Mustard Relics - Martyred Heretics CD-R compilation

I've been out of touch with the blogging world for a little while now. I could make up or just give a bunch of excuses but blow that....readers don't look at this blog for excuses although I guess some would say this is an excuse for a music blog that covers excuses for music and that'd be right in an opinionated way.

Anyway lets get to the bit that you probably want to read and cover some musical ground. My blogging buddy, Justin from the Mustard Relics blog has been a lot busier than this lazy blogger and put together a compilation CD that largely covers electronica. My knowledge of electronica is fairly limited as it's not a genre that I listen to a lot of. I do know and like bands like Front 242, New Order, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails plus a few others that I can't remember the names of right now and if I get around to editing this, you'll likely see them written here otherwise put a pen to screen and insert the names I've missed here: _________________________________________________________________________________)________________

The compilation opens with a horror movie sample which sets the theme of the CD. The first song is by a band called "Prayers" and the opening of this song reminds me of Depeche Mode but these guys have slightly shouted vocals and looping over the electical sounds. The tune is a definite toe-tapper.

Angels Dust song "Funeral" has a bleak spacey dark feel that reminds me of Joy Division (a band I've been thrashing during my time off blogging). The female vocals give the song an uplifting feel despite the title. This tune is great. Listen to it!

B
Pornostroika dadaifi's track had me thinking of the collabaration that Afrikaa Bambata did with Leftfieldd. If you don't know it, you must watch the video to Afrika Shox. Due to the lyrics of the track not being in English I have no idea what these guys are on about but if I consider the lyrics and vocals as a separate instrument, it's a rocking track.

Mach Baron's track "All Flesh is Grass" opens with a sample from a horror movie and is an apocalyptic industrial number with more frightening precise accuracy than your average horoscope writer both lyrically and musically.

Street Sects - sound like a death metal band playing disco and if that sounds terrifying keep well away. Truth is, it's great and sounds better than most of the death metal that appears in my inbox. Oh shit, now I'm likely to get a tonne of disco review requests, haha.

Blitzkrieg Baby have a spoken track with music in the background. There's a poetic feel to the tune.

After a misanthropic rant Pornostroika dadaifi are back and the tracks called NZ's on the trees. I have no idea what these guys are on about but the electronic noodling and ranting (n whatever language it i) mesh well.

Pyrotoxxxn's "Microsleep" is sleep paralysis nightmare hell put to song.

Gianko's track is a little difficult for this listener to get into but that's because it's over 14 minutes long and lately a goldfish would have a longer attention span than this reviewer.

I'm not going to give this a rating as compilations are tricky beasts to review let alone rate. Support Justin and give Martyred Heretics a listen on bandcamp and if you're inclined to get a CD do so before he runs out. There's zine styled inserts with the CD which look really great and lend a hands on feel for those of us who still like tangible music product.

Signs Preyer -"Signs Preyer"

  Too often music gets talked about as being dated when really what has changed is the writer's taste as they've grown older although some releases of yesteryear don't stand up in the present but there's bound to be someone out there that enjoys the retro feel and doesn't care that much for what's presently happening in music.  It's not just your parents, man.  It really

could happen to anyone

Italian band Signs Preyer have a sound that is set steadfastly in the nineties. The band's first track "Anger" is very Alice In Chains influenced despite starting out at a pace similar to nineties era Pantera.

There's a stoner rock vibe meets Load era Metallica to "Killer Instinct", which is understandable as Signs Preyer admit to a Corrosion of Conformity influence and 90's Metallica was definitely heavily influenced by C.O.C.   A lot of quick riffing is the highlight of "Painless Pain" which has some quick near rap which doesn't detract from the song at all.  The spoken part at the end is a moment Phil Anselmo would be proud of.

 "Dark Soul" contains a laid back vibe that would have fit on my local rock radio station when Creed, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains were on heavy rotation.  Alice In Chains were never really a grunge band and Signs Preyer channel all that was good about that band in  "Hell".   Signs Preyers weren't content to only have a self-titled album but decided a self-titled song was a necessity and it's an ode to rock 'n' roll with the vocalist sounding somewhere between Bon Scott, Layne Stayley and James Hetfield.

This album may be a mixed bag for many but it's definitely worth checking out if you were a fan of both grunge and metal during the nineties.  It'll be interesting to see which direction Signs Preyer choose to go in the future.

3/5

Signs Preyer on facebook

Noumena - Death Walks With Me

Noumena are a Finnish death metal who contrast their dirty death dealing with symphonic female vocals.  The male vocals are of the death metal scooby-doo ilk.  It may be due to the symphonic influence but there's a clean sound that fights through paper bags and finds out way out in tracks like "Play Dead".  If it weren't for the male death metal vocals "Sleep" could pass for a ballad. The female vocals don't really work here as the  incongruous sound of the male vocals and the quietly lulling music is all that is needed for this track.  The title track is a fast burner and the duet between the two vocalists comes together perfectly.  Rockers will sink their teeth into "Let It Run Red" as much as diehard death metal fans with its effectively speedy but simple head nodding beat.

