Music of 2007 Part 5: But I Was Not Consumed!!

next to last entry... there's some great stuff here. make sure you check out any of the bands' myspace pages... there's some GREAT stuff to be heard. okay, until next time (and when i'm gonna blog about my recent lame-ass wreck)...

10. Demon Hunter- Storm the Gates of Hell (Solid State) November 6

Demon Hunter was a definite heavy hitter in my early days of metal exploration, helping pave the way for many a favorite today. However, for some ridiculous and unexplainable reason, I have had a recent trend of pushing them down my “favorite bands list” for the claim that “they were good but don’t have lasting value.” That’s just not true. What’s probably more accurate is I’ve listened to all of their material so extensively that it’s burned into my skull. This new album (that honestly came as an end-of –year surprise to me) is certainly going to be no exception. Why it’s up here: These guys’ metal is so technical and breathes so well (they’ve learned to chill down, sing, and rock, and at times keep it heavier and more brutal than ever) that it’s just… greatness. Their message of Christ and His love is also really apparent in their lyrics, which I really appreciate when tastefully done. Why it’s down here: It hasn’t quite soaked in as much of the following nine albums have been able to over the course of this year. Jam This Song: “Storm the Gates of Hell”, “Sixteen”, “A Thread of Light”. Bonus Award: Album of Quarter 4 2007

9. Project 86- Rival Factions (Tooth & Nail) June 19

Let me start off by saying that Project 86 is, and probably will remain to be for quite some time, my favorite band. Rival Factions is their sixth album, and is unbelievably their most unique release. The band lost a LOT of fans with their third (arguably my favorite) album, Truthless Heroes, because they didn’t want to make a “sequel album” and wanted to make the music that they were feeling at the time. Whiny fans really annoy me, let bands make the music they want to make! I’d be a lesser man if I had two Drawing Black Lines but no Truthless Heroes. That having been said, Rival Factions is a million miles away from those albums. The difference is in the lack of beloved drummer Alex Albert (due to marriage) and excellent keys provided in recording by the infamous Jason Martin. Why it’s up here: It’s Project 86! Also, the fun and dance-y feel mixed with the anger and energy that is uniquely P86 blends together for such a full sound and rad feel to just keep the music moving all the way. Also, Andrew Schwab is THE vocalist extraordinaire. Why it’s down here: It’s only ten tracks long. Their only other album to be that short would be… the first one. And last I checked they weren’t rap-rock anymore, where that’s acceptable. Jam This Song: “Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer”, “Normandy”, “The Forces of Radio Have Dropped a Viper into the Rhythm Section”

8. Dethklok- The Dethalbum (Williams Street) September 25

If you don’t know about this band, you’re in for a treat. Dethklok is a fake metal band featured in the amazing Adult Swim cartoon Metalocalypse. They’re the most popular band ever, they’re the twelfth richest economy on Earth, they’re allowed to establish and mobilize their own military police, and they’re very, very brutal. Though it’s a silly (read: hilarious) and disturbing cartoon about 5 crazy idiots who are in an AMAZING band, the music (done by the series creator Brendon Small and VERY metal drummer Gene Hoglan) is brutal, massive, epic, dirty, and BRUTAL. Why it’s up here: Any fan of Metalocalypse would have killed half of the people on their street to get an actual Dethklok album from the cartoon world to our real world. Also, while being incredibly technical, brutal, and just great, the lyrics are HILARIOUS. Murderous mermaids, lost Vikings, and brutal tax evasion stories ensue. Why it’s down here: A couple of the songs were “deleted” by vocalist Nathan Explosion in the recording process, and I wouldn’t really have minded if they’d stayed that way. Jam This Song: “Bloodrocuted”, “Dethharmonic”, “Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle (Bonus Disc Only)”

7. Becoming the Archetype- The Physics of Fire (Solid State) May 8

To compare the new Becoming the Archetype album to 2005’s Terminate Damnation would be an unfair comparison in a million ways. Also, it’s just MUCH better (and wiser) to enjoy them both as much as possible. In between the two albums, BTA lost two members but gained a new one back in form of the incredibly talented Alex Kenis (of rather well-known Christian Metal band Aletheian) and changed styles greatly from dark metal-core to a path-less-traveled style of technical death metal. What does that mean? Brutal deep screams, some insane keyboards used to emulate harpsichord or pipe organ, absolutely RIDICULOUS guitar solos, one of the fastest and most intense drummers I know of, and a completely unforgettable live show. Why it’s up here: They’re one of my favorite bands and the flow of the album is VERY nice. There’s a sick guitar solo by Kenis in pretty much every song and whenever guitarist/keyboardist “Count” Seth Hecox grabs those keys, magic ensues. The lyrics are also awesome, as it’s a concept album about God’s power and the Holy Spirit being fire, and the Devil’s grasp over the world of man is personified as ice. It’s a cool and elemental look at good vs. evil, and the lyrics are very straightforward, especially at the end of the closing track “The Balance of Eternity”, claiming that “every knee shall bow before His flame, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, forever.” Why it’s down here: The songs don’t stick with you as long as those on their aforementioned previous release. Some of the epic feel is lost with the new sound (and if you’ve heard the new album that statement must blow your mind) but overall, of course, this is a GREAT album. Jam This Song: “Immolation”, “The Monolith”, “The Balance of Eternity (The Physics of Fire, Pt. IV)”. Bonus Award: Most Anticipated Album

6. Surrogate- Love is For the Rich (Tooth & Nail) August 28

If anybody knew who this amazing two-man band from Chico, California was, they’d be astonished to see it on my list, especially this high up. Frontman Christopher Keene outdoes himself by not only providing vocals, but also guitar, keys, bass, and xylophone. The other “half” of the band is drummer Jordan Mallory, establishing a really chill and cool indie feel. The music is much more mellow and indie than… well, practically anything on this list. Stirring and rich melodies and clever vocals weave a gorgeous tapestry of music for all to enjoy. Now if only people actually knew this band existed... Why it’s up here: The music snagged me. I don’t even remember the first time I listened to the band. Maybe it was after Cornerstone when someone told me they were touring with Emery and got signed to Tooth & Nail… that’s reasonable. But from the moment I heard one song, a hunt began to make this album mine. I could pop this CD in at practically ANY time and listen to it all the way through (with maybe ONE track skip). Why it’s down here: They’re very new and this is their first album, and I’d never heard of them before. Being number six on my list isn’t very bad, I assure you. One last little reason is that this is the HIGHEST rated non-metal/hardcore album on this list. You can tell what my styles are, so it’s pretty HARD for an indie album to get up here. Jam This Song: “The Fence”, “Shift the Blame”, “Easy”. Bonus Award: Best New Artist