365 Albums In One Year

260/365
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Contraband - Velvet Revolver
Format: CD/Digital

Sucker Train Blues - Opening somewhat similar to Its So Easy Velvet Revolver kick off their debut album with a high energy aggressive rock track. Scott's vocals are a little much on this one which frankly is the only downside to this song as a whole it is a great song but his vocals whine just a little too much at times - 9/10

Do It For The Kids - Once the acapella intro is done this song gets into a nice groove, chorus drones a little but the energy in this track is higher than anything on the previous album I reviewed. A good solid rocking track once again suffering a little from the vocal perspective. - 8/10

Big Machine - A drum based intro with lower guitar work introduces song number 3, a fairly good song the energy hasn't wavered too much thus far but the vocal style doesn't really work, if it was more clear and less distorted it would be fantastic. - 7.5/10

Illegal I Song - Another strong introduction kicks off this next track. My previous comments stand true for this song. - 7.5/10

Spectacle - Same as above, musically the band is fantastic but those vocals just don't do it for me although I know the next song is much more up my alley. - 7.5/10

Fall To Pieces - Scott sings cleanly over this magnificent power ballad. If only he sang like this on the rest of the album... An amazing intro riff launches the song into an amazing track, Fall to Pieces is absolutely fantastic - 10/10

Headspace - Vocals are slightly better on this one as compared to basically everything aside from FTP. Slash has put himself together a fantastic band in terms of performance, the solos have been nice and the rhythm work is strong - 8/10

Superhuman - A nice introduction and good clean vocals from Scott, this track is shaping up better than some of the others. Some vocals are Alice In Chains reminiscent before returning to the droning style. - 7.5/10

Set Me Free - An amazing intro solo from Slash launches into a high tempo, then the vocals come in and bring it down a little. They however are more fitting to the song as it goes on. - 8/10

You Got No Right - Starting off acoustic, this song makes the band sound a little like Green Day, specifically the backing vocals to it. Overall a really enjoyable track thanks to the shift in vocal style. - 8.5/10

Slither - Scott's droning vocals are less present here, another commercial track and it kicks ass. Slither is a fantastic radio rock song. I remember listening to this in my dads truck as a kid. Slash does amazing throughout the song letting loose a killer rock track. - 9.5/10

Dirty Little Thing - A song which could have easily been the album opener based on the speed and energy. Scott's distorted vocals are done in a pleasant way on the verses. High energy at first, but slowing down a little as you enter the middle of the track before picking up once again. - 8.5/10

Loving The Alien - The longest song on the album opens up acoustically, remaining calm the song closes off the album in a rather nice way. It is a good change from the essentially non-stop hard rocking from the rest of the album. - 8.5/10

Overall 83%

Roughly 1 week behind now.
 
261/365
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The Warning - Queensryche
Format: CD/Digital

Warning - Opening up with the title track Queensryche's first full length album kicks off with the name of it being sung out. Geoff sounds amazing on this track, the guitars have some really nice harmonies. And the drum and bass work is fairly nice as well. As a whole the chorus is the only real weak part of the song. It doesn't have too much to it but wow does the song sound good a strong midpaced track and it opens up the album setting a good example although from research it was meant to be one of the last tracks on the album which also makes sense. - 9/10

En Force - The second song comes in with some almost bell like sounds in the back with the descending riff. Geoff comes in quickly and the song begins to pick up the pace a little bit. His voice is so powerful here. Chorus is quite unique but not super catchy, although I do like the deep voice contrast with his wails. A strong track with a very different ending than the rest of the song - 8.5/10

Deliverance - The shortest track on the album comes in rocking from the start, Geoff lets loose a wail before singing at the higher speed of the track. Thus far the fastest by a fairly wide margin. The chorus does cause the song to slow down a little. -8/10

No Sanctuary - Slowly fading in this longer track has some strong dynamics to it, shifting between atmospheric and somewhat orchestrated to a more upbeat rock epic for the chorus. A track which warrants re-listening to based solely on how dynamic it is. - 8.5/10

NM 156 - Coming in with a very odd pre-recorded intro comes the song which was intended to open the album, building guitars come up behind the intro fading out as a robotic voice comes in which sounds very similar to empire's chorus from nearly a decade later. Geoff sounds pretty good here as well. Chorus is pretty good. The solo section brings some new energy to the song as well. - 8.5/10

