5. Storm Corrosion – Storm Corrosion

Steven Wilson’s and Mikael Akerfeldt’s long awaited album is finally within our reach. The album is slated for an April release, which is three months too long of a wait. While the album itself may not be “loud rock” in the conventional sense, it’s been described as “strange and disturbing”, which is metal in its own right. Plus, look at that damn artwork. That thing is sexy as hell.

4. Periphery – Periphery II and/or Juggernaut

Periphery has been approaching advertisement in a very unique way: through the internet. They’re huge Facebook users, constantly updating their page with studio updates, hilarious pictures (see right) and random images of guitars. They alone took a good chunk of space of my wall. Because of this, they’re are rabid fans out there waiting in eager anticipation for just a sound byte of new Periphery, and you can count me among them. Unfortunately, they have yet to release much information about their new album, but once they do you can be sure that thousands of fans will all simultaneously have a nerdgasm.

3. Gojira – Sea Shepherd EP

In almost every interview I’ve conducted with random artists, Gojira has come up at least once. Henkka Seppala from Children of Bodom said he has been impressed with what Gojira has done over the past few years, and he’s not the only one. Also, the EP is named after the badass whale defense crew, which is metal as fuck. Gojira has done some incredibly innovative things, which is why Sea Shepherd is on this list, even though it’s an EP. Oh, and they also released a single late last year, which you can listen to below. It has Fredrik Thordendal in it. Listen to it. Dammit.

Click here to view the embedded video.

2. Meshuggah – Koloss

The masters of Djent are back, and it looks like us petty mortals are going to be thrashed around once again by the sheer amount of metal Meshuggah’s testicles excrete. Fredrik Thordendal has had his hand in a few projects recently, and it’s about damn time he’s come out with his own version of fucking metal.  The aptly titled Koloss is set to blow our minds on March 27th, the same day as Mars Volta’s new albums comes out (coincidence? I THINK NOT).

1. Baroness – Yellow Compact Disc

Looking back at the release of Blue Album, I remember thinking at the time that that was one of the best sophomore efforts by a band in a long, long time. In fact, while they haven’t been around for very long, Baroness has had some of my favorite albums since their inception. Knowing this, I am simply wet with anticipation for the release of [insert color followed by synonym for album here. Once again, they have yet to release much information regarding their album (besides pictures of the artwork being worked on), but it’s bound to create rifts in the space-time continuum when it hits.

Brootalisk’s Top 5 Most Anticipated Albums: 2012 Edition is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Well. Here it is folks. The end of the end. Seeing as how the world is ending next year, this is the last top ten list ever. Of all time. So I hope you guys enjoy it while it lasts. I know, it’s a very solemn feeling, but I feel kind of free at the same time. It’s almost as if I inexplicably know, somehow, that there will be more albums to review and criticize down to the last note after this life. Speaking of 2012, here’s a quick list of some bands to look out for in 2012, and who should be turning some heads (or banging them) in the metal community.

Up and Coming Bands:
Baroness
Periphery
Gojira
Meshuggah
ISIS

Now, some of you may be wondering why I listed a band that has been disbanded for a significant time. You can quote me on this, but I’m predicting an ISIS reunion of some sort during the year 2012. You heard it here first folks. Trust me, this is going to happen. This isn’t just me shamelessly begging for Aaron Turner to finally make the inevitable happen. Seriously. Anyway, here are my top 5 choices for albums of the year. Hope you like them (but I honestly don’t care). See you all next year!

5. Tesseract – One [Tracks: 1, 4, 6, 12] The finest djent album released this year, One sets the bar incredibly high for acts such as Periphery who are going for the more “melodic djent” feel. Unfortunately, the incredible vocalist featured on this album is no longer with the band. They have yet to find a permanent replacement, so only time will tell where this band is headed in the years to come. Oh, and to Randy Blythe: believe it or not but djent is quickly becoming increasingly popular whether you like it or not. Fruitbatcore still hasn’t quite caught on though.

4. Between the Buried and Me – The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues [Tracks: 1, 3] I was really hesitant to put this on here, because, after all, it’s not a full length album but rather an EP. Still, it’s a pretty long EP at 30 minutes, and it’s got some of my favorite tracks of the year, so why the hell not? Also, I get to say how ridiculously good BTBAM is live. Hopefully we’ll get to see the “second act” of their conceptual album suite sometime next year.

3. Devin Townsend Project- Deconstruction [Tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8] Devin Townsend is, right now, in a league of his own. He’s always been a good musician in my opinion, but both Deconstruction and Ghost take things to a whole new level. This album is his finest work yet, ranging from the trademark Townsend-craziness to something more akin to Ki. Oh, and there’s a rave scene. I don’t know too many people who can shit out rave scenes and call it gold, but Devin Townsend somehow pulls it off.

