This text file contains the music reviews I wrote a long time ago. I have no intentions to write anymore at this point, but I felt that these reviews shouldn't be thrown away completely. So, here they are in this text file. Ratings are out of five. For copyright reasons, I do not want these distributed in any way without my approval beforehand. - GBH - from HERE to REALITY - Megadeth - Cryptic Writings - Megadeth - So Far, So Good ... So Whaat! - My Dying Bride - Trinity - Rancid - s/t (1993) - Slayer - Hell Awaits - Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Cartooon Theme Songs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- GBH - from HERE to REALITY Best Songs: New Decade; Trust Me I'm a Doctor; The Old School of Self-Destruction; Destroy; Moonshine Song Worst Songs: Mass Production; Just in Time for the Epilogue Comments: One of my friends thought I'd like this old school (?) thrash/punk band, and I do! I also heard that Slayer was going to do a cover for their Undisputed Attitude album, though the song didn't make it on the American version (bastards). Anyway, these guys can rip! Considering Slayer, it was everything I expected: good, hard, fast rifs with pretty cool lyrics. The major surprise on the album was Moonshine Song. This song is done in the style of a country-western-type song, but makes fun of the stereotypical southern hick. The fiddle is done, I believe, on the guitars on their highest notes possible (since they don't give credit to any fiddle or violin players), which I thought was really cool. It seems to me that the mixing on the album could have been done MUCH better than it had been. Many times the guitar seems, umm, well, not emphasized enough. To me, the guitar should be the main focus to the song (well, until the lyrics come in, then it's an even mixture of both). It probably sounds much better live. Rating: 3 Track List: 1. New Decade 2. Trust Me I'm a Doctor 3. B.M.T. 4. Mass Production 5. The Old-School of Self-Destruction 6. You Don't Do Enough 7. From Here to Reality 8. Dirty Too Long 9. Destroy 10. Just in Time for the Epilogue 11. Don't Leave Your Honey Down the Pits 12. Moonshine Song -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Megadeth - Cryptic Writings Best Songs: Use the Man; Mastermind; the Disintegrators; Have Cool, Will Travel; She-wolf; FFF. Worst Songs: I'll Get Even Comments: Not one of their best albums, but has some good songs and a couple of great ones. Their best ones on this one are definitely "The Disintegrators", "She-Wolf", "Mastermind", and "Have Cool, Will Travel". These are a little more reminiscent of the older Megadeth we all know and love, although some of the lyrics might seem a bit cheesy. They at least keep their heavier side along while they experiment with some different sounds and styles. A Secret Place is definitely an interesting song, using an eastern-type guitar sound (or a synthesizer to simulate it). It's definitely a break from traditional Megadeth classics, but is a good song. FFF (Fight For Freedom) has a punkish feel to it. Overall, a good album. Rating: 3 Track List: 1. Trust 2. Almost Honest 3. Use the Man 4. Mastermind 5. The Disintegrators 6. I'll Get Even 7. Sin 8. A Secret Place 9. Have Cool, Will Travel 10. She-Wolf 11. Vortex 12. FFF -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Megadeth - So Far, So Good ... So What! Best Songs: Into the Lungs of Hell; Set the World Afire; Mary Jane; In My Darkest Hour; Hook in Mouth. Worst Songs: Aren't any. Comments: Definitely one of the four "must-have"s for a person's Megadeth collection (with Killing is my Business ... and Business is Good!, Peace Sells, But Who's Buying?, and Rust in Peace). Their third release (between PSBWB and RiP), SFSGSW starts out with a cool little instrumental ("Into the Lungs of Hell") and, with the aid of a clip of an old song, morphs into "Set the World Afire". Not really a "speed metal" track, "Set the World Afire" nonetheless sets the pace of the album into a full album of great metal songs. The only track that almost prevents this album from getting a full five "eighth notes" is their