Yep, a new name. Because I felt it somewhat unfair to be discussing little local bands who have yet to perform outside of Adelaide in the same blog as legends like Slayer and Maiden. So, from here on, Metallicae Australis will be a place for me to exclusively share information, news, plugs and ranting relevant to Australian bands, particularly Adelaideans.
Maybe I'll make another blog for more international news. Thoughts, please?
Stay brutal,
-Ronnie
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
The Void VIII
I've decided... not to talk about Against the Grain 5, which took place September 19th. Because a) it was so fucking long ago, and b) for once, I went to a gig and didn't see all the bands. SHAAAAAAAAAAAAME.
Mind you, The Void VIII on October 25th was still far too long ago, so I'll try to just sum it up in a few succinct points.
Stay brutal!
-Ronnie
*Hardcore dancers are the idiots you sometmes see in mosh pits, where god knows they don't belong. They're the assholes who take up the whole floor jumping and skipping around, throwing their arms in the air, performing shoddy roundhouse kicks, spilling people's drinks, pushing the boundaries of the mosh and hitting people in the face because they don't fucking look where they're going. They have no place in the world of metal. Eliminate them.
This has been a Metallicae Australis community service announcement.
Mind you, The Void VIII on October 25th was still far too long ago, so I'll try to just sum it up in a few succinct points.
- I am not a hardcore fan. I don't listen to hardcore music, I don't mingle with hardcore fans, and I reserve a special place of hate in my heart for hardcore dancers. Therefore, please don't put hardcore bands on the same bill as metal. Please. Unless you have, say, a metalcore band to bridge it all out... don't do it.
- Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the other bands (whose names I can't even remember) were very good, very talented hardcore bands, but it all sounded the same to me. In short, I don't listen to hardcore, therefore I can't appreciate hardcore, therefore it's not my place to talk about hardcore because I, personally, can't stand it.
- I wouldn't buy Immortal Threat's music, but if they were at a gig, I'd gladly mosh to them. And yes, it was good to see a mosh pit forming to eliminate those pesky hardcore dancers.* Also: It still needs more cowbell.
- Admit it - if you were there, chances are it was to see Octanic. Octanic are one of those bands that make a good impression, and then deliver on it. With a sharp set including crowd favourites from debut EP Industry and a sound selection of new tracks from the in-progress album - as well as a cover of Rob Zombie's Superbeast, a guaranteed crowd-getter for these lads - Octanic were the perfect finish to the night.
Stay brutal!
-Ronnie
*Hardcore dancers are the idiots you sometmes see in mosh pits, where god knows they don't belong. They're the assholes who take up the whole floor jumping and skipping around, throwing their arms in the air, performing shoddy roundhouse kicks, spilling people's drinks, pushing the boundaries of the mosh and hitting people in the face because they don't fucking look where they're going. They have no place in the world of metal. Eliminate them.
This has been a Metallicae Australis community service announcement.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Locals strike again.
Another overdue post, you say? Oh, why not.
September 5th (my my my, it seems so long ago!) brought an air of anticipation to a grand total of perhaps forty people. Forty people who attended a five-bands-for-ten-bucks gig at the Underground in this humble town of Adelaide, with decent merch prices, and only two bucks for a bottle of water, less than half the usual price! (Yes, that was a highlight for me.)
First to take the stage were All Hallow's Eve, one of the many youthful bands in the Adelaide scene, and sure enough they managed to warm the crowd. Oddly, there was a three-man circle pit forming at their first song, which was certainly a highlight - that and the performance of Mt. Franklin ("Like the water"), in addition to a spontaneous guitarist piggy-back. Guys who can pull off playing on someone's shoulders? I'm sold.
A Lapse in Reality have a good musical sound, a talented bassist, and potential is undenaible, yet sadly, the frontman has no stage presence aside spontaneously stripping his button shirt and tie. That only works if you have sex appeal, mate. One concert-goer remarked that his desire was to strangle said frontman with his own tie. Sadly, that may not have gone down so well with the band.
Next on were Deafening Silence, and that was when the place started to heat up. With an interesting sound fusing elements of prog, thrash and metalcore; a female drummer - something all too rare in metal; and a giutarist who even looks like Kirk Hammett, there's no denying that Deafening Silence are of that special breed of local band who just might have the potential to break out, and while some elements could still use a bit of work, the raw talent is most certainly there. I left with a CD, and am still impressed.
Satoria have already proven themselves among Adelaide's finest, with a progressive sound influenced by the likes of Dream Theater, soaring vocals, switches in sound through songs, and haunting, enchanting keys. Despite only having time for a handful of songs, Godspeed in particular inspired some wild headbanging, motly delivered by keyboardist Lennie and one girl at the front (who may or may not have been yours truly, as it were). An album is demanded. Let us only hope this talented bunch delivers.
Last but certainly not least, Skintilla delivered the perfect closing set, consisting of a good, solid handful of songs from both the Shedding Skin EP and debut album King of Kings. Skintilla are one of those strong bands with a good pub metal sound, typically Australian yet having the potential to appeal to an international market. Whether or not that is a plan for them is a different matter; for now, they seemed perfectly content chatting to the twenty or so people who watched their set, delivering anthems like King of Kings, Fall From Grace and crowd favourite, Sword For Sword. Rock on, Adelaide. Rock on.
September 5th (my my my, it seems so long ago!) brought an air of anticipation to a grand total of perhaps forty people. Forty people who attended a five-bands-for-ten-bucks gig at the Underground in this humble town of Adelaide, with decent merch prices, and only two bucks for a bottle of water, less than half the usual price! (Yes, that was a highlight for me.)
First to take the stage were All Hallow's Eve, one of the many youthful bands in the Adelaide scene, and sure enough they managed to warm the crowd. Oddly, there was a three-man circle pit forming at their first song, which was certainly a highlight - that and the performance of Mt. Franklin ("Like the water"), in addition to a spontaneous guitarist piggy-back. Guys who can pull off playing on someone's shoulders? I'm sold.
A Lapse in Reality have a good musical sound, a talented bassist, and potential is undenaible, yet sadly, the frontman has no stage presence aside spontaneously stripping his button shirt and tie. That only works if you have sex appeal, mate. One concert-goer remarked that his desire was to strangle said frontman with his own tie. Sadly, that may not have gone down so well with the band.
Next on were Deafening Silence, and that was when the place started to heat up. With an interesting sound fusing elements of prog, thrash and metalcore; a female drummer - something all too rare in metal; and a giutarist who even looks like Kirk Hammett, there's no denying that Deafening Silence are of that special breed of local band who just might have the potential to break out, and while some elements could still use a bit of work, the raw talent is most certainly there. I left with a CD, and am still impressed.
Satoria have already proven themselves among Adelaide's finest, with a progressive sound influenced by the likes of Dream Theater, soaring vocals, switches in sound through songs, and haunting, enchanting keys. Despite only having time for a handful of songs, Godspeed in particular inspired some wild headbanging, motly delivered by keyboardist Lennie and one girl at the front (who may or may not have been yours truly, as it were). An album is demanded. Let us only hope this talented bunch delivers.
Last but certainly not least, Skintilla delivered the perfect closing set, consisting of a good, solid handful of songs from both the Shedding Skin EP and debut album King of Kings. Skintilla are one of those strong bands with a good pub metal sound, typically Australian yet having the potential to appeal to an international market. Whether or not that is a plan for them is a different matter; for now, they seemed perfectly content chatting to the twenty or so people who watched their set, delivering anthems like King of Kings, Fall From Grace and crowd favourite, Sword For Sword. Rock on, Adelaide. Rock on.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Alice? Who the f*** is Alice?!
Alice Cooper, that's who. Vincent Furnier. The Coop. The man who changed the course of rock 'n' roll forever, and looked mighty fine doing it.
Yes, I am fully aware that this blog is LONG overdue, but this intrepid blogger has been busy with other commitments.
On August 29th, Alice Cooper himself graced the fair Thebarton Theater, bringing his latest rock spectacular, the Theatre of Death tour, to Australia. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric, the crowd eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of this superb performer.
The banner fell to the floor, and Alice emerged to wild cheers, immediately launching into School's Out - a peculiar choice for an opener, but a good one nonetheless. Disregarding the security staff's warnings to stay seated for the first four songs, the audience opted to follow the advice of the guitarists, dashing from their seats to lean on the stage and dance to further hits like Department of Youth and the classic I'm Eighteen.
Stalking around the stage, Alice proved he can still rock with the hardest with the industrial stomper Wicked Young Man and reminded us that he can hold his own better than those forty years his junior. After all, when you're seeing a man whose career has lasted since the tail end of the sixties, and is continuing into the new milennium and his own sixth decade of existence, you expect nothing but the best.
Though the acoustics were a let-down - Alice's microphone was barely audible over the music and general excitement at times - the crowd more than made up for it, belting out the anthems as loud as Alice himself. The master of darkness chose to play it safe for the night, selecting "classic Alice" - inclusions like The Ballad of Dwight Fry and Go To Hell cemented the fact that this was anything but an albumsupport tour. In fact, only one song from latest offering Along Came a Spider was selected - the sneering Vengeance is Mine.
With four executions, numerous constumes, an angle grinder, evil masks, spider arms, a wheel-on staircase, a gallows, iron maiden, guillotine and lethal injection as big as Alice himself, this was clearly a show as memorable as the man himself. From the opening (anthem School's Out) to the closer (er... School's Out, again, this time delivered in a silver and white suit complete with coattails and top-hat), Alice delivered song after song, throwing everything to the crowd - fake money, balloons, confetti, guitar picks, pearl necklaces, and even his cane. The old man certainly proved he's got at least one more tour in him yet!
Rock on, Alice. You keep coming, we'll keep going.
Yes, I am fully aware that this blog is LONG overdue, but this intrepid blogger has been busy with other commitments.
On August 29th, Alice Cooper himself graced the fair Thebarton Theater, bringing his latest rock spectacular, the Theatre of Death tour, to Australia. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric, the crowd eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of this superb performer.
The banner fell to the floor, and Alice emerged to wild cheers, immediately launching into School's Out - a peculiar choice for an opener, but a good one nonetheless. Disregarding the security staff's warnings to stay seated for the first four songs, the audience opted to follow the advice of the guitarists, dashing from their seats to lean on the stage and dance to further hits like Department of Youth and the classic I'm Eighteen.
Stalking around the stage, Alice proved he can still rock with the hardest with the industrial stomper Wicked Young Man and reminded us that he can hold his own better than those forty years his junior. After all, when you're seeing a man whose career has lasted since the tail end of the sixties, and is continuing into the new milennium and his own sixth decade of existence, you expect nothing but the best.
Though the acoustics were a let-down - Alice's microphone was barely audible over the music and general excitement at times - the crowd more than made up for it, belting out the anthems as loud as Alice himself. The master of darkness chose to play it safe for the night, selecting "classic Alice" - inclusions like The Ballad of Dwight Fry and Go To Hell cemented the fact that this was anything but an albumsupport tour. In fact, only one song from latest offering Along Came a Spider was selected - the sneering Vengeance is Mine.
With four executions, numerous constumes, an angle grinder, evil masks, spider arms, a wheel-on staircase, a gallows, iron maiden, guillotine and lethal injection as big as Alice himself, this was clearly a show as memorable as the man himself. From the opening (anthem School's Out) to the closer (er... School's Out, again, this time delivered in a silver and white suit complete with coattails and top-hat), Alice delivered song after song, throwing everything to the crowd - fake money, balloons, confetti, guitar picks, pearl necklaces, and even his cane. The old man certainly proved he's got at least one more tour in him yet!
Rock on, Alice. You keep coming, we'll keep going.
Friday, 21 August 2009
L!ve Hard 'N Heavy II - local talent never sounded so good.
There's something to be said for local bands. Hardly anyone knows about them, they work day jobs, maybe they study at the same time - yet when you see them, they can still rip your face off and shove it right down your fuckin' throat.
On Saturday night, I paid $15 AU (that's $12 US, or $13 CA) to see six local bands and one band who'd made their way down from
The first band to take the stage, Till Death, managed to warm the crowd up reasonably well, setting the stage for a good night of heavy fuckin' metal. Not bad, boys - not bad at all!
Next on the lineup was Amsha, and while their tracks had a tendency to drag on a bit after the more radio-friendly lengths of the previous act, overall their set was decent and delivered enough energy to get the crowd working just that bit harder. With some impressive solos, Amsha are worth keeping an eye on - there's some promise there, and I can't wait for their upcoming demo, Awaken.
Third to take the stage were Satoria, a five-piece with definite melodic elements delivered astoundingly by spider-fingered keyboardist Lennie (who I swear I've seen on campus; if not him, then someone who looks a hell of a lot like him). Said member also delivered a fine stage presence, including jumping up and down while playing, and soloing beside the guitarists. Satoria only had time for a few songs (“In case you haven’t noticed, most of our songs are pretty fuckin’ long”, quipped vocalist Adam Downey), but didn’t fail to impress, casually mentioning their upcoming album. Head over to their Myspace (linked in their name) and check out the song Godspeed – hopefully you’ll be as impressed as I was. Can't wait for that album.
Next up were
With merchandise signed by four of the six melo-death metallers, we retreated to the seating area to catch the last song from the
We made sure to hurry back to the stage before Octanic began their set, but it seemed the crowd had beaten us to it – there was no way we were getting right to the front, where we had stayed steadfast for the first three acts. Nevertheless, Octanic delivered a show that was energetic, high-octane (so to speak, hardy har har) and sure as hell seemed to please the crowd. Melodic and heavy elements fused to brilliant effect, frontman Jay’s range of vocal techniques (particularly the screams on I, Pariah...) was astounding, and the Industry EP was immediately added to my mental wish-list. Thank goodness for upcoming birthdays.
In the gap before Skintilla took the stage, we managed to track down the remaining two members of Universum, Rachael and Liam (keyboards and bass, respectively), thus completing our signature collections, and head back with plenty of time to get to the front. Just as well, too; Skintilla are an incredible band, embodying the true spirit of heavy fucking metal with their Priest-style vocals, Maidenesque riffs, and Metallica-style ripping solos. Skintilla worked up the best mosh pit so far, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear of others waking up with some lovely aches and pains.
After a thrashing set (at the end of which I was lucky enough to catch guitarist Jeremy’s pick), it was time to stash our bags with the merch stand and head to the front of the stage for Universum’s set. This was it. The moment we’d all been waiting for. Sure, we hadn’t been disappointed yet with the bands on offer, but Universum were bound to blow us completely out of the water.
And boy oh boy, did they deliver. Universum launched straight into a brutal 40-minute set, playing everything from the breathtaking Leto Destinatus to the neck-snapping Invisible Scars. Wisely skipping over more “mellow” tracks (eg, War of Ages), if mellow even exists in the world of
Concert-goer Jacob responded ecstatically when Universum frontman Adam Soininen pointed him out in the middle of the set, congratulating him for making good on his promise to bring the mosh. And a damn fine mosh it was. Mind you, when you’re seeing a band that has already supported acts such as Cradle of Filth and DragonForce, what can you do but have a damn good time and realize that some local bands have the potential to go further than the shores of this fair land?
When Universum finally left the stage after 40 minutes of aural bliss (provided “bliss” now means a landslide of assaulting guitars, vocals somewhere in the range of Randy Blythe and a healthy dose of keyboards to tone down the ear-raping qualities), there were calls for an encore (sadly but understandably unheeded), and a lot of idiotic grins. Why do the truly awesome bands have that effect on the crowd – reducing us to mute onlookers smiling like the Cheshire cat, drinking glass after glass of water and communicating through nods and gestures having screamed our lungs up into our throats? (Answer: because they are just that awesome.)
All in all, L!ve Hard ‘N Heavy was a damn good night – five and a half hours of true
Also, if Jay from Octanic happens to notice the links I post everywhere): Hi, Jay! This is me attempting to review the gig! *insert goofy wave here*
I’m realizing now why I haven’t written up other reviews… Ah, well. Any advice, fellow metalheads? Any suggestions as to how to improve my technique?
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
A couple of quick notes.
I'm aware I haven't blogged in a while, but I recently wrote in to Kerrang magazine nominating my top three albums of the 21st century. Because Trivium asked their fans on Facebook to vote for them. The same way I joined Twitter because Universum asked me to...
"I just felt I had to nominate three albums that have made the biggest impact on me these last few years. It's hard for me to pick just three, but - oh, screw that diplomatic bullshit; these won by a landslide.
Trivium - Shogun (2008)
This album blew me away completely as soon as I heard it. It's a perfect blend of metalcore and Metallica-style thrash, served straight up with no frills attached. It's metaphorical, powerful, and has some teriffic anthems on it - Down From the Sky and Kirisute Gomen are two of the best songs I've heard this century, and the title track could damn well represent everything the band has worked for in its eleven minutes of progressive brutality and near-operatic choruses. I saw Trivium live in May, and they played all the right tracks. They know how to work a crowd, and they know how to record incredible albums.
Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider (2008)
The grandfather of shock rock, and one of the first influences on heavy metal, has returned with a stomping, hook-laden album that hearkens back to his garage days, while being infused with a heavier resonance and a killer guitar solo from Slash. Darker than Brutal Planet and somehow more sensual than Trash, Alice has churned out another album well worthy of classic status. I look forward to seeing Alice in late August, and he's been one of, if not my favourite musical figure for many years now. His metamorphosis has never been more apparent.
Universum - Leto Destinatus (2008)
Universum are from my hometown, so maybe I have a slight bias, but since they only formed in early '08 and have already supported DragonForce and Cradle of Filth on their Australian tours, they're nothing to sniff at. Leto Destinatus is a brutal melodic album sweeping the listener along at breakneck speed. The vocals, guitars, and keyboards all combine to beautifully devastating effect on the title track and War of Ages. I'm seeing them in about three weeks, and they should be even better as headliners. More than anything else this album has shown me that living in Adelaide has not cursed me to being talentless!"
I also forgot to get on here on Sunday and wish Robb Flynn of Machine Head a happy 41st birthday. Whoops.
Happy fuckin' birthday, Robb. \m/
Yeah, I know nobody reads this, least of all Flynn himself, but meh. Maybe it'll get some of you to listen to Machine Head, one of the best bands out there.
Check out "Halo", and try telling me it's not fucking awesome. If you like that, just go out and buy the whole album, The Blackening, because it's without a doubt one of the best I've heard, and if you like awesome metal and know what's good for you, you'll feel the same way.
That's it for now. Maybe I'll actually write another fucking blog sometime.
If there's anything you want me to talk about in my next post, any suggestions, questions, album reviews, etc, just put it here and I WILL do it. Put as much as you want. I mean it. I need things to talk about, otherwise I'll just blather on about crap nobody cares about.
That's it for now,
~Ronnie
"I just felt I had to nominate three albums that have made the biggest impact on me these last few years. It's hard for me to pick just three, but - oh, screw that diplomatic bullshit; these won by a landslide.
Trivium - Shogun (2008)
This album blew me away completely as soon as I heard it. It's a perfect blend of metalcore and Metallica-style thrash, served straight up with no frills attached. It's metaphorical, powerful, and has some teriffic anthems on it - Down From the Sky and Kirisute Gomen are two of the best songs I've heard this century, and the title track could damn well represent everything the band has worked for in its eleven minutes of progressive brutality and near-operatic choruses. I saw Trivium live in May, and they played all the right tracks. They know how to work a crowd, and they know how to record incredible albums.
Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider (2008)
The grandfather of shock rock, and one of the first influences on heavy metal, has returned with a stomping, hook-laden album that hearkens back to his garage days, while being infused with a heavier resonance and a killer guitar solo from Slash. Darker than Brutal Planet and somehow more sensual than Trash, Alice has churned out another album well worthy of classic status. I look forward to seeing Alice in late August, and he's been one of, if not my favourite musical figure for many years now. His metamorphosis has never been more apparent.
Universum - Leto Destinatus (2008)
Universum are from my hometown, so maybe I have a slight bias, but since they only formed in early '08 and have already supported DragonForce and Cradle of Filth on their Australian tours, they're nothing to sniff at. Leto Destinatus is a brutal melodic album sweeping the listener along at breakneck speed. The vocals, guitars, and keyboards all combine to beautifully devastating effect on the title track and War of Ages. I'm seeing them in about three weeks, and they should be even better as headliners. More than anything else this album has shown me that living in Adelaide has not cursed me to being talentless!"
I also forgot to get on here on Sunday and wish Robb Flynn of Machine Head a happy 41st birthday. Whoops.
Happy fuckin' birthday, Robb. \m/
Yeah, I know nobody reads this, least of all Flynn himself, but meh. Maybe it'll get some of you to listen to Machine Head, one of the best bands out there.
Check out "Halo", and try telling me it's not fucking awesome. If you like that, just go out and buy the whole album, The Blackening, because it's without a doubt one of the best I've heard, and if you like awesome metal and know what's good for you, you'll feel the same way.
That's it for now. Maybe I'll actually write another fucking blog sometime.
If there's anything you want me to talk about in my next post, any suggestions, questions, album reviews, etc, just put it here and I WILL do it. Put as much as you want. I mean it. I need things to talk about, otherwise I'll just blather on about crap nobody cares about.
That's it for now,
~Ronnie
Sunday, 12 July 2009
It's how I live my life; I wouldn't have it any other way.
As per usual, the title of this blog comes from a metal track and is completely unrelated to anything I may or may not talk about in here.
But let's make this more interesting. Instead of cookies (which I cannot send, unfortunately, due to certain restrictions), the first person to guess the song gets to pick a band, genre, topic, etc. for me to talk about/lecture on/abuse in my next blog post. Does that sound interesting?
Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak; you have an incentive to start listening to some good thrash metal, and I have something to actually talk about, because for now I'm just gonna talk briefly about some different genres of heavy metal.
If there's one thing that annoys me, it's... people who blast hip-hop music at full volume with subwoofers that register an 8.2 on the Richter scale. But another pet peeve of mine is people who take anything that could be classed as metal, whether it's the smooth melodies of Bon Jovi or the vulgar brutality of Cannibal Corpse or anything in between, and lump it all under "METAL - DO NOT WANT".
The flavours of metal are almost as varied as those of ice-cream. Actually... that's not entirely accurate, given the state of ice-cream these days. Just walking into Cold Rock Ice Creamery blows my mind - there are, like, five different flavours for chocolate. And I know that's only the tip of the iceberg, but hey, Cold Rock is about the best and most expensive ice-creamery I have access to, so leave me be.
Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked here, comparing metal to ice-cream. Who'd'a thunk it, eh? Next thing you know I'll be talking about how a Trivium album is like a Magnum ice-cream, ordinary enough until you bite into it and begin to devour the metaphors and nuances that lie beneath the exterior...
Actually, that's just a crock of lies; a Trivium album is amazing at first glance, even just from the artwork.
I'm getting sidetracked again. Next time that happens, feel free to play Slipknot, which has a tazer-like effect on me. It's like a shock collar for dogs; sooner or later, I'll learn to stick to the fucking topic, eh?
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
The first type of metal that one should be acquainted with is the "classic" heavy metal. Study up on these three bands: Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. At least one of those names should be familiar to you, and if I know anything it won't be Priest. Sadly, they're like the classics no-one knows about - not as publicly renowned as Maiden and Sabbath, but still just as vital.
You know what, I'm going to give you a playlist. So check out these songs and you should get a taste of ye olde heavy metal in its earliest form.
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast. I know, I know, everyone knows it now because of Guitar Hero III, but it does NOTHING to change the fact that this is one of the definitively amazing songs of the metal genre. Check out everything - the odd time signatures and catchy riffs, the prominent basslines, and Bruce Dickinsons's soraing, near-operatic vocals. Quite different to the death metal most immediately think of, eh?
Black Sabbath - Paranoid. Built around the one riff, but honestly, you can't tell me it's a damn catchy one. This is like the 1970s metal version of Seven Nation Army.
Black Sabbath - Iron Man. I only just heard this, and I encourage you to do the same. Commence angry messages flaming me for having not heard Iron Man sooner.
Judas Priest - Breaking the Law. What is it with these classic metal bands and insanely catchy guitar riffs? Watch this and get back to me.
Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather. The first Priest song I ever heard, and still a fave. Seriously.
Dio - Holy Diver. A friend managed to get me to listen to this. For this, Sean, if you're reading this, I am in your debt. (I'm working on acquiring a discography now.)
To be fair, Dio and Maiden came along a bit later than Priest and Sabbath. Also, Dio isn't actually in the Holy Trinity. Though he should be. It must be a quadrology.
Let us make it so.
There are a whole slew of other bands I could namedrop here (AC/DC, Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zeppelin, Queen), but those four are the ones I'm most familiar with, so I encourage you to check 'em out.
Hey hey hey, I never said this was a definitive blog, the be-all and end-all. It's just my opinions and experiences. Deal with it, check out the music, and grab a brownie on the way out.
Next time: whatever you request of me, plus a new genre for you all. Maybe death. Everyone loves death, eh?
But let's make this more interesting. Instead of cookies (which I cannot send, unfortunately, due to certain restrictions), the first person to guess the song gets to pick a band, genre, topic, etc. for me to talk about/lecture on/abuse in my next blog post. Does that sound interesting?
Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak; you have an incentive to start listening to some good thrash metal, and I have something to actually talk about, because for now I'm just gonna talk briefly about some different genres of heavy metal.
If there's one thing that annoys me, it's... people who blast hip-hop music at full volume with subwoofers that register an 8.2 on the Richter scale. But another pet peeve of mine is people who take anything that could be classed as metal, whether it's the smooth melodies of Bon Jovi or the vulgar brutality of Cannibal Corpse or anything in between, and lump it all under "METAL - DO NOT WANT".
The flavours of metal are almost as varied as those of ice-cream. Actually... that's not entirely accurate, given the state of ice-cream these days. Just walking into Cold Rock Ice Creamery blows my mind - there are, like, five different flavours for chocolate. And I know that's only the tip of the iceberg, but hey, Cold Rock is about the best and most expensive ice-creamery I have access to, so leave me be.
Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked here, comparing metal to ice-cream. Who'd'a thunk it, eh? Next thing you know I'll be talking about how a Trivium album is like a Magnum ice-cream, ordinary enough until you bite into it and begin to devour the metaphors and nuances that lie beneath the exterior...
Actually, that's just a crock of lies; a Trivium album is amazing at first glance, even just from the artwork.
I'm getting sidetracked again. Next time that happens, feel free to play Slipknot, which has a tazer-like effect on me. It's like a shock collar for dogs; sooner or later, I'll learn to stick to the fucking topic, eh?
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
The first type of metal that one should be acquainted with is the "classic" heavy metal. Study up on these three bands: Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. At least one of those names should be familiar to you, and if I know anything it won't be Priest. Sadly, they're like the classics no-one knows about - not as publicly renowned as Maiden and Sabbath, but still just as vital.
You know what, I'm going to give you a playlist. So check out these songs and you should get a taste of ye olde heavy metal in its earliest form.
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast. I know, I know, everyone knows it now because of Guitar Hero III, but it does NOTHING to change the fact that this is one of the definitively amazing songs of the metal genre. Check out everything - the odd time signatures and catchy riffs, the prominent basslines, and Bruce Dickinsons's soraing, near-operatic vocals. Quite different to the death metal most immediately think of, eh?
Black Sabbath - Paranoid. Built around the one riff, but honestly, you can't tell me it's a damn catchy one. This is like the 1970s metal version of Seven Nation Army.
Black Sabbath - Iron Man. I only just heard this, and I encourage you to do the same. Commence angry messages flaming me for having not heard Iron Man sooner.
Judas Priest - Breaking the Law. What is it with these classic metal bands and insanely catchy guitar riffs? Watch this and get back to me.
Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather. The first Priest song I ever heard, and still a fave. Seriously.
Dio - Holy Diver. A friend managed to get me to listen to this. For this, Sean, if you're reading this, I am in your debt. (I'm working on acquiring a discography now.)
To be fair, Dio and Maiden came along a bit later than Priest and Sabbath. Also, Dio isn't actually in the Holy Trinity. Though he should be. It must be a quadrology.
Let us make it so.
There are a whole slew of other bands I could namedrop here (AC/DC, Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zeppelin, Queen), but those four are the ones I'm most familiar with, so I encourage you to check 'em out.
Hey hey hey, I never said this was a definitive blog, the be-all and end-all. It's just my opinions and experiences. Deal with it, check out the music, and grab a brownie on the way out.
Next time: whatever you request of me, plus a new genre for you all. Maybe death. Everyone loves death, eh?
Monday, 29 June 2009
Welcome to the horror of the revelation.
Name that song, folks. Tell me which jaw-droppingly awesome song the title of this blog comes from. Here's a hint - think pure, bone-crushing, gospel-bashing thrash from an album released on 9/11. Yeah that's right, THE 9/11.
Anywho, hands up if you've heard the news about Michael Jackson? Wait; don't bother; I know you would have heard by now. Tragic, yes, but not exactly a surprise given his condition over the last x amount of years. Gotta admire him, though - planning fifty consecutive concerts in London? Holy shit.
So, what else can I talk about? Hmm.
At the moment, there are a few songs I am obsessed with. You wanna hear about them? Of COURSE you do; or at least, you'd better, since there isn'nt much else I can think of right now...
The first is Sinklars Visa by everyone's favourite Faeroese viking metal band, Tyr. Even though it's in an entirely different language, the rhythm and vocal lines are enough to make me want to slap my knee and sing along.
Next up is a legendary track from hammerFall. Who doesn't love Swedish power metal? Seriously. All the best metal is from Europe. And these guys are no exception, with a pounding, stomping rhythm and choruses you just want to yell from the top of a mountain.
Check out the guitarist in the trenchcoat. Om nom nom.
Speaking of Swedes, the latest album by Deathstars is absolutely fantastic. I urge all of you to get your filthy little paws on it RIGHT NOW. Here's an example of what you're missing:
The whole album is incredible. Deathstars have hit on the perfect formula. You know how some bands do that? DragonForce's Inhuman Rampage was full of songs that all sounded the same, but you don't give a damn 'cos they sound incredible.
Actually, I have a theory about how DragonForce write their songs. They'll be performing live, and ZP Theart's thought process will go something like this:
"Oh, bollocks, I can't remember what song this is! Okay, er... Oh, that's it; I'll just make up some shit about dragons and evil forces and fire storming and the like. That okay, lads?"
You have to read that to yourself with a British accent. DF are English, even though only one-sixth of the band is actually English, but I like to imagine Zippy dearest with a Pommie accent. ;-)
I LIKE MY BRITISH FRET-WANKERS; LEAVE THEM ALONE.
Seriously, I can picture that happening. Along with Herman and Sam just mashing wildly on the frets, thinking, "It's gotta sound good sooner or later!", or maybe, "Eh, they're all too pissed and stoned to care..."
Here's a fun game. Put on a DragonForce record and get a bottle of your favourite drink. Alcohol is best; I like Kahlua and vodka (Black Russians for the win!) Take a sip every time you hear one of the following words: evil, power, force, light, death, dragon, fire, storm, temple, warrior, strike, fight, battle, rage, gone, night, reign, shadows, smash, steel, black, darkness, blackened darkness, dream, wings, flame, rain... you get the idea, go nuts. I can guarantee you'll be wasted before the end of the third song.
Go forth and drink, my minions!
Anywho, hands up if you've heard the news about Michael Jackson? Wait; don't bother; I know you would have heard by now. Tragic, yes, but not exactly a surprise given his condition over the last x amount of years. Gotta admire him, though - planning fifty consecutive concerts in London? Holy shit.
So, what else can I talk about? Hmm.
At the moment, there are a few songs I am obsessed with. You wanna hear about them? Of COURSE you do; or at least, you'd better, since there isn'nt much else I can think of right now...
The first is Sinklars Visa by everyone's favourite Faeroese viking metal band, Tyr. Even though it's in an entirely different language, the rhythm and vocal lines are enough to make me want to slap my knee and sing along.
Next up is a legendary track from hammerFall. Who doesn't love Swedish power metal? Seriously. All the best metal is from Europe. And these guys are no exception, with a pounding, stomping rhythm and choruses you just want to yell from the top of a mountain.
Check out the guitarist in the trenchcoat. Om nom nom.
Speaking of Swedes, the latest album by Deathstars is absolutely fantastic. I urge all of you to get your filthy little paws on it RIGHT NOW. Here's an example of what you're missing:
The whole album is incredible. Deathstars have hit on the perfect formula. You know how some bands do that? DragonForce's Inhuman Rampage was full of songs that all sounded the same, but you don't give a damn 'cos they sound incredible.
Actually, I have a theory about how DragonForce write their songs. They'll be performing live, and ZP Theart's thought process will go something like this:
"Oh, bollocks, I can't remember what song this is! Okay, er... Oh, that's it; I'll just make up some shit about dragons and evil forces and fire storming and the like. That okay, lads?"
You have to read that to yourself with a British accent. DF are English, even though only one-sixth of the band is actually English, but I like to imagine Zippy dearest with a Pommie accent. ;-)
I LIKE MY BRITISH FRET-WANKERS; LEAVE THEM ALONE.
Seriously, I can picture that happening. Along with Herman and Sam just mashing wildly on the frets, thinking, "It's gotta sound good sooner or later!", or maybe, "Eh, they're all too pissed and stoned to care..."
Here's a fun game. Put on a DragonForce record and get a bottle of your favourite drink. Alcohol is best; I like Kahlua and vodka (Black Russians for the win!) Take a sip every time you hear one of the following words: evil, power, force, light, death, dragon, fire, storm, temple, warrior, strike, fight, battle, rage, gone, night, reign, shadows, smash, steel, black, darkness, blackened darkness, dream, wings, flame, rain... you get the idea, go nuts. I can guarantee you'll be wasted before the end of the third song.
Go forth and drink, my minions!
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
A dose of metal, you need to bang your head 'til you bleed.
So, because I want to shove all of my work for art school aside momentarily, I would like to take a moment to talk about concerts.
Because we metalheads are surprisingly social creatures. If we are sheep, then the band is the gentle group of shepherds, there to guide us to a common cause before ripping off our faces and shoving them in our ears.
The collective noun for a group of metalheads is open to debate. One may argue that an appropriate term would be a "mosh" of metalheads, but others would argue that moshing is an activity, and should therefore be regarded as a separate entity entirely. One could also refer to collective nouns of creatures often associated with the metal culture - a herd of goats, a coven of ravens, and a murder of crows could all come to mind. However, none exactly seem accurate to describe a crowd of black-clad long-haired people, often male, and - when at concerts - almost invariably sweaty.
For the purposes of this particular post, I will refer to a group of metalheads as a "mob". A mob of metalheads. Not too far from the mosh with which we are all familiar, and it had that lovely alliteration which I, as a poet, am so fond of.
So why is the concert such an exciting and essential experience for the metalhead? Basically, you go to a venue, stand for four hours, get beaten by fellows of the mob, and you may or may not wake up the next morning unscathed. The music is too loud, the drinks are too expensive, and the whole place smells like sweat, alcohol, and sometimes, something a little stronger.
Yet there's a definite sense of kinship. You're all there to see the same band. You're there for the same thing. You're brothers-in-arms, of a sort - metalheads united for a common cause, and that cause is to go there, have a good time, rock hard, and let the band know that they rock.
The people in mosh pits are friendlier than they seem. At Children of Bodom, people pushed aside to let a vertically-challenged girl to the front. At Opeth, I was helped upright again by two strangers when I was separated from my concert-buddy and almost fell over. The sense of camaraderie is an incredible feeling.
An indispensable piece of advice to the new concert-goer is to find a good, reliable friend. I have three people who I attend concerts with on a regular basis, and find them to be among the most trusted people I know. Adam has helped me enjoy two damn good concerts, Luke has stuck with me in the two most intense mosh pits I have ever been in, and while I have only been to one concert with Callum, I look forward to many years of moshing.
A good concert-buddy should be able-bodied and reliable. He or she should have a high tolerance for noise, good stamina, and be willing to defend you from the tool population in any given mosh pit. Martial arts skills are a plus, as is a good size, but neither are as necessary as the ability to recognize when you have gone under, or a determination to stick together.
At a concert, alcohol is a pleasant mood-enhancer, but drinking too much before entering a mosh pit is advised against. Of course one does not have to drink in order to have a good time; after all, that's what the band's there for, but nobody's going to blame you if you're legal and have a couple of beers before moshing. God knows you could end up sweating it all out anyway. If attending a concert with friends, always make sure at least one member of the party is sober enough to help out others who may find their inebriation places them at risk of injury. All too often I have witnessed a drunk concert-goer harm a fellow metalhead, and sometimes I have even been the receiving end myself.
Also, I hate to say it, but something to keep in mind at a metal concert in particular is to dress the part. One need not go overboard with expensive merchandise; the simple, universally accepted garb is jeans, comfortable footwear, and a heavy metal T-shirt. The shirt needn't even be of the band one is seeing; in fact, a relatively small amount of people wear these, and some may even view it as a faux pas of sorts. Spiked wristbands aren't necessary, and many view them as a hindrance, and indeed some venues may not allow such attire as wallet chains, steel-capped boots, or spiked accessories.
Comfortable footwear is absolutely vital, as you are likely to be on your feet for a good few hours. Even if one does not mosh, one will be standing for a long period of time. Sneakers, skate shoes, and comfortable boots such as Doc Martens are recommended.
Organization is a must. I take it upon myself to organize my friends for concerts, which my mother affectionately terms "Getting the posse together". If one member of the party can afford to do so, it is a good idea for them to buy the tickets for everyone at once, and well in advance - the sooner, the better. As soon as you hear about the concert, start organizing people. I found out about a local show completely by accident, had two friends willing to come with me, and by early June I had the tickets. The show isn't until mid-August. Organizing car-pooling and the like that early isn't necessary, but if you want to, particularly if friends live far away, then by all means do so.
Be one of the responsible people –if you see someone stumble, catch them. If someone looks dehydrated, share your water. Though to be fair, if someone shoves you, shove back. Be as respectful as you can while making sure no bastard thinks he can push you around.
Concerts can be frightening, but also exhilarating. Imagine being two feet away from Matt Heafy, or Mikael Akerfeldt, or Curtis Rx, or heck, even James Hetfield or Steve Harris! Okay, so the last two are unlikely, but you never know unless you GO.
And even if the concert’s a disappointment, at least it’ll be something you remember forever, right?
I myself have been to seven concerts in two years now, five of them heavy metal gigs, and I have at least three more coming up before the end of the year, so I’m getting around. I wouldn’t call myself a veteran, but I’m beginning to think that out of my friends, I am the concert-whore.
I should wrap this up for now – next time, I may talk about a couple of the concerts I’ve been to.
Happy moshing, my mob.
~Ronnie
PS – the first person to tell me which song this title comes from gets a cookie.
Friday, 19 June 2009
Welcome to my nightmare.
So. Here we are. Or here I am, at any rate, as I doubt anyone is reading this except maybe Sami Cyanide who encouraged me to begin this in the first place, ni?
'Twas Sami who more or less told me to start writing this up as a sort of music zine. Said she could see me taking the world by storm. So I suppose I'd better do some musical talkin's, eh?
Let me just say that I am a metalhead first, and I will write as such. I may or may not swear, and I do make EXTREMELY frequent use of the universal \m/ sign. Also, expect me to mention 666 at least once in every entry.
I will most likely be talking about the music I have spent the day/days/week listening to, which spans over about four decades, from Judas Priest to bands in my hometown that haven't even been signed yet. If you're lost, it's probably just whiplash; don't let it get to you baby, there's plenty more where that came from.
Maybe I'll just tell you how I came to discover my current musical taste.
At the moment, I listen to a bizarre blend of all genres of metal, Gothic rock, Gothic pop, dark ambient, post-hardcore, dark cabaret, horror punk and the occasional "guilty pleasure", such as Savage Garden or The White Stripes. This radical shift from my pre-metal days of radio-packaged rock was brought upon in mid-late 2006, when my friend Tim brought his iPod and a set of speakers to school and played a few Ayreon tracks for us. Day Three: Pain hooked me in at once, and I was blown away by the emotion, so unlike anything I'd heard on the radio.
I devoured Ayreon, and early in 2007, another friend who goes by the name of Skelli allowed me to copy her CD collection onto the family computer. I spent the next three weeks listening to Nightwish, Wednesday 13, Cradle of Filth and The Used. To say I was hypnotized is an understatement.
On a whim, I picked up a copy of the Headbanger's Ball compilation while I was in Queensland for my father's wedding. Songs like Anthrax's Safe Home, Lamb of God's Ruin, and especially Slayer's Raining Blood helped me to simultaneously piss off my aunt and let go of my troubles, watching them flitter away on the Brisbane breeze like broken faerie wings. I will warn you now - I am a poet by nature, and I will lapse into speech you may or may not understand.
When I arrived back in good ol' SA, I purchased Anthrax's Anthrology: No Hit Wonders, featuring the hits from the Joey Belladonna-era, and Slayer's masterpiece Reign In Blood. The song that really cinched my fate for me was Angel of Death. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. Right. Fucking. Now. If you know it and love it, you know what I'm referring to - Tom Araya's high-pitched scream at the beginning, which he brings wailing right down into a guttural yell. As soon as I heard that, there was no turning back for me.
It was around the middle of last year that I began to expand my tastes to the Gothic as well, devouring dark cabaret artists in particular, such as The Dresden Dolls, Emilie Autumn, and the ever-amazing Voltaire. After all, one cannot live on metal alone.
As for Savage Garden and The White Stripes?... let's just leave them alone. And me. leave me alone on that matter, please.
Now I sit here with my hodgepodge of music, and wonder what on earth I am to talk to you all about.
I'll sign off for now, as Printmaking homework beckons, but I shall not go into detail of that on this blog.
Don't forget to hit me up on Deviant ART - http://XburiedinblackX.deviantart.com
I think you're gonna feel you belong.
~Ronnie
'Twas Sami who more or less told me to start writing this up as a sort of music zine. Said she could see me taking the world by storm. So I suppose I'd better do some musical talkin's, eh?
Let me just say that I am a metalhead first, and I will write as such. I may or may not swear, and I do make EXTREMELY frequent use of the universal \m/ sign. Also, expect me to mention 666 at least once in every entry.
I will most likely be talking about the music I have spent the day/days/week listening to, which spans over about four decades, from Judas Priest to bands in my hometown that haven't even been signed yet. If you're lost, it's probably just whiplash; don't let it get to you baby, there's plenty more where that came from.
Maybe I'll just tell you how I came to discover my current musical taste.
At the moment, I listen to a bizarre blend of all genres of metal, Gothic rock, Gothic pop, dark ambient, post-hardcore, dark cabaret, horror punk and the occasional "guilty pleasure", such as Savage Garden or The White Stripes. This radical shift from my pre-metal days of radio-packaged rock was brought upon in mid-late 2006, when my friend Tim brought his iPod and a set of speakers to school and played a few Ayreon tracks for us. Day Three: Pain hooked me in at once, and I was blown away by the emotion, so unlike anything I'd heard on the radio.
I devoured Ayreon, and early in 2007, another friend who goes by the name of Skelli allowed me to copy her CD collection onto the family computer. I spent the next three weeks listening to Nightwish, Wednesday 13, Cradle of Filth and The Used. To say I was hypnotized is an understatement.
On a whim, I picked up a copy of the Headbanger's Ball compilation while I was in Queensland for my father's wedding. Songs like Anthrax's Safe Home, Lamb of God's Ruin, and especially Slayer's Raining Blood helped me to simultaneously piss off my aunt and let go of my troubles, watching them flitter away on the Brisbane breeze like broken faerie wings. I will warn you now - I am a poet by nature, and I will lapse into speech you may or may not understand.
When I arrived back in good ol' SA, I purchased Anthrax's Anthrology: No Hit Wonders, featuring the hits from the Joey Belladonna-era, and Slayer's masterpiece Reign In Blood. The song that really cinched my fate for me was Angel of Death. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. Right. Fucking. Now. If you know it and love it, you know what I'm referring to - Tom Araya's high-pitched scream at the beginning, which he brings wailing right down into a guttural yell. As soon as I heard that, there was no turning back for me.
It was around the middle of last year that I began to expand my tastes to the Gothic as well, devouring dark cabaret artists in particular, such as The Dresden Dolls, Emilie Autumn, and the ever-amazing Voltaire. After all, one cannot live on metal alone.
As for Savage Garden and The White Stripes?... let's just leave them alone. And me. leave me alone on that matter, please.
Now I sit here with my hodgepodge of music, and wonder what on earth I am to talk to you all about.
I'll sign off for now, as Printmaking homework beckons, but I shall not go into detail of that on this blog.
Don't forget to hit me up on Deviant ART - http://XburiedinblackX.deviantart.com
I think you're gonna feel you belong.
~Ronnie
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