The Fabled City | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 30, 2008 [1] | |||
Recorded | 2008 | |||
Genre | Folk rock, acoustic rock, anti-folk, protest music | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Brendan O'Brien | |||
The Nightwatchman chronology | ||||
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The Fabled City is the second studio album by The Nightwatchman, the alter ego of Tom Morello. It was released on September 30, 2008. [1]
The album was released under the Nightwatchman's new full title: Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman.
Serj Tankian (of System of a Down), Shooter Jennings, and Perry Farrell (of Jane's Addiction) are featured guests on the album, which was produced by Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave). [1]
On August 8, 2008, the track 'Whatever It Takes' was released on The Nightwatchman's MySpace. [2] On October 25, the bonus track "Shake My Shit" (featuring Perry Farrell) was released on Morello's Myspace page.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 61/100 [3] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Blender | [5] |
Drowned in Sound | 2/10 [6] |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [7] |
Los Angeles Times | [8] |
MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | [9] |
PopMatters | 3/10 [10] |
Rolling Stone | [11] |
Spin | [12] |
Under the Radar | 7/10 [13] |
Media reception to The Fabled City was generally favorable; aggregating website Metacritic reported a rating of 61% in December 2009 based on 11 critical reviews. [3]
All tracks are written by Tom Morello, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Fabled City" | 3:10 | |
2. | "Whatever It Takes" |
| 4:11 |
3. | "The King of Hell" | 3:14 | |
4. | "Night Falls" | 3:48 | |
5. | "The Lights Are On in Spidertown" | 3:21 | |
6. | "Midnight in the City of Destruction" | 4:53 | |
7. | "Saint Isabelle" | 3:31 | |
8. | "Lazarus On Down" (featuring Serj Tankian) | 3:34 | |
9. | "Gone Like Rain" | 3:39 | |
10. | "The Iron Wheel" (featuring Shooter Jennings) | 2:40 | |
11. | "Rise to Power" | 3:57 | |
12. | "Facing Mount Kenya" (iTunes Bonus Track) | 4:08 | |
13. | "Shake My Shit" (featuring Perry Farrell) (iTunes Bonus Track) | 3:46 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Shadow of the Cannon" | 3:17 |
2. | "Fighting Song" (written by Outernational; performed by Outernational and Tom Morello) | 3:39 |
3. | "Stars of Orion" | 2:41 |
System of a Down is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of founding members Serj Tankian ; Daron Malakian ; Shavo Odadjian ; along with John Dolmayan (drums), who replaced original drummer Andy Khachaturian in 1997.
Serj Tankian is an Armenian-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, keyboardist, and primary lyricist of System of a Down, which was formed in 1994.
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Thomas Baptist Morello is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is known for his tenure with the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello was a member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage. Morello was also a touring musician with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Under the moniker the Nightwatchman, Morello released his solo work. Together with Boots Riley, he formed Street Sweeper Social Club. Morello co-founded Axis of Justice, which airs a monthly program on Pacifica Radio station KPFK in Los Angeles.
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Mezmerize is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on May 17, 2005, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Upon its release, the album received acclaim from critics. The album sold over 450,000 copies in its first week, and immediately topped the Billboard 200.
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