Metallica released 72 Seasons in 2023, almost 7 years after their last album, Hardwired... To Self-Destruct. With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting in 2020 and slowing the world down for over a year, one might wonder if that lengthened the gap between albums. Perhaps it did, and gave the band members some unexpected downtime to focus on writing music? Or maybe it held them back from jamming together, and stalled the creative process further? We may never know. Nevertheless, it's here now and Metallica are over a year into their M72 tour in support of this album. It's high time I took an in-depth look into it.
The album opens with the title track - '72 Seasons', a fast-paced, heavy thrashing number that opens with a galloping bass line, pacing cymbals, and after a few measures, the rhythm guitar kicks in, giving the song it's definitive key and direction. Lyrically the song seems to tackle the dog-eat-dog nature of our competitive society and how it shapes us through our first 72 seasons (18 years). Metallica have said that the overall theme of the album is this formative stage of life: our first 72 seasons.
A powerful, stop & go, mid-tempo riff introduces the next track, 'Shadows Follow'. It has a unique groove, and a distinctive riff to define itself. Overall, the bulk of 72 Seasons could be described this way- distinctive and creative riffs, introspective-to-esoteric lyrics, a strong mid-tempo groove delivered by bassist Rob Trujio and drummer Lars Ulrich's concrete rhythm section. Over the course of their career, the mid-tempo groove-thrasher has been Metallica's bread & butter formula: 'Enter Sandman', 'Wherever I May Roam', 'Seek & Destroy', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls'... you see it now. This album will give you plenty of songs in a similar vein.
When we reach the 6th track, we get this album's crown-jewel of a track in 'Lux Æterna'. Like the title track, this is another top-notch, fast-tempo thrasher that can be comparatively ranked among the best songs from their glory days in the mid 1980's. It was the first track released prior to the album's release, and deservingly so!
As a long-time Metallica fan, I found a couple of elements, be they lyrical, or musical, that I felt made connections with classic songs from the band's past. 'Crown of Barbed Wire', for instance, reminded me of the Load-era hit, 'King Nothing'. Similarly, I thought 'Inamorata' could almost be a sequel to TheBlack Album's 'My Friend of Misery', as they both focus on a personification of the emotion of misery. Whether these connections are intentional or coincidental is hard to say without sitting down and interviewing the band directly about it, but as a fan, it is fun to speculate.
Overall, this is an album packed will killer riffs, and plenty of introspective and cathartic lyrics. If 72 Seasons has any flaws it may be that it's too solid, too consistent, or too formulaic. One of my favorite elements of Metallica's music has always been their use of clean guitar tones, especially in songs where they juxtapose them with powerful, distorted riffs in songs like 'One', 'Fade to Black' and 'The Day That Never Comes'. For whatever reason, clean guitar sounds are as absent on this album as guitar solos were absent on the St. Anger album. Maybe Metallica just found a groove on this new album and stayed the course, believing there's no such thing as 'too much of a good thing'. It has certainly pleased the fans, and probably welcomed thousands more! While it may still be new and fresh, I will always look forward to the next Metallica album. Let's enjoy this one to the fullest in the meantime!
As with their last album, Metallica again filmed music videos for every track on the album. I won't embed every single one of them here, but I'll give you this link to their Youtube Playlist, 72 Seasons: The Videos.
Pantera released Far Beyond Driven in 1994, the same year I graduated High School. It was their 3rd major-label release, and it changed the world of heavy music forever. On a personal level, it also changed my world of music appreciation. It was the first album I owned that was considered 'extreme' metal. I had mainly been into "glam" and ''hair" metal bands, like Guns 'N' Roses, Def Leppard, and Ratt, before then. I broadened my horizons and embraced the rage, aggression, and power that pulses through every measure of Far Beyond Driven. I was far from the only one to, literally, buy into this band with this specific album: it debuted at #1 on the Billboard music charts (the heaviest album to do so at the time).
With it now being 2024, I thought it fitting to commemorate this now-classic album with a fresh blog post. I did, of course, review it on this blog previously, in Post # 63-here, but this time around I'm just going to feature several links to my favorite tracks through video and streaming links. I have re-read the post, and stand by my opinions of each album as I wrote them.
This album spawned several singles, and music videos, despite its lack of radio-friendly melody. With their first 2 albums they set a tone with their following as a purely heavy, aggressive and intense band that wasn't going to bend to fit any trends in the music industry. Already established as one of the most promising new heavy bands, Far Beyond Driven doubled-down on Pantera's aggression, and it is arguably their heaviest album to this day.
-Strength Beyond Strength (the album-opener! This song hit me like a ton of bricks! If you've never heard it before, check it out and tell me it doesn't!)
Post #399
(this post is belated: half-composed immediately after the concert, but just finalized recently.)
Slayer have been a cornerstone of metal since their inception. Along with being one of the 'Big Four' of Thrash metal, they are persistently cited as a major influence in nearly all extreme genres of metal, from thrash to death metal to hardcore, grindcore, black metal, etc...
As they announced they would do a Final Tour in 2018, I made it a priority to see this show if at all possible. They enlisted a top-notch opening lineup for this tour, making it even more irresistible. Anthrax, Behemoth and Lamb of God rounded out the lineup.
I regret that I missed Anthrax as the first opener, due to traffic and parking delays. Still, I will include their setlist below, and perhaps check out some videos from this tour to get a feel for their stage presence, and the performance I missed.
Behemoth were halfway through their set before I made it to my seat, unfortunately. I'll include their setlist below, but suffice to say, they put on a powerful setlist filled with demonic themes.
Lamb of God were up next. They killed it with a short set of their fan-favorite concert staple tracks. Their newest album at this time was Lamb of God VII: Sturm und Drang. Again, I'll include their setlist below.
But before long it was time for Slayer themselves. The crowd was almost electric with anticipation, and then their intro began to play. Their stage set up was a vision of the apocalypse itself. With their opening number "Repentless", the stage seemed to erupt in flames!
I had been to several Slayer shows, and the mostly incorporated pyrotechnics, but this time they were truly going for broke. It was such an adrenaline rush! From one classic to the next, their song selection did not disappoint the Slayer faithful. They even included a track from Divine Intervention: 'Dittohead'
If this was truly the end of Slayer as a touring and recording entity, it was a fitting send-off. A concert that Slayer fans will cherish as a final memory of one of thrash metal's true icons.
Trivium are always one of my top favorite bands. They have continually challenged themselves with each album they've recorded, and keep shifting gears between aggression and toned down melodies. 2017's The Sin and the Sentence is no different. While their last album, Silence in the Snow, was the most melodic one they ever recorded, being practically devoid of the hardcore screams, this latest album brings them back, at least for a good percentage of the songs. The result is a truly balanced Trivium album that shows every strength the band has to offer. It is their most diverse release since 2011's In Waves (previously reviewed here).
The Sin and The Sentence opens with the title track, and it is a furious metalcore classic- it fades in only to launch into a driving riff with overlayed lead guitar, and Matt Heafy begins with his melodic vocals, but they are complemented by his furious screams at the bridges and choruses. Different passages of the song shift from hardcore screams to melodic singing, while the instruments teeter back and forth in the same fashion. Lastly I must compliment the lyrics. Matt Heafy is a brilliant lyricist in my opinion, and this song is packed with thought provoking lyrics such as: “I know the true monsters lie between the light and the shade.”
From there each song brings a new formula, or a new combination of their bag of tricks, so that each track is unique in its own right. By this stage of their career, Trivium have become such craftsmen of metal music that nearly every song is a work of metal mastery.
Their first single from the release was The Heart From Your Hate. This song was an instant favorite of mine when I first heard it, and it remains so today. It’s the kind of song I can’t hear without upping the volume a bit. I always like to think this song carries an anti-racism theme, and picture the lyrics as challenge to anyone who hates, “What would it take to rip the heart from your hate?” Truly, in today’s times, there is no room for hate.
I cannot really find a song on this album I would not recommend. So bear this in mind with my following recommendations. By no means should you stop with these, but rather use them as a starting block with which to delve into the entire album. These may be my personal favorites, and the best of the best, but that is not to say the rest of the tracks are not great as well!
Act Of Destruction have returned with their 2nd independent release, Beyond Eternity. Roughly 4 years have passed since their debut Extinction, which I reviewed previously. In that time the band has seen some changes. One change was the addition of David Kraus on guitars and backing vocals. Kraus is also guitarist and lead vocalist from Scars of Armageddon (another former winner of my Independent Band of the Year poll), so if you're familiar with their sound, then the backing vocals should sound familiar!
Beyond Eternity starts off with Eternal Combustion. This song is sure to be a crowd pleaser to their established following. It has their classic formula of rapid-fire drumming, melodic-death/hardcore vocals by John Bravo III, intricate guitar riffs and unarguable talent with guitar soling. The production seems even crisper than their debut, which was already great! It's like a perfect hybrid between metalcore and melodic death metal.
Ascending Into Glory has an initial guitar riff that fades in. They slow the tempo down slightly, but otherwise is another great song, complete with a great guitar solo. This one seems to have some power metal influences outside of the vocals.
Spiritual Infinityis where Act of Destruction up the ante, and give us all a new twist to their formula. When the chorus comes around, Kraus' soaring melodic vocals blend in with John Bravo's harsher, death-metal growls. The resulting sound surprised me at first with its contrast in style, but it works! It will simultaneously quench your rage and pierce your eardrums. There is again fantastic riff work, and substantial guitar soloing- a true winner of a song!
The Source is a different combination again. With another display of slower-tempo riffs, Act of Destruction showcase their whole package here. The vocals are primarily John Bravo's hardcore growls, but the backing vocal formula includes both Kraus' melodic screams and Nigel Bravo's deeper, guttural death metal vocals are present as well. Then, we also get some spoken word passages by Nigel. The lyrics throughout this EP have been orbiting themes of philosophy, conservation and more esoteric concepts like religion and science fiction. This song is again like that, and has one of my favorite lyrics: "Your tears are the rain upon the blinding dust of the Earth."
Starkblast is a crowning jewel on this recording effort. Clocking in at over 7 minutes, it is the band's longest recording yet. It brings progressive metal elements into the fold more than they've done before. Again the vocal style is a 3-fold revolving door with the Bravo brothers providing the hardcore and death-metal growls, and Kraus the melodic elements. They also have guest vocals by Pindy of Armored Assault! Closing it off are more esoteric spoken word passages by Nigel Bravo, backed my Kraus' fading melodic screams.
On Saturday, April 20th, 2019, Penny Road Pub in Barrington, IL hosted a festival of rock and metal music known as Midwest Springfest. Starting mid-afternoon and running non-stop all through the afternoon and evening, no less than 14 bands got their turn to inundate our auditory senses and show off their variety of talent.
I unfortunately arrived too late to catch Mary Vaughn, Mudfish, and 20 Spot. I did arrive just in time to catch most of The Kringe's set, and then saw every band after that. The venue utilized both the main floor and basement stages, and set times were scheduled so that roughly as one band finished up their set, the next band was about to go on. So it was relatively easy to see every band.
The Kringe
The Kringe were a hard rock band- not aggressive enough to be called metal, but this fest was a broad spectrum 'rock' format, so it was a bit of 'anything goes'. The Kringe were an old-school rock band, and if I had to name their genre then and there I'd say they were 'sleazy blues-rock'. I could detect some influence from the likes of Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Zeppelin.
GreyWall
Then
it was upstairs to catch Greywall. Greywall were a hardcore, alt-rock band.
Their vocals were harsh screams offset by scratchy melodic singing. They could
be compared to Seether or Three Days Grace. Blend that with Nine Inch Nails and you may not be far off. They
definitely had a gritty and raw sound. I was about to be lulled into their
ambient dark mood when they hit overdrive and the guitars screamed heavy and
distorted along with the vocals. The headbanging was quite enjoyable, and I knew this fest was going to have much variety in store.
Toxic Ruin from Sheboygan, WI brought the intensity up a few notches. These guys are old-school thrash, and good at it! Fast and complex riffs, technical drumming and raspy growled vocals. They had the crazies headbanging in an instant and didn’t let up for their whole set. They even included a cover of 'Crystal Mountain' from Death’s iconic Symbolic album. My neck now thoroughly loosened up, I headed back upstairs to catch the next act.
