Angry Metal Guy

Heathens // Oh, Mock the Heavens and Let the Heathens Sing
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Definitely worth checking out.
Label: Unsigned
Websites: myspace.com/heathensband
Release Date: Out now…

The bread and butter of a heavy metal is the unsigned band. If you are patient enough to dig through piles and piles and piles and piles and piles and piles and piles and piles of shit, you will find the prototypes of up and coming bands. Bands in their infancy, but who are producing something that is heretofore unheard of. Or maybe they’ll just be doing something old remarkably well. Or maybe it’s a blending of the two, successfully putting together a sound that few have heard and being super kick ass at the derivative stuff. In any case, what I’m trying to say here is this; you’re bound to find a band that stands out after enough time reviewing underground stuff. However, knowing where to look is a bitch. So when I was directed to the South African black metal band Heathens by Lord Doom, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to like the material or not. Fortunately, Lord Doom is a man of impeccable taste.

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Iron Maiden // The Final Frontier
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — A great record…
Label: EMI
Websites: ironmaiden.com
Release Date: EU: 08.13.2010 | US: 08.17.2010

Iron Maiden is the greatest heavy metal band to ever live. Thirty years after the release of their self-titled album, they are arguably just as relevant as they ever have been—not resting on their laurels and imitating a hits jukebox, but instead touring the world playing their new material to the joy of fans everywhere. After what was a rousing success with their most recent record, the 2006 release of A Matter of Life and Death, there is actually maybe a bit more pressure on the band to produce something that is quality, memorable and, frankly, classic. Especially with the rumors floating around that this is Maiden‘s final album, spurred even further on by the fact that Steve Harris helped write every song on the record, the pressure cooker of fan scrutiny is reaching fever pitch. And so it falls to this Angry Metal Guy to try to put all of this into some sort of context; to try to listen to my favorite band with fresh ears—and I’ve come to some realizations about the band in the process. Continue reading

Allegaeon // Fragments of Form and Function
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Colorado by way of Sweden
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: myspace.com/allegaeon
Release Dates: EU: 19.07.2010 | US: 07.20.2010

I read somewhere recently that music reviewers who cite to other bands as a means to explain what an album sounds like do a disservice to themselves as writers by taking shortcuts and a greater disservice to the band by depriving them of individual creative identity. Upon reading this, I felt anger, then shame, then finally, acceptance. I pledged my very next review would be entirely devoid of such pathetic comparisons and my writing would thereby ascend to new heights of greatness.  Then I listened to my assigned album and that went out the fucking window.  Before me I have the debut album Fragments of Form and Function by Colorado’s own Allegaeon. It’s very good and I like it plenty. However, there is no way I get through this review without the crutch of comparison and I apologize to all who read this forevermore.

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Iron Thrones // The Wretched Sun
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Sophomore slump (but still great!)
Label: Who Needs a Label?
Websites: ironthrones.com | myspace.com/ironthrones
Release Date: July 27th, 2010

Those of you who have been reading Angry Metal Guy since the beginning will remember that I lauded heavy praise on a Minneapolis, Minnesota based band called Iron Thrones last year after I downloaded their record (for free) and had myself a little Angry Metal Hernia™. The band was incredible. Like some kind of unholy cross between Opeth and Jesus… or whatever. I promptly declared the record amazing, gave it five stars and then took a cold shower. In any case, Visions of Light, the debut, still ranks as the best unsigned act I’ve ever heard and I have had very, very high hopes for the follow up record—The Wretched Sun—which will be self-released on the 27th of July after the very talented band went and won the No Label Needed contest and got sent to a pro studio. Continue reading

Grand Magus // Hammer of the North
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Sweden hammers the World!
Label: Roadrunner Records
Websites: grandmagus.com | myspace.com/grandmagusrocks
Release Dates: EU: 21.06.2010 | US: 06.29.2010 (?)

