Paranoid
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

Though most of Black Sabbath's classic material from this album ("War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Fairies Wear Boots," and the title track) can also be found on the collection We Sold Our Soul for Rock & Roll, Paranoid is essential for the completist. One of the best albums from one of the bands to define heavy metal, this album is chock-full of the best stuff from Sabbath's Osbourne years. (Where else will you be able to hear "Rat Salad?") The music isn't exactly complex, but it doesn't need to be; its importance lies in its evocative power, with which any teenager will be able to identify. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (272)

If you have any interest in Black Sabbath....(you need this)
If your prepared to Ignore, what is quite possibly, one of the worst rock album covers in recent years. Then you'll not only find one of the greatest heavy Metal albums money can buy, but also finding Black Sabbath at the height of their musical powers. The album opens with the truly epic "War Pigs" which laments the governmental powers, which use military warfare as a means of controlling power. The propulsive crunching guitar and percussive drumming, paint a wholly dramatic apocalyptic musical landspace over which Ozzy extols the dire consequences in a bleak and Gloomy vocal delivery, in a song that is so convincingly complete, that this song would be covered by over artists (such as "Faith no more").

"Paranoid" was one of the very first track Black Sabbath tracks that I was actually introduced to (Via a various artists compilation), and was the track to fuel my interest in Black Sabbath, and remains one of (the many) highlights on this admittedly short album. but the combination of minor-key dirges loosely based around (or indeed on) a heavy blues-rock template, give their sound more gravitas, and the sense of lyrical confusion & paranoia in this track only serves to highten the considerable tension, which is based around severe feelings of alienation & insecurity.

"Iron Man" has to be quite possibly, one of the finest & easily identifiable guitar riffs in many years. Undoubtedly one of the strongest tracks on the album, that although will always be remembered for its primary & monolithic guitar/Drum dynamic, also finds favour by being relentlessly dark & Dramatic. Ozzy's uncluttered vocals, which rather than crowd the song out with unnecessary chorus or lyrics, eases back on the tales of supernatural/sci-fi horrors, and allows the musicians to truly be in their element, by cooking up monstrous riffs, and complex drum rhythms that are not only crushingly loud, they touch on approaching superbly crafted Jams.

"Rat Salad" is a rock instrumental that due to my fondness for instrumental music (its nice to hear if the music is built on a solid instrumental foundation) quickly found a place in my heart. Due to it not only being a incredibly tightly constructed piece of Heavy Instrumental Rock, but also with the Drum Solos, that frequently interject, and the technical virtuosity of the freewheeling guitar that frequently hint at funk/Blues, in a fiery electrified outburst invoking the odd nod to "Led Zeppelin" in their exuberance & Sprawling excess, and just like Led Zep, are able to produce a series of staggering riffs, that would go on to define the band.

If you are a causal listener to Black Sabbath (like myself), then (along with "Master of Reality" this, is the best starting point for their music. It's a touchstone album for the band, insofar as it was the album that truly broke out of the niche market, and thrust the band to a wider audience, and is a generally consistent album with no filler tracks (at 8 tracks, you'd hope not), and whether or not this album or "Master of reality" is their best album isn't really the point of this review.....the point I'm trying to make is that not only is this one of the finest (if not the finest) moment, of the bands recorded history, but also is arguably one of the greatest heavy metal albums ever.

A HEAVY METAL MASTERPIECE
paranoid was amongst the greatest heavy metal albums ever and features some of my favourite sabbath songs like war pigs,iron man and paranoid.ozzy was one of the best singers and one of my favourites.get this with their brilliant debut and master of reality.five stars.CLASSIC ROCK RULES.PLEASE AVOID ALBUMS BY RAP METAL BANDS AND BANDS WHICH FEATURE ON MTV AND TRL.THANKS

Classic doesn't always mean masterpiece.
Yes, the only reason you are here is for Iron man, paranoid, and war pigs....Ozzy was a horrible singer... Yes.

Althought this album is over 30 years old, that doesn't mean its good does it? Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple are about the same age as Sabbath and they were just as bad.

While the 60s did bring us all this "shock rock", atleast the classics have given us good artists from the disco era who are still remembered til today unlike those forgotten classic rock bands Led Zeppelin, Kiss, and The Doors.

