The Power and the Glory - End of Summer Power Metal Mix.

I have been throwing together some power metal songs to listen to while I workout, and I decided to share the fun. There is so much I wanted to put on this mix that didn't make the cut like: Legend, Sacred Rite, Rug, Tyrant, Blind Guardian, Heathen Hoof, High Power, Alestorm, Messiah Force, Bullet, and Hammerfall. I tried to strike a balance between new, fun, traditional, rare, and familiar. I hope some of my friends enjoy it and let me know if they like it!

http://www.mediafire.com/?dm14gnjnnte

Tyr - Hold the Heathen Hammer High.

This song is so damn catchy. Hailing from the Faroe Islands, where it's not that much of a stretch to call yourself a viking.


Primal Fear - Riding the Eagle.

Primal Fear kept the flame of Judas Priest alive and well for a long time, even though their last few albums have been slightly less epic. This track is a powerful return to form with some of the best pipes in metal today.

Cauldron - Dreams Die Young.

It took a few listens for me to enjoy this because of the vocals, but the music cannot be denied. New band from Canada, on tour now! Will be playing in Raleigh next month!

Judas Priest - All Guns Blazing.

Classic. One of the most shredding, blistering songs ever put to tape.

Lion's Share - Judas Must Die.

Like Accept on a pissed off morning. Thick, harmonious, and powerful. Really enjoying this record. More proof of Sweden's current metal dominance.

Enforcer - Speed Queen.

More Swedish dynamism. Enforcer has such a fresh sound, somewhere between thrash, power, and traditional metal. On tour now with Cauldron.

Avantasia - Reach out for the Light.

Dipping into the symphonic edge of the power metal pool, this is an older track that I've always enjoyed. It's very posi and soaring, if you can handle that.

Luca Turilli - The Ancient Forest of Elves.

I never get tired of this song. Epic in every sense, and great to read a Warhammer novel too.

Persian Risk - Riding High.

Going back to the NWOBHM, this song has a gallop that would make maiden proud. More rock and roll/heavy metal in style but an excellent break down chorus.

Slough Feg - High Passage/Low Passage.

Fucking epic track. Based on the Traveller RPG and injecting some much needed Sci-fi into the proceedings. This song doesn't really have a chorus but it still gets stuck in your brain.

Hibria - Steel Lord on Wheels.

Crunching Brazilian Power metal.

Power Quest - Edge of Time.

I feel like the keyboards on this song could be from some 80's action movie, or TV show. A bit more relaxed and bright, but a great song. "Living a life on a wing and prayer".

Helloween - Mr. Torture.

This song is taken from the bands later career and is a bit heavier and darker than what they are usually known for. Always been a favorite of mine.

Leather Nunn - Take the Night.

From one of the rarest and most OOP metal records. Limited to 500 copies. Every metal head should have this album in their collection in some capacity. I Can't get this chorus out of my head.

Halford - Wrath of God.

Heavy, punishing, and full of self-righteous anger. Nobody does it like Rob.

"I'll meet you
And once again defeat you"

Grand Magus - The Shadow Knows.

More metal from the land of Sweden. Magus have such a rich, vintage sound and take themselves dead serious. I'm Pretty sure this is about the old crime comic the Shadow.

Grave Digger - Monks of War.

Underrated vets of power metal with a back catalog the size of my arm, Grave Digger demands respect from the metal faithful. This song is almost a trash track, but heavier. Full tilt, balls to the wall.

King Diamond - The Family Ghost.

You can't fuck with King Diamond.

Armageddon - The Broken Spell.

What's in the water in Sweden? Hypnotic.

Saxon - Let me Feel Your Power.

Ripping, later Saxon song.

Savage Grace - Fear My Way.

Early 80's power from L.A. and they love putting naked chicks on their album covers.

Wolf - Demon Bell.

Can you Guess where these guys hail from? (Guess Sweden!) I've been listening to wolf for 9 years and loving every minute. Severely underrated. Nikla's vocals can put some people off but I rather enjoy them.

Thunderstone - Holding on to My Pain.

