Customer Reviews

Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw the documentary, Paradise Lost, many years ago. While I initially watched it because it had been the first movie which Metallica's music had been featured in (they had donated 3 songs). However, the precense of Metallica's music quickly became overshadowed by the injustice featured in the documentary. I'll spare you the details, since Henry has been so vocal about it, but pick up the book Devil's Knot and read about it yourself.

I was pleased to hear that Rollins was backing the West Memphis Three and was surprised to hear about his idea about this benefit record. Since Henry hasn't performed a Black Flag song since 1986, I figured he liked to keep the band in the back of his mind. However, when I first heard about the conception of this benefit album, I was intrigued. When the tracklisting surfaced, I became extremely excited. Mike Patton, Nick Oliveri, Tom Araya, Iggy Pop, and Lemmy all lending their voices to amazing Black Flag tunes. Of course, I wondered how the music would turn out... I love the current incarnation of Rollins Band, but there is always a sense of doubt when you're dealing with something sacred.

Let me just say this... this record harnasses the anger of the West Memphis Three case and channels it out tenfold. The Rollins Band perform each song to near perfection. The guitar tone is just right, and the rhythm section delivers constant shots to the kidneys. For the most part, each vocalist delivers. I'm not the biggest fan of Slipknot, but Corey Taylor's 'Room 13' is incredible. Other highlights? 'American Waste' w/ Neil from Clutch, 'Nervous Breakdown' w/ original Flag singer Keith Morris, 'Six Pack' by Mike Patton, 'Jealous Again' by Nick Oliveri, and Henry's look back on 'My War.' Hank III absoultely destroys 'No Values' and Lemmy's 'Thirsty & Miserable' sounds better than the original.

This album is required listening for any fan of the Flag and would honestly be a nice introduction to the band, as well. True... Greg Ginn is absent... but his songs are here in full force. Educate yourself on this case and RISE ABOVE!

This is a great album for fans of Black Flag, Rollins Band, or any of the variety of vocalists on the album. There's something for everyone. Both older pre-Rollins Black Flag songs (Nervous Breakdown, Six Pack), as well as later songs (Slip It In, Annihilate This Week).

And the guest vocalists are amazing and from all over the world of music. You've got the godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop. Former BF members Rollins, Chuck Dukowski, Kira Roessler, and original vocalist Keith Morris. There are a few metal singers: Lemmy, Tom Araya from Slayer, and the guy from Slipknot for the nu-metal crowd. There's even Ice T and a brief introduction by Chuck D for the hip-hop fans.

The only complaint I have is that the music from every song's background music is performed by Rollins Band. It might have been nice to have some variety in the sound of music, but they do a great job.

This CD is definately worth the money, and it's for a good cause, too. For more info on that, go to ... or buy the CD and read the booklet.

I had never heard of the west memphis three case until this benifit CD came out. It wasn't until recently that I bought the CD, and ever since I've purchased it, I've been blown away by the intensity and quality. I think it's a testament to the still surviving power of music, and especially Black Flag style punk rock that so much talent has come together for such a controversial but noble cause. If you're a Black Flag, Rollins Band, Henry Rollins, etc., fan, buy this CD. If you're not a rock fan, at least check out the case, or at least how it's laid out by the CD insert. Without voices like Rollins, there will never be hope for justice in America.

If I were serving an insane sentence for a ritualistic murder I did not commit and could only take one disk with me to the cage this would be it.I host Cnada's longest running metal show "Mind compression".Since discovering this disk, it has become an absolute fan favourite.We have the luxury of being totaly uncensored on www.cjsr.com, this album covers so much of what my show strives to capture.From old school punk to nu metal you can not find a better range of artists.Henry Rollins is a just and noble man for putting this collection together, with old friends from punk days gone by to Lemmy and Tom Araya, two of metals strongest frontmen. this cd will probably be stolen from your collection by your best friend.This is the best fund raising effort I have ever heard.Ice T sounding his best body count self. this music makes me want to blow up cop cars.Rise above fight the power whatever just buy this CD.

Buy this album for two reasons. First, it contains 24 solid remakes of classic Black Flag songs featuring a pretty eccletic array of vocalists (Mike Patton -Faith No More, Tom Araya -Slayer and Neil Fallon -Clutch absolutely blow the roof off their respective tracks).
Secondly, it is for a very worthy cause. All proceeds benefit the West Memphis Three defense fund. For more information regarding this case, rent the HBO documentaries Paradise Lost I and II.

No one in this country will be free until the WM3 get a fair and judicial trial.

To bring additional publicity to one of the most worthy causes in American Legal History, Henry Rollins organized his band to play Black Flag songs behind a diverse selection of talented singers.

Keith Morris sounds as good as he did in 1978! Also, I was blown away by Hank III's balance between a nasal punk voice and pure raging screaming. And they got Lemmy doing "Thirsty and Miserable?" Perfect.

Given that SST's original releases haven't been remastered, this CD is also a way to get a better sounding mix of music and vocals on some of the greatest Greg Ginn tunes. This collection is timeless.

Makes me wish Henry and Greg would play together again.

And it definitely makes me hope someone will finally throw major financial and legal suppport behind these poor kids who are rotting away in prison for a crime they never did. Let's finally make this right. Let's get them out.

Those who will enjoy this disc are people who have both an understanding of great music and a respect for the law. Those who do not care about either probably will not care for this. Certainly this is for fans of Black Flag, Henry Rollins, and all the artists compiled here. (Ryan Adams contributes a great version of "Nervous Breakdown" and Hank III does "No Values," which is simply incredible.)

This is not for fans of ignorance or complacency in any of its forms. Certainly NOT for fans who think Henry Rollins is just trying to "free convicted murderers." And certainly NOT for fans who think that people who read Stephen King books are all Satanic killers.

Watch the "Paradise Lost" HBO documentaries, read "Devil's Knot" and "Blood of Innocents" and form educated opinions. Don't impugn Rollins or any of these musicians for having higher standards for OUR legal system and wanting to make sure we have the truth. When three people are convicted on hearsay and circumstantial evidence and one is sentenced to death, you can expect people from all over the country to take notice and want to get involved, because some of us still believe in justice and the separation of church and state. Anything less is un-American.

This is Henry Rollins' attempt to raise money for the truth, whatever it may be. Rollins told one victim's family as much. If the WM3 are proven guilty, at least we will have more to rely on than hearsay and Satanic Panic (you know, like actual, concrete evidence, which has been absent from this case since the start). The phrase "innocent until proven guilty" simply does not apply to this case. The prosecution proved nothing, except that West Memphis, Arkansas is a place free-thinking people probably shouldn't visit. Pardon the rest of America for thinking Metallica CDs aren't quite enough to prove someone is a murderer.

This is a great effort on the part of all the musicians involved, and it proves that ignorance still has opposition in America.

Okay, not everybody is in agreement about the West Memphis Three. I don't see one iota of actual evidence that proves they're guilty.
That said, I'm here to review the music on this CD, not go on about my opinon.

Black Flag was of course a great band for a good 5 or 6 years.
Their last material was dire (witness 'Annihilate This Week'; nothing can make that song good folks, not to my ears).

The best covers on here partly belong to Henry Rollins himself, he of the classic Damaged. Never mind his self-congratulatory liners, when given the right material, he's awesome here. My War in particular is fantastic, maybe better than the original; the version of Slip it In with Inger Lorre of the Nymphs is also fantastic, with the lyrics ringing clearer than ever before in their meaning.
Rise Above, with Chuck D. (who I don't hear on it, except the intro!) is incredible, and best of all, is the great Keith Morris, of both Circle Jerks fame (Group Sex being the best hardcore punk album ever made), and also the original singer of Black Flag, on their finest moment, the Nervous Breakdown E.P. His re-recording of Nervous Breakdown is just F-----g INCREDIBLE. Worth it for that alone.

The others? Well, Police Story by Ice-T is quite good, surprisngly for me (never a fan of his), and um...
there's not much else, which is why I gave this three stars.
Lemmy's version of Thirsty and Miserable is fair, and of course all Motorhead completists must have this I guess.
Ryan Adam's Nervous Breakdown ("bonus track" --???) is nowhere near Keith Morris's, but it's fair.
The lyrics of Jealous Again are much clearer her as done by Nick Oliveri, but it's not a great version; I'll take the Everything Went Black version by Dez as the best one.
Most of these covers aren't that good, I give it three stars for the few truly incredible ones.
Interesting to hear Hank Williams III doing No values, but not any good either.
Iggy Pop tops them all in terms of sheer awfulness with his version of Fix Me, which has to be heard in all completion to see what a joke it, like he, is. Pathetic.

That all said, the songs on here that ARE done well are SO great, it's worth having if you're a Black Flag fan at all.

And if you believe they're innocent, well, there ya go...

I've definitely heard Worse benefit albums! By FAR.

just got done with like 3 listens in a row of this album and might i say this album kicks but..for alot of reasons buy this album for one the cause of this album to benefit the wm3 is a great idea.(all money goes to the cause..) those poor kids being takin from there youth and put in to prison.also to have the a tribute to GREG GINN the master mind of black flag be done buy some of the biggest names in music today.also to have the reunion of ex black members keith morris(first singer in the band)chuck dukowski(other right hand man bass player)and kira roessler(bass player for most of the bands time (a great photo of her and henry having a hug in the album(ahhh)
so on to the album it is just 50 minutes of pure punk with a sound that is really a tribute to the entire idea of black flag there really is not a bad track on this disc just some stand out
tom araya(slayer) doing "revenge" and lemmy(motorhead) doing "thisty and miserable" ever song is fit perfect for each singer mike patton adds so much fun to ""six pack"it was like he was in the band back in the day..iggy pop doing "fix me"is the best song he has done since the stooges.and we cant forget ice-t doing the best anti- cop song "police story" doesnt that fit huh. the list just goes on....so all i can say about this album is that if you are looking for something really loaded with good old fashion punk rock then search no futher because this one will really go off......

This has been the most anticipated release for me since Tool put out "Lateralus." I purchased this album without hearing a song. Come on... Dean Ween, Mike Patton, Chuck D, Hank Williams III, etc...

I guess therein lies the problem. When I heard about this, I assumed that I would get each artists take on the song. I figured I would hear a Mike Patton version of "Six Pack," I figured I would get a Ween version of "Gimme Gimme Gimme." Instead, I got versions nearly the same as the originals. Very little creative liscence whatsoever.

Not that this is a bad thing, persay. There are great things. I was completely blown away by Hank Williams III's rendition of "No Values." It is easily the best song on the album. I have heard him before, and if it didn't say it in the liner notes, I would have never believed that it was him singing. I had no idea he could be this crazy. The new version of "Nervous Breakdown," with Keith Morris is a huge improvement on the original that he sang on all of those years back. The new "Rise Above" is fantastic as well. In fact, there is little that I am displeased with on the album. It is all very good, and as the liner notes say, a fitting tribute to Greg Ginn as a songwriter.

But deep down, I know that I when I picked up this album, I was expecting something different. I was expecting something more along the lines "The Crybaby" by the Melvins (which Mike Patton and Hank Williams III where on, incidentally) where all of the guests added a bit of their own style. What I got, however, was a solid, and most definitely rocking album, which is supposed to benefit the West Memphis Three, which is an added benefit.

This is an album I can definately recommend, but if you are looking for "crazy" covers of the songs, this album isn't for you. If, however, you are looking for a good, albeit straight forward album, then look no further.