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New Song Uploaded

50 caliber dream — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:57:51 GMT

"Spit Snakes N' Fire"

www.myspace.com/50caliberdream

New release this fall!

50 caliber dream — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:55:44 GMT

www.myspace.com/905studio

Hailing from Pittsburgh PA, 50 Caliber Dream, a five piece metal band were each member brings something unique to the table. Combining the melodic guitars or European metal, the attitude and aggresiveness of east coast hardcore, and the precision of death metal, 50CD offers a wide variety of these influnces and more. At the forefront of thier music are harmonized guitars and melodic bass lines that intertwine independantly with the guitars. Lightning fast double bass drumming, done with finesse and articulation, a perfect compliment to the brutal side of 50CD'S music.In under 10 month's 50CD wrote and recorded nine songs, and will release thier debut disc this fall titled " Nobody's Happy". Produced by Dennis Connolly and recorded and mastered at 905 studios the cd raises the bar for local metal acts from a production standpoint. And the songs......without a doubt will speak for themselves. 50 Caliber Dream is hell bent on delivering thier distinctive brand of metal, a different kind of metal and hardcore, "DREAMCORE".

www.myspace.com/50caliberdream

Testament Live 10/12/06

SteveSaks — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:44:24 GMT

The original classic line up of Testament Live 10/12/06 at the Starland Ballroom in NJ...First Strike Still Deadly!

Testament over the past year have reformed and have been playing shows together with original members Billy, Peterson, Skolnick, Christian and tonight Jon Allen on drums with a special appearance by original Testament drummer Louie Clemente on the song Alone In The Dark.

Eric Peterson has carried the Testament torch throughout the bands entire exsistence and it's nice to see him back playing with his partner in riffs, Alex Skolnick ...Once again together and one of the best rhythm and lead guitar teams in Metal. Chuck Billy is as strong as ever, his stage presence, his air guitar antics and head banging always gets the crowd banging along with him. Greg Christian is back in the fold and it feels like he never left...He was made to play the bass intro to Souls Of Black , and Jon Allen of Sadus has been playing live with Testament very often, as well as playing in Eric's band Dragonlord. Allen fits in perfectly and is killer live as well.

If you already saw the excellent live dvd Live In London that Testament released last year, you'll get a good idea what to expect...Heavy riffs, killer leads, double bass drumming and those classic Testament vocals from Chuck Billy.

It's obvious since watching the Live In London that the band is now back and better than ever now. Tonight was classic Testament, Peterson laid down killer riff after killer riff while Skolnick did note perfect leads to all of his classics...and what can you say about Chuck Billy , he is always on and has such a stage presence too..

Now mind you, I almost didn't make this show due to the fact that I had a 102 fever...which I think I broke during the show..But nothing was going to keep from seeing Testament again and once I got there and the Metal blasted, I felt 100% better...you could even say Testament healed me in a way, my fever broke and the next day I felt much better, except for some ringing ears..haha!

Here's the set list from the show:

The Preacher
The New Order
The Haunting
Electric Crown
Practice What You Preach
Burnt Offerings
Souls Of Black
Into The Pit
The Legacy
Over The Wall
Raging Waters
Alone In The Dark with Louie Clemente on drums
Disciples Of The Watch

They played a bit over an hour but they gave it 110% and everyone had smiles on ear to ear, fans and band alike.

It's obvious the next step for Testament is to record a new album with this classic line up and to then follow up with a world tour, that I know will have Testament back ontop of the Metal rankings where they rightfully belong. They are one of a few bands who have stuck to their guns and not changed with the times or went for a quick buck...They are Metal...and now they sound better than ever Live...Trust me, Testament Practices What It Preaches! Welcome back and horns high, my friend. \m/

-Steve Saks

Post Your Own Review

Bare — Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:02:25 GMT

If you have some deep dark thoughts, about an album... Share it with everyone, and post it in here.

TestAmenT Live 4-6-08

SteveSaks — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:25:14 GMT

This was by far the best I have ever seen TestAmenT, Over one and a half hours of pure fucking TestAmenT!!!

The place was sold out, with a line outside of people still waiting. New York City,Times Square was now pure Metal and TestAmenT owned the city. I have never saw BB Kings this crowded before, the electricty and energy in the venue was amazing.

The lights finally dimmed to the sounds of The Boys Are Back In Town then TestAmenT takes the stage and let me tell you THEY are back in town! BB Kings was packed with Metal fans young and old to see one band...TestAmenT and the band rose to the occasion and matched the fans intensity. This was a night that the veteran thrash band TestAmenT stood tall and proud and like an army of brothers they conquered all in their sights.

I was especially surprised how close Alex plays to the fans, his guitar and body were pratically hanging over the barricades into the audience, same goes for Eric...Right in front of the fans..up close and personal. Eric and Alex work perfectly together and it's obvious that each make the other player better and each guitar player rises to the occasion. With Alex back in the fold I feel TestAmenT has found the fountain of youth because they are now playing on fire!

Chuck was amazing as well, all over the stage , during the encore he actually walked off side stage and sang in front of the fans, I think it was during 'Disciples'. Chuck's voice was strong as ever and his stage presence is second to none. Chuck covered every corner of the stage and many times right in front of the barricades in the face of the fans too.

Greg..smiled the entire night..did his usual Souls Of Black intro and talked about how the airline, misplaced one of his basses ,I believe haha!.
And Paul on drums is like a human metronome..right on point,killer. Greg and Paul easily make the strongest rhythm section to date and that is saying alot.

Here's the setlist (17 songs) Hell Yeah!
1.Over The Wall
2. Into the Pit
3. Apocalyptic City
4. Practice What You Preach
5. The New Order
6. Electric Crown
7. More Than Meets the eye
8. Low (dedicated to Johnny Tempesta)
9. Trail of Tears (deciated to Longest Walk)
10. Henchmen Ride
11. Souls Of Black
12. The Evil Has Landed
13. The Preacher
encore
(fake out, the light go on for a second and they play(the boys are back in town for 5 seconds.haha- that was the last song before the show started too)
Band comes out smiling..Alex was laughing..haha!
14. D.N.R.
15. Days Of Darkness..(super extended version- I never seen Alex headband that much to a song)
16. Alone In The Dark (extended sing along)
17. Disciples Of The Watch

Final farewell, Louie Clemente walks along the stage and Alex laughs, and makes him go to the front of the stage , and Chuck announces him, and says: "Louie Clemente, our sixth member and brother for life"

It's been a while since I've seen a concert when the band was SO on point! There was definitely magic in the air...I'm sure that TestAmenT would agree too! killer show!

MTV was also on hand to report the killer concert.

Also Chuck Mentioned..THEY will be back in NYC in August w/ Judas Priest,Heaven& Hell, Motorhead and TestAment opening, they will play a 30 minute set, first band on..Chuck said no talking..just as many songs as possible ,going full speed ahead...bam bam bam.

Today in 2008 TestAmenT are even more popular and more powerful than when they first released their debut album The Legacy...How many other Metal bands can make that claim? Over 20 years of Thrash Metal at it's finest.

See TestAmenT on this tour and pick up their new cd The Formation Of Damnation this April 29th. I would say TestAmenT are back...but they never left... A night to remember! A night of Metal!

-Steve Saks

www.LivingForMetal.com

Reviews

Orion_metalhead — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:10:30 GMT

These were all done at least 5 or 6 months ago. The Carnivorous Vagina reviews was probably a year and a half ago.

[u][b]Death - HUMAN[/b][/u]

Utterly pummeling. Subtly technical and simply brutal. Pure aggression, anger and beauty perfectly balanced in a precise unleashing of hatred towards society. Death's "Human" is one of the several albums that all death metal is measured against. It is a genre milestone, a glimpse into the future of death metal. It is the perfect blend of all that was death metal at the time - groove, brutality, and the imminent infusion of jazz elements with the genre's past thrash roots. It is an album that is as relevant today as when it came out almost sixteen years ago. For me, it is hard to be unbiased toward the album that introduced my once ignorant ears to death metal.

Thousands of words have been used to describe this album. Thousands of hours have been spent listening to "Human" by fans all across the world. These fans have been drawn into the deep production, master songmanship, incredible musicianship and personality of each song. Listening to Human is an experience. Blasting songs like "Suicide Machine" and "Lack of Comprehension" is almost a spiritual awakening for many. The sheer impact of the music hitting you is enough to make you stop an allow the songs to absorb you and your attention. I once played "Lack of Comprehension" in a school class for a presentation and everyone simply sat and stared for three minutes, completely shocked. To them it was an eternity, for me, it was over too quickly.

As the drums fade into "Flattening of Emotions," you are completely unprepared for the sonic intensity of the guitar tone. I still get chills racing up and down m spine when that song erupts. It's like an orgasm of death metal fury - so powerful and close. One of the most powerful aspects of the album's tone is its depth. The guitars sound as if there are a million guitars playing simultaneously and hitting every note at the same time. Sadly, the bass is generally lacking and even the intro to "Lack of Comprehension," is a bit hard to decipher without close examination. Schuldiner's guitar tone is simply overpowering the bass. DiGiorgio should have been a bit more audible in the mix. Luckily the guitar tone that Chuck and Paul Masvidal discovered for this album is simply incredible. The tone is beautiful and fucking HEAVY. It is absolutely uncompromising.

This production supports one of the strongest song collections that any album has ever had. Ever. Eight songs, thirty-three minutes and fifty-seven seconds of perfection. The album neither lasts too long nor is is over too quick. It beats the crap out of you and then lets you get up only hoping for more abuse; more Death. "Flattening of Emotions" and "Suicide Machine" exists as a brutal opening combination only to be followed by "Together as One" and the intense "Secret Face." Hell, if that was all that was on this record, it would already be worth the price of a full length. Instead however, we get the lethal quartet of previously mentioned "Lack of Comprehension" and three closing tracks that fit perfectly onto the album yet hint at the future direction that death would take with its next three albums: Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic, and Sound of Perseverance. "See Through Dreams", "Cosmic Sea", and "Vacant Planets" are monumentally intense jazz/death hybrids with a hint of jazz more than the pure fusion of jazz and death metal that Pestilence (latter albums) and Atheist would become known for.

These songs are ultimately an extension of the musicians themselves, notably Schuldiner. Reinert's drumming is spectacular and compliments Schuldiner and Masvidal excellently. Guitar solos are superb, each one capturing the essence of the song and existing as separate memorable entities. These musicians and somewhat absent DiGiorgio - who we don't have to mention due to his undeniably incredibly talent - are masters of subtlety. The quick high pitched noises twenty-four seconds into "Suicide Machine," bassist DiGiorgio I believe, and the vocal effects used later on at the end of "See Through Dreams" are only two examples. The album's charming quality is found not in the music but in the musician's prowess at adding these minuscule yet personal touches to the music.

This album, "Human," is a piece of art that all must own. It is an example of metal, death metal and music at its very best. The effort and legacy of the musicians on human is unquestionable as is the strength and legacy of the release itself.

[B][u]Drudkh - BLOOD IN OUR WELLS[/b][/u]

I am taking the time out of writing a paper for honors history to instead focus on a more pressing matter - explaining the shear incredibleness of this newest Drudkh album. It is appalling how this band is incapable of making anything less than legendary. It is almost as if, God created Mr. Saenko for the explicit purpose of making bands that create music that is so good that no one is allowed to not hear it. Sadly, few do hear it, but those who have the opportunity to hear albums like Forgotten Legends, Autumn Aurora, The Swan Road, and now, the most recent album, Blood In Our Wells, are able to experience a journey into the depths of music unlike any other. Not only do these albums portray the earthiness which is so desired by many who enjoy listening to black metal, but its not all blasting like many of the Scandinavian bands. This album, rather, this masterpiece is as far as i'm concerned, the best black metal album that i can think of. Epic, enchanting, cold attitude with warm, yet raw production, and melodies which James Taylor could be proud of, it creates a feeling of sheer bliss to be anywhere within audible range of it. Aliens come to Earth for the sole reason that, like us, they too NEED music this good on their planet.

The songwriting is superb on this album. Before this album, I thought that False Dawn was the best black metal song I had ever heard however, with When The Flames Turn To Ashes, all illusions are shattered as far as that is concerned. Each song flows, like Ukrainian rivers. The production is, as I said, fantastic. Everything is audible, and clear yet the production has its rough spots. Musicianship is ridiculous and perfect. The drumming of Yuri is precise and groovy. When you play this album, the trees tilt toward you, the beasts hide just a little closer, and life as you know it stops until, once your finished, fifty minutes have passed.

One thing which I will comment on is that, as on The Swan Road, there is an increased usage of Ukrainian Folk music on this album. However, this aspect is used, in my opinion, much better than on Drudkh's last album. It is incorporated better. And, if you play the two albums back to back, the ending of Swan Road, Song of Sich Destruction flows wonderfully into Nav, the first track on Blood In Our Wells.

A Couple of standout parts to mention are aside from everything.. The first true guitar solo on a Drudkh release, which occurs in Furrows of Gods, the second track on Blood in Our Wells (second track is actually the first real track since the First track is a intro taken from the movie Mamaj. Solitude And Eternity are both incredible tracks with short folkish intros and incredible depth. Ukrainian Insurgent Army is also an incredible track however the best track is by far When The Flame Turns To Ashes. Erupting into a blaze then dying out once more only to yet again be stoked and brought back to life, this song is a black metal ode to the power and nature of fire. Two acoustic interludes meander while you can hear the fire being stoked with the sporadic inclusion of subtle yet mind blowing heavy guitar parts that last for a quarter of a second and then are gone only to re-emerge 5 seconds later, all the time making you yearn for the flames which return seemingly at a different place every time you listen to the song, as if the song is changing every time you listen to it much like a fire changes every time you watch it. Slowly, the fire subsides leaving ashes in its wake.

