Helms Deep: Treacherous Ways (2023)

Every week in March we’re doing themes (he randomly decided this morning), and this week we’re going with my weirdly growing and evolving cassette collection. Similar to my collection as a kid, it’s largely made up of smaller metal releases, filled with killer cover art and tiny inserts almost impossible to read, often imprinted with color on the cassette itself. I’m not going to advocate for its fidelity or superiority over other formats: the truth is I love the nostalgia it brings, and if I’m ordering something from a band on bandcamp and the price difference isn’t massive, I’d rather spring for physical media when I can. And so we begin with some fantastic trad metal from Florida’s Helms Deep, and their debut Treacherous Ways.

ChrisMarch 3, 2025March 7, 20251 Comment

Vinyl

Judas Priest: Rocka Rolla (1974)

“Where would you be, without music?” It starts with Tipton’s guitar, panned hard right laying out the basic riff. On the next measure John Hinch’s kick comes in, reinforcing the beat. Downing’s so eager to get into it you can hear his amp kick in, the hum warming up before the pick slides and one of the most famous dual guitar lineups in heavy metal history join together. But Rocka Rolla, the debut by the immortal, the forever Judas Priest really starts with that lyric, maybe the greatest opening lyric in modern rock history. And while the opening salvo from the Metal Gods largely gets overshadowed by literal decades of incredible albums, including a sophomore powerhouse that would solidify their stature, it’s important to remember, 50 years on, where it all started.

ChrisJanuary 12, 2025January 9, 20251 Comment

The Hunt: Thrill Of The Kill (1982)

One last go-round with The Hunt, Canada’s rocking combo that couldn’t hold with the proggy classic stylings of their self-titled debut, fumbled with the slick processed AOR of their sophomore release, and in their third incarnation settled on a slight if enjoyable amalgam of hack rock and proto-hair metal with The Thrill Of The Kill. The music is further streamlined into simple rock arrangements but there’s a consistency in identity that makes this a step up from Back On The Hunt. I honestly don’t know how often I’d turn to this record as opposed to dozens (if not hundreds) of bands that did it better, but as an alternative to the big hitters I’ve worn the grooves and tape out on, it’s certainly not the worst alternative, and overall is pretty fun, especially when they stick to their guns…and their own songs.

ChrisJanuary 9, 2025January 7, 2025Leave a comment

Miscellany

10 Things I Learned Reading “The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums OF All Time”

The one fun thing about my recent COVID-laden vacation was sitting back with a thick book of Canadian music critic Martin Popoff sounding off writ large at heavy metal records. Specifically, The Top 500 Heavy Metal Records Of All Time, as compiled via poll over 20 years ago. I’m a big fan of Popoff – even when I don’t agree with him (and that can be often regarding certain bands and genres) he has a very clear, entertaining voice, is deeply knowledgeable about the field of rock and roll, and – most importantly – backs up his opinions and claims. We’ll get a little more into that below, but despite being sick it was a blast to read him sound off on all 500 albums (again – he had no say in what was chosen, so it was a delight to read him rip on particular picks that don’t jibe with his own vision), bringing said albums up in my headphones and listening, forming my own opinions as I went along. And lo and behold: I learned a couple things in the process. 10 things to be exact, so let get over the jump and see what those things are and how they inform the way I consume music in this day and age.

ChrisAugust 12, 2024August 9, 20241 Comment

Black Sabbath: Anno Domini Box Set (2024)

I was familiar with the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath, but “familiar” definitely isn’t the same as “knowledgeable” – at that point in my life my musical tastes had run to different, newer sounds: jazz, indie rock, and my discovery of 80s hardcore and punk. It didn’t help that by the time I went back to metal and Sabbath the Martin albums were nowhere to be found (to say nothing at the time of the sole offerings with Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes on vocals), so onward and upwards to other things. With the release of the Anno Domini: 1989-1995 box set not only did I now have a legit option for checking out these albums more closely, but with the added benefit of remastered audio and – in the case of one – a total remix. With that in mind it was finally time to dive headfirst into the hitherto “lost” era of Black Sabbath, so let’s dig into Headless Cross, Tyr, Cross Purposes, and Forbidden.

ChrisJune 11, 2024June 11, 20242 Comments

CD, Vinyl

King Diamond: “Them” (1988)

“Grandma!!!!!!” I don’t know if there’s a more apt intro for this post, and I don’t know if there’s a better, more hilarious yet awesome intro to a metal song ever. With a new guitarist and bass player in tow replacing his former Mercyful Fate bandmates, King Diamond crafted if not an album for the ages in “Them”, then at least a song for the ages in the immortal (and thankfully captured in video form) “Welcome Home”. This was my first exposure to King Diamond as a kid, my first purchase of his on CD, and then my first purchase when I moved to vinyl. Does it hold up, especially in t he light of having just digested at length both Fatal Portrait and Abigail? Time to find out…

ChrisApril 23, 2024April 22, 2024Leave a comment

Consuming the Tangible

We are what we consume

Tag: heavy metal