Chap Hop?

Anyone who has been listening to me or keeping an eye on my Facebook page will know that I have been completely bewitched by the musical sub-genre of Chap Hop.

The concept is simple enough. This is a Hip Hop/Rap style where the artists affect an upper-class English accent, use very clear and correct pronunciation and rap about the very essence of "Englishness" - Tea, Cricket, Manners, etc, while often using music sampled from that of the early 1900's (Think Jeeves and Wooster), and then wrapped up in classic gentleman's fashion stylings based on that of the "chappist" and "Steampunk" brigade.

There are two major players in the "scene", who are currently involved in a "feud".

First up is Mr. B, who's look is that of the English gent, complete with tweed jacket and moustache and who plays a banjolele. His songs are mainly based on manners, gentlemanly behaviour and etiquette.

The other is Professor Elemental. He is of an entirely different cut...His dress style is that of the late 1800's Victorian explorer, and the subject matter for his lyrics follow the same theme, along with songs about tea and Englishness.

On one hand, I wonder if this will get old quickly, but Alestorm and MC Pitman both hold their appeal to me, so maybe not. Besides, I can't help but feel some warped sense of "pride" in being English when listening to this stuff and life is too short to be too serious all the time. So, lighten up, put the kettle on and brew yourself a nice cup of "brown joy".

Napalm Death - Utilitarian

So, it's that time again. (One of) Birmingham's finest return with their 14th album, and it's business as usual. A lot of bands, if they reach the landmark 30 years at all, tend to have slowed down, mellowed or even changed musical style completely. Not so with the ever-reliable Napalm Death.

What the band delivers here is another potent dose of its now trademark punk-infused, grind/death metal. The message is as clear as it always has been - We need to wake up, take a look at the world around us and try to change how we live our lives and not to be complacent and compliant to the powers that (may)be.  

This album is unflichingly relentless in its brutal aural assault - although it now comes with added saxo(mo)phone (on "Everyday Pox") and some interesting backing vocals - such as the clean passage in "The Wolf I Feed" which comes across like Demanfacture-era Fear Factory. As I can find no information suggested that Burton is a guest vocalist here, I can only draw the conclusion that it is Barney singing this part, which would not only suggest that he can actually sing, but also indicates yet another step in the evolution of ND.

But, dear ND fans, don't let any of this concern you. This is nothing less than a 16 track barrage. The riffs are spine-shattering fast, the vocals as ferocious and as feral as ever, and the songs are short, sharp shocks. This is classic Napalm Death, but better?

Just listen to that riff...if it doesn't make you want to mosh, then you may actually be a poser!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoGd6uMCHpY

Jesse back in Killswitch Engage?!

I have not seen any official announcements, but after visiting the band's homepage and seeing a pic of the band, complete with a smiling Jesse Leach, I can only conclude that it has finally happened. Jesse is back in KsE.

This is great news for me and I'm sure for many others who got into the band through their second album "Alive Or Just Breathing" back in 2002. On hearing the album, I immediately became a huge fan of the band and their (at the time) modern take on the Melodic Death formula...although the sound the band helped to spearhead, soon to become known as Metalcore, quickly became stale and the sub-genre became a dirty word among metal fans. It is easy to forget then, the impact that the band had and just how much of a breath of fresh air they were when they emerged in the early 2000's. This was an era still dominated by Nu-metal, which was by now so watered down and false, it was approaching an almost pop sound. Metal was flailing.

I remember "Alive..." being promoted with a mock funeral for Nu-metal...a clear statement of intent from a band determined to bring back the riff and the solo into metal. The album has become a clear favourite with metal fans and has more than stood the test of time. Jesse provided the album with some of the most passionate vocals I have ever heard from a vocalist...from crooning and growling through to vicious snarls. It was this that really sealed my love for the band. Therefore, I was extremely saddened when Jesse quit the band soon after the release of the album, apparently due to depression.

It was here that things started to go wrong. Yes, the band replaced Jesse with a competent, if not great, vocalist in Howard Jones, but they also watered down their sound and appeared to be chasing mainstream attention. The band were very successful with Howard leading the charge and became big players on the international metal scene, but something just didn't sit right with me. There was something missing. I soon lost interest in the band which had, at first, sparked such passion in me, and I all but wrote them off.

