Boris At Last -Feedbacker- (320) (2003)

Jonathan Davis of Korn was once quoted as saying this on an advertisement of a video game called Haze: "Gaming for me is a religion. And Haze is the shit. I had to come up with a track that can hit up that kind of rush I get from the game and I think we really rocked it!!"

Now that quote by itself sounds both stupid and ridiculous. But if we change several words in that quote, it can sound like he is talking about Boris. "MUSIC for me is a religion. And BORIS is the shit. I tried to come up with a track that can hit up that kind of rush I get from FEEDBACKER and I think we really FUCKED it UP!!"

And there you have it. Jonathan Davis loves Boris. A random review of this album I remember reading described this album by saying it was as diverse as Akuma no Uta, and as cohesive as Flood. That sounds like a good way to describe it. Why the hell not, right?

It probably has more in common with Flood and Amplifier than it does with Heavy Rocks or Pink, if that helps as a point of reference. The album was written to be experienced as one long track, and it is about 43 minutes long. The first track is about ten minutes of building up for the second track, so keep that pacing in mind. Expect serene soundscapes being slowly overtaken by electric wail (provided by the Les Paul wielding guitar goddess Wata) before exploding into gorgeous amounts of feedback and percussive stomp. If that sounds like your thing, this album is for you. It's fair to say this may not be the perfect starting point for Boris, as that role might be filled better by Akuma No Uta or Pink, but it's definitely worth a listen.

Cover kinda creeps me out, though.

Corrosion of Conformity - Wiseblood (320) (1996)

Wiseblood was released 2 years after Deliverance, an it certainly sounds like it. That's not a bad thing, however. This album is thoroughly enjoyable. If you like Deliverance, you'll probably like this album.

Mr. Tambourine play one more song for me, 'Cause I gotta leave, I lost what I believed

The Sword - Warp Riders (320) (2010)

"But I don't want any more Heavy Metal!" SHUT YOUR GOD DAMN MOUTH! You're going to listen to it and like it.

This album is pretty awesome. The lyrics tell a classic sci-fi/fantasy inspired tale (which the cover reflects) about an archer on another world. Or something. It's less grounded story than 2001: A Space Odyssey, but not as "out there" as something like The Integral Trees.

In terms of sound the riffing is thick and stoner-metally (new adjective?), and the drumming and bass work are an excellent fit. Having never listened to the band before this album, it was a bit of a shock. Expectations being completely surpassed can do that.The only semi-negative thing I can mention is that the vocals put me off for about ten seconds. This random twitter update can give you an idea of the sound.

To be fair, the initial "This album is fucking awesome" feeling may still have a hold on me. But after three complete plays, there isn't a track that needs to be skipped. Seems to be the same story for Age of Winters, but that is a story for another post.

Everything from Texas is just a little bit better than everything else.

Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today (320) (2007)

HP Lovecraft. Wiichcraft. Occult crap. Drugs. That about covers the lyrical content.Sonically, they earn their genre label, "Drone Doom." Taking that dark, slow sound of drone groups like Sunn 0))) and the doom metal of Master of Reality-era Black Sabbath. Crackling amplifiers and booming base with a heavy groove is the M.O. here. They are loud.


It's not quite as engrossing as Dopethrone or Come my Fanatics...but's a good album if you're in to the genre, or are looking for something dark and heavy to try out.

Edited on (08/30/2010).


Who doesn't love H.P. Lovecraft?

Alabama Thunderpussy - Staring at the Divine (2002) (320)

Awhile ago, fellow poster postshoegaze made remark that now that Mandatory Metal Monday is over, the blog can get back to "real music." I treated it like a joke, but it reflects a sentiment that many people have towards heavy metal/hard rock influenced music.

I find my self coming back to these Stoner Metal bands for my "loud and heavy as fuck" fix. I think there's a certain comfort to be found in those heavy down-tuned riffs. And ATP does that flawlessly. Motor-Ready has to be one of the best Metal riffs I've heard, and the rest of the album is equally as awesome. Tracks like Hunting By Echo have an unexpectedly melodic side while simultaneously maintaining that relentless heavy riffing and powerful vocals, and even a mellow(er) track like Twilight Arrival doesn't seem out of place. To make it even better, the album isn't compressed to the point of sounding like complete shit, like many modern metal albums.

tl;dr version - I like this album. I will buy it if I find it. Edit

Great album cover, or greatest album cover?

Corrosion Of Conformity - Deliverance (320) (1994)

Okay, so a late update for Mandatory Metal Monday. Corrosion of Conformity is often considered a stoner metal band, and I can see the basis for that. I don't know if the band embraces the term as much as, say, Electric Wizard, but it describes this band's sound well enough. I've yet to listen through "Blind" in it's entirety, but from what I've heard, this album seems like a departure from that "thrashier" sound. I'm also find my self singing the chorus to "Clean my Wounds" all the time. That doesn't really have any bearing on the album's quality, but it's late and I have nothing to write.

Hell me Jesus, help me clean my wounds...

Cynic - Traced in Air (320) (2008)

Continuing the trend of "posting albums that I love," I give you "Traced in Air." This is Cynic's second album, with their debut "Focus" being released shortly before their breakup in 1994. It didn't really catch on immediately, the Death Metal/Jazz Fusion mix probably being initially off putting to most people. After reuniting in 2007 and finding a surprising amount of interest in their work, they decided to release a second album. In 2008, the completed and released "Traced in Air." The album definitely expands on the Jazz Fusion element in their music, but the metal definitely maintains its presence. If you even have a passing interest in either Metal or Jazz, I encourage you to give it a listen. It certainly didn't seem like the kind of thing that would attract my interest when I first came across it, but that view has certainly changed.

Tracklist:

1.  Nunc Fluens
2. The Space for This
3. Evolutionary Sleeper
4. Integral Birth
5. The Unkown Guest
6. Adam's Murmur
7. King of Those Who Know
8. Nunc Stans

...breath in, breath out...

Ephel Duath - The Painter's Palette (320) (2003)

The Painter's Palette is easily one of this writer's favorite albums. The album is a little unusual; it's a concept album, with each track being assigned a color to represent. It's an odd mix of metal and jazz that can be initially off putting to someone who doesn't know what to expect. The album opener is a good example of what a listener can expect from this album, however. That is say, it transitions from smooth guitar and bass to chaotic drums, blaring trumpets, and screaming vocals in the span of 60 seconds. In the few places it's mentioned it seems to be thought of fondly, if that's worth anything. If an individual with diverse musical tastes and open mind were to approach it, I think they would find an interesting listen, if nothing else.

Tracklist:

1. "The Passage (Pearl Grey)"
2. "The Unpoetic Circle (Bottle Green)"
3. "Labyrinthine (Crimson)"
4. "Praha (Ancient Gold)" 
5. "The Picture (Bordeaux)" 
6. "Ruins (Deep Blue and Violet)" 
7. "Ironical Communion (Amber)" 
8. "My Glassy Shelter (Dirty White)" 
9. "The Other's Touch (Amaranth)" 

The result of too much free time.