Plus, most classic metal sucked, with the exception of Rap-metal of the late 80s/early 90s.

For good and truly inspritational metal, just listen to any of these modern MTV bands, because they are very groundbreaking. ... Read more

Asin: B000002KHH
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. British Metal    3. England    4. Hard Rock    5. Heavy Metal    6. Pop    7. Rock   

Reign In Blood
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Audio CD (11 August, 1998)
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Editorial Review

No one has bettered the ferocity, pace, and brutal power of this 28-minute 10-song set. Guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King fire out of the gate with the infamous "Angel of Death" and don't take a respite until the fifth cut, "Jesus Saves." And that breather lasts all of 30 seconds. Winding like a mutant Paganini piece, "Postmortem"'s hook is so inescapable that even metal neophytes will find it irresistible. Superbly sequenced and wonderfully executed, this favorite of producer Rick Rubin stands as the most extreme album in thrash-metal history. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (501)

slayer!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?! rules......................
oh hell yeah this is so damn good.
can't really say much cause every thing has been said.
my favourite thrash album.

high lights: angel of death(duh), jesus saves, piece by piece and raining blood + the whole album

if like this get god hates us all and season in the abyss

500th review!!
This is a really mean thrash-album. Slayer knew when they recorded it they set a new standard. Yep, no doubt about that!

Best Metal Album Ever!!
You should be ashamed if you need to be told how good this album is, it is the most agressive, breakthrough, album ever. Not alot of good metal anymore like this, few true new metal bands left like this one, Majur Bludd has become my recent favorite. ... Read more

Asin: B000009QPE
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Complete Discography
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 February, 1990)
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Editorial Review

Fugazi fans already know that this is the original gospel according to Ian MacKaye. This Washington, D.C., quartet hit harder, faster, and franker than just about anybody--and were willing to see through their own bull as quickly as anyone else's. MacKaye manages to be charismatic and confrontational at the same time: tossing brilliant, genuinely funny asides into his serious-as-a- heart-attack lyrics. Meanwhile, the band, led by Lyle Preslar's staggering guitar attack, pushes MacKaye on with the tightest, most razor-sharp sound in all of hardcore. Nothing in the punk pantheon can come close to "In My Eyes," "Out of Step," or "Salad Days." Absolutely essential. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Reviews (173)

The best of east coast hardcore
the great thing about minor threat is that they are more melodic than other hardcore, while still screaming, swearing, and blasting your ears out. Complete dicography is interesting because you can see the band evolve. By the end it is much more melodic, and the begining is insane hardcore. the philosophy is also very interesting, and ian's lyrics are increadible for a 19 year old kid. I dont agree with all of it, but after getting this album i went mildly straight edge. This is the most important hardcore album besides damaged(this might be better).

IF YOU HATE MTV! READ THIS!
This is a good album, but thats not why im typing this. for all you MTV haters, watch the next video music awards. somthing big is going to happen to MTV, somthing bad. It will bring MTV down onec and for all.if you want to help with the procces, just find out how to sneek in to the awards caromony. Im going to be sending this message on other albums in amazon.com, and other punk websights.[...]

One of the greatest albums released
Minor threat as you may know is a hardcore straight edge band who actually started the whole scene thing with X's on the hands, Theyre anger and ferocity towards things really show in this album such as "bottled violence", theyre speed and vigor they have throughout this album is amazing combined with interesting lyrics and great riffs turn into some amazing tracks, a definite must get for any one who really likes punk music ... Read more

Asin: B000000JO3
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Master of Puppets
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

One of the defining albums of thrash metal, Master of Puppets is arguably Metallica's best album (as well as their last with bassist Cliff Burton). Focusing on the concept of power and abuses thereof, this is a collection of complex, intelligent music, played at about a hundred miles an hour. Not that these are short songs; this eight-song album clocks in at over an hour, which makes it all the more impressive that not one moment on this recording is boring. In tackling various approaches to their subject, Metallica is insightful lyrically as well as musically: "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" is from the point of view of an institutionalized inmate and "Disposable Heroes" is the perspective of a soldier. If all you've heard of Metallica is what's been on the radio recently, check this one out. You're in for a surprise. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (987)

RIP Cliff
this is my second favorite cd of mine from my favorite band (my first being ride the lightning). no weak spots on this one, solid all the way through. great cd, great band, ENOUGH SAID

REST IN PEACE CLIFF

BEST CD METALLICA EVER MADE!!!!!
I wont bore you with all the single song ratings, I'm not gonna waste your time. Just putting it short, there is no flaw with this cd, it's Metallica in their prime. Master of Puppets (song)is my favorite Metallica song and best on the cd. Lots of awesome solos, really heavy and lots of madness. One of the best cds I've ever bought, definitely best Metallica cd. METALLICA RULES THE WORLD!!!!!!! BUY IT!!!!!!!

