Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence

I would just like to start by saying that I like Yakuza. As a band and as people. I've enjoyed their albums, seen them live and hung out with them for over an hour after the show. (I think I was the only person there who knew who they were. They opened for The Holly Springs Disaster a couple years ago.)
But I'm not really diggin' this one. For what they are trying to do, they do an excellent job. It's just a little too artsy for me. Maybe if I listened to their old albums I might find them too artsy now too. The title, Of Seismic Consequence, alludes to a heaviness that is going to affect things. I didn't so much get a feel of heavy as much as I did deep. I suspect that had I been paying attention to the lyrics (instead of reading album reviews) my "deep" theory would be validated. I'm sure it would be counter-productive to what Yakuza was trying to accomplish, but as a listener I am tempted to mess with the track listing. I'd split up the slower, softer tunes and the faster, heavier ones. Like 2 EPs rather than an LP. So one could listen to the softer tunes in the presence of those around them not so metallically inclined and not have it interrupted by a spazzed-out jazz-metal ball-buster.
Of Seismic Consequence is a nice deep, moody album interspersed with more metal moments. It's very much Yakuza and seems a logical step in that band's evolution. I just don't seem to be evolving at the same rate. I'll be sure to keep this on hand for those times when I feel like getting a little deeper.

A few words on, for the most part, crap.

I've gone through first runs of a lot of new stuff the last few days. I am been greatly disappointed. I don't have high hopes for much but I don't like being tortured.

The Acacia Strain - Wormwood: Sometimes I wish I was deaf. I think I got 2 songs into this before I realized I had a whole alphabet's worth of other stuff I could be listening to.

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - Danza III: chug-chug-weedily-chug-weedily-weedily-chug-chug-chug-weedily-chug-etc. MELODY FUCKERS!

Danzig - Deth Red Saboath: Not bad. It feels like a grower but there is some pretty weak shit on it.

Soilwork - The Panic Broadcast: Brilliant musicianship. Above average songcraft. Not grabbin' me by the balls. Felt like it went on forever.Way too long.

Norma Jean - Meridonal: By rights, I should hate this band. But I don't. Have to listen to it more for sure. Heard most of it under less than ideal conditions.

Mendozza - (cant' recall right now): Pretty cool stoner/fuzz metal. I like it. Super bonus points for Sleep and Black Sabbath covers.

HELLYEAH - Stampede: They called it Stampede after everyone stampeded out of the listening party. Just plain painful to listen to at times. OH and a live version of "Alcohaulin' Ass"! What a treat. Why did that douche have to kill Dimebag?

On the bright side, I heard Sodom's cover of "Surfin' Bird". Awesome.

High on Fire, Priestess, Skeletonwitch @ Time to Laugh, Kingston, ON

July 21, 2010
When I first heard this show was coming to Kingston, I simultaneously came, shit my pants and suffered a minor heart attack. And that lasted for a good couple days. We're talking High on Fire playing a club show within a half hour drive from my front door. It doesn't get much better than that. Oh but wait! Look at the support! I knew it was gonna be a good time.
Thrashtastic rippage from Skeletonwitch started things off (well, for me. I missed the local opener) much to the crowd's delight. Between tunes, throat-shredding vocalist Chance Garnette engaged the crowd. He praised "old school fucking heavy metal!!", saluted the beer drinkers at the back, admonished the dudes standing cross-armed for being "too tough to have fun at a metal show," and implored Kingston to, until they return, "eat more fucking pussy!"  I'm glad my mom wasn't there. Performance wise, no disappointments. Well, I did wanna see them play "At One With The Shadows" but they only had a half hour set. I'm sure it woulda been the next song. Black/death thrash doesn't lend itself to much jamming per se so they kept pretty much to playing the songs as heard in recorded form. Which is to say, tight, precise and catchy. It was a half hour of fist pumpin, horn throwin, neck snappin, good times. They said they should be back around sometime in November. Sweet.
I own Priestess's first album, Hello Master but for some reason I never bothered with their second, Prior to the Fire. Until that is, I knew they were coming to town. I checked it out. It's good too! If you like catchy, 70's-ish hard rock. So upon realizing that I liked most of their tunes I was a little more excited to see the live show. Like Skeletonwitch before them, they played a tight set. They weren't flyin' all over the stage like the bands that bookended them but it was still high energy. Of course, they played their biggest hit, "Lay Down" as featured on Guitar Hero. And to my approval they played "Lady Killer". The first track off their newest album. However, I did miss a bit of it due to a very much needed pit stop. During their set they had a screen behind them showing some pretty trippy flowing images. Eventhough they wouldn't really be considered stoner rock, it really worked. The exploding blood cell and the psychedelic burning school bus were the highlights in my opinion. I didn't have very high expectations for Priestess but they exceeded what I did have. They impressed me enough that if the Montrealers were to come back as a headliner, I'll come out again.
High on Fire. High on Fucking Fire! In Kingston! I thought I would never see the day. One of my all-time favourite bands playing a small club basically right down the road. I was far from disappointed. It was incredible! One of the best performances I have ever seen. Guitar god Matt Pike, bass master Jeff Matz, and drummer extraordinaire Des Kensel were at the top of their game. The energy in the club was crazy. And it seemed the band really fed off that. Especially Matz. He put everything out there and left nothing behind. (except the setlist. I nabbed that.) Did I mention he uses his fingers? No pick. Right on! Every time I listen to a High on Fire album I marvel at how Matt Pike is able to play those guitar parts and sing at the same time. And still, after witnessing it in person, literally in my face, I still can't believe it. You add into that the seemingly effortless, room-shaking drumming of Kensel and you have an unstoppable force. A 10 tonne fucking Nuclear-power trio. The only other time I've seen HoF live was on the first SOTU tour. It was in some big warehouse type thing in Mississauga. There were a couple thousand people there. And it had a totally different feel. No comparison to the intimacy of a small club. I don't live near a major market and I don't get to see as many bands as I want to so seeing a band this big (in the underground) at a venue this small was really something special for me. As I said earlier, I grabbed the setlist. Spoiler Alert!! The set consisted of a really nice mix of old and new. Feel free to correct me ( I am HORRIBLE with song titles) but the only album not represented was The Art of Self Defense. I was kinda hoping they'd play "10,000 Years" but I'm not complaining. Anyway, here's the setlist.
Fire, Flood and Plague
Devilution
How Dark We Pray (It was awesome!)
Hung, Drawn and Quartered
Rumors of War
Blood from Zion
Frosthammer
Hessian
Snakes for the Divine
Sweet set, eh? Granted, they could fill an hour with any collection of songs and I'd fuckin' love it. I was some kinda sweaty when it was all said and done. And it wasn't all my sweat. I am 99% sure some of Matt Pike's sweat dripped on me. (Yes, I've showered) I was headbanging like crazy and expected to be in an assload of pain the next day but it was really quite mild. I've been in more pain from sitting at my computer too long. Maybe Skeletonwitch and High on Fire just taught me how to do it properly!

FUCK! I wish I could listen to music while I worked!

But I can't. However, I can email blog entries. The problem is, the details get lost between the breakroom and the floor. But I'm gonna do my best because I am FUCKING bored as shit and it's about 4am. I tried to read some Alice Bailey but I can't wrap my brain around that shit at this time of day/night. So, here's some stuff I've heard lately and whether or not I thought it sucked.

Integrity - The Blackest Curse: This is what I like about hardcore. Good hardcore comes from the gut and is loaded with passion. The vocals are too low in the mix though.

Defeatist: This is some angry shit. Abrasive as all get-out. Having a bad day? Throw this shit on and break some stuff. You'll feel better in no time.

Howl - Full of Hell: There was a lot of hype around this release. IMO it was warranted. It's like a giant marching thru the countryside leaving nothing but havoc in his wake.

Ozzy - Scream: Um, not as horrible as I had expected.

I'm too tired to think anymore.

Malebolgia - Requiem for the Inexorable

After listening to Howl before this, Malebolgia is quite the stylistic shift. While Howl lumbers, Malebolgia races. Fast and brutal death metal. At this point, I'm not really sure whether I like it or not. It's not bad really, but I don't know if it's really my style. The vocals are on the verge of pig squeel and seem amatuerish at times. The guitars are very precise but not very inspiring. The drums are ridiculous. In a good and bad way. They're probably the best part of the album but they are pretty over the top. All speed, all the time. The bass drums have to be triggered. If not, the dude needs genetic testing. To have fast-twitch muscle fibres that developed and that kind of endurance, he'd have to be a mutant. Given the speed of the snare sometimes (likely triggered too) my money is on half-hummingbird.
 Requiem for the Inexorable was an enjoyable listen but nothing that's gonna rise to the death metal heap.

Speaking of Smashing Pumpkins...

In my previous post I mentioned Smashing Pumpkins. It reminded me of a post (or at least a tweet) I wanted to publish a couple weeks ago. Here goes. I have an old van. It has a tape player. Sometimes I'll pick up tapes for a buck at a thrift store. The latest one I snagged was Smashing Pumpkins - Melancholy & The Infinite Sadness. I want my buck back. Correct me if I'm wrong but the CD version had 2 discs right? Well, there is only one tape. And it sucks. It's like they took every song with balls and dropped them. "Zero" and "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" are on it but that's about it. ("Tonight, Tonight" isn't all bad) It's so wimpy and slow and soft and horrible to fight through. I didn't recognize any of the songs so to get to the 2 afoementioned songs that I wanted to hear I had to listen to the rest of them. The tape started right AFTER "Bullet".

