2009 Top Music Countdown and Review, Part 1

Part 1 of my 2009 Top Music Countdown and Review will be my thorough review of what I consider to be the best of the best for this year. But first, as always, for those albums that didn't quite make the Top 10, here are my honorable mentions for the rest of the Top 25:

25. Urban Being by Destrage
24. Night is the New Day by Katatonia
23. Pray for Villains by DevilDriver
22. Daylight Deception by The Bereaved
21. World Painted Blood by Slayer
20. Across the Dark by Insomnium
19. Say Hello to Tragedy by Caliban
18. When Legends Become Dust by Conducting from the Grave
17. Evangelion by Behemoth
16. The Mirroring Shadow by Miseration
15. Design Your Universe by Epica
14. Son of the Morning by Oh, Sleeper
13. Sot by The Few Against Many
12. War is the Answer by Five Finger Death Punch
11. The Infection by Chimaira

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for. I present you with the Top 10(-ish) Albums in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal of 2009, as chosen by me!

10. Children of the Dark Waters by Eternal Tears of Sorrow
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal
Origin: Finland



In the world of metal, there are always bands that go unnoticed and are underappreciated. The Finnish melodic death metal scene is the hallmark of this, as seemingly every band that comes from that scene is endlessly compared to Children of Bodom, the only band from the scene to gain a significant worldwide fan base. Thus, bands like Kalmah, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Mors Principium Est, and many others are never given the chance to excel on a worldwide scale, which is unfortunate, since many of these bands have delivered high-quality releases in the past few years that deserve recognition. Eternal Tears of Sorrow is the latest in that group, with their sixth full-length album, Children of the Dark Waters. This album is undoubtedly EToS’s best to date, because the band have finally perfected their mix of powerful, driving death metal with haunting, doom-laden melodies. There are very few bands that attempt this brand of melodic death metal, and EToS is one of the best.

Recommended Tracks:
#2 Baptized by the Blood of Angels
#4 Summon the Wild
#7 Diary of Demonic Dreams
#9 Nocturne Thule


9. Sound Awake by Karnivool
Genre: Progressive Rock
Origin: Australia



Have you ever experienced the sensation of your brain imploding? Well, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not as unpleasant as you might think. My brain implosion occurred when I heard Sound Awake by Karnivool, a band that has proven themselves to be among the most promising young talent worldwide. With a refreshing and vibrant new brand of progressive rock, Karnivool are one of the smartest bands I’ve heard in a long time. What separates their variety of progressive rock from others is their willingness to avoid formula. Their songs shy away from repeating passages while still maintaining excellent structure. The shorter songs have just as many elements and intricacies as the longer songs, and the band does things with music that make my head spin. I say music here because this has nothing to do with instruments. The songwriting on this album is absolutely phenomenal. I can guarantee that what you hear from Karnivool on future albums will be similarly mind-blowing.

Recommended Tracks:
#1 Simple Boy
#3 New Day
#4 Set Fire to the Hive
#10 Deadman


8. Slaves of the World by Old Man's Child
Genre: Black Metal, Symphonic Metal
Origin: Norway



If you look at the timeline of black metal, controversy abounds everywhere. Almost every band in the scene has experienced some form of conflict that has brought them negative attention of some form. Even Dimmu Borgir, one of the most stalwart bands in the scene, became entangled in an internal battle, with core members Shagrath, Silenoz, and Galder firing bassist I.C.S. Vortex and keyboardist Mustis, and Mustis then filing legal action against the band. However, Galder’s other band, his solo project Old Man’s Child, is one of the few black metal bands that has consistently released high-quality material while avoiding controversy and drama. Slaves of the World is the latest opus of evil to come from Galder’s twisted mind, and he really raises the bar on this album, creating compositions that rank among the most unique and memorable in the genre. What really sets this album above the rest of the band’s discography is the choice of drummer for the album. Peter Wildoer of Darkane/Pestilence fame really takes this album from solid to astounding with his outstanding skills. Old Man’s Child truly has set the standard for symphonic/melodic black metal with this album.

Recommended Tracks:
#1 Slaves of the World
#4 Unholy Foreign Crusade
#6 The Spawn of Lost Creation
#7 On the Devil’s Throne


7. The Great Misdirect by Between the Buried and Me
Genre: Progressive Metal
Origin: USA



I’ve already talked about the best progressive rock album of the year in my countdown. But now we get into the best progressive ANYTHING album of the year. Between the Buried and Me drew me in with their last album, Colors, which was definitely an enjoyable album and really displayed their skills. But the thing that held the album back for me was that, despite it being a concept album, there was no continuity or flow to it. Well, BTBAM found their continuity with their new album, The Great Misdirect. This album pushes the boundaries of progressive metal further than they’ve been pushed in a long time. With songs changing genres internally and compositions that baffle even the most stalwart music theorist, BTBAM have managed to put together an album that actually feels like a complete album. That is so rare nowadays, and I’m extremely pleased that they pulled it off.

