Louder Than Tinnitus

The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish

2009-07-09T16:58:00.002-07:00

"Gish was a sublimely spiritual body of work. "Not in a God way, but in a personal way," asserts singer/guitarist Billy Corgan.

"It's got a lot to do with me exorcising old demons, getting my act together, overcoming a lot of my shortcomings. It's an extremely personal record."

The son of a professional funk/jazz guitarist, weaned on the lessons of Bowie, Zeppelin, and The Stooges, Corgan began his musical career in the mid-80's, relocating from his native Chicago down to Florida with a group called The Marked. "Being in that band taught me everything I had gotten into music for was total garbage," he declares. "The whole sex, drugs, and rock and roll thing. It was shallow, everything the Pumpkins [sic] are not."

Corgan came to his senses and returned to the Windy City, forming Smashing Pumpkins in 1988. With bassist D'arcy, guitarist James, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, they embarked on an instant buzz-generating series of gigs that included the opening slots for acts like Jane's Addiction, The Buzzcocks, and Caterqaul. Producer Butch Vig (Garbage) helms the boards for Gish,resulting in the toughest,most traditonally "Rock" sounding album of SP's repatiore."

Ghosts and Vodka - Memento Mori

2009-07-06T18:37:00.003-07:00

"First, lets get the ugly stuff out of the way. Not everything that Ghosts & Vodka committed to tape was gold. Acoustic tracks like "Andrea Loves Horses" and "Nicholas Prefers Dinosaurs", which bookend their Precious Blood full length, act as little more than fluff. Though the playing is competent, the tracks don't move beyond nice-sounding filler.

Despite the virtuosity of Villareal's handiwork, there are moments when songs are just so overloaded with technical guitar work that the hooks are lost in the guitar showcasing. "Sex Is Popular" and "Hot Dot Above, Tan Man Below" sadly suffer this fate. "Conversational All-Stars" and "Mechanical Bull Rider" are also defeated as failed experiments in creating "atmosphere".

So, now you're saying to yourself, "Six of these sixteen tracks are duds! Kevin, where's the beef?" Well, I'm here to tell you that the remaining songs alone are worth the price. If you're a guitarist, you will be shamed, and if you enjoy a good rock tune you may find your neck sore from repeated head banging. Best of all, Drunks & Addicts is a silver disc with one helluva party contained on it.

"Futuristic Genitalia" is just plain ridiculous in how good it is. There are enough pull-offs in the lead riff that I'm sure Jimi Hendrix is looking down from rock 'n' roll heaven and giving his respects. "Is That A Person?" feels like an outtake from Don Caballero's masterful II. The beautiful middle act of this song contains some breathtaking distorted harmonics vying for equal attention alongside some thunderous riffing. "Cowboys and Sailors", from the Memento Mori seven-inch single, is a pop gem that sounds like Eddie Van Halen jamming with Braid. It's delightfully catchy but still finds moments to knock your jaw clean to the floor."

Landmine Marathon - Wounded

2009-07-05T22:59:00.003-07:00

"I'm from Arizona and I can attest that our local music scene sucks. There are occasionally a few decent bands but they never go anywhere. The exception to this would be Suicide Nation releasing 2 LPs and a split with Yaphet Kotto (who now play in the slaytanic Saviours). Unruh comes ahead with 2 LPs and a few more splits. So what's the point of this history lesson on one of the worst states for hardcore? Landmine Marathon consists of ex-Suicide Nation dudes and has a sound sort of reminiscent of Unruh. And they have a new album out on Level Plane Records? While definitively the home of emo-violence, I guess they are branching out with the recent signings of Landmine Marathon and Graf Orlock. So I definitely wouldn't complain except for...

The art for the Wounded is lame. Photoshopped and uninspired come to mind. And while the production should have soaring and alternately guttural riffs shredding all over the place, it fails to deliver the goods in brutal-grind fashion. The majority of the recording is adequately heavy, but the high end is totally lacking. To me Level Plane is synonymous with well-produced, well-packaged, and extremely creative releases. So what I want to know is how did the presentation side of this release slip through the cracks? The performance end, though, is phenomenal.

Now you want to know, "What does it actually sound like? ... Like a mixture of old Earache releases. While I am definitely not the most knowledgeable Earache historian, I can definitely pick out the Terrorizer and Carcass influences, but updated, more technical, and catchier. The weighty riffs are awesomely flavored with some At the Gates styled leads that don't sound like At the Gates. I don't know. I hate At the Gates, so imagine Converge doing early-90s metal leads. Like that. The blasts are something more akin to D-beat than grind, so the songs aren't obnoxiously fast like anything that belongs on Willowtip. The vocals are intensely screamed, only dropping into a death growl once or twice, which is something I would normally have an aversion to, but it's done well. The lyrics, though, are definitely Level Plane material since I mostly have no idea what the hell she's talking about. A lot of interesting metaphors that eschew the gory side of this kind of material.

I don't want to give the false impression that this is all metal. I think of it as grind-influenced metalcore before metalcore become a dirty, filthy, vulgar, insipid, stupid, moronic, weak, pathetic shadow of itself. Something more akin to Creation is Crucifixion than Job for a Cowboy. Wounded
is best played loudly."

http://www.japanesebugfights.com/

2009-07-04T17:04:00.003-07:00

One of the better sites on the internet.

Magrudergrind - Sixty-Two Trax of Thrash

2009-07-04T17:00:00.003-07:00

"All of this material is a discography of only the first three years of this band's existence. Amazing how bands can release so much material in such short time, isn't it? Especially with such a notable progression in that time. The earlier stuff (which is at the end of the CD instead of the beginning, now that doesn't make much sense, does it?) sounds more like novelty.

Most of the songs are really short and have some out of place kind of riff like the beginning of the Star Spangled Banner or part of Jingle Bells. An amusing joke, but for the most part just a joke. Avi's voice was much different too, instead of the high screech he emits these days, this was more of just a regular hardcore style scream. The band kept going at it and got progressively faster, tighter, and even heavier with each recording. What does that lead to with the more modern stuff? It's much more serious and intense. Most of the songs seem to be about killing in some way (and some of the titles are probably longer than the songs themselves) but trying to line up the vocals with the lyrics is practically impossible."

Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines

2009-07-04T16:54:00.004-07:00

"1. The Blessed Dead: This album starts out heavy, and ends heavy. It starts with a black-metalish intro, and quickly turns to blastbeats and quick guitar riffs. The vocals on this song are some of my favorite. They blend extremely well with the music. You can definately sense some Egyptian roots in this music. 5/5

2. Execration Text: This song starts out extremely fast, just like typical Nile, and doesn't stop. The first riff is very fast, and well written. The first solo is slower at first, nothing complicated, but then it changes into another Egyptian based riff/solo. These type of songs (almost every song on this album is this way) are very hard to review, because the riffs change so often. Either way, I give this song 4/5

3. Sarcophagus: Starts out a bit slower, again, sensing the egyptian style. Even the drums have a bit of an influence. I love the first riff in this song. It is slower (for Nile that is) and the growls are haunting. I love how the vocalist can actually pronounce his words. (even though they aren't completely clear) Good song. 4/5

4. Kheftiu Asar Butchiu: This song starts off extremely fast with blastbeats, and badass fills by the drummer. I love the chorus in this song when the vocalist(s) are growling something...I can't tell what it is, not even with the lyric book :( but it sounds like "from". They say it quite a few times. Ah, I love the solo in this song. Technical, and blends well. Great song. 5/5"

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RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo

2009-06-30T14:14:00.006-07:00

"RZA, however, could have been a legend if he'd never stepped behind the boards. His words follow their own rhythm into a complex, hypnotic flow. He doesn't create a counterpoint to the drum line, like most great MCs do, He vocalizes like a shaman, magnetizing you with his chants. In the anthemic "B.O.B.B.Y.," he drops, "You know what? Simply robust/The greatest crew since Cold Crush/This poisonous slang keep MCs avoiding us/Can't figure out the probabilities for destroyin' us/Your best bet, Black, is sit back and start enjoyin' us."

As a producer he seems a man burdened by genius, wrestling with his talent, challenging fans to follow him into his sound, a perfect fit for a Blade Runner, robots-are-taking-over-the-world future. Bobby Digital has the unrelentingness of good punk – more accessible than Wu-Tang Forever but full of grinding, dark, bass-drunk, anti-dance tracks. Singling out songs would defeat the purpose: It's one of those soundscape albums that just blend from one track to the next, like one long song with no sort of brightness or hooks for non-alicionados to latch onto. This is hip-hop for hip-hoppas." - Rolling Stone

Haymaker - Love The Music, Hate The Kids

2009-06-30T14:06:00.003-07:00

Not the cover art.

Guns Don't Kill Guns...
You Save The World
Skate Like Shit
...With Friends Like You
Team Jesus...Is Losing
Wreckshit
Sometimes You Don't Pick Your Enemies...
Fuck Them Back
Painful Road Ahead
This Won't Change A Thing!
Your Life In 30 Words Or Less
Thru Your Teeth

Bang'n on Wax: The Best of the Crips

2009-06-29T17:30:00.003-07:00

Steady fuckin with the water. Should I be posting this?

Breach - Kollapse

2009-06-29T17:27:00.003-07:00

"Breach are not what you could call normal. Unconventional in all respects they avoid any form of classification at all costs. They’re a band that leads you to an eerily beautiful solace, alleviating you of all conscious annoyances, offering you Martini & fine wines while secretly deceiving you and plotting a more sinister assault on the senses.

‘Big Strong Boss’ is a track that teases you, leading you to that sparkly, yet eerie, place where nothing quite seems right but scantily clad babes still appear to see to your every need. Think the video to Smashing Pumpkins’ 'Zero'. That is until the mirage suddenly and very frighteningly dissipates with the arrival of ‘Old Ass Player', turning the skies black and an altogether more fearsome force bellows from the seas with such awesome ferocity to blow you to the next galaxy. And the agonizing pleading from their vocalist in the lines “let me rest for a while! SEE! ME! THROUGH!” only serves to add to your nightmare experience. Think Lord of The Rings. Think Indiana Jones’s worst nightmare. Think a really bad trip.

With Breach nothing is ever quite what it seems."

Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

2009-06-29T17:22:00.004-07:00

"Naturally, the Beasties were in a pretty weird position when it came to Check Your Head. They'd had a debut that was commercially an absolute blockbuster, breaking all manner of records and, really, marking the moment when most people had to accept that rap was a legitimate musical form, rather than just another subcultural movement that would fade into obscurity within five years. And yet, about half the songs on it were offensively bad; "Fight For Your Right" and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" may have been gold, but as an album it was mediocre at best. It still stands today as the worst album the Beasties have ever made. The follow-up, Paul's Boutique, was exactly the opposite - as groundbreaking artistically as Licensed To Ill had been commercially, it remains one of the most untouchable documents in hip-hop's history. Naturally, nobody bought it. The contrasting fates probably damned mainstream hip-hop to a future of general mediocrity, but that's an argument for another time.

The M.O. for Check Your Head was simple - combine the two albums, and somehow come up with something that was artistically valid, and would still sell. This album was their first step into the world they'd stay in, and effectively are still in - hip-hop that displays a sense of musical intelligence and invention and a finely-tuned sense of humour, but doesn't stray too far from the frat-boy friendly vocal trade-offs that made a million white kids buy their first album. "Intergalactic", "Check It Out", "Sabotage", "Sure Shot" - the blueprint is here. Naturally, they had to sacrifice the psychedelic sample-heavy collage of 1989's Paul's Boutique, for financial reasons as much as anything - De La Soul's 3 Feet High & Rising, also released in 1989 (and seen by some as Paul's Boutique's nearest musical twin), had seen the group sued for one of the many samples used. The ground that hip-hop stood on had changed forever - songs built from dozens of carefully pieced-together samples were out. So a fresh musical outlook was needed.

They kept it simple. There's effectively only two songs on Check Your Head - the first is a stomping, guitar-driven rap track that allowed the group to do what they do best (rap, basically), while the second is a lightly funky, vaguely dubby downtempo lounge track with little or no vocals. They'd return to the latter on 2007's The Mix-Up for a full album, but here's it's slightly jarring - it really does feel like you're listening to two albums. Those instrumental (or near-instrumental) tracks might add variety to the album, and they might actually display some good musical ideas here and there, but put them next to the hip-hop powerhouses elsewhere on this album, and well....they're pretty boring, to be honest. It's especially jarring when "Something's Got To Give" follows on from the album's feted excursion into hardcore on "Time For Livin'", making it sound like a new age track in comparison."

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Gorillaz - S/t

2009-06-29T17:15:00.007-07:00

"It's tempting to judge Gorillaz — Damon Albarn, Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, and Dan "The Automator" Nakamura's virtual band — just by their brilliantly animated videos and write the project off as another triumph of style over substance. Admittedly, Hewlett's edgy-cute characterizations of 2-D, Gorillaz' pretty boy singer (who looks a cross between the Charlatans' Tim Burgess and Sonic the Hedgehog), sinister bassist Murdoc, whiz-kid guitarist Noodle, and b-boy drummer Russel are so arresting that they almost detract from Gorillaz' music. The amazing "Thriller"-meets-Planet of the Apes clip for "Clint Eastwood" is so visually clever that it's easy to take the song's equally clever, hip-hop-tinged update of the Specials' "Ghost Town" for granted. And initially, Gorillaz' self-titled debut feels incomplete when Hewlett's imagery is removed; the concept of Gorillaz as a virtual band doesn't hold up as well when you can't see the virtual bandmembers. It's too bad that there isn't a DVD version of Gorillaz, with videos for every song, à la the DVD version of Super Furry Animals' Rings Around the World. Musically, however, Gorillaz is a cutely caricatured blend of Albarn's eclectic Brit-pop and Nakamura's equally wide-ranging hip-hop, and it sounds almost as good as the band looks. Albarn has fun sending up Blur's cheeky pop on songs like "5/4" and "Re-Hash," their trip-hop experiments on "New Genious" and "Sound Check," and "Song 2"-like thrash-pop on "Punk" and "M1 A1." Despite the similarities between Albarn's main gig and his contributions here, Gorillaz isn't an Albarn solo album in disguise; Nakamura's bass- and beat-oriented production gives the album an authentically dub and hip-hop-inspired feel, particularly on "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today." Likewise, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Miho Hatori, and Ibrahim Ferrer's vocals ensure that it sounds like a diverse collaboration rather than an insular side project. Instead, it feels like a musical vacation for all parties involved — a little self-indulgent, but filled with enough fun ideas and good songs to make this virtual band's debut a genuinely enjoyable album."
- allmusic

Hawg Jaw - Send Out The Dogs

2009-06-28T15:39:00.004-07:00

Mike Dares - Vocals (Skab, Armed Response)
Gary Mader - Guitars (Eyehategod, Outlaw Order)
Paul Webb - Bass (Spickle, Mystick Krewe Of Clearlight, Mangina, Eyehategod)
Matt Williams - Drums

Sludge/Doom Metal

Uploading in progress

2009-06-27T16:49:00.003-07:00

I have about sixty CDs uploading to mediafire at the moment. It has about four hours left to go, and I'll be trying to post them over the next two days. Rah rah rah.

