The most satisfying thing about being a music fan is when something comes at you from out of nowhere and just blows you away. ICS Vortex’s Storm Seeker did that to me recently. This album just floored me. Being a casual Dimmu Borgir fan, I was familiar with Vortex already but Storm Seeker is so much more than Dimmu. Storm Seeker is one of those albums that transcends metal. Is it heavy? Sure, but it’s also something else. The thunderous apocalypse that […]
Metal Monday
It’s Gettin’ Better, Man! (Anthrax Round 2)
Ok, this definitely sounds aLOT better than “Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t” but I can’t help feeling that this was all written with someone else in mind. It’s got that crunch of Bush-era ‘Thrax and that breakdown in the middle is totally something that John Bush would’ve dominated on Sound Of White Noise. It probably doesn’t help that I’m not a Belladonna fan to begin with but anyone who’s’ stuck with Anthrax over the last 15 or so years can […]
Where Have You Been, Staind?
Wow. It’s not often a band declares “Oh yeah, we’re gonna get back to our heavy roots on the new album” and then actually delivers on that statement. Staind really mean it. I haven’t been more than a casual fan of the band since Dysfunction was released back in 1999 (Christ, has this band been around that long?) but the songs I’ve heard off of the forthcoming Staind disc (due September 13th) give me a lot of hope for this […]
New Release Report 8/9/11: The Throne Has Arrived
Country Music / hip-hop / Metal Monday / music / New Release Report / New Releases / pop culture / Pop Music / rock music
Actually, it arrived yesterday, and I’m late. The highly anticipated full-length collaboration between mega-rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne, arrived at 12:01 Monday morning, and is already generating copious amounts of buzz around the internets. With guest appearances from Frank Ocean and Beyonce and production shots from Q-Tip and Pete Rock (not to mention Yeezy himself), Throne has hip-hop album of the year written all over it. It’s currently only available digitally, but a physical edition arrives at […]
Metal Monday Volume 30 (8.8.11): Trivium
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if Metallica ever decide to retire, Floridian metallers Trivium are the obvious choice to inherit the throne. They have the old-school thrash style down and vocalist Matt Heafy has a growl almost identical to James Hetfield at times.One listen through their latest, In Waves, and it’ll be mighty hard to dispute my claim. Personally, I am not a fan of any album hanging around the stereo for more than 12 tracks. […]
New Release Report 8/2/11: Fountains of Wayne Return and More!
Album Reviews / Country Music / Indie Rock / Metal Monday / music / New Release Report / New Releases / Pop Music / rock music
One thing the sky is definitely not full of this week is CD releases. The past couple of weeks have been pretty quiet. Last week’s release schedule got a little smaller thanks to the mysterious disappearance of Odd Future member Frank Ocean’s album, and this week is another fairly blah affair. Thank goodness there’s Fountains of Wayne to give us a musical glass of water in this desert of a release schedule (strained metaphors anyone?) Sky Full of Holes is […]
Metal Monday Volume 29 (8.1.11)
If I could sum up Dir En Grey’s latest album, Dum Spiro Spero, with one word it would have to be this one: Evil. Dum Spiro Spero is definitely one evil sounding motherfucker of an album. If you’re unfamiliar with the musical stylings of Japan’s pre-eminent metallers, then DSS is the perfect introduction to their unique blend of metal, prog, and pop. It’s this kind of mixture of styles that has worked so well for Dir En Grey over the […]
Mastodon returns. ‘Nuff said.
Best news of the day was when the latest Mastodon album, The Hunter, was officially scheduled for a release on September 27th and not in October. Sooner the better, I say! Second best news was the release of “Black Tongue”, the band’s first offering from The Hunter. It’s heavy, it’s fast, it’s definitely Mastodon. This one sounds like a natural progression from Crack The Skye but more stripped down and sleek. How about this: take the guitar tones from “Blood […]
Metal Monday Volume 28 (7.25.11)
I told you it was gonna happen and it did. Less than 24 hours after last week’s 2nd half of 2011 preview post went up, the almighty Will Haven bestowed upon the masses a brand new song in the form of “Mida’s Secret”. This is important for three main reasons: It’s the first taste from Voir Dire (Due October 11), It’s their first new song in almost 4 years, and most importantly, it’s the first new studio music that original singer Grady Avenell has sung on in almost […]
Metal Monday Volume 27 (7.18.11)
In moving forward from the recent Top 10 so far list on the Blerd last week, I give you my “Top 5 metal albums guaranteed to kick your ass during the next 6 months without hearing a note”. Catchy title, right? 1. Will Haven: Voire Dire> The first album that vocalist Grady Avenell has sung on since 2001’s Carpe Diem (And one of my Top 5 albums of all time). When Will Haven reformed a few years ago, I was […]
Metal Monday Volume 26 (7.11.11)
When last we left our heroes in Pitchshifter , they had evolved from Godflesh monsters into something else….a drum ‘n bass metalectronica beast destined for great things. So of course they signed with a major. Because that’s what you do, right? Geffen put out 1998’s www.pitchshifter.com and it was as much a departure from Infotainment? as that album was from Desensitized. The growl was gone as vocalist J.S. Clayden sang everything in a British sneer that was unmistakable and irreplaceable. “Civilised” […]
Metal Monday Volume 25 (7.4.11)
What better way to celebrate the 4th than with part 1 of my brief history of British band Pitchshifter , right? I don’t know why I am obsessed with Pitchshifter again lately. I was thinking of this cool Tee I used to have (and eventually wore to death) and the fact that I have their “eye” logo tattooed on my left arm means that they’re never far from my mind. The good thing about them being on my brain is the […]