Recommended Tracks:
#2 Obfuscation
#3 Disease, Injury, Madness
#4 Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain
#6 Swim to the Moon


6. Earthsblood by God Forbid
Genre: Metalcore, Thrash Metal
Origin: USA



God Forbid have frequently been described by some of my peers as a “hit-or-miss” band, and while I don’t agree with that statement, I will admit that I didn’t enjoy 2006’s IV: Constitution of Treason as much as I liked 2004’s Gone Forever. However, their new album, Earthsblood, surpasses both of these albums and all their previous work as well. Instead of delivering a full-on concept album like Constitution of Treason, Earthsblood just has an overarching theme built into most of the songs. The thing that makes this album excellent is the expansion of sound that God Forbid have added here. Bringing in influences from progressive metal and upping the thrash content significantly, this album breaks many metalcore boundaries and truly shows just how talented God Forbid are. I hope they continue showing this diversity on future releases.

Recommended tracks:
#3 Empire of the Gun
#4 War of Attrition
#8 Bat the Angels
#9 Earthsblood


5. Hordes of Chaos by Kreator
Genre: Thrash Metal
Origin: Germany



I’m a person who appreciates consistency, and consistency is what makes me think that Germany’s Big 3 of thrash have, at this point, far surpassed America’s Big 4. The number of disappointing thrash releases from America is at least triple what it is from Germany, without a doubt. Of the German Big 3, Kreator have been the most consistent by far, releasing album after album of straightforward, in-your-face thrash that doesn’t compromise on lyrical content. Hordes of Chaos follows the vein of its predecessor, 2005’s Enemy of God, with punishing riffs and solos that melt entire bodies, not just faces. This album is a model of modern thrash that will surely influence the new generation of young thrash bands worldwide. The older thrash bands around the world would also do well to take some lessons from this masterful release.

Recommended Tracks:
#2 Warcurse
#5 Destroy What Destroys You
#6 Radical Resistance
#10 Demon Prince


4. Lullabies for the Dormant Mind by The Agonist
Genre: Metalcore, Technical Metal
Origin: Canada



There are plenty of female-fronted metal bands out there that get a lot of spectacle just because they have a beautiful lead singer. However, The Agonist is one band that deserves more recognition for having a beautiful lead singer AND playing amazing music. Taking cues from their countrymen in Into Eternity, The Agonist have added highly technical elements to their songs, including split-second time changes and intricate polyrhythms. The drumming on this record is some of the best I’ve heard in a long time. Simon McKay really outdoes himself on this album. Alissa White-Gluz’s vocals, though, steal the show here. Easily one of the most talented singers in all of metal, her effortless shifts from guttural rasps to gorgeous singing emphasize different parts of different songs perfectly, and the diversity of her screaming styles give her depth that many singers lack. In short, The Agonist are everything that metalcore should be and so often isn’t. They have originality, brutality, melody, and technicality in equal measure, and no one is even attempting to do what they do right now. That sets this band far above all of their contemporaries.

Recommended Tracks:
#2 …And Their Eulogies Sang Me to Sleep
#5 Waiting Out the Winter
#6 Martyr Art
#9 The Sentient


3. Vigilance by Threat Signal
Genre: Industrial Metal
Origin: Canada



I enjoyed Threat Signal’s debut album, Under Reprisal, and I knew that they had lots of potential. I never expected what I got with Vigilance, though. This album is a genre-definer. In much the same way that Fear Factory’s Demanufacture became the foundation on which all industrial metal albums were built until now, Vigilance sets the standard for all future industrial metal albums. With crushing guitars, tight drums, and Jon Howard’s immensely talented vocal prowess, Vigilance has everything that an industrial metal fan could want and then some. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that legendary ex-Fear Factory bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers was in the producer’s chair for this album, like he was for Under Reprisal. Regardless of who’s producing, though, Threat Signal are quickly becoming one of the best young metal bands out there, and if they continue to put out albums that are as good as Vigilance, they will surely become one of the best metal bands, period.

Recommended Tracks:
#2 Through My Eyes
#6 Another Source of Light
#8 Severed
#11 In Repair


2. The Restless Memoirs and The Isolation Game by Disarmonia Mundi
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Origin: Italy



Very few bands have put out two releases in one year that are equal in terms of talent and listener enjoyment. DMX did it in 1998 with his two groundbreaking albums, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. System of a Down also managed it in 2005 with Mezmerize and Hypnotize (we’ll put aside the fact that those two albums were actually a double album split in half). And now, in 2009, we have Disarmonia Mundi releasing both an EP, The Restless Memoirs, and their fourth full length album, The Isolation Game. What we learn from these albums, first and foremost, is that Disarmonia Mundi functions just fine without Bjorn “Speed” Strid of Soilwork assisting on vocals. Although Speed does appear on at least one track on The Isolation Game, Claudio Ravinale is the main vocalist on both releases, and he is finally able to come into his own. We also learn that Ettore Rigotti is one of the most talented musicians and composers in all of Europe, although fans of the band probably knew that already. Simply put, Disarmonia Mundi is the best melodic death metal band in the world that almost no one knows about. If The Restless Memoirs was a full-length album, it would occupy its own space on the countdown. But since it’s an EP, both releases take one spot on my list. I know, I'm cheating just a bit, but honestly, both of these releases deserve a spot, so they'll both get one.

