Sodom: Better Off Dead
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Sodom: Better Off Dead
1 nov 14
The Teutons are in search of melody. It's a more heavy-oriented record, softer compared to the previous albums. A commendable effort, still at a high level ("The Saw Is The Law" and "Capture The Flag" standing out). But we are a step back compared to AO. (7.5)
Sodom: Tapping The Vein
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Sodom: Tapping the Vein
2 nov 14
From melody to death. This album features devastating death punches. Several tracks are pure headbanging material, like the final pairing "Hunting Season" and "Reincarnation." At least they tried to mix it up. Good cd. (7)
Sodom: Get What You Deserve
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Sodom: Get What You Deserve
6 nov 14
From black, to thrash, to the death of "Tapping The Vein" to the crossover/punk influences of this. Another album that we might call "experimental," faster, rawer, and simpler than anything that came before. Nonetheless, it’s not unforgettable. (6)
Sodom: Masquerade In Blood
CD Audio I have it ★★
Sodom: Masquerade in Blood
6 nov 14
The warning signs had already shown with the previous album. A uninspired record, where Sodom simply clock in. "Gathering Of Minds" is the only saving grace. (5)
Sodom: Code Red
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Sodom: Code Red
8 nov 14
Here are the bad and monolithic Sodom from the late '80s. This is a quality CD with classic old thrash. Personally, in several passages, I notice a bit of Slayer's influence as well. The initial pairing of the title track and "What Hell Can Create" is noteworthy. The overall level remains quite good throughout. (7.5)
Sodom: M-16
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Sodom: M-16
11 nov 14
Great thrash album from Sodom. Together with "Code Red," they form the duo that relaunched them at the turn of the new millennium. Once again, we're talking about a good album, not exactly a masterpiece, but it’s a pleasure to listen to, and the furious Sodom always do well. I put it (slightly) ahead of "Code Red." (7.5)
Steve McQueen: Shame
DVD Video I have it ★★★★
Steve McQueen: Shame
14 jan 16
A story about compulsions and the obsession with sex, which also addresses other themes and manages to hit the right notes. McQueen directs with that European classicism he had already displayed in "Hunger," and his narrative is poignant, painful, and remarkably real. (8)
Testament: The Legacy
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Testament: The Legacy
16 nov 14
Explosive debut for the Californian band. A classic thrash album, although Testament, compared to others, has a more unique, epic approach, with melodic solutions that vaguely reminded me of the Iron Maiden of "Powerslave." A tremendous performance by Chuck Billy behind the microphone. One of the cornerstone albums of thrash in the second half of the '80s. (8.5)
Testament: The New Order
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: The New Order
16 nov 14
Another great record, even if for me it's a step back compared to the previous one. More melodic solutions, some touches of heavy, and the usual great compositional quality. (8)
Testament: Practice What You Preach
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: Practice What You Preach
16 nov 14
Another excellent thrash/heavy episode from Testament. Chuck Billy is extraordinary as always. Testament blend the typical aggressiveness of thrash with the melody of British heavy metal. The result is an intriguing and captivating album, perhaps not fully appreciated by many of their fans. For me, it's slightly below the previous two (especially "The Legacy"), but still another hit, and a consecutive one at that. The title track is beautiful. (7.5)
Testament: Souls Of Black
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: Souls of Black
19 nov 14
Still spot on, still an excellent heavy/thrash record. It’s always a pleasure to listen to it again, even if it’s not the peak of Testament's compositional prowess. "The Legacy" is one of their best tracks ever. (7.5)
Testament: The Ritual
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: The Ritual
19 nov 14
Mistreated by their fans for being too little thrash, this is once again an album of excellent quality. Tracks like "Electric Crown," "So Many Lies," "Let Go Of My World," and especially "Return To Serenity" testify to its level. (7.5)
Testament: Demonic
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Testament: Demonic
24 nov 14
Solid as a rock death/thrash record, the hardest ever produced by the band. Listenable, no flaws, but certainly the lesser episode of their discography. (6.5)
Testament: The Gathering
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: The Gathering
24 nov 14
Leading artists of the genre for the best album of the second half of their career. That said, I don’t see their absolute masterpiece here, but it’s still a pleasure to listen to again. (8)
  • Hank Monk
    24 nov 14
    I should clarify that I haven't listened to all of their... for me, this is their best (I'm going out on a limb here) even better than The Legacy
  • De...Marga...
    24 nov 14
    Let's say Hank Monk that you really made a bold claim; I won't say it's a big one because I respect your tastes. They are two phenomenal albums, but if I had to choose, I'd say that "The Legacy" surpasses "The Gathering," albeit by a narrow margin.
