Tony Iommi diagnosed with Cancer.

This week, the man known as the Godfather of Heavy Metal was diagnosed at the age of 63 with lymphoma. Luckily, the cancer was detected early enough that he has a fighting chance, but it will still be a difficult road to recovery.

The news comes while Tony and the original members of Black Sabbath are in the midst of recording their reunion album. Mr. Iommi is focused on determining the best treatment plan for his condition, while work on the upcoming album continues.

The entire Metal community is pulling for him, and I'm sure we all wish him a speedy recovery, and quick return to doing what he does best.

Best wishes from This Blog Goes to Eleven!

They're back! - Original Black Sabbath Lineup Reunites!

November 11th, 2011 - the day that goes to eleven, will go down in metal history. The forefathers of the entire genre- all four original members of Black Sabbath- Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne, announced today that they will be recording an album together, expected to be release some time late next year. The reformed legendary band also announced that they expect to perform at the 2012 Download Festival. No other details were announced.

The announcement was made at a press conference in Los Angeles at the Whiskey A Go-Go club where the band performed their first LA gig 41 years ago. A full write up is available on the Black Sabbath web site.

Eleven Songs for 11/11/11

VH1 classic has declared November 11, 2011 (11/11/11) to be National  Metal Day. The date was chosen, of course, for the same reasons I chose the name of this blog- that famous scene from the move "This is Spinal Tap" involving a Marshall Amp Head that has dials that go to eleven so the band would always be able to go "one louder" whenever they wanted. It is only natural that I should take the time and put together an extra-heavy playlist to commemorate this "Day that goes to Eleven." What is my criteria? To be honest, I don't really have any criteria, it's just songs that I consider to be very heavy, worthy of mentioning on National Metal Day presented in no particular order.

Original Sabbath Lineup Rumors?

Rumors have been circulating for some time that something is afoot in the Black Sabbath camp. A few months ago, a reporter claimed that Tony Iommi hinted that they original Sabbath lineup was planning a reunion. Iommi later denied saying anything of the sort in any interviews, but did not directly refute the rumor itself.

Now with the day that goes to eleven looming before us- November 11, 2011 - or 11/11/11 - you would have to wonder - if Iommi, Butler, Ward, and Osbourne are ever going to do something together again, THIS would be a great time for it- on a day when the whole metal community will be celebrating all things louder than mere "10".

More rumors that the original four members, the original architects of early heavy metal themselves, have been working together again have been popping up. The most interesting evidence is on the band's official website... see it for yourself here. Something interesting is obviously going on, and we will probably know what it is on the 11th.

VH1 Classic Albums - Nirvana Nevermind (1991)

In 1991, a little unknown band from Seattle stormed on the music scene with an album that set the tone for industry. This album took an aggressive, punk attitude, tempered it a raw sound borrowed from heavy metal, and combined it all with catchy, pop-friendly hooks. This unlikely combination melded influences like Black Flag, with a sonic palette reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, and simple, but very effective rhythmic hooks and melodies that would fit right in on an early Beatles record. Somehow, the talents of Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, under the guidance of producer Butch Vig brought all these divergent ideas together into something new that captured the imagination and the zeitgeist of an entire generation.

That album was Nevermind.

Chickenfoot III - Big Foot

It seems that the "Supergroup" concept is "in" these days. Luckily, there have been some really great Supergroups in the past few years (see Them Crooked Vultures for an example).

Start with veteran rocker Sammy Hagar, add in Michael Anthony on bass an backing vocals, and the funk-rock infused drumming of Chad Smith, and you have... well a band in need of a guitarist- maybe Joe Satriani will want in? Yes? Awesome... and so Chickenfoot was born- with a modernized take on the more classic straight-up heavy rock music these four guys made their names with through the late 70s, the 80s, and the 90s.

So after their successful first album, Chickenfoot returned to the studio for more, and created their second album, titled "III" - the single "Big Foot" shows that these four superstars are still at the top of their game, and are having a blast making the kind of hard hitting, honest, straight-up hard rock that's just fun to listen to.

Foo Fighters + Westboro Baptist Church = Large Scale Mocking

Those crazies at the Westboro Baptist Church staged a protest at the Foo Fighters' show in Kansas City. Which, naturally means they were bound to end up getting mocked ruthlessly. I think that the video, originally posted on the Foo Fighters youtube channel and facebook feed, speaks for itself...