Rio - Duran Duran

This is the second album by the UK's Duran Duran. I first got into these guys via A View to a Kill. Then got more into their other stuff, until actually liking them a lot. I plan on reviewing all their studio and live albums. Yes, from 1981's Self Titled to 2012's A Diamond In The Mind. And also the Arcadia album too, fyi. These guys got their name from one of my favorite movies Barbarella. I don't really want to get to into the logistics with this album, I just want to review it. It's a very fun album and I look forward to this :)

1. Rio: This opens the album with a punch. Simon's vocals are great. And the lyrics really paint a picture. It is a perfect song for summer. It's also so bad ass. The bass riff kicks the shit out of most bass lines. The sound in the beginning is piano strings being hit and played in reverse. The drums in this track are sick too. It's a very tight pop song. I've tried to play the bass, it's kind of hard. It's not easy like most pop songs. The chorus of this song is about as sweet as sugar, but it's the kind of sugar that's laced. The kind that people get addicted to. It's actually hard to describe this song, I'm forcing my self to listen and not jam along. The breakdown with the sax solo. The sax solo it top notch, it is played by a session guy but still. I am seriously surprised to see that these guy's didn't really go to school. This is pretty great playing. I the random arpeggios were created by them playing a C minor chord through a arpeggiator. They just all click on this track. This is one of the funnest song ever written to do anything to. It just cheers you up. I also really like the lyrics that paint a picture, and are kind of abstract. {10/10}
2. My Own Way: This track kind of continues that energy from the last track, but conserves it. They keep it conservative. It doesn't reach the same height, but it still goes pretty high. Another great bass line. It's funky, and this song has a funk flavor to it. Thought this is another solid track, I could see why the band don't love this track. I like the guitar strumming on this song. And the instrumental part leading to the solo, is great. It's like a new wave influenced Young Americans. It is a little redundant, but not to the point of it ruining the album.
3. Lonely In Your Nightmare: This is the albums first "ballad". It's much slower than the two prior tracks and reminds me a little of The Cure. This song is pretty, but it doesn't reach "it" until the chorus. I can't believe how pretty, and dreamy, the harmonies sound there. This is the type of song where I am patiently waiting for the chorus. It has grown on me overtime, but the best part is still the chorus. It is just under the sweetness of Rio's chorus. I like the the other things going on over the final chorus, the acoustic guitars, and the keys.
4. Hungry Like The Wolf: The lamest song on the album. I have to be honest, and serious. I'm not a big fan of this track. This track reminds me of the jungle, because of the synths. There isn't really anything about this track that I can say amazes me.
5. Hold Back The Rain: This is the best track to follow up Hungry Like The Wolf. This isn't exactly like the prior track, but it's defiantly in the same vein. That and maybe My Own Way's chorus. Unfortunately I can't really say much about this track. Usually I skip it, or don't play it. I do think it's better than a lot of other songs by other artists thought. {6/10}
6. New Religion: This is where the album picks up again. This song starts out pretty cool then goes into a bass, drum, guitar riff thingy. It's a solid groove. It's pretty minimal, well for most of the song. The part where the two vocals are singing is awesome and I love how they have the harmonies in the chorus. I love the distortion on the guitars. The ending where they have the two vocals going, one singing and the other talk-singing. That's awesome how they did that.
7. Last Chance On The Stairway: This song has a solid rhythm track. You could easily dance to this, like the rest of the album, but this song doesn't really get it's due respect. I think the weakest part is probably the chorus. I wish that it was as good as the rest of this song. It's not that it ruins it, but it just hurts it. The energy in this song is the energy that we felt earlier on the album. It love the whole vibes solo thing, and album that breakdown. It's great, and the best part of the song. I also enjoy listening to the guitar solo. It's not that long, but it's defiantly my favorite part of the song. Like my favorite part of Rosalita "Someday well look back on this, and it'll all seem funny". It's only a few seconds long, this is longer then Rosie, but you get the point. {9/10}
8. Save A Prayer: This song is very pretty. Not quiet as pretty as the next track, but it's defiantly beautiful. It's very laid back, compared to the rest of the album. These harmonies are tight and this track is just dreamy. It almost always brings a tear to my eye. It's a love song, but not really. It's kind of like "we fell in love, but it didn't work out". It's very touching and just sad. It accomplishes everything it sets out to. This track is a "last dance" type of song. To close out prom or something like that. And this is followed by the kicker {10/10}
9. The Chauffeur: This track closes this album. Damn, this is completely different than Rio. It defiantly has a book closer ending. This is abstract and the lyrics rock. The music video rocks, and the whole vibe rocks. I honestly can't find one problem with this song. It's so pretty and the way he sings it, with soul. I can proudly say this is the best song on the album. Simon plays an Ocarina solo on this track, which I have to say makes it that much more of a sweet moody piece. I mean I could easily spend hours listening to this track on repeat. And the way Rio starts the album, the way an album should start, The Chauffeur ends it the way an album should end. I can tell this will have a huge impact on a future album I have planned. At the end of the day everything on this track works. This is a "last dance" type of song, more so than the prior track. If life was a movie, and you're love ended then I'd be honored to have this be the song playing when me and her realize "this is it, goodbye". {11/10}

