Flotsam and Jetsam - Cuatro (1992)

Hailing from the desert state of Arizona, F&J began in 1982 as Paradox (not to be confused by the German band with the same name) with Jason Newstead as their bassist until 1986, until he left to join Metallica. They rose as part of the American Thrash Metal explosion in the late 80s/early 90s but never received quite as much notoriety as many of their counterparts. Despite this, they are still active today and have retained the same vocalist throughout.

This is their fourth album, as you may have guessed from the name. The cover seems to have been designed by a similar graphic designer to the Watchtower album, having a somewhat pixellated helicopter image beneath a bold band title and name. However, it folds out into a poster with a larger image and the band photos down the side, lyrics on the back.

The album kicks off with "Natural Enemies" - pounding rhythms, aggressive vocals, surprisingly smooth chorus. Eric A.K.'s voice is rough and raw, tending on the slightly higher side but not screechy or shrill. Just angry. Pace is rapid for the verses. Slower for the chorus. Drums pound and guitars churn with shrill confidence.

"Swatting at Flies" begins as a slower number, with darting guitar licks to open. The pace slows, chugging and churning before the vocals erupt, Lyrics filled with pent-up aggression:

"The only thing I ever made in life was a fist..."

American metal is so confrontational! The vocals have a good rhythm to them, punctuated with solid drum beats.

"The Message" is slower but heavy, ominous rifts and some intricate guitar passages.Short and to the point - "have you got the message?"

"Cradle Me Now" thrums with tension, as though it is being restrained and trying to break free. It chugs and churns and thrashs.

The pace drops another notch and we begin "Wading Through the Darkness" which is a borderline ballad. The vocals now have a twisted whine to them, although they still radiate aggression and frustration.

Chugging and churning we step into "Double Zero". Vocals are surprisngly slow and almost melodic, but still with the harsh edge and tending more towards spoken than sung. There is something quintessentially American about the lyrics (which are also about war in the Middle East, of course this was released shortly after the Gulf War):

"Home's where the guns are..."

We pick up the pace in "Never to Reveal" in which the drum pounds and the bass line chugs. Vocals are tongue-trippingly fast - which is reflected in the lyrics:

"...hope my tongue don't slip..."

"Forget About  Heaven" brings us back into the heavy rhythms; slower, aggressive. Kinda highly strung. Nice guitar solo.

We mellow out a bit for "Secret Square". Low, quite strong and rich vocals, light guitar accompaniment. Speeds up, slows down, falls into weird distortiony bits.

We race and pound into the almost-speed metal "Hypodermic Midnight Snack". Despite the not-so-pleasant theme, this is my favourite song on this album. It races through the verses, soars into the surprisingly harmonic chorus and then surges forth once more. Erratic, dramatic.

There's a bit of a glam metal vibe to "Are You Willing?", compelete with a bit of a squeal to the vocals. Otehrwise, he's tripping over his tongue again as he races through the verses.

The final track, "(Ain't Nothing Gonna) Save this World" offers nothing new to the world of music and is frankly, rather dull and uninspired thrash metal.

I've been listening through this album for the last four days. I think it's time to put it to rest and return it to the shelf.


Flotsam and Jetsam are not a bad band, they're just not very inspiring. Their music is modestly competent and well structured, as far as thrash metal goes, they're pretty good - despite their relative obscurity (and many steps down from Metallica). However, I prefer my music a little more quirky and dynamic and thus I shall rate them 5/10.

Van Halen - Diver Down (1982)

Time for some classic rock now - Van Halen! This is one of their older albums, and not one of their most well known - but for some reason it is the only one I own on cd: $10 from Echo records, second hand. It contains absolutely none of their notable tracks and is their 5th album.

Van Halen formed in California in 1972, fronted by the charismatic showman, David Lee Roth. The Van Halen brothers - Alex and Eddie were two of the other members, and Eddie is generally considered one of the finest guitar players in the world. Alex was the drummer and Michael Anthony completed the quartet with his bass guitar. They soared to rock n roll fame - with such hits as "Jump" and "Running with the Devil" which are awesome songs and not on this cd, of course. In 1985, Roth departed the band - due to personal conflict with Eddie, and was replaced with Sammy Hagar. Himself a fine vocalist. Roth returned again for a reunion concert in the mid 90s, before rejoining the band permanently in 2006. He is still a member there today.

Whilst this album seems to have faded into the depths of obscurity, it did earn them a ranking in the Guinness book of records for "highest paid single appearance of a band": $1.5 million for a 90 minute set.

Cover is... boring. Definitely ranks in my top #10 of "least interesting album covers" (Along with Warlord's "Best of", Helloween's "Chameleon" and Wrath's "Nothing to Fear". The cover is red, with a diagonal white stripe running from top left to bottom right. Band name at top right, title at bottom left. Not exactly inspiring. Inside it's no better - a band photo in which Lee Roth looks young, blond and pretty compared to the rest of the band who are all dark. The song titles, and some helpful instructions on how to keep your cds in good condition and clean them (straight line, center to edge, with a clean, lint-free, soft, dry cloth). Guess this WAS one of the earliest cds.*

So, slot it in and give it a spin!

"Where Have All the Good Times Gone!" (sic) the first track proclaims and it has a kind of downbeat feel to it. Roth doesn't have his usual "happy voice" going and sounds almost a little lost. Bit repetitive too, not my first pick for an opening track.

With a somewhat more energetic pace "Hang 'em High" rocks on in with very competent guitar flurries accentuating Roth's vocals. Again, it has a more melancholic feel, with Roth's voice being rather more melodious and smooth.

Some interesting instrumention on "Cathedral". Is that clarinet? It soudns almost like synth, but there's none listed, so must be Jan Van Halen adding their touch.

Another slower rock number, "Secrets" has more of a traditional soft rock feel such as is found in bands like Fish.

"Intruder" is a haunting drum and guitar instrumental, with some whining reminscient of industrial machinery towards the end it slips into the distinctive opening chords of "Pretty Woman" which sounds a little odd from Roth's vocal chords. He's a little rougher than Orbison. He does manage a rather throaty purr/growl at one point. Even this track sounds a bit maudlin.

Picking up the pace with some electronica guitar swirls as quirky twiddly squeaky flurries as it's time for "Dancing in the Street". Orginally performed by Marvin Gaye. Could increase the tempo a bit. Make this a livelier number. But no, still seems a bit foot-draggy. I'm not feeling like dancing guys!

"Little Guitars" starts with a very twiddly and complicated flamenco style intro before taking on bouncier rhythms. This one has a more quirky and upbeat nature to it. The chorus is perky and chipper and this is probably the most upbeat song on the album and, so far, my favourite.
Although I would swear he's singing "etch a sketch, etch a sketch"**

And now we're taking a trip back to the 20s with clarinet and "Big Bad Bill (is Sweet William now)". This is a song popular with barbershop quartets, but Van Halen have added in some extra instrumentation. It still sounds weird and a bit out of place on a rock album.

Now, time for some actual rock, "The Full Bug" has faster rhythms and a solid almost glam-rock beat. Very skilful guitar solo as Eddie makes his axe sing.

And possibly the craziest cover song on the album, "Happy Trails" is performed acapella and is short, slightly out of tune and kinda amusing. In fact, it kinda ruined the album for me. It's amusing, but not a strong way to end a weak album.

This is a very different album for Van Halen. It's less energetic, more soothing and has a shadowy sadness to it. The instrumentation is competent, although there are no full on rock-out guitar solos and there's a kind of lacklustre feel to it. Good background music (I might take this to work, actually). But, it's not Van Halen as I know and love 'em and even their choice of cover songs can't make up for the lack.

The only stand-out track is "Little Guitars" 8/10 for that (it's no "running with the devil") and 4/10 for the rest of the album.My recommendation - if you want a Van Halen cd, DON'T buy this one!

