Hey guys. I have been reviewing different albums I enjoy on FB starting December 1st and ending X-mas day on the 25th. Here is what I have so far:


1. DEAD BOYS - WE HAVE COME FOR YOUR CHILDREN

The first time I ever heard of Dead Boys was when I bought the Guns N’ Roses “Spaghetti Incident” album back in the 90s. On that album, GNR cover “Ain’t It Fun” which is the last track on “We Have Come For Your Children” - the second and final album from Dead Boys. It’s 9 tracks of sleazy, snotty 70s punk rock plus a Rolling Stones cover. Lyrics talk about leaving home, hating religion, life in the big city, breaking up with girlfriends and bands and even a glimpse into the twisted mind of David Berkowitz (the Son of Sam killer) complete with barking dog & screaming sound effects to give it that extra creepy touch. If you love rock n’ roll with an attitude then check this one out. I would say it’s one of the best punk rock/rock n’ roll records ever made, it’s too bad they broke up shortly after this came out. Dead Boys paved the way for many bands that followed and although they are not as well known as The Ramones or The Sex Pistols, they manage to capture the true spirit of rock and that restless feeling of being a pissed off, wild eyed teenager thats out on the town looking’ for some fun, some f****** and maybe a fight. Rating: 3/3

http://youtu.be/H8XvUYyjBaA?list=ALGLx1orRGw4WJZ9rAq0c-evg89Xmo-BZ0

2. DEVENDRA BANHART - CRIPPLE CROW

Devendra Banhart makes some very strange acoustic, dreamy, vintage-sounding music on this record and if you have never heard of him before, imagine a tripped-out hispanic version of Marc Bolan sitting in the woods playing guitar with a bunch of hippies and there yo go. I usually hate hippies and their music (Grateful Dead, Phish, Pink Floyd), but this record is so relaxing and addictive, anytime I put it on I usually listen to it over and over again for the rest of the day. The album goes from psychedelic to folk to spanish to 60s rock to doo-wop and beyond. The only negative thing I could say about this record has to do with track 21, which is a twisted song that aims to make fun of NAMBLA, but just kinda comes off as disturbing and f***** up. I just delete 21 and it’s a perfect record, good for a day when you are sitting home, relaxing, studying or whatever. This is really the perfect coffee shop album and it’s not the only great thing Devendra has done. Check out his album “Mala” as well, it’s just as addictive and mellow, with a bit of dance-pop thrown into the mix. Rating: 3/3

http://youtu.be/2yjaAEHxu3w?list=PL68A05498F2992859

3. BUTTHOLE SURFERS - ELECTRICLARRYLAND

I bought this on a whim in 96. I already knew who Butthole Surfers were thanks to seeing the “Who Was In My Room Last Night?” video on Beavis & Butthead, so I knew they rocked. Besides, the cover art was so ridiculous I couldn’t resist. This album is full of great songs and melodies, many of the lyrics are totally idiotic and stupid: “Tommy played piano like a kid out in the rain then he lost his leg in Dallas he was dancin’ with the train", but the structure is there. “Pepper” was the only single from the album, and they made a video for this too but I didn’t actually see it until long after I had bought the album. Aside from “Pepper”, there are a bunch of catchy tunes. The opening track “Birds” is a fast, hard rockin’ punk song, “Cough Syrup” has a corny annoying sing-along feel to it, “Jingle of a Dog’s Collar”, “TV Star”, and “The Lord Is A Monkey” don’t disappoint either. The album really drifts off into outer space on “Let’s Talk About Cars”, which is basically just some French people discussing…cars? This record is weird, corny, annoying, catchy and fun all at the same time and was the soundtrack to my summer in 96. Rating: 2/3 A damn good album but not great.

http://youtu.be/7ezAFZYyML8

4. CASE STUDIES - THIS IS ANOTHER LIFE

I’m not really sure how I would explain this kind of music. It’s like new-school/old-style depressing folk-country. The man behind the music is Jesse Lortz who used to be in The Dutchess and the Duke (which I have never heard of) but now he records as Case Studies. This is a great album, if your super-duper bummed out and need some time to yourself to reflect on life and wallow in your own sorrow for a bit. The thing is though, it’s really really good and soulful. There is a powerful, melancholy sway to the whole thing and it sort of hypnotizes you after a few tracks. There are parts on this album where the slide guitar gets louder and the piano kicks in, and you almost feel the hair on your arm stand up. Like I said earlier, I’m not sure how to explain the sound of this, it’s like a little Bob Dylan, a little Johnny Cash, a little Neil Young maybe? It’s good, it’s depressing, it’s intimate and real. Give it a listen sometime and judge for yourself. favorite track is “Passage / Me In The Dark”. Rating: 3/3 for what it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYuexaKEfgE


5. THE MARS VOLTA - NOCTOURNIQUET

I was really bummed out when these guys broke up in 2012. I hope they get back together someday so I can see the magnificent splendour that is their live show, because from what I’ve read and seen on the net, it is unbelievable. But before they called it quits they released the masterpiece that is “Noctourniquet”. 13 tracks of awesomeness that I could only describe to you as Dark-Progressive-Rock N’ Roll-Experimental-Avante Garde-Amazingness from the outer regions of the galaxy. The standout tracks for me on this record would be “Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound”, “Aegis” “Vedamalady” and “In Absentia”, which, I believe if played loud as hell in the right state of mind, will send shivers through your body and awake feelings and memories in your mind you have long since forgotten. I love this album so much that even though my rating system is only 1-3, I would rate this a 4. Mars Volta took whatever bands like Led Zeppelin & King Crimson were trying to achieve, and brought it not to the next level, but 10,000 lightyears ahead and beyond. Rating: 4 because it’s one of the best records I have ever listened to.

http://youtu.be/kjz0ObBZF-M

6. SEAN LENNON - FRIENDLY FIRE

I grew up listening to The Beatles. Not because I was born in the 50’s, but because my mom and uncle played them everyday. One night I woke up in 1998 and saw Sean Lennon’s video for “Home” on MTV. That song got me hooked and I have followed everything he has done since. There are some haters out there who can’t get over his dad, and don’t even really give his music a chance. But these morons are really missing out on some good stuff and are just ignorant so let’s move on. “Friendly Fire” is the second album from Sean and it’s a masterpiece. The fact that in 2006, Daniel Powter’s “Ya had a bad day, the camera don’t lie” bulls*** garbage was the #1 song on the billboard charts instead of “Dead Meat” from 'Friendly Fire' just confirms, for me, that the human race is a bunch of mindless animals who don’t know the difference between a pile of dog s*** and a great song.

This album is great. It has a very Beatlesque sound to it here and there, but it’s mostly original and the lyrics are very personal too. I think Sean was going through a breakup at this time and it’s really obvious on tracks like “Friendly Fire”, “Spectacle” and “Falling Out Of Love”. He even took an old Marc Bolan demo - “Would I Be The One”, which sounded promising but never really saw the light of day, and turned it into an amazing song that I originally thought Sean wrote himself. Sean is a musical genius in my opinion, and an amazing songwriter and it really shows on this record. Go listen to this ASAP, and if you can find it, buy the CD/DVD on Amazon or somewhere, yeah that’s right, he also made awesome videos for every song on the album too and it took me the better part of 2 years to wanna take that outta the DVD player. Rating: 3/3 Amazing.

http://youtu.be/W1_MqMNfSb8

7. NIRVANA - INCESTICIDE

I was lucky enough to see Nirvana LIVE in concert back in November of 1993. They put on an amazing show, the stage was all decorated with life-size angels, twisted, creepy looking fake trees, flowers and baby dolls. At the end of the show, Kurt wrecked the whole stage, decapitated the angels, smashed his guitar to pieces and sat on the ground messing with it for about 35 minutes, eerie feedback droning through the PA system, almost putting the entire audience in a trance. Needless to say, the show had a big impact on me and I think of Nirvana as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. ‘Incesticide’ has always been my favorite Nirvana release. It’s not even really a single body of work, more like a mixed up compilation of old tracks, demos, b-sides and weird shit they never officially released. I read that they were so sick of bootleggers making money off this kind of stuff they figured they would put it out themselves and keep all the fans happy until they could write and record a followup to ‘Nevermind’. I love this record most of all because it’s not the glistening, radio-friendly gem that ’Nevermind’ was, it’s Nirvana behind the scenes, raw and real, experimental and a bit twisted. It’s the drugged-out, bizarre, psychotic side of the band that most of the “Teen Spirit” fans couldn’t get into or understand (see “Hairspray Queen”). But there are some really pop/rock-ish new wave moments on the record too, and they even cover a Devo song (“Turnaround”) which is pretty cool. favorite track off this would definitely be “Beeswax”, which I’m pretty sure is about a dude getting his nuts chopped off. It’s all sludgy and slow with a quirky drum beat, and on the chorus, Cobain screams his lungs out like a little kid throwing a tantrum in a toy store. Sadly, after this would come “In Utero” and then that was it for Nirvana. Damn you heroin.. Damn you. Rating: 3/3 Grunge is Dead.

