Open your ears to these three...

After a month and a half the manehead has returned! I'm sure all two readers of this blog have missed it. But the blog hath risen and will once again feed you with the best and most vital musical information. I thought I'd show you some artists you might not have heard of that I think need to be listened to.

Mithras
Late last year I attended the Damnation Festival in Leeds. Apart from the subterranean insaneness of Electric Wizard, who's stature and prowess speak for themselves, there wasn't much to get excited about. Apart from a band called Mithras. I'm not one for hyperbole, but listening to that devestatingly twisted sonic attack for the first time reminded me of the first time I heard Morbid Angel. It seriously was that good. The band is fronted by the erudite Leon Macy, who plays not only all the guitars on the studio albums, but the ultra-technical drums as well - a pretty admirable achievement (in addition to being the managing director of extreme metal mag Zero Tolerence!). Far from being one of the myriad of Azagthoth-worshipping death metal clones that are all too apparent at the moment, Mithras build upon the work of their forefathers and add their own twist to proceedings. The two latest albums, "Worlds Beyond the Veil" (2003) and "Behind the Shadows Lie Madness" (2007) showcase copious amounts of technical but tasteful riffing, ethereal instrumental passages, and vocals delivered with a Glen Benton level of conviction. Imagine a Nile who don't have a fixation on Egyptian and Lovecraftian matters, and with a little more breathing space, and you're not that far off the mark.
Check out a divine example of their music - live in Edinburgh 2009 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhT6Yki9PeM&feature=related
I'm hoping to catch them and another criminally underrated British band, Taint, at Barroselas Metalfest in Portugal in late April. Needless to say I'm warming up my neck muscles already...

Terry Reid
During a conversation about Neil Young and Jethro Tull a mate recommended that I listen to a bloke called Terry Reid. Upon checking out his album "Seed Of Memory" (1973), I was instantly taken with his soulful voice and gorgeous vocal and guitar harmonies. The title track is probably the best song that I've had the pleasure of hearing this year - and it goes to show that a simple acoustic three chord song can still have a resounding powerful effect, no matter how many times you've already heard those chords. Jimmy Page was so enamoured by Reid's earlier work that he asked him to front his embryonic musical project in the mid-60's. Reid declined, but recommended some guy called Robert Plant to Page. Whatever happened there eh?

Saniteria
Since April last year I've had a deep and obsessive fixation with whatever musical endevours Dax Riggs (Acid Bath, Agents of Oblivion, Deadboy and the Elephantmen) has ever been involved in. This led me to scouring through his website (http://www.skeletalcircus.com/) and coming across a fellow Louisiana act, Saniteria. Apparently consisting of two ex-mental patients, and a few other social pariahs, the band have a beautiful southern rock feel to their tunes without being cheesy or boring. I totally recommend them and anything found on the above website, for that matter. Here's their myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/santeria777

There you go for now, hopefully the next installment will be sooner in coming...
Jack