rather obvious, the things that were good kept the whole show afloat. It’s not one of the network era wrestlemania events I’d recommend, but give it a watch if you’re curious.

1) A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (Trailer)

Like I said earlier, Endgame was number 1 for a huge chunk of the year. It hit hard in a lot of ways, and managed to eclipse Titanic miraculously enough. However, I would be hard pressed to say that Tom Hanks’s take on perhaps the most beloved children’s icon of all time took more precedent. Ironically enough, the movie is very deceptive, as it’s not a documentary on Mr Rogers (That was done last year). Instead, it’s actually a redemption story of sorts, and Mr Rogers is there to help. Based on a true story, it’s obvious that a lot of respect went into the writing and characters, and it shows. Given how awful 2019 was in places, it’s nice to know that the neighborhood is still open to everyone who wants to pay a visit.

And those were my top 5 movies of 2019. Definitely a fun bunch of films, each of which have something for everybody. I only have 3 posts left, so stay tuned.....and stay warm!


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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best movies were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Movies of 2018

Also, if you want to read my review on Wrestlemania 35, click on the link below:

Wrestlemania 35 (Review)

The Top 5 Games of 2019

December is here fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I always look forward to this time of year. The tree, the snow, and just the more lighthearted attitude of the month. This month also let’s me reflect on the games I played, the movies I saw, and most importantly the music I listened to. As I’ve been doing since 2014, I’ll be showing off the top 5 best of each list (Not to mention some Honorable Mentions, which I introduced in 2015 across all my lists), and suffice it to say, I got some surprises this year. With that said, here are my top 5 games of 2019. Let’s play!

5) Dusk (Trailer)

We start off this list with a game that technically came out last year (December 10th to be exact), but I managed to finally play in 2019, and holy crap was this fun! In recent years there been a revival of old-school FPS games. 2016 had Duke’s tour around the world & the return of the Doom Marine, and last year we got this little gem. It’s absolutely incredible as just how much was made with an engine normally used with cheap B-rated horror games released on Steam, yet it doesn’t feel cheap in any way. The nostalgia factor is pretty incredible too, as it doesn’t rely on the player’s prior experience. Dusk opts for a more natural approach to 90s FPS nostalgia, and it’s because of that approach that the game has been rated so high among gamers. If you need a blast from the past, or if you’re not familiar with FPS games in the classic style, Dusk will certainly be worthy of your time.

4) Amid Evil (Trailer)

If Dusk was an homage to Quake & Blood, then Amid Evil is an homage to Heretic & Hexen (Minus the horrendous switch puzzles in Hexen). Coincidentally released by the same studio that did Dusk (New Blood Interactive, with Andrew Hershult returning to do the soundtrack), Amid Evil is further proof that the old-school FPS formula is still a valid gaming style even in this age, and is welcomed by anyone who’s even remotely interested in it. Perhaps even a faster experience than what’s at no. 5, Amid Evil has some of the most breathtaking levels, atmospheric music, wild weapons, and colorful enemies & bosses that I’ve ever seen in this decade. If you wanted to play Dusk but in a fantasy setting, then Amid Evil is the game for you!

3) Ion Maiden/Fury (Trailer)

Even the spirit of Duke Nukem could not escape the nostalgia rebirth. 2013 gave us the Megaton Edition (Base game & 3 Packs, which can’t be bought anymore), 2016 had the World Tour Edition (Updated graphics & brand-new episode), and 2019 gave us the first game made with the Build engine in 20+ years in the form of Ion Fury (Originally Ion Maiden, but Iron Maiden blew a gasket). Dusk & Amid Evil definitely felt nostalgic, but Ion Fury really tug at my nostalgia strings. Fluid movement, stunning & fun levels, secrets that are a challenge to find, gameplay that’s equally fun, and voice work from John St. Jon as the main villain.....what’s not to love!? If there was one nostalgia-based FPS game you can’t miss, then Ion Fury is for you.

2) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Trailer)

If I didn’t pull out so much hair, or suffered so many near heart attacks & adrenalin rushes, or almost ruined a few pairs of boxers......then Sekiro may have taken the no. 1 spot on this list. From Software’s newest game takes the Dark Souls formula, and chucks almost all of it out the window, leaving scraps of it that reinforce the new system introduced. Gone is the quasi singleplayer of the previously mentioned games, and instead is now purely single play (Forcing players to get good even more than before). Combat is now a cautious mix between offense & defense, stealth is encouraged when it’s required, resource gathering is even more important than before, and you have to be careful with how often you die. Despite this, I actually welcome all of these changes, as I find it incredibly refreshing. I don’t hide my love for Dark Souls 3, but I found Sekiro to be a strangely welcoming change despite continuing to play DS3 alongside it. Maybe it was the new formula that was put in, or the fact that the new world was fully Asian (Japanese to be specific), but I thought that it was cool that FromSoft could craft something completely new, yet still harkens back to their past. If you wanted a game that’ll make you grow hair on your chest, and toughen your skills as a FromSoft player, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is something to play.

Now before I talk about my number one game of 2019, I wanted to briefly speak about some honorable mentions. The two releases that have taken these spots this year are.....odd, to say the least. In terms of quality & style, they couldn’t be any different, yet they aren’t awful in the slightest......so let’s see the honorable mentions of 2019!

HM1) Borderlands 2 - Commander Lilith And The Fight For Sanctuary (Trailer)

I was genuinely shocked when I heard that Borderlands 2 was getting some free/not free (Depended on when you downloaded it) content nearly 7 years after it’s release. For a while it was just rumor, but then the news came out, and finally we got the DLC. It was a perfect excuse to traverse the Pandoran wasteland one last time before we traveled across the universe in search of the vaults. I don’t know how, but I found the story in this DLC to be perhaps the best thing that’s ever been written for Borderlands. I felt way more connected to the characters and story this time around more so than anything within Borderlands 2 or The Pre-Sequel........oh, and the guns are always a plus. My only gripe was that this took place after Tales From The Borderlands, and I never played that game. Regardless, if Amid Evil didn’t come out this year, then it would be entirely possible that Commander Lilith And The Fight For Sanctuary might have taken the no. 4 spot on this list. Still, this DLC was a lot of fun to play, and is a nice sendoff to one of the best FPS titles of the early 2010s.

HM2) Blood: Fresh Supply (Trailer)

Flawed. That’s the best way to describe this remaster/re-release from Night Dive Studios. News about a remaster of Blood had been circulating for a little bit, and the anticipation was pretty damn high. As one of the big 4 of the Build Engine fps games of the 90s (Duke Nukem 3d, Shadow Warrior, and Redneck Ramage are the others), it has a legendary reputation that’s still pretty strong even in the end of the 2010s. With Fresh Supply.......well, it’s not perfect. It had quite a number of issues upon it initial release, but just a week later Night Dive Studios released a patch that fixed some of the issues, and proved that they weren’t going to abandon it. That being said, I loved Fresh Supply! Compared to the One Whole Unit re-release from a few years ago, this was considerably smoother, faster, and despite it’s issues I felt incredibly engaged. Not only that, but this re-release included the Sunstorm Interactive made & produced expansion Cryptic Passage (Something that One Whole Unit didn’t have). With the patches it’s received, it’s considerably improved from it’s inaugural debut, but it’s that factor that prevents Fresh Supply from getting onto the main list....but it’s not a bad game in any way!

1) Resident Evil 2 Remake (Trailer)

Back in 2017, I fell in love with Resident Evil 7. It practically revitalized the franchise with it’s take on the world the older games established so long ago, yet added it’s own little bits here & there to create something new. RE7 was tense, scary, atmospheric, and filled with great combat & gameplay . Enter the remake of Resident Evil 2 (Which I got back in July)......and holy hell was it great! I never played the original version of RE2 back in 1998 (I’m almost always exclusively a PC player. More so back in the 90s & 2000s), so it was a real treat to basically experience it for my first time. Not only does it treat the history of Resident Evil with respect, it also encourages the player to go through it again thanks to the addition of a 2nd character. Said 2nd run also changes up certain aspects, making it not quite a 100% repeat of the 1st playthrough. If there was one game from 2019 to not miss, it’s this one.

