GL's Predictions for 2010

[GL]

Okay, so this whole thing is just stupid, but I'm pretty good at this sort of thing in the past, and I just want a place to be able to point to and say: I did say that at one point.

For Black Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-Emperor. They've done a couple of festival shows in recent years, going so far as to produce new studio material shouldn't be a stretch.
Most Likely to Disband-Unknown. Really not a whole lot of bands I see going away soon, it's healthy, strong and should be vibrant for a while.
Most Likely to Break Out-Wykked Wytch. One of the biggest bands in the underground, getting better with every release and there's a lot of areas for them to get exposed. They should be poised to explode big time.

Looking forward to-Borknagar, Nachtmystium, Enthroned, Melechesh, Rotting Christ, Ov Hell

For Death Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-It already happened, the reunion of the Vincent-led period of Morbid Angel. Just now we'll get the product of that.
Most Likely to Disband-Obituary. Frankly, this reunion has been a monumental bust. None of their albums were that good, the Tardy's have their solo project, Trevor is off with Catastrophic and Frank is the new bass player in Gorgoroth. I see no time for these guys to do anything more to wow me, and the masses are just like me, riding off nostalgia rather than current output.
Most Likely to Break Out-Mass in Comatose. Utterly phenomenal Estonian group which sounds like they crawled out of the best kept hole of Florida from 1994, they're fast, they're technical and they have an amazing sound. They're just on a label that offers their music for free download, and if they can get some marketing, they'll become monsters.

Looking forward to-Morbid Angel, Kataklysm, Grave, Master, Panzerchrist, Immolation, Dark Tranquility, Arsis, Malevolent Creation

For Modern Heavy Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-Again, we've already gotten it, Fear Factory with Burton/Dino at the helm.
Most Likely to Disband-Unknown. I'll just throw out Bleed the Sky, a really lame Metalcore band that I used to like but haven't really done a whole lot impressive recently.
Most Likely to Break Out-Living Sacrifice. Christian Metalcore act are getting good buzz with the lead single off their new album, they'll have a whole year to generate interest for themselves and with radio play, it'll be a long time of doing so.

Looking forward to-Fear Factory, Soilwork, Raunchy, Mnemic, Kalmah, Burning Skies

For Traditional Heavy Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-Axemaster. I used to have their EP but I can't seem to find it, and they were pretty good early Manowar-styled stuff. With it being re-issued, I seem the band capitalizing on this by going out on tour. Accept is an easy choice, but you could also say them as well.
Most Likely to Disband-Heaven and Hell. With Dio's health problems recently, I see these guys putting this on ice since they just did the new album. Won't be hard to see this happening.
Most Likely to Break Out-Battleroar. Greek newcomers to the scene, they play the stuff good, and coming from an area that simply loves this stuff will give them a good boost.

Looking forward to-Accept, Manowar, Sabaton, Sceptor, Attacker, Obsession, Desolate Ways

For Power Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-Rhapsody. Just because that damn legal thing has to end sometime, and I want to be right about them one of these times.
Most Likely to Disband-None. I don't see any of the big names going away, as this could be the time that Thrash had back in 05-07, a great crop of newcomers mixing in well with the veterans starting to find their fire.
Most Likely to Break Out-Crystallion. They made the list this year, and I predict they'll break out big time. They've got a great sound, I like what they're doing and I hope people give them a chance just because the vocals aren't aggressive.

Looking forward to-Gamma Ray, Freedom Call, Kamelot, Labyrinth, Angra, Blind Guardian, Secret Sphere

For Thrash Metal-
Most Likely to Reform-The Crown. There's been rumblings about them getting the band back together, and I hope they do. They're new projects have been good, but it just doesn't taste like the original.
Most Likely to Disband-Sepultura. They've got only one original member left, no one cares about them anymore and Andreas spends more time flitting away in Brazilian TV than even promoting their new album. Just put it to rest already.
Most Likely to Break Out-Fueled by Fire. Yet another big newcomer, just missed out on the list for last year but should be poised for a big year next year.

