ONE LAST POST FROM JAMEY JASTA BEFORE THE DAY IS THROUGH
What’s up everyone! In celebration of the new KINGDOM OF SORROW album coming out today, MetalSucks have been nice enough to let me takeover their site! I figured I’d better make the reading interesting and at least cause some discussion, so here goes, this is probably the longest run on sentence you’ll ever read, haha, enjoy!
Since we’re well into 2010. I figured I’d start my blog with my top ten “most listened to” metal and hardcore albums of the last decade, and the top ten albums I hope to enjoy this decade!!! It’s not a top ten “best of” the decade or anything like that, it’s just what I’ve listened to the most while on the road, at home, in the gym, in the office or in my car. Keep in mind that the criteria for these albums to make this list was that they were released between 2000 and 2010, that is all.
The top 10 records I’m “most hopeful & excited for” are more like a wish list. It will be cool to see some of that stuff happen!
#10 – Kataklysm, Serenity in Fire (2004)
Coming off In Shadows And Dust, which I felt had some really killer tracks, this album ups the ante and adds some more melodic but really catchy elements. “The Aambassador of Pain” opens the album, and from there it just crushes. Great songs like “As I Slither” and “The Resurrected” are a double bass invasion. It’s a fine effort that has been given many spins on my iPod. Canada does a lot of stuff well: hockey, beer, hot chicks and metal. Kudos to Kataklysm for their staying power and hunger.
#9 – Machine Head, The Blackening (2007)
I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t too amped The Burning Red or Supercharger. So when Through The Ashes Of Empires came out, I was like, “Oh fuck, these dudes are coming hard back into the metal scene!” Then The Blackening dropped, and it floored me. I just got to see them live like 57 times in a row on tour, and they brought it hard every night. The Flynn/Demmel attack is nasty, and Adam’s bass is thunderous. Combine that with Dave’s tremendous drum playing, and you’ve got one epic metal album blaring in your ears. Eight dynamic, very different-sounding songs makes this a memorable and interesting listen. “Halo,” “Aesthetics of Hate” and “Clenching the Fists of Dissent” are my jams.
#8 – Pantera, Reinventing The Steel (2000)
I’ve heard/read that this was made during a dark time for Pantera, due their popularity fading and them not getting along, but I really enjoy this album and think there’s a ton of great tracks. Maybe the animosity made for a better album? I dunno. Tracks like “Hellbound” and “Goddamn Electric” jam hard, and I’ve warmed up to “Revolution is My Name” and “Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit” before just about every Hatebreed show over the last few years. I even say “It’s goddamn electric” in my best Anselmo voice when I see or hear something I like!
#7 – Killswitch Engage, Alive or Just Breathing (2002)
When clean vocals started to invade metal and become very popular, at first I wasn’t too sure how to feel. But this album was the best out of every one in that style of metal that was more influenced by Maiden AND In Flames. Jesse’s lyrics are positive, and Adam’s riffs are great on this album. It turned out to be a real breakthrough disc for them. These tunes are catchy and heavy, and I love jamming ’em in my warm up or in my car.
#6 – Lamb of God, Sacrament (2006)
#5 – As I Lay Dying, Shadows are Security (2005)
Anyone who thinks this band doesn’t bring the riffs is kidding themselves and needs to give ’em another go. These guys get the cold shoulder from “metal purists,” and they seem to be too singy for the tough guy metalcore/hardcore fans, but they fucking slay, and they are more talented and creative than half of the “cool” bands out there. If I had to pick one track, it would be “Empty Hearts.” I was running a five mile race and my iPod was on shuffle, and that song came on and I swear it gave me what I needed to finish strong.
#4 – Madball, Hold It Down (2000)
This album is a burner, start to finish, a hardcore classic for the new millenium. It wasn’t toured on to heavily due to Freddy (their singer) being incarcerated, but word of mouth alone spread fast that this album was a banger. I’ve listened to it religiously since it came out. It’s crazy how time flies -this album came out ten years ago, but like they say, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop!” Fucking awesome!!!
#3 – Cannibal Corpse, Kill (2006)
This record jams LOUD when I’m on the treadmill. It slays from start to finish. I love Erik Rutan’s production on this album – it’s really clear and heavy, but still has a lot of low end and punch. Anyone who’s ever hung with me on my tour bus over the last four years knows that I crank this album until people get upset. I may have even attacked Scott Vogel from Terror (in a friendly but somewhat violent way) during one of my Cannibal lip sync sessions. Whenever I’m driving my car at home and “Death Walking Terror” comes on, I always reach toward my glove box when Corpsegrinder says, “My hand reaches for the knife!!!” This album rules!!
