Song of the Day: Darkest Hour - With a Thousand Words to Say But One

     Today we've got a song from one of my favourite bands. I've been a big fan of Darkest Hour for years now, since 2003's Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation, but it was 2005's Undoing Ruin that really cemented Darkest Hour in the hearts and minds of metal fans, myself included. Just as Hidden Hands opens with an ass-kicking barn-burner ("The Sadist Nation"), Undoing Ruin likewise has a really great opening song, which you can use to open your day (OK, your mid-afternoon...).

     Your song today is "With a Thousand Words to Say But One" by Darkest Hour. And as a bonus, this album is so good that if you're fortunate enough to own a copy, I hereby implore you to simply put today's song on and then simply sit back and enjoy. Either way, if today's song doesn't get you going, you should perhaps watch out for rag-tag groups of survivors combing your area for supplies, because you may in fact be dead and just walking around with the rest of us.

Song of the Day: Meshuggah - Bleed

     Does your afternoon require a dose of something super heavy? I've got just the thing for you. I've written about Meshuggah before, and even recommended this very song to you, but maybe you weren't paying or attention. Or maybe you were lazy that day and didn't go do any of your assigned homework. Or maybe you're just new to the party and weren't around like a month and a half, two months ago. Whatever the case may be, today you get to make amends.

     Your song for today is "Bleed" by Meshuggah, off of 2008's obZen. Put it on, turn it up, and be prepared for a sonic assault that I can only describe as "relentless". You've been warned.
(Also, please note that while there is a video for this song, it's an edit rather than the album version, so I've gone with the full on, longer version here.)

Song of the Day, July 14: The Devil Wears Prada - Anatomy

     Yeah, yeah, I know, you song is late today. My excuse? Zombies attacked my house, and it's taken me this long to get to a computer. The very same zombies, incidentally, that inspired The Devil Wears Prada's 2010 Zombie EP. But don't worry, you'll fare better than I did because you'll have today's song to defend yourself with. Believe me, there's enough power in the intro riff to this one to chop a zombie in half like the chainsaw that opens the song.

     Your song today*, for your safety, is "Anatomy" by The Devil Wears Prada. Start stockpiling food and ammunition now, because the zombies are on their way.

* Or yesterday, fuck off.

Song of the Day: The Safety Fire - Huge Hammers

     Today I've got some new stuff for you, even for me. In other words, even I am just discovering British metal band The Safety Fire, so we get to share the new band experience together today. I just picked up The Safety Fire's first full length disc, Grind the Ocean, the other day, based largely on hearing today's song a while ago.  After my initial listen to about half the album on my way home from work this morning, I'd describe The Safety Fire as an above-average metal/metalcore band with some djenty leanings and flashes of Protest the Hero and Between the Buried and Me. The potential to grow on me is definitely there. I'll have to finish up with it and give it a few more listens before I really make up my mind.

     In the meantime, you can enjoy your song for today, Grind the Ocean's first single and video "Huge Hammers". It's a pretty good song, and so far it seems like a decent indicator of what the Safety Fire is all about. Let me know what you think, and I'll see you tomorrow.

Song of the Day: Cynic - Evolutionary Sleeper

     Recently I've been getting pretty into Cynic, who I'd never even heard of until maybe six months ago but who apparently are death-prog legends whose sound has mutated and evolved into something I'm not really even going to try and describe*. I'll only say that Cynic is a bit like Tool, if only in the sense that Cynic is also comprised of a group of phenomenally talented musicians pushing the limits of their craft

     To give you just the smallest taste of Cynic, your song for today is "Evolutionary Sleeper", from 2008's Traced in Air. It's a cool song, and kind of a middle ground in Cynic's catalogue, a stepping stone track if you will, showing what Cynic sounded like in the middle of their journey from death metal to... wherever the fuck they are now. Hope you like it.

* Well not right now anyways. Cynic will definitely be the subject of a What You Should Be Listening To at some time or another. Whenever I get around to it. Stay tuned.

Song of the Day: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Gold Teeth on a Bum

     Today we're going to go a little weird and wild. I'm not a huge Dillinger Escape Plan fan, but it seems the further I get into techy, progressive metal, the better I'm able to understand bands like this. Of course it doesn't hurt that The Dillinger Escape Plan have gotten at least somewhat more accessible over the years (and not in the "radio-friendly, watered-down" kind of way, just the "not-a-constant-mindfuck" kind of way). Their most recent album, Option Paralysis, might be their most accessible yet, with a bunch of really good songs on it, including this one.

     Your song for today is "Gold Teeth on a Bum" by The Dillinger Escape Plan. Enjoy.

Song of the Day: Pantera - Walk

     By some strange bit of serendipity, Pantera's totally fucking awesome Vulgar Display of Power has been presenting itself to me a fair amount lately, like the shuffle gods of the universe are trying to tell me something. I've seen it referred to online this week, I'm re-reading an old article in Revolver about its recording, and it's come up on my mp3 player's random album setting, so perhaps it's best to placate said gods already.

     Today's song is "Walk" by Pantera. Put it on and bask in the vulgar display of power. We miss ya, Dime.