life, and a little more

Impellitteri – Wicked Maiden

Mar 03

metalman777music, videos heavy metal, impellitteri, metal, music, Rob Rock No Comments

I posted a new video by metal shredder extraordinaire Chris Impellitteri on my las blog post.  His band, Impellitteri, has just released a new album entitled Wicked Maiden and it just might be the best album of 2009!

Just in case you missed the video, here it is again.

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Yes, it is metal in all its glory!  And yes, that is Rob Rock on vocals again!  Rock and Impellitteri form an incredible writing team.  Below is the track listing:

1. Wicked Maiden
2. Last Of A Dying Breed
3. Weapons Of Mass Distortion
4. Garden Of Eden
5. The Vision
6. Eyes Of An Angel
7. Hi-Scool Revolution
8. Wonderful Life
9. Holy Man
10. The Battle Rages On

Every song on this record is pure, undiluted freakin’ metal.  Chris Impellitteri is an old school metal guitarist who brings some phenomenal chops to the record.  How in the world can this guy play guitar so fast?  Rob Rock brings his soaring vocals to the mix to create a perfect metal record. The mix is awesome.  Drums and bass are clear and not muddy.

I don’t think this album will be leaving my iPod anytime soon!

Impellitteri's New Video for Wicked Maiden

Feb 26

metalman777music, videos heavy metal, impellitteri, metal, music No Comments

[viddler id=97ac7beb&w=437&h=392]

Jeff Loomis, where have you been all my life?

Jan 06

metalman777lost but now found!, music guitar god, heavy metal, Jeff Loomis No Comments

Jeff Loomis – why have I never heard that name?  I have been a metal fan for most of my life, and I love instrumental albums in the vein of Satriani, Vai, Johnson and Becker.  Yet I have never heard of Jeff Loomis or his band Nevermore.  I sure have missed out on some great music!

I have to give a shout out to Amazon.com’s recommendation feature.  I was browsing through some music and Amazon thought I might like Jeff Loomis’  Zero Under Phase.  Golly, were they right!

Zero Under Phase is a true heavy metal masterpiece.  Heavy, thundering guitars that rip your face right off, fat bass lines and jammin’ drums – every song on Zero Under Phase is awesome.  Don’t just take my word for it!  Listen to two tracks from the album below:

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/06%20Race%20against%20disaster.mp3?w=bea3fea7]
Track 6 – Race Against Disaster

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/09%20Miles%20of%20machines.mp3?w=8148c6a5]
Track 9 – Miles of Machines

New Christmas Song From Theocracy

Dec 19

metalman777audio, humor, music christian metal, christmas music, heavy metal, music, theocracy No Comments

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008 FROM THEOCRACY!

PUSH PLAY BELOW TO LISTEN TO THE SONG

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/Theocracy%20-%20Rudolph%20vs.%20Frosty.mp3?w=4f0722e0]

RUDOLPH VS. FROSTY (Smith)

Everyone knows Rudolph has a big, red shiny nose
And Frosty comes to town every December when it snows
But did you know that those two never really got along?
I bet you’ve never heard this Christmas song…

“I’ve paid my dues for years and years, I’m Santa’s very favorite deer, so I should be the second in command at Christmastime,” says Rudolph
“Pull the sleigh where Santa goes and light the night with my red nose, I think it’s time for me to get what’s mine”

“Night lights are replaceable–a talking snowman’s magical; my agent says I need a bigger piece of Santa’s pie” says Frosty“
I bring children real joy, not just the latest stupid toy, I think it’s time for me to get what’s mine”

Then Rudolph rang his reindeer bells
Turned and sang with all the elves

Hey Hey Hey
Santa’s on his way
You’d better stop that bickering before it’s Christmas day
Ho Ho Ho
Egg nog and mistletoe
And Santa’s gonna take a torch and melt you to the floor

“Frosty, you’ve got coal for eyes, when things get hot you won’t survive, so get out of my way, this job is mine all mine (now snowman step aside),” says Rudolph
“Rudolph, man, your claim to fame’s a lightbulb and a funny name, and everybody knows I’m next in line”

Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won’t you kiss my corn cob pipe

Hey Hey Hey
Santa’s on his way
You’d better stop that bickering before it’s Christmas day
Ho Ho Ho
Egg nog and mistletoe
And Santa’s gonna mount you in his living room for show

“Hey Rudolph!”
“What?”
“I wrote a song about you!”
“Oh boy…”

“You wanna hear it? Here it go!

