A couple of dark metal vids that I'm liking right now.
The new Bloodbath album looks to be a winner, or rather the single is great:
And while spinning around the dark reaches of death metal, I came across the new Belphegor single 'Conjuring the Dead'. This should appeal to anyone who likes the last couple of Behemoth albums:
Today I've been spinning new music on Spotify. This started out reasonably well with a swedish metal band 'Astrakhan', sort of Symphony X but more under control, and yeah hints of Pain of Salvation. I liked it, possibly not enough to buy the album, but I'll spin them again and if/when a new album comes out will give it a go.
Next up was Sean Kuti + Egypt80's new album 'a long way to the beginning' which is brilliant. He's quite pissed off, and that's a good thing (musically).
And then things took off on a tangent. Actually tangent maybe being too kind, I found Troll Bends Fir. A folk-metal / beer-folk band from Russia, where most lyrics, songs, albums appear to focus on beer and brewing. This I can both cope, and get onboard, with. Wikipedia. There's a lot of tin whistle/flute, and violin, and one song appeared to consist of singing 'slainte' over a metal beat and fiddle accompaniment. Ideal drinking music.
Album titles reflect their central premise: Hopheart, Brothers in drinks, 1516/Order of the Holy Hop.
A clear magnificent manifesto.
Can't seem to find a band camp link for them, and kinda refuse to link to myspace or facebook. so have a youtube video instead.
Just a couple of videos today, but quite brilliant ones.
First up, Amon Amarth. Yes, named after a Lord of the Rings location. I think AA have popped up before, but this video from 2013 makes everything else they've done seem a little small minded. Let's see, we have a 4 minute song, what could possibly make it better? How about a full backstory which takes longer than the song itself? Yeah, that could work. Anything we base this on? Well y'know, there's that LotR thing, that George RR Martin malarky, and well pretty much all other fantasy stuff. Hey, yeah, that'll do us. I present to you, Father of the Wolf.
Next up, the new single from Polish metal lads, Behemoth. Safe to say, NSFW, it's also brutal but rifftastic and suspect it may not find a lot of love from my usual readers.
But hey, I like them, and the new album is a lot of win.
After a ridiculously hot week, the English weather has crashed back into the more expected damp and cold early winter. Cold enough that I've dug out the polypro's and a jacket. That being said, even at high speed on the bike this morning I was still warm, so it may have been overkill.
Currently in denial over a cold, I blame freshers flu. But it's more annoying than debilitating (again, I have crap man-flu), and it's not like I can get any more grumpy at work.
Wandered down to London last week to meet up with Mr S for our yearly dose of battle/folk metal. A mini-fest called Heidenfest, with 6 bands on the card.
First up were Skalmold, an Icelandic bunch of crazed viking metal. Great stuff and great start to the evening. In keeping with battle/folk/viking metal, all very tongue in cheek and OTT. It's a bit hard to describe them, so instead have a 10min video....
Is it just me or is Icelandic quite amusing to listen to? Although the song itself is ace.
Next up were Trollfest who are, apparently, some form of super group for folk/black metal.
Again more fun than a packet full of wobbly jelly. Great stage presence - if you flick through their website, you'll find their singer wearing t-shirt with "fat people are hard to kidnap", which seems to sum up their approach to music.
Oh and big win for Trollfest? Use of particularly non-metal instruments, such as accordions. The world of metal needs more accordions, oh and balilika's, which they also seemed to have.
Here's a video, ostensibly about the making of the new album, but realistically it's a homage to drinking. A lot. Whisky, jagameister, beer ... and heartfelt sentiments such as "if Jesus comes back, we'll kill him again"
SAdly band 3 weren't able to attend, a Russian group called Arkona, who were stuck in France for some reason.
And so to Band 4, Alestorm. We'd seen these guys before supporting Sabaton. Scottish Pirate Metal. Three words that work really well. No really. Lots of pirate shirts and blow up cutlasses present in the audience - always good to see. As expected, they put on a great show. More rum and beer. In fact i like them so much, you're getting two videos.
Mainly as the second one uses a keytar. And much like accordions, metal needs more keytars. Mmm KeyTar.
Finntroll were up next, and with that kind of name, we had high hopes. Sadly the band appeared to take themselves seriously, and we weren't too hooked on them. Oh well. One duffer out of 5 wasn't too bad.
