On October 7, 1986, "Slayer" released one of the biggest and most influential albums in the thrash metal genre - "Reign in Blood". Here are 36 interesting facts about the album: 1. This is the band's third album, whose debut album was released 3 years earlier, in 1983. 2. The album has 10 songs, but is only 28:55 minutes long, which indicates, among other things, the average speed of playing in it. This "achievement" is intensified by the fact that the opening song "Angel of Death" stretches over 4:51 minutes out of 28:55 minutes. 3. The band said that when they finished the recordings they were shocked by the fact that the ten songs were in total less than half an hour of recording. Producer Rick Rubin, on the other hand, liked the result so much that he did not even ask the band to write and record more songs. 4. Because the album was so short, it fits into one side of a tape cassette. The band made sure that the album was also recorded on the other side of the cassette so that whoever listened to it could turn the cassette over and listen to it again. 5. This is Slayer's first album with legendary producer Rick Rubin, which greatly influenced the band's sound and development. 6. One of the things Rick Rubin persuaded the band to do is to give up the reverb effect altogether to produce a direct and sharp sound, just like the band's music. 7. This was the band's first album recorded during the daytime. They recorded their previous two albums late at night when no one was in the studio, to save money, since these two albums were self-funded. 8. The band intended to produce the fastest album ever. At that time they competed with "Metallica" and intended to produce the fastest and heaviest album. And so they did! (Photo: Steamcommunity.com) 9. The one who influenced the "disturbing" style of the album was mainly Jeff Hanneman who persuaded and encouraged the band members to listen to hardcore punk bands. 10. Rick Rubin did not know "Slayer" at all when he signed them to his private label "Def Jam Recordings", a year earlier. What's more, by then he had mostly produced rap and hip-hop bands like "Run DMC" and "Public Enemy". 11. The same year Rick Rubin produced the album, he was also responsible for producing the "Beastie Boys" debut album "Licensed to Ill". 12. Rubin also asked guitarist Kerry King to play the solo in the "Beastie Boys" song "No Sleep Till Brooklyn", taken from that album. 13. The release of the album was delayed mainly due to the opening track " Angel of Death " which deals with Joseph Mengele and the experiments he did during the Holocaust. Al Teller, president of the "Columbia" Company that was to distribute the album, was the son of Holocaust survivors and refused to market it. 14. The neo-Nazi image of the band following the song was fueled by the fact that the letter "S" in the band's logo is reminiscent of the one used by the Nazis for the "SS" logo. 15. In fact it was an anti-Nazi song. Guitarist Jeff Hanneman was influenced by his father's story, who was among the fighters in the invasion of Normandy in 1944. He was also inspired by books he read about Mengele. 16. The long and chilling scream from the second 0:19 to 0:27 in the song " Angel of Death ", was performed by bassist and singer Tom Araya in just two takes. This is one of the most chilling and iconic screams in the metal world. 17. It was the last song the band played on stage during their performance in Inglewood, California on November 30, 2019. 18. Interestingly, the song was included in the soundtrack of the movie "Gremlins 2, Jackass: The Movie" and also in the movie "Jackass: The Movie". 19. The song can also be found in the computer game "Tony Hawk's Project 8". 20. The song " Raining Blood " can also be found in the game soundtracks "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and Guitar Hero "III: Legends of Rock". 21. The song " Altar of Sacrifice " was written based on an old song by the band called "Ice Titan". The original version can be found in a box from 2003 - "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse". 22. Guitarist Kerry King said he improvised all of his solos on the album, during the recordings. He was overwhelmed by the positive criticism towards him, because he felt that he was just fiddling with unrelated solos. 23. The song " Angel of Death " was sampled in the song "She Watch Channel Zero ?!" "by the rap band "Public Enemy". The song was also sampled by the industrial band - "KMFDM" in the song "Godlike". 24. The song " Raining Blood " from the album was also sampled by Lil 'Jon as part of the single "Stop Fuckin' Wit Me" from 2004. 25. Singer Tori Amos made a cover of the song "Raining Blood" and stretched it to a 6-and-a-half minute version, on the album "Strange Little Girls", released in 2001, after September 11, featuring her interpretation of men's songs from her point of view. 26. "Body Count" performed a cover of the songs "Raining Blood" and "Postmortem", on the album "Bloodlust" from 2016. 27. Drummer Dave Lombardo left the band during a tour that supported the album, due to a financial dispute. He returned to the band after producer Rick Robin convinced him to do so in 1987. 28. In 2004 "Slayer" played the album from beginning to end, on tour. In the song " Raining Blood ", the last on the album, and the show, it was "raining blood" on the band, literally. 29. The drumming section in the opening of the song " Criminally Insane " was written by Jeff Hanneman . 30. The song's b-side included a remix in which drummer Dave Lombardo plays an electronic drum kit that triggered samples with a recording of him playing analog drums. 31. The whole band hated the cover of the same album by Lawrence “Larry” Carroll. They said that if they had known this would be the result, they would not have approached him in the first place. 32. Although the album was not played on radio stations at all, it is the band's first album to enter the US Billboard 200 and bring them recognition among the mainstream metal community. 33. It is one of the most important albums in metal and is ranked 6th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest metal albums of all time. 34. In 2006 "Metal Hammer" magazine ranked the album at number one on the list of albums released in the last 20 years. 35. 'Kerrang!' Magazine defined the album as the heaviest album of all time. 36. In 2016 "Loudwire" magazine ranked the album in first place out of the band's 12 albums. 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Singer and songwriter Thom Yorke is celebrating his birthday today! Here are some interesting facts about him. (Photo: Jim Dyson) 1. He was born in Northamptonshire, England on October 7, 1968. 2. As a child his family lived in Scotland and when he was 7 they moved to Oxfordshire in England. 3. Yorke's father was a nuclear physicist and also an amateur boxer. 4. He was born paralyzed in his left eye. By the age of 5, he had undergone five surgeries, the last of which left him with a drooping eyelid. 5. He got his first guitar at age 7. 6. He was very influenced by Brian May and already at the age of 10 built a guitar for himself, similar to Brian May 's "Red Special" guitar. 7. Yorke also mentioned John Lennon and "The Plastic Ono Band" as a musical influence on him. 8. He became a vegetarian following The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder" album. 9. Already at the age of 11 he formed his first band, "Headless Chickens", and wrote his first song. 10. Yorke's first band with Colin Greenwood was called "TNT". 11. He met Colin's brother Johnny Greenwood and the other members of "Radiohead" at the "Abingdon" boys' school. (Photo: bbc.co.uk) 12. He said that the reason he connected with them in the first place, was the fact that everyone had an interest in the same musical styles and among other things loved "Joy Division". 13. In 1986 he formed the band "On a Friday" with them, named after the only day of the week when they could have rehearsals. 14. In a short time the band recorded their first demo and they received an offer for a recording contract from "Island Records". 15. At the same time, the band members decided that they wanted to finish their studies at the university first, so they took a break from the band's affairs until graduation and returned to activity only in 1991. 16. While in college Thom was also part of a techno band called "Flickernoise" and also worked as a DJ. 17. Upon returning to activity, "On a Friday" changed their name to "Radiohead" and signed a recording contract with "Parlophone". 