Babatunde Olatunji - Drums Of Passion

Artist: Babatunde Olatunji

Album: Drums Of Passion
Release: 1959
Label: Columbia

Tracklist:

1. Akiwowo (Chant To The Trainman)
2. Oya (Primitive Fire)
3. Odun De! Odun De! (Happy New Year)
4. Jin-Go-Lo-Ba (Drums Of Passion)
5. Kiyakiya (Why Do You Run Away?)
6. Baba Jinde (Flirtation Dance)
7. Oyin Momo Ado (Sweet As Honeybee)
8. Shango (Chant To The God Of Thunder)

When I was an awkward 10th grader (as opposed to my current stage of awkward man-child), I, like most of my peers, underwent an identity crisis. I started noticing issues of race and ethnicity more and more and, being of mixed descent, my puberty-induced confusion was only exacerbated. In a severely misguided attempt to get in touch with my "African" roots, I not only grew out my hair (white + arab + black = MC5 afro), but I began exploring (ambiguously) African music. Well, it wasn't the music itself that was ambiguous, but my way of viewing it.

Anyway, as you can probably tell, I'm kinda (read: extremely) embarrassed of my 10th grade self, but at least I discovered a lot of good music. The album that I am most fond of from this period of teenage discovery is not a Fela Kuti album, but instead Nigeria's favorite Yoruba drummer, Babatunde Olatunji.

His first release, Drums Of Passion, is somewhat made for Western Audiences, but this was during an infantile stage of marketting in the 1950s when American labels didn't actually know what international music would sell. As a result, the album is some fine drum-heavy music (duh) without any goofy elements of World fusion. While I refuse to use the word "authentic" in any context, sociological or otherwise, this appears to be somewhat, legit-ass music. Obviously, this isn't an exhaustive document of the Yoruba people (not every singer is Nigerian or even African), but hey, it's still better than Papa Wemba.

All this context aside, the music is absolutely phenomenal. It's mostly just drums with call and response group vocals, but it's all done with such virtuousity. The vocals occasionally have a somewhat American vibe to them, but the percussion is nothing short of perfect. While nostalgia plays a big part in why I love this album, it's also definitely because of how great it is. Please check this out!

Download Here

-Adam

P.S. That's the best digital picture I could find. Not the best representation of my 'fro (it was much larger), but it will do.

Biosphere - Microgravity

Artist: Biosphere
Album: Microgravity
Release: 1991

Label: Origo Sound/Apollo

Tracklist:

1. Microgravity
2. Baby Satellite
3. Tranquilizer
4. The Fairy Tale
5. Cloudwalker II
6. Chromosphere
7. Cygnus-A
8. Baby Interphase
9. Biosphere

Geir Jenssen, a.k.a. Biosphere, is an ambient electronic artist from Tromsø, Norway. He’s known for is sci-fi sampling and “arctic ambient” style, which comes through in this album in full force! The samples make up the core of the sci-fi feel of Microgravity, making you feel as if you were on a foreign plane or obscure place, like Norway. You would probably observe the mountainous terrain and make camp at the Rica Ishavshotel in Tromsø. Hungry and fearful of the alien flora and fauna, you may trek to the nearest Thai House Restaurant in the area.

The bass calmly rumbles with deep reverberation, which adds a big portion of the atmosphere to the album. Also, I didn’t notice this at first, but the first and last tracks have a sample of an arctic blizzard wind, adding to the cold, sci-fi ambient style to some of the album. Some tracks are very warm, and some make you want to float above the clouds looking down at the humons.

Mr. Jenssen has also put out another (among others) superb album called Substrata, which is even more ambient than Microgravity. He uses more modern vocal samples which, removes most of the sci-fi feeling of the first album. With that in mind, consider Substrata if you plan to shoot up and listen to music.

Download Here

-Johnny B

P.S. MD/DC folks, make sure to peep the Thai House in Gaithersburg.

Cult Of Youth - A Stick To Bind, A Seed To Grow

Artist: Cult Of Youth
Album: A Stick To Bind, A Seed To Grow
Release: 2008
Label: Dais

Tracklist:

1. Freedom's Path
2. Cold Black Earth
3. The Final Myth
4. Loss Of Innocence
5. The Hand Of God
6. Touch Of Man
7. To The Floor!
8. Love Will Save Us
9. Brick By Brick
10. A Question Of Will
11. A New Dawn (On The Rise)
12. cmIII
13. We Will Rise

This one's for Gregg! We don't usually do requests, but seeing as how this is one of my favorite albums of last year, it had to be done. Cult Of Youth is HEAVILY indebted to early Death In June (and other, similar neofolk), but I actually prefer A Stick To Bind, A Seed To Grow to DI6's last release, Rule Of Thirds, which, despite my numerous attempts, I just cannot get into. Definitely a huge disappointment. Fix your shit, Douglas.

