The Local Metal Lurker

I would also like to present this slam band pic without context or comment

They’re…space gladiators? It’s very gold and they kinda look like they’re wearing modified football shoulder pads

Presenting another power metal band pic without context or comment

played the wii and i didn't say wee! once false advertising

A part of me is scared of who is going to get called out next. Probably some other person from a cult band I once lived for when I was younger.

The LA punk scene is on fire, Nevermore's new lineup has people with views Warrel Dane would have hated, Crimson Glory's current singer is apparently right wing and has made weird anti vaxx posts, people in the skateboarding community keep getting exposed as creeps... it's never ending.

This has been the strangest and most stressful last couple of weeks for me in that I keep on learning about people I once looked up to turning out to be shitty.

Announcement from Hard Rock Festival "Dear festival-goers! Unfortunately, due to several posts by Warlord drummer Mark Zonder, we have had to make the decision to cancel his band´s performance at this year´s Rock Hard Festival. Marks most recent Facebook post („Sadly I have learned...“) only confirms that our decision was the right one. In Germany, anyone is free to address their political views - whether on stage or through their art - as long as those views do not discriminate against a particular group of people („Volksverhetzung“ has been a criminal offense since the end of World War II). More than a third of the German population, as well as many members of our crew and audience, have a migrant background. After Mark´s initial statement began circulating in forums and on social media, many people told us they would no longer attend the festival. Bands are always welcome at Rock Hard Festival, regardless of their (democratic) political views (as past years have shown). However, when we pay an artist fee, we expect respectful behavior toward ALL members of our audience and crew. We no longer felt that this respect could be guaranteed, and therefore decided to remove Warlord from the bill. We are currently working hard to find a replacement for Warlord and will announce it shortly. Stay heavy!"

I really wanted to see Warlord at the end of the month. I can't even drive but I was willing to sit on the train for three hours just to see them. But after reading this, I'm not so sure if I want to anymore.

Earlier I came across an old article about the history of 404 messages and fail pets, and it had several links to references and other similar articles. But since the article itself was so old clicking on most of the links just gave me a "site not found" message, which is the most ironic thing ever.

It very much fits with the lyrics. It goes back and forth to sounding like he's pretending to keep it together to then sounding like he's on the verge of a mental breakdown. The instrumental part after the second chorus gives me the image of being kicked down a long spiral shaped flight of stairs.

Grinder - Reeling on the Edge YouTube video by Daron Migga

Reeling on the Edge shows this in an interesting way. Half of the verses are of him rapping the lyrics in a very cheesy late 80s funk thrash style, but then it suddenly bursts to the chorus where he's now practically screaming. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHsL...

Its clear that the singer was going for more Anthrax style vocals, but the fast pace of speed at which he sings makes it sound like he's always singing in a crazed panic, as if he's performing in the middle of a fighter jet and has no chance to catch his breath.

Grinder - Agent Orange YouTube video by Hammerheart Records

When it comes to German thrash metal Grinder has always stood out to me because they don't really sound like most of the others, especially when it comes to the vocals. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv3X...

Mrs. Victoria YouTube video by Warlord - Topic

I love how Warlord had the idea to make a song about an evil creepy grandma five years before King Diamond even thought about the concept. We need more songs about this kind of thing, there's something about it that's just so fun. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rdP...

Oh God, I wasn't aware of this. This is actually devastating to learn.

I'm hoping I'll like the other songs on the album more but I have mixed feelings so far, I thought Triskaideka had a great chorus and Travis is a very good vocalist. But the new song feels underwhelming, like there's something missing.

I thought the vocals were decent but the production really holds it back.

I'm sick of dystopia, let's bring back Fruitopia.

The melody on Serpent Moves feels like it could be something something I would hear on a later Celtic Frost album.

The songs are memorable and stay in your head, which I can't really say about a lot of other albums from thrash bands around the same time, who didn't want to change styles and were made to by their record labels.

I'm listening to Grin by Coroner and it's a solid album despite all the differing opinions I've heard of it over the years. I think the reason why it works is because it's clear that Coroner wanted to try a more industrial style and were passionate about it.

to Boltly Throw

And not only that but the singer here has a very broad vocal range and can go for much lower vocals when he needs to for the gloomier and doomier parts as well. I'm very impressed in how this band combines so many different things together and yet none of them feel out of place.

As for Crimson Glory, the vocals here absolutely REEK of Transcendence-era Midnight. I'm not a vocalist, but I imagine you would need to pull a sword from a stone to be able to gain the amount of power and magic in your voice to sound like that guy.

When you mention Fates Warning, Hexenhaus, Scald, and Crimson Glory all in the same "for fans of" sentence you got my attention. Aside from Doomsword I can't think of a lot of bands, bands with heavy/power metal influences for that matter, that bring up Scald.

I cannot express in words how this album represents everything I love about metal

Sealed Into None, by Exxûl 5 track album

I think I might already have my favorite album of 2026
productionstso.bandcamp.com/album/sealed...

Kinda sucks that today is the last day we're allowed to listen to music released in 2025.

I miss the days when the only things named after tolkien characters were black metal bands and dungeon synth projects. Now every malicious rich fuck has an evil company named after something from tolkien.

Truth. I spent years putting productivity before any other aspects of myself and it's a very hard thing to unlearn, but it feels a lot healthier once you start prioritizing your happiness instead.

I'm not doing 2025 achievements b/c the last few years, I've realized putting my self-worth into achievements, time markers, etc is so unhealthy

All I care about is living and loving as best I can while I still can

And I'm trying

We're only going to die -- all we have is right now and each other