#2 – Converge, Jane Doe (2001)
This is a really weird and unique album, ’cause every time I really listen to it, I keep hearing different things. It makes me want to smash things/people, but it also has a very beautiful, almost ethereal and calming quality during other moments, and that’s a good thing for an album to give you. When they released this, I felt it was a total “Fuck you” to the current scene – there were so many bands trying out the emo/screamo/post hardcore style that wanted to be down with Converge, and these dudes dropped a ferocious album of twisted metal, hardcore, chaos and noise. This album shreds faces stil,l and makes newer, “noisier” bands look weak. “Concubine” makes me want to wrap my hands in glue and dip them in broken glass, Bloodsport-style!! “Homewrecker” makes me want to run people over in my car!
#1 – Slayer, God Hates Us All (2001)
On my iTunes, this is my most listened to album. To me this was a serious comeback record for Slayer. I loved Divine Intervention, but only got into maybe three or four tracks off Diabolus. Every song on this album jams hard. Iit was more “modern” sounding for the time, since this was post-Slipknot exploding, and alot of those newer metal kids gravitated toward Slayer… which made the shows awesome – I got to see Slayer like 120 times over a three year period, and they tore it up every night everywhere! The production Matt Hyde lent to this is incredible, and I like how they switched up the tunings on a bunch of tracks and brought the mosh harder than on previous records.
Albums I’m most hopeful/excited for from now until 2020
#10 – The Misfits
All new songs with all original members (besides the drummer), or maybe Dr. Chud on the drums could be cool. Most people just want a tour, but I think an album could be cool. I like a bunch of tracks on later Misfits records. It’d be cool to hear Danzig singing over some blazing heavier dark punk/core.
#9 – Exhorder
This is real, and it’s supposedly happening some time this year, which I would assume would mean the release would come sometime next year. They got together and played a festival in Germany recently, so they have definitely been jamming and writing!
#8 – Bolt Thrower
Every time they put something new out, I race to the store to get it. But it’s been five years since Those Once Loyal, and I’m itching for a new apocalyptic soundtrack that only BT can provide. Bolt Thrower can do no wrong in my eyes. They will never sell out, they have never made a bad album, and they always stay within their war and conflict theme, which I love. I’m sure the next Bolt Thrower will sound like a tank rolling over a bunch of weak false metal bands! THIS TIME IT’S WAR!
#7 -Van Halen with DLR & Michael Anthony
People complained about Chinese Democracy taking forever to come out – but what about a new VH album?! The last true studio album was Van Halen III with Cherone on vocals, correct? That was 1998 – that was twelve years ago! Maybe if they start getting lawyers and managers involved now, we could have something out by 2013, which would be cool. I want new VH!
#6 – Crowbar
Like all Crowbar fans, I wish that this album would have come out two years ago – but Kirk has been slacking! Lifesblood for the Downtrodden was killer ,so I hope he comes hard with a new one. It needs to come out THIS YEAR. I will stay on him about it.
#5 – Icepick
To get this out before 2012 means I have to put in some serious work, but it’s work I’m willing to do! I actually have about thirtenn demos recorded that I need to work on some more. The material is much more old school sounding and less metal. The last Skarhead record was so great, it’s inspired me to do some more Icepick writing. Hopefully I can go to L.A. and track some tunes with Ezec next year!
#4 – Sepultura with Max, Igor, Andreas and Paulo
Just bury the hatchet, get everyone together for some drinks and dinner, and move on. Let the past be the past and make a killer album so the fans can enjoy it. I have nothing against the Derrick-era at all, I even like their latest release – but I think it would be cool to hear what type of music they would come up with now. Maybe a 2013 release?
#3 – Halford
Yes Halford, THE METAL GOD! Ressurection was so killer I need a new Halford album! Hopefully since Kingdom of Sorrow is doing Ozzfest with Halford, I will be able to find out the scoop and see if there’s any recording planned in the future. It would be cool to get Pat Lachman back in the fold, too. Maybe a 2012 release if the world doesn’t end?
#2 – Slayer
I hear they will be ending this album cycle after the summer/fall, so depending on when Kerry and Jeff start writing again, this could come out as soon as fall 2011 – which would be amazing!
#1 – Metallica
I think the last album was a huge step in the right direction, and I’m excited to hear what the next one will sound like. By the time it comes out, Trujillo will have been in the band almost ten years! Seems like just yesterday when he joined. Either way, a little Suicidal Tendencies influence can’t hurt. Maybe they’ll let him write some stuff. It’d be awesome if they went totally balls-out heavy with screaming vocals throughout.
-JJ
