“How do you feel about joining Origin, Jason?”

Well, hey now!, it was just last month that we were wondering, “Whatever happened to Skinless?” We weren’t really able to get a satisfactory answer, other than that the band was hoping to finally make a follow-up to 2006′s Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead this year.

Well, I’m thinking it might be another hot minute before that actually happens, because Skinless front man Jason Keyser has just been announced as the new vocalist for Origin.

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Our pals at Decibel and Metal Injection are sponsoring a co-headlining Hate Eternal/Origin tour this summer, with Vital Remains and Abysmal Dawn doing support. And you don’t really need to know anything else other than the answer to “Where can I buy my ticket?” I mean I’m sure some of you in the comments section will be like “This tour is no biggie,” and I just wanna let you know right now that I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW WE’RE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE SAME SPECIES. That’s how excited I am for this tour.

This like last year’s Super Orgasm Tour, only for br00tal death metal bands instead of nerdy prog metal dorks. And I feel like I haven’t had the chance to see Hate Eternal or Origin live in a long, long time — like, a couple of years — so I’m even harder than I’d probably be under normal circumstances. But you’re eyes don’t deceive you, that is definitely a bulge in my jeans.

I am going to stop showering now in anticipation of fitting in with the rest of the crowd. While I go throw away all my soap, you can get dates after the jump.

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For some reason, internet metal nerds love to talk about drummers, even if they themselves do not play drums. Whether it’s “Who has the fastest double bass/blastbeats?”, “Should I use one bass drum or two?” or “What does Pete Sandoval’s drum throne smell like?”, there are few things more tiresome than the topic of metal drumming. What that in mind, in this post I will put the discussion of this topic to rest forever by conclusively saying all that there is to say about metal drumming. After this post has been published, anyone who still debates these points is as foolish, ignorant and stubborn as people who believe the Earth is flat or that God exists. So if you have anything to say, say it now, because this is it — this is your chance to become part of the moment in which we closed the door on dorky, redundant debates about metal drumming.

This is THE FINAL WORD on metal drumming!!!!

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The Philippines are much further away from New York than Kansas City is, but I don’t travel very much anymore and neither location is real high on my list of “Places to Visit Before I Die.” So since MetalSucks Suckalo “mankvill” sent us this long e-mail regarding bands from the Kansas City area that he thinks are worth checking out, and we had sooooo much fun with the Philippines “Reader’s Choice” thinger yesterday, today I thought we’d go through mankvill’s suggestions one by one and see how they are.

I’m trying to be optimistic this time.

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Here’s J. Robert Oppenheimer, a.k.a. “the father of the atomic bomb,” quoting the Bhagavad Gita. This is a famous television broadcast and there’s a very good chance you’ve either seen it before or are at least aware of it, but in case you haven’t…

So. Reader James M. e-mailed us earlier this week, advising us that Linkin Suck’s new album, A Thousand Sucks, was streaming, and requesting that we review it.

And I tried to listen to it for review purposes. I really did. I think I even made it like halfway through the third or fourth song before I turned it off. I just… things have been really busy around here lately and I don’t have time for this shit right now, okay? I’m sorry, James. I really gave it my best shot. Let’s just logically conclude that I would have not have given it a good review and leave it at that.

BUT. Before I turned off the album, I heard this one song — actually I think it’s less than a minute long, so maybe we should just call it an “interlude” — that utilized a sample from Oppenheimer’s broadcast. And as I’m listening, I’m thinking, “Wait, I know there’s another, better band that uses this same sample.” And because I’ve fried an awful lot of brain cells, it took me a minute to figure it out — and then, wham!, it hit me.

Origin use the same sample at the start of their song “Antithesis,” the abso-fucking-lutely EPIC title track from their 2008 album.

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Some things never change: The sky is blue, water is wet, and girls only like a band if they want to eff one or more members. I’m a realist: I know there’s probably nothing I can do to change that, but as a responsible adult, I feel like it’s my duty to speak out on this sad state of affairs, and say what nobody else will: LADIES, QUIT EFFING BAND DUDES!!!

Entry-levelers and haters will think this is sour grapes, but it’s not like that at all — as someone with some serious, wizard-level game, I had my “effing a ridiculous/shameful number of random young, stupid, hot girls” phase, but I am now using my powers for good. If I can save just one young girl from blowing some filthy loser, or one young man from making the biggest mistake of his life (joining a band), then all my hard work is worth it!

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So Vince and I checked out Gorguts, Portal, and Krallice (and, yes, some of Bloody freakin’ Panda) last night… needless to say, it was an all-around excellent experience. I’m gonna try and get a review of Portal’s performance up later today, because I think they specifically deserve some attention, so unique is their stage show. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t show Gorguts and Krallice some love, too, ’cause those bands kill.

