tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130793552012-02-16T07:00:07.727-06:00Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.comBlogger14161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-90651629572065120032012-02-16T07:00:00.095-06:002012-02-16T07:00:07.857-06:00

ReviewHere's another one outside my area of expertise that appeared on Beards etc. Kroda is a Ukrainian pagan metal band. The unpronounceable Schwarzpfad is the band's fourth full-length, and first after significant personnel changes, including losing composer Viterzgir. It's hard to believe this was made by only one man. It's through-composed black metal, played with some traditional sounds and

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-72094910146209959902012-02-15T07:00:00.001-06:002012-02-15T07:00:01.092-06:00

The Dirty Rockin' Demo EditionThis edition of the Bandcamp series celebrates demos that are the antidote to the overpolished turds that get so much attention from mainstream metal press. Throw the Goat: Demo Primero (2011) California rock band Throw the Goat contacted me about their demo, aptly named Demo Primero. They're not a metal band, but I think they'll appeal to you anyway. It's hard

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-50086568875348218632012-02-14T07:00:00.011-06:002012-02-14T07:00:15.524-06:00

ReviewBy now, you're probably sick of hearing about the revival of old-school death metal. Or maybe you're just sick of me talking about it. Or maybe, you just wish the OSDM tag would be a little more honest. Bands who get tagged with that label tend to play one of three things. One, something slower and heavier than any death metal that actually existed before the 21st century. Two, an

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-88482906698172465122012-02-13T07:00:00.001-06:002012-02-13T07:00:19.870-06:00

ReviewI don't use illegal drugs. Never have. This gives me a leg up in life, avoiding legal trouble and keeping a sharper mind. Some branches of Satanism see it about the same way I do: If you do partake, they make you that much easier to rule. By that observation, Kalmen look like they would be easily dominated. Kalmen's 2011 demo is one perfect example. A quick glance at their most

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-15408233871227967682012-02-10T07:00:00.038-06:002012-02-10T10:00:44.100-06:00

Normally when I do a Metal Briefs post, there's something to connect the releases to each other. Here, that connection is tenuous at best. The only thing they have in common is that they were all submitted to me for review, and they can be best reviewed succinctly. This just about clears my docket . . . except for the four from Heidens Hart, the three from TotalRust, the two from Godz ov War,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-25872489707551994942012-02-09T07:00:00.054-06:002012-02-09T07:00:13.759-06:00

Clearing the DocketMy spam filter nearly thwarted vocalist/guitarist Terry's attempt to submit Last Transgression's album Cynic Verses to me, but by odd chance I happened to be looking for something else in my spam folder. A lucky circumstance. The Alabama band has been around since 1994, and have released prior albums in 1995, 1997, and 2002. But you'd never guess they've been around that long

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-6721395486950296092012-02-08T07:00:00.028-06:002012-02-08T22:00:13.441-06:00

Clearing the Docket v. I was recently treated to releases from two very old-school metal bands that impressed me a great deal. (You can get them free, too.) Since in the past I was critical of the retro metal movement, it made me think hard about what it is that I like about these records that I don't like about many others. First up, I'm going to talk about the UK's Amulet. Cut the Crap is

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-28711125739125755052012-02-07T07:00:00.007-06:002012-02-07T07:00:09.506-06:00

Clearing the DocketThe Reptilians are a band out of Idaho. They contacted me to review their record The Mentalist, available free on their web site. The music is a combination of Tool and Isis, which on paper sounds like something I should like. On paper. Apparently, they believe that simply stretching a song out for a long period of time is something you should do. The record is one song of

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-83697602923867488562012-02-06T07:00:00.007-06:002012-02-06T07:00:16.416-06:00

Clearing the DocketWölfe is a band out of Melbourne, Australia. Their demo was released as a cassette, although I'm not quite sure how you're supposed to get a copy since the band takes pains to point out they have no web site, Facebook, or MySpace. But they have been kind enough to allow free downloads (link below), and I think you might want to do that. The demo is 15 minutes of what the band

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-52920511465746505062012-02-06T06:00:00.006-06:002012-02-06T06:00:08.798-06:00

I've been getting disgustingly far behind in talking about music that's been submitted to me by bands, labels, and promoters. So, in an effort to catch up, I'll be clearing the docket all this week.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-11960634586371985652012-02-03T22:33:00.000-06:002012-02-03T22:33:27.025-06:00

The Flenser is giving away another album, but this one is for a limited time only. I haven't listened yet, but considering the label's history it's a good bet it'll be worth your time. The press release stated, "The 2011 Obolus demo . . . demonstrates a supreme balance of harsh 90’s black metal and somber California depressive gaze." Now, Lament "is the mysterious black metal band's second

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-5053508281680045062012-02-03T07:00:00.020-06:002012-02-03T07:00:08.563-06:00

Summary JudgmentLamb of God's Ashes of the Wake was an important record for me when I began the transition from a mostly mainstream metal fan to a more extreme metal fan. The band's combination of an extreme sound with accessible songwriting was just what I needed at the time. But despite my love for that album, I've paid no attention to them since. I have no idea what "Redneck" sounds like,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-60735860266336916972012-02-02T07:00:00.007-06:002012-02-04T21:43:18.781-06:00

