Welcome back to part 3 of my Type-O Negative mini-festival, fellow Otaku & Metal Heads! We started it off with my second Metal Overview article, and a week ago I put up my memorial to Pete Steele, so today I figured I’d got for something a little different, and perhaps a little more lighthearted. My top 5 favorite Type-O Negative songs, perhaps? With that said, here they are!
5) Creepy Green Light (Link)
- An anomaly within an anomaly, Creepy Green Light is perhaps the only song off of the bleak World Coming Down to possibly have a shred of positivity to it. Coming from the 3rd person perspective, the song tells the story of a spell cast on Halloween Night. The spell wanders through a graveyard, until it comes across the grave of a woman that the spellcaster loved. It then worked it’s magic, and the two were reunited. A very sweet tale. Bittersweet, but sweet regardless.
4) Stay Out Of My Dreams (Link)
- If this song had any fault, it would be that it wasn’t included on World Coming Down (The album it was it intended for), along with it’s compatriots It’s Never Enough & 12 Black Rainbows. I’m actually a little depressed that this song didn’t get on the album: it’s grim, bleak, haunting, yet there is an odd beauty to it. All of Type-O Negative’s music is beautiful in some way, but World Coming Down seems to have more of this weird beauty than any other album. Stay Out Of My Dreams is a great, albeit obscurer, entry in the band’s song library.
3) These Three Things (Link)
- Had to include one track from the band’s final release. Like I said in my Metal Overview article, picking a great track off of Dead Again was difficult, but when These Three Things came on, I knew what choice I had to make. Listening to These Three Things is almost like going on a journey: it starts in the bowels of Hell, but you’re lifted out of that place, and are placed in the desert during a holy pilgrimage. I would continue with the story, but to say even a single word would ruin the entire experience. You just have to go out and listen to it for yourself.
2) Paranoid (Link)
- Simply stunning. Those are the only words I can use to describe the band’s rendition of Paranoid. Okay, maybe they aren’t the only words. Here is a song, that was already a classic track, and Type-O Negative transformed it into a gothic masterpiece. From a near 3-minute track, the band morphed it into a 7 minute (7 minute & 20 seconds, to be specific) opus. The emotions that this song conjured up are incredibly immense, enough to the point where I fight back tears once in a while when I listen to it. It only missed by the number 1 post by inches. If it got any closer, I would have been tempted to tie the two tracks together. Ultimately I didn’t want to do that, as you’ll soon see.
Before we get to my number 1 song, I wanted to talk about some of my honorable mentions. Make no mistake, these are just as great as everything on the main list, but for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to put them with the others. Maybe it’s a weird feeling I get, I’m not sure. Anyways, here they are:
HM1) How Could She? (Link) & Red Water (Christmas Mourning) (Link)
- Two oddball tracks, that’s for sure. One deals with women (Real & fake) on TV & relations with said women, and the other is perhaps the darkest Christmas song I’ve ever listened to! These songs really stand out on their respective albums (Life is Killing Me & October Rust), but not for completely good reasons. How Could She? seems a little too peppy. Perhaps sickeningly so. With Red Water (Christmas Mourning), it was a great song, but it didn’t really fit with October Rust’s mood & feel. Despite my grievances, these tracks are still fun, and shouldn’t be ignored.
HM2) Highway Star (Link)
- Really the only bad point about this song was that it was released on that horrendous The Best Of Type-O Negative compilation album. That’s it! Their rendition of Highway Star is a great song. Maybe a little uneven in terms of pacing (There’s a fast/slow thing going on), but overall a good track. The band really managed to capture the spirit of Deep Purple’s original version, add some gothic spices, and even a little bit of Carnivore grade Speed Metal. This song should be the only reason you’d even consider getting The Best Of Type-O Negative. Again, the only reason!
1) My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend (Link)
- You all knew this was coming. Like I said in my review of October Rust and in my Metal Overview of the article, it was the first song I’ve listened to when I first discovered Type-O Negative. I loved the dry humor that was laced throughout the entire track. I love the 60s sound & vibe that the instrumentation was producing, and Pete’s vocal work was at it’s A game across the entire song. Really can’t say anything else, other than if you want to turn people on to Type-O Negative, send them this song!
Well, these were my favorite Type-O Negative songs. These are the classics that I keep coming back to over & over, and anyone who is a fan of the band should come back to these songs as often as possible. Even casual fans, or metal heads in general, might want to give these tunes a casual listen to. Anyways, hope to see all of you in May, when I’ll finally have a 3rd top ten list up. It’s sure to be a great double feature!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
In Memoram - Pete Steele
Ladies & gentlemen, on April 14, 2010, Peter Thomas Ratajczyk, better known as Pete Steele (In addition to other nicknames), lead singer of Type-O Negative, passed away at the age of 48 due to heart failure. Today marks the 5th anniversary of his death, an occasion that I’m sure many of you will be remembering by breaking out the entire discography, listening to it in a darkly-lit place, and probably enjoying a good shot of Jack Daniels. I’m not good with my liquor, but I will more than definitely be cranking up the volume!
I think we all have stories about how we found the Drab Four. Some are funny, some are more serious, and yet there are some that are strange or accidental. My discovery of Type-O Negative was most certainly an accident: way back in the summer of 2006, during the weird twilight of MTV when they were still kinda playing music videos, and I managed to catch the final minute or so of My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend, which if you’ve read my review of October Rust from October of last year (October Rust Review), you’ll know to be my favorite song off of the album. Kinda like when I first discovered Ministry, I didn’t think much of it for a little bit. Fast forward a couple months, and I have a swathe of their songs on my MP3 player from across their discography. In recent years, I’ve managed to finally get physical releases of their music, with my acquisition of World Coming Down in December of 2013, and a Complete Collection of their albums (During their Roadrunner days) from Christmas of last year.
If there’s one thing that I want you to take from this post, it would be to celebrate. Celebrate the life of Peter Steele, celebrate the memory of Type-O Negative, and enjoy the emotions that their songs bring out. Before I go, I wanted to show you some shots of the man known simply...as Pete Steele.
So this was my little tribute to the man know as Pete Steele. I hope you guys liked it, and maybe you’ve become a fan of the band because of my content this month. See you all later this month for another post, and remember.....Everything dies!
Everything Dies
I think we all have stories about how we found the Drab Four. Some are funny, some are more serious, and yet there are some that are strange or accidental. My discovery of Type-O Negative was most certainly an accident: way back in the summer of 2006, during the weird twilight of MTV when they were still kinda playing music videos, and I managed to catch the final minute or so of My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend, which if you’ve read my review of October Rust from October of last year (October Rust Review), you’ll know to be my favorite song off of the album. Kinda like when I first discovered Ministry, I didn’t think much of it for a little bit. Fast forward a couple months, and I have a swathe of their songs on my MP3 player from across their discography. In recent years, I’ve managed to finally get physical releases of their music, with my acquisition of World Coming Down in December of 2013, and a Complete Collection of their albums (During their Roadrunner days) from Christmas of last year.
If there’s one thing that I want you to take from this post, it would be to celebrate. Celebrate the life of Peter Steele, celebrate the memory of Type-O Negative, and enjoy the emotions that their songs bring out. Before I go, I wanted to show you some shots of the man known simply...as Pete Steele.
Everything Dies
Monday, April 13, 2015
Album Review: Septicflesh's Titan
I’ve never been a Death Metal fan. Nope, for the longest time I’ve thought the genre was nothing but noise, with vocals that were grating, and instrumentation that sounded like stoned monkeys having fits. Then the iconic Septicflesh came into my life a few years back, but even then I really didn’t want to dive in. Come 2014, and one album surprised me. An album that surprised me so much, I put the whole thing on my MP3 player. So without further adieu, lets take a look at their 2014 release Titan, and see why I enjoy this album so much, as well as if it deserves it’s name.
