Category: Blog

The life of a metalhead can be difficult sometimes. There are some things that we just struggle with, such as finding fellow metalheads, figuring out which band is your favorite, when you rust in the shower because you’re so metal, and clothing attire. Nothing bothers my OCD more than wearing all black but different shades of black (trust me, it happens often). I am going to give a few problems that the majority of metalheads go through. You will be able to relate to these things; trust me.

1. Getting dirty looks in public because of your band shirt.

This is the look I get all the time when I’m wearing a band shirt (which is almost all the time). I don’t know, what is the big deal, if I’m wearing a shirt that has a bloody torso on it out in public? It’s my casual wear!!! Some of the shirts that I have you can’t even read the name of the band. I like those looks because people try so hard to read my shirt. Jokes on them because I can’t even read my shirt either, so please don’t ask me what it says. If I’m at a metal show we bond over our metal shirts and it is a form of mating call for me. When I see someone wearing a band shirt, I automatically go up to them and tell them I like their band shirt. So don’t worry, if you see me out in public and you’re wearing a band shirt, you will get a very excited look, instead of a dirty one.

2. People who think metal and screamo are the same thing.

DO NOT COME UP TO ME AND SAY I LISTEN TO SCREAMO BECAUSE I WILL LITERALLY LOSE MY MIND!!!!!! Yes, there is a genre called screamo, but what I listen to is not screamo. There is all types of metal that cross cultures and different styles. For example, Metalcore isn’t the same as Deathcore, Nu Metal isn’t the same as Djent Metal, Stoner Metal isn’t the same as Groove Metal, and Heavy Metal isn’t the same as Death Metal. I understand that some people don’t understand the different types of metal, and that’s fine. But don’t quantify everything as “screamo” and then agrue with me that metal is all the same. Because it isn’t.

3. When people think you don’t qualify as a metalhead because you don’t look like the average metalhead.

Before I got tattoos, I didn’t look like a metalhead at all. But now, I kinda fit “the look” of a metalhead. You know… long hair, band shirts, ripped jeans, black finger nails, combat boots, leather jacket, and tattoos. When I was in high school, I wore band shirts but I didn’t really “look” like a metalhead. Here’s the thing with metal and music in general, you can be anything you want to be and look like anybody you want. Music doesn’t judge. Every once in a while, I get the “you listen to metal? But you look so sweet!” * Insert eye roll here * Since I’m a girl, some people don’t believe that I am a true metalhead. But they can all think what they want. I have met and seen more bands than they ever have. * flips hair *

4. Having no one to go to metal shows with because none of your friends listen to metal.

I have never related to anything so much in my life. None of my friends in high school or college listen to metal so when I fan girl about my favorite bands coming to town they just look at me like I’m crazy. They also don’t understand the band names like Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Analepsy, and Upon A Burning Body, etc. BUT I have met some friends at shows (what up Nate, Jake, Josh, Justin, Eric, Amie, and Savannah?!) Every time I go to a show, one of them is always there. I have met some of my best friends at metal shows and I am grateful for every single one of them. Have no fear my fellow metalheads, if none of your friends from school/work listen to metal, just make some friends at shows. They are literally the best.

5. People mistaking you as a “Satanist.”

Yes, because I listen to metal, I want to burn down churches and draw pentagrams on everything. NO I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT!!! Just because I listen to “darker music” doesn’t mean I worship the devil. Yes, some metal bands do talk about satanic stuff but that doesn’t mean I believe in it. Believe it or not, some metal is positive and talks about personal problems. Metal is an outlet and it really helps people get through things in their lives. I haven’t listened to any other type of music that I relate to as much as metal.

6. Being a girl and seeing male metalheads that have nicer hair than you. 

Okay, this just isn’t fair. Like why do y’all have to have better hair than me? It always looks good and luxurious; how does this happen? It is rare that I see guys with nice hair, and if you are a guy with nice hair and tattoos (like the one pictured above), WHERE DO I FIND YOU?!

7. Dreaming of only dating a metalhead because they are the only ones that understand your love for the music.  

This picture describes me perfectly when trying to talk to a guy. I honestly believe that my husband has to be a metalhead (or be open to the idea of listening to metal) because I’m in too deep with the music. The first question I ask a guy is “what type of music do you like?” I’m usually shocked if they do say metal. I only meet metal guys at shows, if I randomly meet one not at a metal show I am ~~~SHOOK~~~ It would be weird to not date a metalhead because I will drop everything to go to a show. I’m always at shows and I will never give that up.

