Matt's Thought Randomizer

Greetings everyone from your morning news anchor in Philadelphia who happens to like music that gives your parents, your grandparents and maybe even your dog or cat a headache!

Before we begin, a quick thought: the easier it has become to discover and stream new music, the less value I find in having such broad access to every song ever created. Sometimes I’ll look at my Spotify or Bandcamp apps and ask myself “What should I listen to?” I’ve tried the auto-playlists, I’ve tried shuffling, I’ve tried pot-luck, and it’s just not the same. I miss the days when a band I was really into was releasing a new CD, and heading to the music store on the release date, seeing it on the shelf, purchasing it, popping it into the CD player and listening to it 10-20 times in a row. I just don’t do that anymore.

And I always feel like I’m behind in listening to new music.

(BTW here is my list from 2016)

The caveat here is that I think the quality of music these days is superb. Most artists who play metal aren’t trying to make it big, they are just doing what they love. They know there will never be another heavy band like Metallica or Iron Maiden that breaks through all of the noise and enjoys massive, worldwide appeal. Most new bands, even the best ones, find themselves lost in a sea of genres, sub-genres and sub-sub genres that float in the electric internet waiting for someone to listen - and maybe only for about 25 seconds.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that while having multiple choices is good, sometimes having too many choices is bad. The hunt, the chase, the detective work in finding great new music is not the same. Rather than trying to find an obscure band under some rock in the woods, we are being bombarded by new bands composed of musicians who are all in five or six other bands - a cross-pollination effect, if you will. I am simply overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga performed with Metallica (which by the way, I loved!).

Enough of this. Here are my favorite extreme metal albums from 2017. Start head banging!

(By the way, click on the album title for a link to listen and sample. No one asked me to do this in a promotional sense, just trying to offer some convenience. NOW we begin...)

1. Akercocke - “Renaissance in Extremis”

This record blew me away! I knew I’d have it atop this list as soon as I gave it the first spin (remember when we said that as we played a CD, or, ahem, a record?). Tracing the trajectory of these country gents from their very raw first album to this super-enjoyable, poppish, brutal, melodic, offensive, soothing and punishing comeback album makes complete sense. Jason Mendonça has become even more creative with his vocals, of which the clean singing I undoubtedly enjoy the most. If I had bought this back in 1985 I would have worn out the cassette by now. That’s as big of a compliment I can give to any band these days. Akercocke, congrats, you are #1! (At least with this guy)

2. Slaegt - “Domus Mysterium”

Iron Maiden is abducted by a superior alien race in the year 1998. The band is replaced with reptoids that look exactly like them. While Phony Iron Maiden carries on, the true band members spend the next few decades learning the ways of the Norwegian second wave. The aliens drop them off in a studio nearly 20 years later, they name themselves Slaegt, they record Domus Mysterium, and BAM! They release one of the more interesting post-black metal albums I’ve heard since Nachtmystium’s Black Meddle Part 1.

3. Krallice - “Go Be Forgotten”

Krallice are from the future. It is the only way to explain how they are so prolific and so, well, futuristic. The cover reminds me of early Bathory and the music reminds me of Krallice’s first two releases (which I prefer over their flat-out bizarro later material). This band is talented, no doubt. They are supremely creative, no doubt. And I’m pleased to see they condensed their attack a little bit to offer songs that are less guitar freak-outs. Krallice, you may return to the future to record more!

4. Woe - “Hope Attrition”

Chris Grigg used to do it all himself and sound like he had a band backing him up. Now he has a band backing him up and the Philadelphia-based dark rockers fire away with their best album yet. There is so much great stuff on this thing. Songs that destroy right out of the gates, songs that build up to a skyscraper-toppling crescendo, songs with melody, tight thrash licks - well done, Chris, well done. Oh, and he has Lev Weinstein from Krallice on the kit now. Fine choice. Philly proud!

5. Belus - “Apophenia”

Telegraphing that Chicago black metal vibe you tend to hear from bands like Wolvhammer, the previously mentioned Nachtmystium, recent Abigail Williams and maybe Lord Mantis. Well-produced, rock-based, groove-oriented, creatively composed with a focus on writing balanced songs. Dig it.

6. Sacred Son - “Sacred Son”

You’re probably looking at the cover of this album and thinking it must be a mistake. Or a joke. It is neither and it is hilarious! Metal has to take a breath and not take itself so seriously. If you’re going to put together a one-man black metal album and you want to grace the cover with sunglasses on, a thrifty haircut and a warm smile while fronting a gorgeous background, so be it! Probably the most controversial cover since Deathheaven’s “Sunbather.” But it does not even begin to describe the unsettling nature of the music inside. Think Darkthrone’s “A Blaze in the Northern Sky.”

7. Vinsta - “Vinsta Wiads”

Opeth had a blackened folk metal baby. And we shall name the child “Vinsta.” Outstanding riffing that sounds like it comes straight from “Deliverance” or “Blackwater Park.” Toe-tapping extreme metal music. Gorgeous, extreme, stunning at times.

8. Pillorian - “Obsidian Arc”

Agalloch dies, Pillorian is born. John Haughm left the Portland,Oregon act at the top of its game (although I personally wasn’t very happy with Agalloch’s swan song “The Serpent & the Sphere” as I felt it lacked the emotional quality of their previous releases) to bring us something new. And Pillorian is new but very much aligned with the heavy side of Haughm’s previous band. If you’re looking for shades of “The Mantle” here, you might be disappointed. If you’re looking for “Marrow of the Spirit,” you will be quite pleased. I predict you will see a bit more experimentation in Pillorian’s next release.

9. Coldfells - “Coldfells”

I will listen to anything Aaron Carey is involved with musically as I see him as a very promising voice in USBM. He knocked it out of the park with Nechochwen’s latest album “The Heart of Akamon,” and you will hear a resemblance to its heavier moments with Coldfells. Not to be confused with a British band called Cold Fell which released a pretty decent album called “Irwell” in the same year. Strange coincidence, indeed.

10. Falls of Rauros - “Vigilance Perennial”

Falls of Rauros are a special band. I profiled them after their last release “Believe in No Coming Shore” and was really looking forward to the follow-up. “Vigilance Perennial” does not disappoint. Waving the folk metal flag along with their brethren Panopticon to show how deeply emotional and sophisticated extreme artists can be on this great continent.

11. Totengott - “Doppelganger”

Let’s get this straight: Totengott is a complete Celtic Frost/Hellhammer/Triptykon ripoff. In fact, they used to be a Celtic Frost cover band. Totengott get away with it because they are not trying to hide it at all - hence the name of the band (a Frost song) and the title (which of course you know the meaning). They take a tamper to “Morbid Tales” and “Eparistera Daimones,” mash it up really good into a zesty sauce, and just run with it. The songs are a bit long and repetitive, and you can always get your current Tom Warrior fix by listening to the real thing as Triptykon has 2 1/2 semi-new releases out, but it is fascinating to hear Totengott’s interpretation of extreme metal’s most influential artist.

12. Yellow Eyes - “Immersion Trench Reverie”

It took them a few releases but Yellow Eyes have finally found their sound. Heavy, jarring, menacing, technical, fast and ripping. Black metal intelligence. Converge without the zaniness. 

13. JoDöden - “Sittandes i sjön med vatten över huvudet”

Listen the whole way through and you’d think all of these songs were recorded during different times and by different people. You’d be right about the former, as JoDöden (the artist himself) admits as much. Ulver’s early Trilogie is definitely an influence. And why is the guy on the front cover rowing inside a house?

14. Spirit Adrift - “Curse of Conception”

A tribute to Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” and “Master of Puppets” presented in doom fashion. Another former one-man-band artist who decided to hire some help with great results. Pallbearer-type doom without all the weepiness.

15. White Ward - “Futility Report”

Dramatic music, pure artistry at work here. The use of a saxophone is prominent and makes perfect sense. Reminds me of Ihsahn’s “After.”

16. Quicksand - “Interiors”

Runner up for comeback album of the year? The post-hardcore heroes from New York City decide to get back together and remind us of all the good things about alternative music from the 1990′s. Fugazi without the deliberate weirdness, Alice In Chains without the chunkiness.

17. Aosoth - “V: The Inside Scriptures”

Still trying to wrap myself around this one. A difficult listen indeed. Somewhat frightening, as if this is the soundtrack to that dream you had where you became lost in the basement of a house that is pitch black with no windows, a muddy floor and some unsettling noise coming from the corner.

18. Der Weg Einer Freiheit - “Finisterre”

Fans of Deathspell Omega: presenting the latest band to spawn off their French supremacy. As brutal as it is emotionally powerful.

19. Drudkh - “Somewhere Sadness Wanders”

Only two songs (for some reason, Drudkh’s last three releases have been splits, odd for such a prolific band). Spend more time in the studio, Saenko!

20. Elder - “Reflections of a Floating World”

One of the best doom bands out there right now. I fell in love with their previous album “Lore” right away, and believe it will be looked upon as a classic album in the genre. This album doesn’t reach that pinnacle, but that is what happens when you set the bar so high.

21. River Black - “River Black”

Basically a comeback album from the majority of the guys who manned Burnt By the Sun. Tough, mature, abrasive and unpretentious. A band that is locked in.

22. Lorn - “Arrayed Claws”

So the first song is an absolute rager and about 3/4 of the way in, the music gets really soft. Huh? It was a nice surprise as there are plenty of extreme bands who try to pummel you to death, track-by-track.

23. Fell Ruin - “To the Concrete Drifts”

I love how the drummer seems ready to fall of a cliff at any moment, but keeps up with the relentless assault. Maybe a bit more diverse than “The Climb” which was one of my favorites in 2015.

24. Dodecahedron - “Kwintessens”

Like the previously mentioned Der Weg Einer Freheit, an understudy of Deathspell Omega ready to present its atrocities to the world above.

25. Immolation - “Atonement”

Saw them at the Decibel Beer and Metal festival earlier this year. It was worth the price of admission just to see guitarist Robert Vigna do what he does with his axe. He looks like an air traffic controller, or Mozart, or a yoga instructor who drank a gallon of coffee. The guy doesn’t stop moving! For a band that has been around for three decades, they certainly laid waste to everyone else that night. Their best release in quite a while.

26. Mord’a’Stigmata - “Hope”

Art-metal? These weirdos always come up with strangely assertive compositions. They do more with a 12-minute song than most bands do with four albums.

27. Dumal - “The Lesser God”

A late add. Discovered them while perusing the “like artists” feature on Spotify. Swore I would find members of Woe in this band, which also has connections to Philadelphia. Like Woe, excellent, hardcore-infused black metal but with some ambient touches that offer interesting textures and pensive breaks from the madness.

28. Drab Majesty - “The Demonstration”

Duran Duran meets The Cure in a bar and gets into a brawl with Joy Division. And a warning - this is not metal! If you get a chance, read the back story on the person behind this fascinating, LA-based post-wave project. Bottom line - that person is as strange as that person is creative.

29. Jassa - “Incarnation of the Higher Gnosis”

The drumming on this album is flat out incredible. The fills are fantastic, the snare sound is deep and pure, the toms are tuned just right - I’d love for my set to sound like this every day. Death-tinged black metal with hint of shoegaze.

