Half Priced Books has got to be the best place to pick up cheap cds. They have rarities you won't find anywhere else. I highly recommend it if you're looking for different albums.
First off I got Extol's "The Blue Print Dives". I heard the song "Pearl" before I bought it and that's why I got this cd. Other than that one song I haven't really listened to the rest of it.
I couldn't pass up Judas Priest's "British Steel" especial for only $6. I'm not a huge Priest fan but I can stand to listen to it. I can finally say I own a classic Priest album. I went home to see how much the cd was worth and it's well over $20! I'll probably never sell it but it's nice to know I have something that's actually worth something.
I then found a must for me, Machine Head's "Burn My Eyes". It's there first and besides the vocals (which aren't terrible) it's a pretty good album. Lot's of Pantera influence which I LOVE! Really good for a debut album. Defiantly get it if you're a fan of anything else they've done.
Queensryche was next and I got one of the many cds they had. I picked the cheapest one being "Promised Land" and it really left something to be desired. I loved "Mindmcrime" and this is nothing like it. I don't mean that it's not a concept album but I mean that it's not good. "Mindcrime" rocked, story aside. Half of the songs were slow and boring. I like slow songs but these were so lack luster. Maybe it'll grow on me if I listen to it more but I have no want to listen to it again. I wasn't expecting this to be "Operation: Mindcrime 2" (They made that one already and I would have picked it up instead but it wasn't there.) but I was expecting the song writing to be on the same level as "Mindcrime". I'm glad it was only $5.
A couple days later I went to a different F.Y.E. and marveled at all the cds they had in stock. More than the one I usually visit. Of course they had just about every cd I wanted but I'm trying to cut back my spending so I had to control myself. I did get a few gems which I'm enjoying. The first being Believe's "Gabriel". Very technical thrash, and I love technicality in my thrash! Plus, I think they're Christian so that makes it even better. This cd has a bunch of 6 minute and plus songs so that makes it even better! If you can find it get it.
I couldn't pass up Fear Factory's first cd "Soul of a New Machine" since it was only $8. I got it primarily for that you can only find it on ebay or amazon and for a lot more than 8 bucks. It's okay but I prefer newer FF and yes I will be getting their newest cd "The Industrialist" as soon as I make a trip to the store. "Mechanize" was a crushingly brutal album that I listen to often. I really like the low sounding guitar and blinding double bass pedal and I only hope "The Industrialist" lives up to the previous release.
Me being just exposed to Iced Earth with "Dystopia" I was anxious to get some more IE. When I saw the Box of Wick for $40 I had to get it. If I was willing to drop $40 on a band I didn't know much about the offer had to be good. Let me explain what the Box of Wicked it. It contains 5 cds, a poster and a booklet with notes about the band and it comes in a nice box which looks good in my collection. The 5 cds were "Framing Armageddon"(awesome), "The Crucible of Man"(awesome), "Overture of the Wicked" (a collection of 5 b-side songs I'm guessing, although I'm not sure), "I Walk Among You" (more b-sides?), and a bonus cd of unreleased material. I can say that this was defiantly worth the $40. The music and the art work are awesome! The only bad thing is that every album has a different singer. The vocalists aren't bad but, maybe it's just me, I like hearing the same vocalists from album to album. I identify the bands with their vocalists and when the front man changes from album to album it makes it nearly impossible to do that. But at least the musicianship doesn't suffer. All the vocalists are good I just wish one would stay with IE
Turns out the store was running a special deal where if you buy 2 used you get the third free! Since Believer and Fear Factory's albums were used I got Sepultura's newest "Kairos" It good thrash, what more can I say? We all know Max left the Brazilian thrash along time ago and Derek took over the vocals. I haven't heard much of what Max did but I can say I'm liking what Derek has done. His voice has the same roughness as Max's and I think that's why he fits so well. The musicianship is right on par with the Sepultura I heard so far. It still has the low 7 string guitar which I adore so much. It's really good for a free cd.
That's it for now until next time..... keep it METAL \m/
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