FIST TO THE SKY- Upcoming Shows for May 2013...

Post #243

FIRST... This Saturday, May 11th, you can catch Fist To The Sky in Elgin, IL at the Tilted Kilt.
Show starts at 8pm. Other bands performing this night: Like A Storm and Man The Mighty.

But that's not all! A mere 11 days later, on May 22nd, they're performing on one of the stages as part of the 2013 HardDrive Live5 tour, featuring headliners Bullet For My Valentine and Halestorm at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI!!!

And, as always, remember to follow FIST TO THE SKY on Facebook, to stay up-to-date on all of their upcoming events!

BaleScream-Mark Of The Revenant (2013)

Post #242
BaleScream were featured in my recent reader's poll for Independent Band of the Year, and although they didn't win, they still caught my ear. In January they completed work on their debut EP, Mark Of The Revenant. It is now available to download, and let me tell you why you should get it...

BaleScream, from Newcastle Australia, are self-described as 'Melodic Death-Metal', and the label fits them well. Formed from the ashes of a Black Sabbath-tribute band, and a chance meeting at a Pantera tribute show, the members sought to write some serious, heavy and potent metal music. The riffs are fast and brutal, the vocals are a harsh variety of low-end hardcore screams and growls. However, the lyrics are very distinguished and those heavy riffs deliver solid melodies.

Mark of the Revenant starts off with the track 'Cyclonic Terror'- an environmentally conscious, brutally heavy piece that paints a realist view of the risks of neglect for the environment. It's a masterpiece of screaming guitar riffs, hardcore rhythms, and enraged vocals. The final chord of this song fades straight into the next, 'Fatality', and BaleScream are off and thrashing again, barely giving the listener a chance to catch their breath! 'Fatality' is a graphic, death-centric, hardcore song of aggression and malice. The riffs grind heavy, and a wicked laugh closes the song.

Again picking up immediately, the next track, 'Becoming the Revenant', is a little slower on the tempo, but is no less brutal and still demonically heavy. Guitar solos are alternately fast and melodic at the song's midpoint. (At this point the listener should check their neck for cramps from the headbanging they've surely been doing)

'Kusanagi' is the closing track on this powerful debut from Australia's best-kept secret in melodic death-metal. This song rivals 'Cyclonic Terror' for my favoring on this EP. The riffs are infused with addictive rhythms, and conjure comparisons to Trivium. As with all the previous songs, 'Kusanagi' provides ample guitar soloing, and maintains the fierce edge of death-metal. A thrilling conclusion to a powerful debut whose only drawback may be that it's over too soon. Suffice to say I'm already looking forward to more music from BaleScream. Following them on facebook wouldn't hurt, and you'll be up-to-date with any news they announce.

To download Mark Of The Revenant, visit: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/balescream

Remembering Slayer's Jeff Hanneman (1964-2013)

Post #241

In heavy metal music, few bands are as universally respected and idolized as Slayer. Because of Slayer's prominence within the genre, metalheads worldwide mourned the loss of Slayer's guitarist and songwriter Jeff Hanneman on Thursday, May 2nd from liver failure. Within Slayer's creative core, he was perhaps the most significant contributor, having penned music and lyrics for many of Slayer's most popular and controversial songs; several of them exclusively.

To me Jeff seemed to be Slayer's scholar of morbid human history. He always seemed to have a knack of exposing the most evil skeletons in our history's closets, and translating them into some of heavy metal's most memorable thrash songs.

To honor the life of Jeff Hanneman, today I will share with you a favorite Slayer song that he either wrote, or co-wrote, from each Slayer album or EP.

From Slayer's debut album Show No Mercy: 'Die By The Sword' (Hanneman)

From their EP Haunting the Chapel: 'Chemical Warfare' (Hanneman/King)

From their EP Hell Awaits: 'Hardening of the Arteries' (Hanneman)

From Reign In Blood: 'Angel of Death' (Hanneman)

From South Of Heaven: 'Behind The Crooked Cross' (Hanneman)

From Seasons In The Abyss: 'Dead Skin Mask' (Hanneman/Araya)

From Divine Intervention: 'SS-3' (Hanneman/King)

From Diabolus In Musica: 'Overt Enemy' (Hanneman)

From God Hates Us All: 'Bloodline' (Hanneman/King/Araya)

From Christ Illusion: 'Jihad' (Hanneman/Araya)

From World Painted Blood: 'Human Strain' (Hanneman/Araya)

Rest In Peace Jeff Hanneman.