Looking forward to-Exodus, Heathen, Forbidden, Overkill, Carnal Forge, The Abcence

[HNT]

Can't agree with youvabout Septltira, man. With Max and Igor reportedly talking again I'm hoping for a real reformation rather than a disbanding. I hope I'm right, as they have been sorely missed, but who knows

[GL]

Frankly, Sepultura lost me with Roots and I haven't come back since. Derek is just a terrible vocalist, as they're not a Thrash Metal band anymore even though many still lump them in there for some reason (why I put them there as well) and frankly, the quality of their albums since Max left has been dismal to start and going downhill, and while I would love to see Max and Igor doing old-school Sepultura (The Cavalera Conspiracy project was a step in the right direction, but just didn't do anything for me when I felt they should've traded titles with that and the last Soulfly record, which was more Sepultura-sounding than anything the namesake has done since Max left) I would be happy if they just ceased to exist in their current formation.

[abraxas]

Yeah once the original singer is gone from a band thats it, I cant bare to listen anymore, Iron Maiden without Dickinson, for instance is just not right.

[HNT]

Interesting example, as Dickinson replaced Paul dianno and I think it was a clear improvement. Generally I agree with you, but there are exceptions and you just picked one

[GL]

There's been a couple vocalist changes I've actually gotten behind:

DiAnno to Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Halford to Owens (Judas Priest)
Ozzy to Dio (Black Sabbath)
Barlow to Owens (Iced Earth)
Akerfelt to Tatgren to Akerfelt (Bloodbath)

But usually the album afterward does dip down in quality. However, if the change is done prior to the band really breaking out or if it's early in the career, then I don't mind as such.

[HNT]

Jan 5, 2010 10:48:59 GMT -5 GL said:

There's been a couple vocalist changes I've actually gotten behind:

Halford to Owens (Judas Priest)
Ozzy to Dio (Black Sabbath)

But usually the album afterward does dip down in quality. However, if the change is done prior to the band really breaking out or if it's early in the career, then I don't mind as such.

Wow, man. Sorryu, but these might be two of the worst examples of all time. Talk about two bands that went from quality to garbage as soon as the change was made (Mark Walberg movie to the contrary or not).

A better example that I thought you would have gone with was Barnes to Fisher (Cannibal Corpse). That one seems right up your alley

[abraxas]

Yeah man your gonna burn in metal hell for picking anyone over the Metal God Rob Halford

Although HNT , Dio's awesome man come on, in fact they got even bigger after Ozzy, Heaven and Hell sold more records then any album Oz was on.

Yeah I guess my post isn't too valid now that I think of it

"Akerfelt to Tatgren to Akerfelt (Bloodbath)"

Thats kind a funny actually, I like both of them with Bloodbath, certainly better then the other guy.

[GL]

Jan 5, 2010 11:38:30 GMT -5 HNT said:

Jan 5, 2010 10:48:59 GMT -5 GL said:

There's been a couple vocalist changes I've actually gotten behind:

Halford to Owens (Judas Priest)
Ozzy to Dio (Black Sabbath)

But usually the album afterward does dip down in quality. However, if the change is done prior to the band really breaking out or if it's early in the career, then I don't mind as such.

Wow, man. Sorryu, but these might be two of the worst examples of all time. Talk about two bands that went from quality to garbage as soon as the change was made (Mark Walberg movie to the contrary or not).

A better example that I thought you would have gone with was Barnes to Fisher (Cannibal Corpse). That one seems right up your alley

I'm one of the few out there that ranks Jugulator as being one of the best Priest records, better than their 80s stuff and only behind Painkiller as best all-time. I just really got into it, heavy, fast, aggressive and a literal ton of great songs. That Owens made his own mark on them was definitely well worth-it (that scream at the end of 'Jugulator' matches the one Rob did on 'Painkiller' and his falsettos on 'Abductors' sound like a clone at times) and Demolition got a very unfair rap, that was not that bad of an album and I really enjoyed it (a few songs could've been left off, it runs a little long as it is right now) and '98 Live Meltdown is a fairly serviceable live album where he definitely sounds close enough to the old material that it works. Don't have Live in London so I can't comment, but since it seems to have the majority of Owen's material, which unfortunately got shafted in the reunion, it might be pretty good.

As for Ozzy, Abraxas is right, that was the best album that band had done up to that time, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only era of the band that's listenable. Ozzy can fuck off and die as far as I'm concerned, so anything over him is an improvement.

