The review everyone knew was coming....

Transcending the Mundane is undergoing maintenance right now, so I can't upload the review there yet, but I will post it here first just for general viewing purposes.

I won't bother to say that I tried to be as objective as possible, because none of you would believe me anyway. So I'll just put it out here for you all to read. Enjoy.



Daylight
by West Gate

If there's one modern music genre that needs a kick in the ass right now, it's hard rock. It's been almost a decade since any rock band not named Tool released a quality, unique album that furthered the genre's influence. Gone are the glory days of Deftones, Staind, and Incubus. While today's modern rock stalwarts like Shinedown, Seether, and 10 Years are respectable bands, their sound is mostly copied from the older bands. And it's extremely disheartening when the best-selling band in the genre is Nickelback, a band whose sound is completely generic and whose lyrics are written purely for shock value. Hard rock needs to get out of the rut in which it's so clearly mired.

Which is one of the many reasons why I've grown to love West Gate, an unsigned band from New Jersey that has a genuinely unique sound and can take the modern rock scene by storm with just a little more recognition. Formed in 2006, West Gate put out a demo immediately after forming that was good enough to earn them several local shows, including a spot opening for Flaw. In 2007, they recorded an EP, Selah, with Grammy award-winning producer John Seymour. The EP furthered their reputation and earned the band opening spots for Powerman 5000, Monster Magnet, and the Sonar Metalfest in Maryland, headlined by Soilwork and Darkest Hour. This cross-genre appeal is what makes West Gate so unique, and has helped them garner fans from a huge spectrum of potential listeners.

Musically, the band's influences are immediately recognizable. The guitar section of Kurt Andrews, Ken Abel, and Alex Goldenthal sounds very similar to Sevendust, with Clint Lowery's powerful lead lines and John Connolly's consistent and strong rhythm section. The polyrhythmic structures and overall prominence of Rob Struck's bass and George Roskos' drums recall Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey of Tool. And Pete Kelly's powerful, soulful vocals are reminiscent of Brandon Boyd from Incubus. West Gate's debut album, Daylight, brings these elements together to showcase both the full range of the band's sound and their ridiculous amount of talent. (Side note: Playing on and producing Daylight was Abel's last act as a member of West Gate; Goldenthal officially joined the band in May).

The songs on Daylight cover multiple rock subgenres and flow seamlessly to create a genuine album experience. "Bleeding Out" has a strong metal edge and a high degree of technicality, while the slow, crooning "Daylight" and "Gaslight" are just a few perms away from being genuine power ballads. "Want it All" is edgy blues rock at its finest, and the bass lead on "Way Out" recalls the best parts of funk and jazz. The three-song suite in the album's second half - consisting of "Alive Again," "With Time," and "Fiction" - carries a wonderful prog rock structure. The haunting, poetic melodies on "Rebirth" defy almost every possible genre classification. Even the cover of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" reproduces the soulful atmosphere of the original, while still maintaining a definitive rock tone. Consistently, though, West Gate manages to effortlessly fit a guitar solo into almost every song on the album, a feat that almost no other hard rock band today would even attempt.

The vocals are a big reason why West Gate stands out so much among other bands. Kelly's soaring voice covers a huge range and is able to create many different atmospheres in a song. His beautiful balladry on "Gaslight," his anthemic choruses on "Ordinary" and "With Time," and his rough-edged spoken epithet of 'Girl, you better cut that shit out' on "Want it All" are just some of the highlights of his performance on this album. Andrews' backing vocals provide strong harmonies that add depth to the songs and increase the power of Kelly's delivery in some areas.

This album has too many great moments to choose just one as the best, but one of my personal favorites comes during the song "With Time." The beginning of the last refrain starts with Kelly singing an octave lower than earlier, backed solely by a piano playing the lead line of the song. But after singing the first three lines of the refrain, Kelly switches back to his higher voice just as the full band comes back in, creating an epic peak of emotion and energy that lasts until the final moments of the song. It is absolutely breathtaking to behold, and it caps off one of the best compositions on the album in perfect fashion.

If nothing else, West Gate have proven with Daylight that hard rock can be more than it is right now. But hopefully, they will do much more than that, because this album is positively phenomenal. West Gate deserves all the recognition they receive, and combined with their excellent live show, they will definitely receive much more as they reach a nationwide audience.

Score: 10 out of 10

Five New Reviews

Read, comment, enjoy.

Chimaira - The Infection
Devildriver - Pray for Villains
Eternal Tears of Sorrow - Children of the Dark Waters
Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage II
Siebenbürgen - Revelation VI

New Life Begins

At 1:31:18 PM on Saturday, June 6th, 2009, I left the campus of Seton Hall University for the final time as a student.

I have no idea what to say about that, in all honesty.

The childhood chapter of my life is officially over. Adulthood has officially begun.

Four new reviews

These should appeal to a lot of people. I know I'll get plenty of flack for at least one of them, but whatever. Just go read.

God Forbid - Earthsblood
Lamb of God - Wrath
Neaera - Omnicide - Creation Unleashed
Old Man's Child - Slaves of the World

Last Show Playlist and Reflection

This is looooooooooooooooooooong overdue. I am sorry for the delay.

Playlist for Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th, 2009, 7 PM to 4:30 AM:

Pink Floyd – On the Run
Pink Floyd – Hey You
The Police – King of Pain
Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll
Led Zeppelin – Black Dog
Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone
The Moody Blues – Ride My See-Saw
Frank Sinatra – The Best is Yet to Come
Frank Sinatra – Come Fly With Me
Bruce Springsteen – Dancing in the Dark
The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again
Dave Matthews Band – Don’t Drink the Water
Tantric – Breakdown
Staind – A Flat
Linkin Park – 1Stp Klosr
Linkin Park – KRWLNG
Linkin Park – Points of Authority
Jay-Z and Linkin Park – Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
DMX – Dog Intro
DMX – Blackout
DMX – D-X-L (Hard White)
Drag-On – Feel My Pain
Strong Bad – Trogdor
Sodom – Surfin’ Bird
S.O.D. – Ballad of the Scorpions
Napalm Death – The Kill
Napalm Death – Common Enemy
Napalm Death – As the Machine Rolls On
Napalm Death – Deceiver
Napalm Death – Point of No Return
Napalm Death – Prison Without Walls
Napalm Death – Parasites
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Napalm Death – You Suffer
Nonpoint – Years
Nonpoint – My Own Sake
Nonpoint – Past it All
Nonpoint – To the Pain
West Gate – Bleeding Out (live acoustic)
West Gate – Soul Searching (live acoustic)
West Gate – Daylight (live acoustic)
West Gate – Redemption
West Gate – Falling Farther
West Gate – Escape Artist
West Gate – Grudge
Apocalyptica – Fight Fire With Fire
System of a Down – Shimmy
System of a Down – Aerials
Sevendust – Deathstar
Sevendust – Follow
Sevendust – Failure
Sevendust – Home
Disturbed – Inside the Fire
Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes to Midnight
Judas Priest – Painkiller
Sonata Arctica – Die With Your Boots On
Armageddon – Die With Your Boots On
Haste the Day – Long Way Down
Arch Enemy – The Book of Heavy Metal
Chimaira – Disposable Heroes
Pantera – Fucking Hostile
Machinemade God – Fuck Your Dead Heart
Strapping Young Lad – S.Y.L.
Strapping Young Lad – You Suck
Gama Bomb – Sentenced to Thrash
Metallica – Disposable Heroes
Megadeth – Devil’s Island
Anthrax – Metal Thrashing Mad
Kreator – Radical Resistance
Destruction – The Alliance of Hellhoundz
Slayer – Angel of Death
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Numbered Days
Rollins Band – What’s the Matter Man?
Eyes Set to Kill – Only Holding On
The Agonist – Rise and Fall
In This Moment – Daddy’s Falling Angel
Light This City – Firehaven
Arch Enemy – Ravenous
Nightwish – Deep Silent Complete
Within Temptation – The Howling
Devildriver – Damning the Heavens
Devildriver – The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand
Children of Bodom – Done With Everything, Die for Nothing
Children of Bodom – Needled 24/7
Children of Bodom – Hate Me!
Kalmah – Holy Symphony of War
Norther – My Antichrist
Dimmu Borgir – Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
Dimmu Borgir – Hybrid Stigmata – The Apostasy
Siebenbürgen – The Soulless
Dissection – God of Forbidden Light
Cradle of Filth – Shat Out of Hell
Kamelot – March of Mephisto
Sabaton – Attero Dominatus
Zonaria – Slaughter is Passion
Insomnium – Song of the Storm
The Duskfall – Downright Dreadful
Sonic Syndicate – Soulstone Splinter
Raunchy – A Heavy Burden
Killswitch Engage – For You
Still Remains – Bliss
Deadlock – Temple of Love
Bleed the Sky – The Martyr
Demon Hunter – The Latest and the Last
Demon Hunter – The Science of Lies
Demon Hunter – Beheaded
Demon Hunter – Storm the Gates of Hell
Unearth – This Time Was Mine
Unearth – This Glorious Nightmare
Unearth – My Will Be Done
Unearth – Zombie Autopilot
Sevendust – Gone

And so, my time on WSOU is at it's end. My last show is over. And a little while after its completion, I figured out how best to describe it: compelling and fitting.

