Best of 2011

Frank's Arbitrary List of Favorite Metal Releases He'd Like To Talk About In 2011

metalinjectionbestof2011

There are dozens of factors that go into creating a "great" record, and I try to consider them all while listening to music of any sub-genre, in any time period, from any geographical location (3 important elements that play a roll in critiquing music as far as I'm concerned). It's easy to simply write something off you don't like, and just as easy to fake something you do for the sake of continuously supporting a band you enjoy for one reason or another. These are mistakes I find amongst my peers in the music industry everyday (but I'll blog and rant more about that later), and none more pungent than the end of each year where we're unofficially obligated to grade bands into a competitive structure for which it doesn't belong. The mentality of art is not one of sport, but I'll blog and rant more about that someday too.

With that said, I'd like to provide you NOT with a structured list of favoritism or competitive nature, but merely 22 releases in no particular order that I listened to a lot this year. Why 22? because that's just how many I had something to say about. Like last year I've listened to hundreds of releases, and thoroughly enjoyed many more than you'll see on this list (like Scar Symmetry, Fucked Up, Absu, Ulcerate, Lock Up, Skeletonwitch, Noiser, and Dead In The Dirt to name a few), but I'm the kind of guy that can talk about music for hours if you let me. I know some of you don't read these forwards, and probably less of you read the description for each LP, but for the 1% of genuine music lovers and groove seekers out there like myself who spend endless nights on a quest for quality metal around the globe, I hope you at least find something new you might have missed, or something you'd like to revisit. After all this list isn't about me or you, it's about awesome bands, and sharing our love for music that reminds us why we do what we do in the first place. (more…)

Upcoming Releases

Willowtip Records Announce 2011 Releases

by: Frank Godla

SO STOKED! If you're not familiar with Willowtip Records you should be ashamed of yourself, kick your own ass, then stop fucking around on this website and visit their site immediately. They're responsible for some of the decades best and most memorable bands such as Necrophagist, Gorod, Dim Mak, Rotten Sound, Capharnaum, Crotchduster, Arsis, As Eden Burns, Alarum, Leng Tch'e, Magrudegrind, Psycroptic, Odious Mortem, Ulcerate, and Spawn of Possession. Needless to say Willowtip Records despite being a small label, is ever consistent with the quality of product they release. It is for this reason I never question a new signee and usually put their promos at the top of my listening list when received.

Now that you're just as stoked as I am about what this label is capable of releasing, I'm here to inform you they have just announced a slew of new releases due in early 2011. (more…)

Best of 2009

Frank's Top 10 Most Anticipated Releases of 2010

Today is the eve of a new year (and a new decade), with that Frank takes a look at some albums that will be released in the coming year that he is beyond stoked about:

1. Control Denied – When Man and Machine Collide

When Chuck Schuldiner passed away in 2001 an unforgettable chord was struck on the extreme metal community, I still remember how much of a depressing time it was. While everyone in New York was still overly occupied about their feelings for 9/11, I spent my December walking around extremely bummed for different reasons. I remember being incredibly shocked at how little attention his passing received, "MTV gave Kurt Cobain 48 hours of nonstop coverage when he shot himself, and not so much as a 2 minute mention for a true hero like Chuck!?" was the kind of shit naturally running through my head. Almost a year after his passing I heard the rest of his band mates in Control Denied (including Richard Christy and Steve DiGiorgio) would try and finish the record that Chuck had started, and apparently recorded guitar tracks for. Well needless to say 1 year of waiting turned into 7, and FINALLY in 2010 we're expected to see the return of Chuck's legacy and final chapter. I am so incredibly stoked! (more…)