Summer Slaughter Recap

Whoa.. still recovering from the epic day that was Summer Slaughter this past Saturday, arguably one of the best concert experiences I've had yet. We [myself, my brother Adrian and friend Justin] got there right before doors so we were able to catch all the bands [on the main stage], the first of which being deathcore/grind outfit Dismantle the Cyborg from New Hampshire. They weren't too shabby, nothing mind blowing but they weren't painful to sit through, and they're demo I got isn't half bad. Got to grab a spot on the barrier nice and early too. Next were Canadian battle-metallers Blackguard, who put on a show that'd give Children of Bodom a run for their money. The crowd loved them and the pit got into it, a very fun set. If you haven't heard Blackguard before, think if Turisas had a little metal baby with Children of Bodom and that should give you a pretty good idea. Considering they were one of the first bands up, these guys (and girl, drummer Justine) put on a good performance and almost stole the show early on. Decrepit Birth put on a pretty good performance as well, having never heard them before, their brand of death metal was pretty brutal and everyone seemed to enjoy, also vocalist Bill looking like a total madman the entire time added metal points to their performance. Beneath the Massacre were nothing short of brutal, and despite being a pretty passive BtM fan, I really dug the live show, heavy as fuck and people were diggin it. Plus Elliot Desgagnes looks like King Leonidas from "300" fame, so that only added to their epic factor. These guys really tore it up. Origin, who I hadn't seen or heard of before were pretty solid. Each of their members seemed pretty adept at their respective instrument, especially their bass player who was just killing it the whole time. After the Burial were definitely one of the highlights of the night for me, having never seen them before. Last time they were in town they were playing the upstairs stage when Winds of Plague were playing downstairs so I missed them, so I was overdue for a face-melting AtB experience, and boy did I get just that. Say what you will about new vocalist Anthony Notarmaso, but I think the guy is a pretty solid vocalist, both live and on the rerecorded Rareform. He proved himself with a knockout vocal performance and in your face stage presence. The band were tight and everyone got into their set. "Cursing Akhenaten" and "Aspirations" were both particularly badass to enjoy live. Born of Osiris were up next and my friend Jaime came to join us down front. BOO were equally awesome in comparison to AtB. Seeing new songs like "Exist" and "Now Arise" live for the first time was pretty sick, although the fact that they skipped the pseudo-hip-hop bit a the end of "Now Arise" was a bit of a bummer, I was totally looking forward to it, its pretty sweet. As always "Open Arms" and "Bow Down" were most epic. Everyone yelling "Fuckin bow down!" at once is always cool. Haha. Winds of Plague were so awesome my third time around seeing them I don't even know what to say. They've definitely upped their live game, the last two times I saw them their live sound was a little muddy but this time it was crisp and just short of perfect. Their fan base has clearly expanded from the first time I saw them last year, everyone was going nuts for them this time around and I think it served to fuel the band's fire. Seeing "Soldiers of Doomsday" live for the first time was cool, and ended with "Reloaded" was just great. Pit and crowd surfing action was awesome, I surfed right up for the last scream of Reloaded, twas most epic. After WoP were done we left the pit to get some air/not die. Darkest Hour were Darkest Hour, these guys are alright for a quick listen on CD but live they're just like a weak version of Unearth. Metalcore, I get it, and I say that as a pretty big metalcore fan. Ensiferum were nothing short of epic, and they announced they'll be back in the fall for a headlining tour, which seems a must-see. Necrophagist were as brutal as one would expect, it was a real treat getting to see them live. Song after song was executed with such precision, and they were totally brutal, the perfect descriptor for this band. All in all, a damn good show. The lack of Dying Fetus and Suffocation was a bit of a downer, but what are you gonna do. Summer Slaughter 2009, definitely not a tour to be missed.


Jaime, Adrian, Justin and I with Winds of Plague!

Wake Up!

Lets take a moment to reflect on how epic the new Suicide Silence video for "Wake Up" is..



Reminds me of the trippy old video Black Sabbath did for "Paranoid," cool imagery, awesome video from these guys.

New Junk from Every Time I Die

ETID have set September 15 as the release date for New Junk Aesthetic, their upcoming album with producer Steve Evetts. According to Blabbermouth the track listing for New Junk is as follows. "The Marvelous Slut" is currently streaming on MySpace and the band have also just released a series of tour dates for their fall headline trek.

01. Roman Holiday
02. The Marvelous Slut (feat. Greg Puciato)
03. Who Invited The Russian Soldier?
04. Wanderlust
05. For The Record
06. White Smoke
07. Turtles All The Way Down
08. Organ Grinder
09. Host Disorder
10. After One Quarter Of A Revolution
11. The Sweet Life (feat. Matt Caughthran)

I <3 my BOO!

Chicago's metal maestros Born Of Osiris, or BOO as they're affectionately known by their fans have returned in 2009 with their sophomore effort on Sumerian Records, A Higher Place, a tech-deathcore masterpiece that sees the band taking a step up from 2007's The New Reign.