Background
Their third release since their reunion in 2007, Titan is also their third album to continue down their new path of Symphonic Death Metal. Calling upon the Philharmonic Orchestra of Prague, Septicflesh had recorded their instrumentation & vocal works first, then had the orchestra & choirs do their work. This was all completed from September to October of 2013, with the band’s portion in Devasoundz studios in Athens, Greece, and the orchestra/choir portion in Smecky Studios in Prague/Czech Republic. When everything was done, Titan was released on June 20, 2014.
Basic Description
Titanic!
Yeah yeah, that sounds like a dumb way to describe something, but I’m not kidding when I say that! This album truly deserves the title of Titan: the symphony is sweeping & moving, the instrumentation is incredible, and the vocals, despite it not being my preference, were powerful beyond measure. There’s the typical Death Metal growl, but there’s more clear singing, and this album even makes use of a boy’s & girl’s choir from time to time. Everything melds together, and creates a fantastic whole that’s incredibly pleasing to listen to. If you are even remotely curious about this band, and perhaps Death Metal in general, you need to go find this album!
Best Song
For whatever reason, I find myself attracted to the second track on Titan, Burn. More than any song off of this album, this is the one I listen to the most. Blending the band’s patented style of Death Metal, they also harness the power of the orchestra at one beautiful point towards the end, and even some elements of Speed Metal, Burn is a wonderful song to listen to. It’s also a great tune to introduce new people to Death Metal, so be sure to share it as often as you can.
Burn
Despite Burn being my favorite track on here, every other song on Titan is a blast to listen to also! From the opening track War In Heaven, to the title track of the album halfway through, to closing track The First Immortal, the whole experience of Titan is something that few metal albums out there can accomplish.
Worst Song
Nothing on Titan can be considered a worst or bad song! The totality of this entire album is perfect in every way. From the vocals, to the instrumentation, to everything else, this whole album moves along brutally & seamlessly, with no hiccup in sight!
Overall Impression & Rating
I’m going to be brief with this. Titan, simply put, is one of the finest examples of Symphonic Death Metal there is out in the universe of Heavy Metal. To me at least, Titan shatters most if not all stereotypes of Death Metal, and throws those shattered stereotypes into the trash. Buy this album! You’re doing a big disservice if you’re ignoring your curiosity about the most titanic record of 2014!
Titan gets a highly deserved 10 out of 10, the first perfect rating for the Heavy Metal Otaku! I’m breaking out the champaign for this one!
Well, this was my first look into the realm of Death Metal. I’ll be taking another look at the genre come the next album review, but that’ll have to wait a bit. April is going to be “Type-O Negative” month, so be on the lookout for some special content coming. See you soon!
***
For a better explanation of the background of Titan, check out the links below:
(Part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0UpkbTXJzw
(Part 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x2ygfA0vNc
(Part 3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP0cPJQ6bIM
(Part 4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLe2UnWPsBA
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
WOOT, My 28th Birthday!!!
Woooo, it's my birthday! As you can tell by the title, I turn 28 years old today. I'm in a pretty good mood: despite being a year closer to embracing the grim reaper, and something that happened with a friend earlier this year (Won't talk about it here), I'm feeling good. I'm going over to work for my friend Isabelle in a little bit, which is always a treat no matter the occasion, and I'm getting a homemade dinner & birthday cake from my Mom. Yes, I'm a Momma's boy. Don't judge!!
In any case, let's celebrate the day! Let's have some Swedish Fruitcake, and listen to a song from the blackest & most brutal band in the world!
Swedish Fruitcake
Brutal Birthday Song
For anyone who sent b-day wishes on Facebook, thank you. It's nice to know I've got friends/buds like you guys, so it means a lot. Again, thank you very much!
On a more somber & serious note, I want to talk about a childhood hero of mine. As you all know, James Brian Hellwig, better known by is wrestling stage-name, the Ultimate Warrior, died last year. He happened to die, unfortunately, on my birthday last year. About 12 hours after I was born, to be exact. Yeah, this was a man that was larger than life, and I like to think that I embody even a sliver of his power. I know that many of you aren't wrestling fans, but if you have the time, please take a look at the video below. Nothing like this will ever be seen again.
Ultimate Warrior Wrestlemania 6 Promo
Thank all of you who took time out to read this. Hope you all have a nice rest of the day!
In any case, let's celebrate the day! Let's have some Swedish Fruitcake, and listen to a song from the blackest & most brutal band in the world!
Swedish Fruitcake
Brutal Birthday Song
For anyone who sent b-day wishes on Facebook, thank you. It's nice to know I've got friends/buds like you guys, so it means a lot. Again, thank you very much!
On a more somber & serious note, I want to talk about a childhood hero of mine. As you all know, James Brian Hellwig, better known by is wrestling stage-name, the Ultimate Warrior, died last year. He happened to die, unfortunately, on my birthday last year. About 12 hours after I was born, to be exact. Yeah, this was a man that was larger than life, and I like to think that I embody even a sliver of his power. I know that many of you aren't wrestling fans, but if you have the time, please take a look at the video below. Nothing like this will ever be seen again.
Ultimate Warrior Wrestlemania 6 Promo
Thank all of you who took time out to read this. Hope you all have a nice rest of the day!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Metal Overview: Type-O Negative
Welcome fellow Otaku & Metal Heads to my second entry into my “Metal Overview” series, where we look at the careers of iconic metal bands, and boy oh boy do we have a huge one this time! Considering the anniversary that’s coming up later this month, I feel it was appropriate that the subject of this Metal Overview should be covered. The band this time around, is the dark & gothic Type-O Negative.
Yes ladies & gentlemen, Type-O Negative. Even if you’re a casual Type-O fan, or a casual metal fan in general, you know of this band, not to mention it’s iconic & infamous lead singer/guitarist, Peter Steele (His real name was Peter Thomas Ratajczyk). Despite not being around anymore, Pete’s presence can be felt on cold October days, where the wind bites your skin, and the leaves fly around like ghosts in a storm. The albums that the band created are still fondly remembered today, as the songs they crafted are filled with such emotion & artistry, they can’t be forgotten. Enough of me gushing, so let’s take a look at the life & times of the Drab Four, Type-O Negative. Enjoy!
Carnivore (1985)
Before I go into the discography of Type-O Negative, I want to talk about the band that created the bedrock for the Drab Four, Carnivore. Formed in 1982 after the breakup of the band Fallout, Carnivore was a very different band: instead of Goth & doom style music, Carnivore was a band that focused on Thrash & Speed Metal, as well as Hardcore Punk. It is surprising to note that for a furious sounding band, there were only 3 band members. There was Pete (Vocals, Bass, Sound Effects), Keith Alexander (Guitars, Vocals, Sound Effect), and Louie Beato (Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Sound Effects). This first release was a sonic assault on the ears! Equal parts slow, fast, and flat-out angry, Carnivore was a good beginning album for the band. Good enough to be on Revolver’s “14 Thrash Albums You Need To Own” list in August of 2014.
I can’t pick a best or worst track from this album, as I’ve actually never listened to this (Apart from a song or two out of curiosity)! Ultimately, I’m leaving this up to you guys, so let me know what you think are the best & worst off of this album. Next album!
Retaliation (1987)
Equally as praised as their last release, Carnivore’s second album Retaliation would ultimately be their last album. Shortly after the release of Retaliation, the band broke up, never to play again, apart from a couple of reunion shows in the mid 90s to mid 2000s. Retaliation is something of a more refined release when compared to their first album: make no mistake, this album is just as wild as Carnivore was. However, the band seems to have polished their music, and this makes the anger & rage all the more potent.
The best track on Retaliation would have to be Technophobia. Out of all the songs on this album, this one is about as close to a typical early Type-O Negative tune as Carnivore can get. All of the essential elements are present: fast & slow guitars, pounding drums, and Pete Steele’s patented voice. If you’re listening to this album for the first time, and for some reason you’re doing this release a great disservice!
Technophobia
The worst track would happen to be the opening song, Jack Daniels and Pizza. The song is just 55 seconds of Pete Steele puking in what might be a toilet bowl (Probably is a toilet bowl), presumably because of what he ate & drank. A waste of time if there ever was one!
