A Review of "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold" by Atmosphere

Slug and Ant return to form with one of the best hip-hop albums of the decade

Indie hip-hop duo Atmosphere’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, is an album that has no business being as good as it actually is. Yes, this is still the same group that released that superb Lucy Ford and God Loves Ugly early in their career, but their last few albums have been far less consistent than what fans have come to expect from Atmosphere. The highlights on the group’s early albums not only touched on topics that are often overlooked in hip-hop, but also contained some of the most genuinely real lyrics in the genre. Contrary to most rap acts, even in the underground, there was very little self promotion in Slug’s rhymes, but instead storytelling that focused on genuine lyrics that provoke thought and sympathy as opposed to quick rhyme schemes and complicated flow. Because of this, Slug became one of the easiest rap lyricists to relate to, as well as an emcee that had achieved the all too underappreciated art of genuinely expressing himself through his music and personal reflections. Couple that with Ant’s outstanding production, and you have the formula for one of the finest and most accessible groups in hip-hop. 2003’s Seven’s Travels saw Slug improving on his flow and a style of rhyming that was often too raw for its own good, but other than a few awe-inspiring standouts, replaced many of the genuine moments that Atmosphere fans fell in love with on Lucy Ford and God Loves Ugly with an unfortunate amount of filler. Two years later, You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having completed Atmosphere’s transformation into a group that silenced anyone who doubted Slug’s rapping ability, but Slug’s improved flow came at the expense of the masterful storytelling of the group’s finest moments.

In retrospect, the group’s sixth album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, is a make or break album. Either Atmosphere can return to top form or disappoint longtime fans of the group with another mixed record. Thankfully, Atmosphere fans can stop holding their breath. When Life Gives You Lemons is here, and despite its arguably immature and ridiculous title, it’s the group’s most mature, focused, and overall best album to date.

When Life Gives You Lemons is filled with 15 intelligent and well-written songs and absolutely no filler to speak of. The album isn’t a return to Atmosphere’s early style, nor is it a continuation of the group’s more recent albums. Instead, Slug presents himself as no longer the young rapper trying to express himself through his rhymes, but a mature adult who has refined his stories and message into something that has the potential to leave the listener speechless.

The songwriting on When Life Gives You Lemons is nothing short of superb, and it marks the peak of Slug’s lyrical talents to date. The stories that Slug tells are not as literal as they have been in the past, as the lyrics are littered with subtleties and thought provoking twists. As one would expect from Atmosphere, the topics of the lyrics are often personal and almost always rare for hip-hop. Many of the songs focus on darker subject matter than what is found on even the darkest of rap songs, but Slug’s lyrics aren’t delivered in a way that is especially dark, and his often depressing stories aren’t there for anyone to pity him or themselves. Atmosphere’s lyrics have always been that way they are because they are real. There is darkness in reality, and the darkness in Atmosphere’s music comes from Slug’s mastery of expressing his perspective of reality through his aforementioned storytelling. Only this time around, the playfulness of the group has been restricted and replaced with mature lyrical substance that has the same sincerity of even the most genuine reflections and stories Slug has told through his music. Now, however, Slug has both the skills as a rapper and maturity as a lyricist to write an album full of songs that both meet and surpass Atmosphere’s already phenomenal achievements in songwriting.

However, Slug is not the only member of Atmosphere, just as he is not the only reason that the album is as phenomenal as it is. Even during Atmosphere’s more inconsistent years, Ant’s beats have continued to improve, and that trend continues on When Life Gives You Lemons. The samples Ant uses are a more significant part of Atmosphere’s music than the beats of most other hip-hop acts, and there are few producers who can match the atmosphere that Ant’s samples create for Slug’s stories. The variety in the samples is just as varied as the songs themselves, and Slug’s rhymes and Ant’s beats connect throughout the entire album. Both Slug and Ant have improved in their distinct own ways as Atmosphere has grown, and for the first time since 2002’s God Loves Ugly, they appear to be on the same page on a consistent basis. That essentially means that When Life Gives You Lemons has the same musical atmosphere, both in terms of lyrics and beats, as Atmosphere’s early records, but the improvements in Ant’s production is just as clear as Slug’s improvement as a rapper. Both have matured, refined their skills as musicians, and are once again able to connect musically.

