This is a “not so old oldies”, released 11 years ago on 29 August, 2000, it’s the fourth – and up to date last – album released by the maniacs of Infectious Grooves. Maybe this is not same “classy” as the more notorious “Sarsippius’ Ark”, but as any Mike Muir project and product, it still kicking ass. Not to mention, we’ve got on the bass guitar the murderous Robert Trujillo (ex-Suicidal Tendencies, now Metallica), guitarists Dean Pleasants (also played with Ugly Kid Joe, George Clinton, etc), and Adam Siegel (Excel, Suicidal Tendencies, The Blondes, Eels, etc), and drummer Brooks Wackerman (Vandals, current drummer of Bad Religion).
The title of the album, as written on the album, means “but drunk” in Spanish. However, it most likely is a misspell of “más borracho”, meaning “more drunk” or “drunker”. Be prepared to funk off your ass and punk it up! Read more Infectious Grooves – Mas Borracho (2000)
Metal
Fear Factory – Soul of a New Machine (1992)
Formed in 1989 and released their “official” debut, this “Soul of a New Machine”, in 1992, Fear Factory merged the brutality of grindcore and death metal with industrial and electronic sounds setting a brand new standard of intensity in music.
Released 19 years ago, on 25 August 1992, “Soul of a New Machine” was one of the milestones of a new era, one of the few groundbreaking products of the industrial metal era. Burton C. Bell, Dino Cazares and Raymond Herrera with producer Colin Richardson bring to the surface an extremely intense and powerful album with a particular structure and sound, a concept which remains the trademark of the band and inspired many others since.
I bought this one on cassette tape in the beginning of the 90s and listen it till it get demagnetized. Read more Fear Factory – Soul of a New Machine (1992)
Kittie – I’ve Failed You (2011)
Scheduled to be officially released on August 30th 2011, the sixth studio album by the Canadian quartet of women Kittie will blow right in your face. As always.
This line-up – Morgan Lander – lead vocals, Rhythm guitar, Mercedes Lander – drums, backing vocals, Ivy Vujic – bass and Tara McLeod – lead guitar – stand since 2008 and this is their second album and the girls delivered another set of 11 noisy, powerful and biting Metal tracks. These girls rocks hard as any boys and “I’ve Failed You” comes like whispering: kittie, kittie, kittie…. and bang!! – you don’t know what actually hits you. Read more Kittie – I’ve Failed You (2011)
Cosmonauts Day – Live Demos, EP (2011)
I’m gonna handle this one backwards: “The Last Watchman”, the closing track of this EP, it’s a beautiful, shining, Progressive Rock song with a friendly, warm vibe. Somehow it sticks in your head and can’t get rid of it.
Now I’m gonna get back to the beginning and I tell ya a secret: you can download for free this EP from the band’s Bandcamp page.
From Moscow, Russia, Cosmonauts Day delivered a quite unique mixture of post-rock, stoner/sludge metal and space/progressive rock with some exotic aromas, original structures and harmonies. Read more Cosmonauts Day – Live Demos, EP (2011)
Gravity – Syndrome (2011)
With roots back to classic and symphonic Heavy Metal, merging Death Metal with Groove and Nu Metal, Gravity are the latest promise of Montpellier Metal’s stage. Singed to M&O label last year, they released their debut full-length album entitled “Syndrom” in 2011. Emilie (vocals), Alex and Mathieu (guitars), Tim (bass) and Hugo (drums) delivered a quite unique blending of Metal sub-genres. Emilie covers a large range of singing styles from classic, clean singing to deadly howling and bloody screaming, sometimes evoking opera styles, other times – mainly – being extremely brutal and combine Death and Hardcore styles. The music is also colorful, while I’m getting bored by too many so-called whatever-core released lately, Gravity delivering quality modern Metal without repeating the trendy cliches and patterns. Read more Gravity – Syndrome (2011)
Primus – Green Naugahyde (2011)
12 years are more than a lifetime in nowadays music industry. Bass player Les Claypool was considered by many a weirdo even back in the 80s, beginning of the 90s, nowadays with the more uniformed, pattern-driven music, with all those self-proclaimed “whatever-core” stuffs pretending to be “alternatives” and post-everything we might think or dream of, the Primus project seems much more off-beat. I’m quite curious what the media will write about this and how the ex-emo kids, now sport-ware and iPhone fan teenagers will receive it. Things that don’t fit in the boxes, labels don’t stick to them and aren’t easy to chew and swallow are not so welcome nowadays. If you want to be appreciated, you must stay in line. Odd… isn’t it? While everybody struggling to sound the same, Primus comes back and sounds just like they did two decades ago. Like nothing else and like… Primus. Bloody bastards! Read more Primus – Green Naugahyde (2011)
Eskeype – Legacy of Truth (2010)
Delivering classy Thrash and Death grindings and butcheries, juggling between Progressive Metal and Metalcore, Eskeype’s full-length album seems to be a promise kept, the perfect follow-up of their debut 2008’s EP “First Process”.
