10 Albums That Introduced Me To Metal

Some of the following albums can’t necessarily be considered in the sense that most of us think of, but they served to pique my interest in the genre that I subsequently delved deeply into. In order to provide some background for this list it’s probably best that I explain how I got into metal. I ended up taking a bit of a roundabout path for someone my age. I grew up listening to country; that was all that was played in my home although there was constantly music in the background. I feel fortunate to have grown up in a rural setting. Not isolated by any means, but rural enough that I only had access to dial-up internet until I was well into my first year of university. 

Dial up internet wasn’t exactly conducive to discovering music. Most people the same age were discovering (and downloading) music at the time, but it wasn’t really an option for me. I started listening to classic rock due to a friend’s dad having a massive collection of classic rock albums with a few metal albums in the mix. I found radio stations that occasionally played a metal song or two. I quickly discovered re-runs of Power Hour on MuchMusic. (A TV show that aired in Canada from 1986 to 1991in its original form, featuring hair metal, hard rock and metal music videos). Every once in a while I’d catch an episode of Loud, which featured heavier music and also aired on the MuchMusic channel. 

From that point, I started buying CDs of bands that interested me, or that I had read about in magazines or on the internet. I’m not sure about the availability of online ordering for CDs at that time, as I had very little idea of what was even on the internet. Most of my CDs came from A&B Sound, which ceased to exist in 2008. HMV was the next option. CDs cost a hell of a lot more then than they do now, especially for a kid. Album purchases were few and far between, and each album I did buy got listened to a lot. 

While it was a bit of a pain to discover metal, I think it made each discovery that much more exciting. I imagine this was akin to how people felt in the tape trading days, or when vinyl was the only readily available format. Access to music has certainly changed quite a bit, even in the relatively short time that I’ve been seriously listening to and buying albums, but that’s a different discussion for a different day. That being said, these are the first albums that formed my introduction to something a little heavier than classic rock:

Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

Released in 1982, The Number Of The Beast still remains my favorite Maiden album. ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ is the first metal song that I recall truly taking notice of. ‘Run To The Hills’ has been (horribly) attempted at drunken karaoke more than once. The Number Of The Beast is one of those classic albums that every metal head should listen to from start to finish at least once. 

W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P & The Last Command

Naming two albums is a bit of a cheat, but I somehow managed to acquire a vinyl of WASP’s debut, self titled album at roughly the same time that I got my hands on The Last Command. I would still love to see them live. I almost managed to sneak into a bar underage years ago to catch them, and missed them live by a single day both trips I made to Finland. (Which I’m still kicking myself for). WASP always seemed a bit more sinister than other similar bands. They have catchy songs and I still like the uniqueness of Blackie’s vocals.  

Metallica - Kill ‘Em All

Out of all of the Metallica albums I could have chosen as the first album to buy, I ended up with Kill ‘Em All. Until that point, it was probably the hardest, most aggressive I had ever heard. When I still played a little bit of bass as a young teenager, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to learn “(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth”. Considering lack of any kind of natural musicianship and my neglectful attitude towards practicing, that would have been quite a feat. Needless to say, it definitely didn’t happen. 

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

I think it would be difficult to call oneself a metal head without having at least some knowledge, or having to have listened to, some Black Sabbath. After listening to a fair bit of classic rock, Sabbath seemed like a logical step. While I’m not much of a doom metal fan, it’s difficult to deny Black Sabbath’s influence on the subgenre. 

Alice Cooper - Love It To Death & Killer

In hindsight, these may have been strange Alice Cooper albums to start my collection with as there are certainly more well known releases. ‘Ballad Of Dwight Fry’ (from Love It To Death) is still one of the most chilling songs I can think of, detailing a narrative descent into madness. I listened to both of these albums over and over again. Especially during class when I probably should have been listening to the teacher. 

Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil

Shout At The Devil, to me, is Mötley Crüe’s most metal album when taken into consideration the time that it was released and the fact that Mötley Crüe tends to fall more into the spectrum of ‘hair metal’ than the metal I listen to now. Admittedly I used to be a huge Mötley Crüe fan. When I was young, this band (and album) offered the perfect amount of sleaze, and a touch of danger. 

Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Appetite For Destruction remains as one of the most solid albums from start to finish that I’ve listened to. There isn’t a weak song on this album. At one point, I probably had all of the lyrics memorized. Appetite For Destruction is a fitting name as this is an angry album, full of attitude. 

Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

Hate Crew Deathroll was one of the first ‘metal’ albums that I bought. Metal in the sense of not being able to really be categorized into any other genre (hair metal, classic rock, etc). This album really kickstarted my foray into a lot of the bands and metal subgenres that I listen to now. It still remains as one of my favorite albums and Angels Don’t Kill is still one of my favorite COB songs. Hate Crew Deathroll was a lot heavier and faster than much of the stuff I’d previously listened to and I was hooked. 

Grave - 'Redeemed Through Hate' track

This year is shaping up to be a good one for Swedish death metal. I recently became aware that Grave will also be releasing a new album in October. Entitled “Out Of Respect For The Dead”, this will be another that I’ll be adding to my collection. 

‘Redeemed Through Hate’, a track that will be on the upcoming album, has been released as an introduction to what can be expected from “Out Of Respect For The Dead”. I like this track. It’s angry, it’s heavy, and it’s what I would hope for from Grave. I like their last release (Endless Procession of Souls), and subsequently found myself getting more engrossed with Grave after catching them live on the Barge to Hell cruise several years ago. This track promises a solid album; you can check it out here:

Grave - Redeemed Through Hate

Firespawn - 'Lucifer Has Spoken' Video

Firespawn is a newly formed death metal band featuring several well-known and highly respected musicians from the Swedish death metal scene. With members from Entombed, Unleashed, Necrophobic and Dark Funeral, this is another new project with some serious credentials to back it up. Firespawn’s debut album will be released in November although the band has chosen to put out a limited release EP to precede this date. (The EP was released on August 7th). 

Watching the video for ‘Lucifer Has Spoken’, the feeling of blasphemy that Firespawn will be aiming for is apparent. Between the stellar lineup of musicians behind this project and the debut video, I’m intrigued enough that I will be picking up the album upon its release. 

Entrails "Obliteration" Review

I admit that I wrote this review a while ago, in close conjunction with the release of the album, and realized that I completely neglected to post it. Late might be better than never, so enjoy and give it a listen if you haven't already.

Track Listing:

1. No Cross Left Unturned
2. Epitome Of Death
3. Beyond The Flesh
4. The Grotesque
5. Obliterate
6. Skulls
7. Midnight Coffin
8. Bonestorm
9. Abyss Of Corpses
10. Re-Animation Of The Dead 

The ominous bells of ‘No Cross Left Unturned’ set the tone for a great death metal album. Every track on “Obliteration” exemplifies a modern take on the classic Swedish death sound. There is no straying away from the murderous and horror-flavored themes on this album, which is exactly what I love about Entrails. It’s undeniably catchy, which isn’t necessarily a phrase that can be associated with death metal (and which I’m reluctant to do, since it’s usually associated with radio-friendly, pop-ish junk). But to this death metal fan, the choruses are such that I feel like growling along with each one and headbanging in between. ‘Epitome Of Death’ and ‘Bonestorm’ are perfect examples of this. ‘Midnight Coffin’ may very well be my pick as one of the top tracks from the album due to the ominous atmosphere induced in the intro which then breaks into something more horrific. There is a nice blend of slower-paced and more upbeat tempos within “Obliteration”, providing a respite and a bit of an adrenaline rush at the right times. 

Furthermore, this is an album that makes me unknowingly break speed limits while cruising on the highway. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the tempo and forget to glance at the speedometer, headbanging the entire trip. (Perhaps not objective, but I find this as a way in which I often judge albums). A word to the wise: keep your eyes out for police or speed traps if you listen to “Obliteration” in your vehicle. Unless you have the cash to fork over for speeding tickets. 

I struggle to find a weak point within “Obliteration”. It may be a bit more polished than some of the previous Entrails albums, but this is to be expected with progression over the years. “Obliteration” still contains enough of that rawness that it can get away with being slightly more polished as the roots of the band are still obvious and remain strong. It’s no secret that I have immensely enjoyed each album that Entrails has released to date, and this one is no exception. While I doubt “Obliteration” will become my favorite album by these Swedes, it will definitely be in contention for my favorite album this year. 

Vampire Interview, courtesy of Towards The Inevitable

http://towardstheinevitable.com/vampire-interview-2015/

For anyone who is interested in Vampire, I dare say that this interview is a must-read. Published today by the site Towards The Inevitable, it is an insightful piece chalked full of interesting perspectives. While it doesn't speak much about the self-titled album released last year, it does go into depth about several of the other projects that Vampire has and is working on.

The band is set to release a mini-LP entitled 'Cimmerian Shade', which was previously unknown to me. The interview provides background and information regarding the release of this LP, which will only be available on vinyl and as a digital download for the time being. (Personally, I'm hoping for a CD release at some point as I am not a fan of digital downloads and I'm not really a vinyl collector either).

I appreciate the discussion of the video for "The Fen", a track from the self-titled release. It truly is a brilliant piece of work, drawing on so many dark, psychological factors. Borrowing directly from vocalist Hand Of Doom, the video is distinctly Scandinavian and creates an interesting discussion within the interview. There are some unique and intelligent insights in this interview and it's worth checking out.

New Tracks: Children of Bodom & Kataklysm

In anticipation of the release of 'I Worship Chaos', Children of Bodom have released a track entitled "Morrigan". After a return to a more pleasing direction with 'Halo Of Blood', I can honestly say that I am truly excited to hear new Bodom material again. 'Halo of Blood' was a definite step in a direction that I liked, with a bit of return to the roots for COB. "Morrigan" suggests that the band is again ready to put out an album that appeals to the old-school Bodom fan. Upon first listen, I wasn't sure that I liked the keyboards but after hearing the song through decent speakers, my opinion has changed. Whether you agree or not, I get a bit of a 'Hatebreeder' / 'Follow The Reaper' era vibe from this song.

'I Worship Chaos' is due out at the beginning of October.

Kataklysm have always proven that they are one of Canadian death metal's heavyweights. Set to release 'Of Ghosts and Gods' in a few short weeks, the band has released a few tracks to garner the appetite of metal heads. Kataklysm manages to remain heavy with just the perfect amount of melody. "The Black Sheep" provides some relative mellowness, while "Soul Destroyer" feels a bit more aggressive. "Thy Serpent's Tongue" has also been released as a preview to the new album. This is another album that I personally look forward to this year.

Losing The Pawn Shop

A Serious Blow To The Metal Community

Intimate music venues have dropping off the map at much too fast of a rate in Edmonton lately. The Pawnshop, my favorite venue in the city, has succumbed to the same fate. I’m actually saddened to see it go. The venue was a fantastic place to catch a metal band. It was the go-to place to see a metal show, supporting local talent and brining in international players. With the metal scene growing exponentially in the Edmonton area in the last several years, its disappointing to see a venue that continuously hosted some of the best close its doors.

The Pawnshop was located centrally. After several venues closing on the west end, it was one of the closest for those of us living west of the city to travel to. While I’m personally not a big fan of Whyte Avenue, especially on weekends, it was an easy location to access. The laid back atmosphere was welcomed. There were no questionable dress code reinforcements and everyone felt at home, yet staff were responsible in ejecting or denying re-entry to those who deserved it. The staff themselves were great, being attentive and yet not overbearing. The same cannot be said for other venues. It is a real shame that high rental fees forced The Pawnshop to close. I do take this explanation as a valid reason as the rent on Whyte Ave is ridiculously high. Even with its crooked toilets and bathroom stall doors that haven’t closed properly in the last five years, I will miss this venue. 

Some of the best, most intimate shows I have attended have been at the Pawnshop. While it was a small venue, it never felt claustrophobic. The ability to go outside, and be able to easily re-enter seems to be a growing rarity. The Pawnshop offered this. They didn’t try to wrangle people into ridiculously crowded smoke pits and they made it easy for those who wanted fresh air or a quick break from the excitement to do so. 

Shows scheduled for the Pawnshop are set to move to the Union Hall. Like many others, I have few good things to say about the Union. While the building may have worked as a nightclub, it fails to work well for live performances. Some serious renovations would have to take place to achieve this. Apparently the staff from the Pawnshop will also be relocating to the Union. Hopefully they can teach the current Union staff a few things about good service and building good relationships with concert-goers. The best I can say about the Union until this point is that shows have been “just okay”. I’ve had some downright awful experiences there, from it being impossible to find a good vantage point if you are unfortunate enough to not be one of the first through the doors, to some ridiculous and discriminatory dress code reinforcements, to a lot of warm beer and inattentive bartenders, to downright rude staff and total disorganization. Especially now that the Pawnshop has ceased to exist, I truly hope that the Union can make some serious improvements. 

In all honesty, the closure of the Pawnshop has cast a bit of gloom on the metal community surrounding this city. From my standpoint, if a show was at the Pawnshop that I wanted to see, I wouldn’t think twice about attending. If a show was at either Starlite Room or the Union Hall, I would have to seriously consider whether I wanted the accompanying hassles that always seem to come with either of those venues. At least Starlite provides an atmosphere were you can comfortably see the stage from almost anywhere in the room. And it still has a central location for those who travel from the outskirts of the city, or from outside the city. BUT we needed more venues (not less) like the Pawnshop; the attitude was superb and the support for the artists playing the venue was apparently excellent. It was a bit of a gem in this grimy city and it will definitely be missed. 

For another personal lament about the Pawnshop:

http://www.danazukphotography.com/blog/2015/6/29/saying-goodbye-to-the-pawn-shop

For a few news articles regarding the closure:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Edmonton+loses+another+music+venue+with+closure+Pawn+Shop/11163560/story.html

http://www.gigcity.ca/2015/06/25/pawnshop-closing-gigs-move-to-union-hall/