Mattowarrior's Metal Madness

The Rebirth of Mattowarrior's Metal Madness

2011-10-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

As of today, October 23rd 2011, I am reactivating the blog Mattowarrior's Metal Madness. I decided to reactivate the blog and give it a more serious intent and interests. Reviews, interviews and more to come!

Pantera "Glam Years" Part One- Metal Magic. (Rating 1.9/5)

2010-12-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

And so it starts, for our Texas Metal favorites worldwide. But a humble start it is. The little known fact (to many fans) that Pantera were actually an Eighties band with 4 albums before "Cowboys to Hell". Previously, to that album, the band was an amalgamation of influences from Kiss to Judas Priest on Metal Magic, to Motley Crue and Metallica on subsequent albums. But this album (Metal Magic) is an amateur, sloppy, and calculated attempt at both credibility and commercial potential. Right out of the gate we have "Ride My Rocket", basically a Kiss Tribute (with maybe a bit of Priest thrown in for good measure). Riff for riff, the beginning bass line is the same as "Detroit Rock City". A cheesy robotic voice announces "We need Metal Magic..we need Pantera", and then the song starts. "I'll be Alright" is the second track, and reveals a few more NWOBHM influences than the previous track (we're on a better track overall). Then the third track comes, and its quite a stinker. A commercial, Loverboy meets early Def Leppard track "Tell Me if You Want It". Featuring lyrics such as "we're making love in the back of my limousine" (despite Pantera's then more than likely admiration of used 70's Chevy Novas and Camaros lol), this really takes the urinal cake. "Biggest Part of Me" (no not in reference to then singer Terry Lee's penile measurements hopefully) then continues the downward trend into proto hair metal meets AOR mediocrity with "Latest Lover". A glimmer of light appears (For a few moments) in the form of the Priest-like "Metal Magic" and it seems like a medicore album is saved (at least for now). The song's early speed metal riffs and catchy (though cheesy) chorus makes the song the first one that can actually be called more than mediocre. But sadly, this early peak is decimated with the next two songs, the turgid "Widowmaker" and "Sad Lover". Horrible, just horrible, and not even worth mentioning! But for some reason "Rock Out" is the last track, and it further shows the potential that the title track (four songs before (!)) showed. The album then ends (thankfully) and we are saved from Pantera's very worst album. And worst cover art (of all time?). A cheesy, picture of a tiger and a logo that could be drawn by a fifth grader is what adorns this "magnum opus".

All in all, Pantera's Metal Magic isn't the steaming pile of shit that bashers of pre-Cowboys Pantera would have it as, but its no gem either. Its more like a steaming pile of dung with a few gold flakes scattered in the debris. But we will continue this journey to the past with the next installment of this review series, same mattowarrior time, same mattowarrior channel.

Coming soon- Pantera's "Glam" period explored in depth!

2010-12-15T16:07:00.000-08:00

I feel that this period of time in Pantera's history has not been explored enough, as far as blogs, and review sites. So I'm going to be going through each of the first four albums, one by one, and giving my analysis of each. As I have stated elsewhere, some of the songs are actually pretty good, and Power Metal (the band's first album and the first featuring vocalist Phil Anselmo) is a bona fide classic. So look forward to this beginning in the next couple of days.

Review: Blind Guardian- At the Edge of Time 4.5/5

2010-12-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

So let us begin again. I wished to review this album a couple months ago and didn't do so, but in reviving this blog's activity I decided it will be my first review in awhile. Anyway, with no further adieu, here we go:

Its been four (long) years since Blind Guardian's last album, A Twist in the Myth. Before that, it had been FOUR YEARS since their previous (studio) album, A Night at the Opera. Before that, 1998 was the year of their magnum opus, Nightfall in Middle Earth. So, needless to say, the band releases albums about every four years, and its always awaited by many in the same way that many mainstream metal fans await a Metallica album.

In light of this, I must admit that their last two albums left me cold in some ways. I enjoyed Night at the Opera, but in many ways that album was overblown. It was missing the guts, the "balls" if you will that previous albums had. The gutsy thrashy riffs, the heavy rhythm guitars. Also the speed, and the anguished vocals of Hansi Kursch which sounded almost to the point of breaking at times. These elements (in ADDITION to the awesome Queen like guitar and vocal harmonies as well as other elements) were what made the band to me. But the balance was skewed and in its place were neutered guitars, way too many harmonies, and overblown arrangements. The RIFFS were missing and the band's progressive side, however appealing, could wear thin at times. Night at the Opera remained a terrifically uneven album, with many highlights. But nothing could prepare me for the disappointment that was to follow. Longtime drummer Thomen Stauch left a couple years later, and the band tried to rebound with 2006's followup, A Twist in the Myth. This album stripped down many of the elements on the previous 2-3 albums, but in a way that would prove disastrous. The songs were stale and the production muddy and turgid. It was all around, a low point in a career with almost impossibly high standards, Blind Guardian being of a rare breed with nearly no critically panned albums (and I would say, on a string of albums worthy of a highly coveted metal status in the scene). Twist sounded uninspired all around, and the chunky rhythms, missing in action since Nightfall, were totally absent here. The "Riffs" that were left almost sounded like commercial hard rock in comparison, and overall, even the medieval atmospheres that could save a song or two failed here. I reckon this period of time to the time Iron Maiden were in after the opening of the Nineties, with album after mediocre album (though of course if you read my reviews of this period the story is not quite that simple). So, though something was amiss, early reports from the songwriting of the new album sounded promising. The band subtly hinted at Twist being a mediocre album in hindsight in interviews, and there was hope among many fans. And the hopes I am happy to say were very founded! All in all, At the Edge of Time is a return to form for the German Power Metallers. It begins with a song not unlike the title track of Imaginations from the Other Side, Sacred Worlds. Sacred Worlds is also, with its use of full orchestra, a hint of the long awaited "Orchestral album" which has rumored to have been in the works for over a decade. Whether or not this album sees the light of day remains to be seen.

For a song partially based on a computer game, its pretty damn good!

We then continue with the Michael Moorcock inspired Tanelorn, which is a return to the speedier, earlier Blind Guardian that we haven't seen since parts of Nightfall in Middle Earth. This song is a welcome second track, almost in the tradition of second tracks on BG albums such as "I'm Alive".

A more mid-paced track, Road of No Release follows and breaks up any potential tedium. All in all a decent song, though not one of my faves on the album.

We next follow up with probably my vote for most intense track on the album, Ride into Obsession. A careening, fast paced power metal epic, the track features the best vocals I've heard from Hansi Kursch in over a decade.

