While Mondays are generally my least favorite day of the week, today happens to be a special one–times two. For starters, it’s my birthday, and although I don’t particularly enjoy getting older, I’m very excited to see where this year takes me. The second part to making this Monday complete? The Metalliance tour.

Tonight, three of my favorite bands–Helmet, Crowbar, and Saint Vitus–along with a handful of others, will be taking over San Diego, and I couldn’t be more excited. I was lucky enough to catch Wino perform at The Viper Room back in February, but I have yet to witness Saint Vitus live in all their glory (which might have something to do with the fact that this is their first US run in over a decade).

Spending my birthday among sweaty metal dudes and a few close friends seems like a pretty awesome Monday, but unless you’re me, that’s probably not what you’ll be up to. So for your own listening pleasure, I’ve compiled a short collection of music to help get you through the day. Enjoy!

1. “Unsung” – Helmet: In honor of the band performing Meantime in its entirety this evening, “Unsung” seems an appropriate choice to begin the day with. Oddly enough, the song was omitted from the band’s set when I saw them perform back in November, so I’m excited to see them play it, along with the rest of this genre-defining album.
2. “War Ensemble” – As I Lay Dying (Slayer cover): A few weeks ago, the creators of Homefront released 25,000 free downloads of the video game’s soundtrack, which was a 12-track collection of cover songs performed by an unusual assortment of modern metal bands. I might be playing favorites here since I absolutely love this Slayer song anyway, but As I Lay Dying brought the track to a more clear and current recording, making it sound better than the band ever could (Sorry! I know I’m not the only one that thinks Slayer has the muddiest sounding guitars on the planet!). It’s an insanely invigorating song to begin with, and an awesome way to begin the week.
3. “The Great Southern Trendkill” – Pantera: The majority of my Pantera-loving career was spent under the notion that Vulgar Display of Power was their greatest release, though as I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to realize how incredible The Great Southern Trendkill truly is. The album’s opening track and title track is one of the most intense, enlivening ways to start off any day, especially Monday. Not to mention, this song has one of the sweetest riffs ever recorded.
4. “Yesterday is Dead and Gone” – Arch Enemy: Late last week, Arch Enemy offered fans this new track from their upcoming album as a free download through their website. Not even three days later, I can’t stop listening it, and I’m literally counting down the days until Khaos Legions’ official release.
5. “Crazed Country Rebel” – Hank Williams III: You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of the girl! Although this song by Hank III is essentially a cloudy recount of his daily drug abuse, there’s a certain line in the lyrics that always sticks with me whenever the track is played: ”I’m gonna live life to the fullest like I’m on ten.” So aside from the acid, the morphine, and the H, Hank’s got a good point here.
6. “Lifer” – Down: Crowbar’s music is a little too sludgy to start the week off right, so instead, this track from Kirk’s other band, Down, seems to be a better fit. “Lifer” is a song that gets everybody going and is one of the few in the mix that I can actually sing along with. Double whammy!
7. “It Ain’t Like That” – Alice in Chains: Although this might not be the best fit for the mix-tape, hear me out–today would have been Mike Starr’s 45th birthday, and in honor of him and the music he left behind, I’ve added this track. “It Ain’t Like That” is not only one of my favorite Alice in Chains songs, but it’s one of the few which Starr co-wrote, along with Sean Kinney and Jerry Cantrell. Rest in peace, Mike. We remember you today and everyday.

There you have it. If these songs don’t get you through the day, I don’t know what will!