I knew I wanted to run full speed for this section so I pulled out the insanely rageful “Start Something”. That guitar riff that leads into the “1 2 3 4!” combined with some pretty heavy rhythm guitars turn this into a great burnout as long as metal and screaming motivate you. And it gives you a bit of respite at the end with some beautiful piano.
Tag Archives: Metal
Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 10
If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.
For my tenth successful mix, I’ve changed things up significantly! The worst enemy of working out is of course: not wanting to work out. And the number 1 reason for me: Its boring!
That means I have to change up my methods from time to time. Its all well and good to run 7 days a week but if by day 3 you hate it, you’re not doing it right. If you cant make exercise new and exciting, you WILL give up. It happens to me all the time. In an effort to stop that, this week I’ve added a serious workout section in-between to short runs. When it comes to lifting weights, just find some music that gets you pumped. Here, I’m going to focus on those 2 small runs that go hand in hand.
10 Minute Warm Up Run
1. Returns a King – Tyler Bates
2. J-E-N-O-V-A – Nobuo Uematsu
3. Those Who Fight Further – The Black Mages
The main idea here is start off you pre-workout with a ten minute warm up run. The format here being Warm Up – Stride – Burnout, and then heading into your physical workout.
10 Minute Burst Run
1. Start Something – Lost Prophets
2. Jesus Walks – Kanye West
3. What’s the Use of Wond’rin? – Amanda Palmer
The burst run has no warm up! In fact, it starts with a Burnout, then Stride and Cool Down. At the end of a workout I always have pent up energy. I think its adrenaline do to the fact that I just used my body to its full potential. The first few minutes of this burst run are meant to be met at full speed to drag out any left over energy in your body before a final rest.
My warm up run started off slow. It had been a while since I heard this song so after the initial choir section, I thought it would pick up immediately. My body felt ready to spring but the music was still chugging along in a second louder choir section. Just when I was ready to accept this song as a failure of a warm up, the song burst forth letting me pick up the pace. Use this as long as you’re prepared for and extended walking period for the first two minutes.
Something about boss battle music in Final Fantasy games is just perfect for running. While most end up as burnouts, “J-E-N-O-V-A” has a more steady pace that lends itself well to a stride.
Speaking of Final Fantasy… This excellent reworking of the Final Fantasy VII boss battle theme by Nobuo Uematsu’s prog metal band The Black Mages is a great burnout. I think it succeeds for me mostly on the merits of the organ part at 0:24 that repeats throughout the song. My feet land with such conviction when that organ plays.
All in all a great warm up run that got me ready for the heavy lifting and woke my body up from a lazy slumber.
My warm up run was more soundtrack oriented so I decided to make my burst run full of modern influences.
I knew I wanted to run full speed for this section so I pulled out the insanely rageful “Start Something”. That guitar riff that leads into the “1 2 3 4!” combined with some pretty heavy rhythm guitars turn this into a great burnout as long as metal and screaming motivate you. And it gives you a bit of respite at the end with some beautiful piano.
The marching nature of “Jesus Walks” provides the perfect momentum for a relentless stride. I cranked up the intensity on this one when the rest of my body was begging for rest and it got me to keep going full power. Not to mention, as a christian, being reminded that “Jesus walks with me” while on a difficult walk… You get what I’m saying. Empowering.
I’ve always wanted to use this really out there almost unrecognizable Amanda Palmer number for a cool down and I finally got a chance. It did not disappoint! As long as you’re a fan of AFP.
So there you have it! Another successful run that brings something different to the table to keep things interesting. Thanks again to anyone who reads these. I hope they help and inspire you to create your own workout mixes!
Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 6
If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.
This mix is an altered version of Successful Mix 5 which can be found HERE
1. Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas
2. We R Who We R – Ke$ha
3. Crazy In Love – Beyonce
4. Poison – Bell Biv Devoe
5. Chariots of Fire – Vangelis
6. IT’S SHOWTIME!! – B’z
7. Du Hast – Rammstein
8. Gone Away – The Offspring
Its been a MONTH since my last workout post! The lesson here is that sickness is the absolute enemy to working out. I actually ran this mix a month ago, then got sick before I could write about it. Ran the mix again a few weeks later and then again was sick. I finally ran this mix for a third time last night and I’m finally getting a chance to sit down and write about it after throwing “A Feast for Crows” across the room to stop myself from reading it long enough to work this up. (See my Current Obsession)
Obviously if you remember Successful Mix 5, much here has changed. If things are working, I’d like to add lots of new stuff so that the lists will continue to build and you in turn will have more tools to work with. The only songs that remain are “IT’S SHOWTIME!!” and “Du Hast” which have been moved to the latter half of the mix.
We start off with Warm Up “Boom Boom Pow” which worked perfectly for me. Each verse adds a bit to this ever changing futuristic beat. My body was constantly being pushed to run a little bit harder and a little bit faster which is EXACTLY what you want from a Warm Up. Plus that moment where Fergie asks Will.I.Am. to drop the beat pushed me into a frenzied dash. And excellent warm up for anyone more interested in electronic sounding music. I’ll also point out that I used the 4 minute radio edit rather than the 5 minute album version.
Continuing with the electronic theme, I rolled right into “We R Who We R” for my first stride. The song just has this pulsing driving beat that works perfectly. Ke$ha is definitely a hate it or love it kind of pop star so if you dont like Ke$ha, definitely dont add this to a mix. If you love Ke$ha, this song could actually work as both a Warm Up (cause it will get your blood pumping) or as a Burnout (cause Ke$ha love has an huge intensity about it!