2. Animals as Leaders – Weightless [Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 , 11] Tosin Abasi is currently my favorite musician right now (although knowing me that will change in a few days). He’s damn near god-like with the guitar and his song writing is impeccable. I’ve talked with many musicians this past year, and whenever I’ve asked who’s their favorite act right now, I almost always got Animals as Leaders as a response. These guys are making resounding waves throughout the metal community, bringing something new to the table that’s truly never been done before. I’m genuinely excited to see where this band goes in the near future.

1. Protest the Hero – Scurrilous [Tracks: ALL OF THEM] Have you ever caught yourself skipping tracks on an album because you want to listen to one or two awesome songs on there? This is the only record this year where I just could not do that, because every single track on here is incredibly solid. There was never a moment where I felt like I just wanted this song to end so I could get to the next one. There aren’t many albums that have been able to do that, but Scurrilous nailed it. This is by far the most well rounded metal album this year. Anyone who says otherwise obviously has a different opinion from mine and therefore must burn in hell.

Credit, once again, goes to my bff James Marchetti for the very metal picture above

Brootalisk’s Top 10 Loud Rock Albums of 2011 (#5-1) is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Well my fellow metal heads, it’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about Christmas or Hanukkah or any other “controversial” holiday. I’m talking about the top ten albums of the year. Specifically, those of the headbanging kind. I’ve listed my first 5 choices below. You’ll have to wait in eager anticipation for the top 5, which will be up on December 23rd. First, here are the honorable mentions:

Honorable Mention:
Machine Head – The Locust
Children of Bodom – Relentless Reckless Forever
Textures – Dualism
Cynic – Carbon-Based Anatomy
Amogh Symphony – Quantum Hack Code

If you know your music like the back of your penis like I do, then you’ll notice that Quantum Hack Code actually came out last year. But it was so close to 2011 (December 25th) and so awesomely djent that I decided to put it up anyway. Because I don’t give a fuck and that’s how I roll. Now, without further ado, here are my 10th to 6th favorite albums of the year.

10. Opeth – Heritage [Tracks: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8] One of Opeth’s most ambitious, and risky, albums to date. It’s also the one that has gained the most respect from me. Heritage shows that they want to make the music they want, not what their fans what. Because of this, Heritage has become a very polarizing album, but I’m sure, just like Damnation, it’ll be regarded as an Opeth classic 5 years from now.

9. Obscura – Omnivium [Tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8] Christian Muenzner said it perfectly when I spoke to him at their show in San Francisco: Everyone’s got musical chops, but only a few can actually execute it to perfection. Obscura is the definition of Technical Death Metal, and Omnivium showcases their musical talent to near-perfection.

8. Scale the Summit – The Collective [Tracks: 2, 5, 6, 9] Saw these guys play with Cynic and 3, and while Cynic was awesome, Scale the Summit stole the show. They sounded phenomenal live, which is even more impressive considering just how much thought and effort their music takes to play. Also, Chris Letchford is one of my favorite 8-string guitarists. There. I said it.

7. Unexpect – Fables of the Sleepless Empire [Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 8] Unfortunately, Unexpect is probably the most obscure band on this list. Since they’ve mainly released their albums independently, they don’t get too much publicity. However, don’t let that fact stray you from their music. These guys are awesome. If you listened to their last album, know this: this album is still sporadic but in a more focused fashion as opposed to In a Flesh Aquarium. If you’re into avant-garde extreme metal, or 9-stringed basses, listen to this album now. Dammit.

6. Mastodon – The Hunter [Tracks: 2, 3, 4, 7, 11, 13] Following an album as big as Crack the Skye is definitely a worthy task, but Mastodon pulled it off. While I was a bit disappointed that The Hunter didn’t feature any new epics (their longest song is just over 5 and a half minutes), that doesn’t mean the songs don’t have any depth. Also, The Sparrow is by far the best outro of the year. Oh, and this is the greatest thing ever.

Credit goes to my man James Marchetti for the awesome artwork above

Brootalisk’s Top 10 Loud Rock Albums of 2011 (#10-6) is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

P.S. Noticed that you can hear Scale the Summit playing during the interview? Yeah, I had to miss them live while still being able to hear their tantalizing and sexy guitar playing. Twas quite a painful ordeal.

CynicInterview (Audio)

CynicInterview (PDF)

Interview with Cynic’s Paul Masvidal is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

The interview itself is quite enlightening. Muenzner touches on some very interesting topics, such as a side of touring that not many really think about, and the aftermath of their bassist’s departure from the band.

Also, I’ve saved the interview in two different formats for your convenience (I spoil you guys, I know). Enjoy!

Obscura Interview (Audio)

Obscura Interview (PDF)

Interview with Obscura’s Christian Muenzner is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Nostalgia = brutal. is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Interview with Chris Letchford of Scale the Summit is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

9. Adagio - Archangels In Black (Listenable)
Adagio is a great power metal band that I think might get overlooked at times because of their similarity in name to that of Brazilian power metal band, Alagio. However, this album proves that they are definitely different.

8. Stratovarius – Polaris (Edel, Ear music)
I was shocked when I heard this album, it didn’t really sound like Stratovarius at all. Quite heavy, not what I was used to for them, but it was a pleasant surprise.

7. Sonata Arctica – The Days of Grays (Nuclear Blast)
I’m pleased to announce that Sonata hasn’t lost anything by replacing their guitarist. I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same Sonata Arcitca that I had grown to love, but this album is very good, and so long as Tony Kakko is still in the band, they’ll be fine.

6. Dream Theater – Black Clouds And Silver Linings (Roadrunner)
Dream Theater is my favorite band, and they would have gotten the number 1 spot, because I love this album, but I felt that other bands were more deserving, so here they are. If you don’t have this album already, get it.

Scrambles the Death Dealer’s Top 10 Part 1 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

5. Mastodon - Crack the Skye (Reprise)
There is often much debate over which Mastodon album is the best, which one is the worse, etc. but it cannot be denied that their latest is still nothing short of epic. The album is literally taking you through an adventure with space travel, usurping of thrones and devils. Seriously, read this article sometime, its really interesting. Its more progressive than previous entries and the music videos for the songs are AMAZING. Some of the best I have every seen.

4. The Black Dahlia Murder – Deflorate (Metal Blade)
These guys just keep getting better and better. Yet again, they fail to raise the bar with their newest release. While I might not be able to sing along to every song and every guitar riff like I still can on Unhallowed, without a doubt their musicianship has continued to improve with every album. Every track is awesome. This is one I can just play on loop and not get bored.

3. Baroness - The Blue Record (Relapse)
This is something everyone can gather round, as was proved here at KZSC. Nobody was immune to the awesome artwork of John Baizley (the singer/rythm guitarist) or the music itself. Our music director Caitlin was even willing to go see them in San Fransisco, and while me and Tooth Gnasher and Tooth Grinder (aka Stephanie our Station Manager and Tim our Volunteer Coordinator) might not agree on music all the time, Baroness was something we all agreed had passed the bar in terms of combining melodic sounds and awesome guitar riffs with hardcore/metalcore singing. This album would most likely be on our collective Top 10 list.

2. Between the Buried and Me – The Great Misdirect (Victory)
Even though I didn’t think it was possible, this album is more progressive than the 2007 hit Colors. In the same way though, its impossible to compare to Colors directly because they are so different. From the melancholy track “Mirrors” that goes straight into the hardcore track “Obfuscation” to the poppy piano riff in the beginning of “Fossil Genera” to the steel guitar playing on “Desert of Song” and finally the epic that is “Swim to the Moon” this cd takes you on a ride and bring something new to the table every time you pop it into your CD Player.

1. Scale the Summit – Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic)
This album is my number one for a couple reasons; if I want to do homework and can’t be distracted by lyrics, if I’m taking a girl on a date, but can’t stand to let her listen to her “Britney Spears” or “Lil Wayne” then I pop in this album. She can’t complain about scary vocals or anything because there are none. This album is a major step up from their 2007 album Monument. Each song has its own distinct sound and the technical level of the musicians is amazing. It also contains what is probably my number one played song of the year, “The Great Plains”. I can’t really explain why its my favorite song, it’s almost like comfort food.

Leviathan’s Top 10 Part 2 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Leviathin’s List of 2009′s Most Epic Albums Part 1

10. Porcupine Tree – The Incident (Roadrunner)
This is a 2-disc album, with the first disc being a straight 55 minute epic. Leave it to Steven Wilson. The only complaint I would have is that pretty much none of the tracks can really stand alone but as a whole its an epic song. If you want to hear just a part, check out the edited version of ‘Time Flies’ on their lastfm page.

9. Sonata Arctica – The Days of Grays (Nuclear Blast)
My favorite power metal band. They haven’t lost their touch at all. I love listening to them in the winter… They just seem like a winter band. This album is one of their best so far. Tony Kakko can sing the shit out of anything. Not as many epic super high screams as I would like but that doesn’t hurt it too much.

8. Animals as Leaders – Animals as Leaders (Prosthetic)
I wanted to put ALL of the instrumental metal bands I discovered this year into my list, but that would have taken up half the list and most of them don’t even have labels yet (see: Exivious and Cloudkicker, seriously, check them out) so I decided to put up the one I listened to the most. Animals as Leaders is like a more hardcore Scale the Summit, which is great. This is the album for someone trying to move into metal without words I think. It’s not all weird and introspective, its just metal, its easy to get.

7. Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner)
This album is Dream Theater, the Dream Theater you know and respect, which isn’t a bad thing, but that’s why it isn’t higher on my list. It’s a good overview of what they can do, but they didn’t really go anywhere new. I was expecting something a little more groundbreaking from them. That being said, if you like Dream Theater, then you will still like this album, but if you don’t this one won’t change your mind about them.

6. Scar Symmetry – Dark Matter Dimensions (Nuclear Blast)
This band comes out with some of the catchiest songs. In that sense, they are like the opposite of Scale the Summit, I can’t focus on anything else when I listen to them, I just want to sing along. One of my favorite Melodic bands, I always love listening to the whole album. If you like this one, go back and check out the rest of their discography.

Leviathin’s Top 10 Part 1 is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz