Naio Ssaion - Out loud

Artist - Naio Ssaion

Album - Out loud

Released - November 25, 2005

Reviewed By - Siddique Humayun

Naio Ssaion formed in 2003 and Out loud is the band's second album. With female vocals and amazing arrangement of Electric Violens in the songs, Naio Ssaion proves to be very original, creative and a talented band. Barbara Jedovnicky provides vocals while Rok Kolar shows his expertise on the Electric Violen, the band features nice riffs and great drumming by guitarits, Tine Cas and Luka Verdnik and drummer Mitja Melansek. The bass is provided by Lenart Jerabek. Though most of it is over-shadowed by the extremely talented violenist, Rok Kolar and the Amy Lee sort of vocals of Barbara Jedovnicky.

Out loud features 13 songs in total with a 2 minute instrumental, "Bow Link in E Minor" which shows Rok Kolar at his best. I came across the band when I heard them cover, Antonio Vivaldi's famous, The Four Seasons. No wonder they have a taste for classical music. The first song of the album is "Static" which pretty much sounds like an Evanescence song minus the Violen. Which gives the song great new heights. The best part about Naio Ssaion I think is their use of an Electric Violen which sounds, to say the least, unique.

"The Mirror" is the second song on the album, which starts of with brilliant arrangement of music and soon the vocals come in - which as usual are one of the major part of the band. Slighty after half the song, it features one of the most beautiful Violen solos on this album. Next in line is "Miss You" which has beautiful lyrics and vocals that are pure ecstasy. Naio Ssaion deals with rather personal issues in their lyrics and at times sound a bit too much "Evanescence" which gets a bit annoying at times.

"Bow Link In E Minor" this is where the band shines, musically. Impressive arrangement of violens with terrific guitaring and nice drumming. "N.ss" follows, and is one of the bands relatively famous tracks.

Out loud features some weak songs - such as, "Shut-up" and "Blah-Blah", which would've been better if they didn't make on the album, after all, 13-songs on one album is a bit too much anyway. On the other hand, the later half of the album gives the band a more of its own sound. And as soon as you reach the final song, "Out of the Great Book of Fairy Tales" you find yourself gripped to the band.

Over-all a very nice album, highly recommended.

Rating - 3.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. Static

2. The Mirror

3. Teen

4. Miss You

5. Bow Link In E Minor

6. N.ss

7. Shut Up

8. Blah-Blah

9. Blind Date

10. Can't You hear

11. At Ease

12. Yours Faithfully

13. Out Of the Great Book of Fairytales

Soundgarden - Superunknown

Artist - Soundgarden
Album - Superunknown
Released - March 8, 1994
Genre - Grunge
Reviewed By - The Starchild

Many expected seminal grunge band Soundgarden (Alongside with Mudhoney) to be the band which will break down the barriers and take Seattle grunge to mainstream, and they always seemed to be on verge of crossing into mainstream, especially with the excellent Badmotorfinger, but Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten managed to beat them to the punch. What Soundgarden, despite of being one of the pioneers of grunge always lacked was a hit single to cross them into mainstream and they finally got it with Superunknown as "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" became huge hits and ultimately crossed them into mainstream.

Superunknown, is a highly ambitious, sprawling epic crossing well over 60 minutes. And the band despite of issuing a series of good, solid records in past, this time outdid themselves as with Superunknown, alongside with their Led Zeppelin and Sabbath-esque brand of music they indulged into psychedelia in full fledge and experimented with pop, thus giving grunge sound a psychedelic-pop touch and pushing their sonic template even furthur. Also their early punk influences are completely kicked out. Soundgarden with this record progressed and turned into what none of their fellow Seattle bands were, which makes this record a standout record in grunge history.

Most of the lyrical content of album deals with depression, death, suicide and has a overall a dark theme from a lyrical standpoint of view. Chris Cornell's fantastic vocals is what leads the songs as songs are built upon them and despite of leading, they jell well with the bands music and don't overshadow stunning display by Thayil/Cameron/Shepherd. Especially the stunning solos by Thayil on tracks like Superunknown and Black Hole Sun etc. are highly memorable. Another interesting song is Spoonman (Which also became a huge hit and got big airplay cause of a creative music video.) featuring a famous street artist from Seattle called "Artis The Spoonman" who provides some unconventional percussion work alongside with Cameron's impressive drumming in song itself.

The band here is like an ever changing creature as they shift in psyche-pop mixed into grunge haze for some tracks while quickly morphs into pretty much a stoner rock outfit on The Melvins-esque track "4th Of July". Whilst Cornell's vocal melodies are instantly recognizable, rest of the band is laid beneath layers and layers of sonic attack by them and the subtlities are revealed upon more and more listens, (E.g. - Drumming on title track, Thayil's guitarwork on lesser famous tracks like Mailman etc. Even today, I find something fresh in every listen of this record.) and the sheer sonic beauty of that is immensly pleasurable. There are couple of cuts which might sound a bit boring but if one takes a look at the ambitious nature of record and the growth that band shows, it's forgivable.

An amazing record which shows Soundgarden at the peak of their creativity and shows the genius of the band. If you thought grunge was all about Nirvana and Pearl Jam, you might want to check out one of the bands which started it all at their finest. Highly recommended listening.

Rating - 5/5

Tracklisting -

1. Let Me Drown
2. My Wave
3. Fell On Black Days
4. Mailman
5. Superunknown
6. Head Down
7. Black Hole Sun
8. Spoonman
9. Limo Wreck
10. The Day I Tried To Live
11. Kickstand
12. Fresh Tendrils
13. 4th Of July
14. Half
15. Like Suicide
16. She Likes Surprises

Incubus - Morning View

Artist – Incubus
Album – Morning View
Released – October 23, 2001
Genre – Alternative/Hard Rock
Reviewed By – Mr. Rastafarian

Morning View was 4th album released by Incubus. I heard the album completely when one day I let the playlist run after "Wish You Were Here (not a Floyd cover), and I was blown away. Especially 11Am. It's one of their mellower albums with a lot more experimentation. People who are used to their new hard rock sound may find this album a little mellow for their tastes, but it's a very good addition to their discography. Very mature song writing make this a very good listen.

The album starts of with "Nice To Know You", a typical 'hard' Incubus song. It moves onto Circles, a similar track and then a gem of a track "Wish You Were Here". "Wish You Were Here" is the typical Incubus masterpiece on albums such as "Glass" on the album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and "Drive" on the album Make Yourself.

After Wish You Were Here, the best songs have to be Mexico and 11Am. Then comes Blood on the Ground. A typical Incubus "hard" song, which makes you headbang along. It features some nice effects by DJ Chris Kilmore. Mexico comes after that and is an acoustic song which grips you immediately. Also, 11Am with it's vocal chanting and lyrical theme shows how the band has matured in song writing and as a band. "Warning", "Echo" are very mature sounding tracks, which move slow and steadily, keeping the pace of the album on the low. Then comes "Have You Ever" and "Are You In?" which showcase the ability of bassist Dirk Lance. Then comes "Under My Umbrella" which has to be the darkest Incubus track. It features a dark riff which keeps to it's style with good backup by drummer Jose Pasillas II.

