A surprisingly good "Best Metal Albums of 2010" list (minus the WTF inclusion of Ratt)

And yes, the Agalloch album is that good.

Thanks for the heads up on Agalloch.  I picked up all four of their albums after listening to some samples.  Then I just happened to find out they were coming to play locally.  These guys were outstanding live.  Really glad I got out to see them as they haven't toured through here since 2004.

I'm actually thinking about going to my first metal concert in a couple of weeks.  Sonata Arctica, Mutiny Within, and Powerglove are the three main bands.

Good lineup.  Hopefully Sonata will play a lot of old stuff for you.  I saw Powerglove not too long ago.  They opened for Hammerfall.  They basically play metallized video game music, but they do it well.  Who would have thought the Tetris theme could kick so much ass?  lol.  I just got back from seeing Eluvietie myself.  Great show.  I've been giving their new one several spins since I got it last week.  I think I like Slania more but the new one is still growing on me.  Next up: Primal Fear!

I'd like one please.  Thanks!

Good find!  Bought RB2 for 360.   

Saw Amon Amarth last night at Peabody's in Cleveland.  Awesome show!  Surprisingly large crowd for a dreary Tuesday night.  They played quite a bit from the last two albums and some older classics.

Setlist:

Twilight Of The Thunder God
Free Will Sacrifice
Asator
Varyags Of Miklagaard
For The Stabwounds In Our Backs
Runes To My Memory
Guardians Of Asgard
Fate Of Norns
Bleed For Ancient Gods
Under The Norther Star
Death In Fire
Victorious March
Cry Of The Blackbirds
Pursuit of Vikings

Check em out if you get a chance.  You won't regret it!

np: Back To North - Moonsorrow

Anyone listen to Cannibal Corpse or Napalm Death, or Deicide, or Carcass?

Those were the heavy hitters who wanted cookies when I was younger...

I always liked Slayer and Entombed and Sepultura stuff better back then... though Sepultura turned into something boring.  Never really got into Soulfly.

I mean fuck, after you've heard this, how can your standards not go way up?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpMuCrbxE8A

Carcass is awesome.

They are very influential as metal bands go.

From Grind - > Gore - > Melo-death - > Death 'n Roll

Napalm Death is also pretty good.  Never got into CC or Deicide.

Old Sep and Slayer is also very good.  I like some of Entombed's stuff as well.

Opeth was godawful.

I had my suspicions before, but now I know you're officially insane.

Wow kratz and I actually agree on something!  LOL!

I never got the lovefest with Opeth either.  Saw them live and they left me cold.  (I wouldn't go so far as to say they are godawful, however)  I dunno maybe I just need to give several spins to their stuff to really get it, but initial impressions were not good so I never really looked into them.

Anyhow kratz if you are into old school thrash you should check out Dark Angel.  They are a criminally underrated Bay area thrash band from back in the thrash heydey.  Darkness Descends is my favorite album of theirs.

i was in Best Buy today and grabbed a couple cd's.....

Amon Amarth-Twilight of the Thunder God...Album is freakin awesome!!   first Amon stuff i've listened to and it rocks
Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon....yikes, wish i could return opened cd's.   i really don't see the appeal with this band.   i wasted my money on this junk.

other stuff i'm listening too

Trivium- Shogun....best album i've listened to in quite a while.   awesome awesome stuff
Lamb of God- Wraith....damn heavy and great kick ass vocals.
Five Finger Death Punch- The Way of the Fist...really really good album too.   i know it's a year old, but i bought it a month ago and can't quit playing it.

i had Otep's new album in my hand and bought Iced Earth instead.  what the hell was i thinking?

  on the Amon Amarth...

As for Iced Earth... I'd definitely recommend their earlier work.  s/t up through Horror Show is good.  If you can find the double disc version of Days Of Purgatory it has most of the songs from the first three albums with IE's signature vocalist Matthew Barlow.  Their third album Burnt Offerings has one of my favorite all time songs the 16+ minute dark epic Dante's Inferno.

The past two have been kind of a letdown, and yet Otep is so much worse than anything Iced Earth has put out.  Really it's not even close.

