Kingdom of Noise

Alcest - Les Voyages De L'Ame

2012-02-11T14:39:00.001-05:00

Upon first listen this, the third full-length from the Stephane "Neige" Paut fronted project, appeared to me as soft and weak. Boring even. But then I read an article about the album which included a discussion with Neige himself. After that, I decided I owed the album another shot. This time, with open ears and an open mind. That openness is the key. The key to unlocking the experience of Les Voyages De L'Ame. This works reciprocally as well. Experiencing the album will open your mind. If you allow it, the expansiveness will permeate your senses take you to a state of relaxation. Much like the way Wolves In The Throne Room conjure images of thick, moss-drenched red wood forests, or the icy, wind-swept peaks envisioned by any number of Nordic Black Metal bands, Alcest feels like an auditory representation of meadows, rolling hills and sunny willow trees swaying in the wind. A far cry from Paut's frosty moniker. The connection to the band's Black Metal roots are subtle. Some screamed vocals and more thunderous drums make appearances in some songs such as "La Ou Naissent Les Colours Nouvelles" and "Faiseurs De Mondes". Those moments may dissuade listeners not as familiar with music's more extreme factions, but in the overall scheme, they balance out against the more delicate ones. Intricate guitar lines and a general wash of atmosphere warm the listener as Neige croons. (About what, I don't know. It's mostly in French) While the soothing vocals and tinkly guitar (like sunlight sparkling on a softly flowing stream) dominate the album, the "black"-er moments serve as a reminder that life isn't all butterflies and rainbows. There is still pain in the world. But you can't hold on to that. You need to embrace the beautiful things in life and channel them. Create something beautiful. The soaring melodies, lush soundscape and soul-baring vocals may not endear themselves to hardcore tough guys or die-hard death-heads but all you need to do is open your mind and let Alcest take your soul on a journey.

Les Voyages De L'Ame is available now from Prophecy Productions.

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N.B. I cannot stress enough the importance of listening to this with quality equipment. Lackluster gear will do the album absolutely no justice.

GIGANTOUR (Megadeth, Motorhead, Volbeat, Lacuna Coil) @ the KRC, Kingston, ON Feb 5, 2012

2012-02-07T04:45:00.001-05:00

Kingston has certainly had bigger concerts than this, but to the best of my knowledge, this is the biggest METAL concert to come to town. And it would have to be on Super Bowl Sunday too. No matter. Metal trumps football every time. The turnout at the K-Rock Centre was about what I expected (i.e. not sold out) but from what I understand, the crowd wasn't as rowdy as they should have been. I was 2-5 people deep front and center. Things were plenty rowdy down there. I had seen Megadeth play an acoustic set over 10 years ago but I'd never seen them play a real show. I've been listening to Megadeth for almost 20 years so I've waited a long time. Back in high school I couldn't get enough Megadeth. So needless to say, I was pretty excited. For this version of Gigantour, MegaDave chose a diverse mix of bands in Lacuna Coil, Volbeat and the legendary Motorhead.

Lacuna Coil opened the show to a somewhat sparse but relatively enthusiastic crowd. Some derisive comments were thrown about but the younger group seemed to really embrace them. I'm considering reviewing Dark Adrenaline so I won't go into too much detail. But the band did what they do to an effective degree. They belted out their radio-ready metal in an entertaining show. I will say I enjoyed them live more than on record. However, the male compliment to vocalist Christina Scabbia, Andrea Ferro, sounded a little flat. Maybe he was having an off night. All in all, they did a good job warming the crowd up. They were a lot better than most of the opening bands I see around town. They promised to come back as headliners but I bet they say that everywhere. I spoke with Lacuna Coil's manager (Adam "Doom" Sewell. You know him.) for an hour or so before the show and he was going to take me back to meet the bands but by the time Megadeth was done, Christina was already prepped for bed and everyone else booked it as well. Maybe next time.

Before Sunday night, I'd had zero exposure to Volbeat. So anything that didn't suck would be a pleasant surprise. Well, they didn't suck. They played a sort of metalized punkabilly. Lots of energy, great presence. As much as I wanted to be that "It's not fuckin' Megadeth. Fuck this." guy, I still found my toes tappin' or head noddin' for most of their set. It wasn't necessarily something I would seek out on my own but I was definitely not disappointed. Quite and interesting blend of influences. The sometimes Elvis-like and most times Load-era Hetfield vocal style (without some of the more annoying mannerisms) lends itself very well to singing along. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I found out these guys have a dedicated fan base. I did see quite a few Volbeat shirts making there way back in to the arena during the break. Thanks to them, I saw something I never expected to see before though. People moshing to a Johnny Cash cover. First time for everything. Speaking of covers, they teased us with the beginning of Slayer's "Raining Blood". Don't DO that! You get a guy all excited and then nothin'. I think the most interesting bit of info I learned was that Hank Shermann of Mercyful Fate fame was filling in on guitar for the tour. I'm not a huge MF fan, but that's still pretty cool.

I know Motorhead but I don't KNOW Motorhead. (I think the band itself is older than I am.) So I wasn't as outwardly excited as a large contingent of the older crowd. I do know enough that I recognize the worth in seeing them live. What metal fan doesn't want to see Motorhead? Lemmy is a legend. From the spot I was, I couldn't hear the vocals very well but even if I had, how much of it could I have understood anyway, right? I'm not sure what else I can say here. It was Motorhead playing Motorhead songs. They aren't flashy or anything. Well, except drummer Mikkey Dee. Dude is like Animal! He's a beast! Adam told me he was going to do a drum solo and it was un-fucking-real. Lemmy said he was the "best drummer in the world" and he played like it. It was pretty special. And I tell ya, if I didn't already have permanent hearing damage (tinnitus), I would after that set. It was so loud! Maybe not Jucifer loud, but louder than anyone else that night. Another legendary band to check off on my list of "have seen live". I can't die happy yet though.

The Megadeth lineup of Mustaine, Ellefson, Broderick and Drover is as good as any lineup they've had. Yes, as good as the Rust In Peace lineup. And it's great to see Ellefson back in the band. Back when I started playing bass, "the other Dave" was someone I really looked up to. In fact, "Trust" was one of the first songs I learned to play. Coincidentally, "Trust" was the set opener! I hear the entire set list is available on the Cyber Army forums but I'll give some highlights. I missed a lot of the between songs banter because a) I wasn't in a good spot to hear the vocals to begin with. Good thing I knew pretty much all the words anyway; b) Some drunk fucker was basically just yelling the whole time in my vicinity; and c) some other ass requesting "Bite the Hand" between every song. Right behind me. So apparently. MegaDave asked if everyone was sleeping because the crowd was so tame. At the edge of the pit, where I was, it wasn't that tame. You would think you were at a hardcore show the way people were moshing. Megadeth isn't mosh music. Maybe I'm just getting old. I will tell you this, the crowd got some energy when Dave said this next one is about "little green men" and launched into "Hanger 18". I got nostalgic when they played the song that got me into Megadeth with "Symphony of Destruction". I believe they played 3 songs off the new album, TH1RT3EN, including "Public Enemy No. 1"and "Who's Life (Is It Anyway)". As expected/hoped for, Christina Scabbia joined them on stage for the updated version of "A Tout Le Monde". I lost my shit when Vic Rattlehead made an appearance for "Peace Sells". My constantly sleep deprived brain is having trouble with the details but I know they played "Wake Up Dead", "In My Darkest Hour" and "Sweating Bullets". Did that one ever bring back high school memories! I fully intended to keep track of the setlist but for a good majority of the set I couldn't move my arms enough to get my phone out. The "sleeping" crowd had me pinned between a fat guy, a drunk chick, and Decibel Reader of the Month, Gabe Hugh. Of course, what Megadeth show would be complete without set closer, "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due." By playing a collection of songs covering almost the entire spectrum of their career, Megadeth has emphasized how consistent they've been. I can say that I walked away from my first real Megadeth show fully satisfied. Walking away uninjured was a bonus too. I just hope I don't have to wait another 10 years to see them again.

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2011 Record Label of the Year

2012-01-19T04:44:00.001-05:00

The Second Annual Record Label of the Year, as decided by Kingdom of Noise, is awarded to.....Canada's own Profound Lore Records!!

The basis I use to determine the RLOTY is basically, the label that released the most albums on my Top 40 Albums of the Year list. This year the race wasn't even close. Profound Lore released a whopping 14 out of 41 albums on the list, including my Top 3! That's 34%! Incredible! Now here's a label that knows how to pick 'em. Even the releases that didn't end up on my Top 41 were still solid, solid albums. Not a dud to be found. I can't say enough about founder Chris Bruni's ability to sign such amazing bands and get their music out there. Well done, sir. And thank you very, very much for making 2011 a great year for music.

I also have to mention the other labels that released multiple albums that made my Top 41. Last year's ranking in parentheses.

2nd Place, with 6 releases, Relapse Records. (1st. Relapse narrowly beat out Nuclear Blast and Season of Mist for last year's honour.)

3rd Place, with 4 releases, including 2 in the Top 10, Metal Blade Records. (T-4th)

4th Place, with 4 releases, Prosthetic Records. (5th)

5th Place, with 2 releases, Century Media.(Did not rank)

(If you count Megadeth and Cavalera Conspiracy (special mentions on my list) Roadrunner takes 5th with 3 releases.)

I have to give special mention to Gilead Media. I only discovered this label late in the year so I didn't get to spend very much time with the releases but their lineup is stellar. False, Barghest, Fell Voices, Ash Borer and Northless are all really good. Not to mention they distributed the vinyl version of my AOTY, Diotima by Krallice. (I think I saw the Yob LP on there too.) I look forward to seeing what Gilead has to offer for 2012.

I'd also like to thank the rest of the labels with releases that "charted".

Nuclear Blast, Seventh Rule, Earache, Reprise, Willowtip, Candlelight, E1, Indie, Tankcrimes, and although no album charted, Grindcore Karaoke.

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R.I.P. David Gold

2012-01-16T17:11:00.001-05:00

As you most likely already know, Woods of Ypres frontman David Gold was killed in a car accident a few days before Christmas. I'd just like to say a few things.

I only became aware of Woods of Ypres last year. I listened to Woods 4: The Green Album and became and instant fan. Later than day, I tweeted a couple thoughts about the album and before the screen had faded on my phone, David had responded to my thoughts. We had a little back and forth that day and that was it. That one brief conversation with him was the only time we ever "spoke" but it left a mark. See, I didn't initiate contact. He did. He was actively seeking out comments about Woods of Ypres and willfully interacting with the fans. I said to myself, "Wow. That's cool." This is but one small example of the dedication David had for his band and its fans.

I enjoyed following the progress of the making of Woods 5: Grey Skies and Electric Light. I was very excited to see how it turned out. I wasn't the only one. The buzz surrounding the band seemed to be growing. It was looking like 2012 was going to be big for Woods of Ypres. Then the hammer blow.

I was on break in the middle of a night shift when I heard. I was stunned. My eyes grew big as saucers and my jaw hit the floor. I didn't believe it at first. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to find out it was a hoax. Soon enough it became apparent that wasn't the case. In the words of Gold himself, "Only death is real." I can't say I was 100% surprised that Gold met his end before his time. He didn't appear to be a happy man. Optimists and happy-go-lucky souls don't write that many songs about death. But with all the recognition and what not the band was getting, I had hoped that other kind of tragedy would be a non-issue. If you take my meaning. Although, if he believed what he sang about in "Death is Not an Exit", he realized that suicide is never the solution. It's a very small consolation that this was an accident, but nevertheless, a tremendous talent was taken away far too early.

Earache Records released a digital promo of Woods 5 shortly after Gold's death. Whenever I listen to it, I feel like it's being sung by a ghost. As if the album wasn't haunting enough. I was singing along to it on my drive to work this morning and I could hardly see for the tears. It doesn't make any sense why I should grieve so much for a man I didn't even know. I've been more upset these past few weeks about Gold's passing that I have been for some extended family members. Perhaps the tragic nature and the age of the deceased played a part. More than likely, my grief is born of selfishness. Woods 5 will be the last WoY album. I will never meet David. I'll never get to see him perform live. All those things are now denied to me. Of course, I also have the deepest compassion for his family, close friends and most rabid fans. The road to enlightenment is paved with compassion, and as a Buddhist practitioner, that's my ultimate goal. So deep down, most of those tears are shed for them.

I didn't feel this bad about any of the metal figures that have passed recently. Not for Dio, nor Cory Smoot, nor Paul Gray, nor Peter Steele. All in bands with bigger profiles than WoY. Bands I've been fans of for years. I don't even think I felt this genuinely sad for Cobain. And I was a huge Nirvana fan. (I was more angry than anything.) Even though I've only been a Woods of Ypres fan less than a year, this hurts more than any of those. So much potential, lost in the blink of an eye.

I will leave you with a chilling thought. In the song "Alternate Ending" on Woods 5, there are the lyrics "Back on the highway, under the moon. My final moments, still wondering about you." It's like he knew.

Return In Peace, David. May your next life bring you happiness.

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"Guilty Pleasures" of 2011

2012-01-15T12:52:00.001-05:00

When I started counting down my favourite albums of 2011 I mentioned that there were a couple of albums I intentionally left off. I left them off not because I wouldn't consider them among my favourite 40 but because I know they aren't among the best 40. My bias towards these artists is too strong to allow me to judge them fairly against the rest of the list. So instead of trying to find the proper place and then imagine people saying "Are you kidding me?!" I just decided to make a separate post.

Megadeth - TH1RT3EN: I don't really feel guilty per se for liking this album as much as I do. But I'm not going to pretend that it's AMAZING either. I'm also not going to pretend that 13 is their best album either. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I don't believe there are any duds. It's Megadeth doing what Megadeth does. You have to admit that besides Slayer, Megadeth are the best and most consistent band among the BIg 4. Megadeth played a big part in my early metalhead life. For a time, they were my favourite metal band of all time. This band has had so much influence on me, and holds a special place in my heart. I actually framed my autographed sleeve for The World Needs a Hero. I met them, had it signed and saw them perform an acoustic on the day it was released. That's actually the only time I've seen them live. UNTIL FEBRUARY 5TH!!! For all that, I can't judge Megadeth. Unless they pull a Metallica. Then all bets are off.

Traditionally, any new release from Clutch graces the top spot on my list. I don't have to worry about bias. They ARE the best. But with no new release from them in 2011, (the Blast Tyrant re-issue doesn't count) a Clutch album doesn't come into play here. In such (disappointing) years as Clutch fail to release an album,.top honours usually go to Soulfly. Their release schedules are mostly staggered. Since no Soulfly album was released either, my second "guilty pleasure" of 2011 is:

Cavalera Conspiracy - Blunt Force Trauma: This feels like more of a guilty pleasure. CC get no respect. Soulfly doesn't get much either for that matter and really, in a blind taste test, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two. But I have a man-crush on Max Cavalera as a musician (he's not much to look at) so I really dig just about anything he is involved in. It's really unfortunate that his name is so associated with nu-metal. I really dig this album and I don't care what you think. Although, "I Speak Hate" isn't Max's best effort.

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The Kingdom of Noise Album of the Year for 2011: KRALLICE - DIOTIMA

2012-01-14T16:10:00.001-05:00

No album of 2011 captured me the way Diotima (Profound Lore) did. Krallice have crafted a masterpiece that at times has left me literally speechless. Rendered mute and dumbfounded by the sheer brilliance of their creation. The immensity of talent that forms Krallice is mind-blowing. And I feel ashamed that I haven't realized that until this year. I can almost guarantee that I heard Dimensional Bleedthrough but for whatever reason it didn't click with me. As I've said before, Black Metal in general is a taste I have only acquired in the past couple years. The less black there is in my hair, the more black there is in my heart. Granted, Diotima is considered avant-garde as far as Black Metal goes but it hasn't transcended the genre altogether. One of the aspects of Black Metal that I particularly enjoy, and that Krallice perform with considerable success, is the sense of motion. Specifically a sense of flight. For the entire length of the album, my consciousness soars through time. Landscapes and colours shift and fade in my mind's eye. Darkness and light explode across my being or creep through my veins. My mind, body and spirit melt into one entity, content in nothing other than the absorption of the sound waves.

I may sound like I am being overly dramatic but this album affected me on a level much deeper than simply auditory pleasure. A sensory satisfaction that mundane can be satiated a thousand times over before you happen across something that is so good it hurts. That's what good art does. It makes you feel. You may feel joy. You may feel anxiety or fear. Anger, Sadness. Pride. Elation or disappointment. It could make you feel powerful, or weak. Or it may make you feel all of these things. The point is that it makes you feel something. That's what Diotima does for me. It makes me feel all those things. Often in the same song. As the soundscape unfolds, I envision it as the soundtrack to a world. It's stories and drama unravelling in sonic elegance. A journey beyond the speakers. An epic worthy of reverence for its ability to move your soul through the ether to a place outside of the everyday. And this is how I feel before I've even read the lyrics. The artfulness of the music is carried through into the words. The screams and growls and howls serve as more than just another instrument. They act as a vehicle for the poetic beauty of the written words. The juxtaposition of the cerebral lyrics and "animalistic" nature of the vocals is somewhat striking but not unexpected. Nothing about Diotima would suggest anything otherwise. One wouldn't expect such care to be taken musically to create such grandeur and nuance only to throw trivial lyrics over it. The lyrics get the listener thinking and the music sets the tone and fleshes out the details which together creates a magnificent singular piece of immensely satisfying art. For me, all this has enough impact to destroy a world. Perhaps similar to the impact that is theorized to have destroyed Tiamat and created our Solar System's asteroid belt. One of those asteroids is coincidentally named 423 Diotima. Named for the historical Greek figure, Diotima's discourses with Socrates are said to be the origins of the concept of Platonic love. While I assure you I have no intentions of proposing marriage to any members of the band, or my double vinyl copy of the album for that matter, my love for Diotima does push the very limits of the definition of Platonic.*

The dramatis personae performing this masterwork consists of vocalist/guitarist Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Ocrilim), guitarist Colin Marston (Behold...Arctopus, Dysrhythmia, Gorguts), bassist/vocalist Nick McMaster and drummer Lev Weinstein. This foursome possesses a superb wealth of talent. Each an absolute master of their craft. Thankfully, it appears that ego does not come part and parcel with all that ability. In the liner notes, writing credits are presented as "MUSIC INITIATED BY..." :LYRICS BY...". I love that term "initiated by". This would lead me to believe (and I have read elsewhere) that this is a total band effort. Each member contributing to and building on an idea, a concept, a framework, initiated by one member. In fact, every member's name appears in the music and/or lyrics. As much as I deride "artists" who don't write their own "songs", I applaud even more so for bands that collaborate as a team. On this their third album, Krallice are now champions.

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*According to the Wikipedia, entry for Diotima, "with genuine Platonic love, the beautiful or lovely other person inspires the mind and the soul and directs one's attention to spiritual things." That sounds about right. "Oh my GOD, this is awesome!"

CD available from Profound Lore here.
2LP vinyl available from Gilead Media here.

#2: Subrosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

2012-01-11T06:38:00.001-05:00

Subrosa is one of those bands I had never heard of until I saw posts about them on Twitter. Their record label, Profound Lore, was using tweets to promote the release of No Help For The Mighty Ones. After repeated posts I said to myself, "Well fuck. I should probably check it out." Don't tell me social media doesn't work! I was floored! I knew I was going to like it when I heard the Electric Wizard-esque opening riff on "Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes". I'm a sucker for tone and Subrosa nailed it. Love at first head nod. So you can imagine my jaw dropping when the already formidable wall of noise was joined by electric violins! At first I didn't even know what I was hearing. I thought at least one of them was a brass instrument. A little research cleared that up however. It wasn't so much ignorance that lead to the error as much as unexpectedness. On subsequent listens my appreciation of the contrast between the tones ripened even more. I now can't even entertain the notion of that insectile presence not being there to balance out the mammoth bottom end. It's a symbiotic relationship. Another unexpected surprise was how much I liked the singing. Yes singing. No quotation marks. Usually the only clean female singing I hear is from the crap my wife likes on the radio. Or worse, the crap my parents made me listen to growing up. I can't tell you how many times I found myself singing along unabashedly to those powerful, memorable, emotional choruses. A general sense of sorrow permeates the album. At times I felt myself on the verge of tears. Not only because of Subrosa's ability to draw out the emotions but also just because it's so damn good! Especially during "House Carpenter". The sometimes skittery, sometimes mournful violins, the subterranean oppressiveness of the Kyuss-ian guitars and the beautiful singing would be nothing if it weren't for the phenomenal song writing. Hooks both vocal and instrumental sink their barbs in deep. Every track is a testament to music as an art form. Brilliant in every way.

