Just for clarification, Balzac has way more CDs than just this one, but they're only available in Japan. I could hypothetically spend hundreds in import fees, but c'mon. This is a "greatest hits" compilation that summarizes the band's career from 1992-2002. There's 19 tracks, plus a live cut of their most popular song, "Day the Earth Caught Fire."
You can hear how drastically the band changes their sound over the years - they start off trying to be death metal, then become more industrial, and finally settle into a sort of cross between power-pop and horror punk. Now, Balzac's lyrics are slightly odd. They abruptly switch between singing in Japanese and broken English - usually even in the same song. The heavy accent often makes it difficult to decipher the English lyrics, but they're pretty ridiculous -like on "Into The Light Of The 13 Dark Night:" "No break down and I never give in! Now I looking for truth in my arm!" Huh? Either way, it's better than I could do speaking Japanese.
I prefer Balzac's power-pop style, so the fast and catchy "Violent Paradise" and "Bleeding Light" are the ones I like best. "Wall," "13 Ghosts," and "Monster II" are pretty straightforward rock tracks, and their infamous "Day the Earth Caught Fire" has a really cool bass intro. The only drawback would be that it's near impossible to sing along, so the songs almost never get stuck in your head. My only complaint is that they should've included more classic songs ("Horrorwood," "No Resistance 1968," "Fiendish Ghouls") instead of making it almost completely newer songs, and they definitely should have included either their cover of the Misfits' "Devil's Whorehouse" or their cover of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades." But it's a pretty solid introduction to the band. If you are vaguely interested in international bands, I'd check it out.
This is the one album that, with one listen, will hopefully get reviewers to recognize them as more than just a Misfits clone. Sure, this band is a horror punk band, but they're so much more than kitschy B-horror movie style anthems. This album sees them exploring styles like metal and industrial rock. I used to think this band was just good to rock out to every now and again, but after sitting though this one, I think they've definitely become actual artists. The vocals on this album are amazing, and were what caught my attention first. The choruses on Came out of the Grave, despite not even being in English, are very catchy.
The rhythm section on this album knows just what they're doing. The bass guitar and drums just pound away, changing tempo and doing those cool-sounding bass slides, which just adds a whole other level to their songs. The guitar harmonies and solos, which are far closer to metal than the band has ever been, surprised me, but it works out for Balzac. Plus, there are several live cuts at the end of the album, which give you an insight into just how energetic this band is live. Hell, I'd sit through a "new Misfits" show just to see this band, if they ever come up to Canada.