18. In 1992 the band released their first hit, "Creep", which made them very famous. 19. Yorke wrote the hit about an unrequited love he had while in college. 20. The Israeli audience discovered the band in real-time when the song "Creep" was used for a "Castro" commercial that aired on Israeli Channel 2. 21. The person who sang the song in that commercial was Jeremy Kaplan, due to copyright issues and the desire to save costs. 22. Yorke admitted that the huge success of the debut album, " Pablo Honey ", caused him unbridled behavior. 23. In 1993, Yorke and "Radiohead" came to Israel for three performances at the mythical "Roxanne" Club. Yorke returned with the band to Israel shortly afterward in 1995, for a performance at the Ramat Gan Stadium, in 2000 for three more performances, and another mythological performance at the Yarkon Park held in 2017. 24. He was quoted saying that the song "High and Dry" from the album " The Bends " is not bad, but a very bad one! 25. The number 1426148550 that appears on the cover of the "EP Airbag" is the pager number of Yorke. 26. Yorke was greatly influenced by Jeff Buckley. He recorded the song "Fake Plastic" Trees after attending his show. He immediately ran away to the studio and in two takes recorded the vocals. Immediately afterward he burst into tears. 27. He said that the band "PIXIES" is the best band in the world. 28. The song "Exit Music (For A Film") was written by Yorke after he already knew that the song was going to be part of the soundtrack of the movie "Romeo and Juliet", so he used words that matched the storyline. 29. In addition to being a singer, Yorke plays many instruments. Among others, are electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, bass guitar, piano, and drums. 30. In 1987, Yorke had a car accident with his girlfriend. The incident caused him a kind of phobia of vehicles, following which he wrote the following songs: "Airbag", "Killer Cars", "Stupid Car", and "The Drunkk Machine". This effect can also be seen in the video for the song "Karma Police". (atoms.for.thom Instagram) 31. Thom Yorke was quoted as saying he regrets the inclusion of the song "Electioneering" on the album " Ok Computer ". 32. He experienced a nervous breakdown after the release of the album " Ok Computer ". 33. Yorke recorded the vocals for most of the songs on the album " Ok Computer " in one take. 34. The vocals of the song "Planet Telex" were recorded by Yorke while lying on the floor, drunk. 35. Yorke does not like the sound of his voice. This is one of the reasons why in the songs "Myxomatosis" and "A Wolf At The Door" you can hear him talking and not singing. 36. Together with his band "Radiohead" he has released to date nine studio albums, six EPs, four compilation albums, and one live album. 37. In 2006 he released his first solo album, "The Eraser" which received positive reviews. Since then he has released two more albums as part of his solo career. The latest, "Anima", came out in 2019. 38. He dedicated the album "The Eraser" to his daughter Agnes and the album "Amnesiac" to his son Noah. 39. Since 2009 he has been the lead singer of the super-band "Atoms For Peace" along with bassist Flea from "Red Hot Chili Peppers" and producer Nigel Godrich who plays keyboards and guitars. 40. Yorke is responsible, along with Stanley Donwood, for designing some of the covers of Radiohead's albums and solo albums. He uses fictitious names for this purpose such as: "The White Chocolate Farm", "Dr. Tchock", "Tchocky" and more. 41. In 2021, Yorke formed the band "The Smile" together with Johnny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

ON October 6, 1974 "King Crimson" released its seventh studio album "Red". This is a dark and gloomy album, and at the same time strong and powerful, which is undoubtedly ahead of its time. One of the two peaks of the band's work, whose first incarnation can be described as two formidable mountains located at the beginning and end of the route, with a huge string bridge in the form of Robert Fripp 's guitar strings connecting them. The first mountain is the band's Everest, a timeless masterpiece in the fullest sense of the word, in the form of the band's debut album, and one of the greatest albums in music in general - " In The Court Of The Crimson King " from 1969. The other is the band's "Annapurna", the second peak in height, a little lower than the "Everest", but still, mighty, sharp, jagged, rough, and cruel. One you would not want to fall from. How rough and cruel? As jagged as rock blades, in the form of the "Fuzz effect" of John Wetton 's bass guitar, as cruel as the distortions of Robert Fripp 's electric guitar that blows on you as hard as a 120 mph wind and polish your skin, such as Bill Bruford's rolling drum avalanche, sliding towards you with tremendous speed. So powerful that Kurt Cobain has described this album as one of his most influential. So mighty that "Tool" members have openly stated it made a huge impact on their work. The power of this album is well reflected even in its title. The band members often crossed the allowable volume limit beyond the "red" line, during the album recordings. They realized that during this long stay in the red area of ​​the scale there is something deeper than the volume button of "Spinal Tap" that reaches up to number 11. They realized that this album was going to be more powerful than any other album they had made up to that point, so they named it "Red". In analogy to the "String Bridge" that connects the two peaks of the band's career, this album, too, relies on two formidable works, located at the beginning and end of the record. Works of which the string bridge that holds the entire album is anchored with "metal" pegs. The first is " Red ", the pinnacle of "Annapurna" which opens up the album. A crazy and revolutionary instrumental track that was the first to be recorded for the album. Robert Fripp the genius wrote the piece based on the heavy guitar riff recorded in overdubbing with three layers of guitar, to create the metallic sound. The piece was very difficult to record and at one point almost even shelved. Bill Bruford did not understand at first what Fripp wanted from him and what the hell he was supposed to play. He did not find a role for the drums and was very frustrated. Robert Fripp was already thinking of giving up, but John Wetton who really liked the piece insisted, and Bruford asked to be given another chance. Finally, Bruford perfectly grasped the piece and he just plays here ingeniously on drums and percussion. The bridge part is played by a cello that is transmitted through an effect that gives it a rough sound. Even though during the recording "King Crimson" has already become a power trio, as the album cover reveals, the band used Guest musicians, including violinist David Cross who was fired from the band shortly before, and former band members Ian McDonald and Mel Collins, and other hired musicians. The second piece is the "Everest" - the other peak of the album - " Starless ". An ingenious work that does not have even one unnecessary moment and in which all the instruments fit together just perfectly. The mellotron played by Robert Fripp wraps all this piece in soft cotton wool, the amazing combination of McDonald's alto saxophone and Collins' soprano saxophone, Broford's percussions that suddenly surprise you out of nowhere, Fripp's erupting guitar creaks and the mighty dissonance between the psychotic bass playing of Wetton to his soft, caressing singing. The piece was originally supposed to be called "Starless and Bible Black", as the lyrics reveal, but to avoid confusion with the band's previous album which was released earlier that year and answers to the same name, its name was shortened to "Starless". Between these two mighty peaks are two excellent tracks per-se and one good song, whose whole "sin" was that they stood too close to the two mighty peaks we mentioned above. The first, " Fallen Angel ", is a kind of ballad that tells the story of a boy who is dragged by his older brother into a gang and eventually finds his death in an unnecessary gang war. A dynamic song that after the cello intro begins soft and quiet, but gradually develops as the plot of the story progresses. Robert Fripp also plays acoustic guitar here, this is one of the few times he has done so and to the best of our memory even to this day. One should also mention Robin Miller's oboe playing