Dethalbum II: The Official Blog Metal Review

There's really something to be said about the fact that Brendon Small's virtual band Dethklok had one of the mos anticipated metal albums of the year with Dethalbum II. The first Dethalbum had the best debut of a death metal album of all time. Debuting at #21 on the Billboard charts. But, this new album beat it and debuted at #15! Good job, Brendon!

This album kicks off with the explosive new single (video below), "Bloodlines" which, we've all heard before. It's a pretty good. It really marked a new point in Dethklok because it's the first Dethklok song we've heard with a high-pitched scream which is pretty great. My favorite song (at the moment) is "The Gears". I love everything about this song. It's so catchy and great. I love the riffs and the melody in the verses.

Songs like "Burn The Earth" and "Laser Cannon Deth Sentance" are what take Dethklok out of being just a joke band into being a full-blown death metal band. And "Black Fire Upon Us" is an epic song along the same lines as "Go Into The Water" from the first album.

I'm gonna skip a few songs to talk about the song that everyone skipped to upon listening to the album. This is of course "Murmaider II: The Water God". This song is almost better than the first one. I mean, the guitar riff during the part where he sings "SWIM ON!" is just so epic, you can't help but like it. Plus, you can't not love the story-line. I would like to be the Water God some day.

I've decided to keep this short and not break it down song-by-song like I normally would with an album review because, hey, it's DETHKLOK. Go buy the album or die.

(5 out of 5 goat heads)

My Top Album Of The Week Via Last.FM

So I'm gonna start doing this every week. I've been a member of Last.FM for a while now, and I have my account track my weekly top albums. And, this week, coming in a number one with 29 plays is Cormorant's brilliant full-length debut Metazoa.

About a week and a half ago, I was waiting for something to download and I noticed that MetalSucks was streaming the album. I had some time to kill so I figured, hey, why not? After listening to the first couple of songs I was instantly hooked. Everything about this band and this album is just purely amazing. This band combines elements of progressive, death metal, black metal, and even a little folk metal into one awesome album. All of the songs are about 7 minutes long. The longest song, being one of my favorites is "Hanging Gardens" clocking in at 11 minutes and 16 seconds. Their songs may be a little lengthy but they have to be. They're incredibly complex and they hang together so well. Not once during any of the epic masterpieces did I ever get bored and wonder when it would be over.

The only song I don't really like on this album is "Hole In The Sea." I just haven't been able to get past the singer's annoying vocals at the beginning. Other than that, every song is pure genius. The highlights of the album are "Salt Of The Earth," "Hanging Gardens," and "The Emigrant's Wife." I suggest you go out and buy this album. Or stream it via the link I posted above.

Fred Dursts Still Thinks Spray Painting Is Cool

The above image was supposedly spray painted by Durst himself. Now, I got the picture off of the Onion and it didn't have an actual article attached to it so, I'm not sure how credible that is. But, I do not claim to be a news source nor do I really care. It's just funny to think of Fred Durst, in his early 40's, up on a ladder spray painting his band name on a bridge. As if anyone on their drive home from work is gonna see the art, get all nostalgic about the late 90's/early 00's and go home and look up the Bizkit on MySpace.

I personally think he did it. Only because, I mean, who else is gonna risk their life by writing the name of a nu-metal band on the side of a bridge? Don't they have gang signs to paint? Anyways.. Here's Durst and such performing "Take A Look Around" at Download 09.. And he introduces it as a new song. I'm sorry but, didn't this song come out in 2001?

New Atreyu Stuff... In Case You Still Care About Atreyu

Yeah. Ok, Atreyu has a new album coming out which means one of metal's most controversial bands is back in the news. By "controversial" I don't mean cool controversial like Mayhem or Marilyn Manson, I mean, a lot of metal fans really, really hate this band. And, up until they released Lead Sails, I was on the pro-Atreyu side. Well, Atreyu has promised that this new album will get some of their metal "cred" back. And, Atreyu heads out on tour with Hollywood Undead soon.

Wait... Is this correct? How the HELL do you expect to earn back metal cred when you're going out on tour with one of the most HATED bands in the metal world. I mean seriously, almost every metal fan ON THE PLANET absolutely loathes Hollywood Undead. And, so do I. Not only are they going out with Hollywood Undead, or HU as the trendy kids say, Atreyu is the opening act! I don't think you heard me... ATREYU IS OPENING FOR HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD!!!! Look, Atreyu's next album, entitled Congregation Of The Damned will be the band's 5th studio album. This band is reaching their 10th year of being signed to a major label. Hollywood Undead had 1 album out. And hasn't been on the scene for even two years. Hollywood Undead, and their crappy version of rapcore isn't even qualified to kiss the ground Atreyu walks on. They have earned NOTHING. They have done NOTHING. Hollywood Undead is a worthless trend band that will fade away in less than a year. Mark my words.

That being said (in all caps), Atreyu has a new song... Sorta. A fan filmed them playing the song "Bleeding Is A Luxury" live at the Epicenter music festival '09. Now, Atreyu tends to throw out a lot of cliches when they play live. Saying things like "I wanna keep the energy high, and the rock fuckin rollin'." ... What the Hell does that mean? At any rate, I already like the song better than any of the songs off of Lead Sails. Listen for yourself. Congregation Of The Damned comes out October 27th.

Why Haven't You Heard Of Revocation?

