Hails, legions. Back again with another edition of Reverend's Bazaar. I'm glad to see that reception of this column has been (mostly) positive thus far; your appreciation is likewise appreciated. Some have called for this to be a weekly feature--as opposed to bi-weekly--and I'm flattered that you'd want to read this bullshit on a more frequent basis. However, that probably isn't going to happen, simply because...well, it's pretty tough to gather this content as it is. The majority for what passes as "news" in heavy metal is barely news at all; the everflowing streams of crap we see on BWBK and Blabbermouth are little more than repackaged press releases. Most people don't give a fuck if Psychotic Pulse is having a CD release party in Toronto, but BAM! Now you and your morning coffee know all about it. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing. In fact, I'm pretty confident in saying that it sucks, and these "news" outlets should probably tighten their criteria.
Basically, what I'm saying is this: even with all the headlines crammed down our throats by the metallic branch of the Internet, it's still pretty tough to come up with six or seven notable talking points every two weeks. Doing this every week would be a nightmare, and I don't want to dilute something that's kinda fun as-is. So, that said, let's roll.
The band, not the man. As expected, Rob is fuckin' electric on "The Mower." But Metal Mike Chlasciak and Roy Z don't exactly hold up their end of the bargain. The guitar work is absolutely dreadful, with the riff at 3:40 (directly following the solo) being particularly insipid. The single doesn't bode well for Halford IV's success.
After doing his bible-tearing shtick in Poland in 2007--much in the same way that thirteen-year-olds spite the Gideons in Nebraskan hotel rooms--the Behemoth frontman was charged with "an offence against religious feelings." I'm all for freedom of speech, but a less juvenile method would have likely been more impactful. Anyway, the charges have been dropped, and he can go back to making overproduced, incomprehensible death metal in peace.
Okay, the new Deicide album is going to be titled...wait for it...To Hell With God. No, seriously.
Go get 'im, Glen.
It was cool for a while (especially his work for Cursed, Torche, and his own band, Baroness), but the camel's back has been broken. With his latest work for Kvelertak (an easily palatable, hyped-up hybrid of stoner rock, fake d-beat, and black metal aesthetics), it's safe to say that the market has officially become over-saturated with glassy-eyed porcelain chicks looking slightly to the left. Either come up with a new trick, or start being a little more selective.
Shrewdly, NB recently signed a couple of far past their prime acts in Sepultura and Cradle of Filth (neither of which have put out anything decent in well over a decade), and another, Filter, that never really had a prime to begin with. All of these are established brands, so the risk is low, and if Richard Patrick pulls another "Take A Picture" out of his ass, NB will be rolling in Muzak residuals. However, the fact that these acts are artistic voids in 2010 can't be ignored.
"The Internet is over." As a promotional medium, dude's dead wrong; this is all too easy for him to say from the comforts of his purple throne. However, his rejection of digital music is refreshing. His shunning of iTunes and embracing of the physical format is commendable. Too bad the guy's too damn eccentric to be taken seriously.
We're halfway through 2010, and you know what? Circle the Wagons is still the best album of the year. Recognize.
*is still riding high from Brock Lesnar's electrifying comeback victory. Bring on Velasquez, and soon.
Posted
Jul 09 2010, 09:37 AM
by
Rev
Filed under: Baroness, Behemoth, Darkthrone, Deicide, Cradle of Filth, Torche, Filter, Prince, Cursed, Halford, Sepultura