When Life Gives You Lemons opens with “Like the Rest of Us,” a song that contains one of Ant’s most beautiful samples to date. Although the song itself is actually one of the weaker songs on the album, that’s more to do with the phenomenal tracks the album presents the listener with later on than the song itself being weak. On first listen, it immediately renders one common complaint with Atmosphere in the past null and void. Slug has often been criticized for his sometimes overly aggressive delivery, but “Like the Rest of Us” shows a much more controlled Slug, both in terms of delivery and lyrics. Unlike many past Atmosphere songs, Slug doesn’t force the listener into his story with aggressive passion, which can either incite the same amount of passion from the listener as a reaction or repulse them, but on this and many other songs on When Life Gives You Lemons, Slug is more passive. He still has the same amount of passion as he’s always had, but it’s his improved focus and maturity as a rapper that allows him to constrain his passion into more focused story and song. It still incites passion from the listener, but anyone who found Slug to be too aggressive on his first few albums should be pleased to find that he has improved dramatically, but still has the same passion that fans identified with.

The album then moves into another slower starting song, and one with just as superb of a beat as the last. “Puppets” is the name of the track, and Slug’s famous singer-songwriter style of rapping is once again found here. Initially, it’s a reminder that Slug is just as unique of a rapper has ever. He’s improved his flow, but he hasn’t conformed stylistically, lyrically, or otherwise. About halfway through the song, the beat kicks in, and it’s at that point where When Life Gives You Lemons grabs the listener and never lets them go. The female vocals found on the song are a perfect contrast to Slug’s vocal style, and the lyrics are simply top notch. “Puppets” is not only one of the album’s highlights, but it’s one of the best songs the group has ever recorded. At that point, Atmosphere has officially matured, and one of the best albums of the decade, rap or otherwise, kicks into gear.

The album continues with a couple of lyrical gems in “The Skinny” and “Dreamer.” Both of which contain a more passive approach by Slug, and two very different but equally great samples by Ant. “The Skinny,” in particular, tackles a familiar topic, but the perspective and maturity that Atmosphere provide make it standout. This is once again due in part to Slug’s impressive storytelling, but also because of the sincerity of the duo’s lyrics. The theme of “The Skinny” is one that is often glorified in rap music, but Slug’s passionate yet passive delivery puts a truthful perspective on it, and makes the song a rather unique one. “Dreamer” is another gem, both in terms of lyrics and beat. The chorus of the song is one of best connections between Ant and Slug, and it provides a hook for the song. However, the hook isn’t one that makes it catchy so much as it draws the listener into the story of the song. The upbeat sample combined with a more positive delivery from Slug nails the message in ways that Atmosphere had only shown the potential of doing in the past. It's also is a song that can be shown to anyone who calls Atmosphere “emo” or “too depressing.” Yes, they deal with dark subject matter, but their commentary is real and maintains an optimistic perspective. Now more than ever that is reflected in Atmosphere’s music, and with that comes a new realm of subtleties that add father depth to lyrics that are already full of substance on literal level.

Quite possibly the weakest track on the album is the first single, “Shoulda Known.” Granted, it’s a quality song, but it’s a more typical rap song than most of the other tracks on the album. It’s on this track and only this track where Slug’s more passive style doesn’t work because this particular song lacks the passion that is found on the most memorable tracks on the album. The beat, although solid, is also forgettable, and despite being unique enough to separate itself from the rest of tracks in context with the album, it’s the closest thing to filler on When Life Gives You Lemons.

Thankfully, the album regains its momentum with the upbeat and bass driven “You,” the subtle and somewhat beautiful “Painting,” and the fantastic “Your Glasshouse.” All three of these songs are different from the anything else on the album, as well as anything Atmosphere has done in the past, yet once again show the variation and maturity that can be found on this record. “Your Glasshouse” is one of the darker and almost intentionally sluggish songs on the album, but just like one would expect from Atmosphere that isn’t a good thing or a bad thing. It just is, and it continues the dark but real perspective that Atmosphere’s music has always had. However, it’s the type of focused excellence that fans have been longing for since Atmosphere first turned heads with their Overcast EP.

One of the most personal songs on the album is “Yesterday,” which is yet another wonderfully produced and passionately written highlight that has the power to make anyone who’s lost a loved one sit and think about what they've just heard. Like the best of Atmosphere’s music, it has the power to stay with the listener, and that’s something that is an element of art that is not easy to achieve. On a similar note, the acoustic blues-rap of “Guarantees” is another standout that has similar staying power. The simple acoustic riff that Slug passionately raps over is yet another beat that does an outstanding job of complimenting the lyrics and creating the dark and powerful atmosphere of the song.

The first ten tracks on When Life Gives You Lemons are almost entirely outstanding, but the album somehow improves in its final five tracks. Arguably the two best songs on the album are “Me” and “The Waitress,” two powerful stories that rank as not only two of the greatest songs Atmosphere has recorded, but also two of the most moving rap songs this critic has ever heard. The final line of “The Waitress” is absolutely mesmerizing, and it is guaranteed to make some sort of emotional impact on the listener. There really isn’t anything that can be said for the song other than it will send chills down your spine and that it must be heard to be believed. There are many underground rap songs that exemplify the power of hip-hop, but “The Waitress,” among other songs on When Life Gives You Lemons, exemplifies the power of music and lyricism as a whole.

