Blood-curdling Decadence: My top 10 metal screams of the decade list

Yes, I am back. I thought I would not return but I have. Those who have still visited this blog, I am eternally grateful to you.

So 2010 is over. 2011 begins. The closing of a decade means a lot of 'top 10' lists everywhere. I have decided to make one of my own. Yes of course, it has everything to do with metal but its not a regular albums or songs or even covers list. Presenting, the top 10 metal screams of the decade, 2000-2010. This was a huge decade for metal and if people who hate it think the vocals are noise, they aren't all noise. But when they are harsh, THEY FUCKING DESTROY!!!!!

Please see attached video for a sound clip montage:

#10. Kalmah- Time Takes Us All: A nicely held mid-tone rasp that gets progressively more shrill, Pekka Kokko starts this revolutionary epic in one of the most epic ways possible. From their 2004 album 'The Black Waltz'.

#9. Lamb of God- Ruin: Being one of the first Lamb of God songs I heard, the scream left me sleepless for a few nights. Still holds its charm and a rightful place at #9. Well done, David Randall Blythe. From their 2003 album, 'As the Palaces Burn'.

#8. Children of Bodom- Mask of Sanity: The screams here has a lot of nice reverb and is brilliant mood-swinger in the song. A well-executed shriek from Alexi Laiho. From their 2000 album 'Follow the Reaper'.

#7. Destruction- Devolution: Ja, ja mein Fueh...I mean Schmeier, I know it is illegal for a Destruction album to begin without your wondrous scream. But you have outdone yourself here with a high-pitched, almost operatic wail that then trails of as a raspy shriek. From their 2008 album 'D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N'.

#6. The Axis of Perdition- A Ruined Nation Awakens: One of the most terrifying music producers of the century, this particular song has a series of shrieks and growls with a lot of digitization, made for the post-apocalypse fetish person in you. From their 2003 album 'The Ichneumon Method (And Less Welcome Techniques)'.

#5. Opeth- The Grand Conjuration: What a performance of terror! After a lovely ping-pong round with audio levels of the song, this set of overlayed screams from Mikael Akerfeldt throws you straight in as the subject of the conjuration. From their 2005 album 'Ghost Reveries'.

#4. Mercenary- ReDestructDead: One of the most HONEST screams ever recorded, this one has high pitch all through and is a really well-sustained scream. Makes you feel as angry as the song's protagonist. Too bad Henrik 'Kral' Anderson left the band after this album. From their 2004 album '11 Dreams'.

#3. Bloodbath- Soul Evisceration: Peter Tagtgren sets of at a high pitch without needing to get there. A nearly 10-second long sustain makes your soul nearly leave you as well. From their 2004 album 'Nightmares Made Flesh'.

#2. Annihilator- Warbird: The most spine-chilling factor of this 16-second long, constantly escalating high rasp is the fact that it starts right at the absolute end of the song when you are just sitting and waiting for the next one. Frighteningly satisfying work, Dave Padden. From their 2005 album 'Schizo Deluxe'.

#1. Quo Vadis- Silence Calls the Storm: A growl maintained for nearly 17 seconds deserves at least #1 on a list, if not a national award. Stephan Pare still mesmerizes me EVERY TIME I hear this song. From their 2004 album 'Defiant Imagination'

Where Talent and Conviction Unite

The year is 2010. Mankind is under threat. A dark power that reared its head in the scorching summer of 2005 AD is now preparing for its final attack on the world. Only the chosen warrior can save mankind.

Who is this chosen warrior? Well, that is not important. What is important is that 2010 AD is definitely the year that Demonic Resurrection, one of India's longest-lasting and most indefatigable metal bands conquers the world. 4 years after they released their 2nd full-length album 'A Darkness Descends', comes the 3rd part of the Darkness trilogy, 'The Return to Darkness' (the 2nd was their EP 'Beyond the Darkness'). Released (as usual) by vocalist/guitarist Sahil Makhija's own Demonstealer Records, this album has 'breakthrough' permanently tattoed all over it.

The band has gone through an art makeover courtesy of Polish designer/animator Machael 'Xaay' Loranc (of Nile, Behemoth, Necrophagist and Vader fame) who has delivered a very European look for the band's new logo. The front cover art is a craftily designed fisheye of a cityscape under siege from a group of very skeletal yet plasmic entities released by a celestial vortex. The CD itself was released as a box set containing a well-designed t-shirt, a pair of guitar plectra (one of which I've already lost), a sticker and a band poster; the last 3 items being snugly packaged within a solid cardboard 'jewel case'. The band has gone through a few lineup changes as well with new drummer Virendra Kaith and a solid lead guitarist in the form of Daniel Rego as the latest acquisitions.

