Customer Reviews

Caitiff Choir (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's only a 5% difference, but it's a big 5% - it forces me to call this a Remix Album. The album, overall, is more pristine, has a lower bottom-end, fatter drums, the vocals are brought forward and given heavy harmonic overdub. Where the original was more compressed and processed, ala Slipknot's self-titled (both albums mastered perfectly), this version is more raw, ala early Unearth and Bleeding Through. The boys sound fantastic raw, but it is raw, and you need to know that. Although it sounds excellent on the brutal tracks, My Promise, Depravity Waltz, and Revelations, there's clearly a lot missing from the "hit" songs (the other 8). I don't know if I would have fallen as deeply in love with this band with this particular mix/master... it's manifestly clear now that the original production is part of the sound, part of the story of Caitiff.

Specifics... The intros to My Promise and Threnody are cut out, the outro to Defeatism is completely cut to solo drums (a *huge* mistake, a devastating loss). There's way too much overdub on Marigold and Freak Gasoline Fight (ick, gives it a greasy feel). The clean vocals to Threnody are right in the face and sound off for some reason (way off, actually... turns a 5-star song into a 3) - These aren't minor changes... there's a very small difference in songs that you want to listen to perpetually and those that you're done with after a few listens. This album is not the classic I know. One man's opinion.

An interesting experiment, but way too much change just for the sake of change. The original album should be your highest priority if you don't yet have it. Otherwise, this a great grab - the remastered Forever Scorned tracks sound excellent (well worth -that- effort), and Enjoy the Silence is killer - the DVD about what you'd expect, the behind-the-scenes entertaining enough. I still have to give it 5 stars, this is just one of the 2-3 best metal albums of the decade.

The first review sums up the differences in the original album, mainly the thicker bottom end and bass drum tone (which I personally think sounds much better), but the ending to defeatism is a HUGE mistake. I bought this album for the re-recordings of Forever Scorned, and didn't know about the new production on the rest until I listened to it, but it's worth it for the EP. I'm not one who purchases CDs often, but I bought both the original Caitiff Choir when it was released and this, if that tells you how good this band really is. I can't wait for their sophmore effort to be released.