For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records
By: Brian Slagel with Mark Eglinton
Released: August 29, 2017
192 pages
Publisher: BMG
Presenting a time when there was still some mystery behind your favorite bands, and discovering new music took some hard work and dedication. For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records isn’t just a book about a record label, it’s also the story of the metal scene that was springing up around it. Well worth picking up for anyone interested in the birth of the metal genre, and one of its defining labels.
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Metal Blade Records was founded at a time when the burgeoning metal scene was just beginning to emerge. It was a time when being a fan of underground music required hard work and dedication. This was a time well before the internet with its instant access to music on a global scale. Instead, most people learned about new music through word-of-mouth and tape trading, and discovering a new band required money and faith in equal parts because there wasn’t a way to ‘try before you buy’. People had to find their music in catalogs in the back of independent music publications, and then wait the weeks it required to mail an order and get the music in return. This is where the story of Metal Blade Records begins… with a teenage Brian Slagel trying to do everything he could to discover new bands and…
Public Enemy… what can be said about them that shouldn’t already be known? They’re one of the most influential Hip Hop artists of the 80’s and early 90’s, due in large part to being one of the first Hip Hop groups to really focus on politics, and the plight of African Americans in general. Their lyrics were often controversial, and through it all the group remained unapologetic. If it wasn’t for them there probably wouldn’t be a lot of the politically charged music that exists today, from modern Hip Hop artists to metal bands such as System of a Down and Rage Against the Machine. Public Enemy’s first four albums are all widely regarded as classics, but there has been some discussion about which one is really the defining PE album, in my opinion the answer is easy; Apocalypse 91 is PE’s definitive album.
Another reason that this album is such a classic is due to one of the most capable Hip Hop production teams in the Bomb Squad, and an equally capable DJ in Terminator X. Apocalypse 91 features some of the most dense and innovative music that I’ve ever heard in any genre. The beats are complex by Hip Hop standards, and the music includes a large number of samples, sounds and influences all layered over each other in such a way that even sixteen years later I can still pick up new sounds. The Bomb Squad would take things such as screams (By the Time I…
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Def Leppard’s break out release Hysteria, and to try to bring back “Throwback Thursday” here is ‘Gods of War’ — easily the best song on the album. Purchase the 30th anniversary release of Hysteriahere. Hysteria releases 4 August 2017 through Mercury Records.
What started as an ambitious project became a jaw-dropping odyssey that got bigger and better with each act. Undoubtedly, The Color Spectrum – and even Migrant to a certain extent – have helped expand mastermind Casey Crescenzo’s sonic horizons, so when the band returned to the Acts and released IV, the diversity level was considerably higher. The break felt necessary to keep their relevancy at an all-time high. Moreover, nobody expected to listen to the follow-up one year later, yet here it is in all its splendor. While it was written and recorded at the same time, this shares a different atmosphere.
Story-wise, Act V finds the protagonist (“The Boy”) during his last days, incapable to mend the wrongs he’d done during his ego-tripping. Plotting revenge on his nemesis (“The Pimp and the Priest”), the consequences lead to his imminent death. Such dramatic events call for a matching soundtrack, and The Dear Hunter deliver. From pop, rock, and Americana leanings to swing or folksy cuts, the tunes are constantly complemented by an entire orchestra, which sometimes takes the forefront, too. Building up to the grand finale, we arrive at it with “A Beginning”, an amazing and touching coda to this brilliant album. Acting both as an end and as a new start (as…
Someday, when books are written about Kanye West’s career and all his artistic decisions are carved open, The Life of Pablo will come to be seen as an enduring pseudo-autobiotragedy – a modern day Station to Station or Astral Weeks. Already, The Life of Pablo has attained a flagrantly unnatural and unholy state; West may no longer be hyperventilating or screaming, but the demons he faces are still real. That opening verse of “Ultralight Beam” – “Deliver us serenity, deliver us peace / Deliver us loving – we know we need it” hints at a genuine desire for salvation, yet he still can’t go five minutes without threatening the school coach or somehow embarrassing his extended family. The man is fire masquerading as ice; a hammer in a nail-free world. But name me one genius that ain’t crazy. –Irving Tan
There’s something to be said for knowing when to hang up the mic. We’ve all seen bands age poorly, releasing tired-sounding efforts that neither expand upon their repertoire nor satisfy the craving for a return to “the glory days.” Sensing that their days were numbered, especially due to the burgeoning personal lives of each respective band…
The atmosphere of Japanese folklore comes alive through Alcest’s vision in the euphoric odyssey of Kodama. While predecessor Shelter was an enjoyable diversion from what was expected, this sees Alcest once again emphasizing sweeping post-rock atmospheres colliding with intense metal soundscapes. “Je Suis D’ailleurs”, “Untouched”, and the heavenly title track traverse multicolored waterfalls of sound, with dizzying atmospheres to get lost in. Alcest are once again casting aside genre labels and harnessing a more sophisticated approach than the typical dynamic motifs one hears in their genre. They keep to the dreamy – yet abstract and complex – musical explorations in which they have always excelled. Kodama once again proves that Alcest are still making music at the peak of their potential. –Ben K.
