JUSTIN'S ROCK REVIEWS W/C 11/11/02
ENTOMBED / SONS OF SATAN PRAISE THE LORD
These Swedish guys have been around for quite a while now and where once the kings of Grindcore, (anyone remember that!) this is a double CD of covers of various bands recorded between 1993 and 1999.
The songs that are covered are very varied but all have been given a swift kicking down a dark alley and have come out with Entombed all over them. There is everything here from Bob Dylan "Ballad Of Hollis Brown" to Motorhead "One Track Mind", King Crimson "20th Century Schizoid Man" and MC5's "Kick Out The Jams".
There are lesser know one's like "Albino Flogged In Black" originally done by a band called Stillborn, who I have never heard of before but from this cover it sounds like I should investigate them and this is the strongpoint of compilations like this. Other covers of note include, Venom, Black Sabbath, Stiff Little Fingers and Bad Brains but this doesn't mean that the rest are bad because they are not, they are all good covers.
TOTAL PLAYING TIME = DISC 1, 45 mins + 13 TRACKS, DISC 2 = 46 mins + 14 TRACKS
PEARL JAM / RIOT ACT
The fact that Pearl Jam are still going after all these years is testament enough to their longevity and talent, after all there are no other bands around from the original Grunge period still going.
This can be born down to two facts, they are good musicians and good songwriters, the first single “I Am Mine” is a statement of intent and shows off well the understated style of their ability to pen an interesting tune and still ROCK. There is plenty of light and shade here and a very good blues song called “1/2 Full” that is worthy of either of the Kings, BB or Albert, mostly they take their lead from Neil Young and the Mirrorball collaboration from a few years ago springs to mind.
This is a good follow up to 2000’s Binaural and in some respects surpasses it, it certainly has more Rock in it and Eddy and the guys pick up the pace a treat on “Save You”, “Ghost”, “Green Disease” and “You Are”. This is not just a band going through the motions it is a classic band still relevant and functioning well in the 21st Century.
TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 54 mins + 15 TRACKS
SYMPHONY X / THE ODYSSEY
This is Progressive Metal with a capital P and an emphasis on the Metal, full of death defying lead flurry’s and more complex times changes that any person could want.
The title is even based on the Homer classic The Odyssey and lasts an epic 25 minutes long and manages to keep your attention the whole time and mange to pull it off without sounding pompous or being over baring. The other tracks are Symphony X at their best, ably demonstrated by “King Of Terrors”, as good as anything you would find on a Dream Theatre CD. I know that Progressive Metal is not everyone’s cup of tea but it doesn’t come much better than this.
If you haven’t heard much Progressive Metal this is a good place to start and get’s the Justin seal of approval.
TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 73 mins + 9 TRACKS