Jack Daniels and Pizza
Like I said earlier in the description, Retaliation marks the last album that Carnivore released, as they broke up not that long afterwards. However, with the death of one band, comes the birth of another. As you’re just about to see, a storm cloud was on the horizon, and what it would bring would be something the likes would never be heard of again. Next album!
Slow Deep and Hard (1991)
After leaving Carnivore after the release of Retaliation, Pete, along with childhood friends Sal Abruscato, Josh Silver (Hey, someone with my first name!), and Kenny Hickey got together to form a band called Subzero. The name was changed to the iconic Type-O Negative, and shortly after they signed with Roadrunner Records in 1991, they released their classic first album, Slow Deep and Hard. Although this was a new band, the material within was actually written largely for Carnivore, and to a certain extent it shows. There are still plenty of punky tones throughout many of the songs, but due to the more Gothic & Doom nature of the band, that punk element seems more supplementary. This strange mix somehow works, and creates an experience that hasn’t been heard since.
The best track off of Slow Deep and Hard, hands down, goes straight to Xero Tolerance! Pete’s dry wit & humor comes off like radiation from a nuclear power plant in this song. The mix of Punk & Gothic Metal is just perfect, and the Doom elements are like fine spices peppered on at the last minute. While I’m not the biggest fan of punk, this song is one of the exceptions to the rule, and certainly deserves a place on my MP3 player.
Xero Tolerance
The worst track, however, was something of a challenge. An easy challenge, but a challenge regardless. Ultimately, I decided on the team of The Misinterpretation of Silence and its Disastrous Consequences & Glass Walls of Limbo (Dance Mix). The first is a little over a minute of just plain silence, while the second just sounds like monks chanting in an abandoned temple. At least with the second track it adds up to something, but really seems like’s it’s just a filler piece. An interesting track, but probably should have been more than what it was.
Glass Walls of Limbo (Dance Mix)
Slow Deep and Hard, a classic release from Type-O Negative, and one that would bring the band some well deserved fame & recognition. Their next offering, however, would be a bit of a backtrack. Next album!
The Origin of the Feces (1992/1994)
After the success of Slow Deep and Hard, Roadrunner Records asked (More likely told them it was in their contract) Type-O Negative to record a live album. Instead of recording a live album, the band used the money they were given to buy a horde of cheap vodka, and simply went to the basement of one of the band members (Whoever it was, I’m not sure) to record their second release, The Origin of the Feces. To me, The Origin of the Feces is the weakest release of the band. Simply re-recording their previous music (With some minor tweaks) is a massively lazy move. So you’re probably asking yourself, why should I listen to this? Well......because of the experience!
Although there’s really nothing new on here, what makes this an album to listen to at least once is the atmosphere. They pumped in plenty of effects, including a fake crowd that hated their guts, as well as a song stopping mid way because of a supposed bomb threat (This was done because of issues during their Slow Deep and Hard tour in Europe). It’s because of these effects that create an album that feels completely new, while at the same time staying incredibly familiar.
Best track 100% would have to go to their remake of Paranoid! Curiously only on the 1994 re-released of the album, this cover is simply stunning. The band took a song that was barely 2 minutes long, and extended it to 7 minutes & 30 seconds. The gothic sounds of this new version of Paranoid is absolutely sublime, and even manages to incorporate another classic Black Sabbath tune into the mix. For any new Type-O Negative fans I won’t spoil it for you, but for the veteran fans reading this, you know what I’m talking about.
Paranoid
There really isn’t any worst track on The Origin of the Feces. The only real flaw of this album is that it rehashes almost everything off of Slow Deep and Hard, apart from the best tracks (See above). Overall, this album is definitely the weakest of this discography. Pick it up only if you’re curious. Next album!
Bloody Kisses (1993)
After a successful 1st album, and a 2nd album that was iffy at best, Roadrunner Records was worried for the band. They thought that they were gonna go under, but when Type-O Negative released Bloody Kisses on August 17, 1993, those fears were immediately put to rest. Bloody Kisses was a pretty important release: not only was it Roadrunner’s first record to go platinum in the US, but it was widely acclaimed by critics & listeners who bought the album. Bloody Kisses established the band’s reputation as masters of Gothic Metal, as the music on this album is dark, gloomy, yet beautiful in a strange way. The dry & satirical humor of Pete Steele continues to shine on this album, and it’s just as biting as it was on their first two records.
The best track of Bloody Kisses comes in the form of the guilty pleasure known as Summer Breeze. A cover of the Seals & Croft classic, Type-O Negative added a healthy dose of gothic sensuality & eroticism, and turned it into their own unique creation. This is definitely the song you listen to on summer nights, with the sun going down, and a lovely women sitting right next to you.
Summer Breeze
It should be noted that this edition of Summer Breeze was not the original version they recorded! Type-O Negative recorded a version with altered lyrics, but Seals & Croft pitched a fit about it, saying the band was “Wrecking their song with offensive and wrong lyrics”. The band cut it from Bloody Kisses, and they simply re-recorded the original piece. While the original cover of the song was darker in tone, it’s still something that everybody should listen too!
Summer Breeze (Banned Version)
Honorable mentions go right to the duo of Kill All The White People & We Hate Everybody. Created in response to racist accusations from a tour in Europe, along with Pete Steele’s previous lyrics from his days in Carnivore, these two songs practically made fun of the whole issue, and are good tracks in their own right.
Kill All The White People
We Hate Everybody
Worst Track? Nothing on Bloody Kisses is a bad at all! A perfect record all the way, I highly recommend this release to anyone who is even slightly interested in the band. Next album!
October Rust (1996)
During their two-year promotional tour for Bloody Kisses, and during their exposure on MTV, VH1, and Rolling Stone magazine, original drummer Sal Abruscato quit the band to join another, the Brooklyn quartet Life of Agony. Johnny Kelly, the band’s drum technician, was hired as a full-fledged drummer, and would stay with the band until it’s demise in November of 2010. October Rust, the fourth album of Type-O Negative (Third if you don’t count The Origin of the Feces) was released on August 20, 1996. While not quite as commercially successful as Bloody Kisses was, October Rust was certified gold, and managed to get to No. 42 on the Billboard 200. The sex & sensuality that was explored on their previous album is examined further on this release, and while the Doom Metal aspects have taken a step or two back, this is supplemented by a more ballad-like atmosphere. This atmosphere is something I actually welcome, as it shows a softer yet still heavy side of the band.
Without a doubt, the best track of October Rust is the 60s stylings of My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend. The song that helped me discover the band, My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend is an example of Pete Steele’s wit & dry humor coming to the forefront, and shows off how smart the band can be.
My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
As for the worst track, Red Water (Christmas Mourning) takes the spot. While not a horrendous song by any stretch of the imagination, the reason why it’s the worst is because it feels rather out of place on October Rust. The more depressive atmosphere it gives out makes it feel like it should belong on their next album (More on this in a bit). Despite that, this is still a great track!
Red Water (Christmas Mourning)
October Rust, one of my favorite Type-O Negative records of all time! A required album for anyone interesting in the band, and in Gothic Metal in general. Next album!
World Coming Down (1999)
Every Heavy Metal singer or band has a black sheep in their discography. An anomaly, so to speak. A release that stands out from the rest of their library, whether it’s for the right or wrong reasons. Examples include the relatively weak Physicist from Devin Townsend, the criminally misunderstood Dark Side of the Spoon from Ministry, and Septicflesh’s only brush with Industrial Metal in the form of Revolution DNA. For Type-O Negative, their black sheep would be World Coming Down. Compared to their albums before & after, World Coming Down is the bleakest release they’ve ever put out. To quote youtuber CoverKillerNation: “This album is mired in depression, suicidal litations, with excess, drug addiction, and alcoholism”.
