Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 11 of 25

Seeing that today is the 28th birthday of Master of Puppets, I figured I take the opportunity to talk about my favorite album of all time. I know I say, "man I love this CD," or "this is my favorite!" quite a bit. I 100% mean it when I talk about Master of Puppets by Metallica.

Master of Puppets was released approximately four months and six days before I was born. It took me ten years to listen to it for the first time, but I couldn't really help that since toddlers don't usually thrash it up. Mine will, but unfortunately my parents weren't into the heavy metal scene.

Now where do I start to discuss the genius of this album? I consider it the best thrash album of all time, front to back. How about I start with the cover art? When I first saw the image of hundreds of crosses, being controlled the puppet master's hand, I didn't know what to think. It's not until my 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. and experienced Arlington National Cemetery for the first time, when I finally realized the message Metallica was trying to convey. That trip was special because it was my first dose of reality. Sure you've heard of all the craziness that's happened throughout history, and it just goes in one ear and out the other, but seeing those gravestones amassed in perfect alignment resonates heavily on a young mind. We hit up the mall that trip and I was able to find a Master of Puppets flag and I spent most of my money obtaining it, but I still have it to this day.

Just by the cover, I can tell this is a serious album. The musicianship is equally serious. Cliff Burton, the greatest bass player to ever grace the Earth, wrote a lot of the guitar riffs on this album. Cliff studied classical, old school rock and punk to create his sound. So when you mix that with the Kirk Hammett solo machine and James Hetfield's lyrical apex, you have a stainless piece of heavy metal steel.

It's hard to pick a few tracks off of here to spotlight. Master of Puppets is worth your time, every time. Orion could be the most beautiful metal song ever. Every time I listen to it, I get goosebumps. From Burton's memorable bass to Hammett's wailing guitar, Orion is full of passion and enchantment. A truly magical song. Disposable Heroes attributes to the unwieldy tone of the album. It's fast, unrelenting and almost punishing. The song Master of Puppets will go down as one of their most popular songs of all time. When I was in a thrash band in high school, Puppets was my favorite song to cover because of its energizing pace, and its shifting pieces. Its the fastest eight minute song, and I don't mean tempo. Its so awesome, you don't realize how long you've been listening to it. I had a complete blast tearing through that song every time.

Any music collection should include Master of Puppets. Its the most important metal CD of all time. Self-titled sold more records, but the importance of Master of Puppets is paramount. I feel like I grew up along with Master of Puppets and I am glad to celebrate its birthday.

Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 10 of 25

My buddy Stephen described this CD as, "Metallica with a real singer." With that description, I had to check these guys out. In 2002, the renaissance of my metal youth, Shadows Fall was as integral as Metallica was in years past. They were the next evolution of heavy metal and revived thrash metal to its former glory. Many thrash bands followed suit and some classic thrash bands got back together. It has been a glorious ten plus years of thrash.

The Art of Balance was Shadows Fall's second major release. Of One Blood was a great record, but was lacking the variety and intensity that The Art of Balance brings. Balance is definitely a theme throughout the record. Aggression, inner peace, brutality and meditation are contributing elements to the music that make this album whole.

Idle Hands lures you in with its intense inception and sets the mood for the rest of the album. Thoughts without Words enters the mind of Brian Fair and the way he questions life, always looking for answers. Destroyer of Senses is a short, anthem dedicated to sorrow and dependence on alcohol, and how easily you can fall into its traps. There are two acoustic interludes on this album, Casting Shade and Prelude to Disaster, which are absolutely beautiful, but serve a purpose as well. They balance the heavy and the melodic concocting a perfect potion of heavy metal.

The Art of Balance officially ends with A Fire in Babylon, a seven and a half minute piece of perfection. The musicianship is top notch, solos are perfectly paced and placed, and the message is meaningful.

As a bonus, Shadows Fall includes a Pink Floyd cover of Welcome to the Machine. Sometimes I wish they didn't put this on the album, but its a great cover. Listen to the album all the way through to A Fire in Babylon and press stop. After some thought, listen to the Pink Floyd cover. It has a much better flow that way.

