Bisius

A somewhat biased review, the album is instead a masterpiece in every sense, only liable to excessive redundancy in some moments ("Building The Ark"). Then comes "Halo Dies (The Wrath Of God)" and everyone falls silent...

It incredibly slipped under my eyes. I am really getting older. Totally in tune with the review, but I would be even more generous: for me, this is, without a doubt, a masterpiece. Pulsating, nocturnal and, as you rightly say, urban. Laurie Anderson is also an amazing added value... as usual.

Very good Hybris, you and I have many tastes in common. The Yakuza are, at the current level, among the best metal bands (as much as that little word can represent them) at the moment. Prog, death, doom, grind, jazz—all flows together marvelously, without reckless overlaps (UneXpect, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), but with a disarming naturalness. Three albums more beautiful than the other (I have a particular fondness for "Way Of The Dead"). Of the three, for me "Samsara" is slightly less beautiful, perhaps because it’s a bit too screamed and aggressive—between a "Just Say Know" and a "Praying For Asteroids," for instance, I prefer the latter—and a little lacking in clean vocal parts. Nevertheless, it still earns a 4. It’s a real shame that the audience is ignorant and unable to appreciate the validity of this beautiful proposal. For this reason too, the Yakuza have my utmost respect and all possible admiration for having held on all this time, and continuing to do so, renewing themselves each time with astonishing results. Rediscover them; it's truly worth it.

I love you Jesus Chriiiiiiiiiiiist, Jesus Christ I love you, yeeeeeeeee

A perfectly canonical stoner rock album with a hint of Melvins that, between us, doesn't deserve such a review. It's a real shame because the debut was a real kickass effort.

I love you, to madness. Review among the favorites. A record in the Olympus of giants, but not just any giants, giants Giants. But the best always go first, that's well known: I take comfort in thinking that, after all, Jeff hasn't completely stopped playing, just from another place. And when the steel on the title track kicks in, a thrill strikes me inside like high-proof whiskey... "Can you see the light, can you see the light of need shinin' in my eyes?".

Sure, please provide the text you'd like me to translate.

What a beautiful face, I have found in this place, that is circling all round the sun... (parenthesis). Maqqome must I have lost it, this page? Panta rei, I’m getting older... I’m looking for the record (actually: if you can make it to the usual place one of these days, we can share our stories!).

Hi Jake, great analysis, but I’m definitely not downloading the album; I’ll wait a while and get the original. Zorn at this level cannot be insulted with a stupid mp3, especially if he plays and conducts for 154 minutes. But: am I getting old, or does the sax theme from "Metaltov" by Naked City ("Radio," 1993) kick in at the end of the first sample?

The single "Sweet About Me" is nice, but the rest of the album limps along more or less noticeably, and frankly, I’m not sure how much we needed a juvenile substitute for Janis Joplin... light-years away, in any case, from the faded daguerreotypes of Duffy or Kate Bush's carefree pop. The hope now is that she doesn’t turn into a new Lily Allen: she seems to have her head on straight, but her young age raises some doubts. Enough, really.