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Friday, August 29, 2008

GWAR: Keeping Dry-Cleaners in business for over 20 years!



Infamous Blood/Semen/Party/Gore/Whatever metal band GWAR is coming back to Kansas City after the successful Viva La Bands tour last year (or so). Joining them will be Hatebreed Frontman's new project with Crowbar member Steve Gibb, Kingdom of Sorrow, and Portland's blackened thrash masters Toxic Holocaust.

November 30
Beaumont Club

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 26th, 2008

Of Wolf And Man
Last Caress/Green Hell
One

Of Wolf And Man is really good. Might be my second favorite song off of The Black Album, right after Enter Sandman. Vocals are great too.

Last Caress is such a great song when Metallica does it, but I think I prefer the Misfits version. It's all good, though. Green Hell is way faster and more "metal" to me. Good cover!

One is probably the only Metallica song that I listened to a lot before I started listening to Mandatory Metallica. The solo's here are blistering! So awesome.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Another new one from Metallica

Another new one: My Apocalypse, the last song on the album. thanks, blabbermouth!

[URL="mms://wm.elektra.com/metallica/metallica_com/2008/de/My_Apocalypse.wma"]Windows Media[/URL]

[URL="rtsp://rm.elektra.com/metallica/metallica_com/2008/de/My_Apocalypse.rm"]Real Media[/URL]

[URL="rtsp://rm.elektra.com/metallica/metallica_com/2008/de/My_Apocalypse.mov"]Quicktime[/URL]

also: Skeletonwitch got canceled this upcoming Thursday at the Riot Room. :( Sucks. You'll have to catch them at Uptown Theater on Halloween opening Danzig's Blackest of the Black tour.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Metallica's new single is here

Metallica has released the single "The Day That Never Comes" today.

Windows Media

Real Player

Myspace

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Pillage the Village!



This right here, kids, is going to be a hell of a show. I've seen Necrophagist twice and Dying Fetus and BtM once, and they all put on a fantastic show. Too bad I won't be here. :( School nights and 3 hour drives don't mix well. Someone go to this for me!

Full dates for those who can't read 'em:

8/26/08 @ "Studio Seven" - Seattle, WA
8/27/08 @ "Rock N Roll Pizza" - Portland, OR
8/28/08 @ "The Venue" - Boise, ID
8/29/08 @ "Club Boom Va" - Ogden, UT
8/30/08 @ "Black Sheep" - Colorado Springs, CO
8/31/08 @ "Club Oz" - Wichita, KS
9/01/08 @ "Rockstar Nightclub" - St Louis, MO
9/02/08 @ "Headliners" - Louisville, KY
9/04/08 @ "The Penny Arcade" - Rochester, NY
9/05/08 @ "The Palladium" - Worcester, MA (w/ Carcass, Suffocation, 1349, Aborted)
9/06/08 @ "Nokia Theatre" - New York, NY (w/ Carcass, Suffocation, 1349, Aborted)
9/07/08 @ "Steppin Out" - Virginia Beach, VA
9/08/08 @ "Lincoln Theatre" - Raleigh, NC
9/09/08 @ "Starland Ballroom" - Sayreville, NJ (w/ Carcass, Suffocation, 1349, Aborted)
9/10/08 @ "Northern Lights" - Albany, NY
9/13/08 @ "Jannus Landing" - St. Petersburg, FL (w/ Carcass, Suffocation, 1349, Aborted)

And here's their tasty set from a couple days ago:

Stabwound
Only Ash Remains
Intestinal Incubation
Epitaph
Diminished to B
Foul Body Autopsy
To Breathe in a Casket
Extreme Unction
Ignominious and Pale
The Stillborn One
Fermented Offal Discharge

Mandatory Metallica -- August 20th, 2008

Don't Tread On Me
The Wait
Phantom Lord

Kind of a weird beginning, Don't Tread On Me went into being easily recognizable from The Black Album. The lyrics to me are kind of...stupid. But everything else is the norm for the Black Album. So it's okay.