It's almost as much a waste of a dollar as the "digital cassette" version of Nirvana - Nevermind that I bought.  I should have taken that one out of the case and looked at it. Digital cassettes are not the same as tape and do not play in regular tape players.  I also bought a tape (can't even remember who know) but inside was a blank tape with a Scorpions album on it. FUCK! I learned my lesson.

Deftones - Diamond Eyes

I like my music aggressive. It doesn't have to be brootal or violent, just aggressive. i.e. No sissy vocals. But guess what, you're gonna find "sissy vocals" on a Deftones record. But in no way am I calling Chino Moreno a sissy. No way. Chino is just one hell of a vocalist. He can tear your ears new assholes as witnessed on "Rocket Skates" (Guns! Razors! Knives!). And he can make a song sensitive and emotional without sounding like a whiny emo (insert derogatory term of choice here). It's that balance that makes Diamond Eyes so great. Don't get me wrong, if these dude choose to just rip for a whole album, I'd be all over it. But that's not how they roll.
At times parts of the album remind of Filter, at times old-school Deftones and on "Sextape" it feels like are channeling their inner Smashing Pumpkins. And that just happens to be the song that gets stuck in my head most. Which is saying a lot because this record is ridiculously catchy. I've listened to 3 bands today since I listened to Diamond Eyes this morning and I can remember almost nothing about them. (Fleshgod Apocalypse, The Funeral Pyre and Hour of Penance if you're wondering) It think "Sextape" is permanently burned onto my brain.
I haven't listened to Deftones in a long time. At one time I could play all of Around the Fur on bass. But I don't recall being that fond of their post-White Pony output. However, after listening to Diamond Eyes a dozen times makes we want to dig out the old CDs and rekindle that flame. I might even dig out my old White Pony t-shirt. I might need a whole day for that though. Ah well, I'll just listen to Diamond Eyes while I search!

Sleep Announce Reunion Tour | Metal Insider

Sleep Announce Reunion Tour | Metal Insider

Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy

Just a quick note on this one. Rippin' tunes but not a big fan of that vocal style. Maybe it will grow on me the way the last Into Eternity album did. I didn't like the vocals on that one the first time around either. The Tea Party cover was a pleasant surprise though.

Burzum - Belus

I know who Varg Vikernes is. I know the story. But up til now, I'd never heard a Burzum album. I'm not surprised since I'm not really a huge Black Metal fan. I don't know why. I decided to listen to Belus more out of curiosity than anything. Varg's first album since his release is a big deal so what kind of metal "writer" would I be if I didn't at least check it out. Turns out, I'm kinda glad I did.
Remember, I have no experience with Burzum to compare too and not a whole lot of "traditional" Black Metal experience either.
At first I was put off a little by the lo-fi production but I remembered it is intentional and was instantly able to disregard that aspect and concentrate on the music itself. Other than the fact that the strumming almost never stops, it's not incredibly technical. It's the atmosphere. I think I might actually "get" Black Metal now. Belus has an atmosphere that I can understand now. It's bleak. It's evil. It's cold. I keep picturing a candle lit cave in the side of a snow covered mountain with a fierce wind in the depths of night. Since I'm from Canada, I can somewhat relate. Not really the mountain part or the cave part, but I have been camping in a tent in -30 Celsius weather in February. At least the sun was out during the day.
I really enjoy the subtleties I can hear if I really pay attention. There isn't any punch-in-the-face moments or anything but it has an energy to it nonetheless. There can feel a meandering in the flow of the guitar. Almost like flying with no real deadline or destination. The object flying just happens to be a bird of prey soaring over the treetops in search of its next meal. The drumming is uninspiring (not that I expected any different) and I can't understand a word he is saying. Most of it wouldn't matter even if it was English. Despite its indecipherability, I sense and theme or a story. A story of menacing desolation, isolation and loneliness.
Now, it's possible the Black Metal purist/fanatic/connoisseur may have a vastly different opinion than I do, but given my limited base of comparison as far as Black Metal goes, I think it's pretty good. I wonder if Belus could end up being my Black Metal gateway drug?

