1) Blut Aus Nord - 777: The Desanctification
1) Skeletonwitch - Breathing the Fire
2) Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive
3) Baroness - Blue Record
4) Kylesa - Static Tensions ("Said and Done")
5) Mastodon - Crack the Skye
6) Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse Now (stream)
7) Slayer - World Painted Blood
I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd take this chance to talk about something different. I'll probably have some pictures from Joel Smith and Modest Mouse when I get around to it. This post is about artwork by John Dyer Baizley. Baizley does awesome cover artwork for some pretty cool metal bands, including the band in which he is lead singer/guitarist, Baroness.
Baroness's new album comes out this october. The Blue Record artwork can be seen below. Baroness has two preview tracks from this album up on their MySpace.
(clockwise from upper left)
Baroness - Red Album
Baroness - Blue Record
Skeletonwitch - Beyond the Permafrost
Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky (out in October)
Torche - In Return
Kylesa - Static Tensions
I first heard about Skeletonwitch when they were added to the lineup of the Scion Rock Fest in February. Skeletonwitch play fun, straightforward blackened thrash metal. I say fun not to diminish the heaviness of their music. The riffs are punishing, and frontman Chance Garnette commands the stage with his black metal inspired growls. You can't take yourself too seriously in the world of metal or you are doomed to become a joke trying too hard to be hard. I fall firmly on the side of GWAR and Iron Maiden on the metal theatrics argument.
These guys were nice to talk to, and you could tell they had a blast playing. Before playing one song, Chance told the crowd, "This one's about Sataaaaaaaan!" before guitarists Nate and Scott launched into a twin axe attack as smoke billowed out from the back of the stage. That is what metal is about.
Skeletonwitch has Beyond the Permafrost out on Prosthetic Records which I picked up at the show. They are working on their new album and recording in Seattle. Here's a live video of them in Brooklyn to give you idea of their live show though the sound isn't too great.
It's hard to find good metal festivals. Usually you have to put up with a fair amount of sub-par bands. The Scion Rock Fest on Feb. 28th is the exception. Too bad it is in Atlanta. 2 of the 4 bands from my best metal albums of 2008 will be there.
Full band list (my picks in bold):
Mastodon, Neurosis, High on Fire, Converge, Boris, 1349, Cryptopsy, Torche, Nachtmystium, Wolves in the Throne Room, Baroness, Harvey Milk, Kylesa, Zordaster, Withered, Krallice, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch, Rwake, A Storm of Light, Warbringer, Salome, Suidakra, Tyr, Alestorm, Eyehategod, SuidAkrA, Septic Flesh, Soilent Green, Trash Talk, U.S. Christmas, Apocalyptic Visions
If only Gojira and The Sword were going to be there. Speaking of Gojira, here is their new video for the song "All the Tears" from The Way of All Flesh. It's not my favorite song off the album, but it has a pretty trippy video.
All The Tears
EDIT: 4/16 Added final lineup
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