Mountain Mix

Stoked to go camping this weekend in rural PA with the goofs who contribute to this awful blog.








Isengard- "Hostmorke"

The brilliant folk metal side project from the mighty Fenriz with the assistance of Satyr from Satyricon, Isengard is the soundtrack of BATTLE!!! Forests, woods, orks, swords, they are all packed into this colossal album. Hails of the most infernal.






Dismember- "Dismember"

I've said it before and I'll say it forever, Dismember has ZERO bad albums. The perfect death metal band. This is their self titled last album chalk full of Autopsy, Iron Maiden, Repulsion, and Discharge worship. If you don't like this band honestly blow your head off.






Judas Iscariot- "To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding"

Akenhaten's last middle finger to the world before burying the legendary Judas Iscariot, this is without a doubt his most misanthropic, violent, and harshest offering. For my money, the greatest USBM release from its best practitioner. Pure hatred.






Excruciate- "Passage of Life"

Slept on Stockholm death metal with a unique American twist. Heavy, some groove, punishing all the way through. Essential for fans of Wombaath, Epitaph, and Carnage. Zero frills here.

- Joe

Fuck Today

Ayyy, here's a live shot of me at the BMV this morning when these mongoloids tried to tell me my plate purchase didn't go through even though I showed them the transaction on my mobile banking...

Anyway, here's my playlist for today...

Mayhem- "Wolf's Lair Abyss"

Fucking essential and honestly underrated release from Mayhem. The proper follow up to "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" and a performance by drummer Hellhammer that is anything but human. Pure misanthropy and disgust for the kind of vermin who swipe your card twice and try to tell you it's your fault.






Metal Church- "The Dark"

Easily one of the stupidest album covers ever. Come to think of it, it looks a lot like the BMV. Fuck this record now...but it's heavy though and if you like metal and don't like this I hope your card gets swiped twice.










Motorhead- "Bomber"

My second favorite Motorhead album after "Another Perfect Day," Bomber is quintessential 70s Motorhead from the original three-piece. Unmatched and it makes me think of Lemmy, Philthy, and Fast Eddie flying this ship into the Independence BMV.

Joe

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Workday Review : Dismember & Spectral Voice.

First and foremost - rest in peace Prodigy aka Bandana P aka Banana Clip P.  The Infamous was one of the first tapes I ever bought and forever set an untouchable bar in hip hop for me.

Secondly - I had a Yoo-hoo for the first time in my life last night.  This piece of shit tastes like someone took the most budget ass chocolate milk, and added way too much artificial sweetener.  Basically spent 3 bucks on a headache.

Dismember - "Like an Everflowing Stream" :  If there ever was a genre-defining album for Swedish death metal, it's this one.  Straightforward and ripping like "Left Hand Path" with just the right amount of melody that was otherwise dominating the Gothenburg scene at the time.

Spectral Voice - "Necrotic Doom" : May or may not have been created by  Swamp Thing on a heavy binge of Autopsy, Winter, and Bolt Thrower.

- WOODS

Current Obsession

    Been feeling even more ostracized than ever lately. This has been a consistent soundtrack and best friend throughout this miserable week.

Alessandro Cortini- Sonno

-Novak

Playlist

On Repeat Boss

- Joe

Tuesday

Opera IX - "The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum"

I saw this band was playing Maryland Deathfest this year and remembered my friend Anthony used to have this album when we were younger. I put it on expecting it to be a joke despite this super awesome cover art and boy was I wrong!! This is really well done symphonic gothic black metal from Italia!!!!!!! All I want to do the rest of the day is eat Veal Scallopini and listen to this. Very excited to see this band next year.


Ursut - "Daranas Paradis"

Vicious Swedish crusty hardcore done only the way the Swedes know how, raw as all literal fuck. Fans of Disfear, Martyrdod, Victims, you get the point with this. No future style D beat worship with songs I won't even attempt to pronounce. Put this on and drop beers in the circle pit.



Enemy Soil- "Ruins of Eden"

Another band I saw is playing Maryland Deathfest this year and I about shat myself in excitement. Absolutely legendary grind / crustcore from the beltway with members who went on to be in Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Pig Destroyer. 1997, you wasn't there.



...More of Opera IX cracking open that spell book

Evoken- "Altra Mors"

Epic Funeral Doom band from New Jersey. For those unfamiliar with this subgenre of doom metal, brooding riffs and extremely slow punishing tempos are accompanied by keyboards and other layered instrumentation to literally set the depressing and mournful atmosphere of a funeral dirge. Put this on if you're having a really great day.

- Joe

Playlist

You pretty much know the drill by now




Marduk - "World Funeral"

Marduk's eighth studio album and the last to feature "Legion" on vocals, "World Funeral" takes the formula found on "Panzer Division Marduk," injects it with speed, rapes it, performs a satanic ritual on the corpse, revives it, and kills it again. Own this.






Confuse - "Indignation"

Quite possibly the rawest of the "raw punk" style bands of the 80s, Confuse define the noisy, ugly, chaotic, and harsh hardcore stylings of Japanese hardcore punk and lay the groundwork for what would eventually be called "noisecore," a term used more freely than many these days. Along with Disclose, Gloom, and GISM, Confuse helped bring the abrasive Japanese sound to the forefront and have spawned countless imitators since.






Mortician- "Mortal Massacre"

Here's my review:

Workday Review : Black Sabbath, Necrovore & more

Black Sabbath - "Sabotage" : This is the last REAL Black Sabbath record, and without question one of the worst album covers of all time.  Bill Ward in his wife's tights is kind of rad though.  Anyway, I never gave this album much attention growing up until I saw "Tim and Henry's Pack of Lies", and then Zero's "Thrill of it All".  Henry Sanchez skating to Symptom of the Universe - it was a no brainer I was going to revisit this.  The album starts out strong and has plenty of highlights but dies out towards the end.  Not my favorite, but extremely underrated.

Necrovore - "Divus de Mortuus" : This is as raw as it fucking gets.  Necrovore makes Possessed and Sarcofago look pedestrian with their '87 demo.  First generation USDM that was as much speed and thrash as it was death metal. 

Necrophobic - "The Nocturnal Silence" : The band Dissection wished they were.  This is classic Stockholm death done the Sunlight Studios way, with added cues from the new wave of black metal bands of the time.  Black/Death perfection.

- WOODS

Birthday Playlist

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, IT'S MY PARTY AND I'LL PLAY WHAT I WANT TO

Righteous Pigs- "Stress Related"

There really isn't much you can say about this classic release that hasn't been said a million times. Heavy, crushing riffs featuring who would later be members of Napalm Death, some of the harshest vocals ever, and a very bleak social outlook that makes you want to set your neighborhood on fire. Essential.








Gehenna- "The War of the Sons of Light and the Suns of Darkness"

Gehenna gets pegged as an Integrity worship band but, to be honest, I don't see the comparison other than both bands tend to be interested in darker imagery and have reputations for getting on people's bad sides. Either way, this is nasty, aggressive, metal-fueled hardcore that opts for the faster, darker elements of black and thrash than grooves and doom. I guess they're infamous or something too. They're still not from Cleveland.








My Dying Bride- "Turn Loose the Swans"

One of the darkest, heaviest, and most beautiful albums of the 90s, My Dying Bride is forever my favorite of the "Peaceville Three" that also included Anathema and Paradise Lost. The perfect marriage of goth, doom, and death metal and a definitive album to say the least. Aaron Stainthorpe's vocal performance on this is immensely inspiring to me and his clean vocals are something I really wish I had the nuts to try and poorly rip off.






U-God - "The Keynote Speaker"

My all time favorite member of the Wu Tang clan and one of the most underrated MCs in my opinion, U-God's third and most critically acclaimed album to date is worth checking out if you like east coast hip hop, quality lyrics, and hypnotic urban beats. This record features guest appearances from Styles P, Kook Keith, GZA, and Method Man.

- Joe

Workday Review : Skelethal, Celtic Frost & more

I can't think of a worse way to enjoy an icy cold, refreshing Coca-Cola beverage than in a plastic fucking bottle.  Instantly warm, instantly flat, instantly trash.

Skelethal - "Of the Depths" : This band has no business being as sleep inducing as they are.  It's Scandinavian death metal worship with the usual early American influences, and no flavor of their own.  Probably won't revisit this again until I need a nap later.

Celtic Frost - "To Mega Therion" : I will 100% judge your opinion on metal based on how far you go into Celtic Frost's discography.  Never in my life have I wanted to wear gauntlets, leather pants and sleeveless band shirts (my own band, of course) more than when I listen to Celtic Frost.  This is their pinnacle.  They sped up the blueprint laid out previously on "Morbid Tales", added a little dark/goth aesthetic, and retained the most recognizable guitar tone in heavy metal.  Essential listening.

Disincarnate - "Soul Erosion (Demo 1992)" : James Murphy & Morrisond Recordings.  If you know, you know.

- WOODS

Turdsay Playlist

Inepsy- "City Weapons"

Super rad Motorhead, Tank, and Discharge worship from Canada. This band sounds as if they were frozen in a time capsule in 1985 and let out in the mid-2000s. As far as retro worship bands go, this is about as good as it gets. If you dig Midnight, punk, metal, studded jackets, not working, and Escape From New York I'm sure you'll be all about this.






Plasmatics- "Coup D'Etat"

The Plastmatics' one and only major label release with Capitol, 1982's Coup d'Etat was the band's finest hour and truly captured their unique and underrated blend of rock, metal, shock, and punk. Underneath all the chainsaws, exploding TVs, nudity, and general absurdity there are some really great and memorable songs on this. Wendy O Williams will always be an underrated and genuinely diverse vocalist to me. There could never be another band like this again. Worship.






Scorn- "Colossus"

1993's "Colossus" was Scorn's second release on Earache and if you aren't familiar with this you need to change that. Nick Bullen and Mick Harris, formerly of Napalm Death, let their dark ambient and electronic roots pour out on this one and what you get is the kind of Killing Joke, Throbbing Gristle, Swans style that genuinely tries to make you as uncomfortable as humanly possible...and succeeds.






