Threshold - Critical Energy Review

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Threshold - Critical Energy ReviewI purchased this DVD because I was already familiar with their music. I always enjoyed their progressive style of melodic metal somewhat related to Dream Theater.
But I was also aware that Threshold is still developing a fan base which admittedly is growing and the band is only now starting to get rocognition.
I expected a rather low budget release, not having the financial background to produce anything of lofty standards of the likes of Dream Theater, Rush or other well known acts of this genre. But I was very positively surprised. Picture quality and camera work is very good, but what really blew me away is the excellent sound. The mix is absolutely fantastic, each instrument clear to distinguish and the overall sound very powerful just as it should be for this type of music.
The band is in excellent form, the song selection almost perfect.
The only (minor) problem for me is the performance by the singer Mac. His singing itself is flawless with a great voice but I felt that his performance as a front man still leaves something to be desired. He simply seems to lack the matured qualities of a James LaBrie for example.
But apart from that I can only praise their effort in the making of this DVD and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into prog metal like DT or Pain of Salvation.Threshold - Critical Energy OverviewSix official studio releases, a live album, three fanclub releases, tours with Dream Theater, Psychotic Waltz, Enchant and Pain Of Salvation-Threshold have already made their mark on the international rock scene.After several line-up changes at the beginning of their career, the British band has been a stable formation since 1998, continuously working hard on the development of their unique sound.Their 2001 release, Hypothetical, was a document of great musical homogeneity and their new album, Critical Mass was another step forward as far as the compositions and the overall sound goes. Karl Groom and Nick Midson (both guitar), Steve Anderson (new bass player), Richard West (keyboards), Johanne James (drums) and Andrew McDermott (vocals) have toured with the new material in October 2002 and June 2003. On February 2nd Threshold will release there first ever Live-Double Album and Live-DVD. The Double CD featuring the 2 hour gig, which was recorded on the 6th of June in Holland. The DVD includes the complete concert, additional 24 minutes from ProgPower USA 2002, a 12 minute tour documentary, audio commentary from Karl Groom and Richard West and a stereo and 5.1 surround mix.

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Seediq Bale Review

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Seediq Bale ReviewI'm actually not a kid; I'm 16. Anyway, I downloaded this album off the iTunes music store, and it has to be one of the best things I've ever heard. This band became one of my top 5 bands within the first day of owning this album! They hail from Taiwan, and have even been banned in China for their support of Taiwanese independence, although their lyrics are politically neutral. This band is very unique, for several reasons. Musically, they are somewhat like Dimmu Borgir, but something sets them apart that I cant quite put my finger on. It may be the addition of female vocals, or the use of the Er-Hu, which is basically the Asian equivalent of a violin. The tempos are pretty varied, ranging from mid-paced beats (Indigenous Laceration, Progeny of Rmdax Tasing) to all out blast-beats (Quasi Putrefaction, Where the Utux Ancestors Wait). They also experiment with metalcore-ish riffing in 'Indigenous Laceration', but dont let that turn you off, because it is very effective.
Lyrically, instead of insipid 'hail satan' lyrics, they retell Taiwanese mythology, focusing on the Seediq tribe. Be sure to catch this band on the second stage at Ozzfest this year. I'm pretty sure a lot of my friends will get to see this band, but at least I can say that I was listening to them first.
Standout Tracks: Progeny of Rmdax Tasing, Enthrone, The Gods Weep, Banished Into Death, Quasi Putrefaction
Those are my favorites, although there is absolutely NO filler on this album. BUY IT.Seediq Bale Overview

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Kamelot: One Cold Winter's Night (2006) Review

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Kamelot: One Cold Winter's Night (2006) ReviewIf you like great rock music, camera work, picture/sound quality and the voice of Roy Khan in top form, you've come to the right place. What's not to love? Plus the second disc is loaded with features that really give you insight into the band and the making of the DVD itself. This is a must buy for any Kamelot fan, especially for those like me, who have never seen them live.Kamelot: One Cold Winter's Night (2006) OverviewOne Cold Winter's Night was recorded on February 11th, 2006 atthe historic Rockefeller Musichall in Oslo, Norway. Kamelot enlistedrenowned film and video director Patric Ullaeus to chronicle the night'sevents. Arriving with him from Gothenberg, Sweden, Patric had a large crewof professionals and equipment including 18 cameras that would be used inand around the concert grounds. The title for the band's first DVD (basedon an earlier Kamelot song title) was chosen long before the actual shoot.Ironically this winter turned out to be one of the longest and coldest inthe country's history, with enormous amounts of snow and numerouschaos-causing blizzards. A very special thanks goes out to fans that had towait in line before doors opened to the sold out show. We sincerely hope wemanaged to warm you back up!

