RAZOR - Custom Killing (1987)

MM

Hmm, this is decidedly on the weak side. Malicious Intent was way better than this, but this still has a degree of charm, albeit it's once again hampered by the quietness of the guitar and the overloud bass and drums... Stace McLaren sounds like he's holding back with the vocals, almost like he's recording them in a bedroom and doesn't want to wake the neighbours. It's all a great shame, especially since this album saw a temporary change of tack from Razor, who decided to abandon their usual formula of 3 minute thrashouts for some seriously lengthy (and slower) tunes. It would have been interesting to hear them get the chance to try something different without being fucked over by the sound. Ultimately, though it pains me to give it a 2, I just can't honestly do anything else.

CELTIC FROST - Vanity/Nemesis (1990)

MM

Often described as 'too little, too late', this is actually the sound of a confused band running dry of ideas. Celtic Frost were a band who thrived on being 'different' throughout their career and so for them to make an album this dry, conformist and, frankly, dull is a sad epitaph to a great outfit. It's all oh-so mediocre and weak that it's a struggle to get through the whole thing. Taken in isolation a few of the tracks might pique your interest, but by the end of this album you'll not want to listen to it again for a very long time. I can only assume that after the debacle that was 'Cold Lake', the record company demanded a straightforward Metal album. And whereas with 'Into the Pandemonium' CF got away with making a crazy album because it was succesful, this time the boot was on the other foot. The band split up a few dates into an unsuccessful UK tour to support the album.

VENOM - Possessed (1985)

MM

I always remember Cronos bemoaning the fact that this came out the same day as 'Hell Awaits' and possibly 'Bonded by Blood', which probably wouldn't have mattered so much if this album didn't suck balls. First off, the cover is shit, really shit. Secondly the production takes the tinny sound first utilised in a less extreme form on 'At War With Satan' and pushes it even further into irritating clankiness. And once again Venom took their best song of the period and released it as a single, leaving it off an album which could dearly have used a song as good as 'Nightmare'. I do remember getting this through the post the same day as 'Hell Awaits', I played 'Hell Awaits' four times, played this once, then went back to 'Hell Awaits' there was just no contest.

IMMORTAL - Blizzard Beasts (1997)

MM

When I got hold of this I was so disappointed. 1995's 'Battles in the North' was amazing, but this, this just plain sucked. Mostly it was the fault of the God-awful production, but in truth most of the material on here just wasn't that great. Incredible to think that they would bounce back with the incredibly polished 'At the Heart of Winter' and win themselves a legion of fans!

DEPECHE MODE - Playing the Angel (2005)

MM

I really don't like this album, and could easily bin it save for the fact that it has one amazingly brilliant track on it. That track is called 'Precious' and because that one song is so phenomenally good I've awarded this two M's. The rest of it sucks though. You have been warned.

METALLICA - St Anger (2003)

MM

Widely lambasted as Metallica's worst album and by some as the worst Metal album ever made. The truth is the first song is okay, and the title track is better than anything the band have done since 1988. The rest of it is complete dog turd though. Seriously.