Here Thar be Pirates! Confessions of a Digital Liberator

Anyone with a high-speed internet connection and a geeky friend as a hook-up knows that in recent years, internet piracy (or, digital liberation, whichever loaded term you prefer) has changed the way people consume multimedia entertainment. At the click of a button, movies, television shows, albums, concert videos, even books on tape and video games are available for download, completely free, in surprisingly high-quality formats.

This, undoubtedly, has had a profound impact on the way media corporations deal with their audience - namely, they sue them. It doesn't matter if they're a 12-year-old girl who wanted an extra copy of the latest Nas album or a college kid with a hard drive full of lifted music, they sue them to make examples. I'm reminded of that scene in Pirates of the Caribbean where the port town leaves the rotting bodies of pirates hanging outside its bay to send a message - abandon every hope, ye who enter here!

This is the market that groups like the MPAA and RIAA have created - instead of utilizing this fantastic new medium, they have tried to squash it, to shut down every torrent-trading site, to use the law as a weapon against the proliferation against digital media. It's obvious to most pseudo-savvy computer users like myself that their efforts have not only failed, but have set off the spark that is now the raging wildfire of internet piracy (erm ... digital liberation.) It all cam e to a head in recent days, as a handful of hackers posted the anti-piracy code to the new HD-DVDs from Sony and were met with cease-and-desist orders from the company's attorneys. What started as a handful of kids trying to get the word out then became a viral process - the code was forwarded to internet chat rooms, blogs, even became a popular song on YouTube.com. It seems that, especially in this case, the corporations' efforts to squash the spread of digital media has backfired and made those of us to who partake more resolute to keep the digital revolution alive.

I understand the argument, I really do - music and movies are a product, and digital piracy is essentially stealing that product. However, my argument is simple - it is not the fact that the product is free that it is downloaded, it is because it may or may not be worth purchasing! Take the movie 300 for example - it was a low-budget risk for the studio that made it, and ended up breaking box-office records, turning over incredible profits for all involved, all while there was an active torrent file distributing a pirated DVD screener all over the internet. So how did the movie fare so well when it was available for free? It's simple - because it was a fucking great movie. People, even those who saw it for free first, went to the movie theater to get the "full experience" of seeing the film in the way it was meant to be seen.

You don't have that with, say, The Holiday. Film and album sales aren't down because people are downloading them for free, they're down because Hollywood and mainstream music has been essentially feeding the American market shit for the past few decades, and we're sick of it. The Digital Revolution is not a communistic, illegal battle for free stuff, it is a statement that we, as an audience, are not stupid, and we are more refined that ever before. We demand music and movies that don't insult our intelligence, don't pander to our addiction to bubble-gum pop music, and don't treat us like children. Until the supply meets this demand, we will continue to get our movies and music for free.

Lest we forget that this same debate raged about thirty years ago with the advent of cassette tapes. The music industry fully believed that people would begin recording their favorite songs from the radio, and hence, would no longer purchase albums or tapes. We know, of course, that this is ... well ... bullshit. Mixtape culture rose from the concept, and the music industry was better off because of it - haven't we all been turned on to a band because of a mix someone gave us?

Which leads me to my final point - stealing music is good for music. Take, for example, well ... my site. Throw the Goat features music reviews and band features, most of which I've downloaded illegally, at least at first. Seventh Wonder, one of my new favorite bands, would have been just another great, unheard metal band in Scandinavia had I not stumbled upon their music by chance on a music-swapping site. Bands and labels alike should view the internet as a brilliant new medium for propagating music, and focus their money-earning endeavors on touring, merch sales, endorsements, etc. These methods are time-tested money-makers and benefit the artist more directly anyway.

I imagine sometime soon we will see an uneasy peace reached between the Digital Liberators and those fascists at the MPAA and RIAA. Until then, avast, maytees! Here, thar be poirates!

Album of the Week: Seventh Wonder - Waiting in the Wings

Given the population-to-amazing-metal-bands ratio in the tiny country of Sweden (it has a population numbering just over 9 million), it should be assumed that whenever a Swedish baby is born, he or she is given an instrument that will become more or less a part of him or her. Just take a look at the plethora of bands that beloved Scandinavian nation has given us through the years - At the Gates, In Flames, Entombed ... the list goes on and on, but one thing is clear: Sweden's chief export these days, with the exception of chocolate and neo-socialism, is heavy metal.

