Posers and Hipsters Beware, It's Coming Back!

I am proud to say that MARK SKULL PIRATE RADIO is coming back Saturday!

Philadelphia's first, best, and ONLY metal and punk internet-only radio station is already up and running, but a full-blown roll-out begins Friday, and the Mark Skull Show, the infamous live show, will be on Saturday Night at 7PM!!!!

SO START LISTENING!!!!!!!

Wish you Were There: In Flames, The Trocadero, 2009 Review

I wish you were there.

After watching The Faceless open the show, followed by a tongue-in-cheek performance by 3 Inches of Blood, the crowd went absolutely crazy for Between the Buried in Me. While a select few in the crowd forced and swooned the crowd, creating massive shoving matches for most of the 45-minute set, I was enjoyed the music but saved my energy. The main reason I was here was the headliners, the Kings of Gothenberg Metal, the band that helped save metal.

In Flames arrived.

This review is not going to be about the actual music. No, this was the type of show where you knew the music was going to be great, the band perfect, and the mood incredible. But there was something extra about this show that is hard to put into words and was, in the end, something you needed to be there for to fully understand.

Halfway through the song "Pinball Map", the first song of their 2002 disc Clayman, the power cut out on the stage. The lights were still on, but the mics and instruments went dead. The reaction weren't boos, but applause that they did try to go on for at least 30 seconds. They were strong through-and-through, taking the event in stride. They chuckled and laughed and enjoyed the moment, even joking about doing the rest of the show as an acoustic set, which we all applauded at the idea of. The crowd held well and we were all in good spirits, cheering the guitarist on to chug a beer and failing to get the drummer to kill the time with a drum solo.

The band picked up right where they left off! Incredible showmanship, and the band enjoying every last second of it! It was then between songs that Anders, lead singer of In Flames, asked someone about them filming the show. "What is that? Is that a camera? Are you filming us?" A nervous chuckle came over the crowd, wondering if everyone else filming were about to get busted.

"What, do you like filming sweaty white guys?"

The crowd cheered.

Unkown to most of the crowd, someone said, "YES!" "Wait, " Anders said, "You have a camera and this lady over here doesn't? That doesn't seem right. Give her your camera." You could hear the fan dumbfounded in his silence. "Come on, man, give her your camera.", he insisted in a very polite and calm manner. He handed the lady his camera. "Hey, you like taking photos? How about you come up here and get a better shot?" And, true to his word, she helped the young lady on stage to film.

The stage. At the Trocadero. To a nearly full-house. This is what she saw:



The rest of the night showed In Flames doing what they do best: Doing what they want, when they want, and HOW they want. In the over 15 years they've recorded music, they've gone through death metal to thrash to nu-metal and back, and borrowing from American culture all the while. While blogs focused on some mediocre indie band, metal fans and even non-metal fans came out to see one of the greatest names in music perform to a nearly sold out crowd on a Sunday night in October.

We all went back to our homes, knowing full well that work and school were less than 7 hours away. I think it is safe to say we will not forget what we saw this night, and the moments that made this a show to remember.


Want to learn about the greatness that is In Flames? Here are some videos:

THANKS FOR THE LAST-MINUTE HEADS UP! - Dillinger Escape Plain in Philly TOMORROW

Sean Agnew is, without a doubt, the hardest working man in Philadelphia's metal and punk scene. He, and basically he ALONE, has booked ass many kick-ass bands as possible to get them to play Philly, and its been working great. Personally, I'd love to see Wednesday 13 play Philly again, this time at First Unitarian Church since the crowd at The Troc last year for him was low. Shocking since he was able to basically pack and sell-out The Crocodile Rock in Allentown. But that's another story.

I got an e-mail from Sean today about Dillinger Escape Plan. Here's the full e-mail:

*TOMORROW* Wednesday June 10th 8:00pm
At The First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA)
All Ages / $15 / Tickets On Sale At R5Productions.com & AKA Music (2nd And Market)
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN / THE #12 LOOKS LIKE YOU / KNIFE THE GLITTER