I use the word compelling because this show basically confirmed my desire to continue in radio. Originally I had thought that I would not want to be in radio after my last WSOU show, because I didn't think anything could ever top the experience of that show. Well, after experiencing that show, and feeling not only the pride of having such an awesome shift, but also the pain of knowing that I would never do anything like it ever again, I know that I will continue on in radio because the last show is not the experience that can't be topped. It's the experience of being on the air and knowing that your friends, family, and fans are listening and loving what they hear. That feeling will never leave me, and I want that feeling to remain with me forever. So to all my loyal listeners - Dave from Stadium, Chicken Mike, Richie the Cop, Rob from Queens, and every single other one of you crazy fuckers - and to everyone who has ever told me that they enjoy the work I'm doing at any time, thank you for keeping it real and for helping my dream to stay alive. You are the reason I am where I am today.

Returning to my description, I use the word fitting because this last show really did show just how crazy my music taste is and why I value the things I do. And yet, there are so many artists that I didn't include in my last show that I wish I had, including several that I never had a chance to play at any point during my time at WSOU. Also, remaining indicative of my music taste, I didn't get to play nearly as much as I wanted to play. The fact that I went for nine and a half hours is irrelevant - if I could have, I would have done a full day straight and loved every second of it too. I suppose, though, that I will just have to take what I can get and be happy with it.

I want to thank every single person who showed up to the show in person or called to say hello or wish me well. To my family - Mom, Dad, Emily, Cathy, Grandma, Uncle Jimmy, Grammy & Pops, Aunt Mary Ellen, Uncle Don, Uncle John, and many many others - you made the night more special than any other time I've been on the air at WSOU. I am so glad that you enjoyed the show, and your pride in me still makes me blush a lot. Thank you for your unending support. To my fellow WSOU staffers, past and present, who showed up - Allie, Michcella, JD, Kurt, George, Pete, Kim, Craig, Andrew, Mell-dawg, Sheigh, Tim, Faulks, Biscuits, Steph, Brian, Tim, Stigz, Brittany, Taylor, and of course the mighty IRON MABEN - I couldn't have made it the past five years without all of you supporting me and backing me up in whatever ways you have, great and small. You are what makes our station great. To all my non-WSOU friends who made their presence known - JR-9000, Ryan, Bro. Michael Paul, Chris, Maria, Molly, James, Rob, Jeff, Shaina, Sam, Kate, Tejal, Mike, Mama and Papa Eagle Rock, and many many others - thank you for believing in me and supporting what I love in whatever way you can and did. You rule!

I can only pray that I end up somewhere else that's half as awesome as WSOU when I get a real job. Until then, thank you all. And for the last time, Chris the Mad Scientist signs off.

New review

First one in a long time and the first of 2009.

The Agonist - Lullabies for the Dormant Mind

I'll probably be writing more reviews in the next few weeks as procrastination from schoolwork, so keep your eyes peeled for them.

Losing the Essentials

I want to comment on two instances where essential parts of a working body were cut off and why that irritates me to no end.

The Philadelphia Eagles

Recently, the Eagles have let one of their most important players, Brian Dawkins, go to another team. Additionally, several other veteran members of the team have moved on to other teams in the other three weeks. The veterans in new uniforms next year include Tra Thomas, Lito Sheppard, Correll Buckhalter, Greg Lewis, and Sean Considine. Also, two other key team members - Jon Runyan and L.J. Smith - remain on free agency with no information on possible deals currently known.

Dawkins and Buckhalter are now members of the Denver Broncos. Thomas and Considine have been signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sheppard is on the New York Jets. Lewis joins the New England Patriots.

The loss of Dawkins is not only a huge blow to the morale of the team and the fans, but is also a travesty on the part of the Eagles' front office. After 13 seasons with the team, Brian Dawkins has become one of the faces of the organization. His aggressive style of play and his dedication to the game are unparalleled, and the leadership he offers within the locker room and on the field are an integral part of the Eagles' defense. Dawkins expressed multiple times that he wanted to stay with the Eagles until the end of his career, and if he had, his number would have been hung from the rafters within five years of his retirement. The only other player in Eagles history to make such a strong impact on the team was Reggie White.

The parallels between White and Dawkins - especially in the way they left the team - are easily recognized. Both White and Dawkins were faces of the organization during their time with the team. Both players were selected to the Pro Bowl multiple times during their years with the team. Both players left the team as free agents despite the fact that the team had the ability and the reasons to re-sign them. And the comparisons will more than likely continue, because barring a serious injury, Dawkins will continue to be a prolific and outstanding defensive player for the Broncos, just as White was for the Green Bay Packers.

The loss of Dawkins, along with the other veteran members of the organization, shows the truth about what the front office is trying to do with this team. They are throwing in their chips and counting on Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook to lead the team to victory, despite the fact that the Eagles' defense is their most feared weapon and often has been the key to victory for them. Furthermore, it shows that they continue to value youth over experience in every area of the team except at the quarterback position. Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, Andy Reid, and the team's executives ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Brian Dawkins, you will forever be an Eagle in my heart. Long live Weapon X.

Metal Bands Cutting Frontmen

Two of my favorite bands recently fired their lead singers for different reasons. The singers fired were basically the reason that each band rose to prominence and helped to make the band as popular as they were.

Scar Symmetry announced in 2008 that lead singer Christian Älvestam was leaving the band over "creative differences" and an inability to tour. However, common speculation is that Christian was kicked out of the band. Much of this speculation comes from the statement that the band released, which made it appear that Christian was at fault for the band's lack of touring. The band has since hired two new singers, Roberth Karlsson and Lars Palmqvist, to take over the vocal duties.

The fact that Scar Symmetry had to hire two singers to replace one should show you the caliber of vocalist that Christian was. He is, in my opinion, the best singer to come out of Sweden in the past 20 years. His vocal style is inimitable, and the dominance of his delivery is overpowering. While some speculate that his touring difficulties stem from an inabilty to recreate his singing style on stage, it still remains true that Scar Symmetry's recorded material is original, refreshing, and undeniably metal. I don't believe that kicking Christian out was the right decision at all. Their latest album, Holographic Universe, had them on the brink of breaking out in a huge way. If a compromise could have been reached on touring, the band could have become the new face of Swedish melodic death metal. Instead, they're stuck recreating themselves right now and have to wait even longer to tour. I don't know that Scar Symmetry will ever be the same for me without Christian.

On a similar note, Norther frontman Petri Lindroos was asked to leave the band because of his commitment to Ensiferum and his inability to equally divide his time between the bands. Norther currently does not have a frontman, and Ensiferum has recently been confirmed for the North American Summer Slaughter tour with Necrophagist, Suffocation, and many others.

Petri was one of the founding members of Norther, and his desire to be part of both bands is understood. However, Norther was wrong to kick him out of the band. First of all, there are no longer any founding members of the band left, which means that the name Norther no longer really applies to the band. Second, Petri's voice and guitar skills are two of the defining characteristics of the band, and finding a lead singer who can also play guitar as well as him will be next to impossible. Third, the band had no reason to kick him out because they don't tour regularly, unlike Ensiferum, and thus did not require as much of Petri's time. They should have tried to discuss dividing his time more evenly instead of just kicking him out unceremoniously.


Okay, that's it for this rant. Thank you for reading.

R.I.P.

A fond farewell to the bands I knew and loved that broke up in 2008 (since this is not as early as I would have liked, I'm also including some bands that broke up in early 2009). There weren't a lot of you, but you will indeed be missed greatly.

After Forever
The Agony Scene
Byzantine
The Duskfall
From Autumn to Ashes
Himsa
Light This City
Lord Belial
Ministry
Still Remains

Metallica at the Prudential Center

I got to see Metallica on Sunday, the last night of their US tour with Machine Head and The Sword. It was my first Metallica concert. Here is my review:

The Sword opened in fine form, contrary to what many people said. They didn't take a lot of breaks and kept the energy flowing. It was nice to see a good young band opening for one of the biggest bands ever. They played some good songs from their new album like "How Heavy This Axe" and "Maiden, Mother, and Crone," and closed with "Freya." Great set.

Machine Head came on next, and they played an amazing set. They opened with "Clenching the Fists of Dissent," and followed it with "Imperium." Great one-two punch to start. Frontman Rob Flynn was incredibly engaging, the band was tight, and their setlist was killer. They shot through "Halo" and "Beautiful Mourning," two of the best songs from their latest album, and ended with the essential "Davidian." They got chants of "Machine Fuckin' Head!" from the crowd, and definitely gained some fans that night.

Metallica came in with a laser light show and opened with "That Was Just Your Life" and "The End of the Line." Then they went into some old classics, flying through "Creeping Death," "Harvester of Sorrow," and "One," before going back into new stuff with "All Nightmare Long" and "The Day That Never Comes." Their performance was spot-on except for one member: Lars Ulrich, who not only couldn't keep time to save his life, but also had to get up from his drumkit after every song and stretch his legs. However, the other three guys made up for his shortcomings with tight playing and plenty of stage presence. Closing out with "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)," "Nothing Else Matters," and "Enter Sandman," the crowd went wild for them. They came back for an encore of "Die Die My Darling," "Breadfan," and "Seek & Destroy." The last song began with an epic balloon drop. It was epic for two reasons. One, all the balloons were actually beach balls. Two, the beach balls were jet black. It was AWESOME!

I am quite glad to have finally seen one of the greatest bands in history. It was great to be a part of the last night of their performance.

New DJ shift time

My DJ shift for the spring semester is Thursday mornings from 6 to 10 AM. Listen in as I bring you the loudest rock and Alexandra does the news!

As usual, playlists will continue to be posted on my MySpace page. I might also start posting them here depending on my mood. We shall see.

My Top Albums for 2008

Okay, let me start this list by saying that 2008 was one of the best years for music that I've ever seen. I had an incredibly hard time picking the albums that would be cut from this list. There are a number of albums that could have made this list, and I'm very sorry that I couldn't put them all on here.

