Out of all of the Contaminated sampler CDs, Volume 5.0 is in my opinion the best, not only does this 2 CD album cover everything that Relapse Records has to offer, it has some of the classic songs on there.
I shall give my brief opinion on all of the songs on each of the two discs and then give my final opinion.
Disc: 1
1. Motor-Ready - Alabama Thunder Pussy
Never really got into this band, but I would say this is one of my favourite tracks by them, the vocals are almost nu-metal which is a bit crap, but the music itself is very good, beefy metal. Overall an enjoyable song
2. March of the Fire Ants - Mastodon
Ahh Mastodon, what a band, and this song gives the listener a fair view of thier work, good drum work, nice build up to the song and as per usual excellent lyrics, all and all an amazing song.
3. Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom - Burnt by the Sun
My opinion of Burnt by the Sun is always changing, I like thier lyrical style and most of thier stuff, but some of the songs are too weak and generic for my tastes, this, unfortunatly is one of those songs, good noisecore sound but very similair to too many bands out now.
4. Body Destroyed, Brain Intact - Dysrhythmia
Listening to this album was the first time I had ever heard of this band let alone heard thier stuff, cannot comment on the rest of thier work as this is the only thing I have heard, but I like it, the sorta groovy breakdowns throughout and good guitarwork, no lyrics in this song, so can't really comment on them!
5. Destro's Secret [Live] - The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dillinger Escape Plan are one of my favourite bands, and although this isn't one of thier classic songs, it is still a brillaint example of thier work, Noisecore at its finest! Fast paced guitarwork and mind blowing vocals, everyone should love this band!
6. Hung, Drawn and Quartered - High on Fire
I love the drums at the start of this song, not something I would really pick out about High on Fire, another pretty generic band in my opinion, but this song has a sort of darkness which I very much enjoy. The vocals on this track sound like Lemmy with a sore throat.
7. Warm Hands, Cold Heart - 27
Another band I hadn't heard of until I bought this compilation album, to be honest, I wouldn't have been that fused if I had never had heard of this band, nothing special at all on display on this track, it is a kinda Doomy track, and although the vocals aren't terrible it just seems out of place on this album and really brings nothing to it.
8. Sarcophagus - Nile
The elitests amoung you will say that Nile used to be alot better, and this is true, they did, but this offering does them proud in my opinion, brilliant vocals almost grindcore in style. And infact although Nile are very much Death Metal, this song is very slow Grindcoreish - much like some of Napalm Deaths work, brilliant stuff.
9. Tide - Neurosis
Half way into the first CD and we hit the second slow song on the album, I much prefere this track to "27s" offering, this song is much more chilled out and dark, maybe not a stand out song on Neurosis' song list, but certainly good none the less, very depressing. Excellent.
10. Silence of the Setting Sun - Amber Asylum
The drum beat in this reminds me very much like a battle drum, and I guess the lyrical content reflects that somewhat, I do not know much about this band and to be honest what I have heard isn't great, very slow which isn't a bad thing and the operatic vocal stylings are refreshing, but as a whole there are alot more songs in this styling that are better.
11. I Wait - Daylight Dies
A good jump around song now from Daylight Dies. Love the vocals in this song, fits the music perfectly, no matter how hard I try this is one style of vocals I can never seem to master! Nice medium paced song, well worth a listen.
12. Single-Sided - Alchemist
I had heard alot of good things about this band but I have never actually listened to them to any great extent, first impressions of this track where that this band where obviously AFI clones, but when the haunting lyrics came in, I knew they where something better. Excellent solo and some harsh-as-fuck lyrics. An almost epic track from a band that everyone should check out.
13. Mapplethorpe Grey - Pig Destroyer
What can you say about Pig Destroyer, amazing punky Grindcore its dirty, its probably infected but you know you want to touch it. This is how Grindcore is meant to be. Not one of thier most well known songs, but certainly worth a listen.
14. Keefmaster - Bongzilla
Ahh can't go wrong with Bongzilla, good Stoner Rock, just sit back, relax and headbang to your hearts content, this song is an excellent representation of thier work, beefy and laid back. Don't take this band too seriously, they are in it for the laughs!
