The Main Men...

I wanted to put together a list of the groups that I am listening to consistantly right now.  These are the bands that I just can't get enough of right now.  some are new and some are older.  Some O've been listening to for a while and some that I just now discovered.  I never stop liking the classic artists that I've always been listeing to, but these guys are just in the front right now.  So here they are.

OPETH

IN FLAMES

SOILWORK

SLAYER

LAMB OF GOD

DEVILDRIVER

AS I LAY DYING

MASTODON

DANZIG

MESHUGGAH

BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME

FEAR FACTORY

DIMMU BORGIR

CRADLE OF FILTH

BEHEMOTH

KYLESA

THE SWORD

TRIPTYKON

ELECTRIC WIZARD

HIGH ON FIRE

ENSLAVED

AGALLOCH



So here they are.  These are the bands that I just am jamming constantly.  The guys I can't get enough of.  I absolutly love Agalloch, Enslaved, High on Fire, and Kylesa.  The guys that I've always listened to and just can't get away from like Opeth, In Flames, Soilwork, Slayer, Lamb of God, Danzig, and Fear Factory are guys that I can't really ever see not listening to pretty much everyday.  I am really digging the new Triptykon its one of the best albums of 2010 and I wish I would've gotten it in 2010 to include it cause it would totally be in my top 10 for sure.  The list of stuff that I listen to from month to month changes every now and then, some stay and some go, but one things for sure I never leave them behind.  i just kind of put them in the pasenger seat for a while, while the others drive for a while.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.

2010 Additions...

   I know that I said I wouldn't include anymore 2010 buys in my top 10's list of 2010.  This is going to be a list of additions to the buys of 2010.  Some are really great and should've been in the top 10, but like I said I can't include them since the year is over.  Some aren't so good, and they were worth waiting for the end of the year to get into.  So here is the list of additions I've made to my 2010 buys.  I'll tell you guys which ones are great and should be checked out, and ones that I wasn't so happy with.  So here it goes

Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones

Wow!  When I got this record I was very very pleased with it.  Great deep, dark vibe.  The vocals are excellent, the guitar distortion sound is top notch Doom, Drone sounding.  This is a great record, and I highly recommend it for every old school Celtic Frost fan, adn any guys who like the Doom vibes.  Would've been top 10 most definetly.

 Danzig - Deth Red Sabaoth

This album was pretty decent.  There are some good licks and breaks throughout the record.  Glenn's vocals are as good as ever.  The only thing that I'd say bad about it is there is nothing shocking on this record that blew me away about this record.  Its pretty predictable Danzig material.  Still worth a listen though.

Cradle of Filth - Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa

Pretty good COF record.  His screams are pretty intense and guttural on this record.  The guitar work is in my opinion the best so far.  So check this out for sure.

All That Remains - For We Are Many

Decent sound, but predictable and nothing really crazy good here.  There are some good technicals as these guys have a good nature for technical riffs, but nothing really new.  I still like it though.

Kylesa - Spiral Shadow

You guys know what I think of this release.  I did a full review on it.  Great record all around.  The artwork is awsome to boot.  This record would've been in my top 5 for sure.  These guys really know how to do their craft, and Spiral Shadow is their best yet.

The Ocean - Heliocentric

The Ocean - Anthropocentric

These are great duel albums.  They are the most concept intensive albums I have ever gotten into.  These guys don't do anything half-assed.  I recommend these albums to anyone who wants to learn something, and get an ear full of great prog drone metal. 

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis

Great record.  Pretty crazy the whole way through.  This one would've been in my top 10.  Def recommend checking it out.

Kingdom of Sorrow - Behind the Blackest Tears

This record grew on me.  I was pretty hesitant to get it, but when I did I really enjoyed it.  Way better than their debut.  Definitely check these guys out.

Electric Wizard - Black Masses

Holy crap!  I don't think I've heard anything as dark and demonic.  These guys know how to scare the pants off of the world.  Now that doesn't go without saying its definitely not the heaviest material I've listened to, but man it is heavy.  Top 20 material for sure.

HowL - Full of Hell

This record is def worth checking out.  Pretty guttural hard hitting drone doom metal stuff.  I love the artwork.  Its the background on my iTouch. 

The Acacia Strain - Wormwood

This record is petty hard hitting, and the scream is pretty good.  While having the basis for a great record their are things missing.  One being lyrical content.  Its pretty unintelligent, and straight forward.  Nothing left to speculate.  The break downs are pretty predictable, and repetitive.  Some may like it a lot and some not so much.  My take was its ok but nothing to great. 

Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit

Great record.  Very diverse and kept me guessing pretty much the whole way through.  I really like the intro track.  The running water, and bird sounds in the background of this really mellow cello piece is really cool.  Than in come the rolling drums, and the record takes off with the crazy take on death/black metal that these guys do pretty well.  Top 20 material for sure.

   So these are the guys that I missed getting in time, and some I really wish I would've gotten them sooner, and some I was right in waiting to get.  So enjoy these.  I really recommend Kylesa, The Ocean's stuff, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Agalloch.  

