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March 23, 2004 - Blast Tyrant

On the same day as my last release and a long nine years since their last appearance in my library (their second, self-titled album), Clutch released their sixth album "Blast Tyrant" on March 23, 2004. They still have the same line-up and are still playing the same style of stoner rock and this is the only full album I have by Clutch in my library. Let's check it out! The album kicks off with "Mercury" and Tim Sult leads the way with a solid guitar riff and his guitar tone for this whole album sounds pretty epic. Sult plays some pretty catchy and cool stuff for a little over a minute, then Neil Fallon enters with his usual booming voice. Fallon sings a pretty solid vers overtop, then the final minute of the song is things very slowly devolving into nothing. An interesting way to start things off for sure! Up next is "Profits Of Doom" and Dan Maines starts us off with a nice groovy bassline before Sult comes in with some super distorted and interesting ...
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October 26, 1998 - Words From The Exit Wound

Almost a year and a half since "Inside The Torn Apart", Napalm Death released their eighth album "Words From The Exit Wound" on October 26, 1998. This is the last album in Napalm Death's experimental phase and I can't say I'll be sad to see it go! Let's see how they finish it off! The album begins with "The Infiltraitor" and while it's definitely not grindcore speeds, the production and overall sound does sound noticeably better than the last few albums with the first hard-hitting main riff sounding pretty heavy and solid. Both Jesse Pintado and Mitch Harris are playing some decently fast and cool guitars and Barney Greenway sounds pretty heavy and solid overtop on his typical lower voice. After a couple rounds of this they turn up the speed to grindcore levels and Danny Herrera is playing some pretty fast and crazy drums; everyone is playing furious and sounding great! This was a pretty sweet way to kick off the album! Up next is ...
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March 23, 2004 - This Darkened Heart

A week after my last release and two years since "Behind Silence And Solitude", All That Remains released their second album "This Darkened Heart" on March 23, 2004. We have a few changes since their debut as lead guitarist Chris Bartlett and bassist Dan Egan are both no longer with the band. Rhythm guitarist Oli Herbert moves to lead guitar and Mike Martin joins as the new rhythm guitarist, as well as Matt Deis on bass. Also, producing this album is the legend himself Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage! Everything Adam D. touches sounds pretty awesome and since their debut sounded very raw and unpolished I'm excited to see how his touch can help enhance these guys. Let's check it out! The album kicks off with "And Death In My Arms" and Herbert opens things with a light but cool acoustic guitar riff before they slam into the main riff as Herbert switches to some fast and pretty damn wicked electric guitar. The rhythm section backs him up perfec...
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June 3, 1997 - Inside The Torn Apart

A year and a half after their last album Napalm Death released their seventh album "Inside The Torn Apart" on June 3, 1997. Napalm Death are still in the same experimental, more standard metal style as their last two albums, but the previous one was a step up, can they continue to improve? Let's find out! The album begins with "Breed To Breathe" and Shane Embury starts us off with a pretty cool bass riff before the rest of the band syncs up with him for a slightly offbeat and plenty heavy main riff that fits their new template pretty nicely. Barney Greenway sounds like his usual self overtop and unfortunately that's not the best thing in this experimental setting as he sounds fairly monotone and toned down for the most part. This a decent song still, don't get me wrong, but like a lot of their newer stuff, it's just nowhere near as exciting as their grindcore style and by the end you're ready for the next song to start, which is not a good sign. ...
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March 16, 2004 - The Other Side

Almost two months since my last release and just under a year since "Faceless", Godsmack released an acoustic EP titled "The Other Side" on March 16, 2004. This EP is largely acoustic versions of well-known Godsmack songs, but I only have two songs off of it and they are both new songs, and they were also the only singles released off the EP! The first one is called "Running Blind" and Sully Erna leads the way with a slow, smooth and solid acoustic guitar riff. Erna's grunge-y voice sounds pretty decent and fitting for this style and it's a bit like their namesake's acoustic EPs (Alice In Chains also does some great acoustic work). After a couple rounds Erna hits a couple higher notes en route to a decent little acoustic solo and this is a pretty well done song, I'm not shocked at all it was a successful single. The other original song is called "Touché" and it's driven by a faster acoustic riff that is pretty cool as Erna hol...
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January 21, 2004 - Kusoban

Happy New Year! Five weeks since my last release and 16 months since their last EP "Mimi Kajiru", Maximum the Hormone released their third EP "Kusoban" on January 21, 2004. Maximum the Hormone are still the same crazy nu-metal band they've always been, they still don't have a full-length album, but it's EP #3, here we go! The EP kicks off with "Koi No Sweet Kuso Meriken" and Nao sings the first part which makes things sound very light and pop-y, then Maximum the Ryokun takes over with his classic singing style and the heavy guitars are front and centre. They segue nicely into the first verse where Daisuke-Han sounds great screaming his head off, hitting some low and high notes! It's overtop a nice headbanging riff and Things sound pretty great! Things briefly return to the pop-y opening, which turns out to be the chorus and it's a clash of different styles that they make work pretty nicely! Obviously I like the heavy verse better, but t...
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January 26, 1996 - Diatribes

A little over a year and a half since their last album "Fear, Emptiness, Despair", Napalm Death released their sixth album "Diatribes" on January 26, 1996. Napalm Death continue the experimentation that dominated their last album as they delve deeper into this more standard, less grindcore metal style. Let's see what their latest has to offer! The album kicks off with "Greed Killing" and it's got a cool stop-and-start main riff leading the way. Things are still solidly heavy, but it's the same muted, toned down style of production as the last album which takes away from the excitement of things. Barney Greenway sounds solid shouting overtop and this song is a little repetitive, but still a solid choice for the opener. Up next is "Glimpse Into Genocide" and Danny Herrera is playing some fast and cool drums right from the get-go to back a slower main guitar riff and they work fairly well together. Greenway's vocals are very monotone...
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