Moving right along here, we've got Skylar's pick for me here. So far, I've yet to see an album I've actually heard. Which of course isn't surprising considering the entire point of these posts is to expand on my complacent tastes.
With my sleep schedule being so messed up, I'm currently sitting down for my breakfast/dinner at 5:30am. I tossed this on while I prepared the meal. I noticed I had to keep turning it up. Not because the mix was quieter than the other music I've been listening to, because it was so fucking good. The album bounces around styles, but in a strangely cohesive way. Tracks like "2010" are a rapid paced, electronic timelapse type feel, when the track right after is a slowed down, ambient track that makes you feel like you're on the ocean floor. There's a strange confidence to the way this whole album plays, without it being cocky. Intellectually emotional material that made me wiggle my hips while cooking and stare into space and almost burn my food.
I feel like this album will be one of the top revisited albums that friends have brought to my attention. I haven't had a chance yet to look backwards/forwards into any of the recommended bands, but this will be one of the first I do that with. Thank you again to Skylar for bringing this to my attention!
This album has a TON of power and emotion behind it. It starts at first with sounding more or less like a very powerful, tight emo band. It keeps widening out as the album progresses, in a really cool way. More effects are introduced, while the drums and bass remain grounded which gives it a really cool sonic space. Lots of gang vocals for the choruses, with simplified drums for them really make those parts explode. It's all done really well. There's always a slight bed of electronics underneath the parts too. It's kind of cool how it's done because it's not so much an extra melody as just doubling up what the guitars are doing underneath.
Dark Island City is my favorite on the album. It's sort of a pause from all the excitement into a trance like space. The production is super minimal and the noisy tracks take the front seat to make things a bit more meditative. I think it's my favorite because the vocals are more whispered than shouted. The vocals themselves are perfect for this style, but not so much my thing at all. Overall a really great album that I'll definitely be revisiting.
Hi. Just because we're not allowed to be around people doesn't mean people can't tell you cool music to listen to, especially if the way they recommended it was through an Instagram message. That being said, let's keep the party going with more music friends told me to listen to.
Holy fuck. I can already tell this is going to be one of my new favorite albums because it's already one of my new favorite albums and I'm only two tracks in. Instantly immersed in a galaxy of mile wide reverbs, rich orchestral layers, and warm, sad vocals. This kind of music, as easy as it may seem to make is extremely difficult to be done in a way that doesn't sound like you're just ripping off the masters of this trade. Any slight deviation in tone or notes may distract you from the hypnotic trance this music is intended to achieve. I've heard countless bands get lumped into that "shoegaze" genre that are either overdoing it, or just simply missing something. That being said, you can tell these guys have been long time fans of early 90's shoegaze music because it's done so tastefully and respectfully. Goosebumps throughout.
I cannot recommend this album enough. I had a feeling I would have some homework to do on finding good bands from friends, but I seriously cannot express enough how hard I have fallen for this record already.
It doesn't look like anyone's going anywhere anytime soon, so I've been finding myself more inclined than ever to contribute to this. I made a post on Instagram telling people to send me an album they thought I hadn't heard. I'd listen to it, write a short review, and send them an album to do the same. I don't know how you guys are, but it's really easy to get stuck listening to the same records or bands. Hopefully you guys recommend some things that don't suck.
Mike Bellis: Friend, guitarist, and winter hat wearer Mike Bellis sent me three albums. I initially told him to pick just one, but let's be honest - what the fuck else am I doing, right? So here were his three picks and what I thought.
I was told to listen to these albums in order. The first track starts with feedback and some dude reading a list of things to do before you listen to the album. He told me things like to have a pregnancy scare, to always have a poorly thought out plan, have roommates regardless of your age, and so on. Some of these things were cool and some were goofy. I did my best to abide and continued listening.
The second I heard the first proper song I wanted to turn it off. Then the singer came in and now I knew exactly where Mike gets his vocal inspiration from. It made the music make more sense to me. Each song made me like the album more and more. The music has an almost childish, very loose type feel. It's not all great though. Songs like "Sara Hayden" sound like what 16 year olds would make an hour after hearing The Cure for the first time. "Eric Hall" was definitely my favorite and the most unlike anything on the record. It sounded like something off an Unwound album. Jerky rhythms and melodic leads, without it being too try hard.
