LEONARD PIERCE IS THE KINDEST, BRAVEST, WARMEST, MOST WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING I'VE EVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE

Leonard Pierce is a fine fellow indeed; I knew that when I hired him to write for Metal Edge, and readers of the Onion's AV Club have been enjoying his penetrating cultural insights for some time now. Well, the AV Club has finally, in recent months, moved out of their whiteboys-with-guitars indie rock ghetto and given Leonard a monthly metal colum. In its latest installment, he talks about the new albums by Megadeth, Marduk, Baroness, Arch Enemy and more. But he also delivers a very positive review of another important cultural product:

READ A BOOK! First, the shameful full disclosure: Phil Freeman was my editor at Metal Edge magazine in its final days. That said, he’s also an engaging, insightful critic who consistently comes up with interesting approaches to material we’ve seen a hundred times, and is one of the best journalists writing about heavy metal today. Freeman has already written definitive critical appraisals of the New York No Wave scene and Miles Davis’ electric period, and his latest, Sound Levels: Profiles In American Music 2002-2009 (Lulu), is a worthwhile collection of some of his best 21st-century interviews. Metal fans should enjoy his intelligent back-and-forth with the likes of Melvins, Sunn O))), Mike Patton, the Mars Volta, and Serj Tankian; there are also lengthy, smart interviews with giants of other musical genres, from Tom Waits to Ornette Coleman.

Thanks, Leonard! Yer a pal. And in case you missed it, here's that link where you can go and buy my book.