Ah-ha! So you though we were through; you thought you had destroyed the weed before it could sprout and choke your harvest, but no! We persist!. We survive! We still drink alcohol(New Amsterdam gin and tonics this time) and evaluate metal albums while Audria is at yoga! We are still METAL NIGHT!!!! With special guest Jonny Bruha!

Tonight, our focus was on the traditional and the obscure. Hallow's Eve's Death and Insanity did not quite make it. I was simply not impressed by this album. They were an 80's thrash band on Metal Blade, and were notable for their harsh and clean duel vocal style. They were also notable for being crappy, another Iron Maiden clone with speed metal tendencies. The songs, though rousing in spots, and a few good riffs here and there, are ponderous and clumsy. The lyrics go on and on about the usual things, like death and errrr....insanity. The production is bargain basement shod. Old school in all the wrong ways. Chris liked it, though. He has a soft spot for that old Metal Blade stuff, so I guess I'll keep speaking to him.

Next up, Holocaust's Live:Hot Curry and Wine. Holocaust are NWOBHM band most famous for having Metallica cover their song 'The Small Hours'. I really liked this album. Simply a solid set of simple yet roaring(if innocent sounding, since the singer sounds like he's just out of puberty) old school heavy metal. Holocaust have been refered to as the Ramones of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which is an accurate assessment. You will find no progressive noodlings here, just some simple riffs played with passion and vigor. This album was playing when Jonny showed up and drank all the damn booze(kidding). He liked the album, too. So did Chris, though he said that he liked their first album The Nightcommers better. I guess I'll let him live.

Finally, we arrive at Ghost's Opus Eponymous. Fuck! This is a great album. Both Chris and I loved it. I have had been listening to this album everyday on tour. Ghost is a mysterious and anonymous band from Sweden that are rumored to be made up of black metal elites. But other than the ultra Satanic lyrics and foreboding atmosphere, this is the furthest thing from black metal; a smooth and accessible throwback to late 70's metal; with memorable choruses, souring harmonies, and tasteful synth sounds. It's as if Blue Oyster Cult got together with Merciful Fate at Lucifer's Friend's rehearsal spot and drank some lemur blood while sacrificing a baby panda, all the while stoned out of their fucking minds on hash and ludes. If you are going to lure people to worship Lord Satan, then write catchy metal anthems like these. Fuck yeah!

More insanity to come.