Anywho, for those of you who missed our blog's last post on Brooklyn's Cult Of Youth, the band plays dark, pagan neofolk in the vein of the aforementioned DI6. The guitar playing is consistently excellent, and occasionally majestic, on each of these gems, which mostly stick to the two-three minute mark. I don't really know what to say about this album, as it's pretty standard neofolk with some industrial flourishes, but it's done extremely well (read: inaccessible, yet beautiful arrangements) and is certainly worth picking up if you have an interest in any modern, U.S. neofolk.

This release came out on the consistently-excellent Dais records and, despite the $19 pricetag, I picked this up and found that it was worth every cent, as the packaging is ornate, but not gaudy. There are only a few left, so act fast, I guess. Also, please note that I only used "dark" once as an adjective for neofolk. Fuck you.

Download Here
Buy Here

-Adam

Brain Handle - Self Titled LP

Artist: Brain Handle
Album: Self Titled
Release: 2007, 2008
Label: 2007: Self-Released/2008: No Way

Tracklist:

1. Oblivion Crud
2. Nervous Politics
3. Time Violence
4. Peace
5. Lifestyle Template
6. Headless Attempts
7. Animal Glue
8. Out Of Touch
9. Sentimental Men
10. Wallet Sniffin'

My friend recently asked me for mp3s of Brain Handle's s/t album and I gave him the usual Google response. He called me an "unfunny ass" and stated that he had searched for more than twenty minutes and came up with nothing. I then spent the next 45 seconds doing the same and had the same result and was shocked. How could what is probably my favorite hardcore full length of 2007 not be plastered all over the internet? Blasphemy.

For those of you who have not heard the band, Brain Handle plays hardcore with pretty obvious (mid and late period) Black Flag influences. While I think I prefer their last 7", Brain Handle's debut full length (which was initially self-released by the band before finding a home at No Way Records) is absolutely flawless and what I would consider a modern hardcore masterpiece.

I'm not the biggest fan of hardcore full lengths, but this album just long enough without becoming too tedious. The riffs remain interesting throughout and the vocals are always drunkenly-slurred to perfection. The highlights are numerous: "Oblivion Crud" comes crashing out of the gates and does its job in setting up the template for the rest of the album, the re-recorded version of "Out Of Touch" is probably their catchiest song, and the slowed-down "Wallet Sniffin'" is the heaviest (and best) possible ending to this release.

Hopefully this isn't me being an idiot and reposting this from another blog, but I'm pretty sure it's not on any other one. Either way, whatever. What matters is that you check out some of the best work of one of the best bands in hardcore at the moment.

Download Here

-Adam

:Edit: My friend and I are stupid. It can be found at Christ Almartyr. Thanks, Garrett!

Medicine - The Buried Life

Artist: Medicine
Album: The Buried Life
Release: 1993
Label: American/Beggars Banquet

Tracklist:

1. The Pink
2. Babydoll
3. Slut
4. She Knows Everything
5. Something Goes Wrong
6. Never Click
7. Fried Awake
8. Beneath The Sands
9. Emmeline
10. I Hear
11. Live It Down
12. The Earth Is Soft And White

I love drawing parallels, even if they're a complete stretch, so here we go: Medicine have suffered a similar fate to Chapterhouse in that their excellent sophomore releases were both overlooked at the time of their release and will forever live in the shadow of their debut albums. However, Medicine's second album is not only better than Blood Music (which is still tight!), but Medicine is a superior band.

Medicine's first album Shot Forth Self Living is one of my favorite shoegaze albums. It's near-perfect, with the first track "One More" being one of the best songs ever written. You should definitely check it out. Anywho, both that album and this one, 1993's The Buried Life, posses a very unique feature: Brad Laner's guitar, which is apparently run through (among other things) a Yamaha 4-track recorder, creating a raw and buzzsaw-esque, yet dreamy tone. It's certainly one of the few things in shoegaze that is not completely indebted to Kevin Shields ("completely" being the operative word here).

As I said before, this album is ALMOST as good as its predecessor, meaning it's VERY good. This album differs slightly from Shot Forth in that song structure is complimented by the noise, where that album eschewed said song structure in the name of the abstract. Or something. The band is certainly on the noisier end of shoegaze and noise pop, utilizing white noise to bury pop melodies, which (if you didn't know), equates to creating some of the most mesmerizing music ever! Or so I'd like to believe. But yeah, you should definitely check this shit out. I don't hear too much about this album (or band) from people other than shoegaze diehards, but they are totally worth the investment.