If you’ve never seen Dillinger Escape Plan before, here’s the deal: they’re N-U-T-S—nuts. As in bring a helmet to be safe; or at least plan an escape route, because things are bound to get hairy as Greg Puciato howls and heaves like a freshly-freed ape, setting in motion such tech-metal standards as “Sugar Coated Sour,” “Jim Fear,” “Panasonic Youth” and the deliriously catchy “Black Bubblegum.” Seriously now; is there any other band pushing the boundaries of extreme music harder than these guys, as they seamlessly switch between two-minute scorchers and carefully-plotted cracks at pop music? (Well, their twisted version of Top 40 tunes, at least.) As for what’s up with the band’s lineup as of late, longtime guitarist Brian Benoit was forced to quit a few years back due to a serious hand injury, and founding drummer Chris Pennie split in 2007 to focus on his new role in Coheed and Cambria. With that said, Billy Rymer absolutely destroyed his drum kit at some special shows earlier this year (his first one at The Barbary a few months ago!) stepping into Pennie’s dizzying shoes with ease. Jeff Tuttle’s also done a fine job playing the foil to founding guitarist Ben Weinman. Speaking of good ol’ Ben, just try to keep your eyes on him, even on a stage as small as the Church’s. The dude literally swings his guitar around like an axe, whipping up blinding power chords in the process. And you thought you knew what the term guitar hero meant…

You can purchase tickets at r5productions.com or at our box office located at AKA Music (just north of 2nd and Market Sts in Philadelphia)

TONIGHT AND TOMORROW: Three Awesome Shows!

Remember that post I had that went on and on about how dumb I thought it was for the local blogs not to tell you about cool events until the last minute and how much it pissed me off not knowing about something until then, even though they knew about it for weeks?

Today, I am the very thing I hate.



Tonight, MASTODON will be playing the TLA. I don't know if it's sold out or not, so if you can make it (I can't, I'm now broke), I can assure you it's going to be an excellent show! I had the pleasure of seeing them back in 2007 right before Blood Mountain came out, and it was just AWESOME!



Tomorrow, LAMB OF GOD will be dominating the Electric Factory for the second show in a month. Tickets are still available and I want to beat the crap out of my friend who lied to me and said ticket were $50... Tickets are only $38, and you get to see Children of Bodom AND Municipal Waste... oh, and As I Lay Dying. But damn it, that line-up (save AILD) KICKS-ASS!!!!



Also tomorrow, Philadelphia-native Lee Ving is BACK! Who is Lee Ving, you ask? Well, you lame-ass poser, he was THE voice of FEAR, one of the greatest punk bands to ever grace this nation! FEAR is infamously known for their appearance on Saturday Night Live on behalf of John Belushi, who loved the band. They were not allowed to play in the SNL Studios in NYC, so they played, in true fashion, a warehouse in Jersey City.

FEAR will be playing The Troc and save knowing someone in one of the bands or whoring yourself out, tickets are SOLD OUT to this 21+ show.


So, I'm sorry I didn't post these sooner, but I recommend going to any of these shows if you can. A great time will be had by all!

SEPTA Has New Busking Rules: Good and Bad News

Exactly 2 years ago as of May 2nd, the impact of an even that happened in March of 2007 came to a head. Anthony Riley, then 20-years-old, was arrested for singing in Rittenhouse Square. What followed on May 2nd was the blow back, a group of musicians and smart-minded people who realized that this was wrong. The protest was large, with nearly 100 people there. I was there during my run for mayor. I wore my favorite black suit and a pair of sunglasses. In one hand was a small red amp and in the other a gig bag for my Scott Ian Lyon/Washburn signature series guitar. I approached Anthony, talked with him for a bit and some other people and a reporter, and played along in protest to these insane laws. The police came to try and stop the peaceful protest, but Anthony was able to show the proper documents and we were allowed to stay.

In August, Anthony had his day in court. After an hour-long trial where the defense showed a weak and laughable case, the judge dismissed all charges. Anthony had beaten the system, and the ability to busk in Philadelphia was permitted.

I asked myself if our fight was just. It was... but I knew we had all created something that would not end well.

Although I was quiet about it then, I spent the months leading up to the trial watching as musicians came out of the woodwork for to exercise their right and ability to perform to the public. It was amazing and fun at first, but as the trial came, I saw more and more people busking and I realized that this may be a problem.

By the Summer of 2008, it is safe to say that there was a large problem with busking in Center City; everyone and anyone with a instrument and an amp to play pre-recorded music seem to come out and try their hand at being a small star. Some days it was a pain to go to Suburban Station, as 5 or 6 people would all peform in a small area at the same time. Trying to pick out one sound against another was a pain. There were some people who were great, though I don't know their names. A small R&B group that played at Market East Station, a child violinist who would pop up from time to time, and a man who was, in every since, a one-man band with class, playing the drums while singing at the same time and peforming, periodically, with other people.