For a (much) more in depth treatise on my unrepentant fondness for No Help For The Mighty Ones, check out the detailed review I wrote earlier this year.

Who do you think will take the top spot this year?

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#3: Yob - Atma

2012-01-11T01:39:00.001-05:00

When talking about the Batillus album I referred to it as "doom at its best". That's different than "the best doom". That honour goes to Atma (Profound Lore). Guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt, bassist Aaron Reiseberg and drummer Travis Foster have summoned forth a monumental slab of thunderous doom mastery. Thick as molasses riffs unfold at a glacial pace, as unstoppable as that very force of nature. The hypnotic nature of the riffs coupled with the fuzzed out, overdriven tone can lull you into a state of bliss that allows the music to permeate every fiber of your being. It is a transcendental and meditative experience. As doomy as it is, Atma doesn't bring me down. I feel uplifted by its positive energy. Although, the guest vocals by Scott Kelly of Neurosis on "Before We Dreamed of Two" are somewhat sombre. Kelly also appears on "Adrift in the Ocean". Also, Stevie Floyd of Dark Castle provided the stunning artwork. "Adrift in the Ocean" is actually a decent metaphor for another way I feel about the album. The fluidity of the album and the way the riffs rise and fall gives one the sense of riding waves. Also, sometimes the tension that is felt reminds me of the perils that lurk in the vastness of the open ocean. Above and below the water. Storm or serpent. That may not sound very uplifting, but I still feel good listening to Atma. In terms of the word "atma" itself, it is defined as "the self". Self in the vastest sense of the word. This gives me a somewhat personal connection to the album. As a practitioner of an Eastern philosophy (NKT Buddhism), the self or "I" is at the heart of the practice. We are taught that the "I" is not this body, is not a physical thing. It is a formless mental continuum that carries our karmic potentialities from consciousness to consciousness as long as we are trapped in the cycle of birth, suffering, death and rebirth called samsara. Heavy stuff. Heavy stuff calls for heavy music and you won't find many bands as heavy, or as good, as Yob.

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#4: Rwake - Rest

2012-01-10T06:02:00.001-05:00

And I thought Voices of Omens was good! Obviously the 4 years that past between its release and 2011's Rest (Relapse) was time well spent. I have a horrible memory and I haven't listened to Voices in at least three years. Therefore, I can't really make a direct comparison between the two albums. Rest is so good, however, that the fact that I can't quite remember Voices that well doesn't bother me a bit. I find the album very hypnotic. Not in a wholly psychedelic sense but more that I have a hard time keeping my eyes fully open. I prefer to close myself off from visual distraction and let the music flow through me. And flow it does. It might not seem like it should with all the tempo changes and non-traditional song structures but it does. Whether it's an acoustic passage, spoken word, a vicious pummeling or just straight sludge, every piece fits naturally. Almost like there is some supernatural force dictating how the album plays out. That follows with one of the general themes that I feel from the album. The theme that there is more to life than what can be seen. More in our environment, more in our world, more in our universe. There are forces at play that we can't begin to contemplate until we open our minds fully. This album is one of those albums that puts my mind into altered states without the use of drugs. The music itself gets me high. In addition to just plain blowing my mind, Rest also receives addition Kingdom of Noise "awards" for 2011. First, The Vocal Performance of the Year. The energy and passion displayed by vocalist CT and co-vocalist B puts a fire in my heart. Such conviction! Second, Song of the Year for "Was Only A Dream". That song just speaks to me. I could (and did) listen to it on repeat for days. It's so powerful. I have quite the affinity for trees. They are the life force of our planet. Deforestation for raising livestock is one of the reasons I became a vegetarian. (If I was single, without kids, I'd be vegan) So it would come as no surprise given my fondness for trees that the third award is for Album Cover of the Year. It depicts a gnarly, barren tree bathed in sunlight filtered through a light fog. Part of what I love about it is it looks strikingly similar to a couple of trees right in my very own yard. Those trees are part of the reason we bought the house. Also, the lack of foliage represents, to me, not only the cycle of the seasons but also the fact that our planet is slow dying. You would think that an album that I have bestowed so much praise upon would rank as #1 but remember, anything in my Top 5 could be #1 on any given day. It's like trying to chose my favourite child. It can't be done. But on some days, one can be more endearing than the others. I feel really bad that I have yet to purchase Rest. It needs to be part of my collection. And with that all important lyric sheet, my connection to and understanding of the album could only be deepened.

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#5: Batillus - Furnace

2012-01-10T00:11:00.001-05:00

I heard the UPS guy threw out his back when he delivered my vinyl copy of Furnace (Seventh Rule). 180g my ass! This fucker is ungodly heavy. In fact, it's so heavy that when I asked my buddy Atlas (the Greek God) to hold it for me, he replied with an emphatic "FUCK. THAT." Nevertheless, I somehow managed to summon my Herculean might and drop the needle on the heaviest release I've heard for 2011. Furnace is rife with monolithic riffs so dense they must have been forged in the furnace that burns at the center of the Earth. This is DOOM at its best Ladies and Gents. But what makes it so great is the dynamics. It's not all plodding, mind-crushing/numbing drone. There are peaks and valleys to compliment the immensity. The impact of the crushing moments is heightened by the build up. The other side of the mountain isn't a gentle slope, it's a sheer cliff. There's no way to save yourself from being flattened. I have to give special mention to the track "Deadweight". It epitomizes the way I feel about Furnace. The chorus is ridiculously heavy. The lyrics "Fall on your knees/Crushed by your soul/Poisoned your mind/That serves you no more" are accompanied by an absolutely pulverizing chug that literally compels me to fall on my knees. My soul is indeed crushed, mind poisoned. No album this year has elicited such an undeniable physical response from me. I don't claim to be any kind of format expert, but for maximum richness, I'd spend my money on the vinyl. And enjoy the soul-crushing.

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#6: Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

2012-01-06T09:46:00.001-05:00

This album is a perfect example of how my personal tastes are always evolving. Back in 2009 when I heard Black Cascade, I didn't "get it". I still wasn't much for Black Metal yet. Since then, the part of my brain that understands albums such as Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord) has woken up. And it's saying "go back and listen to the rest of the albums". (I will. Eventually.) I'm not going to go into all that "Cascadian Black Metal" stuff. I'll let other people debate that. What I can say is putting all preconceptions aside, the album does sound very natural, earthen, organic and well, celestial. Unlike the previous two entries on this AOTY list, WITTR are definitely Black Metal in my books. More than basement, corpsepainted BM yes, but still "troo" to me anyway. Much like their Norwegian counterparts draw inspiration from their frost-bitten habitat, Celestial Lineage feels like the environment that surrounds the Olympia, WA based band. It's incredibly rich, textured and life-giving like the the humus of the forest floor. Instruments and voices come and go as creatures of wing and foot move through the trees. Wind and rain play their part too as bells chime and the album is drenched in atmosphere. The power and beauty of nature in the Northwest US seems to transform itself into a sonic entity as complex and interdependent as a living ecosystem. To create you must destroy. Celestial Lineage perpetuates that truism in the delicate balance of devastating, cacophonous black metal and a reverent appreciation for dynamics and space. The Brothers Weaver could not have sculpted such a masterpiece without a little assistance however. Helping to sing the album into existence, as Aslan did Narnia, was Aaron Turner of Isis fame, and the angelic voices of Turner's wife Faith Coloccia and Jessika Kenney. I don't live anywhere near the Northwest. I have actually never been farther west then Windsor,ON and the forests here are not near as lush as those on the other side of the Rockies but I nevertheless feel at home when I listen to Celestial Lineage. It feels like a musical representation of my ideal living environment. The energies of nature made into sound.

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#7: Altar of Plagues - Mammal

2012-01-05T17:23:00.000-05:00

I'm definitely running into some descriptory fatigue. I'm even making up words. That bums me out more than the doomy, depressive, post-black metal of Ireland's Altar of Plagues. Mammal (Profound Lore) is very atmospheric and dark. The fuzzy, lo-fi guitars and other effects (reverb? I'm no gear head) make the album feel like it was recorded in a cavern. Damp, cold and devoid of sunlight. When AoP choose to go full-on BM, it's a bitter assault. I could handle a whole album of it. But it's the other aspects that make it such a great album. I'm not a patient man (at least in terms of music) but somehow Mammal is able to hold my attention during the gaze-y parts. I find myself entranced as the music soars, gliding above the sorrowful landscape below. The mote of consciousness climbing ever skyward only to plunge back into the blackened hole from which it sprang and erupting in an explosion of emotion. Even the "keening' parts failed to bore me, as their inclusion only serves to enhance the mood of the album. '09's White Tomb was good, Mammal is better. If AoP can keep up this career trajectory, their future is looking bright. But bleak. Bleak-induced brightness? Sure.

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#8: Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand

2012-01-05T14:57:00.001-05:00

This is my Album of Second Chances. The first time I listened to Redemption (Metal Blade) I don't think I made it past through the first track. The next time I might have got past the first two tracks. I must have been listening to a lot of death metal or something because I just couldn't get past the vocals. But something told me to keep trying. If I ever find that something I'm going to buy it a horn of ale. I owe it at least that for saving me from potentially missing out on an outstanding album. I always thought Primordial was a black metal band. Probably due to the inclusion of the band in a black metal documentary I watched. But since this is the first Primordial album I've heard, I can't say how it compares to their previous work. I can hear flashes of black metal on Redemption but I don't hear it as a "Black Metal" album. What I hear is epic in every sense of the word. The sweeping melodies bring to mind rolling green hills and windswept cliffs. A.A Nemtheanga's vocals/lyrics hearken back to the days when kings meant something, battles were won with blood, not bombs, and man and nature coexisted in balance. Just listening to it makes me feel like more of a man. What I especially like about RATPH is how it is put together. Every individual performer is represented amazingly compositionally and/or production wise. AA tells the story. I croon along best I can but I can't match his timbre or command. I yearn to fully comprehend everything that he sings about. The guitars paint the picture beautifully and weave their tendrils around the pleasure centers in my brain. The tone and clarity (and the fact that I can hear it. Well. And always.) of Pól MacAmlaigh's bass warms my heart and soul like you wouldn't believe. The drums hold the whole thing together. The style and resurfacing themes that pop up in the drumming links all the songs together. I once tweeted that Primordial should soundtrack A Game of Thrones and I stand by that. Redemption at the Puritan's Hand makes me proud that I am of Irish ancestry.

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#9: Barn Burner - Bangers II: Scum of the Earth

2012-01-05T11:10:00.001-05:00

Montreal's Barn Burner are one of Canada's best young bands. On the their second album, Bangers II: Scum of the Earth (Metal Blade) they have further entrenched themselves as such. These beasts of the stage are equally as stimulating in recorded format. Last year I snuck Bangers on to my list due to a release date technicality. That wasn't necessary this year. There's nothing sneaky about Bangers II. Right from the opening/title track "Scum of the Earth" (bitchin' video) you know this baby is rip-tits. But it's not the kind of album that sounds all "FUCK YEAH!" the first few times but fails to garner the same reaction a dozen times later. I knew this barn burner (he he) was going to rank on my list. But the fact that I never got tired of it and actually as I got to listen to it more and more and picked up more lyrics and what not, it continued to grow on me and that vaulted it to its current position. It became my preferred album for making boring things better. Cooking Kraft Diner, cleaning house, mowing the grass for 3 hours + Bangers II = a kickass good time! I probably did a better job articulating my adoration when I reviewed the album a few months so I'll leave you with this: Buy the album. Go to the shows. Party hard and have your face melted off. Support Canadian Metal!

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#10: Wormrot - Dirge

2012-01-04T17:47:00.001-05:00

Breathing room is for pussies.

I wanted to just leave the blurb at that (that's all that's necessary) but Dirge (Earache) deserves a little more props. I will write the blurb in less time that it takes to listen to it though. Dirge is 25 tracks of face-ripping fury in 19 minutes from what I consider the best grind band on the planet. From Singapore. If you add in the bonus awesomeness from the Noise EP (Scion A/V) and their contribution to the Decibel Magazine flexi series, you've got a pretty good trio of blistering grind releases from a blistering grind trio.

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2011's Less Than Impressed List

2012-01-04T16:09:00.001-05:00

The following is a list of albums that I may or may not have necessarily expected to like, but in any case, failed to impress me. Sometimes I got all the way through the album. Sometimes not. Sometimes I even made it through multiples times! I can be a sucker for punishment sometimes.

In no particular order:

Lou Reed/Metallica - Lulu: I made it through this piece of shit four fucking times and lived to tell about it. It ended up being my most read blog post ever. But some scars never heal.

Anthrax - Worship Music: Weaksauce. I much prefer John Bush-era 'Thrax to Belladonna. Now anyway.

Revocation - Chaos of Forms: I'm sorry. I just don't get them.

Pestilence - Doctrine: I thought I liked their previous album. Did I? Or am I just misremembering?

MonstrO: Yawn. Would someone just piss on the camp fire already so we can go to bed?

Autopsy - Macabre Eternal: Some death metal is just not for everyone.

Trivium - In Waves: In one ear and out the other. I don't remember a thing about it other than it sucked.

Turisas - Stand Up and Fight: Not worth bloodying my knuckles.

Chimaira - Age of Hell: I once fell asleep during a Chimaira concert. Literally. In the middle of the day. On a concrete floor. I could have fallen asleep to this too but I never finished the album.

Devildriver - Beast: Seriously. "Shitlist"? And to think I once wore a Coal Chamber patch on my backpack with pride.

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra: At least I assume it's shit. I'm not putting myself through that.

Korn - The Path of Totality: See Limp Bizkit.

Jasta: Um. Stick to Kingdom of Sorrow. Or Hatebreed. Or even Icepick.

Chelsea Grin - My Damnation: My decision making abilities were obviously impaired.

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus: If I have to explain......

Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra: Rubbish. Not a fan of symphonics.

Kittie - I've Failed You: Yes. Yes you have.

Opeth- Heritage: Margaret Atwood reading one of her books aloud would be more stimulating.

Flourishing - The Sum of All Fossils: I should like this but it didn't do anything for me.

The Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction/Ghost: See Flourishing.

Brutal Truth - End Time: See Flourishing.

The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual: Am I just too old?

In Flames - Sounds of a Playground Fading: Did ANYONE like this?

The Haunted - Unseen: See In Flames.

Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions: I don't even think Gossow is hot.

Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Atomic Bitchwax - The Local Fuzz: This band seems to have a short half-life.

Just think of all that wasted bandwidth.

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#11: Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination

2012-01-04T15:58:00.001-05:00

You could almost have guessed that it was about time for another "fun" album. Forever Abomination (Prosthetic) is wicked fun. Skeletonwitch is able to take the feel of their live performance and replicate that in the studio. Listening to the album on any format is just as intense as seeing the band live. Every time I hear it, I can visualize the band on stage blowing the minds of the masses. This is metal. Pure and simple. Sure, there is thrash speed, black metal vocals, death metal imagery, NWOBHM guitar harmonies, ripping solos and furious blasting drums. But at the end of the day, it's just fucking metal. Uncompromising, relentless, beer drinkin', week smokin', pussy eatin', fucking metal. The Garnette Bros (Chance-vox, Nate-guitars), guitarist Scott Hendrick, bassist Evan Linger and new drummer Dustin Boltjes (ex-Demiricous) have distilled the art of kicking ass into some high octane, face-melting moonshine, motherfucker. It's an album that requires more than two hands to enjoy properly. Two for air guitar, one holding an invisible orange, one throwing some horns and one pumping fist. And one holding a beer. This is what metal is meant to be. \m/

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#12: Tombs - Path of Totality

2012-01-04T13:34:00.001-05:00

At this point, I am starting to get burnt out trying to find ways to describe why I liked an album. And really, with an album like Path of Totality (Relapse) I shouldn't have to explain myself. But I have nothing better to do at the moment so I will anyway. Tombs have most often been described as a Black Metal band but that really isn't accurate enough. Path of Totality is more than that. It brings together Black Metal, Doom and Sludge in a cohesive whole. It's more than the sum of its parts. It doesn't sound contrived or forced in any way. It's definitely a very dark album. I don't feel any colours when I hear it. Deep textures and shading paint a bleak picture of post-apocalyptic urban devastation. (Not sure if that follows what the lyrics are saying. We've talk about my lyrical shortcomings before.) Mike Hill's brusque vocals maintain authority over the survivors but are still multi-dimensional and human. I have a feeling this Path of Totality is a much more intelligent road that I am able to comprehend by more or less scratching the surface as I have. For an album that I have given such high praise to (as well as countless other metal opinion outlets) I should just buy the LP already. Go deeper. Absorb the essence. At least I'd know I was getting my money's worth. Just so long as I don't go down that other Path of Totality released in 2011.

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#13: Trap Them - Darker Handcraft

2012-01-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

Few albums of 2011 had the energy or the stick-in-your-head-ness of Darker Handcraft (Prosthetic). I'm a sucker for that buzzsaw guitar tone and when that gets paired with some vicious hardcore swagger, it's a combination I can't resist. The machine gun (in slight slo-mo) riffs are supplemented with quick little fills, some jangliness and some massive riffs that would squash you flatter than an AT-AT. The anger portrayed in the vocals and their furious delivery are what I have tried to emulate all year. To very little success. The prospect of seeing Trap Them live some day sends shivers down my spine. I don't know if that day will ever come, but if it does, it's going on the calendar with a Sharpie. You know what I mean? Darker Handcraft also boasts this years winner of Riff Of The Year. I could listen to the riff that kicks in a 1:21 of closer "Scars Align" on repeat for hours. It's simple but highly effective. I don't listen to a lot of hardcore but maybe that's because not a lot of hardcore is as good as this.

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#14: Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whore

2012-01-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Again for the sake of laziness, I mean, expediency, I'm just going to copy the review True Traitor, True Whore I wrote a few weeks ago.

Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whore

A handful of years ago my Album of the Year List wouldn't touch Black Metal with a ten foot pole. This year however, Black Metal will very likely be the most represented subgenre on the list. Thanks in no small part to the newest Leviathan release,True Traitor, True Whore (Profound Lore). Being unfamiliar with sole member, Wrest's previous works, these fresh ears absorbed the album free of comparison.

The many layers of the album float through the consciousness in a fog of discontent. The listener can never really get comfortable as the different aspects are pulled to the surface. The way the varied instrumentation is mixed is extraordinary. It's not necessarily what is highest in the mix that garners the most attention. Each time through, a different feature presents itself making the album a dynamic listen even after several plays. Even when the album pulls back from the full black metal assault it still seeps with menace. Wrest has captured that tortured part of the soul and set it to music. True Traitor, True Whore can be seen as a voyage on a black sea of emotion. When the vessel is not drowning in malice, it drips with despair. Wrest's vocals (think chicken-carcass-in-a-meat-grinder/Dark Crystal bird monster with strep throat/monstrous feral beast) don't so much tell a story,as act as an atmospheric vehicle driving the album down into the twisted depths of the listener's psyche. The bleak psychedelics and ghostly howls mixed with the primitiveness of the the base emotions the album conveys make this a truly frightening album. It's not hard to imagine that those uninitiated to music of this ilk may well find themselves in the fetal position slowly losing their grip on sanity. That one man can create art of this impact from his heart and soul is very inspiring. I have to force myself to take it off repeat and return to reality. A reality that seems a little darker in the shadow of True Traitor, True Whore.

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#15: Loss - Despond

2011-12-29T10:35:00.001-05:00

I'm usually a pretty upbeat kind of guy. But I have had my down times. Plenty actually. Despond (Profound Lore) is the soundtrack for down times. It sounds like it's made of pure melancholy. It's incredibly depressing sounding. Loss manage to drag your spirits down without just down tuning to unreasonable levels. Despond is mostly a doom affair, barely moving at all. Just as one who is depressed barely moves through life. Brief flashes of black metal occasionally break through the gloom. They feel like a frustration in not being able to be as sad as you really want to be. Or a lashing out at the world that doesn't understand your sorrow. The voice of this discontent is an other worldly growl. The deepest and most guttural vocalizations I've heard this year. Maybe ever. They sound like a black hole gurgling water. When vocalist/guitarist Mike Meacham isn't imitating and ancient volcano, his clean vocals still evoke a deep sadness. There is almost nothing at all uplifting about this album. If you know someone going through some hard times, give them anything but this. Despond will only serve to deepen their despair. I've never heard a band this good at auralizing emotion.

