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Spice Meshuggirls

Posted March 3rd, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Local music wiz and Meshuggah fan Max Karon has made what is quite possibly the best quality Meshuggah-inspired mash-up I’ve ever heard. What is it about Meshuggah that makes people want to do these remix / mash-ups? After listening to the Spice Girls cover, check out the rest of his tunes in the player. Guy’s got skills!

Okay, so it’s not exactly Meshuggah, but take the heavitude of 7-string guitars, use some polyrhythmic beats and add the vocal tracks of the Spice Girls’ song, Wannabe, and you get the idea. Yes, there have been quite a few Meshuggah-inspired remixes, but none of them ever recorded with original material. Bravo Max, Bravo.

Get the full Maxperience at maxkaron.com

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7 New Tech-Death Bands to Look Out For in 2010

Posted February 26th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Progressive Death, Hardcore, Tech-Death, Death Metal, call the following bands any of those genres. What ever makes you think of really fast and technical death metal with flavors of Progressive Metal. Some of these bands are signed, some are not. Many of them are from the Sacramento valley, which surprisingly have quite a few (young) death metal bands. Definitely look for some bands from the Sacramento area to be making head-way this year.

Here they are, in alphabetical order, 7 new Tech-Death bands that you should check out:

Alighieri
Unsigned
Hometown: Tracy
Style: Heavy Melodic Death Metal.
Notable: Has shared the stage with a ton of metal bands.
http://www.myspace.com/alighierimetal

Anatropous
Unsigned
Hometown: Modesto
Style: Mix of Old-School Grindcore and Progressive Death Metal.
Notable: Drummer featured in SickDrummer magazine.
http://www.myspace.com/anatropous

Demyth
Unsigned
Hometown: “The Valley”
Style: Modern Death Metal with Flavors of Hardcore.
Notable: Look for them to be playing a big Death Metal show in March. Seeking a 4th member.
http://www.myspace.com/demythmetal

Fallujah
Unsigned
Hometown: Bay Area
Style: Progressive Death Metal.
Notable: Always seem to be on tour. New E.P. sounds tight.
http://www.myspace.com/fallujahbayarea

Rise of Caligula
Signed to 187
Hometown: “California”
Style: Black Metal meets Noisy Progressive Grindcore.
Notable: Already have two albums recorded.
http://www.myspace.com/riseofcaligula

The Antioch Synopsis
Unsigned
Hometown: Sacramento
Style: Progressive Spastic Death Metal
Notable: Shared the stage with The Faceless, Decrepit Birth and many others in the genre.
http://www.myspace.com/theantiochsynopsis

Wrath of Vesuvius
Signed to Abal Records
Hometown: Sacramento?
Style: Progressive Melodic Death Core.
Notable: Set to release a full-length CD this year.
http://www.myspace.com/thewrathofvesuvius

This is just a portion of the new bands that I’m sure are out there – but hopefully this helps!

-DS

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Obscura’s New Album A Breath of Fresh Metal

Posted February 16th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

I can’t remember the last time I was stoked about a new metal band coming out of Germany. Usually I’ll get an email from a German band saying, “Hey, check us out! We’re German (insert metal genre here)!” Of course, I’ll usually listen to their music because I’m a sucker, but my first impression is always the same: they sound like the villains from the Big Lebowski decided to start a mediocre metal band.

Obscura obviously deserve some recognition as a new global death metal band. Their style is a blend of new and old – almost what a modern Death might sound like today. Even some of their guitar riffs project a Death and Cynic vibe, and the fret-less bass most certainly adds to the feeling. For some reason, reverting to some tried and true techniques make them stand-out from the modern death metal “core” scene.

Cosmogenesis gets a 9/10 for Obscura’s great use of speed, variety and awesome guitar riffs that are rooted in classic death metal. The album is available for purchase and is streaming right now from their website. Obscura is on tour right now and will be in San Francisco on March 7th.

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Another Group of Young Bucks That Play Better Than You

Posted February 10th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Kids these days. When they’re not playing their xboxes and their facebooks and their skateboarding, they’re forming shredding metal bands like The Wrath of Vesuvius. The band, just signed to Abal Records, hails from the Sacramento area and has been playing shows up and down the valley and will continue with more shows in February and March. Their sound is a kind of blend of modern death metal and deathcore, although judging by their picture you’d think they were more of an alternative rock band.

Check out the song Declaring a Possession on their myspace page if you’re in the mood to hear some shreddery.

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Chico’s Armed for Apocalypse Opening for Sepultura

Posted February 5th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Sludge / Hardcore metal band Armed for Apocalypse, from Chico, California are opening up for Sepultura and Crowbar this April. Check it out:

A4A came through the Bay in December on tour, but their upcoming tour with Sepultura appears to be a Europe-only deal. You can read an awesome review of their show here. The band is signed to Metal Blade records and has tunes from their album Defeat up on their myspage page.

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Hatchet Thrash

Posted February 5th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

The final band in this week’s Thrash dedication toured the U.S. last year in support of their album, Awaiting Evil. Signed to Metal Blade records, Hatchet is the only band in this week’s list of Thrashers signed to a major record label. I caught their show at the end of the ‘09 tour, when they toured with Havok and opened for Warbringer (check out the show review). The bands, the venue and the people all made it one of the “truest” Thrash shows you could’ve ever witnessed. The band is full of Thrashy-goodness, with a good mix of modern Thrash double-bass and old-school Thrash vocals and guitar harmonies.

Check out their latest track Signals of Infection on their myspace page. Hatchet Thrash!

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Zombie Holocaust Thrash!

Posted February 4th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Today’s Thrash band in this week’s Thrash dedication week is Zombie Holocaust. Signed to indie label EBM records (same label as Hirax and other thrash bands), the Zombies have managed to thrash the Bay Area with their punked-laced metal for a a few years now, finally releasing their debut CD, Strike Force in 2009. These guys definitely have a party vibe going on at their shows, so anyone not paying attention better watch out!

Any album that has that much green on it can only sound one way – metal!

For more info about the band, including how to order their CD, check out their myspace page. Zombie Holocaust Thrash!

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Fog of War Thrash

Posted February 3rd, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Day 3 of Thrash week! Today’s Thrash band is Fog of War from Benicia. Fans of old Flotsam and Jetsam or King Diamond will appreciate Fog’s thrashing vocals and bass-forward sound in the mix. This is perhaps the only band so far this week with a vocalist that could pull-off the high-pitch screams and falsetto. There are also plenty of shredding guitar solos and harmonies to accompany said thrashing. Fog of War are not currently signed, but they have still managed to produce a self-titled CD, which you can find out more on from their myspace page.

Fog have made the rounds in the Bay Area along with many (if not all) of the other bands mentioned in this week’s Thrash dedication. And while there are no shows listed yet, I would look out for them to be playing more shows in 2010.

Keep track of the band and listen to their tunes on their myspace page. Fog of War Thrash!

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Laceration Thrash

Posted February 2nd, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

The second band in this week’s Thrash dedication is the Bay Area-based band Laceration. Formed in 2006, Laceration have been playing shows throughout the Bay Area and released an E.P. in 2008 titled Consuming Reality. The band lists Death Metal as an influence, and you can hear the darkness come through in their songwriting. The production on the E.P. is pretty “vintage”, but what do you expect when you’re on a metal budget!? Although the band has gone through quite a few line-up changes over the past few years, fans can expect some more shows and new recordings in 2010.

You can purchase their E.P., Consuming Reality by contacting the band, or check them out for free on their myspace page. Laceration Thrash!

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Invection Thrash

Posted February 1st, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

The first band in honor of this week’s Thrash dedication is Oakland-based Invection. Formed in 2007, Invection have played various shows throughout California and released an E.P. last November titled Demented Perception. The E.P. features lots of double-bass and epic Thrash riffing, and the production quality is pretty good, which gives it a modern Thrash sound. As a relatively young unsigned band, they have managed to work hard and make a name for themselves, opening for some big names like D.R.I. and Pro-Pain in the process.

You can purchase their E.P., Demented Perception from Stormspell Records, or check them out for free on their myspace page. The band is scheduled to play a show on the East Coast this summer, but I imagine that there will be plenty of shows closer to home before then. Invection Thrash!

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Thrash Week!

Posted February 1st, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

One of the best parts about living in the Bay Area is the primo selection of old-school and new-school Thrash bands. You obviously have the big guns like Exodus, Testament and Metallica, but there are also a bunch of young-guns that travel each week from dive to dive, Thrashing like it was 1985. So, we’re kicking-off February by taking a look at a few Thrash bands that the Bay Area has to offer. A dedication to tradition, if you will. Each day of the week we’ll post about an up-and-coming unsigned or independently-produced Thrash band that caught our attention and made us run around the house screaming, Thrash ’till death! So, stay tuned for our first Bay Area Thrash band of the week!

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Slaughterbox: Embrace your “inner squeal”.

Posted January 29th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

As if the artwork didn’t give it away, Northern California Death Metal band, Slaughterbox, have embraced their inner pig-squeal with a furious assault of Death Metal blast-beats and squealing vocals. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve heard drumbeats this fast anywhere. Is that even human? The band is currently in writing mode and will be recording next month. Until then, check out their tunes on their myspace page.

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Future Prog

Posted January 20th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

The Bay Area has a new progressive metal band (well, new to me), and they have a few heavy hitters laying down some powerful progressive tunes. Future’s End, which features familiar names like Steve DiGiorgio (bass) and Jon Allen (drums), released their album Memoirs of a Broken Man last year and it recently was voted the #1 progressive metal album in 2009 by USA Progressive Music Magazine. It goes without saying then, that fans of Symphony X, Dream Theater and Jag Panzer will dig Future’s End.

Despite the accolades, they haven’t played too many shows, perhaps because they are involved in multiple projects. The next show will be in Concord at the Jeff Baker benefit concert. In the meantime, hear some of their new songs on their myspace page.

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Slaughter Of the Bluegrass Bring Some Death to the Banjo Scene

Posted January 16th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Slaughter of the Bluegrass is a Swedish bluegrass band that takes Death Metal songs and “bluegrass-ifies” them. This kind of thing has been done before, but what can I say – I’m easily amused. I just listened to bluegrass versions of songs by Amon Amarth, At the Gates and Dark Tranquility. If anything, this band may be a good “gateway” band to luring in others from outside the metal world…

Slaughter of the Bluegrass is a band that plays unplugged versions of death metal songs. We use traditional bluegrass instruments and arrangement ideas and try to keep the essence of each song we cover.

People ask us why we choose to play metal songs, and we answer them that we just want to play good songs, which in this case happens to be in that particular genre. As it turned out, people who aren’t used to hearing growling vocals, guitars drenched is distorsion and heavy drums, could still appreciate these compositions, only in a new form.

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Animals As Leaders, Whoa.

Posted January 16th, 2010 by DS Check These Guys Out

Why haven’t I heard of these guys sooner?

I usually make a habit of listening to all of the bands that roll through the Bay Area. In the previous post you’ll notice that Animals is Leaders are coming through town on a Sumerian Records sponsored tour. Sumerian Records sign a lot of technical death metal bands, like The Faceless, so I didn’t really give all of the bands on this tour much of a listen because, well, they all sound kind of similar. Good, but similar. Animals though, they seem to be a whole ‘nother deal. They’re like Cynic on steroids, with a touch of Meshuggah, no vocals and a bitchin’ Jazz vibe.

The Washington D.C. based band released their self-titled album last year on Prosthetic Records, and you can hear some of it on their myspace page. These guys are friggin’ good.

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