Blood&Thunder Design Blog

Feb 06

Things found on the interweb: Revisited.

Feb 06

“I got Blisstazz on ma Fingazz” - Lunch Boards

I am only posting these because i will never get the weekend i spent doing these back. Ever. Definitely nice to put the mouse away and do something with real materials again. Even if that meant sitting on a floor for 8 hours without the use of a ruler! Trying not to smudge these damn boards was a pain i wish to never know again. Happy with the result though.

Dec 21

THE MOMENT NONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR…

Im thinking of making this an annual extravaganza… Blood + Thunders’ Best of Metal 2011! I give you… in no particular order, my years best list. Thank you to the 3-4 people who actually read this. I thank you because i forgot how much of a pain in the ass this was to put together last year.

Protest the Hero - Scurrilous

This album made me want to throw away all of my guitars and take up the triangle. Scurrilous stacks up with Kezia as one of my favorite Protest albums to date. Great technical guitar playing as usual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KULKp1J8Pg8&feature=related

DevilDriver – Beast

This may be a little biased as I was a huge Coal Chamber fan back in the day but give Dead To Rights one listen and try not to want to punch the person sitting beside you in the face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuYfdfG8Jg8&feature=related

Havok - Time is Up

Throwback trash metal! Im pretty sure this album doesn’t dip below 220bpm for its entirety. Sounds like Metallica circa 88’ before they got all Load/Reload/St.Anger/Lulu on us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6PELGdedsM&feature=BFa&list=SPABDD0CF34DFB45FF&lf=list_related

Mastodon - The Hunter

More of a proggy-hard-rock album. Mastodon have clearly been dropping acid to old King Crimson and Yes records. It took me a couple listens to really appreciate. The Hunter is a step back for me from Crack the Skye but still holds up as a solid effort start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwgqenxNUfs&ob=av3e

Machine Head - Unto the Locust

I absolutely love when older metal bands that I have little expectation to make a great record proceed to make a great record. Slayer/Megadeth/Metallica have all notoriously gone soft but Machine Head is still very much relevant now as they were in the 90’s

Making of here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASInQR_15D0

Russian Circle – Empros

This album sounded absolutely huge! Hard to believe Russian circles are a 3 piece. Sounds much like their previous work on Geneva but if it aint broke… Empros is a great listen start to finish and still astonish every time I see them live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONzYMVrhTyk

Atlas Moth - An Ache for the Distance

One of my favorites of 2011. Doom metal Gods in my eyes! Definite post-rock influence there as well. Half-time riffs, sludgy guitar tones, Sold. More clean vocals than I remember from their last album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwXGfNwORvY

Indian – Guiltless

Converge has a child with Atlas Moth. Enough said.This guy is pretty passionate about Indian so I’ll let him take it from here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEoBfDHNyCI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGfDrO3b4v4

Trap Them - Darker Handcraft

Basically Entombed. But Heavier. Possibly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF3UjZ5QUgI

Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

First album in a long time that I was generally scared of after my first listen. More than %85 chance this album was forged in the depths of hell. And I liked it! This band was my first real introduction to all that is Black Metal and I think it may have opened some doors for me. Really atmospheric and eerie but a solid listen. Seriously don’t judge me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JXGUe9lp58&feature=related

Young Widows - In and Out of Youth and Lightness

Well now that we got that last album out of the way lets tone it down a bit. Agreed, Young Widows are not metal. Not even close. But im running the ship and this album is making it I don’t care. For all you hipsters out there this is how you tastefully drench your entire record in reverb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRRGmJOfLo4

Black Tusk - Set the Dial

In the vein of High on Fire, Sleep, the Melvins and all other Stoner Metal bands that have come before this record; Black Tusk has given my ears a boner. No filler, just a great record all the way through. Guitars sound monstrous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFesKVrKYus&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLC801CB8017BC0A53

Vektor - Outer Isolation

Very Surprised by this record as I have never listened to Vektor before. Warning: Some may find the vocals less than desirable. Actually for anyone who is actually reading this, Correction: ALL of you will find the vocals annoying. But I challenge you to give them a chance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A64Tdl0f7Zk

Coliseum – Parasites

More-so a hard rock effort; Coliseum has once again made me hard-pressed to have anything bad to say about the new record. They still keep elements of their old stuff with the heavy slow paced riffs and thunderous drumming. These guys make some of the catchiest riffs in metal today. Bonus: Cover art was killer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmGhVm3ln7w

Cynic - Carbon - Based Anatomy

Being a huge Between the Buried and Me advocate I was told to give Cynic a go last year and I immediately felt like an idiot for thinking BTBAM were some sort of pioneers. Turns out Cynic has been doing progressive-jazz-fusion-death metal for years. No. Way. This album is much less on the heavy side then their back catalog but I really dug it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=639uwpbgbAs

East of the Wall - The Apologist

FAVORITE ALBUM OF THE YEAR. Said it. No clue where these guys came from, or when or why but thank god. I was losing all faith in music for a minute there. The Apologist goes from quiet to absurdly heavy really quickly. Super proggy and chaotic at times. Great production. I have listened to this album seriously 50 times I think. Give it a go you narrow-minded fool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkFT0nt5o3c

Thou: The Archer & the Owle

Recorded over the last decade or so this 40+ minute EP was mind melting. Again I have to throw a black metal vocal disclaimer on here as they might be a little tough to get into. Nonetheless The Archer was wild, worth many listens and many more to come.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqFChQG12Aw

40 Watt Sun: The Inside Room

This album reminded me of a heavier version of the psychedelic rock band Witchcraft. Slow moving, churning songs that for one reason or another I actually pay attention to the lyrics. Strange. Up until now I was quite content with not caring what any metal song was about. Pleasantly surprised by The Inside Room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IEvmtSxfuI

Saviours - Death’s Procession

Stoner-Rock at its finest! These guys have cooled down the metal a little and have forged ahead with an album that sounds like something a Hells Angel member sings in the shower. With youtube comments like “best video ever! worship satan!” …how can you not want to watch one of the greatest rock videos I have seen in a long time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcTvIpd-ujs

Red Fang - Murder the Mountains

WAIT! This IS the greatest rock video ever. Also the greatest opening riff ever (debatable). Murder the Mountains was another great album from Red Fang. Its honest, to the point, and heavvvvy! Try and hate it. You cant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQPfQvLIseA

Dec 13

Taking this blog seriously…Again

No seriously…. my next post will be the greatest, most thought provoking, time consuming, well constructed post of 2011. Give me 24 hours.

Dec 13

Freelance Work Explained

Oct 12

The Fourth Period Magazine - Issue 10 Cover

Long time, no blog! Well its out, my Crosby cover for 4th Period Magazine hits shelves very soon. Taking on a portrait was a little nerve racking but hey! I think it turned out pretty decent. Big thanks to the mag for letting me ruin all of their credibility! You can gripe about the cover here