Lost In The Wilderness...The Albums I Couldn't Live Without!

I have often thought about doing a list like this, but have considered it too unrealistic an undertaking. I mean, how can I possibly choose just 10 albums? But the more I have been thinking about it, these shouldn't take much, if any thought. If they are supposed to be the albums you can't possibly live without then how many can there be? (well actually, 12 as it turned out).They don't have to be the "best" albums in your collection, just your favourites, right? The one thing that I did notice while making this list is that a lot of the albums are from the 90's. Now, this certainly isn't to say that the 90's were the best period for music in any way, but is more of an indication of when I didn't have the money to buy so much nusic, the internet wasn't so much of a big thing and obviously I was still discovering music in a big way. These days, it's a case of point and click and you have new music. Back then it was buying it or a friend making you a CD or tape (remember those?). You also have to take in to account that music had more time to "sink in" back in the day for the reasons mentioned above. I would listen to one album for months on end (sometimes years), so of course it is more likely to stick in my mind. Some of the albums here have been selected for sentimental or personal reasons as much as for musical quality, so please refrain from insulting my choices/attempting to correct me ("that is not the best album by...."), but feel free to add your own. In fact, I encourage it. Come on people. Let's share the love. So any way, here we go:

Carcass - Heartwork

Favourite track: Heartwork

In Flames - Come Clarity

Favourite track: Crawl Through Knives

Judas Priest - Painkiller

Favourite track: Painkiller

Angel Witch - Angel Witch

Favourite track: Angel Witch

Skid Row - Slave To The Grind

Favourite Track: Riot Act

Korn - Korn

Favourite track: Ball Tongue

Skyclad - Irrational Anthems

Favourite track: No Deposit, No Return

Kvelertak - Kvelertak

Favourite track: Blodtørst

Pitchshifter - www.pitchshifter.com

Favourite track: Genius

Killswitch Engage - Alive Or Just Breathing

Favourite track: Temple From The Within

Prodigy - Fat Of The Land

Favourite track: Firestarter

Therapy? - Troublegum

Favourite track: Screamager

Foot note: There are almost certainly albums that I should have put on this list, that I didn't think of, but I will have to live with that. This was compiled in 20 minutes, and I wrote down the first ones to spring to my mind. I figured that the ones I think of first, must be the most important. Flawed logic? Definitely! But what the hell. Every song here gives me goosebumps and makes me feel good.

In Pagan Days...The Humble Beginnings Of Folk Metal!

Where did Folk Metal come from? Who were the originators? This is, for me at least, an easy question to answer. Of course, the first band to openly call themselves Folk Metal (and to receive much derision and ridicule from the music press at the time) was Skyclad. Their debut, "The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth" was released back in 1991 and wasn't far removed from the Thrash Metal of Sabbat, but with the revolutionary addition of the distinctive sound of the fiddle/violin. Founding member and lyrical pun master, Martin Walkyier was previously the vocalist and song-writer for the band, Sabbat, who were one of the stand-out bands in the strong, but under appreciated British Thrash scene. Sabbat stood out from the crowd due to their clever wordplay and the unique "machine-gun" vocal delivery of Mr. Walkyier. After leaving Sabbat, influenced by the music stylings of Folk Rock band, The Levellers, Martin was inspired to form Skyclad and the rest is (Folk) Metal history. 

Much like Sabbat, Skyclad would fail to make much of an impact on the music scene...although this is often the case when the "industry" and the media can't find a way to pigeon-hole a band, or if the music being created doesn't fit in with the zeitgeist of the time (Grunge and the later end of pure Thrash in this case). Time of course, has proved that what they did could and has become a relatively successful sub-genre of Metal and has attracted a decent fanbase. Although Skyclad themselves have remained relatively obscure, the influence they have had and continue to have on Folk Metal bands is obvious. Quite a legacy.

"Mid-era" Skyclad lineup.

Skyclad - "Sky Beneath My Feet" (1991)

There are, however, those who would point out that Bathory pre-dated Skyclad and that founder Qourthon, should receive the credit for kick-starting the genre!? Well, yes! This is a good argument...in a way. Yes, Quorthon was one of the first to write about pagan themes and he was certainly the artist who had the most success with it and was clearly passionate about his Scandinavian roots and its Viking history. The band also had an "interesting", distinctive, Manowar style image. But I don't think it can be denied that for the most part, Bathory were a Thrash/Black Metal band with Prog tendencies. That is why I don't consider them the first true Folk/Pagan Metal band. In later years Bathory would embark on a less aggressive, more folk-influenced direction, but in this case they were followers, not leaders. 

Early Bathory promo shot

Bathory - "Twilight Of The Gods" (1991)

On reflection though, I think it is definitely Bathory who had the biggest impact on the genre (much as it pains me to type that) as there are countless bands today who use the mythology and history of the Vikings as a base for their lyrical themes (Amon Amarth, Einherjer, Månegarm...the list goes on almost endlessly), and the  scene is much bigger and stronger in Scandinavia. I think that Bathory certainly were and are an important band in the story of Folk Metal but, I think that they had more of an influence on the Black Metal scene, especially bands such as Enslaved and their ilk, rather than on the Folk Metal (musically, at least).

In  the next part I will look at the other early bands to embrace the Pagan/Folk sound and discuss the different musical and cultural directions they took.

Folk Metal...Sorting the wheat from the crap!

As we all know, Folk/Pagan/Viking (Battle, Pirate or whatever daft tag you want to add) Metal briefly became flavour of the weak (sorry, Martin) in the late 2000's. Thankfully the fad has for the most part dropped off and the plastic sword waving bellends have disappeared back in to the shadows - the fans back to their Power Metal record collections and the bands back to the obscurity in which they belong.

However, the Folk metal scene is the real deal, has great depth and variety and has been around for at least 20 years, depending on who you think "invented" Folk metal or even what counts as Folk metal. Any how, I digress. Fear not, sons and daughters of Odin (ahem), I am here to help. Over the the next few weeks I will presenting a number of blogs giving a fairly detailed overview of the scene along with the various sub-genres that come under the frankly pretty vague term "Folk Metal", along with recommendations of the bands within this splintered and often maligned scene, that are worth your time and I may even give you a few names to avoid...although that probably isn't necessary.

I'm be talking about the bands who have been plugging away since the beginning of time (late 80's/early 90's to be fair) and who didn't get a slice of the pie when the scene exploded - Skyclad, Thyrfing, Windir etc, the more recent but often under-appreciated - Svartsot, Kromlek, Månegarm, etc (the list goes on and on), the oddballs such as Rakoth and Solefald, the "big" names such as Finntroll, Eluveitie, Bathory, Amon Amarth and so forth as well as the real underground/new blood - Bifröst, Bran Barr, Drakum, Thrawsunblat, etc.

I'm hoping it will be an informative, insightful and useful look at a scene which has a real special significance for me and which I have always felt was deserving of  far more respect and attention than it has ever received.

Well, that's it for now. Part one will be up during the week at some point.

Toodle pipski!

What a year!

To be honest, I wouldn't even know where to start with a review/overview of 2012. It has been the best year I have ever know for quality metal/rock releases from newcomers and old favourites alike. It feels as if there is some kind of "raise your game" zeitgeist in the air. I have been left stunned by the sheer number of great albums I have listened to. Great, not just good...although there have been a decent number of those too. I will be attempting to get the list down to the top 20 for my "best of 2012" post later in the year. I will be mixing it up a little this time too. It stands to reason that not all of the best songs will be on these 20 albums, right? So with that in mind, I'm going to be compiling a list of the top 20 songs too and posting YouTube related videograms where available.

Like a zombie rising, stinking, from it's grave...

...the revolting, rancid beast crawls blinking back into the sunlight....and by all this bollocks, I mean that this blog is coming back. Well, for as long as I can be bothered to keep it updated for this time. Days? Weeks? Months? I have no idea. It all depends on my inspiration and feedback/interest from you good (and not so good) people. Keep 'em peeled.

New Marilyn Manson Track - And It's A Good One!

I really don't want to get my hopes up about the new Marilyn Manson album. The last two weren't necessarily bad, just very forgettable. I haven't listened to either of them in a long time. So, is now the time? Is Marilyn Manson ready to return? To shake things up again? To reclaim his place in rocks hierarchy?

On the strength of the new song doing the rounds on t'internet, I think it might be. I am still reserving judgement, however. One good song does not equate to a good album, and I have been burned before. Let's just wait and see what he serves up on Cooking Vinyl (pun very much intended) on April 30th.

For now, just feast your ears on this, "No Reflection" from the new album.

Soulfly - Enslaved

I have no idea why, but I have been quite excited about this release in recent weeks. This isn't to say I was without my reservations, but that isn't what is important here. This is a surprise to me as I found the last two albums, as well as both Cavalera Conspiracy albums, to be a bit "by numbers" if I'm honest. I got the feeling that Max was spreading himself too thinly. Well, I'm pleased to report that Max has found his bite again. It has far more too offer than the last two albums combined, and back is the Soulfly penchant for experimentation.

That isn't to say this is anywhere near to the world music meets metal of the fantastic "Prophecy" album, but it certainly has a lot more to offer than anything Max has put out since. I need to get one thing perfectly clear, though - This is NOTHING like Sepultura, so anyone still flogging that dead horse needs to find a councellor and get some closure before finally moving on. No, this is pure Soulfy, and should be celebrated as such.

Max has come storming back with a vengeance with this album. His vocals roar and tear throughout, the melodies are sumptious, the riffs headbanging, and most importantly, this is a great collection of songs. Soulfly have evolved a little again. I, for one am very pleased to welcome the band back - and you know what? I think you should be too. Max is a man who lives for this (to paraphrase Hatebreed).  He has never been anything but completely passionate. A true metal legend, and a real one of a kind.

Have a listen to "Gladiator" and decide for yourself.

The Replacements - Part 2: Successes

Continuing on from part 1, where I looked at the occasionally downright shambolic decisions made by some of metal's biggest acts when it comes to replacing a frontman, this time I will focus on some of the many success stories.

Bruce Dickinson

In 1981, Iron Maiden were coming out of a hectic 2 year period of touring and recording. They had released 2 albums and had gone on to play bigger and bigger venues in front of an ever-growing fanbase. Maiden were the new heroes of British metal, and a band most expected to go on to greater things. To lose the singer/frontman at such a crucial point would have derailed almost any other band. But this was Iron Maiden. Steve Harris made the brave desicion to fire Paul DiAnno as he felt that DiAnno was becoming more of a hinderance due to his drinking and erratic behaviour. Enter a pretty much unknown young singer, Bruce Dickinson. At the time, Dickinson was frontman for another up and coming Britich band, Samson. His decision to join Maiden would prove disastrous for Samson, but for Maiden, Bruce was the catalyst they needed, the mussing link to take them all the way to the top. He had the look and the voice that was perfect for Steve's vision. The band exploded and went on to become on of the biggest, most loved and respected bands in metal history. Would any of this have been realistically achievable with DiAnno? I suppose we will never know, but with the confident, charismatic and most importantly, impressively talented Dickinson on board, the standard was set and the bands future assured.

William DuVall

This was always going to be a controversial one. Replacing a legendary, passionate and respected frontman like Layne Staley would be hard enough as is, but when you take into account that AIC hadn't released an album in a decade and during that time, Staley had died of a drug overdose, it becomes a whole new challenge. It was one that the band, with DuVall at the helm, took head on and silenced the naysayers and doubters with ease. I was lucky enough to see the band perfom with DuVall at the Download Festival a few years ago and it was a genuine "goosebumps experience". Of course, he could be accused of being a Staley clone (if not in looks, obviously), but the point is, he delivers and the band has successfully been regenerated and rejuvinated at the same time.

