(((July)))

July hasn't been a great month for album releases so most of my top songs are old material that I have only just got into. However we have heard some new stuff from Slipknot which puts us in high hopes for the album, A new Metallica track surfaced and had fans affirmed that the new album is better than St.Anger. Bloc party also released a new track from there forthcoming album which was met with mixed opinions and Late Of The Pier had Heartbeat, a track of the debut album leaked which has made he wait even harder because the track is outstanding.

Anyway here are my top 12 tracks from July:

1.The Blood Brothers - Set Fire To The Face On Fire

2.Slipknot - Psychosocial

3.Bolt Action Five - Tree Friend Tree Foe

4.Late Of The Pier - Heartbeat

5.Bloc Party - Mercury

6.Patrick Wolf - Tristan

7.Errors - Cutlery Draw

8.Metallica - Ecstasy Of Gold

9.Trash Fashion - Why Cant We Be Friends

10.Producers With Computers - Put Your Hood Up

11.Turisas - Rasputin

12.Polarbear - Jessica

A mixed month ranging from marauding metal to spoken word tracks and electro.

Below is my Three favourite tunes from the month, Enjoy.

Late Of The Pier - Heartbeat.mp3

Bloc Party - Mercury.mp3

Metallica - Ecstasy Of Gold.mp3

As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us

After hearing this christian metalcore group on a recent metal hammer cd I was intrigued to hear more. They sounded like the one band I had heard who could pull of the metalcore sound without falling to far into the metal or the hardcore genre.

An Ocean Between Us was released in August 2007 and was the bands fourth studio album. This gained the group worldwide recognition with over 115'000 copies sold worldwide and leading to a sold out World tour a few months later.

The opening track is one of those openers that when heard for the first time stuns you and lets you know your about to hear something very special. It builds up into dual guitar harmonies that put hair metal to shame then masterfully fades into the 2nd track "Nothing Left which was the single and you can understand why. The first riff has enough force to leave any man weak at the knee's and with Tim Lambesis' first gut wrenching scream you know why this was the single. This then uses the guitar feedback to fade into "An Ocean Between Us" which is alot faster and more relentless than the previous two tracks but lacks the melodic line you come to expect from hearing the previous tracks.

An Ocean Between Us is defiantly a good album but lacks the catchy melodies of some of metalcore's bigger names and most of the songs, although good, sound very similar to each other.

As I Lay Dying - Nothing Left.mp3
Buy An Ocean Between Us

Metallica - Death Magnetic [Artwork]

Metallica have now released the cover art for their upcoming album "Death Magnetic". Metallica have reverted back to their old font on the Metallica logo and got rid of the much hated ninja star "M" many Metallica fans despised.

I definitely rate this artwork higher than such albums as "Load" or "St.Anger" It just seems much more 80's Metallica.

//Lost & Found//

Its not often I hear a song that gets me so excited I stop blinking and moving if only to improve my hearing for the duration of the track.

Tree Friend Tree Foe by Bolt Action Five is the song all this commotion is about.

I hear this masterpiece of Electro/rock and look forward to hearing about tours,albums etc. Only to find out they broke up only a few months ago having released nothing but a few E.P's

I want all who visit this blog to get this track and check out all the others available for free download on the bands myspace page.

Bolt Action Five - Tree Friend Tree Foe.mp3

Myspace Link

Dir En Grey - The Marrow Of A Bone

Asian metal is on the rise...Bands such as Seikima II and Malice Mizer have been around the block and achieved worldwide fame but its only now when Dir En Grey release their 6th album to date do I finally accept that Asian metal is good despite not being able to understand a word they are saying.

"The Marrow Of A Bone" as I mentioned before is Dir En Grey's 6th studio album and has finally got them the recognition they deserve. Formed in 1997 Dir En Grey signed to firewall records and have been with them ever since without a single change in lineups, Not many bands do that believe it or not.

The album opens with I thought were the recorded mad mutterings of a Asian monk as all you get is some melodic chord shapes from the guitar and quite Japanese lyrics. I was not impressed by this opener but the 2nd track makes up for it. The opening riff to "Lie Buried With A Vengeance" is as classic a riff can get but somehow feels recycled and fresh to give a feel of familiarity without being the same old stuff we are used to. Kyo the vocalist has amazing talent and can range from very soul full singing to the harsh screaming that we would usually only hear from hardcore bands.

The standout track Is by far "Ryoujoku No Ame" which despite the unpronounceable name is an amazing display of talent from every member of the band with Guitarist's Kauro & Die creating a brilliant harmony that pans from speaker to speaker.

For me this is a new era, Asian Metal rules.

Dir En Grey - Ryoujoku No Ame.mp3

Buy The Marrow Of A Bone

Turisas - The Varangian Way

When first hearing of Turisas in an old copy of Metal Hammer I immediately scorned them for trying trying to bring such instruments as the accordion into a metal band, This tallied up with there strange viking appearance threw me right off.
But when hearing their cover of "Rasputin" on a compilation CD recently it got me intrigued, They sounded so full and new I just had to give the album a listen.

"The Varangian Way" is Turisas' 2nd album to date and If I do say myself a breath of fresh air for the metal scene. Violins and guitars working in harmony to create something I have come to call folk metal.

The album opens with the symphonic "To Holmgard & Beyond" which incorporates everything from the accordion to what sounds like half an orchestra. Very few songs that try to make you feel or visualize something ever work but To Holmgard & Beyond really does make you think your standing on a hill in some far flung European country with your fellow vikings preparing for war, It sends a proud shiver down your spine. The next track opens with the accordion and I instantly thought " This is to much bring back the metal" but I didn't have to wait long as little before 20 seconds later the guitars pound in only aided by the perfectly placed double bass pedals.

Unfortunately "Rasputin" is on the deluxe edition of "The Varangian Way" but nonetheless this album can only be described as a front runner on new European heavy metal, Folk metal has been tried before by the likes of Skyclad but Turisas have opened it up to a whole group of people.

Turisas - To holmgard And beyond.mp3
Buy The Varangian Way

8/10

- Tablature -

This is my second installment on the songs Im learning at the moment. Now I am hitting A2 music my level of playing has to increase and all of these songs are pushing my limits to the edge, Here's hoping I pull them off...

Joe Satriani - Crowd Chant

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/j/joe_satriani/crowd_chant_tab.htm

As Blood Runs Black - In Dying Days

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/a/as_blood_runs_black/in_dying_days_tab.htm

Paul Gilbert - The Gargoyle

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/p/paul_gilbert/the_gargoyle_tab.htm

Walls Of Jericho - With Devils Amongst Us All

When miraculously finding out that Ed Banger signed artist SebastiAn had remixed Walls Of Jericho on his latest track "Dog" I just had to give them a listen. Further more I found it hard to believe that the vocals sampled from the band on SebastiAn's track were female...

I wasn't sure where to begin but when usually starting out on a band I look at their second most recent album and hope it gives me a taste of the bands sound.

With Devils Amongst Us All is Walls Of Jericho's 4th album and begins with the brilliantly titled track "A Trigger Full Of Promises" which opens with an awesome 80's sounding thrash riff that wouldn't feel out of place in any Megadeth collection. This doesn't mean that Walls Of Jericho are just following the current thrash metal up rise as after the initial skull pounding riff you hear a more diverse complex sound that combined with the simply breathtaking vocals of Candace Kucsulain leaves you wondering why this underground metalcore band aren't one hell of alot bigger?

A Trigger...Then flows into "I Know Hollywood And You Ain't It" another brilliantly titled track which possibly shows Candace Kucsulain at her vocal best with gut-wrenching screams and enough adrenaline to leave you sweaty and very scared.

The rest of the album follows the awesome track names with songs such as "Another Day, Another Idiot" & "Try.Fail.Repeat" both of which are packed full of breakdowns and riffage galore.

All in all a good album and a band I will be looking further into

P.S If your no fan of female's making the vocal talents of most men in the metal scene seem shamefull try "No Saving Me" which features Candace singing to her scientific best.

Walls Of Jericho - A Trigger Full Of Promises.mp3
Buy With Devils Amongst Us All

7/10