Overall I have to give this album a 8/10. The Duran Duran magic just clicks here. They have other awesome amazing song too, but not like this. Some of the songs on the album just set such high standards. The strong tracks are all 10s and the weaker tracks are like 7's or 8's so yeah. The album was well put together and I can't really complain about production.

Zoot Allures - Frank Zappa

This is the first album since the final ending of The Mothers of Invention. Though there are some Mothers on this album, Terry Bozzio, Captain Beefheart, among a few others. This is pretty much like Zappa's Diamond Dogs. Why may you ask I said this. Not because it's stylistically, but because they both played main parts with fewer contributions from others. I feel that overall though this was kind of just put together. But this was released on Warner after a dispute on his own DiscReet Records and Herb his business partner. That led to Bat Chain Puller not being released until 2012.

1. Wind Up Working At A Gas Station: Davey the guy who sings on this also sings on Lemme Take You To The Beach. This song continues the continuity of gas stations. You can hear his voice in the backing vocals. This is a good intro and grabs your attention. Though the lyrics are still silly that doesn't really ruin the song. I like the counter voices part. Good example is like in the end of New Religion by Duran Duran. It's a quick 2:30. A decent track {6/10}
2. Black Napkins: This became one of Zappa's most famous guitar pieces. Along with instrumentals like Zoot Allures and Watermelon In Easter Hay, I don't think that there are many that top in terms of being known. The Deathless Horsie is great, but I don't think it's probably as well known. Of the 4 mentioned two are on this album. This song is smooth and kind of relaxing. It was "captured" at Osaka, Japan in 1976 on February 3rd. I don't know if there are overdubs on this track or not. The outro is better than the rest. Where it kind of doubles tempo or speeds up. I think it sounds cool. 
3. The Torture Never Stops: The only thing Zappa doesn't do on this track is drums and moans. This is an awesome track. He, along with, Gail and another woman recorded several hours of "recreational activities" audio. That is the moans and squeaks and squeals in this track. This is a dark track and great when it comes to imagery. Even with lines like "the night of the iron sausage" this is still dark. There is a picture that happens in this song and those moans fit it. It's sick he put those in there and they fit. And the keys are pretty sick, pre-chorus,  and also chorus. The long solo in this song is played and the moans "solo" too. I couldn't imagine going on a date then playing this song. Well, unless you're into that Läther stuff. "Choke me out, gauge me with a spoon" you know what I mean? I do have to be in the mood to tolerate this long solo though. The tracks fine, it's just that part. I love the "pig squeals" right before the lyrics come back in. Post solo there is an interesting part right at "locked away down there". That instrumental "fill" after the line. That's sick. The ending of this song is a pretty cool. I enjoy it, and think that sit is kind of worth it. The ending is not just a repeat of the beginning, it's kind of messed with. It makes it neat. Solid bass line to. 
4. Ms Pinky: Out of the numerous versions of this track, my least favorite is this one. This is the backing track for Thing-Fish's version too. I don't care for the darkness of the instruments. That's odd for me to say, but let me explain a little better. The guitar/bass overdrive thing isn't doing it for me. Maybe it'd sound better on vinyl and make the crunch warmer, but right now I'm just ok with it. This track is much more interesting on Buffalo or YCDTOSA, Vol. 6. This is a good song, but not so much this version. This song is also classic Zappa sexual humor with this being about a sex toy. 
5. Find Her Finer: This song has a kind of country vibe to it with the harmonica. Like the last song, this is a sexual themed song. Except this is about, as on Philly '76 the "virtual instruction booklet on how to do it". "It" being how to get laid. This song is just ok, I don't think that it's anything that amazing. I like Lady Bianca's vocals in the Philly version more. I think they add more of an atmosphere.
6. Friendly Little Finger: This track is much better than the prior. This was supposedly, according to the man himself, a creation of Xenchrony. I like this more than the prior track. I like how it fits but it's kind of off, it's like Rubber Shirts but this has more of a drive to it. This is solid enough to be alone by itself. It's kind of like complete madness. But I like that its like that. The very ending reminds me of Aerosmith. This track is sick, better on the 2012 Remaster and contains the intro to Wonderful Wino.
7. Wonderful Wino: The music for the track was written by Simmons and the lyrics by FZ. Part of this track date back to about '73. Tracks like this are the reason Zappa bootlegs rock. There are a bunch of different versions, live and studio, of this song. The original Jeff Simmons' track from 1970, the Flo & Eddie live version (playground psychotics, or freaks & motherfu*#@%!), the Ricky Lancelotti version from 1973 (lost episodes), this version. I don't know what my favorite version is, but I know it's not this one. This is a solid version, but I'm not huge on Frank's voice in the track. You understand what he's saying but it's ultimately between Ricky and Jeff for the best version. The same backing track on Ricky's was the same as this albums version.
8. Zoot Allures: This song is basically chords. It's not all that complex of what I imagined it to be based of it being the title track. This is really chill-axed a ton. This is a song I could see someone smoking too. This is another of Zappa's self claimed signature pieces. This is a very unique song and I like the bizarre vibe from it. Also the vibraphones in this track (?). The solo is playing over a solid backing that contains a harp or something that sounds like a harp. It's hard to hear, but pretty. The song fades out.
9. Disco Boy: This is a solid track, the 2012 Cd having the full intro and outro of the song. This is a fun song and glad to hear the whole thing. The 2012 remaster has something's I don't remember, mainly because the Ryko cut it out. The guitar in this track is cool and a towards the end sounds like a surf guitar a little. There are parts where it kind of just pops up (synth), but sounds cool. This is slow though and not very exciting. It kind of drags a little. I like the synths too. I like the guitar at the end, before it gets distorted. 

Overall I have to give this album a 6/10. This is his most "Straight"-"Forward"* album I know of by him. This is certainly has an atmosphere to it, and it's dark and it's dry. I wouldn't want to hang around this guy based on this album. This is not a first discover album for someone who wants to get into him, but this is a good album for maybe a guitarist.

Lou Reed

In the wake of this whole Lou Reed thing I decided to do a review in memory of him. I'm not a huge fan, but you know, why not to remember him. But Bowie loved him, he collaborated with Metallica, he made fucking Metal Machine Music, and he sang Perfect Day. Those are huge accomplishments in my book. So in honor of the litta' bastard from Brooklyn I decided to review an album I've been wanting to do, but was to lazy to, but now have an excuse. But seriously at the end of the day, if you could be half as important to music as Lou Reed then I salute you. Now enought talking and let's get down to the review.

1. I Can't Stand It: This song is pretty solid to start off the album. I like the women backing singers. This song appeared on The Velvet Underground's live album 1969. I like this version more then the VU version from the outtakes LP released in '85. This is a fun and good way to start out an album. The drums in the beginning remind me of the drum intro to the David Bowie song from 1970 The Supermen. This is in the same vein as Vicious but that doesn't make it bad. This version has more soul to it. The solo's also pretty solid for the track. The tone is great and I like it overall. This is the best version.
2. Going Down: In essence this is a ballad. This is a pretty good song, the only complaint it that I can't really hear Lou and the song drowns him. Other than that it's a great song. This song is really upbeat and is a fun short listen.
3. Walk and Talk It: This riff reminds me of BTO or another riff driven classic rock band. This song has a classic riff leading it and has those female backing singers again. This is a good song. When you compare it to the VU version it's faster and more exciting. It is a demo but more in the vein of the Grateful Dead or The Rolling Stones. This is the superior version.
4. Lisa Says: This song has that soul vibe to it that the rest of the album has. It's a pretty good song, but I'm starting to run out of other words to say for these songs. I hope that changes a little. The song seems to change after a drum "fill"  into Goodnight Ladies. Not lyrically, but musically. Minus the horns. It's a pretty great song to dance to. For me to dance to at least. Then repeats to the beginning of the song until the end. It's long, but it's length is justified.
5. Berlin: Later rerecorded as the title track for his 1973 album, this originally appeared here. On this version it's longer, by like two minutes. The version on Berlin is kind of like a piano/vocal sole song. It's got an avant-garde feel to it there. This version has more of a jazz feel to it. This song feels like it might be played in a jazz club. This is a pretty relaxing song. This is a pretty great ballad, and is better than the titular track version. Damn, this is another great solo that fits the song.
6. I Love You: This sounds like Never Going Back Again. That song didn't come out until 1977 on Fleetwood Mac's classic Rumours. There is a country vibe to this song that is just missing the twang. But I like that there isn't a twang. That'd kind of be overkill.
7. Wild Child: This is song reminds me a ton of Let Me Sleep Beside You. That's an unreleased, at the time, song by David Bowie from 1968. It's very eerie how similar they are. The pre-choruses melodies are very similar. You need to listen to them back to back and then tell me what you think. This is a good song, but I kind of like the "Bowie" version more. The bass line in this song though is sick. I like the gallop of it. 
8. Love Makes You Feel: This is a love song. I don't think it's amazing, but I do like the drums in the chorus. This is a fun song, but it's not the best on the album. I also like the acoustic guitars at the end.
9. Ride into the Sun: This has a funky intro, and kicks the Velvets demos ass. This is a pretty great song that would probably be fun to play. The song kind of goes down hill for me, but the solos good. Maybe it's because I'm tired, but still.
10. Ocean: This track was another outtake from Loaded that Reed reused. The outtake isn't that bad. If you have to compare it to the official version its not as powerful. This track closes Reed's first solo album. This is a pretty song and its pretty tough. It doesn't seem like it's gonna pussy out on you. The piano sounds sick and the arpeggios in there. This kind of paints a picture of an ocean with the sounds. Great ending for the album and kind of makes me want to listen to Transformer in whole. This has an epic finish feeling to it. I also like the outro of the song. You'll have to see yourself.

Overall this album gets a 7.4/10. What do I think about reusing outtakes for solo albums, well The Beatles did it. Not Guilty, Teddy Boy, Jealous Guy, Circles, All Things Must Pass, and more than just that. So yes, it's kind of cheap, but if it's good, it's good. Also how could you say no to that cute little bird on the cover. Yes this isn't as good as Transformer, but it is essentially a first solo album. Starting his own thing, but also taking use of his past to try and make himself. If we can learn anything from Lou it's that "your going to reap just what you sow". So all I can say to that is Goodnight Ladies, Goodnight Lou, Goodnight world. Lets look forward to a better tomorrow. :)

The Spotlight Kid - Captain Beefheart

This is the, in his lifetime, only album credited to a sole Captain Beefheart. This followed the more mature Trout Mask the 1970 album Lick My Decals Off, Baby. (Note in 1971 Mirror Man was released, but that's hardly an album, it's of outtakes from the 60's). This is a HUGE change of pace from Lick My Decals. By a more mature Trout Mask Replica I meant it's even odder and more developed. It's Aladdin Sane is to Ziggy as Decals is to Trout.

1. I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby: The way this song is it reminds me, vaguely, of Ice Cream For Crow. I do like the growl vocal thing he's doing. That also reminds me of Boris The Spider. This is a slick song. It's pretty easy to listen to compared to Trout, as called by the BBC1 Doc I saw, or Lick My Decals. He does do a Beafheartian vocal, but only vaguely. If the entire albums like this, it won't be that terrible.
2. White Jam: This reminds me of Blue Jeans & Moonbeams. This is a, kind of, pretty song. At least in the beginning. This song has, in his voice in the beginning, some muffin remnants of She's Too Much For My Mirror. You can use your white jam all you want. As long as its not Raspberry Jam, because Lone Star already has that taken Don. 
3. Blabber 'n Smoke: This is actually a great track. I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I like this songs title. This song has a drive to it. I also like the way he sings this song. I think the xylophone sounding instrument is cool. I saw the Family Guy the other day where Louis models. The part when she "plays" her ribs cuz she's so skinny. It's at the end of the episode. Regardless, that reminded me of that. But I also like how it's kind of weird.
4. When It Blows Its Stacks: You can always expect bizarre, I did that on purpose, song titles on Beefheart albums. I love that though. This track isn't as good as the two it's between, but that's ok. This song is solid. I like the crunch of the guitar in this song. 
5. Alice in Blunderland: I like the title to this track. I think it's pretty cool. This is an instrumental, featuring that xylophone I was mentioning before. But get this, there's a Zappa-esque guitar solo in this track. It's really cool hearing this. Damn!, and this goes by too fast. This could be part two of the previous track. The melody could actually be a Zappa melody. This could be one of his songs from the Zappa / Mothers period, from '73-'75. This is a great song. It's cooler though as a follow up from the last track. 
6. The Spotlight Kid: The title track to this LP comes in the middle. Though this album is technically slower and simpler, that doesn't mean there isn't anything happening. Like on this track, it's odd. This seems like he found that xylophone and tries to use it as much as possible. (I've done that before). Also I  do like how the instruments do play the same notes. It sounds sick. 
7. Click Clack: This song has a harmonica and is fast. It's kind of upbeat and exciting. But at the same time it's kind of overwhelming. That's whats great about him. Lots of his songs make you feel confused. I like the train vibe to it and also the megaphone thing he did. 
8. Grow Fins: A great box-set of outtakes and live recordings Beefheart songs is named after this track. I like this track too. The lyrics in this song are ok. I think that this is a good track too. I don't really know how to describe it different from any of the other tracks. This song has a type of like island thing I'm imagining. Kind of, but that's just me.
9. There Ain't No Santa Claus on the Evenin' Stage: As the title suggests there are sleigh bells in the song. This is an odd track. I could see this being on Shiny Beast. Though this is easy to listen to, it has that weird guitar slide thing Don loves. I like the "ho ho ho's" in the song. It's kind of funny. And it's not too long. It's a pretty quick track too. 
10. Glider: This closes the album. I'm glad I'm finally getting this up. This track kind of drags for me, but that probably because its almost over. 

Overall I have to give this album a 7/10. For a more commercial direction this ain't that bad. This is "slower" (in terms of tempo) and "simpler" (in terms of performance) but still good. I'd suggest this to people who aren't, and probably never will be, into avant-garde. Blame the sound on his wife, she contributed in writing (she's credited at least). The album gets better as it progresses. Art Tripp and Elliot Ingber both play on this album.

Acid Rap - Chance The Rapper

This is the second mixtape by rapper Chance The Rapper. His debut mixtape, 10 Day, was released last year. This one is different. I'll explain more though later. I'm gonna review that too.

1. Good Ass Intro: This song reminds me a little of Cee-lo Green. But his voice also reminds me a little of Danny Brown, in the very beginning. But as the track progresses it does sound like something soul, something that reminds me a little of Fuck You. It's a pretty exciting way to start this mixtape off. This is a beat of a song I could see being in a gospel song. 
2. Pusha Man: This song has stops in it. I like that. I think this song is different enough from track one. I'm not sure who of the features is who, but they remind me of, in order of appearance, Yella Wolf and A$AP Rocky. Though this is a long song, it is kind of justified. Maybe it could be 5 minutes long instead of over 6, that doesn't really matter though. This is pretty much two song. In part two of the song his, I don't know if its Chance or Nate or Lili K.,  accent (s)he is trying in this song reminds me of, in the beginning, Bradley Nowell's vocals where he tries a Jamaican impression. I do like the the verses and think this is a good song. I enjoy it. 
3. Cocoa Butter Kisses: The key flares remind me of the atmosphere in Siberian Breaks. The beginning of this song has a rotor organ in it. That's what is often used in soul/gospel type music. Better described as "Black Church Music". This is a pretty smooth song, and good. When he says the title of the song, and the flares there, bring me back to channel ORANGE. That is also another album that I could see being clumped into that. His voice reminds me a little of Ocean. 
4. Juice: In this song he's doing a Jamaican accent thing. This song has a tad of reggae. Maybe it's just me, but I can vaguely hear it. This is a pretty good song. 
5. Lost: This song doesn't do much for me. It's fine, but you know, I'm not huge on it. It's nothing different than what I've heard this far on this tape. I've never heard of Noname Gypsy but I think she kind of good on this song. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but yeah. 
6. Everybody's Something: This song reminds me a little of C.R.E.A.M. and Em's 1996 Infinite. This is a pretty solid song. I think it's pretty great, that's Eminem's best, Pre-Eminem Show. 
7. Interlude (That's Love): This beat is great. I actually really like this song. It's upbeat, and exactly what I need right now, you know. Who doesn't need to hear that, I love you, every once in a while. 
8. Favorite Song: There is a delayed guitar on this track. It isn't my favorite but it's a solid song. I think that this is a cool song. Gambino also does a good job on this. I don't care much for what I've heard from Gambino but this is a sick guest spot. 
9. NaNa: Action Bronson's on this. I actually need to review Rare Chandlers. This song is ok, but it's not doing much more than just Action's spot, which isn't really anything that is awesome like some of the cooler songs I've heard by him.   
10. Smoke Again: The horns in the beginning remind me of, sonically, Set The World On Fire's trumpets in the beginning of that song. The deep rap reminds me of A$AP Rocky. I like this song.
11. Acid Rain: This is a slick song. I think it fits at the end of the mixtape. This has these guitar slides in the background. This is a great ending. 
12. Chain Smoker: This is the second to last track. The woman's "ah ah" reminds me of Pump Up The Jams. This is a pretty smooth song. This is a pretty, for the most part, a relaxing song. I enjoy the keys/piano is pretty cool. 
13. Everything's Great (Good Ass Outro): This is kind of neat at touching. It reminds me of Lil B. He had a song where he talked to someone over the phone. This is a good ass Outro, not as good as the intro, but it fits. 

Overall this mixtape will get a 7/10. This thing is more interesting than 10 Day. Which is a good thing, I hope he continues to improve on his mixtapes, and he'll do fine. I don't really have much more to say about this mixtape. But looking forward to his next one to come.

Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold

This little thing here COME ON!. I've been waiting since Not Ready to Die for you (especially since before that I really wasn't even thinking of their next album following Nightmare). I'm not dissing the album but I finally get to hear this. And it's in my hands. My precious. I wish the cover was a little cooler, but it's cool enough. I also heard about the no double track vocals. And heard the title track. If the whole album is like that, this is gonna be a long review. :( Here is song quick facts, first album with Arin as a member (though his first drum performance was on NRTD). This is also the first album without The Rev. By that, he didn't write anything off this. This is also Avenged Sevenfold's sixth album and is, in the US, released a day late (08-27-13) of being released on the 10th anniversary of the release of Waking The Fallen (08-26-03). If that's on purpose, I don't know, but I wanted to say that. [Note: I basically had to redo this entire review]

