The Beatles - 1 (2000) ☠

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock

Label Number: CDP 7243 5 29325 2 8
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 2000 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Apparently, there was a gap in the Beatles' catalog, after all -- all the big hits weren't on one tidy, single-disc compilation. It's not the kind of gap you'd necessarily notice -- it's kind of like realizing you don't have a pair of navy blue dress socks -- but it was a gap all the same, so the group released The Beatles 1 late in 2000, coinciding with the publication of their official autobiography, the puzzlingly titled Anthology. The idea behind this compilation is to have all the number one singles the Beatles had, either in the U.K. or U.S., on one disc, and that's pretty much what this generous 27-track collection is. It's easy, nay, necessary, to quibble with a couple of the judgment calls -- look, "Please Please Me" should be here instead of "From Me to You," and it's unforgivable to bypass "Strawberry Fields Forever" (kick out "Yellow Submarine" or "Eleanor Rigby") -- but there's still no question that this is all great music, and there is a bit of a rush hearing all these dazzling songs follow one after another. If there's any complaint, it's that even if it's nice to have something like this, it's not really essential. There's really no reason for anyone who owns all the records to get this too -- if you've lived happily without the red or blue albums, you'll live without this. But, if you give this to any six or seven year old, they'll be a pop fan, even fanatic, for life. And that's reason enough for it to exist.

tags: the beatles, 1, 2000, flac,

More Info

Y&T - Facemelter (2010)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: FR CD 462

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2010 Meanstreak Music Co.
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato

That's one serious title Y&T have come up with for their 12th studio album overall, eh? It's hard to believe it's been 13 years since this California-based melodic metal outfit last issued an all-new studio recording, but longtime fans will agree it's better late then never -- especially after hearing 2010's Facemelter. There may be only two members still on board from the group's early- to mid-‘80s peak (that would be original members singer/guitarist Dave Meniketti and bassist Phil Kennemore), but with hair metal bands from the aforementioned era experiencing a serious resurgence in the early 21st century, the Y&T chaps couldn't have picked a better time to enter a recording studio once more. And instead of tinkering with their sound, Y&T have created an album that is an exact replica sonically of such popular releases as 1983's Mean Streak and 1984's In Rock We Trust (which just happen to be the group's best-selling albums). Yearning for the tough yet melodic sound that Y&T helped popularize way back when? You're in luck throughout Facemelter -- especially on such standouts as "On with the Show," "Shine On," and "Wild Child," all of which would have fit perfectly on the two aforementioned albums, and gloriously feature Meniketti's Sammy Hagar-esque vocals. And like all mainstream metal acts from the ‘80s, there's the obligatory sappy power ballad included as well -- "If You Want Me." It sounds like absolutely no time has passed from Y&T's mid-‘80s peak to Facemelter, which leads you to wonder...have Y&T discovered a heavy metal time machine?

tags: y & t, y&t, facemelter, 2010, flac, face melter,

More Info

Def Leppard - Retro Active (1993)

*Compilation featuring outtakes and leftover tracks.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.FLAC via Mega (Mirror Link)

© 1993 Mercury Records
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
Retro Active is a collection of outtakes and leftovers spanning Def Leppard's entire career. Kicking off the disc, "Desert Song" and "Fractured Love" are two of its most distinctive tracks, harkening back to the band's early (pre-success) days with their rough power chords. After paying homage to some of their heroes with a set of covers (Sweet's "Action" and Mick Ronson's "Only After Dark"), the band tackles a couple of solid, but hardly groundbreaking ballads -- "Two Steps Behind" and "Miss You in a Heartbeat" -- before stretching out (with mixed results) on the folky "From the Inside." Taken from the Hysteria sessions, the classy "I Wanna Be Your Hero" is another pleasant surprise, and the band reaches all the way back to the beginning by re-recording their first demo "Ride into the Sun." Overall, this is an interesting release which marks the end of a long chapter in the band's history, following the death of guitarist and guiding force Steve Clark. While casual fans might find it confusing, Leppard fanatics will revel in its diversity and informative liner notes.

tags: def leppard, retro active, 1993, flac,

More Info

Y&T - Yesterday And Today (1976)

*First pressing. 

