New to my iPod…

Hello!

Ok, so I wrote this post a month or so ago and within minutes of me kinda finishing it I’d gotten hold of a bit more stuff to add to it. So I thought I’d re-write and see where I got with it.

Basically, I’d ordered some new CD’s.  “Whoop” I hear you say, and it is whoop!  I’d been skint so far this year and hadn’t been able to get hold of anything new, and as a collector of CD’s that disappoints me greatly.  So with my new found wealth (which didn’t last) I ordered:

• Times of Grace – The Hymn of a Broken Man
• Slash – Slash Special Edition (It had 3 extra songs so I had to!)
• Emmure – Speaker of the Dead
• Oceano – Contagion
• DevilDriver – Beast

Quite a mix there, eh?  Well since I wrote the post about these new bits n pieces I’ve gotten hold of some more stuff by Emmure, albums by Impending Doom, All Shall Perish, Baptized in Blood and my fave at the mo for sheer fun music, Royal Republic.  I’ll blast through and give you the lowdown.

How Cool?

Times of Grace was always going to be good. I love Killswitch Engage.  If you need to know how much I love KSE, then you need to track down the Couple that were standing next to me and Ben at Download in 2009, as they applauded our singing along to every Killswitch song played and apparently, we were better than Howard!  Anyways, Adam D is a legend and Jesse Leach’s vocals on KSE’s ‘Alive or Just Breathing’ are superb, so I was well up for hearing what times of Grace had to offer.  I’d already heard ‘Strength in Numbers’ and loved that and the rest of the album didn’t disappoint.  It’s loaded with melodic, catchy tunes, great Adam D guitar work and excellent vocals from both parties.  Not bad for a 2-man album.  Christ, I hate multi-talented people like Dutkiewicz.  And he looks good in a cape!!!!

Slash’s CD is just a re-release with some bonus tracks, which I wouldn’t usually buy ‘cause they piss me off. Seriously!  It used to be the case that the limited or special edition versions of a CD came out first, so the real fans and collectors got them as soon as they could.  I have many a ltd edition digipak and a few with Roadrunner Records first day stamps (Sepultura’s ‘Roots’, Machine Head’s ‘The More Things Change’, etc.).  A band released an album, the cool kids got the good stuff first and then there were normal versions for those who weren’t that bothered.  We – The Fans – buy our favourite bands albums when they come out, only for you – The Record Company Whores – to release better, more upgraded versions of said albums at a later date.  Err, fuck off!!  Now I have to buy a second copy of the album which I don’t need ’cause you’re money grabbing twats.  That’s not metal, is it??

Anyway, I digress.  I bought the Slash CD AGAIN because, as you know, I am a massive Slash fan (he says, sitting in the office at work in a GN’R t-shirt) and the CD had 3 acoustic tracks of songs I like and love on there.  Slash and Myles Kennedy performing Velvet Revolver’s ‘Fall to Pieces’ Slash and Myles’ ‘Back From Cali’ and my fave GN’R classic ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’.  “But Dan, you could have just downloaded the 3 tracks!”  Yes, I could have, but I’m a CD collector and Slash fan.  Unfortunately, this was a buyer.  Anyway, the songs are good and I love the solo album anyway, so it just made it better.  Could have saved these tracks for a limited edition version first release of the next solo album though!!!!!!!!!!!

Emmure's 'Speaker Of The Dead' - Heavy

Emmure.  Well, if you saw a previous post about me catching Emmure at the Never Say Die! Tour, you’ll know why I needed to get hold of some of their tunes at some point.  They’re just plain heavy.  And live, they’re even heavier and loaded with massive bass pulses that make your insides rattle. Speaker of the Dead was the first set of Emmure tunes I actually listened to properly, and it’s a thoroughly good album. Dirty, low-tuned riffs, nothing over complicated, just big, fat, heavy riffs and shouty vocals. Just what the doctor ordered. I’ve picked up the rest of their back catalogue since and it’s equally heavy. I still think ‘Speaker…’ is the better CD, though Ben will argue in favour of ‘Felony’. They’re all good though.

Got tickets to catch them on tour Next week at Manchester Academy and it’s going to be a bloodbath!  It’s Emmure, with Winds of Plague, I Wrestled A Bear Once, War From A Harlots Mouth and Visions on the “The Mosh Lives” Tour.  Mint.

DevilDriver’s latest album Beast is just another DevilDriver album.  I like DevilDriver, but they tent to do a few really good songs on every album and the rest just sounds the same.  They’re excellent to watch live as they have like 5 albums worth of material to pick an epic set from, but they’re not a band I can get into fully.  Don’t get me wrong, this CD isn’t crap, it’s just similar to all other DevilDriver albums to the point where nothing majorly stands out.  If you love their work, you’ll love Beast.  I only like it though.

Oceano are another great band a stumbled across a while back using the MySpace friends links.  Like Emmure, they just do big heavy riffs and deep growling vocals.  Oceano are more sludgy in their approach.  Listening to ‘Contagion’ is like listening to a giant slowly stomping the world to the point of Armageddon.  Oceano need to get back over to the UK soon, as I missed them last time due to being late out of work. 😦

Myself, Ben and Dave went to see Whitechapel recently inManchester.  It was a good show featuring Whitechapel, The Acacia Strain (who were ace) and a band I knew nothing about – Impending Doom.  These guys were epic.  Such a raw, heavy noise from a band with one guitarist.  Check ‘em out!  Again, following the sludgy heavy route but with a bit more technical stuff in the guitar work.  I’ve got hold of some of their tunes and they’re defo worth a listen.  They’ve got the sound of a band who’ve really worked hard to get where they have.

Baptized by Blood are a band I’ve been interested in hearing something by for a while.  I downloaded ‘Last Line Lady’ from Roadrunner Records website when they were giving it as a free mp3, and liked it.  Apparently, these guys are managed by Dave Mustaine of the mighty Megadeth, so they must be alright!  Album seems pretty solid.  Melodic metal riffage with some top class solos and growled vocals.  Think a more heavy Bullet For My Valentine with no singing or All That Remains type music.

Royal Republic

Ahh, and now for a band that brought me out in fits of laughter from the moment the first song kicked in.  I downloaded a copy of ‘The Royal’, again from Roadrunner and thought “this sounds like fun”, then I forgot about it.  I remembered again recently that I had it and put it on.  Had to get a copy of the album! RoyalRepublic’s ‘We Are the Royal’ is a gem of an album of you’re into a more poppy, fun rock record.  Happy go lucky riffs, a superb vocal and fun lyrics.  Definitely a summertime album.  If you want a comparison, they’re a bit like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, with some Rocket From the Crypt, Tenacious D and a touch of the B-52’s for sheer novelty value.  It’s the sort of album that you need to stick on if you want cheering up or at a party.   It’s just fun.  They’re not metal, but they are still good to listen to!

And as a final note, I’ve just got the new Winds of Plague album, which is frickin’ ace!  Prob pop on summat about that after the Emmure gig (which is tonight!!!!).

Laters.