Themed Thursday – Collaborations

I like when masters of the metal world collaborate to make music.  A couple decades ago the word duet would have been more appropriate, but every time I hear the word “duet” all I can think of is Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.  So, let’s call these a collaborative effort between metal musicians.  Sometimes it can be an epic fail, but more often than not they usually create a great new song or even breathe new life to an older song.  This week I am looking at collaborations I thought were done quite well.  I know there are much more collaborative recordings out there, but that’s what blogs are about…sharing information.  If there is something not on this list you think should be then please, by all means share and share alike.  Here are a few I thought up held up well over the years.

Need Some Embalming Fluid?

Following the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ ethos, long running death metal legends 6 Feet Under are gearing up to release their 9th full length album, Undead, on May 22, 2012.  Frontman Chris Barnes says that this record is the most focused and best 6FU album yet, and after listening to the new single for “Formaldehyde” I don’t doubt him a bit.  With great mid paced death metal riffing and bowel shaking vocals Chris and co. sound like they are ready to tear some shit up on the death metal scene yet again.  More info and tour dates can be found here.  Check out the tune and let us know what you thought.  Peace Love and Metal!!!

iTouch Report – September 2011

This month has been an exciting month for metal.  My iTouch has been busy playing a wide variety of music; old, but mostly new.  Unfortunately, there wasnt enough time for the counter to rack up counts on some of the most recent releases such as Opeth and Machine Head or even Dream Theater.  This month I will list my top 10 bands/albums instead of songs like I normally do. 

10.  Tool – Aenima

9.  Anthrax – Worship Music

8.  Porcupine Tree – In Absentia

7.  Six Feet Under – Bringer of Blood

6.  The Sword – Warp Riders

5.  Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events

4.  Megadeth – Endgame

3.  Jasta – Jasta

2.  Chimaira – The Age of Hell

1.  Trivium – In Waves

In Waves turned out to be a good album to workout to, so I can see why that one got so many plays, so much more than the rest.  I am not sure how Jasta got so many plays because I don’t remember intentionally listening to them that much.  So what have you been listening to lately?  For it’s been nonstop Machine Head.  I am sure that will reflect in the October iTouch report.

Theme Thursday – Drumming

The heavy metal drummer is the official timekeeper of the band.  Often taking a back seat (literally) to the glitz and glam of the lead singer and guitarists, the drummer has perhaps the most difficult job…especially in metal.  First of all, they have to use all four limbs in rapid succession.  They must also use said limbs in an orderly fashion of some sort both of which require countless hours of practice and dedication.  An indirect benefit of being a drummer is that they get to A.  Sit down on the job and B. get a cardio-intense workout while sitting down on the job.

I wanted to take a Theme Thursday and focus some time and energy on the dude (or chick) sitting at the back of the stage somewhat perched up higher than the rest of the band.  Some drummers are well known for their drumming while others just drum and that’s cool too.  Some metal drummers have made a name for themselves in the business  so I wanted to take some time to recognize them, but also note some drummers that you may have not heard of that deserve some recognition.

iTouch Report – August 2011

Much like last month, one particular band dominated my top 10.  It’s no surprise since a couple of metal albums were released in August in the form of Trivium and Chimaira.  Both bands complete albums were the top two bands on my iTouch this month.  Instead of listing the songs out I will do it like this.  My favorite song on the new Trivium album (In Waves) is Caustic are the Ties That bind.  My favorite song on the new Chimaira (The Age of Hell) is Born in Blood.  At least at the moment that’s where it stands. 

So let’s highlight 10 other songs that scored high on the playlist in no particular order

Jasta – Walk the Path Alone

Six Feet Under – Murdered in the basement (good for working out)

Nevermore – The Termination Proclamation

Nevermore – Without Morals (my favorite on the album)

Opeth – Hope Leaves

Stone Sour – Imperfect

Megadeth – How the Story Ends

James LaBrie – I Need You

Pain of Salvation – Of Two Beginnings

Metallica – To Live is to Die

 

Six Feet Under – Update

For death metal fans, there is some Six Feet Under music on the horizon.  This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you feel about Six Feet Under in recent years.  Let me tell you what’s up and you can decide if this news excites you.

Earlier in 2011, guitarist Terry Butler and drummer Greg Call parted ways with Six Feet Under.  That much you probably already know.  It didn’t take too long for singer Chris Barnes to enlist some new musicians to keep the brutality alive.  Barnes recruited guitarist Rob Arnold, bassist Matt DeVries, and drummer Kevin Talley.  What do these three people all have in common?  They were all (and some still are) members of Chimaira.  As far as I can tell Arnold and DeVries are still active members of Chimaira.  With Six Feet Under working on new material for a possible 2011 release, I am not sure what will happen in Chimaira camp as they are about to release a new album in two weeks.

Will Six Feet Under still hang on to that death metal vide with thrash members of Chimaira in on the writing process?  According to Metal Blade Records, Barnes is saying the vocals will go back to 1993 era vocals and Arnold is saying that Six Feet Under will be nothing less than pure death metal.  According to Wikipedia, Six Feet Under is also a five piece band, but I am sure that is subject to change at some point…who is actually in the band full-time?  I don’t know, but if Six feet Under is going back to old school death metal, I am all for it.

In related news, both Chimaira keyboardist/programmer and drummer have left the band and new members have been enlisted to keep Chimiara alive.

Here is some Six Feet Under to keep you entertained until some new death metal is upon us.

Theme Thursday – The Women of Metal

For many moons men were the dominant gene fronting some of the most brutal and sometimes most haunting metal bands.  This is still true as men outnumber women as front-men (front-people, singers, vocalists).  Women, now more than ever, are taking the lead role and doing a damn good job maintaining the feel of a metal band, but with (usually) heart-piercing vocals.  The other end of that spectrum are bands like Arch Enemy and Kittie whose female vocalists kick you where the pain shoots to your stomach and paralyzes you for a while (men know what I am talking about).

It’s time these women get their own theme of the week at A Metal State of Mind.  Let it be known that women and metal unite and kick ass.  Here are just a few of the many bands out there with women leading from the front.  If you know of any others that kick-ass and take names, let us know.

Song of the Day – 11 Jan 2011

Were you afraid of the basement when you were a kid?  I was, the only thing down in my musty basement were the furnace, oil tank, and shit you never used but once a year.  Occasionally there were images of Michael Myers lurking in the corner, but I didn’t grow up in Haddonfield, Ill so I think I was ok.  Today’s song of the day, in case you didn’t get the clues is:

Murdered in the Basement by Six Feet Under off the Bringer of Blood CD

It’s a no frills kind of song.  Have fun in your basement, if you have one.

Song of the Day 31 Dec 2010

Happy New Year!  Six Feet Under is going to close out a great year in metal.  Hopefully 2011 will bring another wonderful and exciting year in metal, especially in shows and festivals.  I am already gearing up for the Big Four at Sonisphere and High Voltage for headliner Dream Theater.  I hope you all had a great year!  Today’s song of the day is:

America the Brutal by Six Feet Under off the Bringer of Blood album

Personally, the best song on the CD.  Blog to you next year! 

Plantera7.