Rolling Metal Thread 2012

Ooh, I'm not either of those dudes, but I like that.

Is there some kinda poll/cheat sheet with the top 200 metal albums of 2012 I can look at? Because my year end list only has 16 albums on it, and they're not all metal.

It's always far easier for me to make a list of the top 50 shows I saw this year.

I know stoner doom riffing isn't a big thing for most of you, but as I've been relistening for end of year list making I've fallen for the self-titled Mendozza album pretty hard. It's perfect Fall metal, thick and meaty sounding. And the singer doesn't sing enough to detract from the riffs.

There is always Rate Your Music, Nate, if you're REALLY into European prog power stuff.

Upcoming release: "In Solitude"

Release date: Fri, Jan 25 2013, US Tue, Jan 22 2013

As previously announced, Season of Mist will re-release Swedish metallers IN SOLITUDE’s eponymous debut album on January 25th (22nd in North America). Originally released in 2008, sold-out and much sought-after, this cult opus will be made available again in three different editions:

CD jewel case with slipcase (international edition)
CD jewel case (North American edition)
Double gatefold LP with poster and digital download card

All three editions will include two bonus tracks:

“Hidden Dangers (In the Night)” - originally recorded as a demo in 2006, this song was only available on a 7” vinyl released in 2008 and long sold-out.

“Faceless Mistress” - demo version, previously unreleased and self produced by the band.

hey all it might be worth popping over to http://hydraheadlines.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/hydra-health-hydra-head-rehabilitation.html

30CD grab-bag for $30 is pretty tempting...

sorry $100, but still! Might also throw one or two other bits and pieces in there...

http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs173/1102486613542/img/711.jpg

NUMERO TO RELEASE LP BY PROTO-METAL PRODIGIES MEDUSA

UNHEARD 1975 ALBUM FROM CHICAGO SOCERER METAL ACT MARKS FIRST STEP INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR ACCLAIMED REISSUE LABEL

HEAR A SONG AND READ MORE AT DECIBEL:
http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/streaming-medusa-strangulation/


Chicago's reputation will forever be tainted by the horn-ravaged corniness of their eponymous band. Medusa's First Step Beyond could have forever altered the perception of Chicago rock history had it managed to make the leap from tape to its destined vinyl pressing. Instead, this mish-mash of Sabbath, Hawkwind, and Amon Duul II remained petrified in the Corycian Caverns, or rather the drummer's basement. Self-produced on four track in 1975, the sole transmission from Medusa's repertoire appeared on the extremely mysterious Pepperhead label, whose proprietor allegedly disappeared after a bad trip and has never been seen again. Housed in cushy mock-velvet and screened in blood red and gold, and art directed from the band's elaborate original stage props and artwork, we have positioned this unreleased opus to finally reach its destination: the turntables of pot-smoking teenagers, young and old.

The Medusa reissue, due February 12th, marks the venerated reissue label's first foray into the outer reaches of proto-metal, scuzzball garage, frazzled psychedelia, and spit polish glam that will be rolling out throughout the calendar year, including a companion compilation to First Step Beyond due Fall of 2013.



HEAR ALBUM TRACK "STRANGULATION" HERE:
http://soundcloud.com/biz-3-publicity/medusa-strangulation



SEE ALBUM TRAILER HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZpwTZYGW2I&feature=youtu.be



FIRST STEP BEYOND TRACKLISTING

1. Strangulation
2. Transient Amplitude
3. Frustrations Foot
4. Temptress
5. Feelings Of Indifference
6. Black Wizard
7. Unknown Fear

second and last attempt to paste trailer from YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZpwTZYGW2I&feature=youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcgKuGPB1a0

Not sure what traction they have outside NZ, but I'm really stoked Beastwars seem to be reaching some sort of Mastodon crossover status after their self-titled debut last year; there's enough bogans in the country that we've been ripe for a stoner-y band w/popular appeal to catch on. Great 70s Doctor Who low-budget vibes to the video, too.

Low budget or not, that video rules!

This video reminds me of something I've been noticing that maybe hasn't been addressed in music but more in heavier/extreme music..

Age.