High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine (the real copy this time)

I have a hard time reviewing albums I really like. It's easier to pick apart a shitty band than praise an established band doing their thing. What makes it harder is I have virtually no theoretical musical background. I don't know a major chord from a minor. A sharp from a flat. An A from a G from a W. I don't even know what an arpeggio is. None of that matters because I know good music when I heard it. The problem is coming up with adjectives other than "awesome". But I'll try.
Frontman Matt Pike has a reputation. A reputation for being in great bands. From the legendary Sleep, to the short-lived Kalas side project, to the juggernaut that is High on Fire, you can be assured there will be high quality. High on Fire's latest album, Snakes for the Divine, is loaded with quality. From the opening dirge of the title track with Pike's fingers dancing over the fretboard, right through to the vocal blast that closes "Holy Flames of the Fire Spitter", there isn't a lemon to be found.
The many facets of the godlike talent and vision of Pike's guitar playing are on full display. Thunderous riffing, galloping rhythms, and masterful soloing paint a picture across the whole album. Pictures of movement, of battles physical, emotional and spiritual.
Of course with a such a formidable frontman, the rhythm section section has to be up to snuff. Jeff Matz and Des Kensel are certainly that. They really are a driving force. Matz doesn't lose a step against Pike and Kensel's drumming creates riffs in itself. The drums may be my favourite part of the album come to think of it. The steering wheel of my car has taken quite the beating the last several weeks. It provides a near constant pummeling with perfectly placed rolls and fills. It should inspire everyone who hears it to take up drums.
What High on Fire review would be complete without making mention of the gravel-throated rasp of Pike's vocals. Think Lemmy but more ravaged and with more range. In a previous life, that voice commanded armies. The fact that he can sing at all while playing guitar the way he does makes my head spin. Anyone outside the metal community (and many in it) would cringe upon hearing it. But in a world that almost shuns vocal perfection, it's the voice of power and passion.
As powerful as this trio is in recorded form, live is how they are meant to be heard. I saw them a few years ago on the first SOTU tour and I get to see them again next month. They are coming to town with Priestess and Skeletonwitch. In a small club.  It's gonna be.....(wait for it)....awesome.

Baby Varg?

My wife and I are spawning another minion, I mean, having another baby. I was looking through a baby name book while listening to the new Burzum album. Maybe not such a good idea. I mean, I wouldn't want to end up naming the kid Varg would I? Fat chance of that happening.
But, I wouldn't rule out trying to slip in a metal namesake.  The only one I can think of right now is Max (Cavalera). Metal isn't really known for having cool (and appropriate) names to choose from. Ozzy is out. I can't very well use Dimebag. Lars and Dez are out of the question. I'm at a loss.
Any ideas?

Hooray!

As of yesterday, May 26, I have been a vegetarian for one month. My conviction to this new lifesytle has not wavered. If anything, it's only gotten stronger. The more I read about the reasons not to eat meat, the more peaceful I am with my decision. At first it was based on 2 factors. Nutrition and ethics. I totally forgot about the environmental!! The amount of  water and air pollution generated by the meat industry is astronomical! And the wasted resources! So much feed is given to animals raised for meat. If that land was used for crops for humans, world hunger would be a non-issue. As it is,the VAST majority of wheat, corn, soy etc is feed to livestock. Livestock destined for the plates of the world's elite.

I could go on and on but you either get it or you don't.

I'm pretty much just wasting time right now anyway.

3 Inches of Blood, Goatwhore and Barn Burner @ Time to Laugh, Kingston,ON May 11, 2010

What a fucking Tuesday night! I usually go to meditation class (don't judge) on Tuesdays but this was a show I wasn't going to miss. Besides, metal therapy is just as good for mental instability. Right? I missed most of the opening locals. Completely missed Meathook and only caught 10 mins or so of October Blood. Nothing memorable but they looked like they believed in their tunes and they were having fun. That's good enough for me. But I still can't remember what they sounded like.
Of the touring bands, Montreal's Barn Burner were first to slay the masses. I wrote a small review of their set from last time there were in town but I can't remember what I wrote and at the time I had no idea who they were. Since then I've spun their disc (Bangers) a bunch of times and I was fully prepared for the awesomeness. Fast, rippin, driving, stoner/rock/punk. Party music for sure. The crowd didn't really start to get into it til the last 2 songs. "Holy Smokes" and "Brohemoth". Even though some of the crowd were bangin' along, I still felt like I was the only one that really knew the songs. Yay me! I was amused (in a good way) by the stage banter. These guys know how to have fun. My favourite was when he likened the checkered floor of the venue to a chess board and beckoned us to "bring forth your rooks and your bishops to do battle on the chess board of metal!" Right on, Dude. I forgot to mention the minimalist drum kit. Less than 10 pieces. Kudos.

Goatwhore. This is why I paid my 15 bucks. (BB was a very welcomed free bonus) I think this is the most "metal" band I've seen in Kingston. No other labels (ex. Trad Metal = 3IOB) or anything. They fuckin' destroyed the place. Pure blasphemous aggression. Vocalist Ben Falgoust towered over the gathered heathens as he spewed forth the filth from their latest, Carving Out the Eyes of God. They also added in some older tunes. I know I'd heard them before but I wasn't familiar with them. They kicked just as much ass. Enough so that I may have to dig up the older stuff and immerse myself in some additional darkness. It was a very engaging performance. We were all throwin' the horns and pumpin' fists in unison. If only we had forearm gauntlets too.  As much as I enjoy it myself, I'm glad the mic wasn't thrust into some random fanboy's face to scream a few words. Because, honestly, everyone in that building would sound like shit compared to Falgoust. He is one of the best growlers out there. And fucking amazing live. Maybe the best I've seen. I have to rank Goatwhore in the Top 5 acts I've seen in Kingston. Maybe even Top 3. Those rankings will surely change when High on Fire and Skeletonwitch come to town in July. Move over Cattle Decap!

Oh right. 3 Inches of Blood. Um, same show different date. I left halfway through. The setlist even sounded eerily familiar. There was a lot of people having a lot of fun though. I think they drew a different crowd than Goatwhore. I'm sure there was some crossover but they are 2 very different styles. I saw more than a few father-son combos. People were having fun and that's what the whole thing is all about. I had my fun during Goatwhore's set. I checked out about halfway through the 3IOB set. I had a pending bangover to tend to and I wanted to get home before the Blackhawks game was over.

Jucifer - Throned in Blood

Jucifer releases have never been thought of as "light and airy" but there has always been a balance of the loud grind/death stuff and the lighter tunes. Not so on Throned in Blood. With the exception of closer, "Armageddon", there is no light and airy. Even it's not happy go lucky. It's all dark and claustrophobic. Not claustrophobic in the sense that there is too much going on and nothing has room. No, in the sense that it sounds like it was recorded in a basement. (Or their van) But really fucking cool.  Like they just set a couple mics on the floor and hit record. You can hear the hum of the amps and everything. Mind you, with Amber's backline, you can hear the hum 3 blocks away. The whole album has a very stripped down, DIY, personal feel that is lacking from modern metal anymore. It's all super-produced-cookie-cutter-for-the-masses-metal, where every note is planned and every mistake corrected.  Throned in Blood sounds raw and off-the-cuff. Sometimes I think that the whole thing is just a big jam session. Edgar and Amber have such great chemistry that I wouldn't be surprised if they could pull that off.
Jucifer are Jucifer for the music's sake. And that really comes through on Throned in Blood. You won't hear it plastered on mainstream radio, or see them opening for The Rolling Stones. You'll hear it on your stereo and in your head over and over again. And you'll see them in any venue that'll take 'em. And I can't wait.

New Soulfly tracks

So I've had the pleasure of hearing 2 tracks from the upcoming Soulfly release, Omen. Omen will be my album of the year. Yes, I am biased.

The 2 tracks the masses have been graced by are "Kingdom" and "Rise of the Fallen" (ft. Greg Puciato of DEP) Both songs are definitely Soulfly but aren't so heavy on the tribal influence.

"Rise of the Fallen" has some really cool elements to it. Namely Marc Rizzo. Dude is so good. Over Max's rythm riffs, Marc lays down some fancy fingerwork. It sounds almost electronic, or even robotic. To my knowledge, the song has nothing to do with the second Transformers movie, but the robotic guitar work and the title makes for a somewhat humorous connection. Might we see Megan Fox in the video? Please?  Other than that, Puciato's vocals are pretty killer. I've never really been a fan of Dillinger Escape Plan (or really gave them a chance) so I didn't know who the vocalist was at first. I was impressed. I like the power and rawness of his voice. The veins on his foreheard must be huge. So after hearing this track, I decided I should probably check out the new DEP release, Option Paralysis. While my socks remained on, it was the first Dillinger album I listened to all the way through. At the time it wasn't a terrible move, but Max and Co. sure have come a long way since "Bleed".

"Kingdom" falls a little more squarely into the Soulfly hole. Galloping riffs. Max's less-than-melodic vocals. Repetitive chorus. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's a great song. I just doubt it's the best song on the album. It's muscular. It's headbang inducing. It's potentially dangerous to listen to while driving. It's damn catchy. Kind of bummed they never said Kingdom of Noise in the song though. Ah well.

If my memory serves me correctly, Omen will be released May 25, 2010.

Black Sheep Wall - I am God Songs

Can't quite remember why I wanted to check out this band but I think it may have been Chris Woodford of Titan suggesting it. If it was him, I'll have to give him a big ole Thank You! This shit is HEAVY! It's a wonder their strings don't fall right off.  The downtuned glory comes at you slow and oppressive. It's not funeral doom but they're in no hurry. The vocals are just beastly. I swear someone is torturing a polar bear. The last track is a noise piece that I wasn't crazy about but I was so into the book I was reading (Bram Stoker's Dracula) that I tolerated it. Under other circumstances I would probably skip it. There were some spoken passages here and there that, to me, really contrasted with the aural image of the album. The voice sounded like it came from some kid with a small shirt and tight jeans who'd be blown over by the wind from the amps. And if your amp can blow someone over, it's pretty burly.
If I find out the significance of the band name, I'll let you know. Meanwhile, two heavy horns up to I am God Songs.