Atmosphere’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold is not only the group best album since Lucy Ford and God Loves Ugly, but it’s also one of the most intelligent, mature, and poetic albums to come out in some time. This is not only a crowning achievement of an album that is an example of just how great underground rap can be, but it’s an accessible and unique masterpiece that isn’t constrained by its genre. Regardless of how much or how little you enjoy rap, buy this album immediately. It’s spectacular from start to finish, and it has earned my highest recommendation.

Key tracks: Puppets, Me, The Waitress

Grade: A

10 New Albums You Should Buy...Part 2/5

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks- Real Emotional Trash

Former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus isn't exactly the greatest vocalist in the world, nor is he the greatest guitarist out there. For what it's worth, Malkmus isn't even among the greatest lyricists in the indie rock genre. However, you'd be hard pressed to find a more creative songwriter, just as there may not be a more influential underground musician than Stephen Malkmus. Even though his latest solo album, Real Emotional Trash, isn't exactly the indie rock masterpiece that Pavement's debut was, Malkmus deserves a lot of credit for not only continuing to play some of the finest indie rock in the genre today, but also for continuing to innovate more than 15 years after his band helped established indie rock as a genre of music. The Jicks are a very different band than Pavement, and anyone still holding out for the same raw sound of Malkmus' early days are going to be disappointed. However, fans should know by now that The Jicks are not Pavement, and that Stephen has gone in a completely different direction since his Pavement days. The problem is that it's still hard to tell what exactly that direction is. Real Emotional Trash is the fourth album by Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, and the band's biggest issue remains identity. Many of the songs feature moments of overly catchy indie pop ("Gardenia" and "Dragonfly Pie" to name two of the catchiest), while just as many songs venture into moments of prolonged jam sessions that sound like something out of a progressive rock record. In a way, that's both the beauty and flaw of the album, as it shows that Malkmus is an incredibly varied musician who can pull off a number of different sounds, but the band as a whole has still yet to piece the different styles together into a coherent mixture. It still provides for an interesting listen, and the creativity of the record is certainly worthy of praise, but it's more than somewhat disappointing that the band still sounds like an experiment four records in. Still, everything Malkmus presents on this album works to some degree, and anyone who doesn't mind that the Jicks are still essentially a hodgepodge of everything Malkmus didn't do with Pavement should give Real Emotional Trash a listen. It's also worth noting that former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss does a fantastic job behind the kit (especially on the wonderfully progressive title track), and continues to prove that she is one of the most underrated drummers in all of music.

Key tracks: Hopscotch Willie, Real Emotional Trash, Out of Reaches

Grade: B

Meshuggah- ObZen

Prior to ObZen's release, one could certainly make the case that Meshuggah have been great. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to call Meshuggah one of the greatest bands in all of metal. Unfortunately, the band has yet to release that one great album that encompasses the band's sound into something consistently great from start to finish. Granted, Meshuggah have had great songs on all of their albums, and their sound has a whole has been one of the most brutal and influential in the genre for a number of years. Still, they've lacked that one definitive album that every great band has. Now, in 2008, Meshuggah have finally made that great record. ObZen is the first Meshuggah album to be able to sustain their unique and brutal blend of thrash, death, and progressive metal through the length of an entire album. The result is an absolutely brilliant metal offering that is guaranteed to make the hairs on your neck stand up. Aside from the band's impressive combination of brutality, melody, and progression, the thing that separates Meshuggah from both their influences and the numerous bands they themselves have influenced throughout their career is that the band's music is driven not by guitar, but instead by some simply phenomenal bass and drum combinations. In fact, the guitar is used as nothing more than a way of keeping the beat on a number of tracks, while the drums run wild. This makes for not only a unique metal sound, but also a brutal force that is both raw and punishing. Like many technical metal albums, ObZen does start to develop a common formula near the end, but that's a small flaw considering that the highs of this album far exceed what is usually found in the genre, as well as that the album has numerous moments of progression. The absolutely phenomenal "Bleed" is an example of that, as the song is a nearly flawless mixture of Meshuggah's uncanny brutality and the band's integration of melodic elements. Not every song on the album mixes those elements at such a high level of success, but the number of tracks that come close (the title track, "Combustion," "Electric Red," and "Pravus" for example) are simply staggering. ObZen is a brutal album from start to finish, but it's not brutal for the sake of being brutal. The album still has enough melody, progression, and varied songwriting to make it a great album period, not just a great extreme metal album. That, in essence, is what metal should be, and ObZen, for better or for worse, is about as metal of a record as there is.

