Metropolis [Explicit Lyrics]

Track Listings
1. Metropolis Intro - The C.O.R.E.
2. Metropolis - The C.O.R.E.,
3. Let's Go - The C.O.R.E.
4. Grievance - The C.O.R.E.
5. Slick Talk - The C.O.R.E.
6. Skills (Skit) - The C.O.R.E.
7. Spit Fire - The C.O.R.E.
8. Blood/Sweat - The C.O.R.E., , Jai
9. Metropolis Video (Skit) - The C.O.R.E.
10. Ain't Nobody - The C.O.R.E.
11. Slow It Down - The C.O.R.E.,
12. Game Over (Skit) - The C.O.R.E.
13. Venus - The C.O.R.E.,
14. Mosh Pit - The C.O.R.E.
15. Metropolis [Remix] - The C.O.R.E.,
16. Lounge Out - The C.O.R.E.,

Metropolis,The C.O.R.E.,3rd Eye Ent,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop

Metropolis [Explicit Lyrics]

Metropolis [Explicit Lyrics]
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • masterpiece
  • thus album has touched my heart
  • Amazing !
  • Dream Theater's mission statement
  • Their best in my opinion.
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory
Dream Theater
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Images and Words
  2. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
  3. Awake
  4. Train of Thought
  5. Octavarium

ASIN: B000021XS0
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Tracks:

  1. Regression
  2. Overture 1928
  3. Strange Deja Vu
  4. Through My Words
  5. Fatal Tragedy
  6. Beyond This Life
  7. Through Her Eyes
  8. Home
  9. The Dance Of Eternity
  10. One Last Time
  11. The Spirit Carries On
  12. Finally Free

Amazon.com

Progressive rock has long been the most devalued currency in popular music, perhaps due to the culture's dumbing down, too many conceptually knotted triple-albums, or merely a Greek chorus of critics parroting the emperor from Amadeus: "Too many notes!" Maybe that's what makes Dream Theater's Scenes such an audacious rush (no pun intended). Here we have a two-act murder mystery examined from a hypnotic dream state and parlayed by "The Orchestra," as the band refers to itself here. Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn't written anything as focused--or musically audacious--in decades. And if the band attacks feverish shift meters and plows through enough structural modes and, yes, notes, to make the aforementioned emperor's head spin, they manage to keep things concise, focused, and largely effective. The addition of keyboardist Jordan Rudess has freshened the band's tack, infused now with the odd, playful ragtime piano quote and sitar sample. Vocalist James Labrie, meanwhile, amply proves that Queensryche's Geoff Tate isn't the only drama queen in prog metal. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars masterpiece.......2007-07-12

this one, and Awake, will be the ones that your kids will regard the way you and me regard Dark Side of the Moon.

5 out of 5 stars thus album has touched my heart.......2007-07-08

along with top notch musical writing, this ia a concept album if there ever was one. the whole album revolves around specificlly writen melodies along with its consistant story line which involes the double murder of a young couple. anyone who appreciates concept albyms will see this as being the ultimate one of the genre because it is both melodically and lyrically perfect. praise be to the best

5 out of 5 stars Amazing !.......2007-07-01

I am new to Dream Theater, I have make "the discovery" two years ago while the band was the opening act for "Yes". I have to admit that their performance was "jaw dropping" if you see what I mean. They had less than 45 minutes that night but this was enough for me. I wanted to knew all about them. This album is simply amazing, if you like great musical performance, great vocals, prog rock music at its best, this one is for you. Don't miss the chance to discover an amazing album and an amazing band.

4 out of 5 stars Dream Theater's mission statement.......2007-06-28

After releasing the uneven and often criticized Falling Into Infinity in 1997, Dream Theater found themselves with a lot to prove. If Falling Into Infinity was a misguided attempt to let outside voices "streamline" the band's progressive metal sound in hopes of reaching some mythical "crossover" audience, then its successor - 1999's Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory - was a deliberate statement by the band; a statement that said in no uncertain terms that Dream Theater's music is not for the top 40 listening masses and never will be. The band kept their own counsel while recording this album, the result of which is a progressive metal tour-de-force that reestablished the band at the top of the progressive metal pantheon.

Scenes From a Memory is an ambitious concept album based loosely on the Images and Words song Metropolis, Part I. I was a bit surprised to hear about the album's concept, as I always thought that the lyrics to Metropolis Part I were mostly metaphorical in nature. Still, the band managed to put together an interesting, if convoluted, tale of love, murder, reincarnation and redemption carried out over the course of 12 songs.

Musically this is a very strong album. With the songwriting and production duties solely in the band's hands (and absolutely no need to come up with a "hit"), they were free to be as creative and progressive as they chose. This is most obvious in the instrumental interplay between guitar god John Petrucci and incoming keyboardist Jordan Rudess, whose pyrotechnics on this album are the stuff of legend. Mike Portnoy and John Myung, both masters of their craft, are more than up to the challenge, as is vocalist James LaBrie, who was coming off of a tour that nearly destroyed his voice.

Overall Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is a very impressive album. The only real flaw, and it's one that affects most concept albums, is that it really only works as a whole album. Unlike the songs on Images and Words or Train of Thought, the tracks on SFAM don't really work as single songs. The lyrical content, storyline, and the flow from one track to the next makes it hard for the songs to stand up on their own. Still, that's a relatively minor complaint about an otherwise great album.

Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is a must-have album for all Dream Theater fans, and anyone who is into progressive metal. It may be a bit heavy for some traditional progressive rock fans, but I've generally found that crowd to be pretty open minded, so I think they'd enjoy it as well.

5 out of 5 stars Their best in my opinion........2007-05-24

In my opinion, this is Dream Theater's best album. That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate some of the genius work on Images and Words and Awake, it just means that, as an entire album, this one is slightly better. Images and Words as well as Awake have some of the best Dream Theater songs (Learning To Live, Metropolis Pt. 1, Caught In A Web, Scarred) to date, but Scenes From A Memory is more cohesive from beginning to end.

