Skillet - Collide (2003)

After the techno-filled, semi-disaster album that is Alien Youth, comes Christian rock band Skillet's fifth studio album, Collide. Collide's musical style is vastly different to any album before it and is described as "classic Skillet" nowadays. With the more harder hitting rock style that Skillet has become known for, this album absolutely trumps any album before it. As well as that, this album and Comatose was inspiration for Fight The Fury, Skillet's metal side project, which carried on the heavier musical style.

Collide asks the question: "Can you hold onto your faith when you're surrounded by fear?" This theme is prevalent through out the whole album, is blatantly discussed in the eponymous song, "Collide", and the album art is described as such. The songs "Fingernails" and "Imperfection" fit the theme perfectly, with them being about failing to reach your personal aspirations and failing to love yourself, respectively. "Imperfection" also says that the person should not worry about themselves, and should learn to love and have faith themselves, not fear themselves.

Musically, Collide is astounding. Its style is so different to anything before it and it is executed so well. It starts off with "Forsaken", a hard hitting beginning track and that is carried all the way until the end, but with each track being "hard hitting" in their own sense. "A Little More" is a break from the jetpack joyride, boasting a more calmer tone to the rest of the album. Comparatively, Collide is a step in the right direction after Skillet's previous albums and is the beginning for the greater albums like Comatose and Awake.

I'm rounding off this review positively. Collide is a great album and the first stepping stone for great material that has since been produced by Skillet. The album's theme is easily identifiable throughout and is not lost in translation, so there's some bonus points. This is an album I thoroughly recommend

Favourite Tracks: "Open Wounds", "A Little More", "Collide", "Fingernails", "Imperfection"
Rating: 9 / 10

Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep (2015)

Enter Shikari aren't like any other rock band I've ever listened to. What they sing about has deep and thorough research behind it so that they know what they're saying and that they were making accurate statements about the topic at hand. The Mindsweep makes no shortcuts when it comes to this. Enter Shikari's fourth studio album tackles subjects that not every rock band would want to cover, like governmental activities, life, and race. Rou Reynolds, Enter Shikari's lead vocalist, even criticised other punk bands for labelling themselves as punk but not "speaking about anything important."

The Mindsweep covers a range of genres and a range of themes, including governmental activities in "Anaesthetist", to the value of life in "The Last Garrison". I first listened to Enter Shikari in 2017, after my friend recommended some of their songs to me, with "Anaesthetist" being one of them. Only now am I on my way to understanding the scope of detail that Enter Shikari put into their songs. Looking into the meaning behind each of the songs, it's difficult to piece something together because each song is put together forms a story, with a whole lot of lore and backstory. In the deluxe edition, notes were included which gave explanation to the songs. Here is an example of the notes, this one to do with "The Appeal and The Mindsweep" 1 and 2:

Source: https://imgur.com/a/WyEnm

The music itself is of excellent quality. What I particularly like about The Mindsweep is the mixture of genres. In classic Enter Shikari style, they have mixed rock music with a lot of electrical elements and styles, which is very different from other albums I've listened to. Nevertheless, it is a welcome difference, as it is executed fantastically. The music is empowering and powerful in its own right. Enter Shikari have made clear what they want to change in the world, or what they want you to understand, leaving it up to you to decide whether you agree with them or not.

The Mindsweep is, honestly, really great. It does what many albums don't: it talks about important topics and problems in the modern world, in hopes that something happens. Along with the intense meaning, the backing tracks and vocals are exceptionally well done. An impressive performance and a great listen. I highly recommend you listen to this.

Favourite Tracks: "Anaesthetist", "The Last Garrison", "Myopia", "Dear Future Historians..."

Rating: 9 / 10

Alter Bridge - One Day Remains (2004)

I first heard Alter Bridge's music about a decade ago when I was playing WWE games a whole lot. "The Rated R Superstar" Edge uses an edited of "Metalingus" for his intro theme, and it is probably still the best intro theme used in the WWE to date. And speaking of "Metalingus", it comes from this album. One Day Remains is the debut studio album by rock band Alter Bridge. When I was younger, I didn't know any better and I thought Edge himself sung "Metalingus", completely unaware about the fact that a whole band was behind the masterpiece of a track.

With 11 tracks lasting about 55 minutes, One Day Remains offers some of the cleanest vocals and instrument tracks that I have ever heard. The vocal range of Myles Kennedy is mightily impressive and add a form of power to the songs that I can't really describe. The raw emotion poured into these songs is definitely on a level that I have never heard before, and it shows all the way throughout. It's just amazing, electrifying. This album has me pumped in all kinds of ways; I have the most fun jamming out to these songs more than any other albums or songs I have heard from other artists. 

