Blog

#
That 1 Guy*3
27
3 Inches of Blood*5
36 Crazyfists*2
The 69 Eyes
98 Degrees

A
Abigail Williams
The Absence
Abysmal Dawn
The Acacia Strain
A Dozen Furies
A Bloodshed Nightmare
A Life Once Lost
A Perfect Circle
A Static Lullaby
AC/DC
Acid Mothers Guru
Aerosmith
AFI*3
Ahab
Akakor
Alice in Chains
Alien Ant Farm
All State Champion
All That Remains*3
ALO
Amenra
American Steel
Amon Amarth*2
AMON DÜÜL II
Angel Witch
Ankla
Anthrax*2
The Aquabats*2
Arch Enemy*5
Ares Kingdom
As I Lay Dying*4
Asesino
ASG
Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound
Atreyu*4
Nicole Atkins
Attack In Black
Auf der Maur
August Burns Red
Aura Noir
Avenged Sevenfold*2
Averse Sefira

B
Baby Woodrose
Sebastian Bach
Back Yard Tire Fire
Bad Religion
Baikal
Barn Burner
Baroness*3
Bedouin Soundclash*2
Beehover*2
Behemoth*3
Belphegor
Bergrime Exemious*2
The Berzerker
Between The Buried & Me*4
Bif Naked*2
Big Business*2
Billy Talent
Bison*3
Black Betty
The Black Dahlia Murder*4
The Black Keys
Black Kids
Black Label Society*4
The Black Lips*2
Black Sabbath*3
The Blakes
Bleeding Through
Blood Shot Eye
Bloodvoid
Blues Traveler
Bobaflex
Boris*2
David Bowie
Broken Social Scene
The Brunettes
Bullet For My Valentine
Burning Brides
Burnt face jack
Bury Your Dead

C
Cage the Elephant
Cain Was Able
Caliban
Cannibal Corpse*3
The Capricorns
Lionel Cartwright
The Casualties
Cathedral
Cat Power*2
Cephalic Carnage
Children of Bodom*4
Chimaira*2
ChthoniC
Church of Misery
Circa Survive
Circle Jerks
Circus Diablo
City & Colour
CKY
The Cliks
The Clouds*2
Clutch*5
Coal Chamber
Coheed & Cambria*2
Cold
Coldplay
Colour Haze
The Constantines
Converge
Copeland
Chris Cornell*2
Corrosion of Conformity*2
Cradle of Filth*3
Creed
Cryptic
Crystal Castles
CSS
The Cult*3
Cult of Luna
Cynic

D
D.O.A.
Daath*2
Dala
Damageplan
danava*2
Dark Forest
Dark Tranquility*2
Darkest Hour
Daughters
Dead Shape Figure
Dead Trip
The Dears*4
Death Cab for Cutie
Death From Above 1979
Death Toll Rising
Decapitated
Deftones*11
Destroyer 666
Dethklok
DevilDriver*10
The Devils Blood*2
The Devil Wears Prada
Die Mannequin*3
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Diminshed
Dimmu Borgir*2
Dir en grey*3
The Distillers
Disturbed*2
Divine Heresy*3
Divinity
Dixie Witch
Dope
Down*4
Down The Sun*2
Dragontears
Dream Theater*2
dredg
Dropkick Murphys
Drowning Pool
Dry Kill Logic
Dub Trio

E
E. Town Concrete
Early Man
Earth
Econoline Crush*2
Eisley
Electric Orange
Electric Touch
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves
Embrace
The End
Engine Down
Ensiferum
Enslaved
Everclear
Everest
Every Time I Die
Exit Strategy*2
The Explosion
Explosions in the Sky

F
The Fall of Troy*3
Farflung
Fear Factory*3
Fieldy's Dreams
Finger Eleven*9
Firewind
Five Horse Johnson
The Flaming Lips
Flogging Molly*2
Flying Fortress
Foo Fighters*4
Fornication
George Fox
Donavon Frankenreiter*2
From Autumn to Ashes
From First to Last
Fu Manchu
Full Blown Chaos
Funeral for a Friend
Further Seems Forever

G
The Gathering
The Gasoline Angels*2
G. Love & Special Sauce*2
Genghis Tron
Gizmachi
Glasspack
Gnarls Barkley
Goatwhore*4
God Forbid*4
Godsmack*3
Gojira*3
Gomer Pyle
Good Charlotte
Grails
Sebastien Grainger*2
Grand Magus
Great Nothern
Green Day*2
Emm Gryner
Groundhogs
Guns N' Roses
The Gutter Twins*2
GWAR*4