The album ends with Aqueous Transmission. It features relaxing sounds and the Pipa (a traditional Chinese instrument) which would make the listener pee his/her pants in relaxation (as said by Brandon Boyd) :P.

As a whole, this album performs wonderfully, and is in my top-5 alternative rock album lists of all time. A must listen to any Incubus fan and a must listen even if you're not an Incubus fan.

Rating - 4.5/5

1. "Nice to Know You" – 4:45
2. "Circles" – 4:11
3. "Wish You Were Here" – 3:36
4. "Just a Phase" – 5:33
5. "11am" – 4:16
6. "Blood On The Ground" – 4:36
7. "Mexico" – 4:22
8. "Warning!" – 4:42
9. "Echo" – 3:36
10. "Have You Ever" – 3:16
11. "Are You In?" – 4:26
12. "Under My Umbrella" – 3:33
13. "Aqueous Transmission" – 7:46

Nine Inch Nails - With_Teeth

Artist – Nine Inch Nails
Album – with_teeth
Released – May 3 2005
Genre – Alternative/Industrial
Reviewed By – Nigga J

After a gap of six long years, Trent Reznor returned to the studio to record a brand new album. This album came out in 2005 and it sure is one of the band’s best works yet. It is more aggressive than the last two releases and is kind of a more listener friendly brother of the Broken EP.

Trent always was a perfectionist, laboring over his final mixes with a fine-tooth comb, a belabored process that inevitably led to long gaps between albums. This can be seen in his past releases too as there are huge gaps in the middle of each release filled with live albums, remixes, some EPs here and there and collaborations. This time the gap was a long six year one and judging from what the album is, it is pretty much worth it though for someone like Trent, it could have been done in four years time.
with_teeth can be called the most accessible NIN record till date as even though it features its fare share of ear splitting havoc, the sound seems to be a bit more listener friendly and one can actually identify individual instruments. That hardly is a bad thing as this album features one of the catchiest tunes in NIN history.

The album kicks off with All The Love In The World. It’s a song which starts real slow and has got a great menacing buildup and then dumps the tension for bouncing kick drums, some heavy bass and multiple vocal harmonies. Next comes You Know What You Are? It opens with drums which sound somewhat like an attack helicopter doing what it does best and with an electronic synth line. Trent screams with full angst and hatred on this one. It later boils down to a more softer sound with a very catchy synth line before bombing the listener back with Trent screaming “DON’T YOU FUCKING KNOW WHAT YOU ARE?!”
Then is The Collector. One of the darker songs present on the album. It constantly shifts from soft to heavy and is also very melodic indeed. Following it is The Hand That Feeds which perhaps is one of the most well known NIN song after Closer. It can be best described as aggressive disco pop all with rebellious lyrics.

The whole album goes similarly featuring melodies that instantly stick in your head and with a more user friendly sound. Other highlights on the album includes Love Is Not Enough which is a slow but heavy song and aggressive which is perhaps the best on the album, Everyday Is Exactly The Same, a slow and catchy song, Getting Smaller, which barrels along a breakneck pace on a weird bass line until a avalanche of heavy overdriven distorted guitars hit it and Right Where It Belongs, which one will have to listen to understand what makes it so cool. One song you should stay away from is Besides You In Time which is downright boring and annoying but the rest of the album makes up for it.

Unlike older NIN albums, the songs do not have to depend on each other to make more sense here as they can be best described as good friends of each other who do sound cool in a group but also sound good as single songs. They revolve around a bleak concept of waking up from a nightmare and accepting a new reality. Overall, with_teeth is a neat album featuring memorable songs and a more melodic and listener friendly sound. Some more experimentation would have been welcome as it seems like its depending too much on the sound derived from their older stuff, but if you want to get into NIN, this is where you start.

Rating - 4/5

Tracklisting:
1. "All the Love in the World" – 5:14
2. "You Know What You Are?" – 3:41
3. "The Collector" – 3:07
4. "The Hand That Feeds" – 3:31
5. "Love Is Not Enough" – 3:41
6. "Every Day Is Exactly The Same" – 4:54
7. "With Teeth" – 5:37
8. "Only" – 4:22
9. "Getting Smaller" – 3:35
10. "Sunspots" – 4:02
11. "The Line Begins to Blur" – 3:44
12. "Beside You in Time" – 5:24
13. "Right Where It Belongs" – 5:04

Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell

Artist - Black Sabbath

Album - Heaven and Hell

Released - April 25, 1980

Genre - Heavy Metal

Reviewed By - Mohammad Zubair Ahmad

Dazzling, exceptional, glorious, magnificent - There probably is not enough words to aptly describe the 'comeback' album of heavy metal legends Black Sabbath. The Ozzy era was over - the dark riffs coupled with the haunting lyrics were not coming back again. The characteristic early Sabbath sound was not a novelty any more and a couple of rather weak albums (by Sabbath standards at least) did not seem to evoke the same passions as a Paranoid or Sabotage. But this was exactly were the legendary Tony Iommi played his masterstroke. Getting ex-Rainbow lead vocalist Ronnie James Dio on board was nothing but a piece of tactical acumen with the result visible (and more audible) for decades to come.

RJD's song writing prowess is exemplified in this album more than anywhere else. Not even 'Mob rules' comes within yards of this work. His vocal range and singing abilities on the other hand need no introduction. All in all, the entire combo for this album was the perfect one. In fact it is also one of Bill Ward's better works during his eminent decline. Dio's lyrics focus on magical fantasies with no better example than the first track 'Neon Knights'. Characteristic Iommi riffs, fast and furious with barrels of energy and a medium length staccato solo thrown in-between bring up the perfect combination with Dio's operatic vocals. His 'Circles and rings, Dragons and rings' weave 'a charm and a spell' and can teleport a listener with a vivacious imagination down the rabbit hole into the lands of fantasies. This song is my personal favorite and going by the audience reaction at a recent show where the guys performed this as the encore, it is without a doubt one of their best ever.

Such a huge beginning to the album is certainly hard to follow. A soft intro to 'Children of the Sea' makes the transition soothing. This song again highlights Dio fantastic vocal range as he sings it mainly in a lower key with a decidedly base tone. The set of 'Look Out's at the end make it a joy to sing along for anyone listening. Dio's dedication to the wanton, wicked 'Lady evil' follows, who's a magical but mystical woman while identifying her as the queen of the night. The picture is painted so aptly with each and every stanza in the song and the Iommi solo paints a darker picture, all the while giving you time to contemplate Dio's warning.

