After the Firestorm – The Incarnation of Metalcore

Bill Fetty
FYI
Music operates in cycles and waves, with the energy generated from one, feeding directly into another. This is one of the major ways that we see genres and styles achieve growth. One particular genre that we have seen outgrow its roots and reach with newly grown tentacles into ever-evolving styles is hardcore. Just look around at the number of sub-genres that include the affix of “core” to their names. In this piece we look at the bands who evolved hardcore in both subtle and major ways to arrive at what we now know as "metalcore." First, we take a look at some of the bands who were most directly tied to hardcore in its last iteration before metalcore truly came into being.

’68 – Two Parts Viper

Matt MacLennan
Reviews
With time, Josh Scogin will be able to release music without it immediately being compared to his work in The Chariot. That time isn't upon us yet, as fans of the Georgia legends still hanker for them, tearfully screaming "long live" at anyone and everyone within earshot. The second release from Scogin's stripped down '68 project should help these lost souls in finding new comforts, away from the mayhem and maelstrom that The Chariot offered. Two Parts Viper is one part Southern Americana, one part ex-The Chariot Josh Scogin and one part wonderfully over the top rock and roll. But 2014's Humor And Sadness was made up of much and such the same measurements. Has the sound evolved enough for '68 to finally become a stand alone entity?

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Hyenas Achive Something Close to “Homeostasis” On New Track

Eden Kupermintz
Premieres
One of our biggest points of pride at Heavy Blog is that we've become associated with specific sounds and trends in metal today. I won't bore you with the details but if you follow this blog, you know the kind of music I'm talking about: it's usually angry, heavy, progressive and dark. It leads us to post about great bands that get sent to us and this time is no different; Hyena's are a young band, gearing up for their debut release, and boy does it sound promising. If you miss The Chariot but want a little filth added into that style of sound, then "Homeostasis" (and the upcoming release Deadweight, releasing via Pelagic Records on March 10th) is what you need right now.

Best Of: Global Metal

Heavy Blog
Best Of, Lists!
As in everything, the trajectory of global culture has affected the ways in which we perceive and consume metal. While we won't have the time to go in depth on concepts like "the West", "globalism" and "cultural appropriation", it's safe to say that metal is too often viewed with a Western-tinged lens. Thus, Europe (western/northern Europe, that is) and the US are often viewed as the focal points of the community and, sometimes, as the only grounds in which events worth consider occur. However, the reality is far from that and is much more positive: metal, like any cultural community which has, is or will one day thrive, is a global phenomenon.