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Crack the Skye (CD & DVD) Review

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Crack the Skye (CD & DVD) ReviewWithout getting into the debate as to whether Crack the Skye is Mastodon's best album to date, one would be wise to just point out its differences, both strengths and shortcomings, and leave it to the fans to do the ranking.
On first listen, Crack the Skye will immediately stand out for its easily noticeable absence of screamed vocals. Troy Sanders uses his clean voice on almost all the tunes, with very few exceptions. Without doubt, it will take some time to get used to his style, but repeat listens only serve to solidify one's opinion that the songs on this disc have been composed in such a style to sound much better with this approach. Pain-ridden vocals pop up only to provide contrast to the more melodious direction taken in spots. The chorus on "Ghost of Karelia", for instance, proves all the more powerful as the vocals shift from the mostly clean style to somewhat aggressive outbursts.
The guitar tandem of Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher lend the songs a solid, unbreakable facade, which elevates them to a whole new level. From the apocalyptic opening chords of "Oblivion", chock full of despondent riffs and rock-based guitar solos; to the calculated riffery of "Divinations", they implant dynamics to the compositions through and through. Rather than entirely focusing on heavy, punishing jackhammer riffery, this time around they also utilise progressive metal-like jam sessions and blues-inflected passages. As a result, the constant shifting of dynamics on "Quintessence" renders the tune more creative and interesting.
The ten-minute epic "The Czar" is built upon flawless songwriting and mood construction. Broken down into four parts, it launches into an unadulterated groove from the mellow "Usurper" to "Escape", though the vocal melody on this one is not among Mastodon's best. With "Martyr," things retreat back to clean acoustic lines before picking up the trademark Mastodon riffs and seguing into a wonderful blues-inflected solo.
Scott Kelly from the amazing Neurosis continues the tradition to guest on Mastodon discs (he also sang on Leviathan and Blood Mountain) and appears on the title track, among the album's most progressive pieces as it strangely recalls 90's King Crimson in the way the guitars have been arranged. The guitar solo on this track is among the best ever!
As stated above, how Crack the Skye will rank in Mastodon's catalog remains to be seen. However, from a production standpoint, it is by far the band's best-sounding album. It was produced by the great Brendan O'Brien whose resume includes all kinds of different artists, from Pearl Jam to Stone Temple Pilots to Bruce Springsteen to AC/DC to Aerosmith to name but a few. O'Brien has managed to create a dense album with many layers, thick guitar tapestries, and heavy, solid drum and bass battery. He was also unafraid to render sound effects on Sanders' voice with great results.
The album title is a homage to drummer Brann Dailor's sister Skye Dailor who committed suicide at the age of 14, so this is obviously among the more personal musical statements of the band.
Highly recommended.Crack the Skye (CD & DVD) Overview

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Dream Theater - Images and Words Live in Tokyo / 5 Years in a Live Time Review

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Dream Theater - Images and Words Live in Tokyo / 5 Years in a Live Time ReviewThis is a must especialy for a Australian fan whom up until now have not had the chance to see these guys in concert. Do not buy this collection expecting to see and hear top notch production as these film where taken from video tape particularly the Live in Tokyo the volume is quite low. However what the production value lacks the Band makes up for in shear brilliance.
My favorite out of the set is the second coming in just on 2 hours we see the later 90's version of Dream Theater in 6 or 7 different concerts with tour video in between. In fact it will make you wish that they would put out the Rotterdam show and the Paris show (last) on their own.
I guess this is for the die hard fan but you don't by Dream Theater on a whim, enjoy.Dream Theater - Images and Words Live in Tokyo / 5 Years in a Live Time Overview