ReviewI first read about Oak Pantheon on Metal Bandcamp. MaxR indicated that their album The Void had managed its way onto a number of year-end lists. I haven't seen it on any lists myself, but considering it's a name-your-price download, and the art is pretty cool, I thought that was a strong enough recommendation. The Minneapolis band plays a style of black metal that's a little folksy and a

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-8313951441387277542012-02-01T07:00:00.066-06:002012-02-10T10:01:18.305-06:00

Christian Black MetalI love black metal. Today, thankfully, it seems to be the most forward-thinking and flexible subgenre within metal. This is definitely a good thing. If it means I can have Botanist and Cobalt, then I will tolerate the existence of Liturgy. But it hasn't always been that way. And in some corners it's still not that way. There are those who have a very narrow conception of

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-90430414988650146362012-01-31T07:00:00.009-06:002012-01-31T07:00:13.353-06:00

ReviewIt's been a long time since I've mentioned my love-hate relationship with post-metal. Like many, my first introduction to the genre was Isis. Though divisive, they are clearly one of the most influential bands of the last decade or so. I personally would rank them among my top 25 bands of all time. But that love for their elusive brilliance has led me on a quest with at least as many

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-49857687205629056112012-01-30T07:00:00.075-06:002012-01-30T07:00:12.454-06:00

ReviewLord Vicar is the truest metal band on the planet. The Finns have been slinging riffs since 2007, but were relatively silent since releasing a well-received full-length in 2008. They've been busier in 2011, dropping a couple of splits as well as Signs of Osiris. Just to quell any concerns up front, there is no sophomore slump here. The band's approach is still pure bluesy doom, as

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-636896026437320842012-01-27T07:00:00.047-06:002012-02-04T22:44:09.245-06:00

ReviewI may as well talk about another post-doom album today. I first learned of Destroy Judas when they appeared on a list by MaxR. Their album Wake is currently available for a pay-what-you-want download on their Bandcamp. The Isis influence on this band is immense. In various places, they incorporate seagull and ocean sounds. Three out of the four songs start out with an Isis-esque clean

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-32469996405997485722012-01-26T14:42:00.001-06:002012-01-27T12:55:12.005-06:00

I just got back from giving blood a few minutes ago. I plan to give as often as I can this year, for the first time. Let me tell you why. Upon my return to blogging after the birth of my twins, I only hinted at what happened, saying that we were "moments away from 'exsanguination' being more than just a cool band name".* That's quite literally true. After the C-section, my wife kept losing blood

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-25789221529933808132012-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:002012-01-26T07:00:11.969-06:00

ReviewSeidr's For Winter Fire was one of those 2011 releases that I kept meaning to check out, but never got around to it until now. I'm glad I finally did. Despite a band and album name that practically have corpse paint all over them, there's little to no black metal on here. Instead, I'm going to put this into the nebulous "post-doom metal" category. Their sound keeps going back to heavy,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-64819004640474614632012-01-25T07:00:00.061-06:002012-01-25T07:05:12.675-06:00

Morbus Chron: Sleepers in the Rift Eyes. Nothing else so everyday is so enigmatic. They are said to be the windows to the soul. They are a major part of human attraction and interaction. But they can also be strange and alien to us. Just look at the eyes of someone like Charles Manson, and they will tell you how insane he is. A single eye, in isolation, is a common motif in metal art.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-89272436043712117082012-01-24T07:00:00.140-06:002012-01-24T07:00:16.491-06:00

ReviewLike pagan metal, Viking metal is another subgenre I tend to neglect. I first heard of Germany's Gernotshagen when Weltenbrand appeared in the number 3 spot on a list of the top 10 metal albums of 2011. Since I consider the author my better in the field of pagan and Viking metal, I decided to try it out. It's worth mentioning that Metal Archives lists them as a pagan metal band. However,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-89875949308483549452012-01-23T07:00:00.006-06:002012-01-23T07:00:20.230-06:00

ReviewPagan metal is not a genre I devote a great deal of time to, but I have been making a rewarding effort to become more familiar with it. The Austrian band Dornenreich was one of my first exposures, with their very unusual (extremely soft but with harsh vocals) Hexenwind. Flammentriebe cements them as one of my favorite pagan metal bands, if not the overall favorite. The music is based

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-36730564918525958282012-01-20T07:00:00.092-06:002012-01-20T07:00:03.622-06:00

ReviewThe story behind UK NWOBHM kind-of/would-be/now-finally-are legends Hell is an interesting one. They formed in 1982, recorded a handful of demos and a single, and then disbanded in 1987 after their label went under. The band faded into obscurity, followed with the suicide of guitarist Halliday. Their almost-legend grew because Halliday taught Sabbat's Andy Sneap how to play. (That's the

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-3325364270113362042012-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:002012-01-19T07:00:03.955-06:00

v. Fading Halo Records, a new DIY label out of Romania contacted me about reviewing their first two releases, which are both available free in an effort to get the word out there. Both of these releases last about 15 minutes, and both are Romanian groups with a strong emphasis on grindcore. Grind and hardcore aren't genres I listen to a lot, so I'm not fully able to give a thorough review, but

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-55979886984236993192012-01-18T07:00:00.088-06:002012-01-18T07:00:19.748-06:00