15. Forever My Queen - Pentagram
I really hate this song, and this band. I can't understand why anyone can like them, they are just uninteresting, and this song is just so them, terrible, the only saving grace is the guitarwork, which I enjoy, very old school.
16. Crooked - Today Is the Day
Use this song to clean your ears out after listening to the abonimation before hand. Today Is The Day are a genre to themselves Noisier than the Noisest of Noisecore and with a completly unique sound, very refreshing to hear, and this song is very representative of thier work as a whole.
17. We Are Born of Hate - Genocide Superstars
An all round generic sounding song from an unoriginal band, a big let down to this CD. Nothing really more I can say about this song but avoid!
18. Rise - Halo
I like this song alot, I don't really know why, there is nothing overally impressive about the band Halo or this song, but everything for my money works, well worth the listen!
Disc: 2
1. Funeral Inception - Suffocation
This is perhaps my favourite Death Metal song of all time, and is well deserving of a place on this CD, wow! Excellent sample at the start, emense drumming and the lyrics! Jesus the lyrics, I know I am just gushing more than reviewing but this song is just amazing, you have to listen to it to understand, this is what I want at my funeral. From this track alone I dub the second CD far superiorer than the first.
2. Portal - Origin
If that last song wasn't enough for you, get a load of this track, so angry and with a beat you can't help but move to this song although unknown to me before buying this CD jumped up to one of my favourite Death Metal tracks ever, the lyrics are sublime and the music accompanies them well.
3. 666 Casualties - Regurgitate
Another band I hadn't heard of until I bought this album, and I feel I am a better person for knowing of them, wow, this stuff is heavy and dirty, you can almost imagine rust flying off the guitar as it is pounded, I was in love with this song by the intro alone, then the drums really kick in, and this is the point you know CD 2 is worth the money alone, that not enough for you, listen to the harsh almost Black Metal lyrics, simply put. WOW.
4. Lucid Interval - Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage have always been an under-rated band in my opinion, and this song in my mind is further proof of this, I would challange anyone to fault this song for both technical excellent and vocals/music. The lyric content of this song is not to be overlooked as well, for those of you who cannot understand Death Metal, or deep gutterals, I suggest you look up the lyrics to this song, amazing.
5. Miscreant - Skinless
Pure Metal, Skinless are amazing at what they do, and although what they do is usually short but sweet Grindcore, this is an excellent song, although I feel not exactly the best song to pick to represent thier stuff as a whole, enjoy it, but know they are a million times better than this normally!
6. Boredom Suits Me Fine - Gadget
Any song that has a Fightclub soundclip at the start is onto a winner, then when the insane guitars and vocals come in, you know you've not only one, but you have slayed all competition. I had never heard of this band before this CD and I am very impressed, Noisecore I suppose but very Very well done.
7. Vengeance Unleashed - Dying Fetus
This band, are God, pure and simple, Dying Fetus are one of the most political bands I have heard, and one of the most technically brilliant, and just listen to those gutterals, emense.
8. Her (Inamorata) - End
More Noisecore dished up here from the band "End" didn't know too much about this band, and perhaps it is the abundance of Noisecore on the CD already, but this song doesn't really leap out and punch the crap outta me like the others on CD 2 have, a good attempt though, worth sitting through at least.
9. Horns - Disfear
Yet another band unheard of by me until this album worked its way into my CD collection, very happy sorta jumpy punky sound, something I am not too keen on, a saving grace however is the excellent vocals
10. Dead and Buried - Mortician
Everyone seems to hate this band but me, really good gorey Death Metal / Grindcore if you ask me, and this song is no exception, pretty generic perhaps, but why fix what isn't broken? a good example of thier work and the genre as a whole, punishing drums and excellent lyrics, all backed up by a good old guitar riff.
11. One - East; West Blast Test
37 seconds of crap, it goes nowhere and is wholey unneeded I wonder if they just needed thirtyseven seconds of filler?