Tribute Night at Reggies: Lights Out, Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell-Chicago (3-15-13)

Post #240
Tribute bands are everywhere. They are essentially cover-bands, but choose to focus on covering and paying tribute to specific artists. Often they will name themselves after a well known song, lyric, album or other theme easily associated with the bands they cover. I have heard of many of these kinds of bands over the years, but this was the first time I made it to an actual show since I began this blog. It was a great night of familiar tunes from some classic heavy metal artists. The tribute bands on this night: Lights Out, Judas Beast and Heaven and Hell-Chicago. The bands they were paying tribute to: UFO, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell/Dio.

Lights Out were the opening act, and they hit us with some killer rock and roll riffs from UFO's back-catalog, as well as a couple Michael Schenker tunes! Their guitarist even played the Gibson Flying V (Schenker's signature style of guitar!) They opened up with 'Hot N' Ready' from UFO's '78 Obsession album. They kept the show rolling from that point on, squeezing 13 songs into their set as the opening act.

They changed things up from one track to the next, covering some power ballads along with the hard-rockers. About half-way through the set they switched to the Michael Schenker Group, covering 'Armed and Ready' and 'Victim of Illusion', among others. My favorite part of their set was the closing number 'Rock Bottom', which featured an extended guitar solo and instrumental jam! Lead guitarist Joe Mazzuca kept the audience captivated for several minutes during this closing number.

I've always felt that Michael Schenker is an underrated guitarist. For some reason he remains largely in obscurity from the mainstream perspective, as most of his following is relegated to 'cult' status. I feel he deserves more respect for his contributions to metal than he seems to get. Lights Out were paying some of that overdue respect, and did justice for these songs from UFO and MSG.

Next up was Judas Beast, prepared as always to deliver "The ultimate Iron Maiden experience!"

This show started with the spoken intro, "Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win..." and they kicked off the show with 'Moonchild' from the Seventh Son album. True to their word, they really nailed the Maiden sound! They even had a 6-man line-up, with 3 lead guitarists (just like the real Maiden). Added to this was singer Dane McCartney sporting an 'Eddie' stocking cap (similar in style to the ones Bruce Dickinson is known to wear during live sets). Immediately following that they jumped into 'The Evil That Men Do', and it was evident that we were in for a wild ride!

It could not go without notice that Dane had an uncanny knack to imitate the sound of Bruce Dickinson's voice to such a convincing degree it would fool many die-hard Iron Maiden fans. In fact, for much of their show I would forget that I was not listening to the REAL Iron Maiden, they sounded that good! I needed to remind myself that this was only a tribute band. However, they performed each song with such enthusiasm and power, I would be tempted to call them a world-class Maiden tribute band.

If you need proof, you can see and hear for yourself in this youtube clip of 'Infinite Dreams'.

My favorite song they performed on this night was 'Still Life', from the Piece of Mind album. More of an obscure song, it has long been one of my favorites. I find the mood and melodies so haunting in this song, it captivates my imagination. I had always hoped to hear Iron Maiden play it whenever I've seen them in concert, but I've been unlucky so far. I must thank Judas Beast for including it in their set. As they did with so many songs on this night, they nailed it!

The band themselves seemed to be enjoying the crowd almost as much as we were enjoying them. They drew the audience into several moments of crowd-participation at every appropriate moment. The set-list itself was even a treat for the fans, as with each successive song it became apparent they were paying tribute to the Maiden England DVD, essentially re-creating that concert for the fans who knew of it. In the end only a couple songs were cut for time constraints. After all, there was still one tribute act left to perform...

...And then it was time for the headlining act: Heaven and Hell-Chicago!

With a large, white cross gracing the stage, and stage-smoke wafting into the room, the signature instrumental  track 'E5150' was played as the intro, while the band members took their places on-stage. Then, almost without warning, they instantly electrified the room with a killer, break-neck riff, we were all pumping our fists to 'Neon Knights'! Through the ages, every incarnation of Black Sabbath has been known to always deliver on one element in their music: heavy! This band had their instruments perfectly tuned and mixed to deliver that aspect with authority.

