Disturbed's Asylum (2010)

*Posts on MusicManiac now come with Linkin Park Radio at the bottom of the page.Tune into some LP hits as well as tracks from other leading artists, selected by LP, and hosted by Chester and Mike as RJs!!*

Disturbed is:
David Draiman (vocals)
Dan Donegan (lead Guitar)
Mike Wengren (Drums)
John Moyer (Bass)

Disturbed is a blockbuster heavy metal band, though it is possible most people here in India may not have heard them or heard of them.Their last three albums 'Believe', 'Ten Thousand Fists' and 'Indestructible' along with Asylum have debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Asylum is a darker album than their last record, 'Indestructible', with heavier guitar riffs and vocals.According to the band, the lyrics deal with events in lead singer David Draiman's life.Almost all songs are made on the same chord, which enhances the continuity in the tracks and increases the 'listenability' factor.I was a casual listener of Disturbed, but Asylum converted me into a fan.

Asylum (2010) -----------------------    *******ooo        [7/10]

As mentioned earlier, Asylum is undoubtedly darker than 'Indestructible', but the songs still have a consistent rhythm and melody.Asylum is typical Disturbed and can be recognized by it's style from a mile away.As always, the production quality is perfect.The only thing which disappointed me (though which may have been embraced by others) was that there was not much new or fresh or experimental here.Made me think of a factory manufacturing products.

First up, it's Remnants, an instrumental track which leads wonderfully to the title track, Asylum.

Asylum is one of the better songs on this record.Starts off with Bass and launches into a full-on metal track.This track talks about losing someone you love, going insane, and entering an asylum, from which one tries to run away and commit suicide, just to be with the person you loved.

Disturbed - Asylum [HD]
- Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.

Next up is The Infection.Also a great track.In fact, the album starts off pretty strongly and somehow loses the plot halfway.A very good chorus and Bass support this track, which speaks of depression after losing someone you loved, and likens it to an infection.

Warrior is a generic Disturbed track.Quite aggressive and scathing lyrics.But nothing new, which catches your attention.

Another Way To Die is my favourite track on this album.Yet another band takes up the issues of climate change, global warming and mankind's continued shirking of action, inspite of being aware of the consequences.


Disturbed - Another Way To Die


Never Again is a very good track.It condemns the Nazi system and mourns all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust and hopes this will 'never again' happen.

The Animal is next on the list.It has one of the catchiest choruses on the entire album.This song takes inspiration from the fact that there is an animal inside every person, and sometime or the other it comes out.



Crucified is arguably the last great song on this record and the second-best track after Another Way To Die.

All downhill from here.Serpentine is pretty average and may not elicit a second listen.

My Child looks forced and is unimpressive.

Sacrifice, and Innocence too, don't live up to the atmosphere created by the first few tracks.

Ishfwilf, standing for I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, is a totally unnecessary track inclusion.It is a cover for a song by U2 of the same name on their album Joshua Tree.

The good songs are too good, and the others are way below par.

I think I can give them an optimistic 7/10 for their effort.Don't miss the good tracks, as they will occupy your playlist for a long time.

Next Week: Review of my personal favourite, Death To Analog by Julien-k

NEWS:
1] Mike Portnoy has kept his promise of staying with Avenged Sevenfold till the end of 2010, as was the original agreement.He had joined A7x, during difficult days, as a drummer after the death of former drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan and contributed to their 2010 album, Nightmare.A7x have officially short-listed a drummer and will try him out in 2011 before taking a call.

You can see the Note posted by them on Facebook:
 MESSAGE FROM A7X

Poets Of The Fall's Twilight Theater (2010)

*Posts on MusicManiac now come with Linkin Park Radio at the bottom of the page.Tune into some LP hits as well as tracks from other leading artists, selected by LP, and hosted by Chester and Mike as RJs!!*


Poets Of The Fall [PotF] is:
Marko Saaresto (vocals)
Olli Tukiainen (lead Guitar)
Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen (Keyboard)
Supported by:
Jani Snellman (Bass)
Jaska Makinen (rhythm Guitar)
Jari Salminen (Drums)

PotF is a Finnish rock band, not well known around the world, but has major cult followings mainly in Scandinavian countries,India and Germany.This is probably because they haven't released any of their albums worldwide, sticking to Austria, Germany, Finland and so on.Their first two albums, 'Signs Of Life' and 'Carnival Of Rust' have reached Platinum status in Finland, while their third album, 'Revolution Roulette' made it to Gold.'Twilight Theater' hit Gold in it's first week itself.All the albums have charted #1 on the Finnish Charts.

