Cost: $2.00
Wasn't expecting much from this, although one band in particular necessitated me picking this up.
The tracklisting swaps the order of Amboog-a-lard and Raped Ape, so the song order below is correct. Should add this CD only has the tracklist on the disc face and nowhere on the inserts, which is a layout/design choice I absolutely hate. It's only barely excusable if the CD doesn't have inserts or paperwork to put a tracklisting on, like say a promo or magazine pack-in disc.
1. L.U.N.G.S. - Mess Around (clean version)
2. L.U.N.G.S. - Kick the Can
3. L.U.N.G.S. - Around (I assume F**k around?, Mess Around explicit version)
I only know these guys because back in the mid-'90s, Pavement Music sent me a L.U.N.G.S. cassette single one time when I placed an order. While I consider nu-metal to be just some sort of heavy alternative rock with varying degrees of hip hop influence in the vocals, this has a dedicated rapping frontman, so it both leans more into the rap side (like Stuck Mojo) and the music, even if not totally metal, is at least somewhat groove metal adjacent. The two versions of "Mess Around" remind me of Biohazard during their Onyx collaboration days, while "Kick the Can" is full-on rap, just with some lead guitar in the backing track.
4. Raped Ape - Easy Way Out
5. Raped Ape - Self Made Man
Ugh. Their inclusion was the main reason I even bought this disc, but these aren't even technically Raped Ape tracks, they're from the 1995 Paingod demo (these 2 tracks were recorded in a different session from the rest, so perhaps they were originally intended to be Raped Ape songs. But the disc mentions the band name change, so no idea why the RA name and logo are used here). Hardly anything of the thrashy Raped Ape sound left, as they went full in on groove metal. Huge disappointment.
6. Amboog-a-lard - The Wounded
7. Amboog-a-lard - Alone
While somewhat familiar with the band, I wasn't particularly interested with their inclusion here since I assumed they had gone in a completely weird and/or trendy direction. So I was very pleasantly surprised that these songs are still pretty similar to their earlier full length. '90s thrash with deep, sometimes nearly guttural vocals. Both tracks use limited sound samples and have some minor progressive touches, but it's nowhere near as avant-garde or weird as they have gotten. Among other thrash bands they'd probably come off as a slightly quirky oddity rather than anything all that great, but on a compilation like this they really shine.
8. Excessive - Spiritual Bliss
9. Excessive - Bored
10. Excessive - Manhole
First two tracks are a mishmash of rock, groove, and thrash elements. There are definitely metal influences in the mix but the songs don't give off an overwhelmingly metal vibe. "Manhole" is a punkier song.
11. Quit - Remember
12. Quit - Did You?
13. Quit - Where Were You?
Pop punk. "Remember" has a pleasantly unexpected proggy mellow section in the middle.
14. Bone China - I Think It Works
15. Bone China - Aliens
16. Bone China - Crystal Carry
The first two tracks are kind of oddball/quirky hard rock (especially "I Think It Works" could pass for a short Mike Patton-era Faith No More or even a Scatterbrain track). "Crystal Carry" has a heavier, groovy swagger. Some definite metal influences in the guitars but they come off like a hard rock band.
17. In Your Face - Treading Water
18. In Your Face - Mother
19. In Your Face - Monkey
'90s hard rock, maybe even with some vague similarities to Bone China. The first two tracks have pretty impressive guitar solo sections, especially the very progressive sounding one in "Mother."
20. Opposite Earth - Always Now
Kinda Sabbathy progressive metal with a thick, somewhat doomy guitar tone. In the company of other good bands this would be perfectly ok but probably not stand out as much. Here, it's one of the saving graces of the disc.
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