The Kids are Alright?

     O.K. here is a weird/random one for you--sorry my mind just goes off on weird tangents like this sometimes--here is a list of EVERY/ANY band I can think of (mostly metal or punk but at least 'rock' music) that has the word 'kid', 'child', 'children', 'youth' 'son', 'daughter', 'baby/babies' in their moniker.  Why?  I already told you, I don't know! (If 'Boy' or 'Girl' were included, this would never end...maybe another blog.)

In no order whatsoever:

Kid Rock(!)
Dead Child
Children of Bodom
The Babies
Blake Babies
Made out of Babies
Glazed Baby
Circle of Dead Children
Children in Adult Jails
Youth of Today
Reagan Youth
Crucial Youth (Positive Dental Attitude!)
Youth Youth Youth (I am totally not making that up)
Youth Brigade
Jerry's Kids
Rich Kids on LSD
Wasted Youth
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Old Mans Child
Sons of Ishmael
Daughters
The Children
Sonic Youth
Musical Youth (!)
Heavy Metal Kids
Get Up Kids

             Blaine-KU

   In charge of Blaine store;
Summoning massive metal
       to destroy your face

    The truth is I actually have plenty of respect for the sort of very serious metal model.  I used to work in a record store, and I knew a lot of the metal people.  And I really loved their really deep knowledge about the music.  That is always fascinating to me when people really study.  I really appreciate when people really study, and they’re really serious about it.  I don’t follow most metal, but I am actually a pretty devoted Obsessed fan and all the things that Scott Weinrich has done.  I thought Spirit Caravan was an incredible record.  I think that band was incredible.  And Wino, of course, grew up near here.  I have an enormous amount of respect for his work.

    What I really love is that when I do see these metal shows, there could be seven or eight people, and they’ll be at the front of the stage fully amped.  Just clearly amped.  Very different than a lot of punk shows where people are a little more uncomfortable.  I think people are aware of appearances, and I think they’re a little more uncomfortable, or a little more self-conscious at punk shows.  Whereas the metal guys know every fucking solo.  I love that kind of thing.  It’s going to be a room with a lot of people, maybe everybody, but certainly a significant amount of people who know every lick of every song, I’m just stunned to no end.  I just really celebrate that.

A friend of mine sent this to me; I don't know where he stumbled across it.  Ian Mackaye was the leader of seminal hardcore band Minor Threat and later Fugazi...his insight and opinions on this subject are certainly well-earned and interesting to me.  Thanks, Mario!

                                                         Wing-Ku

                 Cool Dead Meadow tune

                Used in stupid Miller ad!

                         GAZA

     With all the (ongoing) turmoil in the Gaza strip, it seemed timely to introduce to those of you who care my new favorite "math-piss-grind" (!) (self-described) band, the terrific and terrifying GAZA.  Hailing from SLC Utah these guys played at the Turf Club in St. Paul this summer and they totally killed--they room literally felt smaller and full of suffocating horror the moment they took the stage.  Seriously, at one point the "singer" was screaming/roaring in my face, while he paced furiously like a caged beast at the front of the stage...I held my ground but I felt a good kind of fear that only live music of this nature can induce...of course after the show the guy (all of them, actually) turned out to be very nice, thoughtful and soft-spoken individuals, as is often the case.  GAZA hate organized religion.  GAZA play really really truly progressive grindcore of the most violent, scary and creative type imaginable...they are the state-of-the-art, but of what it is hard to say.  GAZA have three really hard to get releases out on cd right now--in ascending order of release they are (all on label Black Market Activities) I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die,  He Is Never Coming Back and this years' No Absolutes In Human Suffering...the titles pretty much let you know what you are in for: Bleak.  Harsh.  Crazed.  Claustrophobic.  Merciless. Arty. Intense. Hateful. Agonized. Wretched.  Spastic.  Insane.  Deranged.  Brilliant...and amazing/stupefying writing and playing at all times, from all angles...GAZA are a black smooth box, programmed only to utterly destroy you, me, the God-fearing, and anyone/anything else in the way.  Man, are they good--wish I could sell it to you...!

                      Again, Not About Metal, Exactly...