[b][u]Carnivorous Vagina - ISTINTO OMICIDA[/b][/u]

If you like death metal thats technical, brutal and coherent then this album is probably not for you since it has none of these characteristics. In fact, this album is probably the exact opposite of any of those things. First let me say that I'm guessing this band is attempting to be some kind of Gore-Grind / Death Metal hybrid. If your wondering what brings me to that assumption let me explain. The "band"'s name is Carnivorous Vagina and they have songs with such titles as "Hatchet Punishment", "Infanticidio" and the aptly titled "Worms." Its quite possible that they somehow found a broken Mortician album that skipped or was broken directly in half and through some hellish bit of bad luck on the listener's part still worked when Dr. Morbus first started learning how to play what could possibly be considered a musical instrument. Now, don't take that as meaning that this band sounds like a horrible Mortician clone. In fact this band sounds nothing like Mortician. In fact the only reason I used that analogy was because every track sounds like a single three second chunk of music that they looped over and over and therefor sounds like a skipping cd. I'm guessing that the band was hoping that this music would eventually kill the listener due to its horrible-ness and then be spread across the world as being the first album to immediately kill those who listened to it. Not because it was so utterly brutal but because it sounded so utterly bad.

I'm going to first skip directly to the production. Though I've heard worse production, I've never heard a production sound that sounded as if the microphone was placed inside a man's ass and recorded from the inside of his stomach. The overall distortion sound is something between Bigfoot releasing a massive flatus attack and Micheal Moore having a orgy with the fattest human and non-human women possible. The bass is akin to Neanderthal love grunts and the vocals, when audible, are much of the same. The drums are quite strange. They are programmed first of all but what immediately sets them apart from any other recorded drums is that they must have been recorded in an airplane hanger; the drums positions in one corner and the drum microphones in the other corner as far away as possible. The drums are so distant that you have to strain to hear them. Of all the instruments however the drums are possibly the best part of all of the horrible parts that were pulled together to comprise this disgraceful piece of music. I use the term music lightly.

The Songs are quite short with each averaging maybe two and a half minutes. There is however one five minute song. In short there are no "epic" songs on this album. If there were, theres a good chance that particular song would actually suck time out of the universe and we would never gain it back. Let me give you a run through of the tracks. "Buried / Undead", "Abomination", League Of Evil", "Captured", "Hell Massacre", "Zombie Ritual" (Not to be confused with Death's Zombie Ritual which far surpasses anything that this band could ever excrete), "Tortured", "Bloodbath", "Slip In Bloodshroud", "Ravish", "Deathouse", "Circle Of The Damned" and "Primitive Ravage" could all be the same track for lack of anything remotely different about them besides the horrific spoken segments before each. The Intro track, "Worms", and "Infanticidio" are all what I would call noise tracks and comprised of nothing but random noises and slight bits of melody... possibly. The only two songs that actually stuck out in any way were Hatchet Punishment which employed some interesting snare rhythms (I think it was a snare drum but it may have been a human butcherer banging on steel pipes with a cleaver) which i actually did hear over all the Moore orgying and through the stomach of the unlucky mic-stand, and the title track which was another noise track but was not actually nearly as bad as anything else on this record.

Warning! This is the utmost worst sounding noise ever recorded. In all I sincerely hope that they did not make too many of these. To be perfectly honest with you, there is not enough room on earth for more than one copy of this album. I would have preferred to pay three dollars for a rock of the same size than this album. The PMRC should make a new rating to place on this album and label it H. H for the following words: Hellish, Horrible, Heinous, Horrendous, Hideous, Horrid, and also Hairy - hairy just for kicks though I guess you can also say that the album sounds hairy in some places - especially anywhere that there is sound. I may not be the greatest music critic however I have heard enough music to know that music is not supposed to sound like the inside of a garbage truck. This album is evil. Not because its meant to be or sound evil but because anything this horrible has to be evil. I once heard someone die. This album was the cause. Actually in the song "Bloodbath" you can hear the people in the recording studio dying. Its around one minute and fifteen seconds into the song. If your feeling the need to listen to music that is nothing but sheer crap or looking for a unique way to commit suicide this is your album.

[b][u]Time Requiem - OPTICAL ILLUSION[/b][/u]

I'm not a fan of Dream Theater. Whether that is because I refuse to allow myself to like a band that, I feel, is more inclined to show off their capabilities than write good songs is one question that I probably shouldn't need to answer. Time Requiem is possibly the greatest Dream Theater clone I have ever heard however, there is something strange present here on Optical Illusion that makes me enjoy them and I don't think its because they actually make good musicianship work from a songwriting perspective. Whereas Dream Theater's song seem to be a pitch patchy in some places for me, Time Requiem's compositions flow more like birds softly taking flight only to come to rest on some branch or something. Dream Theater to me is like that bird's deformed cousin that only has one wing and doesn't believe the other birds when they tell him that he can't fly.

This album is a great showcase of abilities, yes, there is no doubt about that however underlying the fact that these guys are fantastic musicians is the fact that they are also fantastic songwriters. Although I can't give them credit for being truly original in their attempt and sound, I can give them kudos for their above mentioned credits. Manning the pilots seat to my [questionable] ears is Richard Andersson, Time Requiem's keyboard extraordinaire who's heavily prominent on this album and who also clearly has a lot of classical piano training since which shows throughout especially during solo sections. Vocalist James La... I mean... Goran Edman presents us with a great range, I would have like to have heard some more lower pitch sung parts however.

The band is completed with Magnus Nilsson replacing Magnus Nord on guitars, Andy Rose on bass and Jorg Andrews on Drums. The rhythm section of the band is as talented as both Andersson and Edman and show it throughout the album. Although Magnus' solos are a bit one sided in their phrasing, opting more for straight forward shredding then more thought out solo sections which I feel would benefit the album better. This irksome quality also applies to a number of the keyboard solos which could have been made more interesting as well. Being the fantastic musicians these guys are, I'm sure they could have done more interesting solos. The one case where this doesn't apply is in the solo section towards the third quarter of the title track, Optical Illusion, which is total genius and really anthemic in a way.

Overall, as an album it is really thought out and its obvious that a lot of effort went into this. I would listen to this before any Dream Theater album. The album is a bit on the long side but thats alright and in this style it doesn't detract. A bunch of the songs all start off similarly with a piano intro or keyboard intro leading into the song which makes it a little repetitive. There are also a few spots with some melodies that sound really familiar. The intro to "The Ashen Soul" I could swear I heard on one of those really cheap classical CD sets that you can buy. I think its one of Bach's Inventions or something. Whatever. Basically, it boils down to: If your a Dream Theater fan you are gonna love this. If your not a Dream Theater fan, you might find something here that is a bit more interesting than Dream Theater themselves. Of course, you can listen to this and immediately hate it as many undoubtedly would as this is, in many ways, very inspired by that pretentious cloud of musicians that hangs in the air above so many bands emulating their style.

Metallica:Kill 'Em All

Sinner666 — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 18:54:47 GMT

Metallica:Kill 'Em All

Elektra

1983

10/10

Metallica:one of the founding fathers to heavy metal as we know it today. The four-man crew that makes Metallica has stayed mostly original with little line-up changes and continued kicking ass until the early 90's (all downhill from there).

But this is the album that started it all. The album that influenced metal bands around the world. The album that continues to blow listeners away after being released over twenty years ago.

The first track of this song explains just how much influence was given off from the band. It opens up to a guitar ringing and cymbols blaring. A quick drum fill. Then a repeat of the beginning. Then the song really kicks in with a Moterhead sounding guitar riff. Throughout the song, James Hettfield (guitars/vocals) screams his lyrics, barely singing in the clean, scratchy sounding voice of his we know all too well today. The rest of the song mainly consists of the same sounding riffs and short lived guitar solos. Kicking off a kick ass album with a kick ass track!

Most of the album's songs are made using the above strategy. However, there is one acception. Track number five:(Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth. Is unlike most songs made in the 80's (or today for that matter). A silent voice in the beginning gives away what this song is by saying "Bass solo take one!". And he is absolutely right... But this bass solo is unlike anything I've ever heard. For christ's sakes it sounds like a guitar! It's not too often one hears such heavy distortion used on a bass (in a song) these days, or even in those days!

Besides the two songs I mentioned, this record contains Metallica classics such as Whiplash, Seek And Destroy, and Metal Militia.

Never heard these songs? Listen to the album! You won't regret it!

Sigh-Hangman's hymn

aussieheadbanger — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:36:50 GMT

A few weeks ago i purchased Hangman's Hymn by Sigh. I had read about Sigh but never heard there music until i got the cd. The thing that made me buy the cd more than anything was the cover of the cd with 3 exercutioners reading the bible. Sigh play dramatic & blistering black metal. They even have a horn section which adds to the unusual mix. Hangman's Hymn does not let up from the first track to the last & the standout track is inked in blood but really in the end every track is a standout.

If u are looking for something different than i highly recommend this cd...........but then again its only my opinion * opinions are like bumholes,everyone has one.

Has anyone else heard the cd & what did u think?

Vulgar Display of Power by Chris A

aussieheadbanger — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:45:38 GMT

I have just read a book called vulgar display of power by Chris A. This book is about the events leading upto,during & after the events that happened at the Alrosa Villa back in December 2004 when Dimebag & 3 innocent victims were taken from this earth.

This book mainly focuses on the lives of those 3 people who tried to stop the madness when Nathan Gale shot Dimebag Darrell.

This book opened my eyes & made me realise this could happen at anytime to one of us who are innocently somewhere when tradegy strikes.

The 3 victims who had there own lives taken from them were doing what they did trying to stop anymore people from being injured or killed.

If anyone else has read this book then i would like to hear what u thought. If u havent read this book than i cant recommend it highly enough as it gives an insight to what happened on that day.

Chris A should be thanked for writng a book that touches the heart & spirit of all of us who were saddened about the tragic loss of Dimebag & those who tried to stop Nathan Gale.

HEAVEN AND HELL/MEGADETH./MACHINE HEAD

voodoo — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:59:39 GMT

Well, folks, this is not going to be a real in depth review, but more of a grand overview of the happenings at Merriweather Post Pavillion on Friday, May 18.

We arrived at the venue just in time for Machine Head. The show was supposed to start at 7 but they began about 10 minutes early. No big deal. We were too cheap to buy pavillion seats so we found a good spot on the lawn. We had a clear view to the stage and the sound was great. Not so loud that my ears bled but still clear enough that we could hear more than noise.

Machine Head was heavy as hell, to say the least. Great performers, great songs. I am not familiar enough with Machine Head's music so I can't comment on what songs they played aside from Now I Lay Thee Down and Asthetics of Hate. Prior to that song singer Robb Flynn spoke breifly about the origin of the song (a very negative article obout Dimebag soon after his murder). The crowd was there for the other 2 bands much more that for Machine Head, and it showed. Not that the crowd sucked, but they just were not as into the band as I thought they would be.

Megadeth was next and man did they sound good. Dave's voice was in great shape. The band was tight and they all played well, although I still miss the glory days with Ellefson, Menza and Freidman. I don't remember the exact order but the songs played were:

Sleepwalker, Take No Prisoners, Kick the Chair, Washington is Next, Hangar 18, Tornado of Souls, Symphony of Destruction, Wake Up Dead, Peace Sells, Holy Wars. Right before Holy Wars Dave finally spoke and said if he ever ran for president this song would be his campaing slogan (or something like that). They sounded great, although Glenn Drover's guitar tone was a little off for my taste. Still sounded good and the songs really did not suffer.

Heaven and Hell, of course, was up next and the stage was awesome. Looked like an eerie graveyard near an abandoned castle. Great light show. Dio is showing his age but he still has the pipes. Iommi, I think, looked uo from his guitar 3 times, but that never really mattered to me. He played great, like he was 25 years old again. Geexer Bulter and Vinny Appice were on the top of their game as well. Appice had an interesting kit. On either side he had a drum on a stand that he could pull towards him to hit, then when he let go it looked as though the stand was going to fall down, but it always popped right back up. Kinda like a weeble wobble (if you have ever heard of those). Songs player (but not in order):

After All, Computer God, I - from Dehumanizer

E5150, Mob Rules, Voodoo, Falling off the the Edge of the World, Sign of the Southern Cross - from Mob Rules

Neon Knights, Heaven and Hell, Children of the Sea, Lady Evil, Die Young - from Heaven and Hell

The Devil Cried and Shadows of the Wind - new songs

What a show they put on. It seems to me that the music of this incarnation of Black Sabbath sounds a lot better live than on CD. The bottom end was much more powerful. The over all experience of hearing their music is much more orgasmic. Great show. Well worth getting rained on for a little while. I would do that again in a heartbeat.

my interview with Toke Skjønnemand, lead guitarist of Pyramaze and Fast Gallows

paranoidmexican009 — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:25:48 GMT

For my very first interview I decided to interview Toke Skjønnemand, lead guitarist for Pyramaze and Fast Gallows. Pyramaze is a power/progressive metal band formed in 2001 by guitarist Michael Kammeyer. Toke joined Pyramaze in 2004 while the band was on tour supporting their debut album "Melancholy Beast".

Fast Gallows is Toke's other band, a more strait forward rock n roll band formed in 2004. This band is quite diffrent from Pyramaze, as this band has a punk-ish sound to it, showing off Toke's versatility.

[Adam] First of all, I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to answer my questions. It's an honor to have you answer them.

[A] Where are you hailing from? What's the Metal Scene like there?
[Toke] Im from Aarhus, Denmark and unfourtanly the Metal scene sucks in Denmark

[A] How long has your band been together?
[T] I've been playing in FastGallows for one year and as you probaly know I joined Pyramaze in 2004

[A] How did you guys come up with the band's name?
[T] I really don't know.....but it sounds cool.

[A] What are your major influences? Musical and otherwise.
[T] I think my major influences is Metallica because I played in a Metallica jam band when I was 15 years old. But now I really like Paul Gilbert from Mr. Big - he is a really good guitar player.

[A] When did you pick up the guitar?
[T] Actually I started playing drums when I was 8 years old. But when I turned 15, I met another drummer and we wanted to start a band together, so I picked up the guitar.