Plagues of Babylon

I'm going to start with a bold yet very true statement. Iced Earth is my favorite band of all time. I've been listening to them since 2001, I have every album, EP, live album and DVD they have ever released. I've seen them live 3 times with a different singer each time. I've never been disappointed in what they've released and Plagues of Babylon is no exception.

Plagues of Babylon was released exactly a week ago and I've listened to it 6 times since its release. I will probably listen to it another 10 - 15 times before the month of February is over.

If you aren't familiar with Iced Earth, they are a progressive thrash/ power metal band. Their instrumentation is very heavy and fast, but slow it down for ballads and well crafted choruses. Their singer has always been the focal point. They've have some amazing talent leading their charge. Matt Barlow, Tim "Ripper" Owens and now Stu Block. Block's range is quite dynamic and gives this album some depth. It's his second album with the band so you can tell he finally feels comfortable as their front man. Their last effort, Dystopia, was a triumph in of itself.

Plagues of Babylon is definitely their most unique sounding album. Iced Earth usually puts out concept album that revolve around a certain topic. Some songs on Plagues fall into that category, but as a whole its just a plain old awesome heavy metal album.

The album starts with the title track and in epic Iced Earth fashion. The first three tracks are definitely the heaviest of the bunch. Democide and The Culling are a throw back to old Iced Earth fans, especially fans of the very underrated Burnt Offerings. Among the Living Dead is a very cool track about zombies and I'm a sucker for zombies. Track number six, The End? is where the album really took off in another direction. Its the first sign of slowing down, but don't get too comfortable because there is some killer guitar work going on in this tune. If I Could See you Now, sounds like your traditional Iced Earth ballad but adds to that lighter side of the album. Peacemaker is one of my favorite songs on the album and it sounds like nothing Iced Earth has put out before. It sounds like a song that Bon Jovi would put out if they had some brass, but they don't so Iced Earth wrote it.

The album concludes with a cover of Highwayman. It was originally written by Jimmy Webb who was an american song writer. They Highwaymen, consisting of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings, made the song popular. Iced Earth's version actually contains four different singers on it from the metal genre. Stu Block (Into Eternity, Iced Earth), Russell Allen from Symphony X, Jon Schaffer from Iced Earth and Michael Poulson from Volbeat. The song isn't very metal, but the talent involved makes it a very unmissable song.

Give Plagues of Babylon a listen. Its a damn good album. I'm so glad that Iced Earth continues to make the music they want to make.

I give Plagues of Babylon by Iced Earth 5 out of 5 Burning Lariats.

BASHMC Part 9 out of 25: Earth Rocker by Clutch

I will catch some flack from a few of my buddies for not putting Robot Hive/ Exodus on here for Clutch, but it's my blog so I can put whatever I want. See?

Clutch is one of the coolest bands out there. They sing about rocking and back it up with their rocking music. Earth Rocker was released this year and has been on a lot of album of the year lists that I've seen. I'm putting it on the best heavy metal albums of all time list, so eat that.

Earth Rocker opens with the track Earth Rocker (redundant) and forces your head to start moving back and forth. You will have an instinct to drive fast and pump your fist outside of your window while listening to this album, so be careful. The fun doesn't stop after track one. Crucial Velocity rips through your speakers or headphones or whatever device you're listening to, and yet again forces you to turn up the volume. The louder the better. Earth Rocker does let you rest a bit with a bluesy, deep down swamp tune in Gone Cold.

Clutch is so important for a solid metal collection. They aren't the heaviest band on the list, but they are so unique they deserve a spot.

Key tracks: No. 5 - Unto the Breach, No. 6 - Gone Cold. and No. 10 - Oh, Isabella.

BASHMC: Part 8 of 25

Death holds a very special place in my heart. They were releasing albums throughout my entire childhood and I wasn't even aware of it. I didn't discover this band until 2001, when I saw an ad in Revolver magazine for their new Live in L.A. CD. I was attracted by the logo and decided to check them out. I was so upset with myself that I didn't know who they were. They are one of the most influential metal bands of all time. They created the Death Metal genre, even though they are much more than that. I'll tell you another reason, why I was so upset that I discovered Death so late. I have never seen them live nor will I ever be able to see them live in concert. I will never be able to experience their genius and ferocity in a small intimate setting. Chuck Schuldiner, the core, leader, soul, nucleus of Death, passed away on December 13, 2001 of complications with a brain tumor. His talent was boundless, and from what I have read and heard, he was the nicest person in the entire world. He was too talented for this world.

