Lest we forget: Music from the XX Century (Part II)

A continuation of great classics. Enjoy

Dre

6.Bathory - Dies Irae


When speaking of Pioneers of Metal, it is almost offensive not to include Swedish legend Bathory, who should be put on a pedestal for its tremendous contributions to both the Black and the Viking Metal scene. As many of you know, the band came to a sudden halt in 2004 after the death of vocalist, guitarist and founder Quorthon. The album  In Memory of Quorthon was released in 2006, as a tribute which included personal quotes, writings in italics and memories from to the man who made it all possible.



Nostalgia aside and back to the list. I chose Bathory's 1988 album Blood Fire Death, as it defines the band's transition into what I would define as a more epic phase in their songwriting.  I just found out that the lyrics to The Golden Walls of Heaven and Dies Irae are acrostics for "Satan" (which is repeated 8 times) and "Christ The bastard son of Heaven", respectively.  It amuses me when musicians go beyond our everyday reality to find sources of inspiration for their lyrics, and this is definitely the case of Dies Irae. Originally a 13th Century Hymm, D.I. talks about the day of judgement and the last trumpet that summons the souls before the throne of God, where the chosen ones will be saved and the rest will be condemned for eternity. This Latin Hymm used to be part of the Roman Catholic liturgy until the reformed introduced by Pope Paul Vi before the Second Vatican Council got rid of it.  There you go, your  food-for-thought of the day.


Unfortunately I couldn't find the Guitar tabs for this song. 


  

7.  Deicide - Lunatic of God's Creation

Tampa's Death Metal Icon Deicide holds the title of Best Selling Death Metal Album thanks to their 1990 self-titled album Deicide (Roadrunner Records). This album is a true classic of D.M. and a key in the evolution of of the genre, given its then-unmatched brutality and the vocal style of Mr. Glen Benton, whose deep, guttural growl was further enhanced in the studio to make the vocals as harsh as humanly possible. The lyrical aspect of the album is consistent with the array of brutality predominant throughout it. The tracks are well known for their blasphemous lyrical content and inspiration behind songs like Carnage in the Temple of the Damned and Lunatic of God's Creation fits into my idea of VERY INTERESTING!


Carnage in the Temple of the Damned was inspired in the mass suicide orchestrated by the Peoples Temple leader, Jim Jones (with whom I share Birthdays... Not very proud about it btw), in November 1979 in Jonestown, Guyana. Moreover, Lunatic of God's Creation was  inspired on another wacky character, Charles Manson. Aside from its origin, this song is a great way to start the album . I find that guitar-wise this song is one of the strongest ones of the album (followed by  Sacrificial Suicide), and hence why I chose it. 
Guitar Tabs for Lunatic of God's Creation 

8.  Belphegor - Diabolical Possession


Well, oh well... I am about to get into a touchy subject (bear with me): Belphegor. This is one of those bands that slowly managed to get into my heart so I must warn you that anything said/done against them will automatically get you into my S#$@ List ^.^ Believe me, my loyalty to the band has nothing to do with the charmless personality of Mr. Helmuth or the almost sweet nature of Serpent (I met them both during an interview almost two years ago). It has to do with the fact that the band doesn't take crap from anyone, particularly fans. Opinions are meaningless to them and they stay loyal to whatever is it that they think their music should sound like and whatever is it that they want to stand for.

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I live and breathe Bondage Goat Zombie, particularly Sexdictator Lucifer (and yes, it is my ringtone). I must admit that before that album I hadn't paid much attention to the band, now I regret all the wasted hours where I could have enjoyed my beloved Belphegor instead of doing less important things. Anyway, the past is history and yet it still should be kept in mind, hence why I decided to include REALLY OLD Belphegor.  I came across their 1995 The Last Supper, which was the bands official debut (without counting the previous demos recorded since '91) and found a deep attraction for one song in particular, Diabolical Possession. The introductory riff is atrociously addictive. After listening to this song my commitment to the band grows stronger as I can still hear the same aggressiveness in their later releases. That is unique. The only thing that is slightly different is the vocal element. I think Helmuth has significantly improved his technique; not that it was ever bad. Every single band out there has at least tried to re-invent their sound and many of them loose their it-factor; not Belphegor.
Extra Awesome Guitar Tab for Diabolical Possession


    

9.  Exodus - A Lesson In Violence


Before I go on any further I must apologize to the whole world for never really opening my horizons to this band in the past. I don't know what was going through my head all that time. Maybe I wanted to be radical or maybe I was simply being irrational (most likely that was it). Either way, no excuses. I like Exodus, as a matter of fact I am starting to LOVE Exodus. I learned from the best Thrash Metal teacher in the whole wide world -JAEB- that their music is really an experience that goes beyond Metal. It is for you to enjoy and let your body flow to the rhythm of Gary Holt's guitar riffs, then you headbang until you feel that your neck is going to pop out of place and then you mosh (well, I don't mosh but if I did, it would definitely be to their music).

