The Year In Review
By CT3

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Veteran Bands

Celtic Frost - Monotheist

Celtic Frost return after a 15 year hiatus and I wasn't sure what to expect. Monotheist is everything you'd expect from the band who managed to attach the term avant-garde to ugly heavy metal. It's unconventional, unpredictable, challenging to a fault, head-scratchingly weird at times, frequently brilliant, and anything but perfect. Slower and doomier than anything they've done in the past, but still displaying the occasional operatic female vocals, classical music passages and avante garde sensibilities that long-time fans expect. As usual, opinions are divided and that in itself lets you know that Celtic Frost are back and with a vengeance.

Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death

The last time I bought an Iron Maiden record was back in 1986, when I purchased "Somewhere In Time". I'd heard positive things about their newest release so I picked it up. Wow! I was absolutely amazed that a veteran band could release one of their strongest pieces of work so late in their career. There's only one song under the 5 minute mark. Bruce Dickenson's contributes a phenomenal vocal performance, Steve Harris' bass gallops and the rest of the band lay down the gauntlet. Mature and lyrically sober (most of the songs deal with the theme of war), this represents one of Maiden's shining achievements and a stunning return to form.

Fave Tracks: Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, These Colours Don't Run, The Legacy

Voivod - Katorz

2005 was a rough year for one of Canada's most respected bands, Voivod, as their co-founding member, Piggy, passed away at the age of 45. Before his death, the guitarist laid down a multitude of completed parts for songs the group was in the midst of working on. So as a tribute of sorts to their friend, Voivod finished off a handful of these tracks, and issued them as 2006's Katorz (a title that the late guitarist had scrawled on a CD demo). Interestingly, although they're known primarily for prog-metal explorations Voivod are at their most straightforward and economical on Katorz, especially such tracks as "Dognation" and the album opening "The Getaway." Katorz serves as a fitting send-off to one of metal's most underrated guitarists and one of my favorite bands.

Note: Jason Newsted left Metallica and became the bassist for Voivod. Fans of his playing should mosdef check this out.

Slayer - Christ Illusion

Slayer roars back with original drummer extraordinaire, Dave Lombardo, back in the fold. These guys aren't scraggly teenagers anymore, but this record teems with unbridled ferocity. Some of the riffs are reminiscent of earlier songs, but that is a minor complaint. Varying tempos, tasteful solos and venomous anti-Christian, anti-religion and anti-war lyrics. The album has already been banned in India and Wal-mart refused to carry it because of its album artwork. Need I say more?

Fave Tracks: Flesh Storm, Cult, Skeleton Christ

Bands to Watch:

Kylesa - Time Will Fuse Its Worth

This Savannah based band came out of nowhere and took over my cd player. Two drummers, 3 vocalists, and a myriad of influences to be found in their music. Imagine a mixture of Fugazi, Discharge, and Cult of Luna. A great mixture of rock, crust, dirge and sludge. Keep an eye on this group.

Giant Squid - Metridium Field

This collective of musicians is headed by a husband/wife team that also handles most of the vocals. The guy sounds like a dead ringer for Serj Tankian of System of a Down while his wife's vocal stylings are operatic and blissful. The music is dreamy, dirgey, even-tempoed and includes synths and horns which add additional color. Middle Eastern melodies and influences crop up from time to time.

Fave Tracks: Neonate, Versus The Siren, Ampullae of Lorenzini

Old Standbys:

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

One of the greatest jazz compositions ever written. I listen to this album practically every Sunday. Its also the first song I play at the start of every New Year. Essential.

Lovage - Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By

This is trip-hop, electronica and art-hop rolled into one. Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom, etc) and Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields) provide the vocals, and Dan the Automator supplies the beats. Guest appearances by Afrikka Baambatta, Maseo of De la Soul, Prince Paul, Damon Albarn of Blur and the Gorillaz and minimalist DJ Kid Koala lavish the record with an almost mix-tape feel. This is one of the coolest records in existence.

If you are a bachelor, go out and buy this record and play it every single time you've got a lady over. Seriously.

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