H
H20
Hail the Villian
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton
Hanzel und Gretyl
Hatebreed*3
The Haunted*2
Heaven and Hell
Hella*2
Helms Alee
High on Fire*3
HIM
The Horrorpops
HORSE the band
The House That Gloria Vanderbilt
hrom
Huey Dunbar
Hypocrisy

I
Idlewild
If Hope Dies
Ignite
In Flames*8
In This Moment*2
Incubus*4
Invitro
Iron Lung
Iron & Wine*3
Iron Maiden*3
Isis*9
It Dies Today

J
Jeremy Fisher
Jesu*3
Job for a Cowboy*3
Jack Johnson*3
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Jucifer
Judas Priest
Jughead's Revenge

K
Kataklysm
Kayne West
Scott Kelly
KEN mode
The Kills
Killswitch Engage*10
Kilyakai
Kittie
Korpiklaani
KoЯn*2
Krisiun

L
Lacuna Coil*2
Lamb of God*8
Lao Tzu
Last Rosary
Lauren Harris
Lay To Waste
Lazaurus AD
Lesbian
Liars
Life of Agony
Limb Lifter
Limp Bizkit*2
Linkin Park*2
Lionize
Living Things
Corb Lund
Lordi
Love and Rockets
Lycophile

M
Machine Head*2
Madball
Magna-Fi
Mamiffer
Mantis
Margot & The Nuclear So And Sos
Marilyn Manson*3
Mars Volta*3
Maserati
Mastodon*4
Matt Costa
Matthew Good*9
Matthew Good Band*3
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
Megadeth*3
Melvins
Meshuggah*2
Metallica*2
Metric*3
Mew
MGMT
Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Millencolin*2
Ministry
Minsk
Mishka
Moby*2
Moments in Grace
Money Money
Mono*2
Moonspell*2
Mother Mother
Motorhead*2
Motorpsycho
Mudvayne*3
Mugison*2
múm
Mushroomhead
The Music*4
My Chemical Romance*4
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult
My Morning Jacket*2

N
Nadja
Napalm Death
Nashville Pussy*2
The National
Necrofaith
Negura Bunget
Neurosis
Nevermore
The New Deal
Nickelback*2
Nile
Nine Inch Nails*3
No Use for a Name*3
NOFX*2
Noize Tribe Zero
Norma Jean*2
Norrath
Novembers Doom
Nuna'y

O
Obituary
The Octopus Project
The Offspring*2
Okkervil River
Oliver Miguel Quinteto
OM
Omega Massif
Ndidi Onukwulu
Opeth*7
Orange Goblin
Ozzy Osbourne*4
Otep
Our Lady Peace*2
OutKast

P
Paegan
Pantera
Papa Roach*2
The Parlor Mob
Pearl Jam*3
Pelican*6
Pennywise*3
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Pig Destroyer
Pigmy Love Circus
Pinhed
PJ Harvery*2
Poison the Well*3
The Polyphonic Spree
Porcupine Tree*3
Porn
Powerman 5000
Pride Tiger
Priestess
Project Wyze*2
Protest the Hero*2

Q
Queens of the Stone Age*9

R
The Raconteurs
Radiohead*2
Radio Moscow
Josh Radin
Rafael-Energía Dominicana
Rage Against the Machine
Ramesses
Rancid*5
The Red Chord*2
Red Hot Chili Peppers*2
Red Sparowes
Reflux
Repoman
Reverend Horton Heat
Rinôçérôse
Rise Against*2
Josh Ritter
River Boat Gamblers
Rob Zombie*3
Roger Waters
Rose Kemp
Xavier Rudd*4
Rush

S
Sacred Ally/artist]
Sage Francis
Saint Vitus
Savannah
Sawyer Brown
Say Anthing
Kelli Scarr
Scars of Tomorrow*2
Scope Monkey Trial
Scratching Post
Senses Fail
seven that spells
Seven Year Itch
Sever The Silence
Shadows Fall*2
Shout Out Louds
The Showdown
Shuvel
Silverstein*2
Sin Fang Bous
Sittin Idol*2
Ska Cubano
Skarp
Skrape
Slayer*7
Sleepercar
Slipknot*6
Sloan*2
Slough Feg
Snake Mountain*2
Snoop Dogg*2
Snow Patrol
Social Distortion
Soilwork*2
Soulfly*3
Sparta*2
Stars
Static-X
Steel Pulse
Still Remains*2
Stolen Babies
Stone Temple Pilots
Story of the Year
Strapping Young Lad*2
Strata
Street Drum Corps
Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky
Suffocation*2
Suicide Silence
Sunshine
Superjoint Ritual
Supersuckers*2
The Sword
Sworn Enemy*2
System of a Down