Rounding out the electronic theme of this opening fast paced mix is Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love”. Just like Ke$ha, I think a love for the artist goes a long way in making her songs work for Burnouts. That being said, the horns that make up the back bone of “Crazy In Love” should propel anyone forward for that extra push. I ran to this a couple times and every single time, the horns shamed be into running that extra mile. How can you slow down with those blaring in your ears?
My second stride for the run is the amazing “Poison”. I absolutely cannot listen to this song and not picture Mac from Always Sunny doing karate chops in the Dance-Off episode. Seriously go find that video if you’ve never seen it. The repetitive drum beat kept me moving at a constant place for its entire four minute length while the different vocalists and playful nature of the song keeps your mind occupied along with your body.
This song was literally made for running to! I mean thats what the movie is about right? I will say that I still associate this song most with Will Ferrell doing is acrobatics in Old School. A perfect Warm Up because not only does it build at a soft slow pace, it motivates your psyche. Its very important that you listen to music that almost forces you to want to win and succeed because otherwise theres nothing stopping you from quitting. To be honest, making this your alarm when you wake up the mornings you plan to run couldnt hurt.
“IT’S SHOWTIME!!” and “Du Hast” I’ve already spoke about and each song still served me well near the end of my run.
Finally, I selected “Gone Away” for my cool down. I really wanted to use this song for a stride or burnout but it wasnt well paced enough for the former and not energetic enough for the latter. I think it works well as a cool down because it has that end of the movie feeling to it. There’s an element of exhaustion in the delivery that coincides well with those final walking minutes after a long run. If you still have breathe, feel free to sing along!
So thats it for this long delay mix post! Hopefully the next one wont need another month to go up. Im sure my belly is hoping the same.
Build a Workout Burnout: Apocalyptica – Path Vol. 2
“Path Vol. 2” by Apocalyptica is one of the rare occasions where the band is accompanied by a singer. This song blew my mind the first time I heard it years ago and I knew it would work perfectly as a burnout. Hitting this song is great right when you’re about to reach the end of your supposed energy. The haunting vocals and insane chugging cellos make it impossible for me to slow down and there I go off sprinting all over again!
Build a Workout Stride: Rammstein – Du Hast
Industrial Metal and specifically Rammstein music lends itself VERY WELL to the stride. Strides are all about keeping a steady pacing which is most easily found in dance music. Metal rhythms are also great because a good guitar riff works much the same way. “Du Hast” works to combine these two elements into something great. The metal side adds lots of little guitar flourishes to keep your brain occupied and the dance side adds little digital noises like at 2:04. I must also mention that the drums are beast!
Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 5
If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.
This mix is an altered version of Successful Mix 4 which you can find HERE
1. One-Winged Angel (orchestral version) – Nobuo Uematsu
2. Du Hast – Rammstein
3. IT’S SHOWTIME!! – B’z 2003
4. Aaj Ki Raat – A R Rahman
5. My Body Is A Cage – Arcade Fire
6. Totalimmortal – AFI
7. Baby Boy – Beyoncé
8. Path Vol 2 – Apocalyptica
9. Aint No Sunshine – Bill Withers
10. Down to the River to Pray – Alison Krauss
The first thing you’ll notice about this mix is that it is LONGER! It’s a good idea that you constantly push yourself to run further and faster. To run longer, obviously you want to add more songs but you also want to have more strides since this is the portion where you can gain some steady productivity. Faster requires more burnouts to encourage you to run your hardest. Lets look at the changes.
I started off with a new warm up. Most people who know “One-Winged Angel” would immediately think of burnout. The final boss music for one of the most beloved videogame villain of all time. I chose the lighter orchestral version specifically so that I could use it as a warm up. The song does have a slowly progressive nature as it spins and winds toward something grander. This allowed my body to start off at a gentler pace and slowly work my way faster. It never got me running at top speed but it definitely prepared me for the additional ten minutes on the end of this run.
Industrial Metal and specifically Rammstein music lends itself VERY WELL to the stride. Strides are all about keeping a steady pacing which is most easily found in dance music. Metal rhythms are also great because a good guitar riff works much the same way. “Du Hast” works to combine these two elements into something great. The metal side adds lots of little guitar flourishes to keep your brain occupied and the dance side adds little digital noises like at 2:04. I must also mention that the drums are beast!
Continuing this so far all new mix, we have a new burnout in the form of B’z’s all caps “IT’S SHOWTIME!!” How can a song with a title in all caps and two exclamation points not be a burnout? This song was used a lot in Japan for national sporting events and even the 2004 Olympics. The song was specifically made to ramp you up and thats exactly what it does!
I was then treated to ANOTHER new stride! Here’s another from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. “Aaj Ki Raat” is a monster of a stride topping out at over 6 minutes! It kept me going with its simple danceable beat and trance inducing singers mesmerizing me for the entire time. So pretty!
We finally get to some familiar ground with the newly located “My Body is a Cage” warm up which I absolutely loved in my last run and couldnt bear to part with yet.
This was followed by two other recent staples, the burnout “Totalimmortal” and the stride “Baby Boy” which both continue to succeed completely. I was definitely getting tired by the time I got to “Baby Boy” and thought I’d slow to a walk. The beat was so good I had to keep running for another four minutes!
“Path Volume 2” by Apocalyptica is one of the rare occasions where the band is accompanied by a singer. This song blew my mind the first time I heard it years ago and I knew it would work perfectly as a burnout. I mentioned how tired I was at the beginning of “Baby Boy” and this point I was ready to collapse. The haunting vocals and insane chugging cellos made it impossible for me to slow down and there I was off sprinting all over again!
Wow. What a beautiful cool down! Bill Withers sexy voice and thumping guitar slowed me way down so that I could stretch out my sore muscles walking the last couple minute of my workout in perfect bliss.
