Podcast #175: Axe

These New York cats keep sounding better with every album they release, so check 'em out.Why can't we all just get along? Surely this thought pops into a metalhead's mind whenever his/her favorite guitarist leaves a band. Let's face it: this has been going on for decades - generally happening in bands featuring the lead singer's name (e.g. Dio, Ozzy, Dokken, etc...) But what drives that wedge between the lead singer and the guitarist? Join Genghis & Ragman as they discuss this phenomenon. Next, the boys round up Martyrd guitarist Michael Andreas for a one on one, as Mike discusses the band's latest single, Faceless, as well as their upcoming new album.

DVD of the Show: Dio - Live in London (Hammersmith Apollo 1993)

Beer of the Show: Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Porter (Harpoon Brewery)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.5 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 3.5	"This nicely balanced dessert beer has a sophisticated flavor profile that minimizes the bite of its nearly 10% ABV. Nice work!"

2nd Beer of the Show: Lenin's Revenge (Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company)

Featured Tracks: Winger - Queen Babylon; Dio - Strange Highways; Eat the Gun - At the End of the Day; Sebastian Bach - Gun to a Knife Fight; Winger - Tin Soldier; Whitesnake - All Out of Luck; Black Country Communion - Afterglow; Gus G - My Will Be Done; Martyrd - Pain of Reason and Faceless

Ragman's Classic of the Show: Lion - Powerlove

Genghis' Pick of the Show: EZO - House of 1,000 Pleasures

Ragman's Pick of the Show: The Intersphere - The Ghost of a Chance

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Prong - Come to Realize

- Ragman is back in the saddle again...

Podcast #175: Axe

Batmetal

I know it's vacation around the Nightmare Studios campus, but I had to share this awesome video of Batman rocking the shit out of an audience starved for superhero metal. Aren't you?

Then enjoy - and get those HORNS UP!

- Genghis loves metal and comics, so...you know...

Vacation time again...

We're in July, so you know the drill. We don't intend to stop posting, but don't be surprised that we get a little distracted from the site by doing our family thing.

With any luck, we'll catch some shows and let you know what sort of shenanigans are going on with respect to the podcast and such. But we hope our fans have fun and we'll do the same.

In the meantime, you might keep an eye on Twitter or Facebook for the latest TRTR info, cool?

HORNS UP!

- Genghis can't wait to relax and drink more beer...

Outline In Color - Masks

Holy crap these Tulsans know how to rock a fucking joint. Think In Flames with a poppier edge.I don't know how many metalcore bands you can name from Tulsa, Oklahoma, but if you're in the market for that you've got to check out Outline In Color, and their latest LP, Masks. Sounding a bit like a poppier In Flames of sorts, this talented sextet of twenty-somethings knows how to lay down a seriously heavy beat with a melodic grace that stands out from the crowd.

"Genghis, this isn't a unique band by any means." Okay, disembodied nay-sayer, but I'm telling you, once the first track Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea kicks off you get an immediate sense of energy that I don't find in most modern metalcore. This isn't just the typical cathartic screamo sessions that most of the subgenre seem to sound like. Animal Masks' clean tone break (1:16) lets the listener breathe before the mosh break (2:01) in a way that belies a deeper understanding of the power of dynamics. And the end transitions perfectly into Beautiful Secrets and that simple, but perfect pre-chorus riff. This band is firing on all cylinders and then some.

The Bottom Line: With a knack for compelling riffage that sounds mature beyond their years, Outline In Color seems poised to rock the shit out of all before them. If they keep this up, we may all one day worship them or fall at their feet.

- Genghis can hardly imagine what a killer live band these guys make...

October File - The Application of Loneliness, Ignorance, Misery, Love and Despair - An Introspective of the Human Condition

Fans of industrial metal would likely dig these UK boys' work in the field. Good stuff.Handily trouncing all comers for unnecessarily longest album title of the year, October File has released their fourth studio album (big breath), The Application of Loneliness, Ignorance, Misery, Love and Despair - An Introspective of the Human Condition. The band has been gaining significant traction in the industrial metal sub-genre of post-punk as exemplified by bands like Godflesh - in fact, Justin Broadrick produced their last album, so there's a definite nod there.

Industrial metal fans know the drill: Basically, these cats create a soundscape of gritty guitars, fuzzy bass, pounding drums and tortured vocals that would be nothing more than a wall of sound if not for the melodies weaved throughout. More than just there for texture, it's these melodies that bear the listener above the churning rhythymic sea, providing something familiar to latch on to rather than drown in chaos below. Sounds high falutin', but I'm saying that this music is angry and heavy but..."catchy", for lack of a better word.

The Bottom Line: If you like introspective concept albums and the sound of industrial metal's angry, machine attack, this is a good band to check out.

Tracks To Make You All Introspective And Moody: The Water

- Genghis liked this even though he never could understand all the fuss over NiN...