Key tracks: Bleed, ObZen, Pravus

Grade: A-

Part 3 coming tomorrow

The 10 Best Albums of 2007

I was holding out on posting this because I was hoping that I could do an "Ebert and Roeper" style video blog with a friend of mine to count down our picks for the 10 best albums of the year. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to happen, so here are the albums I picked backed in January in a basic list form. Since I already wrote about each of these albums in my Holiday Buyer's Guide, I feel it would be a bit redundant to write another nearly identical paragraph of analysis for each album (especially when I'm so behind on my writing), but I would still like to collaborate with a guest critic and do a video blog for this list eventually. Either way, here are my picks for the 10 best albums of last year:

10. Rush- Snakes & Arrows
9. Iron & Wine- The Shepherd's Dog
8. Caribou- Andorra
7. Epica- The Divine Conspiracy
6. Porcupine Tree- Fear of a Blank Planet
5. Dark Tranquillity- Fiction
4. Nightwish- Dark Passion Play
3. Symphony X- Paradise Lost
2. Radiohead- In Rainbows
1. Lupe Fiasco- The Cool

I will have part 2 of the "10 New Albums You Should Buy" series up today, and my goal is to post daily updates until I get caught up. I also have full reviews of Ayreon's "01011001" and Avantasia's "The Scarecrow" to post, as well some sort of short review for 50 or so other albums I've listened to from this year. On top of that, I'll continue posting my Top 100 list, which has gotten delayed to the point where I'm just going to post it when I can and not make any more promises. Thanks to all of you once again for continuing to read this blog. Due to events outside of my control, I've had to make school and family an overwhelming priority so far this year, but I would love nothing more than to make this blog active, and I feel optimistic that I will soon be able to succeed in doing that.

10 New Albums You Should Buy...Part 1/5

R.E.M.- Accelerate



R.E.M.'s first album since 2004 is a rather short and familiar affair, but the album's 35 minutes of deep lyrics, catchy riffs, and intelligent songwriting is a welcome return to form for one of the finest lyrical bands to ever receive mainstream success. Compared to the band's phenomenal first 8 albums from the 80s through mid-90s, Accelerate isn't exactly a revelation, but the album is a triumph compared to nearly every other album the band has released since. There are a numbers of reasons for this, most notably the return of the band's original heavier sound, but the most significant aspect of R.E.M.'s music has always been lyrics. Using recent political events as motivation, the lyrics on Accelerate are some of the band's best and most aggressive in over a decade. Whether or not you agree with their politics, the sheer intelligence of the band comes through in their lyrics, and the album can be recommended purely on that alone. Granted, there isn't much on this album that R.E.M. hasn't done better on past records, but the intelligent songwriting of the band is in fine form. When Accelerate is at its best (such as on the album's fantastic opener "Living Well is the Best Revenge" and the single "Supernatural Superserious"), this is the best R.E.M.'s has sounded in years. This is partly because the band seems to once again be less concerned with their sound and more concerned with the intelligent lyrics that made the band great to begin with, but also in part because this is the first R.E.M. in far too long to sound like it was made for a reason bigger than simply for the sake of making an album. Accelerate isn't exactly a masterpiece, but it a step in the right direction for a band that once again seems capable of making another masterpiece.

Key tracks: Living Well is the Best Revenge, Supernatural Superserious, Accelerate

Grade: B

Apocalyptica- Worlds Collide

Released last September in Europe, it's taken a long 7 months for Apocalyptica's latest album to reach American soil. Thankfully, the album will finally be available this Tuesday, and it is highly recommended to both longtime fans and newcomers to Apocalyptica's unique sound. For those aforementioned newcomers, Apoclayptica's brand of "cello metal" may seems like an odd idea at first, and you would be correct in assuming that. However, the extraordinary talent of the band's three cellists not only proves that "cello metal" is workable, but also that Apocalyptica is one of the most unique and talented band in the metal scene today. The band has made a name for itself with fantastic covers of classic hard rock and metal songs (most notably by Metallica), but Worlds Collide is an entirely original album that ranks as both the band's most prolific original effort and as their most accessible offering to date. The band's uncanny ability to replace lead, rhythm, and bass guitar parts with cellos and still be able to create an authentic metal sound is just as strikingly beautiful and impressive today as it was when Plays Metallica by Four Cellos was released in 1996, but the band has only improved since then. Now, with the help of guests vocalists such as Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), and Till Lindermann (Rammstein), the band has evolved into a project that is not only unlike anything else in music today, but also represents career highlights for many of the guest musicians featured. Regardless of what you think of their original bands, each vocalist provides a unique sound that couples with Apocalyptica's increasingly impressive and varied songwriting to create songs that iare every bit as good, if not better, than the best the guests' respective bands have recorded. Longtime fans of Apocalyptica's classical approach may be disappointed to find a more pop-like structure to many of the songs (especially the radio friendly "I'm Not Jesus" with Corey Taylor and "I Don't Care" featuring Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace), but there's still enough beautiful instrumental pieces to please all but the most unforgiving of fans. The album's highlight is the absolutely beautiful "S.O.S. (Anything But Love)," which features Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia on vocals. Much like the album's other vocal tracks, the structure is more pop-like and radio friendly, but the sheer beauty of the lyrics and contrast between the band's three cellists and Scabbia's beautiful vocals make this one of the finest tracks released last year. Now, it's finally available in the United States, and even though the album may not entirely satisfy every Apocalyptica fan as a whole, it does an exceptional job of making one of the best and purest sounds in metal accessible to the masses without entirely changing what made the band great in the first place. Worlds Collide may not be on many top 10 lists come the end of the year, but it's more than deserving of a place in any music fan's collection.