It seems a sad fact that when one anticipates something and really looks forward to it, the chance of being disappointed increases exponentially. After Grand Magus unleashed their wildly impressive Iron Will album in 2008 (which was one of my favorite albums that year), I was extremely stoked for a follow up by this cadre of Swedish metal mongers but wondered if they could match or top the quality of that massive platter. Now that I have the anxiously awaited follow up in the form of their fifth album, Hammer of the North, my fears of being let down seem silly, because once again Grand Magus shows that they know how to craft top quality traditional heavy metal songs with a slight doom tinged edge. Continue reading

Witchery // Witchkrieg
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Riff after kick ass riff
Label: Century Media
Websites: witchery.se | myspace.com/witcherytheband
Release Dates: EU: 21.06.2010 | US: 06.29.2010

Hey, turns out that Witchery is releasing a new record in a few days. Far be it from me to not review this monster of a super group, especially given the news that got everyone pretty worked up: ex-Marduk vocalist Legion joined the band on vocals. Not only does this cement the band as serious super group (now sporting members or former members from Opeth, Séance, Bloodbath, Arch Enemy, Marduk, Devian, Spiritual Beggar, The Haunted, and Satanic Slaughter), but it adds a well-known quantity to the band. Turns out that Swedish scene is a tad bit inbred. But does this kind of caliber, and a back catalogue of well loved records mean that Witchery will hit home anew with their deathy brand of thrash metal in 2010? Continue reading

Grave – Burial Ground
Rating: 4.0/5.0 – Unbury this death metal monster!
Label: Regain Records
Websites: grave.se | myspace.com/gravespace
Release Dates: EU: 14.06.2010 | US: 06.29.2010 [Unsure]

It seems safe to say that after surviving 22 years, Grave has become an official death metal institution as well as being one of the founding fathers of the classic “Swedish death metal sound” along with Entombed, Unleashed and Dismember. Therefore, when the esteemed Grave Institute releases a new album, long time and newbie death heads alike should sit up and take notice. Burial Ground is album number eight for these long running purveyors of deathly tidings and being their usual consistent, quality selves, this is a solid, old school slice of vintage Swedish death metal but with a few surprises as well.

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Watain // Lawless Darkness
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Black metal excellence
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: templeofwatain.com | myspace.com/watainofficial
Release Dates: EU: 07.06.2010 | US: 06.08.2010

This Angry Metal Guy rips on black metal a lot. One of the most overdone and ill-performed genres in the history of metal has to be black metal. The problem is that when black metal is performed poorly by individuals who are not invested in it, then black metal is boring, simplistic and uninteresting. But when black metal is performed with the force and fanaticism of Sweden’s very own Watain, then it is a force to be reckoned with. And finally Lawless Darkness the new full-length from this Uppsala/Stockholm, Sweden-based black metal act is here and it is a force be reckoned with. It harkens back to the days of yore, when black metal was new, vile and most importantly, dangerous and excellent. Continue reading

Anathema // We’re Here Because We’re Here
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Masterfully done
Label: K-scope
Websites: anathema.ws | myspace.com/weareanathema
Release Dates: EU: 31.05.2010 | US: 05.31.2010

Where the hell does one even start with Anathema. The band has been in a state of flux for quite a while. The last thing they put out was Hindsight which, quite obviously, was not technically considered a standard release (despite it being my top record of 2008—a very dry year for metal in this Angry Metal Guy’s opinion). That means it’s been five years since A Natural Disaster an album that I found to be remarkably underwhelming, as it followed up one of the finest albums of the entire 2000s: A Fine Day to Exit. But it has, indeed, been 9 years since Anathema released a new album that I was super excited about. Everyone keeps asking “was 7 years worth it?” Well, for me it’s more like “was 9 years worth it?”

Yes. The answer is unequivocally yes. Now, it’s true that the band is never going to produce Judgement again, so get that out of your head right now. But what Anathema produces in 2010 is just as relevant and interesting as Judgement was in 1999 and A Fine Day to Exit was in 2001. “And what is that music,” you may ask. I’ll tell you: it’s melancholy, yet oddly positive, 60s and 70s influenced prog rock. With the strains of Pink Floyd, and The Beatles (but honestly, mainly Floyd and their ilk) floating around in the background Anathema breeds their own unique strain of ethereal, amorphous and gorgeous rock music.

The thing that stands out the most for me is that while older Anathema is very much a music of sorrow, We’re Here Because We’re Here is a music all its own. A music of Zen one could  say. In fact, there is a hippiesque patchouli stank to this album that is so strong I have to plug my ear-nose™. Someone has been reading Be Here Now and maybe smoking a bit too much ganj, but it’s a fascinating change, really. To see it develop from songs like “One Last Goodbye” and “Temporary Peace” into songs like “Angels Walk Among Us” that has lines like “Only you can heal your life / Only you can heal inside…” or “Presence” (which is basically an extension of the same song) which has a fascinating quote: “Life is not the opposite of death, death is the opposite of birth. Life is eternal.” Or how about the final strains of the album: “There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer / There is no disease that enough love cannot heal / No door that enough love will not open / No gulf that enough love will not bridge / And no wall that enough love will not throw down.” This is not your depressed teenage years’ Anathema, my friends.

The positivity aside, however, Anathema still produces some of the heaviest material on the early tracks of this album since Judgement—on the tracks “Thin Air” and “Summer Night Horizon”. These heavier moments offset a much more poppy and easily digestible Anathema than I think we’ve ever heard before. However, this record is also incredibly epic, or should I say, adventurous and interesting. Tracks like the closing 8 minute epic (see!) “Hindsight” make clear that the band has more to say and a beautiful vision filled with white light, oceans… (silhouettes standing in them.. wait a second this is starting to sound familiar!) and peace and love. They are now, as they ever have been, making the music of the heart and that is the reason that they continue to be admired among fans of heavy music and prog.

So for me, again, while this record might not be on the exact same par as Judgement or A Fine Day To Exit it is definitely still a fantastic album that is worth your listening, your time and your money. The songwriting continues to be compelling, the vocal performances are outstanding and need I mention that Steven Wilson did the mix? Probably not. Now hopefully it won’t be another 7 (or 9) years before Anathema puts out another record of this caliber. Every once in a while Angry Metal Guys need some Zen.

Nevermore // The Obsidian Conspiracy
Rating: 4.0/5.0 – Less complex, more accessible, don’t freak out!
Label: Century Media
Websites: nevermore.tv | myspace.com/nevermorefans
Release Dates: EU: 31.05.2010 | US: 06.08.2010

Nevermore has always held a special place in the metal community with both fans and other bands alike looking up to and respecting them. It isn’t hard to see why they command this level of respect, with world-class guitarist Jeff Loomis and vocalist extraordinaire Warrel Dane both calling Nevermore home. Because of this high profile and superb talent, a lot is expected from Nevermore and for the most part, album to album, Nevermore have consistently delivered the goods. Therefore, the arrival of a new slab of metal from these guys is always a pretty big deal and after waiting five years since The Godless Endeavor, we finally get The Obsidian Conspiracy.

Right off the bat it becomes obvious The Obsidian Conspiracy is a bit of a departure for Nevermore. While the trademark Nevermore elements are all still present, long-time fans may notice this is less complex and more accessible than The Godless Endeavor and other older works. Now, before diehard Nevermore fans get their panties in a bunch and jump out a window, this is still classic Nevermore and a very technical album with some very heavy moments. Additionally, this is far from some pop metal album. When I say accessible, I mean in the context of past Nevermore albums, which could be very dense and heavily technical and require patience to get into. Here however, the songs are all shorter in length than on previous albums, some tracks are instantly memorable and others quickly become so. For example, both “Emptiness Unobstructed” and “And the Maiden Spoke” jump out and stick in your head very quickly. I don’t recall this being the case with earlier albums, especially The Godless Endeavor. Perhaps the added accessibility comes from a growing maturity as songwriters or maybe some of it bled over from Dane’s solo album. Whatever the cause, the result is a collection of well crafted songs which ebb and flow very well from mood to mood.

As The Obsidian Conspiracy unfolds, you get everything from classic progressive thrash (“The Termination Proclamation,” “The Obsidian Conspiracy”), to brooding, morose epics (“And the Maiden Spoke,” “The Blue Marble and the New Soul”) all the way to more straight-forward metal (“Your Poison Throne,” “Emptiness Unobstructed”), all past elements of the Nevermore repertoire are showcased well even in the more accessible format.

Mood-wise and lyrically, this is definitely not an uplifting, feel good album. It oscillates between rage, despair, grief and other sinister, haunting emotions, all expertly presented by the writing and execution of some truly top flight musicians. Warrel Dane’s vocals shine as always and few are as convincing at emotional expression. It’s easy to believe Dane feels the pain of the lyrics he creates and sings and it makes the songs much more powerful. Similarly, Jeff Loomis shows he can write technical yet accessible riffs and keep things powerful and energetic even during the slower, moodier tracks.

At the end of the day, this is a Nevermore album so you know it will be quality and contain excellent musicality. The Obsidian Conspiracy has no truly weak tracks and is interesting throughout its varying moods. The added accessibility makes the material easier to digest and appreciate for the average listener, yet this hasn’t caused the music to lose its edge or overall technicality. While I can foresee some negative feedback forthcoming for the slight shift in style and some considering this a disappointment of sorts, don’t be swayed. This is still Nevermore and it’s a solid, quality release and definitely worth checking out.