I’ll also toss out Frost Giant’s January '18 folk smasher, The Harlot Star. As self-described “American Ensiferum” (in a meme thread in an Aether Realm fangroup about how AR are just “American Wintersun”), they are also pretty fucking excellent.
This is some mighty good stuff. From Finland.
Funerary Bell - Undead Revelations
Another semi-local band I’ve had some fun watching come up and firm up. The Mudvayne comparison on their FB is apt; it’s got that same kinda funky math-rocky sort of syncopated bass-guitar-heavy driving element to it. The vocals are weaker than peak Mudvayne, but there’s lots to like here, IMO
A few songs & bands making heavy rotation on my current playlist:
Instrumental djent. Created by a drummer named Anup Sastry who programmed all the other instruments in these tracks in order to create music that mostly just exists to showcase his drumming. If you like this as much as I do, the entire Ghost album by Sastry is worth the name your price asked for the album at Bandcamp.
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Psychosis is a band I discovered on MP3.com about a billion years ago, last century. I don’t know anything about the band except a couple members re-branded themselves as Prototype and re-recorded a couple Psychosis songs for their earliest albums. I’ve always prefered the psychosis versions though because they’re faster and and thrashier than the numetalish versions put out by Prototype.
This and a track called Cycled Souls are sure winners.
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Art of Rebellion by Suicidal Tendencies easily sits near the very top of my list of favorite albums from the 90s, but is mostly overlooked by their hardcore fans in favor of their classic 80s stuff. I know it’s heresy, but I prefer Suicidal’s thrash phase more than their earlier punk output.
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Again, another 90s album by a band better known for their 80s output. Low is my favorite album from Testament, seconded by 2012’s Dark Roots of Earth. If these are my choices, am I even allowed to call myself a real fan? Doesn’t matter, am fan.
Low visual quality aside, this concert has become my most-often-re-watched concert of all time.
Shot in the Trafo venue in Berlin.
After seeing this, I am convinced that this has got to be the best venue ever for a moderately-sized audience, and would be a great venue for any metal band to film a concert DVD. It is visually striking. It’s a converted power plant, with open pits all around (with railings of course) and a “balcony” level to boot. Not sure how good (or poor) the acoustics would be here, but I’d love to see a concert here some day.
I originally watched this to see Gamma Ray perform, but they were upstaged by the two other (Swedish) bands, who I had previously never heard of before: Bullet and Crucified Barbara (and I am now a fan of both of those bands). I love how the venue has it so all three bands are set up at different places at the same time, and then each band takes turns performing three songs. No extra time is required for set-up this way. Such a brilliant idea, and it keeps things moving along and fresh.
Also, Dag (Hell) Hofer, vocalist for Bullet, is simply awesome! When I first saw this, I had to giggle at his appearance and earnestness, but my giggles quickly turned into an amazed, continuous, happy grin. AC/DC really should consider him for their vocalist; he is that good, and AC/DC fans would approve, I think. This guy may not look like a metal singer, but his pure, enthusiastic attitude carries it.
I ran across this still shrinkwrapped CD in my collection today, and couldn’t remember why I bought it years ago. The band is called Rebel Meets Rebel (Wikipedia link).
It’s a collaboration between country outlaw David Allan Coe (vocals) and Dimebag Darrell, Rex Brown, and Vinnie Paul, and features guest vocalist Hank Williams III.
Back in the 80’s, when I was actually into country music for a few years for some reason, I enjoyed David Allan Coe. So when I spotted this CD in my collection just now, I had pretty severe doubts about him performing on a metal album.
But it works…I think. It’s definitely interesting, if nothing else. Much better than I expected.
In my seemingly never-ending quest to appreciate Death Metal, I think I’ve discovered the perfect entry-level album for me: Scar Symmetry: “Symmetric In Design”:
I just love the cleaning recording and mixing on this album, and the vocal mixture is great. The keyboard backdrop, and especially the guitar work give it a very melodic feel. I believe this to be the first Death Metal album I’ve listened to from beginning to end.
I’m waiting on set change right now between In This Moment and Halestorm. If any of you get a chance to see In This Moment live, you have got to take it. It’s about equal parts interpretive dance and music on the stage. Complete with weird video stuff on background scenes. Only downside is they take a while between songs, presumably for costume modifications and a bit of a breather for Maria Brink.
Other than a short lived ill-advised mosh pit…why would you do that with half the crowd female and extremely not interested…it was a great experience. I hope they come by here again as true headliners (instead of sharing with Halestorm) so they can play longer. I’d post pictures, but I have no skills when it comes to lowlight phone camera work.
Very cool. Always been a fan of Halestorm, but never paid much attention to In This Moment until very recently, when the song “Roots” grabbed me by the ear. Enjoy the rest of the show!
2 weeks until my VIP concert with Ghost. Getting super excited, although I have no idea what to say to Tobias. Never done a VIP thing before, but I assume I’ll have about 8 seconds with him.
Scar Symmetry is absolutely one of my favorite death metal acts. If you’re enjoying that, please check out Soilwork (just about any era works, though I’m partial to the old album Stabbing the Drama) and Mercenary (especially The Hours That Remain). You might also dig mid-period In Flames, like Clayman.
Thanks for the album shares above, too, btw! I’m really behind on my music listening right now but wanna check em out soon.
That sounds like an awesome show! The tour didn’t come by here, sadly, but if they ever do, I’m totally in off your recommendation.
Nice!! I think I am going to miss this one. I’m going to Tennessee (6 hours west, passing Asheville, NC en route at 5 hours along the way) this weekend, and then Ghost comes in Tuesday night, two days after I drive back to Raleigh. Just don’t think I can justify more time off work and a second huge drive, much as I want to see them again.
They’re an amazing live show. You’re going to love it.
Happy to report that Halestorm also rocked, and said something about a new album dropping soon as well. My taste runs more toward In This Moment, but you can’t go wrong with either of those acts.
There were also two openers, Stiched Up Heart and New Year’s Day. I missed almost all of the former due to late arrival, but the latter did a fine job as well. Four female-fronted rock/metal bands, it’s like someone put together a tour off my favorites list!
Saw them last summer in Denver and loved every second of it. Will be interesting to see the difference with the new persona and at least 2 swapped musicians.
Ask him if his mother is proud.
I’m always curious what their parents think after an artist makes it big.
Okay, I think Ghost has strayed a bit far afield from metal with this one, but I still dig it.
The dude can write some catchy shit.
I like the video, which is a bunch of famous people reacting to the song:
I would have used that video instead, except I don’t know any of those people.
I just assumed it was some fan-made video with random people grooving.
My age is showing.
So who are they? These famous people.
I do recognize that older lady from their promo videos (and I am actually curious about her, because she’s been such a consistent, interesting part of their promos), but other than that, I have no idea who these people are.
Oh, I see. It’s right there at the bottom if I’d bothered to look. Thanks.
However, that video looked so amateurish that I assumed is was just a fan-made thing.
Not even Kirk Hammett? I figured every metal fan would recognize him.