AOTY #27: Napalm Death - Utilitarian

I can't say I've been a lifelong Napalm Death fan. Solely because I had never heard them prior to Enemy of the Music Business. But I've been a fan since then! My appreciation of the band reached a whole new level when I saw them play in Kingston back in October 2011. That date was the first of the tour that saw them premiere the song "Quarantined" from Utilitarian. What a privilege. So it was with great anticipate that I awaited the release the album. And it was not disappointing. Unquestionably a Napalm Death album, Utilitarian did have some surprises up its sleeve. Such as the free-jazz saxophone blast on "Everyday Pox" (which I'm still not sold on, by the way.). Guitarist Mitch Harris's shrieks complement the mad mastiff barks of Barney Greenway as the incomparable rhythm section of Shane Embury and Danny Herrera complete the fury of Utilitarian's socially conscious, highly intelligent and thoroughly vicious grindcore. I'll end this blurb with the only phrase I wanted to use. (Which wouldn't have made for very interesting reading)

It's fucking Napalm Death! What more do I have to say?

(Century Media)

Napalm Death Official Site

#28: Deicide - To Hell With God

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.

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN

#36: Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

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.

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN