Rolling Metal 2016

Really liked Arriver's 'TSUSHIMA' - thanks for the tip.

Listening to the debut album by Portuguese death metal band The Ominous Circle, Appalling Ascension. It's super heavy creepy-crawl stuff in the vein of Immolation and Aevangelist. Out January 27 on 20 Buck Spin. Two tracks are on Soundcloud:

http://soundcloud.com/20-buck-spin/the-ominous-circle-poison-fumes

http://soundcloud.com/20-buck-spin/the-ominous-circle-from-endless-chasms

Power Trip + Iron Reagan dates:

2/24 Houston, TX @ Walter's
2/25 New Orleans, LA @ Siberia
2/26 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
2/27 Raleigh, NC @ King's w/ Genocide Pact
2/28 Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry w/ Genocide Pact, Concealed Blade
3/1 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage w/ Genocide Pact, Concealed Blade
3/2 New York, NY @ The Marlin Room w/ Concealed Blade, Krimewatch
3/3 Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall w/ Concealed Blade, Protester
3/4 Cleveland, OH @ Now That's Class w/ Concealed Blade, Krimewatch
3/8 Montreal, QC @ Les Foufounes Electriques
3/9 Ottawa, ON @ The Brass Monkey
3/10 Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
3/11 Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
3/12 Chicago, IL @ Reggie's
3/13 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
3/14 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
3/16 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
3/16 Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street Collective

This one starts with a pretty long and interesting intro essay from Michael Nelson. I'm curious what you all think.

http://www.stereogum.com/1914718/the-40-best-metal-albums-of-2016/franchises/2016-in-review/

dude is one of my least favorite music writers and that first sentence is not convincing me to go further

lol yeah i was done after that sentence.

These may sound like minor developments, and maybe taken individually they are minor developments. Maybe they’re not even that. Maybe, in fact, you could frame all these things as net positives.

maybe nothing is something. maybe something is nothing. maybe

maybe yes. maybe no. maybe fuck yourself.

I like Mike a lot, but his reasons for omitting a Metallica album he says is very good are baffling.

I guess because of a couple quotes from interviews where they say they don't enjoy discussing politics. Hate to break it to him, but that's probably just as true with most of the other bands he rated. It's just that they're not famous enough where there's multiple interviews expecting them to issue statements on their political views.

I like Mike as a person (full disclosure, for those who don't already know: I write for Stereogum pretty regularly), but that essay was pretty damn muddled. The actual list has a few great records on it, a bunch of things I have no interest in even investigating, and a few other things I'm definitely gonna check out. But it wound up reinforcing my own decision not to do year-end lists for Burning Ambulance, and convincing me that my idea to do a year-end essay instead was misguided, so I'm not even doing that.

That's too bad, I'd read it. Even if you went out on a limb to say something wacky!

First record I woulda coulda nominated - Clandestine Sacrament by the underwhelmingly named Death Fetishist - which on this record, at least, is a weird BM supergroup with members of Aevangelist, Mispyrming, Pyrrhon, Gnaw Their Tongues. Murky but spacious.

https://dmp666.bandcamp.com/album/clandestine-sacrament

I can kind of understand his disappointment in Metallica, however - explicitly bringing politics into your music as a middle-aged artist is such a tightrope act that it's not surprising that most don't bother. And besides, it wasn't their occasional political lyrics that made them good in the past. Sure it helped that their young and angry fanbase could identify with them, but do that now and you'll risk looking like Dave Mustaine.

That said, I think the Megadeth album this year wasn't bad and if anything Dave's unhinged conspiracy thinking actually enhances the experience.

I don't need Metallica to write political songs, nor do I care that (and I don't know why Nelson didn't just come out and say this in his piece) Lars Ulrich is a typically Scandinavian lefty and Hetfield is a (pretty well-documented, if you know where to look) redneck Republican, basically a quieter Ted Nugent.

they maybe do avoid talking politics simply because they want to avoid arguments as chances are they all know each others politics and differ as phil just said.

That stereogum article makes a claim with which I could not disagree more strongly:

I think music benefits from having ubiquitous figures inspiring universal debate. I think prominent artists push forward the entire art form. I think metal today lacks standard-bearers — and maybe even standards — and as such, it fails to meaningfully engage with the culture at large. Right now, it barely seems to understand how to substantively connect with its most-devoted community members. You can be a serious metal enthusiast and probably not give a shit about a single one of the 40 albums on Decibel’s list — or our list, for that matter. And while I understand how we got here, I think that’s ultimately probably not a great development for metal.

Like, every claim here, I think is horseshit. The music this guy is looking for is called pop, and there's plenty of it. Metal is great when it's diffuse, not when we're all swooning because our favorite artists trended on Twitter today.

Heh, i agree with you smithy. over on the voting thread I highlighted that quote and responded to it

no, wait. It was here and theres been a lot of replies to it which i found interesting
Thread for all 2016 albums of the year lists

it's such an inimical-to-the-entire-spirit-and-history-of-the-genre position. standard-bearers are boring. universalized discourse is boring. there's ample supply of both in mainstream culture; I don't come to metal for the metal version of things I can already get from mainstream culture.

I think a lot of people do prefer the maidens and metallicas because of that though. Most people do stick with what they know rather than look for new bands trying things.

Some of course like both and thats what keeps the genre going. Metal has traditions and everyones expected to know the lineage and the classic bands/albums. Which i like but its very unhealthy if you only listen to the old established

yeah but...when those were new, they weren't The Leaders -- Maiden, Priest -- they were The Really Successful Ones. Meanwhile, at a much lower level during the NWOBHM, bands like Manilla Road and the Tygers of Pan Tang (and Satan, whose Court in the Act can proudly stand next to any NWOBHM album). In the clubs, on the packed-van-package-tours, in tape trading, through the mail, away from How Does This Impact/Intersect With Popular Culture discussions -- as far away from those discussions as possible -- that's where metal was made, that's where it thrives, that's its DNA. Not at the God damned Grammys or whatever.

sentence needs finished! should read

Meanwhile, at a much lower level during the NWOBHM, bands like Manilla Road and the Tygers of Pan Tang (and Satan, whose Court in the Act can proudly stand next to any NWOBHM album) were making records that inspired and entertained and dazzled everybody who cared and NOBODY who didn't -- Diamond Head was interesting to people who loved the genre and had nothing at all to say to "the culture at large," thank God. Nor did Mercyful Fate, one of the best bands of all time. Etc etc

I do agree with you

otm overall. my favorite band for years was Immolation, who have no real crossover appeal, but as a genre enthusiast like I am, they are one of the best of the business to me...

that there is no one torchbearer largely speaks to the depth and the scope of the genre more than anything. I love seeing two different metalheads' top 40 lists where neither intersect

that was the great thing with metallica ans reign in blood era slayer in that they appealed to both the underground fans and culture at large.

somewhere thats been lost. I think a lot of peoples disconnect was when Pantera went to #1 in the USA at a time metal did go underground as it was unfashionable. Millions loved that stuff but many did not .

Not picking on pantera or anything I just think thats when the disconnect happened for many. Im sure it had been there gaining steam for a while.

Pantera did seem to really symbolise metal having to be extreme to be metal. That whole the only band flagwaving in the 90s for metal.

I stopped worrying about being part of the commercial Zeitgeist about 20 years ago watching Oasis at Loch Lomond with 50,000 singing along to every word of bsides. After that you realise you can just do your own thing as you get older.

You dont need to belong to anything at a certain age but you dont have to stop liking new music either.

Im not interested in watching metallica and maiden yearning for the good old days of my youth when music was great and theres no good bands now.

