11 Great Things In Metal This Week (11th Dec)
Bloodstock Festival is starting to look better and better.
Another week, another 11 great things in the world's rock n' roll-sphere.
And to be honest, it was a little harder to focus on the positives this week. Not only did it see the 36th anniversary of John Lennon's death, it's also (as of Thursday) now been 12 years since Dimebag Darrell was shot onstage. Furthermore, Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer died and Tony Iommi has confirmed that he needs to undergo further cancer treatment.
And to top it all off, a very controversial touring decision was made: it has been announced that Metallica will be supported on their 2017 Worldwired Tour by none other than Babymetal. Yep, Babymetal; that internet meme-turned-legit band.
Out of fear of suffering the comment section's wrath, I have no comment.
But fear not, because a few good things have snuck in too! We've got some new album releases, EP's flying hot off the shelves, singles/music videos, tour announcements, festival line-up updates and, of course, the 2017 Grammy nominees being confirmed!
All of this and more will be explored once you dive in to this week's list.
11. Circle Of Dust - Machines Of Our Disgrace
Kicking this week's list off is veteran industrial metallers Circle of Dust, who released their long-awaited fifth album, Machines of Our Disgrace, this Friday.
In the world of rock n' roll, the term "long-awaited" in reference to albums is overused. But it's justified here since Machines of Our Disgrace is Circle...'s first album in nearly 20 freakin' years!
The last time we heard from the American quintet was in 1998, when they unveiled their Disengage record. But based upon the aggression and energy of Machine of Our Disgrace, it doesn't feel like Circle of Dust has aged a day. If you're a fan of industrial rockers from Fear Factory to Marilyn Manson to PAIN, this is something more than worth your time.