Seventh Wonder is yet another such export, and a great one at that. With their second release, and first with lead vocalist Tommy Karevik, is eight tracks of technical, melody progressive metal that rivals anything out there right now - which begs the question of why these guys haven't blown up in the States by now. While pretty well-established in their homeland, their version of neo-classicism just hasn't taken on this side of the pond yet.

And it's a shame, because their latest record Waiting in the Wings is really spectacular. With masterful guitar work from the insanely talented Johan Liefvendahl and equally adept bassist Andreas Blomqvist, the band has, in the course of a single album, established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in an increasingly competitive progressive metal scene.

The band soars on Banish the Wicked, a pagan-themed, solo-rich track that explores concepts of pagan religion and culture ... but it's really all about those solos, isn't it? Liefvendahl shows his guns on a brilliant Mozart-inspired bit, and in true progressive rock fashion, each member of the band is given his chance to display his talent.

From a songwriting point of view, it just doesn't get much better than Seventh Wonder, who create an album that's dynamic, interesting, yet maintains a sense of cohesiveness throughout almost an hour of music. It's harder to do than it sounds, and even the best bands fail at this time and time again.

For a truly epic experience, check out the title track, with layered keyboards and a groovy guitar lick over top, this one gives Karevik a chance to stretch his vocal chords and establish himself as one of the top lead men in the metal world today.

I should mention here that bassist Andreas Blomqvist is one of the best I've ever heard. Don't believe me? Check out his solo work on The Edge of my Blade. This guy can wail.

Top honors here, however, go to the incomparable Tommy Hansen, the man behind the boards, who mastered the album to perfection. So many great metal bands are let down by the production value of their albums (In Flames comes to mind), but Hansen's touch brings the band's full, epic sound to the forefront and really lets them shine.

I'm looking forward to Seventh Wonder's next album, and I'm eager to see how their career will fare in America - it would be a shame for such a talented band to miss out on an emerging metal scene like that of the United States.

Show Review: He Is Legend, Chimaira, Dragonforce, Killswith Engage

March 20, 2007 - House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino

Those who know me, know that I am a huge Dragonforce fan - I mean, a huge fan. A maniacal, obsessive, really quite pathetic example of the effects of great power-metal on the fragile human psyche. What you may not know, though, is that my wife (she's the chick on the right) is an even bigger fan than myself. A woman of refined metal tastes, she expects only the best in all things, including her power-metal. We caught Dragonforce together on their first full US tour, on a ridiculous tour lineup with All That Remains and HORSE the band, and when we discovered they were bringing Inhuman Rampage across the United States again, we had to check it out.

What's better: They were playing the House of Blues in Las Vegas. If one really needs an excuse to take a vacation to Las Vegas, this is it. But you really don't need one.

I'll start by saying that, in theory, the Las Vegas House of Blues in Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino is a great venue - it's spacious while maintaining a cozy club vibe, it's stylish, well-lit, and the waitresses are friendly. However, that's where it ends - my lady and I decided to get a couple of drinks to get us loose for the show, a beer for me and a whiskey for her. The total came to a whopping $20 - for two drinks! So, if you go to a show at the HoB in Vegas, drink in the casino first or take a well-concealed hip-flask. My other issue was the security - okay, I know, security sucks at every venue, but these guys were dicks. I won't go into details, but really, there's no reason to be that much of a prick, guys.

First up on the lineup was North Carolina's He is Legend - a well-dressed, southern-rock loving hardcore band who, to be perfect honest, we utterly painful to watch. While their style of metal was unique, it wasn't really in a good way. Lead vocalist Schuylar Croom pranced on stage like Robert Plant (in pants tighter than any Mr. Plant would have dared tried to cram into) while guitarist Adam Tanbouz (a short, emo-looking fellow) thrashed around like Angus Young with a nasty case of crabs. Mixing elements of hardcore, metal, and good ol' whiskey-drinkin' southern rock, these dudes meant well, but they were sloppy, screechy, and really, really annoying. Their songs bled one into the other, one overused breakdown after another, and ended up sounding like a chuggy drone to start the show.

