#metalwani

[sonatarctica-chile]

Buen fin de semana Sonateros y Sonateras 🍻😎. Credits to: @themetaljournalist - check it out!. Sonata Arctica, Colorado Springs, CO, 2016. @sonataarcticaofficial #metal #metalwani #metalhead #newmusic #newmetal #musicreviews #music #heavymetal #powermetal #sonataarcticachile #sonataarctica #henrikklingenberg #pasikauppinen #eliasviljanen https://www.instagram.com/p/BpKat3LgWOb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u21l8zoojar3

[axelritt]

#Repost @themetaljournalist with @get_repost ・・・ Let's go back to 2015, at The Summit Music Hall in Denver, CO. Axel Ritt of @gravediggerband. . . . . . #metal #metalwani #metalhead #newmusic #newmetal #musicreviews #music #heavymetal #powermetal #guitarist #guitar #livemusicphotography #livemetal #nikon #nikon_photography #concert #concertphotography #gravedigger #axelritt #summitmusichall #denvermusic #denvermetal #themetaljournalist #gravediggerband #vegan https://www.instagram.com/p/BozmxFxndv6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7tqdt437y8yo

[nuclearblastuk]

If there’s anything prog bands like to do, it’s put out big, sprawling concept albums. Last year was full of them, and I’ve already lost count of how many have been done so far this year. Not that this is at all a complaint, mind you, I love concept albums. So when I got the new Threshold album to review and discovered that ‘Legends Of The Shires’ was a sprawling 83 minute double album I was quite intrigued. I knew the band mostly by reputation, so was excited to delve into the album, and the band. I was not disappointed.

Although it is a concept album I can’t say much about the overall plot of the story. Firstly because without the lyric sheet, and accompanying artwork I’m not positive about everything, and second, because the band has been deliberately quiet about details, with keyboardist Richard West saying “It’s like when you watch a movie preview and they tell you the entire story in three minutes. With music, you don’t want it to be as one-dimensional as some movies are. You want to provide space for people to put themselves in the story, so I don’t want to say much more!” What they did say is that it is about a nation (or perhaps an individual; which I feel makes more sense) finding their way in the world. The album also marks the return of vocalist Glynn Morgan to the band for the first time since 1994, a move I enjoyed thoroughly. They also made the conscious decision to write a deeper and more complex album than their previous album, ‘For The Journey,’ which, from the tracks of that album that I listened to, they seem to have done admirably.

The album starts off slowly with the acoustic “The Shire (Part 1)” and sets the mood of the album up nicely with the narrator vowing to make it on their own, and leave their rural settings. The song bleeds directly into “Small Dark Lines” which starts the heavy riffing and manic drumming that are a hallmark of the album. Morgan’s vocals, in contrast to many prog metal or power metal vocalists, do not sound like his testicles are in a vise grip; instead they are a grittier mid-range style which I find quite refreshing and I think fit the music better than a higher ranged singer would. The first thing that was readily apparent is that unlike many prog bands, Threshold is not afraid to write really catchy, but still interesting music. The chorus of “Small Dark Lines” will get stuck in your head for days. And while guitarist Karl Groom certainly shows some nice chops, his heavy and memorable riffs are what really stands out to me, not only on this song, but the rest of the album as well.

This is followed up by the first lengthy track of the album, the 12 minute “The Man Who Saw Through Time” and it’s a fantastic example of prog metal done well. It contains the requisite lengthy instrumental section where Groom shows off his soloing skills, but also is cemented by the excellent bass work of Steve Anderson which, unlike too many metal albums, is actually clearly audible and gives song the proper weight and heaviness that it deserves. Johanne James also takes the opportunity to show why he has won numerous Best Drummer awards over the years. Like the rest of the band, his drumming is not super flashy, or overwhelming; instead it concentrates on fitting and driving the music. West’s moody key work floats over the whole thing, and he takes off on some nice runs which bring out the more progressive elements of the band’s music.

The band shows off a more melodic, almost power metal side with the heavy, but essentially ballad driven, “Stars and Satellites” and their tendency for writing big sounding choruses is again pushed into the forefront. In this way, and their overall approach, they remind me quite a bit of Vanden Plas, which is not at all a bad thing. The fact that they focus more on songwriting than bowling you over with feats of technical prowess might cause some prog fans with limited musical appreciation to turn their noses up at this album, but they would be doing themselves a serious disservice. I love mind melting complexity and blazing speed as much as the next guy, but to be honest eventually that sort of a thing becomes a one trick pony and after a while you wonder if the band can do anything other than play fast, like actually write songs. Threshold takes the time to prove they can write good songs as well as play their instruments.

The second disk opens with “The Shire (Part 2)” an obvious sister piece to the opening song. And it begins in the same way; same music and lyrics for the first minute and a half as Part1 before morphing into a new direction as the narrator goes into further plans to break out of where he is, and the music takes on a heavy, guitar driven sound, while still maintaining the main melody of the song.  It works as an effective setup for the rest of the disk. The song moves directly into the heaviest song on the album, “Snowblind,” a song driven by jaunty riffing and almost jackhammer drumming and vocals. The strong melodies that make up such a part of Threshold’s style are still very much present, but the signature element is certainly the more aggressive nature of the majority of the song. “Snowblind” also features another heavy, yet extremely memorable chorus which works its way into your ear, and takes up residence there. This one of the more ever-changing songs on the album, as soon as you get comfortable with a catchy moment, it abruptly changes direction and does something else, often in a heavier manner than before. Despite being relatively short (just over 7 minutes) it is arguably the most progressive song on the album in my opinion.

The story of the album is wound up with the final three songs starting with “The Shire (Part 3).”  Unlike the first two parts it does not share the melody or lyrical approach. It is instead an airy piano driven track that serves more as an introduction to the following song than anything else. It is unique for fans of the band however as former bassist and founding member Jon Jeary makes a vocal cameo on the track. The following track, the 10 minute “Lost In Translation,” finds the narrator forced to stop and look at where his deeds and actions have gotten them, the regrets, and things that didn’t go as planned, compiling to make them who they are, and forcing them to come to grips with it. Musically everything is tied nicely together, with all the elements of the album coming together for a fitting conclusion, it’s melodic, plenty heavy and the vocals are an easy highlight.

The album closes with the sound of birds and piano with “Swallowed” as our narrator finds himself back on the farm where everything started. And, more importantly; their finding peace within for being who they are, and for where they are in the world. The second half builds into a melodic guitar driven ballad, and things end in a peaceful and ultimately satisfying manner not only for the protagonist, but the listener as well. At least that’s my reading of it.

With ‘Legends Of The Shires’, Threshold have created a highly engaging, and at times very beautiful epic for which they are justifiably proud. Through the two disks, they take the listener on a journey of frequently heavy and very memorable music that fans of song oriented progressive metal will find hard not to enjoy. As a newcomer to the band I can assert that it is an excellent introduction to their music, and imagine that longtime fans of the band will find plenty of things to be excited about as well. Highly recommended.

[thatswhywemusyc]

WHY WE MUSYC: Matthew Powers

I believe music is not only a sound, but a feeling. The first time I heard a guitar riff as a kid, I knew it wasn't just a sound I immediately loved but a compass that would guide my passions in life. Fast forward to now, twenty-some years later, and that small hunch I had was exactly right. I've spent the last five years getting to know my favorite musicians, but also witnessing incredible live displays of musical prowess and power, the kind only heavy music can bring about. I musyc because it expresses exactly what I'm feeling at any given time and guides me through the darkest times. It's always there for me.

Matthew Powers is a 23 year old music journalist from the small town of Ferdinand, Indiana. He is best known as one of the original writers and album reviewers for California-based live performance page CaliberTV and recently, for gaining steam through his work with MetalWani worldwide and Florida's The New Fury. Through his love for metal, he has networked with several webpages, thousands of music lovers from all over the world, interviewed members of Soilwork, Lacuna Coil, Miss May I, As I Lay Dying, All Shall Perish and Trivium as well as spilled his thoughts on hundreds of albums of varying genres. Powers also works with up-and-coming bands, frequently helping them to get their music known. His other passions include animals, video games, traveling, theme parks and being a Disney fanatic.

Get connected:

Matthew Powers: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[themetalscience]

TOP 12 THRASH METAL ALBUMS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Thrash metal: what was once an underground movement spearheaded by pockets of bands across the continental United States has blossomed into one of the most vibrant musical movements in extreme entertainment. The following 12 records are the pinnacle of thrash metal musicality in the 21st century, spanning everything from mutants to space exploration. kreator-eogKreator – ‘Enemy of God’ (2005) The number 1 entry on this list is none other than Kreator’s eleventh studio release, ‘Enemy of God’. While many of the band’s 21st century records are enjoyable – namely ‘Phantom Antichrist’ and ‘Violent Revolution’ – it is ‘Enemy of God’ that stands head and shoulders above the rest as the defining thrash metal album of the last 16 years. The title track and “Suicide Terrorist” are just two of the tracks on the album that demonstrate why Kreator deserve as much recognition as their American metal counterparts. municipalwaste-taopMunicipal Waste – ‘The Art of Partying’ (2007) Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up! Bands mixing thrash (or metal in general) with hardcore punk is not a new thing, as represented by a wide plethora of bands such as Hatebreed, Suicidal Tendencies, Napalm Death, Killswitch Engage and many more. However, very few manage to combine serious metal with a comedic lyrical edge, which is exactly what Municipal Waste achieved on this record. “Headbanger Face Rip”, “Sadistic Magician”, and of course “Born to Party” reign true as some of the best crossover thrash songs in existence. exodus-biboExodus – ‘Blood In Blood Out’ (2014) For a band that have been at the forefront of the thrash movement since its very (and I mean, very) inception, the fact that Exodus has continued to put out good music continuously decades after their debut is a commendable achievement. While the records the band made with now-Generation Kill singer Rob Dukes are all great, it is their most recent album ‘Blood In Blood Out’ that stands out for me. Having Zetro back on vocals means that the band can revisit the famed ‘Fabulous Disaster’ era of Exodus while still maintaining a modern-sounding production quality. anthrax-fakAnthrax – ‘For All Kings’ (2016) Joey Belladonna to Anthrax is a lot like Bruce Dickinson to Iron Maiden; people can say their respective bands are the same without them, but they’re really not. That’s why ‘For All Kings’ is for me the best Anthrax release since their famed period (‘Among the Living’, ‘Persistence in Time’ etc). Having seen Anthrax live a couple of times recently, the new material sounds so good live (namely “You Gotta Believe” and especially “Breathing Lightning”). People can say that these classic thrash bands are dying, but Anthrax isn’t one of them. vektor-trVektor – ‘Terminal Redux’ (2016) Vektor are one of those rare bands that are so difficult to genre-pinpoint because their sound spans so many different styles. With elements of prog and thrash concocted together with fairly noticeable black metal vocals, Vektor’s work on ‘Terminal Redux’ comes together as a heavymetal-themed journey spanning what appears to be the entirety of time and space. Definitely not for everyone, but if you think it’s for you, give it a shot. It has as much to offer Dream Theater fans as it does extreme metal fans. sodom-m16Sodom – ‘M16’ (2001) Taking it back to the German style of thrash now for this next album, Sodom’s record ‘M16’ directly borrows visual and musical influence from the horrors of the Vietnam War just like the classic ‘Agent Orange’, most notably by using sound bites