Recommended Tracks on The Restless Memoirs:
#1 Across the Burning Surface
#2 Flare
#3 Kneeling on Broken Glass
#4 Spiral Dancer

Recommended Tracks on The Isolation Game:
#1 Cypher Drone
#2 Structural Wound
#5 Stepchild of Laceration
#10 Losing Ground


1. Daylight by West Gate
Genre: Hard Rock
Origin: USA



If you are surprised by this, then you don’t know me at all. I’ve been raving about this album since I knew it was being recorded back in January. My ravings only increased in May after I heard the album in its entirety, two months before its release. And when it was released in July, I listened to it for a month straight. You can call it devotion or insanity, whichever you prefer. The point is, there’s a reason why this is my top album for the year. I defy you to find me a rock album with this level of maturity and skill from a bunch of guys who just graduated college. I will save you a lot of time and tell you that one doesn’t exist. For a band that has only been active for about three years, West Gate already has the musical expertise to take the stage alongside some of the biggest names in rock. If you are a fan of rock music at all, you can’t not like this band. They’re just too good for any rock fan to dislike them. Without a doubt, Daylight is one of my top five favorite albums ever. And things will only get better for West Gate moving forward.

Recommended Tracks:
#1 Bleeding Out
#3 Ordinary
#7 Soul Searching
#10 With Time


And there you have it, folks! Part 2, my categorical awards, and Part 3, the full rankings for 2009, will come later, so keep an eye out for those! In the meantime, if you haven't heard any of the albums listed here, I highly recommend you check them out! If you are a fan of their genres, you won't be disappointed!

Lady Gaga, Singing Disgrace and Public Enemy #1 of Music (A Rant)

As many of you know, I am usually very widely accepting of different styles of music. Even if I'm not a big fan of a certain genre, I can tolerate it up to a point. However, Lady Gaga has earned herself a place among the few artists whom I absolutely cannot stand at all. Unfortunately for yours truly, she dominates top 40 radio right now, and I am subjected to her every morning when I work at Target. I have reached my boiling point, and this is the only constructive outlet I have for my frustration.

I now give you my top six reasons why Lady Gaga should lose her publishing rights, her recording capabilities, her touring licenses, and possibly her vocal chords.

1. Lady Gaga is a trend follower and has no originality whatsoever
When I hear Lady Gaga's different songs on the radio, all I hear is her attempting to copy the successful female pop stars who have come before her. Not one single star, mind you. She's trying to copy them ALL. "Poker Face" is her attempt at the bad girl sex songs that made Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera so huge. "Paparazzi" shows her trying to imitate the innocent, good girl styles of Mandy Moore. "Bad Romance" has her trying to be an independent punk chick like Pink or Avril Lavigne. Lady Gaga is trying to become a universal star, picking up every female ear in the 13-18 demographic and increasing her fame that much more. But none of her music is at all original or new. It's just the same old stuff that we've heard before. Why is that entertaining?

2. Lady Gaga is almost totally devoid of singing ability
Those who have only ever heard Lady Gaga on recorded material will, of course, immediately object to this statement, because even I will admit that her voice sounds good on record. However, her horrific performance at the VMA's (which I only watched because I was waiting for an instant replay moment of the Kanye West/Taylor Swift debacle) got me wondering, and I looked up some live performance videos of her on YouTube. The things I saw confirmed my belief that Lady Gaga cannot sing her way out of a pickle barrel. So how does she manage to sound so good on record? Well, she does what many other pop stars do in this age of technology: she overproduces the hell out of her voice. Talk about a raw deal.

3. Lady Gaga's lyrics promote the worst values and stylize completely unrealistic situations
Normally I don't get preachy about this sort of thing, but the things she says in "Poker Face" just horrify the crap out of me. And let's consider the logic of the song "Paparazzi" for a moment. According to that song, stalking a guy will make him fall in love with you. How often do you think that actually happens in the real world? I would say maybe one time in a million, and that one time is because the guy being stalked is a sociopath planning to murder the girl stalking him.

4. Lady Gaga has the worst stage name ever
Seriously, she couldn't just use her real name like 90% of the rest of the female pop stars out there? She had to pick a stage name that not only sounds completely ridiculous, but also makes absolutely no sense? What is the point of that?

5. Lady Gaga is ugly as sin
That's what really makes things ridiculous to me when I consider how successful she is. This isn't even a case where a person can say, "Well, her songs suck, but at least she's easy on the eyes." When I see Lady Gaga, I want to retch. She is disgusting.

6. Lady Gaga is Lady Gaga
For those of you scratching your heads at this, here's the longer sentence I would have used for the title of this point, if it weren't so long: Lady Gaga is yet another pop star perpetuating the cycle of musical mediocrity by cashing in on the trends of the day and using shock value to increase the buzz about her, while creating nothing new or original that contributes positively to society or people's lives. That really just sums all of these points and says what she'd have to do in order for me to have even a modicum of respect for her. I'm not holding my breath on that, though.

2009 Music Review is under way!

I've started making my annual Music Review of the Year lists. I'm doing things very differently this year, adding to my review to include not only my Top 10 albums of the year, but also my top picks by genre, as well as some other categories. I encourage you all to offer me your input, because surprisingly, as thorough as I have been about getting 2009 albums lately, it's always possible that I missed something. Therefore, if you heard any excellent albums that you think I should consider, let me know, and if I don't have them I'll check them out!