     ...but I am writing about gruesome and terrifying horror films, so close enough.  I have three recommendations for those interested in beating up on themselves with ultra state-of-the-art international horror of recent vintage.  I sort of staged a three-way contest during October (of course) setting up one well-reviewed/enticing to me horror film from three different nations against each other, each at the forefront of movie-making in general and horror films in particular: U.S.A. vs. South Korea vs. France.  In ascending order, here is how it shook out--Cabin in the Woods, the American entry, was solid and creative (and funny) but ultimately failed to live up to the hype...like most Joss Whedon projects, unfortunately.  (I am sure D. Lindlehof from Lost should also share both credit and blame.)  Number Two was the unbelievably awesome I Saw the Devil from South Korea--a little long, maybe, and certainly gratuitous (although that was kind of the point) but amazingly well lit, shot, acted and directed...amazing cinematography for a film of this genre and this level of intensity, very very "arty" in a good way, violent, exciting and with something of a moral core as well.  The sexualization of violence and rampant misogyny were about standard for this type of film, and kind of go with the territory, sadly.  The winner by a mile however was Martyrs, and absolutely bezerko super nuts French film that more ore less blew my mind...this is one sick movie, and VERY harsh and disturbing and bleak and mean...you get the idea--but is has a witheringly powerful conclusion with a chilling, spiritual and deeply upsetting "point"--crazy and brutal and extreme in every parameter--needless to say I loved it and found myself mulling it over for days.  Martyrs is hard to recommend to any but the most stern-stomached and hard-hearted, but if you can take it it delivers a unique set of artistic goods...just make sure you are either in a very good or (preferably) a very bad mood before you spring this trap on yourself...! Yikes.

                                     Juvenile Nonsense/A New Low

     So this is very very immature and puerile of me, but I just need to get it out of my system, I guess.  Here is a list of giggle-inducing/unfortunate classical composer names (and some performers) that I have noticed/compiled over the years...if you have any questions or concerns feel free to call Kyle at the Uptown store--he'll back me up that these are all real.

Blow
Suk
Titz
Wood
Rasch
Fux
Head
Bush
Bull
Martini
Fanny Mendehlssohn
Picker
Alfred Newman
Peeters
Pitts
Rutter
Popper
Welcher
Yuja Wang
Rudolf Schock

Assorted, Random Things About the Most Recent Melvins Show that were Cool:

1. It was at Grumpys.

2. Amazing merch (weird/cool/RARE vinyl...and I got to meet Brian Walsby! And piss off everybody in line by blabbering at/with him for too long!)

3. Trevor Dunn's socks--and the weird little old-guy sock-garters he held them up with...!

4. The McCartney cover "Let me Roll It" off the new cd--they killed it.

5. Tasty salad before the show (healthful effects of this were mitigated somewhat by the many cigarettes consumed post-show...blech!  What was I thinking?)

6. I didn't drink way too much beer--harder to accomplish at a Melvins show than you might think.

7. When I inquired of Dale (the drummer) as to how they were holding up during this epic, potentially-record setting 50/shows 50/states in 50/days tour, he responded by first considering the question for a moment and then he quickly made abrupt jumping up and down motions (without actually jumping) which I took to mean they are still feeling 'perky'.  As far as I know, Dale doesn't take amphetamines.  We (Minneapolis) were show #15 of 50, by the way.  If anybody can pull it off, they can--hell, they survived two earthquakes their last tour (Japan and New Zealand--look it up!)

8. Cool shirt.

9. Loud enough but not too loud.

10. Beautiful weather/cool late summer night for an outdoor show...

                                                             AEC FAIL-KU

                        Damn you, AEC--
                   New Dysrhythmia, Gaza
                    CD's back-ordered!!

   So last week we had no problem generating a fairly impressive list of metal bands who derived their names from the works of author JRR Tolkien...this week I want to follow up with a shorter list of band names derived from the long-running television show, The Simpsons.  Here goes:  

1). The Christ Punchers (Local!

2). Otto's Jacket

3). Sector Seven-G (local hip hop, I think...)

4). Gay Witch Abortion (local and awesome)

5).Tastes Like Burning

6).Fall Out Boy (the only "big" band on here--they suck, though.)

Disappointingly that was all I can think of...I am sure there must be many more...!

 Greetings!  Today we are going to geek out on two super-nerdly phenomena for the "price of one" as they intersect--yes, it is the long awaited and carefully compiled list of bands (mostly metal, of course) who took their name from J.R.R. Tolkiens' The Lord of the Rings.  So lets get started!

1. Black Breath

2. Ephel Duath

3. Gorgoroth

4. Flotsam and Jetsam

5. Morgoth

6. Cirith Ungol

7. Amon Amarth

8. Shadowfax (actually not metal, more like lame prog-new-age-jazz.)

9. Gandalf

10. Balrog

11. Cirith Gorgor

12. Gothmog

13. Isengard

14. Nazgul

15. Sauron

16. Uruk-Hai

17. Burzum

18. Goblin (o.k., a stretch--Tolkien didn't exactly invent that term or creature...but I wouldn't be surprised if that was mainly what that particular band was inspired by.)

All real bands--not all of them still exist of course, but it is an impressive list.  If you wish to submit more/any I overlooked just mail it to me on the back of a $50 dollar bill (with apologies to Car Talk!)

                 ALL HAIL THE 'CLOTH!!   

Death to False Metal!!  No friends, before Weezer ripped this phrase off for a characteristically ironic/snarky album title, it was the credo put forth by the best metal band you never heard of, the all-powerful LOINCLOTH.  This North Carolina wrecking machine just released their first full length recording ever (Iron Balls of Steel--heh--on Southern Lord) and even though I haven't even heard it yet I know to the core of my soul it will be amazing.  The band had existed at the farthest peripheries of the scene for years, formed by ex-members of the always confounding Confessor and the inventors of math-rock, Breadwinner.  Unfortunately, a seemingly key member, Pen Rollings (guitar) is for some reason no longer a part of the band, though some of his stuff writing-wise must have made it on the cd because he is thanked for "contributions" in the liner notes.  All that existed before this release was a single puny 7" recording with two measly songs and then later in 2003 a 4 song demo/ep was available on cd-r only(!) and that was IT.  Four songs.  But four of the heaviest, purest, most mathed-out and crushing metal tunes ever (ahem) "penned" (get it?).  Buy this immediately...we all could use some more iron in our diet!!  Better late than never boys, and again I cry forth to the heavens, DEATH TO FALSE METAL!

                                               KYUSS-KU

            Kyuss without Josh 

is pointless; please don't re-form 

              without his guitar! 

YOBLOG Mark II

     Yob, perhaps the preeminent doom band in the world at this time, have unloaded yet another staggeringly heavy slab of music on all of us in the form of their latest recording, Atma.  Once again on the Profound Lore label, the Eugene oregon trio basically bore to the center of the Earth on this one, it is just that heavy.  The vibe is more naturalistic on this cd;  the dominant themes and images are very "organic" and epic in a manner that is evocative of the natural world/universe we all find ourselves in, and in this sense the album is a bit suggestive of some of fellow west coast doom-metal gods Neurosis' work.  However, Yob always sound like themselves--crushing yet strangely soothing; songs that build and build, filled a subtlety and restraint that is unusual in the idiom and context.  As always, the brilliant guitar playing of Mike S. commands the center of attention.  That guy can wring more feeling and layers out one droning "repetitive" riff than most guitarists do over their whole career...heck, even the illustrious New York Times has sat up and taken notice of this extraordinary band,  heaping them with praise for both their live show and this latest recording.  Atma is of course available at your local Cheapo--buy or die!

                                               MASTAGONE

    Well, the nicest thing I can say about the new, much-anticipated Mastodon album (The Hunter, on Reprise) is that it sounds GREAT.  I mean, really great--expensive, expansive, slick and polished yet still "natural enough" to sound like humans making music with, like, you know, instruments.  All instrument sounds are clear as bell and well-defined; the drum miking (and playing for that matter) is phenomenal, it sounds like the kit is right behind your speakers.  The sound quality is so high in fact that it sort of masked the fact that, well, I didn't/couldn't really get into the songs or the songwriting approach.  I always whine about this on each successive Mastodon release, and they just keep getting bigger and more popular, so clearly I am in the minority on this matter, but I still really like and respect the first ep and first full length, and then stylistic "growth" has crept in increasingly and in directions I don't care for or respond to.  The band is to be commended for their restlessness and desire to evolve, but the songs on The Hunter (especially the "clean" and often harmonized vocals) sound ALOT like the band Torche, and I feel the Torche stuff is way stronger and more successful at combining the tuneful and the heavy side of things into a very coherent and awesome whole.  That said, the dudes in Mastodon are very nice/cool guys and they are making lots of money and getting respect from all quarters, so what do they care what I think--congratulations on hitting the big time, boys...!

