Based on the handful of purchases I made this year, here are my top 10 Heavy Metal albums of 2009
Anthrax-Among the Living [Deluxe Edition]
Arch Enemy- Root of all Evil
Becoming the Archetype- Dichotomy
Believer- Gabriel
Deliverance-s/t & Weapons of Our Warfare remastered-2008
Divinefire-Into a New Dimension – 2006
Iron Maiden-Flight 666
Kreator- Hordes of Chaos
Megadeth- End Game
Ultimatum- Lex Metalis
ANTHRAX- Among the Living [Deluxe Edition]:
I was Christmas shopping when I found this. Whenever I go to
Hastings entertainment store, I always go through the music section because I
almost always find some used heavy metal CD that I want. I found a couple of
Nile CDs and intended to get them, till I saw this. The price was steep as it
also comes with a live DVD, but it was a REMASTERED Anthrax album! Ever since
Dave Mustain went back and remastered and remixed the entire Megadeth back
catalog, I have been waiting for Metallica and Anthrax to follow suit. Anthrax
specifically needed the remastered treatment, as the production was not up to
the standards of the time when the albums were released. Finally we have it.
“Among the Living” is one of my favorite Anthrax platters and a good choice for
remastering. All things considered, the discovery of this necessitated the need
to put the Nile CDs back, and get this instead.
The over all sound is improved, but not as much as I had hoped. My dad has pointed out
that the music on most heavy metal albums tends to overpower the vocals. This
is standard now-a-days in the metal scene as the vocals are not the focus for
metal heads. However, with Joe Belladonna’s (comparatively) clean vocal style
in Anthrax, I was hoping that the vocal tracks would be cleaned up a bit. This
is not the case here. The vocals are at times muddy and tend to submerge
beneath the music. However, the output is vastly improved and the guitars are a
bit brighter. The guitar solos are absolutely stunning in their brilliance on
this remaster. Perhaps the album needs to be remixed in order to clean up the
muddy sound here and there on the vocals and at times with the overall sound.
On my stereo, I can actually hear a difference in clarity from one part of a
song to another part. Who ever did this did not do a very good job. While this
remaster is an improvement over the original, it could be better.
All the classics sound good here. Favorites of mine have always been “I Am the Law” a
song about the comic book hero, Judge Dreadd, and “Skeletons in the Closet,”
and “Indians.” Bonus cuts here include alternate versions of songs from the
album most being alternate takes, one live cut, and an instrumental version
of “I’m the Man” which did not appear
on the original album.
As I said, this album comes with a live DVD. It is a live concert shot in London in 1987
while the band toured in support of
“Among the Living.” It is pretty cool with amazingly good sound quality
for a “live thrash metal concert” and well worth the money I paid for this
deluxe edition album.
ARCH ENEMY- The Root of All Evil:
I love this album. However, there is nothing new here, at
least…not technically. The recordings are new, just not the material. Why is
that important? You got me. What we have here are songs from Arch Enemy’s first
three records, rerecorded with the current band line-up. In my humble opinion
the first three albums are stellar with beautiful melodic guitar leads and
solos, fast and crushing guitar riffs and rhythms, pummeling drums, and
monstrous vocals by one Jonah Liiva. Jonah is a great vocalist. Imagine if the
Incredible Hulk sang for a metal band, and you get the idea.
However, Arch Enemy has not had Jonah Liiva at the helm since the completion of the
“Burning Bridges” album in 1999. With the vacancy of the origional vocalist
enters Angela Gassow, who takes over fronting the band and proceeds to blow
away the competition. Yeah, she is She-Hulk. Oh, I loathe that comparison, but
it fits. To top it off, Angela is a superior voice with greater range and
versatility. She sings the old songs well and the new material is staggering.
Obviously, not only has Angela become a well-respected death metal vocalist in her own
right, but has also become a novelty. “Arch Enemy, yeah I heard of them, they
are the female fronted death metal band.” With such a shift in focus the first
three albums have fallen by the wayside. Lets face it, most people are more
interested in hearing this bold innovative new female fronted death metal
recording, than the old guy recordings. I have to agree that I prefer Angela to
Jonah fronting this band. Like many others, that is what grabbed my attention,
“what, they have a female death metal vocalist? Do they suck, or is she
actually able to pull it off?”
