Sunday Sesh: Uncovered
Sunday, jealous of its undoubtedly better and more popular neighbour Saturday, desperately tries to avoid association with the abhorrence of sibling Monday, fooling none. In a vein attempt to regain your trust,it exclaims that it’s “still a weekend day”; this statement exudes the kind of dejection which Thursday feeds off, who’ll no doubt tell his raucous mate Friday. Then it’s only matter of time until the whole fucking week knows, commencing the monotonous cycle of mockery yet again. Well, Sunday has got one up its sleeve. This time Sunday will have the last laugh. Join in Sunday’s retribution, the Sunday Sesh.
Last time on the Sunday Sesh we looked at whether seasonal variation has implications on your listening habits, it was interesting reading about what sounds Autumn makes you put in your ears. This week I would like you to think about cover songs. Specifically, unexpected metal ones. Whether it be that the band has rendered a non-metal song ‘metallic’ or they’ve just picked a song completely out of what you would consider to be natural for them to attempt. This is part one. Part two will entail you coming up with a song that you would like to see a band perform. “Easy”, you say. Well, there’s just one catch – the band performing the cover must still be able to do it (i.e. current bands or members still living), no defunct or deceased types please. Also, maybe add a little description for each, about why you chose these combinations.
For example, in my last couple of years at high school I really enjoyed Tool‘s cover of ‘No Quarter’ by Led Zeppelin. Two very successful but equally polarising bands among our group. While not an obvious choice for Tool to attempt, this cover works on a number of levels and ends up clocking in at a substantially longer length than the original. Even though Maynard doesn’t attempt to hit the highs of Plant (which are somewhat subdued on this track anyway), he brings his own quirks to the table and does the original justice. I still enjoy listening to this cover when I’m in a certain mood.
Close the door, put out the light
You know they won’t be home tonight
The snow falls hard and don’t you know?
The winds of Thor are blowing cold
They’re wearing steel that’s bright and true
They carry news that must get throughThey choose the path where no-one goes
They hold no quarterWalking side by side with death, The devil mocks their every step
The snow drives back the foot that’s slow, The dogs of doom are howling more
They carry news that must get through, To build a dream for me and youThey choose the path where no-one goes
They hold no quarter. They ask no quarter
The pain, the pain without quarter
They ask no quarter
The dogs of doom are howling more
I had something in mind for my uncovered selection when coming up with this post but in the period between thinking “that’d be awesome to hear” and writing this piece, it has completely slipped away. Rather than try and salvage it from the depths of my puny brain I decided to forge forward and come up with something else. Opting for something well-known rather than proposing that an obscure Indonesian sludge band cover a defunct 90’s crust song seemed preferable for the article. With that in mind, I think hearing Mammoth Grinder cover an old Slayer song would be killer. Say if they slowed down something like ‘Silent Scream’ and let their crushing guitar tone obliterate all in sight. Pounding out ‘Postmortem’s’ simplistic yet no-less savage verse riffs would also work well. But I think I’d really like to hear them do their take on ‘Haunting The Chapel’. That would make my scales really flare-up.
[N.b. I chose this particular link for the quality MS paint skills of the uploader.]
Now it’s your turn to let loose! Hit us with your unexpected and uncovered selections in the comments below.
