The Metal Project: The Power Of Metal Compels Me

For the final edition of The Metal Project this week - this month, even -  the theme is "Epic"

Not necessarily the songs so much, but every song I post today has a title that tries to rise above the usual "Metal + (word)" cliches, that strives towards something greater than four loons playing loudly, seeks to become a force for glory and wonder and loudly proclaims allegiance to Heavy Metal!

Or the writers just overdid it on the Manowar.

 For your entertainment and edification The Metal Project presents a bunch of songs that may not change your life but should make you raise your fist. Enjoy.

Guillotine - Soul Of Heavy Metal (Brazil 2007)

(I was genuinely amazed to find this song wasn't actually written in 1986)

Honour to: Gabriel Said

Skelator - In Metal We Trust (USA 2008)

(Instrumental but it's a good one and the title fits so...)

Honour to: TheArcaneDominion1

I don't post many songs with a drum solo so that really was a novelty.

Hellhound - Let Metal Rule The World (Japan 2011)

(The perfect tempo to nod your head to. This is scientific fact.)

Honour to: Roger Jolly

Dragonrider - By The Power Of Metal (Jordan 2011)

(I love this sort of thing. 

A band from Jordan playing fist in the air Power Metal? 

Truly this is the Power Of Metal.

I'm not entirely being tongue in cheek either.

Metal is worldwide in a way that most other music can't match.)

I really liked that one.
Honour to: DragonRiderMusic

Maxxwell Carlisle feat. Nita Strauss  - The Power Of Metal Compels Me 

(USA 2013)

(Shredtastic)

Honour to: Maxxxwellc

Savage Blade  - The Way Of Metal (Canada 2014)

(Trad. Chugg-Chugg that pays tribute to the legends )

Honour to: Savage Blade

Sacred Steel - Crusaders Of The Metal Blade (Germany 1998)

(More trad. verging on USPM )

Honour to: Julius Lucius

And finally, it seems fitting to end things with the official anthem of the Wacken Festival - The most metal place on the planet!

Shawn Davidson -  There Will Be Metal (USA 2014)

Honour to: Malcolm Draussen

That's all folks. 

The Metal Project: A Bit Different

 Fellow blogger DaleCooper57 gave me the idea for this post. On my last collection of songs Black Metal Night  he pointed out that the bands involved weren't terribly inventive with their song titles.

 In all fairness, there's only so many ways you can use "Black" and "Metal" in the same title.

But it did get me thinking.  

There's a gazillion songs called "Metal Attack", "Metal Maniac", "Metal Massacre", "Metal Messiah" etc. and I should know because I've listened to most of them.  However, there's also some song titles that are genuine one-offs. 

Today's post is dedicated to songtitles that are a  little more quirky. How many of them are tongue in cheek is yours to decide. Enjoy.

Steel Preacher - Metal Hangover (Germany 2004)

Honour to: GordiAttack

Preeminent - Tits Of Metal  (Canada 2012)

(A song that's not at all what you'd expect, given the title)

Honour to: Zachary Spence

Mordhell - Shit, Blood And Metal Black (Poland 2011)

(Is he really singing about going for a truly horrific dump? I think he is. Oh my)

Honour to: Mordhell

Massacration - Metal Bucetation (Brazil 2005)

(A song title nobody has ever used before, guaranteed. Is that even a real word?)

Honour to: Canal De StewPowder

Bleating Apocalypse - Black Metal Interior Design (Parts Unknown 2012)

Honour to: Bleating Apocalypse
Homepage here: https://www.facebook.com/BleatingApocalypse

And finally...

Hades Archer - Penis Metal (Chile 2008)

Honour to: Piero De Acero

That's all folks.

The Metal Project: Black Metal Night

 Hello and welcome to another edition of The Metal Project.

  Since the Eurovision experiment worked reasonably well, this week I'm going to be doing a few Metal Project posts. That'll give the headbangers among you something to sink their fangs into. 

The rest of you...Um...maybe you ought to pop back next week?

We're going to start things off with some ugly, misanthropic noise from bands that hate you. 

That's right, folks. Tonight every single song proudly proclaims itelf as not on,y Metal but Black Metal

(I must confess that this isn't a scene I know very well. This could be interesting.)

Azazel - Black Metal Night (Finland 2012)

Honour to: AAVE

Skarva Av Glas - Black Metal Bastards (USA 2009)

Honour to: Various Artists - Topic

Primigenium - Pure Black Fucking Metal (Spain 2002)

Honour to: 666beh666

Azaghal - Black Terror Metal (Finland 2006)

Honour to: razor dec

Erzebet - Ultra Medieval Black Metal (Colombia 2012)

Honour to: Andres Martinez

Unearthly - Black Metal War Commando (Brazil 2003)

Honour to: Nihilfist

And finally...

Leichengott - Black Metal War Machine (Poland 2006)

Honour to: MisanthropicEvil

That's all folks.

Check back in a day or so for more metal mayhem.

Happy Fathers' Day

Hi Dad.

  I had this mad idea to do a blog post for Fathers' Day but I was struggling to find something to say. 

Correction. I knew what I wanted to say, I just wasn't quite sure how to say it. 

But then I remembered that as I'm writing this, I'm sat on a PC that you helped me buy. 

If I lean a little to the right I can see the bathroom blinds that you put up for me. 

  In the bedroom is the bookshelf that you helped me put up. I have another bookshelf in the kitchen. You put that up too.   

 This morning I did my laundry in the washing machine that you helped me install. More than that, you were right next to me when I bought my first washer - and when the bloody thing suffered a catastrophic failure, you helped me find out what was wrong and then get it replaced. 

When I moved home, you were there.

When we go up to visit my brother and his family who does the driving? That would be you.

I've asked a lot of you over the years. Given that I am appallingly bad at anything practical, it's always been a big comfort knowing that you're on the other end of the phone to bail me out yet again. 

I think I'm wording this badly but what I'm trying to say is that big as I am, old as I am, I still need you around. Not just for the heavy lifting and the power drill but just ...being there.

 

Because you're my Dad and that's what Dads do. 

Dad, I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable but let me finish by saying...

Thank you for far too many things to list here.

Happy Fathers Day

PS. Hey little brother...did you think I'd forget that you're a dad too? 

I hope the girls made a fuss of you today because you try to be the best father you can be. 

Happy Father's day to you as well. 

That's all folks. 

   

The Greatest Ultimate Classic Driving Rock Collection Of Destiny Ever (with extra guitars)

  Have you ever been poking through the CD rack in your local supermarket, seen one of those "Rock!" compilations on sale and found yourself asking "Who the hell buys these things?"

I suspect your opinion of me is about to go sharply downhill because I'm afraid the answer is...

 "Me. I buy these things"

Even More Wall Art In Southsea

While I was on my way to the Bus rally (see previous post) I took the opportunity to snap a couple of bits of art that make Osborne Road just a little bit more colourful.

 This is the huge mural that decorates the side of the Grosvenor Casino.

I'm assuming the casino didn't mind. Or did they wake up one day, find this on their wall and just go "Oh the hell with it. Leave it where it is."?

 This chap looks a bit grumpy, doesn't he?

 How to make a commonplace English word into something marvellous.

 Hands up how many of you knew who Thanos was before Avengers Assemble and Guardians Of The Galaxy.

I like this. I really do. Charming isn't it?

Artist(s) unknown but definitely talented and I hope you don't mind me sharing your stuff with the rest of the world. 

The other piece I got a picture of is high on the wall of The Wave Maiden, a pub that specialises in Real Ale and  interesting cheeses. I really must have a pint in there one of these days. 

 I've loved this sign since it went up. It has a classic, sorta-retro feel to it. Somebody who knows their art history better than me could explain it better. Best I can do, as an uneducated pleb, is go "Ooh pretty!"

A close up of those fabulous cheekbones. 

Picture courtesy of - me and my little digital camera 

But here's a link : https://www.facebook.com/thewavemaidensouthsea if you ever happen to be in the area. 

That's all folks. 

Big D at the Southdown100 Bus Rally

I wanted fried chicken. I got buses instead. 

 It all started when I decided to treat myself to some Kens Fried Chicken. (For those of you who don't know, Kens Fried Chicken is the Pompey version of a well-known Southern states Chicken franchise.   Personally I think it's much superior) which would have been great if KensFC had actually been open. 

 But before I turned around and trudged home chickenless,  a small voice piped up from inside the back of my head. "Hey...do you think there's anything  going on over on Southsea Common. Pop to the end of Osborne Road and have a look."

 And I did. As soon as I saw several vintage buses lined up on the common I promptly nipped home to get my camera. 

  As further investigation revealed, 2015 is the 100th anniversary of the Southdown Bus Company and to celebrate, devotees had organised a bus rally with vehicles from Southdown's history as well as other classic vehicles. 

  The first big surprise was the scale of the event. I came to the end of the first row of buses and was gobsmacked to see vehicle after vehicle stretching out across the common.  100 buses? At least. 

 Lots of people around too, strolling about the vehicles, happily reminiscing and taking photos. One Japanese chap had pulled out his tape measure and was measuring the size of the windows. 

 Each to his own...

 The best part was that every single vehicle was in roadworthy condition and at regular intervals, buses would peel out of formation and trundle to the end of the display  where a long line of people was waiting to have a ride. 

 On the other side of the bus park was a bus-themed market, selling model buses, a dizzying array of bus-themed books for the hardcore crowd and other odds and ends.

