Rolling Metal Thread 2010

Corpsepaint looks dopey. Tom Warrior looking like he's older than the rest of his band put together is rather scarier.

I've only really taken an interest in metal over the last couple of years, so I'm still pretty ignorant on the subject, but I'm really liking Nachtmystium, The Body, Black Tusk, Black Breath, Dawnbringer, Christian Mistress, that Boris comp, Yakuza, Zoroaster, Ludicra, Kylesa and the Torche EP. I also love the Shining and Daughters albums, although I don't know if you guys would actually count them as "metal" or indie, punk, whatever. One album I'm really surprised hasn't been on everybodys' lists though is the Harvey Milk album; surely that's metal? Regardless, best album of the year.

very much enjoying A Forest Of Stars 'Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring' at the moment. And love their website http://www.aforestofstars.co.uk/ - wasted a good half-hour here just moving stuff about.

Here's my review of Wednesday night's Triptykon/1349/Yakuza show.

stupid stupid hecklers! what a bozo.

in other news, i honestly considered flying to seattle to see agalloch/waldteufel, but it's like $400 :( this is what i get for not believing in the spirit of xmas.

yeah wtf why is noone mentioning the harvey milk album?

Because Harvey Milk blows dead dogs...?

Reissue, is my guess.

My other review of last night's 1349/Triptykon show, as syndicated on Twitter:

10:05pm Not sure: is 1349 guitar guy SUPPOSED to look like a badger?

10:06pm Also, from this angle can't tell if Reaper bass dude has powdered his beard or is wearing fake chin.

10:13pm 1349 in brief: look like guys uncomfortably too old for trick-or-treating; sound like glaciers planning vengeance next ice age. But fast.

11:14pm I feel like half of the people at this Triptykon show might work at my company, just in some secret subbasement I've never even heard of.

11:46pm Some elves stay because it's too fun being immortal among the mortal, some because it's too terrifying being alive in the absence of death.

12:00am My largest earthquake was only 6.2, but this Triptykon show is more physical than that. At least this time I'm wearing pants.

12:11am Triptykon makes much of the rest of dark metal look like cargo-cult effigies done by people with poor memory for detail and no patience.

9:15am Today's memento vivere: wearing the shirt from last night's concert, like I would have when I was 16.

Aldo there was a brand new Harvey Milk album out earlier this year.

http://www.roadburn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Harvey-Milk-A-Small-Turn-Of-Human-Kindness.jpg

And it's way better than the previous one.

So Glenn, did you not show up for Yakuza? You really missed something, if you didn't.

what do we have to do to get the arkestra back together? that was one of my favorite shows all year, and i don't even think it lived up to its potential because it was outdoors and the horn section was, imo, underutilized.

I saw some of Yakuza. Know 'em, don't like 'em, didn't change my mind after seeing them. I don't have anything snarky to say about them, they're just not my thing.

And it's way better than the previous one.

More depressing, yes, better, no.

Yes, Harvey milk are a little too unpleasant for me. Same reason there isn't more grind or atmospheric black metal on my list -- it's not that I can't recognize that it's good, it's just that it isn't something I'm likely to listen to on a regular basis.

The Harvey Milk is terrific, but yikes it's dismal. I greatly prefer the cheekiness of Life...

And okay, here's my list as it stands right now, in descending order. Still plenty of time to amend it before I post my big rundown at PopMatters in December...I have to leave out so many great titles either way.

Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II
Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Alcest - Ecailles de Lune
Agalloch – Marrow of the Spirits
Castevet - Mounds of Ash
Dawnbringer – Nucleus
Kylesa - Spiral Shadow
Christian Mistress - Agony and Opium
Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence
Kvelertak – Kvelertak
Ludicra - The Tenant
Shining – Blackjazz
Ratt – Infestation
Ihsahn - After
High on Fire - Snakes For the Divine
The Crown - Doomsday King
Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones
Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy
The Sword - Warp Riders

what i miss is the dismal but still soaring and tuneful majesty of "special wishes."

I finally got The Sword album as I've been seeing it all over the place lately and the cover enticed me. This is really good stuff. Love the sludgey, stoner moments, and the sandblasted riffs, and the 70's-FM rock vocals.

