Album Review: Melvin's Gluey Porch Treatments

Getting grungy now fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

While it might seem like the genre came out of nowhere once it hit 1990, the truth is that he had actually begun to come out of the dark alleyway a few years prior in the late 80s. A time where Hair Metal, while still beloved by many, was beginning to fade away from popularity for a few reasons. Regardless, it was during this time that bands that formed the foundation upon which Grunge would build it’s home, and today we look at one of those groups. So put on your flannel shirt, get a little disillusioned at the world, and take a look at my review of the first Melvins album, Gluey Porch Treatments. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“The Melvins were formed in early 1983 by Buzz Osborne (guitar, vocals), Matt Lukin (bass), and Mike Dillard (drums) who all went to Montesano Jr./Sr. High School in Montesano, Washington The band was named after a supervisor at a Thriftway in Montesano, where Osborne also worked as a clerk; "Melvin" was disliked by other employees, and the band's members felt it to be an appropriately ridiculous name.

In the beginning, they played Jimi Hendrix and Who covers, and also began playing fast hardcore punk. Dillard left the band in 1984 and was replaced by local drummer Dale Crover. The band's rehearsals moved to a back room of Crover's parents' house in Aberdeen, Washington. Soon afterward, they started to play songs slower and "heavier" than nearly anyone else at the time. In 1985, C/Z Records was created to document the Washington music scene. The label released Deep Six, featuring four songs by the Melvins. In 1986, the band released their debut, the Six Songs EP, on C/Z Records (later releases expanded and retitled this as 8 Songs, 10 Songs, and eventually 26 Songs in 2003 on Ipecac Recordings). The album was recorded live to a two track at the now closed Ironwood Studio in Seattle on February 8, 1986.

In October 1986, they recorded their first full-length album, Gluey Porch Treatments, at Studio D in Sausalito, California. The album was released in 1987 on Alchemy Records. Gluey Porch Treatments was later coupled with their second album Ozma for the Boner Records CD release. It was expanded again for the 1999 re-release on Ipecac with some garage demos.”

Basic Description
Sludgy Black Sabbath. 

Sounds a little odd to say, since Sabbath were always sludgy in some way. But here, it’s different somewhat. Whereas Ozzy & the gang’s first release was influenced by the nature of their hometown, the Melvins channeled something different. Though later releases from other bands (including themselves) would expand upon this, they channeled the disillusionment of what the youth at the time was feeling. The loss of hope, how perhaps the fantasy of what some of the music scene was just a fantasy, you name it. This is also reflected in the music: the instrumentation is most definitely in the Sabbath style, but there’s also a bit of a punk edge to it as well, adding a bit of speed because of that. Granted, that speed does cause an issue (More on that in a bit), but it adds to the energy that’s contained on this release. 

Best Track
Over from Under the Excrement, apart from it’s goofy name, is perhaps the biggest example of Sabbath worship on this album. Though there isn’t any vocal work to be heard, there doesn’t need to be any when the instrumentation is so brutal! The instrumentation, from the guitar & bass to the drums, is played at a Doom Metal like pace. So doomy, in fact, that it feels like you’re crawling through the mud as it plays. Coupled with raw screeching from the guitars at certain points, it just feels absolutely dirty to listen to.

Over from Under the Excrement

Worst Track
Gluey Porch Treatments’s only fault lies with the overabundance of faster tracks. Only 4 songs are above 2 minutes, while the rest are in the 2 minute range & below (The worst is Exact Paperbacks at 43 seconds). Because of this, it takes a couple turns on the record player or cd player for the album to stick in your head. Quick songs are fine in my book, but if there’s too many, then it’s sometimes a chore to listen to them all.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below: 

Gluey Porch Treatments (w Re-Release Demos)

Overall Impression & Rating
Gluey Porch Treatments is an absolutely raw kind of album. The fact that Dave Grohl described this record as heavier than Black Sabbath is a testament to the kind of energy it’s producing. Sure, a majority of the songs go by incredibly fast to the point where a repeat button needs to be pressed at least once or twice, but it’s somehow still obvious that the Melvins came into making this record with a lot of drive & passion. Almost 40 years later, there’s still some porches out there getting some glue.

Gluey Porch Treatments gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for the first release from the Melvins. Gluey Porch Treatments, fast as it can be, still delivers a dirty but pleasant musical experience that’s positively delightful. Still metallic enough for the diehards, yet something different was happening underneath it all. So, see you all at the end of the month for another Pre-Grunge progenitor. Until then, take care! 

