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
- Ryan Tysinger
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
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
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
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
I just started listening to the Svalbard. That album is a total ripper. Some nice Alcest like interludes within the otherwise intense album.
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.
I second that, man was a creative titan.
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