And frankly, I should've listed that last one, it is the one I like the most. Mind blanked out at that one.

[abraxas]

" it's the only era of the band that's listenable. Ozzy can fuck off and die as far as I'm concerned, so anything over him is an improvement."

Well I wouldn't go that far

[HNT]

I don't know what to say about that. I guess I am just a purist when it comes to my Sabbath, but you cannot really be serious that Heaven and Hell is better than Paranoid, can you? I admit that around the time of Sabotage, Technical Ecstacy, and Never Say Die, Sabbath had lost something big, but I don't think that they got it back with Dio. Case in point, I think that I am not alone in saying that I would take almost any Ozzy solo record from Blizzard of Ozz to No More Tears over any record that Sabbath released during that period. Ah well, to each his own I guess, but Ozzy is still far too much of an icon to be told to "fuck off and die"

[GL]

Icon, shmicon.

To me, Ozzy has a voice only slightly more tolerable than Phil Anselmo, the worst vocalist ever in the history of metal, his personal behavior has only made it obvious he should've died back in the 80s and his music is really only tolerable because of his band, and if that was the case, I'd be a big fan of Avenged Sevenfold. That's not even taking into account how he has handled his band situation regarding the re-releases or the TV Show they did. I have very little good to say about him, and I wouldn't be that broken-up were he to actually pass away (sure, from a humanity stand-point it would be, but on a personal level, meh)

[GP]

I can't say that I wish Ozzy any harm, he's been dead to me since his bloody disgusting wife and kids became famous off of the back of him being sold to the world as a shuffling retard. In fact if they all fell into a glass grinder a la Jigsaw the world would perhaps not be a better place but at least be less annoying. While we're at it lets go crazy and throw in that poodle faced twat from Nickelback and the bongo player from Wheatus too.

As for Technical Ecstacy and Sabotage I think they're great. I wouldn't really feel right comparing them to Heaven and Hell. All albums involving Dio seem to exist in a separate sphere. One with lots of wizards, rainbows and silver mountains. I want to live there.

[HNT]

Having seen Ozzy live several times throughout the 80's and 90's I can only say that he is the greatest performer in the history of metal. He doesn't have the best voice, but he puts on the best live show of any of them. That counts for a lot as far as I'm concerned. He was a real rock star in the Mick Jagger, Roger Daltry vein. I am also disappointed in what he has made himself into, but no moreso than I am Flava Flav. Doesn't mean that the records that they made in their prime weren't damn good.

Like I said, I would take the 80's and 90's Ozzy from Blizzard to No MOre Tears over anything that Sabbath was doing at that time. Selecting quality musicians to back you is huge. I would say that with RAndy Rhodes and Zack Wylde, Ozzy selected two of the finest guitarists in the history of the genre. I wo0uld say that Tommy Aldrich is a hell of a drummer too. THere is no reason why his ability to find and showcase emerging young talent isn't part of what makes him great. THat and the fact that his personna was more entertaining and invigorating than anything that Dio or any other vocalist of that time frame was capable of.

[abraxas]

"you cannot really be serious that Heaven and Hell is better than Paranoid, can you?"

Well I certainly never said it was better, I merely noted that critically speaking Heaven and Hell was more accepted by critics and that it sold more copies then any Sabbath album with Ozzy, thats not saying its better.

"I admit that around the time of Sabotage, Technical Ecstasy, and Never Say Die, Sabbath had lost something big"

That is certainly true

"but I don't think that they got it back with Dio."

Thats is certainly wrong, with Dio the bands popularity, by comparison of how successful they were in the beginning; Dio certainly did give something back to them. For not only was the album successful the tour of the album was also one of the most successful.

"I am not alone in saying that I would take almost any Ozzy solo record from Blizzard of Ozz to No More Tears over any record that Sabbath released during that period."

Well thats pretty much a no brainer as all of those albums sucked, except Born Again.

And about Ozzy's albums it should be known that Ozzy didn't even write those first 3 or so albums, they were all written by he bass player, who after those first few albums was paid on the side to write albums, Ozzy just put the face, which obviously is important, no one can doubt that he is one of the greatest lead men in Matel. Besides Metal has never been about how good you sing, sure there are great Metal singers, but there were also some who remain Metal gods even though they weren't the best vocalists in the world.