Music Non Stop: new Anthrax - The Devil You Know

Another new Anthrax song is out there. Definitely not as thrashy as their other one. It has a little bridge in there that reminds me of something that could have come out of Stomp 442. As long as Joey doesn't do any "ball-grabbing" screams, I think it will be ok.

I would really love to hear this album with Dan Nelson's vocals, not because Dan is a great vocalist, but he is a dead ringer for John Bush. It would be really interesting to see how this would have turned out with Bush.

Music Non Stop: New Anthrax - Fight Em Til You Can't

We have heard this song for awhile now, but it is nice to hear a studio version.

This song sounds like it was made for John Bush, but whatever, that ship has sailed. It's not bad, but it's almost a rehash of the problem with Persistence of Time, the vocals don't match the music.

Who Decides: Mid-Albums of the Year 2011

This will probably be the hardest year for me putting together a Top 10 list.  If this list isn't already packed, I have Trivium, In Flames, Sepultura, Dead by April, Blood Stain Child, Unearth, Anthrax and who knows what else.  It's an awesome year for metal music, so let's get started;

1(tie).  Mercenary - Metamorphosis: I talked about this album HERE already.  And there isn't much I can add.  It's near perfection. Each song is heavy & catchy with killer vocals.  I'm not sure what else you could ask for in a metal album.

1(tie).  Times of Grace - Times of Grace: Reviewed HERE.  This isn't a more "metal" album than Mercenary, but it is a more complete album.  You have some acoustic tracks, some doom-like tracks, and some classic metal tracks.  It's a great album.  The worst part for both of these albums is that they might not end up number 1 at the end of the year.

3.  Cavalera Conspiracy - Blunt Force Trauma:  I was not a fan of Infliked or the last two Soulfly albums, but this one hits the spot for me.  It is very light on the whole "tribal metal", but Marc Rizzo definitely makes up for it with his guitar work.  For some reason I feel like I am listening to some NWOBHM with harsh vocals thrown on top of it.  Right now, this is my surprise album of the year.

From here on out, these albums can change from day to day.  It's not like they aren't good, they are so good it's difficult to put them in order.

4.  Before the Fall - Antibody: brutal modern industrial style metal.  I have always had a soft spot for bands like Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad, and Divine Hersey, and Before the Fall are in that same vein.  Don't hold your breath waiting for that clean chorus...cause it ain't coming.

5.  Lazarus A.D. - Black Rivers Flow: a more mature Lazarus A.D. shows up this time around.  Still thrash-oriented, but they aren't afraid to slow it down and push the envelope.  Some real solid metal here for classic metal fans.

6.  Sylosis - Edge of the Earth: this one reminds me a little of Machine Head's The Blackening.  It is a long album and takes some time to digest.  Musically it sounds a lot like Metallica's classic albums of MoP, RtL, and AJFA.  Vocally, mainly harsh screams.  It works, but I think the lack of variety hurts this just a bit.

7.  Deadlock - Bizzaro World:  I talked about it HERE.  It's solid, nothing new, but nothing bad if you liked their last 3 albums.  I said they were going into that KsE path of writing the same music over and over again.  I'm not sure another album like this will work.

8.  Soul Cycle - Soul Cycle: Soul Cycle play instrumental classic thrash metal.  It's good.  I talked about the high amount of solid instrumental albums HERE earlier.  If you like thrash and don't need vocals to enjoy the music...this is a must.

9.  Amaranthe - Amaranthe: I talked about them last year and finally the album is here.  This is pop metal at its best.  Female, clean male, and harsh male vocals really works well here.  If you don't mind keyboards playing a big part of the music, then try this.

10. Tyrant of Death - Dark Space: another instrumental album.  Think SYL meets Fear Factory without the vocals.  It's great heavy metal...the guitars and drumming are insane.

This can change any day because bands like DevilDriver, The Haunted, Protest the Hero, The Human Abstract, Inside It Grows, Titans Eve, Degradead, Arch Enemy, Izegrim, Artas, Circles, and Mygrain have all released solid albums.  Each one of the bands mentioned could easily end up in the top 10.

But just do some quick math, there are 10 above, plus the 12 that barely missed out, and the 7 known albums that haven't been released.  That's 29 albums I am looking at trying to narrow to 10.  good luck to me.

