Well I have returned from my 2 week vacation in Germany. My mind is rested (no it’s not), I’m focused (what day is it?), and I’m ready to talk some metal with you (I will never drink again)! Let’s jump right to it now, and go over what metal brought to the July 2018:
5) Rob Zombie & Marilyn Manson - Helter Skelter
To start this off strong, I have to bust out the big ones. That’s right, no hand holding on this one because we got the teaming up of 2 titans. Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, arguably the kings of shock from my era and 2 amazing talents, come together to drop a cover of The Beatles’ Helter Skelter! This was the kind of thing that my friends and I would talk about in High School as hypotheticals, but now it’s real. If you have not heard the track yet, I think you owe yourself this NOW!
4) Dee Snider - For the Love of Metal
Whenever I heard Twisted Sister, I would always have a bit a snark. To me, they were a band of 80’s metal clichés and would stick to that till their last album. However, when I heard the singer Dee Snider was going to put out a solo album, my curiosity pulled me along to listen to the first new single “Tomorrow's No Concern.” After listening… I had to hear the album. When it dropped, I listened to the whole thing while banging my head to most of the tracks. “For the Love of Metal” is a great album with great production and Dee Snider vocals on each track were f*cking awesome. I actually look forward to what next project Dee will do next.
3) Obscura - Diluvium
Am I biased because I put Germany’s best technical death metal band on this list? NO! Obscura earned this spot for the awesome work that was put into their latest album “Diluvium.” Off the heels of the last album Akróasis, which arguably was the best Death Metal album of 2016, Steffen Kummerer brings it %100! If you want to hear one of the coolest intro guitar tracks ever, listen to my favorite song on the album is, “Ethereal Skies”.
2) Powerwolf - The Sacrament of Sin
Before you say, “Hey Aidan, seems a lil suspicious that you have 2 German bands on this list after you got back from Germany?” First of all, it is just a coincidence. Second of all, you should know this power metal band. Right now leading the charge in the power metal scene in Germany, Powerwolf’s 7th album comes at a much needed time for the genre. Every year fewer and fewer power metal acts are dropping new albums. Luckily for us, this album makes up for the decrease in every way. Stunning guitar work and accompanied with elements of musical story, this is a metal album you have to make time for.
1) Bury Tomorrow – Black Flame
By whatever measure you care to use, Bury Tomorrow is among modern British metal's upper echelon. After listening to the album, I still stand by those words. This album will make you a fan after you listen to it. At this point, all I can say is listen to the album and see what I am saying for yourself.
Til the next month’s wrap up (and after I get some much needed rest), keep it metal and have an awesome day!