Contains 9 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: MRC-10010

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1976-1992 Mondo Records Corporation
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: y&t, y & t, yesterday and today, 1972, flac,

More Info

Y&T - Struck Down (1978)

*First Pressing. 

Contains 8 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: MRC 10020

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1978-1992 Mondo Records Corporation
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
Struck Down was Yesterday & Today's second long-player, and their last release prior to changing their name to Y&T in the early '80s. And though not as consistent as the band's rock-solid debut two years earlier, it too collects a wealth of enjoyable material performed by an already very confident and mature band. Most noticeable of all, Struck Down is astoundingly heavy for its time, with high-energy cuts like the title track, "Road," and "Dreams of Egypt" packing loads of guts and swagger and evincing a bite which aptly captures the band's legendary live power onto vinyl. A few pedestrian moments, including the cheesy shuffle "Nasty Sadie," the rather one-dimensional "I'm Lost," and the psychedelic anachronism "Stargazer" keep this from being a fully satisfactory set, but they certainly could have done a lot worse.

tags: y&t, y & t, struck down, 1978, flac,

More Info

Y&T - Contagious (1987)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Label Number: 9 24142-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1987 Geffen Records
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
After years of professional frustration with little to show for their efforts, Y&T parted with longtime label A&M to seek out pop-metal salvation at the hands of A&R guru John Kalodner and the red-hot Geffen Records. But although 1987's Contagious was given the same Kalodner treatment (party lyrics, gang vocals, synthesizer splashes, sugar-coated guitar riffs, etc.) which led to Aerosmith's miraculous comeback the same year, Dave Meniketti and crew would have no such luck. From the very first "hey!" which launches the bombastic title track (a barely disguised rehash of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer"), Contagious is your textbook example of sleek, over-produced '80s pop-metal: all fluff and frilly shirts, no substance. Mid-paced melodic rockers like "L.A. Rocks" and "The Kid Goes Crazy" peddle their numbskull choruses ad nausea, to the point of embarrassment, actually. It may have worked for any number of lesser hair bands with prettier faces, but not for Y&T, who also managed to alienate whatever was left of their original audience in the process. And even though they would take another stab at it with the somewhat improved Ten, Contagious effectively signaled Y&T's death knell.

tags: y&t, y & t, contagious, 1987, flac,

More Info

Y&T - Ten (1990)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: 9 24283-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1990 Geffen Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
By the time Y&T released Ten in 1990, they were well past their prime, but they at least had the chance of riding the tail-end of the hair metal era. However, Ten just didn't deliver the goods. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" has a good riff, but much of the record lacks a strong hook -- it's just well-produced, slick mainstream metal without much style or flair. It's no surprise that the group packed it in (albeit temporarily) shortly after the release of Ten.

tags: y&t, y & t, ten, flac, 1990,

More Info

Nickelback - Dark Horse (2008)