Music Non Stop: New Dead by April

This has been a fun year for music. It started off pretty strong and slowed down a bit the last month or so, but it looks like it will pick up the next few months again. Anthrax, Trivium, In Flames, Nightrage, and more are set to release albums still. And speaking of Nightrage, their former lead vocalist's band Dead by April will be releasing their album this summer too. I have heard some demos of the new album and another song, Within My Heart, was just released and it seems a little heavier than More Than Yesterday.

These guys are pretty good at making metal that has a super catchy chorus. I would have liked to seen the keys moved to the back a bit more and the guitars up more, but I guess that didn't happen.  Another album to look forward to.

It's going to be tough to do a Top 10 mid albums of the year this year...easily the toughest list so far.

Music Non Stop: Blackgates

I think I have made it well known that I like, if not love, John Bush era Anthrax. So when he left the band and they got Dan Nelson, I was skeptical. But after hearing some of his live footage, he was an almost dead ringer for Bush. I could live with it.

Well for whatever reason, they dumped him and brought Belladonna back in. He has a couple of side projects going and one of them is Blackgates. The line-up is pretty solid, but it comes down to the music.




It isn't as thrashy as his other works, HERE. But it does have more of an Anthrax groove to it. This guy is a pretty good vocalist. He needs to get a band together, a solid producer, and just go for it. His 15 minutes of fame is quickly running out.

Music Non Stop: Dan Nelson

I never thought I would do a post on Dan Nelson, lead singer of Anthrax for about a year, but his voice is something special for me. I won't go into too much of it, but he replaced Joey Belladonna who replaced John Bush who replaced Joey Belladonna. Want some more confusion, John Bush replaced Dan Nelson and then Bush was replaced by Joey Belladonna just a few months ago.

Now, I don't think that Nelson can write music, but his vocals are identical to Bush's. And since I love Bush's vocals, Dan Nelson is appealing to me as well.

So when I saw that he released some tracks with the guitarist from Arsis, it peaked my interest. The songs kick ass. Honestly, I would love to see this band do something instead of Nelson's Blackgates. It sounds like a little bit heavier version than Anthrax. Check the songs out HERE.

Music Non Stop: The Big Four...I've seen it all now.

I really thought that when I saw the pictures of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax together in the same room I had seen it all, but it wasn't. Not only did they do a handful of shows the last week, but they covered a song together, Am I Evil? by Diamond Head, well at least Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Someone said someone from Slayer is out there, but I can't tell. Diamond Head was a huge influence on both Metallica and Megadeth so it is a great song choice to cover.

I can't believe I saw Dave Mustaine and James Hetfield share a stage together. Amazing. This was also recorded for a dvd, which I know what I want for Christmas. One last thing, I'm not a huge fan of Slayer (they aren't on my banner btw), but I think Kerry King and Tom Araya should have got out there as well.

More pictures and some other videos HERE.

Music Non Stop: The Big Four shows...holy crap

Ok so this is like the greatest show ever...ever. Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax (crappy without Bush, but ok)...they are known as the Big Four the founders of thrash metal. And they are doing some shows together for the first time...in Europe. Thanks guys, you founded thrash in America and put America on the map for heavy metal, but let's go there first. Whatever...to see them together is awesome. I saw this picture this morning and was blown away...it's so surreal to see these guys together.
All the drama with Mustaine and Metallica or Mustaine and Kerry King Or King with Metallica...to see them in a room wow. There were even more pictures taken later. The one with the four "leaders" of the bands is awkward to see James off to the side almost...but I think it was the timing of the photo. James seems to be above most of the drama nowadays.I don't go to concerts, but I am strongly considering going if this thing comes to the U.S. It's amazing. I guess it would be like getting The Beatles, Elvis, and The Beach Boys (I'm reaching here people) together for one show. It's huge take my word for it.

This thing will come to dvd one day and I will buy it, but being there would be so much better.

Music Non Stop: Anthrax

I am seriously done with this band. They have to be the most drama filled band I know. A quick recap...they dumped Joey Belladonna in 92 for John Bush, to create a more aggressive sound. John Bush was perfect for this new sound. Sound of White Noise, Stomp 442, Vol. 8, and finally We've Come for You All are classic albums. I would put them up against any of Anthrax's earlier albums. And John Bush nailed the songs. The guy is a classic metal vocalist...so much so that I put him #2 on my list of metal vocalists. If you want more proof that he was a perfect fit for Anthrax, check him out on The Greater of Two Evils, an album of early Anthrax music with Bush on vocals. The songs from Persistence of Time sound so much better with Bush...and they should because that's when Anthrax started to change its sound.