Since Ronnie James Dio passed away from cancer in 2010, I have been listening to almost every era of his music with near-religious regularity. Now, I was hearing a band with that same level of admiration for one of metal's biggest icons, performing those songs with a dedicated passion that was apparent in every move they made, every note they played. When they played 'Holy Diver', and did the proverbial 'horns' salute, the crowd responded in turn. This cultural phenomenon, \m/, has taken on a new significance when bands perform the works of Dio. This crowd knew that significance, and showed the deepest respect.

Although their singer wasn't quite on the same level of imitating Ronnie James Dio's voice as Dane McCartney was for Bruce Dickinson, he did have the range to sing the songs very well, including several Ozzy-era Sabbath songs! Although Judas Beast were hard to top in terms of the imitation factor, where Heaven and Hell-Chicago really impressed me was their choice of set-list. Not only did they cover songs from both the Ozzy- and Dio-fronted Black Sabbath, but they also did a number of songs from Dio's solo material and songs from his stint with Rainbow! Myself being a huge fan of both sides of Sabbath, this was a set list I had dreamed of hearing. I've seen Ozzy in concert, and I've seen the real Heaven and Hell. Always, I had hoped against the odds to hear one artist go back to the forgotten eras and perform a song or two. I wish I could have heard Ronnie sing 'War Pigs', or Ozzy sing 'Heaven and Hell'. With Heaven and Hell-Chicago spreading their song choices across the whole Sabbath/Dio career, this was the next best thing! The only thing that could have topped that might have been if they played Ozzy's 'Crazy Train', but perhaps that's an idea for another day...

I've never heard a few bands deliver as many timeless classics of heavy metal music as I did on this night. From the often overlooked classics from UFO, to a page from the touring history of Iron Maiden, to the nearly complete retrospective of Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Heaven and Hell, it would be hard to ask for a better combo of tribute bands in one night! Lights Out, Judas Beast, and Heaven & Hell-Chicago are all on facebook, and they play frequently in the Chicago area. Check out any of their upcoming shows, and you will be thanking me for the suggestion in no time.

For now, see what the show was like for us on the evening of March 15th...
Set lists were:

LIGHTS OUT
-Hot N' Ready
-This Kid's
-Only You Can Rock Me
-Mother Mary
-A Self Made Man
-Armed and Ready (MSG)
-Victim of Illusion (MSG)
-On and On (MSG)
-Too Hot to Handle
-Let it Roll
-Love to Love
-Lights Out
-Rock Bottom

JUDAS BEAST
-Moonchild
-The Evil That Men Do
-The Prisoner
-Still Life
-Die With Your Boots On
-Infinite Dreams
-Killers
-Can I Play With Madness
-Heaven Can Wait
-Wasted Years
-Iron Maiden
-Number Of The Beast
-Run To The Hills
-Hallowed be Thy Name

HEAVEN AND HELL-CHICAGO
-E5150 (intro)
-Neon Knights
-Children of the Sea
-Faeries Wear Boots
-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
-Holy Diver
-Don't Talk to Strangers
-Heaven and Hell
-Iron Man
-Bass Solo/Basically/N.I.B.
-The Man on the Silver Mountain
-Stargazer
-War Pigs
-The Last in Line
-The Mob Rules

Slide show of extra pix from the show:

FIST TO THE SKY Interview

Post # 239
As is traditional, I take a moment to interview the Independent Band of the Year after they have won the reader's poll. I might be a little behind schedule this year, but I did finally get around to asking some questions of this year's talented winner: Fist To The Sky. Vocalist/Bassist Mickey Murder responded on the band's behalf. Here's what he had to say:

HappyHeadbanger: How did you guys form Fist To The Sky?












Mickey Murder: Flipp and I are brothers, so we've been playing together for as long as I can remember. After a couple years we started looking for a second guitarist. That search lasted about ten minutes, Haha! We called up our cousin, Hollywood, and he loved the idea of joining up. The three of us knew what we wanted to do, the music we wanted to write and we all loved writing together. We eventually became Fist To The Sky in 2008.



HH: And how did you come up with that name for the band?

MM: Actually the name came from a lyric in one of the very first songs we wrote for the band. We don't play the song anymore, but we loved the idea of a band name. To us it means strength, and standing together, which is exactly what we and our fans do. There's just something very uniting about it, and it fits the band perfectly.

HH: I hear similarities to Avenged Sevenfold in your sound and have drawn some comparisons in my reviews of your music. Is that similarity intentional or coincidental?

