Death - Individual Thought Patterns

Mr. CooL ICE

Doctor J and Karl Hungus are probably gonna want to punch me through their monitors for reviewing this album, but since i only bought it a few weeks ago, i might as well write a review.

Death, led by the late guitarist/vocalist, Chuck Schuldiner, are one of the most influential death metal bands ever, and even their overly simplistic and stereotypical 'metal' name means they are a good point of reference in this genre. This, their fifth release, is the second to feature fretless bassist Steve DiGiorgio, and Schuldiner is also joined by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRoque and Dark Angel drummer Gene Hoglan.
Opening track, Overactive Imagination, is an enjoyable blast of shredding guitars and thundering bass drums, and is a good example of how many of the tracks go. But amongst the brutality and aggression, you will find the most melodic and epical solos of anything in your CD collection, even if you have the odd Dream Theater album. Listening to tracks like Jealousy, Nothing Is Everything and The Philospher will have you humming and whistling lead guitar lines in your sleep.
There is no doubting the musicianship of everyone in this band. The fretless bass playing may be irritating at first, but it grows on you, while the jazz-tinged drumming perfectly complements Schuldiner and LaRoque.
This is an album that any non-metal head will dismiss as 'cookie monster nonsense' or 'cat-strangling' vocally, or just plain old 'noise', but it is an absolute must-have for anybody who appreciates extreme metal of any form, be it Pantera, old Metallica or Slayer. I often feel like kicking myself for not buying this album before now, since i consider myself to have been a metalhead for nigh on 5 years and this was released in 1993.

5/5

Doctor J

Punch you? Not at all, glad you dig it

Good review, although personally I'd give it maybe a 3.5 out of 5 (relative to the other Death albums) since it is shouldered by Human on one side and Symbolic on the other (but it still stands high above most other albums) and doesn't quite reach the same standard as those two titans in my eyes. Still, a great album by a true pioneer who still doesn't get the recognition and respect he deserves.

Karl Hungus

Good review, and a great album.

I'd disagree with the Doc though, and give it full 5/5. I know he's got a huge hard-on for Human, but Individual Thought Patterns practically eclipses it in my books.

Beekay

Human and Individual Thought... are the only two i have(in saying that i think i should get more)but i would give the two of them 5/5
Although i do like Human more,maybe it because i love Suicide Machines

Mr. CooL ICE

Ive got Human and ITP, and at least one song off ITP is played everyday on my cd player. If youre looking for sheer brutality, Human is the way to go, but ITP is much better imo.

Doc, you better write a review for Human before i do! I still have to listen to it through at least once properly before id be able to.

Doctor J

Hmmmm... now there's an idea. Leave it with me

ctp4

Death Metal is as Dead as Chuck Schuldiner. The only people that are so amazed by Cookie Monster Metal are people like internet metalhead wannabe's that have been used to listening to things like Britney Spears all their lives but just discovered a 16 year old Cannibal Corpse or Death album in their mulleted uncle's album collection for the first time. Take Lord Chessington for example...he admits he's only been listening to metal a few years. It's probably been more like a year or less that he's even known about metal. It's usually posers like Lord Chessington that think anything with the word "death" in the title makes it the most "metalest" thing possible. It was actually members of Slayer that coined the term "Cookie Monster Metal" in reference to Death Metal bands. And it's also often people into Thrash, early Metallica, Slayer, etc that would often refer to death metal bands as "cookie monster nonsense" as well. And if you're going to get into a stale late 1980's fad (Cookie Monster Death Metal) now for the first time, you might as well get a mullet to go along with it.
There was some good trend-free metal in the late 1980's (Thrash for example), but the FADS/TRENDS (Cookie Monster Death Metal for example) just sucked pink feathered flamingo cock and are better left in the late 1980's/early 1990's

Karl Hungus

ctp4 wrote:

Death Metal is as Dead as Chuck Schuldiner. The only people that are so amazed by Cookie Monster Metal are people like internet metalhead wannabe's that have been used to listening to things like Britney Spears all their lives but just discovered a 16 year old Cannibal Corpse or Death album in their mulleted uncle's album collection for the first time. Take Lord Chessington for example...he admits he's only been listening to metal a few years. It's probably been more like a year or less that he's even known about metal. It's usually posers like Lord Chessington that think anything with the word "death" in the title makes it the most "metalest" thing possible. It was actually members of Slayer that coined the term "Cookie Monster Metal" in reference to Death Metal bands. And it's also often people into Thrash, early Metallica, Slayer, etc that would often refer to death metal bands as "cookie monster nonsense" as well. And if you're going to get into a stale late 1980's fad (Cookie Monster Death Metal) now for the first time, you might as well get a mullet to go along with it.
There was some good trend-free metal in the late 1980's (Thrash for example), but the FADS/TRENDS (Cookie Monster Death Metal for example) just sucked pink feathered flamingo cock and are better left in the late 1980's/early 1990's

