Tuesday, February 24, 2009

New Music Tuesday

Tuesday is an underrated day of the week, because it is the day that CDs and DVDs are released. The "street date" if you are in the know, or nerdy enough to care about music industry terms. This Tuesday the world is blessed by a new album from Lamb Of God, next Tuesday is The Prodigy's release date, and these two bands have a lot more in common (fighting band members, substance abuse problems) than you might think.

WRATH

Lamb Of God www.myspace.com/lambofgod are ranked # 3 on my Best Active Metal Bands list, and they are releasing their first album in almost 3 years, the highly anticipated Wrath. With the band's inner turmoil over, and lead vocalist Randy Blythe now clean and sober, the technical thrash metal titans had an advantage over their old selves while recording this new studio album. I *spoke* with their drummer, Chris Adler, and he told me "this album is going to surprise a lot of people. Typically bands that get to where we are in our career begin to slack off, smell the roses and regurgitate. We chose a different path. No one wants to hear another band member hyping a new record. ‘Wrath’ needs no hype. We have topped ourselves and on February 24 you will feel it." Oh indeed.


I have to agree with my buddy Chris, as this new album is incredible, and surprising. The opening track is an instrumental featuring acoustic guitars, and the final track is almost 7 minutes long with more acoustic guitars and audible ocean waves. Between the two are a bunch of thrash metal gifts wrapped in barbed wire and thumbtacks, especially "The Contractor" and the new catchphrase lyric "guaran-f*ckin'-teed, someone will bleed!" This album is rough and brutal, but for the metal fan, those descriptions are a good thing. It is even being called "career-defining" by the AV Club http://www.avclub.com/articles/lamb-of-god%2C24217/ . If I were you, I would go out and buy this album today! I *aquired* the album 2 weeks ago, and I got my actual hard copy during lunch.


Chris Adler, John Campbell, Randy Blythe, Willie Adler, and Mark Morton


INVADERS MUST DIE


The Prodigy www.myspace.com/theprodigy are another band that through the years has had to fight in order to remain alive. Their last album, the oft-dissed yet much listened to by this reporter, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, featured only mastermind Liam Howlett out of the group members. Now, with the bickering done and rehab completed, Maxim Reality and Keith Flint make their return to complete The Prodigy, and Invaders Must Die is set for release on March 3rd, 2009.

The album gets off to an impressive start with the title track, as a 30 second buildup starts, followed by the Speak-And-Spell voice announcing that "we are The Prodigy." Then the big beat techno kicks in, and everyone with a pulse is car-dancing, seat-dancing, or actual real dancing, like in the privacy of their kitchen with their shoes off so you can slide around in your socks with the linoleum floor. I'm just saying. Anyway, the next couple of songs continue what the guys do best, hard techno beats with the occasional short samples and vocals by Keith Flint and Maxim Reality. Even Dave Grohl makes a guest appearance on Run With The Wolves, playing the drums while Keith Flint sneers. Damn near every song is a standout, and they range from the rave techno style, to hard techno meets electro clash rock, to the finisher which is basically rap techno with a deadly horn riff that will stay in your head for a couple of days. I freaking love it. Go buy it next Tuesday!

Maxim reality, Keith Flint, and Liam Howlett


The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

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