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LARS ULRICH's Favorite Album Of 2008: THE SWORD's 'Gods Of The Earth'
- Jan. 4, 2009
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RollingStone.com recently asked METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich to name his favorite album of 2008. "We're fortunate to have this heavy-metal band from Austin out playing with us, and we've got them playing shows on our days off so that we can go see them," he responded. "I'm a product of British metal — IRON MAIDEN, SAXON, ANGEL WITCH — and THE SWORD sound like the definitive new wave of British heavy metal, which is interesting coming from four guys from Texas. The arrangements, the intros and outros, the middle eights and that type of stuff, it reminds me of DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH or JUDAS PRIEST. They're not really a young METALLICA, but that's because they're cooler than we were." "How Heavy this Axe", the new video from THE SWORD, can be viewed below. The kaleidoscopic clip pays homage to the classic BLACK SABBATH videos "Paranoid" and "Iron Man". THE SWORD's latest album, "Gods of the Earth", was released on April 1, 2008 via Kemado Records. The follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed debut "Age of Winters" was recorded at Folkvang Studios in Austin, TX, and is said to be "more ambitious, more accomplished and simply bigger." On November 25, Austin, THE SWORD released a limited-edition CD set that includes both "Age Of Winters" and "Gods Of The Earth" albums. This special package was made available at all of the band's live shows (both headlining and METALLICA support dates) as well as on Amazon at this location.
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COMMENT |
posted by : The Endless Obsession
1/4/2009 4:22:07 PM
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Yay for bands like The Sword who remain "true" and unoriginal.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 4:31:36 PM
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The Sword is an EXCELLENT new band. if you've never heard them, you should check them out. My fav is Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians.
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COMMENT | Yeah
posted by :
1/4/2009 4:33:39 PM
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I don't mind these guys but they get old fast, or at least that's what I've found so far. I'm looking for new and interesting stuff right now so regressing 30 years ain't where I'm looking. I also find the drumming could rock out and be a little more dynamic. I also don't like bands like this where the vocals are an afterthought and are poorly mixed into the background.
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COMMENT | the endless obsession
posted by :
1/4/2009 4:37:04 PM
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The guys kick ass and bring some old school vibe with their stoner music. The Sword has been playing shit holes that fit 100 people or less for years now so just because they finally are able to get some credit and show their stuff doesn't mean they deserve to get bashed. These guys worked their asses off to get where they are today playing dives for little or no money and doing things themselves. Hell they even had to produce their own album its not like they are some rich kids whose parents bought all their shit. These guys are what making it is all about and that for sure makes them "true". These guys are a great band and so what if they aren't the most original band on the planet their songs kick ass and have a great groove.
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COMMENT |
posted by : childrenofthedamned
1/4/2009 4:37:46 PM
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It's one thing to have a retro sound, but when you grow sideburns down to your neck and wear bell-bottoms, it becomes contrived and as the poster before said, "unoriginal".
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COMMENT | damn
posted by :
1/4/2009 4:43:58 PM
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seems no one around here knows what stoner metal or rock is... its a pity guess music is all about looks to some... as for original... give me a break the bands who are truley original anymore are few and far between... most bands can be traced to some other band if you try hard enough... all bands were inspired by some others bands... you can debate originality for practically every band out there. What it boils down to is do they write good songs? I think this band does if you don't that is cool but give me some of your original bands and I am sure we can all find other bands older than them that sound like some of their shit. The Sword have their own vibe and don't sound exactly like anybody else they have the Sabbath vibe, old school Metallica, some Maiden, Pentagram, St. Vitus, and more but their songs are solid and blend those elements together nicely. I do find their first album to be better than their new one in everyway especially production but the new album is good too despite the uneven production and cymbals from hell.
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COMMENT | hahaha
posted by : daginman
1/4/2009 4:46:33 PM
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Another reason to avoid The Sword...it wasn't good enough that they sucked, now Lars has to like 'em...they're doomed!
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COMMENT |
posted by : 5142
1/4/2009 4:50:54 PM
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OMFG!!!!!!