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#16: Disma - Towards the Megalith

2011-12-28T08:38:00.001-05:00

I don't usually like to make direct comparisons between bands but in this case the similarity (to me) was so striking I couldn't help it. Disma remind me a lot of Hooded Menace. They both employ a similar guitar tone and uber-evil growls. But while Hooded Menace are a bit more ethereal sounding, Disma are more beastly. I'm going to use a few "wintry" metaphors here that don't necessarily fit with the band but it's cold and snowing outside. Towards The Megalith (Profound Lore) moves with a few different pacings. One is that of a giant Yeti stomping through a mountain town annihilating any and all life. The next is a glacial pace. Like the sap oozing from a lonely and ancient pine. And the third is like an avalanche racing down the mountainside. But take all that and imagine it bathed in a green mist and covered in blood. It's an incredibly sinister sounding album conjured forth from the bowels of hell itself. I could handle more death metal that sounded this dark and foreboding. It darkens the sun. Makes good men evil. Speakers ooze blood and children run screaming. (Not mine. I subject them to brutality from birth.) I've listened to this at least a dozen times in the last few days and the monumental riffs and crushing vocals of ex-Incantation vocalist Craig Pillard stills pulls me uncontrollably Towards the Megalith.

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#17: Mastodon - The Hunter

2011-12-23T03:42:00.001-05:00

This may be one of the most polarizing metal releases of 2011. Partially because Mastodon can hardly be called metal anymore.The Hunter (Reprise) could be considered progressive hard rock if you really need to stick a label on it. I believe it is the only band on my list on a major label. I also believe it is the most accessible album on this year's list. (#15 probably the least) I probably gave the album more attention than I would have if it wasn't Mastodon. I'm not much for second chances. Despite all that, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The album grew on me with each listen. So much so in fact, that I actually went to an actual store and bought and actual physical copy. The deluxe version actually. I will admit that there has been a huge shift in Mastodon's sound since Remission and Leviathan but it's just that. A change. You can't expect a band to sit still forever. The Hunter sees Mastodon move away from the restrictions of a concept album and put together a package of songs that still flow together. The sonics and sense of melody (especially vocal) on Crack the Skye continue and are even expanded on The Hunter. The band may have traded some burliness for beauty but that hasn't lessened the nimble-fingered fretboard fleetness of Troy (I can't hear the bass!), Brent or Bill and Brann still has a staggering fondness for fills. And we must not forget the hooks. There are so many guitar and vocal hooks on the album it could almost be renamed The Fisherman. To fully appreciate The Hunter you have to be able to focus on what is rather than what was. This isn't the Mastodon of 2002. This isn't even the Mastodon of 2006 (Blood Mountain). This is the Mastodon of 2011. As the band continues to evolve there is no telling what the Mastodon of the future might sound like. For now, I'm diggin' what I'm hearin'. "Creature Lives" and all.

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#18: Landmine Marathon - Gallows

2011-12-23T01:25:00.001-05:00

Last year, Landmine Marathon's Sovereign Descent landed inside the Top 20 on my year end list. So it was a pleasant surprise to learn that Gallows (Prosthetic) was being released this year. Even better news was that it was good enough to land inside the Top 20 again. Gallows picked up more or less where Sovereign left off but perhaps with a little more urgency. I would imagine that with enough solid material for another album so soon, the band was bursting at the seams. What spews forth is caustic brew of death metal and grindcore. Gallows blast through its roughly 30 minute running time with suffocating intensity. Breathing room is a rarity. Caustic suffocation and relentless pummelling doesn't sound like much fun but if that's how you think, you've never seen Landmine perform live. Listening to Gallows makes me want bust into a one-man mosh pit. At least I wouldn't have to worry about taking an elbow to the face. Vocalist Grace Perry is as always, at the top of her game and this time around (I noticed anyway) bassist Matt Martinez contributes a little more of his roars to deepen the vocal element. Guitarist/producer Ryan Butler and guitarist Dylan Thomas lay down sick grooves, shred like Slayer, and can weave swirling rhythms around each other. Gallows also marks the transition of drummer Andy York to the studio after joining the band following the recording of Sovereign Descent. To rehash a likely overused pun, he doesn't miss a beat. I always hear people compare Landmine to Bolt Thrower. Until I actually get around to checking BT out, I'll be content Gallows. And maybe Landmine Marathon can even pull a Top 20 trifecta in 2012!

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#19: Hail!Hornet - Disperse The Curse

2011-12-22T22:59:00.001-05:00

Many of the albums that I have enjoyed most this year are dark moody affairs that unfold over the whole album. And some albums just fucking ROCK. Disperse The Curse (Relapse) fucking rocks. It boasts an all-star lineup of vocalist T-Roy Medlin (Sourvein, Buzzov*en), drummer Erik Larson (The Mighty Could, ex-Alabama Thunderpussy), guitarist Vince Burke (Sourvein, Beaten Back to Pure) and, this is the part where you bow, "Dixie" Dave Collins on bass (Weedeater, Buzzov*en, Bongzilla). How can you go wrong? I annoy people at work when I listen to this on break because I can't stop moving. Feet, hands, head, all moving. I can't help it! The music is just too infectious. Too energetic. It's like a shot in the ass full of rock-out juice. Pack the bong, pass the bottle and let 'er rip! It's inspiring really. In good and bad ways. I haven't had a drop of whiskey in almost 2 years but it makes me want to get some. On the good side, I'm a bass player. And the bass on this album is amazing. It makes my balls tingle. So it inspires me to actually pick up my bass and play. That's something I sorely need to do. Everyone needs more fun in their lives and for a guy like me, listening to Hail!Hornet puts that smile on my face. It makes me want to have a good time. Now if only it could disperse the curse of me not having any TIME to have fun......

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#20: False - False

2011-12-22T04:58:00.001-05:00

I had mentioned in my Explanatory Blurb that there was an album that I came upon after I had pretty much finalized my list that I could not deny from being included. False (Gilead Media) is that album. I just happened to be browsing Gilead's Bandcamp page and recalled reading about False somewhere when I saw the album listed on the site. Click! The first time I played it was at low volume on my shit ass laptop speakers. And I loved it. The next few times were at much greater volumes on my stereo. I have placed it at the top of my "To Buy" list. Vinyl of course. Now, I have only been listening to Black Metal for maybe 3 years so I am not really one to judge the "kvltness" of an album. More to the point, if I like the album, I don't give a fuck how "troo" it is. But based on what I am hearing, the name of the band could not be more ironic. On its two tracks (both over 12 minutes) False displays many of the aspects I've come to enjoy about Black Metal. Scathing, visceral vocals. Soaring riffs that carry me over and through mountains with their airy quality and/or pummelling destructiveness. Furious drumming with many subtle touches. In this case, the final element of the sound is one that I usually don't have a taste for. Keyboards. However, despite the fact that they remind me of Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir (ugh) by their sound, the keys here are much more tastefully done. Their mix and usage feels more complimentary and mood enhancing rather than the over-the-top and in-your-face of those other bands. They elevate the music and make it sound even more sinister. Much like the towering trees that ring the band's logo on the cover. Visually and audibly, this LP is top notch. It pains me that I haven't bought it yet. Soon enough my suffering will pass.

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#21: Maruta - Forward Into Regression

2011-12-22T02:20:00.001-05:00

It seems like every two years or so an album will make my year end list and then the band will break up before I even publish it. The last two I can remember were Kalas (Matt Pyke!) and ASRA. This year it's Maruta. The band decided to call it quits this November, just 8 months after releasing the mindfuckingly good Forward Into Regression (Willowtip). FIR is a beautifully brutal blend of head-spinning grind and straight up pits-of-hell death metal. Much like the vocals of Exhumed (low and high), Maruta vocalist Mitchell Luna utilizes the same duality. The difference being, the lows are lower and the highs are screechier. And Luna's transition from one to the other is incredibly jarring. In a good way. That style falls in nicely with the way the album transitions from riff to riff. For the most part it's very abrupt. There aren't many smooth edges (unlike #20). That schizo sound might be what sets it apart in my mind. Although, that's not usually not my preferred style of grindcore. Perhaps what makes Forward Into Regression appeal to me over other seemingly chaotic grind is the riffs themselves. Over the course of its 16 tracks the album bursts with killer riff after killer riff. It's unfortunate that such a promising band is done after only two albums. I guess the best we can hope for now is that the band goes backward into resurrection.

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#22: Exhumed - All Guts, No Glory

2011-12-22T00:25:00.001-05:00

It's only taken me 20 years to discover Exhumed. But when I first listened to All Guts, No Glory (Relapse) my reaction was "FUCKING RIGHT!!" I was instantly floored. It isn't something totally groundbreaking but what struck me was the "attitude" of it. Energetic, mosh-ready and almost thrashy at times. It's brutal without being I'm-not-having-fun-anymore brutal. The brutality stems more from the "classic death metal" themes of death and gore. That's my definition of Death Metal. Crunchy chuggy guitars, ripping solos, blasting drums and those vocals!! Sometimes Matt Harvey (vocals/guitar) sounds like a grizzly bear, sometimes like a mountain lion (sometimes both). In every case, the animal is pissed and primed to kill. Without a doubt, my favourite track is "Death Knell". I want to buy a giant bell just so I can sound it. And the riff that closes the track is dirgy gold. I hope now that the band is "back" we don't have to wait another five years for Harvey and (hopefully) the rest of this stellar lineup of bassist Leon Del Muerte (Murder Construct, ex-Intronaut and more), drummer Danny Walker (Murder Construct, Intronaut, ex-Phobia and more), and guitarist Wes Caley to release another necro-tastic album.

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#23: Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst The Ashes

2011-12-19T17:58:00.001-05:00

When I talked about the Origin album I made note of its technicality coupled with its brutality. Phoenix Amongst The Ashes (Metal Blade) takes both those attributes and severely ups the ante. Most notably in the brutality department. Foul beasts of all sorts cower when faced with the unrelenting and merciless might of PATH. I can hardly listen to it without a scowl on my face as the fury of the double-kicks and speed-picking courses through my veins. The mastermind behind this gargantuan endowment upon my bleeding ears is none other than Erik Rutan. Producer, guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire. The living Death Metal Legend himself. His beastly roar could crumble mountains. The sweep picking and other craziness that opens "The Art of Redemption" is otherworldly in its virtuosity. I could believe that there are actually even more notes packed in there but the human brain just isn't fast enough to process them. It's amazing that the rhythm section of bassist JJ Hrubovcak and drummer Jade Simonetto are able to keep up with Rutan's onslaught. Yet they do. The evidence of which is perfectly presented in the title track. This centerpiece of the album earns 2011's nod as Death Metal Track of the Year. I dare you not to scream that chorus. It can't be done. Rise!! And behold the majesty of Hate Eternal.

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#24: Burzum - Fallen

2011-12-19T14:18:00.001-05:00

Yes, Varg Vikernes may be a despicable human being. But I don't really care about his personal life. I believe every man has the potential for redemption. I'm not making excuses for him but I also believe that much of people's behaviour is the product of an uncontrolled mind. Until that mind is controlled and pure, sentient beings cannot be held ultimately responsible for their mental, verbal or physical actions. (I'm talking time-space-continuum-across-all-universes-ultimate) But no wrong goes unpunished. Karma's a bitch, as they say. For that reason I am able to separate the man from the music. Don't get me wrong. I haven't actually purchased the album and you won't find me wearing a Burzum t-shirt. But I can evaluate Fallen (Byelobog/Candlelight) on its merits as a piece of music without a thought as to who created it. It's not a very powerful album per se, but it was able to capture me in other ways. Much like last year's Belus, I found myself sinking beneath the multiple layers and becoming entranced by the flowing tremolos. The highly repetitive nature of the album was actually quite relaxing. I guess you could say I consider it "chill out music". Whether the lyrics are being softly sung or a spitting rasp, it's all in Norwegian so I haven't a clue what he's singing about. Nor have I bothered to find out. I just take it as another instrument. Think of me what you will for promoting Burzum with my words if not my wallet, but remember I am talking about Fallen. This is Count Grishnackh and Burzum, not Varg when it comes right down to it. The man may make the music, but the music be not the man.

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Treasures of 2011 Not Yet Unearthed

2011-12-19T12:07:00.001-05:00

Due to a number of circumstances, I haven't been able to listen to all the music I would like have heard in 2011. It boils down to accessibility and time. Basically, I'm a broke father of 3 who works over 50 hours a week at a factory and lives over 100km round-trip from the nearest record store that MIGHT carry what I want. Yes, yes. The internet. I already said I was broke. I buy what I can. And there's a lot of stuff that is hard to dig up if you don't want to pay for it. I recently got Spotify so between that and Bandcamp, 2012 should be much easier. In the meantime, time is my biggest adversary.

Anyway, here's a list of albums/artists from 2011 which have this far evaded my ears. Albums that I honestly think I will enjoy, not just albums I feel some obligation to hear just for the sake of "journalistic integrity". If any of you want to help me out with any of these (promos, links, exclusive streaming) feel free to contact me. I believe the info is at the right. I think. I can't check. I'm emailing this in from work and can't surf the web. Only email. It's the only time I get!

If I can find them, I'll try to find time to listen to:

Deafheaven - Roads to Judah (got it, just no time yet)

Mournful Congregation - The Book of Kings (time)

All Pigs Must Die - God Is War (on Spotify)

Serpentcult - Raised By Wolves (Weight of Light was FUCKING AMAZING)

Electro Quarterstaff - Aykroyd (on Spotify)

Antidiluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawwah

Ehnahre - Taming The Cannibals

Giant Squid - Cenotes

Battlefields - Agassiz

Thou - The Archer and the Owl

Mick Barr - Coiled Malescence (I didn't hear it near enough times before the stream as disabled.)

Moab - Ab Ovo

Vallenfyre - A Fragile King

Just to name a few.

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#25: Crowbar - Sever The Wicked Hand

2011-12-19T10:26:00.001-05:00

In the interest of expediency (and laziness) I'm simply going to provide the link to the review of Sever The Wicked Hand (E1 Entertainment) I wrote earlier this year. It accurately describes how I feel about the album and I don't feel the need to try and recreate that.

Here it is: Crowbar - Sever The Wicked Hand

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#26: Morne - Asylum

2011-12-19T10:03:00.001-05:00

I've seen Shutter Island. An asylum no place I want to go. But not all asylums are created equal. Be it a physical place or merely a state of mind. Morne's Asylum (Profound Lore) puts me in a mental state I am more than happy to visit. It's not necessarily a happy place though. It's not an album to make you smile. There is almost nothing uplifting about it. Opener "Asylum" segues through over 17 minutes of emotional turmoil. It sounds like the stages of mourning. But not necessarily in the usual order. I can hear sadness. I can hear denial. I can hear anger and a thirst for revenge. I can hear acceptance. Speaking of thirst, the vocals of singer/guitarist Milosz Gassan have a very dry quality to them. Like a thirsty man begging for water. (Or a broken man begging for mercy) The keyboards/piano on the track only add to the sense of foreboding and despair. The themes brought forth on the title track are consistently carried throughout the album. It's easy to get lost in the tides of sound from the densely thick and fuzzed out tones and forget that there is anything beyond heartache and loneliness. Yet through it all I can still hear and undercurrent of fight, not flight. If the world has you seeking Asylum, Morne's a good place to start.

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#27: Book of Black Earth - The Cold Testament

2011-12-18T17:31:00.001-05:00

This is another one of my favourite driving albums. The intensity and aggression of The Cold Testament (Prosthetic) makes it near impossible not to put the hammer down and barrel down the highway. Roaring along with the hardcore bellow of vocalist/guitarist TJ Cowgill on opener "Weight of the World" has kept me awake on the drive home after a night shift on many occasions. To be honest, any track on the album is worth shredding some vocal chords to. The Swedish death metal influence combined with the punch of grind and hardcore fuels an inner fire. Unleashing that inner fire through screaming with The Cold Testament is an incredibly effective stress reliever. Although few could match the prowess of Cowgill. How can you not be caught up in the anthem chorus of "Road Dogs From Hell"? "We are the road dogs from hell (X2)/Shit out of luck/Don't give a fuck/This is the life we chose/We are the road dogs from hell!" If that isn't tailor made to get a packed club screaming in unison I don't know what is. These guys would absolutely tear the roof off of any venue they play. And from the sounds of it, they play a lot of venues. Perhaps my favourite track on the album is closer "I See Demons". It's a somewhat creepy tome about (what I assume is) a mortician. "Taking possession of human remains/Everywhere I go, it's always the same/When I close my eyes, I can still see their faces....I see demons inside my mind" I'll just leave you with that. Kay? Sleep tight.

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#28: Deicide - To Hell With God

2011-12-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

My wife texts me from a record store, "At HMV. want n e thing?" Ya, the new Crowbar. "nope. don't have it" Ok, then. Deicide - To Hell With God. "Nice title.(sarcastically) ok. got it." Money.Well.Spent. This very well might win this year's award for Most Played. It was the only CD in my car for months. I got everywhere faster because of that. Or at least it felt that way. To Hell With God (Century Media) is just so fast! It's an unrelenting blur of fretboard nimbleness locked down by sickening death metal speed-chugging. All dripping with Glen Benton's glorious blasphemy. I am surprised that this album hasn't gotten as much praise as I heap on it. But with a history like Deicide's, it's almost impossible to live up to the expectations. This thing is littered with solos. Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla don't get enough credit. Benton's inverted cross scar might be fading but it seems his distaste for Christianity is still strong. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but if he's anything like me, it's more of a problem with the institution itself as it is with (the majority of) Christians themselves. (They call themselves sheep. I don't even have to. Innocent and ignorant.) The lyrics are one of the aspects that draws me to Deicide most. It's anti-Christian more than it is actively Satanic. With smart arguments too. So as long as Deicide keeps releasing music that rips as much as To Hell With God and Benton continues to spit in the face of God, you'll find me flying down the road shaking my fists right along with him.

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#29: KEN Mode - Venerable

2011-12-18T12:10:00.001-05:00

Winnipeg's KEN Mode crack the top 30 as the second Canadian entry on my list. As much as I like the album, I find it very hard to describe Venerable (Profound Lore (That's 5 Profound Lore releases on the list so far if you're counting along at home.)) The trio has crafted a dynamic record that goes beyond their normal designation as a noise-rock band. I don't like that "noise" tag at all really. At least on Venerable. To me, "noise" implies some arty lack of coherence. That's not the case here. Yes, the album swings from quiet, whispered moments to soul-crushing heaviness. Sometimes rather abruptly. But it makes sense. There are riffs. Great riffs. Your head may spin but for good reason. A spinning because the way the textures weave themselves into the whole is worth of veneration. Not a spinning in frustration of trying to wrap your head around it. I was also impressed with the balance between the four ingredients in this tasty dish. Of the vocals, guitar, bass and drums, no one flavour dominates the taste of the album. It's been a good year for the 'Peg. First Venerable, then the return of the Jets. I've seen the Jets play (the old Jets) but I've yet to experience KEN Mode live. That's something I hope gets rectified in 2012. (ie. Come play Kingston, ON)

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#30: Machine Head - Unto The Locust

2011-12-18T09:46:00.001-05:00

I fell into the trap. I'd read some less than positive things about Unto The Locust (Roadrunner) before I actually heard it. So I didn't listen with an open mind. I was looking for flaws. I found some and they overshadowed the album in my mind for a while. When it came time to make my AOTY list I knew it was good enough to be honoured but I wasn't sure where to put it. I knew it wouldn't be as high as The Blackening (#5 that year I think) but I had to listen to it some more before making that decision. I listened to it eight or more times over the course of a couple days. In doing so, I found myself enjoying the album more and more each time. By the end I was singing along to the anthemic choruses, abusing the steering wheel (I do that a lot), and just generally feeding off the energy being thrown off by Rob Flynn and co. I found myself reveling in the immensity and scope, anticipating the solos and slowly forgetting any of the negative stuff I had read. Unto The Locust sounds undoubtedly like Machine Head. Musically, MH do have a sound all their own. They are easy to recognize. But what really typifies Machine Head and this album is Flynn's vocals. His distinct gravel-throated battlecry is a rallying point for the album. It sounds human. That humanity is what draws the listener in and makes you feel like you can relate to it. It works to such great effect that despite my lack of fondness for Flynn's "singing" parts, (ex. "Darkness Within") I found myself singing right along with him. However, I have to apply some demerit points due to certain vocals parts. The "sangre sani" part of "I Am Hell (Sonata in C#) would have served better as its own track so I could just skip over it and the need for the children's "choir" in "Who We Are" is lost on me. The rest of the track is fine though. Also, with regards to the bonus tracks, I just skipped them almost every time. I've never been a Judas Priest fan ("The Sentinel"), MH covering Rush just seems odd to me, ("Witch Hunt") and the acoustic version of "Darkness Within" doesn't have any solos! But really, those are minor inconveniences on an otherwise stellar release. As a 7 track album it's pretty kick ass. Kick ass enough that I put it on my Christmas list. Not just good enough that I would buy it good, but good enough for a gift good.

