Moved to Arizona / Benighted

Just moved to Arizona.  I will be able to start posting again! I am again, sorry for the time between posts but my life has been VERY full.  I moved 1000 miles away.  This is crazy.  I miss people already, but luckily my best friend moved here for the same reason (a job offer) and my girlfriend will be here after the holiday season. Hope to post more soon, for now have some BENIGHTED:

Benighted - Swallow



Have fun!  Hope you like it and hope you are still going to follow my stuff even though my lack of consistency may have proven otherwise, but let me make that up to you.

Crow Black Sky (yes, I am back!)

Hello followers! I have been working A LOT lately, working on other projects and being very tired.  I finally have time again since work is slowing down (I work for tourists and the season is winding down). Thanks for being patient with me! I hope I can post at least once a week now.  This is now easier since Blogger has finally decided to move forward with their design, so much easier!

Crow Black Sky is a Melodic Black Metal or Blackened Death Metal band from Cape Town, South Africa, and has been active since 2009.  Check it out:

Between the Buried and Me

Between the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They recently announced their move to Metal Blade Records, on which they released their first EP entitled The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues on April 12, 2011. Around the same time, Victory Records announced the release of a greatest hits album as a 3 disc set.

This is a band I have been listening to quite a bit lately. Well, more specifically the "Prequel to the Sequel" track quite a bit. Its a damn good song!

Prequel to the Sequel:



Check them out if you havent already, its like a hardcore Led Zepplin or the Death Metal version of Tool.

420 Metal Playlist

Not suggesting you take illegal drugs, but you are going to anyway, so here are some Stoner Metal tracks for you to get into!

Orange Goblin - Scorpionica:



Bongzilla - 666 lb. Bong Session:



Cannabis Corpse - Reefer Stashed Place:

Pothead versions of Cannibal Corpse (like Hammer Smashed Face)

Beyond the Sixth Seal

Excuse my absence, getting used to some new meds... not a fun week.  Anyway, more music, this time without the constraints of YouTube.  Less real estate used on the page and way more songs to pick from on GrooveShark.  Expect this more from now on.

Beyond the Sixth Seal is a Melodic Death Metal side project band of Mike McKenzie and Greg Weeks of The Red Chord, formed in Weymouth, Massachusetts back in 1997.

Their name is bad ass, and musically I think they are pretty awesome.  Groovy and sludgy, with Melodic Death style throughout, hope you like it! 

Lamb of God - Ruin (Music Video)

"Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler. The band is considered to be a member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal."

This an awesome video, poking fun at their ironic name and the blasphemy ensues.  Lamb of God, still one of my favorite bands ever.

Ruin:



Lyrics:

The knowledge that seeking the favor of another
Means the murder of self.
This is the resolution
The end of all progress
The death of evolution
It bleeds all life away.
Silence speeds the path to the streams of solace that run so few and narrow.
Brooks that babble the sounds of torture the sounds of torture
You will one day rise.
To flood the banks of the chosen.
This is the art of ruin.
This is the resolution
The end of all progress
The death of evolution
It bleeds all life away.
I will show you all that I have mastered
Fear. Pain. Hatred. Power.
This is the art of ruin.

All Out War

I was given an All Out War album by my sister about 7 years ago, she had it (maybe thinking it was punk) and didn't like it, but I really got into it. American Hardcore Metal band from Newburgh, New York. Formed in 1991, they have released five full-length albums between 1997 and 2010. One of my favorite albums "For Those Who Were Crucified", while foreign to me and almost scary (I listened to NOFX and Bad Religion mostly, and still do), really bridged the gap from Punk to Metal for me.

Soaked in Torment:



Mercy Killer:

Salt the Wound

My video card, its getting even worse, but I found a Radeon 8500 card with cool coax (cable) input and its only slightly older (2002... damn) but it should at least run YouTube videos etc.  The only problem is it has a DVI output, my current card has both DVI and VGA, so I never needed the adapter... but now that that's in some random box of computer parts out at least 10 boxes of parts in storage... I might have to order another one.  At least its only 3 bucks or something.  Anyway, on to the music!