ReviewThere is an entire parallel universe of Christian popular culture out there. They have Christian music, books, and movies in every genre (save pornography, I think). It was a pretty big deal at my alma mater, a place where the weekly "Praise" sing-along was the central social event, or so I gathered, having never gone myself. Most of the time this kind of thing is wholly insulated from the

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-2150330427709353482012-01-17T07:00:00.044-06:002012-01-17T07:00:08.336-06:00

ReviewCanada's Antediluvian has been getting quite a bit of praise for their first full-length album, Through the Cervix of Hawaah, often being compared to label-mates and fellow Canucks Mitochondrion as practicing a dark, alien form of death metal. So of course I got the album. A little background information on the themes is appropriate. The term Antediluvian refers to the period before the

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-11314809177960600942012-01-16T07:00:00.038-06:002012-01-16T07:00:04.143-06:00

ReviewI really like funeral doom. When it's done right, that is. The trouble is determining which albums are good, and which are bad. There are quite a few bad ones out there, because it's not difficult to play, and a band can get by without offering any real substance. And since it takes so long to listen to it, it's tough to decide whether it's any good just by listening to a song. That makes

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-38041998470484891232012-01-15T00:23:00.001-06:002012-01-15T00:25:17.259-06:00

I'm pleased to pass on word that Botanist is now on Bandcamp! Previously their work was a little tough to find, so that is huge news for anyone looking to find it legally. You can even buy physical copies from there, so you won't miss out on the amazing art. I: The Suicide Tree / II: A Rose From the Dead (double CD and/or download) by Botanist If you're still unconvinced about the excellence of

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-46565106764795989582012-01-13T07:00:00.232-06:002012-01-13T07:00:09.294-06:00

A Deposition of a DIY Label Head, Lifetime Black Metal Fan, and Cassette Enthusiast Mike, the mastermind behind Fallen Empire Records, contacted me to share his thoughts about the cassette format and its revival. The label specializes in vinyl and cassettes, and according to Josh Haun it is "a label to watch". This is how the conversation went. Full Metal Attorney: I'd like to know your reasons

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-18731810520809535652012-01-12T07:00:00.090-06:002012-01-12T07:35:50.862-06:00

Cassettes are making a comeback. Is it just a gimmick? The audio cassette is an amazing format. It's cheap to produce, easily transported, relatively durable, and portable decks could run a long time on a pair of AA batteries. Sure, it sounds like crap, but when the cassette was king you couldn't very well walk or drive around with a turntable or CD player. As CD players became more affordable

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-44842629438636686692012-01-11T07:00:00.015-06:002012-01-11T07:00:10.186-06:00

ReviewI’m not sure why people have a problem with female-fronted traditional doom. If there’s any metal genre that could use a feminine counterpoint, it’s trad-doom. While metal usually has plenty of notes and a huge wall of sound, effectively choking out anything but the most powerful of true “singing” voices, the sparse compositions of doom allow the female voice room to breathe. Sure, in some

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-10567141464196924002012-01-10T07:00:00.056-06:002012-01-10T07:48:05.380-06:00

v. Saxophone has been popping up in a lot of metal albums lately. But I was still surprised to find that there is not one, but at least two grindcore bands which completely replace guitar with saxophone. I decided to compare and contrast the three-song EPs the two bands have released. I discovered Dead Neanderthals via crustcake. The Dutch instrumental band consists of a baritone

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-46334525579954231722012-01-09T07:00:00.056-06:002012-01-09T07:00:19.856-06:00

ReviewSince I let my very expensive Terrorizer subscription lapse, the only metal magazine I continue to read is Decibel. And with good reason. Not all of their writers have the best taste. Some of the reviews are filled with hyperbole or references I don't understand. Some of the stuff they go nuts for just makes me scratch my head. But those are the exceptions. So, when I saw the prominent

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-4729990001287114082012-01-06T07:00:00.071-06:002012-02-04T22:44:09.251-06:00

ReviewFoodies want to be able to put a mental pin into every country on the globe to represent the various ethnic cuisines they've sampled. Metalheads are like that in building their music collections. So I was excited when Turkish progressive death metallers Thrown to the Sun contacted me about their free debut album. I'd never listened to a Turkish band before. I was even more excited when I

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-28585251118946419172012-01-05T22:25:00.002-06:002012-01-05T22:25:47.995-06:00

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-87567390608298273852012-01-05T07:00:00.050-06:002012-01-05T20:29:43.389-06:00

ReviewDjent. There, that has you all worked up now, doesn't it? The feelings that term brings up are strong. Many people like the genre of the moment, but a lot of more old-fashioned (or, at least, older) metalheads really hate it (I include myself in the latter group). To some, merely uttering the word djent is itself a hanging offense. Vildhjarta is a djent band, there is no question. And

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-84841673363997023952012-01-04T07:00:00.016-06:002012-01-04T07:00:06.082-06:00

ReviewIf there is any label currently vying for the Profound Lore throne at the top of forward-thinking metal, it's The Flenser. They recently offered the sophomore album of San Francisco one-man black metal project Palace of Worms free through Bandcamp. The label describes Lifting the Veil as a black metal "inversion". I'm not sure inversion is the right term. That implies it's taking black

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-13892814185044260042012-01-03T07:00:00.038-06:002012-01-03T07:00:01.628-06:00

