With all of the love for the Melvins around here lately, I figured that some of you may enjoy this.

Some interesting SOAD news...


SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian has told MTV.com that the band's headlining stint on this summer's Ozzfest will be the last time in a "a few years" that they be appearing onstage together under the SYSTEM banner.

"I'll always be a member of SYSTEM OF A DOWN," he said. "That will never change. There's no rule that says you have to make records constantly, like clockwork, to continue being who you are. We want to live our lives, [because being in a band] really consumes a big part of your life, and sometimes you just want to stop and slow down. We started being just these guys in a band, and the next thing you know, everyone's asking for autographs. It plays with your head."

Malakian said, after this summer's Ozzfest — which will kick off in Seattle on June 29 and wrap up August 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida — SYSTEM OF A DOWN will go on "hiatus."

"We're not breaking up," Malakian insisted. "If that was the case, we wouldn't be doing this Ozzfest, because we're a little nervous" about trying to fill Ozzy Osbourne's shoes. Ozzy will be headlining just 10 of this year's Ozzfest dates, with SYSTEM topping the bill on Ozzy's off days. "We're going to take a very long break after Ozzfest and do our own things," he added. "We've done SYSTEM for over 10 years, and I think it's healthy for us to get away from it for a while and come back to it later on. So, this is probably going to be ... well, it's not a farewell tour, but it's going to be a little while before we go out again."

That Scar Symmetry album is in the newsgroups.

Wow, good stuff, I need to listen to more of it tomorrow.

http://www.myspace.com/blackcobra

I don't have any albums or songs to y'all send the thing, but goddamn, that second song on Black Cobras myspace page.. Good shit.

Highly recommended!

I was surprised to find several copies of the much anticipated, long delayed Iron Maiden: Death on the Road DVD in my city yesterday. It was supposed to come out in North America back on Feb. 21, but after glitches on the discs were detected, it was immediately yanked. Now, I don't know if a corrected version of the DVD has finally been officially released in Canada or what, but after taking a gamble and spending the 30 bucks on it, I found there are no flaws on the concert disc whatsoever. In fact, it's a spectacular concert DVD.

Obviously, it's a much different presentation than Rock in Rio...it's less of a spectacle, musically much tighter, and the stage is much more compact, with more emphasis on the theatrical part, with changing backdrops and sets. Like on the live album, the highlight for me is the middle section of "Dance of Death", "Rainmaker", "Brave New World", "Paschendale", and "Lord of the Flies", with "Paschendale" the best part of the DVD. "Journeyman" is another highlight, as is "Hallowed Be Thy name", which always kills live. And speaking as a truly geeky Maiden fan, the Big Eddie on this is one of the best Eddies they've ever had, a gigantic grim reaper puppet behind the drum riser.

There's still the massive behind the scenes disc to watch, which should be really great.

According to amazon.com, the DVD still has no new US release date, but it can be ordered from amazon.ca.

I'm loving this Scar Symmetry album. It's even more ambitious that Opeth in terms of alternating death growls and clean vocals. Any other bands like this I need to check out? This is the only way I can listen to death metal - it's the vocal contrasts that make it work so well for me.

I bet Daron Malakian is going to become a recluse and grow a long beard during SOAD's "hiatus" and run around fearful of germs and Freemasons.

So I suppose it'll be ANOTHER four years before new SOAD material, then. Who do they think they are? Tool?

Speaking of which, I just read Saskadelphia's review of 10,000 Days.

While I can't say agree with all of it, the review was well-written, insightful and managed to balance an analytical quality I don't tend to find on the net nowadays with conciseness. Kudos.

Anyway, I'm heading offline in a few minutes, but I'll be back to discuss it with you if you don't mind, Sask. We share thoughts on some parts of the album and differ on others.

I posted initial thoughts to my blog a week ago (second freshest article on there, if anyone's interested), but will post a proper review in a week or so. I need it to settle in.

Thanks, dude.

On a side note, although it's trite, lowest-common-denominator, kiddie-pleasing metalcore, I can't stop listening to this:



I really should be listening to the new Dissection instead. I've had it forever, but haven't played it yet. I'm expecting an epic disaster.

Link, please? I am eager to compare Sask's thoughts with your review, which was also insightful, thoughtful and well-written. While I obviously don't like it as well as you (or am not as optimistic about its promise as a "grower"), I definitely share your giddy enthusiasm about a new Tool record like it's a New "Star Wars" movie back when I was a kid, and that, upon my first listen, I was reminded more than anything of my impressions upon hearing "The Grudge" from Lateralus. Same ambivalence, though I am starting to really dig "Vicarious" too.

