Reviews (11)

"we're dancing to the dark side of this tune..."
The 1981 effort of Bauhaus is truely amazing. It is the most "mainstream" Bauhaus record to date, but that doesnt mean in the least that it doesnt have its dark moments. (of course! It's Bauhaus!)

On this version of the LP you will find the 10 tracks that make up the original album "Mask". These are the first 10 tracks. These songs are all brilliant, but standouts (in my opinion) are Hair of the Dog, the Passion Of Lovers, the Man With the X-ray Eyes, the chilling Hollow Hills and title track Mask.

There are 5 bonus tracks on this CD, however, these tracks are nothing compared to the first 10. These tracks come from various singles and EPs released around the same time (ish) as Mask.
Track 14 is comical, and fun to listen to, and track 15 is alright, but i prefer to have the CD set so it only plays the first 10 and then repeats back to track 1.

If you have just downloaded Bela Lugosi Is Dead and have decided it's time to buy your first Bauhaus CD, make Mask it. Buying the actual albums is a much better alternaltive than buying Crackle (the greatest hits CD) or the single collections. Collections like that may be of interest to you, but they do not provide the whallop that a full length Bauhaus CD will give you.

And if you are prepared to buy a couple of albums, put "Pornography" by The Cure and "The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails into your shopping cart right now too.

This album is easier to get used to, but still complex
Because its the most mainstream, this is the Bauhaus album which took me the least time to get used to, which is handy as all Bauhaus takes a lot of getting used to, and if I hadn't realised how brilliant this album was just in time, I may never have got into Bauhaus to the extent that I did.
The track 'Kick In the Eye' is so manic, so full of little tunes and undercurrents that only get noticed many listens later that it is still a joy to listen to, 1000s repeats later. 'The Passion of Lovers' has so much subtle, sometimes nearly inperceptible choir backing vocalisations that add to the grand sinister feel of the song, in much the same way as acoustic affects litter the morbid soundscapes of 'Mask' and 'Hollow Hills.' To cut a long story short these songs are mainly intensely atmospheric for those who want to sit back listen passively, but their complexity also keeps the the avidly attentive, careful listner eternally occupied.
The only track which prompts the 'skip track' reflex is 'In Fear of Fear' which rather unfortunately sounds like a flock of Geese honking. Atmospheric, yes, but what kind of atmosphere do you want?
Once you get used to the style, Bauhaus is perfect for anyone!

A monolith of creative darkness...
Bauhaus (and their lack of mainstream acceptance) is proof perfect that people prefer their music bland, mindless, and about ten years behind the times. Basically formed by art students who loved punk and Bowie in equal measure, Bauhaus was a ship with the perfect crew: the innovative Daniel Ash screaming guitar licks over the tribal rumble of the Haskins brothers, David J. and Kevin. And then there was Peter Murphy: an emaciated cross-dressing ghoul who twisted and writhed across the stage. His angular good looks and lunatic mannerisms swept those who saw them into the Love 'Em and Hate 'Em camps. I plant my flag in the former, and this album contains every reason why. While their first album is a ravaging classic that defined their unique sound and B&W 1920's aesthetic, "Mask" boasts some of their best tunes. "Hollow Hills", inspired by an Arthur Machen story that cautions those who would tamper with prehistoric sites and their invisible occupants, is Bauhaus at their most atmospheric and poetic. "Dancing" and "Of Lillies and Remains" (the first dealing with all the places one can dance, the second some kind of surreal snippet about ghosts, weird fluids leaking out of orifices, and someone named Clancy) show that the boys had an incredible sense of the absurd, "Muscle In Plastic" is a primal workout, "Hair of the Dog" is a grinding opener with a fantastically creative guitar line, and "The Passion of Lovers" is a Spanish-ish ode to lovers and their pursuit- death in each others arms. "In Fear of Fear" (like "Dancing") actually features Daniel Ash on saxophone, "Man with the X-Ray Eyes" slams forward like a rugby team of Neanderthals, and the title track is eerie and glorious (check out the video for it, if you can find "Shadow of Light"- nowhere is the band's horror movie sensibility more evident). The bonus tracks are interesting, especially the one in which Peter relates an unusual way of making fish cakes- stuffing the creatures with potatoes before smashing them up! Basically, this album shows that Bauhaus was a group of talented, creative guys that all shared a morbid sense of humor, a passion for the bizarre, but were in no way a contrived bunch of goth types. Those came later.

Of teddybears and remains
This second album by Bauhaus continued the band's exploration of the gothic sensibility that they had so brilliantly pioneered on their debut. There is a definite effort to broaden their musical style with more explicit keyboard and synth experimentation. Amongst the best songs are the tracks Of Lilies And Remains, a type of spoken poem with nightmarish images over squeaking guitar, nervous drumming and spacious, evocative synths, and Kick In The Eye, a gripping ballad with hypnotically repetitive phrases over an atmospheric rock backing. The up-tempo track In Fear Of Fear has particularly impressive keyboard textures, whilst Hair Of The Dog is a great track with rousing vocals and Muscle In Plastic is a dissonant excursion with an almost funky undertone. Bauhaus is an acquired taste and I find Peter Murphy's solo work more accessible and appealing, but there is no question that they were a very inventive band that extended the boundaries of rock.

Accessible is a relative term...thank goodness
A lot of reviews refer to Mask as Bauhaus's most "accessible" or "mainstream" album. And if you're looking at Bauhaus for the first time, hoping to buy an album that will give you better old-school Goth creds, maybe that will turn you off. But you have to keep in mind that this is, in fact, Bauhaus we're talking about. Mask is their most accessible and mainstream album in kind of the same way that I might say that Duran Duran's original album is their most Goth. It's kinda true in its way...but not really.

Try to imagine for just a fraction of a second a world in which you would hear the actual song "Mask" on the radio, and you'll see what I mean. Not gonna happen. It's much too full of eldritch noises and dark intellectual musing to get any airplay.

"Mask" is a personal favorite of mine; but if you're looking for the names that get bandied around more, check out "Passion of Lovers" and that pleasantly hostile paean to spiritual growth, "Kick in the Eye." Important to song cross-referencing, a favored pastime for Bauhaus and for Peter Murphy solo, is "The Man with X-Ray Eyes," which is the lyrical basis for the later "Departure." ... Read more

Amazon.com

On Dust, his second album for the goth-industrial Metropolis label, Peter Murphy continues his foray into elegant guitar lines and delicate electronics, while adding shades of Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms that only add to the music's exotic flair. Murphy's post-Bauhaus solo releases, which have included some interesting music, have displayed an admirable willingness to experiment. That he has managed to do so without sounding pretentious or contrived (or alienating the fans who have been with him since the Bauhaus days) is a testament to the man's resilience over his 20-year career. Though the album isn't exactly a reinvention of his sound, the freshness and appeal of Dust can be found in the dark melodies of tracks like "Things to Remember," as well as the layered instrumental work on "Fake Sparkle or Golden Dust." As an added bonus, there's a new version of "Subway," originally from Murphy's 1995 release, Cascade. This one features a real violin and some other sweet extras, making it a worthy inclusion. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Songs from golden dust!
This album was made in 2005 not 2001! It's a diamond amongst stones, and like the diamond it has an authentic and geniune sparkle. The whole musical environment really sounds natural and spontaneous, and it's as if Peter has returned or found a place/environment, which he has always been part of and comfortable with. Peter's incredible voice, reflects/mirror's the music so naturally and perfectly... That diamond voice cut from a star, unveils it's colourfully rich baritone caress, in a much more intimate and spontaneous style. There is a spacious quality coloured with a spiritual beauty that leaves no image, and I really feel that this is Peter Murphy now/today. This is Peter Murphy singing from the home within his heart... Dust is free from the reigns of commercialization.

A great sense of being, humility and a feeling of great purity emanates from this powerful album... A beauty and clarity that is something quite special and undefinable. This album has such a cool balance... It is neither from the east or the west, but from the middle way. Many people are going to find this album really inspiring, it's unique!

I was scented away, and to put that experience into action is quite simple... "The proof, as always, must come with the eating, so I suggest you claim your portion and relish it".

