Rolling Metal Thread 2010

This fucking serves me right for laughing my ass off about Los Camp! getting grounded by a volcano (not out of spite - it's just a funny concept)... I'm severely pissed off that this is going to stop Shrinebuilder.

Maybe they'll still make it to London... somehow...?

The new Negură Bunget has more forest-nymph-ish bits than Om, but I also think they're much better integrated with the metal, production-wise. If you're a line-up purist I imagine you'll find something to dislike, but for me it's not that far offbase to think of Vîrstele Pamîntului as doing for Om what Maiestrit did for Mãiastru Sfetnic: take the original good ideas, and clean them up now that you know better how.

Right now I'm totally into the French black/doom/post-metal Celeste. They kind of sound like Cult of Luna with some black metal vocals from time to time, and based on their website, the packaging on their albums is amazing. They offer their music for free download, so I'm checking out their two most recent albums, and as soon as I have a little more money in my Paypal account I'm gonna buy both. Here's the link; check it out for yourself.

yeah I like Celeste.

That new Celeste sounds really good alright.

And I haven't listened to the new Negura Bunget yet, I just haven't had time, but it's interesting to see, judging by Glenn's comments, that it just might not be the disaster all the skeptics are predicting it to be.

Phil, thanks for the heads up! going to check out Celeste now

i nearly bought a celeste vinyl last year but the shipping was crazy expensive. Wonder if they've sorted that out yet.

Celeste are great. Two of their last trilogy of albums have been year end stuff for me.

'Misanthrope(s)' by Celeste is a really good example of 'that kind of thing', also I like that on their Myspace page, if you look up the place in France they say they come from it doesn't actually exist and is in fact the name of a really terrible sounding beer

I got Misanthrope(s) last year...the artwork on that CD is something else. Pretty good album, too.

Completely unrelated, Amon Amarth and Eluveitie were so much fun tonight. I never get sick of seeing those two bands.

I'm going to that show on Sunday (4/25) and will be shooting a video interview with Eluveitie for my MSN blog...definitely looking forward to it. I haven't seen Amon Amarth live since 2006 and my shirt from that tour is getting worn out from frequent wear.

Quick thoughts on Ludicra in Maine:

AoK Suicide was not very good. Shame, really, because Conifer was great live. I always thought the drummer was Conifer's secret weapon, and, based on this set I was right; he was sorely missed. Stoner post-rock power trio with little to differentiate them from the crowd.

Krallice was everything the opener wasn't. Incredibly tight and interesting. I'm not a big fan of them on record - not much of a black metal guy, to say the least - but they were masterful. Live music is always much more visceral, and they overcame my dislike of the tropes and conventions of the genre within minutes.

Ocean was typically great. They curtailed their performance to one 25 minute song so Ludicra could play a full set (technical difficulties seemed to plague all the bands, so the show ended up pushing up against Portland's noise ordinances that kick in around 1am), but they killed it.

Ludicra closed the night in style. They were the best band there, and, as with Krallice, the live experience overcame my black metal reticence in seconds. The are extremely tight but still manage to swing a little more than in studio. Cobbett's guitar tone is the secret weapon - the classic metal touches are more apparent live.

Got to talk with Aesop for a long time before the show; talked about Cosmic Hearse, the current tour, the joys of cock-rock stage banter, and lots of other stuff. An incredibly nice guy, as were all of the artists on the bill.

I can't overstate it - if Krallice or Ludicra are coming 'round it behooves you to see them. If I were able I'd head to Boston tonight to see them again with Tombs.

This week in Metal Listening Club #2:

Fates Warning: Parallels
Cradle of Filth: Nymphetamine
HIM: Screamworks

Holy shit, the new Howling Wind disc on Profound Lore, Into the Cryosphere, is ridiculously good. Black metal from one Unearthly Trance dude and one other dude. Kinda reminds me of what I like best about Nachtmystium, without all the other unlikable/goofy aspects. Really excellent guitar work, and some subtle touches that make the whole thing. Highly recommended.

available 4/27. looks like Amazon mp3 will have it for $6.93

Buy the cd! Profoundlore is a great label, fuck paying for mp3s.

they also send out the albums before theyre in the stores usually.

Its a seriously great label.

yeah, i probably should buy the CD. haven't really bought a lot of CDs in a while

Amaseffer news!

http://www.amaseffer.com/news.htm#april9

(Won't let me copy/paste from the news bit, but basically -- second album in their Exodus trilogy is coming out this year.)

Slightly inappropriate for rolling metal but I'll do anything to help Dan, my engineer metal buddy from work. Dude has a ticket for the Sayreville, NJ Mastodon/Baroness/BTBAM show on Wednesday, but no idea how he's getting there from NYC. Does not drive but is otherwise awesome/smart/funny/good company at shows. If anyone is driving to this show from NYC and has extra room in their car, ILXmail me. Dan will chip in car costs. This ends my abuse of rolling metal 2010.

(the obvious solution of me finding a ticket for said show and driving a rental car hasn't succeeded)

Tell him to take NJ Transit to South Amboy and catch a cab.

So not a fan of the new Nachtmystium logo, the splattered effect makes it seem like just another Hot Topic -core band:

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/nachtmystium-newlogo.jpg

Seems like Cosmo Lee thinks the album is likely to reach Cold Lake levels of suck. Those of you with Century Media promos able to help me remain optimistic?

lol what a terrible logo

The new Nachtmystium album does not suck. I don't love it as much as some folks (Judd's vocals are still kind of a deal-breaker for me), but it's more aggressive and less psychedelic than Assassins, with a heavy Killing Joke influence.

I like the thought of a heavy Killing Joke influence!

Yeah, I've only listened through once, and that was when I was sick, but I remember enjoying it. Definitely more of a postpunk/new wave feel to it. Did not get Cold Lake vibes.

As I've stated before, I heartily endorse the new Nachtmystium album, no matter what the logo looks like.

Wrest's drumming makes a huge difference too, in my opinion.

You have to give them -- you never quite know what to expect!

sure, that logo is pretty much terrible. but this one ain't great either, tbh:

http://www.battlekommand.com/products/Nachtmystium%20Logo.jpg

I like that logo a lot, actually.

I like that logo for it's devolved, satanic Voivod look.

any contenders for top 10 metal albums of the year from January - April? i think the only new (from 2010) metal record i've bought this year is the High On Fire one. definitely want to check out the Cathedral record too when it comes out

January-April, narrowed down to five, I'd say Triptykon, Cathedral, Ludicra, High on Fire, Shining (Norway).

(not counting Alcest & Les Discrets, they've been delayed in NA until early May I believe)

thanks, Adrein! just bought the Ludicra on Amazon mp3 and am now looking forward to hearing it in full

woops, *Adrien -- sorry 'bout that

I like that logo for it's devolved, satanic Voivod look.

I think the voivod logo is all-time so I know this is a little inconsistent but that nachtmystium strikes me as overly precise.

in my eyes, this is the ultimate:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GRXwm9mLV6Q/SrJfYb42YOI/AAAAAAAABZc/pZnePNwXZsQ/s320/DarkThrone-logo.gif

I've mentioned this before, but I listened to the new Imperium Dekadenz again last night, and I think it's the surprise of the year so far, for me. It's raspy black metal, largely, but with this great vein of melodic airiness laced sneakily through it. Reminds me in parts of last year's astonishing Nargaroth record, and in a way I think maybe it's the album I was hoping from from the first descriptions I read of the new Alcest: mostly metal with some atmospheric influences, instead of the other way around. Don't let the darkwave-sounding name turn you off. If you have time for only one song, track down "Ocean, Mountains Mirror".

I certainly picked an interesting week for my first trip to Europe. Been unexpectedly in the Netherlands the whole time after witnessing an astounding Roadburn festival. Many bands did not arrive, and others are still stuck here.

YOB played two titanic sets at the fest and were slated to fly home on Sunday, then Monday, and now NEXT Sunday. So we're excited to be picking up shows: Wednesday in Karlsruhe, Germany w/Eyehategod, Kylesa, Dark Castle, and Totimoshi. Then Thurdsay in Antwerp, Belgium headlining over Master Musicians of Bukkake and Wood Shijps.

It's been an adventure so far and if I had to be stranded, thank Satan it was in the Netherlands!

PS - here's what I saw at Roadburn: YOB, Goatsnake, Suma, Shever (all female doom from Switzerland), Darkspace, Bohren und der Club of Gore (performing Black Earth), Tryptikon (quite a few Celtic Frost tunes in their set), Thorr's Hammer, Comus (performing First Utterance), YOB again, Enslaved + Shining, Master Musicians of Bukakke, two mindblowing sets from Jex Thoth, and a touch of Eyehategod.

I'm probably forgetting something but goddamn this is the best festival in the world, even with major cancelations like Candlemass and Shrinebuilder. Can't imagine I'll ever skip this fest again. Being here in Tilburg with hundreds of stranded stoners has just lent a certain "doomed" ambience to the whole affair. Go Mount Doom!!!

Wish yob would come to Scotland. Tell Mike "fuck london, glasgow is better" please nate :)

I had quite a few friends at roadburn and 1 or 2 who couldn't make it.

COMUS?!?! How was that?

Well I'm deep in discussions with them about handling their US tour. Talked to them for an hour after the show and they've already emailed me twice.

The bongo solo was the highlight for me. VERY cool set.

Oh how could I forget that I saw Church of Misery?! What a blast that was :)

Yay COMUS U.S.! Please let it not be festivals only!

Anyone here is welcome to email me their ideas for the best situations for a band like Comus in their town.

Having said that, someone on here wrote me asking if I was still on tour with Ludicra.

a) I'm not
and
b) if you don't include your return email address, I can't write you back...

Great words from Time Out NY's Hank Shteamer on the Ludicra show in Brooklyn on Sunday night:

http://darkforcesswing.blogspot.com/2010/04/just-returned-from-seeing-ludicra-at.html

Hey is there a metal logos discussion thread? There should be.