NPR Music: The Best Metal Albums Of 2011. I also talked to Bob Boilen about 2011 in metal and outer sound on the latest episode of All Songs Considered.
Inverted Umlaut Podcast, No. 23: Can I Join Your LARP?
DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST (192kpbs MP3)
* Alestorm? Battlelore? Why don’t I just join a LARP and get it over with?
* Before Hammers of Misfortune, there was John Cobbett’s equally epic Unholy Cadaver, and now there’s a definitive release.
* More flutes and organ in metal, please. Or at least more Blood Ceremony albums.
* Plus music from Witch Mountain, Circle Takes the Square, Obscura and more. See full playlist below. 
ALESTORM “Shipwrecked,” Back Through Time [Napalm]
WIZARD RIFLE “Leathery Gentlemen,” Speak Loud Say Nothing [self-released]
—-
WITCH MOUNTAIN “Wing of the Lord,” South of Salem [Mountastic]
NETHER REGIONS “Spanish Werewolves,” Into the Breach [self-released]
—-
SEABROOK POWER PLANT “I’m Too Good for You,” II [Loyal Label]
PSUDOKU “worMHOLz,” Space Grind [self-released]
INDIAN “Guiltless,” Guiltless [Relapse]
CIRCLE TAKES THE SQUARE “Kill the Switch,” As the Roots Undo [Robotic Empire]
—-
BATTLELORE “Olden Gods,” Doombound [Napalm]
UNHOLY CADAVER “On this Final Night,” Unholy Cadaver [Shadow Kingdom]
—-
OBSCURA “Prismal Dawn,” Omnivium [Relapse]
MÖRK GRYNING “Journey,” Tusen Ar Har Gatt [No Fashion]
UNANIMATED “Ruins,” Ancient God of Evil [No Fashion]
—-
BLOOD CEREMONY “Daughter of the Sun,” Living with the Ancients [Rise Above]
—-
METALLICA “The Four Horsemen,” Kill ‘Em All [Elektra]
(Incidental music)
STARS OF THE LID, And Their Refinement of the Decline [Kranky]
photo credit: Library of Congress via Flickr | See All Podcasts
“I had this vision of a red pentagram over Salem, Oregon, with blood down the roads and rivers.”
