Ashes

Ashes

Track Listings

1. Ashes

2. Ashes, Pt. 2

3. Lament (Over the Shadows)

4. Face

5. Luxury of Tears

6. Of the Wound

Tracks:

Laid To Rest
Hourglass
Now You've Got Something To Die For
The Faded Line
Omerta
Blood Of The Scribe
One Gun
Break You
What I've Become
Ashes Of The Wake
Remorse Is For The Dead
Laid To Rest - In Studio Video-Demo

Amazon.com

"Violence begins to mend what was broken." Boy, how he does it. Choosing not to borrow the pinky ring flash of the Underworld and but rather good old fashioned eye for eye justice, singer Randy Blythe croaks savagely though "Omerta." Backed by a healthy dose of lumbering menace, the song is sung as if by vengeance itself. Violence begetting violence is a constant on this album, both in music and word; in both personal trial and world politics. Lamb of God have show their 80's thrash roots on Ashes of the Wake by featuring solos from both Testament and Megadeth. The band plows forward taking from the new, the old, and adding their own stamp--heavy, angry, and political. --Daniel Mahon

Customer Reviews:

pure metal.......2007-07-25

great music, however be careful listening in your car because youll get mad and someone will cut you off and you'll flip them off and as you fly past them you will realize that that was one of your managers at work...

Not too shabby.......2007-07-17

This album is nice with a cup of morning coffee but, remember to check out the earlier work too. Just picked up 'Burn The Preist' as well and it is some serious sh@#!

Sucks...........2007-05-20

I'm not a kid, I'm actually 17. This band does not do anything new or original for the genre of metal. Unless you consider throaty vocals an innovation. Just because Lamb of God is better than most contemporary metal bands, doesn't mean you should praise them. I say metal is dead(along with a plethora of other music genres). There are many great metal bands from the 70s - mid 90s, and I'm sure even the most diehard metalhead has yet to listen to a few. Let metal die, so we can stop misleading future generations of metalheads to listen to worse metal than they could actually be listening to.

Spectacular!.......2007-05-17

Another delicious bit of metal sustenance for you to enjoy. No two Lamb of God albums are alike, they all have its own brutal voice. If this doesn't "light the match, and spark the fire" in your metal loving soul, you are broken and need to move on. Buy it... totally worth it. Cheers!

pretty darn good album, if you ask me. .......2007-05-13

LoG are one of my favorite bands, to be honest. in fact, they're one of the bands that sparked my interest in REAL metal (not that limp bizkit, linkin park nonsense when i was in middle school) as of late. their style has been described as post-thrash and metalcore (thank God that the metalcore side of their music is dying out on this album, because i HATE metalcore!). i'm a big thrash fan, so i found this album pretty appealing.

the guitar riffs all have a thrash background to them. whether willie adler is playing the "vomit riff" in "hourglass" [...]or mark morton is pulling off that crazy solo in the title track, the guitar work is very impressive. the distortion that adler and morton use is very crushing, and will definitely make you want to start a riot, no matter where you are or what volume your audio player is at!

i also have to say that the bass is very well done, too. normally on metal records, the bass is sort of in the background and doesn't have much of a voice at all. good thing LoG turned up the bass, because i love that heavy, wall of sound feeling.

chris adler, the band's drummer, also has some nice drum grooves thrown in. every time he plays a song, i get the feeling that i'm in a warzone because the amount of double-bass he pours on in rapid succession sounds like a machine gun. this goes well with the messages of war imagery portrayed in the lyrics.

and who can forget randy blythe, the band's frontman? his hardcore snarl is harsh, brutal, and simply unforgettable. the lyrics (that i assume he's written) deal much with the current war in iraq, corruption, and social issues. the lyrical themes on this album nearly match up with metallica's on "ride the lightning," from the war and social issue point of view.

if there's one thing that this band is missing out on, it's musical variety. every song is played in drop-d tuning (groan) and the tempos all feel the same. heavy metal needs dirty, overdriven distortion, but this doesn't mean you can't slow a song down or throw in a clean interlude for once.

overall, the album is very well done. it's way better than any of that metalcore garbage that is flooding the markets these days. if you're a thrash fan and maybe looking for something new, this album's for you. cheers and have fun moshing!

Average customer rating:

awesome album
A surprising release
Wow! They came back around!
It just gets better
surprising

Holding a Wolf by the Ears
From Autumn to Ashes
Manufacturer: Vagrant Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Threads of Life
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ASIN: B000NVHWDO
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Deth Kult Social Club
On the Offensive
Recounts and Recollections
Daylight Slaving
Delusions of Grandeur
Sensory Deprivation Adventure
Everything I Need
Underpass Tutorial
Love It of Left It
Travel
A Goat in Sheep's Rosary
Pioneers

Album Description

The music From Autumn to Ashes created on Holding A Wolf By The Ears heralds a new beginning for the New York-based band. "I want to do everything I can to get people to realize that this is really like a new band," says Francis Mark, lead vocalist.

The most recognizable sign of this reinvention is Mark's recent shift from drummer to drummer and full-time vocalist, a result of the departure of former lead singer Benjamin Perri. But over the course of the album's 12 tracks, it becomes clear that for the band, that more has changed than just a voice.

Customer Reviews:

awesome album.......2007-07-31

I've been a fan of this band since their original release years ago. This is not their best stuff, but still very descent. As always there are tons of excellent guitar riffs, with the drums to match. This album is missing those brutal breakdowns From Autumn fans are accustomed to. It is still a very solid album throughout.

A surprising release.......2007-06-06

This record was quite a surprise for me as a more recent fan of From Autumn To Ashes. Indeed, my friend was the one who introduced me to this band with their 2005 release "Abandon Your Friends". I enjoyed this record thoroughly as it had a good blend of soft emo songs as well as brutal and well exectuted metalcore songs. Little did I know that this was not at all the same style of music the band had previously produced.

Therefore, when I listened to this cd I was as eagerly waiting for the beautiful softer songs as well as the metalcore songs. I was quite surprised to find out that there were actually no soft songs to be found on this cd but instead a series of well-written metal songs with melodic choruses. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to find improved metal songs but I was disappointed to not find a single softer track.

The drumming on this release is significantly stronger than on the last album, indeed, more blast beats can be noticed and the fills sound more like what they did on tracks like "The After Dinner payback" which is good to hear. The clean vocals have also improved slightly, although we can still hear that Mark is not fully confident (his voice is still slightly shaky at times). However, I am quite disappointed with Mark's screams. Indeed, the last singer (Ben Perri) performed very strong and confident metalcore vocals while Mark has more of a bark which does get annoying after a while.

