Absolutely classy Thrash Metal, fans of Testament, Overkill, eventually Metal Church will be positively surprised by this new Bay Area quartet released by Earache Records. And well, their album title is quite a good question nowadays: generation why? Don’t bother answer it, it’s quite obvious: for sport shoes, iPads and big screen TV sets. Nothing else matters anymore. But once again, not quite to everybody.
Konrad Kupiec – lead and rhythm Gguitars, Jon Macak – vocals and bass guitar, Jim Nicademus – drums and Mario Cianci – rhythm guitars gave us a hell of a trip back to the end of the 80s, beginning of the 90s through their debut album, and this full retro taste-like Thrash album somehow feels absolutely fair and alright. Read more Diamond Plate – Generation Why? (2011)
Metal
Today Is The Day – Pain Is A Warning (2011)
Today Is The Day was founded by Steve Austin and Brad Elrod in Nashville, Tennessee in 1992. Nominated as “Experimental-terror-metal noise heroes”, Today Is The Day incorporated from Alternative Rock elements to Grindcore, and from Garage Rock to Industrial noises all type of sounds and structures, genres and approaches. Contorted, still fluent, noisy, but also quite harmonious and musical, Today Is The Day are a perfect killing machine.
After a four-year wait since their previous release, “Axis of Eden”, band’s founder, lead guitarist/vocalist and producer, Steve Austin teamed up with Wetnurse‘s Curran Reynolds (drums) and Ryan Jones (bass) for this ninth studio release of the band. Read more Today Is The Day – Pain Is A Warning (2011)
Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle (1991)
As one of the (never resting and) “brilliant” journalist stated: they were the “most ridiculously terrible piece of festering offal ever scraped off the floor of a slaughterhouse”. 😀
1991 was a very good year, quoting a famous song title. Yesterday I mentioned Metallica’s “black album”, today’s Mr. Bungle’s turn and their self-titled debut album for Warner Bros after previously they released four cult demos.
In 1989 Mike Patton became the lead vocalist for San Francisco’s Faith No More replacing Chuck Mosley, getting the job after guitarist Jim Martin heard him on a Mr. Bungle demo. Patton in only two weeks, had written all the lyrics for the songs that would make up the Grammy award-nominated “The Real Thing” released in 1989. Mr. Bungle was formed in 1985 and Patton continued to be a member of both bands simultaneously and the band established a following in Northern California, but mainly the success of Faith No More secured them a record deal with Warner Bros. And between “The Real Thing” and “Angel Dust” it was “Mr. Bungle” – released 20 years ago, on 13 August. Read more Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle (1991)
Metallica – Metallica aka The Black Album (1991)
It was released on August 12, 1991, exactly 20 years ago, “Metallica” – also know as “The Black Album”, the fifth studio album of the band and the first after the bursting success of “…And Justice for All” – meantime certified 8x platinum by the RIAA, and it was one of the most expected record at the time.
The album debuted at number one in ten countries, and spent four consecutive weeks at the top spot of the Billboard 200, making it Metallica’s first album to have involvement at the pole position. “Metallica” is the band’s best-selling album to date with more than 22 million copies worldwide and the album was certified 15x platinum (diamond) by the RIAA on November 13, 2009.
James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted, but not at least also by contributions from producer Bob Rock, delivered a different Metallica album, “Metallica” is a step away from their previous Thrash Metal sound and approach to a more cleaner, kind of classier sound, but pointing to a new direction. Read more Metallica – Metallica aka The Black Album (1991)
Samsas Traum – Anleitung zum Totsein (2011)
Gregor Samsa wakes up to find that he has been transformed into a giant insect-like creature. This is the starting point of the novella “The Metamorphosis” (Die Verwandlung) by Franz Kafka which inspired Alexander Kaschte to use “Samsa’s Dream” as name for his project. Formed in 1996, after Alexander performed as vocalist and guitarist in several Black, Death, Doom and Melodic Metal bands before, he decided to step forward into the wider fields of darker electronic and neoclassical music, including both elements of elements of Neue Deutsche Härte and cantastoria.
Three years after the release of the first solo tape, the project became a group of three, and their official debut “Die Liebe Gottes – Eine märchenhafte black metal Operette” (“The Love of God – a black metal fairytale-like Operetta”) divided the scene: some people considered that Samsas Traum was the best newcomer band of the year, others started hate them, mainly because of some provocative statements of Alexander Kaschte. The band relocate from Germany to Austria.
If I count correctly, “Anleitung zum Totsein” is the 17th album by Samsas Traum. Read more Samsas Traum – Anleitung zum Totsein (2011)
Chimaira – The Age Of Hell (2011)
The sixth installment from Chimaria will be released on August 16th, 2011 and the 12 new songs delivered by Mark Hunter and his band mates are the same dark, contorted and quality (modern) Metal as always. Melting into one Nu and Groove Metal elements and dark, contorted textures, Chimaira remains one of the leading acts of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene.
It’s been three years since “The Infection”, the band signed to eOne Music in January 2011 and finished recording their 6th album in March 2011. Long time keyboard player, Chris Spicuzza announced he would be leaving the band, he did not contribute to the new album and his replacement is Sean Zatorsky from metal band Dååth. Also drummer Andols Herrick and bass player Jim Lamarca announced that they leave the band due to differences, Andols Herrick was replaced by Austin D’Amond and Emil Werstler switch back from rhythm guitar to bass.
On track “Born in Blood” featuring Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel and on “Samsara” featuring Emil Werstler of Dååth. Read more Chimaira – The Age Of Hell (2011)
Wistful – Wistful (2011)
I saw the cover and I find it interesting. In this era with trillion releases at day, judging a record by its cover sometimes might help to narrow down the list of what worth a try and what seems to be just waste of time. Blackgaze? For those who love (to collect) boxes, labels, this seems to be a new one. Not so hard to figure out, merging Black Metal with Shoegaze and here we go!
From the sunny Portugal, Wistful is a dark, one-man project grow up from “the hands and mind of A.” as “a second incarnation, or as an evolution of his former project Arges, breaking farther away from typical black metal.”
Born in late April 2010, the self-titled debut album came alive this year and we’ve got 7 gloomy, atmospheric tracks where Black Metal rawness and beautiful, spacy and hazy passages and themes are completing and overlapping each other. Read more Wistful – Wistful (2011)
Attila – Outlawed (2011)
The self-proclaimed “party death metal”band, ATTILA is back after the outstanding previous effort, “Rage” released on Artery Recordings one year ago. Available as pre order, leaked out, “Outlawed” will be released on 16th August and these five kids from Atlanta delivered another set of 10 striking and merciless tracks.
Party Metal? I don’t know, but listening to the killer songs from “Outlawed” it’s impossible not to feel the explosive vibe, can’t stay away, must jump up and scream, bang your head till wreck your neck and it’s mandatory to wave your air guitar instantly.
I loved “Rage”, but “Outlawed” is one thousand times louder and stronger. This isn’t music, this is murder. Read more Attila – Outlawed (2011)
ReinXeed – Swedish Hitz Goes Metal (2011)
This is fun. And eventually an excellent way to market the band and a product. ReinXeed a Symphonic/Power Metal band from Boden, Sweden, formed in 2004 by vocalist Tommy Johansson. They released four albums, I admit, never listen or heard about them before. Johansson take inspiration from different movie soundtracks – such as Lord of the Rings -, cartoons and bands like Helloween with Michael Kiske, and Rhapsody of Fire. On their official YouTube Channel you will find lot of covers from cartoon tunes to Tina Turner, Helloween or Celin Dion. “Swedish Hitz Goes Metal” is a collection of covers from three classic, exclusively Swedish bands: Abba, Roxette and Ace Of Base.
Singing mainly high, Tommy Johansson have an extremely powerful voice. Classic Heavy Metal fans – Helloween, Judas Priest – will be delighted. Read more ReinXeed – Swedish Hitz Goes Metal (2011)
Vader – Welcome to the Morbid Reich (2011)
Disappointed by “Illud Divinum Insanus”, the last Morbid Angel? It sounds too modern, too industrial? Well, “Welcome to the Morbid Reich” is classy as death metal originally was and Vader, veterans from “behind the Iron Curtain”, delivering quality, uncompromising, brutal death metal since the 80s.
“Morbid Reich”, their third demo released in 1990, selling nearly 10,000 copies and it’s still considered to be the best selling demo tape in the history of death metal. Entitled “Welcome to the Morbid Reich” definitively is a firm signal to the world and fans: Vader stays the same, expect just another intense, quality death metal album from Piotr “Peter” Wiwczarek and his band mates.
You will be holding in your hands “Welcome To The Morbid Reich” on August 12th if you didn’t already get the mp3s leaked out on the internet… Should support your favorite bands and buy the real stuff, girls and boys, illegal downloads don’t pay artists bills… Read more Vader – Welcome to the Morbid Reich (2011)
