Author Archives: Mark

Weekly Dose of Metal: Shining

The weekly dose is dying a fairly long and painful death, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let it end with some kind of dignity. No, I’m going to drag it on until the day I become so bored with it, I find myself sticking needles in my eyes.

Speaking of self harm, this week’s dosage is from a band we’ve posted about before. It’s none other than self-mutilating, suicide endorsing, black metal genius’s, Shining.

When fellow DoM writer Guido suggested this band to me, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. Not that Guido has bad taste, on the contrary his taste is amazing. The problem, however, was that I’ve never been a huge black metal fan and that, in addition, I have kind of lost faith in modern metal, at least to a certain extent.

Shining are more than just your typical black metal band though. Much more. Here you have a band that are absolute masters of their craft, have more dynamics than Opeth, and are kings of songwriting. The majority of the band’s songs deal with depression (at least I think they do. I can’t understand Swedish).

Listen to ‘Längtar bort från mitt hjärta’ taken from 2007’s V: Halmstad and you’ll understand exactly what I mean. The piano sections accompanied by a woman crying in pain, having lost all hope, is one of the most power things I’ve heard recently in music.

Back when they were still good

Remember this little gem? The post that was mostly used as filler a well written, informative article to bitch about point out the bands that were once good, but the quality of their output has since subsided.

I decided to resurrect it for no other reason than I feel like it. Will I keep it up? I have no idea.

This week, it’s that small underground Metal act, Slipknot. You may have heard of them. The music on their last album sucked. Their music from long ago, however, did not. In fact, it kicked ass. Listen below to one of my favorite tracks by the ‘knot.

I have Corey to thank

Br00tal frontman of Slipknot, gingerpubes Corey Taylor has landed himself a best seller with his debut book (ugh I say “debut” as if they’ll be more, I really hope there wont be) ‘Seven Deadly Sins – Settling The Argument Between Born Bad And Damaged Good’. The book  charted at position No. 26 on the New York Times “Hardcover Nonfiction” best sellers list according to Blabbermouth.

Seriously, here I am “writing” for Dose of Metal, struggling to make ends meet, and there are people like Corey Taylor “writing” about their general crap, and making millions. I also just went to see the new Harry Potter film, and if pathetic drivel like that can generate billions (there were more plot holes than there are holes in my socks), then surely I could come up with something equally “good” that will make me some money? I’m going to call it “Make a Mark – The mark on the wall, between a rock and a hard place”. I have no idea what it means, but it’s surely just pretentious enough to work.

Someone get Rob a Brit

No, Rob Halford isn’t looking for a British lover, he’s looking for a Brit award.

Legendary metal act Judas Priest were recently awarded with a Grammy award (which are honestly pretty lame, let’s be honest) and now the guy wants some recognition from his home country, from the British counterpart, the Brit awards. Seems only fair?

The only problem is The Brit Awards are a complete fix and only celebrate the shittiest of shitty artists. Not even I, some socially challenged, alleged “writer” for Dose of Metal, would accept a lame Brit award. Well, ok, that’s a lie – I would, but only because it would make my mom proud and I could then sell the award on Ebay.

If you want to read more on the story, and less on my lame rantings, then why not read the original article at blabbermouth. It’s not as good as porn, but it won’t get you into trouble.

Blast from the Past: Machine Head – Burn My Eyes

The question has been uttered more than few times; if Machine Head‘s 1994 debut had been released in the the 8o’s would it have been so highly acclaimed? Or is its release coming years after the apparent decline in popularity of thrash, its reasoning for being a so called “landmark” record?

Now, 17 years later, and with another Machine Head album on the horizon, it seems like the perfect time to look back on Burn My Eyes, to acknowledge its success and evaluate whether its stood the test of time and if it really is the classic so many claim it to be.

Make the jump to read the review.