I have to admit: I never cared much for Satyricon until now, despite having seen them live on their last tour. I have nothing against them. They put on a great live show, even if you’re not a fan. But, previous albums like Volcano and Rebel Extravaganza just didn’t do it for me. I could tell they were talented, but it seemed like a Frank Zappa kind of talent: nice for someone else, but not for me.

Dark Medieval Times, their first full-length album is basically unlistenable, in my opinion. Even now, it sounds like someone dropping bricks in a wind-tunnel.

But, this new album is surprisingly very good. I have become a Satyricon fan. Now, Diabolical, their 6th full-length release, is almost melodic. Not in a lame, emo-metal way, mind you. In a good, Black Metal-Meets-Melodic Death Metal sort of way. Numerous listens and re-listens over the past 48 hours have convinced me that I was overlooking a lot in the past.

The prog-metal elements that they are sometimes credited with are definitely present on the new album. No one would classify them in the Meshuggah strain of prog-metal, but they do make an effort to re-define the boudaries of what Metal can sound like. Even if it’s not necessarily progressive, the presence of a tuba on more than one track (The Darkness Shall Be Eternal and To The Mountains) is certainly not expected. Yet, Satyricon pulls it off. Somehow, brass instruments work. They add a certain grimness to the tracks and it doesn't weaken the message. Nonetheless, while unusual instruments (well, keyboards, anyway) are often present in Black Metal, I believe this is the first time I’ve heard an actual tuba.

Perhaps this new listenability is a response to their growing fame outside of Norway. Though they have not always gotten the respect they deserve for lasting as long as they have in a traditionally unprosperous vein of Metal, they were recently invited to join the Ozzfest Tour this summer (2006). Though Satyr has commented that they may turn the offer down, the invitation alone is a tip of the hat to his and Frost’s relentless vision for the band.

They have also lately been given national awards for their music and its influence within Norway. They won the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy for their last album, Volcano, released in 2002. They've even played on live television for national audiences, which begs the question: what is it about Scandinavians that they don’t mobilize into a Holy Rage when someone in corpse paint is invited to play live on National Television? Something tells me that many other parts of he world would.

Unlike their early albums, there are none of the usual 1990’s Death/Black Metal Production issues on Now, Diabolical. No hissy guitars, no overly heavy drums, no vocals so quiet you can’t hear them no matter how high you turn the volume. Computers and Pro-Tunes have done wonders for this genre, and it alows the musicians to bring out the true art and precision that goes into a serious Black Metal album. Luckily, these days a low budget does not mean weak album production.

Songs such as the title track Now, Diabolical, K.I.N.G. and To The Mountains are a good indication of the depth of the album. They will please past fans, but this album is sure to garner a few new recruits. Though there is a feeling that this album has been crafted to do just that – appeal to a wider audience – this is not a bad thing. Elitist Black Metal fans aside, this is what any style of music needs. And besides, creating interest in Black Metal could definitely be left to a worse group of musicians.

For a metal band, Atreyu is wildly popular. They have this month’s cover of Revolver, a magazine, to be fair, that actually gives a broad view of the metal scene. Their newest release, A Death-Grip on Yesterday, debuted on Billboard at number 9, showing a definite shift in the musical tastes of American teenagers from Rap to Metal.

In a way that seems like a good thing.

The only problem, is that this kind of metal, while fun to see live, is fairly toothless. They almost deliver a killer riff, and then they go the other direction, turning on the Catchy-Tune Machine. Nonetheless, Atreyu are a good band. Of that there is no question. Or, anyway, they can write solid songs. Emo-Core songs, though. And that’s the problem.

Call me rigid-thinking, uncreative, curmudgeonly (seriously, you’d call me ‘curmudgeonly’? – who do you think you are?), but metal should only cover the following sacred subjects: wizards, elves, Vikings, Satan regrouping his forces, anti-establishment politics and re-telling stories about soldiers who have lost their arms and legs in WWI. There is not much room for moody tunes about love, loss and rejection. That’s why we have Boy Bands.

Oh, wait. Hawthorne Heights……ahh, crap.

Admittedly, metal is a strange beast, given to being completely ridiculous on the level of Professional Wrestling/Gwar, while on the other being deadly serious. But, not in an overly emotional way. Or, tenderly emotional way. Or, a healthy emotional way.

Metal is not about being Healthy!

See what I mean? It’s hard to exactly say. All I know is, romantic loss and hum-able tunes usually crash and burn in the world of metal. Despite the marketing machine behind bands like Hawthorne Heights, despite getting them in metal mags and on tours with other, actual, real-live metal bands, they are still Poison with modern equipment. They are Warrant for kids too young to remember Warrant.

Atreyu does not cover any accepted metal topics, unfortunately. They tackle the more thoroughly trodden ground of the suburban teenager; to be exact, that one at the mall who works in the record store, with the long, dyed-black floppy hair, laughing at everyone who buys all that Top 40 crap.

Well…except for bands like Atreyu, that is.

That isn’t to say A Death-Grip on Yesterday is not good. It is good. It’s fun to listen to. Well, kind of. Or, at least, it’s survivable.

I just don’t think this could hold out for very long. This is not a repeated-listen kind of an album. For instance, track 4: The Theft. This song actually starts off with a radio-friendly, Guns n’ Roses, November Rain-ish style intro before breaking into what accounts for Mall-Punk in 2006. Mall Punk and G n’ R. That’s not a great combo.

Kids will like this, but it is a dead-end as far as metal goes. It is not even metal, really, but it will be called that until it becomes normal for screaming and shouting to be played on your local Top 40 rock station. Metal is not designed to be Top 40, so, as Hardcore/Emo-Core goes, Atreyu are sure to be hated by many, since they will be played played regularily by whichever despot owns the radio dial for the masses at your local community college/institute for higher education.

I honestly feel bad for them. As soon as their target audience gets 2 or 3 years older, they will turn on this band and suck them dry like the vampires all fans of that age are. You were/are there: you know what I mean.

Sadly, for Atreyu, their career will not be a Never-Ending Story.