Slayer Repentless!

Slayer have never let me down. Ever. Since hearing Haunting the Chapel all those long years ago, and instantly loving it, the thrash kings are IT for me. And this new tune showing all the pretenders how to get it done. Of course some will be hollering for the pitchforks but Slayer will do as they always have - press IGNORE and watch them implode in faux outrage as the music like the movies plays on.

Wasabi Ghost

Lidl are pretty good at running these 'flavours of the world' weeks, and despite their Mexican week consisting mainly of chilli con carne and Fajitas, this weeks Asian one has had some decent goodies filling the shelves, including these Wasabi Nuts that I grabbed for 99p. Wasabi isn't much used in foods in the UK and being a fan of hotter grub, I had to try some. Bloody nice they were too, very moreish, much more so than boring old Pringles (never did understand the fuss over those anyway).
I recommend the Cassava Crackers too. Oh and Coconut water. Its fast become a sober favourite. Just make sure you chill the tins, I imagine warm coconut water tasting none to good.

The Fatal Feast

Mosh!

Now granted, that is a rather ominous headline for a blog that deals a lot with food *Laughs Out Loud* but don't go ringing for the blokes with stomach pumps just yet! (Hope these iron innards of mine have more metal than that...Metal, see what I did there)? Nope, the Fatal Feast here has been whipped up by those dirty (in a good way) lads from Virginia. And a delicious, melodic sonic meal it is too.
It is Municipal Wastes fifth album (released 2012), and fans will know by now exactly what to expect from the party thrashers ~
crunchy odes to booze, mutants and lyrics which I would best describe as 'comic world'. Seriously, if ever the Wasters get bored of
shredding guitars, I suggest they create a comic book. It would be ace. (And if you ever read this blog chaps, you can thank me later).

The band are heavily influenced by Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Exodus and other 80's thrash, and this album has elements of all of those. I grew up loving this music; drinking to it, skating to it, even loving to it (ooer!) and it warms the cockles of my metallic heart to know it isn't on its scuffed knees just yet. Like we used to say back then, thrash or die!
I knew there was something special about Municipal Waste when I first heard 'Headbanger Face/Rip' in 2007. It had that heavy groove with energetic, crunchy chorus so beloved of early S.O.D and Suicidal Tendencies. If you are looking for the spirit of thrash metal circa 1985 ~ these Wasters are your bag of alien space barf!

The Fatal Feast tastes f**king delicious! A fitting last dance for death row punks the world over. From the speedy New Dead Masters to the brilliantly psychotic You're Cut Off (check out the awesome video), this is getting plenty of play at the moment. And you wanna know something? Im greedy, and I love metal with an anarchistic, punch-yer-face vibe, so I'll be needing seconds of this thrashy feast! Play it again mutie.

Feast Rating 4/5

The Fatal Feast (Nuclear Blast Records)

Waste in Space (Main Title)
Repossession
New Dead Masters
Unholy Abductor
Idiot Check
Covered in Sick/The Barfer
You're Cut Off
Authority Complex
Standards and Practices
Crushing Chest Wound
The Monster With 21 Faces
Jesus Freaks
The Fatal Feast
12 Step Program
Death Tax
Residential Disaster

Pantera Anniversary Edition

Pantera's 'Far Beyond Driven: 20th Anniversary Edition' is set to arrive on our metal laps on March 25. A special two-disc version that will include a newly remastered version of the album, along with a live performance from the 1994 Monsters Of Rock festival.
Long considered by some to be their greatest (and admittedly it does have a few classic tunes), I always preferred 'Great Southern Trendkill' myself but anything which keeps the band alive in fans memories is fine by me. Don't forget that two decades is a long time and there will be kids out there who won't be aware of the mighty Pantera (shocking to us older Metalheads I know).

Intermission Satan

Colon Cleaning for Moshers

There. A work of Art

What is this you feast your eyes upon?! A cheesy, battered sandwich of doom! (Nothing was fried though and I don't use butter so it wasn't ALL bad.) Sometimes you gotta throw caution (and yer waistline) to the wind and eat dangerously. What good is a life spent munching on lettuce and muesli? And you can't put the awesome Professor Phardtpounder's Colon Cleaner on muesli. (Well you could but I suspect it wouldn't taste very nice). Ever since I first bought a bottle of Colon Cleaner (from Dr Burnorium's Hot Sauce Emporium) I have been smashing it on everything from bacon sarnies to chicken wings, so darned tasty! A Caribbean style, mustard-based sauce with Scotch Bonnet peppers but don't worry! Its nowhere near in the same league, heat wise, as say Blair's Mega Death so even newbies would handle his bad boy sauce. In fact if you are a fan of regular old mustard, you will enjoy this.
So what went into this epic sarnie of doom? Crispy chicken portion, onion rings (breadcrumbs), tomato, all topped off with delicious melted, stringed cheddar cheese and slapped between two slices of unbuttered toast. All grilled and served with hefty dollops of Prof Phardtpounder's Colon Cleaner. Spiffing chaps and chapesses, absolutely bloody SPIFFING! I think I deserve a massive pat on the back and tons of applause for creating such a marvellous work of Art.

