Terrorizer - World Downfall (1989) ☠

*First pressing with "grey" alternate cover. 

Contains 16 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grindcore

Label Number: MOSH 16CD
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1989 Earache
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
One of the landmark albums of the late-'80s grindcore uprising, World Downfall is nonetheless one of the least known, because the band only existed long enough to record this one Earache release. In fact, Terrorizer had already parted ways by the time of World Downfall's 1989 recording and release. The Los Angeles-based trio -- vocalist Oscar Garcia, guitarist Jesse Pintado, and drummer Pete Sandoval -- existed for only a short period of time, roughly from 1987 to 1988, and though they played some local shows, they were most successful on the tape-trading network so integral to the underground metal scene of the time. Via this tape-trading network, Pintado came into contact with fellow guitarist Mitch Harris, who passed along the Terrorizer demo tape to Earache Records. The British label, which was ground zero for the grindcore movement, wanted to usher Terrorizer into a studio to record an album. Meanwhile, Sandoval had been invited to join the Florida death metal band Morbid Angel, which had been around for several years and had a strong underground following. Sandoval accepted the invitation and joined Morbid Angel in Tampa, where the band entered Morrisound Studios to record Altars of Madness, released by Earache in May 1989. Garcia and Pintado in turn joined their relocated bandmate in Florida, and the reconfigured Terrorizer lineup -- which now included Morbid Angel bassist David Vincent, who offered to fill in the bass duties -- rehearsed for a couple days before entering Morrisound Studios. It took producer Scott Burns two days to record and mix the tracks of World Downfall, which Earache proceeded to release in September 1989. The album is a 16-track, 45-minute onslaught of prototypical grindcore à la Scum: the free-form songs, which range from about 1:30 to 3:30 each, are filled with blastbeats, growling, and solo-free riffing. Highlights include "After World Obliteration," the insane opener and longest song on the entire album, clocking in at 3:29; "Fear of Napalm"; "Corporation Pull-In"; and "Dead Shall Rise." Shortly after the release of World Downfall, Pintado was invited to join the ranks of the mighty Napalm Death, whose guitar slot had been vacated by the departure of Bill Steer, who left to focus his efforts exclusively on his other band, Carcass. Pintado joined Napalm Death in time to re-enter Morrisound once again, this time to record Harmony Corruption (1990), while Sandoval went on to enjoy a long-lasting career with Morbid Angel. Garcia would later sing in the revived lineup of Nausea. So while Terrorizer was never well known, since the band barely existed, let alone toured or promoted itself, World Downfall has grown in stature over time and is regularly cited as a grindcore classic

tags: terrorizer, world downfall, 1989, flac,

More Info

Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (1993 Reissue) ☠

*Reissued in 1993 by Alternative Tentacles.

 Contains 14 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Punk Rock

Label Number: VIRUS 1CD

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1980-1993 Alternative Tentacles
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
A hyper-speed blast of ultra-polemical, left-wing hardcore punk, and bitingly funny sarcasm, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables stands as the Dead Kennedys' signature statement. As one of the first hardcore albums, it was a galvanizing influence on the musical and attitudinal development of the genre, also helping to kickstart the fertile California scene. The record's tactics are not subtle in the least; Jello Biafra's odd warble and spat-out lyrics leave no doubt as to what he thinks, baiting his targets of conservatism, violence, overbearing authority, and capitalist greed with a viciously satirical sarcasm that keeps his unflinchingly political outlook from becoming too didactic. The thin production dilutes some of the music's power, but the ragged speed-blur still packs a wallop, and the hooks cribbed from surf and rockabilly give it a gonzo edge. The songwriting isn't consistent all the way through the album, but classics like "Kill the Poor," "Let's Lynch the Landlord," "Chemical Warfare," "California Über Alles," and "Holiday In Cambodia" helped define the hardcore genre and, thus, must be heard.

tags: dead kennedys, kennedy's, fresh fruit for fresh vegetable, 1980, 1993, reissue, flac,

