I’ve been forgetting to do this recently, something I’m going to put down to being very busy. Â So here’s an extra long playlist to make up for it.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Hunger Games is very easy to dismiss as the latest Harry Potter/Twilight/Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguin series.  However, underneath that young adult fiction sheen it’s a film about a dystopian future where young children kill each other…  Okay that’s not that under the radar, but the reality is that’s it a film that does a lot of things right.  Not least in it’s portrayal of a strong, independent female character that has an actual personality beyond sitting in a chair moping after a sparkly vampire.  Therefore, the second film in the series, Catching Fire, shall undeniably come out to a load of attention and make a shit load of money.  (Just as a quick disclaimer I have once again read the book but will be reviewing the film as a separate entity).
Letlive – The Blackest Beautiful
letlive. are one of those rare bands who appear to be the whole package.  Whether they are writing songs that blend melody and insanity together in a concoction that is sweet yet sour, heavy yet gentle and all in all just simply intoxicating or taking the time smashing the shit out of things, in a very literal sense sometimes, in live shows which in my own experience bring audiences together in a way that few can do, they seem to do it perfectly.  So quite frankly it’s a disgrace that I’ve taken this long to write up a review of The Blackest Beautiful.  Particularly as it is without a doubt one of the albums of the year.
Gravity
As the end of the year approaches and we look back over it and discuss various end of year lists, Alfonso Curan’s Gravity will surely sit at the top of the ‘most hyped’ list.  In the last few months it has been seemingly impossible to stay away from trailers and posters of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney facing the great beyond.  Even it’s eventual release has done little to stop the onslaught with it being labelled far and wide with hyperbole like film of the decade/year/ever.  Taking that all into account if it manages to live up to such hype it must surely be something special.
Heart of a Coward w/ Charm the Fury, Malevolence and From Sorrow to Serenity at Classic Grand 18/11/2013
I can’t remember the point when bands on stage started getting younger than me but it does always kind of depress me.   From Sorrow to Serenity are the latest example of that as they are handed the chance to open up the show Monday night at the Classic Grand.  They are very young, or at least look very young and like many bands that are that young are also kind of generic as they put on a set of heavy djent inspired metal.  They are also very reliant on their backing track, so much so that they suffer some technical problems when the drummer doesn’t have one of their songs on his Ipod.  Saying that there is certainly nothing horribly wrong with this performance and if these guys go in the right direction they’re worth keeping an eye on.
Defenders of the Faith 4, Glasgow Barrowlands 15/11/2013
Defenders of the Faith is becoming a yearly event that those into heavy metal do not want to miss and once again Metal Hammer magazine have outdone themselves by putting together a bill that is sure to appeal to the masses. Â All this meant that when it rolled into Glasgow last Friday night it was always bound to be an occasion.
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Nails w/ Blind To Faith at Classic Grand 13/11/2013
Blind to Faith apparently don’t play live shows very often.  So to have them on tonight’s bill alongside Nails, who are hitting up the UK for the first time in three years and admit it will probably be another three before they can make it back, just adds to the sense of occasion as the Classic Grand gears itself up for some very very angry men.
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The Dillinger Escape Plan w/ Three Trapped Tigers and Maybeshewill at The Garage 5/11/13
Maybeshewill are probably not the bad you’d expect to open up this bill, as you walk into a room filled with the sound of their instrumental post-rock.  It’s not always quite that ambient though and these guys do have the ability to get heavy.  It’s hard to review this kind of music in the live environment because you either get it or you don’t.  What is clear is when around half way through this set you could turn your head to the left or right and nearly every single person who was paying attention was standing nodding their head in time with the music, without seemingly being aware of doing it.  Definitely one that might be worth checking out.
Top 50 albums
I did one of these on my last blog but as time has passed and I have a new audience I thought it was about time to redo it. Â Here is my top 50 albums of all time/how I feel today. Â This could change in ten minutes so I’m just posting it now to stop me fiddling. Continue reading “Top 50 albums”
Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegal’s – Walk Through Exits Only
The words Phil Anselmo and extreme metal are probably enough to have any right minded metal fan excited.   Well that’s exactly what Walk Through Exits Only is and it’s full of a apparently very pissed off Philip H. Anselmo (as he is now apparently known) teaming up with his band The Illegal’s to release an album chock full of heavy as fuck metal.
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