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Opeth: The Roundhouse Tapes (2008) Review

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Opeth: The Roundhouse Tapes (2008) ReviewThis is an amazing DVD worth getting by all means. First off I'll get the only bad thing about this out of the way so the I can get to all the greatness. Besides the show there aren't a lot of extra bonus features. Some band/fan interviews and galleries. But that's not even really a complaint, just the letting you know part. And now to the greatness, The performance. First off they give you 3 audio options. Stereo, 5.1 Surround, and DTS. Also the chain has been broken of them playing older tunes which really makes this DVD special as it has some of the older tunes sounding even better than they did on the original cd. It's only a 9 song set but if you're familiar with Opeth you know why that is and it is a great set. Under the Weeping Moon and Night and the Silent Water have never sounded better. The picture is so clean it looks almost hi def. Also this might be the best mixed DVD I've ever heard. No instrument is too low or too loud. It's simply perfect, as is the performance by the band. Every song is played flawlessly and it's good fairwell to Peter Lindgren who will be missed even though his replacement is great also. Anyways, fans and any fan of great metal should pick this up. This is an amazing band and an amazing performance. While Lamentations was a great DVD this one edges it out due to a better setlist and amazing visual and audio quality. Highly recommended.Opeth: The Roundhouse Tapes (2008) Overview

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Tool: Vicarious (2007) Review

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Tool: Vicarious (2007) ReviewFirst, I don't see how people can complain that there is nothing new about a video that is being released for the first time! Where is the logic in that?
Now, to the actual review. The video for Vicarious is Tool's first entirely CG music video, running just a little longer than the length of the song of the same title on the 2006 album 10,000 Days [the extra length consists of ambient noise or silence, in terms of the audio track--the song has not been lengthened]. The video is very conceptual and well thought out by all counts, living up to Adam Jones' lofty legacy of directing and shaping Tool's surreal videos into deeply philosophical experiences. I won't take your time up here with any sort of analysis, but I will say that I recommend viewing the video repeatedly. For myself, the first time through I was aware of only a small fraction of what was going on in the video. Again, this is characteristic of most all Tool videos. One subtle thing that took me a long time to notice is the startling differences between the specters, and what their behavior is symbolic of. There are many such hidden gems in the video.
The extras on this DVD put the DVD singles for Parabola and Schism to shame. Foremost is "The Vicarious Documentary", directed by Camella Grace, documenting the creation of the video and revealing a lot of its hidden meanings. Some of the interviewees includes Alex Grey, Chet Zar, Kevin Willis, and many others, including much of the CG animation team from Hydraulx, who worked on the video. Alex Grey's comments are particularly revealing and it is great to see him make as long of an appearance as he does here. Pay attention to his comment about our culture.
Also included are two tracks of audio commentary set to the video, recorded by David Cross of Mr. Show fame (anyone remember where Puscifer got its start?). While they are worth not much more than a few good laughs, I have to say they are a step up in the comedy department from the commentaries on the previous two DVDs. That Cross goes to the liberty of naming the various characters in the video is pretty hilarious in itself. Take it all, of course, with a grain of salt.
Storyboards by Adam Jones and Alex Grey are included, as well as a brief segment on Alex and Allyson Grey's Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York City. Both are worth at least one watch; some of the shots of CoSM are particularly impressive, displaying some of Alex Grey's greatest art.
In all, I don't think anyone has a right to complain about this DVD. Tool never purported that live material was going to be included, so there was no reason to expect it. In addition, it is not right to think of this as paying ten dollars for "just a music video". Adam Jones' work really transcends the whole concept of a music video. It's more like a short film, set to a great song. If it were treated like "just a music video", it would be hard for Mr. Jones to get the kind of recognition he deserves, seeing edited cuts of the film on MTV every few hours. This kind of art doesn't deserve to be treated that way, and if you understand that and appreciate the work of Adam Jones and Tool, you have no reason not to pick this up.Tool: Vicarious (2007) OverviewItem Name: Tool: Vicarious; Studio:Jive

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