Real metal, as all those that care already know, never went away. It was always though, underground, as the alternative musical scene evolved through grunge and nu-metal and emo and garage rock. And now it is back and enjoying one of its most creative periods. Nu-metal is all but dead; the genre has nothing else to offer. Very few bands made good nu-metal, and they are trying to distance themselves from the tag.

And as music fans, we want bands that aren't an image, but bands that push and expand the limits of music, that don't fit into a formula. Bands like Chimaira, and Shadows Fall, bands like the Haunted and Lamb of God, are the bands that bring unheard of intensity and brutality to heavy music. Bands like Dillinger Escape Plan and Cult of Luna, who create music that challenges what we consider to be songs. Bands like Posion the Well who take a genre so watered down as hardcore punk and tell us how it should be done. And bands like Killswitch Engage.

Yeah, I was listening to "Alive or Just Breathing" on the way to and from work, and it is, as Roadrunner wanted us to believe all along, a masterpiece. They wanted us to believe that this was the death knell of fake metal. And if its not, then it should be. Blending hardcore and metal in equally brutal slabs, the band breath new life into two genres at once. The riffs are hard and fast, but without shedding an bit of melody, the vocals soar and growl and drive the songs along, in short, the album is a instant classic, a metal essential. I could have it playing all the time, and never get bored off a single song. I can't wait for the follow-up.

Loving the Wrestling Channel. Free lucha-libre on my TV is wonderful. If only I could be paid to watch it instead of being paid to hang up clothes, that the world would be that much greater.

Speak soon,

PS no AC Wrestlemania recap yet. How lame.