The More You Suffer

The More You Suffer

The More You Suffer

Track Listings
 
1. H.B.F. Suicide
2. Deathblow
3. Ripped & Torn
4. Destroy Life
5. Cursed
6. Divine Killing Breed Machine
7. Deep Rivers Of Blood
8. Breaking Boundaries
9. Into Oblivion
10. My Bloody Rampage
11. Baptized In Fire
12. Let Me Bleed

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The fourth album from this up and coming Swedish killing squad, compared to The Haunted and Slayer. Century Media. 2003.

The More You Suffer,Carnal Forge,Century Media,Death Metal/Black Metal,Heavy Metal,Metal,Pop,Rock,Scandinavian Metal,Thrash
The More You Suffer
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Gets better with each album
  • ...the more you need this for pleasure
  • This band wipes their @ss with Slayer.
  • Thrash Elite
  • 9/10 - Superb aggro thrash for 2003
The More You Suffer
Carnal Forge
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Death MetalDeath Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Thrash & Speed MetalThrash & Speed Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Firedemon
  2. Aren't You Dead Yet?
  3. Please ... Die!
  4. Testify for My Victims
  5. Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients

ASIN: B00008V5UK
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

  1. H.B.F. Suicide
  2. Deathblow
  3. Ripped & Torn
  4. Destroy Life
  5. Cursed
  6. Divine Killing Breed Machine
  7. Deep Rivers Of Blood
  8. Breaking Boundaries
  9. Into Oblivion
  10. My Bloody Rampage
  11. Baptized In Fire
  12. Let Me Bleed

Album Description

The fourth album from this up and coming Swedish killing squad, compared to The Haunted and Slayer. Century Media. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Gets better with each album.......2006-02-23

Carnal Forge started off strong with Whoses Going Burn? and just keep on handing out amazing cds. They have toned down the language but thats about it. The guitars are the same, the drums are still amazing, and the singer can still sing better then half the artist out there. Check out this band if you like Slayer or thrash, all cds are mandatory.

5 out of 5 stars ...the more you need this for pleasure.......2005-08-19

Carnal Forge sounds like an angrier version of Slayer. the lead singer sounds like what Tom Araya would if he and his wife were in a fight. sadism never sounded this good. for more angry thrash, listen to Haunted, Pantera (R.I.P.), Destruction, Kreator, Slayer, Overkill, Destruction, Sodom, and Testament.

5 out of 5 stars This band wipes their @ss with Slayer........2004-01-10

This album just goes to prove (if Back from the Grave didn't already) that you don't need to play 300 notes a minute to be a good death metal band. There's a lot to be said for intensity and heaviness, and this album has both. It's absolutely brutal. This just goes to show to bands like Arch Enemy that you can play a guitar as fast as you want, but when the songs meander along and the riffs build up to no climax, you're still not a good songwriter. These guys are excellent songwriters. There's nothing too out-of-the-ordinary on this album but they shred the whole way through, and the vocalist is absolutely guttural. No clean vocals in this at all, and there didn't need to be. This guy is one of the most convincing vocalists in metal, alongside Jans Kidman of Meshuggah and Jonas Renske of Katatonia. Gah. Buy this CD today. You owe it to yourself.

5 out of 5 stars Thrash Elite.......2003-12-12

I always thought Carnal Forge was another generic Swedish death metal band. I bought Firedemon a while ago, and never really listened to it all that much. Then, for whatever reason, I put it back in my CD player, and haven't been able to take it out for 2 weeks. So I went and bought their latest 2 CD's, and DAMN! These guys are awesome. Each song has a unique riff that makes you want to thrash around. Very aggressive, brutal, but still not 1000 beats a second that make you get bored. If you like The Haunted, Crown, At the Gates, etc etc...definitely check these guys out, because they are elite.

4 out of 5 stars 9/10 - Superb aggro thrash for 2003.......2003-05-20

I have seen the future of thrash metal, and its name is CARNAL FORGE.

