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Matt’s Top Ten Albums of 2013
Posted by RiffRaff
2013 was an odd year for me. While there were countless amounts of outstanding releases, I found myself extremely burned out with heavy metal overload. That’s not to say I even for a moment slowed down on my heavy metal listening in the slightest, but found myself with lots of difficulty getting into something new unless it was something extra special. Something beyond just a solid death metal/black metal/post metal/doom metal/etc metal album. It had to be absolutely extraordinary to pull me away from my current need of delving back into the thousands of albums already in my collection.
However, within my current disregard throughout the year for actively seeking out the new or checking out new albums from established artists I’m already a fan of I still did find a good amount of time to embrace the new. There were many great releases this year and I gave a listen a lot of them. On the contrary, many albums you would think would objectively be on my list you may not find here (honorable mention post coming in the very near future), as naturally, a top ten list is very subjective and the following albums are the records that really shone through despite my bout of new music burnout and got lot of playtime in between obsessive bouts of the classics. In fact, every record here I would consider a modern classic and recommend taking some time to check it out. So, without further ado, here’s my favorite releases of 2013.
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Posted in Best of 2013
Tags: Best of 2013, Blood Ceremony, Clutch, Crimson Dawn, Ghost, Gorguts, Maximum the Hormone, metal, Music, Orchid, Protest The Hero, Revocation, The Ocean
Mik’s Favourite Music Videos 2013
Posted by Irmelinis
Some of the funniest, most beautiful, weirdest and best metal videos this year. These are a must-watch!
Protest The Hero – Underbite
Album Review: Volition by Protest the Hero
Posted by RiffRaff
Trying to really nail down the unique sound of Canadian metal band Protest the Hero is quite a difficult task. In the past I would have called it ‘prog metal’ played with a lovin’ spoonful of methamphetamine and cocaine and called it a day. Sure, their brand of speedy prog metal was unlike anything out there and I’ve purchased every album from the band and enjoyed the spins I’ve given them. However, more often than not, I found it difficult to listen to entire records without reaching sensory overload or boredom. They had their stand-out songs and the stuff in between seem to just serve to keep the break-neck pace of the records up and showed minimal dynamics. Fast-forward a few years and a hugely successful Indie Go-Go campaign (Kickstarter for the non-Americans) later, Protest the Hero have unleashed unto the world an album that shows more improvements than I can shake a stick at. Needless to say, Volition is the realization from a band overflowing with potential and is brimming with dynamic, variety, and passion while not even for a split-second dismissing an iota of PtH’s core sound.
Posted in Album Reviews
Tags: Album Reviews, metal, Metal Reviews, Music, Prog Metal, Protest The Hero, Speed Metal, Volition
Video of the Week- Hair-Trigger
Posted by RiffRaff
Well, here’s something I’m kicking myself for missing this year. Apparently the Canadian prog-metal outfit Protest the Hero, has had a recent release available since March called Scurrilous and somehow it completely passed under my radar. That will be something I will have to fix soon as I loved their ultra catchy and melodious past pair of albums, Fortress and Kezia. Here’s the video of their latest single “Hair-Trigger”, great song and a fun video of the band being silly(something about this video tells me that these guys should never be hired as baby-sitters). Enjoy!!! Peace Love and Metal!!!
Bonus WTF video after the jump
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Posted in Video of the Week
Tags: Down I Go, Hair-Trigger, metal, Music, Music Video, Poseiden, Prog Metal, Protest The Hero
Themed Thursday – Canadian Metal
Posted by Reggie
Is it possible to dislike anything about Canada? It’s the land of hockey, curling, maple syrup, snow bunnies, Ice Road Truckers, and other cool stuff eh? Now you can add metal to that list. You may have never given it much of a thought, but some pretty cool metal comes from the land of the great white North. I mean snow by that reference, not people. I am going to use this Themed Thursday to talk about what Canada brings to the fight when in regards to metal.
Posted in Theme Thursday
Tags: 3 Inches of Blood, Annihilator, Canada, Canadian Metal, Cancer Bats, Glen Drover, Into Eternity, Kittie, Priestess, Protest The Hero, Rush, South Park, Voivod
Sonisphere Festival Update – 23 Feb 11
Posted by Reggie
The Sonisphere festival on 8-10 July is just outside London on the UK portion of the tour. Another weekend of metal to be enjoyed by many…typically around 55-60K. The promoters like to keep it fairly small as to make the festival enjoyable for all. Since the last update there have been several new entries; nothing along the lines of Download, but a few recognizable bands were added to the festival. The new additions are: (sorry if I repeat anything from the last post)
Diamond Head
Weezer
Architects
Protest The Hero
Kids in Glass Houses
Volbeat
Gojira – Nice to see a French metal act play in England
Limp Bizkit – Why oh Why?
One Minute Silence
The Sisters of Mercy
For this post I ask the same question I asked for the Download lineup. If you had to pick a day based on what is confirmed now which day would it be?
Friday is Metallica headlining with Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Diamond Head
Saturday is Biffy Clyro headlining with Weezer
Sunday is Slipknot headlining with Limp Bizkit
All other bands have yet to be placed on a stage or a specific day. My pick is obvious…Friday. I grew up with the Big Four so that is a no brainer for me. But before the Big Four was announced, it was going to be Sunday for Slipknot. I am going to this Festival…on the Friday.
P.S. for my non-metal side I would love to see Weezer. Sorry guys you are on the wrong day.
Posted in News
Tags: Anthrax, Biffy Clyro, Diamond Head, Gojira, Limp Bizkit, Megadeth, Metallica, Protest The Hero, Slayer, Slipknot, Sonisphere Festival, Volbeat, Weezer