Skeletonwitch - At One With the Shadows

2009-06-26T23:16:00.003-07:00

"Ever come across something, may it be a meal, a movie, a book or an album, where you would enjoy the entire think immensely, except for one small detail. Normally, when something is really good, one would ignore the small fallacy and look at the overall product. Unfortunately, sometimes that one small fallacy cannot be ignored, no matter how hard you try, mainly because that one fault can ruin the appreciation you have for the rest of the album.

Case in point: SKELETONWITCH. Musically, this is a very diverse affair, with the riffs going from Thrash to Power to Heavy, with tasteful harmonies everywhere, plus there is the occasional acoustic guitar (end of “The Skullsplitter”). The music is top-notch, having this very old school Thrash vibe to it, something like DARK ANGEL/early SLAYER. Normally, I would highly recommend this to fans of Thrash Metal, and tell most fans of Metal to give these guys a shot anyway, because musically, they have written something that is diverse, and dynamic.

However, there is one small factor that will decrease the quality of this album from “excellent” to “above average”: the vocals. They are of the Death/Black type, but that is not why they drag the whole album down. The problem is two-fold. One fault of the vocals is that they are far too low in the mix. This resulted in moments when I was wondering whether or not the vocalist was there for half the songs on the album. He’s unnoticeable, and that’s not good at all. The second is that the music warrants some form of power and delivery to the vocals, not just someone shrieking monotonously to the music. I’m not expecting vocals of Bruce Dickinson’s or Warrel Dane’s calibre, but a little character to the vocals would be nice. What we have is top notch music with vocals that are so generic they drag the whole thing down. That’s a huge problem that has hindered my enjoyment of this album."

Zach Galifianakis - Live at the Purple Onion

2009-06-26T23:12:00.005-07:00

"With the release of Live at the Purple Onion, Galifianakis adds an impressive and enjoyable volume to the growing ranks of great comedy DVDs. A spin-off from his recent appearance in the Comedians of Comedy documentary, this disc chronicles Galifianakis' oddball, brilliant material, most of which exists as a standalone concept rather than some sort of building routine. This is precisely what differentiates him from his contemporaries: while many comedians like to riff about a specific subject, building momentum to some sort of comedic crescendo, Galifianakis offers single-serving gags, seldom even venturing into the complex and sometimes provocative logic that inspires these abstract musings. "

Warhammer 48k - Early Recordings

2009-06-26T23:06:00.003-07:00

This is not the cover art.

"Just don't be surprised if, given so many ideas in a 44-minute space, you sometimes want Warhammer 48K to hit you a bit harder, to take more shape, to come with a little more finesse. Lightning quick "Knife Hits" has a lithe midsection lifted by two guitars scraping past one another, skipping over the cracks in the rhythm like survivors making haste. With another take, the grooves could be tighter, and the action would be tenser. As is, though, it's just a preparation for the track's perfect, brutal ending"

Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose of Death

2009-06-26T23:03:00.006-07:00

"Using the phrase “Nostalgia’s a bitch!” to sum up this album would be a pretty accurate description of what Toxic Holocaust are all about. You see, Joel Grind, founder and main songwriter of Toxic Holocaust (also recruiting drummer Donny Paycheck of Zeke fame), seems to be stuck in the 80s during a time when thrash metal was ever so popular and pumping out such classics as Reign in Blood, Bonded by Blood, Beneath the Remains and Speak English or Die (obviously skimming the surface considering there were so many great albums that came from that era). While some of you have already passed this band off as just another ‘trip-down-memory-lane’ thrash knockoff, be warned that Joel Grind brings the goods and has enough conviction backing up his music to make you feel like it’s the Bay Area metal scene all over again.

An Overdoes of Death… is not only a sweetly polished affair of riff rocking thrash metal, Grind also incorporates many elements of death’n roll and a touch of blackened death metal for good measure. Other noteworthy inclusions contained on this disc are a number of other well-done nostalgic elements including some short, wankery bursts of Kerry King inspired soloing, Judas Priest Painkiller era melodic riffs, the snare/bass/ snare/ bass drum beats commonly used in the genre, and finished off with that gritty attitude that makes this music sound so genuine. All of the songs contained on An Overdoes of Death… flow well together as a whole, having an identical feel to each song. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, seeing as this is thrash we are talking about. However, each song has something subtle to it that sets itself apart from the one before it, adding these above-mentioned elements in small doses and making An Overdoes of Death… not as straight up as you would expect."

The Suicide File - Things Fall Apart

2009-06-26T22:57:00.004-07:00

1 2003
2 Fuck Fox News
3 I Like The Nightlife Baby
4 Cold Snap
05 Things Fall Apart

The Locust - Plague Soundscapes

2009-06-26T22:54:00.003-07:00

"The Locust has been shunned for their recent works. Their split with Melt Banana was not taken well by critics. People want The Locust to sound more like their Self-titled or Flight of the Wounded Locust, not like some band that changes. These people, however, don't understand that The Locust is all about change; whether they're wearing locust-like spandex outfits or playing nude, they're not going to play everyone's favorite songs. They like to change (or be post-modern, as they are).

Plague Soundscapes is no exception to The Locust's desire to change. Unlike their previous works, this album has more breakdowns with complete changes in rhythm and speed and less electronics; more melody and less chaotic madness at one hundred miles per hour. These characteristics make The Locust sound more like The Blood Brothers with different singers. "But Seth," you ask, "Didn't The Locust's self-titled have break downs?" Well, I simply answer this: yes, but it's not quite the same. Songs like Moth Eaten Deer Head and Backbones of Jackasses were great, fast and broke down at certain spots, but the new album's breakdowns break down too quickly to slow down. The only times the music slows to a more normal pace in comparison to other bands and uses more experimental noises. The first song, Solar Panel Asses, starts with a beat on the drums that I could swear is really the sputtering engine of a motorcycle, then all out chaos, then a quick breakdown for approximately two seconds, then all out chaos again with a different melody, then slightly less chaotic screaming from what sounds like Mark McCoy of The Oath and Holy Molar, then all out chaos again. The difference being that the self-titled's break downs were simpler; everyone in the band would stop and there would be just the keyboard, or just the drums. The changes in the breakdowns make the new album what it is.

Just because The Locust has changed does not mean they are bad. Quite the contrary, I consider this album to be pretty decent. Solar Panel Asses is one of my favorite songs and there are other songs that I enjoy listening to. But I still wish I had The Locust of a year or two ago, where they'd just make incredibly fast songs that don't stop until they're finished. I lament for days when I discovered Bring Your 65 Italian Carbine and Gluing Carpet to Your Genitals Does Not Make You a Cantaloupe.

Although they went from something like Charles Bronson to something like The Blood Brothers, I'm still listening to them, and I think you should too."

Swords - S/t

2009-06-26T22:47:00.004-07:00

Soilent Green - Sewn Mouth Secrets

2009-06-26T22:32:00.004-07:00

"We are very, very late with reviewing this record. Frankly, that's my fault, because initially I offered Gino to review it when it came out and then did not deliver. The reason for this is not laziness on my behalf but the fact that Sewn Mouth Secrets is one of the ugliest bastards of a record which ever managed to creep inside my CD player. And as it is painful and irritating to listen to it, it's also no fun at all to review this beast. The impact of this record is like a blunt weapon repeatedly hitting your skull while in between the blows a rabid dog mangles your ankles. Musically, this approach manifests in the various styles incorporated by the band. Crowbar's sluggishness and fusion of Black Sabbath with southern rock meets grindcore meets over-the-top Pantera. On top of that rages singer Ben Falgoust, who alternates between grunts, a 95% Phil Anselmo impersonation, black metal rasping and delirious spoken parts. While a singer with four different styles seems to guarantee the ultimate degree of variety, this turns out to be a two edged blade and one of the reasons why I can't get totally into this record. Far too often does the vocal style follow the music too closely: fast part, rasping vocals; slow part, growls; chaotic part, spoken words. With the variety becoming predictable, this starts to get annoying soon. What turns me off most is the delivery of the spoken sections, which sounds weak, like a drunkard babbling some nonsense above a background of equally senseless noise. These parts can ruin a whole otherwise great song for me. Lyrically, Sewn Mouth Secrets comes across quite disturbing, dealing with rape, torture, depression and other related topics in a frighteningly personal way. The sound is good, heavy and crisp, but there's enough room for improvements the next time around (like Crowbar's Time Heals Nothing in comparison to Odd Fellows Rest). I haven't been able to identify any standout tracks on Sewn Mouth Secrets and the heaviness, insanity and intensity is kept on one level through all the tracks, which can be quite exhausting and makes listening to the whole record in one session a challenge. So, if you think that is exactly how you like your metal, this is the record you should buy immediately. With the review being done now, I'll immediately put on Whisper Supremacy to finally relax a bit."

Combatwondedveteran - This is Not An Erect, All-Neon Red Body

2009-06-26T22:27:00.003-07:00

"Combat Wounded Veteran’s This Is Not An Erect, All-Red Neon Body is simply a testament to the band’s amazing ability to create intricate and amazing grind releases. Featuring 42 songs, comprised from out-of-print 7" records, compilations, splits, and even some “never-before-released” tracks, this album will hit you hard. But with its length only lasting 26 minutes, don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

Alright, let’s be serious. Combat Wounded Veteran has a lot of credibility. They’ve released a split with Orchid, they’ve toured with both the Locust and Melt Banana, and their Steak Mtn.

Riddled with fast tempos, sound clips, and undistinguishable lyrics (which is to be expected with grind, I suppose), This Is Not An Erect, All-Red Neon Body is sure to be a necessary addition to any grind lover’s collection. The album's first track, "Eat More Blood Money" is a stand-out track with lyrics like "Could be a motto for our TV conversations. Playing a guest star opposite a billboard that has more social standards than you." When you have an album comprised of pretty much every song a band's recorded, it's hard to distinguish between favourites, although the both melodic and chaotic "Put Your Weight On It" does present itself as somewhat of a unique track. Or perhaps it's just a novelty since it doesn't begin with the sounds of amp feedback. This Is Not An Erect, All-Red Neon Body fully represents the band’s six-year span of intense, powerful music. " artwork is consistently amazing.

X-Raided - Psycho Active

2009-06-26T22:20:00.004-07:00

1.Tha Murder
2.Still Shooting
3.Call Tha Guardz
4.Who's Tha Hoe?
5.Crazy Than a Mutha Fuck
6.Every Single Bitch
7.Fuckin Wit a Pyscho
8.Bitch Killa
9.Everybody Killa
10.Shoot Cha in a Minute
11.That's How My Trigga Went
12.That Sickness

Rigor Mortis - Freaks

2009-06-26T22:15:00.004-07:00

"Rigor Mortis helped to pioneer the death and thrash metal scenes respectively. Their first album was a classic and "Freaks" only refines that sound. The production on "Freaks" is excellent, every instrument can be heard perfectly. The vocals are also captured brilliantly in the mix. The guitar playing of Mike Scaccia here would probably be damn near impossible to ever recreate.

As with all of Rigor Mortis's lyrics, the lyrics on "Freaks" are very off the wall. While their first album was obsessed with comic book themes and visualizations of gore, "Freaks" has a bit more diversity in the lyrics. As a whole, I feel that the lyrics are about alienation and feeling like an outcast in a society you simply can't fit in with. Simply put, the lyrics are excellent on the whole EP. They do revisit their gore theme in the song "Cattle Mutilation" though.

I really can't say anything bad about the drumming, Rigor Mortis have always had a solid drummer. Harden Harrison always does an awesome job keeping up with Scaccia's insane lead work. The bass is audible, and with the drums they form a solid backbone for Scaccia to twist the scales of musical expectations at will.

"The Haunted" has absolutely incredible guitar leads throughout the whole song and the chorus is especially memorable as well. The drumming on this song is also great. All of the songs flow in succession to form a very disturbing concept album from hell of sorts."

Sgt. - Stylus Fantasticus

2009-06-26T20:51:00.003-07:00

"Even though it’s a great tool for getting the hype machine in motion for an up and coming act, “the breath of fresh air” tag is something of a dubious honor. For one, it’s an admittance that the kind of music said act plays has grown stale and tired, and secondly, it instills a certain expectation in the band’s target audience that this group will be the revolutionary force (inset lame genre tag here) needs. On their sprawling debut Stylus Fantasticus, Japanese trio sgt. may not quite prove themselves to be such a force, but they certainly prove themselves to be a group with a refreshingly interesting take on the increasingly tired post rock genre. Instead of participating in the laborious techniques of their peers, sgt. attacks with spontaneity and a heavy penchant for improvisation, making Stylus Fantasticus something of a refreshing oddity. It’s as though sgt. aren’t so much composing epic pieces as they are jamming in a studio and recording it. The results are predictably hit or miss, but when sgt. hits, the unique and memorable sound buoys Stylus Fantasticus to great heights, even if it can’t quite stay there for the whole fifty-five minutes.

