Well the football season is in full effect and as usual my fantasy team is underperforming. Regardless of that fact, this is one of my favorite times of the year because football season and soccer season overlap. My two favorite sports are kicking into gear and asses are being kicked all over the place. The brutality of this football season is huge this year, hits are getting harder and excitement is growing. What I was thinking about was, “What music would be the best soundtrack to this carnage? “ And as usual, the answer to that question is METAL!!!! The speed of thrash, the brutality of death, and the pure balls of grind could be played at any football game and it would sync up just like The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd.
Imagine you are the quarterback for the Washington Redskins and you are lined up against the Dallas Cowboys and you see just across your front line a lion stalking you , never taking its eyes off you, and making you want to just throw the ball down and run for your hotel room. That lion is Demarcus Ware and he his waiting to burst through the line and completely obliterate you until you are nothing but a bleeding pile of putrid puss and feces. And there is no better soundtrack to that than Dying Fetus!
Dying Fetus – Justifiable Homicide
Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans is one of the best running backs that the NFL has seen in a long time. He is always capable of darting off on an 85 yard run and is always in danger of ripping well over 100 yards against any defense. The speed and technicality of his runs are reminiscent of thrash and all its glory. What else would make more sense for Chris to run against than Gama Bomb!
Gama Bomb – Zombie Blood Nightmare
The craziness that can come from offensive lines and defensive lines battling in the trenches is one that if filled with blood and sweat (and prrobably some other unmentionable fluids.) The O-line trying to push back the oncoming hordes of the enemy and the D-line trying to storm the castle that is the opposition can be a battle for the ages. With all the dirtiness and working man ethics of these two embattled opponents, grindcore would be the perfect music to ramp up their energy.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Allegaeon - Fragments of Form and Function
One of the biggest trends hitting the world of heavy music today is the rise of tech death bands. These are usually younger groups that play death metal but put more of an emphasis on the technicality of their playing abilities rather than simply trying to be the most brutal or heaviest band out there. With these bands, you are always going to hear an increasing number of guitar solos that sometimes seem to defy the world of physics in their intricacies and blazingly fast drums that batter the listener with more blast beats than the average drummer can even fathom. One of the newest bands to bring their version of technical death metal to the masses is Allegaeon from Colorado. Their newest album entitled Fragments of Form and Function is a searing display of the beauty that tech death can deliver. This is their first full length album and it is a great way to start off their career. According to the Encyclopaedia Metallum they play melodic tech death, which is a great way to describe their particular adaptation of death metal. They have all the technical aspects that bands such as Necrophagist or Anata have but they don’t get bogged down with trying to just noodle all over the fret board. They are able to demonstrate their prowess as musicians while also writing great songs that never bore the listener. The album kicks off with “The Cleansing” which has an almost symphonic feeling to it that rushes the listener with high-speed and increasingly technical riffs. The song progresses from that almost symphonic beginning to the brutal beat down that us metalheads are custom to hearing. The blast beats arrive and drive this song into a dark alleyway that would scare even the most hardcore MMA fighter. The vocals continue this beating with a typical melodeath delivery that fits in perfectly with their sound. A gentle (in comparison to the rest of the track) bridge breaks the gap to the solos that are simply mind blowing. It is not something easily described as they are uber-technical without sounding dry and stale. They continue to drive the song while showing off their extreme technicality. There does not seem to be a bad track on this entire release however some of the standouts are “Across the Folded Line,” “From Seed to Throne,” and “The God Particle.” These songs demonstrate the band’s abilities as songwriters in addition to showing off their increasingly amazing guitar work. This has to be one of the better releases of the year and no one seems to be talking about the. This is indeed a must have album for anyone that listens to death metal in all its varied subgenres.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Doom / Sludge / Stoner Playlist
When the term “heavy” was coined in correlation with music, it was used to describe a little metal band called Black Sabbath. Their sound resembled the effect of a thousand woolly mammoths trampling an entire village. And the music that they created is the wonderfully titled genre called Doom, a name that simply exudes heaviness. Two offshoots of this genre are stoner and sludge, subgenres that create a sound just as heavy in similar but different ways. I have combined all three of these subgenres in order to create one of the heaviest lists ever. Get ready to be crushed!
