Anyways… we made a valiant attempt to get Chris to give us his top 10 picks, but he kept saying something about the Saw 6 soundtrack, so we bumped him down to five. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Mark’s List:

There were so many huge releases in 2009, it was hard to pick a top 10.  The year saw new music from metal’s heaviest hitters (Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, Mastodon, Anthrax) as well as comebacks from Alice in Chains and Immortal.  But ultimately, I believe 2009 will be remembered as when the new generation firmly took hold of the metal scene, as demonstrated by the outstanding releases from Skeletonwitch, Scale the Summit and Baroness.

10. Megadeth – Endgame (Roadrunner)
It’s no Rust in Peace Part-2, but with Endgame, Mustaine continues to prove that he can still crank out some great headbangers.
Check Out: This Day We Fight!

9. Slayer – World Painted Blood (American/Sony)
The second album since the return of Lombardo offers a new sound, but the same intensity.  One of the best album jackets/concepts of the year.
Check Out: Snuff

8. Devin Townsend Project – Addicted (Hevy Devy)
In a banner year for Devin, it’s the pop-metal soundtrack to a Anime-dream sequence (most likely depicting flight through a post-apocalyptic Japan).
Check Out: Hyperdrive!

7. Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plauge (Metal Blade)
Never ones to disappoint, Alex Webster and Corpsegrinder deliver the year’s most brutal offering.
Check Out: Carnivorous Swarm

6. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (Virgin/EMI)
Seattle’s finest create a comeback record worthy of the memory of Layne.
Check Out: Private Hell

5. Behemoth – Evangelion (Metal Blade/Nuclear Blast)
Negral conjures a maelstrom of demonic chaos that could easily convert anyone into a heretic.
Check Out: Ov Fire and the Void

4. Immortal – All Shall Fall (Nuclear Blast)
The Blizzard Beasts return with an incredible album that captures their focused and raw power.
Check Out: Arctic Swarm

3. Scale the Summit – Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic)
An instrumental masterpiece so rich in textures, tones and mood that it gets better with each listen.
Check Out: Dunes

2. Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire (Prosthetic)
A dominating statement from the Ohio thrash-masters.  An album that defines the term “thrash metal”.
Check Out: Submit to the Suffering

1. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
Heavily layered with advanced concepts and dynamic playing.  Baroness once again delivers the album of the year.
Check Out: Jake Leg

Chris’ List:

Is a Top 5 acceptable?

5. Converge – Axe To Fall (Epitaph/Deathwish)
A somewhat fresh album from a familiar band that refuses to turn bad.
Check Out: Dark Horse

4. Cave In – Planets of Old (Hydrahead)
A four-song reunion works fine for me. Especially when the four songs kick tall ass.
Check Out: Retina Sees Rewind

3. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
Bringing progress to Progressive Metal.
Check Out: Divinations

2. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
The soundtrack that plays as my brothers and I descend to battle from snowy foothills astride armored polar bears, the perpetual winter sun smoldering unaware on a frozen, indifferent horizon.
Check Out: The Sweetest Curse

1. Propagandhi – Supporting Caste (Smallman)
Fast, angry, complicated. Even more so than before. The band affirms their category-defying musical identity, perhaps at the peak of their powers.
Check Out: Supporting Caste

Justin’s List:

Wow. What a fantastic year for metal. Narrowing this list down was quite a challenge… especially when I knew my top spot was reserved for a non-metal album. GASP! Yes folks… it’s true… my choice for album of the year goes to an indie rock band. But don’t worry… I’m not planning on wearing tight pants or reading Pitchfork anytime soon. In fact, I think I’ll carve “SLAYER” into my arm right now just to prove my self-worth. Eh… nevermind. That shit hurts.