Simply Great! You should know by now!
Most definitive of their catalog by far, they lost alot of writing ability after Cliff died and have never been this good since(live or studio). Not too many true metal bands left, check out Majur Bludd live if you like real metal like this. ... Read more

Asin: B000002H33
Subjects:  1. Hard Rock    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Speed Metal    6. Thrash    7. United States of America   

Damaged
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

Founded by guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn, Black Flag exploded out of L.A. in 1981 with a debut album so confrontational that MCA Records refused to release it, stating that Black Flag was "immoral" and lacking "redeeming social value." When the album finally came out on Ginn's own SST label, it was clear why MCA recoiled, as Black Flag's skinhead look and hardcore sound signaled a new chapter in punk--and rock in general. With Henry Rollins's venom-dripping vocals leading the way, the album features such hostile teeth-gnashers as "Rise Above" ("Try to stop us/It's no use"), "Six Pack" ("I got a six pack, and nothing to do"), and, of course, "Life of Pain."--Billy Altman ... Read more

Reviews (111)

Best punk album ever?
Maybe not. But it might be. The whole thing is a surge of adrenaline. Henery is so genius on this album. He can make his voice punky screams in songs like rise above and he can make his voice turn into vicious shouts of hardcore on songs like damaged 1. This album truley defines the 80s punk scene. I'm not a huge fan of any black flag albums after this but with this and the first four years comp, they end up being one of the best punk acts to this day.

Must have
With all due respect to Dave 115, this is THE definitive album (yes, I'm old) of the Cal-Punk era.If anyone wonders where Nirvana, Rancid, NIN, Chili Peppers, geez...any REAL band got their infulence, then check this out.

This ablum got me through many an episode of my life.

If you don't have this, you ain't punk.

Etched in stone...

grossly over-rated
It's ok, it's nothing to write home about.
A terrible production, a few memorable songs. Singer Henry Rollins has a charm (if you can call it that)
Overall I just find this to be a great example of the Rolling stone Magazine's stupidity.
They rate this album as one of the top 250 of all time, which puts a picture of a load of dribbling baby's in my head. Bar the opening track where he shouts 'society's all F'ing cool, think theyre smart can't think for themselves, laugh at us behind our backs- I find satisfaction in what they lack' the disc is a drag, and never lives up to those opening moments.
While 'spray paint the walls' (track two) is somewhat punk and healthy, the rest fails by not being an 'anti-parent' record (as it was 'slated by mca was it?), but just a dumb record. Even tv party reminds me of those boys who think drinking beer and watching tv is not depressing.
Even if there was nothing left in my brain I would'nt do that more than once a month.
Don't go buying this if you are an in any way normal person who does not like noisy hardcore punk of early 80's america.
just scrapes three stars for what it is. Magnificent cover. I'm sure it's one of the best covers of all time, but as for rolling stone, these people really need to check themselves. They are missing too much


... Read more

Asin: B000000LZ2
Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. American Underground    3. Hardcore Punk    4. L.A. Punk    5. Pop    6. Punk    7. Rock    8. United States of America   

Shock Troops/Runnin' Riot in '84
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Audio CD (19 September, 2000)
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Reviews (1)

Anthemic/melodic roots punk from the late 70's.
For all the new school oi'sters and ska kids that read the liner notes to Rancid and Bouncing Souls CD's so you can sing along at concerts, check out Cocksparrer, who (along with the Business) perfected the anthemic oi song with a collection of nearly flawless tunes. ... Read more

Asin: B000007Y1P
Sales Rank: 101343
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Britain    3. British Punk    4. Oi!    5. Pop    6. Punk    7. Rock   

Under Triple Moons
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 April, 1997)
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Reviews (4)

Wine gums ( real ones)
This disc contains an interesting mix of early LPD material.When I first heard this set I was very disappointed as this was my first LPD disc and I had heard so much about them.At the time it seemed to me to be amateurish and badly recorded( and very obviously Eighties style music..never my favourite decade).
However..something about it kept drawing me back and I have really come to like this disc a lot.I would not recommend this as a first LPD disc( how about Crushed Velvet Apocalypse...)but it certainly has merit...and will find a place in the collection of every true fan of the band.
Favourite tracks..well obviously "Premonition 1 & 2" (these seem so much more advanced than some of the other tracks here,and I am a fan of the series) ,"Splash" ( I know the feeling) and "The Whore of Babylon" .
All in all this is a very good collection,but not the place to start.

outstanding
Imagery both dark and bright is weaved into the genre-defying sound of Legendary Pink Dots.Under Triple Moons is a collection of their dreamy, throbbing ambience at its finest.

A very bad place to start with LPD.
This album is a collection of the Legendary Pink Dots' older, unreleased, and rare cuts.All of them very raw and dated, and can't compare with their newer... dare I say... accessible, work.

If you're a Pink Dots aficianado like I am, then naturally you must pick up this album simply because it represents an evolutionary step in the Dots' varied musical history.If you're just starting out however, I would guide you to "The Maria Dimension," "Nine Lives to Wonder," "Crushed Velvet Apocalypse," or "Chemical Playschool Vol. 8 & 9." ... Read more

Asin: B000001Q41
Sales Rank: 200292
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Experimental    3. Experimental Rock    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Pop    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock   

The Best of Motorhead [Metal-Is]
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Audio CD (12 September, 2000)
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Reviews (21)

Joe D.
Dave Leon what are you smokin!!! Guys like you don't even know who the greats are. This is an excellent CD. It's missing few songs that belong here. They do this so you buythe whole catalog. It's a great first CD For New Lemmy listeners. Lemmy Kilmister is the greatest living Rock n Roll living legend today. Dave Grohl has it right trust him. The best thing about the Motortrain is that it keeps on rolling every year with massive tour dates. Saw them in Chi-town in March on the Inferno tour "Wow". Plus they put out great new material every other year. If Lemmy,Phil and Mickey had it there way they would do a new CD every six months and it would be great. Dave Leon don't put Tool on the same planet as Motorhead. Dave do you don't know who John Sykes, Gary Moore or Glenn Hughes are? Probably not. Long Live Motorheead.

The Chase Is Better Than the Catch, Really!
Lemmy Kilmister is the vocalist of this band which should be known by all the heavy and hard rock listeners. His voice isn't the most beautiful in the world but it makes some songs very special. In fact the songs "Ace of Spades", "Overkill", "Bomber", "Dead Men Tell No Tales" would sound quite weird if he hadn't such masculine voice. This album is quite good for it has the hits all over the decades. The bad things are that some great classics aren't here...for example "I'm So Bad Baby I Don't Care" as well as "Love Me Like a Reptile" and "We Are the Road Crew" from "Ace of Spades". There's also some songs sung by Hawkwind, Headgirl, and Girlschool. Why? This should be a Motörhead collection. Those versions aren't even good ones. I think Motörhead is a great band but not so great that its best songs should need two CDs. Only Ooe CD would have been great.
Stars: The Chase Is Better Than the Catch, Dead Men Tell No Tales, The One to Sing the Blues

the guy below me has it all wrong...
... to say motorhead can't hold a candle to tool,mudvayne,
metallica,ac/dc,iron maiden,ect,ect,ect, is just blasphemy, motorhead is better then all of those bands combind! motorhead is one of musics greatest ensambles. this is also a really great way to get into motorhead if you ain't sure which albums to buy, it gives a good representation of all of motorheads lineups and eras. ... Read more

Asin: B00004X0AS
Sales Rank: 59151
Subjects:  1. British Metal    2. Hard Rock    3. Heavy Metal    4. New Wave of British Heavy Metal    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Speed Metal    8. Thrash   

Throbbing Gristle - Greatest Hits
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (13 November, 1990)
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Reviews (10)

What the hell?
At first I thought this would be some real industrial rock from the first known industrial band. But I got something completely different. This is just ALOT of random noises. Some of it freaks me out because this was Throbbing Gristle's plan to shock and annoy off-guard listeners. There's only a few actual songs on here that are actually normal. The last track "Adrenalin" is really good for something made in the 70's.

