Albums Listened To In July (58)

I'm reverting back to the old style of it all being in one list, it's easier to keep track of and honestly I was breaking it that way so it was easier to post to The Metal Minute's weekly post of 'Whattya Listenin' to Wednesdays'. But seeing as that is pretty much done with (the author is taking a sporadic hiatus) I am reverting back to the old ways.

I began this month with the hopes of keeping it all mostly brand new music, this lasted about a week and then I started in with the discographies; first was KoЯn, then 3 Doors Down - I think I was doing a whole nostalgia thing (with them both being something I listened to quite a bit in High School). Throw in some new releases by some of my favorite bands (sHEAVY, KoЯn (which is what started the nostalgia trend), and Kiua) and a collection of stoner songs (the various Stonerrock.com compilations) and you have a full month!


Best...
...has to go to the new sHEAVY album, The Golden Age Of Daredevils, it shows the band moving in a new direction, while still keeping true to their fan-base. Some catchy tunes and pounding rhythms.
The classic rock band Warhorse also takes a prize. Another offshoot of Deep Purple, Warhorse is a funk/blues rock band that only released two albums, Red Sea and a self-titled. Both of these albums are great, a full example of the 70's progressive/blues rock of the era. While they are mostly forgotten, I think that you should check them out if you like the style.
Those Poor Bastards play a completely new sound (for me anyway). It seems to be a meld of doom and country and it is amazing. Take the American Recordings of Johnny Cash and mix in some Candlemass and you'll almost have what I am talking about. While I only heard one album and one EP, I intend to put some more time into this group, to hear just how the sound can progress. If you want something completely new, try Those Poor Bastards!

Worst...
...isn't really a worst. While I loved the Stonerrock.comps, as the editions continue they get poorer and poorer. The first or second were a great collection of up-and-coming stoner bands (some of which are on major labels now), by the fourth edition it tends to lose focus. Even though I only got to the sixth disc in July, I am now half-way through volume eight currently and the trend continues. The band and song selections are getting more varied, which sounds like a good thing but the groups are moving towards the -core side of things, with a lot of screaming and less attention on the music. Alternatively, atmospheric and garage rock has entered the mix, with 10 minute songs of nothing but looping guitar feedback making it in the collection. If these songs are the best that the forums of Stonerrock.com could muster, I'm starting to worry about the future of one of my favorite genres.

Discographies...
3 Doors Down, KoЯn, Warhorse, Doomshine, Kamchatka, The Kings Of Frog Island

1. 3 Doors Down - 3 Doors Down
2. 3 Doors Down - Another 700 Miles (EP)
3. 3 Doors Down - Away From The Sun
4. 3 Doors Down - The Better Life
5. 3 Doors Down - Seventeen Days 
6. 3 Doors Down - Where My Christmas Lives (EP) - New
7. AC/DC - '74 Jailbreak (EP)
8. Across Tundras - Old World Wanderer - New
9. Against Me! - Acoustic (EP) - New 
10. Avantasia - Angel Of Babylon - New
11. Avantasia - The Wicked Symphony - New
12. Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer - New 
13. Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator - New
14. The Bakerton Group - The Bakerton Group - New 
15. Baroness - Red Album 
16. The Black Keys - Brothers - New
17. Black Wizard - Black Wizard - New
18. Doomshine - The Piper At The Gates Of Doom - New
19. Doomshine - Thy Kingdoom Come - New
20. Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory 
21. Evans Blue - The Melody And The Energetic Nature Of Sound
22. Funkadelic - Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On 
23. Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick
24. The Kings Of Frog Island - The Kings Of Frog Island - New
25. The Kings Of Frog Island - The Kings Of Frog Island II - New
26. The Kings Of Frog Island - The Kings Of Frog Island III - New
27. Kiuas - Lustdriven - New 
28. Kamchatka - Kamchatka
29. Kamchatka - Volume II 
30. Kamchatka - Volume III
31. KoЯn - Follow The Leader 
32. KoЯn - Issues 
33. KoЯn - KoЯn 
34. KoЯn - KoЯn III: Remember Who You Are - New
35. KoЯn - Life Is Peachy 
36. KoЯn - See You On The Other Side 
37. KoЯn - Take A Look In The Mirror 
38. KoЯn - Untitled - New
39. Les Claypool's Frog Brigade - Live Frogs: Set 2
40. Lionize - Space Pope And The Glass Machine - New 
41. MC Chris - MC Chris Goes To Hell - New
42. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
43. Nice Wings, Icarus! - Nice Wings, Icarus! - New 
44. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
45. Rhapsody of Fire - The Frozen Tears Of Angels - New
46. sHEAVY - The Golden Age Of Daredevils - New
47. Six Dead Horses - Horn, Tusk, Antler - New
48. Stonerrock.comp 1 (2 Disc) - New
49. Stonerrock.comp 2 - New
50. Stonerrock.comp 3 - New
51. Stonerrock.comp 4 - New 
52. Stonerrock.comp 5 - New
53. Stonerrock.comp 6 (2 Disc) - New
54. Those Poor Bastards - Gospel Haunted - New
55. Those Poor Bastards - Gospel Outtakes (EP) - New
56. The Tossers - The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death
57. Warhorse - Red Sea - New
58. Warhorse - Warhorse - New