Back in the day, a band wouldn't be caught dead with some "old" dude in the band. Peoples acceptance of these things probably isn't anything that they've even thought about or noticed. I couldn't imagine looking through Hit Parader BITD and seeing a band I'd never heard of with a cruster, grey bearded or balding goon and take em seriously. Its just always seemed to be a young mans' game to be in a band. Whenever I'd think of elder statesmen it would be guys that have aged while in bands, AC/DC, the Stones, etc.

But now it seems the norm for any sludge or post metal type thing is dudes in the 40s. Or any newer band doing the like, or anything atmospheric or even blackened for that matter being done by hella young dudes might not get the respect at first. I have seen a trend too of newer school grind bands being older cats, but having a young drummer.. (cuz old cats can't play that shit on drums..lol)

Maybe I'm totally out of my tree, or maybe cuz I'm old now I notice the older dudes more.. When i get asked what kind of music i play currently i usually say old Man Metal.. or to barrow and expand on a quote from Kowloon Walled City, "4 dudes playing to 40 dudes" all in their 40s..

Metal is the new Jazz.

I don't think Medusa's vinyl pressing was destined seeing as it didn't happen for 30 years!

Mixtarum Metallum IV: The 20 Best of 2012
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/tools/full/165770

Pretty good list, like that they include Ufomammut and Conan, two releases that Decibel dropped the ball on. I don't know why they won't rank 'em, as they obviously have the numbers to differentiate from the other couple hundred releases the staff voted for. I'll list the albums out on Year-End Critics' Polls 2012

xp Yeah, at one time metal was a young genre! Now it's not. It's worth discussion though -- are there bands that you've seen that really didn't have a significant percentage of the audience in their 20s? I've been to a lot of metal shows lately and there's always a bunch of kiddies with lots of energy, balanced out by the greying geezers in the back (or this graying one hovering right on the edge of the mosh pits).

harvey milk was a pretty old crowd when i saw them

anyone else spin the new incantation yet? didn't make a huge impression on my initial listen this morning but it seemed solid enough. expect further listens will help."profound loathing" was a nice, doomy standout.

and not gonna lie, I miss the grimey golgotha sound. I know it's not coming back, I just can't help it.

it's on spotify btw

This video reminds me of something I've been noticing that maybe hasn't been addressed in music but more in heavier/extreme music..

Age.

Back in the day, a band wouldn't be caught dead with some "old" dude in the band. Peoples acceptance of these things probably isn't anything that they've even thought about or noticed. I couldn't imagine looking through Hit Parader BITD and seeing a band I'd never heard of with a cruster, grey bearded or balding goon and take em seriously. Its just always seemed to be a young mans' game to be in a band. Whenever I'd think of elder statesmen it would be guys that have aged while in bands, AC/DC, the Stones, etc.

But now it seems the norm for any sludge or post metal type thing is dudes in the 40s. Or any newer band doing the like, or anything atmospheric or even blackened for that matter being done by hella young dudes might not get the respect at first. I have seen a trend too of newer school grind bands being older cats, but having a young drummer.. (cuz old cats can't play that shit on drums..lol)

Maybe I'm totally out of my tree, or maybe cuz I'm old now I notice the older dudes more.. When i get asked what kind of music i play currently i usually say old Man Metal.. or to barrow and expand on a quote from Kowloon Walled City, "4 dudes playing to 40 dudes" all in their 40s..

― SeanWayne, Wednesday, November 28, 2012 10:38 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this kind of ties in with this, but as another angle of the age thing, i was also surprised at how many YOUNG kids (and like YOUNG, maybe 21-23 yrs old) kids I saw at Saint Vitus like totally rocking out to shit they were playing off the old SST albums, like the group of kids that were totally smoking weed in the pit that had backpacks and snap back oversized baseball hats with flat brims that basically dressed like the dudes in Odd Future

and i had come basically expecting myself at 38 to be on the young end of the show crowd

This Author & Punisher album is absolutely incredible. Ashamed to admit I'm just finally hearing it now, but man. I cannot believe this isn't gaining more traction! I can see this crossing over to a pretty big audience, actually. And, hell, even some of the quieter pieces could even attract some of those ambient techno/dubstep ilm-types. I mean, come on, if you dropped "Mercy Dub" on the web and claimed it came from some young bedroom producer from Brighton, I can see people who like Burial eating it up.

The fans are getting older and the younger ones help to keep things viable. But I'm trippin on the geezers actually in bands. That video made me realize-heres a relatively new band, and the singer is old, or at least older; it doesn't look like he graduated high school in the last 5 years, ya know? Bands 20 years ago couldn't make any head way with some old dude in their ranks, and maybe in some aspects of the industry this is still true, but I'm seeing more of it. I think the underground (for lack of a better term) is probably more forgiving of this, and those types of bands will be a little more DIY, so I'm sure that plays a part too..

Mick Mars was a trailblazer and we never knew it.

you are right about the A&P. The dub step thing is lost on me, but I can see fans of that getting into this.. its like Godflesh meets Aphex Twins with modern sounds and production.. its pretty dope.

HA!! right? Mick Mars is like 10 years older than all of those guys!

Of course there is gonna be those examples, but I'm just seeing it WAY more these days

coverdale had been around the block a few times before whitesnake blew up in the 80s

Listening to the Incantation album now. It's pretty great. I love those guys, though. Diabolical Conquest is my favorite of their albums by a long stretch (mostly for the 17-minute final track), but they don't have any genuinely bad albums, and their change-ups from death metal blasting to doom creepy-crawling are awesome.

I'm impressed by the Author & Punisher too, and love the Corsair.

I think you're absolutely right SeanWayne. Metal is no longer a young man (or even a man's) game. I can testify.

Oh I just set myself up for a barrage of tranny jokes, didn't I?

Metal is now the Crying Game.

Hasn't it always been, though?

So...who's buying the 15-CD Blind Guardian box that's coming out in February?

J3ff?

That's a lot of Blind Guardian.

Apparently it's their whole discography, studio and live albums, plus a couple of discs' worth of rarities.

Blabbermouth rundown

Here's the list that was linked above.

Mixtarum Metallum IV: The 20 Best of 2012

Neurosis - Honor Found in Decay
Liberteer - Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees
Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Black Breath - Sentenced to Life
God Seed - I Begin
Royal Thunder - CVI
The Secret - Agnus Dei
High on Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
Evoken - Atra Mors
Martyrdöd - Paranoia
Conan - Monnos
Titan - Burn
Napalm Death - Utilitarian
Dordeduh - Dar de Duh
Witch Mountain - Cauldron of the Wild
Nachtmystium - Silencing Machine
Nihill - Verdonkermaan
Gaza - No Absolutes in Human Suffering
Ufomammut - Oro: Opus Primum & Opus Alter
AMENRA - Mass V

I'm listening to Liberteer, Gaza and God Seed for the first time, still processing.

I hope that The latest Grand Magus record, The Hunt, gets some recognition from people. I hadn't listened to it in a while but it is a rifftastic monster. Such a great driving album, all forward motion with big old sing-along choruses. It deserves a wider audience.

I don't like that Liberteer album at all. I love grind and I get the concept and all, but those synthy horns make me cringe so much.

Horny synths would be better.

I liked The Hunt so much I went back to their previous albums to re-listen, and bought a couple on CD.

way late but the new converge is great, man they are making some excellent records these days

I do need to track down that Grand Magus. I've really liked their last couple and I kept waiting for the new one to show up in shops, when it didn't, I kinda forgot all about it.

kinda half-jokingly lol @ Converge making excellent records "these days", imho, they've been making excellent records for about a decade now

I don't find Converge in the least appealing. One of the many where I accept they're good at their thing but their thing has the appeal of a bag of shit.

kinda half-jokingly lol @ Converge making excellent records "these days", imho, they've been making excellent records for about a decade now

― HAPPY BDAY TOOTS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Sunday, December 2, 2012 4:54 PM (47 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's prob true, i took a break after jane doe because i didn't really dig that album but now i'm back

I don't find Converge in the least appealing. One of the many where I accept they're good at their thing but their thing has the appeal of a bag of shit.

― EZ Snappin, Sunday, December 2, 2012 5:32 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

also i appreciate this, they're an occasional thing for me

I'm sure I'd like them live, but the rest of the bill would have to be stellar for that to happen because I'm not buying a ticket with the hope that I won't hate it.

I would have liked to see Kvelertak on their latest tour but I was out of town when they came through.