Queensrÿche - Promised Land (1994)

A band that I'm not that familiar with Queensrÿche, is a progressive metal band. I remember hearing them in the past and not really caring for them but, my friend Jim insists that these guys are better than I think they are so as of today I've been taking him up on his offer. This album is the highest they've charted. It sounds like it's from the eighties but it's actually midway through nineties. I guess they kind of do sound similarly as one of my new favorite bands Savatage but, Promised Land is not anywhere near as good as much as I digged Edge of Thorns my first and only Savatage album. Promised Land is probably more mellow than I would've liked it to been as for this time I won't count them out until I hear Empire or Operation Mindcrime which were the two intended recommendations. I thought I would be getting heavy riffage and dynamite. Did I come into this album with overwhelming hype and anticipation? Perhaps I did what I try never to do whether it's the new releases from bands or old classic gems. It's never a good idea to think a band can hit a home run every time unless you're Metallica. I always try to set my expectation bar low even with concerts because I feel concerts and music usually benefit with the unexpected if that makes sense. This album was almost a miss in my opinion but hey, I got it for only two bucks used. Songs to check out "Damaged", "Bridge" and "I Am I".

1. "9:28 a.m." – 1:43
2. "I Am I" – 3:56
3. "Damaged" – 3:55
4. "Out of Mind" – 4:34
5. "Bridge" – 3:27
6. "Promised Land" – 8:25
7. "Dis Con Nec Ted" – 4:48
8. "Lady Jane" – 4:23
9. "My Global Mind" – 4:20
10. "One More Time" – 4:17
11. "Someone Else?" – 4:38

Hatebreed - Supremacy (2006)

Hatebreed is one of the most violent bands to hit the stages these days, I'm sure you've seen the pits on youtube or maybe perhaps live at a concert. The intensity stems from pure anger...about what I'm unsure but, it's definitely easy to get down to. This is there first and only album on Roadrunner Records as they've been swapping labels every release it seems from Universal to there most recent album released on E1. I think this is the most popular album by them, it's the only one I have at the moment. I can't stand metalcore but there's a few like I said I've been paying attention to the last couple of years. Hatebreed is also labeled hardcore and punk so I'm not even sure how to properly categorize them because those are two genres I dismiss generally. People should know you probably are not going to be into bands like Hatebreed who contain no melody and the vocals are a stretch for some people I know too. Songs to check out "Destroy Everything", "Defeatist" and "To the Threshold".


1. "Defeatist" – 3:19
2. "Horrors of Self" – 2:29
3. "Mind Over All" – 1:59
4. "To the Threshold" – 2:49
5. "Give Wings to My Triumph" – 3:05
6. "Destroy Everything" – 3:29
7. "Divine Judgment" – 2:28
8. "Immortal Enemies" – 2:29
9. "The Most Truth" – 2:44
10. "Never Let It Die" – 3:39
11. "Spitting Venom" – 2:49
12. "As Diehard As They Come" – 2:17
13. "Supremacy of Self" – 2:47

Helmet - Aftertaste (1997)

The fourth album by Helmet is heavy alternative rock and like always very solid. Only problem really is that Betty and Meantime left this release in the shadows. When you mention hits none really came from this album although the songs were neither fillers and just maybe average. Like in the first sentence a good word to use for them is solid. It's probably like you go see them in concert and you go back to there discography. The next day you find yourself listening to obscure stuff you weren't getting into and it's like how did I miss this in a way if that makes sense. I can see how some people can call it dull, repetitive to some people but, when you listen to Helmet you need to listen to them loud. It isn't Betty but, still fuckin hits home. New album entitled Seeing Eye Dog comes out on Tuesday! Songs to check out "Exactly What You Wanted", "It's Easy to Get Bored" and "Pure".

1. "Pure" – 3:32
2. "Renovation" – 2:55
3. "Exactly What You Wanted" – 2:36
4. "Like I Care" – 3:19
5. "Driving Nowhere" – 4:19
6. "Birth Defect" – 2:31
7. "Broadcast Emotion" – 2:44
8. "It's Easy to Get Bored" – 3:26
9. "Diet Aftertaste" – 3:16
10. "Harmless" – 2:58
11. "(High) Visibility" – 2:41
12. "Insatiable" – 2:31
13. "Crisis King" – 3:54

311 - Evolver (2003)

This is 311's seventh album and marked the first time when I first started listening to them back in 2003. I'm not sure but, my first 311 song I believe is "Creatures (For a While)". I think this is at that time I was really into music videos or the later years as I was getting out of them and I caught there music video for that song. Now that I have the album many years later it actually ranks as one of my least favorite by them. Thinking about it, they don't have an album that sticks out as there best but, there catchy as hell. These kind of albums are the hardest to review, the ones that you don't particular care for even though it's a band you support. Beatles released there seventh album entitled Revolver and 311's seventh album Evolver I think was highly inspired by The Beatles. That's perhaps why I'm not hesitant to shoot it down haha. Songs to check out "Creatures (For a While)", "Beyond the Gray Sky" and "Don't Dwell".

1. "Creatures (For a While)" - 4:27
2. "Reconsider Everything" - 2:50
3. "Crack the Code" - 3:55
4. "Same Mistake Twice" - 3:22
5. "Beyond the Gray Sky" - 4:18
6. "Seems Uncertain" - 3:36
7. "Still Dreaming" - 3:41
8. "Give Me a Call" - 3:21
9. "Don't Dwell" - 2:40
10. "Other Side of Things" - 3:08
11. "Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm" - 6:37

Live - Throwing Copper (1994)

The second album by Live is there big one for sure. Throwing Copper is the only album I have by them and I'm not familiar with any of there stuff to be honest. This album was played nonstop back on the radio back in the day which I do remember. It was produced by former Talking Heads guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison. He also produced bands from The Verve Pipe, Violent Femmes to No Doubt. Throwing Copper at one time was the number one album in the States later in 1995. It sold more than eight million records which is no surprise because who couldn't escape some of there single's fifteen years ago. I firmly believe to a degree that "Lightning Crashes" is one of the more important songs of the nineties even though I don't really care for the song personally kind of like Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" in a way. The only bad things I've ever heard about them is that someone told me there singer sounds like he's whining and he's a Michael Stipe wannabee. I think she only said that because the vocalist shaved his head and Stipe's been bald for like two decades I guess popularizing the baldness look to some. Songs to check out "All Over You", "Selling the Drama" and "Top".

1. "The Dam at Otter Creek" 4:43
2. "Selling the Drama" 3:26
3. "I Alone" 3:50
4. "Iris" 3:59
5. "Lightning Crashes" 5:25
6. "Top" 2:42
7. "All Over You" 3:59
8. "Shit Towne" 3:48
9. "T.B.D." 4:28
10. "Stage" 3:08
11. "Waitress" 2:49
12. "Pillar of Davidson" 6:46
13. "White, Discussion" 6:08
14. "Horse" 4:16

Red Hot Chili Peppers - What Hits (1992)

This is the very first RHCP compilation, as it contains material from the first four albums such as Mother's Milk, The Uplift Mojo Party Plan, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Freaky Styley. The time spanning from 1984 to 1991. The title is just a joke because they never had any hits. It also has the Jimi Hendrix cover "Fire" on there.Instead of doing every single one of there eighties album, it's combined of the best of the best from the early days of the Chili Peppers. This came out after Blood Sugar Sex Magik and I think they wanted to introduce there old stuff because they quickly exploded then and on because no one really cared or knew about them until you heard "Give it Away". I assume that's the reason for this compilation that there's only one song from Blood Sugar Sex Magik and that's "Under the Bridge". It's packed with eighteen songs, almost seventy minutes. I got this for so cheap as well and it was brand new. Bro I scored..and Chili Peppers drummer looks exactly like Will Ferrell. Songs to check out "Fight Like a Brave", "Higher Ground" and "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky".

1. "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder) – 3:21
From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
2. "Fight Like a Brave" – 3:47
From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
3. "Behind the Sun" – 4:45
From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
4. "Me & My Friends" – 3:05
From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
5. "Backwoods" – 3:06
From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
6. "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" – 3:36
From the 1984 album The Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. "Fire" (Jimi Hendrix) – 2:01
From the 1988 EP The Abbey Road E.P.
8. "Get Up and Jump" – 2:50
From the 1984 album The Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. "Knock Me Down" – 3:43
From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
10. "Under the Bridge" – 4:24
From the 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
11. "Show Me Your Soul" – 4:22
From the 1990 motion picture Pretty Woman
12. "If You Want Me to Stay" (Sly & the Family Stone) – 4:06
From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
13. "Hollywood (Africa)" (The Meters) – 4:58
From the 1985 album Freaky Styley.
Listed as simply "Hollywood" on packaging
14. "Jungle Man" – 4:04
From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
15. "The Brothers Cup" – 3:24
From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
16. "Taste the Pain" – 4:34
From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
17. "Catholic School Girls Rule" – 1:55
From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
18. "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky" – 5:10
From the 1989 album Mother's Milk

Cave In - Jupiter (2000)

Recommended from my buddy Mr. Tahsin, these guys from Massachusetts I weren't necessarily initially into. After buying two of there albums, I see things differently. The reason being, when they first came onto the scene they were playing style was metalcore. Jupiter is more alternative with psychedelic rock and there are no hints from there first album as they are night and day in comparison. Decibel magazine ranked this album at number two for the 2nd best album of the decade. The 2nd album Jupiter is probably the reason why they were picked up on the major label RCA for there third album Antenna. Which I will review on another day and discuss the more recent come back. Songs to check "Innuendo and Out the Other", "New Moon" and "Big Riff".

1. "Jupiter" - 3:17
2. "In the Stream of Commerce" - 5:28
3. "Big Riff" - 6:54
4. "Innuendo and Out the Other" - 6:11
5. "Brain Candle" - 3:28
6. "Requiem" - 9:02
7. "Decay of the Delay" - 4:15
8. "New Moon" - 5:42