And… we are back from the silence!
Oh, hey guys! Sorry it’s been awhile. We’ve been pretty quiet because, well, this happened (switch math for English):
And this happened (sort of):
And this happened:
It’s all good though. Because, uh, we are going to start writing again. Maybe. Until then, here’s some Meshuggah for you. Happy day!
Stream Meshuggah’s new album Koloss
Not much to say here, except that if you want to hear one serious kick in the ass metal album, you now have the option too. I know other sites have carried this story recently, but from what I’ve listened to of this album, it might be one of the tops of the year. You can go listen to the full album, which is out today, at the band’s i-am-a-leak website.
-Dan
Meshuggah don’t like looking down (it’s a new Meshuggah song!).
I first encountered Meshuggah when they opened for Tool in 2001 on the Lateralus tour. While my friends and family who were with me didn’t appreciate the style, mostly vocally, I loved it. It would take a few more years before I really, really got into the band, but since that time I’ve eagerly been interested in what the band are doing next. So, with their new album Koloss getting ready to come out in a month, they’ve released another track off the album. The song, titled “Do Not Look Down,” is a catchy piece of groove tastic death metal, Meshuggah style. If that doesn’t excite you, you’re probably more apt to listen to this instead. For the rest of us with taste… read on!
Meshuggah/Baroness/Decapitated dates revealed!
This is madness. What metal bands AREN’T touring in the next few months!? If you had an excuse to not go to any of the tours coming this winter/spring, think of another one because Meshuggah, Baroness, and Decapitated have announced North American dates in March and April!
4/29 House of Blues – Houston, TX
4/30 House of Blues – Dallas, TX
5/01 Emo’s – Austin, TX
5/03 Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
5/04 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
5/05 House of Blues – Hollywood, CA
5/06 The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
5/08 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, B.C.
5/09 Showbox Sodo – Seattle, WA
5/11 Odgen Theatre – Denver, CO
5/13 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
5/15 House of Blues – Chicago, IL
5/16 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
5/17 Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
5/18 Theatre of the Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
5/19 Palladium – Worcester, MA
5/20 Olympia de Montreal – Montreal, QUE
5/22 The Fillmore – Silver Springs, MD
5/23 Terminal 5 – New York, NY
If you haven’t seen Decapitated live, you are MISSING OUT. They’re incredible. Like its a thousand degrees in here, I’ve been standing for 7 hours sweating with 600 other people, drunk as hell, but can’t look away incredible. I’m sure Meshuggah is much the same, can’t wait to knock them off the list. And hey! Baroness is on the bill too!
-Chris
FINALLY! New music from Gojira!
Over a year ago we got news of a new Gojira EP. The 5-song EP was to feature “guests from the international metal community” with all proceeds going to the Sea Sherperd organization. The first of those guests has been revealed in the band’s newest track “Of Blood and Salt”. Devin Townsend and Fredrik Thordendal add their talents to the song and it’s Gojira, so you know its awesome. There is still no official release date for the EP, but this track is included on a sampler album this week for Metal Hammer.
In other Gojira/Sea Sheperd news, the organization had previously named its high-speed interceptor vessel the Gojira which, according to the website, served its purpose in removing Japanese whaling vessels from protected waters. As bad-ass as that is, someone, somewhere, served a notice to the organization to change the name of the boat. So instead of having their boat named after a metal band/Godzilla, they opted to name it after this lady………
Brigitte Bardot, who was in this picture, and was a highly-dedicated animal rights activist. This story just got a lot less metal so I’m going to stop now.
UPDATE: According to Theprp.com (via Metal Hammer) the EP will also feature Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), Max Cavalara (Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy), and Anders of In Flames. The EP is due out sometime in September!
Frontman Joe Duplainter also had this to say on the new album:
“It’s Gojira but wiser and heavier. Our music is always evolving. I hope there is more to come from us! I believe we can get heavier and deeper and more magical than before. I respect everything that’s been done before, but I hope we’re digging in another direction. It’s not a technical direction. It’s a more spiritual direction. I think we’re getting closer to the core of why we’re doing this music. It’s hard to describe it. Until I hear the new album it’s hard to have a clear vision of it. Fuck it, it’s just better!”
Go pick up the new Metal Hammer to read this and plenty of other good stuff!
-Chris
DC Metal Review 