ReviewI thought I'd start the new year off right, by addressing trve kvlt metal legends Korn. I've made fun of them lately. They seem to think their album title is so brilliant, deep, and God-damned clever, when they're not even the first band of 2011 to use it. It's still no secret that I grew up as a fan of the band. Even their more recent work has been a guilty pleasure of mine--up until

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-21391888064576226052012-01-02T07:00:00.015-06:002012-01-02T07:00:13.929-06:00

No new material from me today, due to the holiday. Instead, take a look at some other notable best-of lists for 2011. - Decibel - That's How Kids Die - Beards, etc. - Monkey Defies Gravity - Šawtooth Ŵave - Invisible Oranges - NPR - No Clean Singing (especially check out the Metal Bandcamp Doom Favorites If you know of any other good ones (which obviously does not include MetalSucks)

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-19754549649402128722011-12-30T07:00:00.030-06:002011-12-30T07:00:04.083-06:00

ReviewI'm not quite sure why it is that I've talked about Israeli metal so many times in the past year, but I've run across some very good bands from the holy land. Tamut Amen (Hebrew for "May you die") is no exception. This 2010 demo is five songs of high-speed, no-bullshit black metal. Perhaps owing to various members' tenure in grind-related bands Whorecore and Tea with Satan, the songs are

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-6760035954797789842011-12-29T07:00:00.052-06:002011-12-29T07:00:09.533-06:00

ReviewForbidden Records recently provided me access to a couple of promo records via their Bandcamp page. One of those I passed up because of my own personal reasons, but I dug into The Outsider by A Transylvanian Funeral. As it turns out, it's the one-man black metal band of label owner Sleepwalker. The project is based out of Tucson, Arizona, proving once and for all that Arizona is more than

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-172896399543802942011-12-28T16:29:00.000-06:002011-12-28T16:29:26.497-06:00

For those of you on a feed-reader, you may not be able to tell that I have added two new polls. I want to know how you feel about cassettes on the cusp of 2012. I also want to know what formats of music you listen to (although I have left off streaming and radio options, as well as more obscure and limited options like reel-to-reel). Let me know what you think.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-10872942150801248362011-12-28T07:00:00.059-06:002011-12-28T07:00:01.885-06:00

Review As you may already know, Grayceon's latest album made my list of the Top 25 Metal Albums of 2011. After getting into that band, and learning more about cellist/vocalist Jackie Perez Gratz, I decided to check out her other current band, Giant Squid. The first thing you might notice about the album cover, graced as it is by two fish-headed fertility goddesses. (As Phillip J. Fry once

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-10968076244079968322011-12-27T11:44:00.000-06:002011-12-27T11:44:47.257-06:00

Tomorrow I will resume my normal posting schedule. For now, check out http://theasheaters.blogspot.com/, where you can find out any new information on one of black metal's most underappreciated bands, including free music like the new cover of "Children of the Grave", and some Misfits covers.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-56164193891543805702011-12-16T19:00:00.007-06:002011-12-16T19:00:01.045-06:00

I hope you've enjoyed List Week. I will be taking a break from blogging until after Christmas. I'll see you then.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-29473430680607546792011-12-16T07:00:00.306-06:002011-12-21T14:27:49.937-06:00

Top 25 ListSee the introduction and the first 15 albums of the top 25 by clicking here. [Note: the links below will send you to my original articles on the albums. The album picture will send you to an Amazon link to preview/purchase the album.] 10. Vreid: V When you're talking about extreme metal, adding 'n' roll to the end of a genre tag is usually a deal-breaker. Does anyone actually like

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-9182022403475611102011-12-15T14:00:00.011-06:002011-12-21T14:29:55.342-06:00

Top 25 ListBefore 2011 had begun, a handful of metal sites were declaring it to be the year of progressive metal. With expected releases from the likes of Opeth, Mastodon, Meshuggah, Origin, Decapitated, Obscura, Necrophagist, and many less extreme prog acts, it certainly seemed like that could happen. But what happened instead? Opeth went rock. Mastodon got decidedly less proggy. Meshuggah

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-42807659156315961722011-12-15T10:00:00.001-06:002011-12-21T14:28:52.560-06:00

This year, bands, labels, and promoters have taken some small notice of my blog. This has led to my discovering a lot of interesting new music. But it's also led to some much less interesting e-mail in my inbox. Here is my favorite exchange of the year (it literally made me laugh out loud), with the promoter's and band's names redacted: Promoter: Afternoon Kelly, Hope you are well. I'm

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-69115280455637905652011-12-15T07:00:00.006-06:002011-12-21T14:29:04.659-06:00

All 2011 List Week Posts:- The 5 Worst Metal Albums - Top 5 Rejected Names for New Korn Album - Best Metal Album Cover - The 3 Most Controversial Albums in Metal - The Top 5 Ways Classic Bands Will Shit on Their Legacies in 2012 - The Top 3 Non-Metal Albums - The Top 3 Metal EP's - The Top 8 Blog Posts on Full Metal Attorney - The Best Metal Song - Promoter Exchange - The Top 25 Metal Albums: 25

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-47802527578502093002011-12-14T18:00:00.000-06:002011-12-14T18:00:02.388-06:00

