Radiohead can be considered one of the most successful musical acts that was never afraid to experiment and try new things. “Kid A” is in most of top albums of the decade list you can imagine. “OK Computer” is considered one of the most beautiful art-rock albums. Not to mention “Amnesiac” and “The Bends”, which are great albums too. But one album is still forgotten in the whole Radiohead catalog.

“Hail to the Thief” was created on strange times. Where the George Bush international hate was only on the beginning, but already had an influence on the whole world society. “HttT” is clearly a part of this influence. Not that you will find direct politic lyrics on the songs, even though a lot of people argue about the album title, saying that it’s a clear irony to the political situation of the time. It’s more about the feeling, about the chaotic and dark sound created by Thom Yorke and his band.

Maybe Yorke wanted to escape from this chaotic world that he was experiencing, this chaotic world so well portrayed in songs like the intense and with the sarcastic title “2+2=5″ or the full of distorted guitars “Myxomatosis” that makes Yorke wonder why this world makes him feels so dumb that it seems like some kind of disease. Of course these are only a few of the infinite interpretations possible from each song of the album. Maybe this is the main reason why this album is so wronged. It’s so full of ideas and possibilities that sometimes it sounds confused and complex.

Nothing should keep you away from this great piece of work, or should I say, piece of art.

by Kerry

Following the success of their previous album “The Real Thing” and the established presence of new vocalist Mike Patton, Faith No More left their funk-metal sound to a more experimental approach and this led to the creation of the most certainly bizarre masterpiece, “Angel Dust”, a bold and adventurous musical journey and collision of genres.

Acclaimed vocalist Mike Patton displays here for the first time with the band his wide assortment of styles, cramming together metal’s brutal shrieking, rap’s rhythmic vocal cadences, progressive rock’s high-pitched singing and many more, all of which are tainted by his enthused mockery. Faith No More truly reveals itself as puree of strange but tasteful musical ideas and influences. On “Angel Dust” the band displays its pure insanity and unstable moods. The first tracks, “Land of Sunshine” and “Caffeine”, was written while Patton attempting a sleep-deprivation experiment, the first one featuring lines that are exclusively taken from fortune cookies (“Pat yourself on the back and give yourself a handshake”) and personality tests offered by the Church of Scientology and in the following one, he inspired himself of late-night television to get himself into the right frame of mind and from his own personal drug of choice (see song title). In the more keyboard-driven “Midlife Crisis”, the lyrics have a lot to do with observation and speculation, in fact, Patton says it’s about Madonna. In the hilarious “RV”, the band exposes its cynicism with a very country-ish song about a typical lazy white American trash wife-beater dad talking about how miserable his life is (the last line sums it up “…I think it’s time I had a talk with my kids, I’ll just tell them what my daddy told me, you ain’t never gonna amount to nothin’.” Other excellent tracks are “Malpractice”, the bass driven “Kindergarten”, and “A Small Victory”, a song about being a sore loser. The album concludes with the instrumental “Midnight Cowboy” which is basically the theme from the TV show; it is considered as a bonus track but it fits the album perfectly and is really soothing after the wild and savage succession of tracks

Definitely, “Angel Dust”may be one of the most under-rated albums of the 90’s as well as being one of the best and most influential of the decade. If you are crazy enough to appreciate it at first listen, it will certainly prove to be exhilarating and addictive.

by Kerry

“Blues for the Red Sun” is a stone-cold classic. It changed the very definition of heavy at the time and was a breath of fresh air for the metal scene, which was populated solely by thrash metal. Josh Homme and Nick Olivieri’s buzz-saw guitars create an atmosphere that is so dense; you will barely be able to breathe. Seriously, like I mentioned in another one of my reviews, Kyuss are literally unknown legends in the desert rock and stoner rock scene, the latter being a genre that they basically founded.

If the name Josh Homme rings a bell, it’s because he currently is the frontman of Queens of the Stone Age, but at the time he was in Kyuss, only he didn’t have to handle the vocal duties, which were already undertook by John Garcia, and concentrated on the guitar. “Blues for the Red Sun” is the band’s second album, and was recorded and mixed in only 3 weeks; the band went in the studio, and did what it had to do, which is to rock. It’s practically impossible that they didn’t know they were creating what would become a major milestone in heavy music. Tracks like “Thumb”, “Green Machine” and “Freedom Run” are clear examples of the band’s raw genius.

Overall, it is a very interesting album for any type of music listener, and though it never became a commercial success, Kyuss is slowly beginning to get the recognition they deserve with the emergence of the stoner and sludge metal scene. Even if the band was short-lived, its legacy is undeniable.

by Kerry

Meshuggah raised the progressive metal label to an extreme level of complexity that has not yet been topped. With a mastery of genres such as math and thrash metal, as well as experimental jazz, the trademark of the band is without doubt their ability to create utterly complex polyrhythmic patterns that include all the instruments and even the vocals. Contrarily to other death metal bands, Meshuggah do not pledge any allegiance to Satan, in fact, their lyrics could relate more to philosophical themes that are highly esoteric and conceptual. Meshuggah’s distinct sonic imprint has often been praised by fans and critics alike, and even though their sound does not appeal to everyone, their talent is undeniable.

1998’s “Chaosphere” is the band’s third album, following the landmark “Destroy Erase Improve” which could be qualified as a masterwork of the math metal genre. The first thing that comes to your mind when you listen to the album is: how in hell do they manage to play like that? Yes, the dual rhythm really is disconcerting but it is not as complex as it seems. The secret lies in the fact that the drums usually play on a 4/4 pattern and the guitars, playing in a staccato style most of the time, on another pattern, for example 23/16 (“New Millennium Cyanide Christ”), with the bass drum mimicking the riff. The vocalist sings with a robotic and mechanical bark that usually just adds more intricacy to the whole wall of sound produced by the other instruments; all three components act in a different time signature to produce insane polyrhythm.

Overall, I think “Chaosphere” is a good introduction if you are interested in listening to some Meshuggah. Tracks like “New Millennium Cyanide Christ”, “Corridor of Chameleons”, “The Mouth Licking What You’ve Bled” and “The Exquisite Machinery of Torture” are highlights in my opinion, especially “New Millennium”. What really puts Meshuggah ahead of other death metal outfits is that they focus on tightness, tempo changes and instrumental ability instead of trying to outgrow and outspeed everyone. It may not fit your everyday tastes in terms of musicality and brutality, but this album is really worth a listen, at least.

by Kerry

Five years after Arctic Monkeys’ first album, “Humbug” has garnered mixed reactions among the fans because the sound has changed so radically. In my opinion, it may as well be their finest and most mature release to date, leaving behind the indie rock tint to a more psychedelic approach. Each track embraces fuzzy-toned guitars with loads of reverb and chorus effects; we could hold Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age responsible for this as he was the producer for “Humbug”. Arctic Monkeys actually went to his own studio in the Mojave Desert and clearly it had a big influence on their image and sound, to the disappointment of some and to the pleasure of others.

Alex Turner’s talent is more undeniable than ever, lyrically and musically, the songs now have more complex structures and ingenious instrumental passages. As for the vocals, they still preserve the old Sheffield accent but the lyrics have gotten darker, and the rhymes odder, and his voice has deepened also. Yet, nothing is out of place, and I only attribute all of this to the band’s progression and evolution. Some tracks definitely stand out of the lot, such as “Crying Lightning”, with its hypnotic riffs and catchy chorus and the ultra-heavy “Pretty Visitors” which is reminiscent of Black Sabbath and features a haunted-house organ introduction. Still, you will get flashes of the Monkeys’ older stuff in tracks like “Secret Door” and “Potion Approaching”.

“Humbug” is a crossover between “Favourite Worst Nightmare” and QOTSA’s “Songs for the Deaf”. It also shows that Arctic Monkeys aren’t a generic and one-dimensional indie or Britpop band. Sure, they have lost their charm, but maturing sure as hell did not affect them negatively, au contraire. If you were a fan of the band’s earlier work and haven’t really listened to “Humbug”, I suggest that you persist through the first couple of listens, and then you will be in awe.

by Kerry

Sweden’s progressive aficionados Opeth have proved over the years that versatility does tremendously mingle with the term metal; the band’s wide array of influences and genres include notably: prog, death metal, jazz, folk, blues, psychedelic and classical. They are perhaps best known for their remarkable ability to shift between chaotic and distorted havoc to stunning and unusual acoustic passages. Unlike most of their death metal peers, Opeth, comprised of marvelous musicians, do not rely on technical proficiency and sheer chaos to create their unique sound. In fact, they manage to display some taste, and lay aside the shredding solos, the lightning-fast riffs, the unintelligible vocals and the ridiculous lyrics, all of which are typical to the genre. Opeth could instead be characterized by a maelstrom of tragic beauty and creative brutality; this is all thanks to the charismatic vocalist, guitarist, and main songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt, who, in time, has perfected his lyrical abilities to stand today as one metal’s finest dark poet.