“Aint No Sunshine” was originally intended to finish off the mix. This leads to another lesson for a successful mix: ALWAYS CARRY SOME BACKUPS! In this case, my legs just werent ready to stop walking. They were really tensing up and cramping and I needed another couple minutes to walk it off. Thankfully I always pack some spares so I simply pulled out this wonderful acapella spiritual that I first heard on the O’Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack and walked off those extra couple minutes in peace. This song is the perfect way to cool down after a long and tiresome run.
Build A Workout: Failed Mix 3
If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.
This mix was developed off of Failed Mix 2 which you can read about HERE.
Alright! I got to go for another run and while I didnt think the mix flowed well enough to be successful, I am definitely getting more fit! When I started this project I was putting in 2 miles over 30 minutes. Today I put in 3 miles in 34 minutes! Lets start with the track list.
1. Akatsuki – Takahashi Yasunara
2. In for the Kill (Skrillex Remix) – La Roux
3. Prayer for the Refuge – Rise Against
4. Liberi Fatali – Nobuo Uematsu
5. Ringa Ringa – A R Rahman
6. Americano – Lady Gaga
7. The Decisive Battle – Powerglove
8. Bloody Mary – Lady Gaga
9. Viva Rock – Orange Range
The first thing you’ll notice is that I’ve increased the length of my run. After the last mix came up short, I increased the length to about 34 minutes. The two new song additions were added at the beginning to extend my initial warm up period and replace a failed stride. That failed stride which also failed as a warm up (“Viva Rock”) was moved to the cool down position in a last ditch effort to make it work.
How’d it go? The weakness in this mix was definitely the new additions. “Akatsuki” was an excellent warm up.
I mentioned last time that it can be a bit short so I added a second warm up in the form of “In for the Kill”. Unfortunately I just couldnt get into the build. It starts off perfectly which is why I chose it. Right up to the first Skrillex dubstep drop at the minute and half mark it works great. The drop just didnt propel me forward the way I thought it would. The other problem is that the song then kind of stalls out before going back to its original momentum. Warm up‘s really require a more consistent build to motivate you to get faster and faster. This one just left my body confused wanting to accelerate when the pace of the song wasnt allowing it to.
I had a similar pacing problem with “Prayer for the Refugee”. While the song is pretty frickin amazing, I just felt that it didnt have the steadiness required for the stride positon. The song has this ebb and flow between its verses and chorus that just doesnt translate to the consistency necessary. Still, I love the song and I’ll definitely be trying it out as a burnout in my next workout.
Speaking of burnouts “Liberi Fatali” continues to be an amazing one! Actually from this point forward I have no complaints until the end of the mix as the rest works as well as it did in my previous mix.
I moved “Viva Rock” to the cool down position. Can you tell I really wanted this song to work? It was too fast paced for a warm up and too jumpy for a stride. I thought it might still be able to work as a cool down with its marching beat. Unfortunately, even here it left me feeling uneasy and confused trying to make my body work when it should have been time to rest. Maybe there is a place for this song in a workout mix somewhere but not for me. I think its time I retire this song after three failed attempts.
Lets hope I learn from these failures and eventually produce another great mix to run to. Good luck on your work outs!
58. Metallica – Metallica
I know that some would say that the black album is where Metallica sold out. If you mean sold their souls to the devil to blend thrash metal and pop to create an addictive masterpiece of headbanging, fist pumping, awesome, then I agree with you. The black album is not an album I can judge on merits of any kind. Some albums are so engrained in your growth as a person that they are beyond reproach. This is the album that drew me deeper into the world of music. I can still remember listening to it and being upset that I couldnt tell what the name of the song playing was. My brother could listen to a riff and immediately name the track. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and it was this thought that drew me to an obsession with knowing bands, albums and songs after hearing only a small snippet of a song. It still bothers me when a song comes onto my ipod and I cant immediately name all of those things. Musically, the band introduced me to the power behind metal and they did it while sounding cool as hell. No wimpy 80’s hair metal sound here. No one can growl quite like James Hetfield. Sad but True sold me on the true power of a riff. Not only that, the Black Album made it ok to accept your softer side with wonderful songs like The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters. It’s funny because I hardly ever listen to the black album but the second I put it on, a million childhood memories start flooding back. Metallica also became a social calling card in the early days. Oh, you like Metallica? We’re cool. The album remains one of the shining examples of successful pop metal and constantly reaffirms my love for music.
What does it make me feel like?
METALLICA!!! (Tongue sticking out, hands forming the horns above my head)
What to Listen for Track by Track
– It’s almost always about the riffs when it comes to Metallica. Who can forget that first drum build up and then crash into the signature Enter Sandman riff.
– 23 seconds. That’s how long it takes before you realize Sad but True may have the greatest headbanging riff of all time. Seriously, try not to nod your head to this. It isn’t possible.
– Everything about The Unforgiven! Get your lighters out!
– The opening notes of Where Ever I May Roam! That sitar is unbelievable. Another headbanging masterpiece.
– The opening guitar part of Don’t Tread on Me is probably responsible for my eventual love for neoclassical metal.
– The solo of Nothing Else Matters! I love this song!!!
– “Back the the meaning of… Life!” Of Wolf and Man
– The bass line of My Friend of Misery! The first thing I learned when I picked up bass.
– Once again, the opening guitar and drums on The Struggle Within
Example Track
Build a Workout Burnout: Powerglove – The Decisive Battle
Oh Powerglove! Powerglove combines metal with various videogame soundtracks and tv show themes. “The Decisive Battle” is the boss battle theme from Final Fantasy VI and just the little midi version of the song gets me going. Hearing electric guitars power through the main melody gets my body moving like nothing else. There’s a reason termites work faster to metal. Speed and power metal are great for burnouts and “The Decisive Battle” was no exception.
