Weekend Wildcard - Coma by Guns N' Roses

This Weekend's Wildcard is brought to you by Guns N' Roses. This is the closing track off of their Use Your Illusion I album from 1991. This is the band's longest song clocking in at 10 minutes and 13 seconds. The song is unique for GNR because it has no chorus. It has always been one of my favorites even though it didn't get much airplay due to its length.

This song was written by Slash who stated "I think one of the best things that I've ever written was maybe the end segment of the song "Coma". It just poured out." 

The lyrics from 7:40 through the end of the song is a long, outstanding rant. I bet it took a lot of practice by Axl to get all that down. Then again they only played this song live like 4 times ever. Maybe that's why.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Clarity by Protest the Hero

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Protest the Hero. This is the opening track off of their 2013 album Volition. If you like metal music but prefer clean vocals, these guys are for you.

Chris Adler, the awesome drummer from Lamb of God, stepped in to provide drums on this album after the band's drummer and founding member Moe Carlson left the band.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Breaking the Law by Judas Priest

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Judas Priest. This is one of their most well known songs coming off of their 1980 album British Steel. The song is about a person that has become bored with their ordinary life and begins to liven things up by, you guessed it, Breaking the Law!


Beavis and Butthead also made this a popular saying again in the 90's.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Needled 24/7 by Children of Bodom

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Children of Bodom. This is off the Finnish heavy metal band's 2003 album Hate Crew Deathroll. Because of this song, Alexi Laiho was named in the top 50 fastest guitarists of all time.

Although you hear a lot of keyboards in this song, apparently the keyboards were toned down on this album compared to their previous albums.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Leathers by Deftones

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Deftones. This is off of their 2012 album Koi No Yokan which is a great album that ranks up there with their early albums.

This song is about being your true self around others by speaking out and standing up for yourself while at the same time having thick skin like leather.

Shedding your skin, showing your texture, time to let
Everything inside show
You're cutting all ties now and forever, time to let
Everything outside you

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Another Hero Lost by Shadows Fall

In honor of Memorial Day, today's Metal Track is Another Hero Lost by Shadows Fall. This is off of the band's 2007 album Threads of Life. This ballad was inspired by the death of the lead singer's cousin who died while stationed in Iraq.

Again, thank you to all of the service men and women who have fought and died for our country.

"You're gone but not forgot
Another Hero lost"

Easy Like Sunday Morning Track - I Can't Write Left Handed by Bill Withers

In honor of Memorial Day tomorrow today's Easy Like Sunday Morning Track is brought to you by Bill Withers. This is off of his 1973album Live at Carnegie Hall. As far as I can tell, it was never released on a studio album.

This song is about a soldier Bill met who lost his arm in the Vietnam War. Bill wrote this song by putting himself in the soldiers position. In the song he asks Bill to write a letter to his mother because he can't write left handed.

Thank you to all of our service men and women who have fought and died for our country!

Weekend Wildcard - Modern Day Cowboy by Tesla

This Weekend is brought to you by Tesla. This is off of their 1986 debut album Mechanical Resonance. This is just an all out great rock song killer riffs and vocals. The band is named after the famous electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. Hey, maybe one day some band will name themselves after me! :)

It's a showdown, in the no man's land
for the cowboy of the modern day.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin round,
cause the cowboy will blow you away

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Seabeast by Mastodon

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Mastodon. This is off of their 2004 concept album Leviathan. The album is loosely based on the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick. Leviathan is a sea monster reference numerous time in the Tanakh, or the Old Testament.

I've always loved this song and the imagery used in the video. It starts out a little slow but don't worry, it comes around full force. The last minute or so is fantastic. This particular YouTube video includes a short intro by Troy and Brent on Headbangers Ball with Brent acting goofy and probably under the influence.


1865 engraving "The Destruction of Leviathon"

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Coma White by Marilyn Manson

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Marilyn Manson off of their 1998 album Mechanical Animals. This album is the second part of a trilogy with the other two being Antichrist Superstar and Holy Wood.

The opening track of the album is Great Big White World while Coma White is the closing track. Referring to these, Manson stated "The color white comes up a lot. It kind of represents to me the numbness I had. That numbness is manifested in drugs...in all the people who want to suck the life out of you when you become a rock star."

The video, which reenacts the assassination of JFK was controversial due to the untimely Columbine shooting and the death of JFK Jr. But at the same time it became one of MTV's most requested videos.

In a statement released by his publicist, Manson said the video used the Kennedy assassination "as a metaphor for America's obsession and worship of violence. My statement was always intended to make people think of how they view and sometimes participate in these events." Further, the video "is in no way a mockery. In fact, it is a tribute to men like Jesus Christ and JFK who have died at the hands of mankind's unquenchable thirst for violence."