Curse my Name is another so-so track, followed by the decent Valkyries and then the OK Control the Divine. War of the Thrones is another mideveal song in the tradition of Skalds and Shadows or A Past and Future Secret. Not as dark as some previous balladic works of Guardian, but nevertheless a tune that takes one to a place around a campfire of bards!

Next up is another flash from the past, A Voice in the Dark. This song is pretty much early speed/thrash Blind Guardian but revamped for 2010. Another terrific track then follows, the epic "Wheel of Time". "Wheel of Time" basically continues with the orchestra from the first song, and probably (to me anyway) rivals the much lauded And Then There Was Silence.

Overall, the album is a return to form for the mighty Guardian. And my contender for album of the year. An essential release with a few so-so songs, but overall even the "Filler" is better than much of the last album's!

4.5/5

King Diamond- Get Well Soon!

2010-12-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

Reading the article written today- http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=150748 - I wanted to express my best wishes to King Diamond, a Metal Icon for nearly 3 decades.

King Diamond and his bands Mercyful Fate and also his eponymous band have remained metal staples for many years. A influence on countless legions of metal fans and who has spawned countless imitators as well.

So let's all pray/wish/intend for a clean bill of health for King.

"I Grew Out of Metal!!!" Stay tuned for this special message!

2010-10-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Iron Maiden's "Dark Years" Part Two- Fear of the Dark 3.2/5.

2010-10-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

So I figured that I would do my second installment of this blog series.

After No Prayer for the Dying, Iron Maiden had decided to go back into the studio and make a more "ambitious" record more in line with some of their mid eighties classics.

They spent more time writing and recording the subsequent album than the previous one, and also used a higher "grade" of production methods. It was also the first Iron Maiden album recorded using some digital recording techniques (more on this in a second).

The result was the album, Fear of the Dark.

Now Fear in the Dark in my eyes (and ears) has a lot in common with No Prayer for the Dying in many ways. Iron Maiden still had that "hard rock" influence pop up in songs like Weekend Warrior or From Here to Eternity. However, its not as "annoying" as in songs like Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter on the last album.

The album starts out with the first Janick Gers contribution (he wrote many of the riffs) Be Quick or Be Dead.

Like the last album, the "social commentary" element of Maiden was even more in the forefront. Be Quick or Be Dead is a song that deals with the excesses of capitalism, and its lyrics actually were not as clunky as previous Maiden's lyrics involving similar subjects. It is a fast song, not quite to power metal levels, but a very catchy song in the vein of classics like Aces High (and probably a better opener than Tailgunner from the previous album).

Then we get to "From Here to Eternity", a continuing of a lot of musical elements from the last album, but in a better fashion. It is a continuation of the saga of "Charlotte the Harlot" a semi-conceptual lyrical tradition started in the namesake song and continued in the songs "22 Acacia Avenue" and "Hooks In You".

We then go to the first "epic" song on the album, the highly underrated "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" an anti war epic penned by Steve Harris. Its twists and turns almost recall classic 70's Pink Floyd or Genesis at times, complete with a Deep Purple influenced mid section. Probably one of the best songs Maiden had done in a long time, and definitely an essential part of the album.

Next up we have the slightly plodding, but also somewhat entertaining "Fear is the Key". Lyrically it seems to be about the AIDS epidemic (among other things). It has the middle eastern sounding feel of 80's Deep Purple songs such as "Perfect Strangers". Next up is "Childhoods End", which is a more succinct version of parts of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers". "Wasting Love" is a ballad, almost hearkening back to the days of "Prodigal Son" off Killers.

"The Fugitive" (based on the TV show of the same name) then follows, and I think this song is somewhat unappreciated (and catchy).

Next we have more (of what could be considered by some) "filler", "The Apparition" and "Chains of Misery". Both songs feature progressive style riffs and cool chord changes, but ultimately kind of plod along at a ponderous pace.

Dave Murray's "Judas Be My Guide" saves the boredom at this point, before denigrating with the worst song Maiden had written since "Bring Your Daughter..", "Weekend Warrior".

"Weekend Warrior", is about British Soccer hooligans, and while its slightly more tolerable than "Bring Your Daughter" it features some of the same hard rock/ AC/DC cliches as that song (but with an added acoustic guitar part for good measure.

Now we finally come to a real "Classic" Maiden song again, "Fear of the Dark". The song's gothic type structure, psychological lyrics and epic pace make this a classic Iron Maiden song, to this day.

So that about wraps up Iron Maiden's second album with Janick Gers.
So what went wrong?

To me, even though I still enjoy the "filler" tracks to some extent, the "wrong" came in with digital recording and the "CD" age. CDs were not as common place until the early nineties, and up until then (or the late eighties even), albums were required to fit on two sides of a vinyl record (unless it was a double album, which were more expensive). With the increased availability of CDs, many bands and artists chose to make longer albums, Maiden being no exception. And its not as already Maiden weren't making long albums, but this only increased their desire to do so. But to me that is not the downfall of the album, it really has to do with the "flat" production that I always thought the album has.

While I like atmosphere, and I appreciate bands ranging from Genesis to Pink Floyd to Porcupine Tree for this, I think when Iron Maiden tried to add too much atmosphere to the proceedings, a lot of the "guts" or "balls" that make up Heavy Metal music went out the window. Or, its just a weak production, pick one of the two. I think that the album Fear of the Dark is too drenched in reverb. The digital (a first for Maiden) recording sounds flat, especially by today's standards. If it had more guts to the guitars, and more depth to the drums (rather than "added" depth of reverb) I believe it would have been a far better album. Keyboards on a metal album are fine, as is reverb, but this was too much of a good thing for Maiden. A lot of the songs (and today's Maiden is no exception) meander aimlessly, and while I appreciate that Steve Harris, Dickinson and Smith all appreciate their 70's prog rock influence, they need to learn from some of these same musicians and make prog that goes somewhere. Maiden tried to have it both ways by adding the prog into their sound while also pursuing the traditional (some would say stagnant) sum of their previous work, and it can be both a blessing and a curse (as it is today). So I do not like this as much as the previous album, but it definitely has songs (and parts) that would please any more experienced Maiden fan. And the cover art kicks ass! Though it is not Derek Riggs, it still is one of my favorite covers!

Pathless Land - A Shameless Plug for my new music project (Sincerely, Mattowarrior).

2010-08-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Cool and GREAT things in store for Mattowarrior's Metal Madness.

