Master of Puppets review

Master of Puppets is the third and most popular album by the heavy metal band Metallica, who are probably still the biggest heavy metal band in the world. I don't usually listen to heavy metal so this should be interesting.

Tracks:

1. Battery: 6/10 a little more variety in the music would be appreciated, but if loud, over-the-top, head-bangingly loud music with as much fury and volume as possible is your thing, this song has your name on it. If creating loud, heavy and crazily intense music could be considered some sort of art, then these guys seem to do it very well.

2. Master of Puppets: 8/10 this legendary song is undeniably a beast. It's too long for its own good, but with the interesting lyrics, intense and fast-paced instrumental and relentless heaviness, it's still a striking and impressive song which feels artistic as well.

3. The Thing that Should Not Be: 7/10 the artistic craft that went into this song manages to distract from its slight monotony.

4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium): 7/10 this one is uneven. Some bits are really rather good, while other parts are just one indistinguishable heavy chord after another.

5. Disposable Heroes: 7/10 while once again completely overlong, the sheer intensity of this anti-war song is to be admired.

6. Leper Messiah: 6/10 thoroughly competent yet forgettable, this is the weakest on the album so far since nothing about it stands out.

7. Orion: 7/10 far too long once again, but undeniably a work of truly skilled instrumentalists.

8. Damage, Inc.: 7/10 this closer is more than adequate and is basically more of the same.

Best song: Master of Puppets
Worst song: Leper Messiah

Summary: How you feel about this album will depend on one thing and one thing only: how you feel about heavy metal. If you like heavy metal, this will probably be one of your favorite albums. The artistry and power of the music is undeniable. If you don't like heavy metal, you'll get pretty bored with the repetitive instrumentals and exhausting nature of the music. It's hard to review objectively since I'm not really into metal. That being said, there's still a fair amount of enjoyment to be had.




Final rating: 7/10

Demon Days review

This is the second album by the extremely popular virtual band Gorillaz, created by the former Blur front-man. I was going to try and get tickets for their show in Brighton later this year, but unfortunately they sold out within 2 minutes.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 6/10 a forgettable but atmospheric intro.

2. Last Living Souls: 8/10 this shows in full force the minimalist yet brilliant sounds and arty creativity that defines the band.

3. Kids with Guns: 8/10 a restrained but endlessly cool meditation on today's youth.

4. O Green World: 9/10 demented, artistic, weird and wonderful.

5. Dirty Harry: 9/10 as both a musical artwork and a war song, it's an utter triumph that succeeds on nearly ever level.

6. Feel Good Inc.: 10/10 combining elements that shouldn't work together at all with ease and featuring amazing lyrics, fantastic raps and an even more fantastic chorus, this is one of the most memorable- and one of the best- songs of the 2000s.

7. El Manana: 8/10 while more conventional than the other tracks so far, that doesn't make it any less beautiful.

8. Every Planet We Reach is Dead: 8/10 ditto.

9. November Has Come: 7/10 the lyrics are weaker but it's as clever as ever.

10. All Alone: 8/10 the meaning isn't always clear, but it's yet another memorable and highly enjoyable Demon Days track.  

11. White Light: 8/10 the most minimalist on the album so far still has so much to say.

12. DARE: 9/10 this relentlessly catchy and endlessly compelling song brings the album into 5 star territory once again.

13. Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head: 8/10 combining a powerful story with a lovely instrumental background, this reminds one of The Velvet Underground in a good way.

14. Don't Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days: 9/10 an emotional, vocally amazing and surprisingly uplifting finale to the album.

Best song: Feel Good Inc.
Worst song: November Has Come

Summary: What an album. Sure; it's self-indulgent, requires you to be in the right mood and is undeniably uneven, so let's call it a flawed masterpiece. The musical arrangements are minimalist yet perfectly chosen, the mixture of different styles is seamless and it's the rare thing that is really pretty avant-garde yet also commercial and seriously catchy. Feel Good Inc. remains one of the best songs of the 21st century for example, while other track is also a blast. This is a weird and wonderful work of art, and it's also something so wonderfully different too.



Final rating: 8/10

Raising Hell review

The 3rd album by the acclaimed hip-hop trio Run-D.M.C., who are an influential part of hip hop's golden age. This is their most popular album.

Tracks:

1. Peter Piper: 5/10 despite the embarrassing lyrics, this nevertheless is well-executed, the rhythm is punchy and it will have been incredible back when it was new.

2. It's Tricky: 6/10 repetitive and badly written, but perhaps with this group it's more about the production, which isn't too bad here.

3. My Adidas: 6/10 it is catchy, but oh boy does it sound dated.

4. Walk This Way: 7/10 an effective and enjoyable (Though nothing more) mix of rap and rock which remains an iconic song.

5. Is it Live: 5/10 once again: good production, awful lyrics and a general sense of repetitiveness.

6. Perfection: 5/10 ditto.

7. Hit it Run: 5/10 mostly the same, only this time we also have annoying beatboxing to enjoy as well.

8. Raising Hell: 7/10 definitely an improvement, largely since they actually bother to do intelligent rhymes here.

9. You Be Illin': 5/10 more of the same.

10. Dumb Girl: 5/10 another one where it will just be an acquired taste, but where many will and seem to love it. If you're as lyric-focused as me, you won't have the best time.

11. Son of Byford: 6/10 not as bad as it could have been and it packs in a couple of decent beats and rhymes into 30 seconds.

12. Proud to be Black: 6/10 an acceptable ending with a nice message.

Best: Walk This Way
Worst: Hit it Run

Summary: Wow, is this overrated or what? So many people seem to love this album and I just can't see why. Yes, in terms of music production the album is fine and it was and remains influential. But influential doesn't make something good. For example, The Blair Witch Project has been a huge influence on found footage horror and you'll have a hard time finding anyone who still likes that movie. The songs are indistinguishable from each other, the lyrics are as simplistic as a children's nursery rhyme and on the whole it just sounds incredibly dated. These guys may be regarded as huge hip-hop legends, but compared to Eminem, Public Enemy, Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and many others, they simply can't hold a lit match, let alone a candle. Still, it is well-done and it's a certain style, so if you like this style of hip hop and are less lyric-focused than me, give it a go.



Final rating: 5/10