0iD0iD(1 2008 January | Metal Injection

January, 2008 Archive

Latest News

DIMEBAG's old lady can't shutup about how much she hates Phil Anselmo

Posted by RobInjection on January 31st, 2008

It's no secret there is still bad blood between the Abbots and Phil Anselmo. It seems anytime Dimebag's girlfriend, Rita Haney, is interviewed by a music publication, we find out new reasons why the Abbots absolutely refuse to ever speak to Phil again. And, during a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, she did not disappoint. She went into futher detail about what lead to her quote in the PANTERA Behind the Music where she told Phil Anselmo that she "would blow his face off if he showed up at Darrell's funeral or memorial":

"One thing that really bothers me is how they edited my interview for that show. They only used that one part from what I said our phone conversation was, and they took out important parts that explained what I meant. They left out the part where I mentioned how Rex [Brown, former PANTERA and current DOWN bassist] told me that they had to throw ice water on Phil just to sober him up enough to tell him that Darrell was dead. I thought it would be disrespectful for Phil to show up here in that shape on that drug. I got on the phone with Phil and asked him why he never bothered to call back all those times Darrell tried to reach him. He said, 'I'm so devastated.' I said, 'You're devastated? Your words murdered my boyfriend!' He said, 'You and I don't see eye to eye,' and I said, 'You're damn right we don't!' Then he said, 'Well, right things happen to right people.' I asked him to repeat that because I couldn't believe what I just heard and he did. It just blew me away that even then, at that moment, he would still try to throw something out there to take away his responsibility for his actions. That's when I told him that if he showed up I would blow his face off myself.

"The bottom line is Phil's actions led to what happened. If Phil hadn't quit PANTERA, Darrell wouldn't have been playing in that shithole where that guy could get to him. The guy wouldn't have been after Vinnie [Paul, Darrell's brother and former PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN drummer] and Darrell if PANTERA had not broken up. It was all due to Phil's stupid, stupid actions."

Ouch. You ultimately have to feel for Rita, right things happen to right people…what the fuck is that? Its great that Phil is all clean now, but man that dude sure has a rep of running his mouth and not know when to just shut the fuck up. Ultimately though, it seems every time she is interviewed she has to bring up more shit. Granted, I'm sure the interviewers just egg her on and bring it up but can't we just move on? Its been three years!

The entire interview can be read in this month's issue of Guitar World.

Latest News

TORCHE set to release second full-length in April

Posted by RobInjection on January 31st, 2008

Fuck yes! TORCHE is set to release their second full-length "Meanderthal" on April 8th. The record was recorded throughout November 2007 at Godcity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts, the 13-track album is TORCHE's first with Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, GENGHIS TRON, DISFEAR) at the helm. The press release has all these buzz words that make me feel all giddy inside:

"TORCHE fully realize their potential with their most infectious recordings to date. No amount of heaviness is compromised on 'Meanderthal', an album that should fuel fans heavy fix as well as their undeniable need for catchiness."

If your not familiar with Torche, brace yourself and check out the clip we found above or check out their Myspace page.

Reviews

CD Review: BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - Scream Aim Fire

Posted by Cosmo Lee on January 31st, 2008

bulletformyvalentine screamaimfireBullet for My Valentine are more metal than you think.  They're also less metal than they think.  The result is music of the most middling sort.  Middling music is what sells the most, but quality is another matter.

Perhaps quality doesn't even matter.  A recent Billboard article detailed Sony/BMG's promotion for the band - radio, video, and online campaigns for the US, Internet for overseas.  The article said, "[BMG executive John] Fleckenstein feels BFMV has found its mark with its contemporary brand of music that harks back to the style of classic English metal and the group's ability to reach a crossover female audience."  Perhaps Scream Aim Fire refers to targeting of demographics.

Of course, Sony/BMG is only doing its job.  Bullet for My Valentine counted on such marketing when they rejected the largest metal label, Roadrunner, for the even-larger Sony/BMG.  Even smaller metal labels now have dedicated personnel or PR agencies for publicity.  Metal is big business - otherwise, Blabbermouth wouldn't exist.

Since label execs on down to consumers are complicit in such structures, perhaps the flak Bullet for My Valentine catch from metalheads is just jealousy.  The band began as Jeff Killed John, playing nu-metal.  When that didn't pan out, the band changed its name and switched to the next trend, melodic metalcore.  On its second album, Bullet for My Valentine signed to a major label, without "paying dues" and developing a grassroots following through touring like other metal bands.

Slogging in vans is not for everyone, though, and Bullet for My Valentine shouldn't be faulted for grabbing success when it hit them in the face.  But they should be faulted for unoriginality.  It's just as well that Roadrunner didn't sign them; otherwise, the label would have had two Triviums on its roster.  "Metalcore" isn't the best tag for these bands, as neither came from the hardcore punk scene.  But they have the same sound that's now called "metalcore": melodic Swedish death metal with occasional breakdowns and good cop/bad cop sung/screamed vocals.

Bullet for My Valentine made loud noises about being "more metal" on Scream Aim Fire.  The first two tracks bear this out, adding thrash to Swedish melodeath harmonies.  However, the rest of the record reveals BFMV's true colors - a Victory emo band in metal clothes.  Occasionally the band feints at harder edges, like the thrashy intro to "Take It Out on Me."  But the song deflates, almost becoming hair metal before remembering to stiffen up for its choruses.  More hair metal emerges in the slick power ballad "Say Goodnight."  One can feel the target demographic shifting from riff to riff.

The band has commissioned artist Tom Manning to create a mini-comic book for each song on this record.  He may regret the gig.  The lyrics are amazingly empty, full of high school diary entries like, "What's happening to me / I'm dying from the inside / Body hurts too much to feel / And pressure adds to pain."  Lead single "Scream Aim Fire" falls considerably short of "For Whom the Bell Tolls": "Fuck this battlefield, the bullets tear around me / Bodies falling, voices calling for me."  The chorus doesn't even make sense; screaming would only disturb one's aim while firing a gun.

Oddly, this is pop music that wants to be metal.  Usually it's the other way around.  This attests to metal's increasing market value, and Scream Aim Fire is very much music for markets.   Much technical skill went into this record; the songs are catchy, the chops are sharp, and the performances are flawless.  But when all soul and emotion has been click-tracked, compressed, and polished away, it's hard not to be repulsed.

5/10

Bullet for My Valentine on MySpace
Sony/BMG

Latest News

Looks like less OZZFEST and more Slipknot/Disturbed this summer…

Posted by RobInjection on January 30th, 2008

Billboard is reporting that the Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour, your new favorite summer traveling advertisement festival, will be going huge this year. The tour, which is being put together by the masterminds of the Warped Tour, is set to feature the returning SLIPKNOT and DISTURBED as co-headliners, is set to rock 30 amphitheaters this summer. There's also rumors that the tour will feature MASTODON, DRAGONFORCE, SEVENDUST, SUICIDE SILENCE and WALLS OF JERICHO. If this bill materialize, it will be the weirdest bill I have ever seen. Mainstream nu-metal bands, trendy hipster bands and metalcore all in one?!

Additionally, the same article reports that Ozzfest will have a lighter schedule, which makes sense. There were reports in some towns, that there was barely any turn out, and in order for the free-fest to stay profitable, they need big turnouts to entice sponsors. Less supply, more demand. And, I'm sure they'll just focus on the areas with the best turn outs. Good news for major cities (New York, Los Angeles), bad news for the mid-west.

A/V

Audio Roundup: New audio from Cavelara Conspiracy, Children of Bodom and Columns (ex-Glass Casket)

Posted by RobInjection on January 30th, 2008

> CHILDREN OF BODOM have posted a song from their upcoming album, Blooddrunk, on their Myspace page. The song, "Banned from Heaven" sounds exactly like what you would expect from Bodom.

>  A second CAVALERA CONSPIRACY track, entitled "Sanctuary", has been made available for download at this location. "Sanctuary" is the first single off CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's debut album, "Inflikted", which will be released in North America on March 25, 2008 via Roadrunner Records. The CD's title track can be downloaded here.

> COLUMNS (featuring members of Glass Casket) has posted a new demo track on their Myspace page. Sounds pretty sweet.

Latest News

Metal Injection gets exclusive details on upcoming TRIVIUM album

Posted by RobInjection on January 30th, 2008

During our interview with TRIVIUM at NAMM 2008, vocalist and lead guitarist Matt Heafy reveled new details about the writing/recording of their new CD, the followup to 2006's The Crusade:

"We started demoing after Family Values, like October. We started writing some songs, demoing them. The demo quality is so good it sounds like a real album, which is awesome, so it gives us a really good basis to compare and fix shit, so we've been revising and going back in and changing shit up. We're doing another set of demos. I think we're probably going to have 30 songs to pick from and we're working with Nick Raskalenicks (FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH, DEATH ANGEL)"

Watch the entire interview above!