2010-08-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to say that I am glad for all that have read and/or contributed or participated in this page so far. I can safely say there are great things in store ahead. More interviews, more reviews and commentary, more videos, and all sorts of neat shit, golly gee (lol).

It will be a challenge to juggle all the other pursuits I have right now, including school. Ironically, if this blog (as an example) takes off, I am doing what I am likely in school for anyways, so it kind of defeats the purpose of going if that happens. But I digress.

My goals right now are an interview once per week (at least) as well as 3-4 blog posts per weeks and the occasional video. I may announce some contests as well, I have some ideas that will lure more subscribers, etc.

So all in all, thanks for the support, and pay attention in the weeks ahead because there will be lots of cool stuff.

Cheers,

Mattowarrior

A Spirited Defense of the band "X Japan".

2010-08-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

Note on this video: It is actually on a channel where I post my (somewhat controversial) musings on conspiracy theories, politics and just general social commentary in general. I may or may not be doing a separate channel for the metal related stuff, and I will say I respect there being room for all sorts of political opinions in Metal music, so just a warning, lol.

New Blog VIDEO coming up soon- "A Spirited Defense of the band X Japan!"

2010-08-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I am going to be posting a video on this blog soon. I go into the reasons why X Japan as a band are wholly underrated, and that while I disagree with the way they are being marketed, I think they deserve the success they get. This comes right on the heels of their very first US tour and a successful appearance at Lollapalooza 2010.

As a result, a lot of voices on the internet are proclaiming the band to be "overrated" and use many ad hominem arguments against the band in general. I will go into this, as well as what I think about the major US fanbase of X Japan (which I am not part of, I am a metal fan first and foremost) as well as what I think of "Visual Kei" bands in general.

Coming soon.

Iron Maiden's "Dark Years" Part One- No Prayer for the Dying. Rating: 3.5/5

2010-08-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

In 1990, Iron Maiden were at a crossroads. Longtime contributing songwriter and guitarist, Adrian Smith had quit the band over "musical differences". The band was doing studio sessions on what was to be "No Prayer for the Dying" and Adrian had had enough. He also had a solo project "A.S.A.P. which had released its debut album (may do a review on this as well, not sure). But either way, things weren't the same for Maiden. Steve Harris in particular had decided to go back to his roots, and Iron Maiden's as well, in doing a more "raw" back to basics album. Smith wasn't satisfied with this (especially after the phenomenal Seventh Son of a Seventh Son), so this factors in the story as well.

Smith was then replaced by former White Spirit and Bruce Dickinson (solo) guitarist Janick Gers, and his placement caused controversy (which strangely, continues to this day).

But we can also look at the history of metal to find more answers to what was going on. In 1989/1990, metal had reached its zenith already (in the mid eighties), and Iron Maiden in particular had also reached their peak in many fan's eyes. Seventh Son is regarded as a classic today, but many longtime fans were aghast at the choice of keyboards for that and the previous album, Somewhere in Time, and Maiden's popularity had wanted a bit. Bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer had picked up where the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) had left off, and had begun to take a hold of the underground scene, as far as influence goes. In the mainstream, "Hair Metal" had become king, with bands like Poison, Warrant, Motley Crue and Winger gaining prominence (I should note that I am a Crue fan).

Also, alternative music was making a splash, with heavier alternative bands like Janes Addiction, Sonic Youth and a young Nirvana beginning to make waves. The music scene at the time cannot be described without mentioning the influence of Rap as well- mainstream or otherwise.

The political climate at the time was also becoming more cynical, and in many people's minds the "excesses" of the eighties were starting to be looked down upon.

So where does Iron Maiden fit into all this?

Well, with Maiden's decision to go back to basics, they also stripped down some of the production on the subsequent album, to attain that "raw" sound that the early Maiden was such a representative of. Harris himself had begun to have a lot more say in the production himself, and along with Birch, used a new studio (Barnyard) located in native England rather than the other studios (Compass Point in the Bahamas for example) that Maiden had used previously. This in no doubt also had an influence on the album, and subsequent albums (especially after Martin Birch had retired from production altogether after Fear of the Dark).

So the burning question is- what is the album worth as far as fitting into the Iron Maiden lexicon? Is it worth buying (or ahem...yeah) for the casual fan?

I would say yes and no.

This is by far one of the more underrated Maiden offerings, and to some its a total travesty. To me it is not.

It starts out with the awesome Tailgunner, thematically the same as Aces High but very different musically. It careens with a triumphant, almost Motorhead-esque rhythm, and crescendos with very catchy choruses and musical breakdowns.

The album then continues on with "Holy Smoke" a song skewering televangelists. This is probably where the controversy starts with many people, as it is a more laid back, basic rock song with a lot in common with Bruce Dickinson's solo material at the time, though its not too much of an departure if you consider songs like Two Minutes to Midnight, etc.

The album then continues with the awesome title track, basically in essence a rewrite of the previous album's "Infinite Dreams" in some ways, but also an improvement in others. The lyrics are again about religion but of a faithful variety.

Then we go to the hilariously titled Public Enema Number One, and this is where the timeliness of the album starts to show. The trend among many bands going into the early nineties was to write more "socially or politically conscious lyrics" and while Maiden had avoided a lot of this before, this album is where it starts to show its face. The song is no masterpiece, but it is a decent mid paced rocker.

The song "Fates Warning" follows (and no its not a reference to the revered prog metal band), and this is a catchier song than the last. Lyrically it is a somewhat Christian take on good and evil (something which has always factored lyrically in Maiden's lyrics).

The next song I probably would consider the most underrated song (on the most underrated album obviously) of Maiden's career, The Assassin.

Its "creepy" vibe, odd timings and time changes, and cool interludes make it a precursor of what would come later in Maiden, more of a progressive metal and rock influence than previously (though its always been there to some extent).

Next up is my favorite song, and another underrated tune "Run Silent Run Deep". It has many standard Maiden hallmarks, but done as excellent as before.

Now this is where (in my opinion) the album wanes quite a bit.