From Autumn To Ashes are obviously moving forwards with their metal roots, however I do believe that a change of screaming vocals could be very benefitial for the band.

I would recommend any old fan of the band to definitely get their hands on this new disc, however if people who listened to "Abandon Your Friends" mainly enjoyed the softer songs, I would not recommend this new release.

Pierre Schifflers

Wow! They came back around!.......2007-05-09

Awesome! Spectacular! Magical! But seriously this is a great album. I was a little discouraged from the last release, but this one makes up for it. Good job, FATA

It just gets better.......2007-05-08

For those of you who are FATA fans, and were a little discouraged at the softer edge of Abandon Your Friends, Holding a Wolf By the Ears will knock your socks back off. They took the extreme edge from their earlier work, and made it RAGE! This has to be the a close tie with The Fiction We Live for one of the greatest albums of all time. Trust me, if you are a true fan, this does not disappoint, it makes you smile and remember just why we love FATA!

surprising.......2007-04-26

I'd have to agree with these reviews prior to mine. I'm not happy to say, but i havent been listening to FATA for awhile now. The abandon your friends really put my thoughts about the band down (Though there is a reason if you read up). My buddy put a new cd of FATA in the other day, i had no idea they had come out with a new album. Once i heard it i said "this sounds different", then i realized there was a new vocalist that turned out to be the back-up vocalist from before. The album blew me away, and i really believe this is the way it should've been the whole time. I really never liked Perri(former singer), and if you havent hear them yet definately take a listen. ROCK ON GUYS!

Average customer rating:

Beauty
Not Great, but Very Good!
Still Crystal's Overall Best Album
A PRESCIOUS GIFT FROM GOD!!!!!!
You can tell she really loves Christ

Beauty for Ashes
Crystal Lewis
Manufacturer: Metro One
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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See
Crystal Lewis - Crystal Lewis' Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000005OJ2
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Tracks:

Beauty of the Cross
It's Heaven
People Get Ready...Jesus Is Comin'
Lion and the Lamb
Beauty for Ashes
In Return
God's Been Good to Me - Anne Barbour, John Barbour, Crystal Lewis, Alfie Silas
Seasons Change - Anne Barbour, Crystal Lewis
Over Me
Healing Oil

Amazon.com

If there's such a thing as a contemporary Christian music diva, Crystal Lewis is it. Lewis always tailors her formidable vocals for the task--whether it be for an uptempo groove or for a soft and tender ballad. She shines on Beauty for Ashes, a 1996 release that features uplifting anthems such as "People Get Ready... Jesus Is Comin,'" a number one CCM hit, ballads such as "Lion and the Lamb" and "Seasons Change," and the funky groove of "God's Been Good to Me." "Healing Oil," the release's final track, is a pleasing testimonial that showcases the silken vocals of Lewis over a heavily programmed and keyboard-layered aural backdrop. It is no doubt Lewis's graceful mastering of diversity that explains her garnering a 1998 Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. --Michael Lyttle

Customer Reviews:

Beauty.......2007-07-09

THis was the first Crystal Lewis album I ever bought and I have been in love with her and her voice ever since! She has this r&b flavor in her voice that is amazing. My favorite tracks on this album are "THe Cross", "People Get Ready" and "Seasons Change." Crystal Lewis is definitly still undiscovered talent in my opinion. Every album I've heard deserves a grammy.

Not Great, but Very Good!.......2007-07-03

Of all her albums this would be my third favorite, behind Fearless (up-tempo) and Holy, Holy, Holy (ballards). This album lets you know she's got a very good voice. Holy, lets you know she's got an amazing voice. Good blend of stlyes on this album from up-tempo to ballards. She has a knack for worship songs that are based in scripture.

Still Crystal's Overall Best Album.......2007-04-03

12 years after this was released, Beauty For Ashes sounds as fresh, original and powerful now as it did when we first heard it.

The soulful, rich voice. The great lyrics. The great composing and arrangements. Songs like the title cut, People Get Ready...Jesus is Coming, and God's Been Good To Me still resonate with believers and always will.

Crystal's done many fine songs and record since then, but this is still her best.

A PRESCIOUS GIFT FROM GOD!!!!!!.......2006-03-30

I am not much into listening to female singers but I heard "PEOPLE GET READY" on K-Love and fell absolutely in love with the song so naturally I had to find out who sang it and then buy it.I am so glad I did .The entire cd is awesome.The music is sooooo different and you can tell Crystal is definately filled with Jesus.She has been blessed with an awesome voice with superb lyrics (especially with the versus taken right from the Bible) and music.Crystals voice is very ryhthemy and bluesy.I was overwhelmed on how well she can sustain notes.She's amazing and very gifted.All the songs are great but another one that is better than most is Healing Oil.Give this cd a try it's wonderful and God inspired .It makes you think.

You can tell she really loves Christ.......2004-08-06

Wow, Crystal Lewis did a great job on this cd. You can tell that she really loves The Lord Jesus .
I remeber listening to Healing oil on a human video and really loving the song before I got this cd. People get ready is a really awesome song also. God bless her.

Average customer rating:

Colter
Stunning work from a should-be superstar of American music
Welcome Back, Jessie!
On my best of 2006 list.
Where's Mirriam?

Out of the Ashes
Jessi Colter
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000E6EJ3E
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Tracks:

His Eye Is On The Sparrow
You Can Pick 'Em
Starman
The Phoenix Rises
Out Of The Rain
Velvet & Steel
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
You Took Me By Surprise
So Many Things
The Canyon
Never Got Over You
Please Carry Me Home

Amazon.com

Over 30 years ago, at the dawn of Nashville's Outlaw movement, Jessi Colter, wife of Waylon Jennings, was seemingly poised for her own stardom. Yet as his fame waxed, hers waned--though they frequently toured together before his death in 2002. But here, producer Don Was--ever the genius at reviving creative passion in veteran acts--has totally rejuvenated Colter. One of the songs on Out of the Ashes is a previously unreleased duet with Waylon (and the song's composer Tony Joe White), "Out of the Rain." Yet there's nothing elegiac about this music. Her new songs are taut and never less than compelling, "You Can Pick 'Em," "Starman," "You Took Me by Surprise," and "Velvet and Steel" rock relentlessly. The timeless "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" revisits Colter's gospel roots. Her take on Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" infuses roadhouse blues into the original arrangement. "Please Carry Me Home," featuring its co-composer, son Shooter Jennings, caps what stands as the year's most heartening comeback--one that leaves you wanting more. --Rich Kienzle

Album Description

The Long-Awaited Album From the Belle of "The Outlaws"

Jessi Colter was a major figure in country music in the '70s and early '80s, scoring a number of country and pop hits, including "I'm Not Lisa." She was also a crucial part of the Outlaw Country movement that included husband Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and David Allan Coe. In the mid-'80s, however, she stopped recording and focused on raising her son, Shooter Jennings, and helping him launch his career.