They did a crappy reunion with Belladonna and pushed Bush aside. After the reunion, they kicked out Joey again and tried to get Bush back. He said no. So they went out and got a Bush-clone in Dan Nelson. They recorded Worship Music. The samples released were great. Faster, heavier...awesome.




For whatever reason, Dan Nelson was let go and Worship Music is still a finished unreleased album. So Anthrax gets back John Bush to start doing shows with again. The Big Four Tour is announced and Anthrax is scheduled to play, with Bush. Anthrax wanted Bush to re-record Nelson's lyrics and release the album. Well, Bush wanted to do something new because he wasn't apart of that process. He was quoted as saying he would release an EP with some of those songs, but not the whole thing.

So I wake up this morning to see that Belladonna is back with Anthrax and Bush is out again. I am sick of it. Belladonna can't be aggressive enough for this new Anthrax. They need to call it a day. I guess I will always have those 5 albums to look back on.

Music Non Stop: What The?!?!? moments

So as you can tell as a reader of this blog, I tend to listen to all different genres of metal. There are tons, but I will save that for later. Today I want to talk about those songs that made me say "What the..?!?!?" I listen to metal for a few things; fast drumming, heavy riffs, and of course those awesome mind-blowing guitar solos. But even now and then I am taken aback by some songs I hear from some metal bands.

I think the first "what the ?!?!?" moment came when I was listening to Anthrax. Now, Anthrax was one of the first bands I listened to when I got into metal. Plus they were part of the Big Four of thrash. So imagine my reaction when I heard Bring the Noise with Public Enemy.
Now I had heard Aerosmith and Run D.M.C. before, but this was different. This was a metal band covering a rap song. It was totally brand new for me. Add on the fact that Scott Ian raps in it...unbelievable.

A side note this song. This, in my opinion, is the birth of nu-metal. Bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, P.O.D., and a ton more probably wouldn't have existed without this song.

As shocking as that was, it was still a metal song. You can't deny that by listening to it. Fast forward to the mid 90's. Metal was all but dead thanks to grunge. Metallica toured for years on The Black Album, then took some much needed rest. So when they released Load, expectations were high. Say what you will about The Black Album, sell out, too formulated, whatever. At it's core it was metal, maybe not thrash, but metal. Songs like Enter Sandman, Of Wolf and Man, Through the Never, and more were all fist pumpers. Nothing Else Matters and The Unforgiven slowed it down a bit, but they didn't seem too out of place. So when Load came fans were pissed. Load (and Re-Load) were more hard rock albums than metal. They had some great riffs, but no thrash out moments. But if that wasn't a big enough shock there was this...

Mama Said. Metallica doing a country song. Yep it's true. It's not a bad song, but it's Metallica doing country (note the cowboy hat from James)! As time has gone by, the Loads have become classics to most fans. At the time, they were out of place. Now you can listen to them and be blown away by the layers in the music. The Outlaw Torn, Bleeding Me, Thorn Within, Fixxxer, Low Man's Lyric, and Where the Wild Things Are are all classic songs now.

But Metallica doesn't take the proverbial cake for this thread. That honor belongs to Deadlock. Deadlock is a vegan melodic death metal band, with a female lead singer. Yes all of that is true. So I guess it shouldn't surprise me when I hear a "what the ?!?!?" moment.

It began with their album Wolves. This is classic melodic death metal. When I put in on my top 10 of 2007, I said it was like At The Gates with Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) on vocals. Let me add there is a male vocalist too, but what makes Deadlock different is that the female doesn't do the operatic vocals. So I am listening to Wolves, really liking what I hear when I run into End Begins. Great song, sounds just as good as the others and then you get to the 2:30 mark

techno? with metal? I think the worst part for me was that I was actually a little disappointed the techno part was over. But the way it blended back into the melodic death metal and solo was amazing. When I play this song in class, it always gets a reaction.

Now the following year Deadlock released Manifesto. It was good, but it didn't grab me the way that Wolves did. I think it was the shock of a few of the songs on the album. It starts off with the techno track The Moribund Choir vs. The Trumpets of Armageddon.

The opening vocals on this song mirror word for word the first words sang on Wolves. Now this video plays the first few seconds of Martyr of Science. I did like how they sort of did the whole techno into metal thing again. What can I say, it works for me.