I remember running across Arch Enemy’s “Black Earth” album about a year after hearing
2003’s “Anthems of Rebellion.” It annulated me! It was brutally heavy with
stellar guitar work and those astounding Incredible Hulk vocals! Oh I was in
love. Angela may have made Arch Enemy better, but Jonah Liiva is no one to balk
at. It is sad that he lives in her shadow. These songs sound great with
Angela’s vocals.
The song selection is based on what the band wants to play live from their pre-Angela
days. I am pleased with the song
selection here and prefer the “best of… rerecorded” format to a re-recording of
an entire album. Some of the songs, they have played live already, others they
are wanting to reintroduce for the old fans as well as to introduce newer fans
to their backlist. It is my hope that this will also spark new interest in the
Jonah Liiva recordings. I am well pleased that Century Media records have remastered
and reissued “Stigmata” and “Burning Bridges,” but I cannot rest until “Black
Earth” gets remastered as well. For now it remains a rare gem available only as
an import from Japan or some place.
Angela is awesome… And this album, though rehash, is one of my favorite releases this
year, second only to Megadeth’s Endgame.
BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE- Dichotomy:
Becoming the Archetype is the most creative metalcore band on earth (that I am aware
of). This does not mean that they are the best, or the most awesome, just that
they are the most creative, or artistic. I am tempted to call them “Progressive
Metalcore.”
I put off purchasing this disk as my interest in Metalcore has waned in the past couple
of years with me leaning towards more “traditional” metal styles. This was in
part due to the fact that I already had their previous two outings. Both were
Seminole releases for the time that they came out. They were outstanding in
their creativity. Both were metalcore. Granted the first, “Terminate Damnation”
(a title inspired by a Mortification song), leaned more toward Grindcore, and
the second, “The Physics of Fire,” leaned more toward Black Metal. Both had
blown me away, and I felt that I would like it, but that I had probably
experienced all that I could with them. And to be honest, I did not want to
purchase another Metalcore CD.
One day, I finally decided to pick it up, and was glad I did. This time round, the band
has put together a metalcore album with classic metal influences. This album
contains some great soloing and leads that you don’t get nearly so much of on
the other two releases. The lyrics are poetic and quite thought provoking. The
first song “Mountain of Souls: the Ghost” follows an apparition as it desires
redemption- wanting to be made whole. The song “Artificial Immortality: the
Beast” is an amazing song that seems to be written for the movie “Terminator
Salvation.” Well, this is quite doubtful, but we cannot ignore the parallels
between them. “Remove the head, Remove the soul, Implant the Artificial. Remove
the head, Remove the soul, Dehumanize…I am not a mechanism; I am part of the
resistance. I am an organism, a creature, I am a beast!” Yes, there are some
anthems to be found here. “St. Anne’s Lullaby,” is a quite acoustic eye in the storm
of metal aggression placed at about the middle of the album.
The most outstanding track or the record is the final cut, “End of the Age: the Lion.”
This very worshipful song starts off with beautiful keyboards with some sampled
orchestration and a heart stopping guitar riff and then proceeds to make all
creation itself stop in awe of the majesty of Christ himself. “The earth is
shaking, because of His wrath. The mountains tremble, at the sound of His
voice. He pulls down the sky, to crush His enemies. He descends upon them with
fire. He is clothed in greatness, His voice resounds through all the earth. His
vengeance no longer is contained. His light destroys the darkness. If He speaks
the earth will crumble. If He moves the universe will fall. With the valleys of
the seas exposed, and the surface of the earth laid bare. He reached down into
the void. He reached down and took hold of me! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” They
pull this song off using those very lyrics without coming across as cheesy.
This is a metalcore worship song!
BELIEVER, Gabriel:
Believer started off in the late 1980s. In 1989 the band
released their first full-length album on a little known independent Christian
record label known as R.E.X. Records. After a few years, Believer would attract
the interest on Roadrunner records, which would afford the band greater
distribution in the metal underground with what was to be their third and final
album, “Dimensions.” Kurt Bachman (guitars and vocals) along with Joey Daub
(drums) would become heroes amongst the Sanctuary Christian Heavy Metal
Movement of the 80s and 90s and remain heroes today to many a metal fan, who
also happen to be “believers” in God.
