0iD0iD(1 2008 May | Metal Injection

May, 2008 Archive

A/V

Marty McFly goes death metal

Posted by metalinjection on May 16th, 2008

Who knew Michael J. Fox had it in him? The song is Serenity In Fire by Kataklysm.

Reviews

CD Review: TESTAMENT - The Formation of Damnation

Posted by Cosmo Lee on May 15th, 2008

Testament's The Formation of Damnation has been hotly anticipated for two reasons.  First, it marks the return of lead guitarist Alex Skolnick.  This resets the lineup to its original members but for drummer Paul Bostaph.  Second, it's taken quite a while.  Since 1999's The Gathering, the band members have been busy elsewhere.  Rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson has his black metal band Dragonlord, Skolnick has his jazz trio, and the drummer's throne is a perpetually revolving door.  Add in reunion touring and record labels folding like cheap lawn chairs, and the result has been a brand in search of a soul.

That soul is back on Formation.  It's a Testament record, no more and no less.  Despite Skolnick's return, it's in line with Testament's output after his departure in the '90s.  Thus, thrash riffs bulge with death metal heft, but leavened by the band's trademark melodic sense.  Skolnick's fluid shredding is welcome and familiar, but it sometimes feels airdropped into material mostly written by Peterson.  Still, this division of labor works best.  Skolnick joins the songwriting credits for "Dangers of the Faithless," and adds the unnecessary complexity that bogged down The Ritual, which he dominated.  Peterson is quite capable of running the show himself.  His "The Persecuted Won't Forget" is some of Testament's most dynamic work in years; when Skolnick swoops in with a jaw-dropping solo, it's merely an added bonus.

The biggest bonus is Chuck Billy, who is seemingly ageless.  His vocals are just as ferocious as they were on Low, when the band dropped its balls to try out death metal.  As always, his lyrics are slightly awkward (e.g., "Election day spitting bullshit to the enslaved / Make them believe compromised insanity").  This time, though, they're at least directed, protesting the war in Iraq.  Anyway, Billy's vocals have always been about their sound.  For having a limited range, he's quite expressive.  When he howls "Fear is only what you feel" in "F.E.A.R.," one can't help but fear him a little.

Formation bursts with energy, yet it's muzzled by overly hot production and mastering that renders it uniformly loud.  The record is one long peak, which makes it a tiring listen.  Andy Sneap contributes his usual clear, heavy mix, but the mastering destroys all separation and smears everything together.  Drums smack futilely against digital zero, and songs never come up for air.  The material is good, the sound is bad, and this comeback leaves the listener wanting more.

7/10

Testament on MySpace
Nuclear Blast Records

Video Games

Guitar Hero IV drums revealed

Posted by RobInjection on May 15th, 2008

Somebody over at the Destructiod blogs managed to scan in the first image of the new Guitar Hero drums expected in the fourth iteration of the game. As we've previously reported, GH IV will not only have drums, but bass and microphone as well. After seeing this photo, its safe to say that your Rock Band drums will not be compatible with the Guitar Hero series (which is pretty lame). Also revealed recently, were the first bands to be featured in the game which are VAN HALEN, THE EAGLES, LINKIN PARK and SUBLIME.

Latest News

FOO FIGHTERS are just a bunch of rock stars trying to fuel their private jets

Posted by RobInjection on May 15th, 2008

There is nothing I love more than a humorous band rider. Of course, the undisputed holy grail of concert riders belongs to Iggy Pop and the Stooges, but on their latest tour, the FOO FIGHTERS try and give Iggy a run for his money. I have posted some morsels below, and check out the full rider here.

Video Premiere

MESHUGGAH's new video may make your ears 'Bleed'

Posted by RobInjection on May 14th, 2008

Awesome! That's the only way I can describe MESHUGGAH's new video for 'Bleed'. Directed by Ian McFarland & Mike Pecci, the video clearly takes inspiration from the album art, which Tomas Haake discussed in a recent interview with Metal Injection to be about the innate evil in man. Long live MESHHUGGAAAHHH!

METAL Injection

Have you seen all of our awesome MARYLAND DEATHFEST footage?

