MOTD - Behemoth: Old school Swedish Heavy Metal that sounds like old school British Heavy Metal

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: Behemoth
Song: Death Wings
Album: Death Wings (single)
Style: Heavy Metal
country/location: Sundsvall, Sweden
release: 1982

Around the early 1980s, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was in full force, churning out hundreds of bands. Some that made it, and some that never released more than a demo. Meanwhile, other parts of the world were starting to follow suit. Sweden by this time had a number of bands releasing demos and albums. This band, Behemoth, is one of those bands. (much to the surprise of everyone, I initially got this band because of the fact they share the same name as a more well known Polish black/death metal band hehe)

Behemoth shares a lot of similarities to the NWOBHM sound, the gritty guitars, being highly melodic but still rough, the slight punk atmosphere and speed. So much are the similarities that they often get mistaken for a British band (even I made this mistake not too long ago). The song starts off with a melodic/shimmery guitar before blasting into blistering almost thrashy riffs that permeate the entire song. The song speeds along while the singer shows off his chops. His voice is a mid to high range, it's clean but still enough power and rock to follow the music. The guitarist is no solo slouch. The solos are melodic but incredibly fast and skillful. The production certainly adds to the gritty nature of the music, and wonderfully so. It's a delicious old school gem!

Behemoth - Death Wings

MOTD - Sweet Savage: Ol' Sweet Ass Metal

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: Sweet Savage
Song: Take No Prisoners
Album: Take No Prisoners (single)
Style: Heavy Metal/NWOBHM
country/location: Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
release: 1981

Ok the wait is over! Time for me to bring back the METAL!!! Jeez, it's been way too long since the last time I've posted one of these. Granted I've been busy with work, shows, Maryland Death Fest, the aftermath of the fest, general laziness and my usual writer's block/anxiety (I want my writeups to be the best they can be!), and sickness. Well, I'm writing this as I recover from the swine flu (ok, maybe or maybe not!).

Anyway, last time, we had started a series of obscure/semi-obscure metal bands from the late 70s and early 80s. Continuing with this theme, the next band is a slightly more well known band, Sweet Savage. This band, hailing from Northern Ireland, was one of the more major bands of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Obviously not as big as Iron Maiden or Saxon, but still influential enough for Metallica to cover one of their songs (not this one however). This rockin track comes off of one of their first (if not first) demo/singles released in 1981. You can hear a lot of the major elements of the NWOBHM sound, gritty hard rockin guitars, a bouncing almost galloping rock rhythm, a punk-like atmosphere and speed, melodic but gruff vocals. Like the Horsepower song, it has a catchy-ish chorus, but it's different in the sense that it's more rough and dirty. And what great metal song doesn't have a ripping shredding solo? Certainly not this one! This track is a great heavy metal gem, a song worthy of it's history (yeah not sure what that means, but I like that! haha).

Sweet Savage - Take No Prisoners

so boys and girls

I'm going to be going to Maryland tomorrow! I'm going to be away from the computer and the internet until Monday. So as you can imagine, no MOTD for a week or so (like I've been keeping up haha! So it's probably for the best to take a break from it.  But don't worry it'll be back!  I got tons of awesome stuff for you!)

Looking forward to hanging out and meeting some of my online metal buddies!  It's going to be a blast!

If you want to follow my adventures and my quick reviews of all the bands I'm going to see, follow my twitter!
(I know I swore I'd never use twitter, but for quick reviews of bands, it's pretty good and easy!)

(if you really need to get a hold of me, call my cell 617-833-0162)

\m/

MOTD - Horsepower: Time To Take It 1979 Old School

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: Horsepower
Song: Highway Robbery
Album: Outrageous (single)
Style: Heavy Metal/NWOBHM
country/location: US/UK
release: 1979

Ok boys and girls, it's time to take it old school! And I mean really old school! Like late 70s, 80s old school! It's also time to bring to light some bands that didn't get the fortune of becoming huge name bands! For the next several MOTDs, I'll be posting old school metal bands, many of which never released much more than a single or a demo. Some of them have enough of a cult following that their names might ring a bell or two, like Chinatown or Incubus. While others have been lost to the sands of time only to be rediscovered by record collectors and the internet, like Existance and Tiger Force. (also I was/still am to an extent on a huge old school obscure metal kick and want to share some of my finds)

Starting things off, I present to you one of my favorite finds, Horsepower! While they're often listened among with the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement of the late 70s and early 80s, this band formed in Philadelphia. Only because they relocated to the UK and released this two song single did they become part of the NWOBHM. Whatever their label or location, this band rules, specifically this song. This midpaced song starts off with an incredibly awesome riff that is heavy (for it's time) and infectious. The singer gives a clean and bluesy performance that is passionate as well as rocking. With a mid range that is easy to sing along with and lyrics that are simple but effect, this is a great road trip song that will have you belting out even the high notes! And there are high notes! And what good old metal song is without a solo? The two guitarists play off each other in the solo section, utilizing different guitar tones and sounds. It's a well written hard rock/heavy metal song, and Horsepower perform it awesomely. This is definitely a song that will stay in your brain for days, and pleasantly so! And I call that, oooh, highway robbery!

