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Here’s an experiment. Take a look at the upcoming metal releases for November 2009. In the comments box, indicate two you would like me to review. I will review the one with the most votes (unless I am reviewing it elsewhere — so Fatalist, Slayer, and Witchmaster are out — in which case I will review the runner-up). Bands can vote for their own albums. Labels can vote for their own releases. Just don’t try to game the system by, like, voting under eight different names. Voting will close at midnight EST 10/30.
I know before I would ask you guys which releases you’d like to see reviewed — and then I’d go and not review them. So now I’ll make it stick. I’m hoping you’ll vote for Gaza, Hirax, or Vektor, because those will probably rule. But if you want to stick it to me and make me review Pissing Razors or Epica, now’s your chance. (The other day I saw someone in the grocery store wearing a Pissing Razors shirt. It was like seeing someone in this day and age wearing an MC Hammer shirt. He did look kind of forlorn.) The ad copy for Epica’s new album says: “Directly influenced from quantum physics.” Barf! If Epica wins, I will curse you, your family, your ancestors, and your descendants. But I will still review Epica.
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As always, the upcoming releases list is a work-in-progress. (So much so, in fact, that after this year I will probably never do it again.) Please indicate all corrections and additions in the comment box.
GAZA and HYPOCRISY.
They're reissuing Pissing RAzors??? Have they run out of bands to reissue?
C'mon, please review the two King Diamond reissues. I gots to know if I am correct about stopping my King collection at The Eye.
Two votes for Epica
I vote Epica for comedy value and Gaza because I've heard good things but I'm too lazy to check it out just yet.
Gaza
Hypocrisy
You know I'm not a pseudonym for PLT Records above! Gaza will of course just destroy everything, and I know that you would give me good context to understand what Hypocrisy has been up to the last 15 years since I've heard them!
Epica for the lulz, Gaza for the win.
I hate to see you suffer Cosmo, so I'm voting for Nile (because I dig them) and Devin Townsend (because I know you dig him).
why is everyone in epica wet?
and my votes are for gaza and a wild card, I trust your judgement, so far
You should not only review Epica… but also determine whether they used quantum physics to replicate the "Wet Hair" look utilized in the band mug shot.
WRNLRD – Myrmidon…jump on the bandwagon now my friend.
Devin Townsend – Addicted
Nile – Those Whom The Gods Detest
Because I know that both those albums are going to be the shit.
Nile
Nirvana 2002
The Arckanum is worthy of your attention.
The new Shadow Gallery will be curious due to the passing of their singer, is he replaced by D.C. Cooper or someone? Worth a listen even if it's too sugary for you because Shadow Gallery haven't done anything wrong so far.
And While Heaven Wept, of course.
looks like a shit sandwich and a mess of reissues. save your breath dude, I don't care about any of it. go for a hike in Laurel Canyon or something. enjoy yourself!
The Nirvana 2002 comp looks interesting. I've only ever heard one song from them, and they're from the old Swedish Death Metal scene…
Gaza's gonna win, so I'm not going to add to that pile. Instead, why don't you do something more obscure like Horna. Yeah, I need to know if they are worth checking out.
P.S. I've got enough Devin Townsend albums that sound like Devin Townsend albums. The last thing I need is another Devin Townsend album that sounds like a Devin Townsend album. That guy seriously needs to channel his considerable talents in another direction. Hire someone else to produce you, dammit!!!
I'm going to vote for HORNA and ARKONA.
Vektor, DEFINITELY! I used to correspond with their old bass player Pablo a while back. Listening to their Myspace now, they sound just fresh enough– plenty of talented, mostly modern technical parts and changeups with an oldschool thrash mix. Diggin' it.
Please review:
Black Breath – Razor to Oblivion
Coalesce – OXEP
i'm also going with black breath and as a "i can't figure out anyone better" – horna
GAZA and OX EP. Or if not OX EP, Epica. Can I do that?
I think, deep down, you really want to review epica.
Nile and Coalesce
Krallice and Coalesce
This is easy. Grind Madness at the BBC and Krallice
Burp.
The Epica video on their myspace looks like a Celine Dion video.
Grind Madness at the BBC and Brown Jenkins, plz.
Happy birthday, by the way.
Here goes:
Bakteria: Cuz it's got the worst title I've ever seen. I never associated single celled organisms with self gratification.
Epica: What's in a name? It's seems like a lot of these bands should be on Comedy Central's metal imprint. The "sweaty" look seems to be a prerequisite too. (Perfect for a deodorant commercial, noting all the sleeveless t-shirts and wet hair.)
BUT on the serious side, WRNLRD for sure. And what's up with the all the metal mind releases?? I've never heard of that label.