8/5/11

                                                                                                   TORCHE

     Torche (I believe, just pronounced 'Torch'--the e is for snazziness) is an amazing band from Florida that I have stumbled across recently and who have provided one of those rare "where have you been all my life?!" moments that really good bands can induce, even to the jaded listener.  First of all, although guitarist Juan Montoya has recently departed the band, he is on many of their recordings and he used to be in Cavity, one of the greatest unknown truly underground bands ever (one of the heaviest ever, too).  Anything even remotely connected to Cavity (i.e. Black Cobra) is automatically awesome.  Beyond that, however, is Torches' stunning 'trick' of mixing mathy-yet-groovy super heavy metal and doom (plus more than a little hardcore and punk) with amazingly out of place vocals--vocals that soar and uplift through massive, gorgeous hooks, melodies, choruses and harmonies...the singing (and it really is singing, rare for this genre) combines powerfully with the music to create an anthemic punch that just blow me away.  They have four albums, all on various labels (Hydra Head, Relapse, Robotic Empire) and they are all great.  I just saw them live at the Triple Rock the other night and they were stupendous.  They are reasonably well known--how did something this unique and freaking cool slip by my filters and radar for so long?  Their so far most lauded album came out in 2007 for cripes' sake.  Well, better late than never--and it is fun to realize that good stuff is still out there awaiting discovery...!

6/10/11

       And For the Melvins Fans, There Was Much Rejoicing

     Truly, it is the Spring of Melvins-mania.  My personal "only band that matters" (and for many others as well) is LIVE everywhere you look this month.  Firstly, I just listened to their brand new live cd released this last tuesday (Sugar Daddy Live on Ipecac) and it meets their (and my) usual high standards.  The set list is heavy on recent material (nothing wrong with that) and features a nice clean and punchy recording that does their always crushing live show justice.  Some weirdness/whimsy is in evidence in the form of a goofy cover of The Star Spangled Banner and in an especially whacked-out version of the classic Boris with utterly deranged vocals from what sounds like all four members contributing.  They have been touring for a quarter century and are very very comfortable and professional on stage and this cd conveys that effectively.  Even better, the "real" live Melvins experience is at hand for we die-hards: TWO shows in a row, with TWO sets each at Grumpys downtown on Monday and Tuesday nights!!  This is the final stint of the so-called "Residency" tour, where it is two sets/two shows for each stop all tour--I just heard from my buddy in Boston regarding the second of the two shows there that he caught and he described it as a chaotic, rabid free-for-all that utterly killed his face.  SWEET.  The set lists on this tour are a remarkable treat for long-term fans--entire old and mid-period albums played in their entirety!  Mon=Lysol and Eggnog followed by a set consisting of Houdini; then on Tues we get Bullhead followed by set 2 of Stoner Witch...sweet merciful crap, my cup truly runneth over.  I don't know if my wallet, liver and ear-holes can withstand being force-fed so much insanely heavy and creative rock in so short a span, but I am going to find out...!

5/20/11

                         We Got A Real Live One Here

     On Monday I checked out post-rock maestros (from Louisville, Kentucky) Young Widows at the Triple Rock and they did not disappoint--half of them used to be in one of my favorite bands, the maniacal Breather Resist, but Y.W. is a different animal altogether.  Where B.R. were crazed and unhinged sounding mathed-out hardcoremetal, Young Widows have evolved over three releases into a spooky, atmospherics-drenched outfit with a hard to describe or quantify approach...the music is heavy, at times, but highly layered and detailed, with unconventional riffs and a dark, arty feel present at all times/levels.  The live show certainly kicked up the intensity level versus the recordings, but without histrionics or excessive aggression, just a satisfyingly ominous slow burn...it was cool.  It certainly didn't hurt that the band was rocking some crazy custom amps that contained a row of sinister yellow/orange lights that added to the drama and malevolence of the music--it could have been cheesy but in practice it wasn't at all, simply another well-considered piece of the Young Widows' overall aesthetic structure.  Their latest,  In and Out of Youth and Lightness (Temporary Residence) is available at Cheapo, of course.

