Not So Happy With...

I wanted to put together a list of stuff that I really am not happy with.  They are going to be groups that I've either used to listen to but have stopped because they have consistently released bad releases, or are on their way down that road.  Or groups that have just released a new one that I'm not really particularly happy with.  I listen to a really wide range of metal from thrash, nu-metal, death, prog, speed, grunge, black, pretty much anything that catches my ear in the metal world I'll give it a listen.  Some things stick, and some things just go in one ear and out the other.  So hear is a list of stuff that I'm not happy with at all, and I'll give a little backing as to why, but here we go.  This is really my first negative post. 

1.  Static-X - Cult of Static - 2009

     Static-X - Cannibal - 2007

Static-X used get me pumped.  When Wisconsin Death Trip came out I remember just getting lost in Wayne's cool voice and his industrial, techno metal vibe he had going.  I really didn't know where to put them, and that was cool to me.  Lately though ever since their Cannibal release I felt that they were losing their touch that they had in the beginning.  I was a big fan of their first 3 efforts, but they have really lost it for me on these last few releases.  Cult of Static was their 6th studio release that came out in 2009, and I thought the guitar was very flat and shallow sounding.  It lacked his intensity and sounded much more mainstream, or popish.  There are only a few catchy licks on this album.  The album pretty much kept a failing drive throughout the whole record for me.  So for me they may be a band that I will stop getting unless they redeem themselves and bring back the life if Static-X that I miss.  I'm sure they can. 

2. Korn - Remember Who You Are - 2010

    Korn - Korn - 2007

    Korn - See You On The Other Side - 2005

Korn has been a band that I've listened to pretty much since their start.  I got into them right before their Life Is Peachy release.  They really had this great groove and anger behind the music that I really was soaking up.  Ever since their See You On the Other Side release in 2005 though they have really lost that big distorted angry sound for me.  They really have gone more mainstream and brought in a lot more hip hop, or techno styles.  I'm all for meshing the style when you're doing a nu-metal album and these guys seemed to do it well in the past but they have really lost their touch.  Their Remember Who You Are release this past year was supposed to be a revisit to the past but keeping it fresh.  Kind of like Metallica's Death Magnetic.  While having some old school sounds thrown in there, and a little of the angry crying.  The crying although sounded very prosthetic and just really for a commercial aspect.  Unlike the original stuff which you really felt his pain inside when he would scream and sound like a crying child haha.  They fell way short for me of releasing a solid record completely.  After a couple listens I was not amused at all and just shelved it, and haven't taken it out since. These guys have really went down the drain for me, and it saddens me to say that, but its true. 

3. Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe 2 - 2010

I have mad respect for one Mr. Rob Zombie.  He is truelly a Renaissance man of horror.  His films are great and done very well.  I've listened to his music since his Astro-Creep 2000 release as White Zombie.  That album is by far one of my favorite metal albums.  When he broke away from WZ and started his own thing with Hellbilly Deluxe I was scared at first, but man was the album excellent.  I can still jam that album today and get the ride that I did when I first heard it.  Demonoid Phenomenon is my favorite jam.  Although I really respect him his last few musical efforts have had major short comings for me.  Educated Horses had some good licks, and still had a semi solid sound to it.  I could hear the decline though for me.  Now Hellbilly Deluxe 2 came way way short.  If you're going to do an album and name it the second of something so great it has to be just as good or even better.  That was not the case in HD2.  His voice was pretty shallow and does not have the carnal rage that Hellbilly Deluxe has.  I don't like senseless cursing much anymore, but if its dominated by a great album I'll tolerate it, but his "Rock mother f*&%#r rock", line that he says quite a bit gets very redundant and unnecessary.  I was very let down by this release and have shelved it along with the Korn album and probably won't be taking it out any time soon.  I heard somewhere that this may be his last musical effort.  I'm not a 100% percent on that, but if this is his last he really didn't go out with a bang and that's just sad. 

4. Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low - 2009

Marilyn Manson is another character that I really respect.  He has taken a lot of crap from critics, and parents.  I mean yes some of his antics are extreme and should only be allowed to the children that can really truelly understand his satanic insanity.  Which does start with the partents teaching their kids what he is doing.  Right or wrong is totally up to them, but wasn't David Bowie, Elton John, or even The Beatles conisdered unacceptable by the same types who used to tear down their kids posters in their rooms, and say turn that devil music off right now.  Those guys now are acclaimed world wide as music innovators in their own lights, and have changed the many many faces of music for all of us today.  He is just trying to do his thing and do it the best he can.  His last few releases have been progressively getting worse though, and his The High End of Low really didn't do it for me at all.  There weren't anything spectacular on this record really at all.  His dominating attitude and crazy presence really wasn't there.I really hope he picks it back up and gives us another Antichrist Superstar soon or he will also be one that I will be forced to stop buying. 

5. Staind - The Illusion of Progress - 2009

Staind was one of the bands in my youth that I really connected with.  Aaron Lewis's vocals really pulled me into this band.  I went to see them live and really loved them.  I absolutely wore out their first two records.  After Break the Cycle though you could here the change in direction they were going.  They were heading down a softer road.  Which is fine with me by all means, but please give us old school fans some of that needed classic sounds.  They had a real raw low tuned bang that was really fresh and sounded new on their first two records.  I remember listening to Break the Cycle and loving every song on that album.  There was a mixture of soft melodies, and heavy punching distortion also.  On The Illusion of Progress though you can really hear them trying new avenues with their music, and while being a good idea they come up empty handed for me.  They even have a country hooked song on this record that I really was not digging at all.  I know that Aaron Lewis has a wide range of tastes and comes from a country kind of environment, but it really just through me way way off to hear that on a Staind record.  Aaron Lewis has since gone on to do a solo country project which to me goes to show his overall separation from Staind.  I really hope that Staind revitalizes themselves in the future and brings back their original sound. 

   Now I'm going to give you guys a list of bands that I used to listen to in the past, but have stopped either because of what they have turned their band into, or the musical direction of the band, or I just am grown out of.  Not to say that all of their material has been sub par but now their stuff really is so I've either just stopped getting their stuff, or even have sold their cd's. 

Sevendust

Killswitch Engage

Ill Nino - Ever Since they left Roadrunner nothing has really done it for me from them. 

Linkin Park

Papa Roach

Fuel

Limp Bizket - I've really grown out of LBs style.  I'm into a little more intelligent stuff now sorry.

Drowning Pool

Smile Empty Soul

Orgy

Audioslave - the originals of both sides are so much better than this super group.  (Sorry my opinion)

30 Seconds To Mars

Our Lady Peace

Offspring

Green Day

Sum 41 - Chuck was an excellent album, but after that nothing really caught my ear. 

Disturbed

P.O.D

Kid Rock - In my opinion the only good release was Devil Without A Cause which was his debut

Kittie

Powerman 5000 - Tell recently I didn't know the lead singer is Rob Zombie's younger brother.

Dope

   So there you have.  The bands that have really let me down.  Now you may like some of these and that's fine.  I still like material from all of these artists, but they really have distanced themselves from my tastes and I hope that maybe they will come back into my likings again some day.  I still hold high regards for a lot of these artists and really hope they do come back to me soon.  So here it is my first negative post.  I'll do more on stuff that i really just can't get into at all.  Like this new age techno metal crap.  Attack Attack, or Abandon All Ships are just horrible.  While having a few brief moments where they are kicking ass.  They poppy techno dancing crap just doesn't do it for me.  That's my classic roots coming out in me, but while thinking some of it is acceptable is my new age likings.