Rolling Metal Thread 2008

I really like that weirdly busy and colorful one. The little sticker thing in the lower righthand corner makes it look worse than it actually is, I think.

if you enjoy that cover, rox, i think i know of a book you would REALLY like:
http://www.psychobabyonline.com/site/pics/533/27796/185559/255372/where_the_wild_things_are.jpg

That's a great book!

Ha, that new Alestorm album is great fun. Shame about the voice-overs, though. I only wish they'd ditch the synth in favour of some real accordion...

After hearing Gojira and Hacride do such great stuff with a similar sound, Meshuggah seem to be spinning their wheels.

in my mind I've always seen them as mad scientist types obsessing over how to finally build the PREFECT MESHUGGAH SONG. yeah, it all sounds the same and yeah they kinda already did it with the 'i' ep but whatevs. still can't wait to hear this.

Yeah, that was a poor zing, Chaki. That book is awesome!

Anyway, as I hoped...

In defense of "Purpose:" Look, a bad album cover's something like Shadows Fall's Threads of Life, or the freaking skeleton nuns playing pool on the last Black Label Society record. The more I think about it, the more I believe that the In Flames cover is one of the best I've seen in a long time. First of all, jester heads sticker aside, the actual artistry involved is quite accomplished. It's a technically well-done drawing. There are a lot of little details, and things that your eyes can pick up as it examines the painting closely. Secondly, it's instantly memorable and stands out, while making you think for a second about its connection to the title of the record. And the connection is quite obvious and subtle at the same time, which is tough to do. Third, the very fact that Idolator and chaki could read so much meaning into the symbols (like the door and Where the Wild Things Are) means that there are layers and things going on below the surface that are open for interpretation. Fourth, the way the new band logo evokes the early Lunar Strain/Jester Race logo while still finding its own identity is pretty cool. Fifth, and most importantly, you will notice it in a record store, which is the biggest purpose of an album cover. I could see people criticizing it as pretentious, but it's no more pretentious than album art that consists of a Xeroxed picture of a forest at night, and it's a whole lot more interesting to look at. It's controversial, sure, but the best art usually is.

And is it really a big deal? Sabotage is a huge ILM favorite and may be the most laughable cover ever. Come on Bill, put on some pants

I mean, I'm not saying that people aren't allowed to dislike it, I've just yet to see a well reasoned argument as to why it isn't a good album cover that doesn't involve the word "gay" or snarkiness.

It's garish to be sure, but I like it when metal albums are hyper-colorful. Cleanses the palate.

(I like the opposite, too.)

I agree Jeff, and I actually kind of like the cover too, even though I try to avoid looking at the vagina dentata.

I've just yet to see a well reasoned argument as to why it isn't a good album cover that doesn't involve the word "gay" or snarkiness.

"looks like 90s goth johan vasquez comic book" - me

come anticipate TEETH with me

Yeah, and that would be a valid criticism if it looked anything like Jhonen Vasquez's work. Totally different style. And what's wrong with a metal cover looking like a comic book?

wow you're really reppin. maybe you'd be interested in the jesterhead.com inflames package http://www.jesterhead.com/images/colonypackage_2.png

And you're really doing the opposite.

Oh man, I really want that glossy band photo to pin up above my bed!

whatev, rox. me and idolator agree. you and jeff treppel can go jack each other off at the JETS game while looking at the new In Flamers cd cover.

OK, I'm confused now.

Look, I don't really have any vested interest in the album cover, but what is ILM for if not thinking way too hard about trivial music matters?

lol @ whatev, rox. me and idolator agree.

But yeah, chaki: maybe getting a little riled up?

I think chaki was touched inappropriately by an In Flames album when he was young.

Oh yeah!? Well why don't you eat shit!!!

Me?!

yah you

This discussion has devolved rather quickly.

says who

Um, me?

this is pretty brutal
http://a120.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/73/l_5b34e35c4af4223794e0bcb1d4db1ad7.jpg

Haw, I was joking Jeff!

I know, I was just... playing along. Yeah! Playing along...

Anyone know much about this Vancouver band Bison? Anyone got the album?

http://www.thrashermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=41

Friend sent me two tracks and they're really great mid-to-fast tempo grinding thrash.

I didn't know anything about Bison, but I'm intrigued by the MySpace tracks. Half thrash, half early Mastodon...not too shabby at all. "Dark Skies Above" especially.

Spent the day spinnnig Saviours and Warbringer again, two strong albums that just keep getting better the more I play them...it's not quite the blazing start to 2008 like 2007 was, but still a strong first quarter so far.

