Life of Agony - 1989 - 1999 (2000)

This is a compilation of unreleased material and remastered demos along with some live performances. Some of these songs didn't make the records but, are still very awesome and will be loved if you're into Life of Agony. There's demos from the three albums they did before reuniting River Runs Red, Ugly and Soul Searching Sun. There one of the few bands that I like that have that hardcore influence. For some reason all the intros go long before Keith Caputo says anything. This was pretty much there going away record until they reunited and did the horrible Broken Valley which I'll review later on but, I've still yet to hear most of singer Keith Caputo's solo records which is what he's been keeping himself busy in the next decade. I think he did five solo albums in ten years. Hopefully one can inform me which one to get. Songs to check out "Plexiglass Gate", "Drowning" and "March of the S.O.D/Sgt "d" and the S.O.D".

1. "Here I Am, Here I Stay" (demo)
2. "Depression" (demo)
3. "Plexiglass Gate"
4. "3 Companions" (demo)
5. "Drowning" (demo)
6. "Dancing With the Devil" (demo)
7. "Step Aside" (demo)
8. "Colorblind" (demo)
9. "March of the S.O.D. / Sgt. "D" and the S.O.D" (S.O.D.)
10. "Coffee Break"
11. "Redemption Song" (Bob Marley)
12. "How It Would Be '97"
13. "Tangerine (re-zep)" (With Charlie Benante from anthrax on Guitars)
14. "Lost at 22" (live)
15. "I Regret" (live)

Life of Agony - Soul Searching Sun (1997)

I believe this album is often scrutinized because it's often thought of them selling out because the songs seem radio friendly. I'm pretty sure it probably left the older LOA fans in shock cause they went from River Runs Red to Ugly to this. If it were up to me I'd pick Soul Searching over Ugly. I'm kind of weird like that but, there's several songs I dig on the record which I'd assume that if you heard this album for the first time you couldn't even tell it was them. Even though it sounds like they were going for an alternative rock sound it still has the negative and depressing lyrical approach that Keith Caputo is known for. It's very wide minded and you can either accept them for trying something different or cry that you're band made it out of the underground and grew up literally and metaphorically. Songs to check out "Weeds", "Heroin Dreams" and "Gently Sentimental".

1. "Hope"
2. "Weeds"
3. "Gently Sentimental"
4. "Tangerine"
5. "My Mind is Dangerous"
6. "Neg"
7. "Lead You Astray"
8. "Heroin Dreams"
9. "None"
10. "Angry Tree"
11. "Hemophiliac in Me"
12. "Desire"
13. "Whispers"