Review by Rachel Jablonski
Shortly following a coincidental Friday the 13th this month and just in time for Halloween, the release of Masters of Horror II could not be timed more perfectly. The album, featuring a wide array of diversified artists, attempts to represent and advertise the aura of Masters of Horror, a popular hour-long horror series on Showtime. The album presents exclusive, live acoustic tracks from well known rock acts Seether and Shinedown, as well as an exclusive from lesser known Wounded Cougar. The other tracks on the album combine with these to depict a diversified glance at horror and music.
Dark, moody tracks such as Lacuna Coil’s “Virtual Environment,” Shinedown’s acoustic “Dirthouse,” and Wax on Radio’s “The Devil” represent the horror genre well with strangely comforting depressed guitar riffs. Other songs such as Chimaira’s “Threnody” Hatebreed’s “New Hate Rising,” All That Remains’ “This Calling,” The Smashup’s “Effigy,” and 2Cents’ “The Afterlife” demonstrate harder in-your-face climatic rock. Still others relay a softer, groovier, tap-your-foot-to-the-music type vibe such as with Eagles of Death Metal’s “I Like to Move in the Night,” Jump’s “Black Refuge,” and Asunder’s “The Machine.”
Intertwined in the mix are two weak tracks which do nothing for the flow of the album or intended mood portrayal. Cradle of Filth’s “Foetus of a New Day Kicking” kills the temperament with the band’s unfitting, almost humorous vocals. Additionally, Wounded Cougar contributes an undesirable sound full of typical rock and dreadful lyrics.