Album Review: King Diamond's The Graveyard

Sometimes horror comes from the real world fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

As our decreasingly little blue rock of a planet called Earth gets worse & worse, we’re shown terror from reality that dwarfs anything you can find in a novel or a movie. Happens in anime & manga, and even the world of Heavy Metal is no stranger to this (Just listen to 90% of Thrash Metal). In fact, the famous King Diamond at least once decided to throw more real world issues into his supernatural tales of the macabre, and this resulted in perhaps one of his most genuinely terrifying tales he’s ever done. A tale that just over 30 years later still gets under your skin.....and manages to churn your stomach. So, make sure you haven’t eaten anything in a bit, have a stuffed animal near you, and get ready for my look at King’s 1996 release, The Graveyard. Let’s begin.

Background
After the release of The Spider’s Lullaby in 1995, King Diamond & the rest of the band were at a crossroads. Heavy Metal, while still a well known sub-genre, wasn’t in the spotlight as much as it was in the 80s. Bands by this point were doing one of two things: either adjusting their musical style to match with the times for the right or wrong reasons, or completely see out & lose their soul. King Diamond hadn’t gone far down that route, but he most definitely was dipping his toes in the water if you know what I mean. A year prior to his next release, he found out that him & band would be the opening act for Metallica.....no, I am not joking. Metallica weren’t all the way in sellout land yet, but they were most definitely moving in that direction. Whether it was because of that experience or because of other factors in the mid 90s, it would be a more approachable album that everyone would create, and on the 30th of September in 1996, The Graveyard was released.

Ironically, this approach would make The Graveyard the most successful King Diamond album to date at the time. It would peak at #23 in the Finnish Charts and remain for two weeks in the Top 40 chart. However, it would sadly be the last time that Darrin Anthony would be on the drums, as after the album’s release he would leave the band due to a car accident. His replacement would come in the form of former Chastain drummer John Luke Hebert, and without saying anything else.....he was a good replacement.

As for the album’s story, we find that King Diamond is playing a new character. A mayoral aide to the morally inept Mayor McKenzie, to be specific. Working late one night, he stumbles onto the mayor’s office, where he sees the horrific sight of the political figure fondling his own daughter! A child by the name of Lucy no less, and while it’s never said HOW old she was, it is implied that she is most definitely young. Not staying quiet about the scandal, McKenzie sends King to Black Hill Sanitarium in an effort to shut him up. Some time has passed, and King has become maddened by the experience, desiring nothing but revenge against the pedophilic mayor, and decides to strange his nurse & escape the sanitarium. Running from the cops, he happens to stumble upon an old graveyard as shelter, and it’s during him hiding that he learns of a myth about the place. Apparently, if someone dies within this graveyard & loses their head, their souls is trapped within it forever. After slaying a few victims to see if there’s truth to the story, King finds out that it’s most definitely real, and that gets the wheels turning in his head for vengeance against the mayor. After kidnapping Lucy, King calls the mayor to the graveyard, and the perfect sees a disturbing sight: 7 graves, each with an identical headstone that says “Lucy Forever”. King puts a blindfold on McKenzie, and says that the mayor has 3 guesses as to which grave holds his daughter. If he guesses right, him & his daughter go free, but if he gets all 3 wrong King will kill him. Can the mayor find his daughter before his former aid rightfully slaughters him.....what do you think?

Basic Description
When the Supernatural meets the Real World.

Let’s get this straight: The Graveyard at no point doesn’t let up on the supernatural horror that King Diamond made a career on. Whenever it appears, it is incredibly obvious & enjoyable, and maybe even some of the best he’s ever done. It’s only when the real world subject matter of child molestation kicks in that it takes on a far more sinister vibe, and makes the whole record feel more realistic than anything that King & the band has ever done. It’s done perhaps a little too realistically (More on that a little later), but maybe it’s done by design. Even so, this record marks the first & only time that King Diamond ever went into the real world when it comes to his music, and that’s what makes it unique.

Best Track
Like I said in part 2 of my overview from 2019, Digging Graves was my favorite track off of The Graveyard, and still remains so to this day. While there is a sliver of hokiness here & there, the story of the album picks up quite a bit here. At this point, King’s character has successfully kidnaped the mayor’s daughter, and is already setting up his plan to get revenge against the one that wronged him. This is reflective in the creepy & doom-like instrumentation, which almost borders on being a Black Sabbath song with the atmosphere it’s producing. Again, there’s a sliver of goofiness at certain points when a cello kicks in, but even then it still manages to create a creepy atmosphere that’s just right, and I can’t take that away from the song.

