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Metal CD’s I would want to be stranded with.

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, Power Metal with tags , on March 4, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

If, for some odd reason, a UFO abducted me and dropped me off onto another empty planet, and the space aliens allowed me to bring just 6 METAL CD’s with me, these would be the ones: 

1. SLAYER – “Live Decade of Aggression” 

2. MOTORHEAD – “No Remorse”

3. METAL CHURCH – “This Present Wasteland”

4. HELLOWEEN – “Gambling With The Devil”

5. DEEP PURPLE – “DEEPEST PURPLE”

6. BLACK SABBATH – “THE DIO YEARS”

8982265What makes this such a fun thought is this list can change by the day. I guess it always depends on your METAL mood, yet for now, this list of METAL CD’s would make my ears very comfy. Now, would it be fun to be abducted by a UFO, my answer is a solid no. I can easily be satisfied with this list of METAL CD’s while stranded on a remote tropical island. Now, some may ask – would you have the means to listen to these great METAL CD’s while being stranded? My answer is: Yes. I would have a lifetime supply of batteries waiting for me on the remote planet or tropical island where I am stranded. These batteries would power up my portable CD player, which also has headphones.

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Nothing beats HEAVY METAL vinyl with treats inside!

Posted in Metal with tags , on March 3, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

3206863Years ago, (before compact discs were introduced), good old fashioned vinyl was the best way to go for my Heavy Metal purchases. Yes, I had the option of buying 8-track or cassette versions, yet for the money, vinyl always gave me the best return on my dollar. Kiss always seemed to have the coolest “extra’s” in their albums: Kiss “Dynasty” and Kiss “Unmasked” both had very cool posters inside, plus they were big enough to make quite the impression when hung on the wall! Kiss “Love Gun” had a nifty cardboard – die-cut love gun inside. (I wish I still had that one, why or how I lost it is beyond me). Kiss “Alive” and Kiss “Alive ll” had excellent liner notes that were basically album sized concert books. As you can see, you could never get these insane type of Metal extra’s inside a cassette or 8-track. 

Albums years ago, well, they were made for the fan, the collector in mind. Cheap Trick “Live at Budokan” had album sized liner notes that were also a saddle-stitched book that provided quite the added enjoyment of owning that album. As for Iron Maiden, the incredible artwork of mascot Eddie was and still is quite the thrill to stare at – especially on an album sized cover. Let’s not forget the gatefold vinyl, when the album jacket opens up to reveal a panoramic view of Metal artwork and/or tons of photos of the respective band. Iron Maiden “Live After Death” is an amazingly great album for it’s music, yet the double vinyl album which opens as a gatefold is worth it’s weight in Metal gold!

It is too bad, quite sad really, that since the inception of the compact disc, the music industry does not put any little Metal goodies into the package anymore. Yes, I know, you can buy the deluxe editions of most releases today, they include usually a bonus dvd. Yet, you are paying for that extra dvd too. (Usually between 3 to 10 dollars more, depending on what retailer is selling it). What I would love to see, are tiny Metal tokens of gratitude, inserted into our beloved Metal CD’s for us Metal fan’s to cherish. How expensive can it really be for the wealthy music industry? How much of a nuisance could it cause for the music industry to throw a little Metal treat into the CD packaging? I am very tired of getting the cheap little piece of paper that advertises ring tones, t-shirts to buy and contests to enter on-line. (The chance of winning any contest from a CD purchase is the same as getting hit by a meteor from Outer Space).

Here are two recent Metal CD’s that I purchased in the last year, which contained a Metal goodie!! Now, are these little Metal treats still available in these CD’s if purchased today? I do not have that answer, all I know is I struck Metal gold and was/still am very happy about them. You see, it is the little things in life that makes this Metalhead happy.  Here are the two CD titles and what the goodies were:

1. DEF LEPPARD – “Songs From The Sparkle Lounge” – 4, that is correct, 4 guitar picks! Now that is what I call Metal brilliance! I give a very loud Metal bravo to Def Leppard and to the record label (Bludgeon Riffola Limited, The Island Def Jam Music Group). PLUS, each guitar pick has extremely cool Def Leppard album graphics – a “Pyromania”, “Hysteria”, “Yeah” and “Greatest Hits” guitar pick!!

