Progressive metal with melodic tunes, like Fear Factory and Disturbed mixed up. Random note: why do all these albums have to have the mandatory shitty cover?
Zeal & Ardor – Stranger Fruit
Zeal & Ardor hit extremely hard when it arrived with its blues rock meets death metal flavor. I couldn’t even imagine how they can follow this up with a second album. Maybe it is something that works like a concept record and should not be followed up. But then they announced a sophomore and I was cautious. They could have done something totally different and I might not like it. Or they might have become too famous with this too fast and have gone into some more compromising ways.
And now the album arrived and I am relived. This definitely isn’t the smasher the first one was simply because we have already seen the trick, but still it is completely okay and works just fine. Even at some points I feel like the guys were pushing the shrieking edge a bit too much to compensate for other parts or the feared expectations they felt people might have.
Anyhow, this is good. Works after several plays, too.
Svalbard – It’s Hard To Have Hope
Post-hardcore metal album from Bristol, and I’m surprised it is not coming from somewhere more up north. Sounds like many others but still I liked this record much more than a lot of others.
Ministry – AmeriKKKant
It’s still good that they finally didn’t break up for good in 2008 after all.
Cypecore – The Alliance
Very specific concept band playing industrial metal. I love the story they tell and designs are super cool. Favorite metal album so far this year and best personal new metal find in a while.
Reuben - In Nothing We Trust
Post-hardcore metal thing but with an alt-rock low-fi tone.
Brütal Legend (2009)
I’ve just finished the video game Brütal Legend finally after many takes through many years but this time I took it to the end; although it was not that big deal in terms of time (or difficulty for that matter) even though I am quite a completionist.
So. This is easily one of my most rewarding and awesome gameplay experiences ever. And reminds me again how rich the lore of heavy metal is. Nothing compares. Really. Nowadays I tend to listen to more electronic music than metal but still, the world around heavy metal with all its characters, icons, legends, elements and stories, let it be imaginary or based on the real world – you just cannot beat it. And Brütal Legend brought all this to life in the most beautiful way possible. I loved to be sucked into that world.
Thank you Tim Schafer, thank you Double Fine, thank you Jack Black. And my heart went boom listening to the voices of Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford. I may easily go back to do some achievements just to meet the Guardian of Metal and the Kill Master again.
Zeal & Ardor – Devil is Fine
Part black magic Mississippi blues, part free-roaming art metal. New favorite in the footsteps of Dog Fashion Disco.
Metallica – Hardwired…to Self-Destruct
I cannot just say a quick verdict on a new Metallica album. But actually… it’s great!
Wovenwar – Honor Is Dead
When at 1:30am you cannot not play this loud and shout along. Melodic hardcore and industrial metal riffs at best.
And the track Silhouette? This is… what is this? ‘90s pop tune with this melodic metal atmosphere. This is a powerful pop metal thing, that’s what it is.