12. One Count of Mutiny - Employee Employer
An interesting name for this little known band, good lyrics nice jazzy breakdowns, all in all an excellent song, wish I could say more but I know nothing about this band. The song sounds like a cry for help, like desperation, and I like that.
13. Gagged, Shagged and Bodybagged - Gorerotted
Probably my favourite Gorerotted song, and not just because of the catchy title! This has everything a good Grind song should have, raw instruments, mind blowing vocals, and of course gory lyrical content, fantastic song and deffinatly deserves a place on this CD
14. A.E.P. - Red Harvest
I really like the different layers used in the song, the mixing was done well, its like an apocoliptic dance song mixed in with Death Metal, a kinda bad version of The Berzerker, really refreshingly different, deffinatly an interesting band to listen to, and should be checked out.
15. Kill Theme for American Apeshit - Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Some people love them, some hate them, but either way, they know how to verbally abuse you and kick the shit outta thier instruments, a violent attack on the senses in this song, very them.
16. Vacant Grave - Exhumed
Ahh Exhumed, gods of Grind, again probably thier best work on display here, well worked Grind is hard to come by these days, alot of thought has gone into thier songs, and on this one in particular the work shows.
17. Guilty of Which You Accuse - Benumb
Never heard of this band before, which is a shame because they are good, nothing amazing but very passionate and raw, which I like, one thing I don't like is the punky aspects to it, alot of people will just see this as shouting into the microphone, but I think it deserves a better review than that!
18. Last One in the Noose - Soilent Green
Good tune and excellent lyrics here, sorta bog standard new style Death Metal I think Soilent Green will go far as long as they keep up to the standard that they have set in this song.
19. Ripped off Face - Uphill Battle
I heard off this band only off a forum I posted at a while ago, I heard good things but never bothered myself listening to them until I got this CD, really wish I had picked up thier album before I did as this is amazing stuff, really intense Noisecore and most deffinatly worth a listen, you should also check out thier self titled album, more of the same really, but the same is good!
20. It's Like - Broken Bones
Nice intro to this song, but the goodness ends there, its...its...its PUNK nooooooooo, hate this genre with a passion, don't really know too much about this genre either, so I am not really in the position to say if it is any good or not, sorry.
21. Spoiling of Beauty - Human Remains
Excellent vocals used on this song, very typical of Human Remains in general, I like the little guitar breakdown in the song also breaks it up well, a nice slow pace as well while still keeping the instensity of a more fast song.
22. Iloveitwhenjoepesciswears - Blood Duster
A pretty stupid song name, but a pretty good short song, very very intense and good vocals, infact I really like the vocals in this, very deep without getting gutteral, I love the way it suddenly ends as well, brillaint, well worth listening to this practically unheard of band.
23. Going Nowhere - Nasum
Pure aural attack from Nasum, would you expect any less really? fans of the band may be unimpressed with this offering, but for fans of extreme metal, you will love it, another sudden ending song, class act. Listen with care.
24. Delicious Gory Fun - Hemdale
Generic Grindcore, easily forgetible, infact I forgot thier name and what they where until I listened to it not 20 seconds ago to refresh my memory. I wouldn't recommend them
25. Liars Are Winners - Contrastic
WOW! another new band for me, and another band well worth checking out, Noisecore but not as you know it, the Death Metal vocals go excellently with the more normal vocal stylings of the second (I assume second) vocalist, like the remixing sounds added in, sometimes extra little clips and sounds can be really REALLY annoying, but it works well in this song.
26. Festering Boils - Repulsion
Like the band Hemdale, this is very much a forgetible track, good lyrics is its only real saving grace. The remind me of a bad version of Stormtroopers Of Death, maybe worth checking out if you love the album Speak English Or Die by SOD
27. Money Talks - Cryptic Slaughter
Love the drums, love the guitars, loath the vocals, like the song, and in my opinion not the best way to end a brilliant second disc and the album. The sound is maybe a bit too punky to be great, but the actual music is great.
Overall I really enjoyed listening to this album, and unless you have already heard every band on this then I would really suggest you buy it.
The inlay card tells you what album each track was taken off so if you are looking to expand your CD collection this is a good way to go.
Buy it.
I shall give my brief opinion on all of the songs on each of the two discs and then give my final opinion.
Disc: 1
1. Motor-Ready - Alabama Thunder Pussy
Never really got into this band, but I would say this is one of my favourite tracks by them, the vocals are almost nu-metal which is a bit crap, but the music itself is very good, beefy metal. Overall an enjoyable song
2. March of the Fire Ants - Mastodon
Ahh Mastodon, what a band, and this song gives the listener a fair view of thier work, good drum work, nice build up to the song and as per usual excellent lyrics, all and all an amazing song.
3. Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom - Burnt by the Sun
My opinion of Burnt by the Sun is always changing, I like thier lyrical style and most of thier stuff, but some of the songs are too weak and generic for my tastes, this, unfortunatly is one of those songs, good noisecore sound but very similair to too many bands out now.
4. Body Destroyed, Brain Intact - Dysrhythmia
Listening to this album was the first time I had ever heard of this band let alone heard thier stuff, cannot comment on the rest of thier work as this is the only thing I have heard, but I like it, the sorta groovy breakdowns throughout and good guitarwork, no lyrics in this song, so can't really comment on them!
5. Destro's Secret [Live] - The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dillinger Escape Plan are one of my favourite bands, and although this isn't one of thier classic songs, it is still a brillaint example of thier work, Noisecore at its finest! Fast paced guitarwork and mind blowing vocals, everyone should love this band!
6. Hung, Drawn and Quartered - High on Fire
I love the drums at the start of this song, not something I would really pick out about High on Fire, another pretty generic band in my opinion, but this song has a sort of darkness which I very much enjoy. The vocals on this track sound like Lemmy with a sore throat.
7. Warm Hands, Cold Heart - 27
Another band I hadn't heard of until I bought this compilation album, to be honest, I wouldn't have been that fused if I had never had heard of this band, nothing special at all on display on this track, it is a kinda Doomy track, and although the vocals aren't terrible it just seems out of place on this album and really brings nothing to it.
8. Sarcophagus - Nile
The elitests amoung you will say that Nile used to be alot better, and this is true, they did, but this offering does them proud in my opinion, brilliant vocals almost grindcore in style. And infact although Nile are very much Death Metal, this song is very slow Grindcoreish - much like some of Napalm Deaths work, brilliant stuff.
9. Tide - Neurosis
Half way into the first CD and we hit the second slow song on the album, I much prefere this track to "27s" offering, this song is much more chilled out and dark, maybe not a stand out song on Neurosis' song list, but certainly good none the less, very depressing. Excellent.
10. Silence of the Setting Sun - Amber Asylum
The drum beat in this reminds me very much like a battle drum, and I guess the lyrical content reflects that somewhat, I do not know much about this band and to be honest what I have heard isn't great, very slow which isn't a bad thing and the operatic vocal stylings are refreshing, but as a whole there are alot more songs in this styling that are better.
11. I Wait - Daylight Dies
A good jump around song now from Daylight Dies. Love the vocals in this song, fits the music perfectly, no matter how hard I try this is one style of vocals I can never seem to master! Nice medium paced song, well worth a listen.
12. Single-Sided - Alchemist
I had heard alot of good things about this band but I have never actually listened to them to any great extent, first impressions of this track where that this band where obviously AFI clones, but when the haunting lyrics came in, I knew they where something better. Excellent solo and some harsh-as-fuck lyrics. An almost epic track from a band that everyone should check out.
13. Mapplethorpe Grey - Pig Destroyer
What can you say about Pig Destroyer, amazing punky Grindcore its dirty, its probably infected but you know you want to touch it. This is how Grindcore is meant to be. Not one of thier most well known songs, but certainly worth a listen.
14. Keefmaster - Bongzilla
Ahh can't go wrong with Bongzilla, good Stoner Rock, just sit back, relax and headbang to your hearts content, this song is an excellent representation of thier work, beefy and laid back. Don't take this band too seriously, they are in it for the laughs!
