Rolling Metal Thread 2010

Ha ha, yeah -- I meant to mention that you would probably love it, Adrien. I don't know if it's "good," per se, but I'm enjoying the heck out of it.

I do agree with Phil that La Raza feels very hard rock, but man, there's so much going on. I love the production -- nice and crisp, big drum hits, clear guitar lines. It's always a pleasure to hear John Bush sing, especially when he's delivering big catchy vocal hooks. Just an incredibly solid band.

La Raza is such a cool surprise. Nobody was expecting such a lazy, sunny, funky/stoner version of Armored Saint, but it works so well. Not the most innovative, but it's one of my current 2010 faves for sure.

I also want to give some props to the new Icarus Witch record, and not just because they thank me in the liner notes. Definitely one of the best of the New Wave of New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands out there. Drawing down the Moon is their creepiest record, going more for the atmospheric side of the sound. They even close with a spot on cover of "The Ripper."

Speaking of covers, I just reached the "Space Station #5" cover on the Raven record... pretty goofy stuff.

http://www.metalfairytales.com/

Told in the style of a Grimms fairytale and originally written as a heavy metal musical, ‘The Windowmaker, the Codpiece and the Sex Gods from Planet Metal', tells the story of Nestor, windowmaker to the King who’s enchanted codpiece is stolen by an evil wizard. After befriending some brave knights, the Sex Gods from Planet Metal, Nestor then embarks on a fantastic adventure to retrieve it, battling monstrous vegetables along the way and saving the Kings daughter from peril in the process.

http://www.metalfairytales.com/images/charcters_banner.jpg

Ryan Adams has made a "metal" album. You can hear a song at http://ryanada.ms/ , there's a poll that you all might find amusing to vote on.

Oh come on I want to see the progress of the vote!

haha

Yeah, I was very disappointed that you couldn't see how many people had voted, and/or how they'd voted. You can always get a vote tally from my MSN polls just by hitting "Comment" on the poll widget.

It's almost as if Ryan Adams was worried that the link might be posted on some boards and people then voted for a laugh.

Thats just a lousy song, metal or no. Yeesh.

I like ryan adams (well, Whiskeytown(own all cds), his 1st couple of solo albums and love is hell) so im not a hater, but i dont care for that song at all.

Icarus Witch are great. Do they have a new record coming out?

They do! It's called Draw down the Moon -- sorry if I didn't make that clear in my post.

Right, cheers. It only seems like five minutes since they had another album out so I was just checking. Maybe they're like The Fall of NWONWOBHM.

Their last record was in 2007. Are we thinking of the same act?

Well since pfunkboy already stepped out on that thin ice, I'll join him and admit to liking some Ryan Adams myself, but definitely not his "metal" turns. He should stick to that 70s era Dead sound he nailed with Cold Roses.

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:(

Indie rock dudes doing metal never works out. Dead Child? Goblin Cock? Witch? May be good for a chuckle or two, but they all seem to miss the point.

Oh I like Witch, a lot. But mostly the second album which sorta branched more into psych-rock than metal imo.

I have the first album, vocals drove me insane. And I have a pretty high tolerance for crap vocals.

hey Goblin Cock are awesome. Witch are pretty fine too.
Ryan Adams "punk" stuff was crap too. Wish he would go back to his heartbreaker era. Gold,whilst having some really good songs on it was the start of his downfall, love is hell excepted. Maybe i need to hear that one jon mentions.

xps

i suppose you dont like jex thoth either?

it could be worse, some people on here could've liked real crap like Blind Melon

Never heard them. I don't know, indie rock guys are good at their day jobs, but even if they like metal, they never seem to capture the spirit of the genre. Dead Child, in particular, feels really soulless.

I dig Dead Child!

Going back a little bit further in the thread, I would pay $25 for W.A.S.P., though I admit to not knowing their newer material. And Blackie does not have the greatest live voice, but they were undeniably classic in their heyday.

J3ff: I interviewed Icarus Witch about a year ago at the same time as a load of other bullet belt and cider types like Enforcer, Bullet, Firebrand Super Rock, Raven's Creed and others. I was just getting some of my facts mixed up. (Which is embarrassing given that they quote me on their website.)

Anyway, all of this pointless tattle aside, I'm glad to hear they've got a new album coming out.

Yes, John, but you're an indie rock artist who likes metal, so you kind of just proved my point!

Doran -- Yeah, I can see how that could be discombobulating. I think Icarus Witch are one of the better of those acts, though, and like you said, it's cool that they have a new album coming out.

We won! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/arts/music/15scion.html

v. nice words about yob!

Yes, John, but you're an indie rock artist who likes metal, so you kind of just proved my point!

nuh-uh! I'm a metal fan who plays indie rock! big diff in my mind anyway!

like when I bought tragic serenades I guarantee you I was not listening to any wack R.E.M. crap for example

Cool stuff re: Yob! Would've liked to have been there.

awww, had no idea that yob played ny. wish I could have gone. :-/

They weren't in NY, at least not in reference to that article. That was about their performance at the Scion Rock Fest in Ohio.

I'm not trying to impugn your metal cred! I know you're troo and kvlt. You yourself have said that you wouldn't try to do a metal project, though.

Yes, John, but you're an indie rock artist who likes metal, so you kind of just proved my point!

Thought this was directed at Doran, was confused

Is anyone else a teeny bit excited for the new Rose Kemp? I tried to drum up some support upthread but it was in the middle of a bunfight

also does anyone have any recommendations of recent metal for me, that I'd be sure to like? (yes I am going to listen to the shit out of the new Cathedral, as WELL as the new Chrome Hoof)

Rose Kemp is great.

Man I really hope the pitas thing is only temporary. I would hate to have lost Adrien's blog.

They weren't in NY, at least not in reference to that article. That was about their performance at the Scion Rock Fest in Ohio.

whoops, skimmed the article and missed, uh, the first two words in it.

anyway, rose kemp clip song posted above seemed cool! I'm not familiar but I will check out the new one if I remember to.

the last one was excellent

opening + closing tracks espesh

cool. duly noted.

so, I've been listening to shining's blackjazz. still not sure if I love it yet, but imo, it really sounds like the midpoint between the fredrik thordendal solo record and zu. definitely give it a shot if either of those two do it for you. (esp thorendal - I'd be surprised if they weren't directly influenced by that record)

ooh you've timed your Blackjazz love-in to coincide with me looking at the metal thread!

i've written enough about them, but the record is vying with the Knife opera for my album of '10 so far - it's far-out industrial-prog-jazz insanity of the highest calibre

(and cheers for the indirect thorendal tip!)

Man I really hope the pitas thing is only temporary.

Oh no!

Yeah, Tom Ewing has something up on Twitter about pitas being down. I'm not sure what is going on.

I thought for a moment there you were going to say Tom Ewing had written an article on metal. I wonder if that's one of the genres he's never investigated. He did after all mellow in his attitude towards classic rock since the beginning of ILM. It's not gonna happen though, is it?