Aggression Maximized - A Second Look at Neaera's "Armamentarium"

When I first listened to the album "Armamentarium" by Neaera, I enjoyed it, but I didn't find it particularly impressive. It was fast, harsh German death metal - the kind also played by Heaven Shall Burn, Maroon, and countless other German bands. However, after a lot of listens since then, I have come to realize that this album is one of the best expressions of aggression and ferocity in all of music. This album truly brings out the most extreme emotions that music can create. It excels both musically and lyrically beyond the abilities that most bands have.

The album's musical strength comes from guitarist and primary songwriter Tobias Buck, who may be one of the most solid guitar players in all of Europe. While he may not have great solos, his lead lines and chord progressions are some of the most well-put together compositions a melodic death metal band can have. Sebastian Heldt's drumming also intensifies the musicality of the album immensely, providing solid rhythm lines and great fills for slower sections. These two musical forces together create the immense soundscape that encompasses this album. Slower guitar parts matched with machine-gun drum sections, as well as lightning fast guitar riffs with more rhythmic drum parts, create a dense layering of sound that gives both parts greater strength and depth. The songs "Spearheading the Spawn," "Tools of Greed," "Synergy," "The Orphaning," and "Mutiny of Untamed Minds" are the best examples of this.

Without a doubt, though, the element that brings the music together is Benny Hilleke's ridiculous vocal performance. He has three amazing styles to his vocals: the earth-trembling bass growl, the throat-blackening scream, and the rarely-used harsh spoken voice. The effortless transitions he executes between these voices maximize his ability to create an emotional response within the songs, and the chosen vocal style used in different sections can drastically alter the mood. Surprisingly, the most memorable parts of some songs occur when Hilleke uses his harsh spoken word voice, mostly because it occurs during quiet parts of songs and is either immediately preceded or followed by a very intense breakdown or solo part. The use of contrast in these parts is what makes them so memorable. It's a technique that few vocalists use, and even fewer use correctly.

Lyrically, Hilleke's messages of social justice, rebellion against corrupt authority, and self-actualization reach the base motivations of metalheads everywhere. These may not be new themes, but they are refreshing to hear from a German death metal scene that is entirely oversaturated with either gory scenes of violence or overblown dramatic metaphors of men caught in circumstances where they are forced to kill.

"Armamentarium" is addicting because it has all the elements to draw in metalheads of any kind. Those who appreciate vocal depth will be awed by Hilleke's stylistic diversity. Those looking for strong instrumentation will love the performances by Buck and Heldt. Those looking for intelligent and insightful lyrics will appreciate the messages Hilleke delivers. In short, "Armamentarium" has it all, and it delivers everything to you in a cement-encased fist through the teeth.

Celebrities should have a word limit on their public statements

So Dimmu Borgir announced this week that they fired keyboardist Mustis (Øyvind Johan Mustaparta) and bassist ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs) from the band. I was very displeased upon hearing this news, as Vortex is one of my favorite metal musicians of all time and Mustis is definitely the best keyboardist Dimmu has ever had.

Mustis soon released an official statement telling fans he was fired by text message and that he was taking legal action against the remaining members of Dimmu for not properly crediting him on compositions he did for several songs during his tenure with the band. Vortex followed with a statement telling fans that he would continue with future music plans, and expressed his support for Mustis in his legal case, calling the keyboardist "the true creative force in Dimmu for the last ten years."

Today, the remaining three fulltime band members - vocalist Shagrath and guitarists Silenoz and Galder - fired back with one of the longest press releases I have ever read. They mocked the statements released by Vortex and Mustis as false, and offered up several incidents involving both band members (although never naming which of the two perpetrated the different events) as evidence that the band was better off without them. The band concluded by saying that their forthcoming album, due out next year, would offer testimony to the fact that the "creative force in the band is highly intact" and that the album would retain the sound Dimmu is known for, even without Vortex and Mustis.

After reading all the statements from all parties, I will offer these thoughts. First of all, I firmly and truly believe that the truth cannot be found in any of the statements given, but somewhere in between all that, and it will remain that way most likely. Therefore, I give no creedence to any of the press releases except discussing current facts (those being that Mustis is filing a lawsuit and Vortex will continue with his other bands).

Second of all, I think the statement by Shagrath, Silenoz, and Galder is the epitome of pettiness and derision. They offer up these incidents of wrongdoing by Vortex and Mustis as evidence that they did not belong in the band, but their wording gives testament to their true intentions. The re-telling of those stories is full of language that lacks any objectivity and exclusively acts to smear their reputations. Contrary to that, Mustis and Vortex issued statements that did not attempt to influence opinion in not-so-subtle ways, but rather offered their view of the story and detailed their plans for the future. I applaud this action, and hope that they do not respond to the statement by the band in any way, so as to maintain their professional attitude.

