Winter Listens

This could easily turn into something lengthy and unreadable so I'll put on my Matt Woods face and get right to it. These are albums I find myself listening to on the dark, cold winter nights. These are in no order. 

 I guess if there was to be an order to this, this would make number one. I've listened to this album with headphones in my bed upwards of 100 times this winter. A new friend recommended it to me and it's great!

This album is probably the most unlike any of the others, yet I still can't seem to deviate away from synthetic, pulsating punk the colder it gets. For anyone actually reading these blog posts, I'm currently working on something secret that sounds a lot like "The Screams" (with much more drums) off this album.

 I'm still relatively new to these guys, but it was an instant love! The track "When the Sun Hits" may be one of my top 10 favorite songs ever. Maintaining the sort of sleepy winter drone to it, this one is an album everyone should listen to. 

This is the extra disc to David Bowie's latest release "The Next Day" and it's on here specifically for the track "Love is Lost- Hello Steve Reich mix" because it is fucking AMAZING. This is one I simply can't simplify my explanation on why I'm posting it. Music to me brings me back to specific places more than photos. This album came out right as a relationship of mine was ending and the original version this song (which is entirely different musically) instantly struck a vein with me. Hearing this song go from a full band to a stripped down piano and synth track gave me goosebumps. 

You HAVE to watch the video for this. His facial expressions in the video along with the lyrics honestly made me cry. The video couldn't have painted a more accurate description of where I was at when I heard this album. That hallway where he looks lost as fuck looks sad and scared of his surroundings looks identical to my studio's hallway and it gets me every time I watch this. The entire video his facial expressions look so sincerely sad and lost. I can't express enough how much this song and video does for me. (I will say though that the ending is a little cheesy when the puppet starts going along with the song...)

 

An old favorite. This cassette actually got stuck in my first car back in high school and it was all I could listen to for a few weeks straight one winter. I've always liked New Order more than Joy Division and this album is exactly why.  I don't really know what it has to do with "winter listens" really, but I've been listening to it a lot lately.

 This would probably be number two if there was an order to this. This soundtrack was actually written specifically to sound "cold" for the theme of the movie with the same title. Anyone who knows me knows that anything that Trent Reznor touches is something I've listened to and dissected over and over. In my opinion, this is the last interesting thing Trent has put out. The Social Network soundtrack was great, too. This is usually on in the background at my studio when I'm painting or reading. Something about this soundtrack makes me go instantly into workaholic mode.

 This album has made all kinds of posts on here for me. It's currently the CD in my car and has been for a few days straight now. It's also been on albums of the year, most listened to, albums of the week and so on. This doesn't really have much to do with "winter listens" but it is winter and I am listening to it.. so it's on here. Deal with it

 This was something I posted about a little over a year ago. I specifically bought this on vinyl for the cover art and the fact that the back listed every instrument used in production (which of course was all synths and drum machines) so I HAD to buy it. Jean Michel has an extensive discography that I am now quite found of and you should be, too.

Before this gets too long and weird, I'll end it here. If you've read this far, mention that you have and I will buy you a taco :) 

-Novak

Easier to Swallow

My post seem to be taking more time to write than they do to read. Here are some albums I've listened to this week with one sentence summaries on why I did.

I've been playing drums to this album all week and I always fantasize about playing with these guys.

 

Just saw this band live and they sounded amazing but could've been louder. 

This album gets better and better the more I listen to it. 

I posted about this on Facebook the other day and gave it a few listens in its entirety. 

This album actually gets listened to a lot the hotter it gets outside.

 

There literally hasn't been one week of my life that I haven't listened to at least one track off this album throughout the week. 

One of the employees at the hotel hadn't heard this band, so I had to show them! 

This album came on while as I was blogging from my bed and I woke up several hours later from my Stars of the Lid trance.

-Novak

Albums of the Week

Working third shift brings out the inner music nerd in me. Lucky for you, I'm not feeling too nerdy where I would unravel forty chunky paragraphs shitting on a band I hate or drooling over a band I love. Here's some shit I've been listening to and why.

