Rolling Metal Thread 2010

I'd just like to say that nothing Agalloch has done has affected me on the level that the White E.P. did. Something about that album stirs really strong emotions. Anyone who doesn't like them because of the raspy vocals and metal leanings should try it out. So far I think their new album is fine, but it hasn't blown me away yet. (haven't had a lot of time to listen deeply to anything for a while)

I know everybody hates retro thrash, but the new Fueled By Fire album Plunging Into Darkness is really, really good. They got the big push from Metal Blade on their debut despite being musically second-tier, but Metal Blade dropped 'em, and they've been through a bunch of membership upheaval since then, and gotten much, much better in the process. This disc is really solid, and they're self-releasing it through their MySpace page while they try and convince a label to sign them. I hope they get another deal.

I don't. I mean I like Evile and Municipal Waste well enough.

Here are the 135 albums from which I will eventually pull my Top 20 of 2010.

Phil's Agalloch skepticism prompted me to listed to Marrow of the Spirit more over the weekend, and the more I play it, the better I like it. Which makes me suspect Nate and Phil of engaging in a sneaky conspiracy. So who wants to pretend to dislike Agrypnie so we can talk about that some more?

I'm really liking this newish form of what I guess feels like pagan metal to me, whether it's what that term was invented for or not: atmospheric black metal laced with tendrils of folk melody and natural/acoustic/elegiac sounds. I mean the thing nestled in the space described by, say, Celestiial, Blood of the Black Owl, Alcest, Agrypnie, Murmuüre, Naglfar, Nechochwen, Negură Bunget, Wolves in the Throne Room and Xasthur. Is it an evolution of Black Metal or a derivation from it? Dunno. But I'm finding it really involving and exciting.

i wrote a gripping essay on folk metal. coming to a bookstore near you. sooner or later. via duke university press.

Five Reasons System Of A Down Should Cancel Their Reunion Tour

Scott, what's the title of the book with your folk metal essay?

The only thing more predictable than Phil Freeman saying something inflammatory about Decibel is Phil Freeman using Decibel content as fodder for the lazy listicles on his MSN blog. C'mon, man, you're better than that!

No, I'm not.

According to ctrl-f the band Darkblack have not been mentioned in the last five milion posts itt? They are more Portland dudes so I had cash money on a Nate post but no. I really like their proto-power-metal/pop-Maiden ish on their new EP, which is called 'Midnight Wraith', and I'm not too proud to admit that this is partly (if by no means exclusively) because of how much the guitars sound like The Fucking Champs

"Scott, what's the title of the book with your folk metal essay?"

i'm not sure. its an EMP conference best-of. should be out in 2011 though.

Oh man -- I remember one of my friends who worked at a record label played me DarkBlack's demo a few years back because he found their name really funny, and I remember their music being pretty funny as well, but it's possible that they've gotten better since then.

DarkBlack are awesome guys that put on a fun show. The Portland band you should be watching for right now is Rabbits. Debut on Relapse this February. They're fantastic.

DarkBlack's not too shabby, I look forward to hearing the new CD. But when it comes to new traditional metal with quirky singers, Evil Survives is superior.

I love rabbits, so I will listen to a band called Rabbits.

There's a Chicago band called Rabid Rabbit too. (NOTE to those of you looking for metal-jazz intersections -- They're pretty awesome -- saw them this past weekend opening for Yakuza. Dave Rempis, well known for his work in the improv/jazz scene (he's part of V5 and has Rempis Percussion Quartet among countless other ensembles), adds squawky horns to their pretty straight sludge/doom. He also served as the partially-reassembled Yakuza Arkestra reprising one of my favorite shows of the year.) Fun fact: iirc both Rempis and Lamont were students of KV at some point)

Have to admit that the name 'Rabid Rabbit' didn't inspire confidence, but that pretty much sounds awesome. I love the metal-jazz intersections.

I know Rempis's work, with the V5 and some other groups as well - will definitely check that out.

Yeah, I've really only recently dipped my toes in KV's dsicography, but I've heard Rempis on Beat Reader.

rempis percussion quartet stuff is REALLY good, as is engines & rempis/daisy duo stuff
love those guys

i agree that rabid rabbit is a pretty terrible name, but the band is good

not a metal dude but enjoying primordial (gathering wilderness, nameless dead) and getting into this new agalloch.

that is all

xp - all of this also reminded me of when i saw the giant steve mackay ensemble a few years ago with the (x) million tongues festival

that was a great show

have any of you heard this live metallica thing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_Grimey%27s

had no idea it even existed until i was in the record store today

I haven't heard it, but that show's been available through Metallica's download store since the day after, just like every other concert they've played the last few years. The only "limited edition" thing about it was that they created a "real" CD and vinyl package for it.