Back to the music. I first came across this band in 2006, then in 2008 I received at the station a copy of  Let There Be Blood, which was a remastered version of Bonded by Blood. Like I have repeatedly said, I was never a fan of Thrash metal until very recently, but one thing is for sure: A Lesson in Violence sure scored a home-run with me. I was never too good for that song! It was a long love-hate relationship ever since (fortunately the hate is slowly fading). Now, if I was to choose between the 1984 version and its re-release in 2008, I am inclined to say that I much prefer the latter version, even though I have a great respect for Mr. Paul Baloff's vocals. I think Rob Duke's voice sounds much more aggressive when performing this song, but that's a matter of opinion. I will post both videos for you to take a stand.

Extra cool Guitar Tabs for A Lesson In Violence

       

10.  Masacre - Orgasmos Oscuros (Paraiso)

From my very own Colombia, a Pioneer of Latin American Metal: Masacre, From their 1995 album Sacro, a song that has kept me up a few times, Orgasmos Oscuros (Paraiso).  What an intro! Fresh like morning bread. Masacre is one of those bands whose sound is so unique, it is hard to leave behind.  I have noticed that a lot of the newer Colombian Death Metal bands try to evoke the same aggressiveness that characterizes Masacre, but unfortunately they still do not have what it takes to outdo them.
Masacre has been dormant for a few years, and many of their original members have move onto other projects (the most important being La Pestilencia). From the bottom of my heart I truly wish that one day, sometime soon, they come back with a BOOM! For now, I will comfort myself with all their previous records.
Unfortunately I was unable to find the guitar tabs for this song. 






11. Opeth - Demon of the Fall


Last but definitely not least, one of the greatest (if not the GREATEST) Icon of Progressive Metal: Opeth.  Definitely part of my Top 3 favorite bands of all times. What they do they do well; the transition form melodic lullaby into guttural growling by Mr. Michael Akerfeld is one of their signature features. No one else has the ability to take you into two separate journeys within a song. Melodically speaking, Opeth is simply an inspiration. I will never stop praising their work.  I have followed their work for a while and they are one of the few bands that has managed to reinvent their sound  and succeeded after every single attempt. Every single album they have released is a musical journey and yet they still manage to give its audience something new every time. 

When it came to picking a song released last century, it was a tough call (yes, once again). But then I remember the first time I saw them in concert  (2008) and almost re-lived their last song,  Demon of The Fall; a definite crowd-pleaser.  Their 1998 album My Arms, Your Hearse has quite a few interesting interpretations. One of them can be seen as the album progresses the songs can be interpreted as the transition between seasons, the final song ending with winter, leading back into the first song with the beginnings of spring. It is also important to note that this was the band's first album with both Mr. Martin Lopez and Mr. Martin Mendez. Demon of the Fall is a great example of the band's evolution into a cleaner-more-rapacious sound with fewer acoustic parts.
Very Cool Guitar Tabs for Demon of the Fall

-Stay Metal-MM Dre dnklschwrz MMXI

Lest we forget: Music from the XX Century (Part I)

Greetings Legions,

"May the New Year strengthen your body and spirit, in the hopes that you all survive handling astronomic amounts of Mighty freakin' Metal in MMXI" 

- MM Dre dnklschwrz MMXI-

The Holiday spirit has evoked quite a few feelings of nostalgia for great music. Believe it or not, aside from the whole Fah lah lah lah lah and its related activities, I have managed to get a bit of time to gather some relics from the last century. Mind you that I am obviously missing tons of other songs but there hasn't been much time left for leisure. Below you will find 11 songs that have caught my attention recently and that are definitely worth mentioning (they  are in noway ranked, by the way). I have also included a link where you will find the tabs for each song, in case you are adventurous enough to try them or if you are looking for new songs to play. Allors, on commence:

1.  Suffocation - Catatonia

From their 1991 album Human Waste, Suffocation makes its debut and takes on a journey, which has lead them to become one of the most influential Death Metal bands of all times. This album was released by Relapse Records, and FYI this was actually the first CD to be released by the American Record Label. Songs such as Infecting the Crypts, Mass Obliteration, and Jesus Wept were re-released the same year in one of the band's Best Albums, Effigy of the Forgotten. Catatonia was re-recorded for their 1998 EP Despise the Sun. Quite frankly, I had some killer tracks to choose from but personally Catatonia portrays various aspects that I find appealing about Suffocation. 
Guitar Tabs for Catatonia

2. Cannibal Corpse - I Will Kill You

Cannibal Corpse has so many great albums that it was a real nightmare to pick only one album and only one song. I chose I Will Kill You because it is truly a killer track to start an album. I like the first eight seconds and they way in which they build momentum to the song and them... BAMM! Aside from that, their 1998 album Gallery of Suicide (released by Metal Blade Records) had a few things in its favour (even though you may disagree):