8. When you can’t find your black band shirt in the pile of black shirts.

Do you know how difficult it is to find a specific band shirt when every shirt in your wardrobe is black and/or is full of other band shirts? IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT!!!! Like I will be looking for my Whitechapel shirt and I will pull out my Suicide Silence shirt. Yeah, I like my Suicide Silence shirt, BUT I WANTED MY WHITECHAPEL SHIRT AND IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND WHEN EVERYTHING IS BLACK. I have a struggle every day because of this. It will never get easier.

9. When your friends invite you to a party but you don’t want to go because you know you will hate the music.

This is me during any social interactions at anything other than a metal show. I will go to parties with my friends and I see everyone dancing and I just stand there confused. I can’t headbang to this. I can’t even mosh to this. How is this fun? I just don’t understand. Someone please explain this to me… looking for a friend.

10. When none of your nonmetal friends understand metal memes.

This should be self-explanatory. Metal memes are great and I can only send them to certain people because the majority of the people I know will be so confused. I think metal memes are the best and some are the dankest. If you have any metal memes, send them my way. I love memes.

THE SAW  

10. Chelsea Grin Self Inflicted Tour  

I was super excited about this sow because I have been wanting to see Chelsea Grin for so long! I got a VIP ticket so I could meet the band before the show. They are really nice guys and hilarious. The show was one of my favorites because the crowd was insane!! All of the bands were great and they all put on one helluva show. 

9. Born of Osiris The New Reign Tour Part II 

This was my third time seeing Born of Osiris and I am really impressed by them. They have improved on their stage show over the years. This was a very exciting show because I reunited with my Carolina Rebellion squad and we all had a great time. I got to meet the singer for Born of Osiris and I got to hang out with Myke Terry from Volumes again! I also met the singer and one of the guitarist for Betraying the Martrys. During Betraying the Martyrs’ set, the guitarist gave me a guitar pick and I also caught the drum stick! I had a great time seeing some of my favorite bands and catching up with some friends.

8. Attila Let’s Get Abducted Tour

If you haven’t seen Attila live, you are missing out!! The first time I saw Attila was at Warped Tour of 2015 and they were even better at their own headlining tour. They have an incredible live show. The whole entire band is interactive with the crowd and there was never a dull moment at all! All of the other bands put on a great show, the crowd was moshing the entire time! I met Attila and it was my first time getting VIP for any show. The band are super chill and really nice guys. Any time Attila is in North Carolina, I will always go and see them.

7.  After The Burial Carry The Flame Tour

This was my third time seeing After The Burial and they are one of my favorite bands. Their songs are bangers and they put on a great show. I also got VIP for this show and met After The Burial and Emmure. Both bands were nice and really cool. I talked to After The Burial’s lead singer for a good 20 minutes. We talked about bands and just random things. The show was AWESOME!! All the bands were insane and I got a guitar pick during After The Burial’s set. Fit For a King become one of my favorite bands when I saw them at this show and I caught a drum stick. Fit For an Autopsy also became one of my favorites after seeing them. This was a great show and I’m glad I bought tickets on a short notice.

6.  Suicide Silence The Cleansing 10 Year Tour

This show really surprised me!! I was mainly there to see Upon A Burning Body and Slaughter To Prevail. But… Slaughter To Prevail couldn’t make it because their visa’s were messed up. I met Upon A Burning Body and hung out with them during the show. The local band was great and Prison was impressive. Suicide Silence also impressed me. I have a new respect for Suicide Silence now. I will never forget this night. I did an entire show review for this show, go check it out!

5. Wage War Deadweight Part 2 Tour  

I went to this show out of nowhere!! I had an exam the next day but I knew if I didn’t go that I would regret it. Varials and Gideon were really good, and the crowd was rowdy for these two bands. When Wage War came on, the crowd exploded!!! This was a sold-out show and the entire crowd was a mosh pit. I had so many bruises after this show, but it was worth it. This was my fourth time seeing Wage War and they never disappoint me. I met some of the members after the show too! Go to my show reviews to check out the entire review.