and Mike Charing's cornet playing that add pure magic to the song. The second is the song that seals the first side of the vinyl - " One More Red Nightmare " led by Fripp's all-too-typical riff. Bruford's drumming is simply a school for drummers. What dribbles, what crazy transitions between rhythms, just crazy drumming, and without a doubt one of his great moments. And what a sound have the cymbals here, you will surely recognize what we are talking about, a sound that cannot be reproduced at all. And why? Bruford found these cymbals in the studio's trash can, battered and beaten. He fixed them a bit and used them during the recording of this song. Also playing in this song is Ian McDonald who was in the initial lineup of the band and was among its founders playing the saxophone. The song was influenced by the band's difficulty on tours which Wetton described as "another red nightmare." It is not clear if John Wetton wrote the words about a real case, but the character in the story falls asleep during the flight and wakes up during the dive toward the ground ... The third is the track that opens the other side of the album and is possibly the weak song on it. " Providence " is a kind of improvisational segment, recorded at the band's performance that year. It was brought to the album after the editing out the crowd's channel. A piece that might prove the genius and virtuosity of the band during gigs, but it sounds detached from this perfect album. The album was not so successful in real-time, but won much praise from critics over the years. It is ranked in "Rolling Stone" Magazine's 100 Best Albums List of the '70s, with the theme song ranked in that magazine's 100 Best Guitar Songs of All Time. Unfortunately, even before the release of the album, Robert Fripp simply disbanded "King Crimson" to the great astonishment of Bruford and Wetton, who rightly believed that it was the band's best album. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 2007, the album "Blackbird" , "Alter Bridge's" second album, was released and we are very excited to tell you a little bit about this very special album. Just as a snake sheds its skin and undergoes a process of rejuvenation, in which it leaves behind the old skin and wears a new and fresh skin, so too do the talented members of Alter have undergone a process of transformation on this album. Although they tried to shake off any influence or connection to the previous band "Creed", they were not so successful in applying it on the first album "One Day Remains" . However, on this album, the four members take a significant step toward musical maturity and independence. They shun all the limitations, elements, and influences of "Creed", who were still present on the first album and for the first time manage to form for themselves a pure and unique sound as an independent band detached from the past that haunted it. The "Texas Sawmill" Mark Tremonti quite managed to break free of Scott Stapp 's chains on the previous album, but psychological precipitation that limited him could still be heard here and there. Here he completes the release process and together with his co-pilot Myles Kennedy , he switches to take-off mode and ascends to sky-high. Myles who turns out to be a talented guitarist with very high technique allows Mark to fly far away to new places, not only because he takes the place of accompaniment and rhythm but also because he himself brings ideas and creativity that add to Mark’s growth just like fertilizer. This is the first time that Tremonti plays/create with an accompanist guitarist. To this day all guitar work has been done exclusively by Tremonti, being the only one to play all guitar roles in gigs as well. Myles' addition may seem negligible at first glance because Tremonti is so amazing and worked out so beautifully on his own that Myles doesn't seem to be able to contribute anything. But this is absolutely wrong and much more complex than you think because this little addition makes a very big change. We suddenly get Mark more open and creative with elements and touches we have not heard before, with more relaxed playing, long solos with a more complex composition, and of course a variety of sounds and acoustic guitars. Tremonti goes through a process on this album and changes his position from Scott wingman and his accompaniment player to a lead in his own right, with perfect creative freedom. (Photo: NME.com) But not only is Tremonti going through a process here, Myles who on the first album came in as a guest, with a minor impact on the writing and whose part as a vocalist there is quite limited, becomes an integral part of the band and a full partner in the writing and creative process. Myles' voice is also changing and you can feel it. He knows how to take Mark's strong riffs and combine them with his touches with an amazing range and a lot of power that pushes even further up the band's abilities. Also on the guitar side, Myles goes one step further here as he gets the lead guitar in two songs from the album, "Blackbird" and "Rise Today" along with Tremonti. To be honest, all the band members are expressed here and give their all, but no doubt Myles and Tremonti are leading the oiled machine here called "Alter Bridge" and pushing it forward. The lead in writing and creating may still be Tremonti's, but that will change later and the two will lead the band's next albums together. When we used the image of the snake shedding its skin we also meant the fact that the band members complete the rejuvenation process with a unilateral disengagement from their record label Wind-up Records, which forced the musical direction, and pushed them to keep Creed's elements and even kept pushing them to reunite their mother band and release more of its albums. The members of Alter sign with the Universal Republic, releasing the cables that stopped them and leaving no room for doubt, the release process is complete, and there are four insanely talented friends who are going to metal your ears and go write the album they so longed to create. The album "Blackbird" is the result of the joint creation of all four and you feel the part of each and every one of them, even if it is not expressed in the writing itself. We would like to call it the breakthrough album or even note that this is actually Alter's first album as a "band", but as we mentioned in our previous reviews, this process had to happen for the band to crystallize in the way it crystallized and for this wonderful album to be released. (we also know that some of the band's fans love the first album very much and even think it is the best album by the band). Unlike the first album "One Day Remains" , this album just flies on the wings of the metallic and rugged riffs, as you can already hear in the opening song "Ties That Bind" . It's not that there weren't any on the first album, just here they are more compressed, sawn, and bitten like in the songs "Come to Life" , in the song " Coming Home" after the opening, or in our favorite song " White Knuckles" . True, this album is not all strong and mowing riffs, it also has quiet tracks like the song "Watch Over You" written by Tremonti and Myles which is the second single released from the album. This song is among the regular songs in the band's setlist and is played in acoustic version performances by Myles. A whole river of emotions will flood you when you listen to a song so do not be surprised. But the strength of this album lies in the combination of the two. The dynamic (quiet-noisy) sections, in the more complex ones in terms of composition, in those moments when Alter moves between the metal riffs and the melodic chords and returns. For example, in the song "Wayward One" which includes during the verse a melody borrowed from the Bourrée section in B minor by Bach, or in the song "Before Tomorrow Comes" which was the last single released from the album. "Rise Today" which Tremonti wrote about wanting to make the world a better place the huge and immortal theme song "Blackbird" . And it really is impossible to end the review without saying a few words about the immortal theme song "Blackbird" , which is no less than eight minutes of sheer bliss. The lyrics were written by Myles to his friend Mark Morse who owned a guitar shop, he sold Myles his first guitar and died while writing the song. Myles saw before his eyes Mark Morse tormented by his pain and through the lyrics, he actually wishes he would find comfort and release all the pain "May