Third of all, the fact that the band members were also unwilling to point out which incidents occurred with Mustis and which occurred with Vortex in their statement shows that they are truly motivated by petty revenge. I expect no less from Shagrath and Silenoz, who have proven throughout the years that they are elitist and they lord their roles as founding members of the band over every other band member. I am disappointed to see Galder's name on this statement, but if he has chosen to side with the other two in this, I'm sure he has his reasons. The fact that drummer Daray does not appear as part of this statement shows just how elitist Shagrath and Silenoz have become, and how much Galder is letting them get away with it.

In summation, I am seriously disappointed by the fact that this even occurred, and I don't think Dimmu will be nearly as good now that Mustis and Vortex are gone. However, I wish the two of them best of luck and hope that they succeed in their individual endeavours. As far as the band goes, I hope that the new album does retain the Dimmu sound, but if it doesn't, we will see Shagrath and Silenoz revealed as frauds, which I would revel in.

Here's some links if you want to explore this topic further:
Mustis' MySpace
ICS Vortex's MySpace
Dimmu Borgir's MySpace
Mustis' Statement on Blabbermouth
ICS Vortex's Statement on Blabbermouth
Statement from the band's management on Blabbermouth
Statement from Shagrath, Silenoz, and Galder on Blabbermouth

The year in music so far

I had meant to do this at the end of June, but that obviously passed without incident. So I will do it now, at the two-thirds point in the year, so that it's done.

Albums that exceeded my expectations
1. "Daylight" by West Gate
I don't even need to say anything about this album because of how good it is. Also, every good thing I have to say about it is in my review of the album. Suffice to say, there is only one way that this album could end up not in the #1 spot in my end-of-year countdown, and that would be if Disarmonia Mundi releases "The Isolation Game" before the year is out. Unless that happens, I already have my Album of the Year.
Recommended Tracks: Bleeding Out, Ordinary, With Time

2. "The Restless Memoirs EP" by Disarmonia Mundi
I'll be honest here - I wasn't sure how good Disarmonia Mundi would be without Bjorn Strid in the line-up. Well, forget any uncertainty. The six tracks of this EP are enough to convince me that Disarmonia Mundi is going to be amazing no matter who is with them, as long as Ettore Rigotti and Claudio Ravinale remain. If "The Isolation Game" comes out this year, Disarmonia Mundi will appear twice in the top three of my year-end list, which is unprecedented for any band. That's how good this EP is.
Recommended Tracks: Across the Burning Surface, Flare, Spiral Dancer

3. "Hordes of Chaos" by Kreator
With their last album, "Enemy of God," Kreator reminded everyone of two things. First, that thrash metal is supposed to sound a certain way, and they were doing it right. Second, that the Germans have done thrash better over time than the Americans. Kreator, Destruction, and Sodom have stayed true to the old thrash sound while Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and (to a much lesser degree than the other three) Slayer have all strayed from the formula at one point or another, and in some cases, stayed lost instead of coming back to it. "Hordes of Chaos" proves these points even more firmly, and gives a blueprint of thrash for new metalheads to follow.
Recommended Tracks: Warcurse, Destroy What Destroys You, Radical Resistance

4. "Earthsblood" by God Forbid
For a band that has consistently tried to distance itself from the American metalcore movement, God Forbid wasn't having much success with that until now. "Earthsblood" is a marked step of progression for the band, incorporating more thrash into their sound and also using Opeth-like prog structures on some songs, showing just how diverse their sound can be. This album provides them the separation they wanted, and they can keep it if they continue like this on their next album.
Recommended Tracks: Empire of the Gun, War of Attrition, Bat the Angels

5. "Children of the Dark Waters" by Eternal Tears of Sorrow
I've always considered Eternal Tears of Sorrow to be the most underrated of Finland's many symphonic/melodic death metal bands, especially because EToS places the highest emphasis on the symphonic elements of any of the band's I've heard playing that genre from Finland. "Children of the Dark Waters" is the album that should raise EToS from the realm of obscurity. The beautiful melodies captured on this album contrasted with the punishing death metal sections make for an intense, well-balanced sound that will draw in new listeners from all ends of the spectrum
Recommended Tracks: Baptized by the Blood of Angels, Diary of Demonic Dreams, Nocturne Thule

6. "Lullabies for the Dormant Mind" by The Agonist
The Agonist's debut album, "Once Only Imagined," showcased a band still in its growing stages but with an excellent future in front of them. "Lullabies for the Dormant Mind" is an amazing sophomore album that not only sets The Agonist far apart from the rest of the female-fronted metalcore field, but really puts them in a realm of their own. Their razor-sharp, technical music, combined with their socially conscious lyrics filled with deep imagery, are what make The Agonist truly unique, and this album capitalizes on those things to create an amazing musical soundscape.
Recommended Tracks: Birds Elope With the Sun, Martyr Art, The Sentient

7. "Slaves of the World" by Old Man's Child
If Dimmu Borgir is the polished, clean, sell-out face of black metal that the fans say it is, then Old Man's Child is its evil twin - dark, brooding, vicious, evil. One-man force of blackness Galder (who incidentally also plays guitar in Dimmu Borgir) has created his finest opus yet in this album, bringing together the darkest parts of black metal, epic symphonic passages, and blazing thrash to create a titanic sound that dominates listeners. The drumming talents of Peter Wildoer (Darkane, Pestilence) only add to the musical excellence.
Recommended Tracks: Saviours of Doom, Unholy Foreign Crusade, Servants of Satan's Monastery