15. Forever My Queen - Pentagram
I really hate this song, and this band. I can't understand why anyone can like them, they are just uninteresting, and this song is just so them, terrible, the only saving grace is the guitarwork, which I enjoy, very old school.
16. Crooked - Today Is the Day
Use this song to clean your ears out after listening to the abonimation before hand. Today Is The Day are a genre to themselves Noisier than the Noisest of Noisecore and with a completly unique sound, very refreshing to hear, and this song is very representative of thier work as a whole.
17. We Are Born of Hate - Genocide Superstars
An all round generic sounding song from an unoriginal band, a big let down to this CD. Nothing really more I can say about this song but avoid!
18. Rise - Halo
I like this song alot, I don't really know why, there is nothing overally impressive about the band Halo or this song, but everything for my money works, well worth the listen!
Disc: 2
1. Funeral Inception - Suffocation
This is perhaps my favourite Death Metal song of all time, and is well deserving of a place on this CD, wow! Excellent sample at the start, emense drumming and the lyrics! Jesus the lyrics, I know I am just gushing more than reviewing but this song is just amazing, you have to listen to it to understand, this is what I want at my funeral. From this track alone I dub the second CD far superiorer than the first.
2. Portal - Origin
If that last song wasn't enough for you, get a load of this track, so angry and with a beat you can't help but move to this song although unknown to me before buying this CD jumped up to one of my favourite Death Metal tracks ever, the lyrics are sublime and the music accompanies them well.
3. 666 Casualties - Regurgitate
Another band I hadn't heard of until I bought this album, and I feel I am a better person for knowing of them, wow, this stuff is heavy and dirty, you can almost imagine rust flying off the guitar as it is pounded, I was in love with this song by the intro alone, then the drums really kick in, and this is the point you know CD 2 is worth the money alone, that not enough for you, listen to the harsh almost Black Metal lyrics, simply put. WOW.
4. Lucid Interval - Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage have always been an under-rated band in my opinion, and this song in my mind is further proof of this, I would challange anyone to fault this song for both technical excellent and vocals/music. The lyric content of this song is not to be overlooked as well, for those of you who cannot understand Death Metal, or deep gutterals, I suggest you look up the lyrics to this song, amazing.
5. Miscreant - Skinless
Pure Metal, Skinless are amazing at what they do, and although what they do is usually short but sweet Grindcore, this is an excellent song, although I feel not exactly the best song to pick to represent thier stuff as a whole, enjoy it, but know they are a million times better than this normally!
6. Boredom Suits Me Fine - Gadget
Any song that has a Fightclub soundclip at the start is onto a winner, then when the insane guitars and vocals come in, you know you've not only one, but you have slayed all competition. I had never heard of this band before this CD and I am very impressed, Noisecore I suppose but very Very well done.
7. Vengeance Unleashed - Dying Fetus
This band, are God, pure and simple, Dying Fetus are one of the most political bands I have heard, and one of the most technically brilliant, and just listen to those gutterals, emense.
8. Her (Inamorata) - End
More Noisecore dished up here from the band "End" didn't know too much about this band, and perhaps it is the abundance of Noisecore on the CD already, but this song doesn't really leap out and punch the crap outta me like the others on CD 2 have, a good attempt though, worth sitting through at least.
9. Horns - Disfear
Yet another band unheard of by me until this album worked its way into my CD collection, very happy sorta jumpy punky sound, something I am not too keen on, a saving grace however is the excellent vocals
10. Dead and Buried - Mortician
Everyone seems to hate this band but me, really good gorey Death Metal / Grindcore if you ask me, and this song is no exception, pretty generic perhaps, but why fix what isn't broken? a good example of thier work and the genre as a whole, punishing drums and excellent lyrics, all backed up by a good old guitar riff.
11. One - East; West Blast Test
37 seconds of crap, it goes nowhere and is wholey unneeded I wonder if they just needed thirtyseven seconds of filler?
12. One Count of Mutiny - Employee Employer
An interesting name for this little known band, good lyrics nice jazzy breakdowns, all in all an excellent song, wish I could say more but I know nothing about this band. The song sounds like a cry for help, like desperation, and I like that.
13. Gagged, Shagged and Bodybagged - Gorerotted
Probably my favourite Gorerotted song, and not just because of the catchy title! This has everything a good Grind song should have, raw instruments, mind blowing vocals, and of course gory lyrical content, fantastic song and deffinatly deserves a place on this CD
14. A.E.P. - Red Harvest
I really like the different layers used in the song, the mixing was done well, its like an apocoliptic dance song mixed in with Death Metal, a kinda bad version of The Berzerker, really refreshingly different, deffinatly an interesting band to listen to, and should be checked out.
15. Kill Theme for American Apeshit - Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Some people love them, some hate them, but either way, they know how to verbally abuse you and kick the shit outta thier instruments, a violent attack on the senses in this song, very them.
16. Vacant Grave - Exhumed
Ahh Exhumed, gods of Grind, again probably thier best work on display here, well worked Grind is hard to come by these days, alot of thought has gone into thier songs, and on this one in particular the work shows.
17. Guilty of Which You Accuse - Benumb
Never heard of this band before, which is a shame because they are good, nothing amazing but very passionate and raw, which I like, one thing I don't like is the punky aspects to it, alot of people will just see this as shouting into the microphone, but I think it deserves a better review than that!
18. Last One in the Noose - Soilent Green
Good tune and excellent lyrics here, sorta bog standard new style Death Metal I think Soilent Green will go far as long as they keep up to the standard that they have set in this song.
19. Ripped off Face - Uphill Battle
I heard off this band only off a forum I posted at a while ago, I heard good things but never bothered myself listening to them until I got this CD, really wish I had picked up thier album before I did as this is amazing stuff, really intense Noisecore and most deffinatly worth a listen, you should also check out thier self titled album, more of the same really, but the same is good!
20. It's Like - Broken Bones
Nice intro to this song, but the goodness ends there, its...its...its PUNK nooooooooo, hate this genre with a passion, don't really know too much about this genre either, so I am not really in the position to say if it is any good or not, sorry.
21. Spoiling of Beauty - Human Remains
Excellent vocals used on this song, very typical of Human Remains in general, I like the little guitar breakdown in the song also breaks it up well, a nice slow pace as well while still keeping the instensity of a more fast song.
22. Iloveitwhenjoepesciswears - Blood Duster
A pretty stupid song name, but a pretty good short song, very very intense and good vocals, infact I really like the vocals in this, very deep without getting gutteral, I love the way it suddenly ends as well, brillaint, well worth listening to this practically unheard of band.
23. Going Nowhere - Nasum
Pure aural attack from Nasum, would you expect any less really? fans of the band may be unimpressed with this offering, but for fans of extreme metal, you will love it, another sudden ending song, class act. Listen with care.
24. Delicious Gory Fun - Hemdale
Generic Grindcore, easily forgetible, infact I forgot thier name and what they where until I listened to it not 20 seconds ago to refresh my memory. I wouldn't recommend them
25. Liars Are Winners - Contrastic
WOW! another new band for me, and another band well worth checking out, Noisecore but not as you know it, the Death Metal vocals go excellently with the more normal vocal stylings of the second (I assume second) vocalist, like the remixing sounds added in, sometimes extra little clips and sounds can be really REALLY annoying, but it works well in this song.
26. Festering Boils - Repulsion
Like the band Hemdale, this is very much a forgetible track, good lyrics is its only real saving grace. The remind me of a bad version of Stormtroopers Of Death, maybe worth checking out if you love the album Speak English Or Die by SOD
27. Money Talks - Cryptic Slaughter
Love the drums, love the guitars, loath the vocals, like the song, and in my opinion not the best way to end a brilliant second disc and the album. The sound is maybe a bit too punky to be great, but the actual music is great.
Overall I really enjoyed listening to this album, and unless you have already heard every band on this then I would really suggest you buy it.
The inlay card tells you what album each track was taken off so if you are looking to expand your CD collection this is a good way to go.
Buy it.