T
Taint
The Tall Firs
Tapes N' Tapes
Taproot
Team Sleep
The Tea Party*7
Tekila
Terror
These Arms Are Snakes
Thine Eyes Bleed*2
Three
Three Days Grace*2
Thrice*5
Thrones
Through the Eyes of the Dead
Throw Rag*2
Throwdown*4
Thursday*4
Tiger Army
The Ting Tings
Tokyo Police Club
Tombs
To Scale the Throne
Tool*7
Tosca
The Tragically Hip
Transplants
Randy Travis
Tribes of Neurot
Tricky
Trivium*7
Trouble
Turisas

U
U2*2
Ufomammut
Unearth*6
The Unseen
Urheimat
The Used

V
The Vandals
Jane Vain & The Dark Matter
Velvet Revolver*2
Verbal Deception
Voivod*3

W
The Waking Eyes*2
Butch Walker
Walls of Jericho
Warbringer
Warmarch
Watain
Mike Watt
The Wednesday Night Heroes
Weird Al Yankovic
West Indian Girl
The Whigs
The White Stripes
Wide Mouth Mason
Wil
Wild Sweet Orange
William Elliot Whitmore
The Winchester Club
Steve Winwood
Witch
Witchcraft*2
Wolfmother
Wolves in the Throne Room*2
Woodpigeon
Woods of Ypres
Michelle Wright

Y
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Year Long Diaster
Pete Yorn*2
Neil Young
The Young Gods

Z
Zeus
Zeni Geva
Zombie
Zozobra*2
ZZ Top

If it isn't on this list and it is in my charts, that means I downloaded it and will be buying it eventually. (Either that or I bought it and haven't added it this list yet.)
If you download something and you like it, buy it.

Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea
Ahab - Divinity of Oceans
...and Oceans - The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts
Aborted - Slaughter and Apparatus: A Methodical Overture
The Absence - From Your Grave
The Absence - Riders of the Plague
Acid Bath - Demos '93 - '96
Aeon - Rise to Dominate
Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
Agalloch - The Mantle
Agalloch - Pale Folklore
Agathodaimon - Chapter III
Akercocke - Antichrist
All Else Fails - All Else Fails
Amon Amarth - The Avenger
Amon Amarth - Versus The World
Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns
Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
Amorphis - Silent Waters
Atheist - Elements
Atheist - Piece of Time
Atheist - Unquestionable Presence
At the Gates - The Red in the Sky is Ours
At The Gates - Terminal Spirit Disease
At The Gates - Suicidal Final Art
Averse Sefira - Advent Parallax
Bathory - Hammerheart
Behemoth - The Apostasy
Benighted - Insane Celphalic Production
Between the Buried and Me - Alaska
Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery
Bolt Thrower - ...For Victory
Burzum - Det Som Engang Var
Callenish Circle - Your Passion, My Pain
Callenish Circle - [Pitch.Black.Effects]
Cannibal Corpse - Kill
Cannibal Corpse - Vile
Carcass - Heartwork
Carpathian Forest - Fuck You All!
Cephalic Carnage - Xenosapien
Crematorium - For All Our Sins
Crematory - Act Seven
Cryptopsy - Ungentle Exhumation
Cryptopsy - And Then You'll Beg
Cryptopsy - None So Live
Cryptopsy - Once Was Not
Dark Forest - Aurora Borealis
Dark Lunacy - The Diarist
Dark Tranquillity - Skydancer
Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery
Dark Tranquillity - The Mind's I
Dark Tranquillity - Haven
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done (Russian release)
Dark Tranquillity - Exposures: In Retrospect and Denial
Dark Tranquillity - Lost to Apathy
Dark Tranquillity - Character
Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
Death - Individual Thought Patterns
Death - Leprosy
Death - Symbolic
Death - Spiritual Healing
Death - The Sound of Perseverance
Decapitated - Organic Hallucinosis
Deicide - Once Upon the Cross
Deranged - The Redlight Murder Case
Dethklok - The Dethalbum
Detonation - An Epic Defiance
Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropy
Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon
Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane
Dragonlord - Black Wings of Destiny
Drawn and Quartered - Merciless Hammer of Lucifer
Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
Dream Theater - Awake
Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Drudkh - Microcosmos
Earth - Hibernaculum
Eluveitie - Spirit
Eluveitie - Slania
Emperor - Emperor/Wrath Of The Tyrant
Enforsaken - The Forever Endeavor
Enslaved - Blodhemn
Enslaved - Mardraum
Enslaved - Below The Lights
Enslaved - Vertebrae
Epicurean - A Consequence of Design
Equilibrium - Sagas
Fear Factory - Demanufacture
Fear Factory - Digimortal
Fear Factory - Obsolete
Fear My Thoughts - Vulcanus
Fields of the Nephilim - Revelations
Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup
Graveworm - Engraved in Black
Grimbane - Let The Empires Fall
Heidevolk - Wallhalla Wacht
The Hidden Hand - The Ressurection of Whiskey Foote
Horde Of Worms - Wormageddon
Hypocrisy - The Arrival
Hypocrisy - Virus
Hypocrisy - A Taste of Extreme Divinity
Impaled - The Last Gasp
In Flames - Whoracle
In Flames - Colony
In Flames - Clayman
In Flames - Reroute to Remain
In Flames - Soundtrack to Your Escape
Job for a Cowboy - Genesis
Judas Iscariot - ...The Cold Earth Slept Below...
Kalmah - Swamplord
Kalmah - They Will Return
Kalmah - The Black Waltz
Kalmah - For The Revolution
Kataklysm - Serenity in Fire
Kataklysm - Into The Arms of Devastation
Korpiklaani - Spirit Of The Forest
Korpiklaani - Voice of Wilderness
Korpiklaani - Tales Along This Road
Korpiklaani - Korven Kuningas
Lords Of The Mountain - The Journey Began
Marduk - La Grande Danse Macabre
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Metallica - ...And Justice for All
Melechesh - As Jerusalem Burns
Melechesh - Emissaries
Merauder - Master Killer
Mercenary - The Hours That Remain
Mercenary - 11 Dreams
Moonsorrow - V: Havitetty
Moonsorrow - Tulimyrsky EP
Moonlit Burial - Our Disgrace
Naglfar - Sheoul
Nasum - Helvete
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Nile - Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka
Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines
Nile - Ithyphallic
Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
Novembers Doom - Into Night's Requiem Infernal
Obituary - Anthology
Obituary - Slowly We Rot/Cause Of Death (Double CD)
Obituary - Frozen In Time
Obituary - Xecutioner's Return
Obituary - Left to Die
Old Man's Child - The Pagan Prosperity
Old Man's Child - In Defiance of Existence
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Opeth - Deliverance
Opeth - Damnation
Opeth - Still Life
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Opeth - Watershed
Origin - Echoes of Decimation
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
Primordial - A Journey's End
Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
Psycroptic - Scepter of the Ancients
Psycroptic - Ob(servant)
Quo Vadis - Day Into Night
Rotting Christ - Khronos 666
Rammstein - Mutter
Samael - Passage
Samael - Aeonics
Satyricon - Volcano
Sentenced - Down
Sentenced - Buried Alive
Sentenced - The Cold White Light
Slipknot - Iowa
Sonata Arctica - The Collection
Sonata Arctica - Unia
Strapping Young Lad - City
Strapping Young Lad - SYL
Suffocation - Suffocation
Summoning - Oath Bound
Sunn O))) - Black One
Swallow the Sun - Ghosts of Loss
3 Inches of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
!T.O.O.H.! - Order and Punishment
Turisas - The Varangian Way
Tyr - By The Light of the Northern Star
Ulver - Nattens Madrigal - Vatten Hymne til Ulven i Manden
Unleashed - Midvinterblot
Vehemence - Helping the World to See
Vehemence - God Was Created
Verbal Deception - Aurum Piraticus Aetus
Vintersorg - Solens Rotter
Vital Remains - Dechristianize
Vital Remains - Icons of Evil
Warbringer - War Without End
Wolves in the Throne Room - Diadem of 12 Stars
Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters
Wintersun - Wintersun
Woods of Ypres - Against the Seasons
Woods of Ypres - Pursuit of the Sun and Allure of the Earth
Woods of Ypres - Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues
Wurdulak - Severed Eyes of Possession
XXX Maniak/Coffins - The Cracks of Doom

Various Artists - Under The Pagan Moon
Various Artists - Roadrunner United: The All-Star Sessions
Various Artists - Nuclear Blast All-Stars
Various Artists - Century Media Records 10th Anniversary Box Set Collection
Various Artists - Century Media - Covering 20 Years of Extremes
Various Artists - Metal: A Headbanger's Companion
Various Artists - Metal: A Headbanger's Companion II
Various Artists - Seasons of Death; A Triple Attack of Technical Death Metal (Box Set containing: Council of the Fallen - Deciphering The Soul, Polterchrist - Engulfed By The Swarm, and Abaddon Incarnate - The Last Supper)

Let me just start by saying that I'm not even going to touch the ridiculous meme journal, because everyone knows those are always rubbish in the first place. No, I'm talking about the simple but effective troll journal.

