What I’m trying to say is that the devastating and beguiling music that Trouble made together back in the 1980s is some of the best to ever exist, and that their impact on me was stunning.
Their logo is on my coffee mug, and their name is on thanks-lists of albums I’ve played on, and they’re easily one of the most found band names if you run a search of the ol’ band groupchat. Over the years Trouble have come to be my absolute favorite doom metal band, and I can be found saying that all over social media, forums, and chat rooms. My strongest memory of Trouble goes back to when I was a dumbass teenager that was loudly criticizing the idea of Christian metal in a forum how, after all, could something so lame and conformist as Christianity be sung about by any worthwhile bands? Well, I was set straight by someone that sent me this very record, and I was mesmerized: some of the heaviest goddamn doom riffs I’d ever heard, amazing harmonies and melodies, and one of the most interesting singers in the entire genre. This is a special record for me in more ways than one, and with the tragic death of singer Eric Wagner a few days ago I’ve been revisiting it heavily. The vocals are tremendous, of course: Wagner was one of the genre's greats, unmatched in his iconic doomed timbre here and right up until his passing. (And holy shit, did you see them live?) But lyrically and musically, it's a darker shade of doom metal that reflects on past sorrows and regrets, considering if they might just be "Sick of It All" after so many years and other such musings.
Some of that also translates to the music, though this record is definitely not tired or worn out: when The Skull wants to go fast, they do.
Both as a step to distance themselves from the past and as a visual representation of their "elder statesmen" approach to doom, the refined and muted approach makes sense. Coming thirty years after Trouble's debut full-length, For Those Which Are Asleep reflects a set of musicians still committed to creating absolutely tremendous doom, but one now burdened by the trials of life. But, thinking further, it fits the album well: The Skull might be considered a continuation of Wagner-era Trouble, but it also served as a vehicle for the now-matured Wagner and his bandmates, two of which on this record were also from Trouble (drummer Jeff Olson and bassist Ron Holzner). Notes 2010 unofficial-reissue of the Toxicity album, printed on Purple vinyl.I only have one possible nit to pick with this album, and that's the album art: after Trouble's iconic and vivid album art, it was hard to come to grips with what can essentially be summed up as 'band name and album art on red'. Toxicity received mass critical acclaim, making many end-of-year "best of" lists. Produced by Rick Rubin, Toxicity was released on Septemby American Recordings, debuting at #1 on both the United States and Canadian charts. Toxicity is System of a Down's second album release.
#MESMERIZED SYSTEM OF A DOWN ALBUM FREE#
Listen free to System of a Down – Toxicity (Prison Song, Needles and more).
#MESMERIZED SYSTEM OF A DOWN ALBUM MP3 DOWNLOAD#
0 kommentar(er)