The Metal Dictionary has finally been published to the site! It is intended to be a one-stop source for definitions of all things metal, although without getting too far into the technical aspects of musicianship. I recognize that the entries are not complete, and that new definitions will have to be added. Since the dictionary itself does not allow comments, please add your suggestions as a

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-89975853951389343492011-12-14T16:00:00.001-06:002011-12-21T14:29:19.384-06:00

Mastodon: "Curl of the Burl" (from The Hunter) This song is ridiculously catchy. It's immediately accessible, yet I could listen to it a thousand times without tiring of it. It makes you want to sing along, and play air everything. All 2011 List Week Posts:- The 5 Worst Metal Albums - Top 5 Rejected Names for New Korn Album - Best Metal Album Cover - The 3 Most Controversial Albums in Metal -

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-24130875729510851422011-12-14T13:00:00.001-06:002011-12-21T14:30:14.187-06:00

Top 8 ListMostly, I write reviews for this blog. But whenever I have the time and the right idea, I'll write something else, and that something else usually gets a good response (if I say so myself). Here are just a few of my favorites. 8. What Is Heavy? This one definitively answers the question. 7. The 10 Most Metal Classical Compositons Everyone always says metal and classical music have a

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-62709557318341380582011-12-14T07:00:00.021-06:002011-12-21T14:30:28.383-06:00

Top 3 List 3. Tree of Sores: Tree of Sores Tree of Sores created something that's full of crusty riffs, dissonance, and no shortage of heavy, as my review noted. It was available for whatever price you wanted when I reviewed it, but apparently it's been successful enough that they've started charging for it. I'd say it's worth it. <p><a href="http://treeofsores.bandcamp.com/

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-64333079567167603912011-12-13T17:00:00.032-06:002011-12-21T14:30:52.774-06:00

Top 3 ListOK, so it would be a little presumptuous of me to create a definitive list of the best non-metal albums of the year, considering that there isn't a lot of non-metal that I've listened to this year (about 10-13 albums, depending on how you want to categorize them). But I have listened to a bit, and some of it really impressed me. 3. Opeth: Heritage I like Opeth's Heritage. Yes, they

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-6850633432186517542011-12-13T12:00:00.003-06:002011-12-21T14:31:25.507-06:00

Top 5 ListYou've heard all the criticism of death metal founding fathers Morbid Angel failing in their attempt to make industrial rock a la Marilyn Manson. And there's no way you missed the horrible backlash against Metallica's WTF? collaboration with Lou Reed. I shouldn't even have to mention Ozzy's name, but the original Black Sabbath lineup is reuniting, apparently because the rest of the guys

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-82040234117472125272011-12-13T07:00:00.105-06:002011-12-21T14:31:39.501-06:00

Top 3 List3. Liturgy: Aesthetica I already included this one as one of my five worst albums of the decade, so you know where I stand. But there were actually quite a few people who like it, and it has made several best-of-the-year lists. Most of the controversy came about not because of the music itself (which, even its supporters would have to admit, borders on the ridiculous in places) but

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-69259655204361567832011-12-12T19:00:00.001-06:002011-12-21T14:31:51.832-06:00

Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument This album cover is just perfect. I don't know who did it, but it has that classic Dan Seagrave 3/4 underneath viewpoint and H.R. Giger style biomechanical features. If you can mention both of those artists in describing it, I don't see how you can go wrong. All 2011 List Week Posts:- The 5 Worst Metal Albums - Top 5 Rejected Names for New Korn Album - The 3 Most

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-25049424186417338842011-12-12T15:00:00.007-06:002011-12-21T14:32:19.127-06:00

Top 5 ListBy now you've noticed Korn decided to give their new album the same title as a high profile metal release within underground metal, i.e., Tombs' Path of Totality. They changed it by adding "The" at the beginning. But that wasn't the only album title they considered. 5. The Sonic Mass 4. The Heritage 3. The Lulu 2. The Relentless Reckless Forever 1. The The Hunter All 2011 List

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-65937146015001128612011-12-12T11:00:00.001-06:002011-12-21T14:32:32.478-06:00

Bottom 5 ListThere were a hell of a lot of good albums released in 2011. On Friday, I'll give credit where it's due. But there were also some major piles released this year. I may not be an expert tracker, but I know shit when I see it. I have not listened to the reputed abominations created by Morbid Angel or Metallica. Illud Divinum Insanus (average Metal Archives score: 37%) and Lulu (average

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-88296723536841976282011-12-12T07:00:00.002-06:002011-12-12T07:00:08.043-06:00

All this week, I will be posting end-of-year lists and whatever else at a much more crowded schedule than my usual once-per-day. Keep checking back every few hours to see what else has been posted.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-80330139328760325212011-12-09T07:00:00.068-06:002011-12-09T07:00:08.053-06:00

Top 5 ListEnd-of-year list season is upon us again. We're just over a week into December, and it seems I'm already behind everyone else in releasing my lists. They're coming next week, just so I can keep up with everyone else. But if I had my way, best of year lists wouldn't come out until February of the following year. The reason is, it's tough to hear everything by the beginning of December.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-86536035094120129922011-12-08T07:00:00.003-06:002011-12-08T07:00:14.297-06:00

ReviewQuite some time ago, I reviewed the debut album of Canada's Unleash the Archers. I praised their unselfconscious brand of power/thrash/melo-death because of its balls-out intensity, catchy songs, and the powerful singing of frontwoman Brittney Hayes. She remembered that positive review, and provided me with a copy of their sophomore effort, Demons of the AstroWaste. The prospect of any

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-37261153132819485992011-12-07T07:00:00.055-06:002011-12-07T07:02:41.768-06:00

ReviewI discovered Cynic around 2006, when they were still a little-known band with a growing cult following. They had released one full-length album of sci-fi themed progressive death metal in 1993, and disappeared for over a decade. They reunited and released the massively well-received Traced in Air. I would definitely change one of the albums that I put on my list of the best albums of 2008,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-75684699215470787252011-12-06T07:00:00.050-06:002011-12-06T07:00:03.627-06:00

ReviewSolothus contacted me with a review copy of their first demo, Ritual of the Horned Skull. (Note: It appears to be available free on Bandcamp now.) The Finnish band play death/doom the way it's meant to be played. Take note: This is a band to watch. The first thing you'll hear when you play this album is a fantastic bassline with an excellent, crackling tone. I honestly don't know why bass

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-20019767165914560312011-12-05T07:00:00.042-06:002011-12-05T07:00:12.190-06:00

ReviewMy Dying Bride is one of my all-time favorite bands. Along with Paradise Lost and Anathema, they comprise the so-called Peaceville Three, the bands which pioneered the death/doom genre. All three of those bands have abandoned (or nearly abandoned) death metal entirely, however, going into gothic metal, doom, and even post-rock. Well, members of MDB and Paradise Lost have gotten together to

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-24697808565601710952011-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:002011-12-02T07:00:15.518-06:00

ReviewI was contacted by ViciSolum Productions with a review copy of Souldrainer's sophomore album, Heaven's Gate. Souldrainer is a melodic death metal band from the home of melo-death, Sweden. Now, I've made disparaging remarks about the genre in the past. It's not that I don't like melo-death, it's just that nobody has done anything worthwhile or different with it for the past couple of years.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-55735365451840608042011-12-01T07:00:00.128-06:002011-12-01T07:00:17.429-06:00

The Slam Death Edition Slam death is a much-maligned subgenre. Oddly enough, the problem people have with it seems to be that it's simple and refuses to change, even though those characteristics are often praised in other circles. Or maybe it's the dumbed-down, over-the-top violent lyrics, but again, that's often seen as a positive in other areas. But what's great about it is that it's just good,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-19516155699412490472011-11-30T07:00:00.006-06:002011-11-30T07:00:01.506-06:00

ReviewBlack metal has been borrowing a lot from hardcore in recent memory. Last year's release from Castevet and the French band Celeste are only two examples of the phenomenon. Add Minnesota's Wolvhammer to the list. "A Defiled Aesthetic" displays all of the hardcore characteristics of the band: a punky riff, backing vocals that sound suspiciously like gang vocals, and feedback screeching

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-86346155004879396582011-11-29T07:00:00.002-06:002011-11-29T07:00:10.585-06:00

ReviewEighteenth century scientist Sir Henry Head was interested in the human nervous system. He became frustrated because experimental subjects were too vague in their accounts of pain. So he decided to experiment on himself. He had his left radial nerve severed, and from then he went on to use a technique he called the "negative attitude of attention." This is a deep meditative state of the

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-16509218803479173372011-11-28T07:00:00.104-06:002011-11-28T07:00:17.515-06:00

The title of A Regular refers to a permanent fixture at a dive bar. And it starts out by observing the man living the kind of life you'd expect of him. Until things take a sudden, drastic turn, and just about everyone in the bar is suddenly a zombie, and our hero capably slays them. Sounds like a cool way to start a novella, right? And it would sound even cooler if I told you there was a

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-91052956883337292302011-11-23T07:00:00.145-06:002011-11-23T07:00:03.793-06:00

Like Riding a MopedTomorrow is Thanksgiving in the USA. I've got a lot to be thankful for in my life, but I'd like to take this chance especially to give thanks for one thing: guilty pleasures. We all have those guilty pleasures in our record collections. They're those albums that aren't exactly "Trve", either because they don't follow the typical metal rules for coolness or metalheads as a

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-82559480910738099672011-11-22T07:00:00.001-06:002011-11-22T07:00:06.059-06:00

ReviewHave we reached full doom saturation yet? Maybe we have, and maybe we haven't. But you can't fault The Church Within--they've been dealing doom since long before it came into style. Serpent Venom plays exactly the kind of Saint Vitus-referencing doom you expect to find on the label. Debut full-length Carnal Altar is slow and mellow. The bass tone is beautifully thick, a perfect fit for

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-26167530006164524002011-11-21T14:00:00.008-06:002011-11-21T23:39:57.537-06:00

ReviewI was contacted by the bassist of Cleveland "epic metal" band The Approach & the Execution with a copy of their self-released debut, The Blood March. A sizable concept album about a medieval philosopher whose beliefs are unpopular, featuring a full band (including keyboardist) and three vocalists (including a female) using a variety of vocal styles, this was certainly an ambitious first

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-3672328296453349612011-11-18T07:00:00.022-06:002011-11-18T07:00:09.384-06:00

