 |
|
Band Name: Various Artists
Album Name: Roadrunner United: The All Star Sessions
Rating: 4 / 5 User Rating: 3.7 / 5
Label: Roadrunner Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
Rate Album: Rate
|
Tracklist
1. The Dagger
2. The Enemy
3. Annihilation by the Hands of God
4. In the Fire
5. The End
6. Tired 'N Lonely
7. Independent (Voice of the Voiceless)
8. Dawn of a Golden Age
9. The Rich Man
10. No Way Out
11. Baptized in the Redemption
12. Roads
13. Blood & Flames
14. Enemy of the State
15. I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)
16. Army of the Sun
17. No Mas Control
18. Constitution Down
|
It's been 25 years already for Roadrunner and it seems they've had this RR United project being put together for some time now. They picked their lead songwriters from a roster of 55 artists from 42 bands and the captains chosen were Joey Jordinson of Slipknot, Dino Cazares (ex-Fear Factory, Brujeria), Rob Flynn of Machine Head and Matthew K. Heafy of Trivium. These
artists then turned themselves into many bands under one name, that being the All-Stars, and while some of the All-Stars are still new, they show the ability to play along side the seasoned vets in bands within bands creating some of their best work.
With Jordinson on the kit, one can see the many directions this collection can go in and it does. Many turns and surprises from artists you might not
be particularly fond of make this disc even more enjoyable while the ones you favor fulfill expectations. What makes this even more fun is trying to guess which players are on which songs, some of the more obvious being that of King Diamond's sung track "In The Fire" while other tracks will have you
looking in the liners. Without a doubt, some of the playing in this album by certain individuals is surprising and makes you wonder what if scenarios.
Some of the slower tracks on the album are played by the more intense artists, for example "The End" is performed by Dino on guitar and marks a slower time for the 280 tempo guitarist. "The Rich Man" finds Cory Taylor going back to his dramatics in a solemn toned slow number that still breathes much of his teenage angst as it also represents a political attack
against Bush and the Iraq war as it is scene from a soldiers point of view.
Songs like "The Enemy" featuring Mark Hunter, takes a Chimaira fan back to the days of the band's ferocious potency as Hunter screams and growls himself through hell on the track. The two tracks released prior to the discs store release; "The Dagger" with Howard Jones from Killswitch Engage and Rob Flynn doing backing guitars and backing vocals, Jordinson on kit once again, and "Annihilation By The Hands Of God" with satanic Glen Benton, Cannibal Corpse axman Rob Barrett, and the infamous James Murphy, are two of
the best tracks on the album and make one wish they formed two bands from these two line ups. Think of the possibilities! "Annihilation By The Hands Of God" has one of the most captivating simple yet too catchy for its own good death metal riffs, and with Benton's demonic vox, Jordinson's obvious talent to play all things metal, and James Murphy's screaming death solo,
the song creates an entire new group making you wish they had their own full-length.
The gangs all here, you get Mikael Akerfeldt, Peter Steele, Dez Fafara (not the Coal Chamber Dez, thankfully), Max Cavalera, Steve Digiorgio, and many
more contributing to one fine collection of well played songs by well-rounded musicians.
Review by: Dave Huffy
Read Member Reviews
|