Key tracks: Helden, Last Hope, S.O.S. (Anything But Love)

Grade: B+

Part 2 coming tomorrow.

A Critical Analysis of "The Human Equation"

This is the rough draft of my philosophy Internal Assessment. If anyone cares to proofread it and make comments, that would be greatly appreciated.

“The Human Equation” is an album by progressive metal musician Arjen Luccasen (under the stage name “Ayreon”) that tells the story of a man who is confronted by his emotions while trapped in a coma. Characters personified as Agony, Fear, Love, Reason, Passion, Rage, and Pride take the man through his past experiences leading up to the accident that put him in a coma and eventually alters his perception of his life and identity. The man’s wife and best friend unsuccessfully attempt to communicate with the man as they sit by his hospital bed. The story ends with the man waking up and realizing that the encounter with his emotions was purely science fiction and only a simulation of “The Human Equation,” an equation that calculates human reasoning and rationale.

The story of “The Human Equation” poses the question “what is the self?” From a philosophical perspective, the album directly brings up two distinct theories to answer that question, both of which work within the context of the album but are flawed when applied to more realistic examples. For much of the album, the main character’s emotions appear to take an existentialist point of view on the self. However, the story’s end relates more towards the theory that the self is nothing but a shell for calculated decision making.

The theory of existentialism is initially the most obvious theory that the album presents to answer the question it poses. Using the examples found in “The Human Equation,” existentialism makes sense. Before the main character went into a coma, he perceives his life to be about nothing more than success. He follows a very generic existence without meaning and he ends up in a coma after attempting suicide. However, his confrontation with his emotions changes his perspective and gives his life a new meaning. From a literal perspective, nothing in his life actually changes. He still has his wife and best friend by his side, and he still works at the same job by the album’s end. The only thing that changes is his perception of life’s purpose. This ties into the existentialist idea that an individual creates the purpose or meaning of life. Only after thought does the man find a reason for living, and that reason is nothing more than a change in perception. It could even be argued that the man’s new reason for living is made intentionally vague in order to support the idea that the essence of life varies from person to person.

The twenty-day period of thought that the man has with his emotions during his coma can also be connected to proof of his existence. Even though the album does not explain whether the man’s emotions are a figment of his imagination or simply a connection with himself during the period that the existentialist theory is presented, it can be assumed that at least some part of himself reached a state of a purpose through thought and rationale. This can be compared to Renee Descartes’ theory of “I think, therefore I am.” In direct contrast with the album’s ending, the man’s encounter with his emotions is proof of his existence within the world that the album takes place. From an existentialist perspective, the fact that the man can rationally give his life meaning is proof that he exists and that he gives his life its own essence. This is once again an example of existence proceeding essence, as well as an example that simply being able to alter perception and meaning suggests that there is no single meaning to life. If there is no specific meaning to live that is common among all individuals, then one could say that there is not a specific self past what is perceived by the individual.

Furthermore, the man’s past is revealed periodically throughout “The Human Equation,” as the events of the man’s past are used heavily in influencing his new found purpose. This yet again ties into existentialism, but it also brings up a question that existentialism cannot answer. To use another example from the album, it is obvious that the main character of the story creates his new meaning through reflecting on his past interactions with the world. However, it was his past experiences that initially caused the man to live the life of meaningless misery that ended with a suicide attempt. Yet his perception changes when he reflects upon his actions. This brings up a dilemma. The theory of existentialism revolves around the events that a person goes through creating perception. In the case of the album’s story, the man behaves far differently with each recollection of the events. As the events are happening, the man becomes suicidal, and yet his life is filled with joy after recalling those same events in his head. What has changed besides the man’s perception? The events he recalled have not changed, which means that perception can change regardless of events. If that’s the case, then do the events a person goes through really matter? If perception can change through nothing but thought, is there something in the thought that changes? In context with the album, it would be the emotions the man uses to recall the events. However, the difference between the album and real life is that the character in the album has a finite number of emotions that confront him. In reality, emotions are not that simple and the sheer complexity of emotions makes it difficult to understand what exactly causes perception or even rational thought.