"Hooks in You" was the last song Smith wrote or cowrote for Maiden (before his return about a decade later) and its not his finest hour. Though it is a continuation of the "Charlotte the Harlot" saga from the first album (which included songs like "22 Acacia Avenue"), it is a filler more basic rock track. Comparisons can be made to the song "Armed and Ready" from the first Michael Schenker Group album, as it (basically) swiped the main riff from this. Dickinson at this point as well, seems out of steam, but nothing really prepares the listener for the next track, the abysmal "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter". This song was originally written by Bruce Dickinson for the Nightmare on Elm Street 5 soundtrack, and it is essentially a Bruce Dickinson song done by Iron Maiden. What possessed Steve Harris to ask Dickinson to use the song dumbfounds me, it is a cliched "heavy metal" stereotype complete with big dumb AC/DC sounding riffs. Ok its not THAT bad, but definitely not "Maiden-like" at all, and with really inane lyrics to boot. Luckily, the album is saved by the next track, the awesome sweeping "Mother Russia" which topically is about the end of the cold war (and the uncertainty that Russia would face). It is almost similar in feel to the last two albums previous epics, Alexander the Great and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, but adds a cool "Slavic" sounding melody to the mix. Another awesome underrated track, and left in the dustbin of history (reference/pun unintended) unfortunately.

So overall, what do I think of this album?

Well the production has its pluses and minuses. Its obvious what Harris was going for, and Martin Birch went on board with him to make it more "raw". The mix is good, you can hear all the instruments well, but it also has a bit of a "blandness" to it when compared to previous albums productions (like Powerslave for example). Janick Gers at this point hadn't made his way in Maiden as a major songwriter, and the irony with the "hatred" for him is that he would go on to write some of Maiden's better songs in the decade ahead (but I will obviously deal with this in future blogs). His solos were a bit "loose" and "wild" sounding compared to Smith, and that's part of where the animosity comes from. Also, he would do very bad interpretations of Smith's solos live, which added to the animosity towards him. But as far as this album goes, nothing really stands out as being really terrible that comes from either Gers or Murray as far as solos go (of course if you don't count the actual absence of the spectacular Smith solos).

Dickinson's performance on the album is almost better than Somewhere in Time's, (not as many out of breath notes), but he is seeming to go for a more "raspy" feel at times. It should be noted that Dickinson's vocals had declined considerably since the mid eighties in some ways, but would actually IMPROVE through the Nineties.

Nicko (drums) seems to do a stellar job, and there's no complaints as far as that goes, as well as Harris.

Most of the songs are good-great, and that's the reason for the moderately high rating; I still enjoy the album, and love its "looser" feel compared to the previous two (which I love as well).

I do hate some of the more "hard rock" influences that pop up in Hooks in You and Bring Your Daughter..primiarly because Maiden seems weak when attempting that sort of thing. However, I do like Holy Smoke's approach to this, its a light hearted, fun and catchy song, and makes no attempts to be something its not (which those other two almost seem to be doing).

One of the more interesting things to happen around this time is with Maiden's image and artwork. To reflect the more "raw" approach, they went to leather jackets, tshirts and jeans when it came to the band pics. As far as the album cover (a very simple image of Eddie rising from the grave, grabbing a "graverobber's" throat (though the graverobber image was later taken out)), to me its the worst one Maiden has had, and I still cringe when I grab the cd case!

So did Maiden decline?

I would say it depends on who you ask.

I remember when first listening to this album, being a young fanboy, I was astounded to even have a new Iron Maiden album in my hands. And it still is Iron Maiden.

But is it good for someone just getting into Maiden? Probably not. Get some of the classics first, get used to them, then pick this up. You may be surprised at what you might find, and having "hidden treasures" in music is always a good thing.

Maiden were definitely on the decline during this time, but it doesn't really seem to reflect too much in the songs themselves. Especially with the progressive influence becoming more prominent in Harris's work, and this would lay the foundation for albums to come.

New Blog Series Coming SOON! An overview of the "Bad" Iron Maiden albums

2010-08-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

In this series I will delve into the albums in Maiden's career which are (accepted as by the masses) mediocre.
I will go into what my favorite album of the No Prayer-Virtual 11 era is, as well as what I think of individual moments or songs. This era is a subject of debate among many Maiden fans, and also this includes the controversial addition of guitarist Janick Gers, who replaced Adrian Smith in the early nineties.

I would argue that Maiden stuck to their guns, and many of the moments on the modern albums are similar to this era, despite being closer to the "classic eighties lineup".

The first album I will review and critique is No Prayer For the Dying, and this will be up soon!

Interview with Tom Angelripper of Sodom, 7/8/2010

2010-08-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

First of all, want to apologize about the delay in getting this interview posted. Its been a hectic last couple of weeks, but you can all expect the interviews to get posted in faster succession from now on. A special thanks goes out to Georg and Olly of SPV Records, as well as Mr. Angelripper himself for giving me time to interview him.

Introduction: For nearly 30 years, Tom Angelripper and his main band, Sodom have been spreading their evil and brutal metal to all four corners of the globe. One of the primary influences on the extreme metal scene, Sodom burst forth in the mid eighties, with albums such as Under the Sign of Evil, and Agent Orange. I recently caught up with Tom, who with Sodom has been working on a new album.

Mattowarrior: So what's new on the horizon for Tom Angelripper?

Tom: Working on a new album. We have a new producer, Waldemar Sorychta of Grip Incorporated. He's like a fourth band member- I told him I wanted Sodom to go back to our roots, and its important to create an album with an old sound. I don't like productions where the bands sound like all the others. He has many ideas on how to arrange the album, and vocal lines, etc.

Mattowarrior: So who is in the current lineup of Sodom?

Tom: Pretty much the (same) lineup of 15 years ago. I think it is our strongest lineup ever. I don't want to kick anyone out of the band.

Mattowarrior: So what do you think of the "Big Four" tour that recently happened in Europe?

Tom: I saw Slayer recently. I think it is a very good package. I am not sure about Metallica though. I think the (three) would be enough- Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer. I think Metallica is a bit commercial nowadays. If I find the time, I'll see this tour if it happens again. Slayer is (always) my most important band to see. I was a Metallica fan in the eighties but its a different band now though they are still a good band.

Mattowarrior: Any chance of a "Teutonic Three" tour featuring Sodom, Kreator and Destruction any time soon?

Tom: Haha! People ask me about this tour, but there's all sorts of business involved, different record companies and publishers have their own interests. We have to find a good point to do it. They (the bands) all go their own way; it would be great to see the three bands for a low cost ticket. It is a dream, but business is (always) king.

Mattowarrior: Any chances of a Sodom or Onkel Tom U.S tour?

Tom: We have to promote over there, it didn't work for us (last time) because of our working papers (visas). We had trouble at the border. I want to start a new tour next year with the new album. Its always fucking business to get the chance to tour. We have to get the working papers. We need the chance to come back next year. As for Onkel Tom, it has German lyrics. We never really play outside of Europe.

