File: August 2008
Metal Issue II
In November 2006, we dropped our first true metal issue since the days IE used to pump out its CAMM sister publication (Chicago Area Metal Monthly). We aren’t looking to make it an annual date, but sometimes, like Trevor Fisher says on his festival-preview page, the time picks us.
Yet we’re still no closer to defining “metal.” Twenty-one months ago we slipped Wolfmother in the issue and it never felt right. Sitting here looking at the announcement for the coming All Hope Is Gone (Roadrunner; August 26th) makes us wonder, are Slipknot metal? Heavy, creepy, and cultish — but what would Kerry King do? Coverboys Judas Priest have a gay member. Lair Of The Minotaur scream not of glorious Scandinavian pagans, but Greek mythology. Nachtmystium (see “Spins”) abandoned black metal for Pink Floyd. Has metal become subjective? One man’s trash is another man’s metalcore, we guess. Oh, well. Some things are for sure: This is Metal Issue II.
There Will Be Blood
Eighties speed metal merchants Exodus want to go back to their roots in 1986’s Bonded By Blood, so they’ve re-recorded Bonded By Blood? Calling it Let There Be Blood, founder Gary Holt claims it’s a tribute to late vocalist Paul Baloff and an upping of production values, but outside of that this decision . . . this sounds . . . er . . . regrettable. Among the myriad, dubious problems — again, aside from the fact Baloff died six years ago — is the tacit understanding among musicians worldwide that this just isn’t done. We know it has been done, and the planet’s silent response such instances should not be interpreted as assent or encouragement to repeat history. No lo repeato, señores! Or the next Blood you see will be draining from your careers. Drainage, Eli!
Back To The Blaze
They need a more distinguishing tagline than “former Megadeth members,” nonetheless David Ellefson and Jimmy DeGrasso, aka F5, will have The Reckoning in stores August 19th and bring Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp to House Of Blues 10 days sooner, on the 9th. While the choice of album title runs a little up and in on ‘Deth’s “Reckoning Day,” riding the tour bus with Extreme might make you pine for things familiar . . . Scorpions come to Charter One Pavilion on August 10th and man, sometimes we feel old, but these dudes are old. Rudolph Schenker founded the band in 1965, three years after The Beatles fled Hamburg. As essentially Michael Schenker’s replacement, Matthias Jabs was always the new guy, and he joined in 1978. So, where are we? Thirty years later? Scheiße . . . Matt Sorum was once the new guy in Guns N’ Roses — now he’s picking up Velvet Revolver’s pieces, backing up Sammy Hagar with Michael Anthony and Billy Duffy, and drumming out in Camp Freddy with Dave Navarro. You could insert the word “moonlighting” in any of those, but that implies a steady gig.
— Steve Forstneger
Be Patient – It’s A T.V. Show
Disgruntled fans congregated in Daley Plaza early (farmer’s wake-up call early) to see John Mellencamp gruffly perform a few ditties for the national broadcast of CBS’ “The Early Show” on July 21st. Standing under clouds threatening to burst, the crowd grew increasingly weary of the routine shenanigans of CBS-TV anchors Dave Price and Harry Smith, calling out for the man of the hour. Mellencamp intermittently obliged with fist-pumping renditions of “Jack And Diane” and “Small Town.” Puffing on cigarettes between the long takes, Mellencamp rolled out three tracks from his latest release, Life, Death, Love, And Freedom (Hear Music). With Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild on harmonizing vocals, first single “My Sweet Love” and “A Ride Back Home” cemented Mellencamp’s world weary outlook. Some of his fire returned during a feisty “Authority Song,” with rumbling, tumbling drums making a case for a future heavy metal cover. It could happen.
— Janine Schaults