cover of the Sex Pistol's "Anarchy in the U.K.". Although I'm a Sex Pistol fan, this song just gets beaten to death by so many bands, and hearing it from more than just the Sex Pistols just gets boring. Although the general attitude of the album is still continued with this cover song, it really doesn't seem to belong. Another note: although this album came after PSBWB, the quality of the recording (either the recording itself or the mixing; I don't really know which from listening to it) is not the best. This doesn't detract from the greatness of this album, but, in some senses, actually adds come coolness to it. I think this is why many Megadeth fans do not like this album much, which is a pity since they're missing out on a truly good album. The sheer emotion in songs like "In My Darkest Hour" (a song about a lonely, heartbroken man who's ready to kill himself) and "Hook in Mouth" (a song against the misnomered PMRC ("People's Music Resource Center") ) are a part of what makes this album great. Rating: 5 Track List: 1. Into the Lungs of Hell 2. Set the World Afire 3. Anarchy in the U.K. 4. Mary Jane 5. 502 6. In My Darkest Hour 7. Liar 8. Hook in Mouth -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- My Dying Bride - Trinity Best Songs: God is Alone, Le Cerf Malade, Gather Me Up Forever, I am the Bloody Earth Worst Songs: aren't any, really Comments: This is a compilation of three out-of-print singles the band put out: "Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium", "The Thrash of Naked Limbs", and "I am the Bloody Earth".  This album starts off with a trademark My Dying Bride sound: the sound of a soulful violin sobbing on its own.  The songs on the album change speeds very fluidly, almost like it was all recorded for the purpose of being on this album.  The songs go from a full-on thrash-ish death metal sound (highlighted by "God is Alone", hands-down the best track on the album) to some slow, even minimal moody songs ("Le Cerf Malade" has some synthesizer effects and maybe some percussion and chanting, but no lyrics; meant to be very atmospheric I think).  This album certainly seems to give the listener a taste of both flavors of My Dying Bride. I cannot really say that any songs on there are really that bad.  The others are fairly average or just don't do a whole lot for me.  This album does contain a remixed version of the My Dying Bride classic "The Crown of Sympathy", which was hardly changed from the "Turn Loose the Swans" version (or did the version here appear first? Some stuff was added to the beginning, and some of Aaron's vocals sound different).  The version of "The Sexuality of Bereavement" is the exact same one that appears on the US version of "The Angel and the Dark River." Rating: 4 Track List: 1. Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium 2. God is Alone 3. De Sade Soliloquay 4. The Thrash of Naked Limbs 5. Le Cerf Malade 6. Gather Me Up Forever 7. I am the Bloody Earth 8. The Crown of Sympathy (remix) 9. The Sexuality of Bereavement -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Rancid - s/t (1993) Best Songs: Hyena, Detroit, Animosity, The Bottle, Get Out of My Way. Worst Songs: None of them. Comments: Of my rather limited selection of punk, this is certainly one of my very favorites in the genre, and my favorite Rancid album, hands down.  Back when Rancid was just a three-piece band (before Lars Frederiksen joined them for "Let's Go") with Tim "Lint, the King of Ska" Armstrong doing nearly all the lead singing and all the guitar work.  Rougher and less polished than its successors, this album has one thing the other albums lack: attitude.  Tim's emotion-filled shouts take possibly-meaningless (to the listener) lyrics and gives them life.  This becomes apparent the most when the lyrics become unintelligible.  Also, if I recall correctly, Matt Freeman had said in an interview that he and Tim had written some of these songs to keep Tim going when things were rough.  This must be the source of emotions that Tim draws on when he recorded his vocal tracks. I simply cannot forget the instrumentals.  