Mattowarrior:
So tell me the origins of the Desperados project. Are you still involved in that at all and what inspired it?

Tom: Its something I helped start in 1995 but I haven't had the time since Sodom is my main project. I left the band since its hard to have three bands. I was very interested in U.S western history, gunfighter legends, (etc). I read a lot of books from America, and was a Wyatt Earp fan. Arizona is a historical place for me. Alex (from Desperados) is a wonderful musician and had an idea for a Western style. For me it was too much to do all at the same time.

Mattowarrior: What do you think of this current "retro thrash" scene?

Tom: In America and Europe you have many new thrash bands coming out. I can't explain it. Many of the bands have a metalcore influence. You cannot repeat it - the music was the music from that time - you cannot bring the spirit of the eighties to this time. Like with us- Sodom were never interested in what other bands were doing- Sodom were "do what you want" without the commercialism. If you have a new band, try to create something new.

Mattowarrior: Where do you think the metal scene is headed?

Tom: Its getting really big. In the summer here you have all these big festivals. In some ways its getting too big, too many bands. When I started in the eighties, it was something special, but now everyone is listening to heavy metal!

Mattowarrior: What new bands do you like?

Tom: I just like my old school stuff, not much stuff coming out. I am a big Slayer and Venom fan. I am an old time old school fan, and just like to listen to my old cds and records. There is too much stuff coming out (to keep track).

Mattowarrior: What do you think of Metalcore?

Tom: Some of the bands are very good musicians, but you cannot compare it to thrash metal. Its watered down. Its not really thrash metal, its a completely different style of music.

Mattowarrior: Well thanks for your time and the interview.

Tom: Yes, thank you. We will try to come out (to the U.S) next year. We feel really sorry about the situation.

Interviews- Coming Soon!

2010-06-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

As previously stated, I will be doing interviews soon..Will be doing some prep work on this in the next several days so by all means- STAY TUNED!

Review- Blind Guardian - A Voice in the Dark Single. 4.5/5 THEY'RE BACK!

2010-06-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

So, alas, its time again. Time for another Blind Guardian album. Its been awhile (since 2006 in fact) and the greatest Heavy Metal band since Iron Maiden has a new album on the horizon. To precede the late summer release of the upcoming album At the Edge of Time, they have released a three song single, A Voice in the Dark.

As a longtime fan, I will admit to being dissapointed in their last two full length albums. 2002's A Night at the Opera, while excellent in many areas, had something that wasn't common on Blind Guardian albums up to that point- filler. Also, it seemed that a lot of the riff-based style of writing that had propelled their career to heights in the Nineties was gone; replaced instead by a lead/melody oriented style of writing. Its not that this was unwelcomed as Night at the Opera had some excellent tracks like the magnum opus, And Then There Was Silence, but something was apparently amiss in some of the lesser tracks.

This was then compounded by the loss of their longtime drummer, Thomen "the Omen" Stauch. His band Savage Circus (formed with members of Iron Savior and very Blind Guardian influenced band Persuader), made up for what was missing to many people in the newer Blind Guardian material. It had the same orchestral influences (well not as many) and choir vocals as prime Guardian, but the thrashy riffs still had a lot of the spotlight.

The best Blind Guardian material in many fan's eyes was the mid Nineties material which balanced the orchestral influences with thrashy power metal riffs. When the riffs were diminishing (and diminished even further on the follow up, A Twist in the Myth) it seemed that a lot of the songs were sounded watered down and unmemorable.

2006's A Twist in the Myth was their worst release to date- a muddily produced refined version of ideas found on Night at the Opera- made worse by lackluster songwriting and an even flatter rhythm guitar sound than before.

So, here we are in 2010- and the rumors that Blind Guardian were returning to some of their roots have made their way through the metal community. I for one as a longtime fan was excited about this rumor- even though Night at the Opera wasn't bad, they haven't really released anything 100 percent awesome (and this is a band that the fans have high standards for considering their output) since 1998's Nightfall in Middle Earth.

Also, early news releases about the recording of the new album have Blind Guardian members speaking in a subtle tone about the dissapointment of the last album, its almost an acknowledged fact that the album was a weak release.

So here were are onto the new single, and my first impressions- its good. Certainly not a Nightfall in Middle Earth. But the first thing that's noticeable about the single is that Hansi Kursch's vocals have not sounded this good SINCE Nightfall in Middle Earth. They were noticeably lacking power, especially on Twist in the Myth, and the production and mixing of the vocals sounded stunted in a way. They were lacking the depth and passion that were one of the hallmarks of classic Blind Guardian.

Another thing that is noticeable right away is - you guessed it- Blind Guardian have returned to a riff based "thrashy" songwriting style, that mixed with their choir vocals and orchestral flourishes, created that classic sound we all fell in love with years back!

The song recalls the beginning of their classic "Valhalla" in many ways, and that's taking fans WAY back to the sounds of the early Nineties- a very welcome change in my eyes.

The drums sound a bit too processed for my liking compared to Thomen's classic sound ( newer drummer Frederick Ehmke is no slouch, but its only a complaint I have with a lot of modern production), but nevertheless it has the power we all missed on the last couple of albums.

I would almost compare the song's style to something made in between 1993's Somewhere Far Beyond and 1995's Imaginations From the Other Side- the lead sound is very similar to that period, but the thrashiness of the riffs recalls Somewhere in a lot of ways.

And the chorus? Well its as catchy as a fungus, and with each continued listen I like it a lot more.

The song is rounded out by two other tracks- "You're the Voice" (a John Farnham cover) - which is decent and has an almost industrial edge (kind of recalling their last album a bit with the beginning electronics). Its ok, and thankfully the production is similar to the title track.

Then its time for one of those classic "medieval" ballads that BG are known for - an acoustic version of "War of the Thrones" (a non acoustic version also being on the upcoming release). This is an uplifting track, not as dark as some of their previous work of a similar type, but is a good track in itself.

So overall what's the verdict? Overall this makes me extremely excited about the RETURN of Blind Guardian. The production hasn't been this clear in years, the vocals (probably the biggest selling point of the band overall in the first place) sound terrific, and the return of the RIFF is an excellent surprise as well.

I welcome my second favorite band in the world back into the realm of killer music again, and look forward to their new album with anticipation!

Another one of my "problems" with Metalcore (my Metalcore series volume 2).

2010-06-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have a real problem with a lot of the metalcore bands and fans. It seems that there's this attitude that they can distill a certain element of earlier heavy metal, put a metalcore "sheen" on it, and call it something new. And I'm not really speaking of the more progressive metalcore bands, or the bands that just would rather leave Metalcore behind to some extent.