It was Philadelphia seeing its first real busking boom since I've been alive. Up until 2007, there were very few, if any, people busking at SEPTA stations. It was nice at first, but one day as I tried to catch my train, a group of breakdancers created such a crowd, it was almost impossible to get by. At the same time, a lot of the people peforming were either mediocre, bad... or just plain boring.

In March I decided to go to Market East Station and give busking a try. I wasn't doing it for the money, just the chance to dress as I wished, paly what I wanted, and see how people reacted. I went down there with full distortion on my little amp and played whatever metal songs I could cover and a ton of original stuff and improve. After about 2 hours, on a good day, I made $15, which was more than enough for me! I had a employee tell me to move once (vey rudely, I might add)... that netted me $5 in pitty cash. I was mad I was told to move and in the back of my mind I though, "Well, put up a damn sign if I can't play there!"

They did.

Starting Monday, signs started showing up in Center City train stations telling people that they could no longer simply go up to a spot and start peforming. Instead, a rule was created: "All peformers will need to get a permit which could be attained for free and they could only play for 3 hours." I found this fair and sound, and OK. Then the last part: "No amplification of any kind." This part is where I have to disagree!

Yes, people can play loud with an amp. REALLY loud. But I have heard plenty of instruments, from accoustic guitars to drums to just people singing, that are louder than most amps turned to a reasonable setting. My beef is that there isn't wiggle room here, just "no". Some people need SOME amplification, and this rule smacks in the face of a lot fo people, in particular that small R&B duo I mentioned.

In an article in today's Philadelphia Metro, people had mixed feelings on this, and understandably so. The amplification part, in particular, had two interesting notes. A woman who goes to Suburban Station often said that the noise "became down-right annoying, especially from those with amplifiers." A man named Peter, who has played the keyboards for nearly 6 years, is angry as his revenue will most likely shrink from $80 to $20 because of the hour limit."

While the signs are posted, the rules don't go into effect until August 6th, 2009.

Myself? I'm sad I can't just pop downtown and play the train station like I used to. It was fun while it lasted. I'm just mad about the amp thing...


(Photo of the Busker in Suburban Station courtesy of Detainee)

Kreator & Exodus Last Night At The Troc: One Of My Top 5 Shows!

Last night was nothing short of amazing!

I got to the venue at 5:30PM, 30 minutes before the show. The Trocadero normally doesn't allow lines to form until 30 minutes before a show, and I thought since the show wasn't sold out, I would be fine. WRONG! About 80 screaming metal heads were already there, and to me, that was a good sign! By the times the doors opened, the line was around the block, everyone was psyched about having a good time, and I was ready for Kreator!

The bill last night was as follows:

• Warbringer
• Belphegor
• Exodus
• Kreator

If your into metal, and by that, if you still LISTEN AND FOLLOW metal, by no doubt you understand that is an amazing line-up, the likes of which you pray for. Warbringer, delivering old-school thrash with a modern twist, along with black metal legends Belphegor... playing aside two of the greatest thrash metal bands of all time Exodus AND Kreator?

Warbringer started off the show with a thunderous roar, brining as much energy and determination, as well as incredible songs and riffs, as if they were headlining! I've only heard about this band from all my metalhead friends, and it was an honor, and a treat, to watch them live. Belphegore... I will admit, never heard their stuff, either. It was great to do so, though! They have a very smart, very indepth musical ability and style, something that I think buying an album would really give me depth on.

Exodus. Holy shit, what can I say about these guys?! The original band that screamed "DEATH TO POSERS!" and meant it with every ounce of their body, they have always been a mixture of pure "fuck you!" and having a good time. Many bands claim it, these guys have actually done it! They have songs that can pratically bleed with statements that will make people on both sides of the political isle uneasy ("O say can you fucking see/ The missles fall like rain" - "Scar Spangled Banner") and ("Your saviors a killer, you die for Allah /You are all children of a worthless god"). There is always a party attituide, a-la "Toxic Waltz" which, seriously, if you can't find yourself moshing to that song at LEAST a little bit live with 1000 other screaming metalheads... you suck and don't go to metal shows, and the band is amazing!

Rob Dukes (who I refer to as "Rob "Daisy" Dukes, only because it's the easiest way to remember the last name. I guess Rob "Put Up Your" Dukes works fine, too) was the absolute showman; riling up the crowd and supporting his beloved New York Rangers, while guitarist Jack Gibson from California loves The Philadelphia Flyers! Hell, he even put on a Flyers Jersey for "Toxic Waltz"! For me, a little treat was the fact that Jack Gibson was playing the same exact guitar as me, a ESP DV8! I got lucky and got a guitar pick he actually used, and it's the same as me! SWEET!

Kreator. KREATOR! It was nothing short of great! Led Zepplins "In the Light" was used to basically warm up the crowd before they went on, and they opened with the skull-shattering title track off their new album, "Hordes of Chaos"! The rest of the set was peppered with choice tracks such as "Coma of Souls", "People of the Lie", and "Phobia". Miland 'Mille' Petrozza worked the crowd fairly well, and it was hilarious hearing him mention a question that was asked of him if he was serious when he told the crowd to "kill each other?" His reply? "Well, I told them that it was all just a metaphor, that really we're all about peace and harmony." The crowd went dead silent and I kinda smiled as I got what he was saying. "I have to tell you something.... I LIED! For this next song I want you TO KILL EACH OTHER!!!!!!!!!"

After slamming to "Enemy of God" and "Destroy what Detroys You", the rest of the night was great. Excellent shredding, showmanship...

In the end, I got to remember why I love going to metal shows and just why, exactly, The Trocadero is such a great place for a metal show; Because, unlike some places, the people who go to these shows are actually fans of the music and the bands there! They aren't there to be "seen", they aren't there because they think it's "ironic"; no, there is a sort of brotherhood and a good natured feeling that has been with this place since every show I've gone to there since 2003 when I was 18.

Last night was the type of show that comes once in a great while. It wasn't entirely about the incredible bands, the excellent performances.. the fans and friends are the cherry on the sundae at a metal show, and frankly, I want more.

I'll be posting more shows soon, and trust me when I say this: It's going to get GOOD!


Here is the set list for Kreator:

Edit this setlist | More Kreator setlists

Photo thanks to Workhardpr!

Before I Go: Kreator "Hordes of Chaos"

Kreator with Exodus

Trocadero

Philadelphia, PA
Thu, Apr 9, 2009 06:00 PM

SOURCE: The Troc!

FINAL WARNING! Kreator and Exodus in Philly Tomorrow Night! Why You Must Go!

If your into metal, you need to go see Kreator and Exodus tomorrow night at The Trocadero. I'm not kidding around.

Why, you ask, do I think this is so vital? Why the hell would I try and push everyone to go to this show? Because I am sick and fucking tired of local blogs and media treating metal shows like nothing! I am sick and tired of seeing shitty indie rock bands sell out places like nothing! I am sick and tired of blogs not even mentioning great metal shows in their articles! I am sick and tired of seeing ads for THE TROC without these metal bands coming to town! THE GOD DAMN TROC isn't even advertising these metal shows!

So if you've got $25, and you want to see two of the GREATEST METAL BANDS OF ALL TIME tear up a fairly intimate club on a Thursday night, get to this show! Buy a ticket for yourself, buy one for your friend... I want this show sold out because I want to send a message that, god damn it, METAL IS ALIVE IN PHILLY!

Again: Kreator and Exodus at The Trocadero, Thursday April 9, 2009. Doors open at 6PM and show starts at 6:30PM. And, for you who don't want to go early and see the openers, Exodus should come on around 8:30PM.

In case your not sure, here is Kreator and Exodus:

KREATOR AND EXODUS IS COMING TO TOWN!!!!!!

Kreator with Exodus

Trocadero

Philadelphia, PA
Thu, Apr 9, 2009 06:00 PM

SOURCE: The Troc!

The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!!

In case you didn't know, yesterday saw the Series Finale of The Powerpuff Girls, "Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!". It was originally going to be a full-movie but got cut back to one 22-minute episode. I think it benefited the show because it was literally jam-packed with laughs and action and comedy. It was awesome!

So this isn't that. Instead, this is a video someone made of The Powerpuff Girls singing "Beezleboss" by Tenacious D. Awesome? HELL YEAH!

What Is The Futrue of Shadows Fall?

"We haven't been dropped from Atlantic Records!"

Ever since the release of 2007's "Threads of Life", the major-label debut of Shadows Fall, one of the modern "Big 4" of the metal movement, rumors have spread that Shadows Fall was dropped from Atlantic Records. This was spurred by both poor reviews of the album and the fact that, since it's April 2007 release, it has sold only 100,000 copies! Compare that to 2004's "The War Within" on Century Media, which has sold over 300,000 to date and... well, it's safe to say that "Threads of Life" was a commercial flop.

I wrote a review about 6 months after it came out since I wanted to have a more objective review since... well, it's always a bad sign when you don't want to review something as soon as you get it, isn't it?

The album cover looks just about as rushed as the album sounds, like Atlantic Records demanded them to write the album as fast as possible and release it quickly to cash in on their fame. This isn't a new practice in the music world, of course, and Anthrax's "State of Euphoria" from 1988 is a testament of what happens when a great band is rushed to release an album. Scott Ian has even disowned it.

Since then, Shadows Fall went on a tour in 2007, but was mostly quiet for most of 2008, with no real notable tour I can recall. The name is starting to fade from the lips of the metal community, and as a fan of the band, I'm stuck asking... "Where are they headed to now?"

Despite what the band calls a "rumor", Roadrunner Records Europe HAS dropped Shadows Fall, and because of how poorly the album is doing, their relationship with Atlantic Records is on shaky ground. No offense meant to the band (I've met them and they're good folks), but it's a PR statement in order to keep the faithful happy. A major record label doesn't shell out a ton of cash to have a band not do well. This album got great promotion, so it's safe to say that the next one is going to have to slay, or we're going to be stuck with 5 "live albums".

Shadows Fall are playing a free show tonight and are releasing a new album this year.

The Years of Decay: A Brief Look At the Last Year For Me

This is the day before my 24th Birthday and I'm psyched about how far I've come over the past year. When I turned 23, my life sucked; I had just been turned down for a job at Miskeen Originals in their advertising department, I was a week away from being laid-off from my job at Tech Tattoo (a kiosk I worked at in the King of Prussia Mall) and I was nearly broke. I spent the next 3 months staring into an abyss of my own personal demise, one that was filled with all my utilities being shut off, being broke, losing my house... losing everything.

Then... hope.

Around April of 2008, I was working as a dishwasher for $7 an hour at a bar/wanna-be-upscale restaurant in the Northern Liberties section of Philly. I was trying to quit as soon as possible, and I had an out: A job at a company working full-time as a web and graphic designer. I quickly was hired for the job... the same week I was fired from the dishwasher job. Worked out pretty well.

By October, I had finally gotten a handle on things: Bills getting worked out, actually getting by and surviving was possible... By December, I had fallen into a working-class mindset and was actually putting up with having to work 10-hour shifts (I normally work 8) in order to make up time I lost (Flex-time!), living off $40 for 2 weeks, and met someone great.

Today, I look at the past year and all that I've went through, all that I've seen, all that I've enjoyed, and all that I've been forced to suffer to get to this point. I have seen many great people and great minds lost this year, a massive retail bust, and the election of a new president. I've been forced to stoop to levels I never thought I would have to go in order to survive, and my reward was a great career in my chosen field, some great friends, an excellent experience, and finally some relief from my bills.

For the first time in what feels like forever, things are looking up again.

In tribute to that last year, both for the bad and the good, one of my favorite bands with one of my favorite songs ever: Overkill "The Years of Decay".

If Kip Winger Insults Metallica... Is It Even Valid?

Kip Winger, seen here in his cover for Playgirl Magazine, has recently had this to say about drummer Lars Ulrich:

C.C. Banana: Have you ever thrown darts at a photo of Lars Ulrich?

Kip Winger: I've never done that. I really never had anything against the guy. In fact, when I first heard METALLICA's "black" album, I thought it was a really cool record... and then they just started taking shots at me, for whatever reason. But it's okay, Lars is not really that talented. He's got a lot of fucking money, though, so I'm sure he's happy. I actually felt sorry for him when I saw that "Some Kind of Monster" documentary. He was sitting there next to his dad, just seething with unmoved emotion over things that were still unresolved. It was really kind of sad to watch. But I do like METALLICA, they're a good band.

...OK, so it's not really an insult to Metallica, not even Lars; "Lars Isn't that Talented" is the headline, albeit a desperate one.

But hey, this story is going to get some decent play in the metal world, and don't be shocked if Megadeth fans start pointing to this as a "You see? YOU SEE!" moment. For us die-hard Megadeth fans who don't really care but get to sit back and enjoy the mayhem, we get to revel in the irony of the laughing stock of metal insulting someone who many consider to be the best/over-rated metal drummer ever.

Why Do Most Top 10 Albums of the Year Lists Suck?

I hate Top 10 Albums of the Year Lists.

Whenever I see these lists, it seems to be done by people in a musical black hole. Self-important music critics who think the world ends and begins in the world of lo-fi indie music and whatever their small group of friends enjoy. They seem to be done by people who have been forced to listen to music as a career that sucks and, because of that, they pick the best of the worst. Pitchfork Media, this is going straight after your pampas asses!

On their "news" page, The Arcade Fire warrants a headline and the mention of a noise rock concert is headline worthy as well. For the love of god, who is Microsastle and why is their CD GOOD? Because it replicates 50s and 60s pop? If you wanted regurgitated music, why not just pick up some 50's and 60's pop, take a gun, and simply do the world a favor?

But I digress... I digress in hatred.

So, who's their Top 10? I'll list the band name and albums:

10: DJ/rupture
Uproot

09: Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair

08: M83
Saturdays=Youth

07: Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend

06: TV on the Radio
Dear Science

05: Deerhunter
Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.

04: Cut Copy
In Ghost Colours

03: No Age
Nouns

02: Portishead
Third

01: Fleet Foxes
Sun Giant EP/Fleet Foxes

The overall trend? It seems to be of indie/pop/shitty bands that garner little or no respect in the mainstream community and caters to indie socialites and music-holes who think iPod's are the embodiment of all that is "hip". This list fails for more reasons than one, and yes, I know that music is subjective and one mans love is another's scorn.

But who are these bands? Seriously, who? I've never heard of ANY of them! Not a whisper, not a hint, not a trace! I don't heard them on TV, on the radio, burning up charts, anything. I don't see them on end-caps at FYE, articles in Rolling Stone, indie-rock mags with them on the cover, news articles, or people at work talking about them. Then again, more than fair enough to say, I never see bands such as Amon Amarth, Wednesday 13, or Meshuggah making headlines, but save Wednesday 13, they all made it to the Top 100 on Billboard despite no airplay or real mainstream coverage. That's largely beause the metal world is it's own little community, it's own little close-nit area of the world where people go to forums and discuss the music they know and love.

Then again, I did state that the metal world has had albums by seemingly no-name bands to 90% of America crack Billboard this year. Is the indie rock/pop world that much larger? Is it that they can name the best albums, but aren't buying them as much? What's the deal here? What the hell am I missing?!

Is the problem that I am simply out of the loop here? Is it that I just have my own personal head in my own collective bubble of music that is exclusively metal and punk, and only listen to what I think is good and what my friends think? Honestly... yes and no. My friends taste in music is pretty different (I think DevilDriver's last album was shit, my friend loves it), and I do listen almost entirely to metal and punk, save Johnn Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Garbage, and a few others. At the same time, I am easily able to scoff at a lot of music without taking much in (The Fray? Why, why, why do people like them?).

I think there is a massive disconnect with music critics, self-important or otherwise, and the people they cater too. Chuck Klosterman, a man I both respect and scorn at the same time for his love of metal and calling Slayer "Black Metal" (say that to a die-hard fan and watch us squirm in pain), wrote that he has to listen to anything and everything for his job, and in turn his love for hair metal and 70's-early 80's metal (like I said... he thinks Slayer is "black metal") is mixed with bands you and I may never have heard off. To quote Ron Jeremy, "After a while, it takes a while to get me excited." So with a lot of music critics, to hear something "different" even if it isn't "good", qualifies it as being "good" on that alone.

Not only that, but I also hate it when they say it's the "Top 10 Albums of the Year", as if it's the be-all, end-all list of music that year. Why not be honest? "Top 10 Albums of Indie Rock/Pop", "Top 10 Albums of Bands 99% of the Human Population has never heard of, but we think are incredible", or even the more honest, "Top 10 Albums We Think Are Superior to Everything Ever Made Because it's on iTunes and, thus, HIP".

So, look for my "Top 10 Metal and Punk Albums of 2008".... if I can find 10 albums.

Slipknot Calls Coldplay "Music To Wipe Your Ass To"; Self-Important "Music" Fans Cry

Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has slammed Coldplay – accusing them of making “music to wipe your ass to”.

Taylor made the remark when asked to comment on Coldplay's latest album 'Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends'.

“That is one of the most self-celebratory pieces of **** I’ve ever ******* heard in my entire ******* life,” Taylor said on MTV2's review of the year.

“Go suck a ******* ****. Are you watching Martin? Suck it. Go eat a bag of ****. I ******* hate that album. It’s music to wipe your ass to.”

Coldplay's fourth record is the fastest selling album in the UK this year, spending four weeks at number one when it was released in June.

It has also topped the charts in 35 other countries, and has sold over two million copies in the US alone.

