Tag: Alternative Metal
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Soul Blind ‘Feel It All Around’ (2022)
The shoegaze offshoot run continues this week, with Soul Blind’s debut album Feel It All Around our next stop on the dreamscape journey. Soul Blind is definitely on the heavier side, more oriented on modern metal, but incorporates just the right blend of shoegaze haziness and a surprising little dash of mid-aughts post-hardcore emo energy…
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Velvet Revolver ‘Contraband’ (2004)
The early 2000’s were an incredible time for hard rock supergroups. You had Audioslave, which combined the musical talents of Rage Against the Machine and the vocal prowess of Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) who is easily my favorite rock vocalist of all-time and it’s not even close. So it was probably no coincidence that their debut…
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Rage Against The Machine ‘Rage Against The Machine’ (1992)
Rage Against the Machine is synonymous with my experience of becoming politically aware during my early teen years. I’ll never forget borrowing their album Evil Empire from my friend Ryan Polk in seventh grade, sneaking it into my house to avoid the peering eyes of my mom (who definitely wouldn’t be happy with the rabble…
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Stone Temple Pilots ‘Core’ (1992)
Stone Temple Pilots came together in San Diego in the late 1980s when soon-to-be legendary rock vocalist Scott Weiland and bassist Robert DeLeo bonded over a shared love of bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Aerosmith. Along with Robert’s brother Dean and Eric Kretz they began refining a sound that combined heavy riff-driven rock…
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Alien Ant Farm ‘Anthology’ (2001)
If you’re anywhere near my age you’ll fondly remember Alient Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” which became the band’s biggest hit of their career. The song is awesome in a couple of ways– it is equal parts rock and roll shreddability and comedic relief, because nowhere in music history should a nu-metal…
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Bad Omens ‘The Death of Peace of Mind’ (2022)
There’s been a real influx of heavy metal bands who are blending the pop sensibilities of Justin Bieber, the metalcore of Underoath, and the prog-metal heaviness of bands like Animals As Leaders. Bad Omens’ The Death of Peace of Mind is one of those albums, whose propensity for dense synths and guitars dropped about 8…
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Architects ‘For Those That Wish To Exist’ (2021)
For Those That Wish to Exist is basically a metal pop album. Arena-friendly and radio-ready filled with a collection of bangers that dip their toes into the heavy-heavy and melodic side of metal. Drummer Dan Searle remains the band’s anchor and secret weapon. He’s a total bad ass with his polyrhythmic fills and crushing double-kick…
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CKY ‘Camp Kill Yourself V1’ (1999)
If you were a millennial male hitting your teenage years in the early aughts you were familiar with the band CKY almost by default. The band’s drummer Jess Margera was the brother of Bam Margera. Before connecting with Johnny Knoxville and crew to create the smash-hit Jackass, Bam created the precursor to that media empire…
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Anthrax ‘Among The Living’ (1987)
Anthrax is one of the titans of American thrash metal. Alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, they helped define the genre in the 1980s. Fast, aggressive, and unrelenting, their music stood out with a mix of humor, pop culture references, and a punk-inspired attitude. Among The Living is the album that cemented their place in the…
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Incubus ‘Make Yourself’ (1999)
Make Yourself was a musical revelation for me the first time I heard it. It was one of the first albums I can remember playing on repeat on my trusty blue Sony Walkman CD player. This album legitimately went everywhere with me in the early 2000’s– baseball practice, family road trips, walks to a friend’s…
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Linkin Park ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000)
In 2000 I was in seventh grade when Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory dropped. At that point I was starting to get into some of the nu-metal bands (as I discussed in my write up for Limp Bizkit’s Significant Other) but once Linkin Park stormed onto the scene it sort of redefined the possibilities of rap-rock…
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Tool ‘Lateralus’ (2001)
Maynard James Keenan is one of alternative rock’s most enigmatic and influential figures. The dude the genre over the past three decades with his distinct voice, intellectual lyricism, and multifaceted artistry. As the frontman of three pretty killer rock bands (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) he has a chameleon-like ability to shift between various forms–…
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Queens of the Stone Age ‘Songs for the Deaf’ (2002)
Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has always been a personal favorite of mine. He’s an alternative rock juggernaut, with a drugged-out and sleazy vibe that immediately makes you feel like you’re halfway through a bottle of tequila every time you hear him play. He plays like the guitar with an almost Medieval…
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Jane’s Addiction ‘Nothing’s Shocking’ (1988)
Jane’s Addiction played a pivotal role in defining the grunge sound of the early ’90s, melding elements of punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative music in a way that influenced countless bands. Their debut album Nothing’s Shocking showcased an eclectic mix of styles, characterized by Perry Farrell’s ethereal vocals and a fusion of gritty guitar…
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Primus ‘Sailing The Seas Of Cheese’ (1990)
In the ether of avant-garde funk metal there exists one band whose gravitational pull is undeniable. That band is Primus. The plucky guitar of Larry LaLonde, obscure time signatures of Tim Alexander, and virtuosic bass playing of the one and only Les Claypool have combined to create a uniquely “Did someone put a psychedelic in…
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System of a Down ‘Toxicity’ (2001)
Today when a band gets labelled with the term nu-metal it’s almost a credibility death sentence. Back in 2001? Not so much. This was the era when Korn and Limp Bizkit were a mainstream thing, constantly played on MTV, and every young male in their teens was obsessed. Amidst this backdrop System of a Down…
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Deftones ‘White Pony’ (2000)
I’ve always loved the production sound of Deftones’ White Pony in a way that borders on obsessive — whether it be the crack of the snares, the massively lush electric guitars, lead vocalist Chino Moreno’s haunting vocal performance, and the deep thump of the bass, this is one of the best sounding albums I’ve ever…
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Sum 41 ‘All Killer, No Filler’ (2001)
With news that Sum 41 will finally be hanging up the guitars after 27 years together, it only felt right to dust off All Killer, No Filler and take it for a spin this week. This was the album that started it all for the Canadian punk rockers off the heels of their massive hit…
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