3 Inches of Blood for example, is mainly accepted in America because of their "semi-ironic" take on traditional metal in which they add in a bit of "metalcore" vocals. At least initially that is why they gained a following in a lot of ways. While true traditional bands such as Slough Feg and others get (relatively) ignored. And the part that bothers me is that many metalcore fans think there is something "new" from these bands, and that the influence "skips" straight from Iron Maiden to bands such as 3IOB.

There is, and has always been a HUGE Power and Traditional Metal scene in Europe and all around the World. Helloween, Blind Guardian and others have storied careers going back to the mid-eighties. And its not that Power Metal hasn't evolved or advanced. While I am not a big fan, I will acknowledge that Dragonforce has had some impact on Power Metal. But even they are just a faster version of Power Metal sounds that had their roots in mid-nineties albums such as Gamma Ray's Somewhere Out In Space. Rhapsody (of Fire), and other bands first started trying to push the threshold of faster Power Metal on albums such as Power of the Dragonflame (and also foreshadowed the cheesiness that would permeate bands like Dragonforce as well). And as far as the more extreme and dark end, bands like Nevermore, and newer bands like Biomechanical had an extreme metal/darker twist on the Power Metal sound.

So the purpose of this blog is to educate. Its not about Metal Elitism. Its just about the fact that a band that puts a little bit of an "accepted" modern influence and image seems to have more sway nowadays than bands that were progenitors of the genre that the said bands are trying to imitate.

So educate yourself, Metalcore fans! Check out bands that don't have that little influence in the music that gets them MTV play, or radio play. A start is by checking out the bands that invented "Melodeath" (one of the main influences on modern Metalcore); In Flames the Jester Race, At The Gates Slaughter of the Soul, Dark Tranquility's the Gallery, etc.

I just am dumbfounded at the ignorance of some of the fans regarding the history. Yes there is only a certain amount of time during the day, but you gotta admit that some of the originators (in many cases) are better than the later bands. Its not evolution if someone refines something, its more imitation (and imitation can be good, but often it is bad).

So by all means- check out some of the more extreme power metal bands, and some of the original melodic death metal bands. A good place to start is Carcass and the aforementioned Swedish bands, and a good place to start for the more extreme end of power metal is Biomechanical. As far as 3 Inches of Blood, Blind Guardian and Stormwarrior (more on them later) are good bands to check out.

So, some recommended listenings:

The Mayhem of the Sex Pistols!

2010-06-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

What do the Sex Pistols and Mayhem have in common? Well where do I start? In this article I intend to go into depth on this subject. Also, in the process, I will discuss how both their landmark albums have similar histories as well as having many parallels in regards to the way they were made, etc.

To begin with, both were very transgressive artists for their time. Well, in some ways, Mayhem's actions were BEYOND transgressive and downright CRIMINAL. Of course, The Sex Pistols were not without their share of criminality as well. The Sex Pistols "anarchy" and general nihilism in many ways reflected a more economic malaise that afflicted Britain at the time. Stay tuned though while I write in future blogs as far as the reasoning behind the Norwegian Black Metal movement of the early nineties, and my theories for their criminal acts (church burnings, etc). I believe there were different reasonings behind this not related to economic conditions (obviously), but the general nihilism expressed in both movements definitely had some parallels. As far as parallels between the two albums though-

In essence the parallels are as follows:

1. Both bands had one Landmark album they are known for, and their other material is lesser known (in the Sex Pistols case this is their only "official" studio album, other than various live albums and compilations, etc). This is obvious as Never Mind the Bollocks is seen as a "punk" classic, and remains one of the best known punk albums of all time. Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is the same way- Their other material is praised by many, but did not have the same impact on the scene as De Mysteriis did.

2. Both albums are culminations of their respective scenes up until that point- but while not the first examples of their burgeoning genres, they are definitely revolutionary.

The Sex Pistols were a continuation of the many 60's and 70's punk and hard rock groups that came before them. Iggy and The Stooges, MC5, Rolling Stones, The Who and others were an influence. The Ramones and the Dictators came before the Pistols, but the Pistols were almost a perfection of a lot of what had come up to that point. Mayhem's De Mysteriis was the same way- you can hear Bathory, Sarcofago, and many others, but they took the essence of many of these bands and made something new with it. One of the secret weapons of Mayhem was a little known guitarist named Snorre Ruch, who wrote some of the more dissonant and progressive riffs on the album. Previously (and later on), he played with a band called Thorns, where he used many progressive chord progressions, but I digress..

3. Both albums are more accessible than many of their peers' albums, while not being a sellout or an attempt at commercialization.

The Sex Pistols album was controversial among some later punk critics (and probably some of the band themselves) because it is actually (especially for a "Punk" album) a decently produced record. There are overdubs galore with guitars, and while the album's production was not on the par of other bands of the day such as say, Fleetwood Mac, it almost had a "classic rock" vibe contained within its grooves. The production of the record is bright, punchy and distinct, and adds to the pure rock power that it contains. As far as commercialization, well there is some controversy regarding this. (In some ways, Malcolm Mclaren wanted the Sex Pistols to be big, but we won't go into this for the sake of brevity)..

Mayhem's De Mysteriis is the same way for their respective genre. The album was pretty well produced for the time. Remember, this is the time when the black metal bands were trying to be the anti-thesis of many of the commercially "slick" produced Death Metal bands coming around at the time. But more importantly, the album was much better produced than their black metal peers releasing records. De Mysteriis sounded very different than say, Darkthrone, and had a clear and cutting mid ranged production compared to many of their fellow Norwegian peers. The guitars are clear, and not muddy, and they have mid-ranged sound. The drums sound cavernous and loud, and the bass is audible as well.

4. Both bands participated in anti-social and transgressive acts.

In the Sex Pistols case, it was usually more relegated to publicity stunts (the Bill Grundy incident) and an unprecedented amount of controversial lyrics for the time. Bashing the British Queen, provocatively using curse words on a record (for the time this was pretty rare unless it was a Richard Pryor comedy lp or something), as well as just a general disdain for authority fueled their shows and tours.

In Mayhem's case, of course it went ten steps further. Church burnings (mainly the result of their "replacement" bass player, and I'll get to that in a minute), controversial interviews, pronouncements of "devil worship" (not just "satanism") as well as many other controversial acts and statements fueled their publicity (As a side note I will go into my opinions on Christianity, Satanism, and Black Metal in future blogs so definitely check back on this).