The first song that really hit me as a "What the ?!?!?" moment was Fire at Will. Now, I mentioned how I like those guitar solos, so imagine how I felt when I heard a saxophone solo. That's right a saxophone solo. I thought I was back in the 80's when that opening note hit my speakers. The thing that was really shocking was that it was played right after a killer guitar solo. It's about the 3:30 mark


You would think that would take home the prize. It doesn't. Deathrace does. Deathrace starts off like a classic death metal song...even down to the drum pattern. So there I am on my treadmill listening to this song for the first time and I get to the 4 minute mark and the song kind of skips. I'm thinking it didn't rip properly when I ripped the album, I wish...

a rap!!! nothing else just rap! Not like Anthrax and Public Enemy where it still had a metal foundation. This was just rap. I literally almost fell off my treadmill when I heard this. Now I give rap this, you can understand what they are saying right away, unlike metal. So if the rap isn't bad enough, they are rapping about animal rights!!! Once again, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise because they are a vegan melodic death metal band!
For your reading pleasure (cursing and all)

Animals can't speak but we can...

Look at the peak of evolution the food chain leader
Looking like the freight that he's chauffeuring to eat up
Ain't that some wack shit rolling to the shambles
Acting as a cab bitch slaying loads of animals
Imagine you all was cannibals and mankind the cattle dude
Locked up in a box small enough to get in rampage mood
I fucking disagree with the price and the fee
That these beings have got to pay so we can feast and fucking eat
I'm one with all fauna the animal persona
Raw and distinctive the beast master warned you all
Keep roughhousing and I will be the karma
For acting too supreme make me have to armour up
Testing chemicals and genocide to foreign species
Acts of our society so sick son believe me
We got to keep it real how the fuck would it feel
Locked all ya life behind rolling bars of steel

This is a story about this man in a slaughter house
Took me on tour and showed me all his whereabouts
And in my lurking doubts
He starts to light a cigarette and starts drinking on a genuisstot
You greenpeace fools we handle your food
And if you like fast food
Here's some examples for you
Livestock cows in dead, destroyed milk they use burger king meat
What they feed to the streets, no time to negotiate
Blood fills their death, when their alive when they breathe they lungs aspirate
You like veil, this will spoil your meal
The baby confined to no light and food and that's real
Respect to Islam for eating no swine
Here's some waist pits we use to feed them there time to time
He expressed no pain for four weeks pain a cut in the juggler-vain
Is something yo, I can't explain

By the way, despite what I said about Deadlock, I am really hoping they put an album this year. They do make some really great music and keep you on your toes while you listen.

So there you go. Some of my "what the ?!?!?" moments. I will probably have more as I listen to more music.

Futureal: 2010 albums

New year...new tag. Futureal tags will be for predicting things, like upcoming albums, shows, or whatever hasn't happened yet.

So with 2009 closing and 2010 just starting, what am I looking forward to? Well here is a quick "wish list" if you will.

Anthrax: they were supposed to release Worship Music in October, but dumped there lead singer, Dan Nelson. From the videos I saw, the new album was a lot heavier than anything they had done before... think Testament's Low through The Gathering (yes include Demonic). Supposedly they are back with John Bush, which is great, but I hope they don't sacrifice the music.

As I Lay Dying: their albums have gotten better with each release. An Ocean Between Us was great. No filler at all. I don't want to have too high of hopes, but I already do. I really want this one to be great. It is one of those things you try to avoid, but like I said this one is way up there for me.

Fear Factory: Dino is back and from what I have heard it is classic FF. I thought the last album was too much of a metal rocker type album instead of industrial metal.

Beyond the Embrace: maybe? Their first two albums are great, but then nothing. On their Myspace page, there was a hint of a new album this year. Crossing my fingers here.

Trivium: no brainer here. Shogun was great and I hope the follow up is a lot better than The Crusade was to Ascendancy.

Into Eternity: haven't heard anything, but I am hoping for a new one from these guys.

All That Remains: see above.

In Flames: A Sense of Purpose was ok. That's it. Come Clarity was great. Maybe they rushed with A Sense of Purpose who knows. I am hoping for something like CC or even Reroute to Remain.

That's about it. I think this should be a good year. Last year was so slow until June or July then it got crazy. Hopefully, I won't have to wait until June to hear something great.

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Now playing: Brides of Destruction - Life
via FoxyTunes

Spotlight: Anthrax

Ahhh Anthrax. The ugly step-child of the early thrash movement. They were recognized, but maybe not enough. They didn't have any groups bashing them for being satan worshipers (Slayer), not drug problems (Megadeth), or alcohol issues (Metallica). They jsut went about their way making solid thrash metal. They weren't taken too serious becuase of it too. They had their classic Among the Living. But for me, Anthrax lost the party/good/fun metal with Persistence of Time.

Longer songs, darker lyrics, and more technical music made this an instant classic with all thrash fans. Alot of people still think of Among the Living as their best...I would disagree.

I am a huge fan of the John Bush era of Anthrax. See after Persistence of Time, Joey Belladonna left the band, was fired...whatever the reason, and John Bush of Armored Saint joined. He brought in more of a guys metal. Factoid: John Bush was asked to join Metallica as their singer early on in Metallica's history. His first album, Sound of White Noise, really brought Anthrax to the public. Songs like Only, Potter's Field, and Black Lodge are all metal classics.

Their follow up Stomp 442 was just as good...if not better. But unfortunately, their record label didn't push it as much because grunge was the "in metal" so they felt it wouldn't sell. Stomp 442 was an interesting record because Scott Ian was the only guitarist on the album. Dimebag Darrell did some solos, but it was mainly Scott. To make for the loss of a guitarist their drummer, Charlie Benante, really stepped it up. The drumming on the next few albums were fill of drum fills and some insane beats. Another factoid: Charlie actually writes most of the riffs for the songs. Just listen to a song like Riding Shotgun or Tester to see what I am talking about.

If Stomp 442 got no love, then Volume 8 was abandoned. They were dropped after Stomp 442 and signed with a small label. Well a few months after Volume 8 came out *bam* the record company folds. Volume 8...gone. Out of print for years, it was recently released. Volume 8 is more of the same style, but was missing something for me. I will say this though Crush and Inside Out are classic metal songs. They are so brutal and intense...so good.

Next album...We've Come for You All. This is probably my favorite Bush era album. It takes all the strengths from their last 3 albums and they bring it together for this one. Insane drumming - listen to Nobody Knows Anything, killer riffs - What Doesn't Die, great chorus - Any Place but Here. A little death metal drumming and guitaring comes into play with Black Dahlia as well. Not to mention the return of a lead guitarist.

After that they went ahead and re-recorded some songs from their pre-Bush catalog, voted on by the fans...no complaining there. I was pretty pumped to see some Persistence of Time songs on their (Belly of the Beast & Keep it in the Family). Listening to the re-recorded versions made me realize how much better Anthrax sounded with Bush on vocals.

Unfortunately, Anthrax got on the "reunion" band wagon. In a nutshell, a 2 year reunion tour with Joey and the other guitarist, but no new album. Bush was left on the side line. After the tour was over and no album was planned they asked Bush back, but he declined because of the way the tour went down.

So what's next? Well Anthrax just announced a new singer. Who knows how good he will sound. But I need that style that John Bush brought to the band. Hopefully the riffs and drumming will still be there.


BTW, pick up Return of the Killer A's and Greater of Two Evils for a good mix of Anthrax music.

Playlist for the week:
Monday: Riding Shotgun, Belly of the Beast from Stomp 442 & The Greater of Two Evils
Tuesday: Hy Pro Glo (remix), Potter's Field (remix), Crush from Return of the Killer A's
Wednesday: Fueled, Black Lodge, Only from Stomp 442 & Sound of White Noise
Thursday: What Doesn't Die, Nobody Knows Anything, Anyplace But Here from We've Come for You All.

Spotlight: Eluvietie

Not much to say on this spotlight since I talked about them earlier in the week HERE. I guess more importantly this is my 100th post!

Anyways here's a video from the album their debut album and from their latest release. I have a strong feeling we will be hearing about them at the end of the year for my top 10.

BTW, I think after a whole year of various genres of metal, I should return to the one true form of metal...thrash metal. With the bands that started it all...Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. I never was a huge Slayer fan.

Playlist for the week:
Monday: Your Gaulish War, Uis Elveti, Of Fire, Wind & Wisdom from Spirit
Tuesday: Calling the Rain, Tarvos from Slania
Wednesday: Primordial Breath from Slania
Thursday: The Somber Lay, Slania's Song from Slania
Friday: Inis Mona, Gray Sublime Archon from Slania

Sneak peak for next week. Yep Anthrax. I have always been a fan of Bush-era Anthrax. But actually, Anthrax with a shaved head Scott Ian is the best.