As it is, I had to expand my list this year to a Top 15. The reason for this is because 10th place on the list is basically a six-way tie. I'm also listing ten honorable mentions, which is much more than usual. Those are just two of the signs of how good this year in music was.

With that said, I now give you - My Top 15 Albums for 2008!

15. Twilight of the Thunder God by Amon Amarth


Recommended Songs:
#1 Twilight of the Thunder God
#2 Free Will Sacrifice
#7 No Fear for the Setting Sun
#9 Live for the Kill

14. The American Dream by Walls of Jericho


Recommended Songs:
#3 The American Dream
#4 Feeding Frenzy
#6 Famous Last Words
#10 Standing on Paper Stilts

13. Architect of Lies by Mercenary


Recommended Songs:
#1 New Desire
#2 Bloodsong
#3 Embrace the Nothing
#8 Execution Style

12. The Premonition by Firewind


Recommended Songs:
#1 Into the Fire
#2 Head Up High
#4 Angels Forgive Me
#5 Remembered

11. Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder by Cradle of Filth


Recommended Songs:
#2 Shat Out of Hell
#4 The 13th Caesar
#8 Honey and Sulphur
#12 Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder

10. The Incurable Tragedy by Into Eternity


Recommended Songs:
#2 Tides of Blood
#5 Diagnosis Terminal
#10 A Black Light Ending
#11 One Funeral Hymn for the Three

9. N by Norther


Recommended Songs:
#1 My Antichrist
#2 Frozen Angel
#4 To Hell
#7 We Rock

8. Total Brutal by Austrian Death Machine


Recommended Songs:
#2 Get to the Choppa
#13 Screw You (Benny)
#15 If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It
#16 It's Not a Tumor

7. The Cancer Empire by Zonaria


Recommended Songs:
#1 Slaughter is Passion
#2 Praise the Eradication
#4 Contra Mundum
#7 From the Abysmal Womb

6. Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance) by Heaven Shall Burn


Recommended Songs:
#2 Endzeit
#4 Murderers of All Murderers
#9 Black Tears
#10 The Bombs of My Saviours

5. Stormchaser by Light This City


Recommended Songs:
#3 The Anhedonia Epidemic
#4 Beginning With Release
#5 Firehaven
#6 The Collector. Part 1: Muse

4. Watershed by Opeth


Recommended Songs:
#2 Heir Apparent
#3 The Lotus Eater
#6 Hessian Peel
#7 Hex Omega

3. The March by Unearth


Recommended Songs:
#1 My Will Be Done
#2 Hail the Shrine
#3 Crow Killer
#4 Grave of Opportunity

2. For the Revolution by Kalmah


Recommended Songs:
#1 For the Revolution
#3 Holy Symphony of War
#6 Towards the Sky
#7 Outremer

1. Holographic Universe by Scar Symmetry


Recommended Songs:
#3 Quantumleaper
#6 Ghost Prototype I (Measurement of Thought)
#8 Trapezoid
#9 Prism and Gate


Honorable Mentions:
Blooddrunk by Children of Bodom
obZen by Meshuggah
Love and Other Disasters by Sonic Syndicate
Indestructible by Disturbed
Armamentarium by Neaera
The Formation of Damnation by Testament
Murder the Dance by Bleed the Sky
The Way of All Flesh by Gojira
Oblivion Beckons by Byzantine
Kolossus by Keep of Kalessin

Six Reviews

I posted six reviews on Transcending the Mundane today. Go check them out if you are so inclined.

Austrian Death Machine - Total Brutal
Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder
Light This City - Stormchaser
Neaera - Armamentarium
The Haunted - Versus
Zonaria - The Cancer Empire

Yes, this is an absolute necessity

Okay, so as many of you know, I am a huge fan of Demon Hunter. What some of you may not know is that, in the three years that I have been a fan of theirs, I have never seen them live. What still less of you probably know is that, in that three year period, they have only participated in two US tours, and on both of those tours, the closest they've ever come to me is Philly.

Now, I have been watching the clips that the band has been posting on MTV from their forthcoming DVD, "45 Days," and after seeing these clips, I have come to this conclusion: I absolutely, positively, unequivocably, HAVE to see Demon Hunter live at least once. There is no debate about this. If, for some reason, I am never able to see them live, or even worse, they break up before I can see them live, I will regret it for my entire life, I promise you that.

The corollary to this conclusion is that, the next time they tour, I am going to see them, and I don't care what I have to do to get to see them. If I have to drive two hours to Philly to see them, I will. If I have to drive three hours to Baltimore, I will. If I have to drive five hours to Buffalo, I will. Bottom line - I am going to see them live on the next tour, and that is a promise.

If you're interested in helping me attend whatever show I go to, or if you are just interested in also going to the show, please inform me. Help and support are always appreciated.

This is just easier - Final List for Consideration

The top albums list for 2008 has been modified enough. I have narrowed my choices to these:

Total Brutal by Austrian Death Machine - Still is epic as fuck, and will remain so. Guaranteed a spot on the list.
Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder by Cradle of Filth - Easily the most evil release from Cradle of Filth in their entire career. Is the music different? Yes. But the whole package is just pure evil.
The Premonition by Firewind - The best power metal album of the year, hands down. Gus G. is practically untouchable as a guitarist.
Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance) by Heaven Shall Burn - The very definition of German excellence. Heaven Shall Burn are now the best German metal band out, PERIOD.
For the Revolution by Kalmah - The best album to come out of Finland this year. Guaranteed a spot of the list.
Kolossus by Keep of Kalessin - One of the best genre-bending albums released in recent memory. Black metal and power metal combine to form the most intense wall of sound you'll ever hear.
Stormchaser by Light This City - The perfect swansong for a band that died before its time, complete with guest appearances that wow even the most ardent metal purists.
Architect of Lies by Mercenary - At the pinnacle of their career, Mercenary released this masterpiece. The sound that this band achieves is 100% unique, and they've perfected it now.
N by Norther - I forgot how catchy and intense this album was until it came back up on my iPod recently. I've fallen in love with it all over again.
Watershed by Opeth - Without doubt, there is no band that is as good at songwriting as Opeth. This is guaranteed a spot on the list.
Holographic Universe by Scar Symmetry - My #1 predicted pick for Album of the Year even before it came out. It did not disappoint. Guaranteed the top spot on the list.
Love and Other Disasters by Sonic Syndicate - This band has one of the widest ranges of appeal that I've ever seen, and they've mastered their sound quite nicely.
The March by Unearth - This album blows me away every time I listen to it, because I can hear every element of Unearth's sound represented beautifully. Guaranteed a spot on the list.
The American Dream by Walls of Jericho - The best hardcore release of recent memory. How is Candace Kucsulain able to scream so ridiculously well, and yet is also able to sing like an angel?
The Cancer Empire by Zonaria - There is no other release this year that has a better balance of melody and brutality than this album. If melody and brutality were blocks that you could weigh, this album would be at perfect equilibrium on the scale.

I have two months to finalize my choices and put them in order. Wish me luck.

DJ Shift Time Changed

My DJ shift has been moved from Friday mornings to Tuesday mornings. Take due note.

The time is the same - 6 to 10 AM.

Listen in!!!!!!

Second round of cuts, and more adds

In the week and a half since my last round of cuts, I've gotten a little more definitive about some more albums. Here's my second set of cuts and adds:

Cuts:
Float by Flogging Molly - I've been listening to a lot more punk recently, and I've started to let other styles grow on me a little more. Yes, this album is great, but it's not really Top 10 material in my book.
The Dream by In This Moment - This is a disappointing sophomore album, in my opinion. In This Moment had so much ferocity on their debut, but they've reduced themselves to a hard rock act on this album. I understand the reasons for it, and I like this album as a rock album. But in my book, it doesn't hold a candle to Beautiful Tragedy.
Death Magnetic by Metallica - I gave it the due consideration it deserves. I was not impressed. It's decent, but they're trying too hard to restore themselves to the glory days, and it's just not going to happen.
Night Eternal by Moonspell - It's grown somewhat stale after a few more listens. I like it, but it lost some of the punch it had the first time around.
The Redshift by Omnium Gatherum - Another album that lost some of its punch. Yes, it's great, and I'm glad that they've gotten their sound fine-tuned. But it's not Top 10 material.
All Hope is Gone by Slipknot - The first time through this album was mind-blowing. By the time I got to the fourth, I was considerably more jaded. The best albums shouldn't have that happening.
Conquer by Soulfly - The guest artists make this record, but a band should be able to stand on its own and still be great. Soulfly is not demonstrating that here.

Adds:
Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder by Cradle of Filth - This album is terrifying on first listen. I do not know how Dani Filth comes up with such evil lyrical content, but when combined with his demonic screams, it's downright scary to behold.
The Way of All Flesh by Gojira - Anyone who didn't like Gojira before will love them now. Anyone who did love Gojira before will love them even more now. This album is a masterful piece of progressive metal.
Hammer Battalion by Unleashed - This album came out of nowhere and just bashed my head in. I had no idea there was another band as heavy as Amon Amarth out there, but Unleashed are that band, and this album is quite impressive.
The Cancer Empire by Zonaria - I really do like this album a lot, and I am impressed that Zonaria was able to avoid the trap of becoming a generic-sounding melodic death metal band. They added some good black metal elements to their sound, and it gives them some good diversity.

More cuts (and possibly adds) to come soon.

First round of cuts, and some adds!

It's been a week since I posted the list of albums that I was considering for my top albums of 2008. I've done some refining to the list since then. Here are the albums that are being cut from the list:

Continent by The Acacia Strain - Yes, this album is a big improvement lyrically. Musically, though, its very similar to their previous albums. And although I like their previous albums, it's not mind-blowingly good.
Declaration by Bleeding Through - Again, not a lot of variation from their previous albums musically. I suspect Jona Weinhoffen did not give a lot of input into the writing of this album - otherwise it would have sounded more like I Killed the Prom Queen, which would have been much better.
Ultra Beatdown by Dragonforce - What was I thinking here? Sure, it's a good album, but there is so much more power metal out there that is better!
Versus by The Haunted - I listened to rEVOLVEr the other day, and I realized why I first got into this band. The new album doesn't do for me what rEVOLVEr did for me.
Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow by Sevendust - It's really unfortunate that I'm cutting this, because I had hoped that this album would grow on me over time. But it didn't, sadly. It just lacks the pure balls of Next and Alpha, which is a bit of a letdown for me.

And now, some adds to the list, both of which are not even out yet:
Stormchaser by Light This City - I've only heard two tracks from this album, but I can already tell that this album will end the band's career on a high note. It's very sad that they're breaking up, because I hear so much potential for this band in the songs I've heard.
The March by Unearth - The three songs I've heard so far prove that what Trevor Phipps and Derek Kerswill told me is true: Unearth have fused the pure metal of The Oncoming Storm with the thrash elements of III: In the Eyes of Fire to form a towering, brutal sound that features the most technical elements in metalcore today.

Keep an eye out for more cuts, and possibly more adds, in the coming weeks!

Tough Choices....the best of 2008?

The end of the year is coming up, and that means I have to start picking albums for my Top 10 Albums of 2008 list. I can already tell you right now, that this year's list is going to be one of the toughest I have ever made. I already know my Album of the Year - which is Holographic Universe by Scar Symmetry - but beyond that, I don't know much else.

Here is the current set of albums that I'm considering for the list, and why I like them so much:
In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns by Abigail Williams - Masterful melodic black metal, especially for a debut album from a band that broke up for two years after releasing one EP.
Continent by The Acacia Strain - Finally, this band has branched out lyrically and maximized their potential!
Overcome by All That Remains - Once again, Phil and ATR have proven that they are one of the most diverse, brutal, and skillful bands to come out of the Massachusetts scene.
Twilight of the Thunder God by Amon Amarth - Viking metal at its finest. There is simply nobody better in the genre.
We Are the Nightmare by Arsis - James Malone finally has a band behind him that can match his genius with equally good musicianship.
Total Brutal by Austrian Death Machine - I don't care what anyone else says, because this album is EPIC AS FUCK!
Murder the Dance by Bleed the Sky - Metalcore with groove influences that catches your ear and rips it right off your head.
Declaration by Bleeding Through - Another band that excelled by doing away with old lyrical models and expanding their territory. The band was nearly unable to put this record out, but now that it is out, everyone will agree that it was well worth the struggle.
The Fathomless Mastery by Bloodbath - I don't know what the spleen does, but I need a new one, because this album ripped mine out when I listened to it.
Oblivion Beckons by Byzantine - This band should not have broken up, because this album sets a new standard in groove metal. Masterful balance between songwriting technique and sheer fierceness.
Inflikted by Cavalera Conspiracy - The triumphant return of the Cavalera brothers mixes the best parts of old Sepultura and new Soulfly to create the most brutal thrash album of the year.
Blooddrunk by Children of Bodom - Contrary to popular belief, Alexi Laiho is NOT losing his touch, he's just refining it - from a double-bladed war axe into the sharpest hatchet ever. Finesse and technicality will beat sheer speed every time.
Indestructible by Disturbed - There is not a single hard rock act that can compete with this band now - they are too damn good and everyone knows it.
Ultra Beatdown by Dragonforce - They've combined the old with the new to create an unstoppable speed metal sledgehammer to the skull.
The Premonition by Firewind - This band does with one guitarist what Dragonforce does with two, and they do it better and without all the wankery.
Float by Flogging Molly - Modern punk has been put on notice - do it like this, because nothing else is going to sound good anymore.
Versus by The Haunted - Doing away with the progressive melodic elements from their last album was actually a good thing, as was using a more raw, live-sounding production.
Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance) by Heaven Shall Burn - They are now the best German band on the scene, and nobody can dispute that after the release of this masterpiece.
The Incurable Tragedy by Into Eternity - Stu Block has taken this band by the horns since joining, and his vocals are what make this band one of the best progressive death metal acts out today.
For the Revolution by Kalmah - Another band that has combined the old and the new to create their best sound yet. The one thing that sets them apart? Kalmah was always good - now they're among the best.
Prevail by Kataklysm - If this band keeps getting better, death metal will just be renamed entirely as a genre to "Kataklysmetal."
Kolossus by Keep of Kalessin - The new standard by which epic black metal will be judged. They've earned all their accolades and deserve many more.
Architect of Lies by Mercenary - René Pedersen's return to the band gives them the death metal element they lacked on their previous album, both vocally and on bass guitar.
obZen by Meshuggah - Technical metal has never seen an album like this, simply because no one ever thought it could be done. Tomas Haake, though, is a master at proving people wrong.
Night Eternal by Moonspell - Gothic metal needed a male-fronted band to take the reigns of the genre. Moonspell stepped up beautifully and gave us this wonderful release.
Motörizer by Motörhead - At 62 years old, Lemmy still rocks harder than everyone else put together, and this album is one more boulder on the mountain of proof for that statement.
Armamentarium by Neaera - Rising from obscurity to fame in just two years, this band is one of Germany's rising stars.
N by Norther - A perfect fusion of melody and brutality, Petri Lindroos continues to match Alexi Laiho step for step in both songwriting and skill level.
The Redshift by Omnium Gatherum - This band finally found their sound, and managed to perfect it, all on the same album.
Watershed by Opeth - When will Mikael Akerfeldt hit his peak? After this album, the answer to that question is, "Probably never."
Wasteland Discotheque by Raunchy - This band is one of many that is trying to make metal fun again. They're also one of the few who are doing a good job at it.
Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow by Sevendust - Clint Lowery's return provided the breath of fresh air that Sevendust needed. They sound more innovative and exciting than ever before.
All Hope is Gone by Slipknot - Slipknot's triumphant return is even better than everyone expected. This album is just plain better, all around, than all three of their previous albums.
Love and Other Disasters by Sonic Syndicate - This band fuses metalcore and melodic death metal better than every other crossover band out today. Also, "Jack of Diamonds" is the catchiest song this year not written by Scar Symmetry.
Conquer by Soulfly - Soulfly continue to improve on this latest release, and guest appearances by Dave Peters (Throwdown) and David Vincent (Morbid Angel) add even more power to the album.
The Formation of Damnation by Testament - The marriage of death and thrash that Testament performed in 1994 just keeps bearing more and more strong, intelligent children. This latest one is the Zeus of the bunch.
The American Dream by Walls of Jericho - The best hardcore album of the year, hands down. This band is taking over hardcore and no one is even trying to stop them.
Decimate the Weak by Winds of Plague - An injection of fresh blood and new ideas into the deathcore genre that was sorely needed.

