Top 10 Songs of 2010

Honorable Mentions:
Austerity Program - Song 25
Kvelertak - Mjod
Black Breath - I Am Beyond
Watain - Waters of Ain

10. Torche - Cast Into Unknown


9. Integrity - Through the Shadows of Forever


8. Intronaut - Miasma


7. Nachtmystium - Every Last Drop


6. Yakuza - Be That As It May


5. Enslaved - Ethica Odini


4. Electric Wizard - Turn Off Your Mind


3. Ghost - Satan Prayer


2. Triptykon - A Thousand Lies


1. Nails - Depths

Top 20 of 2010

Well after much delay, I release my year end list here. I have to tell ya, even though there really wasn't one standout, better than the rest album this year there were a lot of really god damn awesome albums this year and boy was it hard to choose which was best, but here they are.

20. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis --  There was a lot of hype leading up to this album's release this year and boy did it deliver. There was just a great flow listening to this album throughout and that's something  I think their 2007 release of Ire Works lacked.

19. Woe - Unquietly, Undramatically --  An artistic and stimulating black metal album, very interested in seeing where Chris Griggs goes next with this project.

18. Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part 2 --   After 2008's release of Assassins we were all interested in where Blake Judd would take Nachtmystium next. Well he took it beyond what we thought into what he calls Disco Metal. What works best on this album is the stuff that is non-traditional BM and can't wait to see where he takes it next.

17. East of the Wall - Ressentiment --  Musically this is high grade musicianship. Singing wise I almost could do without the heavy vocals, but everything in this album is so good that it is really, really easy to overlook it.

16. No Hawaii - Snake My Charms -- Album starts out making you think uh oh, NeurIsis again. Nope, I like to describe No Hawaii like a donut. A Neurosis chocolate donut, with a Poison the Well custard filling, Mastodon vanilla frosting, and Botch sprinkles. A delicious combination.

15. Torche - Songs for Singles -- Steve Brooks writes some of the most catchiest riffs today. On this album they took part of what made "Meanderthal" so successful and then added some more sludgier songs too. They really coincide together on this album really well.

14. Thou - Summit --  Lots of detail to pay attention to when listening I like to compare it to a Quentin Tarantino movie. You really have to pay attention to what's going on, so if you walk away from it for 10 seconds you're going to miss something important and each and every time you watch it there is something new to find in it.

13. The Austerity Progam - Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn --  A very original and interesting album created by Justin Foley. The best part of this here album is the lyrics that Foley comes up with. They are outstanding and they get stuck in your head. 

12. Salome - Terminal  --  You MUST see Salome live to get the best effect of what they are about. A great album to listen to but their live show is phenomenal.

11. Castevet - Mounds of Ash --  Delicious drumming is the mold that keeps these guys running at a high MPH. A quite different take on American Black Metal as you don't get that depressing mood from it, but rather feel rather high on life whilst listening.

10. Ghost - Opus Eponymous --  Mercyful Fate? Nope, these anonymous dudes sure took a lot of their stuff out of their playbook and boy did they deliver.

9. Black Breath - Heavy Breathing --  Fast-paced with tons of energy, great riffs, love the voice. One of the best headbangers of 2010.

8. Kvelertak - S/T --  Best party album to come out since Andrew W.K. came out with "I Get Wet". I may not be able to understand what the lyrics are since it is spoke in their native tongue, but I won't be damned if it's not fun to get drunk to.

7. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini --  Every time Enslaved puts out a new album, I am impressed. Every time I wait to get disappointed and realize that they just don't have "it" anymore and every time they prove me wrong. Album after album, song after song, riff after riff these guys prove to everyone that they are like fine wine. To get better with age and progress as a band as well as they do is just miraculous to me.

6. Intronaut - Valley of Smoke --  These guys sure know how to play their instruments and they are some of the best at writing actual songs. With "Valley of Smoke" these guys take you on an acid-tripped journey through the city of Los Angeles.

5. Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence -- Bruce Lamont is one hell of a vocalist and musician. The way that he goes from singing to picking up the saxophone and laying down some beautiful music is exceptional.

4. Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones --  Thomas Fischer is one hell of an artist and great musical mind. This, basicially being a Celtic Frost album without the rest of Celtic Frost, is one heavy and thick album. That guitar tone that Fischer uses is one of the all-time best. Period. "Goetia" and "A Thousand Lies" are a couple of the best tracks released this year and the rest of this album doesn't disappoint.

3. Electric Wizard - Black Masses -- This may be a little higher than it should have been, but you know what I have a raging hard-on for anything Electric Wizard puts out. Time and Time again they seem to amaze me with whatever they release. I do have a good reason for putting them this high though and here it is, when you listen to an album and then go off to work and you constantly have those riffs in your head, its a pretty god damn awesome album. If you are listening to another album and one of those riffs or songs gets stuck in your head and you have to put that album in again, its pretty god damn awesome. This album has basically been on repeat in my car for the last two months and I can't help it and I don't have one problem with that.

2. Integrity - The Blackest Curse -- After disappearing off the map for a while these guys are back and  holy shit did they bring their A-game. In their best effort since "Seasons in the Size of Days" they bless us with ""The Blackest Curse". Fast-paced, full of life, full of rage, and quite possible full of shit they really pounded out some great tracks. "Through the Shadows of Forever", "Learn to Love the Lie", and "Process of Illumination" all have that classic Integrity sound, but its their other tracks that mix it up is what really gives this album its cojones. "When the VVorld VVas Young" is quite the slow jam for them and they pull it off well and "Spiderwoven" is really thrashy for these guys.

1. Nails - Unsilent Death -- Pure. Fucking. Energy. That would be the best way to describe this album. In only 14 minutes these guys manage to kick your ass through music. With Kurt Ballou turning the knobs on this one you kind of get a Converge moment on their closing song, and my song of the year, Depths and that is not a bad thing. Aside from Depths, the rest of the albums is unrelenting even though the songs aren't long. These guys are basically a straight to the fucking point band and for that you get album of the year.



Honorable Mentions:
Hayaino Dausuki - The Invisible Gate Mind of the Infernal Fire Hell, Or Do You Mean Hawaii Daisuki?
Starkweather - This Sheltering Night
Coffinworm - When All Became None
Landmine Marathon - Sovereign Descent

Update

Figured I really need to post something here. I'm still having technical problems and I won't be able to post to much except for year end stuff, but hopefully next year I will be back up and running at full speed again. Before the end of the year I plan on releasing albums of the year, songs of the year, my live review of Triptykon from October yet and hopefully a couple other things, but we will see how it goes. Until then, cheers.

Technical Difficulties

I'm experience some technical difficulties at the moment, but it shouldn't be too long before I post something again. See you soon.

WEEKLY INJECTION - First Up

A new weekly installment on this here blog, where I share my favorite album of the week. It could be some discreet band you never heard of or a very popular album or something fresh off the presses. It basically depends on what I'm listening to at the moment to be honest.

First up is Down's masterpiece of an album, NOLA. This has been my summer anthem for the last few weeks. There is just something about this album that cools me on them really hot summer days, driving your car with the windows down and listening to the song "Stone the Crow" is the most relaxing, cooling feeling I get during the hectic summer. If you haven't heard this album before either because you're too young to have even heard of this band before, recently discovered the greatness that is metal, or you're just living under a rock.

THIS WEEK IN METAL - July 13th

Isis/Melvins - Split
    A band that is going to be no longer together and a band that hasn't had it for a while team up here on this split each offering two tracks for your enjoyment. Nothing really to get excited about here but worth a listen for fans of each of the bands.

Norma Jean - Meridional
    Not really a fan of their past work although I didn't mind "Bless the Martyr". I've heard a lot of hype on this album and it does live up to the hype. They don't bring anything new to the table, but they deliver great riffage, and the lead singer has a pissed off vibe about him throughout the album even though he doesn't refrain from that too often. Some of the standout tracks off this album are, "Deathbed Atheist", "A Media Friendly Turn for the Worse", "High Noise Low Output", and "Innocent Bystanders United".