MM: They, as well as countless other bands, are a big influence. We don't model our music after anyone else's, we just write what we think sounds kick-ass. We make music that we love to listen to.

HH: What other bands do you consider as influences or inspirations?

MM: For the modern stuff I'd say bands like Trivium, Bullet for My Valentine, Disturbed, etc. And of course, the classics like Metallica, Maiden, The Beatles. You can learn something new every time you listen to them.

HH: What is the farthest from home you have played a show?

MM: The farthest show was in St. Paul, MN at a place called Dean's Tavern.

HH: Who are your favorite bands?

MM: For me personally, Disturbed (can't wait for them to get back together!), Nine Inch Nails (can't wait for their new record!) and Alexisonfire (RIP)/City and Colour.

HH: What is your favorite movie?

MM: I'd have to go with Natural Born Killers. Classic.

HH: What's your favorite book?

MM: Harry Potter collection. Completely brilliant, doesn't matter who or how old you are.

HH: Do you have plans to play any shows coming up this Spring/Summer?

MM: Oh yeah! We are going to be playing with Bullet For My Valentine and Halestorm on May 22nd at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI. For ticket information just go to www.fisttothesky.com - This show will be off the hook! Some other plans are secret for the moment. Updates will be all over our website as well as our facebook page: www.facebook.com/fisttothesky very soon.

HH: Any concert tours you're looking forward to as fans?

MM: Device, David Draiman of Disturbed's new band, is going to be on tour this year, which should be a great show. I know I'll be there!

Thanks for giving FTTS this interview!

HH: You're very welcome! It sounds like you have an exciting summer planned ahead. Can't wait to see you guys live when I get a chance!

FIST TO THE SKY- 2 Shows This Weekend!

Post #238

Need a show to go to this weekend?!? HappyHeadbanger's Independent Band of the Year, FIST TO THE SKY have 2 shows for you!

First, on Friday the 29th at the Aloha Lounge in Libertyville, see FIST TO THE SKY, along with HappyHeadbanger's I.B.O.Y. runner-up INDOLENT and She Loves Seven. Show starts at 9pm!

Then, on Sunday the 31st, FTTS travel to the south Chicago 'burbs, for a show in Steger, IL at Another Hole in the Wall, opening for Hell or Highwater (featuring former drummer/singer of Atreyu). Showtime: 6pm!!

Don't miss your chance to see FIST TO THE SKY in action!

Celtachor-Nine Waves from the Shore

Post #237
In these times, heavy metal music is constantly evolving: creating new sounds or combinations of sounds, pairing elements of music from across various genres and subgenres of rock and metal. When I discovered Celtachor, who describe their genre as "Irish Blackened Folk Metal" I was immediately intrigued to hear what they sound like.

Their debut CD is titled Nine Waves From The Shore, and can be purchased through http://www.celtachor.com/ or find them on facebook. True to their description, they clearly have a strong black-metal influence. Add to this the traditional Celtic-style susato whistle, some acoustic guitars, and abundant references to Irish Mythology and you can't call this music anything other than 'Irish Blackened Folk Metal'.

The black-metal style is the first impression you get as you begin listening to the first track: 'The Landing: Amergin's Conquest'. After a fade-in sound of waves crashing into the shore, heavy thrash-style riffs bombard you along with thundering bass-drumming. The lyrics tell the story of Amergin's conquest of Ireland, part of the Invasion Cycles of Ireland's Mythology. Specifically this epic, ten-minute song recants the the tale of how Amergin, The Druid of the Gael, leads his people to claim the land from the Tuatha, avenging the death of Ith in the process. Each successive song proceeds to bring light to other tales from the same era.

Vocals are shrieked or screamed throughout, clinging close to the known style of black-metal. It is when the susato whistle enters the mix, providing Celtic folk-style melodies, that Celtachor set themselves apart from the crowd. The music of Celtachor has an ebb and flow to it, as aggressive elements intensify then periodically subside to allow the softer, melodic side of the music to rise to the surface. Just when you think you've heard all that Celtachor have to offer, they reveal something new.

More tales from the mythology are told through the lyrics of each successive song. Plights, of characters such as Dobd, Annan, and the Dagda are brought to life with a soundtrack of furious thrash riffs and a menacing voice. If you are an open-minded fan of extreme styles of  metal music, then you will want to give Celtachor a listen!