Cool Middle Eastern Vibe BUT....
If you were hoping for another "Deep", "Holy Smoke" or "Cascade" - you may be in for a disappointment. But not a complete one:

"Dust" is interesting in its own way: it has a dark Middle Eastern vibe that makes for an enjoyable listen; it's somewhat of a "mood piece". What I miss, however, are the memorable melodies of Murphy's previous releases; there's nothing along the lines of, for example, "Indigo Eyes" (in my opinion one of the most beautiful rock songs of all time). Most of the songs are 6-8 minutes in length and the instrumentation is often more predominant than Murphy's singing. Also, this is what - the third release in a row with some version of "Subway" on it? A studio version of "My Last Two Weeks" from "Alive Just For Love" is also included. Enough rehashing of the old stuff.

If you're a Murphy fan, pick up a copy of "Dust". I can imagine this one growing on me with repeated listenings. If you're a Murphy newbie, check out "Deep" or "Wild Birds" - his greatest hits album.

Overlooked, Underrated
It's such a rarity when an artist actually gets better over a period of time. Such an example is Peter's latest album 'Dust'. Legend has it that it was actually Mercan Dede who called Peter to suggest working on his next album and who suggested rerecording 'Subway' and 'My Last Two Weeks'. Both of those songs have never sounded better in my opinion. The beauty of 'Dust' is that it so perfectly blends the influences of both Turkish and Western music culture. The songs, which were written inside of a week, are very emotional and personal. 'Girlchild Aglow' was written about Murphy's relationship with his daughter and how it has changed with time. Although Murphy's vocals are the focal point, the music doesn't take a back seat, blending electronic sounds with some incredible-sounding real percussion, not to mention input from some great musicians such as violinist Hugh Marsh who we all remember from 'Alive...Just For Love'. I really can't say enough about how much I love this album. It should have recieved awards. It should have sold in the millions. Do yourself a favor and purchase one of the best albums of all time by one of the best vocalists of all time.

Love it!!!
Knowing I am a huge Peter Murphy fan, my boyfriend gave me "Dust" for Christmas. I was entranced by the very first song... and then continued to be mesmerized by each song after that. The Middle Eastern instruments were beautifully used throughout the music. The new version of "My Last Two Weeks" made me cry, it was so gorgeously moving. The album as a whole is very atmospheric, and there is an intense exotic/gothic/mysterious mood throughout, making it consistent from song to song. This is why I have always loved Peter Murphy's music, and this album seems more "him" than ever... as if his style is evolving with the course of his life, and aging/progressing in the best of ways. It's so genuine. If you're a huge Bauhaus fan, you probably won't like this album. In my opinion, the further away Peter Murphy gets from Bauhaus, the better his music is. Although you may not hear any of these songs on the radio, and I don't believe there are any "singles" on here (that is, in my opinion, a *good* thing), this album is darkly mellow, hauntingly stirring, and a must-have for those who love what Peter Murphy is all about.

The Peak of Murphy's Evolution
Peter Murphy's album "Dust" is what I consider to be the peak of his progressive evolution. We have all heard elements of this "sound" in his earlier albums, but with DUST, he goes all out, and does an absolutely phenomenal job with it. Songs such as "No Home Without its Sire," "Just for Love," "Jungle Haze" with the brilliant bongo set towards the close. And of course, the beautifully rendered version of two old songs, "My Last Two Weeks" and "Subway" which has a little extra (Epilogue) not included in the original; you simply can't go wrong with this meditative, Middle Eastern sound supporting the elegant and strong voice of Peter Murphy - you simply cannot go wrong!

It is no doubt my favorite Murphy album. His lyrics are deep, overlaying a subtle Middle Eastern flare that converges with one another in a way I could've never expected when I bought the album. Innovative, creative, musically enhanced and collaborated with Murphy's metaphoric and consistently poetic, thought-provoking lyrics, along with his voice, which may I add has developed over the years into a weapon in itself; just listen to the opening lyric-only song "Cool Cool Breeze" on "Just for Love Live" and you will understand the heightened status of this man's voice, from Bauhaus in 79 to Dust in 2002. What more can I say: absolutely brilliant, better than any other!

Richard C Williams
Yes, I invite feedback from other Murphy fans or those who disagree with my opinion; always up for a debate. ... Read more

Album Details

The Finnish Goth Metal Band's Fourth Album is Sure to Swell the Ranks of the Converted as this is their Most Polished, Best Written Album Yet. Ville Valo is One of the Most Compelling Figures in Rock Today and his Vocals Just Get Better with Each Successive Release. This Album Could Ultimately Turn Out to Be their Finest Moment, However, Judging from the Past Progression, There is Probably a Lot More to Come. The Video of "The Funeral of Hearts" is Enhanced as a Special Bonus. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

H.I.M Freaking Rocks!!!!!
To start out with if you haven't heard of these guys you need too!!! I know that a lot of people have and those people are very big fans. Such as myself! Anyways I first bought Razorblade Romance and it is a great album and will be in my book for a long time!!! I just got done listening to Love Metal and it damn near blows Razorblade Romance out of the water! There is not much more to say... Him's sound is so unique and beautifal to my ears!! I Highly recommend a person that hasn't listen to them to get Razorblade Romance since it is realeased in the US and then get the others if you like them!!! I'm not sure how you couldn't like it. I'm a musician and the music is just great! LOVE IT!!!! Later Kids N'JOY

Superb Songwriting
While HIM has pleased us in the past with brilliant releases like "Greatest Love Songs v. 666" and "Razorblade Romance", they hit a slight slump with their third full length album, "Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights". The album was not bad, is just showed no progress. However, HIM come back with their most powerful and masterful work yet, "Love Metal".

Before this release, I never truly realized how talented this band was. I've always appreciated their vocalist, Ville Valo, and consider him one of rock's best singers. He also writes music for all the band, which must be why they all work together and play off each other so well. Their guitarist (there's always two guitars at work at the same time on every track, so I guess he overdubs it) does som pretty tricky and catchy stuff that he hasn't shown off in previous releases. Their bassist, while no Les Claypool, is an excellent rhythm keeper. But the one bad musician, as on all HIM releases, is their drummer. He's not too good, basically. He does not complicated things, and basically hits a snare and a bass drum throughout the whole album, sometimes throwing in a crash. It's either he's not capable or Valo isn't writing good enough stuff for him, but it kind of brings down the music.

Despite the drummer, this release is a masterpiece. Every time I listen to it, it gives me a feeling of seclusion and peace. That sounded corny, but this is one of the only album's I recall that can actually do that. The way "Soul on Fire" comes to it's epic conclusion is oh so super. This is the way music should be done.

The lyrics in the album are quite unique. They basically revolve around joy, sorrow, love and hate. But they are not handled in the Simple Plan way: someone's miserable because their girlfriend used them and now she's going out with the jock. No, I think HIM's a little more mature than that. Most of the lyrics are metafourical, as they have always been. Which is the uniqueness of them.

I highly recommend this band if you are looking for originality. This band is bleeding it.

P.S.: Love metal is the genre HIM falls into. Not goth. Though Love Metal does highly resemble it. And I've read reviews where people seem to think "Love Metal" means something like "I Love Metal". No. That's wrong. Sorry.

oh god no
With all the amazing music coming out of Finland, this is the one band that gets recognition? Black Hair Dye and a wardrobe from Hot Topic does not a good band make. This is generic, boring pseudo-metal which sounds more like a second-rate Motley Crue if Vince was an anorexic pansy. Everything about this band is uninspired and contrived.

A little on the harder side.
There is no arguing, this is HIM's hardest album to date. Moving in a very different direction from their pervious album, Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights, Love Metal combines HIM's dark Scandanavian metal, with a classic, Black Sabbath like sound.

Buried Alive By Love: One of, if not the hardest HIM track ever. This track was placed at the beginning of the album to try and replicate the powerful opening of Iggy Pop's, ''Raw Power.'' This song is simply a great song. Very good at thier live shows.
The Funeral Of Hearts: This song was not originally intended to be on Love Metal. On a visit to Ville's apartment, bassist Mige' heard him playing the riff on acoustic guitar. Mige' convinced Ville to finish the song in time to put it on Love Metal. This track was described by Valo as, ''Their Simon and Garfunkle rip off.'' This is one of the lighter tracks on Love Metal, and deserves a listen.
Beyond Redemption: Another great track live. This song has a great guitar riff and solo. There isn't much to say about this track, other than that is good.
Sweet Pandemonium: Another song with a great guitar riff. The verses can get a little boring, but the choris is amazing. Really nice lyrics.
Soul On Fire: Yet another song that is awseome live. One of my all time favorite guitar riffs. The verses are a little mild, then the chorus just explodes. I think this may be my favorite track on the album.
The Scarament: One word to describe this song, beautiful. This song is absolutly perfect. Everything flows together flawlessly. This is probably the lightest track on the album.
This Fortress Of Tears: A very ecletic song. I always get the impression of a very romantic piano sound in this song. This song is very hard to describe, I suggest you listen and see for yourself.
Circle Of Fear: Another track that can be called ''perfect.'' This song is just great all around. Lyricly, and instrumentally.
Endless Dark: A very ecletic track. You keep going back and forth between distorted and acoustic guitar. It does drag on a little, but it really doesen't effect the song in anyway.
The Path: A very long, haunting track. Described by Valo as, ''A great campfire track.'' This song has a very good guitar riff, and is an absolute wonderful ending to this album.

