Metal picks Oct. 17

BLOODY HAMMERS        Lights Come Alive

According to Wikipedia this band is from Transylvania County, North Carolina. This song reminds me of the gothic rock from the mid -80’s from the likes of Bauhaus or Mission UK.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2GSPuulWThsr99TLUdgGxz

Ether/The Town That Dreaded Sundown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk6mIDzyQkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-KuNaawb9o

MISSION UK       Tower Of Strength

This was my #2 song of 1988.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8zM_9DFs5w

DECYFER DOWN               Nothing More

Another band from North Carolina, this Christian metal band formed in 1999 and released their first record in 2005. Between 2006 and 2009 they had a string of 7 #1’s song on the Christian rock chart. Of course I did not know this but the lead singer’s name is TJ Harris (Timothy James), I am Timothy John Harris. So of course they are my new favorite band. He replaced the former lead singer, Caleb Oliver, after the group’s second record in 2008.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4wOVnZ4E37aLeSs28SqFFX

Anchor Me/Fight Like This

‘Anchor’ is another song from their current album “The Other Side Of Darkness” and ‘Fight’ was their first #1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7l_3_PBzM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3FoR0t1WQ

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN              Limerent Death

And the flow continues. This mathcore band from Morris Plains, NJ (maybe silly but I’m from NJ) formed in 1997 and according to Spotify “displays unparalleled musical bravery, precision musicianship, meticulously thought-out and complex structuring and rigorous physical endurance”.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5DMZlxzvzHWRpOSTRFDWh8

Symptom Of Terminal Illness/Pig Latin

Their just released 5^th album “Dissociation” includes “Symptom” while “Pig Latin” is from a 2002 EP “Irony Is A Dead Scene”. Though the potentially more interesting song from that record is the 6 minute “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yztG35U5Hrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySiW7HZFONo

IN FLAMES          Through My Eyes

This song released just this past Friday is the third preview into the Swedish death metal band’s upcoming album “Battles”, their 12^th since 1994.

The End/The Truth

2 more previews into the upcoming record. Along with At The Gates and Dark Tranquility (both also from Sweden), the band is credited with the formation of the genre melodic death metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3NQYZ-EBpY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgLc3DQFXQM

DARK TRANQUILITY        Atoma

While At The Gates disbanded in 1996, this band has had a similar tenure to In Flames and released this new single on October 7.

https://open.spotify.com/track/09Kv7YsAVRZBl3wL1nzHgB

SABATON            Blood Of Bannockburn

If metal has an uplifting side, it is supposedly power metal, sort of the antithesis of death metal. And clearly Sweden is a hotbed of all things metal. Maybe because it’s dark and cold for so much of the year.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1vGTueN5nabOY8WatBEiy4

Last Dying Breath/Winged Hussars

The band’s typical lyrical themes revolve around historical battles and war. They have released 8 albums since 2005. These are all from their current record “The Last Stand”. They also just released a new song “In The Army Now” on October 14. A cover of the Status Quo song from 1986, a #2 UK hit. The actual original version was by the South African duo Bolland & Bolland. Their 1982 version spent 6 weeks at #1 in Norway. They were prolific artists, writers and producers between 1972 and 2000, including writing and producing Falco’s #1 “Rock Me Amadeus”. Did the last 3 bands coordinate their current releases, Hmmmm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbmxn11u19Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75zmIj_4LFQ

Metal picks Sept. 29

TWELVE FOOT NINJA      Invincible

Melbourne Australia foursome who released their first EP in 2008. This is their most current single.

One Hand Killing

Jumping through various styles. The video starts with a lengthy yet humorous intro.

Dark Passenger

Their first single release in 2008.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2e4qgFMSgeLainiylmboAn

SYLAR    Assume

Metalcore band from Queens.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1LDkM29OLSVB7Zj2qiQXgW

Dark Daze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGtZev5yGTg

SEPTEMBER MOURNING              Skin And Bones

Branded as a “transmedia dark culture project” (how creative). The product of singer Emily Lazar and  Top Cow Comics founder Mark Silvestri. September, played by Lazar, is a human-reaper hybrid. The single “Eye of the Storm” hit the rock top 40 earlier this year.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4WqGntx4WOnzpLj0djI8WS

Eye Of The Storm

The beginning of the video explains who September is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGhVoUapFXU

Before The Fall

A single release from 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKhkASa8TbI

SKARLETT RIOT  The Wounded

UK band, from their Facebook page: Skarlett Riot have taken the scene by storm with their powerful, riff-led songs; blending melody and grit with a muscular garage rockʼnʼroll backbone. Add to that an ear for infectious hooks, a singer blessed with a huge voice, and you have a band that not only has bags of attitude but the songs to back them up!

https://open.spotify.com/track/1qeuBZiGwaQ8E3EFDxBcCC

Voices/Empty Inside

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOQxmAo47gU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYa3pLRxMF8

AVATAR               For The Swarm

Swedish band touted as melodic death metal. I love all the sub genres in metal. It really differentiates, well maybe for some. Band formed in 2001 and released their first album in 2006.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2i0NjFbkYK3UWliB6vEBQk

Regret/House Of The Eternal Hunt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcRMD-O4wPw

Metal picks Sept. 3

EPICA    Universal Death Squad

The sound of this Dutch symphonic metal band has been described as aggressive, bombastic & excessive. I believe this song fits that bill.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6kmuOSX9CtLklzNA0wllyM

3TEETH Degrade

This Los Angeles band is steeped in the industrial sound made famous by Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Ministry and Skinny Puppy

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Osfr7nR9a6Ha2SzISALPU

Pearls 2 Swine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4SQ7lPDqjU

FIRE FROM THE GODS    Excuse Me

Austin, Texas band that blends hip hop, metal and hardcore as evidenced by this song..

https://open.spotify.com/track/1uAOcFZFUw7FmUdMZbgzQj

End Transmission/Pretenders

End Transmission is definitely goes in a mainstream rock radio direction while Pretenders goes in the opposite direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ZJSYahVus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4F2JmmIP1I

SEVENTH DAY SLUMBER               I’ll Bleed

Christian rock band formed in 1996 after the lead vocalist attempted suicide after a cocaine binge.

https://open.spotify.com/track/79p4oeuPfXYbqX2QbaiwI3

Bring It On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1ZynaOIhRI

BEARTOOTH       Rock Is Dead

Metalcore band from Columbus, Ohio with its roots in hardcore and punk. There have been rumblings about the band being Christian but it was founding member’s Caleb Shomo’s former band Attack Attack! that was.

https://open.spotify.com/track/7xrn0V5jmR4jotKrAKNyqM

ATTACK ATTACK!             The Motivation

This band also used electronic elements, not incorporated in Beartooth’s sound. This song is from 2011. They also do a cover of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIBaGqG1qmE