Let me begin by being completely honest. CARNAL FORGE was always one of those bands who I lumped into the "there's just too many Swedish thrash/death bands so I can't keep up with them all and these guys are nothing special" group. I had heard their 1997 debut - Who's Gonna Burn - and I was honestly less than impressed. Then I saw them live for the first time (at the NJ Metal Meltdown) this past March. My skull still has the wounds from that show.

And we come to today, on the eve of CARNAL FORGE'S 2003 North American release of The More You Suffer. The band's 4th album, The More... finds this Swedish quintet turbocharged and firing on all cylinders. Twelve new songs, 45 minutes of uptempo Swedish thrash bludgeoning your aural senses all at once. Don't expect mid-paced groove, don't expect anything radio-friendly. Expect intense nuggets of 150% adrenaline-fueled thrashy death metal. With no song longer than 4 ½ minutes, CARNAL FORGE smashes you in the teeth early and often, never letting up the onslaught to your eardrums and your cranium.

If you still aren't sure what to expect, just peruse the song titles: "Deathblow," "Ripped & Torn," "Destroy Life," "My Bloody Rampage," getting the picture yet? CARNAL FORGE doesn't screw around with any sappy, wimpy nonsense. While there's no `theme' per se, the album is clearly about destroying. Everything. Incorporating the now almost standard Swedish twin-guitar attack and hyperspeed, maniacal rhythm section, the FORGE rip and scream through track after track of musical demolition. Opening with "H.B.F. Suicide," then roaring through tracks like the aforementioned "Deathblow," "Ripped & Torn," "Cursed" and "Into Oblivion," CARNAL FORGE is a well-oiled killing machine. Absorb the frenetic staccato riffing at the core of "Deathblow" or the to-die-for riff central to "Ripped & Torn" and you'll understand how other modern thrash bands like THE HAUNTED or DEW-SCENTED would kill to create music this punishing. The dual lead guitar of brothers Jari and Petri Kuusisto comprise the core of CARNAL FORGE'S melodic metal barrage. Brutal riffs, melodic leads, whatever. Crunchy, foolproof metal like this hasn't been seen since the heyday of SLAYER. Vocalist Jonas Kjellgren screams his throat raw, perfectly completing the headbanging fury created by the rest of the band. Co-founder Stefan Westerberg bashes the skins with power and ferocity, and bassist Lars Linden makes damned sure his rumbling bass is in consummate accordance with him. In short, there are no weak links.

While the sheer unoriginality prevents this from being an absolutely unblemished record, anyone looking to add to their thrash collection simply has to own this album. SLAYER has come and gone. AT THE GATES is no more. CARNAL FORGE are the new kings and I don't anticipate them going away anytime soon.
Wagner: The Valkyrie
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • "The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me."
  • Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative
  • Absolutely Breathtaking!
  • A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring.
  • The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible
Wagner: The Valkyrie

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by WagnerAll Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
  2. The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
  3. Wagner: The Rhinegold

ASIN: B00004YU6Z
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Tracks:

  1. Act I: Prld - English Nat Opr Orch/Reginald Goodall
  2. Act I, Scene 1: The Storm Drove Me Here - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  3. Act I, Scene 1: This House And This Wife - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  4. Act I, Scene 1: Evil Fortune's Never Far From Me - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  5. Act I, Scene 2: There He Lay, Feeble And Faint - Margaret Curphey/Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
  6. Act I, Scene 2: Through Field And Forest - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
  7. Act I, Scene 2: Friedmund No One Could Call Me - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
  8. Act I, Scene 2: The Neidings Raided Again - Alberto Remedios
  9. Act I, Scene 2: So The Norn Who Dealt You This Fate - Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  10. Act I, Scene 2: I Know A Troublesome Race - Clifford Grant
  11. Act I, Scene 3: A Sword Was Pledged By My Father - Alberto Remedios
  12. Act I, Scene 3: Are You Awake? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  13. Act I, Scene 3: My Husband's Kinsmen - Margaret Curphey
  14. Act I, Scene 3: Yes, Loveliest Bride - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  15. Act I, Scene 3: Winter Storms Have Vanished (Siegmund's Spring Song) - Alberto Remedios
  16. Act I, Scene 3: You Are The Spring - Margaret Curphey
  17. Act I, Scene 3: Oh Sweetest Enchantment - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  18. Act I, Scene 3: The Stream Has Shown My Reflected Face - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  19. Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund Call Me, And Siegmund Am I! - Alberto Remedios
  20. Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund, The Walsung, Here You See! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey

Tracks:

  1. Act II, Scene 1: Go Bridle Your Horse, Warrior Maid! - Norman Bailey
  2. Act II, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Brunnhilde's Battle Cry) - Rita Hunter
  3. Act II, Scene 1: The Usual Storm, The Usual Strife - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
  4. Act II, Scene 1: Pretend That You Don't Understand! - Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
  5. Act II, Scene 1: Now It's Come To Pass! - Norman Bailey
  6. Act II, Scene 1: So This Is The End Of The Gods And Their Glory - Ann Howard
  7. Act II, Scene 1: You Never Learn What I Would Teach You - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
  8. Act II, Scene 1: What Must I Do? - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
  9. Act II, Scene 1: Hiaha! Hiaha! Hoyotoho! - Rita Hunter/Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
  10. Act II, Scene 2: Fricka Has Won The Fight - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  11. Act II, Scene 2: When Youth's Delightful Pleasures Had Waned - Norman Bailey
  12. Act II, Scene 2: She Refused To Reveal More About It - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
  13. Act II, Scene 2: There's More To Tell - Norman Bailey
  14. Act II, Scene 2: Yet One Can Accomplish What I May Not - Norman Bailey
  15. Act II, Scene 2: But The Walsung, Siegmund - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  16. Act II, Scene 2: Then Siegmund Must Fall In His Fight? - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  17. Act II, Scene 2: I Give You My Blessing, Nibelung Son! - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
  18. Act II, Scene 2: No, Have Mercy - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

  1. Act II, Scene 2: So I Obey His Command - Rita Hunter
  2. Act II, Scene 3: Rest Here For A While; Stay By My Side! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  3. Act II, Scene 3: Away! Away! - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  4. Act II, Scene 3: Where Are You, Siegmund? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
  5. Act II, Scene 4: Siegmund! Look At Me! (Announcement Of Death) - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
  6. Act II, Scene 4: And If I Come - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
  7. Act II, Scene 4: Then Greet For Me Walhall - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
  8. Act II, Scene 4: Woe! Woe! Sister And Bride - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
  9. Act II, Scene 4: Two Lives Now Lie In Your Power - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
  10. Act II, Scene 5: Charms Of Sleep Are Sent To Still - Alberto Remedios
  11. Act II, Scene 5: I Hear Your Call - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
  12. Act II, Scene 5: Wehwalt! Wehwalt! - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

  1. Act III, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Ride Of The Valkyries) - Katie Clark/Anne Evans/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Shelagh Squires/Anne Conoley
  2. Act III, Scene 1: Shield Me And Help - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
  3. Act III, Scene 1: Hear While I Tell You - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
  4. Act III, Scene 1: Pray Suffer No Sorrow For Me - Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne...
  5. Act III, Scene 1: Fly Him Swiftly, Away To The East! - Rita Hunter
  6. Act III, Scene 1: O Radiant Wonder! (Parting Salute) - Margaret Curphey
  7. Act III, Scene 1: Stay, Brunnhild! - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
  8. Act III, Scene 2: Where Is Brunnhild? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
  9. Act III, Scene 2: Weak-Spirited, Womanish Brood! - Norman Bailey
  10. Act III, Scene 2: Here I Am, Father - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  11. Act III, Scene 2: No More Will You Ride From Walhall - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
  12. Act III, Scene 2: Did You Not Hear What I Decreed? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
  13. Act III, Scene 3: Was It So Shameful - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  14. Act III, Scene 3: I Know So Little - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  15. Act III, Scene 3: You, Who This Love Into My Heart Revealed - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  16. Act III, Scene 3: You Indulged Your Love - Norman Bailey
  17. Act III, Scene 3: Unworthy Of You This Foolish Maid - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  18. Act III, Scene 3: You Fathered A Glorious Race - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
  19. Act III, Scene 3: In Long, Deep Sleep - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
  20. Act III, Scene 3: Farewell, My Valiant, Glorious Child! (Wotan's Farewell) - Norman Bailey
  21. Act III, Scene 3: These Eyes So Warm And So Bright - Norman Bailey
  22. Act III, Scene 3: Loge, Hear! Come At My Call! - Norman Bailey
  23. Act III, Scene 3: Magic Fire Music - Norman Bailey