The Sound of Perseverance was Death's last studio album which was released in 1998. It mixes thrash, death and progressive metal.  If you listen to the entire Death discography, every album is better than the last. Each build towards something better. I would love to have heard what Chuck and Death were capable of after listening to this album. I'm not sure if they could top it, but I know they would try their damnedest to. The Sound of Perseverance is about human struggle. Chuck was diagnosed with cancer in 1999, after the release of this album, but the song titles and the title of the album suggest that this album correlates to the fight with cancer. Bite the Pain, Spirit Crusher, Story to Tell, Voice of the Soul, To Forgive is to Suffer and Moment of Clarity are a few song titles that support this theme.

Voice of the Soul has to be the most beautiful song ever written. There are no lyrics, nor drums, just Chuck Schuldiner pouring out his soul on guitar. The passion and love for music comes through loud and clear on this album but especially on Voice of the Soul. In a perfect world, Chuck would be alive, and I would have seen Death in concert 5 times already. I would be waiting for the newest Death album to drop next year. Luckily some of his unreleased tracks have been printed and released. I have also heard rumors of an entire album's worth of music to be released some time in the next year.

Key tracks: No. 3 - Spirit Crusher, No. 5 - Flesh and the Power it Holds, No. 6 - Voice of the Soul (of course) and No. 8 - Moment of Clarity.

Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 7 of 25

Killswitch Engage's (KSE) Alive or Just Breathing is the most important heavy metal album to come out in the last 10-11 years. Metal was in sad shape at the turn of the century. Of course there were the few crusaders of metal that kept on releasing killer albums, but the main stream metal view was very tainted. Luckily these Bostonians were ready to make heart felt, brutal music that combined New York hardcore and elements of thrash, essentially bringing the metalcore genre to the masses. Alive or Just Breathing wasn't their big break and didn't set any sales records, like later albums, but it was a perfect base. When somebody asks me for a CD to start listening to heavy metal, I recommend this album.

Alive or Just Breathing features the band's original singer Jesse Leach. He was replaced by Howard Jones during the height of their popularity and now Leach has regained his throne as lead singer. Adam Dutkiewicz or Adam D. can be solely responsible for this record's success and the entire band's success. He played every instrument and was integral in the writing process. The label also allowed Adam D. to produce the record as well. Alive or Just Breathing's title reflected the condition of the metal scene in 2002. KSE was a breath of fresh air and really skyrocketed in popularity and made a mark on pop culture. I've seen KSE a number of times and their live show is something to behold. Their energy is off the charts and you can tell they love what they are doing.

Key tracks: No. 2 - Self Revolution, No. 8 - Temple from the Within and No. 10 - Vide Infra.

Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 6 of 25

Immortal is a three piece black metal band from Norway. They dress up in spiked armor, wielding weaponry, covered in corpse paint. Corpse paint is a tradition in black metal that is used to make the band look inhuman, undead or demonic. Originally sounding like a traditional black metal band, they transformed into a thrash/ black hybrid. In 2002 they released Sons of Northern Darkness and quickly gained critical acclaim throughout the metal community. Some say that this is the best black metal album of all time. I tend to agree with that statement. Sons of Northern Darkness (SOND) starts off with a blistering track about ancient Nordic tribal battles in the cold, dark environment that is Norway. SOND is mostly about conquest of the great North, battles that have been waged and won, and the demons that help them in those battles.

Many people can be easily put off by Immortal and their style, even looking at the cover, they may think they are a joke. Their talent is boundless and are definitely the best black metal band in history. They are consistent and don't fall into the under-produced sound that most black metal bands purposely use to sound old school. Immortal released All Shall Fall in 2009 which was a long awaited follow up that didn't disappoint.

