I'm gonna really show you how much of a clueless late bloomer I am with this post. . .

you hear this song??


I heard this song when I was about, 17. okay?
at this point the only Melvins song i knew was "hooch" because I saw it on beavis and Butthead. . .and that amazing cover they do of "lexicon devil".
okay
so you, I heard this song
I had it on a tape
it fucking ruled

I literally just found out 5 minutes ago that it's a Melvins song

yeah

you know how?

I was reading reviews of the show I went to on Friday, and the setlist said they played the intro

I got such a "holy shit" look on my face

had they played the whole song that night, I know I'd have recognized it and yelled "holy shit"

I mean, you realize how behind I am now, right?
I've only heard the last 3 records, and Houdini and Stoner Witch
yeah
I've got some listening to do, eh?

*sigh* fun.

anyway
here's the latest random tape
that shoegaze song

and finally, another random song for you to guess. . .

I'm taking a little pause from my rampant world cup fever/awe over the Melvins and Isis (who I never quite got into on record, but live they definitely always brought it. R.I.P.) show I went to last night to give you todays random tape




This here is a shoegaze song. One that's a bit more low-fi than you're used to shoegaze sounding. It's got all the ingredients though. Bendy guitars, reverb, girls voices with reverb, etc.
I've not idea who this could possibly be.

do ya know it??
lemme know

3 days of not hating life

only a week this time
awesome
The main reason I wasn't posting was that I was getting ready for my vacation. Maryland Death Fest VIII!!
THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT 2010!!
This was my 5th time attending the death metal party of the year.
I didn’t get to go to the pre-fest, but from Friday to about 3 quarters into Sunday, I was in headbangers heaven. . the sort of thing Fenriz describes in that Darkthrone song “hanging out in haiger”.


I saw a LOT of bands. Many of which I missed out on seeing, or even hearing due to my late bloomer status, or just having too much stuff to possibly hear it all. . .which, there is. A good portion of me concert going in the last couple years has been reliving stuff I never experienced in the first place.


I saw a LOT of bands, but these are my highlights. . . . in no chronological order (because I did not have the schedules when I got home. . .where'd they g?!o)

Black Breath - Black Breath fucking BROUGHT IT!!!! Loud as fuck, stage presence beyond compare, just owned the day.


Coffins - I saw them back in 2008. They made my night by playing "mortification to ruin" second. Best song. They did the same thing this year, but they slowed that shit down to a crawl. I thought it was just for the intro, but they played the entire song almost twice as slow as it's supposed to be. COFFINS CHOPPED AND SCREWED THEIR OWN SONG. They probably could've just walked off stage after that. I don't know how you follow that. It was awesome and ridiculous and awesome. I wish there was video of it somewhere. People need to hear that shit.

Autopsy - I had somehow never heard this band until MDF weekend. I was kicking myself for that by the end of the performance.


Jucifer - Some time ago, I remember there was a song of theirs on Headbangers Ball that was decidedly not very heavy. That was all I'd heard. I don't remember it very well. I checked them out on the Saturday and HO LY FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First of all, wall of amps like what??!?!?! Amber has a wall of amps comparable to that of the Maximum Louisville bands. Bigger than Breather Resist's for sure. God dayum. The abrasive chaotic sludge made a fan out of me for sure.


Gridlink - Gridlink played their entire new album for the MDF attendees, and I don't know how many shows they've played with this full line-up (they even have a bass player now). Not the best sound, but the energy was NUTS.

Portal - I knew the venue wouldn't get their sound right, especially once I saw the guitars were 8 string. I didn't know this before. Being that it was a big wall of noise (made more inaudible by my earplugs. . .which were needed. . . don't even put this band and My Bloody Valentine on the same bill), it was a damn good performance for what it was.

Just imagine that with more bass.
When they got to the end of the song "werships", it was crushing as all fuck. They need their own sound engineer though.


