White Zombie had been a highly influential band in new genres such as noise rock, groove metal and industrial metal for one decade. The release of its final full length effort of original material with Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head would mark the band's most commercially successful output and also set the stage for Rob Zombie's later solo career that was massively influenced by the sound of this output. This record here is interesting for anyone interested in alternative rock and metal sounds of the nineties as well as cultural trends of the mid-nineties. If you appreciate this album, you are also going to like several other White Zombie and Rob Zombie efforts. You might also want to check out similar pioneer groups such as KMFDM, Die Krupps and Oomph!.

The sound of this release is relatively simple to describe but was nevertheless rather innovative back in the days. The lead vocals find a catchy balance between sweltering aggression and rough melody which suits the instrumental work perfectly. Speaking of the latter, the drum play is simple but precise and energetic, recalling danceable military march music one more than one occasion. The bass guitar play isn't exactly technically stunning but also tight and powerful as it completes the drum play perfectly. The guitar riffs meander from simple but intense riffs over more discordant and psychedelic sections recalling bands such as Melvins, Faith No More and even early grunge by groups such as Soundgarden. Charlie Clouser is only noted as a guest on this output but his work on keyboards and especially programming is an important part of this release's unique identity. This album is filled with sound samples, most of them coming from obscure horror films from the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. This shouldn't come as a surprise however since the band name White Zombie is inspired by a horror movie of the same title from the thirties. Cineasts will therefore have quite a few references to discover while those who don't share the band's passion for the aforementioned genre will find the elevated number of samples rather tiring. One has to admit that the band doesn't just use these samples as gimmicks as its songs' lyrics, the band members' outfits and even the group's stage productions honour classic horror cinema.

The group's unique soundscapes might take a while to open up to new listeners. While a first impression might be rather chaotic, the band's particular style actually becomes quite coherent after multiple spins. While not all songs might stay on the listener's mind, some of them are quite catchy. ''Electric Head Part One: The Agony'' and ''Electric Head Part Two: The Ecstasy'' form the heart piece of this release in my opinion. These songs are aggressive but not overtly brutal. They are melodious but never fluffy. They are memorable but still have experimental sections. They represent the identity of White Zombie best and are among the band's greatest tracks ever. Another instant hit is the atmospheric, catchy and danceable ''More Human than Human'' that rightfully became one of the group's greatest successes.

However, several songs on this output also lose themselves in massive oversampling and draining repetition. ''Real Solution #9'' is such a case as this song would have been a decent interlude if it had been cut to half its actual length. Hidden track ''Where The Sidewalk Ends, The Bug Parade Begins'' is also a dud that doesn't deserve to be discovered but rather to remain hidden. It sounds like an odd underdeveloped sound collage that artificially stretches the record's length from rather short to overall decent. However, quality should have been valued over quantity in this case to make for a more enjoyable listening experience.

At the end of the day, White Zombie's Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head is an intriguing product of its time combining raw noise rock with brutal industrial metal and danceable groove metal hints. The band's horror image going from the cover artwork over the band clothing to the multiple samples gives the group its very own style that some people might admire and other loathe. It can't however be denied that this album is certainly creative, entertaining and unique to a certain degree in the context of its release. Rob Zombie has used these same ideas time and again, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse but this album here can be seen as the climactic end of White Zombie and the intellectual creation of Rob Zombie.

Final Rating: 70%

Soundgarden is one of the most influential alternative rock and grunge bands throughout the nineties and Telephantasm remains the group's best compilation to date. It was initially released to hype the band's reunion that ended up being rather short-lived. Today, this release can be seen as a wonderful memory of this band that came to an end with its singer's and guitarist's tragical suicide.

This compilation combines songs from all eras of the band except for its last studio album King Animal that was only released two years later. Telephantasm offers twelve entertaining songs with a total running time of one hour. Band label A&M Records could have used the remaining twenty minutes of this disc for about four or five other songs but ultimately opted for this more compact approach that makes the release sound like a regular studio effort.

Highlights on this compilation include the desperate, energetic and vibrant ''Outshined'', the atmospheric, experimental and playful ''Birth Ritual'', dynamic, joyful and percussive ''Spoonman'' and of course the band's greatest hit with gloomy, hypnotizing and mysterious ''Black Hole Sun'' that qualifies as the band's most memorable tune.

One of the band's greatest elements are Chris Cornell's charismatic vocals. He is able to convince in lower registers, has natural ease in regular registers and shines most when hitting higher registers. In his best moments, his vocal style reminds of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott and Rainbow's Ronnie James Dio. This also explains why Soundgarden is quite beloved among hard rock and heavy metal fans if compared to similar genre groups.

The band's biggest flaw is however its songwriting. While the vocals stand out very positively, the guitar melodies often need some time to grow and the rhythm section doesn't always manage to get to the point. Numerous songs are at least a minute too long and end with repetitive loops failing to conclude on high notes.