Black Sabbath – War Pigs
Electric Wizard – Dopethrone
Acid Bath – The Blue
High On Fire – Hung, Drawn, and Quartered
Lesbian – Black Forest Hamm
Shrinebuilder – Pyramid of the Moon
Confessor – Condemned
Jex Thoth – Son of Yule
Bongzilla – Amerijuanican
Candlemass – Bewitched
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Nekro Morphosis Promo 2010
Nekro Morphosis Promo 2010
The newest demo from Seattle black metal monsters Nekro Morphosis has arrived. It is a limited listening experience as it is only three tracks long and two of the songs came from their 2009 Split from the Clit with Drakul. Both “The Death of Morality” and “Walking With the Dead” emanated from this split and are a heaping dose of raw black metal and do not disappoint. They both give a frigid feeling of death that will chill you directly to your bones. There is a very raw, low-fi sound that has been created for these tracks. Blisteringly fast drums with fuzzed out guitars that sound like chainsaws ripping apart the flesh of the unworthy create the basis of this evil sound. Screaming, raspy vocals are added on top to complete the unholy sound that encapsulates these two tracks. The newer track, and the one that kicks off the release is called “Under the Guillotine” and it comes with a much fuller sound. The production levels of this song are much clearer and denser sounding than the other two tracks. What makes this song so good is that it retains the raw feeling of the other two tracks while containing this sound that is much richer and will be better at gaining newer fans that are not into the really raw sound. In addition, it has more of a death metal feeling than the other two tracks. At times there are guttural growls that fit neatly into the flow of the vocals that bring an added dimension. It shows the band’s ability to easily move between their black metal sound into that blackened death metal sound that is being heard everywhere these days. What makes it worthy of being listened to, is that they don’t simply copy what Behemoth do, they bring those two sounds together and make it a raw noise that fans of both camps of metal can enjoy. All in all it is a very solid release that everyone should pick up. And what is great about this release is that the band has put it up for free for everyone. Download it now at http://www.megaupload.com/?f=S7FBMYC6.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Grind Playlist
Dirty, filthy, sweaty, fast-paced, and pissed off. These are all way to describe the pure mayhem that is grind music. When you go to see a grind band play, it’s never in an amphitheater, or even in the larger clubs in your area. It is always in the smallest, seediest clubs or basements with no air conditioning and constantly has the smell of beer and vomit engulfing the room. When all you want is pure angry music that you can bash the walls in with, grind is going to be that choice. Not hyper-technical nor purely melodic, it is simple, fast, and always brutal. So come break a sweat to these purveyors of fury and rage.
Nasum – Wrath
Tard – Indecent Proposal
County Medical Examiners – Casper’s Dictum
Trap Them – Flesh and Below
Insect Warfare – Necessary Death
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – El Topo
Phobia – Rise Up
Repulsion – Radiation Sickness
The Berzerker – No One Wins
Brutal Truth – Denial of Existence
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Greatest Metal Lists
As I sit on my couch today reading the latest issue of Terrorizer and leaving the TV on in the background, I am confronted by something that has confounded me for a long time; the existence of “greatest lists.” In the magazine there is the “40 Riffs of Sickness,” a list of the greatest riffs of all time and on TV there is the list of 100 greatest artists of all time. Pretty much any weekend on VH1 there are 2 shows that will always be on, reality “stars” on dating shows and lists of the greatest something of all time. Now, I am not dumb, I know that these are not some mathematically calculated lists by panels of experts that determine what actually makes someone or something better than another, rather it is just based on a poll of whoever they can get a hold of. When VH1 creates the greatest artists of hard rock, they consult everyone from James Hetfield to Kerry King to a random comic they pull from the local night club. Most of these people have no real insight into what makes a great artist, it is simply which one they believe is most popular. Therein lies the real problem with these lists, the basic premise of “greatest.” If these lists are truthful they would all be titled “The Most Popular” or “Artists That We Think Will Make Us The Most Money.” That is why just about every list contains the same people over and over again. It gets pretty tedious to watch or read these lists because they become so monotonous that you can predict the order of them almost every time.