Really, there's nothing to it, all you have to do is say "METAL SUCKS, ANYONE WHO LIKES IT IS A FAGGOT", and voila, you have 300 comments of 'true metalheads' (read: Manowar fans) saying random shit such as:

"FUCK YOU POSER FAGGOT"
"GET AIDS JEWB"
"I RAPE YOU FUCKER"
"METAL PWNS YOUR SHIT MUSIC CUNT"
"DIE FAG"
"YOU LISTEN TO *insert crappy band* SO KILL YOURSELF UNTRUE EMO"

[Caps is intentional, kvlt kiddies can really be stupid]

We get it, kvlt kiddies are semi-retarded children who throw their own shit at anyone who actually (gasp) DISAGREES WITH THEIR OPINION. And going back to it a little, Manowar is mostly to blame for the kvlt kiddie culture we know today. But, that's another topic for another day.

Problem is that, although still effective to an extent, there are far too many people who can easily see through its transparency and say "yep, troll journal, move along kids". And even worse than this is the journal that attacks music genres EVERYONE knows sucks (ie. pop) and only incites 90% of those who red it to laugh at its hopelessness (the other 10% actually fall for it and try to 'defend' the music). Of course, someone out there will one day finally discover a fresh way to troll random Last.FM users into complete oblivion (perhaps this is a clarion call to start attacking zeuhl listeners...scratch that, zeuhl listeners actually have intelligence), but until I see it with my own eyes...

R.I.P. Troll Journals ????-2008

PLAYLIST MAR 06 2008


Strapping Young Lad - Satan's Ice Cream Truck
Zimmer's Hole - Hair Doesn't Grow On Steel
3 Inches of Blood - Destroy The Orcs
--------------------------------------------------------------

Burning Caskets - Resurrection Of Filth
Cephalectomy - Dominus Infernus Vobiscum
DownLord - Wake Up & Smell The Species
Paroxysm - Regime Of Holy Terror
--------------------------------------------------------------

Coffin Birth - The Pain Of Being Dead
Besieged - Visions Of Pain
Hellwitch - Purveyor Of Fear
Betrayer - Headed For Disaster
Sacrifice - Re-Animator
--------------------------------------------------------------

Cryptopsy - Graves Of The Fathers
Atheretic - The Invisible Force
Disgust - Negativity
Horde Of Worms - The Dark
Exterminance - The Entity Of Eternity
-------------------------------------------------------------

Gross Misconduct - The War Breeds On
Wetwork - Depths Of Greed
The Cold Existence - Shadows Of The Past
Verbal Deception - Jewels Of The Dead
Grind Minded - Domestic Violence
---------------------------------------------------------------

No Souls Lost - Metaphysics Of Murder
Deamon - Human Cleansing
Afterfire - Hero
Thy Flesh Consumed - Kneel Before No One
---------------------------------------------------------------

BodySerpent - Uncovering The Shrouds
Mesrine - The Hunter
Profugus Mortis - United Under A Shadowed Nightsky
Unexpect - The Fall Of Arthrone
Augury - Alien Shores
--------------------------------------------------------------

Artep - Desolate Land
Triton Enigma - Hysteria
Wolven Ancestry - The Fountain Of Ageless Growth...
Vanquished - Black Northern Storm
---------------------------------------------------------------

Devin Townsend - Canada

PLAYLIST JAN 10 2008


Anvil - Metal On Metal
Razor - Evil Invaders
Slaughter - One Foot In The Grave
Slaughter - Death Dealer
Exterminance - The Entity Of Eternity
------------------------------------------------------------

Blasphemy - Demoniac
Crucifer - Dawn Of Time
Infernal Majesty - Death Of Heaven
Infernal Majesty - One Who Points To Death
Hellwitch - Purveyor Of Fear
---------------------------------------------------------------

Sacrifice - Pyrokinesis
Sacrifice - Re-Animator
Goat Horn - Right Heavy Metal
Odium - Waste Of Good Suffering
Grindminded - Domestic Violence
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Gorguts - Considered Dead
Gorguts - A Path Beyond Premonition
Negativa- Chaos In Motion
Obliveon - Cybervoid
Art 238 - Malformed Breed
------------------------------------------------------------------