you never be broken again". Myles writes and simply can not remain indifferent to the amount of emotion that erupts from the notes and lyrics in this song. As for the composition, Myles testified that it did not come easily to them and that he and Tremonti were tormented until they reached the best result mostly in the chorus section, but when things started to connect they immediately knew it was going to be a huge song. He also noted that this song is the highlight for him during the band's performances. In the show version, the band usually opens this song with a segment played by Myles from the Beatles song "Blackbird". We are afraid to talk about the song's solo because for us it is one of the greatest solos in the world, Myles is the one who starts and takes the first part, and in the middle, Mark comes in and continues the second part, a masterpiece, and perfection of a guitar solo !! This album did not reach the number one spot (it truly deserved) and did not break a sales record in the first two weeks. It only reached number four in the US and even less so in other countries mainly due to lack of marketing activity and poor management of the record company, which will be replaced in the next album. This is the main reason why this album did not conquer the top charts!! And after all that, how can you not spend an hour listening to the album? Listen on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 1990, "Deep Purple" released its 13th studio album - "Slaves and Masters". And this time we need you focused, because today we are going to perform a "guided imagery" exercise, so please be with us ... Yes, yes, we hear the whispers: "Why are they reviewing Deep Purple's worst album?", "What are they thinking?" And more ... True, this album is probably one of the weakest of the band's 21 studio albums. It is so weak that its lineup, numbered as MKV, released only one studio album and was immediately replaced. The songs on the album are almost reminiscent of the good old "Deep Purple", the sound of Jon Lord's deep Hammond organ has been replaced by a thin and uninspired synthesizer, and Ian Paice 's drum sound is more reminiscent of American AOR bands than Hard Rock, and Joe Lynn Turner 's voice just don't belong to "Deep Purple". Even the song names don't connect with Deep Purple. "King of Dreams",? "Breakfast in Bed",? "Love Conquers All", really??... Where are "Speed ​​King", "Burn", and "Bloodsucker" gone? And now that we've proved our point, let's do it again, but from a different angle. Erase everything we wrote, replace the disc and now let's start again, but this time a little different: Today in 1990 "Rainbow" released its eighth studio album "Slaves and Masters". This is the band's comeback album after 7 years of silence, since " Bent Out Of Shape " released in 1983. The band returns with 3/5 of the band lineup from the last album: Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Roger Glover who also produced the album on bass, and Joe Lynn Turner on vocals. And now for the big surprise of this magnificent comeback. The band is joined by two formidable reinforcement players who are familiar to us from "Deep Purple" and who turn this lineup of "Rainbow" into an "all-star lineup". So if you did not understand who we mean, this is Jon Lord on keyboards and Ian Paice on drums. In terms of musical style, the band continues exactly where they left off 7 years ago. The catchy melodies, accessible sound, and radio-tuned songs run like a second thread throughout the entire album. Ritchie Blackmore 's aspiration to resemble the "Foreigner" sound, which began exactly a decade ago and caused the departure of Ronnie James Dio , takes on a new meaning here, when one of the songs on the album - "Too Much Is Not Enough", was written with the help of Al Greenwood who co-founded "Foreigner" and accompanied them on their first three albums. And now, after we finish with the "guided imagery", we have some questions for you. Isn't it true that this album now sounds more logical to you? Isn't it true that suddenly " King Of Dreams " who opens the album goes down your throat better? Doesn't it sound like a direct sequel to "Rainbow" "Street Of Dreams" (they even ring the same). Isn't it true that now the melody and oriental influences in the song do not sound detached from reality, and suddenly they seem to correspond with other materials of "Rainbow" and with the oriental influences that it had here and there? Excellent! So you got the point. If you were told that the person who released this album was an "All-Star" lineup of "Rainbow", not only would you will be less critical, but most of you would run to purchase it and even enjoy it. When you think of this album as a creation of "Rainbow" even the amazing ballad " Love Conquers All " suddenly sounds more logical, right? This is not a bad song at all. It's just not tailored to the "Deep Purple" suit. Suddenly " The Cut Runs Deep " doesn't sound bad at all, it's even melodic and catchy with classic effects, just the way we like it. Suddenly the opening line of the song " Fire in the Basement " sounds like a homage to "Wring That Neck" by the mother band "Deep Purple", the atmosphere in " Truth Hurts " and the violin-like keyboards remind us at times of epic excerpts from the first incarnation of "Rainbow", so is " Fortuneteller " which suddenly sounds like a great song. In short, you got the point. What we came to tell you in this review is that music has no rules or boundaries, it is not an exact science, and what works on your emotion one day can drive you crazy at another time in life, and what sound dissolving to you can feel like sugar poisoning to another. Therefore, what is important is to always come open, without defenses without previous influence or prejudice, otherwise, you may lose, See? you almost missed this excellent album, and as you know: "Without music, life was a mistake" (Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche)... Have you seen what a beauty? And we did not even say a bad word about Ritchie Blackmore who dragged the rest of his friends on this adventure or a half bad word about the band's shows in Israel immediately after the album was released. So come on let's listen to this beautiful album with us: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Singer and writer Brian Johnson is celebrating his birthday today, so here are some interesting facts about this legendary performer. (Photo: Arrowlordsofmetal.nl) He was born on 5 October 1947 in "Gateshead" in the northeast of England, to a mother of Italian descent and a father of British descent. As a child, Johnson was a member of a local church choir and even a member of a youth movement band. As part of his membership in the youth movement band, he has appeared on stage and even on television. His first band was called "Gobi Desert Canoe Club" he was a member of it when he was 16, but he thought it was a bad band. In 1970 he was a member of the "Jasper Hart Band" which performed cover versions of pop and rock songs including songs from the "Hair" Musical. In 1971, together with some members of the "Jasper Hart Band", he formed the band "Geordie" with which he released four studio albums between 1973 and 1978. (Metal-jukebox.net) On 29/3/1980 he receives a phone call from "AC/DC" guitarist Malcolm Young , informing him that he has been accepted into the band as singer Bon S cott's replacement, after his death. The same day Johnson auditioned for "AC/DC", he contributed his voice to a commercial for a "Hoover" vacuum cleaner. One can only imagine what would have happened if Johnson had not flown to record the commercial. Maybe he wouldn't even consider auditioning at all. Brian was 32 at the time and thought he wouldn't succeed as a musician. He left the "Geordie", moved to live with his parents in Newcastle, and owned a vinyl roof repair shop for collectible cars. On July 25, 1980, Johnson and AC/DC released the band's first non- Bon Scott album -" Back In Black ". It is the band's best-selling album during its more than 40 years of activity and ranks second among the best-selling albums of all time, with an incredible sales figure of over 50 million copies worldwide. An album that ranks 77th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The first song Johnson wrote for the band is "You Shook Me All Night Long". He tried to impress his friends when he was inspired by girls and cars and wrote the eternal phrase: "She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean". It