Mastodon

Watch out, kids - it's Mastodon today.  This is new stuff from the Once More 'Round The Sun EP - it's "High Road" - CRANK IT!

Be'Lakor

Excellent stuff today, kids.  Australian band Be'Lakor is typically classified as "melodic death metal." If you actually listen, though, you'll hear that not only is the singer the only guy performing death metal, the other guys are playing thrash, classic-style metal, and even epic Queen-style hard rock, AND the only keyboard work is on an actual piano, rather than some synth crap.  I've been diggin' on it pretty hard for a couple of weeks; give it chance - I think you'll hear what I hear.  Let's go with "Sanguinary" from the Stone's Reach album.  It's Be'Lakor - CRANK IT! - don't make me come over there and do it for you.

Malefice

Ok kids, it's British metalcore outfit Malefice today.  For my liking, Malefice is at about the punk edge of metalcore, but I think you'll find that these guys' primal nature is perfect for - yep, you guessed it: jumpin' around breakin' stuff.  Also, I love the guitar split on the intro lick of this particular track.  To see what I'm talking about, watch the first five seconds of the video; you'll see that the two guitarists split the lick between them when it could easily have been played by one of them - it's great showmanship for a live performance, the kind of thing that is easy to forget to do.  It's "Archtect of Your Own Demise" - CRANK IT!

Flashback - Type O Negative

Time flies, kids: FLASHBACK!  At first glance, Type O Negative was a goth band, and certainly it fulfilled that role; however, a little digging in the Type O catalogue reveals that, like the Misfits, the band was every bit as true to its metal, punk, and classic rock influences as it was to its gothic pedigree.  Also, perhaps paradoxically, the Drab Four were never afraid to poke fun at themselves tongue-in-cheek style (listen to "We Hate Everyone", "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend", or their cover of "Angry Inch").  Anyway, it's Black No. 1 (I couldn't resist) - CRANK IT!  And Peter Steele, wherever you are, may you find the peace in death that you never could in life.