The record is recognizably Morbid Angel in parts, which only serves to make it more divisive. For every more traditional death metal track in “Blades for Baal” or “Nevermore” there is an equal upraised stylistic middle finger such as “Radikult” or “Destructos vs. the Earth”, the former a lengthy swing/jazz influenced number (yup) and the latter seven solid minutes of cartoonish vaudevillainy reminiscent of this scene from the Rankin/Bass Return of the King. 

Morbid Angel are taking gleeful license with their aesthetic here, and the success or failure of the album is based on your opinion toward whether or not their responsibility is to the long-time fan or their own evolving vision. Answer that and you will unlock the mystery of whether Illud Divinum Insanus is a spit in the face of history or an inspired piece of lunacy; Morbid Angel’s St. Anger or their own version of Now, Diabolical. My score tells you where I stand. 8.5 out of 10

This album has swing to spare and points to a bright future for a new generation of Nordic retro-rockers. Think a heavier version of The Sword, a less amusing Chrome Division, or Karma to Burn with Gallows-style vocals. Think obvious tour partner for Danko Jones on his Scandinavian jaunts (where they might give the Mango Kid’s legendary live set a run for its money). Think if you just understood any of that you should be thinking about checking Kvelertak out. Plug it in and prepare to surrender to the 70′s. 8 out of 10

*Unless you mean Blackmore’s Rainbow, because then, yeah maybe.

The band’s signature style is definitely on display: industrial beats with martial orchestral flourishes march steadily through each track with the pomp of a Roman Triumph. Unfortunately, while Lux Mundi (along with its accompanying Antigod EP) capture the flavour of imperial majesty, they also contain something of a parade’s tedium and contrived artificality.

There’s nothing strictly wrong with the material, it’s just that what sounded revolutionary on Passage and confidently dominant on Reign of Light or Solar Soul now seems a bit tired and forced. It brings to mind the worrying notion that Xy and Vorph may not have any tools left, at least none that fit into the Samael toolbox. Panem et circenses! 6 out of 10

  The Wall

After taking a swipe at commercial hip-hop with Premeditated Murder, James Cavalluzzo gets further into the head of his quarry on Get Down. He creates the persona of MCJC to endure the ennui of fame in his stead, and also to ask some close-to-home questions about depression and self-abuse (yes, that’s him on the cover in typical live Malhavoc mutilation mode).  “Getting down” is tangled up with being low; in order to be funky MCJC often has to be wretched in return, calling back the old tale of the artist using himself up in pointless spectacle. 

Structurally the album reflects these peaks and valleys. The military cadence of “Declaration” leads up to the over-the-top disco fever of “Discipline”, only to have JC’s bubble burst against a wall of denial (“No”, “This Video Sucks”). Mid-album comeback tune “Revitalize” uses up the rest of the band’s manic energy in one blast of industrial speed, forcing them to sleep it off afterward (“Wake Up”) and spend the rest of the day in a fugue state (“Hopeless”, “Wasted Away”). Interestingly, the liner notes contain instructions for alternate track orders, allowing this birth/death/rebirth/transformation to be experienced out of sequence (although it seems to be the shit sandwich for poor MCJC no matter how you slice it). The sound is similar to Premeditated’s melancholy industrial trip hop, although the boisterous main character adds a pinch of swagger to form a Frankenstinian creation stitched together from parts of Cypress Hill and Siouxsie and the Banshees (indeed, the obligatory hidden bonus track turns out to be a cover of “Happy House”). Early signs of the broken-beat DJ experimentation that would mark later Malhavoc releases also crop up in the showier, stage-ready tracks. 

There’s something very 90’s about Get Down. Hearing it again is a bit like re-reading The Crow in that, over time, looking in on someone’s personal howl of desperate nihilism sees the cool factor drifting toward a more detached and sober empathy. It is, however quite possible to ignore the dated qualities and appreciate the balls-out courage of the project. This period (especially the release of the not-sucking video for “Naked”) was also something of a fleeting high point in terms of exposure for the band, which dovetails nicely in a meeting of the conceptual and the actual. A deeply strange and challenging record, and possibly impenetrable for those unfamiliar with the history. I suggest you give it a try nonetheless. 7.5 out of 10

So tell me, what Classic Albums do you want to see in this space the year the world ends? Keep the following in mind:

- It should be at least 15 years old, so we’re looking at the mid-90′s at latest.

- It should represent a significant contribution to the band’s career, the genre or heavy music in general. The best will do all three or more!

- I don’t promise a hagiography. If there are issues with the sound etc. you’re gonna hear about it. With that in mind:

- Yes, it can be classic and bad! The “significant contribution” can be a warning as well as a triumph. 

Let me know what you think is a true Classic – I’d love to hear from you!

Prong – Power of the Damn Mixxxer $5.74. Once you’ve heard the pounding remix of “The Banishment”, the album version just sounds like a dirge.

Run DMC – It’s Like That $1.02. This is the single remixed in the 90′s by Jason Nevins. If you don’t like this song there’s something wrong with you.

Napalm Death – Noise for Music’s Sake $7.19. Double-disc best of/rarities collection has an extensive set of liner notes, interviews and one heck of a convoluted family tree diagram.

And the big fat deal this time around:

  OZ – The Complete Seasons 1-4, Season 5 and Season 6. Seriously edgy prison drama (with JK Simmons!) will eat up lots of holiday time. I got the whole series spread across three box sets for $80! Add this to my recent acquisition of the complete Homicide: Life on the Street series and my head will be full of crime, punishment and NSFW dialogue for months to come.

The bad thing about being an announcer at a tournament is that you never get to sit down and watch a bout. The good thing is that you never have to find a seat. During the Canada/USA final I was parked right about three feet from here:

 I’m actually glad I didn’t have a microphone in hand for this one, as I was losing my shit the whole time.

Here’s the second picture, which gives me the warm and fuzzies as it proves once again that, like chocolate and peanut butter, my two great loves get along just fine:

Check out the live coverage  on www.derbynewsnetwork.com!

Most of the tracks eschew hypnotic repetition in favour of more traditional pop music structures, complete with ballad-style choruses and instrumental breakdowns. Only dance floor single “Control” really bucks the trend of this kinder, gentler VNV by calling back the robotic sparseness of “Chrome” or the heavier passages of Judgement.

Automatic is recommended for any fan who has stayed onboard for the band’s evolution, as it represents another stage of that journey while remaining within familiar territory. Sure, there’s no new showstopper, but the show itself is dependably solid. 7 out of 10

Heavy MTL 2011 - They apparently added a hint of FLQ, but I couldn't taste it.

With the next Heavy MTL now scheduled for August of 2012, I feel as though a collective sigh of relief has gone through the metal community, and it’s about damn time I posted some pics and memories from the summer. Here are some highlights:

Big Hit: My name is Slim, and I am now a big believer in the KISS experience. What can I say? The boys are a finely tuned entertainment machine. Everyone gets their money’s worth, paid back in pure spectacle and goofy, irony-free singalongs.

There's something I've been wanting to do all night. Possibly every day. Shit, what was it?

 On a smaller scale, Devildriver is definitely coming into their own – they rocked a hard set for an appreciative group of fans, many of whom were obviously there specifically to see them.

Big Miss: The Sword. Blame it on Canada Customs, blame it on bad border crossing paperwork, use the blamethrower all you like. You weren’t there, and it hurts the fans far more than it hurts you. What’s that? Touring with Kyuss a month later? Any special love for me with my MTL ticket? Guys?

Great as Expected: Motorhead (duh). Amazing as always for a cross-generational audience. There was also a buzz in the air as a re-Belladonna’d Anthrax took to the stage, and they did not disappoint with either old or new material.

Pleasant Surprises: Oldies but Goodies! Girlschool was cheerful, witty and a lot of fun, and Diamond Head was an absolute time-machine revelation. Very nice gents to meet, as well. Younger fishes-out-of-water Billy Talent made the most of a chillaxed and generous Montreal crowd to win a few hearts and minds by keeping a sense of humour about their deeply inappropriate presence amongst much harder acts.

Mo’ Canada: Quebec’s Blackguard seemed glad to bring  the speedy pain on the same bill as their heroes Children of Bodom, and Annihilator pulled Alexi Laiho himself out onstage to join them for a song or two. Good on you, Annihilator fans, for mounting the Facebook campaign to get them to the show in the first place.

Note the Habs logo on Laiho. Clever man!

Organization Bad: If you’re listening, Evenko: WE NEED AN AWNING FOR THE GRANDSTAND. I love things blacker than the darkest black times infinity, except if we’re talking about my sun-charred flesh. Some shade for us hallpass kids would be the cherry on the top of your already well-regarded VIP package.

Tasty, but ultimately ill-advised remedy for the giant hot thing in the sky.

Organization Good: Although the three-stage arrangement still led to a lot of running back and forth and missed moments, the sequestering of the third stage in a separate area (in a cool forest, no less!) meant at least the bands did not have to deal with sound bleeding between acts. Cooler, more diverse merch this time around as well, including giant belt buckles (a personal weakness).

The Vibe: Awesome as usual. Friendly people, a culturally rich city and tons of metal. The press were on hand, as well as some bloggers and amateur filmmakers. The feeling in the air was that if we can keep the momentum going it could really become a reliable summer festival.

A very refreshed young gentleman having his picture taken with who he thinks are Rob Zombie and Kerry King.

That’s it for 2011! Now the speculation games begin. Who will headline 2012? Will it have anything to do with a certain group of geezers and their announcement on Nigel Tufnel Day? I know I can’t wait to dissect and examine all the possibilities.  \m/ \m/! 

What metal hath joined, let no man put asunder.