From start to finish Higher Place is chuck full of infectious guitar licks and hooky riffs. BOO have clearly brought their A-game here, exemplifying their technical wizardry while still keeping their songs interesting and brutal. They exhibit the right amount of musicianship without coming across as overindulgent, which can certainly get old fast *cough*Dragonforce*cough*.

The biggest difference between The New Reign and A Higher Place is an obvious lack of breakdowns in the new material. When they do come up they appear to be used in a much more calculated manner, rather than for the sake of just another heavy bit to bang your head to.

Perhaps this is a BOO trying to avoid being swept into the category of bands like Emmure and Whitechapel, carving out their own niche in the modern metal community. Comparisons to bands like The Faceless abound, but BOO defy these when they do things like add a hip-hop-esque bit to the end of songs (see the "Now Arise" video below, its crazy, but pretty fucking cool).

Born Of Osiris aren't a band thats technical for the sake of being technical either, they incorporate a lot of math-metal influence into their own brand of tech-death while still maintaining your attention. They're music is still fun to listen to, it's not just some masturbatory shred-fest, and I give them credit for not falling into that trap.

Overall A Higher Place is a pretty devastating release, although none of the tracks strike me as being as anthemic as songs like "Bow Down" and "Open Arms To Damnation" were on The New Reign. Perhaps a few more spins will prove me wrong. Either way, the new material is awesome and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing these guys again on Summer Slaughter!

Suicide Silence have No Time To Bleed

Suicide Silence attract an eclectic fan base, a portion of which features side-swept-bang sporting mall-rats, and while they're young flock of fans catches the band plenty of flack, their latest release No Time To Bleed is certainly not something for the faint of heart.

An ambitious, albeit fairly unoriginal deathcore release, No Time To Bleed is a big step up from 2007's The Cleansing which rapidly brought these Californians plenty of attention, hitting #84 on the Billboard Top 200 upon its release. With help from producer Machine [Lamb of God, Every Time I Die] the band have honed their sound to deadly precision on their sophomore effort.

Lyrically, vocalist Mitch Lucker goes for the jugular of religion with gems including, "I don't respect your superstition," and "As long as I can remember you've always been this miserable and it's all because you're still believing in something fucking invisible." Subtlety, not his strong suit. Musically the album is crisp and clean without any sacrifice of sheer brutality. The breakdowns are super heavy and songs feature some nice tech-death licks here and there as well. If you liked The Cleansing you'll love No Time To Bleed.

SUICIDE SILENCE - Genocide Album Teaser

Killswitch Engage shine on their upcoming self-titled release.

Massachusetts metalcore masters Killswitch Engage will see the release of their new self-titled album on June 30. Their first effort in collaboration with famed producer Brendan O'Brien sees the band at their collective peak, branching out into uncharted waters without abandoning their signature sound.

Vocalist Howard Jones has upped the anti with his vocal work, which sounds his most passionate and intense to date. Jones, arguably one of the most reserved gentlemen in modern metal doesn't go into much detail about his lyrical inspiration, but its clear that these songs are impassioned tales of heartbreak , frustration, anger, and on a more positive note transcendence.

Killswitch Engage is the Diet Coke with Lime of the band's career thus far, in that, you know what you're getting when you pick up a Killswitch Engage record, except this one's got a few little twists to keep things interesting. Blastbeats in "The Reckoning" and the 80's thrash vibe of "The Forgotten" to name a few.

Known for their heavy verses and sing-songy choruses, which are still featured prominently on this record, the band additionally maintain a sense of balance with brutal numbers like "Never Again" and softer tunes like "I Would Do Anything."

Killswitch Engage sees these metalcore pioneers continuing to push the boundaries of a genre they have helped define, as well they should, keeping the sound of a genre that often falls under fire for being trite fresh and new.

Upcoming releases to look forward to

2009 has seen some solid records thus far (from the likes of Cattle Decapitation, Wolves in the Throne Room, God Forbid, Mastodon, Heaven and Hell, Tyr, Lamb of God and others) with plenty more to come. Check out this little summer roster of stuff I'm looking forward to.

June 30 - Killswitch Engage "Killswitch Engage"

June 30 - Suicide Silence "No Time To Bleed"

July 7 - Born of Osiris "A Higher Place"

July 7 - Clutch "Strange Cousins From the West"

July 7 - Job For A Cowboy "Ruination"

August 11 - Winds of Plague "The Great Stone War"

August 18 - Chthonic "Mirror of Retribution"

August 25 - Municipal Waste "Massive Aggressive"

September 8 - 3 Inches of Blood "Here Waits Thy Doom"

September 9 - Ensiferum "TBA"

Sometime this year? - Atreyu

Sometime this year? - Bullet For My Valentine

To hold you over here's some new Suicide Silence..

Scale the Summit Carve Desert Canyons

When a classmate gave me a copy of Scale The Summit's Carving Desert Canyons I certainly wasn't expecting what I got. Being that our music common ground is more akin to death and black metal, STS threw me the proverbial curveball.

The album of what iTunes decided to define as "Prog Tech Metal" is much more melodious than anything I was expecting; it's much more "Prog Tech" than "Metal." However, I still enjoyed it from start to finish. Believe it or not I can listen to stuff thats not totally br00tal.