Tracks I recommend from Nine Waves From The Shore:
-The Landing: Amergin's Conquest
-The Battle of Tailtin (Another thrashing tune that interprets the epic battle)
-The Kingship of Bodb Dearg (An acoustic intro for this one, then a slower tempo thrasher for much of the song)
-Sorrow of the Dagda (Another epic song, over ten minutes in length, tells a bit of the tale of the Dagda- a father-figure god of Irish mythology. This song focuses on a curse that fell on the Dagda, reflected in the song's melancholic tone. Acoustic intro at the start, the song progresses to heavy tones, then subsides for a breakdown segment about halfway through.)
-Conn of the Hundred Battles (More of a straight forward thrasher as far as musical structure, but still an informative song regarding the myth of Conn Cetchathach, one of the ancient High Kings of Ireland.)

Green Day-iUno!, iDos!, and iTre!

Post #236
Following the unprecedented success of back-to-back concept albums American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day returned to a more standard style of punk/pop-punk rock with their new material. However, when they got around to releasing that material, they did something pretty unique. They had enough new material for three albums, which they spread the release dates across a period of 4 months at the end of 2012. Cleverly titled 'Uno', 'Dos', and 'Tre', each band member graced the cover of one album. Critics were quick to draw comparisons to their classic album Dookie, but I believe Green Day fans will find  these 3 releases to provide more than just a throw-back sound. Although they may revert to more juvenile themes for the subject matter of many of these new songs, there are still plenty of socially conscious tunes peppered throughout these 3 discs. I feel these songs find the band letting loose with some nostalgia for their early days, while maintaining the mature execution and creativity they've developed over their whole career

Now prepare yourself for a toxic blend of pop-punk mayhem, and angsty revolution-rock that is perhaps similar to what you may have heard before, yet still totally new!

iUno!- My first dose of this album was the lead single 'Oh Love', which I honestly found to be a mediocre song, and did little to pique my interest in this album, but after hearing the rest of it, I am glad I did not write it off completely. In fact, a couple songs on this volume ('Nuclear Family' and 'Carpe Diem') have become, arguably, my favorite Green Day songs ever.
My picks from iUno!
-Nuclear Family
-Stay the Night
-Carpe Diem
-Let Yourself Go
-Angel Blue
-Sweet 16

iDos! starts off with a little different feel. The first track, 'See You Tonight', is a subdued acoustic number recorded in mono. It actually reminds me of the way 'Song of the Century' introduced 21st Century Breakdown. Most of this CD sounds very consistent with the 1st, but the track 'Nightlife' really brings something new, as Green Day incorporate some elements of hip-hop. The closing number, 'Amy', winds the album down gently, as Billy Joe plays this one on his own: no drums or bass, just him and his guitar as he sings this gentle ballad.
My picks from iDos!
-See You Tonight
-Stop When the Red Lights Flash
-Stray Heart
-Ashley
-Baby Eyes
-Nightlife
-Amy

iTre! is perhaps the most unique of these three releases. Overall I find it to be more laid-back and mellow than the first two. There are still songs of classic punk-rock brilliance, as we've come to expect from Green Day, but they seemed to have saved several ballads for this one. I might point to the song 'X-Kid' as the most memorable offering on this album. It is a slower-tempo, coming-of-age rock song. The kind of song where we realize part of Green Day has grown up and are letting us know who they are and where they came from. We get a heavy dose of socially conscious commentary with '99 Revolutions', whose lyrics read like a play-by-play breakdown of the recent financial crisis and economic recession.
My picks from iTre!
-8th Avenue Serenade
-X-Kid
-Sex, Drugs, and Violence
-Dirty Rotten Bastards
-99 Revolutions
-The Forgotten (A soft, piano-driven ballad to close the album...)

Overall I find these albums to be on par with Green Day's previous couple of albums, just without the concentrated focus that was necessary for their last 2 concept albums. This may be a good thing though, as it gives them more freedom to just write songs that rock without worrying about them fitting in with a specific concept. So go in with an open mind, and you'll have hours' worth of great listening in store...

Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell, and Lights Out at Reggie's Rock Club, 3-15-13

Post #235
Calling all fans of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and UFO! This Friday, March 15th, at 8pm three great tribute bands will be playing at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago's south loop: Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell, and Lights Out! Tickets are just $10. For more info visit the event-page on Facebook.

Watch for a review of the show here within a few days after the show...

Happy Headbanging!