60. 3 – The End is Begun
3 is an alternative progressive metal band from New York and is officially the hardest band to find through search engines. Their name comes from the bands origins as a 3 piece(though the band currently has four members). 3 is a band so awesome that when my brother went to see Porcupine Tree live, he was bored because their openers were just too amazing for words. It was a band he’d never heard of called 3. 3’s singer Joey Eppard has the typical modern day high pitched hollow sound very similar to Coheed and Cambria. Speaking of which, the easiest way to describe 3 is a Coheed and Cambria song. Have you ever heard the Coheed and Cambria song “Welcome Home” and then been completely disappointed by the fact that no other Coheed and Cambria sounds anything like that song? If so, the band you were actually looking for is called 3. The End Is Begun is the 2007 follow up to their extremely epic 2004 album Wake Pig(which if you glance down my list, resides at #24). With expectations as high as they were, I was happy to find an album that was just as lovable as its predecessor. Like Wake Pig, the true highlight of this progressive metal band is the almost acoustic nature of its metal. Incorporation of acoustic guitars, rapid strumming, and some ridiculous Joey Eppard finger picking make this album a joy to listen to every time. I love 3’s ability to keep things fresh from song to song by constantly trying new instruments and play styles. This is augmented by relatively short 4 minute lengths on most tracks. Most importantly, they put effort into one area where most progressive metal bands suffer: Hooking you in with a melodic chorus. Dream Theater has forgotten this in recent years. It’s ok to go off on longer progressive interludes and builds but only if it makes us hunger for another amazing chorus. At the end of the day, this album will always play second fiddle to Wake Pig but that in no way means it isn’t above and beyond most of its contemporaries.
What does it make me feel like?
Like I’m living inside some kid’s dream on a crazy twisted adventure
What to Listen for Track by Track
– The contrast between the really fast finger picking guitars and Joey’s voice hovering in the ether on The World is Born of Flame And obviously the super intense last minute that leads straight into…
– The opening of the The End is Begun!!! What an amazing start! See what I mean about the “Welcome Home” vibe? And that chorus! The way it bounces up and down!
– 1:08 of Battle Cry when he goes super falsetto over the guitar playing right along with him!
– The Verses of All That Remains give me chills every time. Those guitars are ridiculously cool!
– 1:02 of My Divided Falling! Just wow. This band always knows how to take me by surprise.
– The bridge of Bleeding Me Home
– “Like a Diamond in the Crush! Cru u u ush!” Love that rocking chorus! And whenever he says “See the lonely boy!”
– The “Da Da Da Da Da!” guitar part that appears all throughout Shadow Play
– EVERYTHING about These Iron Bones!!! From the creepy “We’re gonna get you” to the amazing guitar in the chorus.
– The Steve Vai sounding The Last Day that takes the album out on a truly progressive metal note.
Example Track
64. Lostprophets – Start Something
My second favorite Lostprophets album is still one of the best there is. Lostprophets is one of the first bands I loved for screaming with style. The band is great at making a lot of noise that can sound like chaos when in fact each note is perfectly calculated. Start Something takes all the chaotic tension that Lostprophets created on their debut album and funnels it through the production machine for a more cohesive and thematically structured work of pop-punk metal heaven. It’s Green Day meets Incubus meets Linkin Park really. Ian Watkins vocals have been streamlined for radio play and the album sounds like it was written with world domination in mind. What makes the album so special is that as much as it borrows influences from a lot of places, it also doesn’t sound specifically like any one of those influences. The album is a lot of fun and full of addictive guitar hooks and bombastic sing-along choruses. The band also REALLY knows how to rage and thankfully hasn’t completely left the chaos behind. Definitely look out for the bands bridges and outros (you know how much I love those!), which I think, are what take these songs beyond simple radio fodder. I’ve definitely grown out of the Lostprophets sound but putting this album on always takes me back to my high school years with all the youth, vulnerability, lust and frustration of the times.
What Does It Make Me Feel Like?
I’m not going to let the pressures of high school stop me from being who I am!
What to Listen for Track by Track
– 3:20 into We Still Kill the Old Day where Ian’s voice sounds miles away and then the song drops back for one last chorus.
– 2:54 of To Hell We Ride! Those fast paced strumming guitars followed by Ian’s “Yeah-eahs”
– I love the chorus of Last Train Home. Definitely one of my highschool anthems
– The intro of Make A Move
– The Incubus sounding guitars of I Don’t Know. And the chorus. Love singing along to these choruses!
– The verses of Hello Again! From the chilling guitars to the way Ian sings. And then.. “Just say when!” I love that chorus!
– The intro of Start Something!!! How amazing is that?? The slow build with the drums and the strings…. And then… BOOM!! So much fun! But the best part? The Riff at 1:15 that leads to “1 2 3 4!!!” My favorite moment on the album.
– The “gotta gotta take control!” contrasting the verses of A Million Miles.
– The guitar solo of Last Summer
– This album has one of the best final songs of all time. Sway comes out of left field with lots of ambient echoing keyboards and a killer thumping drum. Ian goes all sexy falsetto and then the production of the chorus is just unbelievable. I love every instruments tuning. Then you get the bands best outro, over 4 minutes long and absolutely mesmerizing. The song is somehow manages to be contemplative while still raising all the hairs on the back of your neck. Ian’s voice is a wonder. What a way to end an album!
