Top Ten Albums of 2024 / Rob "The Metal Guy" Awards

As the year 2024 comes to an end and we are all left wondering how in the world did people like The Costco Guys and Hawk Tuah Girl get famous along with all the other whacky shit that happened in 2024, it is time to look back on all the great music that came out this year. I felt that 2024 was a solid year overall in terms of new hard rock and metal releases, the battle for the number one spot was not as competitive as it has been in prior years. Sentient Ruin once again dominated in terms of underground extreme music labels, and the owner of the label does not need to run a Youtube Channel complaining like a toddler when bands are unwilling to do interviews with him like some other labels (cough...J-Dawg). Now, in regards to my pick for the number one album of the year, I am already expecting the self-proclaimed "true" metal readers to start calling me a poser as well as begin a petition to revoke my "Metal Guy" status. Honestly, just get over it and accept the fact that the best album of the year wasn't some obscure kvlt band that wears Party City vampire capes, or is a tech death band writing songs about aliens installing solar panels on The Great Pyramids. Just like how those cackling hens on The View had to accept the results of the Orange Man's victory, the metal community can chill out for one year as I give the number one spot to a non-metal band. Alright, enough of my blabbering, here is the list for my Top Ten Albums of 2024, plus the Rob "The Metal Guy" Awards at the end...

10. Örnatorpet “Fordomdags”

This just wouldn’t be a top ten list if a dungeon synth/ambient artist was not featured. As someone who has been a massive fan of dungeon synth music over the years, I always seem to come across some very creative artists. Örnatorpet is a Swedish artist who has really created some gems over the years, and this latest album “Fordomdags,” being yet another captivating dungeon synth tale. I like the Scandinavian folk elements that are sprinkled throughout the release, as well as the soothing melodies and bewitching synths. Even without words you can paint these vivid landscapes in your head while following along to the captivating noises. I highly recommend checking the album out if you enjoy dungeon synth and ambient music similar to that of Secret Stairways and Jim Kirkwood.  

9. Low Moments “Escape Artist/Ship Has Sailed” 

I just don’t think the world could have endured if we did not get another new Low Moment’s release and this new one that came out in 2024 was one that easily could have been nominated for a Grammy if only there was a way to payoff the officials like in the NFL. Actually, the music on this release is extremely catchy and the lyrics can be very relatable, which sometimes is scary if you really think about it. I would say that if you are a fan of gloomy post-punk then you will definitely want to listen to this album, as Low Moments just seems to fill that void which is missing in the music world today. Also, they sure do provide great background music for when you walk around the mall by yourself dressed all in black eating taiyaki and pondering as to why life keeps kicking you in the balls. 

8. Bütcher “On Fowl of Tyrant Wing”

I found out about this Belgium based speed metal/back metal band through an awesome friend who knows a thing or two about killer metal music. Bütcher’s latest release “On Fowl of Tyrant Wing” is down right badass from the album cover to the music. The album features a plethora of blistering riffs and skull crushing rhythms. Once you start listening to it, you cannot stop! This is definitely a band that I would like to see live one day, especially given the punishing and brutal energy that they were able to conjure up on this album. 

7. Deicide “Banished by Sin”

When it comes to older bands that are considered iconic and influential in the world of metal music, I personally feel as though some of them have really put out some sterile and overproduced sounding releases. Without sounding too harsh, I personally believe there are a handful of acts that just need to hang it up. In the case of Deicide, I definitely find that they have been consistent over the years and this new album “Banished by Sin” actually surprised me. Glen and the boys delivered a truly crushing death metal album featuring some down right brutal riffs. I would say that this album by far surpasses the last two albums, which I thought were just very average sounding releases. Songs like “Bury the Cross... with Your Christ,” “Woke from God” and “The Light Defeated” feature killer lyrics mocking religion, while showing that these guy still know how to pump out utterly agonizing extreme death metal compositions. 

6. Maudissez “Self-Titled Album” 

This debut self-titled album from sinister extreme metal maniacs, Maudissez, was sure one hellish listening experience. I thought this album was sonically decimating from the very start. It came as no surprise when I found out the that the band was working with Sentient Ruin on the release of the album. This group definitely fits in well with all the other bands on Sentient Ruin, especially considering the band’s haunting and profane musical identity. A lot of metal bands can dress-up and act evil with their chains and upside down crosses, but few can actually deliver an utterly malevolent sounding creation. Maudissez is a band that I would keep an eye out for in the future, as they are extremely talented when it comes to crafting long blasphemous sounding tracks with very terrifying atmospheres. 

5. Hemotoxin “When Time Becomes Loss”

A local Bay Area band that I have been following ever since seeing them live in 2013, Hemotoxin continues to push the technical thresholds with each new release. Guitarist/singer Michael Chavez is an unbelievably talented player who has also really evolved as a songwriter. “When Time Becomes Loss” takes a step into a more progressive direction, while still conveying a vicious old school death metal and technical thrash feel at times. I thought the album contained some very profound tracks with my favorite being, “Reborn in Tragedy.” Also, for the album Michael brought in a few talented guitarists to provide guest solos and give the music an even more blistering dynamic sound as well. 

4. Diabolic Oath “Oracular Hexations”

The savage blackened death metal horde known as Diabolic Oath once gain delivered a punishing full-length album to follow-up what was a very impressive debut album. This sophomore release, ““Oracular Hexations,” demonstrates the band’s savage nature, as well as their insane musicianship. From the apocalyptic blast beats and abhorrent riff structures, to the inhuman death growls, Diabolic Oath knows how to arrange some vicious tracks. Yet another band on Sentient Ruin which demonstrated tremendous extreme creativity to unleash upon the metal world an unfathomably deafening assault.  

3. Aberration “Refracture”

Ever since I reviewed Aberration’s first EP for Sentient Ruin back around 2021, I had been looking forward to hearing them come-up with a full-length release. The band’s sound takes on an old school death metal approach, but also incorporates some sonically defiling noises to create insidious atmospheres. There are a lot of dynamic and dissonant riff structures, which keeps you listening intently as the music viciously evolves. Aberration was determined to leave an impact with the release of this album, and I definitely think they accomplished their goal to create a purely evil sounding release. 

2. Nekus "Death Apophenia”

On their sophomore full-length release, "Death Apophenia,” Nekus once again unleashes a leviathan sized helping of death doom to shatter your ears and drag you mercilessly into the gruesomely distorted dark depths. The riffs on this album sound unbelievably deafening with monstrous amounts of reverb to send shockwaves across the musical landscapes with unapologetic force. Also, the thunderous drumming stands out as everything about this album evokes such a cataclysmic feel, which is why I really think this album is one of the best sounding extreme metal releases to come out in 2024. Nekus does not need to mindlessly shred through random scales to capture the listener’s attention. The band’s surrealistically profound delivery hooks you from start to finish by hitting you square in the gut. 

1. The Cure “Songs of a Lost World”

When I first heard that The Cure was going to be releasing a new album, I was not freaking out like most diehard fans, but I was interested to hear how it would sound. Although the album is not hard rock or metal, I made the decision to add it to this list because the album's overall production is phenomenal. From the opening song with its mesmerizing chords to the final track which hits you with a tremendous amount of profound emotional force, this album is just sonically impressive. Robert Smith sounds amazing as well compared to a lot of singers his age who have started to sound like utter trash and should check themselves into he retirement home (Morrissey being one of them!). I know a lot of my hardcore metal fanatic readers are going to scream poser when they read this, but all I can say to them is to get over it and acknowledge that even if you do not like The Cure, at least respect the quality of what this band was able to accomplish. The Cure could have easily just dialed it in and wrote an album full of gimmicky tracks that are cheap copies of previous material. However, “Songs of a Lost World,” actually takes elements from the band’s early years, but somehow ventures into even more grandiose post-punk atmospheric directions. Something that I think all bands young and old can learn from this new album from The Cure is that taking your time to compose a complete and profound listen experience is definitely important, and leaves an impression on your listeners more than a band cranking out albums mindlessly year after year which all sound the same to where why spending money when the music becomes utterly forgettable. 

The Rob “The Metal Guy” Awards

Label of the Year: Sentient Ruin

Best Live Performance: The Mission in San Jose at the Ritz and Kreator in SF at The Warfield for Klash of the Titans (Both get the award because both were amazing!) 

EP of the Year:  Cemetery Filth “Senses of Detriment”

Album Cover of the Year: Cemetery Filth “Senses of Detriment”

Music Video of the Year: VOID - “Return of the Phantom”

Music Venue of the Year: Brentwood Emporium

Best Punk Releases of the Year: Dollhouse - “I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me” and Yellowcake "A Fragmented Truth"

Most Badass Wrestler of the Year: Stephanie Vaquer

Biggest Douches of the Year: Taylor Swift, The Women on The View, and Dave Meltzer 

Hemotoxin “When Time Becomes Loss”

 

    Similar to most metal bands that have experienced triumphs, challenges and setbacks in their careers, Hemotoxin is an act that has been on a wild rollercoaster ride since the band’s formation back in 2010. From line-up changes to having their third full-length album come out right when the 2020 Pandemic was in full-swing and everyone was stuck at home due to lockdown orders, this Bay Area based band is no stranger when tasked with overcoming adversity. However, the band’s resilience and feverish work ethic, especially from that of founding member and primary driving force Michael Chavez, is why I would consider this newest release, “When Time Becomes Loss,” to be an extremely important album that fans have been highly anticipating.  

    “When Time Becomes Loss,” is the fourth full-length Hemotoxin studio album to date, and can really be described as solo endeavor for singer/guitarist Michael compared to the previous releases from the band. For this new album Michael enlisted the help of Scott Fuller (Annihilated, ex-Morbid Angel) to handle all the drum parts. I thought Scott did a tremendous job, because his style of drumming as well as his past experience, perfectly complimented the musical direction Michael was trying to accomplish with the new material. There are even a few guest solos featured on some of the songs with contributions from Tony Barhoum (Condition Critical), Andrew Lee (Ripped to Shreds) and Donnie Small (Laceration/Trecelence). 

    The album’s first song, “Morbid Reflection,” makes an impact right away by unleashing some hellacious guitar playing and ear-piecing harmonic sequels to usher forth one devastating composition. Everything sounds tight and on point in terms of the sound quality and the punishing rhythms coming from Scott Fuller from behind the kit. Also, I thought Michael’s vocals sounded utterly profound on the recording, which is also something that can be heard throughout the album. On the second track, you continue to hear this raw and bombastic energy being unleashed through the agonizing technical death/thrash riffs which Michael conjures up. The guest solo that Donnie Small from Laceration/Trecelence provides really adds to the song’s aggressive and dynamic sound, while even offering up some unbelievably ethereal sounding shredding. 

    On track number three, “Malediction,” I liked how the music at times took on a very old school thrash sound by relentlessly hammering out these chaotic sounding riffs that sort of reminded me of the early Hemotoxin releases. However, Michael proves to be a very omniscient extreme metal musician who experiments with a plethora of different tempos and time signatures, so there are these extremely clever transitions from raw intense sounding riffs to more mesmerizingly fluid technical solos. In all, the music features so many layers and on tracks like “Abstract Commands” and “Conscious Descent,” you find yourself becoming completely ensnared by the overpowering arrangements. On, “Conscious Descent,” Andrew Lee from Ripped to Shreds, a band that Michael also plays in, offers up a brilliant sounding solo which I thought really complimented Michael’s playing on the track as well, thus demonstrating the solid chemistry between these two players.  

    Lyrically, I have always felt that with each new Hemotoxin album the l songwriting has always evolved, and I can definitely hear that on this new album.  Michael's approach to writing lyrics reminds me a bit of how Chuck Schuldiner’s lyrics always seemed to dig deeper into more meaningful themes relating to human existence, unlike some bands that cannot seem to breakout of the whole, "Hail Satan and put Jesus in a blender," fixation. That is why without question I thought the best song off of this release was,“Reborn in Tragedy.” From the relatable lyrics that can resonate with so many listeners to the highly emotional driven guitar solo, this song was truly exceptional from start to finish. 

The final track on the album which happens to be the title track, “When Time Becomes Loss,” is another fearsome piece of death/thrash, yet also conveys a progressive sounding feel at times. To me this has always been one of Hemotoxin’s strengthens when comparing them to their peers, as the music always seems to reacher higher than just that of a straight forward dearth/thrash band. I really liked the lead guitar parts during this track as well as Tony Barhoum’s solo, which once again provided a nice transition from the heaviness of the main riff to a more calming progressive rock/metal section. 

    Overall, I cannot find much to complain about this album, as I strongly believe this is yet another step forward for Hemotoxin. Of course, I will admit that I do have some bias having watched this band over the years, but I will refrain from being like wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer and just blindly giving the album a seven star rating out of five stars. Hemotoxin’s “When Time Becomes Loss” may not be Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada at the Tokyo Dome, but in the end the album is an exceptional metal release that I was recorded by some extremely passionate and dedicated individuals. In my opinion, the songwriting and musicianship really stood out when listening to this album, and I think a lot of that can be attributed to the attention to detail from all those involved in the making of the album. My final thoughts are that this is an album that you need to check out if you are a fan of extreme metal music, as well as someone who appreciates dynamic musicianship from an act that continues to wave the flag for heavy metal music in the Bay Area/Contra Costa County. 

Check out the full album below via Pulverized Records Youtube Channel! 

Hemotoxin Bandcamp:

https://hemotoxin70.bandcamp.com/merch

Pulverized Records:

https://www.pulverised.net/

Concert Review: Bonded by Blood, Malpractice, Mortalis and Hemotoxin (3/16/2024)

 

    I think for those living in Contra Costa County, there has been a void ever since Red House in Walnut Creek closed down in 2016, especially when pertaining to all ages music venues. For years I have talked about how punk and metal bands have struggled to book shows in this region of the Bay Area and I even wrote an article about this topic a few years ago. So, when I heard that there was going to be an all ages metal show in Brentwood on March 16th featuring four killer bands, I definitely decided to make the trek out the Brentwood Emporium located in the city’s downtown to check it out. 

    The four bands billed for the show were : Bonded by Blood, Malpractice, Mortalis and Hemotoxin. This was definitely a special show for Hemotoxin, a band that I believe has been a flagship band amongst the Contra Costa County metal scene, as well as an act that has put out some exceptional releases over the years. Also, I think for a lot of people getting the chance to see a line-up featuring four such ravenous metal acts, helped draw out the metal maniacs for this show. I thought the turnout was solid as I pulled up to the venue and I also was extremely impressed by the venue’s layout. There was a strong vibe right from the get go as you had fans of all ages starting to come in and surround the stage located in the front of the venue. 

Hemotoxin

    Opening the show was Contra Costa County’s own progressive death/thrash titans, Hemotoxin, a band that I have been following and reviewing for well over ten years. The first time I saw Hemotoxin was when they opened up for Havok in Walnut at the Red House around 2013, and this band has continued to progress as musicians and songwriters. It was great to see bassist Nathan Fruth back in the band as he and guitarist/singer Michael Chavez play so well together and are at the core of Hemotoxin's heavy technical sound. Also, this would be the first show featuring new members Juan Carlos Garcia on guitar and drummer Aryan Pakkhoo, with both doing a tremendous job for their first performance with the band. As a four piece, Hemotoxin sounded better than ever and I do believe their performance started to really resonate with the feverish crowd. Since Covid struck when the band put out their third full-length release, “Restructure the Molded Mind,” I was excited to finally hear songs from that album live, especially “Automation,” which lyrically is very relatable to the world we are living in today with all the technological advancements that will impact human existence. For the encore, the band played “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” a Lovecraft inspired song from their debut album that I was singing along to as Michael delivered the chorus section with such profound passion. I am excited for the band’s future as they have a new album in the works and based on the response from the audience during the band’s set, I see Hemotoxin building off this momentum and I wish to see them continue to get the credit they deserve for all their years of hard work. 

Mortalis

    After Hemotoxin left the stage to a thunderous roar from the crowd, the second band, Mortalis, started setting up for their thrash metal onslaught. Based out of Southern California, Mortalis, seemed like they were extremely enthusiastic to be playing up in the Bay Area and I was glad to see the band getting a loud response as they tore into their first song. I thought the singer/guitarist conveyed a lot of raw emotion as he played his flying v guitar and interacted with the audience. During their set I also noticed that the pit was starting to expand as the riffs became more intense. Mortalis had a solid sound that reminded me of early Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth, along with some other metal influences sprinkled in the mix. I would definitely recommend checking them out and hope to see them come back to the Bay Area in the future. 

Malpractice

    The third band to perform was Malpractice, an up and coming group of young headbangers from the Bay Area that looked to add to the musical mayhem with their own brand of hellish sounding thrash. Right off the bat, I have to say that the band’s bassist is an extremely talented musician who added an extra boost of explosive low end brutality to the band’s overall sound. I thought the lead singer and guitarist really captured the rebellious essence of heavy metal as he shouted out the lyrics and hammered away at his guitar like a possessed lunatic. The band’s drummer made his presence known by playing with an utter astonishing amount intensity as he dealt out juggernaut sounding rhythms from behind the kit. My only complainant and maybe it is because I have become more cranky in my old age, is that some girl in front of the stage was taking a selfie video while the band was performing for an egregious amount of time. Luckily the pit started to move in her direction and I think she valued the life of her phone so she stopped, and the people behind her could finally enjoy Malpractice’s performance. Overall, I think Malpractice is a promising act that has something going for them, but of course my recommendation is to keep working hard at their craft and avoid ending up like those bloated bearded metal bands playing the same generic sounding recycled thrash riffs at some backyard outlaw mud show to an audience of tire iron wielding barefoot humanoids. 

Bonded by Blood

Once Malpractice finished their set and made their way off the stage, the headliner Bonded by Blood started getting ready for their set. This group from Southern California has been around for a while and I have heard some of their music over the years, but I had never had the opportunity see them live before, so I was definitely looking forward to hearing their set. The band blends thrash and hardcore together to create one momental sounding concoction of furious sounding riffs that can get a mosh pit going right away. I was impressed by the band’s singer who demonstrated tremendous skills as a frontman by delivering the lyrics with a pure unapologetic attitude. The twin guitar attack provided a lethal dose of headbanging thrash riffs, while the drummer and bassist provide a strong rhythmic foundation. Even after all the intense moshing around the audience was still going strong with a few exceptions, like the guy who tripped over the stanchion rope and took a bump similar to that of Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam 2005. As the band finished their set the audience howled for an encore, which the band obliged as they seemed to be fueled by the maniacal metal noise coming from the mass group of people in front of the stage. In the end, Bonded by Blood put on a crushing performance and I hope to hear them continue to perform as well as record new material. 

Overall, I think all the band’s deserve an enormous amount of credit for putting on some solid performances throughout the entire evening. Also, the turnout was very strong, which is great for the local metal scene in this area and will hopefully inspire more shows in the future. I would recommend checking out the Brentwood Emporium, as the venue itself was very impressive and has the potential to be a significant place for the Contra Costa County music scene given the fact that it hosts all ages shows. Once again, I look at bands like Hemotoxin who have continued to persevere over the years, which I would say is driven by the loyal fanbase that continues to show up in full force whenever the opportunity arises. So in conclusion, I look forward to the future of this area’s metal scene, as bands like ones that performed last night along with the people who showed up in attendance keep the headbanging spirit alive and strong. 

Clip of Hemotoxin performing "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" :

Link to the article I wrote about the Bay Area music scene and lack of venues in Tri-Valley if interested :

https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2018/02/tri-valley-music-venues-tale-of.html

Top Ten Albums of 2020 / Rob “The Metal Guy” Awards

 

As we come to the end of 2020, I believe it is important to reflect upon the albums that really stood out during the year and helped get us through all the chaos. Yes, 2020 has been a rough year in terms of unprecedented and unfortunate events ranging from a global pandemic to Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy in a mimosa wrestling match. Even though this has been a rough year, we should not overlook all the great music that came out during 2020. Looking back at all the albums that came out this year, I was surprised at how many tremendous rock and metal albums were released. I do believe that this year was one of the most challenging lists to come up with given the amount of great albums that I heard over the course of the year. Also, I must give a shoutout to all the hardworking labels that were responsible for putting out a lot of brilliant releases. Even in the face of a pandemic the dedication from the rock and metal community never faded and hopefully coming out of this we will be even stronger going forward. So in conclusion, here are my picks and don't forget to check out the winners of the Rob “The Metal Guy” Awards...

Top Ten Albums of 2020

10. Dearth “To Crown All Befoulment” 

For their debut full-length release, Dearth sure as hell did not disappoint! I really enjoyed what this blackened death metal from the Bay Area had to offer. The album features an endless amount of hellish sounding riffs that keep you hooked from beginning to end. Plus, the album's overall atmosphere is extremely horrifying, and sounds like something from another realm where monstrous entities slumber waiting to unleash eternal suffering upon the world of the living. Also, “To Crown All Befoulment,” was released through Sentient Ruin and you are going to see a couple other bands who worked with the label on this list. Overall, great debut album and one I highly recommend checking out.  

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/05/dearth-to-crown-all-befoulment.html

9. Shards of Humanity “Cold Logic”

Talk about a scorching storm of technical death thrash! The guitar playing on this album was exceptional and drumming was utterly deafening. I thought the musicianship on this album never disappointed and the songs contained a tremendous amount of fierce sounding attitude. Shards of Humanity did a great job writing impressive cuts of cranial splitting technical death thrash and the music never sounded repetitive or lackluster. Once you start listening to the first song I guarantee that you are not going to want to stop listening to this album. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/03/shards-of-humanity-cold-logic.html

8. Void Rot “Descending Pillars”

Void Rot's "Descending Pillars" was probably one of the most pulverizing albums to come out this year. Just a plethora of bone crushing riffs and abysmal sounding compositions. Another band that is associated with Sentient Ruin and another band that conjures up nightmarish sounding musical landscapes without any remorse. Void Rot's insidious style of death doom is without question not to be overlooked, because these dudes do not mess around when laying down some punishing tracks. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/08/void-rot-descending-pillars.html

7. Putrid “Antichrist Above”

I have been a fan of Putrid for years now and I honestly believe that, “Antichrist Above,” is their strongest sounding release to date. The band’s blasphemous vision is perfectly executed throughout the album. There are no dull moments and the frantic guitar work injects such raw aggression into the musical onslaught. Putrid also put out a killer split this year with Grave Desecration that I recommending checking out as well. Arguably one of Peru's greatest exports in my opinion and a metal band that the global underground community has really started to take notice of after years of hard work. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/03/putrid-antichrist-above.html

6. Countless Skies “Glow”

These English metal musicians are true visionaries when pertaining to writing majestic sounding melodic death metal. When listening to this album at times I felt as though I were floating on a cloud through a dynamic atmospheric world containing mountain sized riffs and mesmerizing melodic arrangements. The song, "Zephyr," alone makes this a must listen, especially the fluid guitar work that constructs such breath taking sounds throughout the song. Definitely one of the strongest sounding albums in terms of musicianship and production in my opinion. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/09/countless-skies-glow.html

5. Pathetic “Cleansing the Land of the Infidel”

I enjoy history and I enjoy death metal, so an album that uses death metal to highlight the atrocities after the fall of the Ottoman Empire definitely peaked my interest. Pathetic proved last year with the release of their album, “Rat King,” that they are an unapologetic and brutal force in the extreme metal world. I thought this entire album had me engaged from start to finish by throwing in constant headbanging riffs and seismic drum parts. Pathetic showed how a death metal band can explore an interesting topic surrounding historical events, while still being able to deliver a tornado of ferocious sounding extreme chaos.  