2. OSAKA POPSTAR –  “Rock’Em O-SOCK’EM LIVE” – a funny, yet cool, “Garbage Pail Kids” trading card that is exclusive to only this OSAKA POPSTAR CD. This trading card has the CD cover graphics of “Rock’Em O-SOCK’EM LIVE”, produced by The Topps Company, Inc. 

In closing, remember that the METAL FAMILY does have a very, very, long and expansive family tree. Case in point is my mentioning OSAKA POPSTAR above. Here is an abbreviated reason as to why the “LEGENDS OF PUNK”, OSAKA POPSTAR, are in the METAL family: 

The Misfits, in my opinion, are heavy enough of a Punk Rock band to be enjoyed by any METAL fan. Jerry Only, the bass playing legend for The Misfits and Osaka Popstar, links right up to Glenn Danzig, who was the legendary lead singer for The Misfits, and Glenn Danzig is still going strong as a legendary METAL singer, songwriter, composer and artist. (Plus the late Cliff  Burton of METALLICA wore The Misfits t-shirts in tons of early to mid 1980’s photos). Pretty cool reasons for Osaka Popstar and The Misfits to be in the METAL family, yup.

So, to actually really close out this article, have fun searching for some teenie-tiny, cool METAL freebies (worth owning of course), in today’s CD marketplace. You just never know what you may come across. Good luck trying to find the old METAL vinyl of yesteryear too, who knows, the stuff is still out there, hopefully you find the vinyl that has the original posters, liner notes and “Love Gun” too!

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HEAVY METAL & HARD ROCK RULES.

Posted in Death Metal, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, Thrash Metal with tags , on March 1, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

THIS IS A HEAVY METAL MUSIC BLOG!

8933265I revere Metal music, all genres of Metal music at that. I listen to: Power Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Old School Heavy Metal, Metal, Extreme Metal, Christian Metal, Hair Metal/Glam Metal, Black Metal, Metalcore and any other Metal genre that has not been mentioned in this statement. With that said, I do not buy into, or take part in any arguments of: Which Metal genre is better? Which Metal genre is cooler? My answer to these questions is short and simple: Who cares. I feel, that each Metal genre is unique, holds it’s own musical flavor and attitude, bestows it’s own Metal brilliance and sound. 

I personally feel that the Metal Music world has enough people out there poking insults at it already, stereotyping Metal as violent, immature, and non-sensical. I call out for the Metal community and all Metal genres to unite as one incredibly strong, Metal family. Metal music currently is all over the top selling charts, all you need to do is look at the past year of 2008, DISTURBED, SLIPKNOT and METALLICA have made all of us Metalheads proud once again! That is just “3” Metal bands that lit up the top selling charts in 2008, I will mention many other fine Metal bands that broke into the mainstream during 2008 in future articles.

To sum up my initial introduction, I am stating that:

1. I think the world of Metal and all Metal genres, I feel Metal is the greatest – period.

2. I dream of the day, that all Metal genres unite, realize this is one incredible Metal family.

3. There are critics of Metal, always was, always will be. Ignore them, for they are the same people who followed the PMRC in the late 1980’s and believed Stryper was a band that played vulgar and obscene music. 

4. In a Metal nutshell, I will endorse, praise, review and write about Metal Music here, while trying to enlighten and entertain readers with info of all things Metal.

5. I will not be writing about American Idol, nor will I write about The Partridge Family either. I think my point here was made rather well. 

6. Metal music is here to stay, it is not going away anytime soon. Hopefully, Metal Odyssey will enrich the life of all Metalheads who visit, maybe recruit a few new Metal fans along the way.

7. I am also very much a fan of PUNK ROCK. I have always been intrigued by the similarities between the METAL and PUNK ROCK genres. The crossover between these two music heavy weights are founded, just look at the MISFITS  and  GLENN DANZIG! I always am eager to point out the factual events where PUNK ROCK meets METAL. I have to go now, I want/need to listen to some GAMMARAY.

Welcome to Metal Odyssey, it will be quite the Metal trip.

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