Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #22-21

22.Atmosphere-Seven's Travels(2003)

Atmosphere lays down the best record they have ever made with Seven's Travels. As usual, Slug delivers his amazing lyrics and Ant brings his diverse sense of beats into the picture. Seven's Travels is a classic hip hop record from an underappreciated rap group, who thrives in a genre that is on life support.

Standout Tracks 1.Trying To Find A Balance 2.Cats Van Bags 3. Bird Sings Why The Caged I Know

21.Children Of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll(2003)

Children Of Bodom became one of my favorite bands through hearing. This was actually the first record I had heard from them. Children Of Bodom brings a lot to the table musically. Alexi Laiho is such a force in the guitarwork. He blends melody and speed flawlessly. The keyboards are also infectious and add an awesome edge to their music. Hatecrew Deathroll is the clearest produced Bodom record as well, on their prior releases things got a bit muddy sometimes, but here they are crystal clear. Hatecred Deathroll is one of Bodom's strongest releases.

Standout Tracks 1.Needled 24/7 2.Sixpounder 3.Triple Corpse Hammerblow

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #24-23

24.The Mars Volta-Frances The Mute(2005)

The Mars Volta caught my attention when I heard they where touring with System Of A Down. I checked out Frances The Mute going in completely blind, I am so glad that I did. Frances The Mute is prog rock bliss. The 5 tracks on this record are all extremely long(except for "The Widow" which clocks in at about 6 minutes) , but they are all intresting in their own ways. There is a lot of experimentation and jam outs on this record which at the time I had not heard much of before. I first heard this record when I was 13 and it was great then, but in more recent years I have grown to love it even more. Frances The Mute is a visonary,twisted, wonderful mindfuck of a record.

Standout Tracks 1. Cygnus.....Vismund Cygnus 2.Cassandra Gemini 3.The Widow

23.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness(2005)

After their amazing 2nd release In Keeping Secrets Of Slient Earth: 3, Coheed and Cambria follows it up with the even better Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume 1. This record is even more epic than it's predecessor. Claudio Sanchez shows off his talent with more guitar solos and his best vocal performance ever. Coheed and Cambria shows off their diverse influences for their sound better on this record than on any other record they have released, there a couple of great ballads,spacey progessive stuff,pure punk rock and some pretty heavy metal tracks. Good Apollo is the most complete Coheed record and their best work to date.

Standout Tracks 1.Ten Speed(Of God's Blood and Burial) 2.Welcome Home 3.The Willing Well II: Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #26-25

26.Coheed and Cambria-In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3(2003)

Coheed and Cambria's 2nd release ushered in the era of new prog. Coheed and Cambria is not really your typical prog band though, they have a huge punk,alt rock and metal influence that really makes them stand out from the pack. Claudio Sanchez is massively talented not only as a musician, but as a storyteller with the extremely complex sc-fi story line that all of Coheed's records follow. In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 is a epic,multi-layered release filled with amazing songwriting and musicianship.

Standout Tracks 1.In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 2.Three Evils(Embodied In Love and Shadow) 3.The Camper Velourium III: Al The Killer

25.The Red Chord-Clients(2005)

Revere,Massachusetts's The Red Chord is an extreme metal force to be reckoned with. Clients is a heavy,brutal,technical and fucking brilliant opus. Each track on Clients is about a different mental patient, it's a hell of a concept for a metal record. The thing really strikes me most about Clients is how underrated it is among metal fans, this is a masterwork. Clients is a striking, innovative record that The Red Chord will always be remembered by.

Standout Tracks 1.Upper Decker 2.Antman 3.Dragon Wagon

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #28-27

28.Atmosphere-God Loves Ugly(2002)

God Loves Ugly, Atmosphere's 2nd full length album, they really came into their own. Slug began to write amazing lyrics and really tell stories with his raps. Ant also starts trying out new things beat wise, that really keep it intresting. God Loves Ugly started the chapter of brilliance that Atmosphere has followed for years to come.

Standout Tracks 1. Fuck You Lucy 2.One Of A Kind 3.Modern Man's Hustle

27.The Black Dahlia Murder-Deflorate(2009)

The Black Dahlia Murder is one of the very few that gets better by each release. Their most recent release, Deflorate, is their best work to date. The whole band sounds better than ever. New guitar player Ryan Knight adds his own flare with the guitar work and his style of playing is perfect for Black Dahlia. Trevor Strnad proves once again why he is one of the top vocalists in the whole scene right now, screaming with more clarity and range. Deflorate, in my eyes puts Black Dahlia Murder at legend status. They are up there with death metal icons such as Suffocation,Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel. The Black Dahlia Murder continues to make amazing albums and I don't see that stopping any time soon.

Standout Tracks 1.Black Valor 2.Denounced,Disgraced 3.Christ Deformed

2010-2011 NBA Preview

This has been one of the most exciting offseasons in the NBA ever. A lot of drastic changes have been made and should be very exciting to see how this seasons pans out. Here are my predictions how both conferences will shake out.

Eastern Conference
1.Miami Heat-I think it's pretty obvious this team is going to succeed, I still don't like their bench depth and Mike Miller being hurt for a long period of time only makes their depth worse. Still James/Bosh/Wade is going to be a hard trio to stop.
2.Orlando Magic-The Magic are still a great force to be reckoned with, Dwight Howard is a monster in the paint. I like their supporting cast with Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter as well. They just need to buckle down in the playoffs and a title is not out of the cards.
3.Boston Celtics-My hometown squad has pretty much the same team in place that went to the finals last year. I don't really think Shaq or Jermaine O'Neal bring much to the table except for a veteran presence. They do have the talent, but age is a big factor and I think it will hinder them come playoff time.
4.Milwaukee Bucks-The Bucks are scary good. Their youth held them back a little bit last year, but they are pick for a surprise team this year.
5.Chicago Bulls-The addition of Carlos Boozer should pay off big time for the Bulls. He is a great bigman and that was something was sorely lacking last year. Derrick Rose is also getting better and better. The Bulls are a pretty damn good team, but I don't think they have enough to be a serious title contender.
6.Atlanta Hawks-Their trainwreck of an ending last season really knocks them down a few notches in this conference. The Hawks still have plenty of talent and re-signing Joe Johnson was a great move. On the other end the beatings they took from the Magic in the playoffs last year show off some serious flaws this team has.
7.New York Knicks-The Knicks are pretty much a lock for the playoffs simply by adding Amare Stoudemire. He is an aboslute monster and an elite power forward that makes everyone around him better. Raymond Felton is also a nice pick-up the point guard. Still, The Knicks are only a decent team and will need to bring in another big player if they want to contend
8.Charlotte Bobcats-The Bobcats made it to the playoffs last year and showed some maturity. I think this year they will make it back. They still have a good enough team even with the couple of players lost to be a playoff team.
9.Cleveland Cavaliers-I think the Cavs aren't going to do much without Lebron, I mean there best player now is Mo Williams. They have an average team and that should be enough for a .500 record and just missing the playoffs.
10.Washington Wizards-John Wall is the next superstar in this league and if Gilbert Arenas steps up they could have a respectable season. Give the Wizards another year to figure it out and they could be a playoff team.
11.Indania Pacers-Darren Colision should help them out a bit, but the Pacers still need a lot of help before they are a factor in this league.
12.Detroit Pistons-This team is still in shambles and I don't see that going away this season.
13.New Jersey Nets-At least they have Jordan Farmar now and won't be quite as bad as last year.
14.Philladelphia 76ers-The Sixers now have an impressive backcourt with Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday, but I don't see them leaving the basement of this conference for a while.
15.Toronto Raptors-Once Chris Bosh left, and Hedo Turkoglu got traded Toronto became the worst team in the conference. Lenardo Barbosa is their only hope and he can't do it by himself.

