Mark your Metal calendar – April 28, 2009 – the NEW studio album release from HEAVEN & HELL shall be unleashed to the world of Heavy Metal!! “The Devil You Know” is coming, what a glorious time to be a Metal fan!! I cannot, without doubt, wait for this new Metal material from this prolific, historic, important, musically talented beyond my wildest praise – band. (phew). Can you tell I really, really like Heaven & Hell? I actually find myself referring to them as Black Sabbath more often than not, for that is who they really are. Despite what we Metal fans cannot control in regards to the legalities of – Metal band name rights, Heaven & Hell is one surefire-cool name for this group. Aw, heck, they could call themselves anything they want and I still will be blown away by their Metal tunes, both past and present stuff!
Really, in my honest Metal opinion, how can anyone not agree that this Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell lineup released 5 insanely great albums? “Heaven and Hell”, “Mob Rules”, “Live Evil”, “Dehumanizer” and Black Sabbath “The Dio Years” (greatest hits – with 3 new studio tracks) make up the catalog of albums from these super Metal veterans. The combination of Ronnie James Dio on vocals, with Tony Iommi on lead guitar, Geezer Butler on bass guitar and Vinny Appice on drums created what I feel is the ultimate Heavy Metal formula for success. I felt that way since “Heaven and Hell” was released in 1980. Back then, I was in a state of Heavy Metal euphoria! Here was this scenario: the superb frontman of Rainbow is going to join forces with the remaining 3 members of Black Sabbath! Whoa! That was my initial reaction back in 1979/1980, of hearing the news about the new Black Sabbath lineup and that is my reaction now – hearing the solid and factual news that the brand new studio album from Heaven & Hell is coming out on April 28th!
I really feel the 3 new tracks from Heaven & Hell on “The Dio Years” greatest hits album are Metal worthy and showed that this band still has everything it takes to make quality Metal music. I read about the rumors and hints that maybe a brand new studio album would be released by Heaven & Hell, well, the wait and anxiousness are finally over!! All I can say it this: if you are already a Black Sabbath, Dio and/or Heaven & Hell fan, then you know and can relate as to why I am so incredibly excited. In the event you are unfamiliar with Black Sabbath fronted by Dio and Heaven & Hell, please do yourself the biggest Metal favor – get your hands on this bands material and find out what you have been missing since 1980! Plus, I always live by the motto: quality is far better than quantity – I appreciate the 5 albums that Black Sabbath with Dio have created, their Metal music has been with me for 3 decades now. Album #6 from Heaven & Hell is going to be one terrific milestone for this band and all of their fans worldwide! This new Heaven & Hell album is proof that – Great Metal things happen to those true Metal fans who wait!!
Metal, Heavy Metal is so gooooooood. That is why I like to know facts about my favorite Metal heros and bands – Metal trivia/Heavy Metal history. Here are some facts that you may find interesting, informative or just plain boring. In any regard, you found them here!
I look around and listen to a healthy dose of all Metal music, naturally. Power Metal has always been a staple for me, with DIO, Helloween, GammaRay, Blind Guardian, Yngwie Malsmsteen and so many others leading the way. I by no means take anything away from any other Power Metal band out there when I say that Edguy, led by Tobias Sammet, is at the top of my Power Metal play list. If I say it once, I will say it a million Metal times, Tobias Sammet is one amazing song writer and Power Metal vocalist. The brand new album from Edguy, “Tinnitus Sanctus” is for me, superb. This new release from Edguy, (January, 2009), is more edgier, dark and philosophical than their past albums have been. I sincerely recommend every studio album, live album and EP that Edguy has ever released, they are that incredible to my Metal ears.
Metal Odyssey has taken upon itself to proclaim: Saturday, April 11, is National Heavy Metal Day! Therefore, you may take these helpful tips/advice and put them into action, (if you like) and spread and/or share the great music of Heavy Metal to those around you.
Gosh, is the mainstream Rock radio world missing out or what. Try listening to any desensitized FM radio station these days, try as you may, you will never hear who I feel is Hard Rock and Metal’s most underrated female vocalist today – Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. Symphonic, Gothic and at the end of the day, Lacuna Coil is still – Metal. Cristina Scabbia has proven to me, that you can have a beautiful female voice and still sing Metal music. I find Metal brilliance in Lacuna Coil for many reasons, (Cristina Scabbia’s vocals being #1), including the total musicianship and co-vocalist Andrea Ferro. Lacuna Coil means empty spiral, there is nothing that I find empty about any of the music created by Lacuna Coil. 
Every once in awhile, well, I tend to be slightly comedic. What better way to get away from the white useless noise of MSNBC than to have some comic relief that incorporates Heavy Metal? Here are some Heavy Metal happenings that will never, ever, happen in a million Metal years:
As “Commando” kicks in, there is no glimmer or hint that Satyricon “The Age Of Nero” is going to disappoint. The groove heavy Black Metal and black as night lyrics are two powerful characteristics of this entire great album. “The Wolfpack” pick up where “Commando” leaves off, with unrelenting and extremely likable riffs and leads that has me nodding, knowing that Satyricon has quite possibly created an album, that is the very best in all of Metal for 2009. “Black Crow On A Tombstone” is indicative of just how Satyricon can be creatively dark and creepy, both lyrically and musically, without over stating any traditional or obvious themes. In my opinion, throughout “Age Of Nero”, I hear nothing less than rock solid confidence through Satyr’s vocals and guitar playing. A serious approach musically has captured Black Metal greatness in a black bottle for Satyricon.
I cannot apply myself to the acceptance of dated music as having any existence. If, there does exist dated Heavy Metal, Rock, etc., then, what would Classical music be considered as? Classical music would have to be called dark ages-super dated. Please note, that I do not consider Classical music to be dated whatsoever. The building blocks of all popular music we listen to today are from Classical music! What makes me shake my head in wonderment is, the professionally paid critics and experts that are out there consistently using the terminology of dated sound – dated music in their respective reviews. It has become so common place, such the norm recently, that I actually state in my unpaid – unprofessional Metal reviews that a particular album or band does not sound dated!
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