Finnish Black Metal Awesomeness

Ajattara are a Finnish Black\Dark Metal band who sing in nothing but Finnish (understandably!).

Pasi Koskinen (known as Ruoja in Ajattara) is the ex singer from another amazing Finnish band, Amorphis.

You could call Ajattara a Black Metal band but their music is hard to pinpoint, you need to listen for yourself. Their latest album, Noitumaa which came out 22nd April is an acousitc Bm album, it still has this amazing atmosphere. I'd post a video to it but I cant find anything, so this one here will have to do.



Check out the acoustic album Noitumaa, its brilliant.

Mandatory Metallica Saturday

Fucking Finally

Immortal are finally recording a new album, read on:

We’ve just found out that Norway’s mighty Immortal have begun recording their new album, their first since 2002’s Sons of Northern Darkness. Here’s the (brief) word from their management:
“The band has started to record the upcoming album! They will be working in both Grieghallen and Abyss studios this time.”



Cheers to metalkult.com for the pic and news.

Time Off

For all of those of you who read this, I am just lettng you know I won't be posting for a wee while. I have had a death in the family and I need to be with my family, So I will be back in maybe a weeks time or so. Thank You.

Demigod

The gods of Polish Blackened Death, Behemoth are recording for a new album at the moment, so here is a live video of Demigod to remind us why we all love Behemoth:

1349

1349, Norwegian Black Metallers have a new album out on June 2nd called Revelations of the Black Flame, I know I am looking forward to this. Pretty sweet artwork as well:



2009 is turning out to be a bloody good year for metal, yet again.

Mandatory Metallica Saturday

This should get you all excited

The new album from Death Metal Gods, Suffocation, (please bow before them), is due out July 7th and is entitled Blood Oath. This will rule so mark the day on your calendar.

Super Duper

Finally a God Dethroned album that doesn't put me to sleep. Passiondale is a great return, nice solid aggressive Melo Death. Check it out.

Voivod to release new album

Canadian metal legends VOIVOD have set set "Infini" as the title of their final album, due in North America on June 16 via The End Records and Germany on June 12 through Nuclear Blast (the rest of Europe is expected to receive the CD on June 15).

Regarding the album title, VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin said, "There were many titles thrown around, but I thought of 'Infini' and everybody liked it. Also, it looks great in sci-fi fonts."

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. God Phones
02. From The Cave
03. Earthache
04. Global Warning
05. A Room With A View
06. Destroy After Reading
07. Treasure Chase
08. Krap Radio
09. In Orbit
10. Deathproof
11. Pyramidome
12. Morpheus
13. Volcano

Total running time: 57:57

The follow-up to 2006's "Katorz" will mark the second album in the band's 20-plus-year career that did not feature founding guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour working alongside his bandmembers in the studio. "Infini" will also mark the first VOIVOD album to feature Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault on bass since 1991's "Angel Rat" and their first release with D'Amour's replacement Dan Mongrain on guitar.

VOIVOD made its trimphant return to the stage on June 22, 2008 in front of 22,500 fans as part of the Heavy MTL festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The group was joined by original bass player Jean-Yves Theriault ("Blacky") for the first time in 17 years. Dan Mongrain from the Quebec band MARTYR, a good friend of the band, played guitar. Songs from the early catalogue were the focus for the Heavy MTL set, including VOIVOD's cover of the PINK FLOYD classic "Astronomy Domine", which closed the show before the band took a bow center stage and shared a group hug.

Some albums to start the week....

If you are like me and need a boost to start the working week here are some wicked Death Doom albums for you to check out:

Saturnus - Veronkia Decides To Die



A simply amazing album, this album just makes everything go away, it has some beautiful moments, an album for all Doom fans.

Katatonia - Brave Murder Day



Easiest the best Katatonia album by a long shot, Mikeal Åkerfeldt sings all the harsh vocals on this album. There is nothing overtly technical or astounding with regards to the musicianship but I think that's what makes Brave Murder Day so special, the simplicity.

Anathema - The Silent Enigma



Epic Death Doom by long running Pommie Doomers Anathema.

Daylight Dies - Lost To The Living



Latest album from American band Daylight Dies, these guys are quickly moving up the Doom Metal ranks, keep an eye on these guys. On each album Daylight Dies seem to get stronger and better.

Valfar of Windir

I'm a bit late for his anniversary which is the 15th of January but since I was listening to Windir I thought I would post a bit about him.

Terje "Valfar" Bakken was the lead singer of the Folk\Black Metal band Windir, he started the band as a one man project but it eventually grew in to a proper band. Most of his lyrics were based on his home region of Sogndal and sung in the local language Sognamål.