The good news/bad news of the evening was that Gorguts mainman Luc Lemay announced from the stage that while he and the rest of the group’s current line-up (which includes Dysrhythmia’s Kevin Hufnagel on guitar, Krallice/Behold… the Arctopus’ Colin Marston on bass, and Origin’s John Longstreth on drums) are working on a new album (as expected), they won’t hit the studio until “late fall” or “Christmas,” which means this release obviously won’t see the light of day ’til 2011.

But they did perform a new song, which, for now, is simply called “Number Three;” and they’ve been performing it this entire tour, I guess, ’cause our buddies over at Metal Injection have some righteous footage of the band playing it in Boston earlier this week. Check it out:

Gorguts, Krallice, and Portal all play Philly tonight and Maryland Deathfest this weekend. You absolutely should not miss them.

-AR

Hm.

So vocalist James Lee has parted ways with Origin after nearly a decade in the band. No reason has been given as of yet. He’s been replaced by Mica ‘Maniac’ Meneke (photo above), who has played with The Faceless and a bunch of other bands – so I’m assuming he knows what’s what.

And that’s why, as much as I’ve enjoyed Lee’s past vocal performances, I’m not too worried about this. Is Paul Ryan still in the band? He is? Yeah, I think we’re good to go, here. Origin is gonna be just fine.

-AR

It’s been great getting to meet some of our readers over these past few years. There are few things more gratifying than putting a face with a name and seeing that someone really actually does a give a shit about what we’re doing here at MetalSucks. I mean, I know we’re not curing cancer, but finding new and inventive ways to insult people is challenging, y’know?

And while Parker Werley is one reader I’ve never met, if I ever do, I am going to buy the dude a beer or ten, or get him really high, or both. Because he introduced me to Son of Aurelius. And Son of Aurelius are AWESOME.

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Darkest Hour are currently out on the road doing the MetalSucks co-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour, and they’re doing a video tour diary for our gay lovers at Metal Injection. Check it out below.

It’s good to see that Lonestar is growing his mega-beard back. It’s also good to see his package.

ANYWAY, I’ve seen enough of the touring lifestyle to know that I don’t ever want to go on tour. But then again, it looks like these dudes are having so much fun…

Look for more Darkest Hour tour diaries at Metal Injection throughout the rest of the summer. And you can Summer Slaughter tour dates here. In addition to Darkest Hour you get Suffocation, Necrophagist, Ensiferum, Dying Fetus, Origin, Born of Osiris, Winds of Plague, and a bunch of other cool bands, so definitely check it out!!!

-AR

Everyone from Vince’s former home state of Michigan: MetalSucks is proud to now be co-sponsoring Dirt Fest 13, which will take place Saturday, July 11 at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, MI. The show will feature Necrophagist, Darkest Hour, Winds of Plague, Born of Osiris, Origin, and a whole bunch of awesome bands – PLUS 30 – 40 local bands, at least some of whom are bound to be finds. In other words: it promises to be a pretty kick-ass day.

And to sweeten the deal, the fest is teaming with Sick Drummer magazine for a “Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer” contest. Press release after the jump!

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So the line-up for Summer Slaughter – a.k.a. the big summer package tour that isn’t Ozzfest, Mayhem, Warped, or Sounds of the Underground (R.I.P.) – has been announced, and, pretty much as expected, it’s totally solid. Yes, there are a few bands on the bill I don’t care for (I’m looking at you, Winds of Plague), but the presence of co-headliners Suffocation and Necrophagist, plus Darkest Hour, Origin, Born of Osiris, Dying Fetus and Blackguard pretty much guarantees this will be a day (well, late afternoon at least) worth your time and money. Especially since, unlike the aforementioned summer fests, this one plays smaller venues and comes at a cheaper price.

Also kind of advantageous: you’re basically just dealing with death metal on this tour. So… you pretty much know if you’re the audience or not for this tour.

No dates yet… stay tuned for more details.

-AR

If there had been a #11 on my list of top albums of ’08, it most likely would have Origin’s tech-death masterpiece, Antithesis. If you haven’t heard this album, you need to; the final, nine minute plus title track alone is worth the cost of an actual CD.

Awhile back we co-sponsored some dates for Origin, and our fellow sponsors/bestest pals over at Metal Injection captured some sweet live footage at the show. Below, check out Origin performing “The Aftermath.”

-AR

It always happens this way; you wait and wait and wait for a band you love to come around, and when they finally do they’re playing at the same time as that other band you’ve waited and waited and waited for. So it is tonight in NYC, FOUR-fold. So if you’ve still got an open card for the evening, check out at least one of these awesome shows, and if you’re ambitious and have deep pockets lined with cab money, check out all four! It’s a great night to be a metal fan in NYC, with headliners Wetnurse, Origin, Amorphis and Kataklysm sitting atop 4 totally well-rounded and deep tour bills.

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This past Spring Vince and Axl had the privilege of meeting Topeka, KS-based technical death metallers Origin at the video shoot for their new song “Finite.” Antithesis, the album from whence it came, is a hell of a record (read Axl’s 4 out of 5 horns review here), and in between takes at the video shoot guitarist Paul Ryan told us a bit about its creation. So it’s with extreme honor that we present to you a MetalSucks co-sponsored Origin tour, featuring Misery Index and Fuck the Facts on select dates. The tour is currently winding its way through Canada and will hit a handful of Eastern and Midwestern cities through early October. Full list of remaining dates are after the jump.

And while you’re at it, check out some live footage at UVTV of Origin performing earlier this year in Rochester, NY.

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Because we don’t always agree on shit here at the MetalSucks Mansion, and because I didn’t get my say in Vince’s column, I’m gonna throw in my two cents about some albums that weren’t on Vince’s “Best of ’08 So Far” list that I would have included:

• Genghis Tron – Board Up the House. Except for Nachtmystium’s new album, this is still the best thing I’ve heard so far this year. Read my review here.
• Made Out of Babies – Ruiner. Holy shit does this album rule. My review is coming up real soon, but everyone should either pre-order a copy or just be prepared to buy one when it drops on June 24.
• Jarboe/Justin K. Broadrick – J2. Like a less industrial Jesu. Gorgeous, aching, awesome. Read my review here.
• Hate Eternal - Fury & Flames. Erik Rutan makes discordance into an art… again. Easily his best work since the Morbid Angel days. Read my review here.
• Origin – Antithesis. The ten minute epic mindfuck of a title track alone means you need to either own this album or beat yourself in the face with a hammer. Read my review here.
• Meshuggah – Obzen. And on the 8th day, God created Meshuggah. And He saw that it was good. Read Kip’s review here.
• Virgin Black – Requiem: Fortissmo. Read My review here.

Believe it or not, I still haaven’t heard this fucking Harvey Milk album everyone is going on about. I think I’ll go do that now.

-AR

MetalSucks recently had the opportunity to have a quick chat with Origin guitarist Paul Ryan on the set of the band’s shoot for their new video, “Finite.” Ryan had some interesting things to say about life on the road, the band’s new album, Antithesis (read Axl’s review here), and what lies ahead for these death metal masters. Above, watch the David Brodsky-directed video for “Finite;” after the jump, read the full transcript of our chat with Paul.

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Look: after nearly 20 years of making brutal death metal, Deicide ain’t exactly trying to reinvent the wheel. So while “The Beginning of the End,” the opening track of their latest offering, Till Death Do Us Part, is kind of surprising (it’s a slow, moody instrumental, as foreboding as the title would suggest, that is unsettling and in no way beautiful, like the negative version of the intro to every American New Wave album this century), everything after is exactly what you’d expect from these fearsome Floridians. Chuck Klosterman once suggested that the reason the Sunshine State spawned so much awesome death metal is because constantly being surrounded by old people makes one think about death all the time; maybe all that ponderin’ of the great beyond also makes these dudes desperate to maintain their youth, and so they just keep making the same album they did in 1990 over and over again.

In any case, it’s a moot point, ’cause like AC/DC before them and Children of Bodom after, the fact that they’re usually pretty good slides them from the “boh-ring” column to the one labeled “dependable.”

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After I interviewed Deicide skinsman Steve Asheim a couple of weeks ago, I went back and listened to The Stench of Redemption for what must have been the first time in like a year. And you know what? The album still slays, and it just made me even more excited for the release of Deicide’s latest, ‘Till Death Do Us Part, which hits shelves April 28 in Europe and May 13 here in the States.

So now the band has made the title track avail as a free download on their MySpace page. And you know what? When Asheim told me that “A lot of people thought that Stench was too melodic and I think ‘Till Death has definitely tweaked that,” he wasn’t kidding. This track just relentlessly pummels, dude; Asheim’s drums are the aural equivalent of getting the shit kicked out of you by a drunk biker outside a bar you had no business being in in the first fuckin’ place. I’m saying it’s a good song.

It’s only April and it’s already turning out to be an awesome year for death metal; after new releases by Hate Eternal, Origin, and Arsis, ‘Till Death should be the next release on your “must own” list.

-AR

Here’s the reason I’m so often turned off by super-technical death metal: the bands just get lost up their own asshole showing off how amazingly skilled they are as musicians, and forget to, y’know, write a fucking song. Even if your lead singer can make his voice sound like the most bowel-blasting bloody diarrhea ever, at the end of the day, the ability to play really complicated shit on your instrument really, really fast isn’t that impressive if what you just played made no impression on the listener. In other words: just because you seem “tough” doesn’t necessarily make you any less ridiculous than Yngwie of DeVille or whatever other EVH wanna-be you’re so ready to ridicule.

What make Antithesis, the latest offering from Origin, so friggin’ good, then, is the fact that songs are really memorable – and, yeah, the band can play the fuckin’ shit out of their instruments.

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