Slayer- South of Heaven

 This album has undoubtedly helped me through the miserable grind of my day job. I work the front desk at a hotel where people cry about everything from the view out of their windows to the smell of the carpet. I've tried listening to bands like Efterklang or Air to ease my mind a bit, but this album seems to be the only one really working while working a busy and hectic shift. 

Slowdive- Souvlaki

This was an album Chislow showed me a few weeks back on one of our long, nighttime drives. I lost count on how many nights I'd come home, the pants come off and this album would come on. A perfect balance of slow and loud, this album does not disappoint.

 

Deaf Center- Paul Ravine 

This is what I'm currently listening to. Without getting too weird, this album feeds my anti-social night time madness I endure while at my studio. Whether I'm drawing or biking around North Ridgeville at 2am, this album has served as almost a best friend. I've tried listening to it while driving to work, but it simply doesn't have the same effect as it does in the lonely hours of the night. The track "White Lake" gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it. In a perfect Novak world, I'll be walking or biking one night and bump into a weirdo girl playing this album through her headphones and we'll get married in some weird cave in Iceland. No such luck yet.  

-Novak

Albums of the Month

I bought this CD about three weeks ago and it hasn't left my car stereo since. For anyone that knows what it's like driving with me, you know I usually switch from iPod, to my phone, and sometimes CD's. The only time I throw a CD in is if I'm in love with an album at the time. I'm still waiting for the day to come where I'm sick and tired of hearing it, but it doesn't seem like it's coming any time soon at this rate.

For those of you who actually read this blog and check out the things I post about being in love with, there's a bit of history behind this album. The collaborations, stories, and background behind ohGr are almost endless. With all of this starting all the way back to 1982 with Skinny Puppy and branching out into several collaborations and side projects for the next few decades including Throbbing Gristle members, Ministry, ect.. This album sounds like it's from a completely different planet than all the 3,493 projects before this. It's VERY poppy and dare I say upbeat? It's certainly not a radio pop record, but it will certainly catch those used to hearing the grinding roar of Skinny Puppy off guard.

This was an album Woods turned me onto back in.. 2007ish? He told me I'd like them and at the time was dying to hear something new. I bought the CD for about $14 at My Mind's Eye without hearing even a sample of what they sounded like and I absolutely loved it. They were in my car (like the CD I just told you about above) for weeks upon weeks without ever changing to anything else. It was everything I loved. It was technical, catchy, well written and produced. It was weird enough to be able to hear something new every time yet catchy enough that each listen felt fresh and new.

It's a shame that the drummer died before this band could really expand. They did however release an album after his death with some recordings the drummer had done prior to his death. The album was retarded and I don't think you should even bother listening to it. This is definitely a band that has a magical chemistry live. It wasn't pulled off quite as sharp trying to add a live sound to previously recorded material.

-Novak

Albums of the Week

This album would definitely fall under favorite albums, not just of the week. The track "Under the Radar" is absolutely perfect. It's just long enough to rest your head to, but not long enough to put you asleep. I have it on loop while lying in bed restless.

(For those unaware of Adrien Belew, he's leaned a hand into hundreds of songs, artists, and records. Most notably, David Bowie, Talking Heads, NIN, Frank Zappa, and King Crimson. THE only guitarist I can hear 5 seconds of and know instantly that it's him.)

Another album that is just about always in rotation either in my car or at my studio. Second favorite album of all time. All the lyrics fit this week perfectly.

I started listening to this album last weekend to try and remember why exactly I hated it so much when I first heard it. I remember giving the first listen with Krystle and Nik when I was living in California and I thought the album was soooo boring. Seemed like whatever magic was in the room for their first release was long gone on this album. Well long story short I love it, at least right now.

-Novak

Precursor to "Mood Tunes"

I've been putting off a somewhat tedious post about albums I tend to listen to in certain mindsets. "Mood tunes" is what I planned on calling it. If I ever actually post it, it'll explain that I of course am not programmed to listen to the exact same albums in certain moods and that sometimes they are exact opposites. Sometimes I'll throw on a happy record when I'm feeling a little sad, ect.. 