http://youtu.be/FbzBJrOZiT0


8. METALLICA - …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (…And Justice For Jason - Enhanced Bass Version)

I know what your thinking: “Why the hell aren’t you reviewing ‘Lightning’ or ‘Puppets’?! Well because this was one of the first Metallica records I got into AND it has recently been remixed with super loud bass and sounds amazing. Originally, this record had no bass at all. I don’t mean like it just had a tiny bit that you could hear if you listen close, no, it had ZERO bass. Jason Newsted (the dude who stepped in after Cliff Burton died) recorded all his bass parts so I’m not sure why they weren’t featured on the album, but I read that the band did it to F with Jason and haze him a bit. I also read that Lars & James were super high and drunk and they did the final mix and screwed it up completely. Regardless of what really went down, this album is pretty amazing from start to finish. It’s a pounding, aggressive, heavy metal masterpiece recorded in the late 80’s and it still kicks major ass today, especially now that it has an audible bass track. My favorite on this record is “Blackened”. It opens up the album and just whips into a frenzy of snare drum popping, guitar shredding and Hetfield shouting about the end of the world and how we are all gonna be vaporized sometime in the near future. Other highlights are “One”, Harvester of Sorrow” and the title track. There is just something raw, cold and amazing about this record that brings me back to it more than the others. We all know Cliff was the best bass player they ever had, but give the new mix a listen with the Loud As F*** bass and tell me it doesn’t kick your ass just as much as ‘Puppets’ or ‘Lightning’. Rating: 3/3 It’s not as good as RIDE THE LIGHTNING (#1 In my opinion), but it’s the last true Heavy Metal thing Metallica did.

http://youtu.be/6kqTcLwUYj8


9. PRINCE - BATMAN SOUNDTRACK 1989

Many people think Prince is the man. They think everything he has ever done is amazing, solid gold, unbelievable, a hit! I disagree. In my opinion, this album was the coolest shit he ever did. I don’t give a rat’s ass about ‘Purple Rain’ and I don’t wanna see any more videos of Prince prancing around with the butt cheeks cut out of his pants. Someone should have actually smacked the living s*** out of him for doing that at the VMA’s. A grown-ass man cutting the ass out his goddamn pants, C'MON! Anyways, this was the soundtrack to the 1989 BATMAN movie starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger. I have seen this movie about 500 times and it never gets old. It’s the most perfect comic book movie ever made. The scene where Jack becomes the Joker and shoots his old boss 10 times in the chest, says “Ohhhhhhh what a day Ahahahahahaha”, and then sits down in his chair and starts doing business is probably the most sinister, gangster shit I have ever seen. Prince’s songs are usually played in the background during the Joker’s scenes throughout the movie and they all kick ass. This is a golden chunk of 80’s synth-pop-funk that cannot be outdone in this lifetime or any other. It really takes you back when you hear this album too, it’s like a time machine that zaps you to 1989. Give it a listen and ask yourself: “You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” Rating: 3/3 favorite tracks: “Partyman” and “Trust”.

http://youtu.be/MR_X6GunOlQ
(Sorry no full album link, Youtube cannot feature any PRINCE music or he will sue the butt cheeks off their pants I guess)


10. GWAR - THE ROAD BEHIND EP

This was the first GWAR album I ever owned. I remember buying the tape when I was 10 and my mom taking it away from me shortly after she heard “Have You Seen Me?”. I really didn’t know what to think of these guys at the time. I bought the tape after seeing “The Road Behind” video on MTV. Demonic, barbarian aliens from outer space who play heavy metal and hack each other to pieces on stage?! It was everything I ever dreamed of! This is an EP, so it’s only 6 tracks (5 actually because one track is just a quick interlude mashup of other tracks they were working on), but it’s got “The Road Behind”, probably the BEST GWAR song ever, “Krak Down”, a punky, rock smoking ode to the party lifestyle, and 3 live tracks that really capture the hilarious, disgusting experience that GWAR brings to their shows. If there was one album I would recommend to someone who has never heard of GWAR before, this would be it. Sadly the lead singer and founding member Dave Brockie passed away earlier this year, but the band will continue on with Mike Bishop (their old bassist and the guy on the front cover of “The Road Behind” EP) as lead vocalist and he will also contribute some bass lines. GWAR is one of those bands that you have to check out if your into metal, punk, comic books or horror films. Rating: 3/3 F****** awesome!

