Top 20 of 2011... And the Rest of 2011

Ok so I was debating on weather or not to do this early or to actually wait until the new year to do it.  Obviously I'm not waiting, but I decided to go ahead and do this list now because there just really isn't anything else that I'm super interested in what's left of the year.  This year has been a crazy musical experience.  I've discovered many many new master pieces which some are in my top 20, and I've also had to force myself, and pain through some other listens.  So this year I've gotten a lot of great stuff, and a few major upsets, and then a bunch that just will fill the shelves.  The ones that fill the shelves may have many good things about them, but they also had either a few distinctive upsets, or were just full of let downs the whole way through.  Because I listen to all kinds of music, and can't see myself listening to just metal, or just rock or whatever I have a mix of music in my top 20.  Obviously if this was a top 20 in metal of 2011 some of the releases wouldn't be in there.  Even stuff like Opeth because it is not a metal regardless if it's done by the progressive death metal masters themselves.  I remember when I started doing this blog almost a year ago.  One of my first posts was my top 20 of 2010.  I had a lot of fun doing that because if you know me, you know I like making lists.  I have spirals full of lists from everything from best thrash artist, best death metal bands, best guitar players and so on, and so on.  I mean that's where a lot of my lists on here got started was on paper thinking about who I should immortalize as the best this or that on my blog.  Lets just say I've consumed endless hours writing in spirals.  Thinking about what I love, music.  So for this one I'm pretty siked about it, and want to really put my favorites down because I have listened to some really really great ones that will travel with me forever, and I want everyone to know about them.  So without further adieu, her is my top 20 releases of 2011, and the rest.  Enjoy. 

-20-

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

The first non metal release of my top 20.  This album kind of came out of left field for me.  I've know about the Fleet Foxes for a while.  living in Austin it's kind of hard not to, but I never really gave them a proper chance.  After listening to this one I went and got the rest of their material.  It's such a classic folk, mellow rock vibe that really has great old school integrity.  These guys know their craft and do it very very well.  Great release, and their earlier stuff is just as good.  I highly recommend these guys if you're into guys like Neil Young, The Beatles, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, just really the classic folk rock artists of the 60's, and 70's

-19-

Tesseract - One



This metal release is unlike any progressive metal I've heard in a long time.  You can tell that these guys are influenced by so many different styles of music, but it even goes much deeper than just showing their influences.  They really have created their own distinctive style of music.  There are really rich vocal harmonies, and a great guitar tone that really hasn't been heard before in progressive metal.  The intricate timing, and melodic interludes make this album one of my favorite prog metal records to listen to this year.

-18-

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

The second non metal release on my countdown.  This record really is like no other in existence.  The rich vocal texture, and lush guitar, and piano set Bon Iver aside from all the other artists that are trying to do what these immensly talented guys are doing without what seems like any effort at all.  Thee are an astounding talent that posses so much insight on what makes music beautiful, and brings it without flaw.  This one will be spinning in my ears for a long long time. 

-17-

Revocation - Chaos of Forms

Revocation are really doing the death-core really really well.  There particular breed of the style packs a lot of thrash elements in it as well.  With very fast intriguing guitar solos that make wonder how is he doing that, to intensely fast drumming.  Everything on this record is very well composed and nothing really seems forced, or hurried at all.  These guys really pulled of a great thrashy death-core record that I am enjoying very much. 




-16-
Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning

If you know me you know that Porcupine Tree, and pretty much anything Steven Wilson touches will be obsessions of mine.  This is Steven's second solo effort, and it's much different in many ways than his first effort insurgentes, and alike in many as well.  This record is dark, sinister, and evil at moments.  Then it's passionate, soothing, and really tantric at moments as well.  His usage of electronics are wonderful.  They don't sound fake, or to abundant to make the record sound prosthetic by any means.





-15-
Animals As Leaders - Weightless

This is the only purely instrumental record on my top 20.  Before this one came out Scale the Summit was taking the cake.  When this one came out if floored me.  I couldn't grasp the musicianship behind some of the sounds that are coming out of this peace of work.  It is a majestic journey through electronics, bombastic drumming, and absolutely amazing guitar technique that leaves you without breath after listening to this record.  These guys are making a major name for themselves, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Animals As Leaders.  I see big things coming for these guys.

-14-

Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand

This was my first buy of 2011 and still is going strong.  I revisited it the other day in trying to come up with this list, and there was just no way it couldn't be included somewhere on here.  This record shows the return of kirk windstein.  Mastermind behind this majorly influential band through out the years, Down, and Kingdom of Sorrow with Jammy Jasta.  His guitar technique, and sound can be noticed from a mile away.  Probably because he's standing off in the distance yelling, and jamming the heavy monster that is his guitar.

-13-

Demonaz - March of the Norse

In case of you who don't know.  Demonaz is really the counterpart to the black metal masters Immortal.  He's been a part of the black metal scene for a really long time, and has influenced so many other bands with his distinctive style of guitar playing.  This release marks his first solo effort and really gives us a taste of things to come, and gives this record a true place at the top of his style all his own.  There is nothing like Demonaz, and it's good to see him return to playing guitar after not for a long time due to his medical issues with his arm problems.  So there will great things to come from Demonaz in the near future.  So get really metal world.

