Immortal Technique "The Martyr" Review

After a three year hiatus, New York's underground legend Immortal Technique is back with a gift for fans as he released “The Martyr” for free download on October 27th.

Packed with a revolutionary outlook and a wordsmiths delivery, Immortal Technique is in pure form with his hyper-political lyrics, which could serve as the soundtrack for the country's #Occupy movement. For the product, Technique has enlisted like minded activists and revered hip hop acts such as Chuck D, Killer Mike, Brother Ali and dead prez amongst others to help him deliver and spread his message of people's power and fundamental change to our once great nation.

Fear not though, “The Martyr” is not full of politically charged songs as Immortal Technique finds a nice balance and shows his battle rap aptitude on over half the tracks. The raw straight-spitter raps infernal fire with help from some of the games top lyricists like Joell Ortiz, Styles P, and Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks fame.

When it comes to sheer rapping, Immortal Technique is in the upper echelon of hip-hop's Mount Olympus and it would be hard pressed to find a smarter or more driven artist. Staying independent his entire career, Immortal Technique has built a massive fan base on his own with his own skills, instead of the backing of a major label. While “The Martyr” does not feature the top producers in hip-hop today, Immortal Technique does rap over a J.Dilla beat which is tenfold better then anything heard on the radio today.

The J.Dilla produced beat “Toast To The Dead” is one of the album's standout tracks and is a homage to hip-hop's deceased. Passionate and on point with his lyrics, Technique pays his respects while still keeping his edge spitting gems such as “I pray to God that your soul will come back again So I can see you in the next life and finish it then A toast to the dead for criminals, burning in hell I wonder how many presidents are burning as well.”

The self titled track on “The Martyr” is a song which is sure to get your blood pumping. Setting the pace with it's aggressive nature and marching beat, “The Martyr” is an anthem for all people to stand up for themselves and for their beliefs. It is a call for our generation to stop following the blind and for us to become our own leaders who will lead our nation out of its current turmoil because as Technique puts it, “the purpose of life is a life with a purpose So I’d rather die for a cause than live a life that is worthless.”

Changing the tone at least beat wise, comes the short but powerful “Eyes In The Sky.” From a technical standpoint, Immortal Techniques flow is a thing of beauty here. Impeccable breath control, my favorite line in this song was “tell them the truth and they call you a traitor, talk to them honestly and they call you a hater, losing my composure cause the message is urgent, talking reckless drunk on the mic like Larry Merchant.” Technique is a poet and I like seeing him on softer songs like this because I feel the softer beat makes his voice stand out more and therefore his message more powerful.

The most politically fueled song on this record is aptly titled “Civil War.” Featuring hip-hops most prevalent emcees in terms of world issues and politics Chuck D, Killer Mike, and Brother Ali “Civil War” is a tune which kicks you straight in the ass. Using the Civil War as a metaphor, the song speaks on those who rebel against the system who get oppressed opposed to those who acquiesce to it and gain favor. Issues such as economics, religion, corruption in the government and race are also spoke about and how they still roil this country today.

Another all-star assembled cast is “Black Vikings” featuring Styles P, Vinnie Paz and Poison Pen. With Poison Pen doing the chorus and narrating the track, it leaves Technique, Styles and Paz to simply try and out rap each other in cypher fashion. All three come with brutal verses but due to my personal taste I have to say Ghost comes the hardest followed by Tech then Paz.

One last highlight of the record is “Ultimas Palabras” which is not even a song but a seven minute long speech. Truly inspiring, Technique not only makes a good point of the evils committed in America, but also analyzes the situation and gives his own input. Technique's intelligence shines here as he blesses us with this amazing quote, “the greatest flaw that any intelligent person has, is to think they are smarter than everyone else.” It's a shame Technique is not a more mainstream artist, because if he was given the opportunity to display his knowledge to a wide media oriented audience, our nation might awaken to the corruption.