20 years later, Out of the Ashes is her triumphant return to recording. After being encouraged by friend Ben Harper to return to music, she has delivered a deeply personal stellar collection of originals and hand-picked covers that mixes country, blues, gospel, and rock. Producer Don Was (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan), assembled a strong backing band—with Don himself on bass, Colter stalwart Reggie Young on guitar, and a guest appearance by Shooter—to lay Jessi's vision down on tape. As a special bonus, he and Jessi completed an unreleased song from the late '80s that features vocals by Tony Joe White and Waylon Jennings.

Customer Reviews:

Colter.......2007-07-19

Heard Ms Colter on an NPR interview. Sang one or two cuts from this CD and thought I'd try it. They must have been the best because most songs are just OK.

Stunning work from a should-be superstar of American music.......2007-02-04

Listen to the first song on this CD--the venerable hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"--and you'll understand that Jessi Colter is not trying in this CD to revisit the country hits of her early days or cruise to new fame on radio-ready mainstream country singles. She deserves a wide audience, though. She brings to each song on this memorable CD evidence of her dedication to her craft and, more importantly, an ability to convey in song very deep feelings--of loss, doubt, pain, and love. This CD has what great music always has--an authentic voice and a connection to the human heart.

Welcome Back, Jessie!.......2007-01-11

This is such a good album, I've missed Jessie. This one goes in my car to make the road shorter!

On my best of 2006 list........2006-12-11

This cd has held up well all year and has prevailed over strong competition to be on my top ten list for 2006 [close to the top]--- Lots of cowgirl/country/rock lady singers out there--- many of them really good---, but only Rosanne Cash matched or exceeded this wonderful cd. Much thanks go to producer Don Was.

Where's Mirriam?.......2006-10-23

I have not bought this album, but it sounds from the samples as if Jessi is getting back to the same area as "Mirriam" from 1975. If so, then this is good news, and on that basis, I give her new album 5! That album, which does not appear to be available on cd, holds songs of profound humility in the gospel style that can bring you to your knees. I think of "Consider me" in these terms. I can say that I find her work on "Mirriam" to be almost without parallel in terms of emotional and spiritual connection. I am sorry that I have not yet heard the new album in full, but it seemed to me that I needed a platform on which to praise the wonderful "Mirriam" and I just could not wait.

Average customer rating:

The main member always was Michael Dunford.
Ashes are burning
Burned out on "Ashes" and Renaissance?
The Renaissance Masterpiece
The beginning of a creative peak

Ashes Are Burning
Renaissance
Manufacturer: Repertoire
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Prologue
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ASIN: B000006X8V
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

Can You Understand
Let It Grow
On the Frontier
Carpet of the Sun
At the Harbour
Ashes Are Burning

Album Details

Probably One of the Best and First Fully Formed Album, Mixing Russian, French, and Indian Influences in Musical Settings that Are Both Lively and Elegant. Features Andy Powell on Title Track. Now Available on CD for the First Time.

Customer Reviews:

The main member always was Michael Dunford........2007-06-05

I have been reading several reviews, several, several, and the motto has been always the same, "The spectacular Haslam's voice, the spectacular Haslam's voice" again and again and again, hey, you all, pay attention please; Ok her voice is the first impact and the trade mark of this band, and I love her voice too, but everybody has been forgotten that Michael Dunford always composed all the songs, virtually all the songs since the first time, and mainly on this album where he composed all the songs, simply the entire album, he was the genius of the band, "he was the Renaissance soul". You can replace eventually a singer, a bassist, but try to replace the genius composer, try to replace Michael Dunford here in this case and for sure Renaissance wouldn't have existed. Only later John Camp started to contribute and share the compositional task with Dunford, but Dunford kept himself as the main composer untill the end. Remember Annie has never composed anything. I repeat, I love Annie Haslam's voice it is superbly beautiful but you all have forgotten the real hero here. This album in my opinion it doesn't have only one weak moment, or a weak composition, it is perfect and the best Renaissance work, and don't forget John Tout's unbelievable piano playing ability he is a real piano genius, all the group was on their peak, superb work, "Ashes are burning" is the best song, but you can recognize that is a masterpiece since the first piano notes of the "Can you understand". Simply perfect. Moving, Essential to all progressive rock fans.

Ashes are burning.......2007-05-08

I knew this album. Particularly I liked very much their music. I do recommend this album.

Burned out on "Ashes" and Renaissance?.......2007-02-21

I was happy to see that the music from Renaissance is still being printed. I was a fan of the band when this album came out, saw them once in concert, and loved the haunting melodies, vocals, and bass lines. Listening to the album now, however, it definitely sounds dated and somewhat predictable. Haslam's voice is still wonderful to listen to and the title track is the best. I would probably recommend Novella over this work if you wanted to purchase only one album.

The Renaissance Masterpiece .......2006-07-20

1973's "Ashes Are Burning" is the fourth Renaissance album, which saw the band say goodbye to guitarist Rob Hendry and a hearty hello to guitarist/songwriter Michael Dunford. "Ashes Are Burning" is also the band's masterpiece, with stunningly superb songs & performances from beginning to end. It's just an incredible listening experience. All six songs on "Ashes" are musical works of art in their own right. The nearly 10-minute "Can You Understand" sees Renaissance thundering in like a powerful storm, before the thunder gives way to the calm and beauty of Annie Haslam's voice and the lovely accompanyment by the band. Then they go thundering out again at the end. It's brilliant! The next four pieces, "Let It Grow," "On The Frontier," "Carpet Of The Sun," and "At The Harbor" are simply gorgeous numbers. But the band save the best for last---the title track, which is 11 1/2 minutes of astounding, passionate classical/rock (with a thrilling, jamming instrumental bridge and powerful conclusion, too). It is without question the Renaissance signature song, the number they always concluded their concerts with, and rightfully so. Absolutely phenomenal work from the whole band---Annie Haslam's astonishing five-octave voice, and the equally astonishng playing of guitarist Michael Dunford, bassist Jon Camp, keyboardist John Tout, and drummer Terry Sullivan. "Ashes Are Burning" is a sensational album from a sensational group. Buy it now!