Download Here

-Adam

Luger '39 - Self Titled

Artist: Luger '39
Album: S/T
Release: 2006
Label: Coalition/Monorhetorik

Tracklist:

1. Need A Fix
2. The New World Order
3. The Matrix
4. Love To Hate

All hail my above-average posting! This is the lone release of the perverse nation of Holland’s hardcore sons Luger ‘39. This band features both the tallest and shortest members of Das Oath playing straight forward and pissed-off, mid-tempo “killed by death” style hardcore. I’m gonna keep this review brief just like the s/t 12”, which is only four songs in just six minutes. Kill yourself for not buying this when it came out. Limited to 120 copies, probably gone forever.

Download Here
Buy Here (maybe)

Velocity Girl - My Forgotten Favorite 7"

Artist: Velocity Girl
Album: My Forgotten Favorite 7"
Release: 1992
Label: Slumberland

Tracklist:

1. My Forgotten Favorite
2. Why Should I Be Nice To You?

Velocity Girl is probably the biggest of the DC/MD indie pop bands and for good reason. Up until their final LP, the band was practically untouchable, whether it was their first two masterful full-lengths on Sub Pop or various 7" singles on Slumberland. As much as I love Slumberland releases, I do love their albums more, but here is a great example of what Velocity Girl was putting out with the label.

Equal parts lo-fi, noisy guitars and sugary-sweet melodies, Velocity Girl is textbook pop greatness. My Forgotten Favorite is one of my favorite singles of theirs. I first heard the title track on the legendary ...One Last Kiss compilation on spinART. As far as I know, this 7" was actually released a few months before that comp, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that this single is further proof of Velocity Girl's greatness. Oh, and the B-side is worthy of the Velocity Girl name, as well. I was going to post the Brain Handle LP, but it's fucking 75° out and that just wouldn't be right now would it? POP!

Download Here

-Adam

P.S. If you want to hear an amazing single of theirs on Sub Pop, check out the Sorry Again 7" from this awesome blog. It's one of the best songs from their "cleaner" era.

Nazi Dust - Demo

Artist: Nazi Dust
Album: Demo
Release: 2009
Label: Cult Maternal

Tracklist:

1. Value Without Purpose
2. Mislead
3. Subservient
4. Cling To Objectivity
5. Bad Blood
6. Fervor

My ex’s uncle is a weird bachelor man—he keeps tampons of his crushes whenever they come over and has a ponytail collection from his washed up career as a hairdresser from the 90s. He supposedly watches female pissing porno and has a collection of Schutzstaffel wedding rings. Flashback to 1983—he works at a paint shop on the Lower East Side. His workmate and new buddy tells him about a show that he’s going to when his shift ends. Warzone, Youth of Today, and Wrecking Crew are playing some shitty dive down the street. Uncle says that the show sounds like it would be full of faggots and instead takes his girlfriend Tina to Arby’s. If Uncle wasn’t such a butthole and went to said show, he would probably be the 40 year old asshole who talks shit about Nazi Dust because he secretly wants to be the lead singer. Please write the JUGENDMANNSCHAFT division of Cult Maternal because they might still have copies left.

Download Here
Email upthetampapunx@gmail.com to purchase

-Thomas

NOTE: The second run of these is sold out already. However, a pro tape is being discussed by the band, so you might have a chance of still getting one! Actually, it will probably happen. Stay tuned.

A Little Late, But...

...better late than never! Our Slavescene and Lotus Fucker reviews included mp3s of the cassettes from the bands, so the quality is totally fine, but they came as one, uncut track, which I know is annoying for some. Out of boredom due to my lack of internet at home (and, let's be honest here, a social life), I've finally become acquainted with Audacity and have cut up the songs on these awesome tapes, so you can enjoy them in all of their cut glory. That's all I have to say, really. Cue circumcision jokes/debate.

Lotus Fucker - Answer = Bloodwashed Noise

Slavescene - Heaven Only Knows

-Adam

BONUS: I also cut up Cult Ritual's third tape, so why not also include it. It's interesting not only to hear a less-muddy version of the A-side of their 3rd EP, but also a crucial cover of Black Flag's "Modern Man" from Loose Nut.

Cult Ritual - Tape III/Collection

Valley of the Dinosaurs - Self Titled EP

Artist: Valley of the Dinosaurs
Album: s/t EP
Release: 2005
Label: Mangina/Wheelbite

Tracklist:
1. Truffle Shuffle
2. Hey Sonic, Lay Off The Lightspeed!
3. Mind In An Icebox
4. March!
5. Time Until Death
6. Stop and Go Traffic

Bremerton, WA, is unquestionably a town past its prime. But it's still full of bands, be they good or bad. Many of them often make the 45-minute trek to play Bainbridge Island, the quiet suburb where I grew up. I went to oodles of these shows towards the end of high school.

