Identity 7

Deadly Sins (Century Media)
by Scott Hefflon

The world of heavy music would be a much less exciting, dynamic place without Century Media. Without fawning unnecessarily, the label hits so many high points in various subgenres of heavy music that it simply cannot be captured on a single sampler. And for any naysayers who don’t like a particular track, shit, it’s probably that the whole genre doesn’t strike your fancy, not the particular band. Century Media work with some of the best in each category, whereas the rest pick up the slack, the filler, and the eternal opening bands.

I’m actually into the darker, more black and violent side of Century Media, but I’m funny that way… The omission of faves like Dark Tranquillity, Tiamat, Marduk, Soilwork, Borknagar, Emperor, Strapping Young Lad, and Arch Enemy kinda bug me, but again, many fans will get hard-ons for Candiria, Iced Earth, Stuck Mojo, and Nevermore while being exposed to Krisiun, …And Oceans, The Forsaken, and the rest of the eye-poppers. For a deceptively “soft” embrace of Goth metal, sip on the sweet poison of Nuclear Blast’s Beauty in Darkness. Other deadly sins you should feel no shame enjoying: God Forbid, Haste, Cryptopsy, Skinlab, Jag Panzer, Onward, Lacuna Coil, Tad Morose, Sigh, Scar Culture, Carnal Forge, Eyehategod.
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