Mid-Week Review: "The Ride Majestic" by Soilwork

The 4th week of August played host to three huge releases in the heavy metal world; "The Ride Majestic" by Soilwork, "Bad Magic" by Motorhead, and "What Should Not Be Unearthed" by Nile. As per the standard procedure, I will be judging the album on a track-by-track basis, where the vocals/lyrics, musicality and originality will be judged. In the end, I will give an average score for the entire album.

NOTE: I will not be reviewing any bonus tracks from the albums, as they are heard very rarely by listeners.

Mid-Week Review #1...

THE RIDE MAJESTIC

by SOILWORK

Background

Soilwork is a Swedish Melodic Death Metal band hailing from Helsingborh, Sweden. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records and have released 10 studio albums with their latest release, The Ride Majestic, released last week. The current lineup of Soilwork is the following:

• Bjorn "Speed" Strid - Vocals
• David Andersson - Guitars
• Sylvain Coudret - Guitars
• Sven Karlsson - Keyboards
• Markus Wilbom - Bass
• Dirk Verbeuren - Drums

Their current release, The Ride Majestic, is a beautiful mix of aggression, passion and tranquility. Blending the Melodic Death and Alternative sounds into this album creates a product of unparelled quality. 

1. The Ride Majestic

A tranquil sea of clean guitar melodies and chords, this is what we are given when The Ride Majestic begins, and constrasts what is to follow beautifully. Within seconds, Soilwork transcend into an amalgamation of distorted tremelo picking, double kick pounding and Bjorn Strid's iconic scream. I found this song to be one of the highlights of the album, with the instruments and vocals harmonising perfectly. What garnered my interest more was the fact that I had never heard anything like this before, which means a lot coming from a Melodeath fanboy right here. It was extremely hard to pick any faults in this song, but I sure as hell tried. Was it the incredible riffs that let me down? Was it the virtuosic shredding during the solo? Or was it the vocal brilliance? Safe to say, I couldn't find a single god damn fault in this song. I sure as hell hope The Ride Majestic continues down this path, because I'm looking at a real contender for Album of the Year right here.

Vocals/Lyrics: 5/5

Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

2.  Alight in the Aftermath

This song doesnt waste any time in grabbing you by the throat and throwing you into a pit of barbed wire and lemon juice. The opening sections of this song are some the most aggressive tunes I've heard in a long time, but what surprised me most with this track, is it's eventual transition into slower, more meaningful riffage and somewhat operatic clean vocal performance. This song varies a lot in musical direction, but somehow, Soilwork made it work. From the in-your-face intro, to the doom-inspired bridges, to the up-tempo chorus section, this song delivers on a magnificent scale and so far, has not let me down. I only just wished that the guitars showcased a lot more melody in this one, to further define that iconic Soilwork sound.

Vocals/Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

3. Death in General

I'm not gonna lie, I love this song...like, A LOT. The opening melody brings the listener into a sense of euphoria and immediately transitions them into a slow build up of tribal-rhythm drumming to what eventually ends up in heavy riffage and that Soilwork staple sound. The build-up and break-down of the heavy parts gives this track a sense of character that can't really be defined. The vocals definitely shine through the most in this track, but that doesn't mean I don't find the instrumentals to be brilliant, because they absolutely are! Maybe it's just me being critical, but I had hoped the keyboards came through in this track, as it's very hard to distinguish their presense in this track. Nevertheless, fantastic and unique track!

Vocals/Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

4. Enemies in Fidelity

The melodic brilliance of this band really shines through in this track, but unfortunately, most much else does. The solos were incredible, the rhythm, not so much. I wished that Bjorn Strid used his vocal range a bit more in this song, it would have saved it. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this song, just not as much as the rest. 

Vocals/Lyrics: 3/5

Musicality: 2/5
Originality: 4/5

5. Petrichor of Sulphur

Pardon my language here, but HOLY FUCK! Arpeggios out of nowhere, heart-stopping punches from the drums and the screams that only a god could replicate, I think I may have just found my next favourite Soilwork song! The guitar work only continues to keep up the standard with beautiful melodies and agression in the riffs. There's not much I can say about this track that I can fault, except maybe the odd progressive sounding riffs in the middle of the track, it just didn't sit right with me, but I'm sure many other will love it! Also, that solo...

Vocals/Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

6. The Phantom

This sounds like Soilwork's attempt at black metal, whilst still trying to maintain their melodic sound. This definitely gives off a very unique track for the listener. I loved the use of tremolo picking and blast beats, but I had just wished they let the melodic sections of the song shine through a little more, as I found them to be the stronger parts of the track. I don't think I'll ever get over the damn guitar solos in this album, and this track in particular, they're just magnificent! Another fault I see in this track, is once more, I expected more from Strid's incredible vocal potential. Regardless of these faults, awesome track with another kick ass guitar solo!

Vocals/Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

7. The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic)

This song had potential, a lot of potential! Opporunities for every member of the band to shine through were presented, instead, I was presented to an average performance with only the lead guitar work really doing anything to keep me from giving this track a bad review. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough for me to look at this song in a positive light. 

Vocals/Lyrics: 2/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

8. Whirl of Pain

Now this is more like it! Awesome transitioning between heavy and soft, aggression and passion, this track delivers. Vocals were finally to my expectations this time around, the keyboards, guitars and bass carved a path of awesomeness though my ears and the drums provided execellent rhythm the entire song. There wasn't any real strong point in this track, as I found all aspect of this song to be above-par. Not an amazing song, but definitely a quality song!

Vocals/Lyrics: 4/5

Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

9. All Along Echoing Paths

This track once again delivers epic tremolo picking riffage, incredibly fast double kick drumming and another epic guitar solo! This time, my expectations were met, with Soilwork's melodic brilliance coming to light in this track, which just made this song utterly epic. Not much else can be said except I genuinely believe that as this album goes on, I can safely say that Soilwork are more on top of their game than ever before, and All Along Echoing Paths prove just that!

Vocals/Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

10. Shining Lights

The riffs in this song are nothing short of epic. Maintaining blistering speeds throughout the majority song, the rhythmic sections of the track deliver on a massive scale, leaving the vocals to blast through and take us to another pedestal of epicness, and Soilwork did just that! Perfect harmony between the melodic compenents accompanied by rhythmic brilliance. I seriously think I've overused the words "Melodic" and "Brilliance", but if this album wasnt so damn melodic, and so damn brilliant, I wouldn't have to use them!

Vocals/Lyrics: 5/5 

Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

11. Father and Son, Watching the World Go Down

The album closes on a very unique note. Definitely the black sheep in the herd, Father and Son delivers a somewhat Alternative vibe to their established sound, also trying to stay away from the incredibly fast tempos that this album has been displaying. The vocals and guitars in this track definitely close the album in grand style, with Bjorn Strid's upper register being the peak of perfection in this song and the final guitar solo of the album providing harmonic and melodic excellence. A solid conclusion to an album, that depsite a few road blocks, delivers high on the epic scale.

