What an awful piece of news to learn upon waking up this morning, but we’ve lost another incredible musician whose time expired far too soon. David Gold, who most referred to as David I. Ypres, the mastermind behind Woods of Ypres, was killed Dec. 22 in an accident near Barrie, Ontario.

Obviously this is horribly sad news regardless, but this comes at a time when Woods of Ypres were about to make a huge push, having just signed to Earache and completed their stunning new record “Woods 5: Grey Skies and Electric Light,” due in February. In fact, I’d been listening quite a bit to the album as of late, as Earache sent me (and many other journalists) a digital copy a few weeks back. I was really excited about their future and thought this album might really break them to a larger audience. And it still might, but sadly, Gold won’t be around to see this thing he worked so hard to build come to fruition.

Gold’s approach toward his lyrics and vocals are what stands out most to me. He was blunter than many other writers, sometimes sounding a little un-poetic in the process, but that was by design. He captured his emotion, sorrow and pain artistically in a way that anyone coming across his music easily could understand. It made Woods of Ypres’s music even more human. Vocally, he always reminded me a bit of Peter Steele, another one who left us way too soon, and the band’s music often sounded more friendly and approachable than what was being expressed, providing a strange backdrop for Gold’s dark words. It was perfect in that sense in that you often didn’t feel beaten about the brow with murkiness, but if you paid close attention, you realized what was lying beneath.

This may seem a little strange to do considering the circumstances, but I’m going to include a link below to buy their albums. The band’s music deserves to be heard, and they should have exploded to the next level. If you have a little extra money sitting around and you’d been mulling picking up some new music, definitely grab anything in the Woods canon. My sincere condolences go out to his family, his friends, his fellow musicians, and anyone else who was touched by his art or his friendship. Life is just pain and piss indeed, but Gold deserved to wring more out of it than he had a chance to do. Rest in peace. The metal world is a better place because of your contributions.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.myspace.com/woodsofypres

And here: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/woods-ypres-386/

To buy their albums, go here:  http://earache.com/uswebstore/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=woods+of+ypres&osCsid=4nbj4gcarp5efrnt8bekq0cqn4&x=0&y=0

Next week begins our countdown of our Top 40 favorite metal albums of the year, and we’re really exciting about bringing this to you. We have some special stuff planned for the top 5 records that has me chomping at the bit to get these pieces out to you. But patience is a virtue.

Before we get to our Top 40 metal records, we have two days of reminiscing on this year with today’s collection of our favorite releases that full under the Outer Edges designation – albums that aren’t metal but certainly have crossover appeal – and tomorrow’s top 40 runners up collection. All of these albums we discuss today and tomorrow, despite not being in our Top 40 collection, still got ample playing time and were important additions to the musical collection. They’re all worth your time and cash, and if you haven’t familiarized yourself with them yet, now’s as good a time as any.

If I was to make a list of my favorite records, all genres included, of the year, Chelsea Wolfe would rank second overall with her amazing, enthralling new album “Ἀποκάλυψις,” pronounced “Apokalypsis.” Her sound is hard to explain, though it often is labeled as black folk and dark folk. That’s accurate, but Wolfe also has a hypnotic, ghostly pop sensibility, and while you might feel like you’re locked in a true haunted house listening to her music, you’ll also likely be shocked by just how catchy and infectious her approach can be. It’s been said before, and it’ll be said again, Wolfe also has a very real understanding of the black metal world and its underpinnings, and she’s tried her hand at putting her own touch on Burzum’s “Black Spell of Destruction.” She’s a unique, once-in-this-lifetime talent who I will follow anywhere.

For more on the Wolfe, go here: http://chelseawolfe.net/

To buy “Ἀποκάλυψις,” go here: http://www.midheaven.com/item/apokalypsis-by-wolfe-chelsea-mp3-download

For more on the label, go here: http://pendusound.com/

People say a rock opera is not very punk rock. What a load of garbage. Most punk bands today are that in name alone, and so few actually pay mind to the aesthetic and philosophy. I’m not sure Fucked Up could have done something more punk rock than what they did on ambitious “David Comes to Life,” an incredible record that has more to do with the Who than with the Clash. The storyline lands perfectly at a time when the Occupy movement has overtaken the news, and its tale of love, loss and redemption is relevant no matter what’s going on in our lives.  If anyone tells you Fucked Up are not punk rock, you have my permission to punch that idiot.

For more on the band, go here: http://lookingforgold.blogspot.com/

To buy “David Comes to Life,” go here: http://store.matadorrecords.com/david-comes-to-life

For more on the label, go here: http://www.matadorrecords.com/

Both Across Tundras and U.S. Christmas are on the decidedly doom metal-friendly label Neurot, but their respective new albums can’t really be labeled metal. And that’s totally cool. AT’s “Sage” is more like a Midwestern, tumbleweed-filled rock record, and while you can hear some of the more metallic strains of their earlier records, the music wouldn’t sound out of place next to classic Neil Young and Crazy Horse. As for USX, they offered up a nearly 39-minute, one-track opus “The Valley Path” that plays like it’s broken up into smaller bits (allowing you scene changes and emotional pauses) but is really one main story. It’s heavier than AT’s record, but it’s something that probably won’t leave you with a sore neck from thrashing your head around. Both of these records will leave you weary, with a parched throat, sending you scrambling for cold water to quench your thirst after a path well-traveled. I recommend both while enjoying some choice ales. I’ve done that myself and it fits just fine.