The album starts off at a peak and it reaches another peak of stratospheric heights with 'Heaven and Hell'. This song is all Ronnie from start to end. He eclipses even Iommi's solid guitaring completely and one can only remain mesmerized by his abilities as he raises his pitch, lowers it down, starts with a slower tempo and ultimately aggravates, sharpens and escalates before slowing right down once again. A perfect guitar solo seems to raise the pulse rates right near the end. Yet another high point of the album.

The remaining songs in the album are well worth their place too with 'Die Young' as yet another masterpiece. This album incorporates every characteristic of a traditional heavy metal record, and something more. Lyrical brilliance, breathtaking guitar riffs, sparkling bass lines - there could be nothing better to do. People say one can always improve. This album proves it wrong. Perfection is attainable and this is proof of that. A wholesome album which should be a must-have for anyone who considers himself an avid lover of heavy metal.

Rating - 5/5

Tracklisting -

1. "Neon Knights" - 3:49

2. "Children of the Sea" - 5:30

3. "Lady Evil" - 4:22

4. "Heaven and Hell" - 6:56

5. "Wishing Well" - 4:02

6. "Die Young" - 4:41

7. "Walk Away" - 4:21

8. "Lonely Is the Word" - 5:49

All songs written & arranged by Ronnie James Dio / Tony Iommi / Bill Ward / Geezer Butler Lyrics by Ronnie James Dio.

Metallica - Black/Metallica

Artist - Metallica
Album - Black/Metallica
Released - August 12, 1991
Genre - Heavy Metal
Reviewed By - The Starchild

Labelled as a sellout by some while some hail it as a revolutionary album since it took thrash metal (although not as "thrashy" as Metallica's earlier works.) and exposed the genre to mainstream and was one of the few heavy metal albums to take mainstream by storm on such a large scale. Mainstram success had always eluded Metallica though they had plenty of critical acclaim. On this album they took a different approach and leaned towards concise song structures. Also the sound is much "cleaner" and stripped down on this album as Hetfield's vocals are different than they are on previous releases, same goes for rest of the bands sound.

The album opens with the hit single "Enter Sandman" which catapulted Metallica to top of mainstream rock world, and has had a considerable impact on pop culture ever since. Follows up with another solid song "Sad But True". Tracks come and go and it can be seen that this album has a much more introspective feel to it. Be it ever popular "Nothing Else Matters" or "The God That Failed" (A song about Hetfields mother refusing to accept medication for cancer because of her belief that god will cure her.) After painting big picture with previous milestones like Master of Puppets or ...And Justice For All, this time Metallica are looking into themselves and singing about it. "Wherever I May Roam" takes a look at life on road as Hetfield sneers "Nomad, Vagabond Call Me What You Will".

The band closes the album with two quite overlooked songs from their catalogue, "My Friend of Misery" which has a fantastic slow interlude and then an explosive "The Struggle Within". Another amusing fact about this album is, it actually managed to achieve incredible amount of commerical success when almost all of 80's metal acts faded into obscurity in the wake of Nirvana's success. Though not the best album out of Metallica's varied catalogue, this album saw them breaking down from "thrash" sound and experiment with slower and more concise song structures and somewhat hinted what future released like Load/Reload might sound like. Metallica gets points here for doing what most of their contemporaries had avoided, which was getting out of comfort zone.

If you are looking for getting into heavy metal/hard rock, this album is a fantastic place to start and has great replay value. Get your hands on this one now!

Rating - 3.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. Enter Sandman (Kirk Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 5:31
2. Sad But True – 5:24
3. Holier Than Thou" – 3:47
4. The Unforgiven (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 6:26
5. Wherever I May Roam – 6:43
6. Don't Tread on Me – 4:00
7. Through the Never (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 4:04
8. Nothing Else Matters – 6:28
9. Of Wolf and Man (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 4:16
10. The God That Failed – 5:08
11. My Friend of Misery (Hetfield, Jason Newsted, Ulrich) – 6:49
12. The Struggle Within – 3:53

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Album - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Artist - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Release Date - September 24, 1991
Genre - Alternative Rock
Reviewed by - Mr. Rastafarian

One of the first albums I ever bought, was Red Hot Chili Pepper's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and it was a very good investment indeed. I wasn't disappointed by this album one bit. A very fine mixture of rock, alternative, funk and rhyme make this album a must hear for any rock music addict.

There are many themes on this album, some mainly being sexual innuendos and puns used here and there. Some certain songs contain blatant references to sexual acts, for example the lines ""A state of sexual light / Kissing her virginity / My affinity," and "Glorious euphoria / Is my must / Erotic shock / Is a function of lust."" on the title track. The music flows beautifully, containing a lot of experimentation by Flea (the bassist) and John Frusciante (the guitarist). The songs "Suck My Kiss", "If You Have to Ask", "Sir Psycho Sexy", "Give It Away" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" all contained various sexual links. Anthony Keidis has kept a very straight style of rapping the lyrics, which gives it a different feel altogether. "Breaking the Girl" is about Keidis's frequent shifting relationships.

The album was recorded at Harry Houdini's living place "The Mansion" which was then converted into a studio for the recording sessions. Each member got a separate room, as they decided to stay there for the time of the recording. Chad Smith, however, convinced that the house was haunted decided to come to each day's recording from elsewhere. Although jams had always been an integral aspect of song creation for the Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar saw songs being created with more structure. All photography, paintings and art direction on Blood Sugar were credited to filmmaker Gus van Sant. The cover of the album features the four band members' faces positioned around a rose. The booklet also contains a collage of photos assembled to showcase the band members' various tattoos, which feature faces of Native American tribal leaders, animals and sea creatures, as well as various symbols and phrases. Photographs of each band member alone, and two photographs of the band as a whole are also included.

The album flows beautifully through the first few songs, going through a rough middle stage, and comes to another full of energy and then going to a bore again. Maybe the part that makes this album bad is the part of putting in too many songs. 17 songs for an LP seems to be a little too much, if not a concept album. Shortening it to 13-14 songs would have been a better choice. The rest of the songs could be given out as bonus b-sides. But then, people have come to like this album as it is and has gone 5 times platinum in the US since its release.

Rating - 4/5

1. "The Power of Equality" – 4:03
2. "If You Have to Ask" – 3:37
3. "Breaking the Girl" – 4:55
4. "Funky Monks" – 5:23
5. "Suck My Kiss" – 3:37
6. "I Could Have Lied" – 4:04
7. "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" – 4:00
8. "The Righteous & the Wicked" – 4:08
9. "Give It Away" – 4:43
10. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" – 4:31
    
11. "Under The Bridge" – 4:24
12. "Naked in the Rain" – 4:26
13. "Apache Rose Peacock" – 4:42
14. "The Greeting Song" – 3:14
15. "My Lovely Man" – 4:39
16. "Sir Psycho Sexy" – 8:17
17. "They're Red Hot" (Robert Johnson) – 1:11

Porcupine Tree - Nil Recurring [EP]

Artist – Porcupine Tree

Album – Nil Recurring

Released – September 17 2007

Genre – Progressive Rock

Reviewed By – Nigga J

This September, Porcupine Tree released an EP of tracks that were recorded during the Fear of a Blank Planet sessions titled Nil Recurring. These songs weren’t included in the album because they were inferior, but because they had no relation whatsoever with the concept of FOABT. Besides, Steven Wilson did make a good decision as FOABP would have been a very heavy listen with the inclusion of these because the length of the actual album is about an hour long and it is short and sweet at its current length and can easily be heard in one sitting.

I just got my hands on the EP and after about a few listens, I must say it is very good as some of the songs are in fact better than those of FOABP. It is difficult to describe the sound of the EP as whole but I can safely say that this will be entertaining for fans of all eras of Porcupine Tree.

The EP starts of with Nil Recurring. A terribly complex yet beautiful instrumental featuring multiple layers and it may make one’s head spin trying to keep up with and figure out what’s happening with all the various instruments. Drummer Gavin Harrison shines on this one. It also features one of my favorite guitarists, Robert Fripp from King Crimson on leads. His presence and influence can be felt on the song and he does a really good job on it.

Following the title track is Normal. It features some really cool acoustic guitar parts and typical Porcupine Tree style overlapping vocals. It has sort of a East influenced theme like that of Sleep Together on FOABP and a few heavy distorted guitar interludes. It features an alternate chorus to Sentiment on FOABP again and it features a few samples from the song. Overall it’s a damn fine track but it could have been more original.

Cheating The Polygraph comes next. It debuted on the Arriving Somewhere But Not Here tour and was considered to be a part of FOABP but later it was cancelled as both concertgoers and the band decided that it doesn’t fit in so well. The track has some exceptional vocals and an overall a very cool feel to it as the song is constantly moves from being fast to slow. CTP also features some very good instrumental work and awesome catchy songwriting make CTP shine.

The final track on the album is What Happens Now? This can be called an instrumental as it is the longest track on the album clocking to 8:23 and features approximately only 3 minutes of vocals. This song is also wonderful and is my favorite song on the album.

Overall, there’s a good half hour of new content and I highly recommend you get this even if you remotely like Porcupine Tree. These four songs are one of their best and you’ll surely not be disappointed. It’s a short and sweet listen and it sure is awesome.

Rating: 3.5/5

Tracklisting –

1. "Nil Recurring" 6:08
2. "Normal" 7:09
3. "Cheating the Polygraph" 7:10
4. "What Happens Now?" 8:23

Sum 41 - Does This Look Infected?

Artist – Sum 41
Album – Does This Look Infected?
Released – November 26 2002
Genre –Punk Rock/Punk Pop
Reviewed By – Nigga J

Sum 41’s third album is pretty similar to the first two. This sounds like a bunch of teens that are only in for the good times. It is basically your typical unoriginal pop punk album like a million others filled with three chorders and is aimed at spiked haired fifteen year old skateboard kids.

Its quiet a relief that they left the self pity as lyrically the album is about how the world should change etc. The album is pretty energetic with quiet a few catchy riffs but there’s nothing very original here as this is one of those albums you should strictly listen to only when you’re bored.

The album starts off with Hell Song. It’s an insanely catchy song with a very cool riff and tune. It’s really energetic and I almost was jumping to it. A average punk solo has been added here, but still, you can’t escape the feeling that this has been done somewhere by someone before. It’s followed by Better off Dead (Over My Head). The case is similar here as it’s a nice song, equally catchy and energetic and one you should listen to when you’re bored but you are bombarded by the same feeling.

Then comes My Direction. Quiet frankly, this song is pretty annoying and though it is energetic, it isn’t as catchy as the first two. One can tolerate the vocals on the first two songs, but on this one, they are very irritating. The tune is pretty bland and the song is full of unoriginality unlike the first two where it was very slight. Hopefully, the song is only two minutes long but I found myself skipping this on my second run.

Following My Direction comes the star of the album. This song stopped me from pressing Shift + Delete after My Direction. Still Waiting is THE most catchiest and energetic song on the album and it has a memorable tune. At one part of the song, the vocals are something like that of the previous song but for some reason I didn’t find them annoying here. This song shines!

Other good songs on the album include No Brains which has a nice intro and Thanks for Nothing, which is kind of a rebel anthem and is nearly as catchy as Still Waiting.

The rest of the album is filled with average and unmemorable songs which are good to hear when your tired of complex music and for a change, the band, though highly unoriginal, feels good. There are catchy tunes here and some really cool energy there, the album has its moments but nothing special.

Rating – 1.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. The Hell Song – 3:18
2. Over My Head (Better Off Dead) – 2:29
3. My Direction – 2:02
4. Still Waiting - 2:38
5. A.N.I.C. – 0:37
6. No Brains – 2:46
7. All Messed Up – 2:44
8. Mr. Amsterdam – 2:56
9. Thanks For Nothing – 3:04
10. Hyper-Insomnia-Para-Condrioid – 2:32
11. Billy Spleen – 2:32
12. Hooch – 3:28
13. Reign In Pain (Heavy Metal Jamboree) – 2:55
14. WWVII Parts 1 & 2 – 5:10

Van Halen - Balance

Artist - Van Halen
Album - Balance
Released - January 24, 1995
Genre - Hard Rock
Reviewed By - The Starchild

Van Halen's last album with Sammy Hagar since he was canned and later on replaced by Gary Cherone of Extreme for the follow up Van Halen III. This album is a mixed bag as it offers good as well as some really bland..disappointing cuts. Album opens up with steady hard rocking "The Seventh Seal" and follows up with a fantastic "Can't Stop Loving You" but the problems start with next song "Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) as it can be seen that despite of Eddie's fantastic playing, rest of the band isn't taking much efforts to help him out. Rhythm section sounds pretty much same on some songs (While showing flashes of brilliance in certain moments.) and Hagar is inconsistent on record, and is just downright annoying on tracks like "Big Fat Money". Songs like "Aftershock" aren't exactly memorable either.

Though this album might sound like a train wreck, as mentioned above, it has some awe-fucking-some pieces scattered in it. An interesting song is "Strung Out" a piece Eddie recorded in 1983 while wrecking a grand piano with several things like knives and forks and who knows what else which led to this "Fun" exercise being as costly as $15,000. The highlights of album lie in instrumentals which allow ever innovative Eddie to roam around freely and do some great stuff, especially on "Baluchitherium" (Named after a large extinct land mammal by Eddie's wife, and people call writers on this blog weird.) one can see the power of Eddie Van Halen and why people rate him so highly.

