Another week in metal. Apparently some stuff happened.

• Louisana electro-core outfit IWRESTELEDABEARONCE signs with Century Media. Congrats!
• Disturbed’s new record debuts at #1, shifting over 1/4 of a million units and robbing us of our faith in humanity. Sigh.
• Metallica’s management demanded lukewarm reviews of an album preview be stripped from the Internet; band makes management do pushups.
• Live recordings of new Anthrax music with new singer Dan Nelson surfaced.
• Nachtmystium released an awesome new album and God Forbid an awesome new DVD.
• We wished we lived in Chicago so we could eat the world’s most metal burgers.

Have a good weekend everyone!

-VN

Van Halen, U2, Metallica, Dave Matthews Band, Staind, System of a Down… Disturbed. Sigh. These are the elite ranks of rock acts to have three #1 debuts in a row.

Excuse me while I go vomit.

In other news, Opeth debuted at at #23 with 19,655 units shifted. But it kind of feels like getting a pair of socks for Chanukah when your brother got that sweet new video game.

-VN

Not really. But that’s the first thing that popped into my head after reading this report from Daily Mail [via Blabbermouth] that a 13 year-old British boy hanged himself after being ridiculed on the Internet for his tastes in music. The boy, Sam Leeson, was a fan of “so-called Emo music championed by bands such as Blink 182 and Good Charlotte;” not so different from the regular bashings our readers dole upon our good ol’ friend and Disturbed fan Revrant, eh?*

-VN

*We love you, Revrant! Please don’t commit suicide.

2008 isn’t even half over yet and I already know it’s going to be tough picking my top 10 favorite metal albums of the year. So far there have already been a bunch of excellent releases that could be top 10 contenders:

• Protest the Hero – Fortress
• Torche – Meanderthal
• Arsis – We are the Nightmare
• Textures – Silhouettes
• Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe
• Nachtmystium – Assassins: Black Meddle Part 1
• Disturbed – Indestructible

PSYCH! But seriously folks, the first six in the list are the real deal.

I’m hoping for a slow second half of the year so I don’t have to make any hard choices. Actually, not. Keep ‘em comin’.

-VN

I’d like to borrow a page out of the Idolator playbook, in which the all-summarizing last sentences of reviews are used to gauge reactions of an album. Because, really, why bother reading the entire thing? Take this one from IGN about Disturbed’s latest Indestructible [sent in by MetalSucks reader / Disturbed apologist Revrant]:

Disturbed are in the difficult position of trying to stay relevant at a time when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Heaven & Hell are back to headlining arenas, and newer bands like Children Of Bodom are flying the traditional metal flag proudly. Unfortunately, there’s just too much of the very recent past on Indestructible to move away from it. So in effect, it sounds a bit dated…already. Perhaps in a few years the band will find its flow on the nostalgia circuit with Staind and Papa Roach.

After that, do I really need to listen to this album? In the name of diligent journalism, of course not! Furthermore, it highlights the inevitable nu-metal nostalgia tour, coming to a shed near you in 2010.

-VN

Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman has penned a guest blog for Headbanger’s Blog about the war of words in the press between his band and the members of Disturbed:

“In response to this whole Disturbed drama, people have to realize that the press paraphrase things all the time in order to create this stuff. I know what I said and what I meant when I did that interview talking about Disturbed practicing the way they stand and stuff. It had nothing to do with knocking them.

“I was asked in an interview about whether or not we practice our stage show based on the fact that we are so active. I simply said no, and that I once saw Disturbed sound check in London when we were playing the smaller club attached to the venue that they were playing the same night. I think our room was 1000 people and their room was like 2,000 people. They were practicing where they would stand and pose and stuff. I was just differentiating what we do and what they do. We don’t do that. Big deal.

“Considering how the information was presented to them, I don’t blame them for being a little pissed. But to imply that we need to be taught a lesson from them about how it works in the big time is ridiculous. This band has been self contained and managed for 11 years. We have played in front of 100 people and in front of 50,000 people. We have been on national TV shows and covered in major publications. I don’t really care about their lighting cues or guitar solos. Good for them and good luck with that. I hope they sell a codrillian records and levitate over the crowd on a unicorn. Oh and just to clear another thing up… I never even responded to his comments until now. I don’t write our MySpace blogs. So again, misinformation.”

So that’s um, Ben does get one last shot at Disturbed there, but, in all honesty, Disturbed had it coming for writing, well, every song they’ve ever written. Or covered. Because holy poopsicle was that Genesis cover awful.

It was fun fanning the flames of this battle while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end (Except for Kiss, apparently. Oh wait, I said “good things.” Never mind).

-AR

Well, the war of words between MetalSucks faves The Dillinger Escape Plan and MetalSucks whipping boys Disturbed continues. Here’s what Disturbed vocalist/Howie Mandel lookalike David Draiman (pictured right, apparently in the throes of having to take a major shit with no toilets in sight), had to say about the conflict in a recent interview:

“I’m actually very confused by [Weinman's comments], ’cause, to be honest with you, we don’t normally let anybody around when we’re checking or we don’t pay attention to it, number one. Number two is I don’t ever remember playing with the guys, to be honest with you. I don’t know what they were doing there. I don’t ever remember having them open for us, so… I don’t even know what the hell they’re talking about. And then as far as ‘rehearsing moves,’ I mean, I don’t know who the hell they think we are — we’re not N’SYNC; we’re not going up there with choreography or something like that, trying to rehearse. ‘This is when I put my foot on the monitor here.’ [Laughs] No one cares about that. But when it’s time for Danny [Donegan, DISTURBED guitarist] to hit his guitar solo, yeah, he needs to be in a particular cued spot so that the lights go to that focus point, when there’s a little particular fill in the song. It’s called production — it’s what any big professional band that isn’t just punk rock… Not to say that there is anything wrong with punk rock, because I have my roots in it, but you can’t compare the two styles of a show. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN are more punk and I respect them for what they do — I’m not even calling them out on any level, in any way shape or form. I like the style of what they do. I don’t understand what the hell they think they saw with us, but gentlemen, let me give you a little bit of education: This is what the big boys do who play stadium shows — they wanna worry about how the lights look that they spend so much money on.”

You know what? It pains me to say this given how much I loathe this fucking band, but that’s actually a very mature, well reasoned answer, and with the MAJOR exception of claiming to have his roots in punk rock*, one I can’t really find fault with. I mean, yes, it’s kind of condescending, but less so than Donegan’s response, and, c’mon, DEP said Donegan has a small penis, so all things considered, it’s not so bad.

Wow. I hope that’s the last nice thing I ever have to write about Disturbed… at least until they break-up.

-AR

P.S. Disturbed still sucks.

*Unless he used to be in a Green Day cover band or something.

In what’s become one of the most amusing metal soap operas since Axl vs. Weiland ’07, Dillinger Escape Plan (presumably guitarist Ben Weinman) fired back at Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan after the two engaged in a war of words through the press a couple of weeks back (read Axl’s recap here for some hearty amusement). From the DEP MySpace blog:

The guitar player Dom Deluise or whatever his name is with the little peen complex from that band Disturbia or whatever they’re called thinks that we care about them. Old news, but still funny. Check it. “My Ferrari is better than your Honda!!! Our stages come apart and travel with us and yours don’t!!! We have thirty guitar techs and you have one!”. Coooool self esteem barometer douchebag. Wait…what’s that I hear? The sound of your band still sucking? Oh, right. Gotcha there, bud.

While the “we don’t care about them” bit always rings a bit hollow (after all, you’re writing about them… so you care. duh.), I can’t help but think this is mostly designed as a way to bait Dan Donegan (Dom Deluise!) into making more ridiculous statements. Take the bait, Dan! Take it!

-VN

I mean, uh… wow. It’s gotta be the Jew connection. I say they were separated at birth — deal or no deal?

-VN

[Thanks: Benji B.]

Well, Disturbed’s latest re-hash new album Indestructible — having possibly the worst album cover of the year — has hit the leak wire [Thanks: Dave D.]. At some point I imagine I’ll download this and take a listen, but for the time being I’m way more interested to watch you fuckers argue about Disturbed in the comments — I mean for chrissakes, we’re still getting comments for shit we posted months ago about this band. Plus, the Google traffic won’t hurt, so: Disturbed. Indestructible. MP3. Leak. Torrent. Pussy. Cock. Blowjobs.

Indestructible on IsoHunt

-VN

At the beginning of April, just as genre-bending metal masters The Red Chord were kicking off a tour with Converge, Genghis Tron, Baroness and Coliseum, we were given the opportunity to e-mail bassist Greg Weeks some questions. Of course, we jumped at the chance.

And then we never heard back.

At the time, we assumed that Greg had decided our questions were just too stupid to answer (and who could blame the dude?); in fact, there was another culprit at fault for Greg’s delayed response.

After the jump, find out why it took Greg so long to get back to us, and read his thoughts on such incredibly relevant political topics as why no producer will work with the band more than once, touring with Disturbed, and the current state of large beards in metal. For, surely, this interview proves our journalistic integrity.

Click to read more…

Alright alright alright. A valued friend just e-mailed me to say he couldn’t believe we were keepin’ our mouths shut about this whole Dillinger Escape Plan vs. Disturbed feud that seems to have suddenly broken out. I can’t speak for Vince, but I actually didn’t write anything ’cause I couldn’t find a way to make the whole thing funny.

Well, fuck funny. Now I’m just gonna say something.

The Dillinger Escape Plan wins. Anyone who says otherwise has never seen them live. Period.

Click to read more…

I love posting Disturbed news because watching you fuckers duke it out in the comments is like watching two retarded kids fight on the shortbus — endless amusement. This latest one for “Inside the Fire” contains “very sensitive and mature content” and comes with a touching intro from David “Bar Mitzvah boy” Draiman himself. As for the video… well, ya know, it has a girl commiting suicide and lots of tuff-guy faces from Draiman and Dan Donegan.