Seriously, I'm asking here. Revocation was recommended to me by Last.FM the other day and, I immediately downloaded the entire CD. And I can say I'm loving it! This stuff is brilliant. This is ultra-technical thrash/death metal. One of the best I've ever heard. In the album, Empire Of The Obscene, there's so many amazing riffs and drum parts and bass parts, it boggles the mind. And the solos! So many amazing solos. The kind of solos where, they're amazingly fast and technical yet, not at all show-offy. And the best part? This is only a three person band. How can such a powerful sound come from only three people? I can say without question that, this will be the next great metal band. I haven't been this excited to hear a band since the first time I heard of Lamb Of God all those years ago.

Anyway, this band has a new album coming out September 29th on Relapse Records entitled Existence Is Futile. Needless to say, I can't wait. This is going to be amazing, judging from the new songs they've posted on their MySpace page. Until the album comes out, enjoy some in-studio footage of the band.

Now Listen To Me!

You may have noticed a nice little addition to the sidebar here, I've added a Brutal Jay radio station! Now, this radio station is based off my account on Last.FM which means that, it's not all gonna be brutal metal. So don't send me stuff going "WHAT IS THIS?! THIS ISN'T METAL!!1!111!!!one" Because I will call you an idiot and move on. Stay tuned cause some more new stuff is gonna be going on here in the near future.

I Was Eviscerated At The Cannibal Corpse Show

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while but, I've been pretty busy lately. But, hey, it's not like a lot of people actually read this anyway. Anyway, I had the pleasure of seeing Cannibal Corpse last week and feel the need to post the show review. I managed to see them at a semi-small club on a Mayhem off-date with fellow Mayhem Festers The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth, and God Forbid. This was the first concert I've gone to without a friend to go with. And, I was fine with that. I mean, I was seeing Cannibal Corpse! Besides, when the band starts playing, it doesn't really matter who you're with. Plus, I got some pretty awesome pictures that are now on my MySpace page.

Anyway, I got there and I swear, this was the longest line I've ever seen at GroundZero. The last time I was there I was seeing Kataklysm and there was maybe 100 other people there. This time the club was PACKED. And for good reason. The first thing I did when I got inside, as I do with every concert I go to, I raced to the merch stand and bought myself a t-shirt. I finally own a Cannibal Corpse shirt. Oh happy day.

After buying my shirt I promptly folded it, stuffed it in my pocket and tried to get to the stage while everyone was still dispersed around the club so I could establish a spot close to the stage. And, I did manage to get pretty close just in time for God Forbid to take the stage. I've gotten really in to God Forbid since the release of their latest album Earthsblood. God Forbid's set was only about 35 minutes long. That's about 5 songs. Luckily for me, 3 of them were from the new album. Which is good because I don't really know their older stuff too well. God Forbid had a great energy during their set. Concidering this year their guitarist, and brother to most of the members, left the band. And God Forbid introduced us to the new guitarist. Maybe he'll stay. I don't know.

So, after God Forbid's set, I wandered down to the 2nd stage (this club has 2 stages) where some local band was playing. I stayed for about a song and quickly got back to the main stage to because Behemoth was next. Sadly, most of the people that were watching God Forbid were still there. So I had to settle with being a little further from the stage than I would like. It didn't effect me much. It just ment my pictures of them weren't as good.

So, Behemoth opened in the typical epic fashion they do. Now, I don't really know any Behemoth songs. I'm just getting into them this year so I haven't quite learned any of their songs. But, that didn't stop me from having fun. They have a great show. What with the corpse paint and all. And, I didn't know that the band likes to spit blood into the audience. So, I'm just watching the show. The guitarist seems to be doing something so I'm like, something epic is about to happen. So he spits the blood into the audience so I thought, ok, that's cool... AND IT LANDS IN MY EYE! I just got blood in my EYE! How awesome is that? The guy from Behemoth spat blood in my eye. That was one of the highlights of the night.

After Behemoth's set, it was so hot in the club, I just had to go sit down. So, I quickly found an empty seat and sat down to relax for a bit. Ya know, get on MySpace with my phone and stuff.

I noticed the guys for The Black Dahlia Murder setting their stuff up. I sat there for a second thinking about sitting this one out. I mean, they're not a band I know very well and it was just so hot. In the end, I decided to watch their set. Mainly to take pictures. They weren't terrible. They definitely have enough energy live but, it seems like their songs kinda run together when they play live. Maybe it's just because I don't really know any of their songs well enough to sing along or really get into it. The good news is, I was practically right in front of the stage.

So, of course because I was so close to the stage, I wasn't moving. I knew if I gave up my position with Cannibal Corpse coming up, I'd never get it back.

It was finally time for me to see one of the greatest death metal bands to ever walk the earth. Cannibal Corpse. The band opened with the song "Evisceration Plague." It's not uncommon for them to open with their newest single. I was kinda hoping they would let us know what the next single would be but, oh well. The band pretty much played all the songs you would expect. As well as some of the more obscure songs not even I knew. I was kinda disappointed they didn't play "Rotted Body Landslide." George made countless remarks as to how hot it was. I was relieved that a band was finally acknowledging it. I was starting to think I was along in this. Before they played "Hammer Smashed Face" George said "I want someone to buy me a beer. If I don't have a beer in my hand by the end of this song, I'm killing everyone." Of course 5 people bought him beers. He said that that was supposed to be the last song but, I guess he lied because they closed the show with my favorite song by them. "Stripped Raped And Strangled."

After they played, I rushed outside because, I remembered the was this club was set up and I knew, if I got outside fast enough I would be able to meet Cannibal Corpse. And I did. Well, I got to meet Alex Webster and George Fisher. Which is good enough for me. Plus, I got to meet Karl Sanders from Nile. I'm not sure why he was there but, he was. So I told him the story of how, when they played Ozzfest, my sister was about to pass out from the heat and they let us sit in the signing booth and I stole one of Karl's Monster drinks. He thought it was funny.