Take Hold Of the Flame - Slowly coming in is one of the few songs the band plays from their debut album, the mighty Take Hold Of The Flame a emotive track with Geoff singing deeply over the calm introduction. He soon lets out a beautiful high note and the band begins to really come in for the track. A fantastic track throughout - 10/10

Before The Storm - Another upbeat track comes up next, the song features a low and consistently speedy riff. Geoff continues to sound quite strong. The chorus is super repetitive and has too many layers to it but wow does the instrumental section following it balance it out. - 8/10

Child Of Fire - Child of fire comes in nicely following the previous track, the pacing of the intro is fantastic. The guitar tone is quite nice throughout. I know the band wasn't happy with the album but wow has it been consistently quite good. - 8.5/10

Roads To Madness - The album closes off with a nearly 10 minute track, it is here where I see some of the issues with production, the vocals are impeccable while the guitars should be a little more in the forefront. A great sprawling epic. I would love to see them bring this back live - 9.5/10

Overall 87%

Prophecy is also quite a good track.
 
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262/365
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Metallica - Metallica
Format: CD/Digital

Enter Sandman - The slow building intro leads into one of the bands most commercially successful songs, the wonderful guitar work and strong vocals from Hetfield are very welcome and frankly the more commercial approach is more pleasant than the thrash style of some of their earlier work. Although I will be doing Kill Em and And Master Of Puppets at some point... Regardless Enter Sandman is a great song and a strong opener - 9/10

Sad But True - Coming in with some synchronized drums and guitar riffs before going into a heavy riff with a stomping drumbeat. James has a nice bit of gravel behind his voice, this mid-paced track is fairly decent but not really that catchy nor impressive. The solo section is pleasant but as a whole the song doesn't leave me wanting more nor fully satisfied. - 7.5/10

Holier Than Thou - Coming in fairly quickly the shortest track on the album makes itself quite well known off the bat repeating a drum and guitar intro for the first 30 seconds of the track before shifting and James comes in. Better than the previous track but it doesn't pull you in completely but it does have some good rocking moments. - 8/10

The Unforgiven - The first of the 3 Unforgiven tracks, comes in slowly with a very calm introduction before the song transitions into a heavier slow head banger. James sings softly at some points throughout and it adds some nice dynamics to the track. The songs is so close to having everything come together in a perfect package for me, but something is missing from giving me that emotional connection which would make it a knock out of the park - 9/10

Wherever I May Roam - The gong sounds and Metallica unleash one of the few songs which I actively will seek to listen to by them. Wherever I May Roam is a monstrous track which is pure perfection in my eyes. James sings amazingly and the whole band performs amazingly. The guitar riff during the chorus is absolutely amazing - 10/10

Don't Tread On me - A dark and heavy opening leads into another shorter track, which looking at the runtimes of the remaining songs isn't actually that short by comparison. A nice drumbeat comes in and the band begins to sing as a group, which takes away from James good vocal delivery. The beat is impossible to not bob your head along to and the solo is quite nice. Vocally not amazing but quite enjoyable as a whole - 8/10

Through The Never - Coming in quite quickly with an intro riff that frankly goes on a little too long, before shifting to a new riff as James comes in. A quick and compact track with some nice licks throughout. Another enjoyable track with another nice solo. - 7.5/10

Nothing Else Matters - The final radio staple from the album comes in calmly and the song soon shows why it is a well known ballad. Dark and moody at points, softer at others. This song lacks the brutal solo which Fade To Black has which is one of the things which holds that song so far above this one but Nothing Else Matters is still an amazing song. - 10/10

Of Wolf And Man - A low and very heavy intro comes in it does about as much as most of the tracks did on here, a strong heavy riff remains throughout but it doesn't really pull you in completely although I will say the werewolf theme is a nice shift in lyrical choice. - 7.5/10

The God That Failed - A slow intro with a nice introduction riff sequence. A stronger song than many of those on the album and that amazing riff. I will acknowledge that this really isn't the metal which I prefer and it is affecting my enjoyment. Despite the higher rating that this album will likely get thanks to the singles I likely won't be putting this album on again for a long long time. - 8.5/10

My Friend Of Misery - The last long track of the album comes in with a bass intro. Vocally it starts good and the beat is really well delivered. However the vocal style shifts a little and it becomes disjointed the first song to truely feel its length. It has some really nice moments but the song doesn't feel cohesive enough. - 6.5/10

