These days, success in the music industry is both a positive and a negative. It’s positive because so few bands are able to find success, but it’s negative because even fewer bands are able to keep it, and the fight to hold onto the recognition you’ve earned can be extremely difficult. Bearing that in mind, today we look at two bands that already have found success via different means, and whether they can hold onto it going forward. There is plenty of other new music to peruse today, so give this list a good look to find something that suits your interests!
Baroness, Yellow & Green (Relapse)
In many ways, Baroness is metal’s Cinderella story of the past five years. After four years of relentless touring and independently releasing EP’s, the group’s debut full-length Red Album came out of nowhere to be named as Revolver’s Album of the Year in 2007, among the many other accolades that it received. 2009’s Blue Record built on the buzz that Red Album created to land the group at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #117 on the overall Top 200. Through it all, the group has stayed seemingly glued to the road, barely ever taking time off from playing shows. So how will Yellow & Green, the band’s first album recorded without longtime bassist Summer Welch, hold up to the expectations that were created by its predecessors? If historical figures and the reception that Baroness received during their recent tour with Meshuggah are any indication, we should expect this album to break into the top 50.
Hellyeah, Band of Brothers (Eleven Seven)
The power of the supergroup is what allowed Hellyeah’s first two albums to debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. When a single band combines members of Pantera, Mudvayne, Nothingface, and Damageplan into one powerful force, it’s only natural to expect good results. The group’s third album, Band of Brothers, is likely to have much of the same style as was exhibited on Hellyeah and Stampede, mixing hard rock with Southern influences to create a unique atmosphere and a harsh, yet still melodic tone overall. All that remains is to see if the band has managed to work any degree of nuance into their lyrics, or if they still have the subtlety of an 18-wheeler on fire. Hellyeah did receive some criticism for their over-the-top lyrics on Stampede, so the lyrical content of Band of Brothers will surely be a point of interest for some people.
Also being released this week:
For the Fallen Dreams, Wasted Youth (Artery/Razor & Tie)
Mark Tremonti, All I Was (Fret12)
The Contortionist, Intrinsic (eOne)
Your Memorial, Redirect (Facedown)
Bury Tomorrow, The Union of Crowns (Nuclear Blast)
Saving Abel, Bringing Down the Giant (eOne)
A Hero A Fake, The Future Again (Victory)
Stam1na, Nocebo (Bieler Bros.)
Enabler, All Hail the Void (Southern Lord)
Witchcraft, Witchcraft (Metal Blade)
Exotic Animal Petting Zoo, Tree of Tongues (Mediaskare)
Hexen, Being and Nothingness (Pulverised)
Verse, Bitter Clarity, Uncommon Grace (Bridge Nine/Lumberjack)
Bermuda, The Wandering (Mediaskare)
The Treatment, This Might Hurt (Xenon)
Virgin Steele, Life Among the Ruins [Reissue] (Steamhammer)
Ozzy Osbourne, Speak of the Devil [DVD] (Eagle Rock)
Next Week: We get a greatest hits collection from a longtime band releasing their first-ever non-video retrospective, leading the list of new releases. Visit us once again for that list in one week!
