Saturday 31 December 2011

The Stooges - Ungano's 1970



More rare than a message in the comments box,
Stooges recordings from the '69-'70 era seem to
be non-existent or just snippets of songs. This is
the best you are gonna ever get, the Funhouse
album being played in its full glory, feel the
savagery and power as God intended.

While the sound quality is hardly "The Song Remains
The Same", anyone who has any live Stooge stuff
knows how shit most of it sounds and will be mightly
relived to know that although recorded by Danny
Fields on his portable recorder, it still pisses over the
turgid levels of "Metallic KO"!

Happy New Year fuckers.

Sunday 25 December 2011

Primal Scream - Sreamadelica



So it is Christmas Day - all the emotions are on
display - greed, happiness, loneliness, envy, gluttony,
family and suicide.

Chill out with this classic album from the Scream.

Oh, please do not think I spent today posting this
for you, I set it up weeks ago!

Friday 23 December 2011

Killing Joke - Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions (1990)



After the relatively mellow "Brighter Than A Thousand
Suns" and "Outside The Gates", Killing Joke returned
with this monster of an album.

Brutal industrial rhythms, distorted guitars banging
out relentless riffs, Coleman on fine form ranting so
much, you can almost feel the spittle coming out of
the speakers, this marked the beginning of the rich
form that would produce many more albums with
the aggression that many people thought had drifted away.

With the exception of two scheduled posts, this is it until
next year.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Cathedral- The Carnival Bizarre (1995)



This is the third album from Cathedral - even though
it is considered as not being as "important" as the
previous releases (forefathers of the doom resurgence etc)
for me, it has much better production, which means they
actually sound more powerful than before + it is the first
thing I heard by them which always seems to lodge into
the brain.

It is not just crushing doom, though - the vocals are varied
and you can hear metal and prog playing a part in the song
writing, making this a more varied, and ultimately more
satisfying experience.

Monday 19 December 2011

The Reptilians - The Mentalist (2011)



Band request from Idaho, USA.

The Reptilians have released a 27 minute epic track
and if you want to know how to put together a concept
album with no waffle or lack of focus, look no further.

Soft tones and ambient drones start off with comedian
Doug Stanhope ripping into religion - a piano riff slowly
drifts in with picked guitar. This builds up very slowly
to clean vocals until thing start to get very heavy and
we are now into Isis post-metal power. More complex
riffs and rhythms unfold and now powerful guitar solos
are unleashed as the structure shifts into Mastodon
"Crack the Skye" aggression - I know that not everyone
was a fan of that album but I loved it, so me is happy -
shouted vocals are roaring and the climax is bone-shaking.

The production is crisp and clean and all the instruments
are mixed how I like 'em - in your face but without being
too muddy.

Genres are kicked into touch here - metal/prog/sludge?
suffice to say, it is a very accomplished release and I think
that as one of my last posts of this year, you should give it
a listen.

Free download with a bonus track and a very spectacular Artbook
Pdf as well - Here

Friday 16 December 2011

My Album Of The Year - Rational Animals (2011)


This has only been out for two months but "Bock Rock Parade"
by Rational Animals is such a killer release, it is my album of
the year.

With a hardcore sound that is influenced by the later Black Flag
sound and Greg Ginn guitar freakouts in particular, they also
avoid the standard verse/chorus by using AmRep type noise rock
song writing and melodic structures - all of which gets my head
pouding with excitement - it is not rooted in the past though, it
sounds fresh and aggressive and with a clarity that ensures that
every note and yelped vocal can be heard to great effect.

I cannot stop fucking playing it and would recommend you all
to do the same!

Thursday 8 December 2011

Rage Against The Machine - S/T (1992)



Just some guys who combined Zepp type metal
riffs with some shouty rap - people had tried before
and why should this of been any different?

You know the score - this album ripped up the
rule book and burned a new sound in music, this
still sounds fucking fantastic today - when was the
last time you played it?

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Breach - It's Me God (1997)



Breach came from Sweden and started off as a hardcore
band with plenty of metal influence and as a result sounded
pretty generic.

But with this album they found their own identity, taking a
step away from the metal edge and producing a much more,
refined hardcore sound, a more organic song structure and
by slightly slowing things down, bringing a more brooding
menace to things whilst still keeping the aggression.

For fans of Shellac crossed with Unsane - although next year,
Refused would steal the crown with their ground breaking
"The Shape of Punk To Come", this definitely needs to be
listened to.

Monday 5 December 2011

Cara Neir - Stagnant Perceptions (2011)



Band request from Dallas, TX.

Cara Neir are a two-man project which is primarily
Black Metal, a genre I know very little about but this
seems to step beyond it's limitations and I can hear
Crust, Hardcore with lashings of heavy Sludge and
I can dig the almighty noise this delivers.

The guitars are gloriously distorted and totally mesh
with the vocals, which would not sound out of place
on a grindcore album.

There are some atmospheric passages which do not
diminish the power but add to the feeling of unease.
The faster tracks mix an epic feel with brutality and
as the sheer aggression washes over your senses, you
are suddenly aware of the fucking great guitar riffs
that are lurching out of the speakers.

If my limited knowledge in any way makes you feel
like checking them out, listen below.

They are also cool guys and have a pay-what-ya-want at Bandcamp

Thursday 1 December 2011

Cosmonauts Day - Paths Of The Restless (2011)



Band request from Moscow.

I reviewed the Cosmonauts Day demo earlier in
the year and was impressed by the level of post-metal/
progressive sludge they had to offer but with this first
full length album, they have gone on to a whole different level.

In a genre that is in danger of becoming saturated with
sound-alike clones, this band - along with "Awake in Sleep"
and "Alaskan" - have forged their own identity and produced
a stunning album.

Hugely powerful post-metal riffs which have a throbbing sludge
feel to them assault your ears, while the atmospheric ambient
passages trick your brain into relaxing, making the thunderous
return to sonic heaviness really explode from the speakers.

Excellent production means that everything can be heard with
maximum impact - this is highly recommended.

And because they are good guys, you can pay what you like from Bandcamp

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Free Monster Magnet ticket



I have some sort of virus and will be too fucked
to attend the Monster Magnet gig on Friday.

No one I know can make it, so if anyone lives in
the London area and fancies seeing them play at
Koko in Camden - 6.30 to 10.00pm - I know, very
strange kick off time - on Friday 25th, drop me an
email and I will send ticket.

It is an electronic scan ticket - all you need to do is
print out the PDF I will send and entry will be yours.

No charge - I would rather see it go to a good home!

First come, first served - I will need to know by Thursday 4.00pm
as I intend to be in bed all day Friday and will not be looking at Mac.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Radio Birdman - Living Eyes (1978)



Getting into the 1st album yesterday, I thought that
the theme could be continued with their 2nd album.

Not everyone knows about this - it was recorded in
1978 but due to record company indifference and the
band splitting up, it was only released years later.

While not quite as good as "Radios Appear", it still rocks
like a bastard and at least 4 of the tracks were used in the
"New Race" project with Ron Asheton.

Monday 21 November 2011

Radio Birdman - Radios Appear (1978)



Radio Birdman were a band that introduced a whole section of
Australian underground listeners to a love of Detroit rock'n'roll.

Although the Stooges and MC5 are the obvious touchstones
here, there are strong pop hooks, jazz-tinged guitar licks,
keyboard flourishes and vocals that touch upon Morrison
as well as Iggy.

Infectious, essential listening to anyone with a love for guitars
and the smell of overloaded amps!

Monday 14 November 2011

Premonition 13 - 13 (2011)



Latest project from Wino.

Whadda need to know - doomy riffing, half spoken
vocals and fantastic lead work, nearer to The Hidden
Hand than St Vitus - just like the Shrinebuilder album,
there are two guitar players which give a much more
open sound.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Buzzcocks - Time's Up (1976)



Before the "Spiral Scratch" EP came out -
breaking the Buzzcocks onto the nations unsuspecting
ears and also beginning the DIY ethos by being
the first punk record to be self-released - they recorded
an albums worth of material in one afternoon - live
with no overdubs.

Howard Devoto did all the vocals and the result was
quite different from the Pete Shelley incarnation that
most people know. The pop edge is there but buried
underneath the urgent, frantic delivery of the band and
the infamous Devoto caustic vocals.

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Oceana - Birth.Eater (2009)



This is some awesome melodic hardcore - of course,
if you don't like this sort of thing, your reaction could
well be different and you should leave now.

Vocals are delivered with a mixture of brutal screaming
and tuneful, powerful singing which suits the lyrics of
abandonment and desolation.

All the instruments mesh together to deliver a very
powerful sound with excellent use of time changes
to vary the songs.

This got a lot of shit when it came out because it
was on Rise records but regardless of who released it,
the music stands up to close inspection.

Thursday 3 November 2011

Dead and Divine - Antimacy (2011)



Dead & Divine play post-hardcore/metal and deliver
an album that has a huge, meaty sound to it.

Everything sounds BIG.

Drums and guitars are welded together to produce
heavy riffs with brutal effect and the vocals which
switch between clean/screamed never let up in intensity.

The songs do not rely on breakdowns and have a strong
melodic but aggressive feel to them.

"The Machines We Are" from 2009 kinda fell into the
dreaded, generic "metalcore" tag that seems to make
bands sound the same but this album takes them beyond
that - this is a thrilling, sonic assault that took me by surprise.

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Veins Dried Out



So, the "man" shut down the mighty "Veins
Dried Out" blog.

But never fear, dry your tears and stop
whimpering, they have emerged once more,
re-born and ready to do things - check them out
at Throat Burned Out where normal service will
be resumed.

I have been invited to contribute but until I have
upped my database of swear words and added a
few more tattoo's, I fear that all I can bring to the
table are handsome good looks and devilishly
excellent posts!

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Doubledgescissor Record Label



The last post featured Cutthroat Convention which had
their album released on Doubledgescissor - looking at
their site, there is shit loads of weird and heavy stuff
on their roster.

All are available for free download and well worth
checking out for a taste of something different - but hey,
here is some more info from one of its founders, Damian.

Doubledgescissor >8< is a promoter/net label/blog, started by 2 members of Cutthroat Convention - Damian & Leon.
Doubledgescissor exists to release music we like & put on gigs with line-ups of interesting music we want to see, that is the main crux of operation.
All music we release is available to download free from our site & plastic discs available free at our nights.

We are not into one direction of music, we like many genres/non genres, we sometimes put on nights of variation - metal/afrobeat/noise/maths rock, or night of total electronica.........nothing is out of bounds.

We have released music by Cutthroat Convention, LowTRAMON - maths/jazz/noise rock, PsychicEyeClix - dubstep/circuit bent/electronica, Efemer - piano doom/goth/electronica, XwillfiX - metal/noise/electronica.

The next releases are on the cards for early next year - the 1st full album by Cutthroat Convention & PsychicEyeClix 3rd album of dubstep & bent circuits......

Our next Doubledgescissor night is on sat 12th nov at the Urban Bar, 176 Whitechapel rd.
Line-up - Archives - noise/electronica, PsychicEyeClix, Tecla - soundscapes/shamanism, Kayaka - noise/experimental, DJ Spudboy - dabke/UK bassline/afrobeat.

Night after that is december 3rd at the Urban bar.
line-up - One man team dance - circuit bent/disco, Cutthroat Convention, Ladyscraper - breakbeats/noise/electronica.

Linkage -
Label - www.doubledgescissor.co.cc
Blog - www.doubledgescissorblog.co.cc
FB - http://facebook.com/doubledgescissor

I think thats about the jist of what we're about!

Give these guys your support and check them out.

More Shutdowns



2 more shutdowns today - Veins Dried Out who
served up a tasty treat of all things dark and abrasive
with dashes of humour crossed with a shouty voice
+ Banana Approved Music where they showed me
all that was new in melodic hardcore.

RIP, my brothers.

I can only assume that at some point this will happen to me,
I will use the same title but with a number after it.

Monday 31 October 2011

Cutthroat Convention - Peeling The Sea (2011)



Band request from London.

Cutthroat Convention come a cross like the bastard
son of Faust and Can crossed with post-hardcore.

Songs verge on the chaotic with a fuzzed violin
taking the place of guitars.

Electronic noise is merged with drums and bass
giving a feel like the most demented Cardiacs track.

Spoken/shouted vocals are spat out but quite low in the mix.

Different and bizarre, these sonic bursts of noise are strangely
addictive with powerful riffs using metal/jazz/punk and
electronica to confound the senses but never for the sake
of being clever.

This is the sound of a band trying to break free from
conventional song structures - this is not for the casual
listener but do not take my word for it - Listen

Friday 28 October 2011

Poison Idea - Feel The Darkness (1990)



Been giving this a good blast today.

This is excellent punk/hardcore with a metal
egde mixed with some basic rock'n'roll grooviness
to give the tunes an infectious edge to them.

Vocals range from a snarl to tuneful shouting and
the sublime guitar playing reminds me of Social
Distortion "White Trash" era, with lead breaks
and thrashy riffs driving the songs.

Poison Idea never seemed to be as big as they should
of been but over the last 5 years they have been name
checked a lot more.

Great band, very good album.


Wednesday 26 October 2011

Daughters - Daughters (2010)



Daughters are a noise rock/mathcore band who play
a compelling mix of frenetic guitars, fast pounding
drums and a singer that sounds very David Yow-like.

The fast fretboard abuse is held together by a very
groove laden bass which is needed in this sonic
stew of abandonment - song structures are thrown
out the window but always manage to come together
before the chaos overwhelms.

This is fast, furious stuff with a whiff of experimentation -
these guys are making music that sounds like the sickness
I have in my mind. Don't take my word for it.

Friday 21 October 2011

Lou Reed & Metallica - Some Thoughts



Just played a web-rip of this album and feel strangely
compelled to put down my thoughts, safe in the knowledge
that because there is no actual album to download from
this post, only 3 people will actually bother to read this!

Reading all the gnashing of teeth and hair pulling over
this release, there appear to be three main points that are
coming up again and again:

1. Metallica have been shit since "Master of Puppets" came out.

I guess that is a matter of opinion but luckily for me this issue
has never caused me to lose any sleep. Hey, "Master" is pretty
good but in 1986 there were many more albums released that
seemed so much better or of more importance to me - and here
is my list:
Sonic Youth - EVOL
Scratch Acid - Just keep Eating
Big Black - Atomizer
Dead Kennedys - Bedtime for Democracy
The Scientists - Weird Love
Poison Idea - Kings of Punk
Butthole Surfers - Rembrant Pussy Horse
Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey

See what I mean?

2. Why are they doing this?

Dunno - take a guess? Bored, respect for each other,
need the cash, huge joke, trying something different?
Everyone will come to their own conclusion.

3. Lou Reed is just mumbling in a monotone voice!

Hah! - welcome to his vocal style of the last 15 years. This
seems to be a common complaint from rabid metal heads
who I can only suppose have never really followed Reed
closely ...... you did not think he would change just to please you?

On to the music itself - it spans 78 minutes which will really give
a casual listener a challenging time (which I am sure was their intention)!
It is what I expected really - Lou narrating over slabs of Metallica backing
music. There are no real solo wig-outs, just solid riffing and chord changes
but there are some suprising ambient passages with picked guitar and droned
strings.

If Lou Reed had released this, using a less famous backing band, he probably
would of been hailed as a "The Fearless Godfather of Punk - taking back heavy
rock'n'roll and giving it his own touch" - for make no mistake, this album is
very clearly a Lou Reed record - and his backing band happen to be Metallica.

If you are still hysterical that Metallica have not made the same album over and
over again for the last 25 years - you probably should not listen to it.

If you can accept that it is a collaboration and will not sound like either of
the participants normal body of work - think about giving it a go.

If you liked some of Reeds earlier works - "New York", the long tracks from
"Ecstacy", "The Raven" - give it a listen.

And so, dear reader, my story comes to its end and it is time for me to say
goodbye without giving my own opinion.

How annoying!

Thursday 20 October 2011

Glenn Branca- The Ascension (1981)



One of the pioneers of the New York art-rock
scene in the early eighties, this is Glenn Branca
using 4 guitar players, bass and drums to create
an album of drones, distorted soundscapes and
tracks that defy normal song structures but still
keep the listener engaged.

It is all very Sonic Youth and indeed, Lee Ronaldo
plays on this, and Thurston Moore had been drafted
in to perform live with Branca as well.

As with Sonic Youth, the songs seem to have their
own musical language that combine seemingly
random burst of noise with passages of beauty.


Wednesday 19 October 2011

Towers - The Fields (2011)



Band request from Portland, USA.

Towers play impressive Sludge/Stoner and everything
is LOUD! These 5 tracks were recorded live with no
overdubs and from the sound would be an awesome
band to see live.

Hearing the dense, heavy songs on display - if this is
the material they have having only formed last year,
I cannot wait for the next release.

The atmospherics and pacing of the songs are a
masterclass in how to create crushing heaviness
without retreading the genres cliches.

This reminds me of the Melvins at their most rifflicious
and savage best - give these guys a Listen

Below are links including free download from Bandcamp


Here is their press release:
We formed in 2010 in Portland Oregon, the band consists of Rick Duncan (Bass/Vocals) Max Rees (Guitar) Darryl Swan (Drums)
We just finished recording our first album "The Fields", our bassist owns Electro Motel (recording studio) in Portland Oregon. We recorded this live (no overdubs) all of it is analog on 1'' tape. Rick Duncan (our bassist/vocalist) recorded and mastered the entire album. We started playing live recently and have shows booked here in Portland in the coming months. We are on Reverbnation at http://www.reverbnation.com/towerspdx, facebook at www.facebook.com/towerspdx, and bandcamp at www.towerspdx.bandcamp.com

Monday 17 October 2011

Kösmonaut - Emanations (2011)



Band request from Texas.

Kösmonaut is a one man project and his bandcamp
tags read: Berlin, Drone, Ambient Dance, Dark
Electronic.

This is pretty different to what I would normally
post but I like it and so will review but be warned -
(Sorry Patrick!), I know next to nothing to this genre
and so, can only use out of date references!

Rhythm is the touchstone to these tracks. Heavy use
of arpeggiators and sequencers in the tones and drums
give a trance like feel to the repeated motifs.

Like early Kraftwerk, the beats latch in your brain and
when the treated drones and rich textures float across
the songs, I am reminded of a faster Tangerine Dream.

Many years ago I used to listen to "Goa Trance" - there
was some interesting stuff released and this is not a
million miles away from it.

If you want a change from down-tuned guitars, give
this a listen.

Download free tracks & buy other albums from Bandcamp

Thursday 13 October 2011

Le Scrimmie - Dromomania (2011)



Band request from Italy.

Below is their press release:

The Italian duo "Le Scimmie" was born in the colorful
spring of 2007 in Vasto, a seaside town in central Italy.

The ideas of the project are: guitar, drums, minimal
power, raw sound.

In the winter of 2007 they recorded their first ep
that gets excellent support from the Italian press
called "L'Origine Ep"

2008: the band reached the final at one of major
Italian music festival called "Italia Wave" and remains
on tour for about a year.

After a year of silence, in January 2011, Le Scimmie
released their first album entitled "Dromomania".

In April 2011 also published the first official video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E3D_FMTnac

official myspace: www.myspace.com/lescimmie


I would class this as instrumental Stoner but pretty
much on the heavy side with some Doom overtones.

Plenty of down-tuned riffs with the guitar on full
blown distortion setting - those riffs just get powered
over and over bringing an almost unstoppable groove
to them.

There is some really good stuff here - I think their next
release will be even better.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

The Gun Club - Fire Of Love (1981)



Swamp Blues.

Voodoo Sex Beat.

Heroin Rock'n'Roll.

Link removed by Mediafire - thanks!

Monday 10 October 2011

Gaytheist - Pentagrams Are Super! (2011)



Band request from Portland, USA.

Gaytheist - good or bad band name? Hard for me
to judge as I used to be in Ruptured Dog but it made
me laugh and god knows that is hard these days!

The music far outweighs any preconceptions you
may have though.

There are rumbling bass lines that would not
sound out of place on a Jesus Lizard record,
adding depth to the abrasive guitar riffs that
put the rock into this heavy punk sound.

Tuneful but aggressive at the same time, the songs
are short sharp shocks that leave you wanting to
play them again.

The guitar playing dips in and out of math and noise rock
which meshes with the cleanish sarcastic vocals that are
perfect for the sardonic and slightly strange lyrics.

Going all old school for a second, some of the leads and
solos remind me of early Damned or Dead Kennedys -
which of course I love!

This is a highly recommended listen.

They are also good guys, the album and an EP
are available from Bandcamp for only $1.00 -Buy

Thursday 6 October 2011

Forks of Ivory - Forks of Ivory (2011)



A drummer and a guitar player - Black Keys meet
Lightning Bolt?

Not Forks of Ivory - this is a far different animal.

Powerful sludge mixed with post-metal on these
mainly instrumental tracks and the aggressively
distorted guitars veer into noise-rock volumes.

Taking the riffs of early Mastodon and the dense
sound of Neurosis, they mix up with awesome
results which bring to mind Generation of Vipers.

This is a very accomplished debut.

And being great guys, pay what you want from Bandcamp