I'd also like to note that one of their album covers is a heavy nod to The Talking Heads album "More Songs About Buildings and Food" which is super fucking cool.
3/5
Next up are Milk Music. Pretty terrible name. The album starts off fucking incredible with a doomy, noisy track called "He is Coming." The next song was really, really hard not to skip. It starts with an overly cheesy drum machine beat and then in comes in one of the worst singers ever. At least it's distracting me from these poorly played power chords. The song sounds like they took the entire mix and ran it through a blown out practice amp. Is this what it's like when I show people my music? Jesus.
All of these songs sound like they're a totally different band. Luckily nothing else sounds like track two, but unfortunately nothing sounds like the opening track either. "Serious Listener" was really cool. It sounded like a demo to a fuzzy, ebow driven song. I usually love records that bounce around stylistically, but there really isn't that much finesse with it from these guys to be honest. The rest of the album was pretty neutral and harmless.
2/5
I listened to this album two times all the way through before I typed anything out. I fucking love this record so much. It's so hypnotic and well crafted. The musicianship is beyond anything I was expecting. Maybe this is why Mike told me to listen to this in the order he did. That last album was such trash that maybe this record is just mediocre. There are so many subtle perfections to the presentation of both the parts and the production. Parts that loop, but bend slightly to keep it performance based, drum tones that change without it sounding like a mix tape, and vocals that are vital but not the focal point. I'm definitely going to be listening to this one again and again. Can't wait to hear their other records too!
A surprising release by the Eno brothers! Of all the music these two have made, this is their first proper collaboration release, aside from the Apollo album which was more of a team effort. Both brothers have quite the discography at this stage in the life. To me personally, Brian Eno's approach to music is far more inspiring than the music itself. That's by no means to say the music isn't good. I'll hear an album by him and think I know how it was made, and it turns out he's taken a short sample of a window opening and slowed it way down, ran it through a fan and gotten this part that sounds like a piano. It's techniques like that that must be a total blast to do in the studio, and it's a unique treat when it actually sounds good.
All the tracks are named after colors. Although they can each take you to their unique places, the album has a very solid consistency to it. Albums like these are difficult to review because they always make me feel differently every time I listen. So I'm done here! Do yourself a favor and check this one out!
It's been almost exactly a year since I've written in here. I've thought about it from time to time and there are a few drafts and ideas, but haven't had a "burst" of inspiration to write in here for what feels like years.
It was around 11pm on Christmas eve and I was craving something new musically. I wasn't sure if I just needed a new band to hear, or a new song was about to come out. I think in my head I wanted to hear/write something that sounded really wide, lots of feedback, sounds you've never heard, maybe a healthy dose of heavy and obscure. Scanned through my music for a while and tried to do the whole "bands you might like" thing from bands I thought were a good start to what I needed. Tried making music on my own for a while, thinking maybe I'd get close. While very much unsuccessfully feeling around in the dark on a few instruments, I came upstairs to take
a shit. I put on an interview I've seen 230 times and after it, it went
straight into this bizarre band. I honestly thought it was an ad at
first.
The music was immediately goofy to me and I laughed, but after 10 or so seconds I was completely frozen. It was strangely familiar, but it was like seeing colors I had never seen before for my ears. It was exactly what I needed, but didn't have a single thing on my stupid "check list" that I thought I wanted to hear. There wasn't anything even remotely heavy, atmospheric, or really that obscure about it.
It was fantastic. It seemed to so casually take you on these fast paced,
vividly colorful, layered and magnetic twists and turns that just
seemed to keep unraveling. Strange time signatures, lyrics in Japanese,
instruments I've never heard of, and song arrangements I would've never
dreamed up. The music was wildly entertaining like a sweet dessert, yet
enough complexity and depth that felt like a main course. They even had a
puppet playing a handmade tambourine. It seemed like these guys have
been listening to/making this music for 300 years, rather than just
simply buying a bunch of stupid shit at a dollar store and writing pop
songs.
This is the first album and so far only album of his I've checked out. Yep. Not theirs, his. After an entire night of this album on loop, I learned that the band name is also the name of the person who writes, plays, and records all the music you hear on the records. Really kicked things up yet another notch finding that out. I can't wait to listen to all the rest of his albums in the days to come.
To me, my musical taste isn't really that different from anything
else I permanently gravitate towards in life. "Shocking" comedians are
funny for a little bit, super spicy food has its place, and off the wall
music can be inspiring. Finding anything in life that checks all the
boxes with just the right ingredients required not just to get your
attention, but holds your attention? Hold onto friendships, writers, bands.. anything like that.
The Teddy Boys are a local band out of Cleveland that serve up a nice mixture of pop music with rock n' roll. They were highly recommended and applauded by my good friend and musician Chris Bishop. Now it's
not often that I get asked to review local bands, but I wished it
happened more often! I made sure I gave the album a few solid listens
all the way through before reviewing and doing any type of ass kissing
or name calling.
My first impression is always the physical presentation of the album itself. Lots of people have different takes on physical merchandise. Some bands go all out and press their albums on vinyl AND CD's, some just go for CD's with extensive artwork, and I've even seen some bands exclude it entirely and just upload it to a bandcamp account. The album was done in what I think to be a very smart way! The artwork itself is fucking incredible. I don't know how did it, but I owe that dude a taco. It was a no bullshit type of deal. Let's face it, sadly most people rip the thing to their computer and lose the cases anyways.
The track "It's Alright" was an A+ because it seemed to
sound the most natural all around. The two vocalist mesh in a very
melodic and simplistic way that definitely had me relisten to it over
and over. It sounds like a Pixies track! The leads are extremely catchy
but brief, leaving you wanting more. Unfortunately, this seems to be the
only track on the album to really hold my attention. I have to admit, after several attempts I can say that I am not a Teddy Boys fan.
This isn't exactly my style to begin with, but I can definitely see it being a great candidate for a large mainstream audience. I just found the album myself to be extremely weak both dynamically and musically. It sounds like what could be a loud live band was smashed down into an almost awkward sounding album. The guitar tones are spot on and Steph fucking NAILS every line she sings, but even production aside the rest of the music just simply doesn't do it for me. To me, the singer seems to be trying too hard to stand out rather than simply sing to the music around him, the drums sound hidden and weak from start to finish, and just overall the songs themselves just seem a bit too elementary.
Enough negativity! The band is full of dedicated, loving bad asses that are doing what they love! I sincerely do suggest you check out their album because I have been told by numerous people that I have terrible taste in music.
Anyone who has known me for longer than two hours knows that I have been a borderline obsessive Nine Inch Nails fan since I was old enough to ride my bike to local record stores and buy their CD's. I've always felt like they were a band that had an intricate universe of their own to explore and enjoy. There were all types of rare and unique experiences they offered in many different ways that 90% of radio bands did not offer. When a new NIN album comes out there seemed to be an extensive amount of work putting into album artwork, music videos, live production, and of course good music. It seems Trent has long left those days of carefully crafting unique music (for Nine Inch Nails) behind him. I sat down and gave this album about twenty listens from start to finish before I blurted out how much I loved or hated the day it was leaked online, as I saw thousands of people online did. This band to me has always been a much more personal listening experience than just hearing the "new hit single" on the radio and spewing out your dipshit opinion 20 seconds into the first track.
In my opinion, good musicians always surprise you with brand new batch
of music with similar core ingredients. It's the same role comedians
have to take on. A good comic can't come out and simply a variation of
the same jokes expecting laughs and it's just the same for musicians who
can't keep
re-releasing the same material. I knew that the new NIN would sound
nothing like his most recent releases (and thank fucking God for that) but I was still hoping it wouldn't be different in such an awful way.
