I bought this, way back in 1989, because Kreator's Mille Petroza wore their shirt, which was simply a cross struck-through with a "no" symbol.
Didn't know a thing about them, otherwise-- and it took many listens for this thrash-metal zealot to truly get No Control.
But get it I did. Every song, every lyric-- which to this day I know backwards. As I like to say, it gets in, it gets out, and rocks out in the interim.
It's 15 tracks of punk rock --average length of about a minute and a half-- played as fast as possible, and as literarily as possible, by a PhD candidate in southern California, who isn't afraid to include lyrics the average metalhead/punk rocker will have to look up-- and which I still often do.
It's fucking awesome, even 23 years and 5 degrees later. This album is perfect.
Highlights: "No Control" (An utterly Zen Buddhist testimonial-- "There's no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end... when we all disintegrate, it'll all happen again--yeah!"), "Progress," "Automatic Man," "The World Won't Stop," and pretty much every other track on this masterpiece from Epitaph records.
"His life is meaningful, because he gets things done... chalk up another triumph for our hero, the Automatic Man..."
It's also catchy as shit-- I'm amazed that none of this tunes has shown up in a Target ad campaign.
It's reassuring, to me, an unapologetic intellectual and snob-- these lyrics are unapologetically literate and philosophical: Greg Graffin, I fucking love you.
This is something I grew up with-- thrash metal, which came from punk rock, with its political fury-- and something that to this day makes me proud of what I listened to as teenager and what it made me, as an intellectual-- how many Debbie Gibson fans from the late 80s can say the same thing? Some track specificness:
"I want to conquer the world:"-- dig these lyrics: I wanna conquer the world, give all the idiots a brand-new religion, put an end to poverty, uncleanliness and toil... Expose the culprits and feed them to the children, I'll do away with air pollution and then I'll save the whales, We'll have peace on earth and global communion... I wanna conquer the world... promote equality with all of my decisions, with a quick wink of the eye, and a 'God, you must be joking...!''
When was the last time you read literally anything that uplifting and forward-thinking...? In the whole of my navel-gazing life, only Krishnamurti, Jesus Christ (depending on the translation), the Buddha himself, and a select few others decreed something so forward-thinking...! Who says extreme music is stupid? Idiots!
Get in on this, you groundling bitches!! [I'm kidding: I love you for your deliberate uncouthness.]
Every now and then the rock gods breathe a pleased sigh of satisfaction and bestow an absolute sonic gem on our collective earholes. The latest musical manna from the heavens is the second installment from Canada’s own heavy fuzzed out desert stoner sons MOTHER’S GREEN called “Swimming in the Sun”. So where do I start? A trademark way cool angle? Another riveting make believe story? A meaningful, symbolic anecdote or some witty repartee perhaps?
I got nothing.
After spinning this album multiple times, I’m like a riffstruck kid in a sonic candy store. So why dick around? I’m just going to come out and say it. This is easily the SINGLE BEST album I’ve heard in the last several months. Maybe even beyond. And I spin a lot of ‘em on a weekly basis top to bottom. “Un-fuckin’-real” might be an adequate descriptor. Let me put it this way. The comparisons stick. If you dig the brazen balls out bombasity of early Soundgarden and the heavy rip snortin’ sly groove of Fu Manchu coupled with the experimental desertness that is Baroness and the trippy funky ass vibes of Earthless then you’re in the right sonic wheelhouse. ”Swimming in the Sun” is chock full of lush, gorgeous, stunning soundscapes, epic crescendos and crushing, punishing riffs masterfully delivered with air tight kickassedness. Drummer Dean Glover is the new Sheriff in town and takes no quarter behind the kit. And Mike Simpson’s menacing low end thunder satisfies the most rabid of THC fueled appetites. Creative fountain March Giaccari’s songwriting, vocals and guitar work are otherworldly. Just a stellar, stellar album throughout. Smokin’ wall-to-wall killer rock’n’roll. I sat down with creator, song writer, guitarist and singer March Giaccari to discuss the newest addition to the band’s repertoire and his insatiable love for music.
TEEDER: When and how did you first encounter your love for music?
MARCH: Um, my whole life. I don’t know just music in general. When I listen to it, it’s just like it’s a good feeling, ya know? And there’s nothin’ really new, no doubt about that. I remember my family you know they got records and stuff and you go through certain records and just be like… I can’t explain it. It’s a love that I have man.
TEEDER: When did you first pick up the guitar?
MARCH: The first time I picked it up I was 11 years old. That’s when I got my first guitar. I got it for Christmas and um… yah, I’ve been addicted to it ever since!
TEEDER: What were your influences growing up?
MARCH: Influences? We’re gonna be here all day. Everything from Sabbath to Zeppelin to Santana to Gypsy Kings to say Michael Jackson. I mean everything man… everything. Like I’m just tippin’ off you know what I mean… Pantera. Lots of stuff man. From one side to the other. There’s no boundaries. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Gypsy Kings, Pantera, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson, Queen, Corrosion of Conformity, ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Monster Magnet, Phil Collins, Kyuss, Jimi Hendrix, Jaco Pastorius, Fleetwood Mac, Primus, Alice Cooper, Alicia Keys, Bob Marley, Type O Negative, Fu Manchu, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Deep Purple, Motorhead, Guns’n’Roses, Luciano Pavarotti, Steppenwolf, Van Halen, KISS, Motley Crue, Rush, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Cream and on and on….
TEEDER: So what led your tastes into the stoner realm?
MARCH: I don’t know, it feels good man. It’s not that I would categorize a song, it’s just it’s a good feeling. It’s music with feeling and… it’s organic you know ? Lots of guitars, drums, bass, percussion. Just add like natural instruments. And that’s awesome.
TEEDER: Let’s talk about the new album. The first album had a more laid back, tripped out vibe to it. Where did the more aggressive, heavier feel come from on “Swimming in the Sun”?
MARCH: It’s just excitement. I wouldn’t like look at it as aggressive. I would just look at it as excitement. Like, for instance ya know when you’re around good people and you’re havin’ a good time? It’s just energetic. You feel like moving. So there’s no aggression whatsoever on the record. If you listen to the lyrics there’s no negativity whatsoever. I just wanted to make a record that feels good cause that’s how I was feeling. You know when you feel good you feel like you could run for miles? That feeling.
TEEDER: I noticed there’s a theme in a lot of the music and lyrics about capturing what each day has to offer and not squandering it. Carpe Diem. Seize the moment. Living life to its fullest. Is that a central theme to how you live?
MARCH: Oh, yah! For sure. It’s like you gotta enjoy it cause like… life is short. So just enjoy it and then appreciate everything that’s around you.
TEEDER: What’s the new album concept about?... musically and artistically including the splendiferous jacket art done by Alex Baker and so on. It’s a beautiful gatefold.
MARCH: It’s just about being in a good place, ya know? Everybody’s got stresses and stuff like that and this record’s just like an escape. You listen to it and you go somewhere that’s um, ya know fun to be at you know what I mean? It’s got some mellow moments as well. But ya know, that’s the excitement about it. It’s an escape record.
TEEDER: Let’s talk about the song writing process. What was your approach?
MARCH: Actually this record came out a little bit faster than the first one. I booked to go into BWC Studios months in advance but I didn’t actually finish writing the words and the music ‘til pretty much close to a month before going in. It was like the last month before the deadline and the songs just started to come in. It was a humbling experience because they just came one after the other – bang, bang, bang!
TEEDER: That’s a transcendental moment, isn’t it? I hear that time and time again from different songwriters in different genres. Where do the songs come from? Good question. Tell me about the recording process on this new album. What worked, what didn’t work. Any interesting technical or creative developments or discoveries along the way?
MARCH: Oh, it was great cause I got to work with Producer Greg Dawson and ah, yah I learned a lot from that guy. He’s a good Producer and um… the good thing about Greg is he gets an idea of the direction that you wanna go in and he makes sure it happens. The guy’s like an encyclopedia for music you know so… It was great working with him and Dean and Mike. And uh yah, I’ll remember that for a long time. Probably the rest of my life!
TEEDER: Let’s move to the songs on the album. First up, the title track “Swimming in the Sun”. It fades in on an extended drone and builds to an explosive percussive moment that goes off like a fragmentation grenade. The song has all the intensity of Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose” and never relents. It never lets go. Your vocals smack of a Chris Cornell like texture and yet there’s something more. The delivery is tight like your first high school girlfriend. You scored (so to speak) a reprieve that hangs back in the middle and again builds to one of the most EPIC moments I’ve heard in ALL OF ROCKDOM that bursts through the containment barrier at the 3:24 minute mark. Absolute sheer sonic brilliance quickly pursued by a dazzling, stratospheric solo smothered in delectable tone. Then out of nowhere you hit the brakes and deliver a punishing bridge and riff loop. The latino congas are simply icing on the cake. What’s the theme behind this song? Where did it come from?
MARCH: The theme of that is like I was on vacation. I was back home, I was back in Italy to see some old family out there and um… yah, it was just being like somewhere different outside of your surroundings. You see mountains, you see oceans and stuff. It’s just a beautiful feeling. You enjoy everything. And that’s what that song’s about. It’s like going somewhere totally new not knowing what to expect and everything’s a beautiful thing. Good vibes.
TEEDER: So inspired by geography and culture – music, cuisine, people. What about the first single “Observation for the Day”? This is a different beast of a song. We get whacked in the face with a fuzzed out menacing drop tuned distorto hEAVy riff right from the get go! Like the height of the London Blitz in WWII. It’s a KILLER riff (see video below and CRANK that fucker!). This one’s a TOTAL headbanger. Once again, you channel Mr. Cornell underscored by some meaty guitar tones and a sweetly executed ethereal, reverbed out solo that settles into a laid back bad ass heavy groove. Thematically you follow a thought provoking, confrontational lyrical stream.
MARCH: The theme for that song is basically like if you go and take the time to look at your surroundings and what’s around you, you know? Life is a beautiful thing but there’s also limitations that make it not so good. That song’s just about waking up and seeing what’s not so good and fair and how you can’t do anything about it.
TEEDER: How about “Catching Existence”? It’s reminiscent of the chilled, trippy feel and vibe from the first album. You feel like you’re floating down a lazy river in a psychedelic canyon nudged along by some bright, echoed guitar licks. Vocally it’s much more relaxed, comfortable, intimate and warm. The song is uplifting and lyrically captures the essence of Alex Baker’s awesome abstract album cover artwork.
MARCH: Catching Existence is just about hangin’ out and you’re partying and you’re with people you know, people you like hanging out with and um, and you just stop and look and you’re just like “this is awesome!”. You’re just catching the moment. Enjoying the moment and loving your surroundings. That’s what that song’s about and it’s a beautiful thing.
TEEDER: Next up is “A Night in Complete Awe”. It’s more up tempo with a minacious opening driven by a heavy gargantuan drawn out riff, snarling Cornellesque vox, smokin’ guitar tones and unexpected congas delivering a funky groove. Three quarters of the way through you execute a tempo change with a more forceful attack decorated by another fully reverbed stratospheric solo stretching to the cosmos. What was your thinking behind this one?
MARCH: The theme behind that one is just like um, ya know, goin’ out to a club or a lounge or anything and just like after… when you get like a good buzz going and all of a sudden you’re just, you’re in complete awe. You’re like “this is awesome!”. Something totally unexpected happens, something totally positive and you’re just like, “Yah!”. You know what I mean? And the next day you look back at it and you’re like, “yah, that was a good night”. Having a good time and enjoying the moment. Looking at how beautiful things can turn out unexpectedly.
TEEDER: Sometimes a confluence of different things centered around music. What about “Conscious of the Free”? You created a very laid back vibe on this track with more unaffected guitar tones and warm intimate vocals at the outset. It crunches down as you up the fuzzosity and takes on a sense of urgency vocally about halfway through.
MARCH: That’s about just being in a good state of mind and just being free. You’re being humble and knowing who you are. Just enjoying it.
TEEDER: Flipping over to the B-side, you once again kick it into high gear with a faced paced rocker called “Just Another” that boasts delicious, twangy distant guitar, a deeply satisfying harmonic bridge and a fist pumping chorus that ends in a full gallop. What’s the theme behind this song?
MARCH: I wrote it in a perspective towards myself but anybody can relate to this song. Everybody goes through break ups and uh, this song just puts the positive in it. You know what I mean? Just enjoy you know. Somethin’ better’s gonna come along.
TEEDER: “The Antidote”. Another upbeat rocker with a charging attack showcasing a more fluted tubular guitar sound and monster bass tone. You slay a resplendent noodlehead solo part way in that goes off like an errant firework shooting sparks out it’s ass and then immediately tred into darker territory without losing pace. The ending destroyed what was left of my brain with a magnificently executed deconstruction powered by more lavish, fuzzed out tones. A devastating plodding bottom end finally overwhelms the piece like Gigantor stomping out entire city blocks wearing mammoth concrete pads. What’s the movement or theme on this one?
MARCH: Antidote is like um, you know when you’re feeling down? The antidote. It’s symbolic. It’s not really like an antidote that you take. It’s just symbolic meaning like it’s uplifting. Like getting your spirits up and enjoying everything! It’s about staying positive and not being afraid. That’s the whole theme man. A lot of the songs are like that and this is just one to up it up, you know what I mean? Not being afraid. And just enjoying stuff.
TEEDER: Next is “A Close Encounter”. A very touching, reflective song with a whole other trippy laid back spaced out cosmic vibe interspersed by unaffected vocals and guitar, a searing upfront solo and some ravishing Hammond B3 keys from beyond that would put a smile on Jon Lord’s face. Where were you coming from with this song?
MARCH: That song’s just about like um, I’d say you know when you’re in a relationship and you know you’re havin’ fun and that. This is reflecting. Looking back on stuff. You know, not being so bitter. Just enjoying stuff and uh, it’s a relationship song you know? That’s all I can say. It’s like it’s… I could talk all day about feelings and stuff like that but if you listen to the song it’s got the feeling and you know what?... everybody feels that feeling once in a while. You think back about the partner you had.
TEEDER: The song captures that feeling you describe even before you get into the lyrics. We continue on to “Checking Point” and throw some more gas on the embers. Palletable excitement starts to ride. It leaps out of the trenches with compunction and leans into a powerful bridge. The addition of tambourine and congas again unexpectedly defies the norm, but it works! Then three quarters of the way through you guys freakin’ throw yourselves off Victoria Falls ass over tea kettle with some seriously heavy pounding riffs!
MARCH: That’s basically about like the way life is a game of chess and how we’re all pieces on that board stuck in the system and you just gotta stay positive and whatever. Obstacles get in your way, you gotta figure out what moves to make and how to get around it.
