Too Evil to Have a Human Name

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 // Blogs,General

This being post number one, I’d like to explain the purpose of my writings. Basically, these are just postings of what I’m interested in and what I’m playing on the radio on Saturday nights. If you don’t know, it’s a heavy metal show on WRCT 88.3 FM Saturdays from 9pm to 12am called “Too Evil to Have a Human Name.” I get questions frequently about the music I’m playing, so I’d like to use this space to talk more about it and make recommendations about records and shows in town. Probably more importantly, I’d like to bring attention to the local scene and some of the great bands around the Pittsburgh area.

First up, if you’ve listened to the show you probably have heard me mention a recent compilation of local bands put out by the local label Innervenus. It’s called Iron Atrocity Vol. 1 and you can find a free download at http://www.innervenus.org/iron-atrocity/. It’s a lot of great bands representing many different styles of metal. What’s amazing is the fact that there are many more bands not on that compilation, and Vol. 2 is currently in the works.

Currently I’m enthralled with a lot so called “old school death metal.” While some of it is completely ripping off old Entombed, there are some slightly original records being put out. The band Vallenfyre from the UK is made up of members of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Doom. The record is called A Fragile King on Century Media and the sound is definitely older style death metal but there’s enough of that British doom/death sound along with some interesting song writing and riffs to keep me listening over and over. One of my favorite records of all time is Incantation’s Onward to Golgotha and that sound seems to be making a comeback. Bands like Necros Christos from Germany with Doom of the Occult (Sepulchral Voice Records), Father Befouled (US/Relapse) with Morbid Destitution of Covenant, and Mitochondrion (Canada/Profound Lore) with Parasignosis.

My biggest disappointment recently was attending the Opeth concert a couple of months ago. While I understand the new album’s ’70s prog rock direction and actually enjoy it, the set list of the concert contained nothing heavier than that sound. No classic Opeth progressive death metal. Hopefully, they will tour again with different set list. I will definitely check it online before buying a ticket.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to call into my show Saturday night.

Bill