HIM Just Keep Pumping Out Fantastic Albums
You would think that after three albums the quality of HIM's work would be going down hill, but in fact it seems to be getting even better. Love Metal is really up to date music but it hasn't lost HIM's amazingly deep and meaningful lyrics.

Ville Valo's voice is truly stunning and his vocal range is fantastic, Linde is an excellent guitar player, Midge adds beautiful bass lines, Burton's keyboard skills are excellent and gas's drumming though somewhat slacking behind the others in quality is perfect for this album.

Buried Alive by Love: 8/10 - I love this track loads and it is a fantastic start to the album, the almost psychedelic intro is completed with Ville's voice entering from a distance. Great lyrics, great music and very catchy. I however have over listened to this song!

The Funeral Of Hearts: 10/10 - Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Ville's Voice is really done justice in this song. The first ever HIM song I heard was this and I simply fell in love with them. It is a beautifully, deep song with a really wintry feel about it which is reflected in the wonderful video.

Beyond Redemption: 7/10 - Don't be put of by the rather worrying intro, this song is actually great! Ville's loud breathing is enough to turn any cold heart warm. It is completely adorable! Slightly predictable lyrics but fantastic all the same.

Sweet Pandemonium: 7.5/10 - Big words in this song!!!! It is really great but the chorus seems a little bit disconnected from the rest of the song but beautiful all the same.

Soul On Fire: 9/10 - Very catchy, I love this song. Not sure that I completely understand it, but there again I am quite young!!!! It's a get up and dance around your room pretending to be one of the living dead kind of song!!!

This Fortress Of Tears: 8/10 - Quite a long intro to this song but its worth the wait. Nice chorus. Quite slow but a nice change

Circle Of Fear: 10/10 - Ville Valo's voice in this song is completely heavenly it is so low and deep *shivers*. This song is incredibly moving it really gets to you. I love the part where the music quietens and Ville is singing almost without accompaniment.

Endless Dark: 7/10 - A bit repetitive but a pretty song. Deep, dark and quite sinister. Rather irritating drumming though. It is quite a good song until the repeats in the chorus; I mean how many people can make the word "dark" drag on for about 5 or 6 seconds - repeatedly!?!

The Path: 9.5/10 - I really love this song, I know a lot of people, especially new HIM fans, don't agree with me. It is quite "old HIM" but I think it is incredibly moving especially when the drums and guitar join in. It is quite long (HIM have a habit of putting a really long song on the end of each album). Great lyrics.

Hope that was helpful. These are the views of a 14 year old. If you are my age or younger and looking for something a bit darker and deeper: BUY THIS ALBUM.
Check out: www.heartagram.com for HIM's official site.
ENJOY.
Luv

Charlie
xxxx ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hark all ye fans of Dame Darcy, Gothic Archies, and madrigal dinners! The Mediaeval Baebes follow-up their Christmas-themed debut with Worldes Blysse, an imperfectly enchanting homage to the cycle of life and death. Numbering the mystical 13, the Baebes are Miranda Sex Garden's Katharine Blake and her girlfriends, supplemented by a somewhat older period instrumentalist who, along with Blake, is the only classically trained musician. Fancied mistresses of dark faerie tales and maidens of Lilith Fair, the Baebes, bedecked in diaphanous gowns and locks like Rapunzel, perform traditional plainsongs of the 13th through 15th centuries, as well as originals written in that style. Acoustic period-inspired accompaniment flits round a cappella numbers and is given the spotlight on the frolicsome instrumental "La Volta." Giving hardly a hoot for chops, and rather reveling in vivacity, the Baebes court the image of themselves as a naughty flock of strumpets: scooping and sliding into notes at times like rosy-cheeked choirgirls ("Kinderly," "Beatrice"), and at others sounding like bratty children tromping through a village green ("Ecci Mundi Gaudium," "How Death Comes"). Not for purists or classical snobs, Worldes Blysse is a weirdly wonderful windfall for melancholy teens, drama queens, and hipsters too cool for authenticity. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Blysse-ful Baebes
A longtime Loreena McKennitt fan, I got hooked on the Medieval Baebes halfway through the first song, "Kinderly" -- and that's not even the best song on Worldes Blysse, an honor I'd reserve for "Erthe Upon Erthe", "All Turns to Yesterday," or "Pearl." This album is wonderful.

The thing which astonished me most about it was the congruence between the middle English lyrics and the original melodies to which they are set. Most of the songs on this album are not really medieval compositions, but they partake richly of that tradition. The Baebes keep things simple, letting their choral arrangements and personalities shine. One of the most stunning pieces, "Pearl", combines original music with an excerpt from a long poem (required reading in many medieval lit classes). These lyrics were never meant to be sung. Yet in the Baebes' hands, it sounds seamless and right, complex and energetic, equally appropriate for a Renaissance Faire, a choral concert, or a morning jog.

If you like your medieval music strictly authentic, the Mediaeval Baebes aren't for you. But I'm thrilled that a skilled vocal group is mining the rich, underappreciated lode of middle English poetry and creating something beautiful and relevant out of it. Bravo, Baebes.

The BEST Baebes album!
Have you heard a few Mediaeval baebes songs but are wondering which album to start with? Start with Worldes Blysse and you'll be hooked on the Baebes!! I listen to celtic music (bothy band, deanta, clannad, lothlorien, ect. ) but also love moody haunting medieval music as well. This Baebes album for me is their best. Haunting melodies, true medieval sounding music (with memorable hooks - not mundane medieval music you forget 2 minutes after listening to it) with brilliant harmonies, and no "modern" instruments! This music is PERFECT for getting in the mood to go to a renaissance faire! (or to listen to while you're driving to that renaissance faire) The last 2 albums have introduced some modern elements in a few songs (drums,guitar,ect.) although the Baebes still are one of my favourites. Start with "worldes blysse" , if you love this album as I do, then try "undrentide" and "sal va nos". I have still yet to get "the rose" , but I think it's just a matter of time!

Classical Music So Sexy it's almost Pornographic
You can make love to Motown; Or try this album. It is erotic, transformational and utterly delicious. Where did these baebes come from? The world never ceases to amaze me.

DEE
Absolutely love this cd!! The Baebes sound heavenly in all their albums! Katherine Blake does a great job arranging these songs and the vocals come together perfect.

Very good album, glad to have it.
If you don't already know, The Mediaeval Baebes sing songs composed of centuries old dialects of English,French, Latin or occaisionally other languages accompanied by period type music. I've been pleased to find that in this album the ladies do a lot of singing either without any musical accompaniment or they kept it to the background. #3 Love me Broughte is 14th century English, and one of the better tunes, I also like #5 Ecce Munde Gaudium which is called 13th century English but sure looks like Latin to me (the lyrics of all songs provided in original languages as well as modern English)
Well worth owning, I only hope their latest album "The Rose" is as good. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A really good Best Of
This is a very good compilation of Bauhaus' songs. Now I had listened to the previous best of which was separated in two discs and found i somewhat lacking in cohesion, this cd also has small problems : ''Bela Lugosi's Dead'' sounds like a remix of the track I know because the guitar melody seems to be missing, but maybe I'm hearing it wrong. There is also a few songs that are missing like Lagartija Nick, Paranoia,Parnoia,God in the Alcove and Killing Mr Moonlight. Most of the other really good tracks are on here, Bauhaus is a classic Goth band and if you have never heard of them you should pick up this album. If you're not into Goth I suggest you listen to : ''Bela Lugosi's Dead'', ''The Passion of Lovers'', ''Silent Hedges'', ''Hollow Hills''and ''She's In Parties'' which are the tracks that really hooked me when a friend first made me listen to bauhaus. All the other tracks are amazing as well so just buy the album if you like any of Bauhaus songs but don't want to get all of the albums!

bauhaus for your house
Bauhaus hardly need an introduction. Crackle is the first true "best of" compilation of the work of the fathers of goth. Released to coincide with the world reunion tour, Crackle goes deeper into Bauhaus, beyond the singles, and explores each of their albums. Do not expect any rarities on this recording-- "best of" collections are meant to introduce new generations of fans to the work of influential artists, and Crackle does that quite well. The album is cohesively arranged by tone and mood, not by the historical order of the sixteen songs. Crackle opens with Daniel Ash's abrasive guitar underscoring Peter Murphy's commanding presence on "Double Dare". Kevin Haskins' incredible drumming leads us down into "In the Flat Field" which rises from the ashes of punk, only to shift gears as David J demonstrates his idiosyncratic and amazing bass guitar skills on the classic "Passion of Lovers" (and that's just the first three songs!). The version of "Bela Lugosi's Dead" is the original Small Wonder Records single (much more spare, minimal, and riveting than the larger-than-life arena rock version which is on the Singles Volume 1 collection). Also included on the disc is "Silent Hedges", "Mask", "Ziggy Stardust", "Spirit", "Hollow Hills", and more. Unlike the tracks on the Singles album, which were the favorite songs of the Beggar's Banquet executives, Crackle is the personal beloved choices of Ash, Haskins, J, and Murphy themselves. If you are new to the work of Bauhaus, this fantastic album will certainly convince you of their deserved legendary status.

A must have for any Bauhaus fan!
This is a great cd.Any Bauhaus fan will be pleased with this cd."Double Dare","Hollow Hills"and of course "Bela Lugosi's Dead".It's just an really great album.

A Great Best Of......
This is an exceptional best of Bauhaus!!! On this cd,it gives you different tastes of the moods and feelings in this wonderful best of cd. Songs from "Burning for the Inside", "Mask","In the Flat Field","The Sky's Gone Out".....and so on.Peter Murphy has a voice that will send chills down your spine.I got interested in Bauhaus after seeing the horror classic "Night of the Demons" and heard the song "Stigmata Martyr" This is my first cd i got by Bauhaus since i think its a good intro if you just heard or am getting into this band. All of these tracks on here are just delightful,some sad,some slow,some up beat,and essential none the less. Next release i hope to get is either "In the Flat Field","Mask",or both:) If you want to get into some real goth music,try Bauhaus,Believe me,you WILL NOT regret it!!!!! "Alone In The Darkened Room....The Count...."

The Best Place to start if you're interested in Bauhaus
This is probably the best collection to start with if you're interested in discovering the joy that is Bauhaus. It starts off with stuff from the first releases In The Flat Field and Mask, and then get's into the last couple releases The Sky's Gone Out and Burning From the Inside, along with a great cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" for good measure (to make up for the cover of "Telegram Sam" I assume). This record is a good deciding point on whether you'd like to pursue Bauhaus or not. If you like Crackle you'll probably like the studio albums from Bauhaus, and if you don't like it then at least you've gotten the gist of it without spending over $. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Filth Pig arrived after an extended break that found Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker giving rural Texas life a try before retreating back to the chilled concrete of Chicago. But, despite the Lone Star roots of some of its songs and much talk of Jourgensen's budding taste for country music, Filth Pig isn't Ministry's Nashville Skyline. There may be more organic elements as guitars more to the fore at the expense of keyboards and samples, but Jourgensen and Barker's forte remains the bitter screed powered by insistent beats and pummeling riffs. Ministry may have some new tools these days (most notably standout drummer Rey Washam, formerly of Scratch Acid and Rapeman), but they're working on the same old chassis.--Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Ministry's answer to 'The Downward Spiral'
If you know of the industrial genre, then you probably know these two bands; 'Ministry' & 'Nine Inch Nails'. And regardless if you've heard the former and dislike them from other albums they've released, if you're one of the many who was weened on industrial through the likes of (admitedly latecomer) Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails with his album 'The Downward Spiral'. You will find a lot that will grow on you in this album. While 'Filthpig' & 'The Downward Spiral' are not comparable on a broad one-to-one basis, there is something atmospherically related. To me, if 'The Downward Spiral' were not a concept album with it's conveyance and feeling of exhaustion after its title track, and the slow paced moments fused into the slow quiet ones, it would be Filthpig. anyone who considers "The Downward Spiral" their favorite album, deserves it of themselves to give this a listen.

In my opinion, Ministry's other albums in the vein of 'Psalm 69' don't stand up, but then again, I do not consider myself a great fan of Ministry, I admire Al and all, yet albums such as 'Psalm 69' are a completely different style of industrial, with a common beat throughout each song, which is almost thrash dance or 'metal-techno.' however, 'Filthpig' has a kind of bitterness to it which almost wants to break any flow that could be made in each song, while still having a rhythm, and to me, that jarring feeling will always be what IS "industrial".

It is surely one of the harshest 'easy listening' albums I have ever heard, a 'thrash' style and a gloomy foreboding ambiance. Not for everyone, but for the lovers of the most antagonistic sounds that can be made, certainly.

One of the top 5 albums of all time...
If i have ever seen an album being criminally underrated and overlooked not so much by the professional critics but mostly by Ministry's very own fan base it has got to be this absolutely stunning masterpiece called "Filth Pig".

Having come after the album known widely as "Psalm 69" which was considered to be Ministry's peak and a definitive album of the 90s, "Filth Pig" was misunderstood on a vast scale exactly because the fans simply expected yet another "Psalm 69" or an album that sounded like it, and instead got something entirely different. The thing was, and is, that "Filth Pig" was not only a tremendous leap in creativity for Ministry that totally outdid "Psalm 69", but also a massive leap in contemporary music as a whole.

Does this all sound a bit over the top, you think? Well, the "problem" with 'Filth Pig' was that its brilliance demanded very experienced listeners to appreciate what it was, and beyond that it demanded listeners able to listen with an open mind. In the world defined as the "rock scene" where any sing-a-long good lil riff will do, and where lyrics associated with scaringly low IQs, that album was basically ahead of its time and ahead of its target group alltogether.

"Filth Pig" is a tremendous soundscape, unbelievably multilayered and yet as emotional as any album you could ever hope for. And then some more.
This is by a light year, Ministry's finest moment. Jourgensen sounds like he's singing from inside a war-zone with a voice towering high over the heart-thumping beats and the the genius guitar drives by Baker who also proves on this record that he's easily one of the best rock composers to be found.

But as mentioned, what makes this album so eeringly effective, is that, while it's so complex, it does not fail on the emotional side, now that is an achievement only met among the best musical feats i know of. And i do know something having spent over 10 years working in record stores and having listened to over 15.000 albums in the process.

I would say, and feel perfectly on the safe side, that this is as close as you can come in describing darkness in musical terms as one could. Simoultaneously though, "Filth Pig" for all its intimidating sheer dark power that it comes at you with, it's still beautiful. Beautiful as all things that can't be fully grasped at an instant.

There was one aspect in this album (achieved as of yet, only in the immediately following "Dark side of the spoon") which made it undoubtedly unique among "heavy" albums. That was that it is not fast. There's none of the typical 200m/h riffs that you'd come across almost all other heavy albums. Instead, Ministry managed to put together riffs and multisampled beats and effects that are at times even incredibly slow, and yet so overwhelmingly heavy, you have the impression you're hearing a skyscraper collapsing and producing wondrous melodies while doing so. I know of no other group that can do this the way Ministry do, and i imagine (creating electronic music myself) that it's anyway a musical aspect hard to achieve because you need to walk an extremely tight rope while trying to maintain intesity and melodies through so many layers of sound.

In my opinion, along with the debut album of "Rage against the Machine", "Roots" from Sepultura, "Dummy" from Portishead", and "Mezzanine" from Massive attack, "Filth Pig" is with these 4 in the top 5 albums i ever heard. I could go on for another 50 paragraphs explaining and detailing why this is a masterpiece. No need. Find out for yourself. Those by the way that think that "Animositisomina" is a return to good things for Ministry, have no idea onsesoever what they're talking about.
As is the case with any group's finest moment it will be close to impossible for Ministry to outdo what they achieved with "Filth Pig". It would be like expecting Tool to outdo "Aenima" to state one example. If Ministry, who are anyway one of the greatest bands ever, manage in the future to outdo this album of theirs, we'll then be talking about one truly unbelievable achievement.

Absolutely their best album
This is undoubtedly Ministry's best album. Admittedly, it took a little to really grow on me, but once it did i realized how special this album is. I cannot comprehend why so many supposed Ministry fans believe this album sucks.
I've nothing really to add to all the praise in the other 5-star reviews. Just can't understand how any industrial fan fails to appreciate this gem of an album.

Woefully misunderstood in the collection
Well well well, what have we here! This supposedly is the " worst " Ministry record which is something I can't understand. There's brilliant use of guitars and what's more it's texturally more layered than Psalm 69 which for all it's charm was more of a metal album for robots. People complain about the lyrics in some cases but Ministry were not one for deep intellectual lyrics a la Billy Corgan, they were here to rock your brains out! Sure it has a few bad songs but what album doesn't? You got to reconsider this album - it could be one of the best albums Ministry album put out!

Terribly underrated album
I would call "Filth Pig" the "South of Heaven by Ministry". I see these situations very alike, when the band decides to make a 180-degree-turn after releasing a series of successful albums. This move wasn't well met with many fans, who wanted more of the same ol' style, but the open-minded among us came to appreciate the band's new-found sound.

Having scrapped nearly every trace of danceable electronic background from the songs, Ministry provided hellish heaviness and crunchy slow rhythms instead. This is achieved mainly by extreme distortion of bass-guitar, its megaton-heavy sound rips through your eardrums and oppresses you. The whole sound is constructed to crush the listener, and Ministry never were this brutally heavy.

The variety of the album is pleasing, and we have both faster heavy industrial songs, like "Reload" sounding like machine-gun, and slow stacatto crunch of "Crumbs", and slow heavy songs with good melody, like "The Game Show", and everything in between these.
As usual, there are many Ministry trademark samples, captured and delivered with incomparable finesse. But what I'm amazed with, is the introduction of new instruments, that are extremely rare seen in industrial music. To name just a few, it's a catchy harmonica solo in "Filth Pig", acoustic guitar going along with industrial crunch in "Lay Lady Lay", a cover of Bob Dylan song (and what a cover it is!), and my absolute favourite, the piano in "The Fall". This piano sounds even more bizarre, because its part lags exactly 1/4 behind the rest of the music. This is genious.

I won't blindly recommend this to anyone. It's pretty clear that many of those into "Psalm 69" or "The Mind is a Terrible..." didn't find appeal in this record. It took myself a lot of time to get into this. But if you're open-minded, or interested in all things bizarre, you probably should give "Filth Pig" a try. It provides its healthy dose of catchy material. But it's really different to what we come to expect from Al&Paul. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Stunningly Unique
Very heavy, very organic, very electronic. One would find it hard to believe that those three descriptions, essentially opposites in the music world, could all be incorporated into only one CD. Still, Stabbing Westward's debut album, Ungod, amazingly displays all of these qualities. How did they manage to combine these unlike traits into one piece of work? It is hard to pinpoint. One explanation is that the live drums incorporated into the CD do not drown out the other instruments, leading to a heavier, more organic sound. In addition, the keyboards and programming are used to enhance, not compete with, the other instruments, further deepening the sound while adding an electronic feel to the music. Nevertheless, however hard it may be to figure out how they mixed together heavy, organic, and electronic sounds successfully, Stabbing Westward uses their uniqueness to their advantage. This holds especially true on the heaviest and catchiest track, "Violent Mood Swings." While Chris Halls (vocals, keyboards) lets his groans and screams ring out, the digitally enhanced guitars and bass pulse through the listener rapidly, the keyboard riffs give powerful dance undertones, and the live drums unify all the sounds to make one controlled yet thrashing piece. Still, Ungod's power also works as well on more sedate tracks, such as "ACF." During that song, a heavy yet emotional bass hooks the listener into the song, leading him or her to quiet vocal cooning, and then slams him or her into dark guitars accented by thick keyboard lines. Therefore, overall, Stabbing Westward shows promise as well as a great deal of uniqueness on Ungod, so they just need to sit back, relax, and watch their star rise over the industrial/metal world.

Possibly the Greatest Album Ever
My extremely biased view of Stabbing Westward already shines through in the title of this review. The music on here is just phenomenal. Though SW is just recently gaining the fame they deserve, their original album, Ungod, is still the favorite of most of their long time fans.

Persons new to the group who have purchased a CD on the account of 'What do I have to do?' or 'Save Yourself' should definately give this music a try. The blaring anger of Chris Hall in 'Throw' and the passion he sings with in 'Nothing' and 'ACF' are incomparable to anything else. Also featured on the CD is the skill of Stewart Zemekis before he left to join Robert Patrick in Filter (I hope I got the names right). He adds a new dimension to some of the tracks (such as Ungod) that fans of either band will enjoy.

I would go as far to say that anyone who has a soul should feel something in this music. The band's zeal seems to have slowly faded in each successive album but here in Ungod it is at its zenith. If you only buy one CD in your entire life it should be this one.

-Zilean

Good.
Frequently compared to Nine Inch Nails--who are themselves only a shadow of the true industrial genre cast on the pop world--this band is pop-industrial at best. They're a band for the 13-17 age group who are consumed by self-centered angst.

"Ungod" is unquestionably this band's best release. The quality of their albums has steadily diminished with each release, until finally reaching the abysmal nadir of their self-titled CD, which is utterly unlistenable. Still, their first effort shows some true creativity and a glimmer of the uncompromising, challenging ideal that is industrial.

The rest of the reviewers need to be educated on the definition of 'industrial'. The fact that nobody has ever posted a similar denunciation here is evidence that people who know what industrial is do not listen to this music. Needless to say, you see my comments here because I have a soft spot for this worthy attempt at something big.

Awesome Debut Album
I can't believe I didn't pick up this album until this past summer. It's one of the best debuts I've ever heard. Forget what you've read about Stabbing Westward being another NIN spin-off. They are one of the most unique industrial bands out there. Lead singer Christopher Hall's voice fits in perfectly with the music being played. Give this a listen to and it just might become your favorite SW album. My favorites on this CD are "Control", "Nothing", "ACF", and "Lies".

Something to note: Listen to the chorus of "Ungod" and Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot" and you'll notice the guitar riffs are the same. That's because guitarist Stuart Zechman played in both bands at the time and accidently played the same riff for each song.

Trenty Rez Jr.
Have you ever wanted to listen to Nine Inch Nails but you were overwhelmed by their dark, raw power and overwhelming cd catalogue? A common lament. Look no further. Stabbing Westward is the best way to get into the Industrial genre without being overwhelmed. Chris Hall's haunting voice provided the one thing industrial music had been missing...a strong voice. Don't get me wrong, Trent Reznor has a fabulous voice for screaming and ranting, but Chris Hall combines that raw emotion with actual credible singing. Apart from that, this is an awesome cd within itself. The dark grindy synth mixed with the haphazard rhythm section make for a controlled yet messy experience. The little effects become more and more noticeable with each listen and this cd definetely grows on you. Standout Tracks: Lies, ACF, Lost, Control. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sumptuous, soothing, sensual--the heavenly voices of the Mediaeval Baebes continue to enchant the ears with the group's fourth album. These talented Baebes (and their main composer Katharine Blake) borrow lyrical material from medieval prose and find inspiration in medieval music. While most of The Rose comprises original pieces, it also includes a medieval English composition, a 14th century French traditional song, and an Italian lauda. The hypnotic, dulcet voices of this nine-piece collective are mesmerizing a cappella, especially with their fluency in multiple languages, but some of these songs feature accompaniment from strings, zither, recorder, acoustic guitar, percussion, and other instruments. The Mediaeval Bloakes Choir even turn in a supporting appearance on the sublime "Dringo Bell." Despite their name, the Mediaeval Baebes create timeless music that, for many listeners, may help fill in the gap left by the dearly departed Dead Can Dance. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (25)

excellent cd
As a huge fan of the Baebes I absolutely loved this cd. Their voices are wonderful together despite losing three members who left to cocentrate on other things. All the songs are great with I Am Eve, Slay Me Suddenly, and L'Amour De Moi being my favorites. This cd uses no modern instruments as Undrentide did so fans wanting music in true Baebes form should enjoy this very much. I can't wait to hear more from these talented women.

Feast for the ears!
I was introduced to the Baebes by some friends while we were on a road trip to a wedding. I'm not even sure now which CD it was they had in the car, but the music stayed with me and the name definitely caught my attention!

When my copy of The Rose arrived I cranked it up. It was as if angels had dropped by to sing my spirit into heaven. Their voices were distinctive and harmonious, polished, yet still individual.

My personal favorite cut is #7, "There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu". Maybe it was because I got The Rose around Thanksgiving, or maybe not. Somehow I just think this song would be a wonderful part of a Christmas church service. It's exactly the kind of music I would expect from an angelic host. Simply elegant and hauntingly beautiful.

Another positive aspect of this album is its variety. The cuts range in tempo and style from elegant to lively, providing a musical feast for the ears.

If you are not familiar with medieval music, this would be a wonderful introduction. And if you already enjoy music from centuries past, The Rose is definitely a blossom worth plucking!

I Cried - and in a good way!
There are absolutely no words to describe how beautiful this CD is. It's beyond amazing in every way. Sure, the voices may not be good enough to stand alone - but as a group it comes together perfectly. The music is brilliantly arranged and in some places tries to keep very true to the original Medieval sound (something I appreciate as a history major and freak). It's perfect - hypnotic, beautiful and completely engrossing.
Needless to say, this group is extremely refreshing and deserves MUCH more attention that it gets.

Spiriti
This album contains some of the most hauntingly beautiful music I have ever heard, whimsical, delightful, coy, rousing, romantic, longing and deeply spiritual; the kind of music that makes you hold your breath to listen better - if you can breathe at all. The orchestration is richer than on their previous work, and the unholy combination of The Babes and producer John Cale is at an end, thank God.
If we lived in more civilized times, temples would be build for the muses that inspire these marvellous musicians.

THE BEST
These women are amazing. There music is so haunting and magical. How can you not love them. I've listened to all of their cds and plan on buying them as soon as possible. I just love it. It makes me feel like I'm in a mediaval story. It is so great. And it isn't just for renaisance freaks like myself. I also like rock and punk. This is awesome! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A very good album from a fun band!
These guys have a way of making very basic songs (often just standard blues runs at their core) sound very cool. They do exactly that on much of this self-titled album, which is an unfortunate title in my view. Unless a band is truly capturing its esssence, a self-titled album usually indicates a classic sell-out bid for mainstream popularity and $ (ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN, METALLICA). While that doesn't seem to be the case with LOVE AND ROCKETS, it's certainly not their strongest or most creative album. Still, it's a good listen, despite the fact that certain words have been edited (I abhor all forms of censorship).

The breakdown:

"**** (Jungle Law)" - The sound this song has is actually cooler than the song itself. It's a neo-psychedelic sounding riff souped-up by sampled percussion and a stomping, almost plodding drone. The title stands for the "F" word which is also the name of the main character in the song, apparently a real loser. ***1/2

"No Big Deal" - another basic blues run cranked out with background guitar antics and more fuzz bass. ***1/2

"The Purest Blue" - an art piece featuring multitasker Daniel Ash on sax. Ash takes the lead vocals on the songs he writes, about half of them. Equally versetile partner David J writes and sings on the other half including this one. ***1/2

"Motorcycle" - great rocker propelled by 2 basses, loaded with guitar and bass feedback and a thudding beat full of riding cymbals from drummer Kevin Haskins. Towards the end, guitars evoke a motorcycle from hell accelerating into the stratosphere. ****1/2

"I Feel Speed" - a sort of coda or continuation of "Motocycle" (and the last song on the 1rst side of the original LP), this song is gorgeous and soothing save for the reemergence of the demonic motorcycle. ****1/2

"Bound for Hell" - Probably the most fundamentally blues-based tune on LOVE AND ROCKETS, with David J blowing harp and cool lyrics about, well, going to hell. David J starts out confessing his lack of faith and desire for something to believe in. He then relates a harrowing, darkly comical dream that wakes him with a start and sends him to his knees to pray. ****

"The Teardrop Collector" - a 50s style finger-snapper with a subdued, dreamy quality. Ash lays down those trademark L&R acoustic guitars and overdubs electric guitar and "ghost" keyboards that perfectly portay the rather downer "that's life" sentiment. ****1/2

"So Alive" - A fun classic that deserves the wide airplay it got. Ash sings the words, "I'm alive, so alive" like a 300 year old vampire in need of a blood fix. In contrast, the background singers are angelic. "I wish I could stop/ Switch off the clock/ Make it all happen for you." *****

"Rock N Roll Babylon" - a real switch after "So Alive," this tune is dominated by an acoustic guitar sound that heakens back to SEVENTH DREAM OF TEENAGE HEAVEN. Makes adventurous use of a miniature string section and more great sax from Ash, but seems to end rather abruptly. ****

"No Words No More" - Once again Daniel Ash confesses to being lazy as he did on "Lazy" from EARTH SUN & MOON. It seems to be a personal issue with him. Here he longs for, "No words, no reasons why." The song also illustrates another common L&R theme: a desire for paradise as a blissful, burdenless state. "No Words No More" is a fabulously dreamy song, largely aided by heavily processed vibes played by Kevin Haskins. It's a cool way to close the album. *****

rock and roll masters
a classic worth re-visiting time and time again. Haunting lyrics, swirling guitars and that unmistakable voice. You must see Daniel Ash live!

LOVE AND ROCKETS
THIS MIGHT BE LOVE AND ROCKETS MOST COMMERCIALYY SUCCESFULL ALBUM EVER, BUT PERHAPS NOT THEIR BEST.DESPITE HAVING PRODUCED A TOP TEN HIT (SO ALIVE)THIS IS ALBUM LACKS THE SOLIDNESS AND LYRICAL STRENGTH OF PREVIOUS EFFORTS (EARTH ,SUN AND MOON MOST NOTABLY).ALSO IN PRODUCTION TERMS THERE IS MUCH LEFT TO BE DESIRED.THE SOUND IS OFTEN SLUDGIE AND THE DRUMING NOT VERY RE-SONANT. THERE ARE A FEW NUMBERS THOUGH,THAT SAVE THIS ALBUM FROM BEING A TOTAL CREATIVE-LESS FIASCO MOST NOTICEABLY "MOTORCYCLE" WITH ITS THUNDERING BASS, INFECTOUS RYTHYM, AND BALLS TO THE WALL HEAVY METAL-LIKE ATTITUDE AND THE CLOSING PIECE "NO WORDS" A NICE DISPLAY OF LUSH ATHMOSPHERES AND DANIEL ASH'S SMOOTH VOCAL ARRANGEMENTS.THIS ALBUM IS PERHAPS SERVES AS THE BEST PIECE OF EVIDENCE AS OF WHY DANIEL ASH AND PETER MURPHY DECIDED TO PART WAYS AND BRING BAUHAUS(THEIR PREVIOUS BAND) TO A HALT.THERE IS ABSOLUTLELY NOTHIG REMINESCENT OF ANY BAUHAUS ALBUMS HERE.THIS IS MATERIAL STRICTLY RECOMENDED FOR FANS MORE FOND OF THE BANDS'LIGHTER AND MOST ACCESECIBLE SIDE OR THOSE MORE NOSTALGIC FOR 80'S TOP 40 RADIO.GOTHS PLEASE KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!

Love and Rocks!
Although _Express_ is also a decent entry into the goth canon, this is the only L&R album I own on disc. It's much more well-produced, well-arranged, and doesn't contain nearly as much of the tuneless amateurish nonsense that earmarked Bauhaus and earlier L&R. One moment it rocks with reckless power-chord abandon - "Motorcycle", "Jungle Law" and "Bound For Hell" are almost heavy metal, if they weren't so cold and mechanical - the next moment it's pure soundscapes and bliss. "The Purest Blue" is a beautiful atmospheric cut, more successfully capturing the psychadelic side of this band than anything I have heard from them before or after. There is also the big hit (tm), "So Alive", a fine late-80's entry into the one-hit-wonder canon. The remaining songs the listener may be tempted to overlook because of the intensity of the first half of the album. "Teardrop Collector", "No Words No More" and "Rock n' Roll Babylon" are surprisingly gentle, wistful and sentimental, sometimes they remind me of perhaps The Church or MCA-era Damned, sometimes they approach smoky lounge-jazz.

no flow..no go
This was the one that really let the boys down. After the heights of 7th dream and Express, the previous album Earth,Sun,Moon had hinted that the quality control was beginning to slip. It sounds like a selection of J + ash solo album tracks and they appeared to have little input on each others efforts. This is a shame really since the dual harmonies and interwined songwriting is what made it happen in the first place

So if your looking for a place to start with Love and Rockets avoid this opt for either Express or 7th dream ... Read more

Reviews (82)

WoW
Before I saw Otep on OzzFest's second stage this summer, all I knew about them was that they existed. As soon as I heard them, the next day I ran out and bought 'Sevas Tra'...they are downright amazing. Not only is the singer (also named Otep) extremely hot, but she can SING. Not only can she sing, but she can GROWL...this lady can grown deeper than most men I've heard. And as great as her growl is, the words she growls surpass everything. Otep is truly a poet, as her name would suggest, and crams all her songs with beautiful, devestating lyrics that she sings/screams/growls/raps perfectly. I fail to find a band to compare them to, but most people like to compare them to Kittie, because Otep is a female. If you're going to do that, just know that Otep makes Kittie look like Destiny's Child. Hell, they do that with most male bands. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of music, poetry, or thinking in general.