Torche/Boris - Chapter Ahead Being Fake (Split 10")
    Another split from two bands who I can't wait to here what direction they are going with their music next, especially Torche. The Torche song on this split is "King Beef" which has been released for quite a while now and I feel like there are two parst to that song. One, it feeling like something off of their last release, Meanderthal, where is was straight to the point really fast, catchy music and the second half gives you a sludge feeling towards it. If you ask me if they would have cut the sludgeyness of the second half of this song I would like it much better but it seems to drag on and on. Oh yeah, I forgot Boris is on this too laying down a 12 minute track called Luna.

Halfway Through

Here we are at the midway point of the year and there have been quite a few really good albums so far. Is it too early to review what the best albums of the year are so far? I don't think so. Here are a few ridiculously good albums that you shouldn't have but may have missed that I haven't mentioned yet. Note: This is not a best of list but there will definitely be a couple on here that will make the year end list. NAAAAAAAIIILS!!

The Abominable Iron Sloth - The Id Will Overcome

Black Breath - Heavy Breathing

Hayaino Daisuki - Infernal Gate Mind

Integrity - The Blackest Curse

Landmine Marathon - Sovereign Descent

Nails - Unsilent Death

Sayyadina - The Great Northern Revisited

UFOmammut - Eve

On a side note, Hydra Head Records has a free sampler on their website with some songs by Torche, Cave In, Harvey Milk, Xasthur, and Daughters to name a few check it out in the link below!
http://musicforperfectpeople.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/download-hydra-head-records-sampler-phoning-it-in/

THIS WEEK IN METAL - June 29th

Weekend Nachos - Bleed (12" EP)
    They really slowed it down a bit in this one. His vocals are still there but they find a kick-ass riff and play it but don't overstay their welcome with it. They can chug along very well and mix in some vocals with it. These guys might have something here, although nothing new is being done, they still kick your teeth in with their music.

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Witchery - Witchkrieg
    Umm, Legion from Marduk on vocals, fuck yeah! That's pretty much you all need to say to sum up this supergroup thrash album. What these guys do on this album is basically curb-stomp you with riff after awesome riff.

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Parkway Drive - Deep Blue
    Everybody keeps telling me how good this album is and yet, I can't make it past Track 1. I don't know what it is but it's either that I don't want to like it or too lazy to try and like it or it just bores me as I've heard it all before. Is it so hard to believe that I would rather listen to the new Integrity album than listen to something that a ton of bands have already done and done better, I don't think so.

THIS WEEK IN METAL - June 22nd

Danzig - Deth Red Sabaoth
    I'm hoping on this album Danzig return to their former selves from their first few albums. They have teetered off on their newer albums but I know they can make good music, its just will they be able to do it? I don't know.
Kvelertak - S/T
    From what I've heard from these guys, I am cautiously optimistic about it. The vocals are black metal-ish with a modern-era rock background to it, I don't know it's kind of hard to explain. I'm hoping that his vocals aren't just one note throughout like in the one song I've heard from them. This really is a boom or bust album for me and we will see when it comes out which it is. Here is a link to the song.     http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/05/kvelertak-mjod-video/
This Comp Kills Fascists, Vol. 2
    The second installment from Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) and I'm super stoked for this because the first comp was freakin' awesome and this one sure does look promising too. Crom, Lack of Interest and Despise You are just a few bands on the list for this and it's worth buying just for them and hell, those might not even be the best ones on there because there were a couple bands from the first one that I heard of that I liked better than Brutal Truth.
Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence
    One of the more highly anticipated albums for me this year is this. This is truly their best album to date and it has a great flow to it listening to it from start to finish. There's not to many metal bands out there today that can make a saxophone work, and they do it flawlessly. To sum it up shortly, THIS IS A MUST BUY! Do it and do it now.
Killing Joke - In Excelsis (EP)
    This is a warm up to their upcoming full-length coming later this year and includes songs from their recording sessions. So if you like Killing joke, which most of you do, then what better way to stretch before the workout in the anticipation of their new album.