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/08/pathetic-cleansing-land-of-infidel.html

4. Hemotoxin “Restructure the Molded Mind” 

I want to take a moment and say that I am extremely proud of Hemotoxin. Although this band has experience a handful of line-up changes over the years, but the band's hard work has really paid off as of recent. Hemotoxin is in my opinion one of the most talented up and coming Bay Area metal acts and the most driven band around Contra Costa County. "Restructure the Molded Mind," is not only a continuation of what they accomplished on their previous album, "Biological Enslavement," but dives even further into the world of mind bending technical death/trash. Guitarist/singer Michael Anthony Chavez is a dedicated artist who I have a tremendous amount of respect for as a guitarist and driving force within the local metal community. Please, go and get a copy of this album if you enjoy face melting riffs and tasty technical compositions. I promise that you will not be disappointed! 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/02/hemotoxin-restructure-molded-mind.html

3. Cemetery Filth “Dominion” 

Cemetery Filth’s debut full-length album was definitely worth the wait! I had been looking forward to this album for a while, so when they finally set a release date in the beginning of the year I was beyond excited. This band captures the true essence of old school death metal by writing vicious offerings of unfathomable brutality. From the haunting vocals to the catastrophic guitar riffs, the entire album is a return to late 80’s/early 90’s death metal. Also, compared to your typical generic old school death metal worship acts, Cemetery Filth writes songs that leave an impact on you and keep you wanting more gruesome sounding brutality. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/03/cemetery-filth-dominion.html

2. Old Tower “The Last Eidolon”

This was a tough choice, because Old Tower’s “The Last Eidolon” could have easily been my pick for the number one album of the year. The artist behind Old Tower known only as, The Specter,” is a true dungeon synth genius. There are so many exceptional releases from Old Tower, however, this album was a culmination of all those other epic dark sounding themes that you heard on the previous albums. I felt as if I was listening to a cinematic tale that unfolded like a story of unspeakable malevolence. Amazing production throughout the entire release and the Specter has a great mind for composing. I really listened to this album a lot over the course of the year, which helped ease my mind at times through some of the challenges that 2020 brought. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/05/old-tower-last-eidolon.html

1. Ceremonial Bloodbath “The Tides of Blood”

When Sentient Ruin sent me the promo for Ceremonial Bloodbath, I had never heard of this Canadian blackened death metal band before. I was instantly drawn to the album's cover art, but the music is what just took me by complete surprise. The rush of ferocious death metal mixed with tormenting blackened hatred made this album a tidal wave of sheer hellacious sounding brutality. Again, phenomenal production throughout the entire album and the songwriting from the first track to the last is what makes this my number album of the year. Once you start listening to this album there is no turning back, because you are going to be in for one unimaginable extreme metal ride into the gory depths of an inhuman void. 

Complete Album Review: https://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2020/10/ceremonial-bloodbath-tides-of-blood.html

Hey, there were a lot great albums that did not make the list but definitely deserve a shoutout, so here are some honorable mentions: Cobra Cobra "Life After Poison" , Empty Chalice "Spiritual Abuse" , Voreus "The Proclamation" , Cryptae "Nightmare Traversal" , Diabolic Oath "Profane Death Exodus" and Deadlight Sanctuary  "Thaumaturgical Rites of the Damned"

The Rob “The Metal Guy” Awards

(Please be advised that there was no voting fraud involved in the selection of these recipients. All votes cast were correctly counted and reviewed by The Rob "The Metal Guy" selection committee)

Best EP of the Year: Unlucky Theta “Debut EP” 

Best Split Release: 4 Doors to Death Vol. II (Nucleus, Ectoplasma, Fetid Zombie and Temple of Void)

Best Label: Sentient Ruin Laboratories 

Best Music Video: Hemotoxin “Automation” 

Metal Ambassador of the Year: Jarvis Leatherby from Night Demon

 

Biggest Douche: Chris Jericho 

Most Metal Wrestler: Rhea Ripley 

Interview with Michael Anthony Chavez (Guitarist/Singer from Hemotoxin)

The first time I saw Hemotoxin perform live was back in 2013 opening up for the thrash metal band Havok at the Red House in Walnut Creek, CA. I remember watching a fearsome group of young and hungry death/thrash musicians put on one hell of a performance. Since then Hemotoxin has continued to excel and push themselves as musicians, thus establishing themselves as one of Contra Costa County's most exceptional metal acts. Their most recent album, "Restructure the Molded Mind," is a technical onslaught of mind crushing brutality that I highly recommend checking out. The band's guitarist/singer Michael Anthony Chavez was nice enough to answer some questions regarding the album along with some other topics. Here is the full interview below...

Hello Michael! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions pertaining to the world of Hemotoxin. The band has been around for almost ten years I believe, and even though you have gone through a fair amount of line-up changes, you continue to be a resilient and driven force within the Bay Area metal community.

Michael: That’s right, this year marks ten years since I wrote the first Hemotoxin “Biohazard” on my old Yamaha drum machine. And yeah through the decade we’ve had quite a few people come and go, thankfully I’ve been lucky enough to still have the same writing partner through those years in our drummer Brandon. Having him as a consistently productive member of the band has been a big reason for our longevity. We just strive to make awesome music for ourselves, we wanna satisfy ourselves first and then deliver what we think is sick to our audience, and hopefully they agree, that’s something we’ve been doing together even before Hemotoxin, I really believe in our chemistry. 

I wanted to begin by talking about your most recent album, “Restructure the Molded Mind,” which is an album that I really enjoyed and one I had been looking forward to, especially coming off of your sophomore album, “Biological Enslavement.” Now that, “Restructure the Molded Mind,”has been out since March of this year, what are your thoughts on the album overall? How has the feedback been from the fans?

Michael: I’m glad you enjoyed it and feel that way in comparison to Biological. I’m extremely happy with how it came out, Restructure the Molded Mind is a 28 minute frenzy of vicious technical riffs played by musicians with insane ability and thankfully people really enjoyed it, minus the bad timing with covid I was really happy with this release and the response from people, overall it’s been very positive. 

Now I remember talking to you at the Morbid Angel show last November and you had told me a bit about the recording process for the album and I was wondering if you could give the readers more detail on how the album was recorded? Also, take us through the songwriting process and did you have all the tracks ready to go before you started the initial recording?

Michael: Having all of our songs prepared before we hit the studio is a big deal for me, especially in this case when people had been waiting to hear a new record from us for a while I knew whatever we did had to be extremely deliberate and on point. Songs like Unreality I actually had written before Biological Enslavement, but I had always had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do with the song past the first riff, so it never made it to that album, but others like Acrimony I had written a month before we began recording. Execution was like my magnum opus, the song where I could combined every element of what makes us Hemotoxin and pushing that as far and hard as I can.

The recording process, I hate to admit was very rocky. We ended up having a falling out with the engineer which is why there’s no studio or engineer credited, because he requested his name not be listed. We actually had two mixes done which resulted in two tracks we had intended to have on the album being eliminated due to bad track editing, our next release will feature these two tracks titled “Inherited Disaster” and “Desomorphine” (you can find this song on our KFJC set available on YouTube). So overall it was a good learning experience, we tried to cut corners to save costs but it ended up biting us in the ass, but at the end of the day we did the right thing and got a great sounding album out of it. 

Being that, “Restructure the Molded Mind,” is your third full-length album to date, I wanted to know how you feel about the band’s evolution in terms of overall sound and musical direction. I remember first hearing you guys when I saw you open for Havok back in 2013, and I could tell you guys were a young and hungry band, but now you have really taken your style of progressive thrash/death metal to an even greater level. What do you contribute to the success and progression of the Hemotoxin sound?

Michael: I feel very proud of the sound we’ve developed over the years. When it comes down to it that I think at this point with the line up changes we’ve had I almost feel like that’s what defines our evolution. Since each line up has done one full length album each I feel like each one (Between Forever and the end, Biological and Restructure) has its own aura about it, although at its core it’s still Brandon and I the leads from our old guitar players Hunter and Rohwer gave the album a different flavor. I still feel that our evolution really reached a turning point with a track like Forgotten Faces, that one was written by Rohwer and it really forced us out to expand our sound. I think now we’re getting to a point where we’re self aware of our own ability and on Restructure especially with the addition of Shane I think that’s starting to show more and more. 

Current Line-up (Michael, Shane and Brandon)

You, Brandon and Nathan were nice enough to contribute to the documentary that Yuvraj and I did about the Bay Area metal community a couple years back. In that documentary we talked about the Contra Costa County metal scene and I have always felt that Hemotoxin is without question one of the strongest bands to have come out of the area in recent years. I wanted to get your thoughts on the Contra Costa County music scene and how it has changed since you first started playing? Before this whole pandemic what stood out the most to you regarding the scene?

Michael: First I have to say I think the music scene we’ve had out here since the 80’s has been criminally underrated in the scope of the entire California scene. Bands like Sadus, Autopsy, Decimatus, Antagony and Cartilage among many many others came out this area and cut their teeth playing anywhere that could host shows from out doors, garages, backyards, pizza shops.  CoCo County has always had a DIY attitude because it’s such a small suburban kind of area, I believe the first show Dio ever played with his solo band on the Holy Diver was at The Barn in Antioch literally inside of a barn. I’ve always been extremely proud to claim this area because of that, we have a rich history that I believe deserves more recognition than it gets. 

Sort of touching on that last question when talking about the local scene, I wanted to bring up Red House, which was a live music venue in Walnut Creek that you guys played from time to time. I actually believe the last show I saw at Red House before it closed down was you along with Cartilage (At the time you were also playing with them), Dismembered Carnage and some out of town band that had a lead singer who threw a tantrum onstage. What are your thoughts on Red House being no longer around? What do you think were some of the positives and the negatives about the venue? Can we see another venue similar to Red House return to the area?

Michael: I absolutely miss the red house. That venue provided a bridge for young high school aged kids to have a platform to become a local band and allow a scene/community to build and for about 11 years that’s what red house did, it brought different groups of kids together who otherwise wouldn’t have met. The one thing I don’t think most musicians consider is the cost to actually put on a show, that requires lights, bar, bathrooms, staff and insurance after all the licensing and paper work of course. Red House gave us that every time we played there no matter if the shows were packed or not, what we failed to do is provide the audience that could help financially facilitate that platform to make it sustainable for future generations. Because now high school kids that form a band don’t really have any platform besides their backyard or something. You can rent a hall out and do it that way but the amount of money it takes to run one show is very expensive and not many people have the means to make that happen. I think/hope there will be another way for kids to get themselves out there, obviously we have plenty of online platforms that work perfectly, but I think people still need that on stage experience in front of an audience. I remember before Red House there were high school battle of the bands at the concord pavilion, my best hope is maybe one day that comes back especially with covid ravaging the tour industry it could be a good way for the concord pavilion to generate revenue, I guess we’ll see!

Hemotoxin's last show at Red House

Michael, looking to the future which I know can be really challenging right now with so much ridiculousness and uncertainty going on in the world, but what are your plans for Hemotoxin going forward? Do you have other projects in the works?

Michael: Yeah as far as touring or shows it’s hard to say at this point, we got nothing planned as of now. We’ve just been using this time to get creative and really conceptualize album number four, which I’m happy to say has one track already written, so who knows we could have another album done before we even play another show. Besides that’s we got a new music video coming out soon for the track “Automation” and I’m super excited to release that we shot it in 5k resolution so I can promise it’s gonna look amazing. 