5. Both bands had stores as their "base of operations".

Malcolm Mclaren's (the Sex Pistols manager and one of the founders though not a band member) shop "Sex" was an S and M shop in London which specialized in "taboo" clothing as well as pushing the boundaries. And this is where the band had met and were customers at from time to time (basically one of the stores that had pushed the early Punk movement in Great Britian).

On the same note, Euronymous's shop "Helvete" in Oslo Norway was the basis of many of the Black Metal bands coming up at that time. Euronymous being the guitarist and fouding member of Mayhem. Helvete was a record store which sold a lot of obscure and underground black and death metal.

6. Both bands had a "replacement" bass player who helped the (initial) demise of the group.

7. Both bassists (likely) murdered someone.

8. Both bassists (had) and still have a cult following among many fans.

Sid Vicious had joined and did a few of the bass tracks on Never Mind the Bollocks, but only wrote a few parts of the songs (mainly Holidays in the Sun). He had been a replacement bass player for departed bassist Glen Matlock, who had been a founding member and songwriter. Glenn had been rumored to be kicked out for "liking the Beatles" but recently that has been exposed as a myth by recent interviews. Sid Vicious was a drug addict who gained notoriety for a lot of his on stage as well as off stage behavior. He also had solo albums (where he sings and plays some bass with other musicians) as well as having a general cult following in the Punk community (especially after his death). He is seen for having brought a lot of the nihilistic attitude to the Pistols, despite having a limited technical expertise.

Varg Vikernes in Mayhem was also a replacement bassist. "Necrobutcher" had recently departed the group after Mayhem's previous singer's suicide (and the callous handling of the matter by fellow members prompted him to leave). Varg also had a "solo" gig that he was known for, but unlike Vicious it was seen as a lot more groundbreaking for the respective style of music. Burzum is still respected today, with a new album bringing a spotlight on Vikernes. Vikernes was controversial from the beginning because of some of his proclamations involving his ideas on race and politics. He later was arrested for church burning, and while Euronymous had outwardly expressed pleasure at the acts, there was inside casternation from Euronymous as far as who was getting notoriety in the "scene" (there are many books about the subject of the early nineties black metal movement- I will give a history and my opinions in future blogs, but as stated before this blog is about the parallels between the two bands their genres). We don't know exactly what transpired, but Vikernes eventually was arrested for the murder of Euronymous, and sent to prison (until recently as a matter of fact).

Sid Vicious was alleged to have been involved with the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Unlike Vikernes though, Sid died- he died of a drug overdose a few days after making bail.

So that about sums it up. I believe both albums are important because they are some of the greatest examples of their respective styles. Mayhem's dark atmosphere and dissonant heavy riffing making it one of Black Metal's all time classics, and The Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks being a nuclear bomb that ignited (and inspired) a wave of followers to come in the punk scene. They both were an influence on future bands, and Mayhem's Euronymous being what Malcolm Mclaren was to the Pistols and the Punk scene- a progneitor of an entire movement to follow.

I recommend both these albums as they are two of my all time favorites:

Sleep announce fall tour.

2010-06-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Taken from http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=141890
While their genre (Doom? Stoner rock? a hybrid of both) has never been my favorite of metal genres, I always had a place in my heart for Sleep. I saw Sleep open for Hawkwind years ago as a kid, and it was one of the best (and Loudest) shows I had ever seen. It is the envy of many of their fans that I got to see them on the "Holy Mountain" tour. So will I be going to the following show? Sep. 09 - Logan Square Auditorium - Chicago, IL (w/ LICHENS)

Maybe, I don't know. It was one of the best and most powerful shows I had seen, so it will remain to be seen whether I go or not.

Danzig - Deth Red Sabaoth (Review) 3/5

2010-06-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

And here we are again, in 2010 (!) with another musical slab of that tattooed munchkin, Danzig.

Danzig as you probably know being the former singer of bands The Misfits, Samhain and his eponymously named band, Danzig.

After a disappointing series of releases from 1996's Blackacidevil to 2004's Circle of Snakes, Danzig has finally come full circle to an album that recalls (in various ways) what many consider the "classic" lineup (1988-1994).

While the recent albums had their moments, there was something missing from them that was obvious. Danzig's vocals in particular were produced in a way that made the listener assume that his voice had degraded over the years. Live shows didn't show this degradation per se, so it was obvious to many that some of the albums seemed rushed or "forced". Of course this is a matter of contention, but luckily it has been remedied by the new album.

Danzig's last album was a compilation called "Lost Tracks of Danzig", which featured tracks ranging from the beginning of his solo career to the "Circle of Snakes" era. What was obvious on the album (which featured some rerecorded parts) is that Danzig had indeed not lost "it", and also, some of his track choices for the more recent releases were misguided- Songs like "Crawl Across Your Killing Floor" were more recent tracks which were (debatedly) better than any of the songs on the actual albums!

Also a year before (6/6/06), Danzig had also performed a critically acclaimed show with none other than Hank Williams III, that featured a lot of old rockabilly tracks and a few Misfits and Danzig classics. It was obvious that after a few years of obscurity, Danzig was poised to make a comeback...

So- How is the new album?

Well for one thing, the quality expressed on Danzig I-IV with regards to vocal quality and timbre is definitely there. The singing for the most part does not have any strained quality to it, neither does it go beyond its range too often. The expression of his voice is back, and this is good news for any longtime Danzig fans.

The production is clear yet dry, and though this sometimes to its detriment, its normal course during the album is very organic. As hinted in interviews, Danzig used a much more organic process this time to record, using many analog instruments, etc.

The guitar work I am mixed on somewhat though. Tommy Victor was great in Prong, but sometimes it seems like he gets lost during guitar solos and during parts that need a bit less "stiffness" (the irony being Danzig's opinion on John Christ as being too "Stiff" and "Metal" (various interviews) ). This is apparent on some tracks that have an almost looped quality to them (example: The Revengeful), betraying the idea that Danzig used mostly organic means of recording on the album. Other parts are indeed more organic and "retro" but don't expect to find any songs like "I'm the One" or "Thirteen" on the album. Overall, the songs are overly repetitive and are "missing something". That something is not, despite the detractors, the lack of the Mark I lineup. Its an extra "oomph" to the proceedings, and an added complexity to the songs that the classic Danzig had. Despite these points, the songs overall have a catchy quality to them that we haven't seen (at least on official albums anyway) since the classic years. And there are some really prime cuts that would fit well with the classic period. Best tracks? Hammer of the Gods, Deth Red Moon, Left Hand Rise Above.