Right here.

I was going to reply to throughsilver here, but I think I'll move my Tool thoughts over to the Tool thread...

When it comes to metal, Slayer is all you need to know

Psychotic Sumo? That you?

No, I'm the poster formerly known as Deacon Blues.

Erk. I loathe that thread, which is why I posted in here. Trolls and flamers care not for regular Metal.

And thanks for the kind words, Vivian.

My worst thoughts were confirmed, the new Dissection album is quite a big disappointment. Not that the music is awful (I usually go for stuff like this), it's just mostly pedestrian NMWOBHM, German power metal retreads, not unlike As I Lay Dying. Compared to Storm of the Light's Bane, one of the biggest black metal albums on the 90s, this album sounds tepid and worst of all, ordinary, with songs like "Starless Aeon" and "Dark Mother Divine" approaching metalcore, which, for this band, is slumming.

Here's the video for "Starless Aeon":
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xX6wuOYkVLI&sea...starless%20aeon

Lacuna Coil's on Kimmel tonight, for anyone interested in ogling Cristina Scabbia for five minutes.

now you're talkin.

Lacuna Coil performing "Our Truth" on Kimmel last night:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HwUssWhUbXk&search=lacuna%20coil

Good stuff, but seriously, Andrea Ferro's presence is becoming irritating to the point where he's just getting in the way. Dude, you did a good job starting the band and everything, but Cristina's the star now (supermegahot in the clip by the way), so just shut up and either pick up an instrument or quietly leave the stage...

Interesting you should mention Lacuna Coil...

Yesterday I got a MySpace friend request from a U.K. metal band called To-Mera. Normally, since I'm a 31-year-old married man (SOOOOO not the myspace demo), I only get requests from spammers. Seems this band actually did do their homework though, so I accepted and checked out the two songs on their page.

They're like a strange combination of Lacuna Coil and Dream Theater with big chunks of Opeth thrown in only without the clean/growly vocal exchange. Female fronted goth/thrash/prog metal that really goes all over the place, but not bad. Its just strange to hear arpeggios and time changes in the "pretty girl with pretty voice" metal genre, but they may be on to something. Curious to see if they make any sort of splash. I may have to check out the record once its finished/comes out.

Yeah, this is pretty good. Sounds a lot like Epica and 3rd & the Mortal, then goes melodic death for a bit, then total power metal. Then you get the odd Fear Factory riff popping up. I'd rather hear a girl singing this than James Labrie, I tell you.

I got the new Shadows Fall CD today...it's not the official new album (that's out on Atlantic later this year), just another scrap heap of non-album tracks and covers that Century Media can put out to squeeze some more money out of the punters. What I've heard, though, is not too bad, typical Shadows Fall stuff (keep doing the melodic tunes, guys), with some interesting covers, the best of which being a rehash of Dangerous Toys' "Teas'n Pleas'n" (with the old DT singer joining in). I'd post the song, but it's a 99 track promo, darnit.

Also, the new Satyricon might be viewed by black metal diehards as being grossly uncool (slower tempos! clean riffs! decipherable vocals!), but I'm having a blast with their new album. It has a cool midtempo groove to it, and unlike most BM, actually swings. Here's a song.

I'll have to check these out when I get home.

I heard a song by Early Man for the first time on Liquid Metal last week. Not bad. It basically sounds like old Trouble music with a normal rock singer. I mean, the music was a total Trouble rip-off, like Bruce Franklin's roadie started the band or something.

Shadows Fall - "Teasn', Pleasn'"

Metalcore should totally go cock rock.

Holy cow this band has a shitload of promise. I fit about every demographic they're after. Thanks for the link.

I'm sold. Sounds right up my alley.

dredg was recording a live album tonight @ the Fillmore, & this was a way better show than last week's Tool. Which makes me both happy and sad. They played almost all of El Cielo, at least half of Catch w/o Arms, a couple of new tunes, and a few faves from Leitmotiv.

Chi Cheng opened with a selection of his surprisingly good poetry....he's a brave man.

Sorry, this isn't exactly metal but it's semi-related & I didn't know where else to put it.

My interest in dredg has definitely been reignited over the last month or so.

For no reason other than it's one of the greatest epic songs ever, here's some Rainbow:

"Stargazer"

Ronnie James Dio's performance is godly. His best, I think.