[A] Do you have any tips for those at home who might consider learning to play the guitar?
[T] Always practise slowly, cause if you dont get i right the first time you might have problem with speed later. And of course practise at least one hour every day.

[A] Are there any new bands in the scene currently that have caught your eye?
[T] Yes, Circus Maximus

[A] If someone has never heard your music, how would you describe it to them?
[T] If it's Pyramaze we talk about, I would describe it as epic and almost as film music. And if its FastGallows, I would describe it as, in your face fast fearius pirate rock'n'roll.

[A] What do you consider to be your best work?
[T] I'm very proud of the solo in She Who Summoned Me, from the album Legend Of The Bone Carver (Pyramaze)

[A] How do you find time for the band?
[T] Music is my life - so I will always take the time to do stuff that is necessary for the band.

[A] Equipment, what kind do you use?
[T] I use Randall pre-amp and Marshall EL-34 50/50 and a Gibson Les Paul Guitar

[A] How do the crowds react to your live shows?
[T] They always tell me that I'm very active on stage - so I guess they like it. HAHA ;-)

[A] Are there any band stories you could share or any secrets you are willing to spill?
[T] Ha Ha - yeah why not. When I was on the UK tour with FastGallows and we got very drunk after a show and Mads our drummer got lost, he could'nt find the hotel and he had lost hes cellphone, so he could'nt call us. So he walked around Doncaster for 8 hours before he found the hotel. And the next day when we played he almost could'nt play because he had blisters under his feet.

[A] If someone wanted to see your show is there a place your band frequently gigs?
[T] It's hard to say - with pyramaze you have to check the webpage. FastGallows plays alot in Denmark, England and Germany - so check out the webpage.

[A] Any up coming dates?
[T] If I tell you, I would have to kill you :-)

[A] If you could tour with any band, what band would it be?
[T] Metallica

[A] Has your band solicited any work to record Labels? How did it turn out?
[T] FastGallows is courrently talking with Sony and Warner Bros. but I can't tell you anything else about that yet. I dont know with Pyramaze, you have to ask Michael about that.

[A] Is there any new work in progress?
[T] We are coing to the studio with Pyramaze in October and with FastGallows we just recorded 6 new songs.

[A] Where can metal fans pick up your CD?
[T] The internet is a fantastic place.

[A] Well, I'm not going to take up too much of your time, Toke. Thank you for the interview, keep rocking. Any last words?
[T] Yeah off cause - Please by our CD's so I can get rich and retire. And remember to rock out !!

Heres a few links to check out:
www.pyramaze.com
www.myspace.com/pyramaze

www.fastgallows.com
www.myspace.com/fastgallows

Chicago Powerfest 2007

The Iron Maiden — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:27:10 GMT

The Chicago Powerfest, as I witnessed firsthand, is more than just a typical metal festival. It's a gathering of the metal community and a huge party for everyone in attendance. I was fortunate enough to be a guest of Rob Such, Powerfest co-organizer and bassist for Chicago metal band Twelfth Gate, for this year's fest. We first met with Rob shortly after arriving at our hotel in Mokena, Illinois, which was fully booked for the fest, but he had somehow managed to secure a room for us in the "party block," an area of the hotel where bands, promoters, media and fans alike were staying. He recruited us for a beer run, which we were more than willing to partake in. After a quick stop at the venue, The Pearl Room, where we met Chris Lotesto, another co-organizer of the fest and guitarist of Chicago's Ion Vein, and where we were given media passes, we headed to the nearest liquor supplier to pick up recreational beverages for the bands who would be playing that night and those who would be at the afterparty.

After fully stocking two shopping carts with cases of beer, we headed to the checkout lane and were soon out the door. We loaded while Rob talked business on his cell phone. It was then 6:00 pm, and the fest was set to start at 6:30. We realized we were cutting it close, so we hauled ass back to the hotel for a few last minute items, then drove across the street to The Pearl Room. We helped Rob unload the beer from his van and slowly carried it to the green room, a private area that only bands, promoters and certain members of the media were allowed to enter. The road to the green room was a grueling one, strewn with neverending stairs, twists and turns, security-guarded doors and various other obstacles. Once we arrived at our destination, we realized why it was so difficult to get in.

The green room was essentially a separate location in itself, a huge space decked in green decor with a private bar and couches for the ultimate comfort of those fortunate enough to gain access. After deciding which beer belonged to what band and a fiasco with a British sound engineer who refused to drink Miller Lite because of "the chemicals in the beer" that made for a terrible headache the next day, we were finally able to relax and wipe the sweat from our brows. We stared wide-eyed at the inhabitants of the green room. Shatter Messiah, the fest's opening band, sat at the bar and on couches, preparing for their performance in their own way. Other industry folk and sound technicians littered the room, almost all talking eagerly about the show to come. Shatter Messiah was called downstairs and we quickly offed our beers, anticipating the beginning of Powerfest.

The show started with a bang. Shatter Messiah stormed the stage, their energy electrifying. Vocalist Greg "Wags" Wagner was wired like a switchboard. Suspyre was originally set to open, but their set time was pushed back due to a delay in their arrival time that spawned from a bird flying into their plane's engine. They were next. They played with a maturity that deceived the member's young appearances. Grabbing another quick beer in the green room after Suspyre's set, we ran into drummer Sam Paulicelli, who was dripping with sweat and panting from exertion. He announced that it was his last show with Suspyre; he was leaving to join a band called Mutiny. We made it back downstairs in time to watch Benedictum, a no-frills heavy metal band fronted by the exotic Veronica Freeman. They swept through their set, covering Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" and "The Mob Rules" to great effect. Next was Solitude Aeturnus. Vocalist Robert Lowe addressed his doting crowd in a priest's cassock, offering lyrics like prayers, and we ate every bit of it up. During Solitude's set, we decided to venture to the closed-off balcony to take pictures from a different angle, but didn't stay there long. The last band to play Friday night was Lethal. With a few cult hits under their belts, the legendary power/prog metal band closed the night in a strong fashion, and the crowd slowly dwindled as the show came to an end.

Where one party stopped, another began. The fest's afterparty was held across the street in the hotel we were staying in, on our floor, even. Metalheads began trickling out of rooms and elevators toward the festivities, and before long the hallway was lined with longhairs. People casually chatted with those known and unknown to them while all waited for the beer. Eventually we entered a room with a bathtub filled with the beer purchased earlier in the day, grabbed a few, and set forth on our goal to party with metalheads from all over the place. We met quite a few interesting people, all of whom were drawn together by the indescribable force that metal creates. Some were fans, some were media, and some were bands, but on that night, everyone was on the same plane.

Suspyre vocalist Clay Barton, obviously feeling good, sauntered through the room and hallway, chatting with fans. We made our way to one of the room's beds and had a seat. We spoke to Twelfth Gate's new vocalist, whom we had met earlier in the day, and whose name has not yet been released to the public. Across from us, a short man in a baseball cap chatted with a few guys donned in metal t-shirts. Upon introducing ourselves, we found him to be none other than Steve Flynn, drummer of the legendary Atheist. We were flabbergasted, to say the least. He spoke candidly about his influences and his time spent in both Atheist and Gnostic, his newest band. Five feet away, sitting cross-legged on the floor, was Kelly Shaefer, Atheist's vocalist and former guitarist, sharing wisdom with an enraptured group of fans. It was amazing and completely surreal, but more than feeling starstruck, we were at ease. I rounded out my night by drunkenly chatting with the sweet Lenny Jacobsen, bassist for Denmark's Saturnus, and meeting members of his band and Belgium's Thurisaz. A multitude of members from various Powerfest bands were having an all-acoustic karaoke session in the hallway, and a kiss on the hand sent me back to my hotel room, buzzed from both the beer and the amazing experience I'd had that day.

Unfortunately, Saturday didn't go as well as Friday did for me. My pounding headache suggested the sound engineer was right about "the chemicals" he kept going on about the night before. I eventually realized that my pain was more than just a hangover, and I spent the day in my hotel room vomiting and delirious, unable to keep down even water. My cohort took the opportunity to jam the Benedictum and Shatter Messiah CDs that he'd bought Friday for us, but even that couldn't cheer me up. I was miserable and could barely move from the bed, let alone think about showering and heading to the fest in a few hours. It was on my mind, though. Soon 6:30 rolled around, and then 7:30, and before I knew it, most of Saturday night's show had passed me by while I went through my cycle of becoming sick and then sleeping. I had missed Thurisaz, Novembers Doom, Saturnus and Martyr, so the only band left was the one I had driven 500 miles to see – Atheist. Realizing I could either pout in my room or haul ass over to the venue in time to see them play, I quickly and painfully cleaned myself up and headed toward The Pearl Room.

I arrived as Atheist was playing their first song. Since I hadn't been able to obtain a press pass for the night due to my late arrival, I paid the $25 cover charge and hurried toward the stage. The sight there was nothing short of orgasmic. Shaefer, Choy and Flynn were joined onstage by Chris Baker and Sonny Carson of Flynn's other band, Gnostic. They tore through fan favorites from each of their three groundbreaking albums. Highlights were "I Deny," "Mother Man" – which featured short solos from both Choy and Flynn – and "Piece of Time," which closed out the band's set. Any questions about Atheist's relevance in today's metal community were buried after their performance, which was to be their last ever in the midwest. After the show, Shaefer was found signing autographs and talking to fans by the merchandise. I took the opportunity to thank him for playing, to tell him how amazing it was to see "Piece of Time" live, and to have him sign my Unquestionable Presence shirt. He was very humble and appreciative, thanking me for making the journey to Chicago and giving me a quick kiss on the hand before my departure. I was in a state of bliss as I walked back to the hotel, head and gut still pounding.

Chicago Powerfest was a life-changing experience for me. Not only did we see some of the most impressive bands in metal today, we got to be a part of a two-day metal worship session that metalheads from all over the country – and the world – flew and drove in to see. More than just a fest, it was a celebration of heavy metal and its power to those involved in some way. A sense of brotherhood came over us upon arrival, and it dawned on us while we made the long journey back to Kansas that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one that we would never forget. Looking back, it is easy to see that The Chicago Powerfest is the fan's fest, combining great music with an atmosphere you can't experience anywhere else. All of those in attendance can attest to that.

Here's a link to my blog with some pictures from the show:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=10004981&blogID=274559411&MyToken=8cdcf771-451c-4c08-b0a0-f6f24185b84c

Lamb Of God, Trivium, Machine Head, Gojira 3/11/07

mdbettcher — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:21:33 GMT

Typically, to see a show of this caliber a person from South Dakota would need to travel 4+ hours and spend a lot of hard earned cash on hotels, beer, tickets, etc. The weeks leading up to this show were met with a cross between excitement and worry that the show would be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. South Dakota is notorius for booking metal shows, and cancelling them moments before it supposed to take place. The two that most stick out in my mind are Black Label Society a couple years ago, and Iron Maiden with Anthrax opening on the No Prayer For The Dying Tour. So this actually taking place was a feat in itself (there were between 600 and 700 people there).

My friend and I made sure to get there early, as I was most excited to see Gojira. All four bands sounded great. Gojira is as heavy live as they are on their albums. I am still trying to figure out how in the hell they pull of the guitar harmonics they do. Machine Head was next, and I think they were the most excited of all four bands to be there. Robb Flynn was full of energy and took every opportunity that he got to thank the crowd for their enthusiasm. The highlight of their set was the the song Aesthetics of Hate, and the lead in to the song. Flynn explained that the song was inspired by the article that William Grim wrote after Dimebag was murdered, stating that Dimebag reaped what he sowed. I have a special place in my heart for this band. After putting out one of the best metal debut's they were pressured by there label nonstop to change their sound and sell records, and were riduculed by fans for being sell outs. They have gone back to their roots, and in the past three years have put out two unbelievable albums, Through The Ashes and The Blackening. The rest of the crowd must have felt the same way, because when they left the stage they were begged for an encore.

Trivium was next. They sounded great and their set list was a heavy dose of material from The Crusade.

And then Lamb of God. If there was ever a band that could summon the devil, they are it. They played a great mix of old and new material. I tried to explain Randy Blythe's stage prescence to my brother, and the best I can come up with is a cross between Spider Man and the crazy fucker that lives next door to you who doesn't talk, just stalks around and looks pissed off all the time. How he still has a voice after doing night after night is beyond me.

This was the best show that I have been to in the past year, and I can't imagine anything in the near future will come close to it. If these guys come near you make an effort to go.

Dream Evil Live - 12/13/2006

Queen_Diamond — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:08:17 GMT

Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to see Dream Evil live at the Key Club in Hollywood. I've been to several venues in LA, but never the Key Club. I've always heard it was the best place to see a show, and I probably agree with that. Very small place, decent sized floor area, and on each side there was a small raised level seating area. On the second floor there was a restaurant with tables, and the bathrooms and merchandise were located downstairs. Pretty cool layout.

I drove 4 1/2 hours to my hotel and then another hour down the coast to Hollywood. I planned to arrive at the venue extremely early because I was unsure about parking on Sunset Strip, and I wanted to get good seats. I parked in the rear of the building without any issues, and was one of the first fans in the building. I headed straight for the side seats close to the stage and that’s where I remained through four opening bands. As the crowd grew, I observed lots of myspace hair and tiny pants, lots of blue jean vests, and more eyeliner than one could imagine. Death to false Metal!

The first band to take the stage was called “Echoes of Eternity”, an LA band that just signed with Nuclear Blast. A lot like Leaves Eyes, or a million Euro-goth metal bands on the lighter side. The chick’s vocals were pretty good, but her stage presence was sort of awkward. The drummer was really mechanical, and the lag time between songs was very uncomfortable. Good riffs though. I got the feeling that they haven’t really found their sound yet. The small crowd was receptive, but only because the chick was wearing a corset and had enormous tits. I think they played 5 songs. Overall, not a bad band, they just needed a little more experience on stage.

A local hardcore band with a chick vocalist followed. They were called “In This Moment”. This chick had incredible stage presence, and for what it is, the music was good. Her growls were brutal and she was so cute! They played 6 or 7 songs, and they were all heavy. The breakdowns were neck breaking. They drew a huge crowd too. I would say their crowd was almost as large as the Dream Evil crowd, but they’re also from the local scene.