He said that when he filmed the video, "little did I know that the tragedy at Columbine and the accidental death of JFK Jr. would follow. But it was telling to see the [news] media shamelessly gorge itself on these events, which ultimately made my observations in the video even truer than I had originally imagined."

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Wish by Nine Inch Nails

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Nine Inch Nails. This industrial metal track is off of the band's 1992 EP Broken. Just like yesterday's track, this song won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.

"Wish there was something real, wish there was something true"

This video was featured on Beavis and Butthead in Season 2 Episode 4. Referring to the video, Butthead says it's like a zoo where they keep cool people.



B&B episode. NIN video starts at 9:07

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Schism by Tool

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Tool. This is the first single off of their 2001 album Lateralus and one of their most well-known songs. Tool won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance for this song. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart

The song is well known for its distinctive bass line and for its use of uncommon time signatures that change frequently. The meter changes almost 50 times throughout the song!

Scott's Instrumental Metal Track of the Day - Mabel's Fatal Fable by Jason Becker

Today's Instrumental Metal Track is brought to you by the extremely talented virtuoso Jason Becker. This is off of his 1988 debut solo album Perpetual Burn. Not long after this album was released, Jason was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease and was given 3-5 years to live.

Although he did eventually lose his ability to play guitar, walk, and speak, he is still alive and and continues to compose music. He now communicates with his eyes using a system developed by his father and has remained mentally sharp despite his illness.

Easy Like Sunday Morning Track - Thirty-Three by The Smashing Pumkins

(Hosted by Travis Oakley)

Doing a guest selection for Scott while he's having fun at the beach without us!

Today's 'Easy Like Sunday Morning' selection is "Thirty-three" from The Smashing Pumpkins' third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Even though the song reached #39 on the Billboard Hot 100, it was not released on their greatest hits album.

Billy Corgan allegedly said that this was a very simple song. I'd go with "clean" if it were up to me... but it's not. Some people think this song is about religion, some people think it's about secret societies and the occult, and some people (me included) really don't try to read into it that much. Enjoy.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Empire by Queensryche

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Queensryche. This is the title track off of their 1990 album Empire. This song is a warning that a growing "Empire" of drug trafficking in US and its related crimes will lead to the demise of our civilized society.

"Brother killing brother for the profit of another,
Game point, nobody wins. Declines, right on time.
What happened to the dream sublime?
Tear it all down, we'll put it up again. Another EMPIRE?"

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Hit the Lights by Metallica

Today's Metal Track is the opening track on Metallica's 1983 debut album Kill 'Em All.

This is the song that started it all for me. I remember my brother buying this this cassette along with Iron Maiden's Live After Death cassette when I was 5 and he was 14. On the ride home we debated which would be better based on the album covers.

When we got home we popped in this tape and this is what came through the speakers. We were blown away. It was fast, raw, intense, and heavy. After that moment, I was a metal head for life \m/

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Give Me Liberty... Or Give Me Death by Havok

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by the thrash metal band Havok. This is off of their 2013 album Unnatural Selection. It's pretty obvious from the lyrics and the video but this song is anti-government control and surveillance.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Night Terrors by Valient Thorr

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Valient Thorr. This is off of their 2010 album Stranger. This is a great song that is very catchy. Like all of their songs, it features a great mix of southern rock, metal, and upbeat vocals.

These guys will be playing with Mastodon at the Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh this September. I saw them a few years back and they are a blast on stage.

Scott's Instrumental Track of the Day - Atlas Novus by Scale the Summit

Today's Instrumental Track is brought to you by Scale The Summit. This is off of their 2013 album The Migration. This is a beautiful song that is full of creative finger tapping that is made to look effortless in this play through video. I still hate those ugly guitars with no headstock though.

Easy Like Sunday Morning Track - Mother by Pink Floyd

Today's Easy Like Sunday Morning Track is brought to you by Pink Floyd. This is off of their 1979 concept album The Wall. The album revolves around Pink, an embittered and alienated rockstar.

This song is about Pink's relationship with his overprotective mother who lost her husband, Pink's father, in World War II. The song is a conversation between Pink (voiced by Roger Waters) and his mother (voiced by David Gilmour). His mother is helping him build his "wall" to protect him from the outside wall.

"Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry
Momma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true
Momma's gonna put all of her fears into you
Momma's gonna keep you right here under her wing
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing"

Weekend Wildcard - Naked and Famous by The Presidents of the USA

This Weekend's Wildcard is brought to you by The Presidents of the USA. This was the band's second single released in 1994 and was later included on their debut self titled album in 1995 as the closing track. This song features Soundgarden's Kim Thayil on guitar.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Ants of the Sky by Between the Buried and Me

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Between the Buried and Me from North Carolina. This is off of their 2007 masterpiece Colors which was my first exposure to the band. I know this may be a little too heavy for a lot of folks but this really does it for me. The vocals may be a little harsh at times but the musicianship is off the charts. The entire song is outstanding but the section starting at 7:45 is the bees knees.

Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater named this his favorite album in 2007 calling it "a true marvel, this challenging but ultimately highly rewarding album is an example of a young band just discovering what it’s capable of. At the rate they’re going, the modern metal pantheon awaits."

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Clouds Over California by Devildriver

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Devildriver. This is off of their 2007 album The Last Kind Words. The Devildriver name refers to bells used by Italian Wiccans to ward off evil spirits. The lead singer, Dez Fafara, left Coal Chamber in 2002 to join the band.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Into the Mouth of Hell We March by Trivium

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Trivium. This is off of their 2008 album Shogun. I have a Trivium shirt that was made for this song. It has the picture shown in the YouTube video on it.

This song is about being able to stand up and take on the challenges that life may bring you i.e. into the mouth of hell we march. It also teaches us to make the most of the time we have because we never know when time will end.

I will try to pour all of myself into this life
Before I die
If I go before my time
Then take these words evermore into your life

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Aesthetics of Hate by Machine Head

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Machine Head. This is the opening track off of their 2007 album The Blackening. This song comes out swinging with tons great guitar work including dual arpeggios. Now that I know the meaning behind the song, it makes it that much more powerful.

This song is a response to an article written by William Grim titled "Aesthetics of Hate: R.I.P. Dimebag Abbott, & Good Riddance" where he attacks Dimebag saying that "He was an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar and large amplifier system." This was written before Dime was even put in the ground.

The article also attacked metal fans describing the the vigil as an "assemblage of ignorant, semi-human barbarians who were filthy in attire and manner, intellectually incoherent and above all else, hideously ugly to the point of physical deformity." Just wow, what a  piece of crap Grim is. It is infuriating just reading that article as is described in the lyrics by Rob Flynn.

RIP Dimebag!

Scott's Instrumental Track of the Day - Technical Difficulties by Racer X

Today's Instrumental Metal Track is brought to you by Racer X. This is the title track off of their 1999 album Technical Difficulties. This band, formed in the 80s, is headlined by the virtuoso guitarist Paul Gilbert. Paul is also a member of Mr. Big and has released many solo albums.

This video is a playthrough by Paul and not the studio recording. I chose this version so you could see his work on the fret board. This track evolved from the introductory song "Metal Dog" on Paul Gilbert's 1994 instructional video Terrifying Guitar Trip and it later appeared in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend.

Easy Like Sunday Morning Track - Say Hello 2 Heaven by Temple of the Dog

Today's Easy Like Sunday Morning Track is brought to you by Temple of the Dog. This band was a side project led by Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. The album and this song specifically were a tribute to his roommate, the late Andrew Wood, who was the lead singer of Mother Love Bone before he died of a heroin overdose. Other members of the band were members from Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jame including Eddie Vedder. This was the second single off of their sole self-titled album in 1991 and reached number 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Weekend Wildcard - Politicians in My Eyes by Death

This Weekend's Wildcard is brought to you by Death. Not to be confused with the death metal band from Orlando. This is a garage rock/punk band from the 70s made up of three brothers from Detroit; Bobby, David, and Dannis Hackney. The band had the opportunity to sign with major labels such as Columbia Records but they wanted them to change their name to something more commercial than Death. When the band refused to change the name, the labels wouldn't sign them and the band eventually broke up before releasing a full album. A great example of how terrible the music industry is.

Years later, Bobby's sons discovered their recordings in the attic and began covering the songs with their band Rough Francis. The surviving brothers revived the band in 2009 and their first album, For the Whole World to See, was released the same year which consisted of the original recordings from 1974. In 2012, a documentary was released titled A Band Called Death that has received great reviews. I have not watched it yet, but plan to eventually.

I just discovered them this week because they will be playing with Mastodon at the Hopscotch festival this September in Raleigh.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Lucretia by Megadeth

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by Megadeth. This is off of their 1990 classic album Rust in Peace. This song has an oustanding intro and two great solos by Marty Friedman and Dave Mustaine to close it out.

Apparently Lucretia is a ghost that lives in Dave Mustaine's attic that Dave hangs around with sometimes. He sneaks up late at night so no-one thinks he's crazy.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Blood Money by Overkill

Today's Metal Track is brought to you by one or the best, if not THE best, thrash bands ever; Overkill. This is off of their 1991 album Horrorscope which is my favorite album by the band. Growing up my favorite was always Years of Decay probably because it was the first one I listened to. But after years of listening I have decided that Horrorscope is the better album but it's close.

This fan made lyric video is pretty well done and does a good job of emphasizing Blitz's awesome vocals (Some may disagree but I love him).

"Payment due and I'm collecting you"