Interesting entry on Kevin Shirley's blog today:


Live After Death, perhaps?

Woo-hoo!



Chicago doomsters TROUBLE have set a tentative August 22, 2006 release date for their new album, "Simple Mind Condition". The follow-up to 1995's "Plastic Green Head" was produced by Vinny Wojno (KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD) and will reportedly be issued
via Escapi Music in Europe and Century Media in the U.S. The group's current lineup includes vocalist Eric Wagner, guitarists Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin, drummer Jeff Olson and bassist Chuck Robinson (formerly of THIS TORTURED SOUL).

"Simple Mind Condition" tentative track listing (in no particular order):

01. Seven
02. Mind Bender
03. Goin' Home
04. Pictures
05. After the Rain
06. Arthur Brown's Whiskey Bar
07. Trouble Maker
08. Bad Situation
09. Beginning of Sorrows
10. Reasons
11. Ride the Sky (European bonus track?)

The U.S. version of the album may include an as-yet-undetermined bonus cut.

TROUBLE's previously announced "unplugged" EP is currently "on hold" and will be completed at a later date, Wartell recently told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. The band have also finally reached an agreement to re-release their first two albums, 1984's "Psalm" and 1985's "The Skull", both featuring "some cool bonus material that nobody has seen or heard before," according to the group's web site. A late 2006 release is expected.

I just got the Saint Vitus album Born Too Late.
Needless to say it's pretty amazing.
Any suggestions for where to go next?

Can you post that scissorfight song again, plz. I'd like to y'all send the thing to my coworker whose stressed out today.

"Victory Over Horseshit"

Ha! Too awesome!

Here's a taster of some new Genghis Tron. Their debut full-length is out in a few weeks and it's fucking ace. Top 3 of my year so far. So anyway, here's the song which is possibly my favourite on the disc, and certainly one of them. If people like it, I can upload the whole thing tomorrow:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...717F5B65A5BADBF
- Genghis Tron - 'White Walls'

This song kills!
thanks sask

That Genghis Tron song is crazy, throughsilver. Definitely some of the better hardcore grind I've heard this year.

As some of you know, Between the Buried and Me have a potentially very cool covers collection coming out next month...they've posted their cover of Metallica's "Blackened" on their myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/betweentheburiedandme

Very good. Not just a carbon copy, they're trying to put their own stamp on the song.

Whoa. Grind, pop, electronic beats, thrash all thrown together. Bonus points for ingenuity that's for sure. I like it.

Please post some more.

The Therion Celebrators of Becoming 2-CD set is in the newsgroups. I'll have to get my hands on the 4 DVDs at some point, too.

I have them, and they're outstanding. I was amazed at how great the set is.

Head Control System's new one is now in the newsgroups.

BTW, I was wrong about the new Scar Symmetry. I haven't seen it in thenewsgroups. The one I d/l'd was the 2005 release. If anyone's got the new one, please send it our way...

I'll do it. Watch for it in a couple hours.

Strike that, I can't do it. Problem maintaining a connection with y'all send the thing. Might be able to do individual tracks, but that's going to take a very long time.

No problem. I had that problem the other day with the sendin' site.

I've had this site bookmarked for years, but just recently went back there for the first time in a long time. This is a great resource for out of print 80s metal albums. This guy has put RA links to almost 1,000 albums on his site, which are non-downloadable. If you make a "donation" to his magazine Vibrations of Doom, though, he'll burn you a CD with a dozen or so albums on it as a thank you.

Legal? Who knows. But even if you don't want the albums, it's a good resource to find and listen to albums you might not have been able to get your hands on for years.

http://vibrationsofdoom.com/test/index.html

I just read about this site in Martin Popoff's 80s metal book. What an amazing site. Some real finds there, stuff I've long forgotten about. Cool to see this Canadian classic there...

The one I was interested in was Mekong Delta. Anyone got either of their early albums (or anything by them, for that matter)?

Here's the first half of the Scar Symmetry album:
hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=3CA020EF607E9E25

Thanks!

I'm y'all send the thing'ing my mom some symphonic metal (no, I'm not kidding), so I figure there are still a few downloads in these links. Take 'em if you want 'em:

Edenbridge - The Grand Design
hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=C579EC3D0FBC7145


Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=522981E822D4825A


Venin Noir - In Pieces of the Lunar Soil
hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=6DC0DD397969F8A2

Hmm, just might.

here's the second half of the Scar Symmetry:
hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=F3C5CE012CB8AE7D