Rolling Metal Thread 2014

I was really let down by that Psalm Zero record, felt like a rare misfire for Profound Lore.

The Psalm Zero record really grew on me. I thought it was kinda awkward at first. Reminds me of Voivod with goth vocals, which is a good thing to my ears.

For those in Chicago, Reckless left me a message that they finally got Demon Eye - Leave the Light in, but I already got the CD via mailorder months ago. Anyone want it?

Lately I can’t get enough of bands mixing early 70s proto-metal with doom and NWOBHM, especially when done right by the likes of Brimstone Coven and Avatarium. The latest contender grew out of the classic rock tribute band Corvette Summer. While that is not such unusual, lead singer Erik Sugg’s dayjobs are. He’s a reference librarian who hosts a storytime for young kids. Mixing stories with his take on traditional children’s songs and his own music, Mr. Erik’s Rockin’ Storytime has expanded to kids’ parties, and he’ll even release a children’s record later in the year. Let’s hope some of the less cool parents don’t discover his adult nighttime job with Demon Eye, as the North Carolina folk may fear he’s indoctrinating their children with Satanic themes. I don’t think discovering this music at a tender age would be a bad thing for anyone. Maybe in a different world if more bands followed the Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pentagram and Maiden templates instead of Cream, Hendrix and Zep, I’d take bands like Demon Eye more for granted. In reality it’s hardly a path towards financial success and stardom.

Show No Mercy is being reissued? Any details?

I can't find any info on this. Expanded, remaster, usual bonus tracks?

Depending on which Reckless it is, I'll take it.

On an excursion to Atlantic City earlier this week, I made sure to stop in at the Rock Stop, the record store where Neill Jameson (AKA Imperial from Krieg, Twilight and several other projects of some renown and occasional Decibel contributor) rules the roost for metal purchasing. We only met once before, very briefly at a local show, and we shot the shit for an hour talking about a ton of topics. Dude is funny and incredibly honest about everything. He told me cool stories about working with Thurston Moore and Blake Judd and we shared mutual tales of record store employment. All around good dude.

I am moved to post here because, as I am prone to do in record stores, I asked Neill about what new things he liked that he would recommend me pick up. Without hesitating he pointed to the Young and in the Way CD When Life Comes To Death though he did so with the disclaimer that they were somewhat polarizing because they were "hardcore dudes."

When I saw that they were on Deathwish, I figured that it was a Deafheaven deal but I really saw what he meant when I Googled the band later and saw my friend (and occassional ILM poster) Kim Kelly's Pitchfork review which seems to say she doesn't quite trust them and getting venues closed down thanks to the overzealous use of pig's blood sure gives evidence that maybe they're trying a little bit too hard.

I've listened to the album several times now and I really enjoy it. I generally am a sucker for bands who mix up different ideas, something that even detractors of YAITW concede, but I think they're a lot better at it than they do, evidently, and I really don't give a shit about how "true" or "cult" they are (or whatever adjectives the kids use today). The disc has some great grimy riffs, perfectly residing between crust and black metal, and they seem to excel whether they are getting thrashy or atmospheric - and my favorite track "Take My Hand" does it all.

I was surprised that there was not a single mention of this album in this thread given the relatively high profile the band has and I wonder how the ILM denizens feel about the disc. I assume not as glowingly as I do since it hasn't come up yet...

Man, here's another article about that blood stunt, sounds like it's shutting down the venue for good. I'm all for theatricality and blood-soaked performances, but seems like it's a pretty dick move to not clear it with the venue first and not bothering to be involved with the clean-up.

only got the vaguest memory of even hearing this band's name before tbh. generally trust Kim's opinion on matters like these as much as any reviewer working right now, tho do disagree quite strongly with There’s not much room for weakness or emotion in ... hardcore punk but that would be getting off topic I guess

if the band didn't give the venue any indication they were going to bathe it in claret then I wd imagine they'd be p liable for damages? as such if the venue is shutting down off the back of this it does seem a leeeeetle like they might be using this as a chance to hurry along something that was going to happen anyway

Oh yeah, it does seem a bit of an over-correction to close the venue down over it.

speaking of hardcore i went to see trap them and converge the other night (and skipped about a dozen other openers). converge continues to play chess while their peers figure out checkers.