Posted by RobInjection on May 14th, 2008

Maryland Death Fest VI is only 9 days away, and to get your motor running, we have posted all of our never-before-seen archived footage of last year's fest. You still haven't checked it out? Here are all the clips we posted in the MDF TV channel:

GOROD
"Here Die Your God"s Live
"Chronicle From The Stone Age" Live
Exclusive Interview

MISERY INDEX
Exclusive Interview
"Conquistadors" Live
"Sheep and Wolves" / "Exception to the Ruled" Live

MALEVOLENT CREATION
"Multiple Stab Wounds" Live

ODIOUS MORTEM
"Gestation Of Worms" Live
Exclusive Interview

ZYKLON
"Subersive Faith" Live

ROTTEN SOUND
"Perfection" Live
"Loss" Live

EXTREME NOISE TERROR
"Deceived" Live

BRUTAL TRUTH
"Vision" Live
"Blind Leading the Blind" Live
Exclusive Interview

BIRDFLESH
"Carnival of Slime" Live
"Pretty Dork" Live
"The Friendly Call" Live

FLAGITIOUS IDOSYNCRACY IN THE DILAPIDATION
Live 1
Live 2
Exclusive Interview

Marketing Genius

DEICIDE's marketing department needs to get a raise

Posted by RobInjection on May 14th, 2008

My room mate and I were watching Fuse last night (yes, that channel still exists) and the above ad for the new DEICIDE album, 'Til Death Do Us Part and I am totally sold! Just an awesome concept, low budget, hilarious and gets the point across. DEICIDE is heavy. They even got a dude with a British accent to do the voice. Kudos.

Video Premiere

PELICAN bring doom to the desert in new video

Posted by RobInjection on May 14th, 2008

I never thought I would see the day that a PELICAN video would be getting airplay on Headbangers' Ball. Not because either entity sucks, but because an all instrumental band isn't exactly what marketers would call "accessible." But I've been proven wrong, as the Headbanger's Ball Blog has just premiered the band's new video for ‘Dead Between the Walls’ and it absolutely reeks of awesomeness. Check it out above…and make sure to pick up the band's latest CD, City of Echos, in stores now.

Video Games

Guitar Hero IV First Details: Drums with cymbals coming, Make your own songs! (Updated)

Posted by RobInjection on May 14th, 2008

It's been a solid few months since we posted anything about GUITAR HERO. The franchise has been kind of weak lately, recently releasing a AEROSMITH compilation and treating it like a new version of the game, except nobody cared!

Now, news is beginning to trickle through the cracks about the next iteration of the game. According to the June issue of Game Informer, the new version of the game will take after Rock Band and feature other instruments including a bass guitar, a microphone, and (topping Rock Band) a 6 piece drum kit, featuring 2 cymbals, and presumably 4 drum pads and the kick trigger.

Also, don't expect any Gibson replicas in the next iteration of the game. Due to a falling out, Guitar Hero will not be licensing the controller out to any guitar maker but instead design their own controller which allegedly will have a feature that will “directly impact the way you play Guitar Hero in the future.”

A feature that sounds like it could be tons of fun, is the new Guitar Hero Tunes service, which will allow gamers to create their own songs and share them with other players online, but these tracks will be devoid of vocals. Additionally, users will be able to create custom musicians, album art, and instruments.

The game will be released by years end on all major next-gen gaming consoles. I'm getting a little excited.

UPDATE - We can also confirm that VAN HALEN, THE EAGLES, LINKIN PARK and SUBLIME have been confirmed for the game.

[ Game Informer via Primo Technology ]

Back in the Day

Back In The Day - Corrosion of Conformity

Posted by Frank Injection on May 14th, 2008

Several years before the NOLA all stars of southern metal, DOWN came out with their debut, Pepper Keenan was busy making a name for himself in Corrosion of Conformity. In 1991, COC released their LP "Blind" featuring a new line up, and a young Keenan on rhythm guitar. The change in line up and musical direction paved the road to mainstream audiences intrigued by the combination of southern doom and metal. The band's first music video for "Vote with a Bullet" features vocalist Karl Agell before Keenan took over the front-man role on 1993's "Deliverance" LP.

METAL Injection

Exclusive interview with FIREWIND

Posted by RobInjection on May 13th, 2008

Get your melodic on! First off, we'd like to introduce our new correspondent, Mike Khalilov (Yep, he's Russian and yes he was referred to us by Sinister Sasha). Mike's taste in music is more on the melodic/progressive side with a pinch of Euro-metal in there, so get ready for a ton more coverage of all those bands from your CHILDREN OF BODOMs to your HELLOWEENs. And he's doing pretty good in the metal cred department. Mike had a brief stint playing keyboard for DAATH and was just announced as the new keyboardist of REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE, the new band of former STRATOVARIUS mainman Timo Tolkki.

This past Sunday, Mike and Frank made it down to Irving Plaza to interview Greece's FIREWIND. The band just put out their new album “The Premonition” and were on the road with ARCH ENEMY, DARK TRANQUILITY and DIVINE HERESY spreading their shredtastic melodies all over the country. The band discusses this tour, their new album, solo projects and much more. Watch the interview above. Also, check out the band's new video for Mercenary Men right here.