5/13/11

                                                           Three on a Match

Some new releases have come down the line lately that are worth commenting on...in no particular order, here they are: 1. The new split release from west coast grind stalwarts Despise You and east coast super-weirdos Agoraphobic Nosebleed (on Relapse) is very very good...each band actually sounds surprisingly "conventional" in their approach and the results are a little more user-friendly than one might expect.  The real treat for me was the uncharacteristic use (by both bands) of slower, heavy breakdown parts that really rock out...coolness!  2. Erik Rutan has let it be known that he is very proud of his band, Hate Eternals' latest recording, Phoenix Amongst the Ashes (Metal Blade)...it is super-solid, competent death metal and features superb production, but it just didn't put its hooks into me, I felt I had heard all this before one too many times...to really slam it more than I mean to I will point out that it sounds ALOT like Nile...sorry, Erik.  Lastly 3. comes Pittsburgh-based instrumental/electronic duo Zombi with their brand spankin' (haha check the cover) new release entitled Escape Velocity (Ralapse). As expected, it totally rules. Buy it now, I command you.

4/15/11

                                                        Vi-nil

     Before cds there were records. Before "metalcore" there was crossover.  In honor of National Record Store Day (tomorrow) lets take a trip in the way-back machine to the heady days of the mid-to-late 1980's, where a young lad (me) became increasingly smitten with/obsessed by the beginnings of the fusion of the (underground) punk and metal scenes into a fierce and durable hybrid called CROSSOVER (D.R.I. even titled a seminal recording from this era precisely that).  One of my favorite bands in this style and from that era were Sacrilege (from the Bay Area, not the highly inferior and later British band of the same name).  They put out a mere two records (yes only records no cds of this band exist) both on Cali label Alchemy Records--the first was called "Party with God" (nice!) and the second was entitled "Too Cool to Pray" and they both rock.  Despite somewhat one-dimensional (if determined) drumming, these are incredibly great examples of crossover; metal, punk, hardcore and straight-up rock music all commingled to the benefit of all and the detriment of none,especially on the first album which just has riffs riffs RIFFS everywhere and features an awesome "band photo" on the back cover consisting only of a photo of the groups' feet and shoes...Living Color this ain't.  The second LP did feature a cleaner production and solid songwriting but the intensity level fell off slightly--still a great listen and highly indicative of the time and place it was created.  Uh...good luck finding either and no, you can't borrow mine.  Happy record shopping, fellow geeks!

4/1/11

                       Best/Funniest Band Name EVER

I just stumbled across a Metallica "tribute"/cover band out of Colorado with the most hilarious and awesome band name I think I have ever heard of...wait for it...they are called It Should Have Been Lars.  (Rim shot!)  Man, that is funny and transgressive in the best possible way.  They have no label (you can hear them on myface) so I can't point you toward any recordings...Hell, I don't even know if they are any good.  It doesn't matter--with a moniker like that their place in metal history is sealed.  Genius!

3/17/11

                                                                  Green Hell

                    I write a metal/punk blog
                    sometimes a bit of a slog

                          It's fun to get paid
                     for nonsense I've sprayed

                  I don't know much about prog!

3/11/11

                         DEI-KU

                  Two new Dei-dudes
              doth not a good cd make;
                   sorry, Glen Benton.

2/4/11

                      Six Degrees of Grinderation

     ...links in a chain, man, we're like, all connected.  It went like this--Nick Sakes of local bands Sicbay and Colossamite and former member of Chi-town legends Dazzling Killmen, sends a link for a band called Defeatist to my good friend Mario who plays bass in local scene stalwarts Command Module.  Mario is impressed by these N.Y.C. grindcrushers and promptly sends me the link--I am blown away by the furious violence erupting out of my crappy little built-in computer speakers immediately and thank Mario and Nick for smacking me up with such grindy goodness, before breakfast even!  I promptly obtain the two existing Defeatist cds, 2009s' Sixth Extinction (on Pennsylvania label Willowtip) and an aggregate of earlier vinyl eps jammed onto one recent cd (also on Willowtip) called Sharp Blade Sinks Deep Into Dull Minds.  I haven't had a chance to plow through them yet (or have them plow through me, perhaps?) but the one song I heard online inspires confidence that this is yet still more amazing, "undiscovered" (by me at least) super-sincere state-of-the-art grindcore, which seems to be enjoying a surprisingly widespread renaissance of sorts right now.  I was relieved that the band was NOT from Texas; way to represent, New York (the state of my birth, actually, for those keeping score at home).  Speaking of New York...so of course I have already poured over the liner notes of both Defeatist cds and lo and behold Sixth Extinction was recorded by none other than Colin Marston at his Menegroth studio in Queens!  Mr. Marston has come up in this blog before--he is in many excellent bands including but not limited to Dysrhythmia, Krallice, Behold...the Arctopus and the re-formed Gorguts.  So that little factoid delights me and brings this all full circle in our tight-knit (incestuous even) weirdo grind scene.  By the way, Menegroth is high-elvish (!) and translates to "thousand caves"...yeah Tolkien elvish...and I don't know which is worse, that Colin named his studio that or that I recognized the ultra ultra nerdy reference instantly...!  So even an innocent bystander like J.R.R. Tolkien gets dragged into this series of connections; I like it when the universe allows/compels? cool things, however superficially dissimilar, to cohere together,  driven by an awesomeness that operates much like gravity on scattered matter...

