A lot of music news came out the last couple o' days while I have been in online avoidance mode aka Spring Break. Sometimes you just have to slow things down, grab a bottle of Jimmy Bean and appreciate mother nature (pissing on mother nature is not appreciating it, D'oh).
Anyways here is an update of what we missed while partaking in the festivities of the break/St. Patrick's Day...
+Mastodon are currently streaming the new album "Crack the Skye" on MySpace.
+Judas Priest announced they would be playing "British Steel" in its entirety this summer for the 30th Anniversary of the album (along with other hits). No details yet on them doing all of "Nostradamus". I have heard that will be a more limited run, which is probably a good idea!
+The Frenchies in Gojira announced they will be going on a headlining tour here in States. "The Way of All Flesh" made my top five list of 2009 and they seem to be a tight live band. The closest date to Iowa is May 10 in Chicago, Illinois (see tour dates to the right). I think they should come to People's Court in Des Moines though!
+Killswitch Engage will put out the new CD on June 23. Lets hope they can recapture some of that magic on "Alive or Just Breathing"!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Ride the Tiger: Heaven and Hell Cover Art
Check out the new Heaven and Hell album cover. They could have easily gone and made it cheesy, but instead it is a pretty sinister piece of art.
The Devil You Know will be unleashed to the masses on April 28. I can't wait!
The first single off the album is said to be the song Bible Black. Check out the complete tracklisting here.
The Devil You Know will be unleashed to the masses on April 28. I can't wait!
The first single off the album is said to be the song Bible Black. Check out the complete tracklisting here.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Metal Show will not be airing tonight...
I am posting to regrettably inform listeners that The Metal Show will not be airing this Tuesday, March 10, 2009.
Feel free to listen in as Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band will be interviewed in place of the show and will be playing at The Mill (I am holding a rally to throw eggs at the band when they play, so feel free to join in there!).
Seriously, though while I may be angry that my show isn't airing tonight, I am always in support of the bands and understand they want some exposure on the radio (just don't do it during The Metal Show next time).
Next week is Spring Break so The Metal Show will be off the air then also.
TUESDAY MARCH 24TH WILL MARK THE DATE THAT THE METAL SHOW WILL BE BACK ON IN ITS ENTIRETY FROM 6-7PM ON KRUI 89.7
Now I end my post with an excerpt of the mighty lyrics of Manowar. Remember, there is no stopping metal!
Fight fight fight
Fighting the world every single day
Fighting the world for the right to play
Heavy Metal in my brain
I'm fighting for Metal 'cause it's here to stay
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting the World
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight
See my brother standing by my side
Only got one thing on ever mind
Radio's playing this nation wide
Turn it up louder till we all get fright
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting the World
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight
Fight - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Feel free to listen in as Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band will be interviewed in place of the show and will be playing at The Mill (I am holding a rally to throw eggs at the band when they play, so feel free to join in there!).
Seriously, though while I may be angry that my show isn't airing tonight, I am always in support of the bands and understand they want some exposure on the radio (just don't do it during The Metal Show next time).
Next week is Spring Break so The Metal Show will be off the air then also.
TUESDAY MARCH 24TH WILL MARK THE DATE THAT THE METAL SHOW WILL BE BACK ON IN ITS ENTIRETY FROM 6-7PM ON KRUI 89.7
Now I end my post with an excerpt of the mighty lyrics of Manowar. Remember, there is no stopping metal!
Fight fight fight
Fighting the world every single day
Fighting the world for the right to play
Heavy Metal in my brain
I'm fighting for Metal 'cause it's here to stay
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting the World
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight
See my brother standing by my side
Only got one thing on ever mind
Radio's playing this nation wide
Turn it up louder till we all get fright
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting the World
Fighting,fighting,fighting the World
I been fighting
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Fight
Fight - Fighting the World
Fight for a living - Fighting the World
Slow News Week
It seems that not much exciting is going on in the metal world so far this week... but Dave Mustaine has the cure!
UPDATE: Below is the latest Mastodon video for the song Divinations that I just realized I never put up here. It is kind of a goofy video and you all know my opinions on Mastodon, but it is still a decent tune.