The reason for World Coming Down’s overtly dark nature is simple, and that would be loss. During the period between their previous album and World Coming Down, the band was getting ready to record their next release. With working titles like Prophets of Doom and Aggroculture, the band was feeling great, then tragedy strikes! From 1997 to before the release of World Coming Down, Pete was losing loved ones & friends almost left & right, and coupled with the drugs & alcohol he was consuming on an almost daily basis, created an atmosphere that was just downright uncomfortable. This environment lent fuel to the creation of their darkest album ever, World Coming Down. Released on September 21, 1999, World Coming Down was actually a little more successful than October Rust, reaching No. 39 on the Billboard 200. Gone is the trademark humor of their previous works, and instead the music on this album is absolutely 100% serious (Apart from the opening fake track, Skip it). Despite the serious nature of the release, there’s a dark kind of beauty within the songs. Pete Steele harnessed his pain & suffering, and in doing so created 13 tracks that just flood your ears with harsh lyrics, deep subject matter, and gothic beauty.
Best track.....this was a tricky one folks. Pretty much every single song on here is absolutely fantastic to listen to, but ultimately I’m giving it to Creepy Green Light. Originally title Spooky Green Light, Creepy Green Light is the only song on this album that seems to have even a hint of positivity to it. The song evokes the cold & darkest days of October, and as the track goes on, you can feel the wind faintly cross your skin, and gives you goosebumbs that seem to stay around forever.
Creepy Green Light
Worst track.....Nothing at all! World Coming Down, my other favorite Type-O Negative record! If you can get past the bleak nature of the music, you'll find an absolute gem of an record. Next album!
The Least Worst of Type-O Negative (2000)
The only official compilation album that the band ever produced (More on this in a bit), The Least Worst of Type-O Negative is an interesting collection of songs. A medley of tracks, from Slow Deep and Hard, all the way to the then-current World Coming Down, the tracks on here are either all unreleased editions, or remixes. The only true “remix” on here is The Misinterpretation of Silence and its Disastrous Consequences, and even then it was simply shortened from a minute & 4 seconds, to just 39 seconds. Like Slow Deep and Hard, this is the worst track on here, and is an even more annoying waste of space, simply due to it’s shortened length. The best track, however, would have to go to the three songs recorded during their World Coming Down sessions, with particular emphasis on the album’s closing track, Stay Out of My Dreams.
Stay Out of My Dreams
The Least Worst of Type-O Negative, a fantastic mix of their career in the 90s. If you want to introduce someone to Type-O Negative, then this is a surefire way to get them to enjoy the band. Next album!
Life Is Killing Me (2003)
A massive return to form, Life Is Killing Me is the second album produced by Type-O Negative in the 2000s (First if you discount The Least Worst of Type-O Negative). Released on June 17, 2003, the album did as well as World Coming Down did (Life Is Killing Me also got to No. 39 on the Billboard 200), and once again felt like a typical Type-O Negative album. The gothic tones were back, there was the band’s patented doom & gloom, and Pete Steele’s dry humor & wit returns in full force. There’s a little bit of World Coming Down’s serious nature still around, but it seems to be used in a more positive light. In short, Life Is Killing Me is classic Type-O Negative, coming back onto the metal scene, and saying “We’re still here, bitches!”
Kinda like World Coming Down, I had a tough time picking out what the best track is. While all of the songs on here are fantastic pieces of music, the only flaw that this album actually has is that it suffers from a case of Multiple Personality Disorder. The flow is rather chaotic, going from serious to funny/sarcastic at what seems like random. That said, I enjoy the hell out of How Could She?, the track at the album’s halfway point. Simultaneously a tribute to Pete Steele’s favorite fictional TV women & a critique on how said fictional TV women don’t judge, How Could She? is just a fun song all around.
How Could She?
Life Is Killing Me, Type-O Negative’s comeback album in the 2000s. It’s not one of my favorite albums, but it’s one that I can most definitely appreciate. If you didn’t like the bleak nature of World Coming Down, then this will be the record for you. Next album!
The Best of Type-O Negative (2006)
As we’re winding down this overview, we arrive at what may very well be the worst release in the band’s discography. Truthfully, Type-O Negative had nothing to do with this release: by 2005, Pete Steele did not like the situation they had with Roadrunner Records, and in his words described it as “A noose around my neck”. Aside from a poor deal, the band left Roadrunner supposedly because of the release of The Best of Type-O Negative, which was allegedly an unauthorized release (There were simultaneous unsanctioned compilations of Sepultura, Fear Factory, and Ill Nino). Ironically, Pete Steele was still friends with the staff of Roadrunner Records, and in October of 2005, was on the Roadrunner United to help celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary.
The music on here is nothing new. Unlike The Least Worst of Type-O Negative, none of the tracks on here were altered in anyway. Hell, even the cover isn't original, as Roadrunner used cover art from the European promo of Love You To Death in what was probably an attempt to save money. Only one tune on this compilation is unique to the whole thing, and that’s their cover of Deep Purple’s Highway Star. Originally off of a NASCAR compilation album (NASCAR: Crank It Up 2002, to be exact), their version of the song is actually pretty good. It’s intense, and harkens back slightly to the Speed Metal attitude that Carnivore embraced back in the 80s. Definitely a good driving tune!
Highway Star
Simply put: buy the least worst of, ignore the best of. Next album!
Dead Again (2007)
The sad truth about 2007s Dead Again, is that it wasn’t supposed to be the band’s final album. As it was revealed after Pete Steele’s death on April 16, 2010, he was actually supposed to start writing for their next album in May of the same year (The working album title was called Double Crossed, and was going to further continue with the religious themes on this album), then his passing came, and that was it for Type-O Negative. Despite the tragedy in the future, Dead Again is a fantastic album. Released on March 13, 2007, Dead Again is the highest charting album of their career on the Billboard 200. Getting as high as No. 27 on the charts, to be exact. The album also marks another change for frontman Pete Steele: In 2005 he was serving some jail-time, and in the process finally got off of drugs (Later he would get off alcohol as well), and even overcame his longstanding atheism to become a Roman Catholic. This release was also great for the band as a whole: they were signed to a new record company (SPV Records), and for the first time since Bloody Kisses, the band used drums solos instead of a drum machine (Johnny Kelly was only “Credited” as the drummer on their previous 3 albums).
Best track was tough to pick out. To date, Dead Again remains Type-O Negative's most focused, most precise, and their most organized album to date. Because of this, Dead Again has much more of a seamless quality to it, making it a little difficult to pick out a song. That said, I absolutely love These Three Things. The longest song on the album, and perhaps in their entire discography (14 minutes & 21 second), this track is just epic. The guitars & drums are working overtime on here, and Pete’s voice is all over the place, but in a good way.
These Three Things
Worst track? Really the only problem with Dead Again is the overtly religious tones throughout a majority of the tracks. While I don’t have a problem with this (I think it adds to the album’s flavor), for many of the more atheist-minded fans of Type-O Negative it will certainly irk them. Regardless of this one point, Dead Again is a fine album, and in a strange way a nice way to conclude a great career. Most certainly recommended!
Dead Again
So this was my overview of the Brooklyn badasses known as Type-O Negative. Despite not being together anymore, the impact that their music left is still felt by all who loved them. I hope you liked this second entry of my “Metal Overview” series, and be sure to spread this around to anyone who would enjoy it. I’ve got one out-of-theme review coming up, but I won’t give out any hints. See you soon!
***
Click on the link below for my first Type-O Negative review.
http://heavymetalotaku.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-type-o-negatives-october-rust.html
Yes ladies & gentlemen, Type-O Negative. Even if you’re a casual Type-O fan, or a casual metal fan in general, you know of this band, not to mention it’s iconic & infamous lead singer/guitarist, Peter Steele (His real name was Peter Thomas Ratajczyk). Despite not being around anymore, Pete’s presence can be felt on cold October days, where the wind bites your skin, and the leaves fly around like ghosts in a storm. The albums that the band created are still fondly remembered today, as the songs they crafted are filled with such emotion & artistry, they can’t be forgotten. Enough of me gushing, so let’s take a look at the life & times of the Drab Four, Type-O Negative. Enjoy!
Carnivore (1985)
I can’t pick a best or worst track from this album, as I’ve actually never listened to this (Apart from a song or two out of curiosity)! Ultimately, I’m leaving this up to you guys, so let me know what you think are the best & worst off of this album. Next album!
Retaliation (1987)
The best track on Retaliation would have to be Technophobia. Out of all the songs on this album, this one is about as close to a typical early Type-O Negative tune as Carnivore can get. All of the essential elements are present: fast & slow guitars, pounding drums, and Pete Steele’s patented voice. If you’re listening to this album for the first time, and for some reason you’re doing this release a great disservice!
Technophobia
The worst track would happen to be the opening song, Jack Daniels and Pizza. The song is just 55 seconds of Pete Steele puking in what might be a toilet bowl (Probably is a toilet bowl), presumably because of what he ate & drank. A waste of time if there ever was one!
Jack Daniels and Pizza
Like I said earlier in the description, Retaliation marks the last album that Carnivore released, as they broke up not that long afterwards. However, with the death of one band, comes the birth of another. As you’re just about to see, a storm cloud was on the horizon, and what it would bring would be something the likes would never be heard of again. Next album!
Slow Deep and Hard (1991)
The best track off of Slow Deep and Hard, hands down, goes straight to Xero Tolerance! Pete’s dry wit & humor comes off like radiation from a nuclear power plant in this song. The mix of Punk & Gothic Metal is just perfect, and the Doom elements are like fine spices peppered on at the last minute. While I’m not the biggest fan of punk, this song is one of the exceptions to the rule, and certainly deserves a place on my MP3 player.
Xero Tolerance
The worst track, however, was something of a challenge. An easy challenge, but a challenge regardless. Ultimately, I decided on the team of The Misinterpretation of Silence and its Disastrous Consequences & Glass Walls of Limbo (Dance Mix). The first is a little over a minute of just plain silence, while the second just sounds like monks chanting in an abandoned temple. At least with the second track it adds up to something, but really seems like’s it’s just a filler piece. An interesting track, but probably should have been more than what it was.
Glass Walls of Limbo (Dance Mix)
Slow Deep and Hard, a classic release from Type-O Negative, and one that would bring the band some well deserved fame & recognition. Their next offering, however, would be a bit of a backtrack. Next album!
The Origin of the Feces (1992/1994)
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| 1992 Original Cover |
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| 1994 Re-Release Cover |
Although there’s really nothing new on here, what makes this an album to listen to at least once is the atmosphere. They pumped in plenty of effects, including a fake crowd that hated their guts, as well as a song stopping mid way because of a supposed bomb threat (This was done because of issues during their Slow Deep and Hard tour in Europe). It’s because of these effects that create an album that feels completely new, while at the same time staying incredibly familiar.
Best track 100% would have to go to their remake of Paranoid! Curiously only on the 1994 re-released of the album, this cover is simply stunning. The band took a song that was barely 2 minutes long, and extended it to 7 minutes & 30 seconds. The gothic sounds of this new version of Paranoid is absolutely sublime, and even manages to incorporate another classic Black Sabbath tune into the mix. For any new Type-O Negative fans I won’t spoil it for you, but for the veteran fans reading this, you know what I’m talking about.
Paranoid
There really isn’t any worst track on The Origin of the Feces. The only real flaw of this album is that it rehashes almost everything off of Slow Deep and Hard, apart from the best tracks (See above). Overall, this album is definitely the weakest of this discography. Pick it up only if you’re curious. Next album!
Bloody Kisses (1993)
The best track of Bloody Kisses comes in the form of the guilty pleasure known as Summer Breeze. A cover of the Seals & Croft classic, Type-O Negative added a healthy dose of gothic sensuality & eroticism, and turned it into their own unique creation. This is definitely the song you listen to on summer nights, with the sun going down, and a lovely women sitting right next to you.
Summer Breeze
It should be noted that this edition of Summer Breeze was not the original version they recorded! Type-O Negative recorded a version with altered lyrics, but Seals & Croft pitched a fit about it, saying the band was “Wrecking their song with offensive and wrong lyrics”. The band cut it from Bloody Kisses, and they simply re-recorded the original piece. While the original cover of the song was darker in tone, it’s still something that everybody should listen too!
Summer Breeze (Banned Version)
Honorable mentions go right to the duo of Kill All The White People & We Hate Everybody. Created in response to racist accusations from a tour in Europe, along with Pete Steele’s previous lyrics from his days in Carnivore, these two songs practically made fun of the whole issue, and are good tracks in their own right.
Kill All The White People
We Hate Everybody
Worst Track? Nothing on Bloody Kisses is a bad at all! A perfect record all the way, I highly recommend this release to anyone who is even slightly interested in the band. Next album!
October Rust (1996)
Without a doubt, the best track of October Rust is the 60s stylings of My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend. The song that helped me discover the band, My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend is an example of Pete Steele’s wit & dry humor coming to the forefront, and shows off how smart the band can be.
My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
As for the worst track, Red Water (Christmas Mourning) takes the spot. While not a horrendous song by any stretch of the imagination, the reason why it’s the worst is because it feels rather out of place on October Rust. The more depressive atmosphere it gives out makes it feel like it should belong on their next album (More on this in a bit). Despite that, this is still a great track!
Red Water (Christmas Mourning)
October Rust, one of my favorite Type-O Negative records of all time! A required album for anyone interesting in the band, and in Gothic Metal in general. Next album!
World Coming Down (1999)
The reason for World Coming Down’s overtly dark nature is simple, and that would be loss. During the period between their previous album and World Coming Down, the band was getting ready to record their next release. With working titles like Prophets of Doom and Aggroculture, the band was feeling great, then tragedy strikes! From 1997 to before the release of World Coming Down, Pete was losing loved ones & friends almost left & right, and coupled with the drugs & alcohol he was consuming on an almost daily basis, created an atmosphere that was just downright uncomfortable. This environment lent fuel to the creation of their darkest album ever, World Coming Down. Released on September 21, 1999, World Coming Down was actually a little more successful than October Rust, reaching No. 39 on the Billboard 200. Gone is the trademark humor of their previous works, and instead the music on this album is absolutely 100% serious (Apart from the opening fake track, Skip it). Despite the serious nature of the release, there’s a dark kind of beauty within the songs. Pete Steele harnessed his pain & suffering, and in doing so created 13 tracks that just flood your ears with harsh lyrics, deep subject matter, and gothic beauty.
Best track.....this was a tricky one folks. Pretty much every single song on here is absolutely fantastic to listen to, but ultimately I’m giving it to Creepy Green Light. Originally title Spooky Green Light, Creepy Green Light is the only song on this album that seems to have even a hint of positivity to it. The song evokes the cold & darkest days of October, and as the track goes on, you can feel the wind faintly cross your skin, and gives you goosebumbs that seem to stay around forever.
Creepy Green Light
Worst track.....Nothing at all! World Coming Down, my other favorite Type-O Negative record! If you can get past the bleak nature of the music, you'll find an absolute gem of an record. Next album!
The Least Worst of Type-O Negative (2000)
Stay Out of My Dreams
The Least Worst of Type-O Negative, a fantastic mix of their career in the 90s. If you want to introduce someone to Type-O Negative, then this is a surefire way to get them to enjoy the band. Next album!
Life Is Killing Me (2003)
Kinda like World Coming Down, I had a tough time picking out what the best track is. While all of the songs on here are fantastic pieces of music, the only flaw that this album actually has is that it suffers from a case of Multiple Personality Disorder. The flow is rather chaotic, going from serious to funny/sarcastic at what seems like random. That said, I enjoy the hell out of How Could She?, the track at the album’s halfway point. Simultaneously a tribute to Pete Steele’s favorite fictional TV women & a critique on how said fictional TV women don’t judge, How Could She? is just a fun song all around.
How Could She?
Life Is Killing Me, Type-O Negative’s comeback album in the 2000s. It’s not one of my favorite albums, but it’s one that I can most definitely appreciate. If you didn’t like the bleak nature of World Coming Down, then this will be the record for you. Next album!
The Best of Type-O Negative (2006)
The music on here is nothing new. Unlike The Least Worst of Type-O Negative, none of the tracks on here were altered in anyway. Hell, even the cover isn't original, as Roadrunner used cover art from the European promo of Love You To Death in what was probably an attempt to save money. Only one tune on this compilation is unique to the whole thing, and that’s their cover of Deep Purple’s Highway Star. Originally off of a NASCAR compilation album (NASCAR: Crank It Up 2002, to be exact), their version of the song is actually pretty good. It’s intense, and harkens back slightly to the Speed Metal attitude that Carnivore embraced back in the 80s. Definitely a good driving tune!
Highway Star
Simply put: buy the least worst of, ignore the best of. Next album!
Dead Again (2007)
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| 2007 Original Cover |
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| 2008 Re-Release Cover |
Best track was tough to pick out. To date, Dead Again remains Type-O Negative's most focused, most precise, and their most organized album to date. Because of this, Dead Again has much more of a seamless quality to it, making it a little difficult to pick out a song. That said, I absolutely love These Three Things. The longest song on the album, and perhaps in their entire discography (14 minutes & 21 second), this track is just epic. The guitars & drums are working overtime on here, and Pete’s voice is all over the place, but in a good way.
These Three Things
Worst track? Really the only problem with Dead Again is the overtly religious tones throughout a majority of the tracks. While I don’t have a problem with this (I think it adds to the album’s flavor), for many of the more atheist-minded fans of Type-O Negative it will certainly irk them. Regardless of this one point, Dead Again is a fine album, and in a strange way a nice way to conclude a great career. Most certainly recommended!
Dead Again
So this was my overview of the Brooklyn badasses known as Type-O Negative. Despite not being together anymore, the impact that their music left is still felt by all who loved them. I hope you liked this second entry of my “Metal Overview” series, and be sure to spread this around to anyone who would enjoy it. I’ve got one out-of-theme review coming up, but I won’t give out any hints. See you soon!
***
Click on the link below for my first Type-O Negative review.
http://heavymetalotaku.blogspot.com/2014/10/review-type-o-negatives-october-rust.html
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Wrestlemania 31 Review
While I don’t see any massive positive changes, I can certainly say that Wrestlemania 31 was a step in the right direction. There were certainly some issues, no doubt, but it was nowhere near as horrendous as some commentators were saying/hoping. I had a lot of fun despite the problems, so without further delays, here’s a review of Wrestlemania 31. Enjoy?
Wrestlemania Pre-Show
“Four Way Tag Team Championship”
- Prediction: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro or The Uso Brothers
- Actual Winner: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
We being Wrestlemania with this first pre-show match, and you know it’s not going to go well when there’s barely any story involved, and it’s on the pre-show. Regardless, there were 4 tag teams involved: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (The defending champions), The Uso Brothers, Los Matadores (Why?), and The New Day (Dear God Why!?). I thought this match was a mess, with all of the teams being all over the place. Los Matadores were underwhelming as always, The New Day were booed pretty hardcore, enough to the point where chants of “New Day Sucks” could be plainly heard. The Usos were cheered like they normally were, but the team got knocked out early. Jay Uso had a shoulder injury a few weeks back, and it came back after I believe he got thrown out of the ring. From this point Jimmy Uso carried the match by himself, and to his credit he was good. Sadly, when Cesaro got his time, that was it. He brought back the “Cesaro Swing”, and the crowd went nuts. By the time the swing came around, it was apparent to me that Tyson Kidd & Cesaro were going to win, and sure enough they did.
Overall, the Tag Team Championship match was alright. Weaker of the two pre-show match, but I enjoyed it a little. It was confusing at times, maybe to the point of messy, but it was fun, and it managed to have a suspenseful moment or two.
“Andre the Giant Battle Royal”
- Prediction: Damien Mizdow
- Actual Winner: The Big Show
Of the two pre-show matches they had, I enjoyed this match much more than the Tag Team Championship match. The crowd was behind it more (There wasn’t much crowd input in the previous match), it felt like there was something more at stake, and a story finally reached a conclusion of sorts. However, there were some issues:
- 1) Curtis Axel was the first to get eliminated. For the past couple weeks, he’s been in this “Axelmania” sketch, and when he was showing off at the beginning, actually got some cheers. Sadly, he got eliminated, and all cheering for him stopped almost immediately.
- 2) Like the Tag Team Championship, this battle royal was a mess. To this match’s credit, as people were getting eliminated, it was getting smoother & clearer.
- 3) Hideo Itami. One of the rising stars of NXT, Hideo won the NXT tournament during Wrestlemania Access for the right to be in the battle royal, and he was actually getting behind the crowd somewhat when he started to get into motion. However, once he got taken out like Curtis Axel, any momentum stopped, and their was actually some boos I heard.
- 4) All throughout the battle royal, the crowd was right behind Damien Mizdow. He wasn’t getting lots of people over the rope (That “Honor” goes to Ryback, Big Show, and Kane), but his character has always been something that fan can get behind. Coupled with what seems to be rising tensions with The Miz in recent weeks, you can actually feel some sympathy for him. Right by the end, Miz was trying to convince him to go after Big Show, but that was the breaking point, and Mizdow threw him over, although it was a hallow victory (More on this in the “Raw” portion of the review). He threw Miz over, and for about 1 or 2 minutes, Mizdow & Big Show fought. To their credit, it almost seemed liked Mizdow was going to win. This wasn’t meant to be, as Big Show practically manhandled him, and won the Andre the Giant title.
- 5) I didn’t put this in my notes, but what I found most odd about the Andre the Giant Battle Royal was that it was on the pre-show. Last year it was actually one of the bigger events at Wrestlemania, but due to time constraints (From what I’ve heard at least) it was moved to the pre-show, reducing a fair amount of it’s “importance”.
Main Show
“Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match” (1st Match)
- Prediction: Daniel Bryan or Dean Ambrose
- Actual Winner: Daniel Bryan
Now we begin Wrestlemania proper!
This was a fun match, and was easily one of my favorites! Despite all of the ladders & wrestlers in the ring, the chaos in this match was much more controlled than what was in the pre-show. There were a lot of wild moments, but the insanity was contained for the most part. The selection of wrestlers in question was relatively even, enough to the point where the cheers & boos seemed to be equally distributed. All of the combatants also had moments where they had time to shine (Positively and/or Negatively). Dean Ambrose had a particularly brutal moment where he fell right onto a ladder that was setup on the ring & security wall, and practically broke it in half. He wasn’t moving afterwards, and was pretty much out of the match. By the end of the match, Daniel Bryan & Dolph Ziggler were fighting upon a ladder set underneath the belt, and in a moment that I can only describe as pure lunacy, the two begin a head-butting fest. Considering the fact that he had neck surgery a few months back, I’m surprised that Bryan decided to go this route. Regardless, he managed to knock Ziggler down, and win the title.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Bryan now. Considering the reputation of the Intercontinental Championship, it might not have been a win that Bryan wanted.
“Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton” (2nd Match)
- Prediction: Randy Orton
- Actual Winner: Randy Orton
In what may be my favorite match on the card, Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton was a good one. If I had any complaint, it would be twofold: Randy Orton had already beaten the hell out of Rollins a few weeks prior, and that was a brutal beating! Because of said beating, it basically makes this match pointless. On top of that, it almost looked like there was going to be a screwjob style finish, thanks to J & J Security (Seth’s goons). Despite these two issues, this match was fun! Seth was appropriately booed (Pretty loudly, might I add), while Randy was appropriately cheered. Both competitors seemed to be equal in terms of moments, but Randy Orton seemed to have more of an edge in some way.
This match probably didn’t need to happen, but I thought it was fun regardless. Definitely one to watch!
“Sting vs Triple H” (3rd Match)
- Prediction: Sting
- Actual Winner: Triple H
I’m conflicted on this match. On the one hand, it was the first time Sting was in a WWE ring. I never watched WCW back in the day, so seeing him here was cool for me. Not only that, but for being 56 years old, he actually looked really good, and was moving good too! Since this was his first WWE match, the crowd (Many of which are probably Sting fans from the WCW days) was cheering pretty loudly. Adding onto the fact that he seemed to dominate 75% of the match, it looked like he was going to win. So what happened?
