Weekly Recap: Jan. 31-Feb. 6

Well it's the first week of February and it was again a very busy week. I spent most of the week trying to track down one of my clients to sign settlement documents. Eventually, she turned up in jail. I spent all day yesterday driving down to the jail to collect the necessary signatures. Beyond that, we got more snow each of the last two days. Just when it looked like it was actually going to warm up and the snow would be gone.

In the metal world:
-The Grammys were on Sunday. I did not watch but Judas Priest finally won one. Good for them. Apparently someone won the award for best album, etc. but I have no idea who.

-Trivium replaced their drummer Travis Smith with Nick Augusto. Drums haven't been one of the band's strengths.

-Charred Walls of the Damned released their debut album. The band is a side project of drummer Richard Christy, now better known for his work on the Howard Stern radio program. The band also has bass mercenary Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Autopsy, Testament, Iced Earth, Sadus, etc., etc., etc.), Jason Suecof, best known for his production work on Trivium and other mainstream metal bands, and Ripper Owens, onetime singer for Judas Priest and Iced Earth.

-Triptykon released their album cover. It's H.R. Giger, so it's freaky. Triptykon is the new band of Tom G. Warrior after the latest breakup of Celtic Frost.

-Everyone's favorite a cappella metal band Van Canto released their new video, which features the first ever (I think, and it damn well better be) a cappella breakdown. It's about what you would expect.

-Slayer, Megadeth, and Testament will be on tour together and have one stop in Kansas City, only about five hours from here. Which begs the question, should I try to convince the fiancee to go to that concert or stick to Kamelot/Leaves' Eyes/Blackguard instead? Hmm. I'm sure she'll weigh in.

Here's the list of albums I listened to this week, brought to you apparently by the letter A. That was totally unintentional.
3 Inches of Blood: Advance and Vanquish
Abominable Putridity: In the End of Human Existence
Absu: Absu
Alice in Chains: Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains: Dirt
Alice in Chains: Black Gives Way to Blue
Alice in Chains: Unplugged
Amon Amarth: The Crusher
Anal Vomit: Depravation
Angel Witch: Angel Witch
Apophis: Heliopolis
Arsis: United in Regret
Asphyx: Death...The Brutal Way
Asphyx: Last One on Earth
At the Gates: The Red in the Sky is Ours
Atomizer: The Only Weapon of Choice-13 Odes to Power, Decimation, and Conquest
Black Sabbath: Vol. 4
Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth
Bolt Thrower: Those Once Loyal
Borknagar: Empiricism
Death: Symbolic
Devastation: Idolatry
Devourment: 1.3.8
Enslaved: Below the LightsEvocation: Tales from the Tomb
Fight: War of Words
Forgotten Tomb: Negative Megalomania
Graveworm: Scourge of Malice
Hail of Bullets: ...Of Frost and War
Helloween: Gambling with the Devil
Immolation: Shadows in the Light
Jerry Cantrell: Boggy Depot
Judas Priest: Angel of Retribution
Katalepsy: Musick Brings Injuries
Kawir: Ophiolatreia
Krisiun: Southern Storm
Machine Head: The Burning Red
Manowar: Kings of Metal
Megadeth: Countdown to Extinction
Metallica: Garage Inc.
Moonspell: Darkness and Hope
Omen: Battle Cry
Orphaned Land: Mabool
Ozzy Osbourne: Diary of a Madman
Rotting Christ: Sanctus Diavolos
Rotting Christ: Theogonia
Sarcofago: Rotting
Savatage: Hall of the Mountain King
Saxorior: Volkerschlacht
Sepultura: Chaos A.D.
Skyfire: Spectral
Slauter Xstroyes: Winter Kill
Slayer: Diabolus in Musicana
Sonata Arctica: Silence
Thanatos: Justified Genocide
Thornafire: Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation
Thornafire: Vorex Deconstruccion
Vomit Remnants: Supreme Vehemence
Watchtower: Energetic Disassembly
Wormed: Planisphaerium