Did you actually go out of your way to try and sound as much as possible like you had no clue of what you were talking about? Because that little brainfart of a post honestly does sound like you're talking from where you think the sun shines out of. Normally a person would stay out of something they obviously have no clue about, but it takes a very special kind of person to trounce along as if they're cock of the walk, a real know-it-all, proclaim something completely spurious all "Matter of Fact" and simultaneously show everyone just how little you know.

Where the **** could I porrible start with this horse****? This has all the hallmarkings of the kind of sad jackass who'll tell someone how they'll grow out of Metal and how they 'Used to listen to it' when in actual fact they only had one Pantera album they copied off a friend, before they went off listenening to Coldplay or the likes. I know the type, and they're always know-it-alls about music until confronted or asked for any bit of actual knowledge about what they proclaim to know about and it always turns out that they know jack ****... Just like the kind of person who'd make some joke of a statement about why someone else would listen to something.

The simple fact that you call Death Metal a trend and a fad just compounds the notion that you've absolutely no knowledge of the genre whatsoever! Better left in the late 80's/early 90's? Well jesus buddy, I guess you forgot to tell the likes of Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide who are still releasing albums, and touring. And you best tell all those fans who are still buying their albums and going to their shows, because I think that if some random dip**** on the internet told them it was better left in the late 80's/early 90's then I'm sure they'd all realise the error of their ways. Maybe Trey would stop making music (You know, the 'Trend/Fad' music that's been going on for nearly 20 years now?) and take up a job packing gorceries, instead of playing infront of some 25,000 people at festivals like Wacken, Graspop, Dynamo to name but a few. :rolleyes:

You know what? We should get the word out! ctp4 says that Death Metal was best left in the late 80's/early 90's! Let's tell everyone who's formed a Death Metal band after 1992 that they should give up their ways, for ctp4 know's your true calling! Everyone, get onto Opeth, Nile, Cryptopsy, Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Dies Irae, Zyklon, Decapitated, Nevermore, Mithras, The Berzerker, Lockup, Meshuggah, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Cephalic Carnage, Obsidian, Coprofago, Superia and any other Death Metal band you can think of and tell them that cpt4 thinks that it's best left in the late 80's/early 90's! Honestly, how can we let these bands go on not knowing that IRREFUTABLE FACT?! :rolleyes:

You know what else...
Nile are playing the TBMC on the 5th.
Decapitated are playing the Voodoo Lounge on the 17th.
Nevermore are playing Whelans on the 22nd.
That's 3 Death Metal gigs in the month of September alone!

We must ring these venues post haste, and tell them to cancel the bookings because ctp4 thinks that's better left in the late 80's/early 90's! Honestly, these places are supposed to be proffesional businesses, how can they go on not knowing such rudimentary facts about music? This needs to be ammended NOW!

Honest to god, even the Cookie Monster vocal comments just shows how little you know. I don't know if you've heard anything other than a single Cannibal Corpse album, but Death Metal has evolved since it's inception, with bands such as Cynic and Opeth to name but a few, use radically different vocals styles. But hey, if you've got such a thing against the whole "Cookie Monster" vocal, why are you even claiming anything about Thrash Metal is good? I mean, you have actually heard Exodus, right? How about Testament? Or what about any modern day Thrash band, like The Haunted? Because, they've all got some pretty god damn snarly vocals!

You know, I find it pretty ironic that someone who's lamblasting Death Metal for having such a vocal style would praise another genre of metal that has, for the most part, a very similar style of vocal? Actually, I wouldn't find that ironic, I would find it that the person knows exactly 0% about what the **** they're talking about.

ctp4, don't ever flap your lips about something you know nothing of, you have no clue, end of ****ing story.

Ancient1

Thus spake Karl Hungus.

Anything else you'd like to add, ctp4?

Mr. CooL ICE

Ctp4, im very hungover this morning, so it makes me more irritable and sensitive than usual to read this pile of crap. Thanks to karl hungus for already explaining most of what i have to say, but i still blame you for the fact that i had to hold my head torwards the screen to read it for so long. But enough of my self pity, its time for my rant.