-12-

Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero

This is another band that really came out of left field for me.  I had discovered them a while back when I was doing my daily researching, and found that they were included on some Korn tours.  Johnathan Davis had said that he hadn't seen intensity, and real extremism like these guys do in a really long time.  Let me just say these guys being all Chinese are some of the biggest under estimated metal heads of all time.  They will scare you at how intense they are.  The singer is other worldly with his voice, and his absolutely insane antics on stage.  This record is controlled chaos at it's best, and it sounds so damn good.  Despite the fact I can't understand a word he says being all sung in Chinese.

-11-

Unearth - Darkness In the Light

This is by far the best metal-core record of the year.  There were some good ones out this year, but this one really knocked it out of the park for me.  The guitar, the drums, the bass were all really really well composed, and the vocals were very crisp, and well done as well.  They keep improving on each of their releases.  The March was a decent release, and this one shows their ability to really improve each record.  I know these guys will continue to give us fist pumping, head banging metal-core in the future, and I'll be right there in the crowd with my head a banding, and my horns up high. 

-10-

Megadeth - Th1rt3en

Of course Megadeth right.  No this record is on here because it is that good really.  I really enjoyed this one.  Dave Mustain has given us some of the most memorable guitar licks in the past, and this record shows his ability to keep delivering timeless guitar melodies.  I really like United Abominations in 2007, and I wasn't really impressed with Endgame in 2009.  So this one really gives me hope that these guys can still really kick thrash metals ass.  Oh and not to mention this shows the return of bass master Dave Ellefson.  Maybe that's why it's just that good.

-9-

Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination

Skeletonwitch is a band that I discovered this year.  I downloaded their earlier stuff, and was really really digging it.  So I went and picked up their new one.  I didn't want to listen to any teaser tracks, or demos from youtube or anything because I really wanted to be shocked, or get a fresh reaction with this anticipateted release for me.  Let me just say.  I was smiling the second I put it in.  I love the thrash over tone, and the mesh of great black metal, and death metal vocals.  These guys really know how to kick heavy metals ass hard, and will be forever one of my favorite newer metal bands for sure.

-8-

Obscura - Omnivium

This is technical death metal at it's best.  The speed, the melodies, the bass work.  Oh my god the bass work on this record is amazing.  He uses a slide fret less bass at times and it adds such a distinctive quality that only Obscura seem to really be doing in the metal scene.  The lyrics are great, pretty much everything about this record is top notch.  I can't really explain the cover though.  I'm not sure whats going on.  Is like a venus fly trap with major teeth eating a tad pole or egg or some kind.  I'm not really sure.  Oh well. 

-7-

In Solitude - The World, The Flesh, The Devil

This has such a great classic element to it that really makes you think these guys are old farts that have been doing it for a long time.  While not being fresh or green to the scene these guys haven't been around for a really long time.  There are Iron Maiden influences, Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Blue Oyster Cult, Judas Priest, Celtic Frost.  I mean everything classic.  Makes for a great return to the days of old with new age production so I highly recommend this record for anyone who loves the old school vibes of heavy metal.

-6-

Toxic Holocaust - Conjure and Command

Man can I just say this is some of the best metal I've heard in a long time.  I would also have to say that I haven't liked all of what Toxic Holocaust has given us in the past, but the last two record have shown great improvement on each one.  This one though they really have set the bar high to top.  I'm not sure how much higher you can go with undeniable perfection on Conjure and Command.  There's a punk aesthetic, a very venom influence, with early thrash intensity that really make this record such a one of a kind.  This record is perfect for someone who loves early thrash, and venom.  With a punk flair to it.

-5-

Insomnium - One For Sorrow

Insomnium are a group that I discovered this year, along with others that really have blown me away like Ghost Brigade and a few others.  Like Opeth these guys really are climbing to the top of my favorite bands of all time list, and this release really furthers that reason.  It is pretty much perfect in so many ways.  This breed of death metal is starting to really become the for front of my listening abundance.  Along with guys like Daylight Dies, Opeth, and Now Insomnium. 

-4-

Mastodon - The Hunter

I can't say enough good things about Mastodon.  They are really one of my favorite bands of all time now.  I've listened to them for a while now, and still learn something new from them every day.  You can hear the evolution of their music from their early drone, sludge, prog metal stuff.  Which is great.  To a more progressively driven experience.  The use of vocal harmonies between the guys really give this record a rich vocal melody experience, and of course Bran Dailor's drumming skills are as good as ever.  This record is different from any Mastodon release to date so I get why some people are divided in it reception.  I really like experimenting, and change so this record is just as good as any other Mastodon masterpiece done before.

-3-

Machine Head - Unto the Locust

Machine Head have really been at the top of my likings for a long time now, and after The Blackening in 2007 it couldn't of gotten any better.  That record was named best metal record of the decade by the way.  So with as much as I liked The Blackening as I think everyone else did also there was a lot of expectations, and anticipation for this record.  I usually don't listen to demo tracks of the early realese stuff so I can really saok it all up when it comes out.  But I'd have to say I did with this one because I just couldn't wait any longer.  My first impression was not very high I'd have to say.  When I got the record though my opinion was blown away.  The opening track sets you up for wild and crazy ride, and it really is.  This record is really really good hinse why it's so high on my list.  Is it as good as The Blackening.  I'd have to say no, but then again not much out there is.  So Machine Head do it again with Unto the Locust.  I just hope I don't have to wait as long for the next instalment of Machine Head this next time around.  Cause I'll tell ya when 2009 rolled around I was really ready for some new Machine Head.  It was worth the wait so it's not all bad I guess.