Special things happen when PotF decide to put through an album.In effect, they redefine perfection, each time.Just like their previous albums, 'Twilight Theater' goes one up on the previous album.All this while the listener doesn't really get how they do it.

Twilight Theater (2010)---------------    **********   [ 10/10 ]

PotF have redefined themselves each of the four times they released their records.'Signs Of Life' was one helluva debut album, paving way for 'Carnival Of Rust', an album still recognised as one of the best works of music to date.They came back with 'Revolution Roulette', revealing a rockier version of themselves.Twilight Theater continues their metamorphosis, though still clinging onto their 'Cinematic Rock' genre.Each song has depth that would put the Mariana Trench to shame, and accompanied with beautiful music, Twilight Theater becomes "The Album To Be Experienced" this year.

This album starts off with arguably the best track of the year, Dreaming Wide Awake.Marko has this knack of making the most difficult songs sound so easy.



Coming next is another cracker, War.PotF always had a solid song structure and this track displays that very thing.



Change is the third track on this record.Again, impeccable song structure and the magical voice of Marko makes it a very catchy song.

15 Min Flame is good, may get monotonous after a certain number of listens.

Given and Denied is classic PotF.Don't miss it.

Rewind touches your heart at a very primal level.Another noticeable thing is the perfection achieved in track-listing.Each track leads beautifully to the other.

Dying to Live is a peppy number, which strangely fits with the scheme of things.

You're Still Here is a slow track.Wonderful vocals though.

Smoke and Mirrors comes as a revelation, having some experimental music which totally hits it off with the listeners.

With Heal My Wounds, we reach the climax of this 'Theater', giving credibility to their claim of being a Cinematic Rock band.This song settles the account with a fitting end to this album.

Unlike other artists, PotF won't be getting questions from fans about when they are releasing their next album.Because this one needs time to sink in, to be deciphered and completely understood and appreciated.

My verdict: A perfect 10/10 for the perfectionists.Music lovers-don't miss this one.

Next Week: A sane review of Asylum by Disturbed

NEWS:
1] Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst has explicitly announced on his podcast that their new album 'Gold Cobra' is complete.Waiting for its release.

2]Julien-k have announced that their successor to 'Death To Analog' is 70% complete.

3]'Let The Guilt Go' from KoЯn III: Remember Who You Are has been nominated for the 2011 Grammies©
 for 'Best Metal Performance'.

4]Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park is a well-known artist too.This is his entry to the Art Basel,Hello Kitty show, called "Hello Vishnu"

This is his caption to the picture:

I realise you guys don't all know my sense of humor, but rest assured that this painting isn't about the Hindu religion nor our Indian fans at all-just for the record.We love our fans in India and hope to see you on tour in the future.

We're waiting for you Linkin Park!

KoЯn's KoЯn III :Remember Who You Are (2010)

KoЯn is:
Jonathan "JD" Davis(vocals)
James "Munky" Shaffer(lead Guitar)
Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu(Bass)
Ray Luzier(Drums)

This is KoЯn's first album with drummer Ray Luzier, who replaces David Silveria.Their last album "Untitled" featured temporary drummers, including JD himself, after David left the group after the album "See You On The Other Side", one of KoЯn's commercial hits.

Ray Luzier on the drums

On the first listen, this album confuses you.You don't see the meaning behind songs as assorted as these.But hold on, this album grows on you.Trust me, it happened to me.Slowly a pattern emerges, and you find similarity between the tracks.It isn't something you can explain in words, but will surely be experienced when you listen to KoЯn III :Remember Who You Are




KoЯn III :Remember Who You Are (2010) --------------- ********oo   [ 8/10 ]


This is KoЯn's ninth studio album, following 'Untitled' of 2007.And the matter is very diiferent from what came out as 'Untitled'.


Symbolically, the title signifies KoЯn's claims of "returning to their roots" with this album.They fail on this count.Seriously, it is impossible to recreate the magic of their debut self-titled album 'KoЯn' without the services of David Silveria and former guitarist Brian "Head" Welch.But that doesn't really matter once you start to love these songs.The music is cathartic, and purges you of emotion.Ray gels wonderfully with the band and provides excellent drumming.


Songs, though not catchy, aren't devoid of good content.As said earlier, you have to give it time to grow on you.


