marksam91

Going to the Barcelona Rock Fest at the end of the month. Headlined by Manowar, Nightwish, Alice Cooper, Mercyful Fate, Blind Guardian, Kiss, Judas Priest, and Megadeth. My first festival, so hoping for good things.

Also, saw Iron Maiden in May in Zagreb.

I've listened to it quite a few times over the last days and it is a solid track. Like a few people said, the production is weird; the track sounds pretty bad on my speakers but it is much better through headphones. 

While the track has overall improved with each new listen, the breakdown/slow section has done the opposite. Everytime I listen to Hard Skol, my mind keeps on expecting a long solo to kick in and then the song just stops for about 30 seconds. Really hurts its momentum and, IMO, doesn't fit the lyrics or the rest of the track. To be honest, the breakdown reminds me of those parts in concerts when a song is stopped flat so the singer can give a shout out to the different band members.

Have quite a few tickets lined up for the next year:

• Testament with Exodus/Death Angel
• Judas Priest
• Aerosmith
• Foo Fighters
• Ozzy with Judas Priest (has already been pushed back twice though, so not too hopeful)
• Deep Purple
• Elton John

Here are a few:

• UYI is peak GNR. While releasing 1 album of the best material would have blown away AFD, even the weaker tracks are largely pretty good.
• Chinese Democracy is about 2 more conventional rock tracks away from being a great album. Add polished versions of Hard School and State of Grace instead of If the World and This I Love and its there. Those two tracks ruin the album's pacing.
• A few tracks notwithstanding, Slash hasn't released anything worthwhile since leaving Guns. Not a single album that is above a 6/10.

More favorite 10 then necessarily best 10 ever, but anyway:

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

Judas Priest - Painkiller

Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows

Crowded House - Together Alone

Jellyfish - Spilt Milk

Swans - White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

Hurt - Vol. 1

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me