So, it was with great interest when I read in January 2012, that Howard had quit the band due to personal issues. Of course, I have no ill-feeling toward Howard, but following the Times Of Grace project featuring Adam of Kse and yes, Jesse, I began to wonder and to hope. Is Jesse coming back? It appears that he has. The band I fell in love with a decade ago is back...and it couldn't be a more exciting start to 2012.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the band or who may need a reminder of the kick in the arse they gave the scene in 2002, here is the video for "My Last Serenade". In my opinion, not the strongest track from "Alive..." but certainly a good starting point and a good example of Jesse's versatility as a vocalist...Not to mention, some quality riffing.

Therapy? - A Brief Crack Of Light

So, we have a new album by the ever-reliable, Therapy? A band I have followed since the "Nurse" EP way back in the mists of time (a shocking 20 years ago!), and have always respected their don't-give-a-fuck attitude.

Anyone still holding out for "Troublegum" part II might as well just move on, as this album is as unconventional and as arty as ever. Songs such as "The Buzzing" and "Get Your Dead Hand Off My Shoulder" for example, may test the patience of even the most die-hard fanboy/girl.

Of course, there are also (rock) radio-friendly numbers here, such as first single "Living In The Shadow Of  The Terrible Thing" and the unapologetically mental "Why Turbulence", but for the most part this is an album filled with typical Therapy? slow-burners and even semi-instrumental pieces, such as the disarmingly brilliant "Marlow".

Style wise "A brief Crack Of Light" is the natural successor to the previous album, "Crooked Timber", and sees the band continuing along the path of experimentation set out on that release in terms of the way the songs are structured and in the odd time changes and distinctly Therapy? playing style - check out the quirky riff on "Before You, With You, After You", for example.

This release certainly isn't for everybody, but for those who are fans of the post-1996 Therapy? sound, this album is another sonic treat and is more than worthy to join the rest of the band's back catalogue.

Therapy? seemed poised on the edge of greatness for a brief period in the mid 1990's and have been  frustratingly under-rated and overlooked ever since. Do yourselves and the band a favour and buy this album.

"A Brief Crack Of Light" is released in Europe on Feb 6th, but in the meantime you can have a look at the official video for the new single "Living In The Shadow Of The Terrible Thing" here:

Albums Of The Year 2011

The temptation when compiling a list such as this is to try to be cool, by choosing bands nobody has heard of or to follow the crowd and to choose the obvious albums by the usual suspects. I have done neither - in fact, I have left out great releases by the likes of Devildriver, Machine Head, Sepultura and Crowbar among others. 

 Instead, I have done what the title suggests, and have chosen the albums I genuinely think were the best released in 2011. I spent weeks trying to eliminate albums (finding getting from 30 to 20 especially tough), and after many hours and the occasional headache, I have come up with the following list. Of course, as always with lists such as this, I’m 99.9% sure that I will change my mind almost as soon as it is posted. This, however, is the list I’m posting as “Best of 2011”.

There is, as always, no number order here (other than Nightwish, which gets the “album of the year” award), as I feel that is not only difficult, but ultimately unnecessary. Instead, the list is alphabetical by band name.

Note: As much as I wanted to include the brilliant “For Cause and Consequence” by Earthtone9 and “†” by Crosses, I decided that at 4 tracks and 5 tracks respectively, they really can’t be considered albums.

Alestorm                                       Back Through Time

Album Number 3 and surprisingly, there is still no sign of the ”gimmick” wearing thin. This is another clutch of energetic drinking/party songs/shanties that will bring a smile to your face and make you want to down a pint of rum (although this isn’t recommended). Well done, mad Scottish chaps. Yar!

Recommended track: The Sunk'n Norwegian

Amorphis                                      The Beginning Of Time

The ever-consistent Amorphis deliver the goods yet again. Can this band do no wrong? Since Tomi joined the ranks, they have released high quality album after high quality album. Masters of song writing and melody, these Finns are always guaranteed a place on my year-end list.

Recommended track: Battle For Light

Anterior                                         Echoes Of The Fallen

A Welsh Melodeath band? Damn right! This matches, and in most cases, totally destroy s anything that came out of Scandinavia in 2011. Anyone missing the glory days of the sub-genre could do a lot worse than these lads. Although, I feel it should be said that there is as much influence on this album from the likes of Trivium and latter-era In Flames as there is from the “Gothenburg” sound.  There are huge riffs, solos, melodies and most importantly, great songs to be found in abundance here.

Recommended track: Blood In The Throne Room

Anthrax                                          Worship Music

A fantastic return to form, this managed to silence (most of) the critics and cynics. Featuring a superb vocal performance by Joey Belladonna (a man even I had written off), and some of the finest songwriting ever committed to record by this legendary act.  More than deserving of a place, not only in this list, but in the top 3 Anthrax albums ever. Welcome back, guys!

