Today we celebrate the heritage that we all pretend to somehow have. St Patrick’s day brings out all the Irish in everyone. From people saying they’re 1/9th Irish or “I’m of Irish heritage” to the actual Irish themselves! As is tradition along with drinking copious amounts of Guiness on St Patrick’s Day everyone is meant to adorn green to their dress attire so we thought why not do the same for metal. Celebrating the albums with greenest covers we bring you Green Is The Colour Of Metal.
Defeated Sanity – Verses Of Deformity
Kicking things off we see Defeated Sanity come in with the greenest of album covers for their 2014 release Passages Into Deformity. Not only selected because of the colour but the album is also home to some of the most brutal death metal released last year. Ramping the brutality up to 110% the band give it their all on this the most devastating of albums. Definitely one to raise a glass to today!
Neuraxis – Asylum
Moving over to Canada we now see more death metal genius emerge. More of the technical ilk, the Canadian band are criminially underrated, not to mention have one of the greenest albums on the list! With the artwork reminiscent of a scene from a truly troubled mind, the band employ their attack with the use of melody among their blistering grooves. Perhaps we might see another new album from the band some day. Truly one of the most underrated bands out there that so many more people need to hear. Genius song writing, well written technicality make them one of the best out there!
Nile – Unas Slayer Of The Gods
What would St Patrick’s Day be without the presence of antiquated egyptian themed death metal? Luckily we won’t ever need to find out. Nile‘s third release In Their Darkened Shrines saw the band garner more attention in the death metal arena. Not to mention it has the eleven minute epic “Unas Slayer Of The Gods” a song to make even the most experienced of Tomb Raider tremble. Although as ever with Nile the record, for me at least, was slightly let down to the murky productions surrounding the guitars. It was also the first time that the band had begun to properly experiment with concepts, such as the four track In Their Darkeneed Shrines suite at the albums end. Still a classic nonetheless and in keeping with the list its green!
Obscura – Septuagint
One of my all time favourite introductions to an album. From the baroque like classical opening, the scene is set fantatistically for their modern metal masterpiece. Featuring members from Necrophagist and Noneuclid its a tehchnical tour de force. Beautiful interplay between rhythm and solo’s ,yet whilst being as brain teasing as they come never sacrifices is sense of melody throughout. An absolute beast of a record, now that the band have parted ways with both guitarist and drummer Christian Munzner and Hannes Grossman, it will be interesting to see what direction the band decide to go in next. Though the two are far from done, if their new release with Alkaloid is anything to show!
Skeletonwitch – This Horrifying Force
Before releasing 2013’s latest taste of blackened thrash metal, Skeletonwitch previously unleashed the deadly Forever Abomination. Improving on from their sound exhibited previously in Breathing The Fire, the album features more refined guitar work, tighter drums Chance Garnette‘s blackened howls encircling the listener amongst some riffs that make for some truly great head bangers! Not to mention melodeath to match the likes of Dissection. Perfect for St Patrick’s Day!
Scale The Summit – The Odyssey
Instrumental band Scale The Summit are unique. Creating instrumental melodies the four piece craft together memorable lead lines that stick in your head and both boggle the mind. Infamous for his tapping techniques ring leader Chris Letchford commands the quartet, putting the musicians through their own paces. Their latest offering 2013’s The Migration, is use another stellar example of this breathe of fresh air in the quickly becoming stale instrumental air. Keep your eyes peeled for their new release this year, sure to be one of the years too albums!
3 Inches Of Blood – Fierce Defender
Somehow whenever I seem to make a list 3 Inches Of Blood seem to snake its way in. Granted the cover is green because there’s a huge tree on the front but if there ever was a better band for a rollicking good time it would be the Canadians. Performing fantastically in a live setting the band create a sense of comic book violence with the grandiosity of classic heavy metallers Judas Priest, due in part to Cam Pipes far too high pitched for a normal man pipes. “Fierce Defender” exhibits some of their classic elements, including a blink and you’ll miss it solo and those all important harmonies! If hobbits listened to metal 3 Inches Of Blood it would be!
The Black Dahlia Murder – The Window
Everyone wants to hear a story about children being abducted on St Patrick’s Day! The decidedly dark lyrical content from front man Trevor Strnad, based lightly on French deviant Gilles De Rais. “The Window” off their 2012 release Ritual is one of the bands inspired songs. Combining the dark imagery conjured by the lyricist with the thunderous rhythms and showing off some of Ryan Knight‘s genius lead playing. Which, in my opinion truly upped the bands ante.
Beyond Creation -Coexistence
Before wowing the world with last years Earthborn Evolution, Beyond Creation released their first example of just how devastating the band could be. With The Aura, the album immediately proved their worthy status among Canada’s technical death metal masters. Similar to the likes of Obscura the band balance melody and technicality perfectly. Ensuring that through the displays of showmanship the listener never loses interest. Also one of the few bands that push the bassist to the foreground d with Lapointe‘s excellent fret less bass skills, particularly on “Coexistence“.
Vader – Devilizer
Kicking off 2009’s headbanger Necropolis is this balls to the wall thrasher “Devilizer“. From the word go we’re in for a classic Vader ride. The Motörhead of death metal delivers on every occasion. Big brash and full of conviction their riffs drive the song forward with our undead war general Piotr’s haunting words, the groove in the band is one of legend, not to mention their aptitude for solo’s. Absolutely essential for any St Patrick’s Day playlist.