Digging Graves

Worst Track
While there are no bad songs on this album, I’d be lying if I said that it actually left me rather uncomfortable when it ended. Hell, if anything it was uncomfortable WHILE I was listening to the Graveyard. Child molestation is a subject matter that’s exceptionally stomach churning, and King Diamond really leans into that a lot of the time. That’s not to say he doesn’t discard his patented supernatural horror he’s famous for, because that also kicks in pretty hard as well. It just that due to the more realistic nature of the subject matter King drills into the music & the listener, you’ll have a somewhat nasty feeling linger about for a little bit.

Apart from the thematic elements, The Graveyard’s only fault lies with the blatant attempt to conform to musical norms of the times. Thankfully King Diamond never well all the way in that regard, but he & the rest of the band went far enough that you can tell where it comes up. More modern styles of playing, trying to match up to what other bands were doing at the time, chasing trends, etc. Again, it’s never done at 100%, but it’s very obvious if you know what to listen for.

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

The Graveyard

Overall Impression & Rating
The Graveyard is definitely not for the faint hearted. If the supernatural aspects weren’t around, I would avoid this record like the plague. Thankfully, that aspect is still very much accounted for, and oddly makes the experience of this album a little easier to go through. As for King’s attempt to stay connected with the times, they’re not done so much as to ruin the album, but like I said a little earlier it is most definitely noticeable if you know what to listen for. This release is not for everyone on account of it’s subject matter, and I get that. However, if you’re able to stomach some of the imagery on here, then you’ll find The Graveyard to be surprisingly fun. Maybe not one of his most essential album’s, but more certainly one to listen to if you’re curious!

The Graveyard gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my review of The Graveyard. Definitely an album that’s leave you feeling a little sick when you’re done, but the musical craftsmanship is still great despite some shifting in style.  Again, because of what King decided to cover in this release it is not for everyone, but for anyone that can stomach the subject matter they’ll find a hidden gem for sure. So, I do have one last album review for this month on Halloween Day, but before that I have that treat I promised you all at the beginning of the month. See you all next week!


***
My opinions on this album have definitely change since I first looked at this album almost 6 years ago. Click on the link below to see what I originally thought about it:

Metal Overview: King Diamond (Part 2)

5 Greatest Chests (For Breast Cancer Awareness) No. 10 (Special Edition)

Time to look at some of the greatest chests fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

As you all know, the month of October is dedicated not just to sweets & spooks, but it is also the time of Breast Cancer Awareness. A disease that has scarred numerous women (& some men) at best, or at worst...well, you know. This year though, I’m doing something different. In 2027, it will be a solid decade since I started doing this annual series, but before that I want to show off all of the number 1's from every prior year, and add in a little treat at the end. I won’t spoil anymore, so here’s a special edition of the top 5 greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness. Let’s begin!

1) Tio - Monster Musume (Video)

One of the most iconic monster girl manga has one of the most iconic casts of girls ever been put to paper. There’s practically just about any kind of girl, both mentally & species. Case in point: the ogre girl Tio. Originally, I selected her as the no. 1 on my very first list of this series because I wanted to throw a curveball & not have one of the more recognizable girls (Ironic, considering who’s coming later), and I still stand by that decision. That being said, Tio is a bit stereotypical: blonde, buxom, curvy, and not the sharpest tool in the shed. She makes up for this by having the strength of a tank, and is a genuine sweetheart that wouldn’t hurt a fly. Sounds good to me! 

And speaking of Monster Musume.....

2) Cathyl - Monster Musume

Perhaps the biggest irony of this character, is that she doesn’t really bring attention to herself. Rather, she doesn’t bring attention to her chest (Despite the overalls & bikini-top she wears). This lovely minotaur is one of the hardest working girls on the farm she, her host, and the other farm girls calls home. She looks gorgeous, yet she never uses her looks. For Cathyl, working hard is the right way to go, and I can always respect that.