John Bush

As one of the members of  the so-called "Big Four", Anthrax were big players in the 80's metal scene - even managing to break through to the mainstream consciousness with their cover/collaboration of "Bring The Noise" with Public Enemy. So, the departure of Joey Belladonna could easily have completely derailed the band. Enter former (and current) Armored Saint singer John Bush. Bush brought with him a far superior vocal range, which was also better suited to the Grunge era of the early 90's than the higher range thrash style vocals of Belladonna. When this new (improved?)  incarnation of Anthrax released the ground-breaking and all conquering "Sound Of White Noise", they took the "Beavis and Butt-Head generation" completely by storm - It has to be noted that getting the "rub" from B&B was in essence a "golden ticket" for any band. The two decades that followed brought mixed fortunes for the band, along with a tiresome "soap opera" farce of replacement vocalists and scrapped albums. Overall though, Bush-era 'Thrax was a massive success.

Howard Jones

When Jesse Leach quit KsE for "health reasons", it shook the band. They had just released the superb "Alive Of Just Breathing" and had caught the imagination of metalheads who has been starved of quality metal in the preceeding Nu-Metal years. They seemed guaranteed to be a break out band and go froward as the next big name in the scene. Replacing a vocalist at this point could have been a disaster. It was crucial that they chose the right man for the job. Enter Howard Jones, a relative unknown. Although he didn't have the ferocity and edge to rival Jesse's considerable talents, he had a very strong clean voice and was hugely charismatic. KsE didn't miss a beat. A string of successful albums and tours followed  as the band continued on its path to become a heavy hitter in the scene. A definite success story.

Ronny James Dio

Of all the men on this list, it could be argued that the challenge facing Dio was the most daunting. He was to replace the mighty Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath. Sabbath had an amazing first half to the 1970's, releasing five classic albums in succession. It was the latter half of the decade, however, where things started to go wrong for the band and following three lacklustre albums, Ozzy's alcohol and drug problems got too much for the band and he was fired. In came American, Ronnie James Dio. A man who already had a rock pedigree as the singer of Rainbow. In 1980 the band released the incredible "Heaven And Hell" album which not only rejuvinated the band, but took them to the next level. In the years to come, Dio would record with the band sporadically, but almost everything he recorded with the band was of a high standard, including my personal favourite Sabbath album, Dehumanizer. Although, it should be noted that the Sabbath name itself became pretty much worthless after being tainted by a ridiculous revolving door of vocalists.

There are of course many others in both camps, including probably the most successful of all the replacements, Brian Johnson, who brought AC/DC back from the brink of collapse and led them to become one of the biggest bands on the planet. Also worthy of a mention in the success section are Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy), Sammy Hagar (Van Halen), Barney Greenway (Napalm Death), James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Tomi Jautsen (Amorphis) and many others. Other notable failures include such poorly thought out choices as John Corabi (Mötley Crüe), Marco Aro (The Haunted), Kristoffer Göbel (Falconer), etc

I will come back to this subject at a later date.

The Replacements - Part 1: The Failures

This is the intro to the new idea I have had of looking at replacement vocalists, and the impact it had on bands involved. The replacement of band members is obviously very commonplace in the metal world, but the success and fortunes of the bands involve vary hugely. There have been many cases where a band has gone onto bigger and better things...completely outstripping their achievements prior to the introduction of a new member. It sometimes seems as though the missing piece has been slotted in, like the chemistry was lacking something. of course, there is also the flipside, where a band loses a key member, and never seem to be the same again. It can be that the fans of some bands (yes, Maiden, I'm looking at you) are so single-minded and obsessive that they won't allow someone they consider to be below par into the band, but it can also be that the original member was just so important (be it due to talent, charisma, etc), that they can never be convincingly replaced.

