whitestrat
Well-known member
Talking about NEW albums launched recently in the last few years. My list so far:
1) Sixx A.M. - The Heroin Diaries - Wow... What can I say? This has got to be one killer effort from the 3 guys. Everything from the playing, composition to recording is nothing but exceptional. It's way way ahead of most stuff I hear coming from the US these days. James Michael's voice is what really caught me on this album. Not so much DJ Ashba's playing, who's rhythm work is killer, but the singing!!! Oh wow... That's emotion right there... I wonder if he does any other band efforts? I hope they put out a 2nd release, but considering the original purpose of this album, I'm not sure if that's gonna happen. This album is so good that I'd consider it a modern classic, if it wasn't so serious. it's what Motley Crue should have sounded like!
2) Delain - April Rain - Their first album was so so... nothing new from the european metal scene. But their 2nd album, is fantastic... Charlotte Wessel's voice here really shines. Killer tones from the guitars too, but the songwriting here is so much stronger.
3) Kamelot - The Ghost Opera - What can I say? Roy Khan's voice delivers much more on this album. I was surprised to find out it was an American band, considering they sound 100% european. Excellent drumming and killer compositions. Extremely well produced. Hope they make it even bigger than they are now. The metal scene needs a boost!
4) Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - Ok, believe it or not, I actually liked this. I thought the usual negative comments on the new singer weren't really justified. Sure, she's not got the opera vox that Tarja had, but honestly, after a few songs of the old nightwish, I gave up. Annette's voice is a lot more soothing on the long plays. It's poppish, but she's got a more accessible dimension compared to Tarja. The compositions on this album, I must say, have been quite good. I was expecting disappointment when I bought this. I was pleasantly surprised.
5) In This Moment - The Dream - Wow... Maria Brink's vocals here are more polished and more accessible than the first CD they put out. Here she actually sounds like a female version of Sebastian Bach, complete with the screams he used to do as well. One of the few female vocalists who don't get annoying. She's got so much texture to her voice, it's amazing. The band isn't half bad, honestly. For a metalcore band, they're quite good. but her voice is what you buy this album for...
6) Joe Bonamassa - The Ballad of John Henry - Wow... EXCELLENT guitar work! Much better efforts than his past albums. I felt this album shows some maturity that his previous ones lacked. This is a MUST have for contemporary blues fans!
7) John Mayer - Where The Light Is - THE Live recording to own for the last 3 years. Excellent quality, and JM's playing is top notch here! His real killer is his acoustic set, which to me shows his ability to hold the stage as a performer. I'd shrivel under those conditions myself. And he pulls it off amazingly! Solid Solid performance from JM!
8) Chickenfoot - Old guys can still rock! and Rock HARD! This was definately not a disappointment for me, though I know some people have their gripes about it. Nothing about this album made me wish it was done differently. They were all just having fun, and you could hear it! OH YEAH!
9) Joe Satriani - Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion Of Rock - DAMN! TONE! That's what this album is about! Nothing much on fancy playing here, but the tones in this album are to die for. Revalation is a KILLER song!
10) Extreme - Saudades De Rock - Gary Cherone & Nuno Betterncourt. Back together! Need I say more?
1) Sixx A.M. - The Heroin Diaries - Wow... What can I say? This has got to be one killer effort from the 3 guys. Everything from the playing, composition to recording is nothing but exceptional. It's way way ahead of most stuff I hear coming from the US these days. James Michael's voice is what really caught me on this album. Not so much DJ Ashba's playing, who's rhythm work is killer, but the singing!!! Oh wow... That's emotion right there... I wonder if he does any other band efforts? I hope they put out a 2nd release, but considering the original purpose of this album, I'm not sure if that's gonna happen. This album is so good that I'd consider it a modern classic, if it wasn't so serious. it's what Motley Crue should have sounded like!
2) Delain - April Rain - Their first album was so so... nothing new from the european metal scene. But their 2nd album, is fantastic... Charlotte Wessel's voice here really shines. Killer tones from the guitars too, but the songwriting here is so much stronger.
3) Kamelot - The Ghost Opera - What can I say? Roy Khan's voice delivers much more on this album. I was surprised to find out it was an American band, considering they sound 100% european. Excellent drumming and killer compositions. Extremely well produced. Hope they make it even bigger than they are now. The metal scene needs a boost!
4) Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - Ok, believe it or not, I actually liked this. I thought the usual negative comments on the new singer weren't really justified. Sure, she's not got the opera vox that Tarja had, but honestly, after a few songs of the old nightwish, I gave up. Annette's voice is a lot more soothing on the long plays. It's poppish, but she's got a more accessible dimension compared to Tarja. The compositions on this album, I must say, have been quite good. I was expecting disappointment when I bought this. I was pleasantly surprised.
5) In This Moment - The Dream - Wow... Maria Brink's vocals here are more polished and more accessible than the first CD they put out. Here she actually sounds like a female version of Sebastian Bach, complete with the screams he used to do as well. One of the few female vocalists who don't get annoying. She's got so much texture to her voice, it's amazing. The band isn't half bad, honestly. For a metalcore band, they're quite good. but her voice is what you buy this album for...
6) Joe Bonamassa - The Ballad of John Henry - Wow... EXCELLENT guitar work! Much better efforts than his past albums. I felt this album shows some maturity that his previous ones lacked. This is a MUST have for contemporary blues fans!
7) John Mayer - Where The Light Is - THE Live recording to own for the last 3 years. Excellent quality, and JM's playing is top notch here! His real killer is his acoustic set, which to me shows his ability to hold the stage as a performer. I'd shrivel under those conditions myself. And he pulls it off amazingly! Solid Solid performance from JM!
8) Chickenfoot - Old guys can still rock! and Rock HARD! This was definately not a disappointment for me, though I know some people have their gripes about it. Nothing about this album made me wish it was done differently. They were all just having fun, and you could hear it! OH YEAH!
9) Joe Satriani - Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion Of Rock - DAMN! TONE! That's what this album is about! Nothing much on fancy playing here, but the tones in this album are to die for. Revalation is a KILLER song!
10) Extreme - Saudades De Rock - Gary Cherone & Nuno Betterncourt. Back together! Need I say more?
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