-VN

It’s only April, but good lord, this is some bad artwork. Who actually buys into this shlock imagery? Who can justify actually getting paid to create this crap?

-VN

So, Disturbed have made another new song, “Inside the Fire,” from their pending June 3 release Indestructible available for free streaming (or download if you have half a brain). What is there to say, other than that it sounds just like “Perfect Insanity,” the last song from this album that surfaced, which in turn sounds like the song before that, and before that, and before that. Lots of you will probably agree — few bands this side of Nickelback bring out the punters faster than Disturbed — but surely some of you will disagree too. To the latter, I suggest dropping the meth habit.

Disturbed – “Inside the Fire” (stream)

-VN

“Perfect Insanity” — the first single from the new Disturbed album Indestructible, out June 3 — has leaked. If you have Google and a brain you can surely find an mp3, or you can head over to the official Disturbed website, give them your email address, then rip it. Or you can listen via this little handy-dandy player below, streamed directly from their site (see? we’re not pirates):

Disturbed – “Perfect Insanity”

You guys really came up with some great names when we asked you what the new nickname for Disturbed should be. My personal favorites were Briss-turbed (In honor of Draiman’s religious penis decapitation), Pissturbed, Pissturd, and devil’s entry “I’m hoping to eventually call them DISSOLVED,” (good one!).

As for the new song, well, Disturbed have gone and pulled a Linkin Park and re-wrote the same song, again. Truth be told, the song (or this band) isn’t that terrible, but they’re an easy target and we sure love making fun of ‘em.

-VN

And so it begins. Everyone’s favorite punching bag, Disturbed, have a new album Indestructible due in May via Reprise / Warner Bros. The band has a sample of the new song “Perfect Insanity” up on their MySpace page. Singer David Draiman has been quoted as saying he is a proponent of releasing music digital-only. Mazel tov! All those Sunday school classes and Bar Mitzvahs sure taught you well.

So as the Disturbed media machine begins churning, we have to get one very important detail out of the way: what are we going to call this band? Dissucked? Suckturbed? Other?

Let the bashing commence.

-VN

Over the past several days there have been a spate of press releases more or less confirming that the biggest metal tour this summer is going to be the newly corporate controlled christened Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour, whatwith Sharon Osbourne promising a limited run of Ozzfest dates this summer. So far the lineup is shaping up as follows:

• Slipknot and Disturbed will be co-headlining
• Dragonforce and Mastodon will round out the mainstage lineup
• Two sidestages:
  • Sevendust, Airbourne, Five Finger Death Punch, and 36 Crazyfists on one.
  • Machine Head, Black Tide, Suicide Silence, The Red Chord and Walls of Jericho on the other.

What a mess of conflicting emotions I have about this. I think it’s safe to say that no one who comes to this site gives two shits about Disturbed. I’m not big on Slipknot but I certainly respect what they’ve accomplished and haven’t ever witnessed the spectacle that is their live show, and I know Axl is gonna be psyched about this. Dragonforce and Mastodon: sweet. As for the side stages, there could be some difficult choices to make but hopefully the timing will stack up in such a way that Five Finger Death Suck and Black Tide are playing while other, cooler bands are on the other stage. Machine Head? Seen ‘em twice in 2007 but still, sweet. As for Sevendust, say what you will about their past several very mediocre albums, but the band always brings it live, and this is the first package tour of any sort they’ve been a part of since… man, I can’t even remember. Airbourne could be a good time in that AC/DC sort of way, and Axl’s been hyping Suicide Silence so I’ll give ‘em a shot. Our boys at Metal Injection love the Red Chord, so I’ll check that out too. Couldn’t care less about Walls of Jericho, except that my friend is in their music video.

On second thought, I guess there isn’t really that much of a dilemma: the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour is the tour to be at this summer, despite a few shitty acts. But when are there ever not any shitty acts?

-VN

Call me cynical (“Nnnnoooo!” you cry, “Not you, Axl!”), but I’m generally of the mind that people are by and large pretty stupid, and that’s why stupid stuff does so well; fact is, by and large huge multi-squillion dollar multi-national corporations fund our art these days, and those corporations fund what the public has demanded – fair enough – ’cause the people vote with their wallets. So Arrested Development gets cancelled while According to Jim will run forever and ever, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford tanks at the box office but The Game Plan is one of the biggest hits of the season, and Faith No More’s fame was fleeting but Disturbed have somehow managed to stick around and release platinum-selling record after platinum-selling record.

So while talented musicians everywhere struggle to make ends meet and keep their bands alive, Flatbush’s own orthodox Jew-turned-monkey screecher David Draiman is selling his house (seen above) for $2.9 million fucking dollars, which is nearly a half a million more than he payed for it. That’s right: he gets to be fabulously rich and make a killing on the California real estate market, all for being a lame white dude who sings about his “people” in the “barrio.”

Sigh. I’m gonna go swallow a handful of sleeping aids and wash ‘em down with some Stoli. Anyone care to join?

-AR