 It sounds like I might be winding up to take the piss but personally I thought the whole thing was great. I got to see some cool vintage vehicles, a whole bunch of people got to enjoy their Sunday outing and people who like buses got a chance to share their passion with the rest of the world. I approve of that sort of thing. 

 I took an awful lot of photos so I shall only post the ones I really like. 

I did try and avoid having people in the pictures but couldn't always manage it. So if you spot yourself in a photo and you aren't happy, let me know and the snap comes down immediately. 

More info on the rally here:  http://www.southdown100.co.uk/

 Classic double-deckers lined up on a sunny afternoon. How British is this picture? 

 I honestly don't know what this is. Some sort of bus mobile workshop? 

I think this was my favourite bus. 

Not only does it have great lines...

...But it has a freaking fin on the back. 

Now that's cool. 

 Second favourite was this colourful entry from Malta. 

 I overheard somebody saying that the paint scheme isn't just to make the bus look pretty. 

When this one was running, a lot of Maltese in the countryside were illiterate. 

So the companies made the buses colour-coded and the problem was solved.

There's something about older vehicles - doesn't matter what sort - that gives them a certain character.  

Or is that just me?

That's all folks. 

PS. I never did get my chicken. Maybe I'll have some for my tea. 

Heavy Metal Cover Girls - Broken Hearts

As I've been doing this series there are two things I have noticed.

1. The post I plan to do is not always the post I end up making.
Case in point; I had this vague plan to use the theme "Air" today, but while I was trawling through my folder I kept finding all sorts of interesting stuff that looked cool but couldn't be fitted into "Air" even with a crowbar and a welding torch.

2. If a theme is on one album cover it will be on others. No exceptions. 
 It makes sense when you think about it. If two artists want to illustrate something then there is a good chance that they are going to want to use the same visual template. That's why there's so many album covers with gun-toting girls. It's a fast, easy, effective way to say "This lady is dangerous" Everybody understands the imagery so it gets used time and time again.
 What this also means is that ideas crop up more than you expect. I just got two posts out of the theme "Water" I guarantee I will have enough for a third by the end of the year.

All of which rambling leads me to today's them. Hearts.

I want you to take a look at these and tell me what you think the artist is trying to say. I'm genuinely curious to see if you come up with the same things I did.

PS. This one is a bit darker than normal so no snarky captions. Normal fanservice will be resumed in a day or so.

Magion - A Different Shade Of Darkness (Netherlands 2013)

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: More Water Babes.

 Normally I like to mix things up on this blog. I'll do a Cover girls feature, then a Metal project then some other stuff and so on and so on.   But this week I'm doing something a bit different.

Every couple of days I'm going to do a Heavy Metal Cover Girls post, just to see if people like it.

Let me know what you think. In the meantime, let's have some more bathing beauties - Metal style.

Stretching the definition of metal a wee bit...

Blessthefall - Awakening (USA 2011)

 A cover that's quite dynamic but I'm vaguely worried that she might actually be drowning.
And what on earth is that thing on a string?

The band are Metalcore - not something I post very often. 

Arachnes - Apocalypse (Italy 2002)

At first sight this looks like somebody having a really bad day.
Tied to posts.
 In the sea.
Right under a giant-ass spiderweb
And something with way too many heads is bearing down on her.

Then you look a little closer and discover that she's not actually tied to the posts,
so presumably our heroine is there because she wants to be.
Besides, see the wings? She can piss off whenever she feels like it.
I'm guessing this is the angelic version of those weird Youtube challenges
where people eat cactii or get tazed in the balls.

Widow - Life's Blood (USA 2011)

It's water.
It's just water
It's just water and it's that colour because of the setting sun...
You're not buying it either, are you?
Let's move on.

Kliodna - Set Me Free Ep (Belarus 2014

Another cover I rather like.  You can feel her delight at escaping. 

Of course you then start wondering who she's escaping from and what she did to end up there in the first place. 

Rule #1 when dealing with non-humans. Just because she's gorgeous and naked, it doesn't mean she isn't dangerous. 

Galaktika - Последний летний деньдень EP (Russia 2012)

There's an awful lot of naked bums on metal album covers.
I bet I could put together an entire post, just on bums.
If you do want to see an entire post of bums, let me know.

I couldn't find a suitable track on Youtube. sorry.

Lastly, and certainly the most trippy...

Traumer - The Great Metal Storm (Brazil 2014)

I like the cover.
I have no idea how it fits the title or indeed what the Belgium is going on...
But I do like the cover.




That's all folks.

I'm fairly certain I'm going to fit the remaining posts this week into the themes "Earth", "Fire" and "Air"

Unless I find something I want to do more, obviously.

Right now my inner voice is screaming at me to do "Bums" and I don't think i'm strong enough to fight him off.