was also the band's first single without Bon Scott . The last song he wrote for the band was "Blow Up Your Video" from 1988, from then on it was Angus Young and Malcolm Young who wrote the lyrics. When asked why he replied: "I ran out of words." Before his death, Bon Scott told Angus Young that he had seen Brian Johnson perform with his band and that Brian Johnson is an excellent rock and roll singer. Johnson wears the famous casket hat on his brother's advice to prevent sweat from entering his eyes during performances. Later it became his trademark. Johnson has a large collection of cars. He is very fond of cars and car racing. Bon Scott's first appearance with "AC/DC" was on October 5, 1975, Brian Johnson's birthday. In 2014, he received an honorary doctorate in music from "Northumbria" University in Newcastle. Johnson appeared with "AC/DC" in Howard Stern's movie "Private Parts". In 2016, during a tour to promote the album "Rock or Bust", Brian Johnson announced his retirement from the band due to severe hearing problems that risk him from becoming deaf. The one who replaced Johnson as a singer on the tour, was none other than Axl Rose . In August 2018, rumors began circulating about Johnson's return to the band. In January 2019, Johnson released an official announcement that he had returned to "AC/DC" and in November 2020, " Power Up ", his first album with the band since his retirement was released. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The first half of the '90s brought us so many masterpiece albums, especially from the Grunge and Alternative Rock scene. In our opinion, one album remains a powerful, yet tragically underrated masterpiece: "The Afghan Whigs" "Gentlemen", released on October 5, 1993. This magnum opus, written by Greg Dulli during the tour for the band's 1992 "Congregation" album, isn't just an album; it's a haunting journey through the harrowing corridors of a doomed relationship. Greg Dulli, the enigmatic frontman, drew inspiration from Francis Ford Coppola's 1982 film "One from the Heart," finding kinship with its lead character, a flawed individual struggling with his own nature. Dulli sought to traverse the murky depths of the '90s male psyche, exploring the dark recesses often left unexamined. As an amateur filmmaker in his youth, Dulli's creative impulse finds manifestation in this sonic narrative. The album's thematic concept draws from Coppola's film, mirroring the lead character's internal conflict. Dulli's goal was aimed to dive headlong into the abyss, peeling back layers of emotional complexities with each track. Musically, "Gentlemen" is a revelation. It blends Alternative, Grunge, Post Punk and Hard Rock drawing influences from R&B and Soul music. Having previously covered Motown classics in the "Uptown Avondale" EP, Dulli introduces a more soft approach by employing minor keys and deliberate slow-paced tunes. Even Van Morrison's seminal "Astral Weeks" serves as a touchstone for Dulli, providing inspiration for weaving recurring melodic motifs and lyrical imagery throughout the album. All over the album, you can feel how the buoyant melodies counterbalance raw, heart-wrenching lyrics. This venture into the shadows begs the question: how deep can one descend into the abyss of human emotion? The album kicks off with " If I Were Going " an eerie, melancholic tone. The haunting guitar work and Greg Dulli's soulful vocals set the stage for the emotional rollercoaster that follows. The lyrics are introspective, evoking a sense of longing and self-reflection. The title track " Gentlemen ", which was released as the first single from the album, bursts in with a frenetic energy. It's a relentless exploration of lust and desire, driven by a dynamic rhythm section. Dulli's vocals are impassioned, delivering lines that sear with intensity. Right after comes " Be Sweet " - a standout track that balances aggression with vulnerability. The jagged guitar riffs and Dulli's raspy voice delivery create a perfect juxtaposition. The chorus is infectious, and the lyrics oscillate between pleading and confrontational, sometimes even exposed as Dulli sings: "Ladies, let me tell you about myself, I got a dick for a brain, And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you..." Then comes the "hit" " Debonair " which was the second single released from the album. This track epitomizes the "Afghan Whigs'" ability to meld rock with soul influences. The instrumentation is dark and sultry, while Dulli's vocals exude confidence. The chorus is a hook that sinks its teeth in, leaving a lasting impression. " When We Two Parted " is a poignant ballad that showcases Dulli's lyrical prowess. The stripped-down arrangement allows the emotional weight of the lyrics to take center stage. It's a gut-wrenching reflection on heartbreak and regret. " Fountain and Fairfax " serves as the album's midpoint. It takes a slightly more subdued turn, but the intensity remains palpable. The brooding atmosphere and Dulli's evocative storytelling make this track a standout. Then comes " What Jail Is Like ", a song about a twisted crazy love affair. This was the first song Dulli wrote for "Gentleman". A culmination of the album's themes, exploring the complexities of passion and pain. The instrumentation is textured, with layers of guitar and percussion creating a rich sonic landscape. " My Curse " is an encapsulation of the album's darker undertones. The music is brooding and intense. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a tumultuous relationship. This song is so intense that Greg Dulli decides not to sing it. He asked Marcy Mays of the band "Scrawl" to sing lead on this one, Some say because the song hit too close to home for Dulli. " Now You Know " has a mid-pace tempo and a more restrained musical arrangement. This track offers a moment of respite. Dulli's vocals are introspective, reflecting on the lessons learned from heartache. " I Keep Coming Back " is the only cover song in the album. Soul singer Tyrone Davis originally recorded the song in 1970. Greg Dulli listened to the slow ballad almost every night before he went to bed in the early '90s, and decided to put it in the album. He introduced it to his bandmates at the last-minute during recording sessions. They all swapped instruments, so everybody was playing a different instrument on it. It is a powerful testament to the cyclical nature of love and desire. The music is hypnotizing, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved tension. Dulli referred to it in one of his interviews, saying: "It seemed like a good way to end it... and then we turned it into a strange instrumental at the end, which gave it the cinematic closing". This masterpiece album ends with the mentioned instrumental “ Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer ”, playing out in the background, just like a film’s closing credits. Legacy-wise, "Gentlemen" is more than an album; it's a cultural touchstone. It finds itself in esteemed company, nestled within the pages of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." "Treble", recognizing its impact, placed "Gentlemen" at number 22 in its list of the 30 best grunge albums. "Spin" Magazine elevated it further, ranking it 141 in their list of "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014)". Not without a reason it is considered by critics to be "the Afghan Whigs'" greatest album, and among the best-written breakup albums of all times. "Gentlemen" is a masterwork of alternative rock, unflinchingly diving into the complexities of human relationships. Greg Dulli's lyrics are a raw, unvarnished reflection of passion, pain, and longing. The music, equally compelling, serves as the perfect backdrop, creating an emotional journey that resonates long after the final note fades away. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 1970, "Led Zeppelin" released their third album "Led Zeppelin III". This album marks a fundamental change in the musical style of the band that has experimented with folk, acoustic pieces, blues rock, and psychedelia, in addition to the hard rock and blues that characterized it. After two albums in less than two years and intense touring, the band decides to take a break and rest before starting to work on their next album. Singer Robert Plant decides to retire to the "Bron-Yr-Aur" cottage in Wales where he used to spend time with his family as a child. He convinces guitarist Jimmy Page to join him at the cottage and write material for their next album. The cottage was very insulated and had no running water or electricity, which greatly influenced the writing process which focused mainly on acoustic songs. Another thing that characterized the songs written for this album, was the unusual guitar tuning. Page was influenced at the time by musicians Davey Graham and Bert Jansch who used to tune the guitar in an untraditional tuning and this undoubtedly influenced the sound of the album. Planet noted that after two blues and hard rock albums the band was interested in a changing in musical direction, because they wanted to show that they could play other musical styles as well. Another characteristic that exists on this album, is the fact that all the band members were co-writing, compared to the previous albums where Page was the dominant one. Also notable on this album is bassist John Paul Jones who was revealed as a talented multi-instrumentalist who also plays a variety of instruments, including Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, mandolin, and bass pedal, and was also responsible for the addition of strings in the song "Friends". The album opens with Bonham's galloping drumming and Planet's famous Tarzan-like chanting of the song " Immigrant Song ". The song was written in Iceland where the band performed in 1970 on and it was influenced by the Viking invasion of England. "We come from the land of ice and snow" Planet sings and the words "The Hammer Of The God" and "Valhalla" leave no room for doubt that this is indeed a song about the Vikings. The song was performed at the "Bath" festival, just 6 days after the band left Reykjavik, but with slightly different lyrics. " Friends " is an acoustic song in a non-traditional guitar tuning by Jimmy Page and string arrangement by John Paul Jones . Page wanted to bring an Indian-style sound to this song and it was indeed re-recorded in 1972 with the Bombay Orchestra and this special performance appears in the extended version of the album "Coda" which was released in 2015. This song connects to the next song " Celebration Day " with a link section played by a Moog Synthesizer. This section was intended to cover a glitch in which an excerpt from the song was deleted at the beginning of the master tape. This glitch almost caused the song not to be included on the album. The song was written by Robert Plant as an expression of his experience of his stay in New York. Planet also used to present this song as "The New York Song" during the band's performances. The fourth track " Since I've Been Loving You " is without a doubt the best song on the album and one of the band's greatest songs. An immortal blues piece recorded live in the studio with the whole band playing simultaneously, and whoever listens well will be able to hear John B onham's bass drum pedals creaking, which only adds to the authenticity of the recording. John Paul Jones plays the Hammond organ as he performs the bass roles using a bass pedal. Jimmy Page 's solo is one of the most beautiful in his entire career and just to think that it was recorded live in one take sends chills through our pine. Plant's singing is among his most powerful, dating back to a time when his vocal range was infinite. The first side of the album closes up with " Out on the Tiles " a song written by John Bonham . The intro to the song was played before the song "Black Dog" in performances. In the middle of the song Jimmy Page can be heard saying the word "Stop" apparently trying to stop the take but the band kept playing. The first song on the other side of the vinyl " Gallows Pole " is Zeppelin's version of the folk song "The Maid Freed from the Gallows". Jimmy Page plays here for the first time on a banjo that belonged to John Paul Jones, on electric and acoustic guitar while John Paul Jones plays mandolin and bass. The song " Tangerine " was written by Jimmy Page back in his "Yardbirds" days, then it was called "Knowing That I'm Losing You". The song is about lost love. Jimmy Page plays here on Steel Guitar and Acoustic. We continue with the acoustic line and the song " That's the Way ", which was written in the "Bron-Yr-Aur" cottage about problems in couples' relationships. The song was originally called "The Boy Next Door" and was born as a result of Jimmy Page 's improvisation playing the chords to Planet who improvised the lyrics. The song was first played by the band at the Bath Festival. It was also the band's first time playing an acoustic set. The band will continue on this line and incorporate acoustic sets during their performances in the years 71-73. From here we come to the song " Bron-Y-Aur Stomp " which is a kind of tribute to the cottage where some of the songs for the album were written. The song that talks about Planet's dog was originally called "Jennings Farm Blues" and was recorded back in 1969 in an electric version. In honor of the band's third album, the song received an acoustic arrangement and includes John Bonham 's playing on spoons and John Paul Jones ' playing on contrabass. The song that seals the album " Hats Off to (Roy) Harper " is based on a blues song by "Bukka White" which is called "Shake 'Em On Down" and is a focus for their fellow singer and songwriter Roy Harper. In this song, Planet's voice goes through an amplifier with a vibrato effect. During the sessions for the album, the band recorded 6 more songs that did not find their way to the final version of the album. " Poor Tom " was released as part of the compilation album "Coda", the song " Bron-Yr-Aur " was included on the double album " Physical Graffiti ", the song " Hey, Hey, What Can I Do " was first released as a b-side for the song "Immigrant Song", and the songs " Jennings Farm Blues " and " Key to the Highway / Trouble in Mind " appeared on the album's expanded 2014 release. After the album release, it drew quite a bit of criticism and some even claimed that the band was trying to sound like "Crosby, Stills & Nash". This criticism greatly hurt Jimmy Page and caused him to stop giving interviews to promote the album. This criticism also caused Page to insist that the band's fourth album will not bear the band's name on the cover. Page wanted the band to be judged based on the musical material and not because of its name. Despite the criticism the band received in real-time, this is an excellent album that proves the diversity and versatility of the band, an essential stage in its development that will only intensify in future albums. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 1992, "R.E.M." released their eighth studio album "Automatic for the People". The year 1991 was the best year yet in "R.E.M."'s career. The hit "Losing My Religion" was played non-stop on radio stations and its music video received crazy rotation on MTV. Their seventh album " Out of Time " gave them tremendous international success. It spent 183 weeks in the UK charts, sold 18 million copies worldwide, and earned the band no less than three Grammy Awards. The band members were faced with the question of how to overcome such success? The original intention was to distance as much as possible from the acoustic and folk atmosphere of " Out of Time " and produce a rhythmic rock album. In June 1991, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry entered the studio to write the music for the album. To force themselves to create something different this time, they even decided to switch musical instruments. Buck would play mandolin, Mills played the piano or organ and Berry would play bass. Buck later explained that writing without drums was productive for them and pulled them in new directions. Intending to deliver an album of more up-tempo material after " Out of Time ," the band made an effort to write faster rock songs during rehearsals, but when the tunes took shape, they somehow came out even slower and more melancholy than the last album. When Michael Stipe received the tunes his three friends had written in early 1992, he noticed the somber atmosphere. There were more acoustic instruments and organs and fewer drums. It turned out that the lyrics written by Michael Stipe also suited the melancholic atmosphere, they mainly centered around loss, grief, and death and expressed much darker themes than all the band's previous albums. This atmosphere is already reflected in the first notes of the album, with the song " Drive ". We remember the initial shock upon hearing the sounds of Peter Buck acoustic, accompanied by the