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#31: Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising

2011-12-18T09:42:00.001-05:00

In 2008, I named Twilight of the Thunder God Album Of The Year. So naturally I had high hopes for this year's Surtur Rising (Metal Blade). Initially, my hopes were dashed upon the stones of a cold, Scandinavian shore. There was nothing that stood out to me. I wasn't hearing an album-to-album progression. I feared the longships were moored in port, never to sail again. But I raised my banners and pressed on. What I discovered was an album that conquered and pillaged as savagely as its predecessor. If a battle plan works, why change it? Through ten tracks, the Swedes continue to incite a blood lust with their powerful and melodic riffs. They are like virus that starts in the brain but soon infects the whole body. It makes a craven feel like a hero. An urge to don a longsword and march into battle rises as Johan Hegg growls the tales from Viking days of yore. They may not be conquering new lands but Amon Amarth holds firm dominion over the territory they rule. Any and all challengers to the crown are easily slain by their might. Crack open a cask of mead and raise your drinking horns! Rejoice in Surtur Rising!

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#32: Weekend Nachos - Worthless

2011-12-17T18:22:00.001-05:00

I was familiar with the name Weekend Nachos but not familiar with the actual music. I may have shied away from previous works partially due to the band name. I guess with a name like Weekend Nachos I just thought they were some party band. I'm not saying I'm above party bands but I just didn't feel and urge to check them out. This year however, some unseen force put Worthless (Relapse) on my iPod (read: I can't remember why I decided to download it.). Well smack my ass and call me Sally! (That's the name of a pretty good hot sauce, btw.) Apparently Weekend Nachos is as much of a misleading band name as Worthless is a misnomer for the album! It is anything but worthless! It's the perfect example of how fluid this list actually is. On any given day, this album could crack my top 10. It's a vicious and burly hardcore album with just enough grind sensibility to trip you up. It's not wildly unfocused but it's not predictable either. Who would predict the 2+ minutes of feedback that finishes "The Meeting" and moves into "Worthless" right in the middle of the album? It's just feedback but I love it! After some more swirling-pit inducing savagery, the album closes with a track called "Future". A 6 minute slab of some of the most monolithic doom you will hear this year. Why save it for the weekend? These nachos are worth it all fucking week.

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#33: Wolvhammer - The Obsidian Plains

2011-12-17T16:22:00.001-05:00

Releasing an album in late October doesn't leave much time for scribes such as myself to digest it before the baying for year end lists begins. Luckily, The Obsidian Plains (Profound Lore) from Minnesota's Wolvhammer didn't take long to make an impression. Wolvhammer blends the cold and bleak aura of black metal with an almost catchy death'n'roll rumble. I can hear some of what may be a sludge influence as well but I can't call it anything but Black Metal. Especially considering the vibe that the demon-from-hell-come-to-kill-you-all screams of vocalist Adam Clemans. Given the black metal blasts and the infectious riffing I'm not surprised I love this album as much as I do. What does surprise me however, is the fact that it features former members of Nachtmystium and Across Tundras. (Jeff Wilson and Heath Rave, respectively) Both bands that I have never really enjoyed. Maybe that's why the are FORMER members. They wanted to make better music. Well, mission accomplished. The Obsidian Plains is the sort of blazing awesomeness you need to get you through a cold Minnesotan (or in my case, Canadian) winter. Bring on the bleak.

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#34: Origin - Entity

2011-12-17T13:16:00.001-05:00

Clocking in around 37 minutes, Entity (Nuclear Blast) delivers a technical death metal punch in the gut as opposed the Chinese water torture that I find much TDM to be. Where the gut-punch does the damage quickly but leaves a lasting impression, water torture is painful in its tedium and leaves you with nothing. A slow death by boredom. Usually in these blurbs I try to explain why I like an album. In this case, it might be easier for someone to explain to me why I like it. I can't seem to puzzle out why I like Origin but I have no patience for bands like The Faceless, Obscura, TesseracT, Periphery, Born of Osiris, and their ilk. Perhaps the answer is a puzzle. On Entity, Origin is able to take the pieces of technicality, brutality, and musical awareness and put them together in such a way that they fit and create something pleasing. But still wicked brutal. And in some of those other bands, the pieces don't fit together properly. Or are missing altogether. They remind me of the character of "Stewart" on Mad TV. He says, "Look what I can do!" and just flails around and impresses no one but himself. Origin weaves their unfuckwithable musical ability into the fabric of the songs. It's there. It's undeniable. But it's the means to the end, not the end itself. I am totally appreciative of technical prowess, but I love brutal SONGS. Thankfully, Entity wins by TKO.

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#35: A Storm of Light - As The Valley Of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade

2011-12-17T08:45:00.001-05:00

That album title sure is a mouthful isn't it? Sounds pretty deep doesn't it? Well so does the record. ATVODBUOSMF (Profound Lore) is a journey that I can't think about without envisioning thick fog. Perhaps the fog represents the ether from which the rich tones seemingly flow. The strained, emotive quality of Josh Graham's vocals make the album sound very personal. This is one of those albums where I really would have benefited from a lyric sheet. Despite the clean, completely decipherable lyrics, I have the inability to process and understand the meaning of lyrics unless I read them. Even though, as of yet, I have very little idea of what I am supposed to get from the album, I do know how the album feels. It feels like struggle. It feels somewhat uncomfortable. It feels of loss and desperation. There is a fluidity that moves through the record in peaks and valleys. One of the aspects that appeals to me about ASOL is how at times it reminds me of the short-lived band, The Sabians (feat. Justin Marler and Chris Hakius of Sleep). It's not so much that the bands sound alike as much as they remind me of each other. Certain guitar parts are very similar and the vocals have the same emotional quality. However, ASOL paints a soundscape whereas The Sabians were more straightforward. ATVODBUOSMF is a densely rich and dark album. Monstrously heavy without the monster vocals. It's the vocals that make me kick myself. Kick myself for not doing what I needed to do to get my hands on some lyrics. Because as deep as the album sounds, I bet the lyrics are even deeper.

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#36: Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

2011-12-16T10:48:00.001-05:00

I was a little late to the metal party. I didn't start listening to metal in earnest til the mid-late 90's. Therefore, I missed most of the original thrash movement. (Aside from The Big 4) So a few years ago when this new generation of thrash emerged, I was able to grab on without much of a reference point. Bands like Early Man, Blood Tsunami, Toxic Holocaust, Evile, Havok and Warbringer have captured me as I imagine Testament, Exodus, etc would have had I been exposed to them back in the 80's. So it should come as no surprise that Worlds Torn Asunder (Century Media) is one of my favourite thrash releases of 2011. It offers up everything I love about thrash. It's fast. It's precise. It's catchy. The energy level and aggression really gets the blood pumping. When I listen to Warbringer, my steering wheel takes a beating, dinner takes longer to prepare (island moshing and air guitar again!) and my (infrequent) workouts get more intense. Basically, it takes regular things and makes them better. That's awesome! Because for me, listening to thrash is supposed to be fun. Worlds Torn Asunder may not open new dimensions but the worlds it tears apart are those of classic Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. A Slayer moon might get in the way and in the process an Exodus comet gets captured. Warbringer takes that riffage, those phrasings, the solos, the tones, attitude and the drive of those bands and creates their own world. A world of blistering, hard driving, excellently executed thrash topped by what for me, is the dealmaker. John Kevill's vocals. One of the best vocalists of the new young thrash bands. I'll tell you, I'm a pacifist, but Worlds Torn Asunder is a war I'd be happy to bring.

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#37: Fuck The Facts - Die Miserable

2011-12-14T05:12:00.001-05:00

Ottawa's Fuck The Facts are the first Canadian band to land on this year's list with their latest, Die Miserable (Relapse). Some bands have a live show that tends to be more intense than their recorded material. Not so in this case. I saw FTF play a living room show a few years ago (Yes, the same venue as the Toxic Holocaust show) and "intense" isn't an adequate word for describing the performance and atmosphere. It was almost frightening. On Die Miserable, the band manages to channel that intensity into album form. Describing the album isn't as easy as calling it grindcore, as FTF are generally categorized. It goes beyond anything that simple and straightforward. The seemingly erratic stops and starts and shifts fall together perfectly. The vision necessary to conceptualize the album and the ability to pull it off is a true testament to the talent found in Fuck The Facts. There is no room for weakness. It is also the most consistently heavy FTF album I've heard. Last year, I added a Standout Track to each of my blurbs for AOTY. I decided to forgo that this year mainly because I am an "album guy". But on Die Miserable, "Census Blank" stood out to me as the centrepiece of my listening experience of the album. With just over two minutes left in the track (It's over 7 minutes long. That's not grindcore length!) this monumental riff kicks in with another (tapped?) guitar part flickering around it. It's like Godzilla stomping through the city with a dozen mini-Mothras flapping around his head. I have to stop whatever I am doing and listen. I can't concentrate on anything else til the song is over. Those two minutes alone are enough to land the album on this list.

Fuck The Facts return to Kingston in late January. I can feel the intensity across space-time already.

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#38: Vreid - V

2011-12-14T01:24:00.001-05:00

Not that I would consider myself a Black Metal rookie, but I will admit my fluency with the nomenclature of the genre is somewhat lacking. Hopefully I know enough that I can describe the fifth album from Norway's Vreid, simply titled V (Indie Recordings). I can't recall exactly how I stumbled upon V but since its February release it has been a near constant on my playlist. I think what keeps drawing me back to it is the feeling of motion it evokes. That feeling of soaring over desolate snow covered mountains appeals to me. The album is dominated by blasting rhythms and thunderous double-bass drumming that gallops along under some sweet tremolo picking. But it's not all full-on fury. The maelstrom is broken up in places by airy and sometimes almost folk-like passages. It brings to mind a vision of a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds to illuminate a bare spot untouched by the battle that rages all around it. The same contrast is heard in the vocals. The malicious, scathing yet decipherable screams take leave where appropriate for a talented clean voice. It's the clean singing that contributes to that folk feeling at times. High quality, balanced production, tasteful and not overbearing atmospheric keyboards, and even some occasional acoustic guitar rounds out a sound that has inspired me to look deeper in to the history of Norwegian Black Metal.

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#39: Cannabis Corpse - Beneath Grow Lights Thou Shalt Rise

2011-12-13T22:34:00.001-05:00

Cannabis Corpse's Beneath Grow Lights Thou Shalt Rise (Tankcrimes) is the first album on the list that I can imagine getting flack about. I can understand that people may not think it belongs on a Best Of list because it's not serious enough. But it is seriously fun. If you recall my Explanatory Blurb, one of my criteria was how often did I listen to it? In this case, that was lots. It's brutal death metal with just enough technicality to make things interesting and to assure you they aren't just dunderheads making noise. I will admit that their use of marijuana related puns based on classic death metal song titles may have had some effect on my decision to include the album though. But that's more of an attention grabber than anything as the music itself more than stands on its own. It's a bowl packed with sticky riffs and growls and screams that leave me green with envy. Cannabis Corpse may not rival Cannibal Corpse, but really they aren't that different. In the real world, I prefer cannabis to cannibals anyway. At the end of the day, did I mosh around the island in my kitchen? Yes. Was I prone to fits of uncontrollable air guitar? Yes. Did I thrust my hands to the sky and scream? Yes. Sounds like a winner to me! Now where's my bong?

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#40: Grayceon - All We Destroy

2011-12-13T05:14:00.001-05:00

Two albums with female vocalists in a row! Awesome! And they won't be the
last either. It's also the second album on the list released by Profound
Lore Records. The March release date of *All We Destroy* has given me
plenty of time to absorb it. And I have absorbed it plenty of times. What
makes Grayceon so attractive is vocalist Jackie Perez Gratz. Not only is
her beautiful/terrifying voice a thing of wonder but she also plays cello!
The unorthodox trio is rounded out by guitarist/vocalist Max Doyle and
drummer Zack Farwell. The cello creates a smoothness in the music that even
a fretless bass couldn't achieve. It also helps to create the classical
feel of the album. The way the cello lifts the music, it makes it sound
like it is floating. This in turn makes me view the songs and parts of
songs as movements within the album as a whole. It's an experience I never
expected to have this year. It's also an album of contrasts. From Gratz's
clean/harsh vocals to the aggressive/pretty-calm movements to the fact the
there is a cello in a metal band (that's not Apocalyptica). As I said in my
Intro, FEEL is very important to me. The fluidity and airiness of *All We
Destroy* makes me feel good and the more aggressive passages make me feel
powerful. Life is about balance and for all they've destroyed, Grayceon has
created an album equally as enjoyable.
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#41: Dark Castle - Surrender To All Life Beyond Form

2011-12-13T01:29:00.001-05:00

The Floridian duo of Stevie Floyd and Rob Shaffer have unleashed a doom metal beast of an album. Surrender To All Life Beyond Form (Profound Lore) is a richly atmospheric album I could scarcely believe was the work of just two people. Dark electronics, keyboards and piano join forces with the crunchy guitars to drag the listener down to the dungeons. It's a miserable and anguished sounding album. The male and female, harsh and clean vocals do nothing to change the mood to uplifting. In fact, Floyd's cries embody the desperation of the convicted locked in a black cell. Without a lyric sheet I can't tell much about the lyrical content but my best guess would be that it is as deep and dark as the mood everything else evokes. While I've heard Dark Castle described most as a doom band, STALBF is more than just that. Sludge and black metal rear their ugly heads and the electronics add some flavour atypical of most of the doom I listen to. Closing track "Learning To Unlearn" could be the doomiest track on the album. It's molasses thick and sounds like it's threatening to stop altogether. But it trudges along as if it's resigned to surrender to the fate of slowly drowning in quicksand. Go ahead, surrender yourself.

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Top 40 Albums of 2011 "Explanatory Blurb"

2011-12-12T22:49:00.001-05:00

Before I begin the countdown of my favourite albums of 2011, I have some 'splainin' to do. First of all, this isn't so much a Best Of list as it is a My Favourite list. No one pays me to do this blog so I feel no obligation to be unbiased. I guarantee there will be albums on this list that people will think shouldn't belong there. But that's too bad. I base this list more or less on three criteria. How much did I/do I want to listen to it? How difficult was it to take it off repeat and listen to something else? How did it make me FEEL? Each and every one of the albums on this list stirred something within me. Some made me mosh around the island in the kitchen or air guitar uncontrollably. . Some I turned to when I was feeling a certain way. Some made me thrust my hands to the sky and scream. The reasons may be different but they all affected me enough that I feel they need to be recognized for their achievements. I'll do my best to explain why as I count down My Favourite 41 Albums of 2011.

Yes, 41 is a strange number of albums. However, because I can never stop listening to new music, I stumbled upon an album that blew me away to enough of a degree that I couldn't help but include it. I had already committed to which albums would be included (I still don't have the order nailed down) so I just bumped it to 41. And no one can stop me!!! Muwahahaha! In an effort to prevent further delays and mistakes due to "freshness" (Re: Trivium - 2005), I won't be listening to anything new for a couple weeks at least. I will be writing a small piece about albums that I listened to too late or haven't had the pleasure of hearing yet. Albums that either have been critically praised or that I would have a high likelihood of enjoying and have thus far escaped my ears. (Deafheaven for instance)

Also of note. There were two albums released this year by artists that my brain is incapable of evaluating without bias. At some point along the way I will feature those releases without a formal ranking. I may even, if I get the time, make a list of albums that either sucked outright or just didn't do anything for me despite how others felt.

Finally, bear in mind that most of these ranks are quite fluid. That really goes without saying but I'm saying it anyway. And the majority of the time, I'm going without a lyric sheet. So if there is some crazy profound revelation buried in there somewhere, I probably didn't catch it.

Enjoy and PLEASE ARGUE with me! (But I'll still be right.)

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Comeback Album of the Year: Sepultura - Kairos

2011-12-05T00:42:00.001-05:00

I don't think anyone can honestly contend that Sepultura without Max Cavalera is better than Sepultura with Max Cavalera. (Especially me, an unashamed Max-ophile.The Soulfly "Wings" logo was my first ever tattoo.) But I don't think Derrick Green-led Sepultura gets enough credit. He has been in the band longer than Max was after all. Needless to say, after 3 lackluster albums (Roorback, Dante XXI and (groan) A-Lex), the band's latest, Kairos (Nuclear Blast) raises the band back up to a certain level of respectability. Unfortunately the band's reputation has been tarnished enough at this point that they are no longer given a fair shot. Their second album to feature no Cavaleras sees them ditching the constraints of a concept album for something a little more straightforward. They've put together an album of solid, fairly catchy (groove) metal. Groove seems to be a dirty word anymore but, seriously, fuck, when did an album's ability to induce head-nodding and toe-tapping become a reason for derision? (Bear in mind, I have no tolerance for pointless guitar wankery, Sumerian sucks, and Meshuggah can kiss my ass.) After the cringe-worthy A-Lex, I'm really glad to see that Kisser and Paulo Jr. were able to use their undeniable musicianship and right the ship, as it were. The album is not without its faults, however. The Ministry cover, ("Just One Fix") while well done, was misplaced being in the middle of the album. It would have worked much better placed at the end. Similarly industrial influenced track, "Structure Violence (Azzes)" seems unnecessary to me. Without those two tracks the album could have been more concise and impactful. From what I hear, Sepultura covered Prodigy's "Firestarter" as a bonus track on the deluxe version. It wasn't included on the version I heard and I have been to absent-minded to find it anywhere. It could be interesting though.

I based this Comeback Album Award not on a return from tragedy, or near tragedy (the next Early Graves and Behemoth albums, respectively), or on a return from a long hiatus (Crowbar) but on producing an album that exceeded my expectations after the previous album's disappointment. That's why I consider Kairos 2011's Comeback Album of the Year.

Fun Fact: I believe a (surprisingly glowing) review of the first two tracks released from A-Lex was the first ever Kingdom of Noise post.

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Close But No Cigar Part 4: Gridlink - Orphan

2011-12-04T06:17:00.001-05:00

This is probably the hardest cut to my Top 40 Albums of 2011 list I've had to make thus far. The latest brainchild of masterminds Jon Chang and Takafumi Matsubara is 12 minutes of furious and savage ear-fuckery. Orphan (Hydra Head) is one of those albums you just have to put on when you are seething angry. Let the viciousness of it all flow through you as you attempt to "sing" along. I promise you will feel better afterwards. I took an anger management course once. One exercise we had to do was to bring in a song that characterized "who you are". I brought in a Gridlink song. You should have seen the looks on their faces! The look of incredulity on most of their faces was priceless. More than worth the time I wasted in the class. One guy said to me, "That's not music. There are two types of music. Country and Western." You can see what I was dealing with here. I digress. The counselor asked me why I felt that song embodied me. I told her that was what it was like in my head. (Hence anger management class) Furious. Mile-a-minute. Suffocating. Disjointed. Edge of collapse. Nothing nice to say, or at least, no nice what to say it. Full-on attack mode. Harmony? FUCK.THAT. I'm much better now, but I still very much enjoy the blitzing craziness Gridlink offers up on Orphan. I'm serious. If you are feeling stressed, throw this on, rage the fuck out for 12 minutes, and it'll be good times to follow. If you are wondering why the album didn't make my Top 40 after such a ringing endorsement, it's basically a technicality. It's too short. I want MORE! It doesn't even get me all the way home from work. It helps me stay awake after a night shift. Those last 3-4 minutes when it's over are such a bummer. A longer album would vault it way up the list.

--
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Close But No Cigar Part 3: Rotten Sound - Cursed

2011-12-04T03:46:00.001-05:00

Round 3 of my Top 40 cuts finds Finnish grindsters Rotten Sound on the outside looking in. Their latest release, Cursed, (Relapse) is a 28 minute pummelling that deserves to make the Top 40. Unfortunately, 40 other bands delivered the goods as well. I've seen Rotten Sound referred to most often as a grind band but I think of them more as a Swedish (in this case Finnish) death metal band with hardcore sensibilities and on Cursed, a touch of Black Metal fervor. I first heard Rotten Sound on 2008's Cycles and my wife asked me, "What IS that?" (baffled, not intrigued) To which I responded with Rotten Sound. Of course. Her reply was "Yes it is. Rotten sounding." Nothing has really changed since then. Cursed sounds just as filthy, nasty and well, rotten as I would have expected. It barrels and stomps its way through 16 tracks relentlessly. It's a barn burner for sure. Trouble is, (and again I am trying to be nit-picky) it can be a little one-dimensional. But daddy loves that Swe-death tone! And really, coming in at just under 28 minutes, it is kind of impossible for the album to overstay its welcome. The March release date was both a blessing and a curse (hehe). It gave me lots of time to listen to it but with so many releases coming after it, despite it staying on my iPod all year, it kind of got lost in the shuffle until this past week. And even with bonus points for being vegetarian/vegan, that shuffling left Cursed closer to the bottom of the deck.

(Wow. That metaphor worked perfectly. I have 52 albums on my iPod right now.)

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Close But No Cigar Part 2: Toxic Holocaust - Conjure & Command

2011-12-04T01:11:00.001-05:00

I know in my heart that Conjure And Command (Relapse) isn't Top 40 material but I had a hard time cutting it because listening to Toxic Holocaust is just so damn fun! Joel Grind and company don't really stray from the classic TH sound but the production seems a little beefier. It also feels crisper and more focused. At just over 32 minutes the album doesn't overstay its welcome but at the same time, it doesn't leave you pining for more. Turn it on, crank it up, and rock the fuck out for hour and change. Almost exactly the time it takes to drive to work and back. Perfect. It's a great driving album. As far as the neo-thrash wave goes, Toxic Holocaust are one of the more talented and consistent bands leading the charge. However, as much as I like thrash, other metal genres tickled my fancy enough this year that TH has been left out in the cold. I saw TH perform at a living room show a couple years ago. It ripped my tits off. The energy and intensity of that show came through on Conjure And Command but it just wasn't enough this year.

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Close But No Cigar Part 1: Sourvein - Black Fangs

2011-12-03T22:30:00.001-05:00

This is the first in a series of posts discussing releases that deserve Honourable Mentions but just failed to crack my Top 40 Albums of 2011.

The latest Sourvein release, Black Fangs, (Candlelight Records) is the first unfortunate casualty of my venerable Top 40 list. These black fangs sink in deep and deliver a venom that will turn your innards to sludge. The tone on this album is killer. It's so heavy, it could sink an oil tanker in the Dead Sea. But I've come to expect nothing less from Sourvein. I mean, former guitarist Liz Buckingham left to play with Electric Wizard, so what does that tell you? There was a time that I would be falling all over myself to heap praise on an album such as this. While I still enjoyed it quite a bit, my tastes have changed somewhat since the days that Man's Ruin (RIP) and Rise Above Records ruled my world. Since, at this point, I have to be nit-picky to find a reason this album didn't crack my list, I'll go with the vocals. The whiskey-soaked, wildman, forest-dwelling vocals of T-Roy Medlin (also of Hail!Hornet with Sourvein guitarist Vincent Burke) are buried a little too deep in the mix. At times I wasn't sure if they were actually on the album or if it was just the voices in my head. This works to great effect in some cases but I would like to have heard them a little more. All that being said, this album still makes me want to get high enough to give Pluto a big 'ole hug and say "It's okay, buddy. You don't want to be a planet anyway. They're a bunch of conformist dicks. I love you, man!"

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I'm Not Going To See Devin Townsend?

2011-11-20T16:24:00.001-05:00

The Devin Townsend Project (We must be specific here) is playing a show a half hour drive from my house in a few weeks. I don't think I'll go. This seems like a form of blasphemy. We are talking about Hevy Devy. Playing a small club. Close to me. How could I NOT go? Well, here's a few reasons.

1) It's The Devin Townsend PROJECT.

2) It's NOT Strapping Young Lad.

3) They won't be playing Physicist in its entirety.(I fucking LOVE that album.)

4) It's not Ocean Machine: Biomech.

5) It's not Terria.

6) It's not Infinity.

7) It's not the Devin Townsend BAND. (Accelerated Evolution through The Hummer (I've never heard The Hummer.))

8) It's not Punky Bruster. (picture a couple dots over the "u". I can't do umlauts with this keyboard.)

9) It's not even Ziltoid.

10) It's NOT STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.

Now, I am sure they will play at least one or two songs that aren't part of the Ki/Addicted/Deconstruction/Ghost quadrilogy but that's not enough for me. I think Devin Townsend is an incredible artist, musician, and songwriter. I think he is a visionary legend of Canadian metal artists. But that doesn't make his music infallible. I applaud him for his drive and his ability to step outside of what is expected of him and create what he wants. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. The DTP never really did anything for me. Perhaps in the right environment, under the right circumstances, something might resonate with me (for instance, live and "enhanced"). But what little enjoyment I drew from those albums wasn't enough for me to make the monetary and time commitment necessary to attend the show. It's more like 45 minutes. Over 100km round trip.. Gas ain't cheap. You never know though. It might be on whatever night Glee is on and I might go just so I'm not in the same house as a TV that is showing it. But at this point I just can't see myself going. With my luck, it will totally kick ass and I will forever regret not going. Maybe I should go. When is it again? Well shit. I have to work that night anyway! That pretty much negates any need for my argument doesn't it? Availability notwithstanding, the above reasoning still holds true.

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Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whore

2011-11-16T01:50:00.001-05:00

A handful of years ago my Album of the Year List wouldn't touch Black Metal with a ten foot pole. This year however, Black Metal will very likely be the most represented subgenre on the list. Thanks in no small part to the newest Leviathan release, True Traitor, True Whore (Profound Lore). Being unfamiliar with sole member, Wrest's previous works, these fresh ears absorbed the album free of comparison.

Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu

2011-11-06T05:42:00.001-05:00

Attention Mono-theistic Religious Practitioners!! You want proof there is no God? Or at least proof that your god is not merciful? May I present to you.....Lulu!

The mere mention of a collaboration between Lou Reed and Metallica was sure to illicit a "Whaaaaaa?" from any self-respecting music fan. So it would only make sense that the resulting double disc (!) can be considered an abomination to auditory art. This is beyond a matter of taste. This is just bad. So bad, in fact, that it warranted what may be my most extensive review to date. My original plan was to get drunk and/or stoned and just write down whatever came to mind. Things didn't work out that way and I had to stomach the album stone cold sober. That's probably a good thing. I don't know if I would have been able to stop laughing long enough to actually write something down. Instead, I just sat there with a look on my face that can only be described as a mix of dumbfounded, "Who farted?" and "Mommy, I'm scared." This ordeal really tested my mettle. It has made me realize just how strong I am. If I can endure this kind of torture four times, I should be able to handle anything. Except Country music. I just...I can't...every man has his limits.

So. As Samuel L. said in Jurassic Park, "Hol' on da ya butts."

"Brandenburg Gate"

Is he just name dropping movie titles? Based on classic literature? Does he mean to make us think he sounds smart? This almost has a Country feel. That may explain why I hate it so much. Admittedly, the way the drums punctuate the "small town girl" part is rather catchy. Not good catchy though. More like accidental-fish-hook-to-the-ear catchy. The album is more or less a first person narrative. So the "I'm just a small town girl" line is really setting the stage for the theme of the album. Which I believe is about Lulu's (Jaymz' pet name for Lou Reed) homosexual/transsexual nature. They're really not doing themselves any favours by putting the worst vocal performance in history on the lead track.

"The View"

Oh good! Someone wrote a song about the talk show! Finally! More spoken word and less singing from Lou is a good thing. Well, the lesser of two evils. Still horrible though. They do realize that no one respects Shatner's spoken word crap, right? There is no sense jumping on that bandwagon. I am the table! The view! The root! The progress! The aggressor! The ten storeys! It's like the scene in Anchorman when Brick is just saying he loves random objects. What the fuck does all this mean!?!?!? I am the stapler!! The frying pan!! The carrot!! I am! I am! I am the washing machine!! The rusty hubcap!!! The main riff in this song isn't really all that bad. But the Riff Baby of Hendrix and Iommi couldn't save this mess.

"Pumping Blood"

Were the first two minutes of this song really necessary? Is any of this really necessary? Dog prostitute? What? Do people actually have to pay the dogs that fuck them? What does a dog need money for? "Come on Jaymz!" Fuck that dog! I want my money's worth! Dog prostitutes aren't cheap! Is this song entirely ad-libbed? This couldn't be planned could it? Jack! Jack! Who's Jack? Jack! He's beseeching you! Answer the man! Jack! He wants a handjob! Jack! "like a coloured man's dick, blood is spurting from me." What the FUCK!? I am really fucking confused. Jack! Jack!

"Mistress Dread"

This almost sounds like Metallica! St. Anger Metallica but Metallica nonetheless. Aaaand there's ramblin' Lou. "I'm a woman who likes men". See! I told you something was going on here. Now he's talking about bondage and S&M stuff. I think. Yeah, yeah, that's what's happening. Nice. "I am Mistress Dread" Am I missing something here? Is Lou Reed gay? Is this just some weird role playing thing? Is this the wild side? I think they played pretty much the same riff the whole song. The song is less than seven minutes long and it's over six minutes too long.

"Iced Honey"

Ah fuck me. This is the one that gets stuck in my head. And Louise is trying to sing again. Was this a Reload b-side? "Make others feel like jam on charbroiled lamb." What? Who the fuck puts jam on meat?! Jam goes on a sandwich, or toast! Sometimes I put it on pancakes but not MEAT! Would you put BBQ sauce on toast? No! Should Norma Jean put out their own jam now? Oh God, The Grape Jelly? Wait a minute. Iced honey? Who ices honey? It's really much better in a liquid state. Honestly, who listened to these vocal takes and said "Great work lads! Nailed it! No no, that's perfect! Gold baby, gold!" (sticks sharp object in ear)

"Cheat On Me"

I think I might hate this song the most. Sometimes I'll hear pop music on the radio or whatever and change the lyrics to make it sound (even more) stupid or ridiculous. Ex. Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" becomes "Why'd ya hafta go and make me so constipated? I can't shit now. And I push and I groan and I might pass out now...." Lots of fun. So in this case, I change "Why do I cheat on me?' to "Why do I smell like pee?" You smell like pee because you're 104 years old and you forgot to change your fucking Depends!! The three boxes of wine you had this morning soaked right through your panties. He just said he loves men. Again. I'm really starting to think this is just a big coming out of the closet party for all five of these cats. Has Lou Reed always been gay and I just didn't know because no one gives a fuck about Lou Reed? Am I naive or ignorant or right? Wow, Jaymz (I have to spell it that way when referring to Lulu because that's the way Louann said it in "Pumping Blood".) is pulling these vocals straight from Load isn't he?! I'm never going to be able to listen to "Hero Of The Day" again now. "Why do I smell like pee?" Maybe you have a urine fetish? Fuuuuuuuuck! This song is going nowhere!! 11+ minutes of fuck.all. Uh, "you love me zero" isn't even a proper sentence. Even I know that and I suck at English. But it's true. I love you zero. We all love you zero. Less than zero actually. We love you negative.

"Frustration"

Ah yes. That feeling I had all of disc one rears its ugly head again. And it's even a song title. And another song with a completely useless intro. And more music that just sounds like toss away riffs from Load/Reload. "Spermless like a girl." In general, yes, they are. I don't know of any girls that produce sperm. Thank you, Mr. Obvious. Did he just say something about prickless? Spermless and prickless. Is he talking about a eunuch? Or is he a eunuch? An old, drunk eunuch that keeps falling over. Dude seems pretty conflicted. I'm worried he might do something crazy. Like make a directionless, double disc collaboration with Metallic..ah shit. The incessant repetitiveness of every song is unforgivable. And I thought St. Anger's faults were bad.

"Little Dog"

Great. Another eight minute song. Another retarded (I'm done with being PC at this point) soft, stringed intro. Is that supposed to be a riff or is he just tuning his guitar? Good god, this "guy" is a sick little fucker ain't he? A dirty, dirty old man that has to pay for sex. With dogs. Little dogs. 5:30 in and that guitar is still being tuned. Did someone forget they hit "record"? Pathetic little dog? How about pathetic excuse for a song.

"Dragon"

Oh 11+ minutes!! Happy day!! Formulaic opening. Stupid guitar noises and an old man rambling semi-coherently. Is this supposed to sound like poetry? It sounds like shit to me. Here's some poetry. Roses are red, violets are blue. Instead of this, I'd rather eat poo. Red star of idiocy! You bet! Everyone involved in this is an idiot! Even the guy at the printers that hit "Start" on the machine that printed the sleeves! All idiots!! I'm an idiot for listening to it! You're an idiot for reading this review!! I have a RATM patch with a red star on it. Now I have to burn it. What the hell is he going on about now? Smelling armpits and tasting vulvas in the same thought pattern is rather weird. At least he's back to humans. Do dogs have vulvas? Who says vulva anyway? Alright, buddy is getting pretty sadistic now. I've heard pornogrind that's more conservative than this. The violent gay sex theme of this album is really disturbing me now. I'm OK with "love is love" and all but keep it in the bedroom boys. For that matter, this would be disturbing if it was straight sex. Lou Reed with anyone is a disturbing thought. Have you seen this guy? Moldy prunes feel bad for him. PLEASE SHUT UP ALREADY!! The fact that I haven't loaded a gun by this point is a real testament to my self-control and tolerance for torture. Not that I would kill myself over this sorry excuse for music. No,. Just everyone who put their stamp of approval on this. And I'm a BUDDHIST. That's how much this sucks. It makes a Buddhist contemplate murder.

"Junior Dad"

Last one. The Marathon of Awful is almost over. But this song is 19 minutes long!! I'm all for long songs (Dopesmoker!!) but I can guarantee this song could be cut down to less than four minutes and it would still be too long. Would you believe I am forgoing reading A Storm of Swords to write this review? Monumental sacrifice. I guess I deserve the Red Star of Idiocy then, don't I? None of this makes sense!! Monkeys?! How did monkeys get dragged into this? Jack! I beseech you! Leave the monkeys out of this!! What does this Junior Dad shit mean? It could be inferred that there is a Senior Dad. Correct? Maybe that's all part of this chickenhawk thing. The "young man" is Junior Dad and Louie is Senior Dad. "Whooz yo Daddy?" "You Daddy" OK, now switch! "I'm the Daddy now!" Oh shit. I've gone bat shit crazy haven't I? I can't believe how uselessly long this song is!! If it had movements or something I might understand but it's just repeating! Oh, interlude time. Because it wasn't boring enough already. Uh, four minutes of strings. I don't think this is an interlude anymore. Six minutes. I've never actually made it this far into the song before. Hold on! It's almost over! Wait for it...nothing. It just ends. Just nine minutes of soothing strings to almost make you forget what the rest of the album was, I suppose.

Seriously, how does a record like this make it to completion? People are actually proud of this? How many people up and quit because they couldn't stand to have their name attached to this rubbish? How many people had a gun to their head? The combination of everything is just awful. Bad lyrics, worse vocals, pointless repetition, pointless repetition, pointless repetition. They must have had a Department of Redundancy Department to ensure the redundantness of the redundant redundancies. The department head was Jack, of course. Jack!

I want to cry. For many reasons but foremost because people will actually buy this. What does that say about society? "Society" will buy whatever crap they think they should buy. That's what it says. WAY too much time and resources have been wasted on this. Not just MY time, but Reed's, Metallica's, that of the producers, engineers, design artists, factory workers, the trees that became the paper, the air and water that fed those trees, the raccoon piss that soaked the ground those trees grew from, the primordial vegetation that became the oil that became the plastic. All wasted. The fact that it is intended to be a sincere piece of art makes it that much more tragic. What's worse is that it can actually be kinda catchy. But not in a good way, like the old Hockey Night In Canada theme, or catching a homerun ball. No. More like catching an STD or a tick! Yes, a tick. A tick must be removed carefully and completely. Any bit left could get infected and fester and leave you with a terrible disease. Now that I am just about finished with this "review", Lulu must be carefully and completely removed from my brain and my hard drive. Delete. Confirm delete. Empty Recycle Bin into the fiery pits of hell. Burn now tainted Recycle Bin. Bury ashes of Recycle Bin and designate as Indian burial ground to scare off and protect the innocent. I just hope that this doesn't create a fad of irrelevant thrash bands teaming up with washed up, tone deaf old men who look and sound like wino junkie raving lunatic street preachers. If so, I may have to set myself on fire.

what.the.fuck?

MetalMatt

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The mighty BISON BC return to Kingston!! (at The Mansion)

2011-10-22T13:13:00.001-04:00

October 20th, 2011. The day Bison BC returned to Kingston, ON. It was almost 3 years ago when they last (and only?) played here. I remember the day clearly. It was Saturday Nov. 8, 2008. I was supposed to work that night but luckily I took the night off. Righteous. Trouble is, it was my 30th birthday and my wife planned a party for me. FUCK!! But the party's at AKA! With Bison!! (shakes fists at sky) This was shortly after Quiet Earth was released. That album (which made my Top 5 that year) greatly increased their recognition in the underground metal scene. When Dark Ages was released in 2010 it pushed Bison to an even higher level (#2) across the board and I figured my chances of seeing them perform live were done. Traveling to Toronto or Montreal isn't in the cards for me much anymore. (One show since the inaugural SOTU tour) But, BUT! The metal gods smiled on me. They brought Bison back to Kingston.

As always, I like to say a little something about the opening bands. Unfortunately, my capacity for coherent thought was hampered by the joint I smoked before I went in to the show. I'll do the best I can.

Severence led off the night. They also led off the last show I was at but I missed them. I was too busy trying not to totally freak out. (Advice: Kingdom of Noise does not recommend the use of high powered energy drinks and marijuana simultaneously) They weren't that bad really but I think my tolerance level was abnormally high. (he he, I said high) No, it definitely was. Whatever the case, I couldn't help but think they sounded like a mashup of say, Godsmack, Protest The Hero and The Black Dahlia Murder. In so much as a varied vocal style (I can't say range) and an apparent inability to play the same riff more than once in a row. At times it bordered on crabcore. One guitarist, whom I dubbed Stiffler due to both his appearance and personality, kept doing that fucking pigeon neck thing. I hate that. BANG IT!! He was probably doing that so his cockeyed backwards ballcap didn't fall off. FUCK! I guess my tolerance wasn't that high after all. In the most spot on appropriate moment of the day, the band announced they had one more song, then, while they were sippin' beers/adjusting hats/shouting Go Leafs Go!, the house music came on and they didn't get to play their last song. Severence. I almost laughed out loud but I feared if I started, I'd never be able to stop.

I wanted to write more about the next band, Ponderous Chain, than Severence but I think my high peaked during their set and I got lost in it. On the progressive side of death metal. Proficient without being overly technical. The vocals were that kind where he kind of just screams somewhat randomly. They don't follow the flow of the music. That's not uncommon these days and at least he didn't try and mix in too many clean vocals. Some, but not too many. They did have some "mosh parts" but they had just as many passages where they chilled out a bit and let the guitars wander. My buzz liked those parts. Lead Guitar was wearing an Opeth shirt which surprised me not at all. I could hear some influence. (Not that mess Heritage though) I wouldn't be surprised by an affinity for Meshuggah either. I would be interested to hear their stuff while sober. I was interested enough to extricate myself from the chair to get a better look so that's a positive for them. At one point during their set, I came up with a description of their sound that blew my mind. I didn't think I was capable of stringing together such a profound series of words. Dreams are made of that description. If there was a Pulitzer for phrases such as it was, I would have won. But, I totally forgot.

Toronto duo I, Emperor were in the direct support slot. While they weren't the best openers of the night, they did have to travel so I guess that's why they get it. I was having a very difficult trying to categorize this band. I still am really. Art-metal speed punk? indie-core? I don't know. They were well practiced and very passionate. They had PA issues a couple songs in, and the show was already running 30-40 min behind. I had started to come down and the loss of momentum bummed me out. I lost focus and just started people watching. Us metalheads are a weird lot.

