Rob "the metal guy" Rants About Metal #10

    When there is no place left on the casino circuit for them...the washed up eighties hair bands get together to put on a washed up eighties hair metal jam fest. Who would go and see that you might ask? Well, Tom Keifer from Cinderella will be part of it, so I am not going to completely knock the show. However, Sebastian Bach will be there and I would not be surprised if he throws one of his famous Bach tantrums.
    Actually, this show at the Irvine Meadows in Irvine, Ca looks somewhat interesting. I would not mind seeing Faster Pussycat and Tom Keifer. Though I am a tad confused why they booked both Tracii Guns and L.A. Guns. Tracii used to be in L.A. Guns and he said some harsh words about the band’s current drummer. There might be a hair metal brawl on stage! Unfortunately, these bands have had their glory days and need to move on. Their cheesy videos and catchy rock songs about messing around with women will always be a guilty pleasure of mine, but I would not pay to see them now (Cinderella is an amazing rock band and Tom Keifer is a brilliant songwriter, thus he is excluded from that last statement).
    So, Ghost or Ghost BC released another new song that will be on their upcoming third album. The song, “From the Pinnacle to the Pit,” is a slight return to their early material with a heavier riff section being more noticeable. I think the band actually listened to some of the criticism they received from fans over their last album being too keyboard saturated. I definitely hear a difference from their last release, but I still think that the first album, “Opus Eponymous,” shall forever be the album that defines Ghost for me. The two new tracks I have heard are by no means utter pieces of flaming horse crap, though the musical astonishment I have for this band is not the same compared to when I first heard their debut release. In the end, I cannot complain because at least this is an improvement from the second album, “Infestissumam.” That album was a disappointment just like the San Jose Sharks hockey team failing to win in the playoffs every year and then not even making it last year...
    Last topic to bring up is that if you ever want to avoid upsetting Glenn Danzig, just don’t go up to him and shove a camera in his face. Danzig has been known to get confrontational when a reporter or music fan starts filming him. This past week Navid Farsi who I guess has trolled rock musicians and other celebrities before, decided to go after Danzig and get a reaction by filming the singer. Not only did Navid film Danzig during the concert, he was bold enough to go up to Danzig after the show in the parking lot. Sure enough the dude was put in a headlock by Danzig and the video is now getting plenty of views on youtube. I think Danzig needs to watch his temper, but this Navid guy is an internet attention wanting douche. Unfortunately, Navid got what he wanted because now all the metal media websites are talking about this. In the end I ask one thing: Leave Danzig alone and he will leave you alone. Just imagine Danzig is a wild animal that should be left alone in his natural habitat.
    Alright that is it for this week’s rant. Who thought I would make it to ten...well, the metal world keeps offering me good topics to evaluate. Some topics are more ridiculous than others of course...

Rob "the metal guy" Rants About Metal #3

    Ghost is back...Oh wait, I have to call them Ghost B.C. since they were forced to change their name in America due to legal reasons. Anyway, they are going to be releasing their third album later this summer with the exact date being August 21. Titled, “Meliora,” the album is the follow-up to 2013’s, "Infestissumam." I personally thought “Infestissumam" was a flat out disappointment, especially compared to the band’s first album. I remember constantly talking about the first album and getting excited for the follow up to that release. Unfortunately, Ghost just did not deliver a strong recording with that second album. I thought the album was extremely over produced and the band added too many keyboard arrangements. Compared to the spooky melodic classic rock sounding first album, the band turned into a techno pop rock group who relied heavily upon their gimmicky. Also, when the band decided to expand their merchandizing by putting out butt plugs and dildos, I thought I was dealing with another Kiss. Hopefully with this third album Ghost returns to the more classic rock driven sound and relies less on keyboards. Also, I would like to see them stop making sex toys...Leave the outrageous merchandizing to Gene Simmons.
    Slayer drama alert! Slayer drama alert! Blabbermouth reports that Kerry King felt ‘insulted’ by the record contract that was offered to the band by longtime producer and label boss Rick Rubin. Slayer has worked with Rubin and American Recordings for a longtime and recently King addressed the reason for the split. I guess an agreement could not be made for this new album, so the band is using Nuclear Blast to put out their eleventh album, “Repentless.” I could care less who puts out the new Slayer album, but I think the whole situation is humorous given that Kerry King has come to be viewed as the major jerk of the metal world. Maybe Rubin should have offered to take Kerry King to Burger King in the contract? I can’t wait to see more hilarious stories involving current or former members of Slayer. Don’t forget, the new album does not come out until 9/11, so I think we will be hearing more from metal’s most dramatic band who used to be metal’s most feared and well respected bands.
    Last topic...I am leaving it up to you people! Tell me something below in the comments section that is going on in the metal world that you would like to express an opinion about. Don’t be afraid to say what you feel and even come up with a clever joke. 
    Hope you enjoyed this weeks rant and I will be back with another! \m/