The complexity of existentialism makes it too difficult to prove, as the theory itself can only be justified through an individual’s perception of perception itself. Thankfully, “The Human Equation” provides another less complicated theory to contrast its previous existentialist perspective. The album’s ending has the characters being written off as purely an experiment of a program that shares the title of the album. The human equation program simulates rational human thought. In comparison to the story of the rest of the album, that means the experiences of the man were nothing more than an experiment of existentialist thought. In comparison to the real world, this questions the science of the human body in comparison to the human mind. Can every mental thought in the human brain be traced back to the function of the human body? The differences from person to person may be nothing more than differences in DNA. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a way of knowing for sure, as this once again depends on perception.

Rational thought is what connects the two aforementioned theories, and defining rational thought may be a question needed to be answered before truly defining the self. If existentialism is true, then rationality is not absolute. If that is the case, then the self is not absolute and it varies over time. If the self is purely a shell, then the self is absolute for each individual, yet still varies from person to person. If that is the case, then rational thought is purely a calculation of the events experienced by each individual shell. The most significant difference between the theories is the one is everything except a human equation, while the other is nothing but.

The Top 100 Songs of the Year (60-51)

No, I'm not dead, and neither is this site. A ton of reviews and list updates will be posted soon. Trust me, after all that's happened in the past few months I need this site more than you could ever imagine, so I won't be giving up on it anytime soon. Anyway, here's the first of many new updates.

60:
The Howling
Within Temptation
The Heart of Everything

Unlike the two previous Within Temptation songs to appear on this list thus far, “The Howling” does not represent a drastic style change for the band. Even though Within Temptation successfully transitioned to a more accessible sound, “The Howling” still sounds like a symphonic metal song. That’s not to say it sounds exactly like their old stuff, but “The Howling” is the one song from The Heart of Everything that doesn’t make a full transition into accessible hard rock. For that reason, it is also the best song on The Heart of Everything. Granted, Within Temptation’s new style isn’t bad by any means, as both “Frozen” and “What Have You Done” made this list, but songs like “The Howling” are an example of Within Temptation at their most comfortable. There is something about the symphonic sound that compliments Sharon den Adel’s voice beautiful. Her voice is powerful by itself, but “The Howling” sees the rest of the band aiding Sharon’s voice in ways that didn’t quite translate on the rest of The Heart of Everything. From the aforementioned symphonic elements to the heavy metal riffs, “The Howling” is a complete Within Temptation song, and it ranks among the best symphonic metals songs in a year that was stacked with high quality symphonic metal.

59:
Never Walk Alone… A Call to Arms
Megadeth
United Abominations

Politics has often been at the forefront of Megadeth’s lyrics, so it only makes sense that Dave Mustaine continues to speak his mind on United Abominations. In that sense, Megadeth has returned to their 80s form by once again being lyrically relevant. On the other side of things, songs like “Never Walk Alone” might be an even bigger testament to the greatness of Megadeth. “Never Walk Alone” takes a break from the politically charged lyrics that make up most of United Abominations, and replaces them with a more personal side of Dave Mustaine that comes across as just as powerful and intelligent as any of Megadeth’s prior political lyrics. Mustaine’s guitar work is equally beautiful, as the instrumentals include some of the most melodic riffs of Megadeth’s career. The combination of the beautiful lyrical content and melodic instrumentals make this one of the best love songs of 2007, as well as one of the finest songs Megadeth has recorded in the last decade. That’s not to say that “Never Walk Alone” is a classic, but it is a welcome diversion from Dave Mustaine’s opinionated politics that is every bit as compelling as any of Mustaine’s political lyrics.

58:
Cry of the Black Birds
Amon Amarth
With Oden on Our Side

"Cry of the Black Birds" is a much more melodic song than the usual Amon Amarth offering, at least from an instrumental stand point. There's nothing here that's particularly more complex or more unique than the many other melodic death bands of today, but Amon Amarth ranks near the top of their genre for a number of reasons. First off, Amon Amarth's vocals are brutal. Not brutal in the way that you'd normally associate with forms of death metal, but instead in a more melodic way. The vocals are kind of a controlled brutality that are deep, dark, and are perfect contrast between heaviness and melody. "Cry of the Black Birds" take advantage of that contrast even more than most Amon Amarth songs. The aforementioned melodic riff is still heavy enough to contend with some of the genre's heaviest and most brutal, but the deep vocals add a level of brutality to the song. The result is a very strong mixture of melody and brutality, thus making "Cry of the Black Birds" one of the best songs Amon Amarth has recorded yet, as well as one of the best melodic death metal songs of the year.