8. "The Infection" by Chimaira
Chimaira usually impress me with each new album they put out because they show evolution with each release. However, "The Infection" surpasses my expectations of improvement because the band has taken their sound in a whole new direction, bringing their groove metal influence to the forefront of their sound while allowing hardcore to take a backseat. The slowed-down tempos, basement-level downtuning, and guttural vocals give Chimaira a new face and show that their talents can give them success on any front.
Recommended Tracks: Frozen in Time, Secrets of the Dead, On Broken Glass

9. "Time Waits for No Slave" by Napalm Death
I know many of you are thinking, "Woo-hoo, Napalm Death's fourteenth album. What's so special this time around?" Well, how about the fact that this Napalm Death album features ambient passages and keyboards during songs, as well as a simultaneous return to the band's grindcore roots? Interested now? I thought so.
Recommended Tracks: Diktat, Time Waits for No Slave, Fallacy Dominion

10. "When Legends Become Dust" by Conducting from the Grave
When I first heard of Conducting from the Grave, I was expecting yet another boring chug-chug deathcore band. Boy, was I wrong. These youngsters have melded a deathcore base with countless other influences to display a unique, diverse sound that can only be described by listening to it firsthand. If you want a new take on deathcore, give these guys a try.
Recommended Tracks: The Calming Effect, Eternally Gutted, Improper Burial

11. "Evangelion" by Behemoth
After the straightforward death metal sound of "Demigod" and "The Apostasy," I was expecting a similar approach to Behemoth's new album. But I was pleasantly surprised. Not only have Behemoth returned to the blackened death metal sound that made them famous in the first place, but they've further expanded their sound to display a strong progressive edge, even managing to attain a Gojira-like sound on some tracks. It's no wonder Nergal says this is his favorite album from his band.
Recommended Tracks: Shemaforash, He Who Breeds Pestilence, The Seed ov I

12. "Across the Dark" by Insomnium
Another excellent opus of doom-laden melodic death metal from Insomnium is always welcome. "Across the Dark" fits that bill perfectly. The clean singing utilized on this album is what sets it apart from its predecessors. It comes unexpectedly but it makes a wonderful addition to Insomnium's soundscape. The instrumentation is still fairly similar to older material from Insomnium, but that's not at all a bad thing.
Recommended Tracks: Down With the Sun, Where the Last Wave Broke, The Lay of Autumn

Albums that met my expectations
1. "Wrath" by Lamb of God
I knew that this new album from Lamb of God would be a solid album. They have never released an album that was not good. However, I knew that this would not be the album that everyone claimed it would be. The critics were waiting for "As the Palaces Burn" part 2. Instead they got "Sacrament" part 2. As I said, it's a good album, but too many parts feel far too similar to "Sacrament." In the end, though, I'm satisfied with what I got.
Recommended Tracks: Set to Fail, Contractor, Choke Sermon

2. "Pray for Villains" by DevilDriver
I love everything DevilDriver does. Let me make that clear right from the start. This album is likely going to make my top 10 list at the end of the year. But there really wasn't any way that they could exceed my expectations here. I knew it was going to sound like DevilDriver, and I knew I was going to love it. What more can I say about it?
Recommended Tracks: Fate Stepped In, Resurrection Blvd., Waiting for November

3. "Crack the Skye" by Mastodon
When I saw the track listing and track times for "Crack the Skye" online, I knew this album would be far different from anything else Mastodon had released thus far. It definitely was. I liked the result quite a lot. It's nothing less than I'd expect from Mastodon, one of the most talented groups of musicians of this age.
Recommended Tracks: Divinations, The Czar, Crack the Skye

4. "The Great Stone War" by Winds of Plague
Winds of Plague, the progenitors of symphonic deathcore, have separated themselves from the mass of new deathcore bands by playing with keyboards. That much was well established on "Decimate the Weak." But "The Great Stone War" does little more than to continue this tradition. It's a nice tradition to keep up, though, because the deathcore pack needs some variety. So I say, let Winds of Plague continue on the fine path they've started, because it still is better than 90% of the garbage deathcore on the landscape.
Recommended Tracks: Soldiers of Doomsday, Creed of Tyrants, Classic Struggle

5. "Omnicide - Creation Unleashed" by Neaera
If Caliban and Heaven Shall Burn are the established stars of the German metalcore/death metal scene, Neaera are the fast-rising upstarts with everything on the line. With that in mind, you'd think they'd be doing everything possible to make each album they release excellent and memorable. "Omnicide" definitely is excellent, but it's not as memorable as "Armamentarium" was, even with the subtle changes from one album to the other. That's the problem - the changes on "Omnicide" were too subtle. Nonetheless, this album is still a great listen.
Recommended Tracks: Prey to Anguish, Grave New World, Caesura