YAITW are awfully good at what they do, the music is as intense as anyone could possibly make it, but for me the songs on this album just don't stand out enough.

Depending on which Reckless it is, I'll take it.

The Loop! They can transfer to any location. It's under yr name now!

Castevet are no more, doh

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2014/07/castevet-break-up/

Show No Mercy is being reissued? Any details?
I can't find any info on this. Expanded, remaster, usual bonus tracks?

the first castevet is one of my top 2010s albums : /

lol siegbran

Speaking of reissues, completely out of left field Relapse is doing Num Skull's Ritually Abused. Probably because of the name I'd never checked them out, but now that I've done so, great googly moogly. It's like my favorite kind of thrash: heavy, dark, unhinged, somewhere between Dark Angel and Possessed.

Totally re-recorded by the new lineup and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, with guest vocalists Howard Jones, Ice-T and that chick from Within Temptation.

Sources near the band claim the guys are super enthusiastic and consider it the best record they ever made.

I'm waiting for the remix disc by Fieldy and Skrillex.

I dig the Kobra and the Lotus disc. solid heavy metal with occasional dips into power metal territory, tuneful, with solid riffs. nothing you haven't heard before, but well executed and memorable. Only song I haven't liked is one that sounded a little too in Lacuna Coil territory songwriting wise. Love Kobra's voice too. Very pure tone.

It should be noted what a monster track Witch Mountain's "Psycho Animundi" is. Uta's vocals are at another level here, and the band sounds heavier than ever.

http://metalhammer.teamrock.com/news/2014-07-25/exclusive-devastating-doomsters-witch-mountain-reveal-new-track

I'm curious why they don't make their debut Come The Mountain (2001) available on the Bandcamp. I'd guess they don't want to emphasize the pre-Uta lineup, but it's really quite good. There's some Kyuss influence in Rob Wrong's vocals, but I like it. Certainly at least as good as formative first albums like Sleep's Volume One (1991) and Electric Wizard (1995). Maybe Nate can answer if he sees this.

Caught Hellion, film written and directed by Kat Candler, with Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis. Terrific if you want a downer but not hopeless flick about people struggling to get by despite odds stacked against them. Mentioning it here because I think it's got the best use of metal in an English language film soundtrack since River's Edge (Dead Snow and Trollhunter's soundtracks were pretty great too). Nothing too crazy unusual but really effectively used -- the scene of two kids thrashing out to "Battery" is kinda priceless. And I'd buy Curtis Heath's scoreful of angry feedback swells in a hot second if someone put it out.

crap meant to include http://www.what-song.com/Movies/Soundtrack/1448/Hellion

Possessor - Electric Hell - Ooh!
http://possessor.bandcamp.com/album/electric-hell
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/p/possessor-electric-hell-dd-2014

Got my copy of the new Monarch in today's mail. Nice packaging.

Yeah, I really like that album cover. Hopefully getting it in the mail today.

Two great metal discoveries today:

- http://open.spotify.com/album/0S7HZRVXpzAgLkAKoI6hpu
- Austrian blackgaze band Harakiri for the Sky's second album Aokigahara. Keeps more black in the blackgaze mix than Alcest or Deafheaven, but still has plenty of gaze. Inspired me to add blackgaze to my genre map (even though I already had "atmospheric black metal"). http://everynoise.com/engenremap-blackgaze.html and http://open.spotify.com/user/glennpmcdonald/playlist/2HozoQdoUebrxqP2BWfv5Q.

- http://open.spotify.com/album/380sEUYEIIF7HZupR5J3Tj
- Estonian mostly-instrumental mostly-post-(mostly)-metal-ish band Ocean Districts' debut album Expeditions. Slow, textured and crunchy.

Is is just me or is Children Of Bodom, Machine Head, Epica and Battlecross kind of an odd quadruple-bill?

Keeps more black in the blackgaze mix than Alcest

This was enough to sell me on checking it out.

Man, the guest vocalist on "69 Dead Birds..." is ruining it for me. I liked "Homecoming Denied" though.

Is is just me or is Children Of Bodom, Machine Head, Epica and Battlecross kind of an odd quadruple-bill?

It is. I suspect I'd enjoy Battlecross live, and I always enjoy Machine Head live, but Children of Bodom haven't been good in a decade, and Epica? No thanks.

I love Epica, and would avoid Children of Bodom and Machine Head, so yeah. Odd.

I enjoy all those bands, darn it.

I'm not commenting on quality. It's just that you've got this Finnish Melodic Death Metal band with an American Groove Metal band, a European Symphonic Metal band and a scrappy thrash outfit opening the show. I'm sure you can find bands that fit those descriptions that are actually good and they would still make for a strange bill.

(I don't much care for Bodom or Machine Head; I like some Epica and Battlecross is fun.)

Can't really think who you'd replace, say, Bodom with that would match them in terms of numbers and drawing power, though. They're depressingly popular.

While looking for something completely different I stumbled on a 2007 release no one seems to have paid much attention to: http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/The_Exile/Exile_Is_Eternal/154794 and couldn't resist checking out a song called "Dark Goblins of the World."

I really like the album, and think some of you (glenn?) might like it too. It fits more comfortably in the "black metal" box than most of what I dig -- more straightforward than Deathspell Omega, Rotting Christ, Gorguts et al -- but still has plenty of experimental/post-rock/post-punk touches to hold my attention. Production on the clear side more than the murky side, with guitars allowed some mid/upper range tones. Fly in ointment: several tracks that fade out, which almost always feels like a songwriting cop-out to me, although it's arguably thematically appropriate here -- the listener gets to hear excerpts of songs that go on forever or whatever.

Darkest Era - The Last Caress of Light (Metal Blade, 2011) - They just made it available on Bandcamp, originally for €8. I gently suggested it's a bit steep for a DL of an older album, especially with the exchange rate, and they dropped it to 6! For those who like the new one, this debut is more Celtic sounding with that great Lizzy/Maiden/Slough Feg twin guitar attack.
https://darkestera.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-caress-of-light-2

ok, digging this pretty well

http://bastardfeast.bandcamp.com/album/osculum-infame

'a virulent strain of doom-heavy, blackened hardcore'

very nimble, with sick drumming

Really enjoying the Harakiri for the Sky album.

yeah good album but terrible band name

speaking of which, this new Secret Cutter album is also very rad

http://secretcutter.bandcamp.com/

While this style of music, sort of "rust flaking from enormous iron hinges" death doom, isn't up my particular alleyway, I'm thinking there might be appreciation for it in this thread. It was a random find by someone on metal-archives, and seemed to get some love. Winter, Conan, and Indian were mentioned as comparisons.
http://forn.bandcamp.com/album/the-departure-of-consciousness

Throw the word "sludgy" in there, too.

Relapse Records is proud to announce the signing of Virginia hard rock riff worshippers VALKYRIE. Formed in 2002, VALKYRIE consists of brothers Jake and Pete Adams (Baroness, Samhain) on guitar and vocals, Alan Fary (Earthling) on bass and Warren Hawkins on drums. Drawing heavily from the classic eras of hard rock and heavy metal, VALKYRIE play guitar driven rock n’ roll replete with infectious solos and catchy, powerful vocals. The band has drawn numerous comparisons to greats like Thin Lizzy, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, early Iron Maiden, and Deep Purple.

Never heard their earlier stuff. Should I pick some things up in advance of the Relapse release? It sounds up my alley (and if performed well, up the alleys of about 90% of the people who post here).

http://concert.arte.tv/de/wacken

Accept is currently on at Wacken.

Got there just in time for "Losers & Winners!" Thanks!

http://www.npr.org/2014/07/27/333726142/first-listen-panopticon-roads-to-the-north

new panopticon, 'bluegrass + black metal' band. never heard their last, 'kentucky', but this is really something. engaging throughout.

Kntucky was great, looking forward to giving this one a spin.