3 Inches of Blood, Fugazi, Ministry, and more

3 Inches of Blood

Some new writing up – at Metal Injection, I have reviews of film buffs/metalcore-rs Killwhitneydead and Relapse retro thrashers Dekapitator. At Stylus, I have a look back at Fugazi’s most underrated record, Steady Diet of Nothing, as well as reviews of the Speed Kills…Again compilation on Heavy Artillery, metal-obsessed rapper Necro, falsetto-fueled 3 Inches of Blood, Ministry‘s final album (that cover of The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues” is unbelievably banging), Xasthur‘s excellent latest mopefest, and Bloody Panda, who actually sound like their name – slow, fuzzy, wounded.

3 Inches of Blood – Night Marauders
Ministry – Roadhouse Blues
Xasthur – Cemetery of Shattered Masks

I would never have forecast this, but 3 Inches of Blood’s Fire Up the Blades is my favorite metal album this year. Their last record was OK, but they seriously stepped it up this time. I have not had this much fun with metal in a long, long time. Every time I hear this album, goats and invisible oranges start flying and one-man moshpits erupt in my apartment. This is the kind of music that leads to unwise, impulsive tattoos. I’m no danger of being like the guy who got Ken Susi’s face tattooed on his ass – but I’m just sayin’.