The band signed with Relapse and their third album, Blessed Black Wings (reviewed here), was released in 2005. Produced by the legendary Steve Albini, it opened further doors for the trio – at this point Thrones' Joe Preston (ex-Melvins, also) was on bass duties – and they headlined the Supersonic Festival, above Isis, in the summer of 2006. Live shows became must-see events for any self-respecting metal-head, and even those not enthralled by super-amplified thrash stylings on a regular basis found aspects of the band's full-on assault devilishly appealing.

Death Is This Communion looks certain to attract the band – now with Jeff Matz, formerly of Zeke, on bass – further followers, especially given the widespread acceptance of similarly challenging and boisterously brutal acts such as Mastodon and the reinvigorated Machine Head.

Reality show helps Mesa singer reach stardom

Three days later, she was in Mexico City, where she lived for the next five months. It was an eye-opening experience. Yuridia was 18 and had never been away from her family. Up to that point, her only job had been baby-sitting. "It was a strange experience," she recalls. "I missed my family. I missed my friends. I missed Mesa. It was really hard and sometimes (during filming) you think maybe it was a mistake." Yuridia's homesickness became a major plot point during the show. She particularly missed her younger brother, Danny, who suffered from muscular dystrophy. And she was involved in an on-screen flirtation with a fellow contestant, Edgar Guerrero. However, the big selling point was Yuridia's singing. She possesses a strong, belting voice that soars on material with a melodramatic edge - perfect for singing florid Spanish-language pop.

Friday, January 25

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