1/28/11

                                                    Decibel

     I came away from a recent reading of the current issue of Decibel magazine much impressed--the magazine has really significantly improved in the last five or six years since I last checked it out.  It manages, in a very orderly and coherent way, to weave together all the myriad different strands, strains, factions and sub-factions that now comprise the extremely complex and multi-faceted universe that is "underground" or "extreme" metal music.  This endless and still occurring fragmentation and sub-division of the "scene" can make it easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available concerning bands, recordings, tours and just what for lack of a better term might be described as metal "culture"--there is so much going on it is hard to keep track of and Decibel seems to be doing a good job of keeping its' readership abreast of useful, interesting and often amusing facts and opinions relevant to this strange musical subculture.  I learned, for example, that Pig Destroyer FINALLY have a new album on the way, due out this summer (as yet untitled), as do Brutal Truth--both bands having been discussed in this blog numerous times.  I also gleaned that Brutal Truths' Kevin Sharp is chummy with Mastodons' Bill Kelliher and that they engage in projects together like putting up sheetrock and drywall to build a shared studio space! They also had an amazing interview with Shane Embury's (of Napalm Death) MOM--and she was a hoot!  Fascinating.  If you haven't read an issue in a while, check one out--it is a fun read and it will definitely make you want to buy a bunch of music and make you feel more involved and "in the know" regarding our beloved crazy music scene.  Cheers!  (Thanks to Chris T. for allowing me to mooch off his copy.)

1/21/11

             Insect Warfare Destroys Texas

     ...and speaking of ornery Texans--(nice link from my last entry, eh? eh?)--what the hell is going on down there?!  After Kill the Client caught me so off guard, later in that same listening session I had my brain flensed by yet another crazed Texas outfit of horrible misanthropic freaks...Insect Warfare!!  They have only one full length, 2007s' World Extermination (Earache) which is as "pure" an artifact of straight-up grind as can be imagined.  Everything about this recording is pre-meditated and fine-tuned for maximum grindcore authenticity and withering sonic violence.  The instrument sounds are ratty, dirty, rough and raw--but the placement of each instrument within the soundfield is well-thought out and executed (!) with care, and the end result is a fascinatingly claustrophobic effect that sounds both "modern" and sufficiently clear but also old-school "crusty" and implosive.  The drums and guitar in particular interact both sonically and structurally in a manner that fleshes the deliberately spare aesthetic of the band out in a satisfying way; and as harsh as the recording and material are, the album is not fatiguing to listen to (though this is perhaps helped by the fact that the whole cd is about 20 minutes long, in proper grindcore fashion) primarily due to well-timed and distributed bursts of "user-friendly" riffs by the guitar and killer-sounding mid-tempo "cruising mode" breakdowns by the drums, much the same technique developed and utilized so successfully by Napalm Death long ago.  Combined with the buzzing, absolutely irate-sounding blast parts, the whole experience becomes surprisingly integrated and cohesive to listen to...if you like this sort of thing.  To the timid or untrained ear,  the band sounds like, well, furious insects devouring your skull...from the inside out.  Ouch.

1/7/11

            Happy New Grinds!/Kill the Client

    Kill the Client (nice name!) are a Relapse-distributed band hailing from Dallas Texas.  They play a ferocious and up-to-date style of death metal and grindcore that, to my ear, nicely balances two somewhat disparate approaches--they meld the relentless, sort of militaristic "precision rampage" style favored by bands like Misery Index with a more chaotic "weasel-in-a-food-processor" wildness perfected by artists like Brutal Truth, who are clearly an influence.  They have put out only a handful of full length releases--the latest is Set for Extinction from last year, but I have (so far) only listened to 2008s' Cleptocracy (on Willowtip) and I thought it was great.  Kind of thin-sounding, but I think somewhat deliberately so, and plenty mean and convincing/committed.  Killer old-school grind cover art never hurts any, either.  Check these ornery Texans out!  End communication.

