12. December 2007 by Matt.

(originally posted in my Myspace blog)

I did this last year, and decided that to remain faithful to my readers, I would do it again. Without further ado, my top 5 albums of 2007!

Whatthefuck is ado anyways?

I chose six albums because quite frankly, I couldn’t narrow it down to 5, and couldn’t think of enough to do 10. I really struggled with this, but I liked 5 and 6 equally enough that I couldn’t cut either one.

6. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight

This one really surprised me. I did not expect to like this album, let alone even listen to it. I heard the first single, The Moneymaker, on a compilation album and fell in love with it. It’s as catchy as any bubble gum pop tune, but different enough to pique my interest. Hell, the subject matter alone is awesome. (It’s about people in porno movies!) Other stand outs for me include the title track, which has a very techno-y intro that gives way to a folky rock tune that is permanatly ingrained in my head! It’s the sort of music that I never expected to enjoy, but Rilo Kiley is just so good at what they do! If they continue to make albums of this caliber I may become a long time fan. If you’re a fan of rock in general you’ll find something to like on Under The Blacklight.

Top Tracks: The Moneymaker, Silver Lining, Under The Blacklight, The Angels Hung Around
5. The 69 Eyes - Angels

Angels disapointed me. There, I said it. I had such high hopes after Devils and I guess I was let down by my own sky high expectations. The opening track is nothing memorable at all. Never Say Die really opens the album for me. It has become the 69 Eyes’ anthem and one of thier most popular singles. It’s very straightforward goth n roll, and one of the few songs from this album that remains in my current playlist. Ghost is an interesting pairing of The 69 Eyes with fellow Finnish rockers Apocalyptica, who provide a nice string arrangement. Sadly the song isn’t very good. I give them points for trying. Perfect Skin is a great song, very catchy, and probably my favorite off the album. I think the title turned off some people though. Shadow of Your Love is a great track as well, but very similar to previous 69 Eyes tunes. My favorite track on the disc is actually the 2007 re-recording of an old 69 Eyes hit, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams. It really feels like the band was on autopilot for this album, though they do say that this is really mean to just be part 2 of 2005’s Devils album. I guess I can live with that. It’s a worthy companion to Devils, (and in the US, sold as a double album!) at least on the way to the next album.

Top Tracks - Never Say Die, Perfect Skin, Shadow Of Your Love, Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (2007).

4. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight

Top Tracks: Given Up, Bleed It Out, Shadow Of The Day, What I’ve Done, No More Sorrow

3. Alkaline Trio - Remains

Alkaline Trio is one of those bands that I’ve always liked. I’m not a super huge fan, but their albums still entertain me time and time again. Remains is a compliation of older b-sides and hard to find tracks. It’s great for me because I didn’t have any of these songs on CD! I’ve had mp3s of Hell Yes and Queen of Pain for years, and these two have been some of my all time favorite songs. I was overjoyed when I was able to get them on a CD! Both are probably Alkaline’s best songs, hands down. The disc also contains the original version of Sadie, a hauntingly good song from Crimson, and We Can Never Break Up, a super catchy b-side from a few years back. Remains has got me excited waiting for the next proper album, something any good compilation release should do.

Top Tracks - Hell Yes, Queen Of Pain, While You’re Waiting, We Can Never Break Up, Sadie
2. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

A new Finnish band has captured my heart. Nightwish lost their original singer back in 2006 and has returned with a new one. I hated the old singer and their new one, Anette Olzon, is like a breath of fresh air. The songs are even harder and faster than before. Think of Evanescence, but 10 times better. Amazing lyrics that put even Ville Valo to shame, songs that rock harder than most metal acts out there, combined with a voice that will thrill you, as well as melt your heart…that’s the new Nightwish. The opening track of the CD, The Poet and The Pendulum, is a rousing 13 minute operatic affair that is probably one of the most epic songs to ever open an album. Following is the super catchy single, Bye Bye Beautiful. I adore this song and cannot wait for the single and it’s b-side remixes! Amaranth is next and it too is catchy, but hard rocking. Really, every song on the CD is memorable in it’s own way. The only one I don’t like is Master Passion Greed. Anette does not sing on this one, only Marco, the bass player. While I like his voice, I just don’t like it on this song. Still, the CD is one of my favorites of all time despite the fact that it’s only been out since October. A deluxe platinum edition of the album is due out in January, which will contain a handful of bonus tracks including my favorite off the album, The Escapist. The Escapist is only on the Japanese version right now, but I’ve downloaded it and it’s just amazing. I can’t wait for the deluxe edition!

Top Tracks: Bye Bye Beautiful, Amaranth, The Cadence Of Her Last Breath, Sahara, The Escapist (Bonus Track)

