Keep of Kalessin – Reptilian
Wow, what an absolute scorcher of an album this is after the so-so Kolossus release of a few years back
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Book review – Only Death is Real: An Illustrated History of Hellhammer and Early Celtic Frost 1981–1985
Like many pioneers, Hellhammer took their lumps from everyone, including its own members. They were hobbled by geography and underdeveloped talent, but they built a great mystique around themselves as they toiled to spread their malodorous gospel, only to be sent back to the drawing board after every recording session and demo release. This unlikely but glorious book celebrates their restless existence and enduring influence. It all goes to prove that history—this little slice of history, anyway—is written by the victors.
Rob Hughes reviews the new Hellhammer photo/history book, Only Death Is Real, released recently by Bazillion Points.
Triumfall – Antithesis of All Flesh
While those burnt out on their black metal will probably want to stay away for now, sub-genre aficionados will find things they enjoy in Antithesis of All Flesh. It’s the bigger black metal fans, in all likelihood, that Triumfall are aiming to attract in the first place.
16 Volt/ Chemlab/ Left Spine Down @ Neu+ral, Toronto, ON, May 10, 2010
16 Volt is the project of Eric Powell. The tour included KMFDM’s Steve White. For a group that included some borrowed musicians due to the inability for some of the regular players to cross the border, the sound was quite cohesive. While Powell may not be personable with the crowd as Louche he still knew how to engage the audience in what he was doing. It does help to be playing well written songs that people couldn’t help but start moving along too.
Nachtmystium – Addicts: Black Meddle Part II
Addicts is one of the most diverse albums to be released in a long while and one that would be a crying shame to miss. Nachtmystium have become masters at pushing their genre to new and unexplored limits. Expect imitators, but don’t accept imitations.
3 Inches of Blood/ Goatwhore/ Burning the Day @ Mod Club, Toronto ON, May 13, 2010
There is something solid, straightforward, almost wholesome about 3 Inches of Blood’s brand of traditional heavy metal that is particularly satisfying. Cam Pipes sang about orcs and hammers while unleashing a series of throaty old-school wails—what was there not to love?
Natalie Zed reviews the May 13th Toronto performance by 3 Inches of Blood and Goatwhore at the Mod Club
Judas Priest – British Steel (30th Anniversary Edition CD/DVD)
While the river of reissues pouring out of the major label music business is only swelling with time, some records just come with a fantastic story that would keep it selling well even if it hadn’t been repackaged and re-placed on new release racks; they just have an enduring appeal. Judas Priest’s British Steel is that kind of record; over the last couple of years, the members of Judas Priest have begun to re-examine the record at length – last year, they embarked on a multi-continent tour that found them performing British Steel from beginning to end – and tell the stories of making it, thereby reliving their cherished memories of the time and circumstances that yielded British Steel.
Misery Index – Heirs To Thievery
For the older metal fan all grown this is like a vodka and red bull. It will keep you up and going so you can make more stupid drunken decisions so you can regret that thing you did behind the bar in the alley that got you a particularly nasty case of the herps.
Heavy metal pioneer Ronnie James Dio dies at 67
After battling the cancer that he was diagnosed with late last year, Ronald James Padavona (better known to his passionate fans as Ronnie James Dio) succumbed to his illness earlier today. He was 67 years old.
Show me the way to the Anchor Bar…
Yes, this is another blog about chicken wings. But these are no ordinary chicken wings, believe you me. The Anchor Bar in Buffalo is where it all began!