Source: Gigwise.com

The article neglects to mention that Coldplay is being Sued By Joe Satriani For Plagiarizing "Viva La Vida".

Coldplay. When they burst upon the music scene in 2000, one thought came to mind: Here comes another slow-motion band based on REM and Radiohead that thinks they can do something "awesome" with their brand of lo-fi, non-offensive, boring rock. They will go nowhere. Then they released that "Clocks" song and wound up staying around to today. Every self-indulgent "music" fan, and I use the term loosely because they think "music" consists of nothing more than mediocre bands and music that don't try to challenge the listener, but instead insults them with nonsensical drivle lyrics.

Bah.

That said, these self-indulgent music-holes aren't going to really care what a group of metalheads in jumpsuits and masks have to say about their latest flavor of vanilla. But, hey, it gave me an excuse to write this and put an album cover on a roll of toilet paper!

KREATOR EXODUS COMING TO PHILLY! Metal Fans Rejoice!

Kreator with Exodus

Trocadero

Philadelphia, PA
Thu, Apr 9, 2009 06:00 PM

SOURCE: The Troc!

Blasphemy! - Albums I Think Suck But People Love

Over the past year, I've been listening to my entire CD collection and I started trimming the fat since then. I think I sold off about 50 CD's, or about 5-7% of my collection.

So right now I'm kinda cutting to the bone because I have a few albums I've been keeping if only because there is so much damn praise around them. I've never said, "Wow, I gotta put this on!" or put it on willingly.

With that said, here are some albums I think suck:

Annihilator - Schizo Deluxe
Seriously, why? Why the hell did they release this? I bought it back in 2006 when Tower Records was going under after hearing some praise for it. My relationship with Annihilator in general has never been good; I never got into Alice in Hell, but thought Never Ever Land was pretty sweet. This album takes a few steps all over the metal map but winds up being unlistenable.

Bad Brains - I Against I
Blasphemy? You betcha! I keep reading how important and great this album is, but the reality for anyone just picking it up now, someone who may even know the history of it and the impact it had... it falls flat. It's been hailed as a marvel of punk and, oddly enough, metal. The reality is that the first/title track is the best one on the album and lives up to what you hear, but the rest of the album falls flat. It's a reggae album with one punk/metal song. No thanks!

Bathory - Hammerheart
If you thought me bad mouth Bad Brains was bad, if your a die-hard black metal fan, or even one who knows their stuff on the subject, you know that Hammerheart is a legendary album for being, to many, the first viking metal album and one of the first black metal albums. Unfortunately, it goes on far too long, gets boring, and "Blood Fire Death" is better.

Behemoth - Demonica
Generic black/death metal. Behemoth went on to become the leaders of the blackened death metal movement, creating a brand of metal as brutal as Nile but still keeping traces of the same song structure and, yes, melody of thrash. Demigod is nothing at all like that. Two re-recordings are on here that are simply incredible, but the rest of this two-disc set wanders through.

8-Album Mind: Correction, I Need No Direction!

SUM 41 - Half Hour of Power ♠♠♠
SUM 41 - All Killer No Filler ♠♠♠♠
SUM 41 - Does This Look Infected? ♠♠♠♠
SUM 41 - Chuck ♠♠♠♠♠
SUM 41 - Go Chuck Yourself ♠♠♠
SUM 41 - Underclass Hero ♠♠
Superjoint Ritual - Use Once And Destroy ♠♠♠
Superjoint Ritual - A Lethal Does of American Hatred ♠♠♠♠
Symphony X - Paradise Lost ♠♠♠♠♠
System of a Down - System of a Down ♠♠♠♠♠

10, count them, TEN ALBUMS! AWESOME day!

SUM 41 is amazing, and despite my fears that "Underclass Hero" would still suck after over a year of not listening to it... I was pleasantly surprised. I had written before that the album was pure shit, but instead it proved to be... well, different. It's a concept album in a sense, and the music direction is stripped of nearly any and all metal leanings and instead relies on the same pop-punk done by Green Day and Blink-182.

Superjoint Ritual was actually a double-surprise: I wanted to sell "Use Once and Destroy" for a while because the album always felt WAY too long (it clocks in at over 55 minutes) for a punk/metal album. Instead, I discovered things I never did before. In contrast, "A Lethal Does" didn't age as well as I thought. I loved the album for the longest time after it came out... but now, the album can start to wear on after a while.

But THE biggest hit today is very simple: SYMPHONY X.

I had the album for over a year and hadn't really listened it more than once. Today, I discovered why I'm an idiot for not listening to it more! The album is a concept album based on the epic poem "Paradise Lost". Imagine Dave Mustaine of Megadeth playing the guitar for Nevermore and the singer for Yngvine Malmsteen into the mix. The reuslt? THIS ALBUM.

And, as always, System of a Down delivers an incredible album. In 1998, while Rage Against the Machine were more than happy to cave into capitalism, a group of Armenian metal heads came to the US with just one agenda: Make political metal GREAT! The result is a debut album that triumphs and towers over that of Rage's, taking on subjects such as the governments use of mind control, the World Helath Organization, and exposing to the world the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. This is a band not hell-bent on destroying the government; they want to make it better and make the citizens more aware. For that alone System of a Down is worth the world, so guys, thanks for the album!

8-Album Mind: Why I Can't Listen to SYL At Work

Stray Cats - Greatest Hits ♠♠♠

Suicidal Tendencies - Join the Army ♠ (SOLD!)

Suicidal Tendencies - How Can I Laugh Tomorrow, If I Can't Even Smile Today? ♠♠♠

Static-X - Cannibal ♠♠♠♠

Strapping Young Lad - Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing (2006 Re-Issue) ♠♠♠♠

Suicidal Tendencies - Lights... Cameras... Revolution! ♠♠♠♠♠

Suicidal Tendencies- Still Cyco After All These Years ♠♠♠

Strapping Young Lad - No Sleep 'Til Bedtime ♠♠♠♠

Strapping Young Lad. Without a doubt, the 6 albums I have by them are THE most dangerous thing I own. When I listen to SYL, I'm not me... I'm rage encarnate. Me listening to the majesty that is Devin Townsends insane guitar work and lyrics and compositions, channeling every single ounce of rage I may have, wringing out every single bit of it out of me... Strapping Young Lad is as voliatle as plutonium. 

Everything thing today kicked ass. The only thing that annoyed me was "join the Army", so that's being sold.

8-Album Mind: Suicide Machines

Static-X - Machine ♠♠♠♠
Static-X - Shadow Zone ♠♠♠♠
Static-X - Beneath... Between... Beyond... ♠♠
S.O.D. - Speak English or Die ♠♠♠♠♠
Suffocation - Human Waste EP ♠♠♠
Suffocation - Souls to Deny ♠♠♠♠
Dragonforce - Ultra Beatdown ♠♠♠♠
Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies ♠♠♠♠♠

Yes, I'm in the "S's" and, yes, there is a new Dragonforce album in this list. I had it with me yesterday but didn't crack it open after 2 weeks until today. More later.

Static-X is, without a doubt, the most under-rated band to come out big during the 1998 - 2002 period when metal was mired in nu-metal copycats. Static-X was lumped into that mix, despite owing more to Ministry and Metallica than Korn and Public Enemy. Their brand of industrial and metal was a welcome relief and a great counter-point to the ultra-sleek and shiny veneer of late-90's synth-pop.

Despite the fame they did achieve, many critics have held the band, and their albums, in negative views. I, on other hand, no longer do that. Yes, until 2004, I was in the "Static-X Sucks" camp, although it's hard to know why. Most likely it was because of the timing, but still, the band was great. Machine was a great follow-up to Wisconsin Death Trip, and Shadow Zone was panned MUCH harsher than it should have. There's a lot of good songs on this album as it blends their ferocity with a bit of a more mellow edge.

Although, without a doubt, BBB (to be short) was not good. Not even close. A collection of B-Sides and Rarities (and it makes sense after 3 albums; they had done a LOT of soundtracks), the album fails for one simple reason; It's not a cohesive piece. Static-X works best as a machine; each track on an album is like a piece of that machine and each element, each tiny piece, works perfectly in sync with the others. When you have a B-Side collection, your basically taking assorted pieces and seeing what happens. Instead of building a killing machine... you've got some insane contraption made to fix your breakfast like in Back to the Future... only it doesn't work.

The new Dragonforce album, "Ultra Beatdown", is a good solid album, but not one worth noting much. Preaching to the converted more than anything, really. Meanwhile, SOD's landmark album, "Speak English or Die" still holds well, the first album to introduce crossover AND blipcore!

Finally, Suicidal Tendencies self-titled debut.... without a doubt, in terms of an album that can speak to nearly ANYONE, this is THE most important album to ever be released! At least, in terms of lyrics. It's hard not to relate to lyrics about suicide and a horrible life, isn't it?