The beginning of a creative peak.......2006-06-05

This 1973 album marks the beginning of the bands signature sound and a four album period that shows them at a creative peak. The lineup on this album included lead vocalist Annie Haslam, John Camp (Rickenbacker 4001 bass and vocals), John Tout (acoustic piano, harpsichord, organ, moog synthesizer, and vocals), Michael Dunford (acoustic guitar), and Terence Sullivan (drums/percussion and vocals). Of the musicians, Annie Haslam's soaring soprano, John Tout's delicate acoustic piano playing, and John Camp's aggressive and trebly Rickenbacker bass sound really make this album work for me. Some people have complained about Michael Dunford's approach to the guitar but I actually like his folky strumming on the acoustic - it works well with the material. In addition to the core musicians, guest Andy Powell plays electric guitar on Ashes are Burning, and various pieces of an orchestra are featured here and there.

The six tracks on the album range in length from 3'34" to 11'24" (with most in the 3-7 minute range) and feature haunting melodies and soft acoustic textures, with some heavy bass playing. In general the overall style is that of progressive rock, with a great deal of English folk influences and European classical. In fact, there are a number of classical sounding melodies scattered throughout the album that sound awfully familiar - I am sure that if I took out some recordings by (for example) Debussy or Prokofiev, I would probably unravel the mystery. My favorite tracks include the proggy Ashes are Burning with it's churchy organ work and Can you Understand? although the rest of material is pretty strong.

This album is strongly recommended to prog fans that do not mind a lot of classical and folk mixed in with their prog rock. Other great albums include Turn of the Cards (1974); Scheherazade and other Stories (1975); and Novella (1977).

Average customer rating:

YES
6th on my best of 2006 list
"Black as our citadels burned against the sky"
agalloch rules
Explosions in the Sky above the Swamp of Sadness

Ashes Against the Grain
Agalloch
Manufacturer: The End Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2006-08-15

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Customer Reviews:

YES.......2007-03-23

To my ears, this sounds very, very different from _The Mantle_. All the hallmarks are in there somewhere- eerie acoustic passages, scorched, bitter vocals that evoke terrible sadness, loss and underlying anger, hypnotic and unique clean vocals, epic, insanely twisting song structures. But _Ashes_ has something else entirely. It is RIFFTASTIC. The driving, mounting figures that underpin the first two tracks make you want to grab your sword and storm some enemy citadel, emerging victorious amidst a snow lined landscape, blood in your eyes and triumph in your heart. And the most incredible thing is, this is about as far from some cheesy power metal album as you can get, and still stay in metal. (And those who appreciate this kind of thing will realise that is pretty far.)
So, expect an incredible opus from Agalloch- this is something I've never really come across before, mixing the raw atmosphere and spiteful rage of black metal, the haunting acoustic folk passages of something like Opeth, but in a completely idiosyncratic style, the monstrous, building dynamics of Isis or Pelican, and the power and drive native to heavy metal in the first place. Scorched, eerie, epic and powerful then, and so wonderfully executed and conceived that it avoids cliche, exudes atmopshere and retains an insular, sorrowful quality,like this album was written and recorded just for you.

Wonderful.

6th on my best of 2006 list.......2007-03-16

It has been a few years since Agalloch released "The Mantle". And I was very excited when I heard about this release. Just when everyone was expecting another pagan folk metal release similar to "The Mantle", this new album is a surprise. "Ashes Against the Grain" has a much greater "black metal" sensibility about it; fewer acoustic passages, and yet loses
none of the intellectual intensity that this band is famous for.

I have seen many references to Opeth in other reviews of this band. I personally feel however, that if I were to compare this album to anyone, I would have to say that there are more similar to early Ulver. A particular example is "Bergtatt", Ulver's monumental first album, where the melancholic intensity was presented with epic leads and ambient droning rhythm guitars. To my mind, this album in particular shares many attributes found in that black metal stalwart, just slowed down a bit, and presented in more of a "doom" format. No one could call either album all that technical, or particularly complex. Not a problem, since the songwriting here is so solid, and the musical themes are so well constructed. Since I consider "Bergtatt" one of the greatest metal albums ever, I am hoping that the members of Agalloch will not mind the comparison.

The production is lovely, with all instruments and vocals blended but not muddy in the least. The vocals are a mix of clean and a unique black metal style that is somewhere between a rasp and a whisper. The instrumentation incorporates majestic doom, but with stunning melodic lead guitar passages that sail over mid paced ambient rhythm.

The melodic nature of this album makes it a prime candidate for initiating the non-metal music fan into the "black" and "doom" styles. Every song has something that could be defined as catchy and accessible, with perhaps the exception of the one short ambient track and the "noise" track at the end. The recent trend toward including "noise" tracks on metal albums has become a little bit overused lately, but at least the one on this album is fairly well done and not overly long.

This band evokes an overall feeling of sorrow that is quite appropriate to the rainy and grey climate that is the northwestern U.S. Forget the coffee however, there is not a blast beat to be found anywhere. Despite the slower pace of the songs, this album seems to be over way to soon, and I always find myself running through it twice in a sitting. This band just continues to improve with every release, and this album is my favorite from them so far.

"Black as our citadels burned against the sky".......2007-02-14

There are three other albums that are brought to mind when I listen to Agalloch's most recent epic creation: "Ferment"--Catherine Wheel, "Discouraged Ones"--Katatonia, and "Oceanic"--Isis. The huge guitar sound present on "Ferment" is replicated here with guitar wash and monstrous reverberation. The mood and mesmerizing tone of "Discouraged Ones" is present everywhere with dark depression echoing within every hypnotic chord. The aggressive attitude of "Oceanic" and its grand expanse of enthralling soundscapes, and limited use of vocals, is also incorporated throughout the course of the album. Fans of any one of the three aforementioned albums should consider "Ashes Against the Grain" an easy purchase to make. The vocals on this album are sparse, ranging from Death/Black Metal guttural snarls to clean vox. There is extreme depth within the songwriting here, the arrangements and emotional tone all thoughtfully crafted with intelligence and care. Beautiful.

agalloch rules.......2007-01-17

i think this a great album a whole lot better then opeth or ULVER.