The Summer Of Grunge Begins!

That’s right everybody! 2026 is the Summer Of Grunge here!

This is honestly a music genre I’ve wanted to cover for a long time. Demonized by old-school metalheads that blame it exclusively for the so-called “killing” of classic metal, and not having enough time in the spotlight, Grunge was actually inspired by a variety of music, and as some Grunge veterans might not admit....metal had more of an influence on it than anyone would expect. Originally I had planed on examining Grunge a few years back, but with the political climate being what it is, and with the vibes the whole world is probably feeling, it seems only right to finally take a look at it. 

So, from this month to August, I’ll be giving you all some big slices of Grunge reviews. June will be all about Pre-Grunge, July will be devoted to the biggest Grunge colossus of them all, and August will take a brief look at Post-Grunge bands & the albums from the style I think are the best. In between those reviews, I’ll still continue to update & fix older posts, so don’t you worry about that. July is also the month where I head off to Connecticon for the weekend, and I’ll have my review for that as well. So, I’ll see you all on the 15th. Until then, take care!


Pre-Grunge: 
(Will Update Later)

Nirvana:
(Will Update Later)

Post Grunge:
(Will Update Later)

Top 5 Albums Of 2016 (Revised)

Here’s something a little bit unique fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

You might remember from 2016 the top list of albums I had that year. Rather than 5 releases, I put up 10, simply because I had listened to so much music that year it would have been a crime to leave everything off. It’ll be a decade this December since I released that list, but in recent years I’ve been thinking about what I would have done different. Again, my top albums list that year was filled with good music, but in hindsight comes across as exceptionally bloated. So to trim off some fat, I’ve made a revised list of top albums from 2016. Virtually every choice I put here are incredibly predictable, but it’ll be the order that might surprise some of you. So with that said, here’s my revised top 5 albums of 2016. Let’s begin!

5) Septicflesh - Revolution DNA Re-Release (Song)

I stated it back in the original list, but this re-release of Septicflesh’s 1999 album was my least favorite of the re-releases in the mid 2010s. The overall quality was fantastic, and I still stand by that, but what made it disappointing were the bonus tracks. When this came out, it was actually the re-release of the 2005 version of the album: it had everything from the 1999 original, and included 3 bonus tracks, one of which was a version that was already on the album, but with parts that were sung in French rather than the original English. Again, it was certainly disappointing, yet it was nice to see one of the band’s more obscure entries return for newer audiences. The irony was that I had actually bought an original 1999 version earlier in 2016 through sheer dumb luck (Though it did cost me a pretty penny), but I was still thankful that I could get this one. 

4) David Bowie - Blackstar (Song)

I do find it ironic that David Bowie’s swan song was number one on my original list, but is much lower on this revised version. It’s not a bad album by any means: it’s still an incredible experience, and showed that even as he was truly at the razor’s edge of death due to cancer, Ziggy Stardust gave it his all. Sure, it is a bit on the pretentious even a little over a decade since it’s release, yet it remains an incredible piece of art that has stayed within the minds of Bowie’s fans since 2016. It has moved out of my mind for the most part, yet on rare occasions the Blackstar still shines it darkened light on me once in a while. 

3) Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering (Song) 

Korn were continuing their recovery in 2016 with The Serenity Of Suffering. The return of Brian "Head" Welch 3 years prior on The Paradigm Shift gave the band a massive shot of adrenaline to the arm, and it’s still fueling them to this day. The Serenity Of Suffering, despite losing a little bit of heaviness (I genuinely mean a little), still manages to grab you by the throat & throttle you hard, yet moved you at times as well. It’s really funny to listen back almost a decade ago (Officially a decade on the 21st of October of this year) & hear just how well this album has aged, and to continue to feel the unity of the band as well. Definitely an album to listen to if you haven’t already.

2) Devin Townsend - Transcendence (Song) 

It’s insane to me that I didn’t put this at number one on the original 2016 list, or this one. Epicloud may have made my jawdrop back in 2012, but Transcendence blew my mind to the point where I swear it opened my 3rd eye. Every single song is nothing short of beautiful & artistic, whether on the main album, or the B-Side CD that contains some wonderful hidden gems. Devin Townsend, through each & every album he puts out, shows just how creative he was in 2016, and still is today. It does fall a little short when it comes to two of the Japanese bonus tracks (Read here for details), but that doesn’t ruin what is a genuinely phenomenal experience.....yet it just barely missed the number one spot, and for anyone who knows me personally.....you will not be surprised as to what did make it to no. 1.

1) Sabaton - The Last Stand (Song)

Again, none of you should be surprised by this. 

Celebrating it’s decade anniversary on the 19th of August, the Swedes from Falun sing the praises of armies that went through some of the toughest odds in their life. While you can certainly argue that there are many similarities with their prior album Heroes, the difference is subject matter & attempts and musical experimentation definitely sets it apart. It’s a crying shame that this is the album where the criticisms & dislike for the band seemingly began, because this was one of the strongest releases in their career after their split with some of their prior bandmates. An oddity or two in spots for sure, but The Last Stand has made it’s mark, and NOBODY can deny that.

And that was my revised top 5 albums of 2016 list. A more streamline version of what I put out back about a decade ago, the releases I brought back for this one I felt definitely represented that year nicely. Not to say that the other records from 2016 were bad (Because they weren’t), but the ones I put here have just a little more weight to them. And with that, back to some corrections!


***
If you like to take a look at the original list, click on the link below:

Top 10 Albums of 2016

Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne's Diary Of A Madman

Doing something different this Easter fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

In the past, I’ve covered a variety of media that all dealt with faith in some way. From the Christian Hair icons Stryper, to covering the 3rd entry in the God’s Not Dead series last year, it seemed only appropriate to review stuff in that sphere, but 2026 is different. I wanted to look at an album that I got in my basket all the way back in 2017. An album that, if we’re being serious, is perhaps the furthest thing from the rebirth of Jesus as you can get. So, put on your studded Easter bonnet, grab a nice chocolate egg, and take a look at my review for Ozzy Osbourne’s 2nd solo album, Diary Of A Madman. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from part 1 of my Ozzy Osbourne overview:

“With the incredible success of his solo debut, Ozzy Osbourne & the rest of the band were already setting up & getting ready for their next release, and the public wouldn’t have to wait that long. Released on the 7th of November in 1981, there was only a remarkable 3 week recording period from February to March of that same year, so that shows the incredible skill that everybody had. As stated on Wikipedia:

“Although bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge are credited in the liner notes and pictured on the inner sleeve for the American vinyl and cassette release and later CD re-issues, it was bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake who performed all bass and drum parts on the original release. Aldridge has stated of the album, "I think it's pretty obvious that it's not my drumming on that album. I have never taken credit for that recording and have always given Lee Kerslake, whenever asked or interviewed, the credit he rightly deserves.”

Unfortunately, things didn’t completely fly completely straight during then. Also from Wikipedia:

“Daisley provided significant contributions to the album's songwriting, having written some of the music and most of the lyrics. Kerslake claims to have also had a hand in the writing of the album, even performing lead vocals on some of the original demo recordings. "'Flying High Again' was one of my ideas, 'Over the Mountain' was another. The basic (demo) tracks were just Bob's words, my vocals—though some of the words I wrote—and Randy's playing. It was unreal. And then we got Don Airey to come in and do the keyboards", he stated in 2009. Kerslake says he used a piano in the studio to write many of the songs with guitarist Randy Rhoads.  Daisley and Kerslake were not given credit for their performance or songwriting contributions, a situation which resulted in a later lawsuit.

During the album's recording, Kerslake says the band members were given no money to live on, prompting them to approach management. Shortly after, both Kerslake and Daisley were fired. "Everything was working fine," said Kerslake. "It was only when Sharon (Osbourne) came in that we had a problem. When she started managing—taking over—she wasn't the manager until Diary of a Madman. Before that was her brother, David. He didn't really want to handle it. He had too much to do for Don (Arden) in the office. So she came in and it started to get edgy. But we never suspected a thing until we went away on holiday. Next minute, they're rehearsing with Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo, and going to America.”

Diary Of A Madman would go on to be quite a big hit. To date, it has sold 3 million copies worldwide, and it’s reviews are pretty positive! Steve Huey of AllMusic stated "it's not uncommon to find fans who prefer Diary to Blizzard, since it sets an even more mystical, eerie mood, and since Rhoads' playing is progressing to an even higher level". BBC Music referred to Diary Of A Madman as "a classic rock record in every way", "lifted out of the ordinary by the legendary rock axe god, Randy Rhoads". Finally, Canadian journalist Martin Popoff called Diary of a Madman "a lasting classic that stands as the definitive showcase for Randy Rhoads”. It’s ironic that so many reviews were so positive, since reviews from 1981 at first were not. As an example, J. D. Considine of Rolling Stone, opined upon the album's original release that “the songs here are little more than riffs with a vocal line pasted on top" and referred to Rhoads as "a junior-league Eddie Van Halen – bustling with chops but somewhat short on imagination”. The irony of that is the magazine would change it’s stance on the album, ranking it 15th on its 2017 list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".”

Basic Description
Blizzard Of Ozz but better!

Let’s get this out of the way: Blizzard Of Ozz is not bad. Far from it actually! As an album it was incredible, and showed that Ozzy genuinely could hold out on his own as a solo artist alongside other talented musicians. However, it’s lone fault for some lies with it’s age. It is over 4 & a half decades old, and nowadays really shows the wrinkles on it’s face. Diary Of A Madman doesn’t really have that issue: sure, it’s been around for a long time (More on that later), but it’s managed to age the passage of time really well. Not only that, but Diary Of A Madman is an improvement over it’s predecessor, with better vocal work, instrumentation, recording, and production. Can’t go wrong with that!

Best Track
Opening with it’s best foot forward, Over The Mountain is a strong beginning song. We get some drumming for a few moments from Lee Kerslake, only for everyone on instrumentation to come charging in like a thunderstorm right after that. Sure, the beats & rhythms are repetitive for the most part, but the sheer energy of it is nothing short of powerful. Ozzy’s vocals match this as well: his vocal patterns are largely the same throughout the tune’s runtime, but there’s a spot or two where he changes things a little. Coupled with just a little bit of fantasy sewn in, you truly have a perfect opening track!

Over The Mountain

But if I’m being genuinely honest, it’s kinda hard to ignore the title track. Like metal alumni Iron Maiden with their 1992 classic Fear Of The Dark, Ozzy closes the album with an absolute banger. Embodying the lunatic vibes that’s prevalent across most of the record, the song creeps along with it’s instrumentation, punctuated with loud & bombastic moments that feel like they’re out of a horror movie. Ozzy’s vocals are the same way, as they creep along, and then turn up to 11 to heighten the tension. Definitely a tune to creep out your friends & family with!

Diary Of A Madman

Worst Track
Honestly, even with it being 4 & a half decades old this year (It’ll be exactly that old on the 7th of November) there’s nothing wrong. Unlike Blizzard Of Ozz, it doesn’t have the dated vibe to it as much, and every single song on Diary Of A Madman is fantastic!

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Diary Of A Madman

Overall Impression & Rating
Diary Of A Madman took what already made the wonderful Blizzard Of Ozz so good, and turned the knob up a little. From the instrumentation, to the vocals, to pretty much everything else, Ozzy’s 2nd solo outing showed that the Prince Of Darkness can roll with the punches on his own, and create some memorable music. It may be old, but this is one diary that’s worth looking through. 

Diary Of A Madman gets a 10 out of 10.

And that was Diary Of A Madman. An upgrade from a prior album that was already a classic, it builds on those qualities & shows that Ozzy could evolve in even a short amount of time. Even if Blizzard Of Ozz started his solo run strong, then this carries the torch more so. So with that, it’s back to correcting some more posts. See you soon!  

5 Songs Great For St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

That’s right, the day where the saint from Ireland drove out the snakes from the land is celebrated with merriment, strong spirits, and hearty food has come once again. However, one cannot the music of the occasion, and not wanting to deprive any of you who are curious about where a quarter of my heritage comes from, I’ve put together a small list of Irish music that’s sure to get some green pep into your steps. One or two of these you might be familiar with, but I made sure that at least some of these were unfamiliar to a giant majority of you. With that out of the way, here are 5 songs that are great for St. Patrick’s Day. IRISH PRIDE!

1) The High Kings - The Irish Roar (Song)
Starting things off with a pretty recent tune (It will be just a month old on the 19th of this month), this Irish diddy is practically a warcry. The vocal work from all 4 singers is perfectly in tune with each other is exceptional, and the instrumentation hits like a green-tinged brick flying straight at your face. It hits so hard, in fact, that it might be mistaken for metal because of the sheer intensity of it all (The drumwork in particular comes across like Irish thunder). Can’t go wrong with this one!

2) Sinners - Rocky Road to Dublin (Song)
The irony of this track is that it’s actually another song from The High Kings, as they originally performed it in 2008. However, the version that was in Sinners is an incredibly fiercer version, and considering that it was performed by Vampires it shouldn’t be a surprise. The instrumentation like the original is rightfully Folk-based as well as the singing, but there’s a fire that’s very present here that’s not quite in the original, and there’s an anger that you might be able to feel from time to time if you know what you’re looking for. Even with that fire, there’s also a great deal of soul as well, as it just grabs you by the neck & throttles you hard. If there was any reason to watch one of the best movies of 2025, it’s this.

3) Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones - The Foggy Dew (Song) 
The Easter Uprising of 1916. One of the first times that Ireland truly raised their middle finger to their centuries-old oppressors, you know it was a testament to the Irish people that it’s still spoken of to this very day with pride despite it’s failure. Though it was immortalized in many stories & songs, it would be in this tune by Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones that you feel it’s weight. Simultaneously prideful yet mournful, the traditional instrumentation & folk vocal work is incredibly catchy, and really stirs up the emotions. Can’t go wrong with this one! 

4) Stereo Nasty - Black Widow (Song)
It was a crying shame where I found out a few years that these Irish metalheads broke up (Only to reform last year, but I don’t know the details). Ireland is a country that’s just ripe for Heavy Metal to erupt from Ireland’s hills, and only a scant few ever have. Stereo Nasty were a throwback to 80s legends like Judas Priest, Accept, and Iron Maiden, so it seemed appropriate to have something of their 1st album on here. Again, the vibes from the previously mentioned bands are all well and accounted for on Black Widow: the intense instrumentation, the gruff vocal work, and most certainly the attitude. It’s incredibly difficult to track down their two releases physically, but it’s songs like this that might make the adventure worth it.

5) Da Vinci's Notebook - Another Irish Drinking Song (Song)
Had to have one funny Irish song on this list, and this treasure of a tune was a perfect choice. I was introduced to this by a dear friend ages ago, it’s hard to keep a frown on your face as it places. The instrumentation is more lighthearted than anything else on this list, the vocals are upbeat and fun, & the lyrics will either get you to laugh.....or at the very least giggle. Even towards the end when it comes across as serious, there’s a pretty good joke right after it that’s absolutely hysterical! In time such as these it’s good to have a laugh, and so this one was a good choice in my opinion.

And those were 5 songs great for St. Patrick’s Day. 5 tunes that are sure to get you into the spirit of all things green, those of Irish blood will have their hearts pounding during all of these. Hell, even those who don’t have their soul come from the Emerald Isles can still enjoy these all the same! So with that, I’ll be back to fixing up posts from 2015. See you all soon, and be sure to drink responsibly! 


***
True story: I actually assembled this list late last night. If at any point the list seems scattershot, then my apologies.

Top 10 Soul Metal Songs (No. 2)

I think we all need a little soul fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s been a few years since I did my first list is this potential series. Whereas the first time it was seemingly a positive impulse in response to what a friend described about a certain style of metal music, I’m doing it again because things are getting worse & worse. Worse not just here in my home country, but in seemingly so many other parts of the world. Everybody is entitled to good in their life. Everybody is entitled to a little positivity. Everybody is entitled.....to a little soul. So, I’m here to give anyone that reads this a little bit of goodness, and right below are 10 more songs that my friend would describe as Soul Metal. Enjoy!

10) Bathory - Of Doom (Song)
Right away, anyone who’s familiar with one of the originators of Black Metal will laugh at the sight of them on a warm & fuzzy list will laugh immediately, and I would not blame you at all! However, even Quortion & the gang realized that perhaps a single happy song was in order. Playing loud & fast during the entire run time, it sounds like some of the most evil stuff that’s ever been released, but if you look at the lyrics you’ll see that it’s actually kind of heardwarming. Here’s just the 1st part:

“Hold high our banner black, the three flames in red
Brothers and sisters
Hail, proudly raise your heads
Through you we've reached out to just every nation
You kept us alive with your love and dedication
Bathory Hordes is the united force, we are all born of one womb
The mightiest of hordes born through faith and belief
Hail now the sign of the black mark and of doom...”

9) Cannabis Corpse - Dawn Of Weed Possession (Song)
Another song that’s absolutely brutal, this track from weed themed Death Metal icons Cannabis Corpse is hands down one of the funniest things I ever heard. Essentially, the song is about two college students toking up in their van, when a zombie cop (Just go with it) walks right up to their vehicle, pulls both of them out of said van, handcuffs them, kills them both.....and steals their weed. Not much else to say other than go listen to it!

8) Metallica - Escape (Song)
Another song that’ll get more than a few of you to chuckle, this song off of Metallica’s 2nd album certainly deserves some ridicule. For anyone not in the know, not long after the band were done recording Ride The Lightning, the record company came in & basically told them to record 1 last song, and make it a commercially viable song for radio play, and thus we have Escape. Now, I completely understand why the band still to this day doesn’t like it (Then only played it live once back in 2012), as it definitely comes across like something outside of their wheelhouse at the time. However, it’s actually an oddly uplifting track! Yes, it is far more radio friendly than anything else on Ride The Lightning. Yes, it is a little corny. However, at least how I see it, this is where the “You Can’t Tell Me What To Do” vibes in some metal tracks was born. Again, it’s hokey as hell, but there’s something uplifting about Escape that just grabs you. I completely understand why the band doesn’t like it to this day, and why many fans press the skip button when it plays, but there’s something oddly heartwarming about it. Definitely a divisive song, but certainly one of the more unique diamonds in the rough.

7) The Goff Rocker – Ere We Go (Song) 
It is hard not to smile at this one. 

By the time this wonderful Christmas parody came out in 2022, I had been a casual 40k fan for a few months, with a month prior receiving the Warhammer 40K MTG decks as an early holiday gift (Read Here). Hell, even if I wasn’t a fan of 40K, I would still be grinning from ear to ear! A tribute to (In my totally humble opinion.....hehe) the best race in the franchise, it’s a fun little Hard Rock/Heavy Metal song that’s full of hilarity, and even with all of the Dakka flying around in the air, there’s still just a touch of Christmas sprinkled around all of the shrapnel that cris-crosses the battlefield. Ere We Go is a great song to listen to around the holiday season, and it’s a great song to listen to outside the holiday season as well. DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA!!! 

6) Green Jello - Three Little Pigs (Song)
As Bill Manspeaker once said when talking about the music video: “I would have never imagined that this song would have such impact and success.”

To be honest, this song shouldn’t have become as popular as it was in 1993, and still shouldn’t be popular today. The instrumentation is rough. The vocal work from Manspeaker is harsh. Hell, even the claymation music video comes across as amateur, though the recording & production on the CD is oddly good. What makes this metallic version of Three Little Pigs a wonderful piece of Soul Metal is just how nonsensical the lyrics are, and how genuinely funny the premise is. It will make you laugh, groan, snort, and cry at just how genuinely funny it is. It’s definitely not for everybody by any means, but if you need something absolutely absurd to combat how awful life is, then Three Little Pigs is for you!

5) Bloodywood - Ari Ari (Song) 
When I did my first list a few years ago, I had these metal masters from India at my number one with Jee Veeray, and for good reasons. It dealt with a genuinely real issue that many people go through all over the world, it was powerful, and it was incredibly well made. While I felt that putting them at no. 1 for a second time would be too easy, I definitely believe that they deserved to be on a list again! A cover of a cover by the Bombay Rockers, Ari Ari is a potent mixture of traditional Indian instrumentation, and heavy instrumentation. Jayant Bhadula’s growls are visceral & brutal, while Raoul Kerr has more rhythm and flow due to his rapping vocal work. It’s really something special to hear, so do yourself a favor & give it a listen to!

4) Ghost - Peacefield (Song)
If you were to tell me prior to 2025 that Ghost, a spiritual successor to Shock Rock legend Alice Cooper, would release a shockingly happy song, I would have laughed that off. However, fate is a funny thing sometimes, and on their most recent release, Peacefield is that happy song! Sure, there are still some sinister tones here & there, but it’s surprising that Tobias Forge & the rest of the Nameless Ghouls gave a song some equally wholesome vibes as well. There’s a feeling of hope throughout it’s runtime: even if you were defeated somehow, that hope could potentially spread if it moved somewhere else, and that hope could take down the most wicked of people with ease. From the instrumentation to the vocal work, there’s this light you can’t quite describe, yet you know that light warms your soul in so many ways. It’s such a contrast to what Ghost normally does that it stands out perfectly, and Peacefield is a tune I never skip.

3) Freedom Call - Metal Is For Everyone (Song)
Sometimes in life, we all need a little cheese to get through the day.

I had never heard of Freedom Call when I first discovered them in 2019 (I think it was that year), but upon listening to this tune that’s been out for almost a decade at this point, it’s a safe bet to say that my blood turned into Velvetta. Power Metal by it’s very nature is hokey, goofy, silly, and exceptionally heartwarming, and Metal Is For Everyone is all of that combined. Every single second just fills you with positivity and happiness, and the message of Heavy Metal being for everybody on this planet is incredibly comforting. With so many pricks online acting a gatekeepers of what they consider to be the “True Metal” (*Cough* Probably Right-Wing Hacks *Cough), it’s nice to hear a band say that it doesn’t matter what race your are, what gender you are, what your orientation is, what religion you do or don’t belong to.....HEAVY METAL IS FOR EVERYONE!!!!

2) Van Halen - Jump (Song)
Okay. Gotta address a little bit of controversy: 

Though not a song about suicide, the lyrics were inspired about something suicidal. According to David Lee Roth, he was watching TV one day, and saw a person threatening to kill themselves by jumping off of a bridge, and he thought that someone in the crowd of onlookers was thinking “Go ahead and jump”. Another version of the story (That’s harder to verify) involves Eddie Van Halen receive a letter from a female fan, and the fan in question was incredibly obsessed with him & wanted to marry him. Apparently, Eddie said to someone that was with him when he read the letter that she “Might as well jump”. Definitely dark if it’s true.

But again, this song isn’t about suicide. It’s actually about jumping on the opportunity to hook up with someone (Sexually or not), and it has some pretty positive wording in it’s lyrics. Here’s a little bit: 

“Hey!

I get up
And nothing gets me down
You got it tough
I've seen the toughest around

And I know
Baby, just how you feel
You've got to roll with the punches
To get to what's real”

Yet, this song’s positive can be used for so much more than that. Any opportunity to take a chance on something? Jump can be used for that. A chance to meet a new friend? Jump can be used for that. Getting inspired to do something adventurous? Jump can be used for that! There’s a multitude of things that Jump’s boundless positivity can be directed towards, and you’d be a fool not to!

1) Ministry - Everyday Is Halloween (Song)
Throwing a curveball at you with this one!

If any of you are familiar with the original version of the song, you’ll know that it’s the farthest thing from being Metal. Cut to 2025, and Uncle Al decided it should come back on The Squirrely Years, & while it’s still not metal, it’s far more in that realm than the original. As music writer Dave Thompson described it, it was “adopted as the anthem of America's disenfranchised Gothic community”, who were mocked for how they dressed, and it perfectly fits that community with ease. However, I’d present the argument that it’s a little more than that. I’d present the argument that Everyday Is Halloween is a song about being yourself. Screw the haters who criticize & mock you! You are you, and nobody is EVER going to take that away from you! As a way to close out the band’s career, this song was a great way to help with that!

And those were 10 more Soul Metal songs. As our world gets darker & darker, it’s more important than ever to find something that keeps the mind afloat. It’s more important than ever to keep our souls alight, just so we can keep going. And with that, I’ll start fixing up posts from 2015 a few days into March. See you soon!




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If you didn’t see the first list, click on the link below:

Top 10 Soul Metal Songs (aka Feel Good Metal)

Convention Review: Katsucon 2026

That’s a wrap Katsucon 2026!

I was looking forward to this year’s explosion of all things cosplay, anime, and partying quite a bit, and I came out of it mentally refreshed! To be honest, I think this year’s con was about as close to perfect as it could get for not just me, but I think for a lot of you as well. Is this the first time that I don’t criticize the convention, and give it a perfect review? Well, read my review for Katsucon 2026, and see for yourself!

Good Points
As usual, the Gaylord is a perfect venue for Katsucon. An absolutely sprawling hotel that has continued to blow my mind since 2020 when I first started going. Granted, the decision to move from physical money to card is it’s only fault to this day (I’ll talk about that a little later), everything else is still great. All of the food is still delicious, you got multiple stores & kiosks with a variety of goods & services, the rooms are always spacious no matter what kind you’ll get, all of the spaces in the atrium are just perfect for pictures & photoshoots, and the hotel staff & security are super helpful despite some of us con-goers being a little out of our minds. I genuinely can’t think of any other venue that could contain the insanity that is Katsucon, so good on you Gaylord for keeping us around!

The Cosplay continues to blow my mind each & every single year. From absolutely elaborate outfits, to more humble designs, it’s amazing at just how much variety you can find here on every day. Everybody gives it their all, and if there is any kind of elitism at all, you never see it or never hear it. Not only that, but there’s a big vibe of respect I feel when two different skill level of cosplayers come together. There’s no apparent arguments or snide comments, as the two just seemingly get along. Here’s just a hint of the photos I took!

The Dealer’s Room & Artist Alley is still a great money drain Katsucon provides. In particular was where the artists were, as their space was greatly expanded to have a wider area (Probably in case a pipe decided to burst). Regardless of that, both spots had so much to offer con goers. From Otaku Joe’s and Tea & Absinthe, to the variety of artists with an equal selection of art prints and t-shirts, it’s insane to see everything on each table in both sections. I came home with a great amount of stuff, and still have money to deposit in the bank! WIN WIN!

Panels & Events are always something special to witness during the convention, and I don’t know what kind of energy was pumped into the con’s veins, but all of the panels I went into were packed & the attendees were paying a lot of attention. I admit there were times where I looked at my phone a little too much, but outside of those times my eyes were glued to each & every presenter. My two particularly favorite things to see was the analysis of Korean Culture through Kpop Demon Hunters, and the incredibly fun Drag Show that was late Saturday night, where all of the Drag Kings & Drag Queens put on a hell of an event. There was one last year, but for whatever reason I didn’t go see, but apparently it set a good precedent, and it might be a possible permanent fixture from here on out!

The Drive down to Katsucon, kinda like in 2025, was nice! Though the ride took a little longer than expected for me & the group I was with, going down took a little over 6 hours, which included 3 stops (1 of which included getting gas) & a little bit of traffic when we got closer. It’s such a drastic change from when I first came down from Upstate New York in 2020, which took about 9 to 9 & a half hours. Such a big improvement!

Pre-Reg Line, like last year, was fantastic. I’ll repeat it again in a moment, but the convention moved it over to the ballroom, and while it’s a more compact, everything still moved smoothly! All of the staff I ran into while I was in there were nice, friendly, patient, and helpful. Hell, all of the con staff I came across were fantastic!

Okay Points
Honestly, I don’t have much to say here. About the only things I can put here are the change in registration area to the ballroom , and the scanning of the badges. In the case of the former, I can kinda see why. With the giant leek from last year, it made sense to have the artist’s alley larger incase it happened again, and fortunately it didn’t. As for the badge scanning, I kinda get that too. The convention doesn’t want someone with a fake badge to come in & do lord knows what, and the system they implemented was actually kinda cool! That being said, there were way too many staffers & security scanning the badge, and again I understand why, but it was insane to see how much it was going on.

Bad Points
Kinda like above, I don’t really have much to say here. This year’s Katsucon was so good, I really didn’t have anything bad to say. My only personal issue I had, and this will sound weird, was the fact I had absolutely horrible sleep in my hotel room! I don’t know if the hotel changed the mattresses & pillows from last year, but I had a hard time sleeping for pretty much the whole weekend, save for a little bit going into Sunday from Saturday. If anyone else had the same issue as I had, please let me know.

Now, one thing I will bitch about is all of the shitting going on this year. I don’t care if it was a dude doing it, or a chick, I don’t care! There’s a reason there are bathrooms all over the convention center & hotel for a damn reason. Don’t shit in the Gazeebo, or any of the bushes, or on the damn floor, and ruin people’s fucking time! THANK YOU! 

Actually, there is something else to bitch about, and that’s the damn card machine on the fritz! Going on since 2024, the Gaylord’s shift to card cash only bugs me, and that was especially true for me this year. Everytime I tried to get a card, the damn thing didn’t work. Sure, I had my credit/debit card with me, but I didn’t really want to use it! Friday it didn’t work, Saturday it didn’t work, and on Sunday it was broke! Leave a comment if you think the hotel should go back to cash!

Final Thoughts & Rating
Katsucon 2026 hits the ball out of the park! Some small blemishes for sure, but holy hell did this one feel special. Kinda like when I was talking about during the panels & events portion of the review, there must have been some kind of spark shoved into the convention’s engine, and given new life that just blossomed everywhere. A bunch of the panelists noticed this, and I think a horde of the convention goers saw this also. If this spark can stay lit for the next few years, then I got a feeling that Katsucon will never be forgotten!

Katsucon 2026 gets a 9.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for Katsucon 2026. Damn good in practically every way, it’s a testament to the legacy of being just over 3 decades old that people still remember how great it is. Small dents not withstanding, I will continue to come to the wildest con of the East Coast until I am unable to. So, I’ll get 1 more post out before February ends, and then it’s time to start working on fixing up posts from 2015!




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If you’d like to read my review of last year’s Katsucon, click on the link below:

Katsucon 2025

Also, if anyone can get me in contact with the host of the Drag Show, I would greatly appreciate it!