Review: Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance

Darkthrone, a band that has long existed as a cornerstone of the Norwegian Black Metal scene, a band that I knew was “important,” has in the space of about a month gone from being a band that I respected and thought had a few killer albums, such as Transilvanian Hunger and Hate Them, to a band that made me think that I had really fucked up and was completely clueless about Darkthrone and heavy metal in general. What happened a month ago? I listened to The Underground Resistance for the first time. This album is on a level of greatness that it makes me wonder what the hell else I’ve been missing from Darkthrone and heavy metal music all these years.

This record isn’t black metal, Norwegian or otherwise. Well, for the most part it isn’t. Part of its appeal lies in how it’s a concoction of Killers era Iron Maiden and Darkthrone’s black metal glory years. Yes, it’s also a little thrashy, but black metal in general is a little thrashy. It’s like an awesome NWOBHM album with a hint of bleak, black metal coldness. Darkthrone is known for changing their style over the years, from death metal to black metal to crustpunk. I can only hope that they stay in this current state for at least a few albums, and add to this burgeoning classic metal/NWOBHM trend. But what this sounds like is only a small part of why it’s so great.

Regardless of the music style on display here, the bottom line is the songs on this release are incredible. I would have to go all the way back to 1986 when I first heard Slayer’s Reign in Blood to find the last time I fell in love with a record so instantly, so completely. None of the tracks are weak, it’s one of the few albums I’ve heard that’s perfect. Maybe some of this comes from reading interviews with Fenriz, but you can hear this band’s love for the heavy metal form coming through here. It’s an album made by two guys who love metal for people who love metal. I love this, and so should you.  ***** out of 5.

Opinion - Image in Heavy Metal (part 1)

I wanted to share my thoughts on this As I Lay Dying story. I've heard of these guys but haven't "heard" them. Anyway, I was reading about this murder for hire thing with their singer (I think). His lawyer says the dude wasn't in his right mind because he was on steroids. I've heard lots of stories of how steroids are used by lots of people, not just body builders and football players. But heavy metal frontmen? So I started to wonder, which do I prefer? Bands who look fit, or bands that look like, well, me? I'm not really sure. On the one hand the fact that nowadays there are fat guys in bands is kinda cool. What that says to me is that the music industry (at least the heavy metal music industry) isn't as much of a slave to image as it used to be. The flip side to that is if you're in a band, shouldn't you look like a bad-ass? At least a little bit? And not like, well, me?

Review: Devin Townsend Project - Ghost

I have never listened to any of Devin Townsend's stuff before this. I do know that Strapping Young Lad played metal, and this new stuff from his more solo oriented project wasn't metal, so I wasn't taken aback by the style of this album. In fact, I was looking forward to it since I liked Opeth's Heritage release so much. However, I find Ghost pedestrian and disappointing. I really want to stress that I'm not criticizing this album because it doesn't rock out. Then again, maybe I am in a way. While I don't think music has to feature power chords and blast beats in order to rock it should have feeling, emotion, conviction in what it's doing. It's got to believe and make me a believer as well. Ghost just doesn't do that for me at all. It sounds like something you hear piped over the sound system at a New Age book store. I don't even see a point in discussing any of the songs in particular since none of them stand out to me, other than some of the lyrics that border on ridiculousness. It's not completely terrible. The music is well executed. The whole thing is just too tranquil. Actually, it's not that it's tranquil, it's boring. I would only listen to this if I wanted something really mellow that I didn't really have to pay any attention to. Something truly terrible I would never listen to again. Not recommended. ** out of 5.

Review: Isen Torr-Mighty and Superior

Mighty and Superior is an EP released back in 2004 by the power metal band Isen Torr. To be clear, while I am as fond as any metal fan of endlessly subdividing the genre, I try to be reasonable and to me power metal is a term I use for bands that don't fall into other genres such as death, black, thrash, etc... (For the record has defines their sound as Anglo-Saxon metal) So, while Isen Torr is power metal, their sound is far from the bombast of groups like Blind Guardian and Dragonforce. The music on Mighty and Superior is much more understated and better off for it. In fact, the only real criticism I can give this EP is that there are only two songs on it (a third is a demo version). One problem I've always had with the power metal genre is how cringe-inducingingly cheesey it can be. I think there's a fine line between a song that's over the top and sounds awesome and one that sounds ridiculous. A line so fine that it can be crossed by the same band from album to album (compare Iced Earth's Horrorshow and Glorious Burden). I think one of the most important factors with this style of music is the vocalist's ability to "sell" the song. Isen Torr's Tony Taylor does this fairly well and the lyrics are a cut above most other power metal (hell, they're better than a lot of Iron Maiden's later output). The music is what really shines. Nothing groundbreaking but the riffs are interesting and well executed. The music gives me that inspired feel, like I'm ready to don some plate armor and ride off to war. Or something like that. Overall one of my favorite power metal recordings. If you hate this genre this won't make you a believer, but fans should love it. **** out of 5.