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 1686-180288
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2008 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Nickelback are not known for their insight, but Chad Kroeger's caterwauling claim that "we got no class, no taste" on "Burn It to the Ground," the second song on their sixth album, Dark Horse, is a slice of perceptive, precise self-examination. Nickelback are a gnarled, vulgar band reveling in their ignorance of the very notion of taste, lacking either the smarts or savvy to wallow in bad taste so they just get ugly, knocking out knuckle-dragging riffs that seem rarefied in comparison to their thick, boneheaded words. Of the two, the music is far less offensive, particularly on Dark Horse, where they work with the legendary producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, the sonic architect behind Back in Black and Pyromania, two of hard rock's towering monuments. Mutt Lange decides to give Nickelback a production caught somewhere between the two extremes of AC/DC and Def Leppard, pumping up some muscle on Nickelback's heaviest rockers and adding some color to their power ballads, suggesting some heretofore verboten suggestions of modernity in the form of electronic rhythms, even taking it to the extreme of adding drum loops to the surefire crossover hit "Gotta Be Somebody." Nickelback do manage to shed their leathery rock skin a couple of times, first with an arena-rocking "Burn It to the Ground" and then echoing Toby Keith's "Let's Talk About Us" on the white-boy rap pre-chorus for "Something in Your Mouth," but these are mere glimpses of something unpredictable; Dark Horse was constructed entirely from the group's standard templates of bleating power ballads and dulled hard rock.
These two sounds have been the group's trademark for a while now, ever since Kroeger started plumbing the depths of his shallow soul to spit out invective toward lovers and fathers on 2001's Silver Side Up, but stardom has stripped away all lingering angst, leaving behind slow songs about love and fast songs about partying, all designed to woo women he'll later hate. Underneath the housewife-hooking power ballads -- "I'd Come for You," "If Today Was Your Last Day" -- plus "Just to Get High," an ode to a fallen junkie friend that's part of the proud tradition that stretches back to at least Body Count's "The Winner Loses," Dark Horse seethes with ugly misogyny, as Kroeger trots out a parade of dirty little ladies in pretty pink thongs, porn stars, strippers, and sluts, all of whom are desired and despised for showing too much skin. Kroeger may claim that "S is for the simple need/E is for the ecstasy" in his middle-school chant "S.E.X.," but there is no joy in his carnality, just bleak veiled violence, and that nasty undercurrent undercuts his pleading lovesick ballads; he's either had his heart broken by those loose women, or he's singing to the good girl left at home while he's out on the town. This all turns Dark Horse into a murky, wearying listen, with the mood only lightening at the end of the record, when Kroeger and company take a break from carousing to kick back with bros and a bong for "This Afternoon" -- its strum-along choruses are a relief but so is its mellowness, as Kroeger seems calmer, relaxed, even friendly. Maybe it's because there were no women in the picture.

tags: nickelback, dark horse, 2008, flac,

More Info

Nickelback - Curb (2002 Reissue)

*Reissued in 2002 by Roadrunner Records. 
Track list remains the same (12 tracks total.)

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 168 618 440-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1996-2002 Roadrunner Records
Review by David Rafaello Musicomh.com
Nickelback’s first album has finally been released in this country, six years after its North American outing. Aficionados have known it for long as an import and may originally have been drawn to subsequent Nickelback releases because of the promise of this album.
But in 2002 it is hugely disappointing. It is stuck in a time capsule labelled ‘mid-90s paralysis’ – and it is perhaps to the credit of Nickelback that they’ve gone on to produce new and interesting sentiments and sounds. So, the question arises: why has this album been released here? The answer surely is to cash in on the momentary fame and success of the group. All Nickelback camp followers will go out and buy it. Most will subsequently bite their lip and proclaim its genius, but privately they’ll not play it often because it offers nothing to please.
It’s hard to think of another recent release by any major force that is so monochromatic and derivative. So Canadian. Why does Chad Kroeger affect that accent that slides between the deep South and Seattle, but stop short of the Canadian border? He’s trying to be Kurt Cobain, but he neither understands the existential crisis nor has the guts to do anything about it – constructive or de-constructive. Perhaps because he’s written most of this stuff, it’s just as well we can only imperfectly understand it. I guess I could give myself up to the head-banging throb and forget about the words, but I do really wonder then why there are any words at all.
Some of this is good, such as Just Four. However, most of it is dull. The little guitar riffs are brief, unimaginative, and cheap. In Pusher Kroeger really punishes his Cobain impersonation – and thereby forces every intelligent listener to reflect sadly on what has been lost. This is hard rock (the ‘post-grunge’ tag usually applied to Nickelback is far too spongy), head-banging stuff, raging – at least in the sound if not the lyrics – against the human condition.
Unfortunately the lyrics mostly stray unnecessarily into sensationalism – a trait Nickelback has conspicuously not shed in subsequent albums – but it’s all rather surreal and tacky. Whether it’s an oblique reference to Jim Morrison’s faux-pas – which I doubt – or not, the words ‘for her and I’ in Fly grate horribly. Surely it must be possible to use both provocative and user-friendly language at the same time. Indeed, I know it is possible, because I do it all the time.
Where are we? At its best Nickelback has produced in Curb an album which sent me back to Led Zeppelin – the later years – and of course Nirvana. But I also revisited Pearl Jam, and I was reminded of the great variety and inventiveness of the CD offerings. Sadly none of this is to be found in Curb. My guess is that those who already have an imported version of it are the only ones likely to enjoy it.

