I know, I know reading sucks right. Especially for heavy metal fans who like me just want to listen and soak it all up that way. If I ever do read something it 98% of the time has something to do with music in some way. Revolver magazine is really the only thing that I consistently read cause come on that mag is every metal fans essential reading material. Although Revolver is great there are some great books out there that are really interesting as well. I've been picking them up here and there cause either they one, have great pictures, two are short and to the point, three have great pictures oh wait, four are very informative and educational, and five just are cool to have on the shelf with the rest of my music books. So I wanted to put a post together of some great reading material for any heavy metal fan out there. Some of the books are like encyclopedias of metal which in my opinion will be incomplete for sure but usually those kind of books have great pictures, and generally do cover a vast amount of the metal out there so its ok to be missing a few. Some are very interesting to read about a certain genre, or time period in metal, and some are bios. None the less these are great reads and will help you guys get a more full mind of what it is to be a true metal fan. So read up but only this stuff. Nothing else I command you to fallow my words. Everything else is useless. Ha
Ok so there you have it. I've read or looked at all of these books. Most of them I own still, or have at one point owned but sold for one reason or another. Probably to get more Cd's, but these books are all very interesting to read. To Soak up all the metal info out there still would take ages and ages to do, but these books will give you a great place to start reading up on it. You can be the biggest heavy metal fan, but if you really don't pick up a book about it you really won't get the true full history of whatever you are listening to. Wikipedia is another great tool. It has a page on pretty much every essential metal band and gives a pretty good source for info on them. From history, starts and finishes of albums, time lines of events with the bands, discographies, and band member bios. Like I said earlier some are more for the pictures like the Metallica book. That one is pretty much all pictures, but man there are some pretty cool pictures from quite possibly the biggest heavy metal band of all time. Some are more informative as to be like a history of whatever it may pertain to like The Complete History of Heavy Metal. That book is really great. I still have that book and won't get rid of that one. It cronicalizes the biggest events and things in heavy metal starting with Black Sabbath's birth to the sonic world of music. Black Sabbath are the starters of heavy metal hands down, and anyone who argues that point hasn't read a heavy metal book. They pretty much all start with Sabbath. Some are bios like the Motley Crue, the Marilyn Manson, the Slayer, the Lemmy, and the Dave Mustaine bio. I'm not a big fan of Motley Crue by any means, but that book is pretty interesting to read, cause they have accomplished, and done a lot of crazy things in their career. To bad they play wussy hair metal. That's metal for my sister, if I had a one. Give me Slayer, Metallica, or Maiden any day. Lords of Chaos is another great genre defining book. That book scares me as to how brutal and sick death metal, and black metal are. It starts form the start of those genres and shows you the big events in the realm of the heaviest kind of metal out there by far. From the Devil worship, and spike armor wearing guys. To the painted faces, and blood. Sometimes all of those wrapped into one band. Even though I don't really agree with the extreme antics of this genre they have created a lot of heavy metal musics essential tunes and have turned it into what death, and black metal are today. Also the heavy metal cook book. Wow now that book is just freakin cool. Pick is up and eat like a real metal fan, and eat only whats in this book, otherwise it will make you less of a metal fan to eat anything else. Ha no not really but still a great book. So guys pick up a book and start reading. Again only this though no substitutions. I command you to now. Ha. So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.
