Artist: Life of Agony
Label: Roadrunner
Release Date: 1/25/00
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Title: 1989-1999 Artist: Life of Agony Label: Roadrunner Release Date: 1/25/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
When I first heard that Life of Agony was coming out with a posthumous compilation I was under the impression that it would be some stupid greatest hits collection that Roadrunner would use to squeeze a little more revenue out of a dead band. I was pleasantly surprised that this disc was mostly unreleased demo material that was recorded before River Runs Red. Listen up record labels, this is the type of thing that we fans actually appreciate. While many fans began losing interest in LOA after their initial, hard hitting debut, I always appreciated this band, and while I enjoyed some releases better than others, I remained a fan throughout the band's life. The songs on this compilation show different sides of Life of Agony, from the hard core inspired thrash that knocked us over, to the more introspective and morose wailings that came later, and shows that, while many thought this band sold out after River, these characteristics had been with them always. It is very interesting to witness the evolution of this band, and in some cases it shows how the songs evolved themselves. "Dancing with the Devil" is obviously the first incarnation of "Other Side of the River" off of Ugly. Now it would be relatively easy to criticize the faults of these songs; I mean after all, they are demos and are pretty raw, but I think it's more important to focus on how well the songs stand on their own. Sure, production and engineering aren't what we're used to from this band, but it's surprising that these raw (sometimes even sounding unfinished) songs could have made it onto the first release. Even the songs that eventually evolved into something else are impressive in their original state. I would have to recommend this record even to those who lost interest in the band, even though the songs are full of rough edges, and the lyrics are much more juvenile, there is a definite throwback feeling towards the good old days throughout. There is some newer material as well. Led Zeppelin, SOD, and Bob Marley covers are entertaining, and I can't deny that I enjoy listening to them. There is also a reworking of "How it Would Be"- reminiscent of the reworkings that were bonus tracks at the end of Soul Searching Sun. Unfortunately it is about as entertaining. I strongly recommend this to old and newer fans alike, although it might not be the LOA disc you put in rotation the most it is a definite asset to your collection.
"I would have to recommend this record even to those who lost interest in the band."
Death's Review:
What makes a band worthy of posthumous scrutiny? Generally, listening to collections of b-sides, out-takes and demo tracks is like reading crumbled character notes found in a writer's wastebasket, or a looking at a painter's diary for his random doodles. It can get really boring crawling around on the floor searching for discarded genius. What makes a record company think anybody would be interested in purchasing an album full of everything a now-broken-up band ever recorded which never made it on to any of their studio releases? Only a small number of artists ever inspire the kind of sustained connection necessary to justify such an obsessive emptying of the drawers. Even less receive this level of reflection for the first time after disbanding when the moment has effectively passed.Sure, if you're Led Zeppelin, you're expected to go ahead and put out a box set or three. But if you're Life of Agony, the endeavor may at first glance be presumptively invalid. For a band who, following several clumsy attempts at continuing in the wake of vocalist Keith Caputo's decision to "shed his skin and start again" a couple of years back, never really broke through to the mainstream commercial audience many thought they deserved, I initially worried that this project would be perceived either as overkill or a last ditch attempt to milk any equity left in the Life of Agony name. All around, the concept probably makes for a tough sell for the discriminating consumer.
Still, if you were into Life of Agony, particularly if you stayed with them through Ugly and Soul Searching Sun. I betcha you're curious about 1989-1999. I know I was. So, you ask, does this "new" collection contain any lost gems embodying the power and the magic of the earlier catalogue? Well folks, the answer is probably best left to a lyric from the band itself, from the best of the "new" tracks, "Drowning": "don't bother drying your tears away, cause at the end of the rainbow it's still raining." In the world of L.O.A., this is a good thing.
"I initially worried that this project would be perceived either as overkill or a last ditch attempt to milk any equity left in the Life of Agony name." Why do I still care? Because, to me, L.O.A. conveyed a certain emotion with everything they did. Just hearing Caputo's voice bellow over a powerfully heavy Alan Robert / Joey Z riff, no matter in what format or polished or unpolished stage, is an experience in and of itself of which there is not enough recorded material available of any quality. Somehow, as the band's sound evolved over the course of three records from relatively standard, early-Sucicidal Tendencies/D.R.I./S.O.D. metalcore into spacey, introspective, A.O.R. -saavy, modern rock-packaged-eccentrencity, rather than run screaming from the apparent sell-out, I began to realize the subtle genius of the new music and to understand the evolution. Even the increasing vulnerabilty of the Caputo/Robert lyrics expanded the witsfulness of the sound while simultaneously implying a refreshing honesty and more fundamental strength than did most of the band's "heavier" contemporaries. I bought into the whole trip. For me, it worked.