For the life of me, I can’t remember the name of the band that followed “In This Moment”. It was another hardcore band and I think they said they were from Texas. They were heavy and had killer breakdowns, but I couldn’t see the stage because four guys stood in front of my seat, on the raised level, through their entire set. Assholes! The band played 6 or 7 songs, and the crowd was enthusiastic.

I saw Himsa a few years ago when they opened for Iced Earth, and they’ve improved significantly since then. The tiny pants crowd loved them. I’ve never been a huge fan of the genre, but they’re a really good band. There was an active pit throughout most of their set. They played 9 or 10 songs, and I was quite impressed. I didn’t expect such a brutal performance from them. The singer likes to let the front row fans finish lines into the mic, so that’s pretty cool.

The mighty DREAM EVIL, finally. I sat through 4 bands that I didn’t really enjoy all that much, so I could stand 36 inches from the stage and eye level with the band. After a 20 minute setup, they took the stage and the crowd went crazy. Metal geeks unite! It was incredible! . Niklas' vocals were amazingly powerful. You never know what you're going to get with a live show, but he was dead on. He was even chewing gum throughout the whole set. The band was absolutely flawless and had amazing energy on stage. It was a fun show. Niklas made comments like “This next one is the deep lyrics!” referring to Heavy Metal in the Night. All the band members were interacting with the audience, and Niklas even had a chick in the crowd sing the “I am his wife” part of Made of Metal. It’s so cool to see a band with such talent, not take themselves so seriously. I had a blast and can’t wait to do it again. From what I hear, the outcome of that show would determine if they come back to the States or not. It was a small crowd, but I think we were pretty convincing.

Setlist:

United
Blind Evil
Fire! Battle! In Metal!
In Flames You Burn
Crusader’s Anthem
Back From the Dead
Higher on Fire
The Prophecy
Made of Metal
Heavy Metal in the Night
Let Me Out
The Chosen Ones

--encore--
Children of the Night
Chasing the Dragon
The Book of Heavy Metal

need-The Wisdom Machine

Resonance — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:26:01 GMT

Mainstream metal today, is very much different from that of yesterday. Through the years most of mainstream metal acts sound has been derived from 1980’s thrash and 1990’s death metal revolution. To form something fans of today, would call Hardcore and Metalcore. Appealing to teeny-boppers of this decade, most of these bands have played on tours like Ozzfest and Vans Warped Tour. I don’t know about you, but I’m not quite sure when heavy metal has ever shared the same stage, let alone the same name as punk rock. This leaves most metal fans, very disappointed.

But, underneath all of this new-age metal, is a dark and shiny new hope. This band is called "need". Haling from Greece this three member band brings the heavy metal community something to look forward to in the coming years. Having herd their debut album "The Wisdom Machine" (released on The End Records). the growling intro to Twinsoul and the melodic almost classical guitar-like intro to 7 H, are just some of the amazing aspects of this record. The production quality is definitely that which you would hear from any recording from The End Records. Just adding to the outstanding sound you will hear on this album. there is a lot to be delightfully surprised about, in this band and their first record. Which brings new excitement to the metal scene. When you have the chance, you definitely need to pick yourself up a copy of The Wisdom Machine!

Venom - Metal Black

SteveSaks — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 10:06:28 GMT

They Have Returned!!!....The Mighty Venom, well sort of... the band now consists of Cronos/Bass and Vocals, Mykvs/guitar, and Antton/Drums (Cronos' Brother). Antton having previously played on the last Venom album, Resurrection. Mykvs played with Venom on Calm Before The Storm and was in Cronos' solo bad as well. There's the rundown..Now what about the music???

Metal Black kicks off with Cronos screaming "Antechrist!"..and doesn't let up, A fast uptempo track that is catchy and has that "old" Venom sound to it. The next track "Burn In Hell" has the memorable chorus "Infernooo" which will keep you humming it or banging your head/thrashing your living room...which ever you prefer...

Out of the 14 tracks clocking in at a little under 60 minutes, there's only a few less memorable ones, most are standout, top notch songs.

The production qualites of 'Metal Black' are very raw, very raw indeed. The drums are loud as hell. Cronos' bass pumps throughout the whole album. Mykvs guitar tone is a natural amp distortion, but when the leads kick in He takes it up another notch with a more modern lead sound...Mykvs leads are a great improvement over previous guitarist Mantas, and are a welcomed addition.

With tracks like: Rege Satanas, Darkest Realm, Lucifier Rising and the fast thrashing closer "Metal Black"... It seems as though the Mighty Legions have returned...Cronos has delivered an album that sticks up it's middle finger to those "cookie cutter" metal albums you hear every day with the same overproduced sounds on them.

Venom's Metal Black is a return to the future,so to speak. While the production isn't what you'd expect every instrument shines through, and this album is LOUD and In Your Face...They mean business this time...you can sense the urgency with each track on the album...Oh Yes, They Have Returned!!!! and Thank God for that.

SteveSaks 2/10/06

My Iron Maiden live experience.

Jeremy — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:22:19 GMT

Going to an Iron Maiden show has been widely considered as a right of passage for metalheads for over 25 years. Until a true metal fan sees an Iron
Maiden show, it is as if something is missing from their lives. It's not only seeing the legendary band perform, it's the entire experience of the whole
night. Listening to your Iron Maiden albums the whole day so the songs are fresh in your mind, sitting in whatever form of transportation you are taking
impatiently as you anticipate the night of metal that is about to ensue, arriving at the arena where Iron Maiden music is blasting out of hundreds of cars
while people are having bar-b-qs and beer. An experience like that is one of a kind. Especially when you consider the fact that very few metal bands
could attract such a large crowd for this to be possible these days.
This is also a multi cultural experience. Not only people from all over the country were present, but people from countries ranging from Canada to
England to Israel were in attendance. Yes, I don't only mean people from those countries who live in the US were present, I am talking about people that
flew in from their respective countries were at the shows!
Where else could one see something like this? People from all different backgrounds, cultures, religions, age groups and musical preferences are all
gathered together for one purpose, and that was to see Iron Maiden! I even had some quick conversation with some of these individuals and I can
honestly say, Maiden fans are some of the most loyal fans ever.
My night started as I was patiently waiting in Penn Station so I could take the LIRR to Nassau County (I don't remember the name of the stop, I think it
was Hempstead or something like that). Arriving at the station, groups of fans went splitsies on cabs. That in itself was somewhat of a social experience.
Once arrived at the arena, I walked around the venue to try and take in the whole "Heavy Metal parking Lot" experience. While it wasn't quite like the
movie since I got there about 45 minutes after doors opened, the parking lots were still full. Many people had the same idea as I did, get in the venue at
9pm so we can skip the god awful opening act (Bullet For My Valentine, or shall I say Bullshit For My Valentine) and just see the live spectacle that is
Iron Maiden. Although I had another problem with getting in and walking around helped me get an idea as to how I shall solve that problem, but I won't go
into that now.
So by the time I get in the venue, the opening band had been long gone thank goodness. About 5 minutes later, Iron Maiden's cover of UFO's Doctor
Doctor blasts out of the PA. Everyone is cheering since they know that Maiden will come on stage as soon as the audio cover finishes (it was an
amazing cover by the way, I liked it as much, if not more, than the original from 1974 if I'm not mistaken).
Once Doctor Doctor ended, the band came running on stage and the band started with Different World, the opening track to their recently released
album, A Matter Of Life And Death.
The stage was covered in forts, trenches and a huge screen that showed newspaper clippings, "Eddie" art, and the like all with war themes.
After blasting through that set opener, they go into These Colors Don't Run, the album's second track.
As I had seen the set list before hand, I was expecting, as well as ecstatic, that the band would be playing the 70 minute album in its entirety. For those
who were not expecting it, the fans were probably starting to figure it out.
After a few songs, Bruce talks to the fans for a few minutes. He mentions how this is a special night because the band will be playing their new album
in full, which may have pissed off some fans, but it sure was a special night for your's truly!
He also mentions how this album has reached number 9 on the American Billboard Charts, a chart which is dominated by pop music. He mentions how
important heavy metal is, how it's starting to make a comeback in the USA, and how pointless pop music is.
After his short dialogue with the fans, the band continued to play.
When the band was in the middle of playing For The Greater Good Of God, not only did a tank with Eddie in it appear, Bruce saw a fan holding a banner
that said "Play Classics" on it. He pointed to that fan, signaled with his finger that he wants it brought to him, and he tore it up and threw it to the side of
the stage. At one point in the show, a piece of that paper was flying through the air.
As the band was going to finish off the A Matter Of Life And Death section of the show with the album closer, The Legacy, a few guitar stands with
acoustic guitars were brought up to the stage. It kept the music very true to the album's version. With The Legacy ending, the band had fulfilled their
promise of playing A Matter Of Life And Death in its entirety, something I will not forget at any time.
Right after, without skipping a beat, Iron Maiden began to play their classic epic, Fear Of The Dark. Fans were cheering, as everyone in that venue
was, or at least should have been, very familiar with the 1992 classic off the album with the same name.
After playing that, Bruce's trademarked "SCREAM FOR ME....!" had the audience cheering, which led to the band playing a very well known riff. That
one riff caused horns to be raised, beers to be chugged, "stuff" to be smoked, but most of all, heads to be ferociously banged. That riff was none other than the intro of the classic track off of Iron Maiden's self titled album, Iron Maiden. Fans were singing along and throughout the song, they were
cheering and shouting out to the band. After that song was completed, the band left the stage.
Horns were raised and hands were clapped as one chant filled the arena filled with well over 10,000 metalheads. "WE WANT MORE" had brought the
band back to the stage.
Bruce had informed us that they have to stop playing by 11pm, but if anyone wants to stay for almost another hour after the show, it would be 2
Minutes To Midnight. Of course, they executed that song wonderfully.
Next up was the classic from Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, The Evil That Men Do. As the atmospheric guitars and synths started the song, everyone
was clapping along rhythmically. As the song got heavier, the clapping turned into horns and headbanging. During the song, a 2.5-3 story tall Eddie
came walking on stage. He had his machine gun pointed at the band and the audience. To give you an idea of how big he was, from where Bruce was
standing, his feet were at around the middle of Eddie's chest and his head reached Eddie's hair.
Then the night's closer, concert staple Hallowed Be Thy Name started out with soft guitar strumming and the sound of thousands of metalheads
clapping in unison. Fans were singing along to the NWOBHM classic as the band flawlessly played through it.
As the night had ended, fans chanting out "MAIDEN, MAIDEN, MAIDEN...", the roadies came on stage and started taking the equipment.

The band sounded amazing. Bruce had an amazing amount of power in his voice, which really impressed me since from all the live CDs and DVDs I
have seen/heard, he doesn't always sound so great live. He can sing off key and lose a lot of power. But not this time. This time, he sounded better
than he did on many of Iron Maiden/Bruce Dickinson albums! He also had amazing stage presence! Besides for the fact that he did not stand still at any point throughout the show (he was constantly running up and down the stairs of the fort), he also kept shining a prison light at the fans which got everyone into the show a little more.
The band sounded very clear. I heard every single drum beat from Nicko, every single riff and solo from Dave, Adrian and Janick. But most of all, I
heard every single bass line from Steve!

The ride home was excellent. It was a cold night, so waiting for the train was a little difficult. But when the train came, sitting in a warm car, filled with
metalheads (even the person checking the train tickets was a huge Maiden fan and was very upset that he couldn't get to the show), it was simply one
of the greatest nights of my life.
My only complaint, arenas. There, I said it. I hate arenas. Metal is about the fans connecting with the music. When the fans are sitting down getting
stoned, it kind of takes it away from the live experience. Sure, my arm was up the whole time and I dare not sit down at a metal show, but it is very
different when everyone else around you is doing the same thing. It kind of cuts back from that reserve you have. But I just focused on the music and
kept looking the lower level where everyone was lively, so I was able to bang my head, shout along and raise my horns without feeling reserved.
Part of that complaint is that the section where I was put was pretty much the only one where most of the people were lifeless. Everywhere else, people were standing, moshing (even in the upper levels), and shouting. But after a couple of songs, I was able to loosen up.

Anyway, if I was going to rate this night, it would be a 10 out of 10.

Opeth/Nevermore/Into Eternity

voodoo — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 07:27:59 GMT

Opeth, Nevermore, Into Eternity – 11/05/2005 at Jaxx in Springfield, VA.

Me and my buddy arrived at the club at 6:15 Saturday night, and expected to be able to enter at 7:00 when the doors supposedly opened. The show was scheduled to begin at 7:30. As it happened the doors did not open until after 7:30 and luckily the first band, Into Eternity, did not start on time. After entering we each grabbed a grossly overpriced beer at the first bar before heading in to the main stage area. We picked out a great spot right behind the sound board and lighting guy. We had a pretty good view of the right half of the stage and there was a half wall right in front of us, so we could lean on it throughout the show for support. And it was a very nice luxury to have as our legs and backs got tired quickly.

Into Eternity began the show around 8:15, I’m guessing. I didn’t have a watch on and never bothered to ask my buddy what time it was. No big deal, however. IE played hard, played fast, and played loud. Very loud. So loud in fact that I had a hard time distinguishing each song from the next. There were parts of a few songs that I recognized but for the most part it was mostly noise. The singer had incredible range, however, and loved to show it off. I would have, too, if I had those pipes. I don’t remember how many songs they played but I do remember that I couldn’t wait for them to stop. Maybe it was because I knew Nevermore was next, or maybe I was getting frustrated listening to them. Who knows. Either way I was happy when they left the stage. Among the songs in their set they played Splintered Visions, Point of Uncertainty, and either 3 Dimensional Aperture or Beginning of the End. Or both. I could not differentiate between the two. This is a band that sounds much better in recorded form than in live form.

