2009 is quickly becoming my favorite year in recent memory for music. Most of you know my main love of music is definitely Metal through and through — and 2009 was so far a fucking amazing. Now I won’t go into the absolutely amazing re-master’s of all the Beatles albums — we all know they are worth it. But here’s a few I picked up and some thoughts!
Megadeth: Endgame
I wrote Mustaine and crew off years ago. I didn’t like anything after “The World Needs a Hero”, and even that was mediocre at best. They announced “Endgame” and I wrote it off… Randomly I heard a song on Pandora from Endgame — didn’t realize it was off of endgame. I honestly thought it was an unreleased song from between Rust in Piece and Countdown to Extinction. That song was, of course, Headcrusher. I was blown away that Megadeth still had it in them… and once I got the full Album realized it was one of the weaker songs on the album.
Spinal Tap: Back From the Dead
It’s fucking 2009 and Spinal Tap records a new album? Yes please. With Extra sauce! They hit the nail on the head with the perfect ‘washed up band trying to stay hip’ kind of vibe that fits Spinal Tap to a T!
Mastodon: Crack The Skye
They just keep getting better. Experimenting, and working to find their own identity since Leviathan. I can’t say enough great things about this album, I really can’t. It has the feeling of a modern day 70’s progressive album. Great production, catchy songs, and three members sharing vocal duties; each with their own Identity. Its just amazing. Oblivion and The Last Baron are the best Intro and Closing songs on an album in years.
CKY: Carver City
cKy is one of those love them or hate them bands for sure. Being overshadowed by Bam Margera’s bullshit and attached as that ‘Jackass’ band, they tried very hard to break free from that with their album “Infiltrate, Destroy, Rebuild” which is the pinnacle of their song writing and playing. An Answer Can Be Found fell flat on me and the band took an indefinite hiatus, each pursuing their own solo projects. 2009 Brought us Carver City — pretty much out of nowhere, unless you were REALLY looking for info on the next cKy album. I heard the single and laughed it off — but bought the album anyway. I was NOT glad I did… at first. This album took me almost 4-5 months of listening randomly to songs from it for it to finally click with me, and once it did I couldn’t stop listening to it. Its not for everyone, but is a welcome look back at who they used to be but without being a complete rehash.
Muse: Resistance
Yes, I’m going to talk about Muse now. I hated Muse with a passion, why? They have amazing covers, amazing song titles, and mediocre music that fell flat on my ears. I had Prog-Rock friends of mine saying to keep giving them a chance over and over and it just wasn’t working for me. Then what happens? They release a new album and a lot of die hard fans hate it — and I end up liking it a LOT. Not only does it give very similar views to my own in their political views of the world today — it feels like, at times, what Queen might be doing if they became a band more recently, and I fucking love Queen.
Lamb of God: Wrath
LoG and I have a tenuous relationship — when they came out I heralded them as the 2nd coming of Slayer, and I couldn’t have been more right. Brutal, Thrashy, Heavy, not afraid to slow it down sometimes, and UTTERLY PREDICTABLE. Every album has the same vibe over all. the same feel, and the same production. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Wrath and its a lot better than Sacrament was — but it really is just feeling to me like more of the same, especially when LoG haven’t released a really epic album yet.
The Black Dahlia Murder: Deflorate
Black Dahlia, a band I didn’t get into until about 2 years ago. Why? I never trust new death metal bands these days, they always end up doing something to deviate from the mold and to be more popular. I figured this would be the exact same thing. Eventually I got two of their albums from a friend who didn’t want them anymore due to some moral reason, whatever. Either way I gave them a spin and loudly declared “Holy shit… they actually are death metal… through and through!”. They won me over then, and Deflorate is more of the same but without feeling like a rehash (the way LoG are to me.)
Alice in Chains: Black Gives Way To Blue
God it’s fucking creepy isn’t it? Layne Staley was one of the best vocalists of the 90’s bar none. He was unique, new, and had a personality that just drew you into the music more so. With his passing everyone had to accept that AiC were done. 2009 comes along and AiC comes out with a new album, new vocalist, and sound EXACTLY HOW AiC SHOULD SOUND… the first time I spun the disc i got goosebumps, chills, and felt so melancholy it was… well it was Alice in fucking Chains. I feel… off. Buy it. I don’t care who you are. Will it stand up to time? Who knows! But for just having it for 5 hours so far… I couldn’t have asked for more.
Dream Theater: Black Clouds & Silver Linings
They’ve been one of my favorite bands for absolutely numerous years. They constantly try to balance their brand of progressive rock and progressive metal endlessly trying to satisfy both ends of their core audience — sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. This album shows them swinging to both extremes back and forth in an almost epic struggle. Its not their best but is a great album none the less!
Also Bought and Enjoyed:
Devin Townsend: Ki (Devin is amazing as usual with what could be called a laid back Jazz Metal album)
Suffocation: Blood Oath (its fucking suffocation I don’t need a reason)
Cannibal Corpse: Evisceration Plague (it’s corpse. Its new. Its Brutal)
Earth Crisis: To The Death (I don’t have a reason, its just pretty good!)
Killswitch Engage: Self Titled (could have been a lot better but I miss Jessie’s vocals quite a bit)
GWAR: Lust in Space (GWAR is back to being Thrashy Goodness! Thank you!)
Five Finger Death Punch: War is the Answer (Gave them a shot after hearing a lot about this album. Didn’t feel too ripped off!)
Austrian Death Machine: Double Brutal (they are no Arnocorps, BUT from what I heard of this album so far (just got it today) its good fun)
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