Cave In has built a rich legacy on sprawling, spacey epics, from the dark and tingly “The End Of Our Rope Is A Noose” (from Until Your Heart Stops, 1997) and “Requiem” (Jupiter, 1999) to GJOATs “Seafrost” (Antenna, 2003) and “Paranormal” (Perfect Pitch Black, 2005). It’s their supreme bragging right, a show of unflinching skill, and the extra-special chestnut that awaits each horny Cave In listener at new album time. As it pertains to now, new album time is May 24 but for today, from White Silence comes “Sing My Loves,” the latest and maybe the most wetly anticipated Cave In epic yet. I won’t oversell it but let me say that it’s better than every other song on Earth put together. Oh hey there it is right down there. Click play and hold onto your nutz/nipz!

Cave In’s White Silence is out May 24 on Hydra Head. Pre-order the shit out of it here.

I remember rushing home one day in 2000 with a copy of the self-titled debut of Text, a post-Refused project by three of its former members. Refused had imploded a couple years earlier (bummer), their singer Dennis Lyxzsén and his (International) Noise Conspiracy had released a snore album of middling hipster rock (more like [International] House of Pancakes), and holy shit I was desperate for more jamz a la Refused’s masterpiece The Shape Of Punk To Come (weren’t we all?). I was sweating as I loaded the CD.

Well, this story ends sadly cuz the Text album is egghead coffeehouse jive, not razor-sharp, secret-staircase art punk like Refused. Which is fine. Whatever. Since then, (I)NC mustered a few tasty jamz (like this), Text snuck out a mini-release, and Lyxzsén paired with ex-Refused drummer/Text nerd David Sandström in AC4. And now, following several unflattering covers of “New Noise,” rumors of a Refused reunion, and an anniversary reissue of Shape, it’s come to light that Lyxzsén’s voice will next be heard alongside the guy from Methods of Mayhem. Buzzkill! From Tommy Lee’s twitter:

Click to read more…

-CM

Corey Mitchell is a best-selling author of several true crime books. Thanks for playing…

Join Corey at Facebook and Twitter.

Weed is an awesome so-called “drug”, but it’s NOT for everyone. And throughout certain periods of my life, it’s been that way for me too. Growing up it was fun and my friends and i smoked a whole lot (!) whilst jamming…but somewhere in my mid-twenties, it would/could make me paranoid and uncomfortable in my own skin, so I didn’t/wouldn’t partake as often.

Not much else to say, other than that this rules and that I particularly dig their outside-the-box interpretation of the verses.

-VN

Thanks: Amelia Rupp

Brrrrraaaaaahhhhhh…………it’s 4:20 on 4/20!!!!  Ganjaleel?

Speaking of trippy-hippie-nings — I’ve never been to ten year-old Bonnaroo, but I imagine it’s not too much different from most jamband fests I have attended in my day.  Sure, the ‘roo offers a bit more diversity than its twice-baked counterparts, but c’mon you can’t convince me of your multi-faceted-ness just cuz you got Eminem & The Sword.  Really, Bonnaroo — really?  However, looking over the lineup I can’t just write it off as a larger, more commercialized jamband fest, since the bookers did in fact happen to lock in many indie/alternative acts that are pretty awesome.  So…..let’s call it a draw.

In the metal realm, nitrous abusers can enjoy aforementioned The Sword, Primus, Kylesa, and ultimate stony bros Opeth.  Whoa.

I’d be curious to see how all the white dreadlock’d mofos hacky-sackin at the ‘roo might react to Mikael’s death growl, but naturally the psychedelic-imbibers will revel in the acoustic/heady parts.

“Dude…….this is like, totally hardcore metal — but it’s not…”

Although — Baroness played last year and the kids seemed to dig it.  Wanna see the softest mosh pit ever?

Don’t get too stoned today.

-KW

Thanks to a commenter on my breakdowns post, I am now aware of a sweet band called NASTY. While I don’t usually like European music, food, film, clothing, politics, art, literature, philosophy, or people, this band is fucking awesome– real talk!

Click to read more…

I know it’s not the most popular thing to admit to around these parts, but I really like Slipknot (up through V3:TSV, that is). I appreciate the fact that they bring a fairly heavy sound to the masses, flip the bird at their detractors, and continue moving forward despite alleged inner band turmoil, an increasingly fickle buying public, and the death of bassist Paul Gray.