Example Track
71. System of a Down – Mesmerize/Hypnotize
Mesmerize and Hypnotize were System of a Down’s final two albums before going on an indefinite hiatus. They are place here together because the albums were recorded at the same time and released six months apart. The CD cases actually fit into one another to form one album. Even the tracks have some continuity with Mesmerize opening with the “Soldier Side – Intro” and Hypnotize ending with “Soldier Side”. The album basically takes all of the crazy styles present on the previous album Steal This Album! and distills them down into a much more cohesive and defined format. They still carry that “What is going to happen next?” feeling of song shifting but the songs are deeper and more layered. Best of all, Malakian takes a front seat to Tankian as a vocalist. It’s tough because I love both singers. I especially think they show here that their voices harmonize amazingly well together and create some of the most beautiful metal melodies ever. At the same time, on their own, I think I prefer Malakian’s vocals to Tankian’s when they are singing. (Not to be confused with Tankian’s yell-talking of the early days) The album also features tons of very strange easy to remember lyrics just like Cake’s I had mentioned in my last review. There is something about System of a Down that is just extremely fun to sing along to. The album also has some clearly defined political stances but I’ll be honest, I’ve always tried to steer clear of that side of System of a Down in favor of just rocking out. Speaking of rocking out, you will do A LOT of that with this album. The drums are wild and powerful. Get ready for guitar riffs and solos that will blow your mind! And the melodies! I feel that metal often skimps on choruses and melodies in favor of technical work. System of a Down loves a good poppy sing along chorus. Even if we have to scream it. I will say that on the whole Mesmerize is slightly harder than Hypnotize which sounds a bit more introspective. It’s a shame the band hasn’t released more music since I believe all their albums to be perfect. Since the release of this album, members of the band have released many solo albums but nothing reaches these heights. There was just something about this specific combination of people that created some truly timeless metal.
What does it make me feel like?
Like I’m conducting the most awesome metal symphony ever concocted.
What to Listen for Track by Track
Mesmerize
– The peaceful beginnings of Soldier Side – Intro and your first introductions to the harmonies!
– The “Every bodies going to the party” hook on B.YO.B. So catchy!
– 2:02 of Revenga! Whenever the band does little bridges… Chills. Masters of the form, and then when the guitar solo drops!
– Radio/Video is probably my favorite part of Mesmerize. 2:18 specficially with the Reggae beat blows my mind every time and then when it speeds up and the have the “La La La La” part!!! So amazing! This song is ridiculous!
– The change in vocals on the 2:49 chorus of Violent Pornography and “B-B-B-B-Brainwashing!”
– The guitar part under the chorus of Question? and all the little clapping parts. And the harmonies! I mean really the harmonies are amazing on every song but seriously!
– The repeated chorus of Sad Statue. I think the song perfectly captures sad. And 2:14!!!! So Amazing!
– The final 2 minutes of Lost in Hollywood! Perfect ending to the first half of the album.
Hypnotize
– The “Na Na Na Na Na” part of Dreaming
– Kill Rock N Roll is the “Radio/Video” of Hypnotize. My favorite part is still when he says “Mow down the sexy people!”
– The quiet chill of Hypnotize showing off System’s softer side
– The moment of reprieve at 1:35 before everything desolves into chaos on U-Fig
– The absolute insanity of Vicinity of Obscenity. You will not find another band singing a song like this.
– The resurgence of Soldier Side bringing the albums together
Example Tracks:
Mesmerize:
Hypnotize:
76. Rammstein – Mutter
My love of Rammstein is a little bit complicated. Where as most artists on this list I can talk about for hours, I try to know as little about Rammstein as possible. This is partially due to their lyrical content which most of the time is less than appealing. Think torture porn levels of violence and aggression that can show up in the lyrics. (That being said, I do understand that the band is very intelligent and a lot of their lyrics serve as metaphors and are meant to shake you and make you think) However, I got into Rammstein in the infancy of the Internet and listened to the band without the lyrics. For me, the music was always just something I felt, and the vocalist was simply another instrument in the band. There was a time at the beginning of the century where I was heavily into metal and industrial music and Rammstein fed that hunger better than any other band. I love their music because it can provide a huge sense of power while getting work done but at other times can delivery an emotional overload that can break you down in a moment of depression. They also use lots of choral and orchestral elements that I love in my metal. Mutter especially I think, has some of their best musicianship and song writing on it which is how it ended up here. Again if I could describe Rammstein’s music in one word, it would be POWER. Also, Till Lindemann has an amazing voice. One which I don’t think I’ve heard anyone else to have.
What does it make me feel like?
Like I’m an unstoppable general in some war of machines and men in the distant future.
What to Listen for Track by Track
– Mein Hertz Brennt is the perfect album opener. The way it starts with violins and talking. A simple drum beat comes in and then…. “MEIN HERTZ BRENNT!!” and an ASSAULT of orchestra! Then the song uses an acoustic guitar to keep the beat. Is there anyone else making music of this combination?? And the prechorus… the way the strings create that “end of the world” tension before it all comes crashing down in the chorus again! And I must mention the solo at 3:39. Chilling.
– It all starts with marching. Links 2-3-4 has an amazing chorus complete with orchestra but once again, it’s the appearance of acoustic guitars at 1:58 that seal the deal for the song.
– Sonne is definitely one of my all time favorite Rammstein songs. I love the countdown that opens the song and appears continually throughout the chorus. I love Till’s vocals on the chorus and the strange backing vocal that accompanies him during the final third of the song.
– The powerful beat of Ich Will is both intoxicating and addicting. Then 2:26 brings the guitars and strange noises in for an amazing bridge.
– The power shows no signs of stopping on the crazy drums of Feuer Frie!, though its highlight is again the soft interlude in the middle of the song.
– Mutter finally takes it down a notch for a creepy german metal ballad complete with strings and awesome guitar solo
– Nebel definitely takes the album out on a pensive note and the female vocals always give me chills. It has that final song feeling to its chorus that always makes me respect an album.
Example Track
Song of the Day 01/29/13: Rammstein – Klavier
Speaking of the late 90’s and early 00’s, I’m a big fan of Rammstein’s work during that time. Rammstein is tough for me because when I listened to it in the 90’s, there wasnt internet access in the way that there is now(Or at least I didnt have a good enough grasp to use it that way). I just listened to the songs in german and had no idea what was being sung. I still loved it and the voice was simply another instrument. It’s not a big surprise but it turns out they wrote a lot of really disturbing lyrics. I still prefer to listen to them without the lyrics because I like to preserve the songs I love the way I perceive them. Not be disturbed by what they are actually about. That being said, I cant help but look up my favorites from time to time. I always knew this song was about a piano. Thats about it. Turns out its about a guy who is obsessed with a piano player and when he finds out that she plays piano not just for him (not sure if thats literal or a metaphor), he kills her. The songs verses describe him sitting at the piano with her corpse while her family or the police (not sure which) try to get him to unlock the door. See what I mean? I was once told that the way in which the lyrics are written, almost every Rammstein song has a double or triple meaning and that they are very deep and that its a shame I cant speak german. Not so sure I feel that way. Still, I love the song just as much. It always did have a beautiful and creepy vibe even before I knew it’s subject matter.
Song of the Day 01/28/13: Adema – Trust
Adema comes from one of the most dreaded corners of rock music. Nu-Metal. Now as much as I understand the disgust of this genre due it producing acts like Limp Bizkut and Korn (Wow what’s with the K’s? I never realized that.) it is still apart of my history and everyones history who grew up listening to metal in the later 90’s and early 2000’s. I never listened to a single album after their debut but I can say that Adema’s self-titled album is one of my most listened to albums in 2001. Something about its blend of angst and melody really sold itself to me. It’s weird because Ive never been a fan of Korn(Adema’s obvious influence. Marky Chavez is actually Jonathan Davis’ half brother). Still, you know those albums you’ve listened to a million times in a row so that it doesnt matter how you grow musically and mature, you can still go back and love that album? This is one of those albums for me. So I can’t judge it. For all I know its a terrible album by general standards.However, drowning in the nostalgia of being a freshman in high school, I couldnt tell you. I love it. So if you woke up this morning and thought, I wonder if there’s any great Nu-Metal albums a missed… I’d start here.
Song of the Day 03/22/11: Diablo Swing Orchestra – Lucy Fears the Morning Star
Elaine posted this on my wall last night and its so absolutely bizarre that i couldnt resist reposting it as my song of the day today. I dont really have much else to say then. Wow.
Song of the Day 01/05/13: Lostprophets – Kobrakai
Kobrakai is special. It is special because it is one of the first songs I discovered on my own without advice from someone else. Before this, I liked the music that was recommended to me by others. When I first bought Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory, it came with a demo disc featuring two tracks from a band I’d never heard of called Lostprophets. Over a period of about 2 weeks, I must have listened to this song at least 10 times a day. I then went out and purchased the album without knowing if the rest would be any good. I’m glad I took that risk since the album now sits among my Top 100 albums of all time. I still go back to Kobrakai with a smile. Something about those whiny howling vocals still hits the spot.
Song of the Day 11/12/12: Iron Maiden – Childhood’s End
I think I’ve made this comparison once before but Iron Maiden is metal music that is eerily close to Electronic Dance Music. The guitar is like the main beat of the song. You listen to the whole song with your attention on the beat wondering where it will go next as it builds and builds ever so slowly and repetitively. The chorus’s are usually easily repeatable sayings that you will be able to sing along with by the end of the song. And most importantly, “The Drop” or in this case, The guitar solo section. Yup. Pretty close to dance music. This song has a particularly good “Drop”.
Song of the Day 11/09/12: Deftones – Knife Party
This one is old school. Bringing it back to the year 2000. Knife Party may be my favorite Deftones song. I remember the first time I heard it, I immediately put it on again. It starts out as a pretty standard Deftones experience. Haunting scratchy etherial vocals and lyrics, over some amazing drums and ambient guitar rifts. The song kind of makes me feel like I’m frozen, floating in the air. What I really want you to hear is the female vocal work around the 3 minute mark that continues into the end of the song. The notes that she hits are just… Wow. This is the kind of song that you cant ignore if it is on. I guarantee it is something you’ve never heard before. (Unless of course you’ve heard this song) It reminds me of a twisted version of the vocals on “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd.
Song of the Day 03/03/11: Avenged Sevenfold – Fiction
There’s a piano in the main area of the building i study in for exams right now and the coolest part is that random students will sit down and play, and when theyre good, its a real blessing. While sitting there listening, it made me wish i could play Fiction on that piano for everyone to hear. Fiction is the last song written by former Avenged Sevenfold drummer the Rev before his untimely death last year. Its a beautiful song, though extremely eerie considering the lyrical content. They also play the revs recorded vocals over it (though he isnt the bands singer) making for an extra powerful song. You really just have to listen to it to understand but the fact that the Rev died right after calling this song his masterpiece makes it mean so much more to me.
88. System of a Down – Steal This Album!
System of a Down has never taken themselves too seriously. But for those who wondered just how crazy System of a Down actually was, they answered with this collection of very old and very new tracks (for the time). It’s interesting how this actually happened though. After Toxicity, fans became so obsessed with System that they compiled a collection of decent quality mp3’s and released them to the internet as Toxicity II. When System heard about it, rather than getting upset at the leak, they recorded high quality versions of all the leaked songs. They even added a couple of new ones for good measure, while also updating the lyrics, melodies and song titles to create a ten time more epic album than the fans bootlegged. To add to that, they named it of all things, Steal this Album! What results is System at it’s most chaotic.