Even though it apparently falls under post rock’s ever-growing umbrella, Stylus Fantasticus takes a heavy influence from modern prog, giving the record a harder base than its contemporaries. Instead of epic dynamic contrasts and gorgeous repeated phrases, the album instead runs at a more frenzied pace, allowing constant melody and ace rhythm performances to form eight tracks of instrumental chaos. Stylus Fantasticus runs in a very specific frame: Each song develops a drum and bass theme (courtesy of the excellent Kouji Akashi and Hitoshi Ono), which in turn provides a solid foundation for violinist/pianist Mikiko Narui to build melodies that practically engulf the listener in sgt.’s sound. The opening track “Magnificent Light” serves as a great example of this by incorporating gorgeous piano playing over a jagged guitar base for four minutes of relaxed, carefree jamming. It serves as a fine preclude for the beast that follows, the asymmetrical blazer “The dilemma-game of snatched people.” Unlike the preceding track, “Dilemma-game” utilizes sgt.’s immensely talented rhythm section to run at a furious clip for 6 minutes, officially kicking off Stylus Fantasticus and introducing the world to sgt.'s definite skill at free-flowing improvisational mayhem. "

Kungfu Rick - Motivation to Abuse

2009-06-26T20:47:00.003-07:00

"And I thought their last 7" was good... Well this LP puts it to shame. KUNGFU RICK takes its grind violence to new heights on this record. The band have catapulted themselves to the forefront of the extreme music scene with their showing here. Their previous stuff may have been raging but this is pure bedlam. Music with absolutely no restraint, "Motivation To Abuse" is about as subtle as a nuclear explosion. Primarily full throttled, there are occasions where the band slows down the mayhem to provide contrast and counterpoint in a most effective display of the mastery of extreme music. Screeched and growled vocals mix with a musical tirade that is both technically impressive and unforgivingly visceral and straightforward. Mark my words, this will be one of those records that you and your friends (both of them) argue over who was the first to discover it."

No Escape - Just Accept It

2009-06-26T20:41:00.003-07:00

1. Falling
2. Just Accept It
3. Bed of Nails
4. Left Hanging
5. No Question
6. Time Bomb
7. Downtime
8. Framework
9. Guilty
10. No

Killa Tay - Mr. Mafioso

2009-06-26T19:31:00.003-07:00

"Personnel: Killa Tay, The Made Men, Mojay, Kingpins Only, Marvaless, Laroo, Pizzo, Doonie Baby, Lil Ric, C-Bo, O-Fed, J-Dubb, Probable Cauze, Mississippi, Tac, Unique, Huccabucc, Lunasicc, 151 (rap vocals); Howard (guitar).

Producers include: D-Wiz, Troy B, Killa Tay, B.C., D.J. Darryl.

Another player from the AWOL/Noo Trybe Records crew, Killa Tay drops West coast flavored tracks on his new release, MR. MAFIOSO. Both an artist and a producer, Killa Tay's debut is an exercise in smooth, laid-back Cali vibes. Hailing from Fresno, CA., Tay is favored with appearances from West Coast heavies like Marvaless ("Murda I") Lil Ric ("We Ride"), Lunasicc (My Past-Time") and Unique ("Blocc Monster") among others.

On of the standout tracks is "Big Dawgs," produced by DJ Darryl, where Killa Tay is joined by infamous Sacramento rapper and labelmate C-BO and Tay's big brother J-Dubb. Packed with sixteen tracks of hip-hop/ funk MR. MAFIOSO reveals to a nationwide audience what heads from Northern Cali have known about for years--West Coast hip-hop's thick flavor and deep bass-filled funk."

Akimbo - Jersey Shores

2009-06-26T19:25:00.008-07:00

"Technically speaking, this is Akimbo’s second album in as many years—I say ‘technically’ because Jersey Shores was actually recorded during the same Chris Owens-helmed recording sessions as 2007’s Navigating the Bronze, so the tough bit was already out of the way for these Seattle sluggers come 2008. Unlike most such two-albums-same-sessions pairings, however, this disc could hardly be a bigger departure from its predecessor. Now, I’m a Northeastern boy, and like most denizens of the mid-Atlantic, I’ve spent many a summer’s day on the sandy beaches of New Jersey. Those among us who have also spent time along Jersey’s noble coasts are aware that while said coasts make for a pleasant vacation spot, it’s not really the kind of place that makes you think, “WHOA TALK ABOUT PRIMO TERRITORY FOR A CONCEPT ALBUM.” So how does a thunderous-yet-party-friendly rock unit like Akimbo write a whole record about the mediocre sands of the Garden State? By abandoning all hardcore tendencies and working up a rifftastic, jammed-out stoner rock effort focusing on the famous shark attacks of 1916, apparently. Who knew?

As previously mentioned, Jersey Shores marks a pretty significant departure from the mainstream of Akimbo’s catalog. The band has expunged most of the frenzied punk acidity of their previous releases. Instead, Jersey Shores feels contemplative and almost jammed out over its six lengthy tracks—Akimbo meander their way from monster groove riff to monster groove riff with little of the explosive urgency that colored their past output. The intermittent ‘clean’ moments might lead some to saddle this album with the ‘post—‘ tag, but Jersey Shores bears more improvised and ‘live’ sense of pacing than the build-crescendo-subside constructions that most NeurIsis-type bands rely on, and that’s a good thing. If anything, this looser format allows Akimbo to rely less on Jon Weisnewski’s expressive but workmanlike bellow and gives them more room to make use of their very, very serious riffing ability and chops. Weisnewski and drummer Nat Damm have developed into an incredibly potent, booming rhythm section over their many years togther—Damm in particular is an absolute monster of Bonhamesque single-pedal skinsmanship—and their driving cadences allow Aaron Walters to strut his impressive stuff on extended instrumental workouts like “Matawan,” “Lester Stillwell” and the title track. This, much more than any previous Akimbo release, is a rock album (pronounced ‘rawk’), full of meaty power chords, guitar heroics, and striking dynamic shifts. Owens’ production, already impressive on Navigating the Bronze, is even more appropriate here—each instrument is gritty but comprehensible, and the effect is that of a perfectly-adjusted mixing board in an intimate club.

There’s no question that some significant chunk of Akimbo’s fanbase is going to reject this album outright, and if all you’re looking for here is amped-up, speedy rage, then you’re likely to be among them. But Jersey Shores shows a side of this band that we haven’t seen before, and honestly, they do the drawn-out fuzzy rock thing as well or better as they do the frantic ‘core thing—I prefer this disc to any prior Akimbo release. If you like gigantic drums, massive amps, long songs, heavin’ riffs, or yellin’ dudes, this album is worth your attention."

Zombeast - S/t

2009-06-26T19:19:00.003-07:00

"Zombeast hits you with the proverbial Danzig/Samhain brick to the head.

Reigning from Arizona, our desert demons crank out all the pitch black dirges, evil laced riffs, and foreboding lyrical content that will even make Satan's child crumble with jealousy."

Phonk Beta - Phonkphenomenon

2009-06-26T17:34:00.013-07:00

1. Intro
2. Money Rite Now
3. Bad Dreams
4. Insert
5. Diggin All in the Soil
6. In the Picture Now
7. Beat #1
8. Have My Time - D-Dubb, Phonk Beta
9. Dr. Doggystile@aol.com
10. Consequences - Cos, , Phonk Beta
11. Street Hustle - Phonk Beta, ,
12. Rush in the Spot - Phonk Beta, Redbone
13. Butter & Bread - Phonk Beta, Zagg
14. Drink 2 Much - Cos, , Phonk Beta
15. Who Ya Lookin For - Cos, , Phonk Beta
16. Novocain Listen
17. Pistol in the Bacc - Devious, , Phonk Beta
18. Scent
19. Outro

Lol

2009-06-26T16:27:00.001-07:00

The Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter

2009-06-26T13:10:00.001-07:00

This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain

2009-06-26T01:51:00.004-07:00

"This Will Destroy You are a Post Rock band out of Texas. They have left no way for me to come up with one of my usual (not so) clever introduction paragraphs. Someone has yet to write anything about the band on Wikipedia, their website is damn near bare and their Myspace gives out nothing but the first names of the band members. So instead of delivering the usual boring paragraph about band history or something along those lines, I am forced to jump head first into the review. Young Mountain , the debut recording from This Will Destroy You, has a questionable status. Clocking in at 36 minutes, divided into six songs, it seems both too long to be an EP and too short to be an LP. As compared to many of This Will Destroy You’s contemporaries, something else seems too short. You see This Will Destroy You, unlike other Post Rock artists like Godspeed You! Black Emperor for example, cram all the epic-ness you’d expect from a Post Rock song into half the normal time slot, a la Mogwai. The five minute album opener Quiet is simply put, the most grand five minute track I have ever heard. The guitars shimmer, bass is just the right mix or aggressive and laid back, while the ever pounding drums bring it all together. There are no vocals, though that shouldn’t come as a shock, but still This Will Destroy You make some catchy tunes.

TWDY’s sound is near perfect. Production wise, everything is right where it should be. Tone wise, it doesn’t get much better. The quiet parts are tear jerking. The loud parts, while equally tear jerking, are brutal. A better example of this than The World is Our ____ cannot be found. The first two minutes contain over lapping arpeggios of guitar and bass, whilst a electronic sounding drum beat plays underneath, this part, the “verse” per say, reoccurs later on in the song. The “chorus” could easily be thought of as the chorus to a metal song, it is so heavy. The rhythm guitar is aided by tons of distortion, while the lead is as textured as ever. The bass and drums work to together to create a pummeling beat for which all of this goes down on. I wish I could play drums like they are played on this album. There are no ridiculous fills, no million bpm playing either, just some of the most solid drumming I have ever heard. Even when the only thing being played is a simple ride cymbal pattern, it sounds perfect. The electronica influence only just makes me love the drums more. Every instrument on This Will Destroy You’s sounds perfect, but the drums give off an unspoken radiance. Simple, yet complex when the time comes, they fit in perfectly.

Closing off the album is There Are Some Remedies Worse than the Disease , probably the most ambient track on the CD. Beginning with two interlocking, textured guitar riffs, the song builds up through prominent bass parts and powerful drums into an all too short, violin aided, heavy climax. The album ends with a couple seconds of guitar feedback and leaves you with, despite its short length, a good feeling. "

Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

2009-06-25T23:30:00.005-07:00

"Remember how frustrating it was when Nine Inch Nails would make us wait four to six years between albums? That trend, it appears, has entered the rearview mirror stage, along with the label messes and rehab stints that helped cause those interminable gaps. Consider the new math after The Slip hit hard drives as a free download last Monday: over the last three years, Trent Reznor's released as many full-length records of new material (four) as he did during the first decade of his recorded existence. Since Pretty Hate Machine, the concept behind Reznor's work with Nine Inch Nails has been blunt and straightforward: dystopian techno-metal forged from the fusion of man and machine. But since last year's Year Zero, which came bundled with an alternate-reality video game and high-concept pre-release marketing schedule, and including Ghosts I-IV, which mimicked Radiohead's lossy-leader gimmick, Reznor has slowly emerged as a new sort of cyborg: an artist wholly immersed in the newest digital trends for the distribution and promotion of his music. Like a more magnanimous Radiohead, Reznor's called into question the major-label reserve clause for established, profitable musicians by not just coming up with a new way to monetize music, but just giving it away for free, no strings attached. Instead of "tip-jar," it's "this one's on me."

Unlike its most immediate predecessors, The Slip comes packaged with a crucial difference: the music itself is more satisfying than the sui generis marketing scheme. Reznor's unique capacity to commingle raging industrial bangers with ballads and ambient instrumental passages appears in its best form since The Downward Spiral, and here gains much of the focus and restraint that many remember used to be his calling card. At just under 44 minutes, The Slip is Reznor's shortest full-length since Machine, and it indexes many of his most appealing qualities as a songwriter and album sequencer. His former label Interscope still retains the rights to issue a Nine Inch Nails greatest-hits set, but The Slip plays like Reznor's own minor retrospective, fleshed out with plenty of present-day ruminations."

Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart

2009-06-25T23:22:00.004-07:00

" I think this album in conjunction with their second major label album Jawbox marks the pinnacle of their sound. For those uninitiated with Jawbox’s music, they were a `90s post-punk band who took influence from several luminaries of the genre, such as Gang of Four, Mission of Burma, the Minutemen, and Big Black as well as fellow D.C. natives and former label-mates Fugazi. They were never ones to wear their influences on their sleeve however, creating their own unique hybrid of them instead. All of this was complimented with an additional sense of melody and their knack for writing a catchy chorus, which was doubtlessly important in helping them land that oh so controversial Atlantic recording contract. All this was anchored with the tenor of lead singer / guitarist J. Robbins, which ranged from soothing singing to a brash yell to a spoken word style. At times, this was also complimented with an inter-song vocal trade-off with guitarist / backup vocalist W.C. Barbot and at times having Barbot at the helm himself.

What was able to put this album above their rest was the ability to successfully mix angularity with melody without it seeming contrived or forced. Tracks like "LS/MFT" successfully display this with a catchy chorus smoothly integrated amongst dueling angular riffing. Some tracks find the band exploring one side of the dynamic more than the other, with starting track "FF=66" having little interjections of melody and tracks like "Savory" finding a place on alternative radio and MTV. Some additional highlights also include "Cooling Card," a medium-paced, more melodic track which keeps the flow of the album well. The album closes out with "Whitney Walks," a slow, more bass-oriented track which works well into easing the listener to the end of the album.

Various tracks on the album show J.’s borderline stream of consciousness style, which while slightly disjointed, never seems absurd or completely unable to be followed. Examples like “Falling down / Aging in place” from "U-Trau" which may seem slightly odd at face value, make perfect sense within the context of the song, a feat which many who attempt a similar style can’t accomplish.