Vocals/Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Final Thought

I've been a huge Soilwork fan for years now, giving high praise to every album they've ever done. But this album is on a whole new level, Sure, a few tracks really let me down, but that doesn't mean this album is far from brilliant. The Ride Majestic and Petrichor of Sulphur being my personal stand-out tracks of the album, with every other track being an absolute joy to listen to. My final piece of opinion is this...
Soilwork, don't stop producing these amazing tunes!

P.S. I look forward to meeting you all in February in Melbourne, Australia as I am a "VIP Meet and Greet" pass holder for that show! It's definitely going to one hell of an experience meeting a band I just reviewed!

VERDICT

Vocals/Lyrics: 42/55

Musicality: 45/55

Originality: 48/55

TOTAL: 82% - DISTINCTION

Soilwork are on the top of their game with this album! 

Purchase The Ride Majestic at: www.nuclearblast.de/en/

Purchase tickets for Soilwork's upcoming Australian tour at www.livenation.com.au

Gig Review: HELLYEAH LIVE @ The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, 29/8/15

Last Saturday night I witnessed something amazing, what is perhaps one of the greatest heavy metal supergroups in history performing a sold out show in my home town! HellYeah had come to Melbourne and along with them, they brought down 3 of Australia's finest locals bands over 2 stages to tear the fucking roof off the venue! For the during of the entire night, I was positioned up against the barrier, front and centre for all the action that was to follow! I was also lucky enough to score a "VIP Meet & Greet" pass for the gig, making the night even sweeter!

Like all my reviews, I will be judging the night on Supports, Setlist, Interactivity, Crowd Participation and Overall Execution.

HellYeah

For those that don't know who HellYeah are, they're an American supergroup, consisting of:

1. Christian Brady, Guitarist, formerly of Magna-Fi and Uberschall.  
2. Kyle Sanders, Bassist, formerly of MonstrO (Also the brother of Mastodon bassist and vocalist, Troy Sanders).
3. Tom Maxwell, Guitarist, formerly of Nothingface.
4. Chad Gray, Vocalist, formerly of Mudvayne.
5. Vinnie Paul, Drummer, formerly of Damageplan and Pantera

Their style of metal is primarily groove metal, with heavy focus on powerful riffs, double kick drumming and distorted vocals, with the occasional acoustic melodic section in between. Forming in 2001, HellYeah have released 4 studio albums, with their latest album, Blood For Blood, being the reason for the current world tour. 

Supports

As there were 3 supports and very little room on the main stage at the Corner Hotel, the venue and bands employed the use of the annex (side) stage off to the side of the main stage, which acted as the stage for Melbourne's Decimatus and Sydney's Graveyard Rockers, whilst Melbourne's Mammoth Mammoth played the main stage prior to HellYeah.

Decimatus absolutely killed their set, despite being first up to the batting cage. Their music can be summed up in one word; Riffs. Those fucking riffs, they're definitely out of this world. Throw in extremely fast double kick bass drumming, blisteringly fast shredding and the vocals so unique, yet so undeniably incredible, and you have one of Melbourne's greatest local bands, Decimatus! The only flaw in their set was too short, I need more if this metal in my life!

Check out Decimatus at: www.facebook.com/DecimatusMetal

Decimatus Score: 10/10

Mammoth Mammoth took to the main stage and made it their own. For a local band, they displayed an extreme amount of confidence, which is always something awesome to see in the local music scene! Their Motorhead-esque sound echoed through the sold out crowd, and won me over in a heartbeat. The vocalist didn't like staying still and went straight for the pit to perform the majority of his set in, which is totally metal. It wasnt until after the show did I realise these guys were a lot bigger than I expected, being signed to Napalm Records too! Kudos gentlemen, keep up the awesome tunes!

Check out Mammoth Mammoth at: www.facebook.com/mammothmammothband

Mammoth Mammoth Score: 9/10

The last act before the headliners took to their stage, Graveyard Rockers took to closing the side stage with their industrial-like heavy riffs and cyber goth outfits. Unfortunately I wasn't very impressed with their overall sound and look, as I found myself fading in and out of their performance from lack of interest. They're a tight band with a lot of potential, but they just didn't do it for me this time around.

Check out Graveyard Rockers at: www.facebook.com/graveyardrockstars

Graveyard Rockers Score: 6/10

OVERALL SUPPORT SCORE: 23/30

Setlist

At long last, HellYeah had taken to the stage, the crowd went absolutely nuts! HellYeah opened with Soul Killer and the title track from their lastest album, Blood for Blood, followed by my favourite track Demons in the Dirt. The boys on stage continued to belt out the well known hits from their back catalogue with a lot of emphasis on the songs from Blood for Blood. After slowing things down with Moth, the vibe picked back up with Cross to Bier and eventually slowing back down a few songs later for their hit single, Hush, which was preceeded by Chad Gray's incredible speech on the state of heavy metal today. The final half of the set was when all hell broke loose, when they decided it was a good idea to throw Drink Drank Drunk, Gift and Cowboy Way at the crowd, back-to-back. The night eventually closed with HellYeah! and Alcohaulin' Ass, a perfect finale to a flawless setlist of the night.

Setlist Score: 10/10

Interactivity

HellYeah is the type of band where you'd expect the band to be so tired of touring, that their live shows will be very boring to watch, well you couldn't be any further than the truth (mostly).
Their was an extreme display of enthusiasm and energy shown in vocalist Chad Gray, who opted to constantly lean on the barrier against the sea of rabid metal-heads, crushing the poor souls on the barrier (like me, unfortunately). Drummer, Vinnie Paul, being the starpower behind HellYeah, knew his drumsticks were the number one sought after item during that show, where he would chuck a couple into the crowd every five songs or so. But what came as the biggest shock was his engagement with the crowd. A good exmaple would be after their performance of Hush, I had managed to gain Vinnie's attention, where he would offer his drumstick to me, tossing it directly to me from drum-kit to barrier. Needless to say, I made a lot of Pantera fans angry that night.
Unfortunately, guitarists Tom, Christian and bassist Kyle didn't interact with the crowd much, relying on Chad to do the work for them.

Interactivity Score: 7/10

Crowd Participation

Coming out of a pit the last prior (The Dillinger Escape Plan), I was already ready to throw in the towel before the gig had even started, because I knew just how insane the crowd is going to be. and I wasn't wrong one bit!
The crowd was a 3-way split between devoted Mudvayne fans, laid-back HellYeah fans and the insanely aggresive Pantera fans, needless to say, the latter group were commonly found in the pit with myself. The crowd showed no signs of slowing down from start to finish, with crowd surfer after crowd surfer surging over my head onto the floor below, followed by a high five from myself to the fucker that just kicked my head on the way over me. I had so much fun in the pit for this show, and I sure as hell hope Melbourne's crowds take note: This is what a pit is meant to be like!

Crowd Score: 10/10

Overall Execution

Throughout the entire performance, HellYeah showed no signs of missing notes or lyrics, they performed flawlessly! Vinnie didn't miss a beat, Christian and Tom executed their riffs perfectly, with Tom's solos blowing me away and Kyle's basslines were deep and heart-stoppingly aggressive!