Schoolcraft-Rushing Through the Sky (2012)

Post #234
Since hearing her music for the first time at Dame-Nation 2011, I have been eagerly anticipating the first solo-release from Lindsay Schoolcraft (AKA Lindz Riot, formerly of Mary and the Black Lamb). In late 2012 she released that debut, Rushing Through The Sky.

This EP is a collection of ballads that blend classical music with mainstream rock. Schoolcraft primarily composes on piano, and as such, most of these songs are piano-driven with some light percussion. Backing elements of choirs and strings may be synthetic, but help to enhance the songs' emotions and give them a fuller sound. There is one song, 'Darkness Falls', that is played on the harp, and is more of a stripped-down composition, as about 90% of the song is only the harp and Lindsay's light, lyrical soprano voice. It is rewarding for it not only shows Lindsay is a talented, multi-instrumental musician and songwriter, but it also adds a key element of variety to make this EP more interesting.

Lyrically, many songs portray the struggles of finding one's self in life. 'Masquerade' is one song I find especially moving. The lyrics weave a tale of the compromising nature of maintaining a relationship, while asking the question of when personal sacrifices become too much. The crux of the song is perhaps best summed up in the line, "For you, I'd give anything, but not the last of me..." That is the true challenge in music: conveying the emotion felt by the composer through the music they write. In that regard, Rushing Through The Sky is a shining success. Each composition is a tiny window into another facet of the musician's soul. It is impossible to listen to these songs and not feel like you know and understand Schoolcraft as a person, at least a little.

In summing up, Rushing Through The Sky is a great collection of symphonic-rock ballads, and highly recommended for those who enjoy the softer side of acts like Evanescence, Within Temptation or Nightwish.
It is available for purchase through several outlets found on her facebook page, including: itunes, twitter, reverbnation, soundcloud and more!

The track list (my personal favorites in bold):
-Into The Night
-Your Mind
-December Rain
-You Forever
-Masquerade
-Darkness Falls
-December Rain (Instrumental mix)

You can also stream the album here: 

Metallica-Beyond Magnetic

Post #233

In the aftermath of Metallica's Death Magnetic album and tour, they released an EP titled Beyond Magnetic. This was a collection of 4 songs from the Death Magnetic sessions, and an essential addition to the collection of any die-hard Metallica fan!

I first listened to this EP after finding it in my library's audio-visual collection. I'm so glad I checked it out... I didn't know what I was missing! In a similar vein as they did on Death Magnetic, Metallica deliver more of their classic formula of contrasting heavy thrash riffs with clean, minor-key melodic passages. Don't let the fact that it's only 4 tracks fool you, though. This EP is still a good half-hour's worth of classic thrash metal. Every song is at least 7 minutes long! Let me break them down for you...

Hate Train- This song is a straight forward thrasher for the verses, and changes things up with melodic bridges featuring some clean guitars (no real chorus). Metallica get creative with some riff progressions towards the end of the song. One of the main riffs of this song strongly reminds me of the primary riff from 'Fuel'.

Just a Bullet Away- A chugging, mid-tempo, heavy song... until the clean breakdown segment emerges at about the 5 minute mark. From there it builds back up again, eventually returning to the original heavy riff.

Hell and Back- Starts off with a clean and haunting intro. Moves on to a faster, heavy riff that is reminiscent of 'Broken, Beat and Scarred'. I wonder if this similarity is perhaps the reason if was left off of Death Magnetic? Throughout this song the band goes back and forth between these clean and heavy elements. Oh, and some great guitar soloing from Kirk Hammett can be heard here also!

Rebel of Babylon- Another song with a clean intro... soon to be subjugated by another thrashy, heavy riff. At this point, it becomes the most intense song on this EP. When the chorus hits you, you get a very catchy hook that satisfies the fans from the 'Black Album' era. The lyrics are full of religious symbolism, as James Hetfield sings about the Stigmata, the crucifixion and redemption. However, this song would not be complete without another killer guitar solo from Kirk. This is my favorite track on this EP. I seriously wonder why it didn't make the Death Magnetic cut. It would have made an already great album even better!

FIST TO THE SKY- DOWN INTO HELL (EP Review)

Post #232

Fist To The Sky are the new Independent Band of the Year here at www.HappyHeadbanger.com, and as is traditional, I kick off the new year by reviewing their music. To start off with, I'll take a look at their 2-track EP, Down Into Hell.