Annihilator - Allison Hell
Annihilator - W.T.Y.D. (live)
Betrayer - Headed For Disaster
Rising Pain - Fear Of Destiny
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Exciter - Aggressor
Exciter - Rising Of The Dead
Catholicon - Embodiment Of All That Is Not
Piledriver - Battle-Axe
The Exalted Piledriver - Metal Inquisition (live)
---------------------------------------------------------------

Cauldron - Making Noise And Drinking Beer
The Everscathed - Raging In Unrest
Into Eternity - Timeless Winter
Verbal Deception - Jewels Of The Dead
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Voivod - The Getaway
Voivod - The Unknown Knows
DBC - The Genesis Explosion
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rush - YYZ (Live)

First off, I made a fucking Excel spreadsheet to tally up my monthly top artists for April.

I'll let that one sink in for a bit.

All right. On we go to my ten most listened-to artists of April 2007, which actually is more like thirteen artists as spot #10 is shared by three bands.

1. Cryptopsy (161 listens)
Talk about a surprise entry! Not only did these guys not appear on the March chart at all, but the chart itself was rather tame musically -- and now we've got Cryp-Fucking-Topsy appearing at the very top of the April chart!
Admittedly, I've always counted "None So Vile" (which is where virtually all of these listens came from) among my all-time favourite albums, but as it goes sometimes you kind of forget about the classics in order to check out newer stuff. Perhaps because I was in a pretty grim mood this month (and not the frostbitten kind of grim, either), "NSV" made one hell of a reappearance here.
And why not? It doubtlessly is one of the greatest Death Metal albums ever released. The musicianship is flawless, the vocals are some of the most out-there shit ever recorded, and the lyrics are simply exquisite. Seriously, I was reading along almost every time I listened to this. Not because I didn't understand a word (well, that too), but because Lord Worm displays an impressive degree of literary sophistication even or especially when tackling the staples of Death Metal themes: unleashing the unholy forces of Hell, slaying Jesus Christ, being a serial killer and all that jazz. Just look at lyrics like these...
They'll crawl in their perdition,
The righteous will be lost
Where gutted angels lie fucked...
Beneath the funeral cross;
We'll dig them a mass grave soon,
And bring to their knees
Those who would have rescinded
The laws of disease.

"The children have turned",
The cherubs wail,
As anticross triumphs
Where the cross has failed.

Hell-spawned majesty, we eagerly
Await the advent of the
Next millennium
When you will return with a swarm from
Beyond to claim your carnal
Lost dominion.
...and tell me that, while yes it's more or less the same old subject matter, it's not presented in an eloquent, innovative fashion, made all the more poignant by Lord Worm's utterly inhuman shrieking and growling.

Simply a great album, and a great band at the time.
Website: http://www.cryptopsy.net
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cryptopsy

2. Ivan Tsarevich (114 listens)
Oh, but what have we here? A fairly obscure metal band from Russia, playing a curious mix of epic Heavy Metal with Folk elements and influences (such as having not one, but two psaltery players). While they're decidedly metal, their overall sound is quite...Russian, if that makes any sense. This is to no small part thanks to their vocalist, who does a very impressive job and sounds curiously like he only just left the Red Army Choir. The psalteries add a very nice touch as well.
I find it pretty difficult to describe the sound of this band adequately; all I know is that it's some seriously good shit, so I recommend you head to their website (no MySpace that I could find, sadly) and listen to some MP3s. All these listens, incidentally, are from their 2007 album "Idu Na Vy", already one of this year's top albums for me.
Website: http://www.ivan-tzarevich.ru
MySpace: n/a

3. van Canto (91 listens)
Bit surprised to see these guys at #3 to be honest, as I don't really remember listening to them all that much lately. Still, "A Storm to Come" remains a nice album, and their "Battery" cover just slays time after time.
Website: http://www.vancanto.de
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/vancanto

4. Immolation (87 listens)
Ah yes. Part two of my "I need some heavy fucking shit" binge. Why I felt the need for some brutal stuff? I don't know. Maybe it's because I've been writing some DM lyrics of my own and had to get in the right mood.
Simple fact is that Immolation are an awesome band with a quite distinct sound. At least part of it can be attributed to Dolan's vocals, which manage to be incredibly brutal without actually being very extreme. Most of the time you can even understand what he's singing, but the vocals remain utterly crushing regardless. They also know how to write atonal, almost dissonant riffs, malicious by nature, coupled with some rather skilful drumming and sick leads. Though more technical in nature, they still easily out-brutalize many other bands that claim to be x-treeeeeeeme.

