Out With The Old, In With The New

Let me first off say I love Black Sabbath. Even the Dio days had two strong albums and one amazing song ("Neon Knights"). But Sabbath at the peak of their powers is unassailable. I am one of those weirdos however that doesn't like Paranoid as much as others do; I love the debut record and Sabotage (for it's prog leanings) and especially Sabbath Bloody Sabbath the best.

The latest Sabbath record 13 isn't bad; it's just there. It's not even disappointing because honestly how good did we expect a new Black Sabbath record to be? Bill Ward is out and Rage Against The Machine's Brad Wilk is in; that IS disappointing because Bill Ward is one of rock's most unheralded drummers and because it was an ugly legal split. But the material is just meh. It has some nice grooves, like the second part of opening track "End Of The Beginning" but it just seems so much been-there-done-that. I am not looking for Sabbath to tread too much new ground, but the record has a feel of "why?" When Ozzy was 20 and cried "No...no!...please God help me!!" you honestly feel dread. Now when Ozzy sings about the devil it just seems forced.

And mark this...Black Sabbath is NOT a devil band. They are one of the most Christian bands out there. Not just this record. On 13 Ozzy proclaims:

But still the voices in my head
Are telling me that god is dead
The blood pours down
The rain turns red
I don’t believe that God is dead

This isn't a new thing; this isn't an old man finding religion. Case in point, the lyrics in this new song that echo "After Forever" from 1971's nearly-brilliant Master Of Reality:

Perhaps you'll think before you say that God is dead and gone
Open your eyes, just realize he's the one
The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate
Or will you jeer at all you hear? Yes! I think it's too late.

This album cover used to scare the shit out of me. But it was also backed by this on the back.

Then there is a new metal album that I love. That would be ASG's Blood Drive.  This is great melodic metal. I piss and moan all the time about metal not being melodic anymore. Not true; you just have to know where to find it.

ASG used to be called All Systems Go before they shortened it. They hail from North Carolina. Vocalist Jason Shi has a great great voice; in spots he reminds me of Ben Bridwell from Band Of Horses; sort of high and nasally (his voice that is). He doesn't growl, he sings. You can understand what he says and though the lyrics aren't T.S. Eliot they will do just fine.

Blood Drive comes storming out with heavy riffs: "Avalanche," the title track, "Day's Work" make a brilliant and heavy start. Things mellow out with the Sabbath-y "Blues for Bama" and Earthwalk and the acoustic-gives-way-to electric "Children's Music." Then it's back to the throat with "Hawkeye" and "Stargazin." The loud parts remind me of Queens of the Stone Age when they are at their tightest and grooviest. The songs are catchy, you'll find you toe tapping along to them...or your head banging to them.

Here's album opener "Avalanche." Rock on, dude!