Category: metal

1970 in Metal

Flashback to 1970 

Twelve days after Easter Sunday, Paul McCartney broke up with the Beatles, later in the year, Elvis Presley the all-American rock and roll star met with President Richard M. Nixon, not only for a social call but to help the president with his war on drugs. The evolution of Heavy Metal ensued. Rock reviewers began using the term “heavy metal” to describe a certain musical genre in the early 1970s after it first appeared in the lyrics of Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” (1968). Culturally, the Hard Rock and early Heavy Metal culture grew out of the waning Hippie milieu, but it had plenty of time to mature before the anti-establishment Punk movement gained traction. The rock and metal bands preserved their long hair, but they wore spike- and rivet-embellished black leather and denim on stage in place of the hippies’ tie-dyed shirts, bell bottoms, and headbands. Let’s take a deeper look at this landmark time in music and history….

Music Events:

Late 1960’s – Early 1970’s

The birth of heavy metal. Groups like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple were the first heavy metal bands.

Late 1970’s

The rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NHOBHM). Bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest become very popular.

The Who’s Keith Moon died.

Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath and replaced by Ronnie James Dio.

 Europe, Hanoi Rocks, Trouble, Venom, Dokken, Ratt, Whitesnake were formed.

The German band Accept releases their self-titled debut album. They are the first European power metal band.

Van Halen released their debut album. This began the Los Angeles/Sunset Strip scene.

Top 10 Albums of  the 1970’s 

  1. SCORPIONS — LOVE DRIVE (Mercury, 1979)

2. KISS — ALIVE (Cassablanca, 1975)

3. RAINBOW — RISING (Polydor, 1976)

4. VAN HALEN — VAN HALEN (Warner, 1978)

5. DEEP PURPLE — MACHINE HEAD (Harvest, 1972)

6. BLACK SABBATH — BLACK SABBATH (Sanctuary, 1970)

7. RUSH — 2112 (Mercury, 1976)

8.TED NUGENT — TED NUGENT (Epic, 1975)

9. JUDAS PRIEST — SAD WINGS OF DESTINY (Snapper, 1976)

10. MOTORHEAD — OVERKILL (Sanctuary, 1979)

World Events:

Abortion was legalized in the United States.

A Brazilian aircraft, Boeing 707 crashed near France, killing 123 passengers on board.

The Greek regime attacked Polytechnic students with tanks, killing 34 students and injuring around hundreds of them.

-Georgina Strilakos

1996 Year in Metal

1996 year in Metal

1996 Year in Metal

Flashback to 1996 

Heavy metal took a bit of a back seat to grunge in the nineties but by the second half of the ’90s, it saw a rebound. This led to a pivotal shift of Heavy Metal pushing forward once again into a new generation. Below are some facts and my Top ten selections for 1996..

  1. Alice in Chains plays their last concert with Layne Staley on July 23, 1996. They later go on hiatus until April 20, 2002, in which Staley is found dead in his apartment after overdosing on a speedball.
  2. Body Count drummer Beatmaster V dies of leukemia.
  3. The first Ozzfest tour sets off, with headliners Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer and Danzig.
  4. The original line-up of KISS (Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, Paul Stanley) come back together.
  5. Bassist Greg Christian of Testament left the band, leaving guitarist Eric Peterson as the sole ever-present in the line-up.
  6. Slash leaves Guns N’ Roses, citing differences with Axl Rose
  7. Sammy Hagar departs Van Halen after a feud with Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen briefly reunites with David Lee Roth at a highly publicized event at the MTV Video Music Awards, but fires him shortly thereafter.
  8. Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens fills the void left by Rob Halford in 1993 as lead singer of Judas Priest

TOP 10 Metal albums of 1996

10. Satyricon -Nemesis Divina

9. Sepultura – Roots

8. Type O Negative – October Rust

7. Cradle Of Filth – Dusk… And Her Embrace

6. In Flames – The Jester Race

5.Rage Against The Machine – Evil Empire

4.My Dying Bride – Like Gods Of The Sun

3.Metallica – Load

2.Corrosion Of Conformity – Wiseblood

1.Pantera – The Great Southern Trendkill

The aggression, personal struggle, and emotion in this album cannot be found in any other Pantera album. The emotion exhumes and floods here. The Great Southern Trendkill is so unrelentingly dark, brutal and inviting. The lyrics of War Nerve alone are the most unrelentingly evil lyrics you can ever imagine. Floods, the album’s longest song, contains a guitar solo considered by many to be Dimebag Darrell’s finest. I’d go as far as to say this is Pantera’s most experimental album as well as their most introspective and I love it to pieces….

TRACK LIST

  1. The Great Southern Trendkill
  2. War Nerve
  3. Drag the Waters
  4. 10’s
  5. 13 Steps to Nowhere
  6. Suicide Note Pt. I
  7. Suicide Note Pt. II
  8. Living Through Me (Hells’ Wrath)
  9. Floods
  10. The Underground in America
  11. (Reprise) Sandblasted Skin

Lineup

Phil Anselmo – lead vocals, backing vocals, production
Dimebag Darrell – guitars, 12-string acoustic guitar on “Suicide Note Pt. I”, backing vocals, production
Rex Brown – bass, backing vocals, production
Vinnie Paul – drums, backing vocals, production, recording, mixing

Some Historical events:

  1. 4th February » Major snowstorm paralyzes Midwestern United States, Milwaukee e.g Milwaukee, Wisconsin and ties all-time record low temperature at −26 °F (−32.2 °C)
  2. 24th April » In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is passed into law.
  3. 11th May » The 1996 Mount Everest disaster: on a single day eight people die during summit attempts on Mount Everest.
  4. 17th July » TWA Flight 800: Off the coast of Long Island or Long Island, New York, a Paris-bound TWA Boeing 747 explodes, killing all 230 on board.
  5. 28th August » Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales divorce.
  6. 1996 In Film & TV
  1. Feb 23 “Trainspotting” directed by Danny Boyle based on the book by Irvine Welsh, starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller opens in cinemas in the UK and Ireland
  2. Mar 8 “Fargo” directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US
  3. Mar 25 68th Academy Awards: “Braveheart”, Nicolas Cage & Susan Sarandon win
  4. Jan 21 53rd Golden Globes: “Sense and Sensibility”, Nicolas Cage, & Sharon Stone win

-Georgina Strilakos

DEAD CROSS II Album Review

Dead Cross presents: Reign of Error

Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo, Justin Pearson and Michael Crain are among the most highly respected musicians in the metal community and beyond. Their most recent release as Dead Cross is titled “Reign Of Error,” and it sets the bar higher with an uncompromising hardcore sound with elements of thrash. What makes this song quite special is the fact that it tips the hat off to the old-school days of the genre, without necessarily trying to cash in on the nostalgia aspect like so many other bands seem to be doing. On the one hand, the roots of the band are clear. On the other, Dead Cross continues to carve its own path, one blistering song after another. The track is executed at breakneck speed, and the guitar riffing cuts through beautifully, while still allowing the vocals to stand out. The song is feature on Dead Cross’ sophomore album, aptly titled “II.” While the 9 featured songs are excellent and relentless in their own right, “Reign Of Error” is an outstanding moment, as it captures the band’s angst at a particularly stressful time, as members where coping with illness and other personal issues. The fury of this song shows their willingness to overcome all challenges and continue to press on, pushing forward with as much energy as ever. While “Reign of Error” features elements of thrash and extreme metal, the band’s passion for old-school hardcore punk is quite a huge element of their sound. Fans of artists such as Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Minor Threat will immediately empathize with the sound of this release.”Reign of Error” is definitely one of the most shred-friendly songs on this release, but it still retains the immediacy and back-to-basics twist that makes the album so distinctive. -Georgina Strilakos

