Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Classic Spins with Tales of the Tomb

Right now, Tales of the Tomb is going to give us some tales of records that really have dug into their hearts.

While you're digging in, make sure you get on top of their latest on BANDCAMP

1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me.

What's your favorite one and why?

 Language by The Contortionist is one of the most legendary concept albums. Even though the message of the album is vague, it allows the listener to perceive the album however they desire.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Hometown Tales with Anthea's Diego Valadez

How's the view here from Fly Over Country?

It's really not too bad, but it's interesting to ask the locals about where they eat, dance and drink. Today we're hearing all about SoCal from Diego of Anthea.

Make sure you're all over their INSTAGRAM.

1. St. Louis City is my hometown. I've lived here for most of my life in and around the city. 

Where are you from? 

Diego: I grew up in the city in LA county called Whittier, California. 

 Otherwise known as Hill Valley in the Back to the Future films which is pretty awesome considering the facts that's my favorite film franchise. 

Beer Thirty with Robert Fearey of The Myopia Condition


You know how we do here. We find Canadians and force them into submission until such point that that accept that Americans are both better at winning Stanley Cups and brewing beer.

So, I don't need to proof read The Myopia Condition's answers to know that they have both praised the deposed, but still defending, Stanley Cup Champions and Urban Chestnut Brewing.

But, check out their tunes at YOUTUBE

So, let's talk beer.

1. My personal favorite beer style is the might Double India Pale Ale. The best DIPA in the world is STLIPA by Urban Chestnut. Tell me about your favorite style.


That’s tough to answer but I’d have to go with a nice dry citrus pale ale.  I love the initial bite and the fact they don’t linger too long.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Fresh Fries with Patrick de La Grange of Ghost:Hello


Recently it's been asked of me that I slow down on my consumption of the fast foods. I'm going to decide that's based on the 19 lbs I've added to my already ample frame rather than the fact that I'm wasting money hand over fist.

So, I'm really enjoying living vicariously through the folks who've decided I'm worthwhile enough to the their thoughts and feelings on the lovely poison.

Today's guest is the new drummer for Ghost:Hello.

Well...

What does he eat god damn it!

1. Let's not pretend. Fast food is delicious. What is your favorite fast food joint? 

My favorite would have to be Five Guys. If you haven’t had their Cajun fries and their bacon double cheeseburger we can’t be friends. 

Vinyl Review Round Up: resent and IRN

 It's been a bit too long since I've sat down to review a new record. Frankly, I cannot imagine a scenario when it hasn't been too long.

Today, I feel like I need to head off some comments before they come to pass. Folks who make requests of vinyl promos are often looked at as jerks. If you look at my history, the vast, vast, vast majority of my posts have been without any vinyl.

In 2020, I had several vinyl reviews lined up before the pandemic hit. Then I had zero and that was fine. Instead of waiting for these bands to have some more money and feel like they could send me those free records, I opened up my wallet and bought them...and in many cases still wrote about those records.

It's been a long pandemic and we've had losses of some kind or another during this time. So I'm thrilled that Rope or Guillotine Records won't take my no's for an answer and still sent me records.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Fresh Fries with Endast

Calgary plays host to the mighty metal force of ENDAST. It's time you get familiar with them. Here's a great VIDEO.

After you watch this video, hear the lyrics, the songs, and the amazing playing. Your first thought is going to be how you'd be willing, nay, begging to hear a treatise on their lives, philosophy, and influences.

Unfortunately, you've got an interview about Fast Food.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

1. Let's not pretend.  Fast food is delicious. What is your favorite fast food joint?

It's a toss-up between Taco Bell and maybe Carls Jr.

2. When I was young, I remember hanging out at Hardee's eating roast beef (not their fried chicken), and smoking cigarettes at the table.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Classic Spins with Saints of Death


Do you remember all of the albums that caught your ear when you were younger? 

Wouldn't it be interesting ti know how a band like Saints of Death, black metal from Vancouver, BC, heard music and it turned them into something different?

Could you imagine what it would be like had they listened to one of your favorite records by Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, or even Black Sabbath and took it to strange new places?

Well read on my friend!

Stream their record HERE.

1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me. What's your favorite one and why? 

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Beer Thirty with James Brookes of Evertrapped



I don't know about you, but with this pandemic, losing family members, and just plan old unbearable stress, one of the great pleasures I've been able to allow myself is a nice cold beer to go with the shiny new records I've acquired.

With that said, it's really cool to get in a beer thirty column with someone again. Today, James Brookes of Evertrapped will give us his beer opinions.

It's cool to get someone in Montreal to give their beer tastes isn't it?

While you're reading, check out BANDCAMP.

1. My personal favorite beer style is the might Double India Pale Ale. The best DIPA in the world is STLIPA by Urban Chestnut. Tell me about your favorite style.

I am also a big fan of IPA, double or otherwise. One of the best ones I've ever had if actually from Brazil. It's called Vixnu and it's impossible to find.

An Imperial IPA.

The first time I tried it was at a beer fest in Montreal and it took me years until I could get another one. A colleague of mine managed to get one imported for me and it was great. It's got everything...perfect malty flavor mixed with just the right amount of bitterness.

And even at 9%, you don't notice it...unless of course, you drink too many of them. 

(NOTE: I had a beer from Quebec that it took me years to find again, Quelque Chose, Cherry Ale served hot.)

Monday, September 14, 2020

Hometown Tales with Terrance Jenkins of Draemora

Let's find out some more stuff shall we? Draemora is a band that is from a town.

That town is sort of famous.

It might be the most recognizable town in the entire state of Washington that's not named Walla Walla!

So check out their tunes and find out how they Seattle.

1. St. Louis City is my hometown. I’ve lived here for most of my life in and around the city.

Where are you from?

Seattle, Washington

2. We have three things that don’t really exist anywhere else: the slinger, the gooey butter cake, and toasted ravioli. Tell me about your hometown's delicacy.

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Hometown Tales with Jupiterian


Do you remember the great days of June when we were sure that all of this lockdown nonsense was going to be over and we'd all be out there hugging and kissing everybody after 2 months of horrific house arrest?

Well, Jupiterian (Canada) does. In fact, that's when they dropped their latest album via BANDCAMP. Let's be honest, I'm not certain if naming the thing bereavement was kismet or karma.

Either way, I wanna ya know...listen to metal, drink beer, and get the hell out of my house.

In the meantime, find out about where they live!

1. St. Louis City is my hometown. I've lived here for most of my life in and around the city. Where are you from?

We (Jupiter Hollow - Kenny & Grant) are from Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

Vinyloscopy with Zach Dean of Messora

What do you know about Montreal's Messora?

Here's the real truth, you can learn all you wan to know about Montreal's favorite sons if you head over to their BANDCAMP page and stream their record.

In the meantime, let's just say, Montreal is my favorite city in Canada even though I've never been there and I'm certain that neither Patrick Roy nor the Laval Chiefs have anything to do with it.

But, for now, let's find out about records, records, and more records.

1. Listening to Black Sabbath's eponymous debut the night I got it blew me away. What's the album that sounds the best on vinyl compared to digital sources?

That first Black Sabbath album is definitely an amazing sounding record on vinyl. I have my dad’s old copy from the 70s. 

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Vinyloscopy with Terry Jenkins of Draemora

Yesterday, when talking about records, Covid-19, and all that jazz on twitter, I counted how many albums I have added to my discogs profile since lockdown began...

The quantities just added in 2020 are a bit on the embarrassing side...

This only includes the albums that are in hand and not the ones that are en route....So, let's talk about what others are doing with their collections!

This Thursday, we honor the great god Thor with Draemora. They're a progressive death metal band from Seattle.

Stream their stuff HERE.

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

LP Review: "The Germs of Circumstance" by Johansson & Speckmann

In an effort to keep the people interested, I'm going to continually change how I do my reviews. So, in lieu of the round up, I'm going back to slightly longer reviews.

Up today, it's the latest released by the death metal super power ultra duo, Johansson & Speckmann. The former, Rogga Johansson, is a member of Paganizer, Revolting, and Riffspreader. He's definitely putting himself out there.

The latter is one, Paul Speckmann, of Death Metal royalty, Master.

It may be patently obtuse to even say this, but this album is going to be heavy. If you like that sort of thing, there's little to be disappointed about.

Unlike traditional death metal it's a bit more raw to my ears. It's got a lo-fi kind of feel. Almost, punk rock.

Speckmann is more proto death metal than the real thing, perhaps the missing link between Lemmy and Death, so nothing he does will be standard issue death metal.

Damn does he have a sound though. Johansson's riffing and solos keep it closer to the signposts of the genre, but there's nothing like that hate Speckmann brings to anything he's doing.

This album really has it all. It's angry, rough, and polished all at the same time. The only thing, it's going to leave you wanting more.

Rating A Purchase

Classic Spins with Mike Redston of Snakeblade


Every musician you love is at heart, just a fan of music like the rest of us are. It's fun to get inside of their fandom as well.

Today Mike Redston of Snakeblade is telling us about the music he loves.

Dig in and check out their BANDCAMP page for some background music.

1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. 

Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me. What's your favorite one and why? 

The Wall has gotta be my favorite as well! Another great one is Avenged Sevenfold’s The Stage. 

It’s all about artificial intelligence, science fiction, and the cosmos. I’ve always been really interested in space and the universe, so naturally, this album grabbed my attention. 

It’s closed out by a 15-minute epic piece called “Exist” which is one of the greatest songs ever written in my books. It even features a spoken-word passage by Neil Degrasse Tyson and I’m a huge Startalk and Cosmos fan so that was just crazy for me. 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Vinyloscopy with Chad McMurray of Rivetskull


During the time we are all living through, I have been digging deep into the world of vinyl. It's been my comfort food and my distraction. 

Don't tell my wife, but in the course of like four months, I've purchased what I would normally buy over the course of an entire year....

If you're going through these kinds of things too, it might be fun to see what others think about those glorious vinyl circles many of us love so very, very much.

Today Chad McMurray of Rivetskull tells us about how he spins vinyl. Check out their debut on BANDCAMP.

1. Listening to Black Sabbath's eponymous debut the night I got it blew me away. What's the album that sounds the best on vinyl compared to digital sources? 

5 Min Origin Stories with Kore Rozzik

If you've been thinking about how you haven't heard about Kore Rozzik for a minute and you've been wondering how their music is formed, what their influences are, and other standard journalistic fare..

Have I got something for you!

Make sure you get all over their new album HERE.

1. Is there an event you can point to you that made you say, wow, that's the instrument I want to play? 

Not like guitar or drums, but the reason why you play the model you do?

The first band I got into was QUEEN. So I wanted to be Roger Taylor (Drums). 

My dad hustled me and I wound up with a guitar. I was naturally better at guitar anyways and I do recall see Kurt Cobain and thinking that it was doable LOL.