Weekly Update: 7/30/12

Welcome back! I honor of Testament's Dark Roots of Earth being released this week, here's the music video for the single "Native Blood" that came out today. It was shot on a Indian reservation, and singer Chuck Billy is of Native American descent, so it's totally not racist!

In other news, if you are one of five people who hasn't seen The Dark Knight Rises yet, or have seen it but would like to read my thoughts on it, check out my review right here.

I also wrote a review for Hellyeah's Band of Brothers, which I have mistakenly called Brothers in Arms several times. Speaking of Band of Brothers, I started watching the HBO miniseries. It's pretty good.


New Releases

Tankard: A Girl Called Cerveza

Testament: Dark Roots of Earth

Hellyeah: "Band of Brothers" Review

Since the implosion of Pantera oh so many years ago, a good number of bands have been trying to fill in the Dimebag-less void that has been plaguing the metal world for so long. Unfortunately, there haven't really been any (at least for me, anyway) that have been able to pick up that fallen torch. Most of them sound like feeble attempts to replicate the unique sound Pantera became famous for rather than expanding on the groundwork laid down by them. And that brings me to Hellyeah's Band of Brothers.

Sticking to a heavier and more metallic sound as opposed to their previous records, the supergroup led by ex-Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul attempts to recreate the style of his previous band. The problem is that the album doesn't sound like Pantera. It sounds like a Pantera cover band, and a bad one at that. Singer Chad Gray desperately tries to do his best Phil Anselmo impression, but ends up sounding unoriginal and bland as a result. Vinnie Paul's drumming isn't even all that impressive! Thankfully, there is some decent guitar work thrown in that help make the majority of the songs tolerable. The opening track "War in Me" begins with a driving riff that quickly becomes stale, while the title track has a nice groove but a goofy chorus. Things get even goofier with the cringe inducing lyrics present in "Drink, Drank Drunk" along with the so called "ballad" that is "Between You and Nowhere" where we are reminded that Chad Gray still can't sing. The rest of album is so uninspired that you probably won't care enough to hear it through to the end.

Despite its best efforts to recapture the vintage Pantera sound, Band of Brothers ends up being unoriginal and boring as a result. The songs suffer from the band attempting to recreate that old sound rather than making it their own. If you're looking for post-Pantera goodness with Vinnie Paul, go listen to Damageplan's New Found Power. It may not be on the same level as Pantera, but it's still better than this crap, and it had Dimebag on it, so the guitar work was automatically superior. Otherwise, you're better off listening to classic Pantera records and skipping Band of Brothers all together.

Weekly Update: 7/23/12

Guess what? It's Monday! Guess what else? In celebration of The Dark Knight Rises being released in theaters (yes, I'm aware of the horrible tragedy and no, I don't want to talk about it), here's a rendition of the theme from the '89 Tim Burton version of Batman by none other than video game themed power metal group, Powerglove.

Guess what else, else!? There's nothing new out this week! There's a Slipknot "Best Of" collection out now, but that's about it.

New Releases

Slipknot: Antennas to Hell

Guess what else...screw it. Because I'm terrible at making deadlines for myself as well as being more busy than I thought I would be (thanks, summer classes!) I'm not listing upcoming features anymore, since they've went from "upcoming" to "I'll get to them when I can." Instead, I think I might actually go back to the Music Video Monday format but keep them short. If you have any thoughts one way or the other, let me know in the handy-dandy comments!

Weekly Update: 7/16/12

Mornin, y'all! Here's another weekly update for you, complete with the most intense LARPing sessions ever witnessed. 

For new releases, we're still in a bit of a dry spot, but you can still expect a review of Hellyeah's Band of Brothers in the near future. In the meantime, I'm still working on my Top Ten Most Underrated Bands list as much as I can, and I hope to get it done soon.

New Releases

Hellyeah: Band of Brothers (Review forthcoming!)

Upcoming Features

Top Ten Most Underrated Bands

You Are All Legally Obligated to Listen to This New Testament Song

Grandfather willow?

I would tell you all that you should listen to thrash legends Testament's latest single "Native Blood" off of their upcoming Dark Roots of the Earth album, but that would be completely pointless, because you have no choice. I will let you know ahead of time, though, that it's pretty awesome. And while you're at it, feel free to listen to the previously released single "True American Hate" below.

Dark Roots of the Earth will be released July 31.

