Requiem

John5 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 3, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Adrenaline Records/60 Cycle Hum Records
• ASIN: B0017R5UBY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,178 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

John 5 is known as one of the best modern shredders around (2007 winner Best Shred Album of the Year for "The Devil Knows My Name" in Guitar World Reader's Poll). He's even likened to the Page or Hendrix of this generation. He's worked with Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, David Lee Roth, Leah Andreone, 2wo, Meat Loaf, Paul Stanley, Ryan Downe, Hazy Dreams, and Rodger Carter. This is his fourth solo effort.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bring forth the fourth, but is it forced?, June 7, 2008

By 

Seth R (MA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Requiem (Audio CD)

John Lowery's (stage name: John 5) first three solo albums vary in quality, and Requiem is somewhere in the middle. With Vertigo arguably ranked at the bottom of the ladder, and still a great album regardless, John's fourth effort probably ranks one rung above his first. There just isn't anything here that he hasn't done in his previous solo efforts. He played around with more instruments in the past, had a few guest musicians, and there was sense of a need of appreciation for his chops. Now it's like he's simply trying to throw together a solid set of songs using the same styles of old. This works, but we've heard this before. A welcomed consistency is that the songs are performed with feeling and maturity, which makes for a better album. Has John put out a fourth just because Rob Zombie was on hold? Maybe not, but it sounds somewhat forced.

With a new Zombie album on the horizon and John once again on board, Requiem should unexpectedly hold off fans for a moment. Songs such as "Heretic's Fork" and "The Judas Cradle" are dark, eerie, and sound quite similar to the new Zombie style. Obviously there are screaming solos scattered about that aren't typical in Zombie material, but the correlation in general is there. Tommy Clufetos (also of Rob Zombie) handles drums throughout the album, too.

It may not be noticeable at first, but some of the songs fit together as the album goes along. Imagine a hurricane passing overhead - "Heretic's Fork" ends with the same heavy riff it started with and sort of drags into "Noisemaker's Fife," which soon becomes calm, clean playing - the eye of the storm. Then the riff picks up again and the hurricane rumbles on. These two tracks together, which could really be one song, make up a nine-and-a-half-minute extravaganza. The very next pair of songs, "Pity Belt" and "Cleansing the Soul," offers a different approach to melding. The former is a playful banjo piece under two minutes in length, and ends in a crescendo with the latter coming in with guitar and drums.

Forced or not, Requiem is solid and certainly impressive, which is easily becoming an expectation of John. Newcomers should start with his early material, and for those who already have all of it, adding this to your collection wouldn't hurt.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars john5 requiem, January 21, 2010

By 

Gregory A. Nieminski - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Requiem (Audio CD)

Absolute shred. This guy is a machine. Best at VERY LOUD volume,it just peels your face back. I'm an "old head", almost 50 and all I can say is that this guy is BANGIN'! Not a good choice for romantic background music, or driving your grandma to church.
Horror hype aside, you just can't ignore this guy's ability.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nu Shred, August 31, 2008

By 

Roadrunner (Central Coast CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Requiem (Audio CD)

This is new instrumental shred at it's finest! As the guitarist for Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie , John 5 didn't have much room to show what he can really do. On his latest solo album Requiem, he comes at you with both guns blazing. It's the best "Shred Guitar" album I've heard in a very long time -- kinda like Halloween on acid and crystal meth without feeling like crap for a week afterwards!!