Album Review: OPETH In Cauda Venenum (09/27)

Opeth need no introduction. The band from Stockholm was formed in 1989 and released their first LP in 1995. The group has been through several personnel changes. Lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's primary driving force. The band has enjoyed growing success over the years having released masterpieces such as the highly acclaimed 2011's Blackwater Park. In 2011 with Heritage, Opeth abandoned completely the the black metal scream and the death metal growl. The band adopted a retro psychedelic  progressive rock and left metal on second plan. This move has undoubtedly divided fans. But you must get past that because Åkerfeldt has made it very clear that this is how Opeth sound now.

I came to In Cauda Venenum with an open mind. Opeth's thirteenth studio album and forth of this "new era". The title in Latin (translation: Poison in the Tail) was a deliberate choice so that it can be used with both album versions: Swedish and English. The album was written and recorded in Swedish, then Åkerfeldt translated and recorded the vocals again, but now in English. He considers the Swedish version the "original album" and only one song (track 3) "Hjärtat vet vad handen gör / Heart in Hand" he believes is better in English. Given all of that, I am listening and reviewing the Swedish version.

"Livets Tradgard" is a distinctive 3:30-minute intro with a church music meets Pink Floyd vibe and also showcase a artistic choice recurrent throughout the album, the use of samples (from movies and TV shows). Following that, the first part of the record is quite good and certainly better than Sorceress (where the retro thing really bothered me). There are some moments in the first half of In Cauda Venenum that could be from the early 2000's (minus the death/black metal, of course). The songs "Svekets Prins" and "Hjärtat vet vad handen gör" were released in advance of the album as singles. They are indeed some of the best in the record. Inventive, progressive and yet heavy and moving. "Minnets Yta" is another highlight, a very Pink Floydian track (the piano intro is just like "The Great Gig in the Sky") with the most amazing guitar solo by Fredrik Åkesson. The guitar solos by the way are fantastic in almost every song. Overall, the musicianship is, as expected, superb (except the vocals which are just OK) and the production is top notch. Special shout out to drummer Martin Axenrot for his excellent work throughout the record but specially in "Hjärtat vet vad handen gör". "Charlatan" closes the first part of the record with heaviness and very cool groove, it's almost like the follow-up of "Deliverance" (the drumming here as well, wow). Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. The last part is quite boring. And it's not just because they are slow, I love "Windowpane" for example, it's just that they don't quite work for me. The exception being the closer "Allting Tar Slut" which brings some final epicness.

Like most good prog records, In Cauda Venenum is a slow grower. By now, I am already convinced that this is as good as the previous two records. If it's gonna grow further to become the best of the four "prog not metal" days, time will tell (and by the way, there's no point comparing to pre-Heritage era). I like how we moved a bit further from the super retro feeling from Sorceress. The 70's prog is still VERY much in here, but we do see the band bringing back some heaviness from the early days and experiment more with jazz. Is that enough? Not for me. I still would like to see more aggressiveness maybe other influences and less 70's. It's difficult to dislike such a well written, executed and produced prog record.

SCORE: 79/100
DR: 10
Genre: Progressive Rock
Released by Nuclear Blast on September 27th, 2019

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Quickies: Third Quarter 2019 Releases included TURILLI & LIONE RHAPSODY, VOLBEAT, DESTRUCTION, HAMMERFALL, CRYPT SERMON and DRAGONFORCE

Between July 5th and September 27th, there were some very decent releases that didn't get a full review but deserved my attention anyway.

TURILLI & LIONE RHAPSODY Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution) (07/05)

Rhapsody and variations may as well be one of the most confusing band names in Metal history. In this new version we have the original guitar player with the original singer after a 20 year celebration (farewell?) tour that took place during the last couple of years. I must first say I'm a big fan of their early work, specially the The Emerald Sword Saga (first five albums). But I've never got into Turilli's work without  Alex Staropoli (keyboards). Zero Gravity is not fully changing that, but it's a step up. Of course the presence of the fantastic Lioni on vocals is a major advantage. While it does sound like you would expect from a Rhapsody band (symphonic, bombastic, epic and huge), Zero Gravity is more experimental than the other Rhapsody (of Fire). It features more Italian singing than usually, female vocals (feat. Elize Ryd), more vocal harmonies, and overall the use of keys and symphonic arrangements is somewhat different (note that the band doesn't have a full time keyboard player). There are some very good moments here like the opener "Phoenix Rising", the title track and its soaring chorus, "Fast Radio Burst" and the most rock opera song I've ever heard "Arcanum (Da Vinci's Enigma)". For die-hard fans this will work, for the others, I'd suggest to stick to (or try first) their early work.

VOLBEAT Rewind, Replay, Rebound (08/02)

Between 2008 and 2010, the Danish quartet Volbeat was one of my favorite newer bands. Their blend of Metallica and Johnny Cash on the first three albums was fresh, captivating, heavy and yet catchy. All that quality let Volbeat to inevitably high praise and commercial success. Unfortunately, to my taste the success derailed the band. After 2010, they became a radio rock band and the only evolution of their sound has been to get softer. Even if I couldn't stand the last two albums, I decided to give their seventh effort Rewind, Replay, Rebound a shot. While my feelings towards their current sound did not change, there are some good moments in this album. Most notably "Cheapside Sloggers" (feat. Exodus/Slayer Gary Holt). For the rest, I'll stick to listening to their first four albums. But for those who do like their latest albums, this is more of the same, so you will certainly dig this.

DESTRUCTION Born to Perish (08/09)

With a brand-new line-up featuring the Canadian drum animal Randy Black and Swiss shred-master Damir Eskić, together with veterans bassist / vocalist Schmier and guitarist Mike, who both back in 1983  founded this Thrash Metal legend, the band is back to bring us musical destruction. This is their fourteenth studio album and the first with two guitarists since 1998. Overall Born to Perish is  brutal, but very catchy. The new members brought some new flavors, but it's still very much Destruction's signature sound. Still, there's a lot more shredding and solos and also backing vocals. The album is a collection of thrash bonanza from start to finish with 3 to 5 minute high speed songs. The one exception is the breathing room in the middle of the album with "Butchered for Life" an epic almost 7 minutes that makes me think of their version of "Beyond the Realms of Death". Traditional Teutonic thrash metal for fans.

HAMMERFALL Dominion (08/16)

I have great admiration for this band since their debut in 1997. It was one of my favorite bands in the late 90's and early 2000's, I have seen them live ten times! The problem is that it only makes me more demanding and critical when a new album comes out. And since 2005 their albums haven't been consistently good and the formula is wearing out. With Dominion, Hammerfall is 11 albums into their career. The core of the band featuring Joacim Cans (lead vocals) and Oscar Dronjak (guitars) being the same plus a stable line-up for a few years means that Dominion brings no surprises, you know what you are getting: Power melodic epic metal. There are 9 power metal high tempo songs averaging four and half minutes each, one instrumental transition and the two mandatory ball"ads. If you are a fan, you will dig this, if you are not, nothing will change for you.

CRYPT SERMON The Ruins of Fading Light (09/13)

It's been already 4 years that the band released their acclaimed debut Out of the Garden. Now Crypt Sermon is back with the sophomore release. I go straight to it, I am disappointed. I was expecting an epic doom album. But instead, I get a very polished and overproduced rock album. Where are the doom riffs? And the vocals are almost alt rock sounding. On the bright-side the guitar player is very talented, there are some great solos in there e.g. "Our Reverend's Grave". Some highlights include "Christ is Dead", "The Snake Handler" and the title track. I do not think it's a bad album, it's just not for me.

EXHORDER Mourn the Southern Skies (09/20)

Exhorder are considered progenitors of groove metal. Initially active from 1985 to 1994, then from 2008 to 2011, they have since reformed in 2017. Vocalist Kyle Thomas and guitarist Vinnie LaBella are the only two remaining original members. Mourn the Southern Skies is their first album since 1992's sophomore The Law. It's clear from the start that they have not lost their New Orleans groovy thrash metal roots. If those riffs were 27 years in the making, it was worth it! Not only amazing riffs but also great guitarwork overall. The album is a collection of 10 tracks, mostly very groovy metal. However, there's a few exceptions. A couple of tracks "Yesterday's Bones" and closer/title track are more progressive and see a different side of the band, exploring acoustic guitars and clean singing. On the other hand "Ripping Flesh" is a ferocious thrash metal beast. While "The Arms Of Man" flirts with sludge. Great southern groove metal, it's worth a try!

DRAGONFORCE Extreme Power Metal (09/27)

The band founded in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman is bringing their eighth studio album which is already the fourth with Marc Hudson on lead vocals. But it's the last with bassist Frédéric Leclercq who joined Kreator after the recordings. I am a big fan of their last two albums in which Leclercq was a major writing force. Actually his songs have been my favorites. But now Totman is back as the main song writer being credited with 2/3 of the album. So, I picked up Extreme Power Metal with some hesitation.
On the big picture, the band still sounds like they always have: bombastic power metal, soaring vocals, shredding guitars with a very recognizable tone, catchy choruses, retro game sounds and more cheese than a cheesemonger  is willing to handle. But following the departure of Vadim Pruzhanov, Coen Janssen of EPICA took over the keyboards, bringing a new dimension into DragonForce's sound. He is credit as co-writer of "The Last Dragonborn" which indeed sounds different. It's more mid-tempo with less shredding and reminds me a lot of BloodBound. If you are into their sound, you will dig this album, but t's not as good as the last two.

Album Review: CULT OF LUNA A Dawn to Fear (09/20)

Cult of Luna is a Swedish heavy metal band from Umeå founded in 1998 and have released five albums in their first ten years. After an extended period of inactivity, they returned with the highly acclaimed Vertikal (2013). In 2016, the band released Mariner in collaboration with Julie Christmas.

Now they are finally back with an album on their own. The opener and 11-min single "The Silent Man" displays from the get-go the heaviness, emotive and melancholic nature of their sound. The guitar tone is very distinctive displaying a different sort of dirty distortion. The song dives into an instrumental interlude in slower tempo full of guitars with reverb and subtle organ on the background reminding me of Pink Floyd's "Echos". But then a crescendo lead us back to the last verse. This alternation between heavy guitars with screams and melancholic post-rock 70's prog-ish is a constant artistic choice throughout the record. The title track brings home this message of a very post-rock and old school prog feeling. In contrast "Lay Your Head to Rest" opens up with a big epic sound that develops into a nice groovy song with an emotive verse, specially when Persson screams the song title. A nice detail is the last 30 seconds of organ to close things off. The third single is the longest song "Lights on the Hill" which goes beyond 15 minutes and it's another highlight despite being 5-ish minutes too long.

A Dawn to Fear is tough nut to crack, clocking in at 80 minutes, the 8 tracks are long, mostly slow depressing tempo and yet heavy. With that said, be sure that there are no bad songs here. However, it would've been nice if the band had managed to trim some songs so that we would not exceed the one hour mark. I like the production values and the musicianship overall. The harsh singing is crushingly emotive, the drumming has brilliant moments (e.g. "Nightwalkers"), the bass is clear int he mix and the use of organs in some post-rock sections bringing this 70's prog feel. Heavy sections of distorted guitars mingled with post-rock sections featuring organs and other acoustic instruments, often containing a climactic (slow) crescendo. As always, Cult Of Luna are inventive and avoid conventional song structures.

Overall A Dawn to Fear is a huge accomplishing from the band following Vertikal. They prove themselves as a leading band within their genre. The result is an artistic musical journey difficult to digest but quite rewarding once you get your head around it. It's the perfect soundtrack as we enter the cold and dark season.

SCORE: 81/100
DR: 7
Genre: Post-Metal
Released by Metal Blade Records on September 20th, 2019

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Discography Review: Between The Buried And Me (2005-2018)

BTBAM's upcoming headline tour is being promoted as follows: "The “evening with” set is a curation of almost 20 years of music with the specific intent on realizing what it all means in 2019; how did we arrive here and where do we go? Sometimes the process of realization comes from breathing new life into old material. Over the two sets of music there’s a four part arc that will play out in the form of one cohesive night of music spanning 2002-2019."

Since 2012 I've been a fan of the progressive modern metal from Between The Buried And Me or BTBAM. Back then while getting ready for the release of The Parallax II: Future Sequence, I was sold when I listened to "White Walls" from the magnificent Colors. From there I started to dig their whole discography. Consequently, I am less familiar with their albums pre-Colors. So, in light of this tour, I decided to revisit their whole catalog. However, for the pre-Alaska albums and the EP, I only focused on some key songs. Here you have it...