R.I.P. Pete Steele

Music lost an influential member recently. Peter Steele of Type O-Negative passed away at 48 due to an apparent heart failure. Type O-Negative were pretty much the only goth metal band worth mentioning. They doubtless inspired legions of like minded bands but none achieved the kind of success Type O did. The albums October Rust and Bloody Kisses lent their cover art to many a t-shirt peeking from under the white dress shirts at my high school. Black No. 1 was like an anthem to the sullen. Pete Steele's voice was what set him apart. It was deep and full of character. It suited his physical stature to a tee. He was an irreplaceable figure in heavy music and he will be sorely missed.

Just so you know I'm still alive

I've been on holidays for the last 2 weeks. I listen to most of my music on breaks from mind-numbing factory work. And if I have the house to myself on an off day, I just listen to something I already love really, REALLY loud.

So, for the last 2 weeks or so, I've been degrading my sense of hearing with copious amounts of Fear Factory's Mechanize and High on Fire's Snakes for the Divine. I own actual physical copies of both albums so I could listen to both while running errands and other normal people shit.

But alas, the bliss of not working has ended and I find myself relegated to earning money again. However, I have been able to start chipping away at the shitload of new albums I have stashed on my ipod. I have listened to the Bison b.c. (Dark Ages), which sounded pretty killer at moderate volume, with the windows half down due to no A/C and a heater that won't turn off and a non-metal loving (yet) 6 year old in the back seat. I heard Mammoth Grinder. Same situation but sub the 6 year old for a picky 3 year old. She prefers Slayer. What I heard really impressed me.

Black Sheep Wall - I am God Songs. Pretty good. Heavy. Slightly formulaic. Too anxious for something else new to make it all the way through.

Cancer Bats - Bears, Mayors, something something. Dumbass title but good tunes. I'm about halfway through. Nothing with the same impact as "Hail Destroyer", but it keeps ya moving. And pisses me off that I've yet to see them live eventhough they play near me often enough.

Next on the docket is the new Cathedral. I used to really dig them back in my "nothing but stoner-rock or doom" phase (I miss Man's Ruin). Double album. I'm stoked. Not stoned. Damn.

I will make yet another attempt to "get" Dillinger Escape Plan. Who knows? Maybe Option Paralysis will lure me over to the DEP-side.

and last of all, I did hear a couple tracks from the new Sevendust. Sounded pretty sissy to me.

FUCK ME! I STILL haven't transcribed that Kylesa interview! FUCK FUCK FUCK!

This is gonna make me look like an idiot.

And rightly so.

See, a little while ago I reviewed the new High on Fire album Snakes for the Divine. While I didn't hate it, I was kind of disappointed. Read it here.

Then I bought the album. I didn't listen to it for a couple weeks. I did today. Aaaaaand, the copy I downloaded months ago WASN'T HIGH ON FIRE!!! It was a FAKE! It was the self-titled Kalas album from 2006! I do believe that album made my Top 5 of 2006! How could I not have noticed? a) I listen to way to much music and b) my memory sucks ass.

I'm gonna listen to the real copy a couple hundred times and get back to you with a review of the correct album.

stupid..stupid...stupid

A couple more maybe

Abscess - Dawn of Inhumanity: After the first track or so, the best thing about this might be the album art. Robed creatures carrying a giant eyeball through the desert with pyramids in the background and rising or setting sun throwing rays. Black, red and white. Pretty badass. Music itself isn't that bad. Standard mid-tempo death metal. Some "noisy" parts and absolute atrocious vocals. Y-grade horror flick monster vocals. Most of the time it doesn't even sound like words. Just deranged shouting. I'll listen to the whole thing because I have nothing better to do but I think it sucks pretty bad. Wicked cover art though! As the album goes on there is some faster tunes and some slower ones but the horrible vocals ruin it all anyway.

 

Can you tell I'm bored tonight?

Nominon - Monumentomb: Um, black/death metal. Buzzy guitars. Screechy vocals. Evil sounding. Nothing overwhelming. However, I am listening to it on $2 portable speakers. Not the best for accurate portrayal of sound. Vocals are discernable if you pay attention though, so that's a bonus.

Teitanblood - Seven Chalices: This is not starting out well. Guitars sound like a hive of bees. Drums are tinny and too high in the mix. The lead guitar sounds like noise. The vocals sound like a demon hound on 2 packs a day with too much echo effect on it. If I was stoned, I'd either freak the fuck out and go catatonic, or throw up. I don't know how much more I can take. Fuck me with an ice auger this is terrible. Track 4 and I'm out.

