Now that we have all enjoyed our nice, long, and probably drunken holiday weekend, it’s time to get back to the grind with some new music. Ok, so some of this isn’t brandy new (like Sabbath), but it’s new enough. Kyle is still running from the authorities after being caught with a huge stash of illegal fireworks* so he is not with us this week, but the (not-so) dynamic duo of Nick and Brian pulled through to bring you a fresh show, even if it is a little bit later than normal. There’s new albums, new first impressions, and some new terms and labeling Brian makes up while running his mouth. So, in the end, it’s business as usual.
Reviews: Black Sabbath – 13 (Republic Records); Orphaned Land – All is One (Century Media); Deeds of Flesh – Portals to Canaan (Unique Leader); Crown – Psychurgy (Candlelight)
First Impressions:
City in the Sea – “Convoluted” from Below the Noise out August 20 via Sumerian
Coffins – “The Unhallowed Tide” from The Fleshland out July 9 via Relapse
Black Tusk – “Internal/External” from Tend No Wounds EP out July 23 via Relapse
Misery Signals – Luminary from Absent Light out July 23 via Kickstarter
Exhumed – “Coins Upon The Eyes” from Necocracy out August 6 via Relapse
Crossfaith – “We Are the Future” from Apocalyze out September 2 via The End
Torche – “Leather Feather” coming soon on a 7″ form Volcom Ent. Vinyl Club
American Head Charge – “Writhe” from Shoot EP out July 23
*not really
Black Sabbath – 13
Orphaned Land – All Is One
Deeds Of Flesh – Portals To Canaan
Crown – Psychurgy
The Sideshow Podcast 
I realize that a couple of weeks ago I said I would give 13 by Black Sabbath a rating of a 3. But the more I’ve listened to it, the better it has gotten. After the first couple of listens, I originally thought that the first two songs were good, but the rest of the album tailed off. But as I’ve listened to it more, the rest of those songs have grown on me. The first track, The End of the Beginning, grabbed me because of how referential it is to the first song, Black Sabbath, on their first album, Black Sabbath (they are one of those bands that has a song of the same name as the album of the same name as the band, such as Iron Maiden and Iced Earth). I’ve heard The End of the Beginning being criticized for sounding like the song Black Sabbath. But to me that seems like the point of the song. Not only do the guitar riffs sound similar, but the opening lyrics are “Is this the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end.” This is Black Sabbath referring both to their origin and implying that this album is most likely their last hurrah, which works well for me in this context. As for the production, the thing that I need to also comment on is that whatever they did to Ozzy’s voice they made it sound good without it sounding too processed (unlike his last solo album). The vocals might be a touch too far forward in the mix, but that’s a minor nitpick. While anything that fans wait 35 years to come to fruition can never live up to expectations, I think that 13 does as good a job as any of fulfilling the promise of one last Black Sabbath album before these guys ride off into the sunset (even if it doesn’t have original drummer Bill Ward on it).
Now that half the year is over, you should talk about some of your favorite albums from this year so far. There’s no need to make a formal list and rank albums. Just mention some albums that you can think of off the top of your head that made an impression.
I’m with you guys on doom metal. It does not sound stupid at all to say that you don’t feel like a doom album can be appreciated during the summer. I’m still only sporadically listening to The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here by Alice in Chains because it is not some upbeat summer album. And Black Sabbath is not a doom band. It’s just that Black Sabbath are the pioneers of metal and influenced all of metal, including doom bands.
So what makes one a “super tech head”?