MetalSucks

Not that we had any doubt Baroness’ Blue Record would have a strong debut, but it’s always nice to see the proof. And Skeletonwitch’s ripping new record Breathing the Fire had a great debut too; I’m elated to see the band sell as many records first week as they did. Elsewhere it was the usual radio rock / alt-metal suspects dominating the charts. Click through to see chart positions and sales figures.

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At some point during the recording of Earthsblood, God Forbid announced that they had covered Muse’s “Stockholm Syndrome.” Since then, we’ve actually gotten a stupid amount of e-mails from people asking us when it was going to be released. And we really didn’t know. (I know we’re tight with some of the dudes from God Forbid, but it’s important to remember that we’re not actually in God Forbid, even if we sometimes air guitar to “The End of the World” and fantasize that we are.)

Well, the song is finally available as a single on iTunes. An it’s good! Muse are already one of the most metal non-metal bands out there, and GF completely succeed in turning the track into something metal as fuck. The guitars rip and Byron Davis screams in jjjuuuussssttt the right amounts. If you’re a God Forbid fan, it’s totally worth the buck it’ll cost you. And as a bonus, remember that it might be the last official God Forbid recording to feature Dallas Coyle (who handles most of the vocals, in addition to his usual guitar duties) ever.

For obvious reasons I can’t/don’t want to post the cover here, but below you can check out the video for Muse’s original, in case you’re unfamiliar with it.

-AR

I’m in my bunk. Everyone else is asleep. We’re riding through some windy dark mountain roads somewhere in Germany on the way to the next show. I’ve got “Ghost of Perdition” by Opeth blasting on my headphones. Figured that I would give that a spin. I haven’t really listened to them very much lately. I kinda burned out on them for a while. I never stopped loving their music, but I think I just had more than my brain could handle. When I got into after the release of Blackwater Park, all the way through the release of Ghost Reveries, I’d say that Opeth were on my iTunes at least once a day. They are a band that I’ve listened to, and listened to again, and again, and again. There’s always something new to find in their music. Not only did I listen my ass off but I went to their shows whenever possible. I saw them at least six times before I even met them. I ended up dating a member of their crew for a little while, so that meant more and more Opeth shows. Basically, I know my Opeth, and from the musicianship to the composition I think that they are one of the greatest bands of all time.

That said, I haven’t decided to listen to them in about a year before tonight. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Albums that I just absolutely love, I would consider and just be like, naaah. Maybe it’s the mental equivalent of a water-soluble vitamin like C. Once you have your dosage, the rest just gets released with your urine. Maybe your brain can only handle so much of one type of stimulus for so long before it shuts off to it. I mean that’s happened to me with other bands.

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Five heavy hitting heavy hitters — Alice in Chains, Hatebreed, Austrian Death Machine, Steel Panther and Dethklok — all released new records last week. Solid 2nd and 3rd week performances from Three Days Grace, Muse, Megadeth, Five Finger Death Punch and others made it an all-around big week for metal. Let’s see how everyone fared after the jump.

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Muse are one of the best active bands on the planet, and their new album, The Resistance, is one of the best of the year. Period.

The band’s music would make them awesome enough, but apparently they’re righteous dudes, too. To wit: according to the Telegraph, when the band was recently ordered to mime a performance of their single, “Uprising,” for an appearance on an Italian talk show, front man Matt Bellamy and drummer Dominic Howard responded by switching positions. Watch the hilarious video below: Bellamy clearly can’t play the drums, isn’t playing the drums, and is having a lot of fun pointing out the bullshit lip syncing (the most egregious example comes around the 3:14 mark).

Awesome. Totally awesome.

The Resistance is in stores now. You should purchase a copy.

-AR

Thanks to Alex Nasse for the tip.

First of all, I have to say, if you’re into Muse then check out their new album, The Resistance, which comes out today. It’s fucking brilliant. They always manage to take a different approach from album to album, and this one continues on that path. Anyways, its great stuff and I recommend it highly.

I’ve had music writing on my mind a lot these days. Maybe its because I have a lot on my plate. The record I’m doing with Emil from DAATH and Cynic’s Sean Reinert needs to be delivered by the first of the year. It’s going to be released in the spring of 2010. My side project wants to record an EP of still to be written material this December. And last but not least, DAATH is looking to go into the studio in April to record our next one. We’d like for it to be out by the end of Summer 2010.

