Bury Your Dead: It's Nothing Personal

Year released: 2009

Official website: www.buryyourdead.com, www.myspace.com/buryyourdead

Label: Victory Records

Tracks:

1. Hurting Not Helping [4:10]

2. Without You [4:38]

3. Broken Body [4:30]

4. The Great Demonizer [3:48]

5. Dead End Lovesong [4:43]

6. Swan Song [4:00]

7. Lakota [3:02]

8. The Forgotten [4:21]

9. Lion's Den [4:29]

10. Legacy Of Ashes [4:28]

11. Closed Eyes [4:51]

12. Enough [1:33]
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Don't be fooled by the album name. BYD themselves have said that what they mean by naming this album in such a way, is really just the opposite of what it says. It IS something personal, at least to the band members that is. This 5th album by groove metalcore band, Bury Your Dead, who formed in 2001 and hails from Massachusetts, USA, is the second album the band is doing with new permanent vocalist Myke Terry, and he is doing a fairly decent job of continuing the BYD tradition of hardcore music packed full of fretboard mayhem and groovy, heavy beats.

Take a listen!: Even the dead would headbang to these groovy beats

Exploding right into your ears from the very first second with mean, catchy guitar riffs, BYD's first single off this album, "Hurting Not Helping" certainly makes a very explicit summary about what they have more or less been through over the turmoil that was 2008. Apart from the frustration expressed in the songs' lyrics, you can also practically almost feel BYD's frustration with the s***t they have been through trickling into your ears in the form of vibrating air particles. Although heavy and hardcore, BYD also manages to bring about their own unique brand of melancholy on this album, proving once again that metalcore isn't necessarily always only about angst-driven extreme music. However, there are many repetitive guitar riffs on most of the other songs on this album that doesn't serve any purpose other than losing the attention of the listener fast. Furthermore, the guitar solos are mostly boring, with only the two at the start of the tracks "The Great Demonizer" and "Lion's Den" sounding more melodic and memorable than on the other tracks. The drumbeats are fairly more complicated than the dull guitar riffs, and shine best on the track "Lakota". Vocals-wise, Myke makes good harsh vocals with his rough voice, but his clean vocals sound lifeless and flat. That is something that he has to polish up on future albums. BYD's new style is almost similar to their old style; they still dish out punishing drum beats, testosterone-pumping guitar breakdowns, and ugly yet world-weary vocals to create a headbangin' mosh pit of songs for anyone needing an emotional outlet to let out their suppressed frustration or angst with the world. But other than that, this album is really not fantastic, and will soon be forgotten with the times.

Oh, I forgot to mention - Slipknot fans who have never heard BYD before, give them a try, as BYD does bear some resemblance to that group of Halloween enthusiasts. Although BYD is not as strong in the image department as Slipknot, they do triumph over them in terms of making heavier music that gives off a satisfying bunch of raw energy. However, Slipknot does make more memorable melodies and guitar solos than BYD. Hardcore fans of the old BYD however, would not like this new BYD. Sure, they are still heavy like before and all, but having a new vocalist really changes the feel of an otherwise familiar band. It is like replacing Chestor Bennington on Linkin Park with another guy someday, which will definitely cause LP's popularity to dip sharply since Chestor himself has more or less single-handedly molded that harsh, constipated sound of LP's music. Less hardcore fans of the old BYD however, would most probably welcome this new BYD with a spanking new stereo set to better headbang to this renewed attack by a revived BYD. As for those who haven't heard of BYD and wants to try them out now, go ahead, but don't expect them to be as good as other big metalcore bands you have heard before.

These hardcore rockers are: From left to right - Mark Castillo (Drums), Brendan "Slim B." MacDonald (Guitar), Myke Terry (Vocals), Aaron "Bubble" Patrick (Bass Guitar), Chris Towning (Guitar)



As the saying goes, simplicity is beauty. The album artwork is certainly thought-provoking... because it really makes one wonder what is up with that overly simple scenery. Perhaps the barren land juxtaposed against a clear blue sky is supposed to be a reference to the chaotic year BYD had in 2008?