Introspect, and a great way to end. I love the resonance. Just a well written song.

Bonus:

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Raleigh NC's own Colossus! These guys are friggin sweet and playing at slims this weekend!

http://www.myspace.com/thecolossuswillcrushyou
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A395198

And now for something you really don't care about...

My Late summer thrash mix. There are just too many good thrash bands to mention right now, but here are a few super awesome ones.

http://www.mediafire.com/?d202jfwne23

1. Megadeth - Head Crusher
2. Witchburner - Dirty City
3. Toxic Holocaust - Lord of the Wasteland
4. Ravage - Apocalyptic Raid
5. Legion of the Damned - Slut of Sodom
6. Raped God - Evil to the bone
7. Mantic Ritual - Panic
8. Motorpenis - Thrasherection
9. Sarke - Old
10. Necrodeath - Burn and Deny
11. Deathhammer - Total Thrash Assault
12. War-head - Circle of Emptiness
13. Corrupt - Profits Prevailed
14. Municipal Waste - A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Destroyer)
15. Warbringer - Severed Reality
16. Sadus - Desolation
17. Reanimator - Thrashing the Neighborhood
18. Trench Hell - Southern Cross Ripper
19. Evile - First Blood
20. Fueled By Fire - Thrash is Back

Feels so good.

This is probably the only reunion I've ever cared about in my life.



amazing.
just.
amazing.

Like a summer dirge to the rain.

Wolves in the Throne Room are the most relevant black metal band in the United States. It's pretty enough to attract indie kids, but dark enough to satisfy the faithful while actually having some intelligent motivations. Their new tour E.P. Malevolent grain is only out on vinyl and very limited, but I thought I would share a track.

This song really pulls out the vocals of Jamie Meyers while winding through your head with creepy melodies. It's like a summer dirge to the rain. Very beautiful stuff and not what you would expect from a black metal band. My favorite part is the crushing sounds that play out at the end.

Wolves in the Throne Room - A Looming Resonance

They also have a new full length out, but I haven't even sat down with it yet.

I've never been familiar with orders.

I do a lot of stupid things when I'm drunk. Like sit on the Boylan Bridge and text message people I don't like at 3 in the morning. Or send out really weird emails. I get more emotional than usual, which is pretty heavy. My phone and internet connection should be taken away from me. This weekend really tested my limits in social interaction and dealing with jerks.

<- Break _>

The Do Are pretty awesome indeed. An amazing voice with some good pop songs. Cute but with enough intensity and skill to not being annoying. Like when Bjork wrote pop songs. Not that being from Finland makes you anything like being from Iceland. At all. That's not what I'm trying to say.

These guys Wildlife! remixed one of their older songs "On my shoulders" with great success. It makes a really sweet song even sweeter. Rowdy and sweet.

The Do - On My Shoulders - Remix by wildelife!

And here is the original:



Why do they wonder why I never get bored?

Brave and stupid.

Sasha Grey in Rolling Stone.



Sasha Grey is a porn star. A really really dirty one at that. She blows just about ever girl in the business out of the water when it comes to intensity stacked on top of filth, and that's saying something. She's like an elegant belladonna without the crappy tattoos. She's also crossing over into legit films that might actually be watchable while picking up some, dare I say, hipster credibility along the way.



Good for her. I'm all for treating porn stars like people, but I'm not quite convinced she's nearly as intelligent as she tries to be. I think she has a lot of raw smarts without a lot of knowledge and it seems like she's trying really hard to overcompensate. Then again, she's only 21. What did you know at 21? She is brave. That's for sure.

I've thought, for a long time, that porn stars are the only real rock stars. They really do live on the fringe of society and get no respect for what they do. Most of them give up their friends and family to try their hand at movies, while dealing with some major stress. Your average douche in a rock/punk band gives up nothing and just wants to meet girls who are dumb enough to like him.

Anyway, here is to Sasha! She's trying to keep her identity when so many people want to take it.

Personal Thaw.