Explosions in the Sky above the Swamp of Sadness.......2007-01-17

An American metal band influenced by heavy European guitar music that doesn't sound like Iron Maiden or In Flames? With a "Loveless"-inspired album cover? Fascinating, Mr. Spock might say of Agalloch and their new record.

The sound is like Explosions in the Sky engaging in a (perhaps one-sided) battle with Celtic Frost in the parking lot of a cathedral. A reverse-delayed guitar aria begins "Limbs"-- skin crawls from the chilly reverberation of a war horn blown through a mountain range. The song swan-dives into a roiling sea of distorted guitar, piano-cum-acoustic-strumming, and even an evanescent "Something in the Way"-toned break featuring naught but a lone acoustic guitar with dead strings. Neverending blizzards of harmonic-stew guitar crunch bury the ears on "Falling Snow," combined with growl vocals that add rather than detract from the atmosphere of the track. Chorused guitar breaks provide pivot points for the song, and further texturize Agalloch's raucous, mind-bending distortion-fueled trance music.

No, not THAT kind of trance. The good kind. Mesmerization through the paradoxically warm earthiness of screaming guitar amplifiers humming and droning. It's probably the feeling you get in your gut standing under exposed powerlines at night for over an hour, gazing at your shoes.

The "Our Fortress is Burning..." suite gains more yardage into Explosions in the Sky/Godspeed! You Black Emperor's territory, treading out slowcore, post-rock guitar. But everything is sped up: the climactic build-ups crescendo or expire/regroup with the speed of a mutating viral infection, and the guitars don't stay shimmering clean for long. Agalloch's apocalypse came by disease rather than by war-born radiation.

In a very good way, this record is all over the place. There's enough grooves to satisfy, almost enough grit to require goggles in addition to headphones, but the record is balanced with a great sense of melody/harmony (and the top notch production that such things demand). Though anchored in melody, it's hard to know what to expect from one moment to the next-- ever the mark of a great record-- making a listen-through of "Ashes Against the Grain" an absolute experience.

Average customer rating:

One of the best bands out there!!!
Into Eternity is the greatest band in my opinion
Fan-Freakin-Tastic!
The music speaks for itself
Chuck Schuldiner Would Have Been Proud!!!!

Scattering of Ashes
Into Eternity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Buried in Oblivion
With Oden on Our Side
Dead Or Dreaming
Fiction
Pitch Black Progress

ASIN: B000HCPSSU
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

Novus Inceptum
Severe Emotional Distress
Nothing
Timeless Winter
Out
Past Beyond Memory
Surrounded by Night
Eternal
Pain Through Breathing
Suspension of Disbelief
Paralyzed

Customer Reviews:

One of the best bands out there!!!.......2007-03-31

I would have to say that out of the countless bands i have heard over the past few years Into Eternity is one of the best and has one solid album here!! I think they have something a lot of bands do not have and the one cool thing about them is Tim Roth seems to give a real crud about his fans as he does guitar videos on his website to show you how you can break down his guitar riffs and that to me as a guitarist is so helpful (ive learned some of their songs this way) and this shows how he is not afraid to be the nicest guy and actually take that kind of time to be close and original to his fans.you just never see that these days. And the rest of this band has so much talent, Stu can scream like halford growl too and has a high vocal range and it makes them sound interesting. Plus jims drum work, how can anyone say this dude isnt one of the better drummers, he is so tight but can slow it down and tempo change very well. This album plain rocks, It should be known as these guys were on Gigantour and rocked there too. Be cool if them and annihilator went on tour. I have become very fond of them and hope they stick around and keep making great albums in a world overflowing with the same ole un-original bands that all sound the same!!

Into Eternity is the greatest band in my opinion.......2007-03-30

I'm going to keep this review very brief. Usually when a band changes lineup, it can be expected that the band will change, but it may be a very slight change or a very dramatic change. With the new Troy Bleich on bass, and the new Stu Block on vocals, they have managed to retain the great sound that into eternity has delivered us on their previous 3 albums. The two masterminds Tim Roth (Vocals+ Lead Gutair) and Jim Austin (Drums) prove again that they seriously OWN, and are very successfull at creating appealing heavy music. I do say that Jim Austin is one of my favorite drummers out there in the music industry and I play the drums myself, so I look up to him.

The album is very good, and is full energy, pleasing melodies, a very wide array of vocal tonalities, fast and very good drumming, and gutiar work that is out of this world. Like The previous albums, This bands works consist of a very wide range of sounds both vocally and insrumental. Stu block has added a few more vocal sounds not seen in the previous albums, but for the most part, he works out very well with the band.

Basically this album is great, while in my opinion not as good as the first 3, but still deserves excellence and 5 stars. If you want a blend of death metal, melodic progressive metal, and music that shows tonality extremes in both instrumental and vocal forms, go get this album. Also check out their first 3

1.) The Debut album which most people do not know about. Theres more singing on this album too which to me is awesome. I discovered this band years ago, and i was introduced to their first works right when dead or dreaming made its debut. If you want the debut album go to this website and take a listen of 2 of the songs. http://www.dvsrecords.com/samples.htm

the album is DVS002

This is the website of their first record label, and i think its the only place you can find their debut album, sop check it out. Tim Roth (Lead Vocals, Guitar) Chris McDougall (Keyboards) Jim Austin Drums, Vocals, Scott Krall (Bass, Vocals) Daniel Nargang ( Guitar)

2.) Dead or dreaming. Another great Album. Daneil Nargang (Lead/BACking Vocals, Guitar) Jim Austin (Drums, Death Vocals), TIm Roth ( Lead/BAcking vocals, Guitar) Scott Krall (bass, backing vocals)

3.) another masterpiece, Buried In Oblivion. Jim Austin (Drums and backing vocals ) Scott Krall (Bass and backing vocals ) Rob Doherty (guitar and death vocals) tim Roth Clean/DEATH VOCALS AND guitar, and Chris Krall(clean and death vocals.)

Get all of these albums now. you only have one life to live, which means only one lifetime to fill your ears with appealing sounds.

=)

Fan-Freakin-Tastic!.......2007-03-28

This is the first release of Into Eternity I have heard (and purchased the next day). They are easily one of the best metal bands to come out in years. I must agree with many of the reviews that say the drum production is a bit off, but the drum work itself is fantastic. Tim is easily one of the best guitarists out there, but Stu is what completes the overall sound. I am a HUGE Halford (THE Metal God) fan so that may color my opinion of Stu. Stu's power metal screams rival Halford's at that age.

The music is fan-freakin-tastic to be sure, the only complaint I have is that the song lyrics could be more meaningful. Stu makes you want them to be more meaningful because the gut punch you get listening to him. The only way they will ever get to the point of being a true Metal Monster is to up the ante on their lyrics. I love the words, they just need to put them together more coherently.

The music speaks for itself.......2007-02-27

Take the best of black metal, the best of death metal, the best of power metal, mash it all together with a touch of progression and you get an artful blend of aggression and melody that is Into Eternity's "The Scattering of Ashes." A solid chunk of music that builds on the foundation of what is their own sound. From start to finish, this album never stops to give the listener a chance to comprehend what their ears have experienced.

The only negative thing about the album is the design and layout. It is unoriginal and boring for such a catchy and original piece of music.

Into Eternity has created a work of art that has put them in a league all their own. A must for one searching for music we all know and love in a whole new way.

Chuck Schuldiner Would Have Been Proud!!!!.......2007-02-10

One of my favorite new bands whose entire discography (which I own) parallels the greatest achievements in classical music in excellence, have managed to resurrect both Death and Metallica from their respective graves (although both were dead on a different level). In fact, with "SOTE" IE deserves that "new Death" moniker, so richly bestowed upon them almost unanimously by critics everywhere, not only in metal...In a lot of respects as sensational as Mastodon, though not nearly as original or groundbreaking. The key to IE's brilliance is not so much in originality, for granted we have all heard it before, but at the proficiency with which they marry seemingly disparate styles of metal and music in general while NEVER sacrificing an ounce of brutality. Though highly melodic, last year's offering of IE is both their most crushingly savage and most creative to date. One of the best and the strongest bands in metal today, a proof that metal is still far from its decline...My personal number 4 on 2006 metal's finest, beats even Scar Symmetry (though by a narrow margin)...

Average customer rating:

This was My first classic CD, please make it one of yours.
Outstanding work!
Musical storytelling at its finest
One of the best albums ever made!
Unfortunately Mediocrity

Ashes to Ashes
Joe Sample
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Spellbound
Invitation
Old Places, Old Faces
Carmel
Sample This

ASIN: B000002LMO
Release Date: 1990-10-05

Tracks:

Ashes To Ashes
The Road Less Traveled
Mother's Eyes
Last Child
Born In Trouble
Strike Two
I'll Love You
Born To Be Bad
Phoenix

Customer Reviews:

This was My first classic CD, please make it one of yours........2006-03-10

There are not many words that can tell what this album means to me. This album was a milestone in my life, thats how good it is. I bought this album in 1991, while I was in college. I have been a Jazz music lover since the age of 6 or 7. At the time I was not aware that Joe Sample was a part of the group, The Crusaders. At the time I was experimenting with new artists in an effort to broaden my collection and come across some new groups. See, trial and error was the best way to find out about stuff that your peers were not versed in. Keep in mind this was the pre-internet years. I will admit, I chose to buy the album because of the art on the album cover, other than that there was not much to go on because this name was new. But I will say, that was a gamble that paid off. From the first time I listened to that album, I was amazed. I could not believe that an album could have so many songs that were consuming. Out of the 9 songs on this album, I found myself mentally caught up in the Piano (the instrument that JS plays)on 7 of those songs, the other two songs were just plain fun. This album is the best album by a Jazz pianist I have ever heard. And ever since 1991, I have been telling everyone that can hear, Joe Sample and Ashes to Ashes is the best.

Outstanding work!.......2005-08-22

Joe Sample is a master to his own. His inspiration motives are always enrooted in the joy of living; that's why his interpretative freshness and constant innovation. As he states in the inner pages of the album: "In the ashes of the endangered species, the only way out is rebirth."
All the CD is mesmerizing. With special emphasis on the tracks: Ashes to ashes, The road less traveled, the dreamy Phoenix and obviously the exquisite I 'll love you.
A must in your personal collection.

Musical storytelling at its finest.......2005-03-05

Joe Sample is a one of a kind storyteller. His albums
are built on a theme to which he weaves a tapestry of
beautiful melodies to soothe, inspire, and take you away.
Regardless of some opinions, this is not bland smooth
jazz. At the core of his collection you still hear the
Crusaders' sound: the funk, soul, rhythm and blues of
Joe's Texas roots. The earthy grooves are still there.

Though this album is a smoother confection of his
academy, you can get a earthier version of Joe from
"The Pecan Tree", a introspective pared down (trio)
version in "Old Places, Old Faces", full strings and
orchestra on "Invitation", and of course the vocal
collaboration of the still top selling "The Song Lives
On" with Lalah Hathaway, where Joe proves just how
wonderfully lyrical his piano melodies really are.

Joe remains my favorite contemporary pianist, and I
am a music teacher and pianist myself. I look forward
to the day I can see him in concert!

One of the best albums ever made!.......2004-10-30

This is the album that turned me on to Joe Sample. The 2 opening tracks set the mood for the album which continues through the last track. Joe Sample is one of those artists who can really convey his heart and feelings in songs, even though they are instrumentals.

Is it jazz? I'm not sure what to call it. Why do we have to classify music? To me the music on this album has a Soul/Quiet Storm/Jazz feel. I mostly listen to Quiet Storm, Soul, Smooth Jazz & some Oldies. This album fits very well in my collection.

Depending upon the day, this album alternates as my #1 favorite album of all time with others like "Do You Love Me" Jonathan Butler; "Another Sun" Yutaka; "20/20" George Benson, "Posh" Patrice Rushen, "With A Lot Of Soul" Temptations & "Floy Joy" Supremes (no I'm not kidding on the last one!)

Anyway, put it on & relax!

Unfortunately Mediocrity.......2004-06-17

Yes, I said it. I found this album to be mediocre. Joe Sample is reknowned for his style, composition, and music to relax, move, or whatever his music leads the listener to do. But for some odd reason, this is an album that lack spirit. It seems to fall flat for some unknown reason. It's something that I can't seem to get into, to this day. It's not like how I feel about Norah Jones (soporific unless you hear it on a rainy day), I cannot get into this album, even after the years in which I had it. It has it's moments every now and then ("Phoenix" is one track that I listen to quite often) but for the most part it misses the soul the Sample is known best for.

