Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Stop Calling Me Liberty by Sifting

Today's Metal Track is Stop Calling Me Liberty by the Venezuelan-American band Sifting. This is off of their latest album, The Infinite Loop, which came out back in September. Thanks to my brother Kevin for recommending this track.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Fundamental by Puya

Ever listened to salsa infused metal from Puerto Rico? Me either before today but it's pretty awesome. Today's Metal Track is the title track off of Puya's 1999 album Fundamental. Thanks to Adam for the recommendation. The video is amazingly funny and violent. Enjoy!

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Cut You In by Jerry Cantrell

Today's Metal Track is Cut You In by Jerry Cantrell. This catchy little tune is off of his 1998 debut solo album Boggy Depot.

Scott's Instrumental Track of the Day - Tender Surrender by Steve Vai

Today's Instrumental Track of the Day is Tender Surrender by Steve Vai. This is the closing track off of his 1995 EP Alien Love Secrets. It starts off like lounge music but gets more intense as the song progresses.

Vai released this EP because his next full length album, Fire Garden, was taking too long to complete. This is taken from the DVD Alien Love Secrets where he performs every track on the EP.

Scott's Metal Track of the Day - Duality by Slipknot

I push my fingers into my eyes...

Today's Metal Track is Duality by Slipknot. This is off of their 2004 album Vol. 3 The Subliminal Verses. This is a pretty awesome video. It was shot at a fan's house that was set for renovation. They invited a bunch of fans to come and tear apart the house while the band performed. They fans were told to be careful around Craig Jones' mask because the nail could potentially stab them.

Fridays with Freddie: The Birth of Thrash Metal

Alright, let's play one that the audience will enjoy. Today I'm reminding you that it's not subjective that Queen is rock legend, it's documented and corroborated. Today's track, Stone Cold Crazy, is a precursor to speed metal. It has been described as "thrash metal before the term was invented" by music magazine "Q". It's been covered by Metallica, remixed by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and has made Guitar Hero that much more entertaining.

Need more proof? I know you've heard the song, but watch these videos and enjoy watching metal take its first steps in Queen's 1974 live performance; and then witness metal's high school reunion where it realizes that it turned out okay and is actually pretty awesome as James Hetfield performs the song live with Queen and Tony Iommi at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.

Do you need another reason to love this song? Fine. It was also on the Encino Man soundtrack. Why is that CD $21.99? Oh Snap! There's only one left in stock!

It's a great example of why I love Queen so much. You can get speed metal, pop, epic ballads, love

songs, arena rock and more. I can't name a current band that is currently doing what Queen did, and don't bother correcting me because the fact that I don't immediately think of the band you're about to counter with proves my point. Everyone knows Queen, when I was in kindergarten I remember a school assembly where everyone stomp-clapped "We Will Rock You". I was 5, 5 year-olds don't know anything but I knew "We Will Rock You" and I knew it was awesome. 

Long live Queen. 

Fridays with Freddie: Epic Crowd Control Edition

I'm back! Scott sucks! In other news, it's Friday, and that means (most of the time) I've got your weekly dose of Queen. And what a dose it is. You can digest this post in two ways:

1. Skip to 22:38 and watch Freddie Mercury prove that he's one of the greatest frontmen in music history.

2. Watch the full 2 hour 1986 concert Live At Wembley Stadium and watch Freddie Mercury prove that he's one of the greatest frontmen in music history.

Let me focus on timestamp 22:38 While the last few editions have been slightly more obscure and maybe even new to some, this one is a standard in any Queen playlist. Set the scene, it's July 12th, 1986, you're in a massive sea of people at Wembley Stadium holding a ticket to one of Queen's greatest and final tours, the "A Kind of Magic" tour. At the 22:38 mark Mercury interacts with the crowd before launching into "Under Pressure".

Seriously, just watch and then tell me that you're not at all sad that you'll never get to experience that live. When Scott builds a time machine, this is one of the first points in history that I'm going to make him take me. Long Live Queen!

Fridays with Freddie: Unplugged

The Fridays with Freddie entry of the week is '39, a song that you won't hear on heavy rotation radio that may give Queen standards like Bohemian Rhapsody or We Will Rock You a spin. This song is a great example of just how broad the sound of Queen really was. I'm always happily surprised when I hear the stark jump from a futuristic punk inspired song like "Sheer Heart Attack" with absolutely no transition into the soft and melancholy "All Dead, All Dead" on "News of The World"; or in today's case, the transition from the heartfelt pop anthem "You're My Best Friend" into Brian May's string heavy folk song "'39" on "A Night At The Opera". 

While '39 sounds rather folky, it's sci-fi story focuses on a group of space explorers who travel through time as they return home to Earth to find that all of their loved ones have passed away. That's both an extremely sad thought and a really odd story that hangs on this melody in a very contrasting way. What does it all mean? I just think it sounds great. Enjoy, and don't sign up for any experimental space voyages anytime soon. 

Fridays with Freddie

It's Friday, that's universally known to be amazing. In addition to that, I'm about to introduce you to one of my all time favorite bands to make your Friday even better. It's time for some Queen. I was introduced to Queen as a kid and really loved them from the start. In 6th grade the two Queen greatest hits tapes were two of my first purchases as a young music lover.

This post will mark the first post in the Fridays with Freddie series, as in Freddie Mercury the lead singer of Queen. I can't think of a better band to sing along to in the car or shower, I love failing miserably at hitting those high notes.

This Friday's song comes from the album News Of The World, which you might remember from this episode of Family Guy. I kid you not, I actually had the same reaction to this album cover as a kid; true story. A few weeks ago Valerie and I put this album on the record player (my Dad's original copy that used to scare me) and gave it a listen for the first time. Since then I've listened to it online at work about fifty times. As someone who grew up with Queen, I'm happy and surprised to find so many gems on this album that I'd never heard before, most notably: It's Late. Enjoy!