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars "The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me.".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

5 out of 5 stars Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative.......2005-05-03

This is one of three Walkure's in my collection: the very underrated Leinsdorf, the thrilling Boehm and this one with Goodall. I believe Goodall is right up there with the best of them. Remedios, Hunter and Bailey sing beautifully and with sufficient drama. I'll go out on a musical limb and say I believe Bailey is one of the finest Wotan's on disc. Many will disagree but I think he has the measure of the role, the power to pull it off and a burnished timber that never becomes coarse under powerful climaxes... Remedios may well be the star of the trilogy along with Hunter and Bailey. His Siegmund is beautifully sung and his Siegfried by the way, is no mean stint either. Would that we had tenors that could sing Siegfried without sounding stretched beyond their limits. I am continually puzzled by the bad reviews that the orchestra playing receives from ARG, Classics Today and a few others. The ENO is not a Concertgebouw or Vienna Philharmonic but I think they play beautifully, a few clinkers notwithstanding. For a live show, they do a pretty d..... good job. THe sound from both orchestra and singers is exceptionally fine. This set belong in your collection if you like Wagner and, Die Walkure, in particular. If I had been at the performance in the 1970's I would have come home very happy, satisfied and richer for the experience.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely Breathtaking!.......2002-09-13

I had long cringed at the thought of this magnificant masterpiece recorded in English. Even after reading several rave reviews on this cylce that I've read by authoritive Wagnerites and critics, I was still skeptical. Finally, I decided to add Goodall's 'Ring' as my third complete cycle (after Solti & Bohm) for one reason: because it was in English and I felt it would enhance my understand of 'The Ring.' In fact, after achieving that "higher understanding" I was planning on selling this set on Ebay. That was, of course, before I heard this magnificant recording.

During the course of my research on 'The Goodall Ring' most of the praised seemed to heighten around 'Siegfried,' which is my absolute favorite of the cycle. That also helped to seal the deal. As the critics said, 'Siegfried' under Goodall is excellent, but not as monumental as Solti's reading, which IMHO is the greatest recording of 'Siegfried.'

The set that stands out, to me, in 'The Goodall Ring' is this recording; The Valkyrie. It is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is it my favorite of this set, it is my favorite Valkyrie recording period (I am very familiar with Boehm's, Solti's, Karajan's, Furthwanglers, Levines, and others). Alberto Remedios (Siegmund here and Siegfried in the last two operas) is truly magnificant. It is the best Siegmund I have heard on disc (and his Siegfried rivals Windgassen). Coupled with Margaret Curphey (Sieglinde), you get the most beautiful and moving duo I have heard on record. The duet in Act I is simply glorious. You also get the bonus of Norman Bailey's triumphant Wotan (and Wanderer too). He has such command and prescene. He sounds like a God. Throw in Rita Hunter, who holds her own as Brunnhilde, Goodall's miraculous conducting, and excellent playing by the orchestra and it all adds up to a stunning recording.

I can only say that in a way it's a shame this set is in English. Were it not, I believe Goodall's 'Ring' would be one of the most talked about, popular, and sought after complete recordings of the cycle. I can only say that I am so happy that I finally opened up to opera recorded in a different language than written.

I have fallen completely in love with Goodall's entire cycle. And, I have fallen in love with 'The Ring' all over again.

5 out of 5 stars A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring........2001-08-30

This performance of *Die Valkure,* the second and most popular opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle, is musically splendid. Its special significance, however, is that it is sung in English. An English performance of the Ring is perhaps more important than that of any other opera(s), because Wagner's libretti are suffused with his ideas about society, fate, justice, and love. Even if (at times) you need to read along to understand what the singers are saying, *hearing* the lyrics in English is truly stirring in a way that performances in your non-native language cannot match.
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.

5 out of 5 stars The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible.......2001-01-30

I have never been a fan of opera in translation, but I must say that Andrew Porter's rendering of The Ring in English is amazing. He uses modern, not archaic, English, and the word choice is so very earthy and Germanic that the noble yet somewhat severe atmosphere of the Teutonic myths is conveyed perfectly. The sound, in other words, is an elegantly Germanic, and totally appropriate for the music and the Story it tells. It is not true that you can't understand the English anyway, because you can understand if you care to pay any attention at all. The translation is lucid, and so it the marvelous singing that conveys it.

Goodall's sense of music drama is lush, and takes some getting used to after the crash-and-burn Solti set, but after a time or two it seems just right. Goodall is not always slower than the rest, either; for example, the famous Ride of the Valkyries that begins Act III is quicker than Solti's surprisingly slow and heavy account. It is the most exciting that I have heard--and I have heard quite a few--but it is not so fast that the power is lost in favor of urgency.

This is not an urgent Die Walkure, and it is all the better for it. Goodall takes the time to actually tell the story, and is sensitive to the drama's needs over what could be called convention. For example, Wotan's Farewell doesn't thunder out after Brunnhilde's final declamation, like in so many recordings; rather, Goodall's interpretation is more dreamy, mysterious, and appropriately trance-like, in keeping with the action on stage.

I own the complete Solti Ring, but I must say I will be the first in line to get each new installment of this remarakable Ring as soon they hit the shelves. If you are new to Wagner, and are willing to make the plunge into a complete Ring, then start with this one and see if you want to continue. This recording is definitely one of the great Rings, and the superb translation will open up the work in ways that following the libretto just won't. I promise that you won't be able to put this one away easily. Get it!
The More You Suffer
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The More You Suffer
    Carnal Forge
    Manufacturer: Japanese Import
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Death MetalDeath Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
    Thrash & Speed MetalThrash & Speed Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
    RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
    ASIN: B00008J2SF
    Release Date: 2003-03-04

    Tracks:

    1. H.B.F. Suicide
    2. Deathblow
    3. Ripped and Torn
    4. Destroy Life
    5. Cursed
    6. Divine Killing Breed Machine
    7. Deep Rivers of Blood
    8. Breaking Boundaries
    9. Into Oblivion
    10. My Bloody Rampage
    11. Baptized in Fire
    12. Let Me Bleed
    13. Hits You Like a Hammer [*]
    14. Bullet Proof Godmaterial [*]
    More You Suffer
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      More You Suffer

      Manufacturer: Soundholic
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Death MetalDeath Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
      Hard Rock & MetalHard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
      RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B00008444K
      Release Date: 2003-03-04

      Album Description

      Japanese edition of the Swedish death/thrash metal band's fourth album includes two bonus tracks, Hits You Like A Hammer' & 'Bullet Proof Godmaterial'. Century Media. 2003.

      Music Track:

      1. The Secret Kingdom
      2. Time Does Not Heal
      3. Trigger [Enhanced] [EP]
      4. Turn Loose the Swans
      5. Undercovers
      6. Voivod
      7. Volume One
      8. Waiting for the Dawn
      9. When Forever Comes Crashing [Enhanced] [Original recording remastered]
      10. Wild America

      Music Track

      music track

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