This release is Dream Theater's first attempt at a concept album. Whether or not you enjoy concept albums is irrelevant because each song can stand on it's own without the knowledge that the entire album follows one main storyline. Each song is very unique without straying too far from the Dream Theater formula that made them what they are. Highlights for me are Home, Fatal Tragedy, The Spirit Carries On, and Finally Free. As always, the musicianship is phenomenal without being too self indulgent as DT can sometimes be. The song structures are complex, but not so much as to take away from the overall atmosphere of each song.

This is also the first album with current (as I'm writing this) keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Jordan is obviously very talented and adds a new element to the band that wasn't there in previous albums. Not a better element, just a new element. I believe Kevin Moore was better at creating melodies than Jordan, but I believe Jordan is better during the interlude and fill sections. Six of one, half dozen of the other I guess.

I own every Dream Theater album to date and SFAM still gets the most play in my stereo, closely followed by Images and Words and Awake. I enjoy all of the albums since SFAM, but I don't think they have since captured the same magic and probably never will again.

As with every review, these are my opinions and I'm sure many people will disagree with me, but that's what makes these reviews so much fun. Enjoy!
Smallville, Vol. 2: Metropolis Mix
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Metropolis Mix
  • Super Metropolis
  • Smallville Musical Wonders
  • Love IT
  • Another Winning Smallville Soundtrack
Smallville, Vol. 2: Metropolis Mix
Original TV Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BBOVG2
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

  1. Breaking Benjamin - Forget It
  2. Depeche Mode - Precious
  3. Lifehouse - You and Me (wedding version)
  4. Stereophonics - Superman
  5. The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret
  6. Josh Kelley - Almost Honest
  7. The Dandy Warhols - All The Money Or The Simple Life Honey (remix)
  8. Brendan Benson - Cold Hands (Warm Heart)
  9. Diamond Nights - The Girl's Attractive
  10. Flashlight Brown - I'm A Human
  11. Him - Wicked Game
  12. KT Tunsall - Other Side Of The World
  13. Minnie Driver - Hungry Heart
  14. Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today

Amazon.com

With the same alternative-pop theme as the first Smallville collection, this second disc once again reveals just how much the show integrates music into its plot lines and overall feel. The track list includes familiar songs such as the All American Rejects' "Dirty Little Secret," and Depeche Mode's newest hit "Precious," but there are also a few surprises. The Alan Moulder remix of the Dandy Warhols' "All The Money Or Simple Life Honey" is a booty-shaking blast, while the rock-meets-goth cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" courtesy of HIM is an amusingly amped-up new take on the older tune. Actress-songstress Minnie Driver offers her light jazz take on Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" (which also appeared on her debut disc), and Lifehouse delivers their touching version of "You and Me," while Josh Kelley's "Almost Honest" could be the soundtrack to anybody's breakup or breakdown. It's true that many of these songs have been previously released, but Smallville fans are a devoted bunch who will likely appreciate being able to buy their favorite tracks on one disc. --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Metropolis Mix.......2007-06-01

I loved the Talon Mix (Smallville Vol One), so I thought this would be another great CD. I was disappointed. It has about 4 songs that are good. But everything else is pretty dull. There's tons of great music throughout the seasons of Smallville. Hopefully the next Volume will be better.

5 out of 5 stars Super Metropolis.......2007-05-24

I enjoy listening to this CD as it reminds me of a TV series that I particularly like & the music has been an integral part of that enjoyment.

4 out of 5 stars Smallville Musical Wonders.......2007-05-23

The second volume of hits added to the Smallville soundtrack is quite a delight!

Whether you like the smooth rhythm of Depeche Mode rendering "Precious", the deeply romantic "You and Me" from Lifehouse, the bouncing fun of The All-American Rejects in "Dirty Little Secret" or the soulful "Hungry Heart" from Minnie Driver, this soundtrack has it all and more!

Don't miss it!

5 out of 5 stars Love IT.......2007-05-14

This is a great soundtrack even if you are not a Smallville fan (but I am).

5 out of 5 stars Another Winning Smallville Soundtrack.......2007-04-11

This soundtrack contains many different styles of music and all are worth-while. The only song I didn't like was Superman by Stereophonics, but the rest of the tracks, and especially the first two, certainly make up for it. I recommend this soundtrack for any Smallville fan, or for anyone who likes good music.
Judgement
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Laughable for VNV
  • They have been consistently better.
  • I like it.
  • Excellent!
  • Another great VnV Nation album!!
Judgement
VNV Nation
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Year Zero
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ASIN: B000NQR860
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Prelude
  2. The Farthest Star
  3. Testament
  4. Descent
  5. Momentum
  6. Nemesis
  7. Secluded Spaces
  8. Illusion
  9. Carry You
  10. As It Fades

Album Description

VNV Nation's last album, Matter and Form (2005), was hailed by critics for its high-impact array of tone and sound, from hard hitting anthems to euphoric symphonies. In April 2007, the band is poised to release its next album, Judgement, which promises to be their most powerful and unique release to date. Having already broken the boundaries between industrial and other alternative music styles on Matter and Form, VNV Nation take this idea to new heights by creating a sound that is a collision of ever present insight, energy, emotion, past and future. From its fast pace, pounding bass-line and melody to its electric-guitar like synth sounds and Ronan Harris's thought provoking vocals, "Nemesis" rings through as one of VNV's most aggressive anthems to date. "Testament," which could be described as an electronic-indie anthem, "The Farthest Star" and "Carry You" provide a bright, hopeful outlook, while "Movement" presents a dark trance flavor to the band's ever expanding repertoire of song possibilities. The omniscient "Descent" sweeps in with dark electronic rhythms and lyrics that describe complete devastation, giving the yin to the yang of the ethereal ballad "Secluded Spaces" that makes you feel like nothing in the world could be more beautiful. With every album, VNV Nation manages to tear down more and more musical boundaries. Judgement will be their greatest achievement thus far.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Laughable for VNV.......2007-08-02

So this is what goes for VNV these days? there are a few good songs on this album, but it just doesnt go THERE. I'm not just against this album because its not "old" VNV, i am a fan of Matter and Form, which after a couple of listenings gets to you. This album however is lyrically depressing, and not 'good' depressing, but dissapointingly depressing. Ronan seems to have run out of inspiration on this one, almost like he knows what will work and just pounds it out of a cookie cutter. musically it doesnt really push hard, but face it, not too many people would listen to VNV if there were no lyrics. Without inspired lyrics, which is what draws most people to them, there really isnt much there to drive the music. sorry, but you should skip this one and put your money into somthing truly inspired like Coded Message: 12 from [:SITD:], which is probably the least known classic of the newer electro-industrial music.
sorry Ronan, better luck next time....