The Wounded Kings - The Shadow Over Atlantis: 2:30 in and I wish I had some weed. Slow and heavy with wispy clean singing. This would put me into a fucking trance if I was high. Shit. Pretty much the same all the way through. Relaxing. Chill out tunes for metalheads.

More quick thoughts

Destinity - XI Reason to See: This started out pretty promising. Cool epic metal. Reminded me of Amon Amarth and Ex Deo. Impressive vocals, a little atmospheric. But somewhere around the halfway mark they morphed into an almost death/metalcore band. The vocals changed, the atmospherics faded, the whole feel of the album dissolved. Quite disappointing. It was still pretty decent. It didn't sound entirely generic. I'd feel different about it if it were two separate bands. I hope on their next release they just stick with the first half of XI Reasons to See.

Ludicra - The Tenant: Another stab at trying to enjoy black metal. I don't know why I am forcing a genre I generally don't enjoy on myself but sometimes a band will resonate with me. Now while Ludicra is not "OH WOW"-ing me, I actually hit Play again when it was finished. I suppose it's not traditional black metal but vocally it follows pretty close. It's not 100% balls to the wall atonal kick in the face. There is some colour. Yeah, it has it's moments of bleak-neck speed but it also has groove. The female vocals add some allure as well. I can see this one sticking around on my playlist for a little while should I be in the mood.

Mouth of the Architect - The Violence Beneath EP:  It starts out violent enough. The vocals remain kinda violent. But if there is more beneath, well, it's sorta staying there. Maybe I listen to too much music or something but I feel I've heard this before. Bellowed vocals, softer instrumental passages, tinkling guitar. Some softer vocals are present as well but all in all it lacks the oomph that I like to hear most of the time. There was a time I would have been all over this but that time is gone. I prefer my violence in the forefront.

 

Short words on recent ear torture

Armored Saint - La Raza: Weak. With John Bush's vocals I kept expecting it to be as good as Anthrax but it wasn't even close. Don't care if I ever hear it again.

Carnifex - Hell Choose Me: zzzzzz Oh sorry. Did I fall asleep? It must have been the generic deathcore crap. (I literally laid down and had a nap during a Chimaira show once. 1st SOTU Tour)

Chaos Invocation - In Bloodline With The Snake: This sucks ass. I am trying to get into black metal but this isn't helping. The vocals are just so terrible. So, so, terrible. Even for black metal vocals.

Fear Factory - Mechanize

I have to admit that going into this I was pretty skeptical. I haven't been fond of any FF work sans Dino. So with Dino back in the fold, my skepticism should be unfounded. And it is. Mechanize is a killer album! Instead of just making me nostalgic for old FF, it stands on its own as one of their greatest works. I could care less about Christian Old-Wolbers, but I wish Ray Herrera could have been a part of this. But if you are going to replace the speed and precision of Mr. Herrera, it might as well be the one and only Gene Hoglan. He's a machine. Which fits well with the whole Fear Factory modus operandi. In my opinion, bassist Byron Stroud didn't have very big shoes to fill. Should FF have a full scale reunion (which I don't believe is necessary now), Christian would have to step up his game.
Speaking of game, Burton Bell sounds like he's at the top of his. As one of the progenitors of the clean/not clean vocal style, he is still head and shoulders above much of the competition. I'm actually having a hard time thinking of someone who does it better. Especially within the context of the music and content. Music and vocals meld to paint a picture on the mind. The clean vocals are like the human survivor amidst the machine destruction.
I know it's early in the year but Mechanize is leading the playcount of 2010 releases by a WIDE margin. Ahead of High on Fire if you can believe it. Tracks like "Mechanize", "Powershifter", "Christploitation" and phenomenal closer "Final Exit" beg to be heard over and over again. Nothing Fear Factory releases will ever live up to the status Demanufacture has achieved. Not because it's THAT much better but because it was their breakthrough album and it changed the course of industrial metal. Mechanize will never be seen as an equal to that album but history could prove it to be FF's second best.
P.S. Like Deftones did with....that guy, and Clutch (briefly) did with Mick Shauer, Fear Factory should just make Rhys Fulber a full-time member of the band. Dude has a golden touch.

Random thoughts on some stuff I've heard lately

Impetuous Ritual - Relentless Execution of the Ceremonial Excrescence: Dark atmospheric doom. Best heard in complete darkness. And only 2 songs over 4 minutes in length! That's weird for doom.

Hysterica - Metalwar: Their image is better than the music. A bunch of chicks in leather and spikes and armour, bearing swords. Pretty straightforward metal. Only heard it once and most of it was from another room. I'll get back to it.

