Music : Wither Blister Burn & Peel

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- They Have Matured a Lot From "Ungod"
I really love these guys and they have to be alongside Trent Reznor with Nine Inch Nails. They don't have the same style as NIN but wow these guys can sure pump it out. What really amazed me about this record is how many of the songs I had heard before and didn't realize it such as "Shame" and "What do I have to do" and I had previously wondered who those two songs were by because I loved them. Definately add this record and "Darkest Days" (by Stabbing Westward) to your collection, they are the band's two best cds and I listen to them all the time......enjoy.

Rating:

- I'm not good at catchphrases
Anyway.. I just got this CD today and I wanted to comment on it.

To me this sounds nothing like NiN. NiN is far more brutal. And brutal is not always better. Sometimes you can convey emotion a lot better by being subtle and melodic. Don't get me wrong I love NiN but this just grips me more.

I've seen many labels put on this band. Personally I feel it's a hybrid of Industrial and alternative, but that's just me. And no this is NOT METAL! Most metal sucks anyways(apart from some black metal and gothic metal bands).

On to the lyrical content: Very depressing stuff.. Especially the song Sleep, which is about incest. The other songs generally revolve about love gone bad. I've read that most of these songs were inspired by the lead-singer's ex-girlfriend(who was abused by her father) What I repect is the fact that a lot of bands today actually have the guts to handle such lyrical content.

To the ignorant parents out there and censorship people: This is REAL music. You can't deny kids(and adults) this music. Because it is real. These things happen. And it's good that people get confronted with that. This isn't bad for their mental health. Denying them such thoughts is bad cause they won't be able to handle the reality of life. Cause like I said these things HAPPEN. Okay that's my rant for the day.

To conclude this review: A very intense CD. Personally I think Darkest Days is a tad better since it has a darker and more desolate feel to it, but don't let that stop you from getting this CD too. (and Ungod :) ) All of Stabbing Westward's CDs are little black diamonds of despair that keep my eyes open to the reality of life. Can't wait for the 4th Album to come out.

-Richard

Rating:

- Excellent!!
A close friend recomended this band to me. At first I wasn't sure if I'd like them but I downloaded a few MP3s to see if I liked the sound. I was hooked instantly.

My favorite songs on this album are "I Don't Believe" "Shame" "What Do I Have To Do?" and "Sleep"

I love the gut-wrenching sound of the lyrics and guitars. The Melody to "Sleep" has a haunting unearthly sound to it. I highly recomend this to anyone who enjoys moody music.

Rating:

- I didn't pay enough for this
Stabbing Westard's second album, Wither Blister Burn + Peel, is one of the most adventurous and experimental albums in Industrial today. It's ten tracks of power, emotion, and intensity that manages to touch your soul in many different ways. The songs "Shame" and "What Do I Have To Do?" deal with feelings of inadequacy with the opposite sex, and are two of the most powerful songs ever recorded, thanks to the amazing guitar, synth, and above all, the brilliant voice of lead singer Christopher Hall. "Sleep", which depicts the horror of incest, is one of the most traumatic songs ever written. This album goes together very well with Stabbing Westward's newest release, Darkest Days.

It's a shame (no pun intended) that this band gets called a Nine Inch Nails wannabe or rip-off. Stabbing Westward is one of the most original and unique bands in all of Industrial, maybe in all of music. It's not that hard to spot that they're highly influenced by NIN, but it's for sure that they don't rip them off. They're also compared to bands like Filter and Gravity Kills, and that's just wrong, seeing as those two bands combined don't have near as much talent as SW. What's also a shame is that Wither Blister Burn + Peel and Darkest Days are priced so low and collecting dust in record stores. People need to open their eyes to one of the best bands the music industry has to offer.

Rating:

- I like the beat to Stabbing Westward
This one has no EXPLICIT LYRICS unlike the other one of theirs. I've been into rock for a while and like all their stuff. My favorite is "What Do I Have To Do" and they are really tight.

page 8 of 17