Vancouver's Bison BC have become one of my favourite bands. Especially Canadian band. As intense and their recorded work is, I have heard their live performance notches that up a ton. Their performance at The Mansion in Kingston did nothing to change that impression. As with some of the great bands that I have seen, I can tell they are a touring band by the feel of the show. This is their arena. Not the studio. They didn't stick to note for note rehashings of the songs as heard on the CD. They could jam out passages, pulling the audience along, holding us above their heads waiting, waiting, and then slamming us against the rocks with fury. That's just the way they are. If Bison wants to just bowl you over they will. If they want to toy with you a bit first with beautiful instrumental passages before the destruction is wrought, they will do that too. It all makes for some pretty interesting headbanging. I'm sure some people were having fun at my expense as threw my body around in time with the onslaught. Said onslaught was quite varied as far as material goes. I'm a little rusty on Earthbound, and less so on Quiet Earth but I think they hit all three albums. My memory is horrible for song titles but I did remember a few. They played what might be my favourite Bison tune, "These Are My Dress Clothes" along with, I believe, "Slow Hand of Death". Dark Ages songs included "Melody, This Is For You" and "Stressed Elephant" as well as set closer "Fear Cave". The rest of the songs have been lost to broken synapses. It makes no difference to me what they played. It's all killer. Part of the problem might have been due to my positioning at the stage. I couldn't hear Dan's vocals at all. I might have been able to at the back but I was having way too much fun self-inducing whiplash in range of being brained by James' guitar. It was unfortunate there wasn't a better turn out for the show. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that Kingston as a city doesn't hold bands such as Bison BC in as high regard as I do. Hopefully it doesn't deter these East Van road dogs from making their way back to the Limestone City. In less than three years would be nice too. Then again, I had no idea what was going on behind me. Nor did I care. I was RAGIN'!!

Oathbreaker - Maelstrom

2011-10-19T19:47:00.001-04:00

You may remember my theory about the relationship of ad size to band quality. The bigger the badder. Well, a few weeks ago I was reading a George R.R. Martin novel and thought to myself, "Oathbreaker would be a cool band name". Literally minutes later, I open Decibel Magazine and a FULL PAGE ad for Oathbreaker is staring back at me. Oh great, not only did they steal my band name but they probably suck too. Thankfully, there are exceptions to every rule. And my theory is falling farther and farther apart.

I like the word maelstrom. I also like the word plethora. I get to use both in describing Maelstrom the album. Basically, the album contains a plethora of songs exhibiting a maelstrom of intensity which assaults the listener from all sides. There you have it! What? More words? Now? It's 6:30am! Fine.

I can't help but draw comparisons to Landmine Marathon but the similarity is really quite superficial. Both are fronted by a female who can scream her ass off and both can knock your socks off. But while Landmine can bring the doom and lean more towards the death metal end of the spectrum, Oathbreaker convey more of a hardcore feel. I can also hear some touches of black metal infusing itself in mix as well. Also, vocalist Caro doesn't sound as much like Grace Perry as much as a hybrid of Angela Gossow and Dee Prescott of the now defunct I Hate Sally (who also happened to have some hardcore flavour).

I did read something comparing them to Converge which isn't terribly far off but Oathbreaker seem a little more to the point. I've listened to it a bunch of times and I am still having a hard really putting words together to describe it. Intense and heavy hitting. Would be great live I imagine. Although I could do without the ballad at the end but it does feature a different side of Caro in which her banshee scream turns in to a very nice voice!

Napalm Death live in Kingston,ON Oct 3,2011 Review

2011-10-09T01:10:00.000-04:00

This show was a shining moment for live underground extreme music in Kingston. I've seen some great shows in town but we're talking about NAPALM FUCKING DEATH here people!! It doesn't get much more legendary for club shows in towns the size of Kingston.

But first, the openers.

Severance were the first band to hit b the stage this night. However, I was sitting in my car scarfing a veggie sub trying to satiate my munchies and letting my pupils return to a somewhat normal state. They are opening for Bison b.c. next week so maybe I will catch them then. I'll try and show up earlier and get my "veggie sub" out of the way before the doors open.

No Russian followed up. I believe I only missed one tune if any. And this is really all I have to say: Performing deathcore must be more fun than listening to deathcore. And I was stoned. They looked and sounded like a bunch of apes. Especially the vokillist. (That's how the kids spell it nowadays, right?)

Direct support came from a band called the Polidicks. This is the perfect band to play before Napalm Death. While a little more punk than grindcore, they held to the same ideals like anti-violence, human rights etc. At least from what I could gather from the between song banter. He was screaming enough I couldn't make out much else. And, I was still stoned. They said they hadn't been on stage together in two years but you'd never know. They were really tight. I think opening for Napalm might have brought out the best in them. The vocalist said at one point, "If you had told me 10 years ago when we started this band that we'd be opening for Napalm Death, I'd have slapped you." I am sure it was an honour and a privilege to share the stage with such a legendary band and obviously big influence on them.

Now what we paid for. Grindcore legends, pioneers and gods, Napalm Death. Would the extreme music landscape look anything like what it does without Napalm Death? I highly fucking doubt it. If you do doubt it, read Albert Mudrian's amazing book Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore. Then we'll talk. Speaking of history, Napalm's set ran the gamut of their discography and beyond. Barney Greenway (whom I will fawn over momentarily) told us they were going to play "some really old shit, some really new shit and a bunch of shit from in between." During a quite extensive set, they played classics such as "Scum", "Suffer The Children" and "Nazi Punks, Fuck Off!" up to newer songs like "Life and Limb" all the while never showing their age at all. But wait! In addition to the songs we know and love, we were treat to two covers! The first was a Cryptic Slaughter cover and the second was a Siege cover. When Greenway said they were covering Siege, some kid who looked young enough he couldn't even vote, just about lost his shit with excitement. Good on ya, kid. But that's not all! According to Mr. Greenway himself, we were given a special treat. Being the first stop on the tour, they played "a brand new song, for the first time. Ever. Anywhere." The song was called "Quarantine" and if it is any indication of what the new album (that he said they just finished up) will sound like,it's gonna be bloody brilliant!

Having never seen Napalm Death live, I was amazed by Greenway. His signature bark was even more intense live. He performed like a man possessed. I loved it. He embodied the hardcore punk aesthetic and channeled his frustrations with the world into his screams. All the while pointing his finger so we knew we'd best be paying attention. At one point, while trying to think of how to describe his sort of build-and-release stage presence, I couldn't help but liken him to that neighbour that the kids used to torment. And you could see him getting more and more physically angry and frustrated. Holding it in, because they're just kids. But he just can't take it anymore and explodes into a tirade. The difference here is, Greenway's pressure buildup=>explosion was full-on right from the opening bell and happened between every line he sang. Glorious.

As electrifying as he was, we musn't forget the living legend himself, bassist Shane Embury. After watching him play, (and hearing him on countless recordings) I should just give up now. I'll never be that good. Nor would I ever be as good as drummer Danny Herrera or guitarist/backing screecher Mitch Harris. (Who looks a lot like my parent's old neighbour who works at Costco but shorter and with longer hair. Weird.) None of those guys let up the whole time. The whole band just clicks and delivers. I mean seriously, when Scum was released, I was still a few months away from turning 9 and I wouldn't be able to play with the kind of sustained intensity that these guys do. If you have the chance to take in this experience, fucking do it. They're touring across Canada RIGHT NOW! Get out to a show!

Legen.....(wait for it)......dary!

And yes. The played "You Suffer".

Inspired by Girls Who Don't Really Like Metal

2011-10-07T17:51:00.000-04:00

Inspired by this article on Metal Sucks, I've preempted by Napalm Death live review to bring you a few words about girls and metal. At least from my perspective and opinion.
First, my wife doesn't like metal. She doesn't pretend to like metal. The only metal she likes is a couple Rob Zombie tunes and that's not even metal. Thankfully, she doesn't like Country Music either. Otherwise, I wouldn't have married her. So, I got to thinking, if I wasn't married what would I think of "metal chicks"?
a) Most of the young women I see at metal shows are too young for me anyway. I'm an old man now. More grey hair than black but not really because of age. With a hat on, I still get ID'ed sometimes. Anyway,...

Would I want to have a girlfriend/wife that loved metal as much as I do? I don't really know. On one hand, it would be really great to listen to Black Metal at breakfast, and Death Metal at dinner, Sludge at supper etc. I would have someone to watch my Immolation DVD with, a reason to get my old Sepultura VHS tapes out of the garage, and not have to listen to the crap on the radio all the time. But on the other hand, she would want to go to all the metal shows with me, right? Do I want that? Will she DD? Metal shows are kind of my escape. A night out by myself to let loose. I don't even have to drink or get high. I just rage. I end up sore for days but I have a good time. I don't go out and shoot pool or hang out a sports bar with my friends. I just go to metal shows. So, if my wife were to come to all those shows too because she was a "metal chick" what would I do? Not hang out at a sports bar alone, that's for sure.
If my wife liked all the same stuff I do, (metal, sports, sci-fi/fantasy, logging etc) would I find that sexy? Or would it feel like just having a female best friend that you sleep with? Ya sure, I get frustrated sometimes that I can't talk to her (or anyone really, I'm kind of isolated in terms of like minded friends) about the amazing new Krallice album, or how much I hate the Yankees, or Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series, or how I need a new chainsaw chain etc. but say she didn't LIKE the new Krallice album, then what would I do? I think this way, where I have my own shit, and she has hers, is better in the long run. Sure, I have to listen to Selena Gomez (kids) and Adele (wife) and I can't watch every Chicago Blackhawks game on tv but I love my wife just the way she is.
Besides, I don't know about other guys, metal nerds or not, but I am not automatically attracted to a woman just because she is wearing a Skeletonwitch t-shirt or has rad tattoos. It helps, but if she's not attractive, she's not attractive. Plain and simple. A musical preference isn't going to change that. Also, for me anyway, too much makeup is a turn off. And I see lots of makeup on the faces of the bodies wearing some of those shirts.
I guess what I am trying to say is, it would be cool if my wife liked metal. Just not as much as me.

As far as the article goes. I really hope it's tongue-in-cheek. Otherwise, it's bullshit. I believe women can love metal just as much as guys. I "know" lots of them. I see lots of them. Killing themselves in the pit with the rest of us. Girls don't voluntarily get beat up so guys notice them. That doesn't make sense. "Hey, I have a black eye and a bloody nose. Wanna make out?" No, thanks.
Granted, there ARE people, women and men alike that think it's cool to wearing Maiden shirts and the like without knowing anything about the band. To whom I would refer to this video.

Did I make any sense or did I just waste some of my precious time? Hey, whatever happened to Most Precious Blood?

More Wasted Bandwidth

2011-09-22T13:29:00.001-04:00

I've got two megabite buster for ya. Maybe 3. Or 4.

Opeth - Heritage: I've never really like Opeth to begin with. But there was a time I didn't like Black Metal. And now I like all kinds of Black Metal bands. But that is not the case here. Opeth took pretty much all the things I liked least about them and made a whole album of it. Proggy stuff, clean singing, instrumental passages blah blah BORING!

Kittie - I've Failed You: No no, Hunny. I haven't failed me. For you to have failed me, I would have to actually expected you to accomplish something. I didn't expect anything at all. In fact, because I was actually able to listen to the whole album without tossing my iPod in the river means you exceeded expectations. That's not a failure at all!

Chelsea Grin - My Damnation: Fuck me. Bombarded by breakdowns. I don't think these dudes would be able to masturbate. They can't keep a rhythm going long enough.

Anthrax - Worship Music: I'm confused. Do they want us to worship music? Or are they saying this is music to worship to? Whatever the case may be, the album is crap. It's practically not even thrash! And that Refused cover is a goddamn abomination.

There Is Always Another Way Out

2011-09-18T13:55:00.001-04:00

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I should be blogging about something good. Like my second daughter starting school. But sometimes the impetus to express oneself in words is brought on by events of tragedy rather than of triumph.

A friend and former band mate took his own life this past week. I haven't seen or talked to him in many years but the news is weighing heavy on my heart nonetheless. I've been lucky enough not to have known very many people that have taken this path to another life. It's not something I care to get used to. One suicide is one suicide too many.

Another friend and former band mate broke the news to me. They were best friends. As is often the case, even those closest didn't see it coming. As I've spoken to him, he told me that the deceased seemed like he was on top of the world. It was "all good" and there was nothing that sent up any flags. Apparently he did have a bit of an issue with painkillers after a motocross accident but not to the extent that it was feared this would happen. Like I said, his BEST FRIEND didn't see this coming.

Which got me thinking about the nature of suicide itself. I have a hard time wrapping my head around how people can go so far as to believe that suicide is the only way out. And I am no stranger to the concept. I've been to the bottom of the pit of despair. I know what it feels like to be surrounded by the slick walls of pain and loneliness. To feel like you have nothing to grab on to and no one will ever be there to pull you out. But deep down in the bottom of my heart, I knew that there were people out there that cared about me. That cared about me a great deal. That LOVED me. And I knew that if I resigned myself to thinking I would never get out, that the only way to escape the pit would be to put myself in the ground below it, that it would cause more pain and loneliness to those that loved me than I would ever feel myself.

That's why I find it so hard to understand when people actually do take their own lives. Because everyone has someone that loves them. Everyone has someone that wants nothing more than to see them happy. Sadly, sometimes people hold their eyes shut so tight, they can't open them up again to see that. They've blinded themselves to the door that is right in front of them. The other way out.

I suppose some people feel that they are a burden to others. That by choosing to remove themselves from this life, they are somehow doing "us" a favour. Their notion of putting others ahead of themselves has been twisted somehow. Somehow they fail to realize that those they are trying to "free" are actually the ones that will hurt the most. It's a harsh reality, but when it comes right down to it, suicide is a selfish act. (Unconsiously selfish) It's putting your pain and suffering, your needs, ahead of all others. When the true way to happiness is by putting the pain, suffering and needs of others ahead of your own. But it happens everyday. And each one is just as sad and tragic as the next.

I can't begin to know what reasons my friend had for ending his own life. Even his best friend was blindsided. In the end, his suffering in this life has ended. I can take some small solace from that. But it just means the cycle of birth, suffering, sickness and death begins anew for him. I pray that in some way, his return is able to enrich the lives of those he left behind. My heart of hearts goes out to his family and friends in this most difficult time.

RIP Dude. You were part of some of the most exciting years of my life and I will never forget that.

Engineer - Crooked Voices

2011-09-13T15:09:00.001-04:00

My posts have been far too infrequent as of late. Part of that is because I've been following more metal writers and I honestly feel a little inadequate compared to them. So in an attempt to stay active, I'm not going to worry so much about long involved reviews. I'm just gonna let you know what my first (or second or third) impressions are. And if it's really good, and I feel inspired, I will stretch out.

Engineer - Crooked Voices

I listened to this on the "recommendation" of a banner ad. First mistake. I have come to think that the size of the ad is inversely proportional to the awesomeness of the album/band it is promoting. Bigger ad= shittier music. The harder the label pushes, the less the music really speaks for itself. In general. This isn't in stone. (Have you seen the size of Devildriver ads?!) I digress. Anyway, I saw a banner ad, and I thought "Engineer. That sounds familiar. D-beat HC maybe? Or more Neur-Isis?" I couldn't really pin what I thought it would sound like. At least with words. In my mind was different. My mind was bang on. I'm no good at descibing this style but it did sound familiar. As in, it slotted right in the genre box that I pictured. It sounded like a dozen other bands. I heard flashes of Norma Jean, maybe a little The Chariot (stylistically. I don't know anything about their religious leanings) perhaps Architect? And other bands l picture with beards, (non-stupid) hoodies and flexible day jobs. I mean it's not bad. It's burly. There is screaming. It's not too chaotic. But there was really nothing there that is calling me back. Who knows? I may be passing over a gem because the light isn't hitting it the right way. But, I have a pocket full of jewels and I can't stop looking for new ones. Can't spend too long in the same place. Someone else may get there first. My metaphor is collapsing.

Trivium - In Waves

2011-09-01T01:14:00.002-04:00

I'm going to make this short and sweet. I've already wasted enough of my precious time by actually listening to it. You may fire when ready.

This sounds very familiar. Oh that's right. This dead horse and been beaten countless times by talented guitarists without a shred of originality.

And it sounds like just about every other Trivium album.

The harsh vocals are uninspired. The clean vocals are weak and whiny.

There is clean and harsh vocals. Metalcore bad/goodcop style.

18 tracks? Really? I thought Track 1 was just on repeat.

Nothing really grabbed my attention about this. I mean it. When I first listened to it, I was cutting grass. Mindless pacing back and forth. And In Waves failed to distract me even once.

The best track is the Sepultura cover. (Slave New World) Nothing special about it either. Note for note reiteration. Good choice though.

Somehow, I listened to it 3 times. That's 3x68 mins of my life I will never get back. In this case, I'm so glad I rarely have the time to dedicate solely to music. I got the grass cut, the kitchen cleaned and some reading done.

68 mins! That's a long time to listen to the same handful of riffs and chugs recycled ad nauseum. Somehow, random bits would get stuck in my head. And it annoyed the hell out of me. Catchy does not equal good.

Honestly, if you are even reading this, then you must be a metal fan. And if you are a metal fan, you probably know who Trivium is. And if you know who Trivium is, you know what they sound like. And if you know what they sound like, then you either think they kick major ass, or they need their asses majorly kicked.

Damn it! I just wasted another half hour on this crap. Good thing it wasn't the only thing I was doing.

JUCIFER! w/ guests at The Mansion. KIngston, ON July 28, 2011

2011-08-10T17:44:00.002-04:00

I knew the venue was small. There was no way I was going to miss this.

What I could have missed were the openers. The first act, An Optional Circus, didn't know what they wanted to do. There was such a mix of styles thrown together (with very obvious seams) that they just sounded like a band that was trying so hard not to be "something" that they ended up being nothing. At times they sounded like Pearl Jam, Incubus, The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace and at times almost heavy. I almost got the impression the singer just paid the rest of the band to play whatever he told them to. I have trouble seeing 5 guys all having that same vision. The drummer was a beast though. I just concentrated on him.

The Sitcoms were a more likely opener for Jucifer led by the fact that it was just a singer/guitar and a drummer. But it really ends there. Very artsy, in a lack of structure kind of way. I don't recall much in the way of a solid riff anywhere. I felt like I was at a coffeehouse. Again, drummer was pretty cool.

Do I really need to tell you how Jucifer was? If you know anything about the legendary, almighty Jucifer, then no. But, (gasp) there may be some poor souls who have yet to bathe in the glory of the Amp Wall. It was a scaled down amp wall on this night but it still blew other backlines (for full bands) out of the water. I'm not super good with gear, or inches, but I'm assuming they were all 12". 3-4 X s, 2-10 X s, and 2-8 X s cabinets. All jacked in to 1 guitar. And that's just what they could fit on the stage! I could see a pile of cabs stacked up in behind the wall. I even think they were using them. Despite the limitations of, in Edgar's own words, "the smallest stage I've ever been on" those that turned up to risk their auditory senses were assaulted in a way only Jucifer can deliver.

As the smoke rolled across the room, the lights were aglow in crimson red. A hooded and cloaked figure revealed herself through the haze. Edgar Livengood stood sentinel clutching four drumsticks in each hand. He waited as a blast of drone and doom riffage brought forth the demons that would transform his entity and that of Gazelle Amber Valentine from mere humans into the beast known as Jucifer. With the transformation complete, Jucifer laid waste to a multitude of senses. Auditory, visual, sixth, and common sense were obliterated. Even touch could not escape the onslaught as the space reverberated under the weight of a set heavy on material from Throned in Blood. Amber played like a woman possessed. Relentless and bent on total destruction. Edgar mercilessly beat the living shit out of his drums as if they were a dog that ate his mother.

As the last cymbal crash faded, and the low thrum of the final riff droned on into the infinite, the captive audience was relieved of their virtual hypnosis only to find themselves forever changed. And a part of their soul will remain empty until Jucifer inevitably returns.

Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions

2011-07-21T12:49:00.002-04:00

Album after album I try to like Arch Enemy but it just doesn't happen. Khaos Legions is no exception. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to listen to it twice now and I can't make it more than 5 or 6 tracks in. It's just not my thing. The whole thing just sounds so clean, polished and over-produced. I'm not some kind of DIY purist or troo kvlt Black Metal devotee but I do lean towards albums that I can at least envision outside of a studio.

No one can doubt that Mike Amott is a very talented guitarist and songwriter. And there is also no doubt Angela Gossow has a serious set of pipes. But that doesn't make the album pleasing to me. A few years ago I was more impressed with the band due to the female "death metal" vocals. But it was more of a novelty than anything. Since then, I've been introduced to a plethora of extreme female vocalists that I find much more interesting/talented (Grace Perry, Kat Katz, Amber Valentine, Laura Pleasants, etc)

I think of Arch Enemy as metal for not quite metalheads. I wouldn't expect a Nickledick fan to like it but other than Gossow there isn't really much that is all that extreme about it. Melody abounds and there is really nothing wrong with that in and of itself but the way it's packaged in Khaos Legions just doesn't do anything for me.

There is obviously a market for this because they do sell lots of records. But you could look at it this way, Arch Enemy are like supermarket vegetables. All shiny and perfect and consistent and they look good on the shelf, ready for consumption by the mindless masses. But I prefer my veggies from the roadside stand. They might not look as nice, they might have some dirt on them, but you are more engaged with the farmer (music) and they have more flavour!