http://youtu.be/uWKrM5h4QYw


11. BEATLES - MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

This is one of my favorite Beatles albums. There were two versions of it, one version was only released in the UK as a double EP with 6 songs. The other version was a US release made into a full LP by adding on the singles they had put out around that time: “Hello, Goodbye”, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Penny Lane”, “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”. I heard the LP version growing up because my uncle had it on vinyl. They also re-did the cover art for the US version, adding this really ugly yellow and blue background with blocky red lettering. I remember my uncle playing this record in the morning at my grandparents while he was cooking breakfast and it always kind of looked like cereal box art to me, so still to this day I associate this album with breakfast. The Beatles really made the EP to go along with a cheesy T.V. movie they did under the same name. It’s a twisted, acid trip-like journey about magicians, Ringo and his weird Aunt and um…..Walruses? I have watched this movie a few times, sober, wasted, etc. and still have no clue what it’s really all about. Anyways, “I Am The Walrus” is probably one of the coolest songs they ever recorded. It was pretty groundbreaking at that time because of the weird samples being played at the end of the song and Lennon’s distorted vocals (which nobody was doing back then). If you like Rock music and have never heard this, smack yourself in the face and go listen to it right now! You can say what you want, but without the success of The Beatles and the way they pushed the limits and experimented with sound, the harder, crazier shit that would follow probably would have never happened. Rating: 3/3 Trippy s*** man!

http://youtu.be/D07RFuynGwU?list=PLjg_joAqjT6ZQ7odx6aQYZSyxqcHHbGFn



12. JUVENILE - COCKY AND CONFIDENT

I wouldn’t say I’m a big Rap fan. Aside from Juvenile, Cypress Hill, Kool Keith & Wu-Tang Clan, I kind of hate Rap. I first heard of Juvenile back in the 90’s when “Ha” and “Back That Ass Up” were being played on MTV every 20 minutes or so. I guess I got into his music then and stopped following him for awhile until I stumbled across some interviews and new tracks on YouTube sometime in 2009 while I was at my buddy John’s house. Anyways, this album is good. It’s still got a little bit of that down south, New Orleans Second Line-Bounce style to it, but there is a lot of polished radio-friendly stuff on there as well, which you don’t normally see on a Juvenile record. I have checked out some stuff he did after this and it’s not even close to being as good as half the tracks on ‘C&C’. This album kind of accidentally became my soundtrack to 2009-2010, so maybe that’s why I like it so much. But if you like Hip-Hop and R&B and some old Cash Money, check this out for sure. Listen to this when taking road trips to Re-up or just driving for an extended period of time, best tracks in my opinion are “We Getting Money”, “My Money Don’t Fold”, “Make U Feel Alright”, “Hands On You” and “All Over You” - a smooth R&B jam that will put you in the mood to get your freak on. The production on this album is amazing. The beats fit each track perfectly with plenty of booming bass, popping snares and shiny, glistening hi-hats and synths all over the place. Lyrics aren’t amazing but what do you expect? It’s Juvenile and he is usually just there to tell a few stories and have a good time. Juvenile comes off as older and wiser on this record, offering some advice here and there to young rappers who feel like they have to prove themselves & gain some street cred. It’s all fun and games until yo ass get shot n****! Rating: 3/3 BACK DAT *** UP HOE!!!

http://youtu.be/a48UBKlflec



13. PANTERA - COWBOYS FROM HELL

This is my favorite Pantera album hands down. It’s tough for me to write a review on anything they did because everything they recorded that I have listened to is just pure genius and blows me away completely. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about ‘Cowboys’ is the guitar riffs. Dimebag dishes out some of the heaviest, grooviest, thrashiest licks I have ever heard in my life. Phil’s vocals are no joke either. He screeches, screams and yells his way through most of the album like he is either possessed by the devil or just plain f****** pissed off. Vinnie’s drumming synchs perfectly with the bass lines and guitar and the combination of all this sonic fury equals one helluva Metal record that stands the test of time and makes some of todays best bands look like amateurs. The whole album is awesome but my favorite tracks are “Cowboys From Hell”, “Primal Concrete Sledge” and “Cemetery Gates”, which slows things down a bit to reflect on feelings of sadness and the loss of a loved one, but then gets heavy again and punches you in the face, just in case you thought Pantera was gonna bitch out for the second half of the album. It really sucks that some psychopath shot Dimebag and the band will never be able to properly unite again but that’s life. Rating: 3/3 PURE POWER METAL THAT PUNCHES YOUR FACE IN, THEN SITS DOWN AND GETS DRUNK WITH YOU.

