Hand Coding

Now that it’s back on the air, I often try to catch Headbanger’s Ball on MTV2 (which airs each Saturday at 10/9c). Though I’ve never seen the original (circa ten years ago), my understanding is that it used to have a good amount of hair-metal & pop-metal (neither of which are really metal at all). But, the show these days — while not perfect — is far from posturing about metal.

The current iteration is hosted by Jamey Jasta, frontman for Hatebreed. And, while I don’t particularly care for Hatebreed, I can’t deny that it’s not metal (I generally prefer more melodic metal). And, to MTV2’s credit, they feature plenty of legitimate metal bands on the show: In Flames, Children of Bodom, Meshuggah, Lacuna Coil and others.

In any case, on next week’s show, they’re airing Headbanger’s Ball and Revolver Magazine’s Best Metal Videos of the New Millennium. Granted, it’s a a bit premature to start declaring a best-anything of the new millennium, but I think it’s partly tongue-in-check (even their website includes the sheepish postfix “so far”).

Looking over the apparent candidates (from a concurrent online poll), I was discouraged at first since I didn’t recognize many of the band names. But, as I read further, I gained faith in the list — sure, some blowhards like Korn are on there, but so are Arch Enemy and In Flames (two of the more talented metal bands out there, in my opinion).

However, until Headbanger’s Ball’s teaser for this Best Metal Videos list, I hadn’t even heard of Revolver magazine. So, I’m curious how the list will end up. Not that I’ll take it personally if some of my favorite bands don’t make the list, but it would renew my faith in the American Music Scene to see some of Scandinavia’s top metal acts make the cut. (And, yes, all the best metal seems to come from Scandinavia, for reasons which elude me.)

Reuters is carrying a story on decision by several metal bands to soften their own sound in an attempt to get more radio play. I just can’t understand why someone would sacrifice her or her craft for monetary gain alone. I guess some people will do anything for a buck.

Hard rockers Flaw from Louisville, who blend sensitive melodies with aggressive guitars and anguished screams, are hoping to break through on radio with “Recognize,” a song featuring clean guitars and vocal harmonies from their second album, “Endangered Species.”

“We thought that if we came out with one of our heavier songs first it might not be grabbed onto by daytime radio,” said singer Chris Voltz of the band's new strategy. “This time the first song that we gave to radio was one of the softer, more daytime-acceptable songs.” […]

If I were in the same position, I’d just make the best music I could and make my money from CD sales and concerts. And, if that didn't work out, I may try to improve the band’s sound, but I wouldn’t want to dumb it down. Oh, and do I even need to mention that Metallica is also featured in the article?

I heard on Sirius Radio that Queensrÿche and Dream Theater are co-headlining for a tour together!

“Yes, the rumours are true!

“The tour package that progressive metal fans have dreamed about for over 10 years has finally come together for a US tour in July/August!

“Dream Theater and Queensryche will be joining forces for a co-headlining tour, each playing equal set lengths, and will be joined by very special guests Fates Warning.”

So far, there are confirmed dates for various cities in California, plus Detroit (in other words, nothing near this neck of the woods). But, should they schedule a tour stop around here, I’d be rather tempted.

It saddened me when Fear Factory split up in March (see also frontman Burton Bell’s statment on the breakup). However, it appears that the remaining three members may have reformed the band!

The reformed Fear Factory — now consisting of Christian Olde Wolbers (guitar/bass), Raymond Herrera (drums), and Burton C. Bell (vocals) — have posted for download 45-second samples of three cuts from their recently-recorded demo.

[…]

A fourth cut recorded during the same sessions, “Bite The Hand That Feeds”, was not made available for download, but is believed to be among the tracks planned for inclusion on the band's upcoming studio album, tentatively due in late 2003. […]

I’m trying to stay calm, but I’m pretty stoked about this :^0. I really enjoy Fear Factory’s metal-industrial sound and I own all of their albums (well, exept for their first, “Soul Of A New Machine”, which I found less refined than their later works).

Oh, and the “old Fear Factory” (as if reaching out of the grave) is releasing a new album of b-sides and remixes called Hatefiles on April 8 (cover art). (Props to the DJs on Sirius’ Metal channel for spreading the word on this Fear Factory info.)

I’m going to a concert this evening (Sunday) at The Canyon Club, part of the Bronco Bowl Entertainment Center. Their site offers these directions from Dallas:

1. Take I-30 west to Hampton Road exit
2. Exit Hampton Road South
3. Turn Right (west) on to Fort Worth Avenue at the first stop light
4. Bronco Bowl Entertainment is located half a mile from Hampton Road on the left (south) side of the street.

For those that have been to The Canyon Club before, do those directions make sense? Or, is there anything else I should know about getting there?

Oh, the bands — almost forgot about that part ;). The headliners are Nile and Napalm Death, but my main interest is in Dark Tranquillity.

I don’t have any Napalm Death albums, but that's primarily because other albums have taken purchasing precedence. My non-deceased friend Brian Wagner quite liked them and I don’t recall disliking the band when he played them for me. Well, I’ll just have to give them a listen and try to form an opinion.

Before reading about them on the show annoucement page, I hadn’t even heard of Nile (which is a bit surprising, since they’re the headliners). However, a quick search of the reviews at Metal-Rules.com turns up some positive results:

While hard-core death fans, particularly those into complex pay-attention, you�ll-be-tested-on-this kind of metal, will probably take to this CD immediately, the album will probably grow on just about everybody given enough listens. The intricate secrets locked within the music will take a good number of listens to unlock. […]

— Metal-Rules.com review of Nile’s Black Seeds of Vengeance with rating 4.5/5.0

Hmm, so I don’t quite know how to take that. I enjoy some death metal, though there are metal subgenres that I prefer even more (such power metal, in particular). Well, since Dark Tranquillity are not the headliners, at least they won’t be playing last. So, if any of the post-DT bands aren’t good, I can just go home without guilt.

The Onion AV Club features their list of the Least Essential Albums of 2002 (the AV Club isn’t a parody, though I wouldn't blame you for being confused). Most of the artists I haven’t even heard of, but I recognized King Diamond.

Though it's a bit of an acquired taste, I do enjoy some Diamond from time to time. And, as his Abigail album was one of his best, I was rather looking forward to the follow-up. However, The Onion AV Club put it this way:

[…]The album includes a family tree so the easily confused can keep the characters straight, while the lyrics sheet, as always, makes it clear which guitarist is responsible for which solo at all times.

And, they say that like it’s a bad thing ;).

While driving to Bed Bath & Beyond last night, I was listening to Sirius Radio’s Metal channel when I heard a cover of AC/DC’s classic “TNT” by Six Feet Under, a death metal band. From their website:

Launched in 1995, Six Feet Under, was originally conceived as a side project by then Cannibal Corpse lead throat Chris Barnes along with Obituary guitarist Allen West, Death’s Terry Butler and drummer Greg Gall. Chris’ departure from Cannibal Corpse that same year expedited the bands rapid
evolution beyond a one-off Death Metal super group into the world's most respected name in extreme music. The combination of speedy riffs, down tuned groove and lyrics inspired by the horrors of the mind and the world at large had established SFU internationally as the reigning, if not, most feared
Death Metal act. […]

Imagine, for a moment, what a growling death metal version of “TNT” would sound like, and you’d probably be fairly close. It was at once slightly amusing but surprisingly catchy ;). And, as it turns out, it’s available as an mp3 from their website if you want to hear what it sounds like.

I wrote to some of my metalhead-friends about the metal available on Sirius Radio. In case it’d interest other metalheads, I thought I’d post it here as an open letter as well.

Hey guys,

As you may have read on my blog, I’ve recently upgraded my car audio, including Sirius Radio.

In case you’ve been living under a rock ;), satellite radio is similar in some ways to satellite tv: I have a satellite radio compatible head unit in my car, along with a small antenna on my roof (about the size of a 2-pack of Twinkies). I pay about $12/month and, in return, I get 100 channels including 60 commercial-free music stations.

There’re all kinds of genres: 70s, 80s, jazz, classic rock, and so on. I signed up because they had content that I just couldn’t hear on the radio including electronica/techno and extensive news coverage (NPR, BBC News, and others).

Specifically, I wanted to write to you about the metal on Sirius Radio. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. Their metal station is channel 29, “Hard Attack”, and its description listed bands such as Slipknot and Korn (bleh).

But I soon discovered: it’s the real deal. They may only list some lame nu-metal bands in the description, but that was probably what their marketdroids thought would work best (heh).

I’ve been making notes of just some of the bands that I’ve heard so far. Sure, there’re the “expected” metal bands such as Rammstein and Metallica. But, it gets better :).

Lacuna Coil and Hammerfall? Yeah, got that.
Meshuggah and Opeth? Got that.

Dark Tranquillity? Sure.

In Flames and Nevermore? Oh yeah.

And, last but not least…
King Diamond? Yes!

For the price of about one CD a month, you can get all kinds of metal. If you’ve been thinking about satellite radio, I urge you to give it a try.

But, in due fairness, I’ll include one caveat. Sirius Radio does use psychoacoustic (mp3-like) compression and I have been able to detect artifacts. From time to time, I’ll notice the characteristic spwish-spwish of overcompressed cymbals or the fwuth-fwuth of an overcompressed bass drum.

In fact, I’ll say this right off the bat: Josh, you probably don’t have the stomach for Sirius Radio (at least not in its present state of compression). Then again, maybe I’m wrong (you’d have to listen to it to be sure).

Matt and Mike: if you can stand listening to mp3s on a regular basis (and I think you can), you'll probably get much enjoyment out of Sirius Radio (especially since a moving automobile — road noise and all — is not exactly a critical-listening environment).

If you go to a car audio store to evaluate Sirius Radio, just be sure to flip through various stations — some are compressed more than others.

The bottom line: would I buy Sirius Radio again? Definitely.

Over the past two weekends, I’ve had my car audio reworked, including Sirius Radio. In all:

• Kenwood KDC-X859 head unit
• Kenwood KAC-X650D multichannel amplifier
• Kenwood KDC-CD89 10-disc changer
• MB Quart RSB-214 4” component loudspeakers (front)
• MB Quart DTC 169 6x9” loudspeakers (rear)
• Dual MB Quart PWD 254 10” woofers (enclosed in the trunk)
• And, of course, an alarm system to protect all of it (Clifford Intelligaurd 7000)

Though I’ve only had it for a day and a half, I’m very pleased with it so far. Of all the features, I’ve been most excited about Sirius Radio. For those not aware, Sirius Radio offers 100 radio channels, delivered by satellite, including 60 commercial-free music channels.

There’re all kinds of genres including classic rock, electronica, jazz, and decade-based channels such as 70s and 80s. In particular interest to me, there’s also a Metal channel. Initially, I didn’t have my hopes up, as their description made it seem a bit lame (Korn? bleh.).

However, in the past day-and-a-half I’ve already heard Hammerfall, Dark Tranquillity, and Meshuggah (!). All right, so Meshuggah is listed in the channel’s description, but Hammerfall and Dark Tranquillity are two bands that I thought I’d never hear other than on CD.

Sirius Radio’s tagline says “You’ll never want to leave your car”, and it’s true. I’m actually contemplating whether there might more longer and more scenic routes I could take to work (HHOS).

I haven’t brought my CD player in to work yet (when you have to leave for work at 7:30am, mornings always seem to be a rush), so I was jonesing for some music this afternoon.

Figuring that I wouldn’t mind hearing some non-mainstream, a quick Google search turned up Digitally Imported, which has all kinds of techno — trance, hard trance, hard house, eurodance, and so on. I listened to eurodance for a while, and I’m listening to hard house at the moment — but they’re both very good.

If it weren’t for the poor audio quality of streaming MP3s (compared with Redbook CD audio), I would be half-tempted to leave my CD changer at home and just try streaming Internet radio for a while ;).

PS If you have any techno or melodic death metal streaming-radio stations to recommend, please post them in the comments :).