I'm waiting eagerly to hear that new Sword album...

re bison////
i have their only release so far and play it alot. it is pretty short at about 33 minutes but definitely worth seeking out. a few members from former skatekids the s.t.r.e.e.t.s.

favourite track "stokasaurus"

ok im totally feeling this new Decrepit Birth. recommended!

Anybody heard Pig Iron?

anyone else see this/mention this:

"16.01.2008 12:43:50 Metal Mind Productions signs a deal with Nuclear Blast!!!

Metal Mind Productions is very proud to announce a multi licensing deal signed with Nuclear Blast Records for their interesting, valuable back-catalogue.

In the first half of 2008 Metal Mind Productions will re-issue nearly 70 albums from their deep archives. The selection of bands includes Brutallity, Control Denied, Darkseed, Disharmonic Orchestra, Gardenian, Horde, Hypocrisy, Impulse Manslaughter, Macabre, Mortification, Night In Gales, Slaughter, Warhammer or Winter to name a few. This is a must-have offer for fans of good music - re-issues of classic material in new digipak editions, each title limited to 2000 copies, digitally remastered using 24-Bit process. The albums will include additional features like bonus audio or video material, biography, liner notes from Artists etc.

Tomasz Dziubinski, the President of Metal Mind Productions: “We are very proud to have finalized the deal with Nuclear Blast. It is a huge distinction for Metal Mind Productions that such a fantastic label wanted to start co-operating with us. We expect that we will achieve great sales results as we want to make re-releases of the highest quality: classic albums in new, improved editions. We want to achieve the best results possible. We do hope that our cooperation with Nuclear Blast will develop very well and fans can expect more and more interesting albums to be re-released”

Among first titles to be re-issued as part of this deal are 8 Mortification albums, Control Denied and Macabre!"

http://www.metalmind.com.pl/index.php?dzial=newsy&more=1039

breaking news: BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Reunited CYNIC To Record New Album

In the mail today: The Gathering Live DVD, new (!) Bauhaus, Hermano, and Donita Sparks. Some/all of these might belong on the hard rock thread, though...

I should be listening to the Opeth back catalog, for professional reasons, but instead I'm listening to Fudge Tunnel's Hate Songs In E Minor. Their half-speed demolition run through "Sunshine Of Your Love" is one of the great cover versions of all time.

That Gathering DVD is really, really well done.

I'm currently listening to an incredibly dumb CD by a band called Chingalera. Sounds great, mixed by Albini and all, but damn, if this isn't the stupidest, most pointless Tool imitation I've heard in a long while. Zero depth, all just surface wank. I'm turning this off right away. Ugh.

Today while wandering on campus I saw a fellow in a Rhapsody T-shirt. Haircut wise he was rocking the Jeff Treppel (short hair, short beard) rather than the old school Skot (hair for MILES!).

Jeff just keeps influencing everything he touches

I've got the touch! I've got the power!

The Hermano album is really, really good. Only listened to it once, though, will have specifics later.

I liked it but no-one else seemed to (amongst the slsk stoner crew)

Just wrote a review of Hermano for Alternative Press. As ex-Kyuss member projects go, Hermano is way better than Queens Of The Stone Age (who I fucking hate) but not as good as the Brant Bjork & The Operators album.

Today while wandering on campus I saw a fellow in a Rhapsody T-shirt. Haircut wise he was rocking the Jeff Treppel (short hair, short beard) rather than the old school Skot (hair for MILES!).

omg he's behind the times they're RHAPSODY OF FIRE now!!!!

An update on the upcoming Opeth album - inspired by Scott Walker !

BLABBERMOUTH.NET - OPETH Confirmed For Germany's WACKEN OPEN AIR Festival

OPETH mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt recently spoke to Revolver magazine about the group's forthcoming follow-up to 2005's "Ghost Reveries", tentatively due in the spring via Roadrunner Records.

"The music is much more complex," he said. "The metal parts are even faster and a lot more technical than the last one. It's really hard to play some of this stuff. I mean, I wrote it and even I have trouble playing parts of it. I think it's going to be hard for some people to get into. It's definitely not a commercial-sounding record. The arrangements are exhausting. And it's much darker. Even the major patterns are very dark, while I think 'Ghost Reveries' had some light."

When asked if the songs were influences by anything musical, Mikael replied, I was hugely inspired by Scott Walker, who's an avant-garde artist and crooner. Last year he put out a record called 'The Drift', which is quite extreme and frightening, and it made a huge impact on me. Immediately, I wanted to do something like that. It just felt right. Also, with the situation the band has gone through over the last couple of years with the lineup changes, I just wanted it to be this way. I didn't want it to be a happy-sounding record."