3 out of 5 stars They have been consistently better........2007-07-10

If you are a fan of VNV Nation from the days of Praise the Fallen and Empires then about half of the tracks on this album are for you. However the other tracks are experiments in a trend that they have been following since Futureperfect. I am still not sure how I feel about this. I enjoy electronic music, but I feel that there is something amiss with Futureperfect and Matter + Form. All the same, I would have to say that for the die-hard VNV fan this will definitely be a good addition to your collection.

For more reviews and information please see [...]

5 out of 5 stars I like it........2007-06-26

I don't think this album is nearly as good as Empires, but certainly don't think it's crap. I have grown to love VnV Nation. I will admit that sometimes I wish that I had a clearer understanding of what the lyrics are about, but I think I get it. I have my interpretation and I guess that's the only interpretaion that matters. VnV Nation make excelent Future pop music that is great music to drive to, dance to, or play around your house while your cleaning. High energy trance beats with pasionate singing and dark atmosphere. Great production by Ronan Harris, and another good album. I'm not dissapointed, but there are quite a few people who are.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent!.......2007-06-14

This CD is wonderful for any VNV Nation fan. I've listened to this album time and time again and truly a great album.

I highly suggest purchasing this album!

5 out of 5 stars Another great VnV Nation album!!.......2007-06-13

This is one of those bands that pisses people off because they have become populur in the "underground" scene. The truth be, VnV Nation have never released a radio hit in the States, never a top 40 video, never a Rolling Stone cover, never, never, never...nada! This band keeps pumping out solid electro/synth pop albums that pack out every dance floor in the goth/industrial club scene accross the map. This album is no exception to thier greatness. All of the songs are deep, emotionally charged, introspective, metaphoric, and classic future pop anthems that you want to play over and over again in your CD player. This is the most important band in the entire future pop genre!!!!!! (Just in case you didn't allreday know).
You'll Rebel to Anything
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • this cd is awful
  • Dang, shut up and like it will ya?
  • this band sucks
  • Shite...
  • Great album but very poor and underhanded marketing!
You'll Rebel to Anything
Mindless Self Indulgence
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy
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ASIN: B0007WFXMQ
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

  1. Shut Me Up
  2. 1989
  3. Straight To Video
  4. Tom Sawyer
  5. You'll Rebel To Anything (As Long As It's Not Challenging)
  6. What Do They Know?
  7. Stupid MF
  8. 2 H**k*rs And An 8 B***
  9. Prom
  10. Bull****

Album Description

MSI's music is a hybrid of Atari driven electronics with a venomous splash of ADD punk rock. There are three different versions of this release: a 10 track explicit version with a video for "You'll Rebel To Anything", an 11 track clean version with a video of "Diabolical", and an 11 track extra heavy double vinyl version. The clean and vinyl formats have two entirely different bonus tracks and all three have their own individual artwork, so true collectors will think nothing of owning them all. "MSI are, to me, how punk rock should sound in the 21st century: abrasive, brilliant, and sounding like no one else"--Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly). "...one of the most creative and genre-swirling outfits on the scene"--Serj Tankian (System Of A Down).

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars this cd is awful .......2007-01-09

this band sucks i bought this 2 months ago it,s bad very bad i like static x and minstry but thesse people suck to high heaven only 3 songs are any good . Besides mars volta they suck too Deadsy verison of rush,s tomsawyer was great either but it was better than mindless verison .
i did like track 3 and track 6 and track 7. the rest really bad deadsy new cd is better than this cd so much better i am not PUNK ROCK FAN I DON,T HATE IT . it just not my style today punk from 2000 to now i like A.F I BUT I i like more of prog metal that is my main foucs if going to be alt rock it got to be some goth/ industrial this band is awful .

5 out of 5 stars Dang, shut up and like it will ya?.......2006-07-25

Okay.... gotta say it... SHUT YER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE 'TIME TOTAL' OF THIS RECORD!!!!! You are all giving me a headache! Now, lets talk about HOW GREAT THIS ALBUM IS!!! Its what got me into MSI. Before I heard them, I DIDNT EVEN LIKE MUSIC. But when I took this cd from my friend and downloaded it to my comp, I literally fell in 'like'. Sure, it took me a few listen(s) to really get into it ((regarding the fact that I never really listened to a specific band before)) but ever since, I cant stop obessing! 'Shut Me Up' (the first song) is rawsum and to this day I can still listen to it twenty or more times in a row.


So, basically, this must be a GREAT/AWSOME/RAW album if someone like me ((like one of the pickiest people out there)) got into it. MSI is truly an addiction for me. After listening to them, I got FGWSSS, Straight to Video Single, and most of their other songs from cds like 'Tight' you cant find in most stores. Heck, Im listening to 'Thank God' right now. In fact, the other day I went to their concert!!!

All in all, if you are looking for something disturbingly freaky and original you can find it with MSI. Check this cd out dispite what other 'picky' people say. Who cares, I WOULDNT BE WRITING A REVIEW IF THEY WERENT THIS GREAT!!!!

1 out of 5 stars this band sucks.......2006-07-11

my god what has the world come too....this bad is so called unique...hell thats becasue they suck worse than anyone else before them....total insult to rock/metal. This is pop.

1 out of 5 stars Shite..........2006-04-18

If you like the whole new wave electro rock thing than listen to The Faint instead. Similar style of music without the crappy vocals.

4 out of 5 stars Great album but very poor and underhanded marketing!.......2006-03-12

I'll break this review in to three parts. First, the review of the album itself. Second, the review of the tactics used by MSI and Metropolis Records to sell this album. Lastly, my advice on getting everything that should have been included on one album.

1. The review of the album:

Simply put, if you like previous MSI albums, Babyland or stuff like Korn you'll eat this up. It's another top notch hybrid electronic, punk/metal, lofi quasi-hip hop, quasi-post-industrial genre-bending album. I suppose this would have fallen in to the label "coldwave" circa mid-90's post-industrial labeling. It's not exactly coldwave, not exactly anything other than the sum of its influences, which seem to be mainly hip-hop, post-industrial and punk/metal. The highlights of the album are definitely "Shut Me Up" and "Stupid MF", although there isn't really a weak track here. Another bonus is a positively weird cover of Rush's "Tom Sawyer". Be sure to put the CD in your computer as there is a video for "You'll Rebel To Anything" (it's a neat collage of old 50's propaganda footage mixed with weird cartoons, vintage stock film interspersed with just general weirdness.)

2. Commentary about questionable gouging of consumer by label/band:

There is absolutely no reason for there to be three different versions of this album except to rip off the consumer. Period. In an interview Jimmy Urine said they released a clean version for people who couldn't buy the album in places like Wal-Mart. Who cares about Wal-Mart? For someone so outspoken and inspired by punk, it bothers me that he'd cave to pressures to release an edited version of anything, let alone an entire album. That leads me to believe it wasn't an effort to cater to the imbeciles who buy music at Wal-Mart but rather a flimsy excuse to release a different version of the album, with different artwork and different bonus tracks.

When I used to buy a lot of electro/industrial (circa mid-90's) I remember this type of crap burning the hell out of me. I'd buy the import of a particular artist (say, someone like Haujobb) and then a year or so later a domestic version would come out with bonus tracks. And it'd cost LESS to boot! So all the "early adopters" and people on the cutting edge would get burned over and over. I can't tell you how many CDs I bought like that when I used to buy a lot of obscure electro/industrial music. It's a trick in order to separate you from your money, nothing more. If they cared only about exposing underground music to a new audience then they'd simply license the album and release it exactly as it was originally in Europe. But I digress.

3. My advice:

Buy this explicit version, then download the bonus tracks "La-Di Da-Di" (bonus track on vinyl) and "Mic Commander" (bonus track on clean version) off teh intarweb and say fsck you to Metropolis Records/MSI for forcing us to buy three versions of the same album in order to get two extra tracks, different artwork and a bonus video (the clean version of this album has a "bonus rehearsal video for 'Diabolical'"). Alternately, if you feel like giving MSI more of your hard-earned money, you can at least get the track "Mic Commander" on iTunes Music Store by itself.

In summation, MSI are a great band and if you like punk, electro-industrial, metal with electronic influences (Fear Factory), hip-hop, nu-metal, coldwave/aggro-industrial (Ministry) then you'll probably totally dig this album.

Also, check out Jhonen Vasquez's video for "Shut Me Up" on myspace (or just do a google search for it). The ex-Johnny the Homicidal Maniac/Squee/Invader Zim/etc. mastermind pulls off one of the funniest videos in a long time.
Meta
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Love It
  • Another excellent album
  • Tom's best work ever.
  • Tom Sheer still has it!!!
  • He just gets better
Meta
Assemblage 23
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ElectronicaElectronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000NQR7O8
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

  1. Decades V2
  2. Raw
  3. Sorry
  4. Ghosts
  5. Binary
  6. Damaged
  7. Madman'S Dream
  8. Truth
  9. Crush
  10. Old

Album Description

"Meta" will shatter any preconceived notions about the band and their music. Several tracks have the signature A23 sound, while others are slightly different in approach. "Raw" thrives with a breakbeat accentuated by boisterous vocals, while "Damaged" has a Depeche Mode influence. The vocals in "Madman's Dream" are completely different from anything A23 has done before, and the record closes with "Old", a balladesque track with a downtrodden bass line and sweeping synths, complete with emotional lyrics and a choir-like echo on the vocals. "Meta" is like nothing you expected, but all you were hoping for.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Love It.......2007-08-03

after all the dissapointments of new releases this year, this one is the only stand out 5 star album that delivers what i want.

He expirements with diffrent things on this album alot more than his others. each song has its own personality, from the harsh floor-killer "raw" to the beautiful and peaceful "old"

deffinate buy, you wont be dissapointed

5 out of 5 stars Another excellent album.......2007-06-29

The most recent album by Assemblage 23 is rife with new elements, keeping the style of Assemblage fresh and new. This album is a perfect example of evolution within the industrial music scene.

Different instrumentations, vocal styles lend this newest album almost a Dark Trancy feel, which many industrial artists are accepting nowadays. The change is not unwelcome, at least in my opinion. It adds depth and drama to the music which was absent in their droning on with dark, predictable beats of the past.

5 out of 5 stars Tom's best work ever........2007-05-25

Tom has never released a bad album. All of A23's previous work were very solid. Every song was very good with one or two songs that are amazing. But in this album, every song is amazing.

5 out of 5 stars Tom Sheer still has it!!!.......2007-05-19

'Meta' is by far the best Assemblage 23 album since the 2001 underground classic 'Failure'. What I particularly like about this album is the sincerity that A23 frontman Tom Sheer evokes in his voice, and the music on this album seems more progressive and technical than some of his prior efforts. The production is excellent. My favorite songs are "Damaged", "Binary", "Decades", and "Old". If you like futuristic synth pop music with a little edge this is a great album to add to your CD collection. A must have for fans of VNV Nation and Pride And Fall.

5 out of 5 stars He just gets better.......2007-05-19

I've been following Tom/A23 for about five years now and this really is his best work. His vocals have mellowed and become more lyrical, and Meta contains a much larger range of styles than previous albums. His lyrics have always been good, but I believe he surpassed himself this time: 'Decades' and 'Old', in particular, are amazing. It's nice to hear an EBM artist breaking some new ground.
Violet
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Catchy, Quirky, and Dark!
  • The Birthday Massacre !!!
  • amazing!!!
  • Great Find
  • excellant
Violet
The Birthday Massacre
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Alt IndustrialAlt Industrial | Industrial | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. So Long, Scarecrow
  2. Zerospace
  3. This Is Neo-Goth
  4. Some Kind of Strange
  5. Chasing the Ghost

ASIN: B000A2H7YA
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

  1. Prologue
  2. Lovers End
  3. Happy Birthday
  4. Horror Show
  5. Violet
  6. Red
  7. Play Dead
  8. Blue
  9. Video Kid
  10. The Dream
  11. Black
  12. Holiday
  13. Nevermind

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Catchy, Quirky, and Dark!.......2007-07-25

Wow, this CD probably doesn't even need another review, but I had to chime in. I only just discovered this band, and I've been playing this CD non-stop! Its surprisingly what I might call goth-pop but I mean that in a better way then it sounds. The songs are catchy and infectious yet dark and layered. Just enough rock mixed in. If your a fan of Collide, or Switchblade Symphony you'll likely like this CD too. Check out their video for Blue on their myspace page. Creepy and cool! I'm an instant fan!

