#3: Immolation
Country of origin: United States [Yonkers, NY]
Genre: Death Metal
Years active: 21
Latest release: Shadows In the Light, 2007, Century Media



The fact that even after more than a decade and a half since the release of their debut album Dawn Of Possession on Trend...er... Roadrunner Records, Immolation still carries no more than a "cult" following [as is indicated by this album's title] is a bitter testament to the fickleness and impatience of what is supposed to be a dedicated metal crowd. This band is the embodiment of everything that remains virtuous and forward-thinking in a death metal scene that struggles to stay afloat while being dragged down by an ever-growing throng of useless "worship" bands. They are one of an elite handful of death metal bands that possesses the elusive trifecta of having their own trademark style, quality songwriting and a great sense of atmosphere. Yes, their unconventional, angular approach to both riffing and songwriting may put off quite a few people at first [myself being one of them], but if one takes the time to digest all the quirky riff changes and probe all the layers of sound [and there are a lot of them], there will come a point at which everything Immolation has to offer will become apparent and they will be recognized for the creative geniuses that they are. And, speaking from experience, when you
reach this point of enlightenment, you will desire very much to go back in
time and kick your own arse for not liking this band right off the bat. It's
like some wonderful drug, it really is...

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#2: Blind Guardian
Country of origin: Germany
Genre: Power Metal
Years active: 22
Latest release: A Twist In the Myth, 2006, Nuclear Blast



No band in all of music has been producing high-quality material with as much consistency and depth over the last two decades as Germany's Blind Guardian. Forming in the mid-80s as a speed metal quartet, influenced primarily by the likes of Metallica and Judas Priest, Blind Guardian have, over the span of eight albums, developed their sound into something genuinely unique and epic. Incorporating operatic rock a-la Queen, cinematic ambience and adding layers of lead guitar harmonies to the foundation of speed metal riffing, the band has become one of the most recognizable in the entire world. And this unique sound is punctuated by the voice of Hansi Kürsch - perhaps the most talented rock vocalist since the legendary Freddy Mercury.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page
My interview w/ guitarist Andre Olbrich

Tchyeah boi. Definitely my second favourite band of all time. You totally omitted their sweet drumming. It blends with the guitar so well.

#1: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Country of origin: United States [San Francisco, CA]
Genre: Rock Against Rock
Years active: 8
Latest release: In Glorious Times, 2007, The End Records



Art rock? Post-rock? Prog rock? Avant rock? Rock against rock? Post-apocalyptic minstrel show?

Whatever term you use to describe the mercurial San Francisco-based quintet known as Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, the fact is that it creates some of the most unconventional, intriguing and eclectic music known to man. The band possesses a freakish, yet refined sound to match its freakish yet engaging stage show, and on its third full-length album, it again raises the bar for quality in this style.

Anyone familiar with SGM's first two albums should immediately recognize the sound on "In Glorious Times." Much like 2004's "Of Natural History," this record kicks off with a brooding, almost cabaret-like track (called "The Companions") that begins in a mellow, minimalist and unassuming manner, but gradually builds into a massive crescendo before ebbing again. After the restrained and mellifluous opener lulls the listener into a calm and vulnerable state, "Helpless Corpse Enactment" comes as a harsh jolt to the system. This song begins with a grandiose operatic refrain, then blasts into the musical equivalent of a hail of machine gun fire. Frontman Nils Frykdahl unleashes his guttural roar over a whirlwind of dissonant harmonies, staccato chords and impossibly jagged rhythms that rival even Gorguts' "Obscura" album.

As different as the first two tracks are from each other, the level of variety on "In Glorious Times" really never wanes. The songs run a gamut of tenors, from the gritty and metallic, to the offbeat and funky, to the ornate and operatic, and everything one can fathom in between—often within a single track. And yet there is no questioning the cohesiveness of the album or any individual song. Conceptually, it's virtually seamless, held together by incredibly well-crafted arrangements that incorporate myriad instruments. Besides the standard equipment of guitars and drums, the band indulges in the esoteric (glockenspiel, autoharp, lute), along with the utterly inexplicable—piano log, Viking boat, electric pancreas and an assortment of other homemade contraptions—without even a hint of the self-congratulatory decadence and Dadaism that consumed Mr. Bungle, SGM's apparent spiritual ancestor.

But on top of everything, the two most remarkable elements of "In Glorious Times" are the vocal performances (by Frykdahl, Carla Kihlstedt and a choir of backing voices) and the nearly orgasmic violin leads Kihlstedt wrote and performed. The woman is to her instrument what Immolation's Robert Vigna is to the guitar: a mad genius who makes turning convention on its ear seem effortless.

This is easily one of the best albums you'll hear in 2007, or any other year, for that matter. It's two parts King Crimson, one part Gorguts, two parts Art Bears, one part Magma and one part Faith No More, plus trace elements of dozens of other bands and a whole lot of idiosyncrasies. "In Glorious Times" will capture your imagination, tickle your fancy, eradicate your preconceived notions of how music should sound and perhaps even skew your perception of reality.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

mp3s:

From In Glorious Times [2007]:
"The Companions"
"Angle of Repose"
"The Ossuary"
"Salt Crown"

From ...Of Natural History [2004]:
"The Donkey-Headed Adversary of Humanity Opens The Discussion"
"Phthisis"
"Gunday's Child"
"Babydoctor"

From Grand Opening and Closing! [2001]:
"Sleep Is Wrong"
"Ambugaton"
"Powerless"
"Sleepytime (Spirit Is A Bone)"