The band closes up the album with great song "Feelin" with great performance by Sammy Hagar, killer way to close the album. Though there may be a predictable pair of Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony helping the band here, and no matter how inconsistant Sammy Hagar is here, this album proves one thing yet again, that Eddie Van Halen is a genius who can't be overshadowed and is clearly the winner and an album saver here. If you are a Van Halen fan, it's a must check for how Eddie has grown. Casual fans are better off getting VH I or VH II and 5150. Overall, an average hard rock album, which would have been much better if it had shown some consistency from rest of the band.

By the way, that boy on the cover, I suspect if anyone would have thought that after 12 years, he would be seen playing bass for Van Halen.

Rating - 2.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. The Seventh Seal – 5:18
2. Can't Stop Lovin' You – 4:07
3. Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) – 5:56
4. Amsterdam – 4:45
5. Big Fat Money – 3:57
6. Strung Out [Instrumental] – 1:29
7. Not Enough – 5:13
8. Aftershock – 5:29
9. Doin' Time [Instrumental] – 1:41
10. Baluchitherium [Instrumental] – 4:05
11. Take Me Back (Deja Vu) – 4:43
12. Feelin' – 6:36
13. Crossing Over (Japanese bonus track) – 4:49

Metallica - Ride the Lightning

Album: Ride the Lightning
Artist: Metallica
Released: July 30, 1984
Reviewed By: Siddique Humayun

Armageddon, the first song of this Thrash Metal classic - "Fight Fire With Fire", deals with the topic of the end of the world because of a nuclear war. "Blow the universe into nothingness Nuclear warfare shall lay us to rest". The songs intro is played on a 12-string acoustic, which soon takes off into the fast thrash sound of what early Metallica was all about. One of the finest most melodic guitar solo is played by lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett on the song. Powerful riffs, and the first of the Lars Ulrich's double bass can also be heard on this track. Next comes the title track, the first of the two songs on the album which credits Dave Mustaine (ex-Metallica / Megadeth) on the lead. "Ride the Lightning" has powerful vocals along with lyrics that deal with the misery and corruption of the law, the song has one of the finest bass work, done by the, late-great bassist, Cliff Burton.

Talking about Cliff Burton, the third song, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" which has now become a fan-favorite starts off with a "bass-lead" which was written by Burton before joining Metallica. For Whom the Bell Tolls features heavy drumming and bass work along with a guitar-work which is often over-shadowed by the bass. And then comes one of the most famous Metallica songs, "Fade to Black", the first power-ballad by Metallica. With the use of acoustic guitars in the song, Metallica was labelled as "sell-outs" by some of their fans, who later on realized and now, the track is a fan-favorite. It deals with the topic of suicide and depression. And was written when all of the band's equipement was stolen before a gig, in Boston. Fade to Black features a lengthy solo which has been rated 24 in the "100 best solos ever Reader's Choice". The solo and the drumming in the end is usually improvised in live versions, which makes it nothing but better.

Keeping with Fade to Black's depression, "Trapped Under Ice" deals with the death of a person due to drowning under ice. This song has one of the finest and powerful riffs along with vocals that defined the genre, we know as, Thrash Metal. From the relatively slow vocals in Fade to Black, to fast screams, James Hetfield proves to be a versatile vocalist. And yet again, for those who question Kirk Hammett's ability, Trapped Under Ice features a small, but amazing guitar-solo.

Next comes, "Escape", which is nonetheless a great song, but falls pale when taken in view with all the other great songs on the album, such as the fan-favorite, "Creeping Death". Creeping Death features thunderous drumming, and lyrics inspired by the movie, "The Ten Commandments". The song has an amazing guitar solo, along with a nice bass line. It's a fixture in Metallica's live shows and the chorus of "Die by my hand" is usually sung by the crowd which gives the song a majestic feeling. [Monsters of Rock, Russia, anyone?] Melody, which has been a part of almost every song, is seen in the ending of Creeping Death. The track ends with a mesmerizing lead.

Finally, the album ends with a almost 9-minute long 'instrumental'. "The Call of Ktulu". The song is credited to Dave Mustaine along with other members of the band, and is one of the best of the four instrumentals done by Metallica. Ktulu (Cthulu) is a beast whose name brings death to mortals. And the Instrumental gives this evil feel to it right from the start. Ktulu has been taken from H.P Lovecraft's book, which was introduced to the band by their bassist, Cliff Burton. The song's demo version was named, "When Hell Freezes Over" and probably features more work of Dave Mustaine.

Responsible for defining the sound of "Thrash Metal", Ride the Lightning is a landmark, and one of the finest albums to be produced by Metallica. The album laid the foundations for the masterpiece which was to come next, "Master of Puppets" and shows the influence of Cliff Burton on every other song. The melody along with the fast thrashy riffs are combined in a way, which couldn't have been done any better. For any thrash metal fan, Ride the Lightning is a 'must' hear.

Rating - 4.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. "Fight Fire with Fire" (Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 4:44
2. "Ride the Lightning" (Mustaine, Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 6:36
3. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 5:09
4. "Fade to Black" (Hammett, Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 6:57
5. "Trapped Under Ice" (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) - 4:03
6. "Escape" (Hammett, Hetfield, Ulrich) - 4:23
7. "Creeping Death" (Hammett, Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 6:35
8. "The Call of Ktulu" [Instrumental] (Mustaine, Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 8:53

Zero - Procrastination

Album - Procrastination
Artist - Zero
Released - 2005
Reviewed by - Mr. Rastafarian

This album came out in 2005, and it has to be a major milestone in Indian Rock. Zero is an Indian band comprising (now) of Rajeev Talwar on vocals, Bobby Talwar on bass, Nirandar Dhar on guitars and Sid Coutto on Drums. Their past members include Warren Mendonsa who moved to New Zealand (why, we shall never really know). So this album is the third by Zero and features Warren (first being Albummed and second being the seminal Hook). It was recorded in a studio with live drums, which many Indian bands do not do because maybe because of the lack of funding.

The album starts off with the ever popular "PSP 12"". It's a funny story how the song got it's name. Warren, sings the background vocals for it and apparently, he has a big paunch. So while singing this, his paunch shakes, this Paunch Shaking Paunch 12" (a 36 would have been more appropriate :D). The familiar cries of "standingbystandingbystandingbystandingby" make you wanna stand up and jump and sing along. This has to be the best Zero track which is also a staple at live shows. It also showcases the guitar playing ability of Warren's with 2 solos. One in the middle of the song and one near the outro. It then moves onto "Cry", a true blues track. Starts of with a drum start and moves onto a blues riff with soft vocals with Rajeev. It then moves onto an aggressive riff with the chorus. One of the better songs on the album with mature song writing. Then comes "Old Man Sitting on the Back Porch". Another track that makes you wanna jump along with the riff. A very upbeat riff with fast singing by Rajeev makes it a bomb of a track. Then comes "I Ain't Satisfied", with a VERY thick funky basslines, showing the capability of Bobby Talwar on the bass guitar. Then comes "Ayaya", a ballad. Slow tempo and again mature song writing make it good a breakdown. Then comes Mariachi. A very good solo keep it apart from other songs. One of the better songs by Warren.

