linden

Society’s Pact with SatanCathedral4.0 out of 5 stars · Aug 19

The riff at ten-forty is the whole reason to bother and it's worth the wait — filthiest thing they'd written in years, sitting on a shelf since 2012 because nobody got round to mixing the tape. HUGE. The organ section before it loses me every time, way too much reverb piled on the vocals, sounds like a different band wandered into the room. And you could take two minutes off each end without missing a thing. Last thing they ever put to tape though, and going out on a riff like that isn't the worst way, anyway.

The Mob Rules (2021 Mix)Black Sabbath4.5 out of 5 stars · Aug 7

Andy Pearce remixed The Mob Rules and nobody had asked him to, and I still reach for this version over the original. Dio sits back a step and the bottom end finally has some MEAT on it, which is what the title track wanted since 1981. Appice comes through like he's getting paid by the pound. Iommi's solo is untouched, still the best forty seconds in either mix. Didn't need to exist, anyway.

I Don't Caresong · Megadeth · Megadeth3.5 out of 5 stars · Jul 6

The riff has that snotty Killing Is My Business snarl and Teemu's solo is the best thing on it, no contest. Lyrics are where it falls apart, Dave snarling like he's telling off a substitute teacher, and it gets old by the second chorus. Fine as a going-away single but I wanted real BITE out of a last record, not a punk stomp anyway.

If I FallAs I Lay Dying4.0 out of 5 stars · Jul 1

Didn't think the comeback singles would do much for me but the leads on this one RIP. The racing lead break is easily the best thing here, proper speed-metal flash poking through all the modern gloss. Clean chorus is where it loses me though, metalcore-by-numbers, Clancy sings fine but I'd take more of Lambesis barking and less of the big radio lift. Drums sound a hair too clicky and triggered for my taste too. Riffs move though, and that's most of the war. Solid, not essential, anyway.