One Day Remains also offers the calmer, almost sadder songs "Broken Wings" and "In Loving Memory", which shows the contrast between this and the other songs. I especially like the backing track to "Broken Wings". It's still most definitely a rock song, but the tone is meticulously set by the guitars, which I find amazing. With the vocals and drums, the emotion is very easy to hear. As this is the first time I've listened to an Alter Bridge album, I am unable to compare it to their later material, nor am I able to give it a complete 10 / 10, but boy, I wish I could. This album shows the true scale of Alter Bridge's potential from the absolute get-go.

I love this album. It's clearly a Rock album, and makes sure you are aware of that in the coolest way possible. It's actually quite a shame I'm only listening to this now, because I would have loved to have listened to this when I was younger. One Day Remains is a spectacular debut album and showcases the raw potential of Alter Bridge. I highly recommend you listen to this one. It's incredible.

Favourite Tracks: All
Rating: 9 / 10

Metallica - ...And Justice For All (1988)

Heading into my first review about an album and band that falls solely under the Metal genre, and my first review about an album suggested to me by a friend, I bring you ...And Justice for All, the fourth studio album by legendary heavy metal band Metallica. With 9 songs lasting long enough to make the album over an hour long, this energetic, fast-paced, hard-hitting album shows to me that Metallica are as good as people say they are.

With heavy metal songs, you have to expect no breaks from the onslaught of guitars and drums that are coming your way, and when performed well, they can be amazing to listen to. Metallica definitely lived up to that in this album. I went in to this thinking it was going to be very scream-y like other heavy metal albums from the 1980s, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's not like that at all. The vocals are more toned down, allowing for easier listening, in my opinion. They're still jam-packed with energy, and that's what I like about it.

The backing tracks are also full of energy. The drums pierced through the guitars, creating a banging feeling in your head, which is something I like with songs like these. Hard-hitting, powerful songs get me going. The longest song on the album, "To Live Is To Die", has the most diverse set of instruments featured within it. It features an acoustic guitar at the beginning and at the end, and a violin sounding instrument around 5 minutes in, as well as your usual electric guitars and drums.

At the end of the day, ...And Justice For All is an album with an exceptional performance, and the hard-hitting music I've come to enjoy. It was very pleasant to listen to, with each track having a unique feel to it. Great album, great songs.

Favourite Tracks: All

Rating: 9 / 10

Skillet - "Save Me" / "Anchor" (2019)

(Victorious Album Cover)

As this is my first music single review, I going to try something different. Considering I don't have a whole album to go over, I may as well go into slight detail and into my thoughts about each song. And for the first single review, we have 2 songs. 

Hailing from their latest album Victorious, Skillet has pulled off all the stops to give us some really breathtaking material, being better than before. We get sent shooting 13-16 years back with "Save Me", which is very reminiscent of their Collide and Comatose days, and then we get reeled back to the present with "Anchor", which has a more calm and comforting tone.

"Save Me"
(Lyric Video)

From the start, it's almost like a slingshot all the way back to 2003-06, with the song being comparable to songs from Collide and Comatose. The song itself tells the story of a person who is stuck in a dark place, consumed by depression, calling on someone to save them from their misery so that they can live a more happy and content life. The backing track of the song has a slower tempo than typical, but it's equally as powerful. The piano is probably the biggest kick to the past, as it is very reminiscent of piano sequences prevalent in songs, Rock or not, in the early 2000's. Being able to create a certain tone through 1 instrument is exceptional, but it's emphasised by all of them.

Skillet's intention with this song is to callback to their old days and they have done that, and a whole lot more. A modernised take on old ways. Very impressive, to say the least.

"Anchor"
(Lyric Video)

With "Anchor", we get pulled back to the present with a more relaxing and emotional tone, similar to "Stars" from their previous album Unleashed. The song is powerful, but in a different way to "Save Me". It's has an big sense of emotional power, which is true considering what the lyrics mean. Lyrics obviously mean different things to other people, but I interpreted these particular lyrics as a story of power and prevalence, saying that you are able to do almost anything, with the guidance and support of someone close to you. The backing track is sensational and it makes the song what it is. It provides you with a calm start and a really powerful and emotional ending. It's a perfect balance, and it creates an indescribable atmosphere.

To draw a conclusion, I can't draw a conclusion. The feeling of the song is one of greatness and it's just impressive beyond belief. I am in awe.

Ratings
"Save Me": 7 / 10

"Anchor": 9 / 10