The biggest difference though, is the sound of the band's music itself. The album opens with the a digitized, muffled wail loop that is soon joined by a violin chorus à la keyboard player Mephisto, who then proceeds to add a percussive bass beat. This now full-blown orchestral crescendo is called 'Between Infinity and Oblivion'. A truly epic herald of more musical greatness. The next track now cracks open- 'Where Dream and Darkness Unite'. The band's wondrous ESP strings and Mapex drum kit literally blast into a tune that reminds one of Dimmu Borgir's 'Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny', except the presence of orchestral keys and very well-polished death growl strike a different epic nerve in the listener's body.

This album, like this song, is a highlight of the evolution that the band has gone through musically. In essence, nothing has changed in terms of how they define their music; a mix of black, death and power metal. But while previous releases saw a more-or-less disjointed exhibition of the 3 genres, this album sees the band dissecting each genre and bringing out exactly what they do to the brain of the listener. And it doesn't stop there. They combine the mood of one genre with the exterior playing style of another. This has resulted in the band taking an overall symphonic path which only seems natural as symphonies cater to both the dark and light side of human emotion.

The whole album is a highly dynamic one. There are a lot more changes in time signature, beat patterns, vocal style and the intent behind the emotion ins a song section. Unlike on its predecessor, the band has not really aimed solely at creating an extreme sound. In fact, the great thing about this album for me is how emotionally driven it is. The dynamic nature of it has been achieved solely due to to this very fact. This has led to a lot of innovation in the sound of the band. 'A Tragedy Befallen' has a very power metal sound throughout, even though its brought out through harsh vocals for the most part. In fact, some sections seem to strike the same emotional chord as later Kamelot albums. 'Bound by Blood,Fire and Stone' sees a brilliantly executed section where a blast beat battery fuses eclectically with a digitized whisper which in turn is synchronized with a crafty channel interpolation of a series of triple-picked duets on the strings. To top it all is a beat-synchronized ambient flourish from the keys.

Every great album has a landmark track. Without a doubt its 'Lord of Pestilence' on this one. The intro is a look back at one of their signature tracks of yesteryears 'Frozen Portrait'. It features a similar flanger-drenched clean guitar intro expect this one is not just a happy tune. It goes on for about 3 minutes of an emotional roller coaster ride before blasting into a blast beat driven section. The rest of the 8 and a half minutes of this track makes the listener feel like he is sitting through a sci-fi fantasy movie. There is conflict, there is resolution, there are twists and there are emotional beats.

The album ends with 'Omega,I', a perfect closing tune for a brilliant epic. The continuity throughout the album is quite fulfilling. So is its overall duration. Every song seems related to every other both on a musical and lyrical scale (of which the latter I find secondary compared to the former in importance). Despite the huge length of most of the songs, there is never a dull moment in the album. In fact, if any of the songs were shorter I believe it would have been a cause for concern. The musicians have all grown to huge levels on this album and the new inclusions should not go away to soon, especially drummer Virendra Kaith.

And so, the Darkness trilogy comes to an end. The warrior has emerged victorious over the dark power. But the real world metal scene will now witness an inevitable rise of a new power: prepare your legions for India's own Demonic Resurrection.

The Singapore data recovery

Hello those few and far between who make the wrong turn to my blog.I am back.After precisely 4 months and 12 days,I decided to make a return to this hallowed URL.If you haven't been able to tell from the title of this post yet (and in which case schizophrenia would be an accurate diagnosis),I am now based in Singapore.I'm here to study animation and I am loving everything about my education.Yes,contrary to the content on this blog on education,this course is easily the best treatment I have had till date.I'm at the Tisch School of the Arts Asia (yes,a branch of Tisch NYU).

To start with,it takes a complete shit on the ridiculous education system I had been subject to for the past 15 years (for more on that,please read previous posts).The assignments here are proper creations of digital art made by us,the students.The time crunch is similar to that in a real studio.The resources are fucking cool.We have Wacom tablets on every computer,3 of them with Cintiq screens.Half the computers have Digidesign Protools.The professors here really know what they're teaching.The point of education in this field here is not to teach the software,but how to use what in the software (if and when necessary) to create a certain piece of art.We are taught the origins of art,the reason behind creating certain pieces of art.3 of the professors here are/have been metal fans.One has seen Metallica live thrice and other bands like Iron Maiden,Sepultura,Sodom,Kreator,Death,Carcass etc.

The campus itself destroys.Even though its a film school,there is a lot of vegetation around in the lawns outside.Till now,I have seen cockatoos,grey parrots,a vine snake and a monitor lizard on campus.My colleagues destroy as well.There is no worry about being 'politically correct' here.They understand that it is a tool for the weak.

Singapore itself is pretty cool.So far,I have purchased 7 metal t-shirts here:Metallica,Amon Amarth,Lamb of God,HammerFall,Iced Earth,Dark Tranquillity and Arch Enemy.I have purchased a computer with crazily awesome specs.So awesome that it runs Crysis:Warhead like butter even at 'Gamer' graphic levels and 1280 x 1024 screen resolution.The residents are friendly,the place is slightly on the expensive side and there is no fucking difference between summer and winter.In short,I'm loving it here.

As far as metal goes,I have been hearing more of the old guns:Judas Priest,Queensryche etc.I've also been introduced to Singapore's very own Rudra.These guys play blackened death metal but their tunes are highly influenced by Indian classical and their lyrics are exclusively about the Vedas.Another great band I've been hearing is a Doom Gothic Metal band from Sweden called Draconian.These guys are the ultimate name (for me) in beautiful music.They combine male death growls with female serenades,on a batter of crunchy,slow,deliberate rhythms drenched in atmospheric,ambient keys.

I return to New Delhi on the 20th of December for the winter,for those interested.

My top 10 Metal albums of all time

So there was this topic on a Facebook discussion group with the same name (yeah well obviously 'my' was replaced by 'your') and it suddenly occured to me that I had hardly given any thought to such a question.So I did so,and this is what I came up with.Note that regardless of how much thought was given to it,the list is VERY volatile.I have also (at the request of one of my readers) provided links to torrents of each album (well some are complete discographies as I couldn't get singular album torrents,but if you can't operate a torrent client you shouldn't be downloading torrents right?).These links can be accessed by clicking the album names:



10.SEPULTURA-Beneath the Remains: If there was ever to be an audio tribute to 'V for Vendetta',this album would be it. An album that start seemingly harmlessly (in a very ethnic Latino way) soon becomes a riot of fast,angry and precise riffs with anti-governmental lyrics growled out almost poetically.This album is everything that a good thrash metal album calls for,and more.Breakneck speed-sections that suddenly become so slow and melodic at times,you could be forgiven for believing that you've passed through a time vortex;scale changes that are perceptible yet donot take away the familiarity with a song and vocals that force the anger right down your throat,this album has it all.A record that I'm sure sent chills down German and American spines.

FAVOURITE TRACKS: Beneath the Remains,Inner Self,Hungry,Slaves of Pain, Stronger than Hate,Mass Hypnosis

9. SYMPHONY X-The Divine Wings of Tragedy: How this album did not affirm the band in question a higher rank than Dream Theater is what I don't understand.This album has the right ingredients for a masterpiece.An intangible sculpture of perfection.Fluid basslines that set a firm plinth for precise guitar-keyboard harmonies and unconventionally epic vocals, with Rullo's drums doing a tidy job with the mind-warping beats.An album that is truly progressive;unconventional time signatures and beat skips,constantly changing rhythms while keeping the epic pace going and at the same time not going overboard with it and at times just settling for the regular multiple of 4.

FAVOURITE TRACKS: Sea of Lies,The Accolade,The Eyes of Medusa,Out of the Ashes,Of Sins and Shadows


8. MORS PRINCIPIUM EST-Inhumanity: To be frank,I'm yet to hear a tighter debut.With freely-flowing,epic rhythms,backed by a marching percussion barrage and perfectly-toned harsh vocals,few can ignore the talent that these Finnish exports have. The keyboard work on this album is just phenomenal,knowing when to lie low and maintain a haunting atmosphere and when to pounce onto the guitar for a harmonic duel.This album is melody personified.A great debut signalling a sparkling future for melodic death metal.

FAVOURITE TRACKS:The Lust Called Knowledge,D.I.B,Another Creation,Last Apprentice,Eternity's Child,Inhumanity


7. ICED EARTH-Horror Show: Come on,an opera on the most famous villains in popular fiction and history and I miss it?Not a chance.Just sit back,but don't relax.The songwriting won;t let you.Each song's tune is crafted to perfection to match the villain in question,and the lyrics just work perfectly as a psycho-analysis of each character;the mid-Eastern vibe on 'Imhotep',the Satanic setting of 'Damien' and the disturbing feel to 'Jack' are a few of the masterworks.To top it all,the Iron Maiden cover (Transylvania) just fits like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle.This is one show which will keep playing you an encore whenever you want.

FAVOURITE TRACKS:Damien,Ghost of Freedom,Jack,Imhotep,The Phantom Opera Ghost


6. KAMELOT-The Black Halo: Allow me to say this:Roy Khan has the best voice in power metal today. This album bears testimony to that.And also to Thomas Youngblood's shredding prowess.'The Black Halo' is a continuation to the modern day rendition of 'Faust' that Kamelot started with 'Epica' and let me say that even though I've never read 'Faust',I can feel a story in motion when I listen to this album.Kamelot have the gift of storytelling.They know when to speed things up and when to canter,they know when to blaze with riffs and when to cool things down.The symphonic keyboard playing gives a film score vibe to this album.If you haven't heard it yet,begin your hunt now.