Recommended track: I'm Alive

Book Of Black Earth                  The Cold Testament

The name, Seattle conjures up images of plaid shirts and scruffy, greasy-haired  oiks and/or reluctant rock stars, but this couldn’t be further away from the Grunge sound the city is (in)famous for. This is dirty, blackened thrash/death metal that takes no prisoners. The crushing riffs and abrasive vocals go straight for the throat. TCT contains some of the nastiest, filthiest guitars I have heard all year. Lovely stuff! (“Not my words, Michael, but the words of Shakin’ Stevens”).

Recommended track: Weight Of The World

Children Of Bodom                   Relentless Reckless Forever

Yes, this is bombastic, completely over the top and at times, more than a little ridiculous. But would you expect anything less from these crazy Finns? The difference this time, however, is that the band has remembered to compliment their technical ability with a crop of great songs. Of course, the occasionally unnecessary guitar wankery and gorgonzola keyboards are still present, but for the first time in over a decade, this is a fully-realised, well-structured and more importantly, completely enjoyable COB record.

Recommended track: Was It Worth It?

Criminal                                         Akelarre

I will ashamedly admit that I had never heard this great band before, despite them being around for 20 years. Although clearly, and undeniably influenced by classic Sepultura, they more than make up for the slightly over-familiar sound by throwing a lot of weight behind their punk-infused thrash metal attack. This is definitely a band that deserves a lot more attention.

Recommended track: The Ghost We Summoned

Cruachan                                       Blood On The Black Robe

Finally ditching the weak link in the feeble-voiced Karen Gilligan, this is the sound of a band rejuvenated and seemingly reveling in the heavier direction it has taken.  This is true Celtic war music. Traditional Irish music meets furious metal with near perfect results. The harsh vocals compliment the new, heavier style on display here perfectly. Having said that, the 2 songs here featuring Karen as guest vocalist, are among the best on the album.  I suppose less is more…as they say.

Recommended track: I Am Warrior

The Haunted

The Haunted released perhaps the most baffling album this year with this collection of Tool goes grunge songs. After over a decade as darlings of the extreme music press, with a post-thrash style all of their own, this band of ex-At The Gates members divided opinion in a way that no other heavy album this year came close to. Although the sound may be different to the point of requiring a possible change of band name, this is nonetheless, a great album. Although, probably best avoided by ardent thrash fans/extreme metal purists alike.

Recommended track: Unseen 

Hell                                                 Human Remains

I’ll spare you the back story here, but to cut a long story short, this band has overcome tragedy in the most triumphant way imaginable by finally releasing their debut 25 years after the demo material was recorded…and believe it or not, it’s well worth the wait. This isn’t here as a sympathy vote though.  This is old school NWOBHM brought kicking and screaming into the 21^st century. Essential.

Recommended track: The Oppressors

In Solitude                                    The World, The Flesh, The Devil

Another day, another young Swedish band releasing a Trad metal album, you might well think. On the surface you’d be right, but just one listen to this album and you will be struck by just how unique a take on the sound they have brought to the table. This is reminiscent of early-Maiden, Mercyful Fate and Candlemass, but it is more than the sum of its parts. Debut of the year. Amazing.

Recommended track: The World, The Flesh, The Devil

Korn                                                The Path Of Totality

Never afraid of experimentation, Korn have turned  to the latest musical revolution/trend, Dubstep on album number 10, and have emerged shining as always. While not the first band under the metal umbrella to try their hands at Dubstep, they are certainly the first to truly embrace it and to record an album of all new material featuring leading lights of the scene. It doesn’t always quite hit the mark, but when it does it works so well that you can’t help but admire Korn and their unwavering Midas touch. It emphasises just why this band has had such staying power, having outgrown and outlived the long-dead Nu-Metal genre.

Recommended track: Narcissistic Cannibal

Mastodon

This is another of those bands that I never truly got. After a baffling 6 years of wondering what it was that I was missing, Mastodon have finally released an album that I feel is deserving of the unbelievable level of praise heaped onto them  by an adoring music press. This is prog rock brilliance. Eclectic, quirky and, while wearing their influences proudly on their collective sleeves, the finished product sounds fresh, vibrant and perhaps most interestly, totally original.

Recommended track: Curl Of The Burl

Megadeth                                     Th1rt3en

Album number 13 and not only does MegaDave show no signs of slowing down, but he also shows no sign of stagnating as a songwriter. This album is as strong as any other to carry the Megadeth name in the near 30 year history of the band. This is a tour de force of metal. Not thrash, not speed, just metal. This is the sound of the gauntlet being well and truly thrown down. One of 2 “Big Four” bands to make this list in 2011. Whoever would have thought it?