2005’s “Ghost Reveries” is filled with surprises; the suite-like album immerses you into a maze of somber tenderness, rough treatment and exquisite darkness. The brilliant opener “Ghost of Perdition” starts off with very smooth guitar chords, but this only lasts for a big 5 seconds; it then bursts off into a sonic progression coated with tortured interiority and lyrical splendor. As for the singing, it perfectly demonstrates the contrast between Åkerfeldt’s demonic growl and soothing voice. “Reverie/Harlequin Forest”, also a great song, features remarkable and innovative guitar parts (the album was ranked number 54 in Guitar World’s greatest 100 guitar albums of all time) and characterizes a sinister journey into the dark haunted woods. “The Grand Conjuration”, clearly the most abyssal and tenebrous track on the album, is filled with syncopated start-stop patterns that create a tense and demonic atmosphere, hunting and pursuing you until the song’s conclusion (unfortunately, it lasts more than 10 minutes).

In my opinion, “Ghost Reveries” reveals itself as a masterpiece in recent metal; an album that is of undeniably high musical caliber, especially in metal nowadays where the same formulas are employed over and over. Opeth’s songwriting is unforeseen and challenging, yet still brilliant, and that is precisely why every single album they produce is so damn good.

by Kerry

“Sailing the Seas of Cheese” was a big step for Primus, marking their first major-label release as well as being a breakthrough success into the mainstream. Primus revolves around its bass player, main singer and lyricist, Les Claypool, exhibiting his fabulous and virtuosic abilities which are closer to finger acrobatics than actual playing, and his peculiar and cynical sense of humour. Not that the other musicians are not worthy; Tim ‘‘Herb’’ Alexander’s drumming is absolutely awesome and essentially supplies Primus with complex and tortuous beat patterns, which are delivered flawlessly, and guitarist Larry ‘‘Ler’’ Lalonde, who willingly distances himself from the spotlight to create puzzling and slithery yet efficient riffs that are distinct and indispensable to the Primus sound.

The album is filled with funky, atonal and mind blazing bass riffs that make Claypool seem like a slap bass whiz, yes, but a tapping and shredding guitar virtuoso as well. As it has often been said, Primus is sort of blend between the progressive aesthetics of Rush and Frank Zappa’s whimsy jesting. “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” is a perfect example to demonstrate this, which is built off an uncanny bass line, doubled by an eerie guitar lick. Such a song is perfect for any new Primus listeners; eccentric and intricate musicianship mashed up with unusual lyrics sung with Claypool’s nasally voice. Although absurd the lines may seem (his voice really doesn’t help at all), the lyrics in Primus are actually quite brilliant, focusing on themes such as military life, poverty and low-income workers, outcasts, and many other world and political issues. A Zappa fan will positively love Primus, for the band’s dark humour and penchant for jamming, while still retaining a certain structure for the songs. Other highlights include “Tommy the Cat”, “Sgt. Baker”, “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers”, “American Life” and the three-part epic “Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II)”, which is one of my personal favourites.

If you aren’t fond of Primus for its bizarre and odd mood, you definitely will be for its tight and complex instrumental display. The band has elevated Les Claypool as one of the top-notch bass players of our time, and in my opinion, it has levelled him as the most original and innovative one. As if it were not enough, he is an excellent bard, although it is understandable that one might not exactly figure out and appreciate his art.

by Kerry

Independent Montreal-based instrumental band Godspeed You! Black Emperor (named after a Japanese film) has been hailed as a pioneer in the post-rock genre and is still regarded as one of its finest and most influential outfits. The ensemble, a nonet, is certainly best known for its extensive instrumental yet utterly evocative songs and for its post-apocalyptic setting, which is only a front for the band’s political views. A typical Godspeed album contains five songs (all clocking in over fifteen minutes) which are all bearers of the band members’ revulsion for mainstream music.

“Yanqui U.X.O.”, released in 2002, is the band’s third and final studio album and was engineered by famed musician and mastermind Steve Albini. Here, the band opted for a more subtle and reserved approach setting itself apart from the preceding record, the widely praised “Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven”, which was more generous in dynamics, emotions, and in its telling of a story. However, “Yanqui” thus offers a more deep and cerebral message, shrouded in a minimalist and meditative mist. Although, Godspeed does have its moments of majestic and epic proportions, which are magnified by the use of genuine horn, violin and cello interventions (the band is a nine-piece after all). The band’s shimmering and beautiful guitars offer simple melodic fragments that attach themselves altogether to create harrowing ambiances heavy with tension as well as astonishingly beautiful harmonies. Godspeed bears deep resemblances with Explosions in the Sky, although with lengthier and more experimental song structures, and perhaps a darker significance.

It’s not really conceivable to divide this album into separate tracks, as all of them link together as a whole. Truly, this album deserves to be listened to, not only for its marvellous musical content, but for its message, which is perfectly relevant nowadays with the unceasing warnings of a forthcoming apocalypse and of imminent doom. And if the Day of Reckoning really occurs and that humanity will be plunged into obscurity and morphed into a devastated wasteland with no or few survivors left, well, Godspeed You! Black Emperor would unquestionably be the soundtrack to such a world.

by Kerry