Overall, "It's Nothing Personal" is a rather lackluster metalcore album, only pick up this album in stores if you are a hardcore BYD fan. If you are someone wanting to try out metalcore, don't start from BYD as they are an average metalcore band to start from. Start from consistently good metalcore veterans such as AILD, Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, or excellent metalcore newbies such as Bullet For My Valentine.

Drummer: Check out an insane Mark

Bury Your Damn Dead!: The music video for "Hurting Not Helping"; the crowd-favourite gimmick "Wall Of Death" at live metal performances can be seen here too


Verdict: 7.5 / 10

Pantera: Vulgar Display Of Power

Year released: 1992

Label: Atco Records

Official Website: www.pantera.com

Tracks:

1. Mouth For War [3:57]

2. A New Level [3:58]

3. Walk [5:15]

4. Fucking Hostile [2:49]

5. This Love [6:33]

6. Rise [4:36]

7. No Good (Attack The Radical) [4:50]

8. Live In A Hole [5:00]

9. Regular People (Conceit) [5:27]

10. By Demons Be Driven [4:41]

11. Hollow [5:49]

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RAWRRR!! LET'S GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A BRAWL!!! ... ... is probably what you would be thinking once you are through with this awesome classic of an album.

Yes, Pantera may have already disbanded, and have had experienced a tragedy or two, but luckily for them (and us), their music still lives on. This is one of those records that ruled then, and when you happen to stumble across it sometime in the future in your CD library or at a local CD store, you would pop it into the player and go, “Wow, their music still rules!”.

Vulgar Display Of Power was this American groove metal band's 2^nd studio album, and it sure is heavy as f**k. (Sorry, that was the only word I could find to describe it :-)

Take a listen!: The heavy, yet melodic style of Pantera

Starting off by exploding into your face with the angsty “Mouth For War”, Vulgar Display Of Power grips you throughout the entire album with thorned, sonic tendrils that just refuse to allow you to pop the CD out of your player. With Pantera's signature whining guitar melodies, rap-roars of vocalist Phil Anselmo, and the heavy yet dissonantly melodic guitar riffs that punctuate every minute of their songs, this album (and largely due to Pantera's own comments) was said to have spawned the sub-genre known as groove metal. This amazing piece of work even recently attained double platinum status in 2004, and although that might in part be contributed to the band unfortunately disbanding in that same year (Tsk tsk, the practicality of CD collectors), one cannot deny that this is indeed a good album. Taking your first stroll through this angsty album, one quickly realises that this is not a walk in the park. To pop and rock fans, it would most probably be like walking fearfully through a noisy and anarchic complex teeming with sweaty, uncouth people. To metalheads however, it would be like being one of those sweaty, uncouth people. On your second stroll, it no longer becomes a stroll, it turns into a brisk walk edging close towards a fast run. The album just simple hooks you onto it from the 2^nd listen onwards. On your third stroll, it has irrevocably turned into a full sprint. Switch off the computer! Throw that textbook to one side! It's time to stay in bed the whole day and rock out to a Vulgar Display Of Power!

The legendary indie quartet: From left to right – Vinnie Paul (Drums), Phil Anselmo (Vocals), Rex “Rexx Rocker” Brown (Bass Guitar), Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott (Guitar)

Surprisingly though, the album ends off with a track that is rather toned down and mellow, in comparison with the first track that is. “Hollow” showcases how the band can be musically profound people, as it is a track that simply do not bear any resemblance to the other earlier tracks. Similar to “Cemetary Gates” from Pantera's largely successful debut album, Cowboys From Hell, the track sighs incessantly in the world-weary voice of the guitar for a large part of the song, and even Phil's voice has a tinge of sadness and regret to it, which is hardly imaginable to anyone who are still on the previous tracks.

Hm, I would like to think of this as an example of how American metal bands are actually made up of thinking and feeling people too, for they are most definitely not the mindless, violent, occultic baffoons standard stereotypes make them out to be.

Oh yes, one last thing.

Fans of Japanese animations who are new to Pantera, the band, might find the name familiar. Yes, although this band shares the same name with a particular character from a particularly popular Japanese animation series, I would dare say this album of theirs is so oppugnant that they would easily win a fight with that character.

Long live metal!

(P.S. And get this album too!)

Verdict: 8.4 / 10