For a free download, “The Martyr” is a nice release however the only problem I have with it is some of the features. While the heavyweights like Styles P, Vinnie Paz, Brother Ali and Joell Ortiz all compliment and add something positive to their tracks, most of the other guests do nothing and greatly bring down the quality of the song. There are 22 guests on a 16 track album and on most of these songs Immortal Technique only spits one verse which is unfortunate.

I wish Technique was featured more since he is one of the dopest rappers alive today but it seems like we are going to have to wait a little while longer for a full fledged Immortal Technique album. “The Middle Passage” should hopefully be released sometime in 2012 but if not enjoy the strong points of “The Martyr” because the album does have standout tracks, it's just the posse cuts which drag the album on and make it feel redundant.

Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head Scale:
3 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads

Songs I Recommend:
The Martyr, Toast To The Dead, Eyes In The Sky, Civil War, Black Vikings

UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz Preview

On Saturday October 29th the UFC is back in action for UFC 137: Penn vs Diaz.

Two of MMA's most popular fighters square off inside the octagon when two time former UFC champion BJ Penn (16-7-2) fights former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (25-7-1NC) in the main event.

Not only are Penn and Diaz two of the sports most popular fighters but are also two of the best and most technically gifted competitors to ever compete in MMA. To say this is an MMA fans dream match is an understatement as both Penn and Diaz are mirror images of one another. Both possess great standup and on the ground both utilize a pure Brazilian Jiu Jitsu style. Both fighters always come to fight and they both share mutual respect for one another heading into Saturday nights fight.

According to Penn, Nick Diaz is the best boxer in MMA. Diaz is a high volume puncher who throws punches in bunches and combinations which ware his opponents down. Diaz has professional boxing experience and for years has trained with current WBA Super World Super Middleweight Champion and former Olympic gold medalist (168. Lbs.) Andre Ward.

Diaz' boxing style is unconventional, especially for MMA. Due to his length, Diaz' range is difficult to deal with as he normally has a reach advantage. A master of mixing up his strikes, Diaz throws punches to both the head and body, opting to throw multiple strikes throughout the duration of the fight instead of looking for the one punch knockout. This style is quite effective and popular, because Diaz normally gasses his opponents out quickly making them accessible to a potential finish in the later portions of the fight.

The reason Diaz is able to use this strategy is because of his incredible cardiovascular endurance. Regularly competing in triathlons when he is not training for a fight, Diaz is never lost on conditioning. Setting a fast pace and in your face from the opening bell, Diaz is always moving forward and never lets up.

On top of his great technical skill, Diaz also constantly trash talks and taunts his opponents inside of the cage. Diaz will throw his hands up and talk while he is hitting you, urging his opponents to fight recklessly and make mistakes. Diaz has all the keys to open doors and make fights exciting and he does so with great efficiency.

Needless to say, Nick Diaz is a professional fighter who goes out to fight. Diaz never try's to win points on the judges scorecards by holding his opponents down to squeak out a decision victory. When you watch a Nick Diaz fight, you are not going to leave disappointed because the guy always brings it and loves to actually fight.

When Nick Diaz was asked about his opponent BJ Penn, Diaz said that he believes Penn is an all around better fighter then current Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre.

From a technical standpoint, Diaz might be right. Penn has top notch striking and when a fight hits the ground, there may not be a more dangerous man alive. A highly decorated Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor, Penn received his black belt, after only three years of training. In fact, many people believe Penn was the fastest student to receive that honor out of all active BJJ competitors.

A former UFC Welterweight and Lightweight champion, BJ Penn has competed against the best the sport has had to offer since its inception. Holding notable victories over Matt Hughes (twice), Kenny Florian, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, Matt Serra, Takanori Gomi and Diego Sanchez, BJ Penn has also competed against current UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Jon Fitch, Lyoto Machida and current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. Penn is a sure fire hall of famer and is only the second competitor to hold UFC titles in two different weight classes and holds the record for most Lightweight victories inside the UFC.

When focused and dedicated, Penn is one of the deadliest men competing in MMA today. However, the concentration is not always there and in the past, Penn sometimes relied to much on his extraordinary God-given talent and did not take his training seriously. Despite his accolades, Penn has a history of a short gas tank and if he is not properly prepared for this fight, Diaz will make quick work of him.

