The Trials of July 28, 2017

Prong Gives Us ‘Zero Days’  

Prong returns with their 12^th studio album Zero Days via SPV/Steamhammer records and this album is here to make an impression. Now the J-Oh’ster (Klown, c’mon tell me if I’m doing this right!) must admit the first track “However It may End” made the J-Oh think she played a new Slipknot track minus the beep-beep-scratch sounds…Have those green Cali fumes FINALLY messed with yours truly?! Don’t know. The title track will make you grab your shit and run and start your own rebellion. Great track! Which is complimented by “Divide And Conquer,” where Tommy Victor shows off his nice set of pipes in the chorus and also keeps shining in the angsty ballad “Blood Out Of Stone.” *replays* They get it! They get me!

Now Prong is not one to shy away from in-your-face tracks or songs about how they are being wronged! NO!! They throw “Self Righteous Indignation” right at you, which prowls with a calculating pace rather than charge right at you. RAWR! Want something more serious with a foreboding sense of doom? “Wasting Of The Dawn” and “The Whispers.” Victor’s vocals AND riffs continue to shine along with the Art Cruz’s definitive drum pounding and the base foundation from Mike Longworth. It should be a crime that the J-Oh’ster FINALLY mentioned Victor’s riffs ‘cause he’s not just a pretty voice!

This album will more than suffice the Prong lover and will cause a nice head bopping for the casual metalhead. Though yours truly is not an avid Prong follower, the J-Oh’ster’s gotta admit that this was a very nice personal buffer between listening to tar black metal, decaying death metal, grimy industrial tunes, and the magical wonders of Loreena McKennitt and Bjork. That’s right kids, there’s no in between with the J-Oh’ster and she can go on and on! So with that being said, Zero Days provides that pleasant middle ground for anyone. Be sure to snag a copy of this baby before you head in to your bunker here and bask it in.

5 Out 6, The Final Countdown Was Good!

Alice Cooper Conjures Up The ‘Paranormal’  

The father of shock rock is back to show us a whole new type of nightmare with Paranormal via earMusic Records. Alice Cooper kicks off with the title track which has a nice and acoustic riff before the brief and epic electric riffs strike you down. The title track has an appropriate feel as the intro track because it has a haunting and welcoming tone and Alice Cooper’s melodic vocals will stay with you.

The sextet switches gears with “Dead Files” and “Fallen In Love” which had some faint bluesy overtones which was awesome. Now there’s a very special guest in “Fireball,” and you are right it is the organ! Why enjoy this so much? Because it made this track so much stronger. Why is the J-Oh’ster too excited over the organ? Because shut up that’s why.  which for some reason amuzed me and we hear a guest appearance from the organ in “Fireball” which makes this baby sizzle. The boppy and rebel with a cause “Genuine American Girl” is the track that will steal your heart and break it before taking off to Broadway.

Alice Cooper revisits some of his older style in vocals and sound in “Paranoiac Personality,” “Private Public Breakdown.” Cooper adds a little bit of bluesy noir to his rock n’ roll in “The Sound Of A,” which the J-Oh’ster must admit is her favorite song of this album. This legend flirts with different musical influences without straying away from his classic and signature sound. Paranormal will make a believer out of you and is sure to appeal to the youngins. Contact and receive your copy with open arms here.

6 Out of 6, We believe!

‘Ultu Ulla’ Is A Different Kind Of Species

We’re going to Saturn, dude. To the Rings Of Saturn to be exact!  And you bet we’ll be blasting their latest Ultu Ulla which made its way out in this universe via Nuclear Blast Records. Those beginning riffs from guitarists Lucas Mann and Miles Dimitri Baker in their first track “Servant of this Sentience” heighten the anticipation of what’s to come in this album and deliver a track that flows nicely.

“Parallel Shift,” however, shakes things up with their tempo and even throws in some good ol’ keyboards adding that a faint sense of mystique considering we’re breaking supersonic barriers in this journey! Now these guys don’t just stick to the brutal side of things and add some spice to this album. Nope, these guitarists add some pizzazz to this album by showcasing their strumming chops and give us a great acoustic intermission in “Unhallowed” and the pleasant and epic instrumental “The Macrocosm” where they mix some technical and brutal influences with acoustic elements, and lest we forget the predominantly acoustic snippet in “Inadequate.”