That’s a shit load of music to write in a very short period of time if you consider that we’re still touring. Some advice I get from people is “Don’t rush.” That’s good advice. None of this is going to be rushed and it will all get what it needs and wants so that it can grow into the work of art it deserves to become. I think I’ve figured out how to write on the road and this next tour will be the perfect situation for that. We are sharing the bus with a straightedge band. Can’t be partying like usual because my health could relapse. Instead of staring into space and wishing I could party, I’ll occupy my time with creative things. So I’ll be writing music on the road. And a lot of it!

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[Welcome to the new category "Not Quite Metal?" for those bands who aren't necessarily metal but often cross over to a metal fanbase, whatever the reason may be. Note the question mark -- because really, what the fuck even is metal anyway??]

Lots of you have reacted negatively to our posts about British art-rockers Muse in the past; but fuck you, it’s our website. Muse’s new album The Resistance comes out next week (Tuesday in the U.S., Monday everywhere else), and it’s currently streaming in full (mostly) on the band’s official website (you have to sign up to hear full tracks).

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We all love metal. That goes without saying. That’s why we all read this site and keep up with what our favorite, and not so favorite, bands are doing. From people in bands to fans, we all pretty much live, breathe, sleep, and bleed metal.

So I guess what I’m wondering is: does it ever get old to any of you?

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\M/etal? Probably not. Awesome? Absolutely. Muse are one of those bands that appeal to metalheads who lean toward the proggier, more experimental side of the spectrum, and one of those bands who absolutely repulse the tr00er than tr00. To the latter: ya’ll are missin’ out. Muse are making some seriously great tunes that anyone with an appreciation for complex music — and really, isn’t that why all of us metalheads are here? — should know how to appreciate.

So, Muse are finally following up their jizztastic 2006 masterpiece Black Holes & Revelations with a new album, The Resistance, set to be released on September 14th (in the U.K., we presume). Early reports suggest a more ambitious, progressive bent than the last album, with guitarist/singer Matt Bellamy going on record as saying there would be a symphony (which the tracklisting confirms). Get ready for awesome.

The complete album tracklisting, after the jump.

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Meet If These Trees Could Talk, an instrumental band from Akron, Ohio. If These Trees Could Talk border on metal the same way bands like Dredg, Muse, Maserati and Russian Circles do — for the most part they stick to delicate but rocking atmospheric grooves, but occasionally they kick it into high gear for cathartic headbang crescendos. If you’re a fan of well-crafted, intricate, moody music like the above-mentioned bands — in addition to other heady, cerebral rock acts like Tool, Mogwai, and Isis — my guess is you’ll dig this band. This is thinking man’s rock for listeners who revel in musical subtlety; no blast beats or cookie monster vocals to be seen here. For those questioning why this is on a metal site, go fuck yourself. Or just wait ’til the heavy part towards the end of the song kicks in.

ITTCT have been kind enough to offer us up a free track called “What’s in the Ground Belongs To You” from their album Above the Sky, Below the Earth. Stream or download it below. They’ll be releasing a new vinyl through Mylene Sheath sometime this Fall. Enjoy.

If These Trees Could Talk – “What’s in the Ground Belongs To You”

-VN

[Visit ITTCT on MySpace]

So remember last month when Axl posted a rant about Trent Reznor’s selection of Lostprophets’ drummer Ilan Rubin to fill the drummer’s throne left vacant by the recently-departed Josh Freese? Axl was understandably miffed that a member of the sucktastic Lostprophets would be replacing a legendary member of NIN, but it turns out (as many of you posted) that the kid is actually a phenomenal player.

Not only can the kid beat the shit out of the drums, but he’s got a solo project — dubbed The New Regime — in which he plays every instrument and sings. That’s fucking impressive. What’s more, it’s actually good, and can be summed up in one word thusly: Muse. And I mean that in the best way possible, because Muse is one non-metal band that all metalheads should learn to love.

-VN

[The New Regime on MySpace]

I don’t know if it’s the work of director Zack Snyder or his marketing peeps that make the decision as to what music will appear in the trailers for his films, but this much is true: the use of metal-friendly bands sure does take this ad campaigns a long way (Iann Robinson has a cameo – as a zombie! – in Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake, so at the very least, I assume that Snyder has some knowledge of all things metal.). First there was the trailer for 300, which was practically a Nine Inch Nails video; then there was this summer’s Watchmen teaser, which made use of the Smashing Pumpkins; and now comes the full trailer for Watchmen, which features Muse’s awesome “Take a Bow.” And while Muse isn’t exactly metal, we still think you should care.

