The Robots - In The Sign Of The Octopus

The freemasons should start dancing to this song as probably this is the catchiest song written about them and other organizations like them. The catchy hooks in the chorus, the 1950s influenced guitar solo and a rock and roll singer who seems to be out of breath, the essence of modern catchy music is captured in this track. Scandinavia just needs to share some of their rock and roll talent to me. PLEASE.

Glorior Belli "They Call Me Black Devil"

Rock music came in full circle in this track. When blues and rock started, it came from the deep American South. They were the soundtrack to the hard life African-Americans were subjected to and renegading through rock was in their core. Their dark blues sounds then get adopted by British heavy metal bands, utilizing the heavy, hair standing devil's note, or tritone with the imagery of occult or horror movies. Heavy then evolved into it's darker forms, some add speed, some get influenced by punk. British Metalheads, Venom, released a heavy metal album that became the seeds for Black Metal, a genre named after their album. The name then became a phrase to describe bands that played heavy tremolo riffing and well known for it's "necro" production. However Black Metal didn't stop in those cold, grim Northern Scandinavian forest. In the 90s, it evolved and spread to various scenes, each putting their own flavor. Glorior Belli was one of them. While they started at the core roots of Black Metal that has detached itself from rock music's original roots, Glorior Belli relished the art form from the south. Starting from their album Meet Us At The Southern Cross, they employed blues and groove back into their brand of Black Metal. While American metal subgenres, like Groove Metal, Sludge Metal or the catch all term, Southern Metal employs this southern evil, it's rare to see  Black Metal band, so often associated with frostbitten terror to employ this sound. This is metal going back to it's roots. Primal, angry and crushing.

Alcest - Les Iris

There’s something about the French I admire. They can pull off the most soothing sounds ever with a dark calming voice without the risk of being stabbed by me for being too whiny. Do that in other places in the world (well, except Canada but then again, they want to be French), you’ll get awkward stares from me. Heck, even the album cover looks as if it belongs in the self-help section for audio books. Employing elements of post rock, shoe-gazing and a dash of black metal tremolos, this is probably the closest to what I can describe to a hipster, the Edward Sharpe of Black Metal influenced music (notice I said influenced). At times they blast, at times the singer comes into a drone like feel, with the echo effects on, but in a positive calming way. Perhaps you can give this to your hipster friends who somehow know how to use their brains like a 16 year old on MTV does with her legs; OPEN.

Diablo Swing Orchestra — Voodoo Mon Amour

The name of the band describes the band aptly. It does sound diabolic with its heavy metal guitar, swing music that sounds as if Lucifer just joined the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The deep operatic female vocals sound as if a lady in a bright corset is carrying a parasol but is hiding a nine inch blade in her stockings, but just awaits the Haitian voodoo doctor do his job instead. Prepare for hard crunchy guitars, topped with the most over the top swing brass that is so deliciously evil. Also, did I mention this band is from Sweden instead of New Orleans?

Down - Stone the Crow

"A bout of deep depression..."

What a fucking powerful intro..

My first encounter with Phil Anselmo was with Pantera. I found an article about them in a 1998 issue of Guitar World that I picked up from a dodgy second hand bookstore. (It was a front for an illegal business according to rumours.) I did my research on them and I’m so glad I found Down. The rough barks and stoner guitars became my introduction to the NOLA sound. Until today, this track shaped my mind on how my first trip to New Orleans may turn out to be; filled with smoke, a bunch of guys who could very well be hanging out with Hank Williams if born earlier and Southern snarls over guitars. This track very well paints that picture, with its soft verses on southern mode, to loud guitars in full distortion. God bless New Orleans.

The Hellacopters Feat. Blag Dahlia- Ain't Nothing To Do

“Pure suburban angst” that is what this song represents. If you’re stuck in a horrible, stinky suburb with nowhere to go and no hope, you resort to thinking of thrashing, moshing or skateboarding your way out of the area. What more to represent this track with one of the most talented garage rock and roll band fronted by a hardcore punk singer that barks his way through. That frustration of nothingness just gets pent up and explodes one day. The riffs and the punk chords ooze with energy. Now excuse me while I mosh in my room.

The Distillers - Seneca Falls

This song represents freedom in my teenage years. The 1^st time I heard this song, I was 12, playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The adrenaline rush you had when this game is playing just feels the energy you get, busting out of the confines from the grip of your parents. Your first taste of energy, when puberty hitting you. Now every time when I think of me picking my old Black Brigade deck, I think of this song playing in the background. It’s the 1^st time I felt the idea of being free from what society tells me what to do. I can push my board everywhere I go and I make the rules along as I go. That is what punk rock stands for. Making your own rules, rather than conforming to what you hate. Take what you like, create the rest. This song embodies that exact spirit.