And at most of these was Valley of the Dinosaurs, truly a one-of-a-kind outfit. Four dudes from Bremerton who'd been in a plethora of bands before, their sound was the ultimate rarity: one that was simultaneously unique but wore its influences on its sleeves. Fugazi, Pink Floyd, the Allman Brothers, and At the Drive-In were but a few groups the band cited.

Jason Clackley and Dustin "Mangina" Mangini were the only two members who stayed in Valley from start to finish. Jason's onstage conviction and hyperactive jumping reminded me of D. Boon, but his voice was 100% reminiscent of bluesy classic rock singers. Call it whatever, but I call it soul- and Jason had--and still has it-- in spades. Dustin was and is skinny as can be– but his boney form belied an incredible energy all his own.

The initial rhythym section was undoubtedly the most locked in– Gavin Temeyer on drums and Kevin Trent on bass. Gavin, in contrast with Dustin and Jason, seemed to have a very concentrated idea of power and focus. Kevin, meanwhile, was the master of melodic interplay. His lines would at the very least differ ever so slightly from whatever Dustin and Jason were playing, but still remain locked with Gavin. It would all just work.

This original lineup released this self-titled EP recorded with Tony Reed of famed locals Mos Generator in 2005.

Every track holds its own; the mix is warm and clear right from the howling feedback briefly preceding the album's opening. "Truffle Shuffle" shifts from a woah-ohhhh verse into a contemplative section about "truffle shuffl[ing] through the seasons" where Jason warns not to "stray from one emotion." "Hey Sonic! Lay Off the Lightspeed" hits you next like a one-two punch and was a major circle pit catalyst. "Mind in An Icebox" is perhaps the one song of theirs I don't think I ever heard live, but that's a damn shame; its swaying, waning riffs pause to give a bluesy guitar harmony break. "March" packs an urgent verse and a guitar harmonics call-and-response in before Jason belts "I TRY MY BEST TO REALIZE!" prompting a frantic break only to slide into a bluesy soft section and then right back to a frantic peak... and then back to the soft again. "Time Until Death" is a tremendous slow-burner with an intense, instantly apparent melancholy never lost, no matter the dynamic shift. The Thin Lizzyish part is also fantastic.

But what brings me back to every great Valley set I ever saw will always be "Stop and Go Traffic," the ultimate Jason-ditching-the-mic-and-everyone-piles-up-to-get-it song. The chorus-- consisting solely of the lyric "Where do I reside"-- was a moment of mass catharsis every time. The speed-along verse was also a great circle pit. In February of senior year, Valley played the Bainbridge Teen Center and the tiny space couldn't contain the madness. Jason broke a string after a song or two, and the band soldered on as a one-guitar ensemble. Kids were zooming around the room, careening into chairs. My friend Nick even crowdsurfed despite the low ceiling. When the band-- coaxed by an anxious crowd– played this tune (which at that point they were entirely tired of) at their final Bainbridge show at the Blood Barn in August 2007, Jason ended it collapsed in an exhausted heap on the floor.

Record labels today are so prone to putting out a record and proudly stating, "FOR FANS OF" and naming Pantera or some equivalently broadly influential group that gives no indication of how said record will sound. Valley of the Dinosaurs are simply for fans of music.

Download Here

-Asa

Oh, and sorry about the cover art resolution-- it was the only image of it I could find on the web.

Disco Inferno - A Rock To Cling To

Artist: Disco Inferno
Album: A Rock To Cling To
Release: 1993
Label: Rough Trade

Tracklist:

1. From The Devil To The Deep Blue Sky
2. A Rock To Cling To

Finally, the end of a long, uninteresting road: my final post on Disco Inferno and their five, brilliant EPs. For those of you who have somehow happened to miss my last four posts on the groundbreaking act from the U.K., Disco Inferno were a post-punk/post-rock/avant-whatever band that no one cared about during their existence and (let's be honest here) probably don't even care about today. Still, they have their fanatical fan base, myself included.

A Rock To Cling To is what I would call this DI's least accessible single. The A-side "From The Devil To The Deep Blue Sky" is probably the most ROCK the band ever got, which is to say not very rock at all, but whatever, it's actually quite beautiful and is one of my favorite DI songs. The B-side and nine-minute title track is REALLY where this is at, though, and probably stands as their most "post-rock" moment. The song is ambient (albeit atonal) repetition at its finest, as the band explores every nuance of a specific groove, all the while with the sound of destruction (broken glass, metal on metal) crashing down around Ian Crause and co. To me, it kinda sounds like a drift through a lifeless city, but what do I know?

