There has been a lot of talk recently about Dino Cazares. The whole Fear Factory fight, a new Divine Heresy album and what not. It got me thinking. Dino has done better than (later day) FF and Divine Heresy. Asesino!!



I still need to show up at a show with a mask like the drummer. So fuckin' awesome.

Phil Anselmo is the man

I recently came across a series of videos of Phil Anselmo speaking to a group at Loyola University. I've linked it here for you because you need to see it. Phil is my favourite performer ever. EVER. He speaks from the heart and chews a lot of gum. hahaha

Arrrrrrrgh!!

Swashbuckle - Crewed by the Damned: I'm new to this whole Pirate metal micro-subgenre. But I think I like it. I first heard of Swashbuckle from the track "Cruise Ship Terror" on the Nuclear Blast/Sumerian sampler. I love the track so I'd thought I check out more. When I went searching, Back to the Noose wasn't out yet. So I went back an album. CbtD sounds pretty cool, if not very polished. LOTS of "Yo ho!"s. It's very fun to listen to. I hope they don't mean to be taken seriously though.(I'm pretty sure they don't) That's fine by me! I like fun. I particularly like the thrashiness of it. And the gang shouts. (of Yo Ho! of course) There is a definite step up in terms of quality and production from Crewed by the Damned to "Cruise Ship Terror". Which means, Back to the Noose is gonna plank your ass!!

I don't know about the "eternal" part

Darkest Hour - The Eternal Return: Darkest Hour went back to their old producer (Brian McSomething) for this one. And yes, it harkens back to the good ole days of Darkest Hour. Rough and raw vocals and all that. But it doesn't fit. That's not really Darkest Hour anymore. Or maybe Devin Townsend turned DH into something they weren't? And now they've gone back? I dunno. But like I said, something doesn't fit. I think what it is, is that the vocals have gone back but the music still progressed. They still have that driving punky drum force and the guitar work is fantabulous. But uh, where'd Paul go? You know, the bassist? If I listen real hard I can hear him but it might as well not even be there for all it does. Not blaming Paul. He's good, I've seen him play. Solely blaming the mix. All in all, it's not a bad album but there's nothing really catchy enough about it to bring me back much. Besides, some of the solos sound very Dragonforce-ish. Yikes!

Chimaira ping-pong.

Chimaira - The Infection: This album had the shit hyped out of it. And deservedly so. Chimaira has released some great stuff. Just every other release. Let's start at the beginning. I can't remember the name of the first album (if I was at home, I'd just look on the shelf) but I liked it. I almost got a Chimaira tattoo ( I know someone who did). They reminded me of Slipknot. ( Another tattoo close call) Sometimes I get a craving for that album. Second one. Can't remember that name of that either. (might be on shelf at home) Bored by it. Here's how bored. I saw them as part of the original SOTU tour in Mississauga. During their set, a buddy of mine and I actually laid down on the concrete floor, and had a nap. No joke. No beers, no weed either. We were just that disinterested in seeing them perform we were able to nap on a concrete floor, with 100+ dB music playing. Third album, Resurrection. Aptly titled. Great album, nice comeback. The Infection, BORING. I guess that's being a bit harsh, but I think I've tried to listen to it 3 times and haven't made it all the way through yet. It just doesn't grab me. It feels contrived to me. Too many triggered drums. I feel it's too trendy. (I smell record label influence) Vocals and lyrics seem whiny and amateurish. At least I can bank on the next one being good! No doubt I'll try to listen to it again but it has some pretty stiff competition just in the "C" section of my iPod. (Clutch, Candlemass, Coalesce, Cobalt, Children....) Gonna have to do better if they want to stand out in the crowd.

More like Pray for Mercy!

Devildriver - Pray for Villians: First of all, how fucking long IS this?! It seems to go on forever. With every song just sounding like the last. Granted, I was listening to the version with bonus tracks but still, it was long. It wore out its welcome long before that. I didn't finish. I flipped to something else before the bonus track was over. The bonus track actually sounded like a better recording than the rest of the album. I used to like Coal Chamber, I used to like Devildriver. But I don't know about this one. I think the pedigree is a double edged sword. On one side, I did find some enjoyable stuff on it. Some catchy riffs, that sort of thing. But was I looking for them, for something to cling to? Maybe. On the other side, I was expecting it to kick some serious ass. It didn't kick my ass, that's for sure. It was decent enough but Dez sounds like he's trying to hard. Like it's forced. It just doesn't seem genuine. Better than most of the shit out there but I doubt it will be making my Best of 2009 list.

Because I suck

I should have been in Toronto last night. I should have been getting my doom on to Zoroaster, The Gates of Slumber and (the almighty) SerpentCult. But I wasn't. I was at work. Overtime. Because I suck. Instead I listened to a couple shitty albums on my breaks.

What do you get when you mix two parts Fear Factory and two parts Threat Signal? LinkinShank? Spinepark? Chester Santos? Useless nu-metal garbage? Close. You get Arkaea. Christian and Ray of/formerly of (the battle rages on) Fear Factory and 2 dudes from Threat Signal got together and made possibly the worst album of the year. While, I'm assuming, trying to be serious about it. Well maybe not the worst. (Oceano) But certainly not any good. It sounds like Spineshank without the electronics, or Linkin Park with balls, with a little FF influence. Raymond Hererra should be ashamed to be associated with this.

Speaking of Fear Factory members who should be ashamed...Dino, Dino, Dino. What is wrong, man! Who in the fuck! is that singing on the new Divine Heresy? (Bringer of Plagues) Possibly the worst singer I have heard in a long time. That's the best you could do?! Totally ruined a decent album. It could have been a better album for sure. Overall, I found it to be a bit repetitive but pretty rippin'.But the vocals...Satan help me.

Up next for listening, the new Behemoth and Kowloon Walled City.

Bored

I am bored and my brain is kinda mushy so I am gonna talk about the last 2 albums I listened to. It'll be brief and not very thought out.

Goatwhore - Carving Out the Eyes of God: First of all, what an awesome album title. Goatwhore has always been one of those bands that I know I enjoy but can never remember very much about them. That may change with this one. I think it's great. I've been in a phase lately that I need things to hit hard and hit fast. Carving Out the Eyes of God delivers that. If you know anything, you can hear the NOLA sound in it, but it brings more than just that. I can hear thrashier, punkier elements in it. I makes me want to headbang and mosh at the same time. Breakdown-free mosh, that is. They are touring with Abysmal Dawn so they obviously fit in with the death metal crowd. I could see them playing with thrash bands or hardcore bands too. I think this album is gonna get some heavy rotation on the ole iPod.

Warbringer - Waking Into Nightmares: I have always loved Warbringer. I like the new school thrash movement and they are in the upper tier. (Unlike Wolf. I can't get past the first 4 songs of Ravenous) I can't really compare them to any of the old school thrash bands because I didn't really listen to any other than the Big Four. If I HAD to compare them to one of those four, I'd say Anthrax. Not as evil as Slayer, not a riff-y as Megadeth and not as long-winded (?) as Metallica. I can hear more punk/hardcore influence in it, similar to Anthrax. But it's not really a strong comparison. The vocals really stand out for me. I like vocals that sound as if they have to sung with conviction. Like you can't half-ass it. Maybe that's why Hetfield sucks now. No conviction. Just do yourself a favour and check it out.

I am going to listen to Executioner by Mantic Ritual next. It's awesome.

And I can't wait to get my mitts on the new Swashbuckle. I have "Cruise Ship Terror" burned in my brain.