My Heavy Metal Journey

Streaming is often discussed and frequently debated within the music community. Artist and record companies say it's costing them money. Most listeners love having everything in one place, easily accessible and at a cost they can afford. Some listeners feel like they are better supporting an artist because they don't use a streaming service. In fact they are elitists about it often times. The problem is they are wrong. Streaming isn't going anywhere and it's actually a really good thing.  We always see the arguments about how a band only makes $0.00686 cents per stream or whatever. But I think you first need to understand how they get paid. Unlike the popular belief they are not paid per stream. It works more like revenue sharing. You can learn more here . quit being cheap and pay for the service you prefer. If you are using the free version you are hurting the artists. It's easier for people to find your music and listen to your music.   This is by far th...

 I knew as soon as I thought "i should listen to Rolling Stones top ten albums of all time" that I had fucked myself over. I just didn't realize it would be this bad. Four Beatles albums and two Bob Dylan albums are in their top ten. So you're telling me sixty percent of the ten greatest albums of all time, ALL TIME, were created by two artists. This list considers every genre, artist, noise or static ever recorded and called music. Out of hundreds of millions of albums this is what you come up with? Get bent Rolling Stone. I always knew you were a joke. But this is unforgivable.  All of this is clearly just my opinion. You are free to, and should, feel however you want about the following albums and artists. 10. The Beatles - White Album  This is just The Beatles shoving as many different musical styles as they can think of into one album. It's an unnecessarily long 30 tracks yet runs just over an hour. I'm not going to say every song should be six ...

 Lets jump right in because HOLY SHIT am I excited! Delain - Apocalypse & Chill   I already love Delain. I think Charlotte is one of the best vocalists in metal. Not symphonic or epic metal, in metal period. I also love how catchy they are and how tight they are instrumentally. So it's no small thing when I say this is by far their best work, possibly one of my favorite albums ever written.  Musically this album is immaculate. They explore, I'm not joking, everything! Just the music alone takes you on a journey. If this were an instrumental album it would still be incredible. The synths are perfectly utilized which, along with the bass and drums, drives the album forward while allowing the guitars and vocals to reach out to every conceivable corner of possibility. It's dark, tragic, and emotional.  Timo lays down some heavy as fuck guitar riffs throughout this gem. He has some seriously sweet sounding solos on the album too.  Vocally it is of...

 So I had a big ol' post planned. Started writing it. But then I lost all of it. I seriously thought it would be my best work yet. Now that's not saying much, I'll admit. But it was going to be something every metal head, and likely others, needed to hear. I'll regroup and get back to it at some point. But tonight, I'm just going to ramble and tell my three readers what I have been up to.   Sorry... Lame! I know.  First of all I had given up on this week. I realized however, that it isn't fair to myself. To just give up for any reason. A minor inconvenience. No! A man, or woman, must keep plugging along.  I listen to primarily metal. A huge part of the metal scene is perseverance. The idea that you feel alone most days, that the world is working against you, but you're not going to quit. If that's who I am I can't just give up right?  Another huge factor in me writing this is that, for the first time in a long time, I have been given hope...

 According to  this article , Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler, are stating they were unhappy with the timing of Bad Wolves release of their cover version of Zombie. I want to weigh in on this a bit. I have thought about since I heard it some time yesterday evening via  this video  from rock feed.  First let me say there is no simple answer to this. I can see both sides of this argument.  According to the article Dolores O'Riordan was supposed to record her guest vocals spot the night of her passing. This is important because just 3 days later Bad Wolves released their cover.  So why then? Was it coincidental? Well there could have been plans to release the cover as a single absent O'Riordan's part already in place. But we are talking 2018. Well within the digital era, when a band, especially one on a small label, can drop new material at a moments notice. Speaking of labels it very well could have been ...

 First month of the year means first new music of the year. I love new music! So I'll get right into it. Here are my picks for best albums of January.   Haunt - Mind Freeze  Mind Freeze feels like an old school heavy metal album. Partially due to production, but mostly because that's exactly what it is. Dueling guitars, driving bass and drums, and perfectly timed synths along with the old school approach to vocals, all come together to make a great work of art.  There isn't any wasted space in the album. There are no weak tracks, it's a pleasure to listen to front to back. If anything the run time of 37 minutes leaves me wanting more. Which is probably why, as a write this, I am on my 3rd play through today.  Given their old school approach, I don't think drawing comparisons to NWoBHM is unfair. But I don't think that's doing them, or the album justice. The album has an oddly unique, yet familiar sound and feeling.  The album starts with Light ...