WSOU Picks of the Week: Poison Headache and Silent Planet

Seton Hall University’s WSOU radio is the only all-metal, all-the-time station currently broadcasting in the US, and as been a force in metal for DECADES. It’s also streamable online from anywhere in the world! Each week, the staff of WSOU shares their picks for the heaviest of the heavy, as well as the station’s charts for that week, right here on MetalSucks. Enjoy:

Poison Headache – “Gray Skies” (Mike C.)

Poison Headache’s debut album has not left my car’s CD player in about two weeks. It’s just that good. Featuring vocalist/guitarist Phil Sgrosso (As I Lay Dying, Wovenwar), the San Diego trio delivers break-neck, aggressive, metallic hardcore that’s just plain catchy at times. The track “Gray Skies” leans a bit more progressive than the rest of the album, with its subdued intro giving the song some room to breathe before pummeling you into the ground. It’s also the album’s longest track at almost four minutes. If you haven’t heard this band yet, and you enjoyed Nails’ latest offering (who didn’t?), then this is definitely worth your time.

Silent Planet – “Nervosa” (Nick D.)

With the release of their previous album, The Night God Slept, Silent Planet made it known that they are a band that has a voice that will not fall on deaf ears. The album features songs about historically important tragedies that had been swept under the table in favor of other moments in history that are glorified. Their new album, Everything Was Sound, focuses on mental illnesses and their effects on people through personal stories of friends and fans of the band. Vocalist Garrett Russell is one of the most genuine, articulate, and intelligent lyricists in music today, pouring everything out and including footnotes in the lyrics so the listener can look up his references in literature and the other sources he finds inspiration. The song “Nervosa” is a standout track on EWS, focusing on eating disorders. The song perfectly captures Silent Planet’s signature sound combining ambient atmospheric pieces with groove filled heavy sections. Russell uses a screamed, almost rap-inspired flow in the verses which perfectly emphasize the rhythm carrying the song. Norma Jean vocalist Corey Brandan lends his voice for a huge sounding chorus that takes the song the extra mile. If you’re not already following Silent Planet and listening to their message, you’re missing out on something big.