What in the hell are up with these vocals! This is a Killing Joke cover and I've never heard them before. Eh, this is a lame song. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Woo! Old, fast Metallica. Well, faster. Anyway, the opening riff kind of reminded me of Municipal Waste for some reason. It's definitely not the fastest on Kill 'Em All, but it'll do. It's another by the books thrash song from Metallica. It's okay.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 19th, 2008

Jump In The Fire
Remember Tomorrow
Damage Inc.

When Jump In The Fire started, I assumed it was from Garage Inc. because it sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. It's on Kill 'Em All which is gettting better and better. Great song.

Remember Tomorrow is the Iron Maiden cover that I've already heard on Mandatory Metallica before, but I'm so glad I got to hear it again. Love this song so much, better than the original! Mwahahaha.


Good God! The beginning of Damage Inc. made me think it was from Load or something, but I was damn wrong. This is one of the best Metallica songs i've heard and definitely the most brutal I've ever heard.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 18th, 2008

Sad But True
Hit The Lights
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

Sad But True was, when I first heard it, one of those songs that I knew of when I heard it, but never what it was called or who performed it. I kinda had the same thing with Raining Blood with that opening riff. This, while not a fantastic Metallica song, is just a fun one and I can imagine headbanging to this in concert.

AUGH! I'm a sucker for this intro. I love stuff that builds up to a rockin' speedy song. Woah, James is screaming in this song. I don't think I've evver heard him do it that much! But, damn, this is so good! Barely sounds like Metallica at all, especially those solos.

Ehhh...I don't like slow songs like these from Metallica usually. Meh, that backing guitar gets really annoying to me. And James' vocals. That's about it for this song.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 15th, 2008

Seek And Destroy
The God Who Failed
Dyer's Eve

Seek And Destroy: Classic and my favorite song off of Kill 'Em All. Can't really say much more. Horns up!

The God Who Failed isn't a thrash song, but for The Black Album, it's one of the better ones, I think. A fun song to me.

Dyer's Eve is awesome! Just everything about it is really brutal and awesome. Absolutely loved it.

Really tired, so short post. :P

Best Class Ever

Today is my first day of class and in my Music Listening class, we're required to go to 4 concerts and one more for extra credit. Credit is given based on a report of them.

Expect more in-depth than usual reports for:

Alice Cooper (Sept. 12)
Impaled (Sept. 15)
Obituary (Oct. 1)
Ben Folds (Oct. 22)
Danzig (Oct. 31) (although this one will probably be more about Skeletonwitch)

I may switch out Danzig for Metallica.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Metal Gods Must Be Punishing Erik Rutan

Not in a terribly bad way, but bad enough. New US tour feat.:

Job For A Cowboy
Hate Eternal
All Shall Perish
Animosity
Annotations Of An Autopsy

At the Bottleneck on Nov. 21.

Full dates here.

Erik, make another killer Hate Eternal record and maybe you'll get your own headlining tour instead of opening for a deathcore band!

Mandatory Metallica -- August 13th, 2008

Through The Never
Whiskey In The Jar
Blackened


Through The Never isn't too bad. I can definitely it belongs on The Black Album. I kinda like the Black Album more than most people. A lot of the songs are pretty catchy, and this is no different. Not too bad!

Originally by Thin Lizzy, Whiskey In The Jar was the radio DJ's favorite off of Garage, Inc. and he said he shut off the phones during the song so he could listen to it! To me, this song has a kind of "Old Western" ting to it just a bit. It's very nice. I've never really listened to Thin Lizzy before, but the Metallica version of them certainly doesn't sound too bad!

Blackened: What can I say? It's an awesome song. The soft interlude leading to a nasty (in a good way) rest of the song is just great. I'm a sucker for those "soft beginning, hellaciously fast/heavy song" type of things. I do believe, however, that the drums could've done more and been more faster. That's why I prefer Slayer ultimately. Well, that among other things. :P Classic Metallica!



Couple notes:

1.) My internet should (although I'm still skeptical) be up for good tomorrow evening.
2.) There won't be a MM post for Thursday because I got caught up watching the Olympics and forgot to listen. Go USA!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 12th, 2008

Hero Of The Day
The Ecstasy Of Gold
My Friend Of Misery

"Hero..." is disgusting. Everything about it screams "This can't be Metallica". I said "What the hell is this?" out loud at least three times during this song. I wasn't even sure that they were playing Metallica for the longest time. It actually reminded me more of blink-182 for most of the song. Just bad.

I've never actually heard the studio recording for Ecstasy Of Gold, and it's kinda cool. Another solid instrumental song from Metallica. That's about it.

Another weak song. It's not that this song is particularly bad, it's just particularly bland. Nothing special about it at all. The bass does get kind of annoying for me, too.

I guess it's fitting that today is the worst Mandatory Metallica seeing as how yesterday's was the best.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 11th, 2008

Master of Puppets
Remember Tomorow
Fight Fire With Fire

Master of Puppets is a classic by anyone's standards and for good reason. This is what someone could use to define the word "heavy metal". Fast guitars, awesome solos, and an all-around epic sound. Great stuff! Not the best on the MoP CD, but certainly a classic song.

Remember Tomorrow is an Iron Maiden song that Metallica covered for a recent tribute disc to them. I'd never heard the original until I got home. And lemme tell ya, the Metallica version is awesome. The original is good too, but the Metallica version just kicks so much ass. They should cover more Maiden!

Ride The Lightning is such a great album and this opener is fantastic for it. And I'm gonna go ahead and say this is the fastest Metallica song I've ever heard. Anyone know of any others? Please let me know. The vocal structure is kind of weird, but it ultimately works for the song in the end. Such an awesome song.

This was probably the best Mandatory Metallica so far.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Metallica's comin' to town!

http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=601097



Multiple sites report that Metallica's upcoming North American tour includes a stop at The Sprint Center in Kansas City on October 25th. Support for this show will be Down and The Sword, with support on other dates being Lamb of God and Machine Head replacing Down.

All dates (thanks to Metallica's site):

All October/November dates with Down and The Sword :

October 21 - Glendale, AZ Jobing Arena
October 23 - Albquerque, NM Tingley Coliseum
October 25 - Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
October 26 - Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
November 1 - Portland, OR Rose Quarter
November 3 - Salt Lake City, UT Energy Solutions Arena
November 4 - Denver, CO Pepsi Center
November 6 - Omaha, NE Qwest Center
November 8 - Moline, IL iWireless Center
November 9 - Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
November 17 - St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
November 18 - Tulsa, OK BOK Center
November 20 - Houston, TX Toyota Center
November 22 - Little Rock, AR Alltel Arena
November 23 - New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena

All December dates with Lamb of God and The Sword:

December 1 - Seattle, WA Key Arena
December 2 - Vancouver, BC GM Place
December 4 - Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
December 7 - Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
December 12 - Ontario, CA Citizens Bank Arena
December 13 - Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
December 15 - San Diego, CA Cox Arena
December 17 - Los Angeles, CA The Forum
December 20 - Oakland, CA Oracle Arena

All January dates with Machine Head and The Sword:

January 12 - Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
January 13 - Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
January 15 - Washington, DC Verizon Center
January 17 - Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
January 18 - Boston, MA TD Banknorth Center
January 26 - Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
January 29 - Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
January 31 - Newark, NJ Prudential Center

Origin -- Lawrence, KS -- August 9th, 2008

Good God. This is how you do a metal show, people.

I first got there around 8:15 and I'm really glad because I missed local band Hester Prynne. Glad I did, because I saw them open for Hate Eternal back in February and they left a bad taste in my mouth. First band that was up was another local band called Wrath & Ruin. At first I didn't like them, but they grew on me. They're certainly a unique band, I'll give them that. No guitar player, only keyboards. What? Keyboards? At a death metal show? You better believe it. The best I can describe this band is three parts Sunn O)))/Earth, two parts Xasthur, one part Hatebreed (or some other band like that) and throw in the soundtrack to the film The Warriors. Seriously. It was a doom/hardcore band with crazy 80's B-movie keyboards. Weird, but somewhat good. 7/10

The first death metal band up was Abysmal Dawn. And they killed it. Pretty technical in their solos, crushing in their speed and delivery, this band would certainly steal the show on any other tour. They should get their asses back on the road and get bigger. Metal needs a band like Abysmal Dawn right now. 9/10

Partial Setlist:

Servants To Their Knees
Blacken The Sky (so good )
Programmed To Consume

Next was Misery Index. They KILLED it. Where Abysmal Dawn had technicality, Misery Index just made death metal to bang your damn head to. Definitely one of those bands you'd want to knock back beers with a couple of friends and then go break some faces in the mosh pit. I would love to see them again. 9/10

Partial Setlist:

Bottom Feeders
Ghosts Of Catalonia
Occupation
Retaliate
The Great Depression

Now for the band of the hour: Origin. And they KILLED it. Originally from Kansas, it was awesome to know that a band that has toured far and wide and done such festivals like Hellfest came from so close to home. I'm going to go ahead and say this now: Origin is the best death metal band I've ever seen live, bar none. The bassist is insane, he went up and down his fretboard more times than I could count. The guitar player had some sick solos where he also did his fantastic vocals to it. The drummer is a damn machine. Literally, I thought it was a drum machine at some point. Stupid fast. And the vocalist. If i didn't know Dave Hunt of Anaal Nathrakh, my award for "Best Extreme Metal Vocalist" would definitely go to him. He can hit all sorts of highs and lows that metalcore and deathcore bands could only dream of. And this band knows how to play to the crowd and put on a great, entertaining show. And, as an added note, during Reciprocal (a personal favorite), I got into my first moshpit in about 3 years! :D 9/10

Partial Setlist:

Reciprocal
The Burner
The Aftermath
Consuming Misery
Wrath of Vishnu
Finite
Antithesis
Infliction

Best death metal concert I've ever been to. All bands were great and they should be much, MUCH more popular than they are now. They deserve it, and heavy metal needs them right now.

PS: The Jackpot is giving The Bottleneck a run for its money for best metal venue in Lawrence. :)

Pictures:

Abysmal Dawn
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/002.jpg

Misery Index
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/006.jpg

Origin
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/012.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...origin/013.jpg

Friday, August 8, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 8th, 2008

Leper Messiah
Stone Cold Crazy
Bleeding Me

Leper Messiah is an alright song, but to me it seems like the mean to which all Metallica songs should be judged. It's good, but not great. To me, this is what Metallica should sound like on a bad day.

Stone Cold Crazy is fun but it's way too short. Not one of my favorite cover songs that they've done, but entertaining none the less. They won a Grammy for this, right?

Bleeding Me. When I heard this was the next song, I dreaded it because it was from Load. And the beginnings of the song led me to believe that I was correct in not looking forward to it, but it turned out to be not half bad in the end.

Mandatory Metallica -- August 8th, 2008

Leper Messiah
Stone Cold Crazy
Bleeding Me

Leper Messiah is an alright song, but to me it seems like the mean to which all Metallica songs should be judged. It's good, but not great. To me, this is what Metallica should sound like on a bad day.

Stone Cold Crazy is fun but it's way too short. Not one of my favorite cover songs that they've done, but entertaining none the less. They won a Grammy for this, right?

Bleeding Me. When I heard this was the next song, I dreaded it because it was from Load. And the beginnings of the song led me to believe that I was correct in not looking forward to it, but it turned out to be not half bad in the end.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 6th, 2008

Sorry for the lateness on this one, just got my internet back for good. (Or so it seems.)

Trapped Under Ice
King Nothing
...And Justice For All

If only Metallica kept their sound like in Trapped Under Ice, they'd be bigger than they are today. Well, maybe not overall, but certainly in the metal fans' eyes. Great speed, the vocals go well along with the song and the solo is nice. Very nice indeed.

King Nothing isn't as good as Trapped Under Ice, unfortunately. The biggest turn-off to this song for me is not the vocals or the music, but definitely the lyrics. How stupid can it get? If you're a rock or metal band and include the lyrics "I wish I may/I wish I might" in any part of your song, then...yeah.

...And Justice For All is such a long song. Good thing it's not terrible. I think this song would work much better being much faster, but for what it is, it's okay. James sounds pretty good most of the time. I think the vocalwork on this CD is where I most prefer Metallica. Overall, pretty good.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Mandatory Metallica -- August 4th & 5th, 2008

Internets are screwy with me, pardon for the lack of updates.

Aug. 4:

Wherever I May Roam
Helpless
Ride The Lightning

The first song I got into about halfway through. I feel like this is a pretty poor song. The guitars just sound kind of annoying to me. Maybe it's the key they're in sometimes? I dunno. The vocals during the chorus aren't really that good either. Ah well.

Helpless is even worse to me. I knew right away it was a cover. Call me old fashioned, but the time signature (I guess) is so weird on this song and I really didn't like it. It just seemed to go on and on too. A huge miss for me. The bass parts sometimes are really cool, however.

Ride the Lightning, while not my favorite from that album, is certainly good. I can kind of see why Metallica fans prefer James' voice from the first three albums. It fits this song perfectly. Face-melting solo, too!

Aug. 5

Of Wolf And Man
No Leaf Clover
Creeping Death

It took me a while to figure out the name of the first song, but I identified it about halfway through. I've been meaning to try this song because it reminds me of the song titles from Nattens Madrigal, hehe! Although, this song really isn't that great to me. Really boring.

No Leaf Clover was the S&M version. Blech. James sounds despicable here and lame. The music even has a terrible interlude with what sounds like a spoken part?! Ugh. This is not thrash or metal Metallica. Although:

Creeping Death:



'nuff said.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Upcoming concerts in or around Kansas City!

I hope to see lots of people at these!

Contamination Tour with Origin, Misery Index and Abysmal Dawn
08/09/08
$10 - $12
Jackpot
Lawrence, KS
18+

Skeletonwitch
08/28/08
$8
The Riot Room
Kansas City, MO
21+

Motorhead with Misfits, Airbourne, Valient Thor and Year Long Disaster
09/07/08
$30 - $50
Voodoo Lounge at Harrah's
Kansas City, MO
21+

Alice Cooper at The Kansas State Fair
09/12/08
$25
Kansas State Fair
Hutchinson, KS
All Ages

War On Everything Tour feat. Impaled, Phobia, Kill The Client, Illogicist and Maruta (tix on sale at the door)
$12 - $15
Jackpot
Lawrence, KS
18+

Children of Bodom with The Black Dahlia Murder and Between The Buried And Me
09/27/08
$20
Beaumont Club
Kansas City, MO
All Ages

Obituary with Unleashed and Carnifex
10/01/08
$20
Beaumont Club
Kansas City, MO
All Ages

Opeth with High On Fire and Baroness
10/14/08
$20
Beaumont Club
Kansas City, MO
All Ages

Blackest Of The Black Tour feat. Danzig with Dimmu Borgir, Moonspell, Winds of Plague and Skeletonwitch
10/31/08
$27.50
Uptown Theater
Kansas City, MO
All Ages

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Friday, August 1, 2008

Judas Priest -- Kansas City, MO -- August 1st, 2008

So let's get right into it.

