Tis the Season to Support Your Favorite Musicians by Purchasing Their Merch!

Alright, I'm busted. This is not a concert recap - it's a metal/hard rock shopping guide. This list is, however, based off of my concert experiences over the last year. If you're planning on buying Christmas gifts, support your favorite musicians in the process. They probably need to buy presents, too. These are my top 10 gift suggestions for hard rock or metal fans.

1. Gypsyhawk - Revelry and Resilience
This is a solid rock album, suitable for heavy metalers and non-heavy metalers alike. I vote it best album of 2012.

2. Gypsyhawk - Patience and Perseverance
Yes, Gypsyhawk gets to be on the list twice. This is their first album. Same band, different feel. I LOVE this album. You could probably give this to anyone and they'd thank you for changing their lives for the better.

3. Scorpion Child - Self Titled
This is a hard rock album with just a touch of psychedelia. Suitable for fans of Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Rainbow. Also, it's got AMAZING production quality. This album is a real gem.

4. Dreaming Dead - Midnightmares
This technical death metal album will render your puny human existence to a pile of cold ash. Buy it for someone you love - or hate.

5. Wanna buy something different than CD's or music downloads? Give the gift of Enslaved concert tickets for their February 8th show at The Troubador.

6. Havok - Time is Up
This thrash metal album will knock the wind out you! Seriously, it's so awesomely violent you might need to include a first aid kit with it!

7. Isolation in Infamy - Self Titled EP

Another brutal technical death metal album that will melt your face and ears off. Give it to your best friend or your grandma. Not sure if it's available on itunes so hit up the band on facebook or at their next show.


8.  Kreator - Phantom Antichist 
Wow, you mean a thrash metal band that's been around since the 80's recently put out a GOOD album?? Yes, I do. Not all bands act like Metallica. Some continue to make good music. Go buy this album.

9.  Accept - Stalingrad
The perfect gift for any Accept fans who've been hiding under a rock for the last year! It's a heavy album with a classic 80's Accept feel - even though it came out in 2012. Also suitable for AC/DC, Judas Priest, and German metal fans.


10. Vegan Black Metal Chef DVD 
You get 10 episodes of instructional cooking videos with original black metal soundtracks. Why the hell not? (Gauntlets not included.)

Accept, Kreator at The Avalon on 9/26

German metal invaded Hollywood and blew the top off of The Avalon last Wednesday!

I had never seen Accept before and I'm not very familiar with the material they've put out in the post-Udo years so I wasn't sure what to expect. Oh man, it was so awesome! These guys had such camaraderie on stage - you could tell they really love performing and they've been doing it for a long time. The crowd was stoked and gave back tons of good energy to the band. I was thrilled when they played Losers and Winners and Fast as a Shark, and I really enjoyed the songs they played off of their new album, Stalingrad. I was standing right behind the sound booth so I could hear them really well. The sound was killer - that's a concert experience I rarely have. After their set the band was walking around and talking to fans, even hanging out at the merch booth for a bit. What an awesome bunch of dudes!

The night got even better when Kreator took to the stage and began to lay waste to everyone's ear drums with some blood thirsty, relentless thrash metal! Same as the Accept set, I really enjoyed the songs they played off of their newest album, Phantom Anti-Christ, and I totally rocked out to Pleasure to Kill and Raise the Flag of Hate.  The only thing I did not enjoy was the lack-luster crowd enthusiasm. Seriously, these guys came all the way from Germany, played an awesome show, and then no one was able to muster more than a golf-clap? Lame. Anyway, if you've never heard Kreator before, you should check them out. You'll definitely like them if you're a Slayer fan. They have a similar angry guitar tone and they're super fast shredders. A lot of their brutal sound also comes from their amazing drummer, Jurgen "Ventor" Reil, who knows exactly how to compose and execute a pounding thrash metal drum fill.

https://www.facebook.com/KreatorOfficial?fref=ts

The next event on my concert calendar is Gypsyhawk at The Viper Room on Oct. 5th.