Actually this song seems ok, wonder why we didn't like them. They did, from memory have a banjo which was a good sign...
And finally, the mighty Turisas which Mr S had dragged me to last year. Great stuff. Lots of make-ups bags in the mens toilet by this point, all red and black, in preparation for Turisas. They are a great live band, their leadsinger has brilliant stage presence, and they are the kings of battle metal. Indeed their main song is: Battle Metal. As headliners, I'm giving you two tracks:
Fans were fantastic, lots of dressing up, and lots of chicks. Ahhh metal gigs - if more people made the effort they'd see how much more fun metal is than any other genre. Even black metal (Dimmu Borgir) was a really good atmosphere.
Shortly I'll be heading back to whisky reviews. But I thought a music interlude would be appropriate.
Taking a break from the jazz, country and classic rock for some metal \m/
The first band takes their name from a pesticide, made more (in)famous as the poison d'jour for the concentration camps. Hey don't judge them, thalidomide was such a raging success...
And now for some Unleashed
I'm quite looking forward to the gig later this month with Dimmu Borgir, supported by Enslaved - who I also like. I've posted Enslaved tracks before (I think), probably from their Vertebrae album, but here's something earlier:
And the big news is that Dimmu Borgir have announced release dates for the new album (end of Sept). Regular readers of the metal section will know how much I like my symphonic black metal. Woohoo.
First up, some German metal- in German too (I think).
And for fans of Jakob or ISIS here's another instrumental band - this is a fan vid, but quitecool
I do like me some Cult of Luna, although for some reason I have none in the collection. Must fix that one day...
Don't shoot me, but I appear to have a soft spot for folkmetal. This one is a bit more hardcore than most, but it ticks the folk box. Oh and the video is quite nicely done, although they don't vary it at all.
And no apologies, this one is heavier than normal. Much heavier, but I like it.
You want some Dimmu Borgir? Well ok, if you insist, from the last album, In Sorte Diaboli, which I loved.
Catching up on my metal watching, and here's a couple of NZ vids. TBH I don't like the NZ scene much, it's pretty mindless thrash in general, but these stand out - especially the CIA vid.
8 Foot Sativa are, I reckon, pretty underrated internationally. Theirs is a style I don't like much, but I it's done very well here. 8 Foot Sativa - Sleepwalkers (Uncensored)
In more metal news, ISIS have split- well they did in May. Which is a crying shame, for they were an excellent band.
To ISIS
Given I don't really like chick fronted metal, this is rather good.
This song is good, very sisters ofmercy/emo-ish, but the video gets in as it has a keyboard, and the chick is very hot and has a push-up bra. And no-one of should be surprised at my shallowness. She's got curves, she's brunette, I'm sure she's got a PhD too...I seem to remember putting it up before, oh well.
Another in the irregular metal update of stuff I like, or don't or something. I'm in a pissy mood, and I'm drinking, so that tends to make things heavier (I've just been spinning Bloodbath and Borknager). In a change from my usual wandering around YouTube, I've decided to scrobble to Last.Fm using Spotify so you can see what I've sat through.
I'm not usually a fan of thrash, but this, by Kreator, is an interesting mix of melodic metal and thrash.
I've killed my tonic supplies, so no more V n T for me. The beer I don't like has been drunk (that's how desperate things were), and I'm now enjoying a merlot with my (superb) laksa and metal. It's an odd mix, but I like it.
And now a video from a band I've been lucky enough to see live. I do like metal gigs, there's an odd sense of camaraderie. Particularly in Wellington where there were so few grind/black metal gigs.
A quick dalliance with Ex Deo 'Romulus' which I've mentioned before, some Dimmu Borgir (which I've mentioned many times). Now some Behemoth, a band I'm currently getting into. I've got their most recent album, which I like, without being grabbed by it. But it's got that certain something suggesting it's a grower, so I'm sticking with it. Check out Ov Fire and the Void from the new album. Here's an earlier song of theirs:
I'm not sure what look the next band were going for, emo, goth, punk, nu-metal, glam - anyway I quite like the song and video:
Some Iced Earth followed (how does he get his voice that high, freeky), and now Satyricon. I have a soft spot for this vid, it's not very heavy, but it rocks along quite nicely.
And nothing else really took my interest. Mmm feeling much better now after an intensive dose of metal therapy.
A hugely popular song during my younger years was Funkytown, with its classic keytar usage.