http://youtu.be/XAFbNIyxIls


14. LIMP BIZKIT - THREE DOLLAR BILL Y’ALL$

You can say what you want about the LB, but this album rocks. It’s a funky blend of hardcore, hip-hop and metal that hits you over the head hard, only taking a few short breaks and then whipping you back into a screaming B-boy frenzy of grungy guitars, slick scratching techniques via DJ Lethal, and a drum beat that just won’t quit. This album was the best thing LB ever put out in my opinion, and it was really groundbreaking back in the 90’s when there wasn’t much screaming on the radio or MTV. I think the band got pretty cheesy after this and Fred’s ego got a little too inflated, but regardless of what your opinion is on the Bizkit, you can’t deny that even in 2014, songs like “Counterfeit”, “Pollution”, “Stuck” and “Nobody Loves Me” still get your blood pumping and make you wanna start a pit in your living room! If you like Rap and you like Metal and you've never heard of Limp Bizkit, check out “Three Dollar Bill Y’all$” NOW by clicking the link below. Rating: 3/3 YOU WANNA PLAY THAT GAME B****!?!?

http://youtu.be/8KWjZ7Dn-sY


15. GREEN JELLY - CEREAL KILLER SOUNDTRACK

This album has it all. Songs about cows, songs about shit, songs about the Three Little Pigs, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, a demented Toucan Sam who murders the Rice Krispie guys, even a couple songs about Ecstasy and S&M thrown in just for fun! Believe it or not, these silly fuckers have been around since 1981. Green Jelly (formerly Green Jello) started out as a 4 piece punk band playing shows in & around Buffalo, New York and wearing shitty costumes made from foam rubber, latex and paper mache. They were signed to Zoo Entertainment in 1991 and released this wacky collage of bullshit music in 93’, which is when I first heard about them. You probably remember seeing the video for “Three Little Pigs” on MTV back in the day, which was pretty funny with a bunch of claymation pigs running away from the wolf who winds up getting gunned down by Rambo at the end. Even though they don’t possess much musical talent, these guys managed to put out a pretty decent Rock/Comedy album, which is still kind of funny today. favorite tracks: “Obey The Cowgod”, “Three Little Pigs”, “Electric Harley House (Of Love)" and “Flight Of The Skajaquada”.Rating: 2/3 It sucks but it’s funny and it rocks at times.

http://youtu.be/ldruaPymBtE


16. HOLE - LIVE THROUGH THIS

Many people hate Courtney Love. They say she is a lying, psychotic, manipulative junkie whore who had Kurt Cobain snuffed out and stole all of his Nirvana money. I don’t know if that is true or false but what I do know is that her and her band HOLE put out one of the greatest Grunge Rock albums of all time back in 1994. When I first heard this album I knew it was something special. Every single track is just raw emotion and anger screamed and sung over some of the best 3-chord 90’s Rock you will ever hear. This album came out one week after Cobain’s body was discovered, and there are some really creepy lyrics on the record that almost touch on the subject, but the main theme on “Live Through This” seems to be about Courtney clawing her way up to becoming a superstar. When I think about 90’s Rock music, this album is right up there with ‘Nevermind’, 'Siamese Dream’ and STP’s ‘Purple’. It really takes you back to a time before we had internet, back when MTV just played awesome videos and weird cartoons, back when Rock music mattered and there was no Miley Cyrus, Rhianna or Beyonce, clogging up the airwaves with their computerized bullshit. HOLE didn’t need Auto-Tune, they just needed some guitars and drugs and they were able to create a masterpiece! favorite tracks are “Violet”, “Miss World”, "Jennifer’s Body” and “Asking For It”. Rating 3/3 Best Rock band fronted by a chick in my opinion.