30. Locust Leaves - “A Subtler Kind of Light”

The weirdest one on this list by far. Reminds me of the band Sculptured, which was formed by some members of Agalloch. Super progressive, super bizarre, super technical and really just mind blowing. The vocals may be a little much. Gets help from Ayloss, the man behind the equally strange Spectral Lore (who was kind enough to answer some of my questions about his impressive album “III” a few years back). The cover reminds me of Deathspell Omega for some reason.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Foscor - “Les Irreals Visions”

Satyricon - “Deep calleth upon Deep”

Pallbearer - “Heartless”

Tau Cross - “Pillar of Fire”

Selbst - “Selbst”

Forgotten Tomb - “We Owe You Nothing”

Language and culture may lose its meaning when it crosses national boundaries. Rock and roll follows no such laws.

Case in point:

A member of the Belarusian band Re1ikt (which I’ve previously featured on my Tumblr blog) sent me an email today and it truly warmed my heart. Here is part of what it said:

“Hi Matt...I just wanted to share something cool with you. Re1ikt was recently featured on Belarusian TV show called Belsat Music Live. It's kind of like KEXP show on Youtube. As an introduction for the band they used some footage of different famous and noticeable people talking about the band. And they actually used the video you posted on Facebook (big thanks for that again) and used some quotes from your blog. So congratulations with your first appearance on Belarusian TV I guess ;-)”

- Vitali Makshun, guitarist, Re1ikt

WOW!

The capital of Minsk is 4,502 miles away from Philadelphia and yet we have seen our very different cultures intercede - thanks to people who share the joy of creating and sharing great music. Awesome!

Here is a link to the Belarusian TV program and video of Re1ikt’s performance, I hope you check it out. They start with a song from their steamroller of an album “Liekavyja Travy (“Healing Herbs)”.

(The part about me is at 1:29 in the video)

I started this list several years back because finding interesting music, whether new or old, is one of my passions. Getting that adrenaline rush when you dig deeper and find an obscure band that no one else knows about and absolutely kills it on their debut album is awesome.

Me recording the drum tracks for Walkabouts debut album. To be released soon!

It is how I discovered Celtic Frost back when I was in high school, now probably my favorite band of all time. I was thumbing through releases in a Virginia record store when I found their EP cassette Tragic Serenades. Something about the band’s logo and the album art seemed mysterious and in a weird way, dangerous. The first few bars of “The Usurper” had me hooked.

Tragic Serenades was released in 1986. Here we are 30 years later, and I still listen to the heavy, menacing, extreme, shocking and sometimes offensive music that many had predicted I would outgrow. Sorry!

I composed this list on my own by keeping track of what new albums I’ve listened to throughout the year and then decide which ones I’ve played, and love, the most. I don’t have a staff of people to help me, I don’t have a blog editor. I don’t even know if more than 10 people read my list when it comes out! But I don’t care. I enjoy sharing what I’ve found.

As you will see, many of these releases are very underground. If you’ve heard all of them, or even 10% of them, I’d be very surprised. But that is my intention. I find great music that no one knows about and I pass it along to you. If you are looking to argue over whether the latest Korn album is any good, please stop here!

And now, presenting, from 1 to 30, my favorite extreme metal releases of 2016. Enjoy!

(PS As usual, I’m already finding things that I would have added to this list, but there has to be a cutoff somewhere! Please check out honorable mentions Haunter “Thrinodia” and Darkestrah “Turan.”)

1. Sivyj Yar -  Не Оплакано Былое (The Unmourned Past)

You know how sometimes you buy an album and press “play” (or however you listen to music, maybe through brain waves now?) and know immediately that you love it? That is what happened to me with this latest release from Sivyj Yar, a Russian one-man progressive atmospheric folk black metal band. Enough of a genre description for you? I do not know how to pronounce the band’s name, I think the concept surrounds the working poor of Russian society (hmmm, there seems to be a common theme here in America) and please do not ask me who that is on the cover. I’m pretty sure it’s not Rasputin. Just listen. It’s only two songs, it’s only an EP, and it is fantastic music. Also, please explore Sivyj Yar’s more recent discography, you will find several more gems from this largely unknown act.

2. Drudkh -  Betrayed By The Sun / Hägringar (Split with Grift)

I was extremely disappointed by the last two releases from this reclusive folk/black metal act from Ukraine, but this short release (a split with Sweden’s Grift) clearly shows Drudkh has plenty left in the tank. Can you believe it is their 17th release in just 13 years? Now that’s prolific. In fact, maybe Drudkh is the anti-Tool! (That band, one of my favorites of all time, is notorious for spacing out their releases in almost absurd intervals). Anyway, Drudkh comes out swinging with the aggressive melodies, fast drumming, soft interludes and p-ed off vocals they’ve been known for throughout their awesome career. I’m excited about their next album (assuming that is in the works, which is not a stretch by any means).

3. Культура Курения (Smoking Culture) -  Обскур (Pinhole)

I cannot even remember how I came across this album. Maybe I stumbled on it during a search on Bandcamp, my favorite source for finding great underground music. Maybe an owl told me about it during a dream. I actually mentioned this band to Damian Master of A Pregnant Light (a band which appears later on this list), telling him I thought Культура Курения might be listening to his music (or maybe more - copying it). If you know APL, you will expect a black metal version of Joy Division with some Smiths thrown in. Культура Курения is extremely minimalist and unique. There is very little distortion with the guitars, an anomaly in metal. But for a band that lives in a remote city in Russia (ah, yet another Russian band makes my list!) this is very well-produced and executed. The production itself gives the songs a certain charm that I cannot really explain. You’ll just have to give it a spin yourself!

4. Deathspell Omega - The Synarchy of Molten Bones

Astonishingly complex. Blisteringly fast. Extremely mysterious. And a little bit scary, which is so rare these days. The fact that Deathspell Omega have managed to remain practically anonymous (beyond the lead singer) is rather impressive. Sort of how Michael Phelps got married and kept it secret for months. Or maybe not. Anyway, these French black metal masters just drop a new album out of nowhere, without any sort of warning, and nail it again. It may take me 20-30 more listens to truly understand this album. But one thing is for sure - a four-year layoff since their last album (Drought) did not leave any cobwebs.

5. Forteresse - Thèmes pour la rébellion

Yet another great melodic black metal band from Quebec. Hyper-fast, great guitar melodies that ride over the rhythm, super-tight band. As the cover and the album’s title suggest, this is about the ongoing movement for Quebec to secede from Canada (which somewhat stalled with a 1996 decision in the Supreme Court of Canada). Kind of refreshing after so many bands trying to look eerie with blood, candles and face paint. This album is a marathon, never stopping for water breaks, lunging over the finish line with one gasp of breath. And on that note, my only complaint is that there isn’t much variety in tempo. But it’s always better to go fast than slow, eh?

6. Vukari - Divination

First of all, I’m captivated by this album cover. What is it? A man, a cliff, a boat, a world encased in a red haze? Mars at dusk? The Tidy Bowl Man in a sea of beet juice? OK, I’ll stop. Minimalism is a good place to start with this black metal band from Chicago. The follow-up to 2014′s absolutely fantastic En To Pan continues along a vein of atmospheric exploration. If extreme metal can ever be relaxing, this is the sweet spot. The drummer used to be a live member of Abigail Williams, and if you like that band’s recent output, you will dig this.

7. Uada - Devoid of Light

Okay, I apologize. We are at my 7th favorite album of 2016 and it is yet another black metal release. I’m a big fan of the genre, which has become curiously diverse in how many bands fall under the umbrella of this once extremely bleak and deliberately offensive brand of music. And that is ironic, because those Scandinavian bands of the “second wave” were very adamant that you had to sound a certain way to be a part of their movement (which those who’ve studied that period in the 1990′s know did not turn out well for many of the artists; I’ll leave you to do your own research if you are unclear). Uada offers a new take on the folksy-side of black metal. I read a review of the album that suggests Agalloch as a frame of reference. Not too much of a surprise, the band hails from Portland, Oregon, Agalloch’s home base (by the way, they broke up this year, looking forward to new music from two projects that splintered from the division in 2017). Uada may mirror that folksy, black metal sound heard in Marrow of the Spirit, but the band also clearly hangs its talons on a few other dimensions of extreme metal.

8. Holy Grail - Times of Pride and Peril

Metal that is fun! Not exactly reinventing the wheel that is power metal, but an enjoyable release from these bullet-belt wearing boys from California. If you can bear the early days of Trivium and maybe hook it up to a Corvette engine, rev it a few times then peel out in your neighbor’s driveway while kicking up a pile of leaves neatly gathered near the mailbox, you get closer to Holy Grail. And make sure you choose wisely!

9. Re1ikt - Kufar

The greatest band Belarus has ever produced? I interviewed two of Re1ikt’s members earlier this year (you can read that blog post here) because I was so blown away by their album “Лекавыя травы (Healing herbs)”. Re1ikt (pronounced RELL-ikt) has a sound based on a grunge/hard rock hybrid, accented by the folk music of their native country. It is killer! I would have liked them to explore their heavier side on this new album Kufar, but the complaint is very, very minor. So much groove, so much emotion. This is a band putting themselves out there and really going for it. You will not hear another album like Kufar (partly because they sing in Belarussian!).

10. A Pregnant Light - I’ll Kill You

Damian Master, the one-man leader of this Michigan-based “purple metal” project, had a rough year. His father died (which he eulogized in an earlier release “Rocky”). Therefore, I wasn’t expecting much out of someone grieving such a loss, even though Master is baseline prolific as a musician. And yet, APL issued three releases in 2016, including this EP towards the end of the year. I’ve told Master myself (we’ve had chats before through email) how much I loved 2014′s “My Game Doesn’t Have a Name” because it is his only release backed by a real band. Master has chosen to perform all of the instruments himself since then (he is an other-wordly guitarist who can be compared to Johnny Marr of The Smiths, but not as accomplished as a drummer) and I wish he would reconsider. While his new music continues to show much promise, I still think APL’s future remains as a traditionally constructed, three-piece band, with Master of course as the only songwriter. I continue to hope.

11. Cobalt - Slow Forever

The word “Americana” totally describes what you are hearing in this ambitious release. I see Colorado, desolate towns, lonely train tracks, quiet men walking through a dry landscape, smoky ends of rifles, shots of strong whiskey... The band’s previous work, 2009′s Gin, used Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson as frames of reference and inspiration for Cobalt’s themes. As for the music itself, you hear so many great influences: Tool, Neurosis, Neil Young, Darkthrone, Swans, d-beat hardcore, etc. Erik Wunder is a genius composer, and a phenomenal guitarist/drummer. In fact, I think his drumming is the most interesting of his talents. He plays with such loose hands and behind the beat slightly, which gives his recordings a feeling that you are falling forever. Slowly.

12. Khemmis - Hunted

Melodic doom. This Colorado outfit follows up last year’s “Absolution” with another great package of slow-moving, heavy-churning, hot meal of metal. Pallbearer is a good comparison but the bands not exactly carbon copies of one another. There is more Iron Maiden/Fates Warning inserted into Khemmis’ sound. Less gloom and sorrow.

