Flashback - Alice In Chains (yes, that Alice In Chains)

It's that time again already, kids: FLASHBACK!  Today I'd like us to remember, or learn for the first time as the case may be, that Alice in Chains wasn't really a grunge band (just listen to "Them Bones" or "What the Hell Have I"), even though it came from the same place at the same time as some of grunge's heavy hitters.  The band's first album, Facelift, is one of the single greatest heavy albums ever recorded.  If you've only heard "Man In the Box" from that one, you've missed out - go back and listen to the whole thing.  Here - you can start with "It Ain't Like That" and go from there - CRANK IT!

Hell Promise

Alright kids, under the heading of "Sorry to do it to ya", it's a great band gone before its time: Hell Promise.  The band was the personal creation of ex-Himsa guitarist Brian Johnson, and only operated from 2001 to 2007, but during that time release an EP called Slaughter the Heartless and punishing full-length album called Aim for Hell.  Here's "The New Black Death" - CRANK IT!

Hell Promise "The New Black Death"

Exhumed

Alright kids, batten down the hatches - it's my new favorite thing today - Exhumed!  Is it thrash?  Is it death metal?  Or at about 2:00 in, does it actually reveal itself to be prog metal hidden in clever packaging?  You decide.  Get ready to break stuff (but also sometimes think, apparently) and CRANK IT!

GZR

Alright kids, today's offering is a tangent that I have enjoyed for many years, but of which you may be completely unaware.  GZR is Geezer Butler's band when he is not actively engaged in Black Sabbath or producing for young metal bands.  Although the GZR lineup for the first album, Plastic Planet, was my favorite by virtue of having Fear Factory's Burton Bell on vocals, I like that Geezer chose Clark Brown for the albums going forward because he has a completely different-sounding voice and way of singing.  (For a fun bonus today, I'll throw you one of each.)  GZR's sound varies between super heavy (especially on Plastic Planet) and moodily atmospheric, and its lyrical content, written almost single-handedly by the Geez, jumps between politically searing and science fiction conspiracy-obsessed.  The reason I am inspired to post some GZR today is that the first GZR album in ten years has been announced for release early next year.  Anyway, medium story short, here are two GZR tracks, one full-on metal and political with Burton Bell from the Plastic Planet record, and one more atmospheric and science-fictiony with Clark Brown from Black Science (one of the best titles for an album ever.)  I hope at least one or two of you find something you like here - I like it, so you should, too.  DO WHAT I SAY!  LOVE WHAT I LOVE!  AND CRANK IT!