I don't know what else to say, if you like pure industrial music then pick this up, but if you're a fan of Ministry, KMFDM, NIN and other acts then you might wanna avoid this and wait til you can handle what goes on.

Required Listening
Throbbing Gristle and their front man Genesis P-orrrige have been creating and then confounding the pop culture dialectic since 1976. Genesis P-orridige not only invented industrial music but also founded the first independent record label to promote it. If you listen to bands such as Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, or KMFDM, you owe a hand of gratitude to Throbbing Gristle; they invented the genre. This early industrial music was made mostly on homemade samplers and analog synthesizers made by band mates Sleazy and Chris Carter. Topics ranged from defecation, serial killers and burn victims. In short breaking many repressed late 70's and early 80's English social taboos. They made music than can only be described as pleasurable and disturbing at the same time. WARNING: Listen to this CD only in it's entirety from beginning to end, it like the Coum Transmissions performance art that inspired the music, is meant to be appreciated as art. All of it may not be immediately gratifying; it is metabolically designed to evoke physical and mental chemical reactions. ENJOY!

this IS essential
Essential. Essential. Essential.That's all I can say.Know your roots, rivethead! ... Read more

Asin: B000003Z4V
Sales Rank: 21667
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Experimental    3. Industrial    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Cause for Alarm/Victim in Pain
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
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Editorial Review

There was never anything fancy about these New York hardcore pioneers, just the aural equivalent of a swift kick to the nether regions followed by a brass-knuckled rap on the noggin. Then again, that's probably what made Roger Miret & Co. so popular with the testosterone-fueled adolescents that related to the band's might-makes-right approach. The band drew some criticism for its avowedly right-wing political stance--"Shoot His Load" praised subway gunman Bernhard Goetz, while "Public Assistance" knocked those who accepted it--but repeated exposure reveals them to be total misanthropes, rather than antagonists of any specific group. If a feel-good album is what you're looking for, steer clear. But those hankering for a shot of no-frills punk-metal with a side of malice will certainly feel sated. --David Sprague ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Innovative, But Not Classic
Now, don't get me wrong, these are decent albums, it's just that they aren't classics, as some say. In fact, my 4 star rating should really be 3.5 stars (I give "VIP" 4 stars and "CFA" 3 stars), but i'm adding half a star for kickstarting the NYHC movement, which is the most brutal of all the hardcore punk movements.

Cause for Alarm is an ok album, but it's not great. It's pretty much your standard metalcore stuff, but the music just isn't as powerful as it could be. There are a couple of good songs here and there, but for the most part, just isn't that great. It does however, include "Eliminator", my favorite AF song ever.

Victim in Pain is better, but still not classic. The songs have more of a punk edge than "Cause for Alarm", and it is enjoyable, just not for that long. This is one of those albums where you'll hear it, obsess about for a while, and then realize it's just ok, not great.

I would not reccomend this to all punk fans. Fans of exclusively '77 punk or pop- punk will not like this. However, if you are interested in learning about the roots of New York Hardcore (NYHC), or are a fan of AF, Black Flag, or any other hardcore punk band, then you will enjoy this.

The listener is the real victim in pain. (catchy?)
Cause for Alarm kind of sucks, just boring, tedious, kind of cheesy at times; but that really isn't important. Victim in Pain is, in the eyes of many, one of the greatest old New York hardcore albums. In most cases I agree with the majority of peoples' opinions on great early punk/hardcore albums, but with this I do not. The songs are really generic and bland. "Blind Justice" isn't a bad song, has a catchy ending, best song on the album in my opinion. "United Strong" is about sticking together and punks and skins uniting and real original ideas like that. "Fascist Attitudes" is another original tune with some creative lyrics, like "Your fascist attitudes - we need the least - With a scene that's fighting for unity and peace". It's really not THAT bad of an album, the reason I'm being so harsh and NewYorkHardCore on this album is because it's horribly overrated. HARDCORRIBLY OVERRATED! NEWYORKHARDCORRIBLY OVERRATED! it's not that bad, just not that great, and defenitly not the greatest. I've got a soft spot for generic hardcore songs so I don't really mind listening but I've played this album over and over again trying to see what people like so much about it but I just can't find out why.

In all fairness: this album (Victim in Pain) was originally released on a different label, with a different mix, that is supposedly a lot more powerful and stuff. Supposedly the Combat Core version that is this one, is mixed badly, taking away it's edge. So maybe if I heard the original mix I'd like it as much as everyone else but I can't see how a different mix would make these songs much better.

Half terrible, half awesome
I agree with the previous reviewer about one thing: This CD is split down the middle, and one half is great while the other half is not. However, I couldn't disagree more about which half is which.

Victim In Pain is AF's first album, recorded in 1984. To put it bluntly, it stinks. Don't let the 20/20 hindsight nostalgia or street-cred pose fool you. The main problem is Vinnie Stigma's so-called guitar playing. He is (or at least was at the time) quite possibly the worst guitarist ever recorded. The weak production might also have something to do with it, but I'm not sure. The guitar playing is so incredibly bad that I honestly can't tell if the production is a factor or not. I know one of the tenets of punk is that you don't have to be Eddie Van Halen or Neil Pert to play it, but damn. Try to have at least SOME ability. Tuning your guitar doesn't make you a poseur.

Cause For Alarm is their second album, recorded in 1986. For this album, AF basically hired a guitarist (Alex Kinon, I've never known if he was ever in another band) and a drummer (Louie from Carnivore) for the recording sessions. They also hired Peter Steel (also from Carnivore) to do some song writing. Thanks to them, Cause For Alarm sounds like a completely different band. A much, much, MUCH better band, to be precise. Cause For Alarm is the one real standout album in AF's discography. It has a style all its own: very hard hitting speedmetal, bursting with catchy riffs and sharp musicianship. I'm pretty certain that Stigma was excused from the recording sessions. As for Roger's vocals, to me it's always sounded like Cause For Alarm was the ONLY AF album where it sounded like he was "trying." He actually sings on this album, rather than his usual shouting. Unfortunately, after this album they returned to the typical "NYHC" sound. None of their later albums ever appealed to me as much as this one. It's like this was the one moment AF did something bold and different, something that stood out from the crowd... but afterwards they went back to blending in with the rest of the scene.

It hardly needs mentioning, but obviously my 5 star rating applies to Cause For Alarm only. Victim In Pain: 1 star. ... Read more

Asin: B000003C4O
Subjects:  1. American Underground    2. Hardcore Punk    3. Pop    4. Punk Metal    5. Rock   

Hardcore Hits
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Audio CD (11 May, 1999)
list price: $15.98
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Reviews (1)

all the classic discharge hits
the band that inspired many other punk,hardcore & metal bands.Discharge is pure power,and this cd proves it! ... Read more

Asin: B00000IP45
Sales Rank: 247939
Subjects:  1. Heavy Metal    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Scream Bloody Gore
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
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Reviews (38)

Rather primitive debut effort, still worth checking out
It's an okay album. But with the hindsight of history, and the entire Death catalogue, this is possibly the lowest of the Death albums -BUT that doesn't mean its bad. Was it "ahead of its time"? No, not really. When this came out in '87 everyone and their mother had a demo tape who used the 'Reign in Blood' blue prints. I got thousands of demo tapes from '80-'93, and during this period this was a standard sound in some regions of the country.

Despite its simplicity, it is a good listen from start to finish. Chuck hadn't quite mastered the guitar yet, but the playing here is definitely proficient. It's also pretty amazing that this album was made with only two members. Reifert, who later when on to form S.F.s gore-thriller 'Autopsy', does a pretty good job on drumming which changes from a slow grind to a faster pace almost effortlessly.

All in all its an okay album and I highly recommend the entire Death catalogue to anybody. There isn't one bad album in the catalogue (seriously). The coolest thing about the CD version of this is 2 extra songs. Of the 12 songs on this one, my faves are 'Sacrificial', 'Evil Dead' (with that hilarious totally 80s slasher flick intro), and 'Beyond the Unholy Grave'.

R.I.P. Chuck -One of the coolest people in the industry, and a good personality is hard to come by in the music biz.

Masterpiece.
Death's debut "scream bloody gore" was the first albumthat realy got me into deathmetal before i remenber listining to alot of metallica,iron maiden, slayer, untill i found a better and much more originality& heavier type of music and i fell in love with it. I mean, everything about sbg is memorable and its death's debut. \M/

Terrific 1st release from DEATH!!! GREAT ALBUM!!!!AAAA+++!!!
It is really hard to believe this is DEATH's first album!! This is from the beginning to the end a fantastic Thrash Metal album!! Every song on this album is both Brutal and terrific at the same time!! Definately one of DEATH's most violent albums by far, it almost has a Slayer "Hell Awaits" feeling to it.I really love this band ALOT and this really is a wonderfull album to pick up for fans of Black,Death,or Thrash metal. Be sure to check out ALL of DEATH's ENTIRE catalog of music (ALL of the albums will BLOW YOU AWAY!!) In my opinion DEATH IS one Of the BEST Metal bands EVER!! and with "Scream Bloody Gore" you simply can't go wrong. The production on this CD is Really Good (which is great considering it being their first release). Don't Hesitate to pick this one up!, I don't think you will be the least bit dissapointed!!Excellent Album!! LONG LIVE DEATH!! and LONG LIVE METAL!!(PS:) You gotta Love "Regurgitated Guts"!!! GREAT SONG TITLE!!R.I.P CHUCK!! ... Read more

Asin: B000003C4X
Sales Rank: 53891
Subjects:  1. Death Metal/Black Metal    2. Grindcore    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Thrash   

Scum
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 April, 1995)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (22)

Don't listen to any of these negative whiners
Especially that dumbass paranoid jealous P.O.S Bozo and the Bandwagon of Poop. He says he wishes grindcore was as heavy as nu-metal and metalcore, HAHAHAHAHA what an idiot. For your information dumbass, THIS STUFF IS HEAVY, and it's damn sure heavier than nu-metal and metalcore. I'll bet that jealous scum has never listened to Napalm Death and this album. As far as I'm concerned, that moron Bozo needs to shut up, leave us alone, and let us listen to whatever we want.

Now for the album, I don't have it yet, but I've heard some samples, and I like what I've heard thus far, so I'm looking very forward to getting it soon. NAPALM DEATH RULES! F*CK NU-METAL!

This didn't start grindcore; It almost killed it
As usual, I want to put this record into context:

Since its origin in the mid 70s, punk rock always had a reputation for having more beats per minute than any other form of rock. Bands like Black Flag in the US and Discharge in the UK were two of the first punk bands to put heavy emphasis on speed, transforming punk into hardcore. From then on, there was always some young new band trying to play faster than anyone else.

In the mid 1980s, fast music was my life. I was always on the lookout for the fastest music in existence. After Black Flag and Discharge, there came Millions of Dead Cops, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Die Kreuzen, Corrosion of Conformity, Slayer, and so on. In 1987, it was only natural that Napalm Death's Scum turned up in my quests. There was a label on the front of the LP that said something like "THE FASTEST BAND EVER, PERIOD." Right up my alley, I bought it on the spot. I don't think I could have been more disappointed. Yes, it was the fastest music I'd ever heard up to that point. But it was sloppy. It was performed poorly. At the time I remember thinking "I guess there's such as thing as 'too fast' after all." It was recorded poorly.The band had cheap equipment, or at least it sounded cheap. Being a fan of punk and hardcore, I can appreciate the efforts of amature musicians. But there has to be something there. There has to be a sign of even the tiniest kernel of talent or a germ of genius buried under all the slop. In this record, there was nothing but speed for the sake of speed with no apparent attempt to put any effort into any other aspects of the songs.

Usually when I start a review like that, it ends with "But I later came to appreciate the record, and now it's one of my all time favorites." Not this time. I've never liked Scum and I never will. This record caused me to have an aversion to Napalm Death and grindcore in general for years. Napalm Death later became quite popular, which left me baffled. Eventually I finally gave their second album (From Enslavement to Obliteration) a listen, and was stupified by how great it was. They had an almost entirely different line up than the first album; I think drummer Mick Harris was the only surviving member from Scum, but thankfully he'd become a much tighter and more precise performer. The new guitarist* and bassist were also much more skilled. (*I think side one of Scum had Justin Broadrick on guitar, while side two had someone else. My memory is hazy, but I think it was Bill Steer, who was also on the second album. Broadrick went on to form Godflesh, and Steer later formed Carcass.)