Anyway, in the next two parts. I will share my thoughts on the bands I consider to fit into one of the two camps - for right or wrong. This is by no means an exhaustive list. I have included mainly bands that I am a fan of . It would also be an incredibly daunting task and one that I don't feel I could dedicate myself to.

Below, I take a look at some of the perceived replacement failures. Decisions that proved for the most part, to be catastrophic for the bands concerned.


Blaze Bayley

I don't think there is anyone who could say, with all honesty, that Blaze was the right choice for Iron Maiden. I want to start here by saying that I liked (and still like) the two Blaze-era Maiden albums, and "The X-Factor" (oh, the irony!) still ranks among my all-time favourite albums, Maiden or otherwise. But, and here is the "but". He wasn't the ideal replacement for a frontman of the high calibre of Bruce Dickinson, who not only had a formidable vocal range, but was also hugely charismatic and outspoken in the press. To be honest, I don't really think there was anyone who could have fitted in to Maiden as a true replacement for Bruce. That isn't to say that there aren't aren't other highly talented vocalist out there, but Bruce is a one-of-a-kind, all rounder, perfect for Steve Harris' bold vision. For people to level all the blame on Blaze, however, is not only completely unfair, but also very wide of the mark. Let's look at the facts here. Who is the main man in Iron Maiden, the shot caller? Steve. Who writes the majority of the material? Steve. Who self-produced the Blaze-era albums? Steve. Who chose Blaze for the band? Steve. Despite all this, the fans just wanted another Bruce. A clone. Blaze didn't stand a chance.

Tim "Ripper" Owens

This unfortunate individual has the dubious honour to have failed in two well-established and popular metal acts, Judas Priest and Iced Earth. The reasons for Tim's failure to succeed Rob Halford in Priest are obvious. He certainly wasn't lacking in the vocal department (quite the opposite in fact) and was even the singer in a Judas Priest tribute act, which incidentally, is how he landed the job. No, his problem was, and is, a distinct lack of personality, both on stage and off. Add to that, some of the woeful songwriting on the "Jugulator" and "Demolition" albums, and you see that Rob wasn't just a powerful voiced and charismatic frontman, he also held a major songwriting position in the band. OK, to say that he was a failure in Iced Earth is a little harsh. The albums he sang on were mainly lacking in song quality, which was certainly not a failing from Tim. He just never seemed to quite fit in. To me he sounded like a Rob Halford clone (something he never was in Priest as it happens) singing in Iced Earth. So, as soon as (mainman) Jon Schaffer saw the opportunity to re-recruit former vocalist Matt Barlow, Tim was unceremoniously shown the door. With his obvious talents, I only hope that Tim finds the perfect outlet and has a chance to shine, rather than to always be remembered as a replacement vocalist. He is capable of, and deserves to be so much more.

Johnny Solinger

You would be rightly forgiven for saying, "who?" at this point. Therein lies the problem. Before the departure of Sebastian Bach, Skid Row were a great band and should have gone on to be one of the upper echelon in the rock heirachy.Sadly, due to his apparent diva-like behaviour, Bach was fired from the band (and went on to do very little of any note for over a decade), and was replaced by Johnny Solinger. Again, for me, the problem here is in the (lack of) songs. Both of the Solinger-fronted albums to date have been largely forgettable, plodding, standard hard rock. Neither are without their standout moments, but both are lacking the punch of the earlier material. This is notable both in vocal delivery and attitude, as well as the previously mentioned drop in writing quality. The band is destined to be largely forgotten about or to be looked upon as a poor Skid Row tribute act.