Less Sabath, More Sabbat

100% classic

Let me kick off straight to the point here; Sabbat were a bloody awesome British thrash metal band. When they released their debut album, "History of a Time to Come" back in 1988, I was blown out of my Nike hi-tops. What a cracker of an album, there isn't a bad track on it. From the brilliant opener, "A Cautionary Tale" to the Christian antagonizing ending of "The Church Bizarre", metalheads will be in their element. "Appetite For Destruction" (Guns n' Roses) was released the year before and Sabbat's mighty offering had the same impact on my teenage self.
And that artwork? I had it the album on vinyl to ogle that lovely art. If I was ever to get a back tattoo, this would be the design. Wonderful package, as was the follow up, 1989's "Dreamweaver (Reflections of Our Yesterdays.)" Funnily enough I didn't get that one on vinyl because CD was becoming popular and I was busy scooping those up but in the end got it on cassette.
Such a damned shame that after this period, the mighty Sabbat went tits up but maybe it was for the best? Perhaps its better to have brief spells of genius than having to witness a great band become less great, and hear albums get weaker and weaker. Yes there was a third record, "Mourning Has Broken" (1991) but it was considered both a critical and commercial turkey which banged that final nail into Sabbat's split. But like I say, better to have 2 fantastic albums than none at all


Belt it out

(Interlude) Warbringer

Okay, spank my toned ass with hot chili pepper, because before a few hours ago I had never heard of Warbringer. And yes, that is the look of utter shame you can imagine me wearing right now. There is no excuse really, only with the advent of internet, getting to hear every single great metal band out there is becoming that much harder. Yeah yeah, you'd think with sites like SoundCloud and Spotify, the task would be made easier but no! By the awesome beards of Amon Amarth, there are too many studded fruits on offer, its like a child being let loose in a sweetshop with unlimited dosh and no threat of rotten teeth. To misquote the wise poet Coleridge; music music everywhere, and too many beats to drink.
But found them I have now (he says like Yoda) thanks to a thrash metal radio station on the TuneIn App, and be sure I will be checking more of Warbringer's stuff out just as soon as I finish spreading the metal gospel via my super Scoville fuelled blogs of doom.

United World Rebellion

Boom! Some unexpected news from Skid Row! Now I was a huge fan of the guys back in the day. This was a band that arrived when the classic Sunset Strip era of Motley Crue, Guns n' Roses, Ratt, Cinderella, etc was coming to a close, but still managed to emerge with a decent shot of excitement and raw anger. You only need to listen to "Youth Gone Wild" to hear evidence of this. The first two Skids records were excellent (I REALLY need to get both on my Nexus) and Sebastian Bach's enthusiasm for rocking the stage, combined with ball shrinking screams really made Skid Row a rock/metal band to be reckoned with.
The bands most recent offering is "United World Rebellion - Chapter One" (released May 24th) and you can check out the song, "This Is Killing Me" in the vid below. Me? I like it, okay I readily admit I liked the band better with Seb but seeing as he hasn't had anything to do with Skid Row for many a year now, its irrelevant (and seems a tad unfair to mention it.) Anyway onward and upward as they say, I like the forceful-don't-give-a-h!t image they have going on up there in that piccy and hope a few of todays kids get into the band rather than listening to the cackhanded mainstream garbage that gets churned out ad infinitum from faceless suited turds who seem intent on keeping every artist a carbon copy of the last. Rant endex, get the heads a-banging!

This Is Killing Me

Newsted's Heroic Dose

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has a new album coming out on August 6th called "Heavy Metal Music" (fine title there Jase) and here I present thee a track from it, 'Heroic Dose'. Me? I love it! It has a wonderfully melodious thunder vibe, very reminiscent of old school metal. And that my dear moshers is very f**king good indeed!

Worship the Beard!

Not exactly metal or edible (unless I use it as a soup strainer) but aren't beards most awesomely BADASS? Mine is anyway, and yup, that's its up there in the pic. Beard maketh the man! Ive been growing this bad boy since June 2010 and boy, its hosted a lot of good stuff from Jagermeister to kangaroo steak (and not not forgetting some of the worlds most blisteringly hot sauces.) I don't know about you moshers but I don't trust a clean shaven fella, closet skeleton cradlers all. Mind you, I trust goatee growers even less (Kerry King is the exception) because they are the planets toe dippers, wanting some facial fungus but unwilling (or unable) to grow a full chin badger.

Jeff Hanneman RIP

As a lifelong Slayer fan, this mosher is SAD AND F**KING GUTTED to learn that guitarist Jeff Hanneman has died aged 49 from liver failure.
This was posted by the band on their official Facebook page a short while ago:

“Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home,” states the band’s official Facebook.” Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.

Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 – 2013)”

Rest In Peace indeed Jeff, im sending my love to your family and friends. What a thoroughly depressing way to start a Bank holiday weekend. We have lost a proper metal legend and a brilliant guitarist, who lets not forget crafted one of THE greatest riffs ever on Raining Blood. Like I said, GUTTED *sad face*
I think my thoughts would be better seen and heard via Youtube, so check it out below. Also included a solo by the metal God himself (far better than me yakking.)
Sleep well Jeff and thank you for the awesome music. Metal legend, never to be forgotten !!

