CoC : Various - Masters of Misery - Black Sabbath: The Earache Tribute : Review

Various - _Masters of Misery - Black Sabbath: The Earache Tribute_
(Earache Records, 1997)
by: Alain M. Gaudrault (7 out of 10)

It's about fucking time Earache released this puppy outside of Japan. For those of you who are into tribute albums, Black Sabbath, and Earache's roster, this slab was custom-made just for you. Not surprisingly, I fit that mold reasonably well myself, so I once again had the opportunity to get into these tracks, and fine tracks they are, for the most part. A few of the renditions tend to drag slightly, but all in all, I applaud most of the bands for giving a personal touch to these Sab-classics. Not everything works here (Confessor's vocalist has -got- to go), but when it does, you just can't prevent a huge pot-smokin' grin from creasing your mug. Those who own the original Japanese release should note that there are differences in track listings: namely, the loss of "Shock Wave" by Cathedral (too bad, I rather liked that rendition) and "Sweet Leaf" by Cadaver (no big loss). Four tracks, "Wheels of Confusion" by Cathedral (passable), "Killing Yourself to Live" by Anal Cunt (despite my hatred of this band, this track works, in part because of the vocals), "Paranoid" by Ultraviolence (pure heresy, albeit original, I guess), and "Cornucopia" by Iron Monkey, replace the two losses. Completists, open your wallets.

(article published 1/1/1998)

