Over the last couple weeks I’ve been in a nostalgic mood. I’ve gone back and listened to a lot of albums from the early 2000’s. One of the bands that I went back to is Godsmack. They seem to always get the shaft from people. Sure their name is from an Alice In Chains song and yes the lyrics are silly at times, but you can’t neglect the pure hard rock that they put out. So with all that in mind here is an album rank of their catalog from not the best to their best. On a side note, when they got Shannon Larkin in the band behind the drums, it changed them for the best!!
Over the many year of being a fan of heavy music, I have come to really enjoy certain peoples voices. Sometimes I’m in the mood for just total aggression and one of the names that comes to mind when thinking of that is Dez Fafara. Throughout his tenure in Coal Chamber and Devil Driver, he has brought the goods each album and especially live. His voice is one that only Dez can do. Many others have tried, but just can’t do it like he can. Here are a few of the songs he has guested on over the years
Funeral Flights- From Strait Up (Tribute to Lynn Strait)
Baptized In Redemption- From Roadrunner All- Stars:
Soulfly- Redemption Of Man By God (From the Album Enslaved):
Cancer Bats- Bastards (From The Album Dead Set On Living):
Rock music is very much alive and kicking. Since starting Audioeclectica, I’ve come across so many great bands. I’ve made it a point to try to go to as many shows of the bands I’ve written about, so I can see first hand how good they really are. Last night at the Viper Room, Aeges absolutely killed it. These gents really know how to put on a show. I would even dare many “bigger” bands to try to compete with the presence and energy that Aeges has when they are on stage. The dual vocals and guitar playing of Kemble Walters and Cory Clark go to another level live. They are so in tune with each other. The rhythm section of drummer Mike Land and bassist Tony Baumeister is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Mike plays with such tenacity and power, I was almost waiting for him to beat through his drums and Tony fits in the pocket perfectly. Their set consisted of songs from their albums The Bridge, Above and Down Below and their upcoming album Weightless. The new songs are quite good and are full of sweet melodies and riffs that will leave you playing air guitar for days. After the show was over not only did I want more, but they inspired me to go home and pick up my guitar and play around for a bit. That is what great music and bands like Aeges do. It’s bands like this that carry the torch and continue the tradition of what rock music was built upon.
Aeges are a band to look out for. Weightless is definitely an album that is very anticipated for me. If they are in your area, go see them. You won’t be disappointed. If you like big hooks, soaring vocals, thick riffs, and thumping rhythms then Aeges is the band for you.
I want to take a moment and thank all of you who take the time to read, comment and share all the articles and podcasts that appear on Audioeclectica. This has been beyond fun for me to do. Being able to share the gift of music and spread the word about bands and albums that are truly fantastic is greatly rewarding. I hope you all have enjoyed what’s come so far. The podcast is just getting started, and there are some other things in the works as well. A sincere thank you to you all.
Cheers,
Brian
I will leave you with 2 of my favorite albums to enjoy!
Doing album ranks are quite fun. It allows me the chance to go back and listen to a bands entire catalog. Sometimes I’m quite surprised by how my tastes have changed and I wind up enjoying other albums more than some. Soundgarden is a band that I’ve always had internal debates with. If you were to ask me 20 years ago to rank their albums, it would be quite different than today. Below is Soundgarden’s albums ranked from the worst to the best.
This is exciting. Aeges are gearing up to release their newest album and if this what we can expect, then we are in for a treat. “Another Wasteland” is chock full of melody and crunchy riffs that will get you more than in the mood for more! This song will appear on the upcoming album Weightless, which should be out later this summer. In the mean time, check out the video below and play it loud. Aeges are part of the resurgence of rock music that I’ve been mentioning for some time. They are the real deal and do it with the utmost conviction and passion, and you can tell when you listen.
In anticipation of Thrice’s new album coming out in May, I thought it would be a great time to do an album rank of their catalog. Here are their albums from not their best to the best.
Back in 1998 while I was waiting for a new Nine Inch Nails record, an album was released by Stabbing Westward that would hold my attention for years to come. Darkest Days is the album I’m talking about. Stabbing Westward took their industrial influences a few steps further on this album without sacrificing their knack for writing catchy melodic songs. Singer Chris Hall’s anguish, pain and suffering all show through in his vocal performance. Something I found interesting about the album is that it’s actually a concept record. It’s made up of 4 parts, with each depicting a different emotional phase after a break up. The Tracks 1-4 is about sabotaging the relationship. Tracks 5-9 is about lust, hope, and longing. Tracks 10-12 is about hitting rock bottom after it’s all over. The final part is about recovery and self-respect. When I found that out a few years back, the album made a lot more sense to me. I’m sure most of you will remember the song “Save Yourself,” as it was the first single released for the album. But there is way more to the album than just that song. Songs like ” Everything I Touch,” “Drugstore,” “You Complete Me,” “Haunting Me,” “When I’m Dead,” “Torn Apart,” and “On Your Way Down” are absolute standouts. That’s not to say that the other songs aren’t as good, these ones just always seemed to have a lasting effect on me.
Stabbing Westward called it quits in the early 2000’s. Chris Hall went on to start the band The Dreaming. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them a few times over the years, and he is still one hell of a singer and frontman. During the early years of The Dreaming it wouldn’t be shocking to hear them play a couple Stabbing Westward songs live. It was announced recently that Stabbing Westward will be reuniting for a show to celebrate their 30th anniversary, but in Chicago. Let’s hope it goes well, so we can get a full on reunion tour!!!
I remember being 4 years old, watching MTV and seeing the video for “Need You Tonight.” My first thought was I have to have a jacket like the one Michael Hutchence had. Second was this song is great and I need to hear more. So like any good parent would do, mine took me to go get INXS Kick. I was hooked. The album and band was one of my favorites growing up. I can still remember all the videos that aired. Of course I was young and was very focused just on those songs, but as I got older and really listened to the album, I realized how good it truly was. Besides “Devil Inside,” “Need You Tonight,” “New Sensation,” “Never Tear Us Apart,” songs like “Mystify,” “Kick,” “Wild Life” and “Tiny Daggers” are exceptional songs that help to make this album a classic. Michael Hutchence had a voice that was raspy and filled with sensuality that radiated all over the songs. He had a style all his own making him one of the most enigmatic frontmen of the time. Interestingly enough this album was almost not released. When the band turned it into their record company, they hated it. So much so that they offered the band a million dollars to go back and come up with something else. Another point of interest about Kick, is that it was produced by Chris Thomas. Thomas was the guy behind the boards for the Sex Pistols album Never Mind The Bullocks.
INXS’s Kick is one of those timeless albums that stretches beyond just the 80’s. The legacy of the band continues on long after Michael’s death in 1997. They even tried a resurgence in the 2000’s with the TV show contest Rock Star: INXS. Michael Hutchence is one of those frontmen that is just irreplaceable. The band themselves have a tremendous catalog that they can be proud of. Kick is the highlight sure, but there are some other greats out there from them that deserve the attention.