However this album, The Red Sea goes on and I just fucking see red. This album sounds like each member had vivid thoughts of the apocalypse in mind while performing these songs. Especially tracks like "The Minus Times", more notably at 2:40? Jesus christ. That's pure animosity coming through the speakers when that plays to me.

Now there are plenty of albums that sound like this to me. I honestly don't usually get much inspiration from anger inspired music, and it's hard for me to stay into a band or song long that only touches on such a primitive feeling, but it certainly feels fucking great to put this shit up as loud as it can go and feel like a gorilla for a few hours.

 -Novak

Worthless Post

Regardless of how long this nerdy and vulgar post is, no amount of "blogging" will explain or relieve the frustration and simple confusion on the subject of music and musicians being "worthless" or "less than" in this world. 

Before I go off, my parents are the definition of understanding and supportive parents. My dad was a musician and my mom loves seeing how driven I am with anything at all. In fact, everyone in my life is. 90% of my friends are musicians and even down to cousins, my family supports it.

This is the video that made me go off on this rant:

Where do I begin? First off.. what is she contributing as a mother to her childs life, other than frustrating him in an already frustrating and disheartening life? What the fuck does SHE do where she can come home and belittle her child for doing something creative and inspiring? There is no profession or salary that entitles you to belittle another human being, let alone your own child. You think because you donated your 84 cents to a child cancer fund in line at McDonalds that you're bettering the world, so now you can beat your wife, belittle your child, and do whatever you want now? You think you deserve a medal because you threw your diet Pepsi in the blue bin in Wal-Mart while you're walking to your Hummer? Dorks!

Do you know how many times I've had someone say that music is a dead end path? I see the glazed over look in most peoples' eyes when I say I'm a musician or that I run my own recording studio. I get it. There's no 401k or retirement plan in this shit. Or all the countless people that are too afraid to go down it as far as I am so they go to school to become a lawyer or to own their own business. What the fuck is THAT doing for the world? Is Cleveland "on the map" now that your business has some flashy numbers and your car can go faster than mine? Is that what we should be contributing to this world? Larger bank accounts and not larger imaginations? Well then shit, count me the fuck out.

I believe everyone should do what feels right for them, as cliche as that sounds. You don't have to be a musician for me to think you're kicking ass in life. If you love your office job and being a family man, by all means man, own it! Be inspired and contribute to something or someone that feels pertinent to your life. My rage comes from people who don't contribute anything to their lives or the world around them, so they belittle someone when a friend or family member of theirs goes down a path they personally wouldn't go down.

Not to mention, look at the facts of how music started a revolution in the 60s. An era his mother probably lived in herself. Something as ugly and awful as war was changed and saved by a collection of songs. Music helped with that! Lyrics and songs that took people out of the daily grind and helped literally the entire world. That revolution is growing by each year.

Also, look outside the US at how music brings people together. Look at all the tribes in Africa who join together in song with spiritual rituals. Do you think those people are doing it to look cool? Do you think parading around with face paint with their balls hanging out, looking like fucking crack heads gives them any sort of stock options? No.. well, maybe. I don't really know how that stuff works. Countries all over the world use music to bring people, ideas, and races together. It's not just "rocking out" in America.

I know i'm not the only one with this, but music has absolutely saved my life. If I didn't start playing drums back when i was the pimply nerd getting shoved around in my NOFX t-shirt, I would have been dead before high school. Sounds morbid but it's true. Hearing music back then was the light that christians describe as God. Sorry mom, but Jesus doesn't do it for me. Music does. And at first it was just an escape. Something I did alone before friends could play. Then it turned into "hey man, i've got a guitar at my house you can play.. let's jam!" and then everyone wants to get involved. Now instead of partying, we're at my studio making music all night!

Nowadays, I run my own recording studio. I watch guys come in stressed out from life's routine and see their faces light up with inspiration as their own music gets played back through my monitors. I've helped bands with little to no money put out music that they've used as an escape, of ALL genres. Do you realize how amazing that makes me feel that I've made them feel that way? I've inspired people of all ages and genres to put something out they believed was worth hearing. And with recording studios being such a blatant rip off, how are these guys supposed to get their music out there? How can a kid in Washington get ahold of an inspiring bands full length? "Welp, sorry.. you can't until we save up 10 grand" is not an option.That's just another example of how music can turn someone's life around.