tags: nickelback, curb, 1996, flac, reissue, 2002,

More Info

Nickelback - Silver Side Up (2001) ☠

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 168 618 485-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Lass

© 2001 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Liana Jonas
Industrial-strength rock & roll is back with a vengeance on the earnest Silver Side Up by Nickelback. The band wastes no time in getting into its brand of dark, high-octane rock. The album opener "Never Again," about spousal abuse, thrusts out of the starting gate with rocket-fueled intensity. Lead singer/guitarist/lyricist Chad Kroeger does not mince words in his portrayals of the darker sides of the human experience, and that is what Silver Side Up is essentially about. Nickelback's music is issue-oriented on the domestic and personal front, and it's a refreshing change of pace in 2001's sea of angry rockers. Another familial subject is tackled on the pounding "Too Bad." The song describes an emotionally and physically absent father figure as seen through the eyes of a regretful adult-child looking back. The cut that broke the band to mainstream audiences is "How You Remind Me," a thundering, mid-tempo rock track marked by thick chords and a brooding tone. Kroeger's voice is filled with weariness as he well captures the self-defeated feelings one experiences when being emotionally dissected by a lover. Such words as "'cause living with me must have damn near killed you" painfully zero in on the breakdown of the human spirit when it's badgered enough. Because, sadly, many have found themselves in this situation, the song connects with listeners. Coupled with a powerful and moody soundtrack, it's no wonder it took off on the radio. Grunge pays a visit on the set's closing number, "Good Times Gone." This well-crafted song slowly builds in intensity -- from the intro's fingered guitar notes and understated vocals, to the gradual addition of instruments, to Kroeger's explosive vocal release at the song's end, which retreats back into softly strummed guitar notes. "Good Times Gone" is reminiscent of a Pearl Jam number, and this is no surprise; Silver Side Up was co-produced by Rick Parashar, who has worked with Seattle's finest. Nickelback's style is edgy aggressive rock peppered with a taste of grunge. The band can easily sit alongside Staind and 3 Doors Down, among other like acts. However, what Nickelback has in spades and what gives the group an upper hand over its peers is intensity and raw passion. Some bands finger the crap out of their guitars and relentlessly beat away at the drums, crafting songs that boast the intensity of an electric storm. Nickelback ups the ante by offering realistic storytelling that listeners can relate to.

tags: nickelback, silver side up, 2001, flac,

More Info

Nickelback - The State (2000 Reissue)

*Reissued in 2000 by EMI Canada. 
Track list and total remains the same at 11 tracks total.

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 7243 5 25951 2 9
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1998-2000 EMI Music Canada
AllMusic Review by JT Griffith
The music on Nickelback's 2000 album The State is a consistent roots rock metal hybrid seemingly tailored for modern rock radio. Songs like "Breathe" and "Cowboy Hat" sound a bit like Fuel or Silverchair. Fans of Jimmy Eat World, Drowning Pool, Godsmack, P.O.D., and Stroke 9 will likely get into Nickelback, but little distinguishes them from so many other moderately bombastic rockers with acoustic leanings. And the inclusion of an acoustic version of "Leader of Men" would be more impressive if the song were not so bland and still strangely familiar. "Old Enough" may actually be familiar to the few who own the soundtrack to Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows. The State is a dull example of alternative generica.

tags: nickelback, the state, 1998, 2000, reissue, flac,

More Info

Nickelback - The Long Road (2003) ☠

Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 168 618 400-2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Lass

© 2003 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Thanks to their smash number one hit "How You Remind Me," Nickelback became the poster boys for neo-grunge in 2001. Throughout that year and into the next, the band and its ham-fisted lead singer Chad Kroeger, who always seems on verge of a hernia, were omnipresent as they peddled their cleaned-up, streamlined amalgam of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam. Those three bands were unpredictable and, in various ways, shunned success when they received it. Nickelback courts it through their audience-pleasing grunge pastiche, which treats the style as just another variation of hard rock. Of course, on the surface grunge was just modern hard rock, but upon further inspection it was an interesting, unruly beast, fueled by genuine passion and angst, which is why each band had a distinct sound and a different way of fleeing from the scene when it all became too much. Perhaps Kroeger and his cohorts in Nickelback are also fueled by real angst and just aren't capable of turning it into art, but 2003's The Long Road, the follow-up to their 2001 breakthrough, Silver Side Up, suggests that they really are just heavy-rock hucksters. After all, this is an album that ends with "See You at the Show," the neo-grunge "We're an American Band" that invites their audience to come along on the Nickelback bus and party down -- a sentiment that kind of undercuts the endless barrage of tortured lyrics that precede it. Perhaps a flat-out party song would have been a welcome change of pace, but it, like every other song here, is performed in the band's lumbering style -- clumsy rhythms, guitars run through too much processed distortion slashing away at power chords that are echoed by harmonies that are nothing but root and the fifth notes (call 'em power harmonies) and topped off by Kroeger's strained gruff vocals. It's the same sound as Silver Side Up, but it's a little bit more professional and polished, which does have the neat trick of sanding down some of Nickelback's strident tendencies, leaving behind a sleek album of theatrical angst. So, Nickelback is more palatable here, but that doesn't mean they're any easier to digest, since Kroeger's voice does not wear well and the band's humorlessness and relentlessly earnest somberness are oppressive. And, like with any post-Nirvana wallow in angst and torment, Nickelback doesn't vent specific problems; it's all a generic litany of the torture of relationships and the evil that dad did. Hell, Kurt Cobain didn't just vent -- he sang about being stranded with his grandparents, crafted a tongue-in-cheek ode to '70s pomp rock, covered, wrote, and sang sweet love songs, and tempered his pain with sardonic humor. Nickelback needs something to lighten the gloom, where even "Feelin' Way Too Damn Good" and its "doo-doo-doo" hooks (which sound lifted from Tenacious D, bizarrely enough) feel like a burden, not a relief. Of course, that set-closer, "See You at the Show," is supposed to be a change of pace, too, but instead it calls all the turmoil of the album into question, making it all seem like a cynical ploy (a suspicion that is reinforced by a startling list of 29 "endorsers" in the liner notes, who all provide the band with free musical equipment). These were all problems on Silver Side Up, but they resonate more on The Long Road since they are reflected in the production's shiny surface. Nickelback can now afford a little more time in the studio and a little more time to indulge themselves, and they turn out the same record, only slicker, which only highlights just how oppressively and needlessly sullen this group is.

tags: nickelback, the long road, 2003, flac,

More Info

Queen - Made In Heaven (1995)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 1995 Parlophone Records
AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann
During the 1980s, Queen ceased to be a big record seller in the U.S., but maintained its superstar status at home. In the '90s, following the death of Freddie Mercury, there was a brief resurgence of interest in America triggered by the inclusion of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the movie Wayne's World. But in 1995, when the surviving members got around to releasing the final recordings done with Mercury in the form of Made in Heaven, the status quo had returned. The album topped the charts in Western Europe, with its single, "Heaven for Everyone," reaching the Top Ten, while in the U.S. it was on and off the charts within weeks. Musically, Made in Heaven harked back to Queen's 1970s heyday with its strong melodies and hard rock guitar playing, topped by Mercury's bravura singing and some of the massed choir effects familiar from "Bohemian Rhapsody." Even if one did not know that these songs were sung in the shadow of death, that subject would be obvious. The lyrics were imbued with life-and-death issues, from the titles -- "Let Me Live," "My Life Has Been Saved," and "Too Much Love Will Kill You" -- to lines like "It's hopeless -- so hopeless to even try" ("It's a Beautiful Day"), "Waiting for possibilities/Don't see too many around" ("Made in Heaven"), and "I long for peace before I die" ("Mother Love"). The odd thing about this was that Mercury's over-the-top singing had always contained a hint of camp humor, and it continued to here, even when the sentiments clearly were as heartfelt as they were theatrically overstated. Maybe Mercury was determined to go out the same way he had come in, as a diva. If so, he succeeded.

