The Metal Project: Metal From The Rising Sun

 Evening all. 

  For tonight's post I thought I'd stick with points east and revisit a nation that has been a stronghold of Heavy Metal since the 1970s producing a long line of bands with a unique character to them.

 I am, of course, talking about Japan. 

Enjoy. 

 Sabbat  - Black Metal Scythe (2011)

 Honour to: Teodoro Chivata Bedoyo

Sex Machineguns - Metal Monster (2015)

Honour to: MushroomMetalhead


Personally I think the Japanese language is perfectly suited for Metal.

Hellhound - Metal Zone  (2006)

Honour to: Kristos666

I also find it fascinating that a country famed for politeness and careful social order has produced so many bands playing deranged, filthy, take-no-prisoners, punk-metal. Like this next lot.  

Barbatos - Metal Hangover (2006)

Honour to: depatwiarotz

Sabbrabells - Metal Saber (1985)

Honour to: Rafael Sabino

And to finish:

SSORC- Black Metal Terrorism (2005)

 Honour to: HolocaustBlackMetal

 If you liked any of these songs please remember to check out and support the channels listed above. 

 The only way I can do this Project is by taking advantage of their hard work so believe me, I am grateful.

That's all folks.  

The Metal Project: Metal Islam

  Hello and welcome to another edition of the Metal Project, which is where i find songs on Youtube that have "Metal" in the title and share them with the world.

  Today's selection of songs are all from countries that are majority Muslim in population. Right away this means that the local scenes have issues that bands in say, Sweden, don't have.  Without wanting to go into crass generalisations, Metal fans in certain countries face astonishing levels of persecution and hostility from the Powers-That-Be. It says a lot for the enduring appeal of heavy metal that despite this, young men and women continue to play loud, hammering music.

   I hope you find something you like and despite whatever differences angry, stupid people put between us,   in the words of Tommy Vance "It's the music that matters"

Nightchains - Metal Storm (Lebanon 2005)

(Starts soft then gets loud real fast.)

 Honour to:  hesherpunk

Zix - Metal Strike (Lebanon 2012)

(I am aware that Lebanon has a large Christian minority so if I have offended anybody I can only plead my ignorance.)

Honour to: Zix Band

Thrashfire - Chainsaw Metal (Turkey 2015)

Honour to: XtreemMusic

  What I do find interesting is that it seems to be the more abrasive forms of metal that have the most fans outside of North America & Europe. I wonder if that's a reaction to cultural and religious norms? 

Somebody smarter than me would have to answer that for you. 

Beton - Anak Metal (Indonesia 2011)

Honour to: ahs pedal

Kalabanganz- Blood & Metal (Malaysia 2012)

Honour to: Angelfornication

Bestial Hordes - Street Metal Bitch (Malaysia 2017)

Honour to: EDP666

If you want to explore further you might find this link helpful.

That's All Folks. 

Some people have gnomes in their garden...

  Me, I wanted something a little bit more unusual.  I wasn't quite sure exactly what I wanted although I was 100% I didn't want Meerkats either.

  Then one day I spotted the perfect garden accessories. What do you think?

 Brontosaurus from Wilkinsons £5.

Got a few odd looks carrying it home mind you.

  I like to move him around every week or so. 

 I got the bright green Stegosaurus first. They make a lovely couple, don't they?

 Eventually I hope to get some more. I quite fancy a Therizinosaurus.

That's all folks

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Big And Beautiful

Evening all.  

  I've been running through my folder Album Covers and I'm alarmed at how big it's become. At a conservative estimate I could post every day for a month and still have stuff left over. 

  The problem is, finding album covers is a lot easier than coming up with themes to use when posting them. I've had some pics sitting around for a couple of years just waiting for another two or three to make up the set.  

 Maybe I should post a bunch of stuff at random and have done?  

Let's call that Plan B.  In the meantime, how about a small selection of album covers that all take the view that bigger is definitely better?  

Necrowerewolf - Ran (Goddess of The Sea) (Russia 2015)

   I don't care how brave a Viking you are, when a ginormous woman picks you up and starts studying you like this then the fear will flow from your pants in a runny brown stream. 

Phantom Excaliver: Fighting Evil with The Power of METAL

  Japan has a proven track record of doing things a bit differently. Pick anything you like and the Japanese will dd that little. unique twist to it and come up with something different. Animation, horror movies, wrestling, comics..and music!

  Melodeath/Power Metal outfit Phantom Excaliver already stand out from the pack thanks to frontman Kacchang's spiky. yellow barnet but their latest video is worth seeing.

  In the promo for 幻の聖剣 (Phantom Holy sword) the band pay tribute to Super Sentai shows by becoming superheros.  The fact that they clearly had a budget of £8.50 just makes it even more entertaining.

Watch and see for yourself. 

That's All Folks

The Metal Project: America F*** Yeah!

  There was only ever going to be one thing I could post on the 4th Of July wasn't there?

Here for your delight is a selection of American Metal.

Play loud while drinking beer and watching fireworks. 

I just had to start with these guys

MetalUSAfer - Heavy Metal Hammer (2014)

Honour to: intothecults

Black Magick - Corporate Metal (2014)

Honour to: Black Magick

Cronecronaut - Speed Metal From Space (2017)

Honour to: Bruno Terrosa

Ironflame - Heavy Metal Warriors (2017)

Honour to: Power Metal Power Legion

Corners Of Sanctuary - Metal Machine  (2015)

Honour to: Exquisite noise records

Sarcoma - Nuclear Metal (2011)

Honour to: Evil Earth Productions.

To finish there was only one band worthy.

Manowar - Brothers Of Metal (1996) 

Honour to: Henrique Felicio

Happy Birthday America
Thanks for all the great Metal Music.

That's all folks. 

Cheapo DVD Reviews: Samurai Avenger - The Blind Wolf (2009)

Genre: Grindhouse/Western/Samurai

"A blind man seeks vengeance on the psychopath who took his sight and slaughtered his wife and daughter.  Eight years after the massacre, the man has returned to the desert town as a highly trained swordsman ready to seek justice. But he doesn't know there awaits seven assassins hired by his sworn enemy who want the bounty on his head."

  The Grindhouse phenomenon has lead to some interesting films in recent years and I can truthfully say that this is one of the more unusual things I've seen lately. 

 The best way I can describe Samurai Avenger is this: imagine something that takes elements of Spaghetti Western and the weirder Samurai movies, then sets the result in a parallel world where guns and pickup trucks exist but mobile phones don't, where everybody carries a katana, where go-go dancers co-exist with the Bushido code of old Japan,  where some of the villains are straight out of Ninja Scroll and where you can cut somebody's jugular then they still monologue for ten minutes. 

 As a bonus,  if you are a devotee of the Japanese martial art of sheathing swords you're in for a treat because you're going to see a lot of it.  Twice every fight-scene, in fact. 

 The end result is something that is definitely novel but viewers may either come away thinking that this is the best thing ever or -like me- not be as impressed as I might have been. 

  Copious amounts of blood, sadism and the odd outbreak of boobs do not a great film guarantee. I found myself struggling to get into this movie, which was not helped by the poor acting and the fight scenes being nothing to write home about.  And did we really need the narrator popping up at odd moments to explain obscure martial arts techniques?   

 How much did I pay for this: £2.50.

Was it worth it? Debatable. Novel though it might be, Samurai Avenger failed to deliver.  You may disagree.

  

The Metal Project: Happy Canada Day!

 Evening all. 

  I just found out that today is Canada Day and since The Great White North has produced about 40% of my favourite bands and I was well overdue a Metal Product post anyway, why not combine the two? 

 So today I'm bringing you a selection of songs from my "to post" file that all come from the magical, musical land of the Maple. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!

Spell - Possessed By Heavy Metal (2014)

 Honour to: Hugo Lessard