The Struggle Within - A militant drumbeat opens up the final song of the album, the guitars harmonize beneath it. James comes in singing soon and the band delivers a quick paced decent rocker which doesn't really leave much to be remembered. Not a great ending to the album as a whole package although the last minute and a bit of the song does end it off quite well. - 7.5/10

Overall 83%
 
The Dissident said:
Wherever I May Roam - The gong sounds and Metallica unleash one of the few songs which I actively will seek to listen to by them. Wherever I May Roam is a monstrous track which is pure perfection in my eyes. James sings amazingly and the whole band performs amazingly. The guitar riff during the chorus is absolutely amazing - 10/10
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Ok, Dissident, you get the pass from me. Wherever I May Roam is fantastic, maybe not 10/10 from me though. Good writeups all around for this album. What is your favorite Metallica album? How does the Black album compare to it?
 
Dityn DJ James said:
Ok, Dissident, you get the pass from me. Wherever I May Roam is fantastic, maybe not 10/10 from me though. Good writeups all around for this album. What is your favorite Metallica album? How does the Black album compare to it?
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I've only listened to 3 albums fully thus far, being Ride The Lightning, ...And Justice For All, and the Black album. Thus far Ride The Lightning holds the top spot but Metallica's style isn't something I particularly enjoy listening to I'm more into commercial sounding metal like Priest, Maiden, Scorpions, Rainbow and the like. That being said I think the Black album had some killer moments. But Ride The Lightning holds the top spot due to having Fade To Black and For Whom The Bell Tolls.
 
The Dissident said:
I've only listened to 3 albums fully thus far, being Ride The Lightning, ...And Justice For All, and the Black album. Thus far Ride The Lightning holds the top spot but Metallica's style isn't something I particularly enjoy listening to I'm more into commercial sounding metal like Priest, Maiden, Scorpions, Rainbow and the like. That being said I think the Black album had some killer moments. But Ride The Lightning holds the top spot due to having Fade To Black and For Whom The Bell Tolls.
Click to expand...
I think you could enjoy Load and Reload. Are you planning on listening to more Metallica?
 
KidInTheDark666 said:
I think you could enjoy Load and Reload. Are you planning on listening to more Metallica?
Click to expand...

Kill Em All and Master Of Puppets for sure. I own those two along with Load, Reload, Death Magnetic and Hardwired but I'm not sure which ones I will do from those. Seeing as I only have 103 or so left and very limited listening time I'm trying to find some shorter albums and finish the discographies runs which I started. But I'm not ruling them out as options.
 
263/365
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Jazz - Queen
Format: CD/Digital

Mustapha - The album opens with Freddie singing in a different language, a very odd introductory track which showcases Freddies voice wonderfully. The song picks up from the piano based intro roughly halfway into the song. - 7.5/10

Fat Bottom Girls - One of Queens most well known tracks comes in with the beautiful Queen harmonies before the mid tempo track comes in with the stomping drumbeat and amazing vocals from both Freddie and Brian. The verses have a bit of a darker undertone however the chorus just soars and shows just how amazing Queen were vocally. The breakdown of the song is wonderful and the outro solo is great. I think its a hit.- 10/10

Jealousy - A piano intro is soon accompanied by an acoustic guitar, Freddie sings so beautifully over the bands calm composition. Not a super engaging song but throughout Freddie does a great job and the band plays so calmly and peacefully. More Queen harmonies. - 7/10

Bicycle Race - The goofy Bicycle race comes in and Freddie nails it, aside from not liking Star Wars... A great harmony filled track which rocks has a ton of fun energy built into it the song has a false ending with the ringing of bicycle bells before having a short solo section and the song shifts speed. - 9/10

If You Can't Beat Em - Continuing on the upbeat theme this next song comes in an instantly the song has a fun energy and a very positive message being conveyed about being yourself even in the face of adversity... such a Queen message. I still have to comment on the beautiful harmonies once again, many bands have good harmonies but they can become overused, with Queen I find they rarely have a song where the harmonies aren't warranted or are poorly used. A strong band jam outro could really evolve in a live setting. - 8.5/10

Let Me Entertain You - Coming in fast and low in a guitar riff which could really be a heavy one if produced in such a way. Freddie sings quite quickly but every word is so clear. The song references themselves quite a few times throughout the song which is quite fitting with the theme of the song although some of these verses aren't the best lyrically wise. This song is clearly designed to be fun. - 8/10