The only issue I had with the performance was Chad's forgetfulness of they lyrics to Hush and Gift, opting to post lyrics sheets on the pedestal he performed on. Despite that little issue, Chad performed amazingly for a man of his past, and completely tore the crowd apart!

Execution Score: 9/10

Final Thought

There really isn't much to say except that this show has been one of the greatest shows of my entire life! From meeting the band prior to the gig, to getting absolutely destroyed in the pit, to being given Vinnie's drumstick by the man himself! I don't think I had ever witnessed a supergroup perform so tightly since Killer Be Killed's live debut at Soundwave 2015. Despite the lack of enthusiasm during some parts of the set by the guitarists, HellYeah proved once more that they are a force to be reckoned with in a world as brutal as the heavy metal society of Melbourne, Australia!

Also, special shout out to Vinnie Paul. You sir, made my night with that drumstick and I can't thank you enough for it, you are a fucking legend Vinnie!

FINAL SCORE

Decimatus: 10/10

Mammoth Mammoth: 9/10

Graveyard Rockers: 6/10

Setlist: 10/10

Interactivity: 7/10

Crowd: 10/10

Execution: 9/10

TOTAL SCORE: 86% - DISTINCTION

Word of Warning: Ensure you have a day of recovery if you opt to party with HellYeah!

(Photos courtesy of The Au Review and HellYeah)

Gig Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan LIVE @ The Prince Bandroom, Melbourne, 28/8/16

Last night I beared witness to one of the craziest, most electrifying live shows of the year! The Dillinger Escape plan came back to Australia for a tour that would render us as lifeless corpses at the end of it all. I was lucky enough to catch their Melbourne show, but given their history of insane mosh pits, I opted to stand just outside the pit, on an elevated benchtop, giving myself the best view of the show! As this is a review, I will be judging the night on 5 points; Support Acts, Setlist, Interactiveness, Crowd Participation and Execution. Before I get into the review, here's a background story of The Dillinger Escape Plan.

The Dillinger Escape Plan

The Dillinger Escape Plan (abbreviated as TDEP), is 5-piece mathcore band whose current lineup constists of drummer Billy Rymer, guitarist and founding member Ben Weinman, guitarist Kevin Antreassian, bassist Liam Wilson and vocalist Greg Puciato (also a member of supergroup Killer Be Killed). Their genre, known as "mathcore", is a genre of music derived from metalcore, which uses complex rhythms and unusual time signatures to define their sound and to produce music that is somewhat polyrhythmic in nature. Dillinger's sound hasn't strayed far from it's original sound, but has matured and evolved on the foundations that the band was formed on.

The Support Act

Their was only one support act for the night; Melbourne's own Jack the Stripper. Being the first time I heard this band's music and given the fact that they're opening for a Dillinger show, I was prepared for something completely strange indeed. But what I was treated to was a barrage of blast beats, death growls and rhythmic brilliance that gave off a subtle Deftones-esque sound. I must say, this band fit the bill perfectly! Although I had never heard of them before, they sure did impress me. If there was any band from Melbourne to support the Dillinger Escape Plan, I'm glad it was Jack the Stripper.

Support Act Score: 9/10

Setlist

As Dillinger began to take the stage, their hour and a half set comprised a wide assortment of well-known tracks from thier entire back catalogue. If there was one way to get the crowd going nuts, it was to open with Prancer and Milk Lizard. As the night carried on, fans were treated to more Dillinger hits like Setting Fire to Sleeping Giants, One Of Us Is the Killer, 43% Burnt and studio rarity Happiness is a Smile. The band even took to covering the opening riff to Cream's Sunshine Of Your Love as a transition into Sunshine the Werewolf. Finally closing with Farewell, Mona Lisa, The Dillinger Escape Plan delivered a massive setlist of brilliant tracks that absolutely ruined the crowd. And we all loved every minute of it!

Setlist Score: 10/10

Interactiveness

To anyone who's seen the Dillinger Escape Plan before, they know they're one bunch of spastics! And I mean that in the best way possible. Frontman Greg Puciato didn't stop moving during the entire set, opting to repeatedly jump into the crowd, grab fans from the crowd and pull them on stage, and even unleashing his inner-Spiderman by climbing onto the ceiling and dropping into the sea of hardcore fans. It wasn't just Puciato that put his all into the performance, all the members of Dillinger flailed about on their instruments, releasing all the anger and passion their music produces. Guitarist Ben Weinman even decided to carry on with his riffing whilst he stood ON TOP of the crowd! I've never seen a band as fucking mental as The Dillinger Escape Plan, and I don't think I ever will!

Interactiveness Score: 10/10

Crowd Participation

The night had a certain lack of a staple in most metal/hardcore gigs...a freaking barrier! There was no leeway between the band and the sea of mosh-hungry fans, which led to wave after wave of crowd surfers landing on the stage, only to leap back into the pit! Never before have I seen a mosh pit as fucking crazy as I had seen last night, and I don't think I ever will! Towards the end of the set, Puciato invited as many fans as he could onto the stage to form a moshpit on the stage itself, displaying one of the best spectacles I've ever seen in my 12 years of concert-going! My only criticism with the crowd was the small percentage of moshers, with the pit being open and spacious, I expected more nutjobs to be honest, as there were A LOT of people just standing there, barely moving their bodies to the music.

Crowd Participation Score: 8/10

Execution

It's a rare thing in the music industry, to see a band perform their music live as good as it's heard on record, but it's an entire new level to see them peform their music better than the studio albums, and The Dillinger Escape Plan did just that! I'm going to keep this short and sweet, it took me a while to get into The Dillinger Escape Plan by just listening to their music on CD, so I let this gig be the judge. Safe to say, I freaking love this band now! 

Execution Score: 10/10

Final Thought

Wow...just wow. What a night, what a show! I don't think there's anything else to say except that I think I just witnessed probably one of the best live shows of my life. I came into the venue knowing very little about The Dillinger Escape Plan, leaving with my mind blown and my muscles aching! Would I see Dillinger again? OH FUCK YES!

FINAL SCORE

Support Act: 9/10

Setlist: 10/10

Interactiveness: 10/10

Crowd: 8/10

Execution: 10/10

TOTAL: 94% - HIGH DISTINCTION

A strong contender for Gig of the Year!

(Photos courtesy of Stephen Buckle)

(Video courtesy of SuperjojobaA)

Friday: Weekly Re-cap (22/8 - 28/8)

Here is what's what in the world of the local and international hard rock and heavy metal scene over the past 7 days...

NEWS

• Legendary US guitarist, Tony MacAlpine, has been forced to cancel his Australian tour this October, following a sudden medical emergency which is believed to be cancerous cells in his stomach. Ticket holders are eligible for a refund via Thump Music.

• Soundwave 2016 Artists, Bullet for My Valentine and Dead Letter Music have earned the #1 and #2 spots on the ARIA charts, respectively.

• Lamb of God appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on August 27th for a performance of "512".

RELEASES

• Motorhead's 22nd album, Bad Magic was released on August 28th via record label UDR GmbH. Purchase Bad Magic at www.amazon.com

• Nile's 8th studio album, What Should Not Be Unearthed was released on August 28th via Nuclear Blast Records. Purchase What Should Not Be Unearthed at: www.nuclearblast.de/en/

• Soilwork's 10th studio album, The Ride Majestic was released on August 28th via Nuclear Blast Records. Purchase The Ride Majestic at www.nuclearblast.de/en/

• Trivium unveil their new music video for Until the World Goes Cold, off their new album Silence In the Snow, to be released on October 2nd via Roadrunner Records. Pre-order Silence In the Snow at: http://www.trivium.org/silenceinthesnow

• Rammstein release their live rendition of Ich Tu Dir Weh from their live DVD In Amerika, to be released on the 25th of September. Pre-order In Amerika at: www.shop.rammstein.de/de

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FAILURE CONFIRMED FOR SOUNDWAVE 2016

• The 3rd act for Soundwave 2016 has been announced. LA-based Alt Rockers Failure join Bullet For My Valentine & Dead Letter Circus on the Soundwave 2016 bill.

SOILWORK AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2016

• Swedish Melodic Death Metal masters Soilwork annouced a set of tour dates in Australia for February 2016. Details for the tour are the following (courtesy of musicfeeds.com.au):

TICKETING

• Telstra Thanks presale for Telstra customers begin at 10am Monday, August 31st until 12pm Wednesday, September 2nd.
  
  My Live Nation & ticking agent pre-sales beging at 12pm Wednesday, September 2nd until 5pm Thursday, September 3rd.
  
  General tickets go on sale 10am Friday, 4th of September.

DATES

• Wednsday, 10th February
  Rosemount Hotel, Perth
  Tickets: Live Nation
  
  Friday, 12th February
  The Gov, Adelaide
  Tickets: Live Nation
  
  Saturday, 13th February
  The Triffid, Brisbane
  Tickets: Live Nation
  
  Monday, 15th February
  Max Watts, Sydney
  Tickets: Live Nation
  
  Tuesday, 16th February
  170 Russell (ex-Billboard), Melbourne
  Tickets: Live Nation

IRON MAIDEN WORLD TOUR 2016 CONFIRMED, AUSTRALIAN DATES ALMOST CONFIRMED

• British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden have announced a 2016 world tour following the release of their 16th studio album, The Book of Souls, out September 4th via EMI Records. The Australian leg of the tour is scheduled for May 2016, although no confirmed dates have been announced. Pre-order The Book of Souls at: http://www.ironmaiden.com/thebookofsouls/

Thursday Thinktank: Being a modern-day Satanist

In today's day and age, it's perfectly acceptable for us as human beings to be athiests in society, many embrace it. Living in Melbourne, Australia, I've grown up around an extremely multi-cultural and diverse society, where I've witnessed the practices and procedures of all the world's dominant religions, be it Christianity, Islam or even the occassional Buddhism. But you will not find me within these spiritual niches of surface-religion, rather, you will find me under the guidance and spiritual lifestyle of Satan; The Judeo-Christian antagonist of biblical references. Now, before you jump to conclusions, I am NOT an extremist, I will NOT persecute you for your own personal beliefs and I will most certainly NOT try to convert you to my way of life in any way, shape, form or fashion. So let me explain to you a bit of my history, and the background to my decisions in becoming a Laveyan Satanist.


I grew up in a Christian house, well, Catholic to be precise. My mother was a non-practicing Catholic and was determined to raise me based on Christian principles. I never quite got how someone could tell me how to live my life based on these principles if they themselves didn't practice them. Nevertheless, like the good little son I was, I listened to my mother and tried my hardest to live my life the way she wanted me to. It wasn't until the age of 12 when I entered high school did I realise that this lifestyle, this religion was not for me. As a common victim of bullying and abuse in high school, I felt as though my upbringing didn't quite prepare me for what was to come. Over the years, as I became further and further from my peers, I began to find solace in underground lifestyles; heavy metal, the occult and the teachings of Anton Lavey (who I will get into detail later on). By the age of 15 I began to reject the teachings of most religions, dismissing them as "spiritual pipe dreams", I couldn't quite get my head around why the mjaority of people in this world are okay with dedicating their lives to a deity which may not even exist.

I was 18 when I made this choice. I had found the spritual belief system that identified with myself greater than any other religion could.

"So what are you actually?"

I currently identify myself as a "Laveyan" Satanist, a seperate entity religion to most Judeo-Christian beliefs. Being a Satanist, many people believe I worship Satan, which is furthest from the truth. As a Laveyan Satanist, I do NOT believe in the typical Judeo-Christian manifesation of Satan; the fallen angel, the lord of the layers of hell, Lucifer, etc. Instead, I believe in Satan for what he is represented as; an opponent of god, the ideas of all that empower humans to pursue their carnal desires. In a broad sense, I am an athiest, because I reject the existence of any supernatural deity governing my soul in this world, but if one were to look closer into the finer points of Laveyan Satanism, one will find a wide assortment of spiritual ritual and ceremony dedicated to our faith, which would define me as "An Athiest with a spirtual attunement to worlds outside our own", but that's too long to pronounce, so I prefer to be called a Laveyan Satanist.
I will not go into huge detail about Satanism in this article, but for all those interested, I will post a link to the Church of Satan's website, where the points raised here can be expanded upon in detail greater than I could ever attempt.

"So you're a devil worshipper?"

So what do people think of me when I say I'm a Satanist? Well I'm sure if you received that answer your first reaction would be "So does that mean you're a devil worshipper?". Well, no, not me personally. Like previously stated, Laveyan Satanism uses the IDEA of Satan to revolve our lives around, not the devil himself. It is also worth mentioning that given Laveyan Satanism's broad aspects on life on this planet, many Satanists choose to affiliate themselves with demons, the occult and other Luciferianist activity, which the Church of Satan will neither condemn nor condone.

"So if Satanists are essentially athiests, how do you follow your lives on this religion?"

Simply, the way most religions do, via text. The Satanic Bible is our holy text, relative to Christianity's Holy Bible, Islam's Quran and Judaism's Torah, it outlines in great detail, the way our faith is structured and the way of life we as Satanists are expected to live.

"So what do Satanists follow?"

Laveyan Satanism is centered around 3 focus points; "The 9 Satanic Statements" "The 9 Satanic Sins" and "The 11 Satanic Rules of Earth"

The 9 Satanic Statements (taken from The Curch of Satan's official website)

1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence

2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit

4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates.

5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek.

6. Satan represents responsiblity to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.

7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development," has become the most vocious animal of all.

8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.

9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years.

The 9 Satanic Sins (taken from The Church of Satan's official website)

1. Stupidity

2. Pretentiousness

3. Solipism

4. Self-deceit

5. Herd Conformity

6. Lack of perspective

7. Forgetfulness of past Orthodoxies

8. Counter-productive pride

9. Lack of Aethestics

The 11 Satanic Rules of Earth (taken from The Church of Satan's official website)

"How are you treated in society when people found out you are a Satanist?"

I generally get mixed opinions, but it's generally one of three outcomes.

