album reviews
Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.
5 Notable Album Releases for 1/10/2018
It's the beginning of the year and we're past that phase where artists are afraid to release albums because they'll be in that bitter spot where they miss a lot of the top ten lists and then not be eligible for the top album lists at the end of next year. Run the Jewels in hip-hop and Zao in the metal category are examples of December releases that would have made a few more lists if they weren't released mid to late December 2016.
By Christopher Sarda8 years ago in Beat
Insane Art—'Human Nature Bright Side/Dark Side' review
Insane Art is an interesting four-piece Siberian Groove Metal band from Novosibirsk, Russia, with a monster of a two-part album for their first ever releases. Though they were released almost a year apart, they flow together so well that I wanted to review them as one body of work. Even just by title, these two seem to follow a concept of a lighter/dark-type double album, which, in concept, I, as a listener, really enjoy! Their overall sound is a good blend of traditional groove metal (ie: Lamb of God and Pantera) mixed very well with early 2000s era metalcore like Chimaira or Unearthed, which comes off as chaotic in the best way! As a vocalist and lyricist, I would usually talk about lyrics and the like, but for these dudes I'm going to give that a pass, as there is a bit of a language barrier. I can say, vocally, the lead singer has great chops on screaming as well as his cleans (don’t worry, my metalhead friends, when I say "cleans," it is closer to a thrash metal yell for the most part, nothing whine-y or autotuned will be found on theses disks). But enough about the dudes, let's get into what they have created!
By Rip Mitchell8 years ago in Beat
The 10 R&B Albums of 2017 You Must Have in Your Library
In a year where “Bodak Yellow” and “Despacito” battled at the top of the charts, EDM’s rise in popularity is at fever pitch, and “pop” is now defined by angsty hip-hop artists such as Lil Uzi Vert. It’s easy to have missed some amazing R&B albums the past year. Some say the genre died years ago with singers going to more “popular” sounds and even rapping.
By Chauncey Balsom8 years ago in Beat
Botanist—'Collective: The Shape of He to Come' Album Review
Botanist is a five piece post-black metal band from San Francisco, California. They have been a band since 2009 and have released five albums and three EP’s before this album was crafted. One of the things that makes this band stand out from the rest is the fact they do not use guitars as the lead instrument. Instead, they use a hammered dulcimer which gives it a very melodic, if not slightly hypnotic, approach to this interesting take on metal. A word to the reader, I must say that there are a few tracks that I would not say transcends metal, but you could not even call metal. Now onward to the oddly unique album!
By Rip Mitchell8 years ago in Beat
Eminem - 'Encore'
Opening Opinion 8/10 Okay, so this is an in depth review of Em’s fourth album, Encore…sadly I have a bootlegged copy with no skits, so I won’t talk about those. Encore is known as being Em’s worst album...and, in my opinion, that is true. Let’s get into it…
By Matthew Sullivan8 years ago in Beat
A Flicker of Hope in the Music Industry for Niall Horan
Niall Horan, self-declared "slept-on" member of global sensation One Direction, has just released his new album "Flicker" to the world. It is therefore my personal belief that Horan has outdone himself with this record, setting his sight on being the chart-topper of this month. Despite the varying paths the members of One Direction have set off in the past year, Horan has managed to display a low profile, much unlike his peers Louis Tomlinson – whom immediately was on the music industry's radar with his collaboration with DJ Steve Aoki. Next was rocker Harry Styles, whom released his self-titled album after a whirlwind initial single - 'Sign of the Times' was released, showcasing Styles' talent for not only pop music, but classic rock, especially after he names different influences, such as Pink Floyd. Liam Payne released 'Strip That Down' - both a lyrical and melodic disappointment, but we won't mention that tragedy now – and finally, Niall Horan was next (and last) in the running.
By Megan Beth8 years ago in Beat
Kanye West 'Late Registration'
Opening Opinion: 9.25 I was very very excited to buy this album when it first came out. I’m pretty sure everyone was wondering could Kanye hit a home run again. And the answer is a resounding yes; even though his lyrics aren’t improved from College Dropout. The beats are also different. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this album has a glossier sound than his debut album.
By Matthew Sullivan8 years ago in Beat
Eminem 'The Marshall Mathers' LP
Opening Opinion, 9.75/10 Ah the legendary MMLP 1, also known as Eminem’s magnum opus. It is really really awesome, but its not really a flawless album. I actually didn’t hear this cd until 2002. My parents actually wouldn’t let me hear the whole thing. My Dad gave me a SSLP and MMLP approved songs cd which was the tracks deemed “not too explicit.” I can't blame my dad for doing that cause the early Eminem albums weren’t for kids.
By Matthew Sullivan8 years ago in Beat