The point I really want to make here is this: Napalm Death's first album, Scum, is worthless. Skip it and go directly to their second album, From Enslavement to Obliteration, which is a bona fide masterpiece. Then skip their next few records, as they all sound the same and are not as good as Enslavement, and go straight to 1994's Fear, Emptiness, Despair. This album is noteworthy because it's the first time they really changed their formula, going for more complex mid tempo beats rather than just an endless series of blast beats.

"Napalm Death was the first to do something that countless bands have since attempted, but where Napalm Death succeeded in uncharted waters, most bands failed utterly while following in their footsteps." - Lord Chimp

Let's give credit where credit is due. ND has admitted many times that they were merely following in Siege's footsteps. Siege was from Weymouth, Massachussets circa 1983-1984. You know Napalm Death's song "Siege of Power"? It's an ode to Siege. There was a Siege tape that was widely circulated in trading cirles at the time. It was eventually released on CD by Relapse in the mid 90s under the title Drop Dead. It's out of print, but I suggest you find it. Listen to it and be amazed that it predates Scum by almost three years. There's another band who was doing grindcore before Napalm Death: Repulsion, who were also heavily influenced by Siege. Napalm Death were definitely the band who made grindcore a household term and made it popular. But as is almost always the case, they were merely following in the footsteps of true pioneers who were doomed to obscurity because they were too far ahead of their time. The world was not ready for Siege. Napalm Death merely had the good fortune of being late to the party.

Am I the only one who thinks this absolutly sucks?
This is singlehandely the worst album I have ever heard. I've heard a lot of noise rock, noise metal, and just plain noise music, whether it's Wolf Eyes's Slicer, Godflesh's Streetcleaner, and Lightning Bolt's Ride The Skies. I was interested in hearing more from the noise metal spectrum, and someone reccomended me Napalm Death's first album, Scum. I was relctanat at first, because I heard their stuff from the 90's and it sucked, but then I found out that this is a completely different lineup. And I also found out that Justin Broadrick of Godflesh/Jesu was in the band at this time. I am a big fan of Jesu and just recently getting into Godflesh, so I gave it a shot and downloaded a few songs.

And it still sucks. Go figure.

I mean, can these guys even play together? And what the hell is with the vocals? I read the lyrics to "You Suffer" and it's simply "You suffer, but why?" But is sounds like "DSLJF:LSJFLSKJFSLKHFKLJSHFLSK!" Lee Dorian is single handely the worst factor of the group. He really makes me hate this album.

I'll admit, the slow or medium-paced riffs were good and heavy, but then, of course, they go into 180-mile mode, and Lee's grunting comes in. This is terrible stuff. As far as grindcore goes, it's an overrated genre that is just a bunch of big guys trying to prove how tough they are.

Don't bother with this. If you're looking for aggresiveness, try Godflesh's Hymns. ... Read more

Asin: B00000582D
Sales Rank: 101711
Subjects:  1. Death Metal/Black Metal    2. Grindcore    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Thrash   

Morbid Tales [1999 Reissue]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 July, 1998)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $12.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (32)

OLd, but ground breaking
Yeah, I am like the guy from seattle, I saw Celtic Frost in ~'85 at the Stone in San Francisco. Bunch of drugs, chaos, and a real pit. I was terified but happy. Voi Vod was also opening. CF was great, congruent with Slayer, but a diferent tangent. Ah, the good days when they pioneered good music.

mid way through real metal
I saw this band play the moore theatre in seattle in 84. they truely rocked. beers and booze in the parking lot. sweaty shirts before they even got to the stage. voi vod opening. these days the horse yelling metal bands need to get a metal dictionary out and get hip to when metal was original. did i just say that???? the frost left a mark on seattle 20 years ago. buy this if you like nut busting chord crunching.

celtic madness.
very basic, but very effective. dethroned emperor, morbid tales, circle of the tyrants, and procreation of the wicked are the highlights of this album. buy it now if you like dark, heavy music. ... Read more

Asin: B00000897X
Sales Rank: 24471
Subjects:  1. Death Metal/Black Metal    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Switzerland    6. Thrash