Their side projects, on the other hand, have all left me cold. Stone Sour, Murderdolls, To My Surprise, Dirty Little Rabbits – bah! Nothin’.

So, when I heard on Monday that M. Shawn Crahan AKA “Clown” was interviewed on some internet radio show about his latest project, The Black Dots of Death, I decided to investigate. I had no interest in the 30-minute interview, so I opted for Clown’s own promo video for the record instead.

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I met Mike IX Williams, the legendary vocalist for EyeHateGod/Arson Anthem/Drip/Crawlspace/Outlaw Order and author, last year at Philip Anselmo’s hidden home somewhere deep in the woods of Louisiana. I’ve gotten to know the man more this year as we have spent some time together in Fort Worth and Austin while on the road with Arson Anthem. I asked Mike if he would like to share his thoughts with the MetalSucks readers. He eagerly and graciously complied. – CM

Okay, so you’ve been slaving away in the piss hot steaming garage, or alternately, an ice cold freezing cement basement tomb, writing and playing extreme music with various people of dubious degree, quality and background. The torn carpeted walls smell of stale booze, melted wax and illegal left handed cigarettes and the old bass player vomited behind his Peavy cabinet two months before you kicked him out and its still not cleaned up. The new bassist is a fat stinking bastard who probably has head lice but definitely has bad breath and an alcohol problem but comes in handy because he plays like a cross between Tom Araya and Geezer Butler.

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If you follow my true crime writing career, you know that I have always been a defender against those who want to blame music and movies for the wretched deeds of serial killers, mass murderers, and other killers. I have even had others in my line of work attempt to blackball me for my passionate love of horror films and heavy metal. These folks cannot reconcile that an individual can enjoy the darkest side of entertainment and yet still be a pacifist who treats people with respect and sympathizes with those who suffer real world violence.

Last week, loyal MetalSucks reader Matthew Kurtz asked me if I would write something about the Columbine Massacre as today is the twelfth anniversary of that tragic school shooting. The focus here would be on how the media and certain insecure people opted to lay the blame of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s shooting spree on heavy metal music, specifically industrial artists Marilyn Manson and KMFDM, violent videogames, and everything else other than the killers themselves.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CRIME SCENE PHOTO AFTER THE FOLD!!!

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Yep, 4/20 gets a real downer with the rather unexpected news that Judas Priest founding member, guitarist K.K. Downing, has quit the band.

“It is with regret that Judas Priest announce that K.K. Downing has formally retired from the band and will therefore not be joining them on their forthcoming Epitath Tour.” – Official Judas Priest press release 4/20/11.

Click to read more…

More than twenty years ago I was interviewed by The Daily Texan, the University of Texas school newspaper, for my role (along with my still best friend, Ray Seggern) as co-host of “The Metal Show” for KTSB (now KVRX), the student-run radio station. One of the quotes I made then that still holds true to this day was that 85% of heavy metal was “crap,” and that the joy in being a metal DJ was finding the other 15% of diamonds in the rough and sharing it with others.

If anything, the crap quotient is probably a bit higher these days, what with so many people of less than stellar skills having cheap access to means of production and simple ways of distribution. Unfortunately, the level of song-writing skill hovers around the same mark, as least on a per capita basis. In other words, more bands simply means more crap to sift through.

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I’m probably the last guy around the MetalSucks Mansion that should be writing about pot.

Last time I smoked was over 20 years ago. I was riding around in a van with a couple of dudes from Deadhorse somewhere in Houston, Texas, having a great ol’ time. For some inexplicable reason though, I decided to give up the ganja then and there. There was no traumatic reason for doing so. I just knew I was done. Haven’t touched the stuff ever since.

So, instead of trying to opine about marijuana, I decided to turn to some of my metalhead friends in the business. I simply asked them to write down their thoughts on pot.

These are their stories:

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As some of you guys may or may not know, I am currently working with Philip H. Anselmo on his autobiography. In fact, the questions I get asked most often these days are, “How’s that book with Phil coming along?” or “When’s Phil’s book coming out?” or “What’s it like working with Phil?”

