Demonic

Demonic

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In the late '80s, Testament was one of the pioneers of California's Bay area thrash metal scene, but over the years the band mellowed a bit, and its two early-'90s records for Atlantic were well-crafted, but less than bombastic. Apparently, Testament aimed to make amends with Demonic, a furious album that blends the band's trademark hooks with ferocious death metal intensity. The only weak link is vocalist Chuck Billy, who has seems to have traded his melodic voice to the devil in exchange for a genuine "grindcore" growl. --Jon Wiederhorn

Tracks:

Demonic Refusal
The Burning Times
Together As One
Jun-Jun
John Doe
Murky Waters
Hatreds Rise
Distorted Lives
New Eyes Of Old
Ten Thousand Thrones
Nostrovia

Customer Reviews:

Great Album.......2006-12-17

This is what happens when an excellent thrash metal band decides to put out an excellent death metal cd. who knew this guy could pull the grizzly bear growl off so ferociously. this is a great testament album, partially because it is so much different from all their other ones, and partially because they make such an exquisite death metal sound. some might see the cd as lacking in solo-age, but songs like jun-jun have some nice little solo riffs in them. get this cd and just kill every fluffy little bunny you see from this point on. just because.

Testament Goes Death/Thrash, and theres nothing wrong with that, it's just..........2006-04-22

They are better off as JUST Thrash Metal, which is why I love them so much. I also love testament because of Chuck Billy's cruficying voice. He has one hell of a MEAN organ on him. The thing with this album is that in some ways it sounds like Slipknot with a Death Metal vocalist. In other words - Poor attempt at Death Metal.

I am appreciative of what this is, but its just NOT testament to me. I guess in a way, it's more like groove metal with Death influences because as I said before, it's a poor attempt at Death Metal, and I hate the fact that it is that way. This album would be real kickass if it was done by a different band, and by a band that was meant to be Death Metal. But Testament?? WHYYYYYY??????

If you guys understand what I am saying is that this is a Thrash Metal band becoming something they aren't. In a way, they have a very NU-METAL sound in the vein of Slipknot, but with a mix of a less aggressive version of Cannibal Corpse. SORRY testament. Stick to Thrash Metal PLEASE! This really hurts, but Chuck Billy has a good voice for Death Metal vocals, I will say that.

A very underrated album..........2005-11-01

Yep, I said it, I think this album is very underrated, Chuck Billy proves on this album, how diverse he is, going from the great vocals on the old albums, do Death Metal vocals (mostly) on this one, and he does a great job, you can actually understand what he says, unlike most newer DM bands (Not saying that Testament is new DM, just meaning most DM bands today, aside from Suffocation and Nile), but his DM vocals are kind of like old school DM vocals, he does use his older voice at times on this album, and it blends very well when he does it, great variety, as for the music, while not being the fastest album, the riffs kill, and are catchy, and Gene "The Machine" Hoglan is a great drummer we all know, the album is mostly mid-paced, does pick up speed in some spots though.

As for the production, it is good, John could be heard a bit more, but it fits the album well.

And for all you old Testament fans, I can see why you're dissapointed in a way, but I think it adds a variety when a band tries something new, and Testament did, and did it well, as they further proved on The Gathering.

Demonic Refusal 5/6, Very chunky riffage, and heavy, the intro "10...9...8...7...6...6...6..." then it blasts you with all out heaviness

The Burning Times 5/5, Another cool song, has a wicked cool chorus and creepy guitar riff

Together As One 5/5, Chuck blends the DM growl with the old style here, fits very well

Jun-Jun 5/5, Weird song name, but it's actually one of Eric Petersons nicknames, not much to say about it, it just kicks A$$

John Doe 5/5, KILLER SONG, killer riffs, again, Chuck blends the vocals here

Murky Waters 5/5, When you hear that water sound, wait till after, REALLY heavy, cool riffs being thrown around, a bit faster too, another one with blended vocal styles

Hatred's Arise 5/5, Starts out with a wicked cool riff, then another cool set of riffs, this one has all old school vocals in it, old Testament fans should love, like me, and YES it has a solo!, that is something that the album lacks a bit of, then moves into a sludgy riff/outro

Distorted Lives 5/5, Opens with yet another cool riff, Chuck starts growling, wait till you hear that riff that comes in with 2:18 in and ends at 2:00...HEAVY, then moves into a catchy slower riff, very cool

New Eyes of Old 5/5, The only song on the album that Peterson wrote some lyrics to, Another cool opening riff, gets wicked heavy, and a cool chorus

Ten Thousand Thrones 5/5, A nice melodic intro, works it's away into the song, then Gene starts hammering, very DMish on this one, cool break

Nostrovia 5/4, More like a short instrumental/outro, does have vocals though

Well, there it is, and I think it's very underrated, it's chunky, heavy, and Chuck experiments on it, and does a very good job with the Dm styled vocals, but like I said, he still uses some old styled vocals too, very cool effect, I did mention the lack of solos on this, but still a great album, and no Testament is not a christian band either for those who think that because of the name, if that was the thought, I guess the great Exodus would be christian too, so don't think that, if you're a Metal fan, check this out, if you're a fan of old Testament with an openmind, get it, I'm sure you'll like it.

Chuck Billy Makes Chris Barnes and Glenn Benton look small.......2005-10-25

Even though this isn't my "favorite" Testament album it is definately one of the "HEAVIEST" slabs of metal (Death Metal) i have ever heard. Chuck Billy has one of the biggest badest Roars you will ever hear. Not only because he's like 6.4 and a huge MF, but also because he sings straight from the gut, NOT from the throat as with most DM vocalist's. Compared to Cannibal Corpse and Deicide he makes those boys sound like Mr.Rogers and Elmo. This album is not about "speed" although there are a few speedy moments here and there. Its just pure heavy in your face chunky as hell, balls metal. Demonic Refusal the title track stands out as the most memorable(and Gene Hoglans drumming kills),also John Doe, Burning Times, 10,000 Thrones, and Murky Waters. But as a whole this album just pounds. Buy it and prepare to hear Satan himself belching through your speakers with his mighty band from hell.

Their Worst, but still pretty good.......2005-09-30

Ok, this really only gets three stars due to pesonal preference. If you asked me to pinpoint a reason why this is my least favorite Testament album, I don't have one. The musicianship is solid, the songwriting is pretty decent, and Chuck Billy excellent as usual. The only specific complaint I can come up with is that Eric Peterson is not a good enough lead guitar player to stand on his own. But there is still some decent soloing here and there. Anyway, this is all and all a solid album with some face melting vox from Chuck Billy, some superb (though usually overshadowed by the crushing guitars) drumming from Gene Hoglan (what else would you expect from him?), and like I just implied, Eric Peterson's riffs are crushing. Strangely enough, Testament continue to drift in the opposite direction of most of their peers, getting heavier, less compromising, and less radio frinedly. Even 1994's Low is a lightweight album compared to this. In fact, like a lot of other people have already said, this is really a death metal album. It's almost like they had Trey Azagtoth and Allan West write the songs and then just edited them and played them the the way Testament plays. Which I think is why it took so long for me to get into this album at all. When the bleakest album you've ever heard by another band is Pantera's Live 101 Proof, you are not ready for Demonic. Its a decent album, but unless you enjoy a bands like Morbid Angel you should leave this one on the shelf because this album is straight up Death Metal from start to finish.

Average customer rating:

Beauty In The Beast...
This album is for all the real metal fans out there!
an absolute must for heavy music fans...
John Doe Rules
schizophrenic band searching for an identiy......

Demonic
Testament
Manufacturer: Fierce Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Ritual
Low
The New Order
Souls of Black
Practice What You Preach

ASIN: B000003H3M
Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

Demonic Refusal
The Burning Times
Together As One
Jun-Jun
John Doe
Murky Waters
Hatreds Rise
Distorted Lives
New Eyes Of Old
Ten Thousand Thrones
Nostrovia

Amazon.com

In the late '80s, Testament was one of the pioneers of California's Bay area thrash metal scene, but over the years the band mellowed a bit, and its two early-'90s records for Atlantic were well-crafted, but less than bombastic. Apparently, Testament aimed to make amends with Demonic, a furious album that blends the band's trademark hooks with ferocious death metal intensity. The only weak link is vocalist Chuck Billy, who has seems to have traded his melodic voice to the devil in exchange for a genuine "grindcore" growl. --Jon Wiederhorn