6. "In Ancient of Days" by Thy Will Be Done
After Thy Will Be Done's impossibly good debut, "Was and Is to Come," it seemed impossible that anything could top it. Well, so far, that's correct. "In Ancient of Days" doesn't surpass its predecessor, but it comes damn close. This is an excellent album and shows that Thy Will Be Done have a bright future ahead of them. Which is great, because for me, it's always nice to see a hometown band succeeding.
Recommended Tracks: Mourning Without the Sun, Ex Morte Vita, A Solemn Oath

7. "The Absence" by Luna Mortis
Unfortunately for Luna Mortis, they came into the female-fronted metalcore game a little late, and thus their sound seems to be heavily borrowed from The Agonist and In This Moment. However, that doesn't stop them from delivering a solid album. "The Absence" is another fine example of strong melodic metalcore, and what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in strong musicianship and well-crafted songwriting.
Recommended Tracks: Ruin, The Absence, Phantoms

8. "No Time to Bleed" by Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence brought deathcore into the mainstream with "The Cleansing." "No Time to Bleed" continues where it left off, with its chaotic onslaught of breakdowns, technicality, and indecipherable vocals. However, there still doesn't seem to be much direction to their sound. Suicide Silence still seems intent on just punishing their listeners with the heaviest possible music they can make. Two albums of that is fine, but if the band hopes to continue to be successful, they need to find a way to solidify their end goals and make that evident in their music.
Recommended Tracks: Lifted, Something Invisible, Your Creations

9. "The Grand Partition and the Abrogation of Idolatry" by Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky
Finally, a band not called Soilent Green that does deathgrind properly. When I first heard of S.W.W.A.A.T.S. (no, I am not writing that moniker out every time I talk about them), I thought they were just another deathcore band with an unnecessarily long name trying to sound tough. But upon listening to this album, I discovered a fine gem of deathgrind waiting to be served up. The mix of death metal and grindcore is perfect, and for a debut album, it's clear that S.W.W.A.A.T.S. certainly have the chops to make their incredibly long name a popular one among metalheads.
Recommended Tracks: The Realization That Mankind is Viral in Its Nature, Despot, Automated Oration and the Abolition of Silence

10. "Wearing a Martyr's Crown" by Nightrage
This album is not as good as "A New Disease is Born," but the excellence of that album left Nightrage very little room for error. That being said, "Wearing a Martyr's Crown" is still a good album. Getting used to Antony Hämäläinen's vocals will take some time, but hopefully in time the sound will grow on me.
Recomended Tracks: Collision of Fate, Among Wolves, Futile Tears

Albums that did not meet my expectations
1. "Killswitch Engage II" by Killswitch Engage
The first misstep of Killswitch Engage's career was when they decided to let Brendan O'Brien produce their new album. The second misstep was when Howard Jones decided that writing negative lyrics, as seems to be the trend among countless metal bands, was a good idea. This album is a severe disappointment because of Jones' negative lyrics and the saturation of melody that drowns out almost all the heaviness that Killswitch used to have. There are a few redeeming tracks, but not nearly enough to counter the rest of the disappointments contained within.
Recommended Tracks: Never Again, The Forgotten, Save Me

2. "Show Your Colors" by Amoral
For three albums, Amoral played some of the best technical death metal out there. However, Amoral have changed their sound to generic pop power metal, and taken on a vocalist who is an abysmal failure at sounding even remotely good, never mind sounding remotely metal. Whatever steered Amoral off the path they were on is a travesty, because the new Amoral is something I never want to listen to.
Recommended Tracks: NONE

3. "Shallow Life" by Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil have definitely Americanized their sound as time has gone on, and "Shallow Life" is the final step in the process. The gothic elements of their old sound have taken a back seat to the alt-metal sound they've adopted in recent years. It's nowhere near as good as the older material the band put out, and while this album has some bright spots, most of it lacks the original Lacuna Coil sound.
Recommended Tracks: I Survive, Spellbound

4. "Years in the Darkness" by Arkaea
Arkaea is the union of ex-Fear Factory members Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers with Threat Signal's Jon Howard and Pat Kavanaugh. Knowing the excellent material that those two bands have put out in the past, I expected Arkaea's debut to be a similar piece of musical greatness. However, this album falls far short of the mark. The industrial metal elements are not as prominent as they could be, and Howard's vocals do not have the power that they have with Threat Signal. There are some good tracks on this album, but the band needs to decide whether it wants to sound more like Fear Factory or Threat Signal, because the current mixture is mediocre at best.
Recommended Tracks: Beneath the Shades of Grey, Locust, War Within

5. "Revelations of the Black Flame" by 1349
1349's raw, straightforward black metal on previous albums was a cause for celebration among black metal fans who were looking for the next coming of Enslaved, Darkthrone, and Immortal. However, "Revelations of the Black Flame" moves away from that approach and adds in ambient passages, marking 1349 as the second "traditional" black metal band in the past year (Enslaved being the first) to abandon their raw sound and take up a much more atmospheric sound laden with synth elements. It's rather disappointing for raw black metal to be disappearing so fast from the landscape.
Recommended Tracks: Serpentine Sibilance, Uncreation, At the Gate...

