Album Review: An old label with a new idea
To celebrate their 25 years in the music industry, Roadrunner Records decided to do something different; take major stars from bands that have been on their label and put them in different “groups” to write and perform original tracks.
Rob Flynn (singer/guitarist from Machine Head), Joey Jordinson (drummer from Slipknot), Din Cazares (ex-Fear Factory guitarist) and Matthew Heafy (vocals/guitars in Trivium) were all appointed as Team Captains to recruit members to play on the tracks they were writing for the disc. After listening to this one a few times, I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed with the end results.
All-Star Sessions features 18 tracks featuring at least 55 different players spanning Roadrunner's band catalogue. It starts off with a kick in the nuts courtesy of “The Dagger,” “The Enemy” (which just totally rocks) and “Annihilation By the Hands of God” (if you can't tell, that's perfect for Deicide's Glen Benton.)
It's hard to explain this disc, except to say that it's filled with great tunes and is more or less a CD that someone would put together as an amazing mix. The team captains' songwriting style definitely shows up with each song. If you know how Dino or Rob write and are familiar with their playing styles, then you know when one of their songs is playing.
It's also really neat how the team leaders kept their chosen vocalist in mind when writing their songs. Max Cavalera (Sepultura/Soulfly), Keith Caputo (Life of Agony), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Mark Hunter (Chimaira) and King Diamond (Merciful Fate and Solo) all sound perfectly comfortable and an excellent match for their songs, as do many.
Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment for me was the last track, “Enemy of the State,” which features Peter Steele, who is the singer and bass player in my favourite band of all time, Type O Negative. I really feel bad for saying this but it just isn't up to par with anything Peter Steele can do or write.
If you want one kick-ass, diverse metal and hard rock (yes, there is some hard rock on here) CD, you have no reason not to pick this one up. The one hour DVD that is also included with the package gives you an insider's look on how all these artists worked together and what was going on inside the minds of the team leaders while they were in different parts of the States working on this unique idea. I've been a Roadrunner fan since 1988 or so and continue to praise the label…minus Nickleback and a few other bands.
Rob Flynn (singer/guitarist from Machine Head), Joey Jordinson (drummer from Slipknot), Din Cazares (ex-Fear Factory guitarist) and Matthew Heafy (vocals/guitars in Trivium) were all appointed as Team Captains to recruit members to play on the tracks they were writing for the disc. After listening to this one a few times, I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed with the end results.
All-Star Sessions features 18 tracks featuring at least 55 different players spanning Roadrunner's band catalogue. It starts off with a kick in the nuts courtesy of “The Dagger,” “The Enemy” (which just totally rocks) and “Annihilation By the Hands of God” (if you can't tell, that's perfect for Deicide's Glen Benton.)
It's hard to explain this disc, except to say that it's filled with great tunes and is more or less a CD that someone would put together as an amazing mix. The team captains' songwriting style definitely shows up with each song. If you know how Dino or Rob write and are familiar with their playing styles, then you know when one of their songs is playing.
It's also really neat how the team leaders kept their chosen vocalist in mind when writing their songs. Max Cavalera (Sepultura/Soulfly), Keith Caputo (Life of Agony), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Mark Hunter (Chimaira) and King Diamond (Merciful Fate and Solo) all sound perfectly comfortable and an excellent match for their songs, as do many.
Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment for me was the last track, “Enemy of the State,” which features Peter Steele, who is the singer and bass player in my favourite band of all time, Type O Negative. I really feel bad for saying this but it just isn't up to par with anything Peter Steele can do or write.
If you want one kick-ass, diverse metal and hard rock (yes, there is some hard rock on here) CD, you have no reason not to pick this one up. The one hour DVD that is also included with the package gives you an insider's look on how all these artists worked together and what was going on inside the minds of the team leaders while they were in different parts of the States working on this unique idea. I've been a Roadrunner fan since 1988 or so and continue to praise the label…minus Nickleback and a few other bands.