Nevermore was next and about 15 minutes before they began their lighting guy came back to the board and sat down in front of us. My buddy started talking to him and he turned out to be a real cool guy (not that I was surprised or anything) and he told us that Nevermore was filming that night for a live DVD. SWEET! When Nevermore came out on stage the place erupted. I knew we were in for a great show and the guys in Nevermore delivered. They opened with the first song from their latest cd, Born. With Born they ripped up the place right from the start and did not let go until the end. After Born, which was impeccable, they played My Acid Words and then Bittersweet Feast, both also from This Godless Endeavor. Next came The Riverdragon has Come from Dead Heart in a Dead World. The place went nuts, of course, and they preformed it well. Next up was Never Purify from Enemies of Reality. I do like this song but I would have preferred either Narcosynthesis or I, Voyager. Regardless, it was a thunderous song and gave me a greater appreciation for the studio version. After Beyond Within singer Warrell Dane joked that they had yet to play anything from the album Dreaming Neon Black on tour so they jumped right in to Beyond Within, and again the place went nuts. As with the previous song from Enemies of Reality I would have preferred a different song like Poison Godmachine but Beyond Within was so well done that I forgot that I wanted to hear something different. They then performed the title track from their latest, This Godless Endeavor. It is a nine minute-plus opus that really covers all the bases. It begins slowly and builds towards a hard-charged climax. Just an incredible song and would have been a great one to close their set with. They were not done, however, thankfully, and they played Final Product next. The mosh pit, which was present during most songs, was very apparent now. The last song they played was Enemies of Reality. Again, the crowd went crazy feeding off the energy from the band. A great way to close the set.
Overall the band played with incredible precision and passion. It was evident that they love what they do and appreciated the crowd’s energy. After the set was over I turned to my buddy and said nothing more than “That was thunderous.” I think after hearing Nevermore play I have experienced what thunder sounds like in musical form. The sound was in the club was excellent (I don’t think they were nearly as loud as Into Eternity) and I could actually hear each song. They played furiously and were very cohesive. Drummer Van Williams was unreal. Guitarists Jeff Loomis and Steve Smyth played unbelievably well and bass player Jim Sheppard held the groove in place perfectly. I loved the band before the show and even more afterwards. I was left nearly breathless.

After Nevermore came the headliner Opeth. This was the main attraction and for good reason. After 15 years together and slowly progressing towards “mainstream” metal acceptance, Opeth has become one of the premier metal bands on the scene. The songwriting and musicianship are absolutely top quality. The crowd was already in a frenzy just knowing that they would soon be seeing the mighty Opeth, and when the band hit the stage the crowd erupted. Their musical ability was quickly apparent when they opened their set with The Baying of the Hounds. This song is the second song on their latest cd Ghost Reveries. A good song to open with, but then again almost any Opeth song would do just as well. Lead singer Mikael Akerfeldt ripped through the death metal growls as if it was normal for him. On top of that, he’s got one heck of a clean vocal as well. It truly is amazing that he can perform both vocal styles with equal ability. The second song was When from the album My Arms, Your Hearse. Again, the band played flawlessly. The double bass drum and twin guitars provided a fierce musical attack on my eardrums, but I’m not complaining. Next up was probably my favorite Opeth song, Bleak, from the album Blackwater Park. It was such a treat to see this song performed live and they did the studio version justice. After Bleak came a brief death metal vocal lesson from Akerfeldt. He played teacher and got the girls and guys to follow his lead with the growls. And surprisingly the girls did a much better job. It was an interesting way to lead in to the next song, In My Time of Need, which is a ballad and has no growling at all. No matter, it was a beautiful rendition and it allowed the crowd to take a short rest. It also allowed the band to relax a little, as they had played with incredible energy thus far. The next song was The Grand Conjuration, a fantastic song from Ghost Reveries. This is a complete Opeth song, containing everything the band has to offer. Death metal growls, clean vocals, hard-charging guitars and heart stopping rhythm. Then came another slower song, Face of Melinda. The beginning of the song is a beautiful ballad and had the crowd singing along. Towards the end the song picks up in intensity. Next was a song dedicated to Burt Reynolds, Deliverance, the title track to the 2002 release. This song is unbelievably intense, and the final three minutes or so showcase the bands unmatched ability to play mind-blowing music. There are few words to describe what I heard; suffice it to say that it absolutely needs to be heard by the mass population. I stood in awe at what Opeth accomplished. After that musical orgasm came Blackwater Park, the title track from arguably the bands finest hour. The double bass drum that drives the ending of the song is unreal. I don’t think I saw drummer Martin Axenrot (filling in for Martin Lopez) break a sweat. He performed with absolute precision. The last song of the night was described by Akerfeldt as a nice little lullaby. Of course he was joking because no song with a title like Demon of the Fall could be viewed as a lullaby. This song contains the most evil scream in all of heavy metal. I thought that the floor was about to rip open and the walls would collapse when Akerfeldt came to that point in the song. It was so intense and forceful. He commanded attention and the audience obeyed. I was left speechless after that spectacle. Opeth came, they saw, they conquered. It was as simple as that. It was the most satisfying concert I have ever witnessed, even more so than seeing Dream Theater a year and a half ago.

Side note: on the way out we had to go through the outer bar and my buddy noticed that Jeff Loomis and Van Williams from Nevermore were there having a beer and chatting with fans. We stopped to shake hands and say thanks for a helluva show. Nice guys, too.

SAD WINGS , Vesparian Sorrow & Shaolin Deathsquad

DZ2573 — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 13:50:30 GMT

I'm lucky enough to live in a city thats not to far away from the nightlife of 6th street and Austin. So I try to get out and see as many shows as I can and this past saturday was no exception. Heading into Austin for saturday show I was pretty much clueless as to whom the opening band was. I had not seen them before and I knew very little of them except for their name which I thought was pretty different at most. Little did I know HOW different. Upon arriving in Austin and finding Parking near the venue and then finding out the club would not open till 9 .We spent the bit of time we had wandering up and down 6th street and enjoying the clubs which were all jammed packed with fans watching the longhorn and ohio game on the big screens. All the clubs were packed for this game so we just made our way back to the club,Waited till 9,paid our 8 bucks cover and went in. Beers were 3 bucks and I Had to grab one of course. First up was Shaolin Deathsquad whose music was as very much different as their stage presence. The band came out fully clothed in Shaolin munk robes and white kabuki looking masks as the drummer (who happens to play with King Daimond by the way) came up bashing the skins in a full Ninja outfit. To say that the show was Visual is to say the least. The band mixes a combination of prerecorded samples and effects that make a sort of ambient and technical background of music which is layered with some pretty unique guitar patterns and riffs . Overall they create a sort of Soundtrack like Music except there is no movie . At times they do get heavy and the frontmans vocals drift in and out of low range vocals to smooth melodic ranges. Lots of rhythmic changes found here .This band is something new for everyones taste. And honestly I find it difficult to lump them in any style. It was a whole new sound for me. Very cool though . For more info and samples check out their Myspace:http://www.myspace.com/shaolindeathsquad

Up next was Vesparian Sorrow whom I had seen open up for Helstar a while back . They had a much better sound at the Helstar show. They mix a style of Black Metal with a lot of pre recorded symphonic music layered underneath their music. The Lead guitarist is a very Shredding young guitarist who plays a lot of sonic speed arpeggios all finger swept with great technique.. BUt unfortunantly much of it gets to sound very similar and the songs all pretty much end up sounding the same. Donn Donni seemed a bit unresponsive during the set ..walking off during every break or solo and not getting into the show as I'd remembered him being at the Helstar show.

Finally Sad Wings took the Stage And Jason's Vocals were every bit as killer as they have always proven to be. Donning his best Halford Leather apperal complete with Sunglasses and Hat ,Jason tore into "Exciter" and they followed up with A full set off of " Unleashed in the east" . "The Ripper" was one of the best songs of the night ,with Jason nailing the song and the band playing each note to a T. The Band stuck to OLD school Priest tunes and Jason even announced That they were only playing tunes from the Pre Turbo lover era. Covering "The Green Manalishi",Genocide",Tyrant",Diamonds and rust" and "Delivering the goods " to name but a few. The crowd was especially thrilled to hear Jason doing "Victim of changes". BUt the stand out moment of the night Was when he brought out his 150 dollar chopper bicycle to the background sample of a roaring harley ! And the band breaking into "Hell bent for leather" as Jason sang sitting upon his roaring monster of a bike.The band was having a really good time and Jason was very into singing these songs. Both Stuart(IGNITOR) and Jason(Buried in Fire) played the songs as well as Tipton and Downing ever could. Stoney and Binks pounded out the bottom end on bass and drums with superb musicianship and I have to admit very few bassists have a Tone as Killer as Stoney does. Finishing of the set was "Electric eye" and the band had a blast jamming that last tune as the crowd screamed along. The sound was excellent as was the band and their fans.This is a band for all PRIEST FANS to see and watch live. I look forward to seeing them Jam again soon somewhere in the near future !

Necro Live at BB Kings in NYC Friday Sept. 8th 2006

SteveSaks — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 09:42:50 GMT

The Necro show at BB Kings Friday night Sept. 8th killed! All the acts were great..and in between each performer they played old school Metal cd's(Metallica Master Of Puppets) and stuff like that..very cool.

Rivera Regime/Sabac opened the show in killing fashion and got the crowd Jumping and ready for the night

Lord Ezec aka Danny Diablo....really kicked ass..He had a complete 2 guitar 1 bass and drums band and a dj scratching behind them..Never heard him before..But the place went crazy for him..He really got things going. He put alot of energy into his show and had the circle pit going big time...Now I gotta get his cd's!

ILL BILL was great, Played all his best "OverKill" "Peace Sells" and of course "What's Wrong With Bill?"...Jumpin all over the place...The crowd really liked him...total madness...Every act kicked ass...
Leading up to Headliner Necro.

What can I say about Necro...It was sick stuff...excellent show, the crowd was so pumped up.
Necro played alot of songs off his The Pre-Fix Of Death cd.
He opened with "Beautiful Music for you to die to" then went into ""The Dispensation Of Life And Death","Kill That Shit" Also in tow was Mr. Hyde on the second mic doing backing vocals for Necro's whole set.

Igor from Sepultura joined him onstage during the 4th song of the set...for a freestyle type of song where Igor laid down drum beats and Necro rapped over them (didn't know the name of this song) then Igor stayed onstage and played drums to "The Pre-Fix Of Death" and killed it.

When Necro played "Who's Ya Daddy?" He got all the girls up onstage and even had the crowd chanting "show them tits" or something like, the girls got more crazy a bit later which I will get to haha!...Then they jumped back into the crowd after the song was over and next up was "Bury You With Satan" and then "Murder Ya Life" Both sounded even better Live and Loud.

"You're All Dying" was next...and sounded killer, the whole crowd was singing along with every lyric, and live this sounded very very heavy,especially the chorus "You dispespect me, you're all fuckin dying!" Necro had the whole place screaming with him "You're all fuckin dying!"

"Get On Your Knees" was next and was an extended version as it became a wet T shirt, Show me your Titties show...haha! Necro called back all the girls back up onstage. Necro was spraying water everywhere and all over the girls onstage, By the end of the song it became damn near porno like I've never seen before at a NYC show...Needless to say the crowd enjoyed the view and Necro had several mouthfuls (read in between the lines) Sick stuff...But everyone was smiling ear to ear...nipple to nipple haha!

Igor from Sepultura came back out to join Necro for "Necrotura" from the Circle Of Tyrants cd. another great song, that sounds even heavier live with live drums added.

Next up was another COT song, "Take It In Blood" again heavy and sick...the crowd loved it. Necro truly was the "Master Of Puppets"

The last song was "Rugged Shit" very cool indeed. The crowd and Necro were killing it. I never realized how Hardcore the fans were for Necro and how Hardcore he was Live...This was Hardcore stuff, It had a definite Underground Metal feel to it..reminded me of the Old School days when kids just went to shows to have fun and kill it! Stage Diving, Pits, Tits...you name it.

After a minute or two of chanting "Necro,Necro" Necro came back for 2 more songs "The Most Sadistic" and his last song was "You're Fuckin Head Split" Killer way to close the show.

16 songs of Necro madness and insanity for NYC. All the acts on his Psycho+Logical label killed it live, each one better than the last, leading up to Necro who ruled the night. Glad I witnessed this Live, cause if someone told me what had happened, I probably wouldn't have believed them...It was that Killer!