10. Coalesce – Ox (Relapse)
15 years in, Coalesce continue to be one of the freshest sounding bands in the hardcore and metal community.
Check Out: Wild Ox Moan

9. Slayer – World Painted Blood (American/Sony)
Fast and raw… just how you probably like it. I know I do.
Check Out: Psychopathy Red

8. Converge – Axe To Fall (Epitaph/Deathwish)
As dynamic as it is heavy, Converge’s latest offering kicks you in the teeth before tucking you into bed. Awesome.
Check Out: Axe to Fall

7. Scale the Summit – Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic)
Remember the kind of music you and your friends were churning out in your early 20s? Yeah… it sucked compared to this.
Check Out: Sargasso Sea

6. Goes Cube – Another Day Has Passed (The End Records)
The Campbell’s Chunky Soup of the metal world… hearty and damn tasty!
Check Out: The Only Daughter

5. Baroness – Blue Record (Relapse)
Blue Record is one of those rare “all-emcompassing” albums. Great artwork, great music, great everything.
Check Out: The Sweetest Curse

4. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
Like your beard, Crake the Skye really grows on you. And it totally rules.
Check Out: Oblivion

3. Revocation – Existence is Futile (Relapse)
These guys made me fall in love with shred all over again. When are we going to see the Existence is Futile tab book? (or vinyl for that matter… nudge nudge wink wink Relapse).
Check Out: Dismantle the Dictator

2. Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire (Prosthetic)
I Can Has Metal?
Check Out: Repulsive Salvation

1. The Life and Times – Tragic Boogie (Arena Rock/Hawthorn Street)
A non-metal album was my top choice of the year? Damn straight. Call me what you will, but me and my cred stand behind this decision. This band and album are absolutely amazing.
Check Out: Tragic Boogie

Honorable Mention:

Cave In – Planets of Old (Hydrahead)
Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (Virgin/EMI)
Burnt By the Sun – Heart of Darkness (Relapse)
Buried Inside – Spoils of Failure (Relapse)
Propagandhi – Supporting Caste (Smallman)
Immortal – All Shall Fall (Nuclear Blast)
Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plauge (Metal Blade)

Replacing a well-known, well-established, well-respected vocalist is one of the toughest challenges a band can face. AC/DC and Anthrax (and to a much lesser extent, Iron Maiden) have managed to pull it off, but more often than not, bands who are forced to take action in this regard are met with a largely unsupportive audience (including those who turn their backs completely). So I can only imagine what a long, winding road Alice in Chains have had to venture down with the decision to reform after a 10+ year hiatus and the death of renowned singer Layne Staley. Not only was Staley’s voice instantly recognizable, it (alongside his haunting lyrics and outstanding vocal harmonies with guitarist Jerry Cantrell) practically defined the band’s sound.

So here it is 13 years after their last record, 7 years after Layne’s passing… and Alice in Chains have returned with their new album Black Gives Way to Blue; featuring Cantrell’s former touring vocalist William DuVall; who’s stepping in to fill some very large shoes. While the obvious question at hand is does DuVall pull it off… I couldn’t help but also wonder if this could/should really even be considered an Alice in Chains record (as opposed to another bloated Cantrell “solo” album)? Thankfully, any questions/doubts I might’ve had, were answered with a resounding “fuck yeah” several months ago with the release of lead single “A Looking In View“… a track so dark, so heavy, and so catchy… it just screams Alice in Chains.

As a whole, Black Gives Way to Blue follows suit. The majority of the album is complete return to form… plenty of classic AiC riffing, brooding sing-alongs and outstanding songwriting… while still retaining a surprisingly modern touch and slightly more positive vibe than you’re probably accustomed to from the band. Vocally, I couldn’t have really asked for anything more. The harmonies are spot-on (and noticeably played up), and while Duvall isn’t (nor should be considered) a Layne clone, he’s a perfect fit for the band and definitely worthy of the role he’s been chosen to play. Overall, the songs themselves tend to be slightly less memorable than classic AiC, but tracks like “All Secrets Known“, “Lesson Learned” & “Take Her Out” (among others) certainly stick to your mouth like peanut butter on the brain.

If there’s one area where BGWtB tends to fall a little flat, it’s the acoustic tracks. Throughout their career, AiC have managed to seamlessly integrate the lighter fare into their repertoire, and when taking their back catalog into consideration, these three just don’t measure up. The title track; a moderately depressing tribute to Staley; is a touching number, but probably not something with widespread rock-radio appeal. But in all honesty, that’s okay… “A Looking in View” and followup single “Check My Brain” will do a bang-up job in that department.

It’s hard to believe “the 90s” are almost 10 years old now… but if you’re anything like me, you’ll be dusting off your flannels and putting Black Gives Way to Blue on repeat for a long time to come. Alice in Chains are most definitely back and ready to show Chris Cornell what the term “aging rocker” should really mean.

Justin’s Rating:

King says: “I… believe… them bones… are Melissaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

Mark’s Review:

“Seriously? Alice in Chains is going to record a new album with a new singer and just try to replace Layne Staley? This won’t fly, there’s no way this doesn’t destroy their legacy as one of the most dynamic and original bands to come out of the Seattle scene. Unless they found a guy in the Philippines on YouTube like Journey did, it will be impossible to recreate the characteristic harmonies and one of the most unique voices in the history of hard rock. Get ready for the “county-fair circuit”, fellas“.

Yep, like many fans, I had a lot of selfish concerns going into a new Alice in Chains record. I’ve been burned by new singers before, and I was certain this was going to be another case of “Sepultura Syndrome”, where I listen to new material from a band I love and wish that it was sung by the old singer. But it’s a slippery slope: get a singer that sounds different, and the fans want the old sound, or use someone that sounds similar and turn into a local-bar cover act like Judas Priest with Ripper Owens or Iron Maiden with Blaze Bailey. So after all this trepidation, I’ve been very surprised and relieved while listening to AiC’s latest, Black Gives Way to Blue. While I don’t think it will make anyone forget Layne anytime soon, the band definitely sounds like they are back and amazingly true to form.

The first thing that stands out when you listen to BGWtB, is how much new frontman William DuVall sounds like Staley. Duvall’s voice is a bit more sharp, but it blends effortlessly with Cantrell and can pierce through a haunting riff just like Layne used to. While Cantrell still handles most of the heavy lifting, both of them create harmonies with ease, and the signature eerie vocal crawl remains. While A Looking in View might be the best song on the album, All Secrets Known is definitely the blueprint on how the new guy is going to mix with the old sound. The song features all the fuzzy guitar runs and wide open vocal phrasing that lifelong fans come to expect. Acid Bubble and Private Hell both could easily fit onto the tracklist from Dirt and each feature that slow crunch and harmonies stretched to the limit. Although Check My Brain is sure to be a rock-radio hit, the chorus ode to California reeks of lazy songwriting. AiC still likes to add a few extra choruses when they don’t seem to be necessary and Sean Kinney’s drumming is pretty pedestrian compared to the band’s heyday, but my main beef with the album mostly revolves around a distinct change in tone and the lack of bleakness. Overall this is not an issue, but the edge it created is sorely missed on songs like Your Decision, which would shine without the addition of a drumbeat, and Take Her Out which seems annoyingly up-tempo.

Despite these very minor grievances, the album comes through as a very polished effort and the next logical step in the history of the band. I’m pretty happy to report that with Black Gives Way to Blue, AiC has not tarnished their legacy, and I am not experiencing any symptoms of Sepultura Syndrome. Sorry Derrick Green.

Mark’s Rating:

King says: “Layne was addicted to heroin?? Hmmm, no wonder he was starting to look like Grandma!”

Have A Listen:

Alice in Chains – A Looking in View:

Download audio file (A_Looking_In_View.mp3)

We finally figured out what the hell we were doing (well… sort of) and recorded the first of many long-winded-blabber-fests to come. For our premiere (audio) episode, we tackle the Fall metal line-up, metal iPhone apps, and a few other goodies that you’ll be sure to enjoy while sitting in traffic on the way to work.

Our goal is to try and get in the habit of churning these things out once a month, but considering how long it took to edit this fucker, you’ll be lucky to have another one by the time the Fall 2010 preview is due up. Anyway… hope you enjoy, be sure to subscribe in iTunes, and feel free to give us the old “one-two” in the comments section.

A big pat on the back to anyone who actually makes it through the entire thing!

Download audio file (ReviewsResist_Podcast_1.mp3)

  
(41.8 mb / 45:39)

 

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