Rachels Bully
Back up to the main floor and Rachel’s Bulky were set to go on. These guys were more old-school rock n roll. They were so intense the shorted out a part of the sound system on their 2nd song. After a short delay to repair the sound system, they were back at it, rocking out to the core. A few more songs into their set they switched it up with a ballad, but then returned to their comfort zone of hard rock with a sleazy edge. I'd recommend them to fans of Buckcherry or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Prison City Brigade
Prison city brigade, from Joliet, brought something new again, showing us a taste of hardcore punk! They had some crowd participation in their name sake song, as they had us chanting “We are! We are the brigade!!” The guitarist came into the audience and jammed one of their songs right there among the crowd. This band gave it their all and poured their hearts (and sweat) out on the stage.
Blacken the Day
Blacken the Day were fortunate to be able to play, as one of their guitarist was just released from the hospital the day before. They didn’t disappoint. Self-described ‘Jazz-metal’, they are the product of a jazz singer who joined a metal band, so both influences were apparent in their sound. Their riffs were heavy with an alt-metal vibe, their singer's vocals melodic and clean. This brought a nice contrast to their sound and delivery
Monroe
Monroe's sound was a welcomed mix of hard rock and alternative metal. They delivered a heavy, rocking set while keeping the crowd engaged. Their bassist was sporting a Genotype t-shirt, a hint that they also were representing the Rockford scene. Track for track, Monroe delivered a loud rocking performance and songs with catchy grooves.
No Clear Way
This band again brought something new to the mix. Heavy guitars, and a deep toned-bass groove set the foundation for their singer's post-grunge inspired vocal style. There was evident of the influences of Scott Weiland, Eddie Vedder and the like, but backed by a more metal style. Theirs was another engaging performance with more bands yet to come!
Genotype
With only a few bands left to perform, it was finally time to catch Genotype, the winner of my independent band poll last fall, in concert! I first reviewed them after they played Dame Nation back in 2013. Since then I had followed their social media, but never had another chance to see them live. Once they started playing it was obvious they were worth the wait! They opened with 'The Dream' from their latest album- Genotype III, and their intensity was at 11! They play a style of metalcore, mixed with electronic elements. Vocalist Kadie Kirby delivers both melodic and screamed vocal styles, with equal mastery of each style. Charles Esposito and Shaun Combee keep assaulting the audience with heavy riffs and killer solos. All the while drummer Remington Roberts keeps an intensely tight beat with rapid blast-beat drumming. I was especially blown away by the vocal range displayed in their track 'Drifting to the End'. They are an amazing band to see live. I'd try to catch their next show if I were you! -The Dream -Temple of Saturn -Lysithia -Energon -Drifting to the End -Silence
Dear Deadly
The Penultimate band was Dear Deadly, and they performed a more traditional style of metal. Sharp guitar tones, frequent solos and a scratchy but clean vocal style had me pegging them as power metal. Their vocal style was clean singing, but with a power and edge that it hovered at the bring of a scream for the majority of their set. For a comparison I might look to the early works of Bullet for My Valentine, or In Flames. Their songs had great hooks! At one point I thought I heard a guitar solo that mirrored the melody of 'La Vida Loca'. Check out their song 'Deviant' and see if you hear the same!
Setlist:
-Virus
-Face to Face
-Bad Habits
-Very Wicked Things
-Deviant
-The Devil You Know
-The Hopeless
-Papercut (Linkin Park cover)
Alethia
By this point of the show there had been so many great performances that I found it hard to believe the show organizers could have possibly saved the best for last, but then Alethia took the stage, and I was soon proven wrong. Alethia were a true metalcore band. Fast, technical, complex riffs, and a hardcore screamed vocal style, they pushed the adrenaline through the roof! Still, more than just the intense and heavy sound, they incorporated segments of melodic phrases and clean backing vocals the give their sound a sophisticated and professional delivery. I was banging my head as intensely as I had all night, and their musics power reminded me of the likes of Killswitch Engage, or August Burns Red.
At the end of this truly rewarding metal music fest I had definitely added many bands to my list for must-hear music. I have downloaded, or bought their CDs online, and highly recommend you do the same! Check your iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Reverbnation, facebook, and Youtube for these bands, their catalog of albums or EPs, their most highly played songs, add them to your own playlists and spread the word to your own metalhead friends!
Thanks you for reading, and as always, Happy Headbanging!
A cold and snowy February calls for me to review Iced Earth once again! This time, I am taking a long-overdue look at the dawn of the Stu Block era. Stu Block had been the vocalist for Into Eternity prior to joining Iced Earth in 2011 to replace long-time singer Matt Barlow. From all I have read on Barlow's departure, between the official Iced Earth website, facebook page, and wikipedia articles on the issue, his departure from the band was amicable and seemed to be an honest retirement. (Barlow has since started a band called Ashes of Ares).
Stu Block stepped in and provided a voice for their 2011 album, Dystopia. As a long-time Iced Earth fan, I was naturally hesitant about another change of the vocalist role, but Stu's amazing range and stylistic emulation of Barlow's tone, and grit immediately put me at ease, and in the end the Dystopia album won me over completely.
Consistent with Iced Earth's recent trends, the album's title track opens with a slow anthem-like riff, and power chords that ring long and heavy. Then Stu Block unleashes a devilish scream, the tempo is kicked into high-speed, and a classic Iced Earth thrash-fest is underway...
While the title track 'Dystopia' thrashes along with the best Iced Earth classics, I cannot help be notice the uncanny, seamless transitions from deep growls to high falsettos that Block displays throughout the song. At some point this talent surpasses simple emulation of Barlow's vocal style, and approaches a 'King-Diamond-esque' mastery of range.
'Anthem' is the next track, and the clean guitar intro which transitions to a low-tempo, minor-key riff shows the listener that Iced Earth will again have all their talents on display for this album. The lyrics are a social criticism with a call for resilience among society's downtrodden classes. The plight of the homeless and poverty-stricken are present throughout. Never a band to shy away from social or political issues, it is clear that Iced Earth are also out to make some statements on this album.
Iced Earth show you their full repertoire on Dystopia, with songs that push the upper limits of intensity like 'Boiling Point' and 'Days of Rage', but balanced out by softer and slower tracks like 'Anguish of Youth' and 'End of Innocence'. Not only are the riffs impressive, but the lead guitar solos are better on this album than the past several Iced Earth albums.
Recommended Tracks:
-Dystopia
-Anthem
-Boiling Point (Intense! A really fast thrasher where Block's vocals really are more comparable to Ripper Owens than Matt Barlow)
-Anguish of Youth (A slower tempo ballad with the clean-heavy-clean transitions that Iced Earth fans are accustomed to)
-V (Heavy groove. Jam-riffing, V is for Victory! "Minds awakened, rid your life of tyranny" Excellent guitar solo!!)
-Dark City (Clean intro again, vocals again are acrobatic- again reminded of KD)
-End of Innocence (A sad ballad, and true masterpiece of a song. Inspired by the illness of Stu's mother. Lead guitars add melody, acoustic guitars add texture, yet choruses are heavy. The theme throughout is about finding inspiration.)
Plagues of Babylon picked up where Dystopia left off. Another concept album, this one actually makes some lyrical references to concepts explored on the Something Wicked, 2-part album. This album opens with a slow and ominous drum beat. Again, this serves as a build-up to the actual song, 'Plagues of Babylon', which shortly morphs into the classic Iced Earth thrasher-type of song. Stu Block's versatile vocals are on display from the get-go.
Block's deep growl is in constant contrast with his upper-range screams and mid-range melodic voice, which simultaneously surprises listeners with unexpected twists and serves the needs of each given song and just the right moments. As I mentioned before, he fits perfectly as a replacement of Matt Barlow, yet also draws comparisons to Tim Owens and even the legendary King Diamond.
'The Culling' is one of the songs that seems like a direct continuation of the concepts from the Something Wicked albums. Mainly a mid-tempo grinder of a song, it also contains a breakdown segment and an impressive guitar solo.
'If I Could See You' is a sad and touching Iced Earth ballad of loss. In much the same way as 'Watching Over Me' primarily featured clean guitar melodies and a minor key tone to convey the emotions of loss and grieving, this song displays the softer side of Iced Earth and is more about losing an inspiring role model than a friend or lover.
The Highwayman is a cover of the Jimmy Webb song made famous by the country super-group The Highwaymen. Here, in similar fashion, Iced Earth performs it as a quartet with different verses sang by Jon Schaffer, Stu Block and guest vocals by Volbeat's Michael Poulsen and Symphony X's Russell Allen. The presence of such big names in the current metal scene make this the best collaboration of talent in the genre since the Big Four of thrash metal performed the song 'Am I Evil?' together on stage in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Act of Destruction are a thrash metal band from Chicago. They write aggressive songs with fast tempos, raw production, harsh vocals, intense guitar solos, and lyrics infused with political and religious criticism. Having recently won my Independent Band of the Year poll for 2017, here is my promised review of their 2015 release Extinction.
Extinction is a well-crafted, full-length debut album, with 12 tracks counting the instrumental intro. While they are firmly fixed in the aggressive side of thrash (they don't have any softer tracks that break from the aggressive pattern on this release), they do keep things interesting with top-notch lead guitars and plenty of solos. Extinction may not be a concept album, but it is a true listening experience.
Overture of Destruction is the instrumental track that serves as an intro to the album. It starts with thundering riffs that tease with bursts of power that are allowed to ring into one lull after another. Then they hit you between the eyes with Worldwide Hate- a furiously fast thrasher! "Now the fury is unleashed, Law and Order are deceased." the lyrics intone, and the atmosphere of chaos is set. Then, ascending guitar solos shred and the song's tone shifts to a breakdown. The intensity returns to close out the number, and you know you'll be banging your head.
That mood of chaos, darkness, and aggression holds throughout the album from one song to the next. While the riffs are constantly heavy and aggressive, there is always a lead guitar in the mix, often shredding intense leads. The soloing is frequent and extensive when it comes around. The lead guitars serve to maintain an element of melody within songs. Often there are long stretches of guitar solos that bring new dimensions to the speed metal riffs.
The guitar tones remind me of Sepultura's early works, while the vocals seem to be comparable to Exodus. In both those comparisons the aggressive and relentless tempo also is an accurate benchmark. Lyrical themes range from political criticism to occult imagery. Though the vocal delivery may be one dimensional with the constant gritty screams, the lyrics still provide insightful debates on the subjects they choose to explore.
Overall, Extinction is a successful thrash metal effort. It harkens back to the early days of thrash, when it was truly synonymous with the term 'Speed Metal'. Aside from their obvious talent at maintaining lightning fast tempos, their is no talent lost in the area of lead guitars with this band.
After a busy 8 years, filled with ups and downs, Metallica return with their new album 'Hardwired to Self Destruct', and once again set the standard for what it takes to be the best heavy metal band in the world. 12 long tracks required the CD version to be a double-album, but they also released a Deluxe, 3-disc version packed with bonus studio and live tracks. However, the most interesting trick they did this time was the complete album being released on youtube. For every track they filmed a music video to accompany it. In recent years, with the ever advancing technology interface and how music fans follow their favorite artists, bands have been releasing more and more music videos on or ahead of the release of the actual album. As a response to widespread illegal piracy of music, this has been a way for the artist to respond and retain enough appeal to keep fans engaged, consuming, and sharing the music. Here's an article from Medium.com about this trend.
In any case, Metallica take the idea to the max: including a full music video for every song on the album. In some ways this is a challenge for the listener. I'm still accustomed to hearing music first, before seeing a video adaptation of it. Here, the availability of a video-element for each new song gives the listening experience a completely new dimension. I'll try to review each song in terms of both the music itself, as well as the video. I find in some cases an enticing, captivating and well-directed music video can make a mediocre song more enjoyable. On the other hand, a great song can also be the victim of a lack-luster video, and detract for the experience of enjoying it for what it is. You'll see what I mean in my annotations that follow.
Metallica have also given fans a great product with the Deluxe Edition. This version includes a 3rd bonus disc that contains the original song 'Lords of Summer', (an early teaser song that Metallica have played live on the latter legs of touring in support of Death Magnetic); 3 cover songs of Iron Maiden, Deep Purple and Ronnie James Dio; and several live tracks that include early 'deep' tracks and a live version of the new album's title-track 'Hardwired'. With Hardwired... To Self Destruct there are a mix of ups and downs between the audio and visual elements of each song, but overall it is hard not to call this the best Metallica album ever. Yes, even Master of Puppets is challenged for that title in my mind. Here's my take on this new album...
Hardwired
Video Style: Band-jam, Black and white, revolving camera-angle with strobe-light effect.
Video rating: 3 of 5
Song style: Thrasher, speed-metal.
Song rating: 4.5 of 5
Sometimes you want thrash metal to do just that: THRASH! When headbangers want to bang their heads, that is the kind of song they need. 'Hardwired' is such a song. This is Metallica simply proving they can still shred with the best of them! The way this video is shot reminds me of Megadeth's video for 'Holy Wars... The Punishment Due', a revolving camera angle while the band just jams out the song. Here, Metallica keep it all in black and white. I don't rate the video itself very high simply because I feel there was more they could have done to represent the themes behind the lyrics...
Atlas, Rise!
Video style: Making-of, Studio recording and outtakes.
Video rating: 4 of 5
Song style: Thrasher, fast-paced with some progressive elements, great two-part guitar segments.
Song rating: 5 of 5
Truly, 'Atlas, Rise!' is one of the best songs on this album. Metallica utilize 2-part guitar melodies and riffs in a way that often reminds me of classic Iron Maiden, especially at the 'breakdown' segment of this song around the 4:20 minute mark. I only give the video 4 of 5 here because although it is cool to have a 'making of' video to get a glimpse into the studio life of the band, again the lyrics of the song could have been utilized for visual enactment in some manner. I confess, I am intrigued by Greek mythology, and all the references to Atlas bearing the burden of holding up the sky are lost video potential to me.
Now That We're Dead
Video Style: Band-jam with some projection effects
Video rating: 4 of 5
Song style: Mid to slow-tempo heavy metal, Groove metal
Song rating: 5 of 5
This is definitely one of my favorite songs, if not my top favorite from this album. It doesn't kill you with fast tempos like 'Hardwired' did, but rather hangs around the slower-mid-tempo range throughout. Its riffs are very catchy and the rhythm plods along infectiously. Kirk Hammett adds some top-notch guitar soloing too. Hetfield's lyrics are genius for this song as he utilizes a repeating structure, "When ____, then may it be that ____.", and each line is a philosophical critique of life, death, religion, and many other relevant debates.
Moth Into Flame
Video Style: Band-jam with visual effects, cameo of a CGI moth that swarms to the light.
Video rating: 5 of 5
Song style: Fast-tempo Thrasher, Key-shifts, Progressive elements
Song rating: 5 of 5
'Moth Into Flame' is an all-around winner of a song and one of the best on this album. It has so many essential Metallica ingredients: speed, complex and ever-changing guitar riffs, breakdowns, fast and furious vocals, a great guitar solo from Hammett, and excellent lyrics about the perils of over-inflated self-worth, fame, and narcissism. The video plays off of the 'Hardwired' video at the start and the band-jam is within a television that is attracting the metaphorical moth.
Dream No More
Video Style: Band-jam with visual effects, Green-screen/silhouette effects. Images are projected onto the band while they play.
Video rating: 4 of 5. (the visual creativity is cool, but the images themselves don't portray much of the song's subject matter)
Song style: Slow-tempo, heavy sound, higher pitch vocals.
Song rating: 3.5 of 5
This song shows Hetfield stretching his comfort zone vocally. He sings in a high-pitch style in this song for the majority of the verses while reverting to his comfortable deep-throat growls during the bridges and choruses. Musically it reminds me of a couple other Metallica songs: 'The Thing That Should Not Be' and 'King Nothing'. It has that level of heaviness and of course the slow-tempo begs these comparisons. The more I listen to this song the more it grows on me and Metallica recapture their mastery of the heavy, slow-tempo grinder.
Halo On Fire
Video Style: Band jam surrounded by fans, mixed with scripted/acted segments
Video rating: 4 of 5
Song style: Heavy/Clean tone-changing structure, softer segments give way to heavy passages and vice versa. A true Metallica classic!
Song rating: 5 of 5 'Halo on Fire' was the kind of song I was waiting for from Metallica. This is comparable to 'The Day That Never Comes' from the Death Magnetic release, and hearkens back to true classics like 'Fade to Black' and 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)'. The tone-changing cycle within the song- as guitar migrate from clean and pretty melodic phrases to heavy distorted riffs and back again, is to me where Metallica's true calling lies. The video, however explores a different story line than the lyrics might imply, given that the lyrics are abstract at best, and dwell on enigmatic symbolism throughout. Still, the story told in the video portrays a young lady that ventures from her desolate home through city streets to a destination where her hobby of street-fighting is revealed. Much social commentary on gender roles in this practice can be perceived.
Confusion
Video Style: Scripted/acted story line, tells the story of war veteran returning to society.
Video rating: 5 of 5
Song style: Slow to mid-tempo heavy tone, another groove metal, or alt-metal piece
Song rating: 3 of 5
'Confusion' is a clear example, in my opinion, of a well-directed and well developed video concept that takes an average song and makes it a rewarding viewing and listening experience. There is more value to the art of music in this case because of the visual elements in the video. Musically the song is another mid-tempo heavy number that doesn't do much that really impresses me. Without the video here, I'd consider it a 'filler' track. The tempo and tone of this song do remind me of some of Metallica's work from the Load/Reload era. However the story told on-screen in the video is captivating. A young woman flashes back and forth from a present day life in a corporate desk-job environment to a tense, middle-eastern armed conflict where she was previously an armed combatant. It portrays the challenges of adjusting to civilian life after traumatic battle experience in the armed forces.
ManUNkind
Video Style: Band-Jam, role-played, prop-band ala-Wizard Of Oz...
Video rating: 4.5 of 5
Song style: Slow- to mid-tempo heavy tune, groove metal
Song rating: 3 of 5
'ManUNkind' is an interesting video to watch. Again the song is somewhere in the middle of the pack for quality, and originality, but the video is a clever take on the band-jam atmosphere. The Twist with this one? The real guys in Metallica never actually appear in the video. Rather, there is a band of 'other guys' that mime, lip sync, and 'play' the song for a small-venue audience. The impostors use some kitchy props and dress in some more modern and underground metal-esque garb complete with some corpse paint. Although I think the video's concept is high on the entertainment factor, I cannot overlook the fact that Trivium did a very similar thing in their video for "Blind Leading the Blind" previously, which is the only reason I didn't give the video element of this song the full score.