For only 2 songs, this CD packs a lot of punch! The first track, 'Another Lesson Learned', shows off plenty of lead guitars and a key-changing breakdown segment. The vocal delivery is melodic singing with a slight hint of some high-pitch screams. I am reminded of Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows with regards to the singing style. Heavy power chords and scaled guitar riffs take turns driving the rhythm of the song.

The other song is the title track, and it steps up the intensity a bit more. The lyrics are sung much quicker during the verses on this one, and guitar leads are sometimes delivered in tandem by both guitarists, creating a layered effect. All in all, a very solid effort by a young and promising band.

Fist To The Sky will continue to be a focal point for this blog throughout 2013. They have already begun work on their next EP, and if Down Into Hell in any indication of their true potential, then we will be in for a pleasant surprise before too long! Keep checking back and watch for more content about them!

Killswitch Engage-The Howard Jones Era (2003-2012)

Post #231

Killswitch Engage are perhaps the most influential band of the metalcore/melodic metalcore genre, in part due to guitarist/producer Adam Dutkiewicz's prolific involvement as a producer for several other bands within this genre. In spite of his numerous efforts behind the production board, his top priority remains Killswitch Engage, and over the years this band has grown into an essential corner-stone for the metalcore sud-genre within heavy metal.

Their first album with Howard Jones as their lead vocalist was The End Of Heartache, and this, in my opinion, is one of the greatest defining works of the melodic metalcore sub-genre. Released in 2004, it truly displays mastery of a signature sound that other bands would come to emulate. Killswitch really took their sound to a higher level with the addition of Jones on lead vocals. His ability to sing clean melodies while maintaining a powerful vocal element, then switching to hardcore screams when the song calls for it, is a testament to the level of his talent. Few singers display as much control of both vocal styles as Howard Jones. Musically the band also expands their boundaries a bit on this album. There are still many songs based on heavy riffs, and catchy rhythms, similar to those on their previous album, Alive or Just Breathing, but this time around the musicianship seems of a higher quality. Softer, acoustic elements are a little more prominent too, and though they are used sparingly, they serve to enhance the listening experience and add a critical dimension to this album.

Favorite Tracks:
-A Bid Farewell
-When Darkness Falls
-Rose of Sharyn
-Breathe Life
-The End Of Heartache
-World Ablaze
-Wasted Sacrifice

KsE's next release, As Daylight Dies (2006), was a strong effort again. Following the breakthrough success from 'Heartache', this album proves Killswitch were at the top of their game in the mid 2000s. This album features KsE's best ballad, 'My Curse', a concert favorite and successful single. As the band again flex their muscle with heavy riffs, and hardcore vocals, they keep the balance of soft and clean elements as even as they did on Heartache, if not more so.

If 'Heartache' was a cornerstone for the genre, then As Daylight Dies is the cornerstone for Killswitch themselves. I keep looking over the track list for this album, and I can't find a bad song. This is probably a snapshot of KsE at their creative apex. The title-track and 'This Is Absolution' have always been two of my all-time favorites from Killswitch. The special edition version of this album includes 4 bonus tracks and a DVD with 3 music videos (2 of which include 'the making-of' features). One of those bonus tracks is KsE's studio version of Dio's classic 'Holy Diver'...

Favorite Tracks:
-Daylight Dies
-This Is Absolution
-The Arms of Sorrow
-My Curse
-Still Beats Your Name
BONUS TRACKS:
-Let The Bridges Burn
-This Fire
-Holy Diver

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (2009)

Their second self-titled album is one that came at a time when KsE had reached a plateau in their stylistic evolution. This album maintains a precise balance of their well-established melodic metalcore style. I cannot necessarily say this album brings any new elements to their sound that were not present on the previous two releases, but that is not to say this isn't a quality metal album- it is! Killswitch Engage was released with a special edition too, which included 4 bonus tracks and a DVD of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

This is a nice touch, and a good collector's piece for die-hard fans, especially since Howard Jones has since left the band, on good terms, citing medical issues combined with loss of enthusiasm. The DVD provides a snapshot of what the guys in the band are like off the stage, and how their personalities blend together. A nice way to see them together, still at the peak of their career.

Favorite Tracks:
-Never Again
-Starting Over
-Reckoning
-The Return
-A Light in a Darkened World
-I Would Do Anything
BONUS LIVE TRACKS:
-Rose of Sharyn
-My Curse
-Holy Diver