I got drunk. I stayed in bed and listened to the new Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs album from start to finish. I usually skip tracks but I was really into every song. I never was a huge fan of the YYYs. I remember that first little EP coming out a long time ago and not being impressed and I never gave them much of a chance after that. I felt like a lot of their songs never went anywhere, but It's Blitz has some really nice progressions. It's like the banshees writing really good pop music. Heads will roll and soft shock are early favorites.

I know it came out in march but I had to stop listening to doom metal since it's spring and finally warming up.

I'll just link the video:

Jerk Chicken.

Thunderheist - Jerk it.

thunderheist - jerk it from thatgo on Vimeo.

Thunderheist was one of my favorites of last year for sure. Strong beats and a killer electro funk sound. This video is just the bestest.

Keep it moving.

Time to start updating this little blog again. It's summer and there are so many good songs to talk about.

Crystal Castles. Courtship Dating


It seems that the Castles are finally starting to get some mainstream love with this song off their full length. Personally, I prefer the thrash boom beat of 'Love and Caring' over this track, but it has a certain sly appeal to it. I need to nip on down to the shop and buy this on vinyl already.

Black Ghosts. Anyway You Choose to Give it


I'm surprised that the Black Ghosts haven't gotten bigger faster. It's like a lighter version of digitalism with less post-punk and more soul. Very light and fun but still powerful. The keyboards in the chorus are lovely.

Pilooski. 3 Songs.


This is such a beautiful song. The bass is great of course, not to mention the really great clap sound to build up the rather quick beat. The star is Valli's voice. It's so pleading and strong and really makes the song jump up to another level. Pilooski makes it shine with this edit. Northern Soul never sounded so good. Very Mark Ronson.

Frankie Valli - Begging (Pilooski Re-edit)

Pilooski also worked his magic on this Pointers sister track.

The Pointer Sisters - Send Him Back (Pilooski Edit)

The Mystery Jets are a 4 piece from the UK who make power punk pop. Very cheesy and 80's with the suits to back it up.

The Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down (Pilooski Remix)

Here's the original:




Venetian Snares. Gentleman


I remember buying my first Venetian snares CD about 7 years ago. Making Orange Things was pretty wild stuff at the time. He's always tried to make jungle/drum and bass powerful and unexpected. Something it should always be. I feel most drum and bass in America is much too static and boring with the same amen beat and boring commercial sound. VS keeps it razor with his new album, and you should go buy it!


JT and Casino Inc. My Love


Casino Inc. More good shit from Paris.

Justin Timberlake - My Love (Casino Inc. Disco Remix)


Civil Terror. Surrounded by Assholes.

Again, all the good punk rawk and core is in europe! Civil terror is how hardcore should be. Influenced by Infest, fast, and full of searing piss takes. Girls, Girls, Girls is one of my favorite. I also love that they look like normal guys... no sketchy awful tattoos and plugs, just sweet straight forward hardcore tunes. This is the whole album for you to digest and enjoy. Or beat a small child with.

Civil Terror - Surrounded by Assholes.


Martriden.


If you like a bit of Emperor with your death metal this group is for you. Dynamic and crisp and heavy and thick. Check them out on the space and enjoy the Calling.

Raaaaaaaaah!
The album art is bloody awful though.

Dance, Not Dance.

And that is the question. This place is getting dusty...

KID CUDI


This young fella has some serious potential, and anybody who plays with a JT track has my attention. His new single is out and it's a great piece with lots of beeps and space.

We all love crookers
Kid Cudi - Day n Nite (CrookersRemix)

Check out the original.

And his Lovestoned freestyle. Love this track.

CRYSTAL CASTLES


CC has finally released their full length. Good times is the new single. It's a bit more upbeat than most of their stuff and reminds me of something...

Crystal Castles - Good times (Fitforuse Edit)

PARALLELS



The live drummer for Crystal Castles has made some excellent robo80sElectro. I can't stop listening to it. Minimal yet driving. Go to myspace to download more.

Parallels - Magnetics

BANGERS AND CASH


NSFW Ironic scenester sexism. What more is there to say?
Sadly the girl's flow is pretty weak...


DANCE, NOT DANCE


Fuck it. I'm doing my own dance night.