Tuesday's Metal Releases

Angel Eyes - Midwestern (Mylene Sheath)
Destruction - All Hell Breaks Loose Re-Release (Metal Mind)
Destruction - The Anti Christ Re-Release (Metal Mind)
Destruction - Metal Discharge Re-Release (Metal Mind)
Drudkh - Estrangement Re-Release (Season Of Mist)
Edenbridge - Solitaire (Napalm)
Forever's Edge - Chaotic Silence (Nightmare)
Gifts From Enola - Gifts From Enola (Mylene Sheath)
Hell Within - God Grant Me Vengeance (Thorp)
Hellyeah - Stampede (Epic)
In This Moment - A Star Crossed Wasteland (Century Media)
Korn - III: Remember Who You Are (Roadrunner)
Kruger - For Death, Glory and the End of the World (Listenable)
Lantlôs - Neon (Prophecy)
Mass - Angel Power Re-Release (SPV)
Mass - Metal Fighter Re-Release (SPV)
Mass - Swiss Connection Re-Release (SPV)
Mass - War Law Re-Release (SPV) Nattsol - Stemning (Prophecy)
Noctiferia - Death Culture (Listenable)
Norma Jean - Meridional (Razor and Tie)
Nox Aurea - Ascending In Triumph (Napalm)
Serenity Dies - Hacksawcracy (Clawhammer)
Seven Kingdoms - Seven Kingdoms (Nightmare)
Soilwork - The Panic Broadcast (Nuclear Blast)
Sons Of Liberty - Brush-Fires of The Mind (Century Media)
Sorgeldom - Inner Receivings (Nordvis)
Stratovarius - Infinite Deluxe Edition (Armoury)
Stratovarius - Polaris Live (Armoury)
Sybreed - The Pulse Of Awakening (Listenable)
Zoroaster - Matador (E1)

THOUGHTS: Korn, I have always liked you and stuck up for you despite your overt cheesiness and affinity for wide leg jeans.  Even when John got fat.  Even when Head found Jesus and left you.  Even when you released "Ya'll Want A Single" and claimed it wasn't a joke.  But now, you get Pick Of The Weak.  Sorry.
Pick Of The Week goes to Sons Of Liberty.  Although I am not some huge political dork like Jon Shceaffer (of Iced Earth fame) I still dig the shit out of this album.  Also, I love the fact that you can get it for free here.

Tuesday's Metal Releases

Anew Revolution - Imerica (E1)
Blaze Bayley - Promise and Terror (Candlelight)
Cynic - Retraced (Season Of Mist)
Danko Jones - Below The Belt (Bad Taste)
Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition (Nuclear Blast)
Iced Earth - Box Of The Wicked (SPV)
October File - Our Souls To You (Candlelight)
Rage - Strings To A Web (Sonic Unyon)
Silent Civilian - Ghost Stories (Mediaskare)
Sodom - Agent Orange Re-Release (SPV)
Suicidal Angels - Sanctify The Darkness (Sonic Unyon)
Triumfall - Antithesis Of All Flesh (Regain)

THOUGHTS: The Iced Earth  box set is a great purchase if you don't have any of the albums it includes (Framing Armeggeddon, Overture of the Wicked, the Crucible of Man, and I Walk Among You).  Otherwise, there is really no reason to re-buy all this shit again.  What is strange about this, is that you have both Ripper Owens and Matt Barlow singing.  I am surprised Jon Schaeffer didnt have Barlow re-record the Ripper tracks.
Pick Of The Week goes to Cynic for Retraced.  While being technical giants, sometimes Cynic can actually sound a bit boring.  This album picks up the pace a bit and seems a bit more mainstream-friendly.  Its still nothing close to radio-friendly, but I think it might be abel to expand their audiences a bit.  ...and the drums kickass.
Pick of the Weak goes to Suicidal Angels.  The band name alone is AWFUL.

Iced Earth

In honor of Matt Barlows birthday let's take a minute to recognize the greatness of Iced Earth.  I loved their music with Ripper Owens, but to me Iced Earth is always better with Barlow.