This is the eighth installment in the Atlas of Metal series. Three of the previous countries have larger populations than Australia--Argentina, Algeria, and Afghanistan. But odds are, you probably couldn't name any metal bands from those countries without looking them up. Not so for Australia, which has a long-standing relationship with the genre going all the way back to the arguably metal AC/DC

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-41152522877384006702011-11-17T07:00:00.022-06:002011-11-17T07:00:15.003-06:00

ReviewThere have been many stories of musicians who sold their souls to the devil to gain fame or mastery of their craft. Italian violinists Giuseppe Tartini and Niccolò Paganini were said to have done so as far back as the 18th and 19th centuries, respectively. But the concept is more famously associated with blues musicians who met the devil at the crossroads, such as Tommy Johnson and Robert

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-47373452940989487452011-11-16T07:00:00.000-06:002011-11-16T07:00:08.218-06:00

ReviewOf all the Nordic countries, Iceland is the only one without a significant stable of well-known metal bands. Chalk that up to population--a bit over 300,000, where Finland, Norway, and Denmark are around 5 million, and Sweden has over 9 million. But considering the ratio of great bands to people in these countries hovers somewhere around 1:30, there should still be about 10,000 Icelandic

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-429118090585390042011-11-15T07:00:00.003-06:002011-11-15T07:00:01.270-06:00

ReviewThe other day I was watching TV and pro bull riding came on. I don't really go out of my way to watch that sport, but when it's on I will watch it. That's the only real extreme sport, skateboarding and snowboarding be damned. I feel the same way about Hank Williams III as I do about PBR. Occasionally, he's awesome. I’ve mentioned the eclectic country heir a handful of times on this blog.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-58874124113125873652011-11-14T07:00:00.061-06:002011-11-14T07:00:09.501-06:00

ReviewSan Francisco, 1993: A few of guys see Autopsy play, trade bootleg Incantation tapes, and hear a rote description of My Dying Bride's As the Flower Withers (without actually hearing the album itself). They get piss-drunk, buy some time at a studio, and lay down six primitive, raw, doomy death metal tracks. After making and selling a dozen copies, they lose the master tape, and the erstwhile

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-2494929655754854492011-11-11T07:00:00.011-06:002011-11-11T07:00:38.774-06:00

ReviewTo round out the TotalRust theme week, we have Sweden's Pyramido. The band sticks out like a sore thumb in the Swedish metal scene, with their hordes of death metal bands, rapidly proliferating retro heavy metal bands, and stalwart black metal bands. I don't think I can name another Swedish sludge band. Salt is the band's second full-length, after a debut that received a fair degree of hype

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-37940646810957156812011-11-10T07:00:00.028-06:002011-11-10T07:00:05.237-06:00

The band Highgate interested me for a couple reasons. One, the compilation showed a lot of promise. Two, they're from a rural state, like me. Co-guitarist/co-vocalist Greg Brown was kind enough to answer a few questions for me. Full Metal Attorney: First things first: y'all are from Florence, Kentucky, a town of 29,000 people--not much more than the town where I was born. And Kentucky is rural,

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-6723942885588947522011-11-09T07:00:00.016-06:002011-11-09T07:00:03.256-06:00

ReviewTotalRust sent me a promo for Highgate's Black Frost Fallout. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth (OK, maybe I am, but that's what they ask me to do), but this is a compilation. It's difficult for me to appreciate a compilation, much less review it. Of course, in the music industry (as the term "industry" implies), the line between "art" and "product" is blurry, but I think an

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-18255532422453688622011-11-08T07:00:00.056-06:002011-11-08T07:26:40.856-06:00

Since I'm dedicating a whole week to the music of Israeli doom label Totalrust, I would be remiss if I didn't interview the label head himself. Full Metal Attorney: Your label is said to be "dedicated to 'extreme music' with a strong focus on 'extreme doom.'" What is the mission of TotalRust? And why doom? TotalRust: TotalRust Music supports many sorts of extreme music and you can find bands

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-53506660939981981172011-11-07T07:00:00.013-06:002011-11-07T07:00:12.649-06:00

ReviewI've decided to dedicate a whole week to doom. To that end, every post this week will be related to the doom specialty label Totalrust. Abysmal Darkening is a Dutch doom metal band on Totalrust. Their debut full-length No Light Behind . . . comes eight years after the band's formation. In the simplest terms, their sound is sort of like Celtic Frost covering Black Sabbath, with some

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-64962288892531327412011-11-04T07:00:00.001-05:002011-11-06T23:48:07.490-06:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've done one of these. But life gets in the way, you know. I have not given up on this project. Armenia is a tiny country at the crossroads of the world. Situated on the border between Europe and the Middle East, you can easily imagine their cultural heritage is rich and complex. At the same time, they've been subject to oppression, including the Armenian genocide

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-80536248218650107982011-11-03T07:00:00.006-05:002011-11-03T07:00:15.338-05:00

ReviewA while back I reviewed the 2007 debut of German nstrumental post-sludge metallers Omega Massif. They've finally released a followup in Karpatia. Not a lot has changed for the band. They're still an all-instrumental ensemble, but they manage to make up for it with good music. They still have a few more immediate, sludge style cuts, and a few slower post-metal style cuts. They still lean on

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-58124219579750702452011-11-02T07:00:00.056-05:002011-11-02T07:00:07.573-05:00