tags: queen, made in heaven, 1995, flac,

More Info

Queen - The Miracle (1989)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 1989 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
Following their massive 1986 European stadium tour for the A Kind of Magic album, Queen took an extended break. Rumors swirled about an impending breakup, but it turned out the break was brought on by a painful marital divorce for guitarist Brian May (who subsequently battled depression and contemplated suicide), and Freddie Mercury being diagnosed with AIDS. Instead of sinking further into misery, the band regrouped, worked on each other's mental state, and recorded one of their most inspired albums, 1989's The Miracle. Lyrically, the songs tend to reflect on the band's past accomplishments ("Khashoggi's Ship," "Was It All Worth It") as well as the state of the world in the late '80s (the title track, "I Want It All"). Produced by the band and David Richards, The Miracle packs quite a sonic punch, recalling the rich sounds of their past classics (1976's A Day at the Races, etc.). Split 50/50 between pop ("Breakthru," "The Invisible Man," "Rain Must Fall") and heavy rock (the aforementioned "I Want It All," "Khashoggi's Ship," "Was It All Worth It"), the album was another global smash, even re-establishing the band stateside (going Top 30 and attaining gold status). Along with The Game, The Miracle is Queen's strongest album of the '80s.

tags: queen, the miracle, 1989, flac,

More Info

Queen - Flash Gordon (Original Soundtrack Music) (1986)

*U.K. first pressing. 

Contains 18 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock

Label Number: CDP 7 46214 2
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1980-1986 EMI Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
While writing and recording The Game, Queen were asked by renowned movie director Dino DeLaurentis to provide the soundtrack for his upcoming sci-fi epic Flash Gordon. The band accepted and promptly began working on both albums simultaneously. Although at first many fans criticized Flash Gordon since it was issued as an official Queen release rather than a motion picture soundtrack, it has proven to be one of rock's better motion picture soundtracks over the years. The majority of the music is instrumental, with dialogue from the movie in place of Freddie Mercury's singing (only two tracks contain lyrics), but the songwriting is still unmistakably Queen. Highlights abound, such as "Football Fight," "Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawkmen)," "The Wedding March," and the heavy metal roar of "Battle Theme." But it was the two more conventional songs that were the album's two best tracks -- the anthemic U.K. Top Ten hit "Flash's Theme" and the woefully underrated rocker "The Hero." With Queen involved, Flash Gordon is certainly not your average, predictable soundtrack.

tags: queen, flash gordon, original soundtrack music, 1980, flac, ost,

More Info

Queen - Hot Space (1982)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Rock
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 1982-1986 EMI Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Anybody who was a little dismayed by the pop inclinations of The Game would have been totally distressed by Queen's 1982 follow-up, Hot Space, an unabashed pop and dance album. The band that once proudly proclaimed not to use synthesizers on their albums has suddenly, dramatically reversed course, devoting the entire first side of the album to robotic, new wave dance-pop, all driven by drum machines and colored by keyboards, with Brian May's guitar coming in as flavor only on occasion. The second side is better, as it finds the group rocking, but there are still electronic drums. But the Beatlesque "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)" is a sweet, if a bit too literal, tribute and with "Calling All Girls" Queen finally gets synth-driven new wave rock right, resulting in a sharp piece of pop. But the album's undeniable saving grace is the concluding "Under Pressure," an utterly majestic, otherworldly duet with David Bowie that recaptures the effortless grace of Queen's mid-'70s peak, but is underscored with a truly affecting melancholy heart that gives it a genuine human warmth unheard in much of their music. Frankly, "Under Pressure" is the only reason most listeners remember this album, which is as much a testament to the song's strength as it is to the rather desultory nature of the rest of Hot Space.