Lazerhawk - "Redline"

This is, for my money, the best of the current wave (no pun intended) of retro-synthwave music. Lazerhawk is a synth artist from Austin, TX whose music is a perfect throwback to 80s synth. If you like 80s action / horror / exploitation films like Miami Connection, Cobra, Deadbeat at Dawn, classic "beat em up" games like Street Fighter, Final Fight, Streets of Rage, and the music of John Carpenter, you'll probably love this.

- Joe

Playlist

Hails

Suomi Finland Perkele

When I see lists of "favorite black metal albums," rarely do I see this particular record which had a very lasting impression on me as kid. I picked this album up at Ultrasound Records because it was cheap and the back photo featured dudes not in corpse paint swigging Jack Daniels. "This seems a bit different, almost punk-ish." Boy was I ever hitting the nail on the head. Like a steamroller of punk-infused black metal mayhem, "Suomi Finland Perkele" is one of those albums that has such a specific vibe and aesthetic you just know it can never be duplicated in quite the same way. Nihilistic, raw, filthy, and evil. Crack this open and kill yourself.












https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcwJXU-TQBU

Workday Review : Infester, Eternal Champion & more

Infester - "To the Depths...of Degradation" : As far as USDM is concerned, I can only think of two other records that have ever surpassed this one.  I'm not going to attempt to describe the atmosphere of this record; this is the embodiment of unmatched, pure evil death metal.

Eternal Champion - "The Armor of Ire" : Epic power metal worship from the usual Texas suspects.  Catchy as hell, and reverbed the fuck out Manilla Road worship with some nods to Black Sabbath, Priest and very early Metallica.

Mystifier - "Goetia" : Often imitated - never duplicated.  Mystifier took the foundation laid by bands like Sarcofago, slowed it down, and took some cues from Celtic Frost and Venom and made something truly ripping and original.  I'm not the biggest black metal fan generally, but this is absolutely essential.

- WOODS

Lista de Reproducción Ultra Enfermo

Today's playlist is three of my favorite new releases from Spain. Each of these bands bring the heat and offer the kind of vicious, gut-wrenching old school deathgrind that Spain is known for. No frills here, no modern techniques. These purists keep it simple and keep it sick.




Bodybag




Anyone who knows me knows that Machetazo is, for my money, the best grindcore band of all time and I don't care who agrees, even if the band itself disagrees. Dopi from Machetazo keeps the tradition of old school death grind alive with Bodybag. This track is off of their 2017 split with the mighty General Surgery. Take note.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl2XjMjhAyo



Looking for an Answer


"Dios Carne" is the newest album from Madrid's Looking for an Answer and, trust me, if you like grindcore you need to buy this immediately. This is without question the band's best material to date and in my opinion is the best Spanish grind album next to "Trono de Huesos" by Machetazo. I have listened to this a total of seven times since 8 am.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl1YINzDBRY&t=209s

Nashgul


"Carcava" came out in 2016 and, go figure, it's sick as fuck. It's as if no one in this country has a copy of any music except Repulsion, Terrorizer, and Carcass. Too bad their beer isn't as good as their grind or else I'd be on the first thing smoking to this place. Purchase or rot in suckville.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDGU5HQVaM4&t=1141s

Bad Grindspencer


Bad Grindspencer is a grind outfit from Madrid who just released a split with Mindcollapse on (I believe) Grindfather Productions. It's raw, it's ugly, it's fast, it's harsh. Own.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiLBP5iMKQk&t=207s

When The Boys Call You From Space Sayin' They Have Cold Ones

80s Metal Sleaze

Sitting here at work daydreaming about crusin' the strip with a babe, my boys, and cracking open some cold ones while we look for trouble. Feel me?




80s Metal Forever: A Short List of Must Haves




W.A.S.P. - "W.A.S.P." (1984)

Essential and definitive LA hard rock / metal. One part shock rock, one part flaming cockpiece, two parts degenerate scumbaggery and you pretty much get the point here. This album is B.A.D. bad to the boner. Infernal hailz.




Ratt- "Invasion of Your Privacy" (1985)

First of all, what a bonerriffic album cover. When you combine hot 80s tail with heavy riffs and enough catchy hooks to fill up a panzer tank with you better count me in. Not a bad track on this. Sunset Sleaze.




L.A. Guns - "LA Guns" (1988)

" A lot of herpes got spread because of us." - Tracii Guns.




Dokken- "Back for the Attack" (1987)

I firmly believe that if you don't like this album you should be deported from this country. You clearly have no business here and don't support our values. Beat it.




Motley Crue- "Shout at the Devil" (1983)

"We were always f**king other chicks at the studio and backstage... We would take Tommy's (Lee) van to a restaurant called Noggles to buy these egg burritos and then rub them on our crotches to cover the smell of the girls we had just f**ked.
"So our d**ks smelled of eggs... We would tell our girlfriends, 'Oh, we dropped the burritos in our laps.' The girlfriends thought we were a bunch of clumsy slobs.
"We never thought about going into the restroom and just washing our d**ks." - Vince Neil