Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Trivium, Transistor Transistor, and Testament

Testament - The Formation of Damnation: Remind me again why Testament was never as big as "The Big 4" of thrash? Because musically, they are just as thrash-tastic. And Chuck Billy is probably a better vocalist than Jaymz, Mega-Dave or whoever happened to be singing for Anthrax. This is the first Testament album I have heard front to back and since I own all the albums by Metallica (except Some Kind of Monster), Megadeth (studio anyway), Slayer (I might be missing an EP) and Anthrax ( I think), I should probably start working my way through their back catalogue. Horns up!

Transistor Transistor - Ruined Lives: When I first started listening to this I was kind of wishy-washy about it. But when I was driving home, as soon as I got the slightest but pissed off (gas pedal is on the right, fuckwad!) it clicked. Now, whether it was coincidence that the album got good at that moment, or if I just had to be in the right mindset, I won't know until I listen to it again. And I will be listening to it again as it impressed me enough that is just might make my (not so) short list for Top Albums of 2008. It's a band I could see myself in. The vocals are adequately pissed off and the riffing is simplistically punk-derived enough that I could actually play it. Horns up!

Trivium - Shogun: Good rebound album. Their last album (name escapes me at the moment) was a step backwards. It was technically good but vocally plagiaristic and lyrically silly. Trivium have seemed to have matured on Shogun. The aggression is back in the vocals and the guitars are shred-erific. It's a tight, tight album. Did Jason Scuecof produce again? Matt Heafy and Co.should be a force for years to come. Horns up.

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