Whoa! This is the loudest album I've ever heard!
I first heard Otep on the Ozzfest 2001: Second Millennium disc. It had a live performance of "Fillthee". It was the heaviest song on the album, which was surprising since you had Slipknot, Mudvayne, and Hatebreed losing to a band with a female vocalist. But it's true. Otep is the heaviest nu-metal band out there. That's not the only thing they've got going for them. Otep Shamaya (vocals) is also a poet, so she uses a poetic style to her lyrics. This is evident in the free verse tracks, "Emtee" and "Jonestown Tea".

Otep also does some rapping. But this isn't Limp Bizkit we're talking about. This is tolerable stuff. No, this is great stuff, especially in "Battle Ready", "Sacrilege", and "T.R.I.C.".

Otep Shamaya also has a few, um, unresolved issues as a child. She reflects this on the closing track "Jonestown Tea". This is a song that goes pretty deep, like some of Korn's older songs.

That said, here are my "thots" on the songs:

TORTURED - A free verse poem. Has interesting lyrics. Shows a
little bit of Otep's view on certain things. It works
well in opening the album. 3.5/5
BLOOD PIGS - Very heavy, starts off right after "Tortured" ends.
Provides a lot of bass. The lyrics are pretty sweet
"I'm not afraid/AND NOW YOU'RE WALKING AWAY!" 5/5
T.R.I.C. - Here's where the rapping comes in. As I said, this is
enjoyable rap, not Limp Bizkit. Another brutal song. 4.5/5
MY CONFESSION - Sounds kind of like a Tool song with the drums.
More good lyrics:"I'm at an end and there's no way out". 4/5
SACRILEGE - Kind of like "T.R.I.C." but with a chorus. Shows
Otep's views on religion. Again, very heavy. 4.5/5
BATTLE READY - A very fast, heavy song. I love this one. It
reminds me of an action scene in a war movie. Second heaviest
song on the album. 5/5
EMTEE - Starts off shaky but gets better. A very creepy song.
4/5
POSSESSION - Back to brutal. Not exactly sure what some of the
lyrics mean, but it's still cool. 4/5
THOTS - Not much here but a long free verse and an outro that
bleeds into the next track... 2.5/5
FILLTHEE - Awesome! My favorite song here on this album. So
heavy. Otep talks about herself in the third-person narrative.
I think it's about being greedy and letting it get the best of
you. The bridge is really awesome! 6/5
MENOCIDE - My least favorite song on the album (not including
"Tortured" and "Thots"). It starts off really bad I think and
I'm not a big fan of the lyrics. It's not too bad though. 3/5
JONESTOWN TEA - Ahh, the odd one out. This song goes beyond deep.
Otep sounds really mad at some points. The song is long
but I still like it. Good way to end the album 3.5/5

I recommend this to nu-metal fans, esp. fans of Mudvayne, Coal Chamber, Hatebreed and Slipknot. Even Korn fans should love this. But not Limp Bizkit fans (this is just too much for you guys). Get this if you don't have it!

What crap!!
This album is terrible. It is a blatent rip-off of Tura Satana and Manhole...two bands led by Tairrie B. who is a far superior lyricist and vocalist than this Otep chick and thats saying a lot considering I don't even like Tairrie. Don't buy this album unless you are still living in a nu-metal bubble.

For fans of females in extreme music I recommend Thorr's Hammer, The Wage of Sin, Walls of Jericho, Crisis, Yellow Machinegun, Damad and Demonic Christ over this pseudo-intellectual, pretentious loser.

brutal, and fresh
This girls sings like the devil, totally angry, totally awsome. Too bad their new album is not as good

OTEP JIHAD
AFTER SEEING THE OTEP VIDEO, I NOW KNOW WHO THE BAND SCHEER WAS REFERING TO IN THEIR SONG WISH YOU WERE DEAD. THE BAND OTEP!!!

WHY IS IT THAT ALL THE SO CALLED POLITICALLY THINKING BANDS ARE ALWAYS SO ULTRA LIBERAL. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A REMAKE OF THE CURES SONG "KILLING AN ARAB" DONE BY SOME OF THE BETTER BLACK METAL BANDS.i.e. CRADLE OF FILTH , DIMMU BORGIR, MAYHEM , DARKTHRONE. PERHAPS EVEN TURBONEGRO OR ELECTRIC SIX OR MORRISSEY.
MORRISSEY WOULD MOST LIKELY DO THE BEST JOB. HIS NEW CD RULES. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Making Sabbath Proud!
Finally, a Sabbath tribute album that does the original band justice! I don't think there could've been a better collection of bands on this album. The opening track (After Forever) by Biohazard is crushingly brutal compared to Sabbath's original version; and that's saying ALOT. Megadeth's version of "Paranoid" is great, and Dave Mustaine's vocals suit the song perfectly. The two highlights of the album however, are Sepultura's brutal rendition of "Symptom of the Universe" and Type O Negative's take on "Black Sabbath". Max Cavalera and Co. turn "Symptom" into one of the hardest hitting songs ever; it just goes to show how damn good Sabbath would've sounded if they were reborn today. Type O Negative's version of "Black Sabbath" is reason enough to buy the album though. The first half of the song is turned into a slow, gothic rumble; as the original speed is slowed WAY down from the original Sabbath track. In the outro of the song, they launch into the "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" classic, "Killing Yourself To Live"; and when they jump into that riff, the heaviness reaches it's maximum point! And just when you think they're done blending Sabbath classics, the organs start playing the theme from "Fairies Wear Boots" while the rhythm section is still pounding on "Killing Yourself To Live"! That basic song idea pretty much sums up the idea of this album; paying homage to your heroes, and taking it to a whole new level of excellence!

Excellent Tribute
Having listened to the original versions of all the songs on this album many times, I must say every band has done Sabbath justice on this Tribute CD. In my opinion Black Sabbath by Type O Negative is an amazing rendition of the orginal, infact I think it's even better. One person said Sabbath doesn't sound good in "goth". Well in my opinion the song Black Sabbath is the premier Gothic Song and who better to cover it then todays premier Gothic Band. I love hearing Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford sing "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath, and "The Wizard", It's really cool to hear these other metal "gods" sing Sabbath songs. My only complaint is in the linear notes of the CD the person who put this CD together said something like we could had enough bands doing Sabbath songs we could have had a two CD set. Well, why didn't you then, I would have loved to have heard Metallica, or Pantera or other similar bands do a song for this CD. Especially since Metallica has done Sabra Cadabra and Pantera has done Planet Caravan, on there own CD's. Both songs being excellent covers of course. And why arn't there any songs past the Sabatoge Album. Songs from DIO's albums or there other stuff would have been great on this CD. But, anyways all in all it's an amazing CD that Sabbath and non-Sabbath fans(are there any non Sabbath fans out there?) should buy.

MUCH better than N.I.B. II
Black Sabbath are often considered to be the first true heavy metal band, so it's no real surprise that many modern hard rock artists wanted to pay homage to them. And what better way to do it than with a tribute album? In 1994, this tribute was released. Read on to see how it measures up.

1. After Forever - Biohazard
A popular modern band takes this Sabbath classic and redoes it with excellent results.

2. Children of the Grave - White Zombie
I'm not a huge fan of White Zombie, but they're version of this Sabbath classic is a VERY good one, and it's no surprise this became the most popular cover song on the album.

3. Paranoid - Megadeth
Megadeth is one of my favorite metal bands, and when one of my favorite metal bands covers another one of my favorite metal bands, the results can ONLY be good.

4. Supernaut - 1000 Homo DJ's
This is a band that was thrown together exclusively for this tribute. Their version of this song is pretty good, too.