Western Conference
1.Los Angeles Lakers-The two time defending champs, still have their core in place. With Kobe still in his prime, The Lakers are hard to beat. Throw in Pau Gasol,Lamar Odom,Ron Artest,Shannon Brown and new addition Steve Blake, the Lakers could get their 3rd straight.
2.Oklahoma City Thunder-I have really high hopes for this team. Kevin Durant had an MVP-calibur year last season and I except that to continue this year. James Harden,Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are dangerous and big contributors. Their youth might still be an issue though. They are without a doubt a serious contender for a title this year.
3.Dallas Mavericks-The Mavericks are a veteran team with alot of chemistry. New additon Tyson Chandler only adds to the mix. The only issue the Mavericks have is their play in the playoffs, if that improves, they could be lethal.
4.Portland Trail Blazers-The Trail Blazers are still young, but they have a ton of talent. I expect them to improve from last year and be a very good team in the tough Western Conference.
5.Utah Jazz-Losing Carlos Boozer hurts. The Jazz brought in Al Jefferson to help fill the void, but he doesn't match Boozer production. Deron Williams is still a forced to be reckoned with at point guard and The Jazz still have a good amount of talent.
6.Phoenix Suns-Even though the Amare Stoudemaire loss is big, I still think the Suns are a good squad. Steve Nash is still an elite point guard and can run this team. Josh Childress and Hedo Turkoglu are good pickups and should be nice assets to the team. Tbe Suns won't be going back to the Western Conference finals this year, but I think alot of people will be surprised how well they do.
7.Houston Rockets-The Rockets really don't have a superstar player. They play well as a team though and I can see them making the playoffs this year.
8.New Orleans Hornets-Trevor Ariza is a great addition to this Hornets team. His presence boosts them into the playoffs. Chris Paul is still great and the rest of their supporting cast has enough talent to help them into the playoffs.
9.Memphis Grizzlies-Still too young, but they have talent and Rudy Gay is seriously underrated.
10.San Antonio Spurs-That's right, I have the Spurs not making the playoffs. I think they are really getting up there in age and don't have enough to get back to the playoffs this year. Unless someone helps Tim Ducan alot, I don't see them being effective this year.
11.Denver Nuggets-I don't see Melo staying in Denver too much longer and I think it is a serious distraction that will hurt them big time. They could surprise me, but I don't really like the odds.
12.Los Angeles Clippers-Blake Griffin has lot to prove this year. The whole team is riding on his play. Vinny Del Negro was a great choice at coach and should bring steady improvement to this team. I see the Clippers being better than usual, but they don't really that much going for them to be in the playoff hunt.
13.Golden State Warriors-David Lee brings in a bigman presence that was sorley lacking this year. Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry should be fun to watch and continue to play well. Golden State does have talent, they just need to find chemistry.
14.Sacramento Kings-Demarcus Cousins is my pick for the bust of the draft, which really hurts the Kings. Tyreke Evans should continue to progress, which brings a ray of hope for the Kings. Still, The Kings are pretty fucking awful.
15.Minnesota Timberwolves-Another year in the cellar for the Timberwolves. On the plus side, Michael Beasley's numbers should be quite good.

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #30-29

30.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Miss Machine(2004)

Miss Machine was the record that made me notice how fucking fantastic The Dillinger Escape Plan is. Their debut Calculating Infinity was pretty impressive, but Miss Machine takes The Dillinger Escape Plan to a whole new level. This was the 1st record to feature current vocalist Greg Puciato, who is such an asset to this band with his wide vocal range. Miss Machine, in true Dillinger fashion is pure, relentless, chaos. The band runs through manic tempo changes at an insane level of precision and ease. As with all Dillinger material, it's love or hate it, there really is no in between. Miss Machine is a whirlwind of an album and the best Dillinger record ever made.

Standout Tracks 1.Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants 2.Highway Robbery 3.We Are The Storm

29.Hatebreed-The Rise Of Brutality(2003)

Hatebreed has always really impressed me. They blend an old-school hardcore punk sound with modern metal. The Rise Of Brutality is a career-defining album for Hatebreed. The songwriting has never been better. You can every bit of Jamey Jasta's emotion in all of the songs. His lyrics are extremely personal and inspiring. Jasta is an all around great frontman and one of the finest vocalist ever to hit the hardcore scene. The Rise Of Brutality is the best hardcore to be released in the 2000's so far and it was extremely hard to top it.

Standout Tracks 1.Doomsayer 2.Straight To Your Face 3.Live For This

Album Review: Kylesa-Spiral Shadow

Kylesa is at the forefront of the sludge scene. They have a niche for heavy riffs and proggy weirdness. On Spiral Shadow,Kylesa heavily embraces their artsy,strange, hipster side and it works to mixed results.

Spiral Shadow is noticeably less heavy than their previous release 2009's "Static Tensions". Replacing the heavy sound is a very artsy and at times poppy sound. I like progressions and banks that take risks, but there are points during this record where Kylesa's new sound backfires. It's way too spacey sounding(like Pink Floyd, if that makes any sense) and odd for Kylesa. This sound really doesn't play into Kylesa's skill set as a band. For example, "Forsaken" is one of the tracks that is a misfire. Laura Pesants drones through the song with a boring riff and creates a strange atmosphere(in a bad way). "Forsaken" is not alone in the dud department, "Drop Out" and "To Forget" are two others that are quite lackluster, all you want to do is take a nap and hope some intresting happens later on in the record.

Spiral Shadow isn't all weak though. From time to time. the Kylesa of old is present. "Tired Climb" reminds me why they are sludge gods.The title track sticks with the more psychidelic sound established on this record, but it actually works. It's one of the few moments on the entire record where the artsy side of Kylesa works really well.