At the end of the day, I would describe Soundgarden as a good alternative rock and grunge band. The band is certainly better than many copycats from the new millennium but they can't quite compete with the genre's earliest pioneers. I would suggest picking this compilation up for a reduced price and to spin it from time to time while driving a car or going for a walk. This compilation's final song ''Black Rain'' is exclusive to this release even though it had already been written two decades earlier and turns out to be a decent grunge tune with an interesting instrumental coda that should convince collectors and fans of old date to pick this release up as well.

Final Rating: 70%

Motörhead has been a highly influential blues rock, hard rock and heavy metal band that has existed for exactly forty years. After its conclusion, numerous reissues, compilations and boxed sets have been thrown onto the market that aren't even worth to be talked about. A very positive exception however is the reissue of the trio's final studio album under the Black Magic - Seriously Bad Magic title.

This release is a worthy addition to the collections of die-hard fans, occasional listeners and even potential newcomers for several reasons. First of all, the initial release was already very strong. Thunderous heavy metal anthem ''Fire Storm Hotel'', gloomy heavy metal stomper ''Choking on Your Screams'' and fittingly sinister abgesang ''When the Sky Comes Looking for You'' have all stood the test of time. A true hidden gem is Motörhead's rendition of The Rolling Stones' ''Sympathy for the Devil'' that sounds quite convincing out of Lemmy's mouth and has a vibrant swagger that increases intriguingly with every minute. At the end of the day, we have one of Motörhead's better studio albums in the band's long career.

The second reason to get this particular reissue are its three bonus studio tracks. Motörhead covered David Bowie's ''Heroes'' with its usual swagger and really managed to make the song sound like one of its own. The song's timeless lyrics haven't lost their unique charme either. This might be one of Motörhead's very best cover songs ever recorded. ''Bullet in Your Brain'' is an energetic, fast and tight heavy metal anthem that certainly deserves some attention and easily beats several tunes on the original album version. My personal highlight is however ''Greedy Bastards'' with its creative spoken word opening and timeless criticism of businessmen and politicians who believe that they can do whatever they like. Lemmy wouldn't accept such an attitude however and has kept speaking out against the high and mighty throughout his career. Hearing him doing it again from the grave sends any fan shivers down the spine. This song certainly is one of the best in Motörhead's later career.

Thirdly and lastly, this reissue includes a complete live album, recorded at the 2015 edition of Mount Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. This disc is appropriately entitled Sayonara Folks! even though Lemmy didn't expect to die anytime soon back then and even told the fans that he would see them again. While the group's last regular live record Clean Your Clock showcases a particularly weak bassist and singer, this concert here already showcases some of Lemmy's struggles but still has decent energy, pace and passion. Especially the chemistry between bassist and singer Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee is quite impressive. Lemmy has some shining highlights in form of bass guitar solos, dynamic crowd interaction and rough vocals but he is also given some important breaks by passionate guitar solos and technically stunning drum solos. Despite a few minor lengths in the instrumental sections of the longer tunes, this concert overall sounds dynamic, entertaining and passionate. The fact that the sound is subpar and probably comes from a soundboard might be an issue for other bands but fits perfectly for a raw heavy metal outfit like Motörhead as it even adds to the trio's gritty spirit.

As you can read, this wonderful reissue of Motörhead's final studio album is worth the attention of anyone who appreciates heavy metal. The original album is very good, the three bonus songs are unexpected highlights and the additional concert represents Motörhead's timeless spirit at its very best. Make sure to pick this wonderful reissue up and honour this legendary's band legacy appropriately.

Final Rating: 90%

Kamelot is a band that should certainly please me on paper. The international group plays power metal with at times progressive songwriting and symphonic arrangements that often flirt with gothic stylistics. However, the band's discography had numerous significant ups and downs in my opinion. Even the group's performances in concert have been underwhelming as the group has been outclassed by opening act Sonata Arctica and even matched by infamous pop rock band Battle Beast regarding crowd participation. I regret to inform you that here we go again since The Awakening is a significant regression in comparison to versatile predecessor The Shadow Theory that managed to grow with every spin.

The main issue is that the material on The Awakening reminds listeners too many times of previous Kamelot tunes that have been performed with much more conviction, creativity and energy. This starts with the usual bombastic, cinematic and exaggerated instrumental opener, continues with short and concise single candidates caught between tame power metal riffs and overwhelming symphonic arrangements, goes further with the occasional darkly romantic ballad that could also come from Evanescence and wouldn't sound out of place on a Twilight soundtrack and ends with a few more epic tunes that lack structure, focus and coherence to truly impress. The latter category is still the most tolerable one since Kamelot didn't go overboard here and ''Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)'' might therefore qualify as this output's greatest song.

If you are new to Kamelot, this album might not sound all that bad to you and you could justifiably disagree with me. The symphonic arrangements and choirs have been performed with genuine professionalism and keyboardist Oliver Palotai certainly is an outstanding musician and songwriter. The versatile guitar work by Thomas Youngblood has been consistent for decades and varies between emotional and melodic passages on one side and fast and gripping sections on the other side. Tommy Karevik is a good singer who particularly shines in the lower registers in the more atmospheric epics and calmer ballads.

The main problem is that Kamelot has been performing in this exact style for decades and while some records managed to stand out with a few creative songwriting twists and some astonishing guest performances, The Awakeinng offers songwriting by the numbers and few guests who then fail to leave a lasting impression. Even after several spins, no song on this album will stay on your mind as this release is severely lacking courage, creativity and inspiration.

At the end of the day, Kamelot's The Awakening is only interesting for faithful fans of old date who have listened to every single release by this group or complete newcomers who might now discover this group five years after its last studio album. Occasional and even regular fans of the band can however skip The Awakening without any regrets and should rather purchase the much more imaginative predecessor The Shadow Theory to appreciate the group's current style to its fullest.

Final Grade: 55%

Haken is a band that painfully lacks cohesion to fusion its multiple genre-breaking broad ideas. This had become obvious to me when a friend of mine introduced me to this band about a decade in the past, this impression became even more solid when I saw the band opening for Dream Theater a few years ago and now I realize that nothing has changed at all with the seventh full length effort by the British sextet.

This becomes obvious right from the start with ambitious, confusing and nervous opener ''Taurus'' that offers a multitude of creative ideas without fleshing out any one of them and leaving dizzy listeners behind scratching their heads after five irritating minutes.

Fauna includes several decent tunes intertwined with frustrating material that just won't grow even after multiple generous spins. Let's get the negatives out of the way to end this review on some positive notes. ''The Alphabet of Me'' is an airy, alienating and amorphous pop ballad that doesn't have the catchiness, drive and emotions to succeed in its genre. ''Beneath the White Rainbow'' overstays its welcome to never truly lift off, like a musical airplane stranded onto an abandoned airport. The song clocks in at nearly seven minutes for no valuable reason whatsoever. Album epic ''Elephants Never Forget'' shows promise through its eleven minutes and seems to offer ideas for at least five different songs that seem to have been inadequately chopped into pieces and randomly put together as if arranged by a curious toddler.

The instrumental work and vocals also need to be criticized along with the confusing songwriting. Almost every single song includes boring, repetitive and simple djent riffs that sound overused in an attempt to jump a bandwagon that has already left the station. The rhythm section around bass guitar and drums shows promise here and there but sounds overall restrained as if helplessly caught between emotions and technique. Vocalist Ross Jennings certainly has a unique voice, one has to give him that to be honest. However, his airy, high and melodious pop style just doesn't fit at all with djent riffs, elaborate epics and at times random genre changes. Don't get me wrong, I have no problems whatsoever with pop music and there are actually quite a few progressive rock bands who have achieved great success when flirting with such genre elements like Genesis and Yes in the eighties or even Pendragon and Spock's Beard in more recent years. Haken however don't succeed here because the pop vocals are yet another element that doesn't fit in with the band's potpourri of ambitious ideas. Too many cooks certainly spoil the broth here.

So why does this album not get a worse rating? This is mostly due to the fact that Haken keeps showing promise time and again without however fully capitalizing upon it. Said element makes this listening experience even more tiring. ''Sempiternal Beings'' for instance has delicate flow and isn't as much of a chore to sit through as most of the record's other epics. ''Lovebite'' is a focused, joyful and memorable short tune where the band finally shows its promise and delivers one of its very greatest songs. If it weren't for those nerve-firing djent guitar sounds, closing epic ''Eyes of Ebony'' would also qualify as at least very decent atmospheric progressive rock track.

A few other elements also deserve genuine praise. The production is overall solid and manages to keep the numerous genre changes together which is quite an accomplishment in my book.

One also has to point out the record's conceptual lyrics that are also represented by one of the most beautiful cover artworks ever created that I would put upon my wall without any hesitation. If you are willing to give the record's intellectual side some time, you might actually find some food for thought and discussion.

At the end of the day, several dreadful elements and many excellent parts make for an almost schizophrenically average output. Haken's Fauna is even tough to digest for seasoned fans of the band such as a close friend of mine who discovered this record at the same time I did. This release needs acceptance, focus and patience to be even partially appreciated. Many progressive rock fans might feel ecstatic about the band's undeniable creativity shown on this output and greatly exaggerate in their overtly positive reviews. The honest truth however is that the band needs help in its songwriting department because its different ideas just don't seem to fit together.

Final Rating: 55%