3) Miharu Sena Kanaka - Girls Bravo (Video)

Looking at it in hindsight, picking the main girl from a rather guilty pleasure anime was a bit too easy. While I absolutely find Girls Bravo to be a guilty please like I said a second ago, even I can’t deny that the fan service most of the time is a bit overwhelming & excessive. Hell, when we first meet Miharu we see her in the tub, and while I’m an absolute sucker for fan-service, something about see a girl like that right away oddly spoils it for me. As for the main girl herself, she’s a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, she’s not the brightest bulb. She’s not an idiot by any means, but she’s definitely not familiar with how Earth works. On the other hand, she is incredibly sweet & caring, and is a genuinely nice piece of eye candy. Girls Bravo is definitely not for everyone, and Miharu CERTAINLY isn’t for everybody.

4) Miia - Monster Musume (Video)

At this point, any of you should know that this top snek is my number one waifu. Yes, she’s possessive. Yes, she gets jealous, and yes she’s rather short-sighted at times. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that in other times, she’s genuinely caring & really does appreciate the other girls of Kimihito’s monster family, even stepping up to the plate on a couple of occasions to risk her own life to make sure someone else is okay. The first girl to enter her host’s life, Miia has become the poster child for one of the most influential monster girl manga to have been release, and while you could argue it’s time in the spotlight was a while ago, you can’t argue why it never deserved it. 

5) Silvervale (Video)

2026 marked something of an incredibly personal tragedy for our beloved sakura wolf girl. In May, her irl & vtuber brother tragically took his own life. The experience shook her pretty hard, and since earlier this year has taken a giant break from vtubing, with only a few views talking about the various conventions she’s gone to both here & abroad. Thankfully in just a few short days, she is returning with a memorial stream for her brother, and a 24-hour birthday stream celebration to mark her return. All I can say.....welcome back.

6) Miilkywayz (Video)

This might sound surprising to a lot of you who know me personally, but I’ve actually dropped off from watching our beloved space cow. Now because she’s awful, because she’s not! Much like Silvervale above & a treat at the end, Miilky is one of the sweetest vtubers I’ve seen. Every stream she does is designed to make you feel warm & fuzzy, and her personality matches it. She’s got a wonderful laugh and an addicting smile, but the only reason I stopped watching her is because I’ve come across so many vtubers that I had to cut one out of the loop, and sadly she was that cut. Even so, I still look up clips of her from time to time to see what Miilky is up to, and it still gets me to smile.

7 & 8 & 9) Vexoria (Video)

3 years. 3 years I devoted the no. 1 spot to the great grape snake mommy. 3 years I devoted to one of the most badass survivors of Breast Cancer, and is an amazing woman in her own right. A mother to 2 wonderful children, a wife to an incredibly loving husband, one of the biggest vtubers in the community that has done some incredible work, and is also one of the best adult entertainers on Onlyfans with her IRL, ASMR, and vtuber material. In recent memory she has gone through absolute hell, and it’s pretty painful to see her suffer as badly as she has. So, shout out to you Vexoria the Sun Eater! You deserve all the love you get!

Honorable Mention) Chonkylotus (Video)

I obviously didn’t have one of my normal lists this year, and thus I didn’t have a proper number one for 2026. Yet, I didn’t want to leave you all hanging, and I wanted to do something different this year.....so I’ll be honoring the Trans community this year.

A couple years ago, I had this cute dragon cat on one of my lists. For a few years now, I’ve been watching Chonkylotus be an absolute beacon of comfiness, coziness, and warmth not just among her Cis fans, but her Trans fans that see her as something to inspire to. Last month marked 6 months since she began her estrogen, and they have been blossoming into the woman that they always were. I haven’t really been political this year on account of fixing up my posts, but with the Trans community being underfire from nimrods & fake religious people, it seemed right to show where I stand on this. 

And that was the special edition of my 5 greatest anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness. As I’ve stated in prior lists in this series I don’t expect grand things to happen, but if it nudges someone in the right direction & see if they or a friend are having issues, I can say that I did something right. Breast Cancer is no laughing matter, and we should do all that we can to make sure people don’t suffer because of it. So see you all next week, when we’ll be celebrating the 3 decade anniversary of the darkest album in King Diamond’s library. Until then, be sure to check yourself!

Album Review: Type-O Negative's October Rust (30 Years Later)

Happy 30th anniversary October Rust!