Next time snow is falling, pop in Sons of Northern Darkness, and fall into the world of Norwegian black metal.

Key tracks - No. 1 - One by One, No. 3 - Tyrants and No. 7 - Antarctica

Album cover provided by amazon.com.

Here's a little extra for you. The animated history of corpse paint from metalinjection.com
http://www.metalinjection.net/video/an-animated-history-of-corpse-paint

Building a Solid Metal Collection: Part 5 of 25

Meshuggah is on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine!!! Albeit its the Indian version, they still made the cover. I love how every country in the world respects metal except the United States. I'm not saying that heavy metal isn't relevant in the states, it just doesn't get the same amount of coverage as pop, hip hop and indie music. I get that tastes vary and usually are very trend oriented, but throw the little guys a bone once and a while. I'm glad Meshuggah is getting some recognition though. They've have been at it for a very long time.

Destroy, Erase, Improve was their second full length album and it was released in 1995. They've only released 7 albums since 1987 so you can see what kind of care and detail they put into writing their material. I would recommend all of them. Meshuggah is known as an extreme progressive metal band. Progressive metal is a hybrid of metal and progressive music like jazz fusion and classical. Meshuggah takes like offbeat drumming, odd time signatures and complex song structures and adds a huge does of brutality. These swedes create a very unique sound, that rarely gets replicated. You can say that they recently spawned a genre known as "djent," but their sound differs from everyone who imitates them.

Key tracks: No. 1 - Future Breed Machine, No. 6 - Acrid Placidity, and No. 9 - Suffer in Truth.

Album cover provided by amazon.com.

Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 4 of 25

System of a Down is one of the most talented bands I've ever come across. They are brutal yet catchy and overall amazing musicians who have really perfected their craft. Many people regard Toxicity as their best album and I agree that it is fantastic. Blender magazine regarded it as one of the 500 CDs you must own. Rolling Stone ranked it 44 out of the top 100 CDs of the 2000s. It was great at the time, and it holds up but Mesmerize is just a beautiful crescendo of metal. It shows growth as musicians and human beings. I wish I could include Hypnotize since it's technically a double album. The two back to back is like listening to a modern symphony. It plays with your emotions and it makes you think, which is rare for music these days.

Mesmerize opens with a heart-wrenching introduction Soldier Side, which gives you a small dose of the raw emotion that lies ahead. B.Y.O.B. comes in and knocks you right on your tush. It was also the first single released from Mesmerize. I'm glad they released B.Y.O.B. first, they could have easily picked a more radio friendly tune like Radio/Video or Sad Statue. Instead they took one of the fastest and heaviest song on the album and said "Hey, up yours."

Revenga is a sweet track that really reaches deep down in me, and my secret love for Polka music. It's a fun track to sing along with even though it's about getting revenge on a former dishonest lover. The highlight of this track is the ending where the tempo just keeps getting quicker and quicker. It really gives you a chance to really rock out to a Polka beat. Finntroll is pretty infamous for this too.

The final four tracks really tie the entire album together. Question! is the highest point of tension on the album and you can feel the CD start to wind down after that. Sad Statue has a great chorus and really reflects the state of the country at that point in time. Their lyrics have always been politically driven which brings forth the passion behind their music. Mesmerize is as the title suggests a mesmerizing album that pulls you in. It's a quick 33 minutes long so follow it up with Hypnotize and enjoy the beautiful madness that is System of a Down.

Key tracks No.3 - Revenga, No. 8 - Question! and No. 11 - Lost in Hollywood.

Album cover provided by amazon.com.

Building a solid heavy metal collection Part 3 of 25

Alas! The first thrash album to show up on the list! And boy is it a doozy. Death Angel has been around the block a few times. Their first album being released in '87 when I was one year old.

The Filipino thrashers have been on and off over the last twenty some years because of injury, personal issues and label conflicts. Their style has changed over the years as well. They started off as almost a punk thrash similar to Suicidal Tendencies have now become an epic thrash band.