Average customer rating:

Dokken & Norum rock!
Don Dokken-The greatest!
Well...
Another great DOKKEN album
As good as (and, in some cases, SURPASSES) Dokken

Up From the Ashes
Don Dokken
Manufacturer: Geffen Gold Line Sp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Back for the Attack
Breaking the Chains
Under Lock and Key
Tooth and Nail
Erase the Slate

ASIN: B000000OZR
Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

Crash 'N Burn
1000 Miles Away
When Some Nights
Forever
Living A Lie
When Love Finds A Fool
Give It Up
Mirror Mirror
Stay
Down In Flames
The Hunger

Customer Reviews:

Dokken & Norum rock!.......2006-11-12

Every single song on this CD is excellent....how can you go wrong with Don Dokken's awesome vocals and John Norum's unbelievable guitar playing?! Excellent lyrics to the songs and just all around great music!

Don Dokken-The greatest!.......2006-07-21

This is the best solo effort that I have ever seen. This album reminds me of Dokken through and through, cachy choruses, shreading guitar solos, I mean what more can you ask for. If you remember Dokken in the 80's when they where at their best then you will totally love this album and for under 7.00 bucks what more could you ask for! This is definatly one of my top 5 cd's.

Well..........2006-07-15

I pause because I can't give this an affirmative "five stars" simply because the choruses are not really that accessible. The choruses are quite subdued, leaving a lesser opportunity for the tunes to be radio friendly. Still, the first four tracks are really pretty good from both an instrumental and a lyrical standpoint. The production level is awesome, too, which helps the overall sound a lot. There are no tracks like "Into the Fire" or "Dream Warriors" on here. Those are what we would call radio friendly tunes and it is quite ironic because even though both Don and George had ego clashes, which really was the nemesis of the bands breakup, they were both moving away from really commercial sounding records. Further, both found that success eluded them when on their own. This is a pretty good CD, though.

Another great DOKKEN album.......2006-02-09

Even though this is under the name Don Dokken I consider this a Dokken album. A melodic metal album with great guitar and vocals. Don put togethor a supergroup for this album with members of Europe, Accecpt and Motorhead. I actually consider Billy White better than John Norum! Billy isn't quite as good as Lynch but there are only a few guys in the history of rock music that were/are. Any way the added guitar harmonies are great and the solos are amazing. Don even plays some guitar on this album...something he hadn't done since Breaking The Chains. This is a great album and could have been under the name Dokken.

1.Crash 'N' Burn- 9/10 A great melodic song. The soft intro is great and it leads into an awesome fast melodic rocker. Don's vocals are very strong too. An excellent guitar solo by Billy White too. A great opener

2.1000 Miles Away- 10/10 Another great melodic song. Don Dokken's vocals and lyrics are very strong and the guitar part is excellent. Another great guitar solo too.

3.When Some Nights- 8/10 A good melodic song. The riff is good and Don's vocals are good aswell. A great guitar solo with some excellent harmonies.

4.Forever- 10/10 Another classic song. This sounds like classic Dokken. Don's vocals are great and so is the guitar riff. Another great harmony guitar solo by Billy White and John Norum. This song is also very melodic like the others.

5.Living a Lie- 9/10 A good poppy song. The riff is good and so is the chorus. More strong vocals from Don Dokken too. A great guitar solo too.

6.When Love Finds a Fool- 10/10 A great ballad. The music is beautiful and Don's voice is excellent. The chorus is great and the guitar sound is very good. Billy White's guitar solo is amazing and good enough to be one of Lynch's guitar solos. One of the best power ballads ever!

7.Give It Up- 10/10 Another great melodic song. The riff is great and the drum sound is excellent. Don's vocals are great as always and the chorus is good too. The shredding solo is great and sounds a lot like Lynch! Another classic.

8.Mirror Mirror- 10/10 Another classic! Don's vocals are excellent and the riff is great. The chorus is great too! Don's only "solo" hit and one of the best songs on the album. Great solos by Billy white and John Norum too! This has that classic Dokken sound.

9.Stay- 10/10 A great song that was going to be on the next Dokken album. This was written with Mick brown and the drums are great. The riff is great and Don's vocals are excellent. The chorus is great too. Another great guitar solo by Billy White.

10.Down in Flames- 10/10 A great intro which some excellent harmonies. A huge sound on this song too. Don's voice is excellent as always too. The riff is great too. A great chorus too. This sounds like it could have been on Under Lock And Key. Another great solo too. One of my favorites on the album.

11.The Hunger A great fast paced song with a good riff and excellent vocals. The chorus is excellent too. This sounds like classic Dokken too. The bridge is great and is my favorite part of the song. 2 amazing fast and melodic solos. These are solos that are up to George Lynch's standards!! A classic and my favorite song on the album!

The album is a must have for any dokken fans or melodic metal fans. This is more mellow than the past Dokken albums but still sounds like classic Dokken. Nothing really left to say execpt that this is a masterpeice!

Don Dokken- Lead Vocals, Guitar
Billy White- Lead Guitar
John Norum- Lead Guitar, Vocals
Mickey Dee- Drums, Percussion
Peter Baltes, Bass, Vocals

As good as (and, in some cases, SURPASSES) Dokken.......2005-12-12

I am a longtime Dokken fan, and I was heartbroken when they disbanded in 1988-9 when Don and George just could not work out a reconciliation.

When this was first released, I admit I wondered how Don would do as a solo artist. This is quite a band assembled here - guitarist John Norum from Europe (careful observers will note that John Norum teamed up with Don Dokken again on the Dokken CD LONG WAY HOME), bassist Peter Baltes from Accept, drummer Mikkey Dee (a stint with King Diamond) and a great guitarist named Billy White. LOADS of talent here. This release totally exceeded my expectations - an all-around great release with no "fillers".

This CD kicks off with Crash 'N' Burn - one of my favorite songs of all time. A fast-paced song with a fantastic guitar solo. I'd rate this one a 10 - Don's vocals are great, and Dee / Baltes make for a fine rhythm section.

I love Don's vocals on 1000 Miles Away and When Love Finds a Fool. The latter features a sad-sounding acoutstic intro, and these songs touch upon the familiar Dokken-esque theme of being wronged by the ol' femme-fatale. Almost like "Alone Again" from TOOTH AND NAIL. Don Dokken can sing and croon with the best of rock's vocalists. "Stay" and "Down In Flames" are lyrically similar to the femme-fatale but those songs are more pop-metal than power ballads - cool stuff.