I can happily inform you that, though it is a slow process, Philip’s book is going to kick major fuckin’ ass!

Click to read more…

Duff McKagan, vocalist and lead guitarist of Duff McKagan’s Loaded, bassist for Velvet Revolver, and former bassist of Guns ‘n Roses, took to the interwaves (via phonerview) to slam the “reality” television show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

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The MetalSucks CEOs thought it would be hee-larious to stick me, the straight one, in the driver’s seat on 4/20. You’ll find out later today exactly when I quit smoking pot. I have nothing against marijuana. It’s just not for me.

But for those of you who partake, enjoy this morning’s wake and bake.

It’s “4:20,” from Six Feet Under.

-CM

Corey Mitchell is a best-selling author of several true crime books and was one dark motherfucker when stoned.

Join Corey at Facebook and Twitter.

Photo by Alison Webster

This month, brutal death metal trio Hate Eternal, led by producer/guitarist Erik Rutan, has been at the center of a pitched battle between MS co-lord Axl Rosenberg and MS writer-at-large Anso DF. The conflict? Is Hate Eternal’s forthcoming Phoenix Amongst The Ashes record awesomely killer (per Axl) or is it insanely ripping (per Anso)? Does it fuck the face and slam the nutz (Anso) or does it render each listener “so fucking happy to be alive” (Axl)? Can its production and performances better be described as a high watermark of contemporary metal (Axl) or as a gift from another realm to every living music listener (Anso)? Is Phoenix a shoo-in for metal album of the year (Axl) or does it crush every other record on earth (Anso)?

Welcome to our love war.

When the time came to phone up Rutan for a discussion of Phoenix and other Hate Eternal affairs, we at MetalSucks opted to settle this battle of agreement with an interview conducted by both Axl Rosenberg and Anso DF. Unsurprisingly, Rutan took on the task with good humor and ease, only succumbing to confusion at times when Axl and Anso simultaneously rushed to hail Phoenix and its predecessor Fury & Flames. In its unexpurgated glory, we present our very special double-team interview of the great Erik Rutan.

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If you can’t figure out why you awoke this morning with a persistent boner (like me) or a tingly bottom (uh also like me), let me tell you it probably is related to Hydra Head’s announcement that tomorrow brings the premiere of a new Cave In jam! Welcome to Horny City. Population: you.

But there’s big fun today too! So that we have a use for our various states of arousal, MetalSucks is proud to unveil Hydra Head’s killer new free sampler of recent, unreleased, and upcoming jamz by the likes of Oxbow, Neurosis, Discordance Axis, and Clouds. This is rare and tasty stuff, like the hard-to-find Cave In cover of “N.I.B.” and an exclusive Austerity Program remix of a Pyramids jam. Get it here.

–ADF

I spend a sizable portion of my life thrashing the band Kiss, its members, and its fans, cuz well fuck them that’s why. Kiss reeks. Awfully. And those fuckerz are everywhere. Still! If fact, t’wasn’t long ago that we called out Kiss frontman Paul Stanley for adding a blemish to the sterling reputation of party-metal greats Steel Panther. But hey, video of Stanley’s vox on a live run at “Lick It Up” with the band seemed to suggest that their goal was to redefine the term earache. And I’m a dick for writing that cuz Stanley (above, right) recently revealed that he was born deaf in his right ear. Shit. Stanley explained in a TV interview:

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It’s bizarre and unreal to contemplate a new Morbid Angel record without famed drummer Pete Sandoval, the eenventer of deh blazt beit. Even onetime Morbid Angel guitarist Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal gave it a passing mention last week to Axl and I in our interview. But alas, the drums on the forthcoming Illud Divinum Insanus are the domain of Tim Yeung and his excellent hair, though we can be reasonably certain of Sandoval’s involvement in some measure. Whatever, cuz Morbid’s radness is evident in Amazon’s clip of new jam “Nevermore” regardless of the absence of their ace skinsman. The shit JAMS — all 30 seconds of it. Now, the clip listed as the Combichrist remix of “Destructos Vs. The Earth” on the other hand …

–ADF

Morbid Angel’s Illud Divinum Insanus comes out June 7 on Season of Mist. Fuck yes.

Thanks to tipster Ashley Lee!