For more on the Across Tundras, go here: http://acrosstundras.blogspot.com/

For more on USX, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/US-christmas/169528239764664

To buy either album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/neurotrecordings/categories.php?cPath=1030_1032

For more on the label, go here: http://www.neurotrecordings.com/

Russian Circles probably could be included on the metal list with their latest album “Empros,” easily their heaviest, most aggressive album to date. I was blown away on first listen by its power and majesty and wondered what came over this trio. And certainly I was not complaining. They also recently wrapped a tour with  Deafheaven, who certainly lean way more metallic. The combination live worked wondrously. It’s too early to say if this instrumental group (well, mostly, as one song on this record actually contains vocals) will continue with this approach, but no matter. “Empros” is a blast and is my favorite Circles album to dater.

For more on the band, go here: http://russiancirclesband.com/

To buy “Empros,” go here: http://hellomerch.com/sh/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=38&Itemid=2

For more on the label, go here: http://sargenthouse.com/

While we’re discussing Sargent House-related artists, who could ignore the volcanic wonder that is Teri Gender Bender and her band Le Butcherettes? Their record “Sin Sin Sin” (out on Rodriguez Lopez Productions, the imprint of the Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, who’s been playing bass with Le Butcherettes on some recent live dates)  is full of surprises and raucous fun, and Teri’s blood-smeared, aggressive live performances already are the stuff of legend. If you see the band live, you might even get up close and personal with this leading lady because she’s known to thrust herself into the masses. The band’s album is getting accolades all over, and it’s too bad mainstream radio has no balls because there are a handful of songs on the album that could be huge hits. But no matter. Le Butcherettes are one of this year’s most exciting bands, and once the rest of the world catches up, you can ask them all where the hell they’ve been all this time.

For more on the band, go here: http://lebutcherettes.net/

To buy “Sin, Sin, Sin,” go here: http://hellomerch.com/sh/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=145

For more on the label, go here: http://sargenthouse.com/

I discovered a new love this year in the form of Dallas, Texas, trio True Widow. They actually put out two records, the first being the more-than-a-mouthful “As High As the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth” and later with minimalist EP (at least in name) “I.N.O.” The band has been compared to the legendary Sonic Youth, and that’s accurate to a degree, and their warmer, slow-core-style moments will let you chill and immerse yourself into the buzzing guitar work and interloping vocals delivered by guitarist Dan Phillips and bassist Nicole Estill. I’m really excited to hear where True Widow goes next, and one of these days I’m going to have to experience this band live. There’s a nice goal for 2012.

For more on the band, go here: http://truewidow.com/

To buy either release, go here: http://www.kemado.com/shop/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.kemado.com/home/

Barn Owl probably will make fine listening for folks into bands such as Earth, Sunn 0))) and Asva, though what they do isn’t exactly metal. They play a mesmerizing, numbing brand of drone, ambient and doom, and their latest full-length effort “Lost in the Glare” follows both their 2010 full-length “Ancestral Star” and this year’s EP “Shadowland.” The creative duo of Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras go to great lengths to get the right sound and mood on this record, and I’ve found it makes excellent music while I’m trying to read and absorb information. Please don’t read that as boring. I need stimulating music when I’m trying to read, and this band always helps open my mind and get right to the heart of whatever text I’m attacking.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.electrictotem.com/barnowl/

To buy “Lost in the Glare,” go here: http://www.thrilljockey.com/catalog/index.html?id=105353

For more on the label, go here: http://www.thrilljockey.com/splash.html

Marissa Nadler put out as DIY as possible an album this year with her new self-titled collection, put out on her own imprint Box of Cedar. She generated all the money herself via Kickstarter to be able to make this incredible piece of work, and as a result, she turned out the best recording of her career. And that’s coming on the heels of many enrapturing albums. She also had a major role in the final Xasthur record (out in vinyl this year, on disc last year), so there’s your metal connection. Nadler’s dark folk can ride alongside you on a cold night when your soul need a kindred spirit, and her music also can lift your mood at the same time. I’ve never heard a Nadler composition that didn’t capture my heart and mind, and I’d listen to her sing my obituary with a smile on my face (um, if I was alive to hear it).

For more on Nadler, go here: http://marissanadler.com/

To buy her album, go here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Marissamoon6?ref=seller_info

To visit her label, go here: http://boxofcedarrecords.tumblr.com/wholesale

We’re going to spend the rest of the year celebrating what’s been great and fun and awesome about the metal year 2011, but let’s not forget some of the pure garbage that’s out there, too. I’ve lost count of how many new records I’ve heard this year (it’s in the thousands), and now and again, something particularly heinous makes me question it all.