Let's just get straight to it, this album fucking sucks. It was a huge disappoint not only as a huge Nine Inch Nails fan, but as a fan of good music in general. I was by no means hoping to hear Trent recycle any old guitar parts, lyrics, or melodies from previous albums, I was just hoping the album didn't sound like fucking club music. The reason Trent is such a hero of mine musically is because he always reinvents himself in an appealing way. To me, it seems he was trying too hard to NOT sound like his old music to be able to say he was trying something different. His music always gave me a visual of his studio work flow. I could always envision all the different live drummers, session guitarists, pianists, and it always made the album more appealing. All I can picture is Trent on his laptop with headphones making this incredibly stale sounding record. It was always great to hear organic instruments get married up with electronics.. but I think on this album Trent kept all of his guitars and live drummers out of the studio.
The first single was "Came Back Haunted" which I felt was incorrectly named. The title should have been "Came Back Dance Pop" because there isn't anything "haunting" about this song. The video was done by a hero of mine David Lynch. When I first heard of the collaboration I pissed myself a little. What could be better? Trent makes weird but interesting music and David does the same for film. This video sincerely pissed me off. Apparently Michael J. Fox was camera man for this sack of shit video and Trent's three year old son Lazarus must have been responsible for the visuals because it just looks flat out silly.
So why bother even giving it one star let alone 1.5 after all the shit I'm talking on it? I do respect any human being who is their own person, especially if it isn't naturally a particular popular style. I think it would have been easy for Trent to come back with live drums and screaming guitars and please the "true fans" but I think the true fans understand that the only reason they have respect for Trent is because his music was something he personally felt to be right. The more I read and listened to his explanations of the albums creative process the less I could justify actually liking the music. It basically sounds like he made a bunch of electronic demos on his laptop over the course of a few months, got a handful of extremely talented musicians to turn the album into something live and then abruptly went back to everything sounding like someone who just recently purchased a drum machine.
The respect for the album came from one specific track off the album and the behind the scenes look at just how much work is being put into the live aspect of the current NIN lineup. It was the Trent Reznor I had originally fallen in love with! He didn't just have a cool idea, he was actually executing the idea both aggressively and successfully. My only obvious complaint is that the music sounds the exact same (at best) as it did for the last 15 years, minus the fact that Trent is now struggling to sing as loud when he was younger. I was super bummed to find out Adrien Belew would not be a part of the NIN lineup as previously announced. I think he would've taken the sound into an entirely different realm. As posted by both Trent and Adrien in different words, that lineup did not work. So the live show looks fucking flawless and Nine Inch Nails will always be not so arguably one of the best live bands ever, but I feel he's milked that long enough and needs to focus more on presenting better music to compliment his production.
I did also find it to be refreshingly different that the album was released in two different mastering formats. One release is made for people who put the album on their iPod and play it through their computer speakers that are probably plugged in backwards without really detecting any differences in the audio quality at all. You can turn it all the way without any of the frequencies fighting for your ears attention. The other format is not necessarily meant to played at a loud volume but preserves the full range. So basically one sounds cool loud and the other sounds fucking amazing at a more reasonable level. That to me is something brand new for national acts to take part in and was a cool thing to hear about.
Various Methods of Escape
This track is hands down the best Nine Inch Nails track since The Fragile in 1999. I had goosebumps throughout, it had new elements old tracks did not and was just down right a damn good song. The music evolved from electronic to a gritty live band sound and the lyrics instantly struck a main vein for me. It to me is what makes a great Nine Inch Nails song. It tells a story both musically and lyrically, it starts in one place and ends up in another and it gets stuck in your head! My only "complaint" on the song was the trend this album has of overusing the seemingly exact same club music drum sequence, but when the live drums and guitars kick in near the end all is well again. In my eyes, this song is the one track that Trent kept of the failed experiment of creating a live band around the electronic based record.
Now to be fair, other tracks on this album did grow on me a tiny bit, but they were of no comparison to this track or his lyrical content on.. pretty much With Teeth (2005) and back. When I heard tracks like "A copy of a" I could not stop from laughing. The music sounded like someone programmed the song on ecstasy and the lyrics make Lady Gaga look like a fucking poet. The song "Satellite" is a great example of how fucking awful this album is. The music sounds like it was made in twenty minutes in Garageband by a stoned teenage girl and the lyrics were clearly an inspiration while Trent sat on Google Maps while stalking someone. Lyrically the album makes it clear he doesn't have much to say in the vein of Nine Inch Nails anymore.. so my advice is don't! He'll moan a few corny lines and then it's followed up by extremely over used delay and effects.