Melt Banana - initial t.: The whole thing is just under 5.5 minutes. And what a great 5.5 minutes. Some pretty sweet riffs make an appearance. And the high-pitched Japanese chick vocals are pretty fun.

Overkill - Ironbound: This is the first Overkill record I've ever heard. (Sue me.) And it's pretty good. Musically they remind me of Megadeth. Lots of speed and dexterity. Vocally I feel NWOBHM. It's okay.

The Resurrection Sorrow - Hour of the Wolf: Um, it came off as kinda weak and unnecessary. No desire to hear it again.

Rotting Christ - AEALO: First experience with Rotting Christ. Interesting. Not exactly stereotypical metal but the worldly elements make it interesting. I have a feeling this one could really grow on me.

Six Feet Under - Graveyard Classics 3: I didn't even make it past the first song. I have better things to listen to.

Arsis - Starve For the Devil: WTF?

Barn Burner - Bangers: Fuck yes!! Rockin' stoner vibe. Serious party tunes. And AMAZING live!

Charred Walls of the Damned - Charred Walls of the Damned: NOT a Ripper Owns fan.

Deiphago - Filipino Antichrist: Sucks hard.

haarp - ep ii: I love it. It sounds like your local death metal band but for some reason, I don't think it sucks.

Shortys

I can't remember the album names but:

Squash Bowels: Interesting moniker. Pretty good deathgrind. A bit pig squeely at times but I'm not writing them off yet. Good vibe.

Sinister Realm: Sounded great until the vocals kicked in. I tried to fight through it but they were just so bad. Amateur. Didn't make it to the end of the first track.

A.N.S.: Came and went. I don't really remember it. I'll give it another listen.

HAARP - EP: It was kickass! I'll be spinning that again!! Broooootal!!!

Struck By Lightning - Serpents: This is on the same label as Javelina and Fight Amp, so, instant cred. I just wish I could remember the label. My memory is so bad. For the first few songs I thought it sounded like if Baroness and Kylesa listened to more Converge. But as the album evolved, the Baroness and Kylesa feel faded away and was replaced by a more D-beat feel. I could still hear the Converge-ness, mostly in the drums. I was also reminded of I Hate Sally (RIP). There was some similar riffs and tone. Love at first listen. Highly recommended.

High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine

I'll have to admit, on first listen I was less than impressed. That's what shitty speakers will get you. With better audio, I got it. Well, for the most part. It wasn't really what I expected. It's still no doubt High On Fire, but they've taken some of the speed out. Not that it takes any of the power away though. It's still a huge sounding album. It trudges more than it gallops. Very well produced as well. The guitar is typical HoF tone but it sounds a little crisper. To me, the drums sound live. That's fuckin' cool. As far as Matt Pike's unmistakeable vocals go, I feel anguish, sorrow and bitterness. I don't know if that has anything to with the lyrical content, but that's the emotion I hear. I'm on my 3rd or 4th listen (it's on repeat) and it keeps getting better every time. It's surprising how damn catchy it is! The songs have a way of implanting on your brain. At least "Frost Hammer". I can't get it out of my head. Eventually I'll have to listen to something else but for now I'm perfectly content to soak in the genius/godliness of Matt Pike and co.

More proof the Grammy's suck

Dissident Aggressor  (Winner)

Judas Priest

Track from: A Touch Of Evil - Live

[Epic]

Set To Fail

Lamb Of God

Track from: Wrath

[Epic]

Head Crusher

Megadeth

Track from: Endgame

[Roadrunner Records]

Señor Peligro

Ministry

Track from: Adios...

[13th Planet]

Hate Worldwide

Slayer

[American / Columbia]

 

 

A live song shouldn't even count. Slayer, LOG and Megadeth are way better. Of all the nominees, I'd go with the Slayer track.

Blacklisted - No-one Deserves To Be Here More Than Me

First off, I hate the word no-one. Is it no-one, or noone, or no one? I think it might be no one. I don't now. Anyway, back to the album. 2008's Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God was a beast. It was great. It was packed with raw emotion. No One Deserves To Be Here More Than Me is packed too. Packed with shit. I can't say I wasn't warned. A number of people on the KPP Forum said it was awful. I tried anyway. I got about 4-5 songs in before I decided I had better things to do than torture myself.  Unless backed by a cacophony of hardcore power, dude's voice sucks. And since this borders on indie rock (or worse, horn interludes) it was next to impossible to tolerate. And the vocals were WAY high in the mix. Bad. His "clean" voice is atrocious. Unbearable. Since I don't want to listen to any of this again to try and figure out what the title means, I'm just going to assume that "here" is the garbage bin. Take the advice I didn't and avoid at all costs. Don't ruin your opinion of their earlier works. Shame on you, Blacklisted.