Evile-Five Serpent's Teeth

Earache
2011


While wandering aimlessly around my local Marc's looking for blank CDs I came across this album in a clearance bin. How it could be in a clearance bin when it has only been out a little over six months I do not know. It did not exactly bode well for the album. That said at only $3.99 I took a chance on Evile's third album and headed for my car to see what all the fuss was about. While I never did find those blank CDs at Marc's I did walk away with a pleasant little surprise from this English thrash act. At first I was thinking to myself "why didn't anyone tell me the Big Four recorded an album together?" as this is so drenched in Bay Area love it is almost frightening. "Five Serpent's Teeth" was produced by our friend Russ Russell (Napalm Death, The Exploited, Dimmu Borgir and many more) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England. It is the first album released after the band lost original bassist Mike Alexander. Mike Alexander (who tragically died from a blood clot while on tour for "Infected Nations") is replaced by former Rise to Addiction bassist Joel Graham. Now since the band members did get their start playing Metallica covers the influence of James Hetfield and company is rather obvious. "Master Of Puppet" seems to be the cut off point as far as Evile goes so Metallica's first three albums act as a blue print for these English lads. Along with Megadeth, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament and specifically Slayer that is what Evile aims for as far direction. And you know what? I enjoy that about them. They seem to know who they are and what they want and they certainly do it with a high level of skill. The band is well versed in thrash metal 101 and even if this isn't very original it is at least fun. It was certainly worth the $3.99 I paid for it! By the way I added a link below with Metal Mark's review of one of their other albums.































http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Evile-Enter+the+grave+

Heavy Metal Thunderdome

Remember you are judging on the music in this contest. It is...


Metallica-Master of puppets

vs.


Slayer-Reign in blood


***Which album do you prefer?

Heavy Metal Thunderdome

Another round of the thunderdome with two early thrash albums going at it. Remember you are judging the music in this contest. It is...


Anthrax-Fistful of metal

vs.


Slayer-Hell Awaits

***Which album do you prefer?

Battle of the bands

It is...




Megadeth

vs.


Slayer


***Which band do you prefer?

Clash of the album covers

The choices are...




Morbid Angel-Blessed are the sick


vs.



Slayer-Reign in blood



***Which cover do you prefer?

Golden Turd Award for 1990

I always like to explain what this award is. It's not a worst album award, but more a combination of being bad and disappointing in some way. I have given one a year for each of the years of the 1980's and now am on to another decade. Now when I was thinking about the award for 1990 I first thought it would be Slayer and they put out a poor album in 1990 for certain. However the disappointment factor had me thinking that Iron Maiden was the more likely choice here. Slayer were coming off of two great albums and two good ones before that. However Iron Maiden had done seven albums in the 80's and I think five were great and the other two were very good plus they did the greatest live metal album of the 80's and maybe ever. So for them to put out an album like No prayer for the dying was stunning. "Hooks in you" and "Bring your daughter to the slaughter" are painful while several other songs come across as filler. Even the epic "Mother Russia" is corny and forced which is something that Maiden had never been not even for a minute in the 80's. Unfortunately the 90's was going to get even worse for Maiden and their fans. Although the band has certainly turned it around this decade.

Slayer-World Painted Blood

American

2009


So what was the top album by a veteren act that I was looking forward to most in 2009? Heaven and Hell? If I was then I was let down by the end product. Megadeth? Actually I still have not gotten around to hearing that one yet. KISS? Oh, please. Slayer's new one was definitely one of my most anticpated releases of this year. Aside than 1990's rather dull "Seasons in the abyss" Slayer have a rather impressive run of solid albums. Although I think all of the more recent releases have been good rather great and to find their last truly spectacular album you would have to go all the way back to "South of Heaven" in 1988. By this point we know what to expect from Slayer which is largely straight ahead pounding at your skull. True to form, "World painted blood" provides much in the way of straight shooting thrash. In fact they spend a great deal of time concentration on a slightly stripped down approach that has sounding more chaotic than they have in some time. The guitars are unrelenting, the rhythm section is thick and chunky with Lombardo's drums constantly coming across like three guys playing as one. Now I did think that Tom Araya's voice has a little edge over the years as there is a certain dry quality in his growl that hasn't been there. That's just age though because all things considered he still sounds great. The main aspect of this album that struck me as different is that the band attacks first and slows down, but still they driving yet they bring just a few melodies here and there. Now to you diehard, old school Slayer fans don't faint over this because it works. It's down in a subtle manner and it's slight in the whole scheme of things, but these parts add a depth that's been missing from the past few albums. If those parts were not there then "World painted blood" would sound a lot more like just a combination of past ideas. Instead it's sounds like classic Slayer taken to a different level. Not a level that is far from where they have been for years, but they are definitely building and moving forward. That's what sets Slayer apart from many other long running thrash bands the fact that they don't just chew up what they putting out years ago, but instead they find tiny ways to keep the machine going without upsetting the great work they have already created. I am sure this is a great album, but it definitely comes to that level than any other effort they have done in some time. So turn it up and prepare to have your blood boil and your head ripped off.

Five things in metal that I am thankful for

I think this is the third or forth year I have done this. Five things in metal that I am thankful for this year in no real order.

Metal Mind Records-Okay, these guys have made my list every year and with great re-issues of albums from Satan, Maltese Falcon, Acid Drinkers, Turbo and more they easily make the list again.

UFO-Their label was going under, Pete Way was having health problems and this veteran band probably had other things going against them too. They still put out a fine album in "The Visitor". Always good to see a veteran band dig down like that.

Admiral Browning-I never would have thought a band from not far from my area would put out one of the best albums of 2009. This instrumental doom/stoner act have done just that.

Slayer-I still need to tie my ideas together and get a review out of World Painted Blood. Still I know it's good. While Slayer have never strayed far from the sound they set up in the 80's they have at least have been very consistent. Metallica went way off, Megadeth strayed for years and Anthrax disappeared and were not very relevant when they did reappear, but Slayer have remained as a solid, long running force and influence in metal.

Iron Maiden, Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen and everyone involved with making Flight 666-We all know how great Maiden are, but this movie shows what this band means to fans across the globe. It shows the band as the fine musicians they are, but it also shows the work and effort that went in to making a tour of this magnitude work. Of course the live clips and interviews with the fans are fantastic. A great film all the way around.

So there you go. I still have a big turkey award for 2009 to give out at some point. As it stands right now the nominees are Rocklahoma 2009, Lita Ford and Wal-mart exclusives (sorry, didn't hear the newest Queensryche or else I am sure they would make this list).

Clash of the album covers

It is...


Danzig-s/t

vs.


Slayer-Haunting the chapel

***Which cover do you prefer?

Number 22

My top hard rock/heavy metal guitarist countdown moves on with number 22. It is...



Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King

Normally when you think of talented individuals in Slayer you think of drummer Dave Lombardo first. There is good reason for that, but this guitar duo contributed greatly as well. Not technically great yet they brought a much needed dose of heaviness to thrash and they built upon it. Thrash and death metal would not have been the same without their contributions.

So far we have..
25-Ace Frehley
24-Andy McCoy
23-James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett
22-Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King

I'll have number 21 out next week.

Clash of the album covers

Okay, it is...

Slayer-Show no mercy

vs.


Venom-Black Metal


***Which cover do you prefer?