Check out the trailer below.

-AR

I’m not sure where this version of Muse covering “House of the Rising Sun” originated (I think it was on a compilation), but it’s fucking awesome. And Muse is fucking awesome. Don’t front.

-VN

We’ve been jizzing about Muse for a long time here at MetalSucks – even if they’re not technically a metal band, they’re most definitely a rock band you should know.

So that sound you heard shortly after God Forbid revealed that they’ve recorded a cover of Muse’s “Stockholm Syndrome” for their forthcoming, yet-to-be-titled new album was Vince and I have simultaneous but completely independent orgasms.

I can’t believe we have to wait ’til 2009 to hear this thing. I guess at least that gives me an excuse to go on living for a few more months.

Here’s a clip of Muse playing “Stockholm Syndrome” live:

That opening riff almost seems as thought it were written esspecially for God Forbid, doesn’t it?

-AR

Based on their incredibly lame name, I assumed, when I sat down to listen to Kill Your Ex’s From Words to Motion, that KYE would be the gazillionth American band making a desperate attempt to sound like they were from Gothenburg. Having now listened to this album, all I can say is, I wish Kill Your Ex played third-rate metalcore.

Instead what we get is horrific yuppie alt-rock that would haunt my nightmares, if any of it were actually memorable enough for even my subconscious to somehow absorb. This garbage isn’t on the same level as Dredg, let alone a band like Muse or Coheed & Cambria; fuck, this shit isn’t even on the same level as Maroon 5. When I think of all the better things that could have been done with the money and resources it took to make this album – feed starving children, research a cure for cancer, get someone high/drunk/laid/whatever – it makes me want to exterminate the entire human race.

I’d say more, but really, what’s the point? I’ve already wasted two minutes of my life I’ll never get back typing shit about this worthless, worthless band.

(Fuck You out of Five Horns)

-AR

[MetalSucks contributor Tommy Leebowitz was lucky enough to attend a recent screening of the new Muse DVD HAARP at an intimate movie theater in New York City. The following are his thoughts. -Ed.]

Here’s a tip: if you’re going to a screening of the new Muse concert film HAARP and you get really, really stoned before you go, make sure before you leave your house that you know which theater you’re supposed to go to. It will make the whole experience much more enjoyable. However, I do recommend the getting really, really stoned before viewing part, as it tends to make everything all that much better.

The first thing that hits you watching the new Muse concert film is, “I had no idea that this band had this many fans.” The film documents a Muse show at Wembley Stadium, in London. Holy shit, that place fits a lot of people. Bands don’t sell out stadiums anymore, do they? Muse does.

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Apparently I was right that there is some crossover between MetalSucks readers and Muse fans. Here’s a clip of the band performing “Knights of Cydonia” in its entirety from the upcoming Muse live DVD/CD combo HAARP, filmed at Wembley Arena in June 2007, and set to be released April 1st. (check out some other clips here)

And for the assclown commenter that said, “I thought this was a metal site,” seriously, go fuck a pole. Muse is metal out the ass. Also, after the jump, the locations of the special screenings which will all take place on April 1st, the day of the DVD release.

-VN

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Muse — one of the greatest rock bands in the world — are getting ready to release a live CD/DVD combo titled HAARP on April 1st, according to a press release:

Filmed at London’s Wembley Stadium on June 17, 2007, the DVD captures the exuberant spectacle of the band performing in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 75,000 ecstatic fans, while the CD features audio from the band’s show on the previous night, June 16th. Muse’s electrifying shows at Wembley demonstrate the raw power and ambition of one of Britain’s most successful bands.

Axl and I have both seen Muse and we can confirm with 100% enthusiasm that their live show is an “exuberant spectacle.” It’d be an understatement; Muse is fucking fantastic live. Want proof? Here’s a clip from the DVD of the band performing the radio and Guitar Hero hit “Knights of Cydonia:”

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For this clip and a few more high-quality clips from the DVD, check out the official HAARP DVD site. Party at Vince’s house April 1st to watch this shit when it comes out! All are invited.

-VN