Album Review

Immolation

Majesty and Decay

It is always a big deal when one of the leaders of the death metal community comes out with a new album. I believe metalheads are always looking forward to these albums because they love to hear their favorite bands come out with new material and hope that it still carries the same qualities that drew them in when they first heard the band. Immolation is one of those legendary bands that can create a huge buzz simply by putting out new material. And their new album, Majesty and Decay, lives up to Immolation’s illustrious career.

The album starts off with “Intro,” an eerie mix of screams and atmospheric effects that gives the listener chills when listening for the first time. Then without any warning, “The Purge” kicks in and pummels you into submission. Bludgeoning double bass kicks capable of giving the listener a concussion starts the song off and gives you a hint of the journey to come. The drums rarely stop even when the guitars slow down, creating a devastating impression of pure doom and dread. Next up is “A Token of Malice,” a short but brutal track with intense lyrics. “Cast the fire, scorch the earth / Punish them and rip the ground away / Storm with vengeance, leveled plains / Leave them nothing and lay the land to waste.” The following track is the namesake of the album, “Majesty and Decay.” The song epitomizes the entire album by showing brutally fast riffs and solos (majesty) as well as the slower, incredibly intense passages (decay.) When Ross Dolan growls over these evil sounds one can be forgiven if they think that devil is actually being invoked through their speakers.

The album continues on to completely obliterate most of the death metal albums that have come out this year. Immolation continue to further their legacy of being one of the greatest death metal bands of all time. With an uncompromisingly heavy sound, Immolation maintain their tradition of writing great albums while proving that death metal is a true art form when done the right way.

Pure Molten Metal

Well, here we are, about to jump into another summer season of hopefully great tours. This is the time for bands to really shine, to prove that everyone should be out there and buying their albums. Putting on great performances leads to more album sales, more merch sales, bigger tours and more chances to play in front of adoring crowds. I recently went to see Dying Fetus, Arsis, Misery Index, Annotations of an Autopsy, Conducting From the Grave, and No Living Witness and it was incredible. Opening up the night was local band No Living Witness who had great stage presence and a very good sound, just unfortunate that there was barely a crowd to witness otherwise they would have gotten a bigger response. The next 2 bands, AOAA and CFTG, were not my style preferring to play the much maligned deathcore brand. While having a lot of energy, I just could not get too into them. Up next was the incredible Misery Index, a band birthed from former members of Dying Fetus, and they completely slayed the crowd. Following them were the powerful Arsis playing their brand of thrashy melo-death that melted the collective crowds' faces. And finaly Dying Fetus came to the stage playing such classics as Pissing in the Mainstream and Skull Fucked. The pit was churning, the crowd was loud, the band was intense, and the overall show was amazing. They continue to be one of my favorite bands.

What I am getting at with this short concert review is that to get the true metal experience one must see the spectacle of the live perfromance. You get to witness the power of the vocals, the thunderous beat of the drums, and the wizardry of the guitars and bass that make up your favorite albums. In addition to this, you get to discover new bands. There have been several shows where one of the opening bands completely steal the show from the headliner and I walk away with their shirt on my back. It allows local bands to perform along with the bands that they look up to and allow them a chance to be discovered as well. There is the camaraderie between you and your friends that all go to the show, between the countless people that you can meet at the show, and even the bands themselves because many of them spend time at the merch booth and even at the bar just hanging out. Going to shows is integral for every metalhead and the summer-time is a perfect chance for everyone to go to shows. This summer bands such as Saint Vitus, Soilwork, Death Angel, Orphaned Land, Immloation, Nile, and countless others are making the rounds and I will be at as many shows as I possibly can.

See you in the pit!!!

Ronnie James Dio - July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010

As we all have undoubtedly heard by now, one of the pillars of the metal community has past on. Ronnie James Dio, the man with the incredible voice who had the undeniably difficult task of taking over the vocal responsibilities for Black Sabbath after Ozzy left the band, has succumbed to stomach cancer after being diagnosed less than one year ago. This is one of those monumental times where you will never forget where you were when you heard the news of his passing. In my opinion, this ranks up there with the deaths of Hendrix, Morrison, and Cobaine. With a career that spanned four decades, his presence has been felt by several diffierent generations. His work with Elf and Rainbow were the kickoffs for his illustrious career but it was when he got the call in 1980 to join the heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath that he really became a household name. The albums Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules were classic albums that helped regenerate Sabbath as a power in the music world. He then continued his success with his solo career and put out one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time with Holy Diver. It was and continues to be a pinnacle in metal, one that every metal musician aspires to achieve.