Now not only does their music on that record inspire other people, but those guys leave excited as hell about what they've accomplished. Which in return affects their daily lives. Better moods! Now tell me, does this kids mom feel that way when she walks out of her office after a long day of her over weight boss breathing down her neck? No. Which is probably why she takes it out on her kid.

Now.. granted there are an abundance of kids out there who may have a talent but no drive to do anything with it. I'm not saying "dude man, let's get high and play guitar man. my moms yellin n' shit." - but the kid in this video wasn't posting a cover of his favorite Seether song (and thank fucking god for that!) He was posting a detailed, educated review about an amp he had. He was inspired about a sound he had created and he was trying (and clearly it worked) to inspire someone else in the process.

Anyone who calls music "immature" is a fucking clown. Playing shows and watching people be moved. Physically or mentally is a feeling that no business plan would ever make me feel.

Ultimately: In a world full of complete shit - it's amazing to help people. Any way you can. Whether they drop $5 on the ground and you hand it back to them, or you help a band put out a record that moved at very, very least the members in the band. If you can't accept that, I couldn't care any less. I've never felt a connection to the blandness of society or culture anyways.



- Novak

Cluttered dorking out from Novak

Not really sure how to start this one. Hopefully whoever is reading this has a lot of patience and absolutely nothing to do for the next 15 or so minutes, because this is about to be a mess of thoughts and explanations. 

Ok, so the past weekend I went out to chicago for my birthday. i stopped in a local record store and dorked out with my nerd out. what i like to do is go to a used bin or the "experimental" section if the place has one, and read all the little liner notes. some albums say musicians, instruments used, or what label put it out. now thats all cool and what not if you know what youre looking for, or if you want to buy a record that sounds like the last one you went out to buy. i like the element of surprise. which granted, sometimes is a shit surprise with piss confetti. 

so i bought the 7 albums pictured above. i tried to stay away from anything too current, although 2 of them were from the 2000s. now for me, some of the albums were laid out pretty simply. even someone with no understanding of liner notes can see who played what and get an idea of the sound. the one listed that it was all 1 artist, all done with synthesizers. the year being 1976, i got at least a general idea of the sound. the other records could be childrens soundtracks or 80s hair metal bands. i wont know until the needle drops.

the point is to stray away from where you find music. wherever that is. its different for us all. fuck the routine you find yourself finding it in. dont go to the new release section at best buy. dont go to simliar artists on your spotify. dont listen to your friends recommendations. well, do those things but try at least once to pick up an album youve never heard. spend a few bucks you wouldve spent on burger king and a 40 on what could be an amazing album that could change your life. 

in my particular case, which im probably repeating myself by saying- i found an album that blatantly listed the instruments used on the album. 100% of the record was synthesizers. no drum machines, no singing, nothing. and being a heavy synth nerd, the list of synths gave me an instant picture of what the album was going to sound like. which was a completely blank slate. it could sound like duran duran, nine inch nails, or brian eno. a lot of people think that jus tbeacuse a synthesizer is in a band that it's an electronic band. there are 304 different styles that have "electric guitar" but are used differently, dramatically. same with synths.. if done properly. 

this is getting weird. my main point of the cluttered attempt here was to stumble onto new music in a new way. go to a record store. pick something up for a shallow reason. maybe it has an interesting cover. artwork youve never seen. maybe it folds out in a unique way. try and set a goal. stick with the 70s for example. stay away from labels you may recognize, or members in bands you've heard of. dont ask the guy at the counter anything about it. you may be in for an amazing treat. think about it. it could be some smoothed out jazz LP, or a loud fuzzy rock n roll band. now granted, i have a pile of music i will never listen to ever again.. but i spent at most 20 bucks on the entire pile. 