-2-

Graveyard - Hisingen Blues

I can't get enough of this record.  I love everything about it.  I can't say a single bad thing about this release.  Everything from the album art, the music, to the lyrics are done absolutely perfect.  These guys posses such a classic integrity that I don't think is being done like this by any one else.  They sound like something that's straight out of the 70's.  I highly recommend this release to anyone who fancies old school elements, with a new age flair.  Graveyard will rise as one of my favorite bands for sure if they keep delivering high quality eargasims like this wonderful piece of work.  I hope I can get a copy of the blue splatter vinyl edition.  It's a work of tremendous art, and I want it so bad.

-1-

Opeth - Heritage

And of course if you know me you could've expected this one to be up here.  Although when I got this record I hadn't gotten Graveyard yet, and I'd have to say those two were fighting for the one spot for sure.  This record packs so much talent and exhilaration that I almost start crying when I listen it's that good to me.  I know why a lot of people were doggin this record a lot.  Saying it's not a metal record, and there are no death growls that we've come to know Opeth for.  But honestly I totally respect Opeth more for doing this than giving us the same old thing.  Now that's not to say that I like this style of Opeth more than the standard vein.  Blackwater Park, or Still Life will never be beat in my opinion, but I still really really love this record.  The melodies, the progressive drumming.  Man the drumming is immensely well composed.  With such a jazz richness, and the usage of melotrone, stand up bass, and flute make this record such a 70's prog homage with distinctive Opeth flair that makes Heritage stand out above all at times.  They will have to work hard to top this one next time around.  I think the reason they got number one is Leigh and I went to see Opeth this year after Heritage came out, and we didn't go see Graveyard when they came to Austin.  So maybe that's why.  Seeing them live really put all the musicianship into perspective for me.  They are wonderful live let me just say.

This is the whole record, just in case you were wondering.

The Rest

So there are a lot of good ones in here, and some that aren't so good.  I'll be quick with these because if I wanted to really praise them I would've done a complete review of them, or they would've been in my top 20.  I was thinking about doing runners up, but I'm not going to do that this year.  There were some really good ones like I said this year, some I have listened to but werent able to get.  So if something isn't on here and you're like what about this one.  I probably have listened to it, but honestly if I didn't care enough to go ut and get it.  It wasn't that good anyway, or pricking my interest.  Because I have made some stupid purchases this year.  Um lets see just to name a few Morbid Angel, Limp Bizkit, and Evanescence.  So here they are the rest of the stuff I've been consuming my year with in 2011.  The ones that I think are still really good will be in red text, and the ones that will just float on by will be in black.

The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual                                  Protest the Hero - Scurillous  



Sylosis - Edge of the Earth                                            Vader - Welcome to the Morbid Reich

All Shall Perish - This Is Where It Ends                        The Devil Wears Prada - Dead Throne

The Gates of Slumber - The Wretch                              Anthrax - Worship Music

Ics Vortex - Storm Seeker                                           Pain of Salvation - Road Salt Two



Tombs - Path of Totality                                               Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

Skinny Puppy - Handover                                             Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising                         

Lazarus A.D. - Black Rivers Flow                                 Darkest Hour - The Human Romance



Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony                                       Deicide - To Hell With God

Giant Squid - Cenotes EP                                             Suicide Silence - The Black Crown

The Haunted - Unseen                                                  Motorhead - The World Is Yours

Scar Symmetry - The Unseen Empire                           Between the Buried & Me - The Parallex...

Krallice - Diotima                                                         Origin - Entity

Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder                              Trivium - In Waves

Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All                                   The Human Abstract - Digital Veil



Trap Them - Darker Handcraft                                      Cavalera Conspiracy - Blunt Force Trauma

Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions                                       Yob - Atma

                                    



Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us        Chimaira - The Age of Hell  

Havok - Time Is Up                                                     Oh, Sleeper - Children of Fire



Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light                Assassin - Breaking the Silence

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light                                         August Burns Red - Leverler



Winds of Plague - Against the World                            Autopsy - Macabre Eternal

Cold - Superfiction                                                       Iced Earth - Dystopia





Staind - Staind                                                              In Flames - Sounds of A Playground Fading



Becoming the Archetype - Celestial Completion           Nightwish - Imaginarium

Jungle Rot - Kill On Command                                     Pentagram - Last Rites

Incubus - If Not Now , When?                                     R.E.M. - Cllapse Into Now



Belphagor - Blood magick Necromance                        Maruta - Forward Into Regression



Seether - Holding Onto Strings Better Left To Fray       Nurzum - Fallen



Times of Grace - Hymn of A Broken Man                   Liturgy - Aesthithica 

Scale the Summit - The Collective                                 Disma - Towards the Megalith

Lunatic Soul - Impressions                                             Otep - Atavist

Mike Patton - The Solitude of Prime Numbers              Red Fang - Murder the Mountains





Metallica and Lou Reed - Lulu                                      Born of Osiris - The Discovery

Mogwai - Harcore Will Never Die, But You Will         Bush - The Sea of Memories

Devin Townsend Project - Ghost                                  Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction





Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus                           Chevelle - Hats Off To the Bull



Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra                                             Children of Bodon - Relenless, Reckless, Forever

Blackfield - Welcome To My DNA                              DevilDriver - Beast

Amorphis - The Beginning of Times                              Decapitated - Carnival Is Forever

Evanescence - Evanescence                                          Destruction - Day of Reckoning

So there they are pretty much everything that's been consuming my year in music.  I've gotten a lot of stuff this year and I'm still spinning a lot of these releases, so some of them may move up the likings, and some may move down.  Only time will tell.  SO I hope you liked my top 20.  Some of them like I said are in no way a metal release, and some are some of the heaviest stuff I've heard in a long time.  I really am enjoying the Insomnium, and a few others.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.