Thrashaholic!

Fans of old school thrash metal should (this instant) check out the brilliant Gama Bomb, who are described on their Facebook page as "Ireland's premier speed thrash band". Hell yes! Ive been a thrash metal fan since it began and to see bands like Gama Bomb and Municipal Waste popping up to shred the stage is quite a f**king buzz. They first came to the attention of my studded earholes in 2009 when Metal Hammer included copies of their album,"Tales from the Grave in Space" with their magazine. Indeed its the first album ever to be released FREE by a signed band. Kudos to them. It rocks most awesomely too!
When you read song titles like "Last Ninjas Unite" and "Escape from Scarecrow Mountain", you know something special is lurking in the metallic forest, waiting for the chance to assault your senses like a sonic werewolf. This is the type of band that deserves success and praise, not the pre packaged, miming oiks that litter those foul talent shows on a Saturday evening. Its all bout music and imagination, a fairly potent mix when dressed in skull branded guitars and denim jeans.

Gama Bomb's new album "The Terror Tapes" is out April 19 (EU), 22 (UK), May 7 (US) on AFM records!

Halo Of Blood trailer

Spiffing little trailer from Children Of Bodom released today. "Halo Of Blood" is due on June 7 on Nuclear Blast.

*Update May 20th and the band release title track, Halo Of Blood. Banging tune too, enjoy!

Clive Burr Lives On

Drum solo in Reading, 1982

Clive Burr passed away yesterday at the criminally young age of 56. Sleep well Clive, happy knowing you made Iron Maiden that bit extra special. I have been a Maiden fan since the beginning. Their 1980 debut "Iron Maiden" record was one of the first albums I ever owned and the band have been with me since I was 9 years old, making them feel like distant friends who accompanied me to school and who were around when I got my first girlfriend so this news was sadder than most.
Clive was an awesome drummer (check out a solo above) and those first three Maiden albums (Iron Maiden, Killers and The Number of the Beast) were simply stunning pieces of work. There isn't a bad track on any of them. Not one rubbish song, there aren't many bands who can claim that. (In fact besides the mighty Maiden I can't name any.)

Cliff Burton, Ronnie James Dio, Dimebag Darrel; it looks like God just needed a drummer.


Clive Burr 8 March 1957 ~ 12 March 2013

Game Of Metal

How awesome is this??

Dogs D'Amour Gig prog

Amazed how this concert programme has survived with me since 1989 (23 fooking years!) but it has, and I was at the gig of course: 11th October 1989, Cardiff University. Burning Tree in support.

Molotov Cocktail

My first metal vid!

That up there is the first heavy metal music video I ever owned: Molotov Cocktail. Bbought for me by a very understanding Mother at Christmas and boy I was chuffed to leather and studdery! 1984 was the year CBS/Fox released this awesome little VHS cassette (not long after the wheel was invented.) I must have watched and rewound it a dozen times straight off the bat (the carols being on definate hold), amazed at finally being able to see my metal heroes perform 'live' in my living room. Remember this was early eighties and coverage of music was in its absolute infancy with regards to programmes and videos covering music. Even more so for such a niche genre as heavy metal, there was no Youtube or Spotify, so having a metal video containing 8 songs by top names was bragging rights. Oh yes!


Artists and tracks:

Fast Way

1. Tell Me
2. All Fired Up

Ozzy Osbourne

1.Bark At The Moon
2. So Tired

Judas Priest

1. You've Got Another Thing Coming
2. Free Wheel Burning

Blue Oyster Cult

1. Burning For You
2. Take Me Away

Cannibal Corpse

Evisceration Plague

Cannibal Corpse are a killer f**king band. Their last three albums, Kill, Evisceration Pague and Torture have all been mighty slabs of pure death metal. (And I love the records before those too of course. Eaten Back to Life!) I always begin the day with a Corpse album, its like a power shot of adrenaline injected straight into the f**king eyeballs and make no mistake.
And when I first heard them way waaay back I dismissed the band as merely a gimmick and trying too hard to nick Obituary's style. What a fool I was and Id like to go back in time and kick my younger self in the ass for thinking lie that. Although in my defense, I didnt think that for very long and was soon a Cannibal Corpse fan having been won over by their unrelenting power, aggression and talent to write POUNDING-HEAVY-AS-SHIT metal songs. Hell when you discover such a bad ass band as the Corpsters, it isn't long before repenting those earlier words of doubt. (You can't really blame me for the initial doubt, ive seen too many wannabes in my 30 years of being a metalhead, but Cannibal Corpse are NOT one of them.)
Anyway enjoy these videos and if this does happen to be your first introduction to the band, then head over to Youtube and kick out some more of their brillantly heavy tunes. You won't regret it! Unless your ears and innards are made of cloth. MOSH THOSE NUTS OFF!!

Encased In Concrete


See a full gig here!

Metal Mania '86