UPDATE: Below is the latest Mastodon video for the song Divinations that I just realized I never put up here. It is kind of a goofy video and you all know my opinions on Mastodon, but it is still a decent tune.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wizards, Dragons and Blind Guardian!
Blind Guardian is one of the most atmospheric, epic and awesome bands in the whole metal realm. These guys can write about some of the cheesiest stuff and still make it badass.
"A Twist in the Myth" was the band's last release and it was solid. I think the new one could have potential to be better though. In fact the band just finished recording eight new tracks in the studio.
Here's what Hansi Kursch had to say:
"What can I say about these songs? They rule, of course. You want a more precise description? Impossible. All I can say is that each and every song is 100% BLIND GUARDIAN, which, naturally, means there is a wild bunch of different things going on from time to time (always?)."
Kursch is the man and has one of the most unique voices in metal.
Check out the epic sounding track "Sacred" below, which will appear on the new album when it eventually comes out (probably not until later in the year). Yes I know it looks like a trailer for a videogame, that's because it is. Like I said, only certain bands like Blind Guardian can get away with stuff like this!
"A Twist in the Myth" was the band's last release and it was solid. I think the new one could have potential to be better though. In fact the band just finished recording eight new tracks in the studio.
Here's what Hansi Kursch had to say:
"What can I say about these songs? They rule, of course. You want a more precise description? Impossible. All I can say is that each and every song is 100% BLIND GUARDIAN, which, naturally, means there is a wild bunch of different things going on from time to time (always?)."
Kursch is the man and has one of the most unique voices in metal.
Check out the epic sounding track "Sacred" below, which will appear on the new album when it eventually comes out (probably not until later in the year). Yes I know it looks like a trailer for a videogame, that's because it is. Like I said, only certain bands like Blind Guardian can get away with stuff like this!
Congratulations Lamb of God!
First off I just wanted to say congrats to Lamb of God who landed at the number two spot on the Billboard Charts after selling around 68,000 copies of the new album "Wrath". That is their best debut to date! ("Sacrament" sold 63,000)
I finally got the physical CD this week and I will be posting a review of it soon on The Metal Review.
The main point I wanted to bring up though is that God Forbid's new album "Earthsblood" only sold 5,400 copies in its first week of release. And while they charted at number 110 on the Billboard Charts and number two on the Heatseeker's chart, they still deserve to sell even more.
I ordered my copy online right away after seeing this. I tried to order the new CD here in Iowa City, but no store got it in so I was sick of waiting, plus I wanted to support the band. It is a great CD! I will review that one too, as soon as it arrives in the mail.
The main point of all this is that metal is still alive and well in the music world, especially if a band such as Lamb of God can debut at number two on the Billboard Charts! Lets hope that the album will continue to sell will in the following weeks.
I finally got the physical CD this week and I will be posting a review of it soon on The Metal Review.
The main point I wanted to bring up though is that God Forbid's new album "Earthsblood" only sold 5,400 copies in its first week of release. And while they charted at number 110 on the Billboard Charts and number two on the Heatseeker's chart, they still deserve to sell even more.
I ordered my copy online right away after seeing this. I tried to order the new CD here in Iowa City, but no store got it in so I was sick of waiting, plus I wanted to support the band. It is a great CD! I will review that one too, as soon as it arrives in the mail.
The main point of all this is that metal is still alive and well in the music world, especially if a band such as Lamb of God can debut at number two on the Billboard Charts! Lets hope that the album will continue to sell will in the following weeks.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Trivium Issue
I was reading an interview with Trivium guitarist Corey Beaulieu on Blabbermouth.net which discussed the love/hate relationship people have with the band, and I thought it raised a good question.
Why do so many people hate this band?
Even I initially felt like I should dislike this band before I ever really heard them, causing me to fail to give them a chance. I think part of the problem is that Trivium started out as a straight-up metalcore band, as shown in this live video for "Ascendancy".
That kind of sucked right? It sounds bland and generic and doesn't merit repeat listens. The band isn't terrible, but there are better lesser known bands I have seen perform live.
