Kiss of Death

Poor Black Sabbath had really fallen on hard times after the departure of Ronnie James Dio. He might have been the last truly respected singer in their history, and even his efforts couldn't win over the Ozzy Osbourne fans who had jumped ship and started following Osbourne's solo career…

Poor Black Sabbath had really fallen on hard times after the departure of Ronnie James Dio. He might have been the last truly respected singer in their history, and even his efforts couldn't win over the Ozzy Osbourne fans who had jumped ship and started following Osbourne's solo career. So The Sabbath Stones tries to detail the period between Dio's initial run with the group and their reunion with Osbourne in 1997…

With Band Of Brothers, Warmen asserts its Children of Bodom heritage and pushes back the boundaries of melodic death. Written collaboratively, this intense album combines cutting-edge riffs, powerful vocals and a new chemistry between the band members. Recorded at the legendary Finnvox Studios, it benefits from Mikko Karmila's mix and Mika Jussila's mastering, for a typically massive Finnish sound. The eponymous track, already acclaimed live, promises to be central to the upcoming tour. Stronger, more united, more determined: Warmen is back!

Substance is a double-disc set collecting New Order's singles, including several songs that were never available on the group's albums, at least in these versions. While there are a couple of re-recordings of earlier singles, most of Substance consists of 12" single mixes designed for danceclub play. Arguably, these 12" mixes represent New Order's most groundbreaking and successful work, since they expanded the notion of what a rock & roll band, particularly an indie rock band, could do. Substance collects the best of their remixes, and in the process it showcases not only the group's musical innovations, but also their songwriting prowess - "Temptation," "Blue Monday," "Bizarre Love Triangle," and "True Faith" are some of the finest pop songs of the '80s. Although it is a double-disc set, Substance isn't overly long. Instead it offers a perfect introduction to New Order, while providing collectors with an invaluable collection of singles.