Tombs - I've seen this band a lot in the past couple years, but the thing about them is everytime I go see them they have completely new material they didn't play last time I saw them, and it's all really good. They only played one song I'd heard before at MDF. I'm looking forward to pretty much anything new they release.
D.R.I. - I wish they would've played some more of the early punk stuff. . . . .they are playing my little hole in the wall town pretty soon, and I will certainly be going.

Possessed - Possessed had a mishap the day they were supposed to play, so they jumped on half of Sadistic Intent's set (since Possessed are essentially SI with Jeff Becerra) and TORE SHIT UP! I say this, even though they did not play "seven churches" (denied).

Gorguts - I forget the name of that internet radio statin was. . .KNAC? Back in 98, I downloaded one of thier radio shows and they had the song "orphans of sickness" by Goruts on it. It was the first Gorguts song I ever heard. Gorguts played MDF, and it was about the 3rd or 4th song they played. This was one of the moments that made my day.


Rottenness - this was some surprisingly good porno gore grind, with hilarious between song banter, and raucous guest vocals by Mitch from Maruta.

Total Fucking Destruction - I've seen them a lot of times. I saw them in '06 when one of them was dressed like a member of Polyphonic Spree (or was that '07). This was by far the strangest, and funniest performance. They had this girl on stage with them, screaming randomly. Actually, the first song was the best part. Everyone on stage was just screaming their heads off, and those in front of the crowd joined in. It was also one of the only performances I managed to get a spot up front for.

Eyehategod - Amazing to finally get to see this band. They played "dixie whisky" and fun was had.

Jesus Crost - This band remind me of Yacopsae with how fast and tight they are.

Repulsion - I'd been waiting to see this band since '08, when they cancelled. It was certainly worth the wait. It was pretty awesome when Marissa Martinez joined them for two songs. (and I really hope they have Cretin play next year)


Watain - oh wait, they threw blood at people? and pushed the guy from DRI off stage?

I wasn't up front for them, I missed most of this. They sounded pretty awesome though. The whole crowd shouted along with "sworn to the dark". That shit was nuts.

Sulaco - I had forgotten they were playing, and was thrown off by the new songs that had no vox, but they were awesome.

I didn't get to see Converge's whole set (or Magrudergrinds for that matter) because some dumb shit happened that I had to clear up.. . . .but what I saw of both bands sets, they ripped it (by the way, don't use hotels.com, if for some stupid reason your card gets declined when you attempt to make your reservation, they won't tell you. They'll send you a confirmation e-mail as if everything is fine.)
It's gonna take a lot to top Bolt Thrower twice in one weekend, but once again they put on an excellent fest (even if it's hard to circle pit on a hill. . . . . .can some thrash band write a song about that??).
onward to 2011!!

(well, first there's the WORLD CUP . . . . .the other only good thing about 2010
)

the random verdicts

I usually post these in my journal on last.fm, but I need more content for this blog. . .so yeah, the random verdicts. . .

these will very often be pretty short. . .
I'm not the guy from Grind and Punishment. He's way better at this than me(read it, it's AWESOME).

anyway, here's some stuff I heard. . .


Jucifer - Throned in Blood
let me find out. . . . .
I can't remember the name of the song I heard some years ago before, but it sounded like Veruca Salt and I thought it was forgettable. . . though, I probably would've eaten it up when I was 17. I was at Maryland Death Fest again, and they were playing, and I checked them out on a whim.
um, what?!?!?!?!?
They were smashing shit, it was amazing. I was told most of what they played was on the new record, so I got that, and the one before it.
This album, is brutal abrasive downtuned sludge all the way through. On other albums, they'll go from crazy brutal shit, to what Magic Dirt used to sound like before they got all poppy. Not here. Fitting for the subject matter (war), eh? There's one acoustic song at the very end. Perfect closer I think.
meet your new fan.
9/10

Circle of Dead Children – Psalm of the Grand Destroyer
After mishaps the level of Soilent Green, CODC return with their first album in 7 years to show all the little kiddies how it's done. This is the only band in the country that should be allowed to use pig squeals anymore (seriously, Joe should go to the studio one of these little kid bands are recording in and regulate). Prepare for the best production of all the CODC records. Zero Comfort Margin got me into this band, and it sounded like they didn’t even have a bass player (which is fine, if you don’t have a bass player. . .but CODC do). On this, you hear everything, and it’s heavy as balls. It's also got the best drumming of all the CODC albums. I really hope it's not another 7 years.
9/10

Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s)
Already?!?!?! They just had that killer album last year, and here they come again already with a new EP. It sounds twice as dark as misanthrope(s), and not just because they tuned lower again. When you hit track 5, it’s more crushing than anything last record. It’s slow, and bleak and just really fucking doomy. . .even if the riffing is still a little black metal in nature (Celeste are succeeding at the sound Dark Funeral has been trying to do for years and failing). This dirge continues into the next track where vocals finally come in, and OH MY GOD, FADES OUT! Then the 13 minute closer hits you like a tank, and runs you over, and then backs up over you, and then runs over you again and continues doing this for half the song. Then, when they’re sure they’ve completely squashed you like a bug, they get out of the truck and they hang around and brood over your flattened body (complete with violins) for the other half of the song.
None more black.
. . .no seriously, I need to emphasize how bleak this album is. It makes Grief sound like posicore. This band is like suicidal black metal mixed with funeral doom.
The lyrics are all in French, but the emotion is evident in this music.
9/10

Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire - Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation
CTFF play music which exemplifies blind rage. That was incredibly evident on "Alpha. . .". They have somehow turned up the blind rage on this fittingly titled record. It sounds just as heavy as last album. . .except the drums. They're pretty light in comparison. Everything else is crushing. The vocals sound like two people screaming at you at once. . .and that guy was always one of the most pissed sounding vocalists of the last couple years. The production probably won't stop the ignorant little kids from lumping this band in with "deathcore" . . .or at least, what the next Robinson album might've sounded like had that not been an April Fools prank by Debello(the guitars can be very Robinson-ish). . . .but the slow sludgy parts might. "recession" is the best song. The whole record is dark as fuck, but when they pause after the intro and kick back in harsher than before, you might not be sure what hit you. I think it's the only song that comes close to equaling a track like "crystalis" or "velveteen walls" from the last one. It keeps on hitting you though. You only get two breaks really, the slower part in "made of coal", and the almost quiet part in the very last song "remove the light". This is one of the few albums to come out that I think truly captures the vibe of this year (which is becoming worse than the last). It's not posi. I said it before, this is an aptly titled record.
8/10

Harvey Milk - A Small Turn Of Kindness
I just heard this band for the first time this year, when "self titled" came out. I'd been hearing about them, but just hadn't thought to check them out. Then they got on that Converge tour, so I gave them a listen and quite liked it. They've been around FOREVER though. I'm way behind, I've only heard this one, "self titled" and "my love. . ". I don't know shit. Just saying. Anyway, this is their 7th album. It's is one of those albums you buy just to read the lyrics. I'm sitting here the whole time like "what is he talking about?". I managed to pick out choice lines, and suffice to say (to paraphrase the great Steve Albini) this is a sad fuckin' song. It's slow, dramatic and doomy as fuck. It tells a story that I cannot wait to read along with in it's entirety. I hear people who've known about this band forever saying this is a little disappointing, but I just got into them and it's my favorite. Sue me. It might have something to do with the fact that when I first listened to it I was sick as dog, and it fit my mood exactly, but I've recovered somewhat and it's still my favorite.
10/10

Admiral Angry – A Fire to Burn Down the World
A Fire. . . is simply a masterclass in OUCH.
Mr. Krauss left us this doozy, to blow our minds.
and he shall continue to blow our minds forever more.
Rest in Power
10/10



that's all for now.
new random tape, and MDF review coming up next.
It's pretty funny I'm posting reviews of metal albums, but have barely any metal random tapes.
That's just what i've dorked out on more than anything else. . .hm hm.

*sigh*. . .again with this . .

. .I'm just checking in.

It's been a month since I posted, again.

Coming up though, some short albums reviews (probably really short), my favorite things about MARYLAND DEATH FEST, and of course another random tape.

scroll down to hear the current random tapes.