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November 4, 2003 - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place

A day after my last release and two years since "Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever", Explosions in the Sky released their third album "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place" on November 4, 2003. Explosions are still playing post-rock and like their last album there are lots (all really) of long songs, with the shortest song being over eight minutes still! Let's check out the latest from these Texas soft rockers! The album begins with "First Breath After Coma" and it starts with an echoing, pinging guitar riff that turns into a kind-of trippy and cool background riff. Chris Hrasky plays some slow, epic drums to match the mood, and the other guitarist (either Munaf Rayani or Mark Smith) adds a pretty epic riff of his own. This all combines for a very space-y and typical Explosions sound and as the volume increases things sound even better with some nice loud drums. Things quiet down again after about four and a ...
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August 29, 1989 - Mentally Murdered

Just under a year since their last album, and their last EP "The Curse", Napalm Death released their second EP "Mentally Murdered" on August 29, 1989. This is the first release to show signs of moving away from their grindcore style as Napalm Death dabble in a more standard heavy metal style at times. Let's check out another EP! This EP kicks off with "Rise Above" and it begins with a solid metal riff that is still decently paced, just slow by Napalm Death standards until they eventually shift into a more typical, furious style. Lee Dorrian goes really low with his vocals on this one and my head was banging the whole way through this pretty heavy tune! Words will continue to not do proper justice as all these "typical" riffs are unique and pretty sweet! Up next is "The Missing Link" and Bill Steer plays an interesting stop-and-start riff in between all of the constant Insanity and Mick Harris's drums are just batshit crazy as us...
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September 16, 1988 - The Curse

On the same day as their last release, and physically released with the album "From Enslavement To Obliteration", Napalm Death included a bonus EP called "The Curse" on September 16, 1988. It's only just over five minutes long and the title track is over three of those five minutes! The EP kicks off with the title track "The Curse" and it's driven by some super slow and loud guitars and bass with Mick Harris adding some cool slow drums as well. It sounds like a cannon is being fired on slow repeat as well and this song is very atypical for Napalm Death with it's super, super slow pace and no vocals! The final minute is just the cannon with no more music and it's honestly a pretty boring song. Up next is "Musclehead" and it's much more typical at just 50 seconds long and the grindcore style we're used to! Lee Dorrian is screaming his head off in a very high voice and I love how long he holds the final scream of the song, he...
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November 3, 2003 - A Natural Disaster

Six days after my last release and two years since "A Fine Day To Exit", Anathema released their seventh album "A Natural Disaster" on November 3, 2003. Bassist Dave Pybus is no longer with the band and he is replaced by Jamie Cavanagh, the younger brother of Daniel and twin brother of Vincent Cavanagh! Who knew there was another one! Now with three Cavanagh brothers, Anathema continue the style of light/alternative/progressive rock they've had for the past couple albums. Let's check out the latest! The album kicks off with "Harmonium" and Les Smith and Danny Cavanagh both play some different synths that drone on for a quietly epic riff. Vincent adds some light guitar and sings a nice soft verse overtop and this dreaminess continues for almost three minutes until some heavier guitars nicely kick in. Vincent and Danny are both playing some louder, more headbanging stuff as Vincent continues to hold lots of long notes overtop. This heavier part is de...
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September 16, 1988 - From Enslavement To Obliteration

A little over a year after their debut album "Scum", Napalm Death released their second album "From Enslavement To Obliteration" on September 16, 1988. Napalm Death continue to play the same grindcore style they pioneered last year, and with most of the same line-up they ended that album with. Jim Whitely is replaced by Shane Embury on bass, but it's the same Napalm Death style with 22 songs totalling just over 29 minutes. Let's dive into the next album by Napalm Death! The album begins with it's longest song "Evolved As One" and Mick Harris plays a slow but epic drum beat to keep the pace. Lee Dorrian talks overtop at first until eventually he shouts "your weak minds" on repeat as the slow, chugging music plays behind him. Dorrian sounds good when he's really giving it his all screaming, but a lot of this 3-plus minute song is him just saying/yelling that one line overtop a very simple and repetitive guitar riff. Not their best s...
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October 28, 2003 - Element Eighty and Broken Promises

On the same day as my last release a new band briefly joins my library when Element Eighty released their second album "Element Eighty" on October 28, 2003. But who is Element Eighty? They are a four-piece nu-metal band from Tyler, Texas consisting of drummer Ryan Carroll, bassist Roon, guitarist Matt Woods and lead singer David Galloway. I'm not a big fan of this lesser-known nu-metal band, but I do have one song of theirs, their biggest hit "Broken Promises". It's driven by a simple but heavy and pretty catchy guitar riff, but it's Galloway who's the star of the show on this song as he delivers a really good performance. From singing, whispering, screaming and rapping he keeps you entertained the whole song and hits all the perfect, epic notes. It's a super catchy chorus and I live how he screams the name of the song and the Middle section where he increases from a whisper, to singing, to screaming sounds really cool! This is a one-hit wonder i...
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October 28, 2003 - The Mourning After

Two weeks after my last release and two years since "Invitation To The Dance", 40 Below Summer released their third album "The Mourning After" on October 28, 2003. 40 Below Summer continue to play the same style of nu-metal and this album was their most successful commercially and spawned two singles. Let's check it out!  The album kicks off with it's lead single "Self Medicate" and they jump right into a nice hard-hitting main riff with both Jordan Plingos and Joey D'Amato playing some different, cool guitars. Max Illidge sounds solid singing for the most part and he mixes in some nice high screams to keep things sounding fresh and solid. The chorus is pretty catchy and solid and I can see why this was the lead single. After another round Hector Graziani plays a cool new bass riff and everyone follows suite with a pretty banging new part that sounds really sweet! They close it out with a final chorus and this was a great opener I thought! Up n...
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