Dead On Time - A dramatic intro segues into a drumbased intro which leads to a quick track which features some rather heavy guitar and drum work, it reminds me a little of Stone Cold Crazy with some Brighton Rock solo mixed in. A rather interesting and incredibly energetic song. - 8.5/10

In Only Seven Days - Pianos introduce the shortest track of the album, written by John Deacon who plays all the guitars on the song. Calm and soothing. It sort of disrupts the energy provided by the previous track but it is quite enjoyable. - 7.5/10

Dreamers Ball - Opening with some classic Queen distorted guitar this acoustic song is dedicated to Elvis, this one doesn't really pull me in and frankly is a little boring if it wasn't for Brians distorted guitar it would be getting a very low score. - 6.5/10

Fun It - A funky intro comes in which I can see where Radio Ga Ga's intro's inspiration began. Roger took lead vocals on this track, with Freddie singing opposite to him. A really odd track but it doesn't feel out of place what so ever. As a whole the nice beat and the catchy guitar lick keeps you engaged as Freddie and Roger show off some of their vocal prowess. - 7.5/10

Leaving Home Ain't Easy - Brian takes his turn on vocals for this track, calm and acoustic the song features some lower harmonies which aren't usually heard on a Queen song, the lower harmonies based on some reading were all done by Brian which makes sense as it removes the higher Freddie and Roger. An enjoyable song - 7.5/10

Don't Stop Me Now - Another hit song comes in next, I would have suspected this track be an opener to one of the album's sides solely based on the energy of it but here it sits at the back of the album close to the end. An incredible energy is delivered throughout the song, the speedy piano and Freddies upbeat soaring vocals. Fantastic start to finish with a great solo from Brian - 10/10

More Of The Jazz - The title track of sorts closes off the album, sung once again by Roger Taylor, a nice groove is present once again. He sings rather high closing off the album fairly well. - 8/10

Overall 81%

And now I can put Live Killers in the list of Live albums I can listen to...
 
264/365
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Walk The Sky - Alter Bridge
Format: Vinyl

Side 1: One Life/Wouldn't You Rather/In The Deep/Godspeed/Native Son
Opening up with a very calm intro, very similar to the Slip to The Void in feeling except a positive version instead of the darkness which Slip features, Myles sings nice and calm throughout it feels uplifting before fading out and the first single rips in. Wouldn't You Rather's riff comes in hard and aggressive, Myles shifts from a calm style to an upbeat rock vocal. Following up One Life this feels like a great 1-2 combo in terms of opening. The straightforward rocker feeling like an extension from the previous track. Nice short solo section and a Rime Of The Ancient Mariner reference which is always welcome when it fits. Good opening. Another prerelease track comes in next, In The Deep was one which I gravitated to more than Wouldn't You Rather, with the latter being enhanced by its album placement. In The Deep has an interesting riff before shifting to a more laid back verse with the chorus having Myles singing fairly high vocal section. The chorus is really uplifting while the verses feel more reflective. Another shorter commercial track but it is still a good track, sometimes the chorus delivery style isn't the most effective but it as a whole is another really good track. A piano based intro brings in Godspeed a song which I believe was written for a friend of the band who passed away. The song soon shifts away from the full ballad and the keys go into the background. The drumbeat is incredibly upbeat and Myles sings quite well over it. It is very clear that this song is a tribute and it clearly is for someone who was fairly influential to the band. This song doesn't quite connect with me as much as the previous two but it really is a beautiful tribute to a friend and Mark delivers a good solo. I believe I heard that Mark was going to sing this song originally but they demoed Myles and decided it was his song, the song feels longer than its length... in a good way. Native Son closes off side 1, starting with a calm intro before a heavy riff breaks the serenity. Some nice higher notes are featured here, a strong rocker which continues a very upbeat trend, while getting heavier without feeling out of place.