On the B side comes "The Everyday Love Song" another ballad. Keeps a slow pace throughout and ends with a full jam by the band. Then comes "Hate in E minor". A guitar riff with slight simmering of the cymbals. Good intro. Seems like a true "breakup" song, in which the singer is talking about how he hates. Ends with "Lullabye", a very fast chaotic song, unlike it's name. A very Slash inspired solo. Loads of riffing and a very strong bassline.

All in all, a very good album. Starts very well, ends very well. Has mature song writing. Shows how the band has come of age with their mature song writing and solid song construction. priced at a mere Rs.200, this album sold out at this years I-Rock, which shows it's popularity. Has to be one of my favorites in Indian Rock Band albums and a favorite among other international bands.

Rating = 5/5

->PSP 12"
->Cry
->Old Man Sitting On the Back Porch
->I Ain't Satisfied
->Ayaya
->Mariachi
->The Everyday Love Song
->Hate in E Minor
->Her
->Stop
->Lullabye
->No More Mistook

Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark

Album - Fear Of The Dark
Artist - Iron Maiden
Released - 12th May, 1992
Reviewed by - Vaibhav Jain

Fear Of The Dark is British band Iron Maiden's 9th studio album and was released on 12th May, 1992. This album features some experimentation in the form of Speed Metal and a power ballad. It was after this album that lead singer Bruce Dickinson decide to pursue a solo carreer and he was succeeded by Blaze Bayley.This album was the first Maiden album which did not feature cover artwork by Derek Riggs. It was in this album that for the very first time Janick Gers, the guitarist also wrote lyrics for some songs. The album has a running time of 58.31 minutes.

The opening track on the album is"Be Quick Or Be Dead" which is about the various political scandals going around at that time. This track was an experimentation and sounded more like Speed Metal.

This is followed by "From here To Eternity". The song is the fourth and most recent song in the ongoing saga of "Charlotte the Harlot" (other songs include "Charlotte the Harlot," "22 Acacia Avenue," and "Hooks in You"). The songs tells the tale of Charlotte going on a fateful motorcycle ride with the Devil.

Then comes "Afraid To Shoot Strangers". This song has a slow opening but after some minutues explodes into what Maiden really is. It is about soldiers on war and is a fan favourite. The song is played live regularly by Maiden in their concerts.

This is followed by songs "Fear Is The Key" and "Childhood's End" which is about how life becomes tougher as one becomes older and has to face the cruel world on his own. This song too has an amazingly hypnotic opening and great guitar work by the Maiden Trio.

Then comes a very un-Maiden like song. A powerballad by the name of "Wasting Love". This is only the first power ballad of the 2 maiden has made. The song has a good opening with an amazing solo in the song. The single cover is the third Iron Maiden single not to feature the band's iconic mascot Eddie on the front cover (the previous examples being "Running Free (live)" and "From Here to Eternity").

Furthermore come the songs, "Chains Of Misery" and "The Apparition" the latter of which too is very un-Maiden like with no guitar intro whatsoever which is a rarity when it comes to Iron Maiden. The song also features lyrics which show a persons fear of something unnatural present with him in the same room as he is BUT the song is said with the veiwpoint of the "apparition" himself.

Then comes another fan favourite, "Judas Be My Guide". This song is a popular song well know for its great solo and amazing vocals. Then comes "Weekend Warrior" and then finally comes the title track itself.

"Fear Of The Dark" is the final track on the album and it can safely be said that Maiden certainly did save the best for last. The song is probably Iron Maiden's most popular song and is considerd a Metal anthem. It is about Harris'[The band's Bassist] childhood fear of the dark. The lyrics are amzingly descriptive and the chorus says it all ,"Fear of the dark, fear of the dark / I have a constant fear that someones always near / Fear of the dark, fear of the dark / I have a phobia that someones allways there". This being the most popular Iron Maiden song from the 1990s onward it has been played in every major live performance of the band since the album's release.

For every Maiden or NWOBHM fan this is a dream come true for you. Get it!

Rating - 4/5

Track listing:-

1. "Be Quick or Be Dead" (Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers) - 3:24
2. "From Here to Eternity" (Steve Harris) - 3:38
3. "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" (Harris) - 6:56
4. "Fear Is the Key" (Dickinson, Gers) - 5:35
5. "Childhood's End" (Harris) - 4:40
6. "Wasting Love" (Dickinson, Gers) - 5:50
7. "The Fugitive" (Harris) - 4:54
8. "Chains of Misery" (Dave Murray, Dickinson) - 3:37
9. "The Apparition" (Harris, Gers) - 3:54
10. "Judas Be My Guide" (Dickinson, Murray) - 3:08
11. "Weekend Warrior" (Harris, Gers) - 5:39
12. "Fear of the Dark" (Harris) - 7:18

KoRn - KoRn

Artist – KoRn
Album – KoRn
Released – October 11, 1994
Genre – Nu Metal/Alternative Metal
Reviewed By – Nigga J

A band hated by many, but loved by many more, KoRn are the band who started the nu metal phenomenon with their self titled debut which went platinum even though it received very little airplay on radio and MTV. Even though the band hates the “Metal” label, one cannot deny they are among one of the most influential band in metal history famous/notorious for popularizing a trend which combines hip hop music with the heaviness and angst of metal.Borrowing heavily from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Pantera, Helmet, Public Enemy, Faith No More, KoRn developed a testosterone fueled angst heavy and ultra aggressive metal rap combination that actually builds on the funk metal sound built in the 80s and 90s rather than just copying it.

The album starts of with one of THE most memorable song not just on the whole album but in KoRn’s whole history, Blind. It has one of the most amazing opening and the whole song is very catchy and you just can feel the raw energy behind the whole thing. It almost makes you jump in excitement when Jonathan Davis shouts “ARE YOU READY!” and the instrumentalists kick in with a riff that just plain sticks in your mind and refuses to get out. Davis showcases his grunt rap style here and it is prominent in every song on the record. This is KoRn in a nutshell!

Blind is followed by Ball Tongue. This song introduces the listener to Davis’s own twisted scat singing style which may confuse many, but it is funny in a twisted way and it adds up to the experience. The album is just plain innovative and one will begin appreciating it more on repeated plays. The songs are both complex and simple, as they seem to be pretty straightforward at first but are pretty deep. Their sound is darkly heavy and they do use several eerie samples in the music. Other highlights of the album include Clown, a song with magnificent bass and a laughable video, Shoots and Ladders, a very dark and heavy song which has bagpipes in the intro and Daddy, a song about a particularly dark incident in Davis’s childhood, where he got molested by a close family friend. KoRn’s lyrics are disturbing and to some ears, often offensive. They are, dark and even violent at times. Tales of abuse and alienation run rampant throughout the record. Fortunately, there is enough good music here to make up for the vulgarity of the lyrics and they can also be funny at times. According to many people, their major drawback is lead vocalist Jonathan Davis, but his crappy vocals actually add to the experience. Think of them like a Chuck Norris B-movie. It is very shitty, and yet you like it for the shittyness. He manages to sound really fake on several songs, but that does add to the feel.