Graveyard - Hisingen Blues Review

Graveyard - Hisingen Blues



   This is by far one of my favorite records of the year.  The more and more I listen to it, the more I like it.  It's full of such a classic integrity that really not many bands are doing these days.  This album will be in my top five for sure at the end of the year.  So on to the review

   For those of you that don't now who Graveyard is they are hard rock band from Gothenburg, Sweden. Joakim Nilsson, and Rikard Edlund who were both in the rock band Norrsken, and Axel Sjöberg, and Truls Mörck formed Graveyard in 2006.  They have two studio albums to date.  One self titled debut, and the new Hisingen Blues released on March 25, 2011.  So I know this is long over due, I've just been really soaking up this album for a while.  They incorporate a lot of 70's rock, and classic metal styles that really pay homage to the early greats like Sabbath, Zeppelin, Gentle Giant, and many others from that time period.  These guys are really good at creating a style that is so remnant of that time, but while standing out on its own as something fresh and new.  If you watch their video for Hisingen Blues it really looks like something from the 70's and makes you think you're back in that righteous time period.  It's a pretty cool, basic rock video.  I really am liking just the great jam rhythms, and guitar tones on this record.  The story telling in the lyrics are great as well.  Everything seems to have a great balance to it, and nothing really sounds out of place at all.  Graveyard really are starting to prove themselves as giants of rock, and classic metal that really is putting the old back in to whats new these days.  Which I think needs to be done more often.  not many bands these days are remembering where their roots are, and forget about what makes good music.  Getting lost in the modern music world, which is do diluted with a digital, generic creation process.  I'm really in to the ways of old.  The older styles of recording,mastering, production, mics, drum sounds, vocals, and so when I hear bands use real drums, and really guitars it gives me hope that there still is good music out there.  I really think these guys are one of the bands that really know how to bring it old school, but like I said give us something we've never heard before. 

   So in short this album is great, and anyone who favors the classics should check this album out.  You won't be sorry.  Another thing that I really like is the LP version of the release.  The record is awsome looking.  I love vinyl and these guys all out on there vinyl release with a cool record design.  I suggest getting the vinyl if you can just cause of the glorious design, but any copy will do really.  So if I'd have to give this record a score I'd give it a 9 out of 10.  Great album with great sound, great rhythms, great vocals, and wonderful lyrics.  Like I said go pick it up you won't be sorry.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.



This live performance of Hisingen Blues is absolutly amazing.  Watch it I comand you.

Unearth - Darkness In the Light Review

Unearth - Darkness In The Light



This one is going to be short and sweet, and to the point.  I 'd have to say that I haven't really given Unearth a fair chance up to this point.  I've known about them for a long time, but never really checked them other than listening to a few tracks off of their earlier works.  I was fairly impressed with The March, and I knew of some of the earlier workings as well.  This release however is absolutly amazing.  It is by far my favorite metal-core release of the year hands down.  The use of great technicals, and melodicisim, while keeping it really catchy, and heavy has not been beat all year.  This record really gets better and better every time I listen to it.  I love the opening track.  It does a really good job at showing their diversity, and range with their particular style of metal.  These guys really know how to write great hooks, with some really catchy break downs.  It has some of the best break downs I've heard in a long time.  Metal core is so diluted with break down after break down, and this record really keeps you interested the whole way through.  The guitar melodies are perfectly writen with the right amount of flow, and build to some of the most brutal metal core I've heard in a long time.  The vocals are crisp and well produced, and sound really great as well.  This record has some of the best solos I've heard in a long time as well.

So with this release Darkness In the Light I will be a fan of Unearth from here on out.  Now that I know they aren't just another run of the mill metal core band.  These guys really have a lot of talent packed into on little package that puches you right in the face when you open it, and leaves you stunned for a long time.  I recommend this record to any fan of metal core it will put to shame anything else you put next to it.  So for my score I give this record a solid 9, and it's well diserved.  I'm going to try and do as many reviews as I possibly can by the end of the year.  I've got a lot more albums that I want to talk about so stay tunned.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.

Dissapointments of 2011 So Far

  I know that the year is almost over, but I wanted to put together a list of stuff that I really was disappointed in this year.  I've had a long time to listen to some of these and some others not so much.  Either way nothing is sparking in any of these releases that is making me want to keep listening.  Some aren't as bad as some other the others, and some are just absolutely horrible.  These aren't going to be compared to which one is the worst or which one is my favorite of these disappointments, cause honestly they are all bad in their own ways.  So here it is my list of disappointments in 2011 so far. 