And I will never understand the appeal of viking and dnd metal. Listening to songs about hobbits and dragons is just about the saddest thing I can think of. And I've never even heard of pirate metal, but it sounds about as awful.

It isn't the subject matter that's appealing, it's the Scandinavian folk music influences.  Hell, Finntroll's lyrics are all in a different language.  I don't have a clue what they're actually singing/growling about, but I totally dig the musical style.

I think you nailed it Gratch.   It's all about the influences.   It adds a whole new dimension to the music.  Correct me if I'm wrong but, I believe it was Amorphis that brought the Finnish influences into their music and it really blossomed from there.

np: Paradise Lost - Symphony X

The new Mastodon album has been rocking my face off since I picked it up, what a great fucking album. Also been listening to a bunch of Dozer, thanks to a recommendation by Kratz, as well as my mainstay of melodic death metal (Soilwork, Children of Bodom, etc.).

And I will never understand the appeal of viking and dnd metal. Listening to songs about hobbits and dragons is just about the saddest thing I can think of. And I've never even heard of pirate metal, but it sounds about as awful.

Any additional recommendations on Melodeath bands?

Outside of the big ones (In Flames, Bodom, Dark Tranquillity)

I'd recommend:
Darkane
Dispatched
Gardenia
Kalmah
Skyfire

and as for ripping on Hobbit metal all I have to say is...

BLIND GUARDIAN RULES!!!   

np: Beneath The World Of Chaos - Dispatched

Heh, believe me, thought provoking masterpiece rarely comes into play in terms of the music I like... just listen to my band... most of the songs are about booze and sex.

I don't have a problem with being goofy or silly (though they seem to be taking it pretty seriously).  There are bands who are good at this sort of thing (e.g. Turbonegro), and bands who are bad at this sort of thing... like these LARPers.

Hey they're Scottish!  That's how they dress...

Isn't it?

np: K-Machine - Bolt Thrower

I think things went south when the bands started looking like LARPers...

   Well played Kratz.

Viking metal strongly appeals to the fantasy uber-geek in me, but it's certainly not for everyone.  Then again, I fail to see why everyone creams their shorts over Mastodon, so I suppose we're at different ends of the spectrum. 

I'm with you there Gratch.     I'll take Viking metal over shit like Mastodon any day.  I saw them open up for Slayer a few years ago.  Thankfully I had a buddy there to wake me up when their set was over.

Okay then...

The music sounds like the music that guys dressed like LARPers would play...  lyrically it seems to have been written by 12 year old kids at a World of Warcraft LAN party, and the performances are mediocre at best.

LOL!  The band is called ALESTORM.  The whole point is to be goofy, silly, and to sing about pirates, wenches, and BEER!   
Not every song has to be some thought provoking masterpiece. 

np: 7th Offensive - Bolt Thrower

I think things went south when the bands started looking like LARPers...

I guess I would be more interested in your critiques if they were actually about the music instead of promotional pics of the band...

I haven't found much better drinking music than Finntroll, Turisas, or Alestorm!

np: Cry Of The Black Birds (live at Summer Breeze 2007) - Amon Amarth

Man... I thought this thread was about metal... now... now I just don't know what has happened.

LOL!  Please inform us where we went wrong!   

If it's DOOM/stoner you want:

Candlemass
Cathedral
Grand Magus
Spiritual Beggars

But I don't limit myself to one metal genre!

np: Sadus - Certain Death 

I'd also recommend:

Viking:
Ensiferum - s/t, Iron, Dragonheads EP, Victory Songs
Eluveitie - Spirit, Slania
Moonsorrow - Suden Uni, Voimasta Ja Kunniasta
Wintersun - s/t

and for the fans of pirates:

Alestorm - Curse Of Captain Morgan, Leviathan EP

Saw these guys live last weekend with Tyr and Suidakra and they were outstanding.  Extremely fun show.

I've spun the last couple Amon Amarth releases a ton.  I'm looking forward to seeing them again in April.

np: Dream Evil - Falling

Heard Ensiferum  and Tyr, but haven't picked up Moonsorrow or Eluveitie.  Will check them out, thanks Specter.