Still, I don't believe this is simply a really good album, but one that will continue to be held in high esteem, as well as serve as a benchmark for even more years to come. Due to all of this, it's very fair to say that with this album Jawbox not only made their mark on the musical landscape but were also able to easily cement their place in music history. "

North - What You Were

2009-06-25T22:51:00.010-07:00

"A part of me thinks NORTH has jumped the shark with this new album; the more accepting part of me, the part of me that gave this, regrettably, much more than it deserved. It’s not a surprise to be honest as I've always been the kind of person who didn't particularly enjoy that one metal kid who is seemingly in every group of friends. Was it so rash to have pegged his ardent following of the genre to be the result of an alcoholic father and an excuse for every bruise come school time? I'm up for reading about the pale horses and the apocalypse if a report calls for it, but do I really have to listen to bad poetry about them being grunted and groaned? My answer has always been 'no'. That's why I was able to withstand and, yes, enjoy NORTH for at least nixing the worst aspect about metal bands and even adding in some spacey atmosphere. With What You Were, though, the band chose to not only add a vocalist to the lineup but also brought HeavyHeavyLowLow's Rob Smith in for some guest vocal work. Awesome?

Hardly. “Ghosts Among Us” tore my spine out, and all I had to do was look at the press sheet that clearly stated I should be expecting something different out of NORTH. What they expressed without words on Ruins has been substituted for unintelligible screams, transcribed in the booklet with such gems as, “I did this all for you/I am death/And yet alone I stay.” Am I listening to metal renditions of Nickelback, or all metal lyricists this terrible and painfully overdramatic?

My legs are open and grateful, however, for how the band still fingers me with electricity, despite all of the compensation for the inevitable tirade of injected vocal clutter. Songs like “Eidolon” remind me why I can’t go a day without listening to music; the opening is absolutely gorgeous (EITS, is that you?) and “leaves me wanting more.” There a few instrumental songs here, but they come far between and are all less than two minutes – essentially “interludes” to make the album seem more novel-esque and much more cohesive than it ought to be considered. As much as bands believe they’re the anti-trend, they still cannot devise a way to bring the album together without using intermissions that were in all probability written the day of recording. The shimmering overlay on most of the album's songs should be expected to be present, the band hasn't completely revamped their style.

A big sigh and move-on for me, another one bites the back of my CD shelves. I’ll pull out NORTH’s previous album every once in a while, but a firm spot on the lowermost shelf tells me Where You Were will be there for some time. I guess I should round this “review” up somehow with a summary on the album, but I’m not going to tug you guys along. Metal is tired, overdone, a slow crawl through a narrowing tunnel of originality. Call me the wrong critic for this assignment, but I’d put money on the rest of the staff saying more or less the same thing. I guess we have sense enough to see a failing rebellion, or fad."

Do da stanky leg

2009-06-25T22:31:00.002-07:00

Do it.

Michael Jackson - Thriller

2009-06-25T17:44:00.004-07:00

"In the three years since Michael Jackson's first solo album, Off the Wall, sold 7 million copies and spawned four hit singles, black music has veered away from the danceable but ultraslick style that Off the Wall epitomized. From Prince to Marvin Gave, from rap to Rick James, black artists have incorporated increasingly mature and adventurous themes–culture, sex, politics–into grittier, gutsier music. So when Jackson's first solo single since 1979 turned out to be a wimpoid MOR ballad with the refrain "the doggone girl is mine," sung with a tame Paul McCartney, it looked like the train had left the station without him.

But the superficiality of that damnably catchy hit belies the surprising substance of Thriller. Rather than reheating Off the Wall's agreeably mindless funk, Jackson has cooked up a zesty LP whose uptempo workouts don't obscure its harrowing, dark messages. Particularly on Jackson's own compositions, Thriller's tense, nearly obsessive sound complements lyrics that delineate a world that has put the twenty-four-year-old on the defensive. "They're out to get you, better leave while you can Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man." It's been a challenging time for Jackson – his parents may separate, he's been involved in a paternity claim – and he's responded to those challenges head-on. He's dropped the boyish falsetto that sparked his hits from "I Want You Back" to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and chosen to address his tormentors in a full, adult voice with a feisty determination that is tinged by sadness. Jackson's new attitude gives Thriller a deeper, if less visceral, emotional urgency than any of his previous work, and marks another watershed in the creative development of this prodigiously talented performer.

Take "Billie Jean," a lean, insistent funk number whose message couldn't be more blunt: "She says I am the one/But the kid is not my son." The party spirit that suffused Off the Wall has landed him in trouble, and he tempers that exuberance with suspicion. "What do you mean I am the one," he quizzically asks his femme fatale, "who will dance on the floor?" It's a sad, almost mournful song, but a thumping resolve underlies his feelings: "Billie Jean is not my lover" is incessantly repeated as the song fades out."

RIP

Iron Monkey - Ruined by Idiots

2009-06-25T17:40:00.003-07:00

"If one were to objectively rank the bands that have been ripping off Eyehategod since 1990, I'd wager a guess that Iron Monkey would be at or near the upper echelon. Not unlike most other underground American dirge/sludgecore acts, drugs, piss, and sexual dysfunction are oppressively present, but Iron Monkey are cutting the crap and getting straight to the source. These Brits have assembled what might be construed as an album's worth of Bower/Patton outtakes (unintentionally less bluesy, less explosive, more belabored) and a mix sounding straight out of Louisiana's Studio 13. No, they ain't Southerners, but by the sounds of this album, I'd surmise these guys have been indulging in a little too much Dixie Beer. Like I said, in a vacuum, this is festering, raging hatecore, and although hindered by an obvious lack of identity. It's a thundering, bruising slab of doom nonetheless. Slow-crawling rhythms with obnoxious vocals that are like a ballsier Emperor (no kidding!), more shrieked than bawled. Iron Monkey are that close to the middle tier; as it stands, however, their debut heart attack is merely second rate Eyehategod. In other words, if I saw this album second-hand, I'd buy it in a cocaine heartbeat."

His Hero Is Gone - Fools Gold

2009-06-25T17:35:00.003-07:00

"What surprises me about His Hero Is Gone is how they've never managed to spread outside of the world of record collecting nerds and a few people who were around to see them in the 90s. They released consistently great records, did several big tours, and have influenced a ton of bands indirectly. Even just looking at the bands members of HHIG went on to be after the break-up points to how big their influence on hardcore punk has been (Tragedy, Deathreat, Severed Head of State and From Ashes Rise to name a few), and yet, for the most part, I rarely hear much about them.

This record was recorded with the original line-up. To me, the first album with the second guitarist, Monuments to Thieves, is their essential record, though everything they did was pretty much spot on. The version I ripped this from is the Coalition Records version, which was distroed in Europe. The 7" is way out of print and I don't even know what it would sell for, but the tracks are available on a CD with other rare songs called The Plot Sickens (link to the CD on Interpunk), on Great American Steak Religion (now called Feral Ward ) Records. "
-Going through the motions

Fugazi - Steady Diet of Nothing

2009-06-25T17:27:00.006-07:00

""Steady Diet of Nothing" is an important record in Fugazi's career because it shows the bands first inklings of experimenting outside the hardcore genre. While "Repeater" and "13 Songs" were both focused on completely stretching the idea of what could be considered hardcore, "Steady Diet of Nothing" shows the bands attempts at being completely rid of the genre title. Perhaps no track represents this more than the slow brooding "Long Division" which could be taken as Fugazi's attempt of a ballad. The climate of the world during this albums creation is important to note as well because of the Gulf War invasion. I find it very telling of Fugazi's attitudes that they released their most relaxed album during the time when most would assume they'd be screaming the most.

The key difference on "Steady Diet of Nothing" is the fact that the dub influence found on their previous releases has now moved to being half of their sound. Where "13 Songs" and "Repeater" was basically just hardcore with touches of dub and other genres, "Steady Diet of Nothing" has pushed the dub influence to the forefront. The first track "Exit Only" basically encompasses the rest of the album-heavy bass drum interplay and even more of the stop/start method that was found on early Fugazi tracks like "Waiting Room." Due to the more laidback feel of this album, MacKaye's vocals don't suit the music as well as Guy's. Most of the weaker tracks like "Reclamation" are brought down because of MacKaye's awkwardness at times. While it certainly isn't a huge negative, sometimes you find yourself wishing for the more sarcastic lip of Picciotto than the brute force of MacKaye. The production has improved a lot from their earlier work and it seems as if this is the first time Fugazi is actually using the studio as another instrument to deliver their message.

"Steady Diet of Nothing" is, like I said, the first album by the band that drifts from the standard hardcore setting of the band and begins to show off the alternative sound that they would be stuck on for the rest of their career. As much as "13 Songs" and "Repeater" represent the early Fugazi sound, this album is essential due to it's view of a band on a fence, not sure if they should stick to their old sound or go for something completely different. This awkward game of unsure development is where the true beauty of the album lies, and what makes it a worthy release in the even more worthwhile Fugazi discography."

High Tide - Sea Shanties

2009-06-25T17:23:00.003-07:00

"High Tide's music really lies somewhere in between "hard" and "art", with more penchant towards the former, I'd say, on their debut album and more towards the latter on the second one. In both cases, though, it's not the kind of hard-rock or art-rock we're used to when we speak of late Sixties. Based upon the double attack of Tony Hill's electric guitar and Simon House's electric violin. "

Dying Fetus - Purification Through Violence

2009-06-25T17:18:00.004-07:00

"Global Domination: We at Global Domination saw fit to add your release, “Purification through Violence”, to our esteemed Class (666) hall of fame. Do you feel this album is worthy of such an honor?

Jason: Well, I feel it’s ok, it’s primitive and the first album whereby Dying Fetus sort of “formulated” its sound, meaning the technical riffing interspersed with the mosh-riffs, yet all in a structure that was catchy and somewhat traditional. I actually feel it’s significant as a first step in that sound, but I feel we really came into our own when Kevin Talley joined the band and we recorded “Killing on Adrenaline”. We just took it to another level with his drumming, but “PTV” was the first stab at it for sure.

What was the ultimate goal for you while recording this album?

We were heavily influenced by Suffocation, Broken Hope, and Baphomet, yet we were so much more into their breakdowns than the speedy parts, so we wanted to make it extremely brutal yet catchy and groove driven in some parts. I guess we just wanted to build on those songwriting aspects of the bands that influenced us, and at the same time make the lyrics hyper offensive and take it all to another level if we could.

Name something of interest that you remember from the recording sessions.

I remember our friend Casey was in the studio hanging out when we were doing the mixing, and he all of a sudden got really sick and ran to the bathroom, which was out near the studio room, we could hear him in there through the vocal microphones, so we asked the engineer (Steve Carr) to start recording it, the result is the ‘vomit and gagging’ intro to the Napalm Death cover at the end of the album (“Scum”).

If you could change any one thing about this album, what would you change?

In retrospect the lyrics are pretty silly, they were primitive for me, but in reality it was reflective of who we were at the time and what we were into, so I guess that’s where they stand.

Why do you think this album means so much to those who consider it a classic?

I dunno, I guess cause at the time in 1994 to 1996 people were saying that death metal was dead and its boundaries explored, but we were to have none of that, we just kept writing songs we wanted to hear, along with numerous other truly underground bands (remember no MySpace, no internet, no CDRs, it was VERY underground and self-sustaining) and so we went with what we felt was the next step in the development of death metal’s sound."

Bongzilla - Apogee

2009-06-25T17:15:00.004-07:00

"Bongzilla, Bongzilla...the heavy riff killa's...
These guys have paved a warm spot inside of my heart ever since I witnessed them a few years back. Their sound is heavy, driving, bluesy, hardcore... Much in the likes of Eyehategod, Sour Vein, Sleep...but difference of course...
I had the opportunity to play with these cats on several occasions on the same bill and already had heard a handful of these tunes.
The riffs totally chug along with heavy ease...lots of little time tempo changes, but plenty of grooves. Throw in the most blood shrilling vocals and about 20lbs. of hash... These guys are of hardcore punk descent for sure.

The stuff on the newest CD Apogee seems to be a mix of live, newer studio stuff, and a previously released 7" record. Cool mix of tunes, all super heavy and punishing throughout. The live songs are of decent recording quality as well and it gives you an idea of how tight these guys are live. More of the agressive upbeat hardcore stuff is witnessed as well...
This album is the best release by Bongzilla so far, and I have heard 'em all. The best track on this 7 song CD to me is track 3- Grim Reefer... It's got the heavy money riff on the CD for sure and is a hook line and sinker in sludge doom... The marijuana references are not a joke. Spanky once told me that if I need to get stoned to simply just 'go stand next to Muleboy for 5 minutes...' -it worked.

I am proud of these cats for keeping me thoroughly entertained over the years and never letting me down musically... I can't wait to see them this May in Ohio at the Emissions Fest...that and to get my fuzz pedal back from Spanky that I lent him a year ago...hehehe... just kidding of course, but seriously- Sleep fans, Eyehategod fans, Sourvein...come forth and indulge."

To the 16 returning visitors

2009-06-25T14:07:00.006-07:00

Thanks for taking the time to come by my blog. At least now I know that I'm not doing this for nothing. Uploading takes fucking forever. I'll be posting some more shit later today, so be sure to visit again later tonight.

Uzi Suicide - Fall Tour Demo Tape

2009-06-24T17:51:00.007-07:00

Tracks:
01. Watch Your Mouth
02. Brutal To The Max
03. I Tried
04. Sick Visions
05. The Ripper
06. Happy Happy
07. My Very Own Spazz Song
08. Train Crash Junkie

Set Fire to Flames - Sings Reign Rebuilder

2009-06-24T17:44:00.004-07:00

"Godspeed retold the apocalypse using their quiet/loud dynamic in their album F# A# (infinity), but Set Fire to Flames brings us closer to the chaos that resulted after said apocalypse in their debut release Sings Reign Rebuilder. But if the whole ‘apocalypse allusion’ has been played out already, one can picture Sings Reign Rebuilder as a voice for those people who have been forgotten by contemporary society. SFtF employs the use of various found-sound excerpts, monologues from the SFtF-dubbed lyingdyingwonderbodies, whose speeches compliment the music as a juxtaposition of hope and desolation.