  "The Storm" originates with the calm female vocals that recall the likes of Clannad before a whirlwind of death metal torments and then without warning leaves.  This number is a typhoon. You know it's coming but have no idea what damage it will do or when it'll be calm enough to go outside again.  When the female and male vocals really come together for Noumena on tracks like "Nothing" the band's gothic tinge and metallic death leave no bad aftertaste.  "Only The Silent" punches with speedy death metal with undertones of classical guitar.

When Noumena get it right, they slay and fortunately these risk-takers get it right most of the time.  There's not a shred of doubt that this slab of music is some of the more innovative death metal out there.  The whole album is linked below on the band's bandcamp site so check it out for yourself!

3.5/5


Noumena's bandcamp site



Noumena on facebook



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Taketh "Ignorance is Strength"

Often bands will come with a mash of styles and have no idea how to describe themselves to potential fans and reviewers.  At a certain point, a band that refuses to pigeon-hole themselves by not describing their music at all sadly does not get a look-in from overloaded inboxes and will simply be ignored simply because the reviewers curiosity is not piqued due to the lack of any stylistic references.


Swedish band Taketh are clearly aware of this as they describe their music as melodic death metal which they they definitely are.  In fact, a few months back I received an email from David Dahl, Taketh's vocalist and he stated that the band would be a perfect fit for fans of Dark Tranquility, At the Gates and old In Flames.    He's definitely a vocalist who is capable of holding a melody and also  resurrecting a voice from the netherworld.  Taketh aren't afraid to experiment and "Moving On" ,the opener to "Ignorance is Strength" utilizes a small piece nu-metal and electronics without a huge cringe factor.  Those who consider death metal no place for clean singing will be searching from earplugs  from the get-go but it'll be a smooth sailing for those unafraid of cleanliness.

 At times the vocals fall somewhere between Carcass's Heartwork and Danni Filth(although without the high-pitched shrieks) and there are bursts of black metal.  "We are Slaves" contains a mixture of clean and filthy riffs although the soap and water definitely wins out.  Whether or not  "Your Master" is death metal is going to be up for debate as it opens with vocals that fall between Ozzy and Jon Olivia and then the singer takes a much more melodic direction that will have fans of symphonic metal (Kamelot is often the band that comes to mind) looking for a change of underwear although whether they can all handle the closing chop and change to deathly vocals remains to be seen.   The song also contains a snippet of a marching sound that
isn't miles removed from Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People"


Although the songs are built around the vocals of David Dahl, the band are clearly all first-rate musicians.  It's also clear that Taketh are past the experimental stage as the band seem to be aware of what sounds work for them.  There's a definitely a sense of irony in naming a song "Flaws" and if the music wasn't up to scratch every reviewer would point to this song and "Mind Numbing Crap" delivering on their promises.    However "Ignorance is Strength" is an album that will be listened to again now that the reviewing process is over.


Fans of the TV series "Breaking Bad" and the movie "Pushing Tin" may be interested to learn that this band originated with two guys in an air traffic control tower playing acoustic guitars before the recruiting of other band members.

3.5/5

Taketh's music video for "Moving On"

Taketh on Facebook

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John 3:16 - Visions of The Hereafter - Visions of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

When you've been writing music reviews for a number of years, you get to witness bands improving, getting worse and far more commonly just completely disappearing. Sometimes from the ashes of the disbanded comes another project and John 3:16 is one of those. The project comes from Phillipe Gerber, who was the founder of French alternative band, Heat from a Dead Star, who the more attentive may remember were reviewed in this here blog a while back. As John 3:16, Gerber previously released a 5 track EP entitled "Sinners In the Hand of an Angry God" and now there's a 9 track album.

The album starts off with "The Ninth Circle" possessing a post-rock style and fools the listener into thinking that they're in for an entirely instrumental album until the vocals kick in which have an undeniable contemplative nature resembling a cross between a shoegazer and a group of chanting monks. The ambient "Throne of God/Angel of the Lord" has a shimmering guitar sound that isn't miles away from Mr Gerber's previous band or for a more recognizable comparison, Mission of Burma coupled with chants that are reminiscent of Enigma. Loud drums open the 7 minutes of shoegazer ambient drone that is "Abyss of Hell/Clouds of Fire" with a simmering pleasantness that totally betrays the song's title. Fans of instrumental post-rock will have that excited smell of urinated underwear when hearing "Ascent to The Blessed/To The Heavenly Paradise".