4. Whitechapel Decade of Defilement Tour

For those of you who don’t know, Whitechapel is one of my favorite bands of all time. I got my DJ name (The Saw) from my favorite song, The Saw is the Law. I got a video of Whitechapel saying they loved me and I caught a guitar pick from their guitarist Zach. The show was crazy, it was a brutal night filled with deathcore bands. I was really impressed with Carnifex. The crowd went crazy for them and they really do know how to put on a show. Whitechapel was amazing, like always, and I loved every moment of it. Phil can still do his gutturals like a pro and it was great. For more information about the show, go check out my show reviews.

3. Miss May I Shadows Inside Tour

Miss May I is also one of my favorite bands and they also put on a great show. I got VIP for this show too and I got to meet them for the second time! They are such nice guys and I love catching up with them! They put on a great show. I was singing and jamming out the entire time! The crowd was really rowdy during this show, too! Their drummer, Jerod, gave me their set list and I have it in my book of shows. Upon A Burning Body was also here, and we already know how I feel about them. We should all know by now that I love Upon A Burning Body so I don’t need to go into how much I was jamming to their set. I did meet their bass player, Joe, who is now one of my good friends. I also met the band, Currents and they are really nice guys. I was really impressed by them and I would love to see them again soon! This show was really special to me because it was my first after I graduated high school.

2.  Carolina Rebellion 

Now, the Carolina Rebellion has a special place in my heart. I love the Rebellion so much. Going in 2014 helped me fall in love with metal all over again. So I am really grateful for this festival. I reunited with my Carolina Rebellion squad and we had a blast!! I made some new friends and had a great time. The bands were also really good. I am happy that I got to see Chris Cornell live before he passed away. All of the bands that I saw put on a great show and I had a blast all three days. If you haven’t been to the Carolina Rebellion, you are really missing out on a great time. I met the host of Sirius XM Liquid Metal Jose Mangin, Myke Terry from Volumes, and Machine Gun Kelly. Just the experience of going to the Rebellion and hanging out with old friends, making new friends, and just being surrounded by people who love the music makes the weekend worth it.

1. Metallica Worldwired Tour

It’s Metallica. Enough said. I have always wanted to see Metallica and they didn’t disappoint me at all! Me and my mom went to Atlanta to see them and it was a great mother-daughter road trip! Metallica played some of my favorite songs such as For Whom The Bells Toll, Seek and Destroy, and One. They were jamming!! There were so many mosh pits and I’m glad I bought pit tickets! I saw Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat at the Carolina Rebellion and they really impressed me! So, seeing them again with Metallica was great! I made some friends that I still talk to today. This was the best show that I have been to this year and I am so happy that I got to see Metallica for the first time! 

The SAW 

Hey WKNC fam and friends, I’m DJ Atomic Man! Hope the holiday season is starting off right. I know that, for a lot of us, we’ll spend a lot of time driving or flying this time of the year. Thought I would compile a varied list for those of you who need some new and old tunes to purchase, gift, or listen to on spotify!

N.A.S.A- The Spirit of Apollo 

Produced by N.A.S.A. under the Anti- label, this has album so many unique collaborations. I would describe it as a hip hop album that pulls from a lot of different genres. It might be too eclectic for some, though. My fave song off the album is “Way Down” (featuring RZA, Barbie Hatch, & John Frusciante), it’s an interesting fusion of rock, hip-hop, and some funk. Here is a very abbreviated list of some of the collabs on this album: M.I.A., Santigold, Lykke Li, Kanye West, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Gift of Gab! Really great stuff. You should check it out if you want to explore some different sounds in hip hop.

Elia y Elizabeth – La Onda de Elia y Elizabeth (2014)  

Elia and Elizabeth were born in the capital of  Colombia during the 1950s. They grew up listening to Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles. This album compiles a lot of their best hits from the 60s and 70s. It’s a calm and happy album that is  reminiscent of a 1960s psych pop album. It translates directly to The Wave of Elia and Elizabeth and was released under the Vampi Soul label in Spain. Make sure to check out the song “Soy una Nube”. It Translates to I Am a Cloud. Great album for those of you who need to relax this season.