EDIT:  Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge.  Awesome!

Yeah, Alestorm is just a fun band.  New album comes out June 2nd.  It's called Black Sails At Midnight.

Oh and props on discovering both Turisas and Finntroll.  Both excellent bands.

I've been on a huge "viking metal" kick lately, and these two albums kick a massive amount of ass:

Turisas - The Vargarian Way
Finntroll - Nattfodd

The new Amon Amarth is great as well.

I'd also recommend:

Viking:
Ensiferum - s/t, Iron, Dragonheads EP, Victory Songs
Eluveitie - Spirit, Slania
Moonsorrow - Suden Uni, Voimasta Ja Kunniasta
Wintersun - s/t

and for the fans of pirates:

Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge, Leviathan EP

Saw these guys live last weekend with Tyr and Suidakra and they were outstanding.  Extremely fun show.

I've spun the last couple Amon Amarth releases a ton.  I'm looking forward to seeing them again in April.

np: Dream Evil - Falling

[edit: corrected album name]

Thanks for the tip.     Picked this up for my brother's birthday.

link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/

Nice free Testament tracks!    I really need to pick up The Formation Of Damnation already! 

Tuesday's announcement.

Tracks:

Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet
Finley - Tutto E' Possibile
Platero y Tu - Hay Poco Rock N Roll
Squeeze - Tempted
Tokio Hotel - Ready, Set, Go
The All-American Rejects - Real World

All above tracks are $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) for a one month limited time window.

Miranda Cosgrove - Headphones On
This track is totally free!

Naked Brothers Band - Body I Occupy
Naked Brothers Band - I Don't Want to Go to School
Both Naked Brothers Band tracks are permanently $.99 (80 Microsoft Points)


DLC is released on Xbox 360 on Tuesday 12/2 and PS3 Thursday 12/4. All tracks are masters.

Pretty dry week, in my opinion. I'm glad that I've got a week for my wallet to recover.

Squeeze - Tempted is the pick of the week (Classic), and the only must-download in my opinion

Nice!  A Children of Bodom track!  Go Finnish metal!  I'd have preferred some of their earlier material... something off of Something Wild or Hatebreeder, but I'll take it!

and purchased!  Thanks for the heads up!   

Updated my 360. Froze up 8 times while navigating the new dash. Had to physically power it down each time.

Now, red rings.

THANKS GUYS

Ugh, everything was perfectly fine with it before the update.

I'm with you man.  Mine worked perfectly fine till the update.  Then got NXE loaded up and on loading it up the screen gets green fuzzies and locks up.  Then on reboot RROD!  BOO!

These guys are opening for Iced Earth tonight at House of Blues Cleveland.  Into Eternity got dropped off the show for some reason so Saviours is playing for a full 45 minutes.  Looking forward to seeing Matt Barlow back for Iced Earth.  Saw them on the Horror Show tour w/ Barlow, saw them again on the Gettysburg tour with Tim "Ripper" Owens, and now get to see them again with Matt back in the fold.  Sweet.  They are also playing an extended set which is good because their back catalogue of tunes is awesome.  If anyone else is going I'll be the dude with the long hair and blue and black Megadeth United Abominations shirt. 

Hmmh, I looked around and the boosters are still pretty readily available (at least online). In fact, Gamestop's selling the individual Set 1 boosters for $2 a pop.

Guess I could sell these off while I'm at it, and those that won't get sold, I'll just keep. As for how much, humm, how about... $40 for one (of the two) unopened "36 booster pack" box and/or $1.25 for an individual booster pack? Shipping included, of course.

I'm going to give first dibs to anyone who wants to buy a whole "36 booster pack" box. If both boxes get sold without me having to open the suckers up, even better. Less headaches come shipping time. But if folks are more willing to buy individually I can do that too. And yeah, I realize you'd very easily be able to turn them around, and resell them at a higher price, but good will and all that.

I'll take a box.  $40's a great deal!  I'd take em both, but I don't want to hog them all.