stream of consciousness

End of the Year Reflections 2009

artist of the month

Xerath

Xerath is a new cutting edge band combining crushing meshuggah style riffs with epic orchestral composition. Their sound can be described as taking influence from Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah and Dimmu Borgir to create a distinctive sound they call "orchestral groove metal" (or chug-score!)

The band was formed in 2007 by guitarist Andy Phillips, drummer Michael Pitman, bassist Owain Williams, and later joined by Richard Thomson on vocals.

Originally started as an experiment to combine film-score with syncopated guitar rhythms, and just a year later a fully formed gigging band with a clear direction. Xerath aim to carve a long and relentless career on the cutting edge of technical symphonic groove metal.

Official Site
Myspace
Candlelight Records

Samael
I’m no Samael historian, but they undoubtedly deserve props for lasting as long as they have. It takes courage to alter your sound at the risk of alienating your fanbase, which is exactly what these guys have done. 2009 saw the release of Above. It marked a return to the early 90s blueprint of traditional black metal.

The Red Chord

Fed Through The Teeth Machine is a clean sweep. Great tunes from beginning to end.

Grief of War
Hailing from the heart of Tokyo, Grief of War are the delegates for their nation’s thrash metal scene… Imagine Slayer writing the soundtrack for “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”.

Sirenia
Fun Fact: Sirenia is the order of herbivorous mammals that we commonly refer to as sea cows. If I were a marine biologist, I’d certainly be wondering why the fuck a band would choose this name. However, my limited knowledge of Greek mythology tells me that Morten Veland chose it for reasons other than an infatuation with sea cows...

Destruction
The two CD set features a pair of scorching performances captured live with the first being Destruction’s legendary 2007 set Wacken and then more recently, their set in Tokyo from the D.E.V.O.U.T.I.O.N. Tour which supported their latest studio release of the same title.

in the dark no want no need no desire not anything not any of the things once deemed important only the thick curse of blackness swelling up like a dense mist hovering over a damp october evening in fall nothing but the cool calm feeling of metal on the temple scratching wildly as if to rub away the pressures and the punishments and the pains but they linger and hover more deeply than ever and there i sit waiting for the darkness to completely fall no respect no need no help just existing in this dim and gray place with these dim and gray people blankness expressions on each and i sit and contemplate the banging of the corpse in the moonlight underbrush i enjoy nothing and nothing enjoys me where am i when will i arrive i have tried and failed and completed one full circle still wandering and wondering what it is that has happened or will if i am to go tonight to the river with the pistol and the man on all fours dramatically and fast forwardly approaching as if anxiety has gotten the best now and forever i watch and wait and he approaches but he does not reach me he never reaches me for to feel is to touch and to have not i simply wait in this oblivion as the darkness prevails in the shadowy gloom where no one can help me no one admittedly and the good times a distant past as they happen once with each person only to never been seen again and i yearn for the continuation only to lay to waste in the muggy dew on the dim lit porch i try to think clearly but negativity is upon me as has always overridden and i can see no further through the depths of the power that i do not possess alone

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