For the most part, the new Kylesa really doesn't click with me. It didn't grab me like Static Tensions did. Even upon multiple listens, most of the material is subpar. There are a few great tracks and a few that completely blow as well. Spiral Shadow is a tepid release and the biggest disspointment of 2010.
2.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Tired Climb
2.Spiral Shadow
3.Crowded Road

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #32-31

32.The Faceless-Planetary Duality(2008)

Planetary Duality is a fucking goregous record. Rarely is tech-death made that is this perfect. Planetary Duality's most impressive feat is the guitarwork from Michael Keene. Keene's guitarwork is precise, at time progessive and just balls-out amazing.This record also a rich concept about aliens that makes for some intresting lyrics and themes. Planetary Duality is one of the most ambitious and amazing pieces of death metal to come around in a long time. The Faceless is the future of tech-death, another couple of records like this one and they will be hitting legend status.

Standout Tracks 1.Sons Of Belial 2.Legion Of The Serpent 3.The Ancient Covenant

31.The Black Dahlia Murder-Nocturnal(2007)

The Black Dahlia Murder's reign as modern death metal's kings continued with Nocturnal. Nocturnal is more mature than Miasma and features more melodic undertones than on that record. Nocturnal serves up more Black Dahlia classic's such as "What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse" which is extremely heavy yet incredibly catchy and "Everything Went Black" which starts off slows then bursts into a thunderous solo in the mid-section. Another plus about Nocturnal, is the even better drum work from new drummer Shannon Lucas. Lucas is the best drummer Black Dahlia has ever had and his presence pays off big time. Nocturnal is yet another essential Black Dahlia recording.

Standout Tracks 1.What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse 2.Everything Went Black 3.Deathmask Divine

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #34-33

34.Linkin Park-Meteora(2003)

Linkin Park's 2nd album continues on what Hybrid Theory started, make kick ass hard rock. Unlike most band's with a hip hop influence, Linkin Park knew how to write great songs. Meteora knows what is and has a clear vision and direction as an album(the same can't be said for the two dogshit albums they have released since this). Meteora is a hard rock record that has held up extremely well over the years and every time I hear it reminds me of how great Linkin Park was in the beginning.

Standout Tracks 1.Faint 2.Don't Stay 3.Hit The Floor

33.Queens Of The Stone Age-Lullabies To Paralyze(2005)

Queens Of The Stone Age has always sound that I really like. I have always been a big fan of Josh Homme and all of his diverse projects over the years. Lullabies To Paralyze isn't drastically different than Songs For The Deaf, their previous album, but it's different enough to be pretty much just as amazing. Homme strings together collection of distorted yet killer riffs and his vocals are equally as good as in past efforts. Queens Of The Stone Age remains a force to be reckoned with the alternative rock field.

Standout Tracks 1.Tangled Up In Plaid 2.Little Sister 3.Someone's In The Wolf

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #36-35

36.As I Lay Dying-Shadows Are Security(2005)

After Frail Words Collapse, As I Lay Dying's popularity erupted. Shadows Are Security continued the legacy of As I Lay Dying. This record is very powerful stuff from a lyrical standpoint. All of these tracks have deep meaning behind them, and truly from the heart, that's always a nice touch. In addition to being a great lyricist, Tim Lambesis also steps up to the plate vocally. The production is far better than on their 2 previous releases, it brings out the talent Lambesis possess. I am a also a big fan of the clean vocals on this record, Clint Norris has a great voice and makes each track even better. Shadows Are Security is the album that transformed As I Lay Dying into the metal juggernauts they are today.

Standout Tracks 1.The Darkest Nights 2.Confined 3.Reflection

35.Mastodon-Remission(2002)

Before I even mention the music on Remission, this is one of my favorite album covers of all time. It's just such a badass image. Onto the music, this is one of the most impressive debut albums I have ever heard. Mastodon comes out and creates a heavy as shit debut that is such an achievement. Most bands go whole careers without making something this great, but Mastodon did that on their first album. What stands out in my mind about Remission is that it is pretty different musically than future Mastodon release, yet it stll has the amazing edge that the future release would have. Remission was the only beginning of Mastodon's masterworks.

Standout Tracks 1.March Of The Fire Ants 2.Burning Man 3.Workhorse

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #38-37

38.The Black Dahlia Murder-Miasma(2005)

Miasma holds a special place in my heart, it was the first record that got me into death metal. Upon first listen, I was floored by the unique vocals of Trevor Strnad(which have since been poorly copied by a bunch of other bands) and the precision across the board instrumentally. A lot of Black Dahlia classics are found on this album including "A Vulgar Picture","Statutory Ape", and the title track. I was insantly in love with this band after this record. Miasma is an intense and very raw record from a band that was only coming into its own at this point in time.

Standout Tracks 1.A Vulgar Picture 2.Miasma 3.Spite Suicide

37.Killswitch Engage-Alive Or Just Breathing(2002)

Alive Or Just Breathing is one of the most lauded metalcore records of all time. This record is an absolute classic from top to bottom. This is the last record with Jesse Leach on it and though I love current vocalist Howard Jones, Leach is just as good if not better. Alive Or Just Breathing is full of great hooks and a nice mix of heavy and melodic guitars. This record is one of the finest within in this genre and Killswitch Engage are pretty much the masters of metalcore.

Standout Tracks 1.The Element Of One 2.Vide Infra 3.My Last Serenade

Movie Review: Red

Review By Patrick Hodges

If you have it in your head to see Red, it's probably not because you're a fan of the DC Comics graphic novel that the story is based on. It's because of the cast, plain and simple. In a business where fame and popularity is as fleeting as the proverbial wind, it's nice to see a film every now and again where a gaggle of savvy Hollywood veterans - who, from top to bottom, possess numerous Oscars and nearly two centuries of acting experience - come together to produce a truly entertaining romp that contains enough fun and whimsy to more than remind you why you love them in the first place.

In fact, one could even call Red a spoof of spy movies. Maybe not as slapsticky or silly as Get Smart and the like, but it's obvious that all the actors involved are playing their roles with gusto and with their tongues planted firmly in cheek. And having a ball doing it. The most prominent name is Bruce Willis, who is right in his comfort zone here. He plays retired CIA Black Ops agent Frank Moses, who now lives a solitary, sedate life in the suburbs. Bored out of his mind, he regularly tears up his government-issued pension checks just so he can regularly call an operator named Sarah (Mary Louise Parker) as a pretext to talk to her. Sad, huh?

Well, things take an unexpected turn when a team of black-clad assassins descend on his home in the dead of night to "retire" him permanently. But though Frank is out of the game, he's hardly gone soft. After this initial encounter, he yanks Sarah out of her life (to protect her, so he says), to which she vigorously objects... at first, anyway. Not knowing where else to turn, he looks up some of his former colleagues to help him discern just who is after him, including Joe (Morgan Freeman), currently running out the clock in a nursing home; the delightfully addled Marvin (John Malkovich), a raving paranoiac following years of LSD treatments; and Victoria (Helen Mirren), a former MI6 assassin who still takes the odd "job" on the sly.

I won't go too deep into the plot, but suffice it to say that it involves a covert mission to Guatemala in the early 80's, and some very powerful people's attempts to cover it up. Along the way, the REDs will have to deal with a former Russian enemy (Brian Cox), a shadowy defense contractor (Richard Dreyfuss), and a younger operative (Karl Urban) who is set against beating the seniors at their own game. There are also a couple of cameo appearances by Ernest Borgnine - who is now in his 90s - as the CIA's secret-record-keeper in a delightful turn.

Espionage films have a tendency to make their plots overly complicated; Red most assuredly does not. This is a story that is purely character-driven, and with Bruce Willis leading the way, shooting guns and cracking wise, I loved every minute. The acting is terrific, from all the veterans as well as the younger cast members (especially Parker, who took what could have been a throwaway role and infused it with just the right mix of sarcasm and enthusiasm).

I have to say, Red is probably the slickest, most laid-back action comedy that I've seen since Ocean's Eleven (and it also has probably the best ensemble cast since that same film). I mean, it's got Helen Mirren shooting automatic weapons... what more do you need?
4.5 / 5 stars

Album Review: Intronaut-Valley Of Smoke

Ever since I discovered Intronaut on their jaunt supporting Mastodon in May 2009, I have become quite a fan. Their previous record Prehistoricisms was a complex post metal record that was one of the best records of the last decade. On Valley Of Smoke, Intronaut continues to make complex post metal thats kicks a whole lot of ass.

Valley Of Smoke is one of those rare records that is progressive and gorgeous, but is also heavy and crushing. The perfect example of the two sides of Intronaut blending together is album opener "Elegy". "Elegy" starts off with a groovy riff and descends into a really pretty mid section, then back to ear-crushing heaviness. Valley Of Smoke is full of seamless transistions that really add a complex layer to things.

Valley Of Smoke as a whole is more progressive than previous Intronaut records. I think this a great move by Intronaut. Their progressive sections are truly gorgeous. Along with these progressive sections, come more clean vocals. The clean vocals do take a couple of listens to get used to, but they fit perfectly with the music and I commend them for using more of them. Yet another winning element of Valley Of Smoke, is the enhanced focus on the rhythm section. Intronaut has always had great bass and drum work and its great to see that come even further into the forefront on this record. The instrumental title track is one hell of an accomplishment with the bass and drums being so promient and creating such a killer groove.

Valley Of Smoke is a progressive metal wonder. Intronaut, once again proves they are prog/post metal behemoths. This is a mighty beast of a record that is equal parts progessive and heavy. Intronaut has this type of metal down to a science and its such a pleasure to listen to their records. I don't know if Valley Of Smoke is on par with Prehistoricisms quite yet, still it's one hell of a record. Valley Of Smoke is a must-listen for any prog metal fan and Intronaut is a band that needs to be more well known.
4.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Elegy
2.Core Releations
3.Valley Of Smoke

Movie Review: Jackass 3D

The 10th anniversary of the debut of the MTV series Jackass was this year, and to commemorate an unprecedented decade of stupid stunts, the creators went out and made their third feature film, eight years after the show went off the air. Though the content and spirit of the show haven't changed much, what Jackass 3 brings to the table is something that none of its predecessors did: the element of 3D. And let me tell you, 3D is honestly the greatest thing to ever happen to Jackass.

You pretty much know what you're getting into when you buy a ticket to this film, which is yet another series of immature stunts and pranks. And though the players may are approaching middle-age, Jackass 3D shows that they haven't lost their touch at all, and I don't see the franchise losing steam any time soon. The stunts and antics in this film are just as funny now as they were a decade ago; if fact, many of the stunts were so funny I was actually in tears. I won't give the best ones away, but I will say that one of them involves a toy train set and... well, fecal matter. The 3D aspect is just amazing, and is among the best uses of 3D that I have seen in a film. I would even go so far as to say that Jackass, as a concept, was just begging to be mated with 3D, and I'm glad that the filmmakers decided to incorporate it.

There's really not much else to say. If you liked the previous installments of Jackass, you will love this. If you didn't, stay far far away from it. It is stupid, offensive, and juvenile, and one of the funniest damn things I've ever seen. I can only hope that Johnny Knoxville and his posse of more-balls-than-brains friends continue to make them, because I'm sure they have a lot more material left to show us.

4.5/5 stars

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #40-39

40.Skeletonwitch-Beyond The Permafrost(2007)

Skeletonwitch is one of the best things to happen to metal in a long time. Beyond The Permafrost is just such an original sounding album. In my eyes Skeletonwitch is what Metallica would sound like if they Satan as a vocalist. Each song on Beyond The Permafrost is delivered at a lightning-fast pace and such manic energy. Beyond The Permafrost is the perfect fusion of blackened death and thrash metal that is truly refreshing to hear.

Standout Tracks 1.Upon Wings To Black 2.Within My Blood 3.Baptized In Flames

39.Gojira-The Way Of All Flesh(2008)

Gojira is the best thing to ever come from France. The Way Of All Flesh isn't much of a change from their previous work, but you what they say if it ain't broke don't fix it. This record is still heavy as hell and full of brilliant riffs. Gojira's sound is still different and groundbreaking and The Way Of All Flesh is yet another dynamite entry from them.

Standout Tracks 1.Oroborous 2.Toxic Garbage Island 3.Vacuity

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #42-41

42.Unearth-The March(2008)

The March was one hell of a progression for Unearth. I loved their previous records III:In The Eyes Of Fire and The Oncoming Storm, but The March just takes Unearth to a whole new level. The biggest improvement is the guitarwork. Ken Susi and Buz McGrath rip through furious solos throught the duration. In addition to the solos, the riffs are better than ever. The end riff to "Crow Killer" ranks among my favorite riffs ever. Unearth is one of the best metal acts of this decade and The March is their centerpiece record.

Standout Tracks 1.Crow Killer 2.The Chosen 3.We Are Not Anonymous

41.Outkast-Speakerboxxx/The Love Below(2003)

Outkast turned hip hop on its ass with the double album Speakerboxx/The Love Below. Big Boi and Andre 300 are two very different acts and together they from some brillant music. Speakerboxx is a southern rap masterpiece that has a huge funk and jazz influence that makes it very unique. Big Boi has great flow and an array of beats that work to perfection. The Love Below is soulful and gorgeous. I don't tend to be a big R and B fan but Andre 3000's super catchy tracks are a pleasure to listen to. This is a dynamic,diverse record that will standout for many years to come.

Standout Tracks 1.Ghetto Musick 2.Tomb Of The Boom 3.The Rooster

Concert Review: Rock and Shock(Day 1) Worcester,MA October 15,2010

The Halloween season festival Rock and Shock started up on Friday in Worcester,Massachusetts. The main attraction to this 3 day festival is music at the Palladium and a horror convention down the street at the DCU Center. Day 1 brought together 3 tours to The Palladium The Decibel Defiance Tour featuring Suffocation as the headliner, The Time To Bleed Tour with Suicide Silence headlining and The Hope Division tour which was headlined by Stick To Your Guns. Personally, I didn't give two shits about the Stick To Your Guns tour, I didn't watch a single band from that tour, I spent my time at the downstairs of the Palladium for the most part seeing most of the other two tours.

Conducting From The Grave opened the day. They are a deathcore act, but they had an edge to them. There were slow parts to a few of their songs that where pretty interesting and their guitarwork overall was pretty damn good. These dudes know what they are doing, I enjoyed their set a good amount and I will be sure to check out their material further. Easily the best performance by any band on Suicide Silence's tour.

Molotov Solution was up next. They have a far more generic sound than Conducting From The Grave has. That being said, they weren't bad. They did have a few too many breakdowns for my taste, but Molotov Solution was still pretty decent.

The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza is a band I am kind of indifferent about. I listened to their new record a couple of months back and I thought it was decent. I saw them live in April at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and they were pretty meh. On this occasion, they were better than the first time. Their sound was a lot better than the previous time I saw them. To Danza's credit, Josh Travis is a great guitar player and he nails all of the material live. Danza was pretty decent and improved from the last time I saw them, but I think I would like them a lot more if they threw a couple more curve balls in their songs.

Decrepit Birth was the first band from the Suffocation tour. The crowd which was pretty slim downstairs prior to them playing, got even slimmer when they went on. It's kind of a shame because Decrepit Birth is a great live band. Decrepit Birth didn't looked like they minded playing to a pretty sparse crowd, they still played great. I still don't really enjoy their studio material that much,but they tear shit up live. Fast, brutal, and precise, Decrepit Birth put on an even better show they did at Summer Slaughter.

Through The Eyes Of The Dead was on fire. I saw them in April and they were pretty good, but they put on a very good performance this time around. What surprised me most about their set was how much the old school death metal fans liked them. Their set also brought one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed at a show before, most of the pits were circle pits, but during Failure In The Flesh, the scene kids finally went nuts and pulled some eagle-style hardcore dancing. These bitches were flapping their wings like they where badasses and then the breakdown ended and they left the pit. Through The Eyes Of The Dead was great, and I foresee them winning a lot of fans on this tour with Suffocation.

Dawn Of Ashes was the only band on the bill that was not associated with any tour. I am going to make this brief, they were really bad. They sounded like a Cradle Of Filth cover band that dressed up like a GWAR cover band. Anybody going to the Dimmu Borgir/Enslaved tour show up late, don't force yourself to sit through this band.

After Dawn Of Ashes, I left the venue and went and got an energy drink down the street because MyChildrenMyBride was playing and I could care less about seeing them. Upon my return, I found that Fleshgod Apocalypse was playing the upstairs stage. I booked it up there and they were just finishing up. I didn't see much of their set, but what I did see was great. The only material I am familiar with is the Mafia EP and neither song I saw was off of that so I don't have a set by them. Hopefully they do another US tour soon, I need to see a full set from them.

The Faceless, as usual, destroyed. They are one of my absolute favorite bands of the moment and this was my 3rd time seeing them. The highlights of their set for me was seeing Pestilence live and the new song. Pestilence was really cool because I never seen them play that before. The new song was fucking fantastic as well. It's a bit more progressive than the Planetary Duality material, but it is still heavy as hell. Out of all the bands that have confirmed a 2011 release, The Faceless is the one I am most excited about, they are future legends of death metal.

Suicide Silence was hitting the stage next. They took for fucking ever to set up. They kept testing their drum kit when it sounded fine. This was my 4th time seeing Suicide Silence, none of these times I have really cared about seeing them. I normally do end up enjoying their performance, but this was an expection. I was so bored throughout the duration of their set. They just go through the motions and I just don't care about their band. Mitch Lucker is also kind of a douchebag. He does the same fucking poses on the stage everytime. I am pretty sure he practices these poses in their spare time. I am not really a fan of their studio shit outside of a couple of songs off of No Time To Bleed, so maybe that has something to do with it. Suicide Silence should change their name to Naptime Silence, because that's what I wanted to do during their set.

Finally, the legends themselves Suffocation hit the stage. Unlike Suicide Silence they operate on a no bullshit agenda. They don't need to take 30 minutes to soundcheck, they took half the time to set up and did not a need stupid intro. Suicide Silence should take notes not only from Suffocation, but every band that Suffocation is on tour with this how you play death metal. Suffocation takes the crown of heaviest live band ever. Their songs hit so fucking hard live and I don't I will be able to use the word brutal to describe a performance after Suffocation. Frank Mullen and co. played a jaw dropping set. I only wish I was more awake during their set. I plan on seeing them next time they come here, seeing Suffocation live is a fucking experience.

All in all pretty great show. Seeing Suffocation was a dream come true, and The Faceless was top-notch as well. A lot of good bands on the bill. I had a good time overall, I just wish I was more awake during Suffocation.

Scores
Conducting From The Grave 7.5/10
Moltov Solution 6.5/10
The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza 6.5/10
Decrepit Birth 8/10
Through The Eyes Of The Dead 8/10
Dawn Of Ashes 3/10
Fleshgod Apocalypse(the 2 songs I saw) 8.5/10
The Faceless 9/10
Suicide Silence 4/10
Suffocation 9/10

Setlists
The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza
Yippi Kay-Ay Motherfucker
I Am Sammy Jankis
Carroll 14,Wosman 7
I Hate To Empose, But I Am The Ocean
W.A.L.L.S
The Union

Decrepit Birth
The Living Doorway
The Infestation
Diminishing Between Worlds
Symboisis
Polarity
Metatron

Through The Eyes Of The Dead
As Good As Dead
No Haven
Perpetiual Defilement
Pull The Trigger
Dementia
Failure In The Flesh

The Faceless
Planetary Duality I:Hideous Revelation
Planetary Duality II: A Prophices Fruition
Shape Shifters
Coldly Calculated Design
Xenochrist
Pestilence
New Song
An Autopsy
The Anicent Covenant

Suicide Silence(jacked from Setlist FM, I think its correct)
No Time To Bleed
Unanswered
Lifted
Smoke
Suffer
Bludgeoned To Death
Wake Up
Genocide
Disengage
Distorted Thought Of Addiction
The Fallen
No Pity For A Coward

Suffocation(out of order)
Thrones Of Blood
Jesus Wept
Cataclysmic Purifaction
Blood Oath
Entrails Of You
Effigy Of The Forgotten
Come Hell Or High Priest
Infecting The Crypts
Liege Of Inveracity
Pireced From Within
Souls To Deny
Bind Torture Kill

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #44-43

44.Down-Down III: Over The Under(2007)

Down's third release is easily their most impressive. Phil Anselmo's sounds in the best form since the last two Pantera records. In addition to Anselmo's peak performance, Kirk Widstien and Peeper Keenan riffs are full of sludgey goodness. The combination of Phil Anselmo, one of my favorite vocalists of all time and my favorite style of metal sludge is a match made in heaven(or hell anyway you want to slice it). is Down's first two records showed the potential they had, when it comes to supergroups they are few as good as Down.

Standout Tracks 1.The Path 2.I Scream 3.Beneath The Tides

43.Lamb Of God-Wrath(2009)

Lamb Of God besides being one of the top metal acts around right now, is also one of the most consistent. Wrath is among the best material they have ever created. Wrath is vintage Lamb Of God with a slight change to it. Such as the acoustic intro to "Grace" and some nice melodic soloing. There are plenty of killer hooks,nice guitar solos and drumming, and Randy Blythe's trademark bark and great lyrics. Lamb Of God might be at height of their popularity, but they are showing no signs of slowing down or selling out.
Standout Tracks 1.Broken Hands 2.Grace 3.Dead Seeds

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #46-45

46.Disturbed-The Sickness(2000)

I have a lot of nostaliga for this record. When I was first getting into heavier music, this record was a big stepping stone for me. When comes down to it, this is one of the best nu-metal records ever made. It's has so many catchy and memorable songs on it. This is when Disturbed sounds was still fresh and not overdone. I understand that "Voices" and "The Game" might have stupid lyrics, but I don't love this record for its lyrical content. The Sickness is a fun, great record that will continue to stick with me and is by far the best record Disturbed has ever done.

Standout Tracks 1.Voices 2.The Game 3.Stupify

45.Megadeth-Endgame(2009)

Dave Mustaine and co. in my opinion, has been the most consistent of thrash metal bands from the 80's. Endgame continues Megadeth's legacy and it's their best since Countdown To Extinction. Endgame starts off with the best Megadeth song in years "This Day We Fight!". Chris Broderick shows his skills on his first album with Megadeth right off the bat on this song. His solos paired with Mustaine's make for some pretty fucking awesome dueling guitarwork. Endgame has plenty of other highlights including the title track, which is an awesome mid-paced Megadeth track and "Headcrusher" which probably has the best guitarwork on the whole album. Megadeth's recent work is far better than most of their 80's thrash metal brothers recent work. Endgame is one hell of a record, Mustaine should be really proud of this one
Standout Tracks 1.This Day We Fight! 2.Endgame 3.Headcrusher

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #48-47

48.Doom-Born Like This(2009)

Doom(formerly known as MF Doom) continues his legacy with Born Like This. Born Like This like all MF Doom shines with its intresting beats and samples and highly witty lyrics. Doom raps about gay superheroes("Batty Boyz"), bad rappers("Rap Ambush") and god knows what else on some of his other tracks. Doom's creativity shines above all and make him one of the top hip hop talents around. Born Like This is strange,smart and complex but it is also pure hip hop bliss.

Standout Tracks 1.Batty Boyz 2.Cellz 3.Lightworks

47.Between The Buried and Me-Alaska(2005)

Between The Buried and Me's current lineup first played together on Alaska. Guitarist Dustie Warig, bassist Dan Briggs and drummer Blake Richardson all joined Between The Buried and Me on this record. When these members joined the band, Between The Buried and Me became even better than they already where. The proggy overtones became more promient on this record with "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" and "All Bodies". Between The Buried was just getting warmed up with their new lineup on this record and they still played tight and hit a home run. Alaska blends the more agressive Silent Circus era BTBAM material with more of a prog metal influence and was only the beginning of their brilliance.

Standout Tracks 1.Selkies:The Endless Obsession 2.All Bodies 3.Backwards Marathon

Album Review: All That Remains-For We Are Many

All That Remains has risen in popularity a pretty great deal since the release of Overcome. The popularity of their more mainstream songs "Two Weeks" and "Forever In Your Hands", which i liked but not as much as the other tracks on Overcome. With the popularity of these tracks, I became a little wary of how For We Are Many would sound. I can say now that I am pretty happy with the way this record turned out.

The one sign of an extremely mainstream sound is lead single "Hold On". It doesn't sound like All That Remains at all and it is a below subpar track to say the least. Besides "Hold On", the rest of the record is very good. Insturmental intro "Now Let Them Tremble" sets the tone for most of the record with heavy guitars and thunderous double-bass drumming. That energy carries over to the title track, which is one of the album's standouts. The title track sounds like This Darkened Heart-era All That Remains with Phil Labonte screaming in just about every pitch imaginible. For We Are Many at times is noticeably heavier than Overcome. "Some Of The People,All Of The Time" is seriously the heaviest ATR track since This Darkened Heart. The main riff is At The Gates-esque and the ending actually makes good use of a breakdown with Labonte throwing in some awesome death growls. For We Are Many is not all about the heavier side of All That Remains, Labonte still has a pretty good amount of clean vocals and there are some soaring choruses here and there.

For We Are Many in my eyes is a pretty much a fusion of the heaviness of the first 2 All The Remains records with the melodic tones from Overcomes. Phil Labonte really shines on this record with his range of screams that he hasn't explored in the past, In addition to his clean vocals improving from the past record. This is still vintage All That Remains with some slight changes to their sound, all the key elements are still there. Labonte is still a great vocalist, Oli Hebret and Mike Martin can still shred with the best of them and All That Remains is still one of the top metalcore acts around. For We Are Many is another dynamite entry to All That Remains discography and again shows All That Remains's consistency in making quality metal.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Agressive Oposition
2.For We Are Many
3. Some Of The People,All Of The Time

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #50-49

50.Slipknot-All Hope Is Gone(2008)

Slipknot may be mainstream and have some obnoxious fans, but that doesn't mean they don't make great music. All Hope Is Gone shows an evolution and depth to their sound that wasn't present on past Slipknot records. It is heavier and better written than their past 2 efforts Iowa and Vol.3 The Subliminal Verses. Corey Taylor hasn't sounded as good since their debut record. Another thing that is present is a ballad and it's actually pretty good! This is some of the best material Slipknot has ever done. All Hope Is Gone is a matured,evolved Slipknot and this is easily the best record they have released since their self titled debut.

