Collide "Live At The El Rey" Review

Meet Collide...They Rock....You Listen!

The Collide Experience (Live At The El Rey Review)

by DJ Genocyde

Sometimes, when composing a live album, bands take serious risks. Live venues are, by and large, are simply not the best for recording quality and many live albums that I've heard have left me wanting. There have been a scant few exceptions to this rule, of course.

KISS: Alive III, Marilyn Manson "The Last Day On Earth Tour" being two of the ones I considered exceptions. The great thing about live albums is that they tend to capture the most essential elements of the rock and roll experience. It's the reason you show up, dress your best (or worst) and go. You wanna be up front, feeling the sound rattle your body. You wait with trepidation for that one member of the band to point at you, touch fists with you, blow you a kiss...something...anything personal. One connection that you know the band member may forget but a moment you'll remember forever. That's where it matters, doesn't it? Then there are The Rock And Roll Moments that you look forward to. Maybe a lyric gets screwed up, maybe they say something that will be remembered forever, no matter, that part can be captured and forever immortalized in digital electronic media and with certain permissions, can be used for a variety of ends.

The Collide Camp informed me that their DVD "Like The Hunted" had been sent to me but I never expected "Live At The El Rey" to accompany it. What a pleasant surprise. The only shame of receiving the items when I did was that I had to work. The next morning would prove to hold no moment free for me to properly listen to it either but then came the moment. I woke up for work...my last day of the week to be twisted on Stackers to survive another dull and boring night at work. I took a few spare moments while in the shower to let it spin on my CD player which needs to desperately be replaced. I heard the near-doomlike sounds of the intro flowing in and the music built. The funny part was that I could barely hear the crowd. Normally, the crowd either adds or takes away from the recording but with this particular Live compilation, they added even as far in the background as they sounded.

Then I went sideways. kaRIN's vocals came in loud and true, blending and harmonizing perfectly with the music. There was no doubt in my mind that this album was going to be good but now, my suspicions were cemented and forever sealed. kaRIN, Statik, Kai, Scott, Rogerio and Chaz went all out in their performances and nothing was held back...no quarter asked, none given. AND THIS WAS ONLY THE FIRST SONG!!!!

I was able to listen to about two or three tracks before I went to work and all through the night I waited and quietly bided my time. I wanted to hear the rest of the disc. I couldn't wait!!!

Finally home this morning I finally was able to sit down and listen to the rest of it...I can honestly say that, as a fan, "Live At The El Rey" will join that once-duo of KISS and Marilyn Manson in terms of the best live CDs of all time. Performances never lacked. Nothing was missing. It was everything I'd hoped it would be and much much more than I expected.

The live cover of The Fun Boy 3's "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum" was great, their cover of "White Rabbit" far surpassed the original, Beneath The Skin, Crushed, Slither Thing, Modify, Razor Sharp and Euphoria were done more than beautifully. Collide took away my power over my own ability to describe the performances. I think the whole disc can be brought to two words...Simply Excellent!!!!

I walked away from the CD once it was over wishing I'd been AT the El Rey the night of that concert. This disc is a must-have for anyone proclaiming themselves to be a fan of music within the gothic genre or even of Collide in general.

I can't believe you're still reading this....GO GET YOUR DAMN COPY!!!

And THAT's The Genocydal Maniac's Bottom Line.