Love them or hate them, KoRn is a very good band and this is arguably the band’s best work till date. The roaring downtuned guitar attack of Munkey and Head, the thundering drum work of Silvera, the over the top hip hop influenced bass lines of Fieldy, the delightfully crappy vocals of Davis and the overall dark feel in the songs make KoRn a really cool band. If you like metal or hip hop and are not a narrow minded elitist and enjoy metal + rap collaborations, I suggest you get yourself a copy of this album. You’ll love it!

Rating - 4/5

Tracklisting -

•"Blind" – 4:19
•"Ball Tongue" – 4:29
•"Need To" – 4:01
•"Clown" – 4:37
•"Divine" – 2:51
•"Faget" – 5:49
•"Shoots and Ladders" – 5:22
•"Predictable" – 4:32
•"Fake" – 4:51
•"Lies" – 3:22
•"Helmet in the Bush" – 4:02
•"Daddy" – 17:31

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Artist - Metallica

Album - Master Of Puppets

Released - 3rd March, 1986

Reviewed by - Vaibhav Jain

"Master Of Puppets" is American Thrash/Heavy Metal band Metallica's 3rd studio album and is considered by many THE best Heavy Metal albums of all time and believe me its for good reason. This album is considered as a landmark in the history of Metal and is the last album recorded with bassist Cliff Burton. In a list compiled by Metal - Rules it has been named as the number 1 album and this album has also been mentioned in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die."

The first song on the album is "Battery" and is a headbangers delight!!. With a slow opening it suddenly bursts into Thrash Metal personified. The song is about the control anger can have over an individual. This can be seen in the lines "Smashing through the boundaries / Lunacy has found me / Cannot stop the battery".

The second track on the album is the title track "Master Of Puppets", This song is easily one of the best if not THE best Metallica track ever. This song is not only a musical masterpiece but also a lyrical one. The song was considered as the best of its time because Kirk took the guitar solo to heights unbelievable. The song is about people being controlled by Drugs and the Government to that extent that Drugs and Government have become the "Masters" of people who have become"puppets" in front of them as we are being controlled excessively by them. This song is a fan favourite and is played very often on Metallica live shows and is rumoured to be Cliff Burton's favourite Metallica song.

The third song on the album is "The Thing That Should not Be" and is about a person becoming a lunatic because he cannot comprehend The Thing That Should Not Be.The Fourth Track is "Welcome Home[Sanitarium]" and this too is a fan fav. The lyrics are about a man who is perhaps trapped in a mental asylum and who wants to break free. This song too has a slow opening and lyrics slowly become harsher as the song continues.

The Fifth song is "Disposable Heroes" and this too is fan favourite. The song is about soldiers[The Disposable Heroes] at war.In the chorus Hetfield shouts "Back to the front!", meaning that the soldiers who have come home must return to the war and continue fighting. Like puppets, the soldiers are controlled by their commander, which is the main theme of the album. On the front cover artwork of Master of Puppets, a helmet and an identifier hang from a cross headstone, referring to this song and possibly Evergreen Cemetery, which uses stone crosses to mark the graves of soldiers who died in the Battle of Gettysburg. Also the hands above, manipulating the puppets, may represent the government being all-powerful and above everyone else which is described in the title track mentioned above.

This is followed by the song "Leper Messiah". Dave Mustaine who ealier was a band members claims to have written the main riff of the song. This is followed by Metallica's third instrumental "Orion" which was mainly composed by Cliff Burton. Parts of this song were played by Dimebag Darrell at a memorial for Cliff Burton as a tribute.

The last song on the album is "Damage Inc." and is one of The Heaviest Metallica Songs Ever. The lyrics are probably about a battle unit or maybe the pressure on musicians because of the changing trends in music. This can be seen in the lyrics "Fuck it all and fucking no regrets; Never happy endings on these dark sets," are nearly re-used in exact form on the song "St. Anger".

This is one of my favourite albums of all times and I strongly recommend you to buy it, if you don't already have it!

Rating - 5/5

Tracklisting -

1. "Battery" (Hetfield, Lars Ulrich) - 5:12

2. "Master of Puppets" (Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton, Hammett) - 8:35

3. "The Thing That Should Not Be" (Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett) - 6:36

4. "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" (Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett) - 6:27

5. "Disposable Heroes" (Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett) - 8:16

6. "Leper Messiah" (Hetfield, Ulrich) - 5:40

7. "Orion [Instrumental]" (Hetfield, Burton, Ulrich) - 8:27

8. "Damage, Inc." (Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton, Hammett) - 5:32

Divine Heresy - Bleed The Fifth

Artist – Divine Heresy
Album – Bleed the Fifth
Released – September 10 2007
Genre – Melodic Deathcore
Reviewed By – Nigga J

It’s been a long time since we last heard from ex-Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares after being controversially kicked out of his own creation. He perused a few other projects like Brujeria where he again had a fall out with his band members and left it spawning another inferior Latin metal spin-off of the band called Asesino. He was also a leader of one of the four teams of the Roadrunner United project but he has been very inactive since then.

Dino spend five long years preparing for a suitable comeback, and judging from the raw brutality of the opening track, looks like his patience has been rewarded! Dino is joined with formal Vital Remains and Hate Eternal drummer Tim Yeung and newcomer Tommy Vext in his new band Divine Heresy which has all the necessary elements to kick your ass!

The opening track is as heavy and fast as it gets and there is some really brutal double bass drumming here. Dino’s signature riffs perfectly accompany the drums and Vext’s brutal throat mashing bark gives the song another level of heaviness. It is the perfect music to listen to when your feeling rather pissed and want to destroy everything. Then comes Failed Creation, which starts of as brutally as the first song did but it has a few melodic interludes to which you can almost sing along. Failed Creation can be called the band’s sound as there are many tracks with similar style on the album.

The album is filled with versatility as tracks such as Rise of the Scorned and Royal Blood have a lot of black metal influence added by grand synth intros and then there is Soul Decoded which is pretty experimental and off the line. Impossible Is Nothing is very accessible and there is a lot of nu metal influence. Tommy’s melodic clean vocals steal the show here. The album ends with Closure which is a very radio friendly power ballad with 90% clean vocals and it proves how versatile this band can be.

