Shadows Fall tears the house down in Raleigh…

On April 21, 2008, Atlantic Records band Shadows Fall headlined an incredible show at the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh, NC. The supporting bands on the bill were Droid, Arsis, The Showdown, and Kataklysm. With a combined effort from all five acts, Monday night was turned from a monotonous drag to a headbanging good time!

The first band to kick off the night was Long Beach, CA band Droid. Although their set was short because of the number bands playing, Droid definitely brought their A game to start this show with aggression. This was my first Droid experience and I was definitely impressed.

The next band to hit the stage was Arsis. This was my first time hearing Arsis as well and I was definitely impressed with them. They had a great Death/Black metal sound that really helped get you going for the rest of the show. Overall, great live performance.

The third band to play was The Showdown from Elizabethton, TN. These guy really changed the pace again from Death metal to straight Heavy metal. Honestly, I’d say that they were the only band on the bill that sounded anything close to Shadows Fall. Either way, these guys could wail! Their breakdowns were awesome and I liked the Pantera-like feel some of their grooves had. Overall, they put on a great show.

The next to last band to play was legendary Death metal band Kataklysm! Normally I’m not huge into Death metal, but there is definitely an exception for these guys. Everything about their set was awesome and these guys definitely know how to get a crowd goin’! Everybody played everything on point and Maurizio Iacono’s vocals were spot on. Kataklysm proved to be my second favorite band of the night and they are certainly worth going to see again!

Finally, Shadows Fall hit the stage. Enter “massive dreads of doom”! When SF hit the stage, everybody in the venue went nuts and the party got taken to the next level. They played a good 8-10 song set that included songs such as “The Light That Blinds”, “The Power of I and I”, “Redemption”, “Failure of the Devout”, “What Drives the Weak”, and more! Just like Kataklysm, these guys were all on point and Brian Fair’s vocals were incredible. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for much of a better set to see live.

All in all, I’m glad I finally got to see Shadows Fall play live and gain a few new bands into my arsenal of Metal! If you have the chance to see any of these band play live, go check ‘em out.

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Emmure – The Respect Issue
Victory Records

(5/5)

Strap on your seatbelts and hold on tight for one of the best breakthrough artists from 2007 continuing through 2008, Emmure! Rolling off their incredible debut album Goodbye to the Gallows, Emmure is releasing their second full length album entitled The Respect Issue. Honestly, I can’t put this album down! Tracks 1-4 are basically one HUGE breakdown before you are shown to another side of Emmure through parts of tracks 5 and 6. Tracks 7, 8, and 10 are all heavy in their own aspects, but the real shocker of the album is track 9 (“Dry Ice”). “Dry Ice” is simply an instrumental track that is slow, soft, and really doesn’t have much to do with the album. Overall, every track on the album has a significant purpose to making this one of the most exciting albums I have heard from Victory Records, but there were a few that stuck out. The one that had the MOST impact on me was “False Love in Real Life” (track 4). As soon as this track ended the first time I heard it, I had to start it over! The breakdowns in the track are UNBELIEVABLE! These breakdowns mark a new era for breakdowns with the slow and heavy effect they have. They are absolutely out of this world! On top of that, vocalist Frank Palmeri does an incredible job absolutely murdering this track. Every thing about it is insane! Really, every track on this album had some sort of incredible effect on me, but “False Love in Real Life” really hit me hard. To get a good glimpse of Emmure’s, more, Progressive sounding side, “Chicago’s Finest” (track 5) and “Tales From the Burg” (track 6). These two songs really combine different feelings and styles to get your heart pumpin’ and your fists movin’! And once again, the breakdown in “Tales From the Burg” is RIDICULOUS! Overall, I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better album out of these guys! All five members did an incredible job keeping up the intensity of their debut album sound. So, if you’re looking for an album to get you pumped and ready to punch someone in the head, check out The Respect Issue by Emmure ASAP!

Death Angel – Killing Season
Nuclear Blast Records

(4/5)

Grab your books and hit the classroom, Thrash is back in session! Death Angel is back and still kickin’ it old school with their newest Thrashterpiece, Killing Season! From start to finish, this 11-track album proves that Death Angel has not lost their touch and continues to bring you that classic, old school Thrash metal style. Guitarists Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar absolutely tear it up as drummer Andy Galeon and bassist Dennis Pepa pull up the back with their awesome skills. Heading up the attack is vocalist Mark Osegueda, who is on top of his game throughout the album while receiving back-up from Rob and Dennis! Altogether, these guys are so amazing, they leave me practically speechless! As hard as it is to choose favorites amongst the tracks, but three really caught my attention. The first two are the two opening tracks, “Lord of Hate” (track 1) and “Sonic Beatdown” (track 2). “Lord of Hate” is a great opener because it starts off nice and mellow before hitting you full force with Thrash. “Sonic Beatdown” is great because it helps provide classic example after classic example that old school Thrash will NEVER die. As for the third song, the title is “Resurrection Machine” (track 11) and it is worth every second it plays! Really, it never gets to a high velocity of Thrash, but it shows another side of the album with a slower, heavier feel that includes a more mellow sound combined with pure heaviness. Overall, Killing Season is a great album for anyone who enjoys Thrash metal, or if you’re just starting to get into it. Just remember, in 2008, Thrash is back and “Killing Season” has just begun!

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Eluveitie – Slanía
Nuclear Blast Records

(4/5)

Eluveitie has produced one of the most exciting Folk metal albums of the year, Slanía. With a collaborated effort from all eight members of the band, Slanía helps Eluveitie go a step forward on the Pagan metal scene that combines traditional, authentic Celtic Folk music a modern styled Melodic Death metal. The members are as follows: Merlin Sutter (drums), Anna Murphy (hurdygurdy and vocals), Ivo Henzi (guitar), Chrigel Glanzmann (lead vocals, mandola, acoustic guitar, tin & low whistles, uilleann pipes, and gaita), Rafi Kirder (bass and vocals), Meri Tadic (fiddle and vocals), Siméon Koch (guitars and vocals), and Sevan Kirder (tin & low whistles, Irish flute, gaita, and vocals). Overall, all eight members really do a great job presenting this revolutionary material from Switzerland. On the overall album, there are a few tracks that really caught my attention. The one that really stuck out over all the rest to me is “Elembívos” (track 12). The vocals consist only of a simple chant that remains constant throughout the entire song as the music builds up until it is at a maximum heavy capacity before going back just the chant, then back to full strength for the remainder of the song. The concept is fairly basic, but the overall product is a great closer as far as the regular tracks go. Other than “Elembívos”, “Prímordíal Breath” (track 2), “Gray Sublíme Archon” (track 4), and “Bloodstaíned Ground” stuck out for the large Metal influences used in the songs. For pure examples of the Celtic Folk style, “Anagantíos” (track 5) and “Gíamoníos” (track 9) are both excellent instrumental pieces. Overall, Slanía has one of the most interesting mixes of styles compiled into one album, but it all works out to be one of the best albums put out on the Pagan metal and Folk metal scenes in 2008!

Meshuggah – obZen
Nuclear Blast Records

(5/5)

One word can describe the magnitude of Meshuggah’s new album obZen, MASSIVE! In these nine tracks of pure adrenaline filled Metal, Meshuggah constantly hits you with their obscure time signatures, heavy hitting drums, and insane bass and guitar parts. Honestly, I haven’t heard much Meshuggah material other than obZen, but I am extremely impressed with how this album sounds. As mentioned before, guitarists Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom really outdo themselves on this album with the pure heaviness of their parts with the help of bassist Dick Lövgren, whose parts are really noticeable compared to a lot of other bassists. On top of all the guitarists is drummer Tomas Haake and vocalist Jens Kidman. Tomas and Jens alike offer their amazing talents to finishing off what the other three members have already established. Altogether, this has to be one of the top five most TALENTED bands I have EVER come across! The biggest thing that puts these guys high on the list is their relentless obsession with challenging themselves with the difficulty of the time signatures they use and the pure, complete product they produce while continually performing it live! Proving the skill and ability Meshuggah has to produce some of the greatest material heard on the Metal scene today, obZen has a couple of tracks that really push themselves forward as superior, but the entire album is a true thrill ride for new and old Meshuggah fans! My personal favorite tracks from the album are “Combustion” (track 1), “Bleed” (track 3), and the title track “ObZen” (track 5). “Combustion” fits in on the list for its ability as an incredible album opener. It begins with a bit of a light guitar part just before exploding into a very Thrash metal based song structure. As for “Bleed” and “ObZen”, they top the list because of their pure heaviness and aggression. “Bleed” starts out with another Thrash-like song structure and continues it throughout the entire track, keeping you looking for a time to slow down and take a quick break. Not happening! “ObZen” takes a different approach in the beginning with a heavier, more Heavy metal style structure that you can either mosh or just groove too. As Meshuggah would have it, that Heavy metal feel remains, but it overtaken by the crazy time signature. With these tracks in mind and the guarantee that every other track on the album is also incredible, it needs to be mentioned that Meshuggah cannot really be put into just one music genre. I realize that most bands are like this, but Meshuggah REALLY hits in many different categories. Just from the tracks listed above you have Heavy metal and Thrash metal, “Pineal Gland Optics” (track 7) really helps you see the Experimental metal of the band, and there are many other Meshuggah songs that would change your initial categorization of the band. For obZen, the overall product meets the credentials for the Experimental metal genre. All in all, if you want to experience one of the most exciting albums of 2008, check out obZen by Meshuggah!

Korpiklaani – Korven Kuningas
Nuclear Blast Records

(4/5)

Normally, Folk music and Metal can be found on totally opposite ends of the spectrum, but thanks to the efforts of Korpiklaani and similar bands, the two styles have been mashed together to form the new soundtrack to a night at the bar! The most recent release of this kind by Korpiklaani is entitled Korven Kuningas. Korven Kuningas is the fifth release for this Finnish Folk metal band and is written in the native Finnish language in an effort to reconnect the music to its roots. Altogether, Korpiklaani consists of guitarists Jonne Järvelä and Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi, bassist Jarkko Aaltonen, drummer Matti “Matson” Johansson, Jaakko “Hittavainen” Lemmetty playing violin, jouhikko, and woodwinds, and Juho Kauppinen on accordion. To compare these six guys’ sound to anything else I have heard, I’d have to say that they sound like a Finnish version of Flogging Molly! And to be honest, I never thought I’d mention an accordion player in a Metal band! Overall, Korven Kuningas is a different experience than what I expected, but I really like this album and Korpiklaani as a whole. Of the 15 tracks on the album, it is hard to say which ones are the “best”, but my personal favorite is the single off the album, “Keep On Galloping”. This song combines the “bounce” of the polka/folk feel with a bit of the heaviness of the guitars. Another great track is the first track of the album, “Tapporauta”. This song really gives you a feel for the Folk metal genre with it’s Heavy metal style opening and its fast paced, polka feel, throughout the rest of the song, that is spiced up with, what sounds like, some double bass from Matti. A few other good tracks to listen to are “Ali Jäisten Vetten”, “Kipakka”, and “Suden Joiku”. All in all, if you really like the Folk sound of Flogging Molly infused with some Metal guitar parts and lyrics in Finnish, sit back, grab a pint or three (if you’re of legal age), and enjoy Korven Kuningas!