All that you want is to criticize

[Wisemon]

2005 is just about done, so, since I bought a lot of major commercial rock albums that came out this year (and even more independent albums that came out in other years), I thought I'd give my final reviews of 2005's major rock albums.


I would say that the best new album to come out this year was Disturbed's "Ten Thousand Fists," their best album yet. Standout tracks include: "Ten Thousand Fists," "Deify," "I'm Alive," and "Pain Redefined."

A close second would be Foo Fighters' "In Your Honor," which came out on my birthday. I say it's second only because of the annoying write protection thing, which makes playing the tracks slower, and adds shit to the CD's I've burned. Fortunately, the singles don't have this problem. Standout tracks include: "Best of You," "DOA," "End Over End," "Friend of a Friend," and "No Way Back." Also, "World (Demo)" on the "Resolve" single is a really cool song.

Audioslave's "Out of Exile" was somewhat disappointing at first, but it's grown on me. The band really does sound like more of a band, even if they don't rock quite as much. Standout tracks include: "Your Time Has Come," "Drown Yourself Away," and "Man or Animal." They look and sound really cool on the "Live in Cuba" DVD.

The Offspring put out their "Greatest Hits" this year. I got the DualDisc version with the acoustic performance of "Dirty Magic." The Offspring rule.

Bush also put out a greatest hits that includes their Woodstock '99 set. I don't like Gavin Rossdale all that much, but they had one hell of a guitar player (Nigel Pulsford).


Now for this year's major disappointments:

Korn's "See You On The Other Side" has one of the best album covers I've ever seen, but the contents just aren't all there. I don't mind that this sounds polished, and I don't mind all of the NIN type synth stuff, but this is missing the Korn anger that I used to know and love. There are a lot of poppy songs about fucking for the sake of fucking, the bag pipes come in at bad times, and what Amazon reviewers say is the best song, "Seen It All," isn't that good.

[UnknownH]

Hey can I say something?
*ahem* There's one thing I hate, The albums where kids sing popular songs.
Kidz Bop (Yes it's spelled with a z.) It's not enough that that have 9 of these but covering "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and a song from animated band, the gorillas? That's just really wrong. That's really all I have to say unless I think of something else.

[Sonimon]

I can think of something worse than Kidz Bop. Worship Jamz. It's like the Kidz Bop of those pro-jesus christian rock songs. It's enough to make any diety, Jesus or otherwise, sick to his stomach.
Soni

[UnknownH]

True but I don't care much about that since it's just religious songs and not songs that little kids shouldn't be singing.

[Wisemon]

I can think of something worse than Kidz Bop. Worship Jamz. It's like the Kidz Bop of those pro-jesus christian rock songs. It's enough to make any diety, Jesus or otherwise, sick to his stomach.

It's pretty much the same track listing as the "Songs 4 Worship" series, but with kids. Yep, that's the type of thing that makes one want to say, "Jesus, I'd rather be crucified than listen to this!"

[Anti-Tank (Dead Armor)]

I'm gonna have to agree with you on the Korn album...but it does have it's moments. The first three song, for instance. But my absolute favorite is Hypocrites.

Some other cool albums that came out this year:

Dream Theater - Octivarium
Strapping Young Lad - Alien <- Heavy as shit band
Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama <- same
And others, but I don't feel like shifting through my huge collection...

[Wisemon]

Oh yeah, I have Strapping Young Lad's s/t. I tried them out on a friend's advice, but they're a little too heavy and incoherent for me. I haven't picked a favorite on the Korn album yet, but I'm leaning towards one of the B-Sides on the deluxe edition.

[Anti-Tank (Dead Armor)]

Oh yeah, I have Strapping Young Lad's s/t. I tried them out on a friend's advice, but they're a little too heavy and incoherent for me.

They're totally indescribable live.

Oh, and what scares me about Korn is this new producer they have (who's produced Avril and Pink, <_<). They need to get Ross Robinson back. I miss Fieldy's click-bass.
Twisted Transistor is like, the new Word Up.

[Wisemon]

Twisted Transistor is like, the new Word Up.

Except "Word Up" wasn't their song to begin with. The lost bass is definitely noticeable, but it's really more of the synth stuff and overproducing that makes this album sound so off. I would say that my favorite song on it is "Coming Undone," but probably only because it's so familiar to me as a NIN type song.

[Anti-Tank (Dead Armor)]

the...overproducing that makes this album sound so off.

My thoughts exactly, bro. If you hire a pop producer, you're going to get a poppy sound.