TEEDER: You revisit a song from the first album called “Tattoos Leave Scars” which is a great song. It has a hauntingly sad acoustic quality to it highlighted by your rich trademark soaring vocals overtop. A favourite of mine. What’s the message behind it? And how come you brought it back on the second record?
MARCH: That’s a good question. I want to clear this up. The reason why I brought that song on the second album… originally the second album was supposed to be nine songs and um, ya know I had that song left over from the last record. So I was thinking ya know just add congas and bass to it and just release it as a bonus track. And that’s why it’s on the second record as well. It’s another break up song about a relationship gone sour.
TEEDER: So was it just a matter of adding a few instrumental tracks or was it a complete remix?
MARCH: No, it was the exact same song remixed with congas and bass. Just added it as a bonus cause I wanted to add something extra
TEEDER: What’s the song about?
MARCH: Yah, once again here we go! I dunno. The song’s about a breakup and uh, you know sometimes you feel down so you write yourself a song and get over it.
TEEDER: So it’s a healing mechanism in a way. Tell me about the musicians you surround yourself with. Thoughts and feelings on Dean Glover, Nick Tipe, Mike Simpson and some of the guys who worked with you on the new album – keyboards, congas, etc. and their contribution.
MARCH: I’ve just been priviledged ya know, to jam with great musicians. The line up’s constantly changing but I appreciate everybody I’ve worked with. It’s great you know what I mean? They’re all great musicians and I love them all man. I love music so much it hurts.
Last year Classic Rock magazine ran an ad for an upcoming Motorhead DVD called Live In Old New York filmed at a show I was at in February 2011. The show was great but given the fact that I was there with about a dozen of my best friends and had just as many beers I was looking for something to refresh my memory. Turns out they had a change in plans and released this show from Santiago, Chile later in the tour instead. Probably a good idea since Motorhead is huge in South America and those fuckers are crazier than a NY audience these days.
Motorhead's been on a roll the past few years. Their albums The World Is Yours and Motorizer have been big improvements over some of the others that have come out this century. They don't change the set list that much, so swapping in a few new songs from these two albums is a nice change of pace. "Iron Fist" is back in the opening spot of their concerts followed by the trusty "Stay Clean." If you're in doubt that Motorhead still packs a mighty crash bang wallop in concert, all you need to see is these 2 songs to know that's not true. Newer songs like "Get Back In Line," "The Thousand Names of God" and "Rock Out" sit along nicely with the old classics "Metropolis," "Over The Top" (always a highlight), "Killed By Death" and, of course, "Ace Of Spades." Slower songs like "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch" and the "Stranglehold" inspired "Just Cos You Got the Power" give everyone a chance to bang their heads a little slower and save some energy for the inevitable "Overkill." I've never been a fan of the song "Going To Brazil" but it's towards the set and a welcome chance to hit the can and get a fresh beer, whether it's at the concert or at home.
Filmed by Sam Dunn's Banger Films (Iron Maiden Flight 666, Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage) in black and white, it looks kinda cool at first but after awhile I was wishing it was in color. There are 3 bonus songs from the NY show in color as well as 6 from Manchester that look great. I was pleased that they included "Killed By Death" from the NY show because the crowd went apeshit when Doro Pesch came out to sing it with Lemmy and featured Todd Youth on guitar. I was lucky enough to catch a Motorhead show in New Jersey when Todd was filling in for Phil Campbell when his mother passed away. Todd did a great job and it was nice to see him back onstage with the band and clearly having a great time. Michael Monroe makes a cameo on the Manchester version of "Born To Raise Hell. Man, that guy is skinny but he really knows how to twirl a mic stand. The bonus interviews catch them in various states of inebriation and contain a few witty quips but nothing you don't know already. The audio discs that come with the DVD are a nice bonus but chances are they won't get played too much. Lemmy, Phil and Mikkey sound great but it's hard to top No Sleep Til Hammersmith for the ultimate Motorhead live album. Motomaniacs probably already have this but if you're skeptical that they can still give you a neck ache and hangover like they did 30 years ago, get this muther pro to.
As a young man I fully embraced hardcore punk. The music had an energy and aggression that my beloved thrash metal couldn’t fully match and the moral/political stand point sat squarely within my idealistic young beliefs. As with so many musical movements, however, I gradually saw this become watered down and the energy dissipated and with it my interest. It seems though, the true spirit of hardcore has survived and passed me by for the last 20 years or so, until, that is, someone slipped me a copy of this debut album by London punks Pettybone.
Hot holy shit, these four young ladies deliver a sound that encapsulates the rage and aggression of those early hardcore days and wraps it up with a breadth and musicality that many of those early bands would struggle to match. From the opening blast of “Pettybone”, very much a manifesto statement, through the Riot Grrrl meets hardcore of “Le Regard” to the closing semi pastiche of “The Blues Song” this album bristles with unrepentant fury and an almost tangible sense of purpose. Amy’s vocal chords threaten to leap from her throat to escape the strain they’re being put under while Ivona’s guitar work is both brutal yet inventive with a subtle sense of melody running through even the most vitriolic of riffs. Her playing really is the ace in the pack as she offers a real sense of depth and range in her playing that draws from indie as much as it does punk rock. Former Invasion drummer Zel shows herself to be one of the most powerful drummers around as she drives each song with an almost metronomic intensity while bassist Lianna avoids the usual trap of a lot of punk bassist of following the guitars and offers her own melodic counterpoint to the abrasive guitar work.
Where a lot of hardcore can become monotonous over the course of a whole album, Pettybone have the song writing chops to keep the listener gripped and attentive. “Breaking Away” flits from a restrained opening to all out assault to a Melvins style grind halfway through and it’s this ability to chop and change the vibe and the pace that keeps Pettybone one step ahead of the listener. The 20 plus years that have occurred since the original hardcore movement appeared have served the band well as they are able to assimilate the greater spread of influences into their sound. Would any of the original bands have been able to create the dark yet beautiful intro to “Northern Line” that Pettybone craft seamlessly into their acidic, Hell like vision of the world.
One other thing that sets Pettybone apart is their authenticity. One look at their website and it becomes clear that the band walk it like they talk it and their political/humanist viewpoint is at the forefront of their credo. They offer up advice for those in need of help and frequently report on various issues that makes for as compelling reading as the album does listening.
It is little surprise to find that Converge main Kurt Ballou took the helm for mixing this ferocious little beast as the sound is thick yet edgy with the drums hitting right in the solar plexus while the guitars circle like hungry vultures. As much as this album sounds great cranked in a room or in the car, its true subtleties come out on headphones where Ivona’s guitar really shines…that’s if it doesn’t leave your ears bleeding!!!
Gentleman, tether your nuts to your leg as this album threatens to rip them right off. This is as fine and brutal yet varied a hardcore album as I’ve heard in over 20 years and one that has reignited the reasons behind my getting into this kind of music in the first place. Pettybone aren’t just ones to watch, they won’t give you a choice. If there’s any justice they’ll get right in your face until you comply!!!
From deep within the smug, *ahem,* I mean, fog of San Francisco, Midnite Brain emerge.
Aside from being newly formed, Midnite Brain is one of the better named hardcore bands from the city. They've recently cut an impressive 4-track demo - a harsh lesson in 80s-style HC.
It's short, but hella sweet, as it kicks off with a cool arrangement that reminded me of the beginning of Raw Power's Screams from the Gutter. What persists is an unrelenting sequence of fast, overdriven riffing that's held down by some hard-hitting drums, all in all sounding more like Death Side or Lipcream. The vocals and shouts sound great, too.
I can hear more trace elements of 80s Japanese HC as clever, well-executed stop/start's and catchy solos drop-in recurrently. I asked drummer Midnight Dan what they were all about. You know, their "band philosophy.."
"It's all about being crazy and seeing beyond, ya know? There are these cosmic brains that are always flying around. You have to be inebriated to see them. Huffing glue helps," said the Brain's Midnight Dan.
Indeed.
Don't worry, one needn't huff glue in order to enjoy Midnite Brain. I'm pretty sure that it's some of the better HC I've heard come out of the Bay Area in recent years. So, If you're in the Bay Area and like honest, no-nonsense hardcore punk that kills all the bogus nonsense that has hijacked the genre, then I really suggest you drop in to check 'em out live!
On Friday, March 30th, Midnite Brain will be delivering their sonic assault, live to the masses, at 24th and Vermont in S.F. with Ratface (Pittsburgh) and Permanent Ruin (San Jose). On Sunday, May 27th, Midnite Brain supports legendary UK punks, Antisect, at the Rocket Room in S.F.
Can't make it to the show? Don't fret! You can check out the demo on Youtube. Just click the link below. Also, be on the lookout for a 7" flexi to be self-released sometime this Summer.
The cream of the retro rockin’ resurgence crop has announced that they’re making their long anticipated return to the shores of the United Kingdom and northern Europe this April! Stone Axe are loading the road cases, fine tuning the live set, and packing fresh clothes for the 2012 edition of their European Tour with Stubb and Trippy Wicked, once again, performing in the support slots. Last year, Stone Axe went overseas to support the Expanded Edition of their first album and, in the process, turned heads and made a ton of new fans and friends. This year, Stone Axe is touring in support of the 2-disc Deluxe Edition of the band’s second album, featuring the highly regarded follow up to the debut, as well as a bonus disc packed with vinyl only releases and rare oddities from the Stone Axe vault.
The ten day tour will take these classic rock preservationists throughout England, Scotland, The Netherlands, and parts of Germany as they revisit some of the choice spots from the year before, and tackle new venues in search of new fans looking for a show with some substance. Of key note, Stone Axe will be performing two sets at the inaugural Desertfest held in London; one set being under the name Stone Free as the band performs a free set from the band’s greatest influence, Free!
Stone Axe II – Deluxe Edition will be available in the UK/Europe by or on April 2nd, 2012 and on April 10th, 2012 throughout the U.S.
STONE AXE on the road with STUBB & TRIPPY WICKED
April 5th Scrutty Murphy's - Birmingham UK April 6th Desertfest (2 sets) - London UK April 7th Stereo Cafe Bar – Glasgow, Scotland April 8th - TBA April 9th The Star and Garter - Manchester UK April 10th The Rambler - Eindhoven NL April 11th Immerhin - Wurzburg DL April 12th AJZ - Bielefeld DL April 13th Oetinger Villa - Darmstadt DL April 14th The Vortex - Siegen DL
Here’s what the press is saying:
“Stone Axe is an American analomy, maybe a treasure: resurrecting and revitalizing the best of classic Seventies rock in a modern context. They do it right and do it well. Fans should scoop this up, and newcomers, too. Recommended." –Dangerdog
"This one helluva album, and with all the revived interest in 60's - 80's rock and metal going on at the moment this set will help mark out Stone Axe as one of the very best in their field. and long may they continue. Hell if you have already got this album its worth getting again for the bonus disc alone. 5/5" -- The BCFM Sunday Rock Show
In anticipation of the release of their new album, Utilitarian , on February 27th in Europe and February 28th in North America, the legendary NAPALM DEATH is now giving fans the chance to listen to their grindcore masterpiece online in its entirety! To join the album listening party, head here:
On some days, life offers us the chance to make a difference in the world. The chance to stand up for the forces of creative freedom. The chance to fight for the underdog, to support the truly gifted. The chance to throw away our ego, and become a part of something bigger than ourselves, kinda like Voltron. Well, waveriders, today is one of those days.
Before I began writing for this site, I contacted the staff to inform them that I thought they were a bunch of softies handing out favorable reviews to anyone with a guitar in his hand and a mic in his pocket. However, the good people of the Ripple Effect reminded me that they are here to support and discuss the good music, not to expose and ridicule the bad music, then they offered to let me write for them. Well, today I intend to take their philosophy one step further.
This is not a music review, this is a call to action. This is a request from me to you, that you find the spirit of giving within yourself and help a talented artist manifest his vision. To wit:
About 6 months ago, I happened upon a mysterious new musician who went by the name We Have A Ghost. There was very little information about him beyond his influences and a few artistic photographs which he had taken. But his music was spectacular. Live drums driving alongside gritty modular synth sequences and lush pads - delicately layered, patiently built-upon, happily mangled and distorted. His sound quickly became one of my favorite flavors of tea. Well, We Have A Ghost's self-titled debut album (which you can preview below) was released in October, and now he's interested in offering a physical package. But this guy dreams big, and to help fund the project he has recently proposed a campaign on Kickstarter.com, a funding platform for artists, musicians, filmmakers, journalists, etc.
Perhaps We Have A Ghost can explain his idea best, so I've pulled these quotes from his Kickstarter page (http://kck.st/svr2f2):
"I am an anonymous multimedia artist. I choose anonymity because I want it to be about the music, the art, the experience. It forces me to create. I know there are many other emerging artists trying to survive doing what they love. I want to prove it is possible, DIY style, using readily available tools, wherever you are."
"Kickstarter is the next step for me. It provides you a risk-free opportunity to support the artists you believe in. Kickstarter is all or nothing. If enough people believe in this, it will exist. If I do not reach the minimum goal, you will not be charged, this will not exist, and it may haunt you." "The goal is simple: create the most beautiful album packaging I can to compete with the most beautiful limited edition works in existence."
"My vision involves: Glow in the dark vinyl or a picture disk that glows in the dark. A limited edition hard bound book comprised of hand tinted black and white photos and hand-written lyrics. Housed in a custom box with embossed artwork that glows in the dark." For more information, please see: http://kck.st/svr2f2
Confucius once said, "The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." Well, if everyone reading this page were to contribute $2 to this campaign, We Have A Ghost would reach his mark with ease and start moving the mountain.
As a thank you to the fans, if the goal of $5,000 is reached by January 14th (when the campaign closes), We Have A Ghost has agreed to allow me to conduct a rare interview with him to discuss his concepts, inspirations, techniques, and plans for the future.
So, the choice is yours. You could have a hand in the creation of something beautiful and unique and good and fair and right in the world. With just a few small stones, you could help move a mountain. All you have to do is click the link featured up and down this post and donate whatever you can. Literally, every dollar helps. Let's go Voltron Force!
(For the purpose of ease and because of my inherent prejudice, I referred to We Have A Ghost as "he," but I do not know the gender of this person. He could very well be a she.)
My friend and fellow music writer, Racer, forwarded an email from Nick Cooke who records under the name cuttooth. Nick had submitted his new album, Elements, for review by The Ripple Effect and Racer knows me well enough to sense that I’d click with this release and as usual he was right. I tend to like trippy, spacey music and ambient hip hop and Elements hits on all of these styles.
Elements opens with "Intro", a spacey little appetizer reminiscent of Boards of Canada featuring a single spoken line slowed down to eerie effect. The second track, "In A Dream", opens with a bright and echoing guitar chord ringing out as a downtempo beat slowly fades up underneath. Not that it was necessary, as the track is dreamy enough, but a voice chanting “in a dream” repeats in the background. This creates a nice bit of tension in the piece.
cuttooth makes excellent use of ambient sounds, spoken word samples and layers of disconnected sounds to weave a dreamscape. Rather than bore you, dear reader, with a track-by-track analysis I will attempt to describe the album as a singular piece of work:
Are you a fan of lucid dreams? Are you apt to daydream? Do you go off into a reverie when your senses are hit with a certain sound, smell or visual that suggests something beyond our limited physical surroundings?
If you fit the above profile, I’d highly recommend giving this a listen. This is an album for the dreamers among us. This is headphone music. For me, that’s the highest compliment I could pay Mr. Cooke.
A week before the public schools let their students out for the summer my news station received a disturbing tip from an anonymous source. This tipster informed us that all was not right behind the cheery outer façade of Camp Glover, one of the premier summer camp destinations in Los Angeles, California. My station manager attempted to get more details from our tipster, but the only concrete statement he could get was that the children ‘were being brainwashed’. The tipster begged my manager to investigate, and he agreed. Due mainly to my seniority I drew the assignment. I checked out the necessary surveillance equipment from the station’s inventory and enrolled myself in the camp using their online registration form. Once I shaved my facial hair completely off, greased my hair, and put on some designer tees and a backwards baseball cap I resembled a seventeen year old boy. Huzzah!
I won’t bore you with every detail that emerged from the audio/video surveillance over the next couple of weeks, but I will highlight the event that I found most shocking and strange. On the very first night, the boys and girls were separated. The boys all gathered at the ‘Meeting Hall’ after the evening meal. My video cameras caught everything. Two young men addressed the assembled crowd from a stage at the end of the hall. One of the men sat in a throne-like chair and was identified as the founder of the camp, the Childish Gambino. He never spoke a word. Instead he allowed the second man (his Consigliere), to dole out all of the important information.
“Greetings campers. Welcome to Camp Glover. My name is Derrick. We are going to have a great summer, but first I need to let you know about a few important guidelines you’ll need to follow. First of all, the girls attending this camp along with their leader Belanie are not to be trusted. Treat them with respect, but never forget that they all live solely to break your heart.” “Second, it is against the rules to refer to any of your fellow campers as a ‘bro’. There are NO ‘bros’ here, end of story. On a related note, you will not find any Nintendo gamecubes around this camp that ‘bros’ might ask you to play with them.” “Third, every other Friday starting next week will officially be opposite day. We strongly urge you all to not go along with the scheduled activities on those days. Not attending these events will result in your ongoing residence at Camp Glover.” “Lastly, I wanted to let you campers know about the exciting educational trip we have planned for the end of the summer. If any of you were unaware, there is a long running historical bond between Wallmart and Six Flags. History books willingly gloss over this subject, but trust me when I tell you that the connection is deep and profound.”
Attention waveriders, this is your captain speaking. If you would point your eyes towards the nearest available TV screen you will notice we are only running video clips highlighting a man named Donald Glover. You see, Donald Glover is a man of many talents. You might not know this folks, but besides being a terrific comedic actor (see Community) with hilarious stand-up material (recently featured on Comedy Central) he is also a very talented hip hop artist. The music is released under the name Childish Gambino, and for the next little while we are going to be discussing his debut album Camp.
Let me make this abundantly clear up front. Donald Glover is a very funny man but his music is not, I repeat not, a joke. Is it amusing? Absolutely! Could someone dismiss any of the songs on Camp as simply novelty music? Absolutely not! Each of these tracks provide exactly what I’m looking for when I listen to hip hop, honest expression based upon that artist’s unique perspective/experience. Seriously that is the main thing I’m asking for. The very first verse from album opener “Outside” is a great example.
I used to dream every night, now I don't dream at all / Hopin' that it's cause I'm livin' everything I want / Used to wake up in a bed between my mom and aunt / Playing with this land before time toy from pizza hut / My dad works nights / Putting on a stone face / He's saving up so we can get our own place / In the projects, man that sounds fancy to me / They called me fat nose, my mom say you handsome to me / Mrs. Glover ma'am, your son is so advanced / But he's acting up in class and keeps peeing in his pants / And I just wanna fit in, but nobody was helping me out / They talking hood shit and I ain't know what that was about / Cause hood shit and black shit is super different / So I'm talking hood shit and cool it now like New Edition / Mom and dad wouldn't listen / They left the Bronx so I wouldn't be that / All their friends in NY deal crack / It's weird, you think that they'd be proud of him / But when you leave the hood they think that you look down on 'em / Truth is we still struggle on a different plane / 7 dollars an hour, with vouchers, it's all the same / Facebook messaging hopin' that could patch up shit / But all they get now is, "can your son read this script?"
Need another example of the kind of lyrical content I’m refering to? Try this second verse from “Hold You Down”.
The reason that they say I'm nothin' what they seen or heard's / The same reason Will Smith always opposite Latino girls / They only see you how they wanna see you / 'Til you make them see you in some other way / I'm trippin' off the other day / Cause God knows what these white kids sayin' / Dude you're not not racist cause The Wire's in your Netflix cue / Subtle racism / It's hard to pin it cause you'd only understand / If you were me for just a minute / This one kid said somethin' that was really bad / He said I wasn't really black because I had a dad / I think that's kinda sad / Mostly cause a lot of black kids think they should agree with that / If you're a father, you should stick around if you could / Cause even if you're bad at it, you get Tiger Woods / MJ / We warriors, we all need senseis / Change everything that we've done so far / I don't mean makin' B.E.T. T.E.R / I mean just the way that we see each other / I won't stop until they say, "James Franco is the white Donald Glover" / Yeah, these niggas wanted Cookie but instead I gave 'em Loch Ness / Sick Boi for life, my swag is in a hospice / Aimin' for the throne, Jay and Ye said to watch that / They ask me what I'm doin', I say I'm stealin' rock back
I’m not suggesting that every lyric in every song is going to set your listening world on fire. That’s preposterous since everyone identifies with and enjoys lyrical content differently. I’m merely suggesting that it would be well worth your time investigating Childish Gambino.
Now a few words about the production on this album. Camp maintains a solid, radio-friendly sound for its entire running length. Mr. Glover and production partner Ludwig Goransson clearly studied under the tutelage of Kanye West (no, not literally). Several tracks strongly remind me of Kanye’s work. I mean that as a compliment because I can easily imagine hearing every song on Camp being played on the radio. If the world is just, that may happen.
Waveriders, Childish Gambino is really good. No, scratch that. This Childish Gambino album is fantastic! If I had listened to my best friend and coworker (Horn) when they tried to expose me to this artist months ago, best believe you all would have heard about him much sooner. Ah well. Better late than never. Waveriders I urge you to pick up this album immediately. If you like quality hip hop, you’ll love Camp!
Simply put, I love instrumental music. But I've been asked many times, "How can you listen to that?" There's no lyrics. No voice to tell you the story. Exactly. The instruments tell the story for me; they guide my journey. Half the time I may be hearing a band's vocalist but I'm not necessarily listening to every word he or she says. For me, it's all about the music.
"Take away all the vocals and it's still music," I tell people whenever I'm questioned about my love for instrumental rock/metal. I understand that everyone has different tastes and a lot of people insist on a vocalist. For those who don't, I have a couple of excellent instrumental bands/albums I've discovered recently and I thought I would share them with you in case you don't know already. I'm just that kinda guy.
The first is the self-titled, melodic metal debut by Soul Cycle, available at Bandcamp. I can't stress enough how much I'm loving this right now and I have to thank fellow music lovers at The Number of the Blog for giving me the hint.
"Melodic metal...with MORE BALLS!" That's how Soul Cycle founders and underground metal producers Chris Catharsis (Sonorant) and Mark Hawkins describe their music. These guys have several more thrash/death metal projects but Soul Cycle is more my style. No Cookie Monster vocals here.
I'm a huge Joe Satriani and Steve Vai fan but I'm going to be honest with you once again. Soul Cycle has made me shelve both of their entire discographies for the time being. The guitars are THAT good and so are the songs. Neither Satriani nor Vai were ever this heavy. Plus, they're getting old like me. Catharsis (composition, rhythm/bass guitars, drum programming, production) and Hawkins (composition, lead guitars) are my new guitar gods.
Influences: Catharsis and Hawkins mention bands like Soilwork, Devin Townsend, In Flames, Sevendust, Sikth, Misha Mansoor, Chimp Spanner, Tool, Meshuggah, Threat Signal, Mnemic, Rage, Misery Inc., One Way Mirror. "And those are just the ones that comprise the majority of our sound!"
Soul Cycle are making their finishing touches on Soul Cycle II right now. They've been posting teasers on their Facebook page recently and it's driving me crazy! I want more! I can't do anything but wait and keep hoping the release date is sometime soon. Until then, I'll keep listening to their debut. You can, too. Just stream the entire album and get your own copy at Bandcamp for whatever you want to pay.
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I'd like to thank the Prog Sphere music blog for hooking me up with Oresund Space Collective and their "totally improvised space rock".
Wow. I can't say much else but these certainly are the perfect, laid-back and tripped-out, lava lamp jams I can love so much. Turn down all the lights and let the music take you on a journey through the ethereal cosmos - through the final frontier. I'm down with that.
Partial bio: Øresund Space Collective is a group with members from many different Danish and Swedish bands; these include The Carpet Knights (Malmö), Siena Root (Stockholm), Mantric Muse (CPH), The Univerzals (CPH), Bland Bladen (SE) and many others. The instrumental, psychedelic rock band has a shifting line-up and an extensive catalog; to date, I think they've released about 8 CDs and 3 vinyl records and I'm lucky enough to have a digital copy of their latest, Dead Man in Space (Feb. '11). I'm considering it some of the finest space rock available in this galaxy.
What amazes me so much about this Scandinavian supergroup - aside from the music - is the fact that all their recordings are totally spontaneous. There's no rehearsals. No preconceived notions of a song's structure. Like they say, it's all improvised at that moment in time. They're playing what they feel when they feel it. I sure can feel it too, man.
You can listen to Dead Man In Space and other releases by Oresund Space Collective at Bandcamp. Check them out for sure.
If Grifter didn’t exist I would have had to make them up. Three hairy, over the hill guys from Plymouth, England playing no frills heavy rock and living in a 1974 time warp will always be something I will encourage. Since 2003, Grifter has been kicking ass and putting out EP’s but now it’s full length album time and it’s on Ripple’s home grown label. How cool is that? Pretty fuckin cool if you ask me since Grifter rock hard and the Ripple guys are experts at recognizing the real deal. A match made in rehab, for sure.
If you’re into Humble Pie, Cactus and Foghat then you’ll like Grifter. There are probably some “modern” influences like Clutch and Fu Manchu in there, but they are overpowered by the original boogie. “Good Day For Bad News” is a powerhouse opening jam complete with a nice Johnny Winter-ish slide guitar solo. It’s followed up by “Alabama Hotpocket,” which is easily the best song title of the year if not the century. (Look it up, have a bucket nearby to hurl into). The chorus on this one is so catchy that it should be sung at sporting events.
If “Alabama Hotpocket” offends you, then chances are that songs like “Asshole Parade,” “Piss and Gas” and “Strip Club” will really get you upset. Sure, potty mouth lyrics and four letter words show a limited vocabulary but that’s society’s problem, not mine. When the riffs are this tough you can’t sing about lame crap like feelings or, even worse, politics. Some of the toughest riffs are on “Young Blood, Old Veins,” a total Black Sabbath stomper that wouldn’t sound out of place on the underrated Sabotage album. “Bucktooth Woman” and “Preacher And The Devil” were probably written after being bombarded with Blackfoot tapes in the van when they toured with Sun Gods In Exile. And I think I detect some Zep on “Bean” and “Unwelcome Guest.” The album wraps up with the nice acoustic “Gone Blues.”
Production on the album is top notch and all of the songs would sound great on the radio if the classic rock stations would take a break from brainwashing us with yet another Elton John weeper. Ollie’s guitar sound is killer, pure Charvel plugged into a solid state Peavey combo amp (just kidding!). Ollie’s a Les Paul/Marshall/Guinness kind of a player and the rhythm section of Foz (drums) and Phil (bass) are very tight and in the pocket at all times. Ollie’s vocals remind me at times of both Peter Frampton and Greg Ridley from their Humble Pie days. Hopefully next summer Grifter will get to headline Plymouth Jam II with Federale and Stone Axe at the Argyle Football Club stadium.
What a year it's been for JPT Scare Band! After plying their frenzied, hard-rocking, acid blues trade in near obscurity, the world is waking up to JPT Scare Band's brand of acidified blues and the love and accolades keep pouring in. Classic Rock Magazine, featured JPT Scare Band on their November edition cover-mounted CD, Rhapsody declared JPT Scare Band one of the "10 Essential Proto-Metal bands", and their debut Ripple Music release, Acid Blues is the White Man's Burden soared up the charts at CDBaby.com to the #2 in the Extended Jams Category where it has continued to hold that position for nearly a full year!
As the world wakes up to the masterful acid jamming that is JPT Scare Band, the boys are readying to unleash a new treat for their legions of fans, young and old: their first live performance in over 35 years! Without a doubt, JPT Scare Band forged their reputation with their incendiary live performances and now's your chance to witness the band doing what it does best. JPT Scare Band is blasting it out live at Crosstown Station with Granmax and the New Lost Souls, July 22nd in their hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.
Don't miss this night of psychedelic madness as Kansas City welcomes back their wayward sons and opens their minds and doors for a night of searing acid blues. Expect some JPT Scare Band classics to blitz the audience, and if rumors are correct, keep your ears open for two brand new songs!
It seems the world is waking up to the terror that is JPT Scare Band. The Rock and Roll Report proclaimed Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden, “sizzles with fuzzy guitars, gritty vocals, and extended jam sessions that instantly transport you to what feels like a Hendrix concert. Terry Swope has got to be one of the world's most underrated guitarists! If you miss the glory days of Cream, Deep Purple, and Jimi Hendrix, you have to check out these uncovered gems from JPT Scare Band.” Here Comes the Flood decrees that Acid Blues “holds its own against famous niche sharers, such as Cream, Ten Years After, Rory Gallagher and the mighty Led Zeppelin!” and Sonic Abuse gushes that Acid Blues is simply a “gem to treasure.”
Don't miss your chance to catch them live! Details and tickets at: Crosstown Station.
Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden is available in limited quantities from Ripple Music in two-toned, gatefold, double-LP with two bonus tracks, Deluxe digipack CD, or digital at www.ripple-music.com and all fine music sites like iTunes, Digstation, Amazon, CD Baby, and eBay.
Click here for the full CD Baby.com rankings: CDBaby
The sun was halfway through its long descent down a cloudless sky. Thanks to this small miracle, the sweltering heat of the day was slowly melting away. I sat atop my horse, silently watching as newly lit oil lamps began providing illumination to chase the imposing darkness from storefront windows along the town’s main drag. For one fleeting moment, I was at peace with the world. But then the ever present weight of the badge pinned to my vest once again pulled me back to my sobering reality, and the duties that went along with it.
Being a sheriff can be very rewarding, but more often than not it’s a foolhardy, treacherous affair that is entirely too hazardous for one’s health. Since I chose to become the Sheriff here four months ago, I’ve narrowly escaped death and dismemberment too many times to count. Unfortunately it seems that only the worst, most brazen criminals make their way out to our little slice of heaven (or hell depending on your viewpoint). And when it comes right down to it, my six-shooter and I are the only ones standing between them and outright anarchy. I may not always like what I do, but by god, someone has to stand up to these brigands!
Earlier today a man visited my jailhouse with information concerning the worst outlaw currently terrorizing the plains. He told me that none other than The Fiend himself would be arriving in town this afternoon on the four o’ clock train. We’re talking about the highwayman who singlehandedly robbed over seventy armed coaches this year alone. We’re talking about the bandit who has evaded capture for over three and a half years. We’re talking about the legendary outlaw who folks say doesn’t have a face! Why was he coming to my town? What could he possibly want here? The informant had no answers, but we were both sure of one thing. Whatever brought The Fiend our way, it was best to assume that he would be up to no good after he arrived.
Throughout my admittedly brief run as sheriff, this particular informant had proven himself trustworthy. On several occasions he offered up solid intelligence which never failed to pan out, so I had no doubt as to the authenticity of his current claim. Thinking critically on the situation, my main problem would be identifying The Fiend once he was inside my jurisdiction. There would be at least a handful of people disembarking from the train. That was certain. What was also certain was that I had nothing to compare these people to.
Descriptions of The Fiend were as varied as they were plentiful. Height, weight, nationality, accented speech, clothing. Each victim provided information which conflicted with previous witness statements. Conflicting outside of one important detail that is. Whether it was due to some kind of deformity or the use of an elaborate mask, The Fiend had no facial features. Where a mouth, chin, and nose would normally be there was only a featureless, flesh tone surface.
The four o’ clock train arrived right on time, like clockwork. Sure enough, I observed a good size group of passengers exit the train. While the departing group was composed mostly of men, there were a few women to be counted among their ranks. Unfortunately for me, every passenger had a normal face; teeth inside their mouths and everything. This wasn’t going to be easy, but I knew that already. I caught a break when the whole group in unison made their way to the West End Motel, located a short way down the street from the station. Quickly I looked to the heavens and gave thanks for this small favor. All right! I might not know which of my suspects was The Fiend, but at least I knew where to find him (or her…I’m not in a position to rule anyone out just yet).
Okay, back to present day. When I say the name Brent Hinds to all of you waveriders out there, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Wait…don’t tell me. Let me take a few guesses. I’ll bet that more than a few of you happen to be Mastodon fans (like me). Since that’s the case, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that name instantly brings a wide smile to your face as you recall some great metal you’ve listened to over the years. If however you’re not one of those fans, you still might know Mr. Hinds. You might recognize his rather unique visage, what with his wild red hair and beard, or the tattoo running up his forehead. My point is that even though you might not think you know who Brent Hinds is, you stand a good chance of recognizing either him or his work.
Now I want you to take all of those memories, good or bad, and eliminate them from your mental database. That’s right! Banish them to the recycle bin, empty it, and then reformat your brain. Trust me. You’re better off coming at this new music with a clean slate. So are we good? Yes? Okay then. Hello there waveriders. I’d like to introduce you to a guitarist by the name of Brent Hinds. If you see a photo of this man, you’ll not soon forget him thanks to his wild red hair and beard, as well as the tattoo running up his forehead. The real reason Mr. Hinds will stick in your mind however, is his fantastic guitar work and distinctive vocals spread across every track of the debut album from Fiend Without A Face.
Waveriders, if you need something different to break up your listening habits, boy do I have an album for you! Fiend Without A Face will grab hold of you with a wonderful combination of rockabilly, surf-rock, a heaping helping of metal, and maybe a little bit of psychedelics thrown in for good measure. No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. You read that correctly. What we have here is a rockabilly, surf-rock, metal outfit that is determined to make quite a ruckus, and boy do they ever! Open the doors to your mind’s pleasure center because this music is going to buzz your tower at excessive speeds, and you’re going to enjoy every moment of this circus stunt flyby.
Opening track, “Calypso”, sets off the proceedings nicely with vocals and instruments working in note for note unison to build listener expectations before they launch into the frenetic rockabilly/metal main portion of the song. This track in effect mirrors the diversity of this album. Some songs like “Black Grass”, “New York”, and “Stupido” stay close to a traditional rockabilly template. Others such as “Green Slime”, “Tsunami”, and “Get Straight” lie wholly in the surf-rock camp. Throw in more metallic fair like “Don’t Like”, something totally off the wall like the Mr. Bungle-esque “Cosmonaut”, and the punk infused “Hot Rod”, and now we’re really talking! Another very impressive aspect to this album is how effortlessly Mr. Hinds switches singing styles to fit each song; often multiple times for different movements of the same song. He demonstrates fantastic versatility, and his vocal contributions add tremendously to the overall musical atmosphere.
So there you have it waveriders. We’re officially rewriting the book on Brent Hinds. You know what, scratch that. We’re not rewriting the book. No! We’re starting a new book which will prove to be just as interesting as the one that preceded it. Besides, wait till I tell you about West End Motel. If you think Fiend Without A Face was waaaaay too different, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet.
(In my best Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson voice) Finally!! The Black Dahlia Murder!! has come back...to your stereo!! Yes Waiveriders, The Black Dahlia Murder is back! Detroit's resident death metal superstars bring you their new album Ritual. I've been waiting to get my hands on this album for months and now it is finally in my possession. Excited, yes I am!! Ritual is the 5th studio album from The Black Dahlia Murder and damn it is epic as fuck!
Before we get to the awesome music, let's touch on the awesome cover art. Back in the day, (when I purchased cd's every week) I would stumble into my local record store and buy metal albums based on how “cool” the album art was. If I was 16 again and saw Ritual on the shelf I would definitely be picking it based on cover alone. The amazingly talented Valnoir Mortsonge is the man behind the epic artwork. Some of you may recognize his work on passed Watain, Morbid Angel and Ulver albums. The cover to Ritual is made to look like a demonic book. Complete with Satan himself and your fair share of pentagrams and other demonic imagery. Awesome!
Now on to the music. “A Shrine to Madness” gets the death metal party started. “A Shrine to Madness” starts off very melodic. At the 53 second mark you are hit with the opening guitar lick and soon follows Trevor Strnad's unmistakable vocal structure, a combination of black, death and guttural vocals. Overall a great opening track.“A Shrine to Madness” flow seamlessly into “Moonlight Equilibrium”. “Moonlight Equilibrium has by far the most “classic” feel to it. It is very reminiscent of their early work but you can hear former Arsis axeman Ryan Knight's contributions clearly.
“Conspiring With the Damned” is by far my favorite track on Ritual. When Trevor screams, “CONSPIRING WITH THE DAMNED!!!”, it instantly sends chills down your spine. This song clocks in at just under 4 minutes. If you get a chance to listen to just a few tracks of this album, “Conspiring With the Damned” has to be one of them. This song has it all. Trevor's amazing vocal presence, Shannon Lucas' unrelenting drums, Ryan (Don't Call Me Bart ) Williams' signature bass style and Ryan Knight and Brian Eschbach's dueling guitars.
There is something about the 7th track on albums. The theory I have is it's always one of the best tracks on album. I don't know, listen to any of your favorite albums, I'm sure number 7 doesn't suck. “Den of the Picquerist” is no different. This song is awesome, it's almost punk like in how short it is. Clocking in under a mere 2 minutes. It has the urgency of a punk song with all the melodic death metal tendencies you would expect from the band.
The Black Dahlia Murder have been around for quite a few years now. It seems as though they are constantly one -upping themselves in terms of musicianship. They progressively get better and better with each album they put out. Always trying new things. Ritual is very much all of those things. Musically it's a great album, and there are lots of new things on the album. One, the much higher screams Trevor hits and Two, the addition of Ryan Knight. You really get the feeling they put there all into the album and it shows on all 12 tracks. If you are an old Dahlia fan or this is your first time hearing about them, you should definitely pick up Ritual.
This is an awesome year for metal! Ritual is one of the many great albums being produced this year. I'm personally looking forward to the new The Faceless album and The HAARP Machine. Get excited! Oh and go check out this years Summer Slaughter Tour, a bunch of great bands will be on it. Including: The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, As Blood Runs Black, Oceano, Power Glove, and Fleshgod Apocalypse...shit's gonna be sick!
My legs dangled off the examination table swinging to an off-time rhythm. I had been staring at the optics chart on the wall in front of me for the better part of ten minutes. Other people might see boredom set in after awhile, but I was completely indifferent. To be blunt, that feeling of indifference was in point of fact the main catalyst behind this well being check up. Since neither I nor anything mechanical in my room was producing any noise, I was able to hear the doctor’s footsteps as she approached from down the hall. The door opened and the doctor greeted me warmly.
“Good morning Mr. Penfold. I’m Doctor Clinique. This is your first visit to my office?” “Yes ma’am.” “What seems to be the trouble?” “Doc, I’m really not sure how to describe it. I’ve simply stopped caring.” “Mr. Penfold, I’m going to stop you for a moment. You do realize that I am not a psychologist, yes?” “I certainly do ma’am. My troubles are physical in nature.” “All right. Do you remember when these troubles began?” “Yes ma’am. I’ve gone over my situation time and time again. Although I cannot pinpoint one exact moment or event as the harbinger of my current predicament, I am absolutely certain about the timeframe. I stopped caring about the world around me back in 1996. This led directly to strange physical conditions that I’ve experienced ever since.” “Can you elaborate on these physical conditions for me?” “Of course, Doctor. From early 1996 to halfway through 2000 I felt nothing. Literally. It was as if I were wearing a suit of heavy padding over my entire body. My hands and feet gave very little tactile feedback. I would hold an object in my hands, but without actually looking at the object I could not have identified it. No nuance of the item’s surface would be gleaned from my touch alone. Also, objects would impact my body with little or no immediate result. My skin would bruise up after heavy contact like normal, but it was as if my nerve endings had gone to sleep.” “I see Mr. Penfold. Has that problem persisted?” “No, ma’am. The lack of feeling did stop, but a new problem took its place. From late 2000 to the end of 2006 I felt everything. I’m not just referring to the temperature or how hard or soft something is here. No, I was hypersensitive. The world was brought into sharp relief, and I was even able to feel other people’s emotions. When someone spoke to me angrily it was as if their words were punching me in the stomach. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when someone whispered something to me it felt like a feather running along the inside of my ear.” “Very interesting Mr. Penfold. You said these feelings ended back in 2006. What happened next?” “Well Doc, for a few months everything went back to normal and I felt fine. But since the spring of 2007 I’ve been encountering stretches of time where I flip flop between my two previous conditions. One day I feel nothing, the next I feel everything, and the next I’m normal again. I know that you’re not a psychologist ma’am, but this constant turnabout has altered my worldview substantially. I now strongly believe that everything is nothing. While I’m not sure that I want that to change, I would certainly like my nerves to stabilize and give me a rest from this merry-go-round I’m stuck riding. Can you help me Doc?” “Mr. Penfold, I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve never run across someone with your problem before. If you’re willing to wait here for a few minutes, I need to make some phone calls to a few of my esteemed colleagues. With any luck they will know exactly what can help you. Is that okay?” “Yeah sure, Doctor. I’ve got some music to listen to while you’re away. I’ll be fine.” “Great. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
With the doctor gone I reached into my pocket and removed my mp3 player. The earbuds went in my ears, the player was turned on, and the play button was depressed. A bass heavy beat signaled the beginning of K. Flay’s new mixtape, coincidentally titled I Stopped Caring in ’96. What followed was a nine track musical juggernaut. If you’re looking for an interesting hip hop artist who offers something different than the norm, your search just ended.
What makes K. Flay different you ask? Well for starters she’s a female emcee. I’m not saying that there aren’t any other interesting female emcees producing music in the world, just that they are fairly difficult to locate if you’re using the mainstream media as your guide. But hey, that’s why The Ripple Effect exists! Another difference is that K. Flay doesn’t hide or downplay her intelligence. Her lyrics jump from clever thought to clever idea with the clear understanding that the listener is either smart enough to follow along, or they will be left in the dust. Speaking of her lyrical prowess, K. Flay utilizes a sick and varied lyrical flow which consistently captivates her audience. Seriously, it’s borderline terminal.
I Stopped Caring in ’96 was released in three song increments, on three separate days over the course of the month of April. The first block of tunes was entitled ‘I Feel Nothing’. The three songs share feelings of detachment and disillusionment from the world. ‘I Feel Everything’ came next. As you might have guessed these three songs are more emotionally charged affairs. “Doctor Don’t Know” happens to be my favorite song on the mixtape, and “Danger Starts” is harrowing. The last piece to the puzzle is called ‘Everything is Nothing’. This portion is fairly cathartic for the listener following the serious subject matter discussed in the earlier songs. These last three tracks, including the standout “Elle Fanning” and especially “PARTY”, are far lighter in tone and content than the other six.
I’m guessing at this point that you waveriders would appreciate a sample verse to help get a better feel for what to expect. Happy to oblige. This is the second verse from “Doctor Don’t Know”.
All these folks telling me I’m about to be something big, but you see joke’s on them / Sitting in a board room hella bored, can’t hear a thing though my amp’s on ten / Mind in a permanent state of flux, mental double dutch, had a bag of cheetos ate ‘em up / 3 PM and I’m still waking up / Wishin’ I could save myself but I’m not brave enough / Sick of all these handshakes, before knowing every morning bran flakes / How much bullshit can a man take, till she finally breaks? / The difference between getting what you want, and what they want, is nuance / So listen baby girl get your boots on, here’s something to chew on / In the end we might go to hell, or we might go to heaven, so you might as well / Cut it out with the crisis of faith, and then crushed in the dome like a vice to the face / And you might just escape all the time that you wasted, if you stuck to the basics / Get a grip, buckle up / Take a pill, what the fuck?
Mmmm, hmmmm. By the way, this is a free mixtape. That’s right! There is absolutely no barrier to entry. Simply surf your way over to K. Flay’s website, www.kflay.com, and get downloading. The sooner you start listening, the sooner you can recommend K. Flay to someone else! Waveriders, you all have your signed prescription sheets. Disperse and be healed!
