Last year, I got way too busy with this thing called life and ignored this other thing called metal. As a result, I missed out on a lot of quality music as was evidenced by my paltry contribution to the year-end MetalSucks Best Of 2009 lists.

I am here to rectify the error of my ways, month by month.

Here are the January 2010 releases that got under my skin, burrowed their way into my brain, made my ears bleed, or simply tickled my unmentionables:

Click to read more…

<begin sarcasm> It may not be as headline-grabbing as the Pretty Boy Floyd or Warrant reunions <end sarcasm>, but Buzzgrinder reports that Arkansas-based metalcore pioneers Living Sacrifice have reformed, will tour this summer, and are prepping a new album for release in 2008.

For those not in the know (like, um, me) Living Sacrifice formed in 1990 and released three records locally before getting picked up by Tooth & Nail / Solid State Records in 1996. Around this time the band fused their death and thrash metal influences with a punk and hardcore element, creating “metalcore” long before anyone called it that and even longer before it became a bad word. Perhaps we missed the boat on these dudes because of their Christian-leaning tendencies, but frankly they’re a damn good band and shouldn’t be overlooked. By all accounts, the band absolutely rips it live. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to catch them this summer.

-VN

[Living Sacrifice on MySpace (updated link)]