Going to see Ozzy and Halford tomorrow night at MSG. I actually like a lot of Halford songs, so I'm hoping the set list is heavy on their own tunes and doesn't rely too much on Priest material.

Looks like I'll be at ATP this weekend after all. So anyone else who will be around should feel free to look me up :)

I haven't heard it, but that show's been available through Metallica's download store since the day after, just like every other concert they've played the last few years. The only "limited edition" thing about it was that they created a "real" CD and vinyl package for it.

― that's not funny. (unperson), Tuesday, November 30, 2010 10:10 PM (25 minutes ago)

omg lol, thanks for the heads up

all I know is it was p cool of Metallica to play a show for Simon Reynolds at his house

lol

Wow nobody told me til now that Armando Acosta (original St Vitus drummer) died over Thanksgiving :(

His playing on the ultra-underrated Children of Doom has definitely been very influential to me, and the one time I met him, he was a gentle giant.

I didn't know! That sucks, dude was great. And C.O.D. is awesome.

damn, rip

Hey Nate: You've got my phone number right? If not mail me John at The Quietus dot com and I'll send it to you.

I'm around all weekend and it would be good to hook up. It's arguably best I don't meet people I don't know on the Saturday night as I'm going to get relatively crunk and can end up making the wrong impression. But for some people this is the right impression, and if this is the case come to the chalet party I'm djing at where I@m going to be playing crackhead dancehall, Pansonic, Gnaw Their Tongues and Dragged Into Sunlight until dawn...

If you've never been on the steam train you should do though... I'm going on Sunday afternoon before the bands play. You can get off at a coastal bay called Watchett where they have a brass statue of Coleridge's Ancient Mariner and a good fish and chip shop.

sounds like my kind of party, see you there imo

is Whiney still going to ATP? He was looking for a 2nd chalet person a few weeks back

You're going? Nice one. Consider this an invite. I know a couple of people who are looking for a berth. I'll send you an email now.

You know what's going to be high in my end of year list: 'Eve' by UFOmammut. Seems like it came out an age ago.

Faith No More... sooooooooooooooo good...

I was going to suggest meeting at the high tables at the back between Bardo Pond and The Dead C on Saturday afternoon?

Bardo Pond & Dead C playing London tonight but I've got a bastard cold :(

Has anyone mentioned the new Acid Witch album Stoned yet? I'm really digging the arrangements, it's superbly done retro-metal with doom/crust touches that really has fun with the campy horror shtick. But this is one case where I wish there was a singer instead of a growler. The songs are begging for a singer, and all we get are lazy monotone grunts. Pretty decent album overall, though.

Yeah I did the (upcoming) Terrorizer review of it - I wasn't bothered by the vox so much as thrown slightly asunder, ie it seems to telegraph this doom/death vibe that otherwise isn't in their music. I mean shit I was thinking Kyuss more often than like Autopsy or whoever - I fuck w/ the album tho

I've been listening to Encoffination quite a lot recently. Pretty decent extreme death/doom.

Photos, setlists, & brief notes from last night's Ozzy/Halford show...shortest possible version: If this tour hits your town, fucking go. Ozzy's playing for more than two hours, and doing a deep back-catalog set ("Killer of Giants"! "Into the Void"!). And Halford's great, of course.

Not that we care, but here is what the Grammy people think were the best metal performances:

El Dorado
Iron Maiden
Track from: The Final Frontier

Let The Guilt Go
Korn
Track from: Korn III: Remember Who You Are

In Your Words
Lamb Of God
Track from: Wrath

Sudden Death
Megadeth

World Painted Blood
Slayer
Track from: World Painted Blood

boooooooooooooring

yeah korn!

Newest band on there has been around for 16 years.

the grammys would lead to to believe nothing new was happening in metal for 20 years. They dont treat pop like that. They're happy to give awards to newcomers in other genres. Surprised jethro tull weren't nominated tbh..

xp

Then again, how many metal bands are on one of the majors these days anyway?
Grammys are even more irrelevant now.

The Brit Awards dont even have a hard rock or metal category (just as well cuz shite like Muse or Biffy Clyro would probably win it)