The entire album is made without any use of Pro Tools, the software used by musicians all over the world to fine-tune their studio recordings.The band claim they took this decision after realising how perfect the songs sound on the record, and how messy they get when performed live.


The album kicks off with arguably the best song on the track-list, Oildale(Leave Me Alone).This one's really good.Munky achieves almost perfection with his guitar.







Following Oildale is Pop A Pill, which talks about drugs.There is a huge shift from the previous track, a quintessential metal song, to more instinctive music and passionate vocals by JD.


Coming next is Fear Is A Place To Live.The trend I've noticed throughout this record is the impeccable naming of the songs.This song CAN change your outlook towards the world, though it may lack venom.


Move On comes next.This is one of the few tracks which have a consistent guitar and drums spine and doesn't swing as seen on some songs.


Lead The Parade can be described as almost maniacal.JD goes all-out on this one.


Let The Guilt Go is currently acclaimed as a very good song.Can't understand why.It has all the clichés in it's lyrics.The instruments are good on this one, but that's no excuse.

KoЯn - Let The Guilt Go  

The Past is one of my favourite tracks on this album.Be sure to check this one out.


Never Around is just another typical KoЯny song, talking about the lack of love in this world.


Are You Ready To Live? is probably the darkest song on this album.This is somewhere KoЯn haven't ventured before, but the results are very good.


Holding All These Lies, without doubt, the most soulful song in the track-list, brings us to the end of this album.The guitars at the end wrench your soul, unlike anything you have felt before.


I give this album a well-deserved 8/10.


It will be interesting to see what they do after this one.


Next Week: Review of the eagerly awaited Twilight Theater by Poets Of The Fall

Linkin Park's A Thousand Suns (2010)

Linkin Park is:
Chester Bennington(vocals)
Mike Shinoda(vocals,Keyboard,Rhythm Guitar)
Brad Delson(Electric Guitar)
Phoenix(Bass Guitar)
Mr.Hahn(DJ)
Rob Bourdon(Drums)

Album Art- A Thousand Suns

The first question after you listen to this album from front to back is-'Where the hell is Brad Delson??'.
There are minimal lead guitar riffs throughout the album which almost scare you about what's to come.The people who grew up on Hybrid Theory & Meteora will be a little disappointed.But those who also experienced Minutes To Midnight, may feel that this album was only a logical progression.

A THOUSAND SUNS (2010) ------------ *******ooo      [7/10]

A Thousand Suns is predominantly a political album, touching on almost all contemporary issues.It is the natural successor to Minutes To Midnight, whose theme is about Nearing The End.A Thousand Suns describes The End of everything as we know it. {Hybrid Theory explores Birth and Meteora, Growing Up.}

Personally, I feel this album can be divided into two facets-Lyrics & Music.

Lyrics: It it this part that makes me stand up and clap.The words wrench your heart and really scare you about the state of the world.The lyrics are incisive and will leave an indelible mark on you.

Music:This is controversial.Open-minded people may regard this as 'cutting-edge' music, but personally I feel this is the weak link in the album.Seriously, Pop-elements and Electro drums in a Linkin Park [LP] album?

On the whole, it's a nice experience to finally listen to Linkin Park after 2007.This album has many skits/fillers that keep the theme going.The correct way to listen to this album is track-wise WITH the fillers.In fact, LP had released a continuous stream of this album spanning 1hr and 47min on their MySpace page and on iTunes.Your best option is to turn on Crossfading in Windows Media Player and set it to around 4 seconds.

Burning In The Skies is a very good track, musically.People, though, may say crap about the Pop feel emanating from it.




When They Come For Me is a break-through track.Very innovative, and shocks you when you listen to it for the first time, making you check whether it is an LP track you are playing!

Robot Boy is pretty average.

Waiting For The End is an arty piece of music.It will surely get you hooked, provided you give it time to sink in.


                  CLICK ON 'WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Screaming lessons from Chester in Blackout.It finally seems to the first time listener that the album should pick up now.

Wretches And Kings is by far the most aggressive track on this record.Brings back memories of Hybrid Theory, but surely with a more mature LP.The same listener feels he's going to be right.

Bang! Dream shattered.Iridescent comes out as a pretty flower, unfurling itself in the sunrise.The music is beautiful, but the trend set by the last two songs comes to an abrupt end.

The Catalyst is an inspired track.Can also be said to be the saving grace of this album as it nears its end.



The Messenger is the crappiest Linkin Park track there is. Don't bother listening to it.

I give this album a lenient 7/10.

