It hasnt been long since Kings of Leon struck us with Because of the Times, with its elegant radio-friendly guitar-led tunes, which saw them soar in popularity, and this album will only help them maintain the limelight. This is Kings of Leon, reinvented. MOAR »

Its been a pretty slow first half of the year for decent single releases in the music industry, but here at Phyrik, we’ve spent quite a while devising a list of good songs from the first half of 2008. Be suprised, be very suprised…. MOAR »

Ah Hadouken! A band with another meaning in another language, its no suprise that they’ve made it quite big over in Japan. Hadouken! are a four piece band from England, whom say that they dont put themselves into a genre. And its true. Listening to the album, I’m not sure what to classify them in,  and to be honest, at times, maybe they dont know what there doing in places either. The best way to describe them would be Indie/Rave/Rap, mixed in with a bit of electronica, very interesting mix of them all. MOAR »

In 2004, after Axl Rose hadn’t produced a studio album in well over ten years, record company Geffen decided to release a Greatest Hits album. It was surrounded by controversy however, as Axel Rose tried to sue Geffen in an attempt to halt the album as he disproved of it and it’s track listings. The suing failed and probably had a reverse effect, by hyping up the album so much, and perhaps caused it to go triple platinum in America.

Well at least Geffen started in the right way, with some classic 1987 Slash. The first track is one that everyone knows and one that Rose would be hard put to find a reason to keep out of the album, “Welcome to the Jungle.”  This was the bands first major significant single, and Slash has said he considers it to be the first the band wrote together. It starts off brilliantly, showcasing Slash’s talent straight away, Rose’s voice is powerful  at the start of the song, and only really lightens for a moment in the middle. It’s a great listen, and a classic song, a brilliant opener. It’s hard to believe that the song was inspired by a hobo screaming at kids. MOAR »

As an old school Coldplay fan, I was a little apprehensive when it came to their new album. I was quite the Coldplay fan a while ago, but I had become bored of the same old Coldplay sound, and stopped taking any interest in them. So I was looking for one thing in this new album, and that was some range.  It has been (and I think still is) number 1. in the charts, so despite the apprehension I had high hopes. The album was surrounded by claims that it’s lyrics were more abstract and visual than before, on top of that one of the band members said he was a little terrified of this album. But on to track 1. MOAR »

The very first Death Metal album I bought, and is simply put, what got me into Cannibal Corpse. From the opening screams of “The Time to Kill is Now”, to the graphic lyrics in “Five Nails Through The Neck” to the riffs in “Infinite Misery”, this album is full of the heavy distorted sounds assossiated with Death Metal. It’s well produced, and bass and vocals get a lot of prominance, as do guitars in the heavy riffs littered throughout. This album will surely quench your thirst for bloodshed and mutilation, if you are a fan of death metal anyway. The standout song, personally, was “Five Nails Through the Neck”, with awesome riffs, more of George Fishers gutteral growls, great drums and bass, all blending to form a near perfect song. I would recommend this album to most fans of death Metal, or anyone interested in sampling what Death is all about. The songs are typical Corpse humour too, full of mutilation, zombies and gore, so not one for the faint hearted.

Every once in a while, one great album that blows your mind away comes and gives the competition a nudge. The Holloways, very much does one great album, but fails to move competition. I’m highly recommending this album to any love of music.
The Holloways formed no less than four years ago, and aimed high, playing at Glastonbury in 2005, a year before they released the album, and critics were spellbinded by the groups amazing talent. Theses guys are really that good. MOAR »

Ah Hybrid Theory, the album that made American rock band Linkin Park. Perhaps it was the powerful lyrics and expression in its songs, maybe it was that Linkin Park’s Heavy Metal sound mixed with a synth was considered unique at the time, or it could have just been that millions of teenage kids wanted to scream along with a downtuned guitar, no matter which of the above you pinpoint to Hybrid Theory’s success there is simply no denying that it was huge. Let me define just big this album was, it outsold, Metallica’s, The Spice Girl’s and Lionel Richie’s best selling albums by give or take a couple of million each, . A feat which I doubt many other debut albums can come anywhere to claiming. MOAR »

It had been quite a while since Eminem had last released an album, and it wasn’t until after two years of releasing the The Marshall Mathers LP did Eminem finally decide to bring out his third and best remembered album amongst most fans, the one that sold 1 million copies in the first week. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome you all to The Eminem Show.

The wait between albums proved to be irrelevant for Eminem as his album soared to the top of every chart within days. And, as a famous man once said, MOAR »

Ah The Ting Tings, from humble beginnings a year ago to super-stardom today. The Ting Tings, winners before they knew it themselves, 7 months ago the BBC named them number three in the new Sound of 2008, only to Adele(number one single and album), and Duffy(also number one single and album). It was almost ineveitable to say that the Ting Tings were next in line, as the BBC havent been wrong in previous years, Arctic Monkeys and The Feeling to name a few. The Ting Tings album is a surpisingly good album, despite the odd hiccup in places.
The album is no doubt full of radio friendly single chart toppers, which is both a good and bad thing, and lets not get carried away, the album has many flaws as it rolls onto the last few songs of the album. But lets start with good points. The band have said that they are going to reinvent the pop genre, and they certainly going a different ring to it. MOAR »