More Info

Obituary - World Demise (1994)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 1994 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Vincent Jeffries
Death metal practitioners Obituary take their detuned sludge riffing to its crushing apogee on their fourth full-length release, World Demise. With a lineup that includes John Tardy on vocals, guitarists Allen West (lead) and Trevor Peres (rhythm), Donald Tardy on drums, and bassist Frank Watkins, the group continued to tighten and intensify their death meets doom metal sound. While Obituary tended toward a slower approach when compared to fellow Florida death metal outfits like Death and Morbid Angel, Tardy shows off some tasty double bass playing in fevered spurts. The drumming is formidable, indeed, but West and Peres' incessant riffing is Obituary's main attraction. The two guitarists distribute their low-slung grooves nicely inside Tardy's hard-fought pocket with an oppressive singularity. Highlight cuts include the energetic opener "Don't Care" and the slow pounding "Splattered" and "Final Thoughts." Listeners unfamiliar with the genre might not withstand the one-note sonic texture and extreme vocals, but open-minded metal fans with a taste for doom grooves and hoarse vocal growls should enjoy the persistent, well-executed riffage of World Demise

tags: obituary, world demise, 1994, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Back From The Dead (1997)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 1997 Roadrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Obituary returns after a three-year layoff from the studio just as heavy as ever, and not much different. Back from the Dead is another collection of detuned, heavy riffs backed by powerful drumming, and John Tardy's vocals still sound as if he is in immense pain. Ultimately, though, it's the riffs that matter on an Obituary record, not sweeping stylistic overhauls, and Back from the Dead delivers exactly what longtime listeners are looking for, even if other listeners might be turned off by the lack of dynamic contrasts.

tags: obituary, back from the dead, 1997, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Xecutioner's Return (2007)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 2007 Candlelight Records
Review by Metal Injection.net
Get into your time machine and get her up to 88 mph, because we’re going back to the old school!
Are you not familiar with OBITUARY? First album released all the way back in ‘89? They play a brand of death metal lacking blast beats, that rarely gets up to insanely fast speeds, and relies heavily on simplicity. The atmosphere created is usually pretty gloomy. If you’re young and new to the “deathcore” thing, you should obviously check out OBITUARY to go back to the roots. Even you fans of LAMB OF GOD, HATEBREED and FULL BLOWN CHAOS should check out OBITUARY, as all of those bands name drop OBITUARY often, so they’re a band recommended by the heavy giants of today!
Ok, beyond that history lesson, how does the album actually sound? Well, it seems the whole theme is going back to the old school, so the drums and vocals are living back in reverb land again. Those super heavy guitars can be a bit thick on the fuzz sometimes, actually to the point where they get a little soft sometimes, which can be a drawback as you expect metal guitars to typically have a bit of a sharper attack to the tone. Vocal wise, unlike the earlier OBITUARY albums, this one, much like the other recent OBITUARY album, “Frozen In Time” features actual words growled in the songs!
As for the music itself, it’s most of the same kinds of simple power chord driven riffs you’ve heard, even chords that hold onto the buzz of some of the classic OBITUARY riffs are done as well as before. Sometimes the songs move a little bit further from the CLETIC FROST inspiration, almost to a southern rock or general rock area, but it’s subtle. The new lead guitarist, Ralph Santolla is of course a very skilled player, but in this instance, he seems to have a bit of trouble finding his place with his guitar solos in OBITUARY. The old lead guitarist, Allen West had incredibly fitting guitar solos, with a slightly simpler jagged style with a few whammy dives thrown in that fit perfectly with the rest of the simple songs. Most of the guitar solos find Ralph trying to fit in with jagged solos, but sometimes he has a bit of trouble holding back, and will fly off into some fancy fast fretwork that doesn’t quite fit with the theme of simplicity. There are also a few solos where he tries making some melody, or even a harmonized guitar solo work, but again, it goes against the grain of the rest of the songs. The biggest drawback is the fact that the sharp jagged portions of the guitar solos seem rushed and forced.
The bottom line I guess is, if you could only have one OBITUARY album for proper representation, would this be the one? Unfortunately the answer is no, as the guitars are a bit too warm and fuzzy, and the guitar solos don’t fit the theme of the music. I could easily say that OBITUARY have for most of their career put out great albums (although I can’t say they stick out too much from one another). If you’re a newcomer to the world of heavy and/or extreme music, than one of many OBITUARY albums should defiantly be in the collection to the average fan of HATEBREED, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, LAMB OF GOD, or JOB FOR A COWBOY to understand your roots.

tags: obituary, xecutioners return, 2007, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Darkest Day (2009)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 2009 Candlelight Records
AllMusic Review by Phil Freeman
Once upon a time, Obituary were one of the very few genuinely frightening metal bands. Vocalist John Tardy wasn't even forming words, for hell's sake; on the group's 1989 debut, Slowly We Rot, he just babbled and shrieked like the crazy guy nobody wants to sit beside on the bus. Meanwhile, the band ground out riffs that mixed the high-speed staccato assault of death metal with a swampy downtempo side that sounded like Black Sabbath sinking into soupy mud. Beginning with the 1990 album Cause of Death, their membership pretty much solidified around a core of Tardy and his drummer brother Donald, guitarist Trevor Peres, and bassist Frank Watkins. When Allen West joined on 1992's World Demise, they had the lineup they'd stick with until 2007's Xecutioner's Return, when Ralph Santolla (Deicide, Iced Earth) replaced West. On this, their third album since reuniting, the formula remains basically the same as it's always been: churning, brutal guitar riffs, lyrics about death and violence (yes, there are lyrics at this point), pummeling drums. Santolla's melodic guitar solos add some much-needed flair and style to the band's songs, and the result is a fierce album that demonstrates why Obituary remain a band to be reckoned with in death metal, even 20 years after their debut album.

tags: obituary, darkest day, 2008, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Inked In Blood (Limited Edition) (2014)

*Contains 2 bonus tracks. 14 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 2014 Relapse/Gibtown Records
AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger
The ninth studio long-player from the Tampa-based American death metal veterans, the Relapse Records-issued and Kickstarter co-funded Inked in Blood finds the feral Floridians parting ways with longtime bass player Frank Watkins and bringing bassist Terry Butler and lead guitarist Kenny Andrews into the fold. Four years in the making, the 12-track collection of all-new material, which dutifully employs the group's signature blend of decibel-crushing, slow-burn intensity and lyrical malevolence, was written, recorded, and mixed at the band's own RedNeck Studio in Gibsonton, Florida.

tags: obituary, inked in blood, limited edition, 2014, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Frozen In Time (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link) 
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

© 2005 Roarrunner Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
The return of Obituary in 2005 came as a surprise, for the band hadn't been active since the mid-'90s. They sort of petered out after World Demise in 1994, releasing the ho-hum Back from the Dead in 1997 and then calling it a day as the bandmembers busied themselves elsewhere, most visibly as guitarist Allen West enjoyed a lot of success in Six Feet Under. Obituary's reunion album, Frozen in Time, wasn't only a surprise because of the long absence, though. It also came as a surprise because it's so darn good, up there with the best the band ever recorded, even in their heyday. Clocking in at a brisk ten songs in 35 minutes, Frozen in Time is a perfect Obituary album -- almost so perfect it invites such criticisms as "more of the same." But more of the same is perfectly fine when it's done this well, especially for longtime fans nostalgic for the good ol' days of death metal. Obituary never were a band to push the boundaries, after all -- avant-garde death metal they were not. Then again, there was a day when they were cutting-edge, that is, way back in 1989 when they debuted with Slowly We Rot, a trailblazing statement for its time and one that inspired a legion, if not legions, of followers. In subsequent years Obituary kept doing what they do well, even as they became increasingly passé with time. Yet passé or not, they do what they do especially well on Frozen in Time. The pummeling guitar tandem of West and Trevor Peres shines brilliantly, each of them co-penning half the album respectively. Vocalist John Tardy sounds as wicked as he did back in the day, his trademark growl still intact despite the years of wear and tear. And the rhythm section sounds perfectly integrated, partly thanks to Mark Prator's first-rate production (and that trademark Morrisound mixing courtesy of the maestro himself, Scott Burns). There's really no need to go on about the details of how the band sounds here, though -- it sounds like Obituary, plain and simple. What's important to know is that the guys really seem into it here, writing killer songs, benefiting from the best production out there, and playing their asses off ("On the Floor," "Back Inside," "Mindset," and "Lockjaw" are all highlights). If it sounds like "more of the same," that's the point. After one album in a decade, it's a blessing to have Obituary back together and sounding this stellar. If you're a fan -- new or old -- you'll absolutely love Frozen in Time. It's as good if not better than any of the band's other albums. It's so good, in fact, the title could well refer to the sound of the band: sounding as if death metal were still as vibrant and exciting as it was back in the early to mid-'90s when Obituary were the shiznit and a thousand and one young Scandinavians were taking notes by candlelight.

tags: obituary, frozen in time, 2005, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Slowly We Rot (1989) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1989 R/C Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
If death metal first came to life during the mid- to late '80s courtesy of bands like Florida's Death (Scream Bloody Gore), another Florida band, Obituary, brought it to fruition in 1989 with Slowly We Rot. These five guys took what groups like Death and the San Francisco Bay Area's Possessed had done to a new level of deathliness. The music of Obituary wasn't simply an extreme form of Slayer-esque speed metal with ghastly vocals; it was full-fledged death metal, with down-tuned guitar riffs of monstrous size, painful-sounding growls and moans for vocals, and distinct tempo changes that often brought the songs down to a lumbering doomy tempo rather relentlessly breakneck speeds à la thrash. These innovations don't seem so revolutionary now, given the innumerable death metal bands that arose during the '90s and beyond, to the point where the style practically burned itself out, spinning off into a variety of substyles. But in 1989, Obituary were blazing a new trail, along with other Florida peers like Morbid Angel and, a bit later, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, and Cannibal Corpse. The guitar riffing of Trevor Peres (rhythm) and Allen West (lead) is downright pummeling, especially when they slow the tempo down to a crawl and chug along. But it's John Tardy's unearthly growling that stands out most and attracted the most attention at the time. Put simply, the guy sounds like he's in pain, as if a knife were stuck in his stomach or something. It's Obituary's trademark sound and what set them apart from their legion of followers. Add to this the production of up-and-comer Scott Burns, and you have the blueprint for a generation of death metal bands to come. Granted, Burns' production isn't quite as brutally crystalline as it would be in successive years. In fact, it's downright lo-fi here, lacking the high highs and low lows that would later become his trademark, but these were the early days and budgets were small. A few songs here stand out, mainly the first few, the title track especially, yet Obituary never were a singles band and their albums were better experienced from beginning to end rather than in pieces. And Slowly We Rot certainly stands up well to beginning-to-end listening. Given the intensity of the music, it's a mixed blessing that the album runs short, as do most Obituary albums, though there are a lot of songs here, some of them just a couple minutes long. Relative to what Obituary would accomplish in the years to come, Slowly We Rot is one of their best albums, certainly their most inspired, though the production values mar it a little. Still, it's a historically significant album all the same, not only in the context of Obituary's career but, more importantly, in the context of death metal in general. This is partly where it all began -- here and across the Atlantic, where the grindcore bands of Earache were carving out their own niche, one that would soon overlap with that of Obituary and their peers.

tags: obituary, slowly we rot, 1989, flac,

More Info

Obituary - Cause of Death (1990) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal

Label Number: RRD 9370
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1990 R/C Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Lead guitarist Allen West didn't join Obituary for their second album, Cause of Death, which makes a bigger difference than you might expect. His replacement is a close associate of the band, James Murphy of the band Death -- the man many consider to be the godfather of death metal -- and he brings his own style to Cause of Death, resulting in an album that sounds like a hybrid of Obituary and Death. This isn't necessarily bad; in fact, it's somewhat fascinating, especially for metalheads well immersed in the Florida school of death metal. You can hear Murphy's influence throughout the album, as he often leads the band into eerie dirge-like moments that sound like the eye of the storm at hand. Murphy's contribution to Cause of Death aside, not much else has changed in the year since Obituary's 1989 debut, Slowly We Rot. The vocals of John Tardy still dominate the proceedings, the drastic tempo changes still set Obituary apart from the majority of their peers of the time, and producer Scott Burns still struggles with seemingly low-budget values that actually sound worse than they did on Slowly We Rot (not in a good, lo-fi way, either). The band's songwriting -- handled almost entirely by Tardy, rhythm guitarist Trevor Peres, and drummer Donald Tardy, with the exception of a Celtic Frost cover, "Circle of the Tyrants" -- has become a bit more progressive (perhaps because of Murphy's influence), as several songs top the five-minute mark (none did previously, averaging a couple minutes less per song) and take more twists and turns than before. These slight differences certainly distinguish Cause of Death from its landmark predecessor, and you can quibble about which approach is better, as many fans have and always will. In the end, Cause of Death is still a great album for its time. Remember, this is 1990 -- still way at the dawn of death metal. And though Obituary would make big strides forward with The End Complete in a year and a half, Cause of Death is nonetheless an intriguing album, especially from a historical perspective. It's not one of the band's best, but it's definitely one of their most interesting and, along with Slowly We Rot, their most distinct.

tags: obituary, the cause of death, cause of death, 1990, flac,

More Info

Obituary - The End Complete (1992) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Death Metal
.FLAC via Mega (Link)
.AAC 256 kbps via Mega (Link)

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1992 R/C Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Clocking in at a taut nine songs in 39 minutes without a second of filler, The End Complete may be the definitive Obituary album. The band's third, it marks the return of lead guitarist Allen West and it also marks an impressive leap forward in production. The songwriting and playing on Obituary's past albums had been commendable, and The End Complete is no exception in that regard. Rather, it's the return of West and the remarkable production job by Scott Burns that sets this album apart from its predecessors. The return of West is important not only because his solos are one of the band's trademarks but also because he's an integral songwriter, here co-penning four of the nine songs. Burns' crystal-clear, in-your-face production is not to be underestimated, either. If anything had marred Obituary's past two albums, both of them otherwise excellent, it was the murkiness of the sound, especially the drums. That's not an issue here at all, however, as Obituary have never sounded this great. The guitar tones especially are downright vivid, particularly when West and rhythm guitarist Trevor Peres depart from one another such as during the solos (the title track is a great showcase for this, and so is "Rotting Ways"). You can practically feel the respective guitar tones buzzing through your head, they're so well recorded. And so are John Tardy's vocals, which are sometimes overdubbed to make them all the more potent and nuanced. They're so well recorded, in fact, you can actually understand some of the lyrics! Overall, there really isn't anything to complain about here. Sure, nine songs in a brisk 39 minutes might not be enough for those who can't get enough of Obituary's textbook style of death metal, but this is such a powerful album that even seasoned metalheads can get exhausted quickly. And besides, Obituary may be one of death metal's greatest bands ever, granted, but they're generally not the most varied or experimental. So too many more songs or too much more music, and the proceedings could begin to get increasingly monotonous, a problem that has plagued innumerable death metal albums over the years. But that's not an issue here, thankfully; the primary issue instead seems to be just how Obituary could top an album such as The End Complete. Its two predecessors, Slowly We Rot and Cause of Death, had been near perfect and were quickly deemed classics of the early death metal era. But here the band has done itself one better, bringing West back into the fold and getting a better production job from Burns, and the result is arguably the definitive Obituary album and, consequently, a prototypical death metal album. It don't get much better than this, folks.

tags: obituary, the end complete, 1992, flac,

More Info

Nena - Nena (1983)

Country: Germany
Language: German (Deutsch)
Genre: Pop Rock, New Wave

Label Number: CDCBS 25264

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1983 CBS
AllMusic Review by Alan Severa
The first Nena album was released at the start of 1983 and became the dominant sensation of the West German music scene throughout the year. Starting with the 1982 breakthrough debut single "Nur Geträumt," Nena arrived at a very distinct period of German pop history, the period of the so-called Neue Deutsche Welle or NDW, the German new wave. However, by 1982 German new wave music had been watered down by various bandwagon jumpers who transformed the tension- and doom-laden atmosphere of the music of the original late-'70s new wave bands into upbeat synth pop with jokey, ironic, and even romantic lyrics. Nena was immediately pigeonholed as an NDW act, but she and her band were in fact a more unique proposition: a group of musicians with a strong intuitive grasp of both classic pop and rock formulas. All five members contributed to the songwriting, with Carlo Karges and Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen providing the essential core of the repertoire. They arrived on the scene with a fully formed, confident music vision of their very own. The sound of the Nena band had in fact nothing to do with the stripped-down structures typical of actual new wave music. Even the use of the then in-vogue synthesizer sound (acting as the leading instrumental sound throughout the album) was firmly incorporated into the general basic power pop-oriented drive of a classic hard rock lineup. The pristine production and the unique touch of a slight but characteristic early-'60s melodic pop influence (including leaning toward essentially romantic imagery in the lyrics) were one thing that made the music special. The other factor was Nena Kerner herself. Her vocal style, remarkably reminiscent of early-'60s Connie Francis, and the excitement generated by her personality -- by turns sweet or moody -- proved thoroughly captivating. However, she always insisted that she saw herself as a member of the band and not as their leader. The classic across-the-board appeal of the band's music led to such a level of success that it practically buried the whole NDW movement beneath it by 1985. The album is still regarded as an unsurpassed classic of German pop history, although most later Nena albums are not far behind in quality. The second single, "99 Luftballons" -- a fable of nuclear war brought about by a bunch of balloons in the sky being mistaken on radar for a pre-emptive missile attack -- went on to become a number one hit in the U.S. and worldwide in early 1984.

tags: nena, nena album, 1983, flac,

More Info

Nena - Made In Germany (2009)

Country: Germany
Language: German (Deutsch)
Genre: Synth Pop, Pop

Label Number: CD 31000

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 2009 Laugh + Peas
AllMusic Review by Alan Severa

The album title sure makes you wonder: Made in Germany? That could stand for all kinds of concepts or angles. (By the way, unlike half of the preceding Cover Me album, this one is not sung in English but, as usual, in German!) Nothing too intellectual or conceptual at all, in fact, the title track just intends to be a feel-good statement about where you come from and where you feel at home, in Nena's case, of course, Germany. End of story. (The sound? By turns romantic, dark, forceful, comparable in atmosphere to "Atomic" by Blondie.) Actually, though, it's no mean feat to write a catchy, unproblematic, feel-good song about a country that's been dissected by countless (and justified) highbrow ponderings concerning its role in history. Nena pulls it off, though, and puts it in the midst of an album that sees her return to simple pleasures all around, which is what these songs are basically all about. Euphoria is the main theme throughout. It zaps right in with the powerful "SchönSchönSchön," bouncing along on the "Green Onions" groove with some synth stabs and some Duane Eddy guitar for good measure. Nena's voice comes on full and strong (as throughout this album), singing about the pleasures of "you and me" and, basically, the thrill of it all, plain and simple. It doesn't stop there; most of the first half of the album continues on that theme, but other subjects also start creeping in, and in the second half the mood shifts from happy-go-lucky to somber and philosophical (all the while keeping things light and lucid, nevertheless). The simplicity is the big surprise here, after a rather ambitious decade of branching out into realms of music she hadn't attempted before, Nena obviously felt more like going into holiday mode this time. A bit of a "spiritual holiday," one could call it, though, because the lyrics are laced with all kinds of references to "what it all might mean" (love, time, life, separation, togetherness, joy, pain) but the language stays simple, often even a bit childlike.
Nena is, of course, no stranger to children's songs. This album was made after the children's album Himmel, Sonne, Regen und Wind. With hindsight, that album was remarkable for the exquisite care that obviously went into the (very natural) quality of the sound. All the more puzzling is the general tendency of the production on Made in Germany, which generally has a slightly synthetic feel to it. It's not an ideal fit for all the songs (except for a few in the first half that lamentably tend toward a kind of '80s nostalgia sound, quite untypical of Nena's usual style spectrum, and not the strongest material here). Moreover, Nena's touring band is strangely not the main "sound carrier" here -- many of the instruments were played by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, Derek von Krogh, and Reinhold Heil (all of them professional keyboarders), who, together with Nena, also produced the album (and co-wrote most of it). So, maybe a case of too many cooks (of the same kind?). That said, it's still an enjoyable album with a number of highlights and stylistic flavors. Apart from the opener and the title track (as described), first single "Wir Sind Wahr" (We're for Real) is a very welcoming, grand, and elegantly beautiful song, a poetic highlight of the euphoric strand of the album. "Ich Bin Hyperaktiv" (I'm Hyperactive) speed rocks its way forward to debunk the concept of the "hyperactive child" being a medical condition in need of treatment. "In Meinem Leben" (In My Life) provides a touching glimpse of autobiographical thoughts on Nena's life so far. "Schmerzen" (Pain) has a meditative, Indian undercurrent to it; "Ganz Viel Zeit" (Lots of Time), with Nena's 19-year-old son Sakias on (laid-back and soulful) lead vocals for the first time, continues the album's gradual elegant "comedown" vibe in the last quarter. This leads into the final "Nachts Wenn Es Warm Ist" (At Night When It's Warm), a Thommie Bayer song reflecting on the feelings of separation and reunion that people experience at railway stations. An unexpectedly simple, straight-ahead album, both lighthearted and thoughtful in equal measure.