Rings of Saturn don’t just remain in the deathcore side of the spectrum and dabble in a lot of technical death metal influences in Ultu Ulla. This album is a different species that is in the middle of evolving from its previous form.  The Bay Area quartet are ready to hunt and convert new fans with the new influences they are playing with. Book your ticket to Ultu Ulla here and prepare to get your mind blown.

6 Out 6, I Have A Feeling This Isn’t Just Deathcore Anymore

*Look what I found at the bottom of my Comic Con bag! That lil sneak!*

Mosh to ‘The Overlord Messiah’

Nearly three decades later, David DerMinasian, ex-member of 1988’s AVATAR (no not James Cameron’s blue man group or the eccentric Swedes), not only returned to the metal scene with a new band called Retched (pronounced “Retch” ‘cause they’re cool like that) BUT they also released The Overlord Messiah via Alone Records on July 21. Something worth noting about this EP is that it was recorded as AVATAR in ’88 before they split, and the former member had to sit on this record until last year when he released it through Bandcamp. Do we need more reasons to love Bandcamp!?  The Greek record label then swooped in and released it to the masses last week.

Flash forward to 2017, where the two piece SoCal thrash band not only delivered a big surprise to their faithful legion but also have the potential to wow thrashers and casual listeners alike. “Black Leather And Me” is the perfect 80’s montage music for a metalhead and oozes that OG coolness. “Insane” and “Lost In The Night” will make you wild with their intro riffs and don’t even get me started about that breakdown!

The title track “The Overlord Messiah” lives up to its name and is a divine ruler no one would dare challenge! Yours truly can continue breaking down all six tracks of this EP but yours truly has said more than enough. It would have been a sacrilege of metal proportions had this EP not made it in to our ears. The multi talented DerMinasian’s voice is a whole new level of heavy metal magic, not that the J’Oh-ster is downplaying his riffs.

With Retched due to release a full length album in Nov. 2018, we can’t wait to see what this duo will produce in their new chapter. Become a believer and get it in their bandcamp OR get the sweet bundle pack at Alone Records’ site.

6 Out 6, King of the mosh pit

Ugh Metal Joins The Brotherhood Of Testament

Testament show us their power!
(L to R: Guitarist Alex Skolnick, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and vocalist Chuck Billy)

Legendary thrashers Testament brought some of that bay area thrash to our shores at the House of Blues on May 16 on their first California stop. This show’s a little extra special because not only was it a Testament show with an impressive lineup with seasoned metallers in tow such as Prong and Sepultura but because it was on the eve of our first anniversary (May 17)! That’s right, one year of murdering grahmmur and counting, sweet cheeks! Before you ask, yes, we are accepting gifts but please settle down guys, not all at once! Now enough about us and back to the unofficial Ugh Metal birthday pre-party!

Assuming mercury was in retrograde that day, we sadly made it a little over halfway to Prong’s set due to a few setbacks…I know, we are ready for the “BOO, YOU WHORES!!” The Ugh Metal stooges arrived just in time for the song that they were shouting at the Ugh Metal mark #2 a few minutes before hopping on the Ugh Metal mark #1, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck.” We will not confirm nor deny that it was actually the other way around, since the U.M.M.2 was allegedly not complying and laughing at them while they pushed its lifeless ass and parked it… you know what, back to the show. YAY!

Prong soothed the Ugh Metal stooges’ sore, decrepit bodies and made everyone come alive with their 1994 hit. Though frontman/ guitarist Tommy Victor remained faithful to his mic stand, he expelled a lot of passion and intensity for this rabid anthem while bassist Mike Longworth buzzed around and drummer Art Cruz was merciless at the drum kit. We hope to see the trio back in our neck of woods and hope to be there for the WHOLE set.

Prong play the song we were shouting at the Ugh Metal mobile mark 2 earlier in the evening, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck.” Thanks for giving us the shitty spot U.M.M.2 -_-
(L to R: Drummer Art Cruz, vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor and bassist/backing vocalist Mike Longworth)

The co-headliners don’t need an introduction, it was the renowned Sepultura cover band called Sepultura 2.0! TROLOLOL! Assuming this grabbed your attention and you fell in to the trap and are still reading all I have to say for myself is, don’t get your band tees and vinyls in a bunch and grow up! TROLOLOL’ing aside, the iconic name alone had the warm and sweaty bodies around us grow closer in a non sexual way… for once… ‘cause we totally get that all the time ‘cause we’re Ugh Metal, betch! Anyway, now that its increasingly quite right now, let me tell you that it was anything but quiet especially when Sepultura’s Derrick Green unleashed his growl for “I Am The Enemy” with the instrumental chaos blaring.

The string of new material didn’t end there! Machine Messiah was there to stay as the band dove right into “Phantom Self” and later in the set played the theatrical “Resistant Parasites” and “Sworn Oath” which Green fueled with intensity as he passionately expelled the lyrics. Sepultura knew that fans were gonna be craving the old stuff and they delivered and sandwiched “Kaiowas” from Chaos A.D. in between the newer stuff.

Sepultura show us who are the “Messiah”
(L to R: Bassist Paulo Jr., vocalist Derrick Green, drummer , and Eloy Casagrande and guitarist Andreas Kisser)

That’s not all! It’s not a Sepultura show without their iconic hits but they weren’t gonna unload the goods so early into the show. The thrashers wrapped up their set with their iconic songs “Refuse/Resist,” “Ratamahatta” and of course “Roots Bloody Roots.” Though Green’s take on these hits felt slightly tamer than Max Cavalera’s because they are obviously two different artists with their own style, the frontman made them his own. Green’s version may (personally) feel slightly mellow but they will slowly burrow itself into your brain and muscles and then BAM! You’re in the pit or raising some hell! Whereas Cavalera’s immediately slaps you silly and makes you ready to fuck shit up.

Having seen Cavalera not once but twice this year gave me this personal feel and better insight in this half assed elementary level compare and contrast. To be clear though, I am NOT bashing on Green or Sepultura. In fact, it was such a tremendous honor to finally see these legends perform in our hometown. It’s still borderline surreal that the Ugh Metal team was so fortunate to be intoxicated with Green’s melodic but harsh vocals and see THE Andreas Kisser shred live and in Technicolor before our eyes and a few feet away from us.

Derrick Green of Sepultura sounds off the military drums!
(L to R: Bassist Paulo Jr., vocalist Derrick Green, drummer Eloy Casagrande and guitarist Andreas Kisser)

Kisser is gifted to say the least and you can watch him play for hours, as he rightfully deserves to be the metal living legend. Lest we forget OG supreme member and bassist Paulo Jr. slapped that bass like his life depended on it while flashing his warmest smile to their faithful legions. Maybe someday we’ll be treated to a duet with Green and Cavalera and the rest of Sepultura jamming, a girl can dream, right!?

Now that the crowd was riled up and rejoicing in their bloody roots, Testament officially inducted us all to the “Brotherhood of the Snake” and had us “Rise Up” in our invisible seats and ended their first set of new songs with “Centuries of Suffering” with a mesmerizing guitar solo from Alex Skolnick. Skolnick was not the only one to show off his skills that night, throughout the performance guitarist Eric Peterson, drummer Gene Hoglan and bassist Steve Di Giorgio had their moment in the sun and created a melodic supernova.

Alex Skolnick of Testament promises more cool riffs for those that join the brotherhood…AND pies!

The thrashers busted out the big guns and dusted off classics that they had not performed live in a long time.  The pit grew when vocalist Chuck Billy announced “Low” and their ode to the sweaty whirlpool “Into The Pit” and “Souls of Black.” Billy kept the nostalgia alive by sharing a personal anecdote when they were touring and trying to think of an album title for their follow up to The New Order.

Billy reminisced how drunk they had gotten during the filming of a music video when they were in Texas, and how they attended the local bar where a little known band by the name of Pantera was playing. After meeting and living it up with the up and coming musicians, inspiration struck Billy and named their follow up Practice What You Preach and performed the titular song.

Testament induct us into the “Brotherhood of the Snake”
(L to R: Guitarist Alex Skolnik, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and vocalist Chuck Billy)

Testament wrapped up their fantastic set with the super classic “Over The Wall” off of their debut The Legacy. It was Ugh Metal’s first time in seven years watching these bay area thrashers live and it was worth the wait. If San Diego had their own version of Clash of the Titans show, we’d hope to see these icons in our backyard again!