***** …And Justice for All by Metallica – Trailblazing Metal Innovation

I think I was in 4th grade when this album was released. I vaguely remember that Metallica had been nominated for a Grammy or some other award, and that at the show they were to perform a song. However, I don’t remember much more than that.

Metallica was really just starting to gain in popularity with this one. This was when they still had something to prove. In my opinion, they proved themselves to world fully with the black album. After that, there was nothing left to say. Load and Reload where after the fact, superfluous and not necessary. Over Metallica’s first 5 albums they proved they play beyond a reasonable doubt. They proved that their names belonged to the ranks of musicians that have influenced the world in the same way Beethoven has, even though there are bands that are better than Metallica.

S&M was a silly little ditty, though that is generally considered to have bridged the gap between metal and classical music, I, personally, find that idea hilarious. If you are a classical musician, and can’t hear the talent on Metallica’s early albums like this one, then I would question your credentials.

First, and foremost, if you don’t like most metal, I might suggest that you give this album a try. It is really one of those albums that almost anyone should be able to appreciate. For example, try listening to the song, “One.” You shouldn’t need any help from a lyric sheet. Sure the vocals do have some rasp, but only to the extent of adding flavor in a tasteful way.

***** Hotel Spendido by Al Di Meola – A Masterpiece: Buy This Album, It Is Not A Waste of Money

From start to finish this album is nothing but classic song after classic song. The mainstream really missed out on this album. Just as Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson made a short stint of radio airplay, I believe that this album could offer something to anyone in the way those two were a part of music even to a lowly pop music fan. Asides from that, as pop music is usually the worst kind of music, Al Di Meola could appeal to anyone, from the fan of Miles Davis to the fan of Metallica, or even a fan of Eric Clapton. In fact, Al Di Meola often borders on heavy metal shred, at the same time while never losing his jazz roots.

When I rate this album 5 stars, it is that I want to say that Hotel Splendido is one of the best albums ever! Really, Hotel Splendido is impossible to beat value as an album. It is one of my cherished classics, something that I could never really grow tired of. I use my 5/5 star rating very sparingly, and the reason for it is so that I can share with someone, anyone, that there is something magical about this album. There is something about this album that I could pull it out 50 years, 100 years, or even 1,000 years from now and sing the same songs of praise about the greatness of Hotel Splendido.

2nd Review of **** Days of Purgatory by Iced Earth – All That Metallica Could Have Been

While Metallica stopped writing music like this, Iced Earth stepped up and filled the void, and did it even better that Metallica had ever done.  Iced Earth packs the punch of Metallica’s heaviest songs like Damage Inc., and for lack of originality I subtracted a star.  However, don’t let that stop you from purchasing this album, as it is a tremendous work of art, and maybe on a different day of the week I would have rated it 5 stars, just depending on the mood that I am in.

I first got into Iced Earth about 14 years ago.  That would be 1999.  Days of Purgatory was my first purchase from this band.  Perhaps, that makes me a dinosaur, but when I put these discs into the player they never disappoint me.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I could listen to this stuff by itself indefinitely without getting tired of it.  The only reason to move on and put different stuff in my player is for the sake of diversifying, not out of getting bored of the songs.

15 Albums That Changed My Life

The first ones that come to mind.

1. Dream Theater – Score

2. GWAR - Live From Mt. Fuji

3. Metallica - black album

4. Poison - Open Up and Say Ah

5. Greg Howe - Introspection

6. Slayer - Reign in Blood

7. Primus - Frizzle Fry

8. Medeski Martin and Wood with John Scofield - A Go Go

9. Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love

10. Ozzy Osbourne live with Randy Rhodes - Tribute

11. Deicide - Serpents of the Light

12. Dream Theater - Images and Words

13. Liquid Tension Experiment - 2

14. Planet X - Moonbabies

15. Nirvanna - Nevermind

Craig HamiltonThese aren't my favorites, but they have all met me at the place and time where I was in life, and thus made an impression. Each one is a memory, sometimes of good times, sometimes of bad times, and sometimes both.

October 15, 2010 at 6:48 pm