Blackfield - Welcome To My DNA



I was super siked when I heard that Blackfield was going to be releasing a new studio record this year.  I have mad respect for both creative minds in this project.  One Steven Wilson who if you look at my blog at all you'll see his name stuck through out it like crazy, and Aviv Geffen who is an Israeli rock musician who's collaborated with Steven on this project with an astounding amount of talent and creativeness.  This release on the other hand I really was let down.  There are moments where the lyrics are just horrible, and the guitar melodies seem really really over produced.  Even though they've always seemed to have an over the top production value.  This record just really doesn't seem to have a lot of flair, and punch to keep me interested like the first two did.  I'll stick to listening to those albums which are still great records.

Blue October - Any Man In America



I hate that this release is on here.  I really do.  I absolutely love Blue October.  They have a close place in my heart, and mean a lot to my wife and I.  We saw them together live at Stubbs, and the song 18th Floor Balcony was the song that we danced to at out wedding.  I introduced her to them and she really likes them a lot.  I knew all the hardships that Justin was going through with all the marriage, and nervous break down issues.  I'd never wish that kind of pain on anyone.  I think everyone could sense there were some major problems building just by listening to their previous release Approaching Normal.  I know how I would be mentally if I was going to lose my son.  So I totally respect this record in that it's true hate, passion, love, anger, depression, and really Justin just poring his heart out on this record.  I just really don't like the major pop influences, and the cursing.  I know when you're angry it's hard not let the nasty words flow, but I just respect them so much more than this record was giving back.  Now I'd have to say this record isn't horrible at all.  It's just way below what I want to hear from Blue October.  SO hopefully he can push past this major bump in his road and get back to giving us the great breed of rock they do so well.

Chimaira - The Age of Hell

I've been listening to Chimaira for a long time.  Ever since their Impossibility of Reason release in 2003.  I really like their blend of electronic elements and heavy metal, without making any of it sound forced, or generic.  This release however had a lot missing.  I knew there were some major line up changes going on in the band, and the product they came up with really did nothing for me.  There was really nothing that wowed me on this one at all, and there were moments that I really lost interest.  I hope that the next release will be better because I still like this group and still listen to their earlier stuff. 

Evanescence - Evanescence

  When I heard that Evanescence was FINALLY coming out with a new studio release I wasn't really excited at all.  Really nothing happened for me.  I used to listen to The Fallen all the time when I was in high school, but now I've just lost interest.  I know Amy Lee is a phenomenal singer, and she really is, but I'm just really over this band completely.  Some of the tracks are just really annoying, and make me want to turn it off.  The music sounds really forced, and nothing wows me at all.  I don't think this band really has anything going for it anymore like they did when they first started. 

Lazarus A.D.

It's a shame I enjoyed their debut so much more than this release.  A lot of the guitar parts sound generic, and simple.  The distortion isn't something that I haven't heard before from other artists.  It's sounds like a mix between newer Soulfly, and something like Chimaira, or any other sub par metal core band out there.  There are a few tracks that are half way decent, but not enough to keep me interested the whole way through.

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra

You know I wasn't surprised when I first decided to listen to the new LB record.  I was quickly turned off by what everyone else is turned off by.  Fred Durst and his horribly annoying voice.  This is Limp Bizkit trying to do what they did in the past with releases like Significant Other, and Chocolate Starfish..., and they are failing miserably.  The guitar tones are decent, and some of the riffs are pretty catchy at moments, but every ounce of decent music on this thing is just drug through the mud by Fred Durst's horrible rapping, and wanna be singing voice.  He is not a good singer by any means, nore is he a good lyricist as well.  Limp Bizkit is done for me, and now I know why every fan of this band is either 12 years old and don't really know what good music is, or a dushy shallow frat boy that drives around with his nice car and flashes his rims off, while later graduating collage and going to work at Burger King waisting Momy and Dadies money.  But who cares all he needs is his car and Limp Bizkit to succeed right.  Right

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinium Insanus

Never have I ever head a worse use of drum effects, and electronics on any type of record much less a metal record for that matter.  The vocals are horrible, and the drumming is just really really bad.  The use of drum effects on here are the worst I've ever heard, and it really makes me cringe when I listen to it.  The guitar really isn't anything to get excited about either.  There's only so much guitar flair you can have with all of the other mediocrities on this before you make it seem like you're trying to give the listener a little piece of something to keep you listening.  Nothing does though at all for me, and pretty much everyone else that's listened to this atrocity to Morbid Angel's legacy in Death Metal.  It's such a shame to see this happen to their career.  They will have to work so hard to recover from this on the next one it not even funny.  

Wayne Static - Pighammer

Wayne stated in an interview I watched on youtube that his motives behind this record were to get back to what his original intents were for Static-X, and really focus on mixing disco styles with metal.  I'll have to say I'm glad Static-X turned out the way it did, because if it would've turned out like this I would not have been a fan at all. This stuff really doesn't do it for me at all.  If there are fans of this record out there you know more power to you.  All I know is I'm definitely not one of them at all.

Winds of Plague - Against the World

There are some decent guitar riffs, and melodies on this one, but really the lyrics are what is killing this one for me.  There are some majorly juvenile and weak vocal moments on this one.  At least there are some decent guitar parts that I know will make some fans of this band happy, but for me I really wasn't impressed at all.  Still it's way better than Morbid Angel's crap.  I'd honestly listen to this any day over that record, and this record isn't good at all. 

311 - Universal Pulse

I'm really not a fan of this band anymore.  I mean who didn't have a copy of their self titled release in 95.  I really liked that record, and Evolver in 2003 had some decent tracks on it as well.  I've just really haven't found anything I've liked in any of their material after Evolver and it's a shame.  The only thing I could say that I like about this record it the album art.  Really that's it the music is just not good at all. 