Since the album was a compilation of works written at different times, the mood is hard to nail down as the sound changes so much from song to song. Some are happy, some are sad, some are funny, some are creepy, some are filthy. All of them have EPIC guitars and melodies. We also get to begin seeing the change of Serj as primary vocalist, with Daron as secondary, start to shift towards them sharing the spotlight.
It’s hard not to love the songs on this album. While it can sometimes feel disjointed, it consistently entertains and throws something new at you all the time. You never know what to expect.
How does it make me feel?
You know how the first time you heard Bohemian Rhapsody, you were shocked at all the song changes and how it continually surprised you with new and inventive sounds? However, now you know and anticipate them and it is the most fun song to sing-along to in the world? Well that’s how this album is, for 43 minutes.
What to Listen for Track by Track
♦ Chi N’Stu – How they can sing about pizza toppings and then turn it into a serious consideration about advertising.
♦ The guitar riff that is in the center of Inner Vision. Everything after 1:48.
♦ The guitat solo at 1:30 on Nuguns.
♦ The way the guitars build the foundation for the song at 0:31 of A.D.D.
♦ 2:42 into Mr. Jack
♦ The chorus of I-E-A-I-A-I-A-O.
♦ The way he says “life so unnecessary” on 36.
♦ Serj’s vocals on Pictures. The way his voice cracks. And the Pupupapa!
♦ Everything about the Highway Song, from the main guitar riff, to what happens at 1:51, until it finally becomes legendary at 2:37, to the end.
♦ How cool is the Opening of Ego Brain?? The guitar that comes in at 0:50.
♦ Everything that happens during the verse of Thetawaves. The amazing guitar work that starts around 1:38 culminating in the awesomeness of 1:53.
♦ Going acoustic for Roulette!
♦ Is there a better way to end an album than with Streamline? To me, Streamline embodies everything that is great about later years of System of a Down. And it probably does it better then any other System song to come after it. From it’s opening baseline, to the tempo change around 28 seconds. Serj’s vocals during the verses. His change to the pre-chorus vocals. Daron backing him up. The build into the harmony at 1:30. The build into the guitar solo at 2:17!! I mean seriously! Just wow. Then how the guitar solo succeeds in breaking down in order to build up for the final chorus. And that yell followed by that singing sigh (what else do you call those ending vocals?). Perfect.
Example Track
Song of the Day 09/10/12: P.O.D – Youth of the Nation
Say what you will about P.O.D, “Youth of the Nation” is an amazing song. I remember it really haunted me and made me think about life when I was in high school. It was dark, but it had that awesome sing-a-long chorus. And the cool little guitar solo with the kids singing along side it kicks so much ass. All that being said, I was laughing the other day because my sister and I started singing the song for some reason and then stopped and went, “Crap! We aren’t the youth of the nation anymore!” Then I felt old…
Song of the Day 09/05/12: System of A Down – Chop Suey
You know what stinks about a band breaking up? They stop releasing new music! If nobody actively recommends System of A Down, then there’s no way younger audiences will ever hear their music. If you glance at my Top 100 Albums list, you’ll notice that every one of System of a Down’s albums is on that list. Tragically, they haven’t released any music together since 2005. I found out most of my siblings have never even heard of them! In 2001, I remember sitting around watching MTV hoping, beyond hope, that the next video to come on would be Chop Suey! In the YouTube era, we can watch it whenever we want!
Song of the Day 09/04/12: Snake River Conspiracy – Lovesong
While I’m sure almost everyone has heard “Lovesong” in some form or another… probably never like this. Unless you’re already familiar with SRC (Snake River Conspiracy). This song was my coworker’s wedding song (the 311 version), and I told her this is one of my favorite covers. It sounds like it came straight out of the Matrix. Haunting female vocals and heavy industrial beats are a huge weakness of mine. I also like that it evokes a different set of emotional connections, than the other versions of the song. It’s definitely sluttier.
Song of the Day 01/29/11: Dragonforce – Through the Fire and The Flames
Whenever I need a good laugh, I listen to Dragonforce. Specifically, I watch the video for “Through the Fire and The Flames”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not to laugh at them, but with them. Dragonforce is AWESOME. If you don’t believe me just watch the first 30 seconds, and tell me the sheer speed of their guitars doesn’t make you laugh with glee. Now, some will tell you that any self respecting Dragonforce fan has to hate this song because it’s “played out.” Lemme tell you something, the reason it’s played out is because it’s so freaking awesome you can’t just listen to it once. Even while watching it on video you still think, “How are these guys cheating to play so fast?? They must be cheating! This isn’t human!”
My point is, “Through the Fire and The Flames” is amazing, and can never be played out. So if you’ve never heard it, crank it up and laugh because there’s no other reaction to this awesomeness. And if you have heard it, do the same thing anyway. My personal favorite thing to do is blast it while playing Halo and let me tell you, the kills rack up extremely quick to this song.
Song of the Day 08/01/12: Bullet For My Valentine – Pretty on the Outside
You know when a song is so perfectly angry, that it is almost comical? I love the way the softer sections blend with the extremely angry verses. The song has a pretty good headbanging chorus too. My favorite part is the guitar and drum part at the end of each chorus. Again, this guy is so angry that it’s comical. All I know is some girl must have made his life miserable. I don’t know whether I could ever listen to this song while seriously feeling the way the character is in the song, but I do love it just the same. The bridge is pretty cool too.
Song of the Day 07/22/12: Linkin Park – Burn It Down
I went to the beach with my close friend, Joe, who happens to be Linkin Park obsessed. We listened to the new Linkin Park album in its entirety on the way to the beach. While I still dont think Linkin Park will ever be able to create another Hybrid Theory (for many other reasons than lack of talent), I have to admit that I can’t get the electronic hook of “Burn It Down” out of my head. So if for some reason you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t yet listened to anything on Living Things, give it a shot by listening to “Burn It Down”. We’ll just have to listen to this while we wait for Reanimation II. This one’s for you Joe.