So I know it's been a while since I've posted. I know I'm sorry, but I got a new toy and I've been playing with it hard-core. I can't put it down. It's an Ipod touch. I know what you're saying man just an Ipod, but to me this is a big deal. Its not everyday that I get to just dish out 400 bucks for something. I got the 64 gig one because I have like 50 some gigs of music on my itunes, and that's all from my CD collection. So I wanted to have enough space to put the majority of it on there if not all of it with enough space for all the other things like aps, pics, vids, and movies. I have to say its pretty cool. I like how I can watch my Netflix stuff on it whenever I'm around wi-fi, and surf the net. I can literally do my blog if I really wanted to from my ipod touch. That's pretty cool. Of course I wouldn't because that would be pretty hard cause I usually have like three or four pages open when I do my blogs for the pics, and vids, and other stuff that I put on there. It would just be kind of hard for me to do it from my ipod. But man let me tell you it feels awsome to have all my music on there. Going to this from a 16gig where I was like really just putting my essential bare minimum on there to everything. I mean on shuffle it will go to Neil Young, Metallica, Adema, Kiss, Foo Fighters, Opeth, Danzig, Zeppelin, Ozzy, Jimi Hendrix, to Meshuggah. I have a pretty wide range of likes and its nice to hear them all whenever I want wherever I want cause yes I take it everywhere I go. I got a pretty good case for it as well. Its an otter case which are pretty much the best cases out there. I don't want anything happening to it. I'm pretty protective of the things I buy, and I take care of them also. I've learned the hard way with stuff in the past that I've bought and its broke on my cause I was careless or stupid with it. Not this time though. So the Ipod is awsome and I'm loving it. I'll do an actual post soon I've got to get back into the groove of it. So I gotta come up with some new ideas. I have an idea to do lets see the musicians that past away last year page, a Dio exclusive page, an evolution of the guitar page, some more reviews of 2010's and some more essential ones, and maybe a whats to come in 2011. This year is going to be pretty good. We've got DevilDriver, Opeth are in the studio and plan to release on this year AWSOME, In Flames as well AWSOME, Crowbar, the new Deicide, and many more. So this year shows some great potential for being another great year for heavy metal. So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.
I wanted to take some time and do a post on my favorite genre right now. This drone, stoner, sludge, grungy metal. Its got so many names but its basically great stuff. There are a lot of really good bands in this genre and I wanted to shine some light on these guys. Maybe you'll like one or two and get in to them as well. Some of them are heavier than the others, some are more progressive, and some are softer with more melodic hooks. None the less they all have great vibes that I think any metal fan can appreciate so here they are. There are probably a lot more in this genre that are good these are just the ones that I'm in to right now.
Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard are the starters of stoner metal in my opinion. There are others like Sleep, or Kyuss but none of them are doing like Electric Wizard. They are from Dorset, England, and had their first studio release in 1995. They have been kicking it strong ever since, and have released some essential stoner, drone metal releases since than. There are a few albums that were said to be the landmarks of this genre and they are great albums none the less so I recommend checking out Electric Wizard for sure. They have 7 studio releases to date. I recommend Electric Wizard, Come My Fanatics..., and Dopethrone. These are by far their best efforts.
Electric Wizard - 1995 Come My Fanatics... - 1997
Dopethrone - 2000 Let Us Prey - 2002
We Live - 2004 Witchcult Today - 2007
Black Masses - 2010
Mastodon
Mastodon are a progressive drone metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. They formed in 1999. They incorporate a lot of progressive elements into their very aggressive guitar, and vocal presence. They have released four studio albums since their inception, and have progressively gotten better on each record. Every record explores something new from sounds, technique, to concepts. They are very conceptual which is fine with me. I like having to read and learn about what a band is talking about in their music. I've known about these guys since their Laviathan release in 2004 which was a really great album. I highly recommend them if you like very spastic articulate drumming, and fast crunchy guitar work. Their vocals are spread out throughout the entire band almost. So in any one song you may hear three different vocalists singing. Which is great cause that just adds more texture to works. So give them a listen you won't be sorry
Remission - 2002 Leviathan - 2004
Blood Mountain - 2006 Crack the Skye - 2009
High on Fire
High on Fire stems from Matt Pike. The mastermind behind the stoner metal band Sleep in the 90's. With their staple in the stoner metal genre in the nineties as Sleep its only natural that High on Fire would have a huge foot in it now, and that's no under statement. High on Fire have released some great metal albums since their start in 1998. They have released five studio albums and really are bringing a great needed crunch to heavy metal. I highly recommend getting Snakes For the Divine. The whole album is top notch from start to finish. If you like lets see a mix between Motorhead, and Mastodon you'll love High on Fire because that's exactly what they are really.
The Art of Self Defence - 2000 Surrounded By Theives - 2002
Blessed Black Wings - 2005 Death is This Communion - 2007
Snakes For the Divine - 2010
Kylesa
I discovered Kylesa not but maybe a few months ago and really was thinking how could I have missed these guys. They were formed in 2001 from Savannah, Georgia. Their stuff is really innovative and rich with a sound scape that surpasses the majority of the bands in the drone, sludge, stoner stuff. They incorporate a lot of psychedelic, ambient, elements, with this heavy chug. The drums are another thing that really sets them apart as well. They have two drummers with full sets. It adds a major ambient drumming sound that frequently pans from right to left when listening to them. They are a lot of fun to listen to on head phones. Sometimes I listen to them with just one headphone in and really soak up where the sounds are coming from. They are really a headphone record band. These guys do their craft well and I wouldn't be without them on my ipod from this day forth. They have five studio records so far, and their 2010's Spiral Shadow is by far their best one. I highly recommend picking it up.