Some of these will be obvious, some will not be, but all made me want to remove my head, beat it a hundred times with a shovel, and catapult it into the nearest river. Usually I just turned to beer to make it all better.

Might as well start off with the worst of the worst, that being the tragedy that is the Metallica/Lou Reed union. When I first heard about their collaboration, I assumed it was a joke. I immediately went to The Onion for the source material. Alas, it was real, and it turned out to be worse than imagined. This is embarrassing. I demand both entities retire immediately. I await the day that Cliff Burton rises from his grave and righteously murders and devours his former bandmates.

Oh, Queensryche. When will it all end? Geoff Tate cannot sing anymore and is so utterly flat that it’s disheartening now to go back to their older, glory-era stuff and realize where it eventually goes. I can’t believe no one has intervened with this band yet. Tate sounds half-dead. They don’t get this? And in this song he threatens that it’s just the start? Mercy. Please. Also, if you see the band live and can’t believe how good Tate sounds on the classic material, remind yourself of these two words: backing tracks.

Japanese black crust band Gallhammer apparently thought they could move on successfully without replacing guitarist Mika Penetrator. They were horribly, terribly wrong. Now just a bass-drum duo, this band is so abysmally awful on their third full-length “The End” that it shocks me that Peaceville went ahead and released this tragedy. I was excited to hear this record because I dug 2007’s “Ill Innocence” a lot. I no longer will anticipate any of their records unless they get a new damn guitarist and stop those horrifyingly awful high-pitched warblings.

Hey, remember when 2011 was pegged as a really exciting time for Morbid Angel fans because the band was releasing a new studio record? Then remember when everyone heard the industrial-marred, programming-choked piece of garbage “Illud Divinum Insanus”? I laughed many, many times when trying to endure this. While I’ve heard the whole thing a few torturous times, I have yet to make it through the entire album in a single sitting. It’s a shit sandwich. And if that’s not bad enough, next year we’re getting a remix of this crap that’s … please be sitting … THREE DISCS LONG. Kill me.

It’s been a good 250 years since I got excited about anything The Haunted released. This band has been stale for a long time. But they just went over the top with garbage, generic metal on their latest record “Unseen.” It’s the worst metal record of the year. Worse than Morbid Angel, because at least “Illud” has a couple of songs that are mildly passable. “Unseen” is pure, total garbage, an album only a Haunted lemming could forgive. They should be forced to retire.

That’s enough garbage for one day. Or for one year. Let’s dwell on nice stuff from here on out. And please forgive me for posting these songs, forever etching them into the history of Meat, Mead, Metal.

There’s something to be said for consistency. That sometimes ends up being a negative for people who want bands to stay fresh and try new things, and often when those experiments come to pass, disaster results. But bands that have a style, do it well, and stick with it keep their fans satisfied because consumers know what they’re getting.

Brazilian death/thrash veterans Krisiun haven’t changed a whole hell of a lot over eight records, the newest being “The Great Execution.” And for them, that’s OK. Their style of metal is vicious, expertly played, well-recorded and angry. This trio of brothers knows what they do well and don’t veer too far from that. It might not excite people who hoped they’d get something totally different with their new record – and to those folks, what is wrong with you? – but you’ll have something that’ll fit nicely sonically with the rest of their catalog.

The album cover is horrific and cataclysmic, just what you’d expect from these guys, and the music puts to shame their homeland kingpins Sepultura, who long, long ago totally lost their way. My review of Krisiun’s new record is up and live now at Lambgoat (link below), so you can read my comprehensive thoughts on “The Great Execution.” As usual, find links below to go buy the new record for someone you’ve so far neglected in your holiday shopping. Or get it for yourself so you can immerse yourself in hate while you’re driving among morons the next few weeks.

To read my review at Lambgoat, go here: http://lambgoat.com/albums/2949/Krisiun-The-Great-Execution

For more on the band, go here: http://www.krisiun.com.br/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Krisiun_-_The_Great_Execution/39598

For more on the label, go here: http://www.centurymedia.com/

We did best-of entries for the first three quarters of the year, and I’d be remiss not to do one for the fourth quarter of 2011. Yet, it seems a little stupid. We’re doing best-of-the-year stuff soon, and some of the stuff I’d point out is going to appear there. I hate redundancy, you know?

But I don’t want to ignore what’s been fun the last three months of the year. So let’s do this a little differently. Instead of rehashing what records I really liked from October until now, let me instead give you a taste of what some of my favorite songs from those albums were and post them for you here. That way, I still can praise these bands but instead give you an idea of what they sound like, in case you’re unfamiliar.