And that was what I thought the top 5 games of 2019 were. A bit heavy on FPS titles, but this year treated that genre well. Sekiro & RE2 were the lone exception, but it was so good I couldn’t leave it off here. Join me in a few days, when I’ll be talking about the best movies of this year. Until then, game on everybody!




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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2018

Album Review - Led Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door

Been a while since I’ve reviewed something that’s not Heavy Metal, hasn’t it fellow Otaku & Metalheads?

Not since December of 2017 if I’m recalling correctly have I review anything outside my comfort zone, but this is one of the few times that I am. Like I hinted at in my review around the middle of this month, I’m taking a look at the oldest album in my collection. Turning 40 years old back in August, this release was the final official album from a rock titan, and was a highly significant one at that (For somewhat negative reasons). So, let’s take a seat up at the bar, order some scotch on the rocks, and take a look at my review of Led Zeppelin’s concluding release, In Through The Out Door. Let’s begin.

Background
By the end of the 70s, things did not look good for Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant’s son Karac passed away in 1977,  John Bonham was struggling with alcoholism, and Jimmy Page had been battling heroin addiction. Coupled with a taxation exile from the UK (Which prevented them from performing in their home country for 2 years), it meant that the band had to struggle to get back into the mind of the public, and it was this struggle that led to the release of In Through The Out Door. Put out on the 15th of August, 1979, In Through The Out Door was much more influenced by John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, and less influenced by Bonham and Page (For obvious reasons). Due to the issues with half the band, Jones & Plant would put together most of the songs in the day, while Bonham and Page would add their parts at night. Jones was also inspired to create new songs after he got a Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer prior to the album's recording, and was "working closely with Robert, which was something that had not happened before."

In Through The Out Door was meet with fierce criticism at the time of it’s original release (Though some looked at it more positively than others). Charles M. Young from Rolling Stone said that Page's diminishing creativity resulted in little good material to work with for Plant, whose lyrics Young found inane, and Bonham, whose drumming was viewed as heavy handed. This brought to the forefront the keyboard playing of Jones, who Young said "functions best behind Page, not in front of him". Chris Bohn from Melody Maker said "the impressionable first play" of the record "had everyone in the office rolling around laughing", while accusing the band of being "totally out of touch" and "displaying the first intimations of mortality". Ironically enough, In Through The Out Door would go on to be a huge commercial success. In the United States, it would sit at the No.1 slot on Billboard's chart in just its second week on the chart, though it would be the last record of the band to chart in America for heavily obvious reasons.

To further the irony, the 2015 re-release would be highly well received by critics and fans. Q Magazine said that "it's aged remarkably well and All My Love is breathtakingly beautiful", while Classic Rock writer Tim Batcup observed on the bonus disc “a scruffier, rambunctious Hot Dog and a sparser In The Evening, the drone intro truncated and Jones's synths high in the mix”. Andrew Doscas of PopMatters was more critical than other reviewers, especially in regards to the bonus material. He said that "While In Through the Out Door does have some merit, it's cruel of Led Zeppelin to think that anyone, even a dedicated fan, could muster the strength to listen to the album twice in a row". That’s a harsh way to look at it, but a little understandable at the same time.

Basic Description
The only Led Zeppelin album I like.

Now, that will sound like blasphemy to about 90 percent of all Led Zeppelin fans, and I can kind of understand why. For the longest time I was not a fan of the band, and I gotta blame my Dad for playing them over & over when I was younger. This persists to this very day to a degree, and while I’m still not a full-blown fan.....my opinion on them has changed. When I was younger I thought they were obnoxious & weird, now it’s more of the fact that I find them a little too artistic for their own good. That being said, I have far more respect for the band now than I ever did when I was younger! Without this fine Brits, Heavy Metal wouldn’t be what it is today. Hell, Rock ‘n’ Roll and other genres of music might not have their respective flair and spice.