12/17/10

     While researching  U.S. grind-legends Phobia (CA), I stumbled across several other related (member-sharing) groups who clearly required further investigation...and I came upon the unbelievable GRIDLINK.  Wow...this New Jersey/Japanese "twitch grind" band is absolutely astonishing in their commitment to and mastery of the form.  This is ultra pure, uncut grindcore, presented with dazzling and dizzying ferocity, precision and unhinged insanity.  It is, utterly, the state of the art.  Gridlink is composed of members of avant/grind/jazz weirdos Discordance Axis, Burnt By the Sun, Phobia and Kill the Client (about whom more next time), among others.  This illustrious pedigree is immediately apparent upon ones' first startling and exhilarating listen to these frighteningly focused and talented lunatics.  The cd came packaged with a promotional sticker affixed to it that contained two statements/desciptions (warnings?) about its contents, and I would like to share them with everyone because they are so awesome and awesomely apt.   Firstly, a Mr. Tanaka Tsuchida, writing for an obscure zine called Satanic Death Repulsionizer (!) has this to say regarding Gridlinks' rank in the grind heap:

 "I bet you thought that new over produced multi-track trigger laden piece of
sh@t in your car stereo was brutal.              Guess what? It's not."

OMG.  I think I want that tattooed on my FOREHEAD.  Next, the label (Hydra Head--catalog #666!) offers this useful and hilarious snippet:

"Twitch grind core.  One take.  No scratch tracks.  No punching in. No slow sh@t.  F#ck you."

Dude.  I think I want that engraved on my tombstone!

Happy Holidays!

12/3/10

                                                    Blind Illusion

     Before Primus...(but after Possessed, at least in Mr. Lalondes' case) there was Blind Illusion.  This strange band were active in the the Bay Area from the late 70's through much of the 80's, and are notable mainly due to the fact that both bass superstar/weirdo-in-residence Les Claypool and guitarist Larry Lalonde, who of course would go on to form the inimitable Primus, were in the band.  Blind Illusion only had one very hard to find/collectible "proper" release entitled The Sane Asylum which has just been re-issued and re-mastered by Polish metal label Metal Mind.  The packaging and sound are up to that labels' usual high standard (admit it, you know you love the numbered editions, fan-boy) and the material more or less merits it...it is an uneven record, featuring some really good songs and playing that is surprisingly clunky-sounding, even though it is complex in terms of writing and even arranging.  It is the sound of talented musicians during early days sort of finding their way to their own more distinctive and coherent sounds.  Frankly at the end (beginning?) of the day it sounds like two-thirds of Primus playing sort of mediocre thrash, with slightly more ambitious-than-usual compositional complexity.  If that sounds appealing, or if you are just a massive Primus/Claypool head who has to have everything associated with those entities, by all means pick it up.  (You can spot Les on the back cover due to his ridiculously out-of-place/non-metal guy hat he is sporting--impressively non-conformist if you ask me even if not very "cool", that was and is Mr. Claypools' idiom after all.)

11/19/10

                Animals as Leaders

Today I want to bring to your attention the work of an intriguing guitarist/artist named Tosin Abasi.  (Thanks to Patrick @ the Blaine store for turning me on to him!)  He used to play in a fairly mediocre by-the-numbers death metal outfit (now defunct) called Reflux out of Virginia...but it is the project after that that is worth mentioning and investigating.  Essentially a solo act/release, Mr. Abasi was retained by Prosthetic Records after Reflux and they put out the self-titled disc Animals as Leaders and it is definitely, well, a very different animal altogether (sorry).  Featuring very high-level progged-out guitar everywhere, this disc is a compelling listen.  The instrument sounds are (mostly) clean and layered--the drums are programmed and there is no singing...it is hard to describe, but imagine Robert Fripp jamming with any talented, spacy-sounding new age (!) or jazzbo guitarist/chops-meister of your choice (Chaquico? McLaughlin--Billy OR John?) all mixed up with a dash of Dysrhythmia-style wanking out and you're close.  There are moments when things get a little metal, but mostly the recording is an extended exercise in ultra-technical guitar wizardry, with appealing and often mellow electronic/electronica elements which, when combined with a vague death metal sensibility all becomes somewhat new and different sounding, at least to my ears.  Well done and recommended.  It will make you want to practice

11/12/10

HELMKU

                                                            "Mosquito Control"
                                                       e.p from instru-metal
                                                           nerds Isis, is great.