Stinkers of 2014

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Starting the ball rolling with Primal Fear: Delivering the Black. It delivered a stale, rehash of previous material.

 

[Diabolik]

hhhmmmm I have been more careful with what I buy now so I have less stinkers. I passed on the new Cloven Hoof CD. The songs sampled were way too modern metal sounding. Will have to think on what I got this year that was a let down.

 

[Element_man]

I have yet to hear anything that I've out and out HATED, but there were more than a few boring albums and others that got stale after a few listens, I'll have to cruise my library.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Gamma Ray: Empires of the Undead. I don't mind latter day GR (Real World!) but this sadly is filler. 2-3 good songs of which 1 was previously released.

 

[Diabolik]

Gamma Ray: Empires of the Undead. I don't mind latter day GR (Real World!) but this sadly is filler. 2-3 good songs of which 1 was previously released.

I thought this one was way better than the past few. Those last couple were painful to get through. So much lackluster song writing and just going through the motions.

It as a really strong year for power metal releases actually.

 

[DMR]

Gamma Ray: Empires of the Undead. I don't mind latter day GR (Real World!) but this sadly is filler. 2-3 good songs of which 1 was previously released.

I hate to say it but you're right. It really sucks because they're my favorite band. Ever since they signed with Ear Music they've sucked balls. Although if you took the best songs from the last two albums and recorded them without ultra-shitty ultra-modern production (and without Michael Kiske), you'd have a killer CD.

 

[modernwizardry]

I actually thought that Empire of the Undead was weaker than To The Metal. I still enjoy because it's Gamma Ray and for me Gamma Ray at the worst is still better than most.

I thought the new Primal Fear was excellent! There best since the first couple albums.

As for let downs...I would say I was really looking forward to the Mausoleum Gate album but really could not get into it at all. I do plan on revisiting that one soon.

 

[Element_man]

Oh! Oh! The latest Steel Prophet record kinda fuckin sucked

 

[Jasonic]

While I wouldnt go so far as calling them stinkers, I was a bit let down by both the new High Spirits (sorry, I know you get lynched around here for saying anything negative about them) and the Doomocracy. I have warmed a little bit to the Doomocracy with repeated listenings. Tried the HS again a few weeks back and still couldnt get into it.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

While I wouldnt go so far as calling them stinkers, I was a bit let down by both the new High Spirits (sorry, I know you get lynched around here for saying anything negative about them) and the Doomocracy. I have warmed a little bit to the Doomocracy with repeated listenings. Tried the HS again a few weeks back and still couldnt get into it.

Not at all. The High Spirits follow up was indeed a stinker. A stinker of Volbeat proportions.

 

[Jasonic]

Not at all. The High Spirits follow up was indeed a stinker. A stinker of Volbeat proportions.

Just being more of the same HS is still 100000X better than Volbeat

 

[modernwizardry]

If you don't like High Spirits you pretty much don't like having fun.

 

[Diabolik]

If you don't like High Spirits you pretty much don't like having fun.

I have to agree with this statement.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

If you don't like High Spirits you pretty much don't like having fun.

When did HS become Andrew WK?

 

[Keir]

Just being more of the same HS is still 100000X better than Volbeat

If you don't like High Spirits you pretty much don't like having fun.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Panzer: Send Them All to Hell. It has its moments but overall it's biggest sin is that it doesn't. Safe, predictable & generic. Competently derivative. This will be a one off project.

 

[J. Golden]

Ok I don't really get the Volbeat haters, personally I believe all the haters are just the goobers who think they are to cool for school and "I can't like a popular band" or whatever your lame hip undercred requires. But Volbeat is a good and extremely catchy band and every fuckin hater would love that band if they didn't sell albums, were on a small indie label, and had some other hip kvlt underground douch saying they were all that.
In short guys Volbeat IS a good band. But hey maybe one day they will release an album of generic metal with cliche titles and subject matter, all packaged behind a shit album cover so they can win the affections of "cool" metal heads.
I think the same kind of goes for High Spirits; they ARE a great fuckin band hands down. Sure the songs are all written and structured in this "realism philosophy i.e. AC/DC, Motorhead, Bad Religion) but obviously the approach works. Simpistic perhaps, but goddamn catchy and fun.
I can't help but to think that maybe some have issues against this band because they are getting popular (outside of their area) and of course when that happens there always has to be negativity from the peanut gallery.
And I would dare say (from what I have heard) High Spirits is hands down the best band coming out of Chicago - I understand too that their shows even prove that.
The three releases I have I think are great, like a metallic Bad Religion. Although I do like the demo version of the song High Spirits better than the version on the last album - the harmonies on the demo take are great.

 

[Jasonic]

I like High Spirits. I just have found each demo (including the 2013 one) to be more enjoyable than the full lengths.

 

[Vegetaman]

I thought the new High Spirits album was quite good, I just felt that the only thing against it was that the recording quality isn't the same as Another Night.

I didn't get many "new" (2014) albums this year, so no stinkers for me to list. Unless Lee reminds me of something.

 

[J. Golden]

I like High Spirits. I just have found each demo (including the 2013 one) to be more enjoyable than the full lengths.

I did like the first to CDs better than the new one. Still I dig the new one as well.