Last question, what advice would you give young bands that are just starting out?

Michael: Just keep playing, keep posting, annoy people, if music is what you wanna do make it your life and only surround yourself with people who support what you do. Make it sustainable, don’t drown in your own hopes and dreams, get a job make some money, support yourself/family, make good music and don’t stop talking about it, network and make friends. 

Michael, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this interview and I hope to see you perform live once this pandemic garbage is handled to where we can see live music again. 

Michael: It’s my pleasure, you’ve always been super supportive of us, I really appreciate that you enjoy what we do! And yeah same, I go to shows to see my friends and hangout, sometimes even if I’m not 100% into all the bands I’ll still show up at a show just because I know I’ll see my friends there. I miss that a lot and I hope it comes back so we can hit the stage as well. 

Check out the track "Corrupted Flesh" below:

Hemotoxin FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/Hemotoxin

Hemotoxin Bandcamp:

https://hemotoxin70.bandcamp.com/merch

Hemotoxin "Restructure the Molded Mind"

    Hemotoxin does not disappoint with their newest onslaught of cranial splitting death/thrash. The band's third full-length album, “Restructure the Molded Mind,” features scorching technicality, uncompromising brutality and plenty of headbanging mind altering riffs.

    These San Francisco Bay Area musicians took their time this new album, which in all honesty was hard for me to accept, especially after the band’s impressive 2016 release, “Biological Enslavement.” I remember hearing that album and doing the review thinking, “Damn, these guys have really raised the bar!” Ever since the beginning Hemotoxin has shown promise, but I believe, “Biological Enslavement,” is where the band completely surpassed their previous recordings by developing an extremely tight and technical sound. Also, it was the first album of theirs on Unspeakable Axe Records, a label that I have a tremendous amount respect for, and the label that will be releasing this new album as well.

    “Restructure the Molded Mind,” is another solid offering from the band and I do believe it is their most ambitious effort to date. The musicianship and songwriting on this album is in all honesty even more astonishing than what was on, "Biological Enslavement." Unlike some bands who think they are writing complex thought provoking lyrics, but end up sounding like Garth from Wayne's World trying to explain conspiracy theories, Hemotoxin crafts these very profound messages that are not pretentious and really resonate with where our society is heading.

    All eight tracks off of this album do not disappoint and musically you are treated to some brilliant instrumental compositions. Plus, guitarist and singer Michael Chavez has a great delivery that gives the lyrics such a vivid burst of unforgiving attitude. The first track, “Nihilistic Principle,” is an explosion into a chaotic world of tectonic technical riffs and bombastic drum parts. The band’s drummer, Brandon Wilcox, plays with great precision behind the kit and he handles the complex rhythms with an almost inhuman ability. He is like the Terminator of drumming, although instead of killing people to change the future, he is recording drum tracks to make the future a better place. Bassist Shane Hunt-Dussé provides some killer bass lines and his playing compliments Michael’s guitar riffs extremely well.

    Overall, their musicianship on this album is simply outstanding, however, they do not over complicate the listener with pointless technical arrangements. Take for example the song, “Legions of Alienation,” where the open riff section hits hard like a suplex from Brock Lesnar, matching Michael’s ferocious delivery. Also, Michael lays down an exceptional guitar solo during the song that highlights his strong lead guitar talents.

    Tracks like “Unreality” and “Execution” do a great job conveying a progressive side at times, which I think creates a brilliant contrast with the band’s raw old school death thrash mentality. You just cannot predict where this band will go and that is what I tend enjoy most about this album. Another song I want to mention is, “Automation,” which I consider to be my favorite track off of the album. I felt the songwriting on this track was flawless as well as the instrumental compositions. This is what metal radio stations should be playing and not that watered down hardcore nonsense where the band looks like they are entering a fashion show for biggest hipster douche in the universe.

    In conclusion, Hemotoxin does not need to win a battle of the bands, or pay to play on a big metal show in order to feel like they are a worthy act, because at the end of the day these musicians prove time and time again that they are driven to create meaningful technical death thrash music. I feel that, “Restructure the Molded Mind,” is everything a ravenous death thrash maniac could ever want and more, especially in terms of solid songwriting. This is without a doubt an early contender for one of the best albums to come out this year and one I hope captures the ears and minds of the metal community in the months ahead.



Check out the song "Corrupted Flesh" below:

Hemotoxin Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Hemotoxin/


Unspeakable Axe Records Links (Pre-Orders are up and the album comes out March 16th):

FB Page:

https://www.facebook.com/UnspeakableAxeRecords/

Website:

http://www.unspeakableaxerecords.com/

New Documentary: Rising from the Bay

   About a year ago my friend Yuvraj and I decided to make a documentary that would help promote some of the Bay Area's hardest working up and coming metal bands. Also, we wanted to bring awareness to the growing issue facing a majority of bands within the Bay Area, which is that there are fewer places to perform live. The bands who contributed to this documentary provide wonderful insight into how they have developed over the years and share some awesome stories regarding the current underground metal scene. We really do hope more people check these bands out, because the artists featured in this documentary are working hard to carry on the heavy metal legacy that was established by so many icon bands like Testament, Exodus, Autopsy, Sleep, Forbidden and many more of course. Please share and help promote the future of heavy metal which is right here...Rising from the Bay!

Follow us on the R & R Rocks Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/RNRROCKS2112/

Top Ten Albums of 2016

It is that time of the year when all the online rock and metal websites and blogs start releasing some of their top ten albums of the year lists. I have noticed that they seem to start earlier and earlier each year. I think some websites started putting out their top ten lists before Halloween! Anyway, I believe the time is right to release what I thought were the top ten rock/punk/metal albums of the year. These are my choices and feel free to mention in the comments section some of your favorite albums from 2016. However, no whining...2016 has been the year of whining and I want people to start putting on their big boy pants, big girl pants or whatever else you freaking identify as pants... And if I triggered you...get over it! 

1. Kicker “Rendered Obsolete”

The Bay Area veteran punks once again put together an album of pissed off sounding hardcore punk that was much needed during this year. After the release of their debut album, “Not You,” these guys without question are one of my favorite punk bands. Kicker knows how to write some catchy punk songs that contain memorable phrases. “You Can’t Take Me Anywhere,” is song with pure punk rock attitude and the subject matter is very relatable. Their veteran presence definitely allows them to string together a great full-length release. In this crazy world where technology is making certain things obsolete, Kicker shall never be replaced...unless they do invent that android Pete the Roadie. 

2. Eldamar “The Force of the Ancient Land”

Atmospheric black metal is a style of music where I find myself constantly discovering new artists who display tremendous talent. The up and coming artists within the genre take their time to create musical masterpieces of cinematic and emotionally moving splendor. Eldamar was yet another band who has come out in recent years to compose an overall astonishing release. I really like how the music allows you to escape into this massive sounding world of melodic synth and distorted guitar arrangements. Plus, they provided an amazing cover of Summoning’s “Land of the Dead,” to a Summoning tribute album, which you should all check out.  

3. Cauldron “In Ruin” 

The Canadian based trio released this album back in January and I still think it is one of the best produced and written releases to come out this year. Their classic eighties metal sound is like a blast from the past and the songwriting is extremely solid. I felt that ever since “Chained to the Nite,” the following releases did not grab my attention. To my pleasant surprise, “In Ruin,” just comes across as an all around crushing metal release. Once again, the songwriting carries this album to the point I find the words get stuck in my head for hours. Also, there are some great guitar riffs that may not be super technical, but construct powerful verse and chorus sections. 

4. Hemotoxin “Biological Enslavement” 

These guys are in my opinion living proof that hard work pays off if you commit yourself to whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. I saw them open up for Havok a few years back and thought they had something going, however, the music on this new album exceeds anything I could have imagined. I really think they offer a great balance of technicality and songwriting skills. Also, the vocals on this release inject unbelievably amounts of raw emotion into the songs. I think they are a band who can continue to rise if they keep working hard. 

5. Gojira “Magma”

The song, “Stranded,” alone put Gojira on this list and the entire album screams well produced hard rock and metal music. Still, “Stranded,” could very well be my favorite song of the entire year. I love the unapologetic sounding guitar riff which matches the aggressive vocal delivery. The rest of the album is very enjoyable and I would say that there are not too many dual moments. Another area that shines on this release is the riffs, which I think deliver crushing blows to the ears when cranking this album up in the car. I mean, my five year old nephew would probably put this as his number one album of the year, because he constantly listens to it along with the band’s previous album, “L’Enfant Savage.” 

6. Trecelence “Justified Atrocities” 

These Santa Rosa, CA technical thrashers are not just great musicians, but great dudes overall. It has been a privilege to witness first hand their progress within a relatively short amount of time. I can honestly say that the musicianship on this album, especially factoring in their ages, is down right impressive. Some of the guitar arrangements leave you speechless at times. For their first full-length release, I think they did a solid job. Looking to the future I expect even more brilliant mind bending riffs from these dudes. 

7. Unreqvited “Disquiet”

Yet another powerful atmospheric black metal release to come out this year. The one-man project that is Unreqvited painted a diverse musical painting that always had my full attention. I really liked how this album was recorded and I think more bands should focus on coming up with finding a sound that allows them to truly convey their music in a compelling fashion. You can tell that the music was not cheaply thrown together, because each sound offers tremendous emotion and raw expression. 

8. Witchcraft “Nucleus” 

I felt like this album deserved more promotion and went under the radar. Yes, Witchcraft has strayed away from that old raw vintage sound that was heard on earlier releases, but the new music is nothing to brushoff. The songwriting is probably what I liked most about this release and in my opinion Magnus Pelander is one of the best lyricists in rock and metal music. The way he writes his lyrics perfectly compliments the instrumental arrangements on this album. 

9. Exmortus “Ride Forth” 

Exmortus is another hardworking band who does not settle for basic when writing metal music. I thought the album once again demonstrated the insane guitar playing abilities from their two highly talented guitarists. Plenty of songs about battles and destroying enemies with weapons of iron. Also, they do another awesome instrumental piece that blends the worlds of metal and classical music. Exmortus knows how to shred with style and I hope they keep it up when they start working on their next album. 

10. Abbath “Self-titled”

A lot of people were upset when the whole Immortal fiasco went down and Abbath deiced to go solo after he could not get the rights to the Immortal name. I myself was one of those people, but I really respected how he decide to start his own band and released this self-titled album which features King ov Hell on bass. It sort of reminds me of their work on that, “Between Two Worlds,” collaboration album. Although this does not sound like early Immortal and is not very kvlt to the true black metal believers, I enjoyed most of the songs on this release and thought the production was quite solid. Abbath is in my opinion the voice that made Immortal, so I am really interested in hearing Immortal put out a release without Abbath. Better hurry up Demonaz, because Abbath is already talking about releasing a follow-up to this self-titled album. 

Awesome Releases That Also Deserve Mention: 

• Thought Vomit “Punks Brutal Retaliation” 
• Putrid “The Triumph of Impurity” 
• Feign "Atlas” 
• Necrot “The Labyrinth” 
• Nachtzeit “Sagor I Natten” 

Top Compilations: 

• Four Doors to Death
• In Mordor Where Shadows Are-Homage to Summoning 

Rob "The Metal Guy" Awards 2016

• Hardest working label of the year: Unspeakable Axe Records 
• Best live performance of the year: Night Demon 
• Breakthrough artist of the year: Amnesia
• Best twin guitar attack of the year: Donnie Small and Chris Olney Burnett (Trecelence)
• Most overrated band of the year: Metallica 
• Most annoying artist of the year: Myrkur 
• Musician with the largest ego: Paul Stanley 
• Hair metal band that made me laugh the most: Ratt
• Most opinionated and sarcastic album reviewer: you decide...