13. Atham’e - With Cunning Fire and Adversarial Resolve

About as raw as you can get without becoming a full-on, sloppy Hellhammer clone. This is as ferocious as it is musically proficient, if that means anything to you. Black metal goes old school, as the black and white cover art suggests.

14. Chthe’ilist -  Le dernier crépuscule

The groove on this album cannot be questioned. I can’t remember a bass guitar stands out on a death metal album like this - maybe since Artificial Brain’s debut full length “Labyrinth Constellation?” Captivating, unreal in composition, dreamlike and searing on the mind. Boogie music for zombies in a parallel universe where everyone feeds on molten rock and maybe even each other.

15. Blood Incantation - Starspawn

If you love everything Horrendous has done, you will love this. If you wonder what Death might be doing these days if Chuck Schuldiner were still alive, this album would be in that realm. If you are tired of blood-soaked death metal albums that give us musical versions of Groundhog Day, jump right into the madness.

16. Like Rats - II

I’ve heard Darkthrone songs that sound like they deliberately lifted Celtic Frost riffs right from Tom Warrior’s hands. This band seems to do the same thing, but make them more their own with a Godflesh-y and almost Black Flag-y way of presentation. Rarely do you listen to new music that makes you want to head bang like it is 1984. Chicago’s Like Rats does it. More people need to realize this album exists.

17. Thränenkind - King Apathy

Agalloch stuffed into a vault in a haunted house in an abandoned community in New England, just so it can simmer a few eons more? Served with a side of the lighter moments of Panopticon or Wolves in the Throne Room? I’ll go with that.

18. Mortichnia - Heir the Scoria and Ash

On a level with Altar of Plagues when it comes to fury and innovation. Given both bands are from Ireland, maybe there is more than just a passing similarity. These guys used to be in a band called Wound Upon Wound which released a few interesting albums in their own right. Cudos to the H.R. Giger-inspired cover art.

19. Nails - You Will Never Be One of Us

This year’s hipster album! The guitar tone is so in your face you may actually want to turn it down. Fast, ugly, confrontational and punkish in nature. We’ll see how long this band can hold it together. A truly violent release.

20. Trautonist - Trautonist

Another fascinating cover. Who is she? Where is she going? Where has she been? Anyway, this German band is composed of two people, a man and a woman, and they compose rather beautiful “blackgaze” music. 

21. Rebel Wizard - Triumph of Gloom

I have not heard such a solid collection of riffs on an album in a long time. “Negative metal” is what the man behind this solo death metal project likes to call it. But oh, the riffs!

22. Behexen - The Poisonous Path

Quite a left turn for these long-time Finns. The vocalist sounds completely different, the recording sounds crystal clear and the band actually got a bit heavier.

23. Torrid Husk/End (Split) - Swallow Matewan

This would have been much higher if it wasn’t just a split release. Fantastically unstoppable melodic black metal.

24. Alcest - Kodama

Neige has managed to take his finest album, “Ecailles de lune,” mix it a bit with his latest album, “Shelter,” and come up with something new again.

25. Caina - Christ Clad in White Phosphorous

This is 2016′s most “uncomfortable” listen. If you dare, you will know what I mean.

26. Zhrine - Unortheta

How does Iceland have so many great black metal bands? Its population is barely the size of Pittsburgh. Does molten lava make one rock harder?

27. Voivod - Post Society

Still a very proggy band but clearly with the artwork reaching for a sound way back in its past, maybe from the days of “War and Pain.” Or “Nothingface.”

28. Abbath - Abbath

He proves he never needed Immortal in the first place.

29. Wode - Wode

Promising black metal band from England.

30. Imperial Triumphant - I****

Ilya, the leader of this New York City-based USBM collective, explained Imperial Triumphant’s concept perfectly. And so I will simply paste what he told Cvlt Nation:

It is actually quite easy to say “my hard work made me who I am.” It allows us to take ownership of our success. It is more difficult to acknowledge that luck, and well-timed luck, made all of that hard work matter. It is the “whiz” on the cheesesteak!

Allow me to explain...

Note: An early draft of this speech was delivered at the 2016 Germination Project Gala at the Union League. It was a special night; I met such wonderful, bright and optimistic youths from Philadelphia.

When I was young, I dreamed of working for Action News. And so, I set my goals and worked hard. I wrote every day in a journal: short stories, poems, and many times, nonsense. I completed two internships at TV stations for college credit, while simultaneously holding down part-time jobs that had me working 70 hours a week. I gave up entire summers and every spring break to work and network. I spent early and late hours at my campus radio station and campus newspaper at the University of Delaware. I freelanced for a local newspaper. I drove hundreds of miles up and down the East Coast banging on doors at small TV stations, looking for a news director who would listen to me for a few minutes, to hear me recite the many reasons why they should hire me as a TV news reporter. I sent more than 100 resume tapes to these same people and many more TV executives. I collected rejection letter after rejection letter in my mailbox. I never gave up until I finally found someone who believed in me and gave me my first TV job.

I worked hard.

That first job came with a miserly salary of $12,000 a year. I lived in an apartment the size of a bathroom. I bought bland-tasting meals in bulk so they would last several days. I drank Piels. And then I worked even harder, collecting whatever overtime was being handed out at the station.

Fast forward a few decades, and here I am. All hard work, right?

It was hard work. But other things happened along the way, too. Things that I didn’t necessarily notice because they were all individual events or factors. Over time, you begin to see a pattern, and form a new appreciation for luck.

Here are some of the things that made me lucky - and thankful.

I was born in the greatest country in the world. I lived in safe neighborhoods throughout my childhood. My mom and dad worked hard, and provided us with everything that would make our family well-fed, comfortable and happy. I went to great Catholic and public schools. My parents paid for my entire college education. And even though I picked a very competitive industry like broadcast journalism, I knew that if it didn’t work out, I could move back in with my parents and begin working on Plan B (which was joining the Marines).

It is easier to walk a tightrope when it is above a net.

Hard work is enhanced by luck.

I was lucky the day a nun at my elementary school pulled me aside and told me I had a gift to write, and that I should do it more. I was lucky to have a high school English teacher who told me the same thing, and who would look at me with those encouraging eyes that are practically impossible to describe, but extremely easy to recognize. I was lucky to have an adult mentor who was already working in TV broadcasting, who told me time and time again I had what it takes, and that I should reach higher in my career goals.

Hard workers are self-assured; risk takers; ultra-positive; problem solvers; unafraid of failure. And they fail, over and over again. They also tend to eventually succeed, and luck is always a part of the equation.

Our nation is filled with hard workers. They are part of a generation that endured extreme sacrifice to survive a world war. And another generation that picked up the pieces of a nation while enduring the resignation of a president and the scars of a very unpopular war in Southeast Asia. And another generation that made our country the leader in technology and innovation. And finally, our youngest generation that will one day figure out how to make sense of this bruising presidential election, find common ground with those who hold opposing ideas, all while remaining more connected than we ever have before.

For that prospect, I give the most thanks. I see a bright future in this country, and in our world.

One more thing right after I show you this picture of a cooked turkey:

Let’s enjoy Thanksgiving. What do you say? And then on the day after that, how about we start listening to people, and more importantly, listen to more people? I’ll start by reading every single comment left on this thread.

What do you think?

Hooray, it is Election Day, 2016! When I am finished my shift (whenever that may be) I’m going to my local polling place and I’m going to vote. And yes, I will cast a vote for president.

Me at work, not voting yet.

You already know that this has been the nastiest presidential campaign in America’s recent history. And that the two main candidates have some of the lowest unfavorable ratings polling has ever seen in a pair of White House contenders. Many voters feel helpless over whom they should pick to lead our nation. Some feel embarrassed by the example this process is setting for our children and for other less-developed countries that may aspire to be like us (a prosperous, democratic nation). And yes, there is anger, sometimes to the point of resembling bloodthirsty vitriol. Something I have never seen before.

I will not tell you whom I am voting for for president, or any other office. This is how it has been for me ever since I became a TV journalist 22 years ago. I have always been registered independent, I have voted in just about every election I’ve been eligible for (including the little ones for school board) and I have voted for members of both major parties. But I’ve always kept my vote personal to protect my objectivity. That won’t change.

But that is not what this post is about. It’s about you, the voter. Look:

This photo was taken during elections in Iran early this year. You could say they are in the process of taking a “voting ink selfie.” Despite the real possibility that a country like Iran might not be holding the fairest of elections, those who participated were proud to cast their ballot, which meant getting an ink-stained finger when they finish. I’m sure you’ve seen similar pictures of people having voted in other countries.

During the 2012 presidential election, eligible voter turnout was 57.5 percent. Sound good? Well, it had dipped from 62.3% in 2008. The lowest turnout in the last four elections was 54.2% in 2000 - less than one year before the most important and most terrifying day in our lifetimes, September 11th, 2001. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much a vote counts until we see what happens later. I don’t think anyone really knows for sure how turnout will be this time around.

Social media has allowed me to communicate more closely than ever with our Action News viewers, a group that I have always cherished since the first day of my employment at 6abc, a group that I will always cherish. I have “listened” to all of your comments and posts during this presidential campaign season: the sadness, the confusion, the frustration, the disappointment, the outrage, and unfortunately, at times, the massive anger and accusations directed at the news media and me personally. It’s troubling to think about how this kaleidoscope of emotions will come together today, and how we will all pick up the pieces tomorrow so that someone will be able to govern come this January.

But think about this: out of all the people I have spoken to over the last year or so about the presidential race, not one person - not a one - said this:

“I could care less.”

You’re probably saying “C’mon Matt, posting a picture of Mount Rushmore isn’t going to make things better!” Maybe not, but it helps me explain my first point:

The United States of America gets pretty lucky when our nation is in its most serious peril. Think about it. Our first major test came just as we were sorting out just what type of country we would be. George Washington happened to be there to lead our fight against the British, then was humble enough to insist on serving only two terms, which perhaps he thought set a precedent that we are different from a monarchy; we are a true democracy. It contrasts with what happened when a triumphant Caesar returned to Rome, accepting the position of “dictator for life.” His opponents decided to kill him to end his reign just one month later.

Thank goodness for Washington.

Our country nearly split in half in the latter part of the 19th century. Lucky for us, a tall, shy, awkward man from Illinois with a top hat ascended to the presidency and led our nation through Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. And while there would be lingering divisions, our country remained a United States.

Thank goodness for Lincoln.

Our nation faced great evil from both coastlines during World War 2. Two empires sought to rule the world, while trampling humanity and decency. Harry Truman (who is of course not pictured above) happened to be around to lead us to victory over the Germans and Japanese, the same man who was picked in a compromise to be FDR’s running mate, who was shut out of major White House decisions as vice president.

Truman. Nice timing.

It begs the question: do great leaders rise to the occasion? Or do we Americans just get lucky? To tell you the truth, I don’t know. But these past examples make me believe that when our nation comes face-to-face with extraordinary danger, the kind none of us have ever experienced before, the kind that may require all of us to greatly elevate our service to this country, great leaders will arise and make us safe again.

Yes, that is Warren Buffett, and he is going to help me make my second point. This is one of his many fantastic quotes:

“I try to buy stock in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them because sooner or later, one will.”

Please do not think I am calling anyone an idiot. I am simply addressing the many negatives both major presidential candidates harbor. I am speaking to the many people who say they cannot vote for either one. You feel that way because you don’t trust America in their hands, right?

Buffett has said time and time again that you don’t bet against American business because it always wins in the long term. It just persists. And even if, hypothetically, we elect a leader who proves to be wholly inept at the job of running our nation’s executive branch, I think we’ll be okay. Let’s not name any names, but at least admit that the United States has seen a few stinkers in the White House before.

Bottom line, like Buffett, I won’t bet against America either.

Oh, one more thing:

Devo had an album and a song called “Freedom of Choice” which some interpreted as a satire of our thinking that we should be able to choose from a variety of things in society. Maybe too many choices leads us down the wrong path? Maybe we just need to be told what to do? Maybe Devo was saying the opposite. I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Mark Mothersbaugh.

Maybe the song was a commentary on things like our presidential election process, where we’re told we have a “freedom of choice” but usually it’s only a choice between two people. Or is it?

There are two established third party candidates this year. And then there are others who have managed to secure a spot on the ballot in several states, a few states, or just one. (New Jersey voters will be able to choose between nine different presidential tickets).

Also, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, voters have the option of writing in a candidate for president. In Delaware, voters can only write-in a candidate who has already completed necessary paperwork.

So there you go, more choices. Some will say voting for a third party candidate or simply writing in someone’s name who has no chance to win actually helps someone else. Perhaps it will. Perhaps it won’t.

But isn’t it better than not voting at all?

Re1ikt - Minsk, Belarus

I’m being honest here: I really thought I was going to be a rock star when I was growing up. I was pretty good at the air guitar (not so much with a real one), I couldn’t sing, but I became rather decent at bashing a drum kit to smithereens and disrupting my household.

I love music, all kinds (mostly metal though). And I love connecting with musicians, particularly obscure ones. The coolest instance of that happening was when I recently traded messages with a largely unknown (at least on this side of the planet), independent, hard-working and hard-rocking band from Belarus named “Re1ikt” (pronounced RELL-icht, they added the “1″ for uniqueness).

Re1ikt waves the flag of everything that is great about the 1990′s Seattle grunge scene, with some post-rock and prog thrown in. What makes them so special is how they present these styles through an Eastern European lens, singing in their own language (Belarusian) and adding elements of their country’s folk scene to their compositions. Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed!

Interview is below, but first here is a sample of Re1ikt’s music:

Two members of the band answered some questions via email about their latest album, their sound, making music in the former Soviet bloc, and the craziness (and spectacular) serendipity of a news anchor from Philadelphia connecting with some ambitious musicians from Minsk. Enjoy and rock on!

Matt - When I listen to an album from an artist I’ve never heard of before, I try to imagine what their influences are. It’s almost like a puzzle. With Re1ikt and your new album “Лекавыя травы (Healing herbs)” I’m hearing some 1990’s grunge, some post-rock and a little bit of prog. Am I even close?

Vitali Makshun (guitarist, composer) - Yes, I would say that it is pretty accurate definition for our music in terms of sound and arrangements. However, there is also one important component you missing. It is Belarusian traditional folk and ethnic music. I may be not quite obvious, especially for a foreign listener. We never wanted to sound like generic “folk metal” band. So even if it’s a folk song it sounds like us.

Aliaksandr Dzemidzenka (drummer, composer, songwriter) - The same way do some of us. Sometimes we try to go even deeper and try to imagine what influence each musician (guitar player, bass player, etc.) may have. Basically we used to listen to Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Melvins, Pearl Jam; Isis, Neurosis, Mastodon, Earth, King Crimson, Faith No More (trivia: we sent “Healing Herbs” to Bill Gould and he appreciated it!), Akira Yamaoka, Black Sabbath etc. Furthermore, we really like both Belarusian traditional folk music and contemporary folk music (refer to a good example - Troitsa). But it's hard to extract complete list of influence acts because we are listening to a huge amount of different kinds of music everyday so we don't know which ones influence us. Besides the outer music is not the only trigger for creation of inner music. I can't provide precise information about how human body and soul work in creative way but I suppose that environment (people, world, books, art, news, weather, etc.) has the most powerful influence on us. Other records, which inspire us, are tools that we use as references from production perspective. 

Matt - You are a band that hails from Minsk, Belarus, a former Soviet Republic. What is it like being part of the music scene there, or in Eastern Europe in general?

AD -  Pretty isolated. It has negative impact on music spread. It's quite hard for us touring abroad because of visas. But on the other hand we may stay more authentic, not being overinfluenced. Also there's lack of entertainment/musical business here so we are DIY band. There are no big promoters/producers/managers around us. It makes us stay independent.

VM - I don’t really know what it is like, because I’ve never felt like we are part of a local music scene or something. Over the years, we have been developing our own sound and style and have never been following trends. It took some time and it took some time for people to understand and embrace our music. Now we have a good fan base in our country and it tends to grow.  But there’s no such thing as “music business” in Belarus in terms of alternative rock/metal/experimental music. We are an independent band and we do not have a manager or a booking agent. It makes touring and playing shows abroad hard for us. However, we managed to play hundreds of shows across Belarus and dozens of shows in neighboring countries over the years.

Matt - Your vocalist is extremely talented. Not many bands are fronted by such a strong, soulful baritone. Does he sing in Russian or Belarusian? Have you ever considered releasing songs in English?

AD - Thank you, we are really appreciate these words! Yes, we're singing only in Belarusian, we are writing our own lyrics, singing traditional folk songs. We use works of Belarusian classical literature writers (Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, Jan Barszczewski to name a few). I've also heard that according to UNESCO Belarusian language has the 2nd place in the world as euphonious sounding language from chanting/singing perspective (I believe the first place has Italian). And yes, we may sing in other language if it will fit us. It would be interesting to sing some traditional songs in other languages or do collaborations. 

Matt - Your latest album "Лекавыя травы (Healing herbs)” is among my favorite releases that I’ve heard this year (it was released in 2015). Tell me about the title, the artwork and if there is a common theme running through its collection of songs.

AD - Thanks again for appreciating our record! The main concept is really simple - the music is the cure. And indeed this is true. Music has great positive impact on human mental and physical health. We imagined our songs as Belarusian healing herbs which can treat if someone listen to them. There are several Belarusian traditional songs on Healing Herbs: Chadzila Halota, Chaho ty Losia and Dozdz Idziec. We consider them as dried herbs that can be 'decocted' during the listening process. The old woman on CD cover is real traditional Belarusian herbalist from the deep heart of the country. She knows herbal recipes and heals people.

Matt - What is the meaning behind your band name “Re1ikt?” I have to admit, slapping a “1” right in the middle makes it difficult searching for it on Google.

AD - Basically Re1ikt is an intentionally 'misspelled' (or simply styled) word 'relict' (it sounds in Belarusian almost like in English only with moved accent - \re-ˈlikt\). But the deeper we went into music, the deeper meaning became. '1' in the name symbolizes our wish to be original, individual. The relic is our music which is rooted in Belarusian culture.

Matt - How did the members come together to form the band and when? 

AD - I just wanted to create music that will be fit 100% to my musical taste. And I've found people who love the same music. We are not only colleagues but also friends and like-minded persons. I was born in small town Svietlahorsk and had a band at 13 years old (1999). We played with many different people. Uladz (singer) was my schoolmate. I knew that he had a great voice and when singer position became vacant, I asked him to join the band. It was 2005. And in 2010 Zmicier and Vitai completed the band. That's a long story. Many activities, difficulties, victories and defeats. Love to music led us to actual point.

VM - I joined the band in early 2010. They were already a known band at that time. And I didn’t really play in a band before that. So I was super excited and terrified at the same time when guys invited me to play with them.

Matt - Who writes the music/lyrics?

VM - Lyrics are usually written by Aliaksandr and Uladz. Music starts from riffs and ideas provided by Aliaksandr or me. We show our ideas to each other and the rest of the band. Than we can jam and work on arrangements or someone can come up with a new part we would add to a song. Working on a song together in a company of friends is a best part of being in a band to me.

AD - Lyrics basically was written by Aliaksandr, then by Uladz. Also we may use classical Belarusian poems and traditional folk songs. There are several ways we create our music. Songs basic idea can be provided by Aliaksandr or Vitali, then we may jam and build the whole song, or some songs can be provided as almost complete composition. Each bandmate can suggest his own idea.

Matt - Without knowing whether the members of Re1ikt are interested in politics, do you have any feelings about how much of a role Russia and Vladimir Putin have played in the US presidential election?

AD - You know, in general we are mostly interested in musical and cultural area. Just the most important political news reach us. US elections aren't highlighted enough here and we can't choose from here which information sources we can trust. We've heard some Internet rumors but we don't know whether they are truth or not.

Matt - Does Re1ikt have any ambitions to gain a wider following in Europe and maybe even the United States?

AD - Sure we do. We have pretty good support in Poland. I am sure it would be bigger over the world but we are mostly concentrated on production but not promotion of our music. We are in lack of marketing. It would be great if we met people who interested in our supporting or promoting. Our hearts are opened.

Matt - Are you shocked that a morning news guy from Philadelphia, USA bought your album on Bandcamp?

AD - Not shocked but pleasantly surprised. It made us believe in wonders. It's like - you are living your life, doing your stuff and somebody from parallel universe saying 'Hello' to you. It's like send signals to outer space and finally getting the response. It's amazing feeling.

VM - Yes, we were very surprised in a good way. It may sound cheesy but I do think that music is a universal language and a great connecting power. It is amazing how people of different cultures, professions, nationalities can appreciate the same music.

Matt - What are some of your favorite bands (and they can be existing bands or bands from the past)?

AD - We are music eaters. There are so many bands that we love to listen to or sing/play just for fun. From Husker Du to Khanate, from Johnny Cash to Huun-Huur-Tu. There is huge amount of amazing bands. We can't say who we love more.

VM - It’s really hard to pick a few! I’ve always been a huge music fan, not a particular band or genre, but music in general. And I think that great appreciation of music is one of main things that connects us four in the band.

Matt - From the pictures I’ve seen of the band together, it appears that none of you take yourselves too seriously and you have an enormous amount of fun playing music. Am I onto something with this?

AD - Yes, you're absolutely right. We play almost every day - it can be an individual practicing session, a group rehearsal or a concert. We are kind of people who's pituitary gland produces endorphin only if we are playing music. I don't know is it a gift or a curse.

You can download Re1ikt’s fantastic 2015 album on their Bandcamp page. You can name your own price! Here in a link:

Re1ikt Bandcamp

A periodic pondering of those who rock...or rocked. 

When I was in elementary school a few of my mates kept talking about Van Halen. At that point, I had not idea what they sounded like, what a “Van Halen” is (A person? A beast? A Dutch family that lives down the street?) or why all of this seemed so intriguing. So, of course, I decided to spend the few dollars in my wallet to purchase a cassette tape of this “Van Halen” band.

I remember walking into the record store at the mall (which primarily sold records, some cassettes and some eight-tracks) and looking for any sign of this Van Halen among the many displays. Stacked along a rack, facing towards the door, clearly to catch a customer’s eye, were stacks of Van Halen’s third album “Women and Children First.”

The year was 1983. For the die-hard Van Halen fans among us, we already know that by then the group had released two more albums: “Fair Warning” and “Diver Down.” They would also be on the cusp of releasing their smash hit “1984″ which would change the band forever, splitting its singer and the rest in different directions. But “Women and Children First” was what I saw, well, first, and that’s what I bought with the money I had earned mowing my neighbors’ lawns for the last few weeks.

The cover was hard to see because it was a cassette. Squint as you look at it today, and you might see what I thought I had seen back then: a bunch of barbarians. Who is the dude with the long hair? What is that guy doing to his guitar? Why are the others helping him do whatever he is doing to that guitar? Where are the women and children who were supposedly going first, and where to?

When I arrived home, I put this new purchase in my tape deck. Mind subsequently blown. Listen:

Van Halen would officially become my first “favorite band.”

I had never heard a guitar make a noise like that before. It sounded like Tarzan sending his echoing call across the jungle through a broken amplifier from a cave that contained piles of cheese graters that just rattled and rattled and rattled as Tarzan got angrier and angrier that the apes weren’t respecting him. Wow, music for barbarians! My cradle was a-rockin’.

“Women and Children First” is Van Halen’s heaviest album, one that I’m guessing the band released without much desire to score hits on the Billboard charts. The most iconic song on the disc is without question “Everybody Wants Some,” which features some David Lee Roth jungle grunts and tribal drum work from Alex Van Halen. The song was featured in an extremely bizarre scene in the movie “Better Off Dead” starring John Cusack. His character fantasizes about becoming Dr. Frankenstein and creating a hamburger in human form who plays guitar and likes to watch life-like french fries take a dip in a pool of hot grease. If you haven’t see it, please watch:

But back to the album. It’s great. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar screams and churns and burns and scorches the earth. David Lee Roth belts out his usual “Ow!”’s as he delivers his lyrics in the typical party-hearty atmosphere that defined early Van Halen. Alex Van Halen, one of the finest rock drummers of all time, kills from behind the kit, and Michael Anthony delivers boffo beefcake bass lines and great backing vocals.

“Take Your Whiskey Home” is an early example of what so many bands rely on these days to create drama: a soft beginning, particularly with acoustic guitar, leading to a massive guitar riff that bangs the band into a heavier mid-section and ending. “Romeo Delight” sounds like something off the first Van Halen album but way more in your face and only a degree or two away from a full-on hair metal song (but please don’t group Van Halen into that genre, one that I truly enjoy nonetheless).

“Fools” is another example of a soft-heavy song composition, which again may have been pioneering for the band at the time. “Could This Be Magic?” is the rare ballad track and an ace sing-a-long. “In a Simple Rhyme” closes off the album perfectly with rock and melody and raging riffs from Eddie.

A few months after I bought the album, Van Halen appeared on my television set. It was during an edition of “Friday Night Videos” which was essential to watch or record on my VCR because we did not have cable (or MTV, which back then actually played music videos) at my house. It was the only way to see the new rage that was the music video.

I saw Van Halen’s video for “Jump,” the first single off 1984, the previously mentioned blockbuster that would define Van Halen and blow it to smithereens.

Anyway, finally, I had faces and personas to go with the music of Van Halen. My first question: why were they all smiling? My second: what’s up with all the keyboards?

I would buy 1984 and I would love it anyway, but I will always cherish the heavier side of the band from “Women and Children First.”

My favorite Van Halen albums in order (some omitted):

1. Women and Children First

2. Van Halen I

3. Fair Warning

4. 5150

5. Van Halen II

6. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

7. 1984

8. Diver Down

9. OU812

10. Balance

Notice there are a few albums on the list featuring Sammy Hagar on vocals. A few thoughts about his time in the band:

- Sammy Hagar was by far a superior vocalist to David Lee Roth. He was also a hell of a guitarist and a musician with massive amounts of experience, even compared to Van Halen itself (Sammy was previously in Montrose and waged a semi-successful solo career before joining the band).

- 5150 was the one of the most successful albums ever released right after a band lost its main vocalist. The only other albums that compare are AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and Alice in Chains’ “Black Gives Way to Blue.”

- 5150 also has the best song Van Halen ever recorded: “Dreams.” This is what I said about “Dreams” in a blog for WXPN-FM back in 2012:

“This song helped cement one of the greatest comebacks in stadium rock – the beginning of the Van-Hagar era. The melody invokes great feelings and the lyrics offer great inspiration. Van Halen may have rocked harder with Roth, but they had more hooks and chops with Sammy. “

- Having said all this, David Lee Roth was always the best “fit” for Van Halen - at least before he left. Most bands would have never succeeded beyond that. The fact that Van Halen was able to pick up the pieces and reboot with Hagar is astonishing. And Hagar is the only man on Earth who could have helped them do this. However, if the roles were reversed and Hagar came first, I don’t know if they would have had the same success.

- I played drums at Sammy Hagar’s bar in Cabo San Lucas. Here is the video of me playing “Panama” with Sister Dass:

Van Halen would of course go on to hire Gary Cherone from Extreme and then re-hire David Lee Roth. They would never regain their snarl, their visceral power and the dynamic energy that they had in 1980 with “Women and Children First.”

And so this story must be continued, at another time. Follow my Tumblr feed and you’ll find out what’s next!

- Matt

LINK:

A periodic pondering of those who rock...or rocked.

ASIA - “ASIA” 1982

When I was a child, I loved watching the A-Team. B.A. Baracus (portrayed by one of our culture’s most ingenious characters, Mr. T), Face Man, Hannibal - those guys were cool with their clothes, their one-liners, their weaponry and their updated “Mystery Machine” Scooby-Doo van, now in black with heavy artillery.

But what drew me to the 1980′s TV show in the first place was THAT RIFF. You know, the one in the beginning of the theme song, about :30 seconds in:

Yeah, real metal, right? Listening to this song all of these years later and it sounds more like a cheap jingle, but when I heard THAT RIFF, I was very young and searching for something heavier in my music, something that disco and pop music of the day just wasn’t providing.

And then I heard THIS RIFF:

Now THIS RIFF was heavy. You could hear the guitar pick smash through the strings, echoing through the pickup and the amplifier. Yes! This is what I was looking for! It led to my very first purchase of an album of recorded music. I bought Asia’s self-titled debut on cassette and was delighted to hear THIS RIFF in the very first track. Life was good.

Back in those days it was difficult to get much background on musicians, or the lyrics (which led me to purchase more actual records because lyrics were commonly included). In this case, all I had to go on was the name, the cover, the track listing and the music.

The menacing sea beast on Asia’s cover mesmerized me. Was it attacking another planet that found itself shrunk into an alternate dimension? Did the band members perform ritual sacrifice? Were they devil worshipers? Do they live in caves? Are they (gulp) snakes?

It was many years later that I learned Asia was a side-project supergroup composed of members of Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, and King Crimson. If you would have told me that the day I purchased the Asia cassette (which if I remember correctly occurred in a Sam Goody store in a mall) I would have said “uh, yeah man. King what?” Meanwhile, I was about to open the door to a world of more and more extreme music. “Heavy metal” as it would be called soon, a genre of music that would split into millions of sub-genres (thrash, death, black, post, etc.).

The first two tracks on Asia’s debut are killer. “Heat of the Moment,” the song with THIS RIFF, is still to this day the band’s best-known song. It’s a moderately heavy pop song with upfront guitar riffage, a traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, a slightly weirdo middle part that reminds me of the break in Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” and that classic ‘80′s fade-out.

“Only Time Will Tell” is the second song and the third single (although I have no idea what the second one was). The song would later become my absolute favorite on the album. It begins with a triumphant melody on a synthesizer (that kind of, sort of, reminds me of Neil Diamond’s “Coming to America), a soft-to-loud verse-chorus, some cowbell (I have a prescription!), dramatic stops and starts throughout and lyrics lamenting the loss of a companion. Listen and watch:

It’s a great song, isn’t it? Horrible video though. What’s up with the guys standing with their arms crossed? Were they against making the video in the first place? Did they not like the televisions stacked on top of each other? Did they feel the dancer was stealing the show?

Anyway, I could listen to “Only Time” all day. Not many people talk about Steve Howe as a vocalist (he mostly played guitar for Yes) but his tone fit Asia’s music perfectly.

As for the rest of the album - eh. It was clearly front-loaded with two great tracks, and then the band picked up scraps to fill the rest. No offense to the bros of Asia, practically every band was doing this in the ‘80s. Basically, consumers had two choices: wait for their favorite songs to be played on the radio, or buy an album with that one song and a bunch of others you may or may not like. I know plenty of musicians do not like the current system of being able to download or stream just about any track you want for pennies, wherever you want, whenever you want, but back then, consumer choice was practically non-existent.

But enough about capitalism and rock. I’m fascinated by extremes and that includes the type of music I listen to. The heavier, the faster, the scarier, the better. It’s no different than watching horror movies. Extreme metal is a great escape.

So thanks to Steve Howe and the rest of his Asia mates. If it weren’t for THIS RIFF I would have never went on to buy that Van Halen album, or that Iron Maiden album, or that Metallica album, or that Celtic Frost album, or that Bad Brains album...

And so this story must be continued, at another time. Follow my Tumblr feed and you’ll find out what’s next!

"If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right." - Jerry, to George, in Seinfeld’s "The Opposite” episode

I had mentioned during Inside Story this past Sunday that the 2016 Race For the White House reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George Costanza finds success by abandoning his instincts and doing the exact opposite every time. Since that idea had a bit of “stickiness,” I figured I’d explain myself further. Here goes.

The first reason is easy: Donald Trump. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was saying he couldn’t win, he wouldn’t win, he wouldn’t ever officially enter the race, he wouldn’t win a single state, he was looking for an opportunity to exit before the convention, yadda yadda yadda. If political analysts would have taken Jerry’s advice to George that day in the deli and expected the American public (or at least a good portion of it) to go in reverse and wildly support a billionaire reality TV star who has never held elected office and who says such outrageous things that only draw him more support and who runs as a Republican even though he holds a number of positions that are contrary to the party’s positions, they would have been a lot better in predicting what has happened so far during this election cycle!

"A job with the New York Yankees! This has been the dream of my life ever since I was a child, and it's all happening because I'm completely ignoring every urge towards common sense and good judgement I've ever had. This is no longer just some crazy notion... This is my religion." - George in Seinfeld’s "The Opposite” episode

Here are a few more things that maybe Opposite George could have foreseen in the 2016 presidential race:

- The potential for a contested convention arises, but not among Republicans heading to Cleveland; instead, for the Democrats in Philadelphia

- The expected coronation of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee gets derailed by a 74-year-old senator from Vermont who only recently began calling himself a Democrat, but who actually considers himself a Democratic Socialist, and who was written off as a fringe candidate early on; oh, and this same 74 year old man is also a huge hit with young, white millennials

- 15 GOP senators, former senators, governors and former governors, a neurosurgeon and a former tech CEO all fail collectively in their quest to defeat Donald Trump

“Hi, my name is George. I'm unemployed, and I live with my parents.” George in Seinfeld’s "The Opposite” episode

- A nationally televised debate between the GOP candidates devolves into a discussion about male anatomy

- Jeb Bush, the man everyone thought would be the GOP nominee, the one with the best political pedigree, the biggest donor pool and the most traditional GOP support, is one of the first candidates to drop out

- A dating site offers ways for people to meet a Canadian partner and move out of the United States if those people are fearful of who might become president

- Political analysts, already stung by their incorrect predictions that Trump wouldn’t gain any traction, eat crow as Trump becomes the last GOP man standing, then immediately predict a landslide victory for Hillary Clinton in a Clinton-Trump matchup; polls suggest otherwise only weeks later

- One of the candidates reminds everyone so much of the co-creator of Seinfeld that he is forced to go on television and do an impression; the impression is so good, people start thinking the candidate is actually the co-creator of Seinfeld

Or, how I became the ‘Alarm Clock Whisperer’

I have been doing the morning broadcast for 6abc Action News in Philadelphia, PA since September of 2004. The most popular question people ask me - by far - is “What time do you wake up?” Their second is always “What time do you go to bed?” The headline above gives away the answer to the first. The second will be answered later. For now, I’m sharing my my survival story with all of you, particularly for those who get up REALLLLLY early. I hope this blog helps.

I was so excited when I found out I might have a chance at becoming a morning anchor in Philadelphia, but at the same time I honestly was also bit wary, maybe even a little scared. “I’m not even a morning person!” I thought. “Would this adversely affect my family life? My social life? My TV viewing habits?” The short answer to all of that is “yes.” But would you believe I have not only grown to accept my vampire-like hours, but also to revel in them? Allow me to explain.

First off, I admit it: I’m tired a lot. It is tough to have to wake up when it is still dark out, with the sunrise still many hours away. My sleep patterns are extremely erratic. I miss plenty of events, particularly at night. But I promise you, having this shift is not as bad as it’s cracked up to be, and in many ways it can be extremely advantageous! Here is “How to Wake Up at 2:21am Every Weekday and Maintain Sanity, Health, Positivity, Etc.”

AVOID THE SNOOZE

Do you know how many times I’ve hit the snooze in the last 12 years? Zero. It started due to the fear that I would hit the wrong button, go back to sleep and miss my shift. Do you know how many times I’ve been late to work during this same 12-year period? Once, only because a massive flash flood closed the Schuylkill Expressway and I had to take an alternate route. I’ve driven through snowstorms, ice storms and a hurricane (Sandy, which had been downgraded by the time I was driving through it, but still...). And I’ve always showed up on time, because I respect my routine.

Think about it: you were probably alert when you set your alarm the day before, so how does it make sense that in a half-dream state you know better about what time you should wake up, and that it should be later? I use my iPhone as my alarm clock, I set the Do Not Disturb so that any texts or calls won’t wake me up, and the moment it goes off, I’m out of bed. No hesitation. I’m not really sure how the snooze setting on my iPhone even works.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

This seems to be the most difficult thing for people to follow (no matter what time they get up). I get a lot of help from my family. We try to have dinner a little earlier, my wife and children try to be quiet when I’m in bed (although there have been a few relapses), I wear a sleep mask, and my bedroom happens to be on the eastern side of the house (the opposite of where the sun sets). I try to get just under eight hours of sleep every night. That means going to sleep at ... drum roll please! ... 6:28pm (or slightly earlier). It takes immense discipline to get yourself under the covers at this time, but I manage to do it far more days than I don’t. I’ve made exceptions, such as when my children have activities in the evening. But unless it is an extremely important family or 6abc event that I cannot miss, I turn down mostly any request to make evening appearances. It generally takes me two days to recover if I don’t get enough sleep before work (I am not kidding about this - the combination of lack of sleep and needing to be extremely alert right after waking up can be an energy-draining combination). Which brings us to my next piece of advice:

TAKE NAPS

As I write this, it is Monday morning. Even though I have been known to say it’s my favorite day of the week (the reasons are complicated so you’ll just have to take my word for it) it is always the most difficult to get through. It is very similar to having taken a red-eye flight from Los Angeles - or Hawaii. Your whole system is out of wack. So, just about every Monday, I take a nap after work. Sometimes for 30 minutes, sometimes for two hours. If the lawn doesn’t need to be cut and other chores can be put off, I will try to find some time to recharge. I mentioned earlier how I wasn’t even a “morning person” before taking this job. I also never took naps. I do now and it helps replenish my energy. Sometimes I even take another nap on Fridays to “reset” my sleep pattern for the weekend.

DON’T OVERCOMPENSATE ON WEEKENDS

Just like most business travelers who head to the west coast or Europe during the work week, I do not maintain the same sleep schedule on weekends. When do I go to bed on Friday and Saturday nights? When I’m tired. When do I wake up on Saturday and Sunday mornings? When I’m done sleeping. It’s as simple as that. I’ve also found that it is better to store up on sleep on weekend mornings than it is to try and keep a similar sleep schedule. For instance, I used to force myself to wake up no later than 5:30am on Saturday and Sundays, thinking that would help me wake up even earlier during the work week. It doesn’t. It just left me tired.

DON’T LET YOUR MONDAYS RUIN YOUR SUNDAYS

It is a saying that I certainly didn’t make up, but makes a lot of sense. I used to have a lot of dread when it came to Sundays. I generally wouldn’t be up more than 12 hours because of work on Monday, I felt like the day was always closing in on me and that caused a bit of anxiety. So I stopped worrying, accepted the fact that I would be tired on Monday no matter what I did, and that made my Sundays a lot more enjoyable. Along with those Mondays.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS

I get more work done in the morning than most people do all day, and that’s great! And because there is so much daylight left in the day when I’m finished my shift, I can enjoy the outdoors and be present for my childrens’ activities. I’ve been to more than 90 percent of their baseball, basketball and football games, piano recitals, school plays, etc. In fact, I once joked that if people didn’t know I was a morning news anchor, most would assume I was just someone wandering the streets - because I’m at everything! I also rarely encounter traffic, one of the biggest time-wasters in the history of time wasting. The time not spent on the road staring at the license plate in front of you really adds up with a morning shift.

GOOD LUCK

I realize I’m pretty lucky: I have a very understanding family and I have a deeply interesting and exciting job. That makes taking all of this advice that much easier for me. Bottom line: I’ll never get used to my schedule, but I can easily minimize its ill effects. That sure beats banging your head against a wall! Thanks for reading, feel free to comment here on Tumblr or on my Facebook page, and...

Yes, that is none other than Damian Master of A Pregnant Light holding an Action News Morning Mug. I sent it to him after naming his 2014 release My Game Doesn’t Have a Name my Top Extreme Metal Album of 2014. Churning out awesome songs with great riffs and hooks all day has to make you thirsty, right?

Anyway, APL made my 2015 list by releasing the single No Longer N 2 U. It is a fantastic song that waves the flag of APL like nothing else Mr. Master has released to date. APL has found its sound and its mastermind is now ready to push this one past the goal line.

But will he? Master is an ambitious dude who fronts an extreme metal band that employs harsh vocals and tremolo picking - but the band simply rocks. Is it crazy to have huge ambitions when you’re side-winding through a number of genres that just don’t have broad appeal? Crazier things have happened on this planet of ours. Didn’t December in the Northeast feel more like September? Isn’t a reality TV star leading the race for the GOP nomination? Aren’t all Philadelphia sports teams missing the playoffs for the second straight season?

So, my thinking is, Damian Master has a chance at bringing A Pregnant Light to the masses - on his terms. I think he is one of the most inventive musicians extreme metal has to offer these days because he is bringing talented songwriting to the table and he cares about musical structure and band imagery more than most. I was shocked when I saw Social Distortion on MTV when I attended college - this was a band that exemplified uncompromising and non-commercial California punk rock! Blasphemy! APL will never be on MTV because it doesn’t show videos anymore (at least I don’t think they do) but call me crazy - I think this band has a chance at being a household name, despite its abrasive vibe. There, I said it!

I sent Damian Master a bunch of questions about his latest single No Longer N 2 U and what APL has planned for 2016. Here are his responses:

Did you record No Longer N 2 U with the musicians who played drums and bass on My Game Doesn’t Have a Name? The song’s production is very different from APL’s other releases this year.

I did! The shell of that song was recorded at the same time as Game, but the more I looked at it in the context of the record, I didn’t think it fit on there. To me, it was kind of too similar in vibe to “Fresh Flower Offering” but more like the evil-twin version if that makes sense. hah. It became pretty clear that it didn’t belong on the record so, we left it half-finished and focused on doing the rest of the record. Some months passed and I remembered that I was sitting on this track, and booked some more studio time (which was a miserable experience) and went in and finished it. I really like how the vocals and lyrics came together, and the bass is especially ripping on this song. I fought with the guy recording me on the bridge section with the auto-tune in the vocals before I just gave up and let it be what it was. He just wasn’t interested in following my direction, which is really funny because who is paying who? I’m happy with how the song turned out, but it could have been cooler. This song ended up costing me almost half of what the entire last record cost me. Totally ludicrous. People have this idea that I’m some famous musician, or that I’m rich… I assure you… this is not the case at all. Since I figured I had so much financially invested into the song, I thought I’d release it on 7" single, which is not a very profitable format, but one that’s close to my heart. The music and lyrics stand on their own too. The lyrics were written the day before I recorded them, so as far as the story of APL, even though the music is from the era of the full length, the narrative is current. I see no point in backtracking ever, it’s about moving forward, but since I could update my lyrical narrative, I thought it was a good opportunity to release the song.

Is the song title a tip of the hat to Prince, or a crafty way to throw off a listener’s expectations?

Regardless of what people think about my approach, I have never and I will never do anything solely to throw off listeners’ expectations. I do what I want, and what seems right to me, and I think I have a really cool supporter base that keeps up with me for the most part. The song title is I suppose a bit of a tip of the hat to Prince, and all those late 80s early 90s bands that spelled things like that. It was the era where everything was “X-treme” and stuff. Kind of silly, but I suppose certainly never bad to evoke Prince in someone’s mind. He’s the original purple one!!

As prolific as your musical output continues to be, do you foresee coalescing towards making APL your artistic focus one day?