Standout Tracks 1.Sulfur 2.Gematria(The Killing Name) 3.Dead Memories

49.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Ire Works(2007)

The Dillinger Escape Plan never cease to amaze me. Even on Ire Works, which is probably their most "accesible" record, their unique brand of chaos dominates. Greg Puciato proves once again why he is one of the finest metal vocalist of all time. He seriously can do it all from the clean vocals on the poppy "Black Bubblgum" to his utterly fantastic,chaotic screaming on under 2 minute tracks like "Party Smasher" and "When Acting As A Wave". Some nice guest apperances from Mastodon's Brent Hinds on "Horse Hunter" and their own ex-vocalist Dimitri Minakakis on "Fix Your Face". Ire Works like most Dillinger Escape Plan is not for everyone, but if you are up to the challenge, then you will reap the benefits of hearing a dazziling spectale of a record.

Standout Tracks 1.Fix Your Face 2.Milk Lizard 3.Party Smasher

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #52-51

52.Jedi Mind Tricks-Visions Of Ghandi(2003)

Like all of Jedi Mind Tricks material, Visions Of Ghandi is a hard hitting,angry rap record. Lead rapper Vinnie Paz raps with intelligence and wit on every track and his rhymes are extremely personal describing his many experience in life. This record also features great guess spots from Kool G Rap,Canibus, Crypt The Wrathchild and many more. Visions Of Ghandi is yet another masterpiece from Jedi Mind Tricks.

Standout Tracks 1.Animal Rap 2.Blood In Blood Out 3.The Wolf

51.Muse-Absolution(2003)

Absolution is a seriously underrated album. This is the album where Muse proved to be just how special they are. Absolution is an adrealine rush of an album. At times it leans towards hard rock with some of the guitarwork and at other times it very electronic and progessive. That diveristy in sound and influences is what seperates Muse from most alt/indie rock bands.Absolution is a highly underappreciated record by one of the most underrated musical acts of all time.

Standout Tracks 1.Hysteria 2.Stockholm Syndrome 3.Butterflies and Hurricanes

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #54-53

54.3 Inches Of Blood-Fire Up The Blades(2007)

Fire Up The Blades is the most impressive 3 Inches Of Blood record in their discography. New guitarists Shane Clark and Justin Hagberg added a thrashy flare to 3 Inches Of Blood's old school sound. In addition to the thrashier songs, 3 Inches Of Blood cranked out their best riffs and catchiest songs with tracks like "The Goatriders Horde", "Trial Of Champions" and "Forest King". 3 Inches Of Blood is at their heaviest,catchiest and best on Fire Up The Blades.

Standout Tracks 1.Trial Of Champions 2.The Goatriders Horde 3.Forest King

53.Behemoth-Evangelion(2009)

On Behemoth's 9th record they remain as furious and precise as in the past. Evangelion is yet another entry in Behemoth's mighty catalog. From the epic sounding "Ov Fire and The Void" to the subtle use of unique instrument like the sitar in "Shemhamforash", Behemoth sound is just as unique and balistic as ever. Evangelion is one of the best records Behemoth has ever made and hopefully Nergal can fight past his lukemia and get well enough to make another record in the future. Behemoth is just too damn good and Nergal is way too young to die, I hope Nergal can beat his disease. Get well soon Nergal!

Standout Tracks 1.Daimonos 2.Ov Fire and The Void 3.Shemhamforash

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #56-55

56.God Forbid-Earthsblood(2009)

God Forbid in my eyes is one of the working class hero metal acts. They been around for 14 years and put out 5 album and 2 EP's and are still not that popular. It's truly a shame. Their 5th record Earthsblood is their best to date. Earthsblood has a bit more of a melodic death metal feel than past God Forbid records, and that is something that really works well for them. Byron Davis's vocals are as good as ever and Doc Coyle has stepped up his guitarwork ever further(the solo on "Walk Alone" is probably the best solo I have heard Doc play). Earthsblood is the most mature and strongest God Forbid record, and with the impressive resume full of great records that God Forbid has that is saying something.

Standout Tracks 1.Walk Alone 2.The Rain 3.Bat The Angels

55.High On Fire-Death Is This Communion(2007)

High On Fire is another one of my favorite bands around right now. Matt Pike is one of the best riff writers of all time. Death Is This Communion is no expection to the rule. "Fury Whip" in particular, has a furious riff that will stick with you. The whole record is heavy as hell and full of amazing riffs. Death Is This Communion as a whole just flat out slays.
Standout Tracks 1.Fury Whip 2.Rumors Of War 3.Waste Of Tiamat

Album Review: Bring Me The Horizon-There Is A Hell,Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret

Before I even start writing this review, I must state that I despise Bring Me The Horizon. I have heard their previous 2 records multiple times because a few of my friends are fans. I have given their music countless chances to grow on me but I can never get past their horrendous vocals, boring songs and laughable lyrics. There Is A Hell, Believe I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Lets Keep It A Secret I listened to under somewhat different circumstances. I heard some of it with my BMTH loving friends and due to the acclaim it has been getting, I listened the rest of it myself. This record surprised me, but it wasn't really a good surprise.

Upon first listen, I must say this is the most mature Bring Me The Horizon record to date. The lyrics are not nearly as dumb for the most part and unlike their prior record Suicide Season .which changed their sound for popularity purposes, they changed their sound a bit to try something new that is less accsessible. I commend them on that aspect of the record, they weren't catering to their mostly scene kid, invisible ninja fighting fan base. Another positive surprise was that I actually liked a couple songs on this record. To be honest, I did not enjoy a single second of their previous two records. "Home Sweet Hole" is the crowning acheivement on this record. It shines through with a melo-death style riff and a really catchy gang shouted chrous. It's a pretty damn good track. The other song that I enjoyed was the chaotic closer "The Fox and The Wolf". It's energetic,brief and heavy.

Outside of those two tracks, there really isn't much to like. Oli Skyes is still one of the worst vocalists in metal and he really should not try to do clean vocals. "Don't Go", the ballad of this album is highly laughable because of Sykes's vocals. This track could have worked for a more skilled vocalist but Sykes's incompentency really brings it down. "Don't Go" is not alone in the dud department. "Crucify Me" and "It Never Ends" are just as awful. "Crucify Me" drags along at almost six and a half minutes and features an out of the blue, awful, electronica section and a horrific guest appearance from Canadian singer Lights, who tries to add this haunting vibe to an already stale track, but it comes off really bad. "It Never Ends" tries to be the anti-Bring Me The Horizon, Bring Me The Horizon song with the slow sections and choir. Instead, it just becomes one of the worst songs they have ever recorded with its annoying synths and emo vibe. Bring Me The Horizon doesn't lose its Suicide Season sound on a couple of tracks like "Aligator Blood" and "Blacklisted" which are just as awful and generic as the dogshit material on Suicide Season.

