2005 Black metal beanpole

Harag Lángja (from Kínzó Harag)

2007 Black metal bloke

The Lockness Door (from Víziók)

2008 Black metal beefcake

Black Medicine (from Black Medicine)

See the full photoshoot of Muscle & Fitness (Black Metal Edition) here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last year, as a goodwill gesture to hometown fans, Animosity played a free show in a San Francisco park. I wasn’t there, but the event was captured on video (see above). It’s so San Francisco, from the decidedly mixed crowd to the incongruity of death metal outside on a rainy afternoon. Dig the guitarists’ matching Stryper-esque Alexi Laiho Flying V’s. The video’s sound seems to come not from the gig, but from a demo. I’ve posted the final version of the song, “You Can’t Win,” from Animosity’s Animal, which I’ve reviewed here.

Animosity – You Can’t Win
Impaled – G.O.R.E.
Marblebog – I Am the Forest Heart (excerpt)

At Metal Injection, I’ve reviewed South Carolina deathcore-rs Through the Eyes of the Dead and Hungarian black metallers Marblebog. At Decibel, I’ve reviewed Bay Area goremasters Impaled and Danish death metallers Corpus Mortale. I’ve also started writing for All Music Guide, so the sidebar gallery will see more flux now. Of the latest batch of records I reviewed, the highlight was Hirax’s The New Age of Terror, my favorite post-’80s thrash album.

Also new in the sidebar, some additions to the blogroll – Driftglass (aka Forrest Norvell, an astute musical polyglot), I’m the Most Important Fucking Person in the World (focusing on the heavy and hairy), MetalJazz (does as advertised), Metal Jew (aka Keith Kahn-Harris, author of Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge), and Umlaut (aka Brian Lew, who did the legendary Umlaut zine; he was there back in thrash’s heyday, and his blog has amazing firsthand accounts of Metallica, Slayer, and Ruthie’s Inn).

As you may have heard, Stylus Magazine closes its doors today. However, the site’s pages will stay up. My final review for Stylus is of Soilwork’s new album (I also have a review of Jesu’s Lifeline EP and a dual review of Behold…The Arctopus and Byla & Jarboe). This brings me full circle: my first review for Stylus two and a half years ago was of Soilwork’s previous record. Since then, my Stylus portfolio has 116 full-length reviews, 19 features and interviews, and 8 Left Hand Path columns. In total, I’ve reviewed 226 albums for Stylus.

Aetherius Obscuritas – Víziók
Behold…The Arctopus – Canada
Byla & Jarboe – 10:58 (excerpt)

I never thought I’d do half as many. Writing on metal for an indie rock audience has been an uphill battle. I’m proud of some of my work, embarrassed by lots more, and glad for the chance to sharpen my chops. My fellow Left Hand Path writers Stewart Voegtlin and Todd DePalma are working on a new site, so keep your eyes peeled. Looking back at the old Left Hand Path columns is quite a trip.

Up at Metal Injection, I have reviews of Hungarian one-man black metal band Aetherius Obscuritas, deathcore outfit Whitechapel (my review is drawing an amusing amount of ire), and Paths of Possession, the other band of Cannibal Corpse’s George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher.

I don’t do this enough – big up the work of other writers. Phil Freeman (The Wire, Village Voice, etc.) has a humorous piece on Marduk for The High Hat. Julie Graf has done a nice interview with The Dillinger Escape Plan for Stylus. The tireless Adrien Begrand has two mammoth pieces for PopMatters, on Ulver and former Gathering singer Anneke van Giersbergen, and on The Heavy Metal Box by Rhino. If anyone has the knowledge and stamina to tackle a 4-disc set that purports to cover heavy metal’s history, it’s Begrand.