That’s a great question, because APL is unique in that it’s the only of my many projects that I do where I work alone in the creative process. So, all these other avenues sort of “get in where they fit in.” I’m trying to focus in and make stuff that really kicks. Stuff that really bangs. For some bands, they fall into making the music they want to make, but they make it thinking that they’re giving their supporters what they want. I really went the opposite direction, not for the sake of being contradictory, but because it was where I was being led creatively, and I released the All Saints’ Day demo and I thought people would hate it, but they totally loved it! I was humbled, but I think the next full length I’m working towards will probably be more along the lines of the first one, but hopefully even better. I think APL has the most potential, but it’s not like I’m forgoing opportunities with APL to make these other projects happen. That’s not the case at all. My main goal is to have APL be the biggest band in the world! I wish that was the case, I’d love nothing more than to dedicate myself to the project fully. I don’t think these other projects are interfering. I think about how a chef works in a restaurant. He crafts his dishes, he works on presentation, but when he goes home, he still has to cook. I’m not saying these other projects are lesser, but I am saying they’re far more immediate and quick. Like, Aksumite - it’s very primal and raw. It’s not fussed over. It’s the sandwich from the fridge late at night. It’s got beauty in that, and it’s not trying to be anything more than that.

The public image of APL has become very personal for you, has that changed anything about you or your music?

Absolutely. When you create behind this veil, you protect yourself from the barbed opinions of others. Since everything is so open and personal, I sort invite the entire world to make judgments on my personal life, and to look in and see how I process my pain, my emotions, my heart and my work. So, if someone says “it sucks,” it does sting a bit more, because great care is taken to not wrap things in gaudy or ornate metaphor. I try avoid complicated language and to speak directly to the listener in a way I don’t see a lot of bands in metal doing. The people around me, they realize that they’re now very clearly a part of my artistic story. My journey, the way I express myself. It will get more and more personal, but like I mentioned, the goal is to speak specifically enough to be captivating, but remain open to having people find themselves in what I do. My experiences aren’t unique, or maybe they are, I’m not sure. I feel like a pretty normal person. I’m very proud of, for better or worse, not letting perceptions change my music. I try to balance listening to some feedback, but remaining on my path. I guess, now that things are personal and people are watching, I’m less likely to make quick moves. I want everything to be planned and executed flawlessly.

This post is mainly about the death of Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister. But first, I want to talk about the professional golfer John Daly.

I went to see the PGA Championship along Wisconsin's shores of Lake Michigan with my dad about a decade ago. We decided to find a spot along the tee box to a par 5 so we could stand and marvel at the long drives from the professionals. Eventually, John Daly showed up with his less-than-athletic physique and unkempt golf attire, straining to bend over and place his golf ball on the tee. Daly stood back up and blasted the darn thing into orbit. He handed his driver to his caddy, started marching towards the fairway, pulled out a cigarette and flared up.

Many in the crowd started to cheer at that moment. Yes, they applauded the fact that Daly couldn’t wait another second before grabbing a smoke.

Daly is always looked upon as the anti-golfer: doesn't dress right, doesn't watch his weight, drinks and smokes too much, doesn't get enough sleep before tournaments, gets married and divorced too much, swings way too hard. So why did they cheer for him that day at Whistling Straits? The question brings us back to Lemmy Kilmister, who died this week in Los Angeles at the age of 70.

If you wear a Motörhead t-shirt, people basically know you mean business when it comes to your heavy music. The British band, founded by Kilmister back in 1975, was rock and roll, was punk, was metal - it was all of those things that were considered dangerous and, well, true to the “outlaw” rocker. Motörhead was well ahead of its time when it came to hardcore punk, thrash metal and other forms of “extreme” music. And Motörhead never changed.

Unfortunately for his health, Lemmy didn’t really change either. He drank too much, smoked too much, could care less about his appearance (his facial warts almost had a persona of their own), sang as if his voice were being used to melt steel with an upward stance that made him look like he was trying to snap his neck backwards. Oh, and he partied early, late and often. Yeah, Lemmy Kilmister was kind of like John Daly without the golf bag and blonde hair.

Kilmister was also part of a generation of rockers who have managed to stay alive and keep rockin’ into their 60′s or 70′s despite all the damage they’ve done to their bodies (Mick Jagger at 72, Ozzy Osbourne at 67 and Steven Tyler at 67 all come to mind). More and more musicians are joining them in old age. Van Halen recently toured with all but one original member (Michael Anthony is still very much alive). AC/DC is touring next year (albeit without founding member Malcolm Young). Hey, the guys in Metallica have reached their 50′s! The ladies of the Go-Go’s are almost in their 60′s!

While he was certainly aging, Lemmy Kilmister was always by and large rock and roll’s “anti-hero”. We are amused and sometimes live vicariously through these “flawed” characters, whether real or fiction. Look at some of the fascinating, but flawed people we have fallen for through TV, cable or streaming services: Tony Soprano (The Sopranos), Walter White (Breaking Bad), Jack Shepherd (Lost) - heck, Olivia Pope (Scandal) is sleeping with the president! Flaws!

Is this okay, having a fascination with the anti-hero? I think so. Living a perfect life is impossible. We are commonly presented with plenty of versions of what “perfect” should be across all forms of media - particularly through advertising. These are ideals that we can never attain, or at least never sustain.

John Daly was not perfect. But he has provided us with some big thrills on the golf course and has served as an underdog to root for. Lemmy Kilmister was not perfect. But he sure as hell rocked pretty hard.

When we as human beings fail at being perfect again and again, we can look to the anti-hero as someone who provides us with the solace that we are not alone in our imperfections.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS! WARNING: THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS! WARNING: THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS! WARNING: THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS!

Alright, you get the picture. Let’s begin.

The first few moments when I was comfortably sitting in the theater (a Movie Tavern, no less!) and saw the words “A long, long time ago in a galaxy far away” and the Star Wars logo filled the screen and the text to “Episode VII” began, I felt chills throughout my body. It’s something that rarely happens in the theater, you know? People around me started cheering. Star Wars is back! Hooray!

Hearing Rey (Daisy Ridley) refer to the Millennium Falcon as “garbage” was hilarious and the moment Han Solo and Chewbacca popped into the junked spacecraft was a nostalgic thrill. The movie was off to an excellent start. 

Watch Matt give Harrison Ford his Wookie impression

And overall, The Force Awakens is an extremely enjoyable movie. The action, the graphics, the new characters, the one-liners (there are many funny moments in the dialogue) the new villains, the original characters, the homage to the “Cantina”, the storyline - wait, the storyline? Haven’t I seen this movie before? Twice? More?

There are many, many parallels to what is happening in this new movie and what happened in the original trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). The strange droid showing up on a desert planet, the search for a missing person with the Resistance, the Death Star and its successful destruction, the father-son relationship torn by the Light and Dark Sides of the Force (which ends badly) and the elder Jedi who lives on his own on a distant planet, discouraged by recent events. Wow, there are actually several parallels!

Director JJ Abrams tells Matt how he paid homage to earlier Star Wars films

Is that bad? Absolutely not. Was I hoping for a more original story that still paid homage to the older tales? Sure. Is it a dynamite movie? Yeah. Is it the best movie ever made, or even the best in the Star Wars series? Not by a long shot. But was it worth all of the time, money and hype? Without question, yes. I’m glad I went to see it. It was a blast.

I can hear Harrison Ford telling director JJ Abrams “Sure JJ, I’ll come back for Star Wars. But you gotta kill me off in your first movie!” I can’t say it was shocking to see Kylo Ren murder Han Solo, but that’s only because some internet troll spoiled it for me by sending this message to me on Twitter the day of its nationwide release: “Han Solo dies.” I’m not lying about this. So much for spoiler avoidance. And it’s sad how many people use the internet to just be flat out mean. Anyway…

Matt’s interview with Daisy Ridley

Matt’s Interview with John Boyega

What might be my favorite part of The Force Awakens is how it ends on a major cliff-hangar (on a cliff, of course!). What has Luke Skywalker been doing all this time? Is he Rey’s father? Is he destined for a violent confrontation with Kylo Ren, his former pupil? Will there be “A Newer Hope”?

So many questions and so I am excited to see Episode VIII (not currently titled yet, scheduled for a May 2017 release). And finally, after watching The Force Awakens, I’m glad it definitely solved one puzzling question many of us had - why wasn’t Mark Hamill in any of the trailers? 

Well, because he didn’t speak a single line!

Oh, and one more thing. It is impossible to live up to the hype of the most overly-hyped movie in cinematic history. My rating? 7.3 stars out of 10.

- Matt

Watch filmgoers’ reaction after watching Episode I: The Phantom Menace

For me, 2015 was the year of Bandcamp. The site/app has allowed me to discover and sample so much more new music, much of it obscure and unavailable on the typical download and streaming sites (like iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and the late Songza). So that’s been cool.

The other thing is, I’ve become overwhelmed with the massive volume of music being released these days, because so much of it is so good! You’ve probably experienced this same thing in a different way, it’s called FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out. Sometimes a huge amount of choices can make us unhappy. We wonder about what we’re not listening to, not reading, not doing, and that creates anxiety and prevents us from enjoying what we are consuming. I’m working on not worrying about this. But it’s been hard!

These are my top 21 extreme releases of 2015. I’ve thought long and hard about each one. They are all special albums (especially the top 10) and if you haven’t heard of any of them I insist you give them a try. Many of these bands are indeed obscure but that’s what makes them special. The musicians aren’t creating music to make money or get “likes” or be famous for a few moments (although I’m sure some would beg to differ with my #8 choice). They’re making art because they care about their art.

Enjoy, feel free to tell me I’m wrong or offer your own lists. Happy Holidays and have a rockin’ New Year. BTW there are 21 because I made a late add and could not decide which one to take out!

-Matt

21) Pale Chalice - Negate the Infinite and Miraculous

Corpse-painted members of San Francisco’s growing USBM scene. Reminds me a bit of another Bay Area act, the now-defunct Ludicra. Punk-ish in their vibe. Track #5 Weltering Depths of the Carrion Wave is an extraordinary song. Well done.

https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/negate-the-infinite-and-miraculous

20) Abyssal - Antikatastaseis

Whoa, just whoa. Remember when Bowman went into some type of wormhole or time warp or black hole in 2001: A Space Odyssey? From what I remember, that scene was largely silent. This could be the soundtrack to that scene, but it would probably make it a horror film instead of a sci-fi drama. Abyssal absolutely pummels on Antikatastaseis. And confuses. You have to listen to understand.

https://abyssal-home.bandcamp.com

19) Vattnet Viskar - Settler

Band from New Hampshire uses Swedish name, plays black metal and chooses a cover that is, in its un-metal-ness, the most shocking cover since Deafheaven’s Sunbather (another band on my list, read on!) Yes, that is Christa McAuliffe floating in zero gravity. The teacher who also hailed from New Hampshire was among those killed in the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986. Settler doesn’t seek to parody the tragic event, or use it as a way of distorting what lies behind the album’s intentions. Vattnet Viskar seeks to ponder the euphoria of what McAuliffe was about to embark on and the sheer suddenness of the explosion that happened before all of our eyes (I myself was watching it on television during class in elementary school). So many bands try to offer uniqueness in extreme metal and Vattnet Viskar accomplishes that with Settler. Plus, the album has guitar solos!

http://vattnetviskar.com

18) Dead in the Manger - Cessation

I really enjoy listening to this album. It just blazes right through. And the obscurity of Dead in the Manger’s members is a bit intriguing. Who are these guys? What country(s) do they hail from? Why did they choose to be anonymous? I’m guessing this is a supergroup of sorts and the members are pulling a Richard Bachman (the alias Stephen King used to see if his writing could stand on its own). Or maybe they realize their name could be a bit offensive to some folks, so better safe than sorry!? Adding to the mystery, the tracks are all numbered. In order of course. Check out their EP Transience from last year. Burns just as fast.

