IN ROTATION: Our most played albums in MAY 2019

GOTH MARK’S MAY IN ROTATION LIST

Welcome to my May contribution for BAZ’s “In Rotation” series, dear readers. My ‘metal malaise’ continues whilst metal twitter excitedly babbles on about ‘blah blah’ band being the best thing since all time – and yet, I look on blankly. The woke metal masses suffered a blow with a ‘notorious’ black metal band touring America, resulting in increased exposure in the quest to cancel their tours. It has to be said, much biscuits were consumed and laughing by the metal community that still has “Good old fashioned common sense”. Anyway, despite binge listening to Andy’s Obscure 80’s online radio stream, post punk podcasts, Ultravox, and The Smiths albums – turns out that I DID have 5 albums that were in constant(ish) rotation. Amazing eh?

EMPLOYED TO SERVE – “Eternal Forward Motion”

A metalcore band from London that first landed in 2014 with their ‘Change Nothing, Regret Everything’ EP – EMPLOYED TO SERVE are doing incredibly well and set to conquer the world with this album. Yeah yeah, it’s outside BAZ’s remit – but there’s something infectious, hyperactive, and arouses one’s earworms; reminding me of Will Haven and Zao which isn’t a bad thing.

POSSESSED – “Revelations of Oblivion”

Death Metal is suffering from over-saturation lately with Immolation and suffocation clones. In a double pronged attack along with a “reboot” of Nocturnus and a three decade long slumber – the lads at POSSESSED HQ wade back in as if nothing happened, and handed the death metal pretenders to the throne their collective arses on a plate. Marvellous.

NOCTURNUS A.D. – “Paradox”

In another shock resurrection, Mike Browning (circa the Nocturnus line up from ‘The Key’) decided there’s some unfinished business to do, bringing in a bunch of his mates to resurrect one of the most distinctive bands of the death metal genre. Because the world sorely needs technical sci-fi themed death metal with warbling synths and finger bending guitar work.

IDLE HANDS – “Mana”

IDLE HANDS are one of the most exciting bands in metal right now. A hybrid involving Paradise Lost, New Model Army, 69 Eyes, Sentenced, post punk influences and David Vanian-esque vocals – Idle Hands inhabit are a bewitching blend of metal, and goth. A band with potential that could become the next HIM? Maybe…

GARDSGHASTR – “Slit Throat Requiem”

GARDSGHASTR unleashed their debut album in April, stunning the black metal world with a solid album comprised of members that were involved in Bekëth Nexëhmü and Chaos Moon. Dense, and claustrophobic – GARDSGHASTR really stirs the soul. If you got on with Yellow Eyes, Nightbringer, and Emperor you’ll think this is the best thing since that time you traipsed around Billinge Hill in the mid 90s wearing leather trousers, corpse paint, a Burzum shirt and done 100 hours community service with your mates for burning a pentagram in a field of wheat whilst off your face on magic mushrooms. Heheheheheheheh, cool. Heheheheheheheh.

Wildcard album of the month:

THE SMITHS studio discography

The indie music scene was the complete anthesis to metal, with strong rivalries throughout ‘alt music’ history. Being the ridiculous music snob that I am, I shunned the notion of entertaining any of The Smiths/Morrissey albums until eight years ago. It was a dark phase in my life, and one curious night became a fan of them ever since. As cliched as it sounds, Stephen Patrick Morrissey wrote songs about my life: The short lived buzz of happiness (Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now), oppressive family life (Barbarism Begins At Home), loved up annoying couples (Hand In Glove), thugs employed as teachers (The Headmaster’s Ritual), and the severe consequences of ‘Foot In Mouth’ syndrome (Big Mouth Strikes Again).

Granted, Morrissey has spouted some highly dubious opinions that could put Prince Philip to shame, but he’s the perfect anti hero we need in 2019. Like your cousin Sandra that has a habit of dating sketchy douchebags, the world can’t get enough of him . A pasty vegan that’s more heavy metal in attitude than the outrage hunters in the metal scene of late, may he live an extremely long life angering neckbearded throbbers.