minimalist bass touches of Mike Mills. So clean, no effects, no drums. Who opens an album like that? Now add to that fact that this was the early 90s, in the heyday of Alternative and Grunge!! a total shock, which was immediately replaced by a big hug for this wonderful and exciting tune. And later when we found out from looking at the CD booklet that John Paul Jones is responsible for the orchestral arrangements, everything came together. This pure magic reminded in many ways of the acoustic "Led Zeppelin" from the '70s. This was the first single released from the album. Michael Stipe said ןt was the first song he wrote on a computer, when up to that point he used a typewriter. He wrote "Drive" as a kind of homage to the song "Rock On" by David Essex. And that's not the only influence here. Guitarist Peter Buck plays the electric solo at 2:05 using a "nickel" coin as a guitar pick, just like guitarist Brian May . It is interesting to note that the band used to play the song in concerts in a rhythmic rock version, simply because it was difficult for them to reproduce its atmosphere on stage. This excellent rhythmic version appears on the tribute album for "Greenpeace" called "Alternative NRG", released in 1993. The melancholic-acoustic atmosphere continues with " Try Not to Breathe ". The song was written about Michael Stipe 's grandmother, who was dying while writing the lyrics. Stipe sings from the point of view of a dying man who tells his family not to cry, because he has lived a full and good life and is ready to move on to the next world. In the lyrics Michael asks his grandmother "Why do you shiver?" He noted that at that time she was shaking a lot and it also affected his appearance on stage, with his odd moves. The next song " The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight " was the third single released from the album. It picks up the pace a bit and changes the melancholic atmosphere that accompanied us from the beginning. Peter Buck later commented on the decision to include this song in the album and noted that it was included to break the gloomy atmosphere a bit. Given that the album dealt with mortality, aging, and loss, the band felt that a little light was needed. John Paul Jones does an excellent job in the orchestral arrangements of this song, which adds so much to the final result. We return to the melancholic atmosphere with " Everybody Hurts " also conducted by John Paul Jones . Most of the song was written by drummer Bill Berry who wanted to reach people who felt they had no hope. It is an anti-suicide song and singer Michael Stipe stated that he made a special effort to sing clearly and fluently, because it was very important to him that the message in the song would not be lost. He added that it's one of the songs he's most proud of, because it's something the band did and affected other people's lives. A song that saved a life, literally. The music video for this song won no less than four MTV video awards. The melancholic atmosphere accompanies us until the end of the first side of the album, with the excellent instrumental piece " New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 ", which was written at 2 am in the recording studio in New Orleans, after the band had finished recording "Drive". Immediately after, comes the chilling cello sounds of " Sweetness Follows " which deals with the loss of a loved one. The second side of the album opens up with " Monty Got A Raw Deal " to the bouzouki sounds of Peter Buck, who composed it in a hotel room in New Orleans. The "Monty" in this song is the actor Montgomery Clift, who starred in the movies "The Misfits" and "From Here to Eternity" among others. Michael Stipe got the idea for the song after talking to the cameraman who shot Clift in the movie "The Misfits". Six of the 12 tracks on the album were released as successful official singles, but " Ignoreland " was not one of them. It was only released as a promo single, but despite that, it also went on the charts. The lyrical content of the song is completely political and it refers to the state of the United States during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush. Immediately after, comes the song " Star Me Kitten " which was originally called "Fuck Me Kitten". Luckily, actress Meg Ryan came to the famous "Bad Animals" studio in Seattle, during the filming of the movie "Sleepless In Seattle" and convinced the band members that the album would sell better if they changed the name of the song to "Star Me Kitten". The album ends with an amazing sequence of three songs, the first of which is the rhythmic hit " Man on the Moon ", which was inspired by the late comedian Andy Kaufman, whom Stipe admired watching "Saturday Night Live". Interestingly, the title of the song was also used as the title of the 1999 film about Andy Kaufman, starring Jim Carrey. "R.E.M." even got to do the soundtrack, which also included this song. In an episode of the British TV show "Top Of The Pops 2", Michael Stipe claimed that this song was a tribute to Kurt Cobain 's lyrics and writing, especially the repeated, "yeah yeah yeah yeah". He attempted to put more "yeahs" in the song than Cobain did. Then comes the beautiful " Nightswimming " with the haunting piano and immortal string arrangements of John Paul Jones . This is the only song on the album where the lyrics were written before the music. They were written before the band recorded the album " Out of Time ", but the band was unable to compose music for them. The lyrics tell the childhood memories of "R.E.M.", when they did their first steps in Athens, Georgia. They used to sneak into the pool of one of the neighbors and swim there naked. Bassist Mike Mills wrote the song on the piano and the band recorded it at Criteria Studios in Miami, where "Derek And The Dominos" recorded "Layla". Mills played the exact same piano that Bobby Whitlock and Jim Gordon played at the end of that song. The album ends with " Find the River " to the sounds of the melodica played by drummer Bill Berry. This is one of the most beautiful and magical closing songs we know for any album, certainly for a "R.E.M." album. The band's fear that it would not be able to surpass " Out of Time " turned out to be unjustified. In some ways, "Automatic for the People" even surpassed its predecessor and the amazing result is even intensified in light of the fact that this acoustic-melancholy album came out at the peak of the Alternative and Grunge revolution, exactly at a time when all the bands try to sound as immature, loud and dirty as possible. Under these impossible conditions, the album managed to sell 18 million copies worldwide and win rave reviews. The album also entered the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine, the list of the 100 greatest albums of the 90s by the same magazine, the list of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and much more... For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... On October 4, 2010, "Bring Me The Horizon's" third album was released with the name so long that it did not fit the headline: "There Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret." Anyone who is familiar with the band probably knows that in recent years there has been a lot of talk about the transformation it has done and still continues to do. From complete frenzy made up of roars/screams, nervous riffs, crazy rhythms, and gloomy lyrics, the band switched to using electronics, experiences in the realms of pop, trance, chillout, and many others, even today it continues to change, innovate and we really love it. So this album ladies and gentlemen is the midway album, the 45th minute. A minute before they change their musical style on an album that will be released later and called "Sempiternal". Those who know the previous albums will surely feel the process here. This is a completely experimental album. It has everything from everything here! And only by looking at the guest musicians, you can get the idea, like the famous Dubstep DJ "Skrillex" is here, Josh Franceschi from "You Me At Six", the Canadian singer Lights and more. So if you would like to go crazy a bit click on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