 

-Novak

 

I've been digging this dude's stuff a lot lately. In a world full of flashy chains, unoriginality, and just straight up wack shit, Ka is a breath of fresh air. He's got an ill delivery and lyricism.Plus, he directed the video and produced his own album, Grief Pedigree. What more can you ask for? Pick it up on February 14th on brownsvilleka.com.

This super rare little gem is Stefano Torossi's Feelings. Crazy 70s library funk from Italy. There's some super funky shit going on here. This cut right here is my favorite off the album. It just reminds me of the most pimpery of minks and cadillacs. Currenty the LP is listed on ebay for $925 for the ballers.

Heavy Thoughts

Here's the final product of one of the many things keeping me so busy musically. Spent a lot of time working on these recordings. Probably way too much for a demo. It was all kinds of exciting for me because I had absolutely no experience playing in a band like this and had never recorded a band 100% on my own. I always had Myles or John helping me. It was a test of many things personally and musically and I think we passed with flying colors. Anyway...

Heavy Thoughts Demo

-Novak

Update!

We're all still alive. We're all just extremely busy making music rather than bitching about it. We'll start up again when we get wore out.



-Matt

A Rant About Motorhead and the "Lemmy" Documentary

Motorhead is not only one of my favorite bands, they are a band that I have the utmost respect for. While many seem to superficially and ironically worship Lemmy as a cultural icon, Motorhead has certainly stood the test of time by continuously releasing qualitative material passionately with their trademark frontman in the driver's seat. Despite four decades of material, I still feel that a substantial majority of Motorhead's best work is overlooked by many individuals with "Ace of Spades" crammed into their Itunes. "Another Perfect Day," for example, is arguably the band's most ecclectic, innovative, and (go figure) ignored record. Ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson's guitar work on this record took Motorhead's already ferocious sound to another level and significantly influenced many speed metal and thrash metal bands in the years that followed. Long story short, listen to this record.

Wes Orshoski of Huron, OH recently completed a docmentary on the life, music, and influence of Lemmy in his recent documentary appropriately titled "Lemmy: 49% Motherfucker, 51% Son of a Bitch." With testimonials from musicians, bandmates, and confidants, the documentary will hopefully introduce Lemmy to a new generation and reinforce why so many of us appreciate him as an artist.

http://lemmymovie.com/blog/?p=461 (Information on how to obtain the Lemmy film)


- Joe

Waaa Waaa Waaaa

I have recently been listening to a lot of emotive hardcore punk, and I feel compelled to share some rare gems with you readers. Enjoy.

Drive Like Jehu.

Great band from San Diego, CA that significantly influenced bands such as Swing Kids, the Locust, and Refused. A notable sense of melody underscored the band's spastic riffs and frenzied time signatures to create a unique and innovative sound.

Portraits of Past

Overlooked for virtually all of their short life span as a band, Portraits of Past are regarded as one of the pioneers of the "screamo" subgenre. With slower tempos, aggressive vocals, and a more minimalist approach, they helped discover a new manner in which to express the convictions of punk rock.

Still Life

A band truly at the forefront of the creation of emotive punk, Still Life was among the first bands to incorporate influences outside of the conventional boundaries of punk while opting for a different ascetic, mood, and demeanor in their expression. Rather than attempting to discover new ways to yell "fuck you!" in under a minute, Still Life set themselves apart from their peers with profound creativity.


- Joe

Crawl America!

 

                                                     

Rock and roll huh? I hate saying that watered down phrase anymore. I'm glad it took the place of all that screamo boy band poop, but there was certainly a plethora of long haired kids playing "rock and roll" for a good few years around here. Well, these guys are pretty legit. In case that picture didn't give it away.

To be honest, the singers voice kind of bothered me at first. It slips out of key randomly and was too catchy and obvious. Then I realized, oh yeah.. that's what rock and roll is supposed to fucking be! Pro Tools and all the vocal processing plug-ins out there have ruined the raw sound a band creates. Perfection is stupid.

It's too bad these guys live so far south or I'd go see every show they played. They're making a trip up to Cleveland in April to play with Lucy. Rumor has it everyone's going.

