…
WINNER: “The Malkin Jewel” by The Mars Volta
WHY: It’s always the punch you don’t see coming that gets you.
Metal Dan Vs. “Global Flatline” by Aborted
In terms of released material it has been almost 10 years since i’ve listened to Belgium’s Aborted with any earnest.
“Engineering the dead” and “Goremageddon: the saw and the damage done” offered a brutal and satisfying taste of the bands earlier work that was quickly tarnished with the release of 2005’s “The Archaic Abattoir”. 2007’s “Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture” had me initially excited after hearing that Aussie drummer Dave Haley (Psycroptic) had played session drums on it, but any hopes were quickly sent packing before even half of the album had been heard in its duration. Disappointed, I gave their next effort “Strychnine.213” a wide berth.
Filed under Metal Dan
Metal Dan Vs. “Welcome To The Morbid Reich” by Vader
Ah, Vader…
Many moons ago when I was yet a fledgling in the ways of metal I thought of you as nothing more than mediocre. But it is often when one starts their exploration of a particular genre of music that a number of bands contributions go misunderstood or unappreciated by the new listener. This was definitely the case for me with Vader.
How things change. A few days ago a good friend of mine recommended that I try out the Polish death metal outfits latest offering “Welcome To The Morbid Reich” and was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. Continue reading
Filed under Metal Dan
OH GOD OH NO OH #1
Introducing the newest in hater technology, OH GOD OH NO is an album commentary podcast made to… enhance the newest in shitty music.
So of course our first episode is dedicated to the hopefully last hurrah of internet hype, Lana Del Rey. This podcast is meant to be listened to in concert with the record, synchronizing as best as you can at the given point (around 4:06) in this case. Don’t feel bad if you miss the sync point- I don’t think we hit it right either.
Filed under Podcast?
Podcast? #12: “Ow,” says Christopher Walken
Also,
“Attack on Memory”
by Cloud Nothings.
Filed under Podcast?
Fucking Whatever with Colton David #2
Colton says “It’s cool as shit.”
John says “That picture is funny because that’s January Jones, and this episode is about January.”
Jer offered no comment.
Filed under Podcast?
Andrew Vs. “Forgotten Foundation” by Smog
TAG: Skippable
Period: Home-recording, Drag City debut (1992)
After Sewn to the Sky, I could only wonder what madness I could expect on Forgotten Foundation. The experimentalism that was seen so early on in Bill Callahan’s career is interesting but only to an extent and by “an extent”, I really just mean Sewn to the Sky. The nature of it made sense in strange ways, but it was so grimy and harsh that it was perhaps an unintentionally original way to start a career, however, on Forgotten Foundation, it feels almost like repetition without any real inspiration. This is the worst point in Smog’s fifteen-year run. Continue reading
Filed under Andrew
Metal Dan Vs. “Les Voyages De L’Âme” by Alcest.
Les Voyages De L'Âme
Alcest kicks off my new year in musical discovery with “Les Voyages De L’Âme” (English: The Journeys of the Soul), continuing their mix of shoegaze and folk rock with the occasional black metal influence. But unlike many groups with a black influence, Alcest goes for a far away sound that made me feel like I was listening to someone else’s daydream in musical form. Continue reading
Filed under Metal Dan
John Vs. “Please Heat This Eventually” by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Damo Suzuki
TAG: Skippable*
PERIOD: Amsterdam
I don’t like Can.
I can acknowledge that Can and krautrock as a whole are a huge influence on what Omar Rodriguez Lopez is doing with all of his recorded music. That doesn’t mean my opinion on it has changed just because I cite Omar as someone who influences me.
Please Heat This Eventually ends up coming off tailor made for Damo Suzuki. It was recorded as a live performance, as part of Omar’s 2005 touring with the ORL Group. As a digital file, it is one 24 minute track of improvised music. To the credit of Omar’s band, the majority of the song does sound like a Can piece. Presumably done to put Damo in his element instead of the acid-salsa attack of Omar’s normal style. Continue reading
Filed under John
Fermata over Whole Rest 