Weekly Update: 7/9/12

As you might have guessed from the title, the Music Video Mondays as you know and love are no more. However, that doesn't mean I won't be sharing the utter stupid I discover in the bowels of the Internets. For instance, here's an instructional video by Amon Amarth for synchronized headbanging, which I'm pretty sure is being broadcasted in this year's Olypmic games along with competitive moshing and beard growing.

In addition, each week I will be updating you one what's coming out that week as well as what new features I have in the works. Here's what comes out this week: (Spoilers: It's a whole lot of nothing)

New Releases

P.O.D: Murdered Love

Serj Tankian: Harakiri

Upcoming Features

Top Ten Most Underrated Bands

Random Review: Black Tide- Post Mortem

Music Video... Tuesday? 7/3/12

I apologize if these posts have been a bit inconsistent, but rest assured that nothing can stop me from delivering the metal cheese you all so greatly desire! I've also been thinking of restructuring this feature somewhat, since I feel like I've run out of things to say about a lot of these videos. Plus, many of them sort of speak for themselves, so you don't necessarily need me to tell you why they are so ridiculous. Still, I will make sure to point out as many things I feel are worth mentioning. Anyway, on with the stupid!

What happens when you take one of the most iconic vocalists in power metal (Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian) and have him sing over the riffs of Iced Earth's Jon Shaffer? You get some awesome metal, combining everything that is heavy and stupid from both artist's respective band. For all of the combined songwriting talents, however, it doesn't seem like a lot of effort went into the music video production. Feast your eyes on the "Terror Train" in all its green-screened glory!

Rush: "Clockwork Angels" Review

Rush has been regarded by many over the years as being one of if not the most underrated band in rock. While this may be true in a mainstream perspective, the majority of hard rock and metal fans are well aware of the Canadian Trio's greatness. Having stayed together for over 35 years, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart have not only influenced countless musicians, they have influenced the entire progressive rock/metal genre. The fact that they aren't as highly recognized in the mainstream is probably what makes them so endearing to so many people. It only makes sense, then, that hardcore Rush fans (like myself) have been eagerly anticipating the band's latest release.

Following 2007's well-received Snakes and Arrows, the band has returned 5 years later with one of their heaviest albums, Clockwork Angels. Where Snakes and Arrows was more diverse and experimented with different instruments for ambiance, this one sticks to a more straightforward approach, combining a hard sound with dark themes. It is immediately apparent how much heavier this album sounds compared to previous releases with the first two tracks, "Caravan" and "BU2B". "Caravan" features a instantly memorable riff that is both fresh and identifiable as Rush, leading into the mesmerizing chorus. Similar in concept, "BU2B" continues this sort of "mini-story" with a monster of a riff and lyrics that question religion and believing in a "greater plan". Other songs, such as "Carnies" and "Headlong Flight" contribute to the overall heaviness of the record while still maintaining a progressive edge that Rush is famous for. For all of this heaviness, however, there are some softer arrangements in songs like "Halo Effect", "Clockwork Angels", and "The Garden", adding a nice feeling of diversity to the album as a whole.

If you are a musician, or at least the very least, not tone-deaf, than you should be at least aware if not in awe of the playing abilities of these three musical giants. Geddy Lee's bass playing is some of the best in the business, playing distinct bass lines rather just "chugging" along. Just listen to the bass line in the beginning of "Seven Cities of Gold" and you'll understand why aspiring bass players wish they could be half as good as him. His singing isn't half bad either, keeping a melodic tone despite not wailing the way he did in the 70's. Alex Lifeson, being one of the most underrated rock guitarists, generates some amazing riffs that are both heavy and progressive. His great playing isn't just limited to his rhythm playing, though. Lifeson's solos such as the one in "Caravan" are a rare treat that should be savored for as long as they last. Last, and certainly not least, Neil Pert's drumming continues to solidify his place among the drum gods along with Keith Moon and John Bonham, perfectly keeping a steady pace with enough fills to show off his talents. The three of them combined work seamlessly together, as evidenced by the first minute of "The Anarchist" sounding as if it was an instrumental. I was almost disappointed when it turned out to not be an instrumental. Thankfully, the song is good enough to make up for that fact.

By now, you've probably already made up your mind on how you feel about Rush. You either worship the ground they walk on or don't want anything to do with them, probably because you're not sophisticated enough to like good music! (I was kind of/sort of kidding there) If you're a tried and true Rush fan, all you need to know is that Clockwork Angels is another excellent addition in the band's expansive catalog. If your not a Rush fan, stop reading this. If you are one of the few people who are on the fence about the group, listen to Clockwork Angels with the intent of hearing a great rock album and maybe you'll feel compelled to explore the rest of Rush's acclaimed work.