Or indeed Oasis as they fit that kind of thing too haha

I disagree with Aero, obviously. I used to work for Roadrunner Records - I had a professional interest in metal bands winning Grammys, selling as many albums as possible, etc., etc. But even when I didn't, I never liked the whole "the underground is where it's really at/this is not for you, square" mindset - at least, not after I graduated high school. I don't only like huge bands, but I always want the bands I like to get huge. I like discovering things, but I also like sharing them with people. The whole point of writing about a record, after all, is to make sure that as many people know about it as possible. It's a gesture of outreach. And I'd much rather be in an arena full of people whose ages span a 30-year range, all screaming along to "The Number of the Beast," than in a dank, stinking basement club watching five death metal bands play. The underground is not my idea of fun, and hasn't been for a long time.

I agree with you that I like bands I love to get more successful, why else do we share tips to everyone? But as smithy says metal thrived on that kind of word of mouth as much as it did by winning grammys and that winning grammys isnt the be all and end all.

personally I selfishly root for bands to not become too popular because I am cheap and don't like big crowds

But it wound up reinforcing my own decision not to do year-end lists for Burning Ambulance

Will you post a list here at least? I like seeing the Burning Ambulance list.

yeah I mean I like for musicians to get paid - I have a stake in that, myself - but I disagree with the "get as big as is possible" mindset, and have for my whole career -- a career which would have been much shorter had I taken the advice of label people in the mid-90s, who, to a man, all told me I needed to get into a fancy studio and polish my lo-fi gems to a don't-you-want-to-reach-the-most-people shine. I didn't like the sound of that, and now we have a still-comparably-small audience...but for several of us, it's still our main day job, and it keeps the lights on. There's plenty of middle ground between playing a shitty closet and playing in mid-sized clubs where you've found an audience that'll follow you through many different inspirations. not all jazz has to be Diana Krall, and metal's most exciting to me when the conversation is about what's bubbling under and getting born, not what's-your-take-on-the-thing-everybody's-talking-about.

(nb yes, we did get into the studio eventually, on our own terms, where we continued to say "it's not about reaching the most people, it's about chasing some ideas here and there")

Voting in metal poll ends tomorrow night. Please vote!

I'd much rather be in an arena full of people whose ages span a 30-year range, all screaming along to "The Number of the Beast," than in a dank, stinking basement club watching five death metal bands play.

I disagree - I've been to more than a few mega concerts and I was always disappointed. Not because of the big crowd cause that's definitely cool, so many metalheads in one place - it's the watery beer in a plastic cup, the pushing and shoving, the invariably shit echoey sound and the distanceto the bands. A few months ago I was at a Phlebotomized gig (with three other 90s death metal bands) in yes: a glorified basement but it was like a goddamn high school reunion with only metalheads. Meeting with the band members between sets over good (bottled) beer, talking new and old music, cool merch, catching up on what the other oldschool dudes are doing now, etc. I also remember Anathema in 1994 when they ended their set and walked right into the (small) crowd to drink and talk at the bar. Thats my idea of a great gig, not see Rammstein, Maiden or Slayer play on giant video walls. I'll still go but it's mainly a social thing with my friends than an enjoyable musical experience.

I think it also depends on what kind of metal you like to see live. Death metal is headphone music for me. Live metal for me is melodic stuff - Ozzy, Priest, Maiden...I'd love to go to Germany next December to see Manowar at one of the arena shows they've got booked for their final tour.

seriously how can anybody rep for arena sound? I have never been to an arena show whose sound was any good

Metal has traditions and everyones expected to know the lineage and the classic bands/albums.

This is true but I am genuinely interested how this works for younger or 'recently converted' metal fans. I know that I at least partly grew up with the genre, as the canonical classics were made.

I must say, as a kid I never paid much attention to before-my-time metal (basically NWOBHM and older) although I knew the names and reputations. I didn't start working my way back until I was ten years into metal. I don't expect some 18 year old kid who got into metal a couple years back through Sabaton or Epica or Brokencyde to diligently go through the whole lineage from Sabbath to Priest, Metallica, Slayer, Bathory, Possessed, Burzum, Paradise Lost, all the way up to their gateway bands.

I can only imagine to new metalheads it must feel like I feel about jazz or minimalist classical - there's a multiverse of great old stuff but I realise it'll never mean as much to me as it did to contemporary fans, with the shock of the new. Then again, classical music must've felt like that for centuries.

(long ass post to say I don't really know any young metalheads)

I will say this year's Maiden arena show was in my top 3 all time but i will still never forget seeing Immolation in 99 with 14 other people and having my mind blown.

Dive shows rule

The election-night Anicon show I mentioned on the metal poll thread was one for the books for me.

Oh my goodness did Phil ever hit the nail square on the head. This is 100% me, and I have said the same thing, less eloquently, over the years:

I never liked the whole "the underground is where it's really at/this is not for you, square" mindset - at least, not after I graduated high school. I don't only like huge bands, but I always want the bands I like to get huge. I like discovering things, but I also like sharing them with people. The whole point of writing about a record, after all, is to make sure that as many people know about it as possible. It's a gesture of outreach. And I'd much rather be in an arena full of people whose ages span a 30-year range, all screaming along to "The Number of the Beast," than in a dank, stinking basement club watching five death metal bands play.

I truly believe metal is better off when its own musical/cultural avatars are in full stride, making vital music, playing shows. Those huge bands unite people in a way that underground metal doesn't. But these days we're all (I've been as guilty as anyone) bickering about how "this mainstream band sucks" or "Revolver loves this band so they're obviously lame" or "this is just dad thrash" or "this is hard rock not metal" or "this is too growly" that such division and blind dissension feels like we'll never have another metal band that everybody likes. There's a generation gap and a critic/public gap now that both feel far too wide to bridge.

I don't think we'll ever have another anything that everybody likes tbh. Symptom of the age.

Anyway, this new Deathspell Omega's good but not as good as Paracletus IMO. It feels like a little bit of a step back to Fas, Ite but with the viciousness and frenzy cranked up 20%. Which is good but not gonna be everyday listening, I think.

Judas Priest's Turbo is getting the deluxe reissue treatment next year. When I saw it was gonna be a 3CD set I got excited, hoping they'd decided to resurrect the Twin Turbos idea (it was supposed to be a double LP with tracks from Turbo, tracks that ended up on Ram It Down, and several songs that never got released), but it's just the album plus a 2CD concert from the 1986 tour. Which, since that's the same tour that was recorded for Priest...Live!, seems mildly pointless, but whatever.

I'm on both sides. One of the reasons I prefer to see live metal shows over any other genre is how sincere the bands are. You generally don't see metal bands phoning it in like they'd rather be home doing the dishes, like you do at the Pitchfork Festival (at least the last one I attended, where I heckled all the shitty performances and wished I had gone to Judas Priest at Northerly Island that night). And the audiences are way, way more enthusiastic.

So 2 of my top three shows were Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath at the United Center. However, I DO prefer mostly going to smaller clubs, where this year I got to see legends like Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, The Skull, and Blood Ceremony, Purson, Horisont, Witch Mountain, Professor Black, Argus, Brimstone Coven, Demon Eye, Pale Divine, Syd Arthur, Golden Void, Baroness and Pallbearer. With the exception of Blood Ceremony at Roadburn and Baroness/Pallbearer at a sold out Metro show with a thousand people, most of those shows were pretty sparsely attended, with less than a hundred people. And that's a damn shame. There shouldn't be such a huge discrepancy, especially in a music town like Chicago, but there is. A few years back it was annoying when certain doom bands suddenly got the hipsters' attention and small shows would unexpectedly sell out, but I prefer it for the bands' sake.

I love this new Battle Beast track. More heavy metal-disco, please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lKYdrL-AAw

Battle Beast are a lot of fun. A few years ago, they covered the Giorgio Moroder song "Push It To The Limit" from Scarface:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0mJQi1Rs5g

And their version of W.A.S.P.'s "Wild Child" is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGxfT00NZl8