So what does this have to do with why I like In Through The Out Door? Well, I always found this album to be the least Led Zeppelin feeling release in the entirety of Led Zeppelin. It most certain sounds like something you’d hear from the band, but due to the usage of synthesizer & odd experimentation, it almost sounds like a band that’s trying to not be like Led Zeppelin. Whether this is because of the conflict within the band at the time or because of outside influences, I’m not sure. Regardless, I think it’s because of this deviation that I like the band so much. I’m weird, I know.

Best Track
Even before I got this album, I was always a sucker for All My Love. An incredible tribute to his son, Robert Plant is the driving force behind the song. His voice goes between crooning, blues, & beautiful sorrow at the drop of a needle, and he never misses a step. The instrumentation is equally beautiful, as everything is incredibly emotional but not complex. The guitar & drums are played rather simply, and while the keyboard might be a tiny bit ear-piercing, they just add to the atmosphere of the track. I can’t skip this song at all, and neither should you.

All My Love

Worst Track
Their really isn’t any one track on In Through The Out Door that’s bad, Like I said before, due to the fact that it sounds like Led Zeppelin the least, I have a far stronger attachment to the music on this album that some. That being said, I can see why some Led Zeppelin don’t like this one. They seem a little too reliant on keyboards at times, and the band also seems to try & relive moments from their older works in some places (Not necessarily for the better, btw). Again, I’m not really affected by this, but for long time fans I can see why this would be a turn-off.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

In Through The Out Door

Overall Impression & Rating
In Through The Out Door was definitely a divider back in 1979. The more Synth direction definitely confused at best, or turned them off at worst. However, the album is a paragon of emotionally-charged music, and while it might not be as heavy as earlier material, Led Zeppelin still know how to craft tunes that just stick & tugs at the heartstrings. It might not be an essential record to listen to from this band, yet it’s legacy as the final Led Zeppelin release cannot be denied.

In Through The Out Door gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And with that, we conclude November 2019. Some interesting albums were reviewed this month, and they all have cemented their legacy in music history in some way. With that out of the way, the end of the year has come, and thus it’s time for the final posts of the year. See you all really soon!

Album Review: W.A.S.P.'s The Headless Children

Sorry I’m late fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

It wasn’t anything major. I had thought it was still a little too soon to post something, and so I did type anything up. Low & behold I looked at my calendar, and realized that maybe I should get something out! Luckily, with World Coming Out a little over 20 years ago this month, I figured I’d make an unofficial theme for November, where I take a look at albums that have turned a certain age. In regards to the release I’m looking at today, it just so happened to turn 30 earlier this year, and it’s a classic to boot! So don your leather clothes, get your protest sign, and scream at my review of W.A.S.P.’s final album of the 80s, The Headless Children. Let’s begin.    

Background
The period after the release of Inside The Electric Circus was the roughest that Blackie Lawless & W.A.S.P. felt at the time. Their 3rd album didn’t do as well as they thought, and some critics (Chief among them Blackie himself) seemed to just tear into the thing. Coupled with a rather negative review of the single 3.5 N.A.S.T.Y., Blackie began thinking about what & how the band should progress. Deciding that perhaps a more socio-political route was the right way to go, and so he and the rest of the band went into the recording studio, jammed their hardest, and on April the 15th in 1989, put out The Headless Children for all to listen to.

The Headless Children would go onto be one of the highest charted album, staying at the no. 48, and stay there for 13 weeks, eventually become the biggest selling album of W.A.S.P.’s entire career. Not only that, but fans & music critics praised the album to no end, with Hard Rock writer Thomas Kupfer stating that The Headless Children was second to the band’s debut release, while Canadian journalist Martin Popoff described the album as "the W.A.S.P. record for those who don't like W.A.S.P., hollow, damp and alone, integrity discovered, humanity revealed." Sadly, The Headless Children would be the last album for nearly a decade that iconic guitarist Chris Holmes would play on, as he didn’t mesh well with the new direction that the band was turning onto. Ironic, considering that there was a song on the album Blackie dedicated to him (Mean Man).

Basic Description
Politically minded Blackie Lawless.