Fourteen years later Believer has reunited and joined with Metal Blade Records for a
three-album contract. The result is the highly anticipated “Gabriel.” Their
fourth album continues their tradition of thrash metal with progressive
elements. This time around most of the “progressive elements” are sampled and
played back through keyboards using some piano playing (regge style; if it can
be believed) as well as some violins and cellos, and manages, at times, to
sound rather jazz influenced. The music is heavy and often fast with their
signature eerie distortions here and there. Kurt Bachman’s vocals sound as
though they are unchanged over the last decade and a half.
On past albums, Believer are known for doing one long track that mixes classical styled
music with speed metal. Some people loved it others hated it. I happened to
love it, and am disappointed that they did not have one here. I suppose they
did not want to be a carbon copy of their former selves, but these songs always
struck me as incredible. Instead, the “oddball” track here is an instrumental
mixing jazzy sounding keyboard stuff with heavy metal.
Lyrically, this album departs from past offerings by being much more poetic about the
struggles of life that Kurt is going through.
While not quite what I had hoped for, “Gabriel” is a killer album that should please old
fans as well as new ones. It is solid musically, and holds my attention through
out, a good offering.
DELIVERANCE- self-titled & Weapons of Our Warfare (remastered):
I have been a fan of D (pronounced- ‘Big “D””: short for
Deliverance) since I first discovered them in 1995. I read a review of the
album, “Camelot-in-Smithereens” in HM magazine. This was back when HM had just
changed their name from Heaven’s Metal, and it still said Heaven’s Metal in
small type above the HM logo. The review raved the album saying that it was
good operatic classic progressive power metal with dramatic lyrics creating
something of a concept album. The album flopped… But I loved it. It deserved
better than it got, but fans had abandoned this band some years earlier because
of the deliberate move away from their thrash metal roots into a more
progressive style with their last three albums.
As I got interested in heavier and faster music, it became obvious that the
first few albums by D were quintessential and that I must get them. Only, they
cost an arm and a leg. In the Christian Music Industry, a rock or metal album
is in production for a short time. So many copies are manufactured. If it
does well, more copies are issued. As you can imagine, there just aren’t enough
Christians who dig metal to keep the music alive in this industry. Demand for the
albums remained, but not enough for labels to manufacture more, as these
labels were consistently facing bankruptcy. Therefore the supply of these
recordings diminish causing the price to climb for distributors and
mail order & Internet sellers. I did eventually get everything D released, but some
of those albums were not cheap.
Thank God for Retroactive Records. This “metal only” record label specializes in
Christian artists, producing new albums as well as reissuing old classics. When
I read that they remastered the first two Deliverance records, I had to get
them! As they were released at the end of 2008, missing most peoples lists for
that year, including mine.
Deliverance’s self-titled (debut) album from 1989 is possibly one of the greatest thrash
metal albums ever recorded. Yes, it is that good. It deserves to stand along
side their piers like Metallica, Megadeth, Dark Angel, Exodus…and so on. It is
chocked full of fist pumping anthems like “Victory, Deliverance,” and “No
Love.” Some of the songs tell about the redemption that Christ brings, others
are rebukes aimed at the church crowds who miss the point. The song “If You
Will” screams for us to recognize our need for a savior. “There is only right
and wrong, there is no in between, the enemy will only blind your eyes, making
it all unseen. You must open blinded eyes, open all to see, Spirits of Hell are
calling, are beckoning thee…” In the song “No Love” Jimmy Brown shouts, “Though
you speak with tongues of angels, Was said so long ago, If love is not your
motive, You’re evil as your foe. I don’t care if you prophesy, or have the
power to heal. If His love does not abide in you, What you are is not real…All
you do is make the noise, You use the gifts just like toys. All you are is a
sounding bell With no love.”
The remastered sound is superior to the original, as it should be. The output is
up, the guitars growl with more clarity and a bit of grit. The drumming is also
a bit clearer. The album artwork is improved over the original. The bonus
tracks included were taken from the legendary “California Metal” compilation
that introduced the world to Christian Heavy Metal artists other than Stryper
in the late 80’s. They were the only speed metal band on the album while
everybody else was glam. “A Space Called You” is a slower song that shows D’s
older influences while “Attack” is the speed metal tune that gained
Deliverance their ferocious speed metal following.
