Gojira - Terra Incognita (2001)

With the famous movie monster Godzilla being all of the rage again, with a new movie out right now, it feels more than fitting to start cover a band who is named after the King of Monsters, the French death metal group Gojira. The band may have become their own type of monster in the metal world, but at the beginning of their career, they were small, broke, and had no clue on how to release a record. No, seriously, to create their debut record "Terra Incognita", they went to Belgium twice (one trip for recording, one for mixing), then just sent all printed copies to their own home, from where they would be distributed to magazines, radio stations, and other parties who could spread the word. Oh yeah, they also did this without a record deal at hand. Love the commitment, but that was not smart in any way.

What did we get from this hassle though? Well, "Terra Incognita" (latin for unknown land) is certainly a curious death metal record that the people in 2001 probably never saw coming. It is a strange and dark journey into the psyche of a mentally disturbed human, one where we encounter countless riffs, blasts, screams, and beats that can easily scramble your brain into a mush. From today's perspective, this album is definitely Gojira to the core, it has that special technique to it that only this band can produce. You got these chugging riffs from Christian Andreu and Joe Duplantier that seem very alien like, on the verge of not being from this very Earth, and it is fascinating to behold. Add the intricate drum patterns by Joe's brother Mario, and the pounding bass of Jean-Michel Labadie, and you got some unique metal at your disposal.

There is something primal about this record that makes it quite intriguing. A lot of dark, ambient noises help in setting the mood, creating an unsettling atmosphere that crawls underneath your skin. It does muddle up the sound though quite a bit, and at points it is at an disadvantage, but still works most of the way. Songs like "Rise", "Space Time", and "Lizard Skin" are just wonderfully disturbing. The brutality is there as well, especially in the opener "Clone" where the drums are going buck wild, and the guitars are majestic in their heavy approach, both in the faster and slower parts. Other nice bone crushing songs include "Fire Is Everything", "Deliverance", and "Blow Me Away You - Niverse".

While there is a lot of good stuff in "Terra Incognita", there is also a lot of unnecessary padding. This album goes over the hour mark, and it angers me because it only does so thanks to all the fillers in here. One perfect example of this padding is the closer "In The Forest", a perfectly good track that ends around the 5 minute mark, only to transition into a strange instrumental that adds squat (and if you had the original version of the album, you had to wait 3 and a half minutes to hear this "hidden track"). I understand that these interludes are there to enhance the atmosphere, but to me they are just in the way for the real music, no matter if they were written for a relative or not ("04" was a birthday present to the Duplantier brother's mother, what an odd gift to say the least).

It feels wrong to say that I enjoyed my experience with "Terra Incognita", because its purpose is to make you uneasy, to bring out your inner demons, and I think it succeeds fairly well. It is a dark, strange record that still showed everyone what a force Gojira could become, with a unique sound and style that no one has heard before. This album has some issues for sure, but it has enough juicy nuggets to get you hooked into the band. Definitely worth a double trip to Belgium.

Songs worthy of recognition: Clone, Space Time, Fire Is Everything


Rating: 7/10 Lizard Skins

www.gojira-music.com/
twitter.com/GojiraMusic

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Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)

So we have finally reached "Blackwater Park" in our discography review series of Opeth, the album that is considered to be the band's magnum opus. To most, this is a modern progressive classic, a must have in every metalhead's collection. It is also the album that elevated the band to the next level, from being an underground group that was getting some positive feedback, to being one of the biggest metal acts around. This record is monumental for the evolution of Opeth, and it has a place in many people's hearts, but is it really as good as the early material, or was it just lucky coincidence that this gave the band its big breakthrough?

Let us start with the basics, what separates "Blackwater Park" from its four predecessors? It definitely has a lot of the same elements that previous outings have, like the poetic lyrics and the guttural death metal moments, but what I think makes "Blackwater Park" a different album is that it is just much smoother around the edges. The production (made by legendary Porcupine Tree singer Steven Wilson) is cleaner, but it still has enough darkness in it to not hurt the album, helping to enhance all of those sweet melodies.

Another reason to why this album blew up might be because it is more accessible than its brethren. Yes, it is still a true progressive metal album, with a song span that could be everything from 6 minutes to 12, but the structures of the songs are more straight, giving off to some really catchy moments in this album, mostly thanks to the amazing instrumentation. It still has that Opeth vibe to it though, so the band is not selling out or anything, they are still the imaginative group that we got to know on all previous records.

Besides, let us be honest, the previous albums felt a little all over the place, having tons of influences from several different genres that did mash up well, but it is with "Blackwater Park" where Opeth perfected their sound, making it more fluid and cohesive. The band is truly hitting their stride with all of these fantastic, sweeping melodies that really helps in telling a story.