57:
Breaking the Silence
Firewind
Allegiance

For some odd reason, there’s something magical that happens to power metal when you add a talented female singer to an already great sound. Firewind’s “Breaking the Silence” is a case in point. Firewind’s already outstanding power metal sound elevates to something even more majestic with the addition of the exceptionally talented Tara Teresa. The contrast between excessively fast and technical guitars and beautiful melodic female vocals is simply indescribable and an unparalleled sound when done right. “Breaking the Silence” contains the phenomenal guitar skills of Gus G. and combines it with the aforementioned stunning vocals of Tara Teresa. In all fairness, there isn’t much to song past that, and it doesn’t quite have the feel to it that one might expect from Firewind, but “Breaking the Silence” is at its best when it’s a duet between Gus G’s guitar and Tara’s vocals. During those moments, the song shines, and it ranks among the best power metal singles of 2007.

56:
Ghost Opera
Kamelot
Ghost Opera

Kamelot’s combination of power and symphonic metal was done to perfection on 2004’s The Black Halo. That unique sound creating one of the finest in modern metal, but it’s unfortunate that the band has focused more on the symphonic aspect throughout Ghost Opera. Much like the title track and lead single, Ghost Opera wasn’t a bad album by any means, but it just didn’t live up the hype that the band created from the outstanding Black Halo. In fact, Ghost Opera is one of the best symphonic metal albums of 2007, just as title track is among the best singles of the year in that genre as well. For better or worse, Kamelot has transitioned into a full-fledged symphonic metal band, and the result is a song that features some truly outstanding symphonic elements. Roy Kahn’s vocals are excellent as usual, and the band’s varied instrumentals keep the song interesting long after the first listen. “Ghost Opera” improves on the symphonic elements band implemented on The Black Halo, and it’s a fine symphonic metal song on its own, but it’s hard to shake the fact that the genre-bending instrumentals and epic story of that album didn’t make an appearance in 2007. Still, “Ghost Opera” is a borderline masterful offering from strictly a symphonic metal perspective, and

55:
The Larger Bowl
Rush
Snakes and Arrows

Rush has always been a lyrically driven band. Some may not understand Neil Peart’s often complicated and metaphorical lyrics, but the man has been one of the best and most intelligent lyricists rock has ever seen. “The Larger Bowl” is a contrast to Peart’s usual lyrics, as they aren’t any epic stories, deep metaphors, or social commentaries. Instead, “The Larger Bowl” is a much more personal Rush song. Peart’s lyrics strike a perfectly balance between melancholy and beautiful, and while “The Larger Bowl” is one of the darkest songs in Rush’s discography, it is also one of the most emotionally involving songs of the year. Part of Rush’s greatness comes from the band’s ability to change and evolve over time, and “The Larger Bowl” is an example of yet another revolution in Rush’s sound. This is a far more personal and even simplistic song that the typical Rush offering, but Peart’s lyrics still have layers upon layers of complexity in their most simple state. Like any Rush song. “The Larger Bowl” is an intelligent and thought provoking song, and while it happens to be one of the band’s most personal to date, there is still enough to complexity in the lyrics and instrumentals to be a true Rush song.

54:
Subterfuge
Daath
The Hinderers

Daath's major label debut album, The Hinderers, is easily the best major label debut of the year. Although not as weird as the brilliant "Dead on the Dancefloor," nor as heavy-hitting as the outstanding "Cosmic Forge," "Subterfuge" is the perfect introduction to a metal band poised to make a big impact in the world of music. Daath's genre can best be described as “industrial death metal,” which is a genre that includes very few others. In all actuality, labeling that makes them seem more unique than they actually are, as all the elements of the music have been done before. That being said, their combination of many different styles of metal music is astounding, especially when they are being played at the quality that Daath has shown they're capable of. "Subterfuge" is an excellent example of that. The song mixes exceptional death metal vocals with a strong riff that features a variety of tempo changes. No part of the song is unique, except for the song itself, if that makes sense. It's the combination of everything Daath does on this song that makes it one of their best efforts. That's what Daath does throughout the full album, as they mix industrial metal with death metal, metalcore, and even some instances of thrash metal and power metal. It's a rather unique package to listen to as a whole, and "Subterfuge" makes a great listen on its own. Daath is definitely one of the most intriguing metal bands to come along in quite a long time, and while it is certainly disappointing that their vocalist recently departed the band, they should one to watch for in the future.