Weapons of Our Warfare originally came out in 1990. At this time the record label, Intense Records/ Frontline Music
Group, made a deliberate move to get Deliverance to sound more like Metallica.
This produced their best selling album with “Weapons...” and the inevitable
labeling of the Metallica clones that journalists would unfairly apply to this
band followed. I say “unfairly” because they actually sounded more like Dark
Angel, and lets face it, Jimmy Brown sounds nothing like James Hetfield. But,
hey, It sold albums, which the Sanctuary Christian Heavy Metal Movement
desperately needed. Besides, most people are more likely to buy an album that
is compared to Metallica before they purchase one compared to Dark Angel.
“Weapons…” has since become the holy grail of thrash metal for many a
“believing” metal head. (Though I personally think that the self-titled album
is superior in its song writing.)
With “Weapons…” legendary guitarists, George Ochoa (in the SCHM Movement), joins forces
with D in order to put out the fastest album that Deliverance will ever record.
The opening track is an easygoing acoustic guitar following a reading of
scripture on the weapons of our warfare, before going into a melodic metal
instrumental leading into the speed metal onslaught that is “This Present
Darkness.” The title cut is one of the most memorable songs on the album, which
also precipitated a music video that came out on MTV’s Headbangers’ Ball. Lars
Ulrich of Metallica voted that video as the best music video for that year. The
focus of this album is faster music with lyrics having more to do with
spiritual warfare. This album deals with resisting the corruption in ourselves
and in the government, realizing our need for a savior, and working to leave
this world better than we found it. The end of the album features one bonus
track “Rescue” which was recorded during these sessions, but never made it onto
the album. It also has improved artwork, leaving the cartoonish feel of the
original for a more realistic rendering.
DIVINEFIRE- Into a New Dimension:
A friend of mine got this album in 2006 when it was new. He
let me hear some of it, and I liked it, but due to other distractions in my
life, I never got around to ordering it myself. After reading some reviews on
“No Life Till Metal .com” I decided to order it.
Divinefire started as a side project of Narnia vocalist, Christian Rivel. Narnia is an
easygoing progressive metal band that is huge overseas. I never cared much for
Christian’s squeaky clean vocals (not unlike James LeBrie of Dream Theater). I
didn’t get into Narnia till their fourth album “The Great Fall.” This album
featured some heavier songs and Christian got a bit of bite in his voice that I
liked. Divinefire, though progressive, is nothing like Narnia. Comparisons
between the two are unfair. Divinefire is much more closely related to a band
like Dragonforce. The music is fast and aggressive, yet maintains a progressive
melodic quality that most thrash does not have. Divinefire does not have the
naked aggression of Dragonforce, but the music is fast and much more catchy
than anything Dragonforce ever did. Christian’s vocals on the Divinefire
records are more aggressive than with Narnia. The lyrics here are decidedly
Christian, which should please those looking for the “positive alternative.”
It is difficult to find a quality album by a Christian artist these days, partly just
because I don’t know where to look and am out of the loop. Seems like most
“metal” albums I pick up by a Christian artist aren’t very good. They either
suck, the album has poor production, or the band has a great sound but can’t
write a decent song to save their lives. Divinefire stands above the rest with
good musicianship, heavy songs with plenty of aggression, melody, and hook; and
stellar production with Rivel Records. (Yes, Christian Rivel started Rivel
Records.) So for me, discovering Divinefire is the icing on the cake.
IRON MAIDEN- Flight 666 (original soundtrack):
Iron Maiden released a DVD Documentary/ Live offering of the
recent “Somewhere Back in Time” world tour that encompassed six continents over
nine months if I recall correctly. Therefore, this album is not a live album,
but rather a live musical soundtrack for the DVD. Each song is taken from a different
location in the world.
I saw Iron Maiden on this tour when they came through Albuquerque New Mexico during the
summer a year and a half ago. So this ‘live soundtrack’ holds a lot of
sentimental value for me. None of the songs came from a location on the US leg
of the tour as it was all recorded prior to their arrival in North America, but
the set list and staging remain the same. The DVD was insightful and
entertaining. The soundtrack plays like any other live album by Maiden with the
same high quality recording you come to expect from an Iron Maiden Holdings
production.