Here Comes Revenge
Video style: Animated, role-play.
Video rating: 5 of 5
Song style: Heavy/Clean tone-changing structure.
Song rating: 5 of 5
Another easy favorite from this album, 'Here Comes Revenge' is both a bit of all Metallica's tricks rolled into one yet also sounds completely new and fresh. You have minor-key melodies of clean guitar, and building of pace and heaviness to a chorus that is faster and heavier than the verses. Fans of classic Metallica songs like 'Fade to Black' or 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' should be happily impressed with 'Here Comes Revenge'!
Am I Savage?
Video Style: Scripted/role-play interspersed with snippets of band members.
Video rating: 5 of 5
Song style: Slow-to-mid tempo, Heavy/Groove
Song rating: 2.5 of 5
The video for 'Am I Savage?' is another example of song that doesn't particularly stand out, but the video tells an interesting story. The song itself is another mid-tempo, groove-metal number. There is a short intro of clean melody, but overall I find it mediocre musically. The video, however, is a clever concept. You have a main character: a guy with a regular family, job, and group of friends. He is the only character portrayed with visual detail, all the other characters, weather friends or family, are depicted as featureless nondescript 'people' covered head to toe in plain white fabric. After each 'day' in this guy's life, he replays each scene by himself while going insane. The point seems to be that we live our lives confined to the identity that others see in us, while our inner tensions and rage must remain concealed. The insane side of this guy's personality represents that primal nature let loose without restraint.
Murder One
Video Style: Animated
Video rating: 4 of 5
Song style: Mid-Tempo, Heavy, Groove
Song rating: 4 of 5
Murder One is perhaps unique among all the songs on this album in that it is inspired by, and a tribute to, the late Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead fame. Many lyrical references to Lemmy specifically, and Motorhead in general can be found by the acute listener. Lemmy died of cancer on December 28th, 2015. Metallica have always cited him and Motorhead as a major influence in heavy metal. This song is meant to capture the essence of Lemmy, and his attitude toward life and music.
Spit Out The Bone
Video style: Animated mixed with Band Jam
Video rating: 5 of 5
Song style: Thrasher, Speed Metal
Song rating: 5 of 5
Like the opening track, Spit Out The Bone is an all-out thrasher of a song that pushes the tempo to the limit. A fitting way to close the album, and the lyrics make some connections to the album as a whole, even mirroring in some parts of the opening title-track. The theme is that humanity is falling victim to an apocalypse at the hands of their own creations: machines and technology. The video plays out like a mini-movie as human characters are portrayed as a militant resistance to a technological apocalypse. They are slowly eradicated by drone-type machines that disintegrate the humans, leaving only their skeletal remains.
Lords of Summer
Video style: Concert Footage/ Venue Set-up/ Life on the Road
Video rating: 4 of 5
Song style: Thrasher, fast-tempo.
Song rating: 4.5 of 5
With so many great songs on the album already, I still feel this one is worthy of mention near the top of the list. This was one of the songs that Metallica promoted way ahead of the album's release, that it almost seems unfair that they put it on the 3rd disc of the Special Edition of this album. Lyrically the song is all about the touring life of a heavy metal band. The song does click along at a pretty fast clip, although perhaps not quite as much as the title track or Spit Out the Bone, it is still every bit as worth of your time! The video, likewise, plays like a tour-documentary, showing the set-up, tear-down, and all the mayhem of putting on a live show.
Bonus Disc Tracks:
Ronnie Rising Medley (Rainbow covers)
When a Blind Man Cries (Deep Purple cover)
Remember Tomorrow (Iron Maiden cover)
(Live at Rasputin Music)
Helpless
Hit The Lights
The Four Horsemen
Ride the Lightning
Fade To Black
Jump In The Fire
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Creeping Death
Metal Militia
Headlined by Devil Land, this show will also feature Warmouth and Act of Destruction. Tickets are $10, doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. Go and bang your head with Scars of Armageddon one last time while they're the Independent Band of the Year for this blog.
Iotunn are a metal band from Copenhagen, Denmark. I don't add them to any subgenre of metal off the top of my head, and their own page cites 'all the history of metal' as their influence. Indeed there are several styles you can hear them drawing from by just listening to one song. Perhaps the closest style you could put them in is power metal, but they have an edgier sound than a stereotypical power metal band. They do not quite approach the extremity of 'hardcore' metal, and although they're close to thrash, their music contains a few lighter elements so that's why I leave them as undifferentiated 'metal'.
The Wizard Falls is Iotunn's debut EP. It is also produced by Flemming Rasmusson, renowned for his production work on some of Metallica's early albums. Right away the title track gives you an impression of their sound: deep heavy riffs, soaring lead guitars, and a clean vocal style to match. The next couple tracks follow pretty much the same formula, but the last track, Frost, has a melodic, clean guitar intro and a more progressive song structure that shows more versatility from Iotunn.
For an independent release the production on this EP is fantastic. Each and every track is dripping with quality. Their sound is powerful, but infused with elegance and sophistication. If there is anything to hold them back from major success in the near future, I don't hear it. Check out this band. Stream this EP on their website or social media pages, download the tracks or buy it on CD. You will thank me for it.
My top recommendations from The Wizard Falls:
-The Wizard Falls
-Hammer of Injustice
-Frost
Post # 332 Warg are a metal band from Zaragoza, Spain. I might initially label them as a thrash metal band, but they incorporate many different subgenres into their sound including classic metal, death metal, progressive metal, symphonic metal, and folk metal. They have true diversity to their sound.
Their newest release, In The Dusk Of Men, is an excellent example of their metal capabilities.
They amaze me by their ability to sound eerily like In Flames in one song, Amon Amarth in another, and Epica in yet another!
One last interesting fact I'll mention pertains to their name. For those of you curious, it is indeed inspired from George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books, which in turn are the basis of HBO's hit fantasy series Game Of Thrones. They even have a couple songs that are inspired directly from the series.
This album seems to have something in store for almost any heavy metal fan. The vast array of styles they incorporate into their songs are woven seamlessly together. There are great guitar solos, complex song structures, melodic segments as well as hardcore. The vocal styles are varied even within songs. They even have a guest vocalist who helps round out the melodic side of vocals. This impressive fusion of several diverse heavy metal elements is something that truly mush be heard to be believed.
Experience face-melting shred metal that combines the musicianship of the NWOBHM style with the power and intensity of thrash metal!
Other bands on the bill include: Castle, Brimstone Coven, and Beast Warrior.
This show is ages 17 and up. Tickets are $8.00 in advance and $10 at the door.
Touring in support of their newest album, Silence in the Snow, Trivium made a stop in my neck of the woods in southeast Wisconsin and I got myself a ticket, in spite of it being on a week night. It has been far too long since I've managed to see Trivium live, plus this would be my first chance to see them as a headliner! They've put out 3 albums since I last saw them on Mayhem Fest in '09, so there would be plenty of new songs in their set, plus I also got a chance to see two other up and coming bands: Conniption and The Bloodline.
I had been following The Bloodline in recent months, since Mike Sylvester of Fist to the Sky joined their touring line-up, but Conniption were completely new to me. I had no idea what to expect. As soon as Conniption started playing I knew I was in for an awesome night of thrash and power metal. Conniption are from Milwaukee, WI, and they perform an intense brand of traditional metal or power metal- fast-tempo, power-riffs, numerous extended guitar solos, and a vocal style akin to Iron Maiden. One of the songs in their set was an instrumental, featuring multiple guitar solos- traded off between lead guitarist Bill House and vocalist/guitarist Michael Brigham. The two played competitively, razzing each other while the other was playing their lead... sort of the way that Sam Totman and Herman Li of DragonForce do. After their opening set, it was time for The Bloodline.
The Bloodline are a Chicago-based melodic metalcore band, and a perfect warm-up for the likes of Trivium. Their style fluctuates between melodic vocals, and hardcore screams in a well-balanced ratio. Vocalist Travis Neal had a commanding stage presence while singing either style. I was reminded of Five Finger Death Punch's Ivan Moody, and it wasn't just their coincidental image of shaved heads, this dude can really sing... and scream. At every point where the song called for it, bassist Mike Sylvester was right there providing the backing vocals, also with both the melodic or hardcore style. Their brutal heaviness and intensity got the crowd energized and moshing ensued...
Next up was the band the whole venue had been waiting for with eager anticipation. Trivium- a band who in my opinion are the best to come along in thrash metal since the genre's beginnings in the mid-1980's. Trivium- whose music I regard as highly as I do Metallica's or Megadeth's. Trivium- a band who almost single-handedly restored my faith in metal's future when I first heard their song 'Entrance of the Conflagration' nearly 10 years ago...
Trivium took the stage as the classical music of 'Sn0fall' played as their intro. The crowd gave them an enthusiastic welcome, the release of their anticipation almost palpable... The band launched immediately into the title track of their new album, 'Silence in the Snow'. Power chords, thundering drums, and headbanging ensued almost immediately. After that they quickly mixed things up, playing a song from nearly every one of their albums in quick succession. They gave the crowd some of their older and well known hardcore classics like 'Rain' and 'Like Light to the Flies' from their landmark Ascendancy album, while ensuring each song was packed with potent energy, and they gave a kick-ass performance!
Matt Heafy was a perfect front-man: Keeping the crowd engaged, and entertained. He mixed some goofing off stage antics in with the expected venting-of-rage that Trivium's lyrical style lends itself to. For the first few minutes of their performance he stuck his tongue out for the crowd in a variety of manners, playing to the smartphones that were snapping pics every couple seconds. He struck several poses while his hands kept jamming out riff after riff. But he would let the crowd get too complacent either, asking us to keep the emotions high and loud even between songs. We in the audience were more than happy to oblige. We gave our all to show our support with screams, headbanging, moshing, and fist-pumping as often as possible.
The band as a whole was in top form on this wintry night. Bassist Paolo Gregoletto provides the melodic backing vocals, and Corey Beaulieu the hardcore backing vocals, while Matt switched back and forth with expert vocal control. Not to be overlooked is their brand new drummer, Paul Wandtke. Hired on by the band right at the start of this tour, replacing previous drummer Mat Madiro on short notice, he nailed all the drum parts like a pro. Heafy gave him a special nod right before he launched into 'Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr', the band's trademark song, and one with the most intense drum-intro I've ever heard.
Trivium left the stage but it was mere seconds later that chants of "TRI-VI-UM! TRI-VI-UM! TRI-VI-UM!" started up... And we kept it going for several minutes until another taped intro began to play. The crowd erupted in cheers with recognition of the track 'Capsizing the Sea', the intro to their 2011 album, In Waves. Matt Heafy again thanked us for being a great crowd, but also instructed us to sing the two-word chorus "In Waves" as loud as we could, and when the song kicked in, we did! I know I was screaming myself hoarse as the mosh-pit grew to encompass at least half the square footage of the entire venue. A fitting conclusion to a killer set-list by one of my favorite bands.
Here are the songs performed on this night. You should find they make an excellent playlist! You cna find the songs of each band downloadable through their websites, also listed below.
Setlist: CONNIPTION
-The Torrent
-Sonata #1 in b minor
-Kamikaze
-(Come On) King of the Road
-Let the Wolf Out
Setlist: THE BLOODLINE
-We Are One
-Divided
-Dead and Buried
-Midnight
-With Fire (Comes Absolution)
-Poisonous
-The Blackout
Setlist TRIVIUM -Sn0fall (intro) -Silence in the Snow
-Into the Mouth of Hell We March
-Strife
-Rain
-Tread the Floods
-Built to Fall
-Like Light to the Flies
-Insurrection
-Throes of Perdition
-Becoming the Dragon
-Down From the Sky -Until the World Goes Cold
-Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
---encore---
-Capsizing the Sea (intro)
-IN WAVES
After the show I also took advantage of a meet - n - greet they offered for Trivium. Getting to hang with these guys after the show was a truly special honor. I headed to the balcony of the venue and waited a while until the band came out and made the rounds, taking a couple minutes to chat with each fan in the room, and sign their CD's or LP's too. They were very humble, very personable, and professional guys! I wish I had thought of some more meaningful stuff to talk with them about, but I was starstruck, and simply grateful for the opportunity to meet them and say a few words. You may recall that I missed a chance for a meet and greet when I attended Mayhem Fest, but this night made up for it.