But still, a collection of demo tapes? Well, there is a mini-track record here, of sorts. The alternate versions of songs from each of their three studio records found at the end of Soul Searching Sun support the common song writing hypothesis that a good song can be played on any instrument, at any tempo, in any key. The idea is that a good song has a power, an emotion, and a truth that will permeate the medium. Nevertheless, with these three bonus tracks (an acoustic "Weeds" from Soul Searching Sun, an eighties- pop-sinth "Let's Pretend" from Ugly, and a live version of the title track from River Runs Red), Life of Agony revealed that the essence of these songs' power rose above the form or instrumentation by which they were originally conveyed. Perhaps then Life of Agony was the exactly the type of act for which demos and out-takes were worth listening to after all.
So I bring these thoughts to bear on 1989-1999. And, after several listens, I've concluded that it is a generally strong collection of interesting and emotional material that does justice to the Life of Agony name. Some of the tracks are, of course, when compared to Life of Agony's best moments, by their very nature second rate. However, the album generally captures the spirit of the band and there are several gems here which true fans will surely embrace.
"A generally strong collection of interesting and emotional material that does justice to the Life of Agony name." I'm by no means a Life of Agony completist, but for what it's worth, none of 1989-1999's fifteen tracks are ones I had previously owned. The first eight are unreleased tracks from early nineties demo tapes and writing sessions. "Here I Am, Here I Stay," and "Depression" have that early metalcore vibe which forms the basis of the measurably tighter River Runs Red material, with the former employing some interesting Danzig-esque dynamics. However, it is the more introspective songs like "Drowning," which hints at the direction the band took with the Ugly record, the metallically raw Faith No More-meets Nuclear Assault- meets Roger freakin' Waters "Plexiglass Gate," or the doomy dirge of "3 Companions" which are of the most interest to me. "Dancing With the Devil" is another standout, portions of which ultimately became "Other Side of the River" from Ugly (fans of that record will instantly recognize the "my world would be over" refrain). These are good songs, and if you are a big fan, you'll want to own them.
The S.O.D. cover ("March of the S.O.D. / Sargeant 'D' & the S.O..D.") is cool, and really shows where, besides Black Sabbath, the band got a substantial part of its inspiration for the other half of its hybrid metal- hardore attack. "Redemption Song," the Bob Marley classic, is a bit extraneous, I suppose, but fun. Caputo sounds great singing "Tangerine," a beautiful ballad from Led Zeppelin's highly underrated third record, which also features the appropriately subtle guitar strumming of Anthrax's Charlie Benante. "How Would It Be '97" is a clean-guitar update of, you guessed it, Ugly's melodic "How Would it Be." The record ends with two excellent live renditions of the L.O.A. anthems "Lost at 22" and "I Regret," excellent songs both, which sound great in live form.
"Episode I may not have been as good as the first three, but what are you gonna do, not freakin' see it? Of course not." So should you get this album? If you are just discovering the band, make sure you get River Runs Red and Ugly, first and foremost. If you like them, go get Soul Searching Sun. If you've already devoured all three and are ready for more, then by all means be thankful for this new collection. Episode I may not have been as good as the first three, but what are you gonna do, not freakin' see it? Of course not. Seriously, if you are into the trip, there are brilliant moments on this new collection. If you weren't really a fan before, you're surely not going to be interested.
Hel's Review:
This is certainly a bittersweet compilation. Sweet, to get to hear several B-sides, demo tracks, and covers rarely-to-never heard before. Bitter, knowing that this is indeed the end. Beyond a forthcoming live release, this is it - no more Life of Agony. I suppose I prefer it ends this way than having an inferior last album with momentary replacement Whitfield Crane. I guess I'm glad they booted him, but I am grateful to have seen them live on that last tour with Crane.
"This is certainly a bittersweet compilation. Beyond a forthcoming live release, this is it - no more Life of Agony." Considering they only had three studio releases during their ten years, it's no surprise L.O.A. would come to such an untimely end. At least for that reason I'm glad they gave us this compilation. Granted, for the most part it's not the band at their best. The demo tracks, even though many have been re-mixed, are often rough. But it's amazing to get to hear elements of later songs in these early demos. Riffs and lyrics that you will hear again later in different songs.
Another cool perk, getting to hear how different some of the old vocals sound from what we now think of as Life of Agony. A lot of it is different. Some of the songs are more mellow. Covers like, "March of S.O.D. Sgt. 'D' and the S.O.D." (which sounds even more punk than S.O.D.), are great to finally hear.
"Redemption Song" is worthy of mention, it's not heavy, but it's a great Marley cover nonetheless. The thing about this disk that I enjoyed best was hearing how completely heavy some of these songs were. "Plexiglass Gate" is downright brutal. Unless you were the most rabid fan, you probably never caught any of these songs before. A few, no one's ever heard before. I certainly hope there eventually ends up being more lost songs found in the vault.
Since there were so few albums released by Life of Agony before their demise, it's great have these songs at last. Because of this, my standards are not as high. In fact, considering the demo material, I expected it to be bad. So when I find out that it's not too bad at all, perhaps because it's been re-mixed, I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm granting a little leniency due to the nature of this release; if this were an all-new studio release I'd give it 3 skulls. But I'm happy for whatever they give me anyway, and because it was better than I expected, 4 skulls.
"I certainly hope there eventually ends up being more lost songs found in the vault."
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