Heavy Metal Textbooks

A CONFLUENCE OF RINGERS

It happens every year; a ton of great music comes out at the very end of the year that upsets my top 10 lists, without fail.  What's happened in the last 16 days however, is unprecedented.  Check out the rock and roll genius of these albums by four stoner rock major-leaguers:

SPACESLUG: REIGN OF THE ORION

Spaceslug has produced five albums in four years now.  This volume of production might signal a product that is either of lesser quality, or is simply more of the same each time.  Neither of these is true with Spaceslug.  Not only is each album truly great, but they keep evolving, with each new release offering something the previous album did not.  

Here is one of five great tunes.  This is "Spacerunner":

Spaceslug is (l-r):

Jan Rutka - Bass/Vocals

Kamil Ziółkowski - Drums/Vocals

Bartosz Janik - Guitars/Vocals

RAINBOWS ARE FREE: HEAD PAINS

I've been waiting for this one for what feels like forever.  Brandon Kistler's voice would gain attention even with sub-par musicians, but the rest of the band is elite as well, making Rainbows Are Free a truly special band.  "Shapeshifter" might be my favorite track, but I already posted it so here's another great one called "Covered In Dawn":

Rainbows Are Free are from Oklahoma.  They are:

Brandon Kistler - Vocals
Richie Tarver - Lead Guitar/Synth/Backup Vocals
Joey Powell - Guitars
Jason Smith - Bass/Piano
Bobby Onspaugh - Drums/Auxiliary Percussion

CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL:

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO DIE

Much like Spaceslug, Chuch Of The Cosmic Skull just keeps evolving, and have produced groundbreaking albums two years in a row.  This band is stacked with talent, and have truly done things that no one has done before.  Five great musicians and six great singers with inspired songwriting have produced an album that's important musically on a scale with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

Church Of The Cosmic Skull are:

Bill Fisher - Guitar & Vocals;

Michael Wetherburn - Hammond Organ & Vocals
Amy Nicholson - Electric Cello & Vocals
Loz Stone - Drums
Sam Lloyd - Bass & Vocals
Jo Joyce - Vocals;

Caroline Cawley - Vocals

SCISSORFIGHT: DOOMUS ABRUPTUS Vol.1

Didn't think I'd ever get to hear a new album from Scissorfight, so what a great surprise this was.  There are a new singer and drum player, but you won't feel like there's been a change at all because "Doomus Apruptus Vol.1" picks up right where "Victory Over Horseshit" left off.  This is blue-collar, heavy, bad-ass rock and roll, and would make the perfect soundtrack to any barfight.  Doomus Abruptus is everything you'd expect from a new Scissorfight album.  Here is one of my favorites, "Where Eagles Drink":

Scissorfight are from New Hampshire, and are:

Jay Fortin – guitar

Paul Jarvis – bass

Doug Aubin – vocals

Rick Orcut – drums

You can buy this album directly from Salt Of The Earth Records here,

or download from amazon

Now throw in Solace's new album, and I'm making the claim that the period from November 29th  through December 13th has produced more epic rock than any other 15 day period, period.

It's like Christmas came early.  Hope you enjoyed checking these tunes out

-ULTRA