5. Iron Man - Ozzy Osbourne with Therapy
I don't really see why Ozzy needed to play on his own tribute, but still, this is an excellent rendition of the Sabbath classic.

6. Lord of This World - Corrosion of Conformity
A popular modern hard rock band takes this Sabbath classic and redoes it with excellent results.

7. Symptom of the Universe - Sepultura
A modern metal band breathes new life into an old favorite. Bravo, Sepultura.

8. Wizard - Bullring Brummies

Yuck. I was expecting A LOT more from a track that had Rob Halford, Bill Ward, and Terence "Geezer" Butler. The song completely loses its bluesy charm here.

9. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Bruce Dickinson with Godspeed
They don't call Bruce Dickinson a metal god for nothing. His vocals are unsurpassable by any heavy metal singer, and here it shows.

10. N.I.B. - Ugly Kid Joe
I'd never heard of Ugly Kid Joe before I listened to this tribute, but I must say, this is a GREAT version of this song.

11. War Pigs [Live] - Faith No More
Many pass Faith No More off as a one-hit wonder due to the smash success of their (appropriately-titled) Epic, but truth be told, their version of War Pigs is even BETTER than the song often referred to as their lone hit!

12. Black Sabbath (From the Satanic Perspective) - Type O Negative
Huh? Type O Negative slowed down this song too much, and their singer sings in a very monotone voice. It's almost like he's reciting a poem and not singing at all.

All in all, this is an excellent tribute, way better than the godawful N.I.B. II that followed it. All of the artists who play on here are hard rock/heavy metal arists, unlike the sequel which contained rap-rockers, and even a dedicated rapper (Busta Rhymes!) If you only get one N.I.B. CD, make it this one.

Not Perfect, but very close to it!
Being a huge Sabbath fan, I looked forward to my purchase of the Nativity in Black Tribute CD, and I have not regretted my purchase. With all CD's, there are excellent tracks, and there are abysmal tracks. Fortunately this album contains much more excellent tracks than abysmal ones. Here is a quick review of the tracks on the CD, and my opinion.

1.) Biohazard-After Forever (9/10): A great opener in my opinion of a very underrated Sabbath song. The guitar work is great, just like the original with a "modern" touch.

2.) White Zombie-"Children of the Grave (9/10):" Great remake of a classic Sabbath song. The little voice overs in here, although they seem to make little sense, give this song the haunting mood it needs while still maintaining it's metal groove.

3.) Megadeth- "Paranoid (10/10):" A great metal band which knows how to cover another great metal band, which is what all the tracks need. Guitar solo in the middle is excellent, and helps earn this track as one of my favorites on the album

4.) 1000 Homo DJ's "Supernaut (10/10):" This is another perfect track. The "advertisement" in the beginning is classic, in my opinon the best part of the track.

5.) Therapy? with Ozzy "Iron Man (9/10):" Almost identical to the original due to ozzy's vocals, but in a faster groove, which makes this track great.

6.) Corrosion of Conformity "Lord of this World (8/10):" Before listening to this track, I didn't really like Lorof this World, but this track was good enough for me to give Sabbath's version a chance.

7.) Sepultura "Symptom of the Universe (4/10):" This is one of the abysmal tracks I was talking about. The riffs and drums are OK, but the vocals are death metal like. This track should have been put on Hell Rules as it is more so death metal lyrics.

8.) Bullring Brummies "The Wizard (10/10):" This group consists of Bill Ward and Geezer Butler, original Sabbath members, and Rob Halford, along with a guitarist who I cannot remember the name of. Since Butler and Ward are the rhythm section for the band, it is no surprise that this song is one of the album's centerpieces.

9.) Godspeed with Bruce Dickinson "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (9/10):" Excellent remake of my favorite Sabbath song. The only problem would be the solo, which was nothing like the original, one of my favorite solos. Regardless of this however, this is a great track that is a must listen.

10.) Ugly Kid Joe "NIB (9/10):" This is my second favorite version of NIB aside from Primus' cover. A slightly diferent touch on the guitar riffs gives this song a new sound while maintaining its old feel. Good track.

11.) Faith No More (War Pigs (LIVE) (6/10):" An average track. While not abysmal, it is far from perfect. The voclas could use a little help too. Perhaps if it was a studio track t would have been better.

12.) Type O Negative "Black Sabbath (3/10):" The lyrics here are all death metal like. A bad way to end the CD. After all the perfect and near perfect tracks, the album ends with a horrible cover of a classic Sabbath song.

Overall, the album is a must buy for all Sabbath fans. While there are a few bad tracks here, there isn't enough to not purchase this otherwise excellent tribute album.

good tribute
I'm normally not really interested in tributes, but this one is actually pretty good. I never do song-by-song reviews, but here I'll make an exception, since there's so many different bands.

1. Biohazard, "After Forever" - Cool cover. Biohazard's a pretty good band, and they put their own spin on it quite nicely. I like.

2. White Zombie, "Children of the Grave" - Yeah! One of the best on here. It's just too awesome. Proof that Rob actually did make good music at one time.

3. Megadeth, "Paranoid" - At this point, I'm gasping for breath. This is another favorite. Dave like triples the speed of the solo. Yow!

4. 1000 Homo DJ's, "Supernaut" - Who is this band? I heard somewhere it was Trent Reznor, but it doesn't sound like it. The worst of the album, for sure.

5. Ozzy/Therapy, "Iron Man" - It's good, but not really much different from the original. Why is Ozzy singing on his own tribute?

6. COC, "Lord of this World" - COC! Sludge-tastic rendition of this underrated classic.

7. Sepultura, "Symptom of the Universe" - Eh, it's ok. Sepultura has seen better days.

8. Bullring Brummies, "The Wizard" - You may ask yourself, "Who are these guys?". Well, it's none other than Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi singing with...Rob Halford! Too sweet.

9. Bruce Dickinson/Godspeed, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" - THE best on here without a doubt. Bruce is God! I wish he had his regular band with him, though. Oh well, this one works.

10. Ugly Kid Joe, "NIB" - I never cared much for Ugly Kid Joe, but this song is pretty good.

11. Faith No More, "War Pigs" - I love Faith No More, I love "War Pigs", I HATE this version. It's really terrible. The studio version is good, but the live one is almost an insult. What were you thinking, Mike?

12. Type O Negative, "Black Sabbath" - Whoa! This is creepy! Pete Steele's deep, ethereal vocals make this song 1000 times scarier than it ever was before. Very, very cool.

Get this tribute if you like Sabbath, and most of the bands on here. I think it's much better than NIB2, which I won't even bother with. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

better than the best, harder than the rest .....
After the somewhat disappointing comeback album, 'Attak', Sascha has reformed and re-tightened KMFDM yet again. The results are a very cohesive, progressive, and HEAVY album. While most people found Attak to be a fairly satisfying CD, it was no where near the quality of previous KMFDM classics. Make no mistake, WWIII is right up there with Nihil, Xtort, Money, Symbols, etc .... Tim Skold is gone and the musicianship is tighter (finally, some quality guitar work again!) and Sascha's innovative work with synths/electronics fits perfectly over the heavy beats and guitars. This is an album that demands repeated listening. Tracks such as WWIII, Jihad, Last Things, Pity for the Pious, and Stars & Stripes will make you realize how solid and focused this effort is. On top of that, the overall mood of anti-war and protest on this album gives it a sense of urgency that makes it so relevant in these messed up time we live in. So .. buy this album!!!

Ah, Finally
At last, a new album in the vein of Nihil and Xtort. Really, truly in that vein, and not just close enough to make a stretch. The tracks are fast enough to remind me of Xtort's "Son Of A Gun", but at the same time they maintain the heavy but focused sound that characterized Nihil's "Ultra", "Flesh", and "Beast".

Even still, there's a bit of everything. "Jihad" has the slow feel of "Yohoho", and "Pity For The Pious" is as noisy and depraved as somthing you might expect from Pig. "From Here On Out" and "Last Things" feature Lucia's vocals and call to mind "Hydroelectric" or "Superhero", but both are faster and meaner. Notably absent is Tim Skold, but some might consider that a plus (personally, I prefer vocals by Konietzko or Watts, which this album has in spades).

The barbs for Mr. Bush are going to irritate some people, but hey, KMFDM has never been in the business of sucking up.

It's hard to top first love, but WWIII meets or exceeds my longstanding favorite Nihil. If you consider Nihil or Xtort to be KMFDM's highwater mark, check this one out. Those who enjoyed MDFMK or Attak will also not be disappointed.