Danny Brown is the greatest rapper alive because he needs to be. Too many atrocities separate the formative years that have contributed to this madness and the inspiring run of albums that have detailed his descent, and despite the numbers on the board, it will always be a descent. So posits the opening track: “Everybody say, ‘You got a lot to be proud of’ / Been high this whole time, don’t realize what I done.” They say with fame…
Skylar Grey, Sleigh Bells, Metallica, Aurora, and Devin Townsend.
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2016 was a pretty good year for music. Admittedly, there was nothing that I would call a classic or game changer, but there was a huge influx of albums I would still refer to as excellent or outstanding. It wasn’t just the great albums that made 2016 special, it was also the bands that released them. We had albums from Korn, Metallica, Testament, and Anthrax that were some of their best in years (if not decades). We also had a lot of cool re-issues this year. Circle of Dust remastered and re-released their entire discography, including the Argyle Park side project. These weren’t just cash grabs either. These were totally remastered and released with one or more extra discs of unreleased and rare material. We also had remastered albums from Mother Love Bone and Temple of the Dog. The other one I can remember is the remastered version of Remedy Lane (only their best release).
Anyway, this list is my Top 50 albums of the year. This was a painstaking process as I took my ratings and bumped them against the average Sputnik rating while also checking them against the overall Metacritic value (where applicable) to confirm that my opinion was indeed correct. From there I would assign a number to each album based on how original it was and where it stood within a band’s…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 25, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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–Featured Release: Young Legionnaire: “Zero Worship”–
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Young Legionnaire: Zero Worship
Genre: Alternative/Progressive // Label: Superstar Destroyer Records
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– New Releases: November 25, 2016 –
Bolzer: Hero
Genre: Death Metal/Black Metal // Label: Iron Bonehead Records
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Craving: By the Storm
Genre: Death/Thrash // Label: Apostasy Records
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Defiant: Time Isn’t Healing
Genre: Power Metal // Label: Ferrum Records
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Guttermouth: New Car Smell
Genre: Punk // Label: Rude Records
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Leprous: Live At Rockefeller Music Hall
Genre: Progressive Metal // Label: InsideOut Records
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My Darkest Hate: Anger Temple
Genre: Death Metal // Label: Massacre Records
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Primordial: Gods to the Godless
Genre: Folk Metal/Black Metal // Label: Metal Blade Records
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Science of Sleep: Hellmouth
Genre: Death Metal // Label: Bastardized Records
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Toy Mountains: I Swore I’d Never Speak of This Again
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 11, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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–Featured Release: Deathspell Omega: “The Synarchy of Molten Bones”–
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Deathspell Omega: The Synarchy of Molten Bones
Genre: Death/Black Metal // Label: Noevdia Records
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– New Releases: November 11, 2016 –
Animals As Leaders: The Madness Of Many
Genre: Progressive Metal // Label: Sumerian Records
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ANNISOKAY: Devil May Care
Genre: Metalcore // Label: Long Branch Records
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Downfall Of Gaia: Atrophy
Genre: Post Metal/Black Metal // Label: Metal Blade
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Enigma: The Fall Of Rebel Angel
Genre: New Age/Electronic // Label: Universal Records
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Enslaved: The Sleeping Gods – Thorn
Genre: Progressive Rock/Black Metal // Label: Norse Records
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 4, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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–Featured Release: Alicia Keys: “Here”–
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Alicia Keys: Here
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul // Label: RCA Records
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– New Releases: November 4, 2016 –
American Wrestlers: Goodbye Terrible Youth
Genre: Alternative/Indie // Label: Fat Possum Records
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Ashes of My Regrets: Caricatures
Genre: Metalcore // Label: Independent
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Bon Jovi: This House Is Not For Sell
Genre: Rock // Label: Independent
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Common: Black America Again
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul // Label: Def Jam Records
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The Darcys: Centerfield
Genre: Indie/Shoegaze // Label: Arts&Crafts
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Dark Tranquillity: Atoma
Genre: Melodic Death Metal // Label: Century Media
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 21, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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-Featured Release: Korn: “The Serenity of Suffering”-
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Korn: The Serenity of Suffering
Genre: Nu Metal // Label: Roadrunner Records
Check out the Staff Review for The Serenity of Suffering.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of October 07, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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—Featured Release—
Meshuggah: The Violent Sleep of Reason
Genre: Progressive/Extreme Metal // Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Check out the Staff Review for The Violent Sleep of Reason.
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– New Releases: October 07, 2016 –
Aghast!: Something Else; Something Rotten
Genre: Death/Thrash // Label: Abducted Records
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Alter Bridge: The Last Hero
Genre: Rock // Label: Alter Bridge
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Candiria: While They Were Sleeping
Genre: Hardcore/Progressive // Label: Metal Blade Records
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Chain Wallet: Chain Wallet
Genre: Indie Pop/Dream Pop // Label: Jansen Plateproduksjon
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Colbie Caillat: The Malibu Sessions
Genre: Pop // Label: PlummyLou Records
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Dance Gavin Dance: Mothership
Genre: Alternative/Post Hardcore // Label: Rise Records
Check out the Contributor Reviews [1] [2] for Mothership
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 30, 2016. Culottes Calvin Klein Baratos Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors.
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 16, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
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—Featured Release—
Taking Back Sunday: Tidal Wave
Genre: Post Hardcore/Alternative // Label: Hopeless Records
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of September 02, 2016. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff or contributors. As our staff post reviews of these albums, links will appear below the art work so that you can read about the release, see how we scored it, and more.
For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records
