Album pairings

[Maggot Colony]

It had good taste so. 

[Eoin McLove]

A huge step down for me, in terms of the songs and Albini draining them of all life. They were good live on that tour, but not great, Through Silver... and that live show pissed on the TOG cycle.

I saw them on the Through Silver tour when they backed Entombed. My first time even hearing them was that gig I think. So dark and powerful, there's no denying it. I love TOG all the same. There's a clarity to the production that accentuates the heaviness. The mood created across the album is pure magic to me.

[Carnage]

I know I'm in the minority there, they only grew in popularity from TOG on, but the run from Souls to TSIB is where it's at for me. That Entombed support was my introduction to them too (apart from a Discharge cover on a tribute EP years before) so it was certainly formative in terms of my lasting opinion of them, but when TOG came around I was majorly let down. I'd gotten a 2 track promo a few months before (The Doorway and Under The Surface) and hoped that they were demos or unmastered tracks but alas, no.

I've mentioned before how much I hate Albini's production, this and In Utero are among the main reasons why. Billy Anderson did a much better job before him IMO. I think the lack of texture, even samples has a lot to do with it, it's just so flat sounding to me. I didn't think the songs themselves were up the the previous level either, so it's not all on Albini's shoulders.

[Skott Furys jizz rag]

Times of Grace is a classic, all criticism is outright heresy!

[Carnage]

I'd give it 3/5, being generous. Very telling that the only thing they've done since TSIB that I really enjoyed is the split with Jarboe, and Albini was nowhere bear it.

[ochoill]

TSIB is the best Neurosis album, closely followed by TOG.  And I love the version with Grace mixed in on top too I have an MP3 rip of the combo here somewhere.  Anyway most of the albums either side of those two are great too.

[astfgyl]

Ministry - The Land Of Rape And Honey and Ministry - The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste.

[Barrytron]

I was a tape walkman guy until around the millenium, then think I had a discman until Obama appeared, ha ha.Tape walkman still the best by far for this reason, making your own little musical landscapes.

Anyway great topic. First great tape that I think of is SOIA "Scratch the Surface" and ND "Greed Killing" ep, other side being Veruca Salt "Eight Arms to Hold You". Summer of 1998