So here goes …

Antediluvian remind me of what it might be like if some really advanced cavemen were jettisoned to modern times, inserted into a room with a ton of instruments, and somehow managed to crank out an unhinged, sick, mind-blowing, technically astonishing death metal album with “Through the Cervix of Hawwah.” Look it up. I have a review in the next issue of Outburn so, you know, buy that. Also, buy this crazy-as-shit record that’ll remind you a bit of Portal, StarGazer and Impetuous Ritual.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ANTEDILUVIAN-Canada/142055909212205

To buy “Through the Cervix of Hawwah,” go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com//index.php?option=com_ezcatalog&task=detail&id=810&Itemid=99999999

For more on the label, go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/

“Dwellings,” the new record from Cormorant is an absolute triumph, one of the most enthralling, emotional, gripping albums of any genre this year. We raved about it right before its release, and NPR named it metal record of the year. Trust me when I say this won’t be the last time you hear about this record on our site this year. I love the song “Funambulist,” listed below. Just dreamy and savage equally. Do yourself a favor and buy this thing.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.cormorantmusic.com/

To buy “Dwellings,” go here: http://cormorant.bandcamp.com/

Chasma is another band we discussed on these pages, and their majestic, sprawling, epic black metal stood as some of the most exciting material released this year by Moribund, a label that hasn’t done much for me the last 12 months. The Mylene Sheath, a rad label that’s put out some killer stuff this year, handled the vinyl. This Portland, Ore., band made hellacious waves with “Declarations of the Grand Artificer,” and this album actually got me through an extended stay at the car repair shop without me wanting to strangle anyone. That’s a big victory.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chasma/188370681184430

To buy “Declarations of the Grand Artificer,” go here: http://www.moribundcult.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

And here: http://www.mylenesheath.com/catalog.html?Iit=456&Ict=33

Speaking of stuff released by the Mylene Sheath, the new album from Cincy’s Beneath Oblivion just crushed us under the weight of its doom towers. The record is really long. Like, really, really long, damn near double-album territory, but it’s unquestionably awesome. “From Man to Dust” never feels like a long document, which is key, and it’s one of the heaviest records in a whole sea of them from 2011. Scotty T. Simpson’s vocals will scare the hell out of the you, and the band’s mix of sludge and doom will leave you a whimpering heap in the corner of your room.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.beneathoblivion.com/

To buy “From Man to Dust,” go here: http://www.mylenesheath.com/catalog.html?Iit=435&Ict=37

For more on the label, go here: http://www.mylenesheath.com/

There were many other strong records from the final quarter of the year – WOLD’s criminally misunderstood “Freermasonry,” one of their most interesting and elusive records ever; Giant Squid’s aquatically adventurous EP “Cenotes”; Panopticon’s excellent and anguishing “Social Disservices”; Locrian’s massive “The Clearing” – but we’d be here all day posting songs. Check out everything mentioned, as they all come highly recommended.

It’s an odd time of the year to get into new music because, well, 2011 is just about over. There’s a feeling that records released late in the year are done so as garbage dumps, and in many cases that’s probably true. But it isn’t always true.

First, we got the stunning new Panopticon record in late November, the incredibly moving, thought-provoking sophomore triumph by Cormorant, and now we have a new entry from sludge crushers Black Skies, who have not given us anything new since 2008’s promising EP “Hexagon.” But along comes their debut full-length effort “On the Wings of Time,” a devastating, psychedelically washed package of eight songs that’ll strike a chord with fans of bands such as Kylesa, Black Tusk and Rwake, among others. The Chapel Hill, N.C., trio is releasing this platter themselves, and I can’t help but wonder if the power of this album will cause a like-minded label (looking at you, Relapse) to give it proper re-issue treatment and greater exposure come the new year.

Black Skies, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Kevin Clark, bassist/vocalist Michelle Temple, and drummer Tim Herzog, have been kicking around since 2005 and have become quite the road warriors. Just look at some of the live photos on their Facebook page, and it’s pretty clear they’re down to play just about any place that’ll have them, indoors or outdoors. That’s the sign of a band whose collective heart is in the right place, and their music is just as raucous and filthy as some of the venues they’ve destroyed. They’ve kept things pretty DIY (they have hooked up with Earsplit PR to help them get the word out about their travels and creations, but that’s about as far as they’ve gone for outside help), and this late-year release is more example of that. It’s also dirt cheap for a download, so if you need some background noise to cancel out all that holiday cheer crap, this’ll do the trick.

Yes, they’re a sludge band, and no they don’t do anything all that different from many of the other groups in the sub-genre. But that’s OK. Not everyone has to be a trailblazer, and sometimes just turning in solid music is good enough. Well, Black Skies have been more than just solid, as “Hexagon” indicated they were a group worth following into the future, and their first proper album solidifies they’re bound to still be here half-decade from now when the other bands who jumped onto the sludge bandwagon have moved onto the next trend. Black Skies’ music sounds more like a way of life.

Clark and Temple do a nice job blending their voices together, with Clark taking most of the lead work and Temple providing harmonies. Those roles do switch every now and again, but no matter who’s in charge of the song, they figure out a way to make it seamless. “Rebirth” blasts open the collection with a fist-flurry, with Temple howling, “We were not born just to survive,” and the rest of the band steamrolling along. “Darkness” is a little bit grungy an eventually mind-altering, as Clark’s vocals take on more of a raspy growl than a shout. “Technologican” tears you apart with its galloping pace, paranoid fury and accusations such as, “Technology stole my soul from me.” You’re not alone on that one.  “Valley of the Kings” gets some Middle Eastern vibe and whirring guitar work, and eventually the band gets to noodling, a little bit too long, if you ask me. That’s really my only complaint about the album, though. “Earth Choker” sounds exactly how you imagine it will, with the band settling into a thrash stomp dressed with wah leads that should make Metallica realize they’ve been doing this same thing all wrong the last 15 years. Closer “The Sleeping Prophet” is an amazing musical journey with muddy trappings and some Southern rock vibe, before Temple kicks in with her mystical flute work, reminding me of Blood Ceremony.

Black Skies are as good as every other sludge metal band out there that’s gotten more attention and press. They deserve a step up, and if hard work really does payoff, as the cliché insists, 2012 should be their year. Even if that doesn’t come to pass, here’s guessing Black Skies will hit the road like the vagabonds that they are anyhow. Try to catch them if they land in a squat, club, basement or bar near you, and make sure you’re OK with parting with some of your hearing.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.blackskies.us/

For their Facebook, go here: http://www.facebook.com/blackskiesnc

To buy “On the Wings of Time,” go here: http://blackskies.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-wings-of-time

A decade ago today, the death metal world was robbed of one of its greatest minds when Chuck Schuldiner passed away due to complications from a brain tumor. He was only 34 years old. But even though he died very young, his influence and creations with his seminal band Death would go on to further shape the genre he helped pioneer and make him one of heavy metal’s true heroes.

Throughout Death’s run, Schuldiner was the only constant. A lot of people point to the band as sort of his solo project, since he always brought in a revolving cast of characters that would make each one of the band’s records unique.  But I never really saw it that way.  I always think of a solo project as one man’s vision that he collects hired guns to help him realize. Each member that gained membership into Death contributed to the group’s brain trust, and without, say, Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert (both of Cynic) on “Human” or James Murphy (Obituary) on “Spiritual Healing,” those records likely would sound totally different. Schuldiner may have been the leader of the band, but he let his contributors etch their DNA into each record.

Death also helped take death metal out of the gutters. That’s not to suggest death metal ever was anything low brow or unworthy, because it never was. It always has been a misunderstood art and reduced by many to trash. But Schuldiner added an amazing level of musicianship to the genre, something that caused many others to follow suit, and his work also helped future artists branch into sub-territories such as tech death and prog death (something he did further with his other band Control Denied). Death metal didn’t have to be totally about blood and guts and didn’t have to be all raw all the time. It could sound good, be produced better and even push the lyrical boundaries into brainier, more philosophical topics. That’s not the suggest Death is the only band to go there, but certainly they were the most successful at doing so.

Relapse Records, along with having a stellar year putting out their own bands’ new releases, have helped solidify Death’s legend and given listeners reissued, remastered copies of their catalog. The project only has just begun, as we only have three of their albums in sparkling new form, but it’s been a worthy investment for Death and death fans, and I should know, as I’ve bought every piece. I want the best possible copy I can of my favorite albums and the genre’s best efforts, and the Relapse project has delivered on all fronts. There also is a ton of bonus material and new liner notes included with these albums, along with exclusive merchandise tied to each one.

The first of these efforts was released in February, and Relapse started with the end. “The Sound of Perseverance,” originally released by Nuclear Blast in September of 1998, was to be the final Death album before Schuldiner moved onto Control Denied permanently. The album features a rare instrumental track, the fairly quiet and serene “Voice of the Soul” and also includes a crushing version of the Judas Priest classic “Painkiller.” Also notable in the lineup is Richard Christy on drums, who went onto form Charred Walls of the Damned. You’ll also likely note that the album artwork was redone a bit to give it a sharper look. It’s pretty slick looking. Relapse offers a 2-CD set with the original album and demo cuts, as well as a 3-CD version with even more demo material. No matter which you prefer, you’ll still be celebrating the swan song of one of metal’s greatest bands.

Next up, released in June, was a reissue of “Human,” the aforementioned record that included members of Cynic in the lineup and saw Death take progressive leaps forward musically. This seems to be where Schuldiner really started to further expand his thinking creatively and offered some hints of where the band, and its leader, would go in the future. This also featured a more introspective, inward lyrical approach, as Schuldiner moved away from what had become a fairly clichéd gore focus. This album, originally released in 1991 on Combat, had to be remixed rather than remastered, and the explanation for that is that the original masters were lost by Sony. Nice work, jerks. But it sounds really good in its remixed form, and the reissue deal from Relapse contains a second disc packed with basic instrumental demo cuts for the album, as well as some more realized early versions of the songs. It’s a pretty neat look into the creative process. This stands as one of my favorite Death records, and my interest in the prog-death circuit more than likely plays a part in that feeling.

In late October, we got a new version of “Individual Thought Patterns,” originally released in 1993 by Roadrunner. The album features Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) on guitar and drumming madman Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Testament) behind the kit, and it continued the path the band started on “Human.” Once again, the style is prog-heavy and leans further toward jazz, and it was clear that the band was going in this direction with no hope of ever looking back. There even was a video produced for “The Philosopher” that served as my introduction to the band. I remember as a high school kid watching Headbangers Ball and being blown away by what I heard and saw. It was a little uncomfortable for me at first, I admit, as I hadn’t really gotten into death metal at the time, but it obviously made a permanent impact considering the make-up of my record collection. Relapse has both a 2-CD version, with the album and a live show from Germany in 1993, and a 3-CD package with a nice set of demo recordings.