  • Hank Monk
    24 nov 14
    :) I understand you, but here we have none other than Dave Lombardo, Steve DiGiorgio, and the guitarist who played on Cause Of Death and Spiritual Healing, if I'm not mistaken. It's pretty solid, with just the right amount of spark... And if I remember correctly, the drummer on the early Testament albums was a bit of their weak point.
  • De...Marga...
    24 nov 14
    And you are right about the guitarist James Murphy, who played in 1990 with Obituary on Cause of Death and with my beloved Death on Spiritual Healing. Of course, the DiGiorgio-Lombardo rhythm section is one of a kind!!!!
  • GIASSON
    24 nov 14
    In my opinion, the best one is The New Order, though we should overlook that terrible cover by Aerosmith.
  • Hank Monk
    24 nov 14
    Really, Giasson? For me, New Order is the one I like a bit less compared to the others (I repeat, the main reason is the drummer, who, if I remember correctly, is a bit too lightweight and monotonous to play in a metal band).
  • GIASSON
    24 nov 14
    I completely agree with you about the drummer, but Disciple of the Watch makes me lean towards the second album.
Testament: Low
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: Low
21 nov 14
After the never-accepted heavy of "The Ritual," the Americans shift towards groove, delivering a thrash album that's definitely more powerful and energetic. Chuck Billy shows he can wonderfully adapt to the new sound. A must-have album for every lover of the genre. (8)
Testament: The formation of damnation
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Testament: The Formation of Damnation
24 nov 14
In their career, they have never been wrong, and we hope they never will be. Nine years of silence only to return with yet another excellent product of old school classic thrash. To hell with the myriad of bands that, by copying, try to do what the masters have as an innate gift. (7.5)
thin lizzy: bad reputation
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Thin Lizzy: Bad Reputation
4 feb 15
Another hit for the Irish, even though there’s always something missing in terms of songwriting to reach the heights of the masterpieces of the past. Notable mentions include the title track, "Opium Trail" and "Dancing in the Moonlight." (7.5)
Thin Lizzy: Thunder and Lightning
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Thin Lizzy: Thunder and Lightning
4 feb 15
The end of the Lizzy era, the last album before Lynott's death three years later. It’s a rockier work than the two previous ones, clearly nodding to the heavy new wave of the early eighties. For my tastes, their best since the distant days of "Jailbreak." (7.5/8)
Thin Lizzy: Vagabonds of the Western World
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Thin Lizzy: Vagabonds of the Western World
16 jan 15
The first real record by the Irish. More compact songwriting, less derivative and confusing. There are true standout tracks like "The Hero And The Madman," "Slow Blues," the title track, and "The Rocker," featuring an extraordinary guitar solo by Eric Bell. The best of their early career, even if it's not a complete masterpiece. (8)
Thin Lizzy: Fighting
CD Audio I have it ★★
Thin Lizzy: Fighting
17 jan 15
In some ways, it has the same flaws as the previous "Nightlife," but here the songwriting doesn't work, especially in the new direction that Thin Lizzy wanted to give to their sound: that is, more direct, rock, even "street" compared to the psych/blues digressions of the early albums. The experiment doesn't really work, or at least I've never been able to enjoy it. (5.5)
Thin Lizzy: Johnny the Fox
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
Thin Lizzy: Johnny the Fox
4 feb 15
A successful, engaging album that is always enjoyable to listen to. It suffers from the comparison with what came before. (7.5)
Thin Lizzy: Chinatown
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Thin Lizzy: Chinatown
4 feb 15
Same goes for the previous album. Rock energy and songwriting have faded. (6)
Thin Lizzy: Renegade
CD Audio I have it ★★
Thin Lizzy: Renegade
4 feb 15
In the second part of their career, for me this is their least successful work. I gave them several chances, but it never impressed me. (5.5)
  • Renagade
    4 feb 15
    how strange, I have never listened to it
Thin Lizzy: Thin Lizzy
CD Audio I have it ★★
Thin Lizzy: Thin Lizzy
16 jan 15
A rather confusing album, where I never quite understood where Lynott wanted to go with it. Not exactly trash, but the ideas are all just sketched out and need development. (5.5)
Thin Lizzy: Shades of a Blue Orphanage
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Thin Lizzy: Shades of a Blue Orphanage
16 jan 15
Superior to the previous one, but with some of the same flaws. Very bluesy and not very hard 'n' heavy. Enjoyable. (6.5)
Thin Lizzy: Nightlife
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Thin Lizzy: Night Life
17 jan 15
A good album but I’ve never found the rawness and compositional necessity of "Vagabonds..." Too "diluted", steeped in ballads that, although excellently played, leave little behind. It's still an enjoyable and relaxing album, but I find it a tad overrated. (7)
Thin Lizzy: Black Rose: A Rock Legend
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Thin Lizzy: Black Rose: A Rock Legend
4 feb 15
I’ve never been able to fully digest this one. It doesn’t engage me, even though it’s still the usual work of mastery and class. It lacks a bit of compositional verve. To me, it's a sort of “unfinished” album, even if the title track is a great piece. (6.5)
Thin lizzy: jailbreak
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Thin Lizzy: Jailbreak
17 jan 15
A rock crystal that contains several extraordinary gems: from the power of the title track, to the subdued and irreverent rhythm of "Romeo and the Lonely Girl," from the anthem "The Boys Are Back in Town" to the epic Sabbath-like pathos of "Emerald." A special mention also goes to the ballad "Fight or Fall," one of my favorites from the band. Perhaps their peak. (8.5)
Tze Chun: Fredda è la notte
DVD Video I have it ★★★
Tze Chun: Fredda è la notte
14 jan 16
A conventional noir/thriller, but well-constructed, without overdoing it and maintaining a good level of tension throughout. A small production that deserves to be rediscovered. Well done, Alice Eve and Bryan Cranston. (6.5)
Ufo: Ufo 1
CD Audio I have it ★★★
UFO: UFO 1
29 nov 14
Debut album for an unjustly underrated band in the hard rock scene of the seventies. However, it must be said that during that time in England there was quite a bit of competition. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable record, with the pulsating bass of the extraordinary Pete Way taking center stage. "Boogie" and "Timothy" are worth the listen. (6.5)
Ufo: Ufo 2: Flying
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Ufo: Ufo 2: Flying
29 nov 14
Long psychedelic digressions, diluted and boundaryless space psych. A record to be savored in small doses; personally, I've never fully digested it. Very nice is the opener "Silver Bird." (7)
Ufo: Force It
CD Audio I have it ★★★
UFO: Force It
30 nov 14
A record that has never excited me. I've always seen it as too "flat" and monotonous, lacking real inspiration. It lacks a bit of compositional necessity, as if it came about out of inertia after its much more successful predecessor. However, "High Flyer" still gives me goosebumps. (6.5)
UFO: LIGHTS OUT
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
UFO: Lights Out
5 dec 14
After "Phenomenon," the best album by the English band. The ballad "Try Me" remains one of the most beautiful in all of rock for me, and "Love To Love" is also extraordinary, one of their best tracks. (8)
UFO: PHENOMENON
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
UFO: Phenomenon
29 nov 14
As far as I'm concerned, the best work by Ufo. Michael Schenker (making his debut with the English band) paints unforgettable melodies, indulging in solo virtuosity that deserves to be preserved in the annals of history (notably the solo in "Rock Bottom"). A gem somewhat overshadowed by the superb quality of those years. Worth rediscovering. (8.5)
  • hellraiser
    30 nov 14
    One of the greatest hard rock albums of all time.
Ufo: Obsession
CD Audio I have it ★★★
UFO: Force It
5 dec 14
An album that has never convinced me. Too flat and similar to "Force It" in its shortcomings. I really listen to it very rarely. But I also have to say that after this one of theirs I've heard very little, so I can only judge up to this CD. (6.5)
Ufo: No Heavy Petting
CD Audio I have it ★★★★
UFO: No Heavy Petting
30 nov 14
The son of "Force It," but definitely more inspired. Several noteworthy tracks, including "Can You Roll Her," "Belladonna," and "Martian Landscape." (7.5)
Werner Herzog: L'Alba Della Libertà
DVD Video I have it ★★★
Werner Herzog: L'Alba Della Libertà
4 jan 16
Herzog's muscular cinema in a Hollywood form that remains (or tries to be) auteur-driven. A film that is successful only halfway, lacking the ability to evoke strong emotions but still lingers beneath the surface. (6.5)
Woody Allen: Manhattan
DVD Video I have it ★★★★★
Woody Allen: Manhattan
4 jan 16
Grandpa Woody here sings his love for New York, for the cinema of the past (there are several references to Fellini, Bergman, and Kubrick) and directs and stars in a work that is irreverent but politically "incorrect," where Allen's classic themes blend with a poetic quality of images that is excellently rendered in black and white. One of Allen's best. (8.5)
Woody Allen: Blue Jasmine
DVD Video I have it ★★★
Woody Allen: Blue Jasmine
12 jun 16
Allen's perspective on the shallowness of the American upper middle class, with seen-it-before elements, interesting insights, and a fabulous Cate Blanchett. (6.5)
Yes: Union
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Yes: Union
8 sep 12
Interesting album, perhaps the most successful of the "new course" embarked upon with "90125": the style of the first period trying to reconcile with the more direct and purely pop/AOR approach of the second. Sometimes the results are good, other times less so. (7.5)
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