Matt's bass lines are just amazing, which isn't a surprise given his track record (see my review on Operation Ivy's album, coming here soon).  Matt's bass is clear and precise, and instead of hiding in the background or behind a wall of guitarwork, it becomes an integral part of the framework of the songs (see "Detroit" for an excellent example, or "Adina", where he also sings).  Brett Reed's (no relation) drumming is simple yet appropriate, and, at times, a little thing helps to set the tone and energy in a song (see the snare roll in the beginning section of "Detroit".  Yeah, so I love that song; sue me.)  Tim's guitar work seems to get lost in some of the songs (e.g. "Rats in the Hallway"), which is a shame given some of the other songs on the album (e.g. "Animosity", which is very crisp and raw, perfect for the mood of the album). A definite "Must Get" if you love punk (I think some people call it "street punk"). See ya in the pit! Rating: 5 Track list: 1. Adina  2. Hyena  3. Detroit  4. Rats in the Hallway  5. Another Night  6. Animosity  7. Outta My Mind  8. Whirlwind  9. Rejected 10. Injury 11. The Bottle 12. Trenches 13. Holiday Sunrise 14. Unwritten Rules 15. * Cold Concrete 16. Get Out of My Way * = unlisted track -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Slayer - Hell Awaits Best songs: Hell Awaits, Kill Again, At Dawn They Sleep Worst songs: Didn't notice any. Comments: The third Slayer album I bought (after Show No Mercy w/ the three tracks from the Haunting the Chapel e.p.; and Undisputed Attitude). I just love the first three songs, especially At Dawn They Sleep, because it's heavy, fast, and slightly melodic. Also, I love the vampire theme to it. The song reminds me of Tormentor from Show No Mercy in that it begins somewhat disorganized and off-tune, then breaks right into the main rhythm of the song. The rest of the songs didn't really make any impression on me one way or another. Rating: 4 Track List: 1. Hell Awaits 2. Kill Again 3. At Dawn They Sleep 4. Praise of Death 5. Necrophiliac 6. Crypts of Eternity 7. Hardening of the Arteries -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Cartoon Theme Songs Best songs: Tom and Jerry, Mighty Mouse, Fractured Fairy Tales, Peabody's Improbable History, Rocky & Bullwinkle Show, Underdog, Peanuts, George of the Jungle, Super Chicken, Speed Racer, Dastardly & Muttley ("Stop that Pigeon!"), Scooby Doo, The Simpsons, Merrie Melodies. Worst Songs: Woody Woodpecker Comments: A great collection, and great for the price (got it for $12.99 at Tower). I haven't actually listened to all of them since most of the shows I never watched. The version of the Woody Woodpecker theme song just seemed rather stupid to me, mostly because it had nothing to do with the actual cartoon. But other than that, it features the best versions of each show. Only down side is that I got bored of it rather quickly. Rating: 5 Track List: 1. Popeye the Sailor 2. Tom and Jerry 3. The Woody Woodpecker Show 4. Mighty Mouse 5. Casper, the Friendly Ghost 6. Howdy Doody 7. Ruff & Ready 8. Huckleberry Hound 9. Quick-Draw McGraw 10. Fractured Fairy Tales 11. Peabody's Improbable History 12. The Flintstones 13. Felix the Cat 14. Yogi Bear 15. Snagglepuss 16. The Bullwinkle Show 17. Dudley Do-Right 18. The Alvin Show Theme 19. Beany and Cecil 20. Wally Gator 21. Lippy the Lion & Hardy Har Har 22. The Jetsons 23. Top Cat 24. Magilla Gorilla 25. Jonny Quest 26. Underdog 27. The Pink Panther Theme 28. Peanuts ("Linus & Lucy") 29. Gigantor 30. Space Ghost 31. The New Adventures of Superman 32. The Atom Ant Show 33. The Secret Squirrel Show 34. George of the Jungle 35. Super Chicken 36. Spiderman 37. Speed Racer 38. The Banana Splits Adventure Hour 39. Dastardly & Muttley ("Stop that Pigeon!") 40. Josie & the Pussycats 41. Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm 42. The New Scooby Doo Movies 43. Conjunction Junction 44. The Simpsons 45. Captain Planet 46. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 47. Rugrats 48. The Ren and Stimpy Show 49. Animaniacs 50. Merrie Melodies Closing Theme -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-