   So there you have it.  My list of major fails for this year so far.  The year is almost over and I'm sure I've weeded out the goods and bads for me this year.  There were some great releases this year, and some that met the cut, and some that will get forgotten for sure.  There are some releases on this list that I will probably be revisiting in the future, and some that I won't even want to look at again, and it's a shame I spent my money on them.  So if you liked some of these that's fine I just think these guys are at the bottom of the barrel for me, and that's where most of them will stay.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.

Bush - The Sea of Memories Review

Bush - The Sea of Memories



   So I wanted to do as many reviews as I can before the new year on the 2011 albums I've picked up so far.  The year is almost over and I've been behind on talking about some of the goods and bads of the year.  So here is a rather different one among the metal masses.  Bush's The Sea of Memories marks the return of Bush since they called it quites in 2002 after their fourth studio release Golden State didn't do as well as they had hoped.  I've always liked Bush.  I remember listening to their early stuff over and over again.  And living in Austin who loves Bush apparently you can't listen to 101X without hearing Bush every single day.  They can't help but play the same artists from day to day.  One of the reasons I don't listen to the radio at all these days.  Amoung others like Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and The Smashing Pumpkins Bush was right there along with those guys in my younger years.  Now not so much only cause I've been focusing on broadening my metal ears, and have lost touch with my alternative rock roots a little.  So this release I had high hopes for, and I'd have to say they didn't disappoint, and left room to improve and the Sea of Memories is showing that the Gavin and the guys are still good at what they do and can release a decent rock album still. 

   The Sea of Memories has a great rock presence to it.  It's not very pop like at all.  I was kind of worried that Gavin being married to Gwen Stefani and her pop influences would bleed in to his music, but it really didn't for the most part.  They keep it pretty rockin the whole way through with a few softer breaks through out.  Some of the guitar tones on this record really are very rich, and full.  It sounds like they really put a lot of thought in to making the guitars sound as good as they possibly could.  Everything seems evenly matched as well.  There are great bass moments, guitar melodies, and great vocal harmonies.  Gavin Rossdale has a very recognizable voice that still today sounds just as good as he did in 94 on Sixteen Stone.  There are some decent solos stuck in there that accent the melodies pretty well.  Nothing really flashy like you'd hear on a Megadeth, Steve Vai record but it all fits with the perfect amount of flair sprinkled in to give it that Bush staple.  Which sometimes less is more, and in this case they definitely pulled off a good rock record.  I like it when bands go away for a while and return and really give us a good return and not fall short.

   Like I said there is an evenly matched amount of punch to finesse on this record.  For instance the song All Night Doctors.  It starts with a great piano vocal mix, and in comes a nice remnants of Glycerin guitar tone and progression.  It really brings back that song again while standing out on it's own as well.  For me the shining points of this record are the guitar structures, and the vocals.  I really think Gavin came through on his guitar writing, and singing which makes me breathe easier.  I wasn't really to impressed with Gavin's solo works, but like I said it may not be to a fault of his own.  I wasn't in to that style much anyway so maybe I gave it a cold shoulder when I shouldn't have.  I'll probably go back and listen to it again just to see if it sparks something.  

   So as for The Sea of Memories, I liked it very much so.  I think it is a great listen and, a good return to Bush's distinctive sound that we've come to know so well.  While giving us tastes of something new from these guys.  I can listen to this record pretty much any time and not feel bored, and let down.  So I'm glad this record re-energized Bush for me, and will probably be following them again because of this record.  Great job guys.  I give this record a solid 8 as of right now.  It may get better as the end of the year we will have to see.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.   

Opeth - Heritage Review

Opeth - Heritage



   I know this is long over due, and I was debating on weather or not I was going to do a review on this record at all.  But it's just to good to pass up.  I have to talk about this record.  So for those of you who don't know who Opeth is.  If you look at my blog you should.  They've been mentioned all through out it from time to time.  Opeth are a Swedish Progressive Death Metal band.  They really have pushed through many different styles of music through out their career, but while still keeping a certain amount of Opeth distinctiveness to it, and flair that makes Opeth one of the best metal bands out there right now.

   Now these guys aren't new bees to the scene by any means.  No these guys have been around since the early nineties with their first release Orchid coming out in '95.  So these guys have been working the metal scene for a long time, and are starting to push their way to the top with releases like Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, Watershed, and now Heritage.  These guys are signed to Roadrunner Records as of right now, and have been since Ghost Reveries in 2005.  Although they have had a great amount of time in the scene, they only recently have come to see major commercial success.  Ghost Reveries really put them on the map, and Watershed really pushed their popularity to a new level reaching number 23 on the billboard top 200.  Heritage marks their 10th studio record to date and is really showing the next chapters in the world of Opeth, and boy can I not wait to see what's in store for us in the future.  So on to the album.