Windir released five albums in their career, the last being Likferd, before Valfar was tragically killed in a sudden snow storm from hypothermia. I was thinking while listening to Likferd what must have been going through his head when the storm struck and being so far from home, I wonder if he knew it was the end??

R.I.P Valfar

And....

The Ecstasy of Gold

Since We are talking about Metallica instrumentals

The Call of Ktulu

I had to post this

Metallica playing Orion in it's entirety live for the first time ever.

Paul Gilbert = fucking amazing

Man this is the first track off his last album. Fuck I'd give my left nut to be able to play that fast.



What did you think of that first technique

Some Vader news

Polish death metallers VADER have inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented the band: "We are very glad that after so many years VADER finally joined one of the biggest metal labels in the world. We really believe in their potential, experience and famous German reliability. We are pretty confident that the cooperation will be successful both for the band and the record label. Now VADER is ready to explode! We have been waiting for such a solid record deal for sooo long so it's safe to say that the new era in VADER's career has just begun!"

Added guitarist/vocalist Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek: "This is absolutely amazing, that VADER is now a part of Nuclear Blast family!!! Can't find words how proud we are!!! Only great things may happen when traditions meet together... I so much believe, that VADER will give one more Blast to this Nuclear history of metal!!! Let start the fire — TOGETHER!!!"

Jaap Wagemaker, A&R Nuclear Blast, stated: "VADER have a history of almost 25 years of releasing death metal highlights and have built up a reputation of being one of the hardest touring bands in the scene! After many attempts both parties have finally come together and VADER have found a new home at Nuclear Blast! This summer VADER will release their new album Necropolis, which will not only be their debut for Nuclear Blast, but also another chapter in the history of the band with a totally renewed line up! Watch out for the new VADER as they will only return stronger than ever! VADER is still improving after all these years, so it is safe to say that the best of these death metal kings is still to come, so we, at Nuclear Blast are looking forward to start the propaganda machine!"

VADER recently entered Hertz studios in Bialystok, Poland with the Wieslawski Bros. to begin recording their next studio album, Necropolis, tentatively due in late August. Tue Madsen, who previously worked with such bands as MOONSPELL, CATARACT, HEAVEN SHALL BURN and many more, will mix the CD at his Antfarm Studios in Denmark.

The first in a series of video reports documenting the making of Necropolis can be viewed here. http://www.youtube.com/user/panzervader

Songtitles set to appear on the new CD include:

Anger
Dark Heart
When We Arrive
Devilized
We Are Horde
Rise Of The Undead
Impure

Check out photos from the studio at this location. http://www.vader.pl/foto-e.html

Necropolis will mark the recording debut of VADER's new lineup:

Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek (guitar, vocals)
Reyash (bass)
Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka (DECAPITATED) (guitar)
Pawel Jaroszewicz (SOUL SNATCHER) (drums)

Famous Polish artist Jacek Wisniewski (who created the art for previous VADER albums Black To The Blind, Revelations and The Beast) will take care of the album artwork and design.

Commented Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek: "The title of the album — which is the very first VADER song ever — is chosen not by chance. It will be connected with recordings like 'De Profundis' or 'Litany' with themes of forgotten worlds, mythos or ancient powers still living in humans subconsciousness."

In early September, VADER will kick off a tour of their home country in support of Necropolis. The Polish leg of the tour will consist of approximately 12-13 shows in some of the country's biggest cities. Every concert will be preceded by a fan meet-and-greet at the EMPik chain of stores. The trek will be a continuation of VADER's Blitzkrieg tour formula from the previous years. At the end of September, VADER will invade the rest of the European continent as part of a two-month tour with Swedish black metallers MARDUK.

Voivod Covers Pink Floyd???? Hell Yeah!!

A supercalafridgalistic awesome band covering another supercalafridgalistic awesome band, this is what wet dreams are made of....



I don't think I spelt supercalafridgalistic properly but you get the idea :)

Kill 'Em All

While listening to the epic classic Kill 'Em All by none other than Metallica, a thought struck me; would Kill 'Em All have had the same impact if the album was called Metal Up Your Ass, as Metallica intended it to be called?



OR:


I don't think so, what about you guys?

Mandatory Metallica Saturday

On the topic of classic Death Metal vids

Here are some more (well vids from classic Death metal bands)











I'm a bit light on topics at the moment, so you will have to put up with metal videos until I do.

To celebrate the long weekend.....

Classic Immolation vids!!

Well Doesn't This Just Suck Arse?

From apeshit.org (great metal site by the way)

"American death metal band, ANGELCORPSE, have officially announced their disbandment. In a short statement on the band’s official MySpace page, they simply stated, “due to musical differences amongst its members, it has been decided with much consideration to end ANGELCORPSE.”