1. HIM - Venus Doom

HIM is back! After 2005’s disappointing Dark Light, the band has managed to craft a masterpiece of an album that brings them back to their roots, as well as expand in new directions. The album begins with Valo taking a drag from a ciggarette before launching into the hardest opening of any HIM track, ever. You might be questioning, as I was…is this really HIM? The song slows into the first verse with a single piano melody and Ville Valo’s smooth baritone crooning. As soon as we get to the chorus it all comes together…the hard opening and Valo’s melodic singing mesh together like peanut butter and jelly. “Watch me fall for you, my Venus Doom…” Indeed. If you don’t fall for Venus Doom, the song, by this point, wait till you get to the bridge. The song comes to a screeching hault and the single, haunting piano melody from before returns. This is in sharp contrast to what’s about to occur. The crunching guitars and drums slam back into the picture along with some of the deepest vocals ever to come out of Ville Valo, “Hold me inside your infernal offering, touch me as I fall. Don’t lose yourself in the suffering yet. Hold on.” The first time I heard it chills shot down my spine. They still do even now, on what is probably my 200th listen to the song. This is just the opening track, and already I’m in love with the album. Love In Cold Blood is a wonderful throwback to the Razorblade Romance era. I especially love the ending of the chorus’ “Darling take me home, to the castle made of skulls and bones…sing me a song to remind me where I belong…”. It’s slower than the rest of the song, and catches you off guard the first time you hear it. Passion’s Killing Floor is a classic HIM track through and through. Only HIM can get away with cheesy lyrics like, “My heart’s a graveyard baby, and to evil we make love.”, but it works. Valo knows what works for him, and uses it all very effectivly. PKF is probably the catchiest song on the album. One listen to the chorus and it will stick with you forever. The bridge is a nice surprise, again returning to the heavier music that HIM was known for in their early days. In fact, much of PKF was written back in 1997! The Kiss of Dawn is the first single off the album and well deservedly so. KOD is harder than anything off Dark Light, but just as melodic and passionate. KOD is actually written about a close friend of the band who commited suicide. You can hear the sadness in Ville’s voice throughout each line of the song. When he sings, “…touching the pain that you left me with…” you can really feel his pain. KOD also features another hallmark of HIM songs, lyrics borrowed from classic poetry. “‘Death frees from the fear of dying’, it’s true.” comes from a poem by H.P. Lovecraft, Ville’s favorite poet. KOD wraps up with a lengthy outro, but one that is a pleasure to listen to. Sleepwalking Past Hope is next, and it’s HIM’s 10 minute opus. On the album, it’s a desperate man’s plea for love. Live, it’s fucking amazing. I swear to you, I cried a little when I heard it live. Ville Valo is able to take your heart in his hand, and break it, over and over again with this song. As with Venus Doom, the bridge goes into an extended section that again features Valo’s deep, scorching lyrics presented against a stark background of piano and a single bass note. “I gave up long ago…painting love with crimson flow. Ran out of blood, and hope, so I paint you no more. My hell begins from the tenth and descends to the circle, six hundred threescore and six. And from there I crawl beneath Lucifer’s claws just for one last kiss.” I dare you to listen to this and not feel anything. Dead Lover’s Lane is another typical HIM song, and probably the closest to a Dark Light sounding track. It’s catchy where it needs to be, and gothy when it wants to be. Think of Vampire Heart on crack. Oh, and then Ville belts out with a nice 20 second scream during the last chorus! I like the song alot, but it’s growning on me more and more as time goes on. The next song opens with with Valo stating, “…different.” Indeed, Song or Suicide is the most different HIM song ever. Not only is the song acoustic only, but it’s only a minute long. A haunting, simple melody acompanies Valo’s voice on this sad ride. SOS is one of the most beautiful HIM songs ever, lyrically and musically. Partially because of it’s simplicity, but also just because it’s so damn emotional. Anyone who’s ever lost someone will listen to this song and shed a tear or two. “Sorrow rebuild me as I step out of the light. Misery strengthen me as I say my goodbyes. I heal my wounds with grief, and dream of you, and weep for myself alive.” From here we jump face first into Bleed Well, the second single. Bleed Well is a fast and furious song that reminds me a bit of Right Here In My Arms. The name seems a little dumb, but once you hear the lyrics, it all makes sense. “Bleed well, the heart you’re about to fail for passion deranged. Kiss and tell, baby we’re bleeding well.” How Ville comes up with this stuff is beyond me, but thankfully he keeps on doing it. Bleed Well also has one of my favorite HIM guitar solos of all time. Kiss of Dawn did ok on radio, but Bleed Well will do even better. I can see this becoming the next Wings of a Butterfly here in the States. Cyanide Sun is the last track, and a wonderful goodbye to Venus. CS is a reflection back on the album…itself a love story about Venus Doom. Valo is now incredibly hopeless and lost, and searching for whatever little bits of happiness he can. As with many other Venus Doom tracks, you can really feel the emotion in Valo’s voice. This is something that’s been lost on recent HIM albums. “I am dead to you. A shadow doomed. My love, forever in the dark.” The song really reminds me of The Path, although I didn’t much like that song. The ending of the song, and the album, slows down to a single guitar melody and Valo singing accapella, “Underneath the cyanide sun we will weep. We will bleed. This emptyness I feel, underneath the cyanide sun…” By the time he gets to the last words, all instruments have faded and the last sounds of the album are Valo’s last breath. It’s a fantastic bookend to the opener of the album. Taken as whole, Venus Doom is a sad love story full of false hope, despair, death and sorrow. I wouldn’t want my HIM any other way.

Top Tracks: Venus Doom, Passion’s Killing Floor, The Kiss of Dawn, Sleepwalking Past Hope, Bleed Well

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12. December 2007 by Steven.

The bloodiest match I’ve ever seen. Granted the youtube video doesn’t really do it justice but I think you can get the gist. Just watch Steve Corino (the white dude) and remember he has bright blonde, almost white hair (think Ric Flair). And watch the canvas. Gross.

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12. December 2007 by Steven.

Some guy I know…..

Posted in Weird work stuff | 1 Comment »

12. December 2007 by Matt.

Due to time constraints, Episode 9 will not be up for another week or so. It’s a super-sized ep, and it’s just taking a long time for me to edit and produce. That said, Steven and I feel bad about the lack of Wooj lately, so last night we recorded a quick episode with Eric Ringel, of Renegade Radio Show fame, and that will be online sometime in the next few days. We’ve decided to shoehorn this episode in as 8.5, rather than bump the numbering up on 9 to 10.
The truth of the matter is that I decided to “Sunny it up”, and in doing so, no work got done over the past week and half.

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