Younique [Import]

Younique [Import]

Track Listings

1. Not with Me

2. God's Funeral

3. Nothing

4. Think

5. Stop

6. Be Mine

7. Amok

8. Free Minded

9. Detect : Myself

10. This Promise

11. Sweet Pretence

12. Why [Acoustic Version]

Tracks:

Not With Me
God's Funeral
Nothing
Think
Stop
Be Mine
Amok
Free Minded
Detect : Myself
This Promise
Sweet Pretence
Why [Acoustic Version]

Customer Reviews:

AN AUTOMATIC 5 STARS !!!!!!.......2002-04-24

Hell ! How can this album not get 5 stars ? After having desperately waited 2 years since the "Behind" release, seeing on a CD shelf in a CD store this Younique was like a heart-blow !!! And listening to it had the same effect on me !!! This "Younique" wears well its name... it is unique. A uniqueness created by the partical sound Superior has been developping since "Behind"... a square sound, punctured by a mercyless and ultra precise rythm section skeletton, and fleshed by a myriad of instruments (+ the guest appearance of André Matos - Angra's vocalist - and others), and a wonderfull voice again by M. Tangermann. The variety of songs shows the evident open mind of the band, as well as their multiple influences. Superior does not prison himself in a closed style, but evolve in a 4 horizons direction, from hard hitting progressive metal to the finest delicate songs that can be encountered in this music style... The living ability of this album, as well as the 2 other ones, is very big and long, because it is impossible to embrace it all at first listening... you'll discover things and things long after having bought it !!! A real beauty there again (with BEHIND, their 1st LP and ULTIMA RATIO, their latest and great opus). You MUST buy this CD willst you can still find it to purchase !!! At ANY price... So much talent must not remain unnoticed to the world... their 3 albums are in my personal top 10 out of my 600 CDs...

Observe the contrasts..........2001-10-29

A lot of Superior's fans were displeased with the band's second album, Younique. To sum up the derision, most folks found that it was less progressive and less interesting. While Younique is certainly different than its excellent predecessor (Behind), it preserves the core elements that made the first album so good: Bone-crunching rhythms, emotional vocals, progressive traits, and adventurous songwriting. Taking this point a bit farther, I would say that Younique is actually a better release. Here is a band not afraid to explore daring musical avenues, whereas most other artists would rest comfortably in a sound that people seem to like.

Superior's audacity is laudable in and of itself, but the fact that they manage to write great songs is what is most praiseworthy. It seems that, from a broad perspective, Younique is an album of ambivalance. From song to song, you'll notice sharp contrasts between different tracks, and even among certain passages in the songs themselves. Common themes are the occasional alterna-metal riffing and prevalent piano usage, the whole story is much more. Aggressive metal crunchers like "Not With Me" and "Think" are balanced by the ballads "Be Mine" and the especially beautiful "This Promise." But within the songs, that sense of ambivalence persists. "God's Funeral" places heavy, chugga-chugga riffs over a lazy layer of Hammond organ, and mixes in a tastefully integrated flamenco passage. As the song approaches completion, a languid vocal melody glides alongside a hard-hitting rhythm - again, the dissimilarities.

"Free Minded" takes this variety to a whole new level. African-influenced percussion and sythesizers, chugging metal riffage, and a barrage of funky bass, jazzy organ solos, bombastic brass sections, sharp female backing vocals, and horn-like guitar blasts all come together in this song. At first I found the song's mix of styles jarring and even stupid. No longer - I now see the song as the fun, eclectic tune it really is. There's also "Stop," where verses are built around a sparse piano chords and lethargic electronic rhythms. For the chorus, a grunge-like guitar riff underscores a furious lyric. And how about "Detect: Myself"? It's sheer schizophrenia in music - again with the crunchy power chords, this time with a "lite-FM" saxophone accompaniment, and a weirdly textured chorus.

Younique is certainly progressive metal - that's the only description that really fits - but it lacks the conventional attributes that characterize the genre. Forget long instrumental passages, inhumanly fast guitar leads, and soaring operatic vocals. Superior's vocalist, Michael Tangerman, is a great singer, but he sticks to middle and low ranges.

Do I have any complaints? Not really. I guess I sometimes have hang-ups about the lyrics. "God's Funeral's" lyrics are kind of silly, and the ballads are a bit syrupy. Still, "This Promise" is so beautifully performed that it's easy to ignore a trite line like, "Then you took me by the hand | Soon you made me understand." Actually, when it comes right down to it, "This Promise" is one of my favorite Superior songs and one of my favorite ballads by any metal band.

The import price is pretty steep, but I strongly encourage that all progressive metal fans get this, and Superior's first album too.

Superior and Younique........2000-06-30

Younique (not "Unique") is the name of Superior's second album. I don't have their first album, Behind, but word is that it is a fantastic album and is Dream Theater-like in tone and texture. From what I understand, many fans of Superior were disappointed with Behind's follow-up, Younique. But, hey, I like it.

Dream Theater comparisons are hard to find on this album. Sure, Younique is progressive metal but they also have industrial metal-like touches on Younique. The use of quiet piano combined with VERY heavy, crunchy guitar work is fascinating and captivating. The vocal melodies are odd but catchy and the vocalist is good though, at times, his voice is reminiscent of various alternative rock vocalists -- but don't let that scare you off, he isn't annoying. Superior also uses alot of interesting rhythms and electronic sounds -- I'm not sure how they achieve this but it is very cool.

Comparable albums MIGHT be Damn the Machine's self-titled (and only) album and Reading Zero's debut The Actual. There are also little things scattered throughout this cd that remind me of Pink Floyd or Ayreon.

With Younique, Superior accomplishes something that is seemingly difficult to achieve in progressive metal: They have their own unique sound and style. Plus, they avoid the progressive cliches and technical nonsensse that so many so-called "progressive" bands are fond of. And, though not every song here is great, this band knows what good music is about: It's the songs!

Younique
Average customer rating:
Younique
Superior
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0002XNFPM
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Album Description

Japanese edition of the German power metal act's 1998 &second album with 'Sweet Pretence' & 'Why' (AcousticVersion) added as bonus tracks, for a total of 12 razor-sharp cuts. A T&T release.