Overall, Dino has managed to produce one of the most memorable riffs in recent years and Vext is a very good and versatile vocalist. Yeung is a brutal drummer and his double bass is like nothing you would have ever heard before. But then again, there is too much double bass in the album. They have overdone it. That makes it a little annoying. A few songs in the album are a bit boring after repeated plays. But all in all, this is a solid album and it strikes perfect balance between Dino’s familiar style and innovation (He plays solos! And they own you!) Bleed the Fifth is the next best thing to Demanufacture. Hell, if these guys continue this, maybe the next album will be better! If you are a fan of death metal and also like a bit melody in the songs, or if you like pre Archetype Fear Factory, get Bleed the Fifth. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Rating: 4/5

Tracklisting -

1. "Bleed The Fifth" – 3:06
2. "Failed Creation" – 3:37
3. "This Threat Is Real" – 4:23
4. "Impossible Is Nothing" – 3:55
5. "Savior Self" – 3:18
6. "Rise of the Scorned" – 4:54
7. "False Gospel" – 3:20
8. "Soul Decoded (Now and Forever)" – 4:01
9. "Royal Blood Heresy" – 4:42
10. "Closure" – 3:33

KISS/Paul Stanley - Paul Stanley

Artist - KISS/Paul Stanley
Album - Paul Stanley
Released - September 18, 1978
Genre - Hard Rock
Reviewed By - The Starchild (Talk about conincidence.)

In 1978, all 4 original KISS members took their chances and released solo albums without each others inputs with varying results. Peter Criss's album bombed (Why are we not surprised?), Simmons's took an experimental approach, Ace's showed his instrumental prowness furthur more while our boy Paul made a hard rock album which sounded like..well..a KISS album circa late 1970's. (Except this time it's Paul doing 100% vocals.) Not that it's a bad thing since Paul had always been a major force in KISS and has written several of their classics.

Unique thing about this album is, it's the only album out of 1978 solo albums which featured completely original material (Other 3 recorded cover tunes for their records.) Most of the album deals with themes of love, relationships and stuff similar to that, except this time it's much more softer and sounds deeper than "OMGZ LETS BANG A CHICK YO~!" formula you mostly see in KISS songs. One of the highlights of this record is the song Take Me Away (Together As One) a song which can be very well considered first ever power ballad in the vein of 80's hair metal explosion, and it's influence can be seen in bands that produced power ballads later on. Other highlights include "Love In Chains" and the steady opener "Tonight You Belong To Me". Stanley roped in a killer lineup of people ranging from Carmine Appice to Bob Kulick (A good friend of KISS members whose brother later on joined the band.) thus providing him steady backup.

All in all, it's a gread hard rock record which is a treat for Paul Stanley fans since we will have to wait for almost three decades to hear his next solo outing. If one wants a glimpse at what Stanley can do without KISS and why many consider him to be "life and soul" of the band, and is a fairly consistant record, but it leaves the feeling that it could have been done better. (Ace Frehley's album anyone?) Also it tends to leave the feeling that it's too damn short. If you are a KISS fan by any means, this album alongside with Frehley's 1978 solo effort, are must listens. Great hard rock album which maintains to sounds entertaining after several listens.

Rating - 3.5/5

Tracklisting -

1. Tonight You Belong To Me (Paul Stanley) – 4:39
2. Move On (Stanley, Mikel Japp) – 3:07
3. Ain't Quite Right (Stanley, Japp) – 3:34
4. Wouldn't You Like to Know Me? (Stanley) – 3:16
5. Take Me Away (Together As One) (Stanley, Japp) – 5:26
6. "It's Alright" (Stanley) – 3:31
7. Hold Me, Touch Me (Think of Me When We're Apart) (Stanley) – 3:40
8. Love In Chains (Stanley) – 3:34
9. Goodbye (Stanley) – 4:09

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

Artist: Led Zeppelin

Album: Led Zeppelin IV

Released: November 8, 1971

Reviewed by: Siddique Humayun

Zoso, aka, Led Zeppelin IV or simply, the fourth album is a definitive work in hardrock music. Selling over 23 million units in the US alone, its also one of the best selling albums of all time. The album features 8 beautifully composed songs and starts off with the song, "Black Dog". Black Dog is a very moving song and guitarist, Jimmy Page provides amazing guitar-work with an exceptional drumming by one of the most thunderous drummers of the era, Bonzo! Finishing off the song by a nice guitar solo, the next song that comes in, is one of the bands most famous song, Rock & Roll. It starts with Jason Bonham marvelling at his drums accompained by John Paul Jones effective bass and soon comes in Jimmy Page with his guitars. One of the parts most famous of the song are when Plant shows his mastery with the vocals.., 'Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.'

For any music lover, Led Zeppelin is a name that brings in mind respect. They fall second only to The Beatles when it comes to popularity, and 'the fourth album' is the bands most critically
acclaimed work.

When we talk about creativity, Led Zeppelin is right there among the best. Whether it be drumming inside a bathroom to get the echoing sound or to use a Mandolin to its best, as is seen in the song "The Battle of Evermore". This song features a Mandolin with an acoustic guitar to give it a soothing and mesmerizing feeling. It's also the only song to feature a guest vocalist, Sandy Denny who shares the vocals with the legend himself. And finally, the first side of the album finishes off with the most famous, greatest song ever known to mankind. The song is not only Led Zeppelin's most requested song, but the most requested song of any band on radio. Despite of its length and never being released as a Single, Stairway to Heaven is nothing less than an anthem. It starts off slowly, without any drumming until slightly over half the song is done. It features John Paul Jones talent on bass and grand piano at the live performances of the song. Jimmy Page nails an amazing solo on it, which has been rated as the best guitar solo of all time by many sources, including Guitar World Magazine.

On the other side of the album, it features not a single weak song, Misty Mountain Hop has Robert Plant singing at his finest. Four Sticks features the technique of the band with high note vocals by Plant and technical riffs by Page. Next in line, Going to California is a song as beautiful as any other on the album. For anyone interested in deep lyrics, Going to California is "The" song. And finally the album ends with the more famous "When the Levee Breaks" Though not an original Zeppelin song, it features the bands immense talent and creativity. Recording the drums in a stairwell, processing the vocals at different intervals, finally, slowing the song on the record, The Led Zeppelin version of When the Levee Breaks is a symbol of creativity in itself.
Although there are few who have not come across this album, or a song from it, for those who haven't this is one of the most highly recommended albums of all time.

Rating - 5/5

Tracklisting -

Side one

1. "Black Dog" (Page/Plant/Jones) - 4:55

2. "Rock and Roll" (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham) - 3:40

3. "The Battle of Evermore" (Page/Plant) - 5:38

4. "Stairway to Heaven" (Page/Plant) - 8:01

Side two

1. "Misty Mountain Hop" (Page/Plant/Jones) - 4:39

2. "Four Sticks" (Page/Plant) - 4:49

3. "Going to California" (Page/Plant) - 3:36

4. "When the Levee Breaks" (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham/Memphis Minnie) - 7:08