tags: nena, made in germany, 2009, flac,

More Info

Black 'N Blue - Nasty Nasty (1986)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Glam Metal

Label Number: ALCB-3019
.FLAC via Florenfile
.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1986-1994 Brunette
Reviewed by Mike for Metal Reviews.com

Moving right along through the Black 'n Blue discography, we come to the band's third release, Nasty Nasty. For this and the final release of the band, In Heat, Gene Simmons of Kiss handles production duties. Again, the band manages not to repeat itself and again makes a moderate change to its sound. This time, the band migrates more toward the LA sleaze sound of the 80's that matches the glam-o-rific image of the band. And again, Nasty Nasty is a solid and often overlook album from a widely overlooked band.
Nasty Nasty sees the band return the basics of the debut album. The crunchy guitars make a comeback, and the songs in general rock harder than its predecessor. This album is best known for the hit single, I'll Be There For You. This single actually received a respectable amount of radio airplay and a video even made an appearance on MTV (do they still exist?). I'll Be There For You is a catchy, keyboard backed mid-tempo anthem, sounding very much like the Without Love era. However, the rest of the album is much more guitar rock oriented. I can't help but feel like this album was somewhat rushed is spots. Of course, Nasty Nasty is the band's third album in three years, so my feeling could in fact be correct. The guitars aren't quite as energetic as the debut, and the songs don't jump on you nearly as easily as those found on Without Love. Like the previous two albums, I cannot pinpoint a single weak track on this album, they still have a hard edge and are well constructed. On the flip side of the coin, I would hesitate to call any of these tracks (aside from I'll Be There For You) an absolute killer. For me, Nasty Nasty is a collection of very good Black 'n Blue songs, no more, no less. And a good Black 'n Blue album is still a lot better than a lot of the generic glam material being released at the time: Nasty Nasty is a very good rock n rock album. Perhaps, this album is a sign of things to come as the band's final album takes a step backward actually sounds quite flat in spots.
Nasty Nasty doesn't quite capture the best elements of Without Love and the debut, yet they still manage to deliver a very respectable album of what rock n roll is all about. Jamie St. James' charismatic vocal delivery and the flamboyant guitar soloing carry the band on this album. I would definitely recommend newcomers to the band start with the first two albums, and then move along to Nasty Nasty which is just a notch behind the first two efforts.

tags: black n blue, nasty nasty, 1986, flac,

More Info

BulletBoys - Freakshow (1991)

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

Label Number: 9 26168-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

© 1991 Warner Bros. Records
AllMusic Review by Rob Theakston
Why it took three years between their debut and Freakshow is anyone's guess -- perhaps these things are better left for a documentary-length special on the band -- but Freakshow alters things a bit stylistically when compared to their first record. Many things have remained the same: the blues-driven, scale shredding guitar work, lyrics that would make Keats spin in his grave, and of course, the obligatory odes to feminine charm ("Do Me Raw," "Goodgirl," and "Huge") all remain constant bulletpoints (no pun intended) that keep the boys strong rockers. But unlike their first album, things do get to be more a bit on the serious side at points, and this is where the album begins to lose its charm. While the band would continue to release records, this would be their last for Warner Brothers, perhaps a reaction to the serious and sensitive music movement that was brewing on the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast around that time. Whatever the reasoning may be, this was their last solid album, as what followed in their career was merely a rehash of the latest music trends of the moment, with trace elements lurking here and there of what made the Bulletboys so fun to begin with

tags: bulletboys, bullet boys, freakshow, freak show, 1991, flac,

More Info

Bolt Thrower - Honour - Valour - Pride (Limited Edition) (2001)

*Contains 1 bonus track. 10 tracks total.

