heavy metal

Shadows Fall - "Retribution" Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Monday, Sep 28th 2009

Shadows Fall’s “Retribution” is an exercise in metal-by-numbers. Start with acoustic beginning A, attach distorted guitar riff B, growling verse about pain C, slide that into the connection for guitar solo D, and then cover with double kick E, and you’re done.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. The end result is an album that lacks any true firepower. It is a paper tiger with no actual bite, no heart. “Retribution” is like any number of brightly colored snack foods that have no real flavor; seems like it should be enjoyable, but fails to satisfy upon ingestion.

Children of Bodom - Concert Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Tuesday, Sep 22nd 2009

I was no mood to go to a show. It’s rare that I say that. It was a Sunday night following two hellish weeks at work, with a third on deck. I had no desire to drive the fifty miles round trip to the venue, especially for a band I’d seen before. I needed to sleep.

Still, I already had my ticket in my wallet, and I figured once I got over myself, pried my eyes off of televised football and got my ass to the club, I’d be happier for being there. So, I crammed myself into my car and away I went.

Megadeth - "Endgame" Album Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Monday, Sep 21st 2009

When one sits down to listen to any new album from Megadeth, there are a handful of constant truths that simply have to be accepted before one can get anywhere.

1) Dave Mustaine's ability is a given. He will fire off guitar solos at any and all opportunities. They will possess both remarkable precision and unimaginable free-form capability.

2) The lyrics of all the songs will be underdeveloped and meaningless

3) Dave Mustaine's voice is awful.

Skillet - "Awake" Album Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Thursday, Sep 17th 2009

As a music critic, I feel that it's my duty to be at least informed in all manners of my chosen genre. So, I find myself led to Skillet, and their chart-topping new studio album "Awake." I can hear you already: Christian metal? Is that even possible? Well, I wasn't sure myself, it seemed like a contradiction in terms. If I've learned anything over the years, it's to never take anything for granted, and not judge anything until I've actually listened to it. So, I figured I had to delve into this subgenre and see what it's about.

Lazarus AD - "The Onslaught" Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Monday, Sep 14th 2009

In the history of heavy metal, there have been many hotbeds of activity. New Jersey, New York, Dallas, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, the entire nation of Germany, and most of the Scandinavian states. In all that time and distance, no one has ever mentioned the town of Kenosha, Wisconsin. That sounds more like a town where serial murders happen. It sounds like a place where if you’re driving along the load and see “Welcome to Kenosha,” you know you’re lost.

Municipal Waste - "Massive Aggressive" Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Thursday, Sep 10th 2009

First and foremost, Municipal Waste's new album functions best as a punk album more than a metal album. It is filled with simple chords, thrashing rhythms, wild riffs and short, very short songs. It is entirely possible that it will take me longer to pen, read, edit, correct, and post this review than it did to listen to the album beginning to end. At count, I think there are only three or four songs that crest three minutes, and an equal number that come in under two.

Monkeys Relax to Metallica

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, Sep 2nd 2009

This originally appeared in an article under the science section of the Guardian online, and I just plain couldn't let it go by.

Evidently, Metallica, as well as Samuel Barber, Nine Inch Nails and Tool, were played in 30 second bursts for a group of monkeys, at which point their reaction to the music was logged and chronicled. (The actual point of the study was to examine the effects of monkey-sound-inspired music on monkeys. Make your own joke here.)

Swashbuckle - "Back to the Noose" Review

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, Aug 26th 2009

A couple of weeks ago, I posted the released video of "Cruise Ship Terror" from the band Swashbuckle, and proclaimed it one of my favorite videos in the past couple years. So, when their album "Back to the Noose" began streaming online, I had to get a listen of what would no doubt be an interesting experience.

I was absolutely right; "Back to the Noose" is a fun, side-saddled romp of consistent if unimaginative thrash metal with heavy old-school punk influences. Whether the album is...what's the word...good, is another argument altogether.

A Lifetime in Heavy Metal

Submitted by M. Drew on Thursday, Aug 20th 2009

heavy metal

With my birthday having passed not so long ago, I found myself performing an old ritual that I seem to do every time another year gets added to the total, which is wonder what I was doing ten years ago.

No More Megadeth Coffee

Submitted by M. Drew on Wednesday, Aug 19th 2009

In the midst of a procedure to correct some vertebrae in his neck, preparing for the upcoming Australian tour with Slayer, and with the new album "Endgame" on the way, Dave Mustaine has also taken the time to announce that he's canceling his run of "Black Gold" coffee.

Originally bagged and brewed as a charity fundraiser, you could at one point buy four bags and get a fifth autographed by Mustaine himself. The idea was a joint project of Dave and his wife (he's married? who on earth could tolerate him for that long?) along with Net Worth Coffee Brokers.