All eight tracks on Carving Desert Canyons are instrumental. The music is ambient and often relaxing, full of melodies that denote a sense of majesty, however hooky and occasionally heavier riffs still manage to hold your attention. That being said, you can tell STS aren't concerned about being the heaviest band out there. Their music is much more beautiful than brutal, and you have to appreciate the musicianship behind it all.

I'd recommend this album to fans of Mastodon and Protest the Hero, but if you're expecting anything half as heavy as either of those bands you'll probably be a little disappointed. Taken for what it is, Carving Desert Canyons is pretty damned good, the perfect album to throw on when you're just chillin out.

Reznor not happy about Apple's cockblock of NIN app

Blabbermouth.net have informed me that, according to the NYT, Apple have opted not to approve a Nine Inch Nails themed application, or "app," which includes the band's song "The Downward Spiral," deeming it too offensive for iPhone. I guess Apple is down with shakin' some babies, but not NIN. Interestingly enough, Trent Reznor thinks this is bullshit, and lets it fly on NIN.com...

"I'll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy. Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and 'clean' versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including NIRVANA) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc to meet Wal-Mart's standards of decency — because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records.NIN refused, and you'll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any 'indecent' material for sale — but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film 'Scarface' completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense? You can buy 'The Downward Fucking Spiral' on iTunes, but you can't allow an iPhone app that may have a song with a bad word somewhere in it. Geez, what if someone in the forum in our app says FUCK or CUNT? I suppose that also falls into indecent material. Hey, Apple, I just got some SPAM about fucking hot Asian teens THROUGH YOUR MAIL PROGRAM. I just saw two guys having explicit anal sex right there in Safari! On my iPhone! Come on, Apple, think your policies through and for fuck's sake get your app approval scenario together."

I Never Wanted

Grammy-nominated metalcore giants As I Lay Dying have just released a video for their song "I Never Wanted" off their latest album, An Ocean Between Us. The video is comprised of clips from the band's new DVD entitled This Is Who We Are, which is available now. It's cool to see a video for this song, even if it's just clips ripped from the DVD. This isn't a typical AILD song, its slower and dare I say it, beautiful? I really like how the vocals of new (as of '07) bassist Josh Gilbert are showcased on the track, his vocal talents have contributed a great deal to the sound of the band. I really like the lyrical sentiment in this song too, a longing for simpler times, times of childhood innocence. It's my favorite track off Ocean, so I hope you enjoy the video, check it out:

As I Lay Dying - New Music - More Music Videos

On an additional note, I found this quote on Wikipedia, courtesy of a band FAQ. Tim Lambesis speaks about the band's religious alignment and its relation to the music itself.

"I'm not sure what the difference is between five Christians playing in a band and a Christian band. If you truly believe something, then it should affect every area of your life. All five of us are Christians. I believe that change should start with me first, and as a result, our lyrics do not come across very "preachy." Many of our songs are about life, struggles, mistakes, relationships and other issues that don't fit entirely in the spiritual category. However, all of these topics are written about through my perspective as a Christian.."

I like that AILD aren't a preachy band, because those bands are out there. They're not touting themselves as "Christian Metal," they just love metal and happen to love Jesus too. AILD have the ability to compose meaningful songs and lyrics about life's struggles that can hit you hard regardless of whether or not you're down with Jesus, and I like that about them. They can write songs that get their values across without being douchey about it... I can appreciate that. They're not shoving anything down my throat, and regardless of my different take on faith, I'll still love this band forever.

Big news from Winds of Plague

Winds of Plague have just released the following statement via the band's myspace account.

In February of last year, WINDS OF PLAGUE exploded onto the metal scene as the frontrunner of the new generation of heavy music. With their innovative and high energy style, the band captivated audiences across the US and sold upwards of 50,000 units of their Century Media debut album, Decimate the Weak. WINDS OF PLAGUE are now heading back in the studio with the goal being to redefine extreme all over again.

WINDS OF PLAGUE have now entered Sound Temple Studios in Ranch Cucamonga, CA with producer extraordinaire Daniel Castleman, who worked with the band on Decimate the Weak, to record The Great Stone War. WINDS OF PLAGUE is also extremely excited to be on board as part of the summer’s most extreme package tour, SUMMER SLAUGHTER, alongside Suffocation, Necrophagist, Darkest Hour and others. Dates for the trek are posted at the band’s MySpace page. More blockbuster touring is in the works that will see the band through the rest of 2009!

Vocalist Johnny Plague comments: “This week we lock ourselves inside Sound Temple Studios in Rancho Cucamonga, CA with the up and coming recording wizard Daniel Castleman. We will leave a month later drained and beat but with a new 12 track full length named The Great Stone War. This is the first time we have had to create an album from scratch so we took advantage of the situation and built a themed, well constructed album compared to Decimate the Weak which I feel was more of a collection of songs.”

Winds of Plague are one of my favorite bands out there right now, I'm looking forward to their sophomore effort.

TAS in MASS

Way back in December I was fortunate enough to catch The Acacia Strain live for their DVD shoot at the Worcester Palladium. Word on the street is that the actual DVD is going to be out by the end of the summer or fall? Don't quote me on this, just interweb buzz, but nevertheless I'm looking forward to it. The show was an ass kicker.

Just found this on youtube, Cthulhu live from the DVD shoot on 12/28/08, posted by user ThatDietGuyPlus. Click "HQ" to get the best sound and visual quality. Sit back and enjoy the destruction. Also, note to anyone planning on catching TAS live, don't ask Vincent (not Vince) to play the song he literally just finished playing. Haha.

Atreyu Working on new album

Courtesy of Blabbermouth.net..

Orange County quintet ATREYU has entered Henson Studios in Los Angeles with producer Bob Marlette (SALIVA, SEETHER, OZZY OSBOURNE) to begin work on the highly anticipated follow-up to 2007's "Lead Sails Paper Anchor".

"We started as a heavy hardcore band," says lead vocalist Alex Varkatzas, "and I think we've gotten away from that in recent years. The last record, for example, showcased us as a rock band with heavy parts. With this record, we want to return to our roots while also continuing to move forward. It's about finding the right balance between the two."

"This album will scream as a statement of where we've been, what we've become and where we will go," adds drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller. "We think this record will be a huge marker in the life of ATREYU and we can't wait to unveil it."

According to Varkatzas, the band has demoed 30 songs and plans to narrow it down to 16, with the goal being to finish recording by June. "The songs definitely have a dark, heavier feel and I think the current climate has a lot to do with that," says the vocalist. "Personally, I just feel…angry and it's coming out in the music. Failed bailouts, unemployment on the rise, troops still in Iraq — I watch all this stuff on the news and it carries over to the sessions. It gets me fired up."

My thoughts.. I'm definitely looking forward to this new album. Atreyu have changed their sound with each successive album that they've released, and fortunately I've loved it all. In particular, The Curse, my favorite, and Lead Sails Paper Anchor are dynamite albums from start to finish, and respectively represent the hardcore roots and 80's rock vibe that the band have come to cultivate. With the new album being advertised as a 50/50 of these two ends of the Atreyu spectrum, the OC quintet has definitely got my attention.

New England Metal & Hardcore Festival Recap

This show was amazing, my first time at the NEHMF, definitely not my last though. Here are my thoughts on each band that I got to see.



Suicide Silence -
These guys weren't listed on the bill, yet they were playing when I walked in the doors at around three. Granted I'm not complaining, they were good and fun to watch, favorites were No Pity For a Coward and Price of Beauty. Seems more often these days that its the skinny dudes with the deepest screams.

Thy Will Be Done -
Local boys from Providence. Never really gave them much of a listen, but I think this was my third time seeing them and I was really impressed by their performance. They played a new song from their soon-to-be-released new album and it really shredded. Shredded? Is that even a word? Is now.

Iwrestledabearonce -
Utter shit. My review for their set is a simple two word review, "shit sandwich." Despite some cool heavy parts the joke-metal gimmic got old way too fast and this novelty act wore thin on me. Goofy music for bandwagon scenesters to wank to.

Austrian Death Machine -
Regardless of my opinion of Iwrestledabearonce, I do still have a sense of humor. Austrian Death Machine put the right amount of humor into their music without fucking it all up. "Ahhnold" and the Predator on stage were pretty badass, as well as Ken Susi tearing it up on guitar and Jon Rice for Job For a Cowboy on drums.

All Shall Perish -
These guys were pretty good. To be honest I don't know them beyond hearing their name a lot, but they put on a good show and the crowd was digging it. After their set I'd definitely go check out some of their music.

Winds of Plague -
My only complaint about WoP is that they didn't have their amps turned to 11 as I'd prefer things to be. This was my second time seeing them live and both times they sounded a little quiet. Other than that they were very fun to watch and they played a good set. These guys catch a lot of flack for being just another deathcore band but I still think they bring their own originality to the scene, they have some cool slower parts instead of just blistering riffs and screaming for 3 minutes straight.

Emmure -
Simply put, The Acacia Strain did it first, The Acacia Strain do it better. Despite a sound thats not complete crap, Emmure lack any semblance of originality and their stage presence is stomach churning. After my third or fourth time sitting through these guys, I've come to the conclusion that Frank Palmeri is the biggest douchebag in the modern metal scene. The guy is the fucking Kanye West of metal if that puts it in perspective.

Municipal Waste -
For one reason or another, there was a large congregation of hippies adjacent to the Palladium yesterday. Hackie-sacking and bong-hitting, these tie-die clad vermin were everywhere. When MW hit the stage they were sporting some tie-died Grateful Dead shirts and Tony Foresta was even rocking one mean Peruvian poncho. As always, the Waste thrashed our brains out, all the while preaching of peace and love, and their upcoming Jerry Garcia tribute album. Lucky ladies in attendence even got to see Mr. Foresta strip down to his boxers during their last song.

God Forbid -
Minus Dallas Coyle, who left the band a few weeks ago on questionable terms, God Forbid still brought down the walls. New songs off Earthsblood rocked as well as some old favorites, Byron and company know how to work the crowd. Also, I'm pretty sure I saw Doc check out my girlfriend earlier in the afternoon.