One Life - 8/10
Wouldn't You Rather - 9/10
In The Deep - 9/10
Godspeed - 8.5/10
Native Son - 8.5/10
Side 1 - 43/50

Side 2: Take The Crown/Indoctrination/The Bitter End/Pay No Mind/Forever Falling
Side 2 kicks off with another single, Take The Crown's guitar and vocal intro leads into a heavier of the singles. A massive chorus is featured in this track, easy and singable in the live setting. Myles vocals have been really good throughout the album and here is a great showing of it. The verses are slightly darker while the chorus is incredibly uplifting. It Has a clear sports connection, it however does miss something to push it into the amazing category. Indoctrination comes in slowly, it is interesting that on an album with so many shorter songs their introductions are slower and drawn out more than I would expect. Myles starts off singing rather low and the riff is low with him before it shifts to the uplifting music that they have been making on the record thus far. It clearly takes a very clear stance on followers and their devotion to their leaders, more specifically religious but it is applicable in other settings. I like the chorus a lot it really works quite well. Another really good track, nothing has completely blown me away thus far and we are halfway through the album, but it has been super enjoyable and uplifting. Definitely and album which will be getting listened to more frequently. The Bitter End comes in with a piano intro and Myles comes in singing melodically and really peacefully at the same time, his tone on the intro is quite strong. The chorus is short but uplifting once again with some incredible vocals from Myles. The best song thus far on the album. Verses are well delivered and as a whole this song should be longer it really doesn't feel like it is the shortest track on the album barring One Life. Pay No Mind Fades in with from the previous track and those synths sound great. This was the grower of the singles for me, it is continuing to grow on me and wow has it grown, its placement on the album is incredibly well done. Uplifting and that chorus is amazing. The synths add a great element to the song and is a great evolution for the band as they don't dominate the song but compliment the band's sound. I would love to hear a version of this song with an orchestra I think it could be immense. Side 2 closes off with Forever Falling, a track featuring Mark on the lead vocals barring the chorus where Myles comes in, It opens with an acoustic introduction before launching into the heaviest riff thus far on the album, Mark comes in fairly strong, the chorus is pretty good and the shift back to Myles adds a nice contrast. As a whole the song is quite strong it doesn't quite click fully for me but the chorus is good and Mark's lead vocals are a welcomed shift adding some uniqueness to the song, and a nice solo is featured near the end.

Take The Crown - 9.5/10
Indoctrination - 9/10
The Bitter End - 10/10
Pay No Mind - 10/10
Forever Falling - 9/10
Side 2 - 47.5/50

Side 3: Clear Horizon/Walking On The Sky/Tear Us Apart/Dying Light
The final side of the album comes in with Myle singing very some very contemplative lyrics over some calm keys. However the atmosphere does a 180 pretty quick going dark and Myles tone gets a fair bit darker as well. A nice instrumental passage ensues and the song speeds up a little. The prechorus is good and the chorus lets Myles let out a nice longer note. I really like the different vocal delivery styles Myles does throughout the song. The song really should have some sort of outro solo, it could be longer. The title track comes in, starting off low before building up quite a bit, Myles lets out some more high notes and sings beautifully over the band as his voice soars into the Sky. The first song that truely feels like an AB epic and a deserving title track of sorts. Not on par with Fortress, Calm The Fire, or the mighty Blackbird but wow is this a good song. Starting harder before laying off as Myles sings. A simpler song in terms of the message is plain to see as don't let life break you down. Myles' voice is so well suited for this type of song, not a ballad in execution but good at reaching people. Very accessible and the calm nature of Myles vocals is very comforting in a way. Dying Light closes off the album, the culmination of everything which has come before it on the album. It really ties the song back to AB III which is really fitting due to the similarities between the two albums. Myles sings it incredibly well. Overall this album was incredibly consistent and I think many songs will grow on me. A very consistent and intriguing album.

Clear Horizon - 9/10
Walking On The Sky - 9.5/10
Tear Us Apart -9/10
Dying Light - 10/10
Side 3 - 37.5/40

Overall 91%
 
265/365
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The Chemical Wedding - Bruce Dickinson
Format: CD/Digital

King In Crimson - A dark and heavy riff introduces Bruce's fifth solo record, Bruce sings darkly while Adrian and Roy lay out some strong guitar licks. The bass and drums round out the band nicely although not quite on par with Steve's bass work. Bruce's vocals don't soar as much as they could but he puts in a really strong performance conveying danger quite well. The solo section is incredibly melodic and powerful. A great dual solo. - 8.5/10

Chemical Wedding - The title track comes in next, it is the shortest track on the album and it wastes no time getting to business. It slows a little when Bruce begins singing. The chorus is fairly good but it lacks the power which Bruce could easily put behind it. Once again some absolutely amazing guitar work dominates this song. - 8/10

The Tower - A great guitar introduction leads into the third track, Bruce has stated this song is about union. Vocals are layered at times which both works for and against Bruce. I like the chorus as a whole and the song is upbeat throughout. It features yet another amazing solo section which brings the song into the final chorus and ends the song in a strong fashion. - 9/10

Killing Floor - The only single from the album comes in rocking from the start. Bruce lets out some nice distorted vocals on this one and the song is a stronger upbeat rocker. There feels to be a disconnect for me but I attribute that to hearing Bruce's vocals over something that isn't Maiden since the band itself is doing an amazing job while Bruce for me sounds a little out of place at times. - 8/10

Book Of Thel - The albums epic comes in next, The Book Of Thel slowly comes in with a crying guitar, before shifting from slower to a strong aggressive rocker. Bruce sounds really strong for the most part, however at others he seems to be reaching a little too high. This song however is absolutely amazing, since when Bruce clicks it all together the song is sublime. A 5th great instrumental section is featured roughly halfway through the track before Bruce returns singing in a near choir like way, then the instrumental returns featuring a great solo. This totally could be an amazing Maiden epic. - 10/10

Gates Of Urizen - Coming in low Bruce sings calmly and the song before the song expands further than a calm one could reach. Bruce sings powerfully as the band slowly become heavier and he lifts the song with him. A fantastic performance by all once more. - 9/10

Jerusalem - Once more starting low and calm, this time fully acoustic at the start, the song builds but remains more stripped back. The different approach leads to a very different track but it is a very much welcome change, it eventually does shift to electric for the solo section but the structure of the song makes it a very fitting shift and wow does this show a brilliant. Creative team - 9.5/10

Trumpets Of Jericho - A direct drum based introduction kicks off this track. It doesn't click for me, it has the potential to be a really strong rocker but something doesn't work for me and I can't quite put my finger on it. - 7/10

Machine Men - Midpaced and heavy Bruce sings quite darkly, and he pulls you back in very quickly although not quite on the level of some of the tracks previously his vocals are stronger here and the band does a great job letting loose some dark and heavy material. - 8/10

The Alchemist - Closing out the album is a track which traditionally has a hidden track to it but due to having bonus tracks I won't be having that as part of the album closer. Midpaced and quite powerful. Bruce is such a great story teller and he closes off his final pre-reunion solo album in a great fashion. - 9.5/10

Overall 87%

100 to go...
 
The Dissident said:
Chemical Wedding - The title track comes in next, it is the shortest track on the album and it wastes no time getting to business. It slows a little when Bruce begins singing. The chorus is fairly good but it lacks the power which Bruce could easily put behind it. Once again some absolutely amazing guitar work dominates this song. - 8/10
Click to expand...
I think that this might be the best chorus Bruce has ever sung in any band.
 
266/365
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Fly By Night - Rush
Format: CD/Digital

Anthem - A furious drum introduction opens up the second album from Rush. Alex, Geddy and Neil deliver an absolutely killer introduction before the singer becomes the center of attention. Geddy lets out some strong high notes and the band is furious behind him while backing off at other times. An absolutely fantastic opener. - 9.5/10

Best I Can - A fairly groovy track comes in next, not quite on par with the previous track from a vocal perspective but the band remains tight and delivers a really strong track, Alex's solo is great and frankly the weak point is Geddy's vocal performance/deliver. But still quite an enjoyable song. - 7.5/10

Beneath, Between & Behind - A short and direct track, tight and effective throughout. Geddy's delivery is stronger here and the energy of the band can be felt throughout the track a step back into the right direction if you ask me. - 8/10

By-Tor And The Snow Dog - The band's first multi-part epic, featuring quite strong performances from the entire band, this epic doesn't flow together quite as well as say 2112 or some of the other later epics but for a first true epic this track fits the bill quite well. The instrumental passages are strong and brutal without feeling too long and the band does a great job highlighting Neil being the newest member his drumming is given quite a bit of time to shine. The bluesy solo feels so Zeppelin esc but oh so good at the same time - 9/10

Fly By Night - The title track is a very direct track which is a nice follow up from the previous track. It however lacks the complexity which makes the previous track so amazing. It does feature some nice soloing and Geddy delivers the more commercial track quite well with his high and very unique voice. - 8/10

Making Memories - Coming in acoustic, the shortest track of the album. A calmer track and Geddy sings a fair bit lower than the previous track. It doesn't connect to me but I could see it being a really nice change in a live setting with the bands massive epics. - 7.5/10