FAVOURITE TRACKS:When the Lights are Down,The Haunting,Moonlight,Soul Society,March of Mephisto,This Pain


5.SONATA ARCTICA-Silence: Sonata Arctica have always had me respecting them for very boldly following a romantic path in metal.AND being successful at it.This album is a replication and a celebration of life.It stands for freedom,pain,happiness,loneliness,deception and of course love,amongst others.It has the quintessential power metal ingredients namely blazing guitars,harmonic keyboards and soaring vocals.But it also has a certain uniqueness to it as well.Vocalist Tony Kakko does the right pitch shifts,the rhythm sections change to change the mood and the keyboards just dance so perfectly around everything.Every song has a very prominent message to it.Overall,this album is just THERAPY.

FAVOURITE TRACKS:Wolf and Raven,The End of this Chapter,Black Sheep,Sing in Silence,San Sebastian (Revisited),The Power of One


4.CHILDREN OF BODOM-Follow the Reaper: Ah,who doesn't know this album.This lovely monstrosity of musical prowess.This perfect combination of melody and brutality,mixed to create a homogeneous,epic product.This album sees the best of Bodom's talent till date;Alexi Laiho vocals have the perfect tones and shifts that only rival his virtuosic ability with the guitar,Janne Warmen's keyboard teasingly flitting in and out of the guitar melodies,Alexander Kuoppala and Henkka's solid rhythm backing and Jaska's tight drumming.One can only utter good things about the band after he's ventured in and out of it.Sadly,the band turned to a mainstream and simplistic songwriting style with 'Are You Dead Yet?',but this album can at least re-kindle hopes of a return.

FAVORITE TRACKS:Every Time I Die,Children of Decadence,Kissing the Shadows,Mask of Sanity,Follow the Reaper


3. MERCENARY-11 Dreams: This album is an attack on the senses.Mercenary managed to pleasantly shock audiences with their triple vocal styled melodic death metal.Drawing a heavy influence from power metal as well,these guys just wake you up to reality.Their songwriting involves crushing rhythms juxtaposed with haunting keyboard riffs and catchy drum beats thanks to Mike Park's innovative bass drum playing style.Their lyrics largely explore human thought processes and lets just say that they do a darn good job with it.A relatively underrated band but one that is HIGHLY talented.

FAVOURITE TRACKS: World Hate Center,Firesoul,11 Dreams,Supremacy v2.0,Loneliness,Times Without Changes


2. IRON MAIDEN-Somewhere in Time: This band needs no introduction.Nor does this album.Its a very epic yet very modern album at the same time.Lyrics that are the stuff of poetry,rhythms and leads that are the stuff of legends and percussion that is still difficult to replicate,the magic that this album weaves needs no introduction.UP THE IRONS!!!

FAVOURITE TRACKS:Caught Somewhere In Time,Wasted Years,Heaven Can Wait,Stranger in a Strange Land,Deja Vu


1. METALLICA-Ride the Lightning: I don't know how long the other albums will last on my top 10 list,but I can safely say that this album will ALWAYS occupy #1 spot.This album's sheer songwriting magnitude just astounds you.In a time when a 2/2 beat and a tremolo pick were enough to garner legendary status for a thrash metal album,Metallica pushed the envelope by playing varied beat speeds,more progressive riffs and having an overall almost classical feel to their music.This album is full of memorable riffs,catchy vocal hooks and of course the virtuosic bass playing of late Cliff Burton.If you haven't heard this album yet,that's shameful.

FAVOURITE TRACKS:Fight Fire With Fire,Ride the Lightning,For Whom the Bell Tolls,Fade to Black,Creeping Death,Escape,The Call of Ktulu.

Song titles quiz

Here's a quiz I came across on Facebook:

Think of an artiste and answer the following questions using ONLY their song titles.I choose my all-time favourites,Metallica.Here goes:

1. Are you a male or female: The God that Failed

2. Describe yourself: The Thing that Should Not Be

3. How do you feel about yourself: No Remorse

4. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: Ain't My Bitch

5. Describe your current boy/girl situation: Hit the Lights

6. Describe your current location: Trapped Under Ice

7. Describe where you want to be: The House that Jack Built

8. Your best friend is: My Friend of Misery

9. Your favorite color is: Blackened

10. You know that: Battery

11. What’s the weather like: Sad But True

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called: The Struggle Within

13. What is life to you: Eye of the Beholder

14. What is the best advice you have to give: Fight Fire with Fire

15. If you could change your name what would you change it to: Master of Puppets