New Releases Summer 2014

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Downset - TBA
Madball - Hardcore Lives

I had no idea Downset still put out music. I had the first 2 back in the day. I don't really think I could listen to that style much now, but as a teenager "Anger" and "Pocket Full of Fat Caps" really got me fired up.

Madball...I will probably give this a listen. I don't think I've bought a record since Look My Way. But they could be a fun band to revisit.

I'm not holding my breath for a new Downset album. They'd been broken up for years but reformed last year or so. I guess some of the original members asked all the other original members to reform and many refused, including Rey, the singer. So they recruited some new guys, including a new singer. They released a really good single, did some tours, but then maybe they were doing too well. A few months back the other original members, including Rey, reformed and started booking shows.

So who knows what'll happen. The version of the band with the new singer basically said they wouldn't compete with the other version, which sucks because they were the Downset planning a new album! =( So we'll see.

Here is that one new song they released (this upload doesn't sound great, though):



And here is a new Madball video. They're still awesome!

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

I like Opeth, but I only have their first three at this point.

The Opeth now is quite different from the first 3 and some of the proceeding ones. All death metal influence has been removed and the progressiveness has taken over. Nothing wrong with that, but the last one I heard was a little too hard for me to get into. Not easy to find something so proggy as to be too much for even a prog fan like me. That's just me though.

Wovenwar's debut finally has a release date: August 5th. Don't know if I'm going to pre-order it yet.

Madball are easily my favorite hardcore band nowadays.

Thrasher73 wrote:

Madball are easily my favorite hardcore band nowadays.

They're so good. Especially now that they have Woody Harrelson on vocals.

DallasBlack wrote:

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

I like Opeth, but I only have their first three at this point.

The Opeth now is quite different from the first 3 and some of the proceeding ones. All death metal influence has been removed and the progressiveness has taken over. Nothing wrong with that, but the last one I heard was a little too hard for me to get into. Not easy to find something so proggy as to be too much for even a prog fan like me. That's just me though.

I've been surprised to hear the prog lite side of Opeth too, but I gotta say I actually prefer it. It's really well-written material that draws from a lot of unconventional points of inspiration. The leaked track has a U2-Smiths hybrid that I REALLY dig. I'm looking forward to it.

DallasBlack wrote:

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

I like Opeth, but I only have their first three at this point.

The Opeth now is quite different from the first 3 and some of the proceeding ones. All death metal influence has been removed and the progressiveness has taken over. Nothing wrong with that, but the last one I heard was a little too hard for me to get into. Not easy to find something so proggy as to be too much for even a prog fan like me. That's just me though.

I got into Opeth with Blackwater Park and absolutely LOVED Damnation (saw them live touring it). Their version of "prog" kind of irks me because it does what all modern prog bands seem to have a chubby for doing: it thinks that what made the old prog bands what they were was absurd playing chops and weird time signatures. Yeah, they did that stuff, but they also had SONGS and I haven't been hearing a lot of really amazing songs from Opeth since they started pushing hard in this direction (though, being fair, I haven't spent a TON of time with their last two albums, so maybe they're growers).

here's my favourite album for 2014 so far:

battleaxe - heavy metal sanctuary

if you haven't picked this one up yet, you should.

excellent speed metal masterpiece.