Rivendell - Staying acoustic, Geddy sings really nicely from the start but the song goes on too long but it is really pleasant. It clearly is about LOTR which is always a fun topic but wow does the song feel its length. - 7/10

In The End - The final song on the album comes in, and I really like when songs about ending close off the album it just feels really fitting. A longer calm intro shifts for an electric guitar and the band come back into a more upbeat rock tempo. A solid way to close it all off, this song isn't amazing but is more on par with the title track just more experimental. - 8/10

Overall 81%
edit:
Adjusted - 82%
 
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May as well get one more done today... Likely will get 1 or 2 done tomorrow since I actually have some free time...

267/365
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Adrenalize - Def Leppard
Format: CD/Digital

Lets Get Rocked - The pop metal stars come in with a soon to be concert staple. Lets Get Rocked really provides a great example of what makes Def Leppard so commercial, catchy chorus with accessible sound providing a relatively fun listening experience. Overall this song usually is a track which I can really get into but I do have those times where frankly it is such a step towards the commercial that I can't really afford it as high of a score as it could have earned. - 9/10

Heaven Is - Coming in slightly harder than the pop filled opener. The chorus however goes back to the pop filled themes while the verses have a strong bass line from Rick Savage. It is a decent track as a whole. - 7.5/10

Make Love Like A Man - Another really pop filled track, Def Lep made it clear which direction they were gonna go with their future music following Hysteria, I mean they hit is big why not go down that Rabbit hole. The song is enjoyable but not fantastic and really the band has many better tracks on the previous album and some from later on as well. - 7/10

Tonight - This tracks opening doesn't really pull me in at all. Joe sings low which is a nice shift but it doesn't have a good hook and by the time the chorus comes in the song is nearly halfway done and even it doesn't have that leppard hook. - 6/10

White Lightning - Def Leppard aren't known for making 7 minute long tracks. White Lightning is the band's tribute to Steve Clark and wow is it amazing. Quite frankly when I heard this song it is what got me into Def Leppard, now a days I don't listen to it very much but the band does a fantastic job with this tribute to their deceased brother. Fantastic guitar work and sends the message of the dangers of alcohol abuse. The chorus is catchy as a Def Leppard song should be. One of my absolute favourite Leppard tracks - 10/10

Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion) - Shifting into more of what we would expect at this point from the Brits, I think this song should have been sped it the mid paced form of it lacks the energy which a faster one could have. It really shows that the White Lightning and the opener might be the only really strong tracks on the album... - 6.5/10

Personal Property - An interesting riff kicks off this next track, and frankly this track restores some faith in the rest of the record not being boring (although the next track is one I enjoy). Harder rocking than many of the previous tracks and with a nice driving pace. A fun upbeat track which I quite enjoyed discovering. Joe's vocals can sound a little stretched here and there but it is good. - 8/10

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad - Another track which I really enjoyed when discovering Def Leppard, a very sappy ballad which I quite enjoy. Not nearly as good as Foolin' or Love Bites. But still a really good ballad with a easy to remember chorus despite the title being quite a mouth full to sing - 9/10

I Wanna Touch U - Coming in with some nice harmonized guitars the song is rather simple and is okay but I'm not really a fan of it as a whole. - 7/10

Tear It Down - The album closes off with another decent rocker. It has a nice energy to it but once again isn't that amazing. closing off the album fairly decently. - 7/10

Overall 77%
 
The Dissident said:
Trumpets Of Jericho - [...] It doesn't click for me, it has the potential to be a really strong rocker but something doesn't work for me and I can't quite put my finger on it. - 7/10
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Yes, thank you. Weakest song on the album for sure. I don’t understand why others seem to like it so much...
 
Jer said:
Yes, thank you. Weakest song on the album for sure. I don’t understand why others seem to like it so much...
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Great riff, soaring chorus, cryptic lyrics selling the topic at hand, it’s got a lot of power and energy and a vicious drive beating throughout.
 
Diesel 11 said:
Great riff, soaring chorus, cryptic lyrics selling the topic at hand, it’s got a lot of power and energy and a vicious drive beating throughout.
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Hmm, more like a boring riff, a weak pre-chorus, and a so-so chorus (until the final variations), with a disjointed vibe and only sputtering amounts of power. Literally every other song on the album is noticeably better, IMO.
 
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