After the somewhat successful run of "Ascendancy" the band began working on a follow-up album. Members began talking about how the album was more straight-up metal with clean vocals. "The Crusade" came out and instantly the haters trashed the band for selling out and ripping off Metallica and Testament. Matt Heafy even looks like a young Kirk Hammett.
Maybe he is a clone?
"The Crusade" is the point where I decided to give Trivium a chance after reading some positive reviews of the album. I did hear a lot of borrowing of riffs from thrash bands, but isn't all music a rehashed form of its predecessor? There is no 100% PURE music and there are countless bands the same haters of Trivium love that sound like other bands.
Songs like "Ignition" and "Entrance of the Conflagration" are awesome tunes that I thoroughly enjoyed. The band was definitely improving at this point and I no longer hated them.
The band gets better...
In 2008 Trivium started doing interviews in support of the new CD that was coming out called "Shogun". Heafy stated that the band was bringing back some of the screaming vocals along with the melodic vocals found throughout "The Crusade".
I'll admit that I have not purchased the full album yet (I didn't download it either), but the first two singles off the album ("Down From the Sky" and "Throes of Perdition") are good tracks that show the band finally getting into its own sound.
Check out the most recent video for "Throes of Perdition".
So in summary Trivium may have started out as a standard metalcore band, but they have grown into a unique band with its own sound. Even if you dislike them, there is no denying the band's technical ability.
Maybe we should all remember a little band called Pantera" (RIP), that started out as a glam metal band, then transformed into a Judas Priest sounding band ("Power Metal"), until finding its true sound on "Cowboys From Hell" and "Vulgar Display of Power".
Before there was Dimebagg Darrell, there was Diamond Darrell!
If Trivium is being hated for what they used to be, then maybe we should all open our minds to the new stuff and listen to it from as unbiased of a perspective as possible. Is Trivium the best band out there right now? Probably not. Are they a proficient metal band that writes great metal tunes that make you want to headbang? This metal show DJ thinks so.
Why do so many people hate this band?
Even I initially felt like I should dislike this band before I ever really heard them, causing me to fail to give them a chance. I think part of the problem is that Trivium started out as a straight-up metalcore band, as shown in this live video for "Ascendancy".
That kind of sucked right? It sounds bland and generic and doesn't merit repeat listens. The band isn't terrible, but there are better lesser known bands I have seen perform live.
After the somewhat successful run of "Ascendancy" the band began working on a follow-up album. Members began talking about how the album was more straight-up metal with clean vocals. "The Crusade" came out and instantly the haters trashed the band for selling out and ripping off Metallica and Testament. Matt Heafy even looks like a young Kirk Hammett.
Maybe he is a clone?
"The Crusade" is the point where I decided to give Trivium a chance after reading some positive reviews of the album. I did hear a lot of borrowing of riffs from thrash bands, but isn't all music a rehashed form of its predecessor? There is no 100% PURE music and there are countless bands the same haters of Trivium love that sound like other bands.
Songs like "Ignition" and "Entrance of the Conflagration" are awesome tunes that I thoroughly enjoyed. The band was definitely improving at this point and I no longer hated them.
The band gets better...
In 2008 Trivium started doing interviews in support of the new CD that was coming out called "Shogun". Heafy stated that the band was bringing back some of the screaming vocals along with the melodic vocals found throughout "The Crusade".
I'll admit that I have not purchased the full album yet (I didn't download it either), but the first two singles off the album ("Down From the Sky" and "Throes of Perdition") are good tracks that show the band finally getting into its own sound.
Check out the most recent video for "Throes of Perdition".
So in summary Trivium may have started out as a standard metalcore band, but they have grown into a unique band with its own sound. Even if you dislike them, there is no denying the band's technical ability.
Maybe we should all remember a little band called Pantera" (RIP), that started out as a glam metal band, then transformed into a Judas Priest sounding band ("Power Metal"), until finding its true sound on "Cowboys From Hell" and "Vulgar Display of Power".
Before there was Dimebagg Darrell, there was Diamond Darrell!
If Trivium is being hated for what they used to be, then maybe we should all open our minds to the new stuff and listen to it from as unbiased of a perspective as possible. Is Trivium the best band out there right now? Probably not. Are they a proficient metal band that writes great metal tunes that make you want to headbang? This metal show DJ thinks so.
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