Rating = 5/10

* To wikipedia! The first cds were made in the mid-to-late 70s and became commercially available in 1982. The year this was released. 

** It's actually "catch as catch" but still!

Overkill - Horrorscope (1991)

Rising from the American Thrash metal era, Overkill hail from New Jersey. They are one of the most successful East Coast US metal bands and have released 16 studio albums, plus several live and EPs. Formed in 1980, they are still active today, although they have undertaken numerous line-up changes, their vocalist, Bobby "Blitz" has remained a constant.  
 
This is their sixth album. It is regarded as one of their defining moments and is their heaviest release, being more aggressive and darker than their earlier albums.

The cover folds out into a sort of poster, albeit one made up of printed squares. The front depicts their horned skeletal mascot - this time with hands, carressing a globe, in which screams a human face. The border is industrial, rivetted with skulls. The title, "Horrorscope" drips in bloody trails that are barely visible. One side of the fold out sheet holds the lyrics, the other band portraits and "Chaley" their winged, horned skull mascot.

It opens with the slow, technical chords of "Coma". Brooding, threatening, like stormclouds gathering on the horizon. Then they break, and we blast into the fantic, hectic strumming and Bobby "Blitz"'s distinctive half-scream, savage vocals.

"Infectious" begins with more chaotic strumming, racing, racing, galloping away headlong as Blitz's vocals snarl over it. Choruses are repetitive enough to sing (or scream) along, not that you feel particularly inclined. They're pretty much controlled, somewhat melodic, noise.

More racing guitars, and an intermitent drumming bring us our "Blood Money". Structurally similar to the preceeding tracks - fast, vocals like a vicious beast, intricate guitaring and some complex shredding in the solos as the guitarists war for dominance. Filled with pent-up aggression.
"Thanx for Nothin'" delivers more aggression; reflected in both the savage shredding and pounding drums, snarling vocals and savage lyrics:

"Thanks for nothin'. Yeah, I said nothin'. Next time better think. Think before you speak!"

 So angry... give me happy European metal any day.

Oooh, piano, a handful of notes, repetitive, like the soundtrack to a horror movie. The guitars roll over them, and still they persevere.  Giving it an eerie, otherworldlyness. Gone, the guitars have enveloped them. "Bare Bones" races at a breakneck speed, the drummer heading for wrist - or arm - injuries. Unrepentent. Furious.

Slower, more ominous, "Horrorscope" is the title track and was also the track selected for individual release. Technically competent. Intricate, jerky rhythms, the vocals are raw and ragged rasp. The chorus spat out like a threat:

"The change is here, the future clear - I can feel it com-ming!"

 Heavy rifts, pounding guitar. You know the drill. It's a "New Machine".

The instrumental "Frankenstein" is an epic powerhouse of duelling guitars, clashing with one another as they weave through the intricate chords.

"Live Young, Die Free". Fast, frantic. You get the idea. The drummer sure is getting qutie a workout!

Hardcore drumming, churning rifts. "Nice Day.... for a Funeral". Some nice slow bits, funereal, you might say.

And finally, we have a ballad - "Soulitude" brings the speed down and the vocals lower into a manner that is actually quite pleasing to the ear. Blitz can actually sing. So why doesn't he do it more often? Maybe he does on other albums. Even when it surges out of the singing and back into the screaming, it's with an emotional passion. It reminds me a little of Maiden, actually, except angrier.

Bit repetitive, bit too angry. Favourite songs are "Soulitude" and "Horrorscope", the others all tend to blur into one another and I can take 'em or leave 'em. The guitars are an almighty voice, Blitz's vicious snarling screams get a bit tedious after a time. I'd have to say, more than two tracks in a row just feels like... overkill.

I'm gonna rank it a 5/10.

Viper - Coma Rage (1995)

This was kind of a bungled purchase by me. I had heard great things about Viper, whose vocalist was labelled as a "younger, more energetic Michael Kiske" and they were considered one of the early power metal bands.