While I have enjoyed previous live recordings…”Rock in Rio, Death on the Road” and so
on, it is nice to have a live offering that focuses on the classic material
from the ‘80s, which is what this tour (and the “Somewhere Back in Time” album)
were designed to do.
Iron Maiden are one of the greatest rock/ metal bands in the world with a commitment to
giving a quality live show to everyone they play for. Where most bands might
compromise and not do a full stage set up, or cut the set list, or just do a
live practice session for the less fortunate places in the world, Iron Maiden
goes out of their way to give the people their moneys worth. During this tour
they were able to play in places that had banned Iron Maiden, and often heavy
metal bands in general. This is one of the reasons Maiden have garnered such a
loyal following over the years. This live soundtrack is a testament of that.
KREATOR, Hordes of Chaos:
This is German speed metal at its peak. It grabs you and shakes you and casts you into the next zip code! The music is thunderous, a speed metal onslaught from beginning to end barely giving you a chance to catch your breath. The guitar solos and leads are stunning.
While I dig this band and this is clearly one of their greatest recordings, Mille Petrozza’s vocals are quite monotone. Over the last year or so, I have become increasingly
board with his singing. “Hordes of Chaos” has therefore become one of the least
listened to albums that I have purchased in the last two years. In spite of
this, I still felt the deserved recognition for this album.
MEGADETH, Endgame:
Oh my goodness. This album is simply amazing. It is a freight train barreling down the railroad tracks of heavy metal. This album will hit you like a ton of bricks.
The opening track is a mid-paced melodic instrumental with some great lead guitar trade
offs between Dave Mustain and Chris Broderick, which gives way to the ferociously fast song entitled; “This Day We Fight.” The rhythm section here is smooth as silk while Shawn Drover punishes the drums at a tempo of 200 bpm (beats per minute). “For this I was chosen because I fear nothing, With confidence I tread through the dead of the night. Off to another war torn, far away battlefield, Wherein lies a demonic enemy horde. On this day I desire to anoint my fists, Engaging them in the mode of power and war. Stopping at
nothing that’s short of fulfilling my destiny, Willing to die and I will, after you for what I believe,” snarls Dave Mustain as he belts out this war song.
The third track on the album, “44 Minutes” starts of with a mournful guitar melody that
seems to weep over the loss of life that the song reveals, before introducing
the catchy riff that is the framework for the rhythm of this mid-paced song
about Police officers who died in a fire-fight with gunmen because the City had
“called their firepower an unneeded expense.” Based on a true story the message
here is obvious.
“1,320” is the albums speed metal account of drag racing funny cars. “Bite the Hand” is a
fast number on the fragile state of the economy. The courses life takes us on
as well as the struggles, failures and successes we face (specifically for Dave
Mustaine) are examined on “Bodies.” The albums title cut is a chilling reminder
of where we could go if the government continues to eliminate the freedoms we
all share as Americans. There is even a killer song about a medieval torture
device.
Through out the album, Dave Mustain lyrically focuses on Politics and the occasional sport,
mixing in a bit of social commentary and end times, which has always been the
staple for Megadeth.
This album ranges from mid-paced thrash to furious speed metal throughout, with the
exception of the ballad, “The Hardest Part of Letting Go…,” which still has
some teeth. This is the best album Megadeth have done since Dave reformed the
band after his hand surgery back around 2003. Mustain has produced the best
album Megadeth have recorded since 1991. This is one of my favorite Megadeth
records! This is my favorite release this year, and a favorite to come out in
the last several years.
The production on this album is as exceptional as anything else that Roadrunner
Records has put out, and certainly has superior sound quality than a recent
Warner Bros. Records release that shall remain unnamed.
I love this album. If you are a metal-head, and you don’t own this album, SHAME ON YOU!
ULTIMATUM, Lex Metalis:
I love heavy metal. I love thrash metal. I love power metal.
I even like classic metal. I can go on and on. There are other styles of metal
I enjoy, but I think those are my favorites. As a Christian it is always a joy
to find a quality metal band that is also Christian. Lets face it, unless you
are doing radio rock or hardcore, really good heavy metal Christian artists are
hard to find. One such band is Ultimatum.