tags: queen, hot space, 1982, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - The Graveyard (1996)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: MAS CD0103

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1996 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Andy Hinds
When King Diamond emerged with the archetypal black metal outfit Mercyful Fate in the early '80s, his alarmingly satanic lyrics were downright scary. But as a solo artist, he has become a reliable source of harmless, B-movie horror fun with his well-done concept albums. The Graveyard isn't one of his best, due to less memorable material and a tight, dry production which, while it sounds cleaner than that of earlier albums like Fatal Portrait and Abigail, doesn't convey the dark theatricality of the material as well as those albums do. Diamond's backing band never disappoints, however; guitarists Andy LaRocque and Herb Simonsen contribute plenty of flawless neo-classical solos with imagination and spirit.

tags: king diamond, the graveyard, 1996, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - House of God (2000)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: MAS CD0233

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2000 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Anderson

This pretentious, epic, almost sappy concept record follows lyrical suit with King Diamond's previous offerings, however, House of God lacks the musical commitment of the artist's best recordings, Them and Abigal. Rare in his ability to manage a successful solo career with a long-time band partnership, King Diamond was very busy releasing numerous albums, both on his own and with Mercyful Fate in the '90s. Quantity might have taken precedence of quality as the prolific vocalist and songwriter ended up offering several sub par discs during this period. Long time guitarist and co-songwriter Andy La Rocque joins Diamond, drummer John Herbert, guitarist Glen Drover, and bassist Dave Harbour on House of God. Each member delivers fine performances, but the opportunities to stretch out are rare as Diamond pastes his obtuse prose (more like an album-length short story than poetry or song lyrics) all over mediocre riffs and flat arrangements. Creative ambition and a dark quirkiness are decidedly core elements to Diamond's appeal, but these qualities often require catalysts to be transforming. A certain amount of intellect and humor are needed to support what can be otherwise bland music. Sadly, there is little in the way of interesting writing or fiery musical performances to enhance House of God, a lesser King Diamond release.

tags: king diamond, house of god, 2000, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - The Puppet Master (2003)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: 3984-14445-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2003 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger

Kim Bendix Petersen, better known as King Diamond, has built an empire out of wailing spirits, singing spiders, and voodoo priestesses. His 11th full-length ghost story, The Puppet Master, centers around an unfortunate man, his girlfriend, and a husband and wife team of puppet masters as they abuse and torture their subjects somewhere in Budapest. Diamond wisely forgoes his usual cheeseball spoken-word intro and simply launches into "Midnight," a melodic dirge that ranks high amongst his huge -- and often inconsistent -- body of work. The brutal "Emerencia" features stellar guitar work from Andy LaRocque -- the thread that binds each and every King Diamond album -- and "The Ritual" aptly deals with the popular heavy metal theme of souls burning in Hell -- lyrical prowess has never been his forte. The remainder of the record is serviceable goth-metal filled with oaths and omens, blood and sacrifice, and one ill-conceived Christmas song. King Diamond has reached a stage in his career where evil has begun to fade into novelty, and The Puppet Master resonates with a dark giddiness that suits a man with face paint and a cape nearing his fifties. However, there's still a sinister aura that surrounds his very name, making it virtually unfathomable to picture him -- and all of his demons -- teeing off with fellow urchin -- and avid golfer -- Alice Cooper on a misty fall morning, heads bowed, asking the dark lord to grant them the power to eagle a par four. Maybe.