Yeah, there is not much else to say about "Blackwater Park" other than that it completely deserves all the praise that it has gotten over the years. It is a transcending album that just flows naturally through your ears, and it also have a cohesive sound throughout the album that set the band up for success. However, I do not think this is an all around perfect album. It could have benefited from being a little grittier in its production, and some of the lyrics here are not as good as in previous outings. Despite those minor issues, "Blackwater Park" is still an amazing record, a must listen for every prog metal lover. Is it the best Opeth record though? We will see eventually...

Songs worthy of recognition: The Funeral Portrait, The Leper Affinity, Bleak, The Drapery Falls, 

Rating: 9,5/10 Harvests

www.opeth.com/
twitter.com/officialopeth

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Sorceress

Slayer - God Hates Us All (2001)

There is no surprise that Slayer chose "God Hates Us All" as their next album title. While I do not think it is a direct reference to what they did in their last album, I can imagine that God did not like that one all too much (or anyone else for that matter). No, the title stems instead from the track "Disciple", and it is both an impactful slogan and a good hint at what the band is speaking about in the lyrics. No matter what, it is also a sign that the band was back at their old tricks again, making millions of fans breath a sigh of relief.

Yes, "God Hates Us All" is no weird 90's nu-metal experiment, it is straight up Slayer thrash instead. While it may not have the same furious spirit as some of their early releases, it is still good thrashing fun for the entire family, just what you want from a band like Slayer. The guitars are angry, the vocals are angry, the drums are angry, and the bass is as happy as can be... just kidding, it is angry as well. You can just feel the anger that fuels this album, and it is a very lovely feeling.

The band is obviously in the hunt for redemption with this album, and they do get it to some extent. I do think that the songs here though are ranging between good to mediocre, and the lack of a true knock out punch makes "God Hates Us All" feel a little more lack luster in its approach. There is still a lot of songs to enjoy here though, like "Disciple", "Exile", "Cast Down" and "War Zone", so you can tell that the band has not been lazy in the song writing process.

With that said though, I feel like "God Hates Us All" is an album that could have been done even better if the band had cut out a couple of songs. The album is not really too long (roughly 42 minutes), but it is packed with 13 songs, which is the most we have seen in a single Slayer album still to this date. With some of the fat trimmed away, this could have been a fantastic album. It is still a pretty damn consistent album from start to finish, but that makes me want a more compressed version even more. After all, the best Slayer albums are short and sweet.

What more can I really say here? This is the Slayer that we want, not that weird band we got in "Diabolus In Musica". "God Hates Us All" is angry, heavy, and overall a really solid album where the band never really shines, but delivers the goods in a very admirably way. It is a comeback that was much needed, and it shot the band into the 21st century with some good momentum. All in all, it is vintage Slayer, no more, no less.

Songs worthy of recognition: Disciple, Cast Down, War Zone

Rating: 7/10 Paybacks

www.slayer.net/
twitter.com/slayer

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Judas Priest - Demolition (2001)

After a pretty mild reception of the last album, "Jugulator", Judas Priest investigated on why that happened. Instead of seeing the obvious fact that Rob Halford was gone, they came up with the idea that the fans did not enjoy "Jugulator" because it was too different, not enough of the classic Priest in it. With that in mind, they created the follow up "Demolition", a album that definitely sounds more like a Judas Priest album, but still incorporated several new angles.

This definitely sounds good and all, only if the band actually had the song material that lives up to the hopes. "Demolition" is filled with songs that are either pretty good, or are just laughable, and that is at its most obvious in the lyric department, that is unusually stupid for a Judas Priest release. Let us all just gander on this line I took out from the opening track "Machine Man".

So you motherfuckers want to race
You've all got loser tattooed on your face

I expect these types of lyrics from anything released by Strapping Young Lad, but Judas Priest? Hell no, this is under all dignity for them, and it definitely ruins an otherwise kick ass song. That literally is the low point in the lyrical department, but the overall lyrics quality is not up to par.

Now, I have already stated that the song material is not the best, but there are some songs on "Demolition" that are worthy of a positive mentioning. "Bloodsuckers" sounds like it should be a corny song, but it is actually pretty cool, with its nice structure and a Tim Owens that brings out his inner Metal God in the best way possible. The album also have some good ballads in "Close To You", "Lost And Found", and "In Between", some cool futuristic inspiration in "Subterfuge", and a good, chunky banger in "Feed On Me".

