By MaryAnn Bayer
If there is a band named Sweden out there, oops sorry dudes, but this is not about you. This week’s BOTW is a country, not a band and its is SWEDEN.
Lately, if I hear a band and I like it, 90% of the time the band is from Sweden. I’ve been on a pretty steady diet of old school thrash thanks to my friend George and a couple of his excellently curated mix CD’s as well as Fenriz from Darkthrone’s taste making Band of the Week blog. Both of these trusted sources have turned me on to no less than 3 bands in the last 6 months or so…ALL FROM SWEDEN. Oh and please spare me the history lesson on Sweden and Heavy Metal. Fuck You, I’m not new here . It just seems worth noting that lately if it is punishing, it is Swedish. Anyhoo, let me just tell you who I am listening to and you can do the same.
Enforcer: This is classic speed metal. Very 80’s, but the non-embarrassing kind. The album ‘Diamonds’ has not left my car CD player since November. If ’soaring’ vocals are a problem for you, this may not be your bag. These guys totally survived a bus crash like this. So you know they are metal. I love that this album is on Earache records too. Here is their video for “Midnight Vice”.
Ghost I assure you, if you like heavy metal at all, you will love this band. Shrouded in mystery, loaded with Satanic messages and even an evil, papal-esque lead singer! Ghost are reminiscent of a poppier, but equally misanthropic Mercyful Fate and all the good 70’s heavy rock that gave way for metal. The album is ‘Opus Eponymous’. Just get it…
Here is a live version of ‘Ritual’
Watain These guys probably aren’t news to anyone. By now, everyone has heard about the cows/goat heads and the bloody stink coming off the band during performances, the 2010 Swedish Grammy Nomination (!?!) the rumors that the singer moonlights in Ghost. hmmm…peculiar indeed…
This is real, spine tingling, black metal. Darkness. You should be listening to Watain.
Watain: Legions of the Black Light vid
Here are a couple of last minute Swedes!! Check out Antichrist!
If you can find anything on them that is! I know they have a couple of demos one is called “Crushing Metal” and from what little I’ve heard from some You Tube clips, it is exactly that. Crushing Metal. Very thrashy but not fun thrash, the angry, devil worshipping thrash. Check out “Virgin’s Blood” below. If you find either tapes by these guys, hit me up please with a copy!
SteelWing and Malison Rogue, literally heard about both of these bands as I was typing this, Thanks George! Like I said, I just discovered these two, but I believe my sources picks to be impeccable