Tuesday's Metal Releases

Charred Walls Of The Damned - Charred Walls Of The Damned (Metal Blade)
Creature With The Atom Brain - Transylvania (The End)
Droids Attack - Must Destroy (Crustacean)
Knock 'Em Dead - Endless Struggle (Eulogy)
Light This City - The Hero Cycle Re-Release (Prosthetic)
Nostradameus - Illusion's Parade (AFM)
Priestess - Prior To The Fire (Tee Pee)
Joe Satriani - Live In Paris CD/DVD (Epic)
Shining - Blackjazz (The End)
Silent Fall - Otherwise (Pitch Black)
Sybreed - The Pulse Of Awakening (Listenable)
Through The Eyes Of The Dead - Skepsis (Prosthetic)

THOUGHTS: I often talk about the Swedish black metal band, Shining.  Well, do not get those guys confused with the industrial Norwegian band of the same name, Shining,  The Norwegian Shining are the band that released Blackjazz, and although my guess is that the album title is supposed to be a step towards creating a new genre of music (some sort of bizarro fusion between black metal sound and jazz), I am having a little difficulty finding the jazz aspects in this album.  Sans a little bit of saxophone (thats almost inaudible in the mix), and some groovey Pantera meets modern Satyricon riffs, I would say most of this album relies on..... synth.  LOTS of synth.   At some points the album takes on a spastic video game feel.  I really don't know what to make with this album, but I am pleased to hear something that sounds fairly new.  Minus the obvious Rob Zombie meet Ministry influence.
Charred Walls of the Damned is essentially exactly what you would expect from Richard Christy.  It was just a matter of time before Richard returned to metal after leaving Iced Earth behind for a shot at the big bucks with Howard Stern.  For the most part the songs are traditional power metal, but the drums are faster and heavier with lots of death metal blast beats.  The song writing is pretty strong, and the production from guitarist Steve DiGorgio holds up.  Also, this album gets my pick of the week.
Canada's Priestess are on tour with Bigelf right now in the UK, to support their latest album, Prior To The Fire.  I am not sure how I feel about this cd yet.  It's not as catchy as their earlier stuff, but it's also written better.  I guess the bottom line is that it's just not my style of music (it's your basic rock band), but I do think they hold up in a bland way.
Creature With The Atom Brain arent a metal band, but they are a rock band.  A unique, sorta psychadelic alt-prog rock band.  They are opening for Alice in Chains right now and fans seems to be digging this album.

Ripper Owens joins forces with Richard Christy to create his 18th side project

Charred Walls Of The Damned is the new band/side-project from drummer Richard Christy (Iced Earth/Death ), and Tim Ripper Owens  (Iced Earth/Yngwie Malmsteen/Judas Priest/Beyond Fear, etc...).  Their self titled debut album is set to be released this Tuesday (02/02) and being that Ripper and Richard are old school metalheads the band is hosting a release party at Fontanas that very day.  It's free to enter, plus the men of the hour will be their themselves to sign copies of the cd as you listen to it.  If that's not enough to get you there, there will also be free beer and free live music from Javelina, the Judas Syndrome and The Hixon.  None of the bands are that great I have to admit, but the price is right.  See you there.

Memorial Day is Iced Earth's favorite holiday

It's Memorial Dayyyyy!  That means tomorow we will all have beer farts!  Actually, what I mean by that is its time to remember the U.S. men & women who died while in the military service.  So, in terms of metal lets all think of Iced Earth  because those fuckers are obsessed with US military and paying respect to those who risk themselves for us.   They made a concept album with Ripper Owens from Priest called The Glorious Burden that was also the last studio album Richard Christy drummed on.

Ripper and the Malmsteen

Tim "Ripper" Owens is an amazing vocalist, but always seems to get the short end of the stick by filling in on other peoples bands. With the exception of the band Beyond Fear, Rippers other jobs included being a Halford sub in Judas Priest, a Matt Barlow sub in Iced Earth, and then vocalist for the every-so-charming-and-delightful Yngwie Malmsteen. Not a bad resume, but brothah needs to get his own thang. Well, debuting today in Akron, OH (Who the fuck chose there??) is a listening party for Rippers' first solo album, Play My Game. The solo album features an INSANE collection of musicians from all different bands. Here's to hoping it goes well.