5 out of 5 stars The Birthday Massacre !!!.......2007-07-18

I love this band... My Wife and I saw them live at the Culture Room in Ft.Lauderdale Florida and they Rock! Violet is a great album especialy for anyone who likes Industrial Rock, Trance, or Dance Music...
TRACK LIST
1. Prologue
2. Lovers End
3. Happy Birthday
4. Horror Show
5. Violet
6. Red
7. Play Dead
8. Blue
9. Video Kid
10. The Dream
11. Black
12. Holiday
13. Nevermind

5 out of 5 stars amazing!!!.......2007-07-06

their sound is unique, and the new album comes out september 10!!! a must
!!!!!!!!!
no other band out there caters so much to their younger audiences; catch them on tour this season!!

5 out of 5 stars Great Find.......2007-05-13

A friend sent me a video for "Happy Birthday" for my birthday, what a gift...This album is great from start to finish. Violet is still in my CD player over a month after my first listen, I can't get enough. I can't wait for their new album in August and the re-release of "Nothing and Nowhere" June 2nd!!!!

5 out of 5 stars excellant.......2007-05-10

When I heard them I was blown away, I enjoy listening to their music over and over and not get tired of listening to them , her vocals are wonderful, I can't wait till their next album..I recommmend you buy the cd you won't be dissapointed that a fact..
Fullblackhabit
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • THE BEST ALBUM OF 2007 THUS FAR!!!!
  • Oh hell yeah!
  • Great CD!
  • Suffering You
  • Destined to be a classic.
Fullblackhabit
16 Volt
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
PunkPunk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Alt IndustrialAlt Industrial | Industrial | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Best of Sixteen Volt: 1993-2003
  2. Survivalism, Pt. 2
  3. Psalms of Extinction
  4. Eat Me, Drink Me
  5. SuperCoolNothing

ASIN: B000PSJCKQ
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

  1. I'm Just A Mess
  2. Come For You
  3. Cables & Wires
  4. Suffering You
  5. And You Are All Alone Again
  6. The End Of It All
  7. Afterglow
  8. Feel It Through
  9. The Defect People
  10. The Error
  11. You Run
  12. Whisper Cure
  13. Therapy

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST ALBUM OF 2007 THUS FAR!!!!.......2007-06-20

Holy crap! I was not expecting this to be so good. Not even one single song sucks. This is one of the best industrial metal records ever fricken made. This thing hits hard and punches you in the face! The guitars and the electronics work perfectly together and Eric Powell's vocals are clear and dressed up exactly right. This is definitly their best record. Jeez, is it possible to make this rating any higher? If your any kind of a rivethead worth your salt, you allready own this album. Amazing!

5 out of 5 stars Oh hell yeah!.......2007-06-20

This is the best damm album if 2007! I'm serious. I love it. This is some punchy industrial metal that I never thought would ever come back...and it came back with an explosion. Buy the album!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Great CD!.......2007-06-19

What can I say, I love this CD right off the bat. It's already haunting me(in a good way)

5 out of 5 stars Suffering You.......2007-06-19

Talk about a comeback record. FullBlackHabit quite literally picks up where SuperCoolNothing left off. Although, this album is much much MUCH louder! The guitar riffs are nothing you havent heard before, but just like the last album, they fit the music perfectly. Loads of awesome Coldwave goodness from the break-beats, to the electronic blips and beeps and the uniquely dark vocals. The whole feel of this album is just cool as hell. Really cant add too much more than the last several folks have. If you like 16 Volt this is essential, no way around that. Industrial fans need this record. Best played REALLY loud. Highlights include Cables & Wires, Suffering You, and The Defect People, but the whole record is insanely good and worth repeated listens. Hell even Steve White of KMFDM/Pig and Paul Raven of Killing Joke/Ministry made their way on this record. For 16 Volt fans and HARD-hitting industrial in general

Eat It Up

5 out of 5 stars Destined to be a classic........2007-06-19

With all of the stagnation of music over the past 10 years, it is absolutely refreshing to hear something new and powerful. This disc is an incredible journey through Heaven and Hell - the dark side and the sun peeking through the clouds. A glimmer of hope at the throes of chaos and suicide.

This record has changed my life. I've not had an album move me so much since NIN's The Downward Spiral, which, I feel, this record is AT LEAST on par with (and that's not something to be taken lightly).

This is absolutely, positively, 16Volt's best work to date. I would venture to say that this may be the album of 2007, and quite possibly, the best album I have heard this decade.

Honestly, I was about to give up.

THANK YOU FOR SAVING MUSIC.
Nothing & Nowhere
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • TBM will go FAR!!!!!
  • They have found the perfect niche
Nothing & Nowhere
The Birthday Massacre
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GothGoth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Blue
  2. Eat Me, Drink Me
  3. Krankhaus
  4. Flicker
  5. Opheliac

ASIN: B000PSJCMY
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

  1. Happy Birthday
  2. Horrow Show
  3. Promise Me
  4. Under the Stairs
  5. To Die For
  6. Video Kid
  7. Over
  8. Broken
  9. The Dream

Album Description

A captivating hybrid of 80s electronica and aggressive guitars, curiously fused with a cinematic quality of melodic progressions. Their 2005 debut, "Violet" catapulted them into the hearts of not only electronic but rock fans as well. While the band works on their next album for late 2007, Metropolis is re-releasing this out-of-print, self-released 2002 record, featuring early versions of the popular tracks "Happy Birthday", "Horror Show", "Video Kid", "The Dream", and five unavailable since the band's release went out of print.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars TBM will go FAR!!!!! .......2007-07-30

the birthday massacre is not a band that has become "mainstream", at least not yet. and in a way this is very surprising because the talent is undeniable, and their sound so effortlessly unique that few bands are able to succeed at this, especially on their first try. most people aware of TBM know them through their album "violet," especially since THIS nothing and nowhere was out of print for quite a while, until its recent re-release. there are 4 tracks here already present on "violet," [[happy birthday, horrow show, video kid, & the dream]] although owning both albums is definitely NOT "a waste." the tracks that appear again on violet have a different sound, and sometimes sound more "polished" as in the case of "happy birthday." howevever, personally if i must choose between one of the versions of "the dream", i'd say i prefer the one here on Nothing and nowhere. the other tracks [[promise me, under the stairs, to die for, over, and broken]] are pure genius, and pure proof of TBM's ability to mix their sound amazingly well. TBM has often said themselves that they do not like to label their sound, and they are proud to have such a wide variety of fans, from goth to rock to techno/dance fans. i personally found "to die for" to be simply addictive and played it a few days straight non-stop. its mellow, dreamy and romantic state made me a bit melancholic, but in a good way. watch for the track "broken" which is an edgier TBM sound not found in any other track in this album. i'd definitely say it's the album's most "hardcore" track, if not of ALL the TBM tracks combined. it definitely epitomizes a cyber-goth club, at least to me!! this album is definitely something worth checking out, if not only to experience one band's talent and ability to mix such different genres.
my personal favs are to die for, promise me, broken, and under the stairs with my ALL-TIME TBM FAVORITE track being "happy birthday", the version on violet however. =) i am super-excited for their new album, "walking with strangers" which will be released on september 10 2007. they are touring as well this season, so be sure to check them out if you can!! they are one of the VERY FEW bands i know that try so hard to make their venues be for all ages [since they are aware that they do have younger fans too] AND which go for ridiculously affordable prices. LONG LIVE THE THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE!!!!! =)

5 out of 5 stars They have found the perfect niche.......2007-07-28

My comments are probably going to be about this band in general, as much as they referring to this album specifically.
First off, this band is simply amazing. They seem to have successully balanced every type of music that I like under the "rock" banner. There is some metal, industrial, 80's new wave melody, female goth. There is plenty of melody here that you can sing along to, but enough aggression to not worry about this being a dance-pop band. Chibi has a nice voice, but she knows how to play to her strengths. She is not one of those opera girls who like to show off, but she is not ultra-depressed either.
This album in particular leans a little more towards the industrial/dance side of the equation than Violet does. For example, there is no song that goes for the throat like "Blue" (but one could make an argument that "Broken" goes in this direction). However, there are lots of strong songs on here that were not on Violet. I would have to say that my favorite somg on here that was not on Violet is "Promise Me". This song has a certain sweetness to the lyrics, even though you could look at them as depressing too.
I wish more bands expanded on this type of sound, but that just shows you how great this band is. Overall, I can't say enough about TBM. Check out a couple full length songs on their my-space page. I think you will either "get it" or not immediately. If you are one of the folks who do, run out and buy Nothing And Nowhere and Violet as soon as possible!
Ciao, Baby
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • If you want to dance..
  • Another Great Album by theStart!
  • Please enter a title for your review
  • Floored
  • An amazing addition to thestart's discography
Ciao, Baby
theSTART
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Post GrungePost Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Shakedown!
  2. Slow Motion Addict
  3. City
  4. Krankhaus
  5. Blood, Brains, & Rock'n Roll Limited

ASIN: B000PSJCW4
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

  1. Wartime (It's Time 2 Go Now)
  2. Runaway
  3. Just A Fantasy
  4. Blood On My Hands
  5. Millionaire
  6. Dance Revolution
  7. Master Plan
  8. Fix
  9. Surrender
  10. Ciao Baby

Album Description

Formed in 1998, The Start was credited as one of the first bands of the new wave revival, this punk/synth rock band gained notoriety with their albums "Shakedown!" and "Initiation". Now poised to release their latest album, The Start have refined and nurtured their sound into a dancier version of their former selves. However, the punk and new wave elements are still visible through the pop sensibilities they've incorporated. They've toured with the likes of AFI, Weezer, Incubus, Sparta, Strung Out, Vaux, The Used, Coheed And Cambria, Alkaline Trio, Rancid, Taproot, The Living End, The Offspring, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Auf Der Maur, Garbage, Head Automatica, Goldfinger, and many more.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars If you want to dance.........2007-07-12

then get this album!! i am sooo happy with this new album by The Start. I have been a long time fan of them, Ciao Baby delivers a new wave dance your heart out from begining to end!!! The Starts vision for this album is everything that they said it would be. The music is done wonderfully and Aimee Echos vocals are amazing!!

5 out of 5 stars Another Great Album by theStart!.......2007-07-05

this album is indeed a little different than what we are used to from the start, but if you have ever been to see them live you can really feel how this fits their personalities. I wrote a long review before but it somehow got deleted... :( oh well...

best trax on the cd are
3. Just a fantasy: grinding crunchy synth and one of the best hooks on the album
5. Millionare: Love the production values... great rhythmic dance between the vocals and music... and I love the lyrics!
7. Master Plan: Lyrics that have a message that is a little deeper than some of the messages seem to be... kinda hits home at parts.
8. Fix: love the flow from verse to bridge to hook and back to verse... and alot like #3 it's got a great hook :)

all in all a great cd... best one since shakedown :)

3 out of 5 stars Please enter a title for your review.......2007-06-13

biggest disappointment of 2007. it's as bad as nina gordon and veruca salt's albums of last year. hopesfall's new album is pretty disappointing but Ciao Baby takes the cake. i'd almost guess these songs were rerecored early demo tracks from before the first album rather than new songwriting. they don't have the energy of Shakedown or the atmosphere of Initiation. i'm almost certain that these songs are not new. old demos rerecorded because they're too lazy or drugged up to write a new album, need to pay the bills, and know most of their fans won't notice the difference anyway. that's my call. buy an Alice In Videoland album instead.

5 out of 5 stars Floored.......2007-06-09

I am thoroughly impressed by this album. I have known about and loved theSTART since 2000, and I have watched their sound evolve throughout the past few years. I have loved a lot of it, and some of it not so much. However, this album is amazing, better than Shakedown!, I dare say. My only complaint is that it is short. But, the lyrics and music are strong. Runaway is brilliant.