http://youtu.be/5YClwi85EtI


17. CYPRESS HILL - BLACK SUNDAY

This was one of the first Hip-Hop records I really got into, this and Ol' Dirty Bastard’s “Return To The 36 Chambers”. The beats on this album are really mellow and funky for the most part, definitely makes you wanna blaze up and chill out. I got into Cypress Hill after I saw the “Insane In The Brain” video back in the day, and went out immediately to get the single on cassette. A few months later, I got ahold of the full album from a friend and we played it over and over again for an entire summer as I smoked my first joints ever, those were the days! When I first saw these guys I remember thinking it was cool that they were Latino. All of the other Hip-Hop I had heard of at this point was done by Black folks, so it was cool to see other races getting involved (Cypress Hill, Delinquent Habits, etc..). I know Beastie Boys were doing Hip-Hop since way back, but they never really got gangsta with it like this, so it was kind of a breakthrough. Anyways, the best tracks on this album (in my opinion) are “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That”, “Lick A Shot”, “Cock The Hammer” and “Hits From The Bong”. Cypress Hill is still out there making music, smoking blunts and rocking’ shows (I think they just left Australia), and this record turned me and millions of other people around the world on to Latin Hip-Hop and West Coast weed lingo. They really have a diverse sound too, experimenting later on in their career with 2000’s “Skull & Bones”, which mixed Rap and Metal together and increased their fan base even more by switching it up and collaborating with members of Deftones, Fear Factory & Rage Against The Machine. Rating: 3/3 Roll it, Light it, Smoke it!

http://youtu.be/XxZanu2aD_g


18. R.E.M. - AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE

I don’t usually listen to ‘Adult Rock’, which is what I suppose I consider R.E.M. to be. You know, music for older people who can’t take distorted guitars or double bass drumming? But this album is just plain GOOD from start to finish. It’s really all about the songwriting and clever lyrics with these guys, the music is kind of a bland, grey backdrop that helps to move the words along. I think my favorite song on this album is “Man On The Moon”, where they talk about old truck stops, Andy Kaufman, ghosts and Elvis. The only track that I don’t like is “Everybody Hurts”. It’s just way too mellow and weak and probably should have never been released. I read that before Kurt Cobain shot himself he was listening to this album, which I thought was odd because there is definitely a positive message in “Everybody Hurts” to ‘Hang on’ and not give up on life. Was he not paying attention to that song? Any-hoo, this a a good album to sit and relax to. For me, it conjures up memories of the early 90’s and calms me down if I’m feeling pissed or angry about something. This is the kind of album that would also be good to listen to if you are about to drive for a long time. Hit the road, throw this in and just calm down and reflect on stuff. Rating: 3/3 Just because he mentions Kaufman in one song.

P.S. The Man On The Moon movie kicked major ass and Tony Clifton is the man.

http://youtu.be/TB9HA2tRGLg


19. MAGGOT COLONY - PERPETUATING THE VIRAL INFESTATION

Yeah that’s right, Maggot Colony! A brutal Taiwanese death metal band that I just found out about this past summer. There are only 3 guys in this band and it’s hard to believe when you listen to the pounding, crushing metal-mayhem that bashes your brains in on every single track on their first full-length album “Perpetuating The Viral Infestation”. If I had to compare these guys to another death metal band, I would say they remind me of Condemned, especially on “Venom Flows In Veins”, where the guitar and drums seem to accelerate and momentarily blend into a blurred frenzy of pure, unadulterated evil. The intro to the album is a clip from the Sci-Fi Horror video game Dead Space and really sets the mood for the brutality that strangles the s*** out of you on the title track which follows. I knew death metal was big in Bangkok, Thailand but had no idea there were any good DM bands in Taiwan. I was dead f****** wrong. Rating 2/3 A badass slice of Brutal Death Metal with dizzying riffs , gurgling, demonic vocals and drum beats that will shake you out of your seat & beat you bloody as you lay on the floor helpless. If you like Slam/Death Metal then definitely check these guys out ASAP.