Melodic and Progressive Metal elements are merged with powerful and brutal Metalcore, technical and aggressive themes are merged into their dark, dynamic, but colorful Metal.
Nico M – Vocals & Violin, Djoule and Valentin – Guitars, Nico C – Bass and Dario – Drums & Samples managed to combine classy and modern Metal, brutalities and harmonies into their own taste-like music.
Read more Eskeype – Legacy of Truth (2010)
The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Rocksound call them “The saviours of UK alternative metal!” while Kerrang!! consider them “An explosive mangle of Manson stage craft and middle finger metal!”. When the media praise an artist unanimously, I’ve become suspicious and precocious.
Good to know: “We are not some American band who will write a love song just to appeal to teenagers” said vocalist Stitch D, and listen to their songs, this 5-piece London based metal band delivering some kind of aggressive, wicked metal, something which might be described as the collision of Murderdolls with Static-X, a deadly mixture of Nu and Groove Metal. Brit-Metal or not, they sounds more American-like than similar to Iron Maiden or Bullet for My Valentine and find a loud, powerful way to put their riffs and noises in the right place and afterward punch them right in your face.
So, kicking all my skepticism and prejudices considering everything labeled “metalcore” lately away, The Defiled – almost surprisingly – are absolutely worth to listen. Probably if Pantera would form today they might sound pretty close to what The Defiled deliver. Also Slipknot fans might find this album highly inflammable!!! Read more The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses (1993)
Third in line, but actually the truly second album by Brooklyn’s finest Dark/Gothic Metalers, released 18 years ago, on 17th August 1993. I love this one. From the gloomy grooves of the mysterious “Christian Woman” to the magic vibe of the Seals and Crofts cover “Summer Breeze” through the organ-driven “Set Me On Fire” with its vintage charm to the shifts of tone and moods in “Too Late: Frozen”, Peter Steele, Josh Silver, Kenny Hickey and Sal Abruscato delivered a masterpiece.
“Bloody Kisses” was the first record for Roadrunner to reach certified Gold and later Platinum status in the US and the unexpected success of Type O Negative only raised the pressure from the record label on the band to deliver more radio-friendly materials further. Former member and drummer Sal Abruscato left the band and joined Life Of Agony and later was replaced by the band’s drum technician, Johnny Kelly.
And well, after “Bloody Kisses”, Peter quit his day job at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation… Read more Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses (1993)
Psychostick – Space Vampires vs Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D (2011)
The third strike of this so-called “Humorcore” band from Tempe, Arizona, will be released on August 16, 2011 and the band also made available the first two singles, “Political Bum” and “Beacuse Boobs” as free downloads on their web site in order to promote the album.
Quoting from their official bio: “a breath of fresh air has come for those who need a break from the standard angry rock or metal band. While many fans love the rush of loud and heavy music, it usually comes bundled with negative lyrics and attitudes”, Psychostick brings humor in Metal, adds dumb and funny lyrics to cutting riffs, pounding drums and the pulsing bass, reminds me somehow of Green Jellÿ, they add spices to classy Metal and sometimes full of shit life and boring, cliche-full (mainstream) music.
Read more Psychostick – Space Vampires vs Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D (2011)