I honestly never have been to a hip hop/rap show before, But I doubt they are like this...This was Very Metal and Very Hardcore...no Eminem shit here folks! Underground Old School shit, Heavy and Sick, actually reminded me of the good ol' days at L'Amours in Brooklyn when Anthrax played and the crowd was buzzing... Can't wait to see the Live DVD he's making. I won't forget tonight's show anytime soon. Necro proved why he is the most brutalest rapper on the planet. I highly recommend catching him when he plays live and most definitely get his DVD when he releases it to witness the insanity and Hardcore that is Necro. \m/

-SteveSaks

www.LivingForMetal.com

Texas Metal Health IV, Tribute to David Wayne

DZ2573 — Mon, 15 May 2006 11:20:39 GMT

Along with my brother (AceQ2k) I had the pleasure this weekend of experiencing some of Metal's newest Texas bands performing live here at Sam’s burger joint in San Antonio. For those of you who haven't been down to San Antonio, Sam's is a local diner\bar\club with great local and national acts performing weekly.
We arrived early enough to catch Reverend during their sound check and so we grabbed some nachos and waited for the doors to open. Being early paid off as we were lucky enough to get a free shirt for being one of the firsts to get in. The cover charge was $8 and was more than a great price for all 5 bands billed that night.
The club itself isn't a very large area , probably about a total of 3,000 square feet. The stage is rather small also so it's a very casual environment with lounge couches and circle booths in the back areas. You get a good shot of the stage anywhere you sit.
Ancient Cross opened up the show promptly at 8:30 with their original "Teach the child". And the first thing that I think everyone noticed were the 12” metal spike armbands he was wearing which I might add came courtesy of living for metal's own leather accessories. They looked killer on Michael and were every bit as fitting to Ancient Cross's image as well as their sound. I have to admit singer Michael Lance sounds even better live than he does on the samples found at their site. And Joe and Mike both delivered a great show of guitar playing. Rarely do I find a great guitar duo but with these 2 guys it's obvious they have been playing together for a long time. Each band was asked to cover a song from DAVID WAYNES career and almost all the bands chose to do a cover from Metal Church. Ancient Cross did a cover of "Beyond the Black" which sounding amazing with Michael's vocals.
Up next was Ignitor, fronted by Erica Swinnich (Formerly of Autumn Tears) with whom I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with before the show. Also being introduced for the 1st time was Annah the bands latest addition to the lineup. And for it being her 1st show with the band she fit in just perfect. Standing at nearly 6 feet tall she has a dominant presence on stage and can shred with the best of em'. I have always believed that the greatest things in life come in the smallest of packages and that holds true upon your first impression of Erica. She is about 5' tall with a voice that carries stronger than any 6' or 7' Giant could ever have. Live and up front I could see easily why she's been so talked about here on the local scene. The band opened up with "Take to the sky" followed by "Scarlet Enigma" a fairly new tune and kept it going with more off their "Take to the sky" debut. Ignitor chose to play "Metal Church" as their tribute song and while the song went over well with the audience, the set's closer "March to the Gulliotine" was by far the bands crusher. I look forward to hearing that one again on the bands upcoming CD.
Following Ignitor was Azrael's Bane which I had been especially looking forward to seeing live since I had heard so many good things from friends and fellow musicians. I was from start to finish blown away by the bands live show. Great songs and shredding leads is just a small part of the bands live show, throw in the five 5 part vocal harmonies and Rick Wards drumming and its a show of musical showmanship and style. The band opened with "Forbidden" a new tune soon to be released on the new album. They also played 2 other new songs "Save us all" and "Brother". The highlight of the night was when the band performed "Waiting" off their "Wings of innocence" debut CD . This song shreds with one of the most intense solos that I have ever heard and watching them play it live was amazing. They chose Metal Church's "Start the fire" as their tribute to David Wayne. The Band also performed "Diary of a madman" which was a special treat for me since I love RANDY RHOADS ! The band did a great cover of that song and closed the set with their Hit single "Shine" (which by the way can be found on their myspace page http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=3465465 )
If you haven't checked em out do yourself a favor and go to this site at least. You won't be disappointed!
Reverend soon took the stage with not one but 2 singers. As it turns out the band is still undecided as to who will front the band. First up was San Antonio local Rob Steel who dished out David's songs with a new vocal style adding some screams and growls that just were not a part of what I recall in David Waynes own style. Needless to say I was not that impressed by him as his stage presence was a bit off and at times the vocals sounding a bit too growlish for me. The band did some new songs with Rob on vocals and then came up Erik Wayne (who I was told is NOT David Waynes brother and just happens to have the same last name) When I first got to the club I had heard him during the sound check (which was kinda shaky on his part) so I had a good idea of his sound. After several songs the band broke into " Scattered Witts" and it was at this point that Erik fell into his own. Filling the shoes of David Wayne's is no easy task for any one singer, yet after I heard him sing that song then go on to sing (with as much emotion as he could find in his soul)"Gods of Wrath" . I was more than sure that REVEREND, who will have to choose between these 2 guys will make the right choice. Either way Reverend will live on.
As the last band to find their way to the stage, Austin's own DRIFTER plays Iron Maidens tunes as close as you can get to the real band. I had a chance to speak with Bassist Stoney Grantham (who is also the bassist for SHADOWKEEP) before the show. A great guy he was really cool and added that Shadowkeeps new album is done and will hopefully be available for release soon. When a band takes on the challenge of performing a great band such as Iron Maiden you automatically think of Bruce's vocals. And with no exception HOMER SALDANA vocalist for Drifter can hold his own and then some. The guy nailed all his notes and sang his ass off. Covering maidens " The Trooper" with ease and then to top it off breaking into the epic 11 minute "Rhyme of the ancient mariner". Stoneys bass playing was and is by far the best part of Drifters performance. I had to look onstage and make sure Steve Harris wasn't hiding behind a speaker somewhere! "Killers" was also another highlight for me, and done as good as the original. The band chose "Watch the children pray" and absolutely nailed the song.
Over all it was a great night of Metal and for me it had been a long time since I had gone to a show and enjoyed each and every band. I feel lucky to have been there and witnessed this show as it was all for a great cause and I look forward to next years show!
Some new pics will be posted up on my space later today so check back for a link at this Post !

HELSTAR ! JUNE 10th Reunion SHOW !!!!!!!

DZ2573 — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 11:25:13 GMT

It was April of 1986 when I first got my taste of seeing Helstar live and in the flesh along with metal greats Anthrax and Watchtower, it was a year that changed much of the metal scene in Texas and all the great shows came through that year. There are too many to list I can tell you that. 20 years have passed and it seems like nothing has changed for the band Helstar who have recently reunited to put on a show that is not only a reunion for the band but also for its fans.

As I waited anxiously all week for the show Saturday and cranked every Helstar album in sight I thought back to how incredible the local scene was here and how amazing the talent was. As Saturday finally rolled around, I was almost like a child at x-mas morning opening his presents. It had been a long while since I had last been to The White Rabbit and soon found that the overall venue had been changed to accommodate for more people with the addition of an outside patio which with the Texas heat wasn’t much help as the club itself has no AC either. My brother and I arrived early enough to score a free commemorative t-shirt with the bands listed on the back and “Robbs Metal works” on the front. I ran into Robb soon after and we spoke for a bit about the show and the fans that had arrived from as far away as Houston to California and how distance could not be a factor. After all it was to see HELSTAR !

It was only 6 pm and the show would not start till 7:50 with the first band being a young trio local act named “NO BALLADS”. A Modern Thrash outfit with an impressive amount of energy and attitude the band is just beginning to take off. The band was fresh and young with a sound similar to early Slayer and Violence. I caught only half of their set before heading back to the patio to chat with some local bands. It was amazing to see a lot of the same people here for this show that I had seen almost 20 yrs ago. METAL lives forever in our blood it seems. The band did a short set and next up was Symphonic Black Metal band –Vesparian Sorrow . I will admit that I have never been a huge fan of Black metal but these guys really sounded good. Recently coming off a tour in Europe the bands, sound is heavy and dark with excellent shredding leads from James and William. The bands vocalist Donn Donni has a massive stage presence and his vocals are deep and gritty when he goes low and maintains a good tone even when he sings in his mid. I’ve made it a point to listen to this band more later. As for the symphonic tag on the bands genre listing, I only heard a few snippets near the end of their set. Not sure if that was the PA or sound guys deal but I can say for the most part that it was Pre recorded from what I did hear and it just did not stand out as well.

By this time in the night more familiar faces showed up and people and friends that I had not seen in years were all flooding in catching up on old times and new. In a sense, what turned out to be a reunion for the band Helstar may very well have been a bigger reunion for their fans. I was lucky enough to meet up with some fellow Myspace users and even luckier to see friends I had not seen in years!

Thrash Veterans Rotting Corpse took the stage soon after and played a great set offering new and old tunes from their career. Bassist Steve Murphy and guitarist Luke Murphy were at their best and played a great set. Vocalist Walter Trachsler was really into the show and even smashed his guitar at the sets end with one lucky fan taking it home.

I was really looking forward to Phantom X by this time and I was not disappointed as Kevin Goocher (ex Omen Frontman) belted out the opening lines of “Pain Machine” I was floored at the bands tight sound and especially Eric Knudsons shredding guitar playing. I would see this band again without hesitation. If you have yet to get their debut CD “Rise of the phantom” I highly recommend it.

The set from Phantom X was killer and many friends who had not heard of the band were all very impressed and blown away.

By this time the crowd was piling into the Rabbit and was getting hyped and Robb’s metal works was filming and doing interviews outside in the patio area. Robb also had a giveaway scheduled for this time and 4 lucky people (not me) won some great prizes.

Helstar 3-cd pak: 'Nosferatru', 'Twas The Night Of A Hellish X-Mas' & 'Distant Thunder
Helstar 3-cd pak & Metalblade t-shirt
Helstar 3-cd pak, Metalblade t-shirt & Metalblade hoodie
a 24x36 vinyl Showcase poster autographed by ALL the bands; there will only be 2 of these in existence!!

The Helstar reunion shirts were 20 bucks each and I picked up 3 of them. With the Helstar logo on front and the bands recent picture on the back the shirts are red and black.

I loaded up on another beer, made my way up front near the stage as Robb introduced Helstar and the opening notes of “Unidos por tristeza” came on, and the band took the stage blasting into “Remnants of War”. Larry armed with his black skulls “Robin” guitar and Rob with his “Carvin” guitar (which I must say is a SWEET ass guitar). Jerry came out thumping away on his black bass and wearing an old Helstar shirt.

As the first line of vocals came out James was yet to take the stage. Turns out he was fiddling with the wireless mike which kept going out thru the first 2 songs. James commented on how you cannot rely much on wireless mikes and he pretty much stuck to the back up mike, which he used throughout the show. The band played flawlessly thru the first 4 songs as if they had written them yesterday. I swear James had a smile a mile long just being up there and doing his thing all the while staring over at Larry and Robb and letting it all sink in that HELSTAR was back and kicking ass and taking names!

The fifth song of the night was “Destroyer” and as James put it, was a bitch of a song to do live, but as Larry and Rob broke into the dual lead intro of the song it was evident that they could have done this in their sleep. The band played each song off the album with a passion that made even the Remastered CD sound pale in comparison. As “Angel of death “ ended the guys played the classic “Burning star” which got the crowd pumped up.

Fists pumped the air and heads banged all around as even I myself had my horns up and had a chance to get a handshake from James. Nearing the end of the set James also announced that it was Jerry’s B-day also which was all the more reason for it to be extra special for the band. “The King is Dead “ soon followed and again the crowd was riled up as throughout the whole song they sang along. I could tell this made James all the happier as he held the mike out to the crowd as they shouted the chorus. The band then took a minute to thank the fans and were filing up front and making their exits but with the crowds chants soon came back out for one last song. Larry flowed thru the intro for “Baptized in Blood” (which sounded absolutely amazing) and James came out sounding superb as the band played this tune with complete energy and power. I have to say it was my favorite song of the night.

And as soon as it had started it was over as the band said their final farewells and waved goodbye. Russel came out from behind his set and threw some sticks out, I waved my fist up and he threw one out at me that I was lucky enough to catch.

The band then came out and met with the fans and signed every and anything they could. It was amazing to see so many people bringing their vinyl albums to be autographed by Helstar. I had a chance to get my shirt signed and got a great pic of me and James showing off the shirt with the “Living 4 metal” note that he wrote on the top of it.

I also let him know that they would have to come back in 3 years to do the “Nosferatu” album. I will do anything in my power to see that happen here in SA as well it would make for a great 7^th annual Robb’s Metal works showcase !

I personally want to Thank Robb for bringing us a great show and to all the fellow friends and fans that showed up to make it a great time. I had a blast being around all my old friends. Until the next Helstar show –KEEP IT METAL !!!!!!

Here are some band links for all the bands on the bill:

NO BALLADS - http://www.myspace.com/noballads

VESPARIAN SORROW - http://www.myspace.com/vesperian

ROTTING CORPSE - http://www.myspace.com/rottingcorpsethrash

PHANTOM X - http://www.phantom-x.net/page/page/2229453.htm

Pics from the show!!!!!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dz2573/my_photos

DZ.

The Bled- Pass The Flask

ramfacedboy — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 11:58:03 GMT

The Bled, a hardcore act out of Tucson, AZ, the same birthplace as pop-emo act Jimmy Eat World, debut with their album Pass The Flask. Now, to be perfectly honest, I purchased to follow up to Pass The Flask, Found In The Flood, before i heard this album, so my opinion may be a little biased, as i love their follow up.

The album starts off strong with the track Red Wedding, that's about as subtle as a kick in the teeth, no melodic vocals here, only screams. guitar work is simple, but both parts add a complexity found frequently in the hardcore scene. The song slows down into a heavy, brutal breakdown that prepares well for thre next song.

Track 2, You Know Who's a Seatbelt, starts off with an almost prog rock type intro, that slowly build into a chopped up, catchy song. This being one of my favorites on the album, mostly for the 3 guitar parts looping over eachother about 1/2 way through, that sounds amazing. Only complaint here, is the song may drag out a little, and by the end, does become a little repetitive, but still a highlight.

I Never Met Another Gemini moves along, blending into the first song on the album with any singing, not good singing,but singing nonetheless. The Bled keep things interesting with some strange transitions and riffs that are definately worth a few listens to just be able to catch every little detail. The drum machine outro is a nice deetal that transitions great.

Ruth Buzzi Better Watch Her Back starts off with some nice discords, if that can be said of discords, haha. This song is full of breakdowns that morph into choruses and verses. Essentially this song is a huge breakdown with a chorus.

Sound Of Suffer has some great guitar work, and the vocals are some of the best on the whole album, they've got the perfect intensity and volume. James has this ability to fit the lyrics perfectly into the guitar work, while not being the most amazing singer in the world, still can hold his own in the throat destroying department. This song is probably the only song that ever has any major chords in it, sounding the most "happy", if you will by the end.

Porcelain Hearts And Hammers For Teeth is my favorite song on the whole album. No, James cannot sing all that well, he's a bit tone deaf, but this song just build and build, until all of the sudden, it just rips apart any prior thoughts you had about the song. The instant break into the main verse is completely unexpected. Again, no lack for unique guitar work here, using all sorts of different styles to create a sound that is entirely unique to The Bled. At about 3:30, it develops some strange tempo work that is a little hard to follow, but impressive just the same.

Get Up You Son of a B****, Cause Mickey Loves Ya is the most aggressive song on the album, moving along quickly, full of discords, and erratic drumming. being only 1:30, it uses the time wisely.