Sadly for those of us who wanted to be lead singers and keyboard players, the keytar has disappeared from pop music.
But it appears to have had a comeback in folk-metal. Yup that genre I've scared myself with before, here's some more.
Firstly keytar mayhem by the Alewives and 'Keelhauled'.
And so, why stop there. Here's someVikings getting hammered...there's some Steve Harris (Maiden) style riffs in there, or rather Maiden-esque guitar breaks. Good stuff.
Now a band endorsed by none other than Mr Salmond. In the spirit of Nintendo, 'battle'.
Deathstars, think Marilyn Manson/Depeche Mode/Sisters of Mercy/Paradise Lost, and you're most of the way there. So yeah, derivative, but fun. I've just watched three vids of theirs and liked them, although I do have a soft spot for emo :) Not sure I'll buy an album, but good none-the-less.
I appear to be on an emo metal roll, watched Dead Girls Are Easy (The 69 Eyes), then this, which seems a cut above the usual emo. The singer sounds like he could have some talent live.
It appears Paradise Lost have gotten heavy again - this is for Billy. I do rather like One Second, and I might keep an eye out for the new (2009) album on the strength of this video.
Then kept it real with some Opeth (early stuff, then Porcelain Heart), and Meshuggah. Now there's a band who have improved immensely over the years. Firmly believe the most recent album, ObZen, is by far their best (although Shed and its album comes close). Oh hell, have Bleed....
Been awhile since we had a metal post, so here's some vids. Those of you who don't like metal, skip to the last one, it's rock and it's superb.
First up Saxon, that 80s NWOBHM band, are still rocking along - here's a 2008 vid whose riff may owe something to ac/dc sin city, but let's not tell anyone...
And more celtic metal. This is, in keeping with most other celtic/folk metal, very very wrong.
Found a mesuggah wannabe, Deatholution - Hackneyed, wouldn't recommend them, they have the brutal precision approach of M, but they miss the icy brutal delicacy, and I can't think of any other way to describe it, of M. Bloodbath are always a favourite of mine, a bit of a supergroup, or at least a secondary project for a number of extreme metallers (akerfeldt from opeth was a vocalist for a period). Worth checking out, Ex Deo 'Romulus', and no prizes for guessing the song (and video) topic matter. The video is quite good tho, CGI fun times. And I ended this particular run with Dimmu Borgir, The Chosen Legacy from their superb album, In Sorte Diaboli. Ok, so they are an acquired taste, but the mix of synth and brutal metal really works for me.
Flicked through some stoner metal, nothing really that grabbed me. So have moved on to Isis, and came across these guys 'Baroness - Wanderlust'. Good stuff, should appeal to Isis fans.
Can anyone explain the point of Trivium? Really? Anyone? No, thought not. What gets to me is that when I'm searching for music of this type, it keeps turning up in the related videos section. Why?!
Rob Zombie has a new album out, and here's the uncensored video.
But this is, by far, the best video I've seen for ages White Wizzard 'Over the Top', imagine if you will, an 80s hair metal tribute band who are good, sound like Queensryche, but with a singer who has more in common with Midnight (from Crimson Sky) for vocal range, and the mighty morphin power rangers. This isn't really metal, just good 80s hair metal rock. Please watch it
I have a soft spot for Hammerfall 'Any means necessary', and Amorphis 'Silver Bride' both of which are a bit cheesy metal, but at least have a good tune to carry them. Actually Amorphis are much better than that suggests. Ohhh good to see Grave Digger still going strong, not that they've changed their focus subject-wise much over the years. I've got live at Wacken kicking around somewhere. How anthemic is that 'ballad of a hangman' - awesome stuff.
Righto, I think that will do my metal exploration for the evening.
Nothing to do at work today, no surprise there, mainly filling in time before pub. Mmm beer.
Anyhoo, I'm catching up metal vids I haven't had a chance to watch, the only two that have stood out have been Kataklysm, Behemoth (oohh now that was brutal) and Vader.
Ok, I have to agree with the reviews saying his best since Suspiria. It is that good.
The music was done by Simonetti from Goblin - and his new band with the singer from Cradle of Filth do the closing credits. This I really liked too.
Reminded me of Devil Doll, who I really must listen to, perhaps tomorrow :D
So you get a video from Simonetti and Devil Doll. You lucky wee things. Although the DD is a fan edit. Trivia: apparently Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir) name checks DD as an influence. I can definitely see that, particularly in DBs more recent stuff.