ALBUMS
12/29/2010	C Drishner	8	Various - Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft - Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear
12/14/2010	N Shahpazov	8.5	Various - Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings
4/2/2010	Q Kalis		Various - Rising of Yog-Sothoth: Tribute to Thergothon
1/8/2009	C Drishner		Various - Anthrosphere Volume 1
9/17/2008	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - My Own Wolf: A New Approach to Ulver
8/9/2008	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Metal Message IV
6/22/2008	Q Kalis	8	Various - ...Where Tattered Clouds Are Stranding
6/17/2008	Q Kalis	5.5	Various - Extreme Metal Inside
6/13/2008	Q Kalis	8	Various - Might Is Right: Nordic Warchants II
6/11/2008	Q Kalis	4.5	Various - Bajo el Signo de la Violencia: Tribute to Masacre
10/7/2007	Q Kalis	7	Various - Rise of the Eastern Blood
7/24/2007	Q Kalis	8	Various - Might Is Right - Nordic Warchants Pt. I
7/4/2007	Q Kalis	7	Various - Aural Holograms Vol. I
4/20/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Various - Noise.IL
4/15/2007	Q Kalis		Various - Fine-Tuned Disasters
4/5/2007	Q Kalis		Various - Defaced and Split
3/25/2007	Q Kalis	8	Various - Fuck the Modern World
3/8/2007	J Ulrey	7.5	Various - Intoxicated Vol. 4
2/24/2007	K Sarampalis	7	Various - Metal Message Vol III
1/28/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Various - A Reassuring Voice on the Television
1/9/2007	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Hauautagused Karjed Vol. II: Estonian Extreme Metal Compilation
12/26/2006	Q Kalis	8	Various - All My Dead Friends
11/7/2005	N Shahpazov	7	Various - The Wood Brothers
1/10/2005	T DePalma	7.5	Various - Listen Without Distraction - A Tribute to Kyuss
10/19/2004	P Azevedo	7	Various - Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal
1/17/2004	A McKay	3.5	Various - Defenders of Metal Volume 1 - The Seduction
11/16/2003	X Hoose	7	Various - Japanese Assault
8/31/2003	J Montague	8	Various - Barbaric Onslaught (Australian Metal Attack)
5/29/2003	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Victory Through Total Domination: Compilation No. III
5/27/2003	A Wee	7	Various - The Obsolete View
4/5/2003	P Azevedo	8	Various - Better Undead Than Alive
3/31/2003	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - Svartmetall Compilation 2001
3/26/2003	X Hoose	4	Various - Covered in Blood: A Tribute to Slayer
4/12/2002	B Meloon	6	Various - Czech Assault
4/12/2002	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - The Bells of the Mystical Empire
1/14/2002	A Wee	6	Various - Hellion Promo Vol II
1/14/2002	A McKay	7	Various - Colorado Colossus
10/19/2001	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Beauty in Darkness 5
8/12/2001	A McKay	2	Various - Brazilian Assault
8/12/2001	V Eldefors	7	Various - Triarchy of Vasconia
8/12/2001	A Wee	9	Various - Black Metal Blitzkrieg
5/13/2001	A Wee	8	Various - The Return of Darkness and Hate
5/13/2001	A McKay	8	Various - Requiems of Revulsion: A Tribute to Carcass
3/13/2001	A McKay	4	Various - Chamber Metal: Neo-Classical Metal Guitar
3/13/2001	A McKay	6.5	Various - Overload 2: Tribute to Metallica
1/10/2001	A McKay	6.5	Various - Scream Forth Blasphemy: A Tribute to Morbid Angel
11/20/2000	A McKay	2	Various - Dead Zeppelin - A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin
11/20/2000	A McKay	6.5	Various - In the Sign of the Horns - A Tribute to Venom
11/20/2000	G Sanchez	7	Various - Economi$ed
11/20/2000	G Sanchez	8	Various - Coalescence
10/25/2000	A McKay	6	Various - Gateway to Hell 2: Tribute to Slayer
10/25/2000	A McKay	7	Various - King Diamond Tribute
10/25/2000	A Cantwell	7.5	Various - World of Pain -- A Tribute to Sepultura
10/25/2000	A Cantwell	7.5	Various - Jump in the Pit -- A Tribute to Testament
10/25/2000	A McKay	9.5	Various - Root of All Evil 2000 2nd Anniversary Sampler
8/12/2000	A McKay	5	Various - Raise the Flag of Hate: A Tribute to Kreator
8/12/2000	A McKay	8	Various - Curse of the Demon: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate
5/25/2000	A Bromley	3	Various - Power From the North
5/25/2000	A Bromley	7.5	Various - Panther: A Tribute to Pantera
3/5/2000	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
1/15/2000	M Noll	2	Various - A Tribute to Accept
1/15/2000	P Azevedo	8	Various - To Magic...
12/9/1999	P Schwarz	8	Various - 21st Century Media Blitz Vol. 2
12/9/1999	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Never Give In: A Tribute to Bad Brains
8/12/1999	A McKay	3	Various - A Tribute to Hell: Satanic Rites
8/12/1999	P Schwarz	3	Various - ECW Extreme Music
8/12/1999	G Sanchez	6	Various - Lobot Manual
8/12/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Needlepoint
8/12/1999	A McKay	9	Various - White: Nightmares in the End
7/7/1999	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Death... Is Just the Beginning 5
6/15/1999	P Azevedo	5	Various - Psyclone Sinphonies
6/15/1999	A Wasylyk	6.5	Various - Beauty in Darkness Vol. 3
6/15/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - Smells Like Team Spirit III
5/19/1999	G Sanchez	6.5	Various - Extreme America 3
5/19/1999	A McKay	7	Various - Straight to Hell -- A Tribute to Slayer
5/19/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Freak Animal Zine #11 CD
5/19/1999	P Azevedo	8	Various - Where We Go, Others Can Only Follow...
5/19/1999	A Cantwell	8.5	Various - Chords of the Grave
5/19/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - To Live Is Ever to Be in Danger
3/14/1999	A Bromley	7	Various - Black Mark Tribute II
3/14/1999	A McKay	7	Various - In Conspiracy With Satan
3/14/1999	G Sanchez	8	Various - WWF - The Music Vol. 3
2/13/1999	A Cantwell	8.5	Various - Full Moon Productions Sampler CD
1/16/1999	P Schwarz	5	Various - Roadkill
1/16/1999	P Schwarz	7	Various - Feuersturm Vol. II: The Ultimate Storm
1/16/1999	P Schwarz	8	Various - Wardance
1/16/1999	A Cantwell	8	Various - From Kaamos to Midnight Sun -- Finnish Metal Compilation
11/19/1998	A Bromley	8	Various - GRRRR!!: Extreme Music From Vancouver
10/1/1998	P Schwarz	7	Various - Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4
10/1/1998	A Cantwell	7	Various - Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2
10/1/1998	P Schwarz	8	Various - Amduscias
9/1/1998	P Azevedo	6	Various - High Radiation 4
9/1/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Call on the Dark II
9/1/1998	B Meloon	7	Various - Bestial Sampler: 1997-1998
9/1/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Fiesta Comes Alive!
9/1/1998	P Schwarz	9	Various - Statements of Intent
7/8/1998	A Wasylyk	6	Various - Blackened III
7/8/1998	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Statements of Intent
7/8/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Sepultural Feast: A Tribute to Sepultura
6/7/1998	P Azevedo		Various - Peaceville X
6/7/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Call To Irons: A Tribute to Iron Maiden
6/7/1998	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Voyager: 10 Years Nuclear Blast
6/7/1998	B Meloon	8	Various - Until the End of Time
1/1/1998	A Wasylyk	5	Various - A Declaration of Independence
1/1/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Untitled (ten)
11/17/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - Earache Unplugged 2
7/14/1997	A Wasylyk	3	Various - The Kanada Compilation
7/14/1997	Z Tsarfin	7	Various - Awakenings: Females in Extreme Music
7/14/1997	A Bromley	9	Various - A Black Mark Tribute
6/7/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - The Ozz-Fest: Live
5/13/1997	P Azevedo	8	Various - Out of the Dark Live Compilation
5/13/1997	S Hoeltzel	9	Various - World Domination II
2/5/1997	A Bromley	5	Various - Frozen Dawn III
2/5/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - The Absolute Supper
1/2/1997	A Wasylyk	9	Various - Beneath the Icy Floe: A Projekt Sampler V.4
8/12/1996	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Black Mark Attack
8/12/1996	G Filicetti	9	Various - ...And Even Wolves Hid Their Teeth
7/17/1996	A Bromley	9	Various - Beauty In Darkness
6/9/1996	S Hoeltzel	7	Various - Nordic Metal: A Tribute to Euronymous
4/18/1996	N Bassett	7	Various - In Memory of Celtic Frost
3/14/1996	A Bromley	7	Various - Identity II
3/14/1996	N Bassett	8	Various - With Us Or Against Us
1/17/1996	G Filicetti	9	Various - Four Ways To Misery