Penn is aware of the cardio issue and has moved his training camp out of his home of Hilo, Hawaii to California to undertake in a new cardiovascular program and has also listed longtime rival Matt Hughes to help him prepare. Physically comfortable and mentally ready, Penn says he is fully prepared for this fight against Nick Diaz.

Wanting another title run before his MMA career comes to an end, Penn knows he needs a victory over Diaz to keep his title aspirations alive, as the winner is most likely next in line to receive a Welterweight title shot against GSP. However, if Dana White and the UFC offer him a chance to reclaim his Lightweight title, Penn has said that he is more than happy to jump at the opportunity to compete again at 155 lbs.

While I know both fighters are identical to one another in terms of overall technical abilities, I give the edge to Diaz for his conditioning. Unfortunately for Penn, his biggest weakness is Diaz' biggest strength and I see Diaz using his pitter-patter punches to wear Penn down, zapping his energy and finishing him in the second round.

The co-main event of UFC 137, is a heavyweight bout pitting Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) against the unbeaten former NFL player Matt Mitrione (5-0).

Competing for the first time since his unbelievable knockout victory over Mitrione's training partner Pat Barry this summer, Kongo is looking to get back into title contention. The fight against Barry, was one of the the craziest and most unforgettable stoppages I had ever seen in MMA, and this Saturday, Kongo has the opportunity to derail the hype train of the ever improving Matt Mitrione.

An ex-football player turned MMA guy, Mitrione has improved and looked like a different fighter every time we have seen him step inside the octagon. A fantastic athlete, Mitrione has great strikes but undoubtably will be facing the biggest test of his young career thus far against Kongo.

If both men are willing to dance the dance, this fight has all the makings of a fantastic heavyweight contest.

Another featured fight on the card is the return of MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop (27-9-2-1NC) when he competes against The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson (15-6).

Cro Cop the former Pride Open Weight Grand Prix champion, has fallen on tough times during the later stages of his MMA career. After suffering back to back knockout loses to Frank Mir and Brandon Schaub and looking bad in the process, Cro Cop needs a win to keep his job with the UFC.

Still the owner of the most devastating head kicks in MMA history, Cro Cop has the ability to win this fight if he utilizes his sprawl and brawl to keep the fight standing. Kind of like a cat with his fighting style, Cro Cop will continuously stalk his opponent before he attacks with one of those fight ending head kicks which he describes as “right kick hospital, left kick cemetery.”

Nelson is in the same boat as Cro Cop in that he has also lost two consecutive fights in the UFC. After his last fight against Frank Mir, many including Dana White had voiced their opinion on Nelson's decision to keep his belly and continue to fight at Heavyweight.

Undersized in most fights, Nelson could easily make Light Heavyweight or even Middleweight should he ever decide to eat healthy and dedicate himself to a diet. However, do not let his physique fool you as Nelson is a top notch fighter with shocking speed, power and athleticism for a man his size. Able to win the fight in any fashion, Nelson will most likely look to take this fight to the ground where he will use his belly to his advantage to submit Cro Cop sending the Croatian legend into possible retirement.

Also on the card, is the debut of one of the best Featherweight fighters in MMA today when North American audiences are introduced to Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2).

A ground specialist, Hioki will look to end the recent trend of Japanese fighters bad luck inside the UFC. Holding two notable victories over former number one contender Mark Hominick, Hioki is one of the most entertaining grapplers MMA has ever seen.

Always looking to pass guard and apply submissions, Hioki uses smooth transitions which seem effortless at times. Owner of one of the most unstoppable mounts in all of MMA, Hioki has a great triangle which he either locks in on top or roles to his back to finish. Either way, if Hioki traps you, it's goodnight.

This is a debut I am highly looking forward to and have a feeling Hatsu Hioki will be competing for the Featherweight Championship in the near future.

UFC 137 is a fantastic card with numerous great fights. The main event is a dream matchup, which has been in the making for years and is sure to be a can't miss exciting contest. I am personally pumped up for this card more then any other recent or upcoming UFC event and will be glued to my television aka internet screen on Saturday night.

