Make Mine Cr33py!

I was rocking out on the way to work this morning, and started thinking about my favorite albums from the past 10 years (or 11, since its almost 06). Figured I would come up with a nice list with brief review. I don’t think its possible really to put these in order, but Ill try.

1. White Zombie - Astro Creep 2000 (April 11, 1995)
I was absolutely torn apart when White Zombie broke up. Maybe they felt they couldn’t top this LP? A perfect mix of industrial sludge with thrash metal. I imagine it was fun mixing this album, with the 100’s of sounds mixed in the background, hidden here and there. This album made J Yuenger one, if not my favorite guitarist on the 90’s. Highlights are “Super Charger Heaven” (blam! like a 18 wheeler slamming into while speeding by, laughing), “Creature of the Wheel” (Helldorado baby!), “Grease Paint and Monkey Brains” (does not help my fear of clowns, at all), and “Blur the Technicolor” (That trippy phased guitar riff god good to me). While La Sexorcisto is a great album, it has nothing on AC.

2. System of a Down - Mesmerize (May 17, 2005)
This has to be one of my favorite albums of all time. When I first listened to the album when it leaked (did I say that?), I was completely blown away. I’ve always been a System fan, and thought Toxicity was amazing, but this is just beyond anything. One of the few albums I can put on and listen almost all the way through (almost). Highlights for me are “Violent Pornography” (soooooo amazing, the message at the end is so true), “Radio/Video” (why they didnt make this a single, who the fuck knows), and “Revenga” (I adore the little “No Rest for the Wicked” style bridge guitar). Low points, of course, are the singles, “BYOB” (although I’ll blame that on being overplayed) and “Questions” (I really, really dont like this song).

3. Korn - Life is Peachy (October 15, 1996)
I would have listed the first Korn album, but it was released in 94. While, not as good as the first, it is far superior to anything that has been put out after it. The rawness and realness of Korn are still there intact, the money has not affected them or the music. From the opening song “Twist”, to the emotional ender “Kill You”, you would be hard pressed to find a album that grabs you by the soul like this one. Highlights are “Twist” (they have never gotten this down live right, studio cut is amazing), “Good God” (Man, when I was a teenager, this song was a staple of riding to school), “Mr Rogers” (One of my fav Korn songs of all time), and last but not least, “Kill You” (WOW). Afterwards, Ross Robinson departed and so did most of the emotion, damn.

4. Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill (July 12, 2000)
From the opening scream of “The Great Southern Trendkill”(song), this album is like having a snapping turtle snap your nuts, not let go, while being beaten with a baseball bat at the same time. The most anal screaming, pounding drums, and gut wrenching guitar riffs of 2000. Highlights of this LP are “TGSTK” (Title track that melts your face off), “War Nerve” (Fuck the world, for all its worth, every inch of planet earth, nuff said), “Suicide Note pt.1 (They can play a slow song!, and good!), “Floods” (the ending guitar part mind blowing), and “The Underground in America” (Thrash, with a punk twist). There aren’t many songs on this album that I don’t like.

5. Weezer - Pinkerton (September 24, 1996)
I can’t believe that the first time I bought this album, I didn’t like it. Not really sure why this isnt the top of the list, like I said, the order is screwy. Pinkerton features a much matured Weezer, long gone are the do wop stylings of the blue album, here you will find feedbacking guitars, songs about obtaining, and losing loves, and some of the most emotional storytelling you will ever encounter. Still brings chills to me after all these years. My Highlights are “Why Bother” (Perfect proto punk song), “Across the Sea” (Rivers really loves those asian girls, even if they are still in High school), “The Good Life” (Almost a perfect song IMHO), and “Falling For You” (that chorus gets me everytime). “Getchoo” is my least favorite, but that’s not saying it’s bad. Best album they have done since the self titled.

6. Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains (November 7, 1995)
The underrated classic from AIC. Most people never got into this one, but I dove headfirst into it. This album is definately influenced by frontman Layne Staley’s drug addiction, and listening to it almost makes you feel like you are high on herion aswell. Too bad it never really caught on, as a whole, but it did manage to spawn a few of their biggest hits, like “Heaven Beside You”. Tops on this one for me are “Grind” (this song is just amazing, the filthy grinding guitar and the haunting vocals, wow), “Sludge Factory” (Again, another one of those very grinding, filthy sounding songs, sounds like you just picked up a needle from a ditch and slammed it into your ear), “Shame in You” (Beautiful song, my fav AIC to date), and “Over Now” (perfect closer for the album and the band). Shame we won’t hear anything else like this album again. RIP.

6. Superjoint Ritual - Use Once and Destroy (May 21, 2002)
Alot of people don’t like Superjoint Ritual. I am not one of those people. I think this is what Phil wanted Pantera’s “The Great Southern Trendkill” to sound like. Phil is one of my favorite frontmen, although I think his voice is awful live during the SuperJoint era, you can feel the emotion. This album is a trainwreck of probably 50 songs condensed into 16 usable tracks. Each song sounds like it has 4 songs in it or more (listen to “4 Songs”). Bower and Bond make a impressive duo on the guitars, with a southern rock meets slayer feel. Best tracks are “Everybody Hates Everyone” (You want to stab me right now!), “4 songs” (yes, its really 4 songs in one), “Fuck your enemy” (the most southern song here), “The Alcoholik” (don’t watch the video, its sick) and the opening instrumental, “Oblivious Maximus” (They should have put vocals to this). Im not particulary fond of “Ozena”, or “Superjoint Ritual” (the song), but there is plenty of vocal chord ripping songs to make up for those less-than-spectacular tracks.

7. SuperJoint Ritual - A lethal dose of American Hatred (July 22, 2003)
Yes, another SJR album in my list. I would have preferred to just take selections from both album and make my own, because there is definately some filler on both albums, but I’ll just play by the book. Phil’s vocals are a bit more strained on the album, but the screams are even less subdued than on the debut album. The bridges on most of these songs is where the bone crunching comes in, see “Personal Insult” for a example. Higlights once again are “Waiting for the Turning Point” (a punky black flag inspired song), “Dress like a Target” (they’re new because the media sucks up, sucks up), “The destruction of a person” (Doesnt the opening riff sound just like Pantera’s “Hard lines and sunken cheeks”?), and “Personal Insult” (from the bridge on, the song is massive). I would love to put “Absorbed” on there, the intro kicks ass, but the song doesnt even come close to the greatness of the intro.

—–The remaining three will be on later, my hands hurt, lol.