http://youtu.be/GevQhMjOf6k


20. NERF HERDER - NERF HERDER

Ahh this brings back memories! During my last years in High School I must have listened to this album 20,000 times, although until I heard it again recently, I could only remember one or two songs, which probably means I have a few damaged brain sectors from years of partying like an animal. This band is very similar to NOFX, Propagandhi or even Weezer at times, but they definitely have their own style and they wrote a song about how David Lee Roth was the best Van Halen vocalist ever so in my book that makes them better than all those bands I just mentioned. Especially Weezer, fuck Weezer. Anyways, this was their first record and it’s full of funny Pop/Punk songs about Van Halen, breaking up with girls, nose rings, turning tricks and eating candy. If you didn’t grow up listening to this record, smoking weed and skateboarding every day then it probably won’t seem that great to you. But just try and imagine me and my friends partying it up and blasting this at full volume back in the 90’s and pretend your there and we are drawing dicks on your face after you drank too much and passed out K? favorite tracks are: “Sorry”, "Van Halen”, “Diana” and “Nosering Girl”. Rating: 3/3 For a Pop-Punk record, it’s pretty damn awesome.

http://youtu.be/Wd31wu2rdEQ


21. DEPECHE MODE - VIOLATOR

This is album is relaxing, depressing, groovy and uplifting all in one serving! Released in 1990, “Violator” is the seventh studio album from England’s own Synth-Pop wizards; Depeche Mode. I remember seeing the video for “Personal Jesus” when I was a kid, but I never really got into them until I heard Deftones do a cover of “Sweetest Perfection”. One day in 1998, I went out and bought the album to find out what they were all about. This is actually the only Depeche Mode album I ever owned. I have heard a lot of their other stuff online but it never caught my attention the way “Violator” did. It’s 9 solid tracks of electronic malaise that begins to wash over your soul and make you wanna shut yourself away from the world for awhile and sulk. There are a couple of upbeat tracks though like “Personal Jesus’ and “Policy Of Truth” that are kinda danceable and save the record from being a total downer. So if you like depressing English electronic dance-pop, then check this out for sure. People who are getting over a bad breakup, seriously depressed or strung out on dope should probably avoid this at all costs though. If you are any of those things I just mentioned, I recommend listening to Hanson’s 1997 Mega-Hit “MMMBop” instead. What ever happened to those chicks anyways? The lead singer was the cute one I thought..Oh well, I guess we’ll never know! Rating: 3/3 “Violator” is a gloomy cocktail of English Synth-Pop that speaks to the soul. This is the real thing, not tokens.

http://youtu.be/j0X7oZl5fNg

Yeah it's not Holiday albums dude, it's just 25 random album reviews I am doing and I'm not done yet. Maybe I will include Twisted Xmas...... Weirdo!

22. BAD BRAINS - INTO THE FUTURE

The 9th album from D.C. hardcore/punk legends Bad Brains. I wasn’t sure what to expect when this came out but I was pretty impressed that they can still rock out, considering they have been in the game since 1977 and the lead singer H.R. is pretty much totally insane at this point due to problems with Schizophrenia (or something like that), but I think he is on meds most of the time now which sorta leaves him very relaxed and spaced out (this guy used to scream in peoples faces and do backflips onstage). If you don’t know about Bad Brains and you call yourself a punk rocker you should be ashamed. They are widely regarded as the grandfathers of hardcore punk, but have played around with other musical styles like heavy metal, hip-hop and soul. This record is loud and fast for the most part with a bunch of Rastafarian lyrics thrown in, but the Brains change gears on “Jah Love”, "Maybe A Joyful Noise” and “MCA Dub”, which are basically just mellowed-out reggae instrumental jam sessions that seem like filler material. All in all, this is a nice comeback and a pretty decent rock record that is definitely worth a few listens. Best tracks on the album are: “Into The Future”, “Popcorn” and “Fun”. The Bad Brains might not be as hardcore as they were back in the 80’s, but they still know how to dish out some loud-ass punk riffs and calm your ass down afterwards with that kinky reggae shit that you could light up a blunt and relax to. Rating: 2/3 Not half Bad!

http://youtu.be/bRQFwAwaOh4


23. FUJI GRID TV - PRISM GENESIS

This is not really a “musical” album, but more a collection of random nonsense and Japanese TV commercials from the 80’s and early 90’s. It’s one of those albums you definitely have to experience for yourself, possibly in some kind of altered mind state. "Prism Genesis” is 17 tracks of slowed down, creepy, jazzy, glitchy crap that someone scoured the internet for and then cut and pasted together in some sort of attempt at creating art. This album doesn’t even really fit in the Vaporwave genre, which slows down and samples hold music and obscure easy listening from back in the day, it’s kind of it’s own thing. Imagine you went out partying and got really twisted. You then came home and passed out while watching some weird random Japanese TV channel. As you drift off to sleep, you begin to have really strange and bizarre dreams about being trapped in a virtual reality mall, where holograms of Walkman's, Laser Discs and staticky TV commercials chase you around for hours and hours - that’s “Prism Genesis” in a nutshell. I am one of those people that can’t sleep in silence so I enjoy passing out to this kind of f***** up s***, it helps me get a good night’s sleep OKAY!!!!. I must be out of my cotton picking mind. Rating: 3/3 One of the strangest and coolest things I have ever listened to.