I was not prepared for my first encounter with Ultimatum.
Diamante Distribution got their second LP in Christian Bookstores. As a fan of
metal, seeing a Rowe Productions release on the shelf at a Christian Bookstore, I picked up “Puppets of Destruction” and put it in the player and instantly had no I idea what to do. The music was good, but what was up with the vocals! I kept expecting a flying saucer to come by and take me up. I think I would describe Scott Waters’ vocals to be Smeagol on Steroids. Today, I should probably upgrade that to Gollum on acid! Way cool...
Today he has matured as a vocalist and exhibits more range. And I can listen to it, enjoy it and not worry about the otherworldly. Some time after my initial contact with space, via Ulty, a friend gave me “Mechanics of Perilous Times,” which I did like, but never really listened to very much. I didn’t become a fan till “Into the Pit” and the remastered “Mechanics…” Into the Pit was clearly the best-produced album they had. I think that was the issue. Over they years I had been spoiled by good production.
Lex Metalis continues their metal onslaught, and a tradition that started on previous
albums. Cover songs. Don’t get me wrong, Ultimatum is original and writes their
material with decidedly Christian lyrics, but over the years they have been
doing a cover song on their albums. Now they deliver a tribute album full of
such songs.
Personally, I hate tribute albums. Most of ‘em suck. I have three Stryper tribute albums.
One of them is decent. This one band actually rerecorded a Stryper album as a
tribute. The others are horrid, a multiplicity of bands covering Stryper with
their own style. That is enough to send anyone into convulsions. I think there
were two or three songs off of each that I enjoyed. Some of the songs actually
sounded awful, a record label’s attempt to make money by handing you one or two
diamonds in the ruff and a box load of crap. The Petra tribute wasn’t much
better. I have an Alice Cooper tribute that is okay.
However, Ultimatum has pulled it off. This is one of my favorite metal tribute albums.
It is almost as good as disk 2 of Metallica’s Garage, Inc. This is way, way,
WAY better than disk 1 of afore mentioned album.
Originally I was just going to glaze over the songs, but after trying that route I felt
like I really needed to go track by track. This is a heavy metal tribute record after all.
I have to say, I am not familiar with Metal Church. I know, shame on me. I have heard the
name, even seen the CDs in the music stores, but never picked one up. Ultimatum
pull off a great opener with a “Ton of Bricks,” setting the tone for the rest
of the album. That is how this album hits you. This thrasher starts off the
cascade of falling heavy metal from above with crushing guitars and drums
pummeling you with the sonic energy that is heavy metal.
“Locked in Chains,” continues with a slightly more punk feel to the energy that is the
publicized, yet never realized, Moshketeers. I know I’ve read about ‘em. At
least as far as other bands mentioning them as an influence, but I’ve never
seen a CD anywhere. The liner notes reveal that they never had a proper record
deal. It is cool when an artist covers good songs by an obscure band. This song
is a bit more mid-paced than the opener, and has Scott changing his vocal style
slightly ranging from his typical hiss that inspired Gollum to a bit more of a
punk shout vocal, not dissimilar from what you might hear in a hardcore band.
The third track, “Sin After Sin” had me thinking Judas Priest. That is till I actually
heard the song. ‘That doesn’t sound anything like Priest.’ Pulling the Sin
After Sin album I realized that they didn’t open with a song called “Sin After
Sin,” but was actually “Sinner.” Again, the liner notes shed light. This was a
song by Twisted Sister. Though, I have to admit, this doesn’t sound like T.S.
either. To the dismay of many, I only own three T.S. records, and you can
probably guess which ones those are. I will need to purchase some of their
earlier albums and find out if Ult beefed this one up a bit. The riff at the
beginning does sound like T.S. but the over all feel seems faster, more like
punk, than I would expect. Gotta love this version of the song.
To the relief of many, I actually own the album with this next song on it. What
self-respecting metal head doesn’t? Ultimatum shines on their rendition of
“Creeping Death” from Metallica’s Ride the Lightning. I love the scream towards
the beginning of the song. Fast, heavy, crunchy…the boys do speed metal so well.
Saxon is another band that inspired so many others. The song “Denim & Leather” is a
fine example of why. Ult seems almost inspired as they play the song. “Denim
and Leather brought all together!” I find myself wanting to sing along on this
one.