Thee Oh Sees – Orc (2017)

Thee Oh Sees are a California band who have been releasing some psych garage rock over the years. This is their newest album released by the label Castle Face Records. It is a little bit heavier and rougher sounding than their previous stuff. I got to mosh for the first time at their concert and I could imagine some Orcs moshing to this album. The song “Nite Expo” is my favorite off the album. This would be a good album if you need to get pumped up!

Aphex Twin- Syro

Aphex Twin is a UK artist that is known for his experimental style of electronic music. His sound ranges from ambient, acid house, and industrial. This album uses a lot of synth sounds from ambient, techno, and acid house music but it might be too disjointed for some listeners. My favorite song on this is “aisatsana [102]”. Would recommend to those of you who aren’t afraid to try something new.

Cymande – Promised Heights (1974)

This is one of my favorite funk bands! This album was released by Janus Records and it pulls a lot of sounds from blues, rock, and soul music. My favorite song on this album is “Brothers On The Slide”. This song has powerful lyrics, a psychedelic guitar, some funky bass, and a grooving beat. It’s one of those albums that I come back to A LOT!! Would recommend to those of you looking for old gems.

Fatima- Yellow Memories (2014)

Fatima is an R&B queen from the UK. She pulls from electronica, funk, latin music, and soul in this album. It was released under Eglo Records. My favorite song on this album is “Circle”, featuring Shafiq Husayn. It’s a sweet song about the cycles of life and incorporates some funk sounds. Would recommend this to those of you looking for innovative artists.

Howie B.- Turn the Dark Off (1997)

Where do I begin!? Howie B. was a genius artist based out of the UK. His style of electronic music samples from so many different genres but all the sounds seem to meld perfectly. This album was released under Island Records. My favorite tune on this album is “Who’s Got The Bacon?”. It’s a timeless tune! In fact, I thought it had been released within the past 5 years when I first heard it. This album is for anyone trying to explore the roots of modern electronica.

-Daniel Marulanda (DJ Atomic Man) 

It’s that time of year again, where we count down our favorite things of the year while welcoming in the new year! I will be counting down my top 10 favorite albums that I have been jamming out to this year. I will be writing mini album reviews for all these records, you’re welcome. 2017 was a great year for metal, a lot of bangers and heavy hitters were released this year. Did any of your favorites make the list?

IMPORTANT!!!! I play these albums, along with many others, during my set on WKNC!! Come head bang with ya girl on Friday nights from 10pm-midnight! To listen online, go to WKNC’s website and click on “MP3” in the “High Quality” section. Don’t be lame, come hang out with The Saw!

10. Obituary –  Obituary

 

Obituary is a classic; I had to put them on my list. This self-titled album is the band’s 10th studio release. This album contains the best parts of Obituary that any fan will love. There is a good combination of great vocals, incredible drumming, and funky riffs that are just plain groovy. There are great things about each song on this record that make them  really unique. This whole album is a bop, if you haven’t checked this record out you really need to.

– Rating: 9/10

-Favorite song: Sentence Day

 9. Fit For An Autopsy – The Great Collapse

The boys in Fit For An Autopsy never disappoint me. Like any other Fit For An Autopsy record, their songs talk about problems in the world. For example, the song “Iron Moon” talks about how we all live to work and that we it should be the opposite: we work to live. There are other songs on this record that talk about more deeper problems. You don’t want to skip any of these songs, because they are all bangers.

-Rating: 8.5/10

Favorite Song(s): Heads Will Hang & Black Mammoth

8. Dying Fetus – Wrong One to F*** With

Would this even be a favorites blog if I didn’t write about Dying Fetus? This band is one of Death Metal’s finest and I absolutely love them. The song “Fixated on Devastation” gives you a taste of the entire album. This song is a mixture of how all the songs sound on this record. You have some groove and technical brutality with the drums and guitars that will have you ~~~SHOOK~~~ This band came out with a bang too because this is their first record in five years and it was well worth the wait. Their sound on this record is the same with their other records and hey, I’m not complaining about that.

-Rating: 9.5/10

-Favorite Song(s): Fixated on Devastation & Panic Amongst the Herd

7. FRCTRD –  Fractured

This deathcore band from France has really impressed me. I discovered them a couple of months ago and I was hooked. This is their first EP so go ahead and hop on the bandwagon now. This band is going to be big. They open up their EP with an instrumental track, which isn’t a surprise. But then they go full-on deathcore. The riffs are chunky, the breakdowns are heavy, and the vocals are strong. Holy pig squeals, dude. They talk about some world problems in their song “Crow,” which talks about the terrorist attack in Paris. This record will leave you breathless (no pun intended… even though they have a song called breathless).