Coming up in February, Relapse will issue a double-live collection called “Vivus!” that combines previously released concert albums from the band’s Whiskey A Go-Go performance in Los Angeles as well as their stint at Dynamo Open Air. Both shows were recorded with the band’s final lineup in 1998 and released individually in 2001. You also can get your hands on the reissue of Control Denied’s “The Fragile Art of Existence,” also released by Relapse. Find a link to that below.

Losing Schuldiner was devastating, and there never will be another musician quite like him. Luckily, he left us with an impressive, ground-breaking catalog with Death, a collection we luckily got to partially revisit this year. His legacy is still alive, and younger fans can get their hands on strong copies of these classic albums so they can hear death metal royalty. Or for those of us who are a little longer in the tooth, we can get something updated that’ll sound much, much better on our iPods. It’s a fitting time to celebrate Schuldiner’s life and work, and we’ll be listening to his music well into the night (as well as the future). Rest in peace, Chuck.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/DeathOfficial

For more on Schuldiner, go here: http://www.emptywords.org/

To buy any of the reissues, go here: http://www.relapse.com/search_result.php?search_by=all&q=death&x=0&y=0

To buy the Control Denied reissue, go here: http://www.relapse.com/search_result.php?search_by=all&q=control+denied&x=0&y=0

For more on Relapse, go here: http://www.relapse.com/

All good things must come to an end, though musicians often don’t realize this and go on making music way, way longer than they should. But those people are not Lee Dorrian, and he doesn’t want to overstay his welcome. His fans are sad, I’m sure, but you have to respect that decision, especially since the genre he helped make great is blossoming.

Dorrian announced this would be the final for his band Cathedral as far as a live unit is concerned, and they would disband permanently next year when they release their 10^th, and last, full-length effort “The Last Spire.” Yes, I know, bands reunite all the time. People swear they’ll never tour again and squeeze their fans for a “last-time-ever sojourn,” always going back on their word later. Hello, Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss. But what more do Dorrian and his band have to prove? On top of that, Dorrian runs the ultra-awesome doom-minded label Rise Above, home to acts such as Ghost, Blood Ceremony, Moss and Electric Wizard. So not only did Dorrian help shape the sound of doom metal, he’s also helping the new faces of the genre find an audience.

But Cathedral, as noted, aren’t going out with a whimper. We still have their final album to anticipate, and we have their recently released two-disc “Anniversary” to mark their 20-year reign. The band assembled in London last Dec. 3 in their original form to perform their landmark debut record “Forest of Equilibrium” (released in 1991 in Europe; 1992 in America) in its entirety, then they returned to the stage in their current form to serve up 12 more songs from their other nine albums (we actually get to hear what sounds like it’ll be the intro piece of “The Last Spire”). Basically, Cathedral performed two full shows, and anyone who had been a fan from the band from their beginning, it had to be a dream come true. For newer fans, it was an excellent history lesson. This double disc serves both of those purposes as well and sounds raw and majestic, allowing flaws to be heard, between-song tunings to remain, and Dorrian’s banter to complete the picture.

The eight cuts (although the album actually is seven, with the first two songs presented as one) from “Forest” sound incredible, almost as if they were re-created during the band’s heyday. Lone remaining original members Dorrian and Garry Jennings were joined once again by the lineup that helped make this doom touchstone, as guitarist Adam Lehan, bassist Mark Griffiths and drummer Mike Smail got their proper swansong. “Commiserating the Celebration” is a rush and a full serving of ’70s-influenced guitar soloing, leading toward the edgy, somewhat sludgy “Ebony Tears”; the gritty “Serpent Eve,” where Dorrian sounds a little shaky; devastating “Soul Sacrifice”; and the draining, slowly bleeding closer “Reaching Happiness, Touching Pain.” Any newcomer to doom metal who is unfamiliar with “Forest of Equilibrium” should consider this document required listening. Having this one-time-only live version of this masterpiece obviously qualifies as a priceless gem.

The second disc is more of a Cathedral best-of performance, though it oddly focuses on their early, glory years and their late-career resurgence. The middle of the band’s run is ignored in the setlist, and it’s up to the listener to decide if that’s a mistake. Depends on your tastes or, as some Cathedral fans may say, your tolerance. We get one track from their 2010 double album “The Guessing Game” in second-set opener “Funeral of Dreams,” a song I like much better translated live, and we get two nuggets from 2006’s “The Garden of Unearthly Delights,” the Celtic Frost-esque “Upon Azrael’s Wings” and the incredibly stupid, lone blemish “Corpsecycle.” Both 1993’s “The Ethereal Mirror” and 1995’s “The Carnival Bizarre” get the bulk of the attention, and those songs sound spectacular, most notably “Enter the Worms,” weird and trippy “Night of the Seagulls” and the crushing finale “Hopkins (Witchfinder General)” that practically ignites the crowd. They also do up the organ-heavy, ghostly “Cosmic Funeral,” found on both of their 1994 EPs “Cosmic Requiem” and “Statik Majik.”