1. Shepard of Fire: This song, from the start, reminds me of something they would have put on City of Evil. More of that hard rock sound, vs the experimental elements of the Self Titled and the darkness of Nightmare. I can't quite put my finger on what the horns remind me of, I need to re-relisten to City and some other albums. The more I hear this song, the more the magic goes. It fades kind of. This song, after even gaining a new respect, I don't like it any more. I always kind of liked this song, but I didn't have as much of a revelation about this song as Requiem. This song is a pretty good intro. The chorus in the song is pretty cool. I like the horns in the beginning and think that this is a song that has a sludge to it. Not sludge metal, but kind of slightly slowed down version of some of their past songs. The bass heavy song reminds me a little of the intro to Save Me.
2. Hail to the King: The intro is pretty cool, when I only heard it as an instrumental. When I heard the vocals it sent this song to the shitter. The more you hear this the better it gets. But, on the other hand, it loses that little magic it had to appeal to it. The intro kind of gets boring, though the vocals aren't as bad. This is just an average song, with nothing special about it. I love this band, but I can't stick up for them with this song at all. Then after discussing this album, as a whole, I gained a new respect for this song. Though this isn't what I wanted, this is still a pretty decent track. Once you learn to overlook the whole weird vocals thing, it's a pretty fun song. Kind of like a Almost Easy or somethings along these lines that follows up the intro track on an A7X album. This is another groove track, just like the last. It isn't high speed, but its tempo is fast enough. I almost feel the tempo this songs at is too simple for Syn. I mean, yes that might be on purpose, but it just seems like it might be too simple. The "hey's" remind me of Critical Acclaim. The solo might be more exciting if it was a little faster, but it fits the way it is.
3. Doing Time: Though this title sucks the music in the beginning is pretty cool. But the "poem" in the beginning isn't really doing anything for me. His singing reminds me a lot of Axel Rose in a song like Bad Obsession or when he uses that type of thing with his voice. This could actually be a Guns N' Roses song, but not an Avenged Sevenfold song. After hearing this song I went to look for what GNR song it reminded me of. This song actually reminded me of Perfect Crime, at first. This song though is much better when you hear the whole context of the album. They wanted to make a raw sounding album like Sabbath or Zeppelin and use their influences. Daft Punk did that with RAM they celebrated their influences of music and did a great job at it, Avenged did the same thing, and I tip my hat to them for that.
4. This Means War: This is a pretty sick song. First time through, I'm not huge on this lyrics or singing. This song could almost be a cover of Sad But True. I'm serious, just listen to this than that (or vice versa) and tell me what you think. Well the only difference is that this song isn't an "gritty" and "rough" as that Sad But True. That song has a type of force behind it that makes it "tough" and a song that can be proudly called a Metallica song. But this song, well, is kind of like a not so "tough" song. Maybe like a side kick. "Batman's" the best and this song is more of a "3rd Robin". (Note: Just take this song with a grain of salt).
5. Requiem: The whole Latin Chant in the beginning isn't cool. The way it sound it just comes off as cheesy. It'd be different if it was cheesy sounding and from 1970 or 1980 at the latest 1990, but this is 2013. Come on! I enjoy the song, but not enough to like it or that it sticks out. After relistening [and meditating with a convo] after a day or two break, I learned the it's sick. I still am not found of the chant in the beginning, but that changes. This is one hell of a dark song, almost evil. I could see, in a movie, this being the part where they are calling upon satan to do as he does. And that prayer kind of makes it a little creepier. The singer's praying to Satan in the song. This song almost drags you to hell and it keeps you down there. This is probably, you could say, their evilist song. And he doesn't even scream on this song. The "In flames" part reminds me a little of one of the parts in The Wicked End. Just the riff in this song is just sick. I just love this, and this song has a riff that's just kind of hard to just have quiet. IT NEEDS TO BE LOUD!!!!! {9/10}