Spitshine SOnata is the simplest song on the elbum in terms of structure and how it moves along, not without the trademark breakdown either, that by this point do get a little tiresome, especially if you listen to the whole album in one sitting. It slows down into this beautiful pre intro that has some nice reverse guitar effects, then goes back into the first verse. Another breakdwon at the end with some cool guitar discords.

We Are The Industry, obvious enough in what it's about, still retains the simplicity of Spitshine Sonata, with a variance of ups and downs, and tempo changes. Not my favorite of the album, but still a good song.

Nothing We Say Leaves This Room starts the end of the album perfectly, i love this song, in that it's extremely erratic, and i'm a sucker for wicked drummers. The intro of this song is almost reminiscent of Dillinger Escape Plan, but still retains a melodic sensibility. The outro of this song is great, all players bring something to the table, it finishes off the album well.

SO.... The verdict now. Personally I love this band. Personal feelings aside, the albums is guilty of a few things.

1. The breakdowns grow tiresome.

2. The album is without extreme variance. it all sounds extremely alike.

3. James can't really sing, he should get one of his guitar players or his bass player to give it a hack.

4. NO SOLO'S

The pluses of this album are,

1.It's pretty refreshing within the hardcore scene, doesn't borrow heavily from swedish metal, mainly because it wouldn't fit

2. These guys are AMAZINGLY talented.

3. Vocal carnage is decent

If you want to hear this band, buy found in the flood, it's a better album, but if you like found in the flood, buy pass the flask.

So, that being said, this album recieves a 3 out of 5. If you disagree, AWESOME! tell me why, if you agree, then i guess i was right.

any questions, comments, or thoughts, PM me, or email me.

Cheers,

Brett

Overkill - live at Jaxx 2/18/2006

voodoo — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 09:17:53 GMT

Me and my buddy decided to go late, as we did not want to stand outside in line in 20 degree weather, and the opening bands did not appeal to us much. Maybe they were good, who knows, but we felt that getting there for Prong then Overkill would be enough. So we got there around 9:45 and Eyes of Fire were just finishing their set. Only heard the last song so I cannot comment on them - it just wouldn't be fair. So I'll start with Prong.

I had seen Prong way back in either 91 or 92 when they opened for Ozzy on the No More Tours tour. Didn't like them back then and I didn't like them last night either. The guitar tone was entirely too monotonous and the vocals were uninspiring. The had a nice pit going, though, but that is about it. I just wanted to see Overkill.

Overkill came on around 11:45 or so and rocked the house. I have to admit that while I have 3 of their cd's I am not really familiar with their music enough to identify all of the songs they played. My buddy is a huge Overkill fan and he named most of them for me. I do know they played Rotten to the Core, Overkill, Hello from the Gutter, Necroshine, Overkill, Coma, Thanx for Nothin, Fuck You, Old School, Elimination, Battle, and a couple of others I don't remember. These guys had great energy on stage. Singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth still has great pipes - he seemed to hit all the notes easily. Drummer Tim Mallare was playing so fast I couldn't keep track of his hands. It was great. My buddy is an Overkill groupie so after the show he went off to the side where "backstage" is and got close enough to shake DD Verni's hand and one of the guitar players hand. He was so happy. Then we had to go back down to the pit area so he could get a picture of the drum kit.

It was a real good show. Overkill, even after all these years and so many albums, still can bring it just like the young guys. They are a hell of a lot better than most young guys, too. Very impressive show. Glad I was able to get there.

Review

VampireTim — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 03:15:14 GMT

http://www.vampire-magazine.com/album_reviews/volbeat/40311_volbeat_the_strength_the_sound_the_songs.html

Reviewers Wanted!!

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Green Carnation- Light of Day, Day of Darkness

Jeremy — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 15:56:04 GMT

Green Carnation was formed in 1990 by Tchort, Chris Botteri, X-Botteri, and Anders Kobro as a death metal band. A demo was released in 92', but they essentially disbanded when Tchort left to fill bass duties for the legendary Norwegian black metal band Emperor. They eventually regrouped as In The Woods.... Green Carnation later reformed in 98' and released their debut in 2000. In 2001 they began work on Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness and it was released in 2002.

The album is the one long atmospheric doom metal track (about 60 min long), but what a song it is. It just happens to be one of the best songs I have ever heard. With most bands a song would start to drag on after 8 minutes, but after all the times I have heard the album I can honestly say that I have never been bored with it. It is so much more than music to be listened to, I would call it a journey to be experienced. The changes in the album keep you excited to hear what is going to happen next. The album features a children's choir, an opera choir, even a string ensemble. At about half way through the album, there is even a soprano style vocalist singing in a middle-eastern style melody right before it goes right back to the doomy atmospheric metal that this band does so well. The emotion in the music shows how much Tchort poured his heart and soul into this beautiful epic. I can only imagine the hard work Tchort must have gone through to make this vision a reality.

The only negative that I can think of is how the album IS a 60 minute long song that should be heard all at once to truly be appreciated. Breaking it up would make it lose some of what makes it so special. So for people who have work or school or pretty much anything that consumes most of their availability, might have difficulty finding the time to listen to this album. But if you ever have an hour in your day that you won't have to worry about anything, that you can relax and still be able to concentrate on the album, like a weekend or day off, you will not be dissapointed. I would rate the music a 10/10, but for the inconvenience of most listeners not always being available to really enjoy the album, I give it a 9.75/10.

Exodus - Force of Habit

thrashassault — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:25:01 GMT

Exodus - Force Of Habit
Capitol Records
1992

6 out of 10

One day I was at the record store willing to spend a good amount of money to expand my metal collection. That day I meet a new friend while ease dropping on his conversation about Vio-lence. Tony was my age but during the 80's and was totally into heavy metal. He recommended me to pick up Exodus’s Force Of Habit for two dollars. I was a little leery at first because I heard so many bad things about it. Well I bought it and at first I didn't really care for it. But the other day I got it off the shelf and decided to give it another spin. This album has got some fucking killer riffs. It definitely isn’t like there earlier albums. It has more of a grove feel to it then a thrash feel. But thrash was starting to die off in the 90's and bands were experimenting with the sound every chance they got.

The album starts off with Thorn in My Side. This song has some good heavy riffing and some good singing in it. This song definitely sets the tone for the rest of the album displaying a good groove feel.

Me, Myself & I has a kick ass intro. Then goes into a good versus but then into an ok chorus. It is almost if Exodus ran out of good riffs and just hurried up and stuck anything together. Though I do have to give credit to the gang vocals during the chorus, because I love gang vocals!

I'm going to skip through the album cause "most" of the songs are good but not worth a whole lot of mentioning.

Good Day to Die has a very awesome acoustic intro. To bad the rest of the song is pretty forgettable.

Well the album finally ends after 13 songs with Feeding Time at the Zoo. It’s almost like a M.O.D. song with the goofy lyrics and concept of being eaten by zoo animals. This is probably the best song on the album and the most Exodus sounding song. This song could have been on Fabulous Disaster easily.

The only song that I really hated was Bitch. It has some kind of groove rock with brass instruments and totally doesn't work. Ska and Metal??? I recommend this album if you really like Exodus. It’s worth having for the 3 or 4 good songs. If you’re looking for a good thrash metal album this isn't for you.

Carpathian Forest - Strange Old Brew

Efilnikufesin — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 21:03:17 GMT

Carpathian Forest – Strange Old Brew

AvantGarde Music
2000
10 / 10

Originally from the small town of Sandnes, Norway, a small band named Enthrone was blossoming. Eventually they changed their name to Carpathian Forest. This band, although not a staple of black metal managed to put together a several CD’s, all of which deserve a review, yet this one, deserves the most recognition of them all.

Strange Old Brew, probably the most well known CD by Carpathian Forest, is filled with black metal of killer proportions. This CD, a total of 12 songs, would have made up a staple black metal CD had it been released earlier. Although it lacks the raw energy and unmastered quality of Darkthrone’s earlier works, it seems to have a raw energy of its own, brought upon by the sick humor of the bands frontman, R. Nattefrost. Songs such as the House of the Whipcord, and the Good Ole Enema Treatment, are merely instrumentals, with women orgasming in the background. However once you get past the sick humor, songs like Bloodcleansing and Mask of the Slave give them an edge in the originality department. They have things in their music such as timpani, and that makes it seem almost at a satanic ritual, with the sacrifice. Ironically, that is in the song Martyr / Sacrificulum.

I would recommend this CD to anyone with a sick sense of humor, and looking for a semi-original black metal cd.

Kataklysm Shadows and Dust Album

Kataklysm_Metal_Head — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 06:33:38 GMT

Shadows and dust is another great album by kataklysm. ::cool: Kataklysm is contiuning to inpress me with their albums.

This is another album I would pick up if you into death metal.

Kataklysm Serenity in Fire Album

Kataklysm_Metal_Head — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 06:27:57 GMT

Serenity in Fire is probably the best kataklysm album yet! Every song on the album is good. Songs like "As I Slither" and " Serenity in Fire" are wicked songs! If you want to see the music video "As I slither" go here http://homepage.mac.com/avjoe/videos/iMovieTheater62.html

soulfly - dark ages

captmellow — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 00:24:04 GMT

when i think of brazil, i think of several things.

first, i think of the group of brazilian script kiddies who defaced a web site which i'd had the poor judgement to use php-nuke as a cms for. they'd used an old news module hack to perform a cookie-cutter attack on mine and 18 other similar sites that morning.

secondly, i think of some of the great metal which has come out of brazil. of course the first brazilian metal band which any serious metalhead would know of is sepultura, who have been quite prolific over the years. 'arise' stands as a classic thrash album. however, when they released 'roots' they had begun delving into a tribal-sounding, 'world music' sound which alienated more than a few fans who appreciated sepultura's thrash sound. also, they ousted their frontman max calvera. max then formed soulfly, which continued this tribal sound.

with soulfly's latest, 'dark ages', soulfly has changed their sound. max has returned to writing some excellent thrash metal. the world music sound is still there, but definitely not in the forefront. this album has caused ppl who have derided soulfly's tribal sound to concede that soulfly is beginning to kick some serious ass. this is their strongest album by far.

* the dark ages: ambient noise, really just an intro to:
* babylon: tribal drums and a chugging riff leads into a foot-tapping, mid-tempo tune. a second guitar does a consistent, ambient sort of wailing throughout.
* i and i: this is a decent thrash tune. a very nice speed riff w/ the standard oom-pa oom-pa thrash drum pattern which always amuses me b/c it reminds me of polka music lol. there are some great rhythm changes, and there is quite a 'world music' interlude (it is soulfly, after all).
* carved inside: heavy flanger on the bass at the beginning, sounds very cool. joined by guitars, then going into a driving, dramatic sound.
* arise again: this song has great composition. melodic. dramatic. majestic, even.
* molotov: killer opening w/ the anthemic shouts and wailing guitar. rollicking, groovy sounding solo.
* frontlines: thrash, baby. awesome hammer-on-pull-off riff, and the oom-pa drum pattern is going strong here. great solo. great transition to the ending. awesome tune.
* inner spirit: it gets pretty tribal here, as you can guess from the song title. there is some decent rigging though. the vocals are very clean and soft-sounding in most parts, singing about ancient prophecy and whatever. this is the kind of song where you would picture someone doing some cliché pose w/ their hands stretched upward & some moon-eyed expression on their face.
* corrosion creeps: decent chugging riffs. double-bass. but it feels mid-tempo. it definitely picks up in the middle for a bit, then goes tribal towards the end.
* riotstarter: major tribal sound here. in fact, there's nothing metal-sounding until 1:44, then a droning bass backs up a scintillating, echoey guitar riff and an intermittent siren-type sound. pretty cool sounding, groovy tune.
* bleak: this one's pretty laid back, but still aggressive sounding. a stomping-dinosaur-sounding bridge goes into a few different parts of the song, including a really weird ending.
* (the) march: this brief tune sounds downright industrial/techno.
* fuel the hate: angry-sounding riffs and vocals. politically-charged song about the beginning of the nuclear age. aaargh the annoying bird-chirping tribal interlude makes me want to nuke some freaking jungle.
* staystrong: cool, driving tune. cool title, too. but it's interwoven w/ a really unfortunate tribal-sounding part w/ some truly wretched, affected vocals which sets my teeth on edge.
* soulfly v: the last song is something of a soulfly tradition. every soulfly album has a song titled 'soulfly #' (i.e. soulfy i, soulfly ii, etc.). now all the previous soulfly songs have been these sexayyyy sounding, "c'mere baby" kind of songs which only serve one purpose, and that's to get w/ your woman for some lovin', and w/ the brazilian tribal sound, you could have some kind of tarzan-and-jane-in-the-jungle thing going on w/ your groove. but 'soulfly v' is different, and i'd say much better. it's still great music to boink to, but it sounds like some sweet, mellow jimi hendrix tune, much more guitar-driven.

HIM:Dark Light

Sinner666 — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 19:23:01 GMT

HIM:Dark Light

Sire Records

2005

10/10

Dark Light marks the latest release from the Finnish metal band, HIM. And might I say, this album surprised me by being as amazing as it is.

The most noteable trait of this album is the vocals. Past HIM fans may recognize the different sounding vocals in this album compared to earlier ones. But not only are the vocals recognizably brilliant, but the lyrics are also a change for the best. Instead of a simple "I love you, you love me" theme of most of their songs, they have a deeper message to realize other than love.

A good example of this is Face of God. It not only has an amzing beat and feel to it, but it gets deeper and more intimate than the thought of love. But it still pretty much says "I love you".

It's hard to pick an amazing song to describe from this album. All the songs are amazing! So i've decided to go with the single from this album, Rip Off The Wings Of A Butterfly

Rip Off The Wings Of A Butterfly isn't exactly the best poetry, but the song certainly makes up for this error. This song can keep any fan listening over and over for hours. The guitar entrance is also a different approach used in a lot of the songs on this album. The intro is also played many times throughout the song, setting most of the feeling to this song. Along with amazing guitar comes amazing vocals, which i have previously mentioned. Everything in this song is overall amazing!