http://youtu.be/Wm2I5VAUYsQ


24. CANNIBAL CORPSE - TOMB OF THE MUTILATED

Third album from Buffalo, NY death metal pioneers, Cannibal Corpse. This record was creepy and brutal in 1992 and it still is today. Many bands that came later mimicked the musical and artistic stylings of Cannibal Corpse. Most of their album covers & lyrics are sick and twisted as hell and have caused a lot of controversy around the globe. This was actually the first death metal (with growled vocals) I had ever heard at the time. I was sitting around one day watching Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and I saw them rocking out in one scene. I thought maybe it was just a fake band that was made up for the film, but when I looked at the credits, I saw it listed their song: Cannibal Corpse - “Hammer Smashed Face”. I thought “No way does the lead singer just growl through every song….It can’t be!” After picking up the “Tomb Of The Mutilated” cassette at my local record store, I rushed home to give the album a listen and see what the rest of their shit sounded like. I was blown away as song after song blasted into my ears with no audible vocals in the mix, just these demonic growls that sounded like they were coming from the devil himself! It was on that day that I discovered death metal music as I sat playing DOOM on my Sega 32X and listening to the tape over and over again. The jerk at the record store had sold me the edited version though, so I never saw the REAL cover or read any of the disgusting lyrics until a few years later. I guess he didn’t want to be responsible for creating the next Ted Bundy. In my opinion, this album is to death metal what The Sex Pistols are to punk rock. If you love death metal and you have never listened to this album, drop whatever your doing and go BUY it now! Yeah that’s right BUY IT. People need to support death metal because let’s face it, these guys aren’t making a ton of money doing this shit, it’s not that popular and they are not getting rich from writing songs about ripping the guts out of a chicks *****! This album is hard, fast, brutal and the lyrics are pure evil. favorite tracks: “Hammer Smashed Face”, “I Cum Blood” and “Post Mortal Ejaculation”. Rating: 3/3 This is where shit got serious.

http://youtu.be/gzq8UY6QiOA


25. DEFTONES - WHITE PONY

This is the third studio album from Sacramento rock gods Deftones. Released during the summer of 2000, 'White Pony’ was totally different from anything the band had previously released. They definitely changed their sound a bit on the second record ‘Around The Fur’, but ‘White Pony’ really separated the band from the competition, pushing them away from the annoying Nu Metal scene and into a whole different realm of sound. There are definitely moments on WP where Deftones bust out with the same old-school aggression that put them on the map, but most of the record is very moody & experimental, with synths, beats and sound effects appearing in the mix via new band member Dj Frank Delgado. This is one of those albums that really changed the game and paved the way for other heavy bands to try out new things and expand their sound. In my opinion, Deftones took what bands like Rage Against The Machine, The Smashing Pumpkins and Korn were trying to do, and did it much better. They took heavy music and made it sexy and slick and because of that, they are still relevant and each album they put out is a surprise to listen to. Even the death of their bass player Chi didn’t stop them, they found a new guy who fit the mould and soldiered on, releasing some of the best songs of their career on ‘Diamond Eyes’ and ‘Koi No Yokan'. My favorite tracks on WP are: “Feiticeira”, “Digital Bath”, “Korea” and “Pink Maggit”. Rating: 3/3 An awesome mix of metal, trip-hop, alternative rock and dream pop that everyone should own.

http://youtu.be/LQAa2oxb5TM

Well, there you go. 25 days, 25 reviews & 25 links to some good f****** tunes!! I hope you all have a very merry Xmas this year and get all kinds of awesome s***. Ho ho ho, rat-tat-tat, Santa Clause eatin’ cookies & sippin’ Cognac! Happy New Year everybody, I’m going to watch DIE HARD!

Yeah it's good. Just bums me the fuck out that he died shortly after that one.... And many of the songs sound like a goodbye to the planet.. Dude should have fucking hung in there, or if he was murdered, stayed away from the shady-ass crew he was with towards the end.