"Shevanel Cut a Flip" is the closing track of BTBAM's debut self-titled album. The first third of the song is very hardcore and noisy, but being an almost 10 min affair, it does transition to a slow tempo section (like many of their songs until today) with clean guitar arpeggios and beautiful singing. The transition is not as seamless as they proficiently start doing a couple of albums later. While it is a good song, appearing live sometimes, it doesn't have the identity that the band would create later on.

"Mordecai" is arguably the best song from BTBAM's 2003's The Silent Circus. It's the album's only song that still pops up in their setlist from time to time. Under 6 min, the song is a relatively short one for today's standards. The first half is very hardcore and influenced by The Dillinger Escape Plan. In contrast the middle section has one of their most beautiful melodies and clean singing. It almost sounds like late The Beatles. There's an improvement from the debut but they were still searching for their own style.

Alaska (2005) - 75
BTBAM third studio album is the first album to feature the band's current lineup, with Tommy Giles Rogers (lead vocals, keyboards) and Paul Waggoner (guitar) joining forces with Dustie Waring on guitar, Dan Briggs on bass, and Blake Richardson on drums. Here we see this new line-up starting to solidify their signature and unique sound. BTBAM was ahead of their time and back in 2005 the album wasn't a commercial success. However, it achieved positive critical reviews and "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" is still today one of BTBAM most notable songs being featured constantly on their setlist. The song demonstrates the band moving from the chaotic mathcore sound to a heavier version of what Dream Theater would sound like. In "only" seven and half minutes, the song features several smooth transitions. Overall, despite good songs such as "All Bodies" and the title track, Alaska is still very hardcore with Death Metal and less progressive and groovy than the band would eventually become.

Colors (2007) - 90

Colors is a masterpiece and consequently over the years it has been featured in countless "top of" lists. Like almost all best progressive albums, Colors is challenging but ultimately a highly rewarding album. The blending of styles without loosing coherence is a remarkable achievement. Their metalcore roots are very much alive here, but the mathcore and chaotic elements are almost completely replaced with more groove. The progressiveness of bands like Pink Floyd and Dream Theater are deeply upgraded and perfectly infused into their own style. And that's not all, there's some death and black metal, grind, hardcore and most impressively also ambiance, jazz and even country music. Although the 65 minutes of this marvelous mix of styles are separated in 8 tracks, Colors gives the impression of one continuous song, with a track transitioning seamlessly into the next. In fact, the songs themselves have several impressive transitions within them. With that said, notice that it's not a concept album, each song is quite unique in lyrics and styles. Hence why I love the title Colors in which each song depicts a different color from a very rich palette. Needless to say that the musicianship in all aspects and instruments is spotless and jaw dropping. Fantastic solos, great riffs, impressive drumming and a bass that is clear on the mix with special moments of shining. Finally, the versatility of the vocals is a highlight. All in all, simply put, Colors is one of the best progressive metal albums of the 21st century.

The Great Misdirect (2009) - 79
Their fifth studio album despite containing only six tracks reaches nearly an hour in total time length. It includes their longest song to date "Swim to the Moon" with nearly 18 minutes. Of course BTBAM had the difficult task to follow-up the highly acclaimed Colors. "Mirrors" opens the album with a statement that this is not Colors II and that the band will continue to move forward. The song is very melancholic and jazzy with a very prominent bass line over some beautiful guitar arpeggios. "Obfuscation" follows with a catchy guitar riff and bringing the heaviness. The duo functions as one song and are sometimes played live as such. The other highlights are "Disease, Injury, Madness" which is my favorite from the record and "Fossil Genera - A Feed From Cloud Mountain" which brings back some of the mathcore elements from the early records combined with a circus-like vibe? The Great Misdirect has its moments but it's less cohesive than Colors and it goes a bit too far on the complexity.

"Specular Reflection" is the coolest song from the 2011's EP The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues which is the first release in a two-part concept album suite. It is often on their setlist. It features a cinematic intro, nice grooves, some alt rock vibes and Pink Floydian moments. That works for me!

The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012) - 85
This was actually my first BTBAM album and I love it for that. The album's concept is the continuation of the band's 2011 EP. It's a long affair clocking in at 73 minutes. Still It's a cohesive and mature album. One song seamlessly transition into the next, it's one long musical. For the first time BTBAM used a few segues, a intro and reprise tracks s much so that the album has 12 tracks. Parallax II is dynamic and more than before displays various metal influences from 1970's progressive rock, to jazz and fusion. There's a lot of groove and riffs with "less notes". While in the past clean vocals were mostly used in slow tempo sections, here they are often used in mid-tempo verses which makes it slightly more accessible than previous works. But don't get me wrong, it's still very heavy at times and progressive. Take "Telos" and the songs around it, pure brilliance. Parallax II two gives Colors a run for its money.

Coma Ecliptic (2015) - 85
The concept album Coma Ecliptic while bringing back the elements from previous records, the emphasis is different. Melody and clean vocals gained more focus while the death metal growling is less prominent. The influences of Queen and Pink Floyd are more accentuated., e.g. "Dim Ignition" reminding of "On the Run". Also modern progressive influence from Dream Theater is seen particularly in "Turn on the Darkness". But it's not to say that heaviness isn't there! It's part of a very dynamic album that uses several elements from acoustic guitars, keyboards, clean singing, death metal passages and tons of heavy riffs. It's all there in a great modern musical journey, one of the best albums of 2015.

Automata I/II (2018) - 87
Albeit as progressive as previous records, Automata being released in two parts is easier to digest than previous records. Part I features 6 songs in 35 minutes, one being a 1 min instrumental. Automata II features 4 songs in 34 minutes, one being a 2 min transition. Originality, exceptional musicianship, thought provoking lyrics, Automata has it all. The jazzy big band influenced "Voice Of Trespass" is one of their best songs ever. The album is standing the test of time and becoming a serious contender for BTBAM's best album.


* Source: https://www.betweentheburiedandme.com/ accessed on 09/02/2019.

The 9 Songs That Changed My Life

I saw the article on Kerrang with those questions to Parkway Drive man Winston McCall and I decided to try them myself...quite a journey through memory lane.

The first song I remember hearing…

Johnny Rivers - Baby I Need Your Lovin'

I had to pick one out of my parents' favorites. They were not massive music fans, but they had a small vinyl collections and liked the more mainstream 60's rock music. It's heard to remember exactly, but this was the first one that came to mind when I read the question.

The song that reminds me of my childhood…

Iron Maiden - Flash of the Blade

This was the first metal song I remember liking and from the first album I even bought. I was eight! Some things are just meant to be...

The first song I ever learned to play…

The Beatles - She Loves You

It's hard to know for sure, but I think this is a good guess. It's a relatively simple song using simple chords. I was already a The Beatles fan when I was 12, before learning how to play riffs and solos, simple chords progressions was the way to go.

The song that made me want to be in a band…

Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie

I dreamed about being a guitar hero and Satriani was always my favorite shredder. Surfing with the Alien is one of my favorite albums and a top 10 influential for me. This song was the coolest to try to learn.

My favorite song to play live…

The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings

BWBW was the first and pretty much the only song that I would sing instead of playing the bass and that's why it was my favorite. Our singer had a more alt rock clean singing, so I suggested to sing this one with some aggressive drive, good times.

The song that reminds me of my first love…

Chris De Burgh - Lady in Red

No comments, I was what, 9?

The first song that I crowdsurfed to…

In Flames - Pinball Map

Fun fact - it wasn't so long ago...I've never been a surfer, but wanted to try once, and guess what? It's awesome! In Flames is always one of the most intense surfing bands in a festival.

The song that picks me up when I’ve been down…

Rainbow - Stargazer

It's simple the perfect song. My favorite song of all times.

The song I’d like played at my funeral…

Iron Maiden - Infinite Dreams

The best band of all times that completely changed my life and without Maiden I would be a different person and would've had a completely different life. This song is one of my favorites and it's quite emotional, besides the title fits well to the occasion.

Album Review: ATLANTEAN KODEX The Course Of Empire (09/13)

Atlantean Kodex is a German Epic Doom Metal band. Their official page cite as key influences: Manowar (1981-1988), Bathory, Solstice, Candlemass, Warlord, Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, and Traditional European Folk Music. I can't disagree with all of that. Formed around 2005 by Trummer (Guitars) and Kreuzer (Bass), the band quickly managed to become the center of the new European epic metal movement. Atlantean Kodex deliver a heavy mixture of epic hymns, doom pacing, twin guitars harmonies and sing-along melodies.

The Course Of Empire is their third studio album following the fantastic 2013's The White Goddess (thanks my friend Michael for the tip). Not surprisingly the six songs are rather long averaging nine minutes but there are also a couple of transitions and an intro and outro. Actually the intro already gets you pumped for what's to come. While short it has an epic feeling to it and it starts full blown with all instruments. Then singer Markus Becker chants the verse starting with the resonant 'empires rise, empires fall', absolutely great. Even more so when you realize that it's a teaser for the epic 11-minute title track closer. It's like those movies when the last scene is shown first and then you watch the whole thing to see how it got there. As if it were one song, the single "People Of The Moon (Dawn Of Creation)" and track 3 "Lion Of Chaldea (The Heroes’ Journey)" follow the intro track. Both are faster tempo epic fist pumping madness. We then get a breathing second before the slower and doomy "Chariots (Descending From Zagros)" marches in with a great drum-work and featuring a beautiful guitar solo. The short and very melodic sing along "The Innermost Light (Sensus Fidei)" bridges us into "A Secret Byzantium (Numbered As Sand And The Stars)". One of the heaviest and best tracks is "He Who Walks Behind The Years (The Place Of Sounding Drums)" with fantastic guitar riffs and solos, great drumming and some of the most epic and catchy melodies.

Atlantean Kodex makes epic doom metal by the book. Even thought there are intervals, the the album functions as one piece of music with one song flowing into the next perfectly. The production is dynamic and clear. The band uses several samples to immerse us into this medieval Europe of empires and kings. The musicianship is solid with a shout out to drummer  Mario Weiss. While the range and versatility of singer Markus Becker is rather limited, he has a beautiful voice and he is proficient within his boundaries to deliver a convincing performance. It helps a lot that the vocal melodies are epic, catchy and beautiful. If you like doom/traditional epic metal, you can't go wrong with The Course Of Empire. The best album within this genre in 2019 so far .

SCORE: 85/100
DR: 10
Genre: Epic Doom Metal
Released by Ván Records on September 13th, 2019

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My Favorite Top 20 Drum Intros In Metal

Recently I was inspired by Rick Beato's video of top drum intros in music. His list while great was focused on Hard Rock and Pop Music. My favorite and most iconic drum intros in metal were absent. So I decided to create my own list. The full top 50 can be found on Spotfy here.

For the purpose of this list a drum intro is a drum 'riff' or rhythm figure that starts a song with no other instruments played together. The criteria for narrowing down to 20 was a mix of musically and technically brilliance and memorable or iconic intros. All of that through my own lenses and simply represents my favorites and not an absolute truth. I actually may have forgotten some, if that's the case, please let me know. Spoiler alert, the first three songs are not only my favorite drum intros, but those are some of my all time favorite songs. The full list with all honorable mentions can be found on Spotify here. I'll be regularly updating it. Without further due...

1. Rainbow - Stargazer (Cozy Powell)
This song is perfect. It may be my favorite song of all times. Even with that aside, the drum intro by itself is ten seconds of pure brilliance.

2. Judas Priest - Painkiller (Scott Travis)
Eighteen seconds of smashing the kit. That's only the opening of this massive song from one of the best albums in metal.

3. Iron Maiden - Where Eagles Dare (Nicko McBrain)
This is a short one, but those three seconds give me goose bumps every time. The drumming during the whole song is great and it is one of my top Maiden songs. 'Nuff said!

4. Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills (Clive Burr)
My favorite band's both drummers made the top five. This one is relatively simple but so iconic. Any metalhead will know the guitar riff that comes next.

5. Slayer - Epidemic (Dave Lombardo)
One of the greatest drummers in extreme metal playing a killer song from one of the best albums ever. When listening to the full album when you get to this drum intro, you know "Raining Blood" is coming next. Priceless.

6. Led Zeppelin - Rock And Roll (John Bonham)
Proto-metal, but such an important drummer for music in general and also for influencing metal. Arguably his most iconic intro, but certainly not the only one.

7. Motörhead - Overkill (Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor)
Arguably the first ever thrash song or at the very least the proto-thrash. The intro is notable due to then unusual double bass drums. After the intro you get nothing less than one of Motörhead's best songs.

8. Anthrax - Indians (Charlie Benante)
Another relatively simple one but so iconic. Out of one of the best thrash albums ever. The marching sound from Benante's toms is only the beginning of a live favorite.

9. Skin O' My Teeth - Megadeth (Nick Menza)
Nick has some many intros to choose from, but the 92's Countdown To Extinction opener is my favorite. Short but technically impressive while opening the road to a great song and album.

10. The Hurt That Finds You First - Meshuggah (Tomas Haake)
One of the best drummers in metal today. This was an important album for me and I listened to this song countless times. Please note that "Bleed" does not pass my criteria for this list.

11. Dream Theater - Honor Thy Father (Mike Portnoy)
From one of the best albums of a favorite band. A technically brilliant intro.

12. Deep Purple - Pictures Of Home (Ian Paice)
Another proto-metal song, but you can't go wrong with Mr. Paice. Technically one of the most impressive intros on this list, but also from one of the best rock albums ever.

13. Rush - Lakeside Park (Neil Peart)
All the way from 1975 from one of the greatest drummers in rock history. The groove in this intro and song are so cool. Neil and Geddy are in perfect harmony during the whole song.

14. Sepultura - Territory (Igor Cavalera)
I love the tone of Igor's kit in this song, so tribal and low. This happens to be one of my favorite Sepultura's songs.

15. Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr - Trivium (Travis Smith)

A more modern band and not particularly famous drummer, but it's such a cool intro from a fantastic song.

16. Disturbed - Down with the Sickness (Mike Wengren)

An iconic tom based intro that goes for quite some seconds as it becomes the basis for the beginning of one of their most recognizable songs.

17. Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It (A. J. Pero)
Straight from the middle of the Glam Metal age, it's impossible not to hear those beats and not get ready to sing along.

18. Mastodon - The Wolf Is Loose (Brann Dailor)
An impressive drummer from a great modern prog band. The speed and groove that opens this song and album is just a sample of what Brann can do behind the kit.

19. Hammerfall - Heeding the Call (Patrik Räfling)
This is a personal favorite that I haven't seen in other lists. But as a power metal fan it is an iconic intro of one of the best PM albums of the 90's.

20. Manowar - Fighting the World (Scott Columbus)
Bring on the cheese! While simple, this intro is such an integral part of this iconic power metal hymn.

Honorable Mentions:

• Quiet Riot - Cum On Feel The Noize (Frankie Banali)
• Van Halen - Hot For Teacher (Alex Van Halen)
• Gojira - The Of All Flesh (Mario Duplantier)
• Tool - Tickets & Leeches (Danny Carey)
• Death - Scavengers of Human Sorrow (Richard Christy)

Album Review: MGŁA Age of Excuse (09/02)

Mgła is a Polish black metal band formed in 2000 in Kraków by Mikołaj "M." Żentara (guitar, bass, vocals). Age of Excuse is their fourth album following the highly successful Exercises in Futility which I remember popped up in several year-end lists. At the time, it did not make the cut for me. But luckily this week there was nothing else of interest, so I decided to give them a try. The new effort is one 43-minute song in 6 parts. My first impression was very good. Part I features a scary opening sample, which to me sounds like the alien from the movie Signs (2002). The intro is followed by a Behemoth-like guitar riff. And when the verse starts it immediately reminded me of Tribulation. Not only because of the voice, but also the melancholic tempo. There are riffs with guitar picking but never too fast, and in many moments guitar arpeggios. The drums are groovy instead of blast-beats. There are faster tempo parts such as Part II and IV which then remind me of Abbath. But as I went through the other parts there was little that caught my attention. The similarities with Tribulation kept bugging me. On the bright-side, I have to mentioned the brilliant cover art by Zbigniew Bielak that completes the full package.

All in all, Age of Excuse is a straightforward melancholic Black N' Roll album for the fans of Tribulation, Abbath and Behemoth. It's well written, it sounds good and it's catchy. But on the other hand, it doesn't offer much more than we already get from the bands mentioned.

SCORE: 76/100
Genre: Black Metal
Released by No-Solace on September 2nd, 2019

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