So, I pounced on this album when I found it, bought it and brought it straight home and put it on.

And thought "What the?"

This is a punk album. Probably the only punk album in my collection. Certainly, the complex guitar rifts are still present but alas, Andre Matos (the vocalist) is not. He left before "Evolution"* leaving Pit Passerell to do the vocals for this one.

You might be suprised to find I kinda like this album, even if the original reaction was "this doesn't sound a thing like Helloween! Oh well, it's not half bad, actually."

For some inexplicable reason, my windows media player things it is "Angel's Fall First" by Nightwish. I have no idea why, I guess the metadata is just messed up.

Anyhow, the cover is kinda blah - a head, mostly in silhouette with a target directed at the forehead (like the ones you get with those scope rifles). It looks cheap. But the production of the album is actually pretty decent. The songs are really short too, so I'm gonna have to type real fast to summarise each one - or listen to them twice. Lyrics are kinda simple too.

We open with the rip-roaring "Coma Rage". A tumultuous and joyfully aggressive track. The drums race the guitars, whilst the Passerell bellows the lyrics:

"Coma rage gonna rise every day!"

Then it's time to chug and thrash "Straight Ahead", whilst the guitars churn their rhythms and Passerell shouts.

More churning and chugging and the shout of "GO" leads to racing drums, this time they're racing the vocals as we speed into a song about death, by drugs - "Somebody Told Me You're Dead". It seems oddly celebatory, but that might just be because it's so damned fast.

The next song is called "Makin' Love".
It starts with a spoken introduction:

"Hey Baby, wanna go out? Wanna go out Honey?"

(What's with calling the boyfriend "Daddy", that's just disturbing.)

Could it be a song about love? No wait, it's a song about STDs:

"Everybody around the world is getting sick, yeh. Makin' Love. Bad hearts bleeding!"

And another fast-paced, racin' punk song as we "BLAST!" into a riotous cacophany of tumbling instruments, with a surprising catchy chorus.

"God Machine" thrashes in at a more stolid pace. It's not nearly as frantic or riotous and is... anti-religion:

"I don't care what you believe if god machine can make me rich"

This evolution of Viper seem to be all about the negativity and the nihilism.

Another quicky, "Far and Near" has a relatively catchy, shouted chorus but doesn't really do too much for the imagination.

"The Last Song" offers something a little different. It starts slower, almost haunted, then the nihilism and anger floods in and engulfs it. The verses a slow, depressive, the choruses raucous and catchy.

Another rampant and angry, and rather masochistic song - "If I Die by Hate" proclaims:

"Will you forgive me? Bury me burn me alive. Enslave my brain. Blind my eyes, it's alright"

Another racin' punkish number with angry lyrics - "Day Before" is followed by the tribal sounding "405 South" which consists of nothing but drumming (on tribal-esque drums) with guitar whining over it.

"A Face on the Crowd" starts with slamming guitars and the bang-bang-bang of the drums. Vocals are distorted and somewhat interesting. Still angry, still violent. Nice bit of melody for one line of the bridge. Then it's thrash-bang into the shouted chorus.

Now for a song you'll all be familiar with - it's a cover of the "I Fought the Law". Which was not originally by The Clash, by the way. It's not a bad cover, and seems to have more energy and less anger than some of the other pieces.

And they saved the best til last - "Keep the Words" is an actual kinda ballad! Far more reminscent of the quality of "Evolution", although not quite on par as "Theatre of Fate." Pits actually has quite a sweet voice when he's singing, not shouting.

"I travel the world trying to get high. Now is the time to say 'Goodbye'."

Well, as far as punk/thrash metal goes, it's not bad. As far as Viper goes... it's weak compared to the power of "Theatre of Fate" and pales beside the thrash of "Evolution". This is more reminscient of the rather dull American thrash scene and lack in diversity and imagination.

