Posts Tagged ‘thrash’
Arsis – Forced To Rock (new track from Starve For The Devil)
Arsis posted another song from their upcoming album Starve For the Devil called Forced To Rock. 
Says frontman Jim Malone: “How can I better the world? This is the question that I asked myself when writing ‘Forced To Rock’. I eventually came to the conclusion that the death metal world needed an anthem. Sure, it may not be the cure for cancer, but it is fun and fun is something that I feel is lacking in a lot of the music out there today. It’s music, it’s not saving lives; there is no reason to be serious 100% of the time. Tongue in cheek or foot in mouth; I am probably not the proper authority to comment on the matter.”
Cool song and definitely on the lighter side lyrically. Can’t wait to hear the whole thing.
The Big 4 Tour? Blech!
Seriously? There’s all this talk about Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax doing a tour together. I wouldn’t go no 
matter how “legendary” it might be. Let’s just face facts here (my facts!): Metallica hasn’t put out anything worth listening to since maybe And Justice for all. Slayer hasn’t released anything decent since Seasons in the Abyss. Anthrax was lifeless after State of Euphoria. Megadeth has made a good run of it in the last 5 years, but they wouldn’t be enough for me to want to see the other bands. I believe they are coming near here with Slayer in a few months. I’ll likely go and leave before Slayer comes on, just like I did last year when Judas Priest came on, I was out of there.
Now on the marketing side of this, it would be ideal if all of the egos could work it out. Every band would stand to make a lot of money…mainly by having Metallica on the bill. They sell out everywhere they play (insert easy joke here!). Money wise it’s a no brainer as long as these bands don’t actually have to speak to each other.
There are certainly other thrash bands I’d much rather see than these.
Sometimes I really miss the old days.
Megadeth – Endgame (2009) – CD Review
I like Megadeth…really, I love Megadeth. But I’m no fanboy. I really stopped listening to them when Countdown To 
Extinction came out. I even had a little trouble listening to Rust In Peace, but it’s pretty tolerable now. I’ll also be at the front of the line to say that I prefer Megadeth’s first 3 albums over Metallica’s. Dave is a riffmaster and I am sure there are a lot of good songs on the albums between Countdown and The World Needs a Hero, but I just can’t care.
Those first 2 are simply incredible. The perfect combination of power, sweet riffage, great solos, drumming and heroin. Even So Far So Good has some really high points.
But they whimped out after Rust In Peace. Other than Friendman’s Dragon’s Kiss album, his playing never did much for me, so I stayed away from his era of ‘Deth.
Then The System Has Failed came out with Chris Poland back in the ban for the album! I had to hear it…Loved it! His trademark sound was all over the album. I got to see Gigantour and finally got to meet Dave. It was a memorable experience. That guy is pretty smart and a phenomenal guitarist. I also like United Abominations a lot.
So here we are in 2009. Another Megadeth album. Endgame. I’m impressed. Dave has always hired good guitarists and Chris Broderick (Jag Panzer) is a worthy member. He’s got some great solos on Endgame as does Dave. It’s pretty easy to tell who is who. Dave’s style is pretty unique. I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves as a guitarist, especially as a soloist.
Endgame is pretty good all the way through. The opening track is an instrumental and it does remind me of Set The World Afire in a few spots, but it doesn’t detract from the great solos. I’ve listened to this about 6 times now and I think my least favorite track is Bite The Hand. I was a little nervous when I heard about the ballad, but it’s not bad at all. My favorite tracks would be This Day We Fight, The Hardest Part of Letting Go, Endgame and 44 Minutes. Shawn Drover and James Lomenzo do a great job of holding down the rhythm.
Now I do have a few criticisms. Dave’s vocals have never been great by any stretch of the imagination. He’s certainly lost a step in his vocals over the last 2 albums. It’s natural really. He’s no spring chicken these days. They’re not bad, but he sounds a little weaker. That guy used to have one of the greatest wails in metal! I’ll also make a small complaint about the lyrics. Sure, metal has always had a bit of silliness and Megadeth sliced their share of the cheese. But it doesn’t really detract from the record. The record is good. Really good. Very rarely do I buy albums on their release day, but for modern era Megadeth, I make the exception.
Nice work, Dave. 8.5/10.
Sorry, no free download here. Go buy it, slacker.
http://www.myspace.com/megadeth is streaming it for free right now as well.
Vis Vires – Inside the Hate
Odd little band that I found through Denis Gulbey of Sentinel Steel Records. They hail from somewhere in Georgia but 
don’t really have an American sound. The album is mildly progressive ala Fates Warning (middle Alder era), euro thrashy and gothy in other spots. Occasional screamo vocals which normally turn me off, but they seem to work in this instance. There are some tasty guitar and drums parts and I really dig the singer. The album is a little sloppy in places but it doesn’t really detract from the sum of the whole.
Based on the lyrics, the singer is pretty unhappy with stuff, mainly God. “It doesn’t matter if you rise again cuz you are dead in me forever.” Ouch. His vocal style is very loose and even out of pitch here and there but it works.
If you’re into metal I recommend giving this a listen. Such a pity they split up after this. Another album would have been interesting.
And sorry, no personal quip with this one, just an album that I like.
If the download expires, leave me a note and I’ll upload it again.
Dark Angel – Darkness Descends
I’m pretty sure it was spring 1987 and I was down on Atlantic Ave at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront hanging out for 
whatever reason. There was a little record store there that I can’t remember the name of. I’m pretty sure it was an independent store and don’t hink it lasted more than a few years. I can’t even remember if anyone was with me…maybe Robert S. Anyhoo, we were browsing the cassettes and I saw Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends. I immediately knew that this would be my purchase. I had seen the ads for this in various metal mags and it was on Combat Records which had a pretty good track record of bands so far.
I remember getting in my 66′ Nova 4dr and heading back home while the tape started. I was immediately blown away. The drums. Holy shit, the drums! I remember seeing fotos in magazines of the band and the big huge drummer in shades looming over them in every foto. I was fortunate enough to meet him earlier this decade and he was the coolest mofo in the world.
But back to this massive album. There’s not a stinker in the bunch but my faves are Burning of Sodom, Black Prophecies and Perish In Flames. Sure it’s a tad sloppy and severely underproduced, but it set a/the standard for early thrash and death metal in my opinion, especially for drummers.
When I finally saw them live in 1989, I got to help sing Merciless Death as the new singer said he didn’t know the lyrics that well. I was the happiest acne-faced, bad-haired kid in Virginia Beach that night!
If you’re into classic metal and especially early thrash, you NEED this album.
I finally found the foto of Gene and me from 2001. 
The Metal Files 
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