1. Mr. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher,
 who is also known for playing in Paths of Possession and Six Feet Under, in addition to his various musical contributions such as being Suffocations' guest vocalist in Reincremation and Mass Obliteration (from their Effigy of the Forgotten) and recording two albums (Imperial Doom and Millennium) with another Floridian Death Metal Pioneer, Monstrosity. Yes, Chris Barnes did a terrific job but I find that Chris Fisher's voice is a great match for the band. 
2. Alex Webster's Bass.
 One word: Stupefying. If you listen closely to every song in the album you will find that Mr. Webster Bass is consistent on every single musical measure and complements each melody very well; exceptional I would say.
Guitar Tabs for I Will Kill You




  

3.  Slayer - Angel of Death

Oh Slayer, how could I ever neglect your infinite divinity. . . Personal anecdote: I was working at the airport this past summer and some of my shifts started at 04:00, so I had to be up by 02:30 every day. Tired of the Beep.. Beep of my alarm clock, I decided to spice up my mornings and so I set this song to be my Alarm. It was actually quite exciting to get up to the screams of Mr. Tom Araya.


Back to the music. It is almost impossible to ignore this track. Although Reign in Blood has quite a few gems, such as Jesus Saves, Postmortem,  Criminally Insane and last but definitely not least, Raining Blood, it was a tough call once again. The reason why I ended up choosing Angel of Death over the latter has to do with the song's lyrical content. Atrociously well done may be the only way I can think of to describe how Mr. Jeff Hanneman found inspiration in the acts of Josef Mengele during the Nazi Holocaust. Touchee, really. 
This song has been the main cause of controversy associated with the band; it has brought them good and bad press. Slayer has been called a "Nazi Sympathizer" ever since due to this song's lyrics. This stigma has followed the band throughout their career. Other factors, such as Mr. Hanneman's Nazi medal collection have led to major misunderstandings regarding the band's view on the Holocaust. Still, most of the rumours have actually boosted the band's popularity and this song has join the list of classics of Thrash Metal.
Guitar Tabs for Angel of Death

4.  Brujeria - Matando Gueros

Viva Mexico Cabron! I could never neglect Brujeria, within any musical criteria, particularly if I have to choose top 5 songs of all times. The energy behind the classic line-up is something really hard to come across. For the release of their 1993 Matando Gueros, the band's lineup included Juan Brujo (Juan Lepe) in the vocals, Pinche Peach in vocals and samples,  Hongo (Mr. Shane Embury from my beloved Napalm Death, among other projects) on the guitar,  Guero sin fe (Billy Gould from Faith No More) on the bass,  Fantasma (Pat Hoed) on bass and vocals,  Grennudo (Mr. Raymond Herrera from Arkaea) on the drumms and Hozicon Jr. as the director.

I dare to say that Brujeria has been one of the only bands to have the privilege of featuring some of the most iconic legends of Metal, coming from a variety of spectra, such as Dino Cazares (Fear Factory, Asesino), Nicholas Barker (Cradle of Filth,  Anaal Nathrakh, Atrocity, Benediction, Old Man's Child, Dimmu Borgir, among others), Tony Laureano (All that Remains, Nile,  Angelcorpse, Malevolent Creation and God Dethroned among others),  Patrik Jensen (The Haunted,  Satanic Slaughter), Mr. Jesse Pintado R.I.P.(Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Lock Up) and Emilio Marquez (Asesino, Possessed, Brainstorm, among others).
I would give my left  hand to see all of the above playing live (for the sake of my left hand that won't be possible, since Mr. Jessy Pintado is not around any longer). 


The reason why I chose this album and the self-titled track (over Raza Odiada, which turns to be a personal favorite) is because it has become the emblem of the band, and without it Brujeria wouldn't be the same. The controversy behind the graphical nature of the album has built the band's reputation among the Metal community. The  picture on the album cover was taken from one of the most sensationalists Mexican newspapers, Alarma! Coco Loco (the head on the cover) has become the band's mascot.  

Guitar Tabs for Matando Gueros

5. Behemoth - Thy Winter Kingdom

The first Behemoth; the best Behemoth. Their 1995 debut album Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic) is nothing like their music now a days. It was RAW, truly raw black metal. The crappy sound complements their intentions quite well and I admire them for that. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy new Behemoth a lot, but their sound has definitely deviated from their original idea. It has inclined tremendously towards the Death Metal realm, and that is fine with me. I have a great deal of respect for this band, as they remain true to their music, even though they have become more popular. Many other bands (I won't give out names) seem to have focused on money-making strategies as opposed to really staying loyal to their audience. Many have decided to broaden their horizon and please more mainstream audiences. Not Behemoth, and to that I bow. 


What I personally like the most about this first album are the two tracks written and performed by Polish Black Metal band Demonious: Ancient and Hell Dwells in Ice. Breath-taking Dark. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any more music by this band, nor any other Musical contributions by them, which I find quite disappointing.   
Other than that I find the remaining eight tracks really authentic and I had to include Thy Winter Kingdom in this list, so that none of you forget where the almighty Behemoth came from and what authentic sounds like.
Guitar Tabs for Thy Winter Kingdom 

To be continued....-Stay Metal-MM Dre dnklschwrz MMXi