So, I am one day late with this week's OfTW, but just like I stated on Twitter (follow me @ForsakenGates), I had a reason to why it is so. Next week, I am going on a vacation to Turkey, and yes, I know about the instabilities down there, but that is mostly happening around the big cities of Istanbul and Ankara. I am going to a smaller, more tourist friendly town that is far away from the trouble (I hope).
This of course means that I will not be able to deliver new reviews for the next week, and the same goes with the 25th part of OfTW, which is why I am doing a 2 for 1 deal here today. 6 songs added to the playlist, so you guys hopefully can stand me being away for a full week. Oh well, I guess you would not notice that I was gone anyway :P. So yeah, enjoy.
All of the songs on this segment is gathered in a Spotify playlist, you can find it here
The Classics: Anthrax - Caught In A Mosh and Overkill - Elimination
Let's start things off with a meaty thrash double, from two bands that deserves more credit. Anthrax has always been the odd group among the Big 4, but there is no questioning over there be or be not among the top acts of thrash metal. When they kick ass, the seriously kick ass. This anthem to one of metal's greatest rituals is pure thrash candy. Fast riffing, relentless drumming, a catchy chorus, and a really special solo. And yes, this song is a must when you enter the pit.
Overkill is right now experiencing a new renaissance, so it is easy to forget that they have created some great music in the past. A fantastic example of their thrashing genius is "Elimination", a song that is simple balls to the wall, coming at you with all it has got. The message is pure and simple, eliminate everything, and do so with insane guitars, blazing drums, and a Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth that delivers some of the craziest performances to date. Man, Bobby is truly an underrated singer in an underrated band.
The Newcomers: Fallujah - Dreamless and Nemesea - Forever
Just like I wrote in my review, picking apart "Dreamless" is not really necessary, because the whole album is just one long euphoric experience. However, I really felt like OfTW needed something from the album, and the best song to represent it is the title track. It perfectly explains what the entire album is about, heavy and beauty mixed together to create an amazing symbiose.
Check out my review of the album this song is from, "Dreamless"
As for the other newcomer, you probably have not heard of them, and neither had I before this year. Nemesea is a fairly ordinary gothic metal band, and their latest album "Uprise" was at best acceptable, but it did have one song that really blew me away. "Forever" is epic as hell, and it uses the hockey choir effects in a spectacular way. It is also a track where the singer Manda Ophius completely dominates, showing an incredible ability to capture the listener. The Netherlands keeps on bringing some great symphonic gothic metal at us.
The Personal Favourites: Devin Townsend - Bastard and The Death of Music
To say that I love these two songs out of "Ocean Machine: Biomech" is a complete understatement. These two songs made me fall in love with Devin, a love that has not disappeared for one second for the rest of my life. Both are beautiful, heart breaking pieces that displays some amazing songwriting that comes straight from the heart. "Bastard" is the heavier of the two, chugging along with a mesmerizing riff and drum pattern through the first half of the song, and the second half is just mesmerizing as fuck. Then we have "The Death of Music", a really silent song that brings out so many emotions. This one is hard to explain, so the best way to understand it is to listen to it for yourself. Gets me every time, so freaking amazing.
Check out my review of the album these songs are on, "Ocean Machine: Biomech"
As a bonus, you also get "Funeral" to listen to here, making it a beautiful tri force. See ya all next week :)
Stay Metal!
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson
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