Even as he went on in years, his voice never faltered, his enthusiasm for performing never waned, and his dedication to his fans continued to grow. He was the consmate front man and, from everything I have ever read about him, he was a genuinely kind human being. This is a great loss for metal and we will never see a man like Dio ever again.

Rest in peace Dio, you are gone but never will be forgotten.

Week 2 Playlist

Here it is, the new playlist format. Come check out some great death, folk, and black metal. Enjoy and keep up the horns!!!

Urgrund – Saga of Redemption

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQitgGSirO8

Ignivomous – Noneuclidean Maelstrom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pucsXy3qgS4

Melechesh – Ladders to Sumeria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSgIclwhNgo&feature=related

Eluveitie – Thousandfold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb8WGig0MLU

Coldworker – Reversing the Order

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZqcloVRr8

Krisiun – Combustion Inferno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRBy2_Un_zY

Resurrection – Pure Be Damned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNGx_vXow8k

Dying Fetus – Pissing in the Mainstream

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suhc5FfF8YQ

Nile – Papyrus Containing the Spell to Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who is In the Water

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq_KJnb7djY

Zimmers Hole – When You Were Shouting At the Devil….We Were In League With Satan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpAA-NBUqYk

Correction

So my idea for having a playlist did not pan out because I cannot find a way to put a media player on the blog, so stay tuned for some new ideas to show you all some great metal. Keep those horns up!!!!

Playlist

Here is what can be considered my real first playlist as I finally have a mediaplayer so you can all hear what I am playing. Enjoy it all and check out the records if you enjoy the songs!!!

Kill It. Skin It. Wear It. - Man Must Die
Stabwound Orgasm - Avulsed
Compulsory Resurrection - Abysmal Dawn
Scar Spangled Banner - Exodus
Draw Blood - Witchery
Removing the Common Bond - Psycroptic
Darklands - Paths of Possession
I Am Abomination - 1349
Mock the Cross - Bloodbath
Iron - Ensiferum

Pure Molten Metal

"Are you ready for some pure fucking folk metal?!?!?!?!?!?" - Christian Glanzmann - Eluveitie

Bagpipes, fifes, flutes, and more bagpipes; how great is it that metal is finally integrating these instruments into its underground depravity?!?! I am a huge fan of folk metal and I believe that more people need to get into this genre. I think that my interest in the genre comes from the same reason that the Irish punk stylings of the Dropkick Murphys is one of my favorite bands. I crave these less than popular instruments that creates an amazing sound. I've been listening to Eluveitie, Ensiferum, Alestorm, Finntroll, Korpiklaani, Suidakra, and many others for a couple years now and I cannot help but love these bands. Even though I love death and thrash (and I always will), I need some wrench to throw into the gears. That comes in the form of different instruments that may not sound very heavy to begin with, but when you see two women performing twin wind-mill headbanging while playing a fiddle and a hurdy gurdy, your opinion will definitely change. Watching a hundred black clad metalheads performing a jig in the middle of a moshpit makes me so happy I can not even put it to words. There needs to be some sort of levity in the metal underground because in this day and age people get so consumed with a feeling of "I'm metal and need to be serious about it," we need bands that can simply bring a smile to peoples' faces. Some people have told me that folk metal is just too simple and that does not make it very metal. I have one opposition to that; how simple is it to bring 7 instruments and4 vocalists together and make a heavy as well as melodic composition? Even though it may just be a fad, I believe that this is a sub-genre that I will continue to love. When I turn 70, it might be easier to listen to Ensiferum than Withered Earth!