Children of Bodom -
Children of Bodom are one of few bands that sound just about immaculate live. They had a solid career-spanning set list and didn't play too many new songs, which is cool because I prefer their earlier stuff. They played a few songs from Hatecrew Deathroll, including Angels Don't Kill and Bodom Beach Terror, some of my favorites. The New England Hatecrew was definitely into their set.

As I Lay Dying -
If not for Lamb of God, I think AILD might have been the best performers of the night. Their set list was awesome, a perfect blend of new and old, and their stage presence was killer, they know how to get the crowd going. I forgot how much I loved AILD but last night was a good reminder. Definitely gonna be listening to Frail Words Collapse and Shadows Are Security for a while now.

Lamb of God -
There's not much to say about Lamb of God's set beyond it kicked total ass, as expected. Their stage and lights looked awesome and they never fail to just absolutely destroy wherever they're playing by the end of the night. They played a lot of new stuff which was cool, but I still prefer stuff off Ashes, I think the crowd responded more to that stuff too. One hell of a good show from these guys, very professional and Randy was sounding solid throughout.

Its So Easy

Check it out, Avenged Sevenfold do a live version of G n' R's "Its So Easy" with a little help from axeman Slash.

Women in Music: Angela Gossow

Heavy metal as long been regarded as a hyper-masculine genre of music. For a long time it seemed as though the only women in the metal scene were the ones stripping in Motley Crue videos or climbing on cars for Whitesnake.

Its not as though the exclusion of women from metal was anything intentional or premeditated, the trend has just been historically that this style of loud and aggressive music usually draws a predominately male audience.

As it would turn out, some women weren't content with simply being a physical spectacle for metal fans to ogle, they wanted in on the music itself. Bands like Warlock and Girlschool laid the groundwork for and open the gates for girls in metal.

Now, while still a minority, the female in presence in the metal community has grown exponentially with a number of contemporary acts featuring women including Abigail Williams, Winds of Plague, Lacuna Coil, Crisis, Walls of Jericho, Cradle of Filth, Arch Enemy, and many more.

One of the most prominent female metallers in the 21st century is Angela Gossow, vocalist of Arch Enemy. Unlike the women in the aforementioned hair metal videos who are depicted degradingly as something nice to look at, Gossow is easily perceived as being powerful and in command.

She maintains a feminine grace while exerting screams that are just as intense as any of her male counterparts. Her vocal talents and towering presence do the talking for her, and she doesn't resort to making herself into something sexualized to gain attention to fans.

Gossow seems a positive role model to younger girls, she can still exhibit her looks and features without exploiting them, and her voice certainly lets anyone listening know that she can keep up with the rest of her peers.

Tea Time with Lemmy

This interview with Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister from VH1's That Metal Show is rather entertaining. I'll just let Lemmy do the talking...

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Heathen hearts and Pagan pride

Viking metallers Týr have just finished recording their new album at home in the Faroe Islands. By the Light of the Northern Star is set for a May 29 European release and "Hold the Heathen Hammer High," a song from Star has hit the web (see video inset). Based on this track, Star may be a little more up tempo and melodious than some of its predecessors. Týr have amped up their game to deliver some five-star viking metal here. Can't wait to hear this album in its entirety.



Oh, and how badass is that album artwork?

Butt Metal?

Steel Panther (formerly Metal Skool) have a full length album slated for a June 9 release. The mock-metal-masters have just released a video for it's first single, "Death To All But Metal." The song which had been previously released has gotten an update and features vocal work courtesy of of Corey Taylor (available on an alternate version only) and some new lyrical jabs at 50 Cent and Kanye West. As you can imagine, the track is pure-fucking-gold. The video is some hellish combination of Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" and Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock," complete with all the 80's metal essentials. Exploitation of large-breasted women? Check. Hot teachers? Check. Laser eyed and demon voiced metal student? Check. Stickin-it-to-the-man? Check. Big hair? Check. Bigger solos? Check. It is the summation of all things hair metal done in a tongue-in-cheek nature that's sure to make you giggle, offensive lyrics aside.

Our favorite vikings have a new video..

ep⋅ic
   /ˈɛpɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ep-ik] Show IPA
–adjective Also, ep⋅i⋅cal.
1. noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style: Homer's Iliad is an epic poem.
2. resembling or suggesting such poetry: an epic novel on the founding of the country.
3. heroic; majestic; impressively great: the epic events of the war.
4. of unusually great size or extent: a crime wave of epic proportions.
5. Amon Amarth's new video for "Gaurdians of Asgaard."

Guardians Of Asgaard ft. LG Petrov

Where my folk metal nerds at?

Swiss folk metallers Eluveitie have evidently taken up the flag for the "New Wave of Folk Metal," or so boasts their website. Their latest album Slania released through Nuclear Blast is certainly noteworthy. Despite obviously channeling the Gothenburg sound cultivated by acts like In Flames, Dark Tranquility, and At The Gates, Eluveitie still manage to brandish a fair amount of originality with their use of traditional celtic instruments (bodhran, mandola, tin whistles, uillean pipes, etc.). I can't even give them that much slack for emulating In Flames, because who isn't doing that these days? Eluveitie's unique blend of Celtic folk and melodic death works like magic, take a listen.

Mastodon's latest is out of this world..

Mastodon's latest effort, Crack The Skye may leave many metal fans scratching their heads instead of banging them. What the band is describing as their defining album is quite a departure from earlier albums like Remission and Leviathan, which packed more of a heavy metal punch. While still offering fans some hearty headbanging fare, Crack The Skye is an egress for the more melodic and progressive for the Atlanta-based quartet. It revels in the mysterious and indulges in virtuosic musicianship, taking the listener on an intoxicating journey from beginning to end.

The first track "Oblivion" sets the tone for the album with its hooky guitar melodies and high-as-a-kite chorus, beautiful and dark. "Oblivion" also features prominently the vocal talents of drummer Brann Dailor, who has to date kept to his impeccable drum work. Next is the album's first single, "Divinations," which offers a frantic fast-paced verse and one ripping guitar solo from Brent Hinds. "Divinations" demonstrates how the band have found the perfect balance between the bellowing roar of bassist Troy Sanders and the shrieking sonics of axe-man Brent Hinds. The two compliment each other nicely and create some solid dynamics throughout Skye. "Quintessence" showcases the drum wizardry of Dailor and the ghostly vocal work of Hinds, and manages to be both airy and heavy in all the right places.

The four-part epic "The Czar" opens with a droning chant and some nice up-front bass before turning heads when the tune crescendos into a riff that is, dare I say it, poppy? You may just find yourself at the mercy of Mastodon when you catch yourself wanting to bust a move. From here the 'Don deliver a fair amount of heavy guitar riffery perfect balanced with celestial bliss. "Ghost of Karelia" is an otherworldly masterpiece that perfectly blends the eerie and straight-ahead heavy, and is certainly an album highlight. Neurosis' own Scott Kelly makes his third vocal cameo with Mastodon on the album's title track, which is arguably the best song on the album. It packs plenty of punch with its chug-laden verses and features some of Sanders' best vocal performance to date.

Unlike its predecessors, Crack The Skye lacks mention of the infamous Elephant Man, but it does close with the 13 minute opus, "The Last Baron." It starts off at a slow pace with haunting guitars before cascading into an awesome jam for virtually the rest of the tune. Here the Masto-gang throw modesty to the wind opting for pomp, pushing themselves to the brink of their abilities with blistering drum work and fiery soloing. The only other song in the bands repertoire to hit the 13 minute mark is "Hearts Alive," off Leviathan. By comparison, "Baron" showcases a Mastodon at their peak, pushing the envelope with their musical abilities and experimentation. This is Mastodon in all their musical splendor, a wise choice for the final track of Skye.

When one thinks of drug-fueled prog-rock the slang term "trippy" might come to mind, and while certainly applicable to this album, it doesn't do it the justice it deserves. Given the concept of the album, out of body travel through and space (see Hind's coma-inducing scruff with System of a Down bassist Shavo), grandiose seems more fitting, as the band push themselves to the brink with their musical experimentation and development on Skye, bringing an otherworldly mood to each song in a unique way. Press play on your iPod and its easy to be whisked away through time and space. If you're looking for a balls-to-the-wall metal album you may left a little unfulfilled, but if you're looking for something to lose yourself in over and over again, this is the album for you. With each successive release, these Atlanta rockers have managed to defy categorization, carving out their own niche in the heavy metal landscape, and it is precisely their uniqueness that sets them apart from countless other rock and metal bands out there today.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Check out this video from Irish legends Thin Lizzy.

Bring on the Slaughter!

Although actual dates for this year's installment of the Summer Slaughter tour have yet to be unveiled, the lineup for Summer Slaughter 2009 is as solid as it gets, check it out. Can't wait to hit this up!

From the cool springs of Finland..

According to Blabbermouth.net..

"Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers Nightwish have chosen the smooth spring water Veen as the band's official drink. To celebrate this excellent choice, Veen has launched a competition on its web site giving fans a chance to win tickets to a Nightwish gig of their choice."

L-O-L.

Trying to hide my erection for..

..Mastodon. A few weeks ago I mentioned on my radio show The Global Goulash (shameless plug: every Friday 4-6 PM EST on wecb.emerson.edu) that Mastodon axe-man Brent Hinds was ranting on (in questionable sobriety) about how he was to be a cavemen trapped in ice in an upcoming Masto-video. As it turns out, Hinds was speaking the truth. The Atlanta foursome have shot a video for their new single "Divinations" off Crack the Skye, which hits shelves this month. Once it does I'll be posting a full review.

In the meantime, check out this video preview here, looks like one of the coolest videos ever already.

"Divinations" Trailer


Mastodon have also just announced a new North American tour with support from Kylesa and Intronaut.

Blabbermouth.net reports..

According to Billboard.com, Atlanta-based progressive metal band Mastodon will perform its new album, "Crack the Skye", in its entirety on the group's upcoming tour.

The complete album performance is something new for the group, says bassist Bill Kelliher, but "there's something about ["Crack The Skye"] where it would be weird to leave a song out. We'll incorporate a whole stage show, which will hopefully make it even more exciting for kids to come see and more visually stimulating." The band is also hoping to make a short movie from all the songs, which Kelliher hopes will be Mastodon's version of "The Wall".

Ra-Ra-Rasputin!

Seems every where I turn this week Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is there.

Last night I watched the first Hellboy flick and Rasputin was a character in the movie, hellbent on bringing destruction to earth via tentacle wielding elder gods and interdimensional portal opening.

Mastodon chronicle the life of Rasputin with "The Czar," off their upcoming album Crack the Skye, due for a mid-March release.

Additionally, I've been on one hell of a Turisas kick lately, and they've got a pretty awesome "disco-metal" single called Rasputin, which is a cover track off Boney M's Nightflight to Venus album. Boney M were a popular west-Germany based disco group formed in 1975. Turisas will be joining Moonspell and headliners Cradle of Filth for an upcoming European tour.

Check out Boney M's version and then Turisas' of "Rasputin"

Chthonic: Taiwan's answer to Cradle of Filth & Dimmu Borgir

Despite an appearance on Ozzfest 2007, Taipei natives Chthonic aren't widely known outside the East. Formed back in 1995, this symphonic black metal sextet weaves ancient history and legend into their lyrics and incorporate some traditional influence that really set them apart from the rest of the world's blac metal scene. Su-Nung, a member of the band, plays the erhu (or as the band refer to it, "the bloody string," so brutal), a traditional one-stringed fiddle native to China. The band's lyrics are all written in either Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese, or Japanese.

According to Wikipedia..

"The lead vocalist, Freddy Lim, is notably active in the political scene and supports Taiwan Independence. In February 2009, Freddy Lim and Doris Yeh participated with human rights activists at the Taipei zoo panda exhibit, which symbolises China's attempts to establish soft power relations with Taiwan."

Complete with killer corpse paint and silly stage names to match, Chthonic are definitely worth a listen. With their unique Taiwanese stylings, Chthonic offer all that we know and love of Western symphonic black metal with a twist.

For fans of: Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir.



Bassist Doris Yeh has also garnered some attention in American metal magazines for her bass playing and also beauty, here she is from Revolver Magazine's "Hottest Chicks in Metal."

Care for a little necrophilia?

In a recent interview conducted with The Washington Post Express, Dani "Filth" Davey addressed his forthcoming book The Gospel of Filth, which is slated for a February 28 release.

Filth: "The Gospel of Filth" is more of a foray into the darkside. It's about horror movies, childhood nightmares, esoteric England, Satanism, witchcraft, femme fatales. And it's all corroborated and substantiated — verified almost, validated. There are contributions of hundreds of different people, like [horror film director] Dario Argento, Clive Barker, Doug Bradley, [horror actress] Ingrid Pitt, Christopher Lee, Ville Valo [HIM], Tom Araya [SLAYER], Marilyn Manson, Charlie Manson, [serial killer] Richard Ramirez. It uses CRADLE OF FILTH, with each of our albums as a springboard to discuss other topics. And it was co-written with an occult historian, so what it's come out as is a dark arts bible, which is why it's taken four years to reach completion.

The following comes from Wikipedia..

According to the advance press release, the book "dissects the Satanic sources that have influenced and informed Cradle of Filth, with a roadmap to every significant landmark in the domains of darkness, including the arcane secrets of black magic, via the sex rites of vampirism. Artfully combining Hammer horror style schlock, dripping with eroticism, backed by authentic black arts info and a wicked sense of humour, this will dazzle devoted disciples of darkness. Contributors include actor Christopher Lee and Satanist Anton LaVey, serial killer expert Robert Ressler and necrophile Karen Greenlee".

The chapters as revealed so far are: "Esoteric England"; "The Black Arts"; "The Femme Fatale"; "Dark Fairy Tales"; "Gothic Romanticism"; "The Mythology of Murder"; "Horror Film and Fiction"; "Deviance and Desire"; "Demonic Doctrines" and "Oblivion".

Sounds like this Gospel should be quite a crazy read.

Yesterday after looking into Karen Greenlee (I thought, she can't possibly be a necropheliac for real right? Wrong), I stumbled upon this interview in which she speaks about her necrophilic tendencies. Be forewarned however, it is pretty disconcerting.

http://www.nokilli.com/sacto/karen-greenlee.htm

Earthsblood gets a thumbs up from me..

The release of God Forbid's Earthblood this Tuesday begs the question, why aren't God Forbid fucking huge right now? Despite experiencing moderate success, God Forbid somehow manage to evade the limelight. Well they can run, but they certainly can't hide for long, especially after the release of this, their latest effort.

In a genre not always known for its abundance of African American participants, God Forbid have always jokingly touted themselves as, "true black metal." All joking aside, this album sees a fair amount of black metal influence, especially on tracks like "The Rain." It also boasts the perfect balance of earthshaking low-end and melodic guitar work, not to mention some thunderous drumming from Corey Pierce.