If The Headless Children is the first W.A.S.P. you’ve listened to, you’re in for a world of whiplash. Their prior 3 albums were filled with sex, drugs, rock n roll, and that patented Shock Rock meets Hair Metal formula they’ve perfected so well. Then this album comes along, and kinda changes the game for the band. Make no mistake: they still have that aquanet hairspray floating around, and they still know how to offend. However, with the change in subject matter, their focus is less on physical wildness, and more on sticking it to the man. War, systemic oppression, and religious hypocrisy are just some of things that Blackie & the gang covered on this album, and it’s simultaneously refreshing yet confusing in a way.

Best Track
Like I said back in August, the band’s cover of The Real Me is the best thing on The Headless Children. Make no mistake: The Who crafted a wonderful song, and I can see why people like it. For me, I kind of like the more raw approach that Blackie & the gang took with their cover. I easily see why it connected with many younger people at that time, and the mix of The Who & W.A.S.P. probably resonated with a lot of them. As for myself.....I think it’s just an awesome song.

The Real Me

Worst Track
As I stated in August, The Headless Children’s only “Flaw” would be the tonal shift it took. Forgoing the sex, drugs, and rock n roll route of their first 3 albums, this one goes for a more socially conscious route, with a little bit of politics thrown into the mix, and I think for some this was probably off-putting. However, it’s the only time that I didn’t have an issue with this change, as it never necessarily came across as in your face (At least not completely). The topics sung were legit issues at the time, and still are today. Ironically, Blacke never came across as the conservative Christian like he has been since 2001. Rather, he smoothed out his carnal edge with real-world issues. That’s how I see it at least.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, check out the link below:

The Headless Children

Overall Impression & Rating
The Headless Children definitely shows off a more socially conscious Blackie Lawless, and by extension a more socially conscious W.A.S.P.. That doesn’t mean that they lost what made them so successful in the first place, as that raw W.A.S.P. sound & feel is still very much apparent. It may not have as much sex & violence as say their first record, but The Headless Children compensates by having a sharp edge that cuts into your mind, and it’s not healing anytime soon. Luckily, this is one head wound I don’t mind suffering from.

The Headless Children gets a 9 out of 10.

Again, sorry for getting this up a little later this week. I forgot about putting something up, but luckily I remember just in time. I’ll see you all towards the end of this month, when I’ll review the oldest album I have in my collection.

The Top 5 Darkest Metal Albums of All Time

Hey fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

This is something of a random post I just decided to do. Despite having an amazing experience seeing Hammerfall & Sabaton at the Palladium in Worchester last week, I’ve just been feeling down a lot lately. So, I figured “What the hell”, and decided to use that down-ness for something productive. So here are my top 5 darkest metal albums of all time!

(Note: These are what I consider to be the 5 darkest metal albums ever. All of you will probably have your own 5 darkest records. These are the ones that are the darkest to me.)

5) Korn - The Nothing (Song)

We begin this list with a pretty recent release. Coming out nearly 2 months ago, Korn’s 13 release is the darkest that they’ve ever done. There were certainly some bleak tracks beforehand, but The Nothing is the first album that captures everything negative feeling that Johnathan Davis felt at the time. Losing his wife and his mother, not to mention having bipolar issues and diabetes, he really was at the lowest he’s ever been. This reflects upon each and every song that’s on this record, and yet The Nothing was simultaneously a way for the beleaguered frontman to let out everything negative from his mind & soul. Definitely a dark album.

4) W.A.S.P. - Still Not Black Enough (Song)

As I was making this list, I was surprised that outside of The Nothing, everything else came from the 90s. The decade was wild when it came to music, and the landscape was all over the place. Metal was definitely affected by this, and some of the darkest records of the genre came out here. Case in point is the forgotten classic of W.A.S.P.’s career, Still Not Black Enough. In many ways the record is a lot like The Nothing: both were inspired by the pain of the frontman, and the music reflects their agony. The reason that I think Still Not Black Enough eeks out a little more than Korn’s release is cause it’s somewhat unexpected, and rightfully so. W.A.S.P.’s 80s output was a nice mix of Hair Metal meets shock, and while The Crimson Idol was more serious than their prior output, it still felt like something from the band. With Still Not Black Enough? You treated to what may very well be the most personal material Blacke Lawless has ever made. It might be hard to find physically, but this album might just be the most essential W.A.S.P. album ever.