Salt the Wound is an American Deathcore band from Cleveland, Ohio, formed in 2001. For the release of Carnal Repercussions, the band would tour nonstop which lead to their breakup 2010. Luckily the group reformed to release their third full-length album in 2011, Kill the Crown (released just last week).

Fierce and melodic, without the constant interrupting breakdowns (I don't like them unless done right, see: Lamb of God).  They still have the breakdowns, but this feels more like Hardcore Punk than the heavily annoying "Screamo" mash-ups that tend to ruin Metal / Deathcore.  If you like Screamo, this is not the place to be, sorry!

Better Than This:



To The Top:

Aborted

I am too excited to take too many days off, I love sharing music!

Aborted is a European death Metal/Deathgrind band formed in Waregem, Belgium in 1995. Death Metal expertly fused with Grindcore. They self-released a demo “The Necrotorous Chronicles” in 1998. The band then released their full length debut “The Purity Of Perversion” in 1999 from Uxicon Records. This quickly led to a split album with Christ Denied in 2000 released by Soulreaper Records.

I remember seeing an ad in a metal magazine quite a few years ago, Metal Maniacs, I think? Now I read Terrorizer, and sometimes Metal Hammer... I wish I lived in the UK, no metal exclusive shops or magazines seem to exist in the US! They are well hidden at least!  Enjoy:

A Methodical Overture:



The Foul Nucleus of Resurrection:

Rossomahaar

Symphonic Black Metal from Russia. Rossomahaar is sprawling, dark and epic, reminds me of playing Doom when I was younger (oh who am I kidding, I still play it).  They formed in 1995, when "Lazar (guitars) and Vlad (drums, vocals) started off working on few compositions which could be reckoned to the genre of Black Metal stylistically.  Both musicians simultaneously played in Moscow’s dark metal act Stonehenge, which was considered top-priority then, and therefore Rossomahaar’s rehearsals took place quite rarely, to say the least."

They have a large amount of genres mixed together, from Thrash, Black Metal, Death Metal and even... Jazz?

Ragnaroek 2014:



Bloodred Utopia:

Behold... The Arctopus

"Behold... The Arctopus is an Instrumental Experimental Metal band from Brooklyn, New York, United States." One person writes that they are "the absolute extremes of technical and rhythmic complexity", which might be true... but its still listenable. It isn't so beyond normality that it becomes white noise.  Yes, its complex, but its not like some "Speedcore" that ramps beyond 300bpm to make it a mess of... well... noise.  Besides, some of the song titles suggest they are not taking themselves seriously beyond musical skill.

Canada:



You Will Be Reincarnated As An Imperial Space Attack Turtle:



Thanks to thenitefalls for reminding me of Avant-Garde Metal with the Unexpect post.

Six Feet Under - Doomsday (Music Video)

"Six Feet Under is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1993. The band was originally a side project by Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes with guitarist Allen West of Obituary. They were joined by bassist Terry Butler (formerly of Massacre and Death) and drummer Greg Gall, Butler's brother-in-law."

This song is Sludgy Death / Groove Metal, and one of my favorites. Chris Barnes sounds like no other singer on Earth.  This is from the Commandment album.

Doomsday:



"Music Video" posts usually mean I am tired, but I still want to post something!  Hope you like it.

March is Metal Month (Download)

March is Metal Month Amazon SamplerFor a limited time, Amazon is sharing a Metal CD sampler for free!  It includes these awesome tracks:

1. How Can You Call Yourself A God - Deicide 4:17
2. Undead Heart - Vampires Everywhere 3:22
3. Refined In The Fire - Winds Of Plague 3:09
4. Day In, Day Out - Architects (UK) 3:12
5. Deception - Concealing Fate Part 2 - TesseracT
6. All Or Nothing - Cauldron 3:57
7. Naked Star - Hour of 13 5:09
8. Covering FIre - Havok 4:17
9. The Raven and the Crow - Gigan 6:12
10. Manipulation - Wormrot 0:59
11. I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery - Woods Of Ypres

Get it now!  Just click the Amazon link box above.

