My 2004 and 5. A Metal Retrospective. Part Two

Then came 2005, which was like the golden years for metalcore. You had the recent releases from the bands I was talking about before but 2005 added Soilwork's "Stabbing the Drama" and Killswitch Engage's - "End of Heartache." The fore-more being arguably the best album out of the bunch. These albums only added to the awesome music that I was enjoying during these year. It was also the year that Slipknot released the most surprising release of their career and also my favorite in "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)."

When it comes to greatness in metalcore, look no further than Soilwork's "Stabbing the Drama". Its amazing from start to finish with the perfect blend of heavy and the not so. One of the things I love about Soilwork is their unique sound. From the way the guitars are distorted to the way the drummer utilizes the double bass drum the sound is just so different than a lot of the same bands at the time. The album is truly a beast and is also a great starting place for new listeners of metal.

We Be Scary!

"Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" was surprising for lots of reasons but mainly for two. 1. They completely did away with cursing which was a mainstay of their earlier albums. "Iowa" being the chief offender of this. 2. The more low key songs. Normally Slipknot was balls to the wall with the brutality but "Vol. 3" had a softer side vocally and musically. These changes to the Slipknot format felt natural, like the next best step. It also stands as a testament to the bands skill as musicians at that time.

holy locks!

One of the craziest things to happen to the genre was the departure of Jessie Leech from Killswitch Engage shortly after they released their debut album. The album was a huge success and the band wasn't sure what they wanted to do after he left. When I heard that they added Howard Jones, I was originally like... "who??" That quickly turned into "Hell Yeah" after I heard Jones vocals. The man is amazing. Hes got an incredible control over his vocal chords. KSE "End of Heartache" is a monster of an album. It might be the best metalcore album made by a American band. It also helped the band on a career that would only shine with progress.

Some of the other bands that were prominent in the genre where Shadows Fall. I remember seeing them for the first time. Brian Fair the lead singer has dreadlocks that hang down past his ass and he whips those things around with purpose. They also had a unique sound in a genre mired by copycats. Fairs vocals add a flair to the music and the bands love for classic metal only made them stronger musicians.

Stay tuned for part three coming Xmas day!


Killswitch Engage - Rose Of Sharyn
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Soilwork - Stabbing The Drama
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Shadows Fall - Inspiration On Demand
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