Customer Reviews:

Beauty In The Beast..........2006-01-26

This is beauty in the beast..what a fantastic album!!! Testament, since Alex Skolnic left, did not sit pretty, looking into their past and thinking how they were instrumental in getting heavy metal to the masses. Instead, they got the awesome shredder, James Murphy, and released kick ass album after kick ass album, begining with Low. I was into Testament quite heavily during the Low days but later lost touch as I moved more into doom (Paradise lost, Moonspell, Novembers Doom, My Dying Bride, Amorphis etc) and melodic death (Opeth, Soilwork, In Flames, Arch Enemy etc). One of my good metal friends gave DEMONIC to me saying its quite heavy.

As soon the opening track DEMONIC REFUSAL blasted in my speakers I bowed to Testament in awe and respect. I could not believe what I was hearing. Testament playing death metal and it sounds so freaking good. I love this album and also the following The Gathering. Every track is fine blend of vocal melody and heavy, no-nonsense riffing. John Doe, Demonic Refusal, The Burning Times, Together As One stand out. All fans of heavy music unite and give respect where it is due...in these days of playing weaker and weaker music in the name of progression, only bands like TESTAMENT, PANTERA and few other old schoolers like ARMORED SAINT (check out Revelation), EXODUS (check out SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE)are going against the grain to keep the heavy stuff, well, heavy. I like my metal, uncompromising, brutal and melodic...if you like it that way...get DEMONIC...

Man, the tempo change in Together As One at 2.10 minutes is so mind-numbing...you have to check it out yourself...STRAP IT ON, OLD SCHOOL...10, 9, 8, 7, 666..way to go my heavy brothers!!!

This album is for all the real metal fans out there!.......1999-10-08

This is Testament`s best album yet it is not for those so called metal fans who dig that new whimpy Mettlica crap its for the real die hard metal fans. Real Testament fans (and we know who we are) love the growl in Chuck`s voice. Listen to a real fan and if you are one you will agree with me and say its there best album yet. Testament Rules!

an absolute must for heavy music fans..........1999-08-27

Being from a city, large as it is, offers only the occaisonal Metalica tune as its token FM heave music offering, I purchased this CD on a recommendation from Guitar Player magazine. Fans of metal, shread, light speed guitar playing and heavy music in general will not be disappointed. Testament as usual crushes all in its path. A must buy.

John Doe Rules.......1999-06-09

All I have to say is "John Doe" Rules! Best Testament since "The New Order".

schizophrenic band searching for an identiy.............1999-04-17

Since when have Testament and death metal become synonymous? On this release, they abandon ALL of their musicality and penache for melody and hook writing, in favor of a one dimesional death metal like direction. The loss of James Murphy on guitar probably made the band take this extreme route. Now I'm all for extreme death, but this style does not fit Testament well at all. Chuck Billy's voice has been transformed into one of those hackneyed death metal roars and the playing is stictly generic. Even with the addition of supreme drum god Gene Hoglan, the musical aspect of this once formidable band has vanished. Testament are desperately searching for a new identity (as they were Machine Head/Seputura clones on their last cd "Low"), and in their desperation are grasping at straws. The cd, albeit heavy as all hell, with its thunderous production, is faceless and has no personality. Hopefully the band can regain some of the momentum that they lost a long time ago, after the release of the horrid "The Ritual" cd. Expect a new disc from them in the next coming months.

Average customer rating:

For all you Sinners
"to all rock 'n' roll junkies ~ Motley Crue"

Supersonic & Demonic Relics
Mötley Crüe , and Motley Crue
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

New Tattoo
Generation Swine
Motley Crue
Girls, Girls, Girls
Too Fast For Love

ASIN: B00008OLIM
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Teasers
Primal Scream
Sinners & Saints (Unreleased Track)
Monsterous (Unreleased Track)
Say Yeah (Unreleased Track)
Planet Boom
Bittersuite
Father
Anarchy In The U.K.
So Good, So Bad (Unreleased Track)
Hooligan's Holiday (Extended Holiday Version By Skinny Puppy)
Rock 'N' Roll Junkie
Angela
Mood Ring (Unreleased Track)
Dr. Feelgood (Live)
Knock 'Em Dead, Kid (Demo)

Customer Reviews:

For all you Sinners.......2003-10-09

This is a very good Album. I like most of them. Their is a couple that should have been left off but thats alright. So good so bad is pretty bad and Planet boom but the rest Rocks. It is well worth the money.