Now don’t get me wrong; Sings Reign Rebuilder isn’t a collection of religious nuts ranting and creaking staircases (although they don’t exclude the creaking staircase). The music (a lot of it is actually very beautiful music) and the organic sound samples shouldn’t be viewed as a dichotomy that oppose each other. Set Fire to Flames show their mastery of melding together the samples and music into a dialectic: where instead of being considered opposites, the music and sound samples play off and permeate into one another.

Though considered minimalist in nature, Sings Reign Rebuilder delivers a wide array of moods through its inherent musical diversity. Distorted violins/violas and twanged-out guitars are a couple of the biggest highlights throughout this album, and while those alone might sound trite and worn-out (especially in post rock), SFtF regresses from the Godspeed formula of build--recede, and instead explores the extents of its own aural boundaries. There is No Dance in Frequency and Balance is one of the more interesting tracks, considering it has a strong electronic influence as opposed to the rest of the album’s strong organically-based music. The track moves along slowly with a loose drum beat, eerie white noise and a funky bass line until all the instruments hold for a second and the song breaks down into a distorted wave of beats and pressurized air."

Gray Matter - Food for Thought + Take it Back

2009-06-24T17:35:00.004-07:00

"When I talk to people about Dischord bands (which isn't a regular occurrence), or more specifically Dischord bands in the mid-80's, Gray Matter never seems to get mentioned. This is a shame as they are a great band, and this CD (a compilation of 1985's Food For Thought LP and 1986's Take It Back EP, plus a few bonus tracks) is amazing.

It really feels like two different discs in one. So I'll review Food For Thought, and Take It Back individually.

The songs from Food For Thought (1-10) are excellent. I find the songs incredibly catchy, and the lyrics easy to relate to. Lines like "I kind of hate your guys, but I wanna have friends, I wanna feel good even if you pretend", "never worried 'bout pretending, never worried 'bout offending", "I'm afraid of getting hurt, and of walking through the dirt" and "and if I cry and want attention, realize it's just pretension" rock my world. Central themes involve coffee, cigarettes, growing up, feeling bored, feeling sheltered, and so forth. Reading the lyrics, it may seem like they're complaining like modern emo bands do oh so well, but they're not. They're merely stating- like a little kid- how it is. They're honest lyrics about things people can relate to, but never come out and say (do you tell your friends you really don't like them, but because you're incredibly fucking bored you hang out with them?). Great catchy music from the DC hardcore scene, or post hardcore scene. Emotional post-hardcore? Emo perhaps? Fuck I hate labels.

After Food For Thought ends (with a Beatle's cover of "I am the Walrus"), the sound totally changes into a harder, less refined, distorted sound. Singing is replaced by spastic screaming or calmer singing (focused, angry, and reflective, like after you settle down from an outburst) and again the lyrics fucking rule. Some examples of lines here are "kill confusion by killing options, burning bridges to stay warm," or "and I don't want identity, all I wants consistency!". Golden. For people out there that love labelling music, this is... noise rock, or 80's alternative, or Rites of Spring-esque post hardcore. Although Gray Matter's (I don't know who sings what, the booklet mentions two vocalists) sound more like a little kid having a temper tantrum here, and less like Guy's "every word I say I say out of complete desperation as if I could fucking collapse at any second" scream.

It's an amazing CD. I like it better than Embrace's effort, and just as much as Rites of Spring's. Criticize my review all you want, just download some songs, and see for yourself."

Tombs - Winter Hours

2009-06-24T17:32:00.002-07:00

"“All aboard the Relapse Records train, picking up as many Neurosis soundalikes as possible”, is what I would be spouting if it weren’t for Tombs latest assault on the ears. Fortunately, Winter Hours brings much more to the table than my statement would lead you to believe. Relapse Records has been stunning the metal community with its seemingly endless list of artists on the edge of outdoing most of their counterparts in the genre. Add Tombs to this ever growing list of artists on the label and also add Winter Hours to your “best of” for 2009 as well.

Incorporating and amalgamating more genres than I can count, Winter Hours in many ways represents the face of metal today. No one has to take a close look at the large number of bands today to realize that most metal bands on the scene are absolute genre shape-shifters of sorts. Tombs follows this trend with open arms, but instead makes everything feel fresh again (even their Neurosis impersonations). Earth splitting riffs, noisy post metal interludes, intense moments of black metal and hardcore are rarely utilized this well and songs such as ‘Golden Eyes’, ‘Merrimack’ and ‘Filled With Secrets’ capitalize on using these elements to create some of the most memorable moments of any new metal bands as of recently (Withered comes to mind but don’t quite pull it off as pristine as these guys). Vocally, Mike Hill (also performing all guitars and production on this album) powerfully belts out in his best hardcore voice while also dipping a bit into the Aaron Turner gruff vocals of Isis. Winter Hours is also lyrically bleak with poetry about the end of days, nightmares, and the reality of death that wholly completes the music/ album.

Tombs self-titled album (2007) tinkered with post-hardcore and Winter Hours finds the band taking well-aged ideas and building strongly on what has already been done before. Registering in at a mere 37 minutes, this is blackened-post metal that someone not too fond of the genres can swallow easily. Nothing overplays here; everything is memorable right down to the last second and I couldn’t have it any other way considering you’re smashing head first into great ideas that have been toyed with before. Winter Hours will tide over fans of Neurosis until the mighty godfathers of post metal drop another atom bomb on the world."

Buried at Sea - Ghost

2009-06-24T17:28:00.002-07:00

"No, Ghost is not as heavy as Migration, Buried at Sea's three song debut from back in 2003. But few things that occur naturally in this world are, so I can't fault the band for coming up short in that regard. Nor can I fault them for the gloriously evil sounding Ghost. It's two seconds shy of 30 minutes, tuned to the key of despair, and broken down into a series of movements that touch upon not only Migration's sound but also that of Minsk, vocalist/guitarist/producer Sanford Parker's other band. There are more ethereal effects peppered throughout the song, serving as background ambiance as the bass, drums, and guitars grow louder and more forceful.

What's most interesting about Ghost is that it's actually a collection of recordings from 2005 and 2006. The band's managed to splice these separate, distinct pieces together to form an almost linear story. An instrumental as a narrative? That would be the case with Ghost. And while I'm not clear on the specifics, it's a chilling tale they're telling all the same. While Ghost lacks the immediacy of Migration, it still exemplifies what the band is all about - creating a sense of despair and ruin. It's beautiful music. And recommended."

George Carlin - It's Bad For Ya

2009-06-24T17:23:00.004-07:00

"George Carlin's new stand-up comedy special aired last night on HBO. As usual, he displays his genius ability to easily grasp the obvious and presents it in a humorous light. He still has that uncanny ability to make people chuckle at the fact that we have no rights as American citizens. As he recently celebrated his 70th birthday, he gives us a humorous view of aging, dying, heaven, hell, and, of course, religion. At 70, he calls himself an "old @!$%#" which is, "kinda like a fat @!$%#," wherein "@!$%#" is a synonym for "fellow". "Who's the old @!$%#? That's Georgie. Georgie's the old @!$%#." He then segues into a detailed account of deleting dead people from his address book.

The theme to this act is, "It's all bull@!$%#, and it's bad for ya'." He rails against people trying to tell us who to idolize, false patriotism, and blind faith. All topics one would expect to hear from George Carlin, but no matter how many times he touches on these topics, he always brings a fresh perspective, a new way of looking at the issues, and this time is no different."

Sleep - Dopesmoker

2009-06-24T17:19:00.003-07:00

"This album is a mammoth release from stoner kings, Sleep. They take one riff, and cram it in your brain for 63 minutes and 31 seconds. Some people might find this tiring but I find it very enjoyable. This track has all the things you would come to expect from stoner rock/Doom band, Fuzzed out guitars, Booming Groovy bass, and drums that don't disappoint. The lyrical content is kinda silly, its about ancient people on a search for weed.This is one of those albums where you have to listen to the whole thing to get it, even then you most likely still wont get it, and will probobly hate it.

The epic monster that is Dopesmoker starts off with a slow, churning riff, that almost hypnotizes you for the first 2 minutes and 40 seconds, the drums finally kick in, and that same riff keeps pulling you in, deeper and deeper. Changing ever so slightly, and grows more intense until at about 6:30 when the bass starts its groove and kicks in. It keeps building and building until at 7:30 when the bottom drops out and the brass starts crashing it sounds like a wave just washing everything away, except that riff, that riff keeps going. Then Matt throws in this fill a couple times that sounds like it was sent from god himself. It's not amazingly technical but it just sounds holy. The groove kicks back in even deeper then before, and you feel like you're on this journey, with them. Then at 8:25 the vocals kick in and you know exactly what wave length these guys are on. "

Graves at Sea - Documents of Grief

2009-06-24T17:10:00.002-07:00

"Originally released in 2003, this four song EP is a good introduction to a doom 'n' sludge band that's been making a name for itself with an intense live show that backs up the evil gruel they call music.

Documents of Grief is a four-song collection of cancerous dirges, a slow-moving and corrosive hate fucking for the ears. That sort of dismal noise is ok for some, but I prefer a little more depth and some sort of hook to get me more involved. "Red Monarch" and "Praise the Witch" offer just that, with the former's almost psychedelic guitar leads and the latter's bad mushroom trip groove. Just when you think you can't take any more of it, they loosen up just enough, and then drag you back down into their dank, dark hell."

Dishammer - Vintage Addiction

2009-06-24T16:54:00.003-07:00

Disaffect - Home of the Slave

2009-06-24T16:38:00.004-07:00

"Disaffect were a hardcore band from Glasgow, Scotland, UK. They were formed in early 90's and disbanded in mid 90's.
This is the third pressing of Home of the slave. It was firstly released on Anonymous Records in 1993, the second pressing was on Uneasy Listening Records and the third on Maximum Voice Productions. Powerful hardcore with female/male pissed vocals, aggressive riffs with nice breaks, fast and mid paced tempos good sound quality and gate fold cover with lyrics. Home of the slave tracks were included in the Discography CD on Anonymous/Pan optic Vision. Members of Disaffect and Sedition latter went on in Scatha."

Crowpath - One With Filth

2009-06-24T16:34:00.002-07:00

"Just when I thought it was safe to lock in my top albums for 2008, along come Crowpath to throw me into a spin with this truly nasty piece of work. Like their stellar previous efforts, One With Filth is an expertly written death/grind album that is surprisingly listenable despite being unrelentingly intense. By 'listenable' I don't mean 'catchy' though as Crowpath's chaotic approach doesn’t allow for things like melody or straightforward grooves to even get a sniff. But there's always something these guys throw in, as often as needed, to latch onto your ears and make you want to move. Like a David Lynch film, try scrutinizing this too closely or try to make sense of it, and you'll likely become lost. Step back and let the whole thing roll over you though, and its beauty and power becomes apparent. Hence One With Filth plays out like a harrowing 30-minute journey into the mind of a very disturbed individual that is nightmarishly brutal - and so very enjoyable.

There really is no let-up on this album. Even the ambient number “I Gryningen” halfway through is filled with tension and dread, as if that scary bloke gracing the cover is merely taking a few minutes to select a new instrument to torture you with. Otherwise prepare to have your head taken clean off by songs like “One With Filth” and “Cleansed In Chlorine,” which are relentless in their barrage of octopus-like drumming, rapid-fire tempo changes and riffs that draw from the best parts of technical and brutal death metal. On the other hand the likes of “Septic Monarch” effectively show off Crowpath’s ability to shift down a gear and throw in a bit of sludge without losing a shred of intensity or bile. While every track is hard-hitting and memorable on its own, One With Filth really has been constructed as a concise half-hour piece that flows superbly from beginning to end.

One With Filth puts Crowpath in the company of bands like Pig Destroyer, Today Is The Day and The Axis of Perdition; bands who not only bludgeon sonically, but construct their music around vivid and downright frightening narratives. The cinematic terror of One With Filth has been channeled through some of the tightest, most ferocious extreme metal I’ve had the pleasure of hearing this year, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how this is followed up, not only by Crowpath themselves but also their contemporaries. A disturbingly good album."

Gnaw Their Tongues - An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood

2009-06-24T16:30:00.002-07:00

"Gnaw Their Tongues is almost completely indescribable, it is a project that simply needs to be heard to be believe. Forget understanding it as the primitive emotional outbursts that pepper the sounds on their records as these compositions seem to aim at leaving listeners aghast at the emanations of sound. An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood is the latest recording from the shadowy Gnaw Their Tongues, and at seven tracks, it is more than an hours worth of haunting sounds that might just challenge the daring with their menace. I must admit that reading the press on this record truly intrigues my sense of sonic adventure; hopefully, the actual record pays off in at least some of the ways in which it boasts.

Seriously, from the outset, An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood is more a lo-fi horror soundtrack than conscious musical arrangement; although deep beneath the competing sounds (drums buried deep in the mix along with bass guitars and keyboards while screeching black metal style vocals and operatic vocals vie for attention amid a great deal of white noise) there lies some method to the madness. At times, Gnaw Their Tongues utilize some rather passive moments to set moods, like the rather calm section in "The Urge To Participate In Butchery" but for a majority of the album, this is a sonic bludgeoning of unique aural soundscapes that are part symphonic, see "Sawn Assunder and Left for the Beasts" and the title track for examples, and at points the material uses electronics (like "Teeth That Leer Like Open Graves" the opener) to create the eerie atmospheres that are evident in every piece here. The use of samples also dots the trajectory of An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood, but the real gem is pretty late in the album. "And There Will Be More of Your Dead Children Tomorrow" uses intoning bells, which add a massive quality about the almost symphonic arrangement while its slow crawling nature really lends to a creepy sounding piece; the sample where the man starts yelling about killing babies and the crippled and such really just pushes this out there as Gnaw Their Tongues includes a bit of what sounds like a vocal choir to the mix."

John Zorn - IAO: Music in Sacred Light

2009-06-24T16:25:00.002-07:00

"Experimental music icon John Zorn has been living on the edge of deviance for some time now. In the mid-80s, during his six month sojourns to Japan, repeated exposure to extreme porn and S&M; rubbed off on him-- enough to find a place in his compositions with Naked City and afterwards. He's produced soundtracks for South American gay porn, placed dead bodies and decapitated heads on his CD covers (there's a pentagram on the back of this one), and composed whole albums about deadly poisons. Zorn seems tempted by the dark side, and it often brings out the best in him.

IAO is his meditation on evil, specifically concerned with the Beast (the name IAO is Kabbalistically identical to 'Satan'). The liner notes tell me it was partially inspired by cult theorist Aleister Crowley, who spent most of his life practicing and writing about the concept of 'Magick.' As much as I can gather, Magick was the practice of governing and empowering one's sense of free will through Gnostic rituals (often with sexual symbolism) and tarot cards, all tied together by a system of strange symbols and a mythical poem called "Liber al vel Legis." Crowley was as subversive a figure as you're likely to find, and it's not hard to see how his esoteric deviance could have inspired Zorn to focus on primal fears and ritualistic lusts.

The music of IAO is classic Zorn: dark ambient exoticism, ethnic percussion exercises, hypnotic suspense-film music, thrash, and avant-garde classical. Similar to his recent "Music for Children" series, he seems to be loosening the reins on his tradition for branding each project an isolated incident, opting instead to use all of his best colors on one canvas. "Invocation," follows Crowley's ritual model, and its clanging cymbals and use of null space seem to nod to Nurse with Wound's similarly disturbing Homotopy to Marie. A church organ (of all things) opens the track with dissonant, wavering chords, and bells rustle along both sides of the stereo. They give way to a whirling tailwind, and what sounds like someone sharpening a blade. And like a black hole, this implodes slightly, only to supernova into a wall of flies. This may actually be the loudest moment on the album, and two minutes in, it's apparent that Zorn's new album is one of the better records to be affiliated with the black arts (a short list, I know). I won't bring up the backwards-singing choir or voodoo sticks, as I'm sure you'll want to experience the sheer thrill for yourself."

James Brown - Live at the Apollo

2009-06-24T16:14:00.004-07:00

"Brown personally funded the recording of his Wednesday night show at The Apollo on October 24th, 1962. He and the Flames had been there all week already, and Brown was counting on the raucous crowds who showed for amateur night to give him the kind of support he knew Nathan couldn't ignore. For his part, Nathan had reluctantly sent one of his people to supervise the recording, but could hardly have expected it to result in this album. It's more than a little strange to think King had originally issued Live at the Apollo with canned applause and screams because not only were the Apollo faithful in full "support" of Brown's revue, that night has gone down in rock and soul history as arguably the finest live performance ever captured on record. Not bad for a guy who'd been one flop away from failure only a few years earlier.

Live at the Apollo was issued in 1963 and became an instant hit. Not only did it satisfy Brown's small legion of diehard fans-- to the tune of being played in its entirety during the evenings on some R&B; radio stations-- for the first time, it brought the undeniably intense celebration of his live show to young audiences throughout the country. This might not have been very important in another era, but just as Live at the Apollo can be seen as a symbolic transformation of R&B; into Soul, for a myriad of events, 1963 marked the dawn of a decade when sharing experiences and points of view across an entire culture meant more than just crossover success. It was the true beginning of the 60s, and Brown's half-hour Wednesday night set figures no less prominently than Dylan bringing protest music to the masses or The Beatles arriving in America the following year as musical signposts for A New Day."

Warhorse - As Heaven Turn to Ash

2009-06-24T16:02:00.003-07:00

"Southern Lord Records seems hellbent on infecting the world with the most doom infested sludge metal the planet has ever known and WARHORSE may be their secret weapon. This CD is like a chameleon... always changing... always adapting. From song to song they never repeat the same idea twice yet they manage to never lose their tooth rattling heaviness and forlorn vibe. Listening to this is akin to being waylaid in a wilderness of distortion and you can't get out because it is surrounded by a solid wall of sound. You don't listen to this CD, you experience it."

Thrones - Alraune

2009-06-24T13:58:00.005-07:00

"The Thrones make the Earth move. Rumbling sub-sonic nightmares populate this disk. It's much like a demented movie soundtrack plowing through your grey matter. I would suggest turning it up very loud and annoying your neighbors. Small animals and children will run in fear. Mr. Preston continues amaze and astound on Alraune. Not for the weak of heart."

New Reign Supreme - Testing the Limits of Infinite

2009-06-23T17:58:00.004-07:00

Fuck On The Beach - Power Violence Forever

2009-06-23T03:11:00.003-07:00

"Screeched vocals, frantic guitars, whirlwind beats, and sheer aural overload have become this band's trademark and this debut full length certainly only adds to that reputation. I don't know what has gotten into these boys but it must be akin to nitroglycerin because this is unbelievably explosive. Fastcore on overdrive. F.O.B. don't do the tough guy shtick, they don't worry about being heavier than thou, instead they opt for chaos, frenzy, speed, and more speed. Listening to this album is almost like drowning, there is never a chance to come up for breath. There isn't even a break between tracks... every cut bleeds into the next. A little over 20 tracks in a little over 20 minutes plus on the CD version an entire live set that is worth the price of this sucker alone. When I listen to this baby I can't help but remember the first time I heard D.R.I's debut record. It is that overwhelming! F.O.B. have catapulted themselves to the forefront of the Japanese fastcore scene with this disc and only a fool would pass it up."

Rotten Sound - Under Pressure

2009-06-23T03:05:00.003-07:00

"The powerhouse style of ROTTEN SOUND is so violent that it almost manifests itself in physical assaults on the listener. Combining the vehemence of raw crust core with the sledgehammer riffs of grind this band's sound is anything but rotten. Like many of the best new breed grind bands, ROTTEN SOUND distinguish themselves not only with their completely insane delivery but also by the fact that they are so incredibly tight. They have a razor sharp delivery that still manages to be raw and uncompromising. Great.

Here's a switch... This release began life as a CD and this is a repressing on vinyl. I love it! Vinyl rules my world. Anyway, this was recoded before the full length CD that is reviewed elsewhere in this issue and it is rawer and more frenzied than the full length. The band play with such abandon that it sounds as if they are in the throes of death. To be honest, as much as I liked the full length,t his is even better. More spastic and less predictable, this 7" is phenomenal."

Elliot Smith - Either/Or

2009-06-23T02:58:00.002-07:00

"Elliott Smith is arguably the best solo Acoustic Alternative artist of the last 10 years. What seperates Elliott from his peers (Damien Rice, Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake etc) is his extremely obvious Beatles and Beach Boys influence. Elliot could sing some pretty high notes and his harmonies were great. He played acoustic guitar very well, and there was just something about his voice. I can't quite pick up what it was, but there was definitely something about it.
Elliott's first big project was the soundtrack to the film "Good Will Hunting". The soundtrack features some of the tracks off here.
Unfortunatly, Elliott was found dead in 2003, from self inflicted stab wounds. Hopefully, his music will stand the test of time, it's certainly good enough. Elliott had a great ear for a 3 minute pop song. He knew what he could do and what he couldn't do. When he did what he was good at, the results were amazing."

Dystopia - Human = Garbage

2009-06-23T02:51:00.003-07:00

"Dystopia is basically one of my favorite crust band, and for many reasons. For one, they make very interesting music. Hell, if a band didn't make interesting music you probably wouldn't listen to them. Also, they find ways to make their music epic sounding, which involves a little doom influence.

Calling Dystopia a sludge band is so far stretched it makes me laugh. There's no sludge here people. Dystopia plays straight forward crust with some doom influences. Musically you can expect some fast and heavy, as well as the slow and epic stuff from them. I think they are quite legendary for this kind of stuff anyways. Sludge? no.

Musically, they are heavy at all times. The guitar has a very strong tone, and it keeps your attention 100% of the time. There is a lot of variation in tempo, as well as the main focus. Every instrument in this band gets its moment to shine very frequently. The bass is also very prevalent, which it always has in Dystopia, and would up until 2008 with their last album, which was self-titled. The bass is very heavy, deep, and very entertaining to listen to. They are especially fun to play. The drum lines are very different from other bands. The drummer is also the vocalist so Dystopia really doesn't do blast beats. The beats vary, but always include various symbols and bass pedal fills. The vocals include very vigorous, high pitched screams and some more death metal sounding growls. Everything in this band is enjoyable, in short.

Dystopia is a revolutionary crust band. I haven't heard a crust band like this before in my knowledge of the genre. They aren't repetitive, the songs are more than 20-30 seconds in length, and there is appealing musical skill and writing. Dystopia is a band who should be loved by all. They are plainly an awesome band. "

Bitch Magnet - Umber + Star Booty

2009-06-23T02:46:00.003-07:00

"For a long time now I've been pissed off with the whole idea of an "album." This is cos I convinced myself that ultimately there're only songs - or, if not songs exactly, tracks. Everything else (bands, albums, videos, EPs, etc. etc.) is just some kind of contrived music industry bollocks that we've been landed with after decades of rapacious development. But, every now and again, a collection of tracks comes along and I have to think again. What I'm saying is that in the case of Umber the old cliche of the whole being bigger than the sum of its parts definitely does hold true. Even the sequencing is perfect. Peaks and troughs, elongated stretches of tension and release, hush and crash - all these contradictions and their accompanying resolutions are here, and weigh up to create a perfectly balanced whole.

If you’re wondering about their sound and the targets Bitch Magnet are shooting for on Umber, the first thing to say is that it’s a little more considered than Star Booty (the preceding 12” EP). Although that release was in no sense sloppy, Umber is incredibly precise. Intros crunch in and at some prearranged signal, stop dead – only to explode moments later into a series of staggered riffs or a chain of distorted, cleverly inverted chords. And so the emphasis is very much on dynamics – not melodies, submerged or otherwise. There's certainly an Albini (i.e. Rape Man) influence here. But Bitch Magnet's approach is less oblique. I'd say it's more melodic but that word seems way out of place here, so let's just say it's more direct and expressive - but also more subtle."

At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul

2009-06-23T02:42:00.003-07:00

"As well as their flare for heavier writing is shown on Slaughter of the Soul, all is not lost. Many tracks contain incredible melodic moments as well as others reminiscent of their older Gothenburg. The twin guitar shredding on Blinded by Fear adds emotion to an otherwise violent song. The lead guitar tremolo picking in the middle of Under a Serpent Sun is a remembrance of Terminal Spirit Disease-style riffing. The pace is appropriately slowed by the first of the two instrumental tracks, Into the Dead Sky, with a acoustic playing that almost seems to tell us that the end is near. The Flames of the End could not be a more somber way to end the album. Melody is not lost on the final At the Gates album at all, it simply goes hand-in-hand with music that sent the band away leaving fans wanting more."

Telefon Tel Aviv - Helen of Troy

2009-06-23T02:20:00.002-07:00

This will probably be taken down from youtube sooner or later. I'll be posting the album later.

The Explosion - S/t

2009-06-22T18:58:00.004-07:00

Gaza - East EP

2009-06-22T18:49:00.004-07:00

"Dark and moody and reminiscent of Converge in an artsier, more disturbed, less spastic moment. Gaza has strung together some lopsided bits of low-end/screechy/noodly guitar and mixed in a mentally-unbalanced rhythm section."
"The debut EP from raging noise/grind behemoths Gaza. Hailing from the land of that ranks in the top 5 for salt, meth, antidepressants, domestic violence and bankruptcy -- I think they have a fitting sound."

Hammerhead - Ethereal Killer

2009-06-22T18:43:00.003-07:00

"From a time and place when music was dangerous and so were music magazines. Can you believe Alternative Press once wrote this? "...Dirt, Anger and Claustrophobia all wrapped up in a hairball, delivered furiously, with the panache of a deranged ex-boxer high on cheap vodka. Yes..." Members of Hammerhead went onto be in the HIGHLY underrated VAZ who also have records out of GSL, and Narnack, and Load! Fans of Young Widows, Deadguy, Playing Enemy and The Jesus Lizard take note!"

Gorguts - Obscura

2009-06-22T18:35:00.004-07:00

"This album is excellent. If ever I am to recommend an excellent death metal album, I recommend this one. It carries as much in-genre originality as anyone is likely to hear. The popping and squealing guitars and bass might sound like a caucophonous mess to someone with virgin ears but once you realize thar those pops and squeals are extremely technical riffs, you understand the magic of Obscura. Of all of Gorguts amazing releases, Obscura is the best. It launches them into the front of the pack of technical death metal but doesn't leave you shaking your head at excessive wanking or random brutality.

Speed is not in short supply here but it is also not excessive. Every note can be heard and that can be attested to both the skill of guitarists Luc and Steve Hurdle, and to the discretion on the part of the band for not maxing out their talents which would give the album a completely different sound. If a song like Earthly Love were to just charge through at top speed, the near break down sections would entirely lose their effect. Though this is not a top speed album, Patrick Robert must be having quite a workout behind the set as he delivers and enfilade of blast beats and rolls. His drum parts are definitely creative and technical but he doesn't stick out quite as well as say, Quebec cousin Cryptopy's drummer Flo Mournier. As a side note, ex-guitarist Daniel Mongrain is a live guitarist for Cryptopsy.

The nearly avant-garde nature of this album can sometimes be distracting as you get lost listening to just one part and all of a sudden realize that you have completely tuned out everything else, including other parts of the song. Though the vocals are pretty standard death metal fare, they are rarely the most grating part of the music. The arrangements of pop squeal guitars and blasting drums often are so assaulting that you entirely lose track of the vocals. The formula almost seems to be, when there are vocals, make sure the music outweighs them and only resort to harmonious melody when they disappear. Not that the songs are nearly that predictable but in a general grand sheme of the album, that seems to be the case. No, this is certainly one of if not the most complex album I have ever heard. It blows None So Vile out of the water and I still consider that album a solid 4.5/5."

Lento - Painting the Hangers

2009-06-22T18:25:00.004-07:00

Sorry, no buy link.
Hardcore / Ambient / Experimental

Gwar - America Must Be Destroyed

2009-06-22T18:15:00.003-07:00

"Far before Gwar became the tired joke they are now (don't get me wrong, when they come to town, I'm still going), there was America Must Be Destroyed. This album is the follow up to the still classic "Scumdogs of the Universe" and remains the pivotal point in their career. With this album Gwar found stardom through Beavis and Butthead exposure and a decently selling home video with a (choke) plot and (snicker) acting.

But apart from all of that, there was their third album: "America Must Be Destroyed." On this album Gwar takes a quasi-political stance against censorship while simultaneously penning some of the most offensive material of their career. Don't misunderstand me, I understand Gwar's intentions and I love dark humor with the best of them, but perhaps "Rock & Roll Never Felt So Good" borders on good taste...Perhaps.

The album starts off very encouraging with the high-spirited and odd time-signatured "Ham on the Bone" which demonstrates the bands newly acquired confidence, particularly in vocalist Oderous Urungus. "Crack in the Egg" quickly follows which is a heavy-groove midtempo rocker which stills finds its way onto Gwar's set lists.

The well-executed "Gor-Gor" is followed by album stand-out "Have You Seen Me" that starts out with bar-chatter, the clink of cocktail glass, and smooth loungey bassline. "Have You Seen Me" is such a significant track because it demonstrates what Gwar has spent their entire careers trying to perfect - the blend of novelty and good songwriting. So much of Gwar's catalogue (particularly after this album) were songs written to be a certain "type" ie. "a thrash song," "a glam song," "a ballad." This has served to pigeon Gwar firmly into the novelty-act catagory. "Have You Seen Me" is an exception to this because it blends the lounge-jazz feel with a sound that is absolutely Gwar at their most rockin'."

Back from Phoenix.

2009-06-22T00:21:00.002-07:00

And only needed to throw up once! Yay me. I hate the highway. Anyway, now that I'm back I'll be posting some shit in a few. And about the last post; I had written it as American Nightmare instead of Modern Life is War. Two good hardcore bands, meh.

Modern Life is War - Midnight in America

2009-06-20T08:40:00.004-07:00

"I feel like Modern Life Is War is one of those hardcore bands that gets tagged and filed as a success. In a similar fashion to With Honor, Comeback Kid and less so, Set It Straight, and 108, Modern Life Is War are releasing an LP on a large independent label after very positive responses to their previous LPs, My Love. My Way. and Witness. I'm not the biggest fan of My Love. My Way. It's a little too monosyllabic for me in its stripped down hardcore gesticulations. I appreciate how powerful they can be when they're using slow, heavy riffing against equally molasses drumming, but when I think of most of the hardcore music I truly love, I favor the double-time punk beats and swinging guitar over the crushing chords and slobbering tom-tom hits. And it was on Witness that Modern Life Is War struck gold by mixing their earlier power (The part "so what the fuck..." on "The Outsiders (aka Hell is for Heroes Part I)" or the entirety of "Marshalltown") with the faster, catchier guitar work and melodies (1:54 on "Martin Atchet") and exciting drumming ("John and Jimmy"). Now, they're releasing their third LP on Equal Vision, a label that has released albums from Coheed and Cambria, Bear vs. Shark, and The Fall of Troy, bands that all seem to be singular and bellwethers in their own rights. Modern Life Is War fits into the mix well being a hardcore band with tons of good cred coming from their crushing heaviness, yet enough mass appeal to be marketed to kids who are also excited for the new Fall of Troy album. That balance is almost too good to be true and bands that were similarly appealing like Set It Straight or With Honor have tended to break up shortly after delivering their purportedly flagship releases."

Ghoul - Maniaxe

2009-06-20T06:31:00.003-07:00

"Holy crap! If anyone continues to compare Ghoul to Carcass they're stupid. In fact, anyone who continues to compare Ghoul to Carcass should be shot for being a lazy and incompetent fuckwad with no ear for metal, because aside from the vocals (be they nasty low growls or midrange sneers) this is a fucking blistering thrash metal attack like I haven't heard in quite a long time. The speed is there, complete with classic thrash picking patterns and hints of melody, there are tons of raging slow breaks, shredding solos, the works... Awesome. And what's even better is that this reminds me of classic American thrash - a sound that most contemporary bands have yet to successfully harness. I could definitely deal without the cheesy and unnecessary spoken vocals in "Ghoul Hunter", even if they do namedrop Anthrax and Megadeth, but pretty much all of the other songs are rippers, and the title track is so fucking badass that it practically makes up for everything. The cover of "What a Wonderful World" is pretty hilarious as well... who would've thought? The production is pretty nice. The guitar tone is damn near perfect, the bass plunks away in the background, and the drums aren't bad. They even have an 80's sort of sound to them - they're somewhat flimsy at times, but that fits believe it or not. I still think the guitars and bass need to dominate more, but it sounds very fucking good, so fuck it. The cover art is sort of reminiscent of Gwar, and the illustrations are all fucking awesome. But I honestly think the rest of the layout is weak just because it's sort of plain and doesn't fit in with the awesome lettering drawn on the front cover. I don't know. It's not a setback or anything, but it could be a hell of a lot better. Do you really need lyrical examples? All I'm gonna say is that "Boneless" combines the band's usual horror flare with skateboarding, so... choke on that shit! This is a great disc. I'd shit my pants if these guys would drop the humor and be a dead serious fucking thrash act, but whatever. I can't understand most of the vocals anyway, so I can deal with horror and gore as long as they continue to back it up with riffs like these! I really want to give this an 8/10, but weak tracks like "Ghoul Hunter" and "The End?" are a waste of time and really hinder the overall energy and impact that the rest of the album harnesses, making it a little bit frustrating to take in as a whole. This band keeps getting better and better, though. If they keep this up they'll rip everyone a new asshole or two the next time"

Going out for the day...

2009-06-20T04:46:00.003-07:00

Driving up to Phoenix to see some relatives. Wish me luck, as I hate driving on the highway. Fucking cars. I guess I'm going to try and crank some shit out before I leave.

Minus the Bear - Three Albums

2009-06-20T01:41:00.005-07:00

Highly Refined Pirates

Menos El Oso

Planet of Ice

Casting Curses - Heartificial

2009-06-19T17:12:00.003-07:00

"There’s something to be said for a band that unabashedly wears its influences on its sleeve. Don’t think of it as style-biting, but as taking the best elements of several different bands and crafting them into a new and exciting project.

That is precisely what upstate New York’s Casting Curses have done with the release of their EP, Heartificial. The ferocious five-piece evokes memories of past hardcore juggernauts such as Turmoil and the Promise while adding enough new wrinkles to keep the two-song EP fresh and engaging.

“Hey Disbeliever,” the longer of the two songs at just over three minutes, is a crushing display that opens when a wave of feedback leads into crushing groove. The progression gets louder and louder until everything but the guitar riffs drop out completely; the riffing becomes quicker, the drums come back in, and singer Brian Kraus explodes with fury at the precise moment the bass drops out. The first minute alone makes it more than apparent how finely tuned this quintet really is, but it’s the frantic vocals that really raise the level of intensity. That frantic feeling is also represented lyrically, as the story’s protagonist goes through a range of feelings, unsure of where to settle.

The weeks fade the same, every party a losing game / And it’s not the cure I was hoping for, it’s not the door I was looking for / This could be my resurrection.”

Casting Curses air on the side of brevity with the second track, “Change the Lights,” and waste no time going full board. With a good mid-tempo groove to start and Kraus’ scathing delivery, Casting Curses establish a punishing rhythm. About halfway through the track, the vocals cut out briefly, only to come back in on a heavier, bass-driven groove. It’s those subtle but important switch-ups that keep these songs churning and keep the volume at 11.

A relatively young band, Casting Curses will have plenty of time and opportunity to forge a unique sound in hardcore, but for now, they’re plenty content with the sound of their arrival. "

This was an upload request and not half bad either.

Sledgehammer - Your Arsonist

2009-06-19T15:29:00.004-07:00

"One of the biggest and loudest hits in the history of the NFL came courtesy of former Buffalo Bills linebacker Mike Stratton, on one Keith Lincoln of the San Diego Chargers. It was this hit during the AFL Championship game of 1964 that the famed “Stratton Scale” was born into Buffalo lore. This was the scale announcers would use to measure how loud or heavy a hit on a member of the opposing team's offense was. By this logic, it would not be hard at all to rate Sledgehammer’s Your Arsonist at an even ten.

Make no mistakes; this hardcore supergroup of sorts is loud, damn loud. This EP bursts straight off the line with “London’s Burning,” immediately pummeling you with an extremely loud combination of guitar, drums, and vocals. The project is fronted by ex-Integrity singer Dwid Hellion, and backing him are former members of such outfits as Liar, Conrgress, and Death Before Disco. While they may come from different backgrounds, their aim is simple: To make brutal and punishing hardcore that would grab you by the throat and never let go. The lightning quick combination of guitar and drums at the end of this song, combined with the sinister laughing in the background, is truly unrelenting.

Blast-beats, breakdowns and compliments aside, this is in fact a rather boring disc. All the creativity this band has to offer was actually put into the lyrics and liner notes, which are presented as a script, each of the EP’s four songs being a scene in that script. It’s definitely an interesting idea in what’s usually a genre devoid of them, but that creativity doesn’t translate quite as fluidly to recording.

But hey, there’s a fifteen-minute long hidden track to spice things up a bit, right?

Apparently not. I played this disc on at least 4 different formats, and the secret track that’s supposed to be there is nothing more than a vacuous space. Disappointing, for what could have been another element to an EP that grows dull and stale more quickly than I’m sure they’d have liked it to.

This EP is raw, loud, and punishing, and I’m sure everything else that they were aiming for when they recorded this. There’s nothing beyond that, however, and that’s why it falls flat in the less than 20 minutes it’s running for. Fans of the bands that Sledgehammer sprouted from will absolutely devour this, but there’s nothing to hold my interest for a third or fourth listen. Here’s to hoping this band's career will end faster than Ryan Leaf's. "

Skitsystem - Stigmata

2009-06-19T15:18:00.003-07:00

"What’s up with Swedish bands and Skit? I can’t keep count of the number of Skitbands, while I can’t even think of one bandname containing "poep" or "schijt". Where the bandname might sound a bit immature, the issues the band addresses are serious: oppression, rape, racism... life in Sweden seems to be in no way better than in Holland. The only good thing about living on such a giant piece of shit like our world is that it makes some people angry, very angry, so angry the only thing they can do that will not get them in prison is start a raging band. These guys did just that, and released a respectable stack of records in the last 10 years.

Musically this isn’t anything new, but who expects anything original from a band like this? This is a wall of noise that last for a little over 30 minutes, fast old-fashioned crustcore along the lines of Avskum, Disfear, Totalitär. It rages, tears and burls, with a short guitarsolo or interesting bassline here and there to keep you interested. The only thing that bugs me is the production, who did the production and what band did he think he was producing? This sounds very clear and open, I guess any metalcore band would kill for a production like this, but it doesn’t fit Skitsystem. This must sound as least as filthy as the world we’re living in, you just have to hear rats and bugs crawling around and the bandmembers sipping their beers during the songs. When I looked in the booklet I was even more in doubt, Frederik Nordström, who also produced the first 3 Skitsystem records, produced this. He should know how to produce a record like this, what the fuck happened? But apart from that, they are pissed, I am happy, but I still like Gra Värld/Svarta Tankar better."

Sabertooth Zombie - Midnight Venom

2009-06-19T15:10:00.005-07:00

"After lying in bed with scenery consisting of drifting ceilings and absent eyelids, this year can finally end with a night of sleep soaked "z"s. Over three hundred days spent and not many left to live (for 2006) and FINALLY Sabertooth Zombie drops Midnight Venom: eighteen tracks of metallic hardcore that sound like seventy-two hours of no sleep and snakes tonguing with broken tongues.

If you've been following Sabertooth Zombie since their initial demo dropped in 2004, you've been carrying around blue balls for two years. The wait was worth it. Instead of throwing together a bunch of tracks as an excuse to have a higher price and an excuse for a longer set, what we have here is a genuine full-length. The tracks flow together. Midnight Venom sounds like the boys of the North Bay put a conscious effort into the arrangement of songs. Hell, there's even an instrumental interlude - titled "Interlude" -track with echoing guitar notes. Unlike most punk bands that just make songs, Sabertooth Zombie writes songs that create atmosphere. Not an atmosphere that I'd like to live in, but one I'd like to dip into often.

Cover artwork of vipers drooling blood, posed to strike, that flow into business hands shaking exemplifies the feeling of this album: dark-gory punk/hardcore/metal sounds that combine social consciousness and fucked up imagery into one abrasive/hooky product. The simple and solemn full moon on the back of the album is rad as well. As good as this looks on the CD case, it would look a lot better on a 12" release (HINT HINT).

Five songs are re-recorded for Midnight Venom. They are "Shoes," "Fragments," "Self Mouth," "Get Bent," and "Giant." As good as these songs are, having new songs in their place would've been better, especially for "Fragments," which has been on two previous releases. But, for songs "Shoes" and "Self Mouth" that were only available on the split with North Bay's short-lived Jumpstreet, for many this will be a first listen opportunity. And for a bigger but, Midnight Venom contains thirteen new songs so this minor complaint is even smaller."

Bear with me.

2009-06-19T04:11:00.003-07:00

I'm messing with this page, and I'm not sure when I'll be done. Soon, though.

*updated*
Done for now.

Foo Fighters - S/t

2009-06-19T01:48:00.004-07:00

"Performed entirely by Grohl, except for additional guitar work from Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli on the song “X-Static,” Foo Fighters exhibits a bracing can-do spirit in keeping with Grohl’s do-it-yourself recording style. Although he may be a one-man band, Foo FightersFoo Fighters also alludes to external conflicts that Grohl wants to overcome. With its fighter’s attitude, Foo Fighters doesn’t feel insular or malnourished. Instead, on dynamic, assertive rockers like “I’ll Stick Around,” Grohl sounds like he’s tearing down the walls, stating his independence and claiming his own turf. “I’ll Stick Around” wields an antagonistic streak – the chorus goes “I don’t owe you anything/I don’t owe you anything” – but some of the rest of responds to the pressure of living up to what Nirvana achieved by simply constructing one perfect rock song after another.

A Surprisingly Melodic Voice

But while it might have been assumed that Foo Fighters would contain its share of up-tempo rockers, the real surprise is how confidently melodic the album is as well. From the pop-leaning ballad “Big Me” to the jaunty, silly “For all the Cows,” Grohl mixes up his assault, throwing sonic changeups that both cleanse the pallet and vary the album’s approach. Also unexpected is Grohl’s vocal range, showing vulnerability on the towering “Floaty” and genuine weariness on the aptly-titled “Exhaustion,” which builds to several furious guitar blowouts. We knew he could scream, but as he proved on Nirvana’s hushed MTV Unplugged in New York, he can actually sing, too. Foo Fighters allows him a great showcase for that voice.

A Little Filler

The second half of Foo Fighters contains some mild filler. “Weenie Beenie” is such a mindless cavalcade of big riffs that it feels less like a song and more like the sort of background music pumped into sports arenas to get the fans fired up. Equally, “Wattershed” is a spastic two minutes of anguished yelps and desperate guitar shredding that sounds like Grohl’s nod to his roots in punk bands. Neither song drastically detracts from Foo Fighters as a whole, but their deletion would have made for an almost flawless record.

Instantly Compelling

Foo Fighters may not be as distinctive as Nirvana’s best work, lacking the incisive lyrical detail that made Cobain a legend, but as a collection of instantly compelling songs, it has few peers. Dave Grohl has walked out of the ashes of a terrific band and started all over again. One of the great things about Foo Fighters is how he makes that transition seem effortless. "

Souldside - Less Deep Inside Knees

2009-06-19T01:45:00.002-07:00

Spazz - La Revancha

2009-06-19T01:02:00.003-07:00

Power Violence

Jedi Mind Tricks - Visions of Ghandi

2009-06-19T00:57:00.003-07:00

"Jedi Minds Tricks are an underground rap duo from Philadelphia, PA, and they are angry. Maybe they aren't actually angry people, but if we as listeners are to take cues from their lyrics, they ain't nuthin' to fuck with. However, their form of violence and aggression doesn't come from ultra-sparse beats or "gangsta" lyrics, but from an odd mix of sampling dramatic movie speeches, sampling famous symphonies, and spitting allusion-saturated pseudo-intellectual lyrics with the utmost hatred and disgust with the humanity, other rappers, generally, the world around them. This highly dystopian lyrical stance employs violence, anti-homosexuality, and really anything negative to get their point across as aggressively as possible.

However, Visions of Gandhi, though in a lot of ways their most a forward and animalistic album lyrically, is a much more diverse and withdrawn album musically. The typical Jedi Mind Tricks uses a lot of overly dramatic devices such as sampled classical music (e.g. Mendelssohn) or monologues from violent movies (e.g. Boondock Saints). They also tend to have smooth guitar for the lighter moments on the CD to contrast that against the darker more symphonic moments. Here, while we still get plenty of strings and horns, and plenty of guitar too, there's a wider diversity of sampled style here."

Hour of Penance - Pageantry for Martyrs

2009-06-19T00:51:00.003-07:00

"One of the most unique and coriaceous Death Metal bands on the Italian soil delivers its second studio effort after a regular two-year absence, which they had spent promoting their debut album "Disturbance". Most significantly, "Pageantry for Martyrs" showcases some substantial line-up changes, namely youth guitarist Giulio Moschini replacing Francesco De Honestis, and Alex of Necrotorture fame filling in since the sudden departure of founding singer Mike Viti, and quickly turning from a last-minute addition into a permanent member. Bass duties on the record were performed by both guitarists right before Silvano Leone joined in.

Be aware that Hour of Penance is not one of those bands willing to re-invent its own sound on each new release: they advance by progressive adjustments, and mean to show with each recording how imperfect the previous one was. As for the songwriting quality and influences, nothing is left over from "Disturbance", so you can still expect the high-paced blend of modern Death Metal styles with a glance at some older pioneers, though their original Deicide-ish backbone is slowly drifting away.

Typically, each song displays at least one of their singular influential styles, spanning from late Deeds of Flesh and Hate Eternal on the opening track, to the unfailing Immolation mid-paced power in "End of Relief"; from a reference to post-Barnes Cannibal Corpse on "Naked Knife Absolution" and early Sinister on "Exiled Innocence", to a surprising Vader-like turn on the closing "Egomanisch". Still, songs like "Far Beyond Humiliation" are there to prove that nothing from "Disturbance" was lost.

The album's clean production quality adds up by correcting the flaws on the previous disc such as the small bandwidth reserved to guitar solos. The vocals delivered by Alex are efficient and clearer than his predecessor, and perfectly fit the band's musical and lyrical style, expressing their discomfort for this world in turmoil, with a touch of sci-fi literature.

In a few words, "Pageantry for Martyrs" is NOT meant to change anyone's mind about Hour of Penance, unless you were expecting them to refine what they had previously done. If you let yourself go with the flow of the many worthy bands that spawned overseas (Vile, Disgorge(US) etc.) and across Europe over the last few years, then Hour of Penance is Italy throwing its two cents into this modern Death Metal fire pit. My rating reflects the chance for them to make it even better someday."

Nasum - Inhale, Exhale

2009-06-19T00:46:00.003-07:00

""Inhale/Exhale" is the best Grindcore release I have ever heard, and for those of you who enjoy the workings of early NAPALM DEATH or the mighty TERRORIZER this is the release that surpasses the likes of "Scum" and "World Downfall", this is the release that in actual fact wipes the floor with them.

In "Inhale/Exhale" NASUM have surprisingly created a masterwork of an album by not allowing it to suffer from the two most complained about Grindcore faults (which are 1: Sheer noise where you can't make anything out. And 2: Too repetitive.) by making the guitars the more dominant instrument (yet keeping the phenomenal lightspeed drumwork) and utilising some more groove orientated riffs to really get your head banging.

Each track is noticeably different from the rest, which in itself is an amazing feat for ANY Grindcore band, keeping the album fresh and enjoyable for its entire listen. The songs themselves are well written and the dual vocals are fantastic and all this is cased in a top class production (with a little assistance from the great Dan Swano) to give us Metalheads what is and probably forever will be the greatest release in the history of Grindcore."

Human Remains - Using Sickness as a Hero

2009-06-19T00:41:00.003-07:00

"Paul Miller - Vocals (Burnt by the Sun)
Jim Baglino - Guitar
Steve Procopio - Lead Guitar (Discordance Axis)
Teddy Patterson III - Bass (Burnt by the Sun, The Skies Denied, War Chalking)
Dave Witte - Drums (Burnt by the Sun, Discordance Axis, Municipal Waste, Birds of Prey, Redrum (US))"

Karp - S/t

2009-06-19T00:10:00.003-07:00

"Karp was a rock band from Olympia, Washington, that formed in 1990 and lasted until 1998. The band was formed by Chris Smith aka Chris Slayer (of Newlyweds and Witchypoo), Jared Warren, and Scott Jernigan. They released three full length albums entitled Mustaches Wild, Suplex, and Self Titled LP. (Note that "Self Titled LP" is a literal title. The title is not "Karp." Even the CD version of the record is titled "Self Titled LP.") They also released several EPs and 7" records. Their recordings were released by several Northwest-related labels such as K Records, Kill Rock Stars, and Punk In My Vitamins. Karp managed to mix the terror of hardcore, The Melvins, and Black Sabbath with an ear for pop-influenced song assembly. The band name is inspired from a newsletter/zine that Chris Smith put out in highschool and is an acronym that stands for "Kill All Redneck Pricks"."

Mammoth Grinder - Rage and Ruin

2009-06-19T00:05:00.003-07:00

"Austin’s MAMMOTH GRINDER have unleashed a powerful debut album of blistering, thrashing hardcore punk fury. What’s most impressive about this young trio’s Rage + Ruin album is the subtle twists they add to what is normally a straightforward genre. Unique songwriting, timing and the occasional incredible "heavy" part really set MAMMOTH GRINDER apart from most burly/fast punk bands. Very heavy tuning, a dual vocal attack and air-tight stops & starts don’t hurt either. Definitely a band to keep an eye on, as they totally pummel live too."

Shook Ones - Sixteen

2009-06-18T23:58:00.004-07:00

"Shook Ones' debut album, Sixteen, could easily be the lost Kid Dynamite album you never knew existed. If someone put this on and you didn't know any better, you would think it was a bunch of Kid Dynamite songs you've never heard. This isn't one of those so-called "influenced by Strike Anyhere / Avail / Kid Dynamite" pretender-to-the-hardcore throne bands. This is as close to the real deal as you're going to get outside a full-blown Kid Dynamite reunion.

Hailing from Bellingham, WA, they manage to ape KD's sound down right down to Jason Shevchuk's, before now, fairly unique delivery. While bands like the Curse (PA) and Trial By Fire the Disaster are firmly entrenched in the KD sphere of influence, Shook Ones are the first band to pick up the KD mantle and really run with it (including KD's own members' new projects). Jason's band None More Black strays beyond even the most poppy elements of KD's sound, while Yemin made the questionable call of taking over vocal duties (since his singers kept flaking on him) for his harder-edged new band Paint It Black.

Now, I really like None More Black and I would probably like Paint it Black a lot more if they got a real singer, but neither splinter groups add up to the sum of their parts together as Kid Dynamite. When I said Shook Ones ape KD's sound, I didn't mean that as a knock on them. They aren't a watered-down clone band. They strike me as having great potential (they made a nice jump in quality from their demo to the album, for instance) and this album is thoroughly enjoyable. In fact, the only knock I could see someone having on it is that it sounds too much like Kid Dynamite, which I think is just hating on it in principle and not on its own merits. " (Wash., D.C.) were playing the same brand of melodic hardcore, and Shook Ones' labelmates

2009-06-18T23:50:00.003-07:00

"The title track begins with the sound of swelling distortion. Underneath the guitar, a melodic synthesizer line weaves a repetitive, hypnotic pattern. Broadricks angelic vocals, sounding almost like a hymn, rise over the wall of distortion. The crushing distortion of the guitar and bass obscures his words. More important is the melodic sense that his vocals bring to the song, providing contrast to the crushing guitars. When the guitar drops out, the synthesizer continues over the warm, resonant sound of the bass. The synthesizer builds, changing its form, seeming to stretch upwards, until the song ends.

Star enters with rapid, pulsing drums accompanied by an interesting distorted bass line. Broderick repeats variations of the words If I could forget it like you do," lending the track a melancholy feel. Throughout Silver, Broderick uses his voice sparingly. The scarcity of vocals serves to emphasize the presence of Broadricks singing. As his voice rises above the mire of distortion, it serves as a focal point for the listeners attention. Wolves feels noticeably darker than the previous songs. The synthesizer and bass are initially responsible for creating an ominous atmosphere. The entrance of a guitar playing a crushing chord progression then heightens the tension. Broadricks haunting vocals fade in and out over the wall of sound. The final track...

...Dead Eyes, begins with the sound of a damaged record. The synthesizer lines contain the suggestions of a human voice, but it is impossible to catch any words. At 4:10, the heaviest guitar riff on the album enters. Gradually the instruments begin to drop out, until only the crackle of the synthesizer remains. The inclusion of the same sounds at the beginning and the end of the song lends Dead Eyes a cyclical feeling of unity, although the song itself does not offer enough of a climax to stand with the rest of the record. The main downside to Silver is the repetitive nature of the material, which could ruin the album for some listeners. You get the same distorted guitar and bass tones throughout the album, and every song is linear. Jesu make up for the repetition by lacing the album with melody. Although at first listen picking out the melody may seem daunting, the listener does not have to search too far beneath the layers of distortion encasing the melody. Silver is successful because its outward harshness conceals an underlying pop sensibility that catches you when you least expect it.

Pros:
� Music remains crushingly heavy while concealing a wealth of melody
� The guitar and bass complement one another with interesting lines
� Broadricks ethereal vocals provide a nice counterpoint to the music

Cons:
� Songs are linear in composition
� Occasionally repetitive
� Lack of variation in the guitar and bass tone"

John Coltrane - Blue Train

2009-06-18T23:46:00.003-07:00

""Blue Train", released in 1957, was John Coltrane's first attempt on making it as the leader and composer of his own group. He had started out working with Dizzy Gillespie in big bands and smaller groups on alto saxophone, the first sax that he learned how to play. He also played clarinet among other instruments. His first "big break" was when he asked to join Miles Davis' "first quintet". His work on Davis' albums "Milestones", "'Round About Midnight", and, most famously, "Kind of Blue" showed that he was becoming a virtuoso on his tenor sax and creating his signature playing style that was later called "sheets of sound" by jazz critic Ira Gitler. This first outing with Coltrane as a frontman included Miles' bassist and occasional drummer. This album is also unique in that a trombone is used, a rarity in jazz of this nature. Here is the track-by-track review.

1) Blue Train - Let's face it, everyone who knows at least a little bit about jazz knows the opening to this song. It's an established classic. Every instrument gets it moment to shine. Lee Morgan's trumpet in particular is spectacular in addition to 'Trane's solo. He undeniably put together a group of great musicians playing great material. 5/5"

Rwake - Hell Is a Door to the Sun

2009-06-18T23:34:00.004-07:00

"Rwake (pronounced "Wake") is a stoner-sludge-doom metal band from Arkansas. They've been around since 1996 but have only recently begun to penetrate the middle-class irony demographic (pitchforkmedia gave last year's Voices of Omens an 8.0 rating; I tried to find something to make fun of in the review but it's more-or-less accurate, I guess). Sprawling, dirty metal epics, lyrical themes include getting stoned before school, the sounds of metal music being a cause of mental retardation in the children of pregnant concert-goers, being visited by the ghost of Satan and his angels.

Recommended if you have any interest in metal at all. This is the whole discography minus their 97 demo and a split disc with Sloth; if anyone has those I'd be interested in hearing them. Of what's here I recommend If You Walk Before You Crawl, You Crawl Before You Die first, then get Voices of Omens and Hell Is A Door To The Sun. The others are worth it if you're a doomhead, but not essential." -puke skywalker