That’s right fellow Otaku & Metalheads, as of this past August on the 19th one of THE most essential albums of the month of spooks turns 3 decades old. It’s no secrets that I’ve shown nothing but love to the Drab Four from Brooklyn for a long time here. Even with the one long bad record to their name (That wasn’t their fault), Pete Steele & the gang gained a fanbase that still loves them long after the Green Man passed away, and it’s due to releases like October Rust that keeps them in his gothic aura. I reviewed this album all the way back in October of 2014, but for more of you this might be the first time you’ve seen me cover this album. So, to welcome in the spookiest time of the year, here’s my review & birthday celebration for Type-O Negative’s seminal classic, October Rust. Let’s begin! 

Background
Taken from my original review: 

“Coming off of their success of Bloody Kisses, the band toured Europe & the United States to promote their (At the time) new album. During the touring, the band started work on what would later become October Rust, and in doing so introduced some radical changes in the process. First, the album took a departure from the punk vibes that previous album had within them, and decided to go in a more ballad direction. Secondly, the band decided to add a little bit of humor to the album: The opening track Bad Ground is just 38 seconds of low-level buzzing (Which was made to trick the listener into thinking that the speakers weren’t plugged in properly), and the 2nd & 15th tracks were that of the band members themselves.

On the more technical side of October Rust, Type-O Negative employed two interesting techniques. For some of the songs on the album, the band implement very abrupt endings and segues, which created a kind of whiplash for the listener. Perhaps more curious was the drumming on this album: this marked the first time that drummer John Kelly was credited with his role. However, the actual drumming used on this album was done with a drum machine. Listeners didn’t know about this for a long time, until an interview in 2007 with dreadcentral.com, where he stated that the drumming wasn’t necessarily his. Ironically, it would be their final album, Dead Again, where he would be actually playing the drums (The last he did was with Bloody Kisses, and that was back in 1993).”

Basic Description
The embodiment of October.

October Rust truly fits this month perfectly. Despite being released around the end of the summer, every single song (With one notable exception) encapsulates this time of year. The leaves falling, the sensuality, the cool breeze, pumpkins with glowing faces, mulled cider, etc. Pete Steele & the rest of the Drab Four by 1996 had solidified their sonic identity & theme, and it shows: solid instrumentation, crisp & deep vocals, recording and production that’s perfect, and thematic elements that would identify the band until the Green Man took his final bow. Bloody Kiss from 3 years prior was impressive no questions asked, but it’s October Rust that really shook things up.

Best Track
My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend is not only the best song off of October Rust, but it was the song that hooked me to the band PERIOD. It was sometime between the late summer of 2006 to some point in the fall of that year, when I was randomly flipping through channels, and I happened to land on MTV of all things. Seemingly as I stopped on the channel in question, the music video for this song just so happened to start playing, and my eyes stayed glued to the TV screen. Even if I didn’t see the music video, the 60s sound coupled with the band’s patented gothic sensuality seems odd at first, until you realize it’s actually quite clever. Pete Steele had always stated that the Beatles were one of Type-O Negative’s biggest influences, and the song itself comes across like a lost song of the band in question.....just a little more spicy.

My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend

Worst Track
Like I stated in my original review, Red Water (Christmas Mourning) is the lone bad track. It’s not because of the instrumental or vocal work, because it’s top notch across this entire release. It is more to do with the atmosphere. A year prior to October Rust releasing, Pete’s father had passed away, and a few people in his family would do so as well overtime. To play Devil’s Advocate, Red Water’s creation & placement on this album is understandable given how the Green Man was feeling, yet it doesn’t match up with the vibe that the rest of the music was going for. If anything, it almost feels like a lost track from the release after.....but that’ll be a story in 2029 I’ll cover.....if I’m still doing this blog by then.

Red Water (Christmas Mourning)

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

October Rust

Overall Impression & Rating
October Rust just brings a smile to my face whenever I listen to it. Every October, I make sure I listen through the whole album at least once or twice because it’s just perfect to hear when the leaves are falling off the tree. It’s a testament to it’s legacy that a little over 30 years since it was first release that it still has legions of fans, and they’ve all been loyal ever since. If you are looking for a soundtrack that encapsulates this ENTIRE month, there is nothing else finer than this. 

October Rust gets a 10 out of 10. Even with my own biases aside, the band produced gothic gold with this release.

And that was my 2nd review of October Rust. Being the first album of there’s I ever listened to, it’s a testament to it’s legacy that I still have it in my musical rotation. Especially during this month, it’s a reminder that over a decade & a half since his passing, that Pete Steele still looks at us from beyond the falling leaves. So with the first review for Halloween out of the way, it’s time for an annual tradition of mine, and this year it’ll be special. See you all next week!

 

***
Note: the version of Love You To Death is the video edited edition. 

Checking In!

Hey fellow Otaku & Metalheads! 

Nothing too big with today's post. Just wanted to check in with everybody, and let you all know some things that have been going on. First, I am currently at August of 2016 when it comes to fixing up my various reviews & such. I admit I've been dragging my feet somewhat throughout this year, and should have been a bit further than I currently am (Was hoping to be at either 2018 or 2019), but I will still continue to fix things as the rest of this year goes by. 

Secondly, it's October in a few weeks! I've got my standard top 10 anime chests for Breast Cancer Awareness list, but I'm shaking things up somewhat. At least 3 weeks in next month, I'll have 3 reviews dedicated to albums that are just perfect for the Fall. On top of that, I might sneak in something special just to surprise you all. It depends of how far I get when it comes to the fixes, but a surprise might definitely show up. 

And with that, my little checkup is complete. See you all in a few weeks! 

Album Review: Nickelback's Curb

So....I am about to lose some credibility with this one fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

The subject of today’s review has been the target of ridicule for ages. Considered by the massive majority of music fans to be repetitive, highly commercial, vapid, and giant sellouts, it may surprise a lot of you at one point that the band in question actually had potential for future greatness. A band that, at least in their earliest material, came across like they actually producing good music for people to listen to, and it holds up shockingly well to this day. What band & what album is an example of this, you may ask? Well, sit back, relax, and let’s take a look at my review of Curb.....from Nickelback.

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“Curb is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Nickelback. Recorded at Turtle Recording Studios in Richmond, British Columbia, with producer Larry Anschell, it was originally released exclusively in Canada by FACTOR (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) on May 15, 1996. The album was reissued locally later in the year by Shoreline Records. After Nickelback signed with Roadrunner Records in 1999, Curb was remastered and released internationally on June 25, 2002. However, the remastered edition is controversial for its audio quality compared to the original issue as its dynamic range was significantly reduced and introduced severe clipping problems throughout.

After releasing their debut EP Hesher earlier in the year, Nickelback recorded their debut full-length album in 1996. Much of the material dates back as far as 1993, and was written primarily by the band's lead vocalist and guitarist Chad Kroeger, although all four band members are credited equally. Two songs from Hesher, "Where?" and "Left", were re-recorded for the album, while the original versions of "Fly" and "Window Shopper" were only remixed and remastered. Chad Kroeger, in an interview in 2000, described Curb as "raw" with "a lot of good songs".

In 2000, according to Nickelback's website, Curb sold more than 10,000 units. Upon its international re-release in 2002, Curb registered at number 182 on the US Billboard 200 and number 185 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was certified gold by Music Canada in 2010 and silver by the British Phonographic Industry in 2015. "Fly" was issued as the only single and music video from Curb.”

Basic Description
There’s something here.

Like I alluded to earlier, there was potential for Nickelback in their first 3 albums. The band seemed far more about jamming, rocking out, and putting out good music for people to listen to, and it’s felt on Curb. Maybe not fully (More on that later), but it’s evident from a majority of the songs on this record that everybody definitely put in a lot of effort. The instrumentation is on game, Chad Kroeger’s vocal work doesn’t sound phoned-in for the most part, and the recording & production on Curb is great (But there is a catch). It’s surprising at how good I thought this was the 1st time I listened to this album a few days ago, and while I will probably never seek it out again, I won’t necessarily ask someone to switch albums if they’re playing it.

Best Track
Sea Groove for whatever reason just works for me. Though the first part of the song’s name is just confusing to me, it easily embodies the 2nd part very much so: this tune is very much in the Groove Metal realm: the guitars & bass bring the groove, the drumming brings the groove, and even Chad Kroeger’s vocal work seems more groovy on this song that the others. While you could easily compare this to other similar songs of it’s time, there just something about Sea Groove that got it’s hooks it me almost immediately, and it hasn’t loosened even a few days after listening to it for the first time.

