Archive for the thrash metal music 2008 Category

EARLY MAN – “BEWARE THE CIRCLING FINS” EP IS CAN’T MISS METAL

Posted in cool album covers, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, independent record labels, Metal, metal music, metal music ep's, metal odyssey, Music, old school heavy metal, rock music, speed metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music, thrash metal music 2008 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 15, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

EARLY MAN. Beware The Circling Fin is an EP of 4 songs, only don’t be fooled, these songs are can’t miss Metal. I only wish Early Man had slapped down a few more tracks for this EP, their Metal is that good. Early Man is no newcomer to the Metal world, they released back on April, 5, 2005, the Early Man EP, which contained 3 songs. Early Man then signed on to Matador Records and released their first full length album – Closing In on October 11, 2005. Beware The Circling Fin was released on October 14, 2008, on independent label The End Records. I find Early Man to be quite the Old School Metal Band, (Traditional Metal, if you will), with total disregard for all things commercial… I like that very much.

Beware The Circling Fin was produced by Jack Endino, who has worked with Nirvana, High On Fire and Mudhoney, to name a few. Early Man hooking up with with a producer of this caliber is not too shabby, in my Metal opinion. Back in 2005, when Early Man first hit the streets with their debut EP, the Thrash Metal revival was heating up. Revival aside, Thrash Metal, (all Metal for that matter), never crawled under a rock… it has only grown stronger. With veteran Thrash Metal Bands making valiant returns, (hello Testament), while other veteran Thrashers like Slayer and Megadeth never relented, younger bands like Early Man can only solidify and bond the Metal cause all the more. (That’s another Metal opinion of mine).

Beware The Circling Fin EP has been my starting point… venturing into the Early Man brand of Metal. One characteristic of this EP that I like is the overall rawness that seems to creep around each song. I’m not talking demo raw here, just good ol’ Metal. Amongst this trio of Early Man, I don’t here one overpowering the other… the vocals and Metal Music seem to gather steam together… another good quality.

Suck Me Dry tends to sway away from total Thrash, this song borders on the Punk side… with it’s play time of 1:31, it’s aggressiveness wrapped with attitude and especially the vocals of Mike Conte. Is that bad? Uh, not for me. Beware The Circling Fin has Mike Conte reaching for the high notes vocally, sounding credible and reminding me of vintage Rob Halford of Judas Priest. The riffs, leads and all encompassing sound of Coiled Like A Snake has me feeling Early Man knows a thing or two about Metal’s founding fathers. Sinking The Blade is for me, the heaviest and fastest song on this EP. If Thrash is Early Man’s forte, they proved it with Sinking The Blade – in my Metal opinion. Early Man has shown they can intertwine their sound from Thrash to semi-Punk, what’s in between these songs is all the stuff I’ve always admired about Metal in the first place.

EARLY MAN as they appeared on Beware The Circling Fin:

Mike Conti – vocals, guitar & bass

Pete Macy – guitar

Adam Bennati – drums

* Tim Ramage is listed as the current bass guitarist, as seen on the Early Man myspace music page.

* Early Man’s myspace music page has their current location listed as Los Angeles, California. You can check out the Early Man myspace music page by clicking here: EARLY MAN – myspace music page

* An eagerly anticipated and forthcoming new studio album from Early Man is titled – Death Potion. This info can be found directly on Early Man’s official website: EARLY MAN ARMY.com – Official Website of EARLY MAN

* Lead singer and guitarist Mike Conte has his own blog, click the link below to check it out:

WHIPLASH HEAVY METAL – Early Man’s Mike Conte blog

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EXODUS “LET THERE BE BLOOD” – A TRIBUTE TO THEIR VERY OWN THRASH METAL LEGACY

Posted in 1980's thrash metal albums, 1980's thrash metal bands, 1980's thrash metal music, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's metal bands, 1980's metal music, 1985 thrash metal music, Album Review, cover songs, current thrash metal music, essential thrash metal albums, extreme metal music, guitar legends, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, metal music, metal music albums, metal odyssey, Music, old school thrash metal music, spooky album covers, thrash metal album review, thrash metal albums, thrash metal bands, thrash metal legends, thrash metal music, thrash metal music 2008, thrash metal today, vintage thrash metal bands with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 21, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

The Exodus album Let There Be Blood, (released on October 28, 2008), is a complete cover album of their very own debut release from 1985 – Bonded By Blood. Exodus is from a select group of Thrash Metal Bands, considered by me to be one of the originals who were instrumental in shaping and defining the Thrash Metal genre. I have been listening to Exodus since their debut, this band has had their share of ups and downs, just knowing they are still around making music is a great feeling for me. Let There Be Blood is dedicated to Paul Baloff, the original lead singer for Exodus, who passed away from a stroke in 2002. Gary Holt, the life long guitarist and leader for Exodus, states very clearly in the liner notes of this CD as to why Bonded By Blood was covered in it’s entirety with Let There Be Blood. To paraphrase Gary Holt, he states these songs are his lifetime connection to Paul Baloff. He also states “no way can you replace Bonded By Blood.” As Gary Holt sees it, people can discover the original Exodus lineup from 1985 and their Classic Thrash Metal debut album, by listening to Let There Be Blood.

I never needed to be convinced that covering Bonded By Blood was a great idea by the current Exodus lineup, many bands have recently been doing the same thing lately as well. Foreigner and Journey are perfect examples, both of these Hard Rock titans have issued a full greatest hits CD recently, that spotlights their current lead singer and lineup. Exodus has paid a tribute to not just an album of songs, Bonded By Blood was and still is an important Thrash Metal album, one that represents a time period of the birth and creation of the prolific Thrash Metal genre. Paul Baloff was not the run of the pack Thrash Metal vocalist either, he was unique in keeping his voice from overpowering the song… I have never heard another singer like him since, truly irreplaceable.

Rob Dukes, the vocalist for Exodus on Let There Be Blood also is quoted in the liner notes, “this (Let There Be Blood) was recorded for fun, not to replace the original. The origninal (Bonded By Blood) will always be there and will always stand the test of time.” Plus, Rob Dukes refers to Paul Baloff in the most sincerest and reverent way. True class acts are Gary Holt and Rob Dukes, for the way they expressed themselves through these statements, found in the liner notes of Let There Be Blood. With Tom Hunting on drums, Exodus has two original members playing on Let There Be Blood.

I have read some pretty despicable and mean spirited album reviews over the years… from guess who? Answer: professional overpaid music critics who do not listen to the albums they review! Instead, their idea of “listening” to an album is “sampling” and/or they are jealous they are not famous Rock musicians themselves. Exodus, in my Metal opinion, DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CASH-IN ON THE LEGACY OF BONDED BY BLOOD. The Old School Thrash Metal Bands have their core following, while enlisting younger and new fans along the way. This album was never going to hit #1 on any damned and useless music chart to begin with. Old School Thrash Metal is about pride… something that the lame mainstream Rock music critics no nothing about. Grubby politicians cash-in everyday on tax payers… Exodus is too busy kicking ass with their Thrash Metal legacy and credibility, rather than cashing in on any of their fans.

In my Metal opinion, sure this is a heavier version than the original. Yes, Rob Dukes sings with a much more aggressive and angered tone than the late and legendary Paul Baloff. Rob Dukes is a powerhouse Thrash Metal vocalist – period. He is his own persona, just as Paul Baloff once was. The end result is, for me, a quality driven, Thrash Metal celebration of one of the greatest albums of it’s genre. Gary Holt made a great point in the liner notes, that these same songs are performed live by Exodus to this day. As I see it, this is Exodus, regardless if this is a 2008 version of this band or a listen to the 1985 original Bonded By Blood. I cannot deny or condemn any Thrash Metal Music that Gary Holt and Tom Hunting want to recapture or create with their band. All I can do is be thankful that they are still alive and capable of keeping the Exodus Thrash Metal machine forging ahead. I appreciate my favorite bands and never have or ever will… take them for granted.

Exodus, as they appear on the 2008 album Let There Be Blood:

Gary Holt – guitars

Tom Hunting – drums

Jack Gibson – bass

Rob Dukes – vocals

Lee Altus – guitars

Here is the original cover artwork for the 1985 Bonded By Blood album:

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