Posts Tagged ‘ghost walking’

2013 Grammy Nominees for Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance: Anthrax, Halestorm, Iron Maiden, Lamb of God, Marilyn Manson + Megadeth

Recording Academy While hard rock and metal bands were snubbed in most of the categories for the 2013 Grammy Awards that were announced tonight (Dec. 5), the one category devoted to those genres features a diverse range of nominees. The Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance category boasts nominations for Anthrax , Halestorm , Iron Maiden , Lamb of God , Marilyn Manson and Megadeth . Of all those acts, only Iron Maiden has previously won a Grammy. Anthrax are nominated for ‘I’m Alive’ off their album ‘Worship Music,’ while Halestorm got a nod for ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ from their full-length effort ‘The Strange Case Of …’ Meanwhile, Iron Maiden scored a mention for ‘Blood Brothers’ from their ‘En Vivo’ CD/DVD and Lamb of God got a nod for ‘Ghost Walking’ from their ‘Resolution’ album. Finally, Marilyn Manson earned a nomination for ‘No Reflection’ off ‘Born Villain, while Megadeth scored a mention for ‘Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)’ from their album ‘TH1RT3EN.’ Congrats to all of those acts for representing hard rock and metal at the upcoming 55th annual Grammy Awards taking place on Feb. 10, 2013 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The event will air live on CBS at 8PM ET. In other rock categories, the Black Keys and Jack White led the way with multiple nominations. Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Anthrax, ‘I’m Alive’ Halestorm, ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ Iron Maiden, ‘Blood Brothers’ Lamb of God, ‘Ghost Walking’ Marilyn Manson, ‘No Reflection’ Megadeth, ‘Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rock-song-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards/” title=”Next: Vote in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards” align=”center”]

Metal Song of the Year – 2012 Loudwire Music Awards

Metal music was at it’s finest this year, and the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards category of Metal Song of the Year features 10 incredibly diverse tracks from a wide-range of bands. We’ve got veteran metal acts going against the young craftsmen of today’s metal music landscape, but the voting is all up to you, the fans. Which tune will you pick as the Metal Song of the Year for 2012? Check out the nominated songs and be sure to vote in the poll below: Anthrax, I’m Alive’