(Take this review, omit Angela Gossow and Mike Amott, swap band names and bam! My review of In Flames - Sounds of a Playground Fading)

To put this in perspective, after I pushed this away, I listened to Disma - Towards the Megalith. Nothing sterile about that.

More Wasted Bandwidth

2011-07-03T13:06:00.001-04:00

I only have a couple duds for ya this week. Mostly because either it's pretty kickass (Exhumed, Origin, Vastum) or I haven't even listened to it yet (Sepultura, Arch Enemy and a shitload more).

Twisted Tower Dire: WHY DID I EVEN THINK I WOULD WANT THIS!? This reeks of big hair and spandex pants. I couldn't even make it past the first track, "Mystera". That title alone is horrible. The real tragedy here is I have to wait til I sync my iPod to get this garbage off of it.

I'm gonna take some heat for this next one.

40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room: I hear a lot of critics like this but it literally put me to sleep. I zoned right the fuck out. Without an oz of booze or any other chemical not composed of corn flakes. Zoning out in itself is not a bad thing but if I wanted to, it would be to something that sounded better than Pearl Jam tuned down half a step, in slo-mo. Boring as all get out. I was on track 3 before I realized I was still conscious.

Bonus! I forgot about this one.

Otep - Atavist: Same rehashed, whiny rap-metal that started to get stale quick after the debut EP. Whatever her name is (Otep Shimaya, I know) should just get into film instead. (wink wink) I kid. She does have a nice growl but this whole show is getting old. What I did make it through was better than the mess that was the last two albums though. I'll give it that.

Hey, you may love all 3 of these but I can'tbe bothered.

Barn Burner - Bangers II: Scum of the Earth (Metal Blade)

2011-06-28T05:26:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a band sneaks up on you. That band that didn't really get tons of press. So instead of you seeking out that band, you just happened across them. I saw Barn Burner as an opener for Kylesa. I thought they were alright but I was really focused on Kylesa so I didn't really give them a fair shake. When I saw that they were coming back around, opening again, I checked out the debut album. That's when it hit me. Once I was able to focus on it, The full awesome slapped me in the face. "These dudes are pretty fuckin' rad!"

Fast forward to 2011. A year or so after Bangers became the fist vinyl I ever bought. (I'm a little behind on the retro format movement) I hear Metal Blade is releasing Bangers II: Scum of the Earth. Right.Fucking.On.Dude.

Bangers II makes the sophomore jinx look like a myth. In fact, it's probably better than their debut. It's a wonder these tour monsters even found the time to write and record 42 minutes of music, let alone music this good! The 10 tracks found within follow pretty much along the same stylistic lines as their predecessor without sounding like a rehash. While there's no doubt it's Barn Burner (thanks in no small part to vocalist Kevin Keegan's unique snarl) this isn't the kind of band you can get bored with. Bangers II serves up a veritable riff-fest of stoner-thrash jams. They draw from the galloping rhythms of thrash and the swagger of stoner metal (much like fellow Canadians, Priestess) punctuated by the energy and attitude of punk.

As ripping as the album is, with the those nimble fingers dancing over the fretboard, the groove element keeps it at a pace that'll definitely keep you movin' but won't put you in traction. I've been trying to avoid using the word, but this album is "fun". I suppose that's something that tends to be lacking from a lot of metal these days. (At least good metal) You can take the music seriously (please do) but it doesn't have to BE serious. How serious can it be with song titles like "Keg Stand and Deliver" and "Skid Marks The Spot"? Music is entertainment and it doesn't get more entertaining than Bangers II. Well, maybe their live show. It's what you need to see! I missed them last time they were in town. That's a mistake I won't make again. Especially since they'll be playing tracks from Bangers II: Scum of the Earth.

You heard it here: Canadian Release Of The Year.

This Week In Wasted Bandwidth

2011-06-19T04:26:00.001-04:00

I'm going to try and start a weekly column here at Kingdom of Noise featuring some albums that I've recently "acquired" that more or less amount to a waste of bandwidth. Not to mention my time. Here we go!

Morbid Angel - Some Latin Words: Um.........What the fuck?! I understand if Dave and Trey wanted to step outside their comfort zone (our comfort zone?) and do something different. But that's what side/solo projects are for. They shouldn't have tainted the Morbid Angel name. I'm still waiting for the press release that says "Ha ha ha. Gotcha! We were just kidding. Here's the REAL new album." But sadly, I don't think that's the case. I don't get it.

In Solitude - The Devil. The Somethin'. The World.: I think that's the title anyway. I couldn't care less. I don't like Ghost either. Sue me.

Scar Symmetry - I'm Not Even Gonna Try To Remember The Title: I tried to listen to this a couple times but I can't make it past the second track. I have almost successfully blocked all memory of it from my mind. All I can remember is I think I don't like the vocal style. I dunno. I don't have time for this. I have to go see if the new Necrophagia is any good.

The Gates of Slumber - The Wretch

2011-06-03T14:12:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time I remember really diggin' TGOS. I think Conqueror may have made my Top 10 in 2008. Then came '09s Hymns of Blood and Thunder and I thought, "What the hell happened?" To say I was less than impressed would be an understatement. So when I heard the The Wretch was supposed to be a regression, if you will, back to something closer to their old style, I was quite intrigued. I've listened to it twice now and I am starting to wonder what it was about Conqueror that I liked so much.

Basically, it sounds like these gatekeepers are wandering around looking for lost Black Sabbath riffs in St. Vitus County. They must be wearing cement shoes because it doesn't sound like they're getting anywhere. I like Doom (the genre) and I understand the pacing and what-not but that's not where the problem is. It doesn't seem to have much in the way of dynamics. It's like the album exists for its own sake and its fine with that. I'm not going to go the obvious route and say that it's Wretch-ed, because it's not. But it doesn't add any value to my "metal listening life." If I want to listen to Black Sabbath or St. Vitus, I'll go to my CD cabinet and pick my poison. It also proves that my "ANYTHING stoner rock/metal/doom is awesome!!!! Fu Manchu YEAH!!!" phase is truly over. (As if that waste of time masquerading as The Atomic Bitchwax - The Local Fuzz didn't prove that already.)

GRIIIIIIIIIND!!!!!

2011-05-30T23:44:00.002-04:00

I'm feeling sort of uninspired as far as writing goes. But it's not that I haven't been listening to anything inspiring. Maybe it's more of a writer's block thing. And also, it may be that I've been listeing to a LOT of grind/grindcore lately and I don't really know how to write about grind.

So basically I'm gonna make this post a little "What's turnin' my crank lately"

Maruta - Forward Into Regression: Love the title. Need to see a lyric sheet. Loaded with loads of fucking sick riffs.

Despise You/Agoraphobic Nosebleed - And On And On: Slap me fuckin' silly with awesome. My first experience with Despise You is a good one.

Noisear - Subvert the Dominant Paradigm: The first 29 tracks are absolutely killer but I've yet to develop the patience for the ~30 min of noise that is the final track.

Gridlink - Orphan: All bow at the altar of Jon Chang.

Magrudergrind - Crusher EP: This is far too short. It's a big tease!!

Rotten Sound - Cursed: I love that tone! Finland doesn't just have good goaltenders. And they're Veggies too!

Trap Them - Darker Handcraft:I have to stop listening to this in the car. I can't sit still! I'm gonna kill someone!

Need to hear the new Phobia. Somebody hook me up!

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN

Subrosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

2011-05-01T15:22:00.000-04:00

It's not often that an album hits me with the kind of force that No Help For The Might Ones did. I had never heard their previous work and decided to check them out after seeing repeated tweets concerning the release of the album from label Profound Lore. Even before I hit the one minute mark in opener "Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes" I knew I was in for a glorious listening experience. The remaining 58 minutes did nothing to change that impression. Subrosa deliver what is generally considered a doom record but the addition of electric violins bowed by Sarah Pendleton and Kim Pack inject an element that allows No Help to transcend the typical genre restrictions. The almost horn-like tones of the violins weave their way in and out of the mix providing added depth to the already deep doom guitars of vocalist/guitarist Rebecca Vernon and bassist Dave "The Deuce" Jones. The result is a wall of sound that wraps around the listener in multiple layers of warmth. Ironically, this doesn't lead to claustrophobic feeling. Quite the opposite. The deep texture creates and expansiveness that feels as if it encompasses all of creation.

"Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes" starts with a tone and riff reminiscent of Electric Wizard until the violins start in. It holds that heavy riff but the violins up the depressive factor with sorrowful overtones. It sets the mood for the entire album. Dark and heavy, triumphant and introspective. Instruments drop in and out as necessary and build upon each other in a series of peaks and valleys. Each song has a vocal passage that grabs hold and leaves and impression that lingers on the brain. Here, it's "How long must my journey go?"

"Beneath The Crown" features mournful violins over a two note drone which falls out as the vocals drift in and builds to a thunderous roar as the the band joins back in. The skittering violins and harsh male vocals make this the most violent sounding song on the album.

"Stonecarver" is the 11+ minute centrepiece of the album. The long intro consists of a serious plodding doom riff over some foreign language spoken word and spidery picked violin work. It continues to build and build til the 4:38 mark when it bursts into the triumphant "chorus". I catch myself randomly singing the "I've separated myself from the..." mantra. Could be my favourite vocal passage of the album. Also at this mark is when you can hear the heavy Kyuss influence. The fuzz tone is spot on. The song segues back into an introspective feeling mood helped by yet more brain lingering lyrics. The song ends with a HUGE sounding, harsh, repeated "there's no help for the mighty ones, now!" aided by more male background vocals. Epic.

"The Inheritance" is the song that means most to me. It's about a concern for the environment. The mood of the song is adequately mournful. Vernon sums it up best when she sings, "We're in the shadow of a dying world." The tinkling wind-up toy outro reminds me of childhood innocence and that it is the children and grandchildren of our generation that will pay for our ignorance.

"Attack on Golden Mountain" is a srsly doomy track mixed with an orchestral angle and choral vocals. There is an Americana feel as well. The violins sound almost like a soundtrack to the main story influencing the mood. The 9 minute length allows it to build, climax and come back down not once, but twice. Who needs short songs?

"Whipporwill" is another track that reminds me of Electic Wizard. As with most of the songs on No Help, it features soaring vocal harmonies that bring a tear to my eye regardless of if the message is sorrowful or forward-thinking. Great songs can do that.

"House Carpenter" is a captivating accapella version of a traditional Celtic folk song. It's a tragic tale of morality beautifully sung.

"Dark Country" encapsulates all the elements present on the record. Huge doom riffs, haunting vocals, part skittery part mournful violins puncuated by the thunderous drums of Zachary Hatsis and droning bass.

No Help For The Mighty Ones is an epic (dare I say, post-doom?) journey to the deepest parts of the soul. The multi-textured layers carry the listener through peaks and valleys of the highest highs and the most sullen lows. Thoughtful compostition and hypnotic use of repitition mesh with the interplay of the myriad stringed instruments. All punctuated by dynamic percussion and powerful female vocals. This has created a truly unique experience. Subrosa have carved themselves their own niche in the stoner/doom universe. While not the only band to utilize female vocals and classic strings in a heavy context, they have created a sound that is incomparable. It may be early, but 2011 will have a hard time topping No Help For The Mighty Ones.

Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising

2011-04-03T14:37:00.002-04:00

You won't have to look hard to find dozens of reviews of this album. Amon Amarth get plenty of press. I'm not going to go on and on and tell you a bunch of stuff you already know. So I will briefly summate my disappointment.

2008's Twilight of the Thunder God topped my Best Of List that year. I now believe that was at least partially due to novelty. As my musical horizons widened, I was discovering many new subgenres of metal. TOTTG was my introduction to "viking metal". It was new and exciting and I got swept off my feet. Naturally, I had high expectations for Surtur Rising. Sadly, those expectations were not met. I can't say it's a bad album though. It's actually quite epic sounding. It's everything a viking metal album should be. The problem is, so was their last one. The novelty has worn off for me. I don't expect a band to re-invent themselves every album but in a blind listening test, I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two albums (with obvious exceptions). They taste the same. With some of my favourite bands, each album has a different flavour. I've only listened to it 4-5 times so far so maybe something will grab me yet but most of the time I don't have to wait this long. I've already heard maybe a half dozen albums from 2011 that I like better. So unless I "get it" soon, it could be lost to the winds of time. Or at least become irrelevant.

N.B. Since this original post, I've listened to it a few more times. It gets better every time but it's still not making the impact Twilight of the Thunder God did.

Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm

2011-03-20T15:30:00.002-04:00

Black metal can be hit or miss with me. This one is hit and miss. Stylistically, it's my kind of black metal. No keyboards. It's got nice, long, well-composed songs that don't just bury the listener in blastbeats. The songs have texture. They aren't monochromatic. They ebb and flow and breathe. As the title suggests, it's ominous and mystical. I think it's a fantastic of musicianship and songwriting ability. That's the hit part.
The miss part is the vocals. I don't know if it's all natural or computer assisted but in either case, it sounds like someone is choking a frog. Could be the strangest vocals I've ever heard. Not really my thing. However, they're not quite a dealbreaker. While they're aren't my favourite, they do fit with the music for the most part. I can't help but wonder what it would sound like with a more traditional vocal style.
Overall, it's a pretty good traditional, keyboard free, black metal album with weird vocals.

Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand

2011-03-20T13:29:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it's hard for me to write a review of an album that I know I am gonna love before I even hear it. Because then when I do hear it, and I do love it, all I can think of is "It's awesome. Why do I have to convince anyone?" And in this case, it's Crowbar. Why do I have to convince anyone? I'll do my best regardless.
It's been 6 years since the last Crowbar album. 6 LONG years. But lone original member and mastermind Kirk Windstein hasn't been sitting on his duff. He's been busy with the venerable Down and Jasta colab, Kingdom of Sorrow. More recently, he's also been busy getting clean and sober. His journey through the process of getting clean and sober is the inspiration for Sever the Wicked Hand. They say the pen is mightier than the sword and the lyrics penned within are mighty indeed. It is they that sever the wicked hand. The wicked hand being that holding the blow or the drink. The beautiful and inspiring lyrics provide an interesting contrast to their delivery. Kirk's sandpaper vocals act as a physical reminder that despite the push towards positivity and the beauty of clean living, the battle is a harsh one. It's a battle I can relate to. I've struggled with alcoholism for years. It's a battle I'm still fighting and I have scars that will take a long time to heal. But Sever's lyrics about healing and cleansing and taking back control of your life have inspired me to push harder. Addiction is a very personal road to travel, and to be able to draw inspiration from someone that I look up to is pretty special. It makes the road a little less lonely.
Let's not forget the backdrop for all this traveling. In a Decibel interview, Kirk described Crowbar as a mix of Carnivore and the Melvins. Ashamedly, my experience with Carnivore is non-existent and with the Melvins it's limited. So in my mind, it sounds like Crowbar. I'll hear other bands with that NOLA sludge groove touched by some hardcore influence and think they are trying to sound like Crowbar. TRYING. The Crowbar sound is signature. Whether the tempo is fast or achingly slow, Sever the Wicked Hand delivers an aural beating. When Kirk and co. put the pedal down it's like being hit with large bore automatic gunfire at close range and when the pace slows to a plod, each note is like a concussion grenade right to the chest. This is powerful stuff. The memorable riffs and sonic beatdown come courtesy of a bottom end that'll shake your house off its foundations and muted notes that sound like chainmail being scraped across sheet metal. And the drums pound with the force of a crumbling sky. In other words, it's classic Crowbar. You have to remember, this is the band that made "Dream Weaver" sound heavy. (That Inhale 4:20: The Stoner Rock Compilation was badass!)
6 years is a long time between albums. But as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. The patient have certainly reaped the rewards of their steadfastness with Sever the Wicked Hand. A demon is slain on the Adam D. designed cover and inner demons are slain on the masterpiece found within. Not only will this album stand up as one of Crowbar's best ever, but I think it's an early favourite for 2011 Album of the Year.
Crowbar rules!

Abysmal Dawn - Leveling the Plane of Existence

2011-03-17T01:26:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I can't understand myself. Sometimes within the same sub-genre I will like one band and not like another. For example, I like Origin. I don't like Obscura. or Cynic. But I do like Abysmal Dawn. If you haven't guessed, I'm talking about technical death metal. (ok, maybe Cynic doesn't fit in there) I can't really explain why I like certain bands over others. But I'll try and explain why I like Abysmal Dawn.

First of all, for the most part, the lyrics are discernible. This isn't a big sticking point with me but it helps. If I couldn't make out any words, I'd dismiss it outright only because the music makes up for any vocal shortcomings. Don't think the vocals aren't brutal though. They are. Very much so. But they are very well done and far from repetitive grunting. Also, they aren't everywhere. There is a good balance between the vocals and the music.

I can appreciate musical ability. Mainly because I have very little. I try but... So when I hear a band play with the immensity of talent that the dudes in AD have, it blows my mind. Now, just being able to play very well doesn't mean you can write. I can play softball. Doesn't mean I can coach. That's what appeals to me about Abysmal Dawn. They have serious chops but they are able to turn that into songs. Pretty complex songs at that. They can bring the muscle and power of traditional death metal and meld that with blissful solos and untraditional song structures. They can be technical without shoving it down your throat or being overly arty. I don't think they'll be the band that swings me over to the uber-tech/prog side of the fence but if I want to feel inadequate, I'll put on Leveling the Plane of Existence.
I'd really like to say more about this but I'm getting a case of writer's block.

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN

Scale the Summit - The Collective

2011-03-16T21:04:00.002-04:00

I'm not huge on most instrumetal. More or less because not much happens. And when something does happen, I've waited so long for it that it's always disappointing. Maybe I don't listen to the right stuff. Anyway, I don't not like The Collective. I don't necessarily yearn for it either. (It's better than what I am listening to right now though.) The Collective is the kind of album that I can put on and not frighten people. It's full of sweeping melodies and just enough punch to make it palatable for someone like me who likes the more aggressive stuff. It actually reminds me a lot of that G3 album with Vai, Satriani and Johnson. It also brings to mind Marc Rizzo's solo work. I have a hard time saying very much about it because I feel like it's just kind of "there". I know plenty of people love this stuff and that's good for them. It's great background music and I'll likely listen to it plenty more time before the year is out.
Elevator music for metalheads.

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN

Battle of the Trad Metal Bands: Holy Grail vs. Cauldron

2011-02-26T02:24:00.002-05:00

When I originally thought up the concept for this post, I had only listened to each album once. (Crisis in Utopia and Burning Fortune, respectively) The more I heard each one, the more the comparison fell apart. But by this point, I had already tweeted that I was gonna do this. As a man of my word, I will continue. Fair warning: this won't be very good.

Album Cover

Holy Grail - Crisis in Utopia: Demonic pterodactyl-like creature screaming into the night. Standing on a corpse on a plateau littered with bones outside a city.

Cauldron - Burning Fortune: Vampire-like woman in a white dress getting out of the backseat of a car. Her high-heeled shoes are on fire.

The point goes to: Cauldron. If we look at it from a Trad point of view and in keeping with the vibe of the album, women and cars win. Besides, dinosaurs don't find jean jackets sexy.

Lyrics

HG: While not as epic as say, Iron Maiden, they have the same fantastical feeling. Maybe even touching power metal type themes. Valhalla, etc

C: More personal and "real life" than HG but still with quite the cheese-factor. Good use of repetition.

The point goes to: I'll give this one to Cauldron. The lyrics seem more Trad. HG's lyrics seems a little more modern. Or at least more bands now follow that style whereas Cauldron's have a much more retro feel.

Vocals

HG: Clean. The occasional growl. Good tone and seems versatile.

C: Um, I'm sure the band is cool with the vocals but I don't think they are very good. Backyard picnic quality. Some parts are hard to listen to. But hey, maybe that's what they were going for?

The point goes to: Holy Grail. This was a no-brainer.

Guitars

HG: These dudes can shred!! Serious shred. Megadeth speed, Dragonforce virtuosity and a modern edge not unlike Trivium. Sweet.

C: Just as catchy as HG but nowhere near the note count. The solos aren't too bad but the feel is different than HG. Moodier.

The point goes to: Holy Grail. They win just because I prefer that style and they are more diverse.

Drums

HG: To keep up with those guitars, you have to be good. Really good feet.

C: Well, with this style, the drummer is really more of a time keeper. Good at what he does though!

The point goes to: Holy Grail.

Final score: 3-2 in favour of Holy Grail.