DevilDriver - Beast Review

   Ok so I know its been a little while since my last post but I wanted to wait and really soak up this album.  This album was on top of my 2011 to get list, so I had high hopes for this album.  I really get off on DevilDriver.  Dez is a great front man, even in his Coal Chamber days.  I used to jam Coal Chamber all the time.  Loco, and Big Truck man great jams.  Their gothic but not seeming wussy, or like a bunch of cry babies, was very intriguing.  When they broke up I was kind of upset, but out of the ashes of Coal Chamber came DevilDriver.  When I bought their first record in 03 I was surprised at what he was transitioning to.  This much heavier, intense groove.  While being very different from Coal Chamber I could still hear some of Dez's Dark Days vocals in their.  No melodic vocals but his scream was keeping some of the similar screams and growls.  Lets just say.  When I got The Fury of Our Maker's Hand I was blown away.  Their speed was kicked up ten fold.  Dez's Scream was getting heavier than ever, and the over all groovy energy was really paving the way for a fist pumping, head banging metal band.  Since then every album has been getting better and better.  The drums have gotten faster, more intricate progy pieces, and more articulate cymbal workings.  The guitar techniques, while keeping a groove metal bass line their ability to bring in death metal riffage into the sound has been top notch.  Lastly Dez's vocal ability is like no other metal singer out there.  With every album you hear him get heavier and heavier with his chest pumbling, in your face scream.  So needless to say I am very pleased with the direction Dez has gone with his music in DevilDriver.  I still jam Coal Chamber to get kind of a reminiscence of what he used to do.  Which it would be refreshing to hear him sing melodically again, but I know that wouldn't work for DevilDriver, but you never know. 

   So their new album Beast.  In all the aforementioned statements about each album getting better and better.  This album just pushes that even further.  A solid heavy metal album.  Everything a di-hard fan would love.  While having a definite groove metal tone which honestly they are the new masters of this genre, they bring out their death metal elements out further than before on this record.  The drum work has surpassed pretty much everything drummer John Boecklin has put down on previous albums.  His over all speed has gotten faster, but while still writing pretty progressive bass hits and not just simple double bass speed riffs, which can get very mundane when written song after song.  His ability to make groovy, but punishingly smart pieces is like no other.  He is proving himself as one of the greats out there right now along with guys like Chris Adler, Thomas Haake, Dave Lambardo, and Gene Hoglan.  I really think he hasn't reached his full potential and will continue to show us his ever growing skills in the future. 

   The guitar work is more in your face heavy on this album than any other album I feel.  The riffing is great, and the sound quality and precision is the best yet.  There is a lot of guitar talent in the band.  Pretty much everyone in the band plays guitar, and puts their ideas in and pulls from each other.  This is shown very well on their special edition DVD feature disc.  Which let me just say they have never disappointed me with their special edition releases.  A special edition is supposed to have videos, behind the scenes footage, live footage, making of type stuff, and interviews with the band members.  Also last like at least two hours.  There has been some very disappointing special editions in the past for me, but DevilDriver's has never been one of them.  This special edition is definitely worth it.  It has a video timeline of the band which is really cool to see, and a big making of showing all of these guys talents in the band.  Then some videos from the past.  Great job on the special materials.  Us di-hard fans I know appreciate that a lot.  Mike Spreitzer is a well rounded music man.  His talents in music I believe could surpass the limitations of DevilDriver, but of course being a crazy metal head he trys to put all he can into this band, and it really shows with his guitar work, and his ability to bring the songs together.  He is a great asset to the band, and the guys are great at giving him the props he deserves.  Jeff Kendrick, the guitar counterpart to Mike is another great axe man.  These guys wondrous union is bringing some of the heaviest groove in metal today, and nothing will get in their way. 

   Now Dez's vocals lets just say oh my friggin god.  He has kicked up his scream on this album.  His in your face attitude is ever flowing throughout this record, and leaves you beaten, torn, and tired after finished listening.  DevilDriver has never been a hold your hand on a passionate ride through their music, and this album is no substitute.  Sympathy is for the week, and boy are they stronger than ever.  Metal was never made for the kind hearted.  If you can't take the heat, should've repented your sins cause buddy YOUR IN HELL, and there's no going back now. :)  These guys are by far some of the heaviest rockers in metal.  They own when they get out on stage and their live show is like no other band out there.  Dez's ability to control and move the crowd is god like, and their constant intensity throughout the whole show is really showing their commitment to taking names and becoming the hardest hitting, heaviest, fist pumping metal band out there now. 

   So this crazy metal addition is well worth it.  While being a great new album, this for me hasn't beaten The Fury of Our Maker's Hand yet though.  Nothing has but I just really love that album so it will be hard to beat it for me.  Not to say that this album is anything less than perfect, but it will be hard to top that album in the world of DevilDriver.  To all the DevilDriver fans you won't be disappointed with this album by any means, and to the new peeps of metal DevilDriver should be on your listen to lists for sure.  So I give this album a 8.5 and its well deserved.  Great job guys.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.

  

Here are few tracks from the album enjoy. 

Official video for Dead To Rights