HOLY HELL. According to several sources, including Metal Hammer Magazine and Blabbermouth.net, Fear Factory fans are in for one hell of a headbanging gift come this Summer. Band mainmen Burton C. Bell (vocals) and Dino Cazarez (guitar) have finally put aside their petty differences and joined forces in Fear Factory once again! Joining them to form the strongest FF lineup imaginable is bassist Byron Stroud and drumming god Gene Hoglan. Gene – fucking – Hoglan. I swear, the simple addition of Gene can increase the ballscrushingly-awesomenessitude of any band tenfold. Words can barely express how amazing I think this all sounds (and my creation of several new words in the previous sentence only strengthen this argument).

Fear Factory: Deluxe Edition plans to play several shows this Summer, though no word on what those shows may be just yet. My guess is a few festivals overseas or in the U.S. if we’re lucky (though chances of that are low since the U.S. is sadly lacking in the metalfests our European headbanging brethen enjoy every year). The band also plans to record a new album in the near future. I, for one, can’t wait to hear what these guys can come up with. I’ve liked their last 2 albums without Dino, so I’m interested to hear if he can bring the band to a new whole level… or if we’ll be punished with another Digimortal. Please… oh god please… NO.

For a quick and to-the-point reminder of Fear Factory’s glory days, enjoy the video below…

THERE! IS! NO! LOOOOOOVE!

Samael – “Promised Land”
From the album: Solar Soul

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Why this song doesn’t suck:
After an unforgivably long break in providing your weekly unshitty music fix, the Music That Doesn’t Suck series returns with a relatively new favorite. Well, at least for me. Samael is a band that has been around for quite some time, though I wasn’t introduced to them until fairly recently. From what I can gather, over the past 20 years or so Samael has been updating their style to a more electronic / industrial sound, slowly moving away from their black metal beginnings. I for one enjoy their current sound, so I have no complaints… though I’m sure their fans of old are loosing their shit as most diehard fans of bands going through a genre shift do. Understandable, though ultimately pointless… this album kicks ass.

It sure is fun trying to defend the fact that I’m an atheist to both my mother and sister while they tell me how I’ll be changing my ways when I’m on my deathbed praying I don’t go to Hell. Hmm, they obviously don’t understand the concept of not believing in Hell, thus not being frightened of it in the least. We atheists and our craaaazy ideas. What, their religious beliefs? Oh sure, those make perfect sense.

Eluveitie – Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion

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Not quite up to par with many of the other acoustic instrumental tracks off their two previous albums, at times Eluveitie’s newest is still an excellent, mellow listen for days you’re wanting something unique, interesting… and very celtic-sounding. Though it is odd not hearing usual vocalist, Christian “Chrigel” Glanzmann, belting through every verse, Hurdy Gurdist Anna Murphy’s vocal performance throughout the album is exceptional and much more fitting to this lighter selection of music.
Recommended Tracks: Brictom, The Cauldron of Renascence, Omnos

Devin Townsend Project – Ki

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A look at the very low key side of formally skullet-clad Devin Townsend, this is an eclectic collection of some of the best-written and catchy Townsend material to date. The first in a 4-part collection, Townsend described Ki as being an appetizer for what is to come with the remaining releases… if this album is any indication, we’re in for quite an amazing main course.
Recommended Tracks: Coast, Heaven Send, Lady Helen

Heaven & Hell – The Devil You Know

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Ronnie James Dio and the Black Sabbath boys bring oldschool heavy metal back to life in this amazing, groove-laden behemoth of a metal album. Tony Iommi is at his best and even after 40 years of rocking our faces off, the 66 year-old Ronnie James Dio proves he still has some of best pipes in heavy metal. This album is huge, heavy, and easily lives up to they hype. Highly recommended for Black Sabbath fans, Dio fans, and hell, every other self-respecting metalhead.
Recommended Tracks: Eating the Cannibals, Bible Black, Rock and Roll Angel

If there’s anything I love more than Battlestar Galactica, it’s a music video by a nerd wearing short-shorts and a shirt straight out of Beetlejuice about how much he loves Battlestar Galactica. I can’t decide if I find this hilarious or horrifying…

I’m very conflicted today. I stayed in bed until the glorious hour of 2pm, just letting myself bask in the knowledge that I don’t have to work today and it was a perfect time to catch up on the sleep I’ve been deperately lacking the last couple of nights.  But then, I finally get up and look outside. It’s amazingly nice out. The sun’s out. The sky is blue and clear of all clouds. It’s a respectable 50 degrees. I’m feeling so lazy and have no desire to go outside, yet it feels like a complete waste of a great Spring day to not do so. Fuck, it’s so much easier to be lazy on a shitty day…