Like Nick Diaz famously said, “Don't be scared, homie!” and watch UFC 137.

Predictions:
Nick Diaz defeats BJ Penn via second round submission
Matt Mitrione defeats Cheick Kongo via Unanimous Decision
Roy Nelson defeats Mirko Cro Cop via first round TKO
Scott Jorgensen defeats Jeff Curran via Unanimous Decision
Hatsu Hioki defeats George Roop via first round submission
Donald Cerrone defeats Dennis Siver via second round submission
Tyson Griffen defeats Bark Palaszewski via Unanimous Decision

Megadeth "TH1RT3EN" Review

On November 1st 2011, Megadeth will release their thirteenth studio album aptly titled “Th1rt3een.”

Having always been the most consistent band out of the Big 4 (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax) and heavy metal in general, “Th1rt3en” is a very diverse record which has everything from radio friendly songs (Public Enemy #1), to hard hitting thrash (Never Dead) and even some cool dark sounding stuff (Millennium of the Blind, 13.)

In my opinion, Dave Mustaine has always been one of the most underrated riff writers of all time and on this guitar driven record, he plays to his strength. The riffs are as memorable as they were back in 1990 and shows that even at age 50, Mustaine has not lost a single step. Him and fellow guitarist Chris Broderick have a much stronger back and forth dynamic on their second full length release together as the solo's mesh better and have a more unified sound. Add in the fact that founding bassist David Ellefson has made his long awaited return to the band after a ten year absence, and the result is a rejuvenated superior sounding Megadeth.

While still primarily a thrash album, “Th1rt3en” is a much more experimental sounding record than Megadeth's previous release “Endgame.” Although not always the case for most albums, for “Th1rt3en” the experimentation is positive, as it allows Megadeth to incorporate some old school Black Sabbath sounding stuff as well as more modern sounds to the songs with great results. However, each song is still distinctively Megadeth from the chugging guitar riffs to the loud heavy but technical and precise drumming, each song on “Th1rt3en” would not feel out of place on an earlier Megadeth release during their prime golden years.

The perfect example, is the opening song on the record “Sudden Death” as it has all the elements one would expect from Megadeth and opens up the album kicking you straight in the ass. The heavy drumming, galloping riff and beautiful guitar solo are all hard hitting thrash and a brutal way to kick off the album.

This leads right into the first single released from the record and it is “Public Enemy #1.” “Public Enemy #1” features all of the above attributes but also features a catchy chorus which is perfect for radio and live shows, allowing crowds all across the globe to sing along with for years to come.

A standout track on the album is the song “Never Dead.” Progressing from a minute long dark, gloomy, slow building intro the song jolts in unbelievably fast in an all out thrash metal assault. The track never relents its speed for the duration of the course and is thus the fastest and one of the heaviest songs on the album.

“Black Swan” is another great song on “Th1rt3en”, but unlike “Never Dead” it is a slower and friendlier hard rock type of song which I could see getting spins on the radio due to its catchy chorus. However, right after this the album picks up speed right again on the next track “Wrecker.” Along with featuring an amazing guitar solo, “Wrecker is the track with my favorite vocal performance. Mustaine seems angrier on this song, and his scream during portions of the track sound brutal and slightly deranged.

“Th1rt3en” closes out with a theatrical experimental song which is also the titled track of the album. With a sound similar to Megadeth's classic “In My Darkest Hour”, “13” closes the album on a solid note. Despite the slow beginning, the song picks up pace and intensity halfway through and ends really heavy before calming down again.

Overall, I immensely enjoyed “Th1rt3en” as Megadeth have once again put out a worthy and extreme metal release. In a time where it is difficult to get excited about heavy metal music due to all the crappy releases, it is comforting to know that with a Megadeth release you will always get quality music. Sounding just as good as they ever did, “Th1rt3en” is a record which is easy to get into if you're a fan as it has elements from previous records as well as new progressing material you expect from a legendary band of this caliber.

Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head Scale:
4 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads

Songs I Recommend:
Public Enemy #1, Never Dead, Black Swan, Wrecker, 13

Tracklist:
1.Sudden Death
2.Public Enemy #1
3.Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
4.We The People
5.Guns, Drugs, Money
6.Never Dead
7.New World Order
8.Fast Lane
9.Black Swan
10.Wrecker
11.Millennium of the Blind
12.Deadly Nightshade
13.13

WWE Vengeance Review & Rant

WWE held there second PPV in the month of October as they presented Vengeance from San Antonio, Texas.

Seeing as there was not a lot of time in between PPV's, Vengeance was a card which featured lackluster story lines but delivered in match quality. Although, nothing significant happened to buildup up to next months Survivor Series in terms of impact like most expected, Vengeance was still an entertaining PPV but not an event with any relevance to the future.

The main event of Vengeance was a WWE Championship Last Man Standing match as WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio successfully defended his championship against John Cena.

The match was likely the culmination of the feud between both men and Del Rio was able to pick up the victory albeit in controversial fashion. After Cena delivered an Attitude Adjuster through the Spanish Announce table, Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) ran down to the ring jumping Cena, allowing Del Rio to recover and nail Cena with the Championship belt, keeping him down for the ten count.

As far as Last Man Standing matches go, the bout was not as intense and brutal as they have been in the past. Despite the match taking place in a broken ring, as a result of the previous match there were not many noteworthy memorable spots besides the AA through the table.

Hopefully, the WWE moves in a different direction after tonight, as the Cena vs. Del Rio feud has ran its course. To be honest, the matchup never had any major heat to make it feel important and always felt second rate to other story lines taking place within the WWE. Both men are obviously great workers and are two of the all around best inside the ring, but for some reason they never clicked with the audience and as a result each match they had together suffered, due to the lack of crowd response.

With Survivor Series being the next PPV and The Rock returning to the ring for the first time in seven years at the event, it is inevitable that Cena will be featured in a different program to begin the push to their match at WrestleMania 28. Whether Del Rio is apart of this program remains to be seen since Survivor Series is traditionally a tag team oriented event but hopefully the WWE decide to give the WWE Championship its own match to make the PPV stronger. However, who Del Rio's opponent will be is a complete mystery and unknown to me as of right now.

The co-main event World Heavyweight Championship match between World Champion Mark Henry and the Big Show was a match constantly referred to as the bathroom break match of Vengeance. Whoever decided to write this matchup off and not watch it, easily missed the best match of the night as these two super heavyweights defied expectations and stole the show.

For two of the biggest performers on the WWE roster, Mark Henry and the Big Show gave the fans a match they had never seen before of two athletes of their size. From the opening bell, the match was instantly impressive as both men showed agility and athleticism rarely exhibited by either of them. To be honest, the match reminded me of something out of Transformers or a clash of two 18 wheelers in a human demolition derby, especially at the end when Mark Henry superplexed Big Show off the top rope and the ring collapsed.

Bravo to both men as a match of this caliber was most likely very difficult on their bodies considering their size. Usually, big man match ups are slow boring and quick, however this match was very different. Athleticism was shown as Big Show landed numerous drop kicks and for most of the match, Mark Henry had an air based attack. When working together, Mark Henry and Big Show are able to do moves on each other that they would not be able to do on smaller competitors. Strength wise they are equal and it was quite a sight to see two usually dominant performers picking one another up and slamming the other to the mat.

The match was immensely entertaining featuring many near falls and even a top rope chokeslam. Credit is deserved to both men as they put on an unbelievable match and gave WWE fans a “moment” with the end of match ring collapse. Despite ending in a no contest, the Mark Henry vs. Big Show contest is a match which deserves high praise.

Another high profile matchup in Vengeance, was CM Punk and HHH teaming up together to take on the team of Awesome Truth.

It was only a month ago, when CM Punk and HHH were feuding with each other and to see that come to an end so quickly was bittersweet for me. While I enjoy seeing HHH working with two new rising up and comers like Miz and R-Truth, it disappointed me that CM Punk was never able to work a full program with HHH by himself. HHH is one of the last remaining old school wrestlers and since CM Punk is one of only a handful of new wrestlers to embody that 1980's-1990's old school wrestler style, a full feud between the two would have been a real sight to behold.

The matchup itself was fairly entertaining but had a weak ending when “Big Sexy” Kevin Nash made his return attacking HHH, allowing Awesome Truth to double team Punk and pick up the victory. After the match was over, Nash continued his beat down on HHH, eventually hitting a nasty looking jack-knife power bomb, where HHH landed hard on his neck.

The main thing I took coming out of this match, was how above and beyond HHH is to everyone else inside the ring. From pure wrestling to working a crowd to in ring psychology, HHH has not missed a step from his time away and is a true legend in the industry. Watching him work, it is clear that a majority of the new guys coming into the WWE are in fact sports entertainers and not true wrestlers. HHH and the Undertaker are the only two remaining workers from the old school, and seeing HHH work tonight reminded me how great and missed that style is today.

Speaking of solid in ring work, the most fundamentally sound one on one match of the night was the bout between Sheamus and Christian.

These two guys work hard every time and are always on top of their game. Watching them compete, it is obvious how good they work together since their chemistry and timing compliment each other perfectly.

Sheamus picked up the victory after delivering a Brouge Kick to pick up his second consecutive victory over Christian. However, Christian is one of those workers who does not need to win in order to look good. Christian is so crafty inside the ring that even though he loses most of his matches, he keeps himself relevant and in the top echelon of performers since his matches are always one of the best of the night every time. It is for this reason alone, that even though he is in a feud without any significant title implications, he will constantly appear on PPV's.

The last important happening of the night, was the fact that Dolph Zigger was featured in the first half hour of Vengeance. Zigger is one of the brightest rising stars within the WWE and to see him in two consecutive matches was the right way to kick off the PPV.
Zigger is arguably the most athletic performer in WWE right now and he has all the makings of a future multiple time world champion. Not only having a great look, Ziggler is able to work with any competitor of any size and put on a good match. This is a trait only a few performers have and Ziggler is my pick to be the breakout star of 2012.

Results:
WWE Championship: Alberto Del Rio(C) defeats John Cena in a Last Man Standing match
World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry (C) vs. Big Show ends in a No Contest
Randy Orton defeats Cody Rhodes
Awesome Truth defeats CM Punk and HHH
Sheamus defeats Christian
Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix (C) defeaths Eve Torres
U.S. Championship: Dolph Ziggler (C) defeats Zack Ryder
Tag Teams Championship: Air Boom (C) defeats Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger

Wednesday 13 "Calling All Corpses" Review

Monsters and goblins and candy oh my! Halloween, the most wonderful season of them all is upon us and what better way to start the ghoulish festivities than with a new solo album by Wednesday 13 entitled “Calling All Corpses.”

If you are a fan of campy horror movies and macabre parodies of horror such as The Munsters and the Addams Family like myself then “Calling All Corpses” is the album for you. Wednesday 13's lyrics are lighthearted spooky tongue-in cheek fun about turning into werewolves (“Silver Bullets”), punching babies and kicking puppies (“Bad At Being Human”) along with themes that would fit right in with episodes of Tales From The Crypt (“One Knife Stand”) and anthems for misfit outsider kids such as myself (“Something Wicked This Way Comes”). The Murderdolls front man sings about what he knows best which is refreshing and fun particularly during this time of year.

Vocally, Wednesday remains distinct and his voice sounds like a cross between Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper. The music on the record is pure high energy unrelenting punk reminiscent of The Misfits which is sure to keep your devil horns in the air and your head banging for the duration of the album. Huge simple catchy choruses dominate the entire record and midway through each song you will be left singing along especially on “Ghoul of My Dreams” and “London After Midnight.”

There is a real charm to “Calling All Corpses”, because the album never takes itself seriously. It is supposed to be a fun record and Wednesday 13 delivers with the perfect album for the Halloween season and to prepare us for all the devious deeds we will take part of October 31st. If you really want to get the most out of Halloween, I definitely recommend giving “Calling All Corpses” a listen as it is a frighteningly spooktacular time.

Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head Scale:
3 Beavis' Out of 5 Butt-Heads

Songs I Recommend:
I Wanna Be Cremated, Ghoul of My Dreams, Bad At Being Human, London After Midnight, Something Wicked This Way Comes

Tracklist:
1.Blood Fades To Black
2.I Wanna Be Cremated
3.Ghoul of My Dreams
4.One Knife Stand
5.Calling All Corpses
6.Miss Morgue
7.Silver Bullets
8.Bad At Being Human
9.London After Midnight
10.Candle For The Devil
11.We All Die
12.Something Wicked This Way Comes
13.Blood Fades To Black (Reprise)

"Loutallica" Metallica & Lou Reed - "Lulu" Review

Over the year, many odd musical developments have occurred but the announcement of Lou Reed and Metallica joining forces to work on an album together was possibly the most shocking event of 2011. From the inception, metal music lovers all around the globe have voiced their opinion on the collaboration between the two and the date is finally here where “Lulu” the bizarre offspring of Lou Reed and Metallica has been released.

The idea for the pair to work together began in 2009, when both Lou Reed and Metallica preformed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary Concert. Once they agreed to collaborate, the plan was for Metallica to simply re-record some unreleased Lou Reed tracks, but eventually evolved after Metallica provided significant contributions to the musical arrangements. It was at this time, Lou Reed felt Metallica would be able to bring his demos of a German expressionist play written by Frank Wedekind, titled “Lulu” to the next level and give it the extra heaviness it required. At this moment, the conception of “Lulu” was born.

The lyrics on “Lulu” were entirely written by Lou Reed and tell his interpretations of the play based on the same name, about a beautiful yet immoral prostitute. Written in the same poetic style that fans of Reed expect, lyrically “Lulu” is a rewarding yet sometimes difficult experience.

Now before I go any further with this review, I need to make one point absolutely clear that this is not a heavy metal album and can not be judged from a heavy metal stand point. The musical composition is decent at best and if you go into “Lulu” expecting a record like “Master of Puppets” you will be gravely disappointed. Metallica is pushing and experimenting with their musical abilities but this is not how Metallica should sound as most of the album sounds like uninspired demo recordings. Yet despite the countless great riffs Metallica have created over the years, none of them seem to be featured on “Lulu." Kirk Hammett, one of the greatest heavy metal guitarists of all time is no where to be found and Lars Ulrich's drumming is pretty lousy and all over the place. If you give "Lulu" a listen, you need to approach it with an open mind since the music is very abstract. In fact, for the majority of the record, Metallica feels out of place and out of their comfort zone, but still is this is not the worst part of the album.

Even though I had extremely low expectations for this album, I realized as it progressed that my main complaint with “Lulu” was the vocals. Without a doubt, Lou Reed is an acquired taste but his voice does not compliment the music at all and lacks the energy to bless the record and help deliver what the songs need. Reed's voice rarely alters from the same monotonous speaking tone and every time he enters into the song it is out of key and horrendous. All this does, is make the hour and a half long record uncomfortable to listen to especially when Metallica play loud and heavy. Also, fans of James Hetfield's singing style will be let down since the Metallica front man's voice is barely featured on any songs and when it is it is in a supporting and backing role.

Listeners of “Lulu” will either love or hate this record and I doubt many people will find a middle ground. Lovers of “Lulu” will claim it is a dark scary trip of a record and a unique crazy journey into a very mad world. Haters will declare it the biggest musical monstrosity of all time and every comedic expectation they thought they had will be brought to fruition and then some, case in point “I am the table!”. Obviously, I fall into the latter category as “Lulu” is mostly a forgettable and rubbish album for me.

Still, I would recommend giving “Lulu” a listen since it is very possible you will enjoy the record especially if you're into new interpretations of German expressionist drama (?). Just as a long time Metallica and heavy metal fan, I never went back and listened to “Ride The Lightning” or “Master of Puppets” and thought, “Hey, you know what, this could use some Lou Reed!” No matter the amount of people that say "Lulu" is clever and challenging is going to disguise the fact that"Lulu" is cringeworthy dog shit.

