I forgot I even had this blog. Here's some shit I've been listening to as of late.
Stars of the Lid
The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid
Stars of the Lid definitely isn't something you show your friend while
driving to get food. It's music that can be on in the background without
you really even noticing, almost meditation soundtracks. Just about every day, I work early until around 7pm, drive out to my studio to play music, eat a late and very unhealthy dinner, and then crawl into my bed around 2am. I don't have a lot of down time throughout the week at all, so when I finally lay my ass down in my bed, this album goes on. After an entire day of talking to patients and beating the shit out of my drums all night, this album centers me back to my home planet.
I've recently secretly been working on a huge installation of material very similar to this. This is the only album that you would be able to directly hear my influence from in something I've done myself.
Death From Above 1979
The Physical World
Death From Above is an old favorite. They're a pretty straight shooting band for what I typically get into, but it's done in a unique sounding way. Few bands can pull off being unique enough that within seconds people know who they're listening to while still writing good songs. These guys nail it. I saw them open for Nine Inch Nails in PA back in 2005 in a massive arena, and it was horrible. They played well, but this is a band you need to see in someone's bedroom. Their newest album is fucking amazing. I always get sucked into personal stories bands have, so I was of course sucked in hearing they rekindled the band and friendship.
I have a massive gear boner for Jesse Keeler's bass tone. The best part.. no pedals for the sound you hear! I actually found that out not too long ago from a gear interview Jesse had done for Maximum Guitar. Pedals and plug-ins are cool, but I myself always prefer the ultra basics of just having a bad ass amp and cabinet.
Breach
Venom
This is an album I was initially drawn to from the artwork. I remember
it was one of my many nights in a wormhole of youtube interviews and
related artists that I came across these guys, and holy shit was I glad I did. The aggression and sheer volume of this record is fucking unbelievable. It made me feel like I was stuck in an insane asylum with these guys while they violently tore through each track. Just about everything this band put out from day one was flawless, and they only got meaner and darker as their albums progressed. The main thing that stood out to me were the drums and the overall rawness to the production. The guy is a monster and is the perfect amount of technical while making sure you can still bash your head through the concrete.
Even with extensive touring with several US hardcore bands throughout the years and being on Relapse records, these Sweedish dudes never really got the attention and respect they deserved.
Terra Tenebrosa
The Purging
And to immediately follow is these guys. Sharing members, this band took the darkness and anger to an entirely different planet. I know the cover is super numetal, but the music speaks for itself. It's layered, pissed off, catchy, chaotic music. This one man band was post Breach. Much like the story of another Sweedish band Ghost, the identity of the members was never revealed. Tomas Hallbom did not people to think this was where Breach had left off by any means. One of the nameless ghouls of Ghost actually slipped up in an interview at one point and mentioned being involved with Hallbom at one point.
In my opinion, this was the "legit" Ghost. These guys just didn't have the huge label to fund their ideas or poppy, polished sound to make it as huge as Ghost did.
I think I'll start writing in here a lot more frequently...
-Novak