Wednesday, June 16, 2010

My "April Fool's CD Swap" mix:

So, for the last several years, some folks from high school have organized and carried out a fairly sizable mix CD swap amongst themselves and some of their respective college buddies. This year, I finally decided to throw my hat into the ring. The final count was 27, which meant that every contributor would receive an eclectic package containing 26 unique musical experiences. And yes, I know it's way past April (April 1st was when all the CDs were supposed to be collected at the central person's place), but there were apparently several technical difficulties, and people were late with their mixes. So... here we are... and I think by now, everyone has gotten their CDs, so I thought I'd give mine a write-up.

I had abstained previously, knowing that my love for metal would likely fall on unwelcoming ears. But after my buddy Pat's moderate success with his last year's "The Music You Should Have Been Listening To" (or something like that) mix last year -- a showcase of classic heavy metal -- I figured the participants could stand another dose of metal. However, this time I'd bring them into slightly less familiar waters. I titled it "Some of the Best Metal You've (Probably) Never Heard."

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Random Quotations...

So, in order to clean up my Facebook page a bit, I've decided to move my ever increasing list of favorite quotations to a more manageable place... my blog! You know, the thing only maybe 5 people have ever read :( -- Anyway, without further adieu:

"Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you."
     - Tyrion Lannister ("ASoIaF" - George R.R. Martin)

"It can't rain all the time."
     - Eric Draven (The Crow)

"...hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."
     - Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption)

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New England's Rock/Metal Scene: An Amazing yet Tragic Sideshow

It seems I'm always terribly behind on writing about the rare instances when I actually do something interesting, but 'tis my curse, I suppose. Anyway -- a couple of weeks ago, my buddy, Other Brian (O.B. -- previously from Hometown, NH but has now, also become a Masshole) invited me to a show out in Worcester. Apparently O.B.'s band had played with these guys known as Stonewall (originating from north-western New Hampshire/southern Vermont) on several occasions, had become good friends with the band -- and wanted to check out their show at this club out there.

My agreement to tag along was somewhat hesitant since I had never heard of these guys and had already been invited to a metal show up near Hometown with some high school friends. And that show actually featured bands I was familiar with, not to mention that it's quite the haul from my place to Worcester. However, I wasn't gonna make O.B. go it alone and I was intrigued to hear some new tunes.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Future of Metal... Angry Chickens and Cartoon Characters?

So, this past Tuesday night, my regular group of concert lurkers and I trekked into the city (Boston, in case you're wondering) to the *fairly* new House of Blues. I had been there once before, for Five Finger Death Punch, Otep and Shadows Fall, and was very pleased with the venue (albeit while possibly having my nose broken). Well, on this evening, we saw Dethklok, Mastodon, Converge and High on Fire.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Metal Heath -- Expert

Disc 1:
  1. Goatwhore - "Provoking the Ritual of Death" (LA, USA)
  2. iwrestledabearonce - "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon" (LA, USA)
  3. Avulsed - "Filth Injected" (Spain)
  4. Gorgoroth - "Procreating Satan" (Norway)
  5. Between the Buried and Me - "The Primer" (NC, USA)
  6. Deamon - "Born Again Dead" (Canada)
  7. Beneath the Massacre - "No Future" (Canada)
  8. Graves of Valor - "Sic Semper Tyrannis" (SC, USA)
  9. Impaled - "Flesh & Blood" (CA, USA)
  10. JesusMartyr - "Moonvalley" (Argentina)
  11. Suicide Silence - "No Time to Bleed" (CA, USA)
  12. Arsis - "Overthrown" (VA, USA)
  13. Sylosis - "Blackest Skyline" (England)
  14. Cyaegha - "Epiphany of R'lyeh" (VA, USA)
  15. Benighted - "Smile Then Bleed" (France)
  16. Kalmah - "They Will Return" (Finland)
  17. Anaal Nathrakh - "So Be It" (England)
  18. Psycroptic - "Alpha Breed" (Australia)
  19. God Dethroned - "Drowning in Mud" (Netherlands)
  20. Kill the Client - "Downfall" (TX, USA)
  21. Behemoth - "Ov Fire and the Void" (Poland)
  22. Nightrage - "Collision of Fate" (Greece)

Disc 2:
  1. Droid - "Built to Last" (CA, USA)
  2. Lair of the Minotaur - "The Ultimate Destroyer" (IL, USA)
  3. Skeletonwitch - "Beyond the Permafrost" (OH, USA)
  4. Meshuggah - "Obzen" (Sweden)
  5. Waco Jesus - "Evil Force" (IL, USA)
  6. Psyopus - "Whore Meet Liar" (NY, USA)
  7. Drive-by Bukkake - "Casket Stench" (MA, USA)
  8. Iron Age - "Dispossessed" (TX, USA)
  9. The Amenta - "Vermin" (Australia)
  10. Vomitory - "Serpents" (Sweden)
  11. Suidakra - "Shattering Swords" (Germany)
  12. Tardy Brothers - "Fates Call" (FL, USA)
  13. Napalm Death - "On the Brink of Extinction" (England)
  14. Absu - "In the Name of Auebothiabaithobeuee" (TX, USA)
  15. The Abominable Iron Sloth - "Parasite Hilton and Other Flaws Inherent to Wealth" (CA/WA, USA)
  16. The Year of Our Lord - "Dead to You" (MA, USA)
  17. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "White on White Crime" (MA, USA)
  18. Mumakil - "State of War" (Switzerland)
  19. Abysmal Dawn - "Programmed to Consume" (CA, USA)
  20. Winds of Plague - "Our Requiem" (CA, USA)
  21. Gojira - "Backbone" (France)