-Novak

Alternative Classics Pt. 2

The Jesus Lizard- "Liar" (Touch and Go, 1992)

Austin, Texas' most notorious musical outfit released "Liar" in 1992 at the apex of the "grunge" phenomenon. Musically and lyrically, TJL distinguished themselves with their anxious and often chaotic sound. The band worked primarily with producer Steve Albini, whose emphasis on raw and unaltered production helped solidify the band's primitive and natural sonic art. One of the noticeably fantastic musical elements of The Jesus Lizard is the perpetual build-up that each song contains, creating a very tense environment that often makes the listener impatient to receive the punch in the mouth that happens at the climax of every tune.

Butthole Surfers- "Locust Abortion Technician" (Touch and Go, 1987)

Some years ago, a journalist placed this record on a list entitled "100 Albums You Must Own Before You Die," and with good reason. The experimental guitar work, layered production, and barrage of unique sounds and samples make this record a whirlwind. It is not surprising that so many bands have cited this album and band as a significant influence.

R.E.M. - "Document" (I.R.S., 1987)

The last R.E.M record on the independent label I.R.S. marked not only the band's musical maturation, it also represented a pivotal transition in music history. One of the first independent artists to "cross over," R.E.M did so with well-crafted, honest, and focused music that wasn't intended for a large audience, it just happened to attract one.

The Wipers- "Is This Real?" (Park Ave, 1979)

A criminally unappreciated band throughout their existence, Greg Sage and The Wipers helped transcend the punk label with melodic, well-produced songs that helped formulate the alternative genre. Sage's clear vocal delivery rode alongside spectacularly memorable riffs to create some of the best songs out of a seemingly simplistic structure.

Breeders- "Pod" (4AD / Elektra, 1990)

As the demise of the Pixies was set in motion, bassist Kim Deal returned to her roots in Dayton, Ohio to form The Breeders with her sister Kelley (who does not appear on this, the debut record). Although not incredibly dissimilar from the music of the Pixies, "Pod" displayed a more casually natural and less obviously collaborative sound than the Pixies, allowing the listener to truly appreciate the uninterrupted talent of Deal, who by this time felt limited in her previous band. Kim's prototypical soothing and beautiful vocal delivery is also present and surprisingly comfortable to listen to without the dynamic of Black Francis.

Dinosaur Jr. - "Green Mind" (Bianco y Negro / Sire, 1991)

Former members of the ultra-intense Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr. truly epitomized the alternative sound in the 1990s. Feedback, distortion, and melody were fused with a clear and heartfelt vocal delivery to create some great tunes. There really isn't much else to say about Dinosaur Jr., their music speaks for itself.

Husker Du- "Candy Apple Grey" (Warner Bros., 1986)

The first major label release from Husker Du, much like "Document" by R.E.M, marked a significant transition for independent music. This album featured more melodic and structurally tighter songs with a clearer emphasis on lyrical integrity. Much like R.E.M, Husker Du refused to conform to the philosophical confines of independent music that punish bands for success. Husker Du became successful for making some of the best music of any band of their era, and they didn't compromise an ounce of integrity to do so.

- Joe

Alternative Classics Pt. 1

Mudhoney- "Superfuzz Bigmuff"

Out of the plethora of bands coming out of the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s, Mudhoney distinguished themselves with their gritty, honest, dirty sound that perfectly blended punk, rock, blues, beauty, and ugliness. "Superfuzz Bigmuff" set the bar for every record of its kind that came after it, helped make Seattle the music capitol of the 90s, and set rock n' roll on a path, momentarily, toward salvation.


Sonic Youth- "Dirty"

"What? No Goo?" "Why not Daydream Nation?" Listen, those are undeniably classic records, but "Dirty" by Sonic Youth is certainly the band's most enjoyable record in my opinion. While it retains Thurston Moore's trademark "noisy ambience," the songs contain less fatty tissue which makes the album far more listenable in many ways without diverging from what fans love most about Sonic Youth.


Hum- "You'd Prefer an Astronaut"

Heavy, dark, serene, and well-produced, "You'd Prefer an Astronaut" was Hum's shining moment and one of the best albums of its era. It's really a shame that this band was never truly able to transcend genre tags in the way that their sound did.


Pixies- "Doolittle"

Perfection.



Vaselines- "Dying for It" E.P.

Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee shared their lives with their audience and made some of the loveliest and most honest songs ever recorded. Relatively unknown until Kurt Cobain paid homage to them, The Vaselines were, as he described them, "the Captain and Tennille of the underground."



Fugazi- "13 Songs"

Few bands contain a fraction of the integrity that Fugazi possessed. A musical powerhouse comprised of veterans of the D.C. punk scene which included bands such as Minor Threat, Teen Idles, Faith, and Void, Fugazi released this album during the apex of the "post-hardcore" movement. With the ethics of their past in tact (although better understood), Fugazi refused to succumb to the musical limitations and narrow-mindedness of "punk rock," an action that continues to inspire bands to this day.



- Joe

Faggot

-Novak

Experiment

 

So the idea behind the facebook page isn't what you think. We're not trying to have our posts flood your facebook home pages. It's actually the complete opposite. If you "like" the page on facebook, you have the ability to post pictures, videos, and links all over that facebook page. So post a link to a song you can't stop listening to, an interesting interview, an upcoming show, whatever.

----->We run this site - you guys run the facebook page!<-----

Sounds cliche, but I'd love to build a music community through this. Where people come to check out bands they haven't heard, shows they didn't know where happening, or how uncomplicated Woods and I have been getting as of late.

Have fun with it. Over do it actually. I want to see that facebook page flooded with link after photo after video from all kinds of kids and genres. Help keep music alive. Use facebook to vent and explore music, not to piss and shit all over everyone's home pages about your lousy life. 


-Novak

Death Metal Oldies

Woods’ post earlier this week inspired me to compile a list of some of my favorite “old-school” death metal releases. I hear the term “old-school” thrown around in a lot of music subcultures, but death metallers seem to carefully distinguish newer bands from older ones with more conviction than most. Since I am unfamiliar with their methodology for differentiating old school bands from newer (“new-skewel?”) bands, I just didn’t mention any records after 1994. This would make sense, seeing as how the now infamous New Academy of Death Metal was built in 1995 in Tampa, Florida. If you haven’t figured out that the last sentence was sarcastic by the time you’re finished reading this sentence, never view this blog again. That all being said, I wish I had the time or energy to discuss each record below individually, for each is significant and special in its own way. Pungent Stench and Autopsy provide the gorey goodness, Entombed and Dismember dish out the buzzsaw riffage, and acts such as Morbid Angel and Deicide are responsible for more children leaving the Catholic Church than pedophile priests. I am sure there are some surprises on this list, but I encourage everyone who reads it to check out the albums or dust them off and rediscover why you fell in love with this style of music in the first place. 

Pungent Stench – “Been Caught Buttering” (1991)

Dismember- Like an Everflowing Stream (1991)

Autopsy- Acts of the Unspeakable (1992)

Entombed- Left Hand Path (1990)

Morbid Angel- Covenant (1993)

Death- Leprosy (1988)

Hypocrisy- The Fourth Dimension (1994)

Grave- Into the Grave (1991)

Deicide- Legion (1992)

Athiest- Unquestionable Presence (1991)

Cynic- Focus (1993)

Unleashed- Where No Life Dwells (1991)

Edge of Sanity- Unorthodox (1992)

Obituary- Cause of Death (1990)

Carcass- Necroticism (1991)

Suffocation- Effigy of the Forgotten (1991)

Bolt Thrower- The IVth Crusade (1992)

Cannibal Corpse- Tomb of the Mutilated (1992)

Amorphis- Tales from a Thousand Lakes (1994)

Pestilence- Consuming Impulse (1989 / 1990)

Possessed- Seven Churches (1985)

Repulsion- Horrified (1986)

Napalm Death- Harmony Corruption (1990)

Benediction- Subconscious Terror (1990)

Darkthrone- Soulside Journey (1991)

Bonus: Thanatos- Realm of Ecstasy (1992)


 - Joe