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

© 2001 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Andy Hinds
Death metal veterans Bolt Thrower aren't among the most extreme or original bands of the grindcore genre, but they could be one of its most consistent. Honour Valour Pride showcases the band's tendency toward slower-than-usual tempos, and even boasts an intelligent lyrical story line.

tags: bolt thrower, honour valour pride, limited edition, 2001, flac,

More Info

Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal (Limited Edition) (2005)

*Contains 1 bonus track. 10 tracks total.

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

© 2005 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger
Pressing play on a new Bolt Thrower album is a lot like opening the lid to your favorite pizza. The package may look a little different, but inside you know exactly what you're going to get. The Birmingham, England, natives have been singularly obsessed with the brutality of war as filtered through guitar, bass, and drums since the late '80s. They're dependable to a fault, and that's either a strength to those who love them or a weakness to their detractors. On their eighth studio album, Those Once Loyal, fat riffs wrap themselves around a relentless rhythm section that can go from thrash to midtempo doom metal at the crack of a rifle. Longtime fans will celebrate the return of original vocalist Karl Willetts, as his death metal croak is significantly deeper than previous vocalist Dave Ingram, adding a weight to standout cuts like "At First Light" and the serpentine title track. Those Once Loyal may not break any new ground for the band, but one would be hard-pressed to find a better use for the term heavy metal.

tags: bolt thrower, those once loyal, limited edition, 2005, flac,

More Info

Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade (1992) ☠

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

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1992 Earache
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The IVth Crusade ranks as one of Bolt Thrower's more powerful and consistent albums, raging with venom and unrestrained fury. It's a record that proves why the group was one of the leaders of the underground metal scene of the late '80s and early '90s. Few other groups matched Bolt Thrower in terms of pummeling, harsh sonic brutality, even if they occasionally lacked the skills to craft full-fledged songs and riffs. [The 1996 reissue of The IVth Crusade features two bonus tracks: "Crown of Life" and "Lament".]

tags: bolt thrower, the ivth crusade, 1992, flac,

More Info

Bolt Thrower - ...For Victory (1994) ☠

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

☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1994 Earache
AllMusic Review by Jason Anderson
On For Victory, Bolt Thrower settled nicely into the slower grindcore dynamic established on The IVth Crusade. The last recording to include drummer Andy Whale, this fifth full-length from the English metal outfit could have signified the end of an era, but Bolt Thrower continued into the 21st century, treading through the same war-torn sonic landscape. The musical growth of guitarists Barry Thompson and Gavin Ward deserves mention, as the twin axe handlers concoct some of their best riffs and tightest performances on For Victory. Highlights include "Lest We Forget" and the epic closer "Armageddon Bound," two career standouts for Ward and Thompson. Perhaps their best '90s offering, For Victory is one of Bolt Thrower's essential offerings that no fan should be without.

tags: bolt thrower, for victory, 1994, flac,

More Info

Bolt Thrower - Mercenary (Limited Edition) (1998)

*Contains 1 bonus track. 11 tracks total.

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

© 1998 Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Anderson
Mercenary is the first Bolt Thrower release to feature significant changes for the group. The music isn't anything new, but the English grindcore outfit had an updated lineup that included longtime members Barry Thompson and Gavin Ward on guitar, Jo Bench on bass, vocalist Karl Willets, and rookie Alex Thomas on drums. Additionally, Mercenary is the first recording from the band to appear on Metal Blade Records. These changes have little affect on Bolt Thrower's sound. The career-long pattern of ever-tightening performances is upheld, as all involved do a splendid job reproducing the band's trademark racket. Thomas' superior drumming is more impressive than his predecessor's; however, some would argue that Andy Whale's borderline sloppiness amounted to a sonic signature, so it's wash. Despite being more technically accomplished, Mercenary lacks the material to qualify as a significant Bolt Thrower disc. Fans of the metal act will approve of this 1998 offering, but new listeners might want to check out For Victory or The IVth Crusade before soldiering on to Mercenary.

tags: bolt thrower, mercenary, limited edition, 1998, flac,

More Info