tags: king diamond, the puppet master, 2003, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - Abigail II: The Revenge (2002)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: 3984-14379-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2002 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Andy Hinds
Abigail II: The Revenge, King Diamond's tenth full-length solo album and sequel to his 1987 classic, Abigail, unfortunately doesn't recapture much of the magic of the original, but instead continues the consistent but less inspired professionalism of most of his latter-day work. What separates King Diamond's great records from the mediocre ones is not storylines, but songs; his best have memorable melodies, detailed atmospheres, and imagination (listen to the first four or five records for evidence of this). Abigail II naturally has all the sonic hallmarks of classic King Diamond and, of course, the music is beautifully executed. It's just not as memorable as the old stuff, and is nearly indistinguishable from its predecessors. Still, hardcore fans won't be disappointed. Also includes some cringe-inducing dialogue and "acting."

tags: king diamond, abigail 2 the revenge, abigail ii, 2002, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul… Please (2007)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: 3984-14666-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2007 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
Since he has long been considered one of heavy metal's most theatrical performers, it would only be natural for King Diamond to regularly visit the concept album format, which he has done quite a bit over the years. And on his 2007 release, Give Me Your Soul...Please, he came up with one of his darkest and most disturbing stories yet, as the story line tells the tale of a father murdering his son and daughter. But hang on, there's a twist. One of the youngsters is having a hard time getting into heaven, so they devise a plan to steal an innocent person's soul...King Diamond's! Musically, Give Me Your Soul...Please is exactly what you'd expect from Diamond and his band -- metallic riffing, proggy song structures, and, of course, an emphasis on King's multi-octave vocal range. To experience some vintage King Diamond, take your pick of such headbangers as "Never Ending Hill" and "Mirror Mirror," or creepy ballads like "Pictures in Red." You can always rely on King Diamond to deliver some good ol' horror metal tales, and Give Me Your Soul...Please certainly delivers.

tags: king diamond, give me your soul please, give me your soul... please, 2007, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - The Spider's Lullabye (1995)

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: P2 53965

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1995 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Andy Hinds
Perhaps his best album since the classic Abigail, King Diamond's The Spider's Lullaby is another inspired goth rock opera containing some of his most melodic and tightly written songs. The album is produced in typical King Diamond fashion, with loads of layered vocals, creepy atmospherics and state of the art Eurometal musicianship from the band. Underrated guitarist Andy LaRocque delivers plenty of hair-raising neoclassical solos, and newcomer Herb Simonsen is no slouch himself. Check out "From the Other Side" for a slice of near-perfect King Diamond craftsmanship.

tags: king diamond, the spiders lullabye, 1995, flac,

More Info

King Diamond - Fatal Portrait (1986)

*First pressing. 
Contains 1 bonus track.
10 tracks total.

Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: RR 34 9721

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1986 Roadracer Records
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
King Diamond's first solo effort, 1985's Fatal Portrait, was a transitional album: still rooted in the satanically-bent heavy metal of his former group Mercyful Fate, but already showing signs of the theatrical and conceptual elements that the King would soon master like few before him. Indeed, the album's opening four-song suite: "The Candle," "The Jonah," "The Portrait," and "Dressed in White," denote King Diamond's first efforts to weave his horror stories over multiple, interrelated tracks. But compared to future triumphs in gothic storytelling, these are merely rough sketches, a simple dress rehearsal performed rather covertly -- just in case the idea didn't succeed as planned. Sure enough, Fatal Portrait's original second vinyl side returned to a more familiar (and safe) track-by-track approach, and it must be said standout numbers like "Lurking in the Dark," "Halloween," and "Haunted" are arguably the better for it. Diamond can be heard experimenting with ever more vocal styles, spread across ever expanding layers of harmony lines with himself; but it's the new lead guitar tandem of Swedish "axepert" Andy LaRocque and former Fate member Michael Denner who take center stage here, their distinctive riffs and solos well and truly carrying the day. A fine album by any definition, Fatal Portrait is also required listening -- a bridge, really -- for MF fans, who will enjoy this final glimpse at glories past while getting a smoother transition into the ensuing operas of terror. [CD reissues of Fatal Portrait were enhanced by the excellent bonus cut "The Lake" and, depending on the version, the hilariously twisted holiday send-up "No Presents for Christmas."]

tags: king diamond, fatal portrait, 1986, flac,

More Info