From director CT:

“The film is about underground heavy bands south of the Mason Dixon. It will have intense live performances from some of the crustiest, doomiest, and most progressive of heavy bands from the south. As will include interviews from the dirtiest and smelliest musicians, promoters, and fans from this genre about living and growing up in the bible belt, and other beautiful shit hole christian ran towns, as well as drugged out road stories, and other uncouth happenings.”

“Slow Southern Steel” is due for a May 2010 release.  I am definitely looking forward to this one. Become a fan on Facebook!

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Post from: Metal Martyr

Weedeater – Monkey Junction

Sourvein – Uneasy

Alabama Thunderpussy – Dryspell

Graves At Sea – Red Monarch

Hail!Hornet – Goldenwhore

Disclaimer: All downloads are free and legal and can be found online from various legal sources of free downloads.

Post from: Metal Martyr

Southern Sludge Metal? Yeah, that’s what it’s called in these parts. Southern Sludge is a dirty raw sounding kind of “Doom” style sounding metal that is not for everyone and takes a bit getting used to. But once you start diggin it your hooked like a Neuse river catfish. Anyway I sent T-Roy a message requesting a quick interview and he was cool enough to reply.

MM: I heard you broke your arm recently, How exactly did you do that and is it going to effect the Sourvein tour?

T-Roy: yeah f*cking around in pool. Misjudgment, you live and learn. It won’t effect nothing for tours, I’ve done tours with broken bones before. I write on guitar to record but live I’m just up front howling.

MM: Only 5 more shows till you head to Holland. Looking forward to that?
What are your plans when the tour is over?

T-Roy:yes we are looking forward to the Road Burn Fest big time
we played the club before and its ace, lots of great bands.

Just record a bit and go right back out. We are doing a video very soon for a song off the 3rd E.P.. I think it will be for Imperial Bastard, but not sure as of just yet but it will be good.

MM: I had not heard of Southern Sludge Metal until mid 07 when they sent me the Hail!Hornet record. I wasn’t sure quite what to think of it, being so raw sounding. After a few listens I was hooked. Are you surprised how big of a fan base this metal sub-genre has grown into?

T-Roy: I hope it gets bigger. I been pushing it for over 10 years so bout time, but I know it’s not for everyone and that’s why I think I like it even better, a group of people doing what they want to do.

MM: Your next show is in Wilmington. Do you guys get a huge following and welcome from all your NC shows?

T-Roy: Sometimes we used to sell sh*t out, but its always a good time at home for the most part. Cape Fear is alive with many good bands from all kinds of styles, but we were the first ever signed to a bigger label and the 1st to tour Europe, but here they see us all the time so they are spoiled, but yeah the shows are good in wilm,nc.

MM: Hail!Hornet was an amazing album. Can we expect the crew to get back together again for another record?

T-Roy: we already have for some splits and such but yeah this summer,we all have a little more time to meet at Whisky Vince’s in the summer,not sure but I think we are doing a E.P. soon as well as talks of small tours here and there.

MM: Last, are there any other projects going on or in the works for you?

T-Roy: I am so in to Sourvein right now. I love the boys from home here in the band now my drummer Ramzi ex-Buzzov-ens killing it and Sleepy/Boone/and Cool Clyde hold it down. But I am doing a project with Nick from Graves At Sea soon and doom band Blood Of Saints with guys from Blood Island Raiders/Orange Goblin and Taint, this will be heavy vitus doom and the other project will be bleak. Also doing a solo E.P. for fun. So mostly busy touring with Sourvein.

MM: Thanks for the opportunity, T-Roy!

T-Roy: thx for the interview. Keep posted on us at myspace.com/sourvein13 T-Roy~

Now I can’t lie to you. When I first heard the Hail!Hornet CD Dwell Records sent me I loved everything except the vocals. It just goes to show that like T-Roy said, it’s not for everyone. It was something I honestly wasn’t ready for because of everything else I was listening to, but I gave it a chance and it sort of grows on you and then you just can’t get enough. Then you hear stuff like Sourvein and Weedeater and it just gets you wanting more! You either learn to love it or hate it…and damn I love it!

Post from: Metal Martyr

1. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse – Dimmu Borgir (I love the symphonic aspects of this band)
2. One By One – Immortal (One of my new favorite Black Metal Bands)
3. Angel’s Don’t Kill – Children Of Bodom (My favorite from Hatecrew Deathroll)
4. And Death In My Arms – All That Remains (This entire CD is awesome)
5. The Eagle – Light This City (One of many great songs on Facing The Thousand)
6. Dethharmonic – Dethklok (It’s Dethklok, nothing more to say)
7. In My Darkest Hour – Megadeth (This Song Never Gets Old…never!)
8. Believe In Black – Hail!Hornet (This is the band that turned me onto the souther sludge metal)
9. Skulls – The Misfits (I’m always liking older Misfits tunes)
10. God Luck And Good Speed – Weedeater (Another Southern Sludge Pioneering band I’m getting into)

Top Ten Cds

20 Years Of Nuclear Blast, this is a must! 20 years of Nuclear Blast bands on 4 cd’s. Jam packed with kick ass metal. Hands down the best label anniversary compilation

Children Of Bodom – Hate Crew Deathroll A new favorite of mine. I don;t know how I went this long without getting into Children Of Bodom.

Light This City – Facing The Thousand I said before that I have never been a big fan of female vocals in the metal genre, but Laura Nichole works well as does the rest of the band.

Dethklok – The Dethalbum I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard about this show, but when you hear the music you instantly fall in love with it all.

Dimmu Borgir – In Sorte Diaboli I’m still not a big fan of the gimmick behind Black Metal but I have come to love the sound and Dimmu Borgir Mix the symphony with the devil’s music…and it’s cool!

All That Remains – This Darkened Heart I can not say enough good things about this band and honestly a lot of you are probably tired of hearing me talk about them…be prepared for more.

Testament – The Best of Testament When I picked up this one I was just ashamed that I went this long without listening to Testament. Sometimes It’s amazing how you miss a band like this for so long.

grief of WAR – A Mounting Crisis Another new overseas favorite. Japan’s grief of WAR are phenoms at bringing back the old school thrash sound. Nothing polished and painted pretty here. Just thrashing.

Burn The Priest I haven’t the slightest idea why I have been into this one as of late. The vocals are incomprehensible but the music rips!

Yakuza – Transmutations Versatile Chicago metal artists Yakuza bring the metal and a whole lot more. Jazz and metal would normally not mix well…except when done by Yakuza!

What are the big hits for you so far this year?

Post from: Metal Martyr

Post from: Metal Martyr

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Post from: Metal Martyr

I have dumped a bunch of money into CDs this past year, probably more than I have in a long time. I have discovered and re-discovered bands that I’ve been missing out on and was even introduced to new music by record labels that sent me CDs to review (Thanks Bob at Prosthetic and Taylor at Dwell). While most of these albums didn’t come out in 2007, 2007 was the year I bought them and therefore; the first list will be my Favorite Buys Of 2007. The second list is a short one. It’s my favorite Debut records of 2007. Lastly is my Biggest Disappointments of 2007. Records I bought and was throughly disappointed with.

MetalMarty.com 10 Favorite Buys Of 2007
1. Lamb Of God- Every Record. After hearing Ashes Of The Wake I fell in love with this band and bought every LOG record this year. I really like everyone with perhaps the exception of New American Gospel. I can’t wait to see whats next from this band and try to see them next time they come around here.
2. Killswitch Engage- Once again, every record. I got into Killswitch when I bought As Daylight Dies and quickly became a fan.
3. Hatebreed- Supremacy. In my opinion this is Hatebreed’s best work to date. Every song on this record is great. If you haven’t been impressed with Hatebreed in the past I say give them a second chance with Supremacy.
4. As I lay Dying- An Ocean Between Us. I bought this album after only hearing the first song and I’m still impressed.
5. All That Remains- Fall Of Ideals. Diverse in every way. From beginning to end it has your attention. The guitar work, solos, vocals and drums all mix well. This is in my opinion the best Christian metal you will hear.
6. Led Zeppelin- Mothership. If your looking for an inexpensive, GOOD Zeppelin Compilation then look no further. For a two disk set it has the essentials.
7. Megadeth- United Abominations. Megadeth’s Best work in a long time. It’s good to see Dave back on track.
8. Yakuza- Transmutations. You have to truly like all sorts of music styles to enjoy this record. It’s not for everyone, but it does kick ass!
9. Mastodon- Blood Mountain. These guys have a style all their own and Blood Mountain shows it.
10. Danzig- The Lost Tracks. This 2 disk set brings out some b-sides and stuff that has been left out on older records. These days Glenn is more into the industrial stylish sound but the older stuff on this set is great!

Honorable mentions: A life Once Lost:Iron Gag, Haste The Day: Pressure The Hinges, Shadows Fall: Threads OF Life

Best Debuts Of 2007

Divine Heresy- Bleed The Fifth. Dino Cazarez did well with this line-up and vocal choice. Sure it kinda sounds a bit Fear Factory-ish, but hell, FF isn’t putting anything out good these days so why not.
Hail!Hornet- Southern Sludge Metal at it’s best. Even coining their own genre as Grime Metal, Hail!hornet keeps it heavy and dirty. With members from Weedeater, Alabama Thunderpussy, and Sourvein, this record will ruin your life as they say.

Biggest Disappointments of 2007
Dragonforce- Inhuman Rampage. I don’t like the singer’s voice, the overuse of synthesizers, and overdone, drawn out songs. It felt like I was stuck in a Japanimation soundtrack or an old Nintendo game.
Ozzy- Black Rain. Sorry Ozzy. Sounds to pop-ish. With over- repetative choruses, Zakks pinch harmonics every other note and the sound as if someone wrote the lyrics for you it just made for an undesirable record. Good effort…bad outcome.

Well thats it. I’m sure I have missed a lot of great metal out there that I haven’t got to check out but I’m kinda picky when it comes to new music and a lot of stuff I sampled just didn’t fit my likings or was substandard to me. I hope 2008 has even more to offer!

—————-
Now playing: Jackyl – I Stand Alone
via FoxyTunes

Post from: Metal Martyr

I enjoy every song on this cd…well right up until the point where Troy Medlin starts singing, if that’s what you want to call it. Troy has his own style that I don’t care for. I’m not saying the band needs a new singer. I’m just saying that my only complaint. I would make some adjustments on the next record or perhaps it will grow on me. If you want my honest opinion it sounds as if someone is taking a power drill to his knee caps and he’s painfully pleading to be put out of his misery. The crazy thing is that I can’t stop listening!

Update 3/5/2009: I normally wouldn’t go back and change a review or make any adjustments to anything this old, but it was brought to my attention that this review sucks and I can honestly agree with that. The fact is that during the time of this review, I really didn’t like the singing on this CD. There were quite a few bands that I didn’t quite like the singing on during this time. My taste in some bands have changed since then but this one didn’t take me very long at all. As that last line in the review above says, I couldn’t stop listening and Troy’s howling vocals really did grow on me fast. I would love to hear another album by this collaboration.

Check them out at Dwell Records Hail!Hornet

Hail!Hornet is:
Troy Medlin-Vocals
Erik Larson-Drums
Vince Burke- Guitar
“Dixie” Dave Collins- Bass

Image Source: Dwell Records

Post from: Metal Martyr