Iron Maiden - Kiss with a "guise" of integrity?

2010-06-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

In some ways, Iron Maiden represents the ideals of any aspiring musician. They do what they like, with no regard for trends but with total regard for their longtime fans. But in this blog I want to poke a little bit of a hole in the "myth" that is perpetuated with the Iron Maiden fanbase.

Don't get me wrong, Iron Maiden has been and is still one of the inspirations for me being into metal in the first place. But often on message boards, in conversations, and so on, Iron Maiden is regarded as the Vanguard of Heavy Metal as far as integrity goes. Fans and peers alike testify to the fact that the band "never sold out", they "never compromised" and with this comes the idea that the band almost is an altruistic band still in touch with their "working class roots" and with no regard for profit...but...

While not wanting to bash who is probably my favorite band, have you ever noticed the glut of Iron Maiden merchandise in recent years? Also notice that they continue to release live albums, reissue their albums every five years or so, and do other (admittedly wise) astute business decisions?

The idea that Iron Maiden is the "anti-Kiss" or the "anti Corporate band that made it" is basically a load of bullshit.

I recall an article in Guitar For the Practicing Musician circa 1999 or so, where they discuss the reunion with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith. Maiden had admittedly suffered through the Nineties, being relegated to club shows and to an "uncool" status (more on the metal deficit of the Nineties in future blogs I may add). The reunion was seen as a blessing, and not only in a musical sense. The article went to state that around 10 Million dollars had been "invested" into making Maiden an enterprising entity "again". Maiden went on in the 2000's and have thrived since then (arguably they are bigger now more than ever), but without catering to musical trends. This is fine and dandy, but at the same time, there is a bill of goods being sold to the fan.

A Maiden fan's belief that Maiden has no monetary objective is in many ways, erroneous.

I am only stating this in part because I was once of the same cloth as this "average" Maiden fan.

The fact remains that though they are often placed above bands like Kiss as far as musical integrity goes, there is a deception going on.

And this is no mere "conspiracy theory" this is simply an acknowledgement that Iron Maiden are a gigantic band with a huge sphere of influence, and also one of affluence.

Iron Maiden packs arenas nowadays. They sell millions of T-Shirts that are made in third world countries. They still sell (relatively) a lot of albums.

And behind this empire are two people who may seem to be somewhat different- the calm and reserved "source of integrity" Steve Harris (bass and main songwriter) and their shrewd manager, Rod Smallwood.

It is often the case that on metal blogs, Blabbermouth and the like that Iron Maiden is talked about in reverence for their "still being in touch with their working class roots", or that "they never sold out", etc, etc.

But the fact of the matter is, while they may have not changed their musical style, in a way they remain on the same level as a Kiss or Metallica in their "corporatism". Maiden shirts are sold by the bucketload to Hot Topics across America. You see Iron Maiden songs in video games, in movies, and their shirts on Lindsay Lohan.

Mainstream rock stars and actors sing their praises.

What is my point with this? Well I just wanted to insert a bit of perspective. Iron Maiden is one of the best selling Heavy Metal bands of all time. In a way, their dedication to their "Values" (i.e not changing much with the times) is just as much of a "sell out" as Metallica cutting their hair or Gene Simmons selling "Kiss" caskets.

Its not really a sell out though, its more of a case where the band did what they want and made it, but want to keep their financial empire afloat. But the point is, when anyone tries to pit Sharon Osbourne as some kind of devil and Rod Smallwood the saint (a couple years ago with the Ozzfest debacle) or Iron Maiden as some underground rooted band, just remember that they still do a lot of the stuff that other bands are criticized about as far as "for money". They wouldn't be playing nostalgia tours if they weren't concerned with the bottom line, or selling a lot of the merchandise for that matter.

Rod Smallwood is a shrewd businessman who has kept Iron Maiden ltd lucrative, but Steve Harris has kept the other foot in the "working class roots" of playing music with integrity.

Its a delicate balance, but a lot of people don't acknowledge the "corporate side" of Iron Maiden.

What I think of Metalcore Part One

2010-06-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

This is a series of blogs I will be starting on what I think of the "Metalcore" scene.
I will start by taking you back about 20 years when I first heard the term "Crossover". "Crossover was the combination of Metal and (Hardcore) Punk, and to my pre-teen mind it definitely represented something fresh. Flash forward about 20 years later and a music known as "Metalcore" is all the rage. They are two different things I must acknowledge. As "Hardcore" dropped a lot of the original "Punk" elements in late Eighties and Early Nineties with bands like Sick of it All, Agnostic Front, etc- it became somewhat indistinguishable from a lot of what else was happening- Groove Metal. Groove Metal included bands such as Exhorder and Pantera, and both bands included Metal, Hardcore and Crossover as influenced. Confused? Well in a way I am- but I am beginning to see where it all fits. The band "Overcast" was formed in the mid nineties, and the rest is history. Overcast included future members of Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall.

Shadows Fall was a band I heard in about 1997-98. I thought it was basically a somewhat more eclectic version of what was going on in Sweden at the time, that is, Melodic Death Metal.

I didn't see where the "Hardcore" influences were really, except for maybe a few sections.

Well where am I going with this? Metalcore is in many ways a distillation of underground metal sounds of the past 15 years or so. Some elements of the original "Hardcore" sound remain, i.e, "breakdowns", etc- as well as the vocal stylings, but many of the bands suffer from a marginalization that comes with not having a metal upbringing. I am only being honest with this. One of the things that I can identify with many members of the scene, is that they weren't as hardcore with metal as a "metal lifer" such as myself. Does this bother me? Yes and no. Some of the more eclectic and interesting bands such as Between the Buried and Me and Protest the Hero (both coming from a Metalcore "background") can be excused because of their versatiliy and variety. The (to me anyway) defilement of old school death metal that passes off as "Deathcore" is another story altogether (to me anyway). I don't get the appeal of "Deathcore". If I want to hear Death Metal, I want to hear a real death metal band such as Morbid Angel, not the strange mutation that Deathcore provides. It sounds watered down and refined, and the drummers (obviously young) use many more synthetic methods than even their "trigger happy" forefathers (triggers as in "triggered drums"). So, overall, if a band comes from a Metalcore background but pushes boundaries to me there's no difference between this and a killer band coming from ANY scene. I may think they just look like "prep jocks" compared to the long haired greasy metal brethren I am used to, but this can be excused if their music kicks ass. And it often does.