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The General Electric

Shihad

1999

The General Electric

Album Summary

The General Electric is the fourth studio album by New Zealand band Shihad, released in October 1999. It peaked at No. 1 on the New Zealand albums chart and was certified triple platinum (under New Zealand). and on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart it peaked at No. 23. It was their first album to gain platinum certification in New Zealand (has since gone 3× platinum) and is Shihad's best selling album to date. Previously released songs – "Wait And See", "Just Like Everybody Else" and "Spacing" – were re-recorded for the album. The General Electric was produced by Garth Richardson, who had previously produced bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Chevelle and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mudvayne, and Rise Against.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.81

Votes

84

Distribution

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Reviews

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Sort by: Top Date
Sep 09 2025
5

Cool discovery. Bever heard of this band, but liked them very much

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Sep 16 2025
5

This is some really good rock that surprised me as I listened to it without knowing anything about it except the cover and name. I loved lots of this and am glad to see that we're getting a little something from New Zealand!

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Sep 17 2025
3

Mid after mid

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Sep 09 2025
1

Jihadis if they fought for shit music:

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Sep 09 2025
4

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: My mind’s sedate, Just like everybody else

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Sep 09 2025
4

Shihad was big in Australia when I was a teenager. They'd had a few albums as something almost like a thrash metal band, but were an Incubus knockoff by the late 90s. After 9/11 they changed their name to pacifier. It was a big deal at the time, we all thought they were total pussies for doing it. They changed it back after a while, but everyone had stopped caring about them by that point. None of those Aussie/Kiwi bands lasted more than a few years, anyway - these guys, Grinspoon, Jebediah, Regurgitator etc. Still fun to hear most of this album for the first time in 20 years or so though. Pacifier (the song) still gets a bit of radio play, but the rest is kinda forgotten these days. 4/5.

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Sep 10 2025
4

Alternative rock, industrial rock, hard rock. Entretenido. Un 4, venga.

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Sep 13 2025
4

Part of the DNA of my kiwi adolescence, Shihad are NZ's best hard rock band. On this album they combine battering ram rhythm section intensity with super hooky melodic vocals. Fuck yeah!

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Sep 30 2025
4

Reminds me a lot of a bunch of (semi-) lost British rock bands of the same sort of time, such a 3 Colours Red, A, King Adora, My Vitriol, Dark Star and, on a couple of tracks, Mogwai. I love (or loved) most of those bands though, so i really enjoyed this. Not sure it's an essential inclusion in a future edition, but for me as a Scottish 90s kid, it was one I really enjoyed

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Oct 03 2025
4

Straight ahead hard core rock and roll. Lots of energy, lots of fun. Not groundbreaking but I'm happy to have had it shared with me, got me going.

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Oct 31 2025
4

It’s so cool to get an album from New Zealand that hasn’t had much exposure outside of the Pacific. Shihad is currently on their farewell tour around New Zealand so their first big album on this list is well-timed. As far as the anthemic stadium rock exemplified on the album, it’s appropriately stirring and toe-tapping. It’s probably not everyone’s cuppa, but I’m pleased at its selection.

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Sep 11 2025
3

Solid hardcore rock. Not sure it's all that much beyond that, but I enjoyed it, and it facilitated the slog through another workout.

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Sep 14 2025
3

It’s nice to know that people in New Zealand can write generic rock songs too

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Sep 14 2025
3

Alt rock you listen to with a closed fist

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Sep 17 2025
3

The music is pretty fun on this album, but the lyrics are not great and really start to grate on me from time to time. I don't think this album is bad, but if the lead songwriter dug a bit deeper with the lyrics, I think this album could be really cool 3/5

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Sep 19 2025
3

The General Electric is the fourth studio album by Shihad. Nice rock songs sometimes reminding me of Faith No More in the heavier and bombastic parts. Good to have another New Zealand entry (as far as I can remember Crowded House is the only other one).

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Oct 14 2025
3

That's sure some late 90s hard rock. Elevated a little bit by successfully doing the "sounds like it's being played in a city under the ocean" thing that Oasis sometimes manages

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Oct 18 2025
3

This went way harder than it should have, but still felt pretty tame. Not a bad band, but not one that I would necessarily seek out again in the future.

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Oct 20 2025
3

Soild heavy rock album

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Oct 23 2025
3

Vanilla alt rock from the late 90's. Not bad. Good music for anyone trying to dip their toes in the genre. Not too heavy or out there. Similar to light alt rock bands like P.O.D. or, in their first few songs which were more industrial, Living Color. Nice to see New Zealand repped. Favorite songs: Pacifier, My Mind's Sedate, The General Electric, The Metal Song, Thin White Line, Just Like Everybody Else Least favorite songs: Brightest Star, Spacing 3/5

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Nov 05 2025
3

Nice of The General Electric to bring some very late 90s rock stylings to the party this morning. It's certainly not original or groundbreaking, it's straight ahead rock, a few decent riffs and melodies, but it's super generic. Pacifier the best, a low 3 because we've had a ton of crap I didn't want to listen to and this was better than those, even though it was beige as fuck.

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Nov 07 2025
3

Pretty good

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Sep 11 2025
2

Starts off with some solid energy and genuine passion, but quickly devolves into standard late-90s rock without much new to say. There were moments that reminded me of Incubus or Deftones, but more in an emulatory sense than the band trying to make their own artistic statement.

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Sep 17 2025
2

Dips its toes into a pretty cool industrial sound, then goes "yikes ouchie ouchie too hot" and decides to rather stay in generic 90s hard rock territory.

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Sep 19 2025
2

This is more of that rock that is so very 90s its almost painful. very pop commercial stuff. Sport And Religion give big U2 vibes. The Metal Song is very much not fucking metal. That's a docked star.

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Sep 21 2025
2

Oh lawdy, it’s been two days and I can’t remember a thing about it.

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Oct 19 2025
2

Quite generic - not awful but nothing new. Tired cliches and musical structures. It's like a mishmash of 80s and 90s American Rock and Metal bands. It seems half the albums proffered up in the user chart are personal favourites regardless of whether there's anything special in the album?

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Nov 03 2025
2

First listen I thought this was alright, but over the weekend it slipped down in my favour and by Monday morning it had settled firmly in “subpar”.

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