Lars likes them...Now their creditablity in the metal scene has FUBAR'D!
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COMMENT | ???????
posted by :
1/4/2009 5:12:06 PM
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Sure as heck couldn't have been Death Magnetic.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 5:21:44 PM
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funny that the sword album was wayyyyyyy better then death magnetic
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COMMENT | I hear some slight touches of...
posted by : Dale Lammers
1/4/2009 5:22:20 PM
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Witchfinder General. Anyone else?
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COMMENT | Pretty cool - Living in Austin
posted by : PowerBrake
1/4/2009 5:48:25 PM
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A real music town. Not like other cities I've lived in, L.A., San Francisco. Real shit towns compared to Austin. I'm talking music people.
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COMMENT | Cool Song
posted by : Yambag
1/4/2009 6:04:35 PM
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I've never heard of The Sword but I dig the whole stoner 70's sound.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 6:17:41 PM
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If i had a nickel for every time lars said "new wave of british heavy metal"
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 6:18:03 PM
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zelda 2 kicked ass
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COMMENT |
posted by : Fichte08
1/4/2009 6:41:45 PM
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If the 1970s and Black Sabbath had not existed, this band (and all the other retro bands) might be cool. Saviours is better than The Sword, but Lars decided to like The Sword so they'll get the attention. On the other hand, is there a difference between The Sword and Saviours?
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COMMENT |
posted by : Fani Dilth
1/4/2009 6:47:52 PM
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I am on board with The Sword but one thing I am not on board with is all these vocalist that suck. The I wanna sound like a poor man Phil clones... God that crap is so old now. Get original.
Just my take.
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COMMENT | Say what you will..
posted by : JimmyDiablo
1/4/2009 6:52:38 PM
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But that comment by Lars just increased this bands sales by at least 20%
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COMMENT |
posted by : between two worlds
1/4/2009 6:55:03 PM
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more easily forgettable crap.
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COMMENT |
posted by : madeinquebec
1/4/2009 6:57:50 PM
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I bet SWORD's mix sounds much better than DEATH MAGNETIC's
LOL
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 7:04:49 PM
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got that right madeinquebec
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COMMENT | ANNIHILATOR
posted by : blackiefan
1/4/2009 7:19:42 PM
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I read they LOVE Annihilator.
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COMMENT |
posted by : Jailbait
1/4/2009 7:25:05 PM
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This stuff is cool but really boring and nothing new.
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COMMENT |
posted by : Megamoca coffee
1/4/2009 7:26:01 PM
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If Jamyz was asked that question he would have said "Death Magnetic"
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COMMENT |
posted by : Megamoca coffee
1/4/2009 7:26:58 PM
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Mine is "The formation of damnation"
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COMMENT | The Sword was my second favorite album of the year
posted by :
1/4/2009 7:37:34 PM
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Even if Larz likes it, too. Heh.
You knock The Sword, you're a dork - pure and simple.
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COMMENT | ^^^PowerBrake
posted by :
1/4/2009 8:17:21 PM
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Austin does have good bands, but sorry dude, Austin's getting pretty arrogant with the whole music scene. I'm an old Austinite, I've seen the changes, I know the days when ACL used be $100 for 3 days and Hank III played. The real "music" people are getting hard to find.
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COMMENT | Never heard them before... I dig it, Kyuss meets Sabbath
posted by : SweiitConcorkill
1/4/2009 8:37:58 PM
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They must be getting popular since the Blabbermouth whiners are shitting on them.
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COMMENT | Fichte08
posted by :
1/4/2009 8:39:54 PM
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If you think The Sword and Saviours sound the same then you don't have a very good ear for music or haven't listened to enough of one of the two bands to make a good judgement. Saviours are a lot more metal and thrash based than The Sword. The Sword is stoner rock with some metal thrown in here and there where I would say Saviours is for sure more metal with some stoner thrown in. That is like saying Kyuss sounds like Sleep or Obsessed sounds like Fu Manchu. Just because they have a groove and could even be stoner does not make them the same. For some kick ass stoner bands besides The Sword please check out the following:
Venomin James, Solace, Project Armageddon, and Abdullah for starters... all are underground and kick ass. Of course there are tons more but these are some of the not well known bands that need some attention. Check out their MySpace pages and support music!
