Welcome one and all. I finally decided to show a little initiative and come up with an actual post for the site, as opposed to the usual random snarky comments & YouTube videos that I am (not) famous for. And to think, my high school guidance counselor said I wouldn’t amount to anything in life. WHO’S LAUGHING NOW, MRS. DWYER? I AM, BECAUSE THIS EPISODE OF ‘SANFORD & SON’ THAT I’M WATCHING IS HI-LARIOUS. As you can see from the title above, today’s article will be about music. Specifically, metal. Now I realize a lot of you may not exactly be the biggest fans of the genre, but I hope that you will give the following songs at least one listen. If you really like what you hear, I also have a music blog where I post albums daily, from all sorts of genres. You can find the link for the site in my profile.
Our first song comes to us from the progressive metal powerhouse Mastodon, formed in 1999 down in Atlanta. Progressive metal is characterized by lengthy songs (ranging anywhere from 6 to 15 minutes and more), incredibly intricate instrument work and superior vocals. There is a good deal of classical and jazz influence on the genre. Albums typically feature songs that are all linked together to relay a theme. Mastodon takes these elements and seamlessly blends them together along with other metal genres such as sludge & metalcore. I had the good fortune of seeing Mastodon live back in 2009. The show definitely did not disappoint. The track below is a cut from their 2004 masterpiece “Leviathan”, released on Relapse Records. As you can tell from the art below, the album was influenced quite heavily by Moby Dick. Several of the track titles (“I Am Ahab”, “Aqua Dementia” and “Seabeast”) directly relay this theme. It also features some incredible percussion work, which goes perfectly with lead singer Brent Hinds’ vocals. If this song piques your interest, then you will almost certainly want to check out Mastodon’s 2009 release “Crack the Skye”. It is definitely one of the finest concept albums I’ve ever heard.
Cover art for the album (WHALES!!!):
Other progressive metal bands: Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Pain of Salvation
Next, we have something from my favorite genre: STONER METAL. As you can guess from the name, most (not all, however) of these bands are big fans of marijuana and the music reflects that. The genre is heavily influenced by elements of psychedelic rock, blues and doom metal. The songs tend to be slower in tempo, and feature a bass-heavy sound rife with distortion. Sometimes even the most avid metal fan cannot distinguish between stoner metal & sludge metal, and in fact, several bands (such as Electric Wizard) borrow heavily from both genres to create their work. As an example of stoner metal, I present to you the title track from High on Fire’s 2010 album “Snakes for the Divine.” Considering the fact that this album was released three years after HOF’s last effort (which is an eternity in the music business), it is impressive to see how much the band has managed to improve even more on their sound. New bassist Jeff Matz proves he’s up to the challenge of hanging with the rest of the group and his basswork throughout the album never falters. Lead singer Matt Pike, who certainly has nothing left to prove in this business, delivers his vocals with the same frantic energy and emotion that keeps fans coming back for more. If you want more of Pike, go look up some albums by the band Sleep, one of the most influential stoner metal groups of all time.
Cover Art:
Other stoner metal bands: Serpent Throne, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Kyuss
Our last track for today comes from the Buffalo, NY quintet Every Time I Die. The song is called “Jimmy Tango’s Method”, found on their first full length album, “Last Night in Town”. I first found out about this band way back in 2001 from my friend Maggie. Before then, I had never even heard of the genre known as Screamo. After one listen, I was absolutely floored. It was such a massive deviation from any other kind of music I had heard up to that point in my life. The visceral lyrics, delivered at top volume by lead singer Keith Buckley combined with the frantic guitar work that seemingly followed no conventional standards of rhythm and meter……It was almost too much to bear. How this group was able to meld the vocals & instrumental work is beyond me. To this day, whenever I have an Every Time I Die song playing in my car, I can’t help but be infected with this energy that genuinely makes me feel like crashing into a brick wall at 100 MPH. Once I was able to decipher the lyrics (which did take some effort), they took over a permanent place in my brain. Most people would listen to this track and just dismiss it as loud, awful noise, but I implore you to give it a chance. Every Time I Die remains one of my favorite groups ever, and I have seen them live maybe a dozen times. For you convenience, I have posted the lyrics to the song as well.
Cover Art:
Lyrics:
The amateur camera captures her motion as perfectly
As the strangle knot confine that she wears on her wrists.
The trunk preserves the new car scent of the princess skin.
Disinfectant spit adding luster to chapped lips.
If she comes to, i’ll tell her that she’s beautiful.
All these flies have gathered in admiration.
Perhaps we should offer them a new wound.
I think you’re right, this isn’t really happening.
Still everyone keeps laughing at me.
Oh god, this is all going to end badly.
If you don’t wake up, i’ll have to stop kissing you.
All that flailing has made you sleepy.
You rest while i untie you.
Stay here until they find you.
We’ve got some time before the reverie ends.
I’ve combed my hair, brought you your sunday dress.
Tonight we’ll magnetize the eyes of the whole town.
My hand made mannequin.
I won’t let them get you.
They’ll know you’re mine by the fingerprints on your throat.
Isn’t she lovely?
Isn’t she wonderful?
Like the whores that we are, swatting flies from the wounds we design.
This is not about fear.
Paranoia is a disease of the unarmed.
This is beauty.
A sickening concern for the transience of flesh.
We keep our screams behind the gag,
I’ll keep my baby breath in a glad bag.
Other screamo/hardcore bands: Converge, Shai Hulud, Poison the Well
Well, that’s all for today people. I hope that some of you enjoy this post, and based on what kind of feedback I receive, I would be more than happy to do additional posts covering all sorts of music. I’ll be hiding under my bed now, waiting for the comments.