Their 2007 album "Shadows in the Light", which I owe many of these listens to (most of the rest came from "Close to a World Below"), is quite simply put excellent and a true return to form after the somewhat mediocre "Harnessing Ruin". Another one for the ol' year end list!
Website: http://www.everlastingfire.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/immolationny

5. Battleheart (86 listens)
Yarrrrrrr, me mateys! Battleheart be here, and they're playing Pirate Metal! Now, "Pirate Metal" by itself doesn't say a lot about the band's actual sound: there's the Speed Metal angle (Running Wild), the more malicious almost-Death Metal approach (Verbal Deception), and hell, there's even Pirate Hardcore (Scurvy). In the case of Battleheart, it's pretty straight-forward, hymnic Heavy Metal with some light Folk touches (accordion yay!). The "battle" in their band name is there for a reason, folks!
Their second EP "Terror on the High Seas", though only consisting of three "real" songs, is particularly outstanding; from the rousing hymn "Set Sail and Conquer" over the aggressive, almost thrashy title track to the awe-inspiring drinking song "Wenches and Mead", it serves up a broadside of pure ROCK. And hey, who's going to argue with lyrics like these?
HEY HEY
I WANT MORE WENCHES
HEY HEY
MORE WENCHES AND MEAD
HEY HEY
I WANT MORE WENCHES
LOTS OF WENCHES IS WHAT I NEED
Yeah, I didn't think so.

Both EPs they've recorded so far are available for free download from their website. Get to it!
Website: http://www.battleheart.celtiaproductions.co.uk
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/battleheartofficial

6. Dalriada (80 listens)
Yep, still hanging in there. "Kikelet" continues to enchant with wonderful melodies and somewhat raw, but sincere vocals. Dalriada know how to write catchy songs that do justice to both aspects of the Folk Metal tag. This album's here to stay.
Website: http://www.echoofdalriada.hu
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/echoofdalriadaband

7. Haydamaky (76 listens)
As a result of my desire for BROOTAL STUFF, wacky Ukrainian Ska/Punk was not in such high demand last month. Still, Haydamaky saw a fair bit of airtime regardless, mostly because their tunes simply are really cool. (That and I can't be arsed to listen to Death Metal all day.)
Website: http://www.haydamaky.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/haydamaky

8. Perkalaba (40 listens)
A band actually recommended to me via last.fm (thanks again, WandRoveR!).
What's better than one Ukrainian Ska/Punk band on your monthly chart? Why, two of them! Compared to their countrymen of Haydamaky, Perkalaba are notably more "chill" and emphasize the Ska side of things. I've only heard their 2004 release "Horrry!" so far, but it's a wonderfully smooth album to listen to if you just want to bop your head and enjoy some "chill" tunes.
Website: http://perkalaba.com.ua
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/perkalaba

9. Rotten Sound (37 listens)
Part 2.5 of the Quest for Brutal Stuff, sometimes you just need your shit fucked up right proper. Rotten Sound are happy to deliver! Doing something like 18 tracks in 28 minutes on "Exit", it's not the most infinitely re-listenable material ever, but boy does it clean your clock.
Website: http://www.rottensound.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rottensound

10. Bathory (36 listens)
I'll admit that hitherto, I had never listened to a single Bathory song, ever. It thus seemed to be about time I did something about that, so I went and grabbed some albums. Very impressive stuff, considering some of it is nearing the 20 year mark in terms of age by now. The two "Nordland" albums struck me as particularly awesome; Viking Metal at its best, no doubt.
Website: http://www.bathory.se
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bathoryquorthon

10. Falconer (36 listens)
Sometimes I crave PM, and Falconer's one of my go-to bands for that. I think this is mostly combined listens of their self-titled debut album and "Northwind", both excellent albums. Not aggressive enough to (currently) warrant a great deal of listening, but on the other hand it never gets old either. (Also, Falconer was one of the first Metal bands I was introduced to, so they have that going for 'em too.)
Website: http://www.falconermusic.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/falconermusic

10. Martriden (36 listens)
Yep, still here. "In Death We Burn" in particular is a track I simply cannot get enough of; that chorus is just so fucking epic. Some people thought their EP sounded overproduced, to which I say, "bleah". God forbid a CD actually sound good for a change!
Website: http://www.martriden.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/martriden

Overall observations: four artists from my March chart made an appearance in this one as well (Dalriada, Haydamaky, Martriden, Van Canto). Of the remaining bands, only three were new discoveries, i.e. bands I had not heard of before (Battleheart, Ivan Tsarevich, Perkalaba); the rest all are "classics", so to speak. This is sort of interesting because last month, almost all bands were new to me then. I guess this goes to show that, while yes, there is a great deal of new and exciting music out there, there's also quite some stuff that's been around for a while, and that you'd surely dig if only you gave it the time of day.

