Hellbent for Pleather

Article from Slate saying it's a-OK to like heavy metal again. Of course, most of the bands mentioned are pretty great Enslaved's Isa, in particular, is pretty damned insane - the title track marries the greatest faux-Smashing Pumpkins riff to a Muppet-Animal growler of a chorus. Other screwy, way-Viking-damaged bands are Finland's Sentenced and Amorphis, who actually did a concept album about that most Finnish of epic poems, The Kalevala. (They also parted ways with their suave lead singer, and are getting back to the "death" sounding vocals again. Watch my interest wane.) Many of these delightful discs were burned for me by Mr. Kurt, to whom I am indebted. (No thanks for that link to The End Records, though, my bank account is hurtin'.)

So, this means I'm sort of riding the wave of the whole-zeitgeisty thing for once. Hell, yeah, I'll pimp, I mean, loan myself out as a tastemaker. Any takers? You can get the whole metal/token female angle in the same piece!