The Threat Was Real...At One Point

Ok, I'm not going to go on a tirade, yet again, about how John Bush is THE only singer that's right for Anthrax. Seems like he proved himself just fine for over a decade, without my help. I also dug what I heard of Dan Nelson and would love to hear their unreleased Chinese Democracy...I mean Worship Music.

...Which leads us to Joey Belladonna. Sorry, not a fan. Never was. Think of how fucking incredible Persistence of Time would've been with John Bush on vocals for the entire record...EPIC.

My whole point of writing this today was that I've been spinning Volume 8...The Threat Is Real! non-stop lately and enjoying the living shit out of it. Every song on this record is the tits. One of the strongest openers ever, in "Crush", best single/video for "Inside Out", numerous solos from Dimebag and top-notch production. The bonus tracks are killer as well, most of them coming from the Japan-only "Inside Out EP".

Sadly, this record is now out of print (for the third time). Makes it sound that much better.

Whatever this band decides to do going forward, their 4 records with John Bush stand the test of time and helped keep metal alive through the very difficult 1990's. Much respect.

"Inside Out"


"Crush" (live, 2000)

The New Guy

Ray Alder joined Fates Warning in 1988 at the age of 18. He still fronts the band some 20 years later. Some fans still call him the new guy. He replaced John Arch, who sang for FW between 1984-1988 and recorded the classic "Night on Brocken" with the band. However, Ray has recorded classic after classic as their frontman since 1988's "No Exit", up through their last two masterpieces, "Disconnected" and "FWX". The guy has the range of other prog greats like Geoff Tate and James LaBrie, except he has this much heavier/darker side to him that isn't as theatrical as Tate, nor as unpredictable as LaBrie.

In between Fates and his newer classic prog project Redemption, Ray started his own band called Engine. Much heavier that FW and with tons of Deftones-esque groove and backbone. They've put out two records that are crushing and haunting, though neither has sold much of anything. The band is an all-star team, featuring Bernie Versailles (Redemption, Agent Steel), Joey Vera (Anthrax, Armored Saint, Fates Warning, etc) and Pete Parada (Face To Face).

Ray Alder is now only 38 years onld with over 20 years in the game. He is a true legend and one of the best singers in the business. Check out some Engine and pick up the records wherever you can, since I believe both are out of print. Amazon has 'em pretty cheap. Think Taco Bell bean burrito cheap. It's worth every penny.

"Monster":
"Losing Ground":

It's Hard Not To Shake With A Blog In Your Mouth

Zao destroys. Forget that they have NO original members. Forget that they used to only play for the Lord. Also forget that they have tried to find (and then toured and recorded) with vocalists that emulated Dan's agonizing growls, only falling ridiculously short. They are the most brutal band I've ever heard. I know there are bands like Bloodbath and Cannibal Corpse and such, that sound like death and dying and cookie monster (although the new Bloodbath EP is super-awesome), but Zao was always (is?) always real and sang/played from the heart.

As with most bands that change singers ad lineups (Van Halen, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, etc), fans are divided into two camps for Zao: Those who go to Cornerstone and are Jesus groupies and those who love Dan Weyandt's voice/lyrics, which have become what the band is and has been focused around since he joined in 1998. He sounds like Heartwork-era Carcass, At The Gates and old In Flames all wrapped into a nice little package. He literally sounds like he gargles with rusty razorblades and gravel. It's intense and amazing and definitely not for everyone.

With every release they get more brutal, making true metal classics like 2000's Self-Titled (which is the name of the LP, not Zao), The Funeral of God, the overly brutal Steve Albini-produced The Fear is What Keeps Us Here and my favorite, the often overlooked Parade of Chaos. They seriously have the power and raw emotion to make other genuine bands look like fakes. I finally got to see them live a few years ago and they opened with "5 Year Winter", a hammering love/break-up letter written to an ex. It even begins "Dear Tiffany...".

I don't know what it is about Jews like myself and some of my other metal friends that love Christian Hardcore and Metal. Maybe having the shit screamed at us works. Who knows and who cares? All I know is that Zao sounds like they could kill you with words and riffs and probably could if given the opportunity.

"My Love, My Love (We've Come Back From The Dead":
"The Rising End":

Testicular Tuesday!!!

It's back. I told you it would be. Let's cut right to it. Lots of bands claim the throne to heavy but can't produce the goods. Anthrax has been laying down the thrash for over 25 years, yet never truly got HEAVY until John Bush joined the group to record 1993's stellar Sound of White Noise. Any correlation between Testicular Tuesday and John Bush? Probably.

It was always their 1995 follow-up, Stomp 442, that clicked with me. Great songwriting, great grooves, break-neck drumming (including drummer Charlie Benante, Dimebag and Paul Crook on lead guitar) and some serious testosterone. "Fueled" is an anthem written by Scott Ian and Bush after a bender in NYC. Liquor and cars (not together, of course). Fucking metal.

"Fueled"

...and for the GROOVE: "Nothing"