[EDIT - You have to install the Amazon MP3 Downloader (not horrible, but annoying), I would upload but it may break the TOS, but if I can legally upload it, I will!  See ya in a bit.]

Septic Flesh

Yet another band from Greece!  Slight coincidence, but Rotting Christ reminds me of Septic Flesh, so I thought I should share it!  "Hailing from Athens, Attica, Greece, Septic Flesh was founded in 1990. Their sound was a Hellenic brand of Death Metal mixed with Doom Metal and Gothic Metal elements."  They also share the Season of Mist label with Rotting Christ, and Kylesa (with many others, a great label).

Atmospheric, symphonic and rifftastic with clean vocals that mix amazingly with the Death growls... with a lyrical focus on fantasy, mythology, occultism and H.P. Lovecraft it makes for a pretty epic time.  It almost sounds like a horror film soundtrack that was fused with a metal-heads CD collection.

Sangreal:



Lovecraft's Death:

Obscura

"Obscura was founded in 2002 by Steffen Kummerer. The band was named after the Gorguts album Obscura. They are signed to Relapse Records. Obscura continue to create their vision of the future of extreme metal - a symbiosis of death, thrash and black metal merged with progressive elements and technical as well as compositional demand."

The vocals are fairly clean, still Death Metal, but not like gravel-gargling Grindcore or the even more insane Pornogrind. (um, yes. This is a real thing. Maybe I will post some... someday.) Off on a tangent there, but anyway... Obscura is pretty awesome. What I really like is the "cosmic" feel to it and the amazing layered tracks without losing focus.

The Anticosmic Overload:



Septuagint:



New album, Omnivium, out very soon!

100DEADRABBITS!!!

"100DEADRABBITS!!! is a nintendocore band from Orange County, California. They combine many elements of death metal, metalcore, trance, aggrotech/industrial, breakbeat, and 8-bit, fusing them. They have gained a lot of buzz in the underground music community and continually growing and refining their sound."

They are a more Avant-Garde version of Trance Metal, but in my opinion even better because of the Industrial sound and "Nintendocore" generally have more Death Metal vocals than most Trance Metal bands. Very strange, but awesome! Check this out:

Sea of Dreams:



Steady Motion:

Dying Fetus - Shepard's Commandment (Music Video)

What am I doing back again? I can't stay away! Another post today. Just one video this post, but wait, an actual music video! I am going to start posting videos like this once in awhile, hope you like that idea.

Dying Fetus "is an American Death Metal band from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Formed in 1991, the group is known for their outspoken political views, and for being one of the few death metal bands who follow a political nature." They are heavy, brutal and in your face... and I kinda like it. The video is pretty damn awesome at least:

Shepard's Commandment:

Arch Enemy

Today, one of my favorite Melodic Death Metal bands: Arch Enemy! Some of you may already know about them, but who knows, you might not. "Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva, who was replaced by Angela Gossow as lead vocalist in 2000." Two of my favorite tracks with Angela Gossow and a bonus track from Johan Liiva, big difference, but I like both styles.

Nemesis:



Ravenous:



Eureka (Johan Liiva):

Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement

Now for some Brutal Death Metal! They are "from North Carolina, United States. They formed in 2006 and signed quickly with Sevared Records and released their debut full length album As the Shroud of Suffering Suffocates the Land". Its brutal, but still has tinges of Groove and reminiscent of "Goregrind" bands like Gortuary (hint of upcoming post?). Then again, everything on Sevared Records is pretty sick.

Unleashing The Tides of War:

The Monolith Deathcult

Brutal Death Metal turned Atmospheric Death Metal (with electronic influences) from Netherlands. Later albums (I haven't really checked their first couple out yet) have operatic backings, heavy grinding and some awesome lyrics! They also have... pianos! Check this out! Their lyrics also might teach you something, like Bolt Thrower did with some of their "Battle/War Metal".

Deus Ex Machina:

1567 - Under the Bloodcampaign: