METAL RULES

Various Artists
MTV2 - Headbanger`s Ball: The Revenge

July 2006
Released: 2006, Roadrunner Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Lord of the Wasteland

Like or not, MTV’s resurrection of The Headbanger’s Ball a few years ago helped get metal and heavy music back into people’s heads and ears after suffering through several years of boy-/girl-bands and hip-hop. Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta knows his metal and is passionate about delivering it to starving metalheads in need of their fix every week. Granted, what is considered “metal” has become a slippery slope as metalcore, nu-metal, death metal, goth metal, power metal, etc. have all come together under one umbrella but at least its readily available to those looking for a fix.

Capitalizing on the multi-platinum success of the previous entries in its HEADBANGER’S BALL compilations, Roadrunner Records has assembled over 2 ½ hours of the latest music from bands making the grade on MTV’s airwaves. With a whopping 38 songs spread over two CDs, just about every genre is covered including the ubiquitous metalcore (Trivium, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, God Forbid), melodic death (Arch Enemy, In Flames), nu-metal dinosaurs (Korn, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Slipknot), emo-core whiners (H.I.M., Bullet For My Valentine), hardcore (Throwdown, Hatebreed, Walls of Jericho) and even the too-edgy-for-Middle-American-youth death metal (Behemoth). Because of the breadth of the music found here, there is something for everyone but at the same time, plenty of said material will repel as many consumers as it will bring in (Behemoth and Korn…on the same CD?!? Perish the thought.). In an attempt to sweeten the deal, there are alternate and live versions of several familiar tracks but it’s safe to say that if you own less than half the albums featured on MTV2 – HEADBANGER’S BALL: THE REVENGE, it’s probably worth taking the plunge. This is also a great starting point for the young ‘uns who are just shedding the constraints of their parents and are looking for a sampling of worthy bands to check out. Not every one here is a keeper (for every High On Fire and Mastodon, you get bands like Underoath, Norma Jean and It Dies Today who have no business coercing today’s youth into thinking they are either “metal” or “good”), but in the big picture, Roadrunner/MTV’s target demographic will find plenty to enjoy here.

Track Listing

DISC #1
1. Slipknot - Before I Forget
2. Korn - Liar
3. Soulfly – Carved Inside
4. Hatebreed - To The Threshold
5. Mudvayne - Forget To Remember
6. Avenged Sevenfold - Burn It Down
7. HIM - Vampire Heart
8. Trivium - A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation
9. Lamb of God - Now You’ve Got Something To Die For (Live)
10. 10 Years - Wasteland
11. Disturbed - Guarded
12. As I Lay Dying - Through Struggle
13. Lacuna Coil - Our Truth
14. Underoath - It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
15. Mastodon - Blood & Thunder
16. Killswitch Engage - A Bid Farewell (Live)
17. Black Label Society - In This River
18. Bleeding Through - Kill To Believe
19. In Flames - Take This Life

DISC #2
1. Chimaira - Nothing Remains
2. Bullet For My Valentine - Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)
3. Arch Enemy - Nemesis
4. It Dies Today - Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads
5. Opeth - The Grand Conjuration
6. Norma Jean - Liarsenic
7. DevilDriver - Hold Back The Day
8. Still Remains - The Worst Is Yet To Come
9. God Forbid - The End of The World
10. Throwdown - Burn
11. From First To Last - The Latest Plague
12. 36 Crazyfists - I’ll Go Until My Heart Stops
13. Behemoth – Slaves Shall Serve
14. A Life Once Lost - Vulture
15. High On Fire - Devilution
16. Bloodsimple - Sell Me Out
17. Haste The Day - When Everything Falls
18. Walls of Jericho - A Trigger Full of Promises
19. Kingdom of Sorrow - Buried In Black (Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, Kirk Windstein of Crowbar/Down & Derek Kerswill of Seemless)