Sea Groove

Worst Track
While I said that the band showed potential on their first 3 albums, and I still stand by that, there are some unfortunately obvious hints as to what they would become after their 3rd record. There’s some repetition with the instrumentation, the beats & rhythms are a little in the commercial realm, and some of the lyrics are vapid adjacent. They’re not all the way in that space on Curb, but little blemishes are certainly seen. 

Also, there’s the matter of the releases. Like practically every album I listen to for these kind of reviews, I use Youtube. The version that I had listened to was the 2002 reissue version of Curb (Along with it’s album cover), and that had some issues back in the day. Mainly, the 2002 edition’s audio had it’s dynamic range significantly reduced and introduced severe clipping problems throughout the record. I did not notice this when listening to it on Youtube, but that’s more than likely due to how it was edited. 

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

Curb

Overall Impression & Rating
Curb definitely deserves criticism, that’s for sure. However, it doesn’t deserve every bit of that criticism. Nickelback definitely come across like they’re trying to be genuine musicians on this album, as a giant majority of the music really feels good. Yes, what the band would be eventually criticized for has some noticeable spots, but they don’t overwhelm the otherwise good parts of the record. As I said above, I’m certainly not going to go out of my way to listen to Curb, but I’m not exactly going to complain if someone else does.    

Curb gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And that was my review on Curb. Certainly surprising to anyone that’s only even known about Nickelback’s most modern material, it definitely catches any first-time listener off guard with how good it can be at times. Definitely not great, but certainly good. Well, the Summer Of Grunge has now concluded, so see you all sometime in September. Until then, take care.

Album Review: Foo Fighter's Foo Fighters

Hey fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I don’t think I said it in my last post, but I want to apologize for dragging my butt. Normally, I’ve been on point with my schedule, but I’ve been oddly slow for this month. If I’m being honest about this year, I’ve been slow with fixing older posts (Though I am about halfway through 2016). Fortunately, I’m just about done with my look back at Grunge, so when I’m complete I should be going through them some more at a faster rate. In the meantime, here’s a band I spoke about a few days back, and one that even casual music listeners are familiar with! Since 1995, Dave Grohl and the spiritual successor to Nirvana have continued to carry the torch of Grunge throughout the rest of the 1990s & even into 2026, yet they always changed things up here & there to make things different. Let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at the inaugural record from the Foo Fighters. Let’s begin!  

Background
Taken from Wikipedia: 

“Foo Fighters is the debut studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on June 26, 1995, through Roswell and Capitol Records in the United Kingdom and on July 4, 1995 in the United States. Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl wrote the entire album. He recorded it himself in six days with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington, in 1994.

Grohl said that he recorded the album just for fun, describing it as a cathartic experience to recover from the suicide of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain in 1994. The album, featuring more traditional rock stylings than what was typical in grunge, is considered to have established the post-grunge genre.

After Grohl completed the recordings, he passed cassette copies of the sessions to personal friends, using the name "Foo Fighters" to conceal his involvement. When the tapes attracted record label interest, Grohl signed with Capitol and formed a backing band to perform the songs live. The album was promoted through extensive tours and four singles, two of which were accompanied by music videos.

Upon its release, Foo Fighters earned critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its songwriting and performances, and was also a commercial success, becoming the band's second-best-selling album in the United States. It also peaked within the top five of charts of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.”

Basic Description
Nirvana In Spirit.

Dave Grohl will always carry the vibe & energy of his closest friend with him until the day he dies. Without Kurt Cobain in his life, he may very well not have had the amazing career he currently still has. That’s essentially what Foo Fighters is: Nirvana, but more so of the spirit of that band rather than the letter. The soul of the self-titled album is very much in the realm of Grunge when it is, but everything else is different. Yeah there’s times where a song or two sounds like something Nirvana would do, but more often than not Dave Grohl is trying new things to keep the noise fresh. It’s ironic that the record sounds as upbeat as it does, when Foo Fighters was formed as a way to keep the depression at bay from losing such a close friend. 

Best Track
Big Me is a silly little song I can’t help but love. Coming in at just 2 minutes & 12 seconds, it’s the shortest song I’ve ever placed in a “Best Track” song in a review, but I just can’t help but smile when I listen to it! The repetitive but well-played instrumentation just feels cozy, and Dave Grohl’s vocal work feels warm & friendly. Again, it’s run time is it’s biggest fault, but outside of that I have a pleasant experience listening to this.