Concert Review

Toxic Holocaust

Much to my surprise, Toxic Holocaust, the blackened thrash band from Joel Grind, were playing at a tiny bar, Jimmy Z's in Everett, WA. This is a band that has played with huge bands such as 3 Inches of Blood, Soilwork, and the mighty GWAR. They have played in the same venues that most of the bigger bands that come through the Seattle area do and yet they still play the tiny bars without any sort of ego. I was able to talk to Joel after the set and he was a very nice guy to talk to, just a really kind guy. Back to the set, they played roughly an hour long nd just played song after song with no interruptions. They played such songs as Wild Dogs, Nuke the Cross, Future Shock, and 666. It was at a small bar so there were only about 5 or 6 of us actually thrashing and moshing around, which was actually really fun. It really fit the set and the crowd because the band plays such a fast and intense show that it does not need a huge crowd to get moving. They don't play the type of music that allows for a large audience to participate all the time, it is just fast and furious metal that is straight to the point. I loved it because they sometimes all a metalhead wants is some straightforward brutality to thrash around to. A more intimate setting like this bar was perfect for the gritty sound of this very raw band. If they happen to come to your town, make sure you get there and rock your fucking ass off!!

Playlist

Here is a new topic for the site, my current playlist. I am going to try to get a mediaplayer on here so I can upload my playlist so all can listen to it, but as of right now, it is just going to be a list. If anyone knows how to put a mediaplayer on here please feel free to let me know!

Man Must Die - Kill It. Skin It. Wear It.
Gama Bomb - Final Fight
Ignominous Incarceration - Elusion in Mortality
Opeth - Moonlapse Vertigo
Melechesh - Tablets of Faith
Dark Fortress - Satan Bled
Dew-Scented - Act of Rage
Angelus Apatrida - Room 237
Final Breath - Killed by Lust
Coldworker - Paradox Lost
AC/DC - Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

Check them all out and have fun!!

Concert Review

Kreator
Kataklysm

Evile

Lazarus AD

Lightning Swords of Death

Its been a long time since I put anything on here, other things have been getting in the way, but I promise to bring more metal to you all.

Kreator, Kataklysm, Evile, Lazarus AD, Lightning Swords of Death

El Corazon; Seattle, WA; 3/18/2010

Starting off the evening was the blackened thrash styles of Lightning Swords of Death. I was not familiar with this band but their presence was very good for an opening band. With a heavy fog machine and very high volumes, they kicked the evening off very well. The crowd was not too rowdy for them but in between songs and after their set they received a very solid ovation. As a result of their very heavy set and intense stage presence, I became interested in them and have since become a fan, which is pretty much the exact result a band in their situation could want.

Up next was the thrash stylings of Lazarus AD. I was able to catch them several months ago when they came through town with Testament and they seemed to have pretty much the same set. The crowd definitely got into the band; after a couple songs the pit erupted into a circle of destruction. If there is one thing that Lazarus AD is good for, it is a solid headbanging time. They have enough breakdowns in their songs that allow the audience to headbang along with the band for what seemed like the majority of the set. The vocals need to vary a little bit but they are a very young band with plenty of potential. They very well could be a top tier band in the future.

Up next was the classic thrash sounding of England’s Evile. This was their very first trip across the pond and they could not have picked a better tour to kick the trip off with. While not a huge name in the mainstream, in the underground they are definitely an up and coming band. They have had great success with their debut Enter the Grave, and they showed why so many people have jumped on their bandwagon. Thrashing through hits such as Thrasher and Enter the Grave, Evile showed their technical expertise while still making sure the audience does not get bored with heavy guitar wankery. If you have not checked out this band you need to go out and buy their music as soon as possible and catch them on tour when they come through your town.

The only death metal band on the bill was the direct support for the headliner. Hailing for Montreal was classic death dealers Kataklysm. Never a band to disappoint, they came out brutal and never let up. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy from note one and they hardly stopped throughout the entire set. They played such hits as Ambassador of Pain and Crippled and Broken which at times seemed to be sing-a-longs for the crowd. They were relentless with their brutality that fueled the crowd into a monsoon of bodies that flew across the floor with no thought of safety. Kataklysm have been around for many years and they never fail to put on an unbelievable performance for the crowd.

Finally, the headliner for the evening, Kreator took the stage. One of the originators of German thrash, Kreator have the ability to play any song from their collection and any crowd will eat up every word and note. They played songs from Pleasure to Kill, Coma of Souls, Enemy of God, Endless Pain, Hordes of Chaos, and others which delighted the audience to no end. When they plated such hits as Pleasure to Kill and Flag of Hate the audience sang along while moshing harder than they did for any other band on the bill. Mille Petrozza still has the ability to coerce the audience to destroy anything in their path even this late in his illustrious career. Kreator is simply a band that every metalhead needs to see live at least once in their life.