ReviewThe revivals keep on coming. First we had re-thrash, followed by the revival of traditional heavy metal, then traditional doom, and old-school death metal. Now, the crust punk revival is dawning. As with the other retro movements, it is being spear-headed at least in part by long-dormant bands who were underappreciated in their time, but whose legends grew to monolithic proportions. Amebix

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-65174336229187011722011-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:002011-11-01T07:00:00.750-05:00

ReviewAn atlas moth is a giant bug from southeast Asia. Its wingspan is nearly a foot. Its coccoon is big enough to be used as a purse. Cool, huh? One would appear to be an absolute beast of a creature, but upon closer inspection they are quite fragile. Perhaps that's why Chicago's The Atlas Moth have taken it as their moniker. On the surface, this is heavy, doomy sludge, and the blackened rasps

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-47248621166623294972011-10-31T22:49:00.000-05:002011-10-31T22:49:45.209-05:00

If you don't believe these pictures are scary, you should try having a 4 year old and 4 month old twins.

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-62867036546732169572011-10-31T07:00:00.010-05:002011-10-31T07:00:23.924-05:00

ReviewAbsu is a Texas blackened thrash metal band that began back in 1990. Lyrically and thematically, their albums are grouped together in distinct cycles based on myth and magic. Abzu is the second album in a planned trilogy. This is my first experience with the band, but I don't feel like I've missed anything by jumping in midstream. The music is something I can immediately grasp. It sounds

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-45502479905241895292011-10-28T07:00:00.001-05:002011-10-28T07:00:20.830-05:00

v. Normally it wouldn't make much sense to compare Immolation to Wormrot. One is a death metal band out of New York that's been around for over 20 years. The other is a grindcore band out of Singapore with a 4 year tenure. But both have recently released free five-song EPs through the controversial Scion A/V. The question of corporate sponsorship for music has been discussed many times by

Full Metal Attorneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818204892818121018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13079355.post-2307833055749715722011-10-27T07:00:00.013-05:002011-10-27T07:00:02.821-05:00

ReviewAthens, Ohio is known for three things: being a college town (and therefore home to hipsters), the former site of Midget Motors Corporation, and the home of one of the Midwest's most treasured metal bands, Skeletonwitch. They released their fourth full-length this year in Forever Abomination. The album does not bring anything new to the table. This is clearly Skeletonwitch-brand blackened

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I Zombie do not dieMetal and horror movies have such obvious, longstanding connections to each other that it hardly needs explained. So I won't. Instead, I'll share with you my 6 favorite horror movies, and suggest metal songs to go with each of them. And just in time for you to pick them up for Halloween. 6. Hellraiser (1987) Hellraiser (which is based on the excellent novella The Hellbound

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ReviewIf there is one genre dominating 2011, it's doom. A staggering number of fantastic doom albums have come out already this year. Personally, I think you can never have too much doom. Italy's Black Oath released their first full-length, The Third Aeon, to a very positive reception in Terrorizer. It's easy to see why. The sound of this album could be the standard by which all traditional doom

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The Doom EditionI keep slugging through Bandcamp looking for free or pay-what-you-want music that's worth your time. Here's a little of what I found in the slow and heavy category. Domovoyd: Mythonaut EP (2011) Domovoyd is a Finnish stoner doom band, and the Mythonaut EP is a clear statement that these guys have listened to a lot of Electric Wizard. Heavy riffs, high-pitched clean vocals, and

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How my faith is compatible with metal If you are a Christian, you have no business listening to metal. You are not welcome. And you will always know and feel that.--anonymous comment In a previous post, I addressed the topic of how my musical preferences don't conflict with my faith. Here, I address the less obvious topic of how my faith doesn't conflict with my musical preferences. Where Do

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ReviewI am pretty much the only metalhead who didn't like Deathspell Omega's Paracletus. There are 14 reviews on Metal Archives, with an average score of 91%, and the next-lowest score is 79%. I gave it a 40%. The crux of my problem with it was summed up thusly: "[W]hen all you have are dissonant riffs--without anything to ground them--then it doesn't make any sense." Even though I didn't

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ReviewHave you ever listened to an album a few times on a stereo or in your car, and been underwhelmed--but then you listened to it on headphones and got blown away? Tragedies - Liber Hermetis is French band Ysengrin's second full-length after forming in 2005. Their sound is death/doom (death growl vocals and an overall death sound at doom pace) with some black metal elements, including an

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I watched the documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey quite a few months ago, and wrote this review. It was left in draft status and got buried, but I just now dug it up. The movie presents a sociological analysis of many aspects of heavy metal music in a compelling way. It was made in 2005, but it hasn't lost its relevance. The film was created by one Sam Dunn, who became a metal fan at the

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The Golden Era, Part 5The golden age of death metal was coming to a close in 1994, with grunge "killing" metal in the eyes of some, black metal coming to prominence for others, and the simple fact that the first creative juices were running out. Because of death's surprising level of success and expectations that sales would continue to climb, record labels were releasing albums by the bucketful.

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Summary JudgmentAberrant Phase is a mathcore band who play a style of music that can be described as a more metal The Dillinger Escape Plan. In other words, it's crazy, spastic material. Their self-titled EP showcases a band that has a knack for songwriting that's tough to accomplish in the genre. Some put spastic weirdness in front of coherent songwriting. Only a few understand that those two

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