Anywho, that's the best I can muster up for this review,as I've almost run out of things to say about the band. It's obvious now, but I will state it again: I love this band. However, I'm pretty stoked I don't have to write about them anymore. You should definitely seek out their classic LP D.I. Go Pop. It's relatively easy to find and I won't be posting it, but maybe someone else will. Hey, maybe Trey will post their last album, Technicolour, and argue why he likes it the most. Who knows? All I can say is that I'm finally done!

Download Here

-Adam

Divisions - Self Titled 7"

Artist: Divisions
Album: Self Titled 7"
Release: 2008
Label: Human Crush Recordings

Tracklist:

1. Vomit Hounds
2. Digress
3. Blinding Rain
4. Siphon

The big boss man Adam is stepping on my neck and making me write this review, so if it seems forced you now know why. This is the only vinyl output from Tampa Bay, Florida’s Divisions. Tampa is notorious for churning out a vile breed of hardcore full of anger, filth, and desperation (see recent acts such as Cult Ritual, Big Rats, Slavescene, etc… and old timey favorites like Reversal of Man, Scrog, Combatwoundedveteran, Holy Mountain, etc.).

This band actually features a former guitarist of The Holy Mountain playing some insane riffs that put a lot of other current metal-tinged acts to shame. Behind the drums is thee one and only Carson Cox, also of Merchandise & Slavescene and the man/boy responsible for recording anything in Tampa that doesn’t suck, particularly Cult Ritual’s 2nd EP. Filling out the trio is a short, violent pickpocket named Justin who is the reason the band is dead; he is now travelling around Europe leaving a trail of herpes from hooker hick town to hooker hick town. They also released a final tape that honestly blows this ripper away.

There Adam, you happy now?

Download Here
Buy Here or just email fahy_john@hotmail.com

-Evander Holywar

Vangelis - Blade Runner OST [Esper Edition]

Artist: Vangelis
Album: Blade Runner OST [Esper Edition]
Release: 2003
Label: Bootleg

Tracklist:

1-01. Prologue And Main Titles
1-02. Leon's Voight Kampff Test/Sushi Bar
1-03. Damask Rose
1-04. Spinner Ascent (Los Angeles November 2019)
1-05. Blush Response
1-06. Wait For Me
1-07. Deckard Meets Rachel (Rachel's Voight Kampff Test)
1-08. Rachel's Song
1-09. Tales Of The Future (On The Trail Of Nexus 6)
1-10. Bicycle Riders (Harps Of The Ancient Temples)
1-11. Chew's Eye Lab
1-12. Memories Of Green
1-13. Blade Runner Blues [Extended Version]
1-14. Pris Meets J.R. Sebastian
1-15. One More Kiss, Dear

2-01. Deckard's Dream
2-02. Thinking Of Rachel [Love Theme Different Take]
2-03. Esper Analysis (Animoid Row, Pt. 1)
2-04. Animoid Row, Pt. 2
2-05. Taffey Lewis' Night Club
2-06. Salome's Dance
2-07. Zhora's Retirement
2-08. I Am The Business
2-09. Love Theme [Extended Version]
2-10. I Dreamt Music [Alternate Love Theme]
2-11. Morning At The Bradbury
2-12. The Prodigal Son Brings Death
2-13. Deckard Enters The Bradbury
2-14. Dangerous Days
2-15. Wounded Animals
2-16. Tears In Rain
2-17. Rachel Sleeps
2-18. End Titles [Extended Version]

Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner (adapted from Philip K. Dick's novella Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?) is widely considered to be one of the premier films of the genre. Despite this, the drama that unfolded over the actual production and release of the film seems to often precede the film itself, as Scott's vision was butchered and bastardized by the studio until Blade Runner: Final Cut was released in 2007, in which Scott's definitive version of his existential rumination on humanity was truly realised. Unsurprisingly, composer Vangelis' soundtrack to the film suffered has suffered a similar fate, though is still without an official Final Cut-esque release.

It is all very surprising to me, really, as the soundtrack is actually as good as the film itself and is certainly one of the best scores ever created. For the film, Vangelis created cold, foreboding soundscapes mostly from synthesizers, matching the aural terrain of the film perfectly. In the original release of the soundtrack in 1994, most of the music of the film was noticeable absent. Two more official releases later, the same can be said. This is where we (finally) get to the Esper Edition of Blade Runner OST.

The bootleg Esper Edition purportedly claims to be the most complete of any version of the soundtracks and it is clear to me that this is completely true. Combining songs from various sources (the official soundtracks, other boots, the film itself), this is the quintessential Blade Runner soundtrack. All of the classics are included: the iconic opening theme "Prologue And Main Titles," the melancholic, saxophone-driven "Love Theme," and many more. My two personal favorites are the extended version of "Blade Runner Blues" and the stunning "Tears In Rain," which is perfectly prefaced by Roy Batty's (played by Rutger Hauer) jaw-dropping final lamentation.

As previously mentioned, the two hours of music collected here comprise one of the best scores ever created. If you are a fan of the film, you NEED to have this. If not, I still recommend you check this out, as it stands on its on as a musical piece, not just a serviceable accompaniment. And my god, those samples. The clips of the film's dialogue no only don't fail, they truly punctuate the sentiment of both the film and the score. As Edward James Olmos' Gaff states at the end of the film "It's too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?" Cot damn!

Download Disc 1 Here
Download Disc 2 Here

-Adam

The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa - Pigment

Artist: The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa
Album: Pigment
Release: 1991
Label: Ecstasy Release

Tracklist:

1. What's
2. Square Wave
3. Who's
4. Honeyrain

A few months back, I had posted Swirlies' Blonder Tongue Audio Baton and stated it was my favorite shoegaze LP, which certainly remains true. However, I suppose I was not as clear as I could have been, as it is not my favorite release, which brings us to this post: The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa's Pigment, my absolute favorite shoegaze release.

The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa was a band from the Czech Republic in the early 90s that went from My Bloody Valentine-worship (this release and their first LP Susurrate) to perfect space rock (...fluidtrance centauri...) to ambient, bliss pop (their most-excellent Free-D (Original Soundtrack) 2xLP) to lame, derivative electronica. During their (heavily) MBV-influenced phase, the band created its best music. I love both of the releases with this sound, but their original 12" EP release is by far my favorite and, in my humble opinion, actually surpasses anything MBV ever created.

Pigment is absolutely perfect. These four songs alternate back an forth between frenetic noise pop and hypnotic, droning pillars of feedback. At the risk of sounding like I write for MRR, "What's" is one of the best openers I've ever heard and sets up the rest of the album perfectly. "Who's" essentially accomplishes the same thing on the B-side, with both of these tracks acting as the perfect setup for two of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard: "Square Wave" an "Honeyrain." These two tracks are anchored by swathes of breathtaking noise and are truly launched into perfection with the mesmerizing vocals of Irna Libowitz. Shoegaze does not get better than this.

Please do yourself (or me) a favor and check out this phenomenal piece of music. Seriously, it's one of my favorites and I wish that everyone would love it as much as me. Who knows why?

Download Here

-Adam

Yukon - Mortar

Artist: Yukon
Album: Mortar
Release: 2006
Label: Terra Firma Limited

Tracklist:

1. Legsick
2. Consolation Enterprise
3. Gough
4. Ribosome
5. Mount Pleasant
6. Formation Prevention
7. Wall
8. Pedestrian

It's unfortunate that genres have a tendency to become ghettos. Based on the recorded output of a handful of beloved bands, musicians emulate instead of innovate, starting bands that are carbon-copies of their heroes without bringing fresh elements or songwriting skills to the table. This is especially common in more experimental, "serious" styles of rock music. Virtually any shoegaze band is indebted to the pedal worshippers in My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive; virtually any "post-rock" band (those formed after 2002, at least) owes a great deal to the crescendos of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky. Likewise, math-rock bands base themselves on the frantic, interlocking patterns and time signatures of Don Caballero and Polvo. Guitarists spend more time figuring out when they can work in that new Harmonic Ovulator pedal they just bought, drummers figuring out if 69/8 is a viable time signature. At its worst, math-rock combines the most turgid excesses of prog, metal, and jazz, bands writing and performing songs that are complicated for the sake of being complicated.

For those of us that aren't Tool and Dillinger Escape Plan fans, there's Yukon, whose 2006 album Mortar is my favorite math-rock album of all time. Hailing from Baltimore, Yukon rose from the ashes of Economist, who were in high school, sounded more like At the Drive-In, had a song about pi ("Japanese Day Trading"), and released an EP on Hit-Dat Records a week before they broke up. Singer-guitarist Denny Bowen pulled double duty as the drummer for Double Dagger until the end of 2007, when he left Yukon to play in DD full-time. Drummer Nick Podgurski is also a member of Extra Life and has played with Zs, and guitarist Sam Garrett, who joined the band at 17, has a solo project called Hex Screw.

