MetalSucks

It snowed 8 inches in NYC on Monday, but we got back from the Scion Rock Fest in Atlanta just in time to deliver you our usual drudge report. Can you imagine if we’d been stranded? No MetalSucks for two days. What would you have done? Contemplate these noteworthy events of the week as you get ready to enjoy your weekend (65 degrees Sunday in NYC!):

• Mastodon release early contender for best metal video of ‘09.
• Watchmen got metal… or not.
• We spoke with NEMHF founder Scott Lee.
• Lamb of God and God Forbid make strong Soundscan debuts.
• We looked at new releases from Hatesphere, Wolves in the Throne Room, Abacabb, Centaurus-A and General Surgery.
• Chimaira released a new single and a super-duper-deluxe pre-order.
• We waxed ecstatic about the weed in Atlanta… oh yeah, and some bands played at the Scion Rock Fest too.
• Doc Coyle struck back at the Internet.
• MetalSucks got nominated for a Metal Hammer “Web of Death” Award!

Somehow sandwiched between twin elders Sweden and Norway and spry youngster Finland, Denmark is certainly the middle child of metal’s Scandinavia. Ever the region’s Jan Brady (“Everyone’s always talking about Marduk! Marduk Marduk Marduk!”), the Danish seem to be getting shafted by Tr00 Norwegian Black Metal, melodic Swedish Death Metal, or Finland’s recent emergence as propagators of expansive post-metal (Cult of Luna and Callisto) and cheesy blackened death metal (Children of Bodom). Hatesphere’s latest, To the Nines, is a struggle to be known, clearly cribbing from Gothenburg but also trying to stand out among the region’s intimidating pack. But alas, while Hatesphere’s geographical cousins are growing up to be doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs, the band are content on being the night manager at Copenhagen’s answer to 7-11.

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Up until now, I’ve never heard a song by Copenhagen’s Hatesphere that I’ve enjoyed – but that all changed after I saw their video for “Drinking with the King of the Dead.” I’m not a huge fan of the vocals, but I think the groove-laden riff that propels the song is Panterrific.

From what I understand (and by “what I understand,” I mean “what I gleaned from this album review“), the song is a departure from the band’s usual style; I wonder how their core fan base would react if they put out an album with ten more songs like this, ’cause that’s a Hatesphere album I might be interested in owning.

Check out the clip below… if nothing else, it has lesbos and vomiting. And you can’t go wrong with lesbos and vomiting.

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-AR