NO HAWAII

The other day I stumbled across a band called No Hawaii. At first I didn't know what to think. I wasn't sure if it was just another band that had been done a thousand times over or not. Well the answer to that is yes and no. They describe their music style as atmospheric and progressive rock in the veins of Neurosis, The Mars Volta and Mastodon but they are much, much more than that. You can also hear some Enslaved, Burst, Poison the Well, Yakuza and a bunch of different bands and they take all that and make it a whole. They just released a new album called, "Snake My Charms" and any metalhead worth their salt definitely needs to check this out and give it a few spins.

Grade:  B+

http://www.myspace.com/nohawaii

Castavet - Mounds of Ash

Not really feeling up for a review on this one other than telling you that you have to check this album out, like now. Here is a link to their myspace page

http://www.myspace.com/castevet

The Austerity Program - Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn EP

When I read a review of an album today, there is always a lot of rambling on about nothing that has to do with the album, be it the talk about the genre of the album or a short history of a band or even complete nonsense and then they will sum up the album in the final paragraph and it really tells you nothing about the album. Well they gave it an 8 out of 10 but what are some of the better songs I should check out? That is what I want to know when I read a review. And while I'm rambling on here it's to make a point. The first time I heard The Austerity Program I wasn't sure if I liked the vocals or not, but I listened to it again and for some reason they really fit the whats going on in the background really well. Anyway, this EP by The Austerity Program has no flaws. The songs are super catchy and you'll have the beats to the song and the lyrics stuck in your head for days. Song 25 kind of starts out slow and then about a minute and a half into the song it's just pure joy throughout. What makes this EP better than anything they have done to date is that they got rid of some of the boring and unneeded parts that were constant in their only LP, Black Madonna. They also cut down the song length to about 5 minutes a piece. So if you're looking for the best songs to listen to, it simply is all of them. There is only 4 songs and you will listen to them constantly. The only real complaint I have about it is it's an EP and not a full-length like I think they should have done.

Eparistera Daimones by Triptykon

As you know by now this is basically the album that would have been made if Celtic Frost had stayed together. I also can tell you that this album kicks some serious ass. Tom Fischer can continually write creative and catchy songs that just ache for multiple listens. The classic guitar sound is still there(thank you) and you really can't do anything while listening to this except bang your head and honestly what else would you want to do besides bang your head, sit there with your headphones on with a box of tissues(I know what you're thinking and eww) and weep at how sad and heartbreaking this shit is because it isn't. The best thing for you to do is crank it and just start punching people in the back of the head in hopes to start a mosh pit. My personal favorite song is Goetia. The way the drums and guitar just coincide with each other throughout the whole song is just awe-inspiring. Anyways, I really don't know what you're still doing reading this, just go out and by this so you can give it a listen as I'm sure you will truly enjoy it.

Song 26 by The Austerity Program

There has been a lot of talk about their new EP, and I for one, cannot wait for it to come out. Word has it that they got rid of a lot of instrumental elements that was a big part of their last album, Black Madonna. Their best songs were the ones with more singing in them such as "Song 17A" which was my personal favorite from that album, and they cut down the time of all the songs and made them shorter which is brilliant because it will make you want to listen to it over and over again, like what Torche did with their last album "Meanderthal".

Nachtmystium Releases Track Listing + songs

This is really just something to get me to talk about Nachtmystium's newest album Addicts: Black Meddle Part II. Blake Judd is just absolutely amazing and anything he does never disappoints. Their previous album, Assassins: Black Meddle Part I, is arguably his greatest album to date and was my favorite album of 2008. But the one thing after listening to Assassins the umpteen times I listened to it, I wanted more. Well 2 years later Judd is finally going to give me the fix I have been waiting for, and most likely, he is going to leave me with the same feeling as before. For me, June 8th can't come soon enough. Anyway here is the track listing for their new album.

1. "Cry for Help"
2. "High on Hate"
3. "Nightfall"
4. "No Funeral"
5. "Then Fires"
6. "Addicts"
7. "The End is Eternal"
8. "Blood Trance Fusion"
9. "Ruined Life Continuum"
10. "Every Last Drop"

Addicts: Black Meddle Part II is set to come out on June 8th through Century Media.

You can find their new songs in the link below and I must warn you, you will wish June 8th was here already. And after that, you will probably go back and listen to Assassins and Insticts: Decay a few times too.

Option Paralysis by The Dillinger Escape Plan

Well, another album by TDEP, and another disappointment for the fans that want them to go back to their Calculating Infinity ways. Well I say, too bad for them because this is one kick-ass album. I for one am glad that they don't go back to their old ways because for me, CI was one tone throughout the whole album, an awesome tone sure, but sometimes I like diversity. This album seems kind of like Miss Machine, its got songs that will beat you up and make you want to constantly mosh such as, Good Neighbor and Crystal Morning. Some best of both worlds like Farewell, Mona Lisa and Gold Teeth on a Bum. But it also has some really soft, relaxing songs like, Widower and Parasitic Twins. I can listen to this album no matter what mood I am in which is a great thing for me and a great job by them. This album is a must buy for everybody who enjoys metal and diversity at the same time. Enjoy!

Snakes for the Divine Review

What can I say about Matt Pike that hasn't been said before, the guy just creates some of the best music out there today consistently. The new album, Snakes for the Divine, is just another example of his greatness. The opening riff to the title song is so catchy you will just want to put it on repeat. Frost Hammer gives you the feeling of a single and I just love it when he yells, FROST HAMMER! As you're listening to the song How Dark We Pray it just gives you this feeling to go out and start clubbing baby seals, and Holy Flames of the Fire Spitter is the best closer to an album since Razor Hoof, I just love the Hoo Ha part of song. This album is easily a 9 out of 10, but I do have one problem with this album. Pike's guitar can almost be to heavy at times because it can drown out the sound of Kensel's drumming which is a shame because he is a great drummer.

Top Albums of 2009

I've seen a lot of top metal albums of 2009 lists and the one thing I noticed is that Coalesce's Ox has been mentioned in their tops list but I don't think I have every seen anybody rate it number 1. Well allow me to be the first because the album is absolutely amazing. Ox by Coalesce is my favorite album of 2009 and I can listen through it over and over and still find something new that I like about it. If Coalesce doesn't come out with an album for another ten years and then make another as amazing as this one, I will not have a problem with it. But anyway here are my tops lists of 2009.

ALBUMS
1. Coalesce - Ox
2. The Gates of Slumber - Hymns of Blood and Thunder
3. Converge - Axe to Fall
4. Tombs - Winter Hours
5. Goatwhore - Carving Out The Eyes Of God
6. Katatonia - Night Is The New Day
7. Cobalt - Gin
8. Yob - The Great Cessation
9. Baroness - Blue Record
10. Magrudergrind - Magrudergind
11. Isis - Wavering Radiant

SONGS
1. Converge - Dark Horse
2. Coalesce - Wild Ox Moan
3. Nachtmystium - Hellish Overdose
4. Baroness - A Horse Called Golgatha
5. Tombs - Gossamer
6. Isis - 20 Mintues/40 Years
7. Cobalt - Dry Body
8. The Gates of Slumber - Doom of Aceldama
9. Iron Age - The Sleeping Eye of the Watcher
10. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Timelord Two
11. Amesoeurs - Heurt

ALBUMS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2010
1. Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II
2. Torche - TBA
3. Electric Wizard - TBA
4. Intronaut - TBA
5. Howl - TBA
6. Engel - TBA
7. High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine
8. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
9. Witchcraft - TBA
10. Soilwork - TBA
11. Wintersun - TBA (Don't hold your breath on this one)