Like some of the best math-rock records, Mortar often sounds like the four members are playing completely different parts. Trebly guitars clang and chime; the drumming is definitely jazzy, but Podgurski hits the drums hard and with precision. As a bassist myself, I really like Brad Smith's bass lines - fluid, dissonant, and simple, without dipping into embarrassing "funky" grooves. I'm also a fan of the way they recorded Bowen's vocals low in the mix. Not only is the music is clearly the focal point on Mortar, but Bowen sounds like he's trying to be heard over his band's racket, and it adds to the intensity of the record.

Yukon have got chops all right, but what makes Mortar such a great album is the way their songs are put together. Instead of releasing songs that are just a bunch of noodly tapping parts on top of each other, or jerky metal riffs, the best songs on Mortar create tension and explode in the same way the best songs on Yank Crime or 1000 Hurts do. Take "Consolation Enterprise," where a fast and noisy riff turns into a tense verse, before exploding back into the first riff. Or "Ribosome," which sounds like Hot Snakes' take on a Polvo song, or maybe vice-versa. Either way, it's noisy, it's complicated, it's aggressive, and it's actually fun to listen to.

This record is still available on CD from Baltimore's Terra Firma Limited. Since the release of this album, Yukon had a line-up change and released their Medallion EP, which features the last songs that Bowen recorded with the band. Yukon tour fairly regularly, so you might get a chance for them to come to your town, especially if you live on the East Coast of the US.

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CB Radio

Nomos - Demo

Artist: Nomos
Album: Demo
Release: 2008
Label: Self-Released

Tracklist:

1. The Most Dangerous Game
2. Salvation/Annihilation
3. Pax
4. Operation Cyclone
5. The Cunning Of Nature
6. Homo Homini Lupus

"The first song on this demo, including its intro and how it sets things up for the rest of the song, is possibly one of the most perfectly written/executed hardcore songs I have ever heard."
-Maximum Rock'n'Roll review of the Nomos demo tape

Well, holy fuck. With this quote, the doofs over at Maximum Rock'n'Roll have managed to outdo themselves once more and have actually made me take them even less seriously. Seriously, how they manage to continuously surpass the already towering (or is it low?) bar they set for themselves is beyond me.

If I had read this hyperbolic declaration before actually hearing this demo tape, I probably wouldn't have even given it a chance. Fortunately, I had already given Nomos (a Brooklyn band that, at one point or another, has possessed ex-members of Dustheads, Disnihil, and Red Handed) a listen and had determined they were good and well worth my time to write about.

There is nothing revolutionary about this band, but they play really solid hardcore that's reminiscent of, well, most of the raw, fast hardcore bands from whom contemporary acts are modeling themselves. I even hear echoes of said contemporary bands, with one instance being the intro of "Homo Homini Lupis" sounding nearly-identical to Total Abuse's "Ain't Got No One," who probably stole it from someone else I'm just not thinking of at the moment. So it goes.

However, this is no knock on Nomos or their demo, which is certainly a blast. The first track is actually probably the best song on the album, though obviously not reaching the upper echelon of the hardcore hierarchy as established by the experts over at MRR. I was even told by the singer, Garrett, that the intro that MRR loves so much was barely even included in the first place. LOL. The rest of the demo holds up just as well, however, and it certainly makes me excited for future releases.

PLZ RELEASE A 7" GUIS. RLY. (ADAM)

Download Here
7" version of this on Deranged: Colored and Black

-Adam

Disco Inferno - Second Language

Artist: Disco Inferno
Album: Second Language
Release: 1994
Label: Rough Trade

Tracklist:

1. Second Language
2. The Athiest's Burden
3. At The End Of The Line
4. A Little Something

And here is the fourth in the line of five perfect EPs from Disco Inferno, as well as the first to be released after their masterpiece, D.I. Go Pop. Following up that monolith of an album had to have been a daunting task, but Disco Inferno pulled it off with such gusto that it seems almost effortless.

Second Language, while my least favorite of the five EPs, is still one of my favorite records ever. The title track has some absolutely enthralling Durutti Column-meets-Joshua Tree-era U2 guitar shit going on, while the other highlight, "The Athiest's Burden" is one of DI's best tracks with its pulsating synths that bubble and froth over the endearing bassline. Despite the frontloaded A-side, the B-side refuses to be upstaged. "At The End Of The Line" maintains a somewhat-Brechtian distance from the listener, yet still manages to be emotionally affecting, while "A Little Something" ends the EP on an extremely frenetic note. Ugh, It's sad to think there's only one more EP for me to post...

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-Adam

Twin Threats To Your Sanity 2x7"

Album: Twin Threats To Your Sanity
Release: 2001
Label: Bad People

Tracklist:

1. Dystopia - Diary Of A Battered Child
2. Noothgrush - Procreation Of The Wicked (Celtic Frost)
3. Bongzilla - Gestation
4. Corrupted - Nieve

With the coming of summer and warmer weather, we now see metal's last gasp on ICDT (at least from me,) so we have to be sure it's metal of the highest quality. Looking at the tracklist alone, one can already see what a dream release the Twin Threats To Your Sanity 2x7" really is.

On the first 7" we have crust giants Dystopia coming out with one of their finest songs, "Diary Of A Battered Child." The track takes the classic Dystopia sound (sludgy crust) and bookends it with two very different and juxtaposed conversations between a father and son, which is alternately humorous and disturbing. On the B-side, Noothgrush contributes a cover of a Celtic Frost jam and is, apparently, the last song the band released. It is also notable for its radically different (read: deeper, more death metal) vocal style, which while kinda goofy, is still brutal. Noothgrush certainly ended on a high note.

The second 7" is just as strong if not actually superior to the first. Bongzilla are a bit different than the other bands in that they have a bit of that Southern stoner thing going on, but their excellently recorded live track does not clash with the atmosphere. However, the real kicker comes on the flipside of this 7" with Corrupted's contribution. Corrupted is known for clowning bands they're paired with on splits with their absolutely bone-crushing sludge and "Nieve" is no exception. It is definitely the best song on this amazing compilation and ends up making Bongzilla's song look like Matthew Broaderick starred in it.

Definitely do not sleep on this one, especially since it's not only hard to find in digital format, but Summer is right around the corner and who wants to spend their summer completely miserable, listening to misanthropic sludge?

Download Here

-Adam

The Spudmonsters - Moment Of Truth

Artist: The Spudmonsters
Album: Moment Of Truth
Release: 1996
Label: Century Media, Intercord Record Service, Massacre Records

Tracklist:

1. Isolation
2. Forever Real
3. Pressure
4. 100%
5. Suddent Impact
6. Right Brigade (Bad Brains)
7. Let It Go
8. In Check
9. One Step Back
10. Searching
11. Prevail
12. Blindside

My neck is killing me. On the way home, I cued Moment Of Truth up on the ol' mp3 player, and lo and behold, my head was banging, a mosh pit appeared out of nowhere, fists were thrown, and I came to, disheveled, in my own home, not knowing how I got there. You see, the Cleveland hardcore experience known as The Spudmonsters - Moment Of Truth fucks you up on so many levels, that you need to take a step back just to understand the reality of it all.

Let's take stock of what we have here- Great production along with amazingly arranged songs. Fast thrash. Clevo mosh. Rapcore. Vocals that range from gritty singing, to Dan O'Mahoney-esque yelping, along with Madball-styled "raps." Bad Brains cover. MOSH. With such a wide pallete, this band could play with bands like Biohazard, Cold World, Trapped Under Ice, and Madball. Yup, that'd pretty much be my dream tour for 2009. But I can't live in a dream world, and reality unfolds as it is revealed that this album came out in fucking 1996, and they've already done a reunion show.

This album was truly years ahead of it's time.
If you missed this (like I totally did), you NEED to download this ASAP.

Download Here

-Joe

Hex Noir - Demo I

Artist: Hex Noir
Album: Demo I
Release: 2009
Label: Occult Contemporary

Tracklist:

1. Purity
2. Sanctuary
3. Witch Craft
4. Heritage

For those of you out of the loop, Hex Noir is a new, raw black metal three-piece from Ohio. There's nothing strikingly original about Hex Noir's hybrid of crust and d-beat elements with raw black metal, but that doesn't mean this demo (which is only around seven minutes) doesn't rip. Oh, and it's not nationalist socialist, ha.

Taking its cues from classic BM bands such as Bathory (heavily, LOL) and Mayhem (Deathcrush-era, specifically,) Hex Noir puts its own modern spin on things, making this more than pure homage or, even worse, pure theft. The guitars, whether playing at rapid-fire speeds or at a slower, more mammoth pace, are always interesting and the drumming is consistently more-than-competant and energetic. Best of all, though, are the vocals. I don't know how they engineered the sound, but the singer's voice sounds absolutely terrifying, even more than that of a Wyvern's death throes.

I guess this is technically a sneak-peak or whatever, but be sure to pick up this awesome tape when it comes out in a few weeks on the ever-improving Occult Contemporary. The label is emerging as one of my favorites, sans its played-out, fake flirtations with certain aesthetics. Who cares, though? Additionally, I believe the band is playing their first show with hardcore bands Vile Gash (check out their amazing demos here and here) and Order 66 (ditto and ditto), which is tight. I am looking forward to hearing more from this band in the future!

For fans of Malveillance, Akitsa, Bone Awl, and raw, punky black metal, in general.

Download Here
Buy Here (after Aprill 11th)

-Adam