It’s going to be a strange metal world without Cathedral an active part of it, and their contribution to doom in general is immeasurable. Hell, Dorrian even gave a ton to grind when he fronted Napalm Death and also etched a completeky different doom path with Teeth of the Lions Rule the Divine. You can be sure Rise Above’s artists will continue Cathedral’s mission well into the future, and even if we don’t have new material from the band after next year, we’ll have their catalog to visit. And we’ll have “Anniversary” to remind us how effective and mesmerizing Cathedral was as a live band. That’s not so bad at all.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.cathedralcoven.com/

To buy “Anniversary,” go here: http://www.indiemerchstore.com/item/12793/

For more on Rise Above, go here: http://www.riseaboverecords.com/

For more on Metal Blade, go here: http://www.metalblade.com

It’s finally really cold around here, and I cannot he happier. It’s the perfect excuse for indulging in those high ABV, warmer-style beers I love so much. As if I needed an excuse, really, but it’s also when these brews are more readily available. I literally cannot wait to leave to buy some.

But now I’m in the mood for some BBQ as well, and possibly some further mind alteration due to the music I bring you today. Not that you need to be rocked out of your mind to enjoy this stuff, but these two Southern-minded, stoner-friendly bands kick some serious ass, as much as I hate to use that saying. Sounds like something some dork would affix to Kid Rock. So sorry about that. But it’s also true. If you want some honest riff-ravaged metal, you cannot go wrong investing your time in either of these bands’ records, both of which are in that charred meats, chill-out frame of mind.

Now, oddly enough, even though both ((Thorlock)) and Red Fang have a decidedly Southern rock edge, neither of them hail from that section of the United States. Funny, because both would sound perfect rocking out in the swamps alongside the likes of Black Tusk, Kylesa and Baroness, but you would be out of luck if you traveled to Georgia hoping to see such a sight. Instead, ((Thorlock)) hail from Missouri, while Red Fang call Portland, Ore., home, so it’s more that their sounds were influenced by their tastes. At least that what I would guess to be the case.

Let’s kick things off with ((Thorlock)), whose 2008 self-titled effort is just now resurfacing for your listening enjoyment. If you look at those goofballs at the top of the story, you’d wonder if they have nothing but hijinks in mind. They don’t. It’s not that their music isn’t super fun, because it totally is, but it’s not some kind of joke. They just know how to have a blast in their Sunn 0))) robes while taking bizarre adventures into outer space. Who can’t get on board with something like that?

This ((Thorlock)) re-release is a joint effort courtesy of Handshake Inc. and Grindcore Karaoke, meaning you can just go download it and save your money for beer and hot dogs. You won’t be sorry for a second when you hear their scuzzy mix of Southern rock, sludge and doom metal, paying closest tribute to early Black Sabbath and The Melvins. The 10-track effort is spaced out perfectly like two album sides would be. They’re perfect halves. Each has a handful of fast, satisfying rockers, a couple of rowdy cover tracks that not only do justice to the originals but just may surpass them (Kiss’ “Deuce” and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World”), and two cosmically shifting, corrosive epics (“Mississippi Wheelwash” and “Beyond Cosmic Dimensions”) that are caked in noise and drone. The vocals are harsh and barky, giving these songs more of an edge, and songs such as “Assneck,” “Man Will Lose,” “Extinct” and personal favorite “Triceratops” not only can get anyone pumped as hell at a house party but almost assuredly will get the cops called to your home.

This is a hulking, barbaric effort from a band that only has an EP to its name otherwise. I’m angry I haven’t heard this bastard until now, considering it’s three years old. But hey, better late than never, and for you cheapskates out there who only want to get their music from some dirty, filthy download site, at least your conscience will be clean when you grab this one. Or are you so out there, man, that you can’t feel remorse? If so, what’s the like? Oh, and check out the rest of what Grindcore Karaoke has to offer. All of it is free, and all of it will cave in your chest.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/LOUDERTHANSTUPIDITY

To grab their album, go here: http://www.grindcorekaraoke.com/album/thorlock

For more on the label, go here: http://www.grindcorekaraoke.com/

And here: http://handshakeinc.com/

Here goes one we’re just flat-out late in bringing to you, that being the sophomore effort “Murder the Mountains” from Red Fang. This band has been one that always had the chance to break out but for some reason hasn’t to this point. Maybe this effort, as well as that tour with Mastodon and Dillinger Escape Plan, is just what they needed. As it is, as the legend goes, this album is one that was recorded and in the can before Relapse was convinced to pick it up, and I bet they’re happy as shit that they did, because it’s a bruiser.