"to all rock 'n' roll junkies ~ Motley Crue".......2003-04-09

Hold everything, this sixteen track of "Supersonic & Demonic Relics" is loaded with value for your money for Motley Crue fans. All original music with five new bonus tracks ~ and that's just for starters. Includes an enhanced CD video of "ANARCHY IN THE U.K.", just like being front row center. With some really cool previously unreleased tracks of "SINNERS & SAINTS", "MONTEROUS", "SAY YEAH", "SO GOOD, SO BAD", "MOOD RING" ~ with an extended Holiday version of "HOOLIGANS", this is a classic within a classic. But the rare jewel in this collection is "KNOCK 'EM DEAD, KID", and this just happens to be the original demo. This is like a new album of never before heard Crue tunes, with that cutting edge sound that will ring in your ears for days.

Tracks:

The Devils Bile
Legion
Demonic Electronic
Celebrity
Prime Time Loser
Bad Karma
The Hatred Acid
Buried In The Back
Demons
Jerk
Clones (We're All)
Jerk (Atkins Diet Mix)
Celebrity (Radio Rehash)
Say Hello
Teknowhore (KMFDM DEmo 1993)

Album Description

The follow-up to Sex Reflex Bile's 4th release, Demonic Electronic marks their return to its darker past and creepier sound. Bile Style Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Bile at it's best.......2006-01-26

This cd is amazing, I pretty much liked all the songs except jerk and the jerk mix. The teknowhore demo is very good the only problem is that it sounds like he's singing with water in his mouth. The songs celebrity and demons have some laugh outloud moments. This cd sounds like a mixture of suckpump and sex reflex. Also the cd case is tinted green. Look you need to buy this album right now it's just that good.

sweet satan, please make me a big celebrity..........2005-12-15

Seeing Bile live got me interested - they opened for pigface and totally blew them away - its like a death-rave with lots of smoke and strobe lights - a totally disorienting aural experience with thick, riffing guitars and fast, hard-hitting industrial beats. sometimes noise, sometimes well-crafted songs - always loud, distorted and disturbing. Demonic Electronic is marked with finer recording & quality sound which is sure to give your system a workout - lots of bass, fuzz, beats and songs about satan - can't go wrong there

Demonic hate music.......2005-09-04

This was the first BILE cd I ever heard starting at track 1. The first few tracks are really good to me especially Legion but when I first heard them I wasn't as interested in them. I begun to really like the cd once I heard Celebrity, Bad Karma, The Hatred Acid, Demons, and Jerk. MUST buy if you Love BILE and a great cd to add to your collection!!!

Truly Wonderful Industrial Metal.......2004-02-19

This disc is amazing. First two tracks are all you need to hear to buy this. If you can get your hands on the one with KMFDM remixes at the end, go for it! A killer version of Teknowhore, as well as a great new version of compound pressure with alt. lyrics. Anyway, back to the main content... The other standout track isn't necessarily one of the best, but it stands out anyway. Jerk. It's... catchy... in a cheesy pop kinda way, but still very good, and very Bile. And then theres the stuff thats in between, but still far above any other band, such as Bad Karma and Celebrity. Go buy the disc. Do it now. Then go see them live.

Average customer rating:

For the diehards, and maybe the casual fans
stuff that wasn't on any albums for a reason.
RANDY CASTILLO?
crue rocks the world
GIVE ME A BREAK

Supersonic and Demonic Relics
Mötley Crüe
Manufacturer: Beyond Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Too Fast for Love
Tommyland: The Ride
New Tattoo
Mötley Crüe
Theatre of Pain

ASIN: B00000JG4Q
Release Date: 1999-06-29

Tracks:

Teaser
Primal Scream
Sinners And Saints (Unreleased Track)
Monsterous (Unreleased Track)
Say Yeah (Unreleased Track)
Planet Boom
Bittersuite
Father
Anarchy In The U.K.
So Good. So Bad (Unreleased Track)
Hooligan's Holiday (Extended Holiday Version By Skinny Puppy)
Rock 'n Roll Junkie
Angela
Mood Ring (Unreleased Track)
Dr. Feelgood (Live)

Customer Reviews:

For the diehards, and maybe the casual fans.......2005-01-14

Supersonic & Demonic Relics (1999). Not to be confused with SUPERSONIC RELICS (also 1999) while having the same tracks, it is a "clean" or "edited" version of this album.

This album is basically a combination of 1991's DECADE OF DECADENCE and 1994's (although I may be mistaken on the year) QUARTERNARY, with some extra tracks added in for good measure. Keep in mind, this is not a greatest hits album, but a collection of B-sides and rarities. One reviewer put it best when they said it was the "best of the b-sides" or something to that effect. It pretty much is. Is it worth picking up? Yes, partly because it's extremely hard to find QUARTERNARY these days, and also, it's got some pretty good songs on it too. If you do happen to own both the aforementioned albums then there isn't much point to owning this...except for collectors. Casual fans aren't likely to dig this, but they should give it a shot anyway.

Some tracks you should check: "Bittersuite", "So Good, So Bad", "Sinners and Saints" and the odd but cool "Mood Ring", which shows you what it's like to be drunk in the studio with the Crue. A good album to own. 11/15

stuff that wasn't on any albums for a reason........2002-03-16

When I got divorced I made sure the ex kept this.

RANDY CASTILLO?.......2000-12-23

The person that reviewed this CD and stated that "Randy is on" on this CD seems to be confused... this album was released well before Randy was in the band (signed-on for New Tattoo) and many were recorded YEARS before the album was actually compiled.

This CD could most accurately be described as a "Best of B-sides"... many of these are Crue recordings that have surfaced previously on Crue albums (i.e. Decade of Decadence).

This album is most fitting for only hardcore Crue fans that do not already own this material on other releases or bootlegs.

crue rocks the world.......2000-08-07

"MONSTEROUS"&"SAY YEAH"are good songs for audience participation.These songs are a lot of fun and "PLANET BOOM"is the bomb.Each album since this one,has gotten better and better.It's too bad all the original members are not still together,but as long as Vince is on vocals it usually sounds like true Motley Crue! Tommy is Awesome and he should be there!but we have to give props where props is due Randy Costello is a great drummer and he has worked with the best!(Ozzy)etc. For those who didn't like this album and say Motley can't do it without Tommy-realize that Tommy is on THIS album.

GIVE ME A BREAK.......1999-11-02

I don't know about anyone else, but I am really sick of NIKKI re-re-releasing all of this old music. It's more than obvious that Vince should be given control of this chaotic band.

Average customer rating:

im a rocknutter and other rocknutters will love this

Supersonic & Demonic Relics

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000026WTA
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Tracks:

Teaser
Primal Scream
Sinners & Saints (Unreleased)
Monsterous (Unreleased)
Say Yeah (Unreleased)
Planet Boom
Bittersuite
Father
Anarchy In The UK
So Good, So Bad (Unreleased)
Hooligan's Holiday(Extended Holiday Version By Skinny Puppy)
Rock 'N' Roll Junkie
Angela
Mood Ring (Unreleased)
Dr. Feelgood (Live)
Knock 'Em Dead, Kid (Demo) (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Japanese edition of the 'Crue's 1999 rarities compilation in a miniaturized LP sleeve limited to the initial pressing only & with an unmarked bonus track added, 'Knock 'Em Dead Kid' (Demo). 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

im a rocknutter and other rocknutters will love this.......2002-04-26

ive got all the motley albums and trust me you cant complete your collection without this album some of the tracks like primal scream you will have herd before and songs like anarchy in the u.k you will have herd before as b-sides of singles but also on this album are songs like so good so bad and saints and sinners which have never been realesed so trust me get this album you wont be sorry

Average customer rating:

Demoniac performances!
Isis
Liszt Mephisto Waltz
Exalted company
An Appropriate Title...