Until June!

Mostly written for my own personal reference.

UPCOMING:

2010
February ? - Sonata Arctica
August 5 - 7th: Wacken Open Air
---

PAST:

2009
January 20th - Rotting Christ
April 13th - Cannibal Corpse
May 12th - PaganFest: Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow, Primordial
June 27th: Slayer and Megadeth
July 6th: Summer Slaughter Tour: Ensiferum
August 18th: Dream Theater
August 22nd: Woods of Ypres
September 17th: Obituary
September 24th: Sonata Arctica
September 29th: Stratovarius
October 2nd: Noctis Valkyries: Novembers Doom
November 23rd: Ensiferum

2008
February 11th - Sonata Arctica
(Uhhh I will get back to you on the date) - Dawn of Destruction: Averse Sephira, Watain, Cephalic Carnage
April 9th - Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, Keep of Kalessin
May 9th - Dream Theater, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Three
May 10th - Dream Theater, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Three
May 14th - Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom, etc.
May 23rd - Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Divine Heresy and Firewind
June 5th - Iron Maiden
September 3rd - Finntroll, Warbringer, Verbal Deception
October 4th - Noctis Valkyries II: Korpiklaani, Woods of Ypres, Ahab, Verbal Deception, Dark Forest
October 9th - Amon Amarth, Belphegor, Ensiferum, The Absence
November 9th - Impaled, Fuck the Facts, Putrescence, Kataplexis
November 14th - Gojira, In Flames
December 4th - Metallica
December 5th - Metallica
December 16th - Powerglove, Turisas

2007

February 2nd - Super Metal Melee: Nebuchadnezzer, Acantha, Verbal Deception, Entropy of Earth, Norrath, Sacred Ally, Sentient.
February 27th - Kataklysm and some other crap.
April 9th - Dark Tranquillity, Into Eternity, The Haunted, Scar Symmetry.
May 7th - Dimmu Borgir, Kataklysm, Unearth, DevilDriver
June 8th - Caveat, Abattoir, Dark Forest, Verbal Deception, Wargod, Lithica and Norrath.
June 23rd - Roger Waters
July 27th - Sounds of the Underground: Goatwhore, Amon Amarth, GWAR, and various bullshit that I didn't watch.
September 22nd - Noctis Valkyries: Melechesh, Inquisition Dark Forest, Lords Of The Mountain, Infernal Majesty, Wargod, Wolves in the Throne Room, Insidious Omen
September 23rd - Cannibal Corpse, The Absence, Goatwhore
September 29th - 3 Inches of Blood, Verbal Deception, Gallows Eve
November 14th - Gwar, Caveat, HORSE the band

2006

February 3rd - Sonata Arctica
March 9th - Dark Tranquillity, DevilDriver, Opeth
June ? - The Tennessee Three and Johnny Winter
October 13th - The Illuminati and 3 Inches of Blood
November 6th - Dixie Chicks
December 2nd - Fear Factory, Suffocation, Decapitated, and Hypocrisy

April 7 - Aerosmith & Cheap Trick.. cancelled.
May 7 - The Black Crowes & Matt Mays & El Torpedo
July 11th - Unholy Alliance - Slayer, Children of Bodom, Mastodon, Thine Eyes Bleed & Lamb of God.
July 18th - Matt Mays & El Torpedo & The Trews.
August 24th - Tool.
September 9th - Avenged Sevenfold, 3 Inches of Blood, Protest the Hero & The Confessions.
September 17th - Red Hot Chili Peppers & The Mars Volta.
September 29th - Metal Mayhem - Verbal Deception, Nebucadnezzer, Norrath, Operation Winter Mist, Red Tide, mark of cain, Dark Forest. Entropy of Earth.. gah too many bands. It was a kickass show.
October 5th - The Who pictures.
October 13th - 3 Inches of Blood & The Illuminati.

December 6th - Guns N' Roses & Sebastian Bach.
December 11th - Aerosmith & Motley Crue!

I forgot the dates and concerts I went to last year.. My memory is that awesome.