The freeway in Oakland blew up a week or so ago. Before you start having terrorist nightmares (or fantasies as the case may be), let me rephrase that. A truck carrying a bunch of gasoline managed to catch on fire and the flames were so hot that the freeway overpass above it melted and collapsed.
Everytime I drive to work now I get to see a huge chunk of this freeway overpass that’s completely missing, just waiting for some ingrate to attempt some ridiculous stunt when no one is looking. Not that I’ve thought about it.
The situation has caused some pretty massive gridlock and transportation problems throughout the Bay Area. I can’t really say the traffic has cause me many problems, but in a city where the traffic is already some of the worst in the country, it makes a good case for further innovation and resources in the area of public transportation, which is becoming more and more essential as our cities continue to swell. If not addressed soon, the situation in the Bay Area will become utterly dire within 5 years, no doubt.
But my main point, as this is not a political column, is that trucks blowing up and melting freeways is pretty fucking metal, hehe he ehehehe he.
Leading the pack in this month’s releases is the new full length from Sweden’s Watain. Titled “Sworn To The Dark’, (eerily similar to the Morbid Angel tune Sworn To The Black, - perhaps an homage?) it’s the bands third full length release and first for the Season of Mist label (Ajna in the States). With the step up to a bigger label there’s naturally been cries of sell-out coming from the underground police. And indeed, ‘Sworn To The Dark’ is easily the most polished, accessible Watain record yet.
Watain spent time a year or so ago touring with the reformed Dissection, the band from which they clearly take their biggest influence. It seemed almost prophetic when Dissection completed the tour for their Reinkaos comback record, and shortly thereafter frontman and songwriter Jon Nodtveit committed suicide in what was clearly a ritual, and very planned, act. Dissection’s Reinkaos, while a solid return to the scene, was largely viewed as lackluster when compared to their previous two albums, both genre-defining masterpieces.
Meanwhile, Watain has sort of picked up the slack and stepped into Dissection’s shoes, essentially filling the void. ‘Sworn To The Dark’ is a much closer approximation of what most people were probably hoping Dissection would come back with. Not as overtly melodic and technical as much Dissection material, the darker aspects of the band as well as the ability to write amazing hooks and memorable tunes are all there.
Compared to their previous albums, ‘Casus Luciferi’ and ‘Rabid Deaths Curse’, ‘Sworn To The Dark’ is clearly tailored for the live environment in which Watain seems to now thrive. And it’s that aspect that probably has the “true” underground complaining. Bedroom black metal has become the norm and people forget that great bands write great songs for the live environment (despite what the prophet Fenriz commands). Watain have already been on the road supporting this record in Europe opening for the mighty Kreator and Celtic Frost, and by the time this column hits will have done their first stateside shows with Angelcorpse and Nachtmystium.
The album leads with “Legions Of The Black Light” an eight minute epic that begins with a riff straight out of the Dissection handbook and by the second riff the song is a complete headbanger that will have live audiences freaking out before heading into the fist-pumping chorus. The song is a perfect opener and easily a highlight of the record. Other highlights include “The Light That Burns The Sun” and the album’s anthemic title track.
If there were one complaint to be made about this ripper, it’s that at nearly 58 minutes, it’s a bit too long. Single LP length would have been more appropriate and helped all the material sink in, rather than particular songs.
Nonetheless, ever since Dissection was put to sleep because of Nodtveit’s original murder arrest the scene seems to have been looking for a successor to the throne they left empty. Watain are probably as close as we’ll ever get, and they carry the torch with pride. This will probably go down as the best black metal album of 2007 (sorry Mayhem fans). Seek out the 2xLP version if you can, a killer gatefold with tons of original artwork, a huge poster and a nice, thick booklet.
As announced in last month’s column the mighty Angelcorpse has reformed after a lengthy vacation and recorded a new record, “Of Lucifer And Lightning”. It’s great to see these heralds of the apocalypse back in action after so long, pillaging with unclean desire, and bringing the aggression back to the live environment where they achieve the height of their destructive abilities.
“Of Lucifer & Lightning” is nine tracks of the textbook early Morbid Angel pumped through a Panzer Division style that Angelcorpse is well-known for. After the “Credo Decimatus” intro, the bands storms into “Antichrist Vanguard” with a chaotic but clearly controlled lead riff and devastating double-bass flailing from original drummer John Longstreth.
From there on through tracks like “Hexensabbat” and “Saints Of Blasphemy” it’s a non-stop storm of steel and iron. The band still has the effect on the listener of an army plowing forward at top speed leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake.
“Of Lucifer And Lightning” is not the best Angelcorpse album. The songs, while chalked full of anger and aggression do not have the same catchy hooks and songcraft quality of older classics like “Sons Of Vengeance”, “Wolflust” or “Phallelujah”. The production feels murkier at times as well. For a band who hasn’t released an album of new material since 2000 or so however “Of Lucifer And Lightning” stands as a fine return to form and hopefully an indication of what’s to come from the reformed death metal masters.
I was ecstatic to receive all the material ever recorded by Disrupt spread out over two releases, a re-release of the classic Unrest album, and a collection of everything else cleverly titled The Rest.
The Rest is a 2xCD collection of all the splits Disrupt recorded with bands like Warcollapse, Taste of Fear and Destroy, comp tracks and an unreleased track. The second disc collects the extra raw 1988 demo, a rehearsal from 1990 and live tracks from 1992. All in all The Rest has 78 tracks of late 80s, early 90s crustgrind devastation (arguably the best time period for that style).
Also included in the well-designed booklet are a ton of lyrics, which were a vitally important part of the Disrupt experience, espousing their clearly pro Animal Liberation viewpoint among a variety of other topics like white power and the futility of the corporate lifestyle. Lots of photos, record covers and flyers included as well.
The Unrest reissue is identical to the original CD version music-wise which had both the Unrest LP and the Deprived 7 inch together on one disc. The album still stands up today as well as it did back in 1994. Sure bands in both the grind and crust genres have come a long way in terms of extremity and creativity since Unrest came out but these deluxe reissues prove there’s still plenty of interest in bands who helped pave the way for today’s scene.
731 is a devastating grind four piece from Australia that features members of doom titans Whitehorse among its ranks. The CD I received is called ‘Live On PBS 106.7 FM 06.12.2006”. 7 sharp blasts in just under 13 minutes recorded live to radio. The live recording gives things that extra rawness that sometimes is lacking on modern grind recordings, which often end up sounding too clinical and clean. This is messy grind played with a nice mixture of superfast and crushing mid-paced tempos. Not sure of the availability on this CD but a couple of these tracks will appear re-recorded on their upcoming split 12 inch with California Love. Keep an ear out for these dudes. Bonus points for the excellently titled “Record Collector Dissector”. Email: grind731@hotmail.com for more info.
With the immense popularity of both High On Fire and OM and the by now legendary status of Sleep it was only a matter of time before Asbestosdeath had their material re-released (something I’ve been wanting to do myself for years!).
A quick history for those out of the loop, Asbestosdeath was basically an early incarnation of San Jose’s Sleep that included all three members of Sleep, Matt Pike, Chris Hakius and Al Cisneros, and also Tom Choi on guitar as well. The band had two releases, one an EP on Profane Existence and another self-released.
The four total songs on Dejection/Unclean total about 20 minutes in length and are basically early versions of material that would later by re-recorded for Sleep’s crushing Volume I release. Clearly inspired by Melvins and of course Black Sabbath these tunes display a bit more aggression and anger, particularly in the vocal department, then Sleep later become known for. Recommended for those interested in hearing Sleep in its rawest, earliest incarnation. Released by Southern Lord who will release the next OM record (Sleep’s rhythm section).
Crucial Blast has released the debut album by France’s Year Of No Light simply titled “Nord”. The genre is classified as “brutal shoegazer” and while I have to admit that’s an accurate description here, I also have to admit that I’m a bit biased as I cannot seem to get past my disdain for this shoegazer style of music’s invasion of the metal scene. It seems akin to emo wrapping its clutches around every facet of current rock music.
Fans of bands like Jesu (whose wretched new album Conqueror would seem a point of reference here), Mouth of the Architect and Explosions In The Sky, of which I am not one, will probably find much to like here. Lots of drifting, epic, sentimental, shed-a-subtle-tear riffs and songs that pass the eight minute mark. The second track (the French title of which is much too long for me to attempt typing out) does bring a bit of aggression into the proceedings in the way Isis creates their ever-decreasing huge heavy parts, but those moments come too infrequently for my thrashin blood.
Indeed many of you will find a lot to like on Nord as it’s no doubt a quality record in a very modern context, just not to my particular taste. As good as any band playing this frustrating style of “metal”. Maybe I’m too impatient, but then again I had no problem getting through Crucial Blast’s epic, brilliant Monarch 2xCD…
For a REAL shed-a-ton-of-tears record the new album by England’s Warning called “Watching From A Distance” is essential. Holy shit is this album a downer. If some bands want to spend time gazing at their shoes, this band want to gaze into the abyss of failed relationships. I know what you’re thinking, music about failed relationships equals emo bullshit. No way, this is true classic doom in the vein of Solitude Aeternus or Candlemass with an equal dose of My Dying Bride and early Anathema style acquiescence.
It’s a fine line to walk between truly sad music and stuff that borders on cheesy balladry, but Warning balances themselves with ease. And these guys ain’t 17 year olds singing about high school love, these are older dudes who’ve been in the long-term trenches and probably fucked it all up. A clear St. Vitus vibe mixed in there as well. Stunning. Put your razors away upon pressing play. Released by the Miskatonic Foundation label.
A pleasant surprise came in the form of a band called A Second From The Surface with their new CD “The Streets Have Eyes” released by the This Dark Reign label. This band plays a not overly technical form of modern grind metal with fairly catchy riffs and high monotone shouted vocals, mixed with occasional lows. A song like “Fleeting Swarm” mixes in some moments of melody, but without letting up on the gas enough to make it sound wimpy. There’s enough variety here to keep things interesting through the 10 tracks, which last just under 20 minutes - the ideal length for this sort of record. Not sure if there’s a vinyl release on this, but it would seem appropriate.
I’ve got to say thanks to everyone who has been sending in music. I want to reiterate that smaller label releases will be given the priority in this column. There’s a million magazines and writers covering Dimmu Borgir and Cannibal Corpse, etc, etc, already and not enough metal mags give enough attention to the smaller stuff. That’s what this column is supposed to be for, so I need your stuff small labels!! I realize your budget for mailouts is small, I run a small label myself and can’t afford to send out many free copies either, but you have a much better chance of getting some word space here then in the usual glossy rags, not to mention a pretty different but no less interested readership. Hell, I’m fine if you want to get me your album digitally if that’s easier, I don’t necessarily have to have a hard copy (just don’t email it to me, I need to download it from you somehow).
Send whatever, LP, CD, Tape to Don’t Try, 2340 Powell Street, #117, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA. Email: donttry@20buckspin.com. Until next time… WE ARE A BLAZE IN THE NORTHERN SKY, THE NEXT THOUSAND YEARS ARE OURS!
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