Every once in a while, we offer the chance for fans to discover new talent in the metal community.  This time around, the band Thousand Year Rain is the featured artist.  We hope you enjoy the music, and the introduction to the band!  AM

Thousand Year Rain's Witchery and Bloodshed - song by song desciption.
By Thomas Sankt of Thousand Year Rain

When music is written with careful purpose, the meaning won’t be obvious; it will just be absorbed. That’s what transforms chords into moods. But when music is written with visceral abandon, the meaning can’t be denied. That’s what turns anthems into lifestyles.

For me that anthem was (and is) Slayer’s “Raining Blood.” There’s just no way to argue its homicidal magnetism. When Tom Araya barks, “Now I shall reign in blood!” you actually believe him. You’re not quite sure how he’s going to do it, but you know it won’t be pretty.

Pound for pound, no one else has been able to channel that kind of savagery with the same degree of blunt force. Which is what makes the precedent of Reign in Blood so significant. In the 70’s, Black Sabbath brought a sludgy horror-laden groove to the disaffected. In the 80’s, Slayer sped it up, fed it some Anadrol, and made it angry — really, really angry. And the only band that’s even come close since then is Lamb of God. Though just between you and me, Slayer is still way heavier \m/. Unless, of course, Randy Blythe is reading this right now; in which case, Resolution is a goddamn masterpiece!

That said, rage isn’t the only thing that inspires sweaty little outcasts to pick up Flying V’s. Sadness can be equally powerful, and the beauty is that it’s far more confessional — sometimes disturbingly so. Alice in Chains captured it brilliantly in the 90’s, and given what became of Layne Staley, it’s clear they weren’t faking.

So that’s where my second album, Witchery and Bloodshed, ultimately falls — someplace between Reign in Blood and Jar of Flies. Does it sound exactly like them? No. But that’s because I draw on influences, not formulas. And besides, it would probably make for one hell of a weird mishmash. Slayer in Chains doesn’t really roll off the tongue very nicely.

Or does it?

Either way, the following song-by-song breakdown gives a glimpse into the making of Witchery and Bloodshed. The actual stories behind the riffs and/or lyrics might take too long because I’d have to dial up the social lepers I call friends and ask them to remind me what I was thinking between gut-churning swigs of Boone’s Farm. And since I’ve yet to fully recover from the hangover, that kind of thing is going to have to wait until the next article.

So without further ado, here are my favorite tracks from the album:

Pale Morning
The first song I wrote for Witchery and Bloodshed. Knew right away that I wanted to start with something deceptively calm. At 2:05, I think it fits the bill without drifting aimlessly into self-indulgence.

Inherit Death’s Machine
Recorded a few days after the untimely death of a close friend. Helped to assuage the pain.

Contortion
Re-written several times before the final version materialized. As always, I was won over by the juxtaposition of driving rhythms and overstated guitars. Kind of reminds me of Nile for some reason.

Eyes Closed Under A Cold Grey Sky
Swaying acoustic melodies, intricately woven orchestral adornments — what’s not to love? Could’ve easily been written by The Cure. In fact, it probably was. I’m not all that original. But the harsh reality is that I lost another friend to cancer shortly after Witchery and Bloodshed was released; and this song reminds me of him. Rest in peace, K.D.H. You will be missed.

A Shadow No Longer Cast
The only thing I like more than grim, hard driving death metal is grimmer, harder driving death metal. Amon Amarth will be proud.

My buddy had a fun topic in mind.  He mentioned how on Valentine's, people always focus on the "nice" songs.  Well, here is another take on that!  Some Rock songs that send a different message. 

by Marco C.

With Valentine's Day past, some people might feel a little relieved. Relieved because they don't have to answer that oh-so-annoying question, (to some), "What are your plans for Valentine's Day?"
On top of it, we're stuck with sappy love songs saturating pop radio every Valentine's Day week-end, so, we thought we'd take a look at a few songs that deal with heart-break and songs that let the other person know, "You know what? I don't f&^king need you!"
 
Warrant: Stronger Now (Ultraphobic)
 
Perhaps one of Jani Lane's best composition ever, this song tells your former siginificant other than you're much better off without them. Check out this fan-made video HERE:

 
Tesla: We're no Good Together (Mechanical Resonance)
 
Sometimes, we're just not meant to be, but letting the other person know can be a real bitch. So, why not send them a copy of Tesla's "We're No Good Together", from their classic first album.  Although mostly known for their cover of "Signs" and "Love Song", this Tesla classic let's them know that, "We've had a good run, now let's move on with our lives."
Catch Tesla performing this song during one of their soundchecks right HERE: 

Cinderella: Don't Know What You've Got {Till it's Gone} (Long Cold Winter)
 
We've all made the mistake of letting someone go too early, and when it's too late, you realize what you've lost. By then, it's too late! This classic 80's power ballad let's us know all about it.
Watch the original video HERE:

 
Motley Crue: You're all I Need (Girls, Girls, Girls)
 
Every time I hear this song, I think, "This would be the perfect theme song for O.J. Simpson!"
In case you haven't heard, O.J. was "suspected" of killing his wife, Nicole Brown, back in the 1990's.  Nikki Sixx wrote thise song a few years earlier when he found out his ex-girlfriend had been cheating on him with Jack Wagner from General Hospital fame; Wagner also had a hit on the radio called "You're all I need".  So, Sixx thought it would be funny to write a song about a guy killing his girlfriend and dedicated this one to his ex. Some sense of humor!
Still, for those who don't understand English, the chorus on this song will make you melt.
Watch the video MTV thought was too violent, right HERE:

Poison: Life Goes On (Flesh & Blood)
 
This one screams, "I miss you!"  From Poison's third album, "Life Goes On" deals with that feeling you get when you know your partner's just not that into you anymore, but you can't face the truth, so you pretend everything's going to be alright...  see video HERE

Let us know if there are any other songs that should have made this list!