95. Mushroomhead – XIII
Mushroomhead earns its spot on the list because it is the best band in the genre it helped spawn. Yes, there are like ten members in the band. And yes, they all wear strange face paint and interesting masks and have made up names. Before you even say “Hey, that sounds like Slipknot”, know that the answer from any Mushroomhead fan will be “NO! No, it doesn’t.” Mushroomhead started years before Slipknot, and for some reason Slipknot fans started some stupid rivalry trying to say Mushroomhead was a…. Nevermind. That doesn’t really matter.
Oh, and about the masks and fake names, it’s because Mushroomhead was a supergroup whose members were all in other bands and they wanted to create a distinction and still remain anonymous.
Why does Mushroomhead rule the supergroup industrial metal scene? It has the best combination and utilization of screaming and singing vocals I’ve heard. I love both the whiny singing vocals of Jeffrey Nothing, and the almost rap-py, yelling deep voice of J-Man. XIII was the culmination of four albums of experimentation. It is the refining of all that is Mushroomhead into one truly epic album. What really makes Mushroomhead stand out is their incorporation of DJ elements and keyboards! The keyboards add an emotional element to the mix that allows me to connect to the band on a deeper level. Mushroomhead is large and noisy, but when I was 17 they were exactly the band I was looking for. And I stand by my initial love for their sound.
How does it make me feel?
Like smashing everything in my world into oblivion and then sitting in the dust and letting go of everything in a fit of tears.
What to Listen for Track by Track
♦ The creepy baby sound, 8 seconds into Kill Tomorrow that continues to throw up throughout the album
♦ 26 seconds into Kill Tomorrow when J-Man first enters the fray.
♦ Sun Doesn’t Rise proving just how amazing dual vocals(yelling and singing) can be when the vocalists share the spotlight equally. It’s most obvious at about a minute in. Also, pay attention to J-Mans part that comes in at 2:12.
♦ The opening change up piano entrance of Mother Machine Gun. And its fade out at 3:40 again, showing that Mushroomhead ebb and flow of loud and quiet.
♦ Nowhere to Go. In its entirety. More specifically? The underlying piano at 26 seconds. Listen to the way Jeffrey Nothing’s voice hangs over the music during the verses. And listen to J-Man’s deep “talking” part in the song, as he pulls off the ability to be the yeller in the band, and also participate in a quiet song. Talent. Again, listen to how the two vocalists know how to share the spotlight. Then comes Jeffrey Nothing’s “I Erode” line at 1:05. There’s a dual vocal build that starts at 1:35, and lasts a minute up until they enter the final chorus. Just listen to how the synths and piano subtlety fill in the rest of the song. Can you tell I love this song? Lol.
♦ The transition into Becoming Cold and how its heaviness is sandwiched perfectly between my two favorite lighter tracks on the album.
♦ The opening drums of One More Day. The layered vocals that blend perfectly into that amazing underlying piano melody. The female backing vocals at a little after a minute. The awesome violin chorus over everything at 2:19.
♦ The heaviness of The Dream is Over.
♦ How awesome Jeffrey Nothing’s vocals always blend with guitars is heard on Almost Gone.
♦ Mushroomhead continuing to show that it isn’t simply a yelling metal band with this curve ball of a track, Our Own Way. Somehow, they’re even able to incorporate yelling vocals in a soothing way, by surrounding it with synths and piano.
♦ The complete epicness of Destroy the World Around Me. Starting with the distorted yelling at 30 seconds, that builds into J-Mans yelling over an awesome marching drum beat at 50 seconds. Jeffrey Nothing takes over at 2:25, again knowing exactly how to share the vocals spotlight. Again, there’s that underlying piano…with the megaphone talking, J-Man, and Jeffrey Nothing all with input, crossing over each other while the distorted vocals continue to do “oh”s in the background. The piano and guitar just keep building and building endlessly upward through 4:32’s “Unto the darkness” line. Then there’s the final build that starts at 5:31 with the reentrance of the drums and followed then by vocals and those swirling guitars. Lets not forget the drums at 7:46…
♦ Oh, Thirteen… This is how you end an album. Crackling old school recording sound, Irish music and synths and a baby laughing. SERIOUSLY??? And dare I say, Kanye stole the sound of “Runaway” from this song. Lol. This is a song that demonstrates just how much Mushroomhead cannot be labeled and discarded. And then just as the record slips, the hidden track of Mushroomhead enters, covering Seal’s “Crazy”!! Now that’s crazy. Then a final DJ’ed outro, reminiscent of Linkin Park’s, “Cure for the Itch” stylings.
Example Track
Song of the Day 01/17/11: Incubus – I Miss You
Brandon Boyd has a sexy voice. What more is there to say. Something magical happened when he decided he wanted to sing a simple little melody about missing someone. We all got this wonderful song. Thank you Incubus for making life a better place. And if you’ve ever felt exactly how he describes, you are a lucky lucky person.
Song of the Day 01/03/11: Orphaned Land – Sapari
Warning! This song is EPIC!
So yeah, I discovered Orphaned Land on one of those really late night music hunts (yes I go on these more often than you’d think). I was reading a Pain of Salvation review and the guy gave it a perfect 10. That’s not surprising except that this reviewer had only given out like six 10’s ever. One of the other bands that received a 10 was this. SO I went to youtube, and by luck this was the first video I found. I think I watched it 3 times in a row, and then played it to everyone I could find. Orphaned Land is an Israeli progressive metal band with death metal, Arab and Jewish influences. Yes, you can read that statement again and no it isn’t a lie. Epic.
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