Eliminator... at one point they were dubbed the 'Masters of Speed-Black', back in 2008 with the release of their first full-length album, Breaking the Wheel. Then in 2010 they decided they didn't like being boxed into a specific genre, even if it was a unique one of their own invention, and incorporated several different stylistic elements on their 2nd album The One They Were Waiting For. I've reviewed both of those releases (follow the links above to see more of my thoughts on them!), but their 3rd album, released in 2011, was so unprecedented I feel almost like it rewrote the rules of music for me, or perhaps it is more accurate to say it defenestrated all the rules of music...
In any case, I've wanted to write this review for a long time, and now its time has come. Eliminator's 3rd album: And The Brokenhearted Balladeers
While many of their established fans may shun the music recorded here for its daring new directions and seeming abandonment of the 'speed-black' metal style from their debut, I do believe the open-minded music fan will find this release almost incomparably unique among rock/metal releases in general. The album opens with 'Cuttin' You Down (Switchblade Fighter)', a song that emulates a power-ballad vibe with a raw, almost under-produced sound. Though the recording quality is high throughout, the production seems like the sounds were left in their original state- not doctored up in any way. Guitar music purists out there will love this aspect of the album, regardless of which track they may choose to sample. A power ballad is already a totally novel concept coming from Eliminator, but that's just the beginning...
The second track, 'No Answers' is best described as a hardcore-punk/metal song. It is not quite as intense as their work on Breaking the Wheel, but it's as close as you'll get on this album. Fans from that early Eliminator album may find this to be the only song worth recommending, but I dare anyone reading this to listen to the album front-to-back and then see what you think. It is a listening experience truly unlike any other.
My personal favorite from this album is the third track,'Near Dark'. This one is much more traditional metal in its approach and execution. Themed after the cult-classic vampire flick of the same name, this song deliveres a more 'metal' subject matter as well. The intro guitar solo will grab you with shredding hooks, and pull you under... Go willingly! You'll thank me for it later.
As 'Near Dark' winds to a close the drums transition in an instant to 'Sex, Drinks, and Music... In My Grave', an old-school rock and roll song, complete with boogie-woogie piano. It almost has a vibe like an ole' west drinking song. The seamless transition from one song to the next brings the shocking contrast of style home with full force. Here again is an instant where listeners will need a moment to process what they're hearing, and ultimately decide for themselves if they like it or not.
The album continues to shift back and forth and sideways between several rock and metal genres. You may start to wonder what they were thinking when composing such diverse music and juxtaposing the songs on a single album, but if you can set that all aside and simply listen... you'll find this to be a very creative, innovative, and above all unique collection of music. Overall, I find And the Brokenhearted Balladeers to be ambitious in its originality; daring in its blatant destruction of walls between the genres of rock 'n' roll, blues, and metal; yet still appeasing in its surprising listenability. An essential recommendation for those with eclectic tastes!
Recommendations from And the Brokenhearted Balladeers:
-No Answers
-Near Dark
-Sex, Drinks and Music... In My Grave
-Amor Fati (This one is also quite unique, even within the context of this album! electric-guitar avant-garde, slow and melodic...)
-Time is On Your Side (Another heavier offering: next to 'No Answers', perhaps the heaviest tune on the album.)
(FYI: when viewing the Eliminator Bandcamp page, the tracks are simply numbered. Here is a reference to the song titles: 1-Cuttin' You Down (Switchblade Fighter), 2-No Answers, 3-Near Dark, 4-Sex, Drinks, and Music... In My Grave, 5-Just Ain't the Same, 6-Route 69, 7-Punk Island, 8-Amor Fati, 9-Time is On Your Side, 10-Crystal Ball)
Dark Entropy are a thrash metal band from Chicago. They've been writing, recording, and performing in the greater-Chicago area since 2011. The founding members of guitarist Matt Schering and drummer Richard Spoo have persevered through a couple line-up changes since then, keeping their vision of thrash-centric heavy metal alive. Their current line-up includes vocalist Brandon Castaneda and bassist Chico Weeks. You can catch their live performances around Chicago and the neighboring suburbs this summer-follow their facebook page for dates and venues...
Their formula is strongly influenced by the classic thrash era: Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, Slayer, Sepultura... the tonality and riff structure of their songs is unmistakably thrash. Vocals are rough-edged growls, occasionally skating on the edge of hardcore screams and guttural growls. Castaneda also employs some melodic vocal passages. The melodic vocals are a decent change of pace but the aggressive vocal style is certainly the singer's comfort zone. The guitar solos are on par with classic thrash metal in technique, and provide the artistic highlight on several of their songs.
Now for an overview of the demos they recorded recently. If you do make it to a show, then you are bound to hear at least a couple of these tracks (which can also be streamed in their entirety on the previously mentioned facebook page.)
FEARI said Dark Entropy were thrash metal, and that's exactly what you'll get with this number. A mid-tempo thrasher with a couple segments of double-time feel, hardcore vocals, sparing amounts of both melodic singing and darker, black-metal style screams.
Dying to go InsaneAnother great example of Dark Entropy's thrash abilities, with a little something different. This one incorporates a touch of black-metal style vocals during the bridge and choruses.
Sins of Our Fathers This song has an intro that reminds me of Metallica's 'That Was Just Your Life', proving yet again how true-to-form these guys are when it comes to thrash metal. This blending of rough and melodic singing continues...
Enlisted in Suicide This song is another solid thrash number. Again Dark Entropy make their influences apparent, either deliberately or subconsciously, this song has a vocal rhythm and melody that recalls the likes of Metallica's 'Phantom Lord' or Pantera's 'Primal Concrete Sledge'.
Crucifixation (2015 Single) This most-recent recording is driven by a relentless rapid-fire drum beat. This is the essence of thrash metal: killer tempos, and shredding, heavy riffs you ears can barely keep up with! This one gets my top pick for this collection of songs.
Overall I find the music of Dark Entropy filled with the promise of even better music to come as they persevere with their vision and hone their craft on Chicago's local scene and beyond. Again, visit their facebook page for tour schedule and links to these songs on Reverbnation for stream or download.