Despite all the religious titles whether or not the religious overtones of the chosen monikers of the project are the actual beliefs of Mr Gerber is entirely unclear and up to the listener to interpret. Throughout the album are some fine tracks here and the level of musicianship is undeniably high. Personally I have trouble paying attention to the entire album for the full length of time but that's a complaint I have with instrumental albums and almost every post-rock album I've ever heard so despite the best effort to be objective as with all reviews subjectivity filtered through personal tastes weigh higher however I am likely to listen to "Visions of The Hereafter - Visions of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory" again purely as background music despite or maybe because this music would be perfect for a Wim Wenders movie or a nature documentary.

Check out the album for your self by clicking on the bandcamp site below.


3/5

John 3:16 bandcamp site



Small takeover on facebook

Razorywyre, Beastwars, Methdrinker S.F.B.H. Sep 28

Arrived at the San Francisco Bathhouse in time to see Methdrinker setting up. ALthough they have songs on a few releases out there, they were a totally new band to both my eyes and ears. Before heading up the stairs I heard someone describing their music as mind-numbingly slow. They were Eyhategod type sludge wallowers and had a guitarist and drummer co-handling vocals. The band were great live and were a perfect warm-up complement for the heaviness of Beastwars.

Methdrinker

Beastwars, really, were the band I wanted to see despite the show really being Razorwyre's album release party. The band seemed to be on fire and tighter than I'd seen them before, maybe because their own album was recently released outside New Zealand and also because they had a new album in the works. The band's singer comes across like a drunken sailor as he bellows out the band's lyrics which lends itself perfectly to the heavy vibe of impending doom. If Killing Joke really are the sound of the apocalypse, then there are bound to be arguments whether Beastwars are the sound of the warm-up or the aftermath.

Beastwars

Razorwyre have improved greatly live since I last saw them which is going on for over a year ago. The band's blend of heavy metal is closer to NWOBHM than it is eighties thrash metal, which is why I have often found that I don't make it through all of the band's set and once again I didn't. The other reasons were I had work the next day and Beastwars were the band I had turned up to see.

Razorwyre

Compulsory bandcamp links

Methdrinker

Beastwars

Razorwyre



Small takeover on facebook

Subhumans, Wellington, Bar Bodega September 2012

Arrived at Bar Bodega in time to see Rogernomix. They're sill not my thing and the two shouters come off like kindergarten teachers who have been thrown in the deep end. One minute they're dancing around happily and the next they're yelling at all and sundry. Everyone who had schoolteachers that would send you to the back if you sat near the front doesn't need reminding which is why nobody dared to get close to this band.


Rogernomix

Despite the fact, Dead Vicious have been around for over ten years, I'd never seen them before. They played an accessible melodic style of old school punk. A large proportion of the crowd surged forward for them.

Dead Vicious

Black Lick were up next. For some reason, I didn't enjoy them as much as I have in the past and don't really feel like typing much more about their set.

The Subhumans played their fast intelligent songs fast. They played a number of songs from "The Day The Country Died" but sadly didn't play "Mickey Mouse is Dead" or "Zyklon B-Movie". The old band bounced around like the last twenty years plus hadn't happened.

Subhumans

Five of the worst albums complete with reviews

These are some of the worst albums that came my way while I was writing for the now defunct webzine, Peacedogman. The poor albums often were the easiest to write about and the average unsurprisingly provided nothing inspiration wise. Truly the worst was a French punk band, Arrach. Their album "Artisans Du Chaos". who sounded a lot like Biohazard except with heavy French accents and they committed a Bad Brains cover to CD which served to prove how bad they were and just how good Bad Brains can be. I gave them a 0/5 rating which they weren't too happy with and sent me an unhappy email accussing me of being a stupid American and being like all the other Americans since the website was based in the US. Unfortunately I've lost the email and can't find the review since I stupidly didn't save either so they were half right. So anyway here are a few of the reviews.

5)Sanctification "Black Reign"

You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Neither should a paragraph start with a cliche but convention and rules were invented to be broken. Swedish death metal band Sanctification either missed the memo about crushing the rules or the meaning got lost in translation. “Black Reign” is like when you get a packaged box for Christmas. You give it that shake that lets you know that someone was incapable of thinking of a more imaginative gift than a box of chocolates. The blame clearly lies firmly on the shoulders of the “Forest Gump”scriptwriters.

The expected down-tuned guitars, blast-beats, asthmatic elephant blowing through a snorkel vocals are all present on this album. The clear but gruff spoken chorus of the title song is the closest these guys come to any semblance of melody. “Thirst for Blood” is relentless with crushing riffs over pounding drums. Soundwise Sanctification edge closer to Deicide than Dismember. However most of the songs are the songs are mid-tempo so they blur together. Instead of invoking the feeling of being run over head on by a Mac truck which then reverses to make sure the job’s completed and leaving the victim flattened and incapable of passing on stories to his grandkids, “Black Reign” just leaves a listener flat due to its generic nature.


1/5

4)I Love Rich “Season Of The Rich”, 2009

Chicago band I Love Rich channel Kiss both musically and lyrically. Discerning whether they’re serious or stretching a band parody as far as it can go when they only thank themselves for being so fucking awesome because everyone else go paid and boldly declare “All lyrics by RICH because honestly, only he could come with lyrics this bad ass”.   Sleepless nights spent thinking out the lyrics to the homage  “Let’s fuck all night” are highly doubtful.    The tongue in cheek “I’m Only Here Because Your Sister Said No” easily wins the best song title.  A knife with a serated punk edge gently cuts through still leaving a heavy chunk of glam metal in “Everybody’s Getting Laid Tonight”. The rawness of the procution here and a couple of the later songs weakens the overall sound bringing the words: filler material to mind.  Whilst it’s not difficult to appreciate the lack of seriousness on the five songs on this EP, I Love Rich come across as nothing more than a coattail riding novelty act.

2/5

I love rich website

3)Yet another band obviously boasting extreme stupidity when it comes spelling their own moniker. The extra "o" chosen perhaps because they've soaked themselves in nu-metal or they're pushing the boundaries and the English language deserves a beating once in a while.
The band take on the listener with monotonous death grunts placed everywhere, chugging over Pantera riffs, the whole done-to-death stop/start breakdown reigning supreme. These guys want you to know they're edgy: "Pot Pie" has a sample mentioning seventeen swear words (go ahead and take a random stab at what the first lyrics are). The song proves crossing Korn with death metal is as terrible in practice as it is in theory. A hamfisted nomeansno and Victim's family jazz-punk guitar bridge swings in "Someone Kill Don Henley", but while those bands knew where to place their off-kilter explorations, it just doesn't work well for VAMPIRE MOOOSE as it's all too clear they're stretching beyond themselves. The Tool worship of "Angra Manyu" is a square peg in a round hole, and "La Tumba" is a weakly-inked facsimile of the PANTERA song "Walk". The angry pig vocals may be different but this was obviously written in less than two minutes. I'd say credit the band for another daring move, but it won't pay off as we're ten songs in and I seriously doubt many will have the endurance to make it this far.
While there are some amusing movie samples, the actual music on "The Reel" is a bigger patience-tester than waiting in a queue to see the latest blockbuster movie. But unlike enduring this nu-groove death metal borefest, buying tickets for a decent flick is typically a worthwhile experience.


2)

Skullfower “Strange Keys to God’s Firmament”, 2009
(neuorot)
Exercises in excess aren’t necessarily a bad thing.  That extra burger, for example, will taste as good as the first and ensure the hunger is filled and that your stomach stops rumbling at potentially embarrassing moments.   Skullflower have taken a huge risk releasing a double drone album with the hope of quenching a listener’s thirst for more of their music.

The music consists of feedback loops and monotonous guitar fuzz not miles stylistically away from the dirge of Sunn 00))).  Even with the differing song lengths, it’s incredibly difficult to discern one song from another over the course of the two discs. “Blackened Angel Wings Scythe the Blowing Void” will take up back if you can remember the days before 24 hour television as it sounds TV static turned up as loud but with cement mixers churning in the background.  Water being blasted to clean a decade of gunk build up off concrete as holes are powerdrilled is what comes to mind listening to “Chaotic Demons Fly Into My Eyes”.    There’s a feeling that something might actually happen is conjured in the fourteen minute “Gateway to Blasphemous Light” with its Iommi tone and sparse drumming.  However I’m left twiddling my thumbs.

While “IIIrd Gatekeeper” had a captivating drum and bass sound and the tracks had definite beginnings and ends.  murky monotony of sound buried deeper than necessary on “Strange Key’s to God’s Firmament”.   The drum sound is barely present as it has been muffled into oblivion and the tracks just go on for far too long without any real changes This album really only proved useful after a day of  drinking about fifteen cups of coffee plus more than a few Cokes, I reached for this album knowing that it  would be the ideal antidote to a sleepless night. On the negative side, the two discs are near impossible for anyone to digest in one sitting.  If Skullfower’s goal was to make an album very few would manage to listen to right through this album is a success story.

1/5

Skullflower on facebook

1)

Balls - “Chameleon” , 2008 (BLP)

When this digipak fell out of my review packet I couldn’t tell whether the band name was Chameleonn or Balls.  Either way I didn’t have high hopes as both names seem equally uninspired and immediately decided this would be the last review CD I listen to.  Then a look at the press sheet reveals that Balls are Swedish.  My hopes are up as in recent years Sweden has produced a great many quality rock, punk and metal bands.

I shove this Balls  album and unfortunately my initial instinct is confirmed.  The album opens with the AC/DC inspired “Camper” and Björn Lodin does a reasonable Brian Johnson imitation for 2 minutes but then his voice breaks into sounding like a man with the flu in need of blowing his nose.  He’s the major deficit on “Chameleon”.  The press sheet writer’s thesaurus must have listed terrible as a synonym for distinctive.  That’s how his voice is described.  Balls play W inspired hard rock so the awful voice is too often just not suited to the music.  The second song “Chameleon” has King's X backing harmonies which only serve to point out how awful this guy’s voice.  They’re really good.  There is a punchy guitar sound here and there all over the album but it’s not present enough to give the listener a needed rest from those awful vocals.  “Jealousy” sounds like it could have been a mid eighties hard rock radio hit.  There is some great soloing and backing vocals on “Locked Up and Crazy”.

Looking at the band photo, the  bass player and drummer are about twenty years younger than the rest of the band who should have known better than release this album. The drum and bass sounds are often inaudible or just plain missing.  Like those Idol television shows this album offers the challenge to see how much you can listen to without wincing.

1/5


Balls on myspace

That's the list. There are a few omissions but reviews can be painful work and it's far more rewarding to hear a band that you enjoy so five of the best albums is up soon.




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Endand - Adventures of Hi-fi in Space

Endand are a trio based in Brooklyn, New York who have released two separate EP's as an album. One hi-fi and the other lo-fi.

My initial thought was listening to the first song "Far In-Between" was that it was a clever power pop song and not noise or punk as the info I was sent has categorized the band. The initial launch og "Labor Force " is straight out of the 80's with its huge chorus and had me reminiscing about The Comsat Angels, a band who haven't entered my thought process in years although towards closing time, feedback enters the fray which places the song more into the 90's. The 92 second "So What Now" has The Pixies written all over it. Death Song answers what would happen if the Kinks had time travelled to the nineties listened to the likes of the Pixies and Sonic Youth way too much then wrote "All of the Day and The Night".

"Adventures of Hi-fi In Space" is the polished pristine sound of a band that was nothing but a dream until last year.

4/5

No prizes for guessing that "Adventures in Lo-fi in Space" is a much less polished affair. The EP consists of DIY recordings that sometimes sound like they were recorded in an empty swimming pool.

Proceedings kick off with "Dawi" which had me thinking of Pavement as there's a jangly pop band dying to get out underneath the raw and rough approach. Guitars jangle as a sparse approach is taken to the song "Legend" with its almost whispered vocals. Missing that jangly poppy sound that was once synonymous with many Flying Nun bands? Then just check out "Sweet" and consider whether it's closer to The Chills or Sneaky Feelings.

"Adventures of Fi in Space is a scintillating debut album. Endand are already more than just a promising band as the promise has been delivered. Keep both eyes and ears on this band.

4/5

Endand on bandcamp

Endand on facebook.





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X - The Unheard Music (re-release)

Originally released in 1985 The Unheard Music covers the LA band X, who on the reissue’s back cover are credited with changing the face of punk music with their original and vibrant style. The film is more than just a product of its time due to the music and the style of filmmaking.

The background and formation of the band are covered with Billy Zoom and John Doe both speaking about an advertisement for band members that both put in LA’s paper, The Recycler and how they called each other due to the similarity of the wording of their advertisements. Billy Zoom, John Doe and D.J. Bonebrake all speak about their musical experiences before the formation of the band and how they all had musical knowledge. Billy Zoom speaks also speaks reading a review of a Ramones record where the critic trashed it due to their only being three chords, dumb lyrics and short songs that were over too fast. All the other members musical experience Exene Cervena’s lack of music background although her background in poetry helped to provide song lyrics.

The film uses a lot of short clips from fifties TV and utilizes both programs and commercials. There’s a montage which uses shots of news-clippings whilst one of the band’s songs plays over. Sure, now this homemade music video is now commonplace on YouTube but this was made many years before the internet. There’s a clip made from a guy from a huge record corporation talking about signing a band and then the head of Slash records contrasting the two very different points of view using some quick editing. The head of Arista is then spoken to after X have signed with them and the first head of the huge record company talks about regretting missing out on the signing.

A Young DJ called Rodney Bingemheimer who had a show without a playlist on FM station KROQ is contrasted with the more commercial radio stations. A young Jello Biafra also in the studio, shows how this movie is a product of its time as does the covering of the closure of LA’s Whisky A-go-go venue which broke a number of bands from the particular time period and a lot of the graffiti helps when Exene points to it. The first venue X played, The Masque, is also closed and the owner gives the viewer a tour.

Not only is this an excellent piece of counter-culture from the Reagan era but X may well win new fans with this re-release as the collage technique in the film puts it above many other band biopics. The extras are enjoyable and worthwhile with recent interviews with John Doe and Exene Cervena and revealing old footage of interviews with film-makers.