Outcome 1: The person, being either completely ignorant of the world, or just incredibly stupid, tend to back away from me, with very little contact to follow. I blame this on the lack of education given to people these days on the relgions of the world and the fear of "Satan" that many churches instill into the hearts of their followers. I personally garner this response the most. People that fall under this category are the ones that prompted me to write this article to begin with.

Outcome 2: The people I come into contact with after my annoucement of my Satanic beliefs, show little to no change in their opnion of me. In today's day and age, human beings are becoming more and more tolarent to the different opinions and viewpoints of the rest of the world. And especially where I live, there are literally dozens of cultures living within kilometres of each other. If the world's population could just be more like these exemplary human beings, then perhaps religions like mine can find a place in this world without the un-educated, biased public scrutiny.

Outcome 3: They're enthralled! I've only got this response a few times, but it is by far my favourite. Not only are my words making sense when I explain my religion to someone, but there are others in the world who share my point of view and want to further their understanding of Laveyan Satanism. And for those who fall under this category, I hope everything I've explained briefly in this article is enough to really make you further your journey on discovering where you belong in this world. Friend or foe, Satanist or not...I applaud people like you, for it is people like you that make me proud to be who I am.

So there you have it! I'm not a devil-worshipping, child-sacrificing blood drinker, I'm not a church-burning maniac and I'm certainly not a gothic wizard who sits in his basement all day playing with hex dolls waiting for night-time so I can "feast on the flesh of the living'. 

But rather, I'm a follower of logic, a student of common-sense, I live in the now, I live for myself, I create the world around me and most of all...I am my own god. And when I die, may my corpse decompose and provide sustinance for all the beautiful living creatures on earth. And neither heaven, nor hell, shall be my destination at the end of the road, but an endless path of the unknown, where only death can prove it's existence.

I am a Laveyan Satanist.


The Church of Satan's official website: http://www.churchofsatan.com/index.php

Mid-Week Review: "Birth and the Burial" by Act of Defiance

The third week of August played host to many new hard rock/heavy metal releases. This week's review will be focusing on Disturbed's "Immortalized", Ghost's "Meliora" and Act of Defiance's "Birth and the Burial". Each album will be judged track-by-track, with a total average score being presented in the end. Here is review 3 of 3...

BIRTH AND THE BURIAL 

by ACT OF DEFIANCE

1. THROWBACK

What happens when half of Megadeth part ways with Dave Mustaine and finally let their skills come alive? You get Act of Defiance! Most noticeably recognised as the band formed by ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover, Act of Defiance couldn't be any more different to their original band, Throwback is a face-melting, guitar shredding, gut wrenching thrash metal masterpiece! Alongside Broderick and Drover, vocalist Henry Derek and bassist Matt Bachand join together to create this brilliant piece of metal goodness.

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

2. LEGION OF LIES

Coming off the high that was Throwback, Legion of Lies is a wonderful mixture of aggression, passion and harmony. Despite Derek's brutal vocal delivery and Broderick/Bachand's awesom rhythmic execution, I had high hopes that Shawn Drover would shine through in this track, but alas, that did not happen.

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicaity: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

3. THY LORD BELIAL

For such an awesome title for a song, I found Thy Lord Belial to be quite boring to be honest. The originiality in the track was very little, with most, if not all riffs sounding like in came out of a Slayer jam session. Despite my dissapointment with the instrument side of this track, I found the lyrics and the vocal deliverance of Thy Lord Belial to be passionate and even mesmerizing at times.

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

4. REFRAIN AND RE-FRACTURE

Definitely my personal favourite of this generally awesome album, Refrain and Re-Fracture not only delivers in power and punch, but also delivers on the levels of crowd movement. I can garuntee you that whenever this song is played, the crowd is sure to go absolutely nuts! Derek's vocals once again, shine through immensely in this song, and the entire band's game is on point in Refrain and Re-Fracture

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

5. DEAD STARE

This song hits you like a ton of bricks right to the sack! If there was any reminder that the spirit of 80s Thrash Metal is alive in today's day and age, it's Dead Stare. From the thrashy introduction, the track begins to slow down into a more composed, passionate section of riffs and deep lyrics, only to be interrupted by Broderick's shred tendencies, which is never a bad thing! I must say, this song is sick!

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 3/5

6. DISASTROPHE (A NEW REALITY)

With an opening riffs that just oozes suspense, this track builds up in a huge way, only to explode into a full frontal assault of harsh vocals, double kick drum beats and fast-tempo rhythms and melodies, Disastrophe is the type of song that grabs you by the throat and doenst let go until the song is over. Although the lyrical themes are a bit overused by now in the album, they still hold some merit due to the effective deliverance they're presented via. 

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

7. POISON DREAM

Opening with a stringed quartet and a piano, you're almost garunteed the word "epic" will be used in these next few sentences. But to put it in the shortest way possible, that intro is EPIC! The rest of the track doesn't hold the same epicness as it had during the intro, but Act of Defiance still keep it together, thrashing through and through to produce another awesome piece of heavy metal! Bonus points to Derek once more for his demonstration of his superb death growls during certain sections of the track.

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

8. OBEY THE FALLEN

Obey the Fallen is by far, the best showcase of Henry Derek's vocal ability, reaching near-soprano screeches, amazingly powerful thrash vocals and even quite brutal death growls. This track is also testament to the amazing skill of Mr. Broderick, with his talent on the fretboard being unleashed once more, to produce one hell of a set of guitar solos. The drum fill in this song are technical and suiting and the bass guitar is actually recognisable, which in thrash metal is quite a challenge to do.

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

9. CRIMSON PSALM

I'm personally not a big fan of the opening riff, it seems a bit too simplistic for the kind of techincal prowess Act of Defiance  is capable of. Nevertheless, this song still maintains my interest for this band with the same formula they have been using on most tracks of this album. My only hopes for this song was that the tempo would speed the f**k up and bring the tempo above the 200s, which never happened...Atleast I got a few more of those juicy Broderick solos to salivate over.

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

10. BIRTH AND THE BURIAL

The final track and their title track, Birth and the Burial begins with a cascading intro with all the instruments eventually joining the fray, definitely a common technique used in heavy metal. This song is a lot softer than the rest of the album, which I had hoped would not be the case. Nevertheless, Act of Defiance delivers a fantastic song, packed with lyrical depth and instrumental proficiency. This is definitely a more than satisfactory ended to a f**king sick album!

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

FINAL THOUGHT

Upon leaving Megadeth, Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover were out to send a message to only their former overlord, Dave Mustaine, but to the rest of the heavy metal community. Their message was in the form of extreme-thrash metal outfit Act of Defiance. Their debut album is a showcase of the ferocity and power of Megadeth's former mercenaries mixed with the passion and un-restricted musical freedom. Although some tracks in this album just dont grab my attention, the good majority are sure winners in my book! An awesome album by an awesome band that I hope to see live very soon! (Soundwave 2016 perhaps?)

VERDICT

Lyrics: 37/50

Musicality: 41/50

Originality: 33/50

TOTAL: 74% - CREDIT
Broderick and Drover may be out of Megadeth, but their music is still kicking arse!

Mid-Week Review: "Meliora" by Ghost

The third week of August played host to many new hard rock/heavy metal releases. This week's review will be focusing on Disturbed's "Immortalized", Ghost's "Meliora" and Act of Defiance's "Birth and the Burial". Each album will be judged track-by-track, with a total average score being presented in the end. Here is review 2 of 3...

MELIORA

by GHOST (GHOST B.C)

1. SPIRIT

What do you get when you chuck a psychedalic theremin before a funky 1960s-esque riff? Some of the catchiest rock tunes ever! Papa Emeritus III really brings this album opener to life with his serene and soothing voice whilst the Nameless Ghouls deliver classic riffing and epic musical punches throughout the song. I've never been a fan of Ghost, but so far, I'm regretting ever saying that. This band is like no other!

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

2. FROM THE PINNACLE TO THE PIT

Here we go again! Catchy 1960s-style riffs, beautiful vocals, engaging lyrics, this album is on to a good roll here! My only hope is that there is some variation in the instrumental work in subsequent tracks. Just as I say that, I am greeted to a lovely guitar solo that fits the band and the track perfectly, hats off to you Mister...uhhh...Ghoul?

Lyrics: 4/5

Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

3. CIRICE

Look, I never learnt how to pronounce this title, nor will I try to now. I remember this track being released as a single prior to Meliora's release, but I wanted to save my judgement for the whole album. Needless to say, the wait is so worth it! Unique from the first two tracks, Cirice delivers a darker, somewhat heavier card to the table that is Meliora, and I'm loving it! I'm really trying to find faults in this song, but alas, they just don't exist.

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5 

4. SPOKSONAT

Definitely the interlude in this album, Spoksonat is a soothing stringed solo piece that exentuates the creepy, yet beautiful nature of the beast that is Ghost BC 

Lyrics: N/A

Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

5. HE IS

If there was ever a song to remind of how beautiful hard rock can become, it's this. He Is shines through in this album as the reminder that no matter how beautiful the music is now, everything can come crashing down in the blink of an eye.

Lyrics: 5/5

Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

6. MUMMY DUST

Holy hell, this is one creepy tune! The Ghouls definitely did a number on the diminished scale here, with eerie chords and melodies coming at your from every direction! The keyboard solo just adds more freakiness to the already established freakshow that is Mummy Dust, all while Papa Emeritus III whispers those horror-filled lyrics into your ears. Don't try to sleep to this tune!

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

7. MAJESTY

Depsite the immense acclaim I've been giving this album so far, I'm struggling to find any real strong points in Majesty, but that does not mean I find this song bad by any standard. Majesty delivers the same way Ghost BC delivers the majority of their songs, which in reference to my comments on From the Pinnacle to the Pit, was what I hoped would not be the case. Still, awesome song!

Lyrics: 4/4
Musicality: 4/4

Originality: 3/5

8. DEVIL CHURCH

The second, and final interlude in Meliora, this track delivers, in one minute, an amalgamation of uplifting choir melodies, doom-filled organ chords and powerful rhythmic sections from the band, all leading to Meliora's final few tracks.

Lyrics: N/A
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

9. ABSOLUTION

And then, just as Devil Church fades away, the smattering of guitars, the pounding of drums...Absolution begins. This song is powerful, in both physical musicality and lyrical depth. Definitely my favourite track from Meliora, Papa Emeritus III and the Nameless Ghouls are closing this album off in grand style with what is their greatest track and what is making me regret ever stating my dislike for Ghost BC

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5

10. DEUS IN ABSENTIA

Like Ghost BC's music in general, Meliora closes on a very unique note. What can be comapred to a circus from hell, Deus in Absentia delivers a 5 minute summary of what Ghost BC is all about; beautiful melodies, catchy riffage and the ever creepy theme which is so magnificently delivered by Papa Emeritus III and the Nameless Ghouls. I could not think of any better way for this album to finish.

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

FINAL THOUGHT

Oh boy do I feel foolish! Here I was, disregarding Ghost BC as a nostalgic pop rock band with pretty makeup, only to have my biased point of view crushed beneath the perfection that is Meliora! I'm so stoked that this album came into my life, and I hope many of you will pick this album up when I say that you MUST listen to this, in it's entirety...

GHOST BC, YOU HAVE CREATED A MASTERPIECE!

VERDICT

Lyrics: 36/40

Musicality: 47/50

Originality: 47/50

TOTAL: 93% - HIGH DISTINCTION 

A masterpiece of modern hard rock and heavy metal!

Mid-Week Review: "Immortalized" by Disturbed

Mid-Week Review: Disturbed, Ghost & Act of Defiance

The third week of August played host to many new hard rock/heavy metal releases. This week's review will be focusing on Disturbed's "Immortalized", Ghost's "Meliora" and Act of Defiance's "Birth and the Burial". Each album will be judged track-by-track, with a total average score being presented in the end. Here is review 1 of 3...

IMMORTALIZED

by DISTURBED

1. EYE OF THE STORM

As far as album openers go, I'm thouroughly impressed with Disturbed latest footstep in their path of musicality. The scene begins as lead guitarist Dan Donegan begins to demonstrate his vast knowledge of the fretboard by applying arpeggiated scale licks and aggressive bending technique over what is a relatively calm, yet suspenseful acoustic background sound. Although this kind of intro has been used countless times, it's still a welcoming sound to my ears.

Lyrics: N/A
Musiciality: 4/5
Orginality: 3/5

2. IMMORTALIZED

As "Eye of the Storm" begins to fade out, a familiar sound fades in; Dan Donegan's signature distortion sound. The track is then thrown into Disturbed's signature territory. The sounds of Donegan's aggresive, Drop C, power chord exclusive riffage, accompanied by drummer Mike Wengren's double-bass pounding and John Moyer's almost anthemic bass lines. Alas, David Draiman lets his voice out, and in a magnificent way. The entire song is a nostalgic trip to the "Down with the Sickness" era days with the production quality of today. 

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

3. THE VENGEFUL ONE

Disturbed's first single prior to the release of "Immortalized" and the first new Disturbed track in over 4 years. Safe to say, this song had a lot of prove about Disturbed's validity as one of the world's biggest metal acts. This track delivers just that, quality lyrics, epic riffage and a somewhat different vibe to what seasoned Disturbed fans receive, but epic none the less. Points are taken away from the lack of any noticeable lead guitar work.\

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

4. OPEN YOUR EYES

This is the kind of song that makes me want to grab something large and sharp, and swing it into the heads of my enemies. "Open Your Eyes" is by far the most anthemic track on this album, and one that I would be very shocked if this wasnt included as a staple in their live shows. From the lyrics and the voice that delivers them, to the headbang-inducing rhythm of the entire song, "Open Your Eyes" is one of Disturbed's greatest tunes to date.

Lyrics: 5/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

5. THE LIGHT

This track pisses me off. Such beautiful lyrics, yet such boring instrumental work done durikng the whole song. Not one single catchy hook during the whole song, instead I am treated to repitive chugging of power chords and drum beats with very little variation.

Lyrics: 5/5
Musiciality: 1/5
Originality: 2/5

6. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR

Although the lyrics didnt quite grab me this time around, Draiman's deliverance still held strong and kept the boat rowing. The shining point during this track was Mr. Donegan, who woke his fingers up to throw a blisteringly intense and speedy solo at us. It was certainly the icing on the cake of this track, despite the cake claiming to taste like chocolate, but ending up tasting like dirt. Besides the guitar, I am not a fan of this song.

Lyrics: 2/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

7. YOU'RE MINE

This song just doesn't do it for me. Much like "The Light",there's not much here to really grab a hold of you, this song just starts, plays, then finishes, with no real lyrical message or instrumental showcase to display.

Lyrics: 2/5
Musiciality: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

8. WHO

I began to lose hope with the latter half of this album, with the last two track being very sub-par in my opnion. But "Who" really puts the album back on it's pedestal. The title itself proving extremely hard to determine the message of this song, the listener is put in a position where they must really listen to understand Draiman's subtle messages. Alongside the typical Disturbed-style riffage and even a few lead guitars runs every now and again, "Who" definitely brings back interest to an album where it begins to fade.

Lyrics: 4/5
Musiciality: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

9. SAVE OUR LAST GOODBYE

This song continues from where "Who" left off, in the sense of it's actually good! Although by now in the album, the repetitive guitar and drum work is beginning to run stale, this song has that little bit of uniqueness about it that seperates it from the rest of the album. Not a fantastic song, but compared to some of the tracks on this album, it's a damn good one!

Lyrics: 3/5
Musiciality: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

10. FIRE IT UP

I'm going to keep this short and sweet...this song is garbage. Stupid lyrics and boring instrumental work (save the solo). I understand Draiman uses Marijuana to conceive many of his ideas, but to write a song about it? And actually publish it on your band's renunion album? Go home Dave, you're stoned...

Lyrics: 1/5

Musicality: 2/5
Originality: 2/5

11.  THE SOUND OF SILENCE

It's very hard to imagine Disturbed pulling out a track like this. Calm, beautiful and serene, this track delivers the calm in the middle of the storm that is "Immortalized". I commend the entire band on their deliverance of this track, I definitely want to hear more tracks like this is subsequent albums!

Lyrics: 4/5
Musicality: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

12. NEVER WRONG

Now THIS is what I'm looking for! This is definitely one of the highlights of this album. A different change of pace from Mike Wengren, transitioning from simple rock beats to faster, more upbeat drill beats. This combined with Donegan and Moyer's faster rhythm sections gave this album new life in "Never Wrong", although the lyrics were a bit plain, with not much to offer on a deeper level, I still very much enjoyed this song.

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

13. WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO HATE

The album closes on a familiar note, with your typical Disturbed riffage, rhythm, lyrics and vocal deliverance being showcased here. There's not much to commend on this song, but neither there anything to condemn. I wish I had more to say with this track, but Im sadly not given many new aspects to review here.

Lyrics: 3/5
Musicality: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

FINAL THOUGHT

I can honestly say that this album has some of the most fantastic heavy metal tracks I've ever heard, accompanied by some of the worst pieces of garbage to grace my ears. Tracks like "The Vengeful One" and "Open Your Eyes" will stand out as my favourite tracks in this album, with the rest being either quite standard or below my expectations.

For band that has had 4 years to refresh themselves and to produce an album that is not only brilliant, but unique, I can safely say that Disturbed had ultimately failed in that goal. Instead, they produced just another god damn Disturbed album.

VERDICT

Lyrics: 41/60

Musicality: 41/60

Originality: 35/60

TOTAL: 62% - CREDIT

Top 10 Tuesday: My Favourite Bands

Top 10 Tuesday: My Favourite Bands

As a lover of all things hard rock and heavy metal, I've yet to come across a genre of music I dont like, so making this list was difficult (except for #1). Just because a band is not on this list does NOT mean I don't love them, these are just the exclusive bands I can not fault and hence, have earned their spot on my Top 10 list, so here we go!

10. Megadeth 

Like most metalheads, I learnt about Megadeth through Metallica, and the huge pile of tension and rivallry between the two. Being a huge Metallica fan at the time of discovering Dave Mustaine's thrash metal Omega to the Alpha that is Hetfield and Co, I was extremely biased to begin with. I quickly got over the whole "Metallica vs Megadeth" debate, disregarding it as complete nonsense and began to really give Megadeth a chance, and boy was I in love! The first Megadeth album I ever listened to in it's entireity was "Rust in Peace", which is still (in my opinion) their greatest album to date. As a guitarist, I found the technical virtuosity of Mustaine, Friedman and Broderick to be something of superhuman proportions, and I loved every minute jamming out to their tracks with my mates in the studio! From their gritty, supersonic in-your-face-ness of "Killing is My Business" to their peak of perfection in "Rust in Peace" to their still-aggresive sounds of "Endgame", Megadeth still continues to garner my love and respect as thrash metal's titan.

Favourite Album: "Rust in Peace", 1990
Favourite Track: "This Day We Fight" (Endgame, 2009)

9. Blind Guardian

Now this is a band I regret not listening to sooner. I always regarded Power Metal as something that male virgins in their 20s jerk-off to whilst they play World of Warcraft, but once I got off my pedestal, I found that the genre is a beautiful amalgamation of epic fantasy, operatic vocals and instrumeral arrangements that only gods could conceive, and no other band did it better than Blind Guardian!
Certainly one of the godfathers of Power Metal, these glorious German metalheads pioneered a unique sound of their own with their 1988 debut "Battalions of Fear" and quickly gathered a massive following as Power Metal's cornerstone band. I first listened to Blind Guardian a few years ago, when the track "Valhalla" popped up on my Youtube feed, needless to say, I never looked back. What seperates Blind Guardian from the rest and puts them so high on my list is one name; Hansi Kursch, Blind Guardian's lead vocalist. If you need an explanation as to why I mentioned Mr. Kursch, I recommend you listen to "Nightfall in Middle Earth" in it's entirety, then come back to me.

Favourite Album: "Nightfall in Middle Earth", 1998
Favourite Track: "Nightfall" (Nightfall in Middle Earth, 1998)

8. Dream Theater

Much like Blind Guardian as previously mentioned, I never really gave Dream Theater a chance due to the critics labelling Dream Theater's music as "musical wankery". That was until I started getting into musicianship, and as I delved deeper into the world of music theory and proficiency, that band I once disregarded became my best friend in my pursuit of guitar mastery. In every band, there is always one member who is easily recongised as the "best one at their instrument", but with Dream Theater, they're all virtuosos, with every album they've ever done showcasing their technical brilliance as not only musicians, but as human beings with the ability to captivate an audience. Despite a few lineup changes, Dream Theater is still by far the most technically brilliant band to have ever graced our planet with their music, and to John Petrucci, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, Mike Mangini and John Myung, I have only the utmost respect and love for everything you gentlemen produce.