Now I’m probably going into conspiracy mode, but I’m under the firm belief that the reason Sting lost was because of Vince McMahon’s ego. Even if you’ve payed only casual attention to wrestling in the 90s (Or wrestling in general), you know about Vince’s opinion towards one of his biggest rivals. Sting’s loss was perhaps the final nail in the coffin for the Monday Night Wars. The most iconic wrestler of WCW, defeated by one of his own, probably filled him with glee.
There’s some other things to talk about as well: the entrances of the two were certainly spectacles. Sting came out to Japanese Taiko drumming, which was a weird move. It didn’t fit with his theme, and it didn’t even fit with Sting’s theme music. Triple H, meanwhile, had a Terminator theme. Considering he had a “Scratch My Back/I’ll Scratch Yours” deal with Arnold, It’s not all that surprising. Even H’s getup looked like something out of the Terminator movies, complete with chrome & such. His intro was cheesy as hell, but I admit it was the fun kind of cheesy. Not only that, but DX and the NWO came out to help their respective side (This was a no disqualification match.....we were told this right as the match was announced). So to end this match, Shawn Michaels came in, and delivered Sweet Chin Music straight to Sting’s face. Triple H came over to Sting’s body. Covered him, then won. Absolutely pathetic! The handshake they had, though, was definitely an interesting move.
As you can tell, this was conflicting for me. It was probably conflicting for a bunch of you as well, so let me know what you think in the comments below.
“The Bella Twins vs AJ Lee & Paige” (4th Match)
- Prediction: The Bella Twins
- Actual Winner: AJ Lee & Paige
This match was better than it had every right to be. I think we can all agree that Diva matches are horrendous, with only a scant few times that there were good. That said, this had a higher quality than essentially most other Diva matches of 2014, and the beginning. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but this was watchable. It was also semi-predictable: you knew who was going to get booed (Bellas), who was getting cheered (AJ Lee & Paige), etc. Two things stuck out for me: for what seemed like 75% of the match, the Bellas were wiping the floor with AJ Lee & Paige. Everytime AJ tried to tag in, the Bellas practically mauled her until she was unconscious, then went to work on Paige. You really didn’t see much offense from AJ when she got into the ring, but even then it didn’t last. Even weirder, I could have sworn I heard one of the Bellas shout out “Do the Dew” halfway through the match during a setup for a move. If anyone else heard this, let me know. I hope I’m not the only one hallucinating!
A Diva’s match that’s certainly a cut above the rest, but one you can ignore & you wouldn’t miss a thing.
“Rusev vs John Cena” (5th Match)
- Prediction: John Cena
- Actual Winner: John Cena
To poorly quote Noah “The Spoony One” Antwiler: This is the Ivan Drago match. Rusev was promoted as this unstoppable Russian juggernaut, while Cena is the All-American hero. This definitely reflected in their respective intros: Rusev had Russian soliders with flag & artillery pieces (That fired off at the high point), and the national song of Russia was playing loudly & proudly. Hell, Rusev came in on a tank, and he looked badass! Cena’s intro had video footage of various American presidents, businessmen, and stereotypical patriotic imagery. Despite that, Cena didn’t really having anything special with his intro. No marines, no fireworks (That I recall), etc. All he had was a towel. No joke!
Apart from that, this match was fun to watch. Cena came in to the usual mix of boos & cheers, while Rusev came in with boos at first, but gained a host of cheers a little bit of the way in. Rusev was a beast of a fighter, as he batted Cena around for 75% of the match, and was cheered because of mauling on Cena like a bear. Even Lana, Rusev’s spokesman, was getting audibly loud cheers & praise from the crowd, although it’s more because of her looks. If there was any one thing that I could say was bad was how the match finished. Right as Rusev is charging Cena, Cena dodges, and Rusev slams right into Lana. She falls to the ground, Rusev looks at her in a state of shock, then Cena uses it as an opportunity to roll him up for a distraction finish, winning the United States Championship.
Yeah, I thought the ending sucked, but otherwise a decent match to watch.
“Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt” (6th Match)
- Prediction: Undertaker
- Actual Winner: Undertaker
Considering that he got beat by Brock Lesnar in last year’s Wrestlemania, people were worried about Undertaker’s return. Considering that Bray Wyatt is now a loner crazy guy without followers, who was partially rehashing a “Stolen Urn” story (CM Punk did this with Undertaker back in 2013), felt a little bit weak. That’s said, this was my favorite match of the entire show! For one night at least, the magic of the Undertaker came back. He looked so much better this year than he did last year: he looked built, he got some hair back, he was moving around better, and he came out in the old getup rather than his warlock outfit. Hell, he was even able to walk the ropes at least once.
Both of their intros were pretty fun as well. Undertaker came in with his standard thunder & fog (Something I’ll never get sick of), while Bray Wyatt came down with Scarecrows. The scarecrows were actually pretty creepy, as they were moving around very disjointedly, and their getups gave me goosebumps for a second. The match itself was a blast: despite getting tired a couple times, Undertaker managed to dominate 80% of the match. However, when Bray Wyatt got some time in, he really got time in. Bray’s biggest moment was about halfway through the match (I assume it was halfway), and decided to a crab walk. It was pretty creepy, and it looked like it was a scene from The Exorcist.
Ultimately, Bray Wyatt couldn’t take the mantle of the “New Face of Fear” from the Deadman, and the Undertaker triumphed over his only Wrestlemania loss. Once again, my favorite match!
“Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns” (Final Match)
- Prediction: Brock Lesnar
- Actual Winner: Seth Rollins (More on this below)
No other match on Wrestlemania 31's card generated as much controversy as Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns. Considering his win & reception at the Royal Rumble earlier this year, you’d expect people in the crowd to have torches, pitchforks, and maybe a molotov cocktail or two. The fact that he was practically handpicked (As opposed to Daniel Bryan, who was picked by the fans essentially), shoved into our faces like John Cena (That was coming from someone who likes Cena), and given promos that are just pathetic, show that WWE has really lost it in recent years.
This really poured over into the match. When Lesnar came out, he was cheered through the roof! Reigns on the other hand, had a mix of boos & cheers at first, but got heavy boos when he was getting even a pinch of offense. This was Lesnar’s match: much like Summerslam from last year when he was against Cena, Lesnar made Reigns his bitch. He was suplexing him all over the ring, and if I counted right, did the move about 10 to 12 times. After one suplex, Lesnar flatout shouted “Suplex City Bitch!”, and this results in the crowd at Raw chanting this when Lesnar & Paul Heyman were in the opening (More on this in the Raw). He was also mauling Reigns with his hands, as the punches were coming in like lightning. Ozone was practically burning during this entire match: everytime Lesnar & Reigns stared at each other, you could feel it. It was that intense!
Then Seth Rollins comes in. I hate this man. Even since the breakup of The Shield in June of 2014, this guy has somehow been given everything, maybe even more so than Reigns! He’s always been the little turd that runs away from everything, and when he actually does decide to fight, he’s always got some scumbag by his side to “Help” out so to speak. What makes his win all the more baffling is that he lost to Randy Orton. He lost! Why did he need this win. Why? Is WWE so hellbent on pushing the Authority angle, that they want to trample on people’s hopes? Given what happened on Raw, it’s all the more infuriating.
Despite what I consider to be a shit finish, Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns was actually a good match. It’s certainly one to seek out, even if the end was irritating!
Overall Opinion & Rating
I was going into Wrestlemania 31 very pessimistically. With what’s been going on with WWE since last year, you can understand why people would have negative thoughts. By the time the show was done, I was pleasantly surprised. Make no mistake, this show still had some issues (Big & Small), but there was enough good stuff on here that I was surprised by how entertained I was. This might not be the best Wrestlemania the company has put out, but it’s far less of an abomination that some people say it is.
Wrestlemania 31 gets a 7.5 out of 10.
As for Raw...