Unfortunately, all “Lulu” does for me is prove that two great treats while good separately does not automatically ensue they will taste great together. To conclude,"Lulu" is an unguided, tedious, and dull debacle which fails to reach its lofty aims and continues to show the decline of metal's biggest band.


Ranked on the Beavis and Butt-Head Scale:
1.5 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Head's

Songs I Recommend:
The View (“I Am The Table!”), Pumping Blood, Dragon

Tracklist:
1. Brandenburg Gate
2. The View
3. Pumping Blood
4. Mistress Dead
5. Iced Honey
6. Cheat On Me
7. Frustration
8. Little Dog
9. Dragon
10. Junior Dad

Iced Earth "Dystopia" Review

Today October 18th 2011, marked the release of “Dystopia” the tenth studio album from Floridian thrashers Iced Earth.

From the inception of the band, Iced Earth have always featured a revolving door of musicians barring guitarist and founder Jon Schaffer. “Dystopia” continues this trend as it is the first record with new vocalist Stu Block after the departure of Matt Barlow and Tim “Ripper” Owens. Yet despite the change in vocals, Iced Earth remains as metal as ever and deliver an entertaining release with “Dystopia.”

Musically, “Dystopia” is a pure in your face thrash record. Jon Schaffer proves on this record why he was a nominee for the Golden God Riff Lord award back in 2008, as “Dystopia” is filled with infectious head banging riffs right from the get go. Each song is catchy and showcase impressive solos which compliment each song perfectly.

Although it is a thrash record, Iced Earth experiment on “Dystopia” as one of the standout tracks on the record “Anthem” has a Metallica “One” type feel. The song begins with a slow, gloomy brooding intro with the bass at the forefront before turning into an all out high energy, ass kicking song, which will certainty keep your head nodding.

While Schaffer is to be credited for the flow of the album, new vocalist Stu Block sets the tone with his brilliant performance. Block has a wide vocal range and in my opinion is the best vocalist Iced Earth has had yet. Being able to belt out both Barlow's deep growls and Owens' Rob Halford-esque screeches, Block delivers the best of both worlds to Iced Earth fans. He is a real treat to listen to, especially on the track “End of Innocence” which is a true vocal standout.

For fans of the band, the lyrics on “Dystopia” sustain the futuristic themes from previous records. The opening title track and the closer “Tragedy & Triumph” continue the “Something Wicked Saga” concept and are two of the strongest tracks on the record.

However, all the lyrics do not deal with dystopian themes as over half the songs are positive and uplifting. Songs such as “Anthem” celebrate life and the human spirit as well as reminding you that you hold the key to your own success. “End of Innocence”, “V” and “Tragedy & Triumph” all preach positive messages with the latter singing about achieving your goals and conquering diversity.

While Iced Earth's “Dystopia” is not ground breaking in any fashion, it is still a solid, fun and enjoyable record. It is a very simple album to get into which metal fans of any genre will appreciate from a long running respectable band.

In anticipation of Metallica and Megadeth's upcoming releases at the end of this month, “Dystopia” is a perfect album to hold any metal head over until those records are released. To be honest, from what I have heard so far, it is highly possible that Iced Earth will put out the best metal album of October.

Hopefully, this lineup of Iced Earth sticks together and release more records since “Dystopia” is the best front to end Iced Earth record I have heard in quite some time.

Ranked on the Beavis' and Butthead Scale:
4.5 Beavis' out of 5 Butthead's

Songs I Recommend:
Dystopia, Anthem, End of Innocence, Iron Will, Tragedy & Triumph

Tracklist:
1. Dystopia
2. Anthem
3. Boiling Point
4. Anguish of Youth
5. V
6. Dark City
7. Equilibrium
8. Day of Rage
9. End of Innocence
10. Soylent Green (Bonus)
11. Iron Will (Bonus)
12. Tragedy & Triumph
13. Anthem (String Mix) (Bonus)