MetalSucks

This guy’s actually not terrible. I mean, he’s not great, and his choice of songs to cover is extremely questionable, but the guy’s low growls are pretty good.

For all the shit we give people who post vocal covers on YouTube — and some them of them are downright awful jokes obviously posted in self-parody while some of them just plain blow — the majority of them are just kids honest-to-goodness trying to express themselves. And the coolest part is that [some] people actually offer legit criticism in the YouTube comments. Like in this video and another one by the same dude, people tend to agree that his low growls are good but his high growls need work. It’s neat to see some positive reinforcement on the Internet from time to time. I’ll bet this kid goes and practices his high growls and improves them greatly in the coming months… and who knows, some day he might front a great metal band. Even if he never goes any farther than covering August Burns Red and The Devil Wears Prada, it stands to reason that some percentage of kids doing these YouTube covers will go on to be members of popular metal bands. It’s scary, but true.

-VN

[Thanks: Patrick Greene]

Behemoth vs. Winds of Plague; Poland vs. America; Corpsepaint vs. wigger hats; ugly men vs. hot chick; real metal vs. deathcore; substance vs. gimmick. Who won????

The answer, as well as more of this past week’s metal Soundscan chart positions and sales figures, after the jump.

Click to read more…

I’m not like a huge August Burns Red fan or anything, but I know that a lot of you are, and their new video, “Meddler,” has some imagery that I find purty. What can I say? I’m a sucker for magic hour.

Check out the video, then weigh in with your thoughts below.

-AR

• Periphery, an MS fave appearing on this year’s Thrash & Burn tour with Veil of Maya and Devildriver, have posted their own version of Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” on their MySpace page. It’s a pretty fresh Sumeriancore take on the track, and I laud that they didn’t chose to cover a more predictable Jackson tune that’s been done by other metal bands ad infinitum (see: Billie Jean, Beat It, etc). New Periphery vocalist Chris Barretto fucking nails it without overdoing it; psyched to see this guy live. Check out the rest of the band’s super-awesome tracks while you’re at it. [Thanks: Metal Injection]
• August Burns Red have released the new track “Ocean Of Apathy” on their MySpace page, and it’s essentially a re-jiggered cover of everything else the band has done to date. ABR are definitely better than other Christian metalcore acts like Underoath, but in 2009 there ain’t a whole lot of room to do anything new with metalcore. I’m sure the ABR Christian Haterade Mafia will be lambasting death threats upon the Jews of this here site in mere moments, but whatever. Meh.

-VN

I was conflicted about whether or not to go see As I Lay Dying on their most recent trek; I could give a fuck about AILD themselves (Vince and I utilized the time they were on stage at Ozzfest a few years back to go get a beer), but All That Remains and Through the Eyes of the Dead were also on the bill, so that seemed like it could be fun. Ultimately, I decided to sit the gig out, since both All That Remains shows I’ve seen have been anticlimactic, and I figure TTEOTD will be touring behind their super sweet Malice for some time to come.

I won’t feel any such indecision about AILD’s upcoming tour, however: the band has enlisted August Burns Red, Evergreen Terrace and Still Remains – aka the Moe, Larry and Curly of generic metalcore bands – as support. The tour doesn’t even have an NYC stop yet, but there’s a gap in the itinerary on January 27, right around the time the band will be playing D.C. and Philly, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they’ll be rolling through the Nokia in Times Square right around then.

I’ve already marked that night as one I can stay home and watch Family Guy – but just in case I change my mind, I figure that letting Vince run an electric drill right next to my ear for about three hours will provide roughly the same experience as attending the gig.

-AR