God Forbid also does singing/screaming right, with the clean vocals of the Coyle brothers contrasting well against the bellowing roar of Byron Davis, while not coming off as whiny or emo. From the bleak-sounding classical intro of "The Discovery" to the last notes of "Gaia," Earthsblood is a solid album from start to finish.

The only noticable low on this album is "Walk Alone," which while not completely terrible, sticks out like a sore thumb against the other nine tracks. Saturated with 80s sleaze and swagger this track is trying too hard to be a some type of bastard rock anthem. All things considered, Earthsblood is God Forbid's best work to date. This is a band at their peak, an album definitely worth your ten bucks.

For fans of: Arch Enemy, Unearth, Lamb of God, Dimmu Borgir.

Not so "Spellbound" by this one..

A new single from Italian goth-metallers Lacuna Coil called "Spellbound" has just hit the airwaves.

Their upcoming album Shallow Life is being produced by Don Gilmore (of Avril Lavigne, Lit, and Duran Duran fame) and is supposed to showcase some Arabic influence.

My thoughts: Boy does this sound poppy to start off. Cristina Scabbia is still the saving grace of this band, without her they would be nothing. This song is all about the chorus, other than that its pretty mundane. Despite being pretty average, I still can't get enough of Cristina's voice.

Under the hand of Gilmore, and now touring with bands like Disturbed it seems like Lacuna Coil are taking a turn for the more commercial, and that's the vibe I'm getting from this track. I guess I'll have to wait and see what the rest of Shallow Life has to offer.

Take a listen,

Hallelujah! New Lamb of God!

Richmond's metal monsters Lamb of God have unleashed their wrath on the world once again with their aptly titled new album Wrath, which hit shelves this Tuesday. Hailed by many as the flagship band of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM), their fifth studio album has been highly anticipated by many fans the world over, and now that the band have established themselves as a mainstay of the arena circuit, expectations for Wrath have been substantially high.

The album opens with the calm acoustics of "The Passing," which echoes Master of Puppets-era Metallica before delivering a swift kick to the nuts in typical Lamb of God fashion with "In Your Words," a thrasher which sets the heart-pounding pace for the rest of the album. "Set To Fail" keeps the blood pumping with an opening arsenal of blast beats before dropping off into a hooky riff that seems to sink itself into your ears. "Contractor" is a blistering auditory assault that puts the speed in speed metal; it also offers a refreshing breakdown that separates Lamb of God from the rest of the chug-chug flock.

"Fake Messiah" is as explosive as its counterparts but somehow gets lost in the shuffle and fails to make much of a lasting impact on the ears save perhaps its repetitious chorus. "Grace" opens with an angelic guitar intro and then breaks into a riff that someone clearly sold their soul to the devil to get their hands on. It also features a solo from guitarist Mark Morton, which were much more of a hot commodity on the band's last effort, Sacrament. "Broken Hands" features one of the more memorable choruses on the album and "Dead Seeds" features an equally striking chorus that is dripping with groove, both of which should prove fan favorites in concert. "Everything to Nothing," is the quintessential Lamb of God song with its groove-laden chorus and all-out thrash verses. "Choke Sermon," which sounds like it could be a b-side from Ashes of the Wake is yet another straight-up Lamb of God track guaranteed to get some heads banging.

Finally, "Reclamation" is a whiskey-soaked anthem with plenty of blues flair. It opens with some dark and foreboding acoustic guitar before crescendoing into a whirlwind of screams from D. Randall Blythe. It weaves in and out between dark acoustics and pummeling metal for its duration, all the while set to the misanthropic words of Blythe, "Humanity's a failed experiment, walking the path to extinction spinning its wheels endlessly." He continues to spout his apocalyptic heresy like a snarling wolf until the album ends with the sound of white noise, a fitting finale to compliment the song's lyrical sentiment.

Generally speaking, Wrath throws polish to the wind, opting rather for grit and balls. It revels in reality and imperfection, and doesn't try to pass itself off as anything more than that. It may score points with fans of the the band's earlier albums, as Lamb of God have taken a bare-bones approach with Wrath, which still allows some breathing room for experimentation with things like new acoustic elements. Now more than ever, Blythe proves to be a vocal powerhouse. In all his guttural glory he employs some new twists on his screaming and shows how his vocals continue to progress.

Morton's bluesy shredding was a highlight on Sacrament and while his guitar solos still rip just as hard on Wrath, they are scarce and usually short-lived. Despite offering plenty of speed, Wrath leaves some shred to be desired. John Campbell's four strings are much more prominent on Wrath than on albums past, and for the better, bringing a fuller sound to the album that makes for a solid wall of sound. Track by track there isn't much to complain about on Wrath, but as an album it can seem a little redundant. That being said, Lamb of God aren't trying to be America's next prog-rock superstars. They know what they do, and they do it well. When it comes to their brand of raw in-your-face "pure American metal," this Virginia foursome know how to deliver.

So this is it...

So this is it... the blog with the most epic name in all of the interwebz. I plan to keep this pretty informal for the time being, I'll post music reviews and such, but also just thoughts on life and even some occasional angst-laden poetry? We'll see what ends up on here as it comes I suppose, probably an eclectic collection of things plucked from my brain. Until next time,

Chris.