Albums I have not yet listened to but could make the list once I've listened:
Isolation by Fear My Thoughts
The Way of All Flesh by Gojira
Incubus: Chapter Seven by Metalium
Death Magnetic by Metallica
Assassins: Black Meddle Part 1 by Nachtmystium
Conclusion of an Age by Sylosis
The Tide Will Swallow Us Whole by Trenches
Shogun by Trivium
The Cancer Empire by Zonaria

Albums that have not yet been released but could make the list once they are:
Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder by Cradle of Filth
Dreamer by Haste the Day
The Dream by In This Moment
Stormchaser by Light This City
The March by Unearth


So yeah, I have some serious choices to make. Only nine of the albums listed above are going to make the list. It might not even be nine - something else might come along and blow me away. Who knows?

So, I'm going to ask now for anyone who's feeling adventurous to give me reasons why I should pick certain albums over others. Feel free to make any comments you wish. I could use the help in clearing my brain and narrowing my choices. Thanks in advance!

Oh, how things change.....

I've been looking at my top-played artists from last week on Last.FM, and I found the list hilarious to behold. Here is an excerpt from that list:

1. Cradle of Filth
2. Amon Amarth
3. Catamenia
4. Moonspell
5. Bloodbath
6. Dimmu Borgir
7. Celtic Frost
8. Satyricon
9. Omnium Gatherum
10. Keep of Kalessin
11. Naglfar
12. Decapitated
13. Dimension Zero
14. Zyklon
15. Arsis
16. Pig Destroyer
17. Obituary
18. Dark Fortress
19. Ensiferum
20. All Shall Perish
21. Animosity
22. Beneath the Sky
23. The Crown
24. Incapacity
25. 1349
26. Bleed the Sky
27. The Black Dahlia Murder
28. Coldworker
29. Necrophagist

Black metal, death metal, other "evil" stuff......I love it. And I love proving standards wrong.

Two bits of big news

Okay, next week is a big week for me, so listen up!

1) I am interviewing UNEARTH live in the studios of WSOU on Tuesday at 5:30 PM! I'll be discussing with them their new album, entitled "The March," which hits stores on October 14th. I highly recommend you either come up to the station to meet the band or listen to the interview on your radios (89.5 FM) or on your computers (www.wsou.net). The Unearth dudes are a raucous and wild group, and the interview is assured to be as hilarious as it is informative.

2) On Wednesday, I, along with some Warner Music Group interns and members of the Roadrunner Street Team, will be meeting with the #2 VP of Warner Music Group and other music industry officials to discuss the future of the Guitar Hero franchise, including what songs could potentially appear on Guitar Hero 4, as part of a focus group. If you are a Guitar Hero fan and have any songs that you would like to appear on future games, please inform me, as I would like to go into this meeting with a list in hand and ideas to speak on.

That is all for now.