All in all, aside from the good labels (profound lore, 20 Buck spin, etc) pretty grim pickings.
P.S. I been rocking the new Portal album–weird, noisy, perfect for my tinnitus. Any thoughts on Portal, Cosmo? Happy Birthday.
Hmmmm, Epica?
Definitely, Epica, Cosmo. You know deep inside, you like dainty, girly metal.
Yes, that Epica promo shot is rather curious. "Sultry wet hair" does not work for a bunch of metal dudes.
Helm – Arckanum has always come to me with the highest recommendations, and I reviewed the act once, but I still haven't "gotten" it. Esoteric black metal isn't my thing, I guess. I still want my black metal to have elements of regular metal, like riffs and rhythms and melodies and such.
Shadow Gallery seem like they'd be another guilty pleasure (ponytail metal) that I need not make public.
Miska – That Nirvana 2002 comp is great if you're into old-school Swedish death metal – the actual stuff, not today's revival. The CD has fantastic liner notes/photos/etc.
Horna are uber-prolific and can get faceless at times. I recommend the Sanojesi
Epica, because I hate you.
Kidding.
How about the GWAR reissue and Nile?
Devin Townsend and Krallice
I vote for the releases by Brown Jenkins and Gaza.
I would like to see reviews of Nile and Katatonia the most. A Nile review that doesn't beat the Egyptian angle to death w/ a slavestick would be great. Gaza and Krallice are close though.
Throwdown, that's all I can think of. People seem to get hard over Devin Townsend, so by all means review him too.
Epica.
Gama Bomb
i'd be interested in hearing some more about 11th Hour & These Are They
Krallice and Hirax. I actually really like a lot of Katon has done with thos dudes. You should do the OXEP because it's only like four songs.
krallice and arkona
Krallice and Hollenthon.
I would say Devin Townsend, but he's starting to get saturation coverage (finally), and he's always happy to give honest opinions on what his albums sound like.
Devin Townsend – Addicted.
Brown Jenkins and Horna…
But you'll probably have to do those for some other magazine.
You'll get the latest Arckanum though is the point. Also Shadow Gallery, you shouldn't be afraid to like it publically. I'll get you to listen to Soul Cages and Jester's March and all of that in the end, you'll see.
Gaza !
Can I vote for Gaza twice?
WRNLRD-Myrmidon:FSS, Pseudostratified Epithelium – Into The Flames:Nuclear War Now
You gotta check out…Urfaust-Einseidler,and just picked up the Ruins Of Beverast-Foulest semen of a sheltered life = excellent doomy,dark & brooding black metal.
Devin Townsend
and
Dark Tranquility
Cosmo,
If you'd like, I can submit a mathematical proof that QM does NOT directly influence Epica.
Do Helveto, one of the best unknown bands in metal.
Also, do Teratism.
NILE!
I'll take anything that isn't hardcore. The metal MP3 blog has been very punk the last few months.
10 out of the last approximately 120 posts have been tagged as "hardcore". If 8.3% counts as "very," then I guess we've been "very punk."
Epica.. I'm actually ashamed I live in the same country as those clowns. Especially now that they seem to shower together right before taking promo pictures. As if collectively sucking ass wasn't enough..
I vote Devin Townsend. His last album was so un-Devin – or perhaps actually more Devin than ever before – that I can't wait to hear what he's up to now.
Epica and Epica
Oh and Nile, too.
The last couple of albums couldn't really hold my attention – 2 awesome tracks in 3 albums is quite a shitty score – but my illegally downloaded copy of the new album seems to kick some serious butt. Egyptian butt, obviously.
Feel free to add comments, but I'm cutting off votes for counting purposes here.
Sorry my post above about the hardcore coverage here sounded so mean-spirited. There have been some awesome albums covered lately, and to be fair, the hardcore posts seem to be along the lines of "hardcore bands so good that metal fans should take notice." I happen to prefer my aggressive music on the controlled side as opposed to the chaotic, but it seems that I'm in the minority. (Or some people just aren't as closed minded as me and can enjoy both!
) If the people want Gaza, give them Gaza!
Cosmo, definitely don't stop the upcoming releases. It has been most helpful in helping me put together my shopping list. I noticed that your list doesn't have Worm Ouroboros on it – I think it comes out on 11/24. They have a track on the Profound Lore sampler you pointed us to. Ended up being one of my favorite tracks on the sampler, though it is not quite metal-ish.
Thanks for the catch, Robert. I've updated the list accordingly.
I do think the releases list is a valuable service, but it would function better if its method of input weren't "one guy finding bits of information around the Internet." In other words, it probably needs some sort of multi-user database to function optimally.