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And when ol’ St. Nick saw it
He thought it would look really good mounted on his wall”

“Oh you think that’s funny? Well check this out:

Frosty the Snowman
Was a puddle on the ground
And a makeshift scoop for the reindeer poop
Is the best use for his magic hat I’ve found”

With a nod of his head, Rudolph took to the sky, and swooping down, he gouged at Frosty with an antler to the eye
But Frosty struck right back and grabbed his bright red nose, and turned it right into a popcicle as Rudolph’s whole head froze
But Rudolph broke the ice, shook his antlers twice, and raced back in to strike again
But then a “Ho Ho Ho!” came booming from the sky, the echoed voice of you-know-who

With the cookies and milk and a bowlful of jelly in his belly
And a dash through the sky, and a twinkle in his eye, St. Nick
With a bag full of toys for the good girls and boys on his shoulder
And a “Ho Ho Ho!” and a “Look out below!” St. Nick

With the cookies and milk and a bowlful of jelly in his belly
And a dash through the sky, and a twinkle in his eye, St. Nick
With a bag full of toys for the good girls and boys on his shoulder
And a reindeer call and a “Dash away all!” St. Nick

“You two ougtta be ashamed, you’ve sullied Santa’s perfect name, this operation would go down the drain if I retired,” says Santa
“Neither of you gets the job, so go and join the Grinch’s mob, and Merry Christmas both of you, you’re fired!”

Then Santa broke into a smile
Said, “Everyone else stay awhile!”

Hey Hey Hey
Santa’s here today
And now it’s time for Christmas dinner, everyone awaits
Ho Ho Ho
Everything’s alright
‘Cause Mrs. Claus has whipped us up a Christmas feast tonight

Hey Hey Hey
Santa’s here today
And now it’s time for Christmas dinner, everyone awaits
Ho Ho Ho
Everything’s alright
‘Cause Santa’s having venison and snow ice cream tonight

Where Have I Heard This Before?

Oct 15

metalman777Christianity, audio, music christian metal, heavy metal, music, queensryche, recon, sacred warrior No Comments

A few months ago I wrote a blog post telling of my love for music and how that love was started.  I got started on the Christian Metal scene quite early, all the while ignoring the mainstream metal movement for the most part.

When I came to my senses years later, I realized how much the Christian metallers (is that a word?) ripped off the original artists such as Queensryche, Ratt, Metallica and AC/DC.  Maybe ripped off is too strong of words, but the Christian metal bands definitely borrowed similar sounds and styles.  That was quite alright with me back in the day.  As a young Christian, I was taught that Judas Priest and Iron Maiden were devil worshippers and that I should not listen to them.  But bands like Saint and Barren Cross, which sounded almost exactly as the aforementioned bands, were ok to listen to.

Anyways, I thought it might be fun to spend a few blog posts comparing some of the mainstream metal acts to their Christian counterparts.

First up is Queensryche versus Sacred Warrior versus Recon.

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/Child%20of%20Fire.mp3?w=4a88a5ec]
Queensryche – Child of Fire.  Released in 1984

I would have to say that Queensryche is one of those bands whose entire discography is kept on my iPod at all times.  They are premiere musicians and I love every one of their albums.  They were pretty popular in the mid 80′s, so of course their sound would be “borrowed” by other bands.

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/02%20Children%20of%20the%20Light.mp3?w=60e627c0]
Sacred Warrior – Children of Light.  Released in 1988

One such band that was heavily influenced by Queensryche was the band Sacred Warrior.  They released four studio albums, all of which were very good.  Click here to read a good review of each album.

[audio=https://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/Music/03%20Ancient%20of%20Days.mp3?w=359a0060]

Recon – Ancient of Days.  Released in 1990.

Recon only has the one album to their name, but what an album!  One can very quickly see the influence of Queensryche in almost every note.  Click here for more information.

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This is a new addition to the WordPress.com blogs.  Thought it would be fun to add a poll just because I can!

Metal Pesado

Oct 07

metalman777music, videos adgar, dragonfly, heavy metal, metal, music, spanish heavy metal No Comments

It was a dark and stormy night….

Nah, not really but I’ve always wanted to start a blog like that.  Actually, it was a bright and sunny day as I read through my various music blogs.  I ran across this:

It was a review from Metal Reviews, a metal review site that I happen to agree with quite a bit.  So when I saw that it was given a 97 out of 100, I new I had to check it out. (click on the link above to read the great review)  Of course I love the music, even though I don’t understand what they are singing about.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqemeR4Wagw]

I honestly didn’t read the review very carefully, so I had no idea they were a Hispanic metal band that sung in Spanish.  I have a friend that loves the kind of operatic symphonic metal that Dragonfly plays, so I sent him the information.  He in return sends me a video from a band called Adgar.  They are from Spain and can really tear it up!  Imagine Judas Priest singing in Spanish!  Below is the video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPqAvVIPhsA]

I’m just bummed that I can’t find Adgar’s new album, Tiempos de Cambio, anywhere!

So, if you’re in the mood for some great heavy metal in a language you might not understand, check out Dragonfly and Adgar!

Why Can't I Love These Albums?

Aug 07

metalman777music heavy metal, into eternity, metalcore, music, war of ages No Comments

I’ve been very eagerly anticipating War of Ages new album, entitled “Arise & Conquer”.  This is their first release of new songs since 2006′s Pride of the Wicked (which is my top 5 all time top favorite albums ever created).

For some reason, I just can’t love Arise & Conquer.  The music is good and heavy, the vocals are passionate.  The album is well produced….but it just isn’t Pride of the Wicked!  I know that isn’t fair to the band, but Pride of the Wicked is so good that every other album they release will be judged against it.

Pride of the Wicked, one of the best metal albums ever produced!

Try as I might, this album just makes me need more.  I know it is stupid!  I think I’m going to have to listen to the album over and over to finally fall in love with it!

Track listing

1. “All Consuming Fire” – 4:13
2. “When Faith Turns to Ashes” – 1:51
3. “Through the Flames” – 4:17
4. “Salvation” – 3:28
5. “Sleep of Prisoners” – 3:59
6. “Wages of Sin” – 4:23
7. “Yet Another Fallen Eve” – 3:45
8. “Generational Curse” – 2:47
9. “The Awakening” – 3:59
10. “The Deception of Strongholds” – 4:05

Another band that I absolutely love is Into Eternity.  They have also released a new album, entitled The Incurable Tragedy. This is Into Eternity’s 5th studio album, and by all rights should be a great album.   Into Eternity has had that special ability to blend technical prog metal with the heaviness of speed/death metal.  Their previous four albums have all been fantastic.  Perfect work out music!

Like Arise & Conquer, I’m having a super hard time getting into The Incurable Tragedy.  It sounds like they have taken all the songs from their previous albums and mashed ‘em all together.  It is chaotic and sounds uninspired.

Track listing

1. “Prelude to Woe” ? 0:55
2. “Tides of Blood” ? 3:46
3. “Spent Years of Regret” ? 4:15
4. “Symptoms” ? 1:48
5. “Diagnosis Terminal” ? 3:31
6. “The Incurable Tragedy I” (September 21, 2006) ? 2:49
7. “Indignation” ? 3:58
8. “Time Immemorial” ? 4:15
9. “The Incurable Tragedy II” (November 10, 2006) ? 3:37
10. “A Black Light Ending” ? 3:33
11. “One Funeral Hymn for Three” ? 4:10
12. “The Incurable Tragedy III” (December 15, 2006) ? 2:20

I really want to love these albums.  Hopefully something will change.  Until then, I’ll just keep listening to the new Metal Church album, This Present Wasteland!  Talk about great heavy metal!!

Dusting off some old classics…

Apr 02

metalman777Christianity, music christian metal, heavy metal, music 5 Comments

One of my friends on Last.fm (gotta give a shout out to an invaluable resource on new hard rock/metal, Hardrockhideout.com!!) was listening to Believer yesterday.  I’ve been listening to so much new heavy metal and hard rock that I realized it had been a very, very long time since I listened to some Classic Christian Metal.

Some might know my story, some might not.  Hope you don’t mind if I take some time to tell it again.

I started cutting my teeth on music in general in 6th or 7th grade.  I never quite found my niche though.  In 8th grade a friend of mine let me listen to “5150″ by Van Halen and I was absolutely hooked!  What was this stuff of melodic goodness and why does it stir my soul so profoundly?  I knew I needed more music like Van Halen and I needed it quick.  So started my journey into the wonderful musical world of 1980′s heavy metal, also known as hair metal, glam metal, speed metal, thrash metal or any of the other 100 monikers it is now known by.

 I delved into bands such as Ratt and Kiss and Cinderella and White Lion.  I couldn’t go long without listening to Metallica or Tesla or Dokken or Savatage or AC/DC or Def Leppard.  This new music infused itself into my soul in such a way that is very hard to describe.   I guess it is the same for every young teen; the music helps define who you are and creates some kind of stability at time when every thing is chaotic.  I don’t know, but all I can say is that life without music would’ve been the complete worst scenario for me!  My friends and I would hang out and just listen to music; sometimes we’d talk about stuff, but mostly we’d just listen and read our Metal Edge magazines.

The years of high school started and of course, my hair got longer!  Man, to this day I still wish I had my long hair!  I yearn for it in a very weird way I still don’t understand…

Anyways, I digress!  Time passed and I finally heard about this band named Stryper.  Ok, please insert your bumble bee jokes here and be done with them!  Stryper had all the metal qualifications I needed: awesome guitar solos and big hair.  But what was that under their name on the album cover?  Isaiah 53:5?  A Bible verse?  Wait, these guys don’t sing the typical metal anthem of party ’til you puke, let’s all just have a good time!  You are telling me that Jesus loves me in a way that I can understand?  Wait another minute here…

Yes Stryper was flamboyant in their yellow and black spandex.  They had big hair and earings.  But I could relate to that.  This metal music touched my soul in a new way…..made me think about bigger things than just having a good time.  God wants to know me in a personally?  He actually came to earth in Jesus to show how much He was willing to sacrifice for that relationship with me?  He loves my no matter what I’ve done?

Even though I was 15 or 16, these questions started to really get into my head.  I wanted to know more about this Jesus and why He wanted to die on a cross for me.  Eventually I did meet Him in a very real way and became a Christ follower. 

Things changed a bit, but my love for metal music could not be set aside.  You know, if you are a metalhead, the music is part of who you are and will never be removed!  I’ll be 100 years old still listening to heavy metal!! 

Instead of listening to music that was all about partying, I found the fledgling music scene of Christian heavy metal!  The late 80′s found bands like the above mentioned Believer, Deliverance, Bloodgood, Vengeance Rising, X-Sinner,One Bad Pig and many, many more releasing great albums to give kids alternatives to listening to “secular” music.

I latched onto this music scene like a man needing oxygen.  These Christian bands became my very life blood.  (just now as I’m typing this Stryper’s song, Soldiers Under Command started on my iPod and I knew what song it was the very first milli-second it started!).   The metal music was phenomenal and the lyrics helped me grow closer to Jesus. 

I still had my hair long and still wore the standard rocker uniform of blue jeans and concert shirts, but I started attending a church to help me learn more about God.  I was involved with their youth group and right away I was told heavy metal was of the devil and blah blah blah!  All the anti-metal rhetoric was played to the fullest!  We even watched videos that played the records backwards and it “proved” that these rock bands were trying to get us to do drugs.  Iron Maiden’s Number of Beast was lambasted as pure satan worship.  AC/DC was an acronym for “Anti-Christ/Devil Children” and that Kiss was an acronym for “Kids In Satan’s Service”.

Oy!  I still have to shake my head these many years later! I’m sad to say that I did give up almost all my “secular” music and listened to strictly “Christian” music for many, many moons.

Fast forward to years later.  I’m older, wiser, fatter.  Things have changed, and changed for the better.  I still love Jesus and He is more precious to me than 20 years ago.  I think I’ve woken up to the counterfeit Christian culture that abounds in America though.  Society has their “thing” and then Christians make a poor copy of it, slap the name “Christian” on it and sell it to sucker believers. (Testamints, anyone?)

I haven’t listened to Christian music in about two years now.  Nothing new, nothing original.  But when I saw Believer being listened to, it brought back a lot of memories.

I made a playlist on my iPod today and named it “Classic Christian Metal”.  I included bands like Barren Cross, Vengeance Rising, Xalt, Deliverance, Haven, Sacrament, Whitecross, One Bad Pig, Sacred Warrior, Recon and X-sinner.  It has been fun reminiscing about the “good ‘ol days”!