10 Best Metal Albums of 2012

Liz Ramanand, Loudwire This year 2012 will be remembered as one that was incredibly rich with quality metal albums. With some of extreme music's most consistent bands having issued near-perfect additions to their discographies this year, many of the albums listed here could have easily come in at No. 1 if released in past years. Albums from Between the Buried and Me , Converge , Pig Destroyer and Gojira made 2012 an incredibly competitive year, and certainly one of the best so far in the 21st century. The year also saw stellar new releases from the likes of Down and Lamb of God , among others. For fans who lean more rock than metal, we've got a separate list for you. But here, we present our picks for the 10 Best Metal Albums of 2012: ? 10 'Blood for the Master' Goatwhore ? ? Coming in at No. 10 is Goatwhore 's blackened death metal gem 'Blood for the Master.' Released on Feb. 13, the band unleashed one of their heaviest and greatest career achievements early in the year. With 'Blood for the Master' fueling an ever-increasing fanbase, Goatwhore earned a place on this year's Summer Slaughter tour along with opening shows for High on Fire, Hate Eternal and 3 Inches of Blood, among others, in 2012. Listen to 'Collapse in Eternal Worth' ? ? 9 'Resolution' Lamb of God ? ? Lamb of God continued their streak of creating addictive “pure American metal” with 'Resolution.' The band stays the course with their latest album, with powerful consistency and flawless execution. While there is no mistaking the album's tracks as anyone but Lamb of God, the band experiments with some doom with 'Straight for the Sun' and spoken word parts with 'King Me.' Add pummeling tracks such as 'Desolation' and Ghost Walking,' and you've got a killer album. Listen to 'Ghost Walking' ? ? 8 'Down IV, Part 1 – The Purple EP' Down ? ? Although 'Down IV, Part 1 – The Purple EP' contains only six songs, the tracks within offer a sustaining energy that carries the weight of a full-length. The vocal prowess of Phil Anselmo remains powerful, especially when delving low into his range, while the rest of Down pump out monstrous sludge into the groove-driven 'Levitation' and the anthemic 'Witchtripper.' Listen to 'Witchtripper' ? ? 7 'Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light' Woods of Ypres ? ? The tragic death of Woods of Ypres mastermind David Gold in December 2011 was a massive loss to the metal world, and tragically, Gold did not live to see the release of 'Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light.' Gold harnessed immense depth and introspective thought, using death itself as the album's central theme. 'Woods 5' follows a man who sees death after being struck by lightning and finds neither a God nor an afterlife. Listen to 'Lightning & Snow' ? ? 6 'Book Burner' Pig Destroyer ? ? With an album so good even Larry King contributed to it (kind of), Pig Destroyer ended a five-year wait for new material in 2012 with 'Book Burner.' The addition of Misery Index drummer Adam Jarvis to the lineup delivered a much dirtier and twisted sound to the new record, displayed prominently in 'The Diplomat.' Along with the all-knowing guitarist / producer Scott Hull and tremendous guest vocalists accompanying J.R. Hayes, the grind of Pig Destroyer remains second to none. Listen to 'The Bug' ? ? 5 'L'Enfant Sauvage' Gojira ? ? Although Gojira already possessed mountains of fans and a solid discography, the band is widely considered to be the breakout metal act of 2012. The French metallers unveiled 'L'Enfant Sauvage' to universal acclaim, successfully balancing the band's key components of brutality, beauty and progression with flawless production attached. For songs like 'The Axe,' 'Explosia,' the title track and much more, we say 'merci beaucoup' to Gojira. Listen to 'L'Enfant Sauvage' ? ? 4 'De Vermis Mysteriis' High on Fire ? ? High on Fire gifted fans with the incredible trippy sludge-fest 'De Vermis Mysteriis' in 2012, which explores the story of Jesus Christ's time-traveling stillborn twin brother who drinks a serum to see the past through his ancestors eyes in order to discover how his brother became a religious icon. Still with us? Even if the concept goes over your head, the brilliance of tracks such as 'Fertile Green' and 'King of Days' will bring you to sonic enlightenment. Listen to 'Fertile Green' ? ? 3 'All We Love We Leave Behind' Converge ? ? Converge possess one of extreme music's most impressive discographies, and 'All We Love We Leave Behind' ranks among the band's crowning achievements. The group strides closer to their hardcore roots with 'Trespesses' and 'Sparrow's Fall,' continue the legacy of Kurt Ballou's ingenious shredding with 'Sadness Comes Home' and even create experimental beauty with 'Coral Blue.' Listen to 'Sadness Comes Home' ? ? 2 'Utilitarian' Napalm Death ? ? Many metalheads expected just another grind record with Napalm Death 's 15th studio album, 'Utilitarian.' Those people were wrong. 'Utilitarian' turned out to be not just a phenomenal album, but a monumental achievement for the British legends. Barney Greenway's unmatched voice remains terrifying and demented, while the band's songwriting created an avant-garde niche consisting of scattered saxophone solos and otherworldly clean vocals. Listen to 'The Wolf I Feed' ? ? 1 'The Parallax II: Future Sequence' Between the Buried and Me ? ? 'The Parallax II: Future Sequence' is metal music's greatest conceptual accomplishment of the year. Set in outer space, BTBAM have created the most complex music you'll ever zone out to, performed by the strongest group of pure musicians within the realm of metal. Much like the band's 2007 album, 'Colors,' the record takes unexpected twists and turns while sonic plates spin without the slightest wobble. For that, we crown it the Best Metal Album of 2012. Listen to 'Telos' ? ? What's Your Favorite Metal Album of 2012? Which one of our 10 picks is your favorite? Did we get the order right? Did we miss your favorite metal album of 2012? Tell us our hits and misses in the comments section below: [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-rock-albums-of-2012/” title=”Next: 10 Best Rock Albums of 2012″ align=”center”] ?

10 Best Lamb of God Songs

Epic Records The best Lamb of God songs are powered by their potent deep grooves. Not since Pantera, their fellow Southerners, has a band focused so much on power grooves. Those are what give a song depth and catchiness, not to mention muscle. Power grooves and supreme guitar prowess are certainly the hallmarks of this Virginia band's sound, as are the gritty, venomous vocals of frontman Randy Blythe. For all the fury present in LOG's sound, there's also an intelligence and attention to detail when it comes to the art of songcraft. Plus, you walk away remembering the melodies. The band formerly known as Burn the Priest has released six studio albums under the LOG moniker and they are as consistent as they are brutal. We have sifted through the band's entire cataLOG and have selected our picks for the 10 Best Lamb of God Songs. ? 10 'Ghost Walking' From: 'Resolution' (2012) ? ? 'Ghost Walking' is a textbook example of what's entirely familiar about Lamb of God at this point: rolling riffs, Meshuggah-meets-Pantera grooves and throaty, growled vocals. It's a chunky track with cajones that hang to the floor. From the first power riff, you know it's Lamb of God, from the tone and style. That's how you know they are one of the most important bands in metal – when they are identifiable by a few notes, chords or riffs. Listen to 'Ghost Walking' ? ? 9 'Set to Fail' From: 'Wrath' (2009) ? ? The fast and chunky 'Wrath' track 'Set to Fail' has a bit of hardcore energy coursing through its veins. Drummer Chris Adler's hand and footwork is particularly intense and impressive, as he smashes away at his instrument, infusing his percussion with passion in a way that would make Animal from The Muppets proud. It's a faster than what we'd normally expect from Lamb of God, but they certainly pull it off with poise. Even though the band feels the need for speed here, they never pull up the emergency brake on the groove. That's why it's one of the 10 Best Lamb of God songs. Listen to 'Set to Fail' ? ? 8 'As the Palaces Burn' From: 'As the Palaces Burn' (2003) ? ? Much like 'Ruin' from the same album, the title track from their 2003 release 'As the Palaces Burn' demonstrates a command of their instruments and of their grooves. Power grooves were perfected by Pantera, but Lamb of God came along and injected them with a bit of Swedish tech metal influence. Who knew that a pack of rednecks from below the Maison-Dixon line could cull so much inspiration from Scandinavia? They did, and the result is their own unique sound, as evidenced by 'As the Palaces Burn.' Listen to 'As the Palaces Burn' ? ? 7 'Walk With Me in Hell' From: 'Sacrament' (2006) ? ? Everything about the song 'Walk With Me in Hell' is devastating. It's a true LOG signature that inspires headbanging in even the stiffest wallflower. The song's layers upon layers of tension leap out of the speakers and will cause the kind of headbanging that leaves you with broken blood vessels in your neck and a massive migraine. Blythe also sounds like he scaled the bowels of Hades to spit lyrical venom … right into your ear. Listen to 'Walk With Me in Hell' ? ? 6 '11th Hour' From: 'As the Palaces Burn' (2003) ? ? Another quality, well-constructed song from 'As the Palaces Burn,' the track '11th Hour' is also a fan favorite. It's speeding-bullet fast and crunchy, with plenty of the requisite groove. It's nastier than a street fight, and that's why '11th Hour' is one of the 10 Best Lamb of God songs. When you get to the 56-second mark, you can imagine fingers running up and down a fretboard, as the song exemplifies the vivid playing of axemen Mark Morton and Willie Adler. Listen to '11th Hour' ? ? 5 'Laid to Rest' From: 'Ashes of the Wake' (2004) ? ? Despite being a steel-toe-to-the-teeth brutal song, 'Laid to Rest' is one of the 10 Best Lamb of God songs because, like many key songs in their catalog and on this list, it manages to thread a potent, unforgettable melody through all the maelstrom. The bluster is tempered by memorable melodic parts and singalongs. When Blythe dutifully barks, “Destroy yourself / See who gives a f—,” and guitarists Morton and Adler roll in like soldiers on tanks firing away with machine gun riffage, it knocks the wind out of you. Listen to 'Laid to Rest' ? ? 4 'Ruin' From: 'As the Palaces' Burn' (2003) ? ? Lamb of God were all fists and fury on their 2000 debut. They maintained the pace and they aggression on the followup, but there was a certain level of polish and maturity to songs like 'Ruin,' which meshed this Meshuggah-like technical prowess with that deep-fried, Southern groove, which picked is why they are largely considered to have picked up where the mighty. Pantera left off. The pupils transitioned to teacher on this song, which is one of Lamb of God's best. Listen to 'Ruin' ? ? 3 'Redneck' From: 'Sacrament' (2006) ? ? Being that Lamb of God are from Virginia, they wear their “American by birth, Southern by the grace of God” pride like a badge of honor. 'Redneck' is a bit of a salute to their heritage, in addition to being a blistering, groove-centered jam. It also earned them a much-deserved Grammy nomination. When Blythe snarls, “This is a motherf—ing invitation,” most fans take it as encouragement to mosh. The band, also known for asking fans to erect the “Wall of Death” in their moshpits, where the crowd splits and then runs at one another, 'Braveheart'-style on the count of three, perfected its formula here. Listen to 'Redneck' ? ? 2 'Black Label' From: 'New American Gospel' (2000) ? ? The accelerating opening riff, which repeats throughout the song, and the tin can drumming are easily the most recognizable elements of 'Black Label.' And that riff? Well, it's one of the most definitive in the entire Lamb of God song collection and one of the most memorable in metal as a whole. It's easily one of the 10 Best Lamb of God songs because it's as distinct as DNA. Devastatingly heavy sums it up. Listen to 'Black Label' ? ? 1 'Now You've Got Something To Die For' From: 'Ashes of the Wake' (2004) ? ? 'Now You've Got Something To Die For' has risen to be one of the most recognized and loved songs in the entire cataLOG. It features everything that fans love: power grooves, Blythe's “I gargled with whisky and razor blades” vocal viciousness and ticking time bomb percussion. It has a deeper message, lyrically speaking, and it's delivered in a way that demands your attention. It's also hooky as hell. It truly defines what Lamb of God are, where they've been and where they are going. Listen to 'Now You've Got Something to Die For' ? ? What is Your Favorite Lamb of God Song? Now that you've seen our choices for the 10 Best Lamb of God songs, we're inviting you to tell us your favorites. Did we miss your top track? Or do we have the same exact taste when it comes to LOG songs? Now is your chance to share your thoughts and opinions on the best songs by these metal titans. ?