Demon Box

Metal is often described as a ‘global phenomenon’.  Yet, in certain areas of the world, metal is not as free as many want to believe.  I’m talking about the Middle East.  Within the Middle East is a swirl of cultures, religions, ethnic groups, nations, borders, revolutions, and wars.  Combine these together with outside metal influence and young people, and you have a recipe for some fantastic music.  The area itself provides context, ideas, and lyrics for artists.  Take Pentagram, renamed Mezarkabul after confusion with American doom band Pentagram, who fuses Eastern themes with the ferocity of metal to create a very unique sound.  

 
Mezarkabul is from Turkey, and writes heavily about genocide and other problems in the area.  Mezarkabul was formed in the 80’s, and is credited with helping bring heavy metal to the Middle East.  Other bands would also mix metal with their local music, usually adding heavy Eastern themes and musical qualities, as well as local instrumentation.

The problem, however, is that not every one in the Middle Eastern nations are welcoming to the genre.  In the 90’s, when metal started rapidly growing in the area, intense crackdowns occurred in many countries.  Government and religious officials (sometimes one in the same) would argue that metal was a threat to the ideals of Islam, and would place heavy censorship and harm on metal musicians and fans.  Sound familiar?  The United States went through the very same problems in the 80’s, but to a much lesser degree.  For one, many Middle Eastern musicians were living their lyrics.  War, genocide, rape, and evil were everyday occurrences in regime and autocrat run nations.  Also, punishments for metal were much more severe than in the U.S. and other nations.  In the late 90’s, many nations started what were called “Satanic Metal Drives”- severe crackdowns on metal.  In Egypt, 100 metal fans were arrested in 1997, many believing they should be executed, simply for listening to metal.  In Lebanon, one would be arrested for wearing black band shirts, headbanging, or owning/listening to metal.  Iran was similar, leading to one band to leave their homes and families to the U.S., just so they could continue playing music.

 Governments saw metal as a motivator for revolution, and stereotypes of metal being evil and anti-religious led to a hatred for nothing more than artistic freedom, expression, and most importantly, musical therapy.  Metal was seen by the players and listeners as a form of escape, a freeing experience from oppression and war-torn environments.

 
Because of the crackdowns, metal was once again driven underground.  Bands played in basements, abandoned buildings, and other hidden areas, all with the knowledge of possible imprisonment or death.  Imagine that.  The threat of death for playing music.  All hope is not lost, however.  In Dubai, metal is accepted, and even welcomed.  Bands like Bilocate and Nervecell (two leading groups in Middle Eastern metal), and thriving in Dubai, free to release albums and play live shows without fear.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Middle East is not so lucky.  Funny things can happen when you try to force something out, though. Often times, it only grows stronger.  Connections are being made underground, fans and bands alike, creating very tight groups.  The result?  Fantastic metal.  The anger and frustration in this metal is genuine, caused by years of oppression.  And that quality of music will always find a way.

Thrash.  The jump-start to metal in the United States.  Many consider thrash a dead genre, or at least a genre that is so saturated, no more music of value will come from it.  Thrash metal started in the 80’s with groups like the Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax), Testament, Overkill, and Exodus.  The 90’s was a tough decade for thrash metal with many of the founding bands taking a slower, bluesier approach. Recently, however, more and more bands are sticking to what they know, and keeping much of the sound from the 80’s that made thrash appeal to so many.  Testament is releasing a new album in July titled Dark Roots of the Earth.  Testament’s last album, The Formation of Damnation, was a solid album, and I look forward to their next effort.  On the release front, two thrash giants have put out new albums that are both fantastic albums that call back to the 80’s, but with the production qualities of today.  Overkill, formed in 1980, put out a record in March titled The Electric Age.  Overkill has some serious albums in their history, and is one of the more famous East Coast thrash bands.

 
Next is Accept, who could also be placed in the speed metal genre.  But thrash and speed metal overlap a good bit, and Accept has a number of qualities that make the group arguably thrash.  Accept, from Germany and formed in the late 60’s remained active on and off, and released their most recent album in April of this year, titled Stalingrad.  


 
High quality thrash is still being made.  That is apparent.  Bands like Testament and Overkill continue to keep the genre alive by putting out great music.  Stigma surrounds thrash because of bigger bands who have put out stagnant records in past years, and because of the age of the genre.  I refuse to consider thrash a dying or dead genre, if only looking at the quality of music these bands have been dishing out.

Do not let the name diminish its importance.  Stoner metal is often downplayed from the start because of its name.  However, some of the most popular and best current metal acts full under or once played in the stoner/sludge genres.  To clear any confusion, I am writing about both at the same time because so many qualities in both overlap with each other.  Both genres are slower, and more groove-oriented that other genres, calling back to the traditional psychedelic rock groups of the 60’s and 70’s.  Arguably the first stoner album was Black Sabbath’s 1971 Master of Reality, though only recently being placed in the genre as ‘stoner metal’ wasn’t a term upon its release.

 Notice the groove, and the doom-like qualities.  This sound would be reproduced by most stoner/sludge bands to follow.  Similar to Black Sabbath in sound was the band Pentagram.  Though usually considered doom metal, a few tracks released from their 70’s recording sessions reveal early stoner sound.  A sound that would, again, be copied by modern bands calling back to earlier times in metal.  One of the earliest bands to embrace the genre name of ‘stoner’ was the rock group Kyuss, who in 1991 released Wretch (Warning: Lyrics for Mature Audiences):

While Kyuss retained the crawl of early doom metal, they didn’t make the full crossover into metal.  Two bands that did were Electric Wizard and Orange Goblin, both modern stoner metal groups.  Both bands released albums in 2000 (Dopethrone and The Big Black, respectively) that are very retro in feel, putting emphasis on the lower/mid range during recording.  

 
Very similar to doom metal still, stoner metal was for a certain audience, yes.  But at the same time could be enjoyed by metal fans who wanted less emphasis on speed and technical ability, and more on droning, heavy riffs.

The same could be said for sludge metal, while similar to stoner rock/metal, sludge took a much heavier sound on top of the usual stoner sound.  One of the earliest contributors to sludge was the the Melvins, who are also credited with assisting in the grunge movement.  The Melvins released an early sludge record in 1996 titled Stag.  

 The Melvins have always been a very experimental group, and like Black Sabbath with stoner metal, are a band that has been influential for most sludge bands today.  The next groups to follow the Melvins in sludge borrowed many qualities from the NWOBHM and Bay Area Thrash groups to modernize the sound of sludge metal.  Groups like Mastodon and High on Fire mixed the sound of sludge, stoner, and more traditional metal to create a trudging, harsh metal that resembled the older stoner groups, keeping the low/mid ranges high, but were less doomy, and began putting some emphasis on technical playing ability.

 As mentioned before, groups like Mastodon had a more modern sound, yet they maintained the slower side of metal as opposed to the high speeds found in death, thrash, and other current genres.  Recently, even more bands have been placing heavier and heavier emphasis on the slow, retro sounds.  Some see this as a backlash against the ever-increasing speed of other genres, and also as a call-back to the sounds and musicians who created the genre decades ago.  Groups like Bison B.C. and Baroness keep that thought in mind, though they have a quality to them that speaks of a struggle to do so.  Harsh vocals and grating guitars mix together with experimental sounds and the constant slow, crushing riffs to stay true to the sludge code.

 
I would like to mention now that I had ten tracks of my top picks for sludge/stoner metal.  I went instead for a general summary of the genre’s, while including some of the songs from the list.

Enjoy stoner rock/metal?  You should also check out Sleep - Jerusalem and Bongzilla - Stash for even more music for your green needs.
Want to stick with sludge?  Check out Baroness - Red Album and Clutch - Clutch

 

I discovered … this.

 
Now I know Dio was all for musical freedom and what have you, and I know it’s easy to make fun of Dio in an endearing way, but I can’t do this.  Dio is in a certain pantheon of music where if you’re gonna cover one of his songs, you better be DAMN sure it’s going to be in line with the original.  Killswitch Engaged failed to do that, confirming an already present dislike of the band.  I mean, they went out of their way to muck up the instruments AND the vocals, all in one go.  It’s like they’re almost trying to mess this song up, because that’s the only excuse I’ll take for how bad this cover is.  And if that turns out to be the reason?  They’re even worse for it.

So this week is more a ‘things I think are important’ rather than a discovery.  I’ve known about these bands too long to call it a ‘discovery’.  With that out of the way, let’s get started.

First, and I can’t believe this is my first time mentioning them here, is the band Ghost.  Ghost came to huge popularity only recently with their first album Opus Eponymous, which was released in 2010.  The band is from Sweden, and was an underground band until critics gave them such positive reviews, causing their popularity grew at (what I think) an unprecedented rate in metal.  I think that stems from their accessibility and easy sound as a band, yet they write extremely satanic and masterful songs.  Do I think this is a bad thing?  No.  Metal has enough hard to reach and underground acts to let one slip through, especially one that sounds so good.  Ghost has been compared to Blue Oyster Cult mixed with Mercyful Fate, something I think should not be taken lightly.  But go ahead followers, take a listen and see what you think.  Last note:  Their second album is expected to come out in June of this year, so you’ll be seeing more of these guys soon.




Second, I want to talk about another thing that happened recently in the metal world that really bothers me.  Last week, Mikael Akerfeldt said in an interview that he would no longer be doing lead vocals in Bloodbath  (Swedish death metal).  Akerfeldt, the lead singer, guitarist, songwriter, and mastermind behind Opeth, also did vocals for nearly every Bloodbath release.  What does this mean in metal, you might ask?  My guess is that my suspicions were true- that he can no longer create death metal vocals successfully.  He has stepped down from his true death metal band, and Opeth’s last album featured entirely clean vocals.  To me, all signs point to Akerfeldt continuing away from extreme metal into the progressive rock/fusion genres.  I’m sure Opeth will continue to be successful, but I really will miss their unique brand of style.

People are talking shit about Galaktikon, and I hate each and every one of them.  Do they not realize how wrong they are?  I’ve been reading words like “sold out”, “not metal”, “wimpy”, and the like.  Have people in the metal community gone so far to think that if something has clean vocals and no constant double bass sixteenths that it’s automatically not metal?  If that’s the case, they can take their opinion and shove it.  Listen to this song.  It’s called Dangertits.  That’s the title.  Dangertits.  

http://soundcloud.com/the-guitar-squid/brendon-smalls-galaktikon 

Yeah, that song’s not metal. 

Recently someone asked me about folk metal, and what are good and bad examples of the genre.  Keep in mind these are opinions, but I will go into what makes a good folk metal group, and what makes a bad one.  First, I will show good examples of what I think folk metal is, with (mostly) clean and harsh vocals. 

This is Amorphis, a progressive Folk act from Finland, formed in 1990.  Early on, Amorphis had a more death metal sound, only recently moving to more folk.  Their lyrics involve the usual staples of war, death, and the like, but also Finnish legends and stories.  This song is about a story within the Kalevala, a grouping of Finnish epic poetry.  The song contains a very emotional story about lost love, revenge, and the emptiness of finding the replacement of that lost love.

This is Finntroll, on the opposite side of the spectrum in sound and style.  They infuse black and folk metal in their music, and are also from Finland, formed in 1997.  They have a much darker image, but also have lyrics dealing with Finnish lore, as well as trolls, paganism, and content against Christianity.  This song, like most of theirs, is sung in Swedish.  The basis of the band name and some lyrics come from a legend of Christian priests coming to Finland, only to be attacked by a Troll-king.

Moving on, this is Elvenking, an Italian group formed in 1997.  There are obvious differences when compared to the Amorphis song.  There is more value placed on image, sound, and ‘catchiness’ of this song, things that metal bands need to be mindful of.  In their recent albums, Elvenking has taken more and more steps away from being a folk metal act into something else, this song being a prime example of that.

Lastly, we have Trollfest.  Trollfest is from Norway and formed in 2003.  This band is a good example of things I hate in metal.  To me, Trollfest is a fad band.  They saw something that would make them money, and they took advantage of it.  They have poor quality music, making a cheap product that was the cool thing at the time.  They write all lyrics in a fictional “troll language” they themselves created, and write exclusively about trolls and drinking.  Could you consider this a novelty band?  Yes.  Could you consider this a folk metal band?  No. 

I think there is some confusion when the term folk metal is applied so quickly.  Folk metal has a few qualities that you can pin down pretty easily.  Non-typical metal instruments like the violin, flute, and other traditional instruments are used, as well as traditional modes of singing and language.  Lyrical content can be about paganism, mythology, or specific folklore and ancient history.  Something I think many bands fail to grasp, however, is the playing style and feeling that comes along with using ancient stories and legends in the music.  I think folk metal transcends the idea of flat lyrics.  Just like the epic legends they are calling back to, folk metal songs add a layer that is beyond simply listening.  You can almost feel the story in a good folk metal song.  Bands solely out for profit or to force a certain image on themselves cannot reproduce that feeling.

A final note:  Most folk metal groups are from Europe, but the States have one group that I think stands up to the bigger folk names across the Atlantic.  And that  group is Agalloch. 

I have words for deathcore/crabcore/gorecore bands.  They are the scum of the Earth.  I want all my followers to look at something for me.  DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for damage to persons or belongings as result of violent reaction to the following video.  Please watch with hatred at your own risk.

I will give you a minute to soak in what you just watched.  Just kidding, please, quickly go cleanse your ear palate.

I use this video as an example when I try to explain things I hate in metal.  They are as follows: heavy auto-tune, nonsensical techno segments, breakdowns, and an obvious manufactured look and style that this band, and many other bands like them have.  And what’s that?  This band has all of those things?!  You don’t say!  

In all seriousness, I am generalizing (and maybe unfairly) when I say I hate all -core bands.  But that hate comes easy.  I recently read an opinion piece about this -core movement, and how it’s basically the current form of glam and nu-metal in the 80’s and 90’s, respectively.  A short-lived, money-grab scheme.  Nothing more.  Once a successful formula is found in music, people will rinse and repeat to make a quick buck, until the original form has turned into something completely unrecognizable. It’s always happened, and it will continue to happen.  But in metal, that is something that will never fly with me.  So, my dear friends, let us hold strong as this wave passes, for true metal will never abandon us.  If you dislike my elitist tone from this piece, please, tell someone else.  I really could care less.

To wrap things up, I have a song that is just perfect for this occasion!

I have mixed emotions about the Black Sabbath reunion album/tour.  Rumblings started in late 2011, and the reunion itself was confirmed by the band in November.  Disaster struck in January 2012, when lead guitarist Toni Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, but luckily, he and the band were willing to work around treatment and continue with the original reunion plans.  Then, at the beginning of February 2012, drummer Bill Ward backed out, personally thanking the band and fans for the support, but stated he couldn’t sign off on the reunion until a more respectful contract was given.  Speculation shot through the roof, as fans demanded not only Ward to get what he wanted and return to the band, but for Sharon Osbourne’s head (NOTE: I can neither confirm or deny Sharon’s role in this fiasco, but I know history has shown she has her hands deep in the affairs of her husband).  More news just surfaced to me today.  Iommi pulled out of the tours to get healthy.  All tour dates but one show at Download Festival have been changed, as Iommi has been replaced with guitarist Zakk Wylde.  The group is now called Ozzy and Friends (not a joke).  The album still has a green light, but without Ward. The metal community has long been plagued with the inability to wait and see, especially for a beloved band as Black Sabbath.  Would I be on board with the original line-up touring and promoting a new album?  Yes.  Would I be skeptical of the content of said album after so many years?  Yes.  

But when does nostalgia overcome that skepticism, and for who?  A group like Black Sabbath, the very founders of metal itself.  All my support goes out to Iommi as he battles cancer, and for Ward as he tries to hold on to some form of credibility (SPECULATION WARNING) in what seems to be a profit-driven escapade.  I do hope Ward comes back in, and I do hope the album they release will not be entirely worthless.  Both of these things happening, realistically, is still a stretch. In November when the reunion was first announced, many believed it was too good to be true, and I kept my hopes high, with an interested eye on the happenings, but it seems no good news has surfaced since the original announcement last year.  Black Sabbath will always hold a special place in my heart, and I know I’m not alone with that sentiment.  But unfortunately, sometimes a band just can’t end on a good note.