Recommended track: Black Swan

Nightwish                                     Imaginaerum

I have never liked Nightwish. I feel that I had to get that out of the way before I drop the bombshell that this once reviled band have released an album that I don’t just rate, but has entrenched itself firmly and without any genuine competition, right at the top of my albums of 2011 list. This is an epic, masterfully written, performed and presented piece of art. Musically this takes in Celtic, folk, jazz, metal, pop, and just about any other genre you care to mention, twists it around some astonishing vocal work from Miss Olzon, and takes you for a ride around the bizarre carnival that is Imaginaerum. Truly a work of deranged genius!

I can't recommend a track as this is best listened to as a whole.

Powerwolf                                   Blood Of The Saints

I have never been a huge fan of Power Metal, but every now and again a band will come along that just grabs my attention immediately. Powerwolf is the latest in that line. They stand out from the (very) over-crowd power metal crowd  thanks, in part, to the bizarre, werewolf  theme, annoyingly catchy songs and truly unique concept story. This album got right under my skin and the songs in my head. I was quite literally singing them for weeks.

Recommended track: We Drink Your Blood

Primus                                            Green Naugahyde

Primus return after an 8 year hiatus and effortlessly continue right where they left off. The band hasn’t missed a beat. As eccentric as ever, Les Claypool’s trademark nasal-vocal whine and phenomenal bass playing are instantly recognisable, as is the wacky songwriting and subject matter. This isn’t just another Primus record, this is a genuinely brilliant Primus record. Good to have the crazy bastards back.

Recommended track: Lee Van Cleef

Shining                                           VII: Född Förlorare

More passionate, moody post black metal on album number 7 from Sweden’s Shining. Swinging between soft piano passages and black metal, often within the same song, this is an eclectic, passionate collection that is, as usual, dripping with despair and self-loathing. This is a depressive record, but it is filled with so much beauty that it had to be included here.

Recommended track: Människa O'avskyvärda Människa

Skindred                                        Union Black

Skindred finally hit their stride on album number 4, sounding confident to the point of being borderline cocky, as they knock out song after song of their very unique mix of reggae, metal, punk and dubstep. It is all thrown into the mix and comes out as a razor sharp mixed bag of brilliance. No two songs sound the same, so the album never gets a chance to be lose your attention, and at around 45 minutes in length, it never outstays it’s welcome. This band always had the potential, but until now, hadn’t quite got it right. Already one of, if not the, best live acts on the British circuit, the magic now seems to have seeped into the studio too.

Recommended track: Warning

Svartsot                                         Maledictus Eris

If you’re not yet familiar with Svartsot, they are purveyors of catchy, but slightly twee folk death metal. The one trump card in their favour is the use of gruff, death metal style vocals as opposed to the usual black metal and or/clean style. The songs are instantly memorable and irritatingly infectious.  Highly recommended for those already into the genre and even for those who have kept their distance until now. Welcome in…join us. We have mead!

Recommended track: Gud Giv Det Varer Ved!

Winter Music?!

We're all aware of the summer classics - the anthems. You know the ones... the songs/albums that make us want to drink a cold beer in the day and party long into the night with a gaudily coloured cocktail in hand.

But what about the flip side? What about the music for the long, oppressive darkness off the winter months - The music that encapsulates the cold morning air, the frozen ground, the bone chilling winds? Here are my suggestions for some albums that bring the melancholy of the long, cold nights to mind. The albums to listen to as you look out of a window across the frozen landscapes, and for those walks in the woods. I'm sure some more will come to mind over the next few weeks...keep an eye put for updates.

1. Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

In fairness, you could pick any album you want by these morose chaps, but this is the one for me - Not least because it contains the track "Falling Snow". There is a beauty here, nestling deep in the bleak, desolate heart of this most melancholy album of  meandering forays into the world of post-Black Metal. The coldness  of the guitar tones and occasional harsh vocals are balanced by the soft melodies, acoustic parts and the almost trance-inducing clean singing. There is a very Finnish feel to this album (despite the band being American), but they infuse this base with neoclassical and folk elements to create a sound of their own. Essential winter listening.

2. Burzum - Filosofem

Unlike Agalloch, there is no winter theme present here, rather just a general cold, darkness that pervades this entire album of trance-like Black Metal brilliance - although I hesitate to use such an overly simple and easily misunderstood term. This is so much more than shrieking vocals and aggressive guitars. There is an almost meditational feel here...the repetitive rhythms and haunting keyboards are perfectly suited to a contemplative walk alone in the woods or for sitting on a wall overlooking fields of white, your breath freezing in front of your eyes. Dare I say it....genius!