I did not expect to see Mortification’s “Gut Wrench” on any ones list of cover songs. Had
it been me, I would have picked something off of the self-titled album or maybe
“Break the Curse.” Primitive Rhythm Machine would have been last on my list of
albums to draw from. Ulty rips it up with this one. Scott growls a bit through the chorus here. While playing the original back doesn’t seem any slower, Ultimatums version ‘feels’ faster. Personally, I think I like this better than the original. This is also one of
the few “Christian” songs on the record.
Now they definitely sped up Megadeth’s “Moto Psycho.” They make it hard to believe that
this song is not from Rust in Peace. This is insane. They took a moderately
good song, and made me love it! Mosh it up, baby! Is that Scott doing a death
metal growling of “moto psycho” in the chorus background?
“Metal Health” is a classic from Quiet Riot. It is the anthem of many a metal head and
helped kick off the explosion that was the L.A. Metal Scene. Ultimatum slows
down for this one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still got their crunch, but they
kept the tempo that Quiet Riot set rather than speeding it up. Hey it doesn’t
have to be faster to be better. My goodness, I am full of cheese today! I can’t
help it, this is too much fun. “We’re all metal mad!”
No proper metal tribute album is complete without Judas Priest. Straight off of the
hugely successful British Steel, Ultimatum delivers “Steeler.” It is hard to
say if this song exceeds its original, but it certainly feels as fresh and
alive as it did twenty-eight years ago.
Is it just me, or does Scott Waters actually sound like Lemmy Kilmister during the chorus
of “Iron Fist’s” title cut. This amazing song by a classic band picks up the
pace a bit. Almost as if warning us of things to come. Love ‘em or hate ‘em
Motorhead remains one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history.
Brilliantly executed.
“Can’t Get Out” is presented in all its speed metal fury. Taken from the legendary Once
Dead album, this song by Vengeance Rising fits Ultimatum like a glove. It hits
you like an iron fist delivering skull-crushing metal…uhm…like a ton of bricks… "you know I've got to get out...Jesus let me out!"
I want to complain, but I can’t. We’ve heard this one before boys! Remember, this was on
“Into the Pit.” Oh, but it is done so well. “Wrathchild” is a classic song by
Iron Maiden. “Killers” was actually one of the first Iron Maiden albums I
purchased. I wish I could say I got it when it was new, but it was actually
around 2000 when I started truly exploring the world of heavy metal. Maybe the
label wanted to cut a corner, but I think I would have preferred to hear
something like “Killers.” “Invaders” would be an interesting cover song. God
willing, this will come to fruition on “Lex Metalis II: The Search for More
Money.” C’mon, you recorded a different song from Vengeance Rising. Why the
rehash! In any case, this is a great song, and this album would be incomplete
without Maiden. Iron Maiden is one of my favorite bands, so I am absolutely
stoked that one of their songs is here, even if it is rehash.
I have often thought that Ultimatum sounds a bit like Overkill. Something in Scott’s
voice seems inspired by Bobby Ellsworth. “Powersurge” gets delivered with a bit
more crunch than the original and rounds out the album nicely. Again, I think I
like Ulty’s version better. Definitely more bite to the vocal.
The new album sounds fresh and new even though many of the songs have sat on the shelf
for decades. This is easily one of the best “metal tribute” albums out there.
Even the decent Iron Maiden tributes don’t compare. I think the variance of
music styles is what often kills these records for me. You either have a bunch
of different bands playing their own version of any given song, creating a
monumentous discontinuity from song to song, or you have a band playing
different styles. The songs covered here come from bands that play varying
forms of metal: Thrash metal, glam metal, power metal, and so on. Ultimatum
have woven the “different” styles into their own creating a vibrant new album
that holds my attention. I hate the records that make me reach for the “skip
track” button. This one threatens to hit you with an iron fist, like a ton of
bricks if you dare to touch that button!
So, here they are. I hope that it wasn't too
laborious to read through. Some of these are clearly not from this
year, but I either got them at the end of last year, or they were
something I discovered this year. Hope you had some fun.
Sincerely,
Ryan
Subject: My lame top 10 Heavy Metal albums of 2009 
Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:13 pm