But then we have a butt load of songs that are either uninspired or just flat out garbage, or maybe it is the haphazard production that make them seem that way, but either way, they are the reason to why "Demolition" is one of the least loved Judas Priest albums. And then we have the fact that the band wanted this to be more old school Judas Priest, however, it isn't. We don't get tons of awesome riffs, the choruses are not catchy, and the speed is not as it used to be. I can take the album as it is, but if the goal was to please those who loved "Painkiller", "Screaming For Vengeance", and all the other classics, then the band failed.

"Demolition" is far from a perfect album, but knowing how much shit it has gotten through the years, I expected it to suck more. Just like "Jugulator", it has some interesting ideas that could have worked out really well, but it is the song material that makes this album what it is, a failure. I really feel bad for Tim Owens, because he deserves more than what he got. He got in a band that was experiencing its most turbulent time, and he did what he could, and got mostly blamed for it. But no matter how good of a job Tim does, he cannot save "Demolition", a bad album that could have been interesting, but was the aftermath of a band that had lost its way.

Songs worthy of recognition: Bloodsuckers, Machine Man, Close To You

Rating: 4,5/10 Cyberfaces

www.judaspriest.com/
twitter.com/judaspriest

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Amon Amarth - The Crusher (2001)

Let us start off this review with the obvious observation. The cover of Amon Amarth's third full length effort "The Crusher" would look better as a Manowar cover. No really, a overly muscular man smashing shit, masculinity all over the place, and the title "The Crusher". All of this screams Manowar more than it does Amon Amarth. Well, nonetheless, the cover in itself does not look too goofy at least, even if it is my least favourite cover from the Swedes.

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let us get deeper into this album. "The Crushers" continues on with what "The Avenger" did, building the foundation on what eventually would become Amon Amarth's signature sound. It is melodic, it is fast, and it is heavy, but it is still rough around the edges, especially thanks to the production. Peter Tägtgren is a awesome man with a lot under his belt, but I really do not understand what he did with all of these album he helped the band mixing. The mud is still there, never leaving your speakers, giving those clean riffs and beats a mud bath they did not need. You can still hear all the hard work the band has put into this record and all of the nice musicality, but it could have been clearer for our listening experience (even if it is a small, small step forward from previous efforts).

But it is not only the production that makes "The Crusher" sound muddy, it is the overall song arrangement. Most of the songs have around the same chorus, speed, and structure, making it hard to separate the tracks from each other. But once you take the surgical knife and start dissecting and inspecting the songs, you can be sure that you will find some quality craftsmanship. Wheter it is the frenetic riffing in the opener "Bastards of A Lying Breed" or the fragile melodies in "As Long As The Raven Flies", the band shows once again that when the pieces are on place, they can create some amazing stuff.

And just like its two predecessors, "The Crusher" is a sign of what to come for the band. The solo of "A Fury Divine" is the perfect example of just that, a beautiful and simple solo that completes a heavy and strong track. This solo reminds of another Amon Amarth song and its solo, but I will not reveal what song it is until I review the album in which it is in.

Anyway, there is no song in this album that is essentially weak. Yes, some songs get lost in the forest, but all of them are enjoyable and helps creating a strong, solid album. "The Crusher" will probably not go to the history as one of the more memorable Amon Amarth albums in history, but it has its solid place in the history of the band, and fans should be proud of it. It is a album that may not shine, but it shows that Amon Amarth is the real deal, that they can deliver strong and powerful melodic death metal. In the end though, there is only two things that will ultimately stick with me from this album, the track "A Fury Divine", and that corny album cover.

Songs worthy of recognition: A Fury Divine, Bastards of A Lying Breed, As Long As The Raven Flies

Rating: 7,5/10 Masters of War

https://www.amonamarth.com/
https://twitter.com/amonamarthband

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Megadeth - The World Needs A Hero (2001)

A new millennium had come, the world had survived the so called Y2K, but still faced a lot of various problems. So to say that the world needed a hero was more or less an understatement. The only hero that seemingly could save Megadeth now after the horrific "Risk" was their almost forgotten mascot Vic Rattlehead, whom makes his first album cover appearance for Megadeth since the 1990 classic "Rust In Peace". Okay, so Vic cannot really save Megadeth and make them create good music again, but just the clear sight of him gave at least some hope to the few Megadeth fans that was still out there. Could this be a turning point for the band?

Even if "The World Needs A Hero" is continuing on the same style that Megadeth has developed during the 90's, it is something different with this album. It is still mainstream hard rock that dominates the album, but it contains a little more bite, it is a little angrier. The music still has a groovy and catchy factor to it, but it feels more heavy metal than before, which is just what the band needed after the meltdown that happened 2 years before.

