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The biggies are pretty much set – Meshuggah, Opeth, Immortal, J2 (Jarboe/Justin Broadrick), and so on. Nachtmystium will not “sell out” on their Century Media debut. Critics will once again slobber all over Mastodon, if/when a new record comes out. Guitar Hero-playing non-metalheads will be spotted in record store metal sections, asking for Dragonforce. The music industry is so predictable. Every once in a while, though, it yields actual good music. I’m stoked – or at least morbidly curious – about these upcoming releases.
Burst – ?
2003’s Prey on Life is one of my all-time favorite metal records. 2005’s Origo was actually probably better, but suffered from over-compressed mastering that rendered it a very loud pancake. In a perfect world, Burst would be the one metal band hipsters know.
Deicide – ‘Till Death Do Us Part
The Stench of Redemption ruled. That was because the Hoffman brothers were out and Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla were in. Now Santolla is out – but he’s still playing on this record. Thank heavens/hells for oppressive contractual obligations! The last Deicide record with Santolla’s shredding promises to overachieve once again.
Ephel Duath – Through My Dog’s Eyes
Does anyone else besides me care about Ephel Duath? Believe it or not, Italy has more to offer than hot women and symphonic power metal. These guys are crazy. Plus, Marco Minneman is drumming on this record! If you don’t know Ephel Duath, head straight to Pain Necessary to Know, then thank me afterwards.
Hate Eternal – Fury and Flames
I love how Erik Rutan only talks in exclamation points. In Decibel’s NFL preview, he somehow managed to cast his Eagles prediction in epic, Bolt Thrower-esque terms. For Victory! Hate Eternal represents superhuman, Werner Herzog-esque effort. Plus, they now have a drummer named Jade. But I think it’s a dude.
Irons – ?
Jacob Bannon AND Stephen Kasner AND Dwid from Integrity??? I have no idea what these guys will come up with, but I guarantee that the artwork will RULE. Look out also for Bannon’s solo record, unsurprisingly titled Wear Your Wounds.
Judas Priest – Nostradamus
Rob Halford will turn 57 this year, and he’s still slaying pretenders 1/3 his age. Angel of Retribution was damn solid, so I expect more of the same – twin guitar goodness, horrible lyrics, and the best banshee wails ever to emanate from a non-female mammal.
Katatonia – ?
3 Doors Down’s “Citizen Soldier” is disturbing in many ways. First, it’s 3 Doors Down. Second, the song’s video is an ad for the US National Guard. Third, they play the video in movie theaters before previews. Fourth, and most chilling of all – it kind of sounds like later Katatonia. Please, please, Renkse and co., wash this foul taste away!
Misery Signals – ?
Metalcore doesn’t have to suck! Nor does it have to have good cop/bad cop vocals or one-note breakdowns with a pick squeal thrown in! 2006’s Mirrors is a tough act to follow. I eagerly await more emotive, spiraling guitars that make me well up inside, only before I straighten up and pretend that I’m some tough metal dude.
Nasum – Doombringer
A live show from the final year of perhaps the best grindcore band ever. RIP, Mieszko Talarczyk. Someday I will learn to spell your name without searching on Google, but you are still heart and soul to me.
Testament – Formation of Damnation
It’s about freakin’ time! I am so sick of Testament’s endless greatest hits compilations and crappy live discs (interesting, though, that Prosthetic is reissuing Demonic (boo!) and The Gathering (yay!)). Eric Peterson is an amazing rhythm guitarist, and Chuck Billy is one of my top three metal vocalists of all time. But that title, eesh…
Cynic – ?
Supposedly Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert have an album’s worth of new Cynic material written. I’ll know it when I see it. Their Coldplay-meets-Pink Floyd Aeon Spoke project is pleasant, though cause for concern Cynic-ally.
Earth – The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
Sadly, this album has already leaked. I haven’t heard it, though, as I want to see/hear the finished package. People are dogging on Dylan Carlson’s recent pastoral direction, but I’m digging it mightily. There’s something quite Zen about it. I bet the artwork will be good, too.
Gridlink – Amber Gray
Jon Chang from Discordance Axis! 11 tracks, 13.5 minutes, likely grindtastic. Hydra Head is putting this out. Thus, the real question is, will it come in a DVD case like the Discordance Axis releases?
Cavalera Conspiracy – Inflikted
That nu-metal-esque misspelled title does not bode well. Actually, this might be decent. In fact, I bet it’ll sound exactly like Soulfly. First, Marc Rizzo is in the lineup, and he’s what saved Soulfly from sucking. Second, Iggor Cavalera is back after moonlighting as a DJ and adding an extra “g” to his name. Soulfly was/is filled with drummers biting Ig(g)or’s beats in Sepultura, so Max did the right thing by returning to the original herbs and spices.
Cryptopsy -?
Not only do Cryptopsy not have Lord Worm anymore, they also now have a Hot Topic model-looking woman on keyboards. This is so wrong. Who do they think they are, Bleeding Through?
Metallica – ?
To go from the first four records to St. Anger is quite a feat, but Metallica somehow did it. In this case, I don’t envy Rick Rubin’s job.
“Does anyone else besides me care about Ephel Duath?”
Well I don’t care much, but The Painter’s Palette was an interesting record. The Pain Necessary to Know was a let-down for me.
“It’s about freakin’ time! I am so sick of Testament’s endless greatest hits compilations and crappy live discs (interesting, though, that Prosthetic is reissuing Demonic (boo!) and The Gathering (yay!)).”
I’d like to see where Testament go from here too, though I’m not terribly excited. I found Demonic to be much better on the whole than the frontloaded The Gathering, really.
Also, good job on reviewing the Halls of Amenti, easily the best thing Cephalic have done. I was thinking I was the only one that still remembered they promised two more slices of doom.
Cryptopsy need a keyboard player like…
like…
Man. There’s really no good analogy. I was going to ape Gloria Steinem and say “like a fish needs a bicycle” but I could imagine a fish with a bicycle making more sense than Cryptopsy with a keyboard.
Maybe they’ll prove me wrong. I don’t know.
I have been bored senseless by Meshuggah for over 10 years now. Maybe they can finally win me back, but I’m not holding my breath, ha, ha.
Why does anyone care about a new Immortal record? Really? Wow.
J2 (though Jarboe is VERY hit/miss) and Opeth, yeah, I’m interested.
Ephel Duath was amazing on “The Painter’s Palette” but that’s about all I’ve ever cared about from ‘em. Which reminds me that I have not listened to that album in forever. I should find it tonight… if I can!? Fuck…
Irons should be really fucking curious. Quite interested to see what happens there.
And of course Katatonia. Always.
And Cynic. I forced myself to like Aeon Spoke just out of respect for the fact that “Focus” probably had the greatest impact on me when I was a kid, but… deep down I think I still sort of hate them for Aeon Spoke, ha, ha. I just hope they can even come, like, 60% close to what they were back on “Focus”, ha, ha. Although… if it’s not gonna be the “Focus” lineup… I’m already depressed!
I’ve heard the Opeth album. It’s fucking amazing. It’s got strings, oboes, mellotron, female vocals on one song (a full-on duet with Akerfeldt, not female background vocals), and the “new” drummer totally fucking crushes. Seven songs, 55 minutes, and it will change your fuckin’ life. It’s exactly the album they needed to make at this point. It’s proggy, symphonic, epic, beautiful, and heavy as fuck when it wants to be.
I’ve also heard the Meshuggah album. It’s a Meshuggah album. It has nine songs instead of one long song, so that’s a plus, but it really does feel like they’re spinning their wheels, except for the first two songs, which put the bass right up front in blatant imitation of Tool. I like what they do, but they just keep on doing it.
I too liked Painter’s Palette way more than Pain Necessary…, and would like to see Ephel Duath go back to that.
Agree about Deicide only getting good last album, and I’m looking forward to the new one.
Erik Rutan’s a great producer, but Hate Eternal sucks, period.
I’ve heard the J2 EP; it’s interesting, but I guarantee it’s not at all what you’re imagining in your head.
The Cavalera album doesn’t sound like Soulfly; that’s the good news. The bad news is, it sounds like Nailbomb, only without Alex Newport to provide interesting guitar tones. And if you thought Max was a shitty lyricist before, wait till you check out the profundities being bellowed on this one. I think he wrote the whole disc during commercial breaks.
I’m looking forward to Dragonforce, Priest, and Testament, and I’m wary of Metallica, Mastodon and Slipknot. Oh, and the new Disturbed album, at least based on the songs I’ve heard, is very good. But you know how nobody but you likes Ephel Duath? Nobody but me (in the critical community, anyhow) likes Disturbed…and I don’t care.
This has been Your Guy On The Inside. (plug) Subscribe to Metal Edge! It’s good now, I swear! (/plug)
Testament’s The Gathering is frontloaded??? Its best song is its last one! Demonic is easily the most boring Testament album, all low string chugging and death growls.
Cryptopsy have had electronics before, but they’ve been triggered by Flo Mounier. I really hope they’re not putting “symphonic” bullshit front and center now.
I for one am curious about a new Immortal record. It will likely have the “best” production of their career, whatever that implies, and post-I, I’m wondering where Abbath’s head is at.
Mr. Freeman, glad to hear the scoop. Meshuggah has basically one song, and I like that song. What do you like about Disturbed?
Origin? Deeds of Flesh?
I’m also an Ephel Duath fan; It took me a few listens to appreciate but the pay-off was great.
My most anticipated of 2008: Gojira, Intronaut (WOOOOOOOO!!!!), Bergraven, Kayo Dot, and I guess I’m excited to see what Arsis does next.
I’m listening to the new Earth album as we speak. I didn’t care much for early Earth, and Hibernaculum was just way too repetitive and spare for my tastes. But I gotta say, Bee Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull is pretty beautifully textured. Similar to Hex but there’s actually something to listen to in between the twangs.
I would follow Meshuggah anywhere. Catch 33 was disappointing (though I loved that track with the robo voice!) but only because it didn’t take as large a step from Nothing as Nothing took from Chaosphere.
Can someone explain to me what’s so wonderful about Jarboe? I found her collaboration with Neurosis insufferable, and her work on the Byla album from 2007 wasn’t anything special.
Yeah, I’m curious to see if Origin comes up with new stuff, as they’ve been away for a while. I’m kind of eh on death metal these days, but because Decrepit Birth stepped it up so hard on their new album, their labelmates Deeds of Flesh just might, too.
Jarboe is a fascinating chameleon. I quite liked the collaboration with Neurosis. And I liked the way she only did vocal noises and not words for Byla. She adds feminine energy to places where there normally wouldn’t be, and not just with the usual pretty voice or whatever.
I love Ephel Duath’s general sound, but I think they’ve yet to truly capitalize on it. I’ve never been able to truly dig into their songwriting.
I hope that changes on the new one.
Origin is coming out with a new album in April, its just not being promoted very well.
A Necrophagist album is supposed to be recorded this year. Hopefully, the sooner the better. Also, hopefully Unmerciful can make something new this year but who knows.
Can someone explain to me what’s so wonderful about Jarboe? I found her collaboration with Neurosis insufferable, and her work on the Byla album from 2007 wasn’t anything special.
It seems to me that Jarboe’s reputation is based on her work with Swans.
A good list, of the reader’s comments, I’m curious about the newest from Necrophagist. Can Suicmez get up off his ass? I’m afraid of the new Cryptopsy. Bad vibes…
I’m sure Suicmez suffers not from laziness but from perfectionism. Re: Origin, April seems a long way off for Relapse (if that’s the label in question) to do promotion. Origin doesn’t have a website up, their MySpace is outdated, and the only halfway-current info I can find on them is in friggin’ Wikipedia. I’m sure more details will come from Relapse as the time comes.
Just reading this now (yeah, I’m behind), but really glad to see the Testament disk is on your list. I’ve got to agree about Chuck Billy, and the one new song they played in the latest tour (can’t remember the title) had a heavier, Practice What You Preach-era sound to it. Skolnick definitely seemed happy to be back in the fold.
Thanks for the tip on Ambient Death, too. Let’s hope they get signed so we can add them to this list!