All in all, honestly, we expected something better.But as something is better than nothing, you gotta take what you get! There are moments of brilliance like The Catalyst and Wretches And Kings, but to some, that's not enough.The emotions morph from Regret to Anger To Remorse and Hopelessness.

Next Week: An impartial review of KoRn III:Remember Who You Are by KoRn.

Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare (2010)

Avenged Sevenfold is:
M.Shadows(vocals)
Synyster Gates(Rhythm Guitar)
Zacky Vengeance(Electric Guitar)
Johnny Christ(Bass Guitar)

Please don't be confused by seeing that there's no drummer in A7x,as they're popularly known.

As a mark of respect to The Rev,I did not credit Mike Portnoy,who took up drumming duties on this album following The Rev's unfortunate death in 2009 at the request of A7x,as The Rev was known to admire Mike.

 THE REV

The Rev was considered second only to Mike Portnoy in the drumming world.He was one of the founding members of A7x.

THE REV'S SIGNATURE

                                                          

Luckily he left some vocals, 'in-key', and his bandmates have used them in A7x's latest album,Nightmare.His vocals appear on Save Me, Fiction & Welcome To The Family.

THE REV--R.I.P.

                                                                

NIGHTMARE (2010)------------   *********o     [9/10]

Let me get this straight, this is one helluva album. If you ask me, it totally veers away from what went on to become their previous album,self-titled 'Avenged Sevenfold'.Screaming vocals by M.Shadows make a comeback.This album lacks on no front,except that sometimes the vocals become a little cumbersome.But then,with a bang,making their appearance are the awesome guitar trio-Synyster Gates,Zacky Vengeance & Johnny Christ-who have always been the USP of this band.

The album starts off with the first track, Nightmare.The intro into this particular song is very, very good.M.Shadows doesn't let us down here.In fact,he's impeccable.The guitar solo totally rocks your world.

The second track,Welcome To The Family, is Mike Portnoy all the way.He shows off his classy mastery over the drums.Missing, though, throughout the album is the Foot Pedal, which was used freely by The Rev.

Danger Line is somewhat average.I can't yet figure out why it is in the album in the first place.

But then, comes along Buried Alive, my second favourite track on the album.Combining their metal roots with country grace, this song won my heart.You can literally hear your heart thumping after this song finishes playing.

Natural Born Killer is the run of the mill, purely metal track, good nonetheless.

So Far Away.My favourite track in this album.Melodious vocals, meaningful lyrics. One can't want more.This is the most soulful song in this album.

God Hates Us will scare the daylights out of you.Just try listening to it at 2am alone,in the dark, in your room.My treat if you don't get goosebumps.

Victim & Tonight The World Dies are good songs,nothing exceptional.It actually helps calm your nerves after God Hates Us.

Fiction is the last song wrote by The Rev.You can hear the piano played by him throughout the song.This song is totally in remembrance of The Rev.Words paint a mental image of A7x WITH The Rev.

Finally comes the track Save Me, nothing less than 10:56 of pure, undiluted A7x.Extensive solos with lyrics that make you cry, keep you hooked to this song.It ends with the deadly cold-blooded, bone-chilling words-"Tonight,we all die.", referring to The Rev.

Overall, I give this album 9/10.
This is the album which you should experience while alone, driving a car on an empty highway after midnight.

They promise a lot for their next.


Next Week:Review of A Thousand Suns by Linkin Park, straight from the heart.

Welcome to "MusicManiac" !

Hi guys,this is my first post on MusicManiac.I hope you will get the most honest music news,views & previews here.And yeah,please feel free to comment on any and every aspect of the post.

Something about me-I'm 18 and a MusicManiac.Need say anything more? Also,I'm a budding artiste myself,taking baby-steps towards The Dream-performing my own songs on the stage,with fans enjoying the performance thoroughly.Yeah,this is The Dream.Of many of you following this blog,would be my guess.

I'm aquainted with the various technicalities that go into production,recording and finalisation of a track.Hardcore music followers,feel free to discuss any such topics.

This is just an introductory post,setting up the groundwork for what I hope, will be best place to go for a review or news related to music, on the Internet.

This year has been great for music,with the biggies in the industry releasing records,quenching the thirst of their parched fans.These include bestsellers Linkin Park,KoRn etc.

I'll start off with reviews of the big records this year.There will be a full insight of the album,unlike the crappy ones in the newspaper or any leading website.


That'll be all for now!

Next Week: No holds barred review of 'Nightmare' by Avenged Sevenfold