53:
July
Katatonia
The Great Cold Distance

Compared to the best of Katatonia, “July” is a fairly typical offering that is mostly unspectacular. However, much of what Katatonia has released recently has pushed the boundaries of what is possible in metal, both lyrically and musically. “July” may do that to extent of “Ghosts of the Sun,” “Into the White,” “My Twin,” or “Deliberation,” but one of Katatonia’s strengths is their consistent mastery of the doom metal sound. Even Katatonia’s filler compares favorably to even the best songs released in a given year, and no other band is quite like Katatonia. As has been heavily publicized, former growler Jonas Renske can no longer and must now rely on his limited range as a clean vocalist. However, Katatonia is a far more talented band than most, and they understand doom metal more than any other band this side of My Dying Bride. Even filler like “July” are far more creative and unique than the best of what many quality metal bands can produce, and Jonas Renske’s clean vocals create a wonderfully depressing sound that exemplifies what both doom metal and dark art in general is all about.

52:
Constant Motion
Dream Theater
Systematic Chaos

If instrumental complexity was the only aspect of a song that mattered, “Constant Motion” would be one of the absolute best songs of the year. At this point in Dream Theater’s career, that may very well be all that matters. Unfortunately, “Constant Motion” doesn’t have enough past its stunning display of instrumental talent to be praise at the same level as some of the other progressive songs released in 2007. Lyrically, the song is almost entirely insignificant, but Dream Theater is simply astonishing at doing what they do best. Each of the 5 members are masters at their respective instruments (including James LaBrie, who is one of the most underrated vocalists in metal). It’s unfortunate that Dream Theater no longer appears to be attempting to break new ground or even evolve their sound at the very least. However, it’s hard not to marvel at talent of Dream Theater. The instrumental complexity of “Constant Motion” is nothing short of incredible, and Dream Theater deserves praise for delivering on what they have attempted.

51:
Hard Sun
Eddie Vedder
Into the Wild

Yes, recording a cover song for a major motion picture as the lead single for your solo album may not usually get you a high spot on an end of the year list, but Eddie Vedder’s “Hard Sun” isn’t your usual cover. The original “Hard Sun” was a simply beautiful ballad by Canadian artist Indio that is unknown to many. Vedder’s version doesn’t stray far from the original, but such a beautifully written song deserves to be heard by a wider audience. Vedder has been known more for his lyrics than voice, but “Hard Sun” is a reminder that his passionate vocal performance shows a level of understanding and appreciation for the source material that goes beyond simply being a fan of Indio’s work. Both the lyrics and vocals are nothing short of beautiful, and there’s no doubt that Vedder does the original justice. Add in some fantastic backing vocals from Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney), who could very easily be called underused in the song, and you have one of the best covers of 2007 from one of the better movies of the year.

Audioblog coming tomorrow, next part of the list coming later this week, and new reviews coming as soon as possible. Damn, it feels good to post again.

Untitled Update

Alright, I know I lied when I said frequent updates were coming soon. This time, however, I believe I'll be able to keep my promise. My Top 100 list is nearly complete (with the exception of proofreading), so I expect to have that finished and posted by the end of the month. Also, I will be reviewing as many albums as possible, and I will write full reviews upon request. I still plan to write a full review of the new Ayreon album (which I promise will be finished soon). I have heard and graded the following albums from 2008, so let me know if you want a review of any of the following that I have not yet reviewed:

Airbourne- Running Wild: C-
Avantasia- The Scarecrow: B+
Ayreon- 01011001: A
Bullet for My Valentine- Scream, Aim, Fire: D+
Children of Bodom- Blooddrunk: B+
Jack Johnson- Sleep Through the Static: B
Lenny Kravtiz- It's Time for a Love Revolution: C
Louis XIV- Slick Dogs and Ponies: D
The Mars Volta- The Bedlam in Goliath: A-
Meshuggah- obZen: A-
Protest the Hero- Fortress: B
Simple Plan- Simple Plan: C-
Sons & Daughters- The Gift: B
Tarja Turunen- My Winter Storm: C

I also have the following albums either ready for listening or still in the process of being graded:

The Black Crows- Warpaint
Black Tide- Light from Above
Cavalera Conspiracy- Inflikted
Dengue Fever- Venus on Earth
Die! Die! Die!- Promises Promises
Eluveite- Slania
Flogging Molly- Float
Ghostland Observatory- Robotique Majestique
Ill Nino- Enigma
Kingdom of Sorrow- Kingdom of Sorrow
Korpiklaani- Korven Kuningas
Murder by Death- Red of Tooth and Claw
Nada Surf- Lucky
Nine Inch Nails- Ghosts I-IV
The Presidents of the United States of America- These are the Good Times
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks- Real Emotional Trash
Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
Why?- Alopecia

So yeah, I'm still here and reviews actually coming soon. Also, I'll be previewing this year's Sasquatch! Festival, which I purchased tickets for last week.