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COMMENT | danhalensfoot
posted by : Blackenistheyend
1/4/2009 8:40:30 PM
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The Sword doesn't rip off Sabbath. There is certainly a lot of Sabbath influence in there, but these aren't songs that Sabbath would have written. I can think of a lot of bands that resemble Sabbath more than The Sword..... Down, Sheavy, St. Vitus etc.... you can't just say they are rip offs just because the singer has a higher pitched voice without an "operatic" singing style. Any really good metal band is going to have bits of songs that sound like Sabbath anyway, because that's the blueprint for heavy metal.
If you guys like "Gods of the Earth" you should really check out their first one, "Age of Winters". I actually like it better, but they're both pretty smokin'
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COMMENT | Oh Lars
posted by :
1/4/2009 8:40:58 PM
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The music isn't bad, really. I think the vocals are atrocious though. I can't understand a word of it, but judging from the song titles, I wouldn't be too interested. When I saw them open for Metallica, it was the longest half hour of my life.
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COMMENT | danhalenfoot
posted by :
1/4/2009 8:41:08 PM
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Name one Sabbath song that sounds like this song by The Sword?
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 8:52:32 PM
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you havent heard? Its the new wave
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COMMENT | Just listened to 6 of their songs
posted by : SweiitConcorkill
1/4/2009 9:10:55 PM
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I dig it. I think they found a new fan.
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COMMENT | By the way
posted by : Blackenistheyend
1/4/2009 9:20:19 PM
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The best album of 2008 is actually Torche's "Meanderthal". It's absolutely crushing, like an avalanche of riffs, but it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard before. It's also pretty damn catchy. I highly recommend it.
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COMMENT |
posted by : RiotAct666
1/4/2009 9:35:33 PM
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Mine.
1. Metallica "Death Magnetic"
2. Testament "The Formation Of Damnation"
3. Judas Priest "Nostradamus"
4. Motorhead "Motorizer"
5. AC/DC "Black Ice"
6. Guns 'N Roses "Chinese Democracy"
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/4/2009 10:08:22 PM
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Everything that came out in 08 sucked.
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COMMENT | Blackenistheyend
posted by :
1/4/2009 10:18:52 PM
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Thanks for your description on Torche's album I have heard some good things about it but your little blurb has made me want to check it out. I appreciate it!
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COMMENT | eeew
posted by :
1/4/2009 10:42:26 PM
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I had the misfortune once to hear "the sword"
Terrible terrible music. I WISH they ripped off sabbath. Maybe then they'd be decent. Doesn't surprise me that Lars likes em. Must be where he gets his musical inspiration.
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COMMENT |
posted by : RiotAct666
1/4/2009 10:59:29 PM
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COMMENT |
posted by : Rotting Elvis Jr. The 2nd
1/4/2009 9:54:37 PM
No one cares about your list, you mainstream-loving twit.
And someone cares about your post then? LOL i don't think so.
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COMMENT | And
posted by : RiotAct666
1/4/2009 11:03:08 PM
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I can like whatever band i want. It's called variety. there is nothing wrong with liking different bands music. so go ahead and keep crying like little babies wah wah wah! give me my bottle wah!
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COMMENT |
posted by : just a metal fan
1/4/2009 11:44:04 PM
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The Sword is quite a good band. Very nice guys who have been crammed into a van for several years now and are constantly playing shows, on all sorts of bills. Their first release may be a bit better than the new one, if for no other reason than the production. The production on the newer release is hard to take. The drums are too far up front, the guitars are muddy and the vocals are way in the back. The drummer is a constant cymbal pounder, which gets old fast. Minor things really, but a good band and very solid live. Not sure how they would be in an area setting, but in a smaller club, they kill!
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COMMENT | Riot act - Corporal Obvious
posted by : PowerBrake
1/5/2009 12:16:34 AM
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I guess he told you
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/5/2009 12:57:14 AM
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Fichte08-
There's some basic similarities between Sword and Saviours, but I wouldn't say they sound the same, at all. Like somebody else posted, Sword are far more "stoner" type stuff and Saviours are faster, thrashier.... more in the vein of Maiden or old Bay area stuff.
There's obvious Sabbath influence on Sword (as there is with pretty much every stoner/doom/sludge band) but I wouldn't say it's blatantly ripping them off, at all.
Torche is great. Super heavy, and yet very catchy. This is probably going to scare people off on this site, but to me, they almost remind me of QOSTA if they were a LOT heavier, when it comes to melody and actual songs.
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COMMENT | Think for yourself
posted by :
1/5/2009 2:16:25 AM
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Having discovered The Sword on internet radio, I found their sound enjoyable. Riffs-o-plenty works for me. I bought Gods Of The Earth & liked it well enough to pick up Age Of Winters. Both discs didn't leave my player for some time. Seeing them perform live last December & October was fucking amazing.
Look, analyzing music is all good, but OVER-analyzing it is just stupid. Pick what you like, not by what you read is cool or what others think is good music.
I'm not so sure about the N.W.O.B.H.M. reference- I mean, I love that genre too, but even some of that (like the Def Leppard First Strike EP- wanna talk about atrocious vocals??? ugh....) can be pretty bad.
I hope these guys get the props they deserve.
All Hail The Sword!!!
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COMMENT |
posted by : EaterOfBabies
1/5/2009 2:35:37 AM
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Lars Ulrich could have said his favorite album was Lil Wayne for all I care...he hasn't been an actual part of the metal scene for over ten years at least now.
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COMMENT | pfft
posted by : Harry Bulsac
1/5/2009 3:22:43 AM
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Lars Ulrich could have said his favorite album was Lil Wayne for all I care...he hasn't been an actual part of the metal scene for over ten years at least now.
And why would he with all the garbage that's out there
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COMMENT | 2009...
posted by :
1/5/2009 7:21:43 AM
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RiotAct finally fights back and becomes just like the others... come on man you were the last hope.. ha ha ha...
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COMMENT |
posted by : thenumberofthebeef
1/5/2009 7:50:22 AM
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People really really shouldn't make fun of a band for sounding like this....seriously....Slipknot is still an entity on this planet.....
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COMMENT | IT'S A BRAND NEW BAND. . . QUICK . . .ALL YOU DOUCHEBAGS START RIPPING THEM!!!
posted by : Angry Johnny
1/5/2009 8:47:06 AM
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You guys need to totally find something else to do besides tell EVERYBODY ELSE that they suck, they can't play, they're unoriginal, bla bla bla FUCKING BLAH.
How about stepping away from your fucking computer, picking up an instrument, or a paintbrush, or a football, or SOMETHING and try to be good at using it?? You fucks are totally beat.
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COMMENT | im with you riotact
posted by :
1/5/2009 2:13:39 PM
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there is nothing wrong with enjoying bands on major labels.
And dont waste your time with these dipshits here, they would flame their own mothers.
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COMMENT |
posted by : deathcore sux
1/5/2009 2:50:51 PM
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i saw the vid a few weeks ago, i like them. another band kind of in the sabbath vein thats good is fireball minsitry
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/5/2009 5:51:40 PM
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Funnily enough, "Gods Of The Earth" was also one of my top albums of 2008 (as well as Lisa Sharken's and PhilthyPhil's):
http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=6698
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COMMENT | Wow...
posted by : Devil's Deja Vu
1/5/2009 6:18:42 PM
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Riotact666 IS actually alive !!! kuddos to you man !!! i really, REALLY began to think that u were some kind of program on an always turn on PC, good to know you're breathing, beat the crap out of that rotted elvis...he does not know that second parts were never good. And your list is a OK taking off the axl roses part.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
1/6/2009 12:14:13 AM
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danhalensfoot-
Do you always hang out with 4 year olds, listening to metal?
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COMMENT | \../
posted by :
1/6/2009 4:21:17 AM
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check out Grand Magus, way better than Sword!!
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