First up as I was walking into City Market was Federation of Horsepower. They're a band that has a guy from the radio station with Johnny Dare on it. As an opening band, they weren't half bad. If I had to choose whether to have Federation of Horsepower open up or a metalcore band, I'll go with the Federation. Pretty fun band and the guitar solos were pretty good. 6.5/10

Setlist:
The last song they played was called "Testify"

Now, there's something you have to understand at this point. This concert is put on by 98.9 KQRC for Johnny Dare and his 15th Anniversary of his show. This is the same radio station that put on "Rockfest" with such fantastic bands as Shinedown, Seether, and Filter. So...let's just say that 85% of the people here are stupid rednecks who like to pick fights, drink beer and smoke weed. And 65% of those rednecks are [I]45 or older[/I]. It's pretty weird to see someone who probably has kids my age smoke weed. Anyways, why do I say this? Because everyone went [I]apeshit[/I] for Drowning Pool. My God, what a terrible band. Every song sounded the same, the guitars sucked, the vocals REALLY sucked, and the banter in between songs was just...bad. They did play "Bodies" which was just as bad. The vocalist said "Think back to when you first heard this song and try and relive that feeling!" Uhhh...so you want me to be miserable again?! Whatever. Here's the HIGHLIGHT of the set which made me lol. You know how bands take forever to end their songs, especially at the end of their sets? Drowning Pool played the very beginning of Creeping Death. That's right. [B]Drowning Pool covered (at least a bit of) Metallica[/B]. 3/10

Setlist included:

Tear Away
Soldiers
37 Stitches
Bodies

In between each band they had video clips from several people talking about Johnny Dare. That includes Lewis Black, Tommy Chong, Dee Snyder, Lisa Lampanelli and Brian Johnson of AC/DC. Thought that was pretty cool.

My step-dad looooves Jackyl, and while they are a fun band, they just got kind of tiring. And lemme tell ya, I know Jackyl is like an 80's band and kind of glammy I guess, but damn, the lead singer is extremely effeminate. Anyone ever seen the HBO show "Cathouse"? About the brothel? They flew out the owner/star of that show plus two of his girls because apparently, Johnny Dare does a show there every Valentines Day. They were a lot better to look at then the flashing girls in the crowd. They ended with a Johnny Dare/Lead Singer guy chainsaw duet. Fun band. 7/10

Setlist included:

I Stand Alone
She Loves My Cock (that's right)
Redneck Punk
The Lumberjack
and one song that originally has a guy from ACDC doing vocals.

But really, who are we there to see? The Priest, that's who. Although at this point, I was getting, like, sickeningly dehydrated. I was wobbling and the people pushing constantly (THERE ISN'T ANY ROOM UP HERE, CALM DOWN AND GO BACK) didn't help. I decided to stick around 'til Dissident Aggressor and then bail out for some water and watch at a better distance. The setlist is the same as Europe, but I'm 99.9 percent sure we got a smaller list by a couple songs. I know I left for water after Dissident Aggressor and I know I remember them playing Angel as I was leaving. I just don't know if they cut out Death (I think they did) or if they played Hell Patrol (not too sure). They for sure did not play Sinner, though. But, DAMN. They were fantastic. They were really firing on all cylinders and every member sounded fantastic. Highlights were Dissident Aggressor, Painkiller, The Green Manalishi and You've Got Another Thing Coming. 10/10

Setlist of Judas Priest:

Dawn of Creation/Prophecy
Metal Gods
Eat Me Alive
Between The Hammer And The Anvil
Devil's Child
Breaking The Law
Hell Patrol
Dissident Aggressor
Angel
The Hellion/Electric Eye
Rock Hard, Ride Free
Painkiller
---
Hell Bent For Leather
The Green Manalishi
You've Got Another Thing Coming

In closing: Next time I'm seeing a classic or semi-classic band at City Market, I'm hanging back. But damn. FUCKING PRIEST!!!