Metal Heath -- Hard

Disc 1:
  1. Mastodon - "Oblivion" (2009 - GA, USA)
  2. Abstract Rapture - "Democadencia" (2008 - Luxembourg)
  3. Callenish Circle - "Ignorant" (2005 - Netherlands)
  4. DevilDriver - "Bitter Pill" (2009 - CA, USA)
  5. Insomnium - "Mortal Share" (2006 - Finland)
  6. Scar Symmetry - "Artificial Sun Projection" (2008 - Sweden)
  7. DÅÅTH - "Day of Endless Light" (2009 - GA, USA)
  8. Toxic Holocaust - "Future Shock" (2008 - OR, USA)
  9. Soilwork - "Follow the Hollow" (2002 - Sweden)
  10. Drone - "Boneless" (2009 - Germany)
  11. Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - "Nothing Defeats the Skull" (2009 - PA, USA)
  12. Breaking Wheel - "Shoulder to the Plow" (2008 - MA, USA)
  13. All Shall Perish - "Wage Slaves" (2006 - CA, USA)
  14. Destroy Destroy Destroy - "Realm of Ancient Shadows" (2009 - TN, USA)
  15. Bloodsimple. - "Path to Prevail" (2005 - NY, USA)
  16. Chimaira - "Pure Hatred" (2003 - OH, USA)
  17. The Agonist - "Birds Elope with the Sun" (2009 - Canada)
  18. Strapping Young Lad - "Anti-Product" (2006 - Canada)
  19. Abandoned - "Breed Machine" (2007 - Germany)
Disc 2:
  1. Shadows Fall - "The Light that Blinds" (2005 - MA, USA)
  2. Shades of Dusk - "A Dreadful Melody"(2002 - CA, USA)
  3. Flatline - "Generations Fall" (2009 - CA, USA)
  4. Amon Amarth - "Twilight of the Thunder God" (2008 - Sweden)
  5. Killswitch Engage - "A Bid Farewell" (2004 - MA, USA)
  6. Slayer - "Raining Blood" (1986 - CA, USA)
  7. All That Remains - "The Air That I Breathe" (2006 - MA, USA)
  8. Warbringer - "Living in a Whirlwind" (2009 - CA, USA)
  9. Diecast - "Internal Revolution" (2006 - MA, USA)
  10. Children of Bodom - "Living Dead Beat" (2005 - Finland)
  11. Death - "Spirit Crusher" (1998 - FL, USA)
  12. Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest" (2004 - VA, USA)
  13. Pantera - "Drag the Waters" (1995 - TX, USA)
  14. Hexen - "Gas Chamber" (2008 - CA, USA)
  15. In Flames - "Crawl Through Knives" (2006 - Sweden)
  16. Protest the Hero - "Sequoia Throne" (2008 - Canada)
  17. War From a Harlot's Mouth - "Crooks at Your Door" (2009 - Germany)
  18. Swashbuckle - "Cruise Ship Terror" (2009 - NJ, USA)

Metal Heath -- Medium

Disc 1:
  1. Metallica - "Battery" (1986 - CA, USA)
  2. Avenged Sevenfold - "Unholy Confessions" (2003 - CA, USA)
  3. Iron Maiden - "The Evil that Men Do" (1988 - England)
  4. Static-X - "Dirthouse" (2005 - CA, USA)
  5. Five Finger Death Punch - "Hate Me" (2008 - CA, USA)
  6. Dream Evil - "Bad Dreams" (2003 - Sweden)
  7. Dragonforce - "Fury of the Storm" (2004 - England)
  8. Soulfly - "Pain" (2000 - Brazil)
  9. Nonpoint - "Alive and Kicking" (2005 - FL, USA)
  10. Municipal Waste - "Sadistic Magician" (2007 - VA, USA)
  11. Mushroomhead - "Simple Survival" (2006 - OH, USA)
  12. Early Man - "Like a Goddamn Rat" (2005 - NY, USA)
  13. Testament - "Souls of Black" (1990 - CA, USA)
  14. Spineshank - "New Disease" (2001 - CA, USA)
  15. American Head Charge - "Loyalty" (2005 - MN, USA)
  16. Amorphis - "Two Moons" (2006 - Finland)
  17. Ill Niño - "How Can I Live?" (2003 - NJ, USA)
  18. Black Sabbath - "Paranoid" (1970 - England)
  19. Edguy - "Rocket Ride" (2006 - Germany)
  20. Atreyu - "Right Side of the Bed" (2004 - CA, USA)
  21. Stone Sour - "Orchids" (2002 - IA, USA)
Disc 2:
  1. Machine Head - "Bite the Bullet" (2003 - CA, USA)
  2. Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" (1993 - CA, USA)
  3. Staind - "Paper Jesus" (2005 - MA, USA)
  4. Soil - "Halo" (2001 - IL, USA)
  5. Anthrax - "Crush" (1998 - NY, USA)
  6. Stereomud - "Pain" (2001 - NY, USA)
  7. HammerFall - "Back to Black" (1998 - Sweden)
  8. Dry Kill Logic - "As Thick as Thieves" (2004 - NY, USA)
  9. White Zombie - "Thunder Kiss '65" (1992 - NY, USA)
  10. Disturbed - "Guarded" (2005 - IL, USA)
  11. Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law" (1980 - England)
  12. Demons & Wizards - "Lunar Lament" (2005 - Germany/USA)
  13. Red Fang - "Night Destroyer" (2009 - OR, USA)
  14. Sanctity - "Beneath the Machine" (2007 - NC, USA)
  15. Straight Line Stitch - "What You Do to Me" (2008 - TN, USA)
  16. Goatsnake - "Prayer for a Dying" (2000 - CA, USA)
  17. Rammstein - "Du Hast" (1997 - Germany)
  18. Slipknot - "Psychosocial" (2008 - IL, USA)