Kylesa - 2002 To Walk a Middle Course - 2005
Time Will Fuse Its Worth - 2006 Static Tensions - 2009
Spiral Shadow - 2010
Bison B.C.
Bison B.C is fairly new to the game but show great promise. Their 2010 release Dark Ages is a great metal record. It shows their potential for heavy greatness. It is one of the better records of 2010, and I recommend giving them a listen. They have released three records since 2007, but I feel they have it in them to keep going for a good while and keep giving us good crunchy metal.
Earthbound - 2007 Quiet Earth - 2008
Dark Ages - 2010
The Sword
The Sword are from Austin which is cool so I checked them. I was hesitant at first because the alternative sense is very big here and I was just assuming they were going to sound like all the other bands here in Austin. Boy was I wrong. These guys have a real classic groove that I am really digging. They sound like a cross between Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Blue Cheer. These guys rock, and I'm liking it. Their 2010 release Warp Riders is a really great record. From sound, to vocals, to concepts. Its really a solid groovy album. They are fairly new to the scene, but like Bison B.C. show some great potential.
Age of Winters - 2006 Gods of the Earth - 2008
Warp Riders - 2010
HowL
HowL are a heavier take on the drone metal. They definitely have a darker side to them, with their lyrics, and vocal style. Its in your face loud and heavy. They are fairly new also, but I'm really digging their 2010's Full of Hell. The artwork on the album is great as well. The cover is just metal all the way. So if you in to heavier crunch, and a darker lyric I recommend checking this band out. They just released their debut this past year so they are pretty fresh.
Full of Hell - 2010
Isis
Isis is considered a jazz fusion group. They were formed in Boston in 1997, but moved to California. I think they have elements of a lot of different vibes to their intoxicating sound. These guys really incorporate many different instruments, and have a huge plethera of music on every album. They are no longer together, for they decided to end it after their last tour this past year, but their music still remains strong as a solid experimental metal band. They are really fun to listen to on headphones as well, as there will be many different sounds and things going on throughout the records . Give em a listen, and you won't be sorry.
Celestial - 2000 Oceanic - 2002
Panopticon - 2004 In the Absence of Truth - 2006
Wavering Radiant - 2009
Baroness
Baroness are another great drone, sludge, progressive metal band from Savannah, Georgia. They are really good and duel harmony guitars, while adding a heavy crunch to their metal. They albums have a wide range of distortions, and vocal patterns. They are very poetic, and majestic at times. Their albums are both concept albums which seems to be a common thing in the drone metal world. Their 2009 release The Blue Record is their most experimental effort so far. With heavy aggressive guitar work, to an ambient progressive feel, and soft acoustic melodies that this album really gives you a well fit metal album with a little of everything on it.
Red Album - 2007 Blue Record - 2009
The Ocean
The Ocean are from Berlin, Germany and they are an experimental metal band. The are pretty progressive, and have a classic presence as well which I much appreciate as well. The sound pallet that this band achieves is very interesting, and full of texture. The artwork to their albums look like just fun conceptual art. I like their vibe a lot. They are another headphone record. Listening to them with one headphone is interesting because the way they put their material together is fun to hear one thing on one side and than listen to it again and listen to it on the other, and hear a bunch of things that you missed. Put them together and there are wondrous amounts of texture and color to the music.
Fluxion - 2004 Aeolian - 2006
Precambrian - 2007 Heliocentric - 2010
Anthropocentric - 2010
So there you go the 10 bands that I am really digging right now in this genre of metal. All of them have similarities, and things that set them apart from the others. I really think that this genre has great promise for being around for a long time. The classic vibes that a lot of these bands incorporate I feel are being sifted out in most of modern metal today which is such a shame, but that's just me. I love classic metal and feel that these guys really pay homage to a lot of it while keeping it fresh and new. So I hope you found at least one of these bands interesting enough to check out on your own. So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.
Music is my life. Aside from raising my son who is 3 1/2 now I live and breathe music. I attended and completed an audio engineering program at MediaTech of Austin and have learned so much about music, and sound ingeneral. I have a new found respect for sound thanks to the wonderful education I got at MediaTech.
