Not Metal

And may have the best record of the year (so far)

Seriously….

How fitting it would be that the last post I’ve been able to get up in the past 2 months has been about High On Fire. Funny thing is, I’ve been burnt out on metal for awhile (like early December ’09, I discovered the wonder of Zombi), and that has everything to do with why the posts have been so scant. Thankfully, by the beginning of this year I have discovered a a wealth of bands I forgot to check out that had great records last year, such as Cobalts’ ,“Gin”, and The Gates Of Slumbers’,“Hymns Of Blood And Thunder”. Both of which, got me back on the metal gravy train.

Well, tonight, I came in my pants listening to just ONE new song off High On Fires’ “Snakes For The Divine”. Actually, I listened to two songs, but yeah the record starts off with what I think may be better than AC/DCs’ intro-tap to “Thunderstruck”. No joke, science!

For the time being, as this is the myspace rip that is streaming as I type this, I will save a full review of this awesomely expansive sounding record for a later date.

From the Forthcoming “Snakes For The Divine”

Frost Hammer!!!!

Snake porn

Fuck yeah. High On Fire are one of my favorite metal bands of all time. They are like my Motorhead to my Motorhead (?). A track record of consistent and crushingly good slabs of metal with each studio album. This is definitely one record I have been looking forward to since hearing of their entry in the studio late last year. I must say the song starts of pretty standard for a HOF track and then when they reach the bridge there is a slight tempo and mood change that really shows there is added effort in the songwriting and not a carbon copy of the last “good song” off their previous record.

And that cover art, also top notch stuff. Check out the new track streaming now over at Stereogum.

We’ll let you be the judge of that statement

I have nothing else witty to say

Maybe Coalesce is the new Tool. They’ll release one slab of awesome every 8 or 10 years and then fade into obscurity only to return again after another 10 years of nothing. The only difference being Coalesces’ OX and this new EP are much more interesting to listen to than Tools’ last record. Which I can’t even remember when came out and don’t care to wiki it so suck it.

Alas, I digress. Lambgoat is streaming the new OX EP, due out November 10th, in it’s entirety. Check it out!

My recent introduction to Gaza was at this years Dudefest. While the sound in the Emerson Theater was pretty shitty, the raw intensity that these guys put into their set was chilling. Mosh pit on the stage. Enough said.

Regardless of what you think of their “War on religion”, it’s nice to see they put some effort into song titles. Unlike some other blatantly obvious anti-religious song titles like “Death to Jesus” (*cough looking at you Deicide). I’m looking forward to their new record as my first proper introduction to their style of jazzy-hardcore-skronk-grind-metal. Whatever the fuck that is/means. Hey, at least their not burning down churches and stabbing their band mates in the neck.

Check out a preview track over at BrooklynVegan and some great live footage from their Dudefest ’09 set below.

New metal, not Nu-Metal.

Snap judgements are like assholes.

Mortal Kombaaaat!

It’s new to me, and new to you. Here’s a review of two new songs from Revocation’s forthcoming full-length, “Existence Is Futile”.

1. Dismantle the Dictator: Vocals sound a lot like Burnt By The sun. Very technical, catchy riffs. This is like Necrophagist, but doesn’t sound totally impossible to play and learn for yourself. Drumming is pretty sick. Gang chorus vocals before a “make it rain” solo at 2:50 is the highlight here. Very cool stuff going on throughout the entire track. The whole outro sounds like a damn Satriani outtake. And, strangely this works quite well!
2. The Brain Scramblers: Maybe I was bit hasty with thinking it was like Necrophagist but not totally impossible to play…these guys make a trio sound like 5 people. When it comes to technical sounding metal, the production needs to be clear but not overglossed. The drums are a tad too trigger happy on this track, but the guitars and bass are brought up to their level to compete for listening space.  The best thing going on here is a short length. Their not filling a song full of shitty riffs, it’s just enough past a 3 minute mark to remain memorable.

Bottom Line: If you’re into tech-death metal give this band a shot. You can tell these songs apart, which is saying a lot for most tech-metal bands that just fill each song with a flurry of speed picking sweep solos in every song. Bonus points for having Baraka included in the album art.

Now with less yawn!

Sounds like someones been listening to a lot of old Sabbath.

I gotta say I never really got into these guys that much. I’m more inclined to like doom metal bands with singers who do super low guttural growls or the screaching bellow of Electric Wizardry. I think the best thing and difference I hear in the mix of this song is more bass. As a trio, I felt their last record really pushed the bass lower into the mix.

Your dad is here to pick you up from school.

Let’s hear that fucking thing rumble! I want the doom to split mountains many leagues away! I want to hear reverb and echo and a big fat viking doom tone that was given life from the very after birth of Tony Iommi himself!

I hear all of these traits in “The Bringer Of War”.

In honor of the new Baroness record

Here’s a new Baroness track

It’s posted up on their myspace. The “Blue Record” art is of course, of the highest quality (courtesy of the talented Mr. John Dyer Baizley). The new song has a sweet wailing guitar lead that is something new to the Baroness sound. I’m getting a really good Thin Lizzy vibe from it. Which is awesome because I love Thin Lizzy.

Oh, and here’s a G.I. Joe video.

Yay!

Shit shit shit! Rock rock rock!

It’s been a long time coming since their first full length, Black Thunder, chugged a beer and vomited it’s awesome bluesy metal riffage all over our dirty little bearded faces. These dudes rule, and you should check them out if you haven’t yet heard their first album.

The new record “Darkness Comes Alive” is slated for a September 29th release. Until then, enjoy these two new tracks streaming over at Deathwish Inc.

Ov busty babes…

And, ov dark, kvlt subject matter

So the new Behemoth album “Evangelion” is in our possession. Here’s a tasty little teaser trailer of the upcoming video for the first single “Ov Fire And The Void”. Should my neck not snap and my head not explode a review will be up soon. It’s fucking good people. Real good.

Fucking Slaaayyerr

There’s a track from Slayer’s upcoming release “World Painted Blood” (do out later this year) streaming online. The track, “Hate Wordlwide” is what you’d expect from Slayer: it’s fucking awesome. Ferocious riffage, criticism of religion and some frenetic leads from King and Hanneman.

Slayer have been around awhile (20+ years) and are still as metal as ever, which is more than I can say of some of their thrash brethren (Anthrax, I’m looking at you, and Metallica, don’t think I’ve forgotten about “St. Anger” and the “Load”s of unmetal albums you’ve put out).

So give the track a listen and prepare to actually look forward to a release from an old favorite.