EOY play list

It had been a hectic week despite the X-mas break. Had been listening to the radio on the way home for the festive tunes. The above albums are on my playlist on days when I choose to ditch the festive mood & revert to my kind of music instead:

1. Firespawn: Shadow Realms. My latest acquisition, an intense side project by members of Entombed A.D., Necrophobic & Skineater. There were no obligations to bring their respective band elements into the mix & this is one heck of a release. Great solos by Fredrik Folkare as well. I still believe that intense music does not need to shed the technicalities & this is how it's done.
2. Black Sabbath: Cross Purposes. This is my kind of Black Sabbath, not the 70s, hippy-laced version, not the current Bill Ward devoid line up as well. This is Tony Martin at his vocal best & Bobby Rondinelli keeping it as Sabbath as it should be. Used to own this in cassette tape version- $7.50 of my weekly school allowance.
3. Carach Angren: This is no Fairytale. The band's best produced album, my most respectable trio churning out awesome black metal without a working bassist. Awesome drummer as well.
4. John Scofield: Past Present. Got to give it to Sco for keeping jazz relevant in this day & age.
5. Hate Eternal: Infernus. Attack brand death metal, relentless & focused.
6. Rick Astley: Ultimate Collection. Grateful to be able to re-connect to my childhood music, Rick Astley's dance-able tunes are some of them.

No singing allowed

This week's playlist- strictly instrumental.

1. Chimp Spanner (All Roads Lead Here)- Paul Ortiz is perhaps one of the most overlooked guitar player out there because his playing style places no emphasis on technicalities.Having said that, all guitar dweebs out there, those who take pride in churning out instrumentals especially, posses this latent technical ability which is manifested in their compositions, Mr. Ortiz included. Metal? Well, if you believe there a genre out there called 'djent' then this would believably catagorized as such.

2. Exivious (Liminal)- Cynic sans vocals. Enough said.

3. Brett Garsed (Dark Matter)- I have no idea if TC Electronic's Dark Matter distortion took the cue from this album but I've been a fan of Mr. Garsed's legato & 4-notes per string chromatics, especially when it's done tastefully. One of the most relaxing technical guitar instrumentals out there.

4. Richie Kotzen (Electric Joy)- I'm not a fan of his vocals but his guitar-ing rules. Electric Joy dropped gear somewhat, there's less distortion heard as well so collectively, it makes a 'different' release by Mr. Kotzen & I'm a fan of this particular release.