I almost feel like I shouldn't own this as a cd, but some battered, dusty vinyl album.

I forgot to put the Castevet album on my list, too. That's a really good one.

yes!

Last night, The Body were kind enough to test the structural integrity of the building that my record store is in. The building is sound. Thanks, guys!

(oh and if any of you get a chance to see Wolvserpent live, GO!)

To help out those making EOY lists I've revived Mordy's Metal Listening Club - New Albums Every Monday
and we should pick all 2010 albums on it for the rest of the year.
If anyone wants to join in/volunteer please post on the thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0OLQiKVP-w&feature=related

Holy crap are Christian Mistress good live! Outstandingly tight, outstandingly awesome. Touring all through the month and totally worth catching if you can. Boston, then Providence, NYC, Philly, Baltimore, etc.

ok i mean this is just everyone otm but i'm working my way through the enslaved record today and it is just really fantastic--probably the best metal record and one of the best ten records i've heard this year.

even the things they do that i'm not super into, like the clean singing and some of the prog bits, are so fully thought out that they're inarguable. and i love how thick and defined the guitars are--like you can really hear every pickstroke on some of the riffs.

Seems I always miss something on my best so far list, and here's another slept on record: Across Tundras - Old World Wanderer. It's seriously heavy, if not seriously modern metal; kind of a Crazy Horse of Paul Bunyan proportions. Easily one of the best things I've heard this year and a great autumnal album.

Wonderful album, that one. I've been into them since their first record, but Old World Wanderer just might be their best.

I think we're the two enthusiasts on here Adrien. Such a great record, and perfect for a chilly New England day.

Phil just tweeted that Wingo has left The Sword and all dates are cancelled. Totally bummed as I was hoping to catch them next week.

Didn't even know that Across Tundras existed; I liked the last thing I heard by them, though.

The Sword news is very bad indeed. He was that band's not-so-secret weapon.

He is so good on Warp Riders in particular - his anchor allowed them to open up their sound.

Trivett brought a terrific sense of groove to the Sword's music from the get-go, that's for sure. Hope his replacement can equal that.

FYI, Across Tundras is giving away the album as a free download if anyone's curious to hear it.

So who else has heard the new TesseracT EP? This band pushes all my metal fan buttons: classy, a touch of prog, the ubiquitous Meshuggah influence, and an ability to creat actual vocal melodies rather than doing lazy hardcore screams over dexterous arrangements. Superb 28 minute CD, this one.

Seeing Fauna, Krallice, and Earthless in one weekend was sure a treat. Me tired.

Handbills and stickers discovered in the bathroom at Fall Into Darkness:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs829.snc4/68969_481640591413_741406413_6858443_297416_n.jpg

I think I finally made it.

Which Sword guy left???? Say its not the drummer

Er, its the drummer.

lol nate.

Goddam it. This Warp Riders thing kicks all sorts of ass. I think it was Phil who said that there is a huge Thin Lizzy vibe on it: that's totally true.

Haha, wow, Nate.

Listening to the new Gnaw Their Tongues for the first time and I'm stunned. I liked the last one (once it made the year end poll and I finally heard it) but this is spectacular. Easily one of the best things, metal or otherwise, I've heard this year. Might just be the meds I'm on at the moment but this is seriously creepy majesty.

EZ S, did you get that in a package with the Nekrasov album? because I listened to the first 2 tracks from that'n last night and damn near got my head took off. amazing.

No, I borrowed the promo off the metal buyer at my local store and was getting ready to order it from Crucial Blast today. So I should order the Nekrasov too?

Gnaw Their Tongues is great. Are they one of the few things the metal thread unequivocally agree on?

Also in the 'kind of BM' frame, the Murmuure album is awesome. Sort of like if Zombi were secretly a BM outfit.

I've been really enjoying the new Gnaw Their Tongues as well, I already like it more than the last one. Should give the Nekrasov a spin too...

New Motörhead album in January. Apparently it's called The World Is Yours.

Nice! Their last three albums have been great fun.

Anyone like the new Intronaut album? It has some clean vox apparently.