3) Ministry - Dark Side Of The Spoon (Song)

I said it back in 2016, and I’ll say it again: Dark Side Of The Spoon is underrated, underappreciated, and highly misunderstood. After Filth Pig became a bomb for Ministry, Al Jourgenson’s life went to hell in a handbasket, as drug & alcohol usage got worse, and his wife & child left him. This instilled within him a depression that would ultimately become a battle for him, yet it was at this time he became highly experimental with his work. Dark Side Of The Spoon is most definitely Industrial Metal, but there’s little bits of Country, Jazz, and some other unexpected genres thrown into the pot, not to mention the agony that Uncle Al was going through. The end result is an album that’s highly unique among Ministry’s discography, and one you should check out if you can.

2) Sodom - Tapping The Vein (Song)

You already know the story behind this record: my Mom was in the hospital, I was feeling god-awful, and this album was there for me everyday she was in there. Even if all of this didn’t happen, Tapping The Vein might just be the most brutal thing that Sodom has ever produced. Almost bordering on Death Metal, one reviewer on MetalArchives said that ““Tapping the Vein” often gives you the impression that brutality itself is somehow “taking over” the band’s songwriting, almost like Tom & co. were put under a schizoid possession that drove them to write violent music beyond their own control and beyond common logic, almost in a grindcore vein.” I most sincerely agree with that statement, as while I’m not the biggest Grindcore fan, Tapping The Vein almost reaches that genre’s love for violence and graphic imagery. If I never came across what ultimately became my number 1, Tapping The Vein would easily have taken it.....but there was another.

1) Type-O Negative - World Coming Down (Song)

You all should have seen this one coming. Out of all the dark/serious album’s I’ve listened to, nothing has ever come close to Type-O Negative’s most bleak output of their entire career. Forgoing the gothic sensuality & imagery of Bloody Kisses and October Rust, World Coming Down is the perfect reflection of a man that’s at the bottom of the barrel. Drug addiction, mental illness, dark sexual thoughts (Pyretta Blaze anybody?), loss, and loneliness are just a few of the things that Pete Steele was feeling. It definitely shows, as the band rarely if ever playing anything from the album during it’s tour. It’s a testament to it’s name, as just over 20 years later, even the most hardcore of Type-O Negative fans sometimes get a chill up their spines when listening to this album. That’s says something about it’s legacy.

And those were my top 5 darkest albums of all time. Again, this was just a spur of the moment post, but I feel that I needed to make this as a way to vent & shed how bad I’m feeling. I’ll be back to my normal self soon, and get some more content out also!

Album Review: Type-O Negative's World Coming Down

It’s getting close fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

We’ve past the spookiest time of the year, and now we’re in the home stretch of 2019. It’s the start of November, and December is just a few weeks away. I got some end-of-year content planned for next month, but beforehand I got some catching up to do. Since we’ve only got a little bit of a year ending in 9, a bunch of albums have some special birthday’s this year, so why not give them a little bit of love. All throughout this month, I got reviews coming up that all have their birthday in year’s that ended with the number nine. Today’s review turned 20 just a few short months ago, and it’s one of the bleakest records to ever conclude a decade. So sit back, turn down the lights & grab a stiff drink, and read my review for Type-O Negative’s darkest record. This is gonna be rough.

Background
The year following the release of October Rust weren’t the easiest for frontman Peter Steele. In the upcoming years he was having family members die for what seemed like every few months (If I’m being honest, things began to go downhill the year before October Rust when Pete’s father died), and coupled with his own growing depression eventually caused the man to break. He began to take cocaine at the age of 35 (He said in interviews he knew it was stupid, but was so broken he didn’t care), and the music to come would take a drastically bleak turn. Released on September the 21st, 1999, World Coming Down was the darkest Type-O Negative album at the time, and remains so to this day. Gone were the gothic themes (Outside of 2 exceptions) on prior albums, and in it’s place were personal issues of suicide, drug & alcohol abuse, depression, & whatever other negative thing Pete was feeling at the time. Not only that, but the album marks the first time that the band ever went full-blown Doom Metal, as a lot of the tracks come across like dirges meant for the most tragic of funerals.

Ironically enough, despite the bleak nature of the record and the lack of songs on the promotional tour (The band rarely if ever played any songs off the record, with the title track being one of the few exceptions during the Dead Again tour), World Coming Down was actually the 1st Type-O Negative record to ever break the Top 40 on the Billboard 200. Reaching no. 39, the album was received favorably by fans and critics back then & now, with AllMusic critic Steve Huey gave the album a 4-out-of-5 star rating, and Adam Wasylyk of Chronicles of Chaos gave it a very positive review: "An album that won't be ignored, it's my favorite album of 1999. Hands down.".

To add further irony to the situation, the members of the band had mixed opinions after World Coming Down was released. Keyboardist and producer Josh Silver felt that the band had release a strong record, while Pete Steele said that the music was too strongly connected to an uncomfortable period in his life (Hence why they hardly promoted the record during the tour for it).

Basic Description
To quote CoverKillerNation: “This album is mired with depression and suicidal iletiations with excess, addiction, alcoholism.”

This record is the very incarnation of rock bottom. This is the embodiment of someone who’s at the lowest point of their life, and even if they recover from it a piece always remains. This record is the definition of everything dark in our life, and what a few of us might become if life decides to throw some particularly virulent shit at us. This record is what some of us dread at the worst points of our life, and dread as what those close to us might become. However, I propose one addition.....that World Coming Down is beautiful.

You might laugh at that, but hear me out. The entire album is a torrent of negative thoughts & emotions, and if you’re not properly prepared you will get punched in the face with the force of a hundred sledgehammers. However, in creating an album that let’s out all of this negativity, Pete Steele was already beginning the healing process. Whether he knew it or not, World Coming Down was the 1st step in getting back to normal. In my opinion, that’s what makes this release beautiful in a sense.

Best Track
Like I said back in 2015, Creepy Greet Light really is the only song on World Coming Down that has any positivity to it (Apart from Skip It). Make to mistake though: it’s still just as emotionally heavy as everything else on the album. However, the bittersweet feel of the track makes it stand out among every other song, and the fact that it’s one out of two tune that are the lone gothic standouts make it special. The Doom Metal like pacing mixes with the Gothic tone & vibe really well, and Pete Steele’s voice is at an all time high on this track (Even though he’s great everywhere else). Definitely a song that’s great for October.....or for a Gothic romance.

Creepy Green Light

Worst Track
Like I said earlier, World Coming Down is a torrent of dark emotions. Outside of Skip It or Creepy Green Light, every other song is incredibly sad. The themes of the album are incredibly obvious, and not the least bit comfortable. Due to this severe emotional bleakness, it makes the album the least accessible out of everything Type-O Negative has ever produced, and in turn is the black sheep of the lot. Even the albums that came after World Coming Down (Including The Least Worst Of a year later ironically enough) have nowhere near as much bleakness all over the music, and are easier to get into.

Other
If you’re curious enough to listen to this album, click on the link below:

World Coming Down

Overall Impression & Rating
World Coming Down is just one of those albums that could have only come from Pete’s tormented psyche. Sure, there have been plenty of albums before & after that are pretty dark, but because of a mix of awful moments in life & personal issues not being handled well, it could only have come out in the late 90s and from Type-O Negative. This definitely isn’t the easiest release from the band to access, but if you manage to get your hands on this & give it a listen, you’ll find it to be an essential “Dark” record.

World Coming Down gets a 10 out of 10 from me (Probably most other Type-O Negative fans as well), but others might give it a 9 out of 10 due to how heavy the emotions are. Maybe an 8 out of 10 if listeners are especially critical of the emotional aspect of the record.

And with that, we continue further into November, and into albums that are older. See you all towards the middle of the month, when we’re get stung once again. Until then, keep your head up if you can.