I would not go as far as saying that "The World Needs A Hero" is a fantastic album, because it is not, but compared to its predecessor, it is a very big improvement. There are still some mediocre and bad songs that I do not think holds up very well, and also some decisions are just weird, like the "phone call" parts in both the title track and "1000 Times Goodbye", but the overall quality is actually decent. "Moto Psycho" has a sweet groove and some nice riffs, while the opener "Disconnect" impress me with its solos. There are also some song in this album that has small thrash vibes, but still holds a good hard rock foundation to mix the old and new Megadeth in a good way, like "Dread And The Fugitive Mind" and "Recipe For Hate... Warhorse".

The only thing that "The World Needs A Hero" and "Risk" have in common is the feeling that Megadeth sometimes acts like a cover band. Even if "Return To Hangar" is a great track and one of the thrashier ones the band has done in ages, it is more or less the same as "Hangar 18", which is of course intended since it is a sequel to the track, but I feel like they could have been a little more imaginative about with it (at least put in more elaborate lyrics in). What is an even bigger rip off is the final song "When", which is more or less a complete replica of the Diamond Head classic "Am I Evil?", but with different lyrics. I think it is a disgrace to this classic song and a big middle finger to Diamond Head from Megadeth. I know that Dave have done covers before and altered some lyrics, but he is just stealing here and labels it as his own product. The worst part is that it is not even a good pirated copy. It is like one of those Iphone replicas from China. Might look decent on the outside, but is complete shit compared to the original.

This is a huge step forward for Megadeth and a glimpse of hope that the band might bounce back towards the top of the metal chain once again. "The World Needs A Hero" is not an amazing album that will go to the history as one of Megadeth's finest, but it is a album that at least shows that "Risk" was a one time thing, and nothing more. So if the band gets rid of the non-covers covers and brings a little more anger to the music, we might look at a really interesting future for the band.

Songs worthy of recognition: Return To Hangar, Recipe For Hate... Warhorse, Dread And The Fugitive Mind

Rating: 5,5/10 Moto Psychos

Devin Townsend - Terria (2001)

The last couple of albums by Devin Townsend had been mostly fast, aggressive and just simply insane, so it was a little surprising that the 5th studio album "Terria" was the exact opposite of "Infinity" and "Physicist". Devin was inspired to do this album since he felt that he ostracized some of his fans on "Physicist", so he took the chance on making a personal record that also was a dedication to his homeland of Canada.

It is instantly obvious that "Terria" is sort of a follow up to "Ocean Machine: Biomech". Both albums have the same humble and soothing sound, but whilst "Ocean Machine: Biomech" was a joyful and happy album, "Terria" has some darker elements in its music (but it is still a positive album though). No matter what, the perfect mix of ambient rock and progressive metal is very exciting and helps lifting the album up to great heigths.

But this is not a album that you will love instantly. It takes a couple of spins before all the songs sets in and presents themselves towards you. Believe me, cause it happened to me. I first thought that the intentional silent parts were slightly annoying and that most of the music was nothing that was impressing. But now I see why Devin put those in, and I got to say that it takes some talent to really get the most of the music and silence, which Devin does. But even if the silence is a big part of "Terria", it is the loudest song that catches most of my attention. "Earth Day" is a great track that mixes the groovy feeling of "War" with the epicness of "Seventh Wave". It still gives me the chills when Devin screams recycle and eat your beets.

It is the epic parts that makes "Terria" such a great album. Some of the great parts are the instrumental rumble plus the quire in "The Fluke", the sensitivity in "Nobody's Here" and "Stagnant", and the doom like part about jury duty in "Canada". Unfortunately, there are also some parts that does not make any sense at all. For instance, the opener "Olives" is just a three minute long haul to the real album. Do not understand why that song is in "Terria" at all. There is also a one minute long complete silence in the end of "Mountain". I can see that silence would be good at the end of the song, but one minute of it is too long.

This is certainly a epic piece that should make every progressive metal fan ecstatic, but compared to the masterpiece "Ocean Machine: Biomech", "Terria" does not have the same quality. Sure, Devin makes the most of the ambient sound that dominates the album, but I do not feel like the impact is as big as it was in "Ocean Machine: Biomech". None the less, "Terria" is an excellent album that feels down to earth and works perfect in the Sunday morning when you are recovering from a hangover. And do not forget, eat your beets and recycle.

Songs worthy of recognition: Earth Day, Nobody's Here, The Fluke

Rating: 8/10 Tiny Tears

https://www.hevydevy.com/
https://twitter.com/dvntownsend

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