Rolling Metal 2016

I wrote about a really shitty nu-metal band for Stereogum, and now I'm being accused of bullying on Twitter because I mentioned that one of the dudes in the band is fat.

Well, I like their music better than your review, and I like you and hate Nu Metal, so maybe that was one that didn't need to be written...

Kerasphorus compilation on Hell's Headbangers is really good stuff. Helmpkamp/J. Read and some guy named B. Wolaniuk (now out of the band), who brings some spidery discordance that really adds a creeping, sinister vibe to the expected brutality. For fans of that last Adversarial album, I suppose.

Re: Darke Complex -

If I read that bit with my "presume good intent" lenses on, what I think you implied, w/o being too direct about it, is that the band is trying to portray an image of diversity/inclusion, but it's false or dishonest because the band itself is an inorganic (labe)l construct (and musicians who don't contribute to the desired image are excised). Arguably you even hinted this image of inclusivity was also bogus because it excludes half of all people. So, ok, in that context "fat" is still maybe not the most sensitive word, but maybe I don't have to infer a value judgment from it.

)But, on the other hand, you pretty much trashed an entire genre, or the very least the current practice of it, that a lot of people love (or get catharsis from or whatever.

So I think it's pretty unrealistic to expect folks not to bristle, and then they're not going to be in "presume good intent" mode. Maybe even the opposite - ascribe worst possible intent.

And with that viewpoint I don't think it's surprising people react negatively to words like "fat" or "bondage" ("why are you trying to quash my free exploration of sexuality h8r") or, uh, the other one.

(just $0.02 from someone whose blood pressure was once raised by the Spin review that trashed a Warren Zevon album coz he had recorded with folks who had worked with Jackson Browne and The Eagles. Not to mention all those "punk died in 19XX" articles.)

re: Lotus Thief

How the Shazzbot did I miss this?!

Video for the new Asphyx tune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFaiGiWcyY8

If I read that bit with my "presume good intent" lenses on, what I think you implied, w/o being too direct about it, is that the band is trying to portray an image of diversity/inclusion, but it's false or dishonest because the band itself is an inorganic (label) construct (and musicians who don't contribute to the desired image are excised). Arguably you even hinted this image of inclusivity was also bogus because it excludes half of all people. So, ok, in that context "fat" is still maybe not the most sensitive word, but maybe I don't have to infer a value judgment from it.

I was not implying any of that. I don't care about any of that. My only point with that paragraph was "these guys look silly." I only described the black guy as black because, other than the safety glasses, there was absolutely nothing notable about him. With that said, I could have skipped calling the fat guy fat and just made fun of his hair and his satin jacket and his Elton John glasses (all of which I did, in fact, make fun of). So when the editor took out the word "fat" in response to complaints, I was fine with it.

Being off-handedly described as fat isn't fun, ime, but people are sensitive about it to different degrees. I try not to do it, since it's not something I liked having done to me.

In more traditional metal news, I finally got copies of the remastered Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning CDs (just the single disc versions, not the box sets), and the deluxe version of Vader's XXV (a 2CD set of re-recordings of old songs, released in 2008; this version comes with a DVD full of live clips going back as far as 1986).

new 40 Watt Sun sounding good

http://clrvynt.com/40-watt-sun-pictures-debut/

that darke complex song isn't nearly as hideous as the attila song upthread

Apparently that dickhead from Lamb of God is going to be fronting Eyehategod on their upcoming tour. Get your refunds now.

ew. hearing Eyehategod w/out Williams' vocals = no thanks

lol Phil did vocals for them recently? even bigger ew.

way bigger eww in terms of, like, basic humanity.

yeah this is supposed to be a genre about hating and killing everybody, getting picky about races is offensive and bad or something

anyway, Pantera were never very good but Phil's a fine singer and a cool dude and he if he doesn't fit a slow+dirty+working class southern metal band, nobody does
The Lamb of God guy, not so much

if the band was like Down, maybe. plus he was in bad vocal shape last time I saw him (which wasn't even a full year ago)

Phil Anselmo hasn't had a singing voice worthy of the name in 15 years, maybe longer. Blythe has never been a conventionally good singer, but he can bark and growl well enough, and I bet he can offer a convincing imitation of Williams' slurry yowling. I might go to that NYC show, if I can find someone to pay me to be there.

I might go to that NYC show, if I can find someone to pay me to be there.

one for the tour poster

yeah this is supposed to be a genre about hating and killing everybody, getting picky about races is offensive and bad or something

Is this a serious point? General misanthropy definitely is not bad in the way that racism is bad.

metal misanthropy is usually unified hate against a common enemy. Phil basically takes on people in his own damn audience

when I saw him with Superjoint last year I wasn't convinced that he hadn't drank a jimson weed cocktail beforehand

yeah this is supposed to be a genre about hating and killing everybody, getting picky about races is offensive and bad or something

Interesting heel turn

idk he may have a point, Agalloch's Fuck and Eat Everybody Twice is my fav

New Usurpress is up, $3 if you're a downloader.

http://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-regal-tribe

They're more of a retro blues-rock band than a metal band, but anyway: Graveyard have broken up and cancelled all tour dates.

Band statement:

Dark clouds above the graveyard today.

Due to the all so classic reason “differences within the band” the Graveyard is as of today officially closed. This is the unfortunate final decision we’ve had to make after going through a period of struggling n juggling with personal issues. Things have gone out of hand and now our energy is very low. As a direct result of this we’re sorry to say that all scheduled touring is cancelled.

Graveyard have always been more about the music than the talking and that approach is the way we intend to deal with this situation also. What we can say is that we don’t know if and when the Graveyard will re-open and return in full force.

Stay tuned, stay awesome & No endless night in sight.

Joakim, Axel, Truls, Jonatan

That sucks. Innocence and Decadence and Hisingen Blues are great albums.

Don't remember seeing mention of Martröð - avant-BM "supergroup" - two songs just out PWYW from Fallen Empire
First track is murky chaos. Second one breathes a bit more, but still pretty wooly. Whoof.

https://martrod.bandcamp.com/album/transmutation-of-wounds

Some ass-kicking death metal:

https://interment666.bandcamp.com/album/scent-of-the-buried-2

Has anyone checked out this Dark Forest (UK) album? It's wonderful epic fantasy metal with a strong Iron Maiden feel. Scrappier than most modern power metal and with a good ear for melody.

https://darkforest-uk.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-veil

New Haar/Ur Draugr split, 20 minute track by UD:

http://atmfsssdtp.bandcamp.com/album/ur-draugr-haar

Playlist is updated through September.
https://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/4tl2ax29gsTxxopSKgXqn7

Always find Thy Catafalque ultimately a bit lumbering and dull tbh

I've only listened to a sliver, but imago, have you checked out tge new Dysrhythmia?

Death Angel/Anthrax/Slayer tour is a blast. Anthrax's set sadly predictable (the same ole oldies + the new songs, which admittedly, I like Worship Music much more than I do For All Kings. Slayer's was a blast - we got "Fight Til Death", "The Antichrist" (after a loooong absence), "Black Magic" (same), and "Born of Fire" tonight.

Death Angel was great too, I just sadly arrived too late to take them in.

tho don't take my comment about Anthrax to mean they weren't great - "Caught in a Mosh" and "Indians" are always worth chanting along to

Here's a nice debut album by French black metal duo Pénitence Onirique

https://youtu.be/UuNFamprors

Cool art too

Listened to a couple of songs by Tengger Cavalry, the "Mongol metal" band. The main dude's attempts to fuse metal growls and throat singing just make him sound like Milan Fras, the singer from Laibach, to my ear.

There's a new album coming out by Poland's Deus Mortem. Typically blasting/stomping black metal but sometimes this hits the spot.
https://soundcloud.com/malignant-voices/deus-mortem-penetrating-the-veils-of-negativity

re: Tengger Cavalry tbh a little surprised they haven't changed their name to the Khalasar.

Imperial Triumphant and Luminous Vault (who have just signed to Profound Lore) are going on tour next month:

OCT 7 - Baltimore, MD (Yums)
OCT 8 - Elizabeth, NJ (Clafonos)
OCT 9 - Brooklyn, NYC (Lucky 13 Saloon)
OCT 10 - Providence, RI (Dusk)
OCT 11 - Rochester, NY (Flour City)
OCT 12 - Columbus, OH (The Summit)
OCT 13 - Detroit, MI (New Dodge Lounge)
OCT 14 - Indianapolis, IN (Indiana City Beer)
OCT 15 - Milwaukee, WI (Frank's)
OCT 16 - Pittsburgh, PA (Smiling Moose)

Gonna be hard to talk myself out of that 10/8 show, if I can figure out an address for the venue (can't seem to turn one up online).

the second letter in that venue's name is an i , not an l : http://www.eventdaddy.net/elizabeth/10-8-devoidov-luminous-vault-imperial-triumphant-galare/

the new Suicidal Tendencies is pretty fun and catchy. I think I like it better than the last one.

somehow Muir's voice is less annoying as he's gotten older

the spoken intro to "The New Degeneration" is so fucking eye-rolly though, it's like....Mike, you're 53 years old.

Am I misremembering or was there a long period of time where Muir sounded like he was trying to sing CYCOOOOO but oddly quiet, like he didn't want to wake his parents in the next room over?

Getting new Asphyx and Usurpress tomorrow, excited. New Void Meditation Cult next month, too...

Goddamn, I love this Dysrhythmia album!

Anyone else on their first trip through the new Alcest? If you have an opinion about Alcest I don't think "Kodama" will force you to revise it much, and if I hadn't read all the stuff about the influence of Japanese culture on Neige I don't think I would pick up on any musical indications of it. But goddamn, it sure is purty.

Also, if you like Alcest and you're the music-buying sort, I'd definitely recommend the 7 track version. The bonus track, though instrumental, fells very much of a piece - very leisurely dynamic swell (if you played it at half speed without dropping the pitch it might almost sound like Low) and it's a nice way to take the album out.

Goddamn, I love this Dysrhythmia album!

oh yass, thank you

spinning the new Asphyx now. opening track is a good start.