A hell of a lot can be said about King Crimson's immortal debut. It's complex, it's aggressive, it's life changing. As an album it is rarely matched, especially by the pretentious wobbling of most progressive rock bands of the 1970s. Their intelligent mixture of jazz, classical, hard rock and avant-garde musical styles is shattering to any listener brave enough to take the first listen. It doesn't have the hyper-anger ethos of punk, but more of a subversive and confrontational attitude in their relaxed but focused feel that the music puts forward. The album is both accessible to the mainstream and, at the same time, subversive to the trappings of popular music at the time. The aggressive noise-driven sound of the opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" is possible more abrasive and brutal than most music around these days, and much more technical than a lot of the bands around today. The other highlight of the album is the title track, which sounds much like a symphony, with a sound much like a more epic version of a Moody Blues track. If you don't have this album and you love progressive music of any kind, this is definitely needed for your collection. Some of it is harder to get into, but with a lot of listens, it clicks and will possibly become your favorite album.

Punk rock has always been a middle finger at society and that will never change. Some bands take that stance to higher levels than anyone else. Some bands take this attitude to make people angry, some take it to inspire people, some take it to change people's minds. Sheer Terror belongs in the first category and don't give a damn how they do it. Bringing the rage and aggression of New York's brand of hardcore to a new level. Bulldog Edition is a collection of their most important releases put out through the Blackout label. It is a complete retrospective of their early career and some of their great anthems. This is definitely one of those albums that will make you angry, and that's part of the kick of the music. This is hardcore. You can't take it any other way.

Punk rock has always been a middle finger at society and that will never change. Some bands take that stance to higher levels than anyone else. Some bands take this attitude to make people angry, some take it to inspire people, some take it to change people's minds. Sheer Terror belongs in the first category and don't give a damn how they do it. Bringing the rage and aggression of New York's brand of hardcore to a new level. Bulldog Edition is a collection of their most important releases put out through the Blackout label. It is a complete retrospective of their early career and some of their great anthems. This is definitely one of those albums that will make you angry, and that's part of the kick of the music. This is hardcore. You can't take it any other way.

Marilyn Manson was once an American institution and nightmare. His name conjures up images of a tall, thin man, painted, yelling at his audience songs about Satan and contemporary issues. However, there is more to Manson than meets the eye. For one he is a very gifted artist and lyricist, and is more intelligent than some of his contemporaries. Listening to any conversation or interview with the former Brian Warner will prove this. In his art and music, he forces America to look at itself in a disturbing but very real way. He is much like the Tree of Knowledge in the story of The Garden of Eden in The Bible. He seems to have offered us the apple that opens our eyes to what is really going on in the world, and we must choose to leave this dream world and enter the inescapable reality that he has put forth. Critics of Manson don't realize that these ideals that he puts forward are not just a Satanic and shock story, but more of a realistic battle cry for change and opportunity in America.

Manson's second album is among some of the great concept albums of all time. Antichrist Superstar drives a deep dagger in the heart of the contemporary American dream. It is a deep criticism of modern culture, both religious and secular, and a great realization of what this man's attitude really is. More of a serious and focused approach than his prior album Portrait of An American Family, and definitely drew more attention to him from the ignorant and hungry media looking for the new poster child of America's seeming decline. In the pre-Columbine days, Manson was the focus of most political attacks from the religious right on the music industry due to his shocking stage presence and imagery. This album, with it's blasphemous title and hits like "Beautiful People", clearly made him a household name in the religion business. Unlike Eminem and all the others who shock through violence, however, Manson was more of a critic than a jester. This album is one of the last document's of popular music's effect on the world through intelligence and truth, instead of a selfish attempt to shock the audience. Can I hear an Amen?

From the opening of this CD, you can tell what you're in for. This is not your tame, peaceful emo or Good Charlotte. This is the soundtrack of the mind of a deranged, sociopathic maniac who wants nothing more in life than to make yours hell. He's not your father's punk rocker. He makes Sid Vicious and Darby Crash look like Pat Robertson. He will make you sick. He will make you angry. He doesn't care, either. He's not out for money and he's not out for fame. He's just out there, plain and simple. He's the devil of punk rock n roll, GG Allin. This album, in all its scatological and violent glory is probably the most straight forward punk rock in existence. Yeah, it's horrible. That's the point. Yeah, it's degrading and stupid. That's the point. It's not out there for you to pogo to, it's there to make you mad. Plain and simple. If you don't believe me and you have a good stomach and a far more dark sense of humor than most sane people, then definitely pick this one up. Everyone else need not bother. You won't like it, and that's the point, too.