6. Crimson Day: This intro reminds me of like a mix of Fade to Black and Don't Cry. It also reminds me a little of Buried Alive. Now I can see what they were doing on this track. This is like a non-explosive Buried Alive. This song isn't evil, like the others, but it is still pretty great. This is a pretty song, and I love how it's about Matt's son. This is a pretty solid ballad in its own respect. I tip my hat to them for that. I like this more than So Far Away.
7. Heretic: This is probably the sickest song title off this, though there isn't much competition. You know, partially because of the album M produced called Requiem for The Confession back in 2007. This is another CoE (city) track. The part where it goes in to the acoustic guitar arpeggios reminds me a ton of the ending of Turn The Other Way. The verses of this song are just ok, and hard. But the shine of the song is that whole acoustic arpeggio. It even could be compared to something off Waking The Fallen. And that's at just over the halfway mark. The second half, that and the solo, are the best part of the song.
8. Coming Home: Though the riff sounds like a riff that Iron Maiden might use?, I still think this is a solid song. The way each instrument comes in after each other reminds me of Smoke On The Water. The guitars in this song kind of remind me a little of Carry On. There is something that is off about the chorus that pulls me in. Not off in a bad way, but it doesn't sound pretty. It is pretty, but for me, in more of an IFHY way. The solo in the song is pretty sick too. There are parts of the solo that remind me of Judas Priest. There are also parts that I think are just sick in their own respect. {8/10}
9. Planets: This song, when I saw the title, kind of made me think that this song would be like Acid Rain. I didn't know, but the kind of ballad before the ending. I saw "Melancholia" and this song reminds me of it. As my cousin suggested, and in an interview M. Shadows and Syn mentioned that movie for these song. I love that movie, and it's very touching. But this song is just a raw two part ending to the album. This is the albums Sgt. Pepper's Reprise and Acid Rain being A Day In The Life. The prefect book closer to the album. And also it's kind of like the two different perspectives of the inevitable end. "Mother of all, your time is coming". I love how the chorus is three lines, or four, and the first two have a vibe that you want to sing along to, and then the refrain of the tracks title "Planets Collide" is very powerful. The type This Means War was missing. It still has power and he doesn't even scream it. There is power in this album, and it's neat that there isn't any screams. {9/10}
10. Acid Rain: This is is by far the best track. Though St. James reminds me a tad of 4:00 AM this is still a good song. This isn't really an average A7X song. In fact this is a pretty unique song. The lyrics, and strings, and overall vibe bring me to where I went while listening to Perfect Day. This is a beautiful song and makes this album worth at least 2 listens (1 being the first time, two after hearing it again). This song is cool to hear after hearing the entire thing through. This song is much better too if you can imagine what going on, or if you can picture the movie "Melancholia". It's a beautiful movie both visually and message wise, but it makes these two songs even better. I assume the rain is in reference to the title track off 1970's Black Sabbath, but whether they copied it or whatever I didn't even think of that at first. {10/10}