Folk and metal. Including a hurdy-gurdy, Uilleann Pipes, Bodran and Bagpipes. From the, and I'm quoting their website here, fast growing pagan-metal scene. to give you an idea how wrong this is...
A more positive review, concerning Iron Maiden, will follow... B
Heh heh yup I decided to wait after the Immortal gig just so I could have that as the title. I'm like that.
Iron and Wine is Sam Beam, his first album 'The Creek Drank the Cradle' on the legendary SubPop label, was a collection of low-fi bedroom recordings. Since then a couple more albums and some EPs have been released. I got hooked on the album 'Our Endless Numbered Days' and the EP 'Woman King'. Breathy, hushed, delicate lyrics over a low-fi country (ish) guitar backing. Wonderfully emotional touching music. Things clicked totally for me when Sam teamed up with Calexico for 'In The Reins' EP. That EP is one of the most perfect albums I own (Neil, it's also available on Gods Own Format). Calexico brought a bit more rock (for want of a better word) to Sam's delicate delivery. So when I heard Iron and Wine was coming to Wellington it was a no-brainer, even better he was bringing an 8 piece band (although I only saw 7...) in support of the new album 'The Shepherd's Dog'. The Shepherd's Dog is excellent, there's more movement going on in the rhythm section which is moving I&W away from the purely acoustic low-fi vibe of the early couple of albums. The band featured members of various other alt-country bands, but the stars had to be Calexico's pedal steel guitar player and the drummer ?Ben Massarella (Califone). Awesome stuff. What set this gig apart from the usual run through the songs, thank the audience etc was the variety. The first few tracks were Sam, his guitar and his sister recreating the delicate melodies from the early work. I've never heard the SFBH that quiet. Gradually more of the band turned up leading to some wonderful reinterpretations of older work and funking of the new stuff. Yeah funking. There was a distinct Rock/Funk vibe running through that band and damm was it good. In theory breathless delivery, pedal steel guitar and funk should not work. But it did, wonderfully. One of the best gigs I've been to, ever. Possibly even better than M live at Oswestry... Iron and Wine Homepage includes samples Tracklisting that I swiped from somewhere: The Trapeze Swinger/ Cinder and Smoke/ Resurrection Fern/ Jezebel/ Each Coming Night/ Peace Beneath The City/ On Your Wings /Lovesong of the Buzzard /House by the Sea/ The Devil Never Sleeps/ White Tooth Man/ Boy With A Coin/ Sodom, South Georgia/ Woman King/ Song of the Wolves -- Naked as we came
Immortal are one of the pioneers of Black Metal. Hugely influential without the extremist Satanism some of the BM bands throw around. From the Norwegian school of BM (not to be confused with the Swedish school as readers of the blog will be aware!) the music is pretty brutal, but does demonstrate a level of sophistication and complexity, typical of the Norwegian/Swedish BM vs some of the US counterparts. I hadn't heard masses of Immortal, but figured we get so few BM gigs here that it was worth going - and Nick and I had had a great time at Napalm Death. Immortal were a huge improvement over Napalm Death. The band is tight, focussed and damm can they play. Great gig, and although I hadn't heard much of their stuff I got the feeling the earlier music is more thrash/brutal than their later stuff (later 'sort-of' confirmed by Nick - he's a Gorgoroth fan so big crossover with Immortal). The audience were possibly more scary than the band - who are known for their Corpse Paint look (see picture). Personal hygiene was not big on this groups list, and hair fell into two categories - very long or none. Nick and I looked quite odd with out 'some' hair option. Good natured audience tho, which does seem to be typical of metal and extreme metal gigs I've been to. The same as the Napalm Death gig, quite a few hot babes. Quite a few of which didn't seem to be attached to long haired (or shaved) boguns. Weird. Glad I went, it was fun, interesting and strangely relaxing.
I have Wilco on Monday which will round off the gigs nicely :)
In the continuing series of 'Look How Much Fun Metal Can Be', assisted by The Salmond of Doubt and the PsychoChicken, we have a contribution from Nicko McBray. So blame him.
Why yes, I am watching the Steel Mill at the moment, it's been a wonderfully cheesy episode so far, currently DragonForce are on. And they are sooooo cheesy. A nice collection of European goth-rock now !