Find out more about Dead Cross and listen to the full “II” album on Spotify.

https://deadcross.bandcamp.com/album/ii

JINJER

MACRO

Jinjer is back with a new release: Macro

Jinjer is quickly becoming one of the most en-vogue bands on the scene. Its most recent release, Macro, available via Napalm Records, stays true to its title with a massive sound. This release sums up the ten years and counting of activity for the band, and the unique act they have been able to build over the past few years. Not only has Jinjer release amazing set of albums and songs, but the band has been playing live relentlessly, charming audiences and conquering new fans, one stage at a time.

Compared to some of the band’s previous work, this album has a more focused sound and a modern flair. Influences range from Djent to PostMetal and even modern hardcore and electronic incursions, anything goes. There is so much melody on the songs, and the vocals are on-point as usual. The fronting style of Tatiana definitely represents the band’s X factor, not to take anything away from the other talented musicians in the band! There is just so much excellence on this album, but the song “On the Top” is perhaps a prime example of the and at its absolute best. The guitars are throaty and huge, with a gnarly down-tuned pulse. Tatiana’s vocals are so broad and diverse, and there is something truly special about the
alternating of screamed and sung sections.

Songs such as “Pausing Death” or “The Prophecy” highlight the band’s ability to combine complexity with appeal in equal doeses. There is also room for a mind-boggling diverse array of influences, ranging from reggae to jazz and pretty much everything in between. “Macro” is a strong statement from Jinjer. It affirm’s the band’s willingness to keep embracing new challenges and make music that bridges the gaps
between complex sonic upholstery and intuitive rawness. The balance is not always easy to achieve, let alone on a stage, where the group really shines.

Review by Georgina Strilakos

OZZY OSBOURNE

Patient Number 9

Ozzy Osbourne is not just another heavy metal vocalist. If you ask most metal fans, they’ll tell you that he is a pioneer. In many ways, Black Sabbath is the archetype of what became the metal band, not only in terms of the hard-hitting sound, but also when it comes to the darker aesthetics and imagery around the music. Ozzy and his band took what Led Zeppelin started and took it to the extra mile, laying the foundation of modern metal. Even outside his work with Black Sabbath, Ozzy managed to stay relevant and make music that transcended eras and generations. He even collaborated with contemporary stars like Post Malone, showcasing his ability to have enduring appeal that transcended generation. His most recent studio work “Patient Number 9”, feels like a celebration of many decades of making music. The set-list has a star-studded cast of collaborators, including guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck, as well as heavy metal axemen Zakk Wylde. Black Sabbath fans will recognize a familiar name: Tony Iommi, joining Ozzy on this one for a few numbers. “Patient Number 9” features songs that are pure fun and energetic. The title track has a melody and a vibe that feels like it’s coming straight out of an 80s Bon Jovi record. On the other hand, “Immortal” (with Mike McCready) almost nods at bands such as Rush. One of the most high-profile collaborators on the album is probably Eric Clapton. The iconic British guitar legend appears on “One of The Days,” providing some juicy and highly recognizable blues rock licks. One of the album’s heavy hitters is perhaps “Degradation Rules,” a massive scorcher featuring Tommy Iommi’s fat riffs and droning guitars chords. One of the most unique songs on the record is perhaps “Darkside Blues.” This song has a truly interesting production: it feels like a delta blues record from the 30s being broadcasted from outer space. Ozzy’s cutting vocals are still highly recognizable even under the layers of lo-fi reverb and saturation.

All in all, this is a pure rock album with so many influences. It’s fun and vibrant, and it shows that Ozzy is still eager to make music that genuinely connects with the audience. Although there are many retro vibes and influences from various era of rock, the sound of the production is very modern, making for an excellent progression of the genre and showing that there is still a place for classic rock vibes in modern music. – Georgina Strilakos