Reviews

CD Review: BLACK COBRA - Feather and Stone

Posted by Cosmo Lee on January 29th, 2008

blackcobra featherandstoneIt is peculiar how two people can rock this much.  Consider Black Cobra's bi-bodied brethren: The Spinanes and Mates of State (not that rocking); The Evens and Local H (sort of rocking); The White Stripes (more rocking), Jucifer (yet more rocking), Big Business (pretty goddamn rocking).  These are girlie men (and women), however, next to Black Cobra's Hans and Franz.

Originally a bi-coastal experiment, this San Francisco duo has honed and nearly perfected a now-familiar sound - the pummeling sludge of Unsane, Melvins, High on Fire, Lair of the Minotaur, et al.  Black Cobra's contribution is a singularity of force that results from a stripped-down lineup.  Thus, cut away meanderings from The Melvins and mystical shit from High on Fire.  Black Cobra wield only riffs, drums, and howls, solos be damned.

Yet Feather and Stone is perfectly named.  Its 25 minutes are surprisingly varied.  Clean tones break up the beatdowns of "Thanos" and "Dragon and Phoenix."  Hypnotic, palm-muted menace introduces "Ascension."  These lighter moments make the heaviness heavier; "Red Tide" drops like a tornado after "Thanos."  Jason Landrian's scarred throat recalls Ministry's Al Jourgensen, while Rafael Martinez punishes both drum heads and eardrums.  "Below the Cusp" throws tritones like elbows; "Swords for Teeth" feels like a brawl between very large men.

But Black Cobra aren't that big.  And they kick the asses of "blackened death-tech-core" bands with five posers and a gratuitous model on keyboards.  From now on, there's no excuse for not rocking hard enough.

8/10

Black Cobra on MySpace
At a Loss Recordings

Reviews

CD REVIEW: Protest the Hero - Fortress

Posted by Trevor on January 28th, 2008

FortressIngredients for a Fortress cocktail:

1 part J.R.R. Tolkien

1 part Molson Canadian

2 parts marijuana

1 part Iron Maiden

1 part Dream Theater

Serve on the rocks with a large slice of sweep picking

Oh, and did I mention that they’re barely old enough to concoct such a witches brew? Putting out just their second major full length album, Protest the Hero has sounded the gong waiting at the top of the prog-metal mountain.

A delicious mix of 80’s metal riffs, complex solos, finger tapping galore and lyrics about Genghis Kahn slaying villages make this one hell of a crazy concept album. Taking the fantasy route in their second album, Fortress tells the story of the bloodlust filled, vengeful days of yore, which is pretty out there for a topic, but somehow it manages to work. Although not as relate-able in content as Kezia which wove a tale about a young girl facing her imminent death sentence, Protest the Hero manage to once again really sell their poetic lyrics.

Now let’s talk about the main reason this album is a killer, the guitar work. Noodlers Luke Hoskin and Tim Millar slay their own betrayers with intricate scales and blistering solos, not to mention the few from bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi. The guitar is almost too much at times, but it dances that line well managing to impress more than nauseate.

Overall the music is certainly tighter than its predecessor and worlds heavier in vocal content as well as style. Vocals reach growling lows as well as front-man Rody Walker’s signature high singing style giving a sharp contrast in tone to match the rapidly dancing guitar tones.

Added Keyboard solos from guitarist Luke and some well placed sound effects throughout the disc add a nice touch along with excellent studio production and recording quality complete the disc and give a smooth glossy finish to such a complexly woven work.

The only real thing lacking from this album that Kezia really showcased was a sense of catchy-ness. The last disc was really easy to get stuck in your head, but this one is a little tougher since it is a lot more guitar-centered, though it is hardly enough to keep anyone from picking this one up. This is a must buy for prog-metal fans.

9/10.

tr00 and False

tr00 and False: The week's best and worst stories examined by the editors of MetalSucks

Posted by MetalSucks.net on January 28th, 2008

It’s hard to be tr00. In this new Metal Injection feature, every week, the editors of MetalSucks.net, Axl Rosenberg and Vince Neilstein, will dissect the week’s stories and decide which stories are deemed worthy of the title “tr00″and admonish all posers who are false and upset the metal gods. Here are this week’s entries:

trOO

MESHUGGAH
Despite Nuclear Blast's best efforts, obZen has leaked well before its scheduled release dates. Our review in short: awesomeness in audio form.

HATE ETERNAL
DownloadPunk is hosting a free mp3 of the new track "Bringer of Storms" from the Erik Rutan-led group's forthcoming Fury and Flames. Monstrous, epic, br00tal and melodic all at once, the song erases any worries fans have about Rutan soldiering on with an entirely new line-up and re-establishes his place as one of the greatest minds in modern death metal.

MERCENARY
Speaking of new songs: the band debuted a new song, "Embrace the Nothing," on their MySpace page this week, and it makes us feel confident in calling Architect of Lies an early contender for best power metal album of the year. This shit is aural viagra, bitch.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
Their new clip for the awesomely catchy "Milk Lizard" reminds us why we ever liked music videos in the first place. Which is not to say that we can actually understand what the fuck it's about. Still, guitarist Ben Weinman shot the damn thing with a broken foot. That's metal.

FALSE

SEVENDUST
If this band ever had any actual cred, it went right the fucking window when they announced that they'd be collaborating with American Idol's Chris Douchebag, uh, Daughtry on their new album, Hope and Sorrow (as in, Sevendust fans who hope this album will be good are eventually going to feel sorrow). As if Bon Jovi making country music wasn't bad enough.

BLESSED BY A BROKEN HEART
Just how gay is this band? So gay that even the Taste of Chaos tour didn't want 'em. They did, however, manage to score a Friday night headlining gig at that bar Mahoney keeps tricking Harris into going to in the Police Academy movies. So, y'know, that's a start.

BIOHAZARD
Evan Seinfeld will pull his dick out of pornstar wife/cash cow Tera Patrick just long enough to jump on this summer's reunion bandwagon. That's right: the band that inadvertently paved the way for Limp Bizkit is back. Guess those Super Group residuals aren't paying off the way he'd hoped.

AT THE GATES
Okay okay okay, so they're probably one of the most influential modern metal bands of all time; but that still doesn't excuse the forthcoming re-release of their seminal album Slaughter of the Soul, which combines "special features" from the 2002 and 2006 re-releases with a new live DVD. As Decibel editor Albert Mudrian wrote on The Deciblog, "Like the Olympics, a Slaughter of the Soul reissue only comes around once every couple of years, so you know the folks behind it will lure you in with shit almost as compelling as ice dancing."

Tour Dates

BLACK DAHLIA MURDER announce dates with ANIMOSITY and BRAIN DRILL

Posted by RobInjection on January 28th, 2008

The Black Dahlia Murder has announced initial dates for a March tour with Animosity and Brain Drill. The following dates have been confirmed:

3/6 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's
3/7 Lemoyne, PA @ Championship
3/8 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
3/10 Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
3/11 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
3/12 Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox Laundrolounge
3/13 Harrisonburg, VA @ Garibaldis
3/14 Covington, KY @ The Mad Hatter
3/15 Grand Rapids, MI @ Skelletones
3/16 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place

Latest News

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD issue update on new members

Posted by RobInjection on January 28th, 2008

As we previously reported, vocalist Nate Johnson announced he was leaving THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD. This was in addition to their drummer and guitarist also departing, leaving the band's future in question. Fear not, TTEOTD has issued the following update:

"We just want to fill everyone in on the current situation with TTEOTD," guitarist Justin Longshore says. "First off, this band isn't going anywhere and we are still doing the Throwdown/Soilwork tour as planned. To avoid any complications, we'll just state that Josh [Kulick, drums] and Nate [Johnson, vocals] have both parted ways with the band under their own circumstances. We wish them the best of luck in the future.

"We are excited to announce that Lech, formerly of As Blood Runs Black, will be handling drums for us on the upcoming tour. He's a monster behind the kit and has proven to us to be the right fit for our style. And stepping into the vocal spot is Lou Tanuis, who has previously put time in with On Paths of Torment and Invocation of Nehek."

A/V

A/V Roundup: New Genghis Tron, Protest the Hero entire album streaming, Serj Tankian video

Posted by RobInjection on January 28th, 2008

> GENGHIS TRON has posted a new track online entitled “Things Don’t Look Good” on their MySpace page. The track comes off their upcoming new album, Board Up The House, which is set to be released on February 19th via Relapse Records.

> You can check out PROTEST THE HERO’s upcoming new album, “Fortress,” in its entirety online here. The album will be released on January 29th via Vagrant Records.

> Serj Tankian recently filmed a video for his new single "Sky Is Over" with directors Tony Petrossian (Killswitch Engage, Stone Sour) and Ara Soudjian. Behind the scenes video footage from the shoot can be seen online here.

Metal Injection Radio, Podcasts

TMO Music Podcast (Jan 27) - Part II

Posted by robert@metalinjection.net (metalinjection.net) on January 27th, 2008

And it continues with the second part of our Heavy New Year, Part II of our first Podcast of the year and this one is bigger than ever, PRIMORDIAL, SEAR BLISS, ENDSTILLE, AYREON, GATES OF WINTER, EXIT STRATEGY and much, much more!

1 - Lich King - Necromantic Maelstrom - Thrashssacre - USA - Thrash Metal
2 - Ayreon - 1011001 - River Of Time - Netherlands - Progressive Metal
3 - Sculptured - Embodiment: Collapsing Under The Weight Of God - Embodiment Is The Purest Form Of Horror - USA - Avantgarde Metal
4 - Paroxysm - Scars Of The Art - The Northern Sickness - Canada - Death Metal
5 - Kenos - The Craving - Majestic Persecution - Italy - Progressive Death Metal
6 - Gates Of Winter - Lux Aeterna - Life Force Rapture - Canada - Progressive Metal
7 - Sturmprophet - Auf Steinigem Pfad - Auf Steinigem Pfad - Germany - Black/Death/Power Metal
8 - Feu Gregeois - Francorum Regnum Hierolosymorum - Montgisard - France - Black/Death Metal
9 - Exit Strategy - United State Of Amnesia - The Duality Of Man - Canada - Death Metal/Grindcore
10 - Arkona - Ot Serdca K Nebu - Ot Serdca K Nebu - Russia - Pagan Metal
11 - Tzompantli - Aztec Blade - Clash In Mictlan - Mexico - Folk Power Metal
12 - Lyfthrasyr - The Recent Foresight - Rage Towards Apathy - Germany - Black Metal
13 - Endstille - Endstilles Reich - The One I Hate - Germany - Black Metal
14 - Pagan's Mind - God's Equation - Evolution Exceed - Norway - Progressive Power Metal
15 - Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet - Demon Desire - Denmark - Power Metal
16 - Yggdrasil - Kvällningsvindar Övar Nordrönt Land - Kvällning Övar Trolska Landskap - Sweden - Folk Metal
17 - Sear Bliss - The Arcane Odyssey - Blood On The Milky Way - Hungary - Black Metal
18 - Primordial - To The Nameless Dead - As Rome Burns - Ireland - Metal
19 - Ten Masked Men - The Phantom Masked Men - Hot Stuff - Great Britain - Death Metal

File size: 112 MB

Playing time: 2:02:42

Reviews

CD Review: VADER - Lead Us!!!

Posted by Cosmo Lee on January 25th, 2008

vader leadusVader are fond of exclamation points.  This EP, originally available during 2007's Death by Decibels tour, has songs titled "Lead Us!!!" and "Die!!!".  They should have included "Forwards to Die!!!" and "Helleluyah!!! (God Is Dead)" from their back catalogue, and called the whole thing !!!.

The Lead Us!!! EP contains no new material.  "Lead Us!!!" comes from 2005's The Art of War EP, while "Die!!!" comes from the EP's Japanese edition.  Likewise, "The Book" comes from 2006's Impressions in Blood, while "Raining Blood" comes from that album's Japanese release.  The disc also contains three videos.  "This Is the War" came with The Art of War, while "Helleluyah!!! (God Is Dead)" and "Sword of the Witcher" were extras on the And Blood Was Shed in Warsaw DVD (reviewed here).

Still, tracking down Japanese editions and full-size videos is onerous, and this EP does a service by compiling Vader's best bonus materials from recent years.  Of note is the blistering take on Slayer's "Raining Blood," easily the best metal cover of this song extant.  The other tracks find Vader at their finest, having evolved into a memorably precise death metal juggernaut.

The EP's greatest draw is its three videos.  "This Is the War" and "Sword of the Witcher" feature state-of-the-art computer animation, and are some of the most visually engaging videos modern metal has produced.  Seeing them on a full-size screen, free of grainy YouTube compression, is a cinematic experience.  25 years into their career, Vader not only have their own sound, but also a vision.

7/10

Vader on MySpace
Regain Records

MSRcast, Podcasts

MSRcast Episode 64: 2007 Rewind Part 1

Posted by msrcast on January 25th, 2008

Paradise Lost - Ash And Debris
November's Doom - Drown The Inland Mere
Dethklok - Bloodrocuted
Symphony X - The Serpent's Kiss
Candlemass - Emperor Of The Void
Helstar - Evil Reign
Dream Theater - The Dark Eternal Night
Megadeth - Never Walk Alone
Devin Townsend - Hyperdrive
Type O Negative - The Profits Of Doom
Remember to contact us at msrcast@gmail.com, and you can now call and leave a voice mail at this new number, 1-206-984-3811, and you can leave all kinds of requests, comments and prank calls. MSRcast Shield logo Tshirts and stickers are available now..Contact us now for more information.

Length: 1:12:23
Size: 49.9 M

Download episode_64.mp3

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