Derrick Green

The first point I would like to make here, is that all it would have taken to avoid the treatment of Derrick, and of Sepultura in general, is a name change. This is more than just a replacement of vocalist as for the most part, the band's style has also changed drastically. The band that started as a death/thrash act in the 1980's and morphed into more a modern metal band in the 90's, now have their feet firmly planted in hardcore territory. Almost gone are the thrash riffs and "tribal" influences. It was a shaky start with the patchy "Against" which seemed unsure of what it wanted to be. It had a flat production and the songs on offer were for the most part, forgettable. The follow up album, "Nation" turned the fortunes around (albeit, briefly) - coming out swinging with a clutch of great songs, a fantastic performance by Derrick and the all important attitude needed to show people that the band still mattered. Unfortunately it seemed that this was an anomaly, as the the decade that followed was far from kind to a band struggling to escape from the shadow of Max Cavalera. In 2011, the band released the thrashier, edgier, ballsier sounding "Kairos", which has made huge inroads towards recapturing the bands former glory. Only time will tell now how Sepultura will be remembered. Will the next album be as good as Kairos or was it another case of "smoke and mirrors"?  If you want to judge this from a firmly name-based standpoint, then yes, Sepultura are certainly a failure and are not the band they once were. However, as a purely musical entity, they are a different, but a not entirely awful prospect for those willing to listen with an open mind...just leave your preconceptions of what Sepultura is at the door.

In part 2 I will look at the successes. The bands that took their sound to the next stage or those who just experienced a massive surge in popularity.

Wolfsbane...Save The World?

The older readers out there will, I'm sure, remember the time, way back in the early 90's when Wolfsbane were the darlings of the UK rock media and were tipped for greatness. Obviously this didn't happen as Blaze went on to follow his own destiny - complete with the ups and downs that came with it. Could the band recapture this magic and finally achieve the success that cruelly eluded them when they were a young and hungry band? Well, the short answer is no. Not in the modern climate. Music and the music industry itself have moved on. There is more competition now, more younger, hungrier bands vying for the attention of the downloading masses and the few people who still like to own a hard copy of an album. We live in a far more fickle era now. The sad fact here is that the band are likely to be, at best, lost in the shuffle and at worst, ignored completely. Their is, however the potential for this album to appeal to a sizeable market IF it is promoted properly. I'm sure the band members themselves occasionally reflect on the lost opportunities and about what could have been if Blaze hadn't quit to join the "other band". 

Importantly though, I don't the think the band recorded the album to sell a million copies. I think they made the album because they needed to. It is, in my opinion, a form of closure for the band after the disappointing,  public and acrimonious implosion of the band in 1994. It also has the feel of a band having fun, enjoying playing together again and recording the album they wanted to make all those years ago. 

Musically, this is classic Wolfsbane - falling somewhere between the harder end of classic rock/metal (think Skid Row) and the more chorus driven and potentially radio-friendly sound of mid-90's Brit Rock (think The Wildhearts) with a youthful dash of NWOBHM for good measure - but effortlessly managing to sound fresh and not like a throwback or a nostalgia record. It even manages to do this with its flimsly, Moss-thin production. 

Influences aside, this is obviously a Wolfsbane record, retaining (or recapturing) the classic sound of the band.  

Blaze's voice is instantly recognisable and he is on fine form here. He commands the songs with his distinctive, deep croon. Yes, contrary to popular and bizarrely enduring opinion, Blaze really can sing. Admittedly, his voice is probably more suited to the kind of hard rock on offer here, than at signing full on, balls out metal.

The lyrics absolutely ooze positivity and oddly, youthful enthusiasm, while retaining a hint of regret and sadness - even if they occasionally drift into very clichéd and sometimes cringe-worthy territory - which exposes the band for what they are - A product of the late 80's and a bunch of working class lads.

A welcome addition to the Wolfsbane back catalogue, and a must buy for existing fans of the band of for anyone with a hankering for some progressive nostalgia (of such a thing exists). The bottom line is, that in "...Save The World" the band has delivered a great hard rock/classic rock record. If you are not familiar with the band, some points of reference would be bands such as, but not restricted to the following: Almighty, Queen, Skin, Wildhearts, Maiden, Skid Row and Warrant.

Overall, however, it is an uplifting and energetic listening experience - one that will make you feel good about life. It's great to hear a band truly enjoying themselves and bearing their souls without a trace of cynicism or bitterness. 

  

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: