January is a particularly strange month for many reasons. In the music industry the wheels begin turning again after about a month of ‘best of’ lists and compilation releases, the New Year always marks ‘new beginnings’ and I celebrate a birthday. This year I cross over the four decade mark, while still trying to act like I am only one decade old. I am celebrating by heading out on my first trip on the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise ship, I got lucky that my other job at MetalSucks.net as the host of the weekly podcast is sending me as a ‘correspondent,’ but I will be utilizing my first cruise as a celebration of my b-day at the same time! I have wanted to go since its inception and this year some of my favorite bands are on the trip too, so I figured I would give you a preview (since I probably won’t remember much) of the 40 bands that will be shredding the high seas at the end of the month. Also, John is now having us pick a “song of the month” to go with our mixes, so there’s that, too.

SONG OF THE MONTH:

My pick this month comes from an amazing group who have been making waves in metal since 1993. Sean Reinert and Paul Masvidal of the band Cynic create stunning soundscapes and creative juxtoposition between metal and soaring vocals in the early years, to much easier but no less complicated structures on their latest album.

JANUARY MIX:

:Carcass – Noncompliance to ASTM F899-12 Standard:

:The Haunted – 99:

:Soilwork – Spectrum Of Eternity:

:Dark Tranquillity – The Science Of Noise:

:SepticFlesh – The Ophidian Wheel:

:Death Angel – Kill As One:

:Satyricon – Phoenix:

:DRI – Tear It Down:

:Overkill – Electric Rattlesnake:

:Leaves Eyes – Elegy:

:Obituary – Chopped In Half: