Slayer -- The Unholy Alliance: Live

I've made my choice: six, six, six.

Cult, Slayer

On June 6th, 2006, Slayer made the choice to start a tour with some of the best names in metal of the present day. Through a concert in Vancover, Canada, music fans everywhere were allowed to witness the ferocious wonder of Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed, as it all was captured by cameras that seemingly were placed in all the right places.

In today's metal landscape, bands like Lamb of God, Opeth and Mastodon are on top of the mountain. 10-20 years ago, Slayer, along with metal-titans Metallica, led the metal underground movement to possibly its highest point, fighting the glam scene and bringing the people true, primal metal in its purest form. It's remarkable that bands of such importance were able to take the same stage on one night, much less for an entire tour.

In this DVD that I was able to acquire through Netflix, you'll see performances of songs such as "Crystal Skull" (Mastodon), "Vigil" (Lamb of God), and "Silent Scream" (Slayer), among many more by those artists and the other two included in the concert, Thine Eyes Bleed and Children of Bodom.

P.S. It's educational, too. I didnt know how to conduct myself in a circle-pit while bands like Lamb of God performed until basking in this nearly hour and a half concert DVD.

Album of the Week: 12 - 29 - 08

I went to Best Buy today to use my $50 gift card that I received for Christmas. I had no clue what I was going to buy but I had a hunch that I'd find my way to the exstensive (and in actuality, the opposite) CD section in order to purchase some albums I didnt possess. I ended up getting the following: Opeth -- Watershed; Mastodon -- Blood Mountain and Leviathan; and The Mars Volta -- De-Loused in the Comatorium.

The album and artist I felt like focusing on was the one I opened up upon sitting in my truck and making my way to a Taco Bell, being Mastodon's 2006 release Blood Mountain.

This concept album telling the tale of Wear-wolf like being attempting to place the Crystal Skull at the top of Blood Mountain grooves through a 12-song track listing with decimating speed. There's plenty of brutish vocals and riffs to be had, along with some unique drum play that's adverse to the norm of modern metal. (although I still say the opening drums to "Crystal Skull" are a copy of Sepultura) The first three tracks blister by and open the record with a screaching bull-horn bellow.

If you're looking for great hooks and grooves accompanied by studio vocals and imaginitive story-telling than Mastodon's third album is for you. It perfectly leads into their 2009 release, Crack the Sky. 2006's number-one metal record fails to make you notice that there's a story being told, but in a way, makes up for it in its musical prowress. (acting both as a culprit and hero in this instance)

Just a Taste