   Heritage like I said is Opeth's 10th studio record, and it was one of their highest anticipated releases to date.  It was released on September 30, 2011.  This record marks Opeth's highest chart presence with it debuting at number 19 on the Billboard Top 200.  Selling over 19'000 copies in it opening week.  I get really excited when I see bands I like and really respecting getting the money they deserve, cause one I know they worked hard and deserve it, and two I know these guys will put it back into their name making everything better the next time around.  Everything from music, merchandise, videos, to concerts.  They really care about the music and the legacy they want to leave behind so they put everything they have into it.  Heritage was getting a lot of major worry from old Opeth fans.  I wasn't really worried that it wasn't going to sound good, or I wasn't going to like it.  I was just really really ready for a new Opeth record.  Let me just say take everything you've come to know about Opeth.  The death growls, the crushingly heavy guitars, the relentless double bass, and shere intensity, and get rid of all that.  In comes progressive 70's rock.  Styles like Rainbow, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd.  Even jazz fusion moments thrown in there.  The guitar work is still very progressively Opeth, and you can tell it's Opeth still doing what they do best.  But with so many other differences.  You're going to hear things on this record you have never heard of in music in general.  I love the bass, and drums on this record.  The rhythm section really shines on this one.  The vocals are all clean melodically sang, and the harmonies that he pulls off are really acerting the fact that I've said Mikael Akerfeldt really is one of the best metal singers today. 

   They really went full force with trying to pay homage to their major influences from the 70's.  Mikael is a huge 70's music nerd, so his knowledge of great bands from this rockin time period really flows in greatly.  The solos are perfectly placed with the right amount of distortion to augment the clean guitars.  The lyrics are great.  Something about his words makes you want to go out and learn about all kinds of stuff.  There are some really dark moments in his lyrics, and then some lighter sides.  I'll let you decipher what they mean to you on your own, but I've always liked his lyrics very much.  Now something that I'm still all giddy about is the drums.  The drums are amazing on this one.  They sound really raw, and natural, but together and very tight.  The jazz quality of drumming on this record is so flawlessly done.  Martin Axenrot really pushed his capabilities on this on, and is proving to be one of the more valuable members of Opeth.  Martin Mendez's bass is really rich sounding.  He switches from stand up to traditional bass through out the record.  The opening track which is a piano piece has some stand up accentuating the song very well, and you come to hear it later in the record as well.  There are moments where he is really pulling off a Jethro Tull flute solo very well on Famine.  I would say that's probably the heaviest track on the record.  The record flows very well, and wants you listening to more after every track which for the casual listener is a good thing. 
   Most of the old school Opeth fans that are set on the death metal side of Opeth may not appreciate this one as much.  There is like I said no heavy vocals what so ever, and really focuses on his clean tones.  Which sound great in my opinion, but to the di-hard death metal fan I can see why this record wouldn't be as good to you.  To the di-hard Opeth fan though this record will make you shit your pants as to how good it is.  I love everything about this record.  I only have one small really small complaint.  It's a noticablly quite record.  I put this one in and have to turn it up 3 volumes to really be at the same level I was at previously.  Maybe it's because of the style, the ritchness of the instruments, or I could be just going deff I don't know.  It really sets it up for headphones.  Which I have no problem doing, but you'll miss little sounds and accents in the back ground if you don't have it pretty load.  Like the start of Famine sets a great mood for a thunderous track.  The drums, piano, flute, guitars, and vocals are great.  That is one of my favorite tracks off the record.
   Leigh and I went to go see them when they came with Katatonia at Stubb's and it was amazing.  We were right up front and got to see them really play their asses off.  These guys are beyond perfection and commend so much respect.  I really don't know why they aren't accepted more in the United States because these guys are super super talented and know what they are doing, and do it without flaw.  I highly recommend going to see them live whenever you get a chance you won't be sorry. 
   So Opeth's Heritage is going to be one of my favorite albums of the year.  If not my number one.  Do I give a perfect 10 you ask?  No unfortunatly I can't.  While being a prefectly executed record with so much to offer I still feel the overall quite pressance makes it hard to get someone who is new to Opeth, or just a cassual music listener really in to them off of this record.  Someone who grew up in the 70's, or who is in to jazz would be easier of course.  Now put Ghost Reveries, or Watershed, or even Blackwater Park on and they will go ape shit over it.  I give this record a solid 9.5 out of 10, and I am really looking forward to the next years of Opeth.  We will be in for some eargasmic music let me just say.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.





Full album from youtube here.  Just put it on and drift away.  You won't want to come back I promise

Albums of the Week - The Classics Revisited

You can't go wrong with the classics.  So I wanted to put together five classic albums from the 80's that I was jamming this week.  They are albums that I've listened to many time over and have enjoyed through out the years, and still are just as strong as as they were when I was younger.  So here they are a few classics to grind your teeth to. 

Accept - Balls To the Wall - 1984

Balls to the Wall is Accepts first prize trophy.  They really hit it out of the park with this release, and in my opinion haven't hit anything as close to this record.  They've had a few hiatus times through out there career, but with their new 2010 release Blood of the Nations show no signs of slowing down.  That album is a great return to what made Accept great, and I'm glad to see them really re charging their walks through this crazy long road that is heavy metal.  If you like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and AC/DC you'll love Accept.

Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance - 1982

I can't say enough good things about Judas Priest.  Along with Black Sabbath they really were on of the first bands to set the horizons for every metal band there after.  Their influences on so many different genres of extreme music is painfully obvious.  They will go down as one of the greatest bands in the history of rock/metal.  Screaming For Vengeance is by far my favorite album from them, and I still listen to this today and get just as pumped as I used to when I was younger running around screaming you've got another thing comin haha.  Oh memories.