Favourite Album: "Train of Thought", 2003
Favourite Track: "The Best of Times" (Black Clouds and Silver Linings, 2009)

7. Orpheus Omega

Okay, this is a new one, and definitely one that 90 percent of you will sit back and say "Who the fuck are these guys?", well let me explain. Orpheus Omega are a 5-piece Melodic Death Metal band healing from Melbourne, Australia, and their music is utter brilliance!
I first discovered Orpheus Omega when they opened for Children of Bodom in 2014, and from that day onwards, I was hooked. Orpheus Omega's debut album "Bleed the Way" still retains a spot in my heart as one of my favourite Melodeath albums of all time, with every release that followed maintaining and even exceeding my expectations of what this band can do! Since that day they opened for Bodom in 2014, I've been on a constant Orpheus binge, with their latest album "Partum Vita Mortem" being a strong contender for my Album of the Year! To the members of Orpheus Omega; Kes, Matt, Nathan, Joao and Chris, stay epic, stay metal and keep the killer albums coming!

Favourite Album: "Partum Vita Mortem", 2015
Favourite Track: "Sealed in Fate" (Bleed the Way, 2011)

6. Trivium

Metalcore, a genre that has gathered as much love as it has gathered hatred. Whether you enjoy enjoy the genre or not, there is no denying that one band has brought that genre to places that no other band has ever dared; Trivium
I began listening to Trivium in high school, when I was going through my "tough guy"phase, and being quite a loner in high school, I found solace in Trivium's music. What grabs my attention about Trivium is their bravery to venture into other genres, with their Thrash Metal side shining through in their 3rd album "The Crusade". No other band demands such intensity from their fans, and no other band delivers the way Trivium does. Under the wing of frontman Matt Heafy, Trivium has produced modern metal masterpeices in "Ascendancy" and "Shogun", two albums which still maintain their stances as two of metal's greatest albums!
If there is one thing I should leave you with about Trivium, is that get ready for heavy metal's next festival headliner!

Favourite Album: "Shogun", 2008
Favourite Track: "Pull Harder on the Strings of your Martyr" (Ascendancy, 2005)

5. Sabaton

When people think of power metal, the description of dragons, wizards and quests come to mind. Not this band, Sabaton's music is about one thing, modern war!
The concept of 5 dudes with loud guitars singing about how gruesome D-day was sounds cheesy as all hell, but these guys make it work! And in an incredible way! It's rare these days when a band is able to not only produce consecutive albums of amazing quality, but are also able to amplify the epicness of their music live. Sabaton's live shows are some of the best I've ever witnessed, pyrotechnics, explosions and even a drumkit mounted on top of a freaking tank! All while frontman Joakim Broden belts out the lyrics that only a field marshall with a bartitone opera voice could replicate! If you enjoy reading about wars, conflicts or just love tanks, then Sabaton is the band for you!

Favourite Album: "Heroes", 2014
Favourite Track: "Ghost Division" (The Art of War, 2008)

4. Children of Bodom

This band, this freaking band, is pretty much the band that got me into harsh vocals and blistering solos! Finland's Children of Bodom define Melodic Death Metal in a way that no other band can, and they're one the genre's biggest because of it! This band has pushed the boundaries of musicianship in metal to places that very few have ever reached, and still continue to improve themselves as not only a band, but as musicians themselves. If there's one thing that one will notice when watching a Bodom music video is the harmonies and melodies, this band is the manifestation of aggressive melody. Their sound can be summed up the most in the song "Kissing the Shadows", where lead guitarist (and vocalist) Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho and keyboardist Janne Wirman exchange and harmonise melodies with each other whilst bone-crushing riffs are played in the background. I implore everyone who enjoys a beautiful guitar solo to get into this band, you will not regret it!

Favourite Album: "Are You Dead Yet?", 2005
Favourite Track: "Living Dead Beat" (Are You Dead Yet?, 2005)

3. Metallica

I'm sure anyone who knows me saw this coming from a mile away. No matter what happens, Metallica will continue to be heavy metal's most recognisable force and still one of my favourite bands of all time! Like most metalheads, Metallica was my "gateway" band, the band that got me into heavy metal. I first encountered Metallica about 7 years ago when "Guitar Hero 3" was released, and I was determined to conquer every song on Expert mode. By the end of my Guitar Hero binge, only two songsstood in my way, Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and Flames" and Metallica's "One". It was the constant fail and repeating of "One" that eventually made me appreciate Metallica, and appreciation eventually led to love. After acquiring every album they've ever made, and memorising every lyrics they've ever written, I can safely say that only two bands can top the brilliance that was 1980s Metallica. With very few lineup changes, Metallica has not only gathered my respect and appreciation, but the respect and apprecation of millions of other people in the world as heavy metal's quintessential band. If you have been living under a rock and have never heard Metallica, I advise you get off your arse and get right into it!

Favourite Album: "Master of Puppets", 1986
Favourite Song: "Dyers Eve" (...And Justice for All, 1988)

2. Machine Head

It was a close call to see which band would take my number two spot on this list, but in the end I had to give it to Machine Head.
Machine Head is probably the most underrated heavy metal band of all time in my opinion. This band is responsible for some of the greatest tracks in the genre, and they continue to be one hell of a dominant force today. I first heard Machine Head a couple of years ago when the song "Davidian" fell into my lap with the help of a friend of mine. From a couple of listens of "Davidian", I knew I had to have more. Machine Head is the kind of band where every album sounds different, but no album is bad. Even though Machine Head holds the number two spot on my list, I have to award their 2008 release "The Blackening" as my favourite album of all time, every track on that album is a showcase of heavy metal brilliance and testament to how incredible the members of Machine Head are. To Robb Flynn, Phil Demmel, Jared MacEachern and Dave McClain...
You. Are. Gods.

Favourite Album: "The Blackening", 2008
Favourite Track: "Halo" (The Blackening, 2008)

1. In Flames

Here we are, number one! And to my close friends, this would come as no surprise! Words can not describe how much this band means to me, I will try to keep this as short as possible.
This band has saved my life, in more ways than one. I first heard In Flames the same way I heard Metallica, through Guitar Hero, with their bonus track "Take This Life" proving to be quite a challenge in the harder difficulties. Eventually I grew quite fond of this band, eventually putting effort into discovering their other material...and that's when things were never the same anymore. I spent days listening to the "Colony" and "Clayman" albums, I spent months learning their music on guitar, I even wanted this band to be in my life so much, that their track "Come Clarity" became the song of myself and my (now ex) fiance. In Flames will continue to be my standard in what is considered good heavy metal music, although many will disagree with their validity as a standard. I've never listened to a song by In Flames that I didn't love, and I doubt I ever will.
In Flames' muscianship is second to none. Powerful vocals, amazing riffage and beautiful melodies, this band in the pinnacle of heavy metal musicianship.
Whenever I'm going through a schizophrenic attack, an episode of depression, or if I'm just having a bad day, allI have to do is chuck on "Ropes" and everything that bothers me seems trivial, and I stand right back up and continue on with my life!
To Anders Friden, Daniel Svensson, Bjorn Gelotte, Niclas Engelin and Peter Iwers, I want you to know that you have not only saved my life, but your music continues to push me harder as a striving musician.

Favourite Album: "Clayman", 2000
Favourite Track(s): "Ropes" (Sounds of a Playground Fading, 2011)

                                   "Only for the Weak" (Clayman, 2000)