5 out of 5 stars An amazing addition to thestart's discography.......2007-06-08

First, theStart is an amazing band. I own every album of theirs and love each one. Needless to say, I certainly had high expectations for this album.

I was not disappointed. My favorite song so far is Millionaire. The sound of this album is not as guitar heavy as Shakedown and Initiation. It experiments with different sounds and is more closely aligned with their self-proclaimed "dance music from the future" description. All in all, absolutely amazing.
Labyrinth
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Flawed, but nice.
  • He's still got it...
  • Juno Reactor goes hollywood
  • Uh...huh
  • Uneven...
Labyrinth
Juno Reactor
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
TranceTrance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Bible of Dreams
  2. Furious Angels
  3. Puppy
  4. Risotto
  5. Sub Conscious

ASIN: B00031TXCC
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

  1. Conquistador I
  2. Conquistador II
  3. Giant
  4. Wardogs
  5. Mona Lisa Overdrive
  6. Zwara
  7. Mutant Message
  8. Angels and Men
  9. Navras

Album Description

Since the release of "Shango" in 2000, Juno Reactor has been involved in many projects including the production of several tracks for "Matrix: Reloaded" and "Matrix: Revolutions", as well as a greatest hits comp, "Odyssey 1992-2002". "Labyrinth" has nine tracks, two of which are songs from the Matrix movies. It'll rule the dance floor with its trance style elements and hard hitting beats.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Flawed, but nice........2007-01-05

I hate writing reviews. I feel like a review should include some high-brow philosophy that blows people's minds, becoming an art in itself. For me, I either like music or I don't. Simple as that. An album is either worth my money, or it isn't.

What makes this review even harder to write is Labyrinth borrows characteristics from many genres: Heavy metal, drum and bass, trance, ambient, tribal... It's hard to compare Labyrinth to anything. So here's a brief rundown:

Flaw: Angels and Men. The whole song. The vocals are interesting, the mood is interesting, but it sounds like a friggin' Blue Man Group tune. Lowes probably wants half its plumbing aisle back.

Flaw: Conquistador I. It's okay, but drags on forever. Clamp it down some.

Now, I can't be a legit reviewer if I don't point out what Labyrinth does right. Let's see...

Giant. The whole song. Brilliant as hell. Reminds me of the wonderful times I spent listening to Dieselboy's projectHUMAN, AND those angsty years of Stabbing Westward (it's the drums). It's even a bit soulful (the vocals), but not in a silly gospel way.

Navras. Yes, the song is too long, yes the song has iffy tribal marshmallows in its otherwise delicious cereal of music, but it's cool. I love the piano riff, and the "tribal bits" are good, but out of place--unless you look at it as the Juno Reactor "remix."

Conquistador II. Makes me want to start up Unreal Tournament and scrawl a legacy in bullets. Enough said.

Well, I think that about covers it. Four stars.

5 out of 5 stars He's still got it..........2006-06-28

After all these years Juno Reactor is still able to bring something new to the trance plate and not repeat himself. Labyrinth is full of tribal beats, ethnic vocals and oddly enough - a touch of rock and drum & bass. Throw in the unmistakable Juno Reactor trance beats from time to time and you've got one damn good CD.

You'll notice this album has a much more cinematic and epic feel to it then previous albums... Ben Watkins truly is a master at what he does and continues to evolve and change.

3 out of 5 stars Juno Reactor goes hollywood.......2006-02-18

Where Bible of Dreams was subtle and enjoyable, Labyrinth sounds much more like a movie soundtrack, which seems to be the goal. The old downtempo/trance style has turned into a aggressive sound designed as sci-fi action movie background music. While it seems a lot of people like this, I feel like Bible of Dreams was more inspired and original. The music is still enjoyable and polished, and the guitar work is great, but seems over-the-top at times and a bit "hollywood." Congratulations to JR for the work on the Matrix soundtrack, but I wasn't planning on a soundtrack disc when I bought this. Matrix itself was an excellent hard cyberpunk sci-fi theme taken to similar "hollywood" levels which made it more appealing to the masses.

I guess they've been moving in the direction for a while, as Shango still had some subtle trance elements of BoD but introduced songs like "Masters of the Universe" which had the hollywood soundtrack feel. So its probably just my fault for not really liking the direction that Juno has gone with this album. I'm still a fan and enjoy the disc.

3 out of 5 stars Uh...huh.......2006-01-27

The style of Juno Reactor underwent a somewhat drastic change with "Bible of Dreams". Ambient techno gave way to full-on tributes to various forms of "organic" music, with a little techno at the ready. But here, in the latest addition to the Juno discography, the guys just don't seem to be trying as hard. Compared to "Bible" and "Shango", the efforts heard here seem rather cartoonish. Let's not ignore the fact that two of the songs on this disc were actually reused from their earlier work in the "Matrix" films. It's like when a guy digs up a really good essay he wrote a while ago, touches it up a little, and submits it for a separate assignment. I mean, the two songs in question are pretty good, but it's still a little weird. Let's also remember that this is the shortest Juno Reactor album I've ever come across. Four of the songs are less than six minutes long. Does that sound like Juno to you? Even if a song's bad, I can appreciate them for making it long. Generally, this album didn't sit as well with me as did the others.
Well, I guess I should start at the beginning.

1) Conquistador, Part 1 - 3/5. A quiet beginning. Some female voices sing a ballad or lullaby amongst a soft guitar tune. For the most part, it's pretty calm, but it gradually builds to a climax (albeit a climax that's only a little louder than the rest). In the last minute, some faint percussion pops up. It grows more and more intense, filling the listener with anticipation as to what's about to happen, before it suddenly takes us to...

2) Conquistador, Part 2 - 4/5. Like the "Nitrogen" duo in "Shango", I'm kinda lost on why the guys gave these songs the same name...although I can understand this better than "Nitrogen". I think they're trying to tell a story with these two. Despite the buildup at the end of "Part 1", the transition to this feels rather abrupt. It's got the Mexican, but say bye-bye to the ballad/lullaby; that's been replaced by dark, heavy, techno-ish rock (or rock-ish techno). They've also brought back the throat voice that's familiar to anyone who's listened to "Badimo", spouting some really crazy-sounding lyrics. Very crazy. You'll laugh. Then cry, 'cuz it's over so soon. Or cheer if you hated it.

