Super Collider - Megadeth

This is the 14th studio album by Megadeth, one of the Big Four. I remember this album coming out, but not anticipating it. I knew about it, but I never even realized it came out until the day it came out, I was at Best Buy and saw it. I didn't buy it, I wasn't there for that, I think I was there for something else. But I decided to review this because my friend Justin Stockton did (The guy who I did the So Far, So Good... So What? review for on his birthday) and I kind of wanna see what I think of this album. I do know I enjoyed TH1RT3EN which came out the same day as Lulu, and was also co produced by this Johnny K guy, so that's a good thing.

1. Kingmaker: The first song I heard was the last track, so after that I have the bar set a little higher. This is a relatively Megadeth song that sounds like the other songs at this point in their career. This song is good, my only complaint is it's a little long. I do like that arpeggios at the end of the song though.
2. Super Collider: This is another good song, thought I don't think it's amazing. I enjoy the solo on this song and I think it's cool. There is energy and the song isn't really boring. I like the chorus of this song, thought it is a little poppy for this band, but that's Ok. I don't want to damn Dave for that, he wanted it.
3. Burn!: This intro is a little more of a return to what I want from Megadeth and the song is too. Its good that this song follows up the previous. This is a song that could be a song that I see being on a "greatest hits of the '10s". This is pretty solid and rough. I just wish it ended at the first ending part.
4. Built For War: I like the drums in this track. This reminds me a little of High On Fire, instrumentation wise. You know, the riff during the verses of the song. That reminds me of them, and maybe sludge metal in general. The only thing is his voice isn't sludge oriented, if you know what I mean.
5. Off The Edge: This has much more sludge vocals to it. This is a good song that I could picture maybe Mastodon playing, except for the faster parts. The solo is pretty solid here too.
6. Dance In The Rain: David Draiman of the famous Chicago band Disturbed is on this song. I don't like Disturbed, just look at the review I did for them. To be completely honest, this is my only fear, I don't have high hopes for this song. This song reminds me of the vocals on Symphony of Destruction like the intro of the song kind of. It's a good song, but it's doing everything that's pointing towards it to just flop for me. It's getting tense. This song did work my nerves and is a "paranoid" song I could see being in a movie. If you got rid of Draiman, this would be an instant classic in their catalog. This is probably my favorite song because it almost seems, minus maybe the lyrics, like it was rerecorded and a song from the 80's. {9/10}
7. Beginning Of Sorrow: The bass in this song is something that reminds me of Korn. I'm not huge into Korn. Infact, I've never really been invested in them, outside of maybe a review or two or three for the future. I do like that this is a little departure from the rest of the album.
8. The Blackest Crow: I thought this was a commercial for Spotify, I can't believe it's on a Megadeth album. Never in 100 years would I think this would be there. This song is a neat idea and I think it's pretty good. I don't think that he over did the banjo, which is a very good thing. They were able to mix the two genres together and not overdo it. To that I applaud you. {7.5/10}
9. Forget To Remember: This is another good song, that with time, may grow on me, but as of right now it's just ok. Nothing special, nothing horrible. It's a good track, the ending is something cool though and that solo too, and right before the "solo"
10. Don't Turn Your Back: This has a Jimi Hendrix vibe to it. Until the song really starts. Then it gets into something heavy. Something good heavy. This is a song that I think it pretty good, and it's title reminds me of that Budgie album title. The guitar pre-solo reminds me of Jimi again. This is another solid solo on this LP.
11. Cold Sweat: This is a cover of the Thin Lizzy track that was on their 1983 Thunder And Lightning album. I thought it would have been from an earlier album, but whatever. Justin also pointed out that this is the first cover since 1988's So Far, So Good... So What? album. The original version of this song has a punch to it, and a kick, so I expect Dave to do a good job. I like how his "evil" vocals give it a gritty tone. This is also better produced, but that isn't saying much based on the difference in technology in the early 80's and the early 2010's. I do enjoy the solo in this song. It was relatively straight forward, they didn't really change much, but they still did a good job, an enjoyable track. This is a good ending to the LP.

Overall I have to give this album a 7.6/10. If you want to check out Justin's review you can see it here. He chose a good album, and though it's not gonna be my next review, let's see what else he does. He might just pick another good album again and surprise me. From what I remember of TH1RT3EN this is a relatively similar follow up, partially probably because of Johnny K. The solos on this album are pretty solid and I can't really complain. At this point in a career being able to put out these albums, of this quality, that's pretty great. This album is somewhat diverse, I respect that. That's why Slayer isn't my fav or the big four. It's Metallica, thought Megadeth is awesome too. I ''don't'' know when, but I'm gonna be reviewing Persistence of Time in March of this year. That's a promise. And overtime this may grow on me. Also don't let the "silly" un-menacing cover fool you about his album.

Yeezus - Kanye West

This is the new Kanye Cd. I picked this up the day it came out and also Fashionably Late [Deluxe], Random Access Memory, and Sounds of Silence and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Deluxe]. I was waiting for this album, I believe, since the day it was released. Now, after a few listens I believe that I have a decent idea of what I think of this album.

1. On Sight: I think this song isn't very interesting. I know that I do like the way that No Love Deep Web is very minimalistilicism, but that doesn't mean I like when Kanye does it. I do like that sample in the middle though. I think it's the best part of the song. I'm not hating on this song, but I'm not a huge fan of finding out "My Spouse" likes "Chocolate Men". I do like the Judge Joe Brown reference, but that's because I just recently referenced him to something.
2. Black Skinhead: This song reminds me of Marilyn Manson's song Beautiful People. I don't like Manson, but I do like this song. I could almost, beside the whole rapping part, being one of his tracks. There is a part where the beat reminds me a little bit of Come Up And Get It. But more of it just reminds me of Beautiful People. This is an angry song. The more I listen to this song, it kind of loses it's "shock". Even though it wasn't that shocking at first.
3. I Am God: This song reminds me, the beat, a little of Death Grips. Not an extreme amount, but just enough to where I could recognize it. This song is pretty angry. I wonder why he is so angry, and why he chose this album to be this angry. Part of the beat actually reminds me of, like the synth part, some Lil B beats on Myspace mixtape thingy.
4. New Slaves: When I heard this song, I rolled my eyes. Kanye would write a song about this. This song reminds me a little of Death Grips. I like the beat on this song. The soul sample in this song is awesome. I like the way that it leads into that. I know this is a political-esque-type song, but I think it's good that he at least has one political song. The ending to the fade is definitely the best part. Months later like this song a lot more. My biggest complaint is the instrumental punch tthat has no punch to it. If it was stronger then maybe I'd enjoy it more, but you know what ever. And I also like Frank Ocean's part here.
5. Hold My Liquor: The beginning of this song reminds me of The Weeknd. The song I'm thinking of is The Fall. The way the beat is in the beginning, before he starts singing. After the auto-tune is over, I do think this isn't that bad of a song. I think it's kind of cool. I really like the way it is. It kind of has an eerie feeling to it. The music in this is actually pretty. I kind of think it's music where you could think to it. If that makes any sense.
6. I'm In It: I like the Careless Whisper reference. The sample reminds me of how Lil B sampled some of his samples on I'm Gay or Gods Father. Though the latter is a gift from heaven, that doesn't mean I like it when Yeezy does it.
7. Blood On The Leaves: I could see how people might find this obnoxious, but I like it. It reminds me of  808s & Heartbreaks. I'm not huge on the use of auto-tune, but there is something about how Kanye uses it. I'm not saying he is a "God", but I think sometimes his auto-tune is interesting sounding. But the Nina Simone can get a little obnoxious, but yeah. I do like the piano in it; but the rest of the song, beside what I complimented, isn't very good.
8. Guilt Trip: This track is nothing special either. It's actually kind of boring. 
9. Send It Up: Nah
10. Bound 2: This is actually a pretty decent track. This is much better than the last few tracks. This is kind of like a book closer. But what's with the sample that's abruptly cut. :(

Overall I have to give this album a 5/10. I wish Rubin didn't do what he did. I wondered what theses songs sounded like before they were stripped down. Like Daft Punk's production on Black Skinhead. I wonder what it sounded like before it was stripped. I'm not saying the minimalism, but I think there are other artists who do a much better job at it. This was ok, I don't understand the whole big ordeal about it though. There isn't any question that "I can't handle the noise". I listen to John Zorn, Mr. Bungle, Death Grips, Naked City, Hanatarash and there is other "noise" that I listen to. Even with the new apperciation, I'd only give it nore more than a 6.