1. James Hetfield- Metallica
2. Jerry Cantrell- Alice In Chains
3. Clint Lowery- Sevendust
4. Stephen Brodsky- Cave In
5. Ken Andrews- Failure
6. Scott Kelly- Neurosis
7. Eric Clapton
8. John Fogerty- Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Dave Grohl- Foo Fighters
10. Neil Young
11. Chris Cornell- Soundgarden
12. Kurt Cobain- Nirvana
13. Brian Molko- Placebo
14. Josh Homme- Queens Of The Stone Age
15. Jimi Hendrix
16: Jim Ward- Sparta
17. Lou Reed
18. Billy Corgan- Smashing Pumpkins
19. Matt Talbott- Hum
Somehow through all the trials and tribulations of life Trent Reznor was able to create amazing albums. Coming off a 5 year hiatus after the release of the highly influential and masterful album The Downward Spiral, Trent finally released The Fragile. While The Downward Spiral had heavily distorted instruments and dark industrial sounds. The Fragile relished in lush soundscapes electronic wizardry, ambient noise, heavy rock guitars, and vocal harmonies. The end result is uncompromising. The way Trent was able to capture the sheer torment and agony thorough his music and lyrics was beyond untouchable.
Each of the sides seems to represent something unique to the inner workings of Trent. The first disc (aka The Left), is easily the more accessible part of the album. Starting with “Somewhat Damaged” which communicates the state of mind/concept that this album is about. “The Day The World Went Away” really delivers. The ambience plays perfectly into the distorted guitars. The segue “The Frail” is a beautiful precursor to the wreckage that is “The Wretched” which is wonderfully angry. “We’re In This Together” is vulnerable and delicate while being able to still hold onto the rage inside of Trent. “The Fragile” is a love song of sorts or a plea to the one who is the apple of his eye. The instrumental “Just Like You Imagined” is a gem on it’s own. The vibe this song puts out is driving and near inspirational. “Even Deeper” gets more involved lyrically and exposes more of Trent. “Pilgrimage” is another segue that leads us deeper down the tunnel and away from the light. “No, You Don’t” picks up where “Pilgrimage” ended and explodes with heaviness. “La Mer” is a song that Trent said he wrote when he was in such a dark place. There is something about that song the way it blends perfectly into “The Great Below” which closes out the left side beautifully. This song also acts as the end of a chapter.
The right side (disc 2) starts with “The Way Out Is Through.” In a way this song is the further descent into a personal hell. “Into The Void” deals with more of the personal issues, with a heavier vibe. “Where Is Everybody?” has a really cool deconstructed electronic beat that creates a really nice tension throughout the song. “The Mark Has Been Made” is another instrumental/segue that takes us further down the rabbit hole. “Please” has more of an industrial edge to it. “Star Fuckers Inc.” is just a really nice “Fuck You” to all those that irritated and got under the skin of Trent. The guitar tracks on this song are full of heavy goodness. “Complication” takes a step towards the more industrial dance laced beats. It kind of foreshadows where his music is heading. “I’m Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally” is a solemn song, as it exposes his want to say goodbye permanently. “The Big Come Down” furthers his not light at the end concept. Musically this is a very unique song filled with melody. “Underneath It All” is a gritty song which keeps the deconstruction alive. Ending the album is “Ripe (With Decay)” this instrumental plays like the close of a life or chapter. There is something special about this song, in that all the quiet sounds and stark instrumentation really helps to sum up all the songs.
The Fragile to me is a marvelous album that can’t be touched. I’d dare even put it above The Downward Spiral. Both are so unique and perfect it’s hard to pick just one. I guess it all depends on ones mood. Trent Reznor is a musical genius. His ability to delve deep and create something so real is inspiring. It’s not easy to create 1 masterpiece. Trent was able to do it twice.
There is something happening with music nowadays. I’ve come across some truly great bands since starting this site. Adding to that list is a great band out of Washington called Wild Throne. This awesome 3 piece was conceived by friends Joshua Holland (guitar/vocals), Noah Burns (drums) and Jeff Johnson (bass). The end result of their music is a blend of bands like Judas Priest and Mastodon, mixed with 70’s rock, thrash, a little bit of prog rock and a dash of melody. As the story goes, while on tour the band caught the ear of famed producer Ross Robinson, and he took them into the studio to record their latest EP Blood Maker. Since the bands inception they have shared the stage and toured with Red Fang, Helmet, Kylesa. The 3 songs on Blood Maker are a jolt of life into the stale autonomy of the mainstream. The guitar riffs are heavy and rugged with nice subtle tones of clarity. The bass is dirty enough to fit in the sludgy thrash spectrum while at the same time complimenting the subtle clarity of the guitar. The drums pound hard and thump with aggression. Vocally the raw emotion coming from the voice of Josh Holland is real. Basically what I’m saying is Wild Throne is fantastic!!!
Zeppelin is an institution and very hard to cover right. There have been a few instances where it’s a success. This version of Kashmir with Alice In Chains and the addition of the symphony is spectacular. William Duvall delivers! He adds a bit of soul and gruff to the song. Jerry, Mike and Sean are right in the pocket. Take a listen for yourself.
Chino Moreno has one of the most distinct voices in the rock music community. His soft whispers, powerful screams, and intriguing melodies can be found on quite a few albums from others. Below is a handful of those.
In anticipation of the new album by Mastodon, entitled “Once More Round The Sun” here are the first 2 tracks released from that album. When I saw Mastodon live recently, they played them and in classic Mastodon form, these songs are beasts live. I present to you all, “High Road” and “Chimes At Midnight.”
The 90’s really had a huge impact on my musical taste. There are so many great bands and albums from that time, that deserve to be acknowledged. Quicksand is one of those bands that really deserve attention. Their sound is now considered by many as the pre-cursor to what “post-hardcore” is. Released in 1993 Slip, their debut studio album, is widely considered to be one of the classic records of that genre. The powerful riffs and rhythms drive the collection of songs. Vocally, Walter Schreifels, has a deep raspy voice that really reverberates throughout the songs evoking raw energy. The guitar riffs between Schreifels and Tom Capone are loud, crunchy yet very clear to hear the notes. Alan Cage plays the drums in a subtle heavy way. His knack for hitting harder when necessary is very noticeable. Sergio Vega’s bass playing is thunderous and compliments the rhythm masterfully. Songs like “Fazer,” “Dine Alone,” “Lie and Wait,” and “Transparent” sum up this great album. Take a listen and revel in it!
Instrumental bands are unique, in that they take you on a musical journey allowing you to make your own interpretation as to what the song is. Without lyrics to guide along, the listeners imagination is allowed to run wild. Which brings us to Barrows. Hailing from Los Angeles, this four piece band takes their brand of instrumental rock and throws in psychedelia, prog rock, and ambience to create a soundscape that is lush and full. The music is able to breathe and sways gently with the rhythms. The guitars are crisp and clear, even when the distortion is turned on. The bass simmers amongst the etherial sounds. The drums have a way of pulling you into each change with great emotion as certain parts are played harder than others. Barrows recently released their second album entitled Red Giant. The cover art is vibrant, just as the music that accompanies it. As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words.
Some bands have the ability to completely conquer a venue and make you forget that you are at a dingy place. Dekades did that for me. Their powerful set was a buildup of ambience to all out rock, playing songs off their EP 1.1 and then some. Singer/guitarist Arden Fisher has a voice that is amazing live as it on on record. She believes every word that is being sung and does it all very convincingly. The band themselves are very sound in their playing especially the energy coming from the drummer during their set. His facial expressions encompass his passion for playing and being in the band. The other guitarist and bass player were right in the pocket despite the strange conditions from the sound. The keyboard effects add to the already bombastic sound. Even with the venue being what it is, Dekades owned the night. One can only imagine the great things on the horizon for them.
Year Of The Rabbit was assembled and fronted by Ken Andrews of Failure fame. Soon after Ken stopped writing and performing music as ON, Andrews and ON’s drummer Tim Dow (formerly of Shiner) reached out to Dow’s friend Jeff Garber, and Solomon Snyder joined shortly thereafter. ON’s material had been created mostly by Andrews as a solo project, the harder-rocking sound of Year of the Rabbit is much closer to that of his previous band, Failure.
Their first release, the 2003 EP Hunted, was made available online only from outlets such as CD Baby, itunes, and the band themselves. The buzz from sales of the EP was enough to attract the attention of Elektra Records, who released their debut album shortly thereafter. Sadly as thing in the music business were in constant flux, Warner Music Company, was sold to a group of private investors, and many of the labels’ acts, including Year of the Rabbit, were dropped from their rosters. Two months later, Andrews declared on his official website that due to the shakeup at their label, the band had been put on indefinite hiatus.
The album itself though is a gem. This was as close as anyone who was a Failure fan was going to get to that vibe. The entire album is full of melody, hooks, and that signature tone, that so many guitarists have tried to duplicate. Lyrically this album is very deep and personal. There is not one ounce of filler either. Tracks like “Lie Down,” “Last Defense,” “Hunted,” and “Say Goodbye” are beyond stand out tracks. The instrumentation on here is simple and raw but with the right amount of polish to make it all shine through.
Though they released only one album, 10 years later this album still holds up, and sound like it fits in today more than ever. Ken Andrews was always ahead of his time it seems.
