FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
“If you’re a fan of extreme metal and you live in North America, it’s likely that you have a strong impulse to attend the continent’s biggest annual festival: Maryland Deathfest. Actually attending the fest, however, isn’t always possible, especially if you live thousands of miles away.”
Part two of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of Maryland Deathfest 2012, with live photos by Albert Mansour.
While their debut album was all over the place—in a bad way—Ancestors have a delivered a much more focused effort this time around that’s worthy of a few spins. Recommended for fans of Neurosis, Isis and the like; just don’t expect to hear much that those bands haven’t done before
Yellow & Green by Baroness is arguably one of the richest and most diverse albums you are going to hear this year. It is certainly the most ambitious musical undertaking by Baizley and Co yet, but they manage to pull it off without a hitch. Production-wise it’s a little too retro for my taste, but otherwise this is a fantastic musical adventure. I’m hooked!
The soundtrack runs close to an hour and all the songs are previously unreleased. It is, by turns, invigorating, eviscerating and just good old nostalgic fun. The pulverizing metal component means all the dynamic, outlandish fluency of the action genre is represented.
Hellbound contributor Raymond Westland recently had the chance to do an interview with Karl Sanders, the guitarist/vocalist and main songwriter of death metal outfit Nile. He had a lot to say about the band’s latest album, the creative process within the band, the less glamorous aspects of being on the road and his positive comments on the last Morbid Angel record…
I’d recommend the documentary for metal fans who are particularly interested in the origins of the genre and the roots of metal in hard rock. While I think the narrative could have been weighted more evenly, there is some fascinating archival and interview footage in Så Jälva Metal, and seeing the music from a new cultural perspective is refreshing and eye-opening.
Into The Lair of the Sun God plays like an open-hearted love letter to an age when heavy metal was the brightest star in the sky.
Cognitive by Lopez and Co is an excellent debut album, full of intelligent and engaging song material which should thrill the Porcupine Tree, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Oceansize and Amplifier crowds.
Overall, for a band with a career spanning over three decades and ten plus studio albums, Tankard is as potent as they ever were. A Girl Called Cervesa really is a treat for the old fans and newcomers to the band, so re-fill your Tankard and get ready for that hangover because A Girl Called Cervesa will punch you right in the face and not think twice!
Earlier this month HELLYEAH kicked off their current North American tour supporting VOLBEAT at Toronto’s Kool Haus. Hellbound’s Ola Mazzuca was there to speak with band members Chad Gray and Tom Maxwell about the band’s struggle with their own personal demons, their place in metal and the band’s soon to be released new album “Band Of Brothers”