For a start anyway, i find your 'introduction to death metal from mulleted uncle' stereotype very interesting. First off, mullets arent very metal, and never were. Looking at old photos from 80s metal bands, mullets were almost non existant. From memory, Blackie from Voivod, Bob Daisley from Ozzy and (for a short while) Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden are the only metallers with mullets. I was introduced to a lot of metal by friends my own age, who discovered a lot of it themselves. And no they are not internet metalheads, they have short, very respectable haircuts, and for the most part, dont work a job with internet access and are in fact retarded when it comes to computers in general.

If you think i went from britney spears to cannibal corpse to coldplay, youre waaayyyy off. I was introduced to Ride The Lightning when i was 10, and listened it on repeat at the time, but never gave any metal a chance until i was about 15 (yep, im 20 now). Reason being, i just didnt listen to music at all. Watching top 30 hits was an occasional occurence for me. But as embarassing as it sounds, the reintroduction to metal started with Limp Bizkit's Take A Look Around, which i saw on top 30 hits, followed by my parents buying in Chorus Digital, where i saw more of the same nu metal, such as Linkin Park and Papa Roach. This was as heavy as MTV, VH1 and The Box ever got, so i bought magazines such as Kerrang and Metal Hammer, where i was introduced to Slipknot and reintroduced to Metallica, which was a massive step torwards my liking of extreme metal. On Metal Hammer CDs, i found Pinball Map by In Flames and Ravenous by Arch Enemy which were two solid slabs of metal, and i was amazed that Scandinavia had such a scene. I then realised that Limp Bizkit and their unnecessarily angry cronies were incredibly shallow and simplistic and my taste of music veered away from them. Reading interviews, i was interested in how such extreme bands could have influences from such old school bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. Cue me getting Maidens entire back catalogue, tshirts and going to their last 2 gigs.

If you are so ignorant to call death metal a fad, step back and take a look. 80s new wave was a fad. It came, it was done to death, and its gone, and ten years later, compilation CDs are released. The only new wave bands are just reunions of the bands from the 80s. But then death metal came, and it stayed. There was a popularity dip in the 90s, but for one of the most important metal bands ever (not exactly dm), Pantera, this was the time when they reigned. Today, there is a thriving european scene, especially in scandinavia. The members of Polish death metallers, Decapitated, all wanted to be in death metal bands since they were 10, and they werent forced to do that by a mulleted uncle of any sorts, but they were influenced heavily by fellow countrymen, Vader.

My point is this: Saying that all people who listen to death metal are part of a trend is sheer ignorance. There are death metallers out there who insist on being anti-establishment and rebellious, but these people have a very similiar attitude as proper punks. I listen to death metal because I like it, and so do most others. I can see how lots of people hate it, as it isnt exactly relaxing or appropriate to dance to.

And Im not a poser. That was an unnecessary personal attack. You don't know me. Users on boards.ie like kodute, the_obsolete and Cork Boy personally know me, and know that i look like i dont spend much money on clothes because i dont follow clothing trends, and i have better things to be spending money on, such as petrol, CDs, and enjoying myself.

I think I have proven my point that your post was a load of rubbish. Care to grace us with a reply and bring your enormous post count up to 2, or are you just a trolling muppet? Do some f***ing research and let me recover from my hangover.

John

LordChessington wrote:

80s new wave was a fad. It came, it was done to death, and its gone, and ten years later, compilation CDs are released. The only new wave bands are just reunions of the bands from the 80s.

Whoa there! I'm with you on the rest but an awful lot of New Wave artists never gave up making music. An awful lot of bands are still around and not just reunion bands. But ctp4 is still a sap

Mr. CooL ICE

LordChessington wrote:

hungover this morning, so it makes me more irritable and sensitive than usual.

Apologies, im really dehydrated. Since 10 this morning, ive had 2 bottles of water and a bottle of coke and i still dont need to pee.

Doctor J

Dammit, I had hoped at least one forum might get away without flaiming and retaliatory flaming and be free of this kind of bull****.

Music reviews for music reviews!!!

Mr. CooL ICE

I feel your pain. But a forum utopia wont exist until google takes over the world and controls us all

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

Dammit, I had hoped at least one forum might get away without flaiming and retaliatory flaming and be free of this kind of bull****.

Music reviews for music reviews!!!

Einstein once said "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."

So as long as there are ctp4s in this world, I doubt we'll get a forum without flaming.

Dyr

"Let's tell everyone who's formed a Death Metal band after 1992 that they should give up their ways, for ctp4 know's your true calling! Everyone, get onto Opeth, Nile, Cryptopsy, Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Dies Irae, Zyklon, Decapitated, Nevermore, Mithras, The Berzerker, Lockup, Meshuggah, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Cephalic Carnage, Obsidian, Coprofago, Superia"


nevermore are deff metal?? lol

oh if only they all would give up lol. Call me when metal bands come up with something other than a variation on a theme that was done before and done better. death metal should be left embalmed in all its early 90s glory, when it still had innovation and *gasp* novelty

ctp4

Karl Hungus wrote:

just how little you know.

Honest to god, even the Cookie Monster vocal comments just shows how little you know.

That didn’t make a ****s worth of sense. According to your retarded brain, because I mention what’s obvious about the ridiculous vocals in death metal, I don’t know anything about anything?? You have the logic of a 2 year old, you stupid ****in retard. Do you always start crying like a little retarded child when ever someone embarrasses one of your or your boyfriend's retard posts about what a stupid cock sucker like you thinks metal is? You don't know **** about me, Karl FagAnus, and you’re telling me I dont know this and I don’t know that?? You're going to whine like a retarded little **** no matter what I say. You think I didn’t know about lame wussy new age death metal bands like Opeth and In Flames? Everyone knows about those melodic but still lame bands you ****in retarded **** head. They suck ****

Ramses

Stop whining ctp4 - you're the one acting like a child

ctp4

Karl Hungus wrote:

Meshuggah,

Next you throw the joke band Meshuggah at me as if the laughable band Meshuggah is a good example of why Death Metal is alive and well! Meshuggah is a good example of the opposite! And your stupid ****in ass thinks Nevermore is a Death Metal band! What a complete dumb f-ck! You just proved you have no f-ckin idea of what the f-ck you’re talking about, you stupid **** head! You might want to change your name to Karl Headupmyanus. Your’e so ****in retarded and stupid its unbelievable! A pussy thats stupid enough to throw Meshuggah at me like you did and can't even figure out what is and what isn't Death Metal is just the kind of faggoty poser I was talking about, you stupid f-ckin faggoty poser!

Karl Hungus

Lovely... So, your idea of a debate is seeing how many times you can fit the words Retard and **** into a post? I'd further argue my points, but it seems like you're too busy drooling on your keyboard and wearing out your F, A and G keys. Have a nice life.

ctp4

Karl Hungus wrote:

Exodus, .

Exodus doesn't use death vocals you stupid cock sucker!!! And if you think there's not much difference between thrash & death metal, you're further proving that you’re too stupid to be talking about metal at all, you ignorant pole smoker. Your f-ckin head is WELDED up your ass, Karl Headupmyanus. I can't believe I've got someone who admits listening to Limp Bizkit and a Meshuggah worshiping **** telling ME about metal! What a joke! Limp Bizkit may not be Britney Spears, but is close enough...which pretty much proves my point about internet metalhead wannabe pussies. Arguing with a retarded meshuggah worshiping cock sucker like you is a waste of time. You're just going to post more retarded preschool whining like "ooh you don’t know about opeth" and "oooh you don’t know about Meshuggah". I DO know you like to hide behind your computer to talk **** like the little faggoty internet nerd you are. But I think we can settle this off line in person. A plane ticket doesn't cost much. Where ever youre at, I'll be glad to come down there and beat the **** out of your ****in little **** ass instead of this chicken**** bulletin board nonsense. I bet a fag like you that likes to post the pictures you jack off with (that stupid pic u keep posting) can't fight worth **** when you don't have your mother's computer to hide behind. So where do you live, ****?

Shiny

Just have a quick question ctp4.

Are there any bands that you actually like?

Any positive comments?

Nobody had mentioned Vader. Do you like them?

Karl Hungus

Right, you've clearly no idea of context, or actually reading what a person is saying. Sure, why read when you can run your mouth and get the most amount of uses of the word ****?

First of all, if you take my mention of Meshuggah in context, you'll notice I only dropped their name in as a more recent band. I don't even think they're that great at all. Or would you actually care to point out where I've supposedly said I "Worship" them?

And as for Exodus. Please point out where I said they've got Death Metal vocals. No? Of course not, because I actually didn't say that. What I said was that they had 'Snarly' vocals. Too busy typing Retard over and over again to notice that, huh?

Mr. CooL ICE

I just want to say one thing: This is a thread I started, its supposed to be a music review. If you want to argue over whether death metal is good or not, post about it in the rock/metal section and get the hell outta my thread!

Karl Hungus

Too late for that, the offending character has been banned for gross stupidity it seems.