"Give It Up" is a song similar in theme to "Will The Sun Rise" from UNDER LOCK AND KEY. Kind of the same anti-war lyrics in each track. "Mirror Mirror" was a single released from this - that mid-tempo rocker is probably the most commercial friendly song from this recording.

I LOVE Peter Baltes' bass playing on "Forever" and "When Love Finds a Fool". And the song "The Hunger" is just an all-out rocker (as is Crash N Burn) with some great drumming exhibited. I think Ken Mary is actually the drumer for that last track - listen to his work on CD's released by Gregg Guiffria's band HOUSE OF LORDS - that is some excellent skin-bashing too.

This release stands up to probably EVERYTHING Dokken recorded. For only $7, just buy it new. It's got something for everyone and is one of my favorites.

Average customer rating:

Through the Ashes of Empires
Old school thrash metal meets Nu-Metal's power riff sound
Amazing album, one of the best of '04
Through the Ashes of Empires
A Return to Not Returning to Their Roots

Through the Ashes of Empires
Machine Head
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Burn My Eyes
The More Things Change
The Blackening
Burning Red
Supercharger

ASIN: B0000D96NW
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Tracks:

Imperium
Bite the Bullet
Left Unfinished
Elegy
In the Presence of My Enemies
Days Turn Blue to Gray
Vim
Seasons Wither
All Falls Down
Wipe the Tears
Descend the Shades of Night

Album Description

Not only is Through The Ashes Of Empires huge sonically, but the music possesses a fierceness and power that rivals those seminal early albums. By all measures, the results are ferocious. And once again, leave it to the pen of Robert Flynn to scrawl some of the most emotionally intense lyrics in all of metal. While songs like "In The Presence Of My Enemies" and "Imperium" relay all the anger we've come to expect from Machine Head, "Left Unfinished" finds Flynn at his most personal and exposed, as he comes to terms with his deepest unresolved issues about his adoption as a child, and the feelings of abandonment that emerged from that. For this band, a new empire is rising.

Album Details

Include the Video to "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" and Footage that was Filmed During the Recording of the Album as an Enhancement.

Customer Reviews:

Through the Ashes of Empires.......2007-01-04

I think this is the best Machine Head album in a long long time. Maybe The More Things Change is their most known album but this one is almost that great. It has their -good- new sound. Powerfull without the Nu Metal Supercharge style.

Old school thrash metal meets Nu-Metal's power riff sound.......2006-04-29

More than a review(cause u dont need a review of this one, just hear it)I will like to say to the young ones that this was what the old school metal used to lack of, the FAT guitars, the round body, and this album has it, thats what makes it so incredible for me, sth I was wanting a long time ago, fat sound with speed and double bass thrashy riffs, and why does this album sounds so old school missed thrash metal? easy!, the prescence of Rob Flynn's VIO-LENCE guitar mate, Phil Demmel, I love Vio-lence and having both in the same band reminds me of what it was back in the day... unbeatable!

Amazing album, one of the best of '04.......2006-02-20

I liked this album on the first listen, the first 3 tracks blew me away, but it took me a while to get into the rest, but I find that always happens with really good CDs.

The musicianship, songwriting and lyrics on this album are simply top notch. This is what professional musicians should be making, real music!

From the epic opener 'Imperium' all the way through to 'Descend the Shades of Night' Machinehead show you how to make crushing, melodic, inspirational metal!

These guys absolutely rocked me live (my ears were ringing for 3 days!)

Get this CD, you will not regret it!

Note: If you can get the special edition with the bonus track 'Seasons Wither' on it, then do so - that track alone is worth the price of a CD!

Through the Ashes of Empires .......2005-12-17

More than anything, the main reason I enjoy this album is because of the powerful messages in each of the songs: "don't give in, don't give up", "I will fight for those I love, I will fight for those I care" are just a few of the awesome lines you will discover. I just cannot get enough of it. I listen to this c.d. every time I have a bad day for strength, or on normal days just for inspiration. No other metal album I own can do that for me.

Besides the powerful song writing, this album is heavy, really heavy. Simply put, the kind of heaviness that makes you clench your fist, grit your teeth, and nod your head slowly, kind of heaviness. The sonic guitar solo's on songs like "Vim" and "Seasons Whither" are incredible. The drumming in every song is so precise and distinctive, you can hear spaces between drum beats, which adds to the heavy sound I mentioned earlier.

Although I do not own any other Machine Head albums, I can assure you that negative comparisons with their previous albums ultimately cannot take away from the excellence of Through the Ashes of Empires, one of the mightiest metal albums ever created by a group of artists, music and lyrics.

A Return to Not Returning to Their Roots.......2005-12-02

Let's be clear: unless you're a moron, you won't believe that this is a return to Machine Head's roots. If it was, it'd be another 'Burn My Eyes,' and this album isn't even close to that.

In reality, this album is merely another direction shift for Machine Head. One can think of it as adding a progressive touch to their two previous albums (mostly due to increased average song length.) Yes, the guitars are less nu-metal sounding and there is more double bass drumming also, but the majority of the album is still hardcore nu-metal.

Unfortunately, it's debatable whether or not this direction shift is really better than Machine Head's original nu-metal position. For all the flak the band has taken for 'The Burning Red,' it nonetheless produced interesting, memorable songs even if they lacked the depth that the older ones had. Now, Machine Head doesn't even have memorability left in their songs; any trace of interest is lost somewhere in the myriad of notes played in their now longer songs.

Part of what also makes these songs more boring (and why it's not at all like 'Burn my Eyes') is because it lacks the subtle change from passive to aggressive. 'I'm Your God Now' and 'None But My Own,' for instance, were songs that started out quietly melodic and then would gradually build up to an effective aggression that would climax towards the end. None of that subtlety exists on any of the songs here, however.

As for vocalist Robb Flynn, he's long since lost his vocal flair. Since 'The Burning Red,' his voice has turned increasingly hoarser and he has to rely more on screaming, and it is only a further reminder that the more talented vocals of the old days are long gone.

The good things I will say of this album are: the song 'All Falls Down,' which is by far the best. Additionally, most of the other songs, while not great, are at least ok ('Descent the Shades' is one exception.)

In sum, longer songs detract from their memorability, the subtlety that 'Burn my Eyes' had from melodic to agressive is absent, the vocals have noticeably worsened over time, and the music still has too many nu metal traces in it. While there are redeeming elements in this album, it is far from their best work and certainly far from what made Machine Head debut as a premier 80s-styled thrash band.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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