So even though I said I kinda liked it - I'm still gonna only rate it 5.5/10. It's pretty average.
(I uped it by 1/2 a point for "Keep the Words")


* Hrm, I have "Evolution" on cassette, I shall have to compare it with "Theatre of Fate" (also on cassette), I haven't listened to it in a long time, and I didn't realise it didn't have Matos! I shall have to see if I can find them. I know where I used to keep them!

Johnny Cash - The Best of (1991)

I have had to backtrack to J, remembering that I have this CD - which may seem a bit out of place in my collection - for although Johnny Cash did some awesome stuff - like a cover of  Nine Inch Nails (that was better than the original) - this one is very much old school and very much country. It is one of two country CDs in my collection (regretfully, I do not have any Handsome Family).

This was a spur-of-the-moment, impulse purchase of a bargain CD, acquired entirely because of the first track. The album may have been released in 1991, but most of the songs are from the 60s, marking this as the oldest music in my collection. The recordings are the original ones, which means the sound quality is not great (it actually contains a warning fro the CD store that the disc surface isn't perfect but it should play fine).

"Ring of Fire" which is an awesome track and best played loud - from the distinct opening horns and into the chorus. Cash's baritone voice is magnificant, and portrays emotion very well. This is a song about falling in love, despite the ominous title.

"A Boy Named Sue" follows it up, with its ridiculous (funny) lyrics and as it is performed live - you can hear the laughter in his voice and the cheers of the crowd. The lyrics are rather violent though. Vocals and guitar, rollicking rhythm.

And then we have a song about drinking too much - "Sunday Morning Coming Down". He had such a wonderful voice, so deep that it is like a force of nature and laden with emotion. The music helps here too.Quite a melancholic song. Also live, but the audience are well behaved.

In fact, much of this album seems to be live. I guess that was the way things were recorded in those days?

"Folsom Prison Blues" is a goodly paced country song, one of those rockabilly numbers that isn't too depressing - although it does have some rather violent lyrics too:

"I shot a man in Reno, just to see him die..."

Another one that is familar - "I Walk the Line". Great vocals, supporting by a chug-chug-chug of guitar.

"I admit that I'm a fool for you, because you're mine - I walk the line"

Another love song, I'm guessing, and of course, the song the movie was named after. I have not seen the movie - maybe I should? The lyrics are actually quite romantic.

Back into the rock-inspired country "Ballad of a Teenage Queen". This is a true "Ballad" - that is to say - an actual story - about a girl who falls in love with the boy next door then leaves him to become famous. But don't worry, she comes back to the boy next door.

Ah, the old songs had lyrics that were actual narratives and that you could hear the words to.

"Guess Things Happen That Way" contains some elements of  acapella, although it also has guitar.

"The Way of a Woman in Love" is another country-ish number, as is "Get Rhythm". Both have a hint of rock n roll to them, however.

"That Old Wheel" is another rollicking song,

A more heart-felt number - "The Long Black Veil" has harmonica, and encompases the feel of the wild open spaces, the great plains of the US of A. Had I made a soundtrack for our US adventure, this would have been a perfect addition.

This is something of an anamoly in my CD collection, and I'm pretty sure this isn't the true Best of Johnny Cash - or at least, it doesn't include anything created in like the last 30 or so years, It certainly would not be my choice of Johnny Cash CD had I set out to actually buy one - the songs are decent, and display his fine vocals, but aside from "Ring of Fire" and "Walk the Line" (and maybe "Boy named Sue") none of the songs have lasted through to the modern day. If I was to actually say "I am going to buy a Johnny Cash CD" it would definitely have had "Hurt" on it. God, that's a beautiful rendtion - better than the original (which is saying a lot - because I really love the original too).

Please understand that I respect Johnny Cash, and admire his wonderful voice, his creativity and originality, but that for the quality (which is poor), the relative obscurity of most of these songs (at least to someone who was not born when they were released) this particular album by Johnny Cash is only going to get a 5/10 from me.