Gone Gonzo Posts: 3767 Joined: 14 Jan 2008 | All Hope Is Gone
So I just managed to get my hands on a copy of All hope is gone - Slipknot, and have just finished my second listen through and I have some very mixed feelings about it.
The album kicks off with .execute. a nice way to get you in the feel for the old Slipknot, leaving the calmness of Vol: 3 behind and giving the feel of the Self titled album, or perhaps Iowa. This feeling continued through the next three songs and I was ready to name this album their best yet; that was until Dead Memories. This song sounded a lot more like something of Stone Sour than Slipknot, the song is good but dreadfully out of place on this album. If it were on a Stone Sour album then I am sure it would have been more favourability received, but as it stands it seems to be tainting this album with the feel Stone Sour.
Luckily the next song Vendetta is my favourite on the album. Reminding me somewhat of People=Shit, an intense song with a tremendous chorous. This made me think that Dead Memories was just a one off and the album was going to snatch a place in my heart still. My hopes only grew through the next song Butcher's Hook still bringing the aggressiveness of the Self titled album, at this point I was loving this album and then another song came on that had me torn. Gehenna is a blend of both of Slipknot styles, I had to listen to this one a few times over before I could make a decision on it, eventually I came to the conclusion that this song was exactly what the album was about, mixing the intense Slipknot with the calm melodies perfectly. This style is also shown in the song Wherein Lies Continue making my love grow for the album almost forgetting Dead Memories, that is until Snuff this is by far the softest song that Slipknot has done, fans of Vermillion Pt. 2 will love this; unfortunately, I am not one of those who liked Vermillion Pt. 2 and I dislike this song just as much. But the album is saved at the very end by the namesake of the album All hope is gone it holds true to the heavy side of slipknot throughout with an epic guitar solo in the middle and the kind of vocals from the older albums.
I hear you cry "So Kenny what did you think of the album over all"
Despite the two songs I have named and shamed as out of place the album still takes its place as their second best to date. Even the softer songs are good, though when listening to the album in its entirety they break up the flow of the album. This may well have been the intention but I still feel that they don't belong where they are.
Overall it is a good album, definitely worth the money if you are a Slipknot fan then you need this album, though if you are not planning on getting this album you should still listen to some of the better songs such as Psychosocial and Vendetta.
|
Beat Writer Posts: 210 Joined: 11 Jul 2008 | A decent review. And finally someone else agrees with me about Vermilion! How many times do they need to remix that song?
I think Slipknot evolved considerably with this album, and when it works (ie the stadium metal singalong stuff they did well on Vol 3) its perfecting the art the tried on Vol 3. Gematria (the Killing Name) is a perfect thrash track 2, and probably the best since People = SHit. Wherein Lies Continue also sees a return to their fuzzy nu-metal ish roots, which is interesting if only because no one makes music like this any more. Gehenna is another real star of the album, which sees them experiment with various styles and works particularly well.
However, some songs seem like lazy AOR knockoffs that they just put because they couldn't be bothered to write anything else (see Snuff.) The three bonus songs also seem a tad like lazy filler.
Definitely worth buying though, I would give it 8/10 because out of the various experiments conducted on this album most of them work very well.
Bonus points for not singing about how everyone hates them anymore too. They should have stoppd that after they started selling platinum on "Slipknot". |
Infamous Scribbler Posts: 527 Joined: 10 Aug 2008 | GuerrillaClock:
And finally someone else agrees with me about Vermilion! How many times do they need to remix that song?
I like the variations of vermillion, however releasing a song 3 times may suggest their creativity is running low and if they release another vermillion, the attraction of the song to me will run dry.
conqueror Kenny:
Despite the two songs I have named and shamed as out of place the album
I like these 2 songs you have named and shamed on the basis that they bring in different aspects into the band. If they just made the songs sound incredibly similiar then that would be worse than adding two soft songs. Also, as far as these two songs go, they're not metal, however they still pretty good.
EDIT: Good in depth review. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3767 Joined: 14 Jan 2008 | Death Magnetic:
conqueror Kenny:
Despite the two songs I have named and shamed as out of place the album
I like these 2 songs you have named and shamed on the basis that they bring in different aspects into the band. If they just made the songs sound incredibly similiar then that would be worse than adding two soft songs. Also, as far as these two songs go, they're not metal, however they still pretty good.
It's just that this was claimed to be "their heaviest album to date" and I think those two songs completely ruined that statement. If they really wanted some soft songs in their then more like Gehenna and Wherein Lies Continue bringing the best of both of Slipnots sides. I do think that Disturbed have something to learn from these songs though, if you just listen to the first few cords of Indestructible nine of the twelve songs sound exactly the same. |
Beat Writer Posts: 216 Joined: 28 Aug 2008 | Interesting review. It does, however, reinforce my decision to leave them be. As such i won't be buying this. |
Infamous Scribbler Posts: 623 Joined: 8 May 2008 | ianuam:
Interesting review. It does, however, reinforce my decision to leave them be. As such i won't be buying this.
Who said anything about buying it?
I wonder if all those false torrents have been taken down yet, and I can finally get a decent one?
Thanks for reaffirming me that Slipknot are still on the ball kenny, great review:D |
Infamous Scribbler Posts: 623 Joined: 8 May 2008 | I'm on the "The Cold Black" so far and I have to say that this album is great, I even think the Stone Sour touch is a good thing, I love this album:D |
Paperboy Posts: 27 Joined: 30 Aug 2008 | Great review, probably made me want this album even more! I love the songs you named and shamed, but that's maybe because i like the way the albums broken down to be built up again for the end. Again, thanks for the review. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3767 Joined: 14 Jan 2008 | AsdaCoke:
Great review, probably made me want this album even more! I love the songs you named and shamed, but that's maybe because i like the way the albums broken down to be built up again for the end. Again, thanks for the review.
Like I said they are still good songs, only I don't think they should have a place on what was supposed to be their "heaviest album to date". |
Paperboy Posts: 42 Joined: 27 Dec 2007 | i like this album. most of the songs I like, but there are a few i could do without. i do not like the first song, if you can even call it that. why is that such a main trend with bands nowadays? to have the first track be some weird, talking intro or sounds of chaos or something into an actual song. would have to say my favorite song out of it is the single, Psychosocial. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 3767 Joined: 14 Jan 2008 | alabaster67:
i like this album. most of the songs I like, but there are a few i could do without. i do not like the first song, if you can even call it that. why is that such a main trend with bands nowadays?
The only album they haven't done that is Vol: 3, it is supposed to just be an intro, not really counted as a song. |
All Hope Is Gone
So I just managed to get my hands on a copy of All hope is gone - Slipknot, and have just finished my second listen through and I have some very mixed feelings about it.
The album kicks off with .execute. a nice way to get you in the feel for the old Slipknot, leaving the calmness of Vol: 3 behind and giving the feel of the Self titled album, or perhaps Iowa. This feeling continued through the next three songs and I was ready to name this album their best yet; that was until Dead Memories. This song sounded a lot more like something of Stone Sour than Slipknot, the song is good but dreadfully out of place on this album. If it were on a Stone Sour album then I am sure it would have been more favourability received, but as it stands it seems to be tainting this album with the feel Stone Sour.
Luckily the next song Vendetta is my favourite on the album. Reminding me somewhat of People=Shit, an intense song with a tremendous chorous. This made me think that Dead Memories was just a one off and the album was going to snatch a place in my heart still. My hopes only grew through the next song Butcher's Hook still bringing the aggressiveness of the Self titled album, at this point I was loving this album and then another song came on that had me torn. Gehenna is a blend of both of Slipknot styles, I had to listen to this one a few times over before I could make a decision on it, eventually I came to the conclusion that this song was exactly what the album was about, mixing the intense Slipknot with the calm melodies perfectly. This style is also shown in the song Wherein Lies Continue making my love grow for the album almost forgetting Dead Memories, that is until Snuff this is by far the softest song that Slipknot has done, fans of Vermillion Pt. 2 will love this; unfortunately, I am not one of those who liked Vermillion Pt. 2 and I dislike this song just as much. But the album is saved at the very end by the namesake of the album All hope is gone it holds true to the heavy side of slipknot throughout with an epic guitar solo in the middle and the kind of vocals from the older albums.
I hear you cry "So Kenny what did you think of the album over all"
Despite the two songs I have named and shamed as out of place the album still takes its place as their second best to date. Even the softer songs are good, though when listening to the album in its entirety they break up the flow of the album. This may well have been the intention but I still feel that they don't belong where they are.
Overall it is a good album, definitely worth the money if you are a Slipknot fan then you need this album, though if you are not planning on getting this album you should still listen to some of the better songs such as Psychosocial and Vendetta.