from ‘Apocalypse Now’ for the track “Napalm in the Morning”. Thanks to records like ‘M16’, Sodom remains perhaps the most visceral and musically menacing band across all of the genre’s classic bands, even above fellow groups such as Kreator and Slayer. testament-droeTestament – ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ (2012) As could be said for many of the renowned bands of the genre, Testament’s finest days could be seen as being in the past, with famed releases such as ‘The New Order’ being an example of this. However, ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ is one of their best releases in many a year, featuring acclaimed songs such as the title track, “Native Blood” and “True American Hate”. A worthwhile release from one of the godfathers of this style of music, it has to be said. B 18620 Warbringer – ‘Worlds Torn Asunder’ (2011) Warbringer are one of the more under-the-radar acts on this list, but don’t let that affect the quality of ‘Worlds Torn Asunder’, released in 2011. Featuring a more modern-sounding style of thrash as opposed to the contemporary releases of the 1980s Bay Area groups, this record from Warbringer provides all of the heavy-sounding metal you want, while still sounding fresh and unique as the band haven’t been around for decades. deathangel-rrDeath Angel – ‘Relentless Retribution’ (2010) Of all the bands on this list, Death Angel is perhaps the band that deserves the popularity and fame it unfortunately never received, most likely due to their debut record being released so late as well as having to contend with some of the genre’s big players. Nonetheless, their 2010 album ‘Relentless Retribution’ is a solid display of what thrash can sound like when played right, as the band continue to be booked as the opening act for big tours and playing stages at festivals the world over. havok-tiuHavok – ‘Time is Up’ (2011) Now for a relatively newer band to grace this list, as Havok comes in at #10. Their record ‘Time Is Up’, which came out in 2011, can stand face-to-face with anything other contemporary bands of the genre like Warbringer and Toxic Holocaust have released, as it has been compared to 80s masterpieces like ‘…And Justice for All’ and ‘Reign in Blood’ by various media outlets. If you’re searching for something more modern, give this one a try. overkill-teaOverkill – ‘The Electric Age’ (2012) As I’m sure nearly all of you reading this will know, Overkill are one of the originators of the thrash genre altogether, and one of the leaders of the New York scene alongside Anthrax and Nuclear Assault. The gradual surge in popularity around the world of some of those early bands has perhaps led Overkill to be forced to take a back-seat when it comes to the upper leagues of thrash, but their album ‘The Electric Age’ is a testament (no pun intended) to how this style of metal should be written and recorded. evile-skullEvile – ‘Skull’ (2013) Evile comes in at #12 with their 2013 studio album ‘Skull’. This album was produced by Russ Russell (Napalm Death, The Exploited, Dimmu Borgir), so an aggressive style of music is obviously at the forefront of this record. Songs such as “Head of the Demon”, “Underworld” and “Words of the Dead” put this album and Evile in general as a band in place as one of thrash’s most relevant new bands. SOURCE—metalwani.com ARTICLE BY: Jack Toresen

[residentrockstar]

Wardruna are a very special band. Part conceptual, part experimental, intensely spiritual and wholly entrancing, Warren uses old Norse instruments and atmospheric soundscape samples to take you on an epic journey through each of their albums, which form a triptych based around each of the 24 runes known as the elder futhark. Despite using primitive instruments, their latest album ‘Runaljod – Ragnarok’ has a polished and excellently-produced feel to it and is incredibly listenable. For this review, as it is such a cinematic creation, I was tempted to talk you through exactly what I envisioned as I listened to the album, but then it struck me that that is quite a subjective thing, so I will do my best to convince you through a broader description to take your own trip through this musical voyage. Rating: 8.8/10. Read more at Metalwani.com! #metal #metalwani #metalhead #newmusic #newmetal #musicreviews #music #heavymetal #folk #folkmetal #norse #norsemusic #scandinavianmusicgroup #wardruna #albumcovers #albumart #viking #vikings #Repost @metalwani ・・・

[nuclearblastuk]

REVIEW: BRUJERIA – “Pocho Aztlan” | Metal Wani

[nuclearblastuk]