Expectations for albums that will come out during the rest of the year
1. "Say Hello to Tragedy" by Caliban
After the excellence of Caliban's last album, "The Awakening," I firmly expect the band to continue sounding much better than their other albums were. The first single, "24 Years," definitely confirms this, because it is one of the best metalcore songs put out this year. Hopefully the rest of the album will have similar levels of greatness.
Release Date: August 25th

2. "Son of the Morning" by Oh, Sleeper
Oh, Sleeper has been (pardon the pun) the sleeper band on Solid State's roster. Poised for a big breakout, the band's live show and debut album, "When I Am God," have put them in position for that. "Son of the Morning" should hopefully push them into higher status, and the tracks debuted thus far on the band's MySpace seem to indicate a much more mature band that has a uniquely balanced sound.
Release Date: August 25th

3. "Here Waits Thy Doom" by 3 Inches of Blood
A lot has changed in the 3 Inches of Blood camp since 2006's "Fire Up the Blades." They have gone from a six-piece band to a four-piece, no longer have any original members in the band, changed record labels, and moved to yet another new producer. I don't know how this new record will sound, but I'm somewhat nervous as to how Justin Hagberg will do filling Jamie Hooper's shoes on screaming vocals.
Release Date: September 8th

4. "The Dethalbum II" by Dethklok
Dethklok is bringing metal to the forefront of pop culture slowly but surely. I'm happy about that. But can "The Dethalbum II" replicate the success of "The Dethalbum?" You bet it can. I expect "The Dethalbum II" to surpass "The Dethalbum" in sales easily. All that remains is to decide which one of these amazing tunes will be the first music video.
Release Date: September 8th

5. "Vigilance" by Threat Signal
It's been three years since Threat Signal stormed the scene with "Under Reprisal." Since then, Threat Signal has changed three-fifths of its line-up. But the song previews on their MySpace show that the band's sound has been retained, which is good because Threat Signal has one of the most unique sounds in metal. I hope that "Vigilance" displays the same level of skill and diversity as "Under Reprisal."
Release Date: September 8th

6. "From Afar" by Ensiferum
With Petri Lindroos out of Norther and Ensiferum now being his only focus, "From Afar" should have a bit more cohesion than 2007's "Victory Songs." That album suffered from a lack of unity that was so prominent on the band's previous two albums with Jari Mäenpää, who preceded Lindroos in the band. If "From Afar" is more unified, then Ensiferum should be in good shape to continue building their success outside of Finland. If not, then the band may want to consider some different strategies.
Release Date: September 9th

7. "Endgame" by Megadeth
People are saying that "Endgame" will be the best material Dave Mustaine has released since "Rust in Peace". I remain skeptical, though, because they said the same things about Dave's last two albums. I'm sure the album will be good, but whether it will surpass everything since Megadeth's landmark album is definitely not guaranteed.
Release Date: September 15th

8. "Retribution" by Shadows Fall
The one track Shadows Fall has released so far on their MySpace, which features D. Randall Blythe from Lamb of God on guest vocals, is promising for a return to form. After the missteps on 2007's "Threads of Life," Shadows Fall are hoping for a rebound with a self-released record and a return to the DIY ideals of their past. Let's hope success is on the horizon for them once again.
Release Date: September 15th

9. "War is the Answer" by Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch better not have gotten soft on us since "The Way of the Fist" debuted, because if they did, a great many people will be very put out. However, the tracks released so far by the band do not appear promising. We can only hope that the heavier material is waiting in the wings.
Release Date: September 22nd

10. "Double Brutal" by Austrian Death Machine
This may be the best news of the year. An Austrian Death Machine double disc? If there is anything that could be possibly cooler, I don't know what it would be. This album will satiate anyone looking for references to Arnold movies that Tam Lambesis missed on "Total Brutal," so Arnold fans the world over will be satisfied.
Release Date: September 29th

11. "All Shall Fall" by Immortal
It's been seven years since Immortal put out "Sons of Northern Darkness." Now Abbath and Co. are back with another black metal album that is sure to have the hordes raving. Being one of the most popular black metal bands out there now that people have realized that Abbath's face is hilarious, "All Shall Fall" should be a successful album that was far too long coming.
Release Date: October 6th

12. "Dark Matter Dimensions" by Scar Symmetry
If there is one release that I will remain skeptical about until I have heard it start to finish, it is this one. Most everyone knows how big of a fan of Christian Älvestam I am. The fact that he is no longer in Scar Symmetry, in my opinion, leaves a gaping hole in that band that no one man can fill. However, two men might be able to fill it. Whether or not Älvestam's replacements, Roberth Karlsson and Lars Palmqvist, are up to the task remains to be seen.
Release Date: October 20th

13. "The Isolation Game" by Disarmonia Mundi
I'm putting this album here because, if it comes out, I know that it will be in contention for my Album of the Year. There is no way that Ettore Rigotti and Claudio Ravinale could screw up an album badly enough to make it not be in the running. If "The Isolation Game" doesn't come out before the end of the year, then at least I know my Album of the Year for 2010.
Release Date: Unknown

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.

New DJ shift time

I'm now on the air on WSOU on Friday mornings from 6 AM to 10 AM. Be sure to listen at 89.5 FM or www.wsou.net!

Playlists will be posted on my MySpace page every week, so if you want to know what I played, ask me or refer to the playlists there.