http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/cessation

17) Khemmis - Absolution

The closing song The Bereaved is a soaring take on the doom metal genre. I like the dichotomy between the vocalists (one brings the melody, one tries to lose his voice). Definitely a tribute to Pallbearer (which in itself is a tribute to Warning, which is a tribute to…well, you get it). Looking forward to see where Khemmis goes next. And did you guys completely make up your name?

https://khemmis.bandcamp.com

16) Magic Circle - Journey Blind

Brendan Radigan is the real deal. It may sound like hyperbole, but I’ll say it anyway: no metal band on this continent has a vocalist who sounds better. He is the male version of Ann Wilson from Heart. Their 2013 debut Magic Circle was a surprise to many because most of the members are involved in the Boston hardcore scene. So for them to get together and play a version of doom metal that pays tribute but also innovates was a bit of a curve ball. Each song is outstanding, not only for Radigan’s vocal performance, but also for each musician’s soulful presentation of great American metal music. In a weird way, I kind of feel Ronnie James Dio would be a huge fan of this band if he were still alive.

http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/journey-blind-2

15) Obsequiae - Aria of Vernal Tombs

Check out the cover on this one. What can we say about it, other than it seems unique for a metal band? I’d like to think the artwork for Aria of Vernal Tombs is the antithesis of Black Sabbath’s debut album Black Sabbath. On that one, we see what might be a church at what might be near dusk with who might be a woman or a nun or a witch or a...yikes! With Obsequiae’s latest, we see what might be a cemetery in what is definitely daylight with a beautifully manicured lawn and leafy trees. What does this say? Hell if I know. This is folky-black metal by a band from Minnesota with a member that plays the “medieval harp”. Wha? Oh, and the drummer also took part in recording my top album of 2015. See below! Anyway, a great combo of folky riffs and blackish licks.

http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/aria-of-vernal-tombs-2

14) Fell Ruin - Devices

Yes, I listen to a lot of black metal, and much of its can sound repetitive, but this recording is different. These guys from Detroit come out of the gates swinging and kicking and jabbing and - boom! Their metal attack on Devices is relentless. Quite doom-y in some spots, black-y and death-y in others, Fell Ruin is definitely a band to watch. And the cover is eerie to me.

https://fellruin.bandcamp.com

13) False - Untitled (2015)

How many bands insist on using “Untitled” as the title of their album these days? Plenty. How many of them use that title more than once? False of Minneapolis, Minnesota did it twice, which is why I added the year of their latest to the title. While the band may not be all that creative in naming their albums, they are a fierce USBM crew. And maybe the best part is that the sinister person behind the scratchy, evil, tormented vocals belongs to - a girl! She’s only identified as Rachel. Listening to Untitled (again, the one False released this year, not in 2012!) is like watching the menacing clouds from an approaching storm swirl around in the sky. You know bad stuff is coming, you just don’t know exactly when.

https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-2015

12) VI - De Praestigiis Angelorum

This has to be the soundtrack to a really bad, vivid dream I had after taking cold medicine. A side project (or maybe not) of the French black metal band Aosoth. A lot of bands, particularly in that country, strive to create the sound popularized by the mighty Deathspell Omega (which I’m hoping will release a new album soon…) and so it can be tedious to weed out the good from the bad from the great from the just okay. De Praestigiis Angelorum is great and it is powerful, powerful stuff.

https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/de-praestigiis-angelorum

11) Horrendous - Anareta

This band (based in Philadelphia...yo!) knocked another release out of the park. Their last one, Ecdysis, was a come-out-of-nowhere death metal experience that paid tribute to the death metal bands of yesteryear (Death, et al) and used elements from other genres (including glam metal if you can believe it) to freshen things up a bit (and Ecdysis was #2 on my Top Albums list of 2014). Anareta is an album that is unique and one that only Horrendous can make. Much respect to the local band whose name could also be used to describe our pro basketball team. Oh, and another awesome cover, guys!

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/anareta

10) Voices - London

I was rather disappointed when I heard Akercocke broke up. Then I realized some of the members went to form a new band called Voices (a poor choice in a band name because it is virtually impossible to search for their music on Spotify or the internet in general - “voices” is a common name, dude!). These British gents are just as technically superb and dressed up as the fallen Akercocke. Blimey! Anyway, London is a concept album about the inner grunginess of one of the largest cities in the world. I have no idea how a band plays this fast, but they do. And the vocal/guitar melodies when they slow down a bit are great as usual. If you get a chance, also pick up Voices’ debut, which has the intentionally meaningless title From the Human Forest Create a Fugue of Imaginary Rain.

https://candlelightrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/album/london

9) Nevoa - The Absence of Void

A two-man black metal crew from Portugal. The first track is fabulous and the album spills right out from there. The recording shimmers in quality. One pondering thought, though - the drummer only hits the bass drum on the 1′s and 3′s when performing a blast beat, rather than the 1′s 2′s 3′s and 4′s. We call this an economy blast because it is so hard to get the feet moving as fast as your hands. Sorry for getting so technical, but it sort of takes the thunder out of the drumming on Absence of Void. Otherwise, me lika da juice...

https://nevoaofficial.bandcamp.com

8) Deafheaven - New Bermuda

Hipster or not, Deafheaven flat out rocks. I feel they’ve taken a playbook from the legendary Pantera in that with each subsequent release, they get even heavier. I’ve read predictions from some music reviewers after the release of Sunbather that George Clarke and Kerry McCoy would seek to sand down Deafheaven’s rougher edges, maybe tone down the screaming vocals, add some female singing and stop the blast beats. They’ve done none of this. The band plays just as fast, if not faster, the riffs are chunkier and the vocals are even nastier. I asked a member of my band to listen to New Bermuda (my band plays alternative and classic rock, not this stuff) and he immediately used the term “shoegaze”. When you hear Deafheaven, you know it’s Deafheaven.

https://deafheavens.bandcamp.com/album/new-bermuda

7) Grima - Devotion to Lord

This atmospheric black metal release caught my attention immediately. The album is presented as a document, not as individual parts. The intense beauty of Devotion to Lord’s ambient sections are entrancing and the heavy stuff is great too. Grima hails from Siberia (yeah, that place in Russia) so I’m sure the loneliness and bitter cold plays a part in their songwriting. Brrr.

https://naturmachtproductions.bandcamp.com/album/devotion-to-lord

6) Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

I find it amusing that everyone describes the single man behind Panopticon as “kind.” Where do you get that in this type of metal? Austin Lunn is a multi-trick pony who plays guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, sings and - oh, he’s a master brewer in the upper Midwest with a family to support. But his virtuosity on the drum kit is Lunn’s main strength. Spinning Autumn Eternal is like listening to a black metal version of the drum tracks to the movie “Whiplash” (which I thought was a fantastic film, whether I’m a drummer or not). I’ve noticed that Panopticon has carved out its own niche of extreme metal with more and more bands seeking this particular sound in their music (see my number one album for an example). And that’s great. This guy is so meticulous with his songwriting and recording. Each Panopticon release is a gem in its own right, so Austin - thanks for living up to the hype again!

https://thetruepanopticon.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-eternal

5) Sivyj Yar -  Поминальные холсты (Burial Shrouds)

While Drudkh continues to release new music that pales in comparison to the days of Blood in the Wells and Microcosmos, the Russian one-man black/folk musician Vladimir presents us with the awesome Поминальные холсты, Sivyj Yar’s latest release (which translates as Burial Shrouds, or as Google Translate prefers, Funeral Canvases).

The album weaves together great rock riffing, intense tremolo picking and a top-notch climax that brings this album to a perfect conclusion. I’m hearing some mid-period Nachtmystium in this (which I love), although I doubt Vladimir is attempting it or has even heard of the defunct Chicago band (now reanimated in the latest version of Abigail Williams, but that’s another story). Another great edition to the Sivyj Yar discography.

https://sivyjyar.bandcamp.com

4) A Pregnant Light - No Longer N 2 U

A Pregnant Light made the top spot of my Top Albums list of 2014. I still listen to My Game Doesn’t Have a Name often, sometimes weekly (which is saying something because I consume a lot of new music). Damian Master is as prolific as ever, releasing several new ones from his plethora of bands on Colloquial Sound Recordings, including three from his main band APL.

No Longer N 2 U isn’t an album. It’s not even an EP. And I’m no longer n 2 (he he) the B-side song, a remix of My Game’s “Fresh Flower Offering.” In fact I never was. That is how strong this single is.

APL has morphed into an exciting combination of American black metal, Social Distortion, The Smiths, Joy Division and has a confidence and sensuality that is just not seen or even attempted in extreme metal.

https://colloquialsoundrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/no-longer-n-2-u

3) Elder - Lore

This is a massively rockin’ doom metal album. Elder, of Massachusetts, stormed out of the gates of 2015 with a take on the genre that was part throwback, part refreshing and in a strange way … hugely uplifting. There are parts of Lore that had me gripping my seat - the riffs are that good. I am a big fan of Pallbearer but there seems to be too much of that weepy, teary doom metal being released these days. The vocalist is solid and convincing, almost soulful at times. This is doom with a kick in the pants, with a progressive presentation that reminds me of the great days of fist-pumping, heavy arena rock.

https://beholdtheelder.bandcamp.com/album/lore

2) Volahn - Aq’Ab’Al

If I told you a great black metal scene is emerging in Los Angeles and one of the main bands incorporates Spanish acoustic guitar riffing with a vocalist who sings (gurgles, growls, screams, etc.) in a language native to the indigenous people of Central America and cover art that reminds you of Maya artwork, would you believe me?

Volahn uses unconventional guitar sounds and even flutes to give us a new take on the USBM scene. Thank goodness for Bandcamp because I would have never heard this one. I’m sure the lo-fi production is intentional, but even so, the musicianship is quite impressive and the individual tracks take interesting and unexpected turns to maintain your interest. Many great tracks on this one.

https://crepusculonegro.bandcamp.com/album/cn-26-aqabal

1) Nechochwen - Heart of Akamon

It wasn’t even close with this one. Nechochwen is a two-man project from West Virginia that hangs out in a room filled with sounds of early Ulver, Agalloch, Panopticon, some Enslaved and a topping of acoustic-y Opeth. And they pull it off so well, with every song, every melody and every lyric claimed as their own. They wrote this whole album on the plight of the Native American. Not a typical extreme metal topic, which adds to its freshness. The song “October 6, 1813″ (which I’m guessing refers to a battle during the War of 1812 involving the Tecumseh Confederacy - thanks Google!) is perfect. The acoustic ballad weaves through the speakers with spot on vocals and a minimalist drum groove that catches you instantly.

Nechochwen is the freshest thing going in American extreme metal right now and worthy of the top spot in my Top 21 Albums of 2015. Congrats boys!

Matt O'Donnell at The Phantom Menace Premiere in 1999

MEET THE FIRST FEMALE VILLAIN OF STAR WARS