A/V

MADONNA covers PANTERA; PANTERA fans reach 'New Level' of stupidity

Posted by RobInjection on May 13th, 2008

First off all, never did I think that I would be blogging about Madonna covering a metal band like ever. But she did! At a recent show, somewhere (who cares really?) Madonna decided to pull out a little "New Level" riffage in homage to one of the greatest shredmasters of our time, Dimebag Darrell. And, much like with Fall Out Boy covering Pantera, some Pantera fans are not pleased (or intelligent). Here's what some loyal Cowboys From Hell are saying over at Blabbermouth:

anybody who thinks this is cool should never ever post a negative post about any of the bands from the 80's again!the fact that the she is holding a guitar does not make her a rocker and just because it happens to be a pantera riff does not make it a tribute or cool. she belongs in the dance hall of fame not the rock and roll hall. I did not even watch this garbage but more than likely she is lip syching like everything else. the people praising her for this are the same ones who trashed nickelback for making a real dime tribute song and they used his solo on the track.just another pub. stunt by this overrated attention whore.

Actually, the fact that she played the riff does make it a tribute. Thats actually exactly what it was. Why are you commenting on something you didn't even bother watching? I've never trashed Nickelback for making a Dime tribute, I trash them cause they absolutely blow.

There's NO way she's actually playing anything by talented Musicians.
F**k me, will wonders never cease, I wonder if we'll see Metallica Vogue!

No, but we've seen them do country.

This is Lame, I think she should give up on her 'career' particularly if she's going to try this sort of thing. artists have their place. Dime's was on stage, Madonna's is in obscurity. Much like her husbands film making career.

Ok, is this guy seriously trying to say that Pantera is more popular than Madonna? Umm, really? Where do you live, kid?

Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of people in that thread that thought this was actually pretty cool, and it was. Do you think when Vinnie Paul hears about this he's going to be like, oh that bitch, how dare she? No! He's going to be flattered that one of the biggest pop stars in the world recognizes who the fuck Pantera is! There are always going to be fans who cling to this music as theirs and find it blasphemous that anybody else wants to enjoy it. Get over yourselves.

Latest News

First AT THE GATES reunion live footage surfaces

Posted by RobInjection on May 13th, 2008

If all the world was a message board, and the topic was AT THE GATES reunion, Japan would start the thread with a gigantic FIRST!!!#! as the band decided to start their reunion tour there, alongside The Dillinger Escape Plan and Pig Destroyer (WOW!). The above footage is the first available reunion footage. Its kind of crappy, but it still gets me really excited to see the band's upcoming shows in the U.S. The whole setlist from the show consisted of:

01. Slaughter of the Soul
02. Cold
03. Under a Serpent Sun
04. The Swarm
05. Terminal Spirit Disease
06. Suicide Nation
07. Raped By the Light of Christ
08. Windows
09. World of Lies
10. The Burning Darkness
11. The Beautiful Wound
12. All Life Ends
13. Need
————-
14. Blinded By Fear
15. Kingdom Gone

[ via Blabbermouth ]

Tour Dates

Full OZZFEST 2008 Details: One day event in Dallas, headlined by Ozzy and Metallica

Posted by RobInjection on May 13th, 2008

There has been a lot of speculation about what's happening with this year's OZZFEST , but all of that was put to rest when the official announcement was made today. OZZFEST 2008 will be a one-day event on Saturday, August 9 at Pizza Hut Park in Dallas, Texas. There will be three stages and the lineup is as follows:

Main Stage:
OZZY OSBOURNE
METALLICA
SERJ TANKIAN
HELLYEAH
JONATHAN DAVIS
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY
SHADOWS FALL
APOCALYPTICA
IN THIS MOMENT
All-Star Tribute To "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott

Second Stage
SEVENDUST
DEVILDRIVER
KINGDOM OF SORROW
SOILENT GREEN
WITCHCRAFT
GOATWHORE

Texas (Third) Stage which will pay "homage to the many great metal bands that come from Texas":
THE SWORD
DROWNING POOL
RIGOR MORTIS

Looks like a pretty stacked lineup, for sure. Obviously, with it being Dallas, and Vinnie Paul being there, they almost have to do a Dimebag tribute, and it should be interesting to see with all those notable artists there. Would you guys go?

Issue Oriented, Podcasts

ISSUE ORIENTED ep31 w/MICK JONES (THE CLASH) & TONY JAMES (GENERATION X) and ARI-UP (THE SLITS)

Posted by RonenKauffman on May 12th, 2008

Host Ronen Kauffman interviews CARBON/SILICON, a.k.a. MICK JONES (THE CLASH) and TONY JAMES (GENERATION X), as well as ARI UP, vocalist for THE SLITS.

Find out why REVOLVER Magazine called ISSUE ORIENTED "the preeminent podcast of its kind" in their June issue!

1 hour 18 min / 71.3 MB / KICK ASS

 

 
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