It should be obvious how this comparison fell apart. While both lean on a retro style, the period and feel are way different. Holy Grail sounds like it comes from a more speed metal place whereas Cauldron feel more late '70s/early hair metal. It's not really a fair comparison. Apples and oranges. Both are quite catchy, "heavy metal" and I'm sure passionate about their music. If you like speed and epicness, go with Holy Grail. If you like white jean jackets and Trans Ams, go for Cauldron. (After wracking my brains on who Cauldron remind me of, I figured it out. The Scorpions.)

www.twitter.com/metalmatthinch

Full Blown Chaos - Full Blown Chaos

2011-02-24T23:12:00.002-05:00

New York's Full Blown Chaos have started the 2011 listening season off
on a good foot. Their self-titled follow up to '07s Heavy Lies The
Crown is more or less what you would expect from FBC but that's not a
bad thing. While the NY tough style metallic hardcore scene could
easily get over saturated (see anything -core), the cream would rise to
the top. Part of the cream would be FBC. When trying to describe the
album I'm drawn to comparisons to similar but maybe more well known
acts like Hatebreed and Sick Of It All. But FBC is their own animal. A
little more hardcore than (modern day) SOIA and a little more metal
than Hatebreed. There is still plenty of breakdowns to be found. But
in comparison to other bands that (over)use them (Read:
metalcore/deathcore), their presence makes sense. It's not a gimmick.
FBC are not followers, they are leaders. Besides, FBC are able to
build around the breakdowns in such a way that they don't become the
focal point of the music. For me, the focal point is Ray Mazzola's
vocals. If anything, I think they are what separate FBC from some of
their contemporaries. They seem deeper. It's a more death metal
flavour on a traditional hardcore style. Definitely commanding in its
essence. Under his command, with the chest-thumping vibe of the band
behind him, Mazzola could whip a pit into a frenetic whirlpool faster
than you could gang-shout "Go!"
I think what draws me to FBC and bands of this style (when I'm not
knee-deep in Sludge, drowning in Black Metal or being bludgeoned by
Death Metal) is the positivity in it. That never-back-down, stand up
for yourself vibe. It's nice to hear something personal and "real"
without it being whiny or depressing. It's an album that will make you
feel good, make you lift your head up high and maybe even make you
stomp around the kitchen waving your fist and doing air-breakdowns
while making supper. Not that I...ever...do that...or anything.
www.twitter.com/metalmatthinch

2010 Record Label of the Year

2011-02-17T03:20:00.001-05:00

Based on the record labels of the bands that made my Top 40 Albums of the Year for 2010, I am pleased to announce the first annual Kingdom of Noise Record Label of the Year. Two labels finished with five bands represented. But one label had two bands in the Top 5. So the winner is.....

Relapse Records!!! (confetti explosion and thunderous applause)

2nd Place: Nuclear Blast

3rd Place: Season of Mist (4 bands)

T-4th Place: Metal Blade and Profound Lore (3 bands each)

5th Place: Prosthetic (2 bands)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for release such great music.

Kingdom of Noise would also like to thank: E1, Rise Above,Deep Six, Init, Unique Leader, Distort, Housecore, Nomadic Fortress, Indie, Kemado, Candlelight, Warner, Razor & Tie, Byelobog, Southern Lord, Dark Balance, EMI, and The End.

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Top 40 AOTY 2010 Recap!

2011-02-17T03:02:00.001-05:00

40. haarp - The Filth

39. Cancer Bats - Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones (Most Fuct Up Hair)

38. Hour of Penance - Paradogma

37. Melechesh - The Epigenesis

36. Wolvhammer - Black Marketeers of WW III

35. Kataklysm - Heaven's Venom

34. Immolation - Majesty and Decay

33. D.I.S. - Critical Failure

32. The Sword - Warp Riders

31. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis

30. Misery Index - Heirs to Thievery

29. Early Man - Death Potion

28. Exhale - Blind (Most Like My Mind)

27. Black Breath - Heavy Breathing

26. Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition (Thrashterpiece of the Year)

25. Kingdom of Sorrow - Behind the Blackest Tears

24. Hail of Bullets - On Divine Winds

23. Malevolent Creation - Invidious Dominion

22. Aeon - Path of Fire (Death Metal Track of the Year)

21. Rotting Christ - Aealo (Song Most Likely To Frighten Children)

20. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier (Only One To Win A Grammy This Year)

19. Unearthly Trance - V

18. Ludicra - The Tenant (Sickest Riff of the Year)

17. Watain - Lawless Darkness

16. Salome - Terminal (Vocal Performance of the Year)

15. Hooded Menace - Never Cross the Dead

14. Jucifer - Throned in Blood

13. Kvelertak - Kvelertak (Rookie of the Year)

12. Burzum - Belus (Most troo/kvlt)

11. Norma Jean - Meridional

10. Landmine Marathon - Sovereign Descent (Scream Along Album of the Year)

9. Kylesa - Spiral Shadow

8. Deftones - Diamond Eyes

7. Electric Wizard - Black Masses

6. High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine (Live Performance of the Year)

5. Fear Factory - Mechanize (Comeback Album of the Year)

4. Black Anvil - Triumvirate

3. Howl - Full of Hell (Album Cover of the Year)

2. Bison b.c. - Dark Ages (Canadian Album of the Year)

1. Wihered - Dualitas (Vinyl Version of the Year)

0. Soulfly - Omen (overbiased in favour of band)

--
http://matthinch.blogspot.com/
www.kingdomofnoise.blogspot.com
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Damn it!

2011-02-16T23:04:00.001-05:00

Remember what I said about having internet access at work? Well, cancel that. They just locked it out again. It was nice while it lasted. I will still try and post more reviews anyway. But for now, all you need to know is, Crowbar rules. And I still have Twitter!

www.twitter.com/metalmatthinch

My 40 Favourite Albums of 2010: TOP 10! (+1)

2011-02-16T21:32:00.001-05:00

*DISCLAIMER! All rankings are based on 3 major factors. 1. I actually have to like the album. Nothing is included because it's on everyone else's list or because I think it would make my list look better. 2. I can listen to it no matter what I am in the mood for. 3. Overall play count/I actually paid money for it. Remember, this is my opinion. It's not overly analytical. Most, if not all, rankings are VERY fluid. Don't get your panties in a bunch because your favourite band is lower than "that fucking piece of shit band!"*

I am perpetually broke so if I throw down my hard earned money on something, it better be fuckin' good. With that being so, if I bought a physical copy of something, it's almost guaranteed to land in my Top 10. Keep in mind that on any given day, any one of these albums could be considered #1. So without further adieu, My Top 10 Favourite Albums of 2010.

#10. Landmine Marathon - Sovereign Descent (USA, Prosthetic): Last year, my I-just-need-to-fucking-scream album was Grand Feast for Vultures by Blood Tsunami. Hop in the car, crank it up and fucking scream like there's no tomorrow. This year, that album is Sovereign Descent. I'd say 99% of the time I'm not singing the right words (or words at all) but it does the trick. This is one of the most aggressive releases I heard last year. I think one the things that makes it like that is because it feels so raw while still maintaining good production. It feels very organic as well. Like the process of making this death/doom/grind hybrid was totally natural. Nothing forced. Just the obvious result of 5 souls coming together as music. I had the pleasure of meeting the band at one of their shows (I have a signed LP to prove it). You couldn't ask for a more relaxed, down to earth, unassuming bunch of people. But on stage they are a tour de force. Especially Grace Perry. One of THE nicest people I've ever met, but she threw me around like a ragdoll and literally ripped another guy's shirt off his back. (She gave him a new one) On top of that, I don't think she's sung a clean note in her life. A beast of a vocalist. 5 stars. Perfect 10. 4 horns up. Fuck yeah. Standout track: "Steadfast Hate" (shoutouts Ryan, Dylan, Andy, Grace and Matt! Come back to Kingston!)

#9. Kylesa - Spiral Shadow (USA, Season of Mist): Following on the heels of 2009's amaaaazing Static Tensions, (2009 KoN AOTY) mighty Georgians Kylesa brought us another masterpiece in Spiral Shadow. This record is the next step in the evolution of Kylesa. They keep moving forward with each release. They keep growing and maturing as a band. Spiral Shadow fits the mood of its content perfectly. It's very textured with light and shade. But with an overall positive vibe. It swirls in an almost psychedelic fashion. Together, it makes me picture a luminous orb emitting music and colour creating a spiral shadow as reality rotates around it. I've yet to listen to it blitzed but it's an amazing headphone record. Production wise, the job was handled again by guitarist/vocalist Phillip Cope, It differed slightly from Static Tensions in that I didn't notice as much panning of the two (dynamically talented) drummers. Still an amazing job. A Phillip Cope production has been at or near the top of my AOTY list 4 years running, including this one. I think it's fair to say I'm a big fan of his work. Also, I feel it differs in that there are more songs dominated by either Phillip or Laura, rather than Phillip and Laura. Could just be me. Whatever the case, the teamwork between them (and the rest of the band) pays off in spades. I was looking forward to seeing them play in Kingston last month but I missed it. Sorry guys! But I had a brand spankin' new baby at home. I'll do my best to raise her as a Kylesa fan. Standout track: "Don't Look Back"

#8. Deftones - Diamond Eyes (USA, Warner): Diamond Eyes is the first album in the (hopefully temporary) post-Chi Cheng era. I think the idea to forge ahead for Chi was a very good one. It's their best album in a long, long time. Their best since White Pony and maybe even their best since Around The Fur. Speaking of old school Deftones, that's what this album reminds me of. They've brought back that really aggressive side without losing that inner sensitivity that the ladies seem to like. (I once knew a girl who was totally in love with Chino.) You really have to admire what Deftones have done here. The bands they came up with (Korn, Limp Bizkit, etc) are jokes now. Totally useless. (Mudvayne and Slipknot too basically) Yet, Deftones created this fantastic album. It's still Deftones too. They haven't changed styles or catered to outside pressures. Sure, it's not Adrenaline but it's still Deftones. Diamond Eyes is who they are. If you've been paying any attention to what kind of vocals I like, you wouldn't think I'd be game for the soft vocals on this. They're soft. I don't have a problem with clean vocals but soft? But, I sing right along! Loud sometimes. But hey, when you're Deftones and Chino Moreno, I cut a lot of slack. Standout track: "Rocket Skates"

#7. Electric Wizard - Black Masses (ENG, Rise Above): This is the lowest I have ever ranked an Electric Wizard album. I feel kinda bad about it. Trouble is, it didn't come out til November so I haven't had that much time with it. I listened to it last night/this morning and it blew my mind. Again. It does that every time. It's fucking Electric Wizard, man! I bow at the altar of Jus Oborn. Black Masses is a beast of an album. The latest chapter in the EW stoner/doom legacy. The heaviness can't be described in the English language. It's so heavy, that despite the deep sense of foreboding that cuts through the dense fog of (that sweet, sweet) pot smoke, I think my heart actually slows down. It's so heavy, it doesn't just crush bones, or pulverize bones, it vaporizes bones. I'm actually afraid to get high before listening to this. It might put me into a coma. In the decade plus that I've been listening to Electric Wizard (Dopethrone was my intro. I own them all now) I've always said I don't need drugs to listen to EW. Electric Wizard IS a drug. The incredible tone and hypnotic nature of the music takes me to place other bands can't. One of my favourite bands of all time. Standout track: "Scorpio Curse"

#6. High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine (USA, E1): Like I said for Electric Wizard, it's fucking High on Fire, man! High.On.Fire. I don't need to say more but I will. You and I both know that guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike is a god-like creature. This much is obvious. So I am gonna run with that. The three members of HoF are the three most powerful gods in Greek Mythology. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Zeus, the most powerful and the god of the sky and lightning is Matt Pike. His fingers and his guitar make up his lightning rods. Destroying all who dare to question his authority as a guitar god and genius. Poseidon, god of water, is bassist Jeff Matz. His basslines weave their way into the cracks and crevices of the album like water, giving it depth. And Hades, the god of the underworld, is drummer Des Kensel. His unrelenting drumming pounds humanity into submission and unleashes an earthquake of awesome on every track. Together, they form the near perfection that is High on Fire. Simply divine. And as if the album wasn't great enough, the live show blows that out of the water, earth and sky. Standout track: "Holy Flames of the Firespitter"

#5. Fear Factory - Mechanize (USA, Candlelight): At the beginning of Part 3 (#20-11) I mentioned comeback/return to form albums. I was specifically referring to Deftones and Fear Factory. Mechanize is a comeback and a return to form. FF was never the same without Dino. Honestly, Archetype and Transgression, for lack of a better word, sucked. The story of how this iteration of Fear Factory came about is a long (and bitter) one but basically Dino's back, (yay!) Ray is out (boo) and Christian is out (yay! I blame him for the suckage.) And in their place are none other than Byron Stroud (!) and the venerable (We're not worthy!) Gene Hoglan. Can't do much better than that. Together, they've made FF into the band I fell in love with back in 1995 again. (Thank you, Mortal Kombat soundtrack.) No seriously. This may even be better than Obsolete. Despite being released early in the year, Mechanize hasn't been overshadowed by later releases or suffered from being overplayed. Stylistically, and thematically, it's classic FF. Machinegun riffing, unreal drumming and Burton's mix of harsh/clean vocals (please don't say good cop/bad cop) are all present. I did notice a little less emphasis on keyboards and synths this go around. That's fine with me. It still kicks ass. They may sing about the future, but this feels like a blast from the past. Fear Factory's back, baby! Standout track: "Christploitaion"

#4. Black Anvil - Triumvirate (USA, Relapse): Wait. Wait. Wait. Is this the same Black Anvil that released Time Insults the Mind? What a leap forward! Where Time Insults the Mind, if memory serves me, was pretty much a blackened thrash affair, (albeit a pretty good one) Triumvirate has turned the corner and presented itself as more of a thrashened black beast. I had some high hopes for certain albums in 2010 and was severely disappointed (eg Atheist. Meh, not my thing.) Quite the opposite was the case with Black Anvil. I had little to no expectations whatsoever for Triumvirate but from the moment I heard vocalist/bassist Paul Delaney (with Raeph Glicken - Drums and Gary Bennett - Guitar) scream "What is life, if not now!" on the opening track of the same name, I was abso-fucking-lutely floored. I knew instantly it was Top 5. The vocals on this album are more than adequately "black" yet are coherent enough that had I the time, I could actually make out what he's saying. I just don't the luxury of "music only" time. Always reading or making lunches or whatever. What I would know is that this isn't some caveman sentence fragment repetition bullshit. This is some upper level shit. It's the poetry that music, as an art form, should have. Ya know, that, and huge riffs. breakneck drumming and the Holy Metal Triumvirate of Black, Death and Thrash. Standout track: "Angels to Dust"

#3. Howl - Full of Hell (USA, Relapse): I'm going to copy an earlier post about this album. Not because I'm lazy. Just because I did a really good job expressing how I feel about the album. And I'm lazy. "Quite often, a great album will conjure images in your mind regardless of lyrical content. Full of Hell does that very, very well. The following is what my mind sees. The band are actually Cyclopean giants. They are performing the album in a natural amphitheater/cave opening at the top of a flaming mountain range. This provides the soundtrack to an army of beasts laying waste to civilization below. Now that may not sound like Harvard stuff but I have a feeling if I got my hands on a lyric sheet, there would be some upper-level intelligence going on. (Somewhat unrelated but, RIP Buried Inside) See, to the best of my knowledge the members of Howl are vegan. And not to stereotype, but I don't know any meathead vegetarians. (See what I did there?) Adjective time: thick, huge, warm, deep, resonant, frightening, destructive, desolate, and as the Cyclops' last notes echo across the mountains, mournful." I've never heard anything quite like it. It steamrolls the eardrums. In a good way. Standout track: "A Day of Rest"

#2. Bison b.c. - Dark Ages (CAN, Metal Blade): Vancouver's Bison b.c. are quickly making themselves the best metal band in Canada. On Dark Ages, their third album and second for Metal Blade, they've raised the bar yet again. In fact, they are making enough of a name for themselves that a) they should be able to drop the b.c. part now. Everyone knows them and b) They don't need to be referred as "featuring former members of S.T.R.E.E.T.S. I'll never forget the time I missed the chance to see Bison play in Kingston. It was my 30th birthday and they were playing in a converted living room. Can you imagine how insane that was?! (Stupid surprise party!) This was just after Quiet Earth came out. Their shows have only gotten more legendary and Dark Ages is even better. Being Canadian, I give Bison a bit of a home court advantage but I really don't have to. Dark Ages is a finely crafted album that would be just as good no matter where they were from. At only 7 songs, that means (to me) that every song is there for a reason. No filler. All killer. From opener "Stressed Elephant" to closer "Wendigo Part 3 (Let Him Burn)" is 46:47 of just plain awesome. It's a different breed of sludge. Sludgecore if you will. Because they bring the urgency and energy of hardcore and punk over to the tone and heft of sludge. What results is every song is an epic. Not IS epic, is AN epic. Such incredible songwriting. And not just for the sake of writing great songs, these are party songs too!! Get your booze on and crank it up! Standout track: "Fear Cave"

#1. Withered -Dualitas (USA, Prosthetic): Now, it's been a while since I've heard Memento Mori or Folie Circulaire but I get a different feeling from Dualitas. It could just be my horrible memory, but it seems more spacious than previous releases. While the oppressive parts are just as oppressive, they are interspersed with more, shall we say, reflective passages. After I actually get a chance to read the lyric sheet I may be able to confirm my theory that the theme of this album is duality. Not in a split-personality sense or "good and evil exist in all of us" way, but more of a two sides to every story idea. For example, some parts are loud and fast and powerful and make me think of war and destruction and all the adrenaline and hot blood that goes with that. That will then fall into a slower, more pensive sounding passage which brings to mind the other side of war. The loss and the sadness. But as I think about it more, the mournful side could be the reflection of the "victors" (no one wins in war). The part where the triumphant survey the destruction they have wrought and think, "What have we done?" "What have we become?" Every time I've listened to Dualitas I can't help but think about the two emotions that rise in my heart, triumph and sorrow. The driving black metal aspect conjuring images of militaristic conquest and victory and the slower, doomier aspect revealing the bloody aftermath and an overwhelming sense of loss. "Interlude" is one of the saddest sounding pieces of music I have ever heard while other parts of the record would flay the skin from your bones and laugh with terrible glee.
Withered have really outdone themselves in creating such an enjoyable yet emotionally draining album. Powerful, cerebral music with a soul. I've never listened to an album that has made me feel the way Dualitas does. I feel absorbed by it. It becomes a part of you. Congratulations Withered. You have a created something truly special and I thank you. *most of this is borrowed from an earlier review I wrote.

+1. Now, because I am mentally unable to remove an extreme bias in favour of a couple of my favourite bands I have to mention any albums by those bands separately. I can't possibly place them in the list and be able to find a good spot. The first of those bands is Clutch. They didn't release an album this year. The other bands is...

Soulfly - Omen (USA, Roadrunner): The last 2 Soulfly albums have been great. They are far different than the nu-metal that Max and crew released back in '98. They still have guests on the album but now they are much better than Fred Durst. Tommy Victor (Prong) and Greg Puciato (DEP) lend their vocals talents to Omen. This album is far thrashier than most of Soulfly's work. Also, they have brought elements of hardcore on board to really diversify. This may be their fastest album yet. I think what really helps is that Max is surrounded by somewhat of a stable lineup now. Super-guitarist Marc Rizzo, drummer Joe Nunez and bassist Bobby Burns are now fairly entrenched as members of the band instead of glorified session musicians. I was a big Sepultura fan before Max left and I kinda followed him. I think it's partly due to his vocals. I don't know what it is but I can get into them alot. Maybe it's because when I scream, it sounds similar so I feel more connected to it. Whatever the case may be, I love Soulfly. And I probably always will. They are finally creating albums that should have the critics more on their side. I don't see that yet but people have long memories and they just can't get over the nu-metal association. I think they forget that when nu-metal was new, they didn't hate it the way they do now. I guess if I have a beef with Omen it's "Soulfly VII". It's a good song, don't get me wrong but it sounds more like a Marc Rizzo solo song than a Soulfly song. Still good, but it doesn't fit the way it should. Standout track: really hard decision but, "Rise of the Fallen"

And so concludes the long and arduous process of naming my Favourite Albums of the Year. But for the last few weeks, all I've listened to are the above 41 amazing albums. Can't knock that. And now I get to dig into 2011! First up, CROWBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now that I have internet access at work, you can look forward to more posts, and better posts, from Kingdom of Noise.