3. Kampfar - Kvass

Of course, this is once again a Black Metal album. This is music suited for the cold months of darkness, the long periods where you see little natural light. This is a far more straightforward affair than the previous two. Here you find six long, rambling tracks of hypnotic, cold Norwegian Black Metal. Everything you could want from an album of this type is here. The repetitive, rhythmic guitars, harsh and at times screeching vocals (with lyrics in the bands native Norwegian) and the atmospheric melodies that the northmen are so adept at. This is a sinister and disturbing trip into the dark past of Scandinavian folklore and into the overall psyche of its people. Essential.

4. Fleurety - Min Tid Skall Komme

This album opens up with some almost lounge jazz mellowness, before a dark, creepy heavy guitar part takes over. This sets the tone for the album. It is a melting pot of influences, ranging from the gothic metal of Paradise Lost all the way through to the Black Metal of bands like Khold. This is not going to be music for everyone, but if you approach your music with an experimental ear and an open mind, this will take you on one hell of a journey. You will get the aforementioned jazz influences throughout (not least in the bass), odd wailing female vocals (occasionally dual layered for added weirdness) and a whole host of genres taken in along the way. It is on the second half of the album that things get more than a little sinister. It is here you will find the creepiest, most disturbing vocals you are ever likely to hear...Genuinely harrowing, tortured high pitched screeches that will send a chill up your spine. Not one to be listened to alone in the dark....or is it?

5. Nest - (insert title here)

You can choose any song/album by Nest and add it here...this isn't dark music, it isn't evil, melancholy, and it certainly isn't sinister. This is ambient nature music...beautiful and evocative. It is the ultimate in relaxation music for me. Just lie on your bed, close your eyes and forget all about the outside world. To be fair, this is music for any time of the year. It conjures images of bubbling brooks, of eerily silent forests, of mountains and of a bygone and maybe even non-existent time....a time where the world was unspoiled. Enjoy

Roadrunner Records Top 10 Albums Of The Century?

I have recently seen a lot of lists compiled by various magazines/websites of top 10 this, top 10 that, and felt compelled to comment on one in particular that raised my hackles.

OK, so I love a good list as well as the next person, but for a record label to do a top 10 of their greatest albums of the century is treading on dangerous ground. We have to remember in these cases, most people have a short memory and tend to vote for albums that were released in the last few years...or worse still to vote just for the most commercially successful, because, let's face it...that's what it boils down to...a popularity contest.

Have any of you actually seen Roadrunner Records top 10 albums of the century? I mean, Within Temptation on there twice, but no Fear Factory, Devildriver or Sepultura to name just a few that came to mind. Seriously?

For those who have yet to see this abomination, here it is:

http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/roadrunner-reveal-their-top-ten-albums-of-the-century/#comment

To me, lists like this are not only redundant, but are also counter productive as they undermine a huge part of the label's roster and raise the ire of long time supporters..

Of course, everybody has an opinion, but even the most casual Roadrunner fan can see that the list is a waste of time. I am, and always have been a big fan of RR, but I have to admit that I feel let down and disappointed by a "commercial" list such as this, when the label has such a rich history of releasing quality metal.

On that note, I will now contradict myself and publish MY top 10 Roadrunner albums ever....in no particular order, of course....and I expect I have omitted something obvious.

1. Devildriver - Pray For Villains
2. Sepultura - Roots
3. Fear Factory - Obsolete
4. Machine Head - The Blackening
5. Cradle Of Filth - Thornography
6. Deicide - Once Upon The Cross
7. Downer - Downer
8. Trivium - Ascendancy
9. Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing
10.Megadeth - Th1rt3een

Even just trying to get down to 10 classic RR albums by 10 different artists was tough and meant not including bands such as Soulfly, Dream Theater, Slipknot, 36CF, Opeth, Murderdolls, Korn, and so on.

Although you may not agree with my choices, I don't imagine there are too many people reading this (obviously!) who would say that the list voted for by the "fans" on the website is more accurate and representative of the label than mine...and that is not arrogance (ok, a bit), but is just a matter of metal history, fact and respect for the bands and the fans that made the label the success it is today.

Edit: Before any pedantic smartarses point it out, I have realised that the RR list is since 2000, whereas mine is all time, but even taking that into account their list is poor. Besides, Why call it "Albums Of The Century" if it's just from 2000-2011?