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MetalMike
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- Review count4
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- First reviewAugust 28, 2008
- Last reviewMarch 6, 2009
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- Average rating5
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MetalMike's Reviews
![Dark Passion Play [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8505/8505691_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
AWESOME
on March 6, 2009
Posted by: MetalMike
from Atlanta
I remember seeing Nightwish albums on the rack, picking them up, checking out the song titles and thinking to myself "One day". Well, one day finally arrived and I got Dark Passion Play.
I was blown away from the opening trackThe Poet and The Pendulum. Annette's voice sounded great. I thought that they unleashed all of their energy into this first song, and that it is all down hill from here. Wrong. Bye Bye Beautiful, Amaranth, the list goes on-these songs stick withyou and that is the key. This is one album where you hear the music and love its artistry but also retain the songs in your head. It's not hard to digest at all.
I can't find any filler songs on this one, the slow ones are great-The Islander, Meadows of Heaven and Eva. The up tempo stuff like Bye Bye Beautiful kicks butt and you find yourself headbanging to the mid temp stuff, like Sahara.
Amaranth is catchy and quick, doesn't drag out and is great for a single.
All in all, don't be afraid to drop your hard earned money on this. Maybe you are still trying to decide whether or not to get this-just get it. You will be impressed.
I can't wait to see where they go from here.
I was blown away from the opening trackThe Poet and The Pendulum. Annette's voice sounded great. I thought that they unleashed all of their energy into this first song, and that it is all down hill from here. Wrong. Bye Bye Beautiful, Amaranth, the list goes on-these songs stick withyou and that is the key. This is one album where you hear the music and love its artistry but also retain the songs in your head. It's not hard to digest at all.
I can't find any filler songs on this one, the slow ones are great-The Islander, Meadows of Heaven and Eva. The up tempo stuff like Bye Bye Beautiful kicks butt and you find yourself headbanging to the mid temp stuff, like Sahara.
Amaranth is catchy and quick, doesn't drag out and is great for a single.
All in all, don't be afraid to drop your hard earned money on this. Maybe you are still trying to decide whether or not to get this-just get it. You will be impressed.
I can't wait to see where they go from here.
What's great about it: Songs are great-no filler
What's not so great: Only one disc
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Perfect Symmetry [Expanded Edition] [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8849/8849516_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
GREAT CD/DVD COMBO
on February 23, 2009
Posted by: MetalMike
from Atlanta
This is a great band that had put out a album ahead of its time. Looking back almost 20 years, this album still stands strong. I was happy to see it reissued and remastered.
The DVD included is a great bonus that shows the band around this time. You could see that they were building a following before, of course, the 90s grunge era.
For Fates to be able to bring complex music to the masses and to have pulled it off is pure art. The songs refused to flow into the power ballads and weak lyrics. They are strongly crafted, make you think a little and the riffs are there. It took me a couple of listens back in the day to fully appreciate this album but it is brilliant.
If you are a fan of Fates and don't want to drop the dough because you already have this disc from long ago, cash in the old one at CD Warehouse and recycle that money into this, you won't be disappointed.
My only drawback is that I would have liked to have seen some liner notes with the musicians and producers involved about what they were creating at the time and how they feel about it, looking back (similar to the Roadrunner 25th anniversary releases). That would have set this reissue over the top.
Either way, this deserves a place in your musical library.
The DVD included is a great bonus that shows the band around this time. You could see that they were building a following before, of course, the 90s grunge era.
For Fates to be able to bring complex music to the masses and to have pulled it off is pure art. The songs refused to flow into the power ballads and weak lyrics. They are strongly crafted, make you think a little and the riffs are there. It took me a couple of listens back in the day to fully appreciate this album but it is brilliant.
If you are a fan of Fates and don't want to drop the dough because you already have this disc from long ago, cash in the old one at CD Warehouse and recycle that money into this, you won't be disappointed.
My only drawback is that I would have liked to have seen some liner notes with the musicians and producers involved about what they were creating at the time and how they feel about it, looking back (similar to the Roadrunner 25th anniversary releases). That would have set this reissue over the top.
Either way, this deserves a place in your musical library.
What's great about it: Music, DVD
What's not so great: Updated Liner Notes Missing
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Disconnected [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3973/3973613_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Underrated Masterpiece
on January 6, 2009
Posted by: MetalMike
from Atlanta
Fates Warning has been a hugely underrated band from the start, always pushing the music further along without alienating core fans.
With regard to Disconnected, Fates have crafted one of the catchiest albums in their catalog. You won't find ripping solos or blazing guitar work a la Steve Vai. What sets this album apart are the construction of the songs. One of the songs is even 14 minutes long, yet, when its over, you don't realize you just sat through the whole thing because it flows so well. Same can be said for all of the songs here.
The beauty here is that these songs were written with, it seems, a beginning, a middle and an ending. No rush to get to a poppy chorus to get radio play. Some of the songs build slowly, like a giant awakening from slumber and rip in the middle and close out slow.
The first track, One, is an obvious stage opening rocker to get the crowd pumped. So, is a midtempo track. Pieces of Me delivers some fast intensity. Something from Nothing and Still Remains close out the album brilliantly.
If you ever had liked Fates Warning at any point during your headbanging, pick this one up and listen to it. You won't hear a throwaway part and will catch yourself listening to this one more and more as time goes on.
With regard to Disconnected, Fates have crafted one of the catchiest albums in their catalog. You won't find ripping solos or blazing guitar work a la Steve Vai. What sets this album apart are the construction of the songs. One of the songs is even 14 minutes long, yet, when its over, you don't realize you just sat through the whole thing because it flows so well. Same can be said for all of the songs here.
The beauty here is that these songs were written with, it seems, a beginning, a middle and an ending. No rush to get to a poppy chorus to get radio play. Some of the songs build slowly, like a giant awakening from slumber and rip in the middle and close out slow.
The first track, One, is an obvious stage opening rocker to get the crowd pumped. So, is a midtempo track. Pieces of Me delivers some fast intensity. Something from Nothing and Still Remains close out the album brilliantly.
If you ever had liked Fates Warning at any point during your headbanging, pick this one up and listen to it. You won't hear a throwaway part and will catch yourself listening to this one more and more as time goes on.
Shame that bands can craft songs/albums like this nowadays.......................
What's great about it: Songs
What's not so great: Nothing
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Humanity: Hour 1 [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8477/8477999_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Great Disc!!!!!!!!
on August 28, 2008
Posted by: MetalMike
from Atlanta
OK, I know everyone wants to lump the Scorpions right away into some sort of 'dinosaur rock' category but let me help you to feel good about picking up this CD. They are certainly not selling out via rehashing their sound and abandoning all that made them great. They have mixed brilliant songwriting, vocal harmonies and driving guitar riffs into a package well worth buying.
I was a little scared to go to the counter and pick it up. I haven't regretted the decision.
The first track starts off with a pounding beat and takes off from there. Classic hooks abound. And, of course, there is some ballad rock, The Future Never Dies, which makes you wonder why it was killed off in the first place (ok, some did get a little cheesy in the day).
This disc finishes strong, has little to no filler and I can't stop listening to it. They don't sound classic, they don't sound like new pop-they just dug down, with veteran producer and ultra hitmaker Desmond Child, and crafted music that, unfortunately, will be looked over by rock stations these days.
Get this one!!!!!
What's great about it: Strong Music and Lyrics
What's not so great: Too Short
I would recommend this to a friend!
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