Listen To This - May 22, 2011

The weather here in the Northeast has been horrible. I haven’t seen the sun in weeks. With the fog rolling in off the ocean each night, I feel like I’m in a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie; just without the excitement… or the rum. So, this week I needed some music that could keep me going through the dark and dreary days of this endless monsoon.

Black Label Society – Order Of The Black

You may know Black Label Society from the radio single Stillborn, which featured Ozzy and is also found on Guitar Hero. In fact, you can battle against BLS leader, Zakk Wylde in the game as well. I saw Zakk Wylde on Ozzfest years back when he was playing two sets each night – one set fronting BLS and the other playing with Ozzy. His relentless attitude comes through in Black Label Society’s 2010 release, Order Of The Black. The album is chockfull of the head-banging, fist pumping, whiskey-fueled metal mayhem that we’ve come to expect from BLS. Songs like the opener, “Crazy Horse” and “Parade Of The Dead,” feature heavy drums, tight guitar, and Zakk Wylde’s signature wail. Just as with albums like Mafia, the rampage slows down every couple of tracks with a sweeping ballad, such as “Darkest Days” and “Time Waits For No One.” My favorite track is “Godspeed Hellbound,” which hooks you in and drives with ferocity reminiscent of “Stillborn” or “Suicide Messiah.” The album closes with a third ballad, lulling you into submission before the brutality starts all over again.

Opeth – Lamentations (DVD)

Thanks to Netflix, I never need to leave the house, even for music. I sat down this week to watch Opeth’s live concert DVD, Lamentation (2003). In the concert, Opeth plays two sets. The first set draws on their softer songs, taken mostly from the Damnation album. If you want to experience a badass death metal band opening itself up to elegant vocals, sweeping dynamics, and intricate passages, you must watch this show. You also get a sense of the band’s humble personality. Front man, Mikael Akerfeldt interacts with the crowd, remarking that there are a lot more people watching than he’d expected. You almost get a sense that he, and the rest of the band, are just average guys, playing music, and hoping that others enjoy it. Keep in mind that by this time, Opeth had been around for 13 years! The second set picks up with their heavier, prog-laden death metal (mostly from Deliverance). Both Akerfeldt's growls and clean vocals meld perfectly with blast beats, synth keyboards, and frantic riffing. I seriously recommend watching, especially on a rainy day. Start from the beginning and see where the journey leads