Big Me

Worst Track
Exhausted is the only track on the band’s debut album I’d say is bad. The drumming is good, as well as the vocals, but for whatever reason I can’t stand the effects that were put onto the guitars (I’m assuming it was put on the Bass as well). It comes across as incredibly scratchy, and it’s so bad in places that for some reason it made me feel weird. If this song was closer towards the beginning or middle, I might not judge it so harshly. Instead, it’s the last tune on this release, and that’s just frustrating!

Exhausted

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

Foo Fighters

Overall Impression & Rating
Foo Fighters’s first release definitely hits the ball past center field. Final track not withstanding, it’s obvious that Dave Grohl still believed in what Kurt Cobain was all about, and missed him dearly. Still very much in the realm of Grunge, none the less the band was beginning to move away from the style in ways that helped things evolve. People that hated Grunge might actually like this, and for anyone else interested, it’s worth your time & money.

Foo Fighters gets a 9 out of 10. Take out the final track, and I might make it a 9.5 out of 10. Maybe a full 10 out of 10 if I’m feeling nice about things.

And that was my review for the first Foo Fighters album. Again, if it wasn’t for the last song, I would say it genuinely perfect. As Grunge’s end was coming 2 years after this record’s release, it seemed only right to move away yet stay artistically inclined. So, join me at the end of the month for another Post-Grunge review. Until then, take care! 

3 Grunge Albums You Should Own

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome to part 3 of the Summer of Grunge!

A week ago, I looked at Nirvana’s final album, In Utero. Their most raw & personal album, it managed to be quite the commercial success while still being original and unique. However, like I said in that review, it would ultimately be their last, as a year later Kurt Cobain took his own life. Just a few short years after that, Grunge would no longer be in the spotlight, which was probably a reason to celebrate for elitest metalheads that made the genre out to be the Anti-Christ. Yet, many still look at the music fondly, and I certainly have this summer. So before I look at some Post-Grunge music, I though it was appropriate to make a list briefly talking about some Grunge albums that belong in your collection. This will be a little shorter than some, since I want 1 album from each month. One pre-Grunge, one Nirvana album, and one post-Grunge. Each choice here was deliberate, and perfectly shows off the power of what the genre could do. Let’s not waste anymore time, and take a look at 3 Grunge Albums You Should Own. Let’s begin!

1) Green River - Rehab Doll (Song)

Gluey Porch Treatments from the Melvis crawled & walked, just for Green River’s only album to run like hell. Rehab Doll took everything from the previously mention record, and refined every single aspect that might not have been perfect. The end result became the record I talked about back in June: a refined yet still in your face release that showed off what the burgeoning style was inspired by. It might come across as dated almost 40 years since it’s release, but it’s obvious to even casual music fans that there was definitely something special with Rehab Doll.

2) Nirvana - Nevermind (Song)

On a list of Grunge albums you should own, it would be insane to not have Nirvana’s second release here. Like I stated last month in my review, nobody was prepared for the cultural earthquake & it’s aftershocks when Nevermind was released. Bleach might have been their inaugural debut, but it was Nevermind that truly showed off what the band was about: a musical genre that wasn’t about generating a fantasy, and instead decided to sing about real things that mattered to more people than the haters are willing to admit. Nearly 35 years after it’s release, Nevermind continues to be a pinnacle of Grunge music, and nearly 35 years later, people remember why Kurt Cobain was such a legend.

3) Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters (Song)

So, this is a bit of an interesting release. Put out a year after Kurt’s suicide, it seems a little too soon to call this album Post-Grunge. With the genre still popular (Though not for much longer), it comes across a quickly trying to brush things under the rug. Yet, the inaugural album from the Foo Fighters is exactly that: a move away from Grunge, yet still has one foot planted within the past. There’s still a Grunge attitude & vibe, but different sources of inspiration were being brought in to diversify the music, and the sound seems more refined than before thanks to improved production. In short, a great album that spearheaded an off-shoot of a musical movement, but the start of a remarkable career in it’s own right.

And those were 3 Grunge albums that should be in your collection. All of them are wonderful, and all of them are worth your time. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Grunge, or you’ve always been curious about it, try at least one of these. So, with that out of the way, I’ll see you all around in a few days, when I’ll look again at Foo Fighters’s debut album. Until then, take care!