5/5

Originally written by yours truly for Cinemania

Balls - Chameleon

Balls - “Chameleon” , 2008 (BLP)

When this digipak fell out of my review packet I couldn’t tell whether the band name was Chameleon or Balls.  Either way I didn’t have high hopes as both names seem equally uninspired and immediately decided this would be the last review CD I listen to.  Then a look at the press sheet reveals that Balls are Swedish.  My hopes are up as in recent years Sweden has produced a great many quality rock, punk and metal bands.

I shove this Balls  album and unfortunately my initial instinct is confirmed.  The album opens with the AC/DC inspired “Camper” and Björn Lodin does a reasonable Brian Johnson imitation for 2 minutes but then his voice breaks into sounding like a man with the flu in need of blowing his nose.  He’s the major deficit on “Chameleon”.  The press sheet writer’s thesaurus must have listed terrible as a synonym for distinctive.  That’s how his voice is described.  Balls play W inspired hard rock so the awful voice is too often just not suited to the music.  The second song “Chameleon” has King's X backing harmonies which only serve to point out how awful this guy’s voice.  They’re really good.  There is a punchy guitar sound here and there all over the album but it’s not present enough to give the listener a needed rest from those awful vocals.  “Jealousy” sounds like it could have been a mid eighties hard rock radio hit.  There is some great soloing and backing vocals on “Locked Up and Crazy”.

Looking at the band photo, the  bass player and drummer are about twenty years younger than the rest of the band who should have known better than release this album. The drum and bass sounds are often inaudible or just plain missing.  Like those Idol television shows this album offers the challenge to see how much you can listen to without wincing.

1/5


Balls on myspace

Fuzz Mantra - Smoke Rings

Fuzz Manta “Smoke Rings”, 2009

The band’s chosen handle and the orange album cover with the girl holding what appears to be a musician’s cigarette surrounded by swirling circles gives a good indication that Denmark’s Fuzz Manta have their feet placed firmly in the psychedelic/stoner rock camp.  Unlike a lot of their contemporaries, in Lene Kjær Hvillum, they have a female singer who has a strong voice reminiscent of the L7 front woman that punches through the smoke clouds demanding to be heard.   The rest of the band plays workmanlike hard rock with tasty guitar solos breathing through now and again.   Strangely the title track is a slow ballad and is weakened compared to a number of the other tracks.  Its follower “Mysterious Thoughts” is a much stronger track with a punchy chorus and guitar licks flowing in and out.  “The Killer” builds up slowly and like a number of the Fuzz Manta songs has a definite rock radio single potential but really that’s where the problems of this album lie.    The band’s sound blasts through the speakers clearly but there’s an absense of grittiness and a lack of willingness to bask in filth.

2.5/5


Fuzz Manta's official site



Fuzz Manta have released  two more albums since this one the Ripple Effect recently reviewed their second one, Opus II.

The Cramps - Bad Music For Bad People

The Cramps – “Bad Music For Bad People”, 1984

Compilations often serve as a great introduction to a band and “Bad Music for Bad People” is no exception.  This album gathers the early Cramps material from previously released albums and b-sides.  The recording quality of the songs varies and some like “Love Me” have an underproduced sound.  Lux Interior sounds more possessed and evokes more danger than a Kool-aid carrying Jim Jones when he sings like a rabid evangelical preacher on LSD on the cover songs.    The Cramps ride the surf guitar on “Goo Goo Muck”.  As The Cramps put their identity stamp on another cover song.  The perfection of the screeching guitar, rockabilly horror b-movie soundtrackvibe in “Human Fly” has caused the investing in many large fly swats.  There’s free education here too as The Cramps give a lesson on how to get aboard “The Drug Train”.   Watch your head because psychoticness with murderous tendencies never sounded as appealing as it does on “TV Set”. Purists would argue that this isn’t an album.  There’s no doubt that The Cramps would balk at the thought of ever being considered pure.  “Bad Music for Bad People” is a dirty collection of mind-soiled songs and there’s no denying that the album cover makes for a great poster.

3.5/5

Skullflower - Strange Keys to God's

Skullfower “Strange Keys to God’s Firmament”, 2009
(neuorot)
Exercises in excess aren’t necessarily a bad thing.  That extra burger, for example, will taste as good as the first and ensure the hunger is filled and that your stomach stops rumbling at potentially embarrassing moments.   Skullflower have taken a huge risk releasing a double drone album with the hope of quenching a listener’s thirst for more of their music.

The music consists of feedback loops and monotonous guitar fuzz not miles stylistically away from the dirge of Sunn 00))).  Even with the differing song lengths, it’s incredibly difficult to discern one song from another over the course of the two discs. “Blackened Angel Wings Scythe the Blowing Void” will take up back if you can remember the days before 24 hour television as it sounds TV static turned up as loud but with cement mixers churning in the background.  Water being blasted to clean a decade of gunk build up off concrete as holes are powerdrilled is what comes to mind listening to “Chaotic Demons Fly Into My Eyes”.    There’s a feeling that something might actually happen is conjured in the fourteen minute “Gateway to Blasphemous Light” with its Iommi tone and sparse drumming.  However I’m left twiddling my thumbs.

While “IIIrd Gatekeeper” had a captivating drum and bass sound and the tracks had definite beginnings and ends.  murky monotony of sound buried deeper than necessary on “Strange Key’s to God’s Firmament”.   The drum sound is barely present as it has been muffled into oblivion and the tracks just go on for far too long without any real changes This album really only proved useful after a day of  drinking about fifteen cups of coffee plus more than a few Cokes, I reached for this album knowing that it  would be the ideal antidote to a sleepless night. On the negative side, the two discs are near impossible for anyone to digest in one sitting.  If Skullfower’s goal was to make an album very few would manage to listen to right through this album is a success story.

1/5

Skullflower on facebook

One Master - The Quiet Eye of Eternity

One Master “The Quiet Eye of Eternity”, 2009
(Pleasant Void)

On the surface a lot of black metal sounds like a box of bumblebees carried through the Sahara Desert by camel in the midst of a sandstorm.  Some of it doesn’t require scratching deeper to sniff below the murky depths.  Below the surface of the hellish buzzing of One Master is a gothic underbelly complete with a beating black metallic heart.  Tinges of Sisters of Mercy and Joy Division riffs barely raise their ever present bowed cloaked heads but are hidden amongst tempo changes from sluggish doom to blastbeat requiring rapidfire in “The Infinite Void”.  The slothened doom chugging of “The Destroyer Part 1” is reminiscent of Paradise Lost’s metal output, however the song grinds to a halt with blastbeats which lead into the song’s sequel.   The time signature variations throughout the album ensure the long songs aren’t just a lengthy waste of listening time and CD space.

As with a lot of black metal bands I’ve heard the music shadows the vocals so much that the lyrics are border upon impossible to make out without the assistance of a lyric sheet.  The back of the CD cover seperates this album into Side 1 and Side 2 it’s clear that some thought has gone into song order as One Master made this album with a vinyl pressing in mind.   Similar processes went into their music which makes it more than a possibility to consider this to be “thinking man’s black metal”.

3.5/5

One Master on myspace

Leprous Tall Poppy Syndrome

Leprous “Tall Poppy Syndrome”
(Sensory)

Most of us try and block the awkward adolescent phase of when our voices went from a soprano to deep and throaty within an instant.  It’s a curiosity that there are a number of vocalists fronting metal bands that need to relive memories that most of would rather not reminded of.    Norwegian band Leprous treads the same progressive metal waters as OPETH.  There are those long tracks with structures all over the place and alternating clean/death vocal approach.

“Phantom Pain” starts as a jazzy piece with quietly sung vocals and quickly metamorphorsizes into a more metalish sound complete with death grunts.  The band proudly show off their driving skills with a number of reverses while the keyboard hangs the song together.  “Dare you” has a promising metallic intro and after some shrill vocals turns into a pulsating instrumental.  Gears are often shifted this way and that nearing the song’s ending.  Leprous totally ignore the death vocals and enter ballad territory with “Fate”.   Einer Solberg’s softer vocal tracks fit this song like a glove. “He Will Kill Again” annoys where the pretentiousness of the vocal showmanship borders on “Phantom of the Opera”.  Sorry but the traded off use of death type grunts isn’t a case for redemption from the unforgivable Andrew Lloyd Webber sneak attack.  Brutal riffing opens “Not Even White” but it’s interspersed with jazzy keyboards, death grunts, more metal riffs and even a few short moments reminiscent of  “The Real Thing”’s quieter moments.   The title track is tidy in comparison with its spoken part by a guest vocalist over the keyboard and slow yet swirling rhythm and string section.

 There’s no argument that Leprous are higly competent musicians, whom are more than capable of running the gamut of musical styles. Too often though, the vast array of styles crammed into a single track is to the band’s detriment as so many structures mean the songs lack a real bruising wallop to the face factor.  

2.5/5

Leprous official site

Heat From A Dead Star - Seven Rays of The Sun

Heat From a Dead Star, “Seven Rays of The Sun”,  (2009)
(Ace of Hearts)

A game of pin the tail the donkey involving London based French experimental art-rock trio Heat From a Dead Star would be a tough proposition judging from the band’s music.  Stylistically, they are nearly all over the show ranging from noisy and chaotic, jazzy with piano on “Gallows” to the quiet 80’s Flying Nun roster jangly indie pop on “Daylight”.  There’s a harsh late 80’s Sonic Youth guitar sound in “Messy Kid” with vocals ranging from quiet off-key sung pieces to manic shouting.  “Seahorse Seafish” is sparse vocally letting the guitar sound shimmer and shine.  “Psychotic Girl” and “Craving” rapidly chug along with Fugazi-esque industrial rythms.   The album’s guitar work often begs for and captivates listener attention over and above the other instruments.  There are moments of brilliance on “Seven Rays of The Sun” but the movement in various directions is a definite handicap as Heat From a Dead Star currently lacks any genuine focal point.

2.5/5

Heat From a Dead Star on myspace

Heat From a Dead Star on facebook

Bob Log - My Shit is Perfect

Bob Log III,  “My Shit is Perfect”, 2009
(Voodoo Rhythm)

A couple of years ago I attended a punk festival and the show was stolen from all of the four on the floor bands by a guy who called himself, Boss Christ, who had huge wolfman sideburns and played a slide guitar laid out on a table.  Someone at the show compared him to Bog Log although admitting their schtick differed slightly so I checked out some live clips on Youtube and then promptly forgot about the flight helmet wearing, slide guitar playing lo-fi one-man band that is Bob Log.   So when this reminder in album form popped up in my review package, I was curious to give it a listen.

“My Shit is Perfect”  is largely a mixture of bluegrass and blues. The guitar often sounds like the open-mouthed kid, who sat behind you in some high school class, playing with the rubber bands on his teeth braces.  The first song “Goddamned Sounds Good” starts off well and gets funky with the heavy use of his kick drum but the song soon wears out it welcome due to its repetiveness in both sound and lyrics.  Whether it’s intentional or not, the fact is hammered home since it’s on the album twice.  “It’s The Law” and “Manipulate Your Figments” have an unoriginality that may bring Beck’s lawyer to a copyright trial.  As the album winds on, it’s difficult to distinguish where exactly where one song finishes and another starts as there is a “heard it before” vibe due to overused twanging riffs that make it tough to listen to the album from start to finish.  This tongue in cheek novelty album has all the substance of an instant soup concentrate.

1/5

Bob Log official site

Bob Log on myspace

Bob Log on facebook

Dirty Filthy Mugs - All Yobs In

Dirty Filthy Mugs  “All Yobs In”, 2010
(DC Jam)

While Saint Patrick’s day has comes and goes every year, there are some who pretend to be Irish all year round and those that actually are.  Being based in LA pseudo Irish punk band Dirty Filthy Mugs are more likely to be full-time pretenders than the real McCoy.  Lyrically the band cover the topics that we all know genuine Irish bands should such as drinking, friendships, drinking, fighting and drinking.

There’s a definite Celtic guitar  to “Frontline Hooligans”and Matt Wedgley sings like a man who know his Guiness from his Kilkenny.  His vocals come through strongly in the slow “It’s Madness What Kept Me Sane”.  “Another Round” is a huge clue that these guys aren’t Irish as this song isn’t about boozing it up large at all and is instead about relationships. Pass my pipe, Watson.  The song itself is carried by a drumbeat that could cause many a pint to spill.    There’s a simplistic beat that dominates “You and Your Twat Friends” yet it’s easy to imagine people moving towards the front when the band play it live in a bar as it’s nothing more than a catchy rock song and sometimes that’s all you need.  The band seem to be less concerned about pretending to be Irish in the following songs and as a result they’re not as interesting to listen to as the first half of the disc.  The vocals sound like Brian Johnson but aren’t strong enough to carry the band.   “Go Today” is totally lifted from AC/DC but just doesn’t fit in with what the band had done previously and ends up coming off as a weak track.

This album would have been better released with only the first six songs since they’re all strong tracks.
It seems rushed when all the weaker tracks are tacked on the final half of the album and nobody really wants or needs to listen to filler material unless there’s something worthwhile beween the gaps.

2.5/5


Dirty Filthy Mugs on myspace

Dirty Filthy Mugs on facebook

Penetrators, “Bad Woman”, 2009
(Slovenly Records)

Recycling is good for the environment.  We’ll pass on recycled food though.  On their “new” album The Penetrators give us a few of their old classic material and a number of  sixties covers.  The band sound like sloppy drunks who turn up and play as loosely as humanly possible but manage to replicate the experience and appealing feel next time they’re witnessed live.  The cartoonish garage rock of “Teenage Lifestyle” and “#1 Band in Town” summarize the band’s attitude.  The emphasis is on fun rather than exact playing.   Jack Lipton’s b-grade voice often brings a  drunken stumbling Stones to mind.  Bizzarely the Jagger similarity comes through strongest on the haunting cover of Roky Erikson’s “If You Have Ghosts” and “Last Time” pails in comparison.

For those who like rehashing there are two versions of “Bad Woman” with their two different vocalists and the CD has three versions of“Teenage Lifestyle”.   All in all, this collection of songs album serves as a  Penetrators appetizer compared to the full satisfying main course meal of  “Basement Anthology”.  

2.5/5


Penetrators band site