Staff Infections – January 2021

Jesus H. Christ, friends, welcome to 2021. I was hoping, after taking month off for list season, that things might calm down, but it seems quite the opposite has happened. The pandemic is raging as fiercely as ever, and with what seems like a half-assed vaccine rollout, there’s not much hope for improvement in the near future. Furthermore, the slimy orange crook we have in charge over here attempted a coup. Thankfully his “army” was primarily comprised of fuck-ups an loons like Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer. But while our sorry excuse for a democracy was preserved, the stunt still proved deadly for five people. Finally, although it seems he passed in late 2020, the news broke early this year about the passing of yet another beloved musician, Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho. I am not knowledgeable enough about Alexi’s work to give him a proper tribute, but I know the man was born to play guitar, and he embraced the mantle of guitar hero at a time when shredding was at its popular nadir. Despite his tragic, too-early demise, Alexi had a long and successful career, playing and singing his ass off while bringing Children of Bodom’s unique, high-energy brand of metal to thousands of fans all over the world. Let’s take a moment to watch Alexi do his thing:

Now, let’s see what we’ve been listening to. As is often the case, there’s no overwhelming favorite this month. Only three albums made multiple playlist appearances, resulting in a diverse three-way tie for first place, including some trad / power metal, technical death metal and goth rock. Greyhawk’s album from last year, Keepers of the Flame, remains popular with some folks around these parts, and if you like your metal pure and triumphant, you should check it out. Ryan Tysinger has a review for you right here. Dangerous Thing’s debut EP is a gnarly slab of tech death. No review is yet available, but you can check the album out on Bandcamp. Finally, rounding out our trio of winners is the 1990 album Elizium from goth legends Fields of the Nephilim. What I know about goth music wouldn’t fill a thimble, but for what it’s worth, I listened to Fields of the Nephilim once and didn’t hate it.

That’ll do for this month, folks. I hope you all enjoyed the holidays as much as you were able. Have a listen to our staff-curated Spotify playlist, and be sure to to post your own playlist in the comments. While you’re at it, if you’re a fan, share one of your favorite Alexi Laiho songs, be it from Bodom or one of his other bands. Stay safe, and see you next month. [JEREMY MORSE]

    • Ryan Tysinger
      Venus Star – Calling All Lokas
      Syrinx – Crystal Cliffs
      Evil – Possessed By Evil
      Wolf Spider – Wilczy Pajak
      Significant Point – Into the Storm
      Century – Demo MMXX
    • Captain
      Dead Neanderthals – Cosmic Slime
      Wire – Chairs Missing
      Fields of the Nephilim – Elizium
      Sinister – Cross the Styx
      Konquest – The Night Goes On
      Dangerous Thing – Dangerous Thing
    • Andrew Edmunds
      Saga – Worlds Apart
      Fields Of The Nephilim – Elizium
      King’s X – Gretchen Goes To Nebraska
      Death – Scream Bloody Gore
      Fates Warning – Long Day Good Night
      Danzig – Danzig
    • Lone Watie
      Octavision – Coexist
      Dangerous Thing – Dangerous Thing
      Ecclesia – De Ecclesia Universalis
      Tiger Moth Tales – The Whispering of the World
      Discipline. – To Shatter All Accord
      Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden
    • Danhammer Obstkrieg
      Wampyric Rites – The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre
      Nick Cave – Idiot Prayer (Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace)
      Harvestman – Lashing the Rye
      Madvillain – Madvillainy
      MF Doom – Mm…Food
      Holly Herndon – Proto
    • Zach Duvall
      Knut – Leftovers
      Bee Gees – Main Course
      Siouxsie & the Banshees – Join Hands
      Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE 2
      Greyhawk – Keepers of the Flame
      Orphaned Land – Mabool
    • Dave Pirtle
      Trans-Siberian Orchestra – The Lost Christmas Eve
      Killwhitneydead – Stocking Stuffher
      Majestica – A Christmas Carol
      Legendire – Sunchasers
      Greyhawk – Keepers of the Flame
      Lovebites – Electric Pentagram
    • Jeremy Morse
      Glorious Depravity – Ageless Violence
      Invincible Force – Decomposed Sacramentum
      Undergang – Aldrig I Livet
      Montrose – Montrose
      Hypocrisy – Abducted
      Xibalba – Anos en Infierno
    • Megan Astrael
      Tribulation – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound
      Fields of the Nephilim – Elizium
      Chelsea Wolfe – Abyss
      Wytch Hazel – III: Pentecost
      Eternal Champion – Ravening Iron
      John Coltrane – My Favorite Things

Posted by Jeremy Morse

Riffs or GTFO.

  1. The Ocean – Fluxion
    The Sex Pistols – Nevermind the Bollocks
    Esoctrilihum – Eternity of Shaog
    Green Day – American Idiot
    Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf
    Krallice – Mass Cathexis

    Reply

  2. Judas Priest – Unleashed in the East
    Judas Priest – British Steel
    Judas Priest – Defenders of the Faith
    Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny
    Cesspool of Corruption – Eradication of…
    Order – Lex Amentiae

    Reply

  3. Metallica – Master of Puppets
    Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
    Cathedral – The Ethereal Mirror
    Accept – Metal Heart
    Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
    Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights
    Tank – This Means War
    Motörhead – Orgasmatron

    Reply

  4. Catalepsia – Inheritance
    Need – Norchestrion: a song for the end
    Grayceon – Mothers Weavers Vultures
    Fields of the Nephilim – The Nephilim
    Svalbard – When I die, will I get better?
    Protest the Hero – Palimpsest

    Reply

    1. I just started listening to the Svalbard. That album is a total ripper. Some nice Alcest like interludes within the otherwise intense album.

      Reply

  5. RIP MF Doom as well. Dan’s got the right idea, and Madvilliany is classic! I highly recommend another amazing collaboration of his with Czarface (aka 7L & Esoteric, and Inspectah Deck): Czarface Meets Metalface.

    Reply

    1. I second that, man was a creative titan.

      Reply

  6. Svalbard – When I Die, Will I get better?
    Protest the Hero – Palimpsest
    Vulkan – Technatura
    Wayfarer – A Romance With Violence
    Wills Dissolve – Echoes
    Stellar Death – Fragments of Light

    Reply

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