Album Review: Iron Maiden's Fear Of The Dark

Are you enjoying this return to the 90s fellow Otaku & Metalheads!?

This month started off with what I thought the best albums of 1990s were, and I suspect that many of you were hit with a big wave of nostalgia. Since I already got the roller coaster going, we’re about to ride right down into a hell of an album. I hinted at this classic at the beginning of the month, and it’s one I’ve loved since I got a hold of it back in 2016. Not only that, but it’s an example out of a myriad amount of examples that prove that fantastic Heavy Metal (And by extension, good music in general) didn’t up & disappear once it hit 1990. Also, last month marked it’s 30th birthday, and thus this review is also a celebration of sorts. So, saddle up your horse, grab your six shooter, and get ready to take a look at my review of Iron Maiden’s 1992 classic, Fear Of The Dark. Ride em cowboy!

Background
By 1992, Iron Maiden were running on fumes. After going on tour after tour with nary a stop to take a break & relax, the band seemed tired. Bruce Dickenson seemed to have taken the end of this decade of touring particularly rough, as a mixture of issues kept pushing the man down, with the straw that broke his back being the death of his dear friend, Freddy Mercury. Despite this, the band managed to let out a beast from it’s cage, and it’s name would be Fear Of The Dark. Released on the 11th of May, 1992, the release would be a far cry from what the group’s last two releases were. There is no heavy usage of Prog, nor is there any Low-Fi over correcting, as Maiden returned to their older form. Steve Harris turned the barn they used in the recordings for No Prayer For The Dying into a full-fledged studio, and as such the recording & production was considerably better than that of NPFTD. From it’s release, Iron Maiden would go on the Fear of the Dark Tour 1992, which included 66 concerts on five continents for well over a million fans, and was considered to be a big success. Then, once 1993 came around, Bruce Dickenson would ultimately leave the band to pursue his solo career, and by extent to take a break from the grueling schedule of Iron Maiden.

Oddly enough, Fear Of The Dark would ultimately receive mixed reviews. AllMusic commented that, while "easily an improvement over 1990's lackluster No Prayer for the Dying (both musically and sonically)", the release "still wasn't quite on par with their exceptional work from the '80s". Sputnikmusic was more positive about the album, stating that "though many of the songs are still sub-par by their standards ... the band returns to the lofty heights that they enjoyed for the entirety of the 80's". Finally, Billboard gave Fear Of The Dark a positive review on release, saying Dickinson's voice "shows no sign of wear and tear" and the guitar work "sounds fresh and crisp".

In a bit of irony, Fear of the Dark would be ranked No. 8 on Guitar World magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1992 in October of 2011. Further adding to this irony, the album would be the third Iron Maiden album to top the UK Albums Charts, and it would be their most successful record in North America after the inception of Nielsen SoundScan in 1991, with 438,000 copies sold as of 2008.

Basic Description
Iron Maiden with a Western feel.

I don’t know what the band was watching at the time, or if the ghost of John Wayne was hanging around in the studio during the recording, but I swear that you could use this entire album as the soundtrack for a Western. There’s this.....vibe, that comes across like the wind from the plains of the old west, and the sound of horses thundering along. It’s strong from beginning to end, which is weird considering that you don’t really get that Western meat in the songs. In fact, there’s some pretty tough subjects being sung about. From the view of Desert Storm through the eyes of a soldier, to the fear in sexual relationships resulting from AIDS, and even Football Hooliganism, Fear Of The Dark has a degree of seriousness that can be surprising when it hits. Fortunately, it’s not all doom & gloom, as there are still plenty of tunes that feel like the typical Iron Maiden material. Not only that, but Iron Maiden seems to reign themselves in after going in vastly different directions (More on that below), and it appears as if the band finally feel united once again......which makes things all the more sad when Bruce Dickenson left the band.

Best Track
To single out one song that could be considered the best off of this album is genuinely insane! Pretty much every single song on this CD is a killer, and there’s no reason to even look at the skip button as the music plays (Although there can be one exception made, but that’s a little later). Bruce & the boys really felt reunited on this record, as the two prior releases were wildly different in terms of style, and this one sounds and feels reminiscent of their mid 80s era. The band feel like they’re simply deciding to rock out across the near hour long runtime (57 minutes & 58 seconds), and not trying to be too Prog or too Lo-Fi. My favorite track however, would have to go to the 3rd to last song of Fear Of The Dark, Judas Be My Guide. It begins with a slow buildup with a western twang reminiscent of Be Quick Or Be Dead & Afraid To Shoot Strangers, but then tears into the main bread & butter of the track. The instrumentation is played at a faster pace when compared to the intro, and you’d swear that you are riding a horse on the plains of the old west. Things never go so fast that it comes across like things will fly off the rails, but you are in for an intense ride during it’s run time!

Judas Be My Guide

Worst Track
Like I said above, every song on Fear Of The Dark is metal of the highest degree, and acts as irrefutable evidence that classic Heavy Metal didn’t “Die” in the 1990s. That being said, if one was to say that Weekend Warrior was the worst thing on the album, I would understand. Again, this song isn’t bad, and has just as much space in the spotlight as everything else on the record. However, it doesn’t quite have the same level of energy or punch as the rest of the album. It’s still wonderful to listen to, but for whatever reason it doesn’t stay with me like everything else does, and it probably doesn’t for anyone else that isn’t a fan. Once again, I still like is as much as all the other songs, but it has less of a grip on your ears when you compare it to everything else.

Weekend Warrior

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

Fear Of The Dark

Overall Impression & Rating
Fear Of The Dark is proof positive that Heavy Metal, despite not being as popular as it was in the 1980s, still was a musical force to be reckoned with. Iron Maiden were still going strong in the early 90s, and despite Bruce Dickenson running on fumes by 1992, still had a phenomenal set of vocal pipes across the tracks of this record, and the rest of the band put in a lot of work also. If you want to make any pretentious metal hipster have a brain aneurysm about Heavy Metal not being so blindly paid attention to in the decade that supposedly “Killed” it....have them listen to this!

Fear Of The Dark is a solid 10 out of 10. No question about it!

And that was my review of Fear Of The Dark. This would be the last time that fans would see Bruce with the band for roughly 8 years, but it was a hell of a way for him to go out on! Now, we travel to near the end of the 1990s, as I’ll be taking a look at a album that sadly should be more popular than it was. See you soon!

The Top 10 Albums Of The 90s

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome.....to the summer.....of the 90s!

This time around, I wanted to do something different when compared to the past few years. I wanted to talk about a time. I wanted to talk about a place. I wanted to talk about a period in this world’s existence that seemed like the last dimension where there was any sanity & stability, one in which is considered by many to be “The Last Great Decade” of this planet. I’d actually been considering this one since 2020, but circumstance then and the year after made me shift plans. I, like a huge bunch of you, am a 90s child. I was born in 1987, but I was raised in the decade of Crystal Pepsi, Quake, and the Macarena. Many of us pine for this more innocent time, and even the younger generation looks back on this time with wonder & curiosity. With the 90s now being over 30 years old, it only feels right to check out the decade that helped raise a big majority of us.

So to start things off, I’ll be talking about the music of the 1990s. The albums that would not only help Heavy Metal evolve, but the records that are distinctively 90s, and wouldn’t work in any other decade. Some of these releases I’ve grown up with, while many others I’ve discovered over the years. To this day, all of these albums have cemented themselves in the musical history of the decade, and most of them are still talked about even now. With that said, here are the top 10 albums of the 90s. Let’s begin!

1990) King Diamond - The Eye (Song)

To start this list off, we got the king of horror gracing us!

As I said in part 2 of my overview on King Diamond in 2019, his inaugural release of the 90s remains his most intriguing album to date. Taking a piece of real world history, and mixing in some fictional mysticism, The Eye is a unique experience that’s a treat to listen to. King’s vocal work is quite refined at this point (Considering how good he sounded in the 80s, that’s saying something), the keyboarding & sound effects had a lovely bit of atmosphere to music, and the instrumentation is top notch! Yeah, drummer Snowy Shaw used a drum pad (Not a drum machine like a lot of people think), but you can’t even tell that one was used! As a way to start off the decade, this was a great release to kick things off!

1991) Metallica - Metallica (Song) & Nirvana - Nevermind (Song) & Motörhead - 1916 (Song) & Queen - Innuendo (Song)

1991 was a collection of legends, both old & new. Metal, Rock, and Grunge had a comfy home in this year. You got one of the biggest icons releasing perhaps their most commercial release with their self-titled album. It hit the music landscape like a nuke: it was the most accessible & commercial Metallica that was out at the time, and maybe perhaps ever. The music is still nice and heavy, but the instrumentation is played a little safer than before, and the vocals from James Hetfield aren’t as harsh as it was on prior records. Metallica (aka The Black Album) still has it’s critics to this day (Understandably so to a degree), but even non metalheads can’t deny that Metallica’s self-titled album is a beast!

And then there’s the Grunge icons Nivana. Despite always not liking the connection, the musical style is far more related to Heavy Metal than one is willing to admit. There’s a lot more grit & heaviness to the instrumentation than one would expect, and the vocal work can be surprisingly brutal (Despite not be as loud sometimes). The band’s second release, Nevermind, became the foundation for fundamentally every other 90s Grunge band to follow. Mid-pace & rhythm, instrumentation that’s the right balance between heavy and mellow, and lyrics & themes that are far more grounded in reality when compared to many metal releases from the prior decade. In the 30+ years since it came out, Nevermind has remained a classic from the 90s, and despite Grunge no longer being around, it still stands as a testament to a music genre that could have been.

From Grunge, we go back to a metallic legend. Motörhead dominated the 70s & 80s, cranking out classic albums that are still talked about and listened to today. The 90s were no different, as despite one release in 1992, the band crafted some choice cuts. 1916 was their herald into the new decade, and what a metal buffet it was! Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, standard Heavy Metal, played alongside Hard Rock, Blues, and even some borderline symphonic music with the concluding track (Which happens to be the title track). Every once in a while when I have this playing, I swear I can feel Lemmy’s presence in the room, and if you ever wanted to get into this band, then 1916 is a great gateway album!

And finally, there is Queen. To be honest, what is there to say!? Since 1973, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Taylor, and John Deacon have put out some of the most iconic Hard Rock records out there (Some of which have a metallic edge to them), but even then they’d always add in some other genres just to see what happens. Sadly, we all knew what happened by the time the 1990s arrived, but that did not let Queen dampen their spirits. The band circled the wagons, and ended up making their strongest album in their entire discography with Innuendo. You got something for everybody on here: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Gospel, and AOR are just some of the styles you’ll hear as the record plays. As great as Innuendo was, the band did manage to get one final album out later on in the decade.....but we’ll get to that when the time comes.

1992) Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark (Song) & Sodom - Tapping The Vein (Song)

If any cynical metalhead spergs the myth that classic metal “Died” once it reached the 90s, kindly direct them to 1992.

For starters, there’s Iron Maiden’s second entry in the decade with Fear Of The Dark. Despite the noise coming from the critics (Many of which are Maiden fans themselves ironically), it is perhaps the strongest & most focused the band has been in a few years. 1988 gave us perhaps their most Prog laden output with Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, and 1990 went in the other direction with the more Lo-Fi outing in No Prayer For The Dying. Fear Of The Dark, meanwhile, comes across like a re-alignment to their earlier material. There are fast-paced rockers, mid-paced monsters, and low-paced titans across it’s near hour long play time. Though this would be lead singer Bruce Dickenson’s last outing with Iron Maiden for a few years, it’s obvious that he managed to belt out a classic before he left, and that’s what this album is....a classic!

And then there is Sodom’s borderline Death Metal monstrosity in Tapping The Vein. I’ve already gone over my personal connection to the album a few times, so there’s no need to repeat any of that. I will say that this is perhaps the bloodiest release the band ever made: the lyrics are dirty, uncomfortable, & violent, and the instrumentation reaches into some fairly dark energy at times. After a decade of hair & spandex (Most of which I liked, btw), it’s executioner would come in the form of one of the pinnacles of German Thrash, and the killing blow would be exceptionally gory. If you’re not in the mood for sunshine & rainbows, and want some mayhem & carnage, then you are going to love this!

1993) Motörhead - Bastards (Song)

It’s you again Motörhead!

Like I said back in 1991, 1916 was a great way for a legendary band to gain a foothold in the 1990s. Granted their 1992 output was mostly a giant dumpster fire (Read here for details), their apology album Bastards in 1993 was a huge improvement. Basically, take 1916, refine that album’s sound & feel, and give the record a vibe that’s similar to what Motörhead did back in the early to mid 80s. That what you get with Bastards! An album with an 80s attitude, but with 90s production & recording technology behind it, it’s vastly better than what came out the year before. You certainly won’t be a bastard if you listen to this!

1994) Septicflesh - Mystic Places Of Dawn (Song) & Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger (Song)

Death Metal & Black Metal. Two sub-genres I’ve said time and time again are my leave favorite metal styles, but since 2014 I gained a bit of understanding & appreciation for. Though the 1980s was where both styles began to take shape, it was the 1990s where they really took off, and two of my favorite bands in each sub-genre came out in this decade.

For starters, there’s Septicflesh. Just recently, the band put out their 11th studio album, so it seemed right to put their first record on the list. Mystic Places Of Dawn does have a dent or two in it’s otherwise pristine armor: the recording & production does come across as a little dated (Although at the same time adds to the atmosphere), and there’s a highly faint thread of cheese sewn in (Again, it adds to the overall experience at the same time). Taking that out of the equation, however, and you have a brutal yet mystical experience with this album. The band never delved into the typical tropes of Death Metal, opting instead to experiment with Greek mythology, Paganism/Wiccanism, astrology, and gothic symbolism. Since 2013, longtime fans and potential new fans have the chance to experience this album once again, as Septicflesh re-released Mystic Places of Dawn (Alongside the rest of their 90s output) with bonus material. Since finding an original release of this album is near impossible, this re-release is a great way to get into the band!

And then there’s Darkthrone. The band’s heyday will always been in the 1990s, and while they only had one “Meh” album from this time, everything else is a Black Metal classic! A Blaze In The Northern Sky pulled me into the blackened fold, but Transylvanian Hunger is the glue that keeps me stuck to the spot. The group went in a considerably darker direction in spots, and thus created what is called Depressive Black Metal. In addition to that, there are hints of Viking Metal in a song or two, but those bits can be considered a little controversial due to Varg Vikernes’s presence (Long story I won’t get into here). As bleak as it can be, I find that Transylvanian Hunger acts as a darkened counterpart to a lot of the happier bits of Heavy Metal I’m more often fond of, and it might do the same for some of you!

1995) W.A.S.P. - Still Not Black Enough (Song) & Queen - Made In Heaven (Song)

Sometimes, even a popular band can put out something that can fly well below the radar. W.A.S.P. is no exception to the rule, as while their sales in the 1990s may have dipped, they were still a surprisingly relevant band, and Still Not Black Enough is their most obscure record in their entire library. I’ve spoken about this masterpiece 3 times, so I won’t repeat all that much here. I will say that Blackie really shows what he was feeling & what his emotions were at the time, leading to what may be the most insightful W.A.S.P. have ever created. It may be difficult to find physically, but there are plenty of sources online to find it digitally, so download it as soon as you can!

And then there is what would ultimately be the final release of Queen. Despite having been gone from the world roughly 4 years by 1995, the rest of the band still managed to craft one last record in tribute to Freddy Mercury. Taking the 3 tracks that they managed to record with Freddy before his passing, and filling the rest of the album with tracks from discarded Queen songs & discarded songs from Freddy’s solo career, Made In Heaven ended up being one of the most uneven records in their entire discography. Despite that, there’s something comforting about Queen coming together for one final hurrah, and it’s bittersweet to hear one of Rock’s most flamboyant figureheads singing his ass off. It may not be as good as Innuendo was, but it’s still worth the time to sit down & listen to it.

1996) Type-O Negative - October Rust (Song)

I could have picked just about any release from this band’s output in the 90s, and it would have worked. In the minds of a lot of fans, these badass Brooklyn boys were the progenitors of Gothic Metal here in the United States, and were a big source of inspiration for many other bands in the style both here & abroad. Even over 12 years since the tragic passing of iconic frontman Pete Steele, there are still fans who keep the green light aloft in his name. I sadly got into Type-O Negative far too late in their career to see them live, but that first encounter in 2006 on MTV of all things still feels incredibly strong to this day. So I feel that the very first album I ever came across would appear on this list.

What to say about October Rust. Take everything from their prior release, slow things down a little, and refine the sound, and you have perhaps one of if not the best releases from Type-O Negative in the 1990s, and possibly one of the best Gothic Metal albums released in the decade. Everybody carries their weight across the entire record, but Pete Steele’s aura is the strongest out of everyone on October Rust. His voice is so rich, it makes the most chocolate of cakes feel puny, and his Bass playing is top notch. Not much more to say, other than you need to listen to this!

1997) Razor - Decibels (Song)

Okay, I got a confession with this one. All the other years on here were oddly simple to choose. From 1990 to 1996, then from 1998 to 1999, I was able to pick releases with relative ease. With 1997? For whatever reason, I actually had quite a difficult time in selecting what should go here. So much so, that I admit that 1997 is a throwaway year on this list, and I just randomly picked an album to go here. That being said, Decibels isn’t half bad! A surprise from one of Canada’s best (Their last release before this was in 1991, btw), Razor opted to go for mid-paced tracks across the entire record. The end result are songs that are Thrash & heavy, yet they never sound like they’re going to fly off the rails at a moment’s notice. Despite one hiccup track (See here), this is one of the many examples of Heavy Metal releases that flew under the radar in the decade when the style wasn’t in the spotlight. If you’re willing to wander around looking for a diamond in the rough, this is one you need to look for!

1998) New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too (Song)

And here is one of the most non-metal albums to ever grace this blog of mine.....and it’s one I happen to love a lot.

If you were to ask me what album from the 1990s was the definitive face of the decade, I would point you to this one. Not Nevermind. Not Fear Of The Dark, and not even the band at the last end of this list! Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too embodies all of the positivity, negativity, hopes, dreams, fears, and wonder of the 90s, not to mention how eclectic the music of that decade could be. On top of that, the record is incredibly hipstery, but hipstery in an innocent kind of way, not the modern pretentious kind of hipster. The Alternative Rock/Pop Rock & Pop sensibilities are a nice counterbalance to some of the heavier offerings that came out in the decade, and the vocal work is pretty nice also. I can certainly see why many people would not consider Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too as great musical material, but if you’re willing to put your bias aside, you will find that there’s something genuinely awesome on this release.

So if you think New Radicals was an odd choice.....wait until you see what coming next!

1999) Kreator - Endorama (Song)

I’ve spoken about this album at least twice if I recall correctly. Both times I gave Endorama praise, as Kreator were now firmly in new territory musically. Shedding the Thrash Metal skin they grew in the 1980s to very early 1990s, by 1999 they were seemingly a full-blown Gothic Metal band with a hint of Thrash & Industrial. At first I admit I certainly threw some mud their direction for changing their ways so drastically, but once I put my biases aside, I realized that Endorama may be the best thing that Kreator put out in the 90s. Sure they weren’t Thrash anymore, but that little bit that was still deep inside added a touch of spice to the Gothic proceedings, and that hint of Industrial added something special in it’s own way as well. If there was an album that had every right to end the last greatest decade ever......it’s Endorama.

So those were the top 10 albums of the 1990s! This decade was a mix of heavy, eclectic, artistic, and imaginative. From metallic titans to , a wide variety of artists put out some of their most unique material during this time. Whether you’re a 90s child or not, I belt that you’ll find something in this list that’ll spark your fancy. So, since the sound of music is still floating through the air, why not take a listen, and join me next week for a little fear.....of the dark. See you soon!




***
Honorable mention: Released weirdly enough 16 days before Endorama (Some of the songs for Endorama in fact were on her as an odd preview of sorts), Voices of Transgression - A 90s Retrospective was a collection that “Encompassed” Kreator’s time in the 90s. I say “Encompassed”, because it doesn’t cover every aspect of their career in the 1990s, but at the same time is a nice selection of songs. For more info on it, check out my review below, and if you’re interested in listening to Voices of Transgression, I’ve provided a link to that also:

Kreator: Voices of Transgression - A 90s Retrospective

Kreator: Voices of Transgression - A 90s Retrospective (Review)

I should make mention that Endorama wasn’t the original album for 1999. I originally had Das Testament from E Nomine picked for that spot for quite some time, but due to it’s short time in the 90s (It was only around for 20 days when it was released on the 11 of December, 1999), I felt that a change was needed.

Album Review: Judas Priest's Ram It Down

Let’s keep the rainbows coming in fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Over a week ago, I talked about Wizards Of The Coast’s collaboration with The Trevor Project in the form of Pride Across The Multiverse (Read here for details). That is a pretty cool thing for a big company to do, but there’s more than one way to spread around some color! Sometimes, Heavy Metal has been a surprising paintbrush when it comes to spreading around the rainbow of the LGBTQ community, and the frontman of the legendary Judas Priest is the greatest artist in this regard. Himself a member of the LGBTQ community, he’s always held up the torches of Heavy Metal & Gay Rights aloft, and whether intentionally or not, Judas Priest released an album that is seemingly made for those who live among the rainbow. So let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at my review for Judas Priest’s final album of the 80s, Ram It Down. Colors baby!

Background
The years 1986 to 1988 were interesting & dark for Judas Priest. Rob Halford’s lifestyle was chaotic at this point, as his drug addiction was out of control, but that would pale in comparison to seeing his boyfriend flat-out kill himself right in front of him in his own home, and he himself would try to take his own life not long after. Fortunately, he would get his life back on track, purging himself of drugs and forsaking alcohol, resulting in him going on his first sober world tour in a decade. During this, the band wanted to try to put out a double-album release. Titled Twin Turbos, one record would have more commercial sounding & feeling tracks, while the other record would contain the heavier tunes. Columbia Records ditched this idea, and opted to release both CDs on their own. One would be Turbo (Potentially more on that later this year), and the other would be the album I’m talking about today, Ram It Down. Released on the 17th of May, 1988, there were 4 songs that were actually written for the original product. Ram It Down, Hard As Iron, Love You To Death, and Monsters Of Rock would ultimately wind up on this release.

Commercially, Ram It Down actually did a fine job. It wound up at no. 31 on the Billboard 200 charts in the United States, and in July of 1988 it would earn gold certification for shipments of over 500,000 copies, and in 2001 it would have a re-issue with 2 bonus tracks. Not bad if you ask me. Ironically, critical reaction was actually fairly negative, with the arguments that Judas Priest failed to produce anything new, and the song-writing was inferior to prior records.

Basic Description
Gay as hell......but metal as hell!

Okay, that description is somewhat misleading. Make no mistake: the energy of the rainbow is very evident on this album. Whether intentionally or not, Rob Halford seems to be planting the seeds of him coming out of the closet just a few short years later with this record, as there is more than one song that maybe has some gay undertones to the lyrics. Even if this wasn’t the case, there are more than enough coincidences that connect this album to the rainbow, so to speak.

But putting that aside, what about the music itself? Well, Ram It Down might be one of Judas Priest’s heaviest albums of the 1980s! In comparison to the safer vibes of Turbo, this album is considerably more brutal & heavy. The instrumentation is hard hitting, Rob Halford’s singing cuts like a knife through butter, and the overall package is just a considerably more meaty feast when put right next to the more commercial nature of their last album. It’s somewhat ironic I say that, but I’ll get to why in a bit.

Best Track
There’s a bevy of badass songs on this album, but the title track is just a monster! Right away you’re treated to one of Rob Halford’s patented shrieks, which immediately afterwards tears into a thunderstorm of guitars, bass, & drums, and it never lets up throughout it’s entire run time. Of course, there’s the lyrics. On the surface, it’s about a bunch of people getting together for a badass race through the city, complete with equally badass metal. If you decide to dig a little bit into the subtext, then there are more than enough connections to the LGBTQ community to not be coincidental. It’s all the more hilarious when some homophobic metalheads bitch about gay people “Infiltrating” their music, when rainbows have always been within metal.....if you listen just right.

Ram It Down

Of course, I gotta talk about the two other tracks that have gay undertones also! Like the title track of this album, there is great instrumentation, as well as top notch vocal work from Rob Halford. As with the above song, these two tunes have some obvious gay undertones. Hard As Iron is basically a song about BDSM with threads of rainbows sewn into it’s fabric, while Come And Get It.....I don’t think I even need to explain that one!

Hard As Iron

Come And Get It

Worst Track
Like I said earlier, Ram It Down wasn’t supposed to be it’s own record. It was originally meant to share the spotlight with Turbo under the dual-album concept of Twin Turbos. Turbo was going to feature Heavy Metal/Hard Rock that was more melodic & commercial, while Ram It Down had less synth in it, and was considerably heavier. While both albums are fine on their own (I confess that Turbo is somewhat of a guilty pleasure), it obvious that these two were meant to be together, as there’s just something missing if you listen to just one album or the other. One album is Yin & the other is Yang, and they’re both separated from each other.

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

Ram It Down

Overall Impression & Rating
Ram It Down definitely isn’t for everybody. You had one extreme with the more commercially oriented Turbo, and you have the other hand with this release, which is definitely a much heavier record. Personally, I love exceptionally heavy albums, and as such I love this one. It’s got an issue or two for sure, but if you can get past them, then you’re in for a treat!

Ram It Down gets an 7.5 to 8 out of 10.

And that was my review for Judas Priest’s concluding album of the 1980s. Ram It Down may not be one of the band’s most amazing releases, but it’s definitely one that still has some oomph to it. Hardcore fans will definitely devour it, but it’s definitely an album that is meant for the curious. So with that, June is near us, and I’ve got what may very well be my most experimental Summer Festival to date in the works. See you soon!

Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 25: A Righteous Cause

For a brief moment, it seemed like the beginning of 2022 was a sign of hope. A sign that things might finally be okay in this country, and light can shine back into our lives. Nope. Not at all.

Cases of the plague are still cropping up from time to time, the January 6th committee still hasn’t made much progress, there’s the war in Ukraine, and perhaps most horrifically there’s the fact that Roe V. Wade may get a bullet in the head due to highly decepti......I mean, the Supreme Court of the United States, who would never lie on the stand, or put their faith & feelings before actual justice and logic. Oh no......that would never happen!

(That was sarcasm, btw.)

Perhaps even more so than in 2020, the world is so plague-ridden & on fire, it seems as if there isn’t hope, and on some days that has been the case. It has been so cloudy & gloomy, it’s almost impossible to see the sunlight come shining through. Not to mention so many other negative crap going on around the world, the weight of it all is becoming a little too much to bear.....so let’s lift that weight up just a little, and let a tiny bit of light through those oppressive clouds above our heads.....and I have just the way to do it!

A few weeks ago, I caught sight of a particular Secret Lair from Wizards of the Coast. For anyone who doesn’t know, the Secret Lair series is a limited edition printing of Magic The Gathering cards that has been printed since late 2019. Sometimes they’re re-releases of cards from previous sets with alternative art, while others are brand-new creations that have never been seen before. Regardless, they all come either in a gorgeous foil edition, or a standard edition as you’d often find in a booster pack. Some of the Secret Lairs have been met with praise, but others haven’t faired as well (Just look up the Walking Dead Secret Lair). In general, the Secret Lair product line has definitely been divisive among the MTG community, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this one will be received pretty positively.

In collaboration with the Trevor Project, Wizards of the Coast has decided to release an LGBTQ themed Secret Lair by the name of Pride Across The Multiverse. All across of the 8 cards contained is artwork that depicts various aspects & moments that often take place within the LGBTQ community, not to mention symbols that reference said community in some way. From an older trans individual helping out a younger trans person, a gentle minute of love between two women, to the pride of a parade that shows off what can be done when the community comes together, and a few more incredible moments & things. Given what took place in recent years (Long story), it’s nice to see a big company recognize that they made a mistake, and make amends to a community that they may have hurt. It’s nice to see a big business actually do real good for change, and show that they are willing to mend the bridge so everyone can cross.

So please, if you have the time & money, why not check out Pride Across The Multiverse? If you play MTG, then this will be a fun purchase for a variety of decks. Even if you don’t play, then at the very least this is a great way to donate to a righteous cause that will help a colorful community. With the rights of many groups potentially in severe danger, it’s best to give them a fighting chance when they become under attack by individuals who claim are supreme justices of the land. So with that out of the way, stay tuned for a review of the gayest metal album ever. See you soon!





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Here are the links to the charity if you would like to participate. There are 47/46-something days left at the time of me typing this, so grab it while you can:

Pride Across The Multiverse

Pride Across The Multiverse (Foil)

If you would also like to take a look at the thought process of what went into Pride Across The Multiverse, then check out the link below:

Pride Across The Multiverse (Article)

Final Thoughts: I was initially planning to do a particularly scathing Food For Thought/Thought For Food on the disaster that is the potential execution of Roe V. Wade, but it’s Gay Pride month, and something more sunny & colorful was needed to balance things out.....if only just for a moment.

Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 24: R.I.P. Genericon

So, this will be a melancholic one.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure if I actually wanted to do this one. It’s been only a few days, but it’s common knowledge amongst all of my friends (and some acquaintances) who live in the Albany/Troy/Rensselaer area in New York State about what has happened. However, the subject of this post is incredibly personal to me. It’s about something that I loved will all of my heart, and how it is now a memory that seems to becoming more distant with each passing year, & 2022 is the year where this feeling will sadly speed up the process. So, let’s not waste anymore time, and let’s get to the matter at hand.

As many in part of Upstate New York may know, the convention known as Genericon was finally & tragically put to rest as of a few days ago on the 24th of April, 2022. It has been hosted at the Rensselaer Polytech Institute (R.P.I.) since 1984/85, although it wouldn't take place for a number of years. I had known of Genericon in my later years at HVCC, with my first visions of it in 2008. Funny enough, it wouldn’t be until January of 2009 when I went to Genericon XXII (22 for those who don’t know Roman numerals), and my mind was immediately blown away. When I stepped foot among the crowd of cosplayers & otaku, the following words popped into my head:

“I’m Home.”

From that time on, some of the best memories were made. From accidentally dousing someone in red Ramune in 2011, to hosting my first ever 18+ panel in 2017 (My first panel ever was in 2014), some of the best moments in my life were cemented firmly in my mind. From that fateful con in 2009 & onward, I have encountered some of my now dearest friends, and most beloved of acquaintances. For one weekend early in the year, all of the horrors of the world would melt away, and instead good vibes & healthy energy would come back in for a time. From 2009 to 2019, Genericon was my weeby home away from home....but sadly this was not meant to be forever.

From 2016 (If I recall correctly) to the moment that I first began typing this, R.P.I. would be under the leadership of Ms Jackson, and has her time there would go on, would gain the moniker of “Comrade Jackson”. From the moment she assumed her position of power, she seemed to make sure that many of the students & various faculty members that would not think her stuff doesn’t stink would have a miserable time while she was there. Student Union was no longer powered by the students, restrictions on protests on campus grounds, and the stranglehold on how the various clubs could operate events. Genericon was particularly savaged, as in the final 2 to 3 years running it was difficult. In 2018 there was that infamous snow storm, which ultimately caused that Friday to be cancelled (Which is a story in & of itself), sending the rest of that weekend into a giant fustercluck. I think I said it then, but I give credit to the convention staff for managed to patch things together as much as they were able to.

The funny thing about that year was the lack of 18+ panels. In 2017, Genericon XXX (30) had the most panels of that kind, but there were hardly any the next year. I hosted one in 2018, so I should know about that! It was around that time where I heard word about the reasoning for this, which supposedly was due to con-goers that weren’t above 18 were getting into 18+ panels & the con staff didn’t notice. I say supposedly, because that was a statement from Ms Jackson if memory serves me correctly, and given what she was doing, it would not be surprising if it was a lie in an effort to obtain further control over the college. Cut to 2019, and if there was an 18+ panel, I never saw it in the con book. After that, we all know what happened: 2020 came and the con was going to happen, but at incredibly mutilated hours. However, the Plague came, and put a bullet in the head of any event in the United States & the world at large. Perhaps surprisingly, it also was supposed to take place in 2021, but I don’t know the details.

The Plague was most definitely a factor in Genericon shutting down permanently, as there wasn’t any money coming in, but I think anybody in the know, as well as former con-goers, had the real answer in their head: Genericon was ultimately shut down due to the actions of Ms Jackson & those that conspired with her. In her mind, if it wasn’t under her complete control, it was a threat to her position of power, and it must be taken out. Genericon was the seemingly last free-spirited thing about R.P.I. by the end of the 2010s, and thus it seems was her final target. Thankfully she is not going to be in power for much longer, as by the 1st of July in 2022, she’s gone. All I will say to Ms Jackson is a simple question......

“Was It Worth It?”

And that’s all I have to say about this subject. I have been thankful for being able to be a part of this convention’s history for the decade I went. I have been thankful for all of the friends & acquaintances I’ve ever encounter on the former-hallowed grounds of Rensselaer Polytech Institute, and I have been thankful for all of the memories made since 2009. I still have all of the convention booklets, and all I have to do is look through them to remember the good times. With that said, I’m beginning to brew up ideas for what’s to come in May, and not long after that.....a very special surprise. See you soon!



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If you would like to read what will now be my final review of the convention, then click on the link below:

Convention Review - Genericon 2019

Album Review: E Nomine's Das Testament

Happy Easter fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s been a long time since I covered something that wasn’t in the metallic hemisphere. However, it’s the day of the resurrection of Jesus (For those that believe at least), and that means taking a look at some religious themed music to celebrate the occasion. This time around, I wanted to show all of you a group that’s rather odd. Really odd. A group that takes Techno/Electronica, Gothic, Industrial, and Gregorian Chanting & religious imagery, then puts that into a blender to wiz it up, and baked into one of the strangest cakes you’ve ever seen. Despite the strangeness of this combination, it somehow works incredibly well, and then you realize that this could have only come from Europe. So, grab your nearest Easter basket, pray to the heavens above (Again, if you believe), and enjoy my review of E Nomine’s first release, Das Testament. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“E Nomine was founded by German producers Christian Weller ("Chris Tentum") and Friedrich Graner ("Sir Fritz") in 1999 after the huge success of the song "Vater Unser" (Our Father), which was included on their first album released that same year (Das Testament) and their most famous work as well. The project combines electronic sounds with recitations by guest voice actors, operatic chants and choirs, all performed by the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the same from the also German musical project Lesiëm.”

I do want to say one other thing: E Nomine is incredibly obscure. Outside of their native Europe, they are regulated to cult status in other areas of the world. Here in the United States, they are most definitely an example of a “Cult” musical group. Outside of comments on the American branch of Youtube, you’d be hard-pressed to find an E Nomine fan in the United States (Not that it’s impossible. More like it’s rare.).   

Basic Description
Strange....but in a good way.

In one corner, you got the Techno/Electronica, Gothic, and Industrial. Then in the other corner, you have the Gregorian Chanting & religious imagery. Both sides work well on their own, but when they combine into one musical force......somehow......someway.....it works. You got the standard beats & rhythms of late 90s Techno/Electronica, the metallic nature of Industrial, the atmosphere of Gothic, and the singing style of Gregorian alongside the religious imagery. Again, this should not work, but it does. In a strange way, I’m sort of reminded of John Larken, a.k.a. Scatman John. He was Techno, but mixed in his past of being a Jazz/Scat artist (Not that kind you sick monkeys), and in the process created something that should not have worked but miraculously did.

Best Track
Though I love practically everything on this album, I gotta admit that the self-titled track may be my main favorite. There is a preview before the song starts, which creates the atmosphere of a church with a rainstorm, and some thunder can be heard once in a while. Afterwards, it enters the song proper, and right away you know it’s late 90s Techno/Electronic. It’s not too fast, but it’s not too slow either, and there’s a nice groove to it. The Gregorian Chanting is used precisely when it’s needed, and when there isn’t any of that, there’s speaking-like singing in German (This is done throughout the whole album, alongside Latin). It’s oddly kind of hard to describe, as this entire song sounds like something that should fail, but miraculously works. Click on the link below, and hear what I mean!

E Nomine

Worst Track
It’s kind of hard to think of something bad about Das Testament. Perhaps the main issue is that Techno & Electronica were never the biggest styles here in the United States, but were hugely popular over in Europe. The whole album feels distinctly European, and I have a suspicion that it would only catch on among niche fans of that style outside of that part of the world. Further complicating things is that finding their records digitally is a surprising challenge. There’s certainly a link or two out there, but you’d be amazed at how many of them come across as rather skeevy (Except For Spotify). Fortunately, finding this record in a physical manner is a little easier. The version of the album I reviewed was the Digitally Remastered edition from 2002, which has almost double the amount of music when compared to the original 1999 release. There’s only 21 copies, but they’re spread out roughly between new & used, and the pricing isn’t terrible either.

(Just put “E Nomine Das Testament” in the Amazon search bar, and you’ll find it)

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

Das Testament

Overall Impression & Rating
Das Testament upon first listening is such a weird experience. Two sides of music, that you think wouldn’t work together, end up being surprisingly excellent partners. This style of music is definitely not for everybody (Especially if you don’t like the religious imagery), and it may be a little difficult to find physically, but E Nomine show that they can be unique in a medium that’s already kind of unique in the first place. If you can set aside some time, I suggest that you give Das Testament a listen. You certain won’t forget it!

Das Testament gets a 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at the curious case of E Nomine’s first album, Das Testament. Again, this is an odd album, but one that sounds great, and it does leave somewhat of a lasting impression when you’re done. I’ll review the band’s other two albums in the future, but in the meantime I hope you have a nice rest of the day. See you soon!

5 Songs That Blew Me Away (Part 1)

Happy Birthday to me everybody!

Today’s post is a legit off-the-cuff idea that popped into my head earlier today, and I might turn it into a series I make if there’s enough interest. I figured it’s rather appropriate to get this out on my birthday, as I’m now 35 years old, and in all of my life on Earth at this post I’ve listened to a lot of music. Metal or otherwise, I’ve listened to a ton of songs, and many of them blew my mind into another zone. Some of these songs are old, while others are pretty recent. As a random bit of fun, I figured it would be interesting to show you all some of these tracks in question. So, without further delay, here are 5 songs that blew me away......part 1!

1) Cannabis Corpse - Dawn Of Weed Possession (Song)
It seems silly to begin this list with Death Metal, much less Stoner Death Metal, but I’m being genuinely honest here. Despite being surrounded by Pot Smoke when on stage a lot of the time, Cannabis Corpse are surprisingly competent when it comes to the instrumentation & singing. Not only that, but the band have a healthy dose of humor in each & every song on an album, and Dawn Of Weed Possession is no exception. A tribute to the often overlooked Maniac Cop movie series, the story that the track sets up is just goofy. I think this song blew me away because it’s the ultimate example of never judging a book by it’s cover, and speaking of which......

2) Everfrost - Actraiser (Song)
It’s been a while since I talked about these guys! No, I’m not ashamed of talking about Everfrost again!

Honestly, I don’t think I should talk about this one too much, as I’ve covered this a bunch of times since 2019. To sum it up: I didn’t think that Anime/Manga could combine with Power Metal, but that thought was slapped out of my head from the first few notes of this track. Sure, Everfrost are Power Metal, but the essence of what weebs love are sewn into each and every tune on their records, and as such puts the band in a unique niche. Nothing else to say really!

3) Led Zeppelin - All Of My Love (Song)
To this very day, Zeppelin’s final album, In Through The Out Door, remains the lone release from the band that I enjoy. I still consider it the release that sounds like Led Zeppelin the least, but even then there’s still a track or two that sounds like their old selves somewhat, and All Of My Love fits that description. Like another track on this list, the instrumentation is played rather simplistically, and Robert Plant never gets into the high range (Save for one part at the end). What makes All Of My Love such a mindblower is the sheer emotional weight behind everything. For anyone not in the know, Robert Plant’s son Kerac died 2 years prior to the release of In Through The Out Door, and this song is a tribute to his deceased child. It may not sound like a tribute at first, but if you dig beneath the surface, you will realize that fact. A mindblower for sure!

4) Queen - Mother Love (Song)
Last November marked 30 years since one of the most iconic singers passed away. Last November marked 30 years since Freddy Mercury left this earth for the heavens above, and one of the most iconic Rock/Metal bands ceased to be. However, just because Queen as a whole would no longer be, that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything missing from the tank. Despite missing their classic frontman, the band managed to crank out one final piece of music in the form of Made In Heaven. A patchwork album made mostly of table scraps (Leftover songs from prior records & Freddie's solo career), it none-the-less still had 3 original songs on it, and Mother Love is the best of them. Taking a more slower pace, the instrumentation & keyboard plays rather softly & simply, and Freddy’s voice never gets loud & epic.....save for one final blast of energy near the middle of the song. One final sequence of the most flamboyant human being in music.....giving one last performance of a lifetime. As I’ve stated before, I’m not a full-blown Queen fan, but it’s songs like this that earn my eternal respect.

5) Rammstein - Zeit (Song)
I find it a little strange to end this inaugural list with a song that’s pretty recent, but it’s one that I find necessary to share. In a way, what’s there to say about one of the most iconic Industrial Metal bands the world has ever known? For over 25 years, Rammstein have released some of the most iconic records in the style, not to mention some of the most bombastic live shows that have ever been performed. In 2019 they release their first album in about a decade, and as I’ve said before, it was like meeting a friend I haven’t seen in 10 years....and now I’ve met them again back in March.

I actually find it interesting that Rammstein would begin revealing their new album with this song. Deutschland from 2019 was look into the history of the band’s home country, but Zeit? Zeit is the ultimate analysis of Life, Death, and Time. It’s incredibly insightful, massively emotional, and life affirming as well. If you look up any of the reaction videos to the music video, you will see the viewer’s minds just blow completely away. Hell, there’s at least one or two of them where by the end the viewer is crying. Given that I’m 3 and a half decades old, Zeit resonates with me in a way that the band’s prior music (Even from their return 3 years ago) never did. If you haven’t yet, please give the video a watch if you have the time to spare. You’ll see what I mean.

So these were 5 songs that blew me away. Again, if enough of you like this, then I might considering making another list like this in the future. Well, I’m not sure what else I got planned for April, but stay tuned in the meantime!