The Demonic Liszt

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000023D2
Release Date: 1993-05-10

Tracks:

Reminiscences de Robert le Diable - Valse Infernale
Gnomenreigen
Mephisto Polka
Mephisto Waltz
Reminiscences de Don Juan (After Mozart)
Waltzes From Gounod's Faust

Customer Reviews:

Demoniac performances!.......2005-02-27

Earl Wild has secured his throne in the immortality as one of the twelve best American pianist of the century. Kapell was the first one and in my opinion the others would be in that exclusive order Rosalyn Tureck. Egon Petri. Leon Fleisher, Earl Wild, Eugene Liszt, Van Cliburn, Byron Janis, Eugene Istomin, Joseph Villa, Raymond Lewenthal, Lorin Hollander, John Browning ,Oscar Levant, Gary Graffman, Jerome Rose, Selma Kramer, Paul Jacobs, Abbey Simon and Adrian Ruiz.

Somehow the enormous stature of this superb pianist has been neglected by unexplainable reasons. Wild , born in 1915 had this sense of span, that whole sound that literally the phrase and sense of the breathing . If Jasha Horenstein chose him to play a set of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerts indicates by itself something. Don't you? . In the other hand his repertoire was strictly romantic. From Dohnayi, Saint Saens, Chopin, his famous performance of Gershwin piano works with Arthur Fielder still are a classic issue.

In the case of Liszt he sounds with authority and convincing expression. He is ver far of making another additional pianist who employs Liszt just only to exhibit himself as a firework player. That concept so admired by the gallery in the XIX fortunately is old fashioned and belongs to the anecdote . However there are names that you and know but by wise discretion is convenient not reveal them.

Buy this album and if you are not absolutely familiarized with Wild moods I guarantee you will make an adjoining rapport with this keyboard artist in these unsurpassable versions only beaten by colossus of the stature of Louis Kentner and Edwin Nyiregyhazi sideral ambassadors in what Lisztian spirit concerns.

Isis.......2004-07-09

This album literally changed my life. I had always been a devotee of Liszt, but this was in the way of a visceral response that has not been equaled since. Mr. Wild is, in my opinion, the best interpretor of Liszt's Piano pieces. There is no one that even comes close to comparison.

Liszt Mephisto Waltz.......2002-08-16

The Mephisto Waltz performed here is Mr. Wild's own edition, and (to me) its more successful than Liszt's original. There are some small textual changes within, plus the added very effective closing cadenza. For years this frustrated pianists who were trying to find the score, which I came to find out wasn't available until recently when Schirmir published two volumes of Liszt's works edited by Earl Wild. And the recording itself? Better than anyone else's! Buy this CD just for this track!

Exalted company.......2002-03-30

There are VERY few pieces of virtuoso piano on disc that approach Robert le Diable on this one. The whole disc is brilliant, but that particular piece still slays me every time. Fans of real jazz and good metal will love it too. As Stravinsky said of Beethoven: "contemporary forever"!

An Appropriate Title..........2001-07-13

When this recording first hit the shelves in its original Vanguard LP incarnation, the acclaim in the review periodicals was virtually unanimous. The only disclaimer presented by these reviewers (the only meaningful one, at least) was that the sound of the piano was somewhat "brittle". Not every reviewer saw it fit to voice the same reservations, however, and my guess is that only those who routinely shunned recordings that did not capture the "richest and deepest" of tones felt it necessary to comment on this aspect of the recording.

If there is one notion I hope to convey with this review, it is that the striking virtuosity and peerless musicianship demonstrated by Earl Wild on this disc outweigh any concerns stemming from subjective evaluations of the piano's sound. It is worth noting, perhaps, that even those reviewers who mentioned the sound of Wild's piano praised the playing preserved on this recording. The praise was well-deserved: Wild's playing is beyond exciting, and is positively guaranteed to have a hair-raising effect on any listener.

The entire disc is stunning, and selecting only a handful of highlights is a difficult task. At the same time, special mention deserves to be made of Wild's "Mephisto Waltz", which is far and away the best on record. Some will be shocked and surprised by Wild's own flourish tacked onto the end of the piece; Liszt himself, though, often interjected similar passages in public performances of his own works (and works of other composers!) and no doubt would have approved of the gesture. Also worthy of being singled out are the "Reminiscences de Don Juan", Liszt's rousing pianistic tribute to Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Wild's interpretation is practically definitive, and the playing alternates from light-spirited, inspiring, and angelic (e.g., in the "La Ci Darem La Mano" variations) to down-right demonic (one finds that it becomes strangely impossible to avoid using that adjective in reference to this disc). But the best performance on this disc may be the most brief of them all (and, hence, the one that may be most easily overlooked): that is, Liszt's incredible "Gnomenreigen", one of his two Concert Etudes for Piano, S. 145. Give Wild two and some-odd minutes, and he will convince you that at his peak he, along with Cziffra, Richter, and (at his best) Ogden, was one of the top three or four technicians of the latter part of the 20th century.

Lest the reader believe that "The Demonic Liszt" presents Earl Wild as a musically-empty soloist who cares more for technical precision than interpretive coherence - one of the most common criticisms levelled against this gifted player - let me assure you that these are finely crafted readings. While one cannot always make this claim of a Wild recording, in this case (very much like the playing of Wild's equally gifted contemporary Sviatoslav Richter) his boundless technique is employed only as a means to creating a soundly structured end. Incredible fingerwork abounds, but never do we hear technical fireworks displayed simply for their own sake.

An extraordinary artist captured at the height of his powers -- all in all, it makes for a recording that is a must-have for any admirer of great pianism.

Average customer rating:

My jury is still out on Richard Band.

Doctor Mordrid/Demonic Toys
Richard Band
Manufacturer: Moonstone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Shrunken Heads

ASIN: B00008FG57
Release Date: 1993-01-03

Tracks:

Doctor Mordrid
Astral Projection
Detective Next Door
Into the Fourth Dimension
Fortress of the Damned
Gunner's Warning
Eternal Enemies
Station Break
To Hell With the Police
Setting the Demons Free
Dinosaur War
Monitor Beckons
Demonic Toys [*]
Evil's Building Blocks [*]
Warehouse [*]
Fresh Meat [*]
Toys Are Alive [*]
Play With Us [*]
Final Game [*]

Customer Reviews:

My jury is still out on Richard Band........2004-02-17

I still cannot tell if Richard Band is a talented film composer or just a hack who had the good luck to have a brother with several movie studios to employ him. Of course I speak of Charles Band and his Empire and Full Moon productions. This disc contains Richard Band's scores for Doctor Mordrid and Demonic Toys, two productions from Full Moon's Paramount funded era. Doctor Mordrid is really just a clone of the comic book hero Dr. Strange and Demonic Toys is yet another toy themed horror in the Puppet Master vein. The incidental music for both sounds more or less like all the other scores Band did for Full Moon at the time and lack distinctive enough character to make them really all that memorable (though the main themes for both are nice). Fans of Full Moon, Empire Pictures and/or the Family Band (is there really a difference?) will no doubt want this in their collections. Being out of print this pretty much makes it a semi-essential collectable for fans of the still struggling b-movie studio - and they are out there, I am one of them and find others all the time online. However, fans of movie music in general may want to stick with Richard Band's scores for Puppet Master, Re-Animator, From Beyond, and/or The Pit and the Pendulum, as those are better examples of his work. Four stars on the Full Moon Fanatic scale, three on the film music fan scale. Recommended to all the FMFs out there.

Average customer rating:

a creative genius

The Music of Harry Partch

Manufacturer: Composers Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000006NEI
Release Date: 1994-04-20

Customer Reviews:

a creative genius.......2004-02-28

Harry Partch was a extraordinary character who shunned the music world, who had lived most of his life in the California desert making instruments out of airline fuel tanks, jars, bottles and what ever else he could salvage. A total of 30 instruments that produced incredible sounds that could only be played by the composer or his small ensemble group that took a great deal of time to perfect.

The music covered here spans a 21 year period 1943-1964 and is of the most rhythmic and exotic music that draws most of it's influence from Far East. It was as distinctive as any music could get at the time, which Partch did little to promote.

Whore
Average customer rating:
Whore
None More Evil
Manufacturer: NONE MORE EVIL MUSIC
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAKN8W
Release Date: 2005-08-02