Overall I have to give this a 8/10. After hearing the first track, not Hail to the King, my faith in this album was somewhat restored. I heard this and didn't like it that much. I did some research and had some talks, and I put those perspectives in mind. I needed that to get this. It's actually pretty good. In a way, how Nightmare is dark and a "nightmare" this is just raw and pure Evil.

The Modern Age - The Strokes

This is the first release by The Strokes. This precedes Is This It and features "demos" of song that would be rerecorded for their debut. Kinda like on As I Lay Dying's split album, going on to Re-Record all those song for different albums. (Note: This paragraph was written before school, and the review was done during school, and the summary was just now).

1. The Modern Age: Now, I do like this song. I think that I might like this ones a little more.This band has a garage band/Alternative vibe to it. Lot's of times those types of bands have a DIY vibe to everything. The solos are cool, I like the way it is double picked. I also like the start stop feel of the riff. I like Julian's vocals, on songs like Reptilia, but I also like this one too. I also like the kind of "jams over" stop thing they do at the end of the song. It just ends. 
2. Last Nite: I also like this version more. I don't know if this is a thing. Like liking the rawer sounding versions of songs. A good example is, though it's not really other versions of the same songs, but Nirvana. The sloppy, raw grunge vibe off 1989's Bleach. Another example is Soundgarden's two slops from the 80's. Maybe it had to do with the money reasons, but I still like those and the sound more. This version sounds more DIY. And I like it because of that.
3. Barley Legal:  Quite possibly my favorite Strokes song, either this or Reptilia or the MGMT vibe of Machu Picchu. The verses are pretty solid but on top of that I love the chorus. I don't know why, but that kind of hooked me on the band. Actually I have Is This It and Room On Fire coming in the mail, and they should be here with Bowie's Zeit on Monday.

Overall I have to give this album a 8/10. This is short, but it's also great. Since it's short it doesn't get very redundant, and it is able to keep my interest. If you have any interest in this band at all you might want to hear this before you even hear their 2001 Debut classic.