“Murder the Mountains” was produced and championed by guitarist Chris Funk of the Decemberists. Now, don’t go getting all bothered over that fact because one, Funk is a bad ass who can shred with the best of them, and two, have you ever truly heard the Decemberists’ music? Yeah, it may be folky indie rock, but it’s bloody. There’s murder everywhere. It might as well be metal. So he holed up with the band and helped them churn out this 10-cut burner that’s a little smoother and easy on the ears than their debut (released by Sargent House). Brian Giles and Aaron Beam still yowl and howl when the mood strikes them, but the singing is cleaner and more evened out on songs such as “Wires,” that has a Queens of the Stone Age vibe; the ultra-catchy “Number Thirteen”; and “The Undertow,” that’ll really take your imagination on a ride. But they still have smokers such as meaty “Malverde”; burly “Dirt Wizard”; sludgy, doomy “Into the Cage”; and punk-flavored closer “Human Herd” in case you need an overdose of violence to get you there.

“Murder the Mountains” is an impressive step ahead for Red Fang, and I would not mind if their creative marriage to Funk becomes a permanent one. He got the most of the band during their recording session, and Red Fang certainly sounded like they had something to prove on this disc. They just may be onto something. And as promised, the music will make you hungry for a feast. I’m now starving. I also am tired of being in the right frame of mind, so if you’ll excuse me, I have some cookies to go pick up.

For more on the band, go here: http://redfang.net/

To buy “Murder the Mountains,” go here: http://www.relapse.com/search_result.php?search_by=all&q=red+fang&x=0&y=0

For more on the label, go here: http://www.relapse.com/

There’s a line from Louis CK’s live show “Hilarious” where he laughs at overly positive people for thinking good things one day will happen. “Why would something nice ever happen?” he asks without a hint of his tongue in his cheek. I can get on board with that assessment.

I don’t know anyone who’s had an awesome year. It seems it’s just a furious countdown to Dec. 31, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. when we all can bid this calendar year good riddance. To steal another line from CK, this year, life’s been “shit wall to wall.” When that happens, it’s nice to have something to make you feel a little better, no matter what that is. I’m not making any judgments at this point. If it makes you happy, have at it. For me, as usual, I’ve sunk into music, and when days are grim and pointless, I like something that acts as a little kick in the face or a reminder that it’s OK to be pissed off at everything that’s gone wrong lately. This week, I’ve been indulging quite a bit in the two mini efforts unleashed by Obsessor, both of which you can have in digital form for free.

The band is a one-man act headed by Brandon Ferrell, who also plied his trade in bands such as Municipal Waste, Government Warning and Direct Control. He’s since gone on to become a record store owner, certainly not an easy role in this economy, and now is diving back into the world of punk-flavored thrash with his new band. As someone who remembers when thrash was in its infancy (meaning I’m old as hell), these two efforts and four tracks make me feel really nostalgic. Now, I know you’re probably wondering if I’ve missed this whole thrash revival business, and obviously I haven’t. I’ve even written about a few on the bands on this site and even liked some of the music. But rarely do those bands really capture that same magic and danger. But Ferrell manages to do just that with Obsessor, and it couldn’t make me any happier.

It’s typically not cool to throw the Metallica comparison around, but at one time, they were the world’s most exciting metal band. I remember hearing “Kill ’Em All” for the first time in its original pressing and not knowing what to make of it. But holy hell, was it awesome. Obsessor embodies some of that same spirit. The D-beat tag has been applied to Ferrell’s music, as well as homage to Celtic Frost, Bathory and Venom, and that’s all here too, but I keep coming back to the fact that I’ve not heard  music in some time that this perfectly connects me to how I was moved the first time I heard and indulged in thrash metal. It’s a welcome trip back into time by a musician who couldn’t be more modern.

Funny enough, as close as Obsessor is to Bay Area punk-emblazoned thrash and early Euro black metal, Ferrell is from Richmond, Va. But that’s a hotbed of metal in its own right, and he certainly has absorbed and understood the genres he tackles. On “Obsession,” he unleashes two tracks of furious metallic warfare that are riff-heavy, crushing, throaty and bruising. Both the title cut and “Underworld” dash by in a flash, and if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself continually hitting repeat to take it on again. “Sick Salvation,” his most recent release, is much of the same thing, though the music sounds a bit more refined. That’s not to suggest it’s polished, because it thankfully is not, it just sounds like Ferrell’s ideas are really coming together. On the title cut, he spits out, “Your clock is ticking … Your time is ticking away,” sounding like a vintage thrash-style warning that should have you running for cover. “The Demon” is the most reminiscent of punk and classic hardcore, as he shouts and mashes his way through the two-minute mangler, making you wonder what kind of violence he could dream up live.

So yeah, bad week, bad year, this stuff makes it all feel a little better. This is music that makes you forget the daily crap just because it’s so fun and heavy.  And as noted, it reminds me of when I was a high school hesher standing out in a crowd of jerks who were listening to bad Top 40 and would look at my back-patched jean jacket and scoff. I bet those people are still assholes.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Obsessor/102961169801674

To download “Obsession,” go here: http://downloads.tankcrimes.com/album/obsession

To download “Sick Salvation,” go here: http://downloads.tankcrimes.com/album/sick-salvation

To buy cassette versions, go here: http://www.tankcrimes.com/catalog/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.tankcrimes.com/