By in large, it was great to see Trent challenging his audience in a different way but I felt this was far too far of a leap for people who aren't deaf to get into. The video above is Trent in 1997 before the Fragile had been released and he explains that if a record is "safe" that it's ridiculous. That was when he claimed the Fragile was to be a much more hip hop sounding record, and then didn't. That's exactly the attitude I respect and feel has been pulled off on his records before, just not as of too recent. I feel he's getting lazier and lazier when it comes to writing Nine Inch Nails music. His soundtrack work is impeccable on the other hand.
For someone that I've always drew inspiration from on a writing and recording aspect of music for tips and tricks, he really seems to be relying too heavily on laptop sounding plug-ins and almost factory preset sounding sequences. There's no soul anymore! It's just radio pop now! He's missing the grit and girth that even his soundtrack work with Atticus Ross has had. The album is definitely worth a listen if you're curious, but I would go into listen to the album as if it were a dance pop album so you're not disappointed.
Another huge complaint of mine is seeing how insanely expensive it is to see business Reznor with a band that said he would never step foot on stage again. Back in 2009, I saw "the last" NIN show in Los Angeles and didn't pay half the price you have to pay now to see them from a mile away in an arena. This was something that all bands claimed to be out of their hands but Trent always seemed to pull strings to bring prices down for fans. That's yet another ingredient missing as a result that he "came back greedy."
Am I the only one who has a problem with him directly ripping himself off? Did he just draw a complete blank and just recycle the same album artwork? Were times that tough creatively? The artwork on this new album and fonts are exactly the same from the Downward Spiral, even admitted by Trent himself. This again cannot be pulled off in any other creative outlet like movies or comedy. Everything from the music, lyrics, even the artwork sounds rushed, boring and uninteresting.
Trent, my man.. STOP! Make soundtracks, make breakfast for your lovely children and make love to your gorgeous wife. You said yourself that if you found yourself to be a radically different human being that it would be time to do something else. Do that. I think he came to that conclusion when he formed How to Destroy Angels but when it didn't make half the sales a new NIN record would, it was time for a comeback!
Released in 1988, "Punishment for Decadence" is still the standard bearer for technically proficient thrash and in my opinion the best European thrash release of the 80s. Miles ahead of their peers in terms of musicianship and lyrical content, Coroner's second record displayed melody, harsh grooves, and enough speed to satisfy any thrash craving. "Skeleton on Your Shoulder" and "Absorbed" demonstrate how to perfectly blend proficiency with memorable songwriting, making this album digestible and enjoyable despite completely mind blowing. Guitarist Tommy T. Baron's solos on this album are some of the best in thrash history, especially on tracks like "Masked Jackal" and "New Breed" which showcase the band's capability to warm the listener up before taking them on a whirlwind of progression. That was one of Coroner's best traits, their songs were constantly forward moving and avoided stagnation at all costs, something that many progressive and technical bands fail to achieve.
"Skeleton On Your Shoulder"
1988 was a pretty pivotal year for thrash metal as "...And Justice for All" and "So Far, So Good, So What?" represented thrash metal at its musical apex and in the midst of a period when bands were taking the genre to its musical limit in terms of technicality and intricate songwriting. Likewise, the infant genre of death metal was challenging audiences' ideas of extremity with records like "Leprosy" by Death and "Malleus Maleficarum" by Pestilence. In a nutshell, "Punishment for Decadence" was one of thrash metal's swansongs before the genre faded into obscurity. Although not the most commercially successful, it would prove to be extremely influential on many emerging bands such as Gorguts and Suffocation who in the coming years would challenge the limitations of their musical genres in a similar vein as "Decadence..." did. If you're looking for an important piece of thrash history, I highly recommend picking this up. If you have this gem and you've forgotten about it, here's your reminder.
Yesterday, after I finished up part two of Novak's favorite series on this site, I was reminded by my pal Jeff that "Dressed to Kill" is another fantastic KISS record that certainly does not suck. Don't believe me, ask Anthrax.
Anthrax: "She" (KISS My Ass Cover Album)
"She" isn't the only rocker this album has to offer, "Dressed to Kill" has plenty of hard rock tunes that make this album a true classic. The last of the "original three" KISS records before their big break with their breakthrough double live album "Alive,""Dressed to Kill" is the most stripped down of all of KISS' records and tracks such as "Two Timer" and "Room Service" demonstrate that when it comes to blues influenced rock, KISS knew how to deliver the goods!
"Two Timer"
"Dressed to Kill,"despite being an overlooked album in the band's catalog, demonstrates enough musical prowess and songwriting abilities to be considered one of the better hard rock records of the 70s and definitely one that dorks like Novak can enjoy without guilty feelings.
(Click the album artwork to stream the full album)
Now here is a band I am always anxious to update everyone on, Tree No Leaves. A band that always goes above and beyond what most national acts do, let alone local bands! A DIY band that always looks and sounds more professional than the garbage being pumped through the radio waves. Never afraid of changing their sound or looks, this band has put several years of hard work into their sound. I would know, I used to be a part of the Tree No Leaves camp several years back.
While most local bands' music sadly never sees the light of the day, this band makes a conscious effort of giving you both high quality audio and visuals available for your eyeballs' pleasure both live and in physical form. Whether they're releasing a jam album, live album, or full length record, you can always expect it to be a thought out and well presented piece of art.
The main vein for TNL is this guy, Dustin Galish. A very dear friend of mine. Dustin started the band back in 2007 with his now ex girlfriend, Sarah Smith. When I was first asked to collaborate, we were all a little nervous as to how it would turn out. At the time it was just piano and quiet guitar parts, and there was me behind a full kit I was used to beating the absolute shit out of. We had a very inspiring and challenging time finding a balance of dynamics at first, but it only took a few very exciting rehearsals to get the sound we were going for. In my opinion, from there the band evolved into the glistening and wonderful monster that it is today. Dustin broke out of his shy shell and his personalized lyrics and hand crafted performances exploded into the recordings and live shows almost instantly.
A big contribution to the TNL world has always been visual artwork. Most recently TNL have teamed up with the immensely talented Will Santino. Artwork that truly transcends the typical barriers of the typical human imagination. Artwork that's just weird enough to still be instantly appealing yet still has enough to it that you can see different things pop out each time you see it. An artist whose work proves how much hard work and talent goes behind the process, much like the band. A very tasteful touch to the vibrant sounds of the band.
Lastly, another concoction from these mad fucking scientists is this wonderful video for the song "Lesson Bringer" as pictured above. This is a perfect example of a band going beyond what most bands do with the ideas in their heads. I mean no offense to the hundreds of local musicians who have great ideas, but these guys are executing it flawlessly. An idea is just an invisible piece of absolutely nothing until you attempt at bringing it to life.
Don't miss your chance to see my band He-Chaw Frunk team up with these guys in BGSU in September! Rock n' Roll band meets psychedelic electronic band. See you there!
The underground is a buzz over the upcoming release of legendary Cleveland hardcore / metal / hell on Earth ragers Ringworm's new E.P. entitled "Bleed." The title track has just been released via Metalsucks.com and, as expected, Ringworm appear to have hit it out of the park yet again. "Bleed" rages from its speed metal infused onset to its hardcore midsection all the way to its crushing ending. "Bleed" encapsulates Ringworm's approach in one outburst and welcomes the listener into their depraved and schizophrenic musical mind. Time, the mortal enemy of so many bands, seems to be Ringworm's closest companion as they have released exponentially better material since 2007's critically acclaimed "Venomous Grand Design." Vicious, uncompromising, honest, and fierce, Ringworm's follow up to (now fan favorite) "Scars" doesn't look like it will disappoint anyone. The CD release show for this E.P. will be held at The Foundry (where good friend of the Illustrious Words crew Bill Z works) on October 19th and supporting acts include local Cleveland thrashers Order 66. You don't want to miss this one, trust me. Ringworm live is unmatched by many in the underground. Fucking bleed!
This one wasn't as awkward. This sort of things is pretty fun but this will be my last one I make alone. I want to start interviewing bands so I can just shut the fuck up already.
I don't always write about local bands, but when I do, I prefer to write about the ones who truly blow me away. It isn't often that you hear a band that is doing something so unique that you can't quite articulate how to describe it because the point of reference is so disguised or, destroyed altogether. He-Chaw Frunk is a band from Lakewood, OH that I first became acquainted with last year at a shitty little bar on the East Side of Cleveland, OH that my friends in Lucy were playing at. I don't remember that venue's name, who else played (other than Lucy), or how much I had to drink that night, but I do remember not moving an inch as He-Chaw belted out thirty minutes of no nonsense rock. Rock, that word that so many don't use anymore that almost carries no weight, at least not the same weight it once did in the glory days of yesteryear. I know I heard blues, I think I heard some country, I'm pretty sure I heard some metal, and I'm certain I heard lyrics about killing an ex-girlfriend. Whatever I heard, I had never heard it before and it was more than a pleasant surprise. This music is played with talent, conviction, integrity, and more creativity than any band in Cleveland. That is a quote, and one you can take to the fucking bank. He-Chaw Frunk have just finished recording a new album at Obese Studios produced by my friend, co-conspirator for this shitty blog, and current drummer Matt Novak that is beyond impressive and hauntingly profound. I not only suggest everyone in the local area to pick this up and see this band live, I am outright demanding it. Classic Rock n' Roll something or other from the ugliest part of the country, figure it out for yourself.
Pulverizing Lethal Force (P.L.F.) is a Texas based outfit made up of members of the infamous Insect Warfare. Although keeping their grindcore roots intact, P.L.F are certainly more inclusive than their predecessor and, quite frankly, more interesting in many ways as well. The band includes a noticeable thrash and speed metal influence with riffs reminiscent of Scott Hull's work in Pig Destroyer played with precision over a plethora of blasts and double-barrel drum beats. Imagine Harmony Corruption style Napalm Death mixed with Testament played on a higher rpm than intended and you have a generally solid idea of what's to be expected here. P.L.F. should be around for a while and if they keep releasing quality material like this it will be a real treat.
It's really rare to find a band that can incorporate so many styles of music effectively and interestingly. The few bands that can should be appreciated and recognized as soon and often as possible by audiences the world over. Norway's Kvelertak is a perfect example and their 2013 album "Meir" is a roller coaster ride through primitive black metal forests, rock n' roll expressways, and punk alleys that is arguably one of the most eclectic pieces of music released in years. Produced by Kurt Ballou of legendary Massachusetts act Converge, "Meir" is solid and captures the energy and ferocity of a young band that is, even in its infantile stage, more impressive than many of its peers. "Meir" succeeds where so many albums fail because it does something so many fail to do, rock. It rocks with memorable songs, nostalgic nods to the past, and excitement about the unknown future. Pick this up and check this band out live, I know I will.
Vegan animal liberation activists turned grindcore assault squad Violent Restitution from Vancouver, BC released a LP this past year that is definitely worth checking out if you're into Phobia, Excruciating Terror, and saving whales. As faster bands are concerned it is fairly standard, but what sets these cats apart from their peers is their creative and ferocious female vocalist and a fairly gnarly guitar tone that reminds me of early death metal acts. Sludgy and droney tones are also in abundance on this record which gets the head banging and is a welcomed change of pace from a rather speed-induced assault. Not good enough to make me put the veal down, but worth a spin or two.
Gets Worse- S/T LP
Powerviolence has reached Leeds my friends, and if you think they are merely copying what they've heard from California you are dead wrong. Gets Worse's LP ironically gets better every time you listen to it with its bombastic blasts, Lack of Interest / Insult vocal attack, and terrifyingly heavy guitars. Sprinkle in some gang vocals and enough 80s hardcore riffs to keep the circle pit alive and kicking and you pretty much have a recipe for a beautiful disaster. I'm looking forward to these guys being around for a while.
Weekend Nachos- "Watch You Suffer" (A389 Recordings, 2013)
Two new tracks from Chicago's masters of all things ugly and putrid. Still the heaviest, still ahead of the pack, still miserably pissed, and still the humblest kids playing instruments, the Nach deliver two tracks on this 7" EP. Picking up where "Worthless" left off, the band once again demonstrates how riffs can make post-adolescent males kick each other in the face on a regular basis. I like to think of this as a teaser rather than a single since it only makes me that much more excited for a new LP from these dudes. Defeat the Christian right.
Manpig- "The Grand Negative" (Deep Six, 2012)
Recorded in the glory days of 1992, Manpig's LP "The Grand Negative" has finally seen the light of day thanks to the fine folks at Deep Six Records. Expect what you love about Infest, LOI, Neanderthal, and the other bands that you love from the west coast. With clear production and quality song writing, it's surprising that this band's release has avoided the spotlight for so long. It may not have been the trendy thing in 1992, but it's great that this album has a second chance at appreciation.
Always ahead of the black metal curve or constantly redefining what exactly that curve even is, Darkthrone are back with their best record in years and arguably the best metal record of the year thus far. If you've been following Darkthrone over the last few years, their style has taken an interesting turn away from the second wave of black metal they helped define toward a crust punk / black metal hybrid akin to Amebix having sex with Carpathian Forest while Venom jerks off. "The Underground Resistance" retains some of the punk riffs but plenty of the punk spirit and injects even more Sodom, Mercyful Fate, and Bulldozer into the mixture to create a metal cocktail that is one of the most enjoyable buzzes I've had off of a metal album in years. Crisp production and recording brings out the songwriting and power of the instruments and compliments the songs without losing any of the raw emotion the band is recognized for. Where "Dark Thrones and Black Flags" and "Circle the Wagons" had confused moments, the newest Darkthrone effort is demonstrative of confident songwriting and a band that has found the sound they've been searching for for quite some time. Truly bright musicians are able to create songs that allow influences to arise naturally without forcing them to the forefront awkwardly, it is great to see Darkthrone reach the pinnacle of their abilities with this release.
"Mouths of Madness" is the latest release from San Francisco doom / stoner rock outfit Orchid. Nowadays it's difficult for the heirs of the Sabbath to stand out in the crowd, but Orchid reminds skeptics how it can be done with well crafted, interesting, and powerful songs. While it may not be the heaviest of Sabbath-influenced music out there, "Mouths of Madness" pays homage to the godfathers of doom while incorporating other interesting sounds reminiscent of Pentagram, Blue Oyster Cult, and Trouble. Classic metal fans and newer doom freaks alike can enjoy jams such as "Silent One" that begins with Church of Misery-esque power before diving into a retro joyride. "See You On The Other Side" and "Leaving it All Behind" each clock in over seven minutes, yet they demonstrate that lengthy songs don't necessarily have to alienate listeners and can keep a solid energetic pace and hold attention with interesting time signatures and catchy riffs. While solid, the album does lack in certain areas. Primarily, many of the songs lack strong character due to some uneventful drumming by Carter Kennedy who seems to be mindful not to overshadow the power of some very crushing riffs. Likewise, Mark Thomas Baker's guitar playing, although fantastic and highlighted by the album's clear production, doesn't offer as much lead guitar thrills as I was hoping for. "Nomad," for example, contains a small and underplayed lead that irritates rather than leaves one begging for more. If you're expecting the wheel to be reinvented you may be left disappointed, but if you're looking for a solid hard rock record in 2013 this may be a record you want to pick up.
Iron Lung's 2013 offering "White Glove Test" is the best material of the band's stellar career thus far. Fast, uncompromising, straight forward fastcore blends with ultra heavy noise / sludge to surely melt your face and genitals off. What is truly impressive about Iron Lung is how they continuously test the boundaries of extremity while existing as a two-piece outfit. As with their previous records, "White Glove Test" is solidly produced as well, allowing the band's sonic assault to travel alongside their archaic and distinguishable wall of sound that underlines each track. Twenty minutes is all it takes for Iron Lung to reclaim the throne, consider the bar raised....again.