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast - 1982

Another essential band in the formation of what metal is today.  You can't talk about heavy metal and not mention Iron Maiden.  The guitars, the bass oh man the bass, the drumming, and lets not forget the unforgettable vocals.  Bruce Dickenson has proven himself to be one of the greatest singers in rock/metal history.  This is by far my favorite record from these titans of metal, and every track is amazing.  I really wish I could've been 18 in 1982 and really experience this record in it prime.  It still rocks just as hard for me now as it did for so many metal heads in the 80's

Metallica - Ride the Lightning - 1984

An essential album for any metal fan.  Metallica really set the movement for a more commercially acceptable extreme metal.  They are the band that started the thrash movement in my opinion.  Along with Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax these guys were on top of the metal world in the 80's, and crushed anything trying to compete with the these lions.  Ride the Lightning is my favorite record from these guys.  Master of Puppets is fighting for this spot, but I just think the solos and guitar structures on this record are absolutely amazing.

Venom - Welcome to Hell - 1981

Venom is a beast all its own.  They really have an authentic sound like no other band out there.  At times it's kaotic, and crazy.  Other times it's together, refined, and smooth rocking.  None the less it always kicks ass.  This band has influenced so many bands today from every genre of metal.  From black metal, thrash, speed, death, to just down right rock N roll.  They I think will never get the recognition they deserve, but I'll respect them as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. 

So there they are.  Just five records that I listened to in honor of the 80's revisited this week.  There are many many many more out there, and I urge every metal head to start here and work your way up to what metal is today.  I got a greater appreciation for some of todays music knowing where they pulled their sounds from, and really immortalized the classics on my sacred shelves of darkness that is my cd collection.  Guys like Anthrax, Slayer, Megadeth, Kreator, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Sodom, Voivod, Flotsam & Jetsam, and Ozzy are just to name a few of the artists that were running the metal movement in the 80's.  There's always the hair metal genre, but I don't really consider that stuff metal at all, and don't really like any of the bands that were associated with the world of atrocities.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.   

Album of the Week - Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient

   So this weeks album of the week was especially hard due to the fact that I was listening to so many albums this week.  I got some Agolloch, some Converge, and Devin Townsend.  So this week I was in a major debate on which album I was going to include for my album of the week.  I went with the album that I mearly listened to first.  Devin Townsend's Ziltoid the Omniscient.  So here it is my album of the week Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient. Enjoy

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient

2007



   So this is another one of Devin Townsend's master pieces.  If you guys don't know who Devin Townsend is I'll fill you in.  Even though you really should already know if you listen to metal.  Devin Townsend is one of the greatest song writers, producers, front men, just all around great musician.  He's come from a long line of great things.  He's worked with master guitarist Steve Via on his 1993 album Sex & Religion.  He than formed a solo project named Strapping Young Lad which later became a full band project.  He fronted SYL from 1994 to 2007.  He also has a very successful solo career with fourteen studio albums under his belt, as well as five SYL studio albums.  His solo workings range front crazy heavy, extreme metal.  With major synth, and progressive over tones.  To very ambient, soothing, acoustic, and very melodic sound scapes.  His music is nothing normal.  Every track will leave you thinking about everything going on around you.  He really is good at painting a picture with his music.  I love all of his efforts for various reasons.  Some more than others, but still like them all none the less.

 

   He also has led a very prestigious producing career as well.  He has worked with various artists, and bands in the metal community.  One big one being Soilwork.  He helped them create their masterpiece Natural Born Chaos.  Which is one of my favorite Soilwork albums of all time.  He is very good at layering textures of sound on top of on another and making it all work out to create something Chaotic, atmospheric, passionate, explosive, technical, and just down right intriguing mind blowing music. 

  

   This record, Ziltoid the Omniscient is Devin's tenth solo record, and it by far my favorite.  It's very interesting, funny, and technical.  It's unbelievably intense at moments, and while still keeping it heavy has a way of calming you.  Prime example is my favorite track off the record Hyper drive.  This record has a very comical concept .  It's about an alien and his search for the worlds best cup of coffee, and his journeys doing so.  Devin has moments where he talks as Ziltoid and really tells a great story that keeps you wanting to listen the whole time.  Like his struggles with Captain Spectacular and the humans are down right gut wrenchingly funny.  While having a very laughable concept, the music is still taken very seriously.  This record was really a complete solo record for him.  He did everything on his own in his basement at home.  Everything from recording, mastering, looping, guitars, drums, and vocals.  He used the same drum program on this record that Thomas Haake used on Meshuggah's Catch Thirty 33.  The drums sound really really great for being a machine processed drum tracking.  Everything is really tight and together on this record. 

  

   So when this record is over you really will ask yourself why isn't this a TV show right now.  It would make the most ultimate metal, alien world domination show of all time.  So I can't say enough good things about this record, and I really hope this helps usher this record into many metal heads ears who haven't heard it yet, cause it is nothing less than absolute prefection.  I highly recormmend this record to anyone who like SYL, Meshuggah, Fear Factory, or damnit just metal in general.  This is an essential record for any metal fan for sure.  So I hope you enjoyed this album of the week.  I know I did.  Listening to it while I write this just really asserts what I've said about it being just down right awsome.  So go get it I promise you you won't be sorry.  So until nest time stay hard, stay heavy. 

Last Week's Album's of the week

Dc Talk - Jesus Freak

Jars of Clay - Jars of Clay