3) Giant - 2/5. I can barely endure this piece of work. Or should we say, lack of work. I'm theorizing that Watkins and crew just got lazy and slapped this thing together simply to keep up their nine-song pattern. I don't mind repetition if there's a really good tune involved, and here...well, one out of two ain't bad. Oh, wait a sec, it is. There's a synth-like tune that kinda sounds like farting if you listen for it, and it goes on and on and on, before we get some lyric that sounds like "inside", although it's most likely not English. That's all; farting, "inside", farting, "inside", farting, "inside", all culminating in a big steaming pile of poop. Ick.

4) War Dogs - 3/5. Better. A throwback to the Middle Eastern style. To my knowledge, we've got men's chanting mixed in with woodwind, guitars, the usual synth wave, and craziness abound. The actual sound is hard to put into words, so it's better just to end it here. Not too hot about it nonetheless.

5) Mona Lisa Overdrive - 4/5. What you see here is a remix of the famous "highway chase" music from "The Matrix Reloaded". If you've already seen that movie, I won't bother describing the main tune for you. If you haven't...then you don't deserve the satisfaction! Anyway, they've added in some chanting, since that's what they do, and shortened the whole thing to four minutes and forty-five seconds. Now, this irks me; the original mix was over ten minutes long, and it ruled. What irks me even more is that this isn't as varied as the other version. It's got that great techno melody that any "Matrix" geek should recognize, but that's about it. It's like: percussion --> melody --> percussion --> melody --> chanting --> percussion --> et cetera. It doesn't even have an impressive end. By itself, it's still one of the better on this album, but I can never listen to it without thinking back to the highway chase.

6) Zwara - 3/5. I THINK this is supposed to have an Indian feel to it. It's really just techno coupled with Indian chanting, though, with a little rapping (!!!) midway through. Don't worry; it's Indian rapping (like that'll calm you down). Well, the tune's actually really cool, but what brings this song down is the end. At the approximate 4:45 mark, the chanting female gets a solo, and she really goes berserk. I don't know; maybe she's supposed to sound like she's having an orgasm, but either way, it's really off-putting. However, if you want to hear something REALLY ridiculous, wait until 5:35. The song just gets hilarious at that point. You'll wet your pants, either from laughing or freaking out.

7) Mutant Message - 4/5. "Greetings. We come in peace...NOT!" Up until now, every song here was a mix of Juno Reactor and a chosen style. "Conquistador" was Juno + Mexican, "War Dogs" was Juno + Middle Eastern, and "Giant" was Juno + poop, but "Mutant Message" is seemingly Juno + nothing else. Not a bad thing, actually. A strange alien-sounding voice is followed by the standard choir humming. We soon shift to a rather un-Juno-sounding piano melody. It all sounds very harmless for a while, and that's when they getcha. I will go no further. But I will be very distrustful of UFOs. Why? 'Cuz I'm a weirdo.

8) Angels and Men - 1/5. It sucks.

9) Navras - 4/5. Unlike "Mona Lisa", this hasn't been "remixed" from its alter ego in the "Matrix" trilogy; it's 100% the exact same as it was heard in the end credits for "The Matrix Revolutions". A HUGE choir shouts out Sanskrit quotes taken from the Upanishads. After this, we hear something that I think is piano. Really dark, heavy piano. Listening to this, you'd think it was Armageddon. Then, we go to the usual techno synth (boy, I'm typing those two words a lot) with the usual chanting. The middle is very quiet, reminiscent of the boring "Solaris". This song fortunately ends the same way it started; it's really a musical palindrome. After the quiet break, the piano again, the techno synth again, and the very last part is comprised of only the chanting. "Labyrinth" may not be up to par with their previous work, but at least it has an ending worthy of Juno Reactor's great name. I'm talkin' to you, "Shango".

3 out of 5 stars Uneven..........2005-06-12

I suppose if I had never heard Shango, I probably would have rated this latest effort from Juno Reactor as a 4, but Ben Watkins and company set a really high standard of musical synthesis that is hard to better.

"Conquistador" adds some nice arcosanti-sounding bells (part I) and interesting sounding backwards percussion (part II) to a laid back spanish guitar piece that echos "Pistolero," but otherwise adds nothing sonically to the superior efforts in Shango. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is nowhere near as compelling a composition as "Masters of the Universe"... And so on...; I'm not adverse to recycling song ideas if the result is at least as good as the originals, but many of the tracks on Labyrinth fall short.

There were a few departures worth mentioning; "Giant" attempts to add rock drums to a generally uninspired composition and fails badly; "War Dogs" fares better by using rock drumming to augment JR's usual polyrhythm mayhem.

"Zwara" was much more along the lines of what I hoped for in Labyrinth; drawing in ever more stylistic elements into a great groove -- all kinds of fun. "Navras" and "Mutant Message" were also very good extensions of the JR sonic universe...

So with about 50% of Labyrinth breaking new ground or at least tilling the soil well, I cast my vote with the reviewers that gave this outing a 3.5. The better moments here are exceptional and are well worth the purchase.

Soul Music:

  1. Miss E...So Addictive/Da Real World/Supa Dupa Fly [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics] [Import]
  2. Mr. DJ Wen [Explicit Lyrics]
  3. Nature of a Sista [Import]
  4. No Que No: I Thought You Knew [Explicit Lyrics]
  5. Northern Expozure, Vol. 4 [Explicit Lyrics]
  6. One of the Girls
  7. P.A.I.N.
  8. Paid in Full Mixtape, Vol. 1: Chopped and Screwed [Explicit Lyrics]
  9. Point Blank Range [Explicit Lyrics]
  10. Process of Elimination

Soul Music

soul music

Recommended Music:

The Very Best of Cockney Rejects

Callas-De Hidalgo: Callas's Teacher

Blues on My Back

Music: Sell Out (New Version)

Decade of Australian Hits: the 80's [Box set] [Import]

Carnabailito

Come Away With Me [CD-single] [Import]

Beethoven: Symphony No. 2+4

Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn - 20 Greatest Hits [MCA] [Import]

Brazilville

Born To Howl

Cellophane Persona

Cufilation Plus [Import]

Wagner: Szenen aus "Götterdämmerung"

Lemon Parade