We do not often write about compilation albums, but "Pisces Iscariot" by "The Smashing Pumpkins" released on October 4, 1994, makes us go out of our way. This album was released between the 1993 " Siamese Dream " and the 1995 masterpiece " Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ". As a "sandwich" collection between two masterpieces, one would think that this is an unnecessary album designed to extort more money from fans. This hypothesis is strengthened because this compilation was released after only two studio albums. But this is not the case! This is an excellent album that for us can be considered as any other studio album, non-less. When this album came out we blindly purchased it without even knowing it was a compilation album and enjoyed every song and track from it. What a shock it was when we opened the booklet that came with the disc and found out in Billy Corgan 's explanatory that it was a compilation album. True, this album lacks a bit of the flow and coherence of the two exemplary studio albums, located before and after in the band's chronology, but it's definitely a good album that stands very well on its own, and which could certainly be considered a studio album, for all intents and purposes in the band's catalog. The album features outtakes that were not included in the previous two albums, Demos and B-Sides, which the band recorded in only 3 years, from 1990 to 1993, an amazing figure in itself. Just to think that after only two studio albums, Billy Corgan and his friends managed to gather such a large amount of musical material and of such good quality, is an inconceivable thing in the world of music, and do not think that we have forgotten the immortal "Sci-Fi Lullabies" of "Suede" which was released after three studio albums, "Masterplan" of "Oasis" or even "Lost Dogs" of "Pearl Jam" which was released more than a decade after the debut album. Similar to the band's first two studio albums, especially " Siamese Dream ", this album also combines noisy guitar tracks, saturated with distortion and howling solos, and the acoustic and soft parts that bring out a lot of pure magic from Billy Corgan and friends. This combination can already be found in the two tracks that open the album, the melting and acoustic " Soothe ", which is just hard to believe is a demo recorded at Billy Corgan's house, and the noisy " Frail and Bedazzled " which is an outtake from " Siamese Dream " but remind us of " Gish ". This soft-to-noise dynamic from the two opening tracks, continues all over with the heavy " Plume " which was the b-side of the excellent "I Am One" which opens Gish , as opposed to the caressing and melodic " Whir " which was also an outtake from " Siamese Dream ". This swing continues even with the quiet and magical " Blew Away " that was the b-side of the song "Disarm" and is the only one on the album written by guitarist James Iha, and on the other hand, we have the heavy " Pissant " that came out as a b-side of the song "Cherub Rock" from the previous album. This roller coaster accompanies us throughout the album, with the two most notable excerpts that follow, being the incredible cover of Fleetwood Mac's " Landslide ", which we think even surpasses the original (and dear Stevie Knicks please forgive us for that), and the song " Starla " which comes right after it, a huge simple piece with psychedelic-progressive effects, which stretches over 11 minutes and proves how big and underappreciated Billy Corgan is. The original release of the album had 14 tracks, while 2000 discs from the special edition included a bonus disc with two more tracks. The extended version that came out in 2011 already included 17 more rare tracks, which proves how prolific this band is and only adds to its aura for us. So if it was not clear until now, we strongly recommend listening to this album, which even "Spotify" did not include under the category of compilation albums : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 4, 1996, "Angry Machines", Dio's seventh studio album, was released in Japan (and 11 days later also in the US). This is perhaps the most "different" album in Dio's marvelous catalog, and probably the title of this album best describes what makes it so. This album is dark, heavy, gloomy but mostly "angry", of all Dio's albums. It has almost no melody, certainly no catchy tunes and it combines elements of Doom Metal, Groove Metal, and Industrial Metal, so the words "Angry Machines" definitely characterize what happens inside. Despite the difference from the rest of the albums and although Dio is definitely not in his comfort zone, we think it is a good album that matched the spirit of the era and was simply underrated. The album continues the line that started in " Strange Highways ", released in 1994, and if we stretch it a bit further, it could even be the little nephew of Dehumanizer who Ronnie James Dio released along with "Black Sabbath" in 1992. It should be remembered that at the time, the slogan "Les Is More" was written on the wall. The nineties were the years of grunge, alternative, groove metal, and industrial, none of these styles connected with melody, sweet singing, or virtuoso solos, so you can say this album was an experiment of Dio to adapt to the musical spirit of that period. Indeed, beyond the heavy sound and dark style, even Ronnie James Dio himself sounds on this album as angry and vicious as he has ever sounded. The one who is essentially responsible for the heavy sound of the album is guitarist Tracy G who joined the band on the previous album and even then started pulling the band towards groove metal. Years later Tracy G was interviewed and noted that no attempt by him to change the band's style could have passed without the approval of Ronnie James Dio , and even if he did try to pull in a certain direction, then Dio could veto it if he was not interested. The heaviness and change can be heard from the first note of the album, straight on the opening track " Institutional Man ". The slow and cruel drum beats of Vinny Appice, which is his latest album with the band, lead us to one of the heaviest riffs, chainsaws, and crunches we heard on any "Dio" album, light years away from Vivian Campbell's catchy and melodic riffs from the early 1980s. But the change in sound does not only come from the direction of heavy guitars. There's also Dio's vicious vocals like in the song " Big Sister ", and there are the crazy drums in the opening of " Don't Tell the Kids ". Listen to Jeff Pilson's terrifying bass sound in the opening of " Hunter of the Heart ", listen to the dark keyboards of Scott Warren who just seemed to be taken from a horror movie in the middle of the song "Stay Out of My Mind" and understand what we're talking about. Despite the heaviness of this album and the fact that it does not have a single song that can be said to be melodic and catchy, it is a strong metal album that has some great tracks. The syncopations and breaks of " Black " do it for us in a big way. The opening riff of " Double Monday " throws us straight to Seattle in good vibes and when the song suddenly breaks with the short acoustic section the contrast feels to us like mixing coffee with alcohol. Increasing the rhythm after the opening of " Don't Tell the Kids " that explodes on us suddenly like a sprint run, or the "Black Sabbath" heaviness with the arpeggio riff of " Stay Out of my Mind " takes us back to Birmingham England, 20 years earlier. Ahhh .. and this album ends in great dissonance with the song which is a huge contrast to all the chaos that took place earlier " This Is Your Life ". A piano piece with moving vocals by Ronnie James Dio , originally written by Tracy G on guitar, was stripped down and rebuilt with a string piano accompaniment. The song conveys an important message that we should value and make the most of our time on earth, because life is too short and life does not last forever. Unfortunately, the song became famous and became highly relevant following the death of Ronnie James Dio. So anyone looking for " Holy Diver " or " Sacred Heart " here will not find them here. The band has made the necessary adjustments here in the style and style of songwriting that have made this album exceptional and different from the rest of the band's albums, but it's not necessarily bad. Ronnie James Dio has undergone a process of change that began on the previous album and brings with him something different that we have not heard in his entire career. We must say that today we are listening to this album with much more openness than it was 20 years ago and we invite you to do the same and give it another chance, because it is definitely not a bad album and completely underrated. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website