In my point of view this is probrably their best album! However I haven't heard but two of their previous albums.

But HIM is definitely more for the alternative metal fans. Still good for any metal fans though

Sonata Arctica:Reckoning Night

Sinner666 — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 18:42:12 GMT

Sonata Arctica:Reckoning Night

Nuclear Blast Records

2004

9/10

Sonata Arctica is one of those bands that can not only keep a fan hooked for years, but also give that same fan an individual sensation. They create a very original based sound for the fans and keep all of the songs interesting.

With Reckoning Night being their latest release, they seem to have kept that tradition.

The opening track to this cd explains easily how amazing they are. It opens up with a fast beat with blazing guitar and keyboards - but all of a sudden stops... and opens up to a new beat entirely. A brilliant idea. It not only sounded great, but its also an original idea.

Also, as you listen to the cd, most of the songs fade into each other. A better explanation of this is a song going right into the next song without stopping. It's hard to explain in words (but thats why you need to listen!).

Another amazing song on this cd is Wildfire. For the first thirty seconds or so, its a man talking to another man (however the second man justs laughs and sobs a little, representing a split personality). Soon after this the song opens into a fast beat. Followed up by this is a heavy metal guitar riff and mystic-sounding keyboards. Sadly, however, you can't much hear the bass...

As an addition to this already amazing album there is a bonus track on this album! Not on the track list, but revealied if listened to on the computer or listening to the whole last song. I'll leave this song as a surprise to fans (although most should expect to be dissappointed - a forewarning).

If i had to describe this album in one word, it would be fantastic.

Another great addition to their many albums (all of which are more than worth listening to).

Stay updated with these guys! I also heard (HEARD) that they're awesome in concert!

cryptopsy: once was not

captmellow — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 23:25:16 GMT

cryptopsy is one of the premier technical death metal bands to hail from north america, and imo the best from canada.

* luminum: this song is really more of an intro--a short atmospheric piece. the sound of wind and a synth is the backdrop to a cascading acoustical melody, which is finally joined by a distant sounding guitar riff.
* in the kingdom where everything dies, the sky is mortal: this song has an interesting beginning, w/ a few dramatic starts/stops, which builds into the rest of the song. there are a lot of different riffs, a few side trips into some fairly jazzy sounding parts. at the end it revisists the theme of the preceding song 'luminum' by briefly repeating part of its acoustical melody.
* carrionshine: this song wastes no time in getting up to speed. quite the blastbeats going here. flo's really working the double bass drums. at 1:48 there is a thunderous explosion that is so gratifying--i just know that there will be pyrotechnics going off at that moment when this song is played live.
* adeste infidelis: this song has a remarkable segment in the middle w/ a brief narration in english and french, followed by a solo. i can't be bothered to decipher the words. but yes, this song actually has a solo.
* the curse of the great: this song starts slowly, deliberately. lord worm's voice works great w/ the plodding, sinister melody. then it picks up into a downright groovy sounding rhythm and some killer drumwork. the song interweaves the opening melody w/ some other great riffing.
* the frantic pace of dying: quite a trippy intro, w/ distorted piano reminding me a bit of some old beatles. no worries, though, it quickly becomes very headbang-able. then this awesome riff is introduced which sounds like it was lifted from some classical music. it quickly switches again (like cryptopsy often does) to some straightforward chugging and riffing, but then, wow, at 3:37 the classical sounding riff returns, this time totally in the forefront w/ a chilling violin/organ sounding like it's being played in a big creepy cavern. very cool. then at the end, the trippy piano returns.
* keeping the cadaver dogs busy: this song starts out w/ a totally jazzy sound, then quickly switching to a killer, sliding riff. there is a really big low tom sound which goes great w/ the plodding chorus--so cool sounding. this is easily the most jazzy of the songs. there's a lot of stuttering, improvisational stuff going on.
* angelskingarden: serene synths open this song. but of course then it breaks right into some killer blastbeats, some nice chugging rhythms, some discordant-yet-beautiful riffs. there are also some quite groovy riffs, which lope along like some cool-looking dog. they even fit in a dramatic orchestral sounding segment, which is backdrop to a very nice solo.
* the pestilence that walketh in darkness (Psalm 91:5-8): wow, this song starts out so cool. first a few notes in clear electric guitar, then kicking in the distortion to do an almost black metal-sounding bit of strumming as the scripture is read. then flo gets to pick it up on his drums as the more conventional riffing begins.
* the end: very weird synths and ambient sounds eventually give way to a decidedly egyptian sound. this song is really an intro to:
* endless cemetary: this song had a similar feel to 'the curse of the great' at the beginning. the egyptian-sounding riffs from 'the end' reappear later on in here, though done quite heavily this time. the solo here is backed by a fairly intricate melody which complements it well, culminating in a harmony. the song ends abruptly, and so does the album. you're left wanting more--and that's a good thing.

iron maiden: death on the road

captmellow — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 20:24:04 GMT

i was quite intimately acquainted w/ maiden's first 4 albums or so, but after my disappointment w/ powerslave, i began delving into black and thrash metal, and so i lost touch w/ maiden. so most of the stuff on this album is new to me.

* 'wildest dream' is okay. i've never heard it. kind of an anthemic chorus--kind of annoying, to tell you the truth.
* 'wrathchild' is of course one of their best songs off 'killers', and this live rendition has the audience joining in during the chorus. the live sound is poor, though, and consequently steve's opening bass line is muffled. they take a few liberties w/ the solos, but it's decently done--nothing is screwed up.
* 'can i play w/ madness' is another of those songs from after maiden disappeared off my radar (post-powerslave). the use of the cowbell invokes memories of grand funk railroad's 'american band'. the song just sounds too disjointed, but that's what happens when one hears something for the first time and it happens to be live.
* 'the trooper' from 'piece of mind' is of course a classic, flawlessly played.
* 'dance of death', which i've not heard before, is one of those drawn-out epics. lots of medieval-sounding melodies, which bruce's accent lends itself well to. actually once the song gets going it's quite decent.
* 'rainmaker' starts out w/ an appropriate rainstorm sound effect. never heard this one either. lots of melody. hmmmm not really gripping.
* i haven't heard 'brave new world'. it starts extremely mellow, and it better pick up quickly before i jump to the next song. hmmmm okay, more anthemic tripe. next.
* 'paschendale' is one i've never heard either. sounds like warfare sfx going now, no music. just a narration. hmmm another dramatic epic tune. it stops and starts repeatedly. once it's finally running on all cylinders, it fairly wails. they surely love their military history, it accounts for a significant percentage of their subject matter. unfortunately, this song is idling or warming up more than it is actually humming down the road.
* 'lord of the flies' starts out promisingly, though the weird riff sounds a bit too bizarre. once the gets going, it's more of the same.
* okay, i couldn't handle listening to the other newer maiden songs, so i've skipped ahead to 'iron maiden', which is classic. of course, w/ bruce singing instead of paul, it's just not the same--in fact, it sucks. bruce has just ruined this song w/ his weirdly affected inflections. but of course the music is flawlessly played, and the song itself kicks ass, so i guess bruce didn't really ruin it.
* skipping over 'journeyman' to 'number of the beast'. the vincent-price-sounding narration is identical to the classic album. bruce's singing is starting to suck worse. his range has diminished. he definitely favors the upper range now, and simply cannot do the lower stuff any more--like basically the first part of the song. he sounds out of breath to tell the truth. as i recall, his voice always improved when he put a foot up on a monitor, and it sounded terrible when he stood in that trademark metal vocalist crouch.
* 'run to the hills'--ahhhh yes. classic tune. aaaagh bruce is screwing it up again. geez dude i'm sure there's some young buck devotee for maiden, like judas priest had ripper owens. why don't you just hang it up and let someone w/ fresh pipes take over? then again, halford's still going strong, so the analogy does not quite hold.

Symphony X:The Odyssey

Sinner666 — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 19:05:06 GMT

Symphony X:The Odyssey

Inside Out Music

2002

7/10

Symphony X has through the years inspired bands and been inspired by bands. But for the most part, they have no trace of any influences. They are quite possibly the most original band I myself have ever seen. Every song has a different sound and a different melody.

However, they pretty much have Progressive Metal written all over them (in fact it even says file under Progressive Metal on the back of my cd).

Their latest addition to their many albums, The Odyssey, is no acception.

But there is one new approach taken with this album. Instead of basing each song on a different fictional fantasies, they write the whole album based entirely upon Greek Mythology.

The opening song, Inferno, has it's own mystical hints to it. The guitars and vocals are brilliant. The keyboards continue to amaze me. The drums and bass inspire me in my playing. This song expresses great teamwork and amazing talent. It gives off a strange feeling of adventure to the listener.

But thats the meaning of The Odyssey,no?

Throughout the album there is a very orchestral sound in the beginning or middle of the songs and then it all of a sudden changes to a fast, progressive beat.

But one of the greatest changes I've noticed in this album is the title track, The Odyssey. Not only a long song for this band (each of their songs ranging from four to thirteen minutes) but a long song for any band in particular. This song, lasting a full twenty four minutes, has to be the longest song I or anybody else has ever listened to. A genious blend of very classical orchestra and brilliant metal. The song is divided into eight parts, mostly instrumental. How they arranged this song, I have no idea. But an amazing song all together.

Rapping up a short cd of only eight tracks.

Overall, this album makes a great addition to any metal fan's collection!

Hirax - El Diablo Negro

thrashassault — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:54:17 GMT

Hirax - El Diablo Negro
Deep Six Records
2000
8 out of 10

El Diablo Negro was the first pulse from Hirax since the 80's. Well Hirax is back and thank god! This EP is actually a decent album. The production is really on the raw side. But for thrash metal that is not always such a negative thing. Since there are only three songs I will give my opinion on all three songs.

This album starts off with the song I See Blood Red. Main man Katon W. De Pena lets you know this too as he yells those words right at the beginning of the song. This song is a very crossover type sounding song. Its thrash but you can really tell that it has punk to it as well. Hirax has always done a good job at bordering the lines of crossover and thrash. The song is about a minute long but it is a very excellent song. You can just imagine the mosh pit as this song just destroys.

Slit Your Wrist (Anti-Suicide) is another thrash song kind of bordering punk. Not as much as the song I See Blood Red though. It is a decent song but not as memorable to me as the first and last song on this album.

The last song on this album is El Diablo Negro the title track of the EP. This song has a great drum beat to it. It will get you stomping your feat and banging your head in no time. The bass is featured a couple times in this song with a very sweet sounding riff. This song was actually rerecorded and put on there 2004 release "The New Age of Terror".

Since you can get the song El Diablo Negro on their new album it pretty much leaves this EP down to two songs. I think it is totally worth getting though because you get the song I See Blood Red. Also if you get the vinyl version it is a picture disc and looks neat hanging on the wall!!!

Dream Theater:Images and Words

Sinner666 — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:59:57 GMT

Dream Theater:Images And Words

Atco Records/Atlantic Recording

1992

8/10

Dream Theater is such an amazing band with enough songs to keep all fans busy for quite a while and enough talent to give each and every member an expression of their absolute skill in every song. Along with talent, they show a tremendous amount of team work (don't know how they keep track of all those songs!). With their teamwork, they combine many different styles of music to bring together one amazing sound. Part Progressive, part Jazz, part 80's metal... the list goes on!

Although,this album isn't much of a change from the band's usual sound.

The second album in a series of many albums to come! Images and Words, however, marks the first album with their new lead singer, James LaBrie. Other than the two singers previous to James, Dream Theater has managed to keep their line up very original.

Like the cover of the album, the songs are very beautiful, mysterious, and all around brilliant.

The first of eight songs on the album, [i]Pull Me Under[/i], proves just what this band has to offer! With the guitar playing a simple metal beat (with an occasional solo), the drums keeping a fast little beat to set the rythym of the song, the bass filling in the gaps that brings the song together, the singer letting out his new voice (highly Rush influenced, no?) through his absolute genious lyrics, and the keyboards do most of the work in putting the mystery and the beauty into this song. And putting this song as the opening track on the album? Only setting forth a series of 7 more amazing songs like this one.

Another song worth serious recognition off of this album is [i]Metropolis pt.1:The Miracle And The Sleeper[/i]. What sheer originality to have different parts to a song. Especially to have the other part(s) on different albums, keeping the listener in a state of suspense while waiting for the next part to reveal the rest of the poetry. However, this song is not much different than other songs on the cd. The keyboards set the feeling of the song. Guitar keeps it metal with blazing solos. Drums set an amazing beat. Bass leads the rhythm for the song (and leads into a short solo). Definitely a song to listen to!

Extraordinary creativity combined with suspense, mysticism, and mystery. Cram this together with amazing talent and 5 guys and you have one recipe for Dream Theater!

Keep listening and stay up to date with these guys! They're constantly releasing new stuff and going on tour. And if you started listening to Dream Theaterwith this album, just a word of advice, you have a lot to catch up on!

Overall, an awesome album for the progressive fans!

Nightwish:Oceanborn

Sinner666 — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 16:25:28 GMT

Nightwish - Oceanborn

Spinefarm Records/Century Media Records

1998

9.5/10

Oceanborn is the second studio album from the Finnish metal band, Nightwish. In this album, the sound performed by the musicians gives the listener the classic heavy metal sound along with a splash of fantasy. Mystic keyboards and heavy metal riffs combined with amazing lyrics and beautiful vocals bring together this amazing album. Keyboardist, Tuomas Holopainen, not only writes all the amazing lyrics sung for this album (and all other Nightwish albums), but also writes all the beats and riffs and produces the records. While producing the record, he was nice enough to throw in a special bonus track, Sleeping Sun (however, this is only found on the reissued version of the album)! Aside from the bonus track, Oceanborn offers ten tracks for your listening pleasure! The only downside of this album... it can get a little boring listening to the 5 and 6 minute tracks. But don't let that get in the way of enjoying the brilliant sound produced from this band! Hope everyone out there enjoys this album as much as I did!:D