Horsepower - Highway Robbery

MOTD - Thismeansyou: In Your Face Thrash Melodic Viciousness

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: Thismeansyou
Song: Wtfww
Album: Reviving The Apparently Dead
Style: Power Metal/Melodic Death Metal/Commercialized Thrash/Awesome Metal
country/location: Charlottesville, Virginia, US
release: 2007

It's always a joy to post a band that features a friend. It's especially a joy when the friend's band kicks major ass! It's my pleasure to present Thismeansyou, the band of the incredibly metal ! Strangely enough, I was aware of this group even before I had met the bald and sexy one. I had downloaded one of their tracks in my random browsings of metal bands a couple years ago, a track that kicked major ass. Not sure why I didn't pursue them further, but damn I'm glad I've been reintroduced.

Thismeansyou is what would happen if you took the best and catchiest parts of (dare I say) commercialized modern metal and combined it with the intensity and awesomeness of thrash and melodic death metal. Don't let the term commercialized scare you off, for they blend that extra sheen with the intensity and in your face-ness of thrash incredibly well. This band goes from playing hard hitting melodic lines to punching you with thrash-tactular blasts, which include thrashing guitars, pounding drums, and furious bass. The vocals come from a highly vicious chick who just spouts out aggression and brutality, while still allowing for melodic and clean singing (without loosing the intensity). This song is probably one of their most thrash inspired track, fast and furious! And what thrash song is without a blistering solo? Definitely not this awesome track! Anyways, check these guys out! I personally can't wait until they come up to Boston and knock the socks off of the people up here!

Thismeansyou - wtfww

If you like what you hear, buy the album!

MOTD - Crucified Barbara: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Chicks Kick Ass

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: Crucified Barbara
Song: Losing The Game
Album: In Distortion We Trust
Style: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
country/location: Stockholm, Sweden
release: 2005

Crucified Barbara is an all female band whose game is plain, uber catchy and fun but still razor edged, heavy metal! While definitely not the heaviest band ever, these chicks haven't lost that heavy metal, rock n' roll feel. Now some of you might disapprove at this band, especially this song, but I find it a fun and enjoyable listen. The guitarists churn out some kick ass, infectious riffs as well can solo with the best of them (though they're not super shredders, but they don't need to be), the drummer and the bassist are no slouches. The singer provides a hard rock but melodic delivery that has both an edge as well as a pop quality to it. That pop quality might turn a lot of elite metalheads away. This song isn't one of their heaviest songs, but I choose it for a reason that will cause many of you to lose the game and groan hehe. Despite this silly and seemingly awful reason for post this song, I did want to share this band for they rule in their own right!

Crucified Barbara - Losing The Game

MOTD - The Plasmatics: Gritty and Raw Metal/Punk Kickassness

Mp3 Of The Day



Band/Artist: The Plasmatics
Song: Doom Song
Album: Metal Priestess (ep)
Style: Heavy Metal, Punk
country/location: New York, US
release: 1981

So many many years ago, before I was the awesome metalhead I am today, I was volunteering at this little record store called Hi-Fi Records in Jamaica Plain. One day I was sorting the vinyl section and I came across this record entitled "Metal Priestess" with one of the more provocative covers I had seen. I showed it to the manager guy who was like "OH shit! It's the Plasmatics!" and proceeded to blast it. I was like "This rules!" Of course the manager decided that he must just have to keep it for himself. Since then whenever I went into a record store, I'd always look for it. Thanks to the internet, I have since acquired that record in a digital form (though I'm still on the lookout for the physical copy)! This track was one of the candidates for the Doom theme for the "Request a theme" set and it was so awesome that I'm posting it now!

Mixing punk and metal with theatrics and intensity that would make most later day theatrical black metal bands seem like kids play, The Plasmatics did it all! Back in the early 80s, this band produced kick ass, over-the-top but still raw heavy metal/punk. Led by Wendy O Williams who would everything from stripping on stage to driving cars through brick walls to who knows what else, this was the talked about band. (I mean look at that cover!) With a gruff and powerful set of lungs, WOW would spout out lyrics about sex, drugs, and violence. All this over gritty guitars playing a range of punk riffs and heavy metal riffs. I hesitate to call them speed metal, but the sound is almost at that point. This song is a classic example of this style, with an apocalyptic introduction with errie keyboards and Wendy speaking with cautionary conviction. No metal/punk song is complete with a shredding guitar solo which is delivered in a chaotic manner. Strangely enough, the ep this song is off of was produced by Dan Hartman who produced such acts as .38 Special and James Brown. He does a great job of making every instrument heard while keeping the gritty, raw feel this band strives for. Basically this song kicks so much ass!

YOU SEALED YOUR DOOM
YOUR TIME HAS COME
YHVH
SO IT IS DONE

The Plasmatics - Doom Song