However, that may be the beauty of creating these lists. Creating a debate is what these people want as a result because any conversation that leads to intelligent thoughts on differing ideas can only bring about more ideas. Whenever someone says something like, “Megadeth creates the greatest music of all time,” someone else is bound to say, “That is ridiculous because they don’t hold a candle to Angelus Apatrida!” And the main reason for their argument is that Angelus is less known of and therefore superior, however they won’t say that outright. Even though that is an absurd argument it does one thing that is great, it brings more bands to the forefront and allows a greater number of people to discover new and exciting bands. Angelus Apatrida is a great band and by mentioning them in the same statement as Megadeth will only gain them more fans.
What I am getting at in this little editorial is that while these lists have no factual basis, because they are all subjective to the creator, they are mildly entertaining and can have the ability to create some good conversation and debate. In addition, best of lists or greatest list should be solely designated for year-end lists or suggestions for someone new to the genre. If they are created at any other time of the year, they are completely useless because they are not bringing in any new information. Year-end lists allow people to remember all the great albums of the past year, to be introduced to albums/bands they missed, and to create the debate that I mentioned as being beneficial to the existence of the genre. The more debate created equals more interest in the music and discovering new bands. If they are done right, these lists can be very valuable to metal.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Folk Metal Playlist
When discussing folk metal, there seems to be a couple different sounds a band can have. There are those that go for the upbeat, humppa style that can put a smile on the darkest of all metalheads, and there is the grim, earthy style that embodies one’s heritage. It can be mixed with black, power, thrash, death; just about any style of metal, and still come out sounding fresh and inspiring. Here is my new playlist featuring that new subgenre that is sweeping the metal world, folk!
Alestorm – Over The Seas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtxs1ymXLrY
Eluvietie – Quoth The Raven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fXmSvHJNQU
Hollenthon – Y Draig Goch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbSEGlm6jkg
Svartsot – Drekar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olASehl5DHk
Windir – Todeswalzer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ3m2CrB_54
Suidakra – The IXth Legion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz8EfkS4KK0
Primordial – Empire Falls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHvuXdhnieA
Blackguard – Allegiance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U5ODjG6xuE
Equilibrium – Blut Im Auge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yom8nNqmxvQ
Falkenbach – Heathen Foray
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Portnoy's Leaving
There has been a lot of news hitting the metal world lately. First off, perhaps the biggest is Mike Portnoy leaving prog geniuses Dream Theater. This was incredibly shocking news because this band was his creation and to see someone with such immense talent walk away is simply disheartening. In addition, it makes it all the more worse when he is sitting in as drummer for metalcore poster boys Avenged Sevenfold. Does this mean that he is joining this group of youngsters that don’t deserve a drummer of such gift? I think that I am on the same level as most true metalheads in saying that it is absurd that a terrible band such as A7X does not deserve Portnoy as he has consistently been a true musician with DT for 25 years and A7X is nothing but a wannabe Guns n Roses in that they are more about looks than their music. Although Portnoy says it has nothing to do with his joining of A7X it is hard to believe it.
"I BEG of the fans to please NOT hold A7X responsible for MY decision...they are just as shocked as you guys..I had been contemplating this and desiring a 'break' (not split) as long ago as last year...everything else is fully explained in the press release...thank you all for your support and understanding...this is the hardest thing I've ever done..." (metalunderground.com)
No matter what is said by all parties involved, this is a truly said day for one of the greatest bands of our generation. Hopefully this is just a temporary split as DT will not be the same without its heart and soul.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Black Metal Playlist
Darkened caves, frozen tundras, pits of hellfire, and of course, Satan! This is all part of what the mind conjures up when thinking of black metal. Dim lit, thinking man’s metal that came about from a frame of mind that was upset over the single minded nature of the mass majority. Here is a small look at the grim, frostbitten genre that has scared thousands for decades.
Barathrum – Bride of Lucifer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTIVQhGyq1w
Ceremonial Castings – When Winter Spectres Come
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSbfU-_6Om4&feature=related
Negura Bunget – Dedesuptul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWP53sDeJSE&feature=related
Dodheimsgard – Horrorizon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FcUcLxfFEo
Ludicra – A Larger Silence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BFUAOLXu-s
Archgoat – The Light Devouring Darkness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPERi2MBN0Y
Rotting Christ – Nemecic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81D5HfOnjqw
Peste Noire – Le Mesniee Mordrissoire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoJUgl-tKWM
1349 – Sculptor of Flesh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDSSqAF-VdU
Emperor – I Am the Black Wizards
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Behemoth's Nergal comments on his illness
BEHEMOTH's Nergal answers back to the overwhelming response of those offering to set up benefits in the vocalists honor
Singer's main goal is to raise awareness and get people involved by registering to be a bone marrow donor
Since news on Nergal's recent health issues has been released, the band, management, and label has received an overwhelming response from fans and bands all over the world asking how they can directly help Nergal. In response to everyone offering his or her help in terms of setting up benefits and shows to raise money for the frontman of the Polish blackened death metal band BEHEMOTH, Nergal has issued the following statement:
"I haven't intended to manifest myself in any way and, especially at this stage, to share my feelings or any other news with the world for obvious reasons. It is simply too early for it. But it was YOU who provoked me to say a few words. Regarding my personal low opinion of humankind, I'm shocked by the reaction to my illness. I actually expected NOTHING yet received feedback which surpassed all expectations. I want to ensure you I read EACH mail I receive, although I'm unable to reply to all of them. The power of your words is pure magic and I thank you all for it. You are a gigantic indestructible army that truly inspires me in this difficult time. The fact is that a fight with this illness is going to last for many months. Most of this time I will spend in hospital and I will go through various psychophysical states. If you know the history of Behemoth you also know we achieved everything by hard work and a steely determination. The same goes for my private life. I happen to be a strong son of a bitch. I have no faith but rely on a 100% victory and I am sure I will get out of it stronger than ever. Sun Tzu in his 'Art of War' said that if you know your enemy and yourself the result of a thousand battles will not surprise you… I enter the ring with this Nietzschean attitude and I will leave it as a winner, as usual. Just watch and see!
So I want to emphasize that Behemoth will by no means goes through any hibernation state. Obviously all concert plans must be postponed until some unknown point in the future, but things are happening! Lately our newest video for '…Alas, Lord is Upon Me' has premiered and stirred up quite a storm in mass media, which fills us with utter pride. Plus we've just finished the project of our new DVD; Evangelia Heretika is a three disc release, a real encyclopedia of Behemoth with nearly 5 hours of material and a bonus audio CD that will be out in November (Metal Blade US - Nuclear Blast Europe). Expect an experience of visual madness as we went to hell and back to make it! Our official Webstore has been functional for a couple of days and official merchandise and some very exclusive stuff can be bought there. At the beginning of 2011, Peaceville in Europe and Metal Blade in US will reissue the EPs with new artwork, bonuses, liner notes, and more. As you can see, despite a complicated situation and difficult circumstances we're remaining active wherever we can.
Nergal's official view on benefit concerts, fund raisers, etc. is focused on marrow donations as a whole issue, not his specific situation. If you want to help Nergal the best thing you can do is set up a marrow drive or register to be a bone marrow donor. Every person that registers to be a donor increases the chances of survival for Nergal and every other person out there suffering from the same illness.
To learn more about how you can register to donate marrow check out:
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