Then, Chimaira took the stage. I had low expectations for this band, based on their 2003 album, The Impossibility of Reason which was, really, just okay. The band showed some promise as an up-and-coming post-hardcore metal band, but I didn't expect anything out of them. That was, until I saw them live. Holy shit. The first thing I noticed about their live show was their sound check - yeah, they're that good. In the ten minutes leading up to the show, the band set up a rather modest-looking keyboard ensemble that, when tested, sent a shock-wave of synthetic sound out over the audience, and nearly stopped my heart. Come show-time, the effect was used in conjunction with the drummer Andols Herrick's impressive double-bass skills. The result: Oh em gee. These guys play a tight, loud, visually overstimulating set, complete with an insane light show, shredding solos, and, oh yeah, a kick-ass half-cover of the Pantera Classic "I'm Broken". The band had the best sound system of the show as well, and made use of every inch of it. If you're looking for a band that will punish you, and possibly cause permanent neural damage, Chimaira's your band.

Then, the mighty Dragonforce. The first time I saw them, on the Inhuman Rampage: The First Strike tour, I caught them in a shitty little club in Salt Lake City that's used as a religious community center during the week and hosts metal bands to fill in time slots. Even when sharing the stage with ridiculous synth-metal bands and second-rate death metal, Dragonforce shined, bringing an hour and a half of pure epic greatness. So, my expectations were high this time around, and I was not let down. While their set time was cut in half from the previous tour and the band didn't have time to play their 10-minute ballads (which are killer live), they spanned all 3 of their albums, playing the highlights from each, including their singles Through the Fire and the Flames and my wife's favorite Operation Ground 'n' Pound.

My only complaint that I took away from seeing Dragonforce play live the first time was that their solo work was a bit sloppy and, at times, off-key. This is a common complaint amongst even the most rabid fan, but on this latest tour, the band has resolved that issue, and it makes the live Dragonforce experience that much more powerful. Dueling guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are tighter and more proficient than ever, while enigmatic, energetic lead vocalist ZP Theart remains a joy to watch perform.

And lastly, Killswitch Engage. Their set was ... oh, okay, I'm not going to lie. I left before Killswitch took the stage. I honestly just can't stand these guys and I think it's utterly blasphemous to the mightly D-Force to open for these clowns. But that's nothing new - Dragonforce has a really bad habit of touring with lesser bands when it comes to the United States - so while Europe gets the powerhouse duo of Firewind and the 'Force, we get them with trendy hardcore-metal-hybrid bands.

I'll certainly be catching Dragonforce the next time they tour the 'States, but I can only hope they choose better bands to take to the road with. Perhaps bring that glory of the Dynamic Duo with Firewind next time? A boy can dream.

Album of the Week: Echoes of Eternity - The Forgotten Goddess

I'll make a confession right now - I've usually shied away from female vocalists. It's not a sexist thing, but somehow, it just doesn't seem to work, juxtaposing the aggressive nature of metal with a sweet, soaring (however talented) woman singer. However, newcomers Echoes of Eternity are quickly changing my mind.

With their Nuclear Blast Records debut, The Forgotten Goddess, Echoes have set themselves up to join that illustrious girls' club that includes the legendary Nightwish and fellow newcomers Epica.

The record begins with a brooding, delicate acoustic riff, interrupted in true epic fashion with enough distortion to split your skull. By the time Francine Boucher, the band's incredibly versatile, overwhelmingly talented vocalist comes in, you're hooked. The Forgotten Goddess is ten tracks of technical, perfectly produced progressive metal, full of everything a boy (okay, or girl) can ask for in a perfect metal record: chugging riffage, songs about antiquated dieties, and, oh yeah, killer solos courtesy of Brandon Patton, who co-founded the band with powerhouse drummer Kirk Carrison.

The band shines most brightly on the record's title track, a multi-lingual, time-signature-bending song that is equally adept for head-banging and interpretive dance. The metal squeals are enough to make any metal kid shoot his proverbial load, but the crescendo leading up to the double-bass laden solo about two minutes in is almost too perfect for words.

And what epic metal record would be complete without an acoustic number, complete with a string quartet and layered vocals? Well, you get it for about a minute on The Kingdom Within before the band returns to black metal-inspired thrashery and some killer arpeggios. I'm not complaining.

Echoes even gets all Swedish on yo' ass with the technically-adept, pitch-perfect guitar work on Lost Beneath a Silent Sky, which would be perfectly at home on, for example, an In Flames record.

In all, The Forgotten Goddess has what you're looking for - whether that be just a great metal record, an exercise in feminism, or a crash-course in pagan religious history. For me, it was a lesson in expectations - never discount a band based on the gender of its members - because in the case of Echoes of Eternity, they kick the shit out of half of the all-male bands out there.

Check them out if you like: The Gathering, Nightwish, Dragonland

State of the Union: A Good Time for Metal

As I glance around the world today, I can't help but think that, while it may be a sick, horrible world we live in, it is a great time to be a metal-head. With all the political bullshit, the drama of life, the economy, the judgments of religious radicals, and the tortures of pop music, we metal lovers will always have this vast, deep ocean of metal to survive on. It is our Mana in the desert, an oasis of reason in a world gone mad - and I thank God for it, I really do.

The fact is that metal's had a rough history in the 30-some-odd years it's been in existence. From that first brilliant lightening strike that came with Black Sabbath and gave life to a new, perfect genre of music, it's been an uphill battle for us. In the early 80's, the establishment found its latest scapegoat in metal, blaming bands like Judas Priest and Twisted Sister for any and all of the world's evils - murders, rape, violence ... all of these things no longer became a matter of personal responsibility, but a result of listening to a particular type of music. From this battle, arose that giant, perpetual enemy of metal (and free speech) - the Parental Advisory board (also known as the Parents Music Resource Center).

The Parental Advisory label banned kids from buying up their Pantera records their souls so ached for, while pop music (which openly encourages objectification of women and hedonism) was readily available. This plunged metal into a Dark Age, a time when commercial, dumbed-down music was presented as the only proper entertainment for growing adults, the only media worth listening to, and most egregiously, the only acceptable thing for people to be into - and as such, if you were a metal-lover, you were an outcast, a devil-worshiper, even evil.

As a result, for the better part of the 90's, metal survived essentially as an underground counter-culture movement. The drama of the previous decade gave rise to bands like Death and Cannibal Corpse; And the result, as is the case with most counter-culture movements, was an extremist view of metal. They don't like violence in music? We'll give them raped nuns, decapitations, and Satan worship like they've never seen.

Fast-forward to today: Now, after an apostasy of so many years, metal is back, and it's badder than ever. Fueled by a new medium in the internet and a world sick to death of pop music, metal has made a comeback unlike anything we've seen in history. Especially power metal, with legends Iron Maiden still going strong and relative newcomers Dragonforce, Rhapsody, and Hammerfall gaining massive followings, has proven to be formidable. Obituary, Daath, and Gorgoroth continue to push the envelope when it comes to black and death metal. And, the recent reformation of one of the greatest metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath (in the form of Dio's Heaven and Hell) is an omen of great things to come.

While the hangover still lingers from those drab days of nu-metal and rap-metal, the developments of the last few years should give every one of us hope - hope in a more accepting, inventive tomorrow for the world of heavy metal. For everyone, a metal band, and for every metal band, an audience. There may be no better definition of Utopia.

I sincerely hope that, as it develops, Throw the Goat can become a part of the reinvention of heavy metal. I predict big things ahead for my beloved heavy metal, and I can only hope to be a small part of the oncoming storm.

An Introduction: How to Throw the Goat

Despite warnings from a few friends about even mentioning the word "goat" in an internet setting (my eyes still burn from the last time I opened that awful forward), I went ahead and named my "All Things Epic and Metal" blog Throw the Goat for two reasons:

a) It's a really catchy, neat name for a blog, and

b) Throwing the goat has been a tradition in metal since it was introduced by the Godfather of power metal, the magical elf himself, Ronnie James Dio. For those who don't know, the "Goat" is what is commonly called the "Metal Sign", the symbol of one's forefinger and pinky finger outstretched while the other fingers remain tucked into the hand. It looks as follows:


And, since this blog will be dedicated to all things metal, it seems only fitting to name it after a symbol that has come to embody the world of Heavy Metal.

I will begin with an introduction. My name is Jeremy and I am a metal head. I can't pretend that I've always been out of the closet - there was that whole Jr. High period when I listened to a lot of punk rock, and before that, my radio days. But looking back on my life thus far, there has been one constant: the soaring solos of Iron Maiden, the crushing riffs of Slayer, the moving shreddery of the late Dimebag Darrell. And so, in my early 20's, I finally accepted my fate as one of those social outcasts, God's most pathetic creation - the Metal Kid.

Throw the Goat will bring album reviews, band dedications, musings on metal culture, educational material, and hopefully (someday) interviews and such. Consider this one of many voices in the vast desert that is metal.

And so, I Christen this insignificant corner of the internet universe a haven for freaks, geeks, and dungeon keeps. Here, there are no limits to where metal can take you. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here, because we're sailing off the corners of the map ... and here, there be metal.