Even though there is some growth on this record, Bring Me The Horizon is still a weak band. Oli Sykes is still a trash vocalist and most of the songs on here are bad. To Bring Me The Horizon's credit, I never thought I would enjoy a single song by them ever and there are a couple of good tracks on here but for the most part, there isn't much to like here. This might be Bring Me The Horizon's best effort to date, but it still fucking sucks.
1.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Home Sweet Hole
2.The Fox and The Wolf

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #58-57

58.Immortal Technique-Revolutionary Vol.2(2003)

The current rap scene needs more rappers like Immortal Technique. He writes great lyrics and brings forth important polictical issues. Sure some of his views I don't agree with and they are a bit extreme, but he has the balls to present his thoughts in an intelligent manner. Revolutionary Vol.2 is graphic lyrically("The Point Of No Return" and "Obnoxious" especially) and the geniue disgust he has with the government,racisim and the drug trade is beyond authentic and extremely poignant. Immortal Technique reminds me of a modern day Public Enemy and Revolutionary Vol.2 shows how skilled as a rapper and smart as a person Immortal Technique is.

Standout Tracks 1.Crossing The Boundary 2.The Message and The Money 3.Freedom Of Speech

57.Intronaut-Prehistoricisms(2008)

Soon after I found out about Intronaut,in May of last year after I saw them live opening for Mastodon, I listened to Prehistoricisms and I was blown away. Their post metal sound with jazzy interludes is extremely unique and the intensity that it is brought at is dazziling. Intronaut's ambition, talent and unique songs make them a true force in the metal scene. I became a fan quite fast after seeing them live and hearing this fantastic record. Intronaut is one of the best kept "secrets" in all of metal and Prehistoricisims is a highly underrated record.

Standout Tracks 1.The Literal Black Cloud 2.Any Port 3.Cavernous Den Of Shame

Album Review: Abigail Williams-In The Absence Of Light

Abigail Williams has become notorious within the metal scene for two things, opening for various extreme metal legends (and getting mixed reception) and having a plethora of lineup changes (former members include ex-Black Dahlia Murder drummer Zach Gibson, former Winds Of Plague keyboardist Kristen Randall and current Winds Of Plague keyboardist Alana Potocnik). On their 2nd full length, In The Absence Of Light form a more cohesive sound and overcome their various member changes.

In The Absence Of Light takes Abigail Williams in a different direction, they have dropped most of the symphonic elements for a more straight forward extreme metal sound. Their move to a more straight forward extreme metal sound pays off, I did their enjoy their previous release, In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns, but it was kind of a mess in places. In The Absence Of Light is far better put together and better written than its predecessor. This is most evident on tracks like "In Death Comes The Great Silence" and the 8-minute epic "Final Destiny Of The Gods" it moves along at a nice pace and the songs has different layers that flow nicely together. Another improvement from their past work is the riffs. They are faster and more memorable than they where in the past.

In The Absence Of Light is not without some rough patches though. A couple of tracks become tedious due to their length (mainly "The Mysteries That Bind The Flesh"). The production is also kind of weak at times, as the drums are almost completely drowned out in the mix.

In The Absence Of Light is a solid release. The overall song quailty is much improved, as is the maturity of the band's songwriting. The guitarwork is technical and dark and adds a haunting tone to the entire album. If the work some of the kinks with song length on certain tracks(Final Destiny Of The Gods is excellent and it is the longest track on the record) and maybe bring back some of the symphonic elements and use them well, Abigail Williams could craft a damn fine record. Abigail Williams is a band to watch over their next few releases, they have a lot of potential and could become extreme metal juggernauts.
3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.In Death Comes Great Silence
2.Final Destiny Of The Gods
3.An Echo In Our Legends

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #60-59

60.Goatwhore-Carving Out The Eyes Of God(2009)

New Orleans's blackened death metal act Goatwhore, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated extreme metal acts on the scene right now. Carving Out The Eyes Of God is not your typical blackened death metal album, it has a huge thrash and sludge influence on it as well. These infulences really make Goatwhore stick out from the pack. Carving Out The Eyes Of God is a brutal,heavy good time.

Standout Tracks 1.In Legions,I Am Wars Of Wrath 2.Carving Out The Eyes Of God 3.Apocolyptic Havoc

59.Skeletonwitch-Breathing The Fire(2009)

On Skeletonwitch's 3rd full length, they continue their reign as one of the top metal acts of the past decade. They haven't changed their sound at all which is a great thing. Their blend of thrash riffs with black metal-esque vocals is still extremely fresh and when you have as many awesome riffs as Skeletonwitch has I don't see them getting stale any time soon. Breathing The Fire is a great continuation on the Skeletonwitch legacy.
Standout Tracks 1.Gorge Upon My Soul 2.Submit To The Suffering 3.Where The Light Has Failed

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #62-61

62.Lamb Of God-As The Palaces Burn(2003)

As The Palaces Burn is the record where Lamb Of God started to truly shine and come into their own as a band. The change of style that Lamb Of God put into the place on this record would stick on their follow-up records. Randy Blythe's change to a more audible scream pays dividends for Lamb Of God. Despite being a little bit choppy, As The Palaces Burn kick some serious ass.

Standout Tracks 1.Vigil 2.Boot Scraper 3.Ruin

61.Converge-Jane Doe(2001)

Converge is one of the most influential metalcore/hardcore acts of all time. Their sound is overwelmingly chaotic yet extremely textured and technical. Jane Doe is a remarkable record with twists at every corner from the blistering opener "Concubine" to the epic 11-minute closer "Jane Doe". There is so much going on and it will take you 20+ listens to fully understand everything that is at work on this record. Converge are absolute masterminds of music and their genius has never been more prevelent than on Jane Doe. It is an absoultely mezmerizing musical experience.
Standout Tracks 1.Hell To Pay 2.Concubine 3.Phoenix In Flight

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #64-63

64.Alice In Chains-Black Gives Way To Blue(2009)

Prior to hearing Black Gives Way To Blue, I was skeptical about how it would turn out. With Layne Staley gone, how would they sound? Would they turn to a fucking joke of what they once where? Thankfully, they proved all my worries wrong. William DuVall is a great replacement for Layne Staley. He carved out his own style vocally and brought a lot to the table. Black Gives Way To Blue blends heavier and slower songs to perfection and I was beyond pleased with how this record turned out. Kudos to Alice Chains for keeping the legacy alive, Layne Staley would be proud.

Standout Tracks 1.A Looking In View 2.Acid Bubble 3.Private Hell

63.Tool-10,000 Days(2006)

I am among the minority that thinks 10,000 Days is better than Lateralus. I think 10,000 Days is more polished and better written than Lateralus. Tool as usual, blows my mind with the complexity of the musicianship. Danny Carey's drumwork is orgasmic. Carey's insane fills and unique way of drumming make for a superb listening experience. In some Tool fans eyes they over did the ambient interludes, but I think they fit in very well to the overall vibe of the record. 10,000 Days in my opinion is Tool's 2nd best record and the better of the two to be released in the past decade.

Standout Tracks 1.Jambi 2.Vicarious 3.The Pot