-Rating: 9/10

-Favorite Song: Negative

6. Arch Enemy – Will To Power

Hey! I’ve done a full-length album review on this record already. The music on this record is really impressive and shows how gifted this band really is. Alissa’s voice is so strong and we can see how diverse she is with her vocals on this record. For example, in “Reason To Believe” she sings in clean vocals that are really beautiful. This record gives me 80’s vibes that I’ve been digging recently. Check out my full album on this record on WKNC’s website!! 

-Rating: 8/10

-Favorite Song: First Day in Hell

5. Slaughter to Prevail – Misery Sermon

It has been a good year for deathcore my dudes. This is the band’s first full-length album, and it is a beating. The main thing that makes this band distinct are the vocals. Alex Shikolai (Alex Terrible) has a very strong and brutal voice. He has some of the most powerful growls and screams that I have ever heard. This record is very powerful in all aspects that makes a great deathcore record. If you like Thy Art Is Murder, then you will love this band.

-Rating: 9/10

-Favorite Song: King

4. Currents – The Place I Feel Safest

It’s about time I put some metalcore on this list!! I discovered this band in June when I saw them on Miss May I’s Shadows Inside tour. And I must say, I am really impressed with this band. They are your typical metalcore band with the breakdowns and clean vocals, but they put their own style on each of their songs. This band has been around since 2013 and now they are coming on the scene. They are one of my favorite metalcore bands (they are also really nice, they gave me a sticker when I met them, and they follow me on Instagram). The vocals on each song are very strong and it shows the different depths that he can go to, it’s really impressive. The instruments on this record are also really impressive, I love the riffs and the breakdowns.

-Rating: 8.5/10

-Favorite Song: Night Terrors

3. Wage War – Deadweight

 

I swear, Wage War is going to be the next big thing. Just wait. This is the second album from these guys and it’s such a banger. This album has the best aspects of metalcore and what metalcore is. There are a lot of great breakdowns on this record that will make you want to get in a moshpit. The riffs are amazing and they are really chunky. That, I really enjoy. And don’t get me started on Briton’s voice… he has one of the best vocals in metalcore. During the breakdowns he will throw in a random “BLEIGH,” that makes me go C R A Z Y!!!!! Literally, there are so many songs that he does this on. The clean vocals are really good, and they transition really well. There are some slower songs on this record that make me go into my feels but hey, I’m not mad about it. There are also a lot of bangers on this record that will make anyone bang their head.

-Rating: 9.5/10

-Favorite Song(s): Stich & Gravity

2. Miss May I – Shadows Inside

You already know my boys in Miss May I are on this list. With that being said, I am biased when it comes to this band and to me, this band could never release a bad album. This record has a very positive, uplifting vibe to it. The melodies are really strong and thay will totally get stuck in your head. They really emphasize the elements that they are good at in this record. There are some great breakdowns, along with some really catchy riffs. OG and new Miss May I fans will enjoy this record. There are a lot of clean vocals in this album but they pull it off, the songs are all great, and there isn’t one that I would skip. There are slight moments in this record where you can hear how much strength that Levi has in his voice. He can do some great snarls and some pretty good gutturals that had me ~~~SHOOK~~~ They keep the metalcore genre interesting by doing different styles within their songs. I love it.

-Rating: 9/10

-Favorite Song(s): Swallow Your Teeth & Crawl

1. Thy Art Is Murder – Dear Desolation

And a deathcore album is in for the win!!!! If you haven’t listened to this record… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GO LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW!!! This has to be one of my favorite records of all time. Thy Art has stayed consistent with their overall sound only making a few minor adjustments that worked out for the better. In this record, you have blast beats and breakdowns for days. Don’t even get my started on CJ’s voice, it is so powerful and distinctive. With his vocals and the insane drumming technique, this record is an overall masterpiece. This album is an a complete heavy hitter and banger. It has the best elements of deathcore that just make me really, really happy. This record will not disappoint you, I promise.

-Rating: 10/10

-Favorite Song(s): Puppet Master & Dear Desolation

THE SAW