Relentless Retribution was released in September of 2010. I remember the day I bought this CD. I was browsing Best Buy, as tradition on Taco Bell Tuesdays, and I saw the cover. My inner monologue saying, I didn't know Death Angel put out a new album, I didn't know they were still together and man that cover is completely badass. It's not unusual for metal bands to break up and form back together after 10-15 years, so I decided to pick it up. Right off the bat, its a relentless assault of metal in your face, but its so well crafted you don't mind being bludgeoned by their killer riffs. Every track has its distinct characteristics which is rare for a thrash album. It's easy to get caught up in a formula in this genre. Death Angel showed me that you can be brutal and beautiful at the same time. Take for instance, track number 2 - Claws In So Deep. The verses are thrashy as ever, the chorus is catchy, the bridge and solo bring it all together into a perfect symphony. The best is yet to come though. When the dust settles, you are left with a beautiful acoustic guitar medley performed by famous acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. This CD shows how much thrash has evolved and how many cool things you can do within the genre without sacrificing the brutality and speed.

Key tracks: No.1 - Relentless Revolution, No. 2 Claws in so Deep, and No. 7 This Hate

Album art provided by amazon.com.

Building a solid heavy metal collection Part 2 of 25

I could have picked any H.I.M. album from their catalog and put it in this list, but there can be only one! Love Metal is the most important album because it was their first big American release. The native Finns released several albums before Love Metal but struggled to crossover into the American music scene. Fortunately, after a guest spot on MTV's Jackass their exposure went through the roof. Bam Margera's greatest contribution to this planet is bring H.I.M. to the american masses. Thanks Bam!

H.I.M. has a very unique sound and really adds some depth to any music collection. Love Metal was so influential that it spawned its own metal genre aptly named love metal. They are the only band that truly fits into this genre. Their logo is a mixture of a heart and a pentagram, truly blending two vastly different themes. They mix groovy rock and roll riffs with heart wrenching lyrics about love. The lyrics on this album are what really make Love Metal so darn good. The hooks are so catchy, you won't be able to get them out of your head. I guarantee you will find yourself reciting the chorus of Soul on Fire and wishing you had a microphone in your hand. Love Metal is so easy to fall in love with, and you will. Eventually you'll become that needy boyfriend and ask for more, luckily they have a very deep catalog and hours of love metal to go around.

Key tracks include: No.1 - Buried Alive by Love, No.2 - Funeral of Hearts, No.7 - Fortress of Tears.

If I were you, I would get everything H.I.M. has to offer and realize the pure loveliness that is love metal.

If you just started reading this series, check out the first entry Finntroll - Nattfodd

Building a solid heavy metal collection Part 1 of 25

So here we go! As my first pick of this series, I definitely chose an album that's pretty out there by normal standards.

Finntroll is a viking/ folk/ black metal band from, you guessed it, Finland. Nattfodd is their third album released in 2004. When I first heard this album, I couldn't believe my ears. I couldn't understand a word they were saying and that's not because of the death metal growl, but because the entire CD is in Finnish. The best part of this album is that it doesn't need to be in English to be enjoyed. The music and especially the tone do all the talking.

Every time I listen to Nattfodd I am carried away into a land similar to Tolkien's Middle Earth and imagine a great battle ensuing between the Dwarves and nasty Orcs. Before I start listening to Nattfodd I make sure that I have 45 minutes to spare because once it begins, I can't stop listening to it. You will be instantly swept away by the chants, screams, and the xylophone/ accordion accompaniment.

Some key tracks are No. 2 - Eliytres, No. 6 - Ursvamp (Ancient Mushroom) and No. 10 Rok (Smoke)

Nattfodd is essential to any metal collection because of it's uniqueness. Its an album that fans of fantasy can really get behind and its just plain out awesome. How sweet is a band that features a song about a Troll Hammer?

Finntroll's earlier albums (Midnattens Widunder & Jaktens Tid) are less accessible and are more focused on the Finnish folk aspect of their style, but every CD after Nattfodd (Ur Jordens Djup, Nifelvind and Blodsvept) follows the same style and you should definitely check those out if you dig Nattfodd.

Hope you dug the first entry and the concept of this series. Part 2 will be coming soon!

Album art provided by Amazon.com