That just down right ruined my day.

Dan Seagrave

"Who?" I hear you ask, well Mr Seagrave created literally every awesome classic album cover from nearly every classic Death Metal band from the 90's, I wish I could show them all here but a just a few and a link shall have to suffice:











And the link:
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/The_Trickster/dan_seagrave_album_covers__chronological_/

See every single one is a classic and instantly recognisable.

Since I am babbling about NZ metal

I thought I may post the awesome video to Believer by 8 Foot Sativa, the other premeire NZ Metal band, enjoy.

Ulcerate

Kings of the NZ Death Metal scene Ulcerate have a new album, Everything Is Fire, due out sometime very soon and it is going to be a killer album. Ulcerate have really stepped their game up after their last one Of Fracture and Failure, I'm not saying that was a bad album because it was actually quite the opposite. Anyway, hopefully the rest of the Kiwi Metal scene will sit up and realise you don't need to mimic the American Metalcore\Deathcore scene to make a killer album.

Of Fracture and Failure (2006):



Everything Is Fire (2009):



I'd post a youtube vid but Ulcerate don't seem to be on there, good excuse to catch them next time Ulcerate are in your town.

Bands That......

Refuse to change their name or ride on the shirt tails of former, more prolific members.....who am I talking about? Sepultura.

This sort of carry on really rubs me the wrong way. Max Cavalera, the voice and driving force behind Sepultura left way back in 1996. Sepultura replaced him, I can handle that, which metal band hasn't been through new members? Against, the first alum with Derrick Greene, Max's replacement, was sort of similar to ROOTS, but you could hear the hardcore influence of Derrick creeping in. The in 2006 Igor Cavalera leaves, the second Cavalera brother and other founding member, so the foundation of what made Sepultura, Sepultura has gone, they now sound like some filthy hardcore band trying to play Thrash metal.

So instead of a name change or anything, they still use the same logo that they have used since Beneath The Remains, even though they sound nothing like they did even on ROOTS, they are essentially a thrashy sounding hardcore band, I know the logo sounds like a minor issue but once again that logo is connected with Sepultura's golden days, once again the band seems to be riding on that wave, they even still use the classic Sepultura 'S'.



I suppose what I am trying to get at is that it seems to me that they current version of Sepultura seems to be riding on the legacy of Max era Sepultura, I could be wrong I could be right, its just an opinion. What I would have done if I was Andreas Kisser, (he seems to be the bands leader) would have been to change the bands name. Their music isn't what you would expect, sure progression is a key word I use a lot but this isn't progression, they have completely changed their spots. Anyway I am ranting. Max era Sepultura can do no wrong, Max-less era Sepultura can go fuck themselves.

Angry rant over.

Metallica - Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

Well it's not long until the induction of Metallica is upon us and I was just perusing Blabbermouth ( the metal news site that posts news almost every millionth of a second, it doesn't matter how obscure or irrelevant the news is) and they have photos of Jason Newsted rehearsing with Metallica for the induction show. I can't wait to see how this goes, with both Rob and Jason playing bass, what songs are they going to play? Will they be on at the same time? Who knows but personally, its great to see Newsted back, albeit for one show.

I hope they either televise this or make a dvd out of it.





I hope blabbermouth don't mind me borrowing their pics.

Lets All Celebrate The End Of Daylight Savings

It sucks, daylight savings has ended, no more late night bbq's. Oh well lets all watch The Philospher by Death and forget about it all.

Opeth

I love their last album Watershed for some reason the songs on it really spoke to me. One of my favourites is actually the introduction perhaps just because of the way the lyrics are sung and it's simple structure that still manages to stir mixed feelings:

In Flames, What The Fuck Is Going On?

So I came across the latest In Flames video, Delight and Angers, from their latest steaming pile of commercial horse shit A Sense of Purpose. Seriously, is this the same band that wrote Subterranean and Whoracle? The only way I worked out it was them aside from the title of course was Anders very average vocals. He has got worse with every album. Anyway see for yourself:

Mandatory Metallica Saturday

Drudkh

Blood In Our Wells (or Krov u nashykh Krynytsyakh as it is more commonly known….well not really) is an awe inspiring album from Ukraine Black Metal gods, Drudkh. They have some of the most emotive guitar solo’s in Black Metal, god they almost move me to tears (well again not really, but, you get my point). My personal favourite from Blood… is Furrows Of Gods, that solo is just ……I don’t have words for it.

The album as a whole creates this almost calm atmosphere, it is the most relaxing Black Metal album I own and one of my most listened to, go and get it today, it WILL float your boat, no doubt about it.