Raw After Wrestlemania
“1st Hour”
Part 1: Raw opened up with Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman match, and boy were they rightfully pissed! Lesnar, complete with the cuts on his face from his match with Reigns the night before, stood there in his intimidating & silent stance, while Heyman cut one of his usual awesome promos. While he was talking, the entire crowd was completely into it. They were cheering, they were chanting “Suplex City”, etc. Yeah, everybody was into it, until Stephanie McMahon came out. Once her theme music started, the boos were coming down hard (As Spoony once said, thundershits!), and when she started talking the booing got even worse, with the hate getting to a fevered pitch when she was talking about Seth Rollins not being in the arena at that moment in time (I’ll cover more of this in the 2nd hour).
Part 2: First match of the night was Daniel Bryan vs Dolph Zigger, and this was awesome! Both wrestlers got cheers, both were highly flexible, and they both seemed to work well together. Ziggler seemed to be a little angry, but this was more than likely due to him losing in the ladder match. Bryan seemed to be on his A-game in this match, and had some particularly wild moves, which is surprising given his neck issues. In the end, Bryan won, but what was surprising to pretty much everybody was the return of Shaemus. He came into the ring, and for a second it seemed like he was revisiting friends, but almost immediately attacked Bryan & Zigger, thus labeling him as a hell. All the while chants of “You Look Stupid” were coming down, due to his new mohawk & beard.
Part 3: The end of the 1st hour started off with a recap of the 2015 Hall of Fame, which was nice for those who didn’t watch it (Ironic, given that the Hall of Fame aired after Raw ended). After that was an 8-Man Tag Team. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (Woo!) with The Ascension (Shoot them!) went up against New Day (Why!?) & Lucha Dragons (First of two NXT appearances, and a damn good one), and this was a damn good match. Much like the Ladder Match from Wrestlemania, there was a “Controlled Chaos’ vibe going on, perhaps even more so in this bout! Everybody had time during this match, but some guys had more of a presence than others. In particular, the Lucha Dragons had a majority of the cheers, as well as the NXT chanting going on. This was the first time I actually watched them, and they were great! They reminded me a lot of Rey Mysterio, with the Lucha Libre moves & flexibility. In the end, the Lucha Dragons & New Day won. I think it’s the first time that the New Day were cheered for anything, even if they weren’t the one to land the pin. It’s quite a shock!
“2nd Hour”
Part 4: When the 2nd hour of Raw started, a match between Brock Lesnar & Seth Rollins was on! To my surprise, there was even more cheering for Lesnar & Heyman as they were walking out to the ring. Also to my surprise, there was some cheers for Seth Rollins when he came out, but that probably shouldn’t happen. In a typical “Chicken Shit” heel move, he basically screwed Lesnar out of the match, citing that he was tired, and his foot was hurt (From curbstomping their heads in, as he said). He tried to walk away, but walking away from Lesnar immediately signs your death warrent. He rampaged all over the ring, tore up J & J security, and even took his rage out on the announce crew. JBL & Booker T were knocked out when Lesnar slammed the table against them. Stephanie came back out to stop Brock, and for a few seconds, actually sounded logical when speaking. When Lesnar F5'd Michael Cole (He was holding him while Stephanie spoke), that logic was thrown out with the bathwater, causing Stephanie to suspend Brock indefinitely. The whole arena immediately started booing, and I was shocked that a riot didn’t happen.
Part 5: After the commercial break, the carnage was still present for all to see. The table was still tipped over, JBL & Booker T were gone, and Michael Cole was carted off by the medical staff. Replacing the announce team was Byron Saxton of NXT (Who’s role on Raw was.....Meh at best), and later Jerry Lawler came out. Once the carnage was done being shown, we were taken to the back, and there was a quick interview with Stephanie. I’m amazed that I haven’t figured out a way to stick my hands through the TV, and strangle people. She is acting too much like her father Vince (Character wise, at least), and for a villain, she is far too obvious in how evil she is. Luckily, this was the last time she would appear, so there’s that at least.
Part 6: Around this point was the 2nd match of the night. That’s right, this is the 2nd match of Raw tonight. Gotta get in all of that talking that’s oh-so necessary! Stardust & the newly freed Damien Mizdow (For some reason he still has the Mizdow name & entrance) was the next fight on the card, and it was a good one. The two of them went back & forth the entire time, and their talent & skill complemented each other nicely. In the end, Mizdow won, and the crowd was rooting for the guy. Sadly, this moment of glory was ruined, as The Miz came in and ambushed the guy. To me, this trashed Mizdow’s recent victory at Wrestlemania, and the newly won match. WWE, can you give this guy a break!?
Part 7: Possibly the quickest match of the night, next up was Curtis Axel (In his “Axelmania” getup), and Adrian Neville from NXT (Who was simply named Neville on this show, and came out with a purple cape), who got massive pops from the crowd. If you have any doubts as to how good WWE can actually be, watch an episode or two of NXT. You can see how good the talent is over there, and once Neville won, you can see the potential of everybody that’s over in development.
Part 8: Next up was John Cena, who issues a United States Open Invitational, stating that he would be a fighting champion. You would expect Rusev to be the first guy to come out, but you would be mistaken. Instead, Dean Ambrose was the first guy to show up. This was surprising, given that brutal bump he had during the ladder match, you think he would have been at the local hospital healing up. Nope, he’s on Raw, and didn’t seem any worse for the wear. Cena got his typical dose of boos & cheers (There was a musical version of “John Cena Sucks” during his intro), but Ambrose got his fair share of cheering from the crowd. Cena seemed to dominate throughout the match, but Ambrose looked like he was the more flexible wrestler. There were close calls on both sides, but in the end Cena won the match, and this was definitely a favorite of mine! You know a match is good when it starts in the 2nd hour of the show, and goes into the 3rd hour.
“3rd Hour”
Part 9: After Cena’s United States Open Invitational, we got a promo from Seth Rollins. It was pretty much the typical promo from the guy: slimy, smarmy, weasly, etc. There was a tiny bit of cheering for him, but there was a universal torrent of booing directed towards him. Fortunately, Randy Orton came right in, and trash talked the guy. This setup the main event of the show, as Big Show & Kane came to Rollins’s side, then Orton went off to find two teammates of his own.
Part 10: We got a 6 Diva Tag Team Match for our next bout, with the Bellas & Natalya on one side, and AJ Lee, Paige, and Naomi on the other. This was actually a decent sized match, as it was longer than a typical Diva match. Not only that, but there was a pretty good crowd reaction throughout the whole thing. If there were complaints I have, it would be that the match kept going through commercials, and there were the Bellas on my TV screen. The right women (AJ Lee, Paige, and Naomi) won this match.
Part 11: Here we have perhaps the most baffling & quickest match of the card. It was Goldust, and the newly dethroned Rusev. He came out without Lana, and while he waved the Russian flag like he normally did, it was fast. Rusev practically dominated Goldust, who had little to no offense in the match. After beating the hell out of him, Rusev won the match, and it was probably the right choice.
Part 12: Now we come to the main event. Seth Rollins, Big Show, and Kane, vs Randy Orton, Ryback, and Roman Reigns. Just to rub it into the arena’s face, Show had the Andre The Giant Battle Royal trophy right at ringside, and posed with it before the match started. The bad guys were particularly evil tonight, as their actions throughout the match were despicable. There was cheering for pretty much all of the good guys in the ring, with Randy Orton getting a majority of it. Reigns actually got some cheers as well, although people had more of a cool reaction to him.
Perhaps the funniest thing about this match was that there was an arena-wide wave going on at I believe the halfway point. It was so obviously noted, that even the commentators said something about it at least once or twice. There was also some chanting from the crowd, but it was so loud I couldn’t tell what it was. In the end, Randy Orton, Ryback, and Roman Reigns won the match, and the show end with the three standing tall in the ring